Quanzhou, Fujian, Zheng Zhilong's mansion.

After being recruited by the imperial court, Zheng Zhilong basically did not go to sea, under normal circumstances, they were all in Quanzhou, as the governor of the Ming Dynasty, Zheng Zhilong's prestige was extraordinary, plus the Zheng family was rich and rivaled the country, and the people of Quanzhou often supported, in the local word, the prestige even exceeded the government, the Zheng family controlled the maritime trade for a long time, in order to control the sea routes, collect the fees of merchant ships from various countries to make a fortune quickly, all the merchant ships that paid the fees, will be issued a flag, unimpeded in the South China Sea, for this reason, the Dutch East India Company fleet, Unable to bear the exploitation of the Zheng family, he launched a naval battle with Zheng Zhilong's sailors, but he was helplessly defeated, so he could only give in, obediently pay the border fees, or pay high taxes, and secretly start a transaction in Daming.

A few years have passed, the Zheng family's supremacy on the sea has been completely stabilized, and Zheng Zhilong's status as a military attache in the imperial court has made the Zheng family's sailors and merchant ships even more rampant on the sea.

At this time, Weihaiwei in Dengzhou began to build a trade wharf, and it was allowed by the imperial court, the only wharf that opened the sea to prohibit trade, when he just got the news, Zheng Zhilong, who was furious, was even ready to protest against the imperial court, but under the persuasion of the people around him, Zheng Zhilong calmed down, he thought that the sailors of the imperial court were vulnerable, even if a commercial wharf was established in Weihaiwei, I am afraid it would not have much effect.

Soon, the unfavorable news came one by one, the one who built the wharf in Weihaiwei was Su Tiancheng, the governor of Jiliao, Su Tiancheng and the famous Jiangning battalion, Zheng Zhilong was clear, the people exterminated hundreds of thousands of rogues, and the golden tartars did not dare to move in Liaodong, if it was from the perspective of cavalry and foot soldiers, the Zheng family could not compete at all. It is easy for people to destroy the Zheng family in Zhangzhou, but Zheng Zhilong is still confident, the sailors of the Zheng family have been crisscrossing the sea for so many years, although Su Tiancheng's Jiangning battalion is brave, after all, it is the overlord on land.

Su Tiancheng formed a sailor division in Penglai City. Zheng Zhilong didn't particularly care, if he wanted to have a strong sailor, it was not as simple as he said, it would take several years to establish it, besides, the imperial court only had so much silver, and the sailor needed a lot of silver to maintain, where did Su Tiancheng get so much silver.

Fujian is far away from Liaodong and Shandong. The detailed situation, Zheng Zhilong could not know the situation, and the situation he knew about the Dao was all obtained from the newspaper.

The news of the opening of Weihaiwei Wharf made Zheng Zhilong unable to sit still. If the Zheng family's sailors don't show their power, I'm afraid that a large number of merchant ships will have to go to Weihaiwei and do business there directly. People can't ask for it, and the Dutch East Indian Ocean Company must have known the news. All the people made a detour from the Yellow Sea, and the Zheng family's business collapsed.

Zheng Zhilong surrendered to the Ming Dynasty and accepted Zhao'an, but in his bones, he was disdainful of the Ming Dynasty, the concept of master. It only exists in his words, if anyone infringes on his interests, he will be ruthless, and it is very quick to turn his face, in the end. Everything Zheng Zilong agrees with is for his own survival, so he has been a pirate, a businessman, he doesn't think that these things hurt his own image, he accepted the appeasement of the Ming Dynasty, although he was named the governor of Tongzhi, but a lot of behavior, still go his own way, he controls the hegemony of the sea, the purpose is to let the Zheng family get more income, by no means thinking about being able to do something for the imperial court, for the imperial court's orders, he also executes, but many times, he is benefited, his behavior, In history, Zheng Zhilong's surrender to the Qing Dynasty was also based on this consideration, he believed that the Ming Dynasty and the Qing Dynasty were just a change of master, and there was no essential difference.

Based on this understanding, and because of his own strength, Zheng Zhilong will not succumb to Su Tiancheng.

Zheng Zhilong is thirty-seven years old, just the right age, very energetic, everything is confident, in the family, there is the momentum of Mount Tai, and it is not to be seen when it comes to things that damage their own interests, which is also faintly doomed, there will be an extraordinary battle within the Ming Dynasty.

Zheng Zhilong's most trusted is his brother Zheng Hongkui, and he discussed many things with Zheng Hongkui.

Zheng Hongkui and Zheng Zhilong are different, for the loyalty of the Ming Dynasty, it comes from the heart, when Zheng Zhilong decided to accept the court's appeasement, Zheng Hongkui is strongly supportive, for some of Zheng Zhilong's practices, Zheng Hongkui has an opinion, but the Zheng family is in charge of Zheng Zhilong, Zheng Hongkui's role in speaking is not big, Zheng Hongkui is not a stupid person, Zhilu Dao does not have much effect on speaking, and he will not say much, as Zheng Chenggong grows up, the contact between Zheng Hongkui and Zheng Chenggong gradually increases, and I feel that Zheng Chenggong has some understanding, It's in line with yourself.

