I, Kangxi, am here to overthrow the Qing and restore the Ming!

"Your Majesty! Your Excellencies!"

After Huang Wu presented his five treacherous schemes, Ao Bai pulled out another memorial from his sleeve and held it high: "This servant has just received an urgent report from Prince Jingnan, Geng Jimao! The Dutch have sent envoys to propose an alliance with our Great Qing to jointly attack the traitor Zheng!"

These words shocked everyone present!

To form an alliance with the Red-haired Barbarians?

Ao Bai surveyed the crowd triumphantly and declared loudly, "The Dutch have said they are willing to deploy their entire East India Company naval fleet to help our Great Qing blockade the seas and bombard Taiwan! And our Great Qing only needs to focus on the land battle and capture Taiwan!"

Borrowing their help to suppress the rebellion? Inviting a wolf into the house? This Geng Jimao is just like his father, Geng Jingzhong—they're cut from the same cloth!

Hong Xiguan sneered inwardly; he knew there was no such thing as a free lunch.

Sure enough, Ao Bai's next words confirmed his guess.

"Once it's done," Ao Bai's tone became even more excited, "all our Great Qing needs to do is hand over Taiwan Island and all its facilities to the Dutch!"

"Bang!"

A loud bang shocked the entire hall!

Hong Xiguan, with his thin frame, suddenly stood up from the dragon throne and slammed his hand hard on the imperial desk!

Because of the excessive force, the vermilion pen and jade paperweight on the table were shaken and jumped up, making a series of crisp, chaotic sounds.

All eyes turned in astonishment to the small figure on the imperial steps.

The new emperor, who was only eight years old, was furious, his clear eyes burning with an unprecedented and raging rage!

What the hell is this if not treason?!

In order to eliminate Zheng Chenggong, you actually want to invite wolves into the house and hand over Chinese territory to Western barbarians?!

You bunch of Manchurian pigs! Is your brain filled with shit?!

"absurd!"

Hong Xiguan pointed at the memorial in Ao Bai's hand and shouted angrily, "Whose suggestion was this?! This is treason! This is an utter disgrace!"

The entire hall was completely silent.

Everyone was stunned by the young emperor's sudden and thunderous rage.

Ao Bai was also taken aback. He obviously did not expect that this "mascot" who was usually docile and respectful and only knew how to read and write would dare to slam the table and curse people in front of the entire court!

But he immediately became enraged!

How dare a greenhorn like him point fingers at me?

Ao Bai raised his head, his bull-like eyes, like copper bells, staring directly at Kangxi on the dragon throne without any hesitation, his tone full of contempt and disdain.

"Your Majesty, what do you know?"

Holy crap! He actually said I didn't know anything?!

How dare you, a semi-literate brute, question me, a history major who has received nine years of compulsory education and four years of higher education?!

Hong Xiguan was so angry he almost burst out laughing.

Ao Bai continued in a lecturing tone, "Now, the greatest enemy of our Great Qing is the traitor Zheng! This villain has been entrenched at sea for over a decade, opposing our Great Qing, and even... even causing the late Emperor to suffer!"

"Such a formidable threat, if we do not seize this opportunity to unite all available forces and annihilate them in one fell swoop, are we to sit idly by and watch them grow stronger in Taiwan, becoming a thorn in the side of our Great Qing?!"

That sounds so grand and dignified!

Isn't it because your Eight Banners Navy is utterly useless, getting thrashed at sea, and now that you're desperate, you're thinking of seeking outside help?!

If you're incompetent, just admit it. Why make excuses?

Suppressing his anger, Hong Xiguan coldly said, "Suppressing Zheng Chenggong is a matter of national importance! But allying with the Dutch and ceding Taiwan is absolutely unacceptable!"

"Taiwan has been part of China's territory since ancient times! How can we hand it over to foreigners because of a temporary war?! If we do, how will future generations evaluate our Great Qing? How will history record my reign as Emperor Kangxi?!"

These words were spoken with resounding force and righteous indignation.

Some of His Highness's Han officials, such as Chen Tingjing and Xiong Cili, nodded in agreement and looked at the young emperor with a newfound respect.

However, Ao Bai scoffed dismissively upon hearing this.

