Chapter 475: Van Diemen, You Must Have the Spirit of Contract!

"Governor-General of the United Provinces of the Netherlands East India Company, Admiral, Anthony van Diemen."

Outside the Hall of Literary Splendor in the Forbidden City of Nanjing, the voice calling the summons rang out. It was in Chinese, yet Van Diemen could faintly make out a few words — "Netherlands," for instance, and "Anthony van Diemen" — so he knew he was being invited to enter and pay his respects.

"Anthony," said Johann Adam Schall von Bell, who was accompanying Van Diemen as today's interpreter and therefore spoke to him in French, "please come in with me. I believe you will obtain from the Crown Prince terms that will satisfy the board of directors."

Anthony van Diemen smiled and nodded in thanks, then followed a palace attendant and strode into the Hall of Literary Splendor.

The light inside the hall was somewhat dim, but Van Diemen could still clearly make out the Chinese Crown Prince seated behind a desk, a faint smile on his face. He was very young, full of vigor, yet not lacking in composure.

What surprised Van Diemen even more was that the face of this youthful ruler of the Central Kingdom showed not the slightest trace of curiosity.

Could it be that Westerners frequently came and went in his court? To the point that he had grown entirely accustomed to them?

Even if he had seen many Westerners, surely he ought to be curious about the Dutch "Red Barbarian" country?

That wasn't right — the eunuch just now had seemed to mention "Netherlands." Hadn't the Chinese always called Holland the "Red Barbarian Country"?

Zhu Cilang was likewise sizing up Van Diemen — a European whose face had been burned red by the sun at sea, very tall, with a lean, long face and piercing, spirited eyes that conveyed firm resolve.

"Kneel!" Schall's voice suddenly sounded beside Van Diemen's ear.

Van Diemen hastily dropped to one knee — Zhu Cilang had not had anyone discuss audience protocol with Van Diemen's delegation. Whether they knelt or prostrated, kowtowed or bowed, he did not care either way.

Moreover, he had no intention of treating the United Provinces of the Netherlands as a vassal state. Equal dealings between the two countries would suffice.

"Sit," said Zhu Cilang, gesturing for Van Diemen to take a chair, then said to Schall, "Mister Schall, you may sit as well."

Though Van Diemen could not understand what Zhu Cilang said, he grasped the meaning from the gesture and seated himself with easy confidence.

On the other side, Schall also settled into a chair.

Beside Zhu Cilang's throne stood a small table, for the use of the officials who recorded and drafted edicts. Xu Guangqi's grandson Xu Ermo, who had now graduated from the Nanjing Military Academy and served as a clerical staff officer in the Military Orders Guard, had been summoned to the Hall of Literary Splendor. He too sat down behind the small table, picked up his brush, and prepared to take notes.

"Governor Diemen," said Zhu Cilang, "today's talks will be conducted in Chinese and French. Is that acceptable?"

He spoke very slowly, and Schall translated each sentence into French as he finished.

"No problem," said Van Diemen, nodding.

Zhu Cilang pointed at Xu Ermo, who was taking notes nearby, and added: "The main content of the talks will be recorded in both Chinese and French as a memorandum. If a treaty can be reached, the treaty text will likewise be written out separately in Chinese and French."

"Agreed," Van Diemen said, nodding again.

Zhu Cilang looked at Van Diemen and continued: "Governor Diemen, before the formal talks begin, I would like to understand the nature of the East India Company. Are you, in fact, an independent sovereign state? A commercial trading house? Or a trading house authorized by the United Provinces of the Netherlands to conduct military and diplomatic activities in the East on behalf of the state?"

This question took Van Diemen completely by surprise — this Ming Crown Prince's understanding of the East India Company and the Dutch Republic likely far exceeded what he had imagined!

