The pressure from Spain is increasing, and João IV is becoming more and more worried day by day. He even had plans to abandon the Portuguese mainland and strategically withdraw to the South American colonies.
At this moment, suddenly, someone came to report that a Spanish envoy had secretly visited.
"What?" After hearing the news, Joao IV couldn't believe his ears and couldn't help but confirm again, "What did you say?"
"The Spanish envoy arrived at the port on an ordinary merchant ship and is currently waiting for His Highness to be received at the pier!" When his subordinates saw the incredible expression on João IV, they added, "The identity has been verified and he is definitely the Spanish envoy. , by the decree of the King of Spain.”
After hearing this, Joao IV couldn't understand.
If the King of Spain sent someone to threaten him and ask him to surrender unconditionally, there was no need to visit secretly and openly. On the contrary, it would damage Portugal's morale and divide the Portuguese.
However, since it was a secret visit, what did the King of Spain want to do?
After thinking for a while, King Joao IV couldn't figure it out, so he gave up and ordered an audience.
He wanted to see what medicine the King of Spain was selling in his gourd?
Not long after, a man dressed as an ordinary businessman was brought in by the guards.
When King Joao IV saw this man, he was shocked and stood up quickly and said, "Why are you here?"
Yes, he knew this man and was very close to him.
As he spoke, King Joao IV quickly asked someone to bring a stool over, and at the same time ordered: "Go and call the queen immediately!"
"No need, I have official business and am here at His Highness's order!" After hearing this, the man immediately waved his hand and sat down on the stool as if he were at home.
This man is the father of Joao IV's wife, his father-in-law, the Duke of Medina-Sidonia in Spain.
At this time, King Joao IV heard what his father-in-law said and drove everyone else out of the palace. He said with a somewhat ugly face: "Could it be that you are here to persuade me to surrender?"
At this point, without waiting for his father-in-law to speak, he answered first: "It is impossible for me to surrender. Otherwise, I would not have become the king of Portugal in the first place."
Upon hearing this, his father-in-law smiled and waved his hands and said, "You are wrong. If you want to persuade him to surrender, I will not come."
"Oh?" When Joao IV heard this, he was immediately surprised. He stared at his father-in-law and said, "If it's not to persuade him to surrender, what else can he do in this situation?"
The Duke of Medina-Sidonia immediately smiled and said to him: "The two countries shook hands and made peace. Spain officially recognized Portugal's independence!"
"This..." King Joao IV couldn't help but smile bitterly after hearing this, "Stop joking. If you have anything to do, just tell me!"
Just kidding, how could Spain recognize Portugal’s independence? If this was really the case, why would we spend so much effort and mobilize armies from all over to surround Portugal?
"I'm not joking!" The Duke of Medina-Sidonia heard this and immediately said with a serious expression, "Do you think I would come here to make a joke?"
"..." When Joao IV heard this, he was immediately speechless.
Logically speaking, it is impossible for his father-in-law to come to Lisbon to make a joke.
However, it stands to reason that there is no need for the King of Spain to go to so much trouble and finally admit Portugal’s independence!
After a moment of silence, King Joao IV finally came to his senses. He immediately sat back in his seat, looked at his father-in-law and said, "The King of Spain has spent so much effort and then said that he would recognize Portugal's independence. There must be conditions." Right?"
The Duke of Medina-Sidonia listened, nodded approvingly, and then said to John IV: "Yes, there are conditions."
When King João IV heard this, he showed a real expression. There is no free lunch in this world!
He didn't speak and listened to his father-in-law's conditions.
In fact, he did not think he would agree to the Spanish king's terms. Because in this situation, the conditions must be very harsh.
As King Joao IV was thinking about this, he heard his father-in-law say to him with a smile: "Also, His Royal Highness the King has told you that in addition to recognizing Portugal's independence, you can also marry Princess Marie Theresa to your son Braganza. Duke."
John IV was even more shocked when he heard this. Why is the King of Spain so crazy? He couldn't keep up with the train of thought at all.
Faintly, he didn't want to listen anymore, so he said directly: "What do you want from Portugal with such a generous treatment?"
After hearing this, the Duke of Medina-Sidonia stopped hiding and said to John IV solemnly: "You have to hand over the new guns and cannons, as well as the trading rights from the Far East!"
Upon hearing this, King Joao IV suddenly realized that he was attracted to this.
"So, is this deal worth it?" The Duke of Medina-Sidonia said with a smile when he saw him like that.
But who knows, King Joao IV shook his head and said: "No!"
