March 15, Republic 4, Naha Port.

The gongs and drums sounded loudly, and the drizzle fell. In the midst of the storm, three thousand carefully selected colonial cannon fodder soldiers were silently boarding the ship. In the distance, the officials and people of the Ryukyu Kingdom waved goodbye to these "supernumerary kings" who were about to embark on the road of no return, and let out a series of hoarse shouts.

The waves are not small, and there are gusts of southwest wind blowing on the sea, pushing the ten Western-style soft-sailed boats in the harbor to keep undulating and fluctuating. These 10 Western-style schooners are the entire lineup of the "First New World Expedition to the Beginning of the Age of Exploration in East Asia" that was blown into the sky by later historians.

Unlike the history that later generations have embellished and whitewashed, the main force of the real "First New World Expedition" was actually a group of losers in the desperate East Asian continental conquest. They are either coerced, or bewitched, or because they are too stupid, so they go to this point of no return in a daze - yes, this is a point of no return! For most people, at least, all they get is a one-way ticket to the New World.

Of course, there are some people who can return. After all, Zheng Jing, the driving force behind the promotion of this "First New World Expedition" and the financier, did not pay for this great expedition across the ocean in order to let these 3,000 guests die in a foreign land.

His purpose in doing this was twofold, one was to expand into the Luzon Islands - to sack Acapulco, and then occupy the Banderas Valley, which was far away from Mexico City, and put on a posture of opening up a colony, which would definitely attract the main army of the New Spaniards to besiege it, so that the Spaniards would not be able to send reinforcements to the Philippines, and might even retreat directly from the Philippine Governorate. In this way, the Zheng family's Nanyang Trading Company was able to avoid a brutal and lengthy siege in the tropical island area, and thus seized the castles of Manila and a large number of ready-made estates, towns, and ports on Luzon without much effort. The development results of more than 100 years of the Spaniards can completely fall into the hands of the Zheng family.

And the price that needs to be paid is just Geng Jingzhong and his 3,000 cannon fodder soldiers, which is really insignificant!

Zheng Jing's second purpose is to open up the Pacific route!

Although he wanted to rob the Spaniards of Luzon, he did not want to interrupt trade with Spain. And he didn't want to trouble the Spaniards all the way to the East. He wanted to monopolize the Pacific route, and in the future, he sent people to the Pacific Ocean, and transported the silk, porcelain, tea, sugar, and Japanese lacquerware of the Ming Dynasty to the New World, and then casually made several times the net profit. This heart is not too dark, is it?

As for Zheng Jing, who opened up territory and established colonial cities on the west coast of the New World, he was hailed by later generations as "the pioneer of Chinese colonization", "the great navigator", and "the sea overlord of the seventeenth century", he never thought about it at all.

Because of the business of colonization and reclamation, the investment is large, the risk is high, and the return cycle is too long. If you don't pay attention, you lose! How could Zheng Jing put his own silver into this?

Of course, it is quite good to grab the territory that has been developed by others, especially the Hokkien and Teochew people who have gathered there in large numbers, and he, the leader of the Hokkien and Teochew people, can easily establish a ruling territory there.

It is precisely because Zheng Jing has also opened up a new Pacific route that some of the people who went out in this wave can still go home alive. Feng Xifan, who is now on the dock with Zheng Jing watching the cannon fodder board the ship, is a master who can return home alive.

The two almost "fine" "colonial pioneers" and "great navigators" were quietly exchanging opinions.

"Xifan, when you reach that Banderas Valley, let Geng Jingzhong kill all the Spanish sailors who are not needed!" Zheng Jing waved his feather fan and made a murderous gesture, "Release that Gonzalez and let him go and report to the vice king of New Spain." ”

"Understood!" Feng Xifan nodded and smiled wickedly, "In this way, King Geng and his men can only fight to the end with the Spaniards in the Banderas Valley!" ”

Zheng Jing also said: "If they want to fight to the end, it is not enough to just vote for their names, we must make Geng Jingzhong and his subordinates believe that I, Zheng Jing, will definitely send reinforcements and their families to Banderas Valley by sea. As long as they hold on firmly, they are not afraid that they will not be able to fight their own home country!

