"Master, the car arranged by Mr. Rodriguez is here." The servant of Duke Avalo walked in and said, "The servant showed two clothes, which were linen shirts that the merchants often wore. The servant said with a embarrassed look: "Mr. Rodriguez asked the master and the noble Count to change into these two clothes."

Avaro shrugged and said nothing, so that the servant would breathe a sigh of relief. While serving Avaro to change his clothes, the servant said, "Mr. Rodriguez said, let you and the Earl go by car, and do not let villains follow you. The place to be arranged is a chess and card room in the Chinese Concession.

Lord Rodriguez said that it was a place that merchants liked, with private rooms, people coming and going, and people would not be discovered."

"He arranged it well. For His Majesty the King, I don't care about this humiliation." Avaro said.

"This is not a humiliation. We should also learn about His Majesty the King's territory." Earl Sandro said behind the curtain.

The two went out and there were two two-wheeled rickshaws parked at the side door of the Governor's Mansion. When they got off the boat yesterday, Avaro saw that there were many such two-wheeled rickshaws in Havana. When he went to Ceuta, Ceuta was more, which Chinese people called rickshaws.

The driver who pulled the cart was a Mestiso man, wearing a horn, while his wife was holding a lamp for her husband who was working at night, using a kerosene lamp.

In Cuba where Havana is located, and even the entire West Indies, Spanish and Indian mixed races such as the Mestiso are rare. Mainly in the early days of colonization, the local Indians were dead. The local mixed races should be the black and white Muratos.

But what Avaro didn't know was that with the frequent trade between colonies, many Mestizo people with free identities came to cities like Havana from rural areas in Mexico, Colombia and other places to make a living. What he didn't know was that the owner of the car dealer where these rickshaws were located was Rodriguez.

Two pairs of Mestiso men pulled Avaro and Sandro and walked quickly in the dim city of Havana, separated at a very close intersection, and soon joined in a few blocks of foreign exchange. Obviously, this was arranged in advance to prevent anyone from following. After walking for more than ten minutes, they appeared in front of a wooden bridge and crossed the bridge and entered the Chinese Concession.

The coachman's wife of Mestiso talked to the people guarding the bridge that the coachman directly pulled the two into the concession. There were gas lamps on the roads of the concession, and kerosene lamps were no longer needed.

Soon, two rickshaws were parked next to a building, with bright lights and crowds of people. Although the coachman said that someone had paid the bill, Avaro and Sandro still tipped their coachman.

Rodriguez was also dressed as a businessman, greeted him at the door, entered the chess and card room, ordered tea and snacks, and went up the second floor.

Whether in the first floor lobby or in the stairwell, there were people everywhere. Under the gas lights, Chinese businessmen and Spanish sat around the square table, posing mahjong in front of them, playing in a bustling manner, and there were many people watching. When they went up the second floor, there were private rooms one by one. Rodriguez knocked on the door, and Avaro waited close to the opposite door, and suddenly shouted - Hula! He almost jumped up in fear.

"Sorry, Duke, it's very noisy here." Carlo opened the door and said directly to Avaro. Yesterday, Avaro's ship arrived at the port. Carlo went to greet him. The two had seen him.

Avaro frowned and said, "I didn't expect that the king's people would also play this kind of Chinese card."

"This is a communication between businessmen and a collision of culture," said Carlo.

At this time, the waiter walked in and placed the tea and snacks on the table beside him. Carlo said, "Just put it on the chess and card table?"

"Sir, don't you guys play cards?" the waiter was a Murato girl, she asked.

Carlo patted the box at his feet and said, "We have our own cards."

The girl nodded, put away the mahjong and asked, "Sir, can I take this mahjong away?"

"Why? Are there many customers today?"

"No, it's a distinguished guest from the camp outside the city who wants to play, but he can't get enough mahjong." said the girl Murato.

"Take it away, take three more portions of ice. It's too hot here. My friends are not vulgar people." Carlo ordered.

The gas lamp is much brighter than the traditional candles, but it is a flame. The room that was already very hot became hotter after lit. Many people were playing cards with shirtlessness on the card tables in the lobby, but Carlo knew that the few people in front of him would not, so he specially prepared ice.

