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

In late summer, the trade winds are strong in the South China Sea.

Zheng Zhilong's fleet, like a sharp arrowhead, cleaved through the azure waves and sailed south along the coastline of Vietnam and Champa.

The fleet did not deliberately conceal its presence; the conspicuous dragon flag and the imposing array of warships were the most powerful declaration in themselves.

Along the way, whether it was Hoi An in Champa or Ha Tien in Zhenla, the local rulers all sent envoys to entertain the troops with great respect.

The lingering effects of the Great Xia Navy's punishment in Manila still reverberate across the South China Sea.

On this day, the fleet sailed into the Gulf of Thailand.

Zheng Zhilong stood on the bridge of the "Qinglong" ship, gazing at the long coastline to the west—the Malay Peninsula.

More precisely, his gaze was fixed on the west coast of the peninsula, the area marked on the map as the "Sultanate of Kedah," and the large island off its coast—Penang.

"My lord, we are approaching the Malay Peninsula. According to the maritime merchants, Penang is located in the northwest of the peninsula, guarding the northern entrance to the Strait of Malacca. The island has fresh water and excellent harbors. There are also good harbors along the coast of Perlis on the opposite shore."

This area was originally under the jurisdiction of the Sultan of Kedah, but the Sultan was weak and often harassed by the Malay Sultanates of Siam to the north and Pattani to the south. He was also deeply wary of the Portuguese who occupied Malacca. The lieutenant reported the intelligence he had gathered.

Zheng Zhilong raised his binoculars and carefully observed the faint outline of the coastline.

"The Sultan of Kedah... is at odds with the Portuguese and fears Siam... This is precisely the situation he can exploit."

He lowered his binoculars and ordered, "Send word to the fleet to turn northwest, target—Penang Island. Send out fast ships to scout the harbor's depth and shoreline, and find a suitable anchorage."

"Yes, sir!"

The fleet slowly approached Penang Island.

Looking out from the sea, one can see lush islands, rolling hills, and a winding coastline that forms several natural harbors.

The island is sparsely populated, with occasional fishing villages dotting the landscape, showcasing the pristine and tranquil nature of this land.

This suited Zheng Zhilong perfectly—it wouldn't attract too much attention, yet it provided excellent conditions for building a base.

The fleet anchored in a deep-water bay northeast of Penang.

Zheng Zhilong did not land rashly, but first sent a small team ashore in small boats to make contact with the local Malay villages.

The villagers were terrified by the sudden appearance of the large fleet, but their attitude gradually softened after the interpreter explained the purpose of the visit and presented gifts such as silk and porcelain.

According to the villagers, Penang is not currently occupied by any powerful force. It is nominally under the control of the Sultan of Kedah, but the Sultan's control is very weak. Only a few Malays and some immigrants from Sumatra live on the island, fishing, hunting, and farming.

"very good."

Zheng Zhilong received a reward and felt reassured.

On one hand, he ordered his soldiers to set up a temporary camp on a high, open spot on the island, raise flags, and demonstrate their presence; on the other hand, he personally wrote a letter, prepared generous gifts, and dispatched an eloquent envoy aboard a newly decorated flagship to Alor Setar, the capital of the Sultanate of Kedah.

The envoy, carrying Zheng Zhilong's letter and a dazzling array of gifts—including exquisite porcelain, silk, tea, as well as ten fine chainmails, twenty sharp steel swords, and two lightweight tiger-squat cannons—met with Sultan Muhammad Jiwa of Kedah.

The sultan was overwhelmed by the threat from the Portuguese in the south, the covetousness of Siam in the north, and internal instability.

When the envoy explained his purpose, stating that Zheng Zhilong, Admiral of the Navy of the Great Xia Empire and Marquis of Jinghai, was leading a fleet patrolling the South Seas to eliminate pirates and protect trade routes, and that he had heard of the strategic importance of Penang Island, he wished to lease a small plot of land there to establish a trading post and supply point for naval vessels to dock and repair, and to provide shelter for passing merchant ships, the Great Xia Empire offered the following in return:

1. Recognize and respect the sovereignty of the Sultan of Kedah over Penang, and use the leased territory only as a trading post.

Second, pay a considerable rent.

3. To provide military assistance to the Sultan of Kedah, including helping to train the army, providing weapons, and providing support when Kedah is threatened by external enemies.

IV. Grant the Sultanate of Kedah the most favorable treatment in trade with Daxia.

Faced with the sharp weapons and exquisite gifts displayed by the envoy, and recalling the formidable military exploits of the Great Xia fleet in Manila not long ago, Muhammad Jiva Sultan was tempted.

To him, Penang was nothing more than a remote and difficult-to-manage territory. If he could exchange it for the friendship, protection, and tangible benefits of a powerful empire, why wouldn't he be happy to do so? In particular, the clause about "helping to defend against foreign enemies" was extremely tempting to him.

With little hesitation, the Sultan agreed to the envoy's proposal.

After brief consultations, the two sides quickly reached an "Agreement on Friendly Trade and Leasing." According to the agreement:

1. The Sultanate of Kedah leased a piece of coastal land of about five square kilometers in the northeastern part of Penang to the Great Xia Empire for a term of ninety-nine years.

