My father is Chongzhen? Then I have no choice but to rebel.

With this huge sum of money, not only could the city of Nanjing be completely renovated and the unprecedentedly wide "Two Capitals Straight Road" be laid, but there would also be a large surplus, which could be used to reorganize the military, build water conservancy projects, and provide disaster relief to the victims.

Many things that we wanted to do but were unable to do in the past are now possible.

The revival of the Ming Dynasty seems to be within reach.

However, the key figure who brought about this huge turning point was no longer in Nanjing.

Two days earlier, Zhu Cilang had requested permission from Emperor Chongzhen to "inspect the coastal areas, understand the people's conditions in Fujian and Zhejiang, and visit his wife's family along the way," and then quietly left Nanjing with a well-trained escort fleet.

Accompanying him was, of course, his father-in-law, Zheng Zhilong, who was extremely familiar with the sea conditions in the southeast.

The mighty Yangtze River flows eastward.

After bidding farewell to the grand send-off procession at the Longjiang Pass Wharf in Nanjing, Zhu Cilang, escorted by more than a dozen elite warships under Zheng Zhilong's command, raised the sails, adjusted the rudder, and sailed downstream, leaving the mouth of the Yangtze River and once again entering the vast and deep blue sea—the East China Sea.

Freed from the constraints of the imperial procession, the atmosphere on the fleet became noticeably more relaxed.

Zhu Cilang spent most of his time in the spacious cabin on the top floor, where the view was excellent, with huge glass windows on three sides, allowing him to enjoy the magnificent view of the sea and sky merging into one without any obstruction.

The sea breeze, carrying a salty, fishy smell, swept through the cabin, dispelling the stuffiness inside.

He would either peruse the reports submitted from various places along the way, or discuss matters with the officials of the Crown Prince's palace who accompanied him. More often, he would stand side by side with Zheng Zhilong by the window, gazing at the boundless sea and discussing future maritime strategies.

The weather was fine that day, with excellent visibility.

The fleet is sailing southeast along the Zhejiang coast toward Fujian.

Zhu Cilang stood by the window, his gaze fixed on the horizon where the sea met the sky. There, a dark, long shadow could be faintly seen, like a giant dragon lying on the waves, stretching across the end of the azure sea.

"father in law."

Zhu Cilang suddenly spoke, breaking the silence in the cabin.

"That landmass ahead, must be Ta Yuan Island?"

Taiwan, formerly known as Dongfan or Dayuan Island!
Upon hearing this, Zheng Zhilong, who was standing to the side, became serious, stepped forward, followed Zhu Cilang's gaze, and nodded firmly:
"Your Highness is wise. This is indeed Dayuan Island. It is about 150 li away from our fleet. Due to its terrain, when viewed from the sea, it looks like a long dike lying across the blue waves. Therefore, fishermen and boatmen along the Fujian and Zhejiang coasts often call it 'Dongfan', 'Beigang', or 'Taiyuan'."

Zhu Cilang nodded slightly, his gaze still fixed on the distant coastline, as if trying to penetrate the distance and see the details of that land.

He paused for a moment, then slowly said:
"Father-in-law, you have long been at sea, traversing the southeast, and must know this island in great detail. Could you please give me a detailed account of the island's past and present situation?"

Knowing that His Highness the Crown Prince was quite interested in the island, Zheng Zhilong was prepared. Upon hearing this, he cleared his throat and began to explain in his slightly Minnan-accented manner:

"Your Highness has inquired, and I will answer to the best of my knowledge. As for the history of this island, it has been full of twists and turns, and is closely related to the maritime affairs, border defense, and even the trade in the southeast of our Great Ming Dynasty."

He paused briefly to gather his thoughts, and began to recount the story from its origins:

"As far as I know, and after consulting the records of previous dynasties, our dynasty's management of this island can be roughly divided into several stages."

