The Han culture is spreading strongly in Southeast Asia

Chapter 855 The Emperor Gave Too Much
Mo Zibu's Tianjin Imperial Palace was the Shuixi Garden of the Cha family, a salt merchant, where Emperor Qianlong stayed four times during his southern tours.

This garden was no ordinary place; the Shuixi Manor in Tianjin was named after it, and the Cha family also had close ties with the Cao family, to which Cao Xueqin belonged.

The Grand View Garden in Cao Xueqin's novel was actually modeled after the Water West Garden.

Historically, Shuixi Garden began to decline in the mid-to-late Qianlong period as the Cha family fell into ruin, and was eventually destroyed during the invasion of China by the Eight-Nation Alliance.

This timeline was much luckier. Although Tianjin was in decline before 1800, Mo Zibu bought the garden after hearing that it was the prototype of the Grand View Garden and renovated it as a royal garden.

Apart from the most central part, it was often given to members of the imperial family, meritorious officials, and even high-ranking civil and military officials who came from the north and south to stay, which not only preserved the garden perfectly but also added a lot of popularity.

However, Lord Charles Whitworth, the English envoy, had long lost interest in appreciating the beauty of Waterside Gardens; he was somewhat restless as he awaited Emperor Seres's summons.

This man can be considered one of England's most capable and visionary diplomats, and also one of the very few who rose through the ranks from being a top student in England.

When Lord Charles Whitworth was born, his family was no longer aristocratic; his father was merely a local magistrate. There were seven children in the family: Charles Whitworth had two older brothers, three older sisters, and one younger sister.

They weren't exactly living a comfortable life, but at least they could only survive on potatoes.

Because his father's meager salary was far from enough to support the family, and his mother, in order to maintain the prestige of the quasi-aristocratic family, could not go out to work to supplement the family income, she could only suffer poverty.

As for how their family got involved with the nobility, it was because Charles Whitworth's grandfather's cousin was the first Baron Whitworth, who had served as England's ambassador to St. Petersburg and special envoy to Berlin.

However, the title of Baron Whitworth belongs to the Irish nobility, which ranks very low in the Kingdom of England, after the English and Scottish nobility, and only before Indian titles.

At the same time, there is a strict rule among Irish nobles that three generations must reside in Ireland in order to stabilize the title and ensure its inheritance.

As a result, the Baron Whitworth had no children. Because he could not fulfill the strict requirement of three generations of succession, the title he had worked so hard to obtain ended with him. The King of England declared the Baron Whitworth line extinct and revoked the title.

It was under these circumstances that Lord Charles Whitworth, through his abilities and skill, and after much effort, successfully transferred the title to himself, becoming his great-uncle's heir.

Furthermore, Lord Charles Whitworth elevated this title to a higher level, because according to Irish aristocratic custom, a lower-ranking knight such as a baron could not be called a Lord.

This shows that this person's abilities are extraordinary. In England, where the aristocracy was basically completely solidified, he managed to inherit the title of his grandfather's cousin through hard work and even promoted it further. This can be considered a very rare legend of a commoner rising to the ranks of nobility.

Of course, a large part of his ability comes from his handsome face and charming demeanor.

In 1799, Lord Whitworth’s friend, John Sackville, the 3rd Duke of Dorset, died, and only two years later, in 1801, Lord Whitworth married his friend’s widow, Lady Arabella Diana Cope.

This woman was not only a duchess, but her stepfather was also the former Secretary of War, Charles Jenkins, the 1st Earl of Liverpool. At the same time, the duchess was also one of the wealthiest ladies in London.

Lord Whitworth's status thus increased dramatically, placing him among the highest echelons of the English nobility.

“Charles, I’m so sorry, the scenery in Chengde is just too beautiful, and Beijing is too hot, so I couldn’t help but stay on the grassland for a few months.”

Just as Lord Charles Whitworth was trying to suppress his irritation, Mo Zibu, accompanied by two guards dressed only in plain blue clothes, walked in directly from outside.

"Of course, Charles, you should know that the Dharma assembly in Chengde is very important every summer and autumn. Five Buddhas come to pay their respects, and this year, a Zoroastrian monk from Persia has also come."

