954. Chapter 954 Messenger
Chapter 954 Messenger
After Hassan came out of Sanchez's office, he couldn't help but smile proudly. The attendant waiting outside asked in amusement what happened, and Hassan smiled and showed him the approval document in his hand: "Look.
, this time we got permission to buy copper ingots, and we can buy as much as we can carry on the ship! This time, Sanchez, the iron rooster, was finally caught by me and it hurt his feet!"
Hassan was very proud of the results he had achieved by relying on his eloquent words, but he also knew that this kind of attempt would not be successful every time. This time it was a coincidence that he met a Spaniard who wanted to ask for something from him. I will talk to you next time.
Sanchez's tricks may not work. As a businessman who travels to major trading ports in the South China Sea all year round, Hassan has actually decoded some deeper information from the information he has and the Spaniards' reactions, and he can understand Sanchez to a certain extent.
Why is it so urgent that I need to go to Sanya quickly?
What Hassan saw and heard in the southern islands of Java and Borneo was far more detailed than what the Spaniards heard in Manila. Aragones and others could only speculate about the Haihan people's true intentions, but Hassan
However, they knew that the Haihan people's invitation to send people from various countries to the meeting was not for the purpose of establishing a military alliance, but was related to the transnational maritime trade in this region. This was because the Haihan fleet had a meeting with the local governor Apondu after arriving at the Surabaya Port in East Java.
There were talks, and Hassan happened to have a good relationship with one of Apondu's subordinates, and he privately got some inside information about the talks between the two parties.
However, out of the unique cunningness of a businessman, Hassan deliberately did not tell Sanchez about this after arriving in Manila, hoping to disrupt the Spanish position and gain more benefits for himself. As expected, the Spaniards really made a blind guess.
By scaring himself, he got a chance to make a small fortune.
However, Hassan did not look down on the Spaniards because of this. He knew that if Sanchez went to Sanya to see the local situation, he would be even more panicked than now. Putting aside military strength, just in terms of infrastructure construction, international
In terms of trade achievements, Hassan believes that Haihan is far superior to his Spanish predecessors. The rows of merchant ships from various countries docked in Victory Port and Sanya Port are the best proof. Many foreign businessmen like Hassan have given up going to Guangzhou and Zhangzhou.
For purchasing in places like Jiangsu and Zhejiang, they directly choose to go to Sanya - where they can purchase almost all kinds of goods that foreign businessmen can buy in Daming in one stop. Some of them are even cheaper in Sanya than in the place of origin due to tariff issues.
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The Spaniards thought that Manila's decline was due to the gradual monopoly of Ming Dynasty's sea trade by Haihan. Hassan believed that this was entirely because the Spaniards did not understand the relationship between Haihan and Ming Dynasty. If nothing else, just talk about people.
It is easier for Ming people to feel close to Haihan people than Westerners with deep eyes and high noses. There is no language barrier. Ming businessmen are naturally willing to do business with Haihan people who can also afford money and are trustworthy.
Although the Haihan people invaded the Ming Dynasty's territory, almost all the Ming Dynasty officials who managed these places had defected to the Haihan people, so there would not be the conflict that the Spaniards expected. On the contrary, Hassan knew that there were still other people in the southeastern part of the Ming Dynasty.
Many local officials hope that the Haihan people will go to enclose the land and open a port, because the Haihan people are now like the gods of wealth. They bring wealth wherever they go. Even the barren mountains and isolated islands in the sea, the Haihan people can turn them into
For the prosperous town port, local officials can earn a lot of stable income.
Of course, not all officials will fall for Haihan's sugar-coated bullets, but as far as Hasan knows, those so-called "backbone" officials mostly end up being transferred or simply losing their jobs in the end. As time goes by, naturally, Not many local officials are willing to openly confront Haihan. They simply take the money and turn a blind eye. Anyway, the Haihan people will not do anything to disrupt the local area, but they will help maintain local security and collect taxes. Why not do it with some benefits and convenience?
