. Erdefat was the Dutch diplomatic ambassador to Portugal. He was raised by Ding Er that night. Then a servant of the Navy Minister handed him a letter from the minister. After Vandefat opened the letter, he was naturally shocked. The Ming army appeared in Egypt. He quickly arrived at the palace according to the meaning conveyed by the servant. First, he had to confirm the reliability of the news. If it was true, then the next thing was to immediately negotiate with the King of Portugal on behalf of the Netherlands to discuss how to deal with it.

As soon as Van der Fate's carriage arrived, a palace servant came out with candles: "Your Excellency, you have arrived, Your Highness the King needs to summon you immediately."

Van der Fate nodded with a serious face. As the waiter entered the palace, the Portuguese palace was not big, but it was extremely exquisite. It was known as the Little Versailles Palace and was built during the Moorish rule. It was expanded and rebuilt in the early fifteenth century, and after reconstruction, it became a mixture of Moorish, Gothic and Portuguese style. The palace was magnificent, and the most beautiful one was the Swan Hall, where swans wearing crowns were painted on the ceiling. The Portuguese king also summoned Van der Fate in the Swan Hall. Van der Fate was not in the mood to appreciate the tranquility of the palace under the moonlit night. After arriving at the Swan Hall, he walked straight in without waiting for the waiter to report it.

"His Highness Van der Fate took off his top hat and greeted Pedro II, and then said impatiently: "I heard that the Han people appeared in Egypt. Is the news true?"

The Navy Minister said: "It is completely true that they appeared in the port of Abu Sultan, with about 2,000 people, but we cannot confirm how many Han people are in other parts of Egypt. In addition, according to the report, the anti-Dutch alliance fleets of the two Sicily kingdoms seem to be active frequently, and I am afraid that the Han people will interfere in European affairs.

Van der Fat's heart sank, this is the result that the Netherlands least wanted to see. In fact, the reason why the Dutch became hostile to the Ming Dynasty was to start with the Ming Dynasty's exclusion of the Dutch interests in the Southeast Asian Sea. Later, the Dutch saw that the Ming Dynasty was a huge monster that could not be curbed. He once wanted to repair relations with the Han people through negotiations. However, the Han people supported the Spanish and were still hostile to the Dutch, especially the attitude towards Dutch prisoners of war finally made the Dutch angry all over the country, but this was not the real explosion point. Although before that, the Dutch had tried to contact the Manchus and tried to suppress the Ming Dynasty, it did not reach the point of formal declaration of war. What really disturbed the Dutch was the incident of the Ming fleet's mission to Britain. At that time, Yang Side, the Minister of the Ming Dynasty's cabinet, arrived in Britain and met with European envoys in London.

All of Europe are almost popular with various legends of the Eastern Empire. The Dutch, who once was arguing in Europe, was severely isolated. The Dutch understood that if the Han people continued to deepen their influence in Europe, then the entire European state would inevitably turn to the Ming side sooner or later. Because the strong Dutch naval factor was that most of the trade between the entire Europe and the world fell into the hands of the Dutch. Once the East had contact with European countries, sooner or later, the Dutch would no longer have this right to wait. European countries that tasted the sweetness would sooner or later marginalize the Netherlands. Finally, the Dutch finally made up their minds and began to move around, exaggerate the threat from the East, and win over all the allies, trying to suppress the British who were one-sided towards the Ming Dynasty. In the Far East, they relied on the Manchus to confront the Ming Dynasty.

After all, the Dutch were in great prosperity. With all his efforts, the Dutch alliance was finally established, but the British were not easy to mess with. The British, with the Ming Dynasty behind their backing, also began to win over allies and try to compete with the Netherlands.

In fact, the so-called Dutch Alliance and the Anti-Dutch Alliance are to put it bluntly. The struggle between the old vested interests in the entire Europe and the emerging countries was involved in the distant Ming Dynasty, but the leads on the powder barrel were ignited. The Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain were the first countries to gain interests from the ocean, and Spain was completely weak at this time. Before the Ming Dynasty appeared, the Dutch broke more than 80% of the world's trade and occupied many colonies in the world. The rising British, France, and Sardinian kingdoms have always been coveting, especially the United Kingdom, which is an island country.

It once destroyed the Invincible Armada, but at that time, it did not form a powerful maritime force while defeating the powerful enemy, but allowed the Dutch to take advantage of the loopholes and rise into a maritime power in one fell swoop, and gained countless wealth from all over the world. However, the British made efforts but did not get any benefits, so they were naturally angry. The barefoot ones were not afraid of wearing shoes. Britain was originally very poor. For trade and overseas colonial rights, they naturally wanted to put the Dutch under their feet and replace it. At this time, the Ming Dynasty appeared. With this pound and the support of the Eastern Empire, the British finally made up their minds to go to war with the Dutch.

