Chapter 1530: To Drink This Cup of Poisoned Wine or Not

In the view of the faction supporting this idea, the East India Company's trade with the Great Han was extremely close and their relations were very good, while the Spanish had no such convenient conditions. Therefore, as long as they offered a sufficiently tempting promise, China would likely send troops. And given the current strength of the Great Han navy, if they chose to send troops, the situation would completely change; the Spanish would be utterly unable to resist the combined power of the two nations.

However, unlike these optimistic company higher-ups, Governor-General Coen held a different view.

He was the Governor-General of the Eastern Colonies appointed by the East India Company's headquarters in the Netherlands. He was a man of great foresight and exceptional ability. Over the years, it was precisely through his painstaking efforts that the Dutch had built such a glorious enterprise in Asia. Over a decade ago, it was this very Governor-General Coen who led the company's fleet to Batavia, established the company's new headquarters, and then swiftly killed, drove off, or enslaved the indigenous inhabitants of the various archipelagos, establishing a monopoly on the clove trade.

That the East India Company could, in just a few short decades, establish a vast Asian trade network, extending its commercial footprint to China, Goryeo, Japan, and beyond, while continuously squeezing out Spanish and Portuguese influence—this Governor-General's contributions were truly indispensable.

And it was precisely this Governor-General, a man of such immense prestige, who opposed the company higher-ups' proposal.

He believed that the war with the Spanish was a European affair and that the Chinese should not be dragged into it. If they were drawn in, they would inevitably seek recompense, and the Chinese court was clearly exceedingly greedy. Their ambitions were likely not something the East India Company could satisfy with mere petty profits. Once they became involved, the Spanish would probably be the first to suffer, but next it would be the Dutch's turn. In the end, all of Asia might be cast under the shadow of that Emperor.

Under the Governor-General's insistence, many who had originally supported seeking aid chose to change their minds or remain neutral and wait. Several high-level meetings of the East India Company failed to reach a conclusion.

But the aid-seeking faction still held a numerical advantage. They believed that with the current tense situation, the war between the Dutch and the Spanish had already dragged on far too long. If it continued further, the company would struggle to sustain itself and its profits would dwindle. What needed to be done now was not to worry about distant future problems, but to end the war with the Spanish as quickly as possible.

If they could use Chinese power to defeat the Spanish, then not only would the previous enormous investments become worthwhile, but they could also make a huge fortune by carving up Spanish wealth.

As for the Governor-General's concerns, this group felt that the Chinese court placed great importance on trade. After eliminating the Spanish, they would need the Dutch to maintain communication and trade between East and West, and therefore would not immediately turn on the Dutch after the war. As for matters far in the future, they believed there was no need to worry too much about them now.

Ultimately, the East India Company was a business. Their sole objective was profit, to make big money. Sacrificing present profits for the sake of the distant future was not in the nature of these merchants.

Time was precious. Considering the company's internal deadlock, they decided to continue lobbying in Batavia to persuade the Governor-General and the opposition to change their minds quickly, while also planning to take the initiative and urgently begin communicating with the Chinese court.

Originally, the most convenient method was to communicate through the Dutch trade representative in Tianjin (who had also handled the negotiations for the previous cannon deal). However, because the Tianjin trade representative was a trusted confidant of the Governor-General, they had no way to bypass the Governor-General to direct the people there. So, after much thought, they chose Nagasaki as the communication channel, using a rather roundabout way to negotiate with the Great Han court.

They wanted to get the matter settled before the Governor-General agreed, to save time. Moreover, they felt that even if the Governor-General ultimately disagreed, as long as they could negotiate a deal with the Great Han court, they could create a fait accompli. The neutral fence-sitters would then turn to support them, and the faction opposing the aid request would lose its footing; even the Governor-General would have no choice but to tacitly accept their proposal.

After deliberation, they decided to select William Gossett, a company employee stationed in Nagasaki, as the negotiator. Gossett was a trusted aide of a high-ranking member of the aid-seeking faction, capable, astute, loyal, and reliable. After receiving their secret orders, Gossett dared not delay. Using the pirate issue as a pretext, he came to Liu Jing and requested his help.

After hearing his account, Liu Jing more or less understood the convoluted schemes of these Dutchmen.

