In the teahouse on Negros Vino Street, Luo Jiu and Lu Yang, the commercial representatives of Sihai Trading Company in the UK, were drinking tea and talking. Although the two are nominally employees of the Four Seas Trading Company, they are actually two of the commercial representatives in Europe jointly designated by the major chambers of commerce in the Ming Dynasty, but they are mainly responsible for import and export affairs in the United Kingdom.

Although the total trade between China and Europe will be less than one-fifth of the total import and export trade next year, it will be one of the most lucrative trade routes, and this does not include the trade markets of Russia and Eastern Europe. Therefore, after Daming opened up this Eurasian maritime trade route, the European market became the overseas market that Daming maritime merchants paid the most attention to.

Although at this time, the maritime merchants of the Ming Dynasty were integrating the markets of East Asia and Southeast Asia and opening up trade between the Americas and the Indian continent, the European side could only rely on European merchants to develop and consolidate the market. But this does not mean that the merchants of the Ming Dynasty can let the kings and lords here extort against them, and even the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty cannot let these merchants succumb, let alone these barbarians thousands of miles away.

In October last year, the King's Chancellor of the Exchequer informed them that the surcharge on tea would rise from 64% to 108% starting with this year's new tea. This tax ratio suddenly stunned the Ming merchants in London at that time, and the ten taxes on commerce in the domestic court were all scolded by public opinion, and the barbarian king was not satisfied with the heavy tax of 64%, and wanted to raise it to 108% of the tax amount, which is also too bad to treat them as a dish.

Although the price of Daming's tea in the UK is 2 times the export price + tax, people who can afford tea will not care about the increase in taxes. But this completely disrupted the tea merchants' plans to continue to expand the tea drinker in the UK, knowing that the export price of tea is double the price of the origin plus taxes, so after expanding the tea planting area, the price of tea can continue to be lowered, so as to cover the British citizen class, that is, the family with an annual salary of 15-30 pounds.

In the eyes of the merchants of the Ming Dynasty, these ordinary British citizens should wear cotton cloth produced in the Ming Dynasty, drink tea produced in the Ming Dynasty, eat canned fruits produced in the Ming Dynasty, and place porcelain and lacquerware made in the Ming Dynasty at home, which is what a civilized country should look like.

But they worked hard to bring the civilized life of the Ming Dynasty to Europe, and the king of England actually used heavy taxes to prevent the British people from accepting the influence of advanced civilization, which was unbearable. What worries them even more is that if European countries learn from the British heavy tax on Ming goods, this will be a heavy blow to the trade activities between Ming and Europe.

It was under these circumstances that the Ming merchants, who did not want to intervene in the struggle of British politics, had to accept the friendship that had been passed on by the parliament through the East India Company.

However, as the representatives of the Ming merchants in Britain, although Luo Jiu and Lu Yang came to the teahouse where they agreed to meet, the younger Lu Yang still asked his companion with some anxiety: "Isn't the East India Company a privileged trading company established by relying on the king's charter?" Why would they go to the side of the parliamentarians who oppose the king? Could this be a trap? ”

Luo Jiu picked up the teacup and took a sip of milk tea, and soon put it down with a frown, and complained in his mouth: "The fragrance of tea is covered by the taste of goat's milk, why do these British people like to drink such tea?" ”

After hearing this, Lu Yang subconsciously replied: "The main reason is that the quality of these teas is not good, coupled with long-distance transportation, the taste is even worse, and after adding milk and sugar, these defects are covered up." However, the high-quality green tea is sealed in a tin can, and the taste is much more authentic, so those upper-class families don't drink the original green tea? But speaking of which, it seems that the East India Company is preparing to build two clippers specifically for transporting spring tea to England, and it is estimated that the quality of tea will be much better when it arrives in England. ”

Luo Jiu glanced at him and said with a smile: "Sure enough, it came from the tea shop, and only you are most concerned about the doorway here." However, our Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau has already begun to build new fast ships, and the British will not be able to catch up with us this time.

As for the questions you just asked, I'll ask you one more question. How did you say that this man's resentment towards others came about? ”

Lu Yang froze, he didn't understand why Luo Jiu asked such a puzzling question. However, it seems that the other party didn't want him to really answer this question, and after seeing him say something incomprehensible, Luo Jiu cut off his words and replied himself: "This person's resentment is not that people don't give you anything, but that they want to take it back after giving it to you."

It is true that the British king gave the East India Company a charter to monopolize the Oriental trade, but when he saw that the East India Company was very profitable, he thought of withdrawing the charter and allowing others to participate in the Oriental trade.

