It is said that the economic base determines the superstructure. When the Ming Dynasty experienced rapid technological advancement and huge productivity improvements due to time travellers, its economic model also began to undergo drastic changes.

In the past, Ming Dynasty's fiscal revenue has always been dominated by agricultural taxes, accounting for 80% or more. But now, it has dropped to less than 30%. The emergence of the steam engine has cultivated a new industry and commerce in just seven or eight years.

Class - Textbooks of later generations say that the core of the first industrial revolution was the steam engine, which is true.

Huge economic changes will naturally lead to political changes. From top to bottom, it is called reform. From bottom to top, it is called revolution. As the current emperor, Zhu Youdong certainly hopes that this change will be a reform rather than a revolution.

Therefore, political reform in the Ming Dynasty was necessary. Before that, field research was also necessary: ​​without investigation, there would be no right to speak.

At this point, Philippe has an advantage over Zhu Youdong. Centralization is indeed good for travelers to achieve dictatorship, but it will also make reforms difficult. The loose confederal system in Spain requires Philippe to gather the power of all Europe to do things.

It’s a lot more difficult. But when it comes to rectification, Philip is much easier than Zhu Youdong: Zhu Youdong wants to make changes to existing things, while Philip is adding new things where they don’t exist.

This is the difference in political system brought about by different cultures.

However, when Zhu Youdong had already begun to think about major changes in the political system, Philip had not had time to think about these things. Because at this time, the war between the European Union and the Ottomans was in an anxious state.

After the failure of the Battle of Jerusalem, the European Union, which suffered heavy losses in its manpower, had no choice but to change its strategy: from a comprehensive offensive to a focused attack. The focus of its attack was Alexander. Its purpose was to use the granary of the lower reaches of the Nile to supplement the EU's

Food - The Little Glacier climate is fair and has a greater impact on Europe at high latitudes.

Although Philip had the talent of 'Tianxuan' to fight against natural disasters at this time, in any case, the food output in Europe at this time was just enough to eat. And like the Ming Dynasty, in Europe, as more and more factories were built, it became more and more obvious.

The emergence of farmers entering factories has led to a reduction in the agricultural labor force. Therefore, in order to maintain such a large-scale army and the civilians who serve these armies, the EU also needs a stable and high-quality food production area.

However, even a focused attack was still not going well.

In December 1625, after eight months of fighting, the European Union forces finally destroyed the three lines of defense on the west side of the city of Alexandria, and used heavy artillery to bombard the city wall of Alexandria, successfully defeating it.

However, just when the commander of the southern front, Frederick, breathed a sigh of relief and felt that he could explain something to Philip. The EU soldiers who entered the city were shot and killed mercilessly in various streets and alleys!

The tough Ottoman-Russian commander Boris made up his mind to die fighting here, so he chose to continue the street fighting after the city was broken!

The brutal street fighting lasted for three full months, and the entire city of Alexandria was reduced to ruins. The European Union forces had controlled more than two-thirds of the city, but the remaining Ottoman soldiers fought to the end and would never surrender.

"Dear Your Majesty, because during the Crusades many years ago, many inhumane massacres were carried out against the pagans in the conquered areas. Such massacres were so tragic that hundreds of years later, they are still deeply in our hearts.

It is imprinted in the minds of the people here. Therefore, no matter how we persuade us to surrender or how we guarantee it, as long as the other side's commander still wants to resist, he only needs a little mobilization to allow his soldiers to continue fighting.

I feel deeply powerless against this situation. In the past three months, we have killed more than 7,000 of the other side's soldiers in street fighting, but our losses have been tens of thousands. In my opinion, if we want to use purely military means to solve the problem,

For the remaining enemies, it is estimated that it will take another three months and tens of thousands of people to pay a price to achieve this.

For this reason, I pray that you will communicate with the Ottomans at the alliance level and negotiate to solve the problems here. After all, the alliance still has more than 30,000 prisoners in the hands of the Ottomans. I personally do not want to annihilate all the enemies here.

.That will not only cost us the lives of more soldiers, but also cause our prisoners to lose hope of survival..."

"Hey, my Prime Minister, Your Excellency the Chief of Staff, what do you think of this letter from Frederick?"

On April 5, 1626, Philip, who had moved his general headquarters to the island of Crete, felt deeply that the matter was important after reading this personal letter from the southern commander Frederick, and immediately summoned the Austrian army.

Svalles and Tilley, headed by Wenwu, conducted a strategy meeting.

"Your Majesty." Chief of General Staff Tilly stood up: "Before talking about this matter, I think it is necessary to report to you on the battle situation on the northern front."

"Northern Front? What happened to the Northern Front? Didn't I tell them to hold on to Zagreb?"

