Chapter 975: The Emperor

Zhu Yijun had envisioned the source of the resistance to this signing of the regulations, and he had envisioned many possibilities.

The conservative faction still existed and possessed great energy. Obstructing the signing of the regulations was obstructing the progress of the Wanli Reform. The conservative faction did not like change, and opening the seas had already changed too many things in the Great Ming;

the merchant sea traders in the coastal areas, even if they were the emerging bourgeoisie, had agents in the imperial court. In order to prevent the imperial court from reaching out and sharing more profits after the Pan-Pacific Trade Alliance was signed, they obstructed the signing of the regulations;

Shen Shixing held a grudge and was using private grievances to retaliate against Gao Qi, which was why he stirred up these troubles. If this were the case, Zhu Yijun would absolutely not spare him!

State affairs come first. Regardless of the fighting, Zhu Yijun absolutely did not allow "dog fighting" to delay state affairs. If state affairs were treated as child's play, Zhu Yijun would make Shen Shixing regret such a decision for all eternity;

Zhang Juzheng was retaliating, setting up some small difficulties so that Gao Qi would not be too arrogant when he got his way. Moderate suppression was also a matter of course.

Zhu Yijun thought this possibility was very small. Zhang Juzheng was not that idle to make such arrangements to target Gao Qi.

Since Gao Qi became the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial from the Vice Minister, most of Zhang Juzheng's suppression of Gao Qi was just talk rather than action, and more of it was maintaining a posture of disapproval.

If Zhang Juzheng really wanted to take action, it would not be such a scene.

Zhu Yijun had seen with his own eyes how Zhang Juzheng dealt with the Jin Party. It could be said to be swift and decisive, one move after another, continuous. As long as he took action, he was aiming to beat them to death, including how Zhang Juzheng dealt with Gao Gong.

Taking action means beating them to death—this has always been Zhang Juzheng's style, and he never shows mercy.

But after Feng Bao spent a long time investigating with the Eastern Depot and the Northern Division of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Zhu Yijun discovered that he had guessed completely wrong.

"So it was just for testing?" Zhu Yijun was quite surprised. These three interpreters from the Ministry of Rites were neither behind the conservative faction, nor the sea merchants, nor Shen Shixing. There was no one behind them.

These three interpreters were all radicals.

Wan Shihe had told the Emperor more than once that the reason why several reforms in history did not succeed was that the radicals made the policies more and more extreme in the process of reform, and eventually destroyed themselves in the extremes. This was the main reason for the failure of the reform, not the opposition of the conservative faction.

When it is necessary to carry out reform and when reform policies can be promoted, it means that it is the trend of the times, and it has reached the moment when it must be done, when the old must be discarded and the new established, and the accumulated ills must be cleared. The conservatives are not the majority; reform is the majority.

The Wanli Reform must prevent conservatism, but it is mainly to prevent excessive radicalization leading to extremism. Zhang Juzheng is now the biggest head of the conservative faction. He does not agree with many radical policies, and even denied the Single Whip Law.

The small disturbance in the Court of State Ceremonial was a test by the three radicals on the Eastern Barbarian Viceroys, testing their

bottom line. The facts proved that their test was successful.

The Viceroyalties of the East Pacific were very satisfied with these "Regulations," and in fact, they could continue to coerce and lure them to strive for more benefits.

"The Junior Minister said it was a small matter and asked His Majesty to show mercy." Feng Bao told Gao Qi's attitude. Gao Qi didn't care about this little thing; he valued the signing of the regulations and its impact on the Great Ming more.

Gao Qi chose to stop when it was enough. Whether it was squeezing the East Pacific Viceroyalties or these three officials of the Court of State Ceremonial, he stopped when it was enough. Doing things to the extreme is when the contradictions intensify to the point of being irreconcilable. Obviously, testing is not a manifestation of irreconcilable contradictions.

The court ministers of the Great Ming had all read the "Volume of Struggle" and had their own understanding of the scope of the struggle.

The signing of the regulations was a new stage for the Great Ming's opening of the seas. How many twists and turns there were in the middle actually didn't matter. As long as the Pan-Pacific Trade Alliance could be established, it was a victory.

"Just follow what the Junior Minister said." Zhu Yijun nodded and said: "What is Shen Shixing busy with?"

After Feng Bao investigated carefully, he discovered that Shen Shixing didn't know at all that he was going to handle the errand of the Pan-Pacific Trade Alliance, and Zhang Juzheng had never told Shen Shixing.