The Spaniards' knowledge of the situation under Haihan came almost from word of mouth from merchants and sailors, as well as reports sent back by their individual men lurking in Sanya about once a month. Although this kind of fragmented information can be pieced together. It is a fact, but it cannot achieve an intuitive effect. Hassan also believes that the Spaniards' espionage methods are purely nonsense - if the report sent back was objective and comprehensive, then the Spaniards should have wisely given up on going against the Haihans long ago.
Fearing that things might change, Hassan immediately took his people to a warehouse outside Manila to pick up the goods. At the same time, he ordered people to go back to the dock to deliver the order to remove all the ballast on the ship to make room for the shipment of copper ingots. He was not worried. After transporting it, you will encounter trouble in sales. The Haihan people have long announced that they will charge as much copper as they need. This trip will definitely make more money than transporting cattle and sheep skins.
Early the next morning, Sanchez personally brought a letter sealed with paint to the dock and handed it to Hassan, who was about to leave the port: "Don't forget to bring his reply to Manila!"
"Okay, when I come back, don't forget to pay me another fifty silver coins for the delivery fee." Hassan took the letter and put it into his arms: "Goodbye, Mr. Sanchez."
Sanchez snorted, but did not say any farewell words such as "Bon voyage". It was obvious that his dissatisfaction with Hassan had accumulated to a certain extent, but it was just inconvenient for the time being. But he was sure that this was his last time. He saw Hassan, because in this secret letter given to Hassan, he had ordered the local hidden personnel to try to get rid of Hassan, a hidden danger of instability.
The Arab businessman Hassan is not an intelligence agent compiled by the Manila authorities. He is just a messenger who collects money to do things. However, this messenger knows too much, and the position he is showing is obviously not stable enough. He has given the information to Spain The system creates certain risks. Sanchez is really not sure when this guy will sell his subordinates for money, and the most complete solution he can think of is to let Hassan disappear from this world.
Of course, doing this will also put the local lurkers in Sanya at risk of exposing their identities, but Sanchez believes that this is better than letting the Haihan people take the blame after being betrayed by Hassan. As long as Hassan can be eliminated cleanly, then Spain will The local intelligence system can at least maintain normal operation for a period of time in the future. As for who will be entrusted with the role of the messenger in the future, Sanchez believes that this is not a top priority and can be solved slowly. You must know that Manila has There are tens of thousands of Chinese, including die-hard loyalists who have worked hard for Spain for generations. It should not be particularly difficult to select some people to re-establish intelligence channels.
Hassan's ship is a sloop he purchased from the Spanish in Manila in his early years. It has a displacement of only about a hundred tons. There are more than 20 sailors on board, most of whom are from his hometown of Persia. However, because of the need to communicate with the Far East
Due to the business relationship between various forces in the region, Hassan also gradually recruited several Han and South Asian indigenous people, and even took in two Europeans who could not survive in Manila. This can basically ensure that his caravan can travel between
There will be no language or writing barriers between major trading ports in the Far East.
Generally speaking, Hassan will mainly determine the destination of the next stop based on the season and ocean currents, as well as the various goods needed to be purchased at the current port for this purpose. Originally, he should have continued to sail west to Annan after anchoring in Sanya, but this time
This time, Sanchez asked him to send information about local lurkers back to Manila as soon as possible. This meant that Hassan's sailboat had to go against the ocean current on its return trip, and had to make an extra circuit in the South China Sea.
To avoid the westward ocean current, this meant that the voyage would be extended by three to four days. But Hassan did not intend to obey Sanchez's instructions obediently. He had other plans for this operation.
Hassan was not willing to pass on information to the Spaniards. He mainly wanted to maintain his trading qualifications in Manila. Relying on this relationship, he could buy more in-demand goods such as leather and copper ingots.
As for the dozens of silver coins collected from Sanchez, it was just compensation that was better than nothing. Hassan did not feel that the risk he took was worth that little bit. But as Manila's trade situation declined, Hassan
I think there is little point in continuing to rely on the Spaniards. Smart people should make plans in advance and take decisive measures when it is time to change their family.
Hassan has been going to Sanya to carry out trade for nearly three years. Every time he goes there, he will feel that Haihan's strength is getting stronger. This strength is not only reflected in the Haihan fleet anchored in Victory Port, but also in the Haihan fleet.
