PS: The second update arrives, asking for subscriptions, monthly passes and recommended tickets!

"Do the Chinese want the Azores? No, the Azores cannot be given to them. China is too far away from Europe, and if they had the Azores, they would be able to deploy troops, especially navies, there, and thus pose a threat to Europe. Queen Maria II directly refused. Although, the Azores are in the hands of the Kingdom of Portugal and are not an important place, but they cannot be given to the Chinese.

The Azores are about 1,450 kilometers from the coast of Portugal, more than 1,600 kilometers from Europe and more than 3,200 kilometers from North America. It is 770 km to the southeast from Madeira and about 1,200 km to the east from Cabo da Roca, Portugal. Now the Azores have become an important supply point on the Atlantic route. In the event of a storm at sea, it will become a refuge for the fleet. Although this archipelago is nothing to the Kingdom of Portugal, it is completely an overseas wasteland. But if it is mastered by the Chinese, the Chinese Empire will be able to lay a nail in the center of the Atlantic. This is unacceptable for the entire Western world.

"This is the ambition of the Chinese, they are simply here for the Azores. I have reason to believe that this qiē is a trap set by the Chinese to seize the Azores. Maria, we can't promise the Chinese, we want to expose the Chinese's conspiracy so that the whole of Europe can see their despicable face! Fernando II said excitedly, as if he had found a powerful weapon to fight back against the Chinese Empire.

"But, Your Majesty. If we do not agree to the Chinese's conditions, the Chinese will take force against the Kingdom of Portugal. We are running out of time, before the sun rises tomorrow morning. If we can't give the Chinese a satisfactory answer, war will break out! Prime Minister Count Tommar reminded. In his opinion, the Azores, although strategically important, are simply a chicken rib for the Kingdom of Portugal. The present Kingdom of Portugal will never be restored to its former glory. Even if you master the Azores, it will be useless. It is better to hand over the Azores to the Chinese. Let the Chinese and the British fight. Most importantly, Portugal can also take the opportunity to get out of the current crisis. After all, this time it was the Portuguese who took the initiative to give the Chinese Empire a handle.

Queen Maria II hesitated. The cession of the Azores to the Chinese Empire would certainly save the Kingdom of Portugal from a war, but it would certainly anger the British. There is no support from the British. Portugal's status will plummet. But. Count Tommar was also right, if the Chinese could not be satisfied, war was just around the corner. With the strength of the Kingdom of Portugal, it was simply impossible to withstand the attack of the Chinese. Even the British did not necessarily dare to support the Kingdom of Portugal in the open. After all, the Kingdom of Portugal attacked the Chinese Emperor this time, giving the Chinese Empire an excellent excuse.

"Let's inform Britain of this as it is. Seek their Jianyì. If the British sit idly by, then we will have to compromise with the Chinese Empire! Queen Maria II said. For a small country like Portugal. It was undoubtedly best to kick the ball to England and let Britain decide. In this case, Portugal can also get out of the way. Neither Britain nor the Chinese Empire could offend Portugal. This may be the helplessness and sorrow of a small country!

"Okay, Your Majesty. However, we may have to beg the Chinese to give us a little more time. Count Tommar said.

Subsequently, the Portuguese Foreign Minister da Silva once again boarded the battleship 'King Wen' and asked the Chinese Empire for a little more time. After thinking about it, the Chinese side generously gave the Portuguese an extra day. Long Yufei knew that it was the Portuguese who were asking for the opinion of the British. However, this time the Chinese Empire was in charge, and it was not afraid that the Portuguese would dare to refuse. In that case, it may really be possible to cooperate with the Kingdom of Spain and send troops to destroy Portugal. At that time, the Azores will still belong to the Chinese Empire.

In London, England, the cabinet headed by the Earl of Stanley has been stabilized. Because of the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Sino-British Burma Conflict, and the Chinese Empire's commitment not to attack India, the British reluctantly accepted the fact that they had suffered a crushing defeat in Burma. In addition, those captured officers and soldiers were also ransomed, and the people's support for Stanley's cabinet increased a lot. Earl Stanley could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

However, the visit of the Chinese emperor to Europe was a major event for the entire Western world. Although, the countries visited by the Chinese emperor were the Kingdom of Spain and France. But the Earl of Stanley had been hesitant to invite the Chinese emperor to visit Britain, which would also effectively ease tensions between the two countries. Although there will be a war between Britain and the Chinese Empire in the future, at this stage, peace is very beneficial for both countries. It's just that before Earl Stanley's mention was put into action, trouble came again.

