In the ninth year of Wanli, the Netherlands got rid of Spanish rule through the War of Independence, although it was not recognized by Spain at that time, but from that time, the Netherlands had begun its own road to rise.

After independence, the Netherlands was also eager to develop its own overseas trade, as Portugal and Spain did.

Due to trade frictions such as the seizure of resources, the Netherlands became hostile to Portugal, and all ports in Spain and Portugal began to be closed to the Dutch.

The Dutch, who had no choice, had to find a new route to Asia on their own.

After the Dutch fleet defeated the Portuguese fleet in two naval battles in the Strait of Java and the Strait of Malacca, the Dutch began to rapidly develop their maritime trade.

Twenty years ago, the Dutch East India Company was founded, and their leader was called "General Seat".

The current head of the Dutch East India Company is called Cohen, and Zheng Yiguan's directorship was granted by him, and Gao Wenlu, the "commander-in-chief" who led two fleets to invade the Ming Dynasty, enjoys a high reputation in the Dutch East India Company.

The Dutch East India Company, this is not the kind of "company" that later generations were.

Although formally a company limited by shares, it has its own mercenaries, can even issue currency, enter into formal treaties with other countries, and has the power to colonize and rule the territory.

These were the rights granted by the Dutch crown to the Dutch East India Company for the development of overseas colonies.

Because of some operations by Zhu Youxiao, the silk trade was gradually monopolized by the "imperial merchants" under the Ming court within two years, and it happened that at this time, silk had become one of the irreplaceable luxury goods among the Dutch aristocracy.

Under the continuous pressure at home, coupled with Zheng Yiguan's betrayal, Cohen, the head of the Dutch East India Company, became angry and authorized Gao Wenlu to blockade the Fujian coast of the Ming Dynasty.

A Ming-Dutch trade war inevitably began.

......

The Fujian Navy Division is mobilizing warships, planning to have a large-scale naval battle with the Dutch fleet, and on the other hand, the Zheng family is also preparing intensively.

In addition to sending a fleet to intercept another Dutch fleet supporting the port of Zhangzhou, Zheng Yiguan was also preparing to break through the enemy fortress from within.

Having been at sea for many years, he knew that the Westerners' fortresses would either have to be fought before he could build them, or it would be difficult to take them.

The fort built by the Dutch was located on a hill that was easy to defend and difficult to attack, leaning on a sea cliff, and below it was the Second Fleet sent by the Dutch East India Company.

In the art of war, this is a big taboo, but in the eyes of the Ming Dynasty, who needs to recover Penghu as soon as possible at this time, it has become a headache.

Zheng Yiguan's concern is that if the raid does not have an effect, the Dutch will shrink into the fortress, even if it is a pile of people, it will be difficult to win in the short term.

In this way, it violates the original intention of a quick victory, and both sides lose!

At this time, Xu Xinsu, who was unexpectedly stranded in Penghu, came in handy.

On this day, Zheng Yiguan was secretly dispatching the Zheng family's fleet and soldiers on land, planning to take advantage of the situation to recover Penghu after the Fujian Navy liberated Zhangzhou Port.

While he was preparing, a maritime merchant in a blue silk robe came to ask for an audience, saying that he was Xu Xinsu's biological brother on the sea.

Zheng Yiguan was overjoyed, and hurriedly put down what he was doing and met with him in person.

When he got to the deck of the ship, he took off his silk robe, set it aside, blew the sea breeze, and saluted:

"I've seen Zheng Shoubei in the next permit."

Zheng Yiguan is now the Zhangzhou garrison officer of the imperial court, and with an official body and a different status, he is allowed to meet with him, so he is naturally inferior and makes a humble gesture.

Moreover, even if this is not the case, he came this time to rescue his brother Xu Xinsu from the Dutch, and take the opportunity to make meritorious contributions to the imperial court and protect their coastal merchants with the power of the government.

Zheng Yiguan didn't care about this little garrison officer at all, and said "um" lightly, that is, his eyes kept flashing, and he looked the maritime merchant in front of him up and down.

