On the last day of December 1647, on the outskirts of Valladolid, Mo San and Alessandro welcomed Mr. Balboa, clerk of the West Indian Council of the Kingdom of Spain. This article was written by......

Mr. Balboa was a scholar who currently served as one of the two major clerks of the West Indian Council of the Kingdom of Spain, reporting directly to its president (the main composition of the House of West India Affairs consisted of 1 president, 1 ** officer, 1 prosecutor, 8 senators, 2 clerks, 1 cosmologist, 1 mathematician, 1 historian, and a large number of secretaries, administrators, and other low-ranking officials). His influence had gradually extended beyond that of the average West India House officer.

Although Mr. Balboa was a scholar, he was still strong and powerful from an aristocratic family, which was why he often took part in hunting activities. For example, he wore a red hunting suit today, and he still had a slight sweat on his forehead when he just returned from hunting.

It is actually very rude to meet with diplomatic envoys from other countries in informal attire such as hunting clothes. However, after Mo San saw Alejandro's strange expression, he suddenly had some understanding in his heart, and the nobles who dared to love Spain were all a group of rough blanks.

It is not unreasonable for him to say this, and among these countries in Western Europe, Spain's political, economic, and social systems are undoubtedly the most backward and the most primitive. The country still adheres to the traditional feudal system, and the power of the king is supreme, and the other Western European countries are far away. Almost every aristocracy had his own fiefdom, and they were the most primitive, stubborn, and hostile to the emerging bourgeoisie. At the same time, he is also very brave and aggressive.

Nobles of all sizes spent their days hunting, playing, and practicing swordsmanship. And after driving out the Jewish capitalists and Moorish craftsmen. Their sources of income were also very primitive - relying on land taxes and income from colonial plantations. Such an economic base determines what kind of guys the superstructure of the country is: religious fanatics, serf owners, militants, old-school aristocrats who know nothing about the economy, and so on. And this is the main reason why the country is in constant war and in a long period of decline, because the level of the ruling class in this country is so poor - except for a little talent for war.

"What a bunch of scumbags." Mo San muttered a few words softly in a northeastern dialect, and then stood aside reservedly, waiting for Alessandro's introduction.

Alessandro didn't let Mo San wait too long, only to see him come forward and talk and laugh with Balboa, and then approached with him.

"Good thing you did this time. Two grain ships with four hundred rasts (about 8oo tons) of grain sank to the bottom of the sea, and now do you know how many people in and around Valladolid want to kill you? As soon as they met, Balboa said to Mo San with a smile that seemed to be not smiling, he was in Spanish, not very fast, and seemed to be taking care of Mo San's hearing.

"I also personally regret the losses suffered by your country and the accidental casualties among civilians in Naples." After thinking for a while, Mo San said: "But this is war, and your country has also attacked our merchant ships, so this does not mean that our navy has done anything wrong, and they are also fulfilling their war duties." That's all. ”

"Well, I'm not here today to argue with you about this." Balboa waved his hand. "It was some damned Portuguese Jewish merchants who lost the food, and as for the life or death of the more than a thousand lowly Italian immigrants, I don't think anyone really cares," he said. I am here today mainly to ask you, does your country want to drag on like this? Don't you want to end this war? ”

"We, the people of the East Coast Republic of China, are peace-loving, and they oppose an unjust and unnecessary war. I don't want to dwell on the causes of the war between your country and my country, which has been going on for 15 months, but it is indeed time to put an end to it, and if your country does not object, I think we can start setting a time for the start of negotiations. After hearing Balboa's words, Mo San was ecstatic, he couldn't believe his ears. However, the temperament that he had cultivated over the years did not lose his temper on the spot, he hid his excitement well, and then began to express his opinions in a calm tone as much as possible.

