Zhu Youzhen, who had returned from Fengtai Daying, soon received a report from Zheng Cai that Batavia had sent a special envoy to negotiate the Ming Dynasty's proposal last year to establish an East Asian maritime arbitration institution to settle maritime trade and other disputes between various countries, and that the envoy also hoped that the Ming would fix the quantity and price of porcelain exported overseas so as not to destroy the burgeoning commodity market.

The Dutch became involved in the Chinese porcelain trade, originating with the plundering of the Portuguese merchant ship Antacatarina by the Dutch East India Company. The Dutch plundered a large amount of blue and white porcelain from the two Clark merchant ships, which were auctioned off at Middelburg and Amsterdam in China, and made a great profit.

From then on, porcelain became the second Chinese commodity to be demanded by the Dutch East India Company after raw silk. In honor of the two Portuguese ships that brought porcelain to the Dutch, the Dutch called Chinese blue and white porcelain Clark porcelain.

Of course, what can be valued by Europeans is naturally the fine porcelain in porcelain, even in China, such porcelain is at least more than one dollar per piece, but it can be sold to the Dutch for almost one or two per piece.

Because of the fanatical demand for Chinese porcelain in Europe and the lack of production of porcelain in Jingdezhen, Zhangzhou and Quanzhou on the coast of Fujian began to produce blue and white porcelain in imitation of Jingdezhen. Because there is no excellent kaolin in Fujian, the quality of porcelain is not as good as Jingdezhen, but Fujian porcelain, which occupies a favorable location, greatly reduces the cost and can produce customized complete sets of porcelain for the Dutch, so it soon became the main porcelain supplier for the Dutch.

Due to the large-scale production of Fujian porcelain, the price of porcelain purchased by the Dutch fell rapidly, but the decline of Chinese porcelain in the European market was very slow, and the Dutch merchant ships returning to Europe from China each year carried an average of about 30 tons of Chinese porcelain, which brought an astonishing profit to the Dutch East India Company.

But as a commercial company, the Dutch East India Company also had a hoarding problem, just as it controlled the amount of spices shipped back to Europe after taking possession of the Spice Islands in order to maintain high spice prices, and the Dutch East India Company also controlled the amount of porcelain sold.

However, the Dutch were able to control the trade of the Spice Islands by force, but they could not control the overseas trade of the Ming Dynasty by force, but in the past, the Ming Dynasty's control of overseas trade automatically helped the Dutch East India Company control the amount of porcelain exported overseas, and even the East India Company itself may not be able to obtain enough porcelain every year.

However, since more than two years ago, the Ming Dynasty suddenly relaxed restrictions on overseas trade, and porcelain from Jingdezhen, which was difficult to buy overseas in the past, began to appear on the market. Compared with Portugal and Britain, which had closer ties with China, it was more difficult for the Dutch East India Company to buy fine Jingdezhen porcelain, and even if it did, the price would be two or three percent more expensive.

To make matters worse, the Jingdezhen porcelain brought back by the British and Portuguese had begun to break the Dutch monopoly on the porcelain trade, and the well-made Jingdezhen porcelain had overshadowed the Fujian porcelain that the Dutch had brought back to Europe. The Portuguese, the kingdom annexed by Spain, had plummeted due to the oppression of the Spanish crown.

But the British were different, the allies who had defeated the Armada and were across the sea from the Netherlands, and were the Dutch's greatest rivals in seafaring trade. From the very beginning of the British's gain of trade power with China, Batavia became wary of their commercial colonial rivals who had been driven out of the Spice Islands.

Therefore, the envoy of Batavia, who came to the capital this time to negotiate, was to obtain the same trade rights as the British and Portuguese; the second is to limit the growth rate of China's porcelain exports; The third was to exclude the British from their trading partners with China.

Peternats, who accompanied the Batavia envoys, also confessed to them the other two purposes of the Bataviaan envoys, hoping to obtain power second only to the Ming Dynasty in this East Asian maritime arbitration institution, and the other was to attract the Ming Dynasty to send troops to Japan to obtain Treasure Island for Batavia.

Peternac also reported that Batavia had prepared 8 armed merchant ships and 1,024 soldiers, as well as 300,000 guilders for war expenses. As long as the Ming can agree to send troops, this huge fleet will go north.

Zheng Cai, who came to report to the emperor, was eager to try, believing that the Dutch had taken the initiative to make the conditions for sending troops to Japan fully met, and that it was time to reach an agreement with the Dutch to send troops.

Zhu Youzhen obviously didn't think so, he shook his head and said: "Now is not the time to discuss with the Dutch about sending troops to Japan, let the Dutch, Spaniards, Portuguese, and British sit at the same table and negotiate, instead of fighting between them first, then we can talk about the affairs of jointly sending troops to Japan."