Van Diemen frowned, and was just pondering how to bluff his way through when Zhu Cilang spoke again: "Governor Diemen, our country will, before long, dispatch a diplomatic mission to the continent of Europe. The mission will visit Amsterdam and call upon the States General of the United Provinces of the Netherlands. At that time, the mission will inquire in person about the nature of the East India Company, and will also deliver copies of today's memorandum to the States General and to the Company's board of seventeen directors. I trust that Governor Diemen is an honest and trustworthy merchant, and not a swindler trading on the name of a state?"

So he can't be fooled, Van Diemen thought to himself. We can't beat him, and we can't deceive him — how is this business supposed to be done?

Van Diemen answered truthfully: "Your Highness, the East India Company is a commercial company authorized by the States General of the United Provinces of the Netherlands to exercise state functions, to conduct military and diplomatic activities on behalf of the United Provinces within the region extending from the Cape of Good Hope in the east to the Strait of Magellan at the southern tip of South America in the west, and to hold a monopoly on trade."

Zhu Cilang said: "I would like a written explanation and the Company's charter."

"No problem," said Van Diemen. "We can provide them."

"In that case," said Zhu Cilang, "I shall assume for now that the East India Company can represent the United Provinces of the Netherlands."

Van Diemen replied with great certainty: "We can certainly represent them!"

Zhu Cilang nodded: "Very well. That is to say, in the year 1640 of the Western calendar, you were representing the United Provinces of the Netherlands when you signed a trade treaty with our Great Ming's Regional Commander of Fujian, Zheng Zhilong?"

"No, no, no," Van Diemen hastily shook his head. "The treaty of 1640 was merely a commercial contract between the East India Company and General Zheng Zhilong."

Zhu Cilang nodded and said thoughtfully: "According to this contract, East India Company merchant ships may not directly enter any port owned by the Great Ming to trade, and all Great Ming goods needed by the East India Company are to be purchased on its behalf by Zheng Zhilong. In addition, every East India Company merchant ship passing through the waters near Fujian must pay Zheng Zhilong an annual ship tax of 3,000 taels of silver. Are these terms still being honored?"

"They are still being honored." Van Diemen rose, bowed to Zhu Cilang, and then said: "Your Highness, these are unjust terms. They are not only detrimental to the East India Company's free trade, but also quite harmful to the overseas trade of the Great Ming Empire! On behalf of the East India Company, I beseech Your Highness to abolish these unjust terms that obstruct free trade."

Zhu Cilang looked at Van Diemen, his brow slightly furrowed: "Governor, since your East India Company is a commercial enterprise, then you ought to have a merchant's spirit of contract! Since a contract has been signed, it should be strictly honored. Even if you wish to change it, that should be done through negotiation, not by petitioning Us to issue an edict."

What... spirit of contract? Van Diemen was truly baffled. What did this Ming Crown Prince mean?

Zhu Cilang smiled: "In the past, the Great Ming kept its borders closed and its country locked, and forbade Western merchants from trading at the mouth of the Yangtze. You have constantly tried to break through our restrictions, posing a threat to the stability of our coastal regions. Therefore, the treaty Zheng Zhilong signed with you was entirely appropriate.

But now, We have decided to open the country to trade, and to establish the Shanghai commercial port at the confluence of the northern and southern seas and the Yangtze, where all foreign merchants will be permitted to come and go freely, trade, and settle permanently. Merchants of the United Provinces of the Netherlands are, of course, included among all foreign merchants, and therefore the commercial contract you signed with Zheng Zhilong must be amended. Zheng Zhilong's losses should receive appropriate compensation."

"Then how should we compensate Zheng Zhilong?" Van Diemen asked at once.

Zhu Cilang smiled slightly: "That is a matter for you and Zheng Zhilong to discuss. After all, what the two of you reached is a commercial agreement, not a pact between two states. We can only mediate; We cannot compel Zheng Zhilong to accept amendment terms unfavorable to him."

Why is this so convoluted? Van Diemen was nearly dizzy from Zhu Cilang's roundabout reasoning. Was this really the Crown Prince of the Central Kingdom? Why did he have the air of a cunning Amsterdam banker?

(End of Chapter)