On the morning of October 27, the British Foreign Office received news from Portugal that the Portuguese capital, Lisbon, had been attacked by a Chinese fleet and that the Kingdom of Portugal needed help from the British. The Earl of Granville, the Foreign Secretary, immediately rushed to the Prime Minister's House to report the situation to the Prime Minister, Earl Stanley.

The Chinese fleet actually attacked Lisbon, which shocked Stanley. Portugal was a traditional ally of Great Britain and a pawn used by Britain to contain the Kingdom of Spain. If Portugal were to be attacked, it would be a big deal for Britain, and Britain would have to come to the rescue of Portugal from any point of view. The Earl of Stanley immediately summoned the War Chancellor, Henry. William. Marquis Peggott and Lord of the Admiralty Charles. Sir Adam came to counsel on what to do. It's just that before they could discuss a countermeasure, the latest news came.

"Oh God! The Portuguese fleet provoked and attacked the Chinese fleet, and the Chinese Emperor Xià was on the battleship. The Chinese believe that this is the Portuguese fleet that wants to assassinate the Chinese emperor, so they do not spare it! The Earl of Granville, the Foreign Secretary, said speechlessly.

"What the hell are the Portuguese trying to do? Did they really get kicked in the head by a donkey? "British Admiralty Chancellor Charles. Sir Adam said dissatisfied. He believed that the Portuguese were simply pulling the British Empire into the water.

Later in the evening, the conditions put forward by the Chinese Empire against Portugal were also sent to the hands of the British Prime Minister, Earl Stanley. This once again gave the British Cabinet a different view of the incident.

"This may be a conspiracy of the Chinese, but this is the Portuguese themselves! The Chinese want to find a foothold in the Atlantic, and they have their eyes on the Azores. We must not allow the Chinese conspiracy to succeed, otherwise it will be a huge threat to the British Empire! "Lord of the Admiralty, Charles. Sir Adam said.

But what do we do? The Portuguese simply could not resist the pressure of the Chinese, and it was only a matter of time before they succumbed. Unless we are now like the Chinese going to war. Said the Earl of Granville, the Foreign Secretary.

"If we go to war against the Chinese now, can we defeat them?" Or in other words, to wipe out this Chinese fleet that arrived in Europe! Earl Stanley asked suddenly.

Secretary of the Navy Charles. Sir Adam was a little surprised, but replied, "Your Excellency, if you gather the full strength of the British Navy, it should be possible." However, our losses will also be significant. Once the main forces of the Chinese navy rush to Europe, we will not have enough strength to meet them. ”

"Well, I'm just asking!" Earl Stanley said.

However, all of you here are old and sophisticated guys. If the British Navy had the strength to take out the Chinese fleet, perhaps Earl Stanley would really take a risk. After all, the threat of the Chinese Empire to Britain was too great, and if the Chinese Emperor were to be eliminated, it would be a huge blow to the Chinese Empire.

"So, Your Excellency, how shall we reply to the Portuguese?" The Earl of Granville, the Foreign Secretary, asked.

"This is a matter between the Kingdom of Portugal and the Chinese Empire, and it has nothing to do with us. However, tell the Portuguese that we do not want the Chinese to have a base in the Atlantic! Earl Stanley said.

The Earl of Granville nodded, however, he thought that the Portuguese would most likely have yielded to the pressure of the Chinese Empire in the absence of substantial help from the British.

The next day, the news that the Chinese emperor's fleet on a trip to Europe had been attacked by the Portuguese navy had spread throughout Europe. Major newspapers rushed to report on the incident. Because of the lack of information, the editors-in-chief of the newspaper could only use their imagination to the fullest. However, the vast majority of the newspapers condemned this behavior of the Kingdom of Portugal and believed that it was looking for death. Even Britain was no match for the Chinese Empire, so how could Portugal be able to defeat the Chinese Empire?

There were also some newspapers that believed that if the Chinese Empire invaded Portugal, it would be a challenge to the whole of Europe, which had come together to deal with the Chinese Empire.

France and Spain, which invited the Chinese emperor to visit the country, also expressed their positions one after another. The Kingdom of Spain, in particular, smells of gunpowder. Queen Isabella II of Spain said that the Chinese emperor was a guest of the Kingdom of Spain, but was attacked by the Portuguese, and if the Chinese emperor was willing, the Kingdom of Spain would send 200,000 troops to assist the Chinese Empire in destroying Portugal! (To be continued......)