Anti-Qing: Starting from the Jintian Uprising

Chapter 389 is a notification, not a discussion!
"Enemy attack!"

"Enemy attack!"

"The Tang army is attacking!"

"..."

Hysterical cries mixed with fear echoed throughout the port.

In the blink of an eye, the Dutch in the port were in chaos, and the Dutch soldiers ran around in panic.

The sailors and crews on the merchant ships docked at the port were also in a panic.

One after another, the Dutch sailing battleships and armed merchant ships hurriedly hoisted their sails and left the port, coming to the sea, ready to block the sudden attack of the Tang army.

On the fort, the fort commander Anthony, who was drinking coffee, was disturbed by the noise outside.

He immediately angrily put the white porcelain coffee cup in his hand heavily on the table and spoke.

"Damn, who's making that noise outside?"

He stood up from his chair, walked out and came to the outside of the battery command room.

When he looked up, he saw the Tang army fleet suddenly appearing on the sea.

Looking at the two leading steam-powered ironclad ships, Anthony's hands couldn't help but tremble.

"Oh my God, the Tang people are coming!"

"It's a Tang people's steam ironclad ship!"

The Netherlands naturally also had steam ironclad ships in its own country.

However, steam ironclad ships were still high-tech products in that era. Even if the Dutch produced them, they would at most be used to arm their own fleet.

It is impossible to provide the same for the colonies in the Far East!
Therefore, when Anthony saw the Tang army's steam ironclad ships approaching on the sea, he immediately fell into panic.

He knew how big the gap was between wooden ships and steam-powered ironclad ships!

If a wooden ship were to fight against an ironclad ship, there would be no chance of victory unless there was an absolute advantage in military strength!
However, the Dutch fleet in Batavia does not have many warships.

They are obviously no match for the invading Tang fleet!
Anthony grabbed his adjutant and spoke with a noticeable tremor in his voice.

"Quick! Quick!"

"Go and inform the Governor-General immediately. Tell him that the Tang army is attacking!"

"Quick!"

Upon hearing this, the adjutant immediately agreed and ran non-stop into the city of Batavia, towards the direction of the Governor's Palace.

Prepare to report to the Governor!

……

Batavia Governor's Palace!
Governor Alfonso received an urgent report from the port battery.

After learning that the Tang army fleet suddenly arrived in Batavia, Alfonso was at a loss at first.

Soon, he ordered the garrison to prepare for war.

He also sent people to the Tang Concession in Batavia to negotiate with the Tang Dynasty.

After doing all this, Alfonso urgently ordered a meeting of officials at all levels in the Governor's Office to discuss how they should deal with the invasion from the Tang army.

Soon, the people Alfonso sent to the concession came back and brought him a reply from the Tang Dynasty.

"Governor, the Tang people have responded."

"The Chief Executive of the Concession, Song Zhengqing, said that we don't need to be nervous. The Tang army sent a fleet to Batavia this time not to start a war with the Netherlands."

"Instead, they are preparing to send more troops to the concession to ensure its safety."

"The Tang people hope that our Governor's Office can exercise restraint, otherwise..."

What else would happen? Song Zhengqing didn’t say.

However, Alfonso and the others could all hear the undisguised threat in his words.

After hearing the messenger's report, Dave, a city councillor from the Governor's Mansion, immediately slammed the table and said.

"Gentlemen, I have long said that we in Batavia should not be hostile to the Tang people."

"But you didn't take my advice to heart. Instead, you were so smart as to try to use the natives to deal with the Tang people."

"Are you okay now?"

"The Tang people are going to send more troops to Batavia again!"

"What should we do now?"

Because of his business, Dave was a well-known China-friendly person in the Batavia Governor's Palace.

Now that he has caught his political enemies' evidence, he naturally has to take advantage of the situation to regain the face he had lost before.

When Dave said this, everyone couldn't help but show expressions of hesitation and regret on their faces.

Of course, what they regret now is not that they should not have used the indigenous people to kill people with a borrowed knife and deal with the Tang Dynasty.

But I regret having gone too far.

This even attracted reinforcements from the Tang army!
Dave spoke out to his heart's content, but in the end, Governor Alfonso stepped out to mediate.

"Okay, okay, Dave, stop talking!"

"Now that things have come to this, it is meaningless to talk about what happened before."

"For us, the most urgent task is to first resolve the issue of the Tang people's plan to send more troops to Batavia."

Upon hearing this, the garrison commander Simon stood up and expressed his position.

"Governor, we absolutely cannot agree to the Tang people sending more troops to Batavia."

"There are already more than a thousand soldiers in the Tang Concession in Batavia under the name of police. If the Tang people send more troops to Batavia, the military strength of the Tang army in Batavia may exceed ours."

"By then, will Batavia belong to the Tang Dynasty or to the Netherlands?"

"Therefore, the Tang army's request for additional troops is absolutely unacceptable!"

Oliver, the chief of the Batavia Police Station in the Netherlands, also spoke up in agreement.

"Yes, Governor."

