Back then, the Spanish Governor in Luzon was even so arrogant that he thought he could dedicate the Ming Dynasty to the King of Spain by asking for 20,000 troops from the King of Spain.
It can be seen that Easterners, including Ming people, are despised by Europeans. In this case, even if some people feel that making money is more enjoyable, most people will not tolerate having a person above their heads.
Emperor Ming!
Therefore, this matter should have been carried out secretly at the beginning. If it could be kept secret, maybe it would be possible!
At this time, Kui Yi said with great annoyance: "Those people are still thinking about the Ming Dynasty with the old ideas, thinking that the people of the Ming Dynasty are nothing at all, but they have never thought that if we don't agree to be a vassal state of the Ming Dynasty, we will be the Ming Dynasty."
Once the Ming Dynasty comes to attack our enemies, how can we defeat them?"
Having said this, after a pause, he complained again: "I have been to the Ming Dynasty, and I know very well what changes have taken place in the Ming Dynasty. I told them that the Ming Dynasty had steam trains and even steam armored battleships.
As a result, they didn’t believe it at all…”
Hearing this, Anthony suddenly said: "This is nothing!"
"Huh?" After hearing this, Kui looked at him a little confused, wondering what it meant?
Anthony's expression was serious and he said to him seriously: "Perhaps it doesn't matter if we are not a vassal state of the Ming Dynasty. You don't know that the Ming Dynasty is actually a bit greedy. It would not be good if we just accommodate ourselves!"
"Why do you say that?" After hearing this, Kui was a little confused and asked quickly.
When he returned from the Netherlands, he just arrived in Batavia one step ahead of Anthony, and he didn't know what was going on in the Far East yet.
Hearing what he said, Anthony sat back down in his seat, then motioned for Kui Yi to sit down, and then said to him: "I just came back from the Ming Dynasty to attend a meeting held by the governor of Fujian in the Ming Dynasty. Do you know what they do to us?
Do you want it?"
"What request?" Kui asked immediately after hearing this. At the same time, he was wondering in his mind, what request did Ming Guo make?
He only heard Anthony answer him: "We are asked to withdraw from Annan, and assist the Ming Dynasty in arresting all the leaders of Annan, and help the Ming Dynasty put down the rebellion!"
"This..." Kui was speechless for a moment after hearing this.
The terrain of Annan was an important transit point from the Ming Dynasty to Nanyang. Therefore, they invested a lot in Annan and operated it for a long time, hoping that they would get good returns after helping their chosen leader defeat the enemy.
If you agree to Mingguo, at least all your previous investment will be in vain!
But having said that, after the Ming Dynasty occupied Annan, if it had a good relationship with the Ming Dynasty, it might be possible to use Annan as a transit point for people traveling from south to north.
Thinking like this, he replied to Anthony: "It's not impossible. If you really think about it, it won't be a big loss to us, right?"
"If that's all, it's nothing!" Anthony listened and continued to say to Kui Yi, "But the key issue is that the Ming Dynasty also proposed that the Strait of Malacca must be given to them!"
Upon hearing this, Kui Yi was speechless.
As a maritime country, we know the importance of the Strait of Malacca! As long as we occupy the Strait of Malacca, even if there are no local specialties, we can have a steady stream of income just by toll collection, which is equivalent to an ever-lasting source of wealth!
At the beginning, they also valued the importance of this position and sent troops to seize the Strait of Malacca from the Portuguese!
It is too overbearing for people from the Ming Dynasty to want to go to such a nice place!
The Governor is right, he is indeed greedy!
At this time, seeing Kui Yi's face, Anthony knew what he was thinking, so he continued: "Also, the Ming Kingdom also plans to plot Dongwu, and wants us to work together to attack Dongwu from the southern coast and assist the Ming Kingdom.
Defeat Togo!"
"What?" After hearing this, Kui was stunned and couldn't help but sigh, "Ming Guo is really greedy!"
Having said this, he looked at Anthony, shook his head and said, "Isn't Mingguo afraid of holding on?"
After hearing this, Anthony sneered and said: "You don't know, the Ming Dynasty has already sent troops to defeat Ryukyu, and now it has also sent troops to attack the Japanese country. It has wiped out the Japanese navy and is attacking Kyushu Island!"
"..." When Kui heard this, he didn't know what to say!
After being stunned for a while, he came back to his senses and said with emotion: "Who made the Ming Dynasty have more people, more money, and stronger fighting power!"
After hearing this, Anthony suddenly changed the subject and said: "Actually, you can't say that!"
"Huh?" When Kui heard this, he didn't understand it for a moment, so he had to look at him in confusion, not knowing what it meant.
