The sea breeze in the early morning was a bit damp, and Luo Anguo hugged his coat tightly without feeling it, and hurried forward.
After crossing several bridges, we arrived at the commercial street of the port area. The street, which seemed narrow and wet due to the crowds of people, was now very spacious.
He looked up and saw that a large number of Dutch people wearing vests or long skirts were waiting in a long queue anxiously at the entrance of the bank.
The Bank of Amsterdam, the Bank of Rotterdam, etc. are almost always full of people.
Luo Anguo came to Daming Bank in a hurry, and he was relieved to see only a dozen people there.
Soon, he put out his bag of Dutch guilder banknotes: "I want to exchange them all for silver coins!"
The man behind the cash box glanced at it and counted to himself: "There are thirty-six guilders in total, which can be exchanged for one hundred and eight silver coins, but I will charge you an exchange fee of five percent, which is five yuan.
five."
The ratio of Dutch guilders to silver dollars is one to three, which is determined purely by the silver content, not by the national credit.
"Of course!" Luo Anguo endured the pain and nodded in agreement.
"But I want a banknote!"
"Okay sir!"
Soon, a stack of banknotes appeared in front of him.
After leaving the bank, he turned to look at the Dutch people who were still withdrawing money, and couldn't help but said: "What the hell, they're fighting again!"
In early 1672, King Louis XIV of France sent an army of 120,000 to attack the Netherlands, quickly defeating the Dutch army and soon occupying more than 60% of the Dutch territory, causing great shocks and coups in the Netherlands, and forming the so-called "Year of Disaster" in the Netherlands.
Years of war made the Dutch patriotic. They broke the embankment to prevent the French army from occupying Amsterdam. In the critical moment, William III, Prince of Orange, was appointed to govern the United Provinces to save the country from the crisis.
Immediately, the British attacked the Dutch merchant ships without saying a word, and another naval battle broke out between Britain and the Netherlands.
As a result, the Dutch were hit in the front and back, and they had reached the most dangerous moment.
Although Amsterdam was saved, the sea routes were unstable, most of the land was occupied, and the price of food changed three times a day. Everyone had to go to the bank to withdraw money to maintain their lives.
A large amount of Dutch guilders were withdrawn from the banks, causing large and small banks, including the Bank of Amsterdam, to suffer from runs.
At the same time, because of the war, the stock market fell three times a day and hit a trough. A large number of company stocks and bonds were reduced to waste paper.
Luo Anguo didn't care much about this. He was only worried about the sharp rise in food prices, which made him a little nervous about eating.
Dutch guilder banknotes are unreliable. Who knows when you won't be able to withdraw the money, so you might as well exchange them for banknotes.
Da Ming Bank has branches in France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Spain, so it is impossible to be short of money.
When he returned to his residence, before his butt was warm, someone called out: "Luo Anguo, the ambassador has asked you to come over!"
"okay!"
He responded, then left the rented house and went to the embassy a hundred steps away.
As a coachman, he serves the ambassador.
Wearing a slightly tight-fitting robe, Dong Ren, who was promoted to the minister in charge of the affairs of the Western European countries, was dressed up under the service of a servant.
"General Office!" Luo Anguo came respectfully.
"Prepare the carriage, I'm going to the Prince of Orange's Palace later!"
Dong Ren said casually. He stood in front of the mirror and combed his clothes, especially his beard. He couldn't let it get messy.
"Yes!" Luo Anguo nodded in agreement.
At this time, Fan Zheng, who was also deputy envoy and counselor, and Han Mi, who had dual identities as military attache and royal guard, also slowly came.
"General Office!" The two of them bowed and saluted.
"Attache Han, please come with me to the Prince's Mansion this time. I'm afraid this banquet will not be simple!"
Dong Ren narrowed his eyes and showed a trace of solemnity on his face.
"Yes!" Han Mi nodded in agreement.
"Deputy Ambassador Fan, you are here at the embassy and will remain unchanged in the event of any change!"
After a while, Dong Ren and Han Mi boarded the carriage.
Han Mi sat sideways and said softly: "According to the information obtained by my subordinates, after France's victory, seeing that it could not get Amsterdam, it then sent 60,000 elite troops to attack Franche-Comté and the Southern Netherlands in Spain!"
"Southern Netherlands?" Dong Ren whispered: "That is the territory of Spain."
"That's right!" Han Mi said softly: "The King of France has become a proud soldier, and Spain will never lose the Netherlands."
"That's the Spanish money bag!"
Although the Dutch struggled to break free from Spanish rule, the Southern Netherlands (Belgium region) was still ruled by Spain and seized a large amount of tax revenue.
