Chapter 283 Determining a Strategy: Great Alliance
After Mai Dahai and Ye Hua handed over the command of the fleet in Macau, they returned to Taiwan with five gunboats and brought back Yang Tiansheng and other key personnel of the original Huatian Company. Also on the same ship to Taiwan was the Jewish Duarte Go Max Solis and his family members. Solis was born in Lisbon and grew up in the famous financial center of Campo. He visited India many times. When he returned to Iberia for the last time in 1602, he became a A rich man, he used his financial resources to buy himself a royal knighthood. At the same time, he sought the protection of the Governor of Goa, Manuel de Sousa Cotino. However, his family has been passed down from generation to generation. The success of their family attracted many Jews to Goa. Finally, because their business was so good, it finally aroused the jealousy and irritation of many Portuguese businessmen and nobles. With the help of Bishop Dominic's reaction this time, During the campaign of heretical religious persecution, the Portuguese wanted to uproot the Solis family and gain access to the large sums of money they had flowing in the global Jewish business network.
Since the Middle Ages, Jewish merchants have not carried large amounts of cash, but have relied on their agents, family members and fellow clan members to provide them with what they need and settle accounts with them. Business transactions are based on mutual understanding and trust. , completed through early account and promissory note transactions. Under this arrangement, in some relatively complex transactions, the buyer uses a written or oral commitment to pay a large sum of money somewhere, rather than in the form of a liability. To make a transaction and hand over the money to the seller's agent, there are also many other forms, such as a letter of credit based on the number of merchants' houses, a letter of credit based on the length of the trade route, and a bill based on different price comparisons between the two places. Letters of credit signed with complex systems that respond to changes in numbers, etc. In this type of activity, medieval Jews and Italians were experts, which is similar to the bill exchange, large-amount silver exchange, etc. operated by Huaxing Bank. The businesses are similar. Although Li Lihua doesn't quite understand the mysteries of these things, she comes from a merchant family and intuitively feels the importance of Jews in this kind of business.
Bernardo's identity was one that the Portuguese did not dare to infringe, but the Portuguese did not want to let go of the Jews who had taken refuge in his home easily. Li Lihua mobilized the naval fleet to conduct a practical exercise in Macau, and then came to the Municipal Council in person The lobby, in exchange for increasing Macau's share in this year's trade fleet to Japan, demanded that the Macau City Hall release all the dozens of Jews in Bernardo's home and let the Chinese military fleet take them away.
Amidst the rumble of gunfire from the warships outside the port, all the Municipal Guard soldiers around Bernard's house were evacuated. Nearly fifty Jewish businessmen from all over the country boarded the Chinese army ship under the protection of the Chinese army's sailor musketeers.
…
Among the various people who went to Taiwan with members of the Solis family, there were more than ten key members of the Huatian Company established by Yuan Jin and Li Zhong. Among them, Jinjiang natives Yang Tiansheng and Hong Sheng were originally members of the Chinese United Company Navy Rebellion The ringleaders in the incident later escaped from Yingang and joined Yuan Jin and Li Zhong who were in coastal Fujian at that time; Quanzhou natives Zhang Hong and Lin Fu were Li Dan's former associates. After Yin Feng took over the business of Li Dan's gang, they He did not participate in any activities of the Zhonghua Company and went directly to Nanyang to make a living. It was not until Yuan Jin and Li Zhong betrayed the court again and came to Nanyang that they joined the Huatian Company.
This time back in Taiwan, compared to the traitors Yang Tiansheng and Hong Sheng of the China Company, the older Zhang Hong and Lin Fu had a calmer mentality; after all, they did not have much grudge against the China Company. Yang Tiansheng and Hong Sheng People have always been a little uneasy.
At the headquarters of Taiwan Chinese Company, Yin Feng summoned them.
"Yang Tiansheng, before you left Yingang, you were a captain of the third squadron; Hong Sheng, you were the boss of the third squadron of the Jinghai Gang. You both participated in the sailors' rebellion in Yingang," Yin Feng asked knowingly.
The two of them said nothing, looking down at their feet.
Yin Feng sighed: "You brought 150,000 taels of silver this time. How much property does Huatian Company still have?"
Yang Tiansheng raised his head, smiled bitterly and said: "Except for Yuan Jin, there are still 30,000 taels of silver stored in Fo Langjiren's Malacca, and the rest are all here."