Even if Shen Shixing knew, he wouldn't care. Even if Gao Qi was powerful and his merits were great, the position of Grand Secretary would still be his, Shen Shixing's.

Zhang Juzheng left the position of Grand Secretary. In order to ensure that the tragedy of "people die and policies end" would not happen, His Majesty would choose a Zhang Party member to take office to protect the results of the reform. And Gao Qi had been expelled from the sect. The outcome of this struggle had already been determined.

At such a time, Shen Shixing only needed to handle his own errands well to win.

Shen Shixing was busy with the reform of the "body share system" and had no interest in taking away Gao Qi's merits.

The Pan-Pacific Trade Alliance included the Great Ming's five major Shipping Commissions, Ryukyu, the Tamsui Town of Keelung Island, Xinglong Manor, the Miyangang Port of Luzon, Manila Port, Davao Port, the Coconut Sea City of the Jiugang Viceroyalty, the Red Army Mountain Port of the Yuanxu Islands, the Jinchi Viceroyalty, Chile, Peru, Mexico, and the newly opened Gold Mountain City.

A ship certificate could allow navigation.

There was a very important transit port missing here: Japan's Edo City, which is the Tokyo of later generations.

If this port were added, it would be more convenient for all ships of the Pan-Pacific Trade Alliance members to navigate, but there was no Edo City.

This was intentional by the Great Ming.

Not including Japan in the Pan-Pacific Trade Alliance was, on one hand, to guard against Japan, to prevent Japan from rising from the ashes with this east wind, to guard against the risk of the Extreme Joy Sect in Japan spilling over, and to guard against the wandering samurai in Japan forming more pirates. On the other hand, it was to maintain the continuous stability of the small triangular trade.

The small triangular trade of Japan, Nanyang, and the Great Ming was really, really too important to the Great Ming. This was a benefit range exclusive to the Great Ming. Naturally, the Great Ming could not use this benefit to win over the Viceroyalties of the East Pacific. Even if the imperial court were generous, Great Ming merchants would find it hard to agree. Moreover, neither the Emperor nor the imperial court wanted to be generous.

Japan contributed silver, Japanese slaves, and Nanyang sisters. These Japanese slaves and Nanyang sisters went to Nanyang to serve as labor, producing enough raw materials, which were processed into commodities in the coastal areas of the Great Ming, supplying the Great Ming mainland, Japan, and Nanyang.

The Great Ming's four major Viceroyalties—Nagasaki, Luzon, Jiugang, and Jinchi—were all built on the basis of this small triangular trade. Therefore, this small triangular trade was one of the core interests of the Great Ming.

Even if the Pan-Pacific Trade Alliance failed, the Great Ming could retreat and find other ways, but if the coastal trade collapsed, the opening of the seas would suffer the greatest setback in history.

This setback would be no less than the suspension of the official ships' voyages to the Western Ocean back then.

In fact, the Japanese had paid enough price for the Japanese pirate troubles back then. Whether it was the defeat in Korea or the Japanese slave trade, since the Japanese pirate troubles that became increasingly fierce in the 20th year of the Jiajing era, the Japanese had already paid a bloody price. To this step, it seemed enough.

Generally speaking, to such a degree of punishment, there should have been scholar-officials standing up and loudly calling out that it was harmful to heaven and harmony.

But because of the political correctness of "destroying Japan," no one was willing to be the bird that stuck its head out. The risk of speaking for the Japanese was too great. His Majesty would do it himself and execute them on the street.

So they could only let the Japanese suffer a bit.

Feng Bao had someone bring over a newly made map, which was covered with a red silk cloth. This was the situation report from various places that had been arriving one after another in the past few days, showing the proportion of active conscripts.

"Does Your Majesty want to open it and take a look?" Feng Bao asked in a low voice. The result might be a bit cruel to His Majesty.

"This Gao Qi is really too bad, actually coming up with such a bad idea!" Feng Bao expressed his uncontrollable anger. This guy Gao Qi was truly capable, but he was also truly heart-piercing.

"Open..." Before Zhu Yijun finished speaking, he saw a young eunuch walk in hurriedly.

The young eunuch looked hurried and bowed his head, saying: "Your Majesty, the Grand Secretary and the Vice Grand Secretary are outside the Imperial Study, requesting an audience."

Usually, if there was nothing urgent, Zhang Juzheng and Governor Ling Yunyi would wait in the West Flower Hall. After all, they didn't know if His Majesty was busy. Obviously, this was an urgent matter, so the two of them arrived at the door of the Imperial Study.

