26 February 1723, Quang Binh, Ceylon (present-day Galle, Sri Lanka)

Nasid Mirza, a Safavid princess, lifted a corner curtain and peered through the carriage window to look at the makeshift city.

Unlike the cities in the overseas territories of Qi that have passed through before, most of the buildings and planning layouts are almost oriental. Many of the buildings and styles here are European-style, with Baroque cathedrals, Dutch castles, Gothic-style spires and warehouses, and a large number of Western-style residences.

The entire castle was built on a rocky peninsula, which was supposed to be a natural harbor, and the entrance to the harbor became extremely intricate due to the presence of a large number of coral reefs, and when the ships entered the harbor, it took a lot of time under the guidance of the navigator to lean on the dock berth.

On the walls of the castle's important institutions and facilities, a conspicuous sign is hung indicating their names and functions. The tall and majestic governor's residence, the solemn office building, the elegant town hall, the solemn court, and the quiet and elegant official residences are lined up on both sides of the clean and tidy street.

"It was first a Portuguese colony, and then it was taken away by the Dutch. Until more than 20 years ago, the Qi people bought it from the Dutch for a little money in order to have a ship dock and supply point before they were about to arrive on the Indian mainland. ”

Haddadi Payam, who was once Prince Abbas's faithful butler and is now the plenipotentiary representative of Abbas III of the Safavid dynasty, watched Princess Nasid Mirza look at the city curiously, then smiled and said in a harmonious voice: "So, Your Highness the princess saw European buildings everywhere and many European-faced residents. I remember that many years ago, the north side of the wall did not have a gate. It may be that in order to improve the traffic situation inside and outside the city, the Qi people deliberately broke the city wall and opened a city gate so that carriages and pedestrians could pass through. ”

"Didn't you say that Qi is the most powerful country in the entire Indian Ocean region, and it is a well-deserved hegemon? …… With the strength that Qi possessed in India alone, I am afraid that it would be possible to easily defeat the Dutch and seize the entire island of Ceylon. So why did they spend money to buy the castle from the Dutch? Princess Nasid Mirza asked curiously.

"Your Highness the Princess." Haddadi Payam smiled and replied, "Although the people of Qi are powerful in the Indian Ocean region, they are a civilized country after all, and they will not rashly launch a war of aggression against other countries. In addition, more than 40 years ago, an agreement was signed between the Qi Kingdom and the Dutch East India Company, in which the two sides established each other's spheres of influence on the island, promising friendly exchanges and non-aggression. ”

"Since Qi is a civilized country, why would it invade this island with the Netherlands. …… The island should belong to the locals, or rather, they have their own ethnic groups and countries, how can they be divided and ruled by foreigners? ”

"Uh......" Haddadi Payam was speechless when he heard this, he was stunned for a moment, and said vaguely: "Your Royal Highness Princess, this world is not very peaceful, and the weak cannot protect their own safety, and they must rely on the protection of a strong man. ”

“…… So are we Persians also weak? "Princess Nasid Mirza's big eyes were a little sad and a little confused.

"We ...... that our Safavid dynasty, under the rule of your father, the Shah of the Empire, will surely regain its former glory and become strong again." Hearing this, Haddadi Payam sighed slightly, avoiding the gaze of Princess Nasid Mirza, looking sideways at the street scene outside the window, and said in a firm tone: "We Persians have thousands of years of civilization and heritage, and although we have experienced all kinds of disasters, we will still be reborn again and again, revived again, and cast the glory of the empire. …… Oh, God will bless us! ”

The city wall of Quang Binh is repaired to the end along the coast, and the thick city wall is actually a thick house, with windows open on both sides, and some still live with people, or open a small grocery store, which seems to be full of fireworks, diluting the smoke of the military fortress.

The huge gates were wide open, and from time to time carriages and pedestrians passed through. Above the city gate, the city emblem composed of a red yellow dragon is clearly visible, and several Qi national flags are hung on several city towers. To the west of the main city gate is the bell tower, with a large and clear dial that provides accurate time for passing travelers and city residents. Beneath it is an old city gate, which was built when the Dutch built the fortress. The city gate has three layers, except for the outermost gate, and the inside is built with two pillboxes, indicating that this was once an important military fortress.

The streets in the city are networked, with a grid layout where major and secondary streets intersect. The long row of single-storey houses with terracotta roofs is built facing the street, and the tops of the houses are supported by round brick or wooden columns, forming a verandah, like a neat row of tree walls, separating the houses from the street and at the same time connecting them. Wooden balustrades placed between the columns add to the perspective of the streetscape created by the colonnade. The entrance to the house is generally located in the center of the façade of the house, and the fan-shaped windows and lintels on the façade of the house are quite varied, avoiding repetition and monotony.

