Continental Warriors Yoo Ma

Like a fat secretary of state in later generations, there are few shameless people who say "We lie, we cheat, we steal..." and take pride in doing evil.

The Burgundian nobles, who honored chivalry and had relatively high moral standards, were speechless before Ma Youfu's questioning.

Ma Youfu chased after the victory: "Those outstanding English rulers, from Edward III to the Black Prince to Henry V, which one of them has not issued a massacre order in France? From Caen to Limoges, every time they broke the city, they always Thousands of civilians - men and women, young and old - fell under the knife of the English."

"By the way, especially your great King Henry V. At the Battle of Agincourt, he ordered all the prisoners to be killed just because he was worried that the situation would change. In one barn alone, more than 200 nobles were killed. Burned alive. Even after death, prisoners of war were brutally disemboweled to prevent any slipping through."

Cold sweat oozes from Bishop Beauvin's forehead.

He couldn't refute it, because what Youf Ma said was the truth.As a clergyman, it is impossible for a bishop to justify these evils, otherwise he would lose his very foundation.

Bishop Beauvin had only one question in his mind at this time: why is a Seris who has only lived in Europe for a few months, so familiar with this war history?Those knowledge and records related to the war have not been systematically written into history books. Where did the other party know this information?

Is it a Burgundian?The duke had long wanted to abandon the covenant with England and reconcile with Charles VII?

Thinking of this, Bishop Bowen's heartbeat suddenly accelerated.

After kicking his opponent off the moral high ground, Yoof Ma continued to play with his eloquence.

"Why is Mademoiselle Jeanne Dacque called a saint, and is admired by countless people? Because her goals are noble and in line with the teachings of the Seven Saints. She doesn't want to kill all the English or Burgundians, and she doesn't care about the nobles. Disputes of interests. She just wants to end this long war that has brought endless pain and death, and bring peace back to the earth.”

There were four major groups involved in the Hundred Years War between England and France: French nobles, English nobles, French commoners, and English commoners.

Among them, the French nobles and the English nobles only regarded this war as a means of competing for the title of king and gaining honor and wealth.

And English civilians also regard joining the army as a way to earn money and achieve a class jump.An English serf went to Normandy, captured a French nobleman, got a large ransom, and when he came back, he was transformed into a decent country gentleman, which is the "English dream" of this era.

The English went to France to fight, just as their descendants went to India, America, and Africa, it was an adventure and an opportunity.

The above three parties are sometimes the perpetrators and sometimes the victims in the war.But only French civilians are the purest victims.

They had to face the riding and looting of the English, as well as the looting and slaughter of the bandits.After finally lingering and surviving, the French knights came back with the troops - unfortunately, they are not soldiers who rescue the suffering, they will only squeeze the civilians again.

Therefore, Joan of Arc, who stands on the side of the French commoners, is so precious, and in just one year, her reputation has spread far and wide.

Chapter 10 It's the economy, fool

"Well said, Your Excellency Mayouf, Burgundy should abandon the brutal English! This is the will of the Seven Saints!" An impassioned voice sounded.

The speaker was a burly man with a golden beard, in his thirties, with the temperament of a typical military aristocrat.

He is John, Count of Luxembourg.

It was his troops who captured Joan of Arc at the Battle of Compiègne.Therefore, the Count of Luxembourg also has half of the disposal rights of Joan of Arc.

Although the Count of Luxembourg led the war against France, it was only out of vassal duty.He was one of the few pro-French factions in the Principality of Burgundy who believed that the only way to end the war was to drive out the brutal British.

After Joan of Arc was captured, the Count of Luxembourg immediately contacted his friends and informed Charles VII to come to redeem the people.He also asked his aunt, Lady Jane, to take care of Joan of Arc.

However, under the extreme pressure of the British, the Count of Luxembourg could not bear it in the end, and had to hand over the disposal of his captives to Philip III.Except for a part of the ransom, he has no right to decide the fate of Joan of Arc.