2. The Great Xia Empire paid the Sultan of Kedah an annual rent of five thousand taels of silver, as well as porcelain and silk of equivalent value.

3. The Great Xia Empire may construct facilities such as docks, warehouses, barracks, and forts within the leased territory and station necessary personnel, but promises not to interfere in Sudanese affairs outside the leased territory.

4. The Great Xia Empire pledged to protect the Sultanate of Kedah from foreign invasion and to grant it most-favored-nation treatment in trade.

The agreement was signed, written in both Chinese and Malay, and exchanged by both parties with their seals affixed.

Zheng Zhilong received the messenger's report and the text of the agreement, and nodded in satisfaction.

He knew that the value of this agreement lay not only in gaining a foothold, but also in establishing formal ties with the local rulers, providing a legal basis for future actions.

Before the ink on the agreement was even dry, Zheng Zhilong acted swiftly and decisively.

A large number of artisans, sailors and soldiers who accompanied the army landed on the leased territory of Penang and began a vigorous construction project.

The first structures built were simple wooden and stone docks and piers so that large warships could dock and unload supplies.

Immediately afterwards, sturdy warehouses and barracks sprang up from the ground.

At strategic high points and key coastal locations around the leased territory, the foundations for the gun emplacements were excavated, and heavy coastal defense guns unloaded from ships were hoisted ashore and installed.

A small ship repair shop has also begun to be built. Although it can only perform simple maintenance for the time being, it already shows the intention to operate it for a long time.

Zheng Zhilong named this place "Weiyuan Town," meaning "to awe the distant lands," and left a 500-strong marine corps and hundreds of craftsmen and sailors to garrison it, under the command of a capable general.

After completing initial construction, the main force of the fleet began patrolling the northern entrance of the Strait of Malacca and the surrounding waters, using Weiyuan Town as a temporary base.

The news that the Daxia Navy had established a base in Penang spread like wildfire throughout the Malay Peninsula and across the Straits.

The people most shocked and angry were naturally the Portuguese in Malacca.

Governor Fernando de Albuquerque erupted in fury at the Governor's Palace: "Those Bactrians! What are they trying to do? Establish a base on Penang? This is a blatant provocation! The Straits of Malacca belongs to us! It was bestowed upon us by His Majesty the King of Portugal! We will not allow anyone else to lay a finger on it!"

He immediately convened a meeting to discuss countermeasures.

Some radical officers advocated a preemptive strike, sending a fleet north to destroy the Penang stronghold while the Xia army was still consolidating its position. However, most officers and officials opposed this.

"Your Excellency, please calm down."

A seasoned colonel advised, "Do you remember Manila? What became of the Spanish? That Chinese fleet just demonstrated its power in Luzon. Most of our warships are in India and Europe; all that remains in Malacca are a few old caravels and galleys, no match for their new behemoths."

"Are we just going to stand by and watch them build a base right under our noses?" Albuquerque roared in frustration.

"Perhaps...we could ask Goa for help, or join forces with the Dutch?" someone suggested.

"Goa? They're barely able to save themselves! The Dutch? Hmph, those greedy merchants, they're lucky they didn't kick us when we're down!"

Albuquerque slumped down.

He knew that with Malacca's current strength, it was simply incapable of driving out the Da Xia people.

Forcing a war would only repeat the mistakes of Manila.

Ultimately, all the Portuguese could do was send Zheng Zhilong a strongly worded but empty diplomatic protest note, accusing the Great Xia Empire of "infringing on the rights and freedom of navigation of the Kingdom of Portugal in the Strait of Malacca" and demanding "immediate withdrawal from Penang."

Zheng Zhilong's reply to the note was brief and forceful: "The leased territory of Penang is the result of friendly negotiations between the Great Xia Empire and the Sultanate of Kedah, and is legal and compliant. The Great Xia Navy is here solely to protect merchants, suppress bandits, and ensure the safety of the waterways; it has no intention of infringing upon any legitimate rights. If Portuguese ships behave themselves and conduct trade as usual, they may pass without hindrance. If any misconduct occurs, our naval gunboats will punish them severely!"

The response came as the Great Xia fleet, during a "routine patrol" at the entrance to the strait, swiftly wiped out a group of pirates who had long been entrenched in the area and were suspected of colluding with certain forces, and displayed the head of the pirate leader on the flagpole of the newly built pier in Penang.

After this action, the Portuguese protests came to an abrupt end.

When Portuguese ships in the port of Malacca saw the Daxia warships flying the dragon flag again, they would lower their sails and slow down as a sign of respect.

Upon hearing the news, the Dutch East India Company's headquarters in Batavia merely strengthened its defenses without any overreaction. Instead, it secretly instructed merchant ships heading to the strait to strictly abide by the rules and not to provoke the Chinese.

The flames of war on Penang did not escalate into full-blown conflict, but they silently and powerfully signaled the formal entry of the Great Xia Empire's power into the Strait of Malacca.

The establishment of Weiyuan Town was like a nail driven into this vital trade route between East and West.

It is small in scale, but of great significance.

This means that from now on, any force that wants to threaten the Great Xia merchant ships through this waterway must think twice about the red flag with a golden dragon flying over Penang, and the rapidly rising Eastern giant behind that flag.

The balance of maritime power in Southeast Asia is undergoing a subtle but irreversible tilt.