There are many Chinese and Japanese businessmen in Hua Thonburi, and their businesses are very wide. Ping Qiu Sheng visited the Chinese shopping street in Thonburi. The low wooden houses lined up on both sides of the street are all kinds of shops. Most of them are opened by Chinese.
, sells all kinds of groceries, from precious Chinese silk fabrics, porcelain, handicrafts, to cheap daily groceries, to fruits, dried fruits, and even pickles, pickles, everything. It can be said that without a large supply of Chinese daily necessities,
These Southeast Asian "kingdoms" live a semi-savage life.
The Chinese in the Ayutthaya Dynasty were very powerful, and the dynasty relied heavily on the industrial and commercial talents of the Chinese. Probably because King Uthong was of Chinese descent, Siam had always treated the Chinese more favorably and allowed the Chinese to live in Ayutthaya. In comparison,
Japanese and Portuguese people could only live outside the city.
Because of this relationship, Chinese industry and commerce developed rapidly in the local area, and many people made a fortune. The ordinary Chinese busy in those short, dark shops might have tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of taels of silver in their business.
trade.
Ping Qiu Sheng saw several Lingao products in the shopping street here, ranging from straw hats, rum, "Australian" candies, sugar, paper... Almost all the flagship products of the Chuan Chuan Group are sold here. However, the quantity is limited.
There are few and the price is very expensive.
Goods have their own mobility, either of high quality or low price. The fact that goods can flow here automatically shows that the market for "Australian goods" is broader than he estimated.
Ping Qiusheng felt very excited that there were so many Chinese businessmen with a large amount of capital and manpower. They were simply natural collaborators and fifth columns! The Ming and Qing dynasties had such a good overseas foundation, but they regarded overseas Chinese
For "abandoning the people", not only did they do nothing, but they even regarded them as enemies, and finally gave up to the monkeys the living space that the Chinese should naturally have in the south of the mainland.
However, Feng Shengyue's words poured cold water on Ping Qiusheng.
It turns out that there are many factions among the Chinese who are hostile to each other. The relationship between the Chaoshan people, Hakkas and Hokkien people in the entire Southeast Asia is like fire and water, and conflicts will break out from time to time. In addition to large areas, there are also small townspeople, and clan forces are also
They are very powerful, forming gangs and ostracizing outsiders, and even colluding with local tycoons to attack dissenters.
This was not surprising in the 17th century when modern nationalism had not yet developed. It was not very possible for Ping Qiusheng to expect immediate help from the local Chinese. It might be better to engage in trade with Chinese businessmen and use their business channels.
In reality, critical things still have to be done by our own people.
Ping Qiusheng and his group only received warm hospitality from the Qiongshan Gang businessmen here. Although everyone generally does not regard Australians as people from the Ming Dynasty, since the Australians stay in Hainan, they can also be regarded as members of Hainan. Especially in Hainan in recent years.
Merchants went back and forth selling Australian and Southeast Asian products and made a lot of money.
The Qiongshan Gang does not have much influence among the local Chinese businessmen and does not have much say. It does not do much business. The local gang leader invited Ping Qiu Sheng and others to have a drink and listen to a show at the Qiongshan Guild Hall, and they learned a lot of news during the banquet.
.The Chinese businessmen here are not only very powerful, but also go deep into the inland. The Chinese businessmen include not only large businessmen engaged in import and export trade, but also small traders dealing in commodities such as firewood, rice, oil, and salt. These small traders go deep into the inland, where they have always been.
They opened shops in villages and towns that no one had ever heard of, selling goods and purchasing local products, and established a fairly extensive business network. In Ping Qiu Sheng's opinion, these small traders were much more valuable to the Senate than the sea traders who were stationed at the ports.
The envoy of the God King, Wo Luo Ong, soon came to Thonburi and met with Ping Qiusheng and his party. After several days of negotiations, the two sides reached a preliminary trade agreement: on the condition that the Senate sold weapons to Siam, the Senate was allowed to
Ships of the Southeast Asian Company granted privileges by the Court can berth and trade in Thonburi and Pattani. There is a limit of two large ships at a time. Ships of the Southeast Asian Company are exempt from berthing tax.
Merchants of the Southeast Asia Company are free to trade with the merchants they wish to trade in the two places. However, they are not allowed to enter the mainland of Siam without permission.
Merchants of the Southeast Asian Company can ship all kinds of goods without restrictions, but they must ship a specified number of weapons per voyage. They also have the right to ship any goods they want. Imported products must pay import taxes according to regulations, and weapons are exempt from payment.
Because it was the first time we arrived, the two parties had not yet established enough mutual trust. Ping Qiusheng did not make a request to open a local warehouse or business store. For the time being, they were not able to set up shop in Siam. Moreover, the other party might not agree if he proposed it.
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Both parties are satisfied that such a preliminary agreement can be reached.