Hehe, the longer they hold out in Banderas Valley and the better they play, the more chips we have! ”

"Don't worry, the king," Feng Xifan said, "Geng Jingzhong will definitely be able to guard for a long time, and the three thousand people who follow him are all carefully selected, and everyone has a family member on Dayuan Island, so they will definitely not betray." And all of them are strong, and they have all been on the battlefield. The flintlock muskets, cuirasses, helmets, swords, and spears we prepared for them were the best. Therefore, the advantage is in Geng, and it must be able to be kept! ”

Zheng Jing nodded, "Then the king will rest assured!" ”

"Your Excellency, Your Excellency has made it clear that the land of Acapulco is a place of pleasant scenery, abundant products, and easy to defend and difficult to attack. It is surrounded by mountains, sheltered by the ocean, and has a narrow entrance to the bay and an open interior. The Spaniards have been operating there for more than 100 years, with forts, fortresses, markets, docks, shipyards, warehouses, everything, and surrounded by coastal flatlands. ”

In the stern luxury cabin of the English-style Galen galleon owned by Zheng Jing and made in Quanzhou, known as the "King Louis the Great". Geng Jingzhong's confidant in the Ryukyu Island, Qingjiu, is talking about good things about the port of Acapulco - he can't do this new lord who doesn't encourage him! As far as the Satsuma clan is concerned, he is a traitor who has broken away from the domain! I'm going to apologize when I go back!

Therefore, he and the other Satsuma samurai in the Ryukyu Camp can only follow Geng Jingzhong to the dark one way now!

Geng Jingzhong wants to go to the New World to crusade against the Spanish barbarians, and they can only follow, not only to follow, but also to help the Lord Gonggong.

And Geng Jingzhong sent to the investigation office Qingjiu, Huashan Jiuqin and their devils, in this shipjacking operation, responsible for playing the role of Jinyi Wei expert. After some kind interrogation, they basically found out the customs and defense situation of the port of Acapulco.

According to Gonzalez and Juan. López's confession, that Acapulco is definitely a good place!

"My lord," said Hisashi Kayama, who took Kiyohisa's words, continued, "this Acapulco is seven or eight hundred miles away from Mexico City, the seat of the vice-king of New Spain! If we can capture Acapulco in one fell swoop, it will probably take a month for the Spanish counterattack force to arrive. When the time comes, we only need to come to the fortified wall and clear the wilderness, and then hold on to the cage city, and we can force the Spaniards back! ”

"How's that Banderas Valley?" Geng Jingzhong asked.

This place was carefully selected by Zheng Jing for him.

But Zheng Jing is of course fine! He didn't plan to completely tear his face with the Spaniards, so he still wanted to leave Acapulco to Spain, so that everyone could still do business in the future!

Otherwise, Spain's trading ports were gone, how could Zheng Jing cross the Pacific Ocean to trade with the Spaniards? He can't go all the way to the Atlantic just to trade with the Spaniards, can he?

"The scenery and the harbor there are no less than Acapulco," said Hisahima Kayama, "but it is farther away from Mexico City, so it is not a big port that the Spaniards focused on, and it is now far inferior to Acapulco." Therefore, the minister suggested that His Excellency the general should occupy Acapulco as a base and pass through the land of New Spain! ”

Geng Jingzhong nodded, "I will leave it to you after knowing the strategy of raiding Acapulco, you must discuss it with Father Gao and Father Li, but don't tell them that General Ben is going to occupy Acapulco as the foundation!" ”

"Hay!"

The two little Japan agreed very simply, and Geng Jingzhong also knew that they were more serious in their work, and their tone was tight, so they would not let that Feng Xifan know that the plan had changed! And the plan provided by Zheng Jing and Feng Xifan always feels that it is not quite right!

Nanjing, Little Palace.

The net whip rang three times, and the cigarette smoke was swirling.

The small palace on the edge of the dilapidated Forbidden City in the imperial city of Nanjing, this time is really lively and festive, a moment to offer victory, a moment to reward heroes, a while and the Western Zhou Dynasty, the Northern Qing Dynasty to come to claim the minister!

However, what makes "Emperor Ming Xian" Zhu Cijiong most happy is that he has increased his salary! From the original daily salary of 100 taels, it suddenly rose to 300 taels per day - an annual income of 100,000!

Seriously, "Emperor Ming Xian" has never lived such a rich life in his life!

Of course, the reason why he can raise his salary so much is also because of his struggle! He was the first emperor in history to strike for a wage increase! This one. It can also prove from the side that the current Ming Dynasty has really entered the initial stage of capitalism.

People are on strike. Not yet capitalism?

