In the 17th century, the Kingdom of Spain, the world's earliest "empire on which the sun never sets", was already in the twilight.

And the future "empire on which the sun never sets" England has not yet fully risen.

The maritime hegemon at this time was the Netherlands.

In the 16th year of Wanli (1588), the Netherlands established the world's first republic established by the bourgeoisie.

Then this small country with a population of only 1.5 million people was out of control, and with tens of thousands of merchant ships, it became the hegemon of the sea.

Unfortunately, the rising Netherlands ran into the equally rising Chinese Empire.

As early as the 3rd year of the Apocalypse (1624), Li Xianzhong drove the Dutch out of Taiwan and Penghu.

After that, Zheng Zhilong's East Ryukyu Company occupied the Japanese market strongly.

The Dutch East India Company had to be forced to reach an agreement with Li Xianzhong in exchange for trade qualifications with Liaodong on the condition of opening up the South Seas.

But the cunning Dutchman, bet on both ends.

They keenly grasped the contradiction between the Ming court and Liaodong, and opened the Ming market with warships and flintlock pistols. It's a pity that they bet on the wrong treasure again, and in just a few years, Li Xianzhong, a warlord who seized Liaodong, actually became the emperor of the Chinese Empire.

Hans Putmans, as the representative of the Dutch East India Company on this mission to China, shouldered the heavy responsibility of negotiations.

His colleague Song Ke told him that the emperor of the Chinese Empire, Li Xianzhong, was very difficult!

So this time the Dutch East India Company also made a bloody investment.

They brought three giant galleons with a displacement of 2,400 tons from the Netherlands.

Each battleship was armed with 108 24-pounder smoothbore guns.

In addition to three 2,400-ton ships, 12 1,800-ton warships were mobilized to form the largest Far East Fleet in history.

This time, Putmans went north to Beijing with a 2,400-ton giant galen, and it was obvious that he wanted to deter the sailors of Huaxia.

Today's Huaxia Navy division is divided into three fleets.

First of all, the Liaodong Naval Division, which was responsible for guarding the Bohai Sea and the Korean Peninsula and the Shandong Peninsula, its home port was located in Lushun in Liaodong and Dengzhou in Shandong and Incheon in North Korea.

Then there is the South China Sea Naval Division, which is responsible for guarding the two Guangzhou, Fujian and Taiwan, and its home port is located in Huangpu, Guangzhou, Keelung, Taiwan and Yuegang, Fujian.

Finally, the East China Sea Division, which was responsible for guarding the Yangtze River and the coasts of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, had its home ports in Zhoushan and Chongming Island.

Of course, in addition to these three major sailors, Zheng Zhilong's East Ryukyu Company also has a large escort fleet located in Naha in the Ryukyus, as well as Tamsui in Taiwan.

The three major sailors were completely separated from the Liaodong sailors.

However, considering that there is not much threat in the north, the South China Sea Naval Division has the strongest combat power, followed by the Liaodong Naval Division, and finally the East China Sea Division.

After all, those Japanese ships are really a bit shabby in naval battles!

As early as six years ago, the Liaodong Naval Division had built a new 1,800-ton Galen sailing ship.

However, Li Xianzhong knew that Galen's capsizing was destined to be eliminated.

Five years later, England would build the world's first sail battleship, the Sea King.

It could have more deck-mounted guns, both in terms of sail design and gun configuration, far more than the current Galen galleon.

The performance of this sail battleship far surpassed that of today's galleons.

Although the Sea King has a full load displacement of only 1,680 tons, it can easily install hundreds of heavy guns of more than 32 pounds, and its power and endurance are far greater than those of today's Galen galleons.

Such battleships, as soon as they are introduced, will soon change the direction of the world's navies.

And thanks to the design of such multi-decks, the tonnage of the battleship made a rapid breakthrough.

It won't be long before sail battleships of more than 3000 tons will appear.

