Zhong Lizhi returned to the city hall and explained the situation to Wei Bachi and others. Although there were many local elders, most of them were on temporary business trips. They were not members of the Kaohsiung Front Committee and did not need to attend the Front Committee meetings. [Read the latest chapter] However, in order to formally respect the authority of the Senate, Bachi always informed him when discussing matters, and it was up to him whether he came or not.
Veterans like Hong Laojun and Shi Dafu never attend front committee meetings unless it is related to their own work. Veterans from the Navy generally do not attend either.
There were quite a few people in the conference room this time, all with smiles on their lips and spring in their eyes. Some of them were still walking back and forth in the conference room, smoking cigars, and there were bursts of laughter from time to time, which seemed very lively. .
As soon as Dr. Zhong came in, he felt that the atmosphere was not right, so he bit the bullet and talked about the specific resettlement situation first, and then explained Mr. Boncourt's requirements.
"Vaccinium is nothing, I can make the decision on this." Wei Bachi thought for a while and said. He held a giant corolla-shaped South China Sea cigar in his hand, which did not match the shape of his face. "What is the purpose of these two Dutchmen coming here? Do they want to negotiate with us?"
"I don't think there is any specific purpose." Dr. Zhong said. "The governor's envoy said: It is a private visit."
Liu Zheng said: "I think these two Dutchmen have evil intentions. I'm afraid they are spies!"
"That's for sure, spies. Let alone these days, diplomats will not still have the obligation to collect intelligence in a few hundred years." Wei Bachi disagreed, "Anyway, if you give them some muscle, they might be able to call themselves Dutch in the future. Just get out of here and save us from using force."
What everyone was most interested in was the young pony - the elders were puzzled that the Dutch would travel thousands of miles to East Asia with their children. Now I feel relieved when Dr. Zhong said that it was for vaccination. After all, in this era where everyone from the emperors and nobles to the common people became pale after hearing the "flower", a medical technique that can prevent infection is enough for people to take such a big risk.
Moreover, given their status, the process of sailing is certainly difficult. After all, they are not hard-working sailors or small businessmen. They do not have to take risks to ride on a broken ship that requires constant pumping of water to float, nor do they suffer from long-term consumption of poor food and excessive consumption. Even if you lose your life due to hard work, safety is still guaranteed.
"Speaking of which, what are the identities of these two people?" Wei Bachi asked.
"According to what the envoy said, Huygens' father came on behalf of the prince - that is to say, he came on behalf of the seven provincial governments, not on behalf of the East India Company. As for Mr. Buncourt, he is from the East India Company. A senior businessman is at least on the same level as Hans Putmans here."
"I still can't understand why the Dutch sent a diplomat and a senior businessman to Taiwan? And sent a special ship? Is it just to send their children to be vaccinated against cowpox and take a look at our construction? Achievements? The Dutch are not sick, are they?" Liu Zheng was still surprised.
"I think their purpose is to negotiate with the shogunate to resolve the Hamada Yabei incident." Wei Bachi has considered this issue many times. He said, "From 1626 to now, Japan-Dutch trade has been interrupted. According to history, It was this year that the issue was finally resolved through the Dutch compromise."
Say so. Everyone is relatively relieved. Trade with Japan is indeed the most important trading activity of the Dutch East India Company in East Asia. One can imagine their urgency to solve this problem.
"The only thing I find strange is that the representative of the Dutch government, Mr. Constantin Huygens, is not an employee of the East India Company. And the seven-province coalition government generally does not interfere with the East India Company's activities in Asia."
Li Di said: "Huygens should be more focused on us - after all, we are now a major force in East Asia."
"This is also possible." Wei Bachi nodded, "We will entertain them and see what trouble they can cause."
Then he said to Zhong Lishi: "I'll leave this matter to you. I see you are very interested in Father Huygens..."
Zhong Lishi quickly defended: "I am talking to his son..." Suddenly he felt that such a statement was inappropriate, and quickly changed the topic: "They are guests, so we naturally have to fulfill our friendship as landlords." After that, he added After looking at the elders, he said earnestly: "We are all guests, so don't do anything that will scare the guests - be more decent."
All the senators at the scene expressed that they were "very happy to have friends from far away" and had absolutely no thoughts of zombies. They were all "gentlemen" of the Senate and so on. Then everyone said that a grand reception should be held to entertain the Dutch distinguished guests. Wei Bachi was particularly excited about this:
"We must entertain our foreign... no, guests well." He said, waving his cigar wildly, "let them fully appreciate the hospitality of my Senate and the deep friendship for the Dutch people."
At dusk, Zhong Lishi and several chefs started preparing dishes for the reception in the customs kitchen.
