Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Zhou Shixian frowned slightly, a hint of worry between his brows. Zhu Cilang's concerns were not unfounded. Even the most meticulously prepared army crossing the sea could still be detected by the Dutch. If the enemy became alert, Ming forces would be caught in a two-front war, and the chances of the expedition would be shattered.

However, in the face of the emperor's concerns, he remained firm and said, "Your Majesty, that's true, but the initiative in this battle is already in our hands. As long as we launch the attack after nightfall, the Dutch army's reaction time will be compressed to the limit. Even if they notice the movement, they will not be able to organize an effective resistance in time. As long as we are fully prepared and capture Chikan City in one fell swoop, we can successfully open up these red-haired people's coastal defenses."

Zhu Cilang nodded slightly, his brow furrowed. Clearly, he still had concerns about Zhou Shixian's proposal. Losing this battle could lead to low morale and even the collapse of the entire Southeast Navy. Every decision required careful consideration.

Meanwhile, across the Ming Dynasty, as the Spring Festival approached, the atmosphere throughout the country grew increasingly lively. City streets were adorned with colorful lanterns, and shop windows were filled with a dazzling array of goods, presenting a scene of prosperity.

Soldiers and officials across the Ming Dynasty took advantage of this rare rest period to organize banquets and hold weddings, a festive atmosphere permeating the streets. Many soldiers, fresh from a celebratory banquet, eagerly threw themselves into their own wedding preparations, their once-weary faces now brimming with excitement and joy.

Not wanting to be left behind, many village and town leaders and hamlet chiefs organized local young people to hold group weddings on the same day to add to the excitement. Trading companies experienced brisk business, with market demand increasing daily. Many businesses experienced unprecedented profits amidst this peaceful and festive atmosphere.

However, the Ming Dynasty's top brass had already anticipated this situation and had already instituted a "rotational rest" system. Military personnel and officials, both inside and outside the imperial court, took turns resting to ensure the smooth functioning of the administrative and military systems. Furthermore, to prevent a massive influx of soldiers into the city, which would have caused a shortage of supply in the market, the government implemented timely regulatory measures to ensure the orderly distribution of goods.

Despite these preparations, however, commodity prices still rose. In the major capitals, especially in the Jiangnan region, prices for nearly all commodities were significantly higher than usual. Even in remote areas like Qiongzhou Prefecture, the increase in soldiers and sailors brought unprecedented prosperity.

The Nanyang Navy, home to Qiongzhou Prefecture, recruited a large number of new soldiers and sailors. Although these young recruits were at the grassroots level, their stable monthly salaries and new consumer demand made them a new force in the local market. Naturally, businesses took advantage of this and raised their prices, hoping to maximize profits in the short term.

The government-run "Si Hai Trading Company" profited greatly from this consumer boom. Their ample warehouses, coupled with the government's trust and support, enabled their goods to enter various major markets and secure a niche beyond the supply of military garrisons and the army, becoming a leader in the new round of commercial competition. Despite skyrocketing commodity prices, even leading to panic buying, Ming merchants remained undaunted.

Accustomed to these short-term fluctuations, they seized on this opportunity to quickly sell some of their products and reap immediate profits. Military supplies and daily necessities for sailors were particularly sought after. By stocking up in advance, suppliers successfully managed to escape these price fluctuations and secure a firm market advantage.

Behind this thriving prosperity, however, there are hidden concerns. As market demand grows, the supply chain is becoming increasingly strained. Whether this process will lead to supply shortages and whether it will ensure that each store's supply is properly distributed remains an unresolved issue.

Although the imperial court had implemented a series of countermeasures, even so, it was still difficult to avoid the short-term market fluctuations caused by the surge in demand. For those merchants, how to balance short-term profits with long-term market stability will be a challenge they must face in the coming period.

Around the Lunar New Year, when commerce reached its peak, goods surged from all directions, and money circulated, several newly established institutions unknowingly faced their initial tests. As emerging powers, the Department of Industry and Commerce, the Ming Money Shop, and the Maritime Customs Office were undergoing a period of adjustment, striving to test their effectiveness through practical experience in the hope of achieving continuous improvement in future operations.