Touching the ice plate given by the girl Murato, Avaro said: "Sixteen years ago, I came to Havana once, and in just sixteen years, everything changed."

"His Excellency Duke, sixteen years ago, there were only four thousand people in Havana, and less than five thousand people ten years ago. Now this is a big city with 40,000 people. Now this city can generate one million pesos of fiscal revenue for the kingdom every year." Carlo said with a smile.

"Yes, the port has become a city, but I don't know what people's hearts are? Does the hearts of those people in the camp outside the city still belong to His Majesty the King?" Sandro asked while drinking tea.

In the past month, a camp appeared in the outskirts of Havana. The main body of the camp was originally a large area of ​​goods warehouses, which were exclusively for Chinese merchants. Now there are many soldiers and servants living in them. Even so, it is still not enough, and many tents have been expanded.

The camps lived in these camps with the entourages of the nobles of the Spanish colonial areas. These nobles all belonged to the organization "College Gentleman's Committee".

This organization was founded in Panama and was led by the Imperial Ministry of Overseas Affairs. At first, the members were only some merchants and landlords from the Governor of New Spain who had close contact with the Empire. Later, people from the West Indies, Colombia and other places also joined. In the end, Antonio came from Lima to Panama and joined.

The committee had more than 130 members, and almost every colony had representatives, representing the interests of the Creoles in the Spanish colony. They were united and agreed to advance and retreat together on the issue of inheritance of the Spanish throne.

Long before Avalo set out from Madrid, the committee sent several representatives to Madrid. At that time, Philip V was full of longing, believing that his friendly policy to China had been rewarded, and the colonies came to swore allegiance. However, as expected, these representatives submitted a "New World Declaration" to the palace, and not only Philip V, but also several representatives went to Vienna, Austria.

This New World Declaration expresses the colonial demands.

Article 1 of the Declaration states that the Council of Gentlemen in the Colonial Region represents the appeals of all Spanish colonies except the natives.

The second article states that the colonial gentlemen love peace, reject war, and attach importance to friendship with China.

The most important thing is the third article. The colonial gentlemen attach great importance to the inheritance of the throne that took place on the ground and the wars that caused it. However, after discussion, the committee was unable to reach an agreement between Philip and Charles, and could not be loyal to a certain person. In order to maintain the stability and peace of the colony, the matter of loyalty was temporarily put on hold. When "Spain has a king supported by all nobles, supported by all Spain, and widely supported by major countries," he said, "they will be loyal to it again."

At the end of the declaration, he expressed his belonging and love for Spain, expressed his loyalty to Spain, and expressed his colonies that will never be separated from their homeland and will not be independent. They will still safeguard Spain's interests and assume responsibility for the Spanish nation.

The first signator of the declaration was Antonio, which also broke the rumor that the Peruvian Governor's District wanted independence.

This declaration has two characteristics. First, it is very humble in its words. Second, it is extremely determined in its attitude. It is precisely because of the release of this declaration that the Duke of Avalo and Count Sandro hurried to Havana. Both Louis XIV and Philip V already knew that this committee was supported by China, with the purpose of keeping the colonies free from the influence of the Spanish war on the succession of the throne.

It is no longer realistic to make the colony loyal to Philip, and Philip V should obtain the support of the colony as much as possible.

Without the support of the colonies, Philip V's entry into Spain would be a burden.

The Grand Duke of Charles, who did not get anything, Philip V received millions of national debts every year. Even if all the Spanish finances were paid, the kingdom would not go bankrupt. So what about the wages of officials and the salaries of the army? How should wars be fought?

Since last month, members of the Gentleman's Committee have come to Havana, the closest colonial city to the land, to hold talks with the "Emuniques of the King" here, not because Philip sent two people, but the Messenger of Philip and Charles.

The gentlemen did not come alone, nor did they bring servants, grooms and hound mistresses, but also guards.

