In Da Ming, if someone were to call the capital "Little Paris" or "Little London," from Emperor Zhu Jinsong himself to the common citizens of Da Ming and even the condemned prisoners locked in the dungeons, they would view it as an utter humiliation.
However, in Europa, especially in France, known for its habit of raising arms to expose armpits, from King Louis XVI of France to French nobles and commoners alike, they were proud of the moniker "Little Da Ming Country." When introducing Paris to others, they would often add with great pride and self-satisfaction: "You know, Paris is like Da Ming's projection in Europa, so Paris is also called Little Da Ming Country."
Therefore, Louis XVI was very willing to cooperate with George III.
Ideally, while suppressing the "Silly Eagle," they could also dig a pit for England and bury it along with it.
After all, there was a century-old feud between England and France. Although no one would bring up past grievances like the Hundred Years' War or the Seven Years' War, Louis XVI still remembered them.
After careful consideration, Louis XVI said to George III, "When I was in Da Ming before, I heard Emperor陛下 of Da Ming propose a concept: to make a country strong, all commoners must be able to eat and have shelter, thereby enhancing a country's centripetal force and cohesion."
George III's focus was rather peculiar: "Are... centripetal force and cohesion not the same thing? Also, what does our cooperation have to do with this?"
Louis XVI glanced at George III and retorted, "Does it matter if they are the same thing? What matters is that the foundation of our cooperation lies in what Emperor陛下 of Da Ming said."
"Being able to eat? Having shelter?" George III tentatively asked, "Are you planning to start with food?"
If they started with food, it wasn't entirely without merit. After all, England was called a "culinary desert" by the wealthy merchants who did business with Da Ming. Many wealthy merchants would rather bring their own chefs and ingredients than eat English cuisine, which made George III feel very disgraced.
However, to George III's surprise, Louis XVI shook his head and said, "Your English farmers don't go hungry. Although their food is a little lacking, as long as they can eat their fill, that's enough. One cannot ask for more—do you still want to have countless delicacies like Da Ming? Besides, how much money can you earn just by eating? Not everyone can afford boiled cabbage in water."
Upon hearing the phrase "boiled cabbage in water," George III was immediately flustered.
George III had eaten boiled cabbage in water in Da Ming and roughly knew how it was made. But precisely because he knew how difficult it was to make boiled cabbage in water, George III was all the more flustered.
Let alone England, the culinary desert, even in Da Ming, the most powerful empire on this little globe, not everyone could afford boiled cabbage in water!
While George III was in a state of utter confusion, Louis XVI continued, "Therefore, our current most suitable cooperation should start with housing. I heard from Emperor陛下 of Da Ming about a concept called real estate. It's about finding some merchants to buy land from us, then building houses and selling them to the commoners."
"In this process, we not only receive money when selling land, but we also collect additional taxes when those commoners buy houses, and merchants also pay taxes. So, it's as if we've gained two extra sums of money out of thin air. Although the taxes paid by commoners won't be too much, the taxes paid by merchants will be substantial."
"The key is that this real estate model will cause a large number of commoners to gather in cities, which means there will be a lot of wasteland. This wasteland will also belong to us, and we can create more buildings later."
"In short, this model is most suitable for us now."
Hearing Louis XVI's explanation, George III couldn't help but feel tempted again. Starting with food had high costs and low profits, but starting with housing was truly a business with almost no cost and exceptionally high profits.
However, this model had a huge problem that needed to be solved. If this problem couldn't be solved, then the so-called real estate model would be nothing but nonsense.
After thinking for a moment, George III asked, "To get real estate going, we first need those commoners to have money. Otherwise, where would they get the money to buy fans?"
Louis XVI chuckled and said, "What are banks for? Of course, to lend money to those commoners. As long as those commoners borrow money from the bank, won't we collect another sum of interest? Or are you afraid they won't repay the bank?"
At this moment, Louis XVI suddenly said meaningfully, "Emperor陛下 of Da Ming also said, 'Real estate prospers the nation'~"
Hearing Louis XVI say this, George III suddenly came to his senses and asked, "Since Emperor陛下 of Da Ming proposed this real estate model, why hasn't Da Ming done it?"
"As far as I know, Da Ming has always allowed its commoners to build houses themselves. Even if someone wants to build houses and sell them, they have to register with the government. From buying land to construction, everything must be paid for by the merchant themselves. Only when the houses are completely built will they be allowed to be bought and sold."
"Also, although the people of Da Ming are all wealthy, they earn Da Ming's Dragon Yuanbao, and they also spend Dragon Yuanbao. I don't believe everyone can afford to buy a house!"
Louis XVI said, "But do you know that besides allowing the people to build houses themselves, the government also builds some houses annually? The selling price of houses built by the government is no different from the cost price, and it does not include land costs. It only calculates labor costs and building material costs."
Being told this by Louis XVI, George III was immediately speechless.
The welfare and benefits for commoners in Da Ming were indeed the highest and best on this entire little globe. This was an obvious fact. From the day they were born, the people of Da Ming had the right to allocate land, homesteads, and education. Even medical treatment was backed by government-operated affordable pharmacies and clinics. Even if they never married or had children, they would be taken care of by the government in their old age.
It was like the houses built by the government only calculated labor costs and building material costs because Da Ming's laws stipulated that Da Ming citizens had the right to allocate homesteads. If they couldn't afford to build houses themselves, they could naturally offset the land costs of government-built houses with their own homesteads.
