Rise of the 1630s South America

Chapter 1228 Hejian ([-])

Captain Aratrist, stationed at Fort Pedro, is sick and tired of the cowardly General Buenos Aires!

This Castilian veteran who had fought in the southern Netherlands for many years could hardly believe his eyes. General Portillo in the south actually gave him an order to stop conflicts with the people on the east coast.This seventeenth-century version of the "non-resistance order" made Captain Aratrist, who still had blood and military honor in his chest, so angry that he almost refused to execute it.However, after careful consideration, the captain found sadly that he only had more than 100 cavalry under him, and there was a shortage of food and ammunition, and he had not been paid for four months. people fighting?

Inigo de Balboa, the adopted son of Captain Alatrist, a brave musketeer, and his old partner, Luis de Alqueza, a master swordsman who had been in the mercenary army for many years, persuaded the captain not to act rashly.They are not regular soldiers of the Kingdom of Spain, they are just poor mercenaries—and they are mercenaries who have been in arrears with the army for a long time—there is really no need to fight with the seemingly well-equipped and well-trained East Coast pagans because That's not worth it.

Everyone managed to earn their lives from the Southern Netherland battlefield where there were piles of dead people. The king hadn't even settled the eight months' arrears of military pay with them, and then traveled across the ocean to the New World to try his luck. Life was so upside down. Being displaced, there is really no need to insist on some things in the past - for honor and for the king, he fought for half a lifetime, in exchange for countless painful wounds on his body, but the king still owed them a total of twelve in total with peace of mind What reason does such a person have to demand allegiance from others?Captain Alatrist, Musketeer Balboa, and Swordsman Alquisa should only live for themselves. The people on the east coast are farming and grazing in the wild, so let them go. We have killed and injured dozens of people before and after, and we have done it Your own extreme, from now on behind closed doors to live your own life.

Perhaps Colonel Kamara in Posadas City to the north was disappointed by his lack of fighting spirit, but he should understand that no one can maintain honor while hungry.What's more, the colonel himself was as peaceful as a quail under the pressure of the people on the east coast—not even the main army of the people on the east coast—so he had no reason to blame others.

"I hope God can bless Spain." There was only so much Captain Alatrist could do. Although the priest in the church did not agree with him, the captain still decided to send a peace envoy to the east coast.

……

"Mr. Luis de Alqueza? Hey, I'm still a lieutenant. I'm sorry. We should treat you as an officer, orderly, and exchange Madeira liqueur, Parmesan cheese and two veal steaks." Zhu Liang's Spanish did not Not very good, so after reading the documents for a long time, I understood the identity of the Spanish envoy.

"King Philip never recognized me as a lieutenant..." Alquiza said with some self-mockery, "Even he never officially recruited us into the army. We are just cheap mercenaries. When the king thinks about it, he sends us several times. A salary, when we don’t need us, he hates us like a rag. You see, he was afraid that we would loot the Southern Netherlands because of our unpaid military pay, so he kicked many of us to La Plata and scattered them. "

Looking at Alqueza and Balboa who were devouring and eating and drinking, Zhu Liang's mind became flexible: There is something in the words of these two Spaniards!Disgruntled veterans who have been owed military salaries, mercenaries with financial difficulties and no fighting intentions, there is a lot to do here!

Unlike most of the young and strong officers in the Ministry of the Army, Zhu Liang, the veteran of the army, is not a reckless man who only likes to fight and kill. Although he is very cruel to the natives, he also advocates using various methods to solve various complex problems. In his opinion, means have never been the best choice for the top ranks.Now that the Spaniards in Fort Pedro have made it clear that their chariots and horses want peace, and that they look rather downcast and have bad morals, can they use military and economic means to solve the problem here once and for all, so that the people on the east coast Can it expand unscrupulously nearby?Maybe give it a try!

"Alatrist—well, that's how it should be read—I agree with the ceasefire agreement proposed by the captain." Major Zhu Liang took a sip of the rum, looked at Lieutenant Alqueza and said, "But you shouldn't deal with us when we are here. According to our agreement with your country’s officials, our residents are allowed to invest in the Hejian area. That is to say, our actions are completely legitimate, and even King Philip cannot deny this. Moreover, you have set up more than one military stronghold in the Hejian area and have a force far exceeding 500, which has flagrantly violated the relevant provisions of the Valladolid Peace Treaty. We reserve the right to protest and appeal to you. "

The Spaniards were silent when they heard the words, and it seemed that there was nothing to argue about this matter. They couldn't beat them, and they were still caught by others, so what else is there to say?Leave the damn thing to the big shots, we're just poor wretches who've been owed a year's pay.

