Some people may ask, if you just eat a pineapple, what surprises can happen?
It is said that since Beihai Town delivers supplies to Kinmen every three months, and due to limited shipping space, in addition to population, ammunition, food, medicine, engineering materials, etc., fruits and vegetables are even out of the question.
When Lucci and the others first came here, they had to eat bean sprouts every day to avoid scurvy. After the war with the Spanish was over, the logistics opened up dozens of acres of vegetable land next to Lake Merced in the south.
Vegetables are also planted on the side, which is an end to the life of either mung bean sprouts or soybean sprouts.
Taking into account the difficulties that Lu Qi and the others had in Kinmen, Zhao Xin made a special purchase of fruits at the farmer's market in San Francisco in another time and space before coming. For this purpose, he even rented a temporary warehouse to hide it from others. Because it was already October.
, the pineapple picking season in Latin America had just ended, and the CIF price was very cheap, so I bought dozens of boxes.
However, all the cooks in the base canteen looked at each other in disbelief at these yellow, furry, and scummy things and had no idea how to deal with them. They had always lived in the north and had never seen tropical fruits.
When Lu Qi went to the cafeteria for dinner last night, the cook took the opportunity to ask him how to eat pineapple. Lu Qi asked about the quantity and learned that one person was definitely not enough, so he thought of pineapple rice and told him how to make it.
When the cook heard it, he thought it was simple, just egg fried rice with pineapple! So, after a whole morning of work, more than 300 pineapples turned into fragrant pineapple fried rice.
Because the quantity was large, a portion of lunch was also served for the Spanish delegation. In order to present the dish beautifully, the cook followed Rucci's instructions and served the fried rice in a hollowed-out pineapple.
Spaniards like to eat rice very much, but they often eat paella, and the rice is still raw. This is my first time to taste the fluffy and delicious Chinese fried rice.
Archbishop Peralta, who is a foodie in the mission, was very surprised by this and praised that the fruit can be paired with rice and eggs. It tastes really good.
After the clerk Juan de Arevalo took a bite of the fried rice, he showed a satisfied expression at first. But after taking two bites, he seemed to have thought of something. He took out his monocle from his coat pocket and put it on.
, looking left and right at the bright yellow pineapple shell with green leaves on the table.
Archbishop Peralta saw his strange behavior and asked: "Juan, what's wrong with you?"
Arevalo said something that confused Peralta: "Your Excellency, this pineapple is very fresh."
"Yes, it tastes good. The beef stew and pheasant meat are also very good. To be honest, I really like the red wine they provide. It has a faint chocolate flavor. I don't know where it is brewed." This is my first time eating Chinese food.
The Archbishop was very satisfied with the lunch.
During the morning negotiations, Zhao Xin refused to give in and fought tit for tat, which made the Spaniards suffocate. So he just toasted a few glasses of wine with Rucci at the beginning of lunch, made some polite remarks, and then left.
Although this was not in line with diplomatic etiquette, it made everyone in the Spanish mission feel a lot more relaxed, and they did not have so many worries about talking during the dinner.
Arevalo put away his glasses, tilted his head and thought for a moment. Suddenly he felt a little bloated in his lower abdomen, so he said sorry, got up and left the room. After asking another waiter outside the door, he turned towards the Grains Samsara.
Go in the direction of where you are.
The Spanish mission's lunch place was in a container "private room" on the east side of the canteen of the Kinmen base. To go to the toilet, you had to walk west through the door of the canteen. At this time, the lunch time was over, and the two Indian handymen were heading to the carriage at the door.
Pick up food waste, which is usually transported to the vegetable fields on Lake Merced to be used as fertilizer.
Ten meters away from the carriage, Arevalo could already smell the strong smell of pineapples. When he got closer, he saw several large wicker baskets on the carriage filled with yellow pineapple peels and green leaves.
The guy resisted the urge to urinate, took out a handkerchief and covered his nose, visually estimated the size of the wicker basket, and then began to mentally estimate how many pineapples the skins were peeled from. The result shocked him, at least.
It would have to be hundreds of pineapples.
The two Miwok Indians who were loading the truck noticed his behavior, stopped what they were doing, and looked at him as if they were on guard against thieves. Arevalo knew that his behavior was very inappropriate. How could anyone stare at the garbage without any problem?
I couldn't see it, so I had to leave quickly.
A few minutes later, when Arevalo returned to the dining table, he immediately told everyone present what he had just discovered with a serious expression.