The committee stated that the army would never organize a confrontation with the local people. They firmly believed that forming an army by themselves was disrespectful to the king. But after finally having an opportunity to meet the local nobles, it was not an exaggeration to bring their sons and nephews who were riding horses and carrying guns. They came to see the world, and they were both here and they were here. To protect the safety, it was not an exaggeration to bring a few guards. After finally coming to a port city, you can't just take cars and ships empty, hire some people to transport, and buy and sell goods. Which of these free people in the colonies has no weapons?

Therefore, there were more than 110 gentlemen in name, but they were "humble and armed men who only protected themselves" with more than 4,000 people. In the entire Cuba Island, according to the terms of the Treaty of Madrid that year, the Chinese could not station more than 100 Marines in the concession, and could not maintain more than three military ships in the port, while Spain was not allowed to station more than 1,000 troops on Cuba Island.

"They actually have so many people!" Sandro was shocked after listening to Carlo's narrative, and Avaro stopped talking.

Originally, Avaro and Sandro thought that this group of colonial country bumpkins had only two thousand soldiers. The local garrison and the armed personnel on the two battleships escorted him, as internal supporters, could gain an advantage. Even if they were not easy to move troops directly, they could use this as a bargaining chip to gain more benefits.

"No matter how many people there are, two noble Lords, I think not to use force. Otherwise, His Majesty the King will lose everyone's support." Carlo said humbly. His current identity is a double-faced spy, which was recognized by the Imperial Military Intelligence Agency. If a war breaks out, Carlo's men will be a surprise soldier, and if peace is maintained, he will be recognized by the Spanish envoy.

Avaro said: "The diplomats are holding short spears."

This is a Spanish proverb, which roughly means that you can't get it on the battlefield and you can't get it on the negotiating table.

Seeing that Avaro was in charge of the matter, he could only use his trump card: "There is a news that I have not yet confirmed, but it should be true. The envoy of Vienna has also arrived and should hide on the Chinese naval cruiser Haidongqing.

Antonio should have been in secret negotiations with the Vienna messenger.”

Although the gentry of the colony did not recognize Philip V, because Philip V had already moved into the Indy House, most of the colony's governors and governors had recognized Philip V, and the army they controlled was naturally loyal to Philip V. However, now that the colony's gentlemen's committee was established, the colony's forces were integrated. Compared with the local gentry, the energy possessed by these local officials was really not worth mentioning.

Even so, the envoys sent by Vienna did not dare to appear in Havana publicly, which was the advantage of Avaro and his group.

"Do you have a way to be sure?"

"No, my status is very embarrassing. Although it is also in the committee, there are only a dozen people in the core, and I am not among them. They regard me as a local person. If I hadn't provided convenience for them locally, I wouldn't even have the current status."

"Where are you able to know the conditions of the Austrians?" Avaro asked.

But Sandro said: "In fact, there is no need to know that Vienna gives much better terms than us."

Avaro had no choice but to admit this. After all, Philip V had to obtain at least the fiscal revenue of the colony to ensure that the Spanish government did not go bankrupt, that is, it would take at least eight million Chinese silver dollars a year. As for the Austrian side, getting one million is pure profit, or even a penny is not allowed. The separation of the colony from Spain is a huge blow to the Philippine regime.

Carlo said directly: "Two Your Excellency, in the eyes of the villain, if His Majesty the King wants to get as much support as possible, perhaps the two You should first contact the Prince of China instead of talking to Antonio. What the Prince of China wants is the peace of the colonies and avoid the war on the continent affecting their trade. He should be willing to be friendly with His Majesty the King who has been recognized by the local government.

To put it bluntly, the concession of the Chinese prince is to sell the interests of the colonies, not China. And what about the gentlemen who do it? They will only feel that you are cutting their flesh."

"What's your relationship with that Chinese prince?"

"In my position, I can't see him at all, so you have to take the initiative."

Avaro could only follow Carlo's advice, but what he didn't know was that Carlo, who had never seen Li Su, said that after leaving the chess and card room, went straight to the consulate and appeared in Li Su's office.

"Carlo, you are here! That's great. Yongzhong's money has been lost. You can go to the table." Li Su greeted Carlo enthusiastically.

Carlo spread his hands: "Your Excellency, I didn't bring any silver coins."
Chapter completed!