Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

Zhu Yujian was also aware of the court's movements.

He had established his empire in Southeast Asia for several years, and he had his own people under his command.

In particular, when the emperor ordered him to help Qin Fan open up new territories, some talented people who were not successful in Qin Fan were recruited into his guard.

Among the more outstanding ones were Zhao Sheng and Bai Wang, both of whom were not valued in the Qin vassal state but became generals under his command.

As a scholar, Zhao Sheng still held some reverence for the Ming Dynasty court. He said to Zhu Yujian:
"Your Highness, judging from the court's stance, they intend to hold you accountable and are already mobilizing troops."

"I wonder what Your Highness thinks, and how we should respond?"

Zhu Yujian's killing of his two uncles with a cane was actually a moment of anger.

Although he has some ability, he has experienced very little due to being imprisoned for more than ten years, and therefore his thinking is not thorough enough.

So after the death of the old Tang king, and believing that he had made great contributions and was certain to succeed to the Tang king, he sent people to beat his two uncles to death.

Now that the court was truly going to punish him, he was already somewhat panicked and asked for advice:
What do you think we should do?

"Does the imperial court really intend to kill me, disregarding my past merits?"

Zhao Sheng sighed inwardly upon hearing these words.

In other words, Zhu Yujian did not tell him before he had his uncle killed with a cane, otherwise he would have definitely tried to stop him.

Seeing Zhu Yujian in a state of panic and confusion, he knew that he could not stand against the court in this state.

This disappointed him, but he secretly breathed a sigh of relief:
It's better if he has neither the ability nor the ambition to oppose the imperial court, so he won't have to rebel with the grandson.

Therefore, he immediately suggested:
"Your Highness is a rare talent among the imperial family, highly valued by His Majesty, and has the authority to submit secret memorials with a silver seal."

"I believe that Your Majesty should immediately submit a memorial to defend yourself, so as to prevent petty people in the court from causing trouble and framing Your Highness."

"When the imperial envoy arrives, he will immediately take the initiative to bind himself and plead guilty with a bundle of thorns on his back."

"This way, they will surely receive a lighter sentence and have a chance to live."

Zhu Yujian listened with disappointment and said:

"Is it just about surviving?"

What will happen to my title and fiefdom?

Zhao Shengdao:
"With the title and fiefdom hanging in the balance, the court will surely punish the reckless princes as a warning to the nobles who have been granted fiefdoms."

"Your Highness just happened to run into this, and will inevitably be used as a raft."

"It's fortunate that I can save my life; everything else depends on His Majesty's will."

Zhu Yujian was deeply disappointed and sighed:
Is that all?

"How do you think the imperial court will deal with me?"

What are the best and worst outcomes?

Zhao Sheng pondered for a moment, considering the current emperor's measures, and said:

"The best outcome would be for the Emperor to give a minor punishment as a warning, only allowing the Tang vassal state to be relocated, so that His Highness can still inherit the title of Prince of Tang in the future."

"The worst outcome would be that His Highness would be stripped of his title and reduced to a commoner, confined within the high walls of Fengyang. The title of Prince of Tang would not be revoked, but it would be bestowed upon someone else."

"However, the current emperor values ​​talent, so it shouldn't be like this."

“Even Zhu Hua Kui can be a viscount, so Your Highness can at least be granted a fief as a non-royal member of the imperial family.”

Then he addressed Zhu Yujian, and especially the generals beside him:

"We were all chosen and promoted by Your Highness, and we are determined to repay your kindness."

"Please rest assured, Your Highness, we will definitely hold onto the Tang army and await your return."

"His Majesty will consider our feelings and allow His Highness to return."

Generals such as Bai Wang immediately knelt down and pledged their loyalty to Zhu Yujian.

They all recognized Zhu Yujian's abilities and character, and some were even willing to follow him in rebelling against the court.

Of course, knowing the disparity in strength between themselves and the imperial court, most people were unwilling to take that step.

