Rise of a Lonely City: From Exiled Prince to Ruler of the Nine Provinces

The smoke of battle in Penghu has not yet completely dissipated, and dark clouds have already quietly gathered over Liaoluo Bay.

Zheng Zhilong's urgent secret report was like a boulder thrown into the calm court, stirring up a thousand waves.

However, Xiao Chen, sitting on the dragon throne, showed no sign of panic.

In those deep eyes, a kind of fiery flame called "opportunity" ignited.

"The barbarians of the West fear power but do not cherish virtue."

Xiao Chen's voice echoed in the Qianqing Palace, calm yet carrying an undeniable power: "After the victory in Penghu, they are afraid."

Fearful, they banded together, intending to take advantage of my weakened state and crush my maritime power in one fell swoop!

He stood up, walked to the huge "Complete Map of the World" and traced his finger along the long coastline before finally striking the azure sky in the southeast.

"They want to stifle it, but I'll let it grow wildly! Not only will it grow, but it will grow lush and leafy, with deep roots!"

As the emperor's will became firm, the power of the entire empire began to shift towards the southeast coast.

Each imperial decree, like a sharp sword drawn from its sheath, cut through all obstacles.

The Longjiang Shipyard was brightly lit all night long.

The furnace fire illuminated half the sky, and the sounds of hammering, sawing, and craftsmen's shouts blended into a powerful symphony of industrial rise.

Shen Shouchang seemed to have become twenty years younger, his eyes were bloodshot and his throat was hoarse, but he remained glued to the dock.

"Faster! Faster! His Majesty needs ships! The front lines need cannons!" he roared.

The success of the "Azure Dragon" proved the correctness of the path of combining Eastern and Western approaches.

The shipyard's craftsmen, whether master craftsmen or Western artisans, all cast aside their last vestiges of reserve and distance, throwing themselves wholeheartedly into this fervent shipbuilding wave.

The blueprints were continuously optimized, and the process was innovated through collision.

"Funing", "Dinghai", "Zhendong"... one after another, brand-new warships, following the blueprint laid out by "Qinglong" and with their own improvements, slid into the water from the Yangtze River dock like dumplings being dropped into boiling water.

They were slightly smaller than the "Azure Dragon," with a displacement between 300 and 400 tons, and carried 12-18 guns, but were faster and more maneuverable.

Keel reinforcement technology, watertight compartment optimization, mixed use of soft and hard sails, standardized gun ports and gun mounts... a series of new technologies and standards were quickly applied and solidified.

The Tianjin Artillery Factory and the Nanjing Ordnance Bureau were also operating at full capacity.

Under Zhao Tie’s personal supervision, the production line of the “Yuanfeng” naval gun worked day and night.

Forging, boring, grinding, inspection... every process is strictly controlled.

The improved gunpowder formula is more powerful and leaves less residue.

The pre-loaded guns were sealed with oiled paper, neatly stacked, and ready to be sent to the warships at any time.

As warships and cannons sprang up like mushrooms after rain, a deeper transformation was rapidly advancing within the framework of the Royal Maritime Office.

Zheng Zhilong's secret report and Xiao Chen's decisive action made everyone realize that piecemeal repairs were no longer sufficient to deal with the imminent threat.

We must have a well-organized, unified, and highly trained national navy!

In the winter of the seventh year of Xuanji, under the instruction of Xiao Chen and the leadership of Grand Secretary Zhang Juzheng, and after repeated consultations with veteran generals such as Zheng Zhilong and Shen Yourong, a guiding document entitled "Provisional Naval Manual of the Great Xia Royal Navy," along with a new naval organization plan, was officially promulgated throughout the land in the form of an imperial edict.

The Naval Manual states clearly at the outset: "The navy is the empire's strong shield, the emperor's far-reaching prestige, the protection of trade routes, and the Great Wall of the sea frontier."

The navy is clearly positioned as a national strategic force, not merely an adjunct to coastal defense.

The manual meticulously outlines everything from sailor selection, officer ranks and salaries, to daily drills, fleet formation, flag signals, operational doctrine, logistical support, and rewards, punishments, and compensation. Its core principles are "unification" and "professionalism."

Unified organization: Breaking away from the old practice of each province's navy operating independently and soldiers belonging to their generals, all warships and personnel were brought under the unified command of the Royal Maritime Office. The recruitment of sailors was conducted by officials dispatched by the court in coordination with local authorities, involving rigorous selection, registration, and monthly pay; private employment was prohibited.

Unified Command: A clear chain of command was established. The emperor was the supreme commander, under whom was the Naval Commander-in-Chief (temporarily managed by the Maritime Affairs Bureau), who oversaw the entire navy. The fleet was staffed with admirals, generals, assistant generals, lieutenants, garrison commanders, and captains, with clearly defined powers and responsibilities.

