With the decision made, Gao Mo, the newly elected Foreign Affairs Commissioner, headed to the temporary settlement where the Dutch were being held. His heart was light, knowing that the negotiation with the Dutch would be an important step in securing their future.
As he arrived, Captain Pieter de Vries, who had been anxiously waiting for news, immediately stood up, his face a mixture of hope and suspicion. "Gao, you are finally here. I hope you don't bring any bad news."
Gao smiled reassuringly, his voice calm and measured. "In the name of the Executive Committee, the ruler of this land, you and your sailors will be treated fairly. You will get enough food, water, and even wine. You will repair your ship yourselves, but we will provide the wood. Of course, this will be fresh, untreated wood."
"Thank God," Pieter de Vries muttered, his voice filled with relief. Despite his less-than-pious demeanor, he couldn't help but praise the Lord in this moment of unexpected fortune. "These Tatan barbarians must have been touched by the Lord," he thought to himself, though he kept the thought to himself.
Gao continued, "Moreover, after my efforts, the Executive Committee has agreed that Dutch ships can freely anchor in our ports and obtain supplies in the future."
Pieter de Vries's eyebrows furrowed, his interest piqued. "What do you need, to risk offending the Spaniards? The United Provinces are fighting for freedom, what about you?"
Gao's expression hardened slightly. "The Spaniards are also our enemies," he replied firmly. "The Governor of Peru is a greedy man. The Spaniards have established small trading points in the Montevideo area, and Jesuit missionaries have even infiltrated inland. This land can only have one owner, and that is the Executive Committee. We will never surrender. Whether it's the Spaniards or the people of São Paulo, conflict is inevitable."
Pieter de Vries stared at Gao, disbelief written on his face. In his eyes, these Tatan—possibly Indians—were audacious enough to challenge the rule of both the Portuguese and the Governor of Peru over the La Plata region. But what did it matter? His sailors would survive, and the supplies they so desperately needed would be secured.
He let out a quiet sigh of relief. "At least before we are destroyed by the Spanish, they could provide us with the supplies we need for our voyage. That would greatly reduce the death rate among my crew. Perhaps all we need to do is offer a little friendly attitude?"
Gao smiled slightly. "Exactly. A little goodwill, a little cooperation. And it might just be the key to our survival—and yours."
Gao Mo's words were smooth and persuasive, and he could see that the Dutch captain, Pieter de Vries, was beginning to show signs of being swayed by the offer. He leaned forward slightly, ensuring that every word carried the weight of his proposal.
"In addition," Gao Mo continued, "we hope to trade with you. We need cattle, sheep, horses, copper, iron, lead, population, and more. As long as you can ship them, we can buy them. You can even give us the spoils of war and fill our warehouses with porcelain, then return to Europe with a full load."
The mention of porcelain, however, caused an immediate and visible shift in Pieter de Vries' demeanor. His eyes widened as his mind raced. "Porcelain?!" His voice betrayed a hint of astonishment. He knew precisely the immense value of Chinese porcelain in Europe—a beautiful piece could fetch an astronomical price, beyond the reach of ordinary people, only available to royalty and the elite.
"Yes, authentic Ming Dynasty porcelain," Gao Mo replied confidently, as if he'd anticipated this reaction. With a swift motion, he reached into his leather bag and retrieved a sample—an exquisite round porcelain plate. It was an imitation of blue and white porcelain, but one with a distinctive touch. The upper half of the plate depicted a bust of Martin Luther, surrounded by two angels, while the lower half showed a portrait of Luther lecturing.
The room fell into silence, and the first mate and boatswain, who had been observing quietly behind Pieter de Vries, now drew in sharp breaths at the sight of the plate. The craftsmanship, the religious theme, and the obvious quality of the piece made it clear that this was no ordinary commodity. Such porcelain would undoubtedly fetch a sky-high price in Protestant regions like Germany.
Gao Mo, sensing the impact of the porcelain on his audience, continued with a smile. "This set includes 66 pieces, including soup plates, dinner plates, fish plates, fruit plates, salad bowls, soup bowls, sauce dishes, and salt shakers. It is being sold for 500 ducats." He paused to let the price sink in before adding, "However, after careful consideration, the Executive Committee has set a guide price of 200 ducats for this set. That's about the price of a Spanish purebred war horse."
Pieter de Vries' eyes narrowed as he did the mental math. He knew the prices of such porcelain from Guangzhou, and this price seemed excessive. "500 ducats is too high. It costs no more than 30 ducats to buy a set like this in Guangzhou," he muttered under his breath.
Gao Mo smiled knowingly and cut in, his tone calm but authoritative. "No, no, no. You can't calculate it like that. The journey from Guangzhou to Amsterdam is long and perilous. You'll pass through Batavia, the Cape of Good Hope, and you'll be at risk from attacks by the Spaniards, Portuguese, English, and even the French. There's a significant chance you'll lose your ship and your cargo, and with it, your life. But now, by taking this route through Guyana, the journey is much shorter, and the porcelain will be undetected. No one will know its value until it reaches Europe, where you can sell it for a much higher price. In the Netherlands, the price of this type of religious-style porcelain will never be less than 1,500 ducats. In Germany, you could even get 2,000 or 3,000 ducats."
Pieter de Vries felt the pull of the offer, but he was a seasoned merchant and captain, well aware of the need for caution in such transactions. He remained calm, weighing the potential profits against the risks. Still, his crew seemed to be much more excited by the possibility of a lucrative deal. The first mate and boatswain exchanged glances, clearly eager to seize the opportunity for the financial windfall this deal promised.
Pieter de Vries let out a long breath, trying to control his excitement. "500 is too much," he said, his voice steady. "250 ducats, no more. I don't have enough money to pay more."
The two sides entered a quick, tense round of bargaining. It wasn't intense, but it was deliberate. Gao Mo had expected this, and after some back-and-forth, they finally settled on a price. The porcelain set would go for 350 ducats. However, there was an additional condition—Pieter de Vries would have exclusive rights to operate with the time travelers, ensuring that he would carry the specified goods for trade.
Once the terms were agreed upon, Gao Mo shook Pieter de Vries' hand firmly. "We have a deal, Captain Pieter de Vries. You'll find that this will be the beginning of a profitable partnership for both sides."
Pieter de Vries, though still skeptical of these mysterious strangers, knew that he was securing a potentially lucrative business venture. He gave a slight nod of agreement, a rare grin pulling at the corners of his mouth. "We'll see," he said with a chuckle. "But I believe we may both profit handsomely from this."
As Gao Mo walked away, his heart lightened. The deal was struck, and the path to acquiring the necessary resources was now open. With each step, the time travelers were one step closer to securing their place in this strange and challenging new world.