Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Guan Shisheng nodded, a flicker of approval in his eyes. No matter what the situation was, they had to complete the mission. He took one last look at each team member in the room, took a deep breath, and said softly, "Tomorrow, the north gate must be defended!"

The next morning, before daybreak, the three northern gates of Chikan City were already open. A biting cold wind blew. Hundreds of Dutch soldiers, swept by the gusts of wind, poured in from the various gates. The procession was imposing, the soldiers clad in heavy uniforms, their steps steady, yet a hint of nervousness and vigilance lingered in their eyes.

Following closely behind was a transport convoy composed of local laborers, laden with food and supplies. Over a hundred mule-drawn carts formed a long line, weaving in and out of the procession. While their pace seemed slow, the line stretched long enough to cover several miles. This vast convoy was led by none other than the Dutch commander-in-chief of Chihkan City, Koichi.

He personally led a portion of the Dutch troops out of the city to greet them, demonstrating the importance of this trip. More crucially, the East India Company Governor, based in Batavia, also personally accompanied the delegation. Ever since Dutch merchant ships sailed to Southeast Asia, the East India Company had been steadily expanding its influence in the region. Now, leveraging trade opportunities, they were continuously channeling their military might into Chihkan.

Although these Dutch armies had already departed Batavia in batches, bringing with them over a thousand soldiers and over a thousand local mercenaries, their true size remained elusive. Yesterday, the army assembled in the waters south of Chikan City. Immediately, the Governor-General sent a messenger, instructing Kyi and other commanders to prepare for the arrival of the enemy, ensuring that everything proceeded smoothly.

However, the situation within Chikan was far more complex than outsiders imagined. Although three Dutch armies entered simultaneously through different gates, the darkness and the complex mix of troops meant that even the Dutch high-ranking officials who entered the city in person were unable to accurately determine the exact number of reinforcements dispatched from Batavia.

This maze was clearly a deliberate strategy by the Dutch Governor-General to prevent Ming scouts and enemy spies lurking within Chikan City. With such a chaotic deployment of troops, it was difficult for outsiders to determine how many reinforcements Chikan City had received.

However, the Governor knew that this disguise would only deceive temporarily. If there were Ming traitors among the Han Chinese defenders in Chikan, the scale of the reinforcements would be exposed sooner or later. Although this potential risk made the Governor uneasy, he had no better solution. He could only strengthen the Dutch forces in the city and intensify surveillance of various forces.

The Dutch Governor did not fully trust these Han Chinese, but at this stage, he had to rely on them. After all, without sufficient local troops, the defense of Chikan City could not be stable.

"The Ming Dynasty is now stable, and the emperor's strength is completely different from before." The governor stood on the north gate tower, gazing at the moat below the city, fatigue and worry evident in his eyes.

Ever since he received news of the Ming Dynasty's large-scale naval deployment, he'd been plagued by anxiety. He knew that once the Ming Dynasty's navy deployed at full strength, Chikan City would be in even greater danger. Under these circumstances, he hadn't had a peaceful night in ages, tossing and turning every night, unable to fall asleep.

He sighed softly, his anxiety barely concealed as he spoke, "Now, even the British are eyeing us covetously. Until the situation in Europe stabilizes, we can't expect reinforcements from our homeland, unless we're already in dire straits and absolutely need support."

Despite the reinforcement of Chihkan's defenses and the increasingly sophisticated deployment of the Dutch army, the Dutch Governor-General continued to feel the pressure as the situation escalated. For him, Chihkan was a crucial strategic stronghold. Its loss would not only threaten the East India Company's interests in Southeast Asia, but would also directly impact the Dutch's foothold in the region.

At present, the Ming Empire is gradually recovering, and the political and military environment of the entire Ming Dynasty has undergone significant changes. The Governor cannot be careless. Although he has been ensuring the safety of Chikan City by mobilizing troops and strengthening defenses, deep down, he knows that the safety of Chikan City does not rely solely on the deployment of troops.

Deeper threats, whether from the Ming navy or the complex situation within Chikan, placed the city at the center of a turbulent situation. The Governor was well aware that Chikan had become a battleground for various forces, facing both external threats from the Dutch and potential internal crises.

But the problem was that as the Governor-General of the Dutch East India Company, every decision and every deployment he made could be crucial in determining the future of Chihkan City and even the entire Southeast Asia. Of course, he also knew that the situation was far more complicated than he had anticipated.

Without this scheming, all this would be nothing more than a simple garrison deployment. However, the key to victory was to make the Ming believe the enemy was stronger than it actually was, creating an overwhelming sense of threat.

The Governor knew that these 1,000 Dutch soldiers could not really fight against the tens of thousands of Ming troops, but he had to use clever means to make them look like 2,000 or even more. In this way, he could successfully scare the Ming emperor and generals, making them feel confused and fearful when they were outnumbered.

In other words, he knew his opponent was no ordinary force, so applying psychological pressure on the enemy was the only way to break the deadlock. The Ming emperor was becoming increasingly shrewd in the current situation. Any oversight in a detail could become the key to a reversal of the war, and the consequences of failing to achieve the goal would be disastrous.

Because of this, all plans had to be carefully considered, and no mistake could be made in any link. He needed to make the Ming emperor feel a huge threat, so that they would have more doubts and hesitations in their decision-making.

The Governor's deep voice broke the silence. He calmly analyzed the situation and said, "With the food reserves in the city and these two thousand reinforcements, I am confident that we can hold Chikan City even if the Ming Emperor himself leads an army of tens of thousands. The defenses here are strong, and the troops are not weak. Even if the Ming army threatens us, we can still deal with it."

Koichi stood aside, his eyes fixed on the Governor's face, trying to discern more meaning from his words. Although the Governor appeared calm on the surface, his inner concerns were evident, especially his vigilance towards the Han people.

