The convoy of cars carrying Pope Alexander VII ended up in the middle of Chang'an Avenue, in front of the Jinshui Bridge.

The Pope stepped out of the car and looked at the two infantry fighting vehicles in the square two hundred meters away—the first time the Pope had seen a real thing of such a war machine.

For the people of Beijing, the prestige of infantry fighting vehicles has spread from the mouths of the 400,000 Ming defeated troops throughout Beizhili. Whether it is a well-informed businessman or a peddler in the market, they all know from the rumors how the infantry fighting vehicles fight. The details of the chariot have long been known to the world.

So there is no need for Li Zhi to hide this weapon in the warehouse anymore.

The infantry fighting vehicle looks like a steel box from the outside, and there are no technical secrets. The technology of machine guns and rear-loading guns is so complex that it is impossible to see the manufacturing technology from the outside. Li Zhi set up two chariots on the square for the people of the capital to observe, so that the people could satisfy their curiosity and increase a little sense of national pride.

It is now 1656, half a year has passed since the decisive battle of Tianjin, and the people of the capital have long been tired of seeing these two infantry fighting vehicles, and there are no people near the chariots. Only a few merchants from other provinces were still curious, standing next to the chariot to observe and discuss.

However, for Europeans who have just set foot on Chinese soil, these infantry fighting vehicles can be said to be extremely important. Legend has it that the Chinese defeated Ottoman Turkey and Persia with this weapon. If we could learn more about the characteristics of this weapon, I am afraid that it will be of great benefit to future decision-making.

The Pope and the King of Portugal looked at each other, both hoping to get closer and see clearly.

João IV coughed and said to the ceremonial staff beside him: "Dear Mr. Officer, we want to go to the square and have a look. ”

However, Zhang Yu, the deputy battalion commander of the Huben Army, who was in charge of the reception, immediately saw through the Europeans' thoughts. He sneered and said, "Your Royal Highness, there are our secrecy rules in the square in front of you, and it is not open to foreigners. ”

João IV looked at the servants on the left and right, and laughed.

"Portugal and Daqi were close allies, working closely together on the battlefields of Europe. His Majesty the Emperor's most advanced weapons are all sold to Portugal at the lowest cost price, what is there not to see in this square? ”

The King of Portugal has a natural family temperament that makes people subconsciously feel close to him. He said this very easily, which made the soldiers of the Tiger Ben Army around him shake a little.

Now Portugal is a subordinate state of the Great Qi, and the king of Portugal, like the people of the capital, looks at the appearance of the infantry fighting vehicle and seems to be really nothing.

But the soldiers' trance was interrupted by Zhang Yu's cold words.

"That's the rule, Your Highness the King."

Zhang Yu looked at the newly built clock tower in the distance, and said coldly: "The time is almost up, I'm afraid I'll be late if I don't enter the palace." Enter the Pope and the King! ”

After eating a cold nail from Zhang Yu, Joao IV twitched his face and smiled awkwardly. He subconsciously looked at the Pope, wanting to see if the Pope would despise him - João IV was a very face-saving man, and he was now turning to the Orientals to be China's subordinates, but the Chinese were so wary of him, which was indeed humiliating.

As if he hadn't seen anything, Alexander VII lowered his head and slowly followed the ceremonial staff into the Chengtian Gate of the Forbidden City.

João IV blinked, relieved by the Pope's lightness and relief. He kept up with the Pope and walked briskly into the Chengtian Gate.

After passing through one city gate after another, everyone finally walked to the Imperial Palace.

In the Imperial Palace, the first thing Alexander saw was a young man with clear eyebrows and beautiful eyes, who was very handsome even according to Western aesthetics. The man sat in a steel wheelchair, wearing a purple official robe, and looked to be only thirty-five or six years old, but his gaze was very indifferent and resolute.

The young and middle-aged man was sitting in a wheelchair and discussing things with several high-ranking officials next to him. The middle-aged and elderly officials next to him respected the man in the wheelchair very much, and they all bent down to talk to the man.