"Could it be from China..." Brother Diez was the first to speak, but before he finished speaking, he knew it was impossible.
Yes, China produces pineapples. As early as the late Ming Dynasty, the Dutch brought them to Taiwan for cultivation, and later took root in Xuwen, Guangdong and Hainan. The locals cultivated them to extract sugar, and the fiber of the leaves can also be used
Come to spin linen and weave cloth.
But the problem is that the sea voyage distance from East Asia to North America is as high as 15,000 nautical miles. Even if it takes only three months to sail from west to east with the help of ocean currents, the shelf life of pineapples is only twenty days. By early morning in North America,
It's all rotten.
Arevalo continued: "Everyone, although pineapples are worth more than gold in Europe, to those of us who serve His Majesty the King in the North American colonies, it is just an ordinary tropical fruit. Just like me, every time I see a pineapple
During the harvest season, I would ask my servant to buy one every day for me to taste when I get home. As far as I know, it only costs five pesos to buy a pineapple in the Central Market in Mexico City.”
Well, in later generations, pineapples are just ordinary fruits. Not to mention eating one or two pieces, as long as you are not afraid of getting angry, there is no problem in buying a basket and holding them and gnawing them. But in Europe in the 18th century, they were anything but ordinary.
Completely beyond the value of the fruit itself.
In 1496, Columbus, after completing his second voyage to the Americas, returned to Spain with pineapples produced in Guadeloupe. With their fresh aroma and sweet and juicy pulp, they quickly conquered the taste buds of Queen Isabella and became a well-deserved queen.
The "King of Fruits".
With the blessing of the royal family, the reputation of pineapples spread rapidly in Europe, and their value skyrocketed. However, the preservation problem of long-distance transportation by sea could not be solved, resulting in huge transportation costs. If Europeans wanted to eat a pineapple, it would be like eating a whole piece of Italy in later generations.
Like Alba white truffles, only the richest of the rich can afford them.
You must know that the shelf life of pineapples after picking is only twenty days at most. In the era without ice preservation, if you want to transport a pineapple to Europe, you must dig it out with the roots when it is not yet mature, and transplant it into a flower pot.
After careful care along the way, the pineapples were basically mature by the time they arrived in Europe.
But how many pineapples in flower pots can be accommodated in the cargo hold of a sailing ship? In addition, a large amount of fresh water and fertilizers must be prepared, because the sea voyage from Central America to Europe is calculated on a monthly basis.
In the nearly three hundred years since the discovery of pineapples, in order to eat fresh and delicious pineapples, the monarchs and nobles of European countries have been worried and spent huge sums of money and manpower to cultivate pineapples in cold Europe. Even Peter
The emperor also built a greenhouse in his summer palace garden and asked the palace gardener to grow pineapples for him.
The problem is that the cost of pineapples grown in greenhouses is so high that even kings and wealthy nobles think it is a sin to eat them, so they can only be used as decorations at banquets. Along with this trend, "pineapple rental companies" also appeared.
Pineapples were rented for one-twentieth of the selling price until they rotted and turned black.
Compared with pineapple, which is a symbol of luxury in Europe, it is a common economic crop in Central America. It is grown in coastal areas from Guatemala to Colombia. In addition to eating it, the locals make wine.
"Juan, what exactly do you want to express?" Archbishop Peralta was a little confused. As a ruler second only to the colonial governor, he has always had what he wants, what he wants, who cares about selling pineapples.
How much does one cost?
Arevalo knew that the archbishop did not understand what he meant. He first expressed his apology, and then expressed his judgment: "What I want to say is that the pineapple harvest in Guatemala just started last month, and it should have just been harvested now.
The Chinese actually have a lot of fresh pineapples here, where do they get them?"
The archbishop's pupils suddenly dilated, with an expression of disbelief on his face, and he said: "You mean the Chinese have been to Guatemala? How is that possible! Neither the coastal castle nor the patrolling navy found it?"
In 1536, the Kingdom of Spain established the "Military District of Guatemala" in Central America. As an administrative district under the province of New Spain, its jurisdiction included the later Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica, and its capital was located in Guatemala City.
Arevalo looked at California Governor de Arrelaga and asked: "According to my observation, these pineapples should be no more than ten days old. Your Excellency, Governor, did you receive any Coast Watch before the mission left Monterey?"
Or is it a report from a merchant ship that a vessel of unknown nationality was discovered?”