In addition to being rich in knowledge, Dr. Zhong is an out-and-out "foodie" who not only loves to eat but also loves to figure out how to cook. When I was in Lingao, I started cooking for myself very early. After the completion of the Taipei Observatory, colleagues from the Ministry of Science and Technology only need to get good ingredients or find some suitable excuse. They would gather people to go to the observatory and let Dr. Zhong give him a spoon. Some people joke that in addition to the many instruments and equipment in the Taipei Observatory, there are also many kitchen utensils.
He came to Taiwan on a business trip this time and made sufficient preparations for his appetite. There is a box full of various kitchen utensils and condiments. The kitchen in the Customs House, which had been vacant, was given to him.
The kitchen was very busy at this moment, and Zhong Lishi asked Zhong Xiaoying to keep an eye on the jar of tomato soup. He was holding a hammer and pounding the meat paste for swallow skin. After preparing the swallow skin, he turned around and asked Xiaoying to bring the seasoned minced meat, but it turned out that the person helping behind him was Huygens.
Zhong Lishi was surprised: "Mr. Huygens? How do you..."
Huygens smiled slightly and said to Zhong Lishi: "I am also very interested in cooking. I just heard your daughter say that you are good at cooking, especially the roast duck which is very delicious. I want to come and see the duck you roast and what we have there. What's the difference between roast goose..."
"Welcome! Welcome! Just don't mind the mess in the kitchen..." Zhong Lizhi greeted Huygens. I secretly wondered: When did Zhong Xiaoying learn to speak German? As for these Dutch people, it is very rare for them to be able to speak a few fluent Cantonese.
Zhong Lishi looked back and saw that Zhong Xiaoying was cheering the duck up quickly, joking with the golden girl while cheering. Although I couldn't hear what was being said, I could tell that the two were communicating.
"Xiaoying!?" Zhong Lishi was shocked.
Huygens probably noticed his surprise and couldn't help but smile and said: "Don't be surprised, your daughter doesn't speak German, but Credia learned from Chinese sailors and merchants on the ship and in Batavia. Learned a lot of Chinese..."
"It's in Cantonese," Zhong Lishi said.
Huygens was puzzled: "Isn't that just Chinese?"
Zhong Lishi couldn't laugh or cry. This traditional misunderstanding that all Chinese people in Hollywood movies in the 20th century speak Cantonese has a long history. At that moment, I had to say: "Look, you speak Low German, while Mr. Boncourt and I both speak High German... You can't say that the two are the same thing."
"Oh, I understand what you mean." Huygens said thoughtfully, "but your German is very strange..."
Dr. Zhong was about to continue explaining when he suddenly heard laughter from two girls beside his ears. When Zhong Xiaoying saw Zhong Lishi showing up to her, she smiled mischievously at Zhong Lishi. Speaking loudly to him in Mandarin: "Father, I don't understand her Cantonese very well..."
Dr. Zhong warned, "Be careful when doing things, or you may get burned!"
Zhong Xiaoying said to Zhong Lishi: "Cretia said he wanted to teach me how to cook fish using the Dutch method..."
"Really? That's perfect." Zhong Lishi thought that this was a good way to promote benefit. Of course, it’s hard to say what specific uses this kind of friendship has…
Suddenly he realized that his ideas had become too "senator-like". Everything must have meaning and use.
Zhong Lishi hung the cheered ducks into the oven - he roasted six in total. Not to mention the elders, a few Dutchmen are probably big eaters, and six ducks is the minimum. He looked at the fire head, fiddled with it with an iron hook, and when he saw that the fire was at a suitable level, he closed the fire door and came to watch Cretia's Dutch-style grilled fish.
"Remove the bones, tail, and head, leaving only the meat...then add olive oil, bay leaves, onions, milk..."
It can be seen that Cretia has good skills and her movements are very skillful. Dr. Zhong couldn't help but admire her. In his opinion, this girl should be regarded as a lady, but he didn't expect to be able to work in the kitchen.
"I used to help my mother cook," Cretia said. "Then God took my mother away, and I was the only one left to cook..."
Dr. Zhong knows that the average age of people these days is very short, but it can be heard from her words that the Boncourt family was not a wealthy family in the early years. Otherwise, in this era of low labor costs, they would not have asked their wives and daughters to cook. meal. No wonder she and Zhong Xiaoying have something in common - they both come from working people's backgrounds.
"Miss Boncourt is a very capable young lady. Thanks to her for taking care of our lives along the way." Huygens said with a smile. He was a Dutch nobleman and diplomat. However, the social atmosphere of the Netherlands is different from that of other European countries. The aristocrats and wealthy people live a simple life and advocate labor. Therefore, the attitude towards labor is relatively positive.
Dr. Zhong took the opportunity to inquire: "Mr. Huygens, how is your little son Christian?"
Hai Ge 138oo1oo.)
