PS: It's the last few days, do you still have a monthly pass?

"Tea sells for only fifty guilders per pound!"

As China's traditional export commodities, the status of tea, silk, raw silk and porcelain is undoubted, they have returned a large amount of silver for China, so that China has a huge trade surplus, and has become a superpower for a long time. Thus sparked that shameless Opium War. However, it was not the British who first drank tea in large quantities in Europe, but the Dutch.

Since 1610, Dutch merchants have taken advantage of the seafaring advantages to ship green tea from Macao to China to Java and then to Europe. In the beginning, due to the imbalance between supply and demand, the price of tea was very expensive, and ordinary people could not afford to drink it, and tea was only a luxury for court nobles, wealthy families, and families as a health and social etiquette. People drink tea to show off their elegance and compete for wealth, so tea soon became popular throughout the upper class, and some wealthy housewives are proud of having a chic tea room, precious tea leaves and exquisite tea utensils at home.

Can't think of it, right? Tea, like silk and porcelain, is a tool used by this group of nouveau riche in Europe to show off their wealth.

Not only to show off wealth, tea also has medicinal value in the special geographical environment of the Netherlands. Because of the humidity and rain in the Netherlands, many Dutch people suffer from gout, pleurisy, foot disease, constipation, headache, scurvy, fever and other malignant diseases, and tea is a good antidote to these diseases.

Shouhan, on the other hand, received several years of tea accumulation in Wuyi Mountain, that is, aged tea, from Zheng Zhilong as a gift.

"These tea leaves of mine. All are processed brick teas for easy storage and transportation, and each piece weighs about a pound as long as you get fifty guilders. ”

The brain behind Basten's fat face has not been eroded by wine and food in the slightest, and it is still very sharp. He not only used this image of a fat man raised by wine and meat to successfully complete strategic deception again and again, but also won dozens of times the accumulation of wealth for himself.

Tea, shipped to Europe, can be sold for thirty francs per pound in Paris. And in the UK. A pound of tea can cost as much as six to ten pounds. According to the exchange rate between the pound sterling and the guilder to the huàn, which is a dozen to a ten, this price is very staggering.

But fifty guilders per pound, such a purchase price. There doesn't seem to be much temptation. After some haggling. Ultimately. Mr. Basten bought 400,000 pounds of tea from Shouhan at a price of 20 guilders per pound.

"Hah! This fool! I slaughtered the sheep! ”

Shouhan and Basten couldn't help but laugh smugly in their hearts.

Now that the business is over, it's time to talk about the business that Mr. Basten has come to talk about.

"Tell me about your terms and conditions!"

Shouhan leaned back in his chair. Try to sit comfortably.

However, Mr. Van Basten, as the representative of the Dutch East India Company in the peace negotiations with the South China Army, made Shouhan furious at the negotiation conditions!

"Joke! Did you defeat it, or did Lao Tzu defeat it?! What face did he have to propose to Lao Tzu to open trade with each other? Joke! If you want to do any business, just go directly! Do I still need you to turn your hand? ”

The conditions set by the Dutch were clearly to change the vocabulary slightly before the battle of Liaoluowan and the conditions proposed by the Ming court, and the content and core basically did not change. The goal is to monopolize trade.

What you can't get with guò artillery on the battlefield, you actually want to get it by guò at the negotiating table? These guys are really good at it!

"Someone!"

Shouhan stood in the doorway and shouted.

Several soldiers who were standing at the door of the study ran to Shouhan with their waist swords in their hands and ran majestically in front of Shouhan, "Lord! ”

"Go! Get this guy out of here! Deliver the Rites, let them deport him! ”

Basten looked at the scene in front of him as expected, without feeling angry or guilty at all because his duties and mission had not been completed.

was escorted out of Shouhan's study by several strong soldiers, but Xiao Huamei and Liu Guidan, who came out of the courtyard on the side, happened to see this scene from the side.

With a silk handkerchief on her head, a pair of cowhide boots on her feet, and Xiao Huamei, who was dressed in a red suit, wiped the sweat on her head, and complained to Liu Guidan with some coquettishness: "Master, can you not practice so much next time?" I can't even lift my chopsticks when I'm eating! ”

"It's not much if you want to learn from me." Liu Guidan still had that mortal look of ignorance.

Xiao Huamei stuck out her tongue mischievously.

"Master! You see! A red-haired man has been kicked out of Daddy! Xiao Huamei excitedly pointed to Van Basten's figure and motioned to Liu Guidan to take a look.

"See." It's still a voice with no emotional factor.

"It must have provoked Daddy! Otherwise, Daddy wouldn't have let people deal with him like this! ”

Ignoring the excitement and speculation in the apprentice's tone, Liu Guidan just squinted his eyes and stared at Basten's somewhat strange steps, watching Basten swing his arms stiffly, and pinching his fingers tightly on the cuffs of his sleeves very unnaturally.

