(Tomorrow will start to resume the three watches, try to make up for it!) ）

From three years ago, perhaps four years ago, or perhaps earlier, after the Ming had established their fortress and harbor at the South Heavenly Gate, for the Dutch East India Company, the clouds of disaster inevitably loomed over the skies.

And for the Governor of Batavia, Peter. 1666 was undoubtedly a very unfortunate year for Hasler, as the nephew of Peter Hasselal, the founder of the East India Company, had vowed to restore his prosperity within two years when he took over as governor two years earlier, but the results were clear - first, the Dutch merchant ships were forbidden to trade with Japan, just like the Portuguese merchant ships.

In the first year of Xingqian, the Ming Dynasty passed the Navigation Act, which was intended to protect the Ming Dynasty's monopoly on maritime trade, which allowed the Ming vassal states to trade with the Ming merchant ships. In other words, the Dutch merchant ships were excluded from the Japanese route, which was the most lucrative route in East Asia in this era. For many years, the Dutch had made millions of guilders a year on the triangular route to Batavia, Canton, and Nagasaki, but now all this was a thing of the past, unless the East India Company was willing to risk war with the Ming Dynasty.

After three years of dismal operations, the Dutch who thought they had "been wronged" did not escape the same fate as the Portuguese, who had been driven out of Macau three years earlier.

And now, the Daming fleet, which appeared off the coast of Macau, was anchored off the coast of Batavia, and the huge fleet was like a reminder to the members of the company's board of directors, reminding them that they had to leave here.

At this time, an atmosphere of despair permeated the entire boardroom, and beyond the despair, there was a boundless anger.

"These Ming people, aren't they afraid of provoking the Netherlands?"

A board member said angrily.

"Aren't they afraid of our fleet?"

When the parliamentarians spoke like this, the Admiral of the East India Company, Baltasha Potter, lowered his eyes and did not speak at all, although the company had 150 merchant ships and 40 warships, but compared to the fleet of the Ming Kingdom, it was not worth mentioning.

"Four ships of the South Ocean Fleet of the Warring States class are enough to destroy the entire East India Company ......"

Baltasha Potter silently thought to himself, if someone asked him why he didn't lead the fleet into battle, he would definitely go up and slap the man hard, and then ask them why they didn't build him a three-deck first-class ship a few years ago.

A few years ago, when the first first-class ship of the Ming army appeared in the South Seas, everyone felt threatened and even had to withdraw the fleet sent to Taiwan, fearing that the Ming army would seize Batavia.

Although the threat of the Ming army was getting stronger day by day, the company had no will to strengthen the fleet, as if they understood that no matter how strong they were, they would not be able to surpass the Ming fleet. Now that the Ming army is coming, they only need to send a detachment of fleets, which will be enough to sweep away all the sea forces in all of Batavia.

It seems that everyone knows that Batavia's fleet is not going anywhere, so no one questioned Baltasha Potter, and it is clear that if they want to leave here safely, they will still need Baltasha Potter's escort in the end.

"We can use money, use money to get Chinese people out there."

Finally, a member of the board of directors couldn't help but shout loudly, bribing the enemy with money to make the enemy abandon the attack and leave here, this is the only choice in the Age of Discovery. A lot of the time, it works.

"Stupid, they are not English, they are not pirates, they are not natives, the Ming people will not ask for money, this is the task given to them by their emperor. They just want to get us out of here. ”

Words of desperation came out of the mouth of another board member.

"Drive us away? Why drive us away! Without our merchant ships, who would help them transport silk and porcelain to Europe and to the New World. Attacking their merchant ships? Who did this? God can testify that we are all merchants, not pirates! ”

"Who else could the Englishmen be but those Englishmen? They must have pretended to be a Dutch fleet to attack the Ming people. Now that their goal has been achieved, the Ming people want to drive us out of here. Damn the English! ”

The parliamentarians shouted curses at the English and shouted about the injustice they had suffered.

"However, the Ming country's request is very simple, they think that our military presence in Batavia threatens their interests, so they ask us to evacuate this place and hand Batavia over to them. As for the merchants, they could continue to trade here, but Batavia had to be handed over to them. ”

"Give Batavia to them? And then we trade with them as in Canton, in Nantianmen? God, they want to take this place, that's what they think. I dare say that even the attack of the English was exactly what they wanted, because they found an excuse to drive us out! ”

At this moment, the entire board fell silent.