As the key leader of these three organizations, Li Xiaolin was constantly busy running between them, his workload piling up like a mountain, leaving him exhausted. Faced with such a massive workload and complex arrangements, even though he was experienced and meticulous, Li Xiaolin couldn't help but feel a bit overwhelmed and uneasy.

Li Xiaolin is known for his rigorous approach, and he has a team of capable, seasoned individuals who can independently shoulder important responsibilities and handle seemingly daunting tasks. However, things often change unexpectedly, especially when faced with new organizations and unprecedented situations. Li Xiaolin and his subordinates cannot guarantee infallible results.

Every time he tried to streamline a process, new problems arose, and there always seemed to be something unsatisfactory. Among them, the most troubling thing for Li Xiaolin was the rapid expansion of newly established trading companies and stores.

The huge commercial system involves the flow of thousands of goods and tens of thousands of silver coins. Although the managers are not all from the local area, many of them are familiar with various unspoken rules and can find opportunities to exploit loopholes in them. Behaviors such as reselling materials and manipulating price differences are emerging in an endless stream.

Despite Li Xiaolin's efforts to circumvent these details, the loopholes were difficult to completely eradicate. He knew that if this situation was not addressed promptly, it would inevitably affect the organization's reputation and long-term development. Even so, Li Xiaolin did not make any mistakes.

While his system design had its flaws and interdepartmental coordination and integration gaps, there were no major failures that would cause the system to collapse. Occasional incidents were always resolved promptly thanks to Li Xiaolin's adaptability. However, these minor loopholes still provided opportunities for those with ulterior motives to exploit.

However, Li Xiaolin also knows that this is the problem that the new organization will inevitably face in the initial stage. If it wants to move forward steadily, it needs to make adjustments and improvements from time to time to avoid any loosening of any link in the system that may bring unforeseen consequences.

Li Xiaolin's greatest advantage lies in his extensive experience in maritime trade. The maritime trade system is far more complex than on land, and ensuring cargo safety and efficiently managing shipping processes have long been Li Xiaolin's forte.

In comparison, Li Xiaolin was far more at ease in maritime trade. He rarely encountered major difficulties in maritime commerce, as he was familiar with every rule and detail, even taking action before others could even detect a problem. In this regard, his experience and foresight undoubtedly gave him greater initiative. Under the watchful eye of Li Xiaolin's fleet, few dared to play dirty; the Li family's intimidating influence was deeply ingrained in the hearts of the people.

Meanwhile, Zhu Cilang remained mired in a whirlwind of military duties. Not only did he manage the training and dispatch of his own troops, he also had to keep a close eye on the external situation. The newly established General Staff, armed with detailed intelligence provided by the Imperial Guard, conducted extensive military simulations and developed comprehensive contingency plans for various possible scenarios.

Zhu Cilang consulted daily with his advisors, constantly prepared for any potential outbreak, meticulously overseeing every decision. Especially in the northwest, Li Guo's army had successfully devastated the Mongol tribes since its launch. The 30,000-man army, like a razor-sharp sword, swept across the Hexi Corridor, rendering the Mongol resistance virtually powerless.

Facing Li Guo's massive army, the Mongols not only suffered heavy losses, but even their reinforcements were trapped in the valley. Li Guo's troops had been bombarding the valley for several days, attempting to break the deadlock with their fierce firepower. Trapped in the valley, the Mongol army was unable to launch a large-scale counterattack, and even their chances of escaping the valley were slim.

However, although Li Guo's army had more than 50 artillery pieces with considerable power, the bombardment time was relatively short and the valley was steep, so the effective range of the artillery fire was limited, and both sides were unable to achieve a decisive victory.

Through the Jinyiwei, Zhu Cilang gradually gained access to some military intelligence outside the Great Wall. Since the remnants of the Qing Dynasty were forced back to the Heilongjiang River basin, they seemed to be anxious every day, and the situation was more urgent than ants on fire.

