The crew cheered, and land appeared on the blue horizon.
In the morning, the fleet of six merchant ships finally arrived in Batavia after a long voyage.
Batavia is hot and busy.
Wei An also took a special shower in the cabin, and then put on the scarlet robe and silver fish given by the emperor. He straightened his black gauze hat and walked out of the cabin.
The Dutch in Batavia Port were also very happy about the arrival of this fleet.
Since losing Taiwan, the Dutch's routes to Batavia, Taiwan, and Nagasaki have been interrupted for a long time. They have lost 70% of their trade volume in the Far East, which once made Batavia lifeless.
Fortunately, Van der Lang finally negotiated a trade treaty with the Ming Dynasty. Although he paid a heavy price, the route was finally restored.
The arrival of these six large merchant ships also made the business people in the port very excited, which means countless wealth.
Wei An stood on the deck and looked at this obviously unfamiliar port city. Everything looked different.
It is much hotter than Guangzhou.
It's winter, but it's like the dog days of summer here.
"Preparing to enter the port to berth and unload cargo, all crew members are not allowed to disembark without permission."
Wei An reiterated discipline.
This is not a simple maritime trade, it will also be an official Ming action to declare national prestige and establish diplomacy.
Soon, Van der Lang came to greet him at the port.
Although the former commander of the Far East Fleet suffered a huge defeat in Taiwan, he was praised by the Council of Seventeen for successfully signing a trade treaty with the Ming Dynasty.
Not only was he not thrown into prison like the previous unlucky businessman in Timor, but he was appointed as the new governor after the new governor who succeeded Governor Van Diemen was unaccustomed to the environment and returned to the Netherlands.
Van der Lang's main task was to establish friendly relations with the Ming Dynasty in order to restore trade volume and profits in the Far East.
The arrival of six merchant ships from the Ming Dynasty this time was undoubtedly regarded by Fan Delang as his own political achievement. He personally took a small boat to the Guangzhou and went up to the deck to welcome Wei An and others.
"Dear Ambassador Wei, I have received a letter saying that you will lead the merchant fleet here. I have been looking forward to it day and night. I have talked with Ambassador Wei several times in Fengtian and we are very happy with each other. This time the ambassador is here
Come, I am so happy."
Fan Delang stepped forward, grabbed Wei An's hand and shook it vigorously.
Wei An had met Fan Delang several times before, but he could not say that he was familiar with him. Now seeing him acting like he had not seen his relatives far away for a long time, he could only laugh.
Under the dazzling sunshine, Van Derang's body exuded a strong smell of sweat and the unique body odor of foreigners, which made him almost faint.
But she could only try to keep smiling.
Seeing that Fan Delang still wanted to hug him, he quickly pulled back his hand and said, "I heard that Commander Fan was promoted to governor, which is really gratifying. It will be much more convenient for us to deal with him directly in the future."
After an overly warm greeting.
Wei An was also on business and explained the main mission of his visit, as well as the goods he was carrying. When Fan Delang heard about the quantity of goods, he was very happy. It was really unexpected.
In particular, raw silk, porcelain, and tea are all extremely popular items.
"Please come to the city to rest, Ambassador. I will send someone to help unload the goods."
"It's hot on the ship. Let the sailors and merchants on the ship go into the city. I have already prepared a quiet and comfortable place for you to rest."
Wei An led his men onto the dock and felt the vitality of the city.
There are harbors, docks, connected canals within the city, castles, forts, city halls, Christian churches, schools, and lively markets.
There is even a dedicated Chinese neighborhood here, including Tea Street, Porcelain Street, Bowl Street, etc., and the city is still under construction.
A group of Chinese businessmen came to greet him.
Fan Delang told Wei An that the leader was Chinese Kapitan.
Wei An did a lot of research before coming and knew that this was an overseas Chinese leader system implemented by the Dutch, Portuguese and other foreigners in the Southeast Asian colonies. Overseas Chinese leaders who were doing business or settling in Nanyang were appointed as leaders of overseas Chinese to assist them.
Handling expatriate affairs.
There are many Chinese in Nanyang, including Chinese businessmen who travel regularly, some who have already taken root in the local area, and some who have been here for many generations. They have formed a Chinese group with considerable influence and have relatively prestigious leaders.
For example, before the Dutch established Batavia, there were many Chinese businessmen in the nearby Banten Port. The Dutch tried their best to attract these Chinese to live and trade in Batavia.
They conferred the title of Kapitan on some prestigious Chinese leaders and asked them to assist them in governing the Chinese.
Kapitan in Dutch is originally the transliteration of merchant ship captain or leader.
However, although these Kapitans manage the Chinese on behalf of the Dutch, they actually do not have any real power. At most, they are the same as the imperial power in the mainland that did not go to the countryside. The county magistrate handed over the management of the countryside to the patriarchs or gentry to manage the autonomy on their behalf.
, help with management, assist with taxation and recruitment, etc.
Batavia's commercial prosperity is inseparable from the contributions of the Chinese.
The Chinese not only provided a stable supply of Chinese goods, but also controlled the cultivation and supply of spices in many places in Southeast Asia, attracting the Chinese and allowing the Dutch to maintain sufficient advantages in colonial trade in Southeast Asia.
Whether it was to facilitate trade or collect taxes, the Dutch preferred to go through Kapitan.