Yin Feng shook his head: "This money was left to you by Brother Li Dan. Now... let's not talk about the past. What are your plans now? You navy soldiers can't go back. The current Chinese navy navy It’s completely different from when you left,”
Yang Tiansheng sighed: "Captain Yin, Brother Li said that you are on the right path, but it's a pity that we didn't listen to him. Now, our brothers are at the end of their rope and have no way out. It's all up to you to deal with it. ,"
Yin Feng turned to look at Zhang Hong and Lin Fu from Quanzhou. These two people were not the fighting force in Li Dan's fleet, but Li Dan's trading agents. They were not familiar with Yin Feng, but at this moment they were not familiar with him. They stood up without hesitation and saluted together: "I heard that Captain Yin is a kind and righteous man, can you let us two go to work for Brother Li Dan? Brother Li is the savior of both of us. We have no other wish at the moment. I just want to be by his side and help him forever,"
Yin Feng thought for a while: "This should be no problem. Brother Li Dan is currently developing business in the red-haired tribe at the southernmost tip of Africa, um, the place called the Cape of Good Hope. He is in urgent need of manpower. For those who have asked me for reinforcements, we The company's fleet to trade in Europe is about to depart. You can then take the ship to Europe. When passing the Cape of Good Hope, you can go ashore to meet Brother Li. In this way, you can select some capable people from your own people to accompany you. I will provide you with weapons, ammunition and funds, and I also plan to send a batch of new flintlock muskets to Brother Li. You will be responsible for escorting them,"
Yin Feng's generosity was beyond their expectation. Zhang Hong and Lin Fu looked at each other and knelt down: "Captain Yin is well-deserved and he is indeed loyal. We brothers will never do anything to your China Company again in this life."
Yin Feng smiled bitterly and shook his head: "My China Company is not entirely correct. China Company now has more than 5,000 shareholders. This is everyone's company. It is the backing and pillar of our Tang people overseas. No matter where you go in this world, You must remember that behind you, the entire China Company is supporting you." He turned to Yang Tiansheng and Hong Sheng, slowly exhaled and said: "Brother Yang, you two continue to open Huatian Company. Go down,"
Yang Tiansheng raised his head, Hong Sheng looked at Yin Feng in confusion, and then the two looked at each other. Yang Tiansheng said carefully: "Shipmaster, you, what do you mean, do you..." He couldn't understand Yin Feng's words. in meaning.
Yin Feng smiled, spread out a map on the table, and waved for a few people to come closer.
"This is West Borneo. Our Zhonghua Company occupies some of the largest gold mines here. But just south of our company's territory, a group of Chaozhou people imitated our Zhonghua Company and established Sanhe Company. Waiting at Sanba Gold mines are mined in the ground, and the business is good; here is Cirebon on the island of Java. The Sultan here is Chinese, and he has established a Hexing Company in partnership with some Anhai businessmen; here is Taiwan, right under our noses, a group of leather goods The smugglers established an Alishan company..."
These "companies" that Yin Feng mentioned have appeared one after another in recent years. They are all new business entities established by people from the coasts of Fujian, Zhejiang, and Guangdong to imitate the China United Company. Although the China Company is powerful, it is impossible after all. Everything was covered, and the government administrative system had just begun to be improved. Therefore, although these Chinese companies were small in scale, they were full of vitality and managed to survive under the noses of Chinese companies. However, Yin Feng did not intend to kill all competitors.
He looked at the confused expressions of everyone, smiled and said: "Although the Chinese Company has abundant funds and strong strength, after all, it is impossible to conquer the world. We Tang people are working hard overseas, and everyone should make money if they have money; as long as those small companies obey our laws If the legal system is established, Chinese companies will not suppress them and allow them to make money for themselves,”
Yang Tiansheng's eyes lit up and he asked: "How can I comply with the company's legal system?"
