Ding Yunyi doesn't know how big a role Zhang Pu can play in the future, or even whether Zhang Pu can survive.
He did what he should do, and let God decide the rest.
In the tenth year of Chongzhen, natural disasters continued to occur in the Ming Dynasty. After the death of Gao Yingxiang, those rogue bandits elected Li Zi as the "King Chuang" and continued to fight in various places, causing great damage to the Ming Dynasty.
And God is still tormenting this huge empire as always. Floods, droughts, earthquakes... disasters one after another occur all over the country almost every month...
Chongzhen had been emperor for ten years and endured ten years of natural disasters.
It is useless to provide disaster relief, and it is useless to beg God. The court has tried almost every method, but it is of no use. The disaster is becoming more serious day by day, and the number of victims is increasing day by day.
Therefore, if these victims want to survive, they have only two options: one is to join the bandits, and the other is to go to Taiwan.
The saying that there are 200,000 disaster victims living in Taiwan has long been spread among the victims in various places. As long as they can survive in Taiwan, they will have a way to survive.
Taiwan, governed by Ding Yunyi, also needs these victims.
According to the previously agreed upon plan to develop Taiwan, Ding Yunyi now needs a large population.
Expanding the army, developing mulberry fields, recruiting mulberry farmers, silkworm farmers and weavers, developing tea, gold mines, trade...everywhere requires manpower.
For other places, too much population means too much burden, but this is not the case for Taiwan. Now Taiwan's three-year drought has passed. With good weather and a large population, it means that Ding Yunyi's plan to develop Taiwan will be more effective.
Goes smoothly; a larger population means more astronomical wealth; a larger population means the more stable Taiwan is.
Disaster victims from all over the world began to flock to Taiwan, and Taiwan also opened its doors to welcome these victims.
The first phase of the population target set by Ding Yunyi is to have Taiwan's population exceed one million within two years. But judging from the current situation, perhaps this plan will be completed much earlier.
There are too many victims in Ming Dynasty...
Trade with Luzon, Batavia, and Malacca has been fully developed, and a large amount of goods are transported to these places. In exchange, there is a steady stream of wealth.
And with the support of sufficient funds, the Firearms Bureau, the Shipbuilding Workshop...these factories that Ding Yunyi put countless efforts into have also entered a stage of rapid development.
This is a virtuous cycle.
If Ding Yunyi can be given another five years in peace, no one can say what Taiwan will look like.
However, while trade was frequently carried out, something was also brought to Taiwan:
opium!
In fact, the Chinese are no strangers to opium.
As early as when Zhang Qian of the Han Dynasty was sent to the Western Regions, opium was introduced to China. Hua Tuo, a famous doctor during the Three Kingdoms period, used cannabis and opium as anesthetics. In the second year of Emperor Qianfeng of the Tang Dynasty, there were records of the import of opium. In the Tang Dynasty, Arabic opium was called
"Afurong"; in the "Kaibao Materia Medica" published in the Northern Song Dynasty, opium was named poppy, and the last "millet" was interpreted as capsule.
This kind of opium was brought to Taiwan from Batavia and other places with the trading fleet. When Ding Yunyi saw it for the first time, his color suddenly changed and he said sternly to his subordinates:
"Anything can be brought into Taiwan, but this is not the only way. Anyone who dares to touch it will be expelled from Taiwan!"
This is the first time that the subordinates have seen Ding Yunyi so angry. Ding Yunyi knows very well that although this kind of thing is not popular in China, there are already people in coastal cities taking it.
The Dutch introduced the pipes and tobacco leaves of the North American Indians to China through Taiwan, and smokers began to smoke in China. The extent of the spread alarmed the court, and Emperor Chongzhen ordered a ban on smoking because some people once mixed opium with tobacco and smoked it. Unexpectedly, tobacco
The ban led to the proliferation of pure opium smoking.
Opium has quietly taken root since this time.
Ding Yunyi said coldly: "Everyone, I leave my words here today. People like Qin Yun, Cai Jiuzhou, Zhang Xianxuan, and Ye Dahai are all brothers who have followed me from birth to death, but as long as any of you touches this kind of
You guys, I, Ding Yunyi, will tell you to get out of Taiwan without blinking an eye!"
"Yes!" All the subordinates responded quickly.
"This thing is simply a devil. Someone once said that except for killing opium smokers, there is no way to get rid of their bad habits." Ding Yunyi even showed a bit of fear in his words: "Opium smokers do not engage in production or agriculture.
, listless all day long, just thinking about taking opium, he is like a useless person. If it goes on for a long time, once the poison spreads, it will be uncontrollable. If the army cannot be formed, the people cannot be formed, and the country cannot be formed!"
