As soon as he heard that he was going to lead people to fight the devil, His Majesty the Pope became furious and shouted: "What? Devil? Brother Desumagala, you are talking nonsense because you are afraid of being punished. ? Do you think you can get away with such nonsense? If you dare to talk nonsense again, I will have someone send you to the Holy Island Monastery in Scotland... That is the edge of Christendom , surrounded by icy water, there is little food on the island, and there is not a woman in sight, and those Scottish monks who believe in God will use whips to cleanse your sinful heart!"
"Papa, you can't do this to me!" Archbishop Desumagala immediately took out two envelopes and handed them to the Pope with both hands. "Papa, this is a letter written by the Spanish Emperor. It can prove what I said about the devil. It's all true, we really have the devil in America..."
"Both letters are from the Spanish Emperor?" The Pope angrily took the two envelopes and found that one of them was sealed with wax, so he handed the envelope to one of his attendants and asked him to help open it, while the other An envelope was not sealed, and there was still writing on the envelope. So the old pope tremblingly took out his reading glasses, put them on, then put the envelope in front of his eyes, looked at it, and murmured: "Your faithful servant, Benito de' Medici. ....."
After reading this, most of the anger on the Pope's face had disappeared.
Because Benito de' Medici is the head of the Medici Bank, and the Medici Bank has been faithfully providing the most reliable financial services to the Holy See and the Pope for hundreds of years.
The Pope quickly took out the letter paper from the envelope and read it carefully. A smile appeared on his face, and his tone of voice when speaking to Archbishop Desumagala was much gentler: "Okay, Brother Desumagala. , you don’t have to go to the monastery to be whipped, I can give you another place to be a cardinal... How about going to Austria? Emperor Louis is preparing to counterattack Vienna. If it succeeds, you can atone for your sins."
At this time, the Pope's attendant had taken Emperor Leopold's letter out of the wax-sealed envelope and handed it to the Pope's nose with both hands.
So the Pope did not discuss the "value" of the Austrian Archbishop with Desumagala, but took the emperor's letter and began to read, "What? Is there really a devil? How is this possible?"
"Papa, America really has a devil, it's absolutely true!" Desumagala said with an extremely certain tone, "Some people also saw with their own eyes Count Montezuma, a descendant of the Aztec royal family, at his coronation ceremony Drink a cup full of blood!”
"Oh God!" The Pope suddenly shouted at this time, "The emperor actually asked me to communicate with God and ask God to take action against the devil..."
Desumagala was a little confused when he saw the Pope's reaction, "Papa, what's the problem? Doesn't our father in heaven always keep in touch with his representatives on earth?"
Although this cardinal is greedy and cruel, his faith is firm. He firmly believes that God created all things and that the Pope represents God. But Pope Alexander VIII was very doubtful about whether he could represent God!
Because he has never communicated with God since he became pope, not even once! No matter what he said to God, God never answered. So he suspected that it was because he was in the wrong position - he was the pope elected through bribery! So God didn't want to talk to him. This is really sad. Although Alexander VIII bribed votes, sold priesthoods, had illegitimate children, and killed people, he was extremely loyal to God.
"Of course, I talk to God every night!" Of course the Pope cannot tell others the secret that God ignores him, so he can only lie without conscience - he cannot let people know that he is the only church member who cannot chat with God. Zong. His previous pope could tell him personally that every night he chatted with God, and sometimes Jesus and the Virgin Mary would appear...
Thinking of Jesus and Mary, the old pope added: "Sometimes I still talk to Jesus and Mary!"
It's so amazing!
Desumagala secretly made up his mind that when the old pope went to see God, he would choose the pope at all costs, so that he could communicate with God, Jesus, and the Holy Mother!
"Here comes someone!" The Pope shouted again at this time, "Go and ask Brother Justice Philip to come over."
This Philip brother is Philip, the "Magic of Rome". He went to China to investigate black magic in his early years, and later became an Austrian cardinal. He also won a reputation for continuing to lead Austrian Catholics to fight against the Ottoman Empire after the fall of Vienna. , was recommended by Emperor Louis to serve as chancellor in Rome. Because I knew that the sinner Desumagala had returned to Rome and was going to see the Pope today. So Justice Philip had already been waiting outside the Pope's audience hall with several Swiss mercenaries affiliated with the Inquisition.
