Total War: Restoration of the Ming Dynasty in Luzon

Chapter 78 Guangzhou Meeting

Although Zhu Jiheng already had plans to launch a counterattack on Taiwan, he also knew that once he was exposed to the Qing court, Kangxi would definitely retaliate at all costs.

Therefore, before the actual counterattack, Zhu Jiheng's army must have numbered at least 10,000.

Ten thousand might not seem like much on the Eastern battlefield, but it was more than enough to deal with the Qing Dynasty. To prevent Han Chinese from rebelling, the Qing Dynasty dispersed the Eight Banners and Green Standard Army to various places. It would take time to gather troops, and even if they were gathered, the scale would not be very large.

The Ming army was able to deploy tens of thousands of troops at the same time to fight against the Qing army. In some battles, they were outnumbered and outgunned. With the support of their superior navy, even if the Qing army launched a continuous attack from Fujian, it was all in vain and they were just sending their troops to their deaths.

Currently, Zhu Jiheng has a total of 6180 soldiers under his command, excluding artillery. These include 27 squadrons of line infantry, 5 squadrons of colonial infantry, 12 squadrons of skirmishers, 6 squadrons of grenadiers, 6 squadrons of dragoons, 6 squadrons of local cavalry regiments, and 8 squadrons of 12-pounder infantry guns and 4 squadrons of falcon guns.

If all efforts were made to recruit soldiers from the various subjugated indigenous tribes and equip them with captured Western-style weapons, the resulting fighting force would be considerable even without a period of military training.

Zhu Jiheng could have chosen to wait a few more months to recruit system soldiers and expand their numbers to tens of thousands, but the intelligence sent from Batavia made him realize that he didn't have enough time to slowly recruit soldiers.

Documents seized from the Governor's Office and the confessions of captured parliamentarians clearly show that the Dutch had sent envoys to Guangzhou to contact the Qing court, attempting to unite with the Qing to strangle the Ming army in Luzon. In other words, Zhu Jiheng's worst-case scenario had indeed come true.

This made Zhu Jiheng feel fortunate that he had the courage to strike first and eliminate the Dutch influence before the Dutch and the Qing Dynasty could form an alliance.

Otherwise, facing two enemies at the same time and fighting on two fronts, even if you eventually win, you will pay a heavy price.

The sea route from Batavia to Guangzhou could take less than two months with favorable winds. Considering the time, the Dutch envoys might have already arrived in Guangzhou and made contact with the Qing court. If the Qing court knew about this, they would most likely strengthen their defenses in Taiwan. Zhu Jiheng did not have much time left.

Realizing this, Zhu Jiheng immediately ordered the Nanyang Fleet to take the captured Dutch ships and transport the land forces back to Luzon, leaving only necessary two-masted fast ships and five squadrons of colonial infantry in Malacca and Batavia to guard against Dutch convoys reinforcing from Ceylon.

As for his rule over Batavia, Zhu Jiheng ordered that Batavia be renamed Nanyang Prefecture, meaning the administrative, economic and military center of the Nanyang region. It was divided into two counties, Java and Semarang, and Shen Mingda was appointed as the first Nanyang Prefect, in charge of military and political affairs in Java, Malacca and other places.

The sultans and indigenous princes of Mataram, Banten, and other sultanates who submitted to the regime were appointed as Pacification Commissioners, given Pacification Commissioner Seals, and ordered to pay tribute regularly.

Zhu Jiheng did not forget the remaining Spanish and Dutch forces in places like Zamboanga and the Spice Islands. He sent people to issue ultimatums to the various Western barbarians, demanding that they voluntarily withdraw from Southeast Asia and preserve their lives and property. If the Ming army came to their doorstep, they would be wiped out.

By this time, news of the fall of Batavia and the annihilation of the main Dutch fleet had already spread. The Spanish in Zamboanga had been frightened by the Ming army's feigned attacks and cannon fire, and upon hearing that even the Dutch were no match for them, they had no courage to fight against the Ming army and surrendered the city to the Ming and withdrew from Southeast Asia.

The Dutch were also terrified and lost their courage. After all, their main fleet had been completely wiped out, and the remaining small fry could not cause any trouble. They had no ability to fight against the Ming army. They could only choose to save their lives and retreat to the Spice Islands in humiliation.

Of course, Antonie Valentine, far away in Guangzhou, was completely unaware of all this.

After being appointed by the governor as plenipotentiary envoy to the Tatars, he finally arrived in Guangzhou after nearly two months.

