1635 Han style rises again

Chapter 518 Dutch stronghold in Hanzhou

On March 1644, 10, Hanzhou, Jianye City.

The "Oldenburg" under the Dutch East India Company docked gently at the Jianye Port wharf. As soon as the ship stopped, a large group of sailors couldn't wait to board the wharf.

A large amount of ship materials, canvas, rigging, medicinal materials, whale oil, saltpeter, and wheat from India were shipped on board.As for rice, which was once the most popular commodity in Hanzhou, it seems that it can’t be sold at a high price here. I heard that the Hanzhou people have opened up many rice fields on Timor Island and the huge island to the east.As a result, the Dutch merchant ships traveling to and from Hanzhou have gradually removed rice from the trading catalog and started trafficking wheat from India instead.

Although the value of commodities such as wheat, ship materials, and saltpeter was small, the quantity was large enough to fill the 500-ton Galenic ship.In other words, Hanzhou seems to be able to produce more and more goods by itself, and it is becoming more and more picky about the goods trafficked by the Dutch.

In order to balance the trade gap between the two parties, the Dutch East India Company had to rack its brains to organize the goods that Hanzhou could not produce itself, or the output was not enough for its own needs.Only in this way can the merchant ships under the banner sail to Hanzhou without empty cabins, and the trade balance between the two parties can be slightly balanced.Of course, they purchased a large number of Hanzhou industrial products, which could then be sold to markets such as the East Indies, Ceylon, and even India, earning a considerable price difference.

Every time he comes to Jianye Port, Captain Ernie Sigurdsen feels an inexplicable joy, well-equipped wharf, serious and professional port management personnel, enthusiastic Hanzhou businessmen, and clean and tidy Orderly urban planning.Oh, yes, there are also many delicacies that make people linger.

When entering Jianye City, Captain Ernie Sigurdsen couldn't help but stretch out his hand to sort out his military uniform and appearance.He didn't want the Hanzhou people to see the sloppy image of their Dutch East India Company employees.Although the Hanzhou people in Jianye City are not all rich and decent people, everyone is dressed very neatly and neatly, and they also show a high-spirited and confident appearance.

The streets in the city are still very clean, and there is no scene of feces and urine everywhere and garbage everywhere in European cities. This makes every sailor and businessman who enters the city feel a sense of comfort and relaxation.

"Sir, should we go to the restaurant to enjoy a delicious meal first, or go directly to the company's shop?" Second Lieutenant Mill Price on the ship asked, but his eyes kept looking at the two sides of the street. Looking at restaurants and restaurants with various signs, it seems that I can still hear the sound of swallowing saliva in my throat.

"There is nothing to eat in the company's store, so let's find a restaurant to fill our stomachs first." Captain Ernie Sigurdsen said with a smile: "After more than ten days at sea, I guess everyone can't wait to let go. Have a big meal!"

"Oh, I want to eat the kind of food with meat and vegetables wrapped in the dough, and then drink up the soup in the bowl. It tastes so delicious." Said the boatswain behind him.

"No, no, no!" Another officer shook his head and said, "I want to order a table of stir-fried side dishes. Damn it, I almost vomited those dried salted fish and dried salted meat on board."

"Didn't everyone on the boat share a few cans of Hanzhou-produced fruit? Poor Second Lieutenant Ji Rui, did you eat all the cans distributed in one day!"

"Yes, that canned fruit is the most delicious food in the sea. After eating one can, you can't control your strong desire at all, that is to eat another can! ... I decided, wait a few days When we leave Jianye Port, I will use my salary to buy a few more cans on board. Who knows, one day I will encounter an unknown storm and take me to God.”

"Damn it, Second Lieutenant Jirey, shut your stinking mouth." An officer slapped the guy who uttered jealous words, "I hope our Oldenburg can take us back safely forever Come ashore."

"Okay, gentlemen." Captain Ernie Sigurdson pointed to a lively restaurant ahead, "I decided to eat here, what do you think?"

"Oh, that's this restaurant. I think my stomach has started to wriggle around." Several military officers surrounded Captain Ernie Sigurdsson into this restaurant with a beautiful plaque hanging on it .

Cao He, the commander of the black guards, and He Qing, the deputy commander, were eating in the restaurant while talking in a low voice, when they suddenly saw five or six Dutch naval officers walking in, they stopped talking immediately, and looked at towards the door.

After Captain Ernie Sigurdsen and a group of naval officers entered the restaurant, many diners in the restaurant looked over subconsciously, nodded gracefully to the diners in the restaurant, and then, under the guidance of a restaurant clerk, walked inside A large dining table goes.

"Now, the Dutch are coming and going to our Hanzhou mainland more and more frequently." Cao He smiled and said: "It is estimated that more than half of the overseas commodity trade and transportation of our country is controlled by them. The impact of our domestic foreign trade will definitely be serious."

"Our number of ships is still too small." He Qing shook his head and said: "Moreover, most of the shipping capacity has been transferred to the vicinity of Daming to carry out immigration transportation tasks and interfere with the situation in Daming. It is estimated that in a short period of time, our foreign trade commodity transportation will still be You have to rely on the Dutch."

"The Dutch come and go to our Hanzhou mainland so frequently, the people at the polling office will definitely have a headache. I heard that they have secretly captured several groups of Dutch spies in recent months, some spying on our country's political and military intelligence, and some Those who stole industrial technology even instigated officials of Qi State. These Dutch people have a lot of tricks."

"How many Dutch spies did they catch?" He Qing changed his expression and asked softly: "Is there any important person? Can you instigate him to work for our black guards?"

