1627 Rise of the South China Sea

Chapter 706 The fate of the defector
"The people from Shibazhi want to enter Hong Kong? What are these pirates trying to do!"

Hans Putmans frowned after hearing his subordinate's report.At the beginning of the year, he had already received an urgent notice from Batavia City. The company's board of directors clearly requested Dayuangang to stop all hostile actions with Daming and Haihan, and to cut off all contacts with Shibazhi gang.In order for Hans to strictly implement this regulation, Governor Cohen also pointed out in his personal letter that this decision is related to whether the external environment of the East India Company in the Far East will deteriorate in the next few years, so it must be implemented unconditionally.

Although Governor Cohen did not explain the real reason for this decision in the letter, Hans' nephew Van der Wegen described in detail the process of negotiating with Van Longen and Su Keyi in Sanya in another letter sent back at the same time. , and the final negotiated outcome.After Hans read Van der Wegen's letter, he understood the company's difficulties.

When the armed fleet of the officers lost to the Haihans in the naval battle last summer, Hans actually had the intention of continuing the battle to save face, but he also knew that the armed forces of the officers were limited, so if he wanted to get this place back , that would require Batavia to intervene.Later, he asked his nephew Van der Wegen to return to Batavia with Van Longen. In addition to reporting the battle to the company's board of directors, he also had the intention of pulling reinforcements from the headquarters.

But Hans really did not expect that the Haihan people would announce their involvement in the struggle for the Natuna Islands in the South China Sea at the same time as the Fujian naval battle.The particularity of the local geographical location also determines that the company's board of directors cannot turn a blind eye to this. Without the confidence to retake the Natuna Islands from the Haihan people, Governor Cohen had no choice but to send a mission including Van der Wegen to Sanya Negotiations, on the one hand, delay the time to reorganize the war preparations, and on the other hand, we also need to see what attitude the Haihan people have towards the South China Sea and Fujian.

Compared with the gains and losses of the Natuna Islands, the loss of a few armed merchant ships in Dayuan Port is not so important. The first thing the board of directors must ensure is the safety of the sea route between Northeast Asia and Batavia.However, the East India Company lost two consecutive battles in the South China Sea and Fujian, and was passive at every step. The negotiations in Sanya were deadlocked for two full months, and the final result was still the East India Company's helpless compromise.

In order to avoid an anti-Dutch alliance led by the Haihan people in the South China Sea, the East India Company had to pinch its nose and acquiesce in Haihan's control of the Natuna Islands, or it has been restored by the Haihan people to the actual control of the original Abuna Islands .Although Haihan also admitted in the final agreement that the East India Company has co-management rights to the local area, this is obviously only a kind of verbal charity from the Haihan people, because all the activities of the Dutch in the agreement include but are not limited to merchant ships docking and personnel staying. , Trade supplies, etc., must be reported to the management committee in power of the Shanghai Han people on the island and obtained permission before proceeding. This kind of treatment has nothing to do with co-management rights.

As for the armed conflict at Dayuan Port, the two sides defined it as "a misunderstanding caused by lack of communication". Bazhi gang relationship.

Van der Wegen clearly pointed out to his uncle in the letter that the existence of Shibazhi is no longer a boost to the development of Dayuan Port, but it is very likely to become an excuse for Haihan to use force against Dayuan Port.And it is probably impossible for Batavia to send a large-scale armed force to Dayuan Port for assistance in the short term. Once there is a conflict between Dayuan Port and Haihan, then Hans really only has to worry about the possible consequences. Blessed be myself.

The news that the Haihan militia has entered Fujian on a large scale in the past one or two months has actually been heard in Dayuangang.However, Hans will not rush to help Shibazhi this time. He has already ordered the expulsion of the institutions and personnel of Shibazhi's staff before this, and in the last month, he has asked the dock to In order to identify the ships in Dayuan Port, at least on the surface, it is necessary to prevent the personnel of Shibazhi from entering and leaving Dayuan Port openly, so as not to give the Fujian government and Haihan people an excuse.

