Rise of the 1630s South America

Chapter 1739 An Attempt to Mediate

In late October 1676, Lin Dingzhi, the ambassador of the East Coast Republic of China to France, had just sent away the Marquis de Montespan, the special envoy of King Louis XIV of France, after taking office for only two years.

The purpose of the "false widower" of the Marquis of Montespan is actually very simple, that is, to tentatively ask whether the East China Republic is interested in forming a "further relationship" with the Kingdom of France.As for this so-called "further relationship", although the Marquis of Montespan did not say it directly, it is still very blatant. Lin Dingzhi, who has done diplomatic work for many years, can easily analyze it from the other party's words. The Kingdom of France wants to form an alliance with the East Coast!

This is a big deal!Matters like military alliances—especially when the Kingdom of France is currently in the midst of a large-scale war—have always been very sensitive and require comprehensive consideration, and it is impossible to agree suddenly.Besides, Lin Dingzhi himself is only a department-level cadre like the ambassador to France, and even his boss Li Qing may not be able to make the decision, so he can only hum and haha ​​at the temptation of the Marquis of Montespan, without giving a positive answer.

Of course, when they came here this time, they did not reach any substantive agreement with the people on the east bank. They conduct more in-depth talks.

Now, what Lin Dingzhi is thinking about is these so-called conditions. In fact, it is nothing more than mutual assistance in Europe and South America and cooperation in some market and business aspects. Security (through their influence) and the transfer of more market interests than before, in exchange for the East Coasters to provide convenience for the French in South America, Africa and the Far East, while at the same time fighting against the enemy's overseas interests.

After Lin Dingzhi sat down and thought about such conditions, he actually sneered. He felt that the French were too dark and greedy. Just based on such insufficient conditions, he wanted the people on the east coast to take chestnuts from the fire and share in the war. The heavy pressure brought about, how is this possible?

It is true that the French army is now victorious in all battles. The combination of Prince Condé and Viscount Turenne has opened up a lot of territory for the Kingdom of France and defeated countless enemies, but so what?Can you French guarantee that wherever your flag is planted, the country will be digested and the market will be occupied by East Coast industrial products?Even thinking about it is impossible!

In fact, due to various reasons—such as religion, excessive expropriation, etc.—the French have so far been unable to maintain a relatively stable rule in the occupied area, and resistance can be described as one after another.For example, in the Southern Netherland, when the new church was changed to a Catholic church, the Dutch in the occupied area continued to rise up and attack the French occupying forces. This can be seen from this.

Relying on these, how can the French convince the people on the east coast that they can give themselves enough benefits to form a military alliance?Lin Dingzhi sneered twice. He had already decided the death penalty in his heart. It was absolutely impossible for Special Envoy Li Qing to agree to this matter.

Of course, as far as the incident itself is concerned, the French did not pay any cost. They were just a diplomatic temptation, and there was nothing to talk about.If the terms of the alliance offered by the people on the east coast are very unacceptable, then they may refuse it themselves.Under the background that people on the east coast do not want to see the rise of a powerful country on the European continent-the English also do not want to see this-the alliance between the east coast and France is destined to lack foundation.

After putting aside this matter, Lin Dingzhi remembered another thing, which was the task assigned by Li Qing a while ago, which required him to work together with the ambassador of the East Bank in Madrid to get in touch with the real power figures in Spain and France and even the monarch. , See if you can mediate the war between the two countries.

The reason for this is that the weak giant of the Kingdom of Spain is now being bloodletted continuously in the war with the Kingdom of France, and the losses are quite huge.The local executive committee is worried that if things go on like this, if something happens to the Kingdom of Spain, it may affect the interests of the East Coast Republic of China, so they urgently wrote to the European side to see if they can try to mediate between Spain and France Let them make peace separately, although it seems difficult, but the native thinks it is worth a try, anyway, it doesn't cost anything, doesn't it?

