In order to control the bridgehead of Europe, Huamei has been semi-openly biased and supportive of the Portuguese economy and military for almost fifteen years.

With a large amount of overseas investment, the Gold Coast of Portuguese West Africa, Brazil, East Africa, and India have become the second largest raw material supply areas in China and the United States after Europe, and the fleet of rare wood, rubber, cotton, jaber, ore, coffee, and gold is constantly imported into Huamei; In Portugal, Lisbon has become one of the four major European wholesale markets for Chinese goods (the other three are London, England, Amsterdam, and Seville, Spain), of which cloth, kerosene, sea salt, refined sugar, and medicines account for 50% of the total imports to Europe; In the Far East, Macao has become the vest of Huamei to connect with the Ming Dynasty, and it is also the main financial port for Huamei to use silver to obtain Oriental gold, and about 400,000 US dollars worth of Japanese or Daming gold flows into Huamei from Macao every year. Huamei has become the largest trading partner of Portugal's overseas colonies, and in terms of material flow alone, Portugal itself is beyond the reach of Lisbon.

Under the influence of butterfly wings, Portugal, far from the center of European warfare and regaining economic prosperity, also migrated several times more strongly to its core overseas colonies than at the same time in history. Portuguese immigrants from San Salvador in Brazil exceeded 10,000 earlier, and Portuguese immigrants from colonies such as Sofala and Mozambique in East Africa, Goa and Calicut in India, and Malacca and Macau in the East also increased by more than 50 percent on average.

With Butterfly Island as a strategic support point, the Huamei Caribbean Fleet has taken great care of the routes from South America to Europe and North America. In the Far East, the Chinese American Asian Fleet was staring wide-eyed all day long, alert to any troublemakers who might disrupt Portuguese shipping in the Far East. It's a little trivial, and the Portuguese governor of Malacca or Macau will find Pearl Island to be cute and cute, and he is not disappointed every time. Even the Kingdom of Spain, the "parent" of Portugal, may not have done more than Huamei.

The "affection" tied to Portuguese interests has come to this point, and anyone will think a little about the feelings of beauty before the brain impulses.

Unfortunately, the Netherlands is still the only country in history to expand overseas with its emerging maritime power ahead of the whole of Western Europe. As one of the largest beneficiaries of the Thirty Years' War in Europe. The Netherlands, even in the most critical second phase, skillfully escaped from hatred using their own powerful financial bait. In addition, due to the entry of the Kingdom of Sweden in the third stage, the Netherlands and Spain reached a temporary armistice, and from then on, they profited more from watching the drama and breaking the divide, and set off another all-out war in Europe without gunpowder smoke and winners-tulip bubbles.

According to the original history, the Dutch West India Company should have launched two raids against Brazil as early as 1624 and 1630, and finally annexed Brazil in 1637. However, under the layout of the Chinese and American Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Portugal's strategic defense forces in the Brazilian colonies were fully upgraded by several notches, and the wheels of history stepped on the brakes at that time, as if nothing would happen again.

But this does not seem to have stopped the desire for expansion that history has given to the Netherlands. Just after Su Zining's negligence of "I seem to have forgotten something, but I can't remember it for a while", the Netherlands, who had been thinking about it for many years, still took advantage of the opportunity when Huamei, Spain and Portugal were fighting against England with the adventurous spirit of "making a move when it was time to strike" and with an attitude of daring to defy the world's condemnation.

In July 1635, while the Spanish-Portuguese alliance was fighting against England, the Dutch West India Company set out from the Dutch Guiana colony. The lightning-fast occupation of Aruba and Curaçao, north of the Gulf of Maracaibo in South America, continued to encroach on Spain's nominal overseas territories; In August, it "took over" the Caribbean islands of Saba and Sint Eustatius, which England financed for its military expenses. In the name of the Crown, the two islands were sold to the Dutch West India Company, and the two small islands were occupied by the English only a few years ago.

