On June 13, 1636, after more than a month of difficult negotiations, the representatives of the West India Company, who had arrived from the Dutch colony of Guiana, finally reluctantly accepted the terms of the armistice proposed by the Portuguese, under the threat of Dutch Vice Admiral Tromp directly relinquishing the command of the fleet.

In fact, the verbal conflict never abated from the beginning to the end, but when the number of warships of the Chinese and American navies outside the port of Recife reached 13, the Dutch war was finally settled at the negotiating table.

What frightened the Dutch and chose to back down was a brand new large white battleship that appeared off the port of Recife, the fourth "Princess Kaneshiro" of the Princess-class large light cruiser of the Chinese and American Navy, which had entered service early in mid-May and then hurried to Brazil.

Slightly different from the previous three sister ships, the "Jincheng Princess" and the fifth "Anyi Princess", which is still in the final outfitting stage, have been replaced with the latest Wisworth naval guns as the Alfalfa class, and the power group has also been replaced with two 1600-horsepower three-expansion steam engines and thin-tube boilers produced by the state-owned heavy machinery company, and the maximum speed can reach 17 knots without the use of sails, which can be regarded as breaking the long-term monopoly of the marine steam power equipment market by the General Industry Group in one fell swoop.

Colonel Wen Tuo almost couldn't wait to change his flagship, and the greatly strengthened Southern Fleet was immediately full of confidence, directly brought the blockade line closer to the range of the naval guns, and aimed dozens of naval guns at the fleet of the Dutch West India Company crowded in the bay. And on land, more than 4,000 Chinese and Portuguese army officers and soldiers also took a stand.

The final signing ceremony of the Peace of Recife took place in the war conference room of the "Princess of the Golden City". On the Portuguese side, Governor González of San Salvador, Colonel Wen Tuo, commander-in-chief of the Southern Fleet of the Chinese American Navy, was authorized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a signatory, and Lieutenant Colonel Scott, commander of the Brazilian Dispatch Brigade of the Chinese American Army, also participated in the signing ceremony as a representative of the Army. On the day the peace treaty came into effect, the remaining Dutch, who had been tormented by hunger and disease, laid down their arms and surrendered.

Portugal's initial offer of 11 million florins was symbolically reduced to 10 million, but this concession was not a concession on the part of the Portuguese. Rather, it was the Dutch West India Company that ruthlessly abandoned all the ordinary mercenaries trapped in the city of Recife. In the eyes of the West India Company, apart from sailors and officers of status, the cannon fodder prisoners who paid for money were definitely not worth 300 florins alone in this stall.

Although Huamei spent nearly $1 million on the Brazilian war, according to the Dutch indemnity provisions of the Treaty of Recife, Huamei still received 4.5 million, and the remaining 5.5 million belonged to Portugal, which suffered the most losses. So as a "reward", the hapless Dutch mercenary prisoners of war all belonged to Huamei.

On the Huamei side, it still has to take the initiative to take out about 300,000 florins to appease the local Chinese expatriates who suffered severe trauma during the Brazilian war, as well as the losses of some Huamei investors.

The war reparations of 10 million florins heralded the entry of the Dutch West India Company into substantial bankruptcy a year earlier than in history. In the end, the debt could only be passed on by the Dutch bankers using their own unique financial means.

Then, the fleet of the Dutch West India Company stranded in the port of Recife was disbanded, and the requisitioned armed merchant ships instantly regained their merchant nature, and began to do business with the Chinese and American naval officers and sailors on the spot without blushing or beating hearts, while the other part began to return with the exhausted sailors.

More than 2,700 mercenary prisoners of war, abandoned by the Dutch West India Company, entered a makeshift prisoner of war camp outside the city of Recife, waiting in fear for their "final verdict".

The actual total war losses were estimated at about 3.5 million florins, and this time they earned at least 2 million florins. Although it will take several months for the reparations to be paid, Portugal has been eager to send a good message to the Chinese side. I hope to order a gorgeous naval battleship, but I can't buy the most advanced one, and no matter how bad it is, it must be of the same grade as the large long-sail battleship ordered by the Spaniards.

