Rise of the 1630s South America

Chapter 1768 Chaos in the Caribbean Sea

The Caribbean Sea in April is already very hot. Located in Xinjing Port near the mouth of the Mo River (Mississippi River), many blacks from the Free State are working hard to transport supplies for several large ships.

They are all small traders who are used to doing business on the river. They row a small sampan without a keel, which is very common in China's inland rivers. Vendors are selling all kinds of fruits, cured meat, soju or other food at the front.The sales of these things are generally good, especially when a ship has been at sea for more than a month continuously, and the sailors will be more than usual eager for fresh water.

Generally speaking, the ships that come to replenish are merchant ships of the Caribbean Shipping Company, especially the ships of the Liang Brothers under the name of this company. Almost every three months, there will be a ship full of various local commodities. Come to the wharf to unload the goods, and then take away the cotton, oak (the local government requires a certain amount of free state boards to be imported every year), dried fruits, furs, tobacco, and sugar that have begun to increase in recent years.

The price of sucrose is very cheap, only 7 yuan and 6 cents per hundred catties, but due to the serious shortage of supply, no big customers have come to buy sucrose.Except for some of the commodities produced by the few sugar cane plantations in the Free State, except for some of them for their own use or for trade with Indians, most of them are bought by the merchants of Air Canada in batches, and then consumed in Huaiyuan Island and other places—there are still many Some were taken by passing ships to the Eastern Cape Verde Islands for sale—it was clear that this business was not yet big enough to bring much-needed money to the Free State.

Yes, the Free State still needs money now.Although their country currently has a total of only [-] people including Xhosa, Khoisan, Swahili, Malay, Ming, and Indian—this was added at the end of last year. The data after the approval of the Black Eight Banners in South Africa-it seems that too much currency is not needed, because it is likely to bring down their country's primitive economy and cause undue turmoil in the country.

But who rekindled their recent war with the Indian tribes?The rapid consumption of war materials made them extremely dependent on imports, and a large amount of precious metals that had been accumulated with great difficulty flowed into the pockets of Air Canada. The country may already be running out of money.

In fact, it is ridiculous to think about it. After the large amount of currency was released in the East Coast Republic of China due to the large-scale construction of infrastructure, which caused inflation to rise in prices, the country of the Free State actually experienced a suffocating deflation phenomenon. I have to say this The economy is too fragile, so fragile that it may degenerate into a state of barter in the next moment.

To be honest, Air Canada is quite kind. They have monopolized 90% of the country's foreign trade, and they have stepped up their efforts to import materials from here.For example, the oak planks needed by the Port of Mobile shiprepair yard are almost all imported from the Free State to help them tide over the difficulties as soon as possible. You must know that they could organize their own people to go deep inland to cut down oak trees, although that may have conflicts with the Indians. Armed clashes broke out.

Major Tian Xing, the head of the Chinese East Coast Republic's Advisory Group to the Free State, just returned from the Spaniard's St. Augustine port today. He was on a merchant ship belonging to Air Canada.The ship departed from Huaiyuan Island and delivered some of the guns and ammunition in St. Augustine, all of which were designated by the Spaniards, because it is said that they have been tossed by frequent French pirates recently. Small.Because of this, the governor of New Spain ordered to import some weapons and ammunition from the people on the east coast to strengthen the defense of various places, and try to prevent French pirates from attacking.

The ship that delivered the cargo then circumvented the Florida peninsula with difficulty, sailed along the northern Caribbean Sea, stopped at Pensacola and Mobile ports all the way, and finally berthed at Xinjing Port today.Accompanying Tian Xing to disembark were several intelligence officers from the Gendarmerie Command. With serious faces, they stretched out their hands to fend off many small vendors who wanted to get up to sell their goods, and then escorted Tian Xing into a carriage, directly He drove towards a commercial building not far from here. It was an office building built by Qiangdong Trading Company, and the scale was not small.

