I

The Lantern Festival lasts for ten days.

Charlie still remembers the brilliant look of the whole city. It really felt like he was in heaven. This was a grand occasion that could not be seen in Paris.

After the Lantern Festival holiday, the Chinese emperor began to go to work, and the French envoys were also summoned.

Charlie followed the Earl into the imperial city. His musket was also seized when he entered the palace.

They walked along the palace wall and passed through zigzag or wide stone paths. It was like walking in a maze. I kept walking for twenty minutes, and there seemed to be no sign of reaching the end.

How spacious is the palace of the Chinese emperor?

Charlie's full name is Charles de Barz Castlemer. His father was a noble, his mother was also a noble, and his mother was titled Countess d'Artagnan.

This guy is the prototype of the male protagonist of "The Three Musketeers"!

The real Charlie, of course, cannot be the jealous d'Artagnan. This guy was able to achieve great success because he was the successor to Richelieu, Mazarin. After the disbandment of the Musketeers, he directly became Mazarin's retainer, and was immediately recommended to the Queen Mother as captain of the Guards.

Unfortunately, he was a foreign noble and could not serve as the captain of the palace guard according to the rules, so he spent a lot of money to buy another official position.

In France at this time, most official positions could be inherited, given away, or resold.

Charlie later served as captain of the musketeers, also bought with money. When you want to be promoted, you sell your original official position and collect some money to buy a higher official position.

Walking in front of Charles was the leader of the French envoy: Henri Louis de Bourbon, a small sword-wielding nobleman from the Bourbon family.

There are two types of French nobles today, one is the nobles who wear robes, and the other is the nobles who wear swords.

The robe-wearing aristocracy was born with the bourgeoisie and consisted of factory owners, farmers, wealthy farmers, and traditional aristocrats. They contract local taxes, lend money to the state, or spend money to buy officials, mainly serving as judges. Judges can also be inherited hereditary or sold out.

The sword-wearing nobles are the traditional nobles.

Under Richelieu's reforms, there was only one official position in France that could not be hereditary or bought and sold, and that was: Minister of Imperial Envoy!

Henry's mind was spinning, and he finally saw the three main halls from a distance.

The wide square and tall palace gave people a strong visual impact, and the majesty of the imperial power made Henry have the urge to kneel down.

In Europe, kneeling is also practiced.

Especially in France, etiquette is particularly strict and complicated. For example, if a small local aristocrat is lucky enough to attend a banquet at the Palace of Versailles, he is only eligible to sit on a canvas folding stool. Only at the local aristocratic dinner can he sit on a wooden chair.

Henry and Charles were both doing well at this time, otherwise they would not have traveled all the way to China as envoys.

It’s too far and you could easily die!

After each journey, the person responsible for guiding the envoys would be handed over and changed. Only the civil servants in the Ministry of Rites remained unchanged.

Finally, the emperor's maid led them to Jinshen Hall.

"Henry Louis de Bourbon, the French envoy, pays homage to His Majesty the Emperor of China, and extends his most respectful greetings to His Majesty on behalf of the King of France." Henry put his arms on his chest and bowed to the Chinese Emperor.

Charlie, the captain of the guard, also bowed and saluted.

After getting the translation, Zhao Han smiled and nodded: "I'll give you a seat."

Zhao Han had read "The Three Musketeers", a world famous novel, but he really didn't know that the leading actor was right in front of him.

Henry began to speak: "Your Majesty, when we arrived in Malacca, we heard that China defeated Spain. This is really good news. France and Spain are also enemies. China and France have a common enemy. I think we can become a firm ally."

Zhao Han said: "I prefer to define it as friends. China and the Netherlands are friends, France and the Netherlands are also friends, and friends of friends are friends."

"Your Majesty is so wise." Henry flattered him.

After retreating for a long time, Henry finally explained his purpose: "Your Majesty, France hopes to trade with China and set up a French trading post in Guangzhou. Please grant a piece of land in Guangzhou."

Zhao Han said: "France can set up a trading post, but it cannot receive land grants. A deserted beach on the seaside in Guangzhou can be leased to France. You can pay to hire local people and build a French trading post."

Henry asked: "Can French merchant ships purchase goods at will in Guangzhou?"

"Of course." Zhao Han affirmed.

Henry stood up excitedly: "Your kind and generous Majesty, may the Lord bless you!"

France's main colonial directions are North America and Africa, as well as Asia, occupying an island near Mauritius. As for further distance, it is beyond our reach.

Batavia was exclusively owned by the Dutch and no other country was allowed to enter.

France could previously purchase Chinese goods in Banten, but was squeezed out by British and Arab merchants.

Two French warships went to Burma and Cambodia to show off their force and demand exclusive trade rights from those kings. As a result, they were regarded as mentally retarded by the kings of Southeast Asia. Not only did they not get exclusive trading rights, they even ordered the expulsion of the French directly.