So as soon as the Pope's attendants called, Justice Philip came in aggressively with two Swiss mercenaries, ready to catch people... This is a rare big fish!
"Brother Philip," the old pope waited for Philip to kiss his shoes, and did not let Philip arrest anyone. Instead, he asked in a tone full of expectation, "Are you willing to fight the devil?"
Philip turned his head and glared at Desumagala, who was standing on the side with his back bent, thinking: "You corrupt devil! You are finally in my hands!"
"Papa, I am willing to fight the devil!" Philip's answer was decisive!
"Okay!" The old pope nodded happily, "Then I will appoint you as the Holy See's exorcist envoy, bring the best exorcist of the Holy See, and go to America with the Desumagala brothers to help Emperor Leopold. Deal with the devils of Shang Fang Kingdom!"
What? Not to capture the devil Desumagala, but to go to America with him to deal with the devil of Shang Fang?
Philip thought to himself: "How much money did you, the old pope, receive from Desumagala?"
"Papa," Philip had just said that he would fight the devil resolutely, and of course he could not break his promise immediately, so he had to tell the Pope, "I am very willing to go to America with the Desumagala brothers, but... ..We exorcists themselves do not have magic power. We can only rely on the power given by God to fight against the devil. The only way for us to obtain the power given by God is through prayer, but we are just humble exorcists and cannot communicate directly with God. , so we need your help."
Beads of sweat were already forming on the Pope's forehead, but he still did not dare to admit that he was actually unable to communicate with God.
"Okay!" The Pope nodded and said, "Brother Philip, don't worry, starting from today, I will ask God every day to give you and Emperor Leopold the power to defeat the devil!"
The old pope paused and then said to Desumagala: "Brother Desumagala, what God can give is only the power to defeat the devil, not the power to defeat gunpowder, swords and sugar... .As far as I know, Shang Fang is the first country in the world to invent gunpowder weapons. They invented the bomber two to three thousand years ago! In addition, they also have the support of the Ming Empire!"
"Papa," Desumagala immediately replied, "His Majesty the Emperor already has a way to deal with the Shang Fang Kingdom and the Ming Dynasty."
"What can be done?" the old pope asked.
"His Majesty the Emperor is ready to hire more troops from Europe!" Desumagala said, "In addition, he will also ask England to send 10,000 soldiers to Mexico to fight in accordance with the agreement!"
The old pope nodded, "What about Ming Dynasty? How does the emperor plan to deal with them?"
"His Majesty the Emperor has sent the Marquis of Mendoza to the Ming Dynasty," Desumagala said. "The Marquis will cede land and pay compensation to deal with the Ming Dynasty... He will cede the Philippine colony and compensate enough gold and silver to Ming Empire."
"Then I'm relieved." The old pope breathed a sigh of relief, "I believe that as long as there is no support from the Ming Dynasty, the Shang Fang Kingdom will not be able to defeat the victory under the banner of God even with the help of the devil!"
...
When Archbishop Desumagala finally persuaded the Pope to come forward and ask God to deal with the devil, an armed merchant ship of the Dutch East India Company aboard the Marquis of Mendoza had also arrived at the increasingly prosperous Shanghai Beach.
However, they did not immediately embark on the journey to Nanjing. Instead, they were immediately sent to a vacant barracks outside a small town called Zhoupu Town on the east bank of the Huangpu River along with the entire crew of the Dutch East India Company merchant ship for isolation. ...You have to be quarantined for 2,918 days, and the clothes and luggage you carry have to be thoroughly disinfected.
The Ming court already knew about the Spanish mission's poisoning in Shangfang Kingdom, so of course they had to take isolation measures. Although the mainland of the Ming Dynasty has begun to promote cowpox, which is more advanced than variola, there are two original infectious diseases in the Americas: yellow fever and syphilis. Among them, syphilis has been spread to the Ming Dynasty, but yellow fever has not yet appeared in the Ming Dynasty. Yes, I have to guard against it!