In February, the Fujian side had already sent people to Dayuan Port. Although it only opened an office in the local area in the name of a private commercial firm, both parties were well aware of the significance of this move.The Fujian government and Haihan need to use this method to confirm that the East India Company has fully fulfilled the promise in the agreement, and Hans also hopes to use this method to dispel the hostility and doubts of the Haihan people, and to build a relationship with Fujian. Normalized trade channels.At such a critical time, Hans didn't want to spoil the overall situation because of some extraneous incidents.

"Notify Lieutenant Peak to come to me immediately!" Hans quickly gave the order.

Lieutenant Peake was the officer who took over the military command of Dayuan Harbor after Van der Wegen left, and he was also very young.But the timing for him to take office is indeed not very good. Right now, Dayuangang is almost at its weakest. Whether it is Daming, Haihan, or even Shibazhi, they all pose a big threat to Dayuangang.For him personally, this is not only a problem, but also an opportunity to make contributions.

After Pick came to Hans' office, he immediately received an order from Hans: "Call the musketeers, go to the port to suppress the fleet of Shibazhi, and don't let their people go ashore for the time being. I will catch up later." Handle it yourself in the past!"

"Yes, sir!" Peake saluted and immediately summoned his troops to go.Although in the naval battle last year, the sea armed forces of Dayuan Port suffered a lot of losses, but the land armed forces were not greatly affected. The Musketeers in Zeelandia City had an establishment of 500 people, which in the eyes of the Dutch It is enough to deal with small-scale wars.After all, when the Fujian Ming army attacked Penghu, the number of fighters on the Dutch side was actually less than a thousand.

After sending Pique away, Hans went back to his bedroom and changed into a hunting outfit. He equipped his upper body with a blunderbuss and a saber, checked his appearance in the mirror, and then set off for the port wharf with his personal guards. .

When Hans rushed to the pier, he realized that the fleet under the Shibazhi flag had not actually entered the port.The channel entering Anping Port is very narrow, less than [-] meters wide, and this fleet was spotted by patrolling ships before entering the port. After revealing their identities, two armed merchant ships in the port quickly blocked the entry channel Live the way.And Shibazhi's fleet did not come to fight, so they could only choose to wait for the port's reply at the entrance channel.

"What's the situation now? What's the purpose of their coming here?" After Hans arrived, he began to ask Pick, who had come first.

"Leading the team are two leaders of Shibazhi, and their names are..." Pique hesitated a little, and a Han-looking subordinate behind him immediately stepped forward and added in a low voice: "He Bin, Guo Huaiyi. "

Pique went on to say: "These two people hope to meet you. They claim that they have separated from Shibazhi and ask us to accept their refuge."

"Separated from Shibazhi? Interesting..." Hans hesitated for a while and asked again: "How many ships did they come?"

"According to their own statement, there are more than 60 ships and nearly a thousand people." Pique introduced: "I have asked them to disarm all immediately before they can discuss the matter of docking in the port."

"Let their two leaders go ashore first, I want to see them." Hans replied.

"But Shibazhi..." Pique hesitated a little about the order issued by Hans. He also knew the notice sent by the headquarters to Dayuangang. The peace agreement reached between the Indian company and Haihan, and Xu Xinsu's people are stationed in Dayuan Port.Although Peake has ordered the blockade of the port, the arrival of the Shibazhi fleet is obviously not hidden from people's eyes and ears. If the news spreads, the matter is very likely to become unmanageable.

"Notify Xu Xinsu's people and let them come too." Hans gave another order without waiting for Pique's objection.

Pique was stunned for two seconds before taking his orders and leaving.Hans shook his head, thinking that this young man is still not as clear as Van der Wegen.If Van der Wegen was there, he would have understood what he wanted to do right away.

Half an hour later, Hans met He Bin and Guo Huaiyi at a warehouse on the port.

"You two came to Dayuan Port suddenly, what's your business? If I remember correctly, we have already stated our position to you about half a year ago, and your people are not welcome to come here again." Hans opened his mouth. His tone was cold and hard.

