In the suburbs, Philip IV and Elizabeth were entertaining Zhu Youjian. This time it was not Chinese food, but authentic Spanish food.

Philip IV looked at Zhu Youjian, who was sitting upright and calm, and looked at the woman beside him and said, "Dear Prince, this is Mary, she is my sister, with a very pure bloodline, knowledgeable and understanding."

Mary is a European woman with brown hair and blue eyes, half a head taller than Zhu Youjian. She sat there and looked straight at Zhu Youjian, her eyes full of excitement.

Mary was a very remote bloodline in the Spanish royal family. If Philip IV hadn't wanted to marry, she would have forgotten her.

The education Zhu Youjian received was the most traditional, rigid Confucian education, and the words of his parents' orders and matchmakers. How could he fall in love with the barbarian woman in the "incest country"? Even from a purely aesthetic point of view, this Mary made Zhu Youjian hate it.

Zhu Youjian looked at Philip IV and said, "In our country, women cannot go to the table, they should stay in the inner courtyard."

Philip IV naturally knew this, but there was still a sudden expression on his face. He smiled and said, "Zhu, this is Spain. Let's take it easy. Those who like it here will also like Mary."

Mary is a remote bloodline of the Spanish royal family. In her opinion, it would be a happy thing to leave this bad place and follow the princes in the distance to their kingdom.

"Your Highness, I will be obedient." Mary whispered, with a shy look on her face.

She was very moved by this handsome and elegant prince from afar.

Zhu Youjian glanced at her and looked at Philip IV and said, "Your Majesty, I think we should talk about some serious matters."

Zhu Youjian's words are obvious. The important thing is a man's business and women should avoid it.

I don’t know if it’s a translation or something or Philip IV pretended not to understand, and shouted, “Zhu, let’s relax, we are here to play today, forget about other things, we have some things and some serious things to talk about, but not today.”

Zhu Youjian was dissatisfied with Philip IV's intentional delay, and his brows moved, and he did not speak anymore, but he also ignored Mary.

While Philip IV was pulling Zhu Youjian on an outing, negotiations in the palace banquet hall were changing rapidly.

It seemed that they had found each other's bottom line, and Okundo and others became direct and aggressive, putting forward many harsh conditions.

For example, to monopolize the foreign trade of the Ming Dynasty, their fleets, merchants, and missionaries were able to enter and exit the Ming Dynasty freely. Asian trade was exclusive and was monopolized by Spain. The Ming Dynasty's fleet had to help Spain deal with pirates, even the Netherlands and France, etc.

Feng Zhu and others were not willing to be outdone, and asked Spain to save enough tea, porcelain, silk, spices, etc. of the Ming Dynasty, with an amount of up to 200 million silver. They also required the Ming Dynasty merchant ships to freely enter and exit Spain and anywhere in the Spanish colonies and enjoy super-national treatment, and the Ming Dynasty's navy could borrow all the ports ruled by Spain.

The two sides were asking for prices everywhere, not giving in to each other, and even started quarreling.

But neither side left the table, and threatened and tempted to take the greatest advantage from each other, but no one easily gave in.

Oboi acted as a pioneer and squirted with the Chancellor of the Finance Department, full of momentum.

Spain's Minister of Finance was also the main force. He longed for the silver of the Ming Dynasty and wanted more.

Feng Zhu and others naturally want to strive for more benefits, so that they can only seek credit and reward after returning.

Until Philip IV and Zhu Youjian returned, a group of people only reached a compromise on some irrelevant matters. On most issues, they did not give in to each other and ended in failure.

Philip IV sent Zhu Youjian away enthusiastically and reservedly, and began a secret conversation with a group of confidants.

Admiral said, "The Ming people have a joint fleet plan, wanting to integrate all ports, bases, and fleets to deal with pirates through joint defense and extermination, but the commander must be their Ming people, and they share military spending and enjoy all the benefits."

The Chancellor said: "They have a complete plan, the focus is on getting supernational treatment, their fleets can enter and exit freely in ports around the world without being inspected and without taxes..."

Philip IV listened, and supported his cheek with one hand, and said happily: "They have a good idea."

The Admiral said: "Even if the joint fleet is really to be formed, it cannot be controlled by the Ming Dynasty, and we cannot be controlled by others."

The Minister of Finance said, "There cannot be so-called super-national treatment, otherwise the powerful Ming Dynasty will embezzle all of us. We must make our own decisions on our trade and cannot be slaughtered by the Ming Dynasty."

Philip IV understood that the conditions of the plans listed by the Ming Dynasty were too harsh and they could not accept them. All the plans today failed.

Philip IV's eyes flashed, and looked at Okundo, and suddenly said, "My general, what do you think?"

Okundo had a big beard and had a difficult expression to see clearly. He said, "Your Majesty, the Ming Dynasty was invincible in Asia, so it is not surprising to make such a request."

Philip IV looked at him with a calm expression, and looked at the other people again. After a while, he said, "What are you going to do?"

The Chancellor of the Finance Minister looked at Philip IV's expression and hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, the Ming Dynasty is a hundred times richer than America. If we cannot join forces with them, not only will the financial crisis be resolved, but if Frank, England, or the Netherlands take the lead, we will be in trouble."

The Admiral also said: "Your Majesty, our fleet will not be able to leave England, Frank, the Netherlands, and the Ottomans. If the Ming navy attacked us overseas, it would be difficult for us."

Of course, Philip IV would not let the foreign aid of the Ming Dynasty go. Seeing that all his confidants were like this, he smiled and said, "I'm asking, how can we all form an alliance with the Ming Dynasty as soon as possible, we need to hurry up."

Philip IV did not say it thoroughly, that is, he had already noticed that the people of the Ming Dynasty were trying to contact other countries, especially the Pope, which made him uneasy.

"Then let us give in, super-national treatment and free trade, we need to discuss it again. It must be in our hands and cannot let the Ming Dynasty come at will." The Finance Minister said with a dark face.

The Admiral said: "We naturally have to watch and help each other at sea, but the control of the joint fleet or other forces cannot be controlled by the Ming people, but we do not have to be completely controlled by us. We can jointly control, control in segments, or take turns to control. The most important thing is to deal with our enemies, the Ming Dynasty is not our enemy."
Chapter completed!