Chapter 541: Emperor Zhu's Reverse Scale (Second update, please subscribe)
His Majesty is very angry!
Zhu Guozhong did not understand His Majesty's intention in issuing this law. As the Minister of Foreign Affairs, he just wanted to handle diplomatic affairs well. However, he knew very well that His Majesty was very angry.
"Your Majesty, our fleet..."
Zhu Xianhai just shook his head and said.
"It's not time yet!"
After thinking for a while, Zhu Xianhai said to Zuo Zongtang again.
"Also, you should meet with the Mexican ambassador and tell them that we can consider providing weapons worth 2 million pesos to the Mexican Empire. If necessary, we can increase the assistance at any time!"
Historical changes have not only occurred in Europe, but also in North America a few years ago. The Mexican Empire, an empire established by France and supported by the Vatican and Mexican royalists, did not perish in 1867 with the withdrawal of the French army as in history.
Historically, after the Civil War ended, the United States immediately sent 50,000 troops to the US-Mexico border to put pressure on France and provide weapons and other supplies to the Mexican Republicans, which promoted the Republican uprising in 1866.
But in this world, things have changed. After all, the division of the United States has changed too many things. The division between the North and the South, and Texas's vacillation on the issue of the Union or the Confederacy, have caused the United States to have no energy to pay attention to Mexico, and their support for the Republicans is also very limited. There is no big commotion like in the other world.
However, the Mexican Emperor Maximilian I and the French army in Mexico were not up to the task and have not been able to quell the Republican uprising until now.
"Your Majesty, isn't 2 million a bit too much?"
Zuo Zongtang frowned. This was a huge sum of money!
"It's not free, it's a loan. Of course, we need some collateral, such as the oil exploration rights in Mexico. We are now entering the automobile age, and the demand for oil will only increase in the future. Mexico has large oil fields."
oil!
The Ming Dynasty needed oil. Although there were several oil fields on the Patagonia Plateau in the south, and exploitation had begun several years ago, the output was very limited, only hundreds of thousands of tons. Even if it was fully exploited, the maximum would be a few million tons.
But Mexico is different. As early as the 1930s, Mexico's oil production had exceeded tens of millions of tons, and it was even the world's second largest oil producer at the time. Of course, more than 90% of their oil was monopolized by American companies.
Since the United States can control it, the Ming Dynasty can also control it. Oil... that is black gold! Is there any problem in using Mexican oil to promote the development of the Ming Dynasty?
The only problem was that the Mexican Empire survived.
"Oil is just one of them. The most important thing is that our support for the Mexican Empire is a powerful counterattack against the United States. They can pass a bill, and we can not only pass a bill, but also light a fire in their backyard by supporting Mexico!"
Sitting on the soft chair, Zhu Xianhai said with a smile.
"Setting fire in America's backyard! This is the most important thing. The Mexican Empire was established with the support of France, and even now there are tens of thousands of French troops fighting in Mexico. We are allies with France, and to a certain extent, we are also allies with Mexico. In the future..."
After a pause, Zhu Xianhai said casually
"It's not impossible for us to form a 'Triple Alliance'. The British can use the United States to contain us, and we can use Mexico to contain the United States!"
What issues are involved here?
In fact, it is very simple, it is an alliance, it is a matter of interests between countries. Maybe Mexico is not strong, but as an ally it can also contain part of the power of the United States. Besides, the Mexicans also want revenge.
Dividing up the United States...if the time is right, it's not impossible!
"Your Majesty, I will inform the Mexican ambassador as soon as I return to the courtyard."
Zuo Zongtang thought for a moment and then spoke again.
"Your Majesty, is this how we will handle the Pai Fa Hua case for now?"
"Let's just handle it this way for now. Of course, we still have to protest if necessary. Since we are the protectors of China, we must protect the interests of the hundreds of thousands of overseas Chinese in the United States."
In fact, this is not necessarily a bad thing for the Ming Dynasty. After all, after the new "gold rush", Alaska and the North Sea will attract hundreds of thousands of Chinese to go there to pan for gold. They arrive there on their own initiative, not as official collective immigrants. Before the United States introduced the law, tens of thousands of Chinese workers entered the United States as laborers every year. Now, they can only change their destination and go to the Ming Dynasty to enrich the northern territory of the Ming Dynasty.
population!
All the Ming Dynasty needs are people.
After Zuo Zongtang left, Zhu Guozhong said this specifically.
"Your Majesty, there is something I think you should know."
