Chapter 2069

The originally planned armed fortress was eventually built into an almost undefended manor. This was a desperate move for the Taiyuan Port authorities. The traditional pioneering method of using force to protect commercial routes and colonial development was no longer feasible here. However,

We couldn't let the first phase of the project, which took many years and a lot of manpower and material resources to be completed, go to waste, so we could only compromise on Haihan's requirements by rebuilding the manor.

Although the city of Geranje originally dismantled its outer fortifications and forts under Haihan's "strong suggestion", the outline of the bastion can still be vaguely discerned from the layout of the flower beds and low fences outside the manor.

In the battlements and forts surrounding the official residence, the current scene is obviously less aggressive and more peaceful, and more pastoral.

The local residents of Damuan Port are mainly the Dutch and the Ming Han people who moved here in the early days. There are also a small number of Taiwanese natives and immigrants from Ryukyu and other countries. The total population is less than 3,000. Regardless of the population size, infrastructure level or local agricultural products,

Compared with the several Hai-Han colonies on the island of Taiwan, there is already a relatively obvious gap. However, a certain proportion of Han people have settled here, and their planting talents have allowed Taiyuan Port to achieve food self-sufficiency, which is already the case.

No big problem anymore.

This is not the first time that Yu Yao has visited this place. When he signed the peace agreement with the Dutch, he came to Damuan Port. Now more than four years have passed. When he came here again, he found that this place was different from four years ago.

Not much has changed. Of course, from the perspective of competitors, the stagnant development and construction of Taiyuan Port is definitely a good thing for Haihan. This shows that Haihan’s many restrictive measures have indeed played their part.

effect.

After arriving at the official residence in Relanja City, Hans invited Yu Yao to his study. Since the other party at the dock made it clear that this sudden visit was for discussion, he skipped unnecessary red tape and went directly to the meeting.

But the two senior officials can't speak each other's language, so the conversation can only be carried out through an interpreter.

"Mr. Hans, the reason for my visit this time is to learn about your country's trade situation in Japan." Yu Yao explained his purpose straight to the point.

After hearing this, Hans's expression immediately changed, and he smelled something bad in the other party's words.

The Netherlands is a mercantilist country. Most of the Dutch people traveling around the world across the ocean only care about trade and are not interested in other things, such as religion. This is different from the Spanish and Portuguese that Japan had contact with.

Differently, those Western visitors always came in the name of trade, but in fact they came to preach in Japan.

Therefore, in order to prohibit Westerners from preaching in Japan, the Tokugawa shogunate began to implement a closed-door policy, gradually expelling the Spanish and Portuguese who also came from Western countries, but still allowed the Dutch who were dedicated to business to enter Japanese ports for trade. The Netherlands

I was also fortunate enough to become a trading partner licensed by the Tokugawa Shogunate together with the Ming Dynasty.

Today, the only ports in Japan that allow foreign merchant ships to carry out trading activities are Hirado and Nagasaki. There are no official trade channels between Haihan and Japan, so there are no official agencies stationed in Japan, but the Dutch

However, commercial offices were built in Hirado and Nagasaki to maintain trade relations with Japan.

The Dutch understand the current situation in Japan, especially the business world, much better than Haihan. If there is a giant like Xu Xinsu in the Japanese business world at this time, the Dutch will definitely know about it, so Yu Yao suddenly

The purpose of visiting Taimu Port is to obtain some valuable information from the Dutch. Of course, the relevant investigation work cannot completely rely on the Dutch. The intelligence department is also learning about trade with Japan through other channels.

relevant circumstances.

But Yu Yao's purpose seemed full of hostility to Hans. The first thing he thought of was that the Haihan people were going to start opening up trade channels in Japan. Once the other party entered the Japanese market, they would undoubtedly rely on their

Its strong strength is squeezing out its own market share, which is by no means good news for the Netherlands.

Of course, the most irritating thing was that the other party came to him so openly and asked about the trade status of the East India Company and Japan. This made Hans feel offended. But considering the force the other party had, he

I don't dare to have an attack, lest I take the initiative to give the reason for falling out to the other party.