As long as Zhu Yujian's life is not in danger, they are willing to wait a few years.

Zhu Yujian was delighted to see so many loyal soldiers under his command.

With no other options, he could only follow Zhao Sheng's advice and write a memorial to apologize, which he then sent via carrier pigeons in Southeast Asia.

However, he still hesitated about carrying thorns to apologize and decided to wait until the court's attitude became clear before making a decision.
-
Faced with this situation, Guo Shangyou, the Governor-General of Nanyang, intensified the mobilization of troops.

They also dispatched naval warships to blockade the waters around Sumatra.

General Zheng Zhilong of the Nanyang Fleet was ordered to lead his troops here.

Shang Kexi, who had just returned from the Americas, also happened to be there with his warships.

He returned from the Americas at the beginning of the year, but encountered many setbacks due to unfamiliarity with the route.

Later, they found a ship traveling from Mexico to the Philippines and followed it to Southeast Asia.

However, the Spanish did not want this route to be leaked; they wanted to monopolize the galleon trade.

When they only had one ship, they couldn't handle Shang Kexi's vessel. Upon arriving in the Philippines, they immediately invited other ships to surround and intercept it.

In order to escape the encirclement, Shang Kexi turned south from the Philippines, and after a conflict with Dutch warships in the Spice Islands, he eventually escaped to Malacca to repair his ship.

Now that the ship has just been repaired, he encountered war and was conscripted to participate in the blockade of Sumatra.

Upon learning of the hardships he had endured on his journey, with three or four tenths of his crew lost, Zheng Zhilong, who was quite interested in trade with the Americas and coveted Luzon, inquired:

"Is the Americas route really that difficult? So many people have been lost?"

"If we don't encounter the enemy, how many people would die on a normal trip?"

Shang Kexi, recalling the ordeal he had endured along the way, still found it somewhat unbearable to look back, and said with a wry smile:

"I've only traveled this route once, so I don't know much about it."

“Mr. Chen has lived in Mexico for many years, so he knows these things better.”

Let Chen Shouzhen answer; his words will be more persuasive.

Even after returning to the territory under the jurisdiction of the Ming Dynasty, Chen Shouzhen still held the Ming generals and earls in great awe.

Especially after learning that the count had been a pirate, he believed Shang Kexi's promises even more.

The current emperor is truly unconventional in his selection of personnel; he even dares to employ pirates like this.

The emperor naturally wouldn't care about someone who was merely an abandoned commoner stranded overseas.

He said to Zheng Zhilong:

“The sailing route takes a long time, and there is a long stretch of the route without land, so supplies cannot be obtained.”

"Therefore, a lot of people died, mostly from scurvy."

"However, very few people in our fleet get this disease; we need to be more careful about the wind and waves."

"Although the Pacific Ocean has relatively fewer waves, there are still many sailboats that sink."

The text cites examples of sailboat sinkings in recent years to illustrate the dangers of transoceanic trade.

Zheng Zhilong did a rough calculation and found that more people had died than when he was a pirate.

This left him speechless, unsure whether to pursue transoceanic trade.

In particular, there are now Spanish and Dutch warships in the South Seas, which will intercept Ming Dynasty ships.

If the ship is destroyed while crossing the ocean, both the ship and the cargo will be lost.

Therefore, he decided to first seize all of Southeast Asia, so that no matter which country wanted to conduct transoceanic trade, they would have to go through the Ming Dynasty.

With these thoughts swirling in his mind, Zheng Zhilong said:
"If there's no land, we'll look for islands and see if we can find more supply points along the way."

"His Majesty has included all the islands in the South Seas within the island chain defense line." "In the future, these islands will be used to establish garrisons or be granted to nobles."

"Once there are more people on the island, we can provide supplies."

This was the prevailing idea within the Navy; they were less enthusiastic about trade and more interested in expanding their territory.

They wouldn't have been interested in the island if it weren't for the emperor's request.

