Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Even if Zhang Huangyan had outstanding abilities, he could not completely complete the transformation in a short period of time. What's more, these local forces would not easily give up their vested interests. They would inevitably unite and resist stubbornly.

Zhu Cilang was well aware of this. Coming from later generations, he knew that the road to reform would inevitably be accompanied by conflict and bloodshed.

He had long anticipated that negotiation and cajoling alone would not be enough to completely resolve the problem, and that a series of tough battles were inevitable.

Therefore, he gave Zhang Huangyan enough time to steadily advance the reform rather than rush for quick results.

Faced with the stubborn resistance of the strongholds, the military forces deployed by the new Ming Dynasty in the south will also be tempered in actual combat.

The training of the new troops in various parts of Guangdong has not yet been completed, and the firearms workshops in Guangzhou and Chaozhou also need an actual battlefield to test the power of new weapons. Those fortresses that are resisting stubbornly provide them with such an opportunity.

These forts were not only strongholds of local separatist forces, but also training grounds for new recruits of the Ming Dynasty and testing grounds for firearms workshops.

At the same time, Zhu Cilang’s new policy conference had just ended, and Li Xiaolin quickly submitted a "Plan for Conquering and Managing Taiwan Island."

In this plan, he discussed in detail the importance of Taiwan, proposed specific strategies for conquering it, and provided detailed intelligence analysis about Taiwan.

His confidence came from the Jinyiwei's advance deployment in Taiwan and the latest intelligence provided by Zheng Hongkui's confidants in Japan.

He knew very well that although Taiwan, Zheng Zhilong's former base, was temporarily occupied by the Dutch and the Spanish, the Ming Dynasty had a profound influence. As long as the strategy was appropriate, this lost territory could be successfully recovered.

However, Zhu Cilang did not approve the plan immediately. It was an indisputable fact that Li Xiaolin was eager to make a contribution. He needed a battle to prove his ability and a convincing result to consolidate his position.

However, Zhu Cilang knew that now was not the best time to launch a naval war. The Xinming navy had not yet reached the level to confront the European naval powers. A rash move could trigger unnecessary naval conflict and even make Xinming's international situation more difficult. Moreover, the current situation was far more complicated than it appeared.

The Portuguese in Macau had already fallen into multiple difficulties. Under the successive attacks from the Netherlands, Japan and Britain, their power was no longer as strong as before. If handled properly, Zhu Cilang could easily win them over.

However, by comparison, the Dutch in Tainan and the Spanish in Taipei still possessed considerable fighting power, not to mention their colonial support systems in Southeast Asia. To hastily engage in conflict with these European powers without adequate preparation would undoubtedly be courting trouble.

Despite this, Zhu Cilang did not deny the strategic value of Taiwan. It was not only a military stronghold, but also had great development potential in its deerskin, sugar, and mineral resources.

If development could be steadily advanced and the production of deerskin, sugar, and minerals could be further expanded, Xinming could leverage these resources to open up overseas markets and sell goods on a large scale to countries like Japan and Korea. The annual trade profits from these countries, in exchange for important supplies like ginseng, minerals, and horses, could reach hundreds of thousands of taels of silver.

In Zhu Cilang's plan, Taiwan Island was not only a frontier for the Ming Dynasty's overseas strategy, but also a crucial component of the new Ming maritime trade system. To truly control the East Asian trade system, the development of Taiwan Island was imperative. However, all this had to be built on a sound foundation, and short-term gains could not lead to strategic failure.

Therefore, he did not directly reject Li Xiaolin's plan, but chose to remain in place, buying time and waiting for the situation to become clearer.

He needed the navy of the new Ming Dynasty to be able to control the sea, needed the situation in Southeast Asia and East Asia to change favorably, and also needed to ensure that the South would not face internal and external troubles after the war in Guangdong and Guangxi stabilized.

In this era, all plans cannot be rushed; every decision must be carefully considered, and every battle must have a clear strategic objective. Taiwan will eventually be incorporated into the territory of the new Ming Dynasty, but until then, everything must be centered around steady development and the accumulation of strength.

