Huangming

Chapter 498 Taiwan, a Country Not to be Conquered

In southern Taiwan, a city that is beginning to take shape stands tall against the sea breeze.

The rammed earth walls, not yet covered with bricks, reveal a layer of dark brown soil, which has been solidified by the salty winds of the South China Sea.

Although the city gate built of cedar wood is not as majestic as the cities in the Central Plains, it still has upturned eaves and corners, and hangs a wooden plaque with the three characters "Tainan City" on it, with vigorous calligraphy.

This is the foundation of the Tianjin Navy in Taiwan.

Although it is called a "city", it is actually more like a military fortress. Barracks, granaries and armories are arranged along the central axis. Soldiers shuttle back and forth, wiping weapons or carrying provisions. Dust and sea breeze mingled, revealing a busy and simple scene.

Tainan Port outside the city is the lifeblood of this fortified camp.

The azure sea shimmered, and the sea breeze whipped up white waves that lapped against the dock. More than a hundred warships were moored in the harbor like giant dragons, their sails forming a forest that blotted out the sun.

The most eye-catching were the six Fujian-style ships.

The two first-class Fujian ships were over thirty zhang long, with ferocious beast faces painted on their bows. Dark cannons protruded from both sides of the ship's side, and the hulls were repeatedly coated with tung oil, giving them a dark red luster. Each ship could carry more than three hundred soldiers and was the main force of the navy.

The four second-class Fujian ships were slightly smaller, but they were well-armed, with the apricot-yellow flag of "Great Ming Tianjin Navy" flying at their sterns, fluttering in the wind.

In addition, various types of Haicang and Cangshan ships were scattered among the boats, some unloading grain and fodder transported from the mainland, while others were repairing their hulls amidst the shouts of the boatmen. The entire port was bustling with activity, demonstrating the deterrent power of the navy.

At this moment, Mao Wenlong, the commander-in-chief of the Tianjin Navy, was in his camp, though he looked somewhat tired.

Since the beginning of winter last year, he has led his main force to be stationed here, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Dutch fleet every day.

The Penghu Islands are the gateway to Taiwan and a barrier to the southeastern sea frontier of the Ming Dynasty. The Dutch had long coveted Penghu, and he knew that this battle was inevitable.

After waiting for months, the sails of the Taiwanese never appeared. Helpless, he had no choice but to leave General Deng Shizhong to lead a detachment to garrison Penghu, instructing him to "defend the strongholds if the enemy attacks, do not advance rashly, and wait for the main force to return to reinforce before fighting again." He himself led his personal guards deep into the heart of Taiwan, drawing maps and investigating the island's customs and resources.

To manage Taiwan, warships alone are not enough; one must understand the intricacies of this land in order to achieve long-term stability.

Speaking of this precious island, which was called "Yizhou" or "Liuqiu" in the Central Plains, its entanglement with the mainland has spanned thousands of years.

As early as the second year of Huanglong in the Three Kingdoms period, Sun Quan, in order to expand his territory and plunder people, dispatched Generals Wei Wen and Zhuge Zhi to lead more than 10,000 naval troops across the strait in a multi-story ship to go to Yizhou.

At that time, the strait was stormy, and the fleet took more than a month to reach the shore. However, they encountered fierce resistance from the indigenous people, and with the miasma spreading, most of the soldiers were killed or wounded. In the end, they only managed to capture a few thousand natives and returned empty-handed.

Seeing that the trip had been a losing proposition, Sun Quan was furious and had Wei Wen and Zhuge Zhi executed. For nearly four hundred years afterward, the Central Plains dynasties never set foot in this sea area again.

In the third year of the Daye era of the Sui Dynasty, Emperor Yang of Sui sent Zhu Kuan and He Man to explore the "Liuqiu" sea. The following year, he sent Chen Leng with more than 10,000 troops to attack. Although they captured several thousand people and returned, they failed to establish a stronghold due to the harsh climate and supply difficulties on the island. After that, the connection between the Central Plains and Taiwan was interrupted again.

It wasn't until the Shaoxing era of the Southern Song Dynasty that the imperial court, in order to guard against Japanese pirates, stationed troops and set up defenses on the Penghu Islands for the first time, and incorporated them into the jurisdiction of Jinjiang County, Fujian Province.

