As the sun set, a large fleet slowly sailed towards the port of New Frankfurt, quickly causing a sensation among the dock workers.

As one of the most important military ports of the Holy Roman Empire in the South Seas, it was not uncommon to have a fleet haunt. It's just that this time it's different, the incoming fleet is flying the wrong flag.

A young man pointed ahead with trembling hands and exclaimed, "What's going on? What bastard is so careless that he got the military flag wrong! ”

The port of New Frankfurt is one of the stations of the Austrian South Sea Fleet, which is a military location. Even if a foreign warship occasionally passed by and needed supplies, it was sent by small boats, and it never docked.

It was also a tacit understanding between colonial empires. For the sake of port safety, warships of other countries are generally not allowed to enter unless they accept an invitation or if the warship is damaged on the way to the industry and must be repaired.

Especially after Japan's successful sneak attack on the Philippines, the major colonial empires have increased their vigilance. Such a large fleet is not to say that it is docked, and even if it wants to get supplies, it must stay a few miles away.

The middle-aged foreman next to him sneered: "Don't talk nonsense, who will hang the wrong military flag." Just look at the shape of the warship, it is obvious that it is not ours.

It was the flag of the Spaniards, they were fighting the Japanese, and I heard that they had suffered a big loss a few days ago, so it seemed that this fleet should have been sent by them.

It's just that I don't know what's going on, they came to us. ”

After a pause, the middle-aged man seemed to think of something, and immediately reprimanded after reacting: "Hurry up and work, don't want to be lazy for me, is it your turn to worry about the affairs of the big guys!"

Don't you want to be paid anymore? Let me tell you, if you can't finish today's work, no one will want to go home. ”

Suddenly, a small man held his stomach with both hands, revealing a painful expression, which quickly attracted the attention of the middle-aged foreman.

"Little monkey, what are you doing kid?"

It can be seen that the middle-aged foreman is still very worried. It's just that I'm worried about the little monkey's body, or today's life, then no one knows.

"Boss, my stomach hurts. Can you get some money and let me go to the hospital? ”

As he spoke, the young man of the little monkey had already squatted down, as if in unbearable pain.

The middle-aged foreman frowned, and he was sick, especially those who were engaged in heavy physical work on the docks, but if he fell ill, few of them could get up.

It's not that it can't be cured, it's that there is no money to cure it. Although the income of dock workers is relatively good, after deducting the expenses of the family, there is still very little left.

If you don't seek medical treatment, you will die, if you really go to the hospital, I don't know if you can save people, anyway, your home will definitely be gone.

"Okay! But don't go to the hospital, you kid, that's not where we people should go, just go to Lao Liu Tou to prescribe a pair of medicines. ”

The poor have a poor man's way of life, and in addition to expensive hospitals, there are also barefoot doctors who are left behind.

Regardless of the medical skills, it is better to be cheap.

Generally speaking, the medicinal herbs in these barefoot langs are collected by themselves, and only those that are not available on the island will be purchased, and the cost is much lower than that of the hospital.

But you get what you pay for, and there are really few barefoot doctors in the Nanyang area who are good at medical skills. If he really had the ability, he would have been accepted by the hospital a long time ago.

They are all private hospitals, and everything is on par with money. As long as they can make money, capitalists will not care about Chinese medicine and Western medicine.

Driven by interests, the earliest hospital of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine appeared so quietly.

The little monkey youth couldn't stop nodding, indicating that he already knew. After taking the money from the middle-aged foreman, he left tremblingly.

Everyone sweeps the snow in front of their own door, in this era of precariousness, unless they are relatives and friends, otherwise everyone will not be nosy.

The little monkey was added later, and he was neither related to everyone nor had a history, and he was not even a fellow villager. Except for a few sighs, the rest of the people continued to work.

After getting out of everyone's sight, the little monkey, which was originally dying, instantly recovered its vitality and ran to the telegraph company as fast as possible.

……

In the wee hours of the morning, the palace is still brightly lit. Emperor Meiji, who was supposed to rest, was also awakened by a sudden telegram and hurriedly convened an imperial council.

"The enemy is moving much faster than we expected, and has reached Sulawesi, where it is now parked in the port of New Frankfurt, just a step away from the Philippines.

Seeing that the enemy is about to attack, and the warships promised by the British have not yet been obtained, we must come up with a plan for how to deal with it next. ”

Emperor Meiji said undoubtedly.

The situation was completely worse than he expected. According to international practice, the Holy Roman Empire, as a neutral state, could not help Spain during the war.

