1635 Han style rises again

Chapter 639 Peace Talks in Jianye City ([-])

In the 17s, the Dutch East India Company was the most successful and wealthy colonial company in the world.At the beginning of its establishment, this company has been favored by countless investors. Ordinary people, businessmen, adventurers, and the federal and provincial governments are all its shareholders. Among them, the government is its backstage, and it is even more powerful. backing.

Every year, the fleet sent by the East India Company to the East transports more than 10 tons of goods (the number of ships returning to Europe will be far less than this amount, because there are many shipwrecks and ships stranded in the Far East to join the local trade system), and the market expands From spices, pepper, fabrics, precious metals and luxury goods, such as ivory, porcelain, and tea, profits are increasing by double digits every year, dividends are as high as 40%, and dividends to the government exceed 18% every year, becoming the largest wealth creation in the inter-provincial republic one of them.

However, the process and impact of the war with Hanzhou far exceeded the original expectations of the Dutch.

In the two naval battles of Ambon and Kupang, due to the underestimation of the enemy by the East India Company, the Qi State Navy, which concentrated most of the main ships; wiped out more than [-] armed merchant ships in one fell swoop, and then captured the Spice Islands and Timor Island. A business station stronghold.

Then, when the East India Company spent a lot of time gathering armed merchant ships again, the Qi State Navy actually dispatched several professional warships into the Strait of Malacca to intercept Dutch merchant ships attacking the strait.This move not only caused heavy losses to the East India Company, but also cut off their trade routes to and from India, Ceylon, and even Europe.How could this cause the Dutchman to slowly lose blood? It was as if the main artery had been cut open and blood was spurting out violently!

When the senior foreign affairs representative of the Dutch East India Company, Yver Jimenez, arrived in Jianye City, Hanzhou on October 10, he was full of apprehension, worrying that the Hanzhou people would not easily stop the war after taking advantage of the favorable situation.

But what is surprising is that when he docked at the pier, he was personally greeted by the prime minister of the kingdom's cabinet. When they met and talked, he did not show any domineering gestures. Instead, his tone was quite friendly, as if he was welcoming someone from afar. old friend from here.The reception etiquette and accommodation specifications were very formal and full of respect for him.

However, the negotiations were not carried out immediately. The respected Prime Minister told Ivel Jiménez very sorry that His Majesty the King and the government are holding a grand funeral for a great scholar who has just passed away. In recognition of his scientific and literary achievements for the kingdom.

Probably in order to gain the goodwill of the Hanzhou people, Ivel Jimenez brought some assistants and some gifts, and went to Bi Maokang's funeral the next day.Their young king seemed a little sorry for the scholar's death.Looking from a distance, the expression on his face is very serious.

He condoled the family members of the deceased one by one, and at the mourning ceremony at the funeral, he described the scholar's contribution to Hanzhou with emotion, and gave him a very high evaluation.In the end, he also announced that in the name of this great scholar, a foundation similar to rewarding inventions and technological improvements will be set up to reward artisans and craftsmen who make outstanding improvements in industry every year.

It can be seen that many Hanzhou officials and scholars present are very excited about this.This means that the name of this scholar will be commemorated and admired by many people for many years to come.Compared with European countries, those self-proclaimed great kings kept tossing and trying to make great achievements, didn't they just expect to be commemorated and admired by all their subjects after their death.But now, in Hanzhou, the king actually let a scholar, in this way, be passed down through the ages and commemorated by everyone.

It has to be said that this young king has an extraordinary ruling philosophy. He has devoted an extraordinary amount of attention to the development of Hanzhou's industry and agriculture. At the same time, he has also made bold innovations in Hanzhou's military and trade, making this country The same young country is developing very fast. Today, more than ten years later, it dares to challenge the East India Company's dominance in the region, and it also forces its opponents to be at a loss, falling into an embarrassing and embarrassing situation.

At the funeral, the king of Hanzhou was a little surprised by the appearance of the East India Company's peace talks representative, but he did not show a complacent look because of the East India Company's initiative to come to the door.He met Evel Jiménez informally, and then solemnly told him that Hanzhou will not spend money to redeem its troops, and they also have warm expectations for peace. Let go of your respective prejudices, conduct friendly and candid consultations, and strive to end this war as soon as possible.

Hearing the king's words, Evel Jimenez was very excited. It turned out that Hanzhou was really as Mr. Fred Upton, the company's senior commercial counselor, said. They didn't want to push the East India Company into a corner. They don't want to expel the East India Company from the region, they just want to prove their strength through this war of limited intensity and scale, and obtain regional interests that match their own strength.

Since this premise exists, Evel Jimenez believes that it is very possible to come to Hanzhou this time to reach a peace agreement that is satisfactory to both parties.

In the next few days, Evel Jimenez began preliminary negotiations with Jiang Ruliang, the Minister of Honglu Temple who was in charge of foreign affairs in Hanzhou.The Dutch believe that the current two sides should immediately achieve a truce, and then conduct peace talks.For this reason, Hanzhou was required to withdraw the professional warships deployed in the Strait of Malacca, and to withdraw from the several trading bases occupying the Spice Islands.

