The Han culture is spreading strongly in Southeast Asia

Chapter 641 The Value of the Carpenter Emperor
In fact, it is a bit insulting to say that Louis XVI is the same as the Apocalypse Emperor.

Emperor Tianqi was not bad in ability. Judging from his ideas in handling political affairs and his ability to discover and reuse Wei Zhongxian, Tianqi's ability was definitely much higher than that of his grandfather Wanli.

Although he is not as good as his great-grandfather Emperor Wanshou, he should not be far behind.

In Europe, he certainly cannot catch up with Catherine II, Frederick II, Queen Theresa and the Sun King Louis XIV, but he is definitely better than Louis XV. He can probably be seen as a somewhat "lame" weakened version of Louis XIV.

There were only two major flaws in Emperor Tianqi. The first was that his father Taichang was deceived by the civil officials, which caused a serious imbalance in the power between the emperor and his ministers, and he basically lost control of the civil officials in the external court.

Tianqi could no longer find any civil servants he could rely on in the outer court, so he could only reuse Wei Zhongxian and engage in power-based eunuch politics, which was never the right way.

Secondly, Tianqi was unable to protect his descendants, which greatly reduced the appeal of him and Wei Zhongxian, because the power structure of powerful eunuchs, which is completely dependent on the emperor, has the fatal flaw that they will be forgotten once they are gone.

The fact that Tianqi had no descendants and might die at any time made Wei Zhongxian's power base unstable. He could not find any truly useful civil servants in the outer court. He could not even find a beggar-like version of Zhang Juzheng. All he had were the Five Tigers, Ten Dogs, and Ten Children.

As for Louis XVI, apart from the commonality that he and Apocalypse are both enhanced versions of Hand-Geng, Louis XVI is not good at anything else. He is the kind of person who would be considered a coward among ordinary people.

If he was not the King of France, he would most likely be a man who only knew how to work all his life, being bullied to death at work, and doing all the heavy work by himself.

When he got home, he was still scolded by his wife. He knew that his wife was cheating on him, but he pretended to be blind because of his cowardice and let his wife use his money to support other men. What a coward.

If such a person became the king of the Kingdom of France, it would be a disaster for all French people. He is even worse than Chongzhen.

At least if Chongzhen had followed Louis XVI's script, his courage to fight and kill high-ranking officials and nobles and his relatively strong psychological quality would have been exactly what France was suffering from, and he might have even become the ruler of a revival.

It can be said that all the tragedies were doomed when Louis XVI became the only remaining direct descendant of Louis XIV and was forced to sit on the throne of the King of France.

Even if someone else were to take over, he wouldn't necessarily end up being beheaded.

Because at this time, the Bourbon dynasty of France was not at the stage of national destruction, but was in an era of great changes that had not been seen in a thousand years.

Just a little further ahead and the colonization of the world will be smooth sailing. There is no need to say more. Just cut off 30% of the power of the first and second classes and transfer it to the best of the third class, and all problems will be solved.

The money owed by Louis XVI would have been no problem at all if he had a powerful monarch. Could the king of a world-class power be so troubled by debts owed to a group of Jewish bankers?

What a joke!

If you can’t solve the debt problem, can’t you solve the creditor problem?
In the Palace of Versailles, Cao Zhenyong, the Chinese ambassador to the West, was following the court eunuchs to the Hercules Hall, where the king received foreign guests.

Bursts of laughter were heard, and Cao Zhenyong, who was quite upright and old-fashioned, couldn't help but glance in the direction of the sound, and then he sighed deeply in his heart.

The third level outside was about to explode, but people inside were still singing and dancing as if nothing had happened, completely unaware of the danger.

It is conceivable how terribly unresponsive Louis XVI and his wife were to danger.

"Your Excellency, the Queen is also in the hall. She is with Her Majesty and is not in a good mood."

When the emperor was about to arrive at the main hall for an audience, the eunuch, who received 500 livres (about 21 pounds and 70 silver dollars) from Cao Zhenyong every month, immediately told Cao Zhenyong the situation inside in secret.

In the past, Cao Zhenyong would have simply acknowledged the situation and not asked further questions. However, today was a little different. He quietly asked, "Is this related to the Crown Prince's illness?"

The Crown Prince of France at this time was not Louis XVII who was killed during the French Revolution, but Louis XVI's eldest son Louis Joseph Xavier François.

"Yes, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is in a very bad condition." The eunuch said, looking around. Seeing that no one was paying attention, he lowered his voice and continued:
"His Royal Highness has been suffering from frequent high fevers over the past month. At his worst, he would have a severe fever every other day, and he even fainted."

"Huh!" Cao Zhenyong sighed deeply. This child will not live long. This is a symptom of late-stage tuberculosis, just like the dilemma France is currently facing.

"May the merciful Jehovah bless him!" Cao Zhenyong prayed softly, using the word Jehovah.

At this time and space, the name of religion is different from that in later generations.