Because of this incident, the Count of Luxembourg suffered for a long time, and even at the banquet, he was always depressed.Now, seeing the arrogant Bishop Beauvin was so sweaty that he couldn't say a word, he was so happy.

The Count of Luxembourg looked at Philip III again: "His Royal Highness, we should not hand over a real saint to the English. If Jeanne Duck encounters an accident, the seven saints will definitely punish this country!"

Charles, the heir to the duchy sitting next to Philip III, suddenly felt a chill on his head for no reason and shivered.

"Father, we should return Jeanne Duck to the French. This is in line with the spirit of chivalry." Charlie said mysteriously.

Philip III gave the only son a stern glance.The latter shrank his neck and stopped talking.

The Count of Luxembourg didn't notice the little actions of the Duke and his son on the main table, and he threw out another violent argument: "Everyone, we should form an alliance with Charles VII. This has nothing to do with tricks and interests, this is a defense of all French people, Holy war to expel foreign enemies!"

"Ridiculous, how can you launch a holy war against brothers who also believe in the Seven Saints? You are bewitched by a witch, John of Luxembourg!" Bishop Beauvin, who had been silent for a long time, finally couldn't help speaking.

If he didn't even refute such nonsense, he, the cardinal, would probably have come to an end.

At this time, a fat man in a mink coat with gold glittering on his neck and fingers stood up.

"Okay, three, don't you think it's absurd that the starting point of this heated debate is just a fictional story? Let's calm down and discuss some more practical issues."

"Of course, dear sir." Yofu Ma nodded.

The purpose of the debate is not to beat the opponent, but to convince the audience and the judges with their own point of view.Now that the atmosphere created by Bishop Beauvin has evaporated, there is no need for him to be too entangled.

Bishop Beauvin certainly did not want to end the debate at a disadvantage.But the fat man who spoke was the president of the Flanders Textile Guild and the largest businessman in the Principality - Jost van Spiningen.

If you are against him, a third of the people in the hall will be against you.

The Count of Luxembourg was the first to sit down with an innocent look on his face, as if the shocking remarks he had thrown before were not his.

"I have no intention of spoiling the atmosphere of the dinner, but I still reserve my opinion on Mr. Ma Yof's story. And the Count of Luxembourg, I will report your remarks to the Holy See!" Bishop Beauvin said angrily and sat back in his seat.

The big businessman Jost glanced at Philip III, who was in the presence of the old god, and then turned to Youfu Ma: "Scholar from El Dorado, good night. I want to ask a somewhat presumptuous question."

"I don't mind." Yofu Ma made a gesture of invitation.

Jost said slowly: "According to the reliable information I have received, you want to persuade our Duchy of Burgundy to change its diplomatic strategy, abandon the British and ally with the French, don't you?"

The news that Jost threw out was not the tyranny of the Count of Luxembourg before.This well-informed businessman must have heard some rumors.

The Bishop of Beauvin, who had just sat down, immediately stood up: "This is fantastic, Seris! The alliance between England and Burgundy is unbreakable, and whether it is the duke or the regent, they will try their best to maintain the friendship between the two countries. All your actions are In vain!"

"Put away your empty and tasteless rhetoric. How Burgundy chooses allies, in the final analysis, this is an economic problem, fool!" Yofu Ma responded unceremoniously.

Bishop Bowen was stunned on the spot and didn't know what to say for a while.But Jost became interested and stared at Yofu Ma: "I'm listening, please continue your speech, sir."

Yof Ma's quoting of President Zipper's famous words is not just for the purpose of scolding Bishop Bovin.

The covenant between the Duchy of Burgundy and England, the most important ballast stone, is the economic factor.

Burgundy's biggest source of revenue comes from the textile industry in the lowlands.And the raw material needed by the textile industry - wool, England is the largest supplier.

At that time, Edward III forced Flanders to his own camp through the wool embargo.