There is an increasingly prosperous market, local people who wholeheartedly support Haihan, and various strategies adopted by Haihan for overseas expansion. The longer he looks at it, the more he understands that Haihan’s trend of becoming stronger is difficult to stop. Spain’s deliberate methods,
After all, Haihan still cannot stand out in the face of the development trend. If the relationship between the two parties deteriorates further in the future, the people sent by Spain to lurk in Sanya will not only fail to make a name for themselves, but may intensify the conflicts between the two parties. As a long-term representative of Spain,
A courier who delivers information to others will probably not be able to escape the fate of being listed as a target of arrest by Haihan.
Hassan did not want to be regarded as an enemy or rival by the Haihan people, nor did he want to become a fugitive wanted by the Haihan people. He knew very well how terrifying the arrest warrant of the Haihan people was. There were many bounty hunters in the South China Sea who specialized in hunting
Wanted criminals in Haihan are captured in various places. After catching the person, the big toes of both feet are cut off so that they will not die from their injuries and cannot continue to escape. After such criminals are brought back to Haihan, they will
He has lost the ability to work and will not be sent to a hard labor camp. After trial, he will usually be chained in ports, Victory Square and other crowded places to warn the people. Hassan would rather be beheaded than beheaded.
I don’t want to be chained outside like a dog one day for people to watch.
If he wants to completely clear himself, Hassan has only one possible way, which is to surrender to the Haihan people, and at the same time, tell the whole story of the Spanish people, and let Haihan capture the Spanish spies, so that he can prove his innocence. If he can get the Haihan people,
With the understanding of the Han people, you can continue to rely on the trade system established by the Han people to make money in the future, which is much better than being a messenger who is thankless and takes huge risks.
After this trip, Hassan did not plan to go to Manila again in the future. He planned to follow Haihan's fleet to go north to see the legendary Shuangyu Port. It is said that that place and the surrounding areas have been occupied by Haihan
, it is estimated that another trading port similar to Sanya will emerge in the local area in a few years. Hassan plans to try his luck and grab a seat first while the local development level is not high and there are relatively few foreign maritime merchants.
Say it again.
The straight-line voyage from Manila to Sanya is 700 to 800 nautical miles. It took Hassan's sailing ship nearly a week to finally arrive safely off the coast of Qiongzhou Island. After bypassing the Luhuitou Peninsula from the south, Hazan stood on the bow of the ship.
Sang could already see the exit of Sanya Port. It was as busy as ever. Under the command of the guidance ship, merchant ships, fishing boats and cargo ships were constantly shuttled through the strait waters at the exit of Sanya Port.
"Lower the sails and slow down!" This was not the first time Hassan came here, and he knew the rules well, so he immediately ordered to start slowing down.
Soon a small pilot boat came over and asked the people on board where they came from. After both parties completed a simple question and answer, Hassan's boat followed the other party's arrangement and followed him into the port.
The Haihan channel traffic is the same as that on land, driving on the right. In this way, ships entering the port can just see the Sanya Port fort on the coast. This fort was built almost at the same time as Sanya Port, but it was completed
After that, it was not really used as a port. So far, no daring armed force has dared to attack Sanya Port and let this fort open to fire.
Without a telescope on the deck, you can clearly see the black muzzle of the fort. At this distance, there is no way to avoid the firepower of the fort. And it is blocked by 24-pound guns or even larger 48-pound shore defenses.
Hassan didn't know what it would be like to experience a bombardment, and he never wanted to know. According to the rumors he had heard, even if Haihan's own fleet passed by and bombarded the forts on the shore, they would not be able to take advantage at all. I doubt it.
People who are interested in this can try it out for themselves and experience what it’s like to be taught how to be a human being by coastal defense artillery.
Hassan's sailboat slowly sailed across the strait and entered the Sanya Inland River Port. In fact, there was no need for a guide boat to lead the way. He himself knew where to dock. The dedicated wharf designated for Persian merchants in the port area is located on the bank of the Linchun River, and the wharf construction is of the highest level
It is much better than the crooked project at Manila Port.
Chapter completed!