Vol 7 Chapter 22: Secret

The low, cold sea breeze blew from the sea under the cliff. Standing here on the steep but close to the edge of the cliff is actually very dangerous, but Alexander did not care.
He was looking at the boats on the sea.
Two large three-masted sailboats are floating on the sea, and as the waves of the ocean on the ocean surge, the two boats also rise and fall.
These are two standard Grand Caravel sailboats. The newly-mounted sails are as white as snow, with a distinctive yellow hull painted in a typical Portuguese style that looks very conspicuous.
If you have good eyes, you may still be able to vaguely see the row of black hole windows under the side, as long as you can launch terrible cannons from those windows at any time.
If the distance is close, then I believe that there is nothing to escape the brutal killings.
This is the sharpest and most intimidating weapon of this era, when it alternates with hot and cold weapons, or when some generals on the battlefield are stubborn and keep the knightly dogma of the cold weapon era. The Navy took a crucial step ahead of this period of transition, which was not very long, but had a tremendous amount of weapons.
Elliot Don Antonio, who was standing next to Alexandria, was also looking at the boats. His emotions were a little agitated. As the chief of the National Navigation Agency, he certainly understood the meaning of the boats, or These new ships just launched from the shipyard's dock are the end of an old era and the proof of the arrival of a new era.
"Unfortunately, these ships are not ours," Elliot Don Antonio sighed with regret. "It's really unbearable to watch them be handed over to the lowlanders. After all, if we own these ships for us, Maybe it only takes a month to prepare everything for the new course. "
"But don't be frustrated, who can say something clearly." Alexander smiled slightly at Don Antonio, he could feel the unwillingness and ambition of the palace's precious, think about the family of Don Antonio from Prince Enrique The era gained a prestigious position by devoting itself to the development of overseas colonies. He could understand the reason why Elliot Don Antonio was so eager.
After three summons, Manuel Dagama, and repeated consultations with ministers such as ocean consultant Elliot Don Antonio, finally made up his mind to send an expedition to the Atlantic West.
This decision inspires the people of Lisbon, and at the same time stimulates the Portuguese explorers who are passionate about marine adventures.
Even though the veil of the New World has not been officially unveiled, the continuous discovery of the new course has already opened the prelude to the era of the great voyage a few years ago, and it is now that this magnificent pioneering epic is culminating in advance. A group of people who are silent in all parts of Iberia but are carrying out plans step by step.
Alexander is undoubtedly the core of this plan. He has been doing all kinds of preparations for this day. Now his plan has officially begun, so he has enough patience to let all this go according to his arrangements.
"What do the Lowlanders want these ships to do?" Don Antonio asked suddenly, and he asked with some concern. "If they are for business from the North Sea to the Mediterranean, there is no need to build such a big boat, so you don't think this is the Duke. Is it strange? "
Looking at Don Antonio's sudden alert look, Alexander secretly admired the man's keen insight.
These ships were ordered by a few lowland rich merchants introduced by Thiegos two years ago at a shipyard on the river Tejo.
These rich merchants from the lowlands are generous and generous. After paying half of the deposit in one breath, the only condition they put forward is that the ships they want must be able to be launched and used within 2 years.
This condition does not seem very harsh, but in fact it is not so easy to complete.
The keel of the ocean-going ship needs to be selected from the strong and non-dark cedar, and the siding used for laying must be oak board with a certain toughness that has been dried for at least half a year. As an important pressure tank for a voyage ship For the tail cone, be sure to use the strongest and thickest hemlock that can withstand enough pressure.
None of this is so easy, from design to material selection, from the traces of the first shovel when a round wood is chiseled, to the erection of the spliced ​​keel on the ground, until the last shipboard The gap is covered with closed tung oil, and every step must be incredibly fine, because such a big ship will face a terrible and moody ocean after it is created.
Although the two-year period is not short, it is not very long for the construction of two large ships. Even because of this lucrative business, the largest shipyard in Lisbon has barely taken over other businesses in these two years.
Now that the two ships have been launched as scheduled, at the same time, the shipyard has also received another notable business for the comprehensive renovation of the four seagoing ships that are about to sail.
After sending the fleet led by Cabral to the new route of the Orient, Portugal actually has no large vessels that can be dispatched in a short time.
This is, of course, because it is Manuel who most decided to get involved, otherwise, with the Portuguese maritime power, it is entirely possible to quickly form a fleet of four ships.
In the end, Manuel was guilty of the old greed. He was worried that a fleet of merchants might overwhelm his interests and seize too many benefits, which he decided could not tolerate. · The strange treasures brought back from the East by Gamma are quite satisfactory, but they are as stingy as appointing him as the governor of the occupied territory.
From this point of view, he is much less stingy than his mother-in-law Queen Isabella.
The two large ships at sea walked from the dock into the Tejo River like a show, and people on the shore couldn't help but pay attention to the road along the way.
Even in Portugal, where maritime trade is prosperous, these two ships are surprising creations.
The eye-catching bow and the high warped shipbuilding show an exaggerated angle, and the bulge of the bulwark from bottom to top keeps the whole boat in a delicate balance to face the terrible stormy waves at sea, and when they are When they entered the sea from the estuary, the two ships seemed to suddenly get rid of the fierce beasts, and sailed towards the vast ocean freely.
Juana also saw the two boats in the window of her bedroom. These days she has been living in a shallow life. The monotonous life even made Mary forget her for a while.