This kind of overseas expansion seems to be recovering the "existing trajectory of history", which makes Huami, who is jointly launching the "Irish Intervention War" with Spain and Portugal, unhappy. There's no way to really deal with these little troubles. With the exception of issuing a "solemn statement" to defend the position of the US-Spain-Portugal alliance, the US-China Congress has no intention of tearing up its face with the Netherlands at this time. And the Kingdom of Spain, which is about to gain huge political and economic and diplomatic benefits in Europe, is also a little indifferent to these small Caribbean islands that they have long been unable to look at.

Perhaps the solemn statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China and the United States does not have the meaning of "do not say anything unpredictable". At the end of October 1635, the Dutch West India Company recruited more than 70 large and small warships or armed merchant ships, more than 4,000 sailors, and an equal number of mercenaries to attack Olinda, north of Recife, the capital of the Pernambuco region of Brazil.

Unlike in history, when the Dutch attack was blocked by the joint efforts of Spain and Portugal and failed, due to the absence of the main force of the Spanish navy, the local Portuguese navy was even more crooked, and few of them were combat-effective, and the Dutch fleet easily escorted the army ashore this time.

In early November, thousands of Dutch mercenaries stormed Olinda, which was garrisoned only by a few hundred Portuguese soldiers, and the fire caused by fighting and looting burned for three days, destroying countless sugar farms, plantations, monasteries, and residential houses, and destroying the economic powerhouse of the northeastern part of the nearly century-old Brazilian colony.

The Portuguese and Brazilian colonial governments, which had been taken by surprise, quickly gathered forces to organize a defense in Recife at the expense of Olinda, allowing the Dutch to take advantage of the victory and make their attempt to attack Recife south. The Portuguese colonial army, which was slightly stronger than the Dutch mercenaries in terms of artillery, confronted the former along a small river between Recife and Olinda. It was only at sea that the fleet of the Dutch West India Company blocked the port of Recife, and a merchant ship of the Sino-American COSCO International Trade Group could only leave behind a large pile of cargo that had not yet had time to be loaded onto the ship. Unfortunately, Ren Changle and other traders lost contact with a Chinese United Commercial House in Port Recife.

The Dutch, or rather the Dutch West India Company, which owned the state's shares, launched a sudden attack on Portugal's South American colonies, which made the Chinese Congress and the government dare not believe this information for a while.

The Chinese Congress, which was still ridiculing the English on both sides of the war before, had to face this kind of military investment in the north and south because of the indigenous rebellion led by the governor of Nanshan. At a critical moment when it is finally possible to recoup the investment of history, few people will tolerate another Dutch provocation against the core interests of China and the United States.

……

The emergency cabinet meeting lasted two days, and the central issue was how to deal with the sudden invasion of South America by the Netherlands.

After the fragmented information is reorganized. Finally, with the benefit of hindsight, the urgent message sent by the merchant crew of COSCO International Trading Group, who had fled to the Chinese American consulate in San Salvador, was verified. For a time, the two departments, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of National Defense, which have intelligence gathering channels, were under great pressure.

"Is the Netherlands determined to take advantage of the fire to rob it?" Zheng Quan threw down the text in his hand and pointed to the map angrily, "The main forces of the Navy's home fleet and the Caribbean fleet have all been transferred to Europe, the main force of the Foreign Legion Bison Brigade is in the Azores, the Brown Bear Brigade is very scattered, and South Africa has occupied another army reinforcement brigade ......."

"We have sent serious representations to the Dutch diplomats in Manchester City and the Azores, but it seems that even they have not figured out the situation, and the Dutch West India Company has done a very thorough job of preparing this time." Su Zining shook his head helplessly, deeply entangled in the historical temperament of the Netherlands that had been exposed again. "Probably they thought our protests were just gestures."

