The Han culture is spreading strongly in Southeast Asia

Chapter 775 Is Having Two Leaders a Good Idea?

In fact, Mo Gongze was somewhat wrong about his cousin, Emperor Franz II of the Holy Roman Empire.

If the war hadn't become unbearable, Francis II wouldn't have betrayed the Mo family so completely.

From the latter half of 1795 to 1798, for more than two years, the Holy Roman Empire, led by Austria, rallied a group of Holy Roman Germanic allies and fought a protracted war with France.

Although the Holy Roman Empire was inferior in size, especially in steel production and the quality of its officers, it had the support of a group of allies and the loans and supplies provided by the English, which enabled it to fight the French to a standstill.

The reason why France could essentially be considered to be fighting the Holy Roman Empire one-on-one, and yet the battle was so intense, was because the French Directory was also a complete mess.

They are adept at infighting, using the banner of revolution to exclude dissidents, and engaging in reckless and chaotic activities. However, they are incapable of building a nation, or even organizing a large number of people with revolutionary zeal to form a revolutionary army.

So, over the next two years, these two sides engaged in a fierce, back-and-forth brawl on the European continent, leaving each other bruised and battered. They were truly evenly matched opponents.

However, by 1798, the Holy Roman Empire was gradually unable to sustain itself.

Firstly, the small states within the Holy Roman Empire, most of which bordered France, were not defeated by the Directory government during the fighting. Instead, the ideas of the French Revolution spread rapidly back to France through the militia they recruited.

The rulers of these small states no longer dared to continue fighting. If they did, the people would suffer, and the masses affected by the revolution would rise up and follow in the footsteps of Louis XVI.

Secondly, the Holy Roman Empire's finances were also on the verge of collapse. The aid loans from England and the financing from the London financial market alone amounted to more than five million pounds, or about eighteen million silver dollars.

This sum of money is roughly equivalent to a quarter of the Anxi War launched by the Great Yu. Even for the Great Yu, which is a small country, it would still be painful to spend so much money, let alone the Holy Roman Empire, whose main ethnic group consists of just over ten million Austrians.

If the fighting continues, the interest alone will be enough to give Francis II a hard time.

Therefore, after receiving half of the Venetian Republic's territory from France, the Holy Roman Empire immediately chose to compromise, even though this compromise seemed very embarrassing, it was still better than the national treasury collapsing.

. . . .

Transylvania, Sibiu, Chaoyun Castle.

“My dear, I am going to see Mother, Joseph, Franz, and Mary.”

Princess Elizabeth of the Holy Roman Empire, Grand Duchess of Parma, and Queen of the Seres Empire, lay on a large huanghuali bed with a distinctly Chinese aesthetic.

Even though it was already June, she was still covered with a thick quilt made of the finest Jiangnan silk and North American cotton, and she didn't break a sweat.

When Marie, her sister and Queen Marie Antoinette of Louis XVI, was mentioned, a few cloudy tears instantly welled up in Grand Duchess Maria Elizabeth's eyes.

“My dear, you’ll be alright. You’re still in good health. We’ll continue our sweet life together for at least another twenty years. We’ll watch together as Aze marries George III’s beloved daughter and becomes the King of the Greater Netherlands.”

When the nearly sixty-year-old Prince Lu, Mo Zirong, heard his wife say this, he immediately burst into tears.

He had many women in his life, and he only got together with Maria Elizabeth when he was over thirty, but their relationship was quite deep.

This princess of Shenluo, who was somewhat self-conscious because of the smallpox scars on her face, was the last source of safety and tenderness in the heart of Prince Lu, Mo Zirong, for more than twenty years.

Especially after Mo Zirong has experienced so many extremely dangerous moments along the way, this feeling of safety and warmth at home has become increasingly important.

"No!" Grand Duchess Maria Elizabeth shook her head desperately, and with all her might, she raised her left hand and barely managed to grab Mo Zirong's sleeve.

