Brother Lin Liu looked at the sick-looking Su Minggang and sighed slightly in his heart. Maybe the days of Kapitan, the first Chinese in Batavia, were running out.

Su Shaonian, the eldest son of Su Minggang, looked apologetically towards Brother Lin Liu with a look of helplessness. Since August, his father had been seriously ill and his condition had been in good and bad condition. He had been lying in bed to recuperate his health and was unable to see anything.

"Haosheng has taken good care of your father. If the situation improves a little, be sure to let me know." Brother Lin Liu said softly: "Many Chinese businessmen in Batavia are still counting on Mr. Su to continue to give us guidance on how to deal with the current complicated situation."

"Father, in the past year, he has stopped taking care of all matters at home. As for outside affairs, I probably haven't heard of them for a long time." Su Shaonian shook his head and whispered.

Brother Lin Liu glanced at Su Minggang in the hospital bed again, feeling a little disappointed.

In the past two months, there have been rumors in the city of Batavia that the Dutch took the initiative to negotiate peace with Hanzhou and end the war between the two sides for more than three years. This seemed a bit abrupt to many Chinese businessmen in the city, but it was

I think it's natural.

Because during these three years of war, the Dutch, who dominated the Southeast Asia with maritime power, were frequently attacked by Hanzhou. Many merchant ships traveling to various parts of Southeast Asia were also frequently attacked by Hanzhou, causing considerable losses. And the Dutch

It seemed that they had not achieved any results on the Han people, which made the Chinese businessmen in Batavia both shocked and inexplicably excited.

The Chinese in Batavia were secretly happy that the Dutch were defeated in front of the Han Dynasty. Not only because they were also Ming people, but also because in recent years, the colonial authorities of the Dutch East India Company had frequently sent orders to all the people in the city.

This is because Chinese businessmen are levied various expenses and are squeezed even more.

The natives from the Kingdom of Banten and the Kingdom of Mataram came. In addition to contributing a large amount of gold and silver supplies, the Chinese businessmen also had to provide the men of their families, shop assistants, and workers in the workshops to the Dutch to form a strong people's team to fight with them.

The natives fought hard.

After Hanzhou successively attacked the East India Company's trading stations on the Southeast Asian islands, Chinese merchants were levied special taxes to rebuild and restore several important stronghold facilities.

Just in April this year, the Dutch colonial authorities once again apportioned 50,000 taels of silver and certain supplies to Chinese businessmen, said to be in preparation for the Portuguese attack on Malacca. This made many Chinese businessmen miserable, but they did not dare to object openly and could only

There was endless slander in their hearts.

Brother Lin Liu heard the news yesterday that someone saw more than ten Hanzhou peace talks officials arriving in Batavia and settling in the post arranged by the Dutch. He immediately realized that the Dutch might really want to fight with them this time.

The Han people have ended the war. Then, they

Many of us Chinese businessmen in the city were undecided on how to deal with this situation. So, he came to Su Mansion and discussed with Su Minggang, hoping that he would provide all Chinese businessmen with decades of experience in Nanyang trade.

A coping strategy.

"Ahem..." Su Minggang on the hospital bed suddenly coughed violently several times. Su Shaonian quickly stepped forward and helped his father up when he woke up.

"Mr. Su..." Lin Sixth Brother saw Su Minggang's cloudy eyes looking at him and shouted hopefully.

"...I already know..., cough cough..." Su Minggang coughed violently a few times, "Inform all Ming people and merchants that from now on, Ming Zunhe people will secretly support Hanzhou, which may protect us for a long time.

"

"Ming Zunhe Ren, secretly support Hanzhou." Lin Liuge chewed on these words, and then bowed respectfully to Su Minggang, "Thank you, Mr. Su, for your guidance."

Seeing Brother Lin Liu leaving, Su Minggang turned his head and looked at his eldest son, Su Shaonian.

"I'm afraid I don't have much time left. I have dozens of people in my Su family planning, and some things...should have been arranged early...In this dispute between the Dutch and Hanzhou, we may have underestimated Hanzhou's strength.

Strength. In the past three years, Hanzhou has not only been suppressed and defeated by the Dutch, but has been able to draw the opponent. If the war between the two sides is ended this time, Hanzhou will definitely be able to take advantage of the situation to rise in the Southeast Asia and become a powerful force on par with the Dutch.

"

"The power of the Ming Dynasty is gradually declining, and it is no longer able and unwilling to protect our Ming people in Nanyang. The Dutch also make more use of us Ming people instead of taking them as a favor. The natives are ignorant and cruel, and they are jealous of our Ming people.