In the early 17th century, when the legal relations of modern international diplomacy were still in a period of ignorance and exploration, it seemed that it was not easy to get a group of European lunatics who only saw immediate interests to think about more international relations issues. In the fourth phase of the Thirty Years' War, an armed Dutch merchant fleet in the North Sea also attacked the merchant ships of the Allied French countries, causing King Louis XIII of France to be furious and helpless.

Perhaps, with the exception of French Prime Minister Richelieu in this era, the "international advanced order" that Huamei has worked hard to create will not be able to synchronize the minds of European politicians for a while. Launching a war in such a light way is somewhat similar to the current Thirty Years' War in Europe, which is fighting to the death and alive, and in comparison, the gorgeous "doing things according to the rules and keeping order" is particularly unusual.

"The naval war against England must not be stopped. Otherwise, it will be all lost. Qi Jianjun rubbed his brows, looking very tired, "In order for Spain and Portugal to continue to persevere, now we must respond as soon as possible." Even if it can't stop the land offensive of the Dutch for the time being! ”

After speaking, the eyes of everyone in the conference room were towards Admiral Wang Tiehammer, the commander of the navy, who had not spoken, and Wang Tiehammer was frowning deeply at this time. Fingers kept tapping on the tabletop.

"Our Atlantic checkers are not perfect enough, and between Butterfly Island and the port of Nanshan, there is a lack of a permanent stronghold that can control the coast of Brazil. If departing from the Butterfly Island Naval Base in the Caribbean. The port of Recife is more than 2,200 nautical miles. Wang Tiehammer raised his head and said slowly to the map, "The navy has a limited budget, and the Green Island (St. Helena) naval base has not yet been built. Even if it were built, it would be at least 1,800 nautical miles from there to Recife, Brazil. Combined, there is a 4,000-nautical-mile flight gap in between. There is nothing wrong with patrolling and alerting pirates in peacetime, but it is not possible to carry out large-scale naval operations. ”

"Woe and blessing rest...... Brother Wang, no matter how the Dutch problem is solved in the end, maybe it is a good opportunity for us to get a new chess point. ”

Su Zining suddenly said coldly, and then walked to the big map, and people's eyes changed direction again. On the map, a new coordinate point was circled by Su Zining, but on the map at this scale, nothing could be seen there.

"Fernando. Denoronia? Except for Admiral Wang Tiezhu, who had been drilling the camp charts all day, almost all the cabinet ministers showed curious expressions.

……

Wednesday, November 13, 1635.

About 20 nautical miles east of Haixiang Township on Haizhou's Vineyard Island, two all-steam-powered light cruisers of the Chinese and US Navy, "Alfalfa" and "Tequila," painted in brand-new black and white camouflage, are undergoing regular naval combat training.

The chimney was spitting faint black smoke, the simple and smooth light cruiser no longer had any dragging masts or sails, the three twin 90-mm new Wisworth naval guns were majestic, and the large rangefinder with a ranging baseline of more than three meters slowly rotated at the top of the bridge to change angles, simulating operations again and again.

Aboard the Alfalfa, Acting Captain Elson, is carefully comparing charts. Although this area is already the most familiar "back garden on the sea" of the Chinese and American Navy, and the climate and hydrology have long been memorized, Eielson still meticulously does what a captain should do.

"Sir. A message from the Tequila! The Chinese lieutenant, who served as the first officer, walked over and handed over a piece of paper.

Looking out the starboard window at the Tequila, which was only a nautical mile away, Elson knew that the cheerful and eccentric brother was playing a prank again, and smiled and took the telegram, and there were only three words on it: "Luck, hope, confidence." ”

As a herbaceous plant, alfalfa is most beautiful than its leaves, with three heart-shaped small leaves growing symmetrically and symmetrically, with a natural well-proportioned beauty. Because there is a 1 in 100,000 chance of finding a four-leaf variety, alfalfa is sometimes referred to as the lucky four-leaf clover.

