Wind Rises in North America 1625

Chapter 414 The Changing Landscape of Southeast Asia
"Not a Spaniard..."

On the “Ze Lan”, Captain Klassen put down his monocular telescope and looked at his first mate with a complicated expression. “Judging from the ship’s shape, it looks like a Ming Dynasty merchant ship, but the flag… no, it seems like I’ve seen it somewhere before.”

First Mate Van der Linde took the binoculars, squinted, and carefully examined them: "Captain, that flag... it should be from the New South Wales."

Klassen frowned.

People from Xinzhou?
How come they are here?

Over the years, their immigrant ships seemed to have been taking overseas routes, avoiding Formosa Island and the Ming Dynasty coast as much as possible, all to avoid paying Zheng Yiguan a large amount of maritime "passage fees".

"Could they be going to the Philippines?" Van der Linde guessed.

Klassen did not respond, but kept his eyes fixed on the movements of the fleet.

The Dutch fleet was clearly taken aback by their sudden appearance and remained vigilant, adjusting its course and slowly heading southwest, seemingly trying to avoid them.

“Interesting…” Klassen sneered. “Signal the other ships to have their gunners in position, but do not fire without the flagship’s order. We need to see what they’re up to first.”
-
At the forefront of the Xinhua fleet, on the deck of the "Shunping," a somber atmosphere prevailed.

The three armed Dutch merchant ships had closed to within a mile, and their bow cannons were faintly visible.

"Will the Dutch attack us?" Sun Delu licked his lips, his eyes fixed on the approaching Dutch fleet to his left.

Even if they tried to escape, their own Fujian ships would likely be unable to evade the pursuit of these barbarian galleons.

"It's hard to say." Li Dehai shook his head, his face tense, and a few beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

In order to save time, after their three Fujian ships departed from Jianchang (now Otaru City, Hokkaido), they did not choose the more circuitous overseas route. Instead, after passing through the Tsushima Strait, they rested briefly on Tamna Island for a day before heading straight south, intending to sail directly to Luzon via the west coast of Tofan Island (now Taiwan Island) to support the local resistance forces.

Yes, after a heated discussion (debate), the Northern Taiwan Colony ultimately decided to support Luzon.

After a week, they requisitioned three Fujian-style ships belonging to the Xinhua Second Transport Company, hauled 500 armed militiamen and a large amount of military equipment, and hurriedly headed towards Luzon.

Even if the situation in the northern colonization area is difficult, we cannot just stand by and watch the military operation on Luzon Island be abandoned halfway and turn into a half-baked mess.

Since they had already intervened in the early stages, they might as well go all out and, taking advantage of the tens of thousands of Chinese people's response, completely uproot the Spanish colonial forces and take control of this rich archipelago.

It's important to understand that Spain colonized Luzon for over seventy years, and the bay area centered around Manila was already quite developed, with conditions far better than the malaria-ridden island of Tofan. Taking it over didn't require much extra effort for colonization.

In recent years, in order to reduce their dependence on foreign food supplies, the Spanish colonial authorities organized a large number of Chinese to cultivate the areas around the lake and vigorously develop agricultural planting.

Through the hard work of the Chinese, more than 100,000 mu of fertile land has been cultivated. The rice and potatoes produced can not only fully supply the Spanish colonial authorities, but also have a small surplus that is exported to Guangdong and Taiwan.

In April, the Spanish committed a horrific massacre in Manila. When the news reached the Lagoon area, a large number of Chinese who were cultivating the land immediately organized themselves by clan and hometown, and formed strongholds with various farming tools to protect themselves (historically, it was the Chinese in Calamba of the Lagoon area who could not bear the oppression of the Spanish and took the lead in launching an armed uprising) in order to deal with the possible massacre that might spread from Manila.

The Luzon region not only has large tracts of well-developed arable land, but also abundant mineral resources, such as copper, gold, and nickel mines, which are of extremely high economic value.

