Chapter 403 Nanhua Munich (3rd update, please subscribe)

The madman that Pedro II mentioned was none other than Francisco Solano López, the Paraguayan Marshal known as the "Little Napoleon of South America". After the fall of the capital, the Paraguayan Marshal, who had been waging guerrilla warfare in the north, had indeed become a madman. Trapped in a desperate situation, he began to suspect that many people were betraying him and executed his closest followers.

During the naval battle on the Paraná River, Lopez was surrounded by the Brazilian army. Faced with the siege, he not only refused to surrender, but even ordered the execution of his mother and sisters who persuaded him to surrender.

On March 1, the last battle of the long war ended in just about an hour. The coalition forces faced a group of "beggars" rather than an army. In the battle, the vice president and prime minister of Paraguay were killed. Lopez's guards - a group of women led by his mistress, Mrs. Lynch, and composed of officers' wives, daughters and maids, suffered heavy casualties under the coalition's attack.

During the battle, Lopez was hit by a fatal spear from Brazilian corporal Jose Lacerda. After being injured, Lopez, who was worthy of being called a tough guy in South America, refused to surrender and shouted, "My country and I will live and die together." In the subsequent battle, Lopez was shot in the back and died. His eldest son, a 15-year-old boy, also died in the battle.

His mistress, Ms. Lynch, was taken into custody by the Allied forces after burying her husband and son.

On this day, this long and bloody war finally ended.

It was also on this day that the port of Buenos Aires welcomed a guest - Count Jose Parajos, the Brazilian Foreign Minister. His arrival immediately attracted the attention of the outside world. After all, the whole world now knew about the naval battle on the Paraná River that had a huge disparity in strength but a subversive outcome.

Will South China go to war with Brazil?

The diplomatic circles in Buenos Aires were all paying attention to this matter, and now the arrival of Count Jose Parajos naturally attracted the attention of outsiders.

Is it war?

Or peace?

The last time Count José Parajos came to this city was to sign a secret treaty with Argentina and Uruguay. They formed the "Triple Alliance" and agreed on the terms for the division of Paraguay after the war.

And now?

Things and people have changed!

Paraguay did not perish, but Argentina, one of the three countries in the Triple Alliance, disappeared from the world.

On the way to the presidential palace, no, the former presidential palace, Count Jose Parajos looked out through the carriage window. There were many more South China soldiers in green uniforms on the sidewalk, and those soldiers were often accompanied by an Argentine woman.

When he was in Rio de Janeiro, he heard about what was happening here. Many Argentine women who had lost their husbands had to surrender to these occupying forces in order to survive.

"South China is dyeing Argentina yellow at an unprecedented rate!"

However, Count Jose Parajos was not interested in all this. In Brazil, there were many European men and black slaves who had offspring, and Brazilians were not as particular as Argentines.

In fact, the Argentines don't care. After independence, Argentina began to deliberately reduce the black population in the country. The civil war between provinces lasted for decades, and a large number of black people served as cannon fodder. In the war with Uruguay, they recruited almost all blacks at the beginning. In the massive deaths of black men, didn't many lower-class white people marry black women?

Dyed yellow?

This is completely normal in South America, Hispanic immigrants have whitened South America. Now things are just changing.

Things have changed a bit, what is the biggest change?

"In the past, the problem in the La Plata River Basin was between Brazil and Argentina, but now it has become between Brazil and South China. Because of communication problems, some unpleasant things have happened between us. I hope we can look to the future and solve the problem fundamentally."

As soon as the negotiations began, Count Joseph Parajos directly stated his point of view - misunderstanding!

The naval battle on the Paraná River was just a misunderstanding.

"Sir, if South China wants to have a conflict with Brazil, it can send more warships instead of just a dozen escort boats of less than 100 tons."

"Indeed."

Count Joseph Parajos smiled a little unnaturally. Nanhua only sent a small gunboat, but your artillery fire is fierce!

"It is precisely because I feel your restraint and kindness that I am able to make this trip."

What is restraint? What is goodwill?

The key is that the Brazilian fleet was completely destroyed!

Continuing this "misunderstanding" will not do Brazil any good, so this is what happened now!

This world has always been about strength. If you are addicted to being weak, you will have to pay a price. After paying the price, you will have to admit defeat and give in when you find that you are no match for others.

If the Brazilians had won, would they have been as polite as they were now?

"We welcome the Earl. As you said, you are here to solve our communication problems. So may I ask what suggestions did you bring, Your Excellency the Earl?"

Zuo Zongtang smiled and said that although he did not speak Portuguese and Count Joseph Parajos did not speak Chinese, they both spoke English and there was no problem in communication between them.

"Well, since all the problems are caused by Paraguay, in order to solve these problems, we believe that in view of the regime change in Argentina, the rights and interests of Argentina, a party to the "Triple Treaty", can be completely inherited by Nanhua. What do you think?"

Faced with Count Joseph Parajos's suggestion, Zuo Zongtang just thought motionlessly, staring at him in front of him, occasionally taking a puff of his cigar.

This condition is just a test from the Brazilians!

No one will reveal all their bottom lines at the beginning of a negotiation.

"There is a saying in China that one should not receive reward without merit. Nanhua is not a signatory to the "Tripartite Treaty" and has no intention of gaining anything in Paraguay, let alone bullying the Paraguayan people!"

Putting the cigar on the ashtray, Zuo Zongtang looked at Count Joseph Parajos and said.

"And, as you just said, the problem in the La Plata River Basin used to be between Brazil and Argentina, but now it has become a problem between Brazil and South China. Because of communication problems, some unpleasantness has occurred between us. So, for the sake of peace in this region, can we discuss how to fundamentally solve this problem?"

(End of this chapter)