This blessing from the four-leaf clover is only missing "love". This made Elson suddenly smile wryly. This is his younger brother Baker reminding himself that he has not dated a woman until now, on the other hand, Baker has already married a Portuguese girl who moved from the American Concession in the Azores last year.

In fact, Aierson has long had his favorite object, that is, Miss Lu Mei, the granddaughter of the country's supreme judge Zhong Jinshan and Tang Hanna's sister.

Elson had been in contact with Lu Mei ten years earlier, when he met his sister Ingrid. Because Miss Lu Mei and Ingrid were classmates at the beginning, they accompanied Ingrid to the hospital, intending to visit Yan's injured father, Andrew. Fearing that the minor would see the horror of the injured, the brothers Elson and Baker blocked the hospital on the grounds that their father could not be disturbed.

Later, as Zhong Jinshan's eldest granddaughter Tang Hanna also joined the navy, Eielson had more time to communicate with Tang Hannah and Lu Mei. Although they have a good impression of each other, they have always been in the polite stage of "gentlemen's friendship is as light as water".

Even though his father was already a high-ranking naval officer in the country, Elson was still well aware of the huge gap between his family and Lu Mei's family. According to his father, Andrew, Mr. Chung, the Supreme Judge, was a "national nobleman". And his own family is just an ordinary person, this kind of social identity barrier is recognized even in Europe, at least until now, no one has broken it.

I thought of the only time that Hannah and Ingrid led the gathering at the Mermaid Bar on last year's "Double 11" Youth Day. Elson secretly sighed if he had been wishful thinking for too long.

"Sir? Need a reply? The Chinese first mate didn't understand the true meaning of this message, but seeing that the acting captain had fallen into a state of distraction, he could only remind him softly on the side.

"Call back to Captain Baker: Perfect things take time." Elson thought for a moment. He replied with a smile.

In a short time, the two light cruisers arrived at the predetermined training area, and the alluvial island headland deep into the sea in the southeast of the Cape Cod Peninsula in Haizhou and the lighthouse on it were already visible. There is a large windproof oil lamp and reflector installed in the lighthouse, and there is an oil tank with an astonishing capacity, which can be filled with poor lamp oil at a time, and can burn for more than half a month, and is one of the most important beacons on the waterway from Long Island Bay around the Cape Cod Peninsula to the east coast of Haizhou.

Bypassing this headland lighthouse, not far away is a naval training ground for land artillery.

"Send a signal, slow down the formation to 5 knots, adjust the course to 70 degrees." Elson put down the binoculars and gave an order to the first mate behind him, but then quickly added, "This time no telegram will be sent, and a signal flag will be used." Pay attention to flag contact. ”

A few minutes later, the two light cruisers began to turn northeast, preparing to circumnavigate the headland, but at this moment, another telegram was sent from the naval command in the capital, Manchester City, to the Alfalfa.

"The order is as follows: the Alfalfa and Tequila are to be put into combat readiness immediately and to assemble at the Twin Ports Naval Base on Butterfly Island within five days. King Iron Hammer. ”

After reading the order personally signed by Admiral Wang Tiehammer, the Chinese first mate showed a trace of apprehension, because it was also the first time he went to sea for training as the first officer of the main battleship, and the only time he entered a state of combat readiness during the training was a few years ago when he was a trainee officer in Bermuda.

"Now immediately change the course, about 1,500 nautical miles...... How much coal is still in storage? Elson quickly walked to the chart and gestured for less than a minute, calculating the distance between the current training formation and the Twin Ports City of Butterfly Island.

"It wasn't fully loaded when we departed from Long Island Naval Base, but it was basically a low-speed cruise for the past two days, and there were probably 180 tons of coal in stock, no problem!" The first mate's answer was very simple, these coals were enough to reach Butterfly Island in seven days at a standard cruising speed of 10 knots. If you do a few more accelerated cruises along the way, you can theoretically do it in less than five days.

