In Quanzhou City, a flowing water mat more than ten miles long was laid out.
The whole city was plunged into a sea of joy, celebrating the triumphant return of the Xujiazhuang fleet.
This time, Zuo Xianfu and others were not only treated like C-positions.
The sailors of the Zheng family fleet who followed the Xujiazhuang fleet and picked up a lot of bargains also enjoyed hero-like treatment. Everyone's face was red with wine and they all sighed with emotion.
"It's great. These battles have been so exciting. Not many people died."
"As long as Xujiazhuang's steam ship is here, there is no battle we cannot win!"
"It would be great if we could continue to form an alliance with Xujiazhuang. As long as the two sides unite, this sea will be ours, and all the Western Yi ghost guys will be beaten to their death!"
"Yes, we will definitely continue to form an alliance. Although Xujiazhuang is strong, it lacks sailors. Although we are not very strong, we have many people and many ships, so we can complement each other."
"That's right, that's right, this sea is too big, this world is too big, no matter how strong Xujiazhuang is, it can't take over. It definitely needs our help. We will definitely be able to form an alliance for a long, long time."
"But it's not good to rely too much on Xujiazhuang. It would be great if we could build those big steam ships, or buy a few from Xujiazhuang. We can be on our own."
"I'm afraid this is unlikely. Xujiazhuang will not sell such a good boat, just like the Dutch, Spanish, and Portuguese would not sell their plywood boats (ie Galen boats) to us."
"Maybe we can buy it? If we really can't, I hope we can continue to cooperate with Xujiazhuang. I hope they can send steam ships to support us when we run into trouble."
As for the possibility that if the cooperation between the Zheng Group and Xu Jiazhuang ends, the alliance breaks down, or even become enemies due to conflicts of interest, it is not that no one among the sailors of the Zheng Group has thought about this possibility, and it is not that they have not imagined it.
The consequences of becoming an opponent.
But such a bad development path.
No one dares to deduce it in depth.
No one dares to think about it in detail.
I just hope that we can cooperate forever, and we just hope that our alliance can stay like this.
Once they become enemies and opponents, not to mention whether they can accept this reality, even if there are bad signs, if they realize that they may be enemies and confront Xujiazhuang, their morale will be crazy, they will have no intention to fight, and they will
Respond passively and never want to face the Xu family fleet on the battlefield.
Because as allies, no one knows the strength of the Xu family fleet and steam ships better than them now. These are invincible existences. The only outcome for any opponent who has fought with the Xu family fleet is to be completely annihilated! Even the Xu family fleet will be wiped out!
Don’t even think about sending the information back!
The Zheng Group, the only ones who knew the strength of Xujiazhuang's fleet, naturally respected and feared them. From the top management to ordinary sailors, no one dared to have unfriendly thoughts towards Xujiazhuang.
…
After the celebration banquet.
It was about ten o'clock in the evening.
In the south of Quanzhou City, there is a luxurious mansion purchased by Zheng Zhilong.
In the magnificent hall, dozens of spermaceti candles burned, illuminating the hall as bright as day.
More than thirty huanghuali wood chairs were now filled with senior members of the Zheng family.
There are three brothers, Zheng Zhilong, Zheng Hongkui and Zheng Zhibao.
There are some highly respected elders and elders in the Zheng clan.
There are also some important generals, franchise partners, business representatives, etc. in the Zheng Group, as well as several court officials who work closely with the Zheng family.
This proves that this is a very high-level meeting within the Zheng family, because these people in the hall are enough to influence the next development strategy of the Zheng Group.
It's so late to talk, why would Zheng Zhilong hold such a meeting all night if he doesn't go to bed early?
The reason is for no other reason than to explore how to handle the relationship with Xujiazhuang. Is it a cooperative partner or an extremely serious threat?
"Currently, it seems that Xujiazhuang has no intention of attacking and annihilating our Zheng family. Instead, they are taking the initiative to show their kindness and want to cooperate with us. They want to get some things they need from the Zheng family, such as sailors, shipbuilders, and the more than two thousand people."
The Dutch prisoners, Liu Xianglao, and the three thousand sailors captured by Li Guozhu's pirate fleet, Xujiazhuang will take away at least 70%, and we will get at most 30%." Zheng Hongkui said.