In addition, the four countries of Korea, Boni, Cambodia, and Siam should also join this East Asian arbitration institution, and they will not talk about sending troops to Japan until the Prime Minister Yamen has reached an agreement with them. Sending troops to Japan was not a decision of the Ming Dynasty, but a decision of the newly established East Asian Maritime Arbitration Institution. ”

Zheng Cai asked the emperor a little dazedly: "Your Majesty, this North Korea and Siam also have some strength, but Bo Ni and Cambodia are small countries, and they don't even have the ability to protect themselves, how can they send troops?" Isn't it a bit unworthy of the name to let them join the arbitration institution? ”

Zhu Youzhen smiled and said: "It doesn't matter if they have the strength or not, as long as Da Ming has the strength." These four countries plus the four European countries and Daming, there are just 9 countries, one person and one vote, we can account for five votes, so if there is any resolution, others will not say that Daming's appearance is too ugly.

In addition, as an arbitration institution in East Asia, it is inevitable to set up a standing fleet, and it is impossible for the four European countries to let us get their hands on their fleets, but will other Asian countries still dare to refuse the demands of the Ming Dynasty? Let them pay for it, and the Ming Dynasty will form a fleet, and then it will be in the name of these countries. Why not not ensure our maritime power and reduce our financial burden? ”

Zheng Cai didn't understand why the emperor was doing such a twist and turn, in his opinion, as a Chinese Ming Dynasty wanted to crusade against others, as long as he disobeyed Wang Hua, it was already righteous enough, and there was no need to bother to win over any allies. However, since the emperor has this requirement, as a courtier, he can only obey.

After Zheng Cai left, Zhu Youzhen thought for a while, and then asked Qian Qianyi to be summoned. As a cabinet minister, Qian Qianyi is the most relaxed one in the cabinet. However, this kind of relaxation is not a good thing in the Chongzhen Dynasty.

Therefore, when he was recruited by Chongzhen, Qian Qianyi was still a little excited, thinking if the emperor had something important to explain to him, so he quickly hurried over.

Looking at Qian Qianyi, who was sweating a little on his forehead because of the trotting all the way, Zhu Youzhen didn't mention the business, but first asked Wang Chengen to hand Qian Qianyi a hot towel to wipe his sweat, and let him drink a few sips of tea before he spoke.

"Mr. Qian, I called you over this time, and I do have some things for you to handle, but before I get down to business, I want to talk to you a few words.

Mr. Huang should know that Mr. Huang has been the first assistant for more than three years, and according to the five-year rule, his term of office will end next year. With Mr. Huang's age and physical strength, I am afraid that it will be unbearable to serve the last Shousuke.

Mr. thinks, who will take over this next first assistant? ”

Qian Qianyi suddenly felt that his heart was beating so fast, and he wanted to say in his heart that it was actually the most suitable for him to be the first assistant, but when the words came to his lips, he unconsciously mentioned Han Xiangyun and Li Biao, several senior officials.

After Zhu Youzhen was silent for a moment, he frowned and sighed: "I often listen to Mr. Huang recommend Mr., today I originally thought that Mr. would recommend himself, but unexpectedly, Mr. has no intention of being the first assistant, it seems that I and Mr. Huang are wrong." ”

Qian Qianyi suddenly regretted it, and blurted out unconsciously: "Actually, the minister deliberately recommended himself, but the minister's qualifications are not as good as these adults, so he doesn't dare to break the rules." ”

Realizing that he had said what he really meant, Qian Qianyi's old face also turned red, and he knew that if this conversation leaked out, the good reputation he had worked so hard to maintain would be completely ruined.

Just when he was ashamed and ashamed, Zhu Youzhen opened his mouth and said: "It's just nonsense, the first assistant of the Ming Dynasty is high and powerful, and he bears the hope of the people of the world. Qian Qing has always supported the reform of the imperial court on weekdays, and his reputation in Shilin is also good, so if you take over the position of first assistant, the reform of the Ming Dynasty will not be abandoned halfway, right? ”

Qian Qianyi's family is wealthy, and he has been clothed and fed since he was a child, so he has never taken money seriously. However, he takes his own reputation and the officials of the court very seriously. Although the reform policy implemented by the imperial court now harmed the interests of the Qian family, after getting the position of cabinet minister, Qian Qianyi felt that the reform policy was actually not so bad.

If he can be made to the top of the Ming civil officials, he feels that it is worth exchanging all his family property for this honor alone. Therefore, to the emperor's question, he replied almost without thinking: "This is natural, since Your Majesty ascended the throne, the reform of the Ming Dynasty has shown its effect in various places.

Reform is a virtuous policy implemented by His Majesty after his accession to the throne, and if the minister takes over the post of first assistant, he should naturally assist His Majesty and carry out this reform to the end. It's just that although the ministers are a little famous, when it comes to the court push, I'm afraid it will be difficult to suppress others to rank first. ”

Zhu Youzhen smiled and said: "Han Xiangyun is sixty-seven years old, Li Biao is forty-nine years old, Cheng Jiming is more than seventy years old, Shi Fenglai is sixty-seven, Zhang Ruitu is sixty-one... Plus you're forty-nine years old.

Among these people who are qualified to ascend to the position of first assistant, except for you and Li Biao, the others are all in their early sixties. Qian Qing thinks that these old decays have enough physical strength to deal with the problems encountered because of the implementation of reforms? ”