"Send a letter to the Tequila, receive the order of the Navy Command, the formation will end its training, enter the state of third-level combat readiness, and sail to the Butterfly Island Twin Ports Naval Base at a speed of 12 knots!"

When the deck bell rang for combat readiness, most of the officers and men of the Alfalfa, who had only been on the ship for a few months, were stunned, but under the urging of the second-officer gunnery and other junior officers, the officers and men on duty were quickly put into place. The officers and men who were in charge of the next shift consciously returned to the cabin to rest.

The two light cruisers drew a huge arc on the surface of the sea and headed south. But the two acting captains and brothers, they don't know what caused the admiral of the Navy Command to actually transfer two new recruits who are still in the training stage to participate in an emergency combat readiness gathering.

……

In order to extract more revenue from the British, the "European Fleet" formed by drawing troops from the Atlantic Home Fleet and the Caribbean Fleet has already occupied most of the elite troops and more than half of the combat strength of the Chinese and US navies in the Atlantic. In order to respond to the Dutch West India Company's military operations in Brazil in a timely and effective manner, the Chinese and American navies must be under-manned.

Although the fleet of the expedition to Europe had destroyed the poor naval force of England two months earlier, it would be a fool's dream to let the main force of the European fleet rush to Brazil in South America to support it. Regardless of whether it is in time or not, it will continue to fight in Europe for several months. The vast majority of ships participating in the war have reached a critical point where they must be overhauled and maintained.

After a night of weighing, the Navy Command finally gave the answer to the Ministry of Defense and the Cabinet, and at present it was only possible to complete the operation to deter the Dutch West India Company from invading Brazil by redeploying troops from the Home Fleet, the Caribbean Fleet, and the South African Fleet in the Indian Ocean.

the Alfalfa and Tequila of the Home Fleet; USS Constitution of the Caribbean Fleet; HMS Lapis Lazuli, HMS Tulip, USS Cornflower of the South African fleet. A total of 4 light cruisers and 2 frigates were drawn. The "Southern Fleet" was formed, but even then it was less than a tenth of the strength of the Brazilian invasion fleet of the Dutch West India Company.

The commander of the Southern Fleet was the commander of the Caribbean Fleet, Colonel Wentuo, and the light cruiser USS Constitution served as the flagship. And so it goes. The South African fleet in the gorgeous Indian Ocean, which felt that it was "in a bad mood" because it could not participate in the European fleet, was instantly reduced to only one Bloodstone.

According to the plan of action agreed between Wang Tiezhu and Zheng Quan, the Lapis Lazuli, Tulip and Cornflower departing from Nanshan Port will go directly to Fernando. The waters of the Denoronia archipelago. Preserve as much as possible that crucial strategic point of the Brazil route. If the island has been lost, seek an opportunity to capture it as an outpost. The follow-up ships of the Southern Fleet will also complete the final assembly at the Butterfly Island Naval Base in half a month, and then go to Fernando together. Denoronia Island and the Lapis Lazuli, Tulip, and Cornflower completed the rendezvous.

In order to prevent a possible land operation, the Army Command had to redeploy troops from home again, and a Wehrmacht combat battalion headed south on the last Gray Whale-class transport, thus disintegrating the land strategic reserve prepared for the Irish war.

In those days, even if the Dutch government accepted the ultimatum of the Chinese and American governments, the fleet of the Dutch West India Company going to Brazil in South America would not immediately receive instructions from home, and it was another matter whether they listened or not. So in this case, a confrontation at sea or a warning is not enough to avoid war. There are even people who have even advocated that if the Dutch West India Company does not end its military operations, it will directly expand the war and solve the Dutch 17th-century sea-stirring stick once and for all.

The Chinese Consulate in the Netherlands in Amsterdam received an urgent diplomatic notice and began to meet with representatives of the Dutch Governors' Federation, issuing stern diplomatic protests and ultimatums. As a symbolic warning, on 20 November, a Dutch West India Company merchant ship was seized at the twin ports of Butterfly Island. (To be continued......)