Chapter 3479
Chapter 3479
Chapter 3479
Gao Qiaonan accepted the governor's thanks calmly, but he would not take the other party's polite words seriously. You know, just a few days ago, the Portuguese came to Hambantota to ask the special warfare division to withdraw from Ceylon, and their attitude towards Gao Qiaonan was not as humble as it is now.
If the Dutch had not shown up halfway, the Special Operations Division and the Portuguese colonial authorities on the island of Ceylon would probably have been in a tense relationship, and there might even have been a small-scale conflict.
The Dutch attack on Colombo virtually resolved the conflict of interest between Hai Han and Portugal. At least at this stage, the Portuguese still needed to rely on the protection of the special warfare division and would definitely not dare to offend Takahashi Nan easily.
Afterwards, a number of dignitaries in the city came forward to salute Takahashi Minami to express their gratitude.
Gao Qiaonan looked around but didn't see a certain "familiar person", so he took the initiative to ask the Governor of Ceylon about this person: "Governor, a few days ago, a Mr. Dalot visited our military camp and had a good chat with me. Why didn't I see him?"
Dalot was quite disrespectful to Takahashi Minami when he visited Hambantota. Now that Portugal owes the Special Operations Division a huge favor, Takahashi Minami naturally wants to slap him in the face to serve as a warning to others.
Unexpectedly, the Governor replied: "Mr. Dalot participated in the defense of the city to protect his homeland. Unfortunately, he was shot and killed in the battle the day before yesterday."
The Governor was obviously very clear about why Takahashi Minami took the initiative to ask about Dalot's whereabouts. He immediately told Takahashi Minami that Dalot was not an official and his remarks did not represent the official attitude of the Portuguese and Ceylon authorities. The alliance between the two countries was unbreakable and should not be affected by personal words and deeds.
Gao Qiaonan could only smile after hearing such diplomatic rhetoric. The person was already dead, and there was no point in saying something unpleasant to the Governor of Ceylon at this time.
Takahashi Minami had to admit that the other party was right about at least one thing, that the relationship between the two countries should not be affected by personal words and deeds, and that diplomacy between countries should not be influenced by personal grudges.
This little incident has been resolved, and it is an acceptable result for both parties.
The Governor's Palace in the city was far away from the battle area, so it was relatively well preserved and did not suffer any obvious damage.
However, barricades had been built outside the gate of the Governor's Palace. It was obvious that the defenders had prepared for the worst. Once the city defenses were breached by the Dutch, they would probably have no choice but to retreat to the Governor's Palace for a final resistance. After all, this was the strongest building in the city, and fortress design elements were incorporated into its construction, so it could still hold out for a while.
The Governor of Ceylon prepared a banquet for Takahashi Minami's arrival. However, after almost half a month of war, the ingredients available were not very rich. There were only bread, roast chicken and some seafood.
The Governor of Ceylon ordered his men to bring out a waist-high wine barrel. While his servants were opening the wine, he enthusiastically explained to Takahashi Minami: "This is the last barrel of wine stored in my official residence, made from the finest wine from the Douro River in Porto. If you and your army fail to reach Colombo in time, I will definitely open this barrel of wine before I die in battle, and will not let it fall into the hands of the Dutch!"
Takahashi Minami didn't know about Porto, a Portuguese city known as the "Wine Capital", nor did he know that the best Portuguese wine was produced on the slopes along the Douro River, but he knew how to appreciate good wine and he happily raised his glass.
After taking a sip, Gao Qiaonan sincerely praised the wine. He had drunk Western wines before, but most of them seemed to be sour, while this wine was obviously sweeter and the alcohol content was higher. Gao Qiaonan then took the initiative to ask whether this port wine was blended with other wines.
The Governor of Ceylon expressed his appreciation for his wine tasting ability. The only way to transport this wine from Europe is through long-distance sea transportation. In order to prevent it from deteriorating during transportation, a small amount of brandy with a very high alcohol content was specially added, so the taste would be different from ordinary wine.
"Since the general likes it, I will send a few barrels of wine to the general when the wine shipped from China arrives in Colombo this year."
The Governor of Ceylon took the initiative to express his intention to establish a personal relationship, and Takahashi Minami readily accepted it, so as to pave the way for the next topic to be discussed.
Now that the conflict with the Dutch has come to an end, it is time to discuss Hai Han’s status and rights in Ceylon.
"The purpose of our army stationed in Ceylon is to escort Hai Han merchant ships to and from the Middle East. Our country has no intention of occupying the entire Ceylon Island, nor will it harm your country's interests in Ceylon Island. In view of the good relations we have always had with your country, I hope that the Governor-General can accept our presence in Ceylon Island on behalf of your country."
"This will not only help increase the scale of trade in Ceylon, but also help maintain regional peace and safeguard the common interests of our two countries in Ceylon. I believe that the Governor-General should be well aware of the many benefits this will bring to your country and make a sober decision."
After three rounds of drinks, Gao Qiaonan took the initiative to introduce the main topic, explained the purpose of Hai Han's stationing in Ceylon, and sought the other party's approval. Gao Qiaonan had discussed this matter with Consicao before, but the final decision still lay with the Governor of Ceylon.
Of course, whether the Portuguese agree or not, it will not change Hai Han's determination to enter Ceylon. But at the diplomatic level, it is still necessary to go through the necessary procedures and say the necessary words.
In this way, even if Portugal has objections to this, Hai Han has fulfilled its obligation to inform, and will not be at the fault in any situation that occurs next.
After listening to the translation, the Governor of Ceylon did not respond to this topic immediately, but talked about another matter: "As far as I know, your country has also had contact with the Kingdom of Kandy on the island. Are you planning to intervene in the conflict between our country and the Kingdom of Kandy?"
Takahashi Nan responded: "We are only following normal diplomatic relations and engaging in trade activities with the Kingdom of Kandy. There is no situation as you said. If you want our country to join the blockade and sanctions against the Kingdom of Kandy, then I am sorry that I can't help you."
The Governor of Ceylon said: "Our country is at war with the Kingdom of Kandy. According to the alliance signed by our two countries, we cannot sell military equipment to the belligerent party of the ally. I hope your country can at least abide by this clause and not cause trouble for our country."
Obviously, the Governor of Ceylon also has his own intelligence channels. He probably received some rumors and believed that Hai Han would secretly sell arms to the Kingdom of Kandy.
Although the military strength of the Kingdom of Kandy is far inferior to that of the Dutch, if it really obtains material supplies from Hai Han, it will also become a considerable threat to the colonial authorities.
Gao Qiaonan grinned and said, "If your country is willing to recognize our rights and interests in Ceylon, it will help us control the various materials sold to the Kingdom of Kandy. I think this will be a good thing for all parties."