“Tell our darlings not to dream of becoming the King of the Netherlands, for it is an ominous place.”

It was too close to France, and its ethnic groups were too diverse. The Prince of Orange and his family had ruled the Netherlands for centuries, maintaining complex relationships with the monarchs of all the major European powers. They wouldn't easily relinquish their legitimacy.

Grand Duchess Elizabeth may not be considered a politician, but as the daughter of Queen Theresa and having long been exposed to high-level politics, she does possess some insight.

“Karl, the family we can rely on is not my maternal clan, the Habsburgs, but your paternal clan, the Seresmo royal family, or more precisely, your brother, His Majesty Emperor Seresmo.”

We must tell our darling that whatever he does, he must obey His Majesty the Emperor's orders, and most of the time, prioritize the interests of the Seris Empire.

Mo Zirong nodded with tears in his eyes. He knew what his wife, Grand Duchess Elizabeth, was worried about.

Their son, Mo Gongze, was unhappy about Emperor Mo Zibu's arrangement for his tenth son, Mo Zhouzhan, to marry Maria Ludovica Lucia, the daughter of Francis II.

Mo Gongze believed that the Emperor's fifth uncle's arrangement would weaken the Mo Zirong lineage's status as the representative of the Seris Empire in Europe.

“Aze is a very opinionated and sensible person. He was just a little unhappy, but he knew very well what he should do.”

Although Mo Gongze showed his displeasure in front of Mo Zirong and his wife, Mo Zirong knew that her son was sensible and knew what he could and could not do.

The reason they show it is simply because they don't want to hide it from their parents.

“Then let him not hate Emperor Francis II,” Archduchess Elizabeth continued. “Franz is also very pitiful. He is so young, yet he has to bear such great pressure. He is not the real culprit in the decline of the Holy Roman Empire, but he may very well have to bear that blame.”

When a person is about to die, their words are good. This goodness does not refer to kindness, but rather to letting go of all the interests and entanglements of being born into this turbid world. With no worries, one's mind becomes clear and one can see many things that were previously unclear.

This princess, the most influential and powerful figure in the Holy Roman Empire of this time and space, saw the fate of the Holy Roman Empire clearly in the final moments of her life.

The Habsburg family and the Austrians were no longer able to support such a large empire.

"My dear, rest assured, no matter what happens, Aze and I will always support Franz II. As long as we, father and son, are still alive, we will not watch the Holy Roman Empire fall."

This decision was made based on over twenty years of marriage, and it was a promise I made to my mother on her deathbed.

It must be said that Queen Theresa made the right choice. Mo Zirong is a playboy, but he is also the most sentimental.

Queen Theresa was very fond of him and treated him like a son. She even went against the opinions of others and helped him become the Grand Duke of Transylvania, giving Mo Zirong a foothold and corresponding status in Europe.

Mo Zirong never forgot this kindness, nor did he forget his promise to Queen Theresa. Even though he suffered many betrayals and had such a falling out with Joseph I and Franz II, he still wanted to maintain the Holy Roman Empire of the Habsburg family.

“My dear, to have met you, in your Seres’ words, must be the result of all the good deeds I did in my previous ten lives.” Grand Duchess Elizabeth looked at her husband with deep affection, a dazzling light shining on her withered face.

“Promise me that after I leave by God’s call, you will return to Seris. Aze needs you; he needs someone to speak for him on behalf of the Great Emperor.”

Mo Zirong naturally understood Grand Duchess Elizabeth's plan. For the past twenty-five years, Mo Zirong had worked hard in Europe for the sake of the Great Yu and the Mo family. Regardless of his merits, his hard work alone was enough to make the emperor make some compromises.

He won't have to do anything then; he just needs to stay in Seris capital. This will certainly pave the way for his son, Mo Gongze.

Therefore, Mo Zirong stopped talking about the Elizabeth Grand Duchess getting better.