The Yuan Dynasty inherited the Song system and established the Penghu Patrol Office during the Zhiyuan era to govern the Penghu Islands. This was the first time in Chinese history that a formal administrative agency was established in the Taiwan Strait region.

Unfortunately, the Yuan Dynasty repeatedly sent envoys to the main island of Taiwan to pacify the indigenous tribes, but due to language barriers and the scattered nature of the tribes, it was never able to extend its jurisdiction to the island of Taiwan, and the matter was eventually dropped.

In the seventeenth year of the Hongwu reign of the early Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang ordered the relocation of all residents of coastal islands to the interior in order to implement the maritime ban policy. The Penghu Patrol Office was also abolished as a result.

For nearly two hundred years afterward, Penghu became a deserted island, a stronghold for pirates and Japanese pirates.

Taiwan itself was listed by Zhu Yuanzhang as a "country not to be conquered," and he strictly forbade his descendants from conquering it without authorization.

For more than two hundred years, the Ming Dynasty government almost completely severed all ties with the main island of Taiwan. Only sporadic private trade continued quietly in the cracks of the maritime ban.

However.
The stricter the maritime ban, the more rampant smuggling becomes.

Merchants along the coasts of Fujian, Zhejiang, and Guangdong, facing a severe ban on overseas trade by the government, had no choice but to take desperate measures. They formed armed fleets and engaged in smuggling between China and Japan.

They transported raw silk and porcelain from the mainland to Japan to exchange for silver and sulfur, which they then resold to Southeast Asia, making a fortune.

To evade capture by the Ming Dynasty navy, these maritime merchants set up their bases on isolated islands in the East China Sea.

Taiwan Island, with its location in the middle of the Sino-Japanese trade route, its secluded harbors, and its abundant resources, naturally became an excellent hiding place.

For a time, places like Dayuan and Beigang on the west coast of Taiwan became gathering places for pirates. Han Chinese, Japanese, and Southeast Asian merchants converged here, forming a chaotic yet prosperous trade market.

However, Taiwan was not a pirate's domain.

The indigenous tribes on the island have lived and thrived here for thousands of years and are the true masters of this land.

In the south, the Siraya people occupy the plains and coastlines around Tainan and Kaohsiung. They live by fishing and hunting and are particularly skilled at raising deer. Deer hides are their most valuable trade commodity.

Whenever Han Chinese merchant ships docked, the Siraya people would come to exchange deerskins for an iron knife or cotton cloth. Although the two sides could not communicate in the same language, they could still complete the transaction through gestures.

They lived in communities called "she" (社), and multiple she formed a loose alliance known as the "Big Belly Kingdom." Although they had no unified monarch, they were able to coordinate their actions in foreign affairs and maintain a cooperative yet wary relationship with pirates and merchants.

The Hongya people in central Taiwan have settled in the Taichung Plain, where they cultivate terraced fields, grow millet and taro, and live a semi-agricultural, semi-hunting life.

Because they live far from the coast, they have little contact with outsiders and spend most of their time traversing the mountains and forests, protecting their land and prey.

The Ketagalan people of the north are natural-born seafarers.

They lived in the Tamsui and Keelung area, were familiar with the winds and currents of the Taiwan Strait, and often went out to sea in canoes to fish, and even sailed as far as Okinawa and southern Japan to exchange goods with local merchants.

Their navigation skills were so advanced that even many Han Chinese pirates admired them, so they were often hired as guides and played an important role in Sino-Japanese trade.

Although these indigenous tribes did not form a unified government, they managed to gain a foothold amidst Han Chinese pirates and Japanese merchants by virtue of their familiarity with the terrain and their unique survival wisdom.

They are the cornerstone of Taiwan, and a force that Mao Wenlong had to take into account when drawing his map.

To manage Taiwan, it is necessary not only to resist the Dutch invasion, but also to manage relations with the indigenous people. Only in this way can this precious island truly become a barrier for the southeastern sea frontier of the Ming Dynasty.

Through his efforts over these days, he has also drawn a detailed map of Taiwan.