As for France, although the French are traditional land power, they have not gained any benefits in the ocean. Seeing that the neighbor of the Netherlands is entering a golden fight every day, they have long wanted to get a kick, but they are not as good as the naval power. The shipbuilding technology is far from the Dutch. It is naturally difficult to get benefits in the ocean. It is impossible to do so without a few years or even hundreds of years of hard work. At this time, the Ming Dynasty sold warships to allies, and bought one free one free. After buying warships, they also taught you naval combat. It is really an excellent shortcut. The French had long disliked the Dutch. At this time, they saw hope from the Ming Dynasty, and naturally turned on.

"Small.

The entire Europe instantly divided into two factions for their own interests, attacking each other. Now three or four have passed. In these three or four times, the countries have actually consumed almost the same amount of money, and even the Dutch are exhausted. If the Ming Dynasty participated, the consequences can be imagined.

"Mr. Minister, do you have any evidence?" Van der Fate was still a little unwilling. This was a huge matter for him, and there must not be any mistakes. Once the news is confirmed, the deployment of the entire Dutch fleet will be disrupted. This is not a joke.

The Minister of Navy's face was blue and red, and he looked very embarrassed. Looking at Perod II beside him, Perod II pursed his lips and didn't speak. He was obviously quite embarrassed. This time, the Portuguese took action privately to put aside the Dutch's embezzlement of the fertile land. The Dutch were not aware of it. Now, under this situation, he had to say it. The Minister of Navy coughed and said, "This is the emergence of our fleet through the Egyptian coast. The news is absolutely accurate. We can find more than a hundred witnesses.

"So, why did your country's fleet appear on the coast of Egypt? And without a note to the Netherlands Van der Fate immediately seized the suspicion. Egypt belongs to the Mediterranean region and has always been in the scope of the anti-Dutch fleet. The Portuguese went to Egypt and must pass through the Mediterranean. Then it is very likely to meet the anti-Dutch alliance fleet. In other words, the Portuguese fleet entered the Mediterranean, and it is very likely to have a naval battle. As an allied state with interdependence, he sent a fleet into the hostile zone without authorization. As the Dutch ambassador, he did not receive any notice, which naturally made Van der Fate very dissatisfied. He quickly understood the key. To put it bluntly, the Portuguese wanted to engage in a military adventure, and it would be best to swallow Egypt alone. Egypt is a highly profitable area near the Mediterranean.

The Portuguese king naturally wanted to take it into his pocket, but he was afraid that the Dutch would intervene in it and divide his spoils, so he acted alone. However, at this time Van der Fate didn't care about this much. After all, it was not the time to push Tan, so he had to react immediately. He added: "If the news is true, then the Han people's interference in European affairs may no longer need to be discussed. Egypt may be the springboard for their intervention in Europe. What we need to find out now is how many troops did the Han people have in Egypt? Abu Sultan is just a port, with about two thousand soldiers. So what about Cairo? And Alexandria? Since the Ming Dynasty sent an army, when will their navy arrive? How many troops will they plan to send in Europe?"

"So, I suggest that Gorgoga and the Netherlands immediately form a joint fleet and head to the Mediterranean to prevent any

Van der Fate's words were very bitter, and this was the only choice made by the Dutch. They must not let the Han people enter Europe. Since that is the case, it is best to intercept the Han people on the routes in Africa to wipe them out in one go. If not, at least they can resist for a while and prepare the local people as soon as possible. Otherwise, once the anti-Dutch alliance fleet merges with the Ming Navy, it will be disastrous for the Dutch.

The Dutch Alliance is different from the Anti-Dutch Alliance. Because the Dutch Alliance's naval forces have a great advantage, the two major naval powers of the Netherlands did not form a joint fleet, but instead dispersed to suppress the enemy's coastline. The Anti-Dutch Alliance experienced the failure of the naval war in the early stages of the war and had to join forces, break through the blockade of the Dutch fleet, buy the Ming warships, train naval personnel in the Mediterranean, and form a joint fleet, in order to one day counterattack against the Netherlands and Portuguese fleets.

Now that Van der Fate proposed the idea of ​​establishing a joint navy, the King of Portugal also agreed. In this regard, both countries were actually in a state of great despair. In the entire Dutch alliance, Russia had almost no fleets. Austria was originally an inland country, and even no fleets. Most of the other small countries came to fight for the autumn wind, and they were also counting on the protection of the Dutch. The only real maritime countries were the Netherlands and Portugal.

After the agreement, Van der Fate did not dare to stay for too long and immediately went back to inform the country.

The two Sicilies are two parts: Sicily and Naples. They are Sicily on both sides of the lighthouse. First, Naples was occupied by Byzantines. A group of Normans were hired by the Byzantine Governor of Naples, and then they turned to the enemy and gradually eroded Naples. The thugs were imprisoned, and Pope Innocent II accepted this fact and formally appointed Roger II as the king of Sicily, Duke of Apriya and Prince Capua. Soon after, Roger II occupied Naples and moved the capital here, and the Kingdom of Naples was born. As the saying goes, "Let's be in voracious." The Normans looked at Sicily again. After several years of unremitting efforts, the Normans finally occupied Sicily. From then on, the entire Kingdom of Sicily in southern Italy was established.

