In the lobby of the garrison office of Yanziji Fortress, a diplomatic negotiation that was bound to change the world structure finally officially began.
Representatives of both parties (Zhu Youjian and Van Diemen) and attachés participating in the negotiation sat on both sides of a long table in the middle of the lobby - Hans Putsmann left Beijing two years ago and went south. Van Diemen was brought to Nanjing only now because the Governor-General of Batavia wanted to contact the Netherlands and obtain the credentials signed by the ruler of the Republic, Frederick Henry (Prince of Orange and Earl of Nassau). Thus becoming the extraordinary and plenipotentiary representative of the United Provinces Republic. Therefore, Zhu Youjian gave "a seat" according to the diplomatic practice of the Nizi era, allowing Anthony Van Diemen to sit and talk with Zhu Youjian.
Behind and around the two people, there was a circle of attachés and generals sitting, some responsible for taking notes, some responsible for interpreting, and some serving as consultants.
The draft of the "Triple Alliance Treaty", including four texts in Chinese, Mongolian, Latin, and Dutch, has been drafted in a very standard diplomatic document format and placed in front of Anthony Van Diemen. On the long table.
The three versions in Chinese, Mongolian, and Latin were all drafted by Zhu Youjian himself.
"Anthony, I don't understand Dutch, and you don't understand Chinese or Mongolian, so I hope that the "Triple Alliance Treaty" will be signed in Chinese, Mongolian, Dutch, Latin and other versions, and the Latin text shall prevail."
While Anthony Van Diemen was reading the text, Zhu Youjian had already spoken, this time in Chinese. The deputy envoy of the Huitong Pavilion, Han Buan (originally Zheng Zhilong), was the interpreter. He also arranged for someone who was proficient in Latin. Wen's Deputy Qintian Supervisor Li Tianjing was responsible for recording.
On Anthony Van Diemen's side, several Chinese businessmen from Batavia were arranged to serve as interpreters and record-keepers.
"Then let me continue speaking Latin," Anthony Van Diemen smiled. "Latin is the lingua franca of European diplomacy."
In this era, Latin was commonly used in the diplomatic activities of European countries. Anyone who did not use Latin but spoke his own language would definitely be regarded as illiterate.
Zhu Youjian nodded and said with a smile: "Today is a formal negotiation. I have to speak the official language of the Ming Dynasty... But what I want to say has been written in the Latin text of the "Three Kingdoms Alliance Treaty". Anthony, You take a look first, if there are no objections, let’s just sign and pledge it!”
Emperor Zhu's words were translated into stammering Latin by Han Bu'an. Anthony Fan Di frowned when he heard the question - why just sign and stamp it directly? Don't you want to negotiate?
Thinking of this, Anthony Van Diemen took the Latin version of the "Triple Alliance Treaty" drafted by Zhu Youjian and read it word by word. The more he read, the more he frowned.
Because His Majesty the Ming Emperor has a dark heart! He wants to be everywhere... Not only does he want to be the master of the continent, but he also wants to take over most of the islands in the South Seas, even the unexplored continent south of the East Indies. We must also belong to Ming Dynasty.
What made Anthony Van Diemen even more speechless was that Zhu Youjian actually wanted to send troops to Java Island after seizing Luzon Island to seize the fertile land there to grow rice.
Of course, in the "treaty", the special interests of the United East India Company on the island of Java will still be protected. The area of the Governor-General of Batavia can be greatly expanded, and Java Island can be divided equally with the Ming Dynasty... This heart is really dark. Even the Java Island where the Governor-General of Batavia is located, he actually I want half of it!
"Your Majesty the Emperor, why do you even want half of the island of Java?" Anthony Van Diemen frowned, looking very dissatisfied. "After all, that is the fundamental place of the United East India Company in the East!"
Zhu Youjian said seriously: "Are you uniting with the East India Company or the East India Country? If you are a country and not a company, then I will not get involved in Java... because the foundation of the country is the land and the people. , naturally cannot be easily ceded to other countries.
The company's foundation is not land and people, but the ability to make money! The land of Java cannot be managed by a few thousand Westerners like you. The natives of Java are far less diligent than the Han people of the Ming Dynasty. Therefore, the fertile land in their hands cannot generate much profit at all. There is no income from the land, and there is nothing to export or import.
Your East India Company's trade is ultimately based on agriculture. Java Island has some of the most fertile land in the world, but without hard-working farmers, it can’t generate any profits! But the Netherlands itself does not have a large population, so it is impossible to develop Java. But I have someone! There are many people in my Ming Dynasty, and some are poor people who can’t even feed themselves after hard work!
If 1 million Han farmers can come to Java, and each person cultivates 20 acres of land, 20 million acres can be reclaimed. With the land in Java, how much rice can be harvested in a year? How much cane sugar is harvested? How many spices are harvested? I guarantee that all the seaports and commercial ports on the island of Java shall be under the rule of the East India Company. In this way, the rice, sugar, and spices produced on Java Island had to go through the East India Company before they could be sold outside. How great is the profit here! "
Anthony Van Diemen's heart has moved.
The land of Java is moistened by volcanic ash and is the most fertile in the world, rivaled only by the Nile Delta in Egypt.
But the population of Java Island is too small, and the local indigenous people are used to enjoying the gifts of nature. They don’t know how to work hard. How can there be any residual value if you don’t work hard? The Dutch capitalists, headed by Antonin van Diemen, cannot exploit their surplus value. They are really anxious to death!
Van Diemen is also very aware of the diligence and hard work of the Chinese people. Therefore, the Governorate of Batavia has been introducing Chinese people and contracting land suitable for farming near Batavia to them, but the area of the Governorate of Batavia is very small. Most of the land in Java is controlled by the Sultanate of Mataram...
The military force of the Matalan Sultanate was actually not strong at all, but the Dutch population in Batavia was too small, so it was impossible to carry out a comprehensive conquest. Although the Dutch in Batavia defeated the Matalan army twice in 1628 and 1629, the Matalan Sultanate continued to expand on the island of Java and now controls the island of Java. In most areas, only Batavia and Banten in the northwest area of the island were left unconquered.
Although he was moved, Anthony Van Diemen, a treacherous businessman, wanted to suppress Emperor Chongzhen more and more at this time.
"Your Majesty," Van Diemen said thoughtfully, "your proposal is indeed very tempting, but... when it comes to Batavia's security, I, the governor, cannot easily make the decision, so I still have to ask the board of directors in Amsterdam for instructions. "
Ask for instructions?
Zhu Youjian said in his heart: The Ming Dynasty is so far away from Amsterdam. It would take a year or two to ask for instructions once. If you ask for instructions a few times, Chongzhen arrived in the 17th year!
Thinking of this, Zhu Youjian gritted his teeth and said: "I will give in one more step... After conquering all of Java Island, the East India Company can be allocated 20 million acres of arable land. I allow you to raise money for countless people in the Ming Dynasty." Farmers went to Java to cultivate those lands.
In addition, after the Ming Dynasty soldiers attacked Luzon Island, they could also allocate 5 million acres of arable land, and the East India Company would establish a manor and fully operate it. The East India Company would also be allowed to recruit landless poor people in the Ming Dynasty to farm! "
This condition is really great!
Not only did they give away the land, but they also gave away the most precious population! Oh, and to the Dutch, population is precious. But for Chongzhen, one less hungry commoner meant one less potential robber! If all the 10 to 20 million people who have no food to eat are sent to Nanyang, even if they are exploited by Dutch capitalists, he will not care.
