"Their ships don't have long oars, they don't seem to have ramming horns, and it seems that the Mediterranean is not their battlefield. Although they have cannons, our Gales ships can defeat them with numerical superiority. Of course, in the Mediterranean ......"

The young Venetian ambassador observed very carefully, and in fact he was not just an ambassador and a businessman, but also a good naval officer!

It's a Venetian soldier!

Later Venetian merchants became famous, but in the 13th century, the Venetian navy was particularly famous for their commerce. Venice's commerce and prosperity were based on the hegemony of the Western Mediterranean.

Without a strong navy, there would have been no wealthy Republic of Venice. Therefore, Venice, a merchant state, had a compulsory military service system similar to that of Prussia in later generations, and a perfect military mobilization system.

Of course, Venice has a small population, and there are only about 100,000 male citizens in the mobilization range. It can't pull a million troops, so Venice can't become Prussia, can't play the Continental Army, and can only maintain a large navy - by the way, the Venetian navy in this era can expand rapidly, because Venice has no shortage of seamen. Moreover, the main force of the Venetian navy was the galess galleys, which could be used as oarsmen by conscripted citizen soldiers with little military training.

The Venetian navy retained only a small number of sailors and elite crossbowmen in peacetime (the Venetian crossbowmen were as famous as the Genoese crossbowmen), and these peacetime soldiers were all professional soldiers who were trained and paid by the state. The combat effectiveness is more than a cut higher than that of the militias and mercenaries of other countries in Europa.

And Pietto, who was born as an aristocratic businessman. Ambassador Geddenigo was also an excellent Venetian naval officer.

Pietto. Ambassador Godenigo lowered his binoculars and asked his entourage in a low voice, "There are two Venetian citizens on that sailing ship of the Serisians?" ”

"There is only one," replied the attendant, "and one remains in the colony of the Serisians, Macau, to run a language school. ”

"Language school?"

"The Seris employ 12,000 Swiss and Black Forest mercenaries. But they encountered a language barrier and opened the school. ”

"They hired 12,000 mercenaries!?" Godenigo was stunned for a moment, and his brow furrowed even tighter, "It's not cheap! ”

This is indeed not a small amount, and it seems that no one in the European countries today can hire more than 10,000 mercenaries for a long time, right?

"It doesn't seem like much to the Seris." The retinue replied, "According to reliable information, there is also a continent rich in gold and silver between the mainland of Seris and Europe. The continent has already been conquered by the Seris, who have shipped at least 500,000 marks worth of silver from Mingzhou in the last month alone. ”

The "mark" was the currency of medieval Europe, and it was a silver cake weighing 8 ounces (almost 8 taels). 500,000 marks is 4,000,000 taels of silver! The money was allocated to the Viceroyalty of the Atlantic for the construction of the colony, the hiring of Europa soldiers, the issuance of Atlantic silver coins, and the opening of the Atlantic Bank. When the silver arrived in Macau, Leung had it stacked at the West Market Pier in Macau. For a full day of visits.

"500,000 marks......" Ambassador Godenigo licked his lips, "this Mingzhou Continent is really a fucking treasure!" ”

He paused, and then said, "Is there a way to arrange for me to meet with that Venetian citizen?" ”

"The subordinates do their best to arrange it."

Ambassador Goddenigo nodded, and suddenly asked again, "Clement. Did Doria get to Rome? ”

The attendant was stunned, "Sir, you mean Genoa's ambassador Clement. Doria? ”

At this time, Genoa was a maritime republic on a par with Venice, with a large merchant ship and fleet, and they were the overlords of the western Mediterranean. For the hegemony of the entire Mediterranean. Genoa and Venice have been at loggerheads for many years. Unlike Venice, which limited the monopoly of power by the great aristocracy, the power of the Republic of Genoa had fallen into the hands of the Doria family. The consuls of Genoa were not from the family of Doria. It's a puppet who obeys the orders of the Doria family. The consul of Genoa today is Oberto of the House of Doria. And this Clement. Doria was Oberto's most trusted nephew.

"This is Doria," Ambassador Godenigo said lightly, "I suppose he must be eager to meet me now, right?" Now it's time to settle the old feud between Genoa and Venice...... Because, now there is a big Mac in this small pool of the Mediterranean! It's so big, it's so rich. So powerful, maybe they are the masters of the sea, as long as they take the wrong step, Genoa and Venice will face destruction! So, it's time to join forces. ”

This giant is obviously the Ming Empire! Unlike the knights of the Iberian Peninsula, France, and the HRE. The commercial city-states of Venice and Genoa were almost innate in their hostility to the Ming dynasty.

Because the Ming had opened up a new shipping route that would allow them to bypass the Golden Horde and the Mamluk territory - this meant that the merchants of the Ming Empire did not have to pay a single dinar in commercial taxes to the insatiable Sultan and the Great Khan. You also don't have to pay high ground freight rates.