The Sicily Palace is located in Naples. Compared with the royal palaces of European countries, it does not seem too luxurious, but it covers a huge area. Especially the Olive Hall in the middle, there are several scattered olive trees planted around it. The boulevard is quiet and cool. In the hot Mediterranean, it is indeed a good place to escape the summer heat. In the olive hall at this moment, the envoys from Yongkou countries and the officers of the Anti-Hols and the officers of the Anti-Hols and the local anti-Hols Fleet stationed in the area are cheering each other, celebrating the coming of a new era.

The Sicily King Castia III was blushing. At this time, the Sicily King belonged to a Spanish royal family. Castia III was cousin of the Spanish king, so he was very close to Spain. After the European War broke out, although Castia III did not go to the anti-Dutch alliance side, due to the pressure of the Northern Chinese, the Kingdom of Sardinia, and the relationship between the Spanish royal family, the Kingdom of Sicily declared neutrality on the surface, but in the secret, it was obviously in a state of calmness with the anti-Dutch alliance. The King of Sicily

The country rented Sicily to the Anti-Dutch Alliance fleet, allowed them to moor in the port to replenish supplies, and allowed them to set up barracks and recruit mercenaries in the Kingdom of Sicily. This behavior has actually been blatantly on the side of the Anti-Dutch Alliance. It was just that the Dutch knew the attitude of the Kingdom of Sicily, but he was unwilling to break the window paper. After all, turning a blind eye only gave him a potential opponent, but being serious would mean an extra pound. The enemy was something that the Dutch didn't want to see.

Castia was in a particularly good mood today. The news that the Ming Dynasty officially declared war on the Netherlands and Portugal had been spread to the two Sicily through the secret reports of the special envoys of the anti-Dutch alliance. According to the intelligence, at least hundreds of Ming warships will go to Europe and assist the anti-Dutch alliance in fighting the Dutch. Although the two Sicily kingdoms did not declare war on the Netherlands, they were real ally for the Dutch alliance countries. The opportunity for a new reshuffle has come. Castia believes that he can get a share of it. Today, he specially hosted ambassadors from various countries and officers of the joint fleet stationed in the local area. Naturally, he had one thing to announce.

The banquet had entered the **, and at this time Castia III moistened his throat and finally announced to the guests: "Everyone.

Everyone looked at the king and stopped talking to each other. In fact, almost everyone here knew what the King of Sicily was going to say next this time, but out of etiquette, many people still listened carefully with their ears on their sides, and smiled at the corners of their mouths.

"In view of the traditional relationship between the Anti-Dutch Alliance and the two Sicily countries, the two Sicily countries decided to officially announce war to the alliance of evil countries such as the Netherlands, Portugal, Austria, Russia, etc. Starting today, the two Sicily Kingdoms will expel all the ministers of the above countries and will not allow any warring ships to enter the waters of the two Sicily Kingdoms. In addition, the kingdom will provide an army of 20,000 people and a navy of four warships and 3,100 people to assist the anti-Dutch Alliance in combat.

"Cheer to the King." The guests were all envoys and officers of the Anti-Dutch Alliance. The two Sicily countries had already expressed their opinions. Naturally, they cheered, and the Ming Dynasty declared war and sent a powerful fleet. The countries that were originally trapped in the war finally saw the dawn of victory. Everything seemed to be getting better. Many people even had a foreshadowing that the time for fatty meat was coming, and they would squeeze out their last gold coins, occupy their ports, their cities, and also need to extort astronomical war compensation from them."

In the corner of the Olive Hall, the ministers of several small countries were also invited. They were like the two Sicily countries, because their national strength was weak, so they declared neutrality to avoid getting involved in the war. However, now, the news that the Ming fleet was about to arrive has spread in the two Sicily kingdoms. When they look at the statements of the two Sicily kings, they can't help but be moved.

According to the current situation, I am afraid the Dutch will be over. At this time, isn’t it the best time to take sides and choose? Now that I’m following the urge, I can’t tell you how to get some benefits. Several ministers hesitated and announced that they would join the Anti-Dutch Alliance was naturally a wise choice. Unfortunately, they were just ministers after all. Without the promise of the king and the grand duke, they would not have the right to sign such an important treaty. They had already made up their minds and prepared to send letters to the domestic country immediately so that the government could prepare as soon as possible. It would be best that they could immediately announce their joining the Anti-Dutch Alliance before the upcoming victory, and plunder the Dutch.

Ottoman ambassador Ailifen was intimately talking to a French official. These two original enemies have now come together and no longer worry about religious conflicts and natural frictions. The Ottomans have always attached great importance to the French. After all, the French are the most powerful among the army on the European continent, and the Ottomans suffered from the attacks of Russia and Austria. If the French had not restrained some of the Austrian troops on the eastern front, the Ottomans would have been more difficult. At this time, a waiter gently walked to Ailifen and whispered a few words to him. Ailifen looked surprised and apologized to the French official, and then followed the waiter out of the olive hall.
Chapter completed!