"Your Excellency General, regarding the trade situation between the East India Company and Japan, this is our commercial secret. Please forgive me for the inconvenience of disclosing the inside information to you." Hans refused Yu Yao's request in a neither humble nor overbearing manner. However, his heart still remained.

I was very uneasy. The other party made a special trip to Taimuang Port and probably wouldn't give up immediately just because they hit a snag.

After listening to the translator's report, Yu Yao shook his head and said: "Mr. Hans has misunderstood my purpose of coming. Let me explain in more detail. I hope to know whether there are ten businessmen engaged in cross-border trade in Japan.

The remnants of Bazhi!"

"Eighteen Zhi!" Hans felt as if he had been burned when he heard this word, and his body shook involuntarily: "Your Excellency, General, I don't understand what you are talking about. Eighteenth Zhi has been expensive a few years ago.

The Chinese army was wiped out."

Yu Yao said coldly: "The Shibazhi is gone, but the people related to the Shibazhi are not dead. As far as we know, many people from the Shibazhi fled to Japan. Maybe they fled.

When he was there, he also brought a large amount of wealth that belonged to Shiba Zhi, and then used this wealth to become one of the top large-scale merchants in the local area. What do you think of this story, Mr. Hans?"

Hans became much calmer after listening to what the translator said: "As we all know, we Dutch only care about business and have no interest in other disputes. We do business with your country, do business with the Ming Dynasty, and do the same with Japan.

It's no different. We don't care who the person we're doing business with is, as long as we can get the deal done and get a profit, it's a good business for us."

Yu Yao heard the meaning of shirk of responsibility from Hans's erroneous answer, and he immediately said: "Then let me make it more clear. Who do you Dutch people do business with? That is your freedom, but now I want to

Do you know what is the current situation of Shibazhi’s remnants in Japan?”

Hans was silent for a while before responding to Yu Yao again: "Your Excellency General, there is no hatred between the East India Company and the Eighteen Zhizhi, so I didn't pay too much attention to the whereabouts of the Eighteenth Zhizhi's remaining party. I don't even know,

What is the standard for judging this status in your country? Have you joined the Shibazhi? Or does it count if you have relatives or friends who were members of the Shibazhi? Maybe there are the kind of people you mentioned among the Japanese doing business with us, but I

Don’t know who it is.”

Hans's explanation seemed to clear up the matter, but Yu Yao thought that his words were not entirely true. He was deliberately pretending to be confused and obviously had something to hide. When Shibazhi controlled maritime trade in Fujian, Dong

The Indian company also had frequent business dealings with it, and Dutch merchant ships even had to pay payment to Shiba Zhi in order to successfully complete trade in Fujian waters. If Hans did not know enough about Baizhi, it is obviously untrue.

Yu Yao stood up slowly, walked to the window of the study and looked outside: "As far as I know, the East India Company's merchant ships to Japan every year are not too many, and they should not be comparable to the scale of your transactions with my country or the Ming Dynasty. Mr. Hans, don’t let the small lose the big!”

Hans was shocked when he heard this and asked quickly: "General, what does this mean?"

Yu Yao did not look back, he still looked out the window at the scenery of Yanyan River with his hands behind his back, and slowly responded: "Mr. Hans, if you cooperate with us well and provide the information I want to know, it will not affect East India."

The company's trade in Japan. But if you are stubborn and insist on associating with some dangerous people, then I think our country should reconsider its relationship with the East India Company... Once a place like Tainan Port is lost, it will be impossible to regain it.

Back in your Dutch hands."

When Hans heard this threat, he couldn't help but panic, and quickly argued: "Your Majesty General, you can't do this! The East India Company has signed a formal agreement with your country, and has long recognized the ownership of Taiyuan Port..."

Yu Yao interrupted him unceremoniously: "Mr. Hans, the War of Independence between your country and Spain has been going on for almost seventy years. During this period, how many armistices and peace treaties have been signed? I'm afraid you yourself

Countless. Isn't it normal for conflicts between countries to fight for favorable conditions through various agreements? Signing these agreements is not a tactic to delay the war until the war is ready.