The shareholders of the East India Company also had close relations with many members of the House of Commons, and although they would not openly stand up for the Parliament, they would certainly not have any psychological burden to do something for the Parliament in private. ”

Lu Yang suddenly realized, and said to Luo Jiu with admiration: "Brother Jiu has really experienced strong winds and waves, and the British can't hide it from you at all." But before we could go to them, these councillors were going to meet with us privately, and what did they want? ”

After Luo Jiu looked at the teacup in front of him, he replied meaningfully: "It can't be that you are looking for us to come here to drink tea." Anyway, we'll just see what the opportunity comes..."

Luo Jiu suddenly stopped talking in the middle of speaking, and Lu Yang immediately heard the sound of opening the door, it turned out that the person they were waiting for had already arrived. British teahouses are meant to be casual places for the middle and upper classes, so although they are not as attentive as Chinese teahouses, there is a distinction between private conversations and open exchanges.

The room where Luo Jiu and the others are located is the place where this teahouse is provided for dignitaries or ladies to drink tea, so the environment is elegant and quiet.

The senior staff of the East India Company, who was familiar with Luo Jiu and the others, introduced the names of the three people who were brought into the room, and then retired with interest. Obviously, this person is here to be an introducer today, and he does not want to be involved in the incident.

Winslow, Perem, and Wolup, if you are an Englishman who is familiar with the members of the House of Commons, can easily guess who these three followers are, and what family they come from. However, for Luo Jiu and Lu Yang, their understanding of these three people is probably not as good as the other party's understanding of the two of them.

After the three Englishmen sat down opposite the two of them, Winslow, who was sitting on the east side, looked at the two of them with a stern attitude and said, "The first thing we want to confirm when we meet you today is whether your country is on the side of the king and wants to be the enemy of the English people?" ”

Lu Yang almost jumped up, he quickly denied it: "Where did you start here? We are Ming..."

Luo Jiu held down Lu Yang, who was a little breathless, in time, interrupted his words and said to the Englishman opposite: "I don't understand what your intention is in saying these words? We have always maintained a friendly relationship with the British and have never tried to be the enemy of the British people. Moreover, we do not understand the question that you have just asked, has His Majesty the King of England become an enemy of the British people? ”

Winslow was speechless for a moment, but Perem, who was beside him, responded sensitively: "The British people also attach great importance to the friendly relations between China and the United Kingdom.

But why did your country go through Robert. Mr. Black, shipped a shipment of munitions to England? Do you not know that at this critical juncture, giving the King access to this batch of arms would increase the King's ambitions and put the British people on the brink of civil war..."

While the companions and the Chinese were fighting, Volop quietly observed these Chinese. As a son of a famous family, although his family is not yet a noble family, it is also the core family in the local county.

Unlike the nobles who enjoyed the comfort and enjoyment around the king, the local squires represented by Volop were gradually moving from the vassal status of the nobility to the real power of the local rulers. They enclosed land locally for agriculture, animal husbandry, and forestry, and did not hesitate to use the income from the land to invest in manufacturing and overseas trade, thus leading to social and economic development and accumulating family wealth.

The revival of the gentry since the Elizabethan era has made the English gentry class ambitious and adventurous, their desire for wealth is endless, but they are extremely stingy and simple for their own enjoyment, compared with the English aristocracy that has begun to corrupt, the English squire is like a pack of hungry wolves that have just survived the winter.

Of course, for these English squires, there were many obstacles that stood in their way to wealth. For example, the king and the old-fashioned aristocracy at home, and the Dutch, Spanish, French and other foreign competitors.

The appearance of the Chinese made these English squires realize that they seemed to have a reliable ally in the East, allowing them to shorten the time to challenge the old colonial powers. But the stupidity of the British king may make the Chinese a threat to the independent British regime.

Britain needed China as an eastern ally, but the parliament did not want the Chinese to interfere in Britain's internal affairs from the position of the British king. The Chinese had both money and weapons, and if they were on the side of the British king, the parliament was not sure that they would be able to make the king submit to them in their struggle with the king.

The most troublesome thing is, Robert. The Chinese rifles that Blake brought back were much more advanced and cheaper than the arquebuses still in use in the UK. Follow Robert. Blake said that if the Chinese wanted to, they could easily arm the army loyal to the king to the teeth.

For this reason, the leaders of the House of Commons discussed that the Chinese must not be allowed to intervene in their struggle with the king, otherwise it would be a disaster for Britain. So this teahouse meeting took place. The purpose of the three Wolup today is not to question the Chinese, but to know what kind of attitude the Chinese have towards the internal strife in Britain.

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