During this time, Zheng Jing, a real capitalist, returned to Fujian, saying that he was going to implement Fujian's republican new policy. Li Fuchen returned to Guangdong, and also went to toss the republic. Wu Guogui had just taken office as governor of Hunan. Li Laishun is still in Hubei to guard Li Zicheng's filial piety. Therefore, only Li Zhongshan, Liu Jinzhong, Lu Sanhao, and Chen Yonghua were the only four who dealt with the emperor's strike in Nanjing.

And Liu Jinzhong, the king of the north, refuses to be a villain, and is used to Zhu Cijiong. So Li Zhongshan also had to agree to give Zhu Cijiong a salary increase. If you don't agree, it's not okay, this Zhu Cijiong is now bad at learning, and he strikes when he provokes the envoys of the Qing Dynasty and the Great Zhou Dynasty to kowtow to him.

What should Li Zhongshan do?

I can't say that you will come back later, our emperor is on strike here.

However, after the salary increase, Zhu Cijiong is still very hard-working, and now in order to accept the Qing Dynasty and the Great Zhou Dynasty outside the main hall of the small palace, he is even willing to go to the early court to go back to the imperial gate to listen to the government!

Although Zhu Cijiong's father, Emperor Chongzhen, was particularly diligent, he went to the morning court almost every day after becoming the emperor, and he can be called a model worker. But Zhu Cijiong, the emperor, was very lazy, with a high salary of one hundred and two days, he was stunned that he had not been to the early dynasty for a day. Sleep until three o'clock in the morning every day, and then meet with the minister in a so-so manner, and approve the recital - he, the emperor, still has the right to "approve" the recital, and can only be "approved", not "no", nor "stayed". There is still some power

And his "quasi-playing" thing has been executed well so far, which is stronger than Chongzhen.

Such a lazy "Mingjun" is actually diligent today. Before dawn, the carriages, mule carts, and sedan chairs outside the small palace were in a string, and the white lanterns lit up were dotted, and the officials of the neatly dressed General's Palace, Shangshu Province, and the Parliamentary Assembly had all gathered, waiting for the court meeting.

Chang Ning, Mingzhu, Fang Ying, Wang Shirong and others, who came to Nanjing to kowtow to Emperor Zhu of the Ming Dynasty, also changed into their most formal court clothes, and waited outside the gate of the small palace for the official who was subordinate to Jinyiwei to announce their audience.

With a loud voice of "The emperor has arrived", the kings, ministers, and parliamentary officials standing in the courtyard of the small palace all shouted long live and worshipped - just bowing, kowtowing and not kowtowing.

After everyone worshiped Emperor Zhu, they stood there one by one (there were many people and the courtyard was small, so they could only stand), and looked up. I saw Emperor Zhu in court clothes, sitting on the throne, looking at everyone with a smile. Seeing that the ministers were already in place, he smiled and said: "Yesterday, King Ying, King Bei, Chen Zuocheng, and Lu Youcheng came together, and today there are envoys from the Western Zhou Dynasty and the Northern Qing Dynasty to call the ministers to pay tribute, so they are called the early dynasty. ”

He has to make it clear that this "morning shift" is only one day, and you can't just because your salary has been doubled, and you will do it every day until the ghost crows, this is not good!

Seeing that the ministers below had no objections, Zhu Cijiong continued to say: "Are the envoys of the Western Zhou Dynasty and the Northern Qing Dynasty here?" If they come, declare them to be seen. ”

"Back to the emperor," Li Yat-sen said, "The envoys of the Western Zhou Dynasty and the Northern Qing Dynasty have arrived, please ask the emperor to announce the Prince of the Northern Qing Dynasty, Chang Ning, and the scholar Mingzhu." ”

"Announce it!" Zhu Cijiong nodded.

Then the summoner shouted loudly, and then he saw Chang Ning and Mingzhu walking into the courtyard that seemed a little cramped under the guidance of the two brocade guards, and went straight to Zhu Cijiong's under the royal gate.

"Kneel!" The summoner shouted again.

Chang Ning and Mingzhu immediately shook their sleeves, put down their robes again, and knelt down for Zhu Cijiong, and then bowed three times and knocked nine times, and the mountain shouted long live.

After the two of them finished kowtowing, Zhu Cijiong opened his mouth and asked, "Chang Ning, what's your surname?" I didn't hear it clearly. ”

"Hui Emperor, the foreign minister's surname is Aixin Jueluo."