When Anthony saw it, he said to him: "When the Ming Dynasty attacked Ryukyu and Japan, they asked me to send troops to assist. Therefore, our fleet fought with the Ming Dynasty's fleet. According to their assessment after returning, in fact, the Ming Dynasty's war
The combat power of the ship is just that. Under the same conditions, the Ming Dynasty's Fu Ship is not suitable for naval battles and cannot defeat our fleet!"
"No, Mr. Governor, have you forgotten the Ming Dynasty's steam armored battleships?" After hearing this, Kui quickly reminded, "Although the firepower of the Ming Dynasty's warships is not as powerful as our sail battleships, they may surpass ours in speed.
Ah! Even if those steam-armored battleships have no advantage when the waves are strong, what if a war breaks out when the waves are calm?"
When Anthony heard what he said, he suddenly smiled strangely on his face, and then said with a faint expression of pride: "What if we also have steam battleships? Or, in other words, steam trains?"
"Huh?" After hearing this, Kui was a little confused. According to the governor, the Netherlands also has steam engines? But this is impossible. Steam engines are the most important thing in the Ming Dynasty, and they will definitely not sell them!
Just when he thought of this, he looked at Anthony's expression, and suddenly he felt blessed. He thought of something, and immediately became ecstatic and asked immediately: "Does the Governor mean to get a steam engine?"
"That's right!" Anthony said with a proud smile, "I spent a lot of money to buy the blueprint of the steam engine from the people of the Ming Dynasty. I can guarantee that as long as we follow this blueprint, we will be able to build a steam engine!"
"Really?" Kui Yiyi was overjoyed and said happily, "This is really great!"
With steam engines, the Netherlands would also have steam engine-powered battleships, and the Ming Dynasty's navy would not have any advantage. In addition, they could build steam trains. The transportation capacity of that thing is drooling just thinking about it...
Thinking like this, he suddenly understood why he just said that he was not a vassal state of the Ming Dynasty. In fact, it was nothing. He could make enough money with just a steam engine!
If this is the case, then why should we humble ourselves to the Ming Dynasty?
Anthony listened, nodded, and said proudly: "I have thought about it. For our East India Company, the main purpose is to make money, and other things are not really important. But if there are other ways to make money,
, of course you have to care about something. In the end, it’s still a matter of who makes more money!”
His words are a bit convoluted, and ordinary people may not understand what he means.
At that time, Kui Yi understood, and immediately nodded with a smile on his face, and echoed: "The Governor is awesome, he is the best at doing business!"
Doing business is nothing more than cost and profit. As long as the profit exceeds the cost, it is making money, otherwise it is losing money.
There are actually many types of costs. In addition to costs in the ordinary sense, for Anthony, who is in the position of governor of Batavia, his costs also include his political and military costs, and costs related to his future.
.
When European countries and the Pope all opposed the Ming Emperor's attempt to ride on the Europeans, the cost was very high.
Not to mention, the Ming Dynasty actually used the Netherlands like cattle and horses, wanting this and that, and they were greedy. Forget about the Annan matter, they even wanted the Strait of Malacca, and they wanted to help me dig Dongwu;
If this continues, when the Ming Dynasty expands its power to the west, it will definitely need more territory. Even if it does not take it from the Netherlands, it will definitely take it from the colonies of other European countries!
Anthony could foresee that if the Ming Dynasty did not collapse midway, it would definitely become the public enemy of Europe!
The Netherlands is just a small country and cannot face the joint crusade of other European countries. It is impossible to expect the Ming Dynasty, it is too far!
In this case, even if we cooperate with Ming Dynasty now, the future trend is very clear.
As for the Ming Dynasty, they actually relied more on strength in numbers. Their firearms were not much different from European firearms; it was this steam engine that gave them some more advantages. But now, he has obtained it
Steam engine blueprints, the advantages of the Ming Dynasty, no longer exist.
Of course, it will take time before the Netherlands can build so many steam engines for various purposes; however, the Ming Dynasty cannot expand outwards so quickly.
At least they are still being dragged there by the Qing Empire and the Japanese Empire, and Annan also needs to be solved. There are many things to do!
Without the advantage of steam engines, if you are far away from the mainland of the Ming Dynasty, you still need to be afraid of the Ming Dynasty!
By the way, the Ming Dynasty will also dig holes in me, haha...
Thinking like this, Anthony felt that he already had a complete understanding of the future.
Suddenly, he remembered something, and immediately asked Kui Yi, who had been watching, "You are back, so the people sent back to the country by Portugal should be back by now, right? Do you know what the answer is from Portugal?"
"
Although he was asking this question, Anthony knew what the situation would be like in Portugal!
After hearing this, Kui thought for a moment and then answered him: "It has been spread that Portugal wants to become a vassal state of the Ming Dynasty. Although I don't know what the King of Portugal thinks, but the various countries and the Pope
Wait, they are all condemning and exerting pressure, but they are the same as us in the Netherlands."