1635 Han style rises again

Chapter 81 The Batavia Storm ([-])

The afternoon sun was particularly dazzling, and the temperature reached 32 degrees. The entire city of Batavia was shrouded in hot and dry air.

"It's going to rain..." In Su Minggang's mansion, a thin old man and a chunky middle-aged man were standing under the corridor in the courtyard, watching the fish swimming around under the water pavilion.

"Mr. Su is worried that the Dutch will increase taxes in the future?" Brother Lin asked.

"The Dutch focus on business and have always done things according to the law. This tax increase is a last resort." Su Minggang said slowly: "But the Dutch have been defeated by Zheng Zhilong several times in the past few years, and they must be ashamed. I guess, In two years, there will be another conflict with Zheng Zhilong, which will definitely break the blockade along the coast of Daming."

"However, the Dutch resumed their dispute with the Portuguese, trying to gain a foothold on the island of Ceylon. Last month, they seized several strongholds in southern Borneo and fought with Boni. This place where money is used will not Less?"

"Since money is needed and the Dutch can't raise taxes again, then they..." Brother Lin shook his head bitterly.

"Yes, we Chinese businessmen may be required to contribute money again." Su Minggang also smiled helplessly.

"This Dutchman, can't he just calm down and manage Batavia well? He must fight against the surrounding forces one by one!... If the Banten Kingdom has a wise king, cheer up a little bit, maybe come back to take back Batavia Ya?"

"The Kingdom of Wandan?... Heh, with this country alone, there is no chance of taking back Batavia!... They are too backward!" Su Minggang said with a smile.

"That's right! I'm afraid it will be difficult to get up again after being huddled in the jungle on the island." Sixth Brother Lin finished speaking and sat back on the stone chair in the pavilion.

"Lin Liu, I invited you here today to talk about another matter." Su Minggang turned to look at Brother Lin Liu.

"...What's the matter?" Brother Lin looked over in surprise.

"In the morning, we participated in Mr. Ludwig's meeting together to discuss tax increases." Su Minggang walked to Brother Lin's side and sat down, "After the meeting, a man who looked like a bright man came to see Ludwig Sir, have you ever seen it?"

"See?" Sixth brother Lin nodded, "Looking at it, it seems that they are relatively close." There was a look of envy on his face.

"That man's name is Cao Xiong." Su Minggang understands why Sixth Brother Lin has such an expression. As long as he is labeled as a Dutchman, the benefits, whether it is political status or economic benefits, are self-evident.

"Cao Xiong used to be a pirate, and lived with Liu Xiang at sea. Liu Xiang died, and for some reason he ended up living in Batavia."

"Later, I asked someone to find out that Cao Xiong was actually Mr. Ludwig's savior. A month ago, Mr. Ludwig encountered two pirate ships off the coast of Batavia, and almost died in the sea. Fortunately, I met Cao Xiong leading several boats to the place where the incident happened, and saved Mr. Ludwig's life."

"Old Su, tell me, why didn't we encounter such a good thing." Brother Lin couldn't help but envy that pirate named Cao Xiong.Mr. Ludwild can make you a lot of money just by exercising a little bit of privilege in Batavia.

"Cao Xiong came to look for me yesterday." Su Minggang said softly.

"Oh, what did he ask you for? Could it be that money is tight and you want to play with Mr. Su?" Brother Lin shook his head and smiled bitterly, "He asked how much you wanted?"

"He didn't ask me for money?"

"Huh? No money, what does he want?"

"He wants... people!"

"Yes, we just want more people?" Cao Xiong greeted the forty or fifty brothers who disembarked and entered Batavia.

"So, when I am having fun in the city, you should keep your eyes open. As long as you look like a craftsman or craftsman, I will try to get it on the boat!"

"Master Cao, can you use force?"

"Use force? We're not kidnappers!" Cao Xiong thought for a while, and felt that he still couldn't kidnap people in Batavia. If we give it to him, if he wants money, we will give it to him too!"

"What if he wants a woman?"

"Uh..." Cao Xiong was ashamed and slapped the table angrily, "You damn Dong Fengshan, then I will castrate you with a knife and give it to him as a woman!"

Everyone burst into laughter, staring at Dong Fengshan's Xiasanlu with malicious intent.

"Okay, get out and go crazy!" Cao Xiong scolded with a smile: "Don't worry about your mother, don't make trouble, don't place orders."

In Batavia under the night, the salty sea breeze blows, bringing a little coolness, but the dark clouds in the sky are more dense, and a heavy rain is about to happen.

However, in this weather, Cao Xiong was invited by Lin Liuge, the leader of Chinese businessmen, to bring Hu Wenjin and Qi Dalu to his mansion for a banquet.

"Hero Cao, I've been waiting for you for a long time!" Sixth brother Lin greeted Cao Xiong and others in person outside the gate of the mansion.

"When I first arrived in your place, I failed to visit the mansion in time, brother Lin, forgive me!" Cao Xiong also said politely, cupping his hands.

