The Han culture is spreading strongly in Southeast Asia

Chapter 430 The past cannot be pursued
At this time, the scope of the South Seas is almost Southeast Asia excluding most of Myanmar. In this hot multi-island area, the presence of local indigenous people has always been very weak.

In other words, the local indigenous people have no civilization and have always been influenced by others. They live here, and culturally speaking, they are not much superior to the macaques in the forest.

Therefore, when Indian culture was flourishing, the main culture of this area was all Indian.

For example, the famous Mahayana Buddhist old Srivijaya Kingdom and Shalendra Dynasty, the Hindu dynasty Majapahit, and the current Theravada Buddhist Siam and Cambodia.

After Indian culture washed over this area, Muslim culture followed, and a large number of Muslim merchants and missionaries came to Southeast Asia.

The Muslim sultanates of various sizes in the Malay Peninsula, Java Island, Sumatra Island, Borneo and other places in southern Southeast Asia today are what was left behind after their missionary work.

As these two forces alternated, the Chinese began to move south to conquer new territories in Southeast Asia.

At that time, the activities of Muslims in Southeast Asia were not smooth sailing, and it could even be said that they were quite suppressed, so that in the early Ming Dynasty, Brahmanism and Buddhism were still the world here.

What’s more serious is that the Islamic sect’s base was divided among the Timurid Empire, the Burghid Dynasty of Egypt and the Ottoman Empire.

Without strong backing, it was difficult for Muslims to shake the status of Brahmanism and Buddhism in Southeast Asia.

So at this time the Ming Dynasty came, and Zheng He made seven voyages to Southeast Asia. In addition to the various reasons that have been recognized in history, there was actually another reason, that is, the Ming Dynasty hoped to take over Southeast Asia and incorporate the entire Southeast Asia into the traditional Eastern tribute system of the Xia Dynasty and the barbarians.

At that time, facing the stubborn resistance of the Brahmins and local Buddhist forces, Ming Chengzu Zhu Di instructed Zheng He to support the Muslim religion and use the Muslim religion as a knife to force the local kings of Southeast Asia to pay tribute to the Ming Dynasty.

They succeeded, and there emerged Xia rulers such as the Old Port Envoy, the New Srivijaya King Liang Daoming, Shi Jinqing, and the Brunei Vice King Huang Senping.

The kings of the Nanyang countries began to pay tribute to the Ming Dynasty. The originally arrogant Siam was forced to crawl on the ground and start licking fiercely for fear of being attacked by the Ming Dynasty using the Muslim religion.

This is also the reason why later generations said that Zheng He was a Hui people, saying that it was he who supported Muslims in Southeast Asia, and the early Muslim documents left in Southeast Asian countries highly praised Zheng He and regarded him as a saint.

It was Zheng He who used the military force and prestige of the Ming Dynasty to finally allow Muslims to gain a foothold in Southeast Asia.

Regarding Zheng He's beliefs, we can only say that it is possible that in order to use the Muslims and their teachings as a sharp weapon, the eunuch Sanbao did convert to Muslims after going to Southeast Asia. You can say that he was a Muslim, but you cannot say that he was a Huihui.

It’s just a pity that the Ming Dynasty’s policy of going to and controlling Southeast Asia did not have a strong and bloody primitive capital accumulation to drive it.

After Xuande, when private capital overwhelmed court capital, the atmosphere of the Ming court began to become conservative rapidly, and the prestige and strength of the Ming Dynasty in Southeast Asia continued to shrink.

In 1440, the fifth year of Zhengtong, after the Chinese New Srivijaya Kingdom where the Old Port Envoy was located was conquered by Majapahit, the actual military influence of the Ming Dynasty in Southeast Asia basically disappeared.

However, the Muslim sect, with the help of the Ming Dynasty, eventually took root and made the entire Lower Southeast Asia its territory.