Wo Luo Weng was quite ambitious. He was very interested in the "Australians" or as Mingren said: "Kon people". Especially the rumors that they had strong military force.
He became very interested in the two ships coming from the Southeast Asia Company. Although he did not go out to visit the ships for safety reasons, he still managed to observe them closely from other ships. From the appearance, these two ships were similar to those of the other ships.
There are not many differences between the ships of Chinese merchants. Except for the slightly different layout of the deck building and masts, the hulls are exactly the same. Even a "land man" like Wo Luoweng knows that these two ships are ordinary Chinese ships.
The large ship has been modified by the Australians, but the traces of its transformation are quite obvious, especially the old and new materials.
Armament is one thing that he is particularly interested in. The rise of the Thai people has a lot to do with their emphasis on force. The military of the Thai people, the administration of the Khmer people, and the industry and commerce of the Chinese are one of the three pillars that constitute the Ayutthaya Dynasty.
Generally, Chinese merchant ships are rarely equipped with artillery. Only those ships of the British, Dutch and Portuguese are equipped with artillery. But these two ships flying the "nine-digit flag" are equipped with artillery on the deck: they are black, short and
It was thick and not very similar to the Western artillery he had seen before. Obviously, once this kind of artillery was fired, the huge projectiles it fired would cause more serious damage to the enemy.
In addition, he was also very interested in the "matchlocks" equipped by sailors. Wo Luotai was familiar with matchlocks: the Burmese, the archenemy of the Ayutthaya Dynasty, widely used matchlocks, while Siam basically relied on imported matchlocks.
.Since the Australians can equip sailors with such weapons, they obviously have enough guns.
Woluowong obtained more details through his men delivering water and food to the ships: for example, the appearance of this gun is more beautiful, the appearance is smooth, etc. In addition, this kind of gun does not seem to use a match rope: because he carries a match rope on his back.
Sailors who carry guns never carry matchlocks with them. The matchlocks wrapped around the bodies of matchlock gunners were originally a distinctive feature of them.
Although he really wanted to experience the power of this novel weapon, he never encountered a suitable opportunity. It was not until a banquet that he took the opportunity to express his hope to see the power of this gun. Ping Qiusheng immediately responded and was satisfied.
his request.
When a special shooter of the special reconnaissance team shot a clay pot meters away with a high-precision Minie rifle marked by Jr., all the natives present were stunned by the range of the matchlock gun. At best, it could hit
As for what you can hit beyond 50 steps, it all depends on luck. It is simply unheard of for you to be able to hit a shot from such a distance.
Wo Luo Weng asked if he could purchase such weapons, which was naturally rejected. However, Ping Qiu Sheng suggested that they buy artillery. In order to show that what he said was true, he ordered his ship to bombard an island in the bay.
.
The sound of the 68-pound iron cannonball falling on the reef was astonishing, with fragments of the reef flying and smoke rising into the sky. This suggestion was immediately agreed to by Wo Luo Weng. He immediately asked the Southeast Asia Company to transport one on the next voyage.
Such cannons and matching ammunition are provided, and gunner training services are also provided.
As for the price, he didn't even ask. He only said that he would pay with whatever goods the Australians needed. Obviously, the arms trade is a hugely profitable industry.
Two weeks later, the fully loaded fleet began to return. This time, all the goods brought by Ping Qiu Sheng were sold out. All 1,500 1631 machetes were sold to Wo Luo Weng. The main force of Pasai Tong was probably among the people.
Around 1,000 pieces per year are enough after all replacements, and the needs of the public must also be taken into consideration.
According to the discounted price, a 1631 style machete, 1 tael, plus Australian sugar and various groceries, were exchanged for a total of nearly 30,000 shi of rice. Part of it was transported with the fleet, and part of it was left in the warehouse of the local Qiongshan Gang merchant, waiting for the ship.
transport.
When Ping Qiusheng was busy, he was kind to Quark from time to time: hinting to him that this place was not peaceful, and the Senate was in great need of the rice and minerals here. If he was interested, he could also set up a business station here, even if it was
Looking after the scene for the Australians is also equivalent to setting up a trade window for the British East India Company, although the British East India Company prefers Pattani.
Ping Qiu Sheng did not trust Wo Luo Weng. Quark also had great ambitions, but he was a businessman first, and his first concern was making money, and his credibility as a businessman was recognized by the Senate. And Wo Luo Weng was in
After seeing the huge benefits, they will probably do what they did against Japanese businessmen back then.
Ping Qiusheng announced to the local Chinese and Japanese businessmen here: rice, potash mines and timber here are as much as they need in Lingao. As long as the businessmen here are willing to serve the Australians, they can directly transport the goods to Lingao.
Gao or Sanya, he can get generous rewards. He also doesn't want Quark to monopolize the trade here. After all, once it is released, this place will be the territory directly under the Crossing Group. It is not reassuring for anyone to control the food.