Everyone followed Sixth Brother Lin into the mansion and went straight to the reception hall in the atrium.Inside, there were already several wealthy and influential merchants in the city, who were already sitting on one side of the grand master's chair, watching Cao Xiong and others enter the hall.

At this time, Cao Xiong felt somewhat flattered.A year ago, he had followed Liu Xiang to Batavia, but he had never been in the same room with so many wealthy businessmen in the city as he is today.

Thinking about it, you first-rank pirates, if it weren't for the safety of the sea, the Chinese merchants in Batavia City would never have looked at you!
However, if the savior of a high-ranking Dutch official has a close relationship, then this person is enough to make many Chinese businessmen look at you.

In the hall, everyone chatted about some anecdotes that happened in Batavia recently, and also said that Zheng Zhilong's forces had monopolized the trade in Champa Annan, and then talked about the continuous rebellion of Ming Dynasty and the resulting reduction in trade.

After sitting for a while, Cao Xiong felt a little impatient.You don't have any friendship with me, but you invite me to be a guest, so why can't you just tell me what's going on?Don't go around in circles with me!
"Everyone, please come here, but what's the matter?" Cao Xiong had no choice but to ask, if I can't help you, I'm too embarrassed to eat this meal.

When everyone heard this, they looked at each other in blank dismay. This pirate is really straightforward.

"Cao Yingxiong!" Seeing that Cao Xiong asked straightforwardly, Sixth Brother Lin didn't go around the bush, "I heard that you have a relatively close relationship with the Dutch Senior Counselor Mr. Ludwild?"

"It's not a close relationship." Cao Xiong said: "But, there is still some relationship.... Do you have something to do with Mr. Lu?"

Lord Lu?Other people's surname is Ludwig, but it's not just Lu!

"In that case, can I ask Yingxiong Cao to help me find out if the Batavia colonial agency intends to let the Chinese merchants apportion again? If apportionment, is there an amount?"

"Okay, I'll go to Mr. Lu tomorrow and ask about this for you," Cao Xiong said.He planned to say goodbye to Ludwig in advance tomorrow, so as not to leave in time, but he couldn't find anyone to say goodbye.In other words, do you have to prepare another gift for the Dutchman tomorrow?

Except for the first visit, I gave a great gift, and later I heard that Ludwidd said that he would support their artillery for free.Cao Xiong gave him another heavy gift, according to Qi Tian's intention, he was knocked down with a lot of money.If you want to deal with them in the future, it will be more or less for the sake of money. When you start, hesitate a little, maybe it is their chance.

Sixth brother Lin and many other Chinese businessmen were stunned for a while when they heard that Cao Xiong agreed to help them with this matter.

"Cao Yingxiong, you can really be called a straightforward man... We are villains!" Sixth Brother Lin gave a wry smile.

"Since I can help you inquire about apportionment, can we have dinner at the table... My nephew's saliva is almost dry!"

All the Chinese merchants laughed out loud when they heard the words, raised their hands to ask Cao Xiong to take the seat, and promised to toast a few more glasses of wine.

"Boom!" There were bursts of muffled thunder in the sky, during which there were several bolts of lightning.A few big raindrops fell sparsely, one drop, two drops... easily hitting the eaves, the bluestone floor, and the foreheads of pedestrians.

"Boom! Boom!" As the thunder became louder, the lightning became more frequent, and more and more raindrops fell.It didn't take long for the rain to spread across the city, forming dense rain nets.

Dong Fengshan and Luo Rucheng stood on the porch at the entrance of the brothel, watching the torrential rain outside, wondering if they should go back and "chat" with the foreign women they met.

But after touching his purse, he dispelled this embarrassing thought.Who told those foreign women to be so flattering, the men took out all the money in their pockets when they were happy.

Looking at the ecstatic foreign woman, Luo Rucheng felt very satisfied.

"Xiao Shan, is there any silver left?" Luo Rucheng asked tentatively.

"No more!" Dong Fengshan shook his head.

"Why don't you leave some on your body?"

"You still have some left on your body?... Then treat me to a glass of wine?" Dong Fengshan squinted at Luo Rucheng.

"Get out!... I still ask you if I have money!" Luo Rucheng said angrily.

"Crack!...Plop..." Suddenly, someone was thrown out by the thugs in the brothel, and fell on the street full of water.

"What's the matter?" Luo Rucheng tilted his head to look at the aggressive thugs.

One of the thugs from Germany, seeing the high-handed man standing by the door, nodded his head and said with a smile, "A...poor ghost...want to eat for free." He stammered in Chinese said.

"Oh, who are you! You fucking want to eat this for nothing!"

"It seems...he came from Switzerland...he said he was a cannon maker. Oh, he should go to the Ming Dynasty, maybe he will find a job."

"The one who cast the cannon?" Dong Fengshan and Luo Rucheng looked at each other. The one who cast the cannon should be regarded as a craftsman, just like those Frangji people who used to be in Dengzhou.

(End of this chapter)