"At the beginning of the dynasty, Emperor Taizu Gao drove out the Mongol Yuan dynasty and pacified the world. He set up a patrol office on Penghu Island, under the jurisdiction of Tongan County, Fujian Province. The office was responsible for coastal patrol, investigating Japanese pirates, and managing fishing households. However, at that time, the court's strategy was mainly to defend against the northern barbarians and pacify the sea frontier. It had little interest in overseas expansion and regarded Dayuan Island as a wild and uncivilized place. Therefore, the jurisdiction of the patrol office was limited to Penghu and never extended to Dayuan Island itself."

"At that time, only the indigenous tribes lived scattered on the island. Occasionally, fishermen from the coastal areas of Fujian and Guangdong would sail there during the fishing season, temporarily anchor along the shore, dry their nets and repair their boats, and barter with the indigenous people for items such as deerskin and sulfur. They would return when the seasonal winds came, and had no intention of staying for long."

"There were also pirates who did not submit to the rule of the emperor, such as Lin Daoqian and Zeng Yiben during the Jiajing era. They occupied this island as their base and plundered the coast. When the court sent troops to suppress them, they fled into the deep mountains or sailed far into the ocean. The government troops could not eradicate them and did not stay for long."

At this point, Zheng Zhilong's tone carried a hint of emotion and regret:

"If the court had had any long-term plans at that time and had stationed troops and established a government here, then the Western barbarians and Eastern invaders might not have had any opportunity to take advantage of the situation. However, the national policy was such that it valued the north over the south and the land over the sea, which was also due to the circumstances of the time."

Zhu Cilang listened quietly without saying a word, but he understood.

The Ming Dynasty's early maritime prohibition policy and focus on defense in the north resulted in the court lacking a strategic vision for the ocean and missing the best opportunity to develop Dayuan Island.

Zheng Zhilong's statement that it was "due to the circumstances" was already a euphemism.

Zheng Zhilong continued:

"By the Wanli era, the sea ban was gradually relaxed, and private trade flourished. More and more merchants from Fujian and Guangdong came to the island, and some settlements were formed along the southwest coast, such as Wanggang and Takow, where they cultivated land, fished and hunted, and traded with the locals. However, the scale was very small, and there was no official organization. It was purely spontaneous. At that time, the island was still dominated by locals, each governing themselves, without a unified government."

"The turning point was the arrival of the Western barbarians from the east."

Zheng Zhilong changed the subject, his expression becoming serious.

"At the end of the Wanli era and the beginning of the Tianqi era, the Western barbarians and the Spanish barbarians successively entered our southeastern sea frontier. The Western barbarians originally occupied Penghu and wanted to use it as a base to trade with us."

"In the fourth year of the Tianqi reign, the Fujian governor, Nan Juyi, sent troops to drive them out. The red-haired barbarians then made an agreement with us to withdraw from Penghu and head east, occupying a sandbar south of Dayuan, where they built Fort Zeelandia. Later, they built Fort Provintia on the opposite sandbar as a trading base."

"At the same time, the Spanish barbarians were not to be outdone. In the sixth year of the Tianqi reign, they occupied Keelung and Tamsui, built fortresses, and attempted to rival the Western barbarians. From then on, the north and south of Tayuan Island became the arena for the struggle between the Thai and Western barbarians!"

As Zheng Zhilong spoke, his tone became tinged with resentment and helplessness.

"At that time, the Jurchens were powerful in Liaodong, and bandits were rising up in the interior. The court was overwhelmed and had no power to look south. It was already a stretch to drive out the Dutch in Penghu. As for the fighting between the Dutch and Westerners in the border regions, the court turned a blind eye, only hoping that they would not disturb the coast. This is truly a great regret for our southeastern coastal areas!" Zhu Cilang's eyes flashed coldly when he heard this.

He was naturally aware of this history, but hearing it firsthand from Zheng Zhilong, a person who had experienced it all, made him feel even more acutely the powerlessness of the imperial court and the crisis on the coast.

After a moment of silence, he asked:

"And then what? What's the current situation between the red-haired barbarians and the Western barbarians?"

