Ming Zhengzhi, I am Zheng Kezang

The eighth day of the first month of the 15th year of Huaxia Wucheng?? Xiamen Commercial Station of the Dutch East India Company, Gaoqi Wharf, Huli County, Zhili Prefecture, Xiamen

"Haven't the Spaniards from Penghu arrived yet?" Eknos, the senior businessman of the United East India Company in China, was talking in French with the representative of the British East India Company, Rude. "Or are they not going to attend this meeting?"

"After we got the news of Huaxia's victory, we sent people to contact Penghu immediately. It took three round trips from Penghu to Manila, but the Spaniards still didn't come. I think they are not planning to participate in this meeting. " Rude also frowned, knowing that although Spain has declined, its power in the Philippines can still be regarded as a relatively strong force in East Asia. If they do not participate in this meeting, then the prospect of the meeting can be imagined. "What a bunch of short-sighted guys." Rude suggested to Eknos angrily. "There is no need to wait any longer. The meeting will be held today. If the Spaniards are simply late, it is the same to tell them the results of the meeting after they arrive."

"Alright." Eknos considered for a while and made a decision. "Then have a meeting after lunch."

Lawrence and Aknos guessed right. As the only Spaniard who currently has consular relations with China, he does not intend to attend the meeting of the two Protestant organizations. There is no real Asian policy in the country, and the Philippine colony under the jurisdiction of Mexico's deputy king is at a loss, because Spain's interests in Luzon have been guaranteed by China, and because of China's trade policy restrictions.

You must know that although China implements a policy of encouraging bilateral trade, it has certain restrictions on merchant ships from various countries. Among them, North Korea and Ryukyu can trade in various ports along the coast of China. The trading ports of Annan merchants are in Guangzhou and Vietnamese merchants. The trading port of Chaozhou is in Chaozhou, the trading port of Siamese merchants is in Qiongzhou, and the trading port of the East India Company of European countries is in Xiamen. The Spanish merchant ships can only enter and leave Penghu.

It’s just that North Korea’s import and export has been completely controlled by China. North Korean businessmen don’t know how to go to sea at all, so they can’t talk about trade in China; [-]. The import and export of Japan ended under the control of China. The Ryukyu business community, which could not compete with the Chinese merchants, could only rely on the big Chinese merchants, thus transforming into a long-distance trader like European merchants who came to China to obtain meager profits by transporting and distributing Chinese goods; The same is true for merchants in Annan, Vietnam, and Siam. In terms of maritime trade, they have already ceded their markets to the Chinese business community. The so-called trading ports of various countries are in name only.

The trade between Spain and China takes the form of point-to-point trade, that is, Spanish merchant ships can go to Penghu to purchase Chinese goods, and Chinese merchant ships can also directly transport goods to Manila for trade.However, very few Spanish merchant ships came to China, far less than the number of Chinese merchant ships arriving in Manila.More importantly, the trade between China and Spain is generally carried out around the trade of galleons.Usually, before and after the galleon fleet sent by Mexico arrives in Manila, the trade volume between the two countries will increase sharply, and the number of merchant ships that communicate with each other will also increase. It took several months for a ship to arrive in Penghu.

Under such a trade pattern, it is almost impossible for Spain to suddenly send ships to Penghu in an abnormal trade month, and then transport envoys to Xiamen.As for the hiring of Chinese ships to carry envoys, one was uneasy, and secondly, no Chinese ships were willing to go to sea during the first lunar month.Therefore, the fact that the Spaniard did not play was ultimately the fault of the British and Dutch sides.

Of course, the UK and the Netherlands have not been able to realize this kind of mistake for the time being. Therefore, the tone of Eknos, who appeared in front of the representatives of the East India Companies of various countries in China, was still tinged with anger: "Gentlemen, the military action in northern China has been terminated." It's over, the Qing Dynasty has failed, its power has retreated to an extremely distant place, and Huaxia has become the master of the entire China. In this situation, we cannot predict what the next goal of His Majesty the Emperor Huaxia will be."

Eknos swept across the representatives of the participating countries, and suddenly emphasized his tone: "If China's goal is the land, it is good news for everyone here, but on the other hand, if the Chinese emperor's greedy eyes fall on the ocean If so, everyone, not only Java will fall under the control of China, but even the Philippines, and possibly even India will inevitably be invaded by China in the future, then Europe’s colonization in the Far East will come to an end.”

"In fact, Chinese merchants and pirates have already appeared in India." Lu De said after his master. "Perhaps Huaxia still needs a certain period of rest because of the problems in the north, but how long is this period of time? Ten years? 20 years? 30 years? The trade in Annan, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Siam has been monopolized by the Chinese people. Laiya is also falling into the hands of China, and our profits are gradually decreasing. If the whole of Asia falls into the hands of China, then gentlemen, I can tell you now that the bankruptcy of various companies will be in the not-too-distant future gone."

"Mr. Achims, Mr. Rudd, I did not attend this gathering to listen to the denunciation of the two of you." The representative of the Danish East India Company, Fisdero, shook his head. "As you all know, the Danish East India Company has very little interest in the East. We are traders, not colonists, because my concern is how to obtain Chinese goods. Now China's policy allows free trade. In this Under the general premise, any idea of ​​​​going against a huge empire is ridiculous."

