In the conference room of the Louvre Museum in Paris, works by great artists such as Cashdai and Rembrandt are displayed on both sides of the spacious room. However, these beautiful artists did not attract the attention of the room attendees.

Sitting in the conference room were the rulers of all of Europe.

Except for a few princes who were too ill to attend the meeting, all the other European kings and archdukes came to the Louvre.

Even Queen Christina, the successor to the great Swedish king, sat at the table in the conference room – although Sweden was a Protestant country, and although the old King Gustav II was a Protestant, her daughter was still a Catholic – a testament to the influence of the Holy See in Europe.

At this joint meeting convened by Pope Alexander VII and King Louis XIV of France, there was a difference between Catholic and Protestant countries. Most Catholic countries sit next to the Pope and the King of France, at the top. A few princes or kings of Protestant countries sit at the head of the conference table and are in a class of their own. The Grand Dukes and some of the dukes who had spontaneously attended the meeting sat at the periphery of the table.

Of course, this is not the time to discuss the difference between Catholicism and Protestantism.

The nobles at the bottom were headed by Wilhelm II, Prince of Orange, the ruling Dutch ruler. This ambitious Germanic nobleman looked around at the kings sitting at the top, frowned and said: "Li Zhi is ambitious, Portugal has betrayed Europe and achieved great benefits, so it won't be long before more countries learn from Portugal, and Europe will be divided by Li Zhi." So I support the French coalition proposal. ”

Europeans were a people of compromise and cooperation, but the decades-long wars of religion had caused deep scarcity among European rulers, and the Protestant Netherlands could not quench its anger at the Spaniards and the Holy See for a while. William II deliberately ignored the pope by describing the council as being convened by the king of France.

The young King of France, Louis XIV, was ambitious and eager to take all the power he could get. At this time, Wilhelm II spoke of Louis XIV as the convener of the kings of Europe in front of the French hillbilly counts, which was very beneficial to the royal power of the French king, and Louis XIV smiled happily.

Wilhelm II continued: "However, it is well known that the Netherlands have learned many new technologies and weapons in the wars in the East over the years. What I never want to hear is 'Holland is going to give this to other European countries for free'. ”

Hearing Wilhelm II's words, the other kings' faces sank and they did not speak.

The Grand Dukes sitting at the bottom and the Dukes on the outskirts couldn't help but whisper.

Europeans know that the Netherlands is now the most advanced in science. The Dutch had Minnie rifles in their hands and curved guns. The Netherlands have been experimenting with ironclad to arm sailing ships against Li Zhi's rifled cannons over the years, and have even begun to imitate Li Zhi's steam engine. Of course, the imitation of the steam engine did not succeed, but it is said that there was already a certain direction, and the only thing that bothered the Dutch craftsmen was the problem of accuracy.

Now the Dutch have invested a lot of spies in China to spy on scientific and technological intelligence, and have obtained Li Zhi's old-fashioned textile machine technology, which was eliminated by Li Zhi more than ten years ago, and was discovered by spies bought by the Dutch in an old warehouse that is neglected. The spy wrote down the mechanics with pen and paper, gave them to the sailors and smuggled them to the Netherlands. With these textile machinery eliminated by Li Zhi, the textile industry in the Netherlands has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years and has become the cotton spinning center of Europe.

The Netherlands had been fighting against Li Zhi and had lost many colonies to Li Zhi. But at the same time, the Netherlands has also gained a lot of technology and has become very powerful. Now, even if the old enemy Spain attacked the Netherlands, it would probably not be the match of the Dutch.

The Dutch were reluctant to come up with these techniques for nothing.

King Felipe IV of Spain snorted coldly and said, "Very good, Li Zhi's number one enemy, the Netherlands, is unwilling to show technology, and the Dutch are ready to fight Li Zhi alone." ”

Hearing this, Wilhelm II's face darkened.

