The British are very shady. They not only want to gain benefits, but also discredit their opponents. Spain and the Netherlands have spared no one. As for Zhu Yongxing, on the surface he is very angry and has a tough attitude. On the inside, the same is true. But his future opponents are
Not just these two, Southeast Asia and Asia will all be bathed in the glory of the Ming Dynasty.
Well, this is a bit far away. Zhu Yongxing quickly recovered his thoughts and sorted out the information he had obtained. The British are not the only foreigners in Mingtong District, and he also has many channels for obtaining information.
Britain won the first Anglo-Dutch War and was not satisfied after forcing the Netherlands to sign the "Navigation Regulations". Last year, it promulgated a new and more stringent "Navigation Regulations" and launched a new offensive against Dutch colonies overseas.
However, the strength of the British navy at this time was no longer what it used to be. The country was burdened with huge debts due to overseas expeditions to Ireland, Scotland, and war with Spain. And due to corruption in the political and military circles, last year's naval allocation was only 2% of the navy's budget.
/3, resulting in dilapidated and disrepaired ships, lack of salary for soldiers, low morale, and severely weakened naval combat effectiveness.
The Netherlands, on the other hand, has been desperately seeking opportunities to seize control of the sea, reorganizing its navy, reorganizing its strategic thinking, stepping up the construction of large warships, and forming an anti-British alliance with France and Denmark...
Britain also realized that the Netherlands was going to counterattack with all its strength. Europe and the colonies on the west coast of Africa, which were prosperous in the ivory, slave, and gold trade, would be the main battlefields for the decisive battle. Therefore, investment in Asia could not continue, and it was unable to hold back the increasingly powerful Ming army.
allies are very important.
"Spain and the Netherlands will be our army's enemies in the future." Zhu Yongxing seemed to be irritated by the British provocation, but a change of topic made the British understand that this was not that simple, "It is a pity that the army has to focus on domestic war. The navy has to focus on domestic war.
The strength is not enough to compete, let alone a heavy blow. Your country has indeed given our army a lot of help, but it is obviously not enough! Ships and artillery are what we urgently need. Your country is very
It would be a bit disingenuous to be preoccupied with things. If things continue like this, our country will have no choice but to find other ways to obtain what it needs from other channels."
"Your Highness, you have misunderstood." Lei Chui smiled bitterly and said: "In Asia, our military is not strong yet. We occasionally intercept and capture people, but the number is not large. And Europe is too far away and it is difficult to transport it. As for the
Price, and payment method. Of course, it’s easy to tell.”
Zhu Yongxing smiled and did not answer. He ignored him and seemed to want to end the summons. This attitude made the British a little anxious, because there was another major matter that they wanted to ask for Zhu Yongxing's consent. Now Zhu Yongxing did not speak, but they
Can't delay.
"I heard that His Highness summoned the envoy from Ryukyu. I wonder where Ryukyu is -" Harry couldn't hold back his temper and asked tentatively.
"Ryukyu is a vassal of our Ming dynasty. However, it was invaded and extorted by the Satsuma clan of the Japanese country. King Gu intended to send troops to expel it. He fulfilled the responsibilities of the feudal lord. This is a secret. I don't ask where you know it for now, but I want to remind you not to spread it outside.
Otherwise -" Zhu Yongxing said calmly but with a majestic expression.
In 1372, Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang issued an edict to Chadu, the king of Zhongshan in Ryukyu. The three kings of Beishan, Zhongshan and Nanshan in Ryukyu began to pay tribute to the Ming government. From then on, Ryukyu became a vassal of the Ming Dynasty. 1392 - Ming Taizu
In view of the difficulty of sea navigation in Ryukyu for envoys coming to China, a family named Thirty-Six, a Fujianese who was good at shipbuilding and navigation, was specially given to move to Ryukyu. This was the key to later promoting Ryukyu's overseas trade.
The thirty-six surnames of the Fujian people include "those who know the book, give the official history, and serve as tribute officials; those who are good at navigation, give the general affairs, and always serve as guides." It can be seen that they are not only good at boating, but also serve as interpreters
and other tribute-related matters. After they settled in Ryukyu, they became a group of outstanding people who represented China in assisting Ryukyu for a long time and enhancing Sino-Ryukyu relations.
From 1400 to 1550, Ryukyu entered a golden age with highly developed commerce, trading with the mainland, Korea, Southeast Asia and Japan.
In 1609 (the thirty-seventh year of Wanli), Shimazu Iehisa, the lord of Satsuma Domain in Kagoshima, which was adjacent to the Ryukyu Kingdom, sent Hisaka Kayama and 3,000 soldiers to invade Ryukyu and included it in the Shimazu family territory.
In 1616 (the 44th year of Wanli), Nagasaki Daikan Murayama and others followed the orders of Tokugawa Ieyasu, and his son Murayama Akiyasu led 13 ships and mobilized 2 to 3,000 people to invade Taiwan. This was Japan's first large-scale invasion of Taiwan.