Mo Zibu had told Chen Lian about all these things. Many of the decrypted materials were specially sent to the south by Ji Xiaolan. Of course, these materials had been almost completely deleted and modified by the Qing Dynasty in history.

Chen Lian, who knew the whole story, was of course aware that the situation had changed again. China's opponent in Southeast Asia was no longer Theravada Buddhism, but Islamic Buddhism.

Moreover, Dayu is different from the Ming Dynasty. It does not need to use any indigenous people to stabilize Southeast Asia. It can relax the household registration and national borders and allow Chinese to fill Southeast Asia.

"Lord, we've captured a large number of Muslim natives in the city. Should we treat them all as cannon fodder, just like the natives in the port fortress?"

"Let's do it!" So, when it came to how to deal with the indigenous people, Chen Lian nodded, "There are more than three million natives on Java Island. How can we in Dayu use so many people?"

On May 13, after more than 20 days of siege, William III's Bastion finally collapsed. Almost all of the more than 40 cannons in the castle were destroyed, and more than half of the defending Dutch soldiers were killed or wounded.

On the Chinese side, over half of the 4,000 or so laborers at the port fortress were killed or wounded, leaving only about a thousand men still able to move. The Chinese army also lost over a hundred sailors and soldiers, half killed in action and half from various causes of illness.

With a bang, Major Felipe and five or six soldiers carrying a log knocked open the door of the command room of Colonel Jacques Steven, commander of the William III Bastion.

Because he used too much force, Chen Xinghua, who was in the front, fell into the room with the log. Then when he looked up, he saw that Colonel Jacques Steven had hung himself in the command room.

Chen Xinghua yelled, stepped on a stool and cut the rope with a dagger. Colonel Jacques Steven's body fell down with a thud, like a piece of pork.

Li Baohua, who came in right after him, looked at Colonel Jacques Steven, whose face was pale and there was blood at the corner of his mouth, and kicked him directly on the head with a football.

"Fuck you, it's you, you bastard, who caused my leg to break." This Chen Xinghua is the bandit scholar Chen He from Shaoguan, and Li Baohua is Li Bao's younger brother Li Quan.

More than two years ago, they were in the downtown area of Guangzhou and forced Kang Liangbao to test the musket. As a result, a riot was caused and they were arrested by the Nancheng Bingmasi and severely beaten. Only Ye Mingyue escaped the physical pain because he was the son of a vassal, while the others were beaten to the point of screaming in pain.

Fortunately, it did not prevent them from taking the entrance exam for the Army Officers School set up by Mo Zibu in Huangpu, and the name was changed after they entered the school.

In the Whampoa Military Academy, names such as Xinghua, Baohua, and Fuhan were very popular. Students often had to change their names very early to avoid their names being taken, especially those with big surnames such as Chen and Li.

Their classmate and good friend, a scholar named Sun, was shot in the calf by a rifle from a hunting soldier on the city wall during this battle. The best outcome would probably be a limp, forcing him to retire.

Li Baohua was just playing soccer, but the others were already rummaging around. Major Felipe watched them closely, and finally, they dumped their finds onto the command room desk. "Two silver coins per person. No gold coins allowed. And don't try to chop off the head secretly. Let's carry it out and everyone will share the credit."

Major Felipe was the highest-ranking officer, and he immediately made arrangements. The income of two silver coins was not low, and it was just on the edge of military law, which was very precise.

The others looked at each other and agreed. After each of them took two silver coins, they happily carried Colonel Jacques Steven's body out to claim the credit.

. . . .

Morenfleet Manor, Batavia.

Compared to the Batavia City Hall, which is like a bastion, no, it should be called a bastion, the successive Batavia governors actually prefer the Morenflet Manor a little further west.

It is close to the canal, with convenient transportation and beautiful environment. There are no low houses and smelly ditches everywhere in the city center. It is surrounded by high-rise villas like those in the Netherlands. Except for the hotter weather, it is no different from being in Europe.