Li Xiaolin's eyes lit up when he heard about the mountains of silver, and he could barely contain his inner ecstasy. As a naval hero, he knew firsthand the value of silver in this world—not only could it fuel prosperous trade, but it could even be transformed into well-equipped naval fleets, completely changing the landscape of Southeast Asia.

However, just as he was immersed in the fantasy of the huge wealth that was about to be obtained, Zhu Cilang's words were like a bucket of cold water poured over his head.

"The Dutch's naval power is far greater than you imagine," Zhu Cilang said gravely. He wasn't trying to completely dissuade Li Xiaolin from attacking Taiwan, but rather to make him truly understand that this wasn't just a simple battle to seize the island at sea, but a game involving Southeast Asia, East Asia, and even the broader international situation.

"Moreover, the interests involved in the Manila Galleon Trade are even more profound than what you have seen so far. How can we easily let the lives of hundreds of thousands of overseas Chinese on Luzon become chips in our gamble?"

With just a few words, Li Xiaolin's eagerness to try suddenly calmed. He had to admit that he was too shortsighted. In the past, when he fought at sea, he'd only considered seizing a shipment of goods, plundering a merchant ship, or even annexing an island stronghold. But this time, the stakes weren't just the distribution of spoils; they were the stability and operation of the entire maritime trade system.

Zhu Cilang did not expect that one conversation could completely change Li Xiaolin's thinking. Although this maritime hero was not an arrogant and reckless man, he had fought his way out of the ocean environment where the strong preyed on the weak. Many complex calculations about the international situation were still unfamiliar to him.

However, war itself is the best teacher. The experiences of several major wars in the past have made Li Xiaolin no longer just a "pirate leader". He is growing and adapting to higher-level power struggles and games.

Seeing him deep in thought, Zhu Cilang knew that he had not fully understood, so he changed his perspective and spoke step by step:
"The vast amount of silver imported into Manila every year is shipped from Mexico, thousands of miles away, by the Spanish. Have you ever considered that if we occupied Manila directly, would those sailboats loaded with silver still arrive as usual?"

Li Xiaolin was slightly taken aback. While he knew the Spanish were wealthy, he had never truly considered the source of all that silver. Zhu Cilang had briefly mentioned Mexico before, but to avoid surprising him and to lend credibility to the information, he had simply told him that it was a silver-rich region, similar to Japan in the past.

"If we directly control Manila, the Spanish will inevitably blockade the silver transportation routes, and the Nanyang trade system will be thrown into chaos. At that time, we will not only face the wrath of Spain, but may even attract intervention from countries like Britain and Portugal. This is not a simple pirate attack, but a major war that could sweep across Southeast Asia." Hearing this, Li Xiaolin finally realized that the situation was far more complicated than he had imagined. Taiwan, Manila, Batavia... These place names had originally been just nodes on the maritime trade route in his mind, but now, under Zhu Cilang's guidance, he began to view these places from a broader perspective.

Taiwan was indeed a strategically valuable stronghold, but the islands were not only home to Dutch colonists, but also to a large number of people from Fujian and Guangdong who had settled there. They were either families of Zheng Zhilong's former subordinates or refugees fleeing the war, and they had already taken root here for many years.

If the Xinming took action rashly, the Dutch would inevitably retaliate, and those innocent people would become the biggest victims, not to mention the Spanish in Taipei.

Zhu Cilang said slowly, "You might think that the Dutch and the Spanish are already enemies, and that if we capture Tainan, they would applaud. But have you ever considered that if the Dutch are defeated, wouldn't the Spanish worry that we might attack them as well?"

Li Xiaolin frowned, and he had to admit that he had not thought about this.

"Their panic will directly affect the situation in Luzon. The Spanish in Luzon have always been suspicious of the Chinese. If their fear leads them to vent their anger on the Chinese, the people of Manila may face another massacre."

Zhu Cilang's tone was calm, but the message he uttered sent a shiver through Li Xiaolin's heart. Zhu Cilang wasn't opposed to attacking Taiwan, nor was he opposed to ultimately controlling Southeast Asia. But what he wanted wasn't a reckless move, but a perfectly orchestrated strategy.

What he wanted was to make the Dutch, Portuguese, and even the Spanish unconsciously become controllable chess pieces in Xin Ming's chess game, rather than overturn the chessboard immediately and plunge the entire situation into uncontrollable chaos.