However, since the current emperor has made the request, we must send people to occupy it.

To prevent foreign invasion, the severing of the island chain defense line, and the threat to the Ming Dynasty's territorial waters.

Shang Kexi was overjoyed upon learning of the imperial court's policy.

To be honest, he lost more than half of his personnel on this trip, and he really didn't want to continue.

Waiting for the imperial court to expand its maritime territory is indeed a good idea; at least then we won't have to worry about the threats from Spain and the Netherlands anymore.

When this was mentioned, they went on to discuss strategies for conquering Southeast Asia.

Zheng Zhilong intended to gain merit by conquering Southeast Asia, and had already ordered many new warships from major shipyards.

He pointed in the direction of Sumatra and said:
"If it weren't for the Tang Dynasty's affairs, we should have conquered Java this year."

“Li Guozhu has always wanted to take that place and drive the Dutch out of the island.”

"Unfortunately, with the Tang Fan incident, this year will be delayed by at least several months."

"These past few months have been a time with fewer typhoons and smaller waves. We'll have to wait until next year to find another opportunity like this."

"The Privy Council will be reorganized next year; who knows what will happen!"

He shook his head and sighed repeatedly, feeling that he shouldn't waste his energy on the Tang Fan affair.

However, what the grandson of the Tang emperor did was truly absurd.

As a nobleman granted a fiefdom by the imperial court, he had no choice but to support the court in this matter.

Moreover, it wasn't just him; the Yu family, the Duke of Su, the Xue family, the Marquis of Yangwu, the Bo Hai family, and others who had established vassal states in Southeast Asia, all sent ships and soldiers to demonstrate their stance.

The nobles of Southeast Asia gathered together because of this matter, waiting for the imperial court's order.

Governor-General Guo Shangyou of Nanyang was pleased with this situation.

This is because it represents the loyalty of the Southeast Asian nobility and his achievements in governing the country.

However, he was also uneasy about the large number of troops gathered by so many vassal states.

In a secret letter to the imperial court, he explained the danger of vassal states becoming too powerful.

The Governor-General's Office of the Southern Seas must strengthen its capabilities to deal with the many powerful vassal states.
-
Zhu Youjian was pleased when he saw his detailed memorial.

The fact that so many feudal nobles demonstrated their loyalty through their actions proves the correctness of the feudal policy.

However, Guo Shangyou's concerns were indeed justified. He summoned the Privy Council and the Court of Colonial Affairs and made arrangements accordingly:
"The overseas vassal forces and troop deployment methods should be established and regulated as soon as possible."

"In short, we want them to focus on defending their territory and cultivating the fiefdoms allocated by the imperial court."

"External expansion should be overseen by the imperial court; vassal states should not be allowed to act on their own."

The Privy Council and the Court of Colonial Affairs shared this idea, and Liu Zunxian, the Minister of War, returned to the court and said:
"I believe that the armies of vassal states should also be protected by guards."

“The garrison is under the jurisdiction of the Protector-General, and the battalion is jointly commanded by the Protector-General and the general to ensure their loyalty.”

"According to news from Southeast Asia, there are quite a few generals under the command of the Tang Prince's grandson who are willing to fight to the death."

"This is something we must be wary of. We must prevent some people from becoming ambitious and rebelling with their troops."

Zhu Youjian nodded in approval, showing great appreciation for Liu Zunxian's suggestion, and said:
"The army needs to know why it fights and what its wealth comes from; this requires the protection of the army."

"Once the military guards arrive overseas, they will be under the command of the local governors and viceroys. The key is to publicize their treatment to the troops, so that they understand that only under the protection of the Ming Dynasty's enfeoffment system can their hereditary titles and treatment be guaranteed, and only then can they have the opportunity to earn merit and be ennobled."

"Try not to interfere in wars, so as to avoid losing soldiers and generals and incurring the wrath of vassal states."