Because of this, none of the shipyards in China built giant Galen galleons of greater tonnage.

Instead, we are focusing on the development and construction of the latest sail battleships.

Li Xianzhong provided advanced design concepts, coupled with nearly ten years of exploration and development.

Today, Huaxia has its own warship designers, as well as a large number of workers who have mastered advanced shipbuilding technology, and a large dock capable of building sail battleships.

And 2 brand new sail battleships were launched.

This sail battleship is 60 meters long, 17.7 meters wide, 25.17 meters deep, with a draft of 7.8 meters, a full load displacement of 2,083 tons, and 5 decks. The ship was erected with 3 masts, and crown sails were hung on the mainmast and foremast.

The anchors alone are equipped with 11, and the lightest one also weighs 2 tons.

Armed with 128 32-pounder rifled guns, this firepower was unprecedented.

There were as many as 800 sailors, gunners and crew on board.

The cost of a single warship was as high as 500,000 taels of silver, and the construction period was as long as 18 months.

It's a complete gold-swallowing monster.

The design of the sail battleship is easy to imitate, so it is currently kept strictly secret in China.

At this time, the Dutch fleet led by Putmans was sailing all the way to Tianjin.

Since the Dutch had informed them in advance of the purpose of their visit, the South China Sea Naval Division did not intercept them, but only sent three 1,800-ton warships to follow them all the way.

Putmans' face inevitably showed a hint of smugness.

Although China has built many 1,800-ton Galen ships in recent years, they have never seen a giant ship of more than 2,000 tons.

So the Netherlands still has its own negotiating capital.

They traveled all the way north from Batavia to the port of Tianjin, and from Tianjin to Jingshi.

The Dutch actually had contact with Daming for a long time, and they visited Daming many times after Longqing switched.

It has only one purpose, and it is to dominate East Asian trade.

Soon Putmans and the others were taken to the Forbidden City.

As the largest palace complex in the world, the Forbidden City is not only for the luxury of the emperor, but also for the strength of an empire.

When all the envoys came here, they were all shocked!

Putmans was in the same mood, but there was a hint of greed in his eyes!

When these Dutch drove the 2,400-ton warship to Tianjin, Li Xianzhong knew that they were not good at coming this time, and naturally he would not give them good fruits to eat.

The eunuchs deliberately led them around in a big circle before bringing them to the Imperial Palace.

By the time Putmans saw Li Xianzhong, he was already tired and sweaty, and his legs were weak, so he naturally knelt down.

"On behalf of the Dutch consul Hendrick, the envoy of the Dutch East India Company, Putmans paid his respects to the Emperor of the Chinese Empire!" ”

"And brought a lot of gifts to His Majesty the Emperor!"

Originally, the Dutch always liked to send some arms to Daming as a sales pitch.

However, now that China is not lagging behind the West in terms of guns and warships, they also give gifts such as chime bells, pronunciation boxes, ivory, gems and spices.

Although the "send-off" is really unlucky, these Dutch gifts are not considered to fool themselves.

Huaxia's rebate is naturally not too shabby!

In addition to some porcelain and silk, Li Xianzhong also gave back some glass products, as well as tulips!

Putmans soon offered the Dutch terms that they could sign a trade agreement with China and that the two sides would open their ports to each other.

The Dutch, however, wanted China to refrain from trading with European countries such as Portugal, Spain, and England, and to sign separate trade agreements with the Netherlands.

Li Xianzhong naturally rejected this proposal.

Putmans knew that Li Xianzhong would not agree directly, so he said: "The East India Company will naturally not let the Chinese Empire cut off trade with other countries in vain!" ”

"We are willing to raise the tariff on China from 15 percent to 18 percent; and reduce the tariff on the collection of Huaxia from 15% to 12%. ”

"Who does Huaxia trade with is not trade?"

"We Dutch merchants have the largest number of merchant ships in the world, as well as abundant capital, and have enough funds to purchase goods from China."