Zheng Zhilong quickly composed himself and replied:
"Your Highness, the Spanish have occupied the northern part of Taiwan, but their national strength seems less focused on the east than that of the Dutch. They have few troops stationed there and mainly trade with the natives and our Han people, so their influence has not grown much. The Dutch, on the other hand, have occupied the southern part of Taiwan and have been the most active in their operations. With Fort Zeelandia as their core, they have attracted immigrants from Fujian and Guangdong to cultivate wasteland, plant sugarcane and rice, and purchase deerskin and sulfur. They also trade with our coastal private merchants, and their influence is gradually increasing."

"By the beginning of the Chongzhen reign, the Red-haired barbarians had already assumed the status of the rulers of Nantai, establishing governors-general, levying taxes, and even abusing our immigrants. My fleet often clashed with them."

He paused, lowered his voice, and said with a hint of pride and murderous intent:

"However, since I was recruited by the court and appointed as the governor of the Fujian and Guangdong naval forces, I have never been lenient towards those who dare to violate our maritime borders! Whether they are barbarians, Spanish barbarians, Japanese pirates, or sea pirates, if any ships dare to approach the Fujian and Guangdong coast to plunder or bully our merchants and fishermen, I will lead the navy to strike them hard! In recent years, they have realized the danger and no longer dare to openly harass us."

"However, they are deeply entrenched in southern Taiwan, with trading posts, forts, and foreign troops all in place. To remove them, a major battle would be necessary."

He glanced at Zhu Cilang and added, "Moreover, they have trade relations with Japan, Southeast Asian countries, and even some merchants along our coast, and their relationships are very complex."

Zhu Cilang nodded slightly, acknowledging Zheng Zhilong's achievements in safeguarding the maritime borders, and then asked:

"So what is the current population composition of the island?"

Zheng Zhilong knew this very well, as if it were his own treasure:

"Your Highness, after decades of changes, the island's population can now be roughly divided into four categories."

"Firstly, there are the natives of the island, namely the uncivilized and the civilized. The uncivilized live in the deep mountains and do not interact with other ethnic groups, and even hunt heads. The civilized live in the plains and near the mountains and have some contact with our Han people. They live by fishing, hunting and rough farming. This type of people are the most numerous and are spread all over the island, but their tribes are scattered and not under one jurisdiction."

"Secondly, there are the people who migrated from the coastal areas of Fujian and Guangdong. Since the end of the Wanli era, due to the narrow and densely populated coastal areas, making a living was difficult; or to escape taxes and lawsuits; or to be recruited by the foreign barbarians to cultivate the land, the number of people crossing the sea to settle in the southwest coastal areas of Wanggang and Takow, and in the north areas of Keelung and Tamsui, they reclaimed wasteland, planted rice and sugarcane, fished and boiled salt, and also traded with the foreign barbarians, Westerners and local people."

“They are hardworking and diligent, and have now become the main force in the development of the island. Their numbers are second only to the natives, and they are increasing year by year. Some of my former subordinates and fellow villagers have also been settled there.”

"Thirdly, there are the red-haired barbarians and the Spanish barbarians. The red-haired barbarians mainly occupy the area around Fort Zeelandia in southern Taiwan, numbering about a thousand. Most of them are employees of the trading post, soldiers, priests and their families. The Spanish barbarians are concentrated in the two forts of Keelung and Tamsui, numbering about a few hundred. They build forts and forts, set up officials to govern, collect commercial taxes, and spread their religion, making it a country within a country."

Fourthly.

Zheng Zhilong's tone was slightly complicated.

"These are merchants from all sides. In addition to the East India Company merchant ships from the red-haired and Western barbarians, in recent years, due to Japan's isolationist policy, fewer of its merchant ships have come. However, merchant ships from Ryukyu, Champa, Siam, and even the Frankish countries often come and go to trade, anchoring at the ports of Taiyuan in the north and south, exchanging goods with our Han people and natives."

"What they carried were mostly spices, sappanwood, ivory, and rhinoceros horn from Southeast Asia; Japanese swords, fans, and lacquerware from Japan; and sulfur and horses from Ryukyu, which they exchanged for my raw silk, porcelain, tea, and medicinal herbs."