"I hope this Hongmaoyi didn't steal any military documents!"

Liu Guidan, who is experienced in the rivers and lakes, found at a glance that there were things such as papers hidden in Basten's sleeve, and this person had just been kicked out of Shouhan's study, so he took advantage of the chaos to steal something in Shouhan's house.

A few days later, in the conference room of the Middle East India Company in Batavia City, Mr. Basten lashed out at his colleagues.

"Gentlemen, when you were going to negotiate peace, I said that I wanted you to make certain concessions, because we were defeated by Governor Lee, not Governor Lee!"

After a trip to Hue, Mr. Basten, who returned with a full load, naturally did not have to break down the negotiations with the South China Army. In fact, he also wished that the negotiations between the two sides would break down. In this way, he could build his own business empire on the ruins of the East India Company, perhaps. In the future, he will also have a place in the royal family of Europe.

From the sleeves of his robe with a beautiful silk surface and a velvet lining, he took something out of it, and with a "snap", Basten threw it on the table.

"Open your eyes that have been blinded by whiskey and gold and silver dollars, and take a good look! What is it! ”

The directors and high-ranking officials opened the paper that had been folded into a hard square with suspicion, and the drawing on it surprised them for a moment, and then burst into laughter.

This is a blueprint of a battleship that Basten stole from Shouhan's study that day.

If one of the men in the group was also a traverser like Shouhan, he would have recognized it from the iconic four-tier gun deck on the drawings, the craziest of the sail battleships, the St. Trinidad.

However, it is extremely regrettable. None of the directors were traversers. Just as it is impossible for every person who buys a lottery ticket to win a jackpot of 570 million.

"It's a beautiful drawing, but, Mr. van Basten, do you want to sue us? Governor Lee is building such ships? ”

A chubby director pinched a corner of the drawing with disdain with two fingers. He asked Mr. Basten very contemptuously.

"We all came to this land from the sea. It is not a layman to build ships for sea voyages. Whether it's our plywood ship, or the Chinese-style fortune boat, the Arab ship. The most important thing for the Indian boat is that it can be used to make wood for the keel! Where can you find suitable timber for a ship of this size? I'm afraid that even if I search the whole earth, I may not be able to gather the materials to make it! ”

"So, I have to say that although this drawing is the best and clearest description of what a big ship is going to do, I have to say that it will always be a drawing."

"Not bad! And its side artillery! On the four-story gun deck, there are at least one hundred and twenty artillery guns, how much time does it take to complete such a large number of guns, and how much manpower, material and financial resources can be completed? ”

"That's right! Mr. Basten, I have to say that this drawing, which you stole from Governor Lee's cabinet at the risk of your life, may be just a toy for the young Oriental monarch's great delight. There will be no actual threat to us, at least not for ten years! ”

The words of several directors resonated with everyone, and these gentlemen, who cared more about their own interests than a qiē, either nodded their heads or cast approving glances at each other, indicating that I support and agree with you.

"All right, gentlemen!"

As the chairman of the Committee of Seventeen, he stopped people's discussion very majestically.

"I think Mr. Basten is right, if we intend to continue to expand our business in this region, we must make some concessions to Governor Li and Zheng Yiguan in the waters of Fujian!"

"Since the setback of our military operations along the coast of Fujian, there has been a decline in trade with the Spaniards in the Philippines, with the Japanese shoguns and the daimyos, and more than 20 of the more than 30 merchant houses in Daijin have lost money! This is unprecedented! I have written to Governor Putsmann asking him to do everything in his power to reverse the situation! ”

Basten, who was so angry that he was sitting on the side and drinking tea cup after cup, threw out a sentence from his seat, "It is estimated that there will be no trade with the Spaniards in the Philippines soon!" I believe that this island will soon be in the pocket of Governor Lee! ”

Seeing that the faces of those who had just mocked him with merciless language were like eggplants beaten by frost, Mr. Basten's heart swelled with relief.

"It's not just the commercial trade activities of the Philippines that will be affected, but if we can't fulfill General Lee's wishes, I believe that trade activities in Japan will also be discredited."

"I would like to ask you, do we produce any of the raw silk, porcelain, and gunpowder that we sell to Japan, and the copper, screens, and swords that we ship from Japan? Is there one thing we need? Neither! We are just traders! ”

He was about to analyze for everyone how the Li Shouhan Group and the Zheng Zhilong Group would squeeze out the prospects of the Dutch East India Company in their trade activities with the Japanese side, when a company employee slammed the door of the conference room open in a panic. There was a loud "clang" that almost caused one of the directors to spill all the teacups in his hands on his pants.

Rao was a well-mannered gentleman, and he couldn't help but be angry, and a burst of extremely filthy and filthy curses fell on the head of the clerk who had not had time to knock on the door in a hurry. The other directors and executives were also very dissatisfied, looking at this guy who didn't even know the slightest basic etiquette.

