Chapter 227 [Alliance and Marriage]

The 30,000 troops sent were wiped out before they could reach the place, and the whole country of Spain was shocked.

Since the outbreak of the Wars of Religion, Spain has been caught in a dilemma. If you fight, several Protestant countries sent troops endlessly, and a lot of wealth was spent. Surrender, then they must renounce their faith and allow Protestantism to develop in Europe. Christianity is the most aggressive denomination, and as long as you believe in this, you can't believe in anything else. It's strange that Europeans have one tendon in their brains. In fact, what does it matter what you believe?

Ao Bai thinks that these people who engage in colonial aggression are very interesting, believing that God is doing things but going to hell, isn't this contradictory? It's better to believe in Lucifer, and when you go to hell after death, you can directly mess with the boss.

The Spaniards lost one after another, and they couldn't bear it anymore. Although he had not met the King of Spain, he was certain that he was a Mel Gibson-like figure with a brave heart. He dared to go to war with many countries. Back then, Cixi dared to go to war with the Eight-Nation Alliance, but it was still because of the large number of people and the big place, but Spain even had its own internal problems. This is all because Spain was too powerful in the last century, proud and complacent, and looked at no one, ignoring the rapid development of other countries.

In order to fight Spain, France formed anti-Habsburg alliances with Venice and Hungary, and Richelieu was particularly adept at forming alliances. On the other hand, France formed an anti-Catholic alliance with the German Protestant princes.

French troops in Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, and Spain simultaneously began military operations against the Habsburgs. The Swedish army, which remained in northern Germany, took the opportunity to invade central and southern Germany again, and tried to break free from French control. After the death of the king, the Swedes also sensed the ambitions of France, and they did not want France to dominate.

France had to deal with the Spanish army, which was quite combative, and had to spend a lot of energy monitoring the movements of its allies and containing the power of Sweden, so it was unable to divide its heavy forces against the German emperor. In this way, the war on German soil would turn into a long-lasting tug-of-war.

Richelieu did not want to fight a war that would consume the country's strength, so he negotiated with Aobai and hoped that the Ming would send troops. "Taifu, things have come to this point, is the Ming army still going to sit idly by? Spanish troops were distributed in the Netherlands, Germany, and Spain proper. If you want to defeat them, it is far from enough to rely on France alone, although other countries are allied, they do not send troops, they are just waiting and watching. Such a battle will not end in three or five years. ”

Ao Bai said with a smile: "If you want the Ming army to participate in the war in an all-round way, it is okay, other countries need to supply and spend money on the Ming army, and we will participate in the war as mercenaries of the anti-Habsburg alliance, which is justified, and also to prevent the future alliance from turning its face, and driving us out of Europe as soon as the battle is over, and ...... We needed to get a viable territory in Europe after the war for commercial trade. Can the Bishop guarantee this? ”

Before Richelieu could speak, Ao Bai smiled and said, "Of course you can." As long as Spain is at war, France will be a hegemon in Europe. Your policy will allow France to lead the pack in a hundred or two years, and if the people who come after you are more aggressive and start a few more wars, the expansion of the territory is just around the corner. Isn't the bishop interested in competing for hegemony with the Ming Dynasty? We have an island country in Asia called Japan, and it is reserved for you, the Netherlands, and Portugal, and when the time comes, we will occupy Japan, and you can use it as a base to trade with the Ming Dynasty, and sell European goods to the Ming Dynasty, such a long-term and great plan, what are you hesitating about? ”

What to hesitate about? I'm worried about being bitten back by you, too. I'm old, and if I die, how can I fight you with that stupid bird of Louis XIII? Richelieu also had a long-term vision, and he was not at ease with Aobai. Especially after a few victories, he felt that Ao Bai was too powerful. Just as a commander, he easily wiped out tens of thousands of Spanish troops. The Ming army is more combative, equipped with a chain of crossbows that can fire a hundred arrows in a row, if they directly participate in the battle, how powerful will they be?

Richelieu had seen the iron chain crossbows used by Ao Bai and Li Yan, which were powerful and could pierce armor, and he thought that the chain crossbows of the Ming army were all such chain crossbows, if they were used for ambushes and sneak attacks, they were not called wars at all, they were called slaughter.

But on the other hand, even if you don't believe in the Ming Dynasty, if they really want to hit Europe one day, it will be the same if they land from Portugal. Ao Bai married the daughter of the Duke of Portugal, and the relationship there was unbreakable.

Richelieu thought of marriage. Like Portugal, use marriage to have a good relationship with the Ming Dynasty. He smiled and said: "Taifu, in order to make our alliance more solid, I hope to marry Da Ming, if the princess of the royal family marries you, are you willing?" ”

The two of them knew each other's thoughts, and they smiled and said; "Your Excellency, aren't you monogamous here? I have five wives, isn't that okay? ”

Richelieu was embarrassed, thinking to himself, you pervert, do you think I want to marry you?