It's just that Juana seems to be tired of the bustling and noisy indifferent appearance, but she can't conceal the one that has been forced to calm for a long time, but it was slammed up with a hot ambition not long ago.
The arrival of Alexander completely disturbed Juana ’s new life, which had been quiet for a long time. She also secretly reminded herself not to take a fantasy adventure because it was too illusory, but in the end, she knew she had lost her ambition for many years, but it was because Isabella's fear.
She is eager to become a queen, eager to regain Castilla, which belongs to her, and even more eager to avenge Isabella and her husband. This eagerness, even if she was deeply buried in her heart for so long, can be once The person gently lifted the layer of fear and despair, and immediately erupted from the deep heart.
The maid walked into the room, and she saw the hostess standing in front of the window and went forward with two steps and whispered, asking, "His Royal Highness, do you want to preside over the chanting ceremony today?"
"No, I'm a little uncomfortable," Juana shook her head. She looked back and looked at the maid with a casual taste. "I think it's probably bad weather. I have no appetite during this time."
"Maybe someone can make a more delicious dinner for you, maybe it's better," the maid said immediately.
"Is the food in the monastery?"
Juana frowned. Although the era of strict adherence to Benedict ’s canon has passed, Iberia ’s strict church atmosphere is obviously more conservative than Italy ’s debauchery, which makes even Juana into a female once If you do n’t leave the seminary, it ’s also difficult to get a good life.
Especially for food, the poor life of the nuns has not changed much since the arrival of Juana, even though she usually eats much better than other nuns.
"Maybe you should go to the banquet held in Saint-Jorge Castle in the evening," the maid suggested again.
"Forget it, maybe I will be ridiculed face-to-face by some people," Juana did not conceal the disgusting feelings between her and Maria, because it would seem strange if that was the case. "Go to the castle to find something to eat. That ’s good, but it ’s up to you.

The maid immediately understood what the host meant. She nodded and walked out, but after walking out of the room, she turned back and cast a slightly strange look on the closed door.
There was no respect or caution in that look, and only contempt and ridicule.
A princess who still refuses to let go of the so-called dignity even at this point may not be underestimated, but while trying to maintain the last dignity, she has to succumb to the dignity of others and beg and live. It will make even the people around her despise from the bottom of her heart.
The maid put on a thick cloak and left the monastery. She was going to the Saint-Jorge castle to prepare dinner for Juana. She also reported to the officials there about the hostess's latest movements.
The maid did n’t think it was companionship. After all these loyal followers who had sworn allegiance to her before so many years and voluntarily gave up the power status promised by Isabella had already left her, the maid did n’t think she was this Just because the little maid of Juana ’s family has been following generations of her ancestors for generations, she must be obliged to be loyal to her.
The maid walked along the street leading from the convent to the castle. Although this road was not very far, it was not too close, plus the various foods to be prepared, I believe that it should be very late when I come back.
And the maid didn't think she should wait so dry to take the food back. She had already planned to take advantage of this opportunity to fill her belly outside first.
Thinking about this, her feet could not help but speed up the pace, and she even began to trot when she passed the oncoming Lisbon who looked like a sailor.
The sailor who staggered with the maid seemed a little surprised to watch the maid walking away, and then he seemed to shake his head a little dazedly and walked into an alley.
It was just that when the man walked in, he suddenly accelerated his pace, and after crossing the alley to another street, the sailor came and whispered in front of a rather tightly closed carriage: "Master, that woman has already left."
"Oh," Alexander's short response came from the carriage, and he knocked on the car wall to tell the driver "Then let's go quickly."
The carriage immediately drove along the street, and after turning a corner, stopped in front of an obscure house not far from the Convent of Thanksgiving.
Alexander came down from the carriage, but at this time he looked more like an ordinary businessman, perhaps because of the cold weather, he pressed down his hat very low, and the companions behind him were almost dressed like this.
"It's a little crazy." Don Antonio said anxiously. He really didn't expect that he was just invited by Alexander to the seaside to see the launching ships, but it turned out to be what he is now. Antonio suddenly felt that it might be a mistake to choose to work with the Duke himself.
"But you don't really object, don't you," Alexander, who walked in front of the door, took off his hat and looked at Don Antonio who seemed helpless. He just smiled and didn't continue to explain what, because he knew that this was completely no need.
"Duke, you know that I might meet the lady one day, but it shouldn't be now," although Don Antonio's tone was unpleasant, he followed Alexander upstairs without pause, only when they stood in a tight room Outside the closed door, he stopped and said, "You know very well that I hope Portugal will win the competition for the new course, but this does not mean that I want to bring trouble to myself, but you are directly involved in me. In big trouble ~ EbookFREE.me ~ In addition, I cannot help but wonder, how can you be sure that I will not tell the queen after leaving this place? "
Listening to the threat vaguely revealed by Don Antonio, Alexander smiled unintentionally.
For him, the West India Company was certainly a tool for soliciting funds from the Portuguese nobles and businessmen to open up a new continent, but it was not a secret covert of those who were dissatisfied with Mary.
At least Don Antonio is one of them.
"Dear Don Antonio, do you think I will take risks when I am unsure, believe me, since I can bring you, I know that my choice is not wrong."
While watching Don Antonio answer, Alexander pushed open the door of the room.
In the room, Juana, dressed as a nun, stood in the middle of the room with a solemn look.
Seeing Juana, Don Antonio was slightly silent, then bowed to salute: "Your Highness, please allow me to greet you."