After a series of cunning operations, French businessmen who wanted to buy Chinese goods had to sail to Guangzhou by themselves.

Although France and the Netherlands have a good relationship, heavy taxes have to be levied when passing through Malacca to protect the interests of the East India Company.

Zhao Han reminded: "Remember, your trading post is only allowed to engage in trading activities. If you dare to use it for missionary work, China will take it back immediately and never lease it to France again!"

Henry said quickly: "We will obey your Majesty's decree."

Zhao Han added: "After setting up the trading post, you can contact Guangzhou officials. The local government will introduce merchants to you. By then, your trading post will have a relatively stable supply of goods."

Henry was having a headache about this matter, and he was overjoyed when he heard this: "My great Majesty, you are the most merciful monarch in the world!"

Although Henry had the same surname as the King of France, the Bourbon family flourished everywhere, and there were countless minor nobles like him.

In order to centralize power, the French king adopted a similar approach to the Japanese shogunate, which was to force local lords to live in the capital. Those French nobles all lived near the Palace of Versailles, and they would attend the Versailles banquet whenever they had something to do.

Henry, on the other hand, was not even qualified to be restrained in the Palace of Versailles. A small nobleman like him could go wherever he liked.

That is to say, relying on the Bourbon surname and the fact that other nobles were unwilling to cross the sea, Henry was able to get a mission to China. As long as the mission can be successfully completed, he will be put into great use when he returns to France, and he may even be able to become a marquis.

Zhao Han glanced at the clock. It had been fifteen minutes since the meeting, and he ordered the meeting to end.

The emperor still had business to attend to, and according to the news sent back from Xizuo, both Shanxi and Liaodong were transshipping supplies on a large scale. Any fool can guess that Li Zicheng and Dorgon must be colluding, and a war will break out in the next month or two.

The Nanjing court also began to mobilize resources frequently.

After leaving the imperial city, Henry was still recalling his meeting with the emperor. He said to Charles: "This majesty is kind and majestic. He is truly the greatest being in the world."

At this time, although Charles was only a member of the musketeers, he was still the successor of Count d'Artagnan, and he had climbed up to minister Mazarin, making him stronger than Henry, a young count with no territory.

The two have been drifting at sea for more than a year and have already become best friends.

Charlie said: "The Chinese emperor is really rich, and the Chinese people are also very wealthy. I heard that these palaces have just been built, and there are similar palaces in the north."

"Yes, the Chinese are really rich." Henry sighed.

Nobles also have poor people. Nobles like Henry are some kind of earls, but they don’t have their own fiefs, which means they have no income at all. They have long been extremely poor. He has a fiefdom in name, but it is controversial and cannot be controlled. inside.

As for the Chinese people, especially the people in Nanjing City, Henry felt that many people lived better than him.

In comparison, the French people are miserable.

Richelieu was indeed the famous Prime Minister of France, assisting the king in achieving monarchical dictatorship. But he was very cruel to the people and did not care about their life or death. Peasant uprisings occurred one after another. Before his death, he had levied taxes on the people across the country for three years.

It seems that those foreign envoys like to go shopping when they arrive in Nanjing.

After Henry and Charlie left the palace, they went shopping again. They were dazzled by the dazzling array of merchandise. Nanjing was so big that they could spend another half a month shopping there.

"Music box, a new gadget from the palace! It was made by the craftsmen ordered by Your Majesty and Lady Liu. It was less than a month after the news came out of the palace..."

In a watch shop, a clerk stood at the door and hawked.

This guy held a beautiful box in his hand, and after winding it for a while, he made clear and sweet music.

Pedestrians stopped and listened.

The two French envoys also ran over to watch, thinking that it was a magic music box.

A passerby asked: "Why is this box called a music box? Can it play eight pieces of music?"

Someone next to him laughed and said: "Tu leather, wood, stone and gold. Silk and bamboo are eight tones. Have you not even read the Three Character Classic?"

The man suddenly blushed and everyone laughed.

Charlie whispered: "This kind of magic box can be bought back and presented to the king."

Henry's eyes lit up: "Yes, the king must be happy!"

The two felt that this trip to China was the beginning of changing their destiny. There are many novelties that are not available in Europe. Not only can they be presented to the king for appreciation, but they can also be bought back and resold to make a lot of money.

Henry is poor, but Charlie is rich. His parents are both local nobles, and they will be able to inherit two fiefs in the future.

D'Artagnan, who hates evil in the novel, is particularly good at plotting in reality. He later trained two of his cousins, one to be a French marshal and the other to be a musketeer captain. Of his two sons, one became a captain of the infantry guards and the other a captain of the cavalry guards. It is equivalent to surrounding the French royal guard and army!

The two of them came up with the idea of ​​​​pleasing the king, so they searched for new gadgets all over the city. It is certain that the Chinese style in France will become more fierce.