Rise of the 1630s South America

Chapter 187 Negotiations ([-])

The negotiating opponents of Gao Mo and Bai Siwen are still old faces-Russell Smith from the East India Company and Cheney Coward from the Merchant Adventurer Company.

Since the end of the last negotiation, the two sides have held several informal meetings, but have not reached any substantive agreement due to too many differences.Today's negotiation is the No.17 meeting between the two sides in the past few months and the fifth formal negotiation. This shows the difficulty of peace.

Before entering the venue, Gao Mo had found an opportunity to tell Bai Siwen the news that Blanco had quietly passed on.

After hearing the news, Bai Siwen has been a little bit out of his wits, why is the British guy so cunning?Why are you so shameless?How can you natives of the 17th century be more cunning and shameless than the great traveler?How can this be?How could this be? !

Bai Siwen is a little messy, what about the pirates in England?The pirate fleet led by Drake beat the Spaniards like grandchildren, why is it like this now?The shit luck of the navy gang is also great!Thinking of what I did some time ago, what will those people in China think of me?Bai Siwen suddenly felt something was wrong.

But the negotiation is about to start, Bai Siwen tried his best to adjust his breathing, trying to turn his attention to the current negotiation, after all, this is his most important task at this time.Perhaps, after assisting Gao Mo to win a peace plan that is more beneficial to the east coast from the British, he should be able to restore a little bit of the negative image he had accumulated a while ago.

The lengthy and dull negotiation started again. The four negotiators from both sides sat in a spacious sunny room, fighting with each other and fighting with each other.

"People from the East Coast, our patience has a limit." Russell Smith said, smoking a pipe and squinting at Gaumo, "The East India Company is a powerful old company, even if we only allocate a small part of it." Ships can drive your east coast navy like a stray dog. Don't forget that England's glory has never been tarnished on the seas."

"Maybe what you said makes sense, but that's all history in the past." Gao Mo rubbed the ceramic teacup in his hand, looked into Smith's eyes, and said with deep meaning: "The navy on the east coast has its own pride. Since Since our founding, our brave sailors have never let us down. We defeated the Spaniards' mighty Peruvian fleet. Similarly, for you Englishmen, we don't think you have anything special. Maybe the Spaniards will end up in disgrace. It is a true portrayal of your future."

"Really? It's not a good habit to play tricks." Smith took a puff of smoke and said with a slight smile: "The pride of the navy on the east coast? Is the shameful failure at the mouth of the Gambia River your pride?" Speaking of this, Smith and Coward glanced at each other.

Coward shrugged and complained: "East Coast people, I have already said that the East India Company does not like to negotiate with people who are not sincere. Our conditions have been stated countless times, and I don't want to repeat them here." I repeat. Your poor navy—well, if those ships are anything to be called a navy—has been wiped out, there's no doubt about it. If you're persistent, I think maybe this will be the end of our war. The last negotiation between the two."

"Knight Heywood will definitely not agree that this is the last negotiation." Gormo stared into the eyes of Smith and Coward, and said the shocking words softly, "Knight Heywood and his loyal men are currently being Detained in the prison of our East Coast Republic, if you close the door to negotiations, I think he will be very disappointed."

Heywood Knight is the army commander of the British Gambia Merchant Station, which Gormore knew early on.However, he didn't know the detailed process and results of the battle at the Gambian trading post. He only knew that the British trading post was destroyed, so he lied about the fact that Heywood Knight was imprisoned in the country.Anyway, the British guys can make rumors at will, so it's nothing to tell two lies.

Unfortunately, he didn't see any unusual changes on the faces of the two Englishmen opposite.Smith and Coward didn't even bat an eyelid when they heard the news, as if all they had heard were greetings like "It's a nice day."

"Knight Haywood went back to Salisbury for a holiday in the country six months ago, and I don't think you know that. People from the east coast, don't try to deceive us, and don't try to talk about it. East India The company's attitude is very clear, other conditions can be negotiated, but we must get the latest textile technology, I have said this point countless times, so do you agree or disagree? Now please give me a positive Answer." Smith will clear the ashes in the pipe and ask leisurely.

