469【Prince Recovering the Kingdom - Zhao Han's European Image】
An ocean-going fleet returning from the East docked at the outer port of Amsterdam and was transferred by ship to the inner port terminal.
Local merchants from the Netherlands have already gathered here, and they will sell these goods to various European countries.
The Dutch East India Company, founded forty years ago, has more than 1,000 shareholders. Neither officials nor shareholders are allowed to interfere in company management. It has a board of directors composed of 76 people, but the real decision-making group is the "Seventeen Gentlemen's Meeting".
There are seven provinces in the Netherlands, eight in Amsterdam, four in Zeeland, and one in each of the other regions. Among these seventeen people, they are all nobles, wealthy businessmen, officials, and the like.
Their decision-making is based on profit, because they must be responsible to shareholders and take into account the conditions of the stock exchange.
The form of governance is very democratic, with everyone sitting down to discuss.
But at the same time, they are extremely short-sighted and focus on short-term interests. They don't need to consider long-term interests.
For example, in history, the Dutch governor of Taiwan judged very early on that Zheng Chenggong was going to attack the city of Jelandia. After reporting to the superior, the Governor of Batavia sent 12 warships to protect him.
These warships have been stationed for half a year, but Zheng Chenggong still hasn't arrived.
Therefore, the Batavia Command Center made calculations and concluded that the cost of stationing the fleet was too high and was not in the interests of the East India Company. The Governor of Batavia, despite the protests of the Taiwanese governor, ordered 10 of the warships to return home. Zheng Chenggong seized the opportunity due to the lack of troops.
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Another example is that during the Kangxi period, more and more Chinese merchants shipped goods to Batavia and sold them at low prices, which was cheaper than Dutch merchant ships going to China to purchase goods themselves (including transportation and damage). Therefore, the East India Company withdrew the merchant ships.
From then on, he no longer dyed the guide to the China Sea, and only waited on Java Island for Chinese shipping merchants to ship goods.
Even if the Governor of Batavia is clear-headed, he often cannot make the decision.
There is also a council behind him, which meets to discuss everything. There is also a deputy called the director-general, who is responsible for managing the company's Eastern trade affairs. After everything is discussed and reached, major events have to be returned to the Netherlands to report "Seventeen
People's Meeting" was approved.
With checks and balances at all levels and interests first, the Dutch East India Company operated in this way and often did incredible things.
Just like the construction of a castle in northern Taiwan last year, after Zhao Han heard the news, he broke his head and couldn't figure out what was going on.
In fact, it is very simple, because the "Meeting of Seventeen" and the "Batavia Council" concluded after a meeting and discussion that establishing a trade point in the northern part of Taiwan Island can effectively increase the profits of Japan's trade.
Amsterdam, inner harbor.
The commodity auction was held in the hall near the dock. The auctioneer raised his hammer and shouted: "1,000 pounds of Chinese tea, starting price is 30 guilders per pound!"
4.2 Dutch guilders, approximately equal to one tael of silver.
A pound of tea is less than a catty, and the starting price is 126 taels of silver. You can imagine how lucrative it is.
In the hands of Dutch nobles, the retail price of Chinese tea could reach up to 70 Dutch guilders, which means a pound of tea is worth 300 taels of silver!
Historically, in order to compete with the United Kingdom, the Netherlands began dumping, and the price of tea fell to 2.5 guilders per pound. From 70 guilders to 2.5 guilders, it was a real fire sale. From then on, Chinese tea came to the homes of European civilians. Before
Only the nobles could afford to drink.
"I offer 31 shields!"
"31.5 shields!"
"31.8 shields!"
"..."
The auctioneer waved his hammer: "56.3 guilders once, 56.3 guilders twice...sold!"
Goods that can be transported thousands of miles from the East are all luxury goods. These goods have nothing to do with European commoners. Only the upper class can afford them. There will only be a ship back in a year or two, and they must be auctioned to maximize profits.
In fact, 3,000 pounds of tea were shipped back this time, and the auction of tea alone was divided into several times.