……

Two days later, the armistice peace treaty of the war in Brazil was sent home. Unlike previous years, it was a "loss-making transaction". Coupled with the gains of the Irish War, Huamei squeezed back a total of $17.5 million in war proceeds this time after a year of fierce foreign wars. The huge return of the war also temporarily diluted the grief of the death of the former leader of the country, Liu Mingjun.

The media hype for defense forces is once again on. The "North American Times" resolutely published a very shameless propaganda article entitled "Who is the cutest person" on the side of the issue of the same day, praising the Chinese army and navy to death. Not to be outdone, the Manchester City Weekly also featured war literature called The Garland of Recife. The content of the first serialization is naturally nonsense.

In order to encourage the people, the new cabinet has announced that it will allocate 300,000 US dollars to hold a free drinking carnival across the country, and nearly 80,000 citizens of Manchester City applauded when they heard the news, and the wine merchants from all over the country were even more dizzy.

On 5 July, the three light cruisers, the Golden City Princess, the Alfalfa and the Tequila, representing the troops of the Southern Fleet, returned to the port of Manchester and were warmly welcomed on an unprecedented scale, and their excitement was even higher than when the European expeditionary fleet returned two months earlier.

On 10 July, the first batch of Defence Force officers and soldiers of the African and Brazilian Dispatch Brigade arrived in Manchester Bay on a transport ship, and the capital was once again empty. Countless family members of officers and soldiers stood guard in the port area with the old and the young, waving small national flags in hoarse voices, and calling the names of their husbands or sons to the neat procession into the city.

On the same day, the fifth ship of the princess-class large light cruiser, the "Princess Anyi", completed its outfitting and began to enter the sea trial stage, and it will officially enter service around the National Day.

……

Since last September, the officers and men of the African Brigade have been away from home for 10 months on overseas military missions, so on average, each soldier has received an additional combat allowance of about $300. For a soldier from an ordinary family, this is almost equivalent to a year's income in the family, but for some people, it does not mean much.

Renjia Manor held a grand family welcome ceremony in the outdoor garden for the eldest son who returned, and even in order to highlight the festivities, Yang Wenwen also specially invited several friends and neighbors with good relationships to the manor as guests.

In the back garden of the flower-filled Ren family, an oval table is set under several huge parasols, and exquisite pastries, shiny grilled meats and mellow liquor are displayed. Servants frequently shuttled in and out to serve food and wine to the guests, and the male and female guests who were not of low grade in their clothes let out all kinds of laughter.

Ren Xingzhong, who was exceptionally promoted to corporal in Brazil, was dressed in a straight military uniform, sat in a position with a straight chest, and was surrounded by Anne, who was dressed in a lady's costume and looked like a bird. The guests present all looked with great interest at Andrian, president of the Oriental Union Group, who was the guest host of the banquet, and saw that the latter was reading aloud the commendation order sent by the Army Command to military families.

“…… One cannon was captured, and 12 enemy soldiers were captured, and the personal battle was fruitful...... Whether on the front line in South Africa or Brazil, Defence Force Army Corporal Ren Xingzhong won unanimous praise from all officers and men of his company for his excellent combat performance and fearless patriotism. He has made outstanding contributions to the national defense of the Republic of China and the United States of America......" Andrian read this, and deliberately stopped, holding the commendation order high above his head, "Praise God, what a brave young man, captured a cannon, and twelve prisoners!" Three years later, our child will be an honorable lieutenant! ”

This special commendation order marks that Ren Xingzhong has received the most excellent evaluation during his service in just one and a half years. He was selected for inclusion in the West Point junior officer preparatory class. Based on Ren Xingzhong's current service qualifications and rank, he will receive the rank of lieutenant after graduating from the military academy.

Under Andrian's exaggerated expression, applause rang out all around, and Ren Changle and his wife nodded frequently with a smile and thanked them in return. Especially Annie, who was by Ren Xingzhong's side, squinted her eyes even more.

"Big brother, are the Dutchman's cannons powerful?"

"Brother, were you scared at the time?"

"The natives of South Africa are terrible, aren't they?"

Several younger siblings also chattered and asked. It was as if in their eyes, the protracted war was like a brawl between boys in the school stadium.

