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Chapter 981 Governor Cohen 2
There is another reason that is buried deeper, which is the development trend. If the Ming emperor had chosen to cooperate with the Portuguese and expelled the influence of the Dutch East India Company, he would have found that his expansion to the west was restricted more than ten years later.

Dozens and hundreds of years ago, the Portuguese occupied all the ports on the Indian Peninsula, the Arabian Peninsula and even the east coast of Africa. Faced with the only distributor, the Ming Empire had to choose between continuing trade and developing westwards; it could not have both.

But choosing to cooperate with the East India Company was different. They could sell goods and go west as needed, without delaying either side. Moreover, after the Ming Empire squeezed out the Portuguese influence in Asia, both the United Provinces Republic and the East India Company expressed their gratitude from the bottom of their hearts, without any complaints.

As it is now, the East India Company ships hundreds of ships of goods to Europe through Port Enbird every year, seizing a large market share and grabbing a lot of wealth, but also attracting more hatred.

No one in European countries paid close attention to the development of the Ming Empire, and many kings and ministers did not even know what the Ming Empire looked like. But they definitely knew that the East India Company of the United Provinces controlled the prices of various goods from Asia and made a lot of money. In addition to envy, they must have a strong hatred.

The Ming Empire made a lot of money through this kind of cooperation, and it didn't get any hatred. The hatred of Spain and Portugal didn't count. Even if the Ming Empire didn't cooperate with the East India Company, it would still be hated. Luzon Island was a knot that both sides couldn't avoid.

Then the Ming Empire could slowly expand its power and influence westwards, first to the little-known Port of Thalín, then to the Port of Colombo.

At first, all nearby countries and forces believed that the Ming Empire's attack on Thanlyin Port was a retaliation for the Toungoo Dynasty's harassment of southern Yunnan Province. However, as they invested heavily in the construction of local infrastructure, they discovered that the Ming army did not seem to plan to leave at all.

So, could the Ming Dynasty occupy a piece of territory right under the nose of the Toungoo Dynasty by relying solely on long-distance naval supplies? The Ming Dynasty Navy answered this question with practical actions.

Instead of independently supporting the defense and construction of Thanlyin Port, they took advantage of the conflicts between the local Mon and Burmese peoples, tactfully found firm allies, and successfully blocked the Toungoo Dynasty's repeated large-scale southward advances.

Not only did it not show signs of defeat, it also developed the small port of Tharlen into the largest trading port in the Bay of Bengal, attracting a large number of merchants from Bangladesh, the Indian Peninsula, and even the countries along the Arabian Sea.

They could buy goods from Ming Dynasty and Japan at the Port of Shalian at a relatively low price, so they were unwilling to travel thousands of miles by sea to the Ports of Manila and Guangzhou for purchase.

A few years later, the Ming navy once again took a step westward and established a naval base in Colombo Harbor in a peaceful manner. No one knows what was wrong with the Portuguese and why they agreed to such an unreasonable request. But through logical analysis, we can also guess how unwilling and dared the Portuguese were.

If the Ming Empire expanded its influence to the entire South Seas through the ports of Da Nang and Manila, then the existence of the ports of Thanlyin and Colombo indicated that the influence of the Ming Empire had officially entered the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea.

It only took four ports to gain such a large voice and deterrence. The efficiency is too high. Looking at the cost, it is even more infuriating.

Except for the Port of Manila, which was seized from the Spaniards, Da Nang was given by the Annan people, Thanlyin was half-seized and half-given, and Colombo was taken for free without any soldiers. If the Portuguese had half the ability of the Ming emperor, the whole of Asia, including America, would have been theirs. Finally, there was the Ming emperor himself. Cohen would bring valuables to the Forbidden City as gifts, or tribute, almost every twelfth month of the lunar calendar, and he would be summoned by the emperor almost every time, and he would even have a meal with the emperor from time to time.

As a foreign envoy, it should be an honor to be treated so well by the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, but Cohen felt more fear. In Oyani's words, the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty was not handsome at all, and at first glance he looked a little stupid, but he had a pair of magic eyes that could speak and see through people's hearts.

Whether merchants or envoys, no matter what the purpose, few of them did not tell lies. It was not just to foreigners. Even when facing superiors and subordinates of the East India Company, it was impossible for them to tell the truth in every word.

But this trick had almost no effect in front of the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty. Whenever he tried to test or induce him with words, he would find a strange light flashing in the emperor's eyes, as if some switch had been triggered.

If this feeling is too idealistic and somewhat unreal, then the envoys sent to various European countries almost every two years are very practical. Cohen can guarantee that those young people are not all with good intentions to communicate and exchange, but more to find out the truth about European countries and act as spies for the emperor.

However, this approach not only did not arouse the vigilance of European countries, but was greatly appreciated and received warmly. In the eyes of kings and nobles of various countries, envoys from the mysterious Eastern country not only brought novel topics, but also were wealthy and generous gentlemen.

The world brought a large amount of precious goods and gold and gems, opened shops and banks in the most prosperous cities of various countries, and provided thoughtful financial services to aristocratic and royal clients, including the United Provinces.

Apart from the stingy Venetians and cunning Jews, who would have a problem with money? Especially when the interest rate was lower, even some people in the church secretly borrowed money from these envoys from the East and gave them reasonable returns when needed.

Cohen wrote a long report for this purpose, but the head office was dismissive and asked him to meet the ship requirements of the Ming envoys to Europe as much as possible and to prepare separate cabins and delicious food, as if he was the only one in the world who could see the true face of the Ming emperor.

But no matter how fearful he was, as a member of the East India Company's Indian Committee and the Governor of Batavia, Cohen had to and could only go to the dock to welcome the arrival of the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty and show special honor.

But what was waiting at the dock was not the Emperor's flagship, but a sloop. The Ming naval officer on board claimed that he had come on the Emperor's orders to invite Governor Cohen to board the ship. It should be noted that the Emperor only invited one person.

Faced with such a rude and overbearing invitation, Cohen had no choice but to accept it. He obediently boarded the small sailboat alone, and after passing through the escort line of more than ten large sailboats, he met the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty on the rear deck of a three-masted warship.

(End of this chapter)