At the last tea auction, the auctioneer shouted: "300 pounds of Chinese court tea, starting price is 50 guilders per pound!"
The so-called Chinese court tea refers to tea of higher quality. In Europe in the 17th century, the retail price of this tea reached a maximum of over 100 guilders per pound.
The main profit commodity of the Dutch East India Company was spices from Southeast Asia at first. But now, spices are no longer so popular. The tea market was developed by Dutch businessmen, and drinking tea was first popular among the Dutch aristocrats in Europe.
Due to the rare supply, these 300 pounds of "Chinese Palace Tea" were eventually sold at a price of 80 dong per pound, not the retail price, but the wholesale price of local merchants.
Two hours into the auction, the staff brought up the box, and the scene suddenly became a commotion.
Anything that needs to be displayed at the auction venue must be something that has never been seen before!
In the eyes of countless expectant eyes, the wooden box was opened first, and velvet appeared inside. The velvet was opened, and a lacquer box appeared inside. The lacquer box was opened again, and there was velvet inside again. The velvet was opened again, and there was an oil paper package inside.
.The oil paper package was opened, and a piece of porcelain was lying on it.
This packaging method was invented by Portuguese businessmen.
They purchased lacquer boxes from China or Japan to package valuable goods. They felt that the lacquer boxes were also valuable, so they added a layer of wooden boxes. The layers of packaging not only protect the goods, but also highlight their style when shipped to Europe.
"Chinese court porcelain!" a Dutch businessman exclaimed.
Anyway, European businessmen like to call high-quality goods the "Chinese Palace".
The auctioneer said: ""Peter Mundy's Travels in China" was published last year and caused a sensation in the UK. It has also been translated to the European continent recently. Mr. Peter Mundy, the leader of the Chinese rebels whom he met in Guangzhou, has now
Crowned as the Emperor of China. This emperor was very enlightened and allowed the export of items exclusive to the royal family. Gentlemen, this colorful porcelain plate was exclusively used by the Chinese royal family. A few years ago, it was only allowed to be used by members of the royal family, but today, it is now
I am in Amsterdam. You and I have witnessed this great history together! Here, I extend my highest greetings to His Majesty, the great and enlightened Emperor of China. May God bless His Majesty the Emperor of China!"
"May God bless His Majesty the Emperor of China!" Hundreds of local Dutch businessmen prayed for Zhao Han together at the auction venue.
The more grand they make it, the higher the price of the colorful porcelain will be.
The auctioneer smiled and said: "Gentlemen, you can come up and enjoy it up close now."
Local Dutch businessmen lined up to admire the porcelain and kept making noises of admiration.
These colorful porcelains are of the highest quality and are very expensive in China. How could they not be treated politely in Europe?
For hundreds of years, blue and white porcelain has been shipped to Europe, which Europeans call "Clark porcelain". These are completely commercial goods, and Chinese people can afford them, but European nobles still regard them as treasures.
The colorful porcelain in front of me has bright and vivid glazes, just like European oil paintings.
A local businessman suggested: "This porcelain plate is as beautiful as an oil painting. How about we name it 'Chinese Palace Five-color Oil Painting Porcelain'?"
"What a great idea!" Many businessmen exclaimed.
After all the merchants had finished admiring it, they were asked back to their seats by the auctioneer, and he changed their words on the spot: "A Chinese palace five-color oil painting porcelain plate, the starting price is 500 Dutch guilders!"
"I'll pay 600!"
"I'll pay 700!"
The price increase this time is really serious, an increase of one hundred hundred. No matter how expensive you buy it, you won't suffer any loss. If you buy it in France, Britain, or Italy, the nobles will definitely go crazy.
The East India Company shipped back 2,000 pieces of multicolored porcelain, but only 100 were put up for auction.
Things are rare and expensive, so keep them and sell them slowly. Anyway, it takes a year or two (one way) to travel by boat, so you have plenty of time and opportunity to make a move.
After the auction of 200 pieces of porcelain was completed, the staff carried the wooden boxes again.
