In 1581, King Philip II of Spain proclaimed himself king of Portugal, and the Portuguese colonial empire began to fall from its peak and collapsed.

For decades, Portugal has also suffered from successive natural disasters during the Xiaoice period, and the exploitation of co-host Spain has increased day by day. Food prices have skyrocketed, the poor population in the country has risen sharply, the local aristocracy has been drunk and dying, and peasant revolts are about to come almost every few years. Before this historical time and space came into contact with the United States, almost half of the city's population was poor at the beggar-level level.

The military power of the once glorious Kingdom of Portugal also fell to an all-time low at this time, and the Portuguese army, which had fought a bloody war with the Moors for a century, was no longer in good shape, with a lack of armaments and a shortage of soldiers. Combat-ready units were transferred to overseas colonies, and many of the Portuguese native armies were filled with boy scouts around the age of ten, which looked miserable.

Not to mention the sea power, in the last half-century, Portugal's large-scale voyages have largely stopped, and a large number of experienced sailors have either wandered overseas or have no successors. In the 20s of the 17th century, there were only more than 6,600 registered sailors in Portugal, while in the Netherlands during the same period, the total population was less than 60% of Portugal's, and the number of registered sailors reached more than 80,000!

Under the co-hosts of Spain, the Portuguese navy also suffered several crushing defeats, and today the Portuguese navy has only a few regular warships. The encroachment of Portugal's traditional sphere of influence by the emerging European maritime powers also made Portugal's monopoly route to the Far East in ruins, and hundreds of Portuguese merchant ships were scattered like scattered sand in various colonies in the Americas, Africa, and Asia, making it difficult to become an organized national maritime force.

The resurgence of Lisbon made the Duke of Bragança's popularity rise again among the ordinary Portuguese people. Nearly 10,000 tons of Chinese cereals and livestock are imported every year, so that Lisbon is basically out of famine, and there is even a small peak in population growth.

The boom in trade provided more jobs and the number of people living in poverty gradually declined. The depressed shipbuilding industry is also gradually recovering. However, the large-scale trade between the overseas colonies and the United States was still in the surplus stage, which made the alliance of the Portuguese aristocracy, which was short of funds, straighten its waist again. With Huamei's covert support, the political actions of seeking the independence of the Kingdom of Portugal became more frequent.

Fighting war blackmail against England in conjunction with Spain and Huamei, Portugal also managed to assemble a small fleet as much as possible, and the nobles of Lisbon were happily looking forward to a greater harvest. But these seemingly happy images were torn apart by the turmoil that took place in the Brazilian colonies at the end of 1635. Portugal, which had been bullied by other countries in the expansion of its overseas colonies, was once again facing an even greater crisis since 1580.

Because the Dutch, the maritime giants of Europe, had intervened, and it was clear that this was a long-planned conspiracy, to take advantage of the Fourth Anti-Habsburg Coalition, which France was about to launch with its own troops, and the main maritime forces of the three countries of China, Spain, and Portugal in the war in Ireland.

……

December 9, 1635. Sunday. Azores, Terceira, Angra de Marsígra.

In the Portuguese Governor's Palace, a half-lunch, half-diplomatic meeting was underway, attended by the outgoing Governor of the Azores, Baron Lapocon, and the diplomatic envoy of the Portuguese Noble Alliance from Lisbon, Baron Lopez, and on the Chinese side, the Consul General in the Azores, Svenbeau, and his wife Anna.

“…… God testifies that we must unite! Lord Baron Lopez. Lisbon should send a fleet and let the Dutch know how good we are! ”

Governor Labocon has the attitude of playing soy sauce, and he is talking empty words that cannot be taken accountable. For his part, his personal investments are all in Africa or India. Naturally, what happened in Brazil had little to do with him. It's just that in the capacity of a Portuguese governor, he must take a stand on this matter, otherwise the Duke of Bragança of Lisbon will be very unhappy.

"It must have been a conspiracy of the Netherlands and England, our only fleet suffered great losses in the Battle of Celtic. There is no longer the capacity to reinforce Brazil. If there is an accident in Olinda and Recife, it will be a loss that Portugal cannot afford! ”

Baron Lopez, a Portuguese aristocratic who once desperately pursued Yang Wenwen more than ten years ago, has changed from a young man to a middle-aged uncle who has made a fortune. But his sickly face is still his image signature.

And every year or two, Lopez always receives a special gift from Huamei, and the noble Mrs. Yang Wenwen has always regarded Lopez as a friend. Naturally, with every exchange of letters, Baron Lopez always used his family's power to give the other party the green light in the plantation or mine business in Brazil.

"My dear, will our fleet continue in England and Ireland? Too bad it would ruin our one qiē in Brazil! ”

Anna knew nothing about military, politics, or diplomacy, but she was very concerned about the family's economic interests in Brazil. For example, she and her husband, Svenbeau, have invested in several rubber, sugar cane or cotton plantations in Recife and San Salvador, and their annual income accounts for at least 50% of the family's income.

Quietly looking at the various expressions at the banquet, Shi Wenbo's face maintained a polite smile throughout.

"Well, the first news came from our merchant ship from the consulate in San Salvador. It is a pity that the Dutch have already captured Olinda and may have now besieged the port of Recife. Swenbo raised his glass and licked it casually, "Our government has always adhered to the position of peaceful settlement of disputes, whether it is the Dutch Governors' Federation, His Majesty King Philip of Spain, or the Honorable Duke of Bragança, we have always maintained and passed on sincere friendship as much as possible...... Of course, as you know, most members of Congress are more trusting and friendly to Spain and Portugal. ”

"My God, if we continue to be indifferent, do we want to watch the Dutch pig touch the Brazilian skirt with that dirty hand?!"