"No. Otherwise I will receive the report as soon as possible." De Arrillaga's tone was very sure.
Captain Bonavia, who had been silent until now, coughed twice, and when everyone turned their attention to him, he spoke: "From Ocos to San Jose, and even to La Libertad further south, all along the coast.
There are pineapple-producing areas. According to previously obtained intelligence, when the Chinese landed at Kinmen, their large ships were still far away, so they sent out many small black speedboats. At that time, the defenders visually inspected that these black boats had no sails.
There is no one rowing on it, but it is very fast and can directly hit the beach, as if the devil has cast a spell. So they can find a place without defenders and land in the same way."
"My God!" Upon hearing this, the Archbishop, Brother Rasuen and Brother Deeds all crossed themselves on their foreheads and chests.
"Furthermore, the sailboat used by the Chinese is a new type of sailboat with a large length-to-width ratio. It has a large number of sail surfaces and a very low freeboard, almost as if it is sailing close to the water. It will not be less than 12 knots when the wind is against the wind.
, and the tailwind is more than 15 knots. With this speed, they can completely avoid our observation posts and patrol ships along the coast."
Although Captain Bonavia was defeated many times in front of Zhao Xin, this man was not a fool, he just met an opponent who was much higher level than him.
After hearing this, the archbishop's expression became more solemn. He glanced at everyone present and said in a serious tone: "Gentlemen, the situation is far more serious than we thought!"
"I completely agree with your Excellency the Bishop!" Captain Bonavia said: "If Guatemala City receives a report from the coastal area and then sends it to Mexico City, it will take at least two months. When they put the pineapples up, it will be a
A silent hint."
Brother La Suen asked doubtfully: "What does it imply?"
Captain Bonavia snorted coldly: "They can attack any stronghold along the coast at will without us being prepared, and even if we can respond, it will be several months later. During this period,
They will continue to play with the theory of blood relationship and use it as the legal basis for occupation. San Francisco has not been solved yet, how can we let them make holes along the coast of the province?"
Governor de Arrela said in frustration: "Their artillery is too powerful, with fast firing rate and long range. With only two or three ships, it is difficult for us to gain maritime superiority. According to my estimation, if we want to recapture San Francisco
, without an army of 10,000, it would be difficult.”
After hearing this analysis, everyone else fell silent, not knowing what to say.
"Okay." The archbishop pondered for a long time and finally made a decision: "I suggest that a prisoner exchange agreement be reached as soon as possible, and other issues will be put aside for the time being and left to be resolved later. We must go back and report to the Governor as soon as possible and recommend strengthening the defense of Guatemala's coastal areas.
There must never be another San Francisco."
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! "Just give up like that? Your Excellency! You can't!" Brother Fermin de La Suen, who had been silent, became anxious, his tone full of pleading. As Fang Fang
The Franciscan leader in California said the cost of losing four dioceses was too high.
The archbishop sighed imperceptibly and comforted: "Fermin, believe in the Almighty God, everything will be decided by itself. Whether it is the king or the province, we will never let the Eastern pagans rampage on the land of the kingdom! As long as it is
Once the wars in Europe and Haiti are resolved, we will be free to destroy them!"
At two o'clock in the afternoon, the negotiations between Kinmen and the Spanish mission continued. The Spanish side immediately focused on the details of the prisoner handover. As for the issues such as territory, war compensation, and church restoration mentioned in the morning, Pei
Archbishop Larta said it would be discussed in the next negotiations.
Secretary Arevalo then said that half of the ransom could be paid first, and the rest would be sent by ship within two months, but this time Admiral Denawa and other captured officers would be brought back first. He proposed that Kinmen
Immediately send someone to go to the port to handle the handover procedures and count the money.
Of course Zhao Xin agreed, it was just giving money in exchange for people.
It's just that the Spaniards were so impatient. He and Lucci felt strange, thinking that they would change their temper after just one lunch? How powerful is Chinese food?
Although Rucci arranged for someone to install a voice recorder in a hidden part of the room in advance to record the delegation's conversation from beginning to end, there was no time to listen; besides, the conversations were all in Spanish.
It is quite difficult to translate it completely.
In addition, someone was secretly monitoring the mission's activities during lunch time. They only went to the toilet in between, so there was no unexpected behavior!
The two of them never imagined that their unintentional move would cause so many twists and turns within the Spanish mission. However, they also understood that the result of such negotiations meant that the state of war between the two sides was not over. The Spaniards were sure