"We hope to purchase four ironclad ships for 30 million silver coins!"
Putmans did not say 40 million, or even the minimum price, because he was worried that the young emperor would continue to increase the price on this basis.
Now that the quotation is available, it means that the ironclad ship can indeed be purchased, and there is room for negotiation in terms of price.
"Obviously, your offer cannot impress me. It used to be 15 million silver coins per unit, but now the unit price of the ironclad ship has risen to 20 million silver coins!"
Eighty million silver coins for four ships. A certain new emperor thought this was an acceptable price. As for whether the Dutch would accept it or not, that was their business.
"I'm afraid this is too high and far beyond our tolerance. Your Majesty, from the perspective of long-term trade between the two countries, isn't it possible to achieve mutual benefit through this transaction?"
Putmans simply could not agree to this transaction price, which was 80 million for four ships. He was afraid that the local congressmen would curse and he would be dismissed from his post.
"Otherwise, I have two choices here. One, you can give me the East Indies Islands, and I can give you eight ironclad ships. The other is, you can buy goods worth 100 million silver coins from me at a time. How about giving you four ironclad ships?"
There are many kinds of promotion methods here in Xinhuang, and there is always one that can make you fall into the trap!
"Your Majesty, these two conditions are still somewhat difficult for us to accept! The East Indies are owned by the East India Company, and eight ironclad ships cannot equal the value of the islands. It is possible to purchase goods with 100 million silver coins, but it is best Transactions can be made in installments and in batches.”
Putmans had no control over the land sale.
If the East India Company lost the East Indies, it would have to retreat to India.
But it is more feasible to purchase goods in batches. At least I will work hard to facilitate this.
"Your Majesty, with all due respect, if you help my country's navy, you can attack the British navy. Didn't the UK plunder a large amount of goods and money from your country before? I can swear on my honor as a soldier that attacking the UK and the British navy is the Netherlands' top priority. This mission is the responsibility of the Dutch Navy and myself!”
After hearing the bargaining-like conversation from the translator, Ruyter couldn't hold it in any longer, so he interjected to express his attitude and position.
"Mr. General, I express my gratitude for your words, and I understand what you mean. However, the threat to the Netherlands from the United Kingdom and the British Navy is much greater than the threat to the Ming Dynasty. And in twenty years at the latest, the Ming Navy will There will be hundreds of ironclad ships. In front of the Ming fleet, the British navy will be like a pile of bonfires on the sea that can be lit at any time! When the British fleet is eliminated, the Ming navy will completely blockade the British mainland, and no merchant ship will be able to dock. Finally, let this island return to the Stone Age! As long as I am willing, in the entire Europa region, even in the next fifty years, only France will have ironclads, and other countries will continue to use wooden sailing ships to fight. However, you two can rest assured, It is impossible for me to sell ironclad ships to Britain, there is no need for this country to exist!"
A certain new emperor also expressed his attitude. I am still young and can afford it.
If you are reluctant to spend money, then just continue to use the old method.
I also want to see you and the British guys having a heated fight!
There is no doubt that the Zheng fleet, which currently has up to twenty-four ironclad ships, has quickly surpassed the Dutch Navy and seized global dominance.
France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Spain are all in the second echelon, and the Ottomans, Sweden, Portugal, and the Ming Navy are in the third echelon.
But with the launch of two Laiyuan, six Zhiyuan, and two Yoshino, the Daming Navy, which has acquired a large number of ironclad ships, can directly join the second echelon, which is equivalent to an upgrade.
A certain new emperor didn't care about Zheng Zhilong's little wealth. Once he had money, he could purchase and equip the two major navies of Denglai and Tianjin on his own.
"I wonder if Your Majesty can agree to the plan to purchase goods worth 20 million silver coins every year for five years?"
Although the emperor's plan is grand, it is obviously not suitable for the Netherlands. When the Ming Empire forms an armored fleet, it will not only destroy the British, but also threaten the Netherlands, so...
When Putmans saw Ruit with a slightly shocked look in his eyes, he planned to broker the deal as soon as possible, lest it be like the previous times and it would be another wasted trip.
"The delivery period of the iron-clad ship is four years. The payment is 100 million silver coins. When will you complete the total payment and when can you receive the iron-clad ship?"
Anyway, the situation is like this. If you look at it, even if you pay it in ten years, a certain new emperor can agree.