"Proclaim." Zhu Yijun did not continue to let the young eunuch open the red silk cloth. Feng Bao's performance had already given Zhu Yijun an idea. The result was probably very bad, otherwise Feng Bao would not be shouting and killing the capable officials.

"Your subjects pay respects to Your Majesty." Zhang Juzheng and Governor Ling Yunyi walked in hurriedly and bowed to pay respects.

Zhu Yijun smiled and said: "Exempt from etiquette."

"Your Majesty, your subjects and the Vice Grand Secretary are puzzled. Why did Your Majesty issue a decree to government offices at all levels to register the active conscripts?" Zhang Juzheng's expression was very urgent, especially when he saw the map covered with red silk cloth; his face changed drastically. He immediately said: "Your Majesty, are we going to war?"

"Even if we are going to war, there is no need to register the conscripts. The Capital Battalion and the Navy are completely enough."

Regardless of the consequences, the Great Ming's current military strength was enough to beat the Mughal Empire.

"Didn't the teacher guess it?" Zhu Yijun looked at the unopened map and smiled.

Zhang Juzheng shook his head and said: "Your Majesty, the human heart cannot withstand testing. Submitting such a memorial to bewitch the Emperor's heart and test the human heart should be punished."

Gao Qi's memorial was kept in the palace and not sent to the Grand Secretariat. Although Zhang Juzheng had never seen the memorial, he knew who submitted it.

His Majesty was different from the late Emperor and the Daoist Emperor. His Majesty rarely kept memorials in the palace without sending them down. Which memorial was not sent down was clear at a glance.

"Your subject was really soft-hearted for a moment. This villain should be punished." Zhang Juzheng finally determined the target. This Gao Qi actually submitted such a heart-piercing memorial.

Once the disaster of "piercing the heart" is opened, there will be no end.

In many cases, the Great Ming judges by actions rather than intentions, because if you judge by intentions, there is no perfect person. The emperor is the creature with the greatest suspicion in this world. Once such a thing, which is almost equivalent to a loyalty test, comes out, the world will be restless.

"Teacher, sit, sit, sit." Zhu Yijun smiled and said: "Attendant Feng, I will take a look with the teacher. Pull it open."

"Your Majesty, absolutely not." Governor Ling Yunyi also understood what was going on when he arrived here. He immediately stepped forward, pressed the red silk cloth, and shook his head: "Your Majesty, the difficulty of ending well."

The Emperor is in his prime and in his prime years. Even if he knows, he won't pay special attention to it, and he will even reflect on whether he hasn't done anything well. But as his body weakens and he cannot even fully control his body, he will be suspicious and doubt everything that can be doubted.

It doesn't matter if you look at it now, but I'm afraid that when you are old, you will look at it.

Governor Ling Yunyi is old and doesn't have many years to live. The disaster of "difficulty in ending well" will not fall on him, but it will fall on the Great Ming.

How about Emperor Wu of Han? When he was old, he didn't even believe his own son!

This is not the situation Governor Ling Yunyi wants to see. This is a disaster for the Great Ming.

Registering active conscripts is nothing in other systems—it's just counting the number of people who can be conscripted—but in the Great Ming's county-based imperial system where power is highly concentrated in imperial power, it cannot be done.

People will change. A wise emperor will become a muddled emperor. Once you look at it, I'm afraid that when you are old, it will become a knot in your heart that cannot be untied, becoming a heart knot.

Wise emperors and holy masters sometimes do become obstacles to reform, such as the current situation.

"Looking at it won't do anything." Zhu Yijun signaled Governor Ling Yunyi to sit down and talk. He smiled and said: "Our Great Ming has a Grand Secretariat and Censorate officials to correct mistakes. I'm just taking a look, it won't do anything."

Governor Ling Yunyi sat down uneasily and looked at Zhang Juzheng, asking the Grand Secretary and Imperial Teacher to think of a way!

The Emperor has made up his mind, and no one dares to oppose it. The Grand Secretariat is useless, and the Censorate officials are useless!

If the Emperor has made up his mind to do something, but the Grand Secretariat disagrees, there will be contradictions, a conflict between imperial power and ministerial power.

If the Emperor is willing to be decent, he can set up government offices like the Privy Council, the Right Study Walkers, or the Military Affairs Office in the name of military affairs, while the Grand Secretariat continues to do the Grand Secretariat's work, and the Emperor continues to do what he wants to do.

