When Zhu Jinsong took the slip of paper from Zhang Dequan's hand and examined it, his already furrowed brow tightened further, and his already grim expression grew even more unsightly.
As Zeng Cheng and the other dignitaries watched Zhu Jinsong's expression shift like a face-changing performance, filled with immense curiosity, Zhu Jinsong directly instructed Zhang Decheng to pass the paper to Zeng Cheng and the others.
Zhu Jinsong said sternly, "I originally thought Louis XVI's mind was not working properly, but I didn't expect George III's mind to be even worse than Louis XVI's. Now it seems that Europe is going to face big trouble, and the entire small broken ball will be dragged into it by them."
Zeng Cheng couldn't help but frown and said, "If it were just Louis XVI acting rashly for a beauty, it would be somewhat understandable, but why would George III react so strongly? Does this 'Madame Deficit' truly possess the beauty that could make fish sink and geese fall, flowers blush and the moon hide?"
Zhu Jinsong let out a cold laugh and said, "What 'acting rashly for a beauty'? Do you look down on Chen Yuanyuan? Or do you look down on the discernment of that dog Wu Sangui?"
"Ruan Guangyi Nu Hongyan" comes from Wu Weiye's "Ballad of Yuanyuan": "Wailing, the six armies all wear white mourning, for a beauty's sake, he raises his crown in a rage."
This matter is actually quite absurd.
In official history, Wu Sangui met Chen Yuanyuan only after leading Qing troops into the pass, and there was no such thing as acting rashly for a beauty. Even Wu Sangui's invitation of Qing troops into the pass was a request for troops from Jianyi by Wu Sangui's deputy general, sent by Ji Liao Governor Wang Yongji. Jianyi's entry into the pass at the beginning was indeed under the guise of avenging Emperor Chongzhen.
However, the word "history" often implies a lack of drama.
Without any drama, how would those literary scholars who want to make money off Liu Bei be able to do so?
Therefore, Wu Weiye had Wu Sangui meet Chen Yuanyuan in advance and, under the pretext of "acting rashly for a beauty," placed the blame for inviting Jianyi into the pass on Wu Sangui's head.
He even had Wu Sangui utter the famous line, "A true man cannot protect a woman, how can he face others?"
Of course, Wu Weiye's motivation for writing such a poem to frame Wu Sangui, Chen Yuanyuan, and Gou Chengzi is now impossible to ascertain. Perhaps he wanted to whitewash Wang Yongji, or perhaps he wanted to slander Wu Sangui as lecherous and disloyal, or perhaps he wanted to portray Chen Yuanyuan as a femme fatale.
But regardless, Wu Weiye's poem fully demonstrates Chen Yuanyuan's beauty.
And that Madame Deficit of the Habsburg family was not famous for her beauty.
Madame Deficit was famous for her extravagance, her prodigious ability to squander wealth, and her politeness even when facing the executioner's block.
Therefore, describing Madame Deficit as "acting rashly for a beauty" both exaggerates Madame Deficit's beauty and diminishes Chen Yuanyuan's beauty.
Shaking his head slightly, Zhu Jinsong continued, "I understand now. That dog George III is not doing this for Madame Deficit at all."
Zeng Cheng was startled and asked, "Why does Your Majesty say that?"
Zhu Jinsong smiled and instructed Ke Zhiming, "Tell us what your Embroidered Uniform Guard has gathered regarding George III and the Queen of England."
Ke Zhiming immediately said to Zeng Cheng and the others, "George III and his queen, the Duchess Sophie Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, have a very good relationship, and George III has never had any scandals before."
At this point, Ke Zhiming couldn't help but scratch his head, "The strangest thing is this—George III has never had a mistress, nor had he ever met Madame Deficit before. Madame Deficit became George III's mistress this time because the Habsburg family actively offered her. So, why would George III collude with the Habsburg family for Madame Deficit, and even go to war with France?"
After Ke Zhiming finished speaking, Zeng Cheng and the other dignitaries fell silent.
These troubles between George III, Louis XVI, the Habsburg family, and Madame Deficit were indeed quite chaotic and made little sense.
Zhu Jinsong, however, smiled and said, "Can't figure it out?"
Zeng Cheng shook his head in bewilderment and replied, "Please forgive my dullness, Your Majesty, but I simply cannot fathom what George III is thinking."
Zhu Jinsong chuckled and said, "You all are just overcomplicating simple matters—it's true that George III cannot afford to offend our Great Ming, and it's also true that he is now ranked among the Five Great Virtuous. "
"However, who says that the Five Great Virtuous must stick together?"
At this point, Zhu Jinsong suddenly changed the subject and asked Zeng Cheng and the other dignitaries, "Do you remember the case file I showed you earlier? The one concerning the Hundred Years' War between England and France."
Hearing Zhu Jinsong's obvious hint, Zeng Cheng's eyes suddenly lit up: "Your Majesty means that George III is simply finding an excuse to fight France?"
Zhu Jinsong nodded and said, "That's right. I suspect George III is not doing this for Madame Deficit at all, but to reclaim the lands England once lost."
Zeng Cheng shook his head and said, "But that doesn't make sense either—even if George III were that foolish, he should know that what our Great Ming needs now is a relatively stable small broken ball. If he throws Europe into chaos, wouldn't he fear Your Majesty's thunderous wrath?"
Zhu Jinsong chuckled with mockery and said, "If George III's mind were sound, he would definitely not dare to do this. But who can guarantee that George III's mind is always normal? Don't forget, George III seems to have some mental issues, and they may have reached a point where medication can no longer suppress them."
At Zhu Jinsong's words, Zeng Cheng and the other dignitaries suddenly remembered.
When George III came to the Great Ming before, he had invited doctors from the Great Ming to diagnose and treat his mental illness. Zhu Jinsong, the emperor of the Great Ming, had even specially dispatched imperial physicians from the Royal Academy of Medicine to treat George III. In Europe, George III was known as the "Mad King"!
Therefore, the situation became easy to understand: George III had mental problems and was often somewhat deranged. If it had now reached a point where medication could no longer suppress it, then George III, who had completely gone mad, would still care about Zhu Jinsong, the Emperor of the Great Ming?
Thinking of this, Zeng Cheng couldn't help but rub his forehead and sigh, "It's over. Unless we kill George III right now and replace him with a more clear-headed King of England, Europe is bound to descend into chaos."