"Your Excellency..."
"Hold up the white flag and stop resisting!" Manotti knew that his mission as the governor had been completed. At this moment, he was much more relaxed. Maybe he will be condemned by the Ming army. Maybe he will be punished when he returns to Portugal. , Because he lost Portugal’s most important trading stronghold in the East, but he rescued all the soldiers.
If you don’t have money, you can earn again, and if the soldiers are wounded or killed, you can never get them back.
Zheng Xing saw the white flag playing on the city. He knew that the battle of Malacca was over. He would enter the city of Malacca as a victor. While he ordered the shelling to stop, he sent people to report to Zheng Zhilong.
The Ming army had not yet broken the city, the Portuguese had surrendered, and Daming's soldiers had almost no casualties. Zheng Zhilong really had trouble. Zheng Xing admired this uncle, who was also the commander of the Daming South China Sea Fleet.
Zheng Zhilong came outside the east city gate. A group of Portuguese soldiers had begun to leave the city. They put down their weapons at the city gate and accepted the supervision of the Ming army.
There is no surrender ceremony. Thousands of Portuguese soldiers are not in Zheng Zhilong's eyes. When he was a pirate, he had more than thousands of brothers.
After the Ming army disarmed the Portuguese soldiers, they escorted them back to the city and placed them separately. A large number of Ming troops began to enter the city.
There are not many flowers and applause. The Portuguese soldiers who should welcome them are now detained in their barracks. There are only a few brave Chinese people who welcome them on the inside of the city gate.
Zheng Zhilong summoned Manuo Di at the Governor's Mansion. This Western-style building has now become his camp.
"Your Excellency Governor is shocked!" Zheng Zhilong waved his hand and asked the soldiers to untie Manuo Di. He has been in the South Seas since he was fifteen. He is very familiar with the caravans and navy of Japan, Portugal, Spain, and the Netherlands. Today Appeared in front of Manotti as a winner, he behaved very gentlemanly. Tomorrow, everyone will be friends.
"You are Da Ming's navy commander Zheng Zhilong?" Manuo Di raised his head, his azure pupils, like the harbor of the sea, seemed quite calm.
"Wrong, Your Excellency Manuo Di, I am not the commander of the Daming Navy, but the commander of the South China Sea Fleet of the Daming Navy." Zheng Zhilong felt that it was necessary to establish his official rank on the flag of the South China Sea Fleet to allow these so-called Xiyi naval officers. Let’s see clearly, I don’t know if they have an investigation like Daming's. If there is such an investigation, then what is their investigation
"Does this make any difference?" Mano Di didn't like the word games played by Orientals, thinking that Zheng Zhilong was giving Eastern ridicule.
"The difference is big. In addition to the South China Sea Fleet, Daming also has a North Sea Fleet, and I am just the commander of the South China Sea Fleet." Zheng Zhilong felt that it was necessary to correct it. If the Commander Weixin of the North Sea Fleet knew about it, he thought he was superior to the North Sea Fleet. Above, is this Manuo Di deliberately creating contradictions
Mano Di tilted his head, avoiding Zheng Zhilong’s gaze. He was silent. The South China Sea Fleet had already made him daunted. Even if all the local navy were transferred to the east, he would not necessarily be able to defeat this behemoth. What's more, Daming also had a North Sea Fleet. , Daming is too big, in front of such an opponent, it is not ashamed to fail.
Spain has been completely defeated by Daming, and now it is Portugal’s turn. Manotti believes that soon, it will be the Netherlands. The last time the three naval alliances failed to defeat the South China Sea Fleet, let alone the Netherlands, this Daming, in the end, For what
To fight against Daming, he chose the wrong opponent, but this time, it seems that it was an offensive initiated by Daming. He has no choice, "Commander Zheng, when are you going to release my soldiers and businessmen?"
"If the Governor cooperates with Daming, I will naturally release all the Portuguese." Zheng Zhilong bared his big white teeth. In front of Manotti, he looked quite amiable, without the arrogance of a winner.
"How does Commander Zheng need us to cooperate?" Manuo was anxious. The war failed and he could accept it. Daming was indeed too strong, but the responsibility of the war was what he worried most, whether it was for Daming or right. At home, he must explain, but now, he is Zheng Zhilong's prisoner. He can't even guarantee his life. Of course, cooperating with Daming is the best choice and the only choice.
"It's very simple, as long as the Governor meets my three conditions, we are still friends." Zheng Zhilong had already had a draft, and he did not hesitate.
"What are the three conditions?" Although Manuodian was very reluctant, he still listened carefully to every word Zheng Zhilong said, which was related to the lives of his soldiers.
"First, sign a surrender document, and hand over the land on both sides of the strait, Malacca City, Malacca Waterway, to Daming immediately and free of charge, and recognize Daming's ownership of these lands and the Malacca Waterway."
The Portuguese army is basically concentrated in the city of Malacca. Except for the soldiers who died in battle, they have all become prisoners of the Ming army. Although there are still a small number of soldiers nearby, scattered in various castles, they are serving the Ming in front of the South China Sea Fleet. The army is just guarding the city.