The two old English foxes were so calm and self-possessed that Gaumo thought he couldn't match them.If it hadn't been for Blanco's private disclosure of information that was absolutely impossible for him to make a mistake, then he would have been fooled by these two Englishmen with superb acting skills at this moment.He thought of the Guyana Trade Merchant Company mentioned in Blanco's words, which had already withdrawn, and the Morris Stone Tucker Company and other colonial companies that were about to withdraw. The anti-East Coast alliance established by the British may be facing the danger of disintegration. It's a dangerous situation, but you can't see any clues from the faces of these two old England guys.

After thinking about it, Gao Mo decided not to go around in circles with these two guys.I saw him clearly said: "Mr. Smith, Mr. Coward, regarding the sharing of textile technology proposed by you, I hereby solemnly reply on behalf of the East Coast Republic of China: We do not accept this condition, and we will also reject it in the future." any negotiations or transactions related to this condition."

Hearing that Gao Mo rejected his proposal so cleanly, Smith and Smith were silent for a while.Smith smoked his pipe silently, the smoke from his mouth blurring his face in the sunlight.

"Aren't you willing to agree even if you want to continue the war?" Coward said blankly, "If we exempt you from the huge war compensation that you should have to bear, will you reconsider your decision? Listen, Dong Shore people, this is our final bottom line. If you refuse, it means that you have chosen to continue the war. Now, I will give you 5 minutes, please consider carefully. Before I finish smoking this bag of tobacco, you still have Then a little time to change your mind."

"Squeak..." Gao Mo pushed the chair away with an expression in front of him and stood up. While packing up the documents, he said, "I'm sorry, but I refuse. Textile technology is also our bottom line. It's a pity that you misjudged the situation and chose to continue." Make war. Perhaps, then, you will soon realize how foolish it is. Think about it, Englishmen, we warned you, but you didn't take it seriously. In the words of our ancestors, , don't say that you didn't predict it. Pray for your own destiny, Englishmen. Farewell, you will pay for your arrogance and deceit. I will stay in San Vicente for a few days, but not It will be too long, if you change your mind, you can contact us through Mr. Blanco Almeida."

After finishing speaking, Gao Mo strode out of the meeting room.Bai Siwen was stunned for a moment, then glanced at the two Englishmen sitting on their seats and smoking pipes, and then followed Gao Mo out of the meeting room with complicated expressions.

"This is a game of patience and bargaining chips." Gao Mo said to Bai Siwen who hurriedly followed: "The British East India Company is currently sitting on the crater, and they are so calm, so why can't we calm down. Besides, I believe the chips in the hands of the British are getting less and less. Take it easy, old white, we can't make the same mistakes as before. Otherwise... you know the consequences, the gang in the military department are looking at us with a magnifying glass Woolen cloth."

Bai Siwen sighed softly, without saying anything, his face was as bitter as a bitter gourd.

In the next half a month, the two sides have no further contact.The two Britons are still living in the British Mansion in San Vicente, and perhaps they also need time to communicate with their superiors.Gao Mo and Bai Siwen, together with Blanco, either hunted or participated in some banquets or salons held by the "ladies" in the city, taking the opportunity to get acquainted with the upper-middle-class white people in San Vicente.

This boring day lasted until October 1637, 10.

On this day, a shocking news came back to San Vicente: the fleet of the British East India Company was suddenly attacked by the Chinese navy on the east coast of the Cape of Good Hope in the northwest ocean, with a total size of [-] ships. The Indian company's fleet sank an armed merchant ship and two warships on the spot, and the remaining ships escaped the pursuit of the people on the east coast under the cover of night; Another heavily damaged armed merchant ship leaked and sank. All the valuable spices on board sank to the bottom of the icy Atlantic Ocean. The crew escaped in small boats.

It was an explosive news that spread throughout San Vicente almost overnight.So that when Gao Mo and Bai Siwen were wandering in the city the next day, the Portuguese, Spaniards, Dutch, and French they met along the way all looked at them with strange eyes.

Gao Mo and Bai Siwen, who had already received the news, were also filled with emotion.The naval fleet is really powerful, and their heroic fighting has given strong support to diplomatic negotiations.Only at this time, Gao Mo realized that only the strength of the country and the victory on the battlefield are the most fundamental things.Previously, it was too naive and superficial to rely on diplomacy to influence national policy.And it is also very dangerous. From another perspective, what is the difference between myself and those soldiers who walk alone?

"Well, then it's up to you. The navy has given me great support. If I don't beat those two old foxes in England well, then I won't be named Gao." Gao Mo thought freely.

Behind him was Bai Siwen's lonely figure.

(End of this chapter)