You can't only love the Qing Dynasty when you're eating the fruits of others' labor.

Upon hearing this, Feng Xifan inwardly cried out in alarm. The Feng family, father and son, had served Prince Yanping for two generations and knew the prince's temperament very well.

First, stubbornness.

Second, he identified himself as a disciple of the orthodox Confucian school.

Once Zheng Sen opens his mouth, not even nine oxen could pull him back.

Feng Xifan gave a series of meaningful glances to everyone present.

"The Prince of Yanping - Part 2"

Zheng Sen gestured for him to be quiet, stood up, and spoke in a tone that left no room for argument.

"I hereby announce to the three armies that I have decided to defend the orthodox tradition by force."

The atmosphere inside the room took a sharp turn for the worse.

Feng Xifan became anxious.

"Your Highness, I object!"

"How dare you!" Zheng Sen glared at the usually submissive Feng Xifan, his anger barely contained. "You're a scholar too, do you even know what the orthodox tradition is?"

Feng Xifan refused to budge.

“What the Prince of Yanping said is true. Now, you are the only one in the world who can defend the orthodox tradition. However, your avoidance of fighting with the central government is not out of self-preservation, but precisely to preserve the flame.”

All the officers knelt down.

Liu Guoxuan: "This humble general agrees with Lord Feng."

Zhou Quanbin: "This humble general also agrees with Lord Feng."

Faced with opposition from almost everyone, Zheng Sen drew his sword, his eyes blazing with fury: "My mind is made up! No more persuasion! Anyone who tries to persuade me will be punished like this case."

The sword slashed down.

A small piece of wood fell to the ground.

Feng Xifan closed his eyes in pain, clenching his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his flesh without him even realizing it.

……

That night.

Zheng Sen tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

The scenes of studying in Jiangning are still vivid in my mind; it was truly a carefree and wonderful time.

Later, everything fell apart.

His father, Zheng Zhilong, defected to the Qing Dynasty and was later executed by the Qing government.

Teacher Qian Qianyi defected to the Qing Dynasty and was later executed by Chief Minister Chiang Kai-shek.

Mother died tragically.
The Longwu Emperor met a tragic end.
Outside, the rain was pouring down, while inside, Zheng Sen wept bitterly.

Over the years, his ideals have been torn to pieces by cruel reality. Unlike his father Zheng Zhilong, who came from a pirate background, he truly has convictions.

The next day.

A maid combs her hair.

"Young master, you have gray hair."

"is it?"

Zheng Sen was surprised to find that he had developed a lot of gray hair, and couldn't help but lament the fleeting nature of youth and the difficulty of fulfilling his ideals.

"Teacher, do you think I did the right thing?"

No matter how much people condemn Qian Qianyi, Zheng Sen still firmly believes that his mentor had his reasons.

Lord of Heaven and Earth, personal teacher.

The Longwu Emperor died, his parents died, and his mentor died.

Various painful emotions continuously devoured Zheng Sen's body and soul, consuming his health.

……

2 days later.

Zheng Sen sent people to distribute a proclamation of several hundred words entitled "Declaration Against Chiang Kai-shek" to the three provinces of Jiangxi, Zhejiang and Guangdong.

The content was sharp and the stance was clear, criticizing the central government's actions of tampering with classics and massacring scholars, and declaring that Fujian would defend the orthodox tradition by force.

The declaration shocked the world.

Guangzhou.

Shang Kexi's son, Shang Zhixin, the current governor of Guangdong, was overjoyed and immediately dispatched troops to block the border between the two provinces, cutting off trade, while also strengthening the defenses of Chaozhou.

Jiangning.

The Viceroy of Liangjiang, Zhou Shao, was greatly shocked.

While sending urgent messages to the central government over a distance of 600 li, military orders were dictated simultaneously:
"Effective immediately, the four provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui and Jiangxi will sever all ties with Fujian. Not a single grain of rice or salt may enter Fujian."

"Order Jiangxi Governor Wang Fuchen to block the mountain roads between Jiangxi and Fujian provinces."