Mozibu could be quite casual, but Lord Whitworth dared not. He quickly knelt down on one knee and greeted Mozibu with the courtesy due to the King of England.

"Charles Whitworth, the special envoy of England, pays his respects to His Majesty the Great Emperor of the Great Yu Dynasty of Seres, the master of the Eastern world, and wishes His Majesty a long life."

Mo Zibu laughed and gestured for Lord Whitworth to stand up. "Your English language is just a bit too casual. Such a good phrase as 'long live the world' is translated as 'live to ten thousand years old.' How vulgar!"

Lord Whitworth gave an awkward smile, looking at the emperor, who was more than a head taller than him, and who was vigorous and full of vigor, and suddenly felt a little uncomfortable.

At this crucial moment, Seris was led by an Alexander the Great-like emperor, who appeared wise and powerful, with inexhaustible energy.

While King George III of England was also wise, he was old and suffering from endless illness, making it difficult for him to concentrate on handling state affairs.

"The Foreign Minister is aware of the importance of the Chengde Dharma Assembly, and therefore His Majesty the King and His Excellency Prime Minister Pitt have decided that the Government of British India will fully respect Your sacred authority in the Eastern religions, which are predominantly Buddhism."

We plan to begin gradually relocating all Indians from Kashmir to the plains starting next year, and prohibit them from ever setting foot in these areas again.

Lord Whitworth responded to what Mozibu had just said, which was something the Great Yu Dynasty had always demanded of the British Indian government.

Mozibu would rather Kashmir and the neighboring Ladakh region be deserted than have Indians establish themselves there.

However, upon hearing Lord Whitworth say this, Mozibu raised his right index finger to him and shook it rapidly.

"Lord, remember this: there are no Indians, only the Indian subcontinent or the Indian subcontinent civilization."

We should not lump together Sikhs, Muslims, Bengali, Telugu, and other ethnic groups under the name "Indians," as this demonstrates a lack of understanding of their cultures.

Of course, we don't need to go too far. The officials of Dayu will still approve these people's religious activities of making pilgrimages to the holy mountain, depending on the circumstances.

As he spoke, Mozibu frowned, slightly annoyed, and said, "But I hope my brother George III will consider transferring the current acting Governor-General of India, George Hilario Barlow, who is actually trying to establish a unified dynasty in India."

The Seres Empire would never allow such a thing to happen, you should understand that, Lord.

The request was somewhat abrupt, but Lord Whitworth quickly nodded, because he also felt that the current Acting Governor-General of British India, George Hilario Barlow, was acting like he was insane.

They don't even consider why British India existed, yet they have the brain-dead idea of ​​establishing a unified Indian colonial government.

Damn it, once this unified Indian government is established, it will be the first to be brutally beaten by the Seres Empire.

However, as an excellent diplomat, Lord Whitworth wouldn't blindly follow Mozibu's line of thinking. After agreeing to convey Mozibu's opinion, he immediately said:
"But Your Majesty, if the Kingdom of England is to utilize the resources of the Indian subcontinent to support our relentless opposition to the French Empire and Napoleon's evil attempt to unify Europe, then the Indian subcontinent must be integrated to a certain extent."

Mozibu had to admit that Lord Whitworth was right. Even if there wasn't a unified market, British India needed a unified center, otherwise the English would be too slow in making money from India.

Although the speed at which they made money was irrelevant to Mozibu, human nature is greedy, and greed would inevitably drive British Indian officials to continue moving towards the integration of India.

This is not something that can be solved by changing a governor, or even by a few wars, unless the Great Yu is willing to rule India himself.

However, if the Great Yu directly ruled India, it would lose its powerful weapon for controlling the Kingdom of England.

Having lost India and with the European continent blockaded by France, England, with no other options, had no choice but to give up and submit to Napoleon's control.

However, it wouldn't work for the Great Yu to directly rule over the country.

Because the Great Yu directly ruled India, India would become part of the Great Yu's overseas colonies, or even part of the empire.

This will bring about two negative consequences, one in the present and one in the future.

The immediate consequence is that a large number of Chinese immigrants will go to India to live as masters. Just look at the behavior of the soldiers during the Yu-Ying India War. No one can refuse the support of a village of docile slaves.