"Your Majesty, it's just a remote, desolate island, mostly inhabited by Han Chinese who refuse to submit to Your Majesty's rule. Giving it away is fine! As long as we can completely destroy the Zheng family and eliminate future troubles, what is this small price to pay?!"

brute!

In your eyes, are the lives of Han people not lives, and the land of Han people not land?!

You Manchu nobles, deep down, never considered this land your home! You only saw it as a spoil of war that you could take at will!

Hong Xiguan was so angry that he trembled all over!

He finally understood why the later Qing Dynasty signed so many humiliating treaties that ceded national sovereignty.

Because, in their subconscious, this "ancestral land of China" was never theirs to begin with, so they naturally don't feel any pain when they take it away!

"I disagree!"

Hong Xiguan used all his strength to roar out these four words!

He stared intently at Ao Bai, his eyes filled with a resolute light.

Ao Bai's face darkened completely.

He took a step forward, his armor clattering as he exuded a fierce killing intent that pressed directly at Hong Xiguan on the dragon throne.

"Your Majesty, you have not yet assumed personal rule! Important matters of state should be decided jointly by us regents and the council of princes and ministers! It is not yet... your place to make these decisions!"

A blatant threat!

In front of the entire court, he made no attempt to conceal his contempt!

Looking at Ao Bai's face, which was filled with "I just don't accept this," Hong Xiguan knew that there would be no point in continuing the conversation today.

Good! Good for you, Ao Bai!

You just wait!

Today you ignore me, tomorrow I'll make you unable to reach me!

No, there is no tomorrow! Once I assume full power, you will be the first person I deal with!

Hong Xiguan abruptly flung his sleeves, stood up from the dragon throne, and shouted in a trembling voice filled with humiliation and anger, "Dismiss the court!"

Having said that, he turned and walked quickly down the steps without looking back, disappearing behind the main hall.

……

Ultimately, without the emperor's "obstruction," the Council of Princes and Ministers quickly reached a consensus.

One after another, cold imperial edicts were issued from the Forbidden City, flying towards the vast southeast.

First, he appointed Annamite General Dasu, who had "survived" the Battle of Xiamen, to regroup his remaining troops, redeem himself, and prepare for a new general offensive against Zheng's army, capturing Zheng's strongholds on the mainland, such as Xiamen, and destroying their rear bases.

Secondly, the Qing court officially issued the "Edict to Appease Zheng Chenggong's Subordinates Who Have Made Meritorious Contributions and Surrendered," which was full of the means to buy off and divide: those who could capture or kill Zheng Chenggong alive would be granted the title of marquis! Those who led their troops to surrender would retain their original official positions and be rewarded with 10,000 taels of silver! Those who could persuade Zheng's generals to surrender would be rewarded according to their merits! In this way, the Qing court divided and disintegrated Zheng's army and weakened its resistance.

Thirdly, and most viciously, the Qing government officially issued the "Evacuation Order," forcibly ordering all coastal residents of the five provinces of Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guangdong to migrate inland for 30 to 50 li within three days!

Three days later, all houses outside the boundary will be burned down! All fields will be abandoned! Not a single plank of wood will be allowed to go to sea; violators will be killed without exception!

The purpose of this was to sever the connection between the coastal people and Zheng's army, prevent Zheng's army from obtaining supplies, prohibit maritime trade, and cut off Zheng's economic resources.

Fourth, he ordered Prince Jingnan, Geng Jimao, to immediately formally negotiate cooperation details with the Dutch East India Company, establish a military alliance, and launch a pincer attack from the north and south to jointly defeat Zheng's army!

A massive catastrophe that engulfed millions of people along the southeastern coast, and a sordid deal involving the betrayal of national sovereignty, were decided with a casual remark amidst the laughter and conversation of these so-called "pillars of the nation."

Hong Xiguan sat in the Southern Study, listening to the final decision delivered by the eunuch, without uttering a word.

However, the wolf-hair brush in his hand had been forcibly broken into two pieces by him.

Tolerate!

We must endure it!

A gentleman takes his revenge, even after ten years!

Huang Wu, Ao Bai... you beasts, just you wait!

Wait until the day I assume full power, and then we'll see how you all die!