This is something he repeatedly emphasized: to avoid the guards interfering in the command of the army.

If the Ming Dynasty's military governors were to arrive at a vassal state and cause it to lose troops due to the vassal state's chaotic deployment of forces, even the most loyal vassal state would likely be forced into rebellion.

Zhu Youjian did not want to lose more than he gained, so he asked Liu Zunxian to formulate stricter regulations for the overseas garrison and to transfer them out if any signs of interference with command were found.

Liu Zunxian accepted the order and withdrew. Huang Liji, the head of the Court of Colonial Affairs, said:
"The vassal states of Nanyang have mobilized troops to press on the border; the descendants of the Tang Emperor must already know the gravity of the situation."

"I believe that we should send an envoy as soon as possible to persuade him, lest he be misled by villains."

“Before the imperial envoy arrives, someone else can be sent ahead.”

This is the wise advice of an experienced strategist, suggesting taking advantage of the current favorable situation to avoid war.

The officials of the Court of Colonial Affairs generally did not want the court to fight with the vassal states, as the court might view the vassal states as a source of trouble.

Zhu Youjian also did not want war to break out, and nodded in approval:
"Zhu Yujian has already submitted a memorial to plead guilty; he now understands the gravity of the situation."

“Send a messenger to Wang Tiqian, instructing him and Tian Ergeng, the Nanyang Garrison Commander, to capture Zhu Yujian together.”

"No matter what method we use, we must arrest Zhu Yujian."

"If he voluntarily binds himself, he can be spared death; if he uses force without authorization, the court will punish him severely."

Two court officials were appointed to arrest Zhu Yujian.

Although this was somewhat illogical, the Court of Colonial Affairs dared not oppose the emperor.

The Privy Council, noting that it was none of their business, did not comment.
-
Wang Tiqian, who was also leading his fleet to Malacca and had established a viscountry north of the Nanyang Governor's Office, was filled with mixed feelings of worry and joy upon receiving this mission.

What is worrying is that the grandson of the Tang emperor is acting recklessly. This man even dared to kill his uncle, let alone a eunuch.
What pleased him was that the emperor still remembered him. With the task assigned by the emperor, no one in Southeast Asia dared to underestimate him.

If you make a contribution, you might even have the opportunity to be promoted in rank.

He addressed Tian Ergeng, the Nanyang Pacification Commissioner who was also in Malacca:

"You and I are both former officials of the late emperor, referred to as the eunuch faction by the court and the public."

"Although His Majesty doesn't care, he believes in our loyalty."

"But many people in the government and the public have doubts and are calling for our attack and destruction."

"Now that His Majesty has a mission, we must make a name for ourselves and earn his respect."

Tian Ergeng naturally knew how formidable it was.

If it weren't for the emperor's protection, Wu Biao, a member of the eunuch faction, would never have survived.

After years of farming on Dongning Island, he was finally given a chance to be employed, and of course he didn't want to miss it.

Just like during the Tianqi era, he said to Wang Tiqian in a very obsequious manner:

“Father-in-law is right!”

"We serve the Emperor, so of course we must do our best."

"We will do whatever our father-in-law says, without uttering a single word of dissent."

He directly assured Wang Tiqian that he would follow his orders.

Upon hearing these words, Wang Tiqian was reminded of the power and influence during the Tianqi era, a thought that had been absent for a long time.

Even now, when he thinks about it again, he still feels a sense of nostalgia.

But he understood even more clearly that a new emperor brings a new court, especially the inner court officials around him.

He's already lucky enough to have landed safely; he can't afford to let power cloud his judgment any further.

If Wei Zhongxian hadn't clung to power and refused to relinquish it, why would the emperor have wanted his head?

I can't make this mistake. No matter how strong my desire for power is, I have to suppress it.

Besides, the current emperor hasn't treated him badly, granting him a viscount's fiefdom. If he really can't suppress his lust for power, he still has the fiefdom to wield. (End of Chapter)