Wind Rises in North America 1625

Chapter 117 Opportunity?

“The conflicts and disputes between the Portuguese and the Spanish are more intense than we imagined.”

Meng Shengxin casually flipped through the purchase materials list handed to him by Zhong Minghui, then gently closed it and placed it on the desk.

"Although the two nations have been ruled by the same king for over forty years, their relationship has long been estranged, each striving to exploit the other's own interests. Not to mention the open and covert rivalries between Spain and Portugal in the Americas, where neither side is willing to compromise, even in Asia, they are plagued by conflicts and a desire to destroy the other."

"The Spanish had always been jealous of the Portuguese's right to protect the Far East through the Holy See, as well as the political privileges and commercial interests they had gained in Macau. They had repeatedly attempted to control trade between Manila and Macau, and even wanted to intervene in trade between the Ming Dynasty and Japan. The Manila colonial authorities also sent ships to Macau for trade activities on many occasions, but were always expelled by the Portuguese in Macau."

"Similarly, the Portuguese, coveting the Spanish's lucrative trans-Pacific trade, secretly sent a merchant ship to the port of Acapulco, but were similarly expelled by the Spanish. For many years, the Portuguese viewed the political, economic, and religious benefits they had gained in the Far East as their own, resolutely forbidding any Spanish interference."

"It's rumored that the Philippine colonial government is preparing to issue a decree requiring Portuguese residents of Manila to stay a maximum of three months, in accordance with the management principles of Ming Dynasty merchants. Anyone exceeding this limit will be expelled. The Portuguese in Macau are very dissatisfied with this and are threatening to cut off trade in Eastern goods with the Spanish in the hope of forcing them to abandon this decree."

"So, the conflict between the two nations is still very deep, to the point of mutual dislike. The Portuguese knew that our establishment of a stronghold in the Americas and our dedicated development would inevitably pose a threat to Spanish colonial power and infringe upon Spanish-claimed territorial sovereignty. Yet, they still allowed us to purchase a batch of artillery and muskets for self-defense."

"Who knows, if we have to fight the Spanish one day, the Portuguese will not only not come to the Spanish's aid, but will also secretly provide us with a large amount of military support, so that the Spanish will suffer a little and suffer a lot of misfortune!"

"That's good!" Zhong Minghui heaved a sigh of relief. "I was worried that if we cooperated with the Portuguese and asked them to help transport immigrants, they might reveal the location of our Qiming Island to the Spanish one day, putting us in danger."

"However, we shouldn't overestimate the Portuguese's integrity," Meng Shengxin said. "One day, they might even sell us out in exchange for greater benefits from the Spanish. This time, I've ordered 32 cannons of various types, 300 muskets, and 100 barrels of gunpowder from the Portuguese to further strengthen our defense capabilities on Qiming Island."

"Yes, Instructor Meng has been very thoughtful." Zhong Minghui nodded and said, "We really can't let others control our own destiny. Everything must be based on ourselves, and we won't be influenced by outsiders. When our strength grows to the point where we can protect ourselves, we will kick the Spanish and Portuguese aside."

"Haha..." Meng Shengxin smiled. "The basic principle of self-reliance is correct, but necessary cooperation with external forces is also indispensable. Our goal is to develop and strengthen our strength. We need to unite all forces that can be united, reducing our enemies and increasing our partners."

"How does that saying go? When you're weak, you can only rely on tactics and strategies, employing maneuvering techniques and playing tricks to gain opportunities for growth. When you're stronger, you'll naturally use your magnificent formation and overwhelming momentum to crush all your enemies."

"That's true," Zhong Minghui agreed. "When you're not strong enough, you must bow your head. When you lack the ability, you must hide your strength. Well, we call it keeping a low profile and biding our time. ... Uh, Instructor Meng, you said we should unite all forces that can be united. So, can the pirates of the Ming Dynasty unite?"

"Ming Dynasty pirates?" Meng Shengxin looked at him suspiciously. "What? Are Ming Dynasty pirates looking for us?"

"That's about right." Zhong Minghui pondered for a moment, then said, "A few days ago, I was attacked by a group of Ming pirates who had come ashore on the streets of Guangzhou. After a fight, I killed two and captured three. Then I got a piece of information from them. How should I put it? I think this information may be an opportunity for us to seize the Ming Dynasty's offshore base. Of course, it could also be a trap, and we might lose people and property."

"Tell me about it." Meng Shengxin showed a cautious expression.

"Do you know the pirate Chen Zhongji?"

"Chen Zhongji? ...I really don't know this person."

"You should know Zheng Zhilong, right?"

"Hmm?..." Meng Shengxin raised his eyebrows.

Nowadays, among the merchants and cargo ships engaged in overseas trade along the coast of the Ming Dynasty, there is no one who does not know the name of Zheng Zhilong!
Last year, Fujian Governor Xiong Wencan successfully recruited Zheng Zhilong and appointed him as a coastal defense guerrilla, serving as one of the "Five Tiger Guerrillas Generals" and stationed in Minhai.