The word "God" must never be used casually. It certainly does not refer to the Christian God Jehovah, but to the Heavenly Way represented by the God of Heaven.

In other words, in China, only the emperor can be called the Son of God or the Son of Heaven, and the word "God" is added to the honorific title.

The Ming Dynasty was too lax in its regulations, which allowed people like Matteo Ricci to take advantage of the loophole and translate Jehovah into God.

This is simply outrageous. Jehovah is God, so Emperor Mo Zibu is the son of Jehovah.

Then how about having a strong woman in the palace take a small copper gong and bang it a few times, recite a few doggerel, and try to make God come down to earth?

The Hall of Hercules is on the second floor, so the name of this hall was given by the people of the Chinese Embassy. Later generations directly translated it as the Hall of Hercules, which is quite appropriate.

As he entered the Hercules Hall, Cao Zhenyong saw Queen Antoinette shedding tears.

However, the person standing next to the queen was not King Louis XVI, but Queen Antoinette's lover, Swedish aristocrat Hans Axel von Fersen.

King Louis XVI, at a distance, was burying his head in a pile of small things, which looked like a model of a fountain.

Seeing this scene, Cao Zhenyong felt inexplicably depressed.

They are indeed a group of barbarians. If they were in China, Cao Zhenyong would have gone up and hit Ferson with a stick until his head was bleeding.

"Mr. Ambassador, are there no new developments in your country's research on pathogens and cells?"

Without waiting for Cao Zhenyong to pay his respects, Queen Antoinette took the handkerchief handed to her by Fersen, wiped the tears from her face, and asked in a muffled voice that had just finished crying.

The reason why Queen Antoinette asked this was because two years ago, Mo Zibu personally published an article through the Nanjing Hongwu Imperial College of Medicine.

Although Emperor Mo's knowledge was a mess, it did not prevent him from knowing one basic thing, that is, there are bacteria and viruses in this world that can be observed with instruments.

He also knew that many human diseases, such as tuberculosis, are caused by germs, and that they are contagious because germs float in the air.

In this paper, Mo Zibu proposed concepts such as bacteria and viruses, and gave the principles and methods of observing pathogens with a high-power magnifying glass.

It also predicted that in the future, mankind's victory over epidemics such as tuberculosis, plague, and cholera would inevitably be marked by the discovery of microorganisms that could inhibit these diseases.

This theory was common sense that even elementary school students knew in later generations, but at this time, it was a groundbreaking discovery.

It can be said that a large part of the rise of modern medicine is based on the discovery and observation of bacteria, viruses, etc.

Influenced by this, medical theories in the East and the West began to develop rapidly. Now it depended on who could make practical inventions based on the cell and germ theories proposed by the emperor.

Antoinette didn't understand anything else, but she knew that this direction was the most likely way to treat tuberculosis.

However, Cao Zhenyong responded with words he couldn't bear to say, "Your Majesty, relying on the theories proposed by His Majesty the Emperor of China, scholars from both the East and the West have proposed effective prevention and control measures for cholera, plague, leprosy, and other diseases."

But there hasn’t been much progress in drug treatment.”

After hearing this, Queen Antoinette sobbed in pain again.

"Ambassador, does my brother His Majesty Guangzhong agree to the marriage between our two countries?" Hearing the queen's sobs again, Louis XVI finally raised his head from his exquisite fountain mechanism.

In response to this question from a half-step emperor, Cao Zhenyong quickly bowed and saluted, then solemnly replied, "Yes, Your Majesty, our great emperor agrees.

As long as the ceremony is held according to the etiquette of both China and France, Her Royal Highness Marie-Thérèse, Princess of France, will become the Crown Princess of the Chinese Empire!

When Cao Zhenyong said these words, he swallowed hard, because he knew that the Chinese people would never accept a French woman as the Crown Princess, even if she was the eldest daughter of the King of France.

In fact, Cao Zhenyong had simulated many times how he should express his refusal without hurting the feelings of the two countries.

But who would have known that the emperor would write him a letter personally, asking Cao Zhenyong to agree to the marriage immediately on behalf of the empire.

However, it must be pointed out that this marriage must go through the complete enthronement ceremony of both countries before it can take effect, and Marie Therese can become the Crown Princess of China.

As he was thinking, Cao Zhenyong was suddenly shocked. Could it be that His Majesty had already seen the current chaos in France from thousands of miles away?

No, no!
Cao Zhenyong shook his head imperceptibly. Even if the current chaos continued, what use could a little girl be?
"That is a good thing, though my Mary is going to a far country.

But Seris Dayu is a powerful country, and Guangzhong is a great emperor. Mary will definitely be happy in Seris."

Queen Marie Antoinette wiped away her tears and finally a smile appeared on her face.

For this vain and competitive queen, it would be the most glorious thing in all of Europe for her daughter to become the future empress of the Chinese Empire.

Of course, Louis XVI did not notice Cao Zhenyong's slight abnormality and nodded in agreement, but his eyes showed an extremely sad and painful look. It seemed that the prince was indeed dying.

