In the city of Hue, the capital of Quang Nam, the 30-year-old lord of Quang Nam, Nguyen Phuc Binh, stood in the "main camp hall", anxiously waiting for Western merchants. Pen × fun × Pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

Although Quang Nam was actually an independent state, he was nominally a courtier of the "Great Viet Kingdom". In other words, at this time, the Yue Kingdom was in the era of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, and the Quang Nam Kingdom was the southern part of the Yue Kingdom. This southern part is independently operated by the territory of Vietnam south of the Linh Giang.

In the northern part of the Yue Kingdom, the Zheng family obeyed the Emperor of the Yue Kingdom, and was generally called the Northern Zheng Lord.

At this time, the territory of the "Yue Kingdom" was not as large as that of Vietnam in later generations, and in fact, the Yue Kingdom at this time only had half of the land of Vietnam in later generations. At this time, the southern part of Vietnam was ruled by the Champa state, and the land around the Mekong River was owned by the Chin Lap state.

But the "Great Viet Kingdom" is the most powerful of these Indochina countries. After years of war, the Yue Dynasty, the Li Dynasty, the Northern and Southern Dynasties, desperately pursued a rich country and a strong army, and constantly introduced external technology and advanced culture.

And the Nguyen Lords in the south of the Yue Kingdom, that is, the Quang Nam Kingdom, is undoubtedly the Indochina Peninsula country that is at the forefront of the times.

This country not only actively introduced Chinese technology and culture, continued to absorb advanced immigrants from China, but also actively traded with Western colonizers.

In view of the geographical environment of Vietnam, the previous generation of Nguyen lords planted sugarcane in the south of Vietnam, developed a sugar industry, and sold cane sugar to Western and Ming merchants. The previous Nguyen lords were more active in developing shipbuilding and buying cannons from the Portuguese and Dutch. In the war between the north and south of the country, the southern Nguyen lord dispatched "nearly 100 warships, each carrying six cannons".

Although these cannons may only be small cannons, they can take out hundreds of cannons at once, which is enough to be proud of Indochina.

Although the Nguyen family had only 30,000 troops, they were armed with thousands of arquebuses. These weapons, purchased from Western colonizers, greatly increased the fighting power of the South Vietnamese soldiers, allowing the Nguyen family, who were far less numerous than those in the north, to maintain the independence of the South.

It can be said that the advanced weapons provided by the Portuguese and the Dutch are the magic weapons of the Nguyen family.

After Nguyen Phuc came to power, he also inherited the Nguyen family's tradition of being close to foreigners and learning about foreign culture and technology. Almost once a month, Nguyen Phuc Binh summoned Portuguese and Dutch merchants stationed in Hue to obtain intelligence and information from outside the sea.

In recent months, however, Portuguese merchants stationed in Hue have been half-hearted. The cunning Portuguese didn't know what news they had gotten and didn't run diligently to the royal city where Nguyen Phuc was located.

The Dutch, on the other hand, seemed a little absent-minded. The soldiers and merchants of the Dutch Merchant House were retreating, and their numbers were getting smaller and smaller. Now all but a few small merchants in charge of the sugar business have left.

In this regard, Nguyen Phuc was very angry.

This is a signal that Westerners are abandoning Quang Nam. Quang Nam, which had cooperated with Western businessmen for decades, was being abandoned, and the time was at the critical moment when Li Zhi was about to invade the country of Vietnam.

Nguyen Phuc Wei didn't know how long he waited in the palace, but he waited for an hour before he got a reply from the Portuguese Merchant House.

The Portuguese refused to negotiate with the Quang Nam lord.

Hearing the news of the Portuguese Merchant House, Nguyen Phuc was furious and smashed the teacup in his hand.

There is no doubt that the rumors outside are true, and the Portuguese have joined forces with Li Zhi. Later, the Portuguese were no longer friends of the Nguyen family, but accomplices of the invader Li Zhi.

However, Nguyen Phuc was not desperate, and he also met with Dutch merchants after Castro. The Portuguese took refuge with Li Zhi, but the Dutch were Li Zhi's sworn enemies, and it was impossible to sit idly by and watch Li Zhi attack the Great Yue Kingdom.

After walking a few steps in the hall, Nguyen Phuc Bhoo asked the eunuch to come up and clean up the broken teacups, and stood in front of the throne waiting for the Dutch merchants.

After a while, the Dutch merchant Hillerson walked into the main hall of Nguyen Phuc Binh.

"My honorable Lord of Quang Nam, God bless you!"

Seeing the enthusiastic Hillerson, Ruan Phuc Bin's face looked a little better.

"Your Excellency Hillerson, I, Nguyen Phuc Binh, as the lord of Quang Nam, officially submit an order for one hundred heavy artillery pieces to you. We hope that the Dutch will build us a batch of heavy weapons to deal with the impending aggression of Li Zhi. ”

Hillerson heard Ruan Phuc's words, and his face was a little embarrassed for a moment.

After pondering for a long time, Hillerson said: "Your Highness, we don't want to deceive you, in fact, all the Dutch forces in the Far East have been withdrawn to India. We are facing a big war in Europe, the Dutch forces in the Far East and India are shrinking, and now we have only one battleship parked in Batavia, and all the artillery and soldiers in the fortress are gone. ”

"We can't fulfill your order."

Ruan Phuc Wei's body trembled when he heard Hilleson's words.

"Your Excellency Hillerson, I think you've heard that Li Zhi is about to invade the Yue Kingdom. Li Zhi has conquered Luzon, and the next target is undoubtedly our Yueguo, and time is running out. We are Li Zhi's enemies just like the Netherlands, and we should help each other. ”

Hillerson reluctantly bowed to Ruan Phuc and said, "Your Royal Highness, we understand your difficulties, but the current goal of the Republic is in Europe, and we have no time to look east. Let's just say, we've let you down. ”

Ruan Phuc was suddenly pale, and he slumped heavily in his chair.

What means did Li Zhi use? Let the Dutch also strategically shrink in the Far East?

The Portuguese and Li Zhi joined forces, and the Dutch retreated, and all foreign aid was lost at once.

Without the help of the Dutch, what would he do against Li Zhi, who swept the Quartet?

Hilleson looked at Nguyen Phuc Yen worriedly and said, "Your Highness, I don't think there is any hope for a frontal battle, maybe Quang Nam should consider using guerrilla warfare to stop the enemy." ”

Nguyen Phuc said angrily: "Are you telling me to give up Hue and hide in the mountains?" ”

Hillerson cleared his throat and said with some embarrassment: "Lord, I think this is the only way to solve the problem!" ”

Hillerson didn't delay much time in the "main camp", he finished a few words, and left.

Looking at the back of the Dutchman, Ruan Phuc was like a drowning man who couldn't catch a lifebuoy, and sat helplessly in the hall, without saying a word for a long time.

It was a long time before he jumped up in anger and kicked a chair beside him. Kicked the mahogany chair a few meters away.

"These Westerners are inhumane animals! When there are interests, they rush to the top, but when the disaster comes, no one can be relied on! ”

The bureaucrats in the hall held their breath and did not dare to speak.

Ruan Phuc stood in the middle of the hall and was silent for a long time.

After a full quarter of an hour, Ruan Phuc said: "Send someone to contact the Zheng family in the north, and say that my Dayue Kingdom is already in great trouble, and our Ruan and Zheng families should abandon all hatred and join forces to deal with Li Zhi, who is about to invade." ”