Those subordinates shouted loudly: "We will follow your orders, ban opium, and never let it spread!"
"It's not about spreading, it's about resolutely banning it!" Ding Yunyi said in a more serious tone: "This thing is poison, a knife that kills without blood, and the culprit of the destruction of the country and the species!"
Ding Yunyi began to have some worries. The smooth development of trade would allow him to gain huge wealth, but with the further expansion of trade, things like opium would also appear.
How to coordinate the relationship between the two aspects will be a test for yourself and your subordinates.
"Deputy Town, a secret report has come from the capital!" Xie Tian walked in at this time: "Yang Sichang, Minister of the Ministry of War, was ordered to suppress the bandits, and the imperial court once again urgently summoned the Deputy Town to participate in the suppression of bandits."
The subordinates stood up in a panic. Are they going to transfer the deputy town deputy to suppress the bandits again?
Ding Yunyi didn't panic at all: "Calm down and tell me what's going on."
Things are a little unusual this time.
The previous time it was Chongzhen's whim that led him to rashly transfer Ding Yunyi to suppress the bandits, but this time it was after careful consideration.
First, after Yang Sichang took charge of the Ministry of War, he strongly promoted the strategy of "four positives, six corners, and a ten-sided net".
But Yang Sichang had no direct generals, and after Chongzhen used him to suppress bandits, Yang Sichang had to have his own strength in the army. The first thing he thought of was Ding Yunyi, who he had taken as his confidant!
Yang Sichang is one factor. Another more important reason comes from Chongzhen.
"If you want to survive, go to Taiwan." This widely circulated saying among the victims finally reached Chongzhen's ears. Taiwan has never paid a tax of one tael to the court. When Ding Yunyi regained Taiwan, the place was in ruins
Taixing was a legendary wilderness land with a sparse population. Chongzhen never considered receiving tax revenue from Taiwan.
After that, Ding Yunyi officially governed Taiwan. In his memorial, he mentioned again and again that Taiwan was so poor that he could not even pay the soldiers. Chongzhen considered that he had never given Huben Guards a tael of silver.
Military expenses are all supported by Ding Yunyi himself. I feel guilty when I say it, and I won't even think about Taiwan.
But when the words "Go to Taiwan to survive" reached Chongzhen's ears, the suspicious emperor finally became suspicious.
Is Taiwan poor or rich? How much wealth has Ding Yunyi accumulated in the past two years in Taiwan? Last time I heard that he survived 200,000 disaster victims. A total of 200,000! Chongzhen also praised it greatly, saying that Ding Yunyi was like this
Despite the difficulties, he also knew how to share the worries of the court. But what about this time? Ding Yunyi had just digested 200,000 victims, and he actually still had the strength to continue to live among the victims?
There must be something wrong here.
But in the two secret documents given to him by Fujian Governor Zhang Kentang, he repeatedly said how Ding Yunyi fulfilled his duties faithfully. What was going on?
And in the memorials written by Ding Yunyi and Zheng Zhilong, you praise me and I praise you. Could it be that the plan that I had worked so hard to arrange in Fujian for Ding Yunyi, Zheng Zhilong, and Zhang Kentang to contain each other failed?
Just when Chongzhen was full of doubts, the loyal Wang Chengen came up with a plan for him: "Your Majesty wants to know the real situation in Taiwan. It is actually very easy. All you have to do is arrange a supervisory army for the Tiger Guards."
Chongzhen suddenly realized: "I am confused. I have released Ding Yunyi for so many years, but I have never arranged a supervisor for him."
The use of eunuchs to supervise the army was not invented by Chongzhen.
The eunuch's supervision and command of troops began in the Yongle period. It became popular in the middle of the Ming Dynasty and was fully implemented in the Chongzhen period.
"However, Ding Yunyi has been in Taiwan and Penghu for a long time. The ministers estimate that he is very powerful and suddenly sent a supervisory army to him. I am afraid that not only will he be unwilling, but his subordinates will also be unwilling to cooperate. If he wants to succeed,
To understand the situation in Taiwan and Penghu, the only way is to first transfer Ding Yunyi out of Taiwan."
Wang Chengen's words made Chongzhen nod frequently: "Just how to transfer?"
"It's very simple." Wang Cheng'en was already confident: "Your Majesty used Yang Sichang to suppress the bandits. On that day when he met the emperor, he said that if he had a general like Ding Yunyi who could fight against Xinyang and bloody Yingzhou, the bandits would not be wiped out in a day.
It's obvious that Ding Yunyi has some intentions. In that case, why doesn't Your Majesty comply with his wishes?"