"So, I've always emphasized 'fighting for now, but not breaking up,' precisely for these reasons." Zhu Cilang said firmly, "We need their silver, and they need our silk and porcelain. As long as this trade chain remains operational, silver will continue to flow to us, and this business, no one can easily replace in a short period of time."

Li Xiaolin fell silent. He still felt unwilling to give up and still wanted to start a war immediately, seize Taiwan in one fell swoop, and seize the initiative in maritime trade. But he also had to admit that Zhu Cilang's considerations were extremely meticulous. If he really acted rashly, the consequences might be far more difficult than he expected.

Finally, he nodded slowly, his expression complicated, but he had already accepted the arrangement.

"Your Majesty is holy."

Zhu Cilang's vision wasn't limited to a single victory; it focused on the broader landscape of Southeast Asia, and even East Asia. The rise of the New Ming couldn't rely solely on a few victories, but rather on long-term planning, careful planning, and ultimately, the establishment of unshakable hegemony across the entire maritime world.

Despite his extensive knowledge, Li Xiaolin still felt somewhat bewildered by distant places like Mexico and Peru. In his imagination, both Mexico and Peru were, like Japan and Korea, markets in need of Ming silk, porcelain, and various handicrafts.

However, these places were far from the Ming Dynasty, almost seven or eight times the distance from Haicheng to Japan. However, he did not realize that Mexico and Peru were not only potential markets for Ming Dynasty goods, but also the most important overseas colonies of the Spanish Empire and a key link in the entire global silver circulation chain.

The Spanish mined silver there, shipped it to Manila, and then flowed it into East Asia via the "Silver Route" in exchange for Ming Dynasty goods. Zhu Cilang had mentioned this to him before, but Li Xiaolin didn't fully understand the profound meaning at the time.

After all, this isn't simply a lack of knowledge about maritime trade; it's a lack of context for the entire era. This cognitive gap can't be filled with a few simple explanations.

Zhu Cilang keenly sensed Li Xiaolin's doubts, but he did not rush him to understand all the mysteries immediately. Instead, he said calmly:
"Xiaolin, there's no need to worry. I certainly won't allow the Dutch, Portuguese, or even the Spanish to run rampant on the seas. However, now is not the time for a true showdown. We must make adequate preparations. Only when we have enough leverage will we be qualified to confront them head-on."

At this point, he paused, slowly stood up, and paced back and forth, his hands behind his back. The atmosphere in the room suddenly grew solemn. Li Xiaolin vaguely sensed that His Majesty was about to make a crucial decision concerning the future maritime strategy of the Ming Dynasty.

As expected, Zhu Cilang stopped and glanced at Li Xiaolin with a sideways glance. His tone was unhurried, yet filled with undeniable authority: "Unless the Dutch provoke us and force us to fight back, if we want to take the initiative against the Dutch, we must do at least four things to ensure that nothing goes wrong."

Li Xiaolin took a deep breath and listened. Zhu Cilang nodded slightly, his voice steady and powerful:
"Yes, four things, none of which can be missing."

He raised a finger, his eyes sharp:

"First, our Ming navy must be capable of confronting the Red Navy head-on in the open ocean. Each main battleship must be equipped with at least 20 to 30 guns, and we must have more than ten of these main battleships. Only then can we quickly control the situation and intimidate Southeast Asia and Taiwan when war breaks out."

"Although our navy has begun to take shape, it still lags behind the Dutch ocean-going fleet. Their warships are well-equipped and their navigation experience is extensive. If we engage them rashly, the outcome will be unpredictable. Therefore, I suggest that we focus on expanding our navy and training more skilled sailors and gunners. Only when we are strong enough can we truly challenge the Dutch."

Zhu Cilang raised his second finger, his eyes sharp as a knife:

"Secondly, we must completely control the trade lifeline of Southeast Asia, making the Dutch economically highly dependent on the Ming Dynasty, whether they like it or not."

"All commercial transactions in the South China Sea should be led by the caravans of our people. All maritime trade must be conducted with the official token of the Maritime Customs. And the Dutch trade, whether in South China Sea or Taiwan, whether it is spices, venison, deerskin, peanuts, or sugar, must be transported or purchased through us."

(End of this chapter)