As for Borneo, it was not only Yan Siqi who was unclear about its importance. Many people, besides Li Dan, also did not understand it.
After all, the emperor hadn't said it explicitly, and even if he had, no one would have really cared. Of course, the emperor also sought to keep it secret, simply establishing a presence in Borneo under the name of the Maritime Merchants Association.
But Li Dan knew the emperor's intentions, and the emperor had given him a promise, which allowed him to invest so hard and run the business. The emperor also did not reveal his true purpose for supporting the Maritime Merchants Association.
Therefore, in the eyes of Yan Siqi and others, the emperor was supporting the Maritime Merchants Association to expand maritime trade and mine gold in Borneo to gain profits.
Obviously, benefits must be obtained, but no one expected that the emperor's goal was so ambitious and grand.
Li Dan examined Yan Siqi, then shook his head gently, saying, "This is just a guess, so I shouldn't reveal it. Remember, your investment in Borneo will be rewarded handsomely."
Yan Siqi blinked his eyes, thinking that Li Dan might have received some information from the Emperor, but he didn't say it. It must be the Emperor's instructions, so it was understandable.
"In a few days, the Emperor's imperial edict will arrive." Li Dan suddenly smiled and said, "My rank of civilian nobility should be promoted to another level."
Is this a great reward? Yan Siqi looked at Li Dan, somewhat unsure.
Li Dan seemed to see through Yan Siqi's thoughts. He waved his hand and said, "This is just a small reward from Your Majesty. It can't be considered a huge reward. After all, the profits we've made from Borneo over the past two years have been substantial, and the commercial taxes we've paid to the court are also considerable."
Paying commercial taxes was one part of the cost of developing Borneo, but the Emperor had invested in it. Dividends were, of course, a necessity.
The reason why they were able to quickly gain ground in Borneo was not only because the local chiefs were weak, but also because of the emperor's support. He sold weapons to the Maritime Merchants Association and helped it to form armed forces locally.
The emperor's plan was to conquer the people first and then the government. Unlike all other emperors in history, he had a broad mind and was not worried about overseas separatist forces.
Since it was overseas, there was no question of secession. As long as one was a Ming person, or even collectively referred to as Chinese, occupying territory overseas was permitted by the emperor.
Whether they dominate overseas or declare themselves king, as long as they are Chinese and not hostile to the Ming Dynasty, the emperor will be happy to see it happen.
Of course, if you want to be the king overseas or be independent, it will be very difficult to gain a foothold and develop without the support of a strong country.
In history, the Lan Fang Republic tried every possible means to seek recognition from the Qing Dynasty in order to use its power to prevent its enemies, including the Western countries, from acting rashly.
After all, no matter how big a territory you occupy overseas, you are also a foreigner compared to the local natives. How many people can you trust, and how many people will fight for you?
If you want help from your own people, too few will be of little use, and too many will be difficult to recruit. Only by relying on a strong motherland can you obtain a steady supply of manpower and material resources and deter the enemies who are eyeing you covetously.
Li Dan saw this clearly and thought it through clearly. He actively recruited immigrants and often asked the emperor for the transfer and assignment of talents.
Talents included retired officers and soldiers, martial arts instructors, and various specialized talents. In fact, Li Dan could recruit anyone except martial arts instructors, and the emperor did not impose any restrictions on him.
But Li Dan wanted to make this gesture and establish a base in Borneo, not for his personal ambition, but for the Ming Dynasty and the emperor.
Yan Siqi scratched his head and said doubtfully, "The imperial court also encourages immigration to the Eastern Fan, and I haven't done anything wrong. As the Eastern Fan develop, they should be collecting a lot of taxes."
The same immigration development has different priorities.
Mekong Province is a food base, which is crucial for the Ming Dynasty to fight against disasters; Borneo is a first-come, first-served island. In addition to the profits in money and materials, it is also a solid base for dealing with the Dutch and seizing Malacca in the future.
As for Dongfan, although it also needs to develop, it is at its doorstep and has been firmly controlled. It does not matter much if it invests less and develops slower.
Of course, the emperor did not have any rigid regulations, but there was still preferential policy support in certain areas.
Li Dan did not directly answer Yan Siqi's doubts, but said calmly: "The court sent the navy to fight against the Dutch red-haired barbarians and annihilate their fleet."
Yan Siqi nodded and said, "I know that. The Dutch have gone too far and have repeatedly pushed us to our doorsteps. It's no surprise that we've given them a good beating. The Ming Navy has been established since its founding, named after Wansui. How much has it cost over the years? With ships and cannons, shouldn't we fight a few battles to please Wansui?"
Li Dan pursed his lips and said, "Your Majesty, you must collect tolls from the Dutch. Otherwise, we will cut off their trade routes with Japan and seize their passing ships."
Yan Siqi's eyes widened, he blinked, and then he smiled and said, "With the strength of the navy, plus the Maritime Merchants Association, the red-haired barbarians are no match. Well, this way of making money is fast, the red-haired barbarians have to accept it even if they pinch their noses."
"Dutch, Dutch devils, whatever you want to call me, just stop calling me red-haired barbarians." Li Dan rolled his eyes and raised a finger, shaking it. "Don't show off your lack of culture."
"I--" Yan Siqi glared and shrugged helplessly.
Before the Ming Dynasty, there was no correct understanding of the Western Barbarians. There were names like "red-haired barbarians", "red-haired barbarians", "Western Barbarians", "Flangji", etc. The British, like the Dutch, were also red-haired.
The emperor felt that this was unscientific and confusing, so he called them by their real country names. "Flangji" was a mixed name for Portugal and Spain, and now they are corrected separately; the Dutch and the English are no longer collectively referred to as red-haired.
In addition, globes and world maps also appeared more frequently in the Ming Dynasty, allowing the people of the Ming Dynasty to know the general situation of the entire world, broaden their horizons and enrich their knowledge.
Seeing Yan Siqi's humiliation, Li Dan felt elated and proud. He took a sip from his teacup and said with a smile, "Borneo is an overseas land, but Dongfan is part of the Ming Dynasty. Think carefully about where to develop vigorously to please the Emperor."
Expanding territory?! This term is indeed quite impressive. The emperor wants to regard this as the most important achievement and record it in history?
Yan Siqi nodded vigorously. Although Li Dan did not tell him some things, he knew that there would definitely be benefits to working for the Emperor. The promotion of Li Dan's rank was proof of this.
"Okay, we'll invest more resources in Borneo in the future." Yan Siqi pondered for a moment and then asked, "How many people do we have in Borneo now?"
"Eighty-six thousand people," Li Dan said without hesitation. "We plan to increase it to ninety thousand this year, and one hundred thousand next year."
The people in Borneo included not only those who had migrated internally but also Chinese from Southeast Asian countries. To accelerate the population increase, the emperor planned to relocate some prisoners of war after the Burmese invasion.
On the one hand, it reduced the possible resistance forces in the occupied Burma. On the other hand, these prisoners of war were unfamiliar with Borneo and had to rely on local Chinese for survival, so they would assimilate faster.
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