"As you wish, divided into four years, twenty-five million silver coins per year!"
If Putmans refuses to agree, Ruyter will agree on his behalf. It is obviously better to wait four years than five years. One more year means more danger.
"make a deal!"
In the agreement drafted later by a certain new emperor, he also specifically stated that the other party must purchase the goods from himself, and buying things from the dumper would not be considered payment.
Of course, the Dutch will not be forced to purchase from where. Everything is voluntary. For example, tea that is not produced in the north must be purchased from the south.
As for whether they can sell such a large amount of goods, that is the Dutch people's own business. At least now that there is no war in Europe, the wealthy people can spend money.
Like some special medicines, these are the only ones available in the world at Xinhuang, and cannot be purchased elsewhere.
I just don’t know if Mao Yuanyi and Su Guansheng will be so angry that they vomit blood after hearing that four more armored ships of the Navy have been sold...
This is equivalent to cashing out 100 million silver coins, but there are at least 20 million in costs, and there are still 80 million after that.
The silver discount is more than 50 million taels, which is equivalent to the value of each ironclad ship being more than 13 million taels. The selling price is quite considerable.
After Putmans signed the agreement, he paid the first payment worth 25 million silver coins.
The contract only covers ironclad ships and rapid-fire bronze cannons, not the anti-ship missiles that are the envy of the Dutch Navy.
If you want to get it, you need to pay an additional payment of 50 million silver coins, or pay a one-time payment of 30 million silver coins to purchase it.
Ruit strongly recommends purchasing this extremely expensive weapon.
But Putmans didn't have that much money. After buying the ironclad, he had to go back to Batavia to get the money.
The total purchase amount of 50 million silver coins given by the Congress was only formal, and it was paid in cash and shipped in installments.
Ruit believed that even if he spent an extra 30 million silver coins, it would be worth it to buy a weapon that could directly ignite enemy ships.
If purchased earlier, how could the Dutch Navy be defeated by the British Navy?
Not to mention using 10 million silver coins to appease Mazarin's ambitious careerist...
There is no doubt about the credit of a certain Xinhuang. Even if the buyer does not transport everything at once, there is still a large balance and goods, they will be properly kept and will be transported away when he comes next time, and there will be no embezzlement. .
After signing the contract, Ruyter was not in a hurry and followed Putmans from Tianjin to Beidu, and also visited the capital of the Ming Empire.
It was completely different from the buildings and scenery seen in Tianjin. When he arrived at Beidu New Town, what struck Ruyter was very similar to Batavia or even cities in the Netherlands.
Two- or three-story Western-style buildings can be seen everywhere. The materials are not wood, but relatively solid masonry structures.
According to Putmans, the Ming emperor got help from magicians and built a new European-style city.
The road paved with a black material and gravel appears to be extremely smooth. Whether you are sitting in a carriage or on foot, you will not feel many bumps.
The main road is very wide and clean, with carriages and rickshaws going back and forth. There are rows of pavements on the streets, and there are people on both sides. It is extremely lively. The scene is far better than Amsterdam or Rotterdam.
It was Luyter's first time coming to the Eastern world, and everything was so novel. However, Putmans's men and the accompanying businessmen came almost every year or two, and they were probably used to it.
As a temporary tour guide, Putmans also introduced Ruit to various novelties, including the ubiquitous telephone poles...
As the temperature gradually drops in autumn, the technique of stewing meat in large pots appears again in front of street deli shops.
The delegation of Putmans and Ruyter did not go with the new emperor's motorcade, but went to their own residence first.
The place where Ruit stayed was the Dutch Embassy. To be precise, it was a large courtyard with one three-story building and two two-story buildings.
The ambassador to the Ming Empire, Van der Burgh, warmly received this fellow traveler from afar, and said that he would host a dinner and invite Putmans to dine with him.
Putmans lived at the East India Company's headquarters in the Ming Empire, which was actually less than 500 feet away from the Dutch Embassy.
However, the foreign offices that established diplomatic relations with the Ming Empire were all located in the embassy district, while the East India Company's headquarters was located in the business district.
Opposite the Dutch Embassy is the French Embassy, and in the distance are the Swedish Embassy and the Japanese Embassy. Nearby are the Ottoman Embassy, the Siamese Embassy, the Portuguese Embassy, the Roman Embassy, etc.