How could we not seize such a blessed land?
It's important to understand that during this period, the number of Spanish in the entire Luzon region was not large, and due to the decline of trans-Pacific trade, their importance in the eyes of the Spanish American colonial authorities had decreased sharply, and they were even considered a liability.

It can be said that the Spanish colonial authorities in the Philippines are currently in a very weak state. If they are not dealt with decisively, they may recover in a few years, increase their colonization efforts, and build more colonial outposts, which would make them difficult to deal with.

More importantly, due to the extremely backward productivity of the local indigenous tribes, the number of indigenous people in the entire Luzon Islands is not large, roughly estimated to be less than one million.

If we were to take it over now, we could continuously migrate Han people there, and after decades or centuries, we would certainly restructure the local population structure, turning it into a "traditional Han land".

Whether this move will affect relations between the Spanish and the New Zealand mainland, or even trigger another war, can only be left to be considered for the time being.

However, the situation doesn't seem so bad.

Six years ago, our local population of Xinhua was only a little over 10,000, yet we were still able to repel the Spanish invasion.

Now that Xinhua's strength is more than ten times what it used to be, how could it possibly worry about a large-scale attack by the Spanish?

The only thing that might be affected is the ever-expanding smuggling trade, which faces the risk of being banned by the Spanish.

However, the Luzon incident may also be an opportunity for Xinhua to control such an important base not far from the southeastern coast of the Ming Dynasty, which can echo the northern and southern colonies of Beiying.

Moreover, occupying Luzon would be an excellent springboard for future conquest of Southeast Asia and counterbalance of the Netherlands.

The Beiying Colony did not send out many armed forces, only more than 500 militiamen, but the three ships were carrying a large amount of military equipment and weapons, including cannons and muskets made in Xinhua, in preparation for a large-scale armed attack on the local Chinese uprising.

With the overwhelming numerical advantage of the local Chinese, and under the guidance of the new Chinese, it is believed that they will be able to suppress the Spanish colonial authorities and the local natives who are subordinate to them.

However, when the fleet passed Dongfan Island, it unexpectedly encountered three armed merchant ships of the Red-haired Barbarians.

Judging from their posture, they seem to be doing something "shady".

It's unclear whether they were plundering villages and towns in northern Dongfan Island or lying in wait to ambush passing Ming Dynasty merchant ships.

Sailors who have been sailing at sea for a long time know that the galleons piloted by the barbarians are faster than the Ming dynasty ships. If the barbarians have malicious intentions, they will not be able to escape for a while.

The two fleets were separated by more than a mile, gazing at each other from afar.

The Dutch three armed ships were deployed in battle formation, with all the side gun ports open, ready to launch an attack at any moment.

Meanwhile, the three Fujian ships belonging to the Xinhua people cautiously maintained their distance and continued to retreat to the southwest. The militiamen in the cabins were fully armed and had boarded the decks, ready to inflict casualties on the enemy in the event of boarding action.

"Would the red-haired barbarians really be going to make a move?"

"Let's wait and see. If a battle really breaks out, we'll all split up and escape!"
-
“Captain, these ships don’t seem to be armed.” Van der Linde observed for a moment, then turned to Klassen and said, “Should we…”

Klassen stroked his chin thoughtfully: "It's no coincidence that the New Zealanders passed through here; they're most likely on their way to Luzon. Did you see them? There are many armed soldiers on board..."

“They’re going to seize the Spanish territory!” Van der Linde chimed in.

Klassen nodded, a shadow passing over his eyes.

If the people of New South Wales, with the support of the Chinese community in the local riots, were to actually capture Luzon, what kind of impact would that have on the entire East Asian landscape?

The Dutch East India Company had finally established itself in East Asia, and its commerce and trade were booming. If the New Zealanders controlled the Philippines, would it bring any changes to the regional situation and thus affect the East India Company's commercial interests?
“Should we test the waters?” Van der Linde suggested. “Send a small boat over and ask them what their intentions are?” Klassen pondered for a moment, glanced back at the direction of Danshui, and finally shook his head: “No, our mission is to cooperate with the landing forces to capture Santo Domingo and San Salvador and completely expel the Spanish colonial forces. Therefore, we don’t need to cause any unnecessary trouble and provoke the New Zealanders at this time.”