"In addition, the Netherlands' neighboring countries, the Archbishop of Munster and the Archbishop of Cologne, are also restless and have heard that they have also joined the troops..."
"Good boy!" Dong Ren was shocked: "France, Britain, Münster, and Cologne, this is the four parties carving up the Netherlands!"
“Do you think Holland can survive this?”
Han Mi was stunned. He hesitated for a moment and then said: "The Dutch have defeated the British navy several times. They are capable of fighting."
"The Prince of Orange seized power in a coup, but the people were attached to it and recruited 100,000 new soldiers. Now Amsterdam is preserved, taxes are not lost, and the current land can only be maintained."
"And Spain has also taken action, so there is great hope!"
In response, Dong Ren nodded and said nothing.
This war is insignificant to Ming Dynasty, but at the same time it is closely related.
If the Dutch were really defeated, the Dutch East India Company would become a piece of fat meat on the chopping board and be slaughtered by the Ming Dynasty.
But Europe will be dominated by France, which is not good news for Ming Dynasty.
Although he couldn't see clearly, in the long run, it would be detrimental to Daming.
Arriving at the Prince of Orange's Palace, Dong Ren got off the carriage gracefully.
To his surprise, William III, Prince of Orange, personally greeted him at the door.
"Your Highness is so polite!" Dong Ren was flattered.
"This is what I should do." William III chuckled and welcomed Dong Ren over.
A dance was officially held.
Dong Ren naturally couldn't accept the waist-hugging dance, so he just sat and watched.
Immediately, he was welcomed into the side hall.
"Your Excellency should know my situation in the Netherlands!"
William III's expression was not serious, but slightly relaxed: "Although the war is unfavorable, our ally the Spanish are sending troops continuously, England's navy has been defeated repeatedly, and the day when the French will retreat is not far away."
"Your Highness wants me to be a lobbyist?" Dong Ren pretended to be confused.
"No!" William III said formally: "In recent years, your country has been eyeing Batavia with covetous eyes. Will the treaty signed in the past be invalidated?"
"Your Highness, I don't know about this!" Dong Ren said sincerely.
"Okay, don't hide it from me!" William III shook his head: "The East India Company is the property of all Dutch people. Logically speaking, I can't decide anything."
"But at this time, the Netherlands is facing a war and does not want another enemy."
"Singapore, I can sell it to you for ten thousand guilders!"
"Your Highness!" Dong Ren said helplessly, "Aren't you making things difficult for me?"
"Damn it!" William III gritted his teeth and said, "Don't you even want Batavia?"
"That's where the East India Company has been operating for hundreds of years!"
"Your Highness, the East India Company is just a commercial company, and everything is just for profit. For it, cities and colonies are far less important than making money."
Dong Ren then said seriously: "No matter how much profit a small city creates, can it still compare to doing business with me, the Ming Dynasty?"
"God, do you want to ban trade?" William III said in shock.
"This is just a bad idea!" Dong Ren shook his head and said: "Asia can only be the Asia of the Ming Dynasty, at least in Nanyang."
"The loss of Batavia is just superficial to the Netherlands. It offends the Ming Dynasty, but it severely damages the Dutch trade!"
After some friendly negotiations, Ming Dynasty adhered to the policy of taking advantage of others' danger and obtained many things peacefully.
At a time when national security was at stake, William III did not attach much importance to the Eastern colonies.
As you advance and retreat, there will naturally be many benefits.
First, the East India Company will sell Singapore, Batavia, the Spice Islands, including the entire Southeast Asian colonies and the Ming Dynasty, for two hundred thousand guilders.
Secondly, the Ming Dynasty promised to protect the private property security of the Dutch, continue to allow the Dutch to do business in Southeast Asia, and recognize the business privileges of Dutch merchants in the Spice Islands.
Finally, the two countries reached cooperation, and Ming Dynasty allowed Dutch merchants to supply and dock in Singapore, Batavia, Luzon, Taiwan and other places.
As well as Burma, Annan and other vassal countries to do business.
The Netherlands also allowed the Ming Dynasty to dock and supply supplies at East Indian ports such as the east coast of India and the east coast of Africa.
For the Ming Dynasty, it was very worthwhile to capture the entire Southeast Asia region with only 600,000 silver dollars without spending a single soldier.
Moreover, with the Dutch port terminals, the merchant ships of the Ming Dynasty will arrive in Europe along familiar routes.
Dong Ren was very satisfied. He raised his glass and said, "Your Royal Highness, cheers to the friendship between our two countries!"
William III was not discouraged and said with a smile: "Cheers!"