At this time, Zheng Zhilong commanded tens of thousands of followers and over a thousand ships of various sizes. Even after being pacified, he continued to lead his forces and dominated the Ming coast. Despite submitting to the Ming court and becoming a coastal defense guerrilla general, Zheng Zhilong leveraged his formidable naval power to force the Dutch East India Company into a coastal trade agreement, stipulating the frequency of Dutch trade trips to the Ming, the tonnage of their vessels, the scale of trade, and the amount of taxes they would pay.

The famous "Coachman of the Sea" was forced to bow to Zheng Zhilong in the Far East due to the situation. This shows how powerful the Zheng family was in the sea of ​​​​Ming Dynasty!
Could it be that Zhong Minghui met someone sent by Zheng Zhilong to Guangzhou?
"Several years earlier (in 1625), Zheng Zhilong and a group of pirates became sworn brothers at Bengang (present-day Taipei Harbor), known as the Eighteen Zhis," Zhong Minghui continued. "And Chen Zhongji was one of them. However, he wasn't happy with Zheng Zhilong's young rise to power, so he soon left Bengang with his pirate gang, living a life of part merchant, part pirate."

"Two years ago, they were the ones who ambushed our 'Polang' in the Lingdingyang Sea, resulting in over thirty casualties. Later, Chen Zhongji couldn't resist the temptation and accepted the Ming court's offer of amnesty, becoming a Thousand Commanders of the Coastal Defense, effectively infiltrating the imperial system. However, last September, he was killed in Penghu by another of the Eighteen Zhi brothers, Li Kuiqi."

"Although Chen Zhongji surrendered to the Ming court, he didn't abandon his previous stronghold on Nan'ao Island, leaving most of his family and belongings there. Upon hearing the news of his death, the pirates on the island immediately disintegrated, looting their belongings and fleeing. However, approximately 260 pirates and their families remain stranded on the island, and life is extremely difficult."

"Because when Chen Zhongji was alive, he was not tolerated by Zheng Zhilong's forces, and he was also hostile to other pirates who had not yet surrendered to the imperial court. He was caught between two odds. Well, this was also one of the main reasons for his untimely death in Penghu. The remaining pirates, women and children who remained on Nan'ao Island dared not go anywhere else."

"If they had gone ashore, they would have been devoured by the government and the Zheng family. But if they stayed, they might have been caught by vengeful pirates. These people, feeling lost, were looking for support, a way out, to survive."

"So, you think we should subdue these pirates and use Nan'ao Island as a transit base near the Ming Dynasty?" Meng Shengxin found it a little unbelievable. "With our current strength, how can we subdue a group of pirates? Don't let them sneak in and cause us huge trouble."

"I think we can give it a try," Zhong Minghui said somewhat unwillingly. "The pirates on Nan'ao Island are desperate. They want to surrender to the government, but they don't have enough money. They want to submit to Zheng Zhilong, but he doesn't care at all. He might even catch them all in one fell swoop to eliminate the trouble forever."

"If we show some kindness, we might be able to recruit them. Of the over a hundred pirates, at least half are veterans of the sea. Breaking them up and training them up will bolster our crew."

"Aren't you afraid that these pirates will turn against us again and stab us in the back?"

"We can transport all their families and relatives to Qiming Island as hostages."

"Pirates are a bunch of ruthless people. Do they care about the lives of their families?"

"But we have to try." Zhong Minghui blinked. "That day, we just happened to kill the most stubborn leader of this pirate group. So, it seems that the only one who can have a say and take charge is a pirate leader who has read a few days of books. Since he has read books, we can have a good chat about some things."

"…Try?"

"Give it a try! Whether it works or not, let's give it a try first. ... What if, by some chance, the opportunity arises?"

　The Portuguese king obtained the right of protection from Pope Alexander VI (1493-1492) in 1503.

　　At the time, Portugal and Spain were exploring overseas, opening shipping routes to the Americas, Asia, and beyond. Many missionaries traveled these routes to spread their faith. The route from Lisbon to the Cape of Good Hope and into the Indian Ocean was discovered by the Portuguese Vasco da Gama in 1498.

　　Therefore, in 1514, Leo X also granted Portugal the right to protect the Church in Asia.

　　The "right to protect religion" has several contents. Missionaries going to East Asia should register with the Portuguese government and should travel to Asia on Portuguese merchant ships. The bishops of East Asia should be recommended to the Pope by the King of Portugal. Local negotiations for missionary affairs should be handled by the Portuguese government. When conducting religious ceremonies locally, representatives of the Portuguese May Day should appear before representatives of various countries. The Portuguese government is responsible for providing missionary subsidies.

(End of this chapter)