After all the cabins on both sides were seated, Rear Admiral Enrique took the lead in speaking:

"A few gentlemen of the Ming Dynasty, we in Portugal originally did not want to offend the Celestial Empire.

But the truth is that we have captured Mangara by mistake, and it is now a Portuguese possession in the East.

As the new master of Manraka, in order to prevent the Ming from making a big deal about it, we proposed negotiations to discuss its related issues together. ”

Li Changhe snorted coldly and said:

"Since the founding of the country a hundred years ago, Manraka has been a vassal of my Ming Dynasty.

Now you have usurped it for no reason, and have driven out the king's ministers, and have burned and plundered it.

As the upper kingdom of the Celestial Empire, shouldn't I, the Ming Dynasty, send troops to recover it? ”

Eduardo is embarrassed:

"But Your Excellency, we Portuguese have been ruling in Manchuria for a long time, and the natives are willing to support us, can't we be its new masters?"

He did advocate peace, but he did not think of spitting out the meat he had eaten in his stomach again.

Li Changhe said with a firm expression:

"I repeat, Manraka is a vassal of the Ming Dynasty.

You have brazenly invaded Manraka and stolen it without permission, and the so-called rule will never be recognized by my Ming Dynasty. ”

Enrique said helplessly:

"Your Excellency, please don't be so angry, we are negotiating with absolute sincerity.

As things stand, it is an indisputable fact that we in Portugal have Mangara.

If the Ming Dynasty is angry because of this illegality, we are willing to send an envoy to pay tribute to the Ming Dynasty to obtain ownership as its new owner.

In the name of the entire Kingdom of Portugal, as a vassal of the Ming Dynasty, it is called Chennagong every year. ”

Li Changhe suddenly hesitated.

Before he came, Jiang Ning hadn't mentioned this possibility to him.

"Sir, we need to discuss it."

Li Changhe got up, pulled Gao Renshan and the others to the corner, and whispered: "Ladies and gentlemen, what do you think? ”

The right senator of the political envoy Hua first spoke:

"Master Li, in my opinion, if this condition is the case, it is not impossible to talk about it.

Manraka is a tribute, and Francois is also a tribute, since the result is the same, why bother sending troops to fight a battle.

After all, we are not facing pirates, but the army of Fanbang. ”

Li Changhe shook his head.

He once heard Jiang Ning mention that for Manraka, it was not at all a question of whether a vassal was a vassal or not, and whether to pay tribute or not.

The most important thing is to gain absolute control of the Manraka Strait.

It is related to the lifeblood of the Ming Dynasty!

After a few people muttered for a long time, they couldn't come up with a reason, and Li Changhe finally said to Enrique:

"Sir, this is a big matter, and it is not for us to decide.

Now that my Governor Jiang is waiting in Pearl Bay, Xiamen, I hope that your Colonel Ricardo will personally come forward and sit down to talk together. ”

Enrique and Eduardo looked at each other and hesitated:

"Your Excellency, Colonel Ricardo is the commander of our fleet, our soul, and if something happens to him, we can't afford it."

Li Changhe smiled slightly and said, "You don't have to worry about this, a few of us are willing to stay here until the end of the negotiations." ”

The meaning is obvious, that is, hostage.

Eduardo hurriedly said:

"It's a lot of sincerity. To tell the truth, Colonel Ricardo was on the big ship behind, and I think he must have been happy to meet with the governor of the Celestial Empire. ”

An hour later.

Pearl Bay.

Jiang Ning and Ricardo sat opposite each other, and Zhen Quan acted as a temporary interpreter.

"Your Excellency, we have captured Mangara and many of our soldiers have died, and now it belongs to our Portuguese, and we cannot give it up under any circumstances.

Moreover, although Portugal is not stronger than the Ming Dynasty, it also has a place in the world.

Compared with Manraka, the ministers who want to come to Portugal can be called more majestic. ”

Ricardo looked at the young man in front of him with some surprise.

He didn't expect that the legendary governor Jiang Ning would be so young and already the top of a huge empire.

And he was over forty years old, but he was still only a naval colonel.

If he hadn't followed Almeida firmly, he wouldn't have been able to command a complete fleet this time.

Jiang Ning said expressionlessly:

"Your Excellency, there are many vassal states of my Great Ming Dynasty, if we recognize your ownership of Manraka this time, then how should other feudal states view my Great Ming.

How can I maintain the prestige of the Heavenly Empire.

We won't do something big because of a small loss.

What's more, you also said that the Franc machine is not as good as the Ming Dynasty.

In fact, in my eyes, there is no difference between you and Manraka.