"It's a Manchurian surname, isn't it?" Zhu Cijiong asked knowingly.

"Your Majesty."

"Then do you have a Han surname?" Zhu Cijiong then asked.

"Hui Emperor, the minister does not have a Han surname." Chang Ning replied truthfully, and then suddenly raised his voice, "Your Majesty, the ministers have always admired Chinese culture, and I want to ask the emperor to give the ministers a Han surname." ”

It's still quite interesting!

In fact, Zhu Cijiong was going to give Chang Ning a Han surname - this was not his idea, but Li Zhongshan, Lu Sanhao, and Chen Yonghua were making them bad.

"Okay," Zhu Cijiong said with a smile, "Then give you a surname Zhu, and you will be called Zhu Changning in the future!" But that word has to be changed to a long and short length, would you like it? ”

Mingguangzong Zhu Changluo is a generation of "Chang", if Changning's "Chang" does not change, and the surname is Zhu, this generation is not right!

So Zhu Cijiong changed the word "long" to him, and it will be Zhu Changning in the future.

Although he changed his name, he still made Prince Gong very happy.

The surname is Zhu!

Now the backstage is as hard as a steel plate, and I am no longer afraid of Wu Xuanye getting rid of myself.

And as soon as Zhu Changning is stable, Shunzhi and Fuquan will be able to survive.

As soon as he thought of this, Zhu Changning immediately burst into tears, kowtowed heavily, and said, "Minister Zhu Changning bows to thank God!" ”

Seeing his grateful look, Li Zhongshan, Lu Sanhao, and Chen Yonghua all showed satisfied smiles - Wu Xuanye and Zhu Changning, do these two look like brothers? Will the interior of the Qing Dynasty be stable in the future? I'm looking forward to it!

At this time, Zhu Cijiong continued to ask according to Li Zhongshan, Lu Sanhao, and Chen Yonghua: "Zhu Changning, I heard that your brother Wu Xuanye is going to launch a Mongolian expedition to the west?" Is there such a thing? ”

"It is true." Zhu Changning said, "Brother Wu Xuanye is now practicing the official system in the north and south, and he claims to be the Great Khan of Mongolia in the north. In recent years, the Mongol tribes have been bullied by the Western Rakshasa barbarian states, and the land has become more and more cramped and the people have become fewer and fewer, and they have gradually withered, and the Golden Horde, Kazan Khanate, Siberian Khanate and other great powers have perished. At the same time, the Chagatai Khanate, one of the four khanates, was also declining and difficult to revive, and the Mughal lands in the west were in turmoil.

Therefore, his brother Wu Xuanye intended to join forces with Wu Shifan, the son-in-law of Chagatai Khan and the lord of the Western Zhou Dynasty, to launch a westward expedition in an effort to restore the territory of the Golden Horde and the Chagatai Khanate. ”

"So, you and Wu Xuanye are both Mongolians now?" Zhu Cijiong asked again.

This question was not taught by Li Yat-sen, but Zhu Cijiong himself was curious.

"The emperor is shengming," Zhu Changning said, "the ministers and the ministers are all in China, and if they enter Yidi, they will be Yidi." Now the northern Qing Dynasty runs the official system in the north and south, with Huaxia in the south and Yidi in the north. The minister had a fief in Huaxia and a fief in Yidi. Therefore, the minister is both Huaxia and Yidi. ”

This wishful thinking is really loud!

Kangxi separated the northern officials and the southern officials, that is, divided the Qing Dynasty into two. Part of Yidi, part of Han Chinese. In case the Han part can't hold it, he still has the Yidi part, and he can continue to fight against the Ming Dynasty.

And Kangxi now wants to launch a war to restore the Golden Horde, which is to expand the Yidi part of the Qing Dynasty, in order to face the loss of the country after the crisis of the Han land in the future, the country will be too damaged.

"Then who will be the Golden Horde?" Zhu Cijiong asked again.

"Returning to the emperor," Zhu Changning said, "the courtier brother has reached an alliance with Galdan, the leader of the Mongol tribes of Oirat, to send troops to the land of Mughal together, and after the matter is completed, he will be the Golden Horde." ”

Kangxi is quite able to fool! Li Yat-sen said in his heart: I don't know if Galdan will become bigger because of this, and finally destroy the Qing Dynasty? That Galdan is Kangxi's old enemy!

(End of chapter)