New Shun 1730

History is funny.

In history, this group of radicals eventually became royalists.

Because they were beaten up when they went to war with Russia, and then they went to war alone against Frederick's Prussia at its peak... Of course, they all lost.

Worried that the conservatives would sue them and hold them accountable, the radicals immediately turned around and supported the king to abolish the parliament to avoid being judged and liquidated by the conservatives.

At this time, this kind of comedy had not yet been staged, and the radicals were still in a different kind of excitement.

Under the closed-door policy and the literary censorship and letter inspection, the Swedes did not know what changes had taken place in the outside world, let alone that Russia and Prussia were no longer the weak chickens that could be beaten up.

Karl Girondtborg was confident in going to war with Russia.

Now, they were short of money.

Kambier had money, and Girondtborg lacked money. The atmosphere of the meeting between the two was so harmonious and pleasant. In addition to these two people, there was also the captain of the Free Trade, Mantou.

Mantou easily figured out the situation of the Swedish Parliament. He had read a lot of books with Liu Yu and understood the history of the previous dynasty. He thought, aren't these the eunuch party and the Donglin party? Whoever comes to power, the policy will change. The person in front of him is the party leader and may become the new cabinet minister and the left minister of military affairs in Sweden?

"You two, let me make it clear first. I am only the captain this time, not the plenipotentiary ambassador of the Celestial Empire to Sweden. I am not qualified to decide the negotiations. I can only answer some of your questions."

Before coming, Liu Yu did tell him a lot of things. But considering that this kind of thing is not something that he, Ying Suobo, can decide, he didn't say too much, but just gave some possible bottom lines.

Liu Yu's possibilities, Mantou felt that they were almost settled, and he also knew what he could agree to and what he could deny.

In any case, he agreed with Liu Yu's idea and believed that Sweden was an opportunity to open a window to Europe, especially after seeing those smugglers with his own eyes, he was more determined to think so.

Wuyi tea is sold by the dan in Fujian. Adding various taxes and bribes to the customs, it only costs 15 taels of silver per load, 120 catties.

Here, tea is also sold by catty. In the UK, the tax alone costs 3 taels of silver per catty of Wuyi tea, not including the price; while in Gothenburg, the full price is only 4 taels of silver sold to smugglers, which is 48 taels per load, a huge profit.

Even if more is shipped in the future, with small profits and quick turnover, it can make 3 taels of silver or even 2 taels of silver per catty, which is still profitable.

Moreover, Wuyi tea is still a relatively low-end tea, and it will be more profitable if it is replaced by long-fried green tea.

Besides, what do these Westerners know about tea? They can only buy what the East India Company of each country buys and what the customers drink. Of course, the East India Company of each country only chooses the cheapest, not the best.

But those who transport tea to Fujian Port sitting at their doorsteps really can't make so much money. A ship can still be sold for hundreds of thousands of Spanish silver dollars.

When he came, Liu Yu had told him to build a good relationship with the local bosses.

Bribes should be given and gifts should be given. All within 50,000 taels should be reimbursed.

Don't be afraid of the other party asking for money, just be afraid of the other party not asking for money.

Carl Girentborg knew that Kambir was the plenipotentiary ambassador to China this time, and he also knew that the officer in front of him was very young and said that he was not from an aristocratic family, so he should not be able to handle the negotiations.

Hearing what Mantou said, he thought that it was necessary to first determine what conditions China could provide.

"Captain, what kind of agreement did the French envoys reach when they went to China this time?" He tentatively asked about the results of the Sino-French alliance. He knew that France and Dashun had some treaties similar to international law, such as maritime rescue, but he did not know the real core secret agreement.

"I'm sorry, I'm just a captain, far from being a third-rank official who can discuss state affairs. The treaty was not made public, maybe it is now? But before the French left, I escorted your prisoners to Gothenburg."

Mantou played a little trick. He escorted the Swedish prisoners back, which had nothing to do with France, but by saying this, he connected two unrelated things together.

Karl Girondtborg was really fooled by this rhetoric, or people always like to believe what they want to believe. He himself judged that this exchange between China and France was to deal with the Russians.

This diplomatic trick was a small theater prepared by Liu Yu for the Swedes, the British, and the Dutch. It was a thorough strategic deception.

Obviously, the Swedes were fooled.

"Captain, I heard that you participated in the war against Russia and were commended by the emperor of the Celestial Empire on the front line?"

"Yes. I was awarded a meritorious service in the bastion attack on the Ergun River front. My teacher was the deputy envoy in the negotiations with Russia and the general who fought against the Junggar Mongols this time. The captives of your country were rescued by my teacher in the Altai Mountains. After I returned from the Ergun River, I have been serving in the Northern Fleet and have drawn sea charts in the North Pacific. There is also a Swede in our fleet, a man named Sven, not his last name, who was the deputy captain of the Russian expedition team back then."

He thought about what Liu Yu had told him, and when he talked to the Swede, he kept talking about Russia, which made it sound like a diplomatic hint.

"My teacher has always condemned the Russian invasion of Crimea and the illegal occupation of Karelia during the negotiations with Russia. When the generals of the Celestial Empire fought against the Junggars, they were also attacked by Lenat's artillery, and the ministers also suspected that your country supported the Junggars. Later, it was my teacher who clarified the situation and told the story of the confrontation between Sweden and Russia."

Every sentence was about Russia, and he talked freely.