"Mr. Ambassador, what do you think my brother, Emperor Guangzhong, would do if he were faced with the same problem I'm facing now?"

Louis XVI suddenly asked a question without any reason, and his expression was also confused.

It seemed that this king, who had no talent for governing a country, was indeed confused and didn't know what to do.

In other words, he knows what to do, but lacks the courage to reform.

What to do, huh.

In Cao Zhenyong's view, people of the first and second classes can be a little arrogant and extravagant, because nobles in all countries are like this.

But you can't live in luxury and debauchery and at the same time help the king suppress the lower classes.

Especially the high-ranking clergy of the first class, after the impact of the Reformation, their sacredness had been destroyed by more than half, and they did not have much military power, making them a complete burden to the country.

This class cannot convince people with reason and cannot be defeated by physics. What qualifications do they have to exist? What is there that cannot be touched?
These people occupy high positions, have no ability, have seized a lot of wealth, but don't even have the ability to protect themselves. Aren't they just scapegoats and fat pigs?

Just chop it up and down and eat the meat together, what a great thing! Do you need someone to teach you this?

"Your Majesty, I am merely a minister. How can I possibly speculate on the actions of the Great Emperor Guangzhong? In our Eastern land, this is called trying to divine the Emperor's will, a grave sin."

Cao Zhenyong interrupted him without thinking, saying, "King Louis, you don't have the courage, what can your subordinates do?"

Besides, he was just an ambassador and didn't want to be shot by some assassin hired by someone from the first or second class as soon as he left the house.

After hearing this, Louis XVI showed a look of disappointment on his face. He looked around, as if looking for any trace of the meeting with the representatives of the Third Estate Parliament here ten days ago.

He could feel that the people of the third class still loved him, but... Louis XVI waved his hand, announced the end of the meeting, and asked Cao Zhenyong to leave.

However, as for him to take a layer of benefits from the first and second estates to give to the third estate, forget it. Louis XVI felt that it was not worth the risk.

Because he was surrounded by people from the first and second classes, if his stance wavered, he might die of illness, fall, or drown.

The third estate was too far away from Louis XVI.

The King of France did not realize that the volcano under his butt was about to erupt. Instead, he felt that although the third estate was somewhat pitiful and worthy of sympathy, it could not affect him in the slightest, so he just pretended not to see it.

Cao Zhenyong walked out of the Palace of Versailles quickly. He knew that Louis XVI was such a person, so he did not express any opinions in front of him.

This famous official of Emperor Daoguang who was posthumously named Wen Zheng was very shrewd. Not to mention that he was not a minister of the Kingdom of France, even if he was, he would not serve a king like Louis XVI.

"Your Excellency, a representative from Tangshan has arrived and is currently at the embassy. He has come specifically to convey His Majesty's instructions."

As soon as he left the palace, Cao Zhenyong received the news. When he returned to the embassy in a carriage, the special envoy who was to convey the oral order had arrived, accompanied by a thousand-householder from the Jinyiwei Southern Pacification Division stationed in Damascus.

The envoy has no beard. Although he has traveled a long distance, he still has fair skin and is a little chubby. His temperament is completely different from that of a normal person.

This is exactly the characteristic of the eunuchs in the palace.

"When we came here, His Majesty specifically instructed that only Minister Cao should hear this."

Hearing what the envoy said, Cao Zhenyong, who was given the title of Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, led the envoy into a secret room.

Arriving in the room, the eunuch envoy looked around and confirmed that there was no third person. Then he slowly said: "Your Majesty's oral order:
Cao Zhenyong, I don't care what method you use or what price you pay, you must protect Louis XVI's eldest daughter. If necessary, you can take her out of France and send her to Nanjing."

"Eunuch, are you sure you didn't convey the wrong decree?" Cao Zhenyong was even more confused. What was the use of this French princess that was worthy of His Majesty's special oral order at all costs?

Could it be that the Bourbon family will be destroyed?

But even if the country is destroyed and the clan is exterminated, France is 100,000 miles away from China, and with a princess in hand, it is completely unable to interfere!
The special envoy snorted coldly, "If we convey the wrong oral instructions, we will naturally be stabbed at the vegetable market. Your Excellency, just follow the oral instructions."

Cao Zhenyong realized that he shouldn't have said that, so he immediately knelt three times and kowtowed nine times to the east, "Your Highness, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, and the Plenipotentiary Ambassador to the Western Regions, Cao Zhenyong, accepts your order."

Cao Zhenyong could not understand how violent the French Revolution was and how it would sweep away some old customs and habits. Naturally, he could not understand how many talents and assets the French royalists who had been absorbed by the United States in history had.

Rather than giving the United States a bargain, it would be better to let these people establish a principality in Louisiana, North America, where France and Spain are entangled, with Louis XVI's eldest daughter as the Grand Duchess.

Obtaining Marie Therese's claim is naturally powerless against the European continent, but it is still very useful for North America and other places.

(End of this chapter)