"What's up?"
"The overseas students sent by Governor Li of the Qing Dynasty arrived at Nanhua last month. As the secret message sent by the consulate said, the leader is his eldest son."
“They are finally here!”
When he learned that the international students sent by Li Hefei had arrived at South China University of Technology, Zhu Xianhai was even a little excited. Why was he excited? Because they had finally opened their eyes to the world. China couldn't always stand still!
Of course, the most important thing is that these overseas students were sent out secretly by Li Hefei, and the Qing court had no idea about it at all. From selecting to sending people, everything was handled secretly by Li Hefei. He finally took another path!
From this incident, we can see that the possibility of Li Hefei becoming independent is very high, and it is only a matter of time before he becomes disloyal!
Even if Li Hefei wanted to be a loyal minister of the Qing Dynasty, that was fine. If the father couldn't do it, he could just replace his son. As long as Li Jingfang stayed here for a few years, he would rebel sooner or later.
Even if he himself does not have the intention to rebel, there will be people who will find ways to guide him and lead him onto the path of counterattack and achieving great things.
My son is about to rebel, how can I not follow him?
When Li Hefei sent his son here, he probably didn't expect this to be the result.
But this result is actually the best. Whether it is for their Li family or for China, perhaps this is the best choice in the short term.
Seeing that His Majesty seemed very happy, Zhu Guozhong made a suggestion.
"Your Majesty, since he is our important partner in China, would you like to meet with him at an appropriate time?"
Zhu Xianhai rejected his suggestion without even thinking about it.
"Not yet. Let them look around and learn in Nanhua first. I believe that they will eventually change many of their ideas through what they see and learn! Then, since they cannot become our people, they will also change China through their own efforts!"
In fact, the purpose of accepting these students is very clear. They want to master Chinese education through them. These students will definitely become high-end pro-Ming people in the future. Most importantly, they will definitely become the vanguard of overthrowing the rule of the Qing Dynasty in the future. Because the longer they live and study in the Ming Dynasty, the more they will desire change, change the weak and backward China of this era. The inner pride of the Chinese nation will drive them to change, and even to revolution...
"Your Majesty, there must be many of them who want to go to Nanhua University, especially Li Jingfang. However, it is known that the entrance examination of Nanhua University is very difficult. If he does not perform well in the examination, he will never be admitted to Nanhua University. Your Majesty, can you talk to Li Weimin..."
Before Zhu Guozhong could finish his words, Zhu Guoqiang interrupted him harshly.
"Guozhong, what are you thinking about? I've said that everyone is equal in the entrance exam, and we must avoid the influence of external factors. The government only needs to give money to the university, and as for the admissions matters, it must not interfere at all!"
fair!
Only an absolutely fair entrance examination can truly play the role of selecting talents for the country.
"The future of the country is determined by the podium. If even education is not fair, then what fairness is there in the world?"
After saying these words with great earnestness, Zhu Xianhai's expression was complicated, and his heart was filled with mixed feelings.
After all... at least in the entrance examination of the University of South China, the most basic fairness and justice must be maintained, and this principle cannot be destroyed by anyone.
Zhu Guozhong, who had never seen the emperor so angry before, was a little confused. After realizing that he had offended the emperor, he quickly apologized in somewhat stiff Chinese.
"Your Majesty, I deserve to die! I deserve to die..."
Zhu Xianhai waved his hand and said.
"Remember what I said, you go down first."
When he said this, his tone was still cold and without any emotion. Why was Emperor Zhu so angry?
In the final analysis, it was because of Zhu Guozhong's seemingly very reasonable suggestion that touched the reverse scale in his heart.
Today, they can use diplomacy as an excuse to ask the University of South China to make things easier for some people. Then in the future, they will surely find other reasons to ask the University of South China to make things easier for them.
In the end, they will even use various means, such as following the quotas from various provinces, to send their children to that university.
By that time, the so-called fairness will no longer exist.
A thousand-mile long dike can be destroyed by a single ant hole!
If you make a compromise or concession now because of a seemingly reasonable suggestion.
Then in the future, sooner or later, the University of South China will become... well, a university for children of the powerful and wealthy.
At that time, some people can easily enter the university that the test-takers have to work so hard to get into.
Then what fairness can we talk about in this university?
"The fate of a country is decided on the podium. In fact, isn't fairness also decided on it?"
Emperor Zhu let out a long sigh, his mood was very complicated.
(End of this chapter)
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