He looked up at the sky again; the sun had already begun to set.

"Send signals to all ships to remain on alert, but do not provoke them. If they do not approach, we will proceed with the original plan!"

"Yes, Captain!"
-
"Chief Li, the Red-haired Barbarians haven't made any further moves. They've stopped!" the lookout reported loudly, his voice tinged with surprise.

"Send the order to turn southwest and bypass them!" Li Dehai breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the Dutch fleet was no longer pressing forward. "Let's get out of here quickly."

Damn it, how can they let these barbarians run rampant in the waters of the Ming Dynasty? It makes us ordinary merchant ships live in constant fear, lest we fall victim to their dirty tricks.

Is there any royal law for this?

When will we be able to completely establish and maintain the navigation order across the vast Ming Dynasty's maritime borders?

As the order was given, the three Fujian ships slowly adjusted their course, gradually increasing the distance between themselves and the Dutch fleet. They first headed southwest, but soon turned southeast and disappeared into the vast sea.
-
"They're gone." Van der Linde sighed with regret as he watched the Xinhua fleet gradually disappear into the distance.

Klassen glanced at him and said softly, "I'm sure they're heading in the direction of... the Philippines."

“Oh, then the Spanish are in even bigger trouble.” Van der Linde laughed gleefully. “If they can take Manila, and we take all of Formosa, then the Spanish will have no foothold in Asia!”

Do you think the people of New Zealand might become our rivals in the future?

"Probably not." Van der Linde thought for a moment, then shook his head and said, "I heard that their development focus is on the northwest coast of America, which is too far away for them."

“Is that so?” A complex look appeared in Klassen’s eyes. “For our East India Company, isn’t this place even more distant from mainland Europe?”

"Huh?" Van der Linde looked at him in astonishment. "You mean, the New Zealanders will compete with us for commercial interests in Asia in the future?"

“Perhaps.” Klassen shrugged and turned to walk towards the cabin. “Who can see how things will develop in the future, except God? As for now, let the New Zealanders and the Spanish tear each other apart over this piece of meat, the Philippines!”

"As for our East India Company, we will consider our next step after dealing with the Spanish on Formosa Island."
-
October 3, Lantau Island, Tung Chung Village.

The rising sun casts golden rays, illuminating the bustling wharf of Tung Chung Village.

A merchant ship flying the Xinhua flag was slowly sailing away. Sailors stood on the deck, waving goodbye to the dock.

The farmers, fishermen, and craftsmen in the village also began their day's work. The sounds of tamping earth, shouting, sawing wood, and hammering mingled together, creating a vibrant atmosphere.

Zhong Minghui stood on a stone platform halfway up the mountain, the sea breeze ruffling his robes, his eyes scanning the village below and the distant sea.

Liu Qingfeng, the head of Dongchong Village, bowed slightly with a furrowed brow, clearly worried about the suggestion made by the official.

“Sir, according to the requirements of the Guangzhou government, we can only set up warehouses and residential areas here, and we are not allowed to build forts or strongholds.” He said in a low voice, “If we follow your wishes… I’m afraid it will cause unnecessary trouble.”

Zhong Minghui's lips curled up slightly, his gaze still fixed on the distant sea.

"Qingfeng, do you know how the Haojing, which is not far from here, became what it is today?"

"..." Liu Qingfeng was taken aback, then shook his head: "Sir, the situation is different."

"What's the difference?" Zhong Minghui said with a smile, "In the past, the Portuguese used the pretext of defending against the Dutch and pirates to build a wall today and set up a cannon tomorrow, and slowly it became what it is today."

