Due to the bitter arguments between the municipal council and the Portuguese merchant group, the negotiations have not progressed. There is no such thing as a detachment of the Spanish Navy, and most of the armed ships in the port are merchant ships, except for a few light ships that belong to the City Council of Australia and the Governor of Australia, almost all of them are owned by Sī people or groups. There are too many interests involved, and there are more details to decide: the shipowner is not willing to serve the council in vain, and even if he does, he has to make it clear how to compensate the dead and how to share the cost of repairing the ship and the loss of the bomb.

The Jesuits, who were crucial to the final decision, have not yet expressed their opinion - although it is known that the Jesuits are inclined to the Australians, who have been of great help to the Jesuits in missionary matters in China. It can be called the progress of the breakthrough xìng.

The Jesuits were ambiguous, the municipal councils and business associations were holding inefficient long debates day after day, and Li Luoyou waited anxiously - he said that there was nothing to talk about, and he spent most of his time waiting for the conclusion of the negotiations of the Portuguese themselves.

His news in Australia was even more informed: news of Australians launching military parades along the Pearl River kept coming. Li Luoyou was very clear: the Australians continued to carry out military operations on a xiǎo scale, but did not directly attack the Mén Huwuyong in Guangzhou, that is, they were forcing the Guangdong government to negotiate peace as soon as possible - to force peace by war.

Li Luoyu synthesized the various information collected in Mén in Australia, and strengthened his thoughts. In particular, he learned that more than a month ago, some Australians had come to Macao to carry out activities in an attempt to establish ties with the government in Guangdong. These Australians are still stranded in Australia, and seem to be waiting for something.

They must have conveyed their demands for peace to Guangzhou or Zhaoqing through some channel, but the local government in Guangdong did not make any reaction to this. That's why they launched a battle to enter the Pearl River inland river.

Li Luo couldn't help but secretly choke his heart, if the local officials could react in time and send someone to negotiate peace, maybe this matter would be over, and it wouldn't be so troublesome.

Australians have drawn their swords and will never come back empty. When the two sides negotiated and succeeded, I don't know how many more orphans, widows, and ghosts, and how many houses and wealth were burned.

He decided to find an opportunity to get in touch with the representatives of the Australians, to hear their specific conditions and thoughts. In this way, once a peace is negotiated, a lot of time can be saved to travel back and forth.

Gelanzani said softly in the usual tone, "My child, don't worry. Say it slowly. ”

"Yes, sir." Lando glanced at the elder out of the corner of his eye, this guy's composure was faked, and his hands were shaking just now. Lando felt sure about it.

"My lord, I received a surprising piece of news in Lingao." Landu looked very anxious, "The Chinese imperial court will soon abolish the right of merchants here to enter the trade in Guangzhou, and will block the entire Pearl River estuary and prevent foreign merchant ships from entering and leaving. They even asked local Chinese merchants to stop supplying grain, vegetables and ròu to Australia. ”

Gelanzani had heard rumours of a trade ban that had been circulating in Australia for almost a few months. What started out was just a very nihilistic rumor. Something like: "I heard that there is going to be a ban on trade". Of course, the elder would not believe such brainless rumors, but the rumors slowly became real and the details became more and more detailed, until recently, he knew that it was the supreme magistrate of Canton who advocated the ban on Portuguese trade.

At this point, Lando not only repeated the rumor, but also clearly stated the specific content. The realism is already as high as more than eighty percent, and no matter how you look at it, it's not empty.

"My child, is your information reliable? There are at least thirty or forty such news in the city every day. ”

"Your Excellency, you are absolutely reliable." Lando bowed, "I have already made a report to both priests, and they both have deemed it necessary for me to report to you personally. Here are their letters. As he spoke, he presented a letter written by Lu Ruohua. It not only confirmed what Lando said, but he also stated in his letter that the source of Lando's information was a "high-powered" Catholic patriarch among Australians who expressed great concern for the safety of Australia, the "beacon of the Church in the Far East", and hoped that the Portuguese in Australia would be prepared in advance.

Lando said: The Australians not only learned the specifics of the matter, but also had direct evidence.

See this epistle. Gelanzani frowned, is this sowing discord? The Australians probably already knew that the Cantonese government was trying to ask them for help. If the Portuguese fell to the Ming Dynasty, it would naturally be very unfavorable to the military operations of the Australians in the Pearl River. Perhaps it was for this reason that they sent the news to the Lingao mission.

He pondered that once the news was proven to be true, there was absolutely no possibility that the Portuguese would help the Cantonese government. The purpose of the Portuguese helping the Chinese to maintain security on the Pearl River was to preserve trade, not to protect the people of the Ming Dynasty. If trade was interrupted by the Chinese government, then the life or death of the Chinese people, the security and smoothness of the Pearl River, had nothing to do with the Portuguese.

The Australians did not care to tell the Jesuits the news that they had enough evidence to prove it, so that they did not need to beat around the bush to prove their reliability.

