After Ricci and the bishop left, Xiao Ruxun went to another place to receive the French and Genoese's requests.
The appearance of the French was unexpected to Xiao Ruxun, but not to the Genoese, as the fleet was heading towards them. Yet, the French, who were quite a distance away from Genoa, were so sensitive and concerned about the China's caravan. This surprised Xiao Ruxun.
France was one of the traditional powers in Europe. Now that Henry IV had come to power, he tried his best to end the damage caused by the religious wars. The conflict between the Huguenots and the Catholics in France had long intensified to the point where it needed to be resolved by war. The war had lasted for more than 30 years, and it had severely damaged France's production and order.
As a king with a Huguenot background, Henry IV was widely opposed when he first came to power in France. He was forced to convert to Catholicism in order to stabilize his rule, but he still remained loyal to the Protestant religion. After he became king, he used his power to end the war and tried to mediate between the different religions, trying to restore order to France.
His efforts were successful four years later in 1598. He successfully ended the war and issued the Edict of Nantes, which ended the religious wars that had plagued France for many years. The Huguenots also found a place to live.
However, there were still three years before his success. He had just stabilized his position and was doing his best to end the war and restore peace in some areas. Looking at the devastated land, he wanted to cry but had no tears. He was deeply worried. At this time, the news that a Chinese caravan had arrived in Genoa with a large amount of goods reached the French capital, Paris, and reached his ears.
He sharply realized that this was an opportunity, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He immediately got the merchants among the Huguenots he trusted to form a caravan and immediately went to Genoa to negotiate with the China merchants. No matter what, he had to establish a relationship with the China people.
The China people were unfamiliar with Europe. If they wanted to do business, they would definitely look for suitable business partners. China's goods had always been the representative of luxury goods in Europe, and were loved by European nobles and royals. Every item could be sold for tens or even hundreds of times more than the cost.
If he could get the goods from the China and become a middleman, he would definitely be able to earn a lot of money and help France recover its strength.
Currently, he was facing a serious situation. Not only was there a confrontation between the Catholic army and the Huguenots, but there was also the Spanish army taking advantage of the chaos to attack France. Not only did he have to end the civil war, he also had to expel the Spanish army. With the country's finances in dire straits, it was important to increase revenue and reduce expenditure to replenish the national treasury. War was all about money.
With this thought, Henry IV took the initiative to contact Chen Longzheng. Xiao Ruxun did not mention the French to Chen Longzheng. He only mentioned the Genoese and Vatican. and Chen Longzheng felt that the French people were very humble, and they seemed to be very eager to do China. and Chen Longzheng. Ruxun's Chen Chen Chen The French Empire, and offered. They Chen.
Chen Longzheng thought about it. He thought that the businessmen in his hometown would compare goods with each other. It might be good to have more Frenchmen, so he agreed to let these Frenchmen return to Myanmar with him.
When Xiao Ruxun found out about the French's appearance, he was a little surprised because he didn't expect the French to show up. The most suitable business partners he had in mind were the Genoese bankers. These capital aristocrats had a transcendent status in Europe. Generally, no one would go against them. Their combined power was enough to influence these European countries that were constantly at war.
France was a traditionally powerful country, but now it was also mired in the quagmire of war. However, Xiao Ruxun still decided to make contact, because at this moment, France and the Holy See were not on good terms. It would be nearly a century later, when Louis XIV annulled the Edict of Nantes, that France and the Holy See would be in cahoots. Currently, France was a hotbed of Huguenots, and Huguenot Protestantism and Catholicism were incompatible as fire and water.
Most importantly, King Henry IV was a Huguenot believer, a comrade who infiltrated the enemy's camp. He was destined to be on bad terms with the Vatican. Most importantly, this King, who was highly respected by the French, was not on good terms with Spain.
During the decline of Spain, he was an important opponent other than England. It was said that his death was because he wanted to provoke a war against Spain and offended the Catholic fanatics, so he was assassinated.
Xiao Ruxun decided to attack the Philippines by force and uproot all the strongholds of the Spanish forces in the South China Sea. If he expelled all the Spanish forces, then he was destined to be on bad terms with the Spanish.
Xiao Ruxun was not worried about the Asian region. He would kill as many Spaniards as they came. If they dared to retaliate, he would let them sink forever in the South China Sea. However, his business activities in Europe would inevitably be retaliated.
Xiao Ruxun did not have the foundation to go on an expedition to Europe.
Therefore, it was very important to find a country in Europe that had enough military force and determination to go against Spain.
In this aspect, the Genoese were not strong enough. As an absolute commercial republic, they placed a lot of importance on commercial interests. If the commercial trade with China could not be compared to the benefits offered by the Spanish and the Holy See, the Genoese bankers would not fall out with the Holy See for the sake of China. Furthermore, they did not have enough military power.
France was different. It had military power, a king who did not identify with Catholicism, and enough status. It was a country that could protect China's commercial interests in Europe.
Moreover, China's attack on Spain's overseas forces was also beneficial to Henry IV, who hated Spain. Henry IV would not give up China, a partner that could cooperate with him for a long time.
Henry IV needed money and time, and Xiao Ruxun needed him to contain the power of Spain and the Catholic Church. Everyone took what they needed. As for when Henry IV would die and when he would be assassinated, Xiao Ruxun did not care. At most three years, he could expel all the Spanish forces, consolidate his hegemony in the South China Sea and the waters near Myanmar, and build a powerful navy.
Of course, before that, he needed an excuse to go to war with Spain. After all, although he actually controlled everything in Myanmar, he was still a subordinate of General Daming, General Daming. This land did not have to pay taxes to the Daming for six years, but it still belonged to the Daming. The army was indeed the garrison of Myanmar Town, but it also belonged to the Daming.
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