He emphasized that:

"Since His Highness strongly advocated opening up the seas for trade, the court has established the Maritime Trade Offices in Fujian, Zhejiang and Guangdong to regulate trade and collect customs duties. The number of legal merchant ships going to Da Yuan for trade has indeed increased compared to previous years. They pay taxes according to the law and obtain permits. What they are doing is legitimate business, which is no longer comparable to smuggling in the past."

"From the perspective of the imperial court, such legal trade can both collect taxes and facilitate the exchange of goods, which is not necessarily a bad thing, as long as they abide by the laws of our Great Ming and behave themselves."

After listening attentively to Zheng Zhilong's detailed account, Zhu Cilang gained a more comprehensive and clearer understanding of the situation of the Taiwanese at the end of the Ming Dynasty.

The history of this island is complex and vivid, interwoven with the survival of the indigenous people, the pioneering efforts of Han Chinese immigrants, the struggles of European colonists, and the expansion of trade networks.

He hesitated for a moment, then slowly said:
“What my father-in-law said is very true. The Ming Dynasty will welcome merchants from all sides who abide by the law and pay taxes according to the law, whether they are Han or foreign, Chinese or Western. We will protect their legitimate business operations, promote trade, and benefit the country and the people. This is the essence of opening up the sea.”

His tone turned cold, his gaze fixed on the dark coastline on the distant sea, as if he could pierce through the void and see the two foreign castles:

"However, those foreigners, such as the red-haired ones and the Western barbarians, who rely on their powerful ships and cannons to seize our land, build cities and station troops, arbitrarily levy taxes, and even oppress our immigrant people..."

Zhu Cilang did not continue speaking, but Zheng Zhilong fully understood the chilling murderous intent contained in his unfinished words.

This Crown Prince has an extraordinary obsession with territorial sovereignty and will never tolerate any foreign barbarians establishing colonial outposts on Ming territory.

Even overseas is not allowed!
Zheng Zhilong immediately bowed and solemnly said:
"Your Highness is wise! I think so too! Those Western barbarians are insatiable. They take every opportunity to advance. Today they occupy an island, tomorrow they want to occupy a province. Over the years, I have always dealt a heavy blow to any barbarian ships that dare to invade our territory. I have never tolerated them! Any ships that approach the coast of Fujian and Guangdong with suspicious behavior and ulterior motives, no matter what flag they fly, my navy's cannons will show no mercy!"

He paused, a sharp glint in his eyes, and added:

"To be honest, Your Highness, my navy in Fujian, Jinsha and other places has been on high alert for many years, patrolling the southeast. Although the Red-haired Barbarians occupy the southern part of Dayuan, their military strength is limited, with only a dozen or so ships and a little over a thousand soldiers. If we receive a clear decree from the court and make sufficient preparations, I am confident that we can recover the southern part of Dayuan in one fell swoop and drive the Red-haired Barbarians out of Dayuan!"

Zhu Cilang turned his head, looked at Zheng Zhilong, and a meaningful smile appeared on his face:

“My father-in-law is loyal to the country and has extraordinary courage and strategy. However, war is a matter of great importance to the country, a matter of life and death, and must be taken very seriously. The barbarians have sharp cannons, strong ships and powerful guns. Moreover, Fort Zeelandia has been fortified for many years and its defenses are strong. A direct attack may not be the best strategy.”

He walked to a simple map of the southeastern coast hanging inside the cabin and gently pointed to the location of Dayuan Island:
"This matter requires careful consideration. Right now, our priority is to stabilize Fujian, reorganize the navy, and accumulate strength. When the time is right and all preparations are complete, we can either sweep them away with lightning speed or cut off their foundation with a decisive move. It will not be too late to make further plans then. This trip to Fujian to inspect the coastal defenses and review the navy is to prepare for this."

Upon hearing this, Zheng Zhilong was startled and immediately understood the Crown Prince's deeper meaning.

The Crown Prince wasn't unwilling to act, but rather he was waiting for the most opportune moment, determined to strike decisively and eliminate any future threat. (End of Chapter)