Geranzani felt sweat start to run down his spine. If the supreme magistrate of Canton really asked the Chinese emperor to cut off trade, then Australia's future would be in jeopardy. Not to mention whether the Chinese will use various means to force the Portuguese to leave Australia, what future does this city built on outside circulation and maritime transport have lost its main, if not only, trading partner?

Geranzani thought of several commercial cities that had fallen into decline due to changes in geography during his travels in Italy and the Netherlands. Artemisia grass grew on the once-prosperous streets to feed horses, and the population declined to one-tenth of what it used to be. Beautiful merchanthouse buildings and merchants' mansions are empty and nailed with mén boards. A desolate and desolate scene.

If this happened to Ao Mén, he couldn't imagine that Ao Mén would survive - it was just a Xiǎo island on a promontory, and he couldn't even be self-sufficient. When trade is cut off, the city immediately declines and falls into ruin.

The Jesuits could only abandon this most Haode missionary base in southern China. Migrated to the Philippines, which was both distant and under Spanish control.

He shuddered at the thought of this. He hated the Spaniards - and openly hated them. Needless to say, what kind of treatment will be in Manila.

"My child, do you have any other evidence? Such news alone cannot satisfy gentlemen. ”

"The Australian who told me the news said that if the adults were interested, they would provide all the evidence to prove it."

"I see. Go down and rest. Gelanzani nodded.

After Lando left, Jalanzani immediately invited Li Luoyou to the residence.

"Jacob." "I know from a well-informed person that the Governor of Canton has petitioned the Imperial Court to ban trade with Australia, do you know the truth of this?" ”

"I don't know, sir." Li Luoyou was shocked that he was suddenly called, and now that he heard that he asked about the last thing he wanted to answer, he barely kept his composure, "You know, this rumor has been circulating for a long time, and I am not an official who cannot judge the truth of the news. ”

"What about your insight and logic?" Gelanzani tightened step by step.

"This ......" Li Luoyou hesitated, thinking that it was possible or not, and he would not be able to justify himself in the future. Gelanzani suddenly asked him to talk, apparently already having important information, so he decided not to hide it anymore.

"In my opinion, it's very likely to be true." Li Luoyou nodded heavily, "Gao Xunji has always been dissatisfied with the Portuguese and the Holy Church. It's just that so far there are only rumors, and there is no definite news. ”

"The Australians say they have enough evidence." Gelanzani looked him in the eye, "Do you think they have?" ”

Li Luoyou was speechless. He realized that his mission would soon be in ruin. He thought for a moment, "Lord, I want to draw your attention. Even if this matter is true, Gao Xunji did write this note, it does not mean that this will be a decree of the imperial court. After this fold was sent to the Beijing Division, not only the emperor's holy judgment, but also the cabinet and the six ministries discussed, any link of different opinions, Gao Xun's fold was just a fold. It cannot be regarded as some kind of decree - it is merely a 'petition'. ”

Li Luoyou deliberately used a most weak European word.

Geranzani knew he was right. He pondered for a moment and said, "You know, I respect you very much......"

"Xiexie, you, will grow up."

“…… But I don't believe what Chinese officials say. Prior to this, several elders of the municipal council had asked a number of powerful Chinese officials in Guangzhou and Xiangshan about the matter, and they all vetoed it flatly. Now it seems that they may well be lying. ”

Li Luoyou didn't know what to say, but he knew that it should be the meaning of the above, and most of it was taken care of by Li Fengjie himself.

“…… If this is true. I can only advise the Municipal Council not to give any form of help to the Cantonese government. I don't think you would have been able to agree to help if you were in our position. "If the merchants can't trade, what does the safety on the Pearl River have to do with the municipal councils?" ”

Li Luoyou replied bitterly: "Yes, I completely understand what you mean. ”

“…… Unless, the Guangdong government can give a definitive clarification on the future of Macao. He continued, "Including guarantees of trade. ”

Li Luoyou knew that if he did not come up with a definite guarantee, he was afraid that there would be no results in this meeting on borrowing troops. Apparently the Australians are playing tricks. It's just that he doesn't know what the Australians used to impress the notoriously suspicious Jesuits. He pondered in his apartment: there is no definite way to contact the government so far, and it is no wonder that the Jesuits trust the Australians instead of them.

A few days later, the city council of Mén fell into a frenzy, and a number of documents of the Jīng Heart Organization were thrown out through the Society of Jesuits, including the manuscript of Gao Shunqin's recital, the manuscript translation of the letter to the Sixth Division, the Cabinet, and the Shizhong and the Imperial Historians discussing the matter.

This translation caused great fear among the councils and Portuguese merchants, many of whom had been living and doing business in Australia for many years, and some were simply born in Australia, and their possessions, occupations, and families were all in this Xiǎoxiǎo land. And now they are suddenly told that they are likely to lose it all

When they learned that the Cantonese government was begging them to send troops for help while demanding their expulsion from the emperor, the anger of the city councils and business associations exploded. No matter how Li Luoyou explained the rules of Chinese officialdom: Li Fengjie was only a governor, and he had no right to interfere with what Gao Shunqin said to the emperor; And Gao Shunqin's performance may not be approved by the emperor, he is still scolded by others, and many people tell him to "go back"

Li Luoyou secretly complained that not only could he not get things done, but that his credibility had also been seriously damaged.