"With more than five thousand sailors, at least 70% will be taken away. Next time in Xujiazhuang, wouldn't it be possible to build more than twenty steam warships? There will be no need to worry about insufficient sailors. Three steam ships are so powerful. If the number is increased to twenty
How many boats are there? Is there any way for our Zheng family to survive on this sea?" Someone immediately objected strongly.
"That's right, even if we kill all these prisoners, we still can't hand them over to Xujiazhuang!" Another person said forcefully.
"But if there was no support from the Xu family fleet this time, how could we have captured so many prisoners? What's more, there are nearly two thousand prisoners inside. They were captured by the Xu family fleet themselves and were temporarily handed over to us for detention. What right do we have to deal with them?
These prisoners?" said the rational voice.
"No matter what, no prisoner should be handed over to Xujiazhuang, and their maritime power will never be allowed to grow!" said the hardliner.
"Xujiazhuang's maritime power has become more and more powerful. Can we limit it if we want?" Zheng Hongkui shook his head and asked.
"Why can't we restrict it? Tonight is the last chance. Taking advantage of the fact that most of the Xujiazhuang crew members are drunk, we sent out elite swordsmen and axemen to kill them. Killing them is as easy as killing a dolphin's ear! Send people to seize them again.
Their three steam ships persuaded the Fujian sailors to return to our side, so that they could control these three steam ships. Then we used these three steam ships to go north to the Harbor City, bombed their ports, and burned their
Shipyard! Implement a long-term blockade, deny Xujiazhuang the ability to build ships, and completely eliminate Xujiazhuang’s threat to us at sea. As long as we seize this opportunity, Xujiazhuang will not be able to threaten the interests of our Zheng family!"
This senior executive of the Zheng family came up with a crazy idea with no bottom line, and tried his best to incite Zheng Zhilong: "Ship owner, this is the only opportunity for our Zheng family. If we miss it, we will be slaves to Xujiazhuang in the future.
If you can obey their orders and obey them, you can live without any dignity at all. Why not give it a try and take a gamble! There is at least a 50% chance that you will become the master of the family. If you lose, you will just accept the fate of defeat earlier. Not now
Just do it later!"
Zheng Zhilong was startled.
Other senior members of the Zheng family also felt terrified and their scalps were numb.
Even the other hard-liners looked at each other in confusion, thinking that this person was a lunatic. After all, they were just talking to show their toughness. They didn't expect that there was a lunatic who was planning to commit suicide and push the Zheng family into an abyss.
Zheng Hongkui immediately said: "Shut up, Xujiazhuang is a friend. He has shown kindness to the Zheng family many times without any hostility. This time he has helped the Zheng family a lot. How can we do unjust things and attack without guilt? You don't want to
If you stop talking, the Zheng family will never die because of you."
"How can Xujiazhuang be innocent? Second Young Master Zhihu died in the hands of Xujiazhuang, wouldn't it be just right to use this as an excuse to take revenge? Fourth Young Master, ship owner, have you forgotten Second Young Master's blood debt and don't want revenge?" the man said
.
"That's enough, drag this person down and beat him up fifty times, and put him in a clan prison for three months!"
Zheng Zhilong went crazy, his face was gloomy and extremely ugly, and he even had strong murderous intentions. The plan he originally wanted to tell was aborted, and he could no longer tell it on this occasion.
The meeting had to be adjourned and ended with no results.
…
After everyone dispersed and left.
Zheng Zhilong walked toward the back house with his hands behind his back and a blaming face.
In fact, Zheng Zhilong had a brief moment of excitement about the risky plan of the senior member of the Zheng family, but it only lasted a ten thousandth of a second before he was completely rejected.
Haha, with how powerful Xujiazhuang is, can he be defeated and weakened by a night attack? The pirate Liu Xianglao is much weaker than himself, and he was able to fight with him for six or seven years. Only with the help of Xujiazhuang, this old enemy was destroyed.
Even Liu Xianglao doesn't know when the Zheng family's own strength will be destroyed, let alone Xujiazhuang.
And as long as Xujiazhuang, which maintains its rapid development, is given some time to find a way to build two or three iron-clad ships, the Zheng Group will be completely finished.
That is to say, once the Zheng family dares to take risky actions, the probability of defeat is 100%, and there is no possibility of victory.
"Xujiazhuang can only be friends, never enemies!"
Zheng Zhilong said secretly.
Step into the main wing of the back house.
Under a dim oil lamp, his wife Tagawa Song was sitting by the bed, waiting.
