Charles IV immediately looked nervously at Count Aranda: "We must send troops to defend all these mountain passes."

The latter was staring gravely at the map.

The Empire can only mobilize about 5,000 troops in South America, which have to be spread along the Negro River and Cassiqueiare Canal for defense, and the southern line at Putumayo River also needs to be watched carefully.

Where are the forces to guard the Andes Mountains?

But if all efforts are focused on defending the line from Angostura to the Andes Mountains, should the Prussian Army launch an attack from the interior, New Granada would collapse immediately.

After a long while, he spoke with difficulty: "Your Majesty, the Empire’s forces in South America are seriously disadvantageous, I’m afraid it’s difficult to..."

Charles IV immediately asked: "Can Governor Asanza recruit troops from Mexico?"

Count Aranda looked troubled: "Your Majesty, that’s probably not easy... You know, there was the ’Machete Conspiracy’ last year; now even with troops, it’s difficult to mobilize them in large numbers."

He referred to the "Machete Conspiracy," organized by a tax officer named Pedro Delaportilla, who gathered a group of Creoles, white people born in South America, planning to seize the Mexican Governor’s Palace and called on all Creoles to form an independent nation.

Fortunately, Governor Asanza reacted swiftly, sending troops to arrest them upon receiving intelligence, preventing a major chaos in Mexico City.

However, this incident significantly deepened the Mexican colonial government’s vigilance against Creoles, not only dismissing Creole officials and junior officers but also increasing surveillance on taverns and workshops where Creoles gathered.

Under such circumstances, the Governor of New Spain can only recruit from pure "Peninsula People." [Note1]

At present, the 70,000 Peninsula People in Mexico have contributed 13,000 soldiers; trying to expand the army further is simply impossible.

Actually, it is already risky for Mexico to send 5,000 soldiers to New Granada—Creoles might take advantage of the troop vacancy to cause trouble.

Charles IV’s anxious gaze swept across the faces of several ministers: "So, what do we do now?"

Everyone bowed their heads in silence.

It seemed the New Granada government could only bet on the Portuguese troops’ route. But a wrong bet would result in disastrous consequences.

Charles IV suddenly thought of his family relative—

The Regent of France personally coming to Madrid surely wasn’t just to warn.

He quickly turned to Joseph, pleading: "Joseph, you must help me. Perhaps send some troops from Louisiana to Venezuela."

Joseph replied without hesitation: "I would like to help you, but sending troops to South America isn’t included.

"You know, even without considering the Americans’ threat to Louisiana and Florida, the voyage from New Orleans Port to Maracaibo is over 1,700 nautical miles. The British fleet could attack the transport ships anytime along the way."

As for going by land?

Not to mention the over 5,000-kilometer journey, it requires crossing the Eastern Madre Mountains, traversing the volcanic belt in central Mexico, and then crossing the Cordillera Mountain Range in Central America...

If 10,000 troops reach Venezuela, it’s already a blessing from Jesus if 2,000 remain.

Charles IV’s expression froze.

To know that the Regent of France is seen as omnipotent in his eyes, yet even he is at a loss, does it mean that it’s really necessary to abandon some colonies and seek peace?

Unwilling, Charles IV grabbed Joseph: "You must have a way, right? You are the Son of Divine Favor!"

Joseph first looked at several Spanish ministers, waited a moment, then said solemnly: "Your Majesty, if you want to save the situation in South America, you might have to make a very big decision."

The eyes of the King of Spain flashed with hope, nodding vigorously: "Tell me what to do."

Half an hour later.

The throne hall was even quieter than before.

Including Charles IV, several Spaniards looked at Joseph in shock.

After a long while, Count Florida Blanca frowned: "Your Highness, I find it hard to believe... Doing this is akin to letting the Empire abandon the entire South American colony."

Joseph smiled: "No, it will only make the Empire’s rule there more stable."

Campos exclaimed: "But you just said to abolish the New Granada Governor’s Palace and grant equal status to Creoles and even Caboclos!"

Joseph nodded: "Ideally, even the New Spain Governor’s Palace should be abolished."

"Isn’t this abandoning?!"

"You cannot solve today’s problems with thoughts from hundreds of years ago." Joseph walked up to the map, turning around, "Tell me, what does the Empire need most in the American colonies?"

"Need what?" Campos was stunned, hesitating, "Stable rule?"

"No, it’s gold mines, silver mines, taxes, and the colonial market." Joseph’s voice was clear and certain, "Without these, even the most stable rule over America is not worth the wasteland of the Pyrenees."

Charles IV instinctively nodded.

Count Florida Blanca noticed a logical flaw: "Your Highness, how will gold mines, silver mines, taxes, and the like be transported back to Madrid without stable control over the colonies?"

Joseph was waiting for this statement, immediately saying: "It’s simple, retain political and legal influence in the colonies and hold shares in their mines and finance. Regarding administration and military, they can be entirely managed by the locals."

The hall fell silent for a moment again.

Count Florida Blanca said: "What if the government formed by the locals turns to collude with the British or the Portuguese?"

"You needn’t worry about these." Joseph said, "All political actions must follow economic interests. No matter who is ruling, they cannot contradict the interests of their own... ah, I mean the New Granada autonomous government. They cannot contradict the interests of the financial and trade systems within the dominion.

"Now the Empire has absolute control there, controlling finance is very easy. While opening up colonial autonomy, establish detailed laws to protect financial, industrial, trade, and other rights.

"The colonial autonomous government wants to ensure its finances do not collapse, and it must not defy the Empire’s will."

Count Florida Blanca instinctively said: "Creoles can’t be that obedient!"

Joseph calmly replied: "This certainly requires certain political models to cooperate."

[Note1] The official title of Spain’s Mexican colony is "New Spain," governing California, Mexico, Rio Grande, among others. However, usually people use Mexico to refer to New Spain.