Ao Bai said: "Actually, there is no need to marry me." You are honored as dukes here, and our country is princes. There is a prince who is traveling with me this time, and I want to marry him as well. It's Lord Li Yan, who is with me every day. ”

"Huh? Is he the prince? Richelieu was stunned for a moment, squinted his eyes and asked, "His surname is Li, isn't the royal family of the Ming Dynasty surnamed Zhu?" ”

Ao Bai said with a smile: "Because of his too big ability, he was named the king with a different surname." In the palace, we often played with the emperor and were good friends. Your Excellency, our status in Daming is not inferior to yours. Do you think he's an ordinary person? He is my senior brother, not only proficient in tactics, but also killed the 100,000 Eight Banners Army without leaving a piece of armor, and he also killed many generals. If it were a one-on-one one-on-one, I wouldn't be his opponent. Ming Jun said that I was the strongest because he was low-key. There are many masters in Daming, like our masters, who are all indifferent to fame and fortune. ”

The two immediately made a decision and handed over the responsibility of marriage to Li Yan.

knew that Ao Bai had sold himself in the negotiations, and was ready to let him marry a foreign wife. Li Yantie's nerves were also stimulated. "It's enough for you to marry a foreigner wife without you, and now let me marry one, what's the hair?"

Ao Bai smiled: "As long as you agree, you can let Richelieu recognize Isabel as a righteous daughter, or fill in a stroke on the royal family tree." It's okay for you to marry her. She is very nice, willing to follow you, and likes you. Her appearance is beautiful. ”

Isabelle, who was rescued by Li Yan, is indeed very beautiful. Anna felt inferior to her. And she is gentle and industrious, and after seeing her more, Li Yan has become accustomed to her appearance.

Isabel listened to the translation and was surprised and delighted: "Childe, how can this work? I'm just a civilian. ”

Richelieu didn't care if Isabel was a civilian or not, as long as Ao Bai said she could do it. Isn't it easy to change her family tree? If she wants to, she will soon become a member of the royal family. Ao Bai smiled: "As long as you agree, your family will also benefit, and they can get the wealth that will take a few lifetimes." Would you like to think about it? If it was someone else to marry, I don't think he would have agreed. ”

Isabel glanced at Li Yan, and without waiting for Anna to translate, she understood the meaning, and her face turned a little red. Li Yan did not shirk it again. The only person who is not very happy is Hongyan, but this marriage is a political necessity, and she is not good at raising objections. The Ming people are not monogamous.

The winter in Europe is particularly cold, and the Ming people spent a meaningful holiday in France, Christmas. After that, the French followed suit and celebrated the New Year. The festival of the Ming Dynasty spread to Europe. The Spring Festival has a story and a story, and the French people find it very interesting. The two sides exchanged cultures.

After the festival, when the spring flowers bloom, the war continues to be fought.

Spain had garrisons everywhere, the battle lines were too long, the forces were scattered, the supplies were insufficient, and the advantage was already on the side of France. Under the command of Aobai. The French army adopted the tactics of concentrating its forces and breaking through each other, and won some victories one after another.

In June, the French and Spanish armies met at the border between France and Belgium, and this time the Spanish elite was exhausted.

Spain had wanted to raid France and fight to Paris to achieve a decisive victory. Unexpectedly, the Ming army suddenly entered the battle at this time and conducted an ambush on the Spanish rear army from the side. This sudden arrival of an army of 10,000 people played a decisive role. The Ming army first defeated the Spanish rear army, and then combined with the French army, and defeated the Western army in front and back, and the Spanish elite troops were almost completely lost in this battle. This battle laid the foundation for France's struggle for European hegemony and marked the decline of the Spanish Army.

At sea, Spain is under the combined potential of many countries, and it cannot set off wind and waves.

At this point, Spain lost the ability to fight back. At the same time, the Swedish army had penetrated deep into southern Germany. In order to stop the excessive growth of Swedish power, France hurriedly dropped its troops to the east, and went south from the Rhine River to "join forces" with the Swedish army. Fighting in Germany began to rage.

Germany was ravaged by the armies of European countries and suffered greatly. The two warring sides fought each other against each other to kill the inhabitants of Germany. A large group of thugs and a small group of remnants of the army braved, burning and killing the local residents, and frantically plundering. The peasants could not bear it anymore and fled into the mountains and forests, organized guerrilla detachments, and attacked the army on any side.

The Catholic League, having lost aid from Spain, was no longer able to fight. Exhausted, the Catholic League had no choice but to sue for peace. After many years of war, Sweden was very tired, but in order to avenge the death of the king and gain some more benefits, they did not agree to the truce. France, with the support of the Ming army, was in full swing, and had always won battles, and did not agree to an armistice. The Netherlands, Denmark, Hungary, Venice, and the Ottoman Empire also sent troops one after another and began to compete for interests, and there was a tragic situation of the invasion of the West by the Eight-Nation Alliance......

Ao Bai personally led the Ming army to fight for "Portuguese independence". The Spanish army was besieged by both land and sea, and Portugal took the opportunity to stage a coup d'état in Barcelona, and independence was imminent...

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