Governor Labocon seemed to forget that there was a "noble woman" present at this time, and blurted out rudely, which made Anna, who was sitting next to Svenbeau, frown, and pulled her skirt and directly withdrew from this diplomatic game between men.

The woman's exit once caused the banquet to fall into a brief silence.

"Brazil has our common interests, Your Excellency the Consul General, and that's not just a matter of Portugal's face." Baron Lopez touched his chin, puzzled by Svenbeau's calm attitude.

"For that. Our government has taken a clear position and has issued a solemn protest to Amsterdam that they must respect the investment interests of the United States of America in Brazil! Swenbo nodded earnestly, as if this kind of verbal negotiation was the best effort Hua Mei could make, "However, the fleet left behind in the Atlantic has to take care of too many routes, and the soldiers only have one chance to go ashore once a month, and if they are sent to Brazil, the whole Atlantic will become a bathtub for pirates." ”

"But what if the Dutch ignore it?" Baron Lopez looked at the Chinese diplomat and did not believe that the other party was not in a hurry at this time. "They are insatiable, they are doing this in the New World, in West Africa, in India, in the Far East, and if they are not stopped, maybe the whole world will be eaten by them!"

"You may be right, but ...... If there is a port that can be safely docked off the coast of Brazil, then our fleet can probably put more pressure on the Dutch West India Company. You should know that our nearest naval base is at least 2,200 nautical miles from Recife, Lord Baron...... We can't find supplies on the battlefield. It was even more impossible to stop the naval reinforcements of the Dutch. Swenbo showed a hint of embarrassment.

After glancing at Governor Lapocon, it dawned on Lopez that the Americans wanted to gain a foothold on the coast of Brazil!

"Every port in Brazil started ten years ago. It is free and open to your country. Lopez said warily, rejecting the public claim for land in a very tactful way.

"It was peacetime, what if it was war? Do we have to risk supplies every time to run all the way to drive the enemy away? Svenbo sneered and pushed the plate away, looking impatient. Would you send a fleet to the Far East to exterminate pirates around the island of Timor and protect Portuguese merchant ships without Macau? Moreover, what reason do we use to sue the Dutch. Do they have to respect the existence of the American Republic of China locally? ”

"I'm sorry, I can't respond to this." Lopez spread his hands and looked embarrassed, knowing that what the other party said was not false at all. The combat power of the Chinese and American navy is famous in the Caribbean, but the other side is not Portugal's free fighter, but Portugal should protect the investment interests of Huamei in Brazil, which is the agreement reached between the old Duke of Bragança and Huamei many years ago on behalf of the Portuguese noble alliance, and directly affects Huamei's various assistance to Portugal.

"You're probably mistaken, our government doesn't need a land port. As long as you can build a supply depot on a small island off the coast...... I think'Fernando. 'De Noronha' is just fine. It's so small that even on our map, it's easy to get confused with a speck of dust, and I've been worried that if you put a few cannons on it, you won't have a place to sleep. What do you say, Lord Baron? ”

"But now it's probably taken by the Dutch." Lopez is still making excuses.

"If it is the land property of the Chinese American Republic, then they are tantamount to a declaration of war!" Swainberg suddenly raised his voice and waved his usual gesture of determination, "I firmly believe that when the Dutch aim their cannons at Fernando. DeNoronha means we can treat Amsterdam the same way! A little Fernando. Denoronia Island will become a strong fortress of friendship between the Republic of China and Portugal, not only will the future trade routes be safer, but even if San Salvador is in trouble, our navy can arrive in a few days! Otherwise, there is nothing we can do. ”

"Perhaps, in the future armistice with England and the Netherlands, we can give our Portuguese friends more compensation......" At this point, Swenbeau's impassioned voice suddenly turned into a soft talk.

"Sounds tempting, Lopez-sama?" Governor Lapocon pouted and muttered, as if he also felt that this kind of trade was not a loss.

"I will convey my opinion to the Duke of Bragança, and perhaps the Spaniards in Seville will give their opinion." Lopez had no choice but to play Tai Chi.

"Well, I'll try to urge the country to send a certain military force to protect Fernando. Denoronia, but we will be cautious about the war between the Dutch and the Portuguese until we are fully sure. After Shi Wenbo finished speaking, he politely stood up and saluted, intending to return to the US concession to inform China of the progress of this diplomatic meeting.

……

Svenbo also did not expect that the vigorous and resolute actions of the naval command had exceeded his "speed of speech". In the waters near Denoronia Island, the six warships of the Huamei Southern Fleet are already in place.

A battalion of the Chinese United States Defense Army boarded Fernando. Denoronia, took over the defense of the port fortress. The merchant ships of COSCO International Trade Group, which had been temporarily requisitioned from the twin ports of Butterfly Island, had already unloaded the first batch of military supplies, and the Portuguese defenders who had been fighting bloodily for more than a month were politely told that they could take a break, eat, drink and be merry, and just stay out of the way.

As for the Irish war at this time, it had entered the second phase, and the Spanish legion that had occupied Cork City in the early stage had entered Dublin, the capital of Ireland, and was about to launch the largest land offensive since the beginning of the war. (To be continued......)