Although the Duchess was a year younger than him, her health had never been good. Five years ago, she fell seriously ill and was saved by the highly skilled physician from the Prince Lu's mansion. She had been sustained by expensive tonics and medicines, but now she was long past her prime.

“My dear, I will. I will return to Seris and bring you back with me. When I too am called by God, we will be buried together in the Mo family royal tombs in Xinglong County, Xinglong Prefecture (Haikang County, Leizhou).

. . . .

Buckingham Palace, London.

At this time, Buckingham Palace had not yet become the main residence of the royal family; it was merely the private residence of Queen Charlotte, the consort of George III.

King George III of England sits at the top of an oval dining table.

The eldest son, the Prince of Wales, who will become George IV, sat to the left.

Clarence, the third son, and the Duke of St Andrews, who would become William IV, sat to the lower right.

Meanwhile, Princess Charlotte, George III's eldest daughter who had just married, and Princess Mary, his third daughter, were flitting around the round table like butterflies, carrying platters full of delicious food, serving their father and brother.

At the other end of the oval table sat William Pitt the Younger, the most powerful man in England at the time, enjoying the service he received from the two princesses and their maids. It seemed this was not the first time he had been invited to lunch.

Unlike the Chinese, who like to discuss matters at the dinner table, the English royal family at this time treated meals as a meal. Only after the main meal, when fruit, dessert, and after-dinner drinks were served, would it be time to discuss business.

"Little William, what do you think of the Kingdom of the Greater Netherlands? Should we support it?" George III ate quite a bit, but spoke weakly.

At this time, in addition to mental illness, cataracts also began to torment the king, causing him great suffering.

Therefore, the sixty-year-old King of England looked very weak, as if he might die at any moment.

Compared to Emperor Mo Zibu, who is only ten years younger than him, has a son and a daughter born this year, can ride a spirited horse, wield a carbine to hunt gazelles, and can eat five pounds of lamb chops in one meal, it seems like there is a thirty-year age gap between them.

“Your Majesty, with Prussia going back on its word and Portugal now in complete decline, we do indeed need an ally with a strong presence on the European continent.”

Prime Minister William Pitt Jr. slowly said that the so-called powerful allies were just empty words; what England really needed was a younger brother with excellent combat capabilities in the army.

The initial choice was Portugal. Although the Portuguese army was not particularly strong, Portugal was close to the Spanish Empire, England's most powerful rival at the time.

With the decline of Spain and the rise of France, England's next option was the Kingdom of Prussia.

These poor bastards were crammed onto a cold, swampy plain. They could be made to obey orders with very little money, and they were also quite capable fighters.

However, after the dissolution of the first anti-French coalition, the situation changed. Prussia, which had begun to be considered a powerful nation, was unwilling to continue challenging the powerful French revolutionary government for the sake of England's interests. It repeatedly refused to join the anti-French camp and was unwilling to send troops again.

This forced England to support Austria, but after losing the Austrian Netherlands, England's aid supplies could only land in Slovenia on the eastern side of the Adriatic Sea, which was very inconvenient.

Emperor Francis II of the Holy Roman Empire was an incompetent ruler who took out loans of several million pounds and wreaked havoc on the war. He not only lost the legal status of the Austrian Netherlands but also allowed the French army to enter the Apennine Peninsula and essentially control northern Italy and the city of Rome.

Therefore, England urgently needs a player to act as its enforcer on the European continent.

However, Prime Minister William Pitt Jr. did not finish his sentence. England was indeed lacking a henchman, but after a moment's hesitation and glancing at Princess Mary's expectant gaze out of the corner of his eye, he still shook his head.

"But Prince Carl was no ordinary prince; he was a wise and ambitious monarch. Ever since he retreated to the British Isles with ten thousand troops more than two years ago, he had been waiting for the moment to reclaim Belgium."

Therefore, over the course of more than two years, we were surprised to find that Prince Karl did not have a single mistress by his side.