The Danish response was supported by the Swedes who were caught in the Great Northern War. The resident head of the Swedish East India Company at the Xiamen Commercial Station said: "Our country has benefited a lot from the trade with China, and one year The trade volume of the two ships accounts for a relatively low proportion of the total trade volume between Europe and China, so I hope to withdraw from this meeting, and at the same time I will swear on my honor before God that I will not take any Tell the Huaxia side."

Fisdero also stood up and said, "On behalf of the Danish East India Company, I am withdrawing from this meeting."

Seeing the resoluteness of the two when they left, Lu De and Eknos looked very ugly, but fortunately, the other protagonist of the meeting, the representative of the French East India Company, Lance, was still there, which gave them some comfort , so Rude said: "These two gentlemen will regret it in the future."

As for the breakup of the Protestant alliance, the French, as Catholics, are of course happy to see it, but just as they did in the Thirty Years War, the French are obviously more cunning: "Actually, I, like the two gentlemen, condemned the empty I'm not interested, what I want to know is, under the pressure of Huaxia, how should we deal with it? Should we go to war with Huaxia directly?"

Start a war with Huaxia?How can it be!Even if the East India Companies of Britain, France and the Netherlands join forces, how many warships and armed merchant ships can be mobilized, and the sky is the same as the size of the two naval divisions of Huaxia. Ships damaged in the battle can be replenished quickly, but the three countries have to mobilize warships from thousands of miles away from Europe. It is unrealistic and impossible for the Spanish throne war to be trapped before the end.

"On behalf of the British East India Company, I believe that Huaxia must be restrained somewhere so that it cannot further expand its power." Rude responded. "My personal suggestion for this place is Burma. The current King Toungoo of Burma is an ambitious man. Although he dare not directly offend China, he can use it to launch an attack on Siam. Doesn't the Huaxia Empire have an alliance in the Indochina Peninsula? A big battle is enough to divert Huaxia's attention."

"Myanmar's terrain is doomed. Even if it fails in Siam, its mainland can be preserved." Eknos added. "There have been many failures in China's history to attack Burma, and the war will inevitably generate a lot of needs, all of which are sufficient to make up for our losses in other places."

"Don't regard the king of Burma as a fool. It seems that the monarchs of East Asia are very shrewd." Lance shook his head. "If we instigated it, the investment in the early stage must be quite a lot. These losses must be calculated into the cost, and there is no excess profit after paying the cost. The board of directors must impose severe punishment on us."

"We don't need to instigate the Burmese to start a war." Rude has already considered this. "We just have to propose to the Burmese king that if he opens up trade, we can sell him all kinds of European weapons including cannons."

"Once Myanmar's strength rises." Eknos smiled. "Naturally there is a need to develop outward."

Lance thought for a moment, and felt that there was nothing wrong with the strategies of the UK and the Netherlands, so he said: "This is possible, but it will be a very long process. Will we have time to curb the development of the Chinese Empire?"

Eknos said: "Huaxia has not yet swallowed Borneo and Malaya, and it is impossible to swallow them completely in a short time, so I think it should be too late, and I think that despite Huaxia's huge strength, he It doesn't strengthen countries like Siam, so as long as we sell weapons to Burma at a lower profit, we can hasten the war."

"It makes sense. Once the king of Burma spends the last gold coin in his treasury, then war is inevitable." Lance blinked. "However, I would like to ask, how is the market share in Myanmar distributed?"

Rude reported a seemingly fair figure: "The participants all have a share. Now there are only three of us, so each family is one-third, and the remaining ten percent can be reserved for the Portuguese. They also want to take revenge if they want to come. China."

"One-third of the Myanmar market? That's too little." Lance sneered. "The biggest beneficiary of holding China down is the United East India Company. Based on this alone, Mr. Ecknos, you will definitely give up the necessary benefits." Lance looked at the two with a half-smile. "I don't care whether you have reached a secret agreement, but I ask the French East India Company to also obtain one-third of the market and influence in Sumatra."

Eknos said angrily: "Your Excellency, you are blackmailing."

Lance shrugged: "Blackmail? No, this is a reasonable offer. After all, the core interests of the United East India Company are in Java and the Spice Islands. I don't have any requests there. This is already very magnanimous."

"The French East India Company can only obtain 20.00% of Sumatra's market and corresponding influence at most." Lu dragged the furious Econos and responded calmly. "After all, Portugal has great influence in Azhen and Aceh, and we have to reserve their share in advance."

"The Portuguese are in Aceh, so I hope the French East India Company can get the whole state of Medan."

“Then it’s settled, the Portuguese will keep Aceh, the French will get Medan, our side will get Padang, Bencoolen (Bengkulu) and Nandi, and the United East India Company will keep Riau, Jampe and Palembang. "Rud looked at Eknos. "I don't know how many people think it is acceptable?"

Of course the French have no problem, and Eknos pondered for a moment: "I personally can accept it, but I still need the company's approval."

"That's it for now, let's talk about how to deal with Huaxia's garrison in the Andaman Islands"