"The Tang people are ambitious and greedy. Once their military strength in Batavia exceeds that of the Dutch, they will certainly push their limits and demand to expand the concession area or even interfere in Batavia's political affairs."

"Eventually, they will gradually erode away at the enemy, and eventually send troops to completely occupy the entire Batavia and expel our Dutch forces." "We absolutely cannot agree to the Tang army's request to send more troops to Batavia!"

Alfonso heard this, his expression still serious.

"I know I know."

"But how can we refuse so as not to further intensify the conflict is the key to this matter."

Upon hearing this, everyone could not help but remain silent.

At this moment, a servant came in from outside and began to report.

"Your Excellency the Governor, the Tang people have sent an envoy to land and want to meet you, Your Excellency the Governor."

"We are now outside the Governor's Mansion. Please give us your instructions, Governor."

Alfonso's expression became particularly solemn when he heard this. He took a deep breath and then spoke.

"Bring people in!"

He wanted to see what the people sent by the Tang Dynasty wanted to say.

As Alfonso finished speaking, the servant turned around, clasped his fists and left.

A moment later, a man in military uniform was led in from outside.

Kong Hao bowed to Alfonso and said.

"Kong Hao, the Tang Dynasty's special envoy for negotiations, greets His Excellency the Governor."

Alfonso forced a smile on his face and spoke.

"Haha, welcome, welcome!"

"Please take a seat!"

After Kong Hao sat down, Alfonso began to ask.

"May I ask your Excellency the envoy, why did the Tang Dynasty send troops to Batavia?"

"Why did the Tang Dynasty send a fleet to Batavia and even blockade the port of Batavia?"

Kong Hao said with a sneer.

"That's what you Dutch people mean by that."

Alfonso heard this and pretended to be confused.

"Please forgive me, ambassador. I am not very capable of understanding your Excellency's meaning."

Kong Hao continued to sneer.

"Since the Governor is pretending to be confused, I will speak frankly."

"The reason why our Tang Dynasty sent a fleet to Batavia this time is mainly for three things."

“The first is to claim compensation from the Batavia authorities.”

"Vietnam has already admitted that the Netherlands was behind the Dutch invasion and funded Vietnam to be hostile to the Tang Dynasty. The evidence is irrefutable."

"The Netherlands must compensate the Tang Dynasty for this matter."

"Second, our Tang Dynasty received a report from the Batavia Tang Concession that the natives of Batavia had besieged our Tang Dynasty's Batavia Concession."

"But the Dutch authorities chose to stand aside and did not provide security for the concession as per the treaty we signed."

"Therefore, our Tang Dynasty needs to send more troops to the concession, strengthen the armed forces of the concession, and ensure the safety of life and property of the people of the concession and the Tang Dynasty."

"Third, the natives who invaded the concession must pay the price for their atrocities."

"The Tang Dynasty is preparing to send troops to encircle and suppress the natives. Batavia must send personnel to cooperate and send troops to assist the Tang army in the battle."

Alfonso didn't have time to say anything when he heard this.

Simon on the side couldn't help but jump up and down.

"impossible!"

"These conditions are really too much. We in Batavia will never agree to them."

"Badavia is the Batavia of the Netherlands. It is impossible to allow the Tang Dynasty to continue to send troops to Batavia."

Kong Hao sneered and said to Alfonso expressionlessly.

"Regarding the above three conditions, I am only informing you, not discussing with you."

"That is to say, you have to agree if you are willing. If you are not willing, you have to agree even if you hold your nose."

"Unless you are ready to go to war with the Tang Dynasty's South China Sea Fleet."

"If so, please answer yes, Your Excellency the Governor."

"The young soldiers of our Tang Dynasty are eager to establish meritorious service."

Nowadays, the war in Crimea is already in full swing. Not to mention that the Tang Dynasty is only threatening Britain's plastic ally, the Netherlands. Even if the Tang Dynasty wants to attack Britain's Straits Settlements, Britain, which is deeply mired in the quagmire of war, can only hold its nose and endure it, unable to send reinforcements to East Asia.

It is impossible for Britain to abandon the Crimean battlefield for the sake of the interests of its ally, the Netherlands.

In the eyes of the British, the importance of the Far East can never compare to that of the Near East.

Therefore, the Tang Dynasty showed great strength when facing the Netherlands.

Upon hearing this, Alfonso couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.

Kong Hao's words contained a naked threat of war.

Alfonso heard the threat, but could do nothing about it.

Because the current Batavia does not have the power to face the military threat from the Tang army.

In the end, he could only grit his teeth and say.

"We can discuss compensation, but it will be difficult for the Governor's Office to agree to increase troops and assist in the suppression..."

Kong Hao remained unmoved, picked up the teacup in front of him, took a sip, and then spoke.

"The Tang Dynasty's South China Sea Fleet has traveled a long way from Guangzhou and spent a lot of money. We cannot let this trip go in vain."

"You must agree to the three conditions proposed by the Tang Dynasty."

"Otherwise, the Tang Dynasty will have no choice but to use force against Batavia to persuade you to agree to the Tang Dynasty's conditions!"

(End of this chapter)