Because the road condition of this avenue along the river was not good, the carriage traveled very fast along the way, but the scenery on both sides of the Mo River was not bad, so it wouldn't make people worry too much.As far as the eye can see on both sides of the river, there are green paddy fields, and there are all kinds of trees in the forest, many of which are towering giant trees suitable for shipbuilding.There are large and small lakes, green hills, and beautiful houses in the distance. Tian Xing knows that it is a customs building built by the Xhosa blacks in the Free State under the advice of Ming scholars. This seems to mean that this country is at least In terms of import and export trade, there is a trace of a civilized country.

The customs house was built partly on a solid stone floor--it took a lot of work and money, obviously--and partly on the river, supported by huge log columns.There is a well-designed approach bridge in front of them, and the boats can dock at high tide or low tide.The customs officers wrote down the rules and regulations and pasted them on the wooden wall of the building, and a flag was erected on the roof with big Chinese characters embroidered on it, telling everyone that this is the customs, and all ships that call the port for trade Must come to pay import and export duties.

There is no doubt that this customs was established against Air Canada, since almost all trade in this country is monopolized by this company.In the previous era when the system was rough, Air Canada almost never paid taxes when going to the Free State for trade. They and their sub-agents plausibly said that we brought much-needed goods to the Free State and shipped them a large amount from South Africa. population, what taxes do they have to pay?

The reason is that this is true, and they have been doing this for many years, until the members of the Executive Committee felt that they should help the country of the Free State to establish an effective import and export tariff system to improve their government’s financial resources and increase their income. The good times for airlines are coming to an end.Fortunately, the tax rate set by the Free State is not high, and the average price of various commodities does not exceed 5%. Air Canada is not unacceptable, just think of it as sponsoring an extra sum of money to the Free State every year.

After passing through customs, the final destination is in sight.The business hall of Qiangdong Trading Company is two stories high and built in a beautiful place near the river.Probably because of the daytime, the windows are all wide open (but they must be closed at night, otherwise you will be annoyed by mosquitoes), and there are actually two small sampans parked on the river below the windows, and there are a few black people on them I'm talking about selling my own food, hoping that the rich men in the store will buy some.

The carriage quickly stopped at the open space at the entrance of the business hall. Surrounded by military police, Tian Xing got out of the car and walked into the business hall. Liang Qiangdong, who came out to greet him after hearing the news, soon welcomed him into the house.The decoration in the room is not bad, and there are many beautiful flower pots. Tian Xing looked over and saw some plants such as amaranth, impatiens and morning glory, which made people feel somewhat pleasing to the eye. a feeling of.

The house is a bit messy, because some wooden boxes and barrels are stacked randomly on the floor, and there are a lot of tea, porcelain, silk and glass products in them, and I don’t know if they are going to be given to any dignitary in the Free State. , You must know that ordinary citizens of the Free State can neither use nor afford these luxuries.

"Captain Tian, ​​congratulations on your smooth return, I thought you would be here for another month." Liang Qiangdong motioned to his secretary to make tea for everyone, and then said with a smile: "How is it? Huaiyuan Island is now well built, right? "

"That's right, the epidemic is rampant, and the economy is in decline." Tian Xing threw a hat on the table, then pouted, and said: "Huaiyuan Island is full of disasters, malaria, leprosy, and yellow fever broke out alternately, and death Many people, and the rest were also panicked. The sailors of the ships going there were also ordered to stay on board as much as possible and not enter the port, because they were afraid of being infected by various diseases. To be honest, I left as soon as I got there. , is too dangerous."

"Isn't that what the tropics are like? I thought you'd gotten used to it." Liang Qiangdong shook his head and changed the topic elsewhere: "How is it? Did you hear any news on Huaiyuan Island? It's very far from the Windward Islands and the Leeward Islands. Recently, there should be a lot of news, have the Dutch conquered a few French islands?"