Facing all kinds of expressions of eagerness, kindness or admiration, Ren Xingzhong's eyes slowly fell on the dining table. In front of me was a huge cake smeared with jam and sprinkled with preserved fruits. Snow-white cream. Black chocolate powder, bright red strawberry jam and colorful preserved fruits, as if the young man's mind was once again a scene of bloody battles.

"I also killed seven people, two of whom were black, one was an old man, and the other looked younger than the fifth brother (Ren Xingcheng)...... Our battalion lost a total of fifteen men, of whom my company accounted for ten. Ren Xingzhong's eyes didn't take his eyes off the cake, but just said lightly.

The scene suddenly fell into a dead silence, Ren Changle got up quietly, pretended to go to the bathroom and left, the smile on Yang Wenwen's face gradually solidified, and the Andrian couple who came to congratulate them were embarrassed and didn't know what to do.

Anne was stunned, her hands holding the skirt were sweating, nervous about her fiancé's inexplicably cold attitude.

"Uh...... It takes a lot of courage, and God will forgive any young man who goes out of his way for the safety of his country. It took Adrian a long time to find the right words, and there was a reluctant clapping of his hands all around.

The atmosphere of the open-air banquet in the garden was aroused by the expression of the "strict and lack of emotional intelligence" of the Ren family, and it didn't take long for the guests to say goodbye to Ren and his wife.

"Please convey our apologies to Mr. and Mrs. Andrien, Miss Anne."

Before dusk, when Ren Xingai sent his best friend Anne outside the manor, he deliberately took the other party's hand, whispered goodbye, and quietly pointed to a room on the second floor of the villa behind him: "Big brother probably hasn't relaxed yet, I heard that some soldiers are indeed in a bad mood after returning home." ”

"I understand that he has always been brave and has always worked hard! I hope he can fulfill his wish soon! Anne waved her hand politely, but there was a hint of concern in her eyes, "Miss Xingai, please take care of him." ”

Anne left, looking at the carriage in the distance, Ren Xingai couldn't help but sigh softly.

……

In the study, Yang Wenwen sat on the sofa, while Ren Changle pinched the admission notice of the West Point Army Junior Officer Preparatory Class and smiled silently.

"Actually, I had already asked him about his unit, and this kid was very average or very bad in South Africa, but in Brazil he was like a different person, and he didn't want to die at all. I still think. He wasn't actually fit to be a soldier at all. Yang Wenwen was silent for a long time before she sighed and said, "Xingai told me something about Xingzhong over the years, this kid used joining the army as a tool to vent his childhood memories for revenge. ”

"People always have to grow, and if they can't pass this hurdle, no matter what they do in the future, they will enter a dead end. You usually see things so clearly, how can you see this child so one-sided? Ren Changle smiled, but he could understand the changes in his wife and children now.

"With Wu Yuanyi behind him, Dong Jiunan and their actions are faster, and I heard that the enterprise name of 'Guoxing Group' has been registered with the Ministry of Commerce." Yang Wenwen frowned slightly. It seems that more uncomfortable things are associated with it.

"Don't worry, it's been negotiated a long time ago." As soon as he talked about this topic, Ren Changle began to dance with his eyebrows, "It's about the same as we were at the beginning, the total share capital of Guoxing Group is 4 million US dollars, Dong Jiunan and their Guoxing Fund have raised 2 million, the state-owned Atlantic Bank has invested 700,000 yuan, and the public fundraising is 500,000 yuan, and the share quota for our investment fund is 800,000 yuan." We also have the right of first refusal to expand our shares in the future. Dong Jiunan is also a bit capable, and it is really a bit unexpected to be able to shout 2 million from those people. ”

"Who told you about the money?!" Yang Wenwen suddenly became angry, stood up and glared at her husband fiercely. "Didn't you say that Wu Yuanyi intended to establish a new colony on the eastern coast of South Africa, where the black indigenous population was much larger than around Nanshan Harbor, and it was more brutal and aggressive. By the means of Lao Wu. Will it be a calm bargain with blacks? Even fools can see that the 'Guoxing Group' will let the army come forward in the future! Since last year, junior officers who have just graduated from West Point will be assigned to the Foreign Legion! In order to be loyal to this state. Will he still be able to go? ”

"He signed a volunteer military service contract with the army, and now he is a military academy admission student, no way!" Ren Changle saw that his wife was mentioning the eldest son's withdrawal from the army again, and immediately waved his hand impatiently, "Now that the relationship between the military and us has not been restored, don't mention this kind of thing of finding someone to go through the back door for the time being!" ”

"You!" Seeing that her husband had a tough tone for a rare time, Yang Wenwen was so angry that she couldn't say a word.

