In the ninth year of Wanli, the Netherlands broke away from Spanish rule through the War of Independence. Although it was not recognized by Spain at that time, from that time on, the Netherlands had already begun its own rise.

After independence, the Netherlands was also eager to develop its own overseas trade like Portugal and Spain.

Due to trade frictions such as grabbing resources, the Netherlands had a feud with Portugal, and all ports in Spain and Portugal began to close the Dutch.

The Dutch, who had no choice but to find a new route to Asia on their own.

In the two naval battles between Java and the Strait of Malacca, the Dutch fleet defeated the Portuguese fleet, and the Dutch began to rapidly develop their maritime trade.

When the transaction becomes bigger, there must be a special management department. Therefore, twenty years ago, the Dutch East India Company was established, and their leader was called the "chief".

The current chief of the Dutch East India Company is Cohen. Zheng Yiguan’s position as director was granted by him. Gao Wenlu, the "Commander-in-Chief" who led two fleets to invade the Ming Dynasty, enjoys a high reputation in the Dutch East India Company.

Dutch East India Company, this is not the kind of "company" that comes from later generations.

Although it is a joint-stock company in form, it has its own mercenaries, can even issue currencies, enter into formal treaties with other countries, and has the power to colonize and rule the place.

These are the rights granted by the Dutch royal family to the Dutch East India Company in order to develop overseas colonies.

Because of Zhu Youxiao's operations, the silk trade was gradually monopolized by the "imperial merchants" under the Ming Dynasty's court within two years. At this time, silk had become one of the irreplaceable luxury goods among the Dutch nobles.

Under the continuous pressure from the country, coupled with Zheng Yiguan's betrayal, Cohen, the chief of the Dutch East India Company, was so angry that he authorized Gao Wenlu to block the coast of Fujian in the Ming Dynasty.

A trade war between the Ming and Dutch Republic inevitably began.

......

The Fujian Navy is mobilizing warships, intending to have a large-scale naval battle with the Dutch fleet. In addition, the Zheng family is also preparing for it.

In addition to sending a fleet to block another Dutch fleet supporting Zhangzhou Port, Zheng Yiguan was also preparing to break through the enemy fortress from within.

He has been hiding on the sea for many years and knows that Western fortresses will either be fought before they can be built, or it will be difficult to defeat them.

The fortress built by the Dutch was chosen on a hill that was easy to defend and difficult to attack, leaning against the sea cliff, and below was the second fleet sent by the Dutch East India Company.

In terms of military tactics, this is a big taboo, but at this time, it has become a headache for Daming, who needs to recover Penghu as soon as possible.

What Zheng Yiguan was worried about was that if the surprise attack could not work, it would make the Dutch retreat into the fortress, even if it was a crowded person, it would be difficult to win in the short term.

In this way, the original intention of a quick battle and a loss-making battle is violated, and both sides are injured!

At this time, Xu Xinsu, who was accidentally stranded in Penghu, came in handy.

On this day, Zheng Yiguan was secretly dispatching the Zheng family fleet and soldiers on the land, intending to take advantage of the opportunity to recover Penghu after the Fujian Navy liberated Zhangzhou Port.

While preparing, a sea merchant wearing a blue silk robe came to ask for a visit, saying that he was Xu Xinsu's biological brother at the sea.

Zheng Yiguan was overjoyed and quickly put down his work and met with him in person.

The visitor dressed in a maritime businessman dress. After he arrived on the deck of the ship, he took off his silk robe, placed it aside, blew the sea breeze, and saluted:

"I'm here Xucheng, I've met Zheng Shoujie."

Zheng Yiguan is now the garrison officer of Zhangzhou in the imperial court. With his official status and different status, Xu Cheng met him, so he naturally inferior and had a humble attitude.

Besides, even if this is not the case, he came this time to rescue his brother Xu Xinsu from the Dutch, and took the opportunity to make contributions to the court and protect them from the coastal business with the power of the government.