"Even though the Guangdong local government kept coming to reprimand them and ordering them to dismantle the walls, it still couldn't stop the Portuguese from building the city defenses. Even when they were forced into a corner by the Ming government, they could only dismantle one or two sections of the city wall and remove three or five cannons, but they still retained a large number of defensive facilities."

"As a result, now that they see the several complete bastions and gun emplacements built in the trenches, the local officials in Guangdong can only turn a blind eye and let it go."

Liu Qingfeng nodded thoughtfully: "Does Your Excellency mean...we should follow suit?"

“Not bad.” Zhong Minghui withdrew his gaze and looked at him. “First, under the guise of repairing the warehouses, build a few core fortresses of brick and stone. Then, on the existing wooden walls, cover them with rammed earth and bricks. Next, under the pretext of protecting the port and docks, set up a few small cannons on this mountain. As for the government…”

As he spoke, he smiled slightly: "Send more northern sable furs and ginseng, and invite a few officials from Guangzhou Prefecture to a few banquets, and things will naturally be easier to handle."

A flicker of understanding crossed Liu Qingfeng's eyes, but a trace of doubt remained: "But what if the Ming Dynasty really investigates..."

“The imperial court?” Zhong Minghui shook his head and chuckled. “With the Ming Dynasty beset by internal and external troubles, how can it have the energy to care about this isolated island by the sea? As long as we don’t make too much of a fuss and take our time to develop it, and with the Guangdong local government covering things up a bit, this place will eventually become Xinhua’s most crucial stronghold in the south.”

"My lord, I understand." Liu Qingfeng nodded in agreement.

Three years ago, at the request of Zhang Jingxin, the Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi, the Xinhua immigrant fleet organized several armed merchant ships to drive away the English fleet that had come to "cause trouble," thus restoring the dignity and reputation of the local government.

Therefore, following the example of Hao Jing, the Guangdong government leased the Tung Chung Village on Lantau Island, located on the right bank of the Pearl River Estuary, to Xinhua for drying goods and for crew members to rest.

After taking over the area, the once desolate fishing village quickly came back to life.

The fence surrounding the village has been raised and reinforced, the dirt roads inside have been paved with gravel, and the warehouses and residential areas are arranged in an orderly manner.

Goods from Xinzhou and the north transited here before being transported to Guangzhou, Quanzhou, Dengzhou and other places. Meanwhile, silk, porcelain and tea from the south, as well as medicinal herbs, pig bristles and tung oil from the inland areas, were loaded onto ships and sent north to Korea, Japan and even the Xinzhou mainland.

In the center of the village stands a newly built two-story council hall with a roof covered in blue tiles and a plaque that reads "Xinhua Business Hall" hanging in front of the door.

Every evening, the trading post was brightly lit, where merchants and sailors from all over the world traded and drank, and the noise gradually subsided until late at night.

"Given time, will Lantau Island become another Hong Kong?" Chung Ming-fai chuckled as he thought about this.

"Sir, news has arrived from Luzon!" A guard hurriedly climbed onto the stone platform and handed over an urgent report.

"...On the sixteenth day of the ninth month, a dozen or so righteous Chinese men secretly gathered in the city. At night, they lit fires as a signal and secretly opened the city gates. The army outside the city saw them, and with a great clamor, they advanced. Wherever their arrows pointed, their momentum was unstoppable, and they captured Manila."

"...Several months ago, the Western barbarians ravaged the country, killing and harming the Chinese people. The corpses piled up like mountains, and the blood flowed like rivers. The soldiers and civilians had long harbored resentment. When the city fell, the soldiers were furious at their brutality and ordered a massive search, killing all the barbarian chieftains. Although they wanted to stop them, they could not."

"On that day, smoke from the beacon fires obscured the sky, cries of agony shook the earth, long-standing grievances were avenged, and the people were somewhat at peace..."

Ok?
The army actually massacred the entire city of Manila!

Will this matter affect the relationship between Xinhua and the Spanish colonial authorities in the Americas?
-
(End of this chapter)