"Why?" At this moment, Duke Medina Sidonia couldn't figure it out and asked immediately.
Faced with his father-in-law, King Joao IV told the truth: "The new guns were not invented by Portugal, and I have no right to agree to this request. In fact, Portugal is just imitating them now, and they have to pay for them."
When the Duke of Medina Sidonia heard this, he was immediately surprised and asked curiously: "Who invented it? Who do you want to give money to?"
"The Ming Empire in the Far East!" Joao IV said slowly, with a very powerful tone, showing the correctness of his words.
"The Ming Empire in the Far East? How is this possible!" Upon hearing this, the Duke of Medina-Sidonia immediately said with dissatisfaction, "My daughters have all married you and given birth to your children. You are here to fool me like this." ?”
John IV was speechless and quickly replied: "Really, I didn't lie to you, how dare I fool you!"
Seeing that his expression was very serious, the Duke of Medina-Sidonia couldn't help but feel a little puzzled, and immediately said: "I know a little about the Ming Empire in the Far East. Their artillery is all intended to imitate our European ones. When the Spanish stationed in There are letters from the Governor of Luzon, saying that if he is given 10,000 troops, he can occupy the Ming Empire. How can such an indigenous country invent such powerful new guns?"
John IV looked at his father-in-law's expression, still in disbelief.
So, he had to say: "You are looking at people with old eyes. This happened a long time ago!"
"No!" After hearing this, the Duke of Medina-Sidonia immediately denied, "This must not have been many years ago, how could it be a long time ago?"
After hearing this, King Joao IV had to modify his words: "To be precise, it should be that the Ming Empire in the Far East has changed a lot in the past ten years. What I said refers to the past ten years. .”
At this point, he remembered something and quickly added: "By the way, weren't the Spaniards in Luzon in the Far East wiped out by the Ming Empire? You know this, right?"
"That was because they relied on the large number of people and used the human wave tactics to overwhelm them. It doesn't mean anything!" After hearing this, the Duke of Medina-Sidonia immediately shook his head and replied.
"..." When Joao IV heard this, he was immediately speechless.
Even if it is a human sea tactic, it does not prevent people from using new guns and cannons. It is a devastating way to destroy the Spaniards, which is different!
After coming back to his senses, he said sternly to his father-in-law: "Let's put it this way, these new guns and cannons were invented by the Ming Dynasty. Their strength suddenly exploded in these years and they are invincible. If I am not mistaken, today's world must In terms of strength, he is definitely number one in the Ming Empire!"
Upon hearing this, the Duke of Medina-Sidonia was unconvinced again. They are just natives of the Far East. Even if there are changes, no matter how powerful they are, can they be more powerful than the Spanish Empire, where the sun never sets?
Seeing him like this, João IV had to tell his father-in-law what he heard about the Ming Empire.
For example, the affairs of the Japanese country, the Dutch people of Okanagan, the affairs of Donggo, etc. This is still a delay in the news, otherwise, the expulsion of the Dutch in Batavia will also have to be said.
The Duke of Medina Sidonia listened quietly. He had also heard of the Japanese country in the Far East, but in his impression, he only knew that it was an object of trade. A Spanish treasure ship passed by an island country in the Pacific. , with a land area similar to that of the UK.
Donggo, he has never heard of it. But since John IV introduced him, he also had a basic impression.
In short, if it is just a single country, the Duke of Medina-Sidonia actually doesn't care.
However, it was different when so many countries were conquered by the Ming Empire in the Far East in such a short period of time.
After hearing what John IV said, the Duke of Medina-Sidonia connected the Ming Empire in the Far East with the Ottoman Empire in Europe, and felt that they were similar.
At this time, the Ottoman Empire was still very powerful. It was so powerful that when the Ottoman Empire invaded the west, it would take several European countries to jointly send troops to resist.
Therefore, when John IV finished speaking, he said nonchalantly: "Even so, it is just another Ottoman Empire at best. It is still thousands of miles away from our Europe, so what can we be afraid of?"
As an old empire, Spain has not yet taken off its last panties, so he does not have much fear of the Ottoman Empire.
After hearing this, King João IV immediately sneered and said: "Just the Ottoman Empire? To put it bluntly, you are not even worthy of carrying shoes for the Ming Empire!"
If the Ming Empire were the same as the Ottoman Empire, he might not agree to sign an agreement and become a vassal state!
After knowing everything about the Ming Empire, especially the steam paddle-wheel battleships that had not yet been exposed, he had the confidence to say that the Ottoman Empire was not even worthy of carrying shoes for the Ming Empire!
