Chapter 1563: There Is a Land Beyond the Skies!

Only after Zhu Hengli reminded him did Louis XIV recall that Portugal could not yet be classified among the "harmless small countries" — this nation was still a maritime empire with vast colonies!

Zhu Hengli continued speaking to Louis XIV: "Your Majesty, Portugal's colonial empire is still a bit large for Rome! If Portugal's homeland rapidly enriches itself through overseas trade, then their colonies, especially the vast colony of Brazil, will receive ample investment... That is a treasure land of boundless potential!

If it can be developed, it might become a second New Spain! By then, the Kingdom of Portugal might well become the Empire of Portugal!

Therefore, I suggest Your Majesty seize the opportunity of mediating Portugal's internal strife and produce a solution that satisfies both sides... Split the Portuguese Empire, let King Afonso return to Portugal proper and resume rule. At the same time, let Prince Pedro and Maria Francisca go to Brazil to establish their own kingdom."

That was a decent way out!

Louis XIV thought to himself: Prince Pedro and Maria Francisca would gain Brazil, which counted as a place to settle, and they could also leave Europe's political stage forever...

"But how do I get Pedro, Maria Francisca, and Afonso all to accept this plan of dividing Portugal and Brazil?" Louis XIV was again troubled. He looked at Zhu Hengli. "Henri, you are Marie Anne's future husband and also my son-in-law, so can you represent me in persuading Maria Francisca to accept this plan? I think if she resigns herself to it, matters will become much easier."

"Of course," Zhu Hengli said with a smile, "I am willing to serve you... my Emperor!"

"Good!" Louis XIV laughed. "You will certainly succeed, because you are the finest persuader I have ever seen... By the way, you need not go to Lisbon, because Maria Francisca is now in Rome. She is of the House of Savoy and has some properties in Italy. And she is even distantly related to you! Olympia's husband is also a Savoy."

Maria Francisca Isabel de Savoy came from the ancient House of Savoy, a family originating in Germany that had once held lands in the Rhineland and Switzerland, but the place where they made their fortune was the Duchy of Savoy in Italy.

However, Maria Francisca was not of the main line of the House of Savoy, but of the French branch, from the house of the Duke of Nemours — the title of Duke of Nemours originally belonged to the French royal family and was later granted to Giuliano de' Medici of the Medici family. This Giuliano later married Louise de Savoy of the House of Savoy. But less than a year after their marriage, he died of illness, and he had no legitimate children who could inherit the title. So the title of Duke of Nemours was inherited by his wife, and the title passed into the House of Savoy.

And Maria Francisca's father was the previous Duke of Nemours, Charles Amédée — but this Charles Amédée was already dead, and the title of Duke of Nemours had passed to Louis XIV's younger brother, the Duke of Orléans. Still, Maria Francisca had received some inheritance, including a residence within the city of Rome.

After leaving the Palazzo Colonna with Louis XIV's order, Zhu Hengli took a carriage to the mansion owned by Maria Francisca, known as the Portuguese Palace. It was not a sprawling grand residence, but it had always been meticulously maintained.

After presenting the order signed by Louis XIV, Henri was quickly admitted and entered the mansion.

"Are you Grand Duke Henri? I am the Queen Regent of Portugal!" A woman of twenty-seven or twenty-eight, with passably regular features but somewhat plump and full-figured, wearing a corseted gown that half-bared her shoulders, stood in the courtyard with two maids to greet the visiting Zhu Hengli. She was Maria Francisca. Because she already knew of Zhu Hengli's relationship with Afonso VI, her expression was somewhat grim.

"It is an honor to meet you, Madame Regent." Zhu Hengli, now dressed in Western aristocratic attire, stepped forward and nodded to the woman before him in a very gentlemanly manner, then smiled. "Will you not invite me in to sit?"

Maria Francisca forced a smile. "Then please come in... Your Highness."

Maria Francisca's manner was still somewhat stiff, but in the end she did not turn him away. Instead she invited Zhu Hengli into the parlor and ordered a maid to bring Mancini milk tea.

"Speak, Your Highness. What exactly does Afonso want?" Maria Francisca did not beat around the bush with Zhu Hengli, but went straight to the point.

"He has now become a father," Zhu Hengli said with a smile. "He has a legitimate son born in wedlock... and he has also gained a group of supporters in Goa, organizing a mercenary army of eight thousand men, wanting to seize back his power."

"Does the Emperor not intend to stop Afonso?" Maria Francisca's voice trembled slightly.

In truth, she already knew the answer... How could the Roman Emperor Louis possibly use military force to help two people whom all Europe considered rebels oppose their lawful king? And if she and Prince Pedro could give Louis XIV benefits, Afonso could give them too!

"Madame, you should call him His Majesty the King!" Zhu Hengli looked at Maria Francisca with a smile. He was very handsome, and his smile was warm and affable, which made Maria Francisca feel some goodwill toward him.

"Yes, I should call him His Majesty the King!" Maria Francisca bit her lip. "I should also kneel at his feet and beg his forgiveness..."

Zhu Hengli shrugged and smiled. "You should indeed do so..."

"And then?" Tears welled in Maria Francisca's eyes. "Then have my head chopped off on his orders?"

Zhu Hengli tilted his head in thought, then smiled. "Madame, you need not fear for your life... His Majesty the Emperor will not permit such a thing, nor will I allow Afonso to do it! Because you are the kindest rebel I have ever seen... You did not even take Afonso's throne!

I must say, your kindness exceeds my imagination. I cannot allow a kind lady such as yourself to be separated from her head. That would be too inhumane."

"Do you truly think so?" Maria Francisca felt a few more degrees of goodwill toward Zhu Hengli, and she also felt that she was indeed very kind.

But she still did not quite believe Zhu Hengli's words. "Grand Duke, can you truly protect me?"

"Of course!" Zhu Hengli said with a smile. "But you must also take some initiative, using your kindness to dissolve the hatred in Afonso's heart... I can take you to Tunisia to beg King Afonso's forgiveness."

"Will he really forgive me?" Maria Francisca still dared not believe it.

"Of course," Zhu Hengli said. "I guarantee it! I swear it before God!"

In fact, Zhu Hengli had not yet completed the formalities for joining the Catholic Church!

Maria Francisca looked at Zhu Hengli pitifully. "Your Highness, this matter concerns my head! Can you say something to put my mind at ease?"

Zhu Hengli said: "Indeed, what a beautiful head it is! It would be a great pity to have it chopped off! To preserve it, you must confess to him before Afonso returns to Lisbon... because in Tunisia, he can only choose to forgive!"

"Why?"

Zhu Hengli smiled. "Because his army was hired entirely with my money! I spent a great deal of money... So before he returns to Lisbon, I can prevent him from doing you harm. I will persuade him to forgive your faults and grant Brazil to you and Prince Pedro. Prince Pedro can become King of Brazil, and you can become Queen of Brazil. Although Brazil is not prosperous now, its land is vast, its resources abundant, and its future is bright."

Hearing that she could still become a queen, Maria Francisca sighed softly and said to Henri: "You are truly a good man, Your Highness!"