Although countless women threw themselves at him, many of whom were high-ranking noblewomen, he rejected them all.

Princess Mary's eyes lit up even more when she heard William Pitt say that, thinking that he was speaking well of him because of his personal friendship with Mo Gongze.

Princess Mary felt that Mo Gongze was doing this to wait for her and to make a good impression on her.

"At the same time, we know from the various financial companies in London that Prince Carl used all his income to support the army."

He personally took charge of the food, clothing, and lodging of even the lowest-ranking soldiers. He made proper arrangements for every wounded and discharged soldier, and the compensation for soldiers who died in battle was delivered directly to their families.

He himself has always lived in a small villa provided by the Kingdom government, even though the environment there is not very good. He has not taken a single penny of his generous annual income to improve his living conditions.

"I can say with certainty that none of the current European monarchs can achieve this. This reminds me of the great Tsar of Rus', His Majesty Peter I."

After saying that, Prime Minister William Pitt Jr. clearly showed a look of disdain.

"Compared to Prince Carl, the Netherlands has a permanent ruling government. The Prince of Orange and his family not only bought a castle to live in after arriving in London, but also made a lot of noise at my place on several occasions because of their treatment. They greedily used all their income for their extravagant lifestyle."

Although England did not conclude that "if one takes nothing of wealth and women, one's ambitions are not small," European aristocracy, where bedroom politics were rampant, did not approve of the ascetic approach of Moggallzer.

But this does not prevent them from believing that Mo Gongze possesses a quality rarely seen among monarchs in Europe, or even the world. This is not the demeanor of a prince of a small country, but the demeanor of the founder of a great nation.

Although George III had some mental problems and his physical health was also worrying, his mind was not bad. As long as he was not having a mental breakdown, he was still considered quite wise.

Upon hearing Prime Minister William Pitt Jr.'s description, he slowly asked, "The Low Countries are not a good place; they are far inferior to the Tsarist Rus' during the time of Peter the Great."

Does Prince Karl's possession of the entire Low Countries mean he can establish a powerful kingdom so strong that we must guard against it?

The Netherlands, represented by the Lowlands, was indeed not a good place in Europe. Although it may seem wealthy in later generations, that was achieved by the Dutch and Belgians through centuries of land reclamation and seawall construction.

Before the transformation, this place was a saline-alkali land flooded by seawater. The staple food of the people was the crabs and frogs that were abundant in these saline-alkali swamps. As a result, the French often used the frogs to insult the people of these two places.

Its geographical location was even more awkward. To the west it faced England across the sea, to the southwest was France, to the northeast was Prussia, and to its back was the Holy Roman Empire. Like Poland, it was at the crossroads of the great powers.

Whenever a place develops, the first thing it encounters is an attack from the surrounding powers.

The reason they can still be considered independent is due to the balance of power among the surrounding powerful nations. Once they become strong, they will inevitably be partitioned by multiple parties, just like Poland.

Prime Minister William Pitt Jr. naturally understood this principle. He nodded and replied, "Yes, Your Majesty, that is indeed the case from a European perspective. However, we must not forget that in the far east, there is also the Seres Empire."

They are one of the most powerful civilized nations in the world, if not the most powerful. Even the Kingdom of England is far inferior to them in terms of army and population.

We must also remember that Prince Karl and his father, His Highness the Prince of Belgium, were also His Highness Prince Lu and His Highness the Crown Prince of Lu in the Seres Empire.

If Prince Karl truly establishes a Greater Netherlands, he will certainly receive substantial assistance from the Seris Empire.

The Netherlands has a long history of commerce and maritime traditions, and with the support of the Seres Empire's navy, I think it has no problem becoming a powerful nation.

Moreover, this powerful Greater Netherlands would certainly have a significant impact on England's overseas trade.