After the local order was passed to the European side, Li Qing wrote letters to the envoys stationed in Paris and Madrid on the east bank respectively, asking them to contact the officials of these two countries to see if this is possible.Lin Dingzhi, as the ambassador to Paris, naturally received the order, and he had already asked the French King Louis XIV in advance, but because of Louis's whereabouts-he has either handled government affairs in Saint-Germain's palace for the past six months or led the army. Went to the eastern border for a personal expedition, and only stayed in Paris for a short period of time. I asked for an interview twice, but failed. I don’t know if Louis is really busy or he doesn’t want to argue with the people on the east coast.

However, the Marquis of Montespan’s visit this time also brought him good news, that is, King Louis XIV of France is willing to meet Lin Dingzhi in the Versailles Park in St. Germain, and the departure time is scheduled for October 10, two days later. At that time, a small group of French cavalry will come to escort Ambassador Lin to Versailles-the departure will be in two days, and the time is a little tight, so Lin Dingzhi needs to clear his mind so as not to be in a hurry when meeting Louis XIV.

"It's ironic to say that, among so many countries now, the ones who want to see the Kingdom of Spain do well and don't want them to suffer a lot may be our East Coast Republic of China." After pouring himself a cup of hot tea, he borrowed the tea Lin Dingzhi's brain began to spin rapidly under the lingering aroma: "We regard the Kingdom of Spain as our own delicious food, which cannot be coveted by others, but this food does not have the consciousness of being food, and it always provokes another person who has gluttonous food. A guy with a big stomach. Well, it’s not accurate to say that. The Kingdom of France has long been eyeing the Southern Netherlands, and the Kingdom of Spain will confront them sooner or later. But the problem is that before the French openly attack you Under such circumstances, why are you so eager to jump out and give others a chance? Speaking of which, you still haven’t accepted the reality that you have declined, and you always want to join the more powerful side while the French are making enemies everywhere. Let’s see if we can use this opportunity to get rid of the shame and get back a lot of things that were lost before. Alas, it’s good to have a good idea, but don’t look at the fact that so many countries combined can’t defeat France on land. Army, on the contrary, they have been defeated one after another, and there is no one left. Under such circumstances, how can you get what you want if you, Spain, are taken advantage of? This time, they probably will lose their skins even if they don’t die!”

In fact, what Lin Dingzhi thought just now was indeed the truth.This country doesn't know what happened. After the failure of the iconic Rocroix Battle and the destruction of the elite Flemish Army, it has been muddled for so many years. Self-proclaimed, even after being severely cut once in the inheritance transfer war, he still does not repent, and has no interest in improving relations with France, so that his national defense threat always exists, and he does not know that the Spanish court and the Privy Council are thinking about it all day long. something.

In order to wipe the ass of the Spaniards so that they will not be "played badly" by others, the people on the east coast have invested countless energy and resources over the years, in order to keep this weak country's brilliance and integrity on the outside.For this reason, they did not hesitate to confront the French head-on in the heritage transfer war, dispatched warships to attack the trade routes along the French route, occupied their offshore islands, and finally even searched for locations along the coast of France to bombard and land in order to weaken the French. In addition, when the Spanish royal family was in financial difficulties and the Dutch borrowing conditions were very harsh, the people on the east bank took the lead and helped the Spanish government get a large amount of loans from Italy, helping them survive several financial crises difficulties.

It can be seen from the above that the people on the east coast have done a lot of things for the Kingdom of Spain, which can be said to be exhausted!The purpose is to prevent this giant from falling down suddenly, and then the property will be eaten by a bunch of European countries that are like wolves and tigers, which is very detrimental to the people on the east coast.Especially the huge American colonies of the Kingdom of Spain, when the people on the east coast have not yet had such a huge appetite to completely eat up the Spanish colonies, maintaining the status quo is the most in line with the interests of the east coast—more bluntly speaking, maintaining a The huge, but relatively chaotic and weak Kingdom of Spain is in the best interest of the East Coast Republic of China, because it will help them nibble away at their vast American colonies.

