Autumn of the 17th year of Chongzhen

Chapter 852

Zheng Chenggong wanted to negotiate peace with the Dutch, in addition to considering for the court, he also had selfish motives.

China is too big and there are too many power groups, and the markets in places like Nanyang, Japan, and North Korea are simply not enough.

On the other side of Nanyang, the gentry group in Huguang is responsible for the production and processing of raw materials. It grows cotton, weaves cotton cloth, burns porcelain, and processes tea, and then transports them to Guangzhou. Returning the silver, carrying Nanyang grain, spices, and ivory, transported back to Guangzhou, and the gentry group in Huguang transported these materials back to the mainland to sell them everywhere.

This has formed a chain of interests, and there are local officials, as well as the Chu party that controls the government, to escort it, so it is difficult for other forces to intervene.

In terms of Japan and North Korea, Jiangsu and Zhejiang gentry have natural advantages. First of all, the distance is much closer. Moreover, Jiangnan is rich in products and raw materials are easily obtained, and the handicraft industry is developed. Unlike Fujian, which has no source of goods, it is difficult for Fujian to beat Jiangsu and Zhejiang gentry in terms of price. , Occupy the markets of Japan and North Korea.

Therefore, after the opening of the Quanzhou Shipping Department, the status became very awkward. Except for camellias that can occupy a certain market in Fujian, the trade volume not only did not increase, but had a downward trend, which forced Zheng Chenggong to open up new markets. .

Although the Longsheng was robbed, Zheng Gongcheng did not intend to give up the route to Tianzhu. Only by opening up new markets can Fujian's maritime trade survive in the cracks. But if they want to go to Tianzhu, they have to make peace with the Dutch , otherwise it will not even be able to pass through Malacca.

Seeing that Chen Zilong frowned, Zheng Chenggong obviously didn't think about making peace with the Netherlands. He was silent for a while, and then said: "Mr. Chen, in my opinion, Franji, Spain, and Holland, these Westerners are actually the same species. The strength of the two is weak, and they are more disciplined.”

Chen Zilong looked at him, and listened to him continue to say: "Now that the Netherlands has suffered such a disastrous defeat, they know that our Celestial Dynasty is powerful, and they can only abide by the rules for a few years. If the Dutch abide by the rules, then our trade in Nanyang can be as good as Malacca. Going to Java and the Three Buddhas will be of great benefit to Guangdong and Guangxi, and it will also be of great benefit to the imperial court."

Zheng Chenggong paused for a moment, then saw Chen Zilong nodding his head in thought, so he said: "If we don't negotiate peace with the Dutch, then we will have to continue fighting in the South China Sea, and we want to fight Batavia, the current number of gunboats in the Navy Definitely not. The small boat can’t stand the wind and waves, and it’s okay to drive it to the big people. I’m afraid it will capsize when the wind is stronger. The court needs at least 30 gunboats to drive the Dutch out of Nanyang. , it takes time for warships to form combat power. During this period, why don't we talk to the Dutch and let them trade with us like Franji and Spain? So I can have another channel to sell the goods to the West, It can also be avoided, Francier and the Spanish merchants, to drive down our prices."

Chen Zilong stroked his beard under his forehead and pondered for a while. If it is true what Zheng Chenggong said, it is indeed a good thing to negotiate a peace. After all, the Ming Dynasty is not able to go to Batavia to attack the Dutch fortress, and the navy wants to It will take at least five years to build a ship and become a combat force.

When he thinks that in the next five years, the merchant ships going south will face the harassment of the Dutch and the losses he will face, his heart aches.

Moreover, with the increase in the income from Nanyang trade, some gentry who originally hid their money underground also took out their money to buy fields for cotton and tea, or open kilns to burn porcelain and weave cotton cloth. After the increase in goods, merchants The gentry were also eager to transport their goods further south and open up a larger market, all of which required a relatively stable environment.

But that being said, dealing with the Netherlands was originally agreed upon by Daming, Buddha Wolf Machine, and Spain. Now that Daming has suddenly ceased fighting with the Dutch, isn't it a little immoral?

Not to mention Spain, far away in Luzon, they have not been of much help from the beginning to the end, but the Franji people have contributed a lot to Daming these years. silhouette of man.

After all, Chen Zilong is a disciple of Confucianism, unlike Zheng Chenggong, who has somewhat inherited the thinking of the family’s maritime merchants, who are more interested in profits. He frowned and thought about it, a little undecided, “It’s not impossible to negotiate peace with the Netherlands, but the Dutch will really abide by the agreement. Is it?"

Seeing that he was moved, Zheng Gongcheng hurriedly said: "If we decline, the agreement will not work, but if we become stronger, then the agreement will be useful."

Chen Zilong was silent for a while, thinking about the meaning of his words, and in the end he still felt that Daming's interests were more important. As for Portugal giving them a little policy preference, he nodded and said, "The king of Chu urged us to attack Taiwan. , I also hope that the Dutch can be forced away as soon as possible to make Nanyang peaceful, and then go all out for the northern expedition. Since the peace talks can make Nanyang temporarily peaceful, then it will be done according to the meaning of the country's surname, but the imperial court wants to use Taiwan to resettle refugees, and the Dutch must leave the big officials .”

"This point has been explained in the King Chu's writings, so I naturally won't give an inch!" Zheng Chenggong said with a smile: "But since it is a peace negotiation and a trade agreement is signed, it is not good to severely punish these Dutch people. I am going to relax some other conditions, except for guaranteeing Apart from their lives, I am ready to accept the conditions of the Dutch army in Chikan Fort, allowing them to leave with their belongings, and Zeelandia Fort will also surrender in this way.”

There have been two peace talks between the Ming Dynasty and the Netherlands before, but they were torn up by the Dutch within a few years. I don’t know if the peace talks can last for a few years, but as long as the warships are built and become powerful, I am afraid that even the Netherlands If people don't tear it up, the Ming Dynasty will tear it up in the future.

"Let's write a note with the surname of the country, sign the names of both of us, and send it to Nanjing as soon as possible." Chen Zilong nodded, approving Zheng Chenggong's decision.

At this moment, a general outside the tent bowed and reported: "I would like to report to the surname of the country that General Gan caught a man at Weidao on the northern line. He said he was called He Bin and asked the general to send him overnight."

Zheng Chenggong raised his eyebrows when he heard this. He saw that Chen Zilong was puzzled, and then he explained: "This person is the general director of the Taiwan Council of the Netherlands. He sent people to measure the charts that our army passed through Luermen."

After hearing this, Chen Zilong was stunned, "This time he was able to successfully enter Dayuan Bay and defeat the Dutch, this person deserves credit!"

"It's time to count, and he came at the right time. He is familiar with the Dutch, so he can go to the two forts to negotiate!" Zheng Chenggong nodded, and then said to the outside account: "Bring the man in!"

Not long after, a middle-aged man was brought into the tent by his personal guards. It was He Bin who found out that something was wrong, and while the two armies were fighting, he secretly fled from Fort Zeelandia to Beiweixian Island.

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(End of this chapter)