New Shun 1730

With the change of economic foundation, tribute has only so many benefits besides economic benefits.

Sulu and other countries weighed the pros and cons, and they also knew in their hearts that tribute was a choice that had to be made at this time.

If the Westerners still occupied the South Seas, Sulu would very much like to pay tribute to the Celestial Empire.

But the Westerners were driven away, and the losses brought by paying tribute to the Celestial Empire were much greater than before. Sulu's business was very big, and the UK had special arms dealers to provide Sulu's "Eastern Barbary Pirates" with short-barreled rifles for pirates. Like the cooperation between the Swedish East India Company and the Madagascar pirates, the Sulu pirates also had special ways to sell stolen goods, and they also earned Dutch guilders and pounds.

However, based on the aggressive posture of the Celestial Empire at this time, it fought all the way from Java to Ceylon. Although it said that those who left would not be chased and those who came would not be rejected, if they really did not pay tribute, even if the Celestial Empire did not fight due to the moral principle of "the king does not rule the barbarians", it would not be able to bear it if it supported a tributary country next to it.

Moreover, Dashun is different from before.

They don't know much about Korea. But they have heard a lot about Ryukyu. The tribute now is very different from the previous tribute. Dashun's interference is increasing day by day, and no one knows what troubles will be encountered in the future.

However, with the collapse of Fort Santiago, these envoys finally determined to pay tribute.

Liu Yu only said that he would return to the court to report after he conquered Malacca. These envoys of small countries can go back and inform the kings and sultans of various countries that if there are those who are willing to pay tribute, they can prepare tribute in advance, and when Liu Yu returns to the court to report in a few days, they will take a boat to the capital.

Envoys from various countries agreed one after another.

Then, Liu Yu ordered the troops to continue the attack, dig pits close to the city wall, and prepare to break through Malacca within five days.

That night, in the general's tent, the former governor of the East India Company, Valkenir, the former Grand Speaker Anthony who followed Liu Yu to Dashun to avoid domestic political turmoil, and the deputy fleet commander of the East India Fleet of the Dutch East India Company were invited to the general's tent.

Li Xi sat at the top, Liu Yu sat on the side, and the rest of the senior officers sat around. These Dutchmen sat in the guest seats. Like the envoys of the small countries, they also witnessed the collapse of Fort Santiago during the day.

The attack on Malacca was not only for these small countries to see, but also for the Dutch.

The audience of this scene is not just the countries in Southeast Asia. This scene cannot only have martial arts without literary drama.

Taking advantage of the results of the day, Liu Yu smiled and asked: "It is said that knowing yourself and the enemy can know whether you can fight or not. You are all senior figures in the Netherlands or high-level officials, and you are of course confidants of the Netherlands. And these days, you may have fought with the Celestial Empire or witnessed the Celestial Empire fighting with your own eyes, so you may know the enemy. Do you think VOC still has a chance to fight back?"

Anthony certainly didn't know Liu Yu's plan of "uniting with the Netherlands to blow up the Netherlands first" at this time, and felt that Liu Yu was just showing off his power.

Although he thought so, he was of course very unhappy and felt that he should refuse to answer this rather insulting question.

But after a moment of silence, former Grand Speaker Anthony shook his head.

He followed the Dashun envoys from Amsterdam to Dashun, firstly to avoid domestic political turmoil, and secondly to discuss trade with Dashun.

The Prince of Orange borrowed public opinion to deny the "Kanhe trade" that Liu Yu had promoted in Amsterdam.

But in fact, the Dutch wanted both face and substance.

For the dignity and honor of the motherland, resolutely rejecting the Kanhe trade that undermines the national dignity is to fool the people at home.

In fact, when the Dutch traded in Ceylon, they had to kneel down to the King of Sinhalese; when Dashun conquered the world and missionaries were crazy about "slandering" Protestant countries, they also went to Beijing to pay tribute; in Japan, they also honestly visited the court every year to report.

Just like in Macau, the new governor of Portugal saw the flag of Dashun hanging on the customs and exclaimed that it was an insult to the motherland; but in fact, the local faction in Macau would ring the church bells and kneel to welcome the county magistrate or above.

The face is to deceive the people of the country, and the inside is full of interests.

Anthony knew this very well. If he was that kind of fanatic, he would not be able to become the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Together with the previous Speakers of the House of Representatives, he suppressed the Orange family for more than 40 years, so that the Netherlands did not even have a governor of the United Provinces.

He still has some political skills.

Now Liu Yu asked arrogantly whether the Netherlands could fight back. Anthony felt that it was meaningless to say some polite words at this time.

Insults are insults, what else can be done?

"Mr. Marquis, regardless of the good or evil of war, your country's undeclared war, and other factors, just talk about the war itself... In fact, your country has achieved a complete victory."

"The collapse of Fort Santiago proves that it is only a matter of time before Malacca is breached."

"Even if the company does not go bankrupt, even if the people of the Orange family protect the company to the death, ban the stock exchange and prohibit redemption... the company has no ability to fight back."

"If the company wants to fight back, it will need at least 20 battleships and 40,000 soldiers. This is an unbearable financial pressure for the company and even the Netherlands. You certainly know how long it has been since the province of Amsterdam built a battleship."

"Your country now controls the origin of spices and the specialties of Southeast Asia. In the future, incense, pepper, cloves, cinnamon in the European market... This will be like tea, silk, porcelain, and rhubarb. Your country's trade policy will determine the rise and fall of these goods trade in Europe."