"The Dutch? Just relying on their West India Company's bankrupt finances, how can they attack the French? Martinique and Guadeloupe each have thousands of French white colonists, and there are many St. Lucia. The Dutch rely on What are you capable of fighting? I heard that the island of Tobago they controlled was once occupied by the French in a sneak attack, but it was later recaptured by the Dutch mobilizing ships. In the Caribbean Sea, the biggest threat to the French is The Spaniards, they have soldiers and ships, even if their combat effectiveness is a bit weak, if they fight to the death and fight a war of attrition, the French will still be unable to bear it, at least the French on Hispaniola may not be able to bear it. Tian Xing took a sip of his teacup and said disdainfully: "No, when I was in Huaiyuan Island, some Spanish ships came over and repeatedly asked us not to trade with the French in Hispaniola Island. Our business with them has been discontinued for a long time."

"The French in Hispaniola have been besieged for a long time, right? The last time they got supplies, it should have been a year and a half ago? On that island with almost no industrial civilization, food may be easy to talk about, but war It’s hard to replenish supplies, and I guess the French are almost running out of stock, which is thanks to the Spaniards’ useless wood.” Liang Qiangdong said: “By the way, there is one thing you may not know, a while ago you When we were on Huaiyuan Island, a French ship on Hispaniola Island risked its life and broke through the siege, and came to Xinjing Port, asking us to intervene in the war on the island. Listening to their tone, it seems that they don’t mind an honorable surrender , but because we are afraid that the Spaniards will not keep their promises, we ask us to intervene and calm down the Spaniards so that they do not dare to act recklessly."

"There is still such a thing?" Tian Xing suddenly stood up and said, "This thing can actually be done! What the Spaniards want is nothing more than the island of Hispaniola. And the number of people on the island After the hundreds of French expeditionary forces were abandoned in fact, all they want now is to survive. Okay, let them evacuate to Xinjing Port. I decide this matter. It’s not a big problem. I will send people in a few days Go to Cuba and make contact with the Spaniards."

"I said, why didn't Air Canada eat these people? If my predictions are correct, those French immigrants in the western half of Hispaniola would also fear reprisals and choose to flee? They are in What did the Spaniards see during the war? To be honest, there are about [-] of these people in total. There are merchants, farmers, traders, technicians, craftsmen, and soldiers. Bang is really a great tonic. Air Canada has built Mobile City now, and it is the time when the population is short, so why not think of a way here?" Liang Qiangdong asked a little puzzled.

"How many people are there in Air Canada's Mobile City? I'm afraid it will be turned against customers by accepting so many Frenchmen at once. Besides, Air Canada is a national enterprise, so it is quite difficult to accept so many foreigners at once. It's complicated, and you have to worry about troubles like spies in the future, so just leave it to the Free State and let them make trouble. By the way, isn't your second brother Liang Zan a warlord in Fengtian City? Well, I will do it this time too. Back to the good man, the handicraft craftsman will do his best to pick your brother first, and replenish his blood, so that he can do things for the country in the future." Tian Xing glanced at Liang Qiangdong, and said with a smile: "Commander Liang Du is a minister of King Mo of Xinjing, and at the same time I am also an old friend of the people on the east coast, I have received this big gift package this time, and I will work harder in the future."

Liang Qiangdong was a little embarrassed when he heard the words. His second brother was indeed a nail for the East Coast people to break into the Free State.As the envoy of Fengtian Jiedu and the commander of the Mabu Army, he has territory and an army. The third brother is the national teacher of the Free State, and the younger brother occupies a large part of the import and export trade of the Free State. , all have great influence, and they are indeed a sharp weapon for the East Bank government to control the Mo family in Xinjing.

"Okay, let's settle this matter like this, basically no problem." Seeing that Liang Qiangdong didn't speak, Tian Xing smiled, and then he suddenly seemed to remember something, and asked Liang Qiangdong: "The Su Mo gang recently What are you doing? Before I left last time, I heard that they set up a reunion hall on Tortuga Island, recruiting a group of scattered pirates. Is this the master planner to become the Pirates of the Caribbean? What is he thinking, where is he now? He didn't communicate with me before doing these things, does he still want to hang out!"

(End of this chapter)