The Han culture is spreading strongly in Southeast Asia

Chapter 776 A Plan Beyond Its Time

Mo Gongze was overjoyed, because he had never actually thought about establishing a Greater Netherlands Kingdom, or even using Belgium to trade with England.

He wasn't particularly afraid of the so-called "land of four battles," but rather that his father, Mo Zirong, and he, Mo Gongze, didn't have much of a foothold in Belgium.

This kind of foundation cannot be built by giving your subordinates some benefits; rather, it requires that everyone from top to bottom share the same goal and regard each other as the most reliable support.

Clearly, it is impossible for the Belgians and the Mo family to establish a relationship of this caliber.

But the situation was different in Transylvania. Although the Hungarian nobles had a large-scale defection when Mozrong clearly stated that he wanted to be the Prince of Belgium, and then nominated the Holy Roman Emperor to be the King of Hungary for the third time, namely the nomination of Francis II.

In this election, a large number of Hungarian nobles abandoned Mozi Rong and declared their support for Francis II as King of Hungary without Mozi Rong expressing his opinion.

This action caused the Hungarian unity forces, which seemed to be united under Mo Zrong's leadership, to disintegrate, but it did not affect Transylvania.

Instead, following this incident, Mo Zirong and his son Mo Gongze strengthened their control over Transylvania.

They established thirty kilometres in Transylvania, which had a population of 2.6 million. Of these, twenty-one were Hungarian kilometres, five were Romanians, and four were Saxons.

Each 10,000-household unit was assigned a Protector-General, and each Protector-General established a cavalry battalion of 500 men. Of course, this was not a standing army, and given the semi-nomadic nature of the Hungarians, a standing army was not necessary.

After the cavalry battalion was formed, noble youths from among the ten thousand households would be selected and sent to China for further studies to be immersed in Chinese culture. After graduation, they would return to the side of Mo Zirong and his son Mo Gongze as guard officers, establishing a good relationship between the ruler and his subjects before finally being assigned to the cavalry regiment as officers.

At the same time, these Transylvanian cavalrymen were frequently dispatched to the Great Yu army to participate in battles.

For example, in the ongoing battles between the Anxi Envoy's Office and the Afghan Durrani Dynasty, and the plundering of the Kazakh Xiyuz tribe on the Caspian coast, there are more than two thousand Transylvanian cavalrymen.

More importantly, the Mo family, father and son, were different from other European monarchs. This was a startup company, and they had the support of the Seres Empire, their father country. Neither of them were greedy for money, so they could devote a lot of resources to developing Transylvania and winning people's hearts.

Therefore, in these years, Transylvania began to develop rapidly. New cities sprang up like mushrooms after rain, and local specialties were continuously transported to Dayu through merchant ships controlled by the Mo family. Goods from Dayu also quickly entered Transylvania, greatly enriching the daily needs of the local people and creating a win-win situation for both sides.

And don't think that this system of ten thousand households is a step backward in history; in fact, it is very much in line with the current situation in Transylvania.

At present, the ethnic issues in Transylvania are on the verge of a total outbreak. The cities and large towns are predominantly Hungarian, while the poor and serfs living in the countryside are mostly Romanians.

The influx of Saxon immigrants, heavily supported by the Austrian Empire, further exacerbated the already unstable environment by establishing themselves in central and northern Transylvania.

The fact that the Mo family, father and son, divided the Transylvanian population into 30 myriarchies to govern them actually mitigated this conflict to some extent.

First, the Hungarians, who make up only about 40 percent of the population, received 210,000 households, which basically appeased the Hungarian nobles in Transylvania. The Hungarians below them also received official positions and corresponding titles, so they were quite satisfied.

The Romanians received five kilos, which allowed them to promote and appease the most outstanding nobles among them. As for the lower classes, who were originally somewhere between the poor and serfs, they were now relatively satisfied with the five kilos and felt that there was still hope for the future.

As for the four Saxon myriarchs, Mo Gongze originally had Habsburg blood, and Mo Zirong's appointment as Grand Duke of Transylvania was arranged by Queen Theresa, who was most supported by these Saxons.

Therefore, these Saxons not only supported the Mo family, but also considered themselves commanders of the 10,000-man guard.

After establishing thirty households, Mo Gongze, along with the protectors and deputy protectors of the thirty households, military representatives, and prominent figures from the scientific and cultural circles, totaling eighty-seven people, established the Upper House, also known as the House of Nobles.

He composed 358 members of the lower house, representing the middle class of society, which fully demonstrated his magnanimity in delegating power and being a wise ruler.

Sew them up, sew them all up.

This seemingly backward ten-thousand-household system, combined with the most popular parliamentary system in Europe, surprisingly produced good results. It perfectly suited the bizarre situation in Transylvania where the upper class had begun to be exposed to the ideas of the French Revolution and the lower class was still in the medieval serfdom system.