Although Kiichi remained calm on the surface, he was already feeling uneasy in his heart. If everything was going so smoothly, why was the governor so anxious?

"I have no doubt about your strength." The Governor's tone was filled with confidence, but he then turned to a warning: "However, the Han people in this city must not be taken lightly. You know, if it weren't for Guo's secret contact with the Li family, how could the situation have evolved to what it is today? The people's emotions are easily incited. You must be careful of these Han troops' internal accomplices. If you can put an end to them, Chikan City will be safe."

"An insider?" Kiichi raised his eyebrows slightly, and the surprise in his heart was almost difficult to conceal.

Logically speaking, as the commander-in-chief of Chikan City, he should have noticed the abnormalities in the city long ago, but he never found any problems.

Do these traitors that the governor mentioned really exist?

The Governor's eyes were filled with a hint of worry. He looked up at the sky, the overcast sky seeming to perfectly align with his current mood. Even though a glimmer of dawn had broken through the clouds in the east, it couldn't dispel the gloom deep within him. Despite having achieved a significant strategic breakthrough by deploying troops to Taiwan, every time he gazed at Chikan City below him, he felt an indescribable unease.

"We have deployed a large number of secret sentries, and we can find our spies in almost every corner of the city." The Governor's face was gloomy, and his eyes became extremely sharp.
"These secret guards are closely monitoring every move in the city at all times, without slacking off. Even in the past few days, we have discovered some signs of something amiss."

Kiichi didn't understand what the governor meant for a moment, but he remained calm, paying close attention to the governor's every move, his heart full of doubts.

"Governor, are you asking if there really are some problems within Chikan City? I've been conducting thorough inspections and haven't found anything unusual."

"You may not have noticed." The Governor nodded and said solemnly, "A few days ago, we learned from our secret sentries that some Han generals in the city were involved in smuggling activities."

He paused, his tone becoming more serious. "But we haven't yet confirmed which merchants are involved. We want to catch them all in one fell swoop, so we didn't report this information to you in a timely manner."

Upon hearing this, Kui was shocked and his expression changed slightly. He had always believed that the internal situation in Chikan City was relatively stable, so he had not paid much attention to the commercial aspects, believing that they had nothing to do with the military.

But now it seems that things are far more complicated than he imagined. Smuggling itself is a very sensitive area. If someone is involved in military and political interests, it may even trigger a greater crisis.

Kiichi lowered his head in thought, hesitating for a moment. Logically, smuggling shouldn't be something he should be worried about; after all, it was just a transaction between ordinary merchants and soldiers. But he also realized that this was no time to try to cover up his mistake.

"If there's an insider involved, our situation would be even more dangerous." He finally decided to speak out. "Actually, I've already benefited greatly from this. I originally planned to turn a blind eye, but now it seems that if something like this is covered up, the consequences could be even more serious."

He paused, his eyes firm as he said:

"Securing Chikan City is far more important than those petty profits."

The Governor nodded silently after hearing this, a flicker of approval in his eyes. Although this local commander had some selfish motives, he was still able to weigh the pros and cons and make the right choice at the critical moment. He sighed softly and said:

"It seems you've realized that the current situation is far more complex than you imagined. This isn't just a threat from external enemies; the hidden dangers within the city cannot be ignored."

The two exchanged a meaningful glance. The situation in Chikan City was clearly undergoing a dramatic change. Then, Kiichi's eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of undisguised surprise etched in his expression, but he quickly recovered and remained calm.

As the commander-in-chief of Chikan City, he had always maintained a vigilant eye on the situation within the city, constantly monitoring the movements of the Han troops. However, the Governor's mention of "internal support" had left him feeling an unprecedented sense of unease. He had always maintained a vigilant eye during each encounter with the Han troops, yet he had never noticed any significant movement within the city.

So, how did the Governor discover all this? He took a deep breath, trying to suppress his doubts, but his heartbeat still accelerated. If, as the Governor claimed, there was a hidden enemy within Chikan City, then it meant that his past efforts and the military strength he relied on might have been built on a shaky foundation.

The Governor raised his head, his eyes fixed on the gloomy sky, as if he was thinking about something. After a moment, he said calmly: "The 'insider' in the city is not just an ordinary traitor, I'm afraid there are far more than that."

His voice was low and solemn, as if he was fully aware of the seriousness of the situation.

At this moment, the faint ray of morning light in the east was swallowed by the obscurity of clouds, just like the unspeakable unease in the Governor's heart. He had once felt relieved when he had mobilized troops to Taiwan, but standing at the walls of Chihkan City, he could not shake off an indescribable feeling of oppression.

"The Governor doesn't seem too reassured." Kiichi said softly, with a hint of confusion.

"During my time in Chikan City, I've deployed numerous secret sentries to monitor the city's movements," the Governor whispered. "But just a few days ago, my sentries reported some unusual activity, discovering evidence of collusion between numerous Han army commanders and smugglers. While we haven't yet identified all the implicated merchants, I've ordered them to hold off on the merchants for now and instead capture and detain some of the smaller smuggling ringleaders."

These words startled Kuiyi slightly. While the Han army in Chikan City hadn't shown many cracks until now, this series of smuggling activities had exposed some hidden dangers. If these smugglers were truly colluding with certain officials, then the safety of Chikan City might be far more fragile than he had previously imagined.

"Those smugglers..." Kiichi frowned, his tone slightly lowered: "Are these merchants related to certain forces in the city?"

"Without a doubt." The Governor's tone turned cold. "These merchants aren't just thieves; they must have powerful backers. If there's indeed an inside job, it's undoubtedly connected to the Li family. If these people are allowed to spread their influence, they will undoubtedly bring disaster to Chikan City." (End of this chapter)