After a series of bribes, lobbying, assistance from local Dutch merchants, and a tedious wait, he successfully made contact with Wu Xingzuo, the then Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi, and was summoned by Wu Xingzuo.

Wu Xingzuo was not actually very interested in this foreign envoy. It was only after his advisors received gifts from others and pulled some strings that he finally became somewhat interested and summoned the envoy.

Inside the Governor-General's Mansion of Guangdong and Guangxi, Wu Xingzuo sat in the main seat of the flower hall, his face calm, gently toying with a teacup in his hand, and sizing up the well-dressed foreign envoy in front of him.

The staff and interpreters standing in the hall also looked at the red-haired devil with different expressions.

They didn't take the meeting seriously. Based on Wu Xingzuo's understanding of these foreigners, the so-called important matter was mostly about expanding the company's trading privileges in China. If these foreign devils hadn't been so generous, he wouldn't have bothered with it.

"Antony Valentin, Plenipotentiary Envoy of the Dutch East India Company, greets Your Excellency the Governor." Valentin, speaking in broken but fairly clear Mandarin, bowed as instructed by the interpreter.

He had done his homework beforehand, knowing that etiquette and wording were very important when dealing with these high-ranking officials from the East. There had been instances where company envoys had offended officials due to poor manners and were expelled from the country, which was considered a light punishment; some had even been beaten out with sticks.

"Hmm." Wu Xingzu nodded slightly, his tone calm: "What brings you here from so far?"

Valentine straightened up and began to deliver his prepared statement: "Your Excellency, I have come on the orders of His Excellency the Governor-General of the Dutch East India Company to inform your country of an urgent military matter concerning both sides, especially the security of your country's rule."

"Oh?" Wu Xingzu raised an eyebrow slightly, and said calmly, "I'd like to hear the details."

"Has Your Excellency heard that the Spanish, who once ruled Luzon, have been defeated by a Chinese armed force claiming to be descendants of the former Ming imperial family, and that their leader has even declared himself regent of the Ming dynasty in Manila?"

Wu Xingzuo's expression remained unchanged, but his heart skipped a beat; he was not entirely unaware of the news from the Ming court in Luzon.

He had heard about the matter to some extent from sporadic reports from the southeastern coast and rumors from passing merchant ships. However, the information was previously chaotic and difficult to verify, and with the vast ocean separating them, he had no way to investigate, so he did not formally submit a report to the court.

However, the fact that the Dutch envoy is now bringing it up so seriously clearly indicates that the rumors are not fabricated, but rather true.

However, Wu Xingzuo's composure prevented him from showing his shock. Instead, he casually remarked, "I have heard of it, but it's nothing more than a minor ailment, something for overseas Chinese to protect themselves."

Although Valentine didn't understand what scabies meant, it didn't stop him from seeing that Wu Xingzuo didn't seem to care. He showed just the right amount of worry on his face and quickly said:

"Your Excellency, if it were merely a matter of overseas Chinese seeking self-preservation, I would never have traveled so far to disturb you. The truth is, this force has grown rapidly and harbors immense ambitions. They have not only swiftly integrated the Chinese communities across Luzon, but also recently seized Cebu Island, formerly part of Spain, with swift and decisive action, demonstrating their formidable land and naval strength!"

He stepped forward, his tone becoming more earnest: "More importantly, that so-called 'Ming Dynasty Regent' has publicly declared his intention to overthrow the Qing and restore the Ming, vowing to expel your country and restore the old capital."

This is no longer just a group of overseas refugees; it is a rebellion with clear objectives and powerful military force, directly challenging your country! Allowing it to grow unchecked will inevitably attract more Chinese with disloyal intentions, turning it into an overseas stronghold and breeding ground for rebellion against your country, with endless future troubles!

As Wu Xingzuo listened to the interpreter's retelling, his expression gradually became serious.

Overthrow the Qing and restore the Ming?

These four words made him take them seriously. If it were just these four words, he could still regard them as a small force created by a group of former dynasty remnants who were dissatisfied with the new dynasty, and they were not worth worrying about.

But if you add the descendants of the former Ming imperial family, then the nature of the matter changes.

Since the Qing Dynasty entered the pass and pacified the world, rebellions against the court, large and small, have sprung up one after another. If those Han people knew that there were Ming Dynasty princes who had established a country overseas, they would definitely rise up even more frantically and shake the foundation of the Qing Dynasty's rule.

This is absolutely intolerable!