After this series of integrations, Transylvania was firmly under his control. Even though Francis II tried several times to win over the Transylvanian nobles through a resolution passed by all Hungarians, he was unsuccessful.

Therefore, for Mogongze, Belgium was a seemingly glamorous territory, but he was always ready to sell it for a good price. Only the integrated Transylvania was his true foundation.

He had originally planned to receive substantial support from England, sell Belgium for a good price, use those resources to strengthen Transylvania, and then seize the eastern half of the Balkan Peninsula from the Ottomans. However, the English delivered themselves to his doorstep.

“Pete, it seems the king wants me to go back to Transylvania to herd sheep, but my 25,000 best warriors will not be willing to go to Transylvania to herd sheep.”

Furthermore, if they knew that fighting to the death would only result in gaining a pasture, I don't believe they would still have much fighting strength left.

Upon hearing Mo Gongze's words, William Pitt Jr. actually agreed wholeheartedly. Who would risk their life for you if there were no benefits?

Even the urban laborers and rural tenant farmers forcibly conscripted by England still received some benefits, let alone the army disguised as the Belgian army but actually the Seres Guard.

"Don't worry, Karl, the Royal Government will provide the Belgian Army with a loan of up to £1.5 million."

William Pitt Jr. only mentioned it as a loan, but not the interest or repayment, which basically implies that it is a loan that can be repaid, or at least that does not require cash or goods to be used for repayment.

Of course, in postwar Belgium, it was imperative to provide many conveniences to the bankers who had provided funding, even granting them fiefdoms, manors, or titles.

“Pete, you know this isn’t about money.” Even though the Englishman’s proposal was exactly what he wanted, Mo Gongze didn’t budge and even seemed very hesitant.

“My warriors need a territory, a wealthy territory where they can stably pass on their status and position.”

"Then I think there is no more suitable place than Europe occupied by the Ottoman Empire. In Western Europe, which was deeply influenced by the French rioters, all the nobles were in danger, including you."

But in the Balkans, countless people of God are still trapped in the harsh rule of infidels. If someone could lead them into a new life, that person would become their most beloved king.

William Peter Jr. said calmly that this was indeed a very good reason, and he wasn't afraid that Mo Gongze would disagree.

As Mo Gongze said, he now has no territory and no one to rely on, so he has no choice but to make some compromises.

“Pete, my warriors and I are fighting a bloody battle for the Kingdom of England, and serving His Majesty George III, yet you want to use us as a shield to stop the Rus’s southward advance. This does not seem like the way to treat allies and friends.” Mo Gongze feigned anger.

“Karl, as a friend, I have to advise you that, given your current situation, making some compromises would be beneficial for you.”

Moreover, you are not only fighting for England and His Majesty George III, but also for your own future.

"I think that a Belgian kingdom with an English-style parliamentary constitutional system, plus a new Roman kingdom with an absolute monarchy, although the process of establishing it may be somewhat arduous, would definitely be the best result you could achieve." After saying that, William Pitt the Younger sighed, "We are best friends, both as business partners and as close friends, but I am also the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of England, and I cannot make a decision that only benefits you."

Moreover, while the Seres Empire is indeed very powerful, it is too far from Europe. If you want to stabilize the situation in every crisis before Seres' aid arrives, and avoid being humiliated and driven out of Belgium as you have this time, then you will need the support of the Kingdom of England.

"So, I don't have many options left?" Mo Gongze asked, frowning.

“This was His Majesty’s decision, and I need to persuade Parliament for it,” William Pitt Jr. replied, sitting up straight in a very formal manner.

"So, who will be the future Queen of Belgium? I think we should have an answer to that now." Mo Gongze tried his best to act. He seriously recalled the frustration he felt when he returned to his father country, Seres, last time, and saw how his cousins ​​could rule a wealthy country with millions of people without doing anything. Sure enough, a look of sighing at the different fates of people appeared on his face.

"After this French invasion, I think the people of the Low Countries must have a deep longing for a strong country."

"And if you don't let me have the whole Netherlands, I think many people in Belgium will prefer a prince from the Orange line to be the monarch of the Greater Netherlands."

It must be said that Moggallzer was very farsighted. History has shown that around 1815, after completely defeating Napoleon, the Prince of Orange, son of William V, the Permanent Consul of the Netherlands, became William I, King of the Greater Netherlands.

Upon hearing this, William Pitt Jr. frowned. He suddenly realized that if the French revolutionary government were truly wiped out, in order to prevent them from doing something so life-threatening again, it would indeed be necessary to support a relatively powerful Kingdom of the Greater Netherlands to ensure that France would not take over the Low Countries as easily as it had this time.

What a pity, what a pity.

William Pitt thought to himself, "What a pity!" If Prince Carl in front of him didn't have the blood of Seres, he would be the best candidate for King of the Netherlands, given his wisdom and willingness to marry an English princess.

What a pity.

"Of course, your marriage to Princess Mary will soon be on the agenda, and the future independence of the Kingdom of Belgium will be guaranteed by the Kingdom of England."