Seeing that the clerk was almost scolded, Mr. Chairman asked him, "What happened to make you lose your temper like this?!" ”

Before the words could be spoken, all the people in the room became amazed, or terrified!

At the door, several captains who were supposed to be already on their way to Europe in the Indian Ocean. The head is covered with seaweed and conch. There was a cute one with a small crab lying on his stomach in his wet hair.

"You guys! You guys! ”

The people in the room stuttered, and they all had that scene in their heads, that they didn't want to admit that it had happened.

"Did you encounter pirates?"

But Mr. Van Basten was very determined, holding the teacup in his hand. Savor the taste of this year's autumn tea.

"Sir. Yes! ”

The captain with a small crab on his head bowed his head. Reluctantly, the result was announced.

"Wow!"

Immediately there was a commotion in the room, noise, shouting. The sobs mingled together.

It is no wonder why these European gentlemen were so out of shape, because these four plywood ships carried the wealth they had accumulated over the years of plundering the islands of Java in the city of Batavia, and trading between Luzon, Dayuan, Japan, the Ming Dynasty, Batavia and other places.

Fearing that the Dutch would be besieged north of Batavia, the Dutch stronghold in East Asia, after the defeat at Liuluo Bay, Li Shouhan or Zheng Zhilong, or other British and Portuguese people, the gentlemen of the Committee of Seventeen packed up their belongings and handed them over to the four best plywood ships that the East India Company could now use to transport to their home in the Netherlands.

I didn't want to, but I was robbed in the middle of the road!

After careful questioning, I learned that these four treasure ships disguised as ordinary merchant ships filed tax returns to the tax customs stationed here in Lijiapo, and honestly paid the export duties.

Not bad, when you get through the Guò Strait, you are escorted by ships all the way, but just after passing through Lingjiawei Island, the situation has changed!

"Two gunboats rushed from the north, three from the west, and two from the south, all under the banner of the Portuguese Restoration Army. Our artillery fire was far less fierce than theirs, we carried more things, and we were not as quick as others to turn around, so four boats were robbed by this group of people! ”

The gentleman director, who had almost spilled his own pants of tea, definitely did not look at the yellow calendar when he went out today, and half of the four boats carried gold, silver, and other precious stones, diamonds, and other belongings were his. Such a loss is something he cannot afford!

"You guys! Why don't you turn around and flee east and flee into the tax customs of the South Central Army? ”

"Sir, here we go! But the customs officer said that if we were going to go, we had to make a customs declaration, explain what kind of goods were on board, and then pay the tax. ”

Under the bureaucratic style and inaction of the customs officials on Lingjiawei Island, four plywood boats loaded with gold, silver, gems and all kinds of works of art were looted by the damned Portuguese in front of the customs gate of the South China Army.

"Damn the Portuguese! They also came to take advantage of the fire?! ”

"Damn it! We're going to loot their trenches right now! ”

Looking at the group of colleagues in front of him, who were still talking and laughing with grace just now, but now they are like fishermen in the vegetable market who have been stolen money bags and scolding the street, Basten can't help but snicker in his heart.

"Do you really think the pirates who robbed are some kind of bullshit Portuguese Restoration Army? Even if it was, this group of wild dogs had the audacity to rob the fleet in front of the eyes of the South China Army Customs? Isn't this a clear slap in the face, what is a provocation? ”

"Which gentleman said to rob the trenches? Where are we going to find so many ships, artillery, and troops to loot the trenches? Even if there is, according to what I learned during my trip to Hue, the Portuguese in Engou have declared their submission to the Portuguese Restoration Army. And what kind of goods this so-called Portuguese Restoration Army is, I think you all know it in your hearts. ”

"If we go to attack Trench Jing Ao, the first thing to consider is whether there is so much military expenditure to support this military operation, and further, if we attack Trench Jing Ao, what if others attack our Chiji City and Geranza City? The big guy is the company's cash cow! Last year, there were 100,000 deerskins purchased from Dayuan! ”

"First, sir!"

The captain took the cute little crab from his head, and looked at the big guys in front of him with some confusion and timidity.

"Shut up!"

These captains have not brought wealth or glory to the table today, but bad news one after another, which makes the directors of the company look at them as if they were a pile of canine excrement.

"After we were robbed, we turned to the Nanzhong Army Mariners for help, because we paid the transit fee and they should keep us safe. But, "he was a little stumbling."

"Say it! Did they defeat those pirates? Take back our belongings?! ”

"They refused. The reason is that we have left the Strait of Manraka and are not under protection. And, moreover. ”

"And what, say it quickly!"

"First, we did not declare customs according to the actual contents of the carry, and there was a suspicion of smuggling and leaking taxes. Second, because the Dutch East India Company was still in a state of war with the South Chinese Army, this Manraka waterway was closed to the ships of the Dutch East India Company! (To be continued......)