"Okay, okay!" Chongzhen repeatedly praised: "This is a great plan. I will order Ding Yunyi to leave Taiwan. However, who should I send as the eunuch to oversee the army?"
"Lu Qicheng!" Wang Chengen had no time to think and blurted out: "It was Lu Qicheng who summoned Ding Yunyi twice, and he was sent this time. However, the first two times he went to read out the imperial edict, this time he was asked to stay in Huben Guards
Come down. Although this man is a little greedy for money, he is still loyal to His Majesty and will not be dragged over by Ding Yunyi."
"Okay, send him there!" Chongzhen said with great joy.
"Wait a minute, Your Majesty." Wang Chengen said softly: "If you want Ding Yunyi to leave Taiwan with peace of mind, you have to give him a little sweetness. The minister means to give him a false title."
"What do you mean?" Chongzhen frowned: "Promote him to the rank of commander-in-chief?"
"No!" Wang Chengen shook his head: "The title of Commander-in-Chief is not in vain. Besides, there is no precedent for him to be the Commander-in-Chief at such a young age. Furthermore, if he is loyal to Your Majesty and makes military exploits again in the future, it will be a real disaster.
The only option is to let him join the Ministry of War. The minister’s intention is to give him a title..."
Chongzhen thought about it for a long time, and then nodded slightly: "His army is called 'Wu Yong Zhong Lie Hu Ben Wei'. I have given him a plaque of 'One Loyalty', so I will give him 'Uncle Wu Lie'."
"Your Majesty the Holy Ming..."
"I am not a saint. I just hope that people like Ding Yunyi will be truly loyal and serve our Ming Dynasty. I don't want to misunderstand Ding Yunyi, and I don't want to see Ding Yunyi having second thoughts. I still admire this person very much.
..."
...
"Okay, okay, after all, you should send me a supervisor." After hearing the report, Ding Yunyi smiled instead of getting angry: "I have been waiting for when your Majesty will send me a supervisor."
Xie Tian said on the side: "Deputy Town, when the news reached me, Lu Qicheng had already entered Fujian, but he did not go to Fuzhou, but came directly to Taiwan. But in what specific way the deputy town was transferred? After Lu Qicheng came
We really can’t find out what you want to do.”
"It's enough for you to do this." Ding Yunyi was still smiling: "Instead of going to Fuzhou, why not come directly to Taiwan? It seems that His Majesty is also suspicious of Zhang Kentang. Brothers, how do you think this matter should be handled?
?”
"No!" Ye Dahai was the first to say in a deep voice: "We have worked hard to develop in Taiwan and have already reached a certain scale. If the imperial court suddenly wants to transfer the deputy town to leave, we must have ulterior motives!"
Qin Yun shook his head at the side: "Blatantly resisting the imperial edict? What is the difference between that and rebellion?"
"If you rebel, you rebel!" Zhang Xianxuan was also very angry: "If we defend Taiwan, we can defeat the four-nation combined fleet, but can't we defend Taiwan? If we can't defend it anymore, let's follow the deputy town and become pirates together!"
"Damn words!" Ding Yunyi laughed and said: "I, Ding Yunyi, am unswervingly loyal to the imperial court, how can I rebel? Don't say such things again in the future. Furthermore, if it is rebellion, the navy of the Zheng family and the governor of Zhang Kentang
How can you sit back and watch? If the Thais get involved again, do you think we can really hold on to Taiwan? Are we going to be pirates? How long can we hold on if we give up Taiwan and become pirates?"
Qin Yun blinked: "The deputy town has already got an idea, right?"
"No idea, no idea." Ding Yunyi smiled and said: "If the court wants to transfer me, then I have no choice but to go. It will be nothing more than a bloody battle and death."
The dull atmosphere was suddenly broken, and everyone looked at each other and smiled. If the deputy town said this, he must have an idea.
"Send someone to greet the supervisors with great fanfare!" Ding Yunyi said nonchalantly: "Qin Yun, go to Quanzhou immediately and find me a group of brothel girls."
"Could it be that eunuchs also like women?" Qin Yun was a little confused.
Ding Yunyi laughed loudly: "Eunuchs also have women. Many eunuchs also have wives, called 'caihu', right? We have to make Lu Qicheng feel happy when he comes to Taiwan."
Having said this, he glanced at his subordinates and suddenly sneered: "Since Lu Qicheng is here, let's entertain him well and make him one of ours!"
Taiwan is our own Taiwan, and Taiwan will never allow anyone to interfere. Not Zheng Zhilong and the Taixi people, nor anyone else.
I can fight in the north and south for Emperor Chongzhen, but I will never give up Taiwan! (This site...your support is my biggest motivation.)