A word woke up the dreamer. At this time, Zhao Tianming discovered that the Sihai Chamber of Commerce had never been as fragile as it is today.

The Ming court wanted to conquer the Qing Dynasty in the north, which meant that all the troops of the Ming court would be concentrated in the north. The Ming court would not care about the waters south of Manila, because this was beyond the sphere of influence that the Ming court could govern.

The Sihai Chamber of Commerce relies on the Ming court to survive.

After all, without the protection of the Ming court, the world cannot grow and grow.

This also causes the Sihai Chamber of Commerce to be safe and worry-free only when it is within the sphere of influence of the Ming court.

The Ming court's goal was to conquer the Qing Dynasty in the north, so it was necessary to stabilize the Jiading area.

Therefore, under the order of the Ming court, all the Minghai merchant fleets gathered in the South China Sea, and there were lucky ships coming and going to the South China Sea every day.

In contrast, the Ming Dynasty naval warships were also patrolling the South China Sea area to protect the fleet of the Sihai Chamber of Commerce.

Therefore, indigenous forces in Guangnan or Zhenla will be afraid of the influence of the Ming court, which will allow Sihai Commercial Bank to gain certain privileges and power along the South China Sea coast.

This is an unprecedented influence from the Chinese businessmen in Southeast Asia.

All this is naturally attributed to the Ming court. Zeng Qilu had previously invited merchants from the sea to enter Batavia, which was actually the idea, and used the power of the Ming court as a support for protecting Chinese merchants.

But the problem is that the Ming court’s sword guides the Nanhai.

South of Manila was not within the scope of consideration of the Ming army's march, at least for now.

This made the Batavian Chinese businessman, including Zeng Qilu, make a fatal mistake.

How do you make sure that the Ming court will really anger the Dutch people for you Batavian Chinese merchants?

Similarly, the Far Sea Merchant Fleet cannot use the Ming court as its backer in Batavia.

"It was Governor Liu Yu's intention to go to Batavia to trade. He wrote the letter to the Governor himself and handed it to me. If the Ming court had no intention of developing south of Manila, why did he go to Batavia far away from the sea?" The owner of the ship Zhao Tianming suddenly realized and said in a little indignant manner.

"This is exactly what the governor means." Wang Zhu smiled.

"The Sihai Chamber of Commerce and the Ming court are only in a cooperative relationship. It does not include Minghai, which has close cooperation with the Ming army. The other three seas have their own independence. They only need to pay taxes to the Ming court every month. Among them, the tax paid by Yuanhai to the Ming court is the highest among the three seas." Wang Zhu smiled.

"Minghai is controlled by the Ming court and is only responsible for transporting logistics food and grass to the Ming court. Luhai is backed by the Tartar Qing Dynasty and made a fortune through the mainland's civil smuggling to Luzon, not to mention mountains and seas, but just vendors on the roads of Luzon Island. Only my long-sea fleet is spread throughout the South China Sea."

"I have long-range merchants from the sea to Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian and Zhejiang, west to Siam, and east India and south to Batavia. The range of activities is so large that it has long exceeded the control of the Ming court."

"Does the ship owner Zhao know why we businessmen who live in Southeast Asia will be hated or even wiped out by the court?" Wang Zhu said to the thoughtful ship owner Zhao.

"Either the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty or the Emperor of the Qing Dynasty today have no intention of developing the South China Sea. Therefore, we Chinese businessmen living in the South China Sea have long been free from the control of the court, so we must be killed." Zhao Tianming said without hesitation.

"What is the difference between the current long sea and the Luzon Ming court and the relationship between the Ming Dynasty or the Tartar Qing Dynasty and the Chinese businessmen in Southeast Asia?"

Wang Zhu said this, and Zhao Tianming instantly understood the meaning of this. In an instant, the cold sweat was flowing behind him.

"What does the Governor mean?" Zhao Tianming looked at the Fuyang warship not far from the Fu Ship Fleet with a terrified look.

The hull of the huge Tiger Warship was even larger than that of the Merchant Fleet's Fu Ship.

For some reason, now seeing these Ming army warships, Zhao Tianming felt a creepy feeling.

"This time, we set sail from Lavag Harbor and headed to Batavia. The Fuyang Town Navy followed us all the way. Is it because the Governor General warned the far sea?"

After thinking about the attitude of Batavian Chinese merchants towards the Luzon court, Zhao Tianming suddenly felt that this was not impossible.

After all, south of Manila has exceeded the traditional sphere of influence of the Ming court, and the far-sea merchant fleet is also the only chamber of commerce that has the opportunity to stay away from the sphere of influence of the Ming court.

Rulers who are deeply influenced by Confucian culture in the Central Plains will never allow such a force to escape from their palms.

"The Governor General sent the newly formed Fuyang Navy to escort the Far Sea Merchant fleet to Batavia, not just a warning. If the Ming court was really warning the Far Sea not to have any inappropriate thoughts, then the Ming Navy could follow the Far Sea Merchant fleet to Batavia without having to wait until it arrived in the waters near Batavia and let the Minghai Merchant fleet go to Batavia alone." Wang Zhu shook his head and said.

"I don't understand what you are talking about. What medicine is being sold in this governor's gourd?" Zhao Tianming was also excited by Wang Zhu.

"The Governor is testing the far sea, and beyond the Ming court's sphere of influence, how will the far sea merchants make a choice?" Wang Zhu said.

"What do you mean is that this trip to Batavia is a test given to us by the Ming court?" Zhao Tianming said in surprise.

"Yes, whether it is going to Batavia for trading or building a shopping mall in Batavia, it is actually just a test given to us by the Ming court. As for sending a fleet of far-sea escorts all the way, it is actually just a simple escort."

"The Governor actually wanted to cultivate the Far Sea into the East India Company belonging to the Ming Dynasty." Wang Zhu finally expressed his opinion.

Zhao Tianming was stunned. If the wealthy businessmen on the coast of mainland China did not understand what the East India Company was, then the Chinese businessmen in Southeast Asia, especially the Sihai businessmen who often deal with East India merchants, would know East India Company too well.

"I did think that the Ming court would train a certain line in the Four Seas to a similar East India Company business, but both the Ming court and the merchants in the Four Seas believed that the Minghai was the choice of the Ming court."

"All signs also indicate this. For example, Minghai has the lowest tax burden, and only Minghai can buy firearms from the Firearms Division."

"But this time in Batavia, it was obvious that the Governor was trying to make the Far Sea an East India Company of the Ming Dynasty." Wang Zhu said.

"In other words, from now on, no matter how difficult the long sea is in Nanyang, it will be necessary to rely on the long sea merchants to solve the problem themselves, and the Ming court will not care about it." Zhao Tianming said thoughtfully.

"Yes, the corresponding far sea will also have a certain right of freedom." Zhao Tianming and Wang Zhu smiled at each other.

"I believe that this time when I return to Lavag, the Governor will open the firearms department's firearms to the Far Sea to purchase rights, and even let the Far Sea to form an truly own armed merchant fleet."

Wang Zhu looked at the mercenary who was guarding the deck next to him.

These so-called mercenaries are actually alternative Ming army officers and soldiers.

They will only protect the merchant fleet from pirate robbery, but if the merchants in the merchant fleet or the fleet betray the Ming court, they will capture the merchants of the fleet no matter how much money they make to lure.

After all, these mercenaries themselves were the Ming army officers and soldiers with the strongest beliefs.

No matter what the reason they left the Ming army.
Chapter completed!