"Lord Hans doesn't know that Zheng Zhilong is perverse and unpopular. The two of us have separated from Shibazhi, and we are determined to make a clean break with him. At this time, we are leading our troops to vote. I hope that the Lord will ignore the past and take me in. In the future, we will definitely go back and forth, Serve your lord!" He Bin expressed his intentions without any hesitation.

Guo Huaiyi seemed to be embarrassed, He Bin touched him with his elbow, and Guo Huaiyi said: "Master Hans, my brothers and the brothers under Chief He are veterans who have been at sea for many years. If your lord If you are willing to take us in, in the future, from North Korea to South Java, we can all go for the adults!"

"So you both came here with the idea of ​​serving the East India Company?" Hans asked.

"Exactly." He Bin rushed to respond immediately.

"Mr. Xu, what do you think?" Hans ignored He Bin, but turned to ask a middle-aged Han man standing beside him.

The middle-aged man clasped his fists in response and said, "Lord Hans, the common people think that these two uncles of Shibazhi came here with bad intentions!"

"Oh? Let me hear what you said." Hans praised him very cooperatively.

"I heard that the soldiers from the Haihan militia have recently suppressed the border, intending to cooperate with the Fujian government army to attack Penghu. At this time, everyone along the coast of Fujian knows it well, and everyone in Penghu must also know it very well." The man surnamed Xu said calmly. Analysis: "There is no danger to defend Penghu. Even if Shibazhi sticks to it, it will inevitably end up in annihilation. If Zheng Zhilong is smart enough, he should abandon Penghu and find another place to defend. Xu Tu will make a comeback !"

Hans asked again in a timely manner: "Then where can I find such a place?"

"This place is an excellent choice!" The man surnamed Xu raised his arm and pointed at the entrance channel with a folding fan in his hand: "The entrance of Dayuan Harbor is extremely narrow, and the Haihan gunboats cannot enter in large numbers. It will be a huge challenge to land here. In addition, more than half of the construction of the nearby city of Zeelandia has been completed, so it can completely resist the army's attack. If you can defend here, even if the Haihan people have sharp guns, it may be difficult to attack."

Hans deliberately asked: "But my East India Company has already stated its position and will no longer maintain contacts with Shibazhi. How can they turn this place into their own stronghold?"

The man surnamed Xu replied: "It's not difficult. You only need to send a few leaders to defect to Dayuan Port. A few days..."

"Fart your mother!" He Bin couldn't take it any longer, and slapped the table and cursed: "Where is the traitor, who dares to sow discord and gossip here in front of my face! Believe it or not, I will pull it out Your tongue!"

Guo Huaiyi silently began to look around, because when the man surnamed Xu was talking nonsense just now, more than a dozen red-haired soldiers with muskets were unconsciously added around him.Although it is not clear what happened, Guo Huaiyi already had a faint premonition.

Hans coughed dryly and said, "I haven't had time to introduce you to the two of you yet. This Mr. Xu is from Zhangzhou, Fujian, and he is related to Mr. Xu Xinsu, the general soldier of Fujian."

The man surnamed Xu clasped his fists and said, "Xu Shan, the villain, please give me your advice!"

If He Bin and Guo Huaiyi haven't understood something by this time, they are really stupid and hopelessly stupid.He Bin bounced up from the chair, and reached out to pull out the knife at his waist, but he couldn't pull it out. Then he remembered that after getting off the boat just now, the red-haired man had searched all the hard things on his body, even a few ingots. All the broken silver was taken away.At this time, he wanted to do something, but there were no weapons available.

Before he could decide whether to swing the chair or the legs of the table, several red-haired soldiers had already rushed close to him, swung their rifle butts and threw them at him.On the other hand, Guo Huai immediately raised his hand and surrendered as soon as he saw the opportunity.Before He Bin could open his mouth to beg for mercy, he received several heavy blows on the head and back, and fell dizzy to the ground.

In a daze, He Bin heard Hans order: "Arrest these two bandits and their subordinates together! As for the people on their boat, they must be searched one by one, and the bad guys must not be allowed to sneak into Dayuan Port... "

(End of this chapter)