The Volume of Changning Kingdom: Section 4: The Dutch Mansion
While the senators and naturalized citizens were stretching their muscles on the beach, staff from the Dutch embassy who had been waiting here for a long time came to greet them.
"Dear Australian senators, welcome to your arrival! I am Dan Basten, the businessman here."
The leader, a Dutchman in his thirties, greeted the three of them in a strange Fujian dialect. He did not wear the most popular black hat in Amsterdam. He had long brown hair hanging on his body and a loose linen shirt that suited him well.
The climate here - except that the shirt that should be white has turned slightly yellow, and the complicated Rabat neckwear is naturally missing - in Brunei, if you want to dress like the businessmen in Amsterdam, you will have to faint.
This attire made him much less smelly of sweat, so that the senators finally did not have to hold a linen handkerchief sprinkled with "anti-plague water" to speak.
"Mr. Dan Basten, standing in front of you are the distinguished Elders Huang, Cui and Wu of the Song Dynasty Senate..." Cui Yongfang introduced the other party in Dutch.
"It's a great honor to receive all the elders!" After saying that, he bowed to everyone happily. Dan Basten had already received the news of the elders' visit from the company. Being able to receive the Australian elders was a big deal for him, a low-level businessman.
It was still a very honorable thing. He clapped his hands, and an indigenous servant came out from behind carrying a porcelain plate. The glass cup on the porcelain plate contained a yellow liquid. After everyone took the cup, they realized that it was
It is filled with kvass. Who said the climate here is hot, but it feels cool in your hand.
"Mr. Dambasten, do you still have kvass here?" Wu Tingwei asked curiously.
"Australian kvass is most suitable for cooling and quenching thirst in the weather here, and it is very popular here. It's a pity that we don't have ice, otherwise the taste would be better." Dan Basten said, "Fortunately, we are close to the bay, so we can soak the kvass
In the flowing sea water, it will not turn into hot beer!"
"Mr. Basten is also very good at enjoying it. It is true that iced kvass is the best in the world, but it must be expensive to sell it here. Sir, your business seems to be very successful."
"Okay, okay, it's not that far from Lingao, and the price of kvass is acceptable. And there are many rich people, and the market is not small." Dan Basten smiled noncommittally, "I heard that Lingao can sell it.
If the ice can be sold here or in the hotter Batavia, I believe it will be very profitable. If it can be sold locally, we are willing to serve as your company's agent."
"He is indeed a smart little shopkeeper with a business vision." Wu Tingwei commented inwardly.
"The current problem is that the supply of ice exceeds demand." Cui Yunhong knows to some extent the situation of some ice factories. Only for the Senate's own use and a small amount of sales to the mainland, the production capacity has almost been exhausted. The Planning Institute is already expanding related investments. However,
The scale of the ice-making plant is closely related to the scale of the ammonia nitrogen industry of the Senate. It cannot expand the scale quickly.
"Dear elders, please forgive me for asking. It's as hot as here in Lingao. How do you make ice cubes?
"This is our business secret."
"Of course, hahaha, please forgive me for being rude. I'm just very curious about this question. Please come to my store quickly."
After drinking kvass, everyone walked into the Dutch store under the leadership of Dan Basten. In the eyes of everyone, Dan Basten’s store was a slightly larger Dutch-style house, the main body of which was built of wood.
——The cheapest materials here. The various facilities and decorations in the house are even more simple. The only highlight is that the owner who loves cleanliness has kept the room neat and orderly, so that it will not make people unable to get out of the house. ——In a nutshell
, as expected of a Dutchman.
Even though this commercial house that doubles as a residence is small, it is well-equipped even though it is small. Most of the Dutch affairs in Borneo were completed here. This is how the sea coachmen spread out their small trading houses all over the world.
It developed and expanded into a world-class maritime colonial empire. No matter how the senators viewed the Europeans, they still admired them from the bottom of their hearts.
Both the Dutch and Australians believe in the principle that time is money. As soon as they sat down, both parties went straight to the point without much politeness. Dan Basten first asked about the reason for the Senate's visit to Darussalam.
They are particularly concerned about whether the Australians intend to intervene in the Maluku Sea and directly take over the slave trade in Borneo - after all, this is the basis for the Dutch to gain a foothold here.
Dan Basten admits that he has no ability to compete with the Australians, the current hegemons in the South China Sea. So he is a little worried about the Australians' visit. After all, the company earns a lot of profits from here every year, and he also makes a lot of it.
