"Your Majesty the Governor, Mr. Wei Qingmu, the Consul of the Ming Dynasty, is waiting for you in the living room. He hopes that the Governor's Mansion can lift martial law... Governor, do you want to see him?"
As soon as Governor Matsolko got out of the carriage, one of his secretaries ran over quickly and told him the news of the visit of the Ming Dynasty envoy.
"I knew he was coming. It's really troublesome!" Matsolko muttered.
To be honest, he was very envious of his predecessors' free will in dealing with overseas Chinese issues. At that time, there were not so many powerful Ming Dynasty merchant houses in Batavia, nor were there any permanent Ming Dynasty missions. Therefore, the Chinese businessmen had no choice but to endure when they were bullied. At best, they could only petition without any effect.
To the governor of Batavia, no matter how wealthy the Chinese businessmen were, they were just fat pigs waiting to be slaughtered. Those who are willing to cooperate will be given the name "Jiabitan" and let them use China to control China. Those who refuse to cooperate, haha...
But times have changed now!
First of all, those powerful trading houses from the Ming Dynasty cannot be manipulated casually - because many of the Dutch East India Company's businesses must cooperate with them, otherwise the company's profits will fall sharply...
Secondly, the Confucian classics school jointly established by this group of powerful business firms is also very troublesome! Although these schools are named after Confucian classics, their curriculum is very diverse, emphasizing both literature and martial arts, as well as Confucianism and business. Students not only have to study Confucian Classics, but also arithmetic, business, law and martial arts! The martial arts involved is not boxing and kick training, but musket training! At first I practiced with a matchlock, but later I changed to a flintlock!
Driven by these Confucian classics schools, almost everyone among the second generation Chinese businessmen who have settled in Batavia now has a gun!
As troublesome as this group of second-generation Chinese businessmen, all of whom have guns, is Wei Qingmu, the Ming Dynasty's consul in Batavia, who is smiling all over his face.
This guy is a fourth-generation Chinese businessman. When his family settled in Java, the Dutch East India Company had not yet been established!
At the beginning, his great-grandfather and grandfather were operating in Banten and became very wealthy businessmen. Later, when the Dutch established a colony in Batavia and worked hard to attract business, they recruited Wei Qingmu's grandfather, Wei Bao. Later, this Wei Bao, together with another Chinese business leader Su Minggang, became the two most powerful Chinese Kapitans in Batavia.
After Sumingang's death, Wei Bao's son, Wei Qingmu's father Wei Ding, became the leader of Chinese businessmen in Batavia.
However, Wei Qingmu, who was born in a Chinese businessman family with two generations of Dutch relatives, entered the diplomatic system of the Ming Dynasty because he studied at the Batavia Confucian School and the Nanjing University School (this experience was of course deliberately arranged) Okay), and finally became the agent of the Ming Dynasty in Batavia.
Through Consul Wei Da, the Ming court and the local Chinese businessmen in Batavia were on the line - just a line, because Zhu Cihong never had too many unrealistic expectations for the Nanyang Overseas Chinese News, let alone Provided excessive military, diplomatic and political support to the overseas Chinese in Batavia at once.
Because Zhu Cixiang knew very well that this group of overseas Chinese who left their hometowns to make a living in Java not only did not have much power, but also did not have the ability and mental preparation to control powerful power. Even if they were given enough flintlocks and cannons, they would not be colonists and they would not be able to drive away the Dutch.
Therefore, Emperor Zhu's policy towards the overseas Chinese in Batavia was to provide limited help, while exporting New Confucianism and cultivating new overseas Chinese with a certain fighting spirit.
And in this process, whether it was the envoys stationed in Batavia, the powerful Ming merchants, or the teachers of the Confucian School, they all conveyed this message without exception - the Ming Dynasty had no regard for Batavia and Batavia. Java Island has no intentions... Moreover, Holland is a good friend of Ming Dynasty!