She held a cattail leaf fan in her hand and was gently fanning her nine-year-old son Zheng Fusong (young Zheng Chenggong) who was asleep on the bed to drive away the mosquitoes and heat in summer.
This scene made Zheng Zhilong's face soften, revealing his tough and warm side.
In fact, Zheng Zhilong's achievements today seem to be endless, but in fact he has encountered many constraints and helplessness.
For example, the eldest son Zheng Fusong was born in Japan. He stayed there until he was six years old, when he was taken to his hometown in Anping, Quanzhou Prefecture, Fujian, and he began to be exposed to and learn Chinese culture.
But his wife, Tagawa Matsu, was kept in the hands of the Tokugawa shogunate on the grounds that "Japanese women were not allowed to enter the Central Plains." Until March of this year, Zheng Zhilong sent someone to present ten mechanical watches, ten bicycles, and ten life-size glass mirrors to the shogunate.
Only after such heavy gifts and bribes did the Tokugawa shogunate reluctantly let him go.
But the second son Tagawa Nanaemon could not follow him, because the shogunate had to control at least something that could hold him, Zheng Zhilong.
It is clear that the family cannot be reunited. This is Zheng Zhilong's helplessness.
"Tagawa, you and Fusong go to bed first, there is no need to wait for me to arrive so late."
Zheng Zhilong said to this gentle and virtuous woman that although she was a Japanese girl, she was the woman that Zheng Zhilong loved and cherished the most, otherwise their son's name would not have the character "松" in it.
"Husband, I'm so upset that I can't sleep. I want to wait for you to come back." Tagawa Song looked at him and said.
"The Zheng family has been victorious recently and has eliminated many powerful enemies. Why are you upset about such a good thing?" Zheng Zhilong asked in confusion.
"I don't know, maybe when I was taking care of Fukumatsu, I thought of Nanzaemon who was far away in Japan. Maybe something bad was going to happen to Fukumatsu, which made me very upset." Tagawa Matsu seemed to have some thoughts.
Said with some premonition.
"Tagawa, you still guessed what I was thinking."
Zheng Zhilong did not expect his wife Bing Xuecong to be like this, so he had no choice but to say: "I want to lead the Zheng family to form an alliance with Xujiazhuang. If we cannot become equal allies, it is okay to become a vassal, because the strength and potential of Xujiazhuang are far away in Japan, the Netherlands, and Spain.
Above all other forces, including the Portuguese, they will definitely be the masters of this ocean in the future, and the Zheng family can only obey and have no chance of competing."
"To show our sincerity in forming an alliance, we will provide as many sailors as Xujiazhuang asks for; we will provide as many shipbuilders as Xujiazhuang wants!"
"In addition, the education system in Xujiazhuang is unique. It only accepts children under the age of twelve. Fusong is about to turn ten. If he goes to Xujiazhuang to receive a new education, it will be much better than asking a learned Confucian to teach him. If he can become the student of the master of Xujiazhuang,
Disciple, I will definitely bring huge benefits to the Zheng family in the future, and also let Xujiazhuang see the sincerity of the Zheng family in forming an alliance."
"Tachuan, this time Fusong is not going to be a hostage. He can go home every year. You can also visit Xujiazhuang. You will no longer endure the pain of separation. It's just that Fusong has to learn to be independent and can no longer be loved by you and me."
, but for him, it may not be a bad thing."
Zheng Zhilong tried his best to comfort him.
Tagawa Matsu just sobbed. No matter how he tried to comfort him, tears kept falling down in strings.
But Zheng Zhilong was determined! For the future of the Zheng family and long-term wealth, he had to let his nine-year-old eldest son go to Yangzhou to start a more independent life.
…
The scene that happened in the room was recorded by a small device in the corner.
It was quickly transmitted to the Xujiazhuang headquarters by the Xujiazhuang intelligence system, turned into a piece of top-secret information, and placed on the desk of the village owner Xu Yuan.
After reading the information content.
"Is this the bottom line for Zheng Zhilong's negotiations?"
"Sure enough, this guy is just like Zheng Zhilong in the original historical line. He has a soft body, can bend and stretch, has no ambitions, and is very good at hugging his thighs. He is a handsome man who understands current affairs and is always a businessman."
"But he gave birth to a national hero and a great hero like Zheng Chenggong!"
"Okay, that's fine. This kind of Zheng Zhilong is exactly what I need and is the most appropriate. As for your son Zheng Fusong, I will definitely train him well to make him an even more powerful and outstanding Zheng Chenggong!"