Putmans felt like a rogue who was ready to fight hard to seize a piece of territory, but when he led his younger brothers to attack the territory, he was suddenly told: "I've been waiting for you for a long time, come quickly." ”

After coming to Taiwan for so long, Putmans was very aware of the vigilance of this ancient oriental country against the outside world, and he had made several requests to the Fujian government through Zheng Zhilong for trade, but the government did not hesitate to refuse. And this time Putmans was obviously ready to be rejected by the other party again, he never thought that the other party agreed so neatly, this strong contrast made Putmans feel a very unreal feeling.

"Your Excellency, is what you said true?" Putmans was stunned for a moment before stammering.

"Yes, Mr. Putmans." Pang Gang smiled and nodded, "But as I said just now, if you want to trade in our Qingzhou, you must pay the corresponding taxes to our customs in accordance with the regulations, otherwise we will not open our market." ”

Putmans suppressed the excitement in his heart and hurriedly asked, "May I ask if your tax is the same as the commercial tax in Daming?" ”

"Of course not." Pang Gang secretly despised this foreign devil before he said, "Our tax rate has always been charged according to 20% of the commercial value. ”

"God, this is too high, you must know that your country's business tax has always been one-thirtieth, that is, 3.3 percent, and your tax is too high." Putsman looked stunned.

"Is it tall?" Pang Gang sneered, "Mr. Putmans, I would like to ask how much is your country's business tax?" Is this rate high compared to your country's business taxes? ”

"This" Putmans couldn't help but be embarrassed, the commercial tax in the West has always been very high, not to mention 20 percent, that is, 40 percent is available, several times around the world, the country that can set such a low commercial tax rate of 3.3 percent can only be formulated by the wonderful court of the Ming Dynasty. But for someone like Putmans, it's not their style to take advantage of him.

Just when Putmans was about to say a few words, Pang Gang preemptively said: "Okay, don't say any more, I can tell you clearly, twenty percent is the lowest bottom line, if possible I will increase it in the future, if you feel that you can't accept this tax rate, you can choose not to trade with us." ”

Pang Gang's words blocked Putmans's thoughts, and after thinking about it, he had to agree, after all, it was not easy to find a place willing to trade with them, which was already an unexpected joy, if he was entangled in the issue of tax rates, if the other party closed this mouth again in a fit of anger, then he would have no place to cry.

Since the top leaders of both sides have agreed to the intention of doing business, the rest of the things are much easier, after finalizing a few details, Pang Gang proposed to Putmans to exchange between scholars on both sides, and Putmans agreed without hesitation, in his opinion, this is just a disappearance, it is not a big deal at all, and the two sides finally agreed that Putmans will send merchant ships to Qingzhou in a month for the first trade.

After sending away Putmans and the others, Pang Gang and the others returned to the hall, and Li Yuan, who was surnamed impatient, asked without waiting for Pang Gang to sit down: "My lord, the last general is not worried at all when he sees those Yi people, thinking that I don't have anything in the Ming Dynasty, can I make a deal with them?" ”

"Nonsense!" Pang Gang glared at Li Yuanxun and said, "What do you know, do you really think that we can be self-sufficient in everything, so we don't need to contact the Yi people?" ”

After being reprimanded by Pang Gang, Li Yuan lowered his head and said in a low voice: "Originally, we have nothing, why let those Yi people come in, do we still have those few silver?" ”

"You're stupid!" Pang Gang was so angry that he slapped the table and scolded: "You stupid person who can't even read a few words knows a fart, is that a matter of a few silver, this official asked Yiren to come to Qingzhou to do business, can the changes caused by Qingzhou be measured in silver?" ”

Under the influence of the long-term ban on the sea, the Ming Dynasty obviously still has some conservative contact and attitude towards the outside world, although it is not as serious as the fear of the Qing Dynasty in the future, but it has also reached the point where Pang Gang is unacceptable. Pang Gang always believed that it was very sad for a nation to always shrink its head and not want to understand the outside world, so he wanted to take the opportunity of trading with the Dutch to let all strata of Qingzhou know more about the outside world, put down the shelves of the Celestial Empire and communicate with the outside world on an equal footing, and strive to absorb some of the essence of the West, and stop indulging in the glory of the past, which would only make himself be thrown further and further away from the world

At this time, Putmans and his party came to the street, although the weather was still cold, but there were still a lot of people on the street, looking at the bustling flow of people on the street, Putmans turned his head and stared at Naien with a stern expression and said: "Captain Nain, do you know how dangerous what you just did is?" Because of your foolishness, we have almost lost the opportunity to trade with this rich city, and we will be at odds with the general for it, and if that is the case, I think I will put you on the fastest ship back home. ”

"But didn't Zheng Zhilong already promise us that as long as we attack Qingzhou, they will work hard to promote trade between the Fujian government and us? After all, Fujian is much closer to Taiwan? Naeun hadn't yet noticed, and his mind couldn't turn all at once.