The trade embargo worked so well that the new Roman Empire established by the descendants of the Anglo a few hundred years later liked to use it against challengers on the other side of the ocean.

But, as the overused internet buzzword says - lord, times have changed.

The climatic conditions of the Iberian Peninsula are also very suitable for raising sheep.With the victories of the reconquest movement, the kingdom of Castile became increasingly prosperous and stable, and wool production increased year by year.

The textile industry in the Lowlands no longer needed to rely on England's raw materials.

It just so happened that in 1369, Enrique II, who founded the Trastamara dynasty, became the king of Castile with the help of France, and the two countries have since become staunch allies.

France can also provide Burgundy with high-quality wool through the relationship of the Kingdom of Castile.Why should the lowland textile merchants hang from a tree in England?

Yost Ma's analysis made Yost nod again and again. Oil sweat oozes from excitement on his bright brain door. Under the illumination of magic lights, he gave the illusion of shining golden light.

Although the control of the sea is in the hands of the English, Iberian wool can only be transported by land to the lowlands, and the cost is higher than that of England.But one more choice means stronger bargaining power, no need to worry about the threat of embargoes by the English at every turn, and even lower wool prices.

"If the proposal of an alliance between France and Burgundy is true, then our Textile Guild will seriously consider this proposal." Yost saluted Mayoufu and returned to his seat.

Looking at this big businessman with a fat head and big ears, who kept wiping his sweat with silk, Bishop Bowen cursed in his heart.

"These greedy and despicable businessmen don't know what loyalty and trustworthiness are?"

He didn't expect that the Seris just used his lips as a weapon to reverse the situation, and even put the alliance between Burgundy and England in jeopardy!

Three groups at this banquet.

Businessmen, have been persuaded by Ma Youfu's wool economics.

Clergy, also unreliable.

Whether England or France finally won, the king had to rely on the power of the church to govern the country.The outcome of the war is none of their business.Besides, seeing Yoof Ma's sharp remarks pointing directly at the weakness of the Seven Holy Sect, who would be willing to go up against it?

There are not many clergymen who are bound to British interests like Bishop Beauvin.

The only reliable ones are the nobles who once forged a blood feud with the French King.

The Bishop of Beauvin looked at the Earl of Hainaut, who had always worked hard in the war, and said: "The friendship that Burgundy and England have formed in fighting side by side cannot be measured by money! Moreover, I implore you noble lords, and His Royal Highness the Duke. , focus on long-term strategic interests. If England loses and returns to the British Isles, Burgundy will face the French pressure alone. Would you like to see this?"

"Ha, Your Excellency, put away your empty words." Yoof Ma laughed, "I have already said that this is an economic problem! The United Kingdom has paid a lot of money for Burgundy to provide military support. Take last year's For example, they paid a huge sum of [-] pounds. This money, from the duke to the nobles who participated in the war, is shared by everyone. This is the cornerstone of maintaining the British Alliance. However, gentlemen, since you can earn Sterling, why can't you earn livres? I believe that His Royal Highness Charles VII can not only meet your needs, but even more."

Count Hainault, who had high hopes from Bishop Beauvin, ignored the earnest gaze from the other party, and did not jump out to refute Ma Youfu's stinky remarks. He lowered his head and pretended to deal with a roasted salmon, but his ears were erect. Listen.

Then, Ma Youfu took two steps in the hall, his tone full of vicissitudes of history: "As for issues involving long-term strategic interests, as a Serisian, I am more qualified to talk about it. Let me tell you another story." .This story happened more than 200 years ago. At that time, the land of Seris experienced a long war after the collapse of the dynasty, and finally formed three countries."

Youfu Ma stretched out a finger: "The first country is called Shu. This country has been defeated many times. It was not until the most critical moment that it relied on the help of a talented military strategist to turn the situation around. Shu is the weakest country. , but with an orthodox status, the king's lifelong wish is to restore the royal family and return to the old capital."