Every embassy has a telephone, so you can contact the outside world at any time. Whether you contact other embassies, the Ministry of Rites of the Ming Empire, or the emperor's cabinet, you can do it without leaving home.
In order to immediately learn about many things in the Ming Empire, each embassy was not short of money, so they ordered all newspapers and periodicals available on the market and had the publishers deliver them to their doorsteps.
Factory guards are responsible for protecting the outside of the embassy area, and the security inside the respective courtyards can be taken care of by national armed personnel.
However, artillery, grenades, bows, and crossbows are not allowed, and muskets, knives, swords, axes, and spears can be used.
If an abnormal situation occurs and you cannot handle it yourself, you can immediately call the security personnel outside.
Although Ruit is not a diplomat, he also received a special certificate.
There are photos and a brief introduction on it. With this document, you can travel smoothly in the embassy area.
Before Ambassador Berg's dinner even started, Ruyter was invited out by Putmans.
Because the embassy’s dinner was all local food, far less delicious than the street food in the Ming Empire.
Luit also smelled it when he entered the city, but he was too embarrassed to speak.
Including their respective assistants and companions, the total number of people in the group was only ten, so Putmans took it upon himself to treat everyone to a meal.
Due to the failure to reach an agreement to purchase ironclad ships, Ruit had trouble sleeping and eating, and only ate bread and grilled fish.
Now that I am relieved, I can eat as much as I want.
Putmans was also very generous in entertaining the navy general. He directly served roast duck, and one for each person!
"Try it! This is one of the many delicacies of the Ming Empire!"
"Okay! How much does one cost?"
"The equivalent of silver coins is about one and a half silver coins. With wine and side dishes, it's three silver coins. But don't worry, I will pay for it. You are considered a guest here!"
"Aren't you?"
"Yes, but I have been here many times, and each time I have different impressions and changes. The emperor once advised me to settle in North America, but I prefer this place, a dreamy and prosperous city, a place that many people pursue throughout their lives. !”
"North America?"
"right!"
"Why?"
"Don't you know that Parliament approved the payment of ten million silver coins to France?"
"so what?"
"I hope you will use your reputation to guarantee the following content and never leak it to a third person!"
"Okay! I promise you! Do you need to swear?"
"No need, I believe in your character!"
"Then I'd like to hear the good news!"
"The Emperor of the Ming Empire once predicted that the Netherlands would be occupied by the French army in about fifteen to twenty years, and then its national power would turn from prosperity to decline. I think what happened last year was a sign!"
"……sign?"
"Yes, do you think Mazarin would be satisfied with a mere ten million silver coins? Would Cromwell and Blake stop there? What if they didn't? What if they formed another anti-Dutch military alliance? What should we do then? We can’t defeat Britain in a naval battle, and we can’t defeat France in a land battle. In the end, we will be subjugated! In that case, we might as well go to North America as soon as possible and fight the Indians, which is much easier than fighting the French!”
"Are you so pessimistic about the situation?"
"You must have understood from the Ming Emperor's reply before that the emperor already hoped to get the East Indies, and France was an ally of the Ming Empire. If the Netherlands is eventually occupied by the French army, what do you think will happen in the Eastern world? "
"..."
"As far as I know, the shipyards of the Ming Empire can build twenty ironclad ships every four years, and we only purchased four ships from the third batch! Most of the first two batches were bought by Zheng Yiguan Go, now he is the Duke of the Ming Empire. If the emperor orders Zheng Yiguan's fleet to attack the East Indies, the company's armed merchant ships are no match for the ironclad ships. There is no need for the emperor to mobilize his troops, just Zheng Yiguan has an army of 40,000 to 50,000 people and can occupy the entire archipelago."
"The company doesn't know about this?"
"Don't you think they know? What's ridiculous and ridiculous is that they know this and think it won't happen. It all stems from the huge profits brought by trade!"
"If Ming Dynasty goes to war with us, won't it also harm their interests?"
"Years ago, the emperor reached an agreement with the Ottoman Sultan. Once the canal connecting the Mediterranean and the Red Sea is built, the Ming Empire's fleet can transport goods directly to Alexandria! I think you know the world map very well and know that It will mean something!”
"...What are the company's and local responses to this?"
"The company is busy making money, and the locals are busy appeasing Mazarin, and at the same time trying to defeat Cromwell's lackey Blake, how can they care about the canal?"
