As a European colonizer who dared to come to the East and engage in colonial trade, Bill was not short of adventurous spirit. In order to gain the honor of opening the door to China and to pack his money full of gold, Bill decided to hide from the Chinese, who had no idea of his position in the company, and went to Beijing to negotiate on behalf of the Dutch East India Company.

After conveying the kindness of the Ming Emperor to Bill, Lu Jiude pretended to be casual and asked, "This Mr. Bill, I heard that you Dutch are very good at shipbuilding and sailing, right?" ”

Lu Jiude's little temptation aroused Bill's expression to change, and Bill, who was still very happy, suddenly became very difficult to look at, and he replied firmly and without hesitation: "I'm sorry, this great nobleman." If the Ming Emperor wanted us to exchange shipbuilding technology and navigation routes for trade licenses? Then I can answer you now, this can't be done? ”

"Bold, even a single person dares to refuse my will of the Ming Emperor? You have repeatedly pestered the Ming Dynasty to ask for trade, and now the Ming Emperor has given you a chance, but instead he has put up a shelf. What are your intentions? Zheng Cai, who had always wanted to behave in front of Lu Jiude, immediately stood up and accused Bill of being rude after listening to Bill's unceremonious refusal.

Bill's face was extremely ugly, but he still did not change his words: "Shipbuilding technology and navigation road map are the foundation of our Dutch country, no matter how high the trade preferential policies of the Ming Emperor are, we will not have this kind of transaction with the Ming Emperor." What's more, trade itself is a mutually beneficial thing, why do you Ming people always want to get additional benefits other than trade? ”

Seeing Bill confronting Zheng Cai with a black face, the originally harmonious atmosphere in the room suddenly turned sharply and became full of taste.

Looking at a person who was still talking about business interests just now, he changed his appearance in an instant, and Lu Jiude suddenly knew that his temptation had indeed failed. In addition to the surprise in his heart, Lu Jiude finally looked up to Bill a few points.

When they first met, Bill did not hesitate to grovel to him in order to trade with Daming, which made Lu Jiude think that these people were profit-seeking. As long as he buys a little bit or two, the shipbuilders and the navigation route map between the eastern and western continents that His Majesty wants, these people will give them away.

But unexpectedly, he just mentioned a few words about shipbuilding, and a profiteer like Bill dared to turn his face to the envoy of the Ming Emperor. It can be seen that these Dutch people really regarded shipbuilding and nautical charts as more important than their lives.

Thinking of Chongzhen's thousands of instructions to him, Lu Jiude had to stand up and stop Zheng Cai, and then said to Bill with a smile: "What I said just now, maybe you didn't understand Mr. Bill?" ”

Bill remained vigilant and asked, "So what do you want to say, noble?" Lu Jiude didn't seem to see the vigilance on Bill's face, his face was like a spring breeze, and he smiled and said to Bill: "My Emperor Ming wants to build a garden of all things, and the garden will be planted with all kinds of different plants and different animals. Although my Daming is rich in products, His Majesty is more like looking at those plants and animals that are very different from Daming. The reason why I have just asked you about shipbuilding technology and nautical charts is to ask you Dutch, have you seen any new animals and plants that I do not have? Among them, edible animals and plants are the best, followed by plants and trees that can be used to feed livestock, and the bottom are animals and plants of unknown use. ”

Lu Jiude's requirements for these novel animals and plants are described in great detail, and it doesn't seem to be an excuse just made up. Bill's face changed, and the angry expression on his face turned into a slight sense of shame.

"I really don't know how to apologize to you, I have been in the army for so long that even my friends think that I acted recklessly and rudely, and you see that I almost misunderstood your meaning and ruined our friendship. Rest assured of your request, I have a few captain's friends who travel frequently to and from the Americas, Africa, India, the Middle East and Batavia. As long as I send them a letter, your Imperial Majesty will be able to see the new creatures he wants when the spring and summer of next year comes. ”

The apologetic look on Bill's face looked quite real, but Lu Jiude, who was good at observing words and feelings, could still see from Bill's unnatural hands and the unchanged muscle groups near the corners of his eyes that Bill's vigilance against him had not relaxed.

Lu Jiude laughed, and his words brought over the tense atmosphere just now. Then he stopped talking about ships, and the conversation that followed was pure chat in Bill's eyes, and Lu Jiude inquired curiously about the strange customs of overseas, like a curious child.

For this kind of anecdote that can gain the favor of the other party, Bill is naturally free to speak. As long as it doesn't involve navigation, Bill, who has been to several continents, is the best storyteller.

From the bouncy balls made by the Native Americans out of a strange gum tree, to the legends that have been passed down among the Native Americans, such as the Golden Lake filled with gold offerings, or the spring water that rejuvenates deep in the jungle.

Speaking of elation, Bill also talked about the Spanish treasure ship and the story of the British pirate Francis Drake who robbed the Spanish treasure ship and made countless fortunes. Watch Bill describe Drake burying his treasure on a deserted island in the Pacific Ocean.

Several people in the room thought that the Dutch officer, who had a greedy expression, must have searched for this treasure at some time, otherwise it could not be said to be so true.

For the Spanish treasure ship that could obtain a fortune of 110,000 pounds in one robbery, Zheng Cai, who had a little knowledge of foreign exchange, immediately calculated that the British pound in this era was only a unit of weight, not a monetary unit, and one pound was equal to about 16 taels of silver.

In other words, Drake robbed a Spanish treasure ship and received 1.76 million taels of silver. After converting it into silver, this huge wealth suddenly stunned Zheng Cai. He robbed the sea for several years, and the cumulative amount did not exceed 100,000 taels of silver, and the real bulk was earned by smuggling trade. But this British pirate robbed once, and he could completely cover the wealth he had robbed in his life, and this British pirate had robbed more than once.

Zheng Cai swallowed his saliva and couldn't help interrupting Bill's words: "Does this Spanish treasure ship still exist now?" ”

Bill woke up from the frenzy of recollection, his eyes flashed, and he corrected with a sly expression: "It's the Spanish treasure fleet, about 15-17 treasure ships form a fleet every year, arrive in America in August, and return to Spain in the early summer of the following year. But with all due respect, the small boats in your possession can only be played in this offshore waters, and it would be suicide to cross the Pacific, and even if you are lucky enough to reach the New World across the Pacific, your small ships will never be a match for the Treasure Fleet. Even the armed merchant fleet of our Dutch East India Company was no match for the Spaniards' treasure fleet. ”