"Haha, isn't this France?" the Duke of Luxembourg laughed loudly, "Charles VII dreamed of returning to Paris!"

A united France is the most powerful country in Europe.But under the rule of Charles VII France, the territory was divided, war-torn, and the nobles had their own ideas.Compared to Burgundy and England, France today is indeed the weakest party.

Chapter 11 Big shift

"Your Excellency John is right, there are indeed similarities between the two." Youfu Ma nodded, then extended a finger, "The second country is Wei. Relying on the monarch's outstanding military capabilities and a strong army, They fought successive victories and conquered large tracts of land. But because of the brutality of their rule, they were unpopular, and there were constant resistance everywhere."

Everyone, including Bishop Bowen, heard that this Wei country was referring to England.

"There is another country, the State of Wu. His ruler is one rank lower than the monarchs of the other two countries in terms of title, so in terms of law, he is at a disadvantage. The ruler of the State of Wu must be on an equal footing with the other two kings. , We must use all means to strengthen our strength. Wu State and Shu Wei have allied with each other, and they have also been hostile. In a key battle, Wu State and Wei State jointly attacked Shu State and captured the most important one in Shu State. General. Can you guess what the state of Wu did with this prisoner?"

Anyone with a discerning eye can see that the State of Wu is Burgundy, and the "General of the State of Shu" alludes to Joan of Arc.

"The general was killed?" asked Philip III.

"Yes, Your Excellency. Then, the furious King of Shu launched a large-scale attack on Wu. Although Wu was victorious, the increasingly weakened Shu had to make peace with Wu to fight against the mighty Wei. But Many things are irreversible. The two countries of Wu and Shu can no longer cooperate closely and compete with strong enemies. And the state of Wei recovered from the biggest crisis, relying on military superiority, and finally eliminated the two enemies. Seris is united again. , established a new dynasty."

Youfu Ma didn't mention the Sima family's troubles. After all, he told the story of the Three Kingdoms just to "borrow the Chinese and the West", so that the nobles of Burgundy could see the situation clearly.

"This is really a sad story." Mary, who was sitting next to her father, showed a heartache to the men.

The young girl doesn't understand politics yet, she just sympathizes with the weak out of her nature.

"Yes, little princess. So noble Burgundian nobles, you also need to avoid such a tragedy from happening to yourself."

Youf Ma raised his voice and said, "The Bishop of Beauvin is right. If England loses this war, Burgundy will face a unified and powerful France, and the pressure will increase. But at least you can restore your alliance with England, That's enough to take on Charles VII."

"Why would England reconcile if Burgundy betrayed him?" asked the Earl of Hainaut.

The anti-French pioneer, who had high hopes by Bishop Bovin, has now been completely moved by Ma Youfu.He couldn't wait to get answers from Yof Ma.

"Because England had no choice. If France conquered Burgundy, and gained the great wealth of the lowlands, skilled sailors, and shipyards, what good was the English Channel? Don't want to see blood on the mouth of the Thames, England can only reunite with Burgundy."

Yofu Ma changed the conversation: "Then, you can imagine what would have happened if England had won the war of succession? An unprecedented United Kingdom of England and France, comparable to the Frankish Empire, will be born in Europe. Faced with this behemoth, what should Burgundy do? Seek the protection of the Holy Roman Emperor?"

The future depicted by Youfu Ma caused all the Burgundians present to have a chill on their backs.

France, supported by the Animayakes, is indeed annoying, but it is not impossible to fight against it.But a United Kingdom of England and France will only make people feel powerless.

Thousands of waves were aroused for a while, and the quiet banquet hall was buzzing one after another.

Almost all of them began to whisper, discussing Burgundy's diplomatic options.

Originally, reconciliation with France was a taboo topic that could not be discussed openly in Burgundy, but after Mayoufu's efforts, it suddenly became the most favorable option for Burgundy. To reach a consensus.

"Eastern, toast to your wisdom and foresight!"