This kind of setting up another government office and bypassing the Grand Secretariat is a very decent way of doing things.

During the Yongle era, many ministers disagreed with the northern expedition, and Emperor Chengzu played the "substitute for the peach" trick. Didn't the Emperor use this method to deal with the Hanlin Academy, the Censorate, and the Imperial Academy where the "cheap scholars" gathered?

If the Censorate jumps again, the Anti-Corruption Division will expand its functions and replace it.

Aren't the censors of the Censorate so honest now because they are afraid that the Emperor will replace them all if he gets angry?

If the Emperor is unwilling to be decent, he can directly expel the Grand Secretariat and replace it with another one. In the sixth year of Longqing, Gao Gong was replaced like this.

The loose Spain, the autonomous co-monarch Felipe could dissolve the Council of State and act arbitrarily. The Great Ming's county-based imperial system, where power is highly concentrated in imperial power, can do whatever it wants even more.

"Actually, it's okay to take a look." Zhang Juzheng said quite calmly: "It's good to take a look. Since this matter has already been done, not looking will only make one more curious."

This is the terror of piercing the heart. As long as it starts, it cannot end. If you don't let the emperor look, the emperor will definitely keep thinking about it. It is better to form a regular system. If you look at it more, you will get used to it.

Governor Ling Yunyi looked at Zhang Juzheng, and their eyes were very helpless. Now that things have come to this, they can only choose to believe in His Majesty.

Gao Qi is not unaware of the consequences; he is just firm enough in his belief in His Majesty. Gao Qi believes that His Majesty will definitely be able to guard his heart and clarify his nature. Gao Qi believes in His Majesty, who has been firm and persevering for nineteen years, even more than Zhang Juzheng!

Feng Bao stepped forward and pulled away the red silk cloth.

"What's going on with Shuntian Prefecture! So few?!" Zhang Juzheng saw the shocking "1%" at first glance! He even felt a bit dizzy!

Every 1% will change a color. The colored part, the higher the proportion, the deeper the color. Xuzhou Prefecture is vermilion.

Shuntian Prefecture is the lowest, almost white.

Yingtian Prefecture has 2%, Songjiang Prefecture has 3%, and the surrounding areas of Shuntian Prefecture, such as Datong Prefecture, Baoding Prefecture, Yongping Prefecture (Tangshan, Shanhai Pass), and Hejian Prefecture (Tianjin), are all 4%.

This 1% in Shuntian Prefecture is too dazzling.

"No, this..." Governor Ling Yunyi was incredibly surprised. Even Pyongyang Prefecture in Korea has 3%, and even Hancheng Prefecture is as high as 4%. This represents the great success of Governor Ling Yunyi's rule in Korea.

And the Liaoning Prefecture in Liaodong, which has been filled with color, also has 4%.

Before pulling away the red silk cloth, Zhang Juzheng and Governor Ling Yunyi were very worried, fearing gain and loss. After pulling it away, Zhang Juzheng and Governor Ling Yunyi were no longer worried at all. Except for the Viceroyalties, no place could be lower than Shuntian Prefecture.

The rebels are at their feet!

Now this map is not yet fully colored, but it already has statistical significance. Zhu Yijun looked at the map and didn't know whether to cry or laugh. The dragon chair has really become a golden toilet. Zhu Yijun has to sit in the capital and deter the rebels as long as he is alive.

"Actually, it's normal." Zhu Yijun sat up straight and said: "With the conflict with Andahan, by the second year of Longqing, the population of Shuntian Prefecture, even counting the children, was only 720,000. The population only began to recover slowly after the second year of Longqing. Most of them were people fleeing to the capital, and they had no sense of belonging to the capital."

"It is not easy to live in the capital. Naturally, there will be some resentment in their hearts. When registering active conscripts, what they think is naturally: Why me?"

Zhu Yijun has gradually accepted the result that Shuntian Prefecture is the worst. Having 1% is already giving enough face.

"What 'at the feet of the Son of Heaven,' 'the best place'!" Zhang Juzheng's face became extremely ugly.

What the Emperor said makes sense, but it is not sufficient.

In the 29th year of Jiajing, after Andahan invaded the capital, the population loss in Shuntian Prefecture was indeed very serious. What the Emperor said is the truth, but the population loss in Xuanfu and Datong was even greater, yet Xuanfu and Datong Prefecture are both 4%.