The Dutch have no problem with their deep pockets, but if they form a monopoly, they will lose their pricing power in the future.

This kind of self-abandoning martial arts, Li Xianzhong naturally can't do it.

But he could still dig a hole for the Dutch.

He said: "We in China have always advocated equal trade, and besides, we have signed trade agreements with these countries, so it is not good to break the agreement again!" ”

"In fact, the Dutch East India Company has already controlled the South Seas, even if China has signed trade agreements with these countries, they still have to see the Dutch face if they want to pass through Malacca!"

When Li Xianzhong said Malacca, Putmans's expression changed slightly.

He didn't expect that this Chinese emperor even knew about Malacca, it seemed that it was really not easy to fool!

Li Xianzhong said: "In fact, it is very simple for the Netherlands to monopolize trade with China! ”

"The reason why you can't do anything with the Portuguese and the Spaniards is that they have supply ports in East Asia, the Portuguese have Macao, and the Spaniards have Manila!"

"Now that I have taken back Macau, then I will simply be a good person to the end, and help you bring the Spaniard's Manila over."

"With the Spaniards without a foundation in East Asia, wouldn't it be easy for the Netherlands to control them?"

Putmans didn't expect that the Chinese emperor had such a big appetite and actually fell in love with the Spaniard's Manila!

He said, "His Majesty the Emperor wants to take Manila?" ”

Li Xianzhong said: "When the Spaniards slaughtered my Chinese people in Manila several times, I naturally wanted to seek justice for those dead people!" ”

"You Dutch didn't take Manila because you were afraid that you would do too much and that the Spaniards would attack the Netherlands from land through France."

"Otherwise, with the 2,400-ton Galen galleon in the hands of the East India Company, why would it be difficult to take down Manila?"

Putmans was not surprised now, it seems that the Chinese emperor knew everything about the relations between the European countries.

He said: "The relationship between our Dutch and the Spaniards is not as bad as Your Majesty thought, and if the Spaniards ask us for help, we will be very embarrassed!" ”

Putmans clearly had a threat in it, and if China attacked Manila, the Dutch would likely come to Spain's aid, provided that the Spaniards gave the Dutch enough benefits.

Li Xianzhong said: "I know that the commercial interests of the East India Company are paramount, I cannot delay them in making money, and the Dutch fleet will not affect the trade agreement we signed if it comes to assisting Spain in the form of mercenaries!" ”

"Mr. Putmans should consider whether to sign this trade agreement with Huaxia."

"After that, Zheng Zhilong will continue to negotiate with the Netherlands on behalf of me, if you have any ideas, you can talk to Zheng Zhilong!"

After that, Li Xianzhong asked Putmans and others to send them away.

After that, Zheng Zhilong said: "With Weichen's understanding of the Dutch, although they do not deal with the Spaniards, they will definitely not sit back and watch us eat Manila, and the Dutch will definitely help Spain." ”

Li Xianzhong said: "Don't worry, I have a way to hold the Dutch." ”

"Putmans will come to you when he sees the tulips in my return gift to the Netherlands, and they will compromise."

The birthplace of tulips is said to be the Tien Shan Mountains, and after the Ottoman Turkish Empire expanded its power, it was discovered and fascinated by it. After the capture of Constantinople (present-day Istanbul) by the Turks, stately palaces were built, where several varieties of tulips were cultivated and improved, and tulips appeared in costumes and paintings.

In the 16th century, tulips were widely spread throughout Europe by merchants.

After the rise of the Netherlands, tulips began to rise.

Tulips are a plant that is difficult to reproduce in large quantities in a short period of time, which has led to a shortage of goods in the "Tulip Mania" and has become expensive.

Tulips are cultivated in two ways, one is from the seed and the other is from the mother bulb to copy the daughter bulb.

The former method may produce new varieties of tulips through crossbreeding, but it takes 3 to 7 years to flower.