"It's very simple. Sign an agreement with the local management authorities of our Chinese company, such as the Luzon garrison, the Taiwan garrison, and the garrison supervisors in various parts of Southeast Asia. We acknowledge in black and white that we will never infringe on the trade interests of our Chinese company. Any goods sold by the Chinese company will not be violated." If the same product is on sale, the price must be determined after consultation with our Zhonghua Company, etc..." Yin Feng handed a piece of agreement document to Yang Tiansheng: "Take a look at it first, it stipulates that each company must meet in person Maintain a consistent stance towards foreigners, and our Chinese military will provide you with corresponding armed protection... Of course, your ships must apply for a blue background Chinese flag from us. We charge a management fee and at the same time provide you with services all over the world. provide protection,"
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While the major Jewish families were discussing moving their activity centers to Taiwan, China, a group of "copycat Chinese company" leaders gathered in Taiwan Port and signed a "Joint Company Agreement" under Yin Feng's organization. It was called the "Grand Alliance Agreement." In the following years, entities with similar corporate structures continued to join this agreement. Yin Feng established a price cartel alliance or monopoly alliance, and it was also the first by-law alliance in Chinese history. Political alliances organized by business groups.
Yang Tiansheng appeared on Java Island half a year later and restarted the business of Huatian Company. However, they paid taxes very honestly to the Java Garrison Force controlled by Yan Siqi.
At the end of the 43rd year of Wanli, the Taiwan Aboriginal Alliance Conference was officially held.
Through more than ten years of military conquest and peaceful infiltration, the Chinese United Company has basically controlled the aboriginal people in the southwest and western plains of Taiwan, as well as most of the indigenous tribes in the northern and southern mountainous areas. The Taitung area is now also undergoing immigration from the company and the mainland. In order to confirm the company's dominance over most of the indigenous people on the island, the China United Company once summoned representatives of the surrendered village communities and held a peace treaty signing ceremony at Xingang Community. During the ceremony, Yin Feng made a request to the representatives present at the meeting Peaceful admonishment, and awarded each representative a silk robe, a Chinese flag with a blue background, and a spear representing the authority of the company. Then a land sovereignty transfer ceremony was performed: the indigenous leaders presented two roots with roots to Yin Feng A few seedlings of mud.
This ritual was later spread to Luzon and West Borneo.
At the end of this year, in order to completely bring the indigenous village communities under the rule of the Chinese Company, the Taiwan Aboriginal Alliance Conference was officially held. From this year on, the company decided to hold a local indigenous alliance meeting every year, and as the village communities surrendered The number of meetings increased, and the scale of meetings became larger and larger.
On this day, after the representatives of the participating village communities arrived at Anping Port in the south of Taiwan Port, Yin Feng, accompanied by his guard of more than 200 people, sailed from Taiwan Port to Anping. At the same time, each castle fort fired three times, and the coast The main battleship Dingyuan nearby also fired a gun, not only to express celebration, but also to notify senior personnel and other people at Anping Port to prepare for Yin Feng's arrival. Then, the three battleships Fei Zi moored outside Taiwan Harbor Also salute Yin Feng.
After landing, the chairman was grandly welcomed by company employees waiting at Anping Port. He was escorted by 200 soldiers holding flintlock muskets, and passed through a queue of 60 neat and solemn soldiers to the guild hall. Representatives of the participating village communities The ceremony was held on the right side of the queue. After Yin Feng took his seat, all the soldiers fired three shots, and each castle fort fired a cannon in response. Then the representatives walked into the hall one by one to pay tribute to the speaker, and then walked to the courtyard and sat down in order. Next, the order of sitting is not only based on the strength of the village community and the sooner or later the company surrenders, but also based on the language they use, so those who speak the same language sit together.
After everyone was seated, Yin Feng and the indigenous leaders entered the stone pavilion and took their seats. 200 Yin Feng Guards soldiers surrounded them. This grand opening ceremony was mainly to show the power and majesty of the company to the indigenous people attending the meeting. In order to enhance the reverence of the indigenous people for the company, the alliance conference will have the power to appoint and remove the elders of each village community, and at the same time, it can recruit allied indigenous tribes to join the auxiliary forces of the Chinese army.
This conference means that the Chinese Company and Taiwan's indigenous people are truly united, not only the union of economy, culture and politics, but also the integration of racial relations. The Chinese Company publicly announced that it encourages immigrants and indigenous people to marry and provides opportunities for immigrants and indigenous people to marry. Families provided seeds and farming tools, and allowed mixed-race children to go to school for free.
There is a serious imbalance in the male-to-female ratio of Han immigrants in Taiwan, Luzon and other places. This phenomenon has been alleviated by Yin Feng’s order to encourage marriage with indigenous people. According to Yin Feng’s estimation, with the scale effect of hundreds of thousands of Han immigrants every year, Taiwan will , it will only take about a hundred years for the millions of aborigines in Luzon to be completely assimilated by the Han people.