"Okay, take one step at a time, and he can be considered to have fulfilled his wish, and you, the mother, should encourage him. I see, when he graduates, he will arrange a marriage with the daughter of the Andrian family, and then find a suitable opportunity to apply for retirement, so that you can be a grandmother with peace of mind. After speaking, Ren Changle opened the door of the study and walked out.

……

In a certain bedroom, Ren Xingzhong was lying on the bed with his clothes together, staring blankly at the ceiling, as if he was still a little uncomfortable with the soft bed under him.

There were several letters beside him, all of which were private letters written by Anne during the war abroad. Ren Xingzhong had held the letter countless times and wanted to return to China immediately, but after seeing Anne today, he suddenly lost the urge to express it.

He thought of the black herders who had been killed in the grasslands of South Africa, the Dutch mercenaries who had been killed by themselves with a cluster grenade in the pouring rain, and the Chinese families shivering in the rubble. The flintlock lead bullets and cannon shotguns whizzing by, and the cries of wounded soldiers struggling in the mud of the ruins, seemed to still echo in the ears.

"Don't you plan to rest yet? In your bedroom, still sleeping in a military uniform? The door opened, and Ren Changle walked in with a smile.

"Daddy." Ren Xingzhong hurriedly jumped out of bed and looked at his dress embarrassedly.

"Do you think that the military is not what you imagined?" Ren Changle patted his adopted son on the shoulder, and kindly pulled the other party to sit on the edge of the bed, "Actually, everything you do on the battlefield is the same as what I and your mother do." ”

"Including killing?" Ren Xingzhong lowered his head and said lightly, "Those black people are not my enemies...... And when the Dutch in Recife announced their surrender, I felt no more motivated...... Why should we shed the blood of our own people on someone else's land......"

"Remember, the army is not a place for revenge, nor is it a place to kill for the sake of killing, and it is not to choose who you want to kill! If you only look at your profession in terms of killing, you're going astray. A mysterious smile appeared on the corner of Ren Changle's mouth, and his words were extremely harsh.

Ren Xingzhong was stunned, still a little incomprehensible.

"Did you know that for every 100 pieces of cloth sold by your mother, the tax she pays to the state gives you 100 rounds of ammunition, or your younger siblings get to wear free school uniforms every year? For every acre of land you protect or kill an enemy in South Africa, you can bring back at least 100 kilograms of grain or 20 pieces of cloth to the mainland, and you can stop a family from starving. Ren Changle crossed his fingers like a few treasures, and habitually calculated a string of numbers.

"But those lands weren't ours in the first place!" Ren Xingzhong's voice was slightly higher.

"Well, we're just there, but it's certainly not Dutch, English, or Portuguese. If you don't fight, then they will rob too, and then one day the well-fed Dutch or the English will set foot on our land, take away our food, our clothes and our women, and kill our old men and children! ”

Ren Changle showed a stern expression, and the hand on the eldest son's shoulder also used force: "Do you know what the Dutch and Spaniards are doing in Asia?" They occupied the islands of Luzon, the Spice Islands, and Java, enslaved the local natives, made a lot of money, and then abducted people from the Ming Dynasty, grabbed more land, and ate and drank for themselves. Are the natives of the Spice Islands innocent? What about the people of the Ming Dynasty? You must know that in Asia, two thousand years ago, the land of Liangguang was not from the Central Plains Dynasty. The world is so ruthless, the only thing you have to do as a soldier is to let the people of your country eat and drink spicy food, and throw cruelty to your opponents! If you do, you will be a hero to your younger siblings and Anne, and if you can't do it, you will be a sinner for the whole country! ”

It is still unknown whether Ren Changle's nonsense has had an effect, but Ren Xingzhong really fell into silence.

", Lao Tzu is so good, won't he be bad......" Ren Changle, who walked out of his son's bedroom, couldn't help but scold himself. (To be continued......)