The latter method can produce about 2 to 3 daughter bulbs from a mother bulb, and it takes a little time for the daughter bulbs to grow to the mother bulbs, in addition to the number of seeds and mother bulbs that do not germinate.

For these reasons, tulips are not growing at a rate that can keep up with the sudden increase in demand.

So he has what it takes to hype.

In 1610, it was plant lovers who were initially attracted by the beauty of tulips, as tulip bulbs were a high-priced commodity in the first place.

These horticulturists and hobbyists experimented with the varieties themselves, and many famous varieties were produced, including the famous high-class varieties such as Admiral Liefken, Admiral Von der Eyk, Viceroy, Generalissimo, etc.

Another cultivar that will delight enthusiasts is the "Eternal Emperor" (Semper Augustus) with purple-white stripes due to lesions.

Although the price of monochrome varieties is cheaper, it also costs more than 1,000 guilders (1 tael of silver is equal to about 3.9 guilders), and the price has increased as it is widely loved by the public.

The popularity of tulips has attracted the attention of speculators, who are not interested in cultivating tulips or admiring the beauty of flowers, but only to make a profit by driving up prices.

At this time, the popularity of tulips spread from Leiden to Amsterdam, Haarlem and other cities, and the demand for tulips increased day by day. These opportunists acted in a systematic way, and some people spent a lot of money on it, and there was even a record of a high-grade bulb being exchanged for a mansion.

At the craziest time, a tulip bulb can even sell for 6,000 guilders.

Li Xianzhong vaguely remembered that the time when tulips were at their hottest was around 1636.

Although it is not as fanatical now, the rare varieties of tulips are still a treasure in the hearts of the Dutch.

The "Crystal Garden" that Li Xianzhong spent a lot of money to build for Hazia back then, after years of cultivation, is now the world's largest tulip base.

Among his gifts to the Dutch was the "Eternal Emperor", a variant of the extremely precious tulip.

Putmans immediately found Zheng Zhilong after seeing the tulip.

Indicates that the Netherlands is willing to pay a high price for tulips.

Fifty taels of ordinary tulips, two or three hundred taels of cherished varieties, and "500 taels of eternal emperor" is not a problem.

Li Xianzhong is not stupid, it is indeed a sky-high price of fifty taels or even hundreds of taels for a plant.

However, once these things are put into the market in large quantities, the price will fall back quickly, and even lose their value quickly.

Today, tulips are far from reaching the highest price.

If he sold a large amount to the Dutch now, he could indeed make a few million taels of silver, but he would not have achieved the purpose of plundering the wealth of the Netherlands and Europe in large quantities.

It even doused the "tulip fever" in advance, but saved the Dutch.

Zheng Zhilong said: "These tulips are the best in His Majesty's Imperial Garden, and the quantity is extremely rare. ”

"Forget about selling, Your Majesty is not short of that bit of silver. But if the East India Company agrees to His Majesty's proposal to Manila, and signs a trade agreement with China, it can give His Excellency Putmans 100 tulips at once, as well as many rare varieties. ”

At this time, Putmans's mind quickly calculated that 100 strains, even some of them, were actually worth 300,000 guilders.

In fact, it was less than 100,000 taels of silver.

But the problem is that it's hard to buy this stuff even if you have silver, especially those precious varieties.

Take the "eternal emperor" as an example, as long as he is sent out, he will be promoted immediately, which is not something that can be measured by silver.

You can greatly improve your social status.

He was confident that he would use these tulips to convince the governor of Batavia and the shareholders of the East India Company.

Putmans soon signed a trade agreement with China on behalf of the Netherlands, and verbally promised that the Netherlands would not interfere with China's actions in Manila.

Zheng Zhilong is naturally not stupid, in order to show his sincerity, he first gave Putmans 50 ordinary tulips, as long as Huaxia takes Manila, he will definitely send the cherished varieties of tulips to Batavia in person!

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(End of chapter)