Governor Rainier de Clark's stroke was more serious than that of Emperor Qianlong. He is still unable to get out of bed, let alone speak and give orders.

It can be said that the core of the Dutch East India Company is currently in a paralyzed state.

Historically, Governor Rainier would not suffer a stroke until the end of this year, and in March of next year he would be too ill to serve, forcing Batavia General William Arnold Altin to take charge of the work.

As for why this time and space came so early, it was naturally because he was frightened by Emperor Mo Da. When this old man got anxious and excited, it was natural that the blood vessels in his head would dry out and rupture easily.

"William, you are the Director-General. The lives of 6,500 Dutch citizens in Batavia depend on you. Make a decision quickly. The Chinese Empire's army will soon arrive in Batavia."

Secretary Holdyk was never promoted because, unlike Colonel Marco, he was not as well-hidden. Most Dutch people vaguely knew his identity and who he represented.

It is impossible for the Chinese Empire not to pay attention to Batavia, so the semi-open secretary Holdyk can cover up for other people in secret.

Secretary General William was very angry. Even at this time, Holdyke was still unwilling to take any responsibility and even wanted to leave him the infamy of surrendering and losing Batavia.

However, his anger disappeared completely in the next second, because Secretary Holdyk said to him:
"William, I think you must understand that there are a total of 9,000 citizens of the Republic of Batavia, including women and children.

This is not a small number. We will still need to survive in the Chinese Empire in the future, so we still need a representative figure who has a say in the official system of the Chinese Empire.

And I, Holdyke, am so perfectly suited to be that person that I cannot but let my fellow citizens know certain things in order to ensure that they will see me as their spokesperson."

"You don't want people to think that you are not the one who surrendered to the Chinese emperor a long time ago, then who was the first person to surrender? Was it me?" Director-General William couldn't help but complain with a dark face.

“Of course it’s you, because you will immediately receive a huge sum of £10,000 and return to your hometown of Groningen as a millionaire.

Of course, you can also become the governor of Ternate appointed by His Majesty the Emperor, receive a small fiefdom, and become the first citizen of the former United Provinces Republic to enter the Republican Parliament as a member."

Director General William understood that this was the price offered to him. Ternate is in the North Maguru Islands, which is located south of the Philippines, between Sulawesi and New Guinea.

The geographical location is not actually important, but it is the most important stronghold of the Dutch East India Company besides Batavia and Semarang, because the North Maguru Islands is the world's largest clove producing area.

If other spices are included, Ternate alone accounted for nearly 30% of the Dutch East India Company's spice production.

Therefore, this is a place that the Chinese Empire will definitely occupy, and it is also a place where wealth will flow in.

"Can't I stay in Batavia?" Director General William still had a glimmer of hope.

He was unwilling to return to Groningen. Ten thousand pounds was not a lot, but not a small amount either. It was fine for one generation to be rich, but once the descendants grew, there would be nothing left if they were divided even a penny.

Ternate was certainly profitable, but it was very remote and life was much worse than in Batavia.

Hearing Director General William's question, Holdeck smiled and said, "So, Director General William, do you want me to go back to Groningen or to Ternate?

I advise you to be sensible. I'm giving you this opportunity now because I hope you can tell me the locations of all six of the company's vaults and hand over every last one of the company's account books."

"Okay!" Secretary General William stood up, took two steps forward, and suddenly came to the side of Governor Rainier. He bent down, tilted his head, and looked like he was listening carefully.

"Okay, okay, Governor, I understand!" After a while, Secretary-General William stood up with a righteous look on his face.

"The Governor General said that in order to bring peace to Batavia, he is willing to give everything the VOC has in the entire South China Sea to His Majesty the Emperor of the Chinese Empire."

Holy shit! Secretary Holdyke was so shocked that he couldn't help but give a thumbs up.

"Mmmmmm!" The paralyzed Governor Rainier trembled all over, his mouth and eyes squinting with anxiety, and he began to struggle on the hospital bed with drool.

(End of this chapter)