In the land of Nanyang, my Ming people are like duckweeds without roots. It is difficult to find them for a long time.

An. For today's plan, Hanzhou is gaining momentum. It is of the same origin as China and the Han people, and may be relied upon by the Ming Dynasty. After the Dutch negotiate peace with Hanzhou, the Su family can transfer half of the savings accumulated over the past few decades.

When we arrived at Hanzhou, we relied on the daughter of the Su family to marry Cao Xiong's nephew and take shelter in Hanzhou."

"Father, can Hanzhou's rise last long?" Su Shaonian asked.

"I don't know if it will last long." Su Minggang closed his eyes and thought for a moment, then said softly: "But if there is a chance, I have to take a gamble."

———————————

"Do you, Hanzhou, have a fleet in the waters near Japan?" Dutch negotiator Rowlet Mapplethoropou asked as soon as Hanzhou and his delegation entered the venue.

"Where our Hanzhou fleet appears is a secret deployment of our Hanzhou military. As the representative of this peace negotiation, I cannot give you a corresponding reply." said Li Renchang, the chief representative of Hanzhou, Minister of Industry and Commerce.

"..." Rowlett Mapplethorpe stared at Li Renchang fiercely and said angrily: "Two months ago, two of our merchant ships in the waters near Japan were attacked by your Hanzhou warship. Only one

He returned to Batavia injured. In addition, a few months ago, we had a merchant ship heading to the Ming Dynasty that is still missing. It must have been caused by you Hanzhou."

"Our warships in Hanzhou should have received the combat order in June. I think they had not yet learned about the peace talks between us when they attacked your merchant ship." He Yunfeng said expressionlessly: "I think,

As long as our two sides have not signed a peace agreement, we are still in a state of war. Therefore, for this peace negotiation, we should all make our best efforts to eliminate the current differences and reach peace terms acceptable to both parties as soon as possible."

"However, given that both sides are willing to work hard to reach peace, shouldn't you Hanzhou stop all military actions?"

"Of course, our Hanzhou has sent a quick liaison ship to the place where the fleet may dock for rest, and inform them to stop all military operations against your Dutch East India Company." He Yunfeng said seriously: "However, the sea is vast and the whereabouts of the fleet ships are uncertain.

There may be a lag in getting orders from us in Hanzhou."

In fact, the Hanzhou General Staff did not send a quick liaison ship to the vicinity of Daming to notify the raiding fleet to stop attacking Dutch merchant ships. Because when the northwest trade wind arrived in December, all the Hanzhou ships gathered near Daming were

The transportation of immigrants back to the mainland of Hanzhou will begin. At that time, the attacks on Dutch merchant ships will naturally stop.

"It is reported that in June 1606, our Dutch East India Company's captain Wilhelm Jansson discovered a piece of land protruding from the mainland at the northern end of Hanzhou (near Cape York, Australia) while driving the Daefokeng. Therefore,

We should have certain special rights and interests over Hanzhou Continent. However, you currently

Occupying the northern and eastern parts of Hanzhou, we recognize and respect this. But in the vast western part of Hanzhou, our East India Company will reserve the right to establish a trading station in the future." Rowlett Mapplethorpe decided to attack Hanzhou directly.

The core of rights and interests is used to force the other party to give up other conditions in the subsequent peace talks.

"If you say so, we Hanzhou will also have the right to establish strongholds in Batavia, Palembang, Malacca and other places in the future. Hundreds of years ago, our Ming Dynasty sent a powerful fleet to declare sovereignty in many areas of Southeast Asia.

.And our Hanzhou originates from the Ming Dynasty and comes from the same lineage. Aren't we more qualified than you to enjoy special rights here?" He Yunfeng said seriously.

There are many radical young military and civilian personnel in Hanzhou. In addition to treating the entire Hanzhou continent as its inherent territory, they also regard the entire Nanyang region as Hanzhou's sphere of influence in the future. However, due to their current lack of strength, they can only do whatever they want.

The Dutch East India Company expanded its power in the Southeast Asia region.

"Although the Ming Dynasty and your Hanzhou have the same race and culture, they are thousands of miles away from each other. How can they be confused with each other? In addition, Hanzhou is a very huge landmass. Can you completely occupy it with your current strength?"

"As far as I know, your Dutch East Indians don't have many people in the Nanyang region at present, and they are tens of thousands of miles away from your European homeland. Do you have the ability to occupy the entire Nanyang Islands?" He Yunfeng asked rhetorically.