Recently, intelligence has shown that these fleeing remnants of the Qing Dynasty are establishing some kind of ulterior motive with Russia. The secret cooperation between the two has vague signs of union, and they seem to be preparing to instigate a new disturbance.

Zhu Cilang knew that this was not only about the northern defense line, but also the key to the entire situation. If he was not careful, it could trigger a chain reaction. However, in addition to the situation in the north, the General Staff was currently focusing the most attention on the southeast coast, especially Taiwan Island, which was adjacent to Quanzhou Xinghua.

For Zhu Cilang, Taiwan was a matter of great importance, crucial to the success or failure of his next military campaign. After handling daily court affairs, he would find time almost daily to discuss with several senior officers of the General Staff, striving to quickly finalize the final operational plan for the eastern expedition to Taiwan.

With the intelligence from inside, the Ming navy's tactics became more flexible. The planned raid would no longer involve a fierce battle with the Dutch navy in the vast sea, but rather a direct landing battle to defeat the Dutch garrison by leveraging internal intelligence.

This means that the Ming army can avoid confrontation with the Dutch army at sea, reduce various uncertainties under harsh sailing conditions, and effectively make up for the Ming army navy's disadvantage in the number of warships.

The situation on Taiwan Island, particularly the Dutch troop deployment, gradually became clearer thanks to the Jinyiwei's deep infiltration. The Jinyiwei's intelligence network on Taiwan had already been established, revealing the Dutch garrison's layout, including its strength, locations, and supply lines. With He Nan's insider information, all key intelligence was accurately captured.

In Zhu Cilang's plan, the Ming army's troop movements and tactical execution had already been fully prepared by the General Staff. Whether it was the available troops or the supply resources on the battlefield, there were detailed deployments and deductions. The accuracy of the intelligence provided an extremely reliable basis for the Ming army's future operations.

At the same time, the General Staff also diligently nurtured the training and development of the officers and commanders of each army and battalion. To effectively prepare for future battles, Zhu Cilang focused not only on overall strategic planning in his daily exercises but also on the tactical prowess of individual commanders. Following Zhu Cilang's instructions, generals and battalion commanders from each army gradually joined the General Staff's exercises and discussions.

In these military discussions, they can not only share each other's experiences, but also absorb new tactical concepts and improve their judgment and command on the battlefield.

Zhu Cilang knew full well that a single mistake could cost the lives of thousands of soldiers. Therefore, he hoped to avoid unnecessary sacrifices through these simulations, allowing each general to improve their adaptability and command abilities through simulated exercises in a non-actual combat environment, especially in terms of corps mobility and field combat capabilities.

Zhu Cilang also placed special emphasis on summarizing and passing down tactical experience. One of the tasks of the General Staff was to compile this experience, organize it into a system, and compile it into textbooks, which would be gradually incorporated into the teaching materials of the "Military Academy" for future generals and soldiers to learn from. This was not only a summary of war experience, but also an overall improvement of the army's combat effectiveness, with the goal of cultivating a more elite and strategically minded army.

On the evening of the last day before New Year's Eve, after the General Staff's daily deductions concluded, Zhu Cilang deliberately kept Chen Fu, the chief officer who had participated in the discussion. Since the victory in the Central Plains War, Chen Fu had achieved a series of outstanding military exploits, and had become somewhat complacent. As a result, he was neglected by Zhu Cilang for several months.

Chen Fu's attitude had become much more humble, and his sharp edge had clearly been tempered. Zhu Cilang's exercise of power was not simply about coercion, but rather about knowing how to employ appropriate means to rein in his arrogant generals.

Facing these unruly officers, if he didn't use authority, it would be difficult to maintain military morale. However, if he applied excessive pressure, it would easily lead to resentment and dissatisfaction, making it impossible to win over the people. Therefore, he paid special attention to the proper balance of power, grasping it appropriately and just right. (End of this chapter)