Chapter 66

Seeking favorites, seeking recommendations.

"Maria, have you found out the details about that Chinese man?"

Inside a luxurious mansion in Paris, a father and daughter were having a secret conversation in a lavishly decorated study. They were Maria Clementina and her father, General Denave, who had accompanied Zhu Jishi to France.

The general looked refined and scholarly, more like a university professor than a seasoned general who had followed Emperor Napoleon through many battles. He was wearing an old blue woolen military uniform, his most cherished attire, which was the uniform of Napoleon's Old Guard.

In front of her father, Maria also put aside her flirtatious nature, wearing a formal Western-style skirt and sitting steadily, exuding the air of a well-bred young lady (which she was).

Hearing her father's question, Maria took a piece of white paper with a strange pattern from her pocket and handed it to her father.

"Maria, what is this?"

General Denave took the white paper and examined it. The pattern on it was very strange, resembling a coiled snake but with claws and horns, and there was a square Chinese character in the center, which the general did not recognize.

"This is a pattern carved on a milky white stone. Jason carries this stone with him at all times, clearly a very important item that he does not easily show to others. I secretly copied the pattern while he was sleeping. I suspect this pattern might be the emblem of an ancient Eastern family."

In Europe, noble families all have family crests. The Segur family's crest is a shield surrounded by grapevines, so Maria made this guess.

"Is that all you have?" General Denave looked at his daughter, and Maria nodded. The general's brows furrowed; he knew how skilled his daughter was at gathering information.

"He has secrets, I can tell." Maria frowned. On the journey from London, she had tried to subtly probe Zhu Jishi's background, though she didn't get much information, she could sense that Zhu Jishi had a significant secret. "But he can't say it! This secret must be extremely serious; once revealed, it could threaten his life!"

"It must be related to his background!" General Denave said firmly, "I think he might be..."

Just as he was speaking, they heard rapid and urgent footsteps in the corridor outside, followed by a knock on the door. "Henry, Henry, it's me, Louis Trigo."

"Maria, go open the door for Uncle Louis." General Denave said to his daughter with a smile.

"Okay," Maria nodded like a well-behaved girl, got up, and opened the door.

"Maria, you're here too?" The man outside was dressed in black, with a gaunt face and a large hooked nose. His eyes were sunken, and his gaze carried a hint of unhidden ferocity. Even seeing Maria's beauty did not bring a smile to his face.

"Uncle Louis, it's great to see you." Maria kissed the black-clad man on the cheek. The man made the sign of the cross in front of Maria and said, "May God bless you."

This man was a Jesuit priest. In his early years, he was also an officer in Napoleon's army and had a good relationship with General Denave. After Napoleon's empire fell, he joined the Jesuits and became a priest serving God. He had spent a long time in Macau and Manila and returned to France after the Opium War. He now served as a special advisor to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"This pattern..." Taking the pattern from General Denave, Trigo looked at it and was momentarily stunned. "If I'm not mistaken, this pattern represents the Chinese imperial family!"

"The Chinese imperial family!" The father and daughter exclaimed simultaneously.

"Jason is a member of the Chinese imperial family! How is that possible!" Maria's face was full of disbelief.

"I think it's very likely!" Trigo frowned and slowly said, "According to the archives of the Jesuits and the Roman Curia, 200 years ago, when the Tartar dynasty invaded China, several members of the Chinese Ming dynasty royal family were protected by the Jesuits and left China. Zhu Jishi might be their descendant."

"A descendant of a fallen Chinese dynasty?" Maria asked, half-believing, half-doubting.

"It's possible, very possible!" General Denave suddenly said, "He once said in an interview with the Rhine Newspaper that he is Chinese, not a Qing person, and that his ancestors fled when the Tartars invaded China!"

Trigo said to Denave, "Henry, there are experts in the Roman Church who specialize in Chinese issues. Can I take this paper to them for study?"

"Sure, no problem, take it." Denave glanced at his daughter and added, "Maria, accompany him to Italy and try to keep him at the Castle of Viterbo. Then wait for Uncle Louis's instructions."

"Understood, I'll do my best." Maria Clementina bit her lip, her eyes flashing, and added, "Father, Uncle Louis, if Jason is really a descendant of the Chinese imperial family, can we help him restore his country?"

General Denave shook his head gently, "It's too early to consider that. The Bonaparte family hasn't even been restored to the throne yet."

Trigo said, "Let the Pope consider that. However, based on my understanding of China, even if he is a descendant of the Ming dynasty, he doesn't have much influence. After all, the Ming dynasty has been gone for nearly 200 years."

"How can that be? Isn't China ruled by a foreign Tartar dynasty? Don't the Chinese want to overthrow this barbaric regime?"

Trigo snorted, "Some do, but not many. Most Chinese people don't care who rules them. The Chinese national consciousness is very weak."

...

"Henry, you said he might be a descendant of the Chinese Ming dynasty?"

Hearing General Denave's report, French Foreign Minister Guizot began to ponder. France was now like a plucked Gaul chicken, not quite a roasted chicken, but certainly not as strong as it used to be. If Zhu Jishi's goal was just to promote reforms in China and become a high-ranking official in the future, France could help. But if Zhu Jishi wanted to rebel against the Qing dynasty, it would be none of France's business! His only option would be to seek help from the British Empire...

"He has a good relationship with Britain's Prince Albert?" Guizot thought for a moment and suddenly asked.

"He once served as a court physician in Britain, sharing his experience in cesarean surgery with other British court physicians. Prince Albert indeed has a good relationship with him, and his philanthropic work has also benefited from Prince Albert's support." Through his daughter, General Denave had a complete grasp of Zhu Jishi's every move in Britain.

"The British... hmpf," Guizot, the Marquis, smiled bitterly, "Wherever there's trouble in the world, there are their shadows! It seems China will soon have a rebellion!"

"Sir, what should we do?" General Denave hesitated and pressed.

"What should we do?" Guizot, the Marquis, massaged his temples and shook his head, "Let's wait and see. France doesn't have the resources to deal with matters thousands of miles away. We should focus our main efforts on Europe and North Africa."

"By the way, Minister, today the Army's Ordnance Bureau sent a report. A representative from the British Jason—Churchill Explosives Company brought a powerful hand grenade. This grenade is filled with a new type of explosive, which is ten times more powerful than black powder!"

"Ten times! Really?" Guizot was actually the de facto controller of the French cabinet, and Marshal Soult, the prime minister, was just a puppet. Therefore, the decision on whether the Army should purchase the new bombs needed to be made by him. "Henry, does the Army have any samples?"

"A few."

"Good," Guizot stood up, "Let's go and see it with our own eyes! If it's true, the endless Algerian war might have a turning point."

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