A large-scale use of troops against Taiwan. However, Japan's actions were detected by Ryukyu King Shangning. Even though the country was in ruins, he still did not forget to "send envoys to inform China" and inform China to prepare for Japanese invasion. It can be seen that the Ryukyu King is still loyal to the central government.
In 1632, Ryukyu established an embassy on the island occupied by Satsuma, and the two countries simultaneously sent officials to manage trade and collect taxes. After that, the Ryukyu Kingdom became a puppet government of the Satsuma Domain, and at the same time provided support to the ostensible central power and the de facto Satsuma Domain.
After proclaiming himself a vassal, he was exploited once again by the actual suzerain Satsuma clan after receiving official tribute trade income.
The famous patriotic poet Wen Yiduo wrote "Song of the Seven Sons", which included Macau, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Weihaiwei (now Weihai City, Shandong Province), Guangzhou Bay (now Zhanjiang City, Guangdong Province), Kowloon, Lushun and Dalian, which were occupied by the imperialist powers.
The seven places are like seven sons who have left their mother's arms, crying out about the pain of being bullied and ravaged by robbers.
In the "Taiwan" section, he wrote about Ryukyu:
“We are a string of pearls held up by the East China Sea,
Ryukyu is my group brother, and I am Taiwan.
I still have Zheng’s heroic spirit in my heart.
The red blood of loyalty stains my family history.
Mother, the scorching summer heat is killing me.
Give me an order, and I can still fight against the city.
Mother! I want to come back, mother!"
Whether it was from the strong anti-Japanese sentiment inherent in his memory or from practical considerations, Zhu Yongxing would definitely not sit back and watch the fact that Ryukyu was invaded by the Japanese. Therefore, in order to open up the seaport, he deliberately sent formal and informal envoys to Ryukyu.
The royal family conveyed this message and gradually increased the amount of saltpeter imported from Ryukyu.
Ryukyu is a small and weak country. In other words, it can only go with the flow and be submissive. At first, there was no positive response to the Nanming government's information test. After all, the results of the Ming and Qing wars seemed irreversible, and the King of Ryukyu also
In 1654, he sent envoys to the Qing Dynasty to request for canonization, and was granted the title of King of Ryukyu by Emperor Shunzhi of the Qing Dynasty.
But with the continuous victories of the Ming army, the attitude of the Ryukyu royal family gradually changed. They began to pay attention to the rise of the Nanming government through businessmen. After all, the Qing Dynasty was only satisfied with the vanity of paying tribute, and had no ability or intention to fulfill its responsibilities as a vassal state. In the end,
King Shangzhi of Ryukyu finally secretly sent an envoy to request Nanming to send troops to expel the soldiers of Satsuma Domain of Japan and end the history of Ryukyu being invaded and used as a puppet.
Ryukyu is rich in sulfur and saltpeter. It is a very important source of raw materials for the Ming army. The Satsuma clan's military strength obviously does not require the dispatch of the main army to defeat. And establishing a foothold in Ryukyu will undoubtedly open up and ensure the East Asian trade routes.
of smooth flow.
Zhu Yongxing saw this, and the British also saw it, so they rushed to ask for a meeting, hoping to catch a ride and extend their commercial tentacles to East Asia. Ryukyu is closest to the Satsuma Domain, and this domain was also the only one left after the shogunate announced the lock-down.
A private vassal that can gain income from international trade in this disguised way. In other words, through Ryukyu, it is very likely to break the Zheng family's exclusive trade situation with Japan.
The Ryukyus sent a secret envoy, and the British actually learned about it. Naturally, it was Zhu Yongxing who sent someone to reveal it intentionally. It was for no other reason than to take the opportunity to get more benefits from the British.
Sure enough, the British guy was stunned by Zhu Yongxing's hard-to-get tactics. He eagerly expressed his willingness to send troops to help the war and to give more help to the Ming Dynasty. Commercial discounts could also be negotiated. After Zhu Yongxing went around in a circle, he reluctantly agreed.
met the demands of the British.
In fact, Zhu Yongxing was not afraid that the British would not make concessions. Helping Ryukyu was not a very difficult task. With the strength of the Ming army, he could complete it alone. Only when he got the best of both worlds did he feel satisfied.
Of course, sending troops to Ryukyu is not a thing now. Zhu Yongxing's reply to the Ryukyu envoy also left room for the Ming army to be dispatched within a year. During this period, what Ryukyu has to do is endure the humiliation and bear the burden for the Ming Dynasty.
The army provides the largest amount of nitre and sulfur.
Outsiders may not know the real reason for the rise of Nanming. They are amazed, surprised, admired, and puzzled... In fact, in Zhu Yongxing's view, it is very simple. That is to integrate all kinds of beneficial forces, regardless of size, and exert them to the greatest extent.