"Your Majesty, England cannot allow a powerful Netherlands to emerge. The former maritime carriers are already a headache enough; if a heavy naval cavalry were to appear, it would be a disaster!"

“Oh my goodness, that sounds really unsettling,” the Prince of Wales exclaimed.

“Yes, Father, the Prime Minister is right. We cannot allow a powerful maritime force to emerge in the Low Countries.”

The Duke of Clarence and St Andrews, the only member of the English royal family to actually serve in the navy, stationed in North America, and holding the rank of Rear Admiral under Nelson, who was the future King William IV, also agreed.

"The Seris Empire is far to the east, and we have neither the right nor the ability to interfere. But the European continent cannot have a powerful maritime nation, let alone a European Seris supported by the Seris Empire."

After saying this, Clarence and the Duke of St Andrews glanced back at their sister, Princess Mary, who was visibly tearful. "My dear Mary," they said, "it's not that I don't support your marriage, but the Kingdom of the Greater Netherlands is simply not in the interest of the Kingdom of England."

Princess Mary was filled with despair, because she knew very well that the only reason she might marry Mo Gongze was because her identity could secure Mo Gongze's support from England.

Without such support, given Mo Gongze's circumstances, he wouldn't need to marry me at all. Wouldn't it be better to marry a cousin from the Holy Roman Empire and receive a large fiefdom, or marry the daughter of a prominent Jewish banking family and acquire a vast fortune?

In despair, Princess Mary turned her gaze to her father, King George III.

King George III, a typical doting father to his daughters, felt deeply distressed to see one of his favorite daughters looking at him with such eyes. However, given the national interest at stake, he could not make a decision that would only benefit his daughter.

Just as George III was about to speak, the heavy, rapid sound of riding boots came from outside, and a moment later, the royal steward of Buckingham Palace rushed in.

"Your Majesty, Your Highness, Your Excellency, the French army, under the command of General Jean Humbert, successfully landed at Kirara in County Cork, Ireland, and defeated the army of Lieutenant General Gerald Lake, Commander of the Irish Army."

Currently, French troops are advancing towards Dublin, and the United Irish have announced their support for the French army and mobilized a large number of Irish militia members.

At this time, inspired by the French Revolution, the Irish, under the leadership of the United Irishmen, had been fighting the English government forces for four months.

Unlike in history, the retreat of Moggallès to England made France even more eager to cause trouble for England.

Therefore, General Jean-Joseph Ambur Humbert led not only a portion of the 70th Half Brigade and a portion of the Third Wing Cavalry Regiment, totaling one thousand men, but an expeditionary force of four thousand men, including the 70th and 77th Half Brigades and the entire Third Wing Cavalry Regiment.

"Your Majesty, please allow me to see the battle report first." The matter was urgent, and Prime Minister William Pitt Jr. reached for the report from the Buckingham Palace butler, quickly skimming through it before the already sluggish King George III could even react.

Clarence and the Duke of St Andrews quickly stood up and moved closer to Prime Minister William Pitt Jr., while the Prince of Wales paid no attention, continuing to drink a large glass of liqueur before slowly getting up.

"Have the French gone mad? They've sent four thousand men!" Clarence and the Duke of St Andrews shouted.

Despite the overwhelming naval superiority of England, the French still sent 4,000 men to Ireland. Did they not consider whether these 4,000 men could survive if they were defeated?
"Your Majesty, we need to mobilize all available forces to go to Ireland immediately. The situation is extremely urgent. If the French army helps the Irish enter Dublin, it will be dangerous."

Prime Minister William Pitt Jr. also looked nervous; the Irish have always been unruly and prone to causing trouble.

Of course, the English nobles didn't treat the Irish as their own people either; they only saw them as talking cattle and horses. There was absolutely no kindness shown to them, but the blood feud could go on for days and nights.

Moreover, not only Ireland has the United Irish Association, which leans towards independence, but Scotland also has the United Scots Association.

