After discussion, the British Royal Navy's captured 74-gun third-class battleship Hercules was transferred from the Tang Navy to the Continental Army, becoming the largest tonnage and the most powerful warship in the Continental Army Navy, which had not yet been established. Pen | fun | pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 Of course, the Hercules had been attacked by the Li Wenzhong before, the foremast was broken, and the gun deck on the hull was damaged, but these were injuries that could be repaired, and it didn't take a particularly strong shipyard to do it, and the Continental Army would be able to sail this huge sailing ship in a month or two.

Not only was the third-class battleship delivered, but Jiao Qiang also used the salvage equipment on the Fubon to send frogmen into the water to salvage the guns on the two British warships that sank into the water. The two ships have no salvage value, because they have been dismantled by Li Wenzhong with artillery, and there is no way to see what the ship looks like.

The two warships were able to salvage dozens of guns, which could be adjusted and delivered to the Continental Army, which was short of arms, and a few dozen guns were enough to give them a certain advantage in the face of the British army, thus turning some unfavorable battles.

Under the introduction of John Jay and others, military advisers from the Tang Republic met the famous founding father of the United States, George J. Brown, on the outskirts of Boston. Washington.

Maybe it's a foreign celebrity, so Guo Xin and Jiao Qiang weren't particularly excited or anything, but Yue Zhenfu still held Washington's hand with admiration and said something like "It's a great honor to meet Your Excellency".

Washington, too, was full of friendliness, saying, "Thank you very much for sailing thousands of miles from the other side of the continent." Come here. Help us. I have heard of your righteous deeds. Defeating the fleet of the British Royal Navy outside the harbor of New York, and even giving us captured battleships for free, is admirable! The people of New England will remember the helping hand of the Tang Republic in our difficult times, and our friendship will last forever! ”

Guo Xin's belly slandered this Washington may have seen too much of cutting cherry trees, and there was not a single useful word in his mouth, and nothing was mentioned about the actual things.

Yue Zhenfu, who was already in his forties, was a man of good will, but he did not speak much English, and he told Washington through an interpreter: "Support the rebellion of New England, which is also an immigrant region, against colonial rule." The pursuit of freedom and democracy is a just act that we believe is necessary. ”

After a few pleasantries, Washington had already changed the subject, and he said: "I am full of gratitude to your country, but I have doubts in my heart for a long time. I believe that there is no such thing as a world where there is no such thing as giving and helping without return. I might as well say to a few people that our Continental Congress has sought more than one external intervener in the Tang Dynasty, and that the French have also actively assisted us after learning of the situation in New England, and Mr. Franklin went to France, which was welcomed and respected by the French. and brought us a great deal of munitions, and our lack of munitions was much better than it was in 1774. The French are willing to do it. On the one hand, because Mr. Franklin was a talented and persuasive diplomat, and on the other hand, because of the old feud between Britain and France. It was easy for the French to understand that by helping us against the British, we would seriously weaken the power of Great Britain, since the Thirteen Colonies of New England were the most valuable of the British colonies. The military defeat could help the French avenge the defeat in the Seven Years' War. Therefore, the French came to our aid, and even fought for us, only benefit, and the reward was huge. But I don't understand, the Tang Republic is on the other side of our continent thousands of miles away, and we have never met the people of our colonies, we have different cultures and beliefs, and it seems that the Tang people and the British have no direct contradictions, what is the reason why you choose to challenge the powerful Britain and provide us with arms and military advisers, in my opinion, this can hardly bring any help to the Tang Dynasty. ”

Jiao Qiang and the other three glanced at each other, none of them can be regarded as a particularly eloquent type, Jiao Qiang even said directly: "This is a decision made by my country's cabinet, and we, as soldiers, can only abide by military orders." ”

Such an answer obviously did not satisfy Washington, so Yue Zhenfu, the eldest, tried to say: "You may already know that our Tang Republic is also a country of immigrants, so we have natural sympathy for the people of New England. On the one hand, our country is also actively expanding its foreign trade, and the United States is also our neighbor, with its rich land and hard-working people, and we want to do business with the Americans and make a fortune together. ”

Guo Xin glanced at the major, although this Yue Zhenfu said that he was crossing the former officer to the brigade commander, but Guo Xin didn't think he had any ability, just saying these few words made Guo Xin feel that there was a big gap between him and Bai Nan and other figures. Yue Zhenfu didn't even fully realize that Datang was actually a potential competitor with the United States, they were all longing for the vast North American continent, no matter how vast this land was, the two sides would meet one day, and at that time it would undoubtedly be a dragon fight.