Generally speaking, for the sake of national reputation, even if it is to provide support to belligerents, it is done secretly, and blatant support such as the Holy Roman Empire is rarely seen in the European world.

Somehow, the convention suddenly failed. This time, as if it didn't care about international reputation, the Holy Roman Empire not only allowed Spanish warships to pass through the Suez Canal, but also provided port calls to the Spanish Navy.

If nothing else, it would not be surprising that the Spaniards would be repaired and maintained.

It may seem like this support is inconspicuous, but in fact these are factors that directly affect the combat effectiveness of the navy.

It was because the Pacific Fleet of the Russians in the original time and space did not have these logistical supports, and the tenth combat effectiveness did not even give full play to five points, so it was simply killed by the Japanese. Otherwise, it is still unknown who will win and who will lose.

Admiral Ito asked, "What does the Ministry of Foreign Affairs do to eat?" Didn't the Austrians say they were neutral, why did they suddenly support Spain again?

Why haven't we received any news before, you guys are derelict in their duties. Do you know how much damage this accident will bring to the Empire? ”

"Ito-kun, calm down first. No one wants to see something like this happen. Also, our Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not idle.

It is a well-known fact that the Vienna government declared neutrality at an early stage. What is happening now is that we are ignoring a secret covenant from forty years ago.

Before the Austrians set out to sea, they signed port-sharing agreements with several colonial empires, including Spain.

It was thanks to this treaty that the Austrians were able to survive the difficulties of supply in the early colonial period and create the second colonial empire in the world.

According to the provisions of the treaty, in the event that their own interests are at stake, the parties are obliged to provide each other with logistical support and port calls within their capabilities. ”

Xiyuan Temple Gongwang explained helplessly.

It's really not their responsibility, forty years ago it was the shogunate era, they were all still little kids, who would care about a treaty with them that they didn't have a dime!

In particular, this treaty still exists in the form of a secret treaty. If he hadn't negotiated with the Holy Roman Minister, he wouldn't have known that a treaty existed.

Ito asked angrily, "What if there is a secret agreement?" Didn't the Foreign Ministry ask the Austrians for an explanation for this violation of international practice? ”

Xiyuan Temple Gongwang replied bitterly: "The explanation is naturally demanding." As soon as I received the arrival of the Spanish Navy in the port of New Frankfurt, I met with the Minister of the Holy Roman Empire.

The other party also gave a reasonable explanation, but I don't think you will like this explanation. ”

After making eye contact, seeing that everyone was determined to know, the prince of Xiyuan Temple said slowly: "Minister Antonio expressed regret and made a commitment on behalf of the Vienna government that he was willing to bear all the consequences arising from this.

He also said that if we had to pursue it, we could use this as a reason to declare war on them, and that the Holy Roman Empire would take the moral responsibility for this war. ”

It's okay not to explain, everyone can't help this explanation. Even Emperor Meiji, who has always attached great importance to the majesty of the monarch, is furious at this moment.

An understatement of willingness to take responsibility seems to be responsible for this matter, but in fact it is helpless.

"Declaration of war"?

If Japan had this strength, Emperor Meiji wouldn't mind fighting a good fight with the Holy Roman Empire, and let them know that the Great Japanese Empire was not easy to mess with!

Unfortunately, the reality is cruel. The Holy Roman Empire, which could not be established, was now the hegemon of half of the world, and an opponent like the Japanese Empire could be wiped out with a single finger.

Weak countries have no diplomacy, and this is vividly reflected here. Even if people admit that they have violated international practice, the Japanese government does not have the courage to run to investigate the responsibility.

Even the Vienna government has once again proved its credibility to the outside world because of this incident. For the sake of a secret treaty forty years ago, it can be offended and killed in violation of international practice......

Well, the weight of the Japanese is still a little lighter these days, and it is not very convincing to spread it. If it had been replaced by the British, it would have been even better.

In the end, he was accustomed to seeing strong winds and waves, and when he saw that the situation of the meeting was out of control, Emperor Meiji, who reacted, immediately reprimanded: "Shut up for me!" You have to scold yourself at home, don't be wild here.

I also know that the Holy Roman Empire is doing very unorthodox this time, but what can it do? They are the most powerful countries in the world and have hegemonic capital.

If you have the ability, keep this account first, and wait for the opportunity to get it back from them in the future to wash away the shame this time. ”

In the end, Emperor Meiji had no confidence. There is no way, the difference in strength between the two sides is too great.

The power of the Holy Roman Empire in the South Seas alone had the ability to destroy the Japanese Empire. If we talk about the comprehensive national strength of the two countries, this gap is at least a multiple of more than double digits.