At that time, the Dutch blocked the Banten Port and then offered generous terms to attract Chinese businessmen to leave Banten and come to Batavia. About thirty years ago, when the first Kapitan Sumingang was appointed, there were only about 400 Chinese.
People live in Batavia.
A few years ago, after the Dutch captured Malacca, which had been controlled by the Portuguese for many years, they rebuilt Malacca on the ruins. They recruited a group of Chinese immigrants from Batavia and appointed a Chinese leader as Malacca Kapitan.
"The construction of Batavia was all due to the Chinese craftsmen led by Kapitan. The towering city walls and the three canals in the city. Over the years, almost all the buildings in Batavia were completed by Chinese craftsmen." Van Der Lang said in front of Wei An.
, did not hesitate to praise the Chinese.
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! The first Kapitan Sumingang, who was awarded a gold medal by the Governor of Batavia, was from Fujian. He retired and returned to his hometown ten years ago, and was later recruited by the Dutch
He was asked to go to Taiwan to help attract investors and immigrants. He stayed in Taiwan for three years, but was unsuccessful. Finally, seeing the turmoil in the current situation, he returned to Batavia. He died of illness three years ago and was buried there.
Su Minggang did make many contributions to Batavia. For example, he initially recruited 400 Chinese people to Batavia. After many years of hard work, by the time he resigned ten years ago, there were thousands of Chinese people.
During his tenure, no ships could come to Batavia due to the interruption of trade. He also personally went to Fujian to recruit seven merchant ships for Batavia, loaded with silk and porcelain.
And he has been collecting poll taxes, gambling taxes, customs duties, slaughter taxes, etc. from the Chinese for the East India Company, helping with transactions, collecting commissions, and he even obtained the right to mint coins.
The various city constructions carried out by the Dutch in Batavia were basically contracted by Sumingang.
He was also a member of the Dutch-Indian Senate
Among the Chinese in Batavia, no one could surpass him in power or wealth.
Su Minggang has been working as a Kapitan for sixteen years, and is also the president of the Chinese organization, the Baguo Court.
He owned four merchant ships, opened several casinos, and owned a mint. He even had a close relationship not only with the Dutch Governor of Batavia, but also with the Sultan of Banten.
After his death, the whole of Batavia paid tribute to him. His mausoleum was even as luxurious as a king's mausoleum, and there were even Sumingang Street and Sumingang Port named after him.
"Little Yang Kun pays homage to your lord!"
A Chinese businessman wearing silk Hanfu came up to see Wei An.
"Yang Kun is our third Kapitan in Batavia." Fan Delang told Wei An.
After So Minggang resigned ten years ago, the second Kapitan was succeeded by Brother Lin Lulin, the sixth brother, who was also a famous Chinese businessman. However, he died of illness after only serving for three years. After his death, Yang Kun took over.
Yang Kun is also from Fujian, a fellow villager of Su Minggang, his son-in-law, and his former important partner. They were engaged in maritime trade together, worked hard in Batavia, contracted the construction business in Baccarat, opened casinos, and collected taxes on their behalf.
Taxation, etc.
This inconspicuous-looking dark and thin man was the leader of thousands of Chinese people in Bacheng at this time, and he also inherited the position of chairman of the Bacheng Court.
"Hello, President Yang." Wei An also knew about Yang Kun in advance and knew that this man was not an ordinary person. He was not only a Chinese leader, but also had a good relationship with the indigenous Sudan here.
Anyway, he is a well-rounded person. The Chinese businessmen who come here to do business are not only protected by him, but also need to pay protection fees to him.
Yang Kun introduced a group of Chinese businessmen in Bacheng to Wei An. Although these people were far away from abroad, some of them had completely settled here, even for several generations. However, facing this ambassador from his motherland, the Heavenly Dynasty,
Still very respectful, even a little afraid.
After all, Ambassador Wei not only came with commercial goods this time, but also brought gunboats. Those warships were no worse than those of the Dutch. And the Ming Dynasty directly captured Taiwan last year and forced the Dutch to surrender and pay compensation. This made Bacheng's
The Chinese were also very excited.
In the past, the Ming Dynasty looked down upon and even hostile to these businessmen who abandoned their hometowns and abandoned their ancestral graves. They did not regard them as their own people at all. Even if they were killed outside, they would not care, and they might even say that the killing was good.
But now Emperor Shaotian can not only beat the Dutch and intimidate the Portuguese and Spanish, he can also remember these people and mention them as overseas abandoned sons in the trade treaties with various countries, guaranteeing their interests and knowing
Who wouldn't be excited about this?
They left their hometown and crossed the ocean, in fact, just to survive and get rich. Everyone was deeply moved that the country still remembered them and protected them.
Wei An came this time to establish an embassy, which would be permanently stationed in Batavia and responsible for contacting the Dutch East India Company in Batavia and protecting the Chinese businessmen and expatriates in Batavia.
In the trade treaty between the Ming Dynasty and the Dutch, there was an article regarding the Ming Dynasty's enjoyment of consular rights. Previously, the Dutch East India Company restricted Chinese people in Pakistan from leaving the country, but now the Ming Dynasty requires the Dutch to lift this restriction and allow Chinese businessmen to do so.
You can return to your country at any time and come and go freely.
As long as Chinese businessmen want to return to their country, they can apply to the embassy, and then the embassy will arrange for them to return on merchant ships.