I

The Chinese envoys stayed in a manor outside London.

On this day, two young people came.

They were all riding horses, with long swords hanging from their waists. His status seemed to be that of a noble, but he did not bring any followers. Although his clothes were not cheap, they were definitely not luxurious.

The men responsible for guarding the manor were soldiers sent by Cromwell.

An officer asked: "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

The leading boy said: "We are from the countryside twenty miles away. We heard that the Chinese envoys have arrived in London, so we want to travel to China with them."

It was obvious that both young men came from the squire class!

In France in the 17th century, society was undergoing drastic changes, and the same was true in England.

The traditional British aristocracy is declining, spending huge amounts of money, squandering, and selling off land, while the gentry class is rapidly rising.

Squire is a general term that includes barons, knights, gentry (non-aristocratic officials), and gentry (wealthy farmers).

For example, the British House of Commons was founded by the gentry class.

In addition, the British middle class was also emerging, including citizens, merchants and yeoman farmers.

The huge emerging class in Britain is in a period of vigorous growth. They do not have the decadent extravagance of traditional aristocrats, they are relatively simple, they are brave enough to fight and enterprising, and they are full of vigor and vitality.

The wind of traveling with a sword also appeared at this time.

A large number of wealthy British gentry supported their children and grandchildren to go out and see the world.

The initial travel goal was limited to Italy, to visit the birthplace of the Renaissance, and later gradually expanded to France, Spain, the Netherlands and other places.

After the trend of traveling became popular, the British nobles also joined in, causing the travel activities to gradually change.

Young masters from these aristocratic families are always greeted when they travel far away, and they even bring their family's luxurious carriages with them. There was more than one luxury carriage, and they were all shipped away at a staggering cost.

The trend of traveling began in the 17th century and lasted until the 19th century.

These young people are elites. They have seen the conditions of various countries and feel the essence and shortcomings of each country. When they returned to the country to inherit the family business, they had an international perspective and led the family to continue to expand and expand. Britain's ability to become an empire on which the sun never sets is closely related to this group of elites who travel around the world.

"You guys wait, I'm going to report."

Many of Cromwell's soldiers came from the middle class. They couldn't stand the traditional aristocracy, but they felt friendly towards the country gentry, and they cooperated with each other during the revolution.

Why is it said that Cromwell was engaged in a bourgeois revolution? Because the emerging class has made great efforts!

Not long after, the two teenagers were received.

One is named John and the other is named Thomas, extremely common names. The former's father was a country knight, and the latter's father was a farmer. They both came from very humble backgrounds and became wealthy due to social changes.

The young people stood up straight, without much knowledge, but with a sense of vigor.

Zhang Ruifeng asked about their identities and their thoughts, and couldn't help but wonder: "We are going to China, traveling thousands of miles across the sea, and will be buried in the belly of a fish if we don't pay attention. Why do you have to follow them all the way?"

John replied: "I was originally going to Rome, where there are great thinkers and artists. My father said that Britain is too small, and men must go out and broaden their horizons. Since it is to broaden their horizons, why not go further afield? The exquisiteness of China The goods have been sold to Britain, so China must be very powerful. I will travel to China, learn more skills, and lead the family to strive and grow. My father is just a country knight now, but one day, I will become a real nobleman with My own private estate!"

Thomas said: "My father used to be a yeoman (yeoman) and now has a large farm. I studied in a missionary school and I know some Latin. I was expelled from school because of a fight with aristocratic children. Although the family I am not very rich, but my father supports me to travel. When I arrive in China, if the money is not enough, I will become an apprentice and work on my own to earn living expenses. When I return to the UK, I will definitely be more capable. I want to make the farm at home more beautiful. Da, if I have the chance, I will strive to be a knight!"

Zhang Ruifeng was quite emotional: "Young people traveling far and wide with swords have a legacy from ancient times. I also traveled far away from home when I was more than ten years old and followed my father in business. You two have great ambitions, much better than those big nobles."

John said: "The great nobles are all vampires, they are guys lying on gold waiting to die!"

Hard work can make you rich, but hard work alone will never make you cross class.

Like Thomas's father, he used to be a yeoman farmer. By currying favor with noble lords, he was able to purchase land with a small amount of money. Moreover, the purchase was of public land, and the behavior was extremely bad: first, he was collecting the king's wool, and second, there were farmers on the public land, and they directly occupied it after purchasing the land. Some farmers were forced to become homeless, and some were left as tenants. This was part of the enclosure movement.

Thomas, a seemingly simple and energetic young man, was able to travel to China only because his father's hands were stained with the blood and tears of farmers.

Of course Zhang Ruifeng didn't know this. He only thought that the two teenagers were very ambitious, and immediately said: "You can go to China with the ship, and you will not be charged for the ship. However, you need to pay for the food along the way. When you arrive in China , I will recommend you to study at Jinling University, provided that you can afford the tuition. I will ask someone to calculate an account, and you must have an idea of ​​the money you will spend in China over the next few years."

Two British country boys were overjoyed. After receiving the accounts of their cross-sea travel, they immediately rode home to ask for money from their parents.

The cost was extremely expensive, and the young man from a knight family could barely afford it because his family had a lot of land and was engaged in business. As for Thomas, who comes from a farmer's family, even living in China for a few years is not enough, let alone studying at university at his own expense.

But they still chose to go overseas. Thomas's idea has not changed. He went to China to work and make money.

After sending away the two young men, Zhang Ruifeng was called over by Lu Tianxiang.