This 1% in the capital, saying it is because the Capital Battalion is strong, the capital has been singing and dancing for a long time; saying that the population loss in the capital is all displaced people; saying that the migration of wealthy households has resentment—all these reasons are correct, but they are not sufficient. No matter how you look at it, this 1% cannot be explained.

At the moment of revealing the answer, there is no need to worry about the emperor making trouble, and there is no need to think about the "difficulty of ending well." The place where the Capital Battalion is stationed is already the most disloyal place.

Zhu Yijun found the map interesting. The closer to the post road, the closer to the canal, the higher the proportion of conscripts;

The Emperor's efforts over so many years have not been in vain.

"Actually, this map reminds me." Zhu Yijun said with great emotion: "In the thirteenth year of Wanli, Lin Fu said, 'Wanli, Wanli, everything is contrary.' I kicked him to Nanyang, but looking at this map today, it is indeed so."

"The 3% in Songjiang Prefecture is actually not much. Teacher, Songjiang Prefecture is the only one in the Great Ming that has completed the transformation of commodity economy. Only 3% is really very little."

The life of the poor and laborers in Songjiang Prefecture is very bitter, and they can only earn 30 to 50 large coins a day. But even so, the life of the poor and laborers in Songjiang Prefecture is already a stability that rural farmers would envy and crave no matter what.

Logically speaking, the ratio of conscripts to the total population, that is, the mobilization rate, is positively correlated with productivity. There is no doubt that Songjiang Prefecture's productivity is extremely strong, and Songjiang Prefecture's organizational ability is also very strong. Songjiang Prefecture's 3% and Shuntian Prefecture's 1% are not high.

In later generations, in the industrial era, the mobilization rate could be pulled to 10% or even higher. Songjiang Prefecture's 3% is lower than the Great Ming's agricultural society's 4%, which can explain some problems.

People have resentment in their hearts. Lin Fu didn't lie. It can only be said that the implementation of distribution in the past few years has alleviated part of the distribution problem, but it is far from being solved.

At this time, I have to take out the distribution volume and continue to chant sutras.

The situation in Songjiang Prefecture and Shuntian Prefecture is very similar. Shuntian Prefecture has almost completed the transformation of commodity economy. The reason for the difference between 1% and 3% is that Songjiang Prefecture has eaten up the dividends of opening the seas, while Shuntian Prefecture has not.

A young and strong monarch, when seeing this map that is almost a loyalty test, first reflects on whether he hasn't done well, especially whether he hasn't done a good job in distribution, leading to such a result.

But what would an old and weak monarch think when seeing this map?

"When I am sixty, that is, in the fiftieth year of Wanli, I will just remove this map." In order to deal with the "difficulty of ending well," Zhu Yijun formulated a set of systems to prevent the occurrence of the "difficulty of ending well." As for whether it can be executed by then, we will see then.

Zhu Yijun never believes that a person can remain rational forever, even if it is himself.

"Okay, this thing can only be used as a reference. I have a number in my heart." Zhu Yijun signaled Feng Bao to cover it with the red silk cloth. This thing cannot be looked at too much; looking at it too much will mess up the heart.

"The errand of the Pan-Pacific Trade Alliance was handled very well. The Junior Minister sold 3 million silver worth of ships to Mexico. After that, the gunpowder profit can be even more." Zhu Yijun told Zhang Juzheng a piece of good news. The profit was not high, only a mere 2.7 million taels.

The arms business is always like this. What is sold is never the arms themselves, but safety. The price of safety has never been low, and it is a long-term business.

The 36% annual interest will force Viceroy Pedro to fight for his life, because if it is pulled for ten years, the interest alone will be as high as 9 million taels of silver.

"Spain did not send envoys to the Great Ming this year, and even the galleons only had three." Zhang Juzheng said with some worry: "The Portuguese King Antonio has fought two battles with Felipe."

Since the year before last, when Felipe was furious because Portugal sold gold bonds and sent assassins to assassinate Antonio, killing the Sword Saint Marcus, the relationship between the two countries began to deteriorate rapidly, and there was even a trend of war.

Antonio chose to admit defeat, but this admission of defeat did not bring any leniency.

Because Felipe suddenly discovered that Antonio was a soft persimmon, much easier to pinch than the English. From the sea to the land, friction began to intensify.

In September of last year, Antonio changed his usual state and announced that he would avenge Marcus. The friction between the two sides soon escalated into a conflict.