Therefore, all the preconditions for the negotiations are that you withdraw from Manchuria and let it be restored.

Of course, in order to show the sincerity of our friendship with the Franc Machine, we are willing to set up the Franc Aircraft Commercial Division in some ports.

It is responsible for the trade between the two countries, and will also ensure the rights and interests of your merchants in Daming.

This is already an extremely lucrative condition.

Your Excellency should have been born into an aristocratic family, and you know best how attractive the goods of the Ming Dynasty are to you. ”

"Then may I ask if Daming will only do business with one of our Western countries?"

Jiang Ning smiled: "Your Excellency, what do you say?" ”

Ricardo shrugged:

"I'm sorry, Lord Governor, but it looks like we don't have to talk about it today.

Hopefully, the next negotiation will have a good outcome. ”

Negotiations are over.

Apparently unhappy.

Jiang Ning looked at the back of Ricardo leaving, and sneered in his heart.

He never wanted to make Francois bow down at the negotiating table.

To do this, there is only war, a crushing war!

After returning to Fuzhou, Jiang Ning quickly wrote a letter and sent it to Zhu Houzhao in the capital as soon as possible.

Subsequently, he ordered all the shipyards and ordnance supervisors to make all efforts to manufacture battleship artillery, and transferred all the naval divisions to Fujian.

This can be said to consume the last bit of military spending.

The fiscal crisis is at its worst.

But under Jiang Ning's gritted teeth, everything was still going on in an orderly manner.

Because only by winning this battle, solving the Franco, and controlling the Manraka Strait, will gold and silver continue to flow into the Ming Dynasty.

This is a war of breaking and standing!

And Ricardo knew there was nothing to talk about.

Therefore, after returning home, he immediately asked the Indian governor Almeida to send a fleet and soldiers to support Manraka and prepare to repel the Ming army in a battle.

So that you can really sit down and have a good talk.

After several more pretentious negotiations, Jiang Ning finally received Zhu Hou's order to send troops according to the resolution, and immediately warned Ricardo for the last time to withdraw from Manchuria.

"Your Excellency, I'm sorry that I can't make such a failed decision for my country."

Jiang Ning and Ricardo looked deeply at each other and left.

They all know that war is coming.

In the first year of Ming Zhengde, on the night of July 20.

Jiang Ning stood at the dock of Fuzhou, looked at the ironclad ship that was sailing brazenly, and showed a pleased smile.

This is the ironclad ship built by Daming with all his might.

The first and currently the only one in the world.

Just being parked there is enough to make people shudder.

Not to mention the two hundred icy guns it was loaded.

However, due to temporary technical and financial reasons, it was not completely covered with armor, but only installed thick iron sheets in key places.

But Rao is like this, and he still has an incomparably amazing defensive power.

It also has a very loud name, that is, "Da Ming"!

After admiring it for a while, Jiang Ning led people onto the deck.

This battle is very important, and he naturally has to take charge of it himself.

Half an hour later, the sailor was finished.

All the ships are moving south quickly, and the front of the troops is directed at Manraka!

As the morning light gradually rose, Jiang Ning walked out of the cabin, facing the gentle sea breeze, and closed his eyes comfortably.

This battle will become a nightmare for Franco.

"Honey."

Suddenly, a crisp call sounded behind him.

"Diana, why don't you rest a little longer? It's up to you to behave later. ”

Jiang Ning turned around, looked at Diana in armor, and said with a smile.

Because of the particularity of Diana's identity, she is familiar with the tactics of the Franco Navy, so this time she will assist Li Changhe in commanding on the front line.

And she came, and He Yuyao also accompanied Jiang Ning.

It's just that she's sleeping soundly in the cabin.

"I can't sleep, I'm so excited.

It's been a long time since I've been involved in a decent naval battle. ”

Diana approached, stared at Jiang Ning and said, "My dear, you look so confident, don't you worry about failure at all?" ”

Jiang Ning smiled slightly: "When the arrow is ready to be fired and has to be fired, what we can do is to think about how to make it shoot the enemy, instead of shooting an arrow and running for its life." ”

After a pause, he stared at Diana's bright and beautiful eyes, and said, "It's you, because of me, will it be difficult for you to face your homeland?" ”

Diana hugged Jiang Ning and said with a smile: "My dear, I only know how to marry a chicken with a chicken, and marry a dog with a dog." ”

Jiang Ning listened, and without hesitation, she gently picked up her fair and delicate pretty face, lowered her head, and kissed the pink and thin lip flap.

At this time, the seagulls flew by, the red sun shone on the sparkling sea, and everything seemed so quiet and beautiful.