From the deep waters of Tainan Port in the south, to the continuous mountain ridges of Alishan in the central region, and then to the winding river channel of the Tamsui River in the north, every harbor, every plain, and every settlement of indigenous tribes is clearly marked with vermilion or black marks.

Where is a suitable place to moor warships? Where can terraced fields be cultivated to grow millet? Where are there dense herds of deer to produce deerskins? Where can streams be diverted for irrigation?

This map of Taiwan is not merely a simple map for identifying directions, but a strategic map that allows officials in the government to clearly understand the "weight" of Taiwan.

Only by making those high-ranking officials in the imperial court understand that this land is by no means an "insignificant desert island" will the Ming Dynasty not underestimate Taiwan.

Historically, when the Dutch occupied Penghu in the second year of the Tianqi reign, the Ming court was still able to mobilize the navy, allocate military funds, and forcefully expel them.

But once the Dutch turned their attention to Taiwan, the court fell silent.

It wasn't that they were unaware, but rather that they tacitly approved.

Behind this tacit approval lies the Ming court's helplessness and shortsightedness.

Since the implementation of the maritime ban during the Hongwu era, Taiwan has become a haven for pirates. Merchant groups like Li Dan built fortresses and stockpiled goods there, engaging in smuggling trade between China and Japan while harassing the Fujian coast. This not only disrupted the maritime ban system but also kept local officials busy.

Although the Ming court hated these pirates, it was unwilling to go to the trouble of sending troops across the sea to fight them because Taiwan had "never been a citizen of Taiwan." Instead, it came up with the idea of ​​"using the Dutch to eliminate the pirates."

Since that land "did not belong to the Ming Dynasty" anyway, why not let the barbarians fight the pirates while the court reaps the benefits?
What's even more ridiculous is that many officials don't even know how big Taiwan is.

Mao Wenlong once saw the "Map of the Great Unification of the Provinces" from the previous dynasty at the Fujian Provincial Administration Office. The "Little Ryukyu" (Taiwan) on the map was just a small ink blob the size of a fingernail, about the same size as the Penghu Islands, and its location was even marked upside down with that of the "Greater Ryukyu" (Ryukyu Islands).

Once, when he was discussing matters with the Fujian Provincial Surveillance Commissioner, the latter casually remarked, "That little Liuqiu is just a tiny place, inhabited by some barbarians and pirates. It wouldn't matter if it were lost."

With such a mindset, how can we expect them to value Taiwan?

Now, Mao Wenlong has finally completed the map he has drawn.

He spread the blueprints out on the table, and the outline of Taiwan Island looked like a graceful willow leaf, stretching for hundreds of miles from north to south, more than a hundred times larger than the Penghu Islands!
He measured the coastline with his fingers:
"This is Tainan Port, with a water depth of over ten feet, capable of accommodating large ships of a thousand shi (a unit of volume).

This is the Chianan Plain, a fertile land stretching for thousands of miles. If irrigated, it can yield two harvests a year, enough to feed 100,000 soldiers and civilians.

This place is a freshwater port, connecting to Ryukyu in the north, Japan in the east, and Fujian in the west. If an inspection station and granaries are set up here, it will be an excellent supply point for developing Southeast Asia.

Heading south to Luzon is only a ten-day or so voyage.

It only takes about ten days to travel east to Japan.

The guards outside the tent, engrossed in listening, couldn't help but ask:
"General, once this map is sent back to the capital, will the officials in the court truly understand its significance?"

Mao Wenlong raised his hand and patted the map, his eyes resolute:
"If they see the mountains, plains, and harbors on this map, they will know that Taiwan is not a deserted island."

Leaving aside the issues of feeding the people and supplying the navy, if the Dutch were to build fortifications and train troops in Taiwan, they could eventually launch a direct attack on Fujian. At that point, the southeastern coast would never know peace!

The only thing that worried him was the ancestral precept of "not conquering countries" established by Emperor Taizu.

Back then, Emperor Taizu included "Little Liuqiu" in the list and strictly ordered his descendants not to conquer it without authorization. Now, if Taiwan is to be brought under his jurisdiction, it is inevitable that some officials will oppose it on the grounds of "violating ancestral rules".

But upon thinking of this, Mao Wenlong couldn't help but sneer:
"During the reign of Emperor Taizu, the coastal areas were free from the threat of barbarian invaders and the disturbance of pirates, so they were naturally easy to defend."