Don't think that this moderate line will make Governor Matsolko feel comfortable. On the contrary, the Governor of the Dutch East Indies would rather the Chinese take a fiercely confrontational line, because only in that way can he fight back with great fanfare.
However, the cunning Chinese emperor was slowly but surely strengthening his power throughout the Southeast Asia region, while at the same time trying to maintain friendship with the Netherlands and allowing the Dutch East India Company to obtain huge profits from trade with China.
Even though the East India Company continued to make various small moves, and even openly promoted the establishment of the Malacca League against the Chinese Empire, Emperor Zhu did not mean to be angered at all... Of course, Emperor Zhu who was not angered was only against the Dutch. The unusual friendliness did not slow down our journey south!
This seemingly contradictory policy left Governor Matsolko in a dilemma. He wanted to fight the Ming Dynasty going south with all his strength, but he had no way to give up the huge profits. In the end, he could only choose between confrontation and cooperation. It kept swaying.
Facing a behemoth like the Chinese Empire, even if the entire Netherlands went all out, they might not have a chance of winning, let alone a swinging East India Company?
So Governor Matsolko was very much looking forward to Wei Qingmu bringing him news of a break... Of course, he also knew that this was impossible!
Wei Qingmu, who is only 25 years old this year, was quietly waiting for Matt Solko in the small living room of the Governor's Mansion. In fact, the young consul, like Matt Solko, was looking forward to a complete break.
Although a complete break will cause the Webster family's business in Batavia to suffer heavy losses, his family has already been prepared!
A large amount of money has been remitted to Guangzhou through the East India Company's bank, and the elderly and weak members of the family have also moved to Banten. The mansions in China District have long been transformed into fortresses. If there is a confrontation, with the mansions, embassies and other strong commercial buildings, the overseas Chinese in Batavia will be able to hold on for a long time.
The Sultans of Wan Dan and Madalan have long wanted to defect to China, and they will definitely come to their aid in time...
However, the text from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Ming Dynasty that was just sent clearly stated: Regarding the island of Java, the Ming Dynasty only has benevolence and righteousness, but no ambition!
...
Only benevolence and righteousness, no ambition?
I don't believe it!
After listening to Wei Qingmu's negotiation in Dutch and the Ming court's guarantee, Matsolko was really dumbfounded.
"Your Majesty the Governor," Wei Qingmu put on a sincere smile, "Ming Dynasty's position on Java Island is continuous and firm. We have not had, do not have, and will not have any territorial claims on Java Island in the past. And, we recognize the suzerainty of the Dutch Republic in Java!”
"But your aggression in the Straits of Malacca has threatened the Dutch interests in Java and the Spice Islands!" Matsolko pointed out seriously, "If you cannot stop this aggression, the Dutch Republic and the East India Company will There will be further action!”
"No, no, no... that is not an invasion," Wei Qingmu said. "The Ming Dynasty only wanted to restore the inherent order of the Malacca Strait - the Sultanate of Malacca was the vassal of the Ming Dynasty, and the Sultan of Malacca was still the consort of the Ming Dynasty. .....The Celestial Empire has the obligation to protect its vassals!"
The Sultan of Malacca did not marry a princess of the Ming Dynasty, but there has always been a legend in the Strait of Malacca that the Sultan married a Ming princess - probably because the Sultan wanted to enhance his status. After all, in the early days of the Ming Dynasty, even the distant Strait of Malacca was under the influence of the Ming Dynasty!
This legend and the status of the Malacca Sultanate as a vassal of the Ming Dynasty gave the Ming Dynasty an excuse to go south.
Wei Qingmu added: "And we, China, have never thought of monopolizing the Strait of Malacca. The privileges of the Netherlands and the United Kingdom in the Strait of Malacca will always be respected. If you two countries want to gain a stronghold in the Strait, it can be discussed. ..... Ming Dynasty is very willing to share the benefits of this golden waterway with the Netherlands and Britain!
In addition, Daming is also willing to guarantee all your privileges in Java Island and the Spice Islands! Because Ming Dynasty is the true friend of the Dutch Republic! "