But now the country of Spain is "disobedient", trying to wrestle with France, the most powerful country in Europe, over and over again, which makes the people on the east coast worry to death.After all, according to the current situation on the European battlefield, even if France cannot annex Spain, it will be enough to cause it to lose too much blood, which in turn will cause a series of unpredictable consequences.Based on this consideration, the mainland ordered Li Qing, the special envoy to Europe, to see if he would try to have Spain and France negotiate a separate peace and withdraw from this unprecedented war that developed from the Franco-Dutch war.

"We can only do our best. It is probably difficult for the French to let Spain go, unless they give satisfactory conditions, which may involve compensation and land cession. Alas, why is the Kingdom of Spain so unreasonable?" It makes people worry." After thinking for a while, Lin Dingzhi sighed heavily, drank the slightly cold tea in the cup, and thought about it.

On October 1676, 10, under the escort of dozens of French cavalry, Lin Dingzhi arrived at the famous Versailles Park in a carriage, and then saw the French King Louis XIV having a picnic on the large lawn in the park.Louis XIV had met the young East Coast ambassador several times before, and he had some impressions of him, so he greeted him as soon as he came up, let him sit beside him, and had a sumptuous lunch together, which attracted many nobles and military officers Their surprised gazes seemed thoughtful at the same time.

After lunch, in the bright autumn sunshine, the talkative Louis XIV and Lin Dingzhi first exchanged some views on art and women, and then turned the topic to the right track, talking about the deepening of trade ties between East and France and even The matter of forging a tight military alliance.Louis XIV attaches great importance to these two matters, and believes that this is a choice that is in line with the interests of both countries. He hopes that the Congress on the East Bank will give an answer as soon as possible.

Louis XIV believed that once the East and France join hands, the people on the East Coast can eliminate many potential competitors in overseas trade, and at the same time, they can gain a wider commodity market in Europe through the expansion of French power. This is simply a win-win situation. things!Regarding Louis XIV's opinion, Lin Dingzhi could only sigh in his heart, but he didn't make any rebuttals. He just politely stated that deepening the trade relationship between the two countries is indeed in the interests of both sides, and he has already obtained the support of special envoy Li Qing. After approval, it will be sent back to the mainland for formal implementation in a few days.

However, regarding the alliance between the two countries mentioned twice by Louis 14, Lin Dingzhi could only shirk that the matter was too big to be exclusive, saying that such major foreign affairs must be approved by the local Congress, otherwise everything would be impossible.Louis XIV was noncommittal after hearing this, and couldn't see his views and emotions, so he just nodded to express his approval of Lin Dingzhi's explanation.

And the next step is the highlight of Lin Dingzhi's trip. The young east coast ambassador to France tactfully proposed to mediate the war between the Kingdom of Spain and the Kingdom of France.For this kind of "enthusiasm" of the people on the east coast, Louis XIV had only one reaction after hearing it, and that was to laugh.

The monarch, who rules a country of more than 2000 million people, seems to have no interest in Lin Dingzhi's proposal.Even when Lin Dingzhi bit the bullet and hinted that France could offer a truce, Louis XIV did not respond.Under great embarrassment, Lin Dingzhi guessed that with the French now gaining the upper hand on the battlefield, probably even Louis XIV himself didn't know what conditions to ask?Could it be that the Kingdom of Spain is required to pay a huge sum of compensation, and then cede the Southern Netherlands, Franche-Comté, Lorraine, and Sicily?This is obviously impossible!

Louis XIV's current thinking should be to continue to wait for the good news on the battlefield to see how far his generals can go in the end, and then decide how much meat to cut from the old Spanish empire.The people on the east coast are now proposing to mediate a truce, and they are destined to fail to get a response from the French.Even, not only could they not get a response from the French, but even their efforts in Madrid were likely to fail, because the Spanish court still had illusions and blindly believed in the power of the United Provinces, Austria and other countries. I want to win back a victory on the battlefield.

How can mediation work under such circumstances?Lin Dingzhi sighed silently, thinking that he could only wait for the development of the situation, and take one step at a time.

(End of this chapter)