The Dutch fleet now roams the South China Sea, and pirates harass the coast. If we stubbornly adhere to the principle of "no conquest," we are tantamount to handing over the maritime territory left by our ancestors!

He walked to the tent, looked at the warships outside Tainan Harbor, and his voice suddenly rose: "The enemy can go, so can I! The barbarians can cross the sea to occupy Penghu and spy on Taiwan, so why can't our Great Ming cross the sea to defend Taiwan and manage the South Seas?"
Once this map reaches the capital, His Majesty and the cabinet ministers will understand the true significance of Taiwan and realize that the ancestral precept of "not conquering a country" should have been changed long ago in response to the changing circumstances!

Having said that, he carefully rolled up the map, wrapped it in brocade, and handed it to his trusted confidant:

"Send this to the capital by express horse. Be sure to present it personally to the Minister of War, who will then forward it to His Majesty. Any delays en route will be dealt with according to military law!"

"Yes!"

Not long after his confidant left.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps were heard outside the tent.

The lieutenant lifted the tent flap, his clothes damp from the sea breeze, and bowed to report:
"Commander, Captain Angelica of the Portuguese ship 'Black Sea Dragon' requests an audience, saying she has urgent business to discuss."

"Angelica?"

Mao Wenlong was stunned for a moment, and his brows furrowed instantly.

He was deeply impressed by the name.

When I encountered the 'Black Sea Dragon' ship in Penghu, I was surprised to learn that the captain of this Portuguese armed merchant ship was a woman.

At the time, he secretly thought that the Portuguese had no one to rely on, and that they had put women in charge of warships. However, after several secret transactions, the intelligence from the other party in Southeast Asia was surprisingly accurate, which made him have to put aside his contempt.

"Let her in."

Mao Wenlong withdrew his gaze, gently rolled up the map, and placed it under the paperweight on the corner of the table.

At the moment, nothing is as important as the map of Taiwan, but since the other party has gone to great lengths to find us, it must be something significant.

The curtain was lifted again, and a tall figure entered against the light.

Angelica approached with light steps, her long, golden, wavy hair swaying gently with her movements.

She was still dressed in her smart nautical attire.

A dark brown leather vest clung tightly to her waist, outlining her supple curves, while the top two buttons of the collar remained undone, revealing her delicate collarbone.

He had a jewel-encrusted pistol at his waist, and his deep blue eyes were like the sea before a storm, bright yet with a hint of cunning.

The Western woman's gaze swept across the tent, finally landing on Mao Wenlong, a bright smile curving her lips.

Even Mao Wenlong, who was used to the bloodshed on the battlefield, couldn't help but be slightly taken aback at this moment.

The woman's appearance and temperament were completely different from what he knew of a "captain." She possessed both the bright and flamboyant beauty of a woman from a foreign land and the valiant and decisive qualities honed by years of seafaring. The combination of these two qualities made it impossible for anyone to look away.

"General Mao seems to be getting more and more energetic."

Angelica spoke first, her fluent Mandarin with a slight foreign accent, yet it was more standard than that of many Fujian merchants.

"It seems you're having a very comfortable time in Taiwan?"

Mao Wenlong snapped out of his daze, composed himself, and said in a deep voice:
"You wouldn't come all this way from Macau just to exchange pleasantries, would you?"

Angelica raised an eyebrow and smiled, "The commander-in-chief is busy drawing up a map of Taiwan, and probably doesn't know that the Dutch fleet has already arrived in Penghu."

"what?"

Mao Wenlong suddenly stood up, the sword at his waist clanging together with a "clang," and his face instantly darkened.

"Are you serious?"

When he left Deng Shizhong to guard Penghu, he repeatedly instructed him to send a message immediately if the Dutch attacked. Now he was getting the news from a Portuguese person, which made him very shocked.

“It is absolutely true.”

Angelica's smile faded, and her tone became more serious.

"Seventeen warships, the flagship being a galleon with a capacity of seven thousand dan, carrying more than three hundred cannons and more than a thousand soldiers, departed from Batavia half a month ago and arrived at Fengguiwei, Penghu three days ago."