But at that time, he was the only one who had such a vision, such thinking, and such knowledge, and could skillfully seize opportunities amidst the complex changes in internal and external situations.
In the eyes of insiders, Zhu Yongxing is like a "sage descended from heaven". From being dubious at the beginning to being convinced now, this is due to Zhu Yongxing's efforts, everyone's preconceived ideas, and the constant facts.
of shock.
This characteristic cannot be concealed. Even the British and the French, who have been in contact with Zhu Yongxing several times, have already discovered that His Highness the Prince is very shrewd. It is not the kind of small tricks, but the wisdom of understanding people's hearts and situations.
"It's very powerful. I'm afraid the Tatars will be defeated in the end." After the summons, Lei Chui walked out of the mansion and said.
They didn't mention who it was, but it wasn't difficult to guess. Harry smiled bitterly and nodded in agreement. Others should have asked for troops to help in the war, but they rushed forward because they were afraid that they wouldn't use it.
"The equipment rate of muskets is almost the same as that of other European countries." Lei Chui then sighed: "There are also a lot of artillery, but the Tatars are still stuck with swords, spears, bows and arrows, and they are stupid and short-sighted to block sea trade. It won't take long.
Time will probably be the same as it was in the Netherlands."
During the first Anglo-Dutch War, under the strangulating blockade of the British navy, the weakest aspect of the Dutch economy - over-reliance on foreign trade, was quickly exposed. At that time, the streets of Amsterdam were overgrown with weeds and beggars were everywhere, and the blockade
This has almost put the Netherlands in a predicament where its people are exhausted and their money is exhausted.
Obviously, Lei Chui did not fully understand the specific situation of this ancient continent. Without maritime trade, a farming country would have reduced fiscal revenue and would be closed to the outside world, but it would never be as miserable as the Netherlands.
"It's different, it's different." Harry immediately corrected him, "The Netherlands places too much trust in foreign trade, while the Ming Dynasty and the Tatar regime focused on agriculture and neglected commerce, and did not focus on commerce."
"Is that so?" Lei Chui was puzzled. "Silk, tea, porcelain, and many local products. Oh, and there will be sugar soon. Why not focus on foreign trade? How much can we just farm?
income?"
"This is the short-sightedness of the Tatars." Harry didn't want to explain too much. In fact, he only knew a little about the politics, economy, and culture of this old empire.
"If the Satsuma clan of Japan is driven away and Ryukyu uses Naha as a free port, we can enjoy the same rights as the merchants of Ming Dynasty." Lei Chui did not dwell on these complicated topics, but was very optimistic about the future.
Optimistic.
"The Satsuma clan of Japan is no match for the Ming army." Harry said: "The trade routes in East Asia are opening up to us, and only the Zheng family is an obstacle. However, His Highness the Prince is surpassing the Zheng family in terms of title and strength.
.With our help, I believe that soon this obstacle will no longer exist."
"Where are the Dutch?" Lei Chui frowned slightly, "In Asia, even with His Royal Highness as an ally, it is difficult to pose a threat to the Dutch in the short term."
"Not at sea, what about on land?" Harry smiled slyly, "As long as they can avoid naval battles and successfully land, will the Dutch be the opponents of thousands of Ming troops?"
Lei Chui suddenly understood and nodded repeatedly. He was a navy man, so he was naturally obsessed with the comparison of maritime strength, but he forgot about the strength of the Ming Army's land force and the common weakness of Western countries in their colonies, which was the small number of people.
……………
"An attack on Luzon does not necessarily require a powerful enough navy." Zhu Yongxing clicked heavily on the spread out map. "Use merchant ships to camouflage, and then land quietly with troops. As long as the troops are strong enough, it will be enough to defeat the Spaniards."
The summons were frequent, at least during this period of time. They were the gentry from Guangdong, the business group headed by the Zheng family who came to open a business store... After the British, Zhu Yongxing summoned the Chinese businessmen who had fled from Luzon.
Seeing the happy face of the Chinese businessman, Zhu Yongxing changed the topic and said with a wry smile: "It's just that our army is currently fighting with all its strength, so I'm afraid it will be difficult to divert troops to Luzon. Well, if King Yanping is interested, King Gu is willing to help him."
The Chinese businessman's face darkened, but then returned to normal, and he bowed and said: "Thank you, Your Highness. The common people know the situation at this time, and can still tell which is more serious. Your Highness has a body of thousands of gold, is very noble, and can overcome the redundant situation."
After being summoned, the common people burst into tears of gratitude."
This Chinese businessman is not simple. When Zhu Yongxing heard his eloquent talk, he couldn't help but admire him very much. After pondering for a while, he said: "I am very happy to be able to understand the general situation. If you tell me the situation in Luzon in detail, well, I may even give you some advice.