"Zhao Liangdong, the General of Wenzhou, is hereby temporarily appointed as the Governor of Zhejiang, in command of all naval and land forces in the four prefectures of southern Zhejiang, to prepare for any eventuality. However, there is one condition: he shall not initiate hostilities without orders."

"Please ask Zhang Huangyan, the governor of Zhejiang, to go to Fuzhou in person to dissuade Zheng Sen."

It's funny, but apart from Zheng Sen, the opposing and friendly sides actually had the same idea.

……

Zheng Sen's "Proclamation Against Chiang Kai-shek" not only put him in the eye of the storm, but also affected the entire political situation.

This caused a huge uproar within the Zheng family.

Senior officers were generally dissatisfied.

The civil servants were even more dissatisfied.

Everyone knows that opposing Chiang Kai-shek is no easy task. Over the years, countless people have tried to oppose Chiang Kai-shek in various ways, but has even one succeeded?
Using local areas to resist the central government, and using a small territory to shoulder the overall burden, the chances of victory are extremely slim.

Taking advantage of the current chaos, crossing the sea to subdue the Da Yuan, and then marching south to Luzon with a victorious army, focusing on the ocean and spanning both land and sea, is the correct path for the Zheng family group.

The goal of the Zheng Group should be an independent kingdom, not some bullshit defender of tradition.

Moreover, the central government has always treated Prince Yanping well over the years.

Zhangzhou Prefecture, Haicheng.

It was one of the Zheng Group's important strongholds, storing a large amount of military equipment and supplies.

The garrison commander, Huang Wu, was sullen; he had no intention of being buried with Zheng Sen's so-called orthodox tradition.

After drinking heavily for several days, he summoned a few close confidants to drink and chat.

After three rounds of drinking.

He suddenly asked, "Brothers, how have I treated you?"

"Our elder brother has been incredibly kind to us."

Do you think the Prince of Yanping can defeat the central government?

The room fell silent instantly.

One of his trusted confidants asked, "Brother, what do you mean by this?"

"To be frank, if the Prince of Yanping and the central government were to go to war, who would win?"

Everyone looked at each other.

After a while~
Someone spoke up.

"The chances of Yanping Wang winning are slim."

Huang Wu smiled.

Even you noticed.

"Brother, is the Prince of Yanping going to rebel?"

"Yes."

"why?"

"Just because the central government killed several thousand scholars, the Prince of Yanping is about to raise an army to defend the orthodox tradition. Let me be frank, I wish to abandon darkness and embrace the light. What do you all think?"

"We will follow our elder brother's lead without question."

……

Huang Wu took a deep breath.

"In that case, I will make the following arrangements. First, maintain strict secrecy and remain inactive. Second, send someone to secretly contact the imperial court. Third, you will send your families here as hostages."

"As ordered."

The original historical trajectory was that when the Qing and Zheng armies were locked in a standoff, Huang Wu's surrender directly changed the course of the war in Fujian.

From now on~
The Qing army had the upper hand.

Zheng Jun suffered repeated defeats and was forced to turn his attention overseas, forcibly taking over the island of Ta Yuan.

It can be said that Huang Wu made significant contributions to Zheng Sen's untimely death.

……

Internal to the Zheng Group
Besides Huang Wu, there was another person who was eager to make a move: Zheng Sen's uncle, Zheng Tai, one of the original shareholders of the Zheng Group.

Zheng Tai was originally a pirate, fierce and brave, and his personality was very similar to Zheng Zhilong's.

Xiamen.

Offshore, on the deck of a brand new bird boat.

Zheng Tai patted the bronze cannon on the side of the gun and sneered, "You brat, changing your mind every day. For the sake of some damned tradition, you actually treat the future of our brothers like a joke."

A trusted confidant whispered in agreement: "There are rumors in the Jin-Xia army that the Prince of Yanping has contracted epilepsy, with his condition fluctuating. Now it seems that it may be true."

"You know what, he might actually be sick."

The confidant lowered his voice.

"What about us?"

“The Zheng family’s business was built by everyone, not just Zheng Sen’s private enterprise. If he really goes crazy, we’ll just go overseas on our own.”

...The capital city, the Yuquanshan Imperial Palace.

When Jiang Qingyun received the urgent report that "Zheng Sen intends to defend the orthodox tradition and has deployed troops in the province," he was stunned and gritted his teeth.