Unified training: Three naval academies were established in Zhoushan, Xiamen, and Guangzhou, recruiting students knowledgeable in maritime affairs, arithmetic, geometry, and astronomy, as well as experienced sailors and fishermen, to systematically learn navigation, surveying, gunnery, sailing, and combat. Newly enlisted sailors had to undergo at least six months of academy training and sea practice before being allowed to board ships.

Unified tactics: Abandoning the chaotic tactics of the past that relied primarily on boarding maneuvers. Emphasizing fleet formations (single-file, double-file, and line-ahead), seizing the windward position, and firing broadside guns in unison. Clearly defining the position and responsibilities of each class of warship within the fleet, requiring all ships to strictly adhere to the flagship's flag signals and lights.

Based on the "Manual of Command" and the new strategic layout, the initial form of the three major fleets of the Great Xia Royal Navy took shape at the end of the seventh year of Xuanji and the beginning of the eighth year:

1. North Sea Fleet: Stationed at Dagu Port in Tianjin, it was formed by absorbing the maritime merchant forces of Liaodong and integrating the original Dengzhou-Laizhou and Tianjin naval forces.

The admiral was the experienced and prudent Shen Yourong. He commanded more than forty warships, including eight modern warships.

It was primarily responsible for the defense of the Bohai and Yellow Seas, protecting the capital region, guarding the directions of Korea and Japan, and protecting the increasingly busy maritime transport of grain from the Northern Seas and trade along the northern coast.

2. East China Sea Fleet: Stationed in Dinghai, Zhoushan, Zhejiang.

This is undoubtedly the main force among the three major fleets.

General Zheng Zhilong, who was in charge of pacifying the seas, also served as the admiral. The large number of former "maritime merchants" armed ships that he recruited under his command became the most experienced core force of the fleet.

It commanded more than 120 warships, including 24 "Seiryu"-class and improved new warships, including the flagship "Seiryu".

It was supplemented by a large number of improved Fujian and Guangzhou ships.

This fleet will directly face the main threats from the East China Sea and bear the important responsibility of exploring the open seas and protecting the maritime trade of Southeast China.

The upcoming decisive battle at Liaoluo Bay will be undertaken solely by the East China Sea Fleet.

3. South China Sea Fleet: Stationed in Huangpu, Guangzhou, Guangdong.

It was formed based on the original Guangdong Navy and some of the merchant fleets from Guangdong and Qionghai that had submitted to it.

The admiral was He Rubin, the former deputy naval commissioner of Guangdong who was familiar with affairs in Southeast Asia.

It commanded more than 60 warships, including six modern warships.

Primarily responsible for the defense of the South China Sea, patrolling the waters from Qiongzhou and Lianzhou to the Xisha Islands, guarding Portugal, Spain and other Southeast Asian countries, and protecting trade routes to the West.

The three fleets, arranged in a triangular formation, guarded the empire's sea borders and supported each other.

The Naval Governor's Office (Maritime Affairs Department) coordinated the allocation of personnel, ships, and supplies, and formulated an overall strategy.

Each fleet admiral has the authority to act arbitrarily within their jurisdiction, but major operations must be reported, and in wartime they are directly commanded by the emperor or the governor-general's office.

When Zheng Zhilong received the brand-new command flag embroidered with "Admiral Zheng of the East China Sea Fleet" at the Zhoushan base, and looked at the ships lined up one after another in the harbor, their masts like a forest, especially the more than twenty new warships lined up neatly, reflecting a cold, hard bluish-gray luster in the sunlight, even a seasoned maritime tycoon like him felt an indescribable surge of pride and heaviness in his heart.

His pride lay in the fact that he was no longer seen as a "pirate who had been recruited into the imperial court," but as a dignified admiral of the Imperial Navy, commanding the most powerful fleet in East Asia at the time.

The weight of the situation lay in the fact that he knew that behind this power and glory lay the emperor's unreserved trust, the empire's all-out support, and an impending life-or-death gamble that would determine the fate of the nation.

"Liaoluo Bay..." Zheng Zhilong stroked the cold flagpole of the commander's flag, his gaze passing over the harbor and turning towards the unknown sea area in the southeast.

He knew that the enemies gathered there would be ten times stronger than the Dutch in Penghu.

But he knew even more that the newly formed Imperial Navy behind him had nowhere to retreat.

"Order all ships to intensify joint training according to the 'Manual'! Fireboat squadrons and assault teams, the drills must be truly impressive! Gunners, live-fire exercises must be conducted daily without interruption!"

Zheng Zhilong's voice sounded particularly firm in the biting sea wind, "We've been raising an army for a thousand days, to use it for one. His Majesty and the court await our news!"

At Zhoushan Naval Port, cannons roared and sails darted back and forth.

A brand new force is frantically sharpening its claws in the brief calm before the storm.

The fledgling eagle of the Imperial Navy is about to take its first and most important test flight amidst the blood and fire of Liaoluo Bay.