"Well, even if the Ming people want to take Batavia. We can't solve the problem by sitting like this now, and in twenty-four hours their fleet will be shelling this place. ”

Finally someone told the truth, and that fact was frustrating.

In particular, it was clear to everyone that as long as the Ming people were willing, their fleet could not only easily defeat their fleet, but also tear everything here to shreds.

Hardly any of the dozens of members of the board present believed that Batavia would be able to withstand the attack of the Ming fleet. They knew very well that the fleet of the Ming Kingdom was stronger than them, and this was only one of their fleets, and in the north, they had an even more powerful fleet.

Eventually, all eyes were on it

Before the crowd turned their eyes on Peter. In Hassler's case, when he was chosen as the new governor two years ago, they had fantasized that he would be able to restore the East India Company to the glory of the East India Company by his uncle, but the reality was a disaster.

Seeing that all eyes were on him, Peter. Hassler felt extremely unnatural, he knew that it was because they all needed a scapegoat, they needed someone to take charge of Batavia's future, but ...... He is not to blame for this.

"General Potter, do you think we can hold Batavia?"

Peter, who was not willing to take responsibility for Batavia. Hasler kicked the problem to Baltasha Potter.

Hold?

What a joke, just as Baltasha Potter instinctively wanted to refute, he immediately said when he realized that the Governor was looking for a replacement for the dead ghost.

"Of course, Your Excellency, I think we can hold Batavia!"

He must not say surrender, otherwise what awaits him will be death, or at least ruin like a ruined one!

"Yes, compared to the Ming people, our defenders in Batavia are indeed pitiful. But we have strong fortresses and geographical advantages. It is impossible for the Ming people to wander in the open sea for a long time, even if they land, they must face our fortress, our fortress, as long as we hold on, then they have nothing to do with us. ”

Baltasha Potter's words were both true and false, and Batavia had been blocked by the natives, even the Portuguese, the Spaniards, and the English. But in the end, they all returned in vain due to weather, geography and other reasons. Therefore, it is not impossible to turn evil into good fortune.

It's just that now it's the Ming people who are attacking here, their fleet is stronger and more powerful, and in Batavia, there are tens of thousands of Ming people who can serve as their internal response.

Almost as soon as his voice fell, someone immediately asked a rhetorical question.

"Even if we stay here, the Ming people won't be able to get in. So what to do in the future? If the Ming people keep surrounding this place, the food and water in our castle will always run out. Then we will be in a more miserable situation than we are now. ”

"Yes, the Ming people have made it very clear that if they surrender within twenty-four hours, they can preserve our property, and if it exceeds this time, they will retract this promise."

For almost all members of the board of directors, their first instinct is to preserve their property, and for those who have traveled thousands of miles to Batavia, nothing is more important than property, and even in the Netherlands, when faced with the threat of war, members of the Dutch parliament think of compromise and even surrender.

"In that case, I have nothing to do, and it is my duty to obey the orders of the Governor."

Baltasha Potter shrugged his shoulders helplessly, kicked the question to the Governor again, and even emphasized it in a deliberate way.

"I think that if we hold on, maybe in half a year or a year, reinforcements will be sent from the mainland!"

This was obviously impossible, for everyone knew that the Netherlands were at war with England. At this time, no one will come to the rescue of the East India Company.

Faced with such an impasse, one of the board members turned the question to Governor Peter Brown. Hassler.

"Your Excellency the Governor, now you have to make a decision! Now Batavia and our future are in your hands! ”

No one wants to be ruined like Kuiyi, and as he reminded him, almost all of them turned their attention to Peter. Hassler. Now there is also the Governor who can decide all this.

However, in the face of everyone's expectant eyes, Peter, who had already made up his mind. Hasler also looked helpless. Since there is no better choice, make the best choice for yourself. Come to think of it, Peter. Hasler stood up unhurriedly and looked at the crowd and said.

"Both the Batavian Council and the Board of Directors were established by us, and according to this principle, the decisions of the Council and the Board of Directors are sacred, and even as the Governor, I must obey the decisions of the Council and the Board of Directors, and I think that at this most critical time, we must give full play to our sacred voting power and decide all this by voting!"