Shall we tear it up as soon as we are ready? We can recognize the East India Company's rule over Taimuang Port, or, of course, deny it if necessary."

"You are blackmailing me!" Hans could no longer restrain his anger. He originally wanted to respond by changing the subject and shirk responsibility, but now it seems that these methods will not work. The General Haihan in front of him is not

So easy to fool.

"Blackmail? No, no, no, I'm just analyzing the situation in Dazhuang Port. I think this will help Mr. Hans make a correct judgment." Yu Yao paused and said: "In fact, the Portuguese and Annan people have always hoped that

If the East India Company can obtain a trade transfer station like Tai Yuan Port on the coast of Taiwan, if the East India Company withdraws from this area, I think they will be happy to pay a fee to our country and then take over this place."

Hans frowned. Of course he knew very well that the Portuguese had never given up on developing trade routes to the north. The East India Company spent a lot of money to get the Japanese shogunate to declare a ban on the Portuguese. But if the East India Company

The company lost the transit point of Tai Yuan Port, and the trade routes to and from Japan would become more difficult. Once the Portuguese gained a foothold on Taiwan Island, they would probably ruthlessly try to cut off the Dutch merchant ships' routes to Japan.

Even if the Portuguese said in front of him that they were planning to take Damuan Port as their own, Hans would not necessarily be afraid. Although this place did not have many defense means, there were Haihan people who maintained order in the Fujian waters. He could be sure that the Portuguese

People dare not make mistakes. But if the Haihan people claim to want to change the ownership of Taiyuan Port, then Hans will not dare to neglect it, because the Haihan people can really say it and do it.

The trade between the East India Company and the Ming Dynasty, Korea, Japan, and Ryukyu was basically carried out through Damuan Port. Losing this place will cause the scale of the East India Company's trade with these countries to shrink sharply, which will

The economic losses caused will probably be no less than those of the Battle of Batavia that year. And the subsequent impact of this may cause regional trade interruptions that will last for several years, which will make the East India Company's operations in East Asia difficult and lose money.

It is a situation that has been developed with great difficulty in the past few years.

Hans immediately thought of a series of negative consequences that would result from this. He could not bear this responsibility, and the East India Company could not accept it. But if he wanted to compromise with Yu Yao, he was worried that the other party would propose more in the future.

conditions until he was unable to accept the call, and then used this as an excuse to send troops to seize Taiyuan Port.

"Your Excellency, the use of force will not help solve the problem and will only bring unnecessary disaster to this peaceful port. As trading partners, your country and the East India Company, I think we should come up with a better solution through negotiation.

This is the way for civilized people to deal with the current differences." Hans could only take the initiative to lower his body, hoping to persuade Yu Yao to use a gentle way to deal with the problem.

Yu Yao finally had enough of the scenery outside the window, turned around slowly, looked at Hans with an eager face and said: "Mr. Hans, I think the meaning of partners is to support each other. If you encounter trouble,

Instead of being able to help, the other party is pushing us back and holding us back. I think it’s more appropriate to call this a stumbling block instead of a partner.”

"You see, I regard the East India Company as a partner, so I don't shy away from visiting when I encounter trouble, hoping to get help from my partners, but things seem to be somewhat different from what I expected...

Mr. Hans, do you think I should continue to trust my partner?"

"Of course! You must trust! We can definitely be regarded as one of your country's most reliable partners... In fact, I also want to try my best to provide help to Your Majesty the General, but it seems that our previous consultations fell into a misunderstanding, which made us not trust each other.

The idea has been misunderstood. Maybe we should start over and solve these problems that caused us misunderstanding." Hans hurriedly went down the ladder. He knew that if he didn't let go, Yu Yao probably wouldn't have the patience to go down the stairs again.

opportunity.

Yu Yao nodded and said: "Very good, I also hope that the differences between us are just misunderstandings. Then let's talk about the issue of Shibazhi again."
Chapter completed!