Antonelli, the consul of the Republic of Venice, coughed and said: "With all due respect, honorable Wilhelm II, if Europe is divided and conquered by Li Zhi, then I am afraid that the most unlucky will be the Dutch." The Dutch burned, killed and plundered in the Far East, treating the Han Chinese as slaves, and if Europe was controlled by Li Zhi, I am afraid that the Dutch would not have good fruit to eat. ”

Antonelli looked at the crowd and said lightly: "I heard that Li Zhi has always exterminated those who are hostile to him. ”

Wilhelm II glanced at Antonelli contemptuously, and sneered at the small ruling power of the sunset.

Wilhelm II's sneer was opposed by all the Catholic nobles, and many archdukes and dukes roared in exasperation. The culture of Europeans is very different from that of the Chinese, and these nobles get together a bit like a barbarian bonfire. Although they also strive to maintain the etiquette of a civilized person and try to be polite as much as possible, when it comes to the critical moment they reveal their savage nature, and everyone wants to show off their strength and strength.

The room was so noisy that Pope Alexander VII frowned.

Cromwell, the ruling officer of England, coughed and stood up.

He was an English Puritan and shared a sense of solidarity with Dutch Protestants. Feeling that Wilhelm II was under siege by the Catholic aristocracy, he felt compelled to stand up and say a word.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Ladies and gentlemen! Listen to me! Our technology can be brought out! ”

The eyes of the audience were focused on Cromwell.

"Ladies and gentlemen! But this comes at a price. Every Formosa rifle was bought with the blood of Dutch sailors and British soldiers, and other Europeans could not take it for nothing. ”

The King of Spain said gloomily: "Cromwell, are you going to exchange South America from Spain with rifles and cannons?" Or are you going to go to Paris, France? ”

The conference room suddenly resounded with the laughter of the duke and earl. The Catholic aristocracy had long been tired of Cromwell's mud legs, and when they heard the noble Spanish king mock Cromwell, they all spoke out in support.

Cromwell snorted coldly and said, "Bid!" His Royal Highness Felipe, we need a price! ”

Felipe IV exclaimed: "There is no price!" We stepped forward to help the Netherlands and England, which Li Sik was thinking about day and night, without the need for a price. ”

Cromwell looked at Wilhelm II and was a little speechless. The Catholic kings insisted that England and the Netherlands, which had chosen Protestantism, were the biggest beneficiaries of the European alliance and needed the two Protestant countries to teach everything for free. The negotiations were a bit difficult at the outset.

Cromwell sat down slowly.

There was a brief silence in the room.

The little counts and dukes on the outside of the conference room became a little irritable, and they couldn't help but look around and look at the faces of the big people at the conference table. Now that Li Zhi's Southern Route Army had occupied the Indian Ocean, the profits of the seafaring business supported by the minor nobles had plummeted. The Tiger Army had already begun to attack the east coast of North America, and European merchant ships off the coast of Africa were often plundered by steamers sent by Li Laosi. These petty nobles were as afraid of the terrifying Li Zhi as the kings.

If Europe does not unite against Li Zhi, it is only a matter of time before Europe is conquered.

But Pope Alexander VII did not say a word.

Seeing that the atmosphere was somewhat deadlocked, the young King Louis XIV of France stood up, looked around the venue, and said loudly: "I don't know if it seems despicable to say such things at this time." ”

Cromwell frowned at Louis XIV, not knowing what he meant.

Louis XIV smiled self-deprecatingly: "Frankly, I don't think it's necessary for the Netherlands and England to keep the new weapons a secret, the French spies have long since obtained new weapons on the battlefields of Portugal, which were mass-produced in Marseille, France, a few years ago." ”

Louis XIV coughed and said lightly: "The European Union is related to the survival of all European nobles, and perhaps more determines the survival of European commoners, if the Netherlands and England are not willing to teach technology, France can teach technology instead of you." ”

Cromwell stood up angrily. Wilhelm II's eyes widened when he heard this, and his eyes were blood-red with anger in an instant.