Lu Tianxiang said with a serious expression: "When we return to Portugal, we can't dock in Portugal, and don't ask for the sheep breeds we bought from there. News just came that smallpox broke out in Lisbon. The king's eldest son and second daughter all died of smallpox. "

"Such a thing could happen!" Zhang Ruifeng was shocked.

Although the Portuguese prince invited Lu Tianxiang to dance, it was not a sin because the customs of the two parties were different. As for the Portuguese princess, she is very quiet and beautiful. I hadn't seen him for two or three months, and he was taken away by a plague.

Lu Tianxiang added: "I don't know how to treat diseases. You go and order the army's medical doctors to check all the people on the ship. Whoever is sick must be strictly isolated."

Zhang Ruifeng immediately accepted the order, and at the same time comforted: "We have been away from Portugal for a long time, so no one should be infected, otherwise the symptoms would have been there long ago."

"No matter what, let the doctor check it first," Lu Tianxiang said. "Also, we can't stay in Europe too long. Who knows if smallpox will spread to the UK."

They had arrived early. If they had arrived ten years later, the plague would have broken out in London, taking away one-tenth of the population.

A thorough inspection of all members of the mission revealed that many were sick. But most of them are normal diseases, mostly due to acclimatization, and no plague has been found yet.

The main members meet collectively.

Fan Chao asked: "We haven't gone to Rome and the Ottomans yet, and we haven't gone to Northern Europe yet. How can we return directly after visiting Britain? How can we fulfill the emperor's order?"

Zhang Ruifeng said: "It is said that all the countries in Italy do not allow Jesuit priests to land. The Pope has broken with the Jesuits. The reason is that the Jesuits allow Chinese believers to worship their ancestors and worship Confucius. Even if we go to Rome , I’m afraid I won’t be able to see the Pope. As for the Ottomans, although their territory is close to Persia, their capital is far away in Europe, and they are fighting naval wars with European countries. Ottoman merchant ships rarely go to Southeast Asia, and it doesn’t matter whether they pay a visit or not.”

"Since Your Majesty has an order, it must be completed," Fan Chao said, "Let's do this. I will personally lead the fleet and take a few civil servants to Rome and the Ottomans. You continue to stay in the UK and I will be back in a month at most. As for the Netherlands and Northern Europe, there is no need to go there. I asked around and found that Britain and the Netherlands are still at war, and there is no peace if they continue north."

The next day, Fan Chao left with the fleet, and the rest stayed in London, waiting to meet Cromwell.

Cromwell was very arrogant and never showed up. But there was a reason for this. He wanted to wait for the outcome of the Anglo-Dutch negotiations before discussing diplomatic matters with the Chinese.

What does Cromwell want?

I want to follow the example of Spain and Portugal and draw a line on the globe. From then on, Britain and the Netherlands divide the world. Even the United Kingdom and the Netherlands were united, with Britain as the dominant force to dominate the world.

Although whimsical, this was Cromwell's idea, and it was made clear during the negotiations.

Both the British and the Dutch thought Cromwell was crazy.

At the negotiating table, the two countries once again broke down.

Back in his office, Cromwell unbuttoned his collar and asked, "Are the Chinese impatient to wait?"

General Lan Bai said: "No, there are good food and drinks. But their fleet left, saying it was going to visit Rome and Ottoman."

Cromwell said: "China is very powerful and has defeated the Netherlands many times in Asia. If the Netherlands still does not agree to negotiate terms, we will pretend to form an alliance with China and remove all the Dutch colonies in the East!"

"I'm afraid it won't scare the Dutch," General Lanbai said. "Both sides understand that the UK is about to be unable to hold on, and the Netherlands is about to be unable to hold on. The Dutch are just stalling for time until our military expenditures are exhausted, and then obtain more favorable negotiating terms.”

"Damn it!" Cromwell cursed depressedly.

Britain cannot continue the war because its military expenditure has been exhausted and it is currently looking for businessmen everywhere for loans.

The Netherlands couldn't go on fighting because businessmen were chasing profits, and the war was too damaging to the economy. In Amsterdam, the Netherlands, prices had skyrocketed due to the blockade for several months, and the East India Company's trade had shrunk.

General Lanbai said: "This proposal of a union between Britain and the Netherlands is too unrealistic. Let's give up. It is impossible for the Netherlands to agree."

The successful dispersal of Parliament in England made Cromwell feel a little distraught.

He subconsciously believed that an Anglo-Dutch union could do it. Everyone is ruled by no king. After the union, the Netherlands will be given sufficient autonomy, and the overseas forces of both parties can also unite. This is not harmful to the Netherlands. Why don’t the Dutch agree?

Neuropathy!

The ignorant Dutch asked Cromwell to calm down a little. He frowned and said: "Then give up the union and establish an Anglo-Dutch offensive and defensive alliance."

General Lanbai added: "It is unrealistic to ask the Netherlands to give up its overseas interests. They are a group of businessmen. Blocking their financial path will force them to really fight. If they are forced hard, maybe the Dutch businessmen will still Stay together instead of falling apart like we are now."

The two planned carefully and basically established the next negotiation plan.

It is nothing more than demanding the cession of colonies and demanding reparations from the Netherlands. There are also many face-saving clauses, such as Dutch ships passing through British waters must stop and salute British ships.

Of course, we still have to continue to open our mouths, such as forcing the Netherlands to recognize the Navigation Regulations.

During the subsequent negotiation process, the atmosphere was significantly more relaxed, and it was only a matter of time before the negotiation was successful.

In this case, Cromwell finally met with the Chinese mission. In order to show sincerity, I visited the manor in person, but due to financial constraints, I didn't bring any decent meeting gifts.