But I thought to myself, I don't know what others think, anyway, I know that the naval officers in Weihai are all south-going, but they don't want to go to war with Russia - if they go to war with Russia, the navy can only squat in Weihai and sleep, anyway, they can't sail on land to the Western Regions, and they don't even have the opportunity to brush their military merits. They can't go to Kamchatka to rob Russian fishing boats that are stripping walrus skins.

The court will not go to war with Russia, and will not send the precious army after the military reform to eat snow in Siberia. Fighting Junggar, the logistical loss of nearly 10 million taels of silver, 10 million taels, is enough to make the fleet the strongest east of the Cape of Good Hope.

Hearing Mantou talking about Russia all the time, Carl thought that this time, going to war with Russia has a great advantage.

With the support of France and China, why not beat Russia? As long as the war starts, the Chinese will send troops from the east, which will definitely produce a chain reaction-if the Turks know that China and Sweden are sending troops, they will definitely not be idle.

But why would the Shun Empire oppress Sweden on trade issues at this juncture? What does this mean? Is it as a trade compensation for going to war with Russia?

He is not a businessman, and he thinks of the interests between countries. From the perspective of a former Minister of State, it seems to make sense.

The Shun Empire's sending troops looks more like helping Sweden, so as to obtain Sweden's trade share.

Moreover, it is obvious that this group of Chinese has studied Europe very thoroughly. They did not seem to discuss trade issues with France during the opportunity of the delegation's visit. Obviously, they were targeting the smugglers in Gothenburg.

Kambil took the opportunity to say: "Sir Girondtborg, Chinese merchants want to invest in the East India Company. In theory, this does not violate the authorization of the Parliament for the monopoly of the East India. The company's capital is not only raised from Sweden. However, one of the conditions of the Shun Empire violates the monopoly authorization."

"For example, this Free Trade. They hope to use their own ships to revitalize their shipbuilding industry and increase sufficient sailors. The monopoly authorization stipulates that the East India Company's ships can only be built in Sweden."

"Perhaps, the Parliament can revise this authorization?"

For the shareholders of the East India Company, it doesn't matter whose ship they use. Dashun's ships are cheap and made of good materials-Sweden does not have teak and cypress, and Sweden does not have much oak, all of which are pine and fir, which are not good shipbuilding materials.

However, for Swedish shipbuilders, especially those with seats in Parliament, the only reason they support the East India Company is that the East India Company wants to build ships in Sweden.

Shipbuilders are radicals, not because they love their motherland, but because going to war with Russia means they need to order warships.

However, if the East India Company is allowed to build ships only in Sweden, it is obvious that they are unlikely to support the East India Company.

Although Karl "overestimated Sweden's national strength and had no idea in his mind", he still had brains on some things.

East India Company directors like Kambier have made it very clear that if Sweden refuses, not only will it not get the support of Dashun on the issue of going to war with Russia, but even trade with China may end completely.

Reality is cruel.

It is better to call it the China and Africa Trade Company than the East India Company.

Sweden also wanted to build a colony in Southeast Asia, but the Netherlands immediately warned that if Sweden reached out in Southeast Asia, the Netherlands would go to war.

Sweden also wanted to build a small area in India, but this time not only did Britain oppose it, but even France, a quasi-ally, immediately warned that if Sweden reached out in India, it would be beaten.

First, there is no spices, and second, there is no India. The monopoly east of the Cape of Good Hope, there is only a Dashun with free trade and open customs.

He himself also has shares in the East India Company, which pays a lot of taxes and monopoly fees every year. For the small country of Sweden, this may be the third source of income besides copper and iron ore.

The company's profits are of course high, but the company's profits belong to shareholders, not the Swedish treasury. If the East India Company goes bankrupt, the treasury will lose a large amount of income every year.

Without money, what wars can you fight? How can you punch Russia and kick Prussia?

Moreover, as the leader of the Radical Party, he is about to take office and face the "major political achievement" of the bankruptcy and dissolution of the East India Company?

"Uh... Captain, merchant ships are just a tool. Can't your country's merchants be allowed to build ships in Sweden?"

Mantou didn't say too much nonsense, but gave a strange answer.

"The merchants engaged in overseas trade in the Celestial Empire all have shares in the Weihai Shipyard."

This sentence blocked Karl. This answer was concise and powerful, equivalent to a refusal.

Since you have shares in the shipyard, what else is there to talk about?

"I'm not a plenipotentiary envoy, but I personally think that maybe...in wartime, the merchant ships of the Celestial Empire can be recruited as the Swedish navy? But it may only be limited to war against Russia."

He was not qualified to agree to this condition, but since he had to negotiate after returning home, he might as well tell it first to deceive. As for the condition, he raised the price and paid the money on the spot. Who can say whether the negotiation will be successful or not?

This condition is very powerful.

After thinking for a while, Karl made some judgments in his heart. He should urge the parliament to pass the amendment of the East India Company's monopoly bill.

This time, the Chinese ships should be publicized to send back the Swedish prisoners, and Russia should be informed first. No matter what Dashun means, Russia should be convinced that Dashun is trying to form a tripartite alliance between Sweden, France and China.

In addition, if Dashun raises tariffs, the East India Company will inevitably go bankrupt, so it should be supported anyway.

Since the reason why he might come to power is to incite revenge and go to war with Russia. Then, perhaps, this matter can be tied to the patriotism of regaining lost territory in Congress.

As long as Dashun can agree, merchant ships can be recruited by the Swedish Navy to deal with Russia when necessary. Or, Dashun can confirm the Sino-Swedish anti-Russian alliance, which can be regarded as his diplomatic success, and it is easy to promote Congress to pass the bill to amend the monopoly under the mood of patriotic revenge.

Then, it will take five years to pacify Russia.