Zheng Hongkui is twenty-seven years old, young and vigorous, Zheng Chenggong is also sixteen years old, he has long understood the reason, the age difference between the two is not too big, some things are clear, Zheng Hongkui is also worried that Zheng Chenggong may be influenced by Zheng Zhilong, forming some bad understanding, so he should educate Zheng Zhilong when he has time, to form a correct understanding, to be clear about etiquette, righteousness and shame, what things can be done and what things cannot be done.

Zheng Hongkui hopes that the Zheng family can truly stand in the Ming Dynasty, rather than relying entirely on financial resources and force.

When Zheng Hongkui entered the room, he was followed by Zheng Chenggong.

Seeing Zheng Chenggong also come in, Zheng Zhilong was a little unhappy, he did not object to Zheng Gongcheng participating in the discussion of major family affairs, but it also depends on what the matter is, involving the affairs of the imperial court, Zheng Chenggong is better not to participate, although Zheng Zhilong does not care about his own background, everything is for the benefit of the family, but he still has the idea of hoping for Jackie Chan, Zheng Chenggong faintly revealed an extraordinary temperament, which Zheng Zhilong found out, and he was also very happy.

"Fusong, what are you doing, I'll discuss big things with your fourth uncle, so don't come in."

Fusong is Zheng Chenggong's nickname, Zheng Zhilong has always been called this way, and he has long been used to it.

Seeing such a situation, Zheng Hongkui hurriedly spoke.

"Big brother, Fusong has grown up, when I was Fusong's age, I had already followed my eldest brother around, if you want to talk about big things in the family, Fusong should also be involved, otherwise it will be difficult to take on big responsibilities in the future."

Zheng Chenggong stood at the door, with no intention of leaving, seeing such a situation, Zheng Zhilong shook his head and did not continue to ask Zheng Chenggong to leave.

Zheng Zhilong's main concern for big things and making major decisions, Zheng Chenggong also began to help Zheng Hongkui, managing the affairs of the sailor and the army, Zheng Gongcheng Chongzhen was admitted to Xiucai in the eleventh year, and was a scholar of the Zheng family, which made Zheng Zhilong proud, in fact, Zheng Chenggong did not spend much time by Zheng Zhilong's side, when he was a pirate in the past, he confronted the Ming Dynasty, Zheng Chenggong could not be by his side, and later accepted the appeasement of the imperial court, Zheng Chenggong came to Quanzhou.

After inquiring about the sailors and the army, Zheng Zhilong went straight to the topic.

"Fourth, Weihaiwei Wharf has been opened, this matter is a great threat to our Zheng family, what we can control is part of the South China Sea and the East China Sea, the open sea is so big, there are so many routes, we can't completely control it, the imperial court decided to open a sea ban in Weihaiwei, so wouldn't it take away our jobs, anyway, we are also the Ming Sailors, and I am also the governor of the imperial court, and the imperial court decided to open the sea ban at Weihaiwei Wharf, isn't this a slap in the face."

This matter, Zheng Zhilong has long proposed, Zheng Hongkui has been persuaded, but it has not had much effect, but from the interests of the family, Zheng Hongkui is also a little puzzled, including Zheng Chenggong, the Zheng family cannot have such a high consciousness, who doesn't love silver, now, the news of the official opening of Weihaiwei Wharf has come over, among the sailors and the army, it has formed a lot of shock and influence, and some officers are not convinced, clamoring to drive over to destroy Weihaiwei Wharf.

Zheng Zhilong didn't come up with a way to deal with it, Zheng Hongkui wouldn't speak, and Zheng Chenggong wouldn't open his mouth either, after all, Zheng Zhilong was in charge of the big things in the family, and they just put forward some supplementary opinions.

"It's not okay for us to look at it like this, although Weihaiwei Wharf was built with the permission of the imperial court, but our Zheng family also proposed to open the sea ban, and the imperial court didn't have any news, this is bullying, thinking that I, Zheng Zhilong, had been a pirate before, and fought with the Ming army, so I didn't trust it, so I made such a decision behind my back, which is definitely not good."

Zheng Zhilong looked at Zheng Hongkui and Zheng Chenggong.

"I decided, I want to give Weihaiwei Wharf a little color, this time, we are divided into two steps, all the way to tighten the control of the open sea, no matter where the fleet is, they are not allowed to go to Weihaiwei Wharf, all the way to Weihaiwei Wharf, disguise their identity, and destroy Weihaiwei Wharf."

Zheng Zhilong said this, and Zheng Hongkui finally spoke.

"Big brother, it's all the army of the imperial court, isn't it appropriate to do this?"

Zheng Chenggong was also about to speak, but was forced back by Zheng Zhilong with his eyes.

"What's inappropriate, the imperial court has always looked down on our Zheng family, thinking that my Zheng Zhilong's background is humble, then I'll give them a little bit of power, I heard that Su Tiancheng is very amazing, in all parts of the Ming Dynasty, like the sky, I want to see, this Su Tiancheng, how much ability, isn't he powerful, then I will destroy the Weihaiwei Wharf he built, see what his reaction is, and see what attitude the imperial court has." (To be continued......)