I'm sure of the prosperous age of Kangxi and Qianlong!

Chapter 374: Partition of the Philippines

"Those Spaniards want peace?"

"Yes, the governor of the red-haired ghost said he wants to negotiate with us."

"Go and inform Mr. Cui that our generals cannot meddle in such matters casually."

Cui Li has not yet made a clear official appointment, but he is already managing the civil affairs of Manila City.

Moreover, the emperor had already assigned functions and powers to them long before he came to Luzon with the army.Cui Li was in charge of Luzon's civil affairs, while Liu Sheng was in charge of military affairs. The two had nothing to do with each other, at least until the new decree came down.

Cui Li took the interpreter from Honglu Temple who accompanied the army and came down to the front of Fort Santiago under the escort of several soldiers.

When the Dutch heard the news, two representatives came, namely the navy commander and the army commander.

However, based on the status and combat effectiveness of the Dutch navy and army, the main representative is naturally De Wit.

Spanish Governors Cosio and Campo also brought their personnel to the negotiation table, and immediately spoke first: "What happened before was all a misunderstanding. We in Spain have never thought of persecuting the Tang people in Luzon Island. Please don't be misunderstood." The Dutch were deceived..."

DeWitt was a little angry and said, "Mr. Cui, don't be fooled by these cunning Spaniards."

Cui Li said: "We are already on the negotiating table, so there is no need to talk about misunderstandings. Moreover, you have massacred Han people in Luzon several times in a hundred years. I don't need to repeat this to you, right? So, you If you are just here to tell lies with your eyes open, then I don’t think there is any need for peace talks.”

Cosio and Campo were speechless. Spain had indeed massacred too many Chinese people in Luzon, and they could no longer clean it up. The congressmen behind them who were responsible for making suggestions did not know what to say.

After a moment of silence, Cosio and Campo almost figured out the temperament of the Tang official in front of them, and asked directly: "I wonder how your country is willing to withdraw its troops from Manila?"

De Wit said quickly: "It's impossible. We, the Netherlands and China, won Manila together. Mr. Cui, you must not be fooled by these Spaniards."

If the Chinese army really withdraws from Manila, the Netherlands will have no choice but to withdraw its troops, and will have to face the Spanish respite alone.

Whether they can withstand it or not, the Dutch will definitely suffer a loss.

Cosio and Campo said disdainfully: "We are talking with China, not with the despicable and cunning Dutch."

Cui Li sneered contemptuously: "Don't make any mistake, you are surrendering now. What you should be asking is how can we let you go."

Cosio and Campo suppressed their anger and humiliation and said: "How about 10 pesos? And in the future, Spain will absolutely guarantee the safety of Chinese people in Manila, and China will no longer impose additional taxes and provide tariff concessions." .”

10 pesos is less than 10 taels of silver based on the exchange rate. Such a small amount of money is spent begging.

After all, these Spaniards were once glorious. Even if they are now in decline, they still cannot adapt to the gap for a while.

Cui Li was too lazy to talk anymore and said directly: "There is still 200 million pesos in war compensation for the entire Philippine Islands. All Spaniards in the Philippines must leave the Philippines immediately and unconditionally, and are not allowed to bring any property."

This is an exorbitant price. The entire Philippines and China will definitely not be able to eat it, and they will suffer from severe indigestion after eating it.

Cosio and Campo were furious: "This is impossible!"

De Wit couldn't help but say: "China and the Netherlands are allies. Manila was conquered by the two countries together, and the Netherlands should also share the profits."

DeWitt did not explicitly say he wanted Manila, because he would certainly not be able to compete with the Chinese army.But there are other places the Netherlands must fight for, especially the southern Philippines and the island of Cebu.

Cosio and Campo were almost in despair. Not to mention the entire Philippine Islands, if they just lost Manila, they would be severely punished by the king when they returned. It would be good to save their lives.

Because Manila is so important, the Manila galleon trade here is also called the Manila silver wire trade.

That is to say, silver from Latin America was transported to China, and then Chinese silk fabrics were transported to South American and European markets via Manila galleons.

Silver silk trade began in the Ming Dynasty, with Huzhou silk accounting for the largest proportion. Manila became an intermediate trade hub because of Huzhou silk.

The Manila galleon silver trade cushioned the impact of the Spanish Price Revolution, while also building Manila into the most prosperous colonial city in Luzon.

Just to maintain its rule here, Spain invests a large amount of American silver here every year as military expenditure.

Once this place is lost, one can imagine the impact it will have on the Spanish mainland.

Cosio and Campo said: "Aren't you afraid that your country will cut off the silver silk trade by doing this? If Spain loses Manila, Chinese silk will no longer be able to enter the American market in the future, and His Majesty the King will never sit idly by."