What was lost in this cut of interests was the interests of the East India Company, which had little to do with the Dutch government.
He even tried his best to get two hundred thousand guilders in order not to offend too harshly.
Although the market value of the East India Company at this time still reached one million.
But the foundation of the East India Company lies in its concession rights to the Cape of Good Hope and the Strait of Magellan. As long as this remains unchanged, the foundation has not been damaged.
However, the East India Company's expansion of colonial territories in Southeast Asia fell short of success.
In the final analysis, aren't colonies just ports and terminals that provide supplies for merchant ships? Trade in the East can still continue.
Back at the embassy, Dong Ren was very excited: "Quickly, send someone back to Daming to pass the news!"
…
At this time, Daming had arrived in Shaowu for twenty-six years.
During the prosperous period of more than twenty years, the population continued to explode.
Just for the capital city, the population has experienced great growth due to the development of Donghe County, and a large number of constructions have promoted population migration.
In just a few years, the total population of Donghe County exceeded 300,000 due to its proximity to the Yu River and the transit between Tongzhou and Beijing.
Its prosperity is no less than that of the four counties in Gyeonggi Province, making it a veritable fifth county.
At the same time, the opening of migration from vassal states caused people in coastal areas to continue to move overseas.
The annual migration scale exceeds 100,000 people, and the rate of increase continues to accelerate.
"Two hundred and thirty million!"
Imperial Study Room, Summer has not yet arrived, Emperor Shaowu is staying in the Imperial Study Room.
The huge number that appeared in front of him made him a little dizzy.
The Dingkou tax was abolished, and the people were naturally enthusiastic about reporting the population.
Who wants to be a hermit when he can be a good citizen?
In just four years, a simple population survey revealed that the population of Ming Dynasty surged to 230 million.
At such a speed, by Shaowu's 40th year, Zhu Yixi had no doubt that it could break through to 300 million.
Even Shaowu could arrive in thirty-five years.
Population explosion.
"His Majesty!"
Zhu Mou bowed and said in a calm voice: "The selection of improved varieties has made a great contribution. The north has a variety of corns and potatoes, while the south has a variety of sweet potatoes."
"Milk milkvetch is widely planted. As far as Weichen knows, in Shuntian Mansion alone, the yield per mu of land is more than one bushel, or even two or three bushels more. This is truly a prosperous time!"
"And all of this is due to His Majesty's merit and the blessing of our ancestors..."
Du Yinxi was getting older. In the twenty-fifth year of Shaowu's reign, that is, last year, he became an official and returned home to retire. Zhu Mou, who had been idle for a long time, was once again appointed as the chief minister of the Ming Dynasty on the recommendation of a group of ministers.
After all, Yan Yingyuan, the second assistant, was only fifty-seven years old. He was still young and his qualifications were not suitable.
After all, the two-level jump was implemented in just five or six years, which was really too fast.
But in fact, the founding faction is still very powerful, and Zhu Mou is the best candidate to be promoted to the position.
Zhu Yixi was naturally non-committal about Zhu Mou.
After encountering setbacks, Zhu Mou naturally matured a lot.
“There’s no need to sing praises!”
Zhu Yixi has been the emperor for a long time and has almost become immune to flattery. He is not as fond of flattery as he was when he was young.
After all, he was already forty-nine at this time, approaching fifty, and time is making people grow old.
"What is the population of the three northeastern regions?"
"The number in Liaoning has reached 4 million, while Jilin can barely exceed one million, and Heilongjiang has only more than 500,000. The main reason is that the bitter cold is so severe that people are not willing to go!"
Zhu Mou couldn't help but sigh.
This data looks good, but you must know that there are four million people in the more than 20 counties of Shuntian Prefecture alone.
At this time, Shandong's population reached 18 million, more than three times that of Northeast China, surpassing the peak population in the pre-Ming Dynasty.
Twenty million is just around the corner.
If the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal had not existed, countless people would have been impoverished.
"Why don't you go if you don't want to?" Zhu Yixi said coldly: "The population of Shandong and Hebei is about to explode. How many singles are there?"
"Over the years, most of the people who have migrated overseas have come from Fujian, Guangdong, and Guangxi provinces. Other provinces have been indifferent, especially a province with a large population like Shandong."
"The cabinet drafts an edict to optimize conditions in Jilin and Heilongjiang. If it still doesn't work, Shandong can fill in the northeast."
Shandong fills in the northeast?
Zhu Mou was shocked. As he grew older, the emperor became more and more cold-blooded.
You must know that in the past, people were relocated through soft policies, such as the Construction Corps, immigration policies, etc. Today, hard policies have done more harm to the people.