The good thing is that if he survives for a few more years, he can take the savings he has accumulated over the years, coin by coin, back to the Netherlands to retire, and spend the rest of his life peacefully.
Wu Tingwei told him that the Senate had no intention of getting involved in the local business of the Dutch, and said that the Dutch East India Company was a long-term friendly partner of the Senate, so there was no need to worry about competition, and he very much welcomed Dan Basten to come to Gao Dao
Other business. This statement reassured the businessman a little. But he also knew that the Australians must have a purpose in coming here all the way, and it would definitely not be for tourism.
Wu Tingwei then hoped to recruit local manpower through the commercial establishment, because the fleet wanted to exploit a kind of geological oil eight leagues west of Darussalam and needed some labor and ships.
"This is no problem." Dan Basten said that although the population in Darussalam is not too large, because of its proximity to the port, there are many people from all over East and Southeast Asia who come here to make a living. As long as you give money, you can recruit them quickly.
Get enough manpower.
"But it will take some time, and..."
"We have the money."
"Of course, of course, I have no doubt about this." Dan Basten said with a smile, "But I want to explain that the natives here do not recognize the banknotes of the Senate. Just like they do not recognize our Netherlands.
of banknotes.”
"We are prepared for this." Wu Tingwei took out a cashier's check from Delong Bank.
Dan Basten took the cashier's note, looked at it, and nodded: "But the amount of money is too large. We cannot fully accept it here. We need to find several Indian exchangers to fully accept it..."
He didn't finish his words, but the implication was very clear that in order to accept all the money into silver coins, an additional premium would be needed.
"Approximately how much will it take?"
"Add another five percent."
Wu Tingwei took a breath. After calculation, if this cashier's check is exchanged here for a silver coin recognized by everyone, whether it is an Australian silver dollar, the most common Spanish rial in Southeast Asia, or any other gold and silver coin, they will have to pay 100%.
A discount of 18!
This tmd is too expensive! I should have brought silver coins here earlier! However, if he really had enough silver coins, Nanyang Company would not issue him a cashier's check.
"This is too expensive." Wu Tingwei muttered.
"It's not expensive at all." Dan Basten said that now is the trading season, and all ports are in urgent need of cash. After a while, the price may rise even higher.
Wu Tingwei had no choice, because he knew that Dan Basten was telling the truth.
"Okay, in that case we accept it. When will the money be available?"
"Give me two or three days," Dan Basten said.
"There are two more things that I hope Mr. Basten can help with."
"It is an honor to serve you."
"First, we want to meet with the Sultan of Brunei and submit our credentials. If possible, we also want to conclude a trade agreement here."
"It's not difficult. But it does take some time."
"Another thing: We are also interested in Labuan Island. If Mr. Dan Basten is interested, we can hire you to represent the interests of the Senate for the project." Wu Tingwei whispered, "In other words,
You could have some stake in it…”
Dan Basten's face suddenly changed: "You mean..." He stuttered.
"That's what I just said." Wu Tingwei smiled broadly. The Dutch East India Company is a very, very stingy company. Although low-level businessmen like Dan Basten transfer thousands of dollars to the company every year,
But their salaries are pitifully low. Therefore, almost all businessmen are smuggling goods to some extent - and this is strictly prohibited by the company.
The Senate naturally made good use of this loophole in VOC. After all, these employees came all the way to Southeast Asia, risking their lives at any time just to make a fortune. In many cases, they would deliberately provide these businessmen with some "off-the-books expenses".
"Extra goods" - this is not a big deal to the Senate, after all, the other party also bought it with money. But the "goodwill" gained is immeasurable.
Although the main target of the Nanyang Company this time is the oil fields in Seria, the coal mines in Labuan Island are also of great significance. Both the navy and the Nanyang Company hope to obtain a coal filling station here. It would be unreasonable for them to take them into consideration.
If he has not been caught, recruiting a businessman to join him is a natural choice. After all, he has the most extensive social connections here.
"This... I have to think about it..." Dan Basten's movements of wiping sweat increased significantly.
"You can think about it slowly." Wu Tingwei said with a smile. He took out another warehouse receipt, "This is a batch of sporadic goods we shipped, and we haven't found a suitable buyer yet. If you can find a suitable buyer,
…”
"I understand! I understand!" Dan Basten nodded repeatedly, "Australian goods are very popular here. Please rest assured, I will help you find a suitable buyer."
"We want cash." Wu Tingwei said seriously.
Dan Basten's smile was very bright: "That's not a problem. Which kind of silver coin do you like? I can find any kind for you here." This chapter has been completed!