In response, the Dutch East India Company will immediately recall the expeditionary fleet attacking the west of Hanzhou, and withdraw from the occupied coastal towns of Hanzhou (the Dutch believe that with their land force of more than 2000, they should occupy one or two coastal towns of Hanzhou ).However, considering the absolute dominance of Hanzhou in Timor Island, Jimenez did not propose that the Hanzhou people withdraw from Oecussi and Kupang, which is a tacit consent to the fact that the other party has occupied Timor Island.

Jiang Ruliang was a little surprised when he heard that Jimenez deliberately mentioned that the East India Company sent an expeditionary fleet to attack the coastal towns in the west of Hanzhou, but he still rejected the East India Company's request.It is proposed that the two sides should reach and conclude a formal peace agreement in order to end the current state of war.

At the same time, Jiang Ruliang also faintly hinted at the other party at the negotiation scene that the immigration work that started in December, Qi State has already avoided the war situation, and all the immigration fleet will return to the mainland by the eastern route.If you East India Company want to threaten us with this, then there is no need.

After persisting for a day, Jimenez agreed to Jiang Ruliang's suggestion and reached a peace agreement first.Therefore, he proposed that the two sides will restore the relationship between the two sides based on the peace agreement signed ten years ago, and their respective spheres of influence will return to the pre-war state.

Jiang Ruliang couldn't help but sneer at this, he won't gain anything by fighting such a battle with Qi State?That's too cheap you Dutch!

Immediately, he proposed that the two parties will share the interests of the entire Nanyang Islands in the future, and each other will not damage each other's rights and interests. The islands and strongholds currently occupied by Qi should be part of our overseas territory (in the future, the Nanyang Islands will be divided between us. , Whoever occupies it belongs to whom, we should not attack each other, as for the places that were captured by us in the early stage, you should not want to go back).

Jimenez was shocked when he heard this.This Hanzhou's appetite is not small, and he wants to carve up the entire East Indies with the East India Company and break the exclusive monopoly of the Dutch.Wouldn't it be that our core ruling areas, Batavia, the Spice Islands, and the Strait of Malacca, you all have to step in and take a share? !
Jimenez resolutely opposed this. He proposed that the Spice Islands, Java Island, Sumatra Island, and the Strait of Malacca were the core interests of the Dutch East India Company and should not be violated. He hoped that Hanzhou would respect and understand them (the Spice Islands are our East India Company The core business interests lie. Java Island is our ruling area. The Strait of Malacca is our most important trade route. Sumatra Island also has the pepper we need. You Hanzhou people cannot touch our cheese. As for other areas, we can cooperate with you to carve up up).

When Jiang Ruliang heard it, what kind of business is this? You must know that we have established a Guangning Fort on the northwest coast of Java Island, and a Anding Fort on the coast of Bengkulu in Sumatra Island. When carrying out the mission, maybe a secret supply base will be established somewhere in the strait.If so, according to the meaning of the Dutch, wouldn't they all have to be removed in the future.

Jiang Ruliang categorically rejected Jimenez's proposal and insisted on sharing the interests of all areas of Nanyang with the Dutch East India Company, but Qi could make a security commitment to the East India Company.After Qi's security and commercial interests are fully guaranteed and respected, we will not use force to resolve differences between the two parties (We Qi must carve up the Nanyang Islands without any restrictions, but we can guarantee not to hit you, as long as you Don't provoke me easily and hurt my feelings).

But Jimenez still insisted, claiming that the core interests of the East India Company must be protected, and the two sides must also have a buffer.Otherwise, the East India Company will not hesitate to continue the war (our East India Company is really worried about you Hanzhou, you must stay away, otherwise, we are worried that we will be threatened).

Negotiations have reached a deadlock.For several days in a row, Jimenez and Jiang Ruliang have been arguing over how to share (carve up) the Nanyang Islands, and neither of them is willing to give in easily.

Qi State has ideas about the entire Nanyang Islands, and believes that this area should all belong to the sphere of influence of the Hanzhou Continent in the future.Although limited to population, economic and military strength, it is still not possible to eat them all, but some strategic points and key islands must be occupied.Why should I draw a certain area with the Dutch now, and put myself in the shackles of action for no reason.

For several days in a row, the negotiating parties did not make any concessions, insisted on their own views, and tried their best to fight for their own interests, as if there was a risk of the breakdown of the negotiations.

On November 11, the king of Qi hosted a banquet in the palace to entertain the representatives of the Netherlands, and listened to their opinions in detail on the differences in the negotiations.

"Mr. Jimenez, in view of the fact that your East India Company and our Qi State have major differences on some important matters, if the dispute continues, it may affect the progress of the peace talks." Qi Tian pondered for a moment, and then said solemnly: "Could you please send a message to Governor Durling, I personally hope to have a formal meeting with him. Then I will make corresponding guidance and suggestions on the differences between you and me."

"At the same time, I also hope to have an in-depth and candid conversation with Governor During on issues such as future economic and military cooperation in the entire Southeast Asia region, and even in the Indian region."

(End of this chapter)