And Mendoza came to cede territory and ask for mercy on behalf of Spain. Of course he didn't dare to raise his tail. He would be quarantined no matter what. Not to mention the eighteen-day quarantine, even if he was imprisoned for ninety-nine and eighty-one days, he had no choice but to endure it. .
Today we finally got to the day of "unblocking". First, a group of doctors wearing big masks and white coats came to examine the Marquis of Mendoza and others. After finding that no one was sick, the Marquis of Mendoza and his The entourage was then loaded into a carriage and pulled to a large house close to the east bank of the Huangpu River. Here, the Marquis of Mendoza, who had traveled thousands of miles, finally met Guo Youde, the current minister of Honglu Temple in the Ming Dynasty.
Mr. Yu was a master back then, but now he is considered a highly respected minister, and he has also been granted the title of Marquis. He is also the hereditary Marquis of Deyun who holds the Iron Scroll of the Alchemy Book. At this moment, he was wearing the python robe of the Marquis and was sitting high in the hall. On both sides, there were officials, generals and guards of Honglu Temple sitting or standing, which looked very majestic.
Marquis Guo knew what the Marquis of Mendoza was here for, so he put on airs and did not go out to greet him. Instead, he waited in a lobby decorated like a court hall to be led in by the Marquis of Mendoza.
Seeing Marquis Mendoza come in, Marquis Guo was still polite, smiled and pointed to a chair placed in the lobby, "Marquis Mendoza, please take a seat."
Others sit...
The dignified Vice-King of Peru finally breathed a sigh of relief when he found that he still had a place to sit. Although in order to "destroy the devil", he could endure any grievances, but as an envoy of Spain, the world empire, it would be the same if he had to stand and listen to instructions. Talking to high-ranking officials of the Ming Dynasty was a bit insulting to the country.
"Are you here to talk about land cession and compensation this time?" Guo Youde asked with a smile when he saw Marquis Mendoza sitting down.
Of course he already knew the purpose of the Spanish mission. When the Marquis of Mendoza and others arrived at the port, they informed the officials stationed in Shanghai of Honglu Temple about the matter. Otherwise, Guo Youde would not have come to Shanghai from Nanjing to negotiate with him. Spaniards negotiate.
Guo Youde's words were translated into Latin by the generals present, and the Marquis of Mendoza immediately replied in Latin: "Your Excellency, the Spanish Empire can conditionally give up its claim to the Philippine colony, and at the same time, it can also have Conditional payment of gold or silver to the Ming Empire."
His words were accurately translated into Chinese by the translator who followed him from America, and Guo Youde was very happy to hear it. The land ceding and compensation can be said to be so honorable, these foreign devils are not bad at all!
"What are the conditions for becoming a nun?" Guo Youde asked with a straight face.
The Marquis of Mendoza said: "Our Spanish Empire has four conditions: The first is to restore free trade and allow the Spanish Empire's sailing ships to freely enter the Port of Manila, various ports in the Ming Dynasty, and the ports of Nagasaki and Nagoya in Japan.
The second is that the Ming Empire must strictly maintain neutrality in the war between Shang Fang and the Spanish Empire, and must not provide military assistance to Shang Fang.
The third is that the Ming Empire must stop military aid to the Ottoman Empire and strictly maintain neutrality in the war between the Ottoman Empire and European Catholic countries.
The fourth is that the Spanish Imperial Navy has the right to board and inspect ships flying the Ming flag passing near the west coast of North America to confirm whether the Ming Empire strictly maintains neutrality.
If the Ming Dynasty accepts the above four conditions, then in return, the Spanish Empire will give up its claim to the Philippine colony, recognize the Ming Empire's power in Japan, Korea and the Nanyang Islands, and will also pay the Ming Empire 10 million silver every year The peso currency. "
This time, Mendoza opened his mouth and threw coins generously. The first of the four conditions he proposed is actually a "win-win" and is nothing to discuss. The second condition is what he must actively strive for. Even if it cannot be fully achieved, it must be partially achieved. The third condition is a bargaining chip... The war between the Ottoman Empire and European Catholic countries actually has nothing to do with Spain. The fourth condition is the supervision of the second condition and can be regarded as an additional clause.
And the annual coins of ten million silver pesos...of course cannot be given year after year.
When the Shang Fang Kingdom is defeated, this money will not be given!