Previously, the castle's infrastructure was not very complete, lacking the necessary sewer channels, and during the rainy season, sewage and feces flowed sideways, and there was little place to walk on the streets.

After the Qi people became the owners, they really spent a lot of time and energy to build a complete and complex sewage system for the entire city, which is characterized by pumping sea water through windmills, then entering the city through water pipes, and then discharging sewage into the sea through sewage pipes. At the same time, many old and dilapidated houses were demolished, the original narrow streets were straightened and widened, and the roads were hardened, so that the city was completely clean and tidy.

"Oh, you see, now even the Persians in the Gulf are coming to the kingdom of Qi." Jan van Rebeek, director and senior representative of the Dutch East India Company, stood on the balcony and watched the convoy of Persian missions slowly leave on the street, smiling and teasing: "Although Qi is located on the east side of the Indian Ocean, it feels as if they have become the center of the Indian Ocean region!" ”

"No, Mr. Rebecc, you should have removed the word 'as if.'" Frenkie de Jong, commercial counsellor of the Dutch East India Company in Ceylon, shook his head with a smile and said: "Qi is the center of the Indian Ocean region, and they have de facto controlled this vast ocean, dominating the political, military and economic direction of the entire region. If I am not mistaken, this Persian mission must have gone to Han to seek the support of the Qi state and help them restore the situation in the country. You know, not only did the capital and the surrounding elite of this country be occupied by the Afghans, but the Ottomans and Russia also began to take advantage of the fire and seize the Caucasus and the western part of Persia. To make matters worse, there were two Shahs in their country at the same time, which made the situation in Persia extremely chaotic. ”

"You mean, the Qi Kingdom personally intervened in the situation in Persia?"

"Yes. A chaotic and turbulent Persia is not in the interests of the Qi state. As a maritime hegemon in the region, it will definitely get involved. Frenkie de Jong said: "As Qi grew stronger, they began to seek to establish a new order led by Qi throughout the Indian Ocean region. ”

"Mr. De Jong, as you said, then we may not be able to achieve the desired results in our visit and lobbying work to the government of the Qi State that is about to go to Hanzhou?" Jan van Rebeck said with a wry smile.

"While the local board of directors still has expectations for the Qi government, I have to say that this may not be a good outcome for us at the East India Company. Yes, I am not optimistic about my husband's trip to Hanzhou. A merchant of Qi once said something to me, which can aptly express the contradictions and differences between our East India Company and the Qi State. ”

"Oh, what did that Qi merchant say to Ling?"

He said that there was no room for snoring on the side of the couch.

"What does that mean?"

"The meaning of this sentence is that a bed that belongs to oneself cannot be allowed to be half occupied by others and fall asleep."

“…… Well? Jan van Rebec blinked and looked at Frenkie de Jong in bewilderment.

"Sir, the Batavia, Cirebon, and Pakistani neighbors occupied by our East India Company, as well as Malacca and Ambon, have posed a potential security threat to the Qi country."

"How can we, the East India Company, pose a threat to the Qi Kingdom?" Jan van Rebek said in surprise: "As far as I know, the Qi country has more than two hundred warships, which is several times more than our United Provincial Republic. With such a difference in strength, how could it threaten the Qi State? Moreover, the Qi not only incorporated the entire island of Java into their jurisdiction, but also established numerous settlements and sea bases on the island of Sumatra and the Spice Islands (present-day Maluku Islands). If they wish, they can overwhelm our colonial strongholds in the East Indies at any time with a hundredfold force. If you want to talk about the real threat, it should be them Qi Guo himself! ”

"Mr. Rebecc, as the hegemon of the Indian Ocean region, a powerful empire comparable to France, it will not allow an uncontrolled foreign power to exist under its nose."

“…… So what can we achieve in the end? Jan van Rebec asked with some dismay.

"We relinquish the ownership and management of the colonial cities of Batavia, Cirebon, Ambon, and Pakistan, but we can demand that the Qi people continue to open these areas to our East India Company in the form of free cities, or free ports, so as to maintain our commercial interests."

"Will the people of Qi agree?"

"I think it will."

"Can we ask for a compensation from the Qi people?"

"We can make this request. However, it is better not to report a figure that will embarrass the people of Qi, so as not to anger them. ”

"The imminent loss of several high-quality fixed assets by our East India Company has caused panic among all investors in China and Europe."

"Mr. Rebecc, after we give up a few colonial strongholds in the East Indies, we can actually reduce a lot of fixed asset expenditures." "At the very least, we don't need to hire too many armed guards, and we don't need to spend a lot of money every year on basic municipal construction of colonial strongholds," Frenkie de Jong said. We don't even need to invest much in the maintenance of shipping routes in the Indian Ocean region. Because, the people of Qi will take care of everything for us. ”