Seeing that after he took off his silk robe, there was a hole in the inside.

Wearing a leopard skin vest, deerskin boots, and a handmade hat made of fish skin, Xu Cheng looked like a maritime merchant at a glance, but a pirate who had been plundering the sea for many years.

"How's it going, what do the Dutch say?"

Zheng Yiguan stood with his hands in his hands and asked quietly.

Xu Chengdao: "I corresponded with the Dutch beforehand, presumably because my brother had gained their trust, so it went very well, and asked me to enter the castle to discuss cooperation." ”

"What do the Dutch want to buy this time?" Zheng Yiguan turned his head, the corners of his mouth slightly upturned, obviously interested.

Xu Cheng laughed and said:

"It's not for raw silk, the Dutch want to buy 200 taels of smuggled raw silk from my Xu family, and they also said that they can pay all the silver taels in advance."

Zheng Yiguan learned about the situation in some Western countries at this time from many people, and immediately sneered: "Heh, it seems that Cohen is really urged by those nobles in the country. ”

"Pay all the money in advance, and they won't be afraid that your Xu brothers will run away?"

Zheng Yiguan's words, obviously there were some contemptible factors in it, Xu Cheng heard it, but he could only smile awkwardly, as if he didn't hear it.

"Now in this year, the supervision and investigation are strict, that is, our Xu family, this period of time has also pressed some goods on hand, and we dare not go to sea easily!"

"If the superintendent gets the news, I'm afraid that there will be more luck on our side, how dare we take it!"

Permission to become a person in his thirties, so groveling to call a little doll who is just twenty, although the words are decisive, but I always feel that something is wrong in my heart.

Zheng Yiguan took a few steps forward, picked up a musket bought from the Dutch, and said with a smile: "So, I have to thank you very much." ”

"If it weren't for the fact that my Zheng family still has such thin noodles, you wouldn't have left this time, right?"

"What are Zheng Shoubei talking about..."Xu Cheng looked shocked, and explained in a loud voice:

"This trip was originally to save my brother who was not successful, but I was stained with the light of the Zheng family, and it was too late to be happy, how could I dare to complain?"

"Haha, you kid."

Zheng Yiguan suddenly laughed out loud and asked nonchalantly:

"The Fujian sailors of the imperial court have assembled near Zhangzhou Port, this area is not very peaceful, after saving Xu Xinsu, where are you going?"

"Are you still running a business in the area of Penghu and Yizhou?"

How could Xu Cheng not know the meaning of Zheng Yiguan's words, this is also taking a fancy to Yizhou, an island under the weak jurisdiction of the imperial court, and fighting for territory with the Xu family!

Right now, it's people under the eaves and they have to bow their heads.

The Zheng family has the priority of Fujian merchants, and the maritime power will definitely increase by leaps and bounds, and Zheng Yiguan is the garrison of Zhangzhou, I am afraid that even Li Dan will not be able to do it openly, and he will not be able to fight with Xu Xinsu and himself.

is still the same sentence, the Xu family's current strength is weak, and the Zheng family has the protection of the imperial court, and their own strength is not weaker than them, so they still have to find a backer!

This backer, Li Dan is not good, even if he goes to the government, at most, he will have a fight with the Zheng family, maybe he will not be able to seal a garrison, and he will still be hammered at that time.

If you want to have the capital to compete with Zheng Yiguan at sea in the future, you have to find the imperial court!

Xu Cheng smiled and said, "After saving my brother, the two of us plan to settle in Japan like Li Dan, and we won't go back to Jiangnan." ”

Zheng Yiguan nodded lightly, didn't say anything, just said quietly:

"This is very good, you should go to Penghu to meet with the Dutch as soon as possible, so as to make internal responses, and when Penghu is recovered, I will have to take the credit of you and Xu Xinsu on the front of the table."

Xu Cheng scolded in his heart, but his face was sunny:

"Thank you Zheng Shoubei for helping me rescue my brother!"