"Is there any better product than colorful porcelain?" The local businessmen were shocked.
The packaging this time is more exquisite and complicated, with several layers of oil paper.
The auctioneer introduced: "This is also a gift from His Majesty the Emperor of China. It can not only be used by the royal family, but also by the emperor and queen. Even princes and princesses are not allowed to wear it (nonsense). Its name is 'Cloud Silk'
'(Yunjin), it is as beautiful as the clouds in the sky, so noble, so gorgeous, so soft, so frivolous... Gentlemen, I think it is blasphemy to take another look at it. Only the most distinguished gentlemen are qualified to touch it.
To make it into clothes, at least members of the European royal family are required. Please come up and appreciate it, look at it quietly, don't touch it, and don't cough. It is a beautiful work of art."
Local businessmen crowded together, and those in the back row stood on their toes admiring it, and some even knelt on one knee to pray.
"Chinese court cloud silk, starting price... 3,000 guilders per piece!"
This year's Amsterdam auction has caused a sensation throughout the Netherlands even before the goods have been retailed.
News about colorful porcelain and brocade spread across the European continent all the way to Italy. Soon after, even the Nordic countries of Finland, Sweden, Norway, Poland, and Russia knew about it.
Of course, the top-quality Chinese products will not be sold in Northern Europe. Those poor royal families... can't even afford to buy their underwear after selling them.
The King of France was so bold that he spent more than 10,000 taels of silver to buy Yun brocade and make two pieces of clothing. One for himself and one for the queen. They were reluctant to wear them at ordinary times and only wore them on formal occasions to meet people.
Last year and this year, French King Louis XIII, powerful minister Richelieu, and Queen Mother Marie passed away one after another.
The person who paid for the brocade to make clothes was the newly crowned Louis XIV, and his queen was the Spanish princess Anne.
In order to show off her brocade clothes, Queen Anne held palace dances every now and then. She and the king appeared in gorgeous brocade costumes. No matter how many times the noble guests saw them, they still looked at them with envy. So every time,
After the nobles attended the ball, people were everywhere asking how to buy brocade.
The deeds of Chinese emperors, along with Yun brocade and multicolored porcelain, spread wildly among the upper classes in Europe.
Peter Mundy's travel notes on China were quickly translated to the European continent. Not only did they become bedside reading for nobles, the King of France even wrote a letter personally to urge the manuscript... Update soon!
That China travel diary was from a few years ago, when Zhao Han had just captured Guangdong.
Among the Dutch and Portuguese people who have recently returned to Europe, Zhao Han is described as more in line with the aesthetics of European aristocracy.
First of all, one must have a noble birth. Commoners are not allowed to rebel and become emperor.
Therefore, Zhao Han is the prince in trouble, a descendant of the Chinese royal family four hundred years ago. At that time, China was called the Song Dynasty, which was destroyed by the terrible Tatars. It can be said that the Tatars in Europe have changed because the Mongol invasion brought the Black Death
.
Doesn’t this provide a sense of intimacy and involvement?
The terrible Tatars not only invaded Europe, but also destroyed the dynasty of Zhao Han's ancestors.
After the fall of the Song Dynasty royal family, they worked as scholars for generations and quietly learned about war, trying to restore the country for hundreds of years. The emperor of the Ming Dynasty was fatuous and cruel, which led to another invasion by the descendants of the Tatars (the Manchus).
When the descendants of the Tatars wiped out the Ming Dynasty, Zhao Han, as a descendant of the previous royal family, immediately raised an army with his servants and retinues.
Finally, Zhao Han successfully restored the country and drove the Tatars out of China.
What a perfect story of the prince’s restoration of the country!
Rumor has it that every time King Louis XIV of France, wearing brocade clothes and eating on a colorful porcelain plate, would raise his glass and say: "Salute to the distant Chinese emperor. His enlightenment and generosity also allowed us to share the Chinese palace."
Life (Colorful Porcelain and Brocade).”
(Thanks to my wife, Kaguya, and jly69, two friends for the reward.)