"Do you want to train a few double agents to enter the Dutch East India Company?" Cao He was also a little moved.

"If there is an insider, the Dutch will send spies over in the future, and they will have accurate targets when arresting people." He Qing said: "In addition, several of our brothers were accidentally captured by the Dutch in Batavia. Yes. Perhaps, someone can be sent over to talk privately with the Dutchman, and whether there may be an exchange of prisoners between the two sides."

"It's a good idea to bring back the lost brothers. You'll go to the polling office in a while, and get someone to deal with this matter, and try to bring back all of us." Cao He nodded and said, "That's right. , Batavia has found out a news that the Dutch have established a secret stronghold somewhere in the north of our Hanzhou. Have you found out the specific location and the corresponding route?"

"No." He Qing frowned and said, "It is said that the Dutch have kept that location very secret, and the relevant supplies for that stronghold are transported by fixed armed merchant ships."

"Is there any way to find out which ships they are, and then try to catch some sailors or navigators?" Cao He asked.

"I haven't found out which ships are responsible for the transportation yet." He Qing said with a bitter face: "We are going to ask someone to contact the commander of the Batavia Navy to see if we can get some breakthroughs."

"The Admiral of the Batavia Navy is the most important senior leaders of the Dutch East India Company!... How sure are you?"

"Five percent." He Qing said with some uncertainty: "Before the war, our people had contact with him, and heard that the commander of the Batavia Navy was about to resign and return to the mainland of Europe, and he might send some money to him. , can get some useful information. Anyway, if you want to get away from the Nanyang region, why don’t you sell the information you have for some money, maybe!”

"You personally go to Batavia to supervise this matter, and by the way, exchange the captured personnel of the two sides, and do it together." Cao He ordered: "For the Dutch to establish a secret stronghold in Hanzhou without authorization, we must We must thoroughly understand it. Otherwise, once there is a conflict with them in the future, the existence of this stronghold will pose the greatest threat to our Hanzhou mainland."

"If this stronghold is confirmed, what should our country of Qi do?" He Qing asked.

"Most likely to issue a warning first, and then negotiate with the Dutch to get them to withdraw from this stronghold. If not, an armed confrontation may occur.... Even a war is possible." Cao He couldn't help but glanced at the place. The Dutch naval officer who was eating next to him said, "It is clearly ill intentions to set up a stronghold in front of our house."

"Tell me, could this group of Dutch officers be the officers and soldiers of the ship that happened to deliver supplies to the secret base?" He Qing followed Cao He's gaze and looked at the group of Dutch officers who had just entered the restaurant.

"Hehe..., it can't be such a coincidence." Cao He laughed dumbfounded when he heard this, "Why don't we tie a few back on the street later, so that we can torture them?"

He Qing also smiled when he heard Cao He's joke, and then lowered his head to eat the food and wine on the dinner table.

Captain Ernie Sigurdson was chatting and laughing with several officers, while observing the two Hanzhou soldiers in black military uniforms at the table from time to time. Looking at their epaulettes and costumes, they should be two middle- and senior-level soldiers. The officer couldn't help feeling somewhat vigilant.

"I feel that every time I come to Hanzhou and this Jianye City, I can feel some drastic changes here." The second lieutenant Mill Price on the ship said: "The population here seems to have changed. There are more and more commodities on the market, and the size of the city is also expanding year by year. Of course, the life of Hanzhou people seems to be getting better and better. I think that the income of residents here must be higher than that of The income of those urban residents in our Europe is much higher. Because they eat too many types of food, and the taste is also extremely delicious.”

"So, do you want to settle here after finishing your military service?" Another officer asked with a smile, "This country is an out-and-out pagan country. There is no God here!"

"I think Hanzhou should be a country with extremely complicated beliefs, just like the huge Ming country in the north. They seem to have a lot of beliefs, but it makes people feel that they don't believe in anything. Oh, God, I am Some people can't understand the inner world of these Orientals!"

"However, Easterners, including Hanzhou people, should be a nation that is very good at construction." An officer said seriously: "I heard that Hanzhou was originally a very desolate and barren continent, but Hanzhou people It is hard to reclaim arable land here, set up factories, and build many such neat and beautiful cities. And the Hollenburg we established in Hanzhou (now Kitts Harbor in northern Australia), it has been more than three years now, It still looks like a dilapidated fishing village, and it can't even support itself. If it weren't for us..."

"Shut up, Lieutenant Hendry!" Captain Ernie Sigurdson interrupted the officer's words sharply, and then whispered: "Don't forget where we are now! You like this Loudly, do you want the Hanzhou people to know the secret of that stronghold?"

"They don't understand what we're saying..." the officer argued, and then subconsciously looked around at the diners eating in the restaurant, and finally turned his head to see Captain Ernie Sigurdsen's stern eyes, thinking A little weak, "I'm sorry, sir. I slipped my mouth for a while... No one here should have noticed our conversation..."

"Remember, Holenberg is very top-secret information in our entire East India Company. Anyone who leaks it will be tried by a special court. As for the consequences, I don't need to remind you!" El Captain Ni Sigurdson said in a low voice, and then glanced sharply at the several naval officers present.

Several officers nodded quickly, expressing that they would never leak their words easily again.

"Okay, gentlemen, let's have a delicious lunch first. As for other things, let's forget about it." Captain Ernie Sigurdsen said with a smile, trying to ease the tension on the table. Embarrassing and weird atmosphere.

"However, we East India Company people are really not good at construction." Captain Ernie Sigurdson complained in his heart.

(End of this chapter)