This is nothing short of catastrophic for Venice and Genoa, two countries that do business in this small pool in the Mediterranean!

In addition, the Ming Empire seems to have controlled the supply of silk, porcelain, and spices. And with lightning speed, a colony was built at the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea as a commodity distribution center.

In the future, if the countries of Europa want to buy silk, spices, porcelain or other oriental goods, they can go directly to Macao, and there will be no middlemen such as Venice and Genoa.

Therefore, Venice and Genoa, the two little Mediterranean overlords, now need to huddle together to keep warm and struggle together to find a way to survive.

……

"Doge, Ambassador of the State of Venice, Pieto. Godenico invited me to the Venetian embassy in Rome. ”

"Oh? Just one for you? ”

Niccolò informed Liang Chongru of the news that he had received an invitation from the Venice ambassador, and that the Ming ambassador and governor of the Atlantic had boarded the luxurious carriage that Archbishop Pontaléon had prepared.

Twenty Portuguese horsemen were in front of the carriage, and at the back of the convoy was a battalion of Swiss pikemen, all dressed in glittering steel armor and holding spears.

"Only one person was invited."

Niccolò boarded the carriage as well, and the convoy headed toward Rome amid countless curious eyes.

"Governor, the lower official is a native of Venice, and it is estimated that Ambassador Godenigo wants to know some inside information about the Ming Dynasty from the lower official."

"Oh." Liang Chongru listened to Niccolò's analysis and did not say anything. His mouth grew on Niccolò's head, and no one else could control what he had to say - unless he killed someone! But there is no need for that at the moment, the advantage of the Atlantic Fleet is obvious, and no matter how hard the natives of Europa work, they will not be able to build such a sail warship as the "New World" class in ten or eight years.

By then, the Ming Navy would definitely have more and more powerful warships. Moreover, the control over the east coast of Mingzhou will be further strengthened. According to the latest news sent from Mingzhou, the number of "New World" class sailing ships that have been put into operation on the Mingzhou-Daming mainland route has reached as many as 25. Not only is the galleon detachment of the Ming Beiyang Fleet engaged in transoceanic transportation, but now there is also a Pacific sailing company, which has also invested in the big business of transpacific shipping.

Now, at least six New World-class ships dock at Jinshan City or Silver Mountain Port every month. More than 1,500 immigrants and military families were brought with them, and a large amount of supplies was also brought with them. At the same time, three of the seven ships of the "New World" class of the Atlantic Fleet ran the Atlantic route. It brought military supplies from the Ming Dynasty, silver from Mingzhou, more Aztec soldiers, and a steady stream of horses from the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa, and grain from France to the settlements on the east coast of Mingzhou and the north shore of the Maya Sea. In order to speed up the colonization of Mingzhou.

Besides, it is difficult to say whether these indigenous countries of Europa will survive Kublai Khan's attack. Although Liang Chongru and Chen Chongguan have been working very hard to carry out the mission of "aiding Europe and resisting Mongolia" these days, the results achieved are very limited. The visible effect is only the organization of a Ming-style infantry, mainly composed of Swiss and Black Forest mercenaries.

Maybe ten years later, Kublai Khan will already be the Great Khan of Rome, Venice or something, and then it will be a fourth-class Europe, a fifth-class Europe. If you don't want to be a fourth-class European, fifth-class European, you have to honestly concentrate on resisting Mongolia with all your might!

Seeing that Liang Chongru had no objections, Niccolò considered his words and said: "Governor, the state of Venice is based on commerce, maritime trade, and oriental trade is the lifeline of Venice......

"I see," Liang Chongru nodded and said with a smile, "They can trade in Macau...... Oh, Niccolò, you go and talk to that Venetian ambassador. At present, we have opened up the Mingzhou-Europa route, and we plan to open up a route that bypasses Africa in the future. In addition, my Ming Dynasty's Nanyang Fleet may have entered the Tianzhu Ocean now, and there is no force on the Tianzhu Ocean that can confront our Ming Navy. It won't be long before trade routes bypassing Africa can also be opened. At that time, Macao would be the meeting place of trade between Ming and Europe, and the Venetian merchants would be welcome to trade. ”

Welcome the Venetian to trade in Macau? Niccolò and Cardinal Ponta Lewin, who was also sitting in the carriage, smiled bitterly at the same time.

This is cutting off people's money! No, it's not just about cutting off people's money, it's about cutting off people's lives! Not only did Venice have to be cut off, but Genoa and Pisa, the two maritime trading countries, were cut off together.

And these three Mediterranean maritime powers, plus the Mamluk navy on the side of the Celestial Sect, are basically eighty percent of the Mediterranean maritime power...... (To be continued......)