So it's not just our Great Han people who engage in infighting; these Westerners are constantly at each other's throats too... he couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

"Since your country has yet to reach a consensus internally, then... then why come seeking our nation's support first? What if your country changes its mind midway? Wouldn't that make our nation a laughingstock?" Acting on the principle of avoiding trouble whenever possible, Liu Jing immediately chose to decline. "Besides, your country and ours have always had channels for negotiation. There's no need to go through me; this is highly irregular..."

"Mr. Liu, please do not refuse us!" Seeing Liu Jing decline so readily, Gossett grew anxious. "We have always had dealings. You should know that I am a diligent and responsible man. Please believe in our sincerity. We have already persuaded the majority; it is only a matter of time before His Excellency the Governor-General agrees. We are merely doing some necessary preliminary work right now. Furthermore, you are an official of the Great Han stationed in Japan. You are not an outsider; on the contrary, this is very relevant to you. The Spanish are a bunch of scoundrels, lawless and evil. They commit every conceivable crime at sea, causing us endless trouble and also affecting the closer commercial ties between our two nations. If our two sides can cooperate to eradicate this evil force, then I believe trade between our countries will have an even more glorious future, and you will receive commendation from your court for your great merit, as well as... our gratitude."

When he said the word "gratitude," he suddenly leaned closer to Liu Jing, then reached out and grasped Liu Jing's hand. In that instant, Liu Jing sensed something was amiss, because his hand seemed to be pressed against something hard. He instinctively gripped it, taking hold of those objects.

Then, the other man's hand released, and Liu Jing opened his own hand again.

They were actually several pearls.

These pearls were of considerable diameter, perfectly round, and had a very beautiful luster. They gleamed with a moist sheen under the sunlight, sliding slightly in his palm, bringing an unusual tactile sensation.

"Mr. Gossett... you!" Liu Jing understood everything. He stared wide-eyed at Gossett, his voice turning somewhat hoarse. "What is the meaning of this?"

"We adhere to business ethics, sir. You help us, and we naturally must provide adequate compensation." Gossett's face was once again full of smiles, though his eyes flickered considerably. "You need only help us convey our case to your country, and these will be yours. And this is merely the down payment. If the matter is accomplished, you will receive even greater rewards."

Liu Jing stiffened slightly.

Sitting in this position, one could say mountains of gold and seas of silver were right beside him. Although he was a diligent and responsible court official, he was not an entirely aloof and incorruptible man of integrity, and had thus accepted some benefits. However, over the years he had set a rule for himself: he only accepted the customary tributes from his subordinates, never taking more, and never harming the state's revenue, lest it affect his own career prospects.

Forming an alliance with the Dutch to send troops against the Spanish—that was a true matter of national importance. How could he easily get involved just for some valuables? Besides, the high official sent from home was currently staying right in the trading post. If even a whisper of this leaked out and he found out, what would he think?

At this thought, he felt a surge of intense dislike for this tactless Dutchman.

"Don't do this!" His face full of anger, he forcefully shook his hand, placing the pearls back in front of Mr. Gossett. "Mr. Gossett, we are both sent here by our nations. How can you use such methods to seek my help? If I accepted your bribe, wouldn't I be colluding with a foreign power? Sir, do not bring harm upon me! Do not harm me!"

"No need to worry, Mr. Liu. We only wish for your help; we have no intention of putting you in a difficult position!" Seeing such a fierce reaction, Gossett also panicked somewhat and shook his head repeatedly. "These items are merely the compensation you deserve. Moreover, this is your jurisdiction, and we are the only two in this room. As long as neither of us speaks of it, who would ever know?"

"No, no!" Liu Jing paid no heed to the other's persuasion whatsoever, still pushing the pearls back toward him.

"Alright, alright, sir... you have the right to refuse our goodwill." Under his incessant urging, Gossett could only helplessly take back the pearls he had offered. "I am truly regretful, very regretful. We truly bear only goodwill towards you."

Liu Jing's face was icy cold; he clearly did not take the other man's words to heart.

"Alright, Mr. Gossett, you may..." Just as he was about to speak and directly drive the other man away, a sudden flash of inspiration struck his mind. The words on his lips quickly changed. "You may wait for news from my side. I can report the content you wish to convey back to our country and ask them to decide."

"What did you say, Mr. Liu?" His sudden change of tone made Gossett overjoyed. "You... you have decided to convey it for us?"