He was summoned to the Doge's Palace, and the Doge made his attitude clear to him:

Unless the Cantonese government could give an official document that would not interrupt trade, would not prohibit the Portuguese from entering Canton for trade, and would not force the Portuguese to leave the territory by cutting off supplies, they would be able to consider sending warships to patrol the Pearl River estuary to help the Ming expel the Australian detachment. Otherwise, the Portuguese would not interfere in all actions of both sides.

Li Luoyou, of course, knew that Li Fengjie would not provide this, and if the threat of expulsion and severance of trade in the past could bring the Portuguese to their knees. Now that expulsion and the disruption of trade are imminent, the threat can no longer be of any use.

"Bastards, a bunch of greedy and incompetent people, sage mén shit, a bunch of despicable and shameless people, the great mountains and rivers will be finished in your hands sooner or later" In Li Luoyou's apartment in Aomén, a Chenghua porcelain cup was shattered with his angry drink, and the tea seeped into the expensive bōs carpet, leaving a large puddle of eye-catching stains.

The servants and maids were too frightened to come in—they had never seen the old man so angry. Li Luoyou stared at a portrait of the Virgin and Child in front of him, trying to suppress his anger. He was too angry. Although he had expected such an outcome before he set off, the various encounters in the past few days were related to everything he had heard and witnessed in Quang Ninh many years ago. This made him very suspicious of this government, this system and the people in power.

A burst of dizziness hit, Li Luoyou knew that he was about to get sick again, and quickly drank the yào wine - this was a special yào wine given to him by Liu San, and it was very effective to take it, trying to calm down his state of mind.

His activities in Macao have failed, and there is no point in going back to Guangzhou, and Li Fengjie is probably also the master who does not shed tears when he sees the coffin. He simply stayed in the apartment and completely pretended to be deaf and dumb, and this time Governor Li did not send any of his subordinates in order to completely dissociate himself from the relationship. It saved him a lot of effort to hide and deal with it.

The failure to borrow troops further strengthened his idea of seeking an opportunity to contact the Australians and discuss the terms of peace talks. He sent his right-hand men to inquire about the residence and activities of the Australians in Australia.

Li Luoyou's mission failed with the intervention of the Intelligence Bureau, and the Pearl River Estuary Task Force no longer had any worries. Of course, the navy is not afraid of the Portuguese big Galen ships, but the current goal is the Ming Dynasty, and there is no need to make enemies and disperse the forces too much for the time being.

After receiving a briefing from the Intelligence Bureau, Chen Haiyang transferred most of the warships of the several detachments remaining outside the mouth of the Pearl River into the Pearl River waterway and assembled at Humén. At the same time, the naval detachment also completed a month-long parade in the Pearl River Delta, and all of them were rebuilt for rest, repairing ship guns, and preparing to break through Wuchong in one fell swoop and enter the Guangzhou waterway, which is called the "provincial river."

The waterway to Guangzhou is through Wuchong and all the way up to Huangpu Island, where the old port of Guangzhou is located. After passing through Huangpu Island. The Pearl River is divided into two waterways by Henan Island. Along these two waterways, you can reach the White Goose Pond.

White Goose Pond is in the southwest of Guangzhou City in the Ming Dynasty, which is the place where the three rivers converge, and the northwest two rivers and the Pearl River converge here. The cháo tide here is smooth, the siltation is not heavy, the river surface is wide and vast, and the smoke is bōdàng ripple. Even if the entire task force is moored, it will be more than enough.

The final destination of Chen Haiyang's military operations was Baietan, making a gesture of approaching the city.

Of course, to lead the fleet to reach the White Goose Pond, it is necessary to break through a series of obstacles. In addition to Wuyong, Huangpu and other places, a number of emergency forts have been erected on Henan Island. The Hongyi cannon was placed. In many waterways, work has also been carried out to block the river. Three wooden rows of chains have also been laid out across the waterway to intercept ships.

Compared with the channel of the Pearl River, the provincial river channel is much narrower, the draft of the river channel is also shallow, and there are many sandbanks. All this is relatively easy to deal with, and Chen Haiyang is most worried about the several river surfaces that have been blocked. Although according to his common sense, the blocking of the waterways of the great rivers is basically not very successful, whether it is the Opium War blocking the Pearl River or the War of Resistance against Japan blocking the Yangtze River, most of them are useless.

Out of an abundance of caution, he decided to equip a vessel to clean up the channel and clear the channel of obstacles. Although the Great Whale is large in tonnage and size, it is a shallow draft ship, with a wide deck and a power plant for a steam engine, which is more than enough to be transformed into a temporary wrecker.