This time, Felipe dispatched a full ten large phalanxes, totaling more than 30,000 people, to attack Portugal. Antonio dispatched 25,000 Great Light Sect protection troops to meet the enemy.

At first, Felipe's army acted quickly, and the attack was fast. In just three months, they reached the city of Santarém, only 120 miles away from Lisbon.

Santarém is on the west bank of the Tagus River, and the Spanish ten phalanxes were on the east bank of the river. The Spanish army was attacking cities and seizing land, their morale was like a rainbow, and they were clamoring to take Lisbon within seven days.

When the fighting reached here, everyone knew that Antonio's previous strategy of admitting defeat was correct.

Portugal's depth is too shallow. Once this Western hegemon, Spain, gets serious and is willing to pay a sufficient price, Portugal is definitely not Spain's opponent.

The Battle of Santarém began. The Great Light Sect protection troops, who should have been defending, not only did not defend but took advantage of the night to cross the river and suddenly appeared in the northeast direction of the Spanish army. This disrupted all the deployments of the large phalanxes, and a tragic bloody battle began.

King Antonio took the lead, and the royal flag always fluttered on the battlefield. Soon, the protection troops suffered nearly half the casualties, repelling Spain's attack. After the war, Antonio not only did not rest but pursued the victory.

In the Moon Valley, Antonio led the exhausted troops and completely defeated the Spanish army. Of the ten Spanish large phalanxes, only one escaped back to Spain, and the remaining 27,000 people were either killed or captured, forever remaining in Portugal.

A total of seven phalanx commanders, twelve sergeants, and twenty-four accompanying chief priests were captured. Antonio became famous in one battle.

After the war, Antonio released all the noble captives and sent envoys to Spain to seek peace. It was indeed seeking peace, not negotiating peace, because if they continued to fight, Portugal would definitely lose.

Moreover, the Battle of Santarém and the Battle of Moon Valley were not actually because Antonio was so powerful, but because of the legacy of the late Sword Saint Marcus. Very early on, Marcus had already formulated the plan. Every step was a risky move, and as long as one step was wrong, they would lose completely.

Luring the enemy deep, night raids, close-quarters combat, the King taking the lead, and pursuit—these were all the only winning opportunities Marcus had thought of before he died. And executing this plan required Antonio to have enough courage.

If the river crossing was discovered, or if they were defeated after crossing the river, everyone would die. If Antonio did not have the courage to break the cauldrons and sink the boats, the Battle of Santarém would also have been a situation of certain defeat.

Antonio really didn't have this courage. Since he became king, Antonio had been a bit "letting things slide" and was very lazy. State affairs were managed by the Han scholar-officials, and military affairs were managed by the Sword Saint Marcus. He, the king, lived a very extravagant and dissolute life.

But Marcus died, and Antonio's sneak attack across the river was completely a "fish dead and net broken," a desperate fight.

"Antonio won the Battle of Santarém and the Battle of Moon Valley, but his seeking peace gave Felipe enough face. So, did Antonio win, or did Felipe win?" Zhu Yijun had doubts about this battle.

On the battlefield, Antonio won, but outside the battlefield, Felipe won.

Antonio sent a huge delegation to seek peace, with great momentum and a very low posture, doing everything possible to boast about the bravery of the Spaniards. Those captives were like heroes, coupled with the cooperation of some court secretaries, and Ma Deli was full of praise.

A performance worthy of "The Emperor's New Clothes" began. All of Ma Deli, including the Portuguese, were coaxing Felipe to be happy like a child.

Those who didn't know would have thought that the Spanish large phalanx had entered Lisbon and captured Antonio!

"Felipe won. What he wants is for the Spaniards to believe that he can still win." Zhang Juzheng thought carefully before saying.

For Felipe, the victory or defeat on the battlefield is not important; what is important is that he wants to announce victory internally and make people believe it.

Antonio was not carried away by the short-term victory but chose to cooperate with the performance. ===== CHAPTER 976 =====

A performance that could be called "The Emperor's New Clothes" began; all of Ma Deli, including the Portuguese, were coaxing Felipe to make him happy, just as one would coax a child.

Those who didn't know better would have thought the Spanish Tercios had marched into Lisbon and captured Antonio!

"Felipe has won; what he wants is for the Spanish people to believe he can still be victorious," Zhang Juzheng said after careful consideration.

For Felipe, the outcome of the battlefield is not important; what is important is that he must announce a victory internally and make people believe it.

Antonio was not blinded by his short-lived victory, but instead chose to cooperate with the performance.