Manotti is very aware of the current situation and situation.
The Malacca Waterway is a golden waterway and the only waterway that guards the trade between the East and the West. Only the strong live it. Portugal relied on its military advantage and snatched it from Manchuria. After the rise of the Netherlands, it has long been jealous. The second attack on Malacca was unsuccessful. If it were not for Daming, they would come again sooner or later.
Daming relies on his military superiority and wants to control the Malacca waterways. It is reasonable. "I can make all my soldiers surrender, and I can also help Daming control the Malacca waterways. But we need the right to trade and hope that Daming will allow our merchant ships. Through the Malacca waterway."
"I promise that Portuguese merchant ships can pass through the Malacca waterways, as long as they abide by the laws of the Ming Dynasty." Zheng Zhilong originally thought it would take a lot of talking, and he was prepared for the materials. In and near the city of Malacca, there are Sanbaoshan, Sanbaojing and Sanbaoting were the basis for Ming to come to Malacca City first. Zheng Sanbao was the name of Zheng He before he became the eunuch.
Of course Manotti understands that to obey the laws of Ming Dynasty, it is natural to have the passing ships pay to buy the road, but it is better than the trade route is completely cut off. "What are the conditions for Commander Zheng?"
"The second condition is much easier." Zheng Zhilong recalled that when he was a pirate, he was often driven into hiding by the armed ships of Xiyi, and his pirate spirit was aroused again. "All the weapons that Portugal has here, All ships must be handed over to Daming, and all the properties and documents in the stronghold should also be handed over to Daming as compensation for the war."
"The property can be handed over to you, but the paperwork is not a strategic material. There is no need for Daming to claim it for himself, right?" Manuo Di knew that the property of the stronghold was the fat of Zheng Zhilong's mouth long ago. Ships, these are mainly merchant ships. If they are handed over to you, how will my soldiers and merchants return to China in the future?"
"Your Excellency, the documents are also our trophies. If our peace talks are not successful, all the prisoners of war will be killed by us. I don't know who these documents will belong to in the future?" Zheng Zhilong still smiled, as if talking about opinions with himself and Manotti. It’s nothing at all, "As for ships, the truth is the same. If there are no prisoners of war, what else is there for ships to do?"
"You..." Manodi felt the naked threat from Zheng Zhilong, but under the eaves, he had to bow his head. Who knew if Zheng Zhilong, who was born as a pirate, would actually kill the prisoner of war? "Well, I agree to this condition."
"This third condition is even easier. It is almost a gift to the Governor." Zheng Zhilong showed his white teeth again, thinking he was very kind. "Persuaded the Portuguese soldiers in Macau to evacuate, and the local government of Ming Dynasty took over Macau. -Ao, this Macau, you call Jingao, right?"
"Commander Zheng, as far as I know, Jing Ao was originally a wasteland, which was rented by Portuguese merchants for five hundred taels of silver. It was their hard work that brought Jing Ao to today's prosperity."
"Mr. Governor, Macau was originally a wasteland. It is also true that Portuguese merchants paid a rent of five hundred taels of silver. But this is Da Ming's land. Over the years, the Portuguese have not made less silver? Their annual income is more than ten thousand dollars. Two?"
"How much silver did they make? That's their business. It's an agreement between the two parties. Isn't Daming jealous?" Manuo Di gave Zheng Zhilong a provocative look. That means, the great powers of the heavenly dynasty have no integrity
Zheng Zhilong is in a good mood today, and he has time to discuss with Manuo, "Your Excellency, you know, according to the laws of Ming Dynasty, the local officials have no right to deal with matters concerning land management rights. They must be approved by the Ming court. The agreement does not comply with Da Ming’s law at all, and we can take it back at any time.”
Manotti still refused to cooperate. "Commander Zheng, I am only the Governor of Malacca. I can't do anything about Jingao."
"Your Excellency, the South China Sea Fleet can regain Taiwan, Luzon, and Malacca. Can a small Macau stop the South China Sea Fleet?" Zheng Zhilong stretched out a finger, "At most one day, I can take Macau. "
"You..." In the face of the strength of the South China Sea Fleet, Manudi really has no good way. "Since Commander Zheng can take down Jingao, why let me persuade?"
Zheng Zhilong laughed, "Your Excellency, so I said, I want to send you a piece of merit-Your Excellency will return home and be accountable to the government of your country."
"..."
"If the South China Sea Fleet takes down Macau, then the two sides will definitely hurt their peace. The Portuguese will not want to come to Macau again in the future. We would rather lease it to other countries, the Netherlands, Spain, and the future British Empire..."
"..."
"On the other hand, if Macau is resolved peacefully, Daming and Portugal are still friendly countries. Portuguese businessmen will still be able to do business in Macau in the future. As before, as long as they abide by the laws of Daming, all we want is Macau’s sovereignty and Management rights."