Speaking of which, after the Battle of Jerusalem, except for the Ming Dynasty's Sixth Division, which moved into the Mesopotamia and Mesopotamia, preparing to board ships in the Persian Gulf and return abroad, Richelieu led the Ottoman and Persian coalition forces to go north. After crossing the Asia Minor Peninsula, the Ottoman Navy

With the help of the European Union, he crossed the Black Sea, landed at the port of Constanta on the east side of the Balkan Peninsula in early February 1626, and penetrated directly into the rear of the EU army, Bucharest.

Fortunately, Tilly had foreseen this possibility beforehand and ordered the coalition forces on the northern front to retreat in advance, so they were not blocked by the other side. However, the coalition forces retreated, and they were originally pinned to Istanbul.

Four elite Ottoman divisions were also liberated. They engaged Richelieu's detachment from the north and south, and pursued and besieged the retreating European coalition forces.

In the past two months, pursued by the enemy's superior forces, the European coalition forces have been retreating steadily: Sofia, Skopje, Bucharest, Belgrade... these famous Balkan cities, soon after their "recovery", once again

fell into the hands of the Ottomans.

To make matters worse, since the EU coalition forces on the northern front come from many countries, and their sources of troops are mainly former mercenaries, their military discipline has always been very bad. During their occupation of most of the Balkans, although Gustaa

Wallenstein tried his best to suppress the husband, and Osvalles also briefly carried out rectification. However, the relationship between the army and the people was really not harmonious. Therefore, when they retreated, the residents of the Balkan Peninsula, let alone the stars and the moon,

Believers, that is, Christians, will actively guide the Ottoman army. Some of them even organized guerrillas to attack the transport troops of the EU coalition everywhere...

By now, the European coalition forces have retreated to Zagreb: this is the junction of the Balkan mountains and the Central European plains. If they retreat, the European coalition forces will have no danger of defending. Not only will they vomit out everything they have eaten before, it will not be done well.

More will be lost.

Therefore, Philip issued a strict order that the Northern Front Allied Forces could no longer retreat!

"Your Majesty, Gustav and Wallenstein strictly implemented your order and held fast to Zagreb. But on the one hand, we retreated too quickly some time ago and there is no complete defense line around the city of Zagreb. If we really want to

It will be very difficult for us to fight. On the other hand, the enemy separated a force and headed towards Budapest."

"What?!"

There was a crash, and Philip stood up with a cry: "How many troops does the opponent have? How can they still divide their troops?"

"Your Majesty, according to our analysis, the Ottomans have invested nine divisions this time. Although these nine divisions have suffered certain battle losses, after being supplemented by the Ottomans' old-style army, there are still no less than 100,000 people.

As for our coalition forces on the northern front, after deducting five divisions and moving south, and deducting battle losses, there are only more than 83,000 troops. Although the numerical difference is not large, but..."

"Your Majesty, Chief of Staff, but what?"

"Your Majesty, because our navy failed to enter the Black Sea and did not completely gain control of the Aegean Sea, our troops on the northern front basically relied on their feet to transport logistics supplies during their retreat. However, the opponent's army could

We have strong support from the navy. Therefore, although our soldiers are not much different in number, in terms of equipment..."

"Your Majesty." Count Barudis stood up with a red face: "There are many islands in the Aegean Sea, dense shoals, and complex hydrology. Our navy is there. Although it has huge advantages in equipment, it is like a rat in the face.

The Ottoman navy, which generally appears everywhere, is indeed unable to gain complete control of the sea. Now, the navigation of large formations is relatively safe. Once alone, especially at night, our ships will most likely be attacked. Therefore, now the navy can only

It may be to transport supplies and equipment to the army during the day. But even so, in some places with narrow waters, our fleet will be attacked by the opponent's self-destructing ships during the day. Once attacked, the losses will be very heavy."

The words made everyone in the meeting look solemn, and the entire meeting fell into an oppressive silence.

"Your Majesty." After a long period of time, Osvales stood up with difficulty: "I propose that we negotiate with the Ottomans and cease the war!"

"A ceasefire? No! How can we cease the war after we have paid such heavy casualties?"

"Your Majesty, our northern front is now in danger. Even if we cannot hold Zagreb, if we lose Budapest, then Vienna will be in danger! If we lose Vienna again, then the entire alliance will be in danger. After all, the Holy City's

Although the recovery will make people all over Europe excited, the loss of Vienna will make the nobles in the alliance doubt the necessity of the alliance!"

"No!" Philip covered his head in pain: "My Prime Minister, please let me calm down. I need to think about it carefully."

However, this calmness ended completely at noon on the third day. Because the Marquis of Spinola, the governor of the Spanish American colonies, sent him an urgent message: American Indians and Western Indian mixed-race people launched a large-scale uprising.
Chapter completed!