Yue Zhenfu didn't realize this, but Washington did, so he was not particularly able to understand Datang's approach. Guo Xin could not directly raise the issue of potential competition between the two sides in front of Washington, and he had a long night talk with Bai Nan before he came, so he picked up what he understood and said a little.

"Strengthening cooperation with our neighbors is an important part of promoting our own development. Major Yue also said just now, our country is a trading country, New England will become our important trading partner in the future, and if Britain still controls here, we will be turned away, on the contrary, if we can help you at this time, after your country becomes independent in the future, there will be a huge increase in trade between our two sides, and this is enough for us to recover the cost we have paid now. And in the whole process, we will gain your friendship, a harmonious neighbor. Many of Guo Xin's words were moved directly from Bai Nan, of course, this cannot be the real reason, but it is a good excuse, Bai Nan has already considered this issue, and it is strange if the Americans are not suspicious.

Therefore, Bai Nan's plan is to shape Datang into a country similar to the Netherlands, with trade-driven national policies, coupled with the influence of traditional Chinese culture, and pursue the characteristics of friendship and harmony, harmony is precious, and benevolence loves others.

Washington also believed it, but he secretly complained that such a country was a bit too wishful thinking. Although the wise saying that "there are no eternal friends between nations, only permanent interests" has not yet been widely circulated, this wisdom is the basic quality of a good politician. Of course, Washington will not feel that because Datang helped the United States at this time, then if there is a contradiction with Datang in the future, the United States will choose to back down. In fact, he had vaguely foreseen that the new country, full of pioneering spirit, would continue to develop westward, and the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River would not end, and they would eventually border the Tang Republic. Although it seems that the Tang Dynasty is stronger than New England now, this comparison is likely to change decades or hundreds of years later, and at that time, who remembers that the Tang Dynasty once supported their independent ancestors for free a batch of munitions and gave them a captured sail warship?

However, Washington also believes that the psychology of Datang's pursuit of free trade and interests may be the biggest reason for them to help the United States. After all, Mexico has a limited level of development, and Washington does not see any future for Mexico under the scourge of the Spaniards. Datang simply traded with Mexico, the first was restricted to Spain, and the second Mexico economy was also insufficient, so they took a fancy to New England. Indeed, as Guo Xin said just now, if the United States is finally established, then contemporary Americans will at least remember that Datang sells well and will be willing to do business with Datang with a relatively preferential trade policy.

Guo Xin said at this time: "Another Britain that is trying to establish a colonial empire in the world is not in our interests, Datang also has its own interests in East Asia in addition to North America, and Britain is entering and leaving East Asia and Southeast Asia more and more frequently, which is obviously not happy for us." In addition, Britain also claims to own the territory and sphere of influence of our Datang, which is unacceptable. Weakening this traditional colonial power, and creating an anti-British coalition to limit their development in our sphere of influence, is also an important aspect of our consideration. ”

Washington still finds this argument somewhat far-fetched, but it is acceptable. He thinks that there may be some things in the Far East that he doesn't know, and the Tang Dynasty and Britain may have had a conflict a long time ago, but in this era, there is no CIA that can help the father of the nation obtain intelligence, so Washington can only be regarded as the Tang Dynasty and indeed can't tolerate Britain.

The reason why the Tang Dynasty could not tolerate Britain was very simple, not because they might launch the Opium War in half a century to bring suffering to China, but because the emergence of this colonial empire would monopolize half of the world's resources and trade, and control a large number of living environments, which was obviously extremely unsuitable for the interests of the Tang Dynasty.

The Americans do not dare to fantasize about the hegemony of the world at the moment, and at most they seek to bury their heads in development after independence. However, the Tang enterprising faction led by Bai Nan has begun to write and draw on the world map, which places have not been occupied, which can become the territory of the Tang Dynasty in the future, and which places can be seized from the hands of colonial countries, and the preliminary plans are already underway.

No matter how young the young dragon that has just hatched out of the eggshell is, he will grow into a behemoth in the future, and even if the young dragon faces a fierce tiger at this moment, he knows that he can defeat it in the future and occupy the tiger's territory. (To be continued.) )