Anthony thought for a while and said with emotion: "Perhaps, as you said, your country has just returned to its rightful status. In fact, it is an accident that the United Provinces have been able to occupy Southeast Asia for so long."

"Whether it is your country or Japan, it should be easier for you to occupy Southeast Asia than the United Provinces."

"Your country's raid completely destroyed the Netherlands."

After sighing, Anthony felt a little relieved that he had escaped disaster.

Suddenly I thought that if the Orange faction had not rushed to seize power and Liu Yu had not incited the emotions of the Dutch people in Amsterdam, if he, the Speaker, had continued to be in power, the consequences would have been the occupation of Southeast Asia, the Amsterdam Stock Exchange stock market crash, and France's invasion of Austria. The scene of the Netherlands almost collapsing...

I am afraid that I will be hanged in the square like my predecessor, the Speaker, and have all my flesh cut off and eaten.

In the current situation, the orange of the United Provinces and the orange Netherlands may no longer be symbols of the Netherlands.

Since the Dutch disarmament in the War of Spanish Succession, successive Grand Speakers of the Netherlands have always believed that diplomacy can solve many problems, and have focused a lot of energy on diplomacy.

However, prior to this, China’s existence had never been considered in diplomacy. Although the Netherlands knows very well that China exists in reality and is not an illusion or a myth, after all, it has not had any impact on the situation in Europe before. That's no different than non-existence.

This lack of consideration made former Grand Speaker Anthony finally understand one thing after resigning as Grand Speaker.

That is, thinking that diplomacy can solve all problems is just wishful thinking.

Just like the situation in Southeast Asia, what kind of diplomacy is needed to prevent Dashun from going to Southeast Asia?

It was neither the Netherlands, nor Spain, nor the United Kingdom that hindered Dashun's voyage to Southeast Asia.

The only thing that hindered Dashun from going to Nanyang was Dashun himself.

Once Dashun wants to go to Nanyang, no matter how we engage in diplomacy, it is impossible to prevent Dashun from going to Nanyang. The only European country that can threaten Dashun is remote Russia. The bitter cold of Siberia is destined that even if a war breaks out between Russia and Dashun, it will only be a war involving a thousand people, which is not worth mentioning for a country with a population of hundreds of millions.

It is said that Britain is currently negotiating with Russia, hoping to provide Russia with an army of 50,000 people as a subsidy for the Russian army at a price of hundreds of thousands of pounds per year.

Of course, the Netherlands is not short of money, and the value of the entire Southeast Asia is definitely higher than hundreds of thousands of pounds. However, even if the Russians are given one million pounds, how can Russia prepare a force of 50,000 people to cross Siberia?

Anthony has been thinking these days, if he knew Dashun's strategy of going to Southeast Asia in advance, could the Netherlands stop Dashun's ambitions through diplomatic channels?

As the former Speaker, he still has the pattern he should have.

However, after thinking hard for a long time, I finally came to the conclusion that "diplomacy is not a panacea."

In particular, the diplomatic thinking that the Netherlands had honed in chaotic Europe was completely useless when dealing with Dashun.

This is a country that is incompatible with Europe, not in terms of system, religion, and culture. It’s about the strategic environment and the incompatibility of one’s own existence.

European diplomacy has always followed a "balanced" policy, which gave the Dutch the illusion that diplomacy is omnipotent.

But in the face of a unified country like Dashun, a hegemonic monster in East Asia, the Dutch diplomatic inertia based on "checks and balances" completely failed.

Dashun can sanction the Netherlands, as long as the Dutch businesses are closed.

The Netherlands cannot sanction Dashun, and VOC announces a high-profile ban on the import of Chinese goods. The only person who can be killed is VOC itself. The British, French, and Swedish East India Company will have a drink to celebrate.

Dashun could just disagree and grab Holland's eggs, go to Nanyang and crush them directly.

However, the Netherlands had nothing to do against Dashun's attack. Because Dashun is to the west of India, let alone an egg, there is not even a sperm.

Originally, Anthony felt resentful when he saw Liu Yu's failure in calling them Dutch people to visit the Netherlands together.

I also thought about saying something like "If you have the ability to go to the Atlantic Ocean, let's have a fight."

But when I think about it calmly, this is really unnecessary. Even if he loses, he loses. When he talks about it in this situation, he becomes even more incompetent and furious.

If it were in Europe, this matter would be easier to solve. If Britain occupies it, tell Britain directly that if you don't return it, I will surrender to France; if France occupies it, tell France directly that if you don't return it, I will surrender to Britain.

But this is not a divided Europe trying to balance power.

Military means were insufficient; diplomatic solutions were hopeless; paying for mercenaries, not to mention how the Russians crossed Siberia, Liu Yu must have reached many secret agreements with the Russians when he launched a coup in Petersburg to support Elizabeth's ascension to the throne.

Faced with Liu Yu's inquiry, Anthony sincerely believed that the East India Company had no chance of taking back Southeast Asia.

And what Liu Yu wanted to hear was exactly this answer.

He is not here to show off that he is the winner.

But to let the Dutch recognize the reality and fully introduce Dashun's military capabilities after returning, so that the Netherlands and Dashun can form an alliance.

Liu Yu went to Europe to make Dashun make a stunning appearance before, to show that China has opened its eyes. From fantasy, stories, and legends, into reality.

Now the Dashun's march to Nanyang has made China show its fist as big as a sandbag: I am very good at fighting. East of India, nothing can be done without my nod.

Did any company with the name "East India" ask for Dashun's permission before daring to use this name? Without Dashun's approval, the East India Company could not be established.