When we arrived in Batavia, we naturally had to visit Mr. Ludweder, Senior Commercial Counselor of the East India Company, and Colonel Ajan Van Dijk, Commander of the Batavia Fleet.

Early the next morning, Cao Xiong took Qi Dalu and a few guards, prepared six sets of exquisite porcelain and some Ming-style jewelry, and rode a carriage towards Ludweide's mansion.

"...Uncle, are we...going to visit the Chinese Mr. Kapitan Su?" Qi Dalu asked pretending to be casual.

"Of course I want to visit." Cao Xiong turned to look at Qi Dalu, "Do you want to see Mr. Su's granddaughter?"

"..." Qi Dalu blushed, "...I'm not..."

Cao Xiong smiled. When he came to Batavia last time, when he took Qi Dalu to visit Sumingang again, he saw the signs. There is nothing wrong with the young Mu Yi. But their foundation is not stable now, and their strength is still weak.

People may not think highly of us.

Let's wait two years and see what our fourth child can do with Jianye City. If we can create a smaller version of Batavia, maybe people will look up to us.

"Mr. Chao, you came just in time!" When the red-bearded butler Anri Credo saw Cao Xiong, he couldn't help but reveal a sincere smile on his face.

Mr. Chao is a very generous "friend". Every time he comes to Ludweide's mansion, in addition to giving him a valuable gift, he will also give him some higher value gifts, such as a sapphire and a piece of gold.

, or a few silver nuggets.

"In two days, Mr. Ludwig will leave Batavia and go to Palembang Commercial Station to inspect. It is said that coal has been found there, and the East India Company Committee attaches great importance to it."

"Really? Does your East India Company need coal very much?" Cao Xiong couldn't help but think of the Black Valley Coal Mine not far from Jianye City.

"Of course, the city's workshops, iron smelting, metal refining, etc. all need more coal. Even if a small family cooks a meal, coal is better than wood, isn't it?" Anri Clay

Duo explained with a smile.

Cao Xiong calmly handed Anri Credo two pieces of exquisite jadeite, which were carefully crafted by outstanding craftsmen of the Ming Dynasty.

Anri Credo brought Cao Xiong to the reception room with a smile on his face, where Ludweide was sitting on a row of soft chairs, waiting cordially for Cao Xiong.

"What did you get from going to Ming Dynasty?" Ludweder asked with a smile.

"We collected more than three hundred women to build a family for our brothers." Cao Xiong said, "I also purchased some raw silk, tea, and porcelain, and planned to sell them at a good price in Batavia."

"If you are in urgent need of turnover, I can instruct the company to buy all the goods you bring back according to the market price here!" Ludweder said. Anyway, the East India Company also needs a large amount of oriental specialties to bring back to Europe to seek high profits.

amount of premium.

You must know that when raw silk and porcelain produced in the Ming Dynasty were shipped to Europe, the profits would be five to six times higher. The buyers and consumers were almost all European upper classes, royal families, nobles, big businessmen, big lords, etc.

"That's great! I, Old Cao, would like to thank Mr. Lu for this!" Cao Xiong was overjoyed. Since Ludweide was in the middle to coordinate, he didn't have to worry at all about being killed by the Dutch, and he was also

Can quickly get rid of cargo on the ship.

"Can you reserve some space in your fleet?" Ludweder asked: "The company may arrange for your ship to deliver some supplies to several of our trading stations."

"Or Borneo?... We have a little trouble..." Cao Xiong was anxious to return to Jianye City, but he wanted to refuse.

"It's not Borneo!" Ludweder said with a smile, "And it's... just on the way."

"Since we are on our way, I will help you deliver them...but we have a lot of immigrants on board," Cao Xiong said.

"Oh, then let them squeeze in again... mainly some food, gunpowder, and daily necessities." Ludweder shrugged indifferently. In his eyes, immigrants are equivalent to some production tools.

Yes, no matter which country you are from.