This will cause people who have been painstakingly smuggled out of China to go to India, leaving no one going to Beihezhou, Zhanzhou, or Anxi.

Even Chinese from Hanchuan (lower Myanmar) and Qi (west Sumatra) would go to India.

The future consequences will be that in the 21st century, when people are more enlightened and transportation is more convenient, Dayu's Southeast Asia, Anxi, and even its mainland will face the same predicaments as Canada, Britain, and Australia.

The thought of all sorts of Indians—green-clad, turbaned, white, brown, and black—crying and shouting that they were Chinese too, and then appearing in droves on the beaches of the Pearl River Delta, the Yangtze River Delta, Xiamen, Yantai, and Dalian, sends chills down Mo Zibu's spine.

"I will send a research team composed of senior officials and renowned scholars to Calcutta. They will assist English officials in finding an effective path."

Mozibu had no better options, so he could only send people to India to investigate and see if he could find a solution that would satisfy both sides. Lord Whitworth's face showed delight. The discussion about the Indian issue was actually a matter that Mozibu had been dragging out to be discussed between the two countries after he had not been satisfied with the Canadian issue.

Now that Mo Zibu has taken the initiative to express his willingness to take substantive action, it means that he will not continue to entangle himself with the issue of Canada.

British Canada can at least enjoy some peace for now, and communication between the two sides will resume.

"What kind of monarch was Tsar Alexander I?" Mozibu suddenly asked after deciding on the matter of India.

Mo Zibu was well aware of Lord Whitworth's abilities; if he didn't have some skills, he wouldn't have been able to serve as England's ambassador to the Tsarist Rus' Empire, the Kingdom of Sweden-Norway, the Kingdom of Prussia, and the special envoy to the French Empire over the past decade or so.

They lacked even the audacity to plot the assassination of Tsar Paul I from behind the scenes, or to confront Emperor Napoleon I of France in the Tuileries Palace in Paris.

Since he was so knowledgeable about European monarchs and had such extensive experience, Mo Zibu could use him as a channel for understanding them.

During the conversation, Mo Zibu finally signaled the palace servants to bring out tea and pastries, which was a kind of small-scale banquet, allowing Lord Whitworth to eat and talk.

Lord Whitworth, of course, knew that the East was different from the West; this was an extremely high level of courtesy. He quickly expressed his gratitude, then sat up straight and replied:

"His Majesty Tsar Alexander I was carefully groomed by his grandmother Catherine the Great, and therefore he was far superior to his father, Tsar Paul I, in both demeanor and ability."

However, he was still far removed from his grandmother Catherine II, and the unsolvable problem of serfdom within the Rus' Empire prevented the Tsar from implementing any reforms.

Therefore, while Tsar Alexander I might be able to stabilize the Tsarist Rus' Empire, he couldn't solve any problems; the empire's troubles would continue to accumulate at its core under his rule.

"Excellent, a very excellent judgment." Mozibu clapped his hands in praise. As expected of the financier and mastermind behind the assassination of Paul I, he had a great understanding of the Rus' Empire and the Tsar.

"And what about that usurper, the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte? I heard you had a big argument with him."

“Your Majesty, this is a true emperor. His military abilities are outstanding, and he is exceptionally cunning in politics. He is exactly the kind of person France needs right now.” Surprisingly, Lord Whitworth actually held Napoleon in high regard.

"France needed a Napoleon, and Napoleon needed a French Empire, so they came together perfectly."

If Emperor Napoleon had any flaws, it was that his ambition was too great, so great that it almost seemed to crawl out of his mouth and eyes, making people extremely uncomfortable.

“I understand.” The Emperor picked up a pineapple cake but put it down again. “Charles, you’ve come here to seek help. The Kingdom of England wants me to be directly involved in the great war in Europe.”

Lord Whitworth was about to deny it, but he knew he couldn't let this cunning Eastern Emperor gain the upper hand completely at this point, or things would get complicated.

Just then, hurried footsteps sounded, and a sixth-rank Hanlin Academy official dressed in a blue robe embroidered with egrets practically ran in, carrying several sheets of paper covered with writing.

Mo Zibu took a look and immediately showed a shocked expression. A minute or two later, he looked at Lord Whitworth seriously.

“Charles, I have to tell you two very terrible things.”