If the Irish were to unite and defeat the English garrison in Ireland again, successfully enter Dublin and establish the State of Ireland, it would truly be like wildfire spreading.

But just when things seemed to be going badly, more bad news came: before the French had even helped the United Irishmen enter Dublin, they were already eager to declare the establishment of the Republic of Ireland, seemingly determined to make things much bigger.

King George III was also somewhat panicked, because England was currently using all its army forces to defend against a French landing operation across the English Channel, and simply couldn't spare many men.

He feared that if manpower were withdrawn from these key locations, France, which had already signed a peace treaty with the Holy Roman Empire and was now unchecked, would cross the sea and attack.

More importantly, England has a small army and a large navy. It has a history of large-scale land battles, such as the American Revolutionary War, in which more than half of its soldiers were actually mercenaries from the Germanic regions. Now, due to the intense fighting on the European continent, there is a shortage of mercenaries, and they have basically run out.

"We can only deploy Prince Karl's 10,000 Belgian troops. Their core force consists of the Seres Empire's Imperial Guard, which is experienced, powerful, and has a full 10,000 men. Dealing with the French is no problem for them."

Prime Minister William Pitt Jr. quickly came up with a solution, but his face turned very grim as he recalled the discussion.

George III was indeed old. He was somewhat unwilling to care about the fate of the kingdom, and he did not particularly believe that the establishment of the Greater Netherlands by Moggallius would pose a great threat to England. He did not have much time left to live and did not want to see his beloved daughter sad and desperate.

So the king asked a question that the King of England should absolutely not have asked at this meeting: "If we use Prince Carl's power, what kind of reward should we give in return?"

Prime Minister William Pitt Jr. immediately understood. If the King hadn't asked that question, he could have easily implied to Prince Carl that this battle was a test, a test of England's friendship with Belgium.

After the war is over, Prince Carl will be dependent on England's support and can only rely on it. At that time, we can use delaying tactics and still not express our opinion on whether to support Prince Carl in establishing the Greater Netherlands.

If this drags on for three to five years, Prince Karl himself will lose patience and can then use minimal effort to smooth things over.

For example, supporting Prince Karl's recapture of Belgium, granting him an overseas colony, or expanding the territory of the Duchy of Parma owned by his mother—there are many ways.

But the fact that the king asked this question at this point indicates that he has begun to have a preference.

“We can support the restoration of the Kingdom of Belgium while supporting Prince Carl to become King of Hungary.” True to his political prowess, William Pitt Jr. quickly came up with another plan.

"The Holy Roman Empire, after all, had a Caesar, so naturally there had to be an Augustus."

If this plan cannot be accepted by the Holy Roman Empire, then we can consider supporting Prince Karl's southward journey to the Balkans, where he could become the true Holy Roman Emperor Augustus.

William Pitt Jr. became increasingly convinced of the potential of the idea, and he stood up and paced back and forth a couple of times.

“If we support Prince Karl’s southward march into the Balkans in the name of Augustus of the Holy Roman Empire, we can both use him to stop the Tsarist Rus’s continued southward expansion and rescue a large number of believers from the Ottomans, thus gaining a good reputation.”

That's certainly a good idea. Besides what William Pitt Jr. mentioned, it could also turn the Habsburg Holy Roman Empire into a true double-headed eagle empire.

However, despite all his calculations, he didn't anticipate that what Mo Gongze truly thought was exactly the same as what he said, and that he even had Mo Zibu's support.

For China, Mogongze in the Netherlands was actually of little use. It was a place surrounded by enemies, and its only means of support was the navy. It was constantly under attack from England and France, which was quite troublesome.

But the situation is different in most of the Balkan Peninsula. If we go east, we can barely reach the edge of the Great Yu, and if we really need to provide assistance, the Great Yu's army can certainly get there.

At the same time, taking back Constantinople and driving a wedge into West Asia will make it much easier to control the oil-producing regions of the Middle East in the future.

(End of this chapter)