"..." Cao Xiong was a little angry, "Sir Lu, it's a pity that the person we got from Ming Dynasty with great difficulty is dead."

"But our supplies must be transported there!" Ludweder said seriously. Those trading stations are essential supply points and transfer stations for the company to maintain the spice trade and transportation.

Perhaps feeling that his words were too blunt, Ludweide paused and said harmoniously: "If you are worried about too many immigrants dying on the road, I can ask the company to authorize you to stop at the business station along the road.

Supplies... When you go back to that big island, don't you just have to pass through Java Island and Timor Island? We have many trading stations there!"

"...Since Mr. Lu has given you the order, I will just do it!" Cao Xiong responded rudely: "No big deal, I will just leave more people in the warehouse at the dock, and it won't cost much food!"

"Cao, I'm very pleased that you think so." Ludweder nodded with satisfaction, "In the early days, someone on the company committee attacked me, thinking that supporting you was a mistake and a failed investment... Because, for more than a month,

Some time ago, Colonel Ajan Van Dijk told me that the two maritime armed forces we had integrated disappeared. Both the people and the ships disappeared. This means that our initial investment was completely lost. Although the loss was not much, it was

All this gives some people with evil intentions an excuse."

"So, dear Cao, you have to help me. Help me prove to the company and prove to those with sinister intentions that you are valuable to the company. Thank you very much. Last time, you proved your worth in Borneo.

The value shows your powerful force. This slightly blocked the mouths of those people."

"But that's not enough! You must constantly prove that you are valuable and can contribute to the overall development of the company. Cao, do you understand what I mean and can you help me?"

Oh, yes. Lai Si and several pirate forces wanted to attack our Jianye City, but they were all "left" there. Therefore, the two disappeared maritime armed forces that Ludweder was referring to must have

are two of them.

The Dutch East India Company may have guessed that the two pirate forces that were "left" in Hanzhou must have taken advantage but ran away. Therefore, Ludwig's opponents in the East India Company used this to

Criticize him for failing to invest and wasting company resources.

Therefore, Ludwig ignored Cao Xiong's feelings and forcefully asked their fleet to transport some supplies to the trading station.

"Lord Lu, I understand what you mean. Now we are both prosperous and disadvantaged. I haven't said that, no matter how difficult it is, I will help you!" Cao Xiong said, patting his chest.

Ludwig struggled to listen to his butler, translating the phrase "Every success is a blessing, every loss is a loss", and then, inexplicably moved, he said, "Dear Cao, you are not only my savior, but also my most sincere business partner!

I believe that we will prosper together in the future!"

After leaving Ludwig's mansion, Cao Xiong looked back. Ludwig and his butler were standing on the steps outside the door, looking at him with a smile.

"Uncle, it seems that this gentleman really needs our help!" Qi Dalu turned around and whispered.

Cao Xiong did not answer and stepped onto the carriage, followed by Qi Dalu and several guards.

"You idiot, who are you fooling!" After a while, Cao Xiong cursed in a low voice.

Qi Dalu and several guards looked at each other and looked at Cao Xiong in confusion.

"Haha..., what a bunch of idiots!" Cao Xiong laughed when he saw this.

"Anli, Cao, are you trustworthy?" Ludweder watched the carriage Cao Xiong was riding in gradually disappearing, shook his head, and asked in a low voice.

"For now, we can only believe in him." Anri Credo said: "They have gained strength, and they all seem to want to stand alone and dominate the world."

"When will they have this strength?"

"Well, maybe ten years, maybe twenty years." Anri Credo thought for a moment and said, "Maybe, not long after, they dispersed and disappeared... just like Liu (Xiang) once!"

"Won't it develop into the situation like Nicholas (Zheng Zhilong's Christian name)?"

"...They are too far away from the Ming Dynasty!"

Being too far away from the Ming Dynasty means that you cannot quickly immigrate on a large scale. Without a large enough population, you will never be able to improve your own strength.
Chapter completed!