This was purely a deliberate intimidation. The Ming Dynasty immediately implemented a maritime ban because of the excessive inflow of silver.The Manchu Qing Dynasty closed the country to the outside world, and sea trade was almost completely cut off, but it did not have much impact.

It's nothing more than smuggling. Not only can it be smuggled in China, but it can also be smuggled in Spain.

Spain clearly had a monopoly on the galleons trade, but its local strength continued to decline.

It’s impossible for all these benefits to evaporate on their own, right?
Cui Li said: "Do you think we will care about this?"

Cosio and Campo were speechless for a while. They were discussing business transactions with a political official. Fortunately, he, the governor, could speak clearly.Cosio and Campo took a deep breath and said again: "As long as your army withdraws from Manila, there is still Tortoiseshell Port in northern Luzon Island that can be assigned to China."

De Wit hurriedly said: "We, the Netherlands, have the right to get a share of Manila's spoils."

As long as the Chinese army can stay in Luzon, he doesn't want Manila anymore.

Cui Li said: "Luzon Island belongs to my Ming Dynasty...Okay! You can retreat to the southern Philippines."

Cosio and Campo seemed to recognize the reality, saying: "The most we can do is retreat to Mindoro. This is our bottom line."

Cui Li didn't force him anymore. His target this time was Luzon.Then he said: "There is also war compensation of 200 million pesos."

Cosio and Campo shook their heads: "Two million is too much. We can only compensate 200 pesos at most."

"100."

"20, if that doesn't work, let's fight to the death!"

The amount of silver that has been swallowed up by corruption and smuggling in the entire Philippine colony over the years must have exceeded 200 million pesos, but it does not mean that these people now have so much property as Spanish officials and citizens in Luzon.

It may be true, but as long as Cosio and Campo dare to agree, then he will be waiting to be assassinated crazily!
Whether you can return home alive can only depend on luck.

Cui Li said: "Then 20 plus cinchona trees."

Cosio and Campo were a little surprised: "You actually know about the cinchona tree?"

Cui Li also heard from the Dutch that this thing is a special medicine for treating malaria. If he wants to rule Luzon for a long time, he must get this tree species.

"Then will you give it to me?"

Cosio and Campo said nothing, acquiescing.

De Wit could not help but say at this time: "Cebu Island and the southern Philippines Islands should belong to the Netherlands."

He felt that the Chinese allies seemed to have almost reached an agreement with the Spaniards, and he must quickly take advantage of the Chinese allies to gain benefits.

Cosio and Campo said angrily: "Impossible, Cebu Island can only belong to us Spaniards."

De Wit replied: "The island of Cebu has surrendered to the Dutch and it now belongs to the Dutch East India Company."

Then, the two sides began long-term negotiations, and Cui Li, on behalf of Ming China, did not stand idly by.On the one hand, he helped put pressure on his allies, the Netherlands and the Spanish, and on the other hand, he continued to add details to the terms.

After a month-long negotiation, just before the rainy season, China, the Netherlands, and Spain officially signed the "Manila Tripartite Treaty" in Manila:
First, Luzon Island belongs to China, and all Spaniards in Luzon Island are allowed to evacuate, or not.But the property may not be taken away, but must be confiscated.

Second, Cebu Island will be returned to Spain, and Spain will establish a new Governor's Palace here and restart the silver filigree trade on galleons.No country is allowed to attack the area without authorization, otherwise it will be regarded as declaring war on Spain, the Netherlands, and China.

Third, the Philippine Islands south of Cebu Island belong to the Netherlands, and the Netherlands has the right to station troops here and establish trading posts and churches.

Fourth, the Netherlands abolished Batavia's additional taxes on Chinese merchants.

Fifth, Spain must compensate China for 20 pesos in war reparations and compensate the Netherlands for 5 pesos in war reparations, and share the cinchona tree species in its hands with China and the Netherlands for monopoly by the three countries.

There were five articles in total. Except for the fact that Cebu Island was recaptured by Spain, the other articles were considered to be a loss of power and humiliation to the country.

Even on Cebu Island, the Spaniards took advantage of the negotiations in Manila to suddenly launch troops in the south and raid Cebu Island.

How could Cebu Island, which had only 50 Dutch army troops and some indigenous soldiers, withstand the attack of the former Spanish army?

With the signing of this treaty, both China and the Netherlands were full.

China got the entire Luzon, and the Dutch got the southern Philippines and the entire South Pacific waterway.

Only Spain suffered heavy losses and such a treaty spread back home.

The King of Spain would be furious, and Cosio and Campo would be imprisoned until they died.

But that's it. As long as the king is smart, he will not attack China. At most, he will restrict the silver trade.

But this certainly cannot be limited, because those colonial officials will definitely smuggle on a large scale.

　End of chapter

　　
　
(End of this chapter)