Mo Zibu's words made Lord Whitworth's hair stand on end, to the point that he began to stammer, "Your Majesty."

"The Prussian army suffered a crushing defeat at Jena and Auerstedt, with more than 40,000 soldiers killed, wounded, or captured. Even Prince Friedrich Hohenlohe was taken prisoner by Emperor Napoleon. Berlin was indefensible and its fall was imminent."

"The second thing is that His Excellency William Pitt the Younger, the Prime Minister of England, has gone to heaven in the midst of his labors, by the call of Jehovah."

Lord Whitworth was stunned. After a long while, he spat out everything in his mouth with a loud spit, followed by a scream that was clearly heard by the guards outside the door.

"My God, my God, how could this happen!"

Prussia had finally managed to align itself with the anti-French coalition, opening a gap in France's continental blockade of England, but so quickly it was on the verge of being defeated and destroyed.

Prime Minister William Pitt Jr. is the most staunch anti-French figure. He only returned to office in May two years ago. Now that the King is chronically ill and the Prime Minister is gone, the Kingdom of England will face even greater difficulties.

After a brief period of pain, Lord Whitworth asked to go down and change his clothes to avoid disrespecting the monarch, and Mozibu allowed him to go down and adjust.

The meeting continued an hour later.

Mo Zibu was also a little uneasy. Although he didn't know that William Pitt the Younger had lived for more than half a year longer than in history, he still felt that history was changing a bit too fast. Perhaps France and Russia were really going to form an alliance.

"I need England's support to take over New Spain as a benefit of the full-scale intervention of the Seres Empire."

Of course, the King of New Spain will be my grandson, the Duke of Valois of the French Bourbon dynasty.

Currently, if we are to devote all our resources to an expedition against the Tsarist Rus' Empire, then we cannot intervene in the eastern part of North America.

But with so many supplies and troops already transported there, and more than a decade of preparations already underway, Mozibu decided to take over New Spain.

This was a vast land that included what would later become Texas, Mexico, and some small Central American countries.

In reality, it wouldn't all be given to Princess Charlotte's son, Duke Valois, who is also the Duke of Wen of Dayu, Mo Guangzhi, but it's still very useful as a shield.

Lord Whitworth stared at Mozibu in shock, a look of sympathy flashing in his eyes.

"Your Majesty, the great emperor, you Easterners already possess so much. Why are you still so fixated on the North American continent? Do you truly wish to be the emperor of the entire world?"

"No one can control the whole world. I know what you English people are thinking. All I am doing now is to add a few more pieces of civilized land."

Moreover, these lands are not only open to the citizens of the Seris Empire, but to all civilized people in the world, just like in Southeast Asia.

"My lord, I am happy to share this world with the gentlemen of England, provided you can face reality."

As he spoke, Mo Zibu's tone turned cold, "Moreover, the number of truly gentlemanly people in England is only about five or six hundred thousand. With such a small number, you've already tried to take over India, and now you're eyeing other territories?"

"I don't think there's any difference between us!"

Lord Whitworth sensed a deep sense of despair from Mozibu’s words. Indeed, the number of people in England who could be counted was only a few hundred thousand. Even if all English people were counted, it would be a maximum of fifteen million.

If England does not agree with the Seres Emperor's vision for the future, it will lose its future; but if it agrees, it will continue to interbreed with the current 700 million, and will continue to grow, until they are indistinguishable from one another.

This is a giant net from which there is no escape.

"My Lord, I need a team that can speak for me and for the Seres Empire in England, and you, Charles Whitworth, are the man who can do it well."

"If you agree, Lord, you will soon become one of the richest men in England, earning fifty thousand pounds a year, and your descendants will become earls, or even marquesses, of the Seres Empire!"

Mozi had placed a heavy bet; he did need a clever person to work for him within England and speak on his behalf, and the English envoy Charles Whitworth was just the right person for the job.

Resistance? Ha! What resistance? I've already bribed all your high-ranking officials.

Lord Whitworth was torn. His conscience told him he couldn't do this, but... but Emperor Seres had given him too much.

Fuck the country, fuck the race.

With a thud, Lord Whitworth, who had just changed his clothes, knelt down.

"Your Majesty, I am willing to give it a try."

(End of this chapter)