Moreover, if Wu Xingzuo remembers correctly, during Shi Lang's conquest of Taiwan and the transport of Ming dynasty members of the imperial family back to the mainland, one member of the imperial family did indeed escape, and there is still a warrant for the arrest of that so-called heir of the Prince of Lu.

Could it be... that the heir of the Prince of Lu fled to Luzon?

If it really is him, then this person can be described as a monster.

He managed to escape from Taiwan with his entire family, and even traveled thousands of miles overseas to defeat the Western barbarians and unite overseas Chinese to establish a nation. If it weren't for his differing stances, he would have truly praised this man as a hero.

"Is there any evidence to support your claim, Your Excellency?" Wu Xingzuo's expression became serious, and he addressed Valentine more formally.

"certainly!"

Valentine was prepared. He took out several documents from his briefcase and presented them through an interpreter: "These are the declarations issued by the rebel when he proclaimed himself regent in Manila. They have been copied by our intelligence personnel."

Wu Xingzuo took the document handed to him by the interpreter, and his eyes first fell on the words "Heir Apparent of the Prince of Lu of the Great Ming Dynasty". He felt a chill in his heart. If this person was not pretending, then he was indeed a former member of the Ming imperial family who had fled from Taiwan.

He skimmed through the rest of the text, no longer interested in reading it carefully. This bombshell news weighed heavily on his mind. Knowing His Majesty the Emperor, he was certain that once the court learned of this, they would launch a military campaign against him at any cost.

An expedition across the sea will inevitably result in widespread suffering and loss of life.

Valentine took in Wu Xingzuo's subtle expressions and pressed his advantage, urging, "Your Excellency, these rebels have enormous expansionist ambitions. If we allow them to grow stronger, they will inevitably threaten the entire Southeast Asia, and even your country's Formosa and southeastern coast!"

Wu Xingzuo knew that what the Dutch said was not an exaggeration. If, as they said, Luzon had been integrated and had the support of the vast overseas Chinese community, it would have become a force to be reckoned with!

"Your Excellency, do you still believe these rebels pose no threat?" Valentine continued, "These rebels are our common enemy. In order to curb their expansion and safeguard the commercial security of Southeast Asia, we are willing to join forces with your country once again."

"We are willing to use our navy to blockade their sea routes and destroy their ships and ports, while your country only needs to send its army to land and strike directly at Manila. As long as both sides join forces and attack from the north and south, we will surely be able to suppress these rebels in one fell swoop and eliminate future troubles!"

"At that time, the property of the rebels and their followers can be disposed of by your country; the occupied land will be taken over by our side. In compensation, our side can also share part of the military expenses and food required for your country's military deployment."

Wu Xingzu put down the documents, pondered in silence, but his heart was in turmoil.

This matter was of great importance. A powerful former Ming dynasty regime was entrenched overseas, posing an obvious threat to the court. Emperor Kangxi was always extremely sensitive to such matters and was determined to eliminate it as soon as possible.

If this problem can be solved with the help of the Dutch at a relatively low cost, it would undoubtedly be a great achievement, and Wu Xingzuo would surely win the emperor's favor and have a bright future.

However, the joint military operation with the Red-haired Barbarians was a matter of great importance, and he could not make the decision on his own; he had to submit a report to the court first.

"I have already received your country's kind offer," Wu Xingzuo said slowly, choosing his words carefully. "However, this matter concerns the national system and military secrets, and is of utmost importance. I must immediately submit a memorial to the court and request His Majesty's decision."

"As for the overseas expedition, it involves troops, provisions, ships, and generals, which cannot be decided overnight. Your Excellency should stay at the post station for now. I will arrange everything you need. We will discuss it again after the imperial decree is issued."

Although no immediate promise was received, Wu Xingzuo's attitude had become much more serious and attentive than before. As long as he submitted a memorial to the court, a joint military expedition by both sides would almost be a foregone conclusion.

Valentine felt somewhat relieved and quickly bowed, saying, "Thank you, Your Excellency. I await your good news. Our country is also willing to provide nautical charts and hydrographic data of the Luzon Sea, and to facilitate resupply for your army along the way, as a sign of our sincerity!"

"Hmm." Wu Xingzuo nodded and picked up his teacup.

Valentine politely bowed again and left the flower hall.

After the Dutch envoy left, Wu Xingzuo's solemn expression remained unchanged. He immediately gave an order to his trusted advisors:

"Immediately send a secret report to His Majesty via express courier, detailing the words of the Dutch envoy today, along with these documents, and request His Majesty to quickly determine a strategy!"

"Yes, sir!" The staff member accepted the order and hurriedly left.