"Negotiations are certainly not out of the question." Balboa's right hand was on a bayonet sword, and his left hand was still holding a horsewhip, and after walking around the same place twice, he suddenly turned to Mo San and said: "Your Majesty the King is very angry that you have repeatedly challenged his authority, and he demands that you first compensate our country for a certain amount of losses, and at the same time return our belongings and release the captured captives, and then the door to negotiations can be opened." Otherwise, what awaits you will be a cross-sea expedition of tens of thousands of Spanish 6th Army soldiers. ”

After hearing Balboa talk about war reparations, Mo San felt that there would basically be no results today. Are you kidding? How can you spit out something that eats into your stomach! The people on the east coast had never been in the habit of paying war reparations, and most of them could not afford to pay them, and if the Spaniards insisted on demanding reparations, then most of the peace talks would have been lost.

"Mr. Balboa, I wonder if your country has figured out something, something very important." After carefully considering his words, Mo San slowly spoke: "After so many years of brutal wars, does the Kingdom of Spain have the ambition, perseverance, and financial resources to organize another nationwide expedition that includes hundreds of ships and tens of thousands of soldiers of the 6th Navy Army?" As far as I know, your country already owes tens of millions of pesos in debt to the markets of Lisbon and Amsterdam, and this heavy debt burden weighs down your country, and most of the gold and silver shipped back from the Americas every year are probably used to pay the interest here. The question then arises, is your country still able to raise more than 20 million pesos in military spending within a certain period of time to cover the upfront costs of a cross-sea expeditionary force of tens of thousands of people? ”

Balboa did not answer Mo San's words, his right hand was subconsciously grasped and loosened and loosened on the hilt of the sword, making one wonder if the middle-aged nobleman would draw his sword the next moment - it is not surprising that by European standards at this time, the Spanish nobles were 'rude', and they would often draw their swords for small things and duel.

After a long time, he sighed, and then said with some dejection: "Pagan, although some of your words make me very angry, I have to admit that many of the things you say are true. The Armada of 1588 cost the kingdom a huge sum of more than 850,000 pesos to arm, and the current kingdom's treasury really cannot come up with so much money. And even if he could raise the money, the king would not allow it to be spent entirely on a single war. Indeed...... Don't be afraid! ”

"Nobody likes war." When Mo San heard Balboa say this, he immediately followed his words and said: "Since entering the modern era, the scale of war has become larger and larger, and the cost has become higher and higher. Your country itself should understand that even some of the wars that your country has won over the years have been a mess economically. The newly occupied lands are full of hateful natives, and the constant need to respond to enemy counter-attacks and pay the salaries of the huge occupying army are undoubtedly crippling your country's finances bit by bit. Why, then, are we engaged in such a costly and pointless war? You know, ending these wars early saves your country a lot of money on military spending, which is equivalent to you receiving a war reparations from the Dutch and the Jews, right? There are only two beneficiaries of the war waged between your country and my country: your long-time enemies, the French, and the vampire bankers. ”

"You may have a point, and I hate the Jews, but that is not a reason for you to be able to make peace after attacking the great kingdom of Spain. His Majesty the Great King has given you a chance, Men of the East Coast, and you must pay a sufficient price for your crimes, otherwise I will not be able to convince the displeased Majesty and the gentlemen of the House of West India. Balboa's whole chin lifted even higher as he said this, and he continued: "The glory of the Kingdom of Spain cannot be tarnished, and the dust from His Majesty's crown must be wiped with blood. I will give you three days, and if you do not agree to pay the reparations after three days, you will lose a precious chance for peace. ”

"It is a pity, even if you are as wise as you, Mr. Balboa, do you not see who the real enemy of your country is? Who is constantly occupying the cities of the South Netherlands? Who is encroaching on Italy? Who is ravaging Roussillon? Who is taking Franche-Comté? If your country does not take effective measures, I dare to assert that the French will surely plant their royal flag over Madrid, and this day will not be long waiting. When the time comes, the kings and gentlemen of your country will behave like this? Mo San shook his head and said in a regretful tone: "If that day really comes, then it will be the end of the Catholic world, and it will also be the beginning of Spain's real despair and endless winter." ”

Balboa removed his right hand from the hilt of his sword, and after looking down and thinking for a while, he finally raised his head and said with a complicated expression, "I see what you mean." Then it's a pity, Mr. Mo, your insistence on not paying the reparations is likely to drag on the war indefinitely! (To be continued......)

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