Seeing a large group of European guests walking into the Imperial Palace, the young and middle-aged man in the wheelchair just glanced up at this side and continued with his business.

John Tang approached Alexander VII and introduced: "Your Excellency, the man in the chair is His Excellency Cui Changwu, Marquis of Qinghe of the Great Qi Empire. Marquis Cui Changwu lost his legs for the cause of the Son of Heaven, and no one in the world was dissatisfied, and now he is the prime minister of Daqi. ”

Alexander VII looked at Choi Changwu and nodded.

The Europeans stood in the middle of the Imperial Palace for a while, and then they heard the sound of a bell striking in Qingyue. Then I only saw Li Zhi, who was wearing a simple and gorgeous marshal uniform, under the escort of a few attendants, enter the Imperial Palace.

João IV hurriedly bowed to Li Zhi, and the Pope bowed his head. Both of them were a little nervous in their hearts, after all, this was the leader of the Han people who controlled the two oceans and conquered countless countries. Even in history, no one has ever reached the power of Li Zhi.

Li Zhi stood on the royal road and looked at Alexander VII, muttered for a while, and quickly walked to the throne and sat down.

Everyone in the Imperial Palace knelt down. João IV hesitated, and finally got down on one knee - he was the king of China's subordinate state, and he did not dare to have the slightest support in front of Li Zhi. Alexander VII also had some convulsions. In the end, he chose to bow slightly to the emperor of China as a sign of respect.

Li Zhi waved his hand, made everyone stand up, and asked bluntly, "Pope of the Holy See, why did you come to see me?" ”

Alexander VII raised his head and said in Latin: "Great Chinese Emperor, I have come to China to see the great Tientsin, to see the great achievements you have made here. ”

Li Zhi looked at Alexander VII and smiled.

After laughing for a while, he suddenly said, "Then now do you know if it's witchcraft, magic, or technology?" ”

Hearing Li Zhi's words, the Pope's face turned white.

Obviously, the surprise and panic of the clergy in the face of all kinds of new things in Tianjin these days has been reported to Li Zhi's ears word for word.

To be honest, Li Zhi's technology is impossible to teach to Europeans, so in the eyes of the Pope, Li Zhi's technology is really no different from witchcraft. If you stand on the position that the Holy See has always shown to the outside world, Li Zhi's things cannot be explained by common sense, and Alexander VII should not stand here and talk to Li Zhi.

But the Holy See is not so simple, and Alexander VII thinks far more complicated than the Holy See usually behaves. For the sake of the Holy See, even cooperating with the devil is nothing.

Alexander VII said categorically: "It's not witchcraft, it's not magic, it's technology." ”

Hearing the Pope's words, João IV looked at him in surprise.

The other bishops and priests behind the Pope were also very surprised, they saw the Pope a few days ago as panicked as their own people, but they did not expect that the Pope was now suddenly sure that everything in Tianjin is technology.

Since it is technology, then the Holy See can cooperate with the Chinese.

João IV grinned silently and began to re-examine the old man Pope.

Li Zhi also smiled when he heard the words of Alexander VII.

Cui Changwu had been looking at a report in his hand, but when he heard the Pope's insincere words, he finally couldn't help but raise his head and glance at Alexander VII.

Li Zhi rubbed the index finger and thumb of his right hand and said, "So, what does the Pope of Rome, who can influence the whole of Europe and even mobilize all Catholic countries to wage holy wars, stand here and want to say to me?" ”

Alexander VII looked Li Zhi in the eye, took a step forward, and said, "I would like to talk to His Great Majesty alone. ”

Li Zhi smiled and did not speak.

Choi Chang-woo suddenly put down the report in his hand.

Sitting in a wheelchair, he stopped doing other official business and looked straight at the pope in Europe.

After a moment of silence, he said loudly: "Your Excellency the Pope of Europe, as the Prime Minister of China, I can tell you frankly that the cooperation you want is impossible.