In other words, the starting point for Da Ming citizens was already the end point that many European commoners could not reach.
Of course, how good the welfare and benefits enjoyed by the people of Da Ming were had nothing to do with George III, and George III was not envious at all.
After all, as the King of England, although George III could not enjoy as much as Emperor Zhu Jinsong of Da Ming, he absolutely surpassed the officials or nobles of Da Ming. The common people of Da Ming were even more incomparable to George III.
More importantly, George III now needed to cooperate with Louis XVI on real estate to increase England's treasury income. England had been crazily purchasing military equipment in recent years, and the military expenses spent annually were astronomical. Coupled with the absolute trade deficit with Da Ming, England's treasury had long been empty and strained!
After thinking for a moment, George III said, "Since we are going to do real estate, how should our two countries cooperate? Should it be that our English merchants come to France to do business, and French merchants go to England to do business?"
Louis XVI smiled and said, "Of course. If there are problems later, your England can deal with those French merchants severely, and we in France will never go easy on your English merchants. See? The responsibility is immediately shifted from us to those merchants."
George III gave a thumbs-up and praised, "Amazing, amazing. You've really got these things figured out."
Louis XVI said, "This is just the beginning."
"If we wish, we can even let those merchants encounter problems constantly, and then constantly patch them up—that is, revise some regulations and fix some loopholes."
"This way, we will even gain a good reputation for being responsive and caring for the common people."
"Industry prospers the nation!"
With that, Louis XVI raised his wine glass and toasted Louis XVI, "Cheers, to the prosperous treasuries of France and England!"
After the two of them finished the wine in their glasses, Louis XVI brought the topic back to the Habsburg family: "I heard that there is a rather formidable figure in the Habsburg family, named Adolf von Hitler. His battlefield intuition can even compare to Napoleon."
In any case, Louis XVI had no intention of discussing real estate with George III anymore. After all, this was a genuine scam that would not only empty the wallets of those "rose beefs" in England but also overdraft England's treasury for decades to come. They absolutely could not let George III discover the hidden problems within.
And George III was indeed led astray by Louis XVI.
Upon hearing the name Adolf von Hitler, George III couldn't help but frown and say, "This name feels very familiar?"
Louis XVI said, "Wasn't it this Adolf who fully represented the Habsburg family and Austria at the previous Little Pot Conference? According to the information I've gathered, Francis II of the Habsburg family intends to send this Adolf as the student union president of exchange students to Da Ming, and Adolf will choose military studies."
At this point, Louis XVI suddenly sighed and said, "Europa will soon become chaotic... The Habsburg family will never be willing to be grandchildren to us Five Benevolent Ones."
"If Adolf learns advanced military theory and strategy and tactics in Da Ming, he will definitely not let you English off, nor will he let us French off."
"Therefore, this time we must join forces and strive to eliminate the Habsburg family completely when resolving the dispute between the Russian Goose and the Habsburg family, leaving them no chance to turn the tables."
George III immediately stopped thinking about real estate and asked, "If that's the case, why don't we eliminate the Habsburg family right now?"
Louis XVI chuckled and said decisively, "Because the Habsburg family has not yet shed its last drop of blood!"
"The Habsburgs still rule Austria and several other small countries. Coupled with the fact that other European countries are gathered around the Habsburg family, this has caused the Habsburg family's power to increase greatly."
"If we move against the Habsburg family now, it will essentially mean that the five benevolent ones of the Little Pot will act against all countries that are not among the five benevolent ones. Although there will be no pressure militarily, it will definitely cause economic turmoil and also affect the image of us five benevolent ones."
"Therefore, the best time for us to act is when the Habsburg family has fought extensively with the Russian Goose, and the small countries gathered around the Habsburg family can no longer fight and are no longer causing trouble. Only then will we make a move to eliminate the Habsburg family."
Upon hearing Louis XVI say this, George III couldn't help but frown and ask, "Did you analyze all of this yourself? Or was it notified to you by Emperor陛下 of Da Ming?"
Louis XVI chuckled and said, "Of course, it was notified to me by Emperor陛下 of Da Ming. After all, like you, I want to get rid of the Habsburg family quickly. How could I think so far ahead?"
Hearing Louis XVI say this, George III's heart was immediately filled with envy, jealousy, and hatred. "Clearly, both our countries are among the five benevolent ones of the Little Pot! Clearly, both our countries are subordinates of Da Ming!"
However, George III also understood that as the first person to establish a pen pal relationship with Emperor陛下 of Da Ming and the first to fully embrace Da Ming, Louis XVI's status among the five benevolent ones of the Little Pot was almost unshakable, second only to the eternal. It was difficult for ordinary people to replace Louis XVI's position in the heart of Emperor陛下 of Da Ming.
After thinking for a moment, George III said, "In that case, let's wait for the notification from Emperor陛下 of Da Ming and see when Emperor陛下 of Da Ming plans to completely eradicate the Habsburg family."
...
Zhu Jinsong did not intend to get rid of the Habsburg family quickly. In fact, due to the Habsburg family, Zhu Jinsong even wanted to keep the Ottomans. Da Ming needed a chaotic Europe, so the Habsburg family and the Ottomans had a reason to exist.
However, Zhu Jinsong never expected that Francis II of the Habsburg family would once again send Adolf von Hitler as a special envoy to Da Ming, and even bring news of the Habsburg family's desire for a marital alliance with Da Ming!