"Hanzhou Continent is our core interest. If your East India Company wants to seek a colonial base in Hanzhou, I think it is meaningless to continue talking." Li Renchang said seriously. After speaking, he stood up and brought

Hanzhou peace negotiators prepare to leave the negotiation venue.

------------------

The Governor of Batavia, Cornelis Van Der Lin, quietly listened to the report of Rowlett Mapplethorpe, the chief representative of the peace talks, then crossed his arms, touched his chin with one hand, and fell into deep thought.

"Did they have a very violent reaction to the terms of market opening on both sides?" Governor Delin asked.

"Hanzhou is not entangled in this issue." Mapplethorpe said: "They even suggested that both of us fully open all the strongholds under our respective control to the other party."

"What products do they have in Hanzhou that are worthy of our acceptance?"

"According to the trade records from three years ago, in addition to wood, Hanzhou can also produce alcohol, including spirits and liqueur. Oh, and there is also sugar. The quality and sweetness are good, better than what we produce ourselves. Others

They are just some metal tools and agricultural tools. They should be able to make iron by themselves, and even make steel."

"Oh, there is actually a certain amount of handicraft manufacturing in Hanzhou." Governor Delin nodded, "They are not opposed to the opening of the market. They must want to sell the things they produce to us. But why do they want to be able to sell them to us?"

So obsessed with controlling a wider territory? Hanzhou is just a barren and desolate continent, far less rich than the products we have in the East Indies. We can admit that they possess the entire Hanzhou continent and its affiliated islands, as long as they ensure

without infringing upon our special East Indies interests."

"As for the scope of the East Indies, this requires our navy and commercial personnel to conduct a rough scope confirmation. We must include the important islands and key routes that we need to control into our management scope. At the same time, we must also try our best to include Hanzhou's

The power is excluded from the entire East Indies, so that we can exclusively enjoy all the resources here. As a result, if Hanzhou wants to continue to develop, it can only rely heavily on our East India Company."

On December 10, 1641, after the final joint efforts of the peace negotiators from both sides, the Dutch East India Company and Hanzhou formally signed a peace agreement, ending the three-year war between the two parties.

The agreement is as follows:

1. Starting from December 24, 1641, Hanzhou and the East India Company will end all military operations and will no longer attack each other's ships and strongholds. After the agreement is signed, all personnel captured during the war will be unconditionally released within one month.

, and return the personal property and belongings of those captured during the war.

2. The East India Company respected Hanzhou's rights and interests in possessing the entire Hanzhou mainland and its affiliated islands, and recognized Hanzhou's legitimate rights and interests in occupying the former Portuguese colony, Dili City, along the route from Dili City to Xinminbao (today's Indonesian Empire).

The area east of the line (Bersikama Town on Wen Island) also enjoys special benefits.

Third, Hanzhou respects the special interests of the East India Company in the entire East Indies, and promises not to establish any more strongholds in other East Indies other than Timor Island. (The scope of the East Indies Islands, north of Timor Island, Weiyuan Island (

West of New Guinea, south of Mindanao in the Philippines, Malay Peninsula, and a vast area of ​​islands east of Sumatra)

Fourth, the East India Company opened its strongholds and markets within its sphere of influence to Hanzhou, and promised to provide necessary supplies and docking for ships passing Hanzhou (subject to the permission of the stopping port). Hanzhou also transferred its territory and Hanzhou to Hanzhou.

The continental market is open to the Dutch East India Company. Both parties shall not obstruct the other's flow of goods, personnel, and finance under any pretext.

Fifth, Hanzhou promised not to sell all kinds of weapons to the princely kingdoms of the East Indies, and to stop funding all local forces and rebellious forces that opposed the Dutch East India Company.

Sixth, both parties should set up representative offices in each other's territory to enable mutual trust and communication.

7. Both parties have the obligation to ensure the property and personal safety of the other party's subjects in their respective territories. If the other party's law is violated, a fair trial can only be conducted under the witness of officials from the other party's representative office.

8. Both contracting parties have the right to establish shops, warehouses, and other commercial facilities in the territory of the other party and within their respective spheres of influence. Both parties shall not deliberately block it, and are obliged to ensure the safety of the other party's property and personnel.

9. When a contracting party is at war with a third party, the other contracting party must strictly maintain neutrality. At the same time, the contracting parties shall not enter into any alliance-type agreement with a third party for each other.

10. This agreement is valid for five years. After expiration, if both parties have no objections, it will be automatically renewed for another three years.
Chapter completed!