"Bastard, idiot, son of a bitch."

The string of curses expressed Chiang Kai-shek's anger and unease at the loss of control over this crucial piece.

After meticulously planning for so long, I never expected that Zheng Sen would choose the long way around instead of expanding his territory, and instead go against me.

Liu Rushi, standing to the side, looked embarrassed.

Jiang Qingyun suddenly stared at her: "Tell me, what exactly is Zheng Sen after?"

"I don't know either."

What kind of person do you think he is?

Liu Rushi took a deep breath and recalled a few things about Zheng Sen's school days.

Jiang Qingyun listened quietly, his heart filled with unresolved resentment.

Zheng Sen, you're a young man with ideals, ambitions, and a sparkle in your eyes, right?
But who in this world wasn't once a spirited young man? Cold reality will kill every young man, without exception.

……

Looking at the familiar man before her, Liu Rushi suddenly felt a hint of amusement in her eyes, and her heart skipped a beat.

Sure enough~
Jiang Zi's every word is a classic of our time.

“You are Zheng Sen’s teacher’s wife, his elder. I want you to go to Fuzhou and persuade Zheng Sen in person to honestly attack Da Yuan.”

"Prime Minister, you can't!"

Liu Rushi trembled with fear.

"Why not?"

"Grand Secretary, isn't this against the rites of Zhou?"

"For the greater good of the nation, for the revival of Confucianism, bloodshed is common, and death is common. What does your small sacrifice matter?"

Jiang Qingyun spoke with righteous indignation, displaying a utterly dog-like manner.

Liu Rushi trembled with humiliation.

"Prime Minister, I'm afraid~"

"As the sage said, 'Heaven, Earth, Ruler, Parents, and Teacher.' You are Zheng Sen's teacher's wife, so you can be ranked sixth. Don't worry, he wouldn't dare to touch you, otherwise he would be condemned by everyone."

Jiang Qingyun made the decision in an unquestionable tone: We revolutionaries are by no means bound-footed little women; we have always been open-minded!
……

"You write the letter, and I grind the ink."

"Don't worry, besides you, I will also send the Duke of Yansheng to Fuzhou to explain the pros and cons. If Zheng Sen still doesn't know what's good for him, then don't blame me for disowning him as a brother."

With Chiang Kai-shek now commanding 70,000 troops directly under the central government, and Zheng's army being weak in land warfare, he is bound to win.

However, Zheng Sen possessed the largest offshore fleet in the entire East Asia region during the 17th century.

In contrast, the central command has almost no fleet capable of operating in the open sea.

If you can get Zheng's fleet in exchange for a woman, it seems like a good deal.

Seven lives dedicated to serving the country, eight directions under one sky.

The Grand Secretary is serious.

……

The twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month.

A Dutch mission arrived in the capital carrying a large amount of gold and jewels and was warmly welcomed.

Forbidden City.

Red carpet.

Cannon salute and honor guard.

These courtesies greatly increased the Dutch envoy Van der Leyen's anticipation for his mission.

Jinluan Palace.

Van der Lan knelt down.

"On behalf of the Governor of Batavia, I wish Your Excellency a long life and present you with a gift personally prepared by Your Excellency."

"Please rise, Your Excellency."

"Thank you, Chief Minister."

Van der Lan was a professional soldier who wasn't good at beating around the bush, so he got straight to the point.

"The Governor of Batavia wishes to forge a strong friendship with the United Empire. To this end, Your Excellency is willing to mobilize a large fleet to cooperate with your country's powerful army to suppress Zheng Sen's rebel army entrenched in Jinsha."

Jiang Qingyun looked at the man in military uniform with great interest, and a bold idea came to her mind.

"Where is the fleet you mentioned? How large is it?"

"The fleet has arrived at Dayuan Island, consisting of 12 warships, 400 experienced officers, and more than 3000 brave soldiers."

Everyone was shocked.

Jiang Qingyun stared at Fan Delan.

"Why don't you explain it more clearly?"