With deep regret, William Pitt Jr. quickly made a decision: the loss of a Greater Netherlands that besieged France was far less damaging than the loss of a Greater Netherlands backed by the Seres.

The conditions were already quite satisfactory, but Mo Gongze ultimately decided to try to negotiate further.

“Pete, you should know that my uncle, His Majesty the Great Emperor of Seris, hopes that I can assume the throne of the Greater Netherlands. You also understand what benefits this would bring to the Seris Empire.”

Now, assuming I agree to the Kingdom of England's demands, it will inevitably displease my uncle, the Great Emperor. I think I need some compensation to make up for the reduction in support from Seris.

William Peter Jr. felt a sudden tightness in his chest; the Seris Empire's intentions were exactly as he had predicted.

These cunning Easterners hoped to support a maritime power in Europe that was roughly equivalent to, or at least half the size of, England, in order to counterbalance Europe.

"The Richmond Third Royal Arsenal will be transferred to Princess Mary's name as part of her main dowry."

Correspondingly, the Belgian army will receive priority supplies from this arsenal in this regard.

Mo Gongze was satisfied. After retreating to England, the 25,000-strong Belgian army, or more accurately, the Lu army, had to be divided into two parts.

Of these, 15,000 were in Prussia, where Prussia was given priority in maritime trade under the special permission of the Da Yu regime, and Prussia was responsible for supplying the garrison, food, gunpowder, and other military supplies.

The remaining 10,000 men were in England, where the English were only responsible for the camp and food. Mo Gongze had to solve everything else on his own, and he had to do everything he could to keep them afloat.

Now things are much better. Although this arsenal is likely just registered under Princess Mary's name and Mo Gongze has no control over it at all, he has at least gained priority access to supplies from this arsenal without having to pay for them.

After a long silence, Mo Gongze looked at England's Prime Minister William Pitt Jr. with a pained expression, as if he had finally made up his mind after a long period of thought.

“Peter, out of our friendship and love for Princess Marie, and of course, to defeat the French mob government, I am willing to make concessions.”

Mo Gongze held up one finger. “Give me a week, and I can gather at least six thousand men to go to Ireland. As long as General Gerald Lake can hold Dublin, I will definitely defeat the French.”

"That's wonderful, thank you so much, Carl!" Upon hearing Mo Gongze's agreement, William Peter Jr. expressed his genuine gratitude without any pretense.

It's not that William Pitt Jr. lacks shrewdness; on the contrary, this youngest prime minister in English history, a prime minister who embodies the ideal of a powerful minister, is quite capable. Mo Zibu even considered appointing him to a post in Dayu.

The reason for this was something William Pitt Jr. could never have imagined: Mo Gongze was willing to go to the Balkans, and Mo Zibu even supported him going to the Balkans.

Because in this century that had just entered the steam age, no one could have imagined that sciences such as chemistry would progress so rapidly that oil would completely dominate the new century.

Of course, they wouldn't know that the barren Middle East would be a landmass floating on an oil sea, but Mo Zibu knew, because he was a time traveler.

Therefore, for Emperor Mozibu, who established the Seres Empire, the Netherlands, which combined with Belgium, was a so-called maritime power with a population of seven million, and could not be compared with the Middle East at all.

Without a powerful regional power in the Middle East, bearing strong Chinese blood, how could the future Seris Empire sleep soundly?

This is the difference brought about by a vision that transcends its time.

Therefore, in William Pitt Jr.'s view, Mo Gongze made amazing concessions, which could even be called sacrifices, which is why he made no attempt to hide them.

After the initial excitement subsided, William Pitt Jr. produced a secret letter from Lieutenant General Clark, the Governor-General of India.

“Carl, don’t hold back when you go to Ireland. If you can send 30,000 Irish laborers there this year, that would be even better.”

The letter that Mo Lao Si, Mo Zhou Zhe, wrote to Mo Gong Ze has not yet arrived. Perhaps in Mo Zhou Zhe's mind, writing a letter to his cousin who is far away in Europe is not a big deal.

That's how it is when relatives don't visit each other often. Mo Gongze, the most important nephew in the eyes of his uncle, the Great Emperor, and the grandson whom the retired Emperor Mo Tianci was most worried about but also most proud of when he passed away, was no different from a stranger among Mo Zibu's sons.

Mo Gongze nodded happily. In the future, when we go to the Balkans, those stubborn and unyielding people will all be sold to Southeast Asia and Jamaica to be serfs, so that they will never be able to come back.

In mid-June, just as Grand Duchess Maria Elizabeth, the mother of Mo Gongze, was becoming increasingly ill, Mo Gongze, unaware of the situation, mobilized his 6,000 troops.

He personally led a team, with Liu Rongqing as his deputy, aboard an English naval transport ship to the island of Ireland, ready to help the English quell the rebellion.

(End of this chapter)