"Captain Nain, I finally understand why most of your classmates who graduated from the Royal Naval College have become colonel-level officers, and you are still a captain, because your brain is too rigid." Putmans could only evaluate his subordinate so helplessly, and then explained: "As a soldier, it is not wrong for you to think so, but from my standpoint, I still have to consider the interests of our country more, can you understand?" ”

"Well, everything is for the sake of our great King." His own commander said so, and Captain Nairn could only smile wryly and nod in understanding.

"Okay, let's not talk about that, now let's take a good look at this oriental city." After speaking, Putmans led the crowd into the street

In a small port along the coast of Dandong Town in the early February of the tenth year of Chongzhen, more than a dozen pot-bellied ships lit a raging fire, and there were hundreds of corpses lying densely in the port, everything showed that a fierce battle had just been fought here, although there were still more than ten raging fires burning in the port on the ground, but everything seemed so dead.

After a long time, there was a burst of horses' hooves in the distance, like a whistling thunder swept the entire small port in an instant, and after a while, the real small port was crowded with thousands of cavalry dressed in red and white armor, the thick willow nails on the armor set off those cavalry more strong, from the clothing of these cavalry, this should be the elite of the Manchu Qing Dynasty with white flags.

In the center of these cavalry, a particularly sturdy and hideous-looking Qing army general rode a tall black horse and looked around, his whole body was stripped of his armor, his head was cut off, and his big eyes were about to breathe fire.

I saw that he gritted his mouth full of steel teeth and gurgle, as if the sound squeezed out of the teeth seemed to be able to freeze people, "It's a good thing done by those Han dogs on Phi Island, these Han dogs not only destroyed my ships and killed my soldiers, but also trampled on the remains of my Qing warriors, which is really deceitful!" ”

Seeing that the lord was angry, the entourage next to him was silent and did not dare to speak, so they could only wait quietly for the lord's orders.

After a long time, the general said sharply: "Come on, send a letter to Shengjing, just write: Slave Ao Bai respectfully ask Sheng'an, since the slave was ordered to be transferred to Dandong, the Ming army on Phi Island sent a large number of ships to patrol around our coast, they went everywhere to destroy our ships, kill my soldiers, burn my grain and grass, so that our army was exhausted, in view of this, the slave implored the emperor to guard against the Ming army under the coastal subordinates again, and sent more ships, and the slave was willing to lead the army to attack Phi Island again, and annihilate the Ming army on Phi Island in one fell swoop. ”

After speaking, Ao Bai also specially added: "If I can't wait for this island, I will not come to see the king, and I will return to the island." ”

When the scribe who was struggling to write a book heard this, he couldn't help but hesitate for a moment and asked, "My lord, if you add this to it, you will have no way out." ”

Ao Bai gritted his teeth and said, "Do you think there is a way out for me to wait now?" The emperor gave us a month to recover Phi Dao, but now half a month has passed, but not only did we not recover Phi Dao, but we were attacked and harassed by those Han dogs, if we don't take revenge, do you think the emperor will spare me and wait? ”

"The scumbag obeys."

Soon after, a carrier pigeon took off into the air and flew quickly towards the north.

Shengjing late-night Chongzheng Hall study

At this time, the study room was crowded with the Manchu Dynasty's civil and military officials, Fan Wencheng, Ning Wanme, Dai Shan, Dolgon, Yue Tuo, Azig and others were awe-inspiring, and more than ten people crowded the originally small study room.

Huang Taiji, who was sitting in the middle, moved his fat body with difficulty, and said to everyone: "Ladies and gentlemen, are the weapons, armor, food and grass materials of each flag ready?" ”

Dai Shan stood up and said: "Emperor Qiqi, preparations are underway, but now that it is icy and snowy, it is really difficult to prepare." ”

(To be continued)