"Zheng Sen's warships frequently bombard our merchant ships and harass our shipping lanes. According to intelligence, Zheng Sen is very likely to mobilize an army of tens of thousands of men to attack Dayuan Island next year. The Governor of Batavia is deeply concerned about this, and therefore ordered me to lead the fleet north to support Dayuan Island. Zheng Sen is a common enemy of both of us."

“Yes.” Jiang Qingyun nodded seriously. “You’re right. Zheng Sen has a powerful navy.”

"After the defeat of Zheng Sen, the Governor of Batavia promised never to interfere in the coastal areas of Fujian and never to be an enemy of the United Empire. We are a group of friendly merchants, and we only want to protect the Batavia-Taipei-Nagasaki trade route. We have no other requests."

"I believe the governor's promise. Frankly, we have no interest in the sea, but we do not want too many pirates."

Jiang Qingyun spoke with utmost sincerity.

……

Van der Leyen's excited promise:

"Please rest assured, Prime Minister, the Dutch armed merchant ships are willing to crack down on coastal pirates and share the burden of the court."

Jiang Qingyun changed the subject:
"However, Zheng Sen is, after all, the governor of the empire. Without a suitable reason, the central government cannot easily unite with foreign troops to attack him, otherwise they will be condemned. Do you understand?"

Van der Lan thought for a moment and nodded, saying, "As a soldier, I can understand."

"This is a matter of great importance and requires careful consideration. Before we come up with a sufficiently reasonable cooperation plan, the delegation should first take a tour of the capital. The Ministry of Rites will make the necessary arrangements."

"Thank you, Chief Minister."

Our first stop was the Church of Our Lady.

The moment they saw the church building, everyone exclaimed, "My God, this is incredible!"

Van der Lan was in high spirits.

In order to facilitate the cooperation, he kept thinking of solutions.

For example: The Dutch fleet fired on Zheng's forces first!
For example, the United Empire could send civil officials to jointly govern high-ranking officials.

For example, they could lure Zheng Sen's fleet to land at Chihkan City, and then have the Dutch fleet transport the Imperial Army to land, launching a pincer attack on Zheng's army by land and sea.

For every proposal submitted, the Ministry of War would organize personnel to carefully discuss the details with Van der Lan and others, and unknowingly learned a great deal of military intelligence about the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the Southeast Asia.

For example, the Dutch garrison had only 1200 soldiers.

For example, the Grand Governor-General Kuiichi is already making every effort to prepare for war.

For example, the governor of Batavia instructed that if Zheng did not launch an attack on Tai Yuen Island, the fleet would change course and attack Haojing'ao to make up for the loss of the failed attack.

For example, the Iberian colonists of Luzon were willing to provide the Dutch fleet with all necessary assistance in order to fight against Zheng Sen.

Zheng's fleet was a nightmare for all colonists in Southeast Asia.

……

1663, October.

Two passenger ships slowly approached Fuzhou City.

A black and red dragon flag flew at the bow.
A little maidservant chattered away.

"Miss, we are here."

"Miss, Young Master Zheng has actually come to greet you in person."

"Miss~"

Liu Rushi spotted Zheng Sen, who stood out from the crowd, at a glance, and was instantly overwhelmed with emotion, tears streaming down her face.

Being a woman is so hard.

……

Half an hour later~
The sobbing river, the hazy veil, the allure hidden beneath the cap, the thin skirt embroidered with mandarin ducks, the young man's thoughts trembling gently in the wind.

Ah ~
To those lost youths.

Liu Rushi's appearance was like a splash of color entering the darkness.

Zheng Sen took a deep breath, suppressing his pounding heart, bowed and clasped his hands, and said in as calm a tone as possible, "Zheng Sen greets Master's wife."

Liu Rushi stopped a long way off, neither showing her face nor speaking.

A maidservant walked quickly towards him.

"Lord Hedong must be tired from his journey. He would like to rest for two days before we meet again."

Zheng Sen, who was extremely respectful, quickly stood aside and watched Liu Rushi get into the carriage and leave.

inside the carriage.

The maid asked:

"Miss, isn't this a bit too impolite?"

"What do you know."

Liu Rushi thought to herself, "If I were to meet them looking disheveled and shatter their hopes, that would be truly impolite." (End of Chapter)