Your men have probably already started the war; the news will reach Taiwan in a day or two at most. I'm informing you in advance as a favor to the Commander-in-Chief.

Mao Wenlong clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

The Portuguese had a very powerful overseas intelligence network. They had outposts in Luzon and Malacca, and their merchant ships traveled back and forth frequently, making news transmission much faster than the Ming Dynasty's postal stations.

But there's no such thing as a free lunch. He stared into Angelica's eyes and said coldly:
"Tell me, what do you want in return? You won't do this favor for nothing."

Upon hearing this, Angelica feigned grievance, clutching her chest and blinking her azure eyes:

"Why does General Mao think of people so pragmatically? Can't I simply want to help you?"

"Do you think I will believe it?"

Mao Wenlong chuckled, his tone revealing undisguised wariness.

He had dealt with these Westerners many times and knew that every step they took was calculated. From Portugal's lease of Macau to the Netherlands' coveting of Penghu, it was all for the sake of trade interests, without a trace of goodwill.

Seeing that he wasn't fooled, Angelica stopped pretending and simply shrugged, laughing:

“Okay, I do have a small request. I hope to set up a trading post in Ta Yuan Port, Taiwan. It doesn’t need much space, just for storing goods and docking merchant ships.”

"Don't think about it!"

Mao Wenlong refused without hesitation, his tone resolute.

"Macau is already your stronghold, and now you want to covet Taiwan? How can you Western barbarians arbitrarily divide up the land of the Ming Dynasty!"

"It's just a small outpost, not a place to take over your city."

Angelica sighed, seemingly expecting this outcome, but showed no disappointment on her face.

“I should have expected you to refuse, after all, General Mao values ​​territory more than anything else.”

She paused, then changed the subject, a sly glint in her eyes:
"Even if you don't agree, I will still tell you the news. I just don't want the Dutch to have an easy time."

Mao Wenlong's eyes flickered slightly.

He was well aware of the long-standing feud between Portugal and the Netherlands.

As early as the Jiajing era, the Portuguese bribed Ming Dynasty officials to lease and occupy Macau, turning it into a transshipment point for East Asian trade.

The Dutch were extremely envious and repeatedly asked the Ming Dynasty to grant them land for trade, but were refused. They then attacked Macau three times in an attempt to seize this stronghold, but were repelled each time by the Portuguese.

If the Dutch were to occupy Penghu today, it would not only divert Macau's trade share, but could even threaten Portugal's interests in Luzon. The two sides have long been mortal enemies.

“You Western barbarians are indeed like the snipe and the clam fighting, each harboring your own ulterior motives.”

Mao Wenlong snorted coldly, but in his heart he already believed most of it.

Angelica would never have so readily provided intelligence if the Dutch hadn't threatened Portuguese interests.

"Hey, you can't say that."

Angelica frowned in displeasure.

"I risked retaliation from the Dutch to deliver this message. Instead of thanking me, why are you insulting me?"

Mao Wenlong had no intention of arguing with her. He strode to the tent and shouted loudly outside:

"Pass on my order! Assemble the entire navy, prepare ships immediately, and return to Penghu!"

The guards outside the tent responded with a resounding roar, and the camp instantly resounded with urgent bugle calls. The once tranquil Tainan Harbor was suddenly enveloped in a tense atmosphere of preparation for war.

Mao Wenlong turned around, his gaze sharp, and looked at Angelica with a hint of disdain in his voice:

"If the Dutch dare to invade Penghu, just as Your Majesty said, they will be courting death!"
"I, Mao Wenlong, want to see just how capable these red-haired barbarians are, daring to run wild on the Ming Dynasty's coastal borders!"

Angelica looked at his triumphant appearance, a meaningful smile playing on her lips:
"Then I'll wait and see the news of General Mao's great victory. I hope that when we meet next time, you'll change your mind and leave me a small stronghold."

Mao Wenlong ignored her and strode out of the command tent, heading towards Tainan Port.

The sea breeze billowed his battle robes, behind him were fully equipped naval warships ready to set sail, and in front of him was the surging sea.

The flames of war have already broken out in Penghu. He must rush back as soon as possible to let those arrogant Dutchmen taste the might of the Ming Dynasty navy!

(End of this chapter)