"Of course, we're not going to do that just yet." Zhu Liang changed the subject and said calmly, "Because our investment business hasn't been seriously damaged for the time being, the endless wrangling or fighting with you will only affect us. No one is against money for our production. If—I mean if—you and Captain Alatrist behind you can guarantee the safety and convenience of our residents in the riverlands, we don't mind paying A little reward for you. Wine, fish, white bread, tobacco, cane sugar, and even lovely silver coins, we have plenty here, and we don't mind sharing these things with our friends, but only if he can play his own value - suppress The nearby Guarani and Kelandi tribes who are hostile to us, and facilitate our investment business, can it be done, Mr. Alqueza?"

Zhu Liang's direct words made Alqueza and Balboa pale for a moment. Although they had never thought about this possibility in their hearts, the strong sense of betrayal and humiliation still made the two battle-tested employees The soldiers are in a trance. It's not that they haven't worked for foreign monarchs, but they have never been hostile to the Kingdom of Spain.The words of the people on the east coast have been made very clear just now, as long as they listen to them and do things for them, then they don't mind helping the impoverished mercenary army under the captain's command, but can this really be done?Alqueza and Balboa looked at each other, feeling a little dazed for a moment.

Major Zhu Liang didn't urge the Spaniards to give an answer. He drank his wine quietly and looked at the Spanish soldiers who were fighting against each other with a playful attitude. That's all.However, in Major Zhu Liang's view, this is not a problem in the end. The bottom line of Captain Alatrist and his partners is probably that they cannot be made an enemy of the Kingdom of Spain. Never thought of being an enemy of the Kingdom of Spain—at least for the time being—the biggest obstacle to the reclamation of the people on the east coast is undoubtedly the naturalized indigenous tribes in the so-called parishes, because most of the land needs to be taken from them Well, the number of white people in the Hejian area is too small, and there is no conflict with the people on the east bank!

In this way, as long as the Spanish army does not get involved, the armed reclamation policy of the people on the east coast will not encounter real threats. People on the east coast look down on them.People on the east coast can take care of those goods with poor combat capabilities. Of course, if the Spanish soldiers are willing to cooperate, it will be even easier to deal with these natives.Thinking of this, Zhu Liang only felt that his side was like the foreigners who bought the local government and warlords in China in the future, easily grabbing excess profits in various places, and everyone is still providing them with convenience, which is really cool fly up.

The Spaniards finally left without giving a clear answer. They only reached an agreement with Major Zhu Liang on a ceasefire, but Zhu Liang was not worried at all about how these people would choose.

Sure enough, after sending fifty barrels of refined flour and some wine in late October (Chen Ke personally applied to his superiors and allocated them from the Daxing County National Grain Reserve nearby), Captain Alatrist even canceled his routine patrol. They completely let go of the colonization activities of the people on the east coast.At the same time, Lieutenant Alquiza secretly visited Huoju Township in early November, and had a secret talk with Major Zhu Liang who was just about to leave. In Tristan Town, there are many old buddies of Captain Alatrist. Alquisa is completely willing to act as a middleman and run for the people on the east coast to establish contact with them. The people on the east coast only need to pay a reasonable remuneration.

Zhu Liang agreed to Alquiza's proposal in principle, but he said that he could discuss this matter with Chen Ke from Xiaolou Township in detail. The other party should give Lieutenant Alquisa a satisfactory answer, and he himself will lead the troops to go elsewhere It's time to practice, and I will no longer be responsible for this matter in the future.

On November 11th, the whole army of the Sixth Mixed Battalion of the Army arrived at Liushuwan Township in the northern half of Hejian by boat, and will start a one-month field training in the nearby area. By the way, they will deter the Spanish in Posadas City. Let them not have any undue thoughts—the originally delicate situation in the Hejian area has been completely improved under the multiple methods of the people on the east bank. The colonization activities of the people on the east bank here, So far it seems completely unstoppable.

(End of this chapter)