Zheng Yiguan didn't care about this little garrison officer at all. With a light "um" sound, his eyes kept flashing, and he looked up and down at the maritime merchant in front of him.

After seeing him take off his silk robe, there was another world inside.

Xu Cheng wore a leopard-skin vest, deer-skin boots, and a handmade cool hat made of tart-skin on his head. At first glance, he looked like a pirate who had been looting the sea for many years.

"What's going on? What do the Dutch say?"

Zheng Yiguan stood with his hands behind his back and asked quietly.

Xu Chengdao: "I communicated with the Dutch in advance. I guess my brother had gained their trust, so it went very smoothly. I asked me to come to the fort to discuss cooperation."

"This time the Dutch are deliberately trying to buy what do you want to buy?" Zheng Yiguan turned his head, and the corners of his mouth raised slightly, obviously because he was interested.

Xu Cheng laughed and said:

"It's not just for raw silk. The Dutch wanted to buy 200 dan of raw silk from my Xu family, and said that they could pay all the silver in advance."

Zheng Yiguan learned from many people about the situation in some Western countries at this time, and immediately sneered: "Ha, it seems that Cohen is really urged by the nobles in China, and there is no way to do so."

"Are they not afraid that your Xu brothers will run away?"

Zheng Yiguan's words were obviously a bit despised. Xu Cheng heard them, but he could only smile awkwardly and pretended that he didn't hear them.

"Now these days, the supervision department is strictly inspected. Even our Xu family has been holding some goods in their hands for a while and they dare not go out to sea easily!"

"If the supervisory department gets the news, we may be in danger, so how dare we take it head-on!"

Xu Cheng is a man in his thirties, calling a little baby who is just twenty in such a humble manner. Although he speaks decisively, he always feels something is wrong in his heart.

Zheng Yiguan walked forward a few steps, picked up a musket he bought from the Dutch, and smiled and said, "So, I want to thank you very well."

"If my Zheng family had not had these few faces, you wouldn't have left this trip?"

"What is Zheng Shoubei saying..." Xu Cheng looked shocked and explained repeatedly:

"This trip was originally intended to save my incompetent brother. After gaining the honor of the Zheng family, I was too happy, so why dare to complain?"

"Haha, you boy."

Zheng Yiguan suddenly burst into laughter and asked blankly:

"The Fujian Navy of the imperial court has gathered near Zhangzhou Port. This area is not peaceful. After saving Xu Xinsu, where are you going?"

"Are you still going to go to business in Penghu and Yizhou?"

How could Xu Cheng not know what Zheng Yiguan meant? He also liked Yizhou, an island with poor jurisdiction in the imperial court, and was competing for territory with the Xu family!

Now there is a person under the roof and has to bow his head.

With the priority of Fujian businessmen, the maritime power will definitely be improved in a leap. Zheng Yiguan is the garrison of Zhangzhou. I am afraid that even Li Dan cannot take action openly. Xu Xinsu and himself cannot fight.

The same goes for the same sentence: the Xu family is currently weak and the Zheng family is protected by the court. Their own power is not weaker than them, so they still have to find a backer!

Li Dan couldn't do this backer anymore. Even if he went to the government, he would be at the same level as the Zheng family at most. Maybe he could not be appointed as a guard, and he would still be hammered by the hammer.

If you want to have the capital to compete with Zheng Yiguan at sea in the future, you have to find the court!

Xu Cheng smiled embarrassedly and said, "After saving my brother, we plan to settle in Japan like Li Dan, and we will not go back to Jiangnan."

Zheng Yiguan nodded lightly, and didn't say much, just said quietly:

"It's so good. You can go to Penghu and meet the Dutch as an insider. When you recover Penghu, I must ask you and Xu Xinsu's contributions before stroking the table."

Xu Cheng cursed in his heart, but his face was bright:

"Thank you, Zheng Shoujie, for helping me rescue my brother!"
Chapter completed!