vrcanaries Chapter 47 On the Right Track
Chapter 47 On the Right Track
Zhu Jiheng's words were so inspiring and rousing that they enlightened the somewhat wavering elders, giving them a renewed sense of purpose and boosting their morale.
Yes, Your Highness is absolutely right! Taiwan and Fujian are separated by the sea, and it is perfectly normal for the Qing navy to set out in the morning and arrive in the evening, taking advantage of the internal turmoil in Dongning to conquer and destroy it.
Luzon is thousands of miles away from the mainland. Even the once powerful Koxinga was unable to launch a long expedition and could only issue threatening statements to the Spanish. How much more so the Tartars, whose navy has always been weak?
Even if His Highness dares to launch an expedition this far, the Western-style warships in his hands are not just for show.
Upon realizing this, Chen Jialu, the head of the silk merchants' association, quickly bowed and apologized, his tone sincere yet tinged with shame:
"Your Highness is wise! We were confused and flustered for a moment, please forgive us!"
The other elders echoed this sentiment, expressing their unwavering loyalty and determination to fully support His Highness in rebuilding the Ming Dynasty on this island of Luzon.
Zhu Jiheng's expression softened slightly, and he raised his hand to indicate that they did not need to be so polite: "You all flatter me. It is understandable that we are shocked by the sudden news. The important thing is that we must recognize the current situation and work together. The loss of Dongning was not due to a lack of skill, but rather a loss of both favorable timing and popular support. However, today, there is much that can be done in Luzon."
"May I ask what your strategy is, Your Highness?" Chen Jialu inquired.
Zhu Jiheng smiled slightly, his tone confident:
"Firstly, we should quickly stabilize Luzon Island, eliminate the remnants of the Spanish, appease the local tribes, restore production and trade, and accumulate money and grain."
The defenses of Luzon need to be reinforced, and the Cavite fortress needs to be improved to ensure they form a mutually reinforcing defensive position; the navy's warships also need to be repaired and trained more intensively to control the South Pacific shipping lanes.
"Secondly, envoys were sent to contact Chinese forces in various parts of Southeast Asia who were loyal to the Ming Dynasty and indigenous kingdoms that opposed the West and the Netherlands, such as Guangnan, Champa, Siam, Johor and even Java, to form an alliance of mutual support."
If the Tartars come, we will not be fighting alone; even if they do not come, we can still use this opportunity to expand trade routes, exchange goods, and strengthen our power.
"Thirdly, we should follow the example of the French settlers who settled in Taiwan. Luzon has a vast area, fertile soil, and a suitable climate. We should recruit refugees, encourage reclamation, build water conservancy projects, and widely cultivate rice, sugarcane, cotton, and even introduce spices from Southeast Asia."
Not only could it be self-sufficient, but it could also serve as a granary and source of revenue for overseas regions. Furthermore, it allowed for military settlements and farming, integrating soldiers with farmers and alleviating the pressure on food supplies and pay.
"Fourth, establish schools and widely spread education. Not only should Chinese language and arithmetic be taught, but also the principles of loyalty and righteousness, and Chinese etiquette should be promoted to educate Chinese children so that they do not forget their roots; and intelligent indigenous people should be absorbed so that they are gradually influenced by Chinese customs. In the long run, the fundamental goal is to win the hearts and minds of the people."
These four strategies were clearly laid out, and the elders nodded frequently as they listened. The last trace of doubt in their hearts vanished, replaced by admiration for the young prince's foresight.
"Your Highness is a man of great talent and vision, and you have considered all things thoroughly. We are deeply impressed! We will do our utmost to help Your Highness achieve your great cause!" Chen Jialu and the others solemnly declared once again.
"Good!" Zhu Jiheng nodded in satisfaction. "In that case, after you all return, please recommend yourselves as discussed yesterday and submit the list within three days. Once the preliminary selection is finalized, the officials of the prefecture and county can take office one after another."
The immediate priority is to restore order in the city, inventory household registrations and land holdings, stabilize prices, and facilitate trade. The sign for Luzon Prefecture must be hung up as soon as possible, so that the people can see the new look of a restored nation!
"Yes, ma'am!" the elders replied in unison, and left with high spirits.
After seeing the elders off, Zhu Jiheng leaned back in his chair, rubbed his temples, and rested for a while before ordering someone to summon Zhang San.
After the Ming army captured the city, Zhang San's mission of building an intelligence network within the city was completed. He did not stay in Manager Chen's shop any longer, but went directly back to the governor's mansion to report to Zhu Jiheng and await his further orders.
A short while later, Zhang San, now several shades darker from the sun, entered, clasped his hands in a respectful greeting to Zhu Jiheng, and said, "Your Highness, did you call for me?"
Zhu Jiheng nodded and got straight to the point: "I need you to take action again."
"Please give the order, Your Highness."
"You should organize people to gather intelligence in the south, west, north and south as much as possible. In the north, pay close attention to the Qing government's movements. You can try to infiltrate Taiwan and deploy spies."
Keep an eye on the attitudes of the Zheng and Nguyen families in Vietnam, as well as any information about Chinese merchants who might be involved.
In the south, it is necessary to ascertain the Dutch troop deployments and movements in Batavia, the Spanish forces in Cebu and other islands, as well as the situation of the various indigenous kingdoms in Southeast Asia.
"Understood, sir." Zhang San silently noted down Zhu Jiheng's order and clasped his hands in a fist salute.
After Zhang San left, Zhu Jiheng immediately converted all three buildings that the system had rewarded him with.
He converted the barracks in Fort Santiago into military barracks, the existing artillery workshops in the city into artillery foundries, and the Cavite Naval Shipyard into a dock.
Then, Zhu Jiheng began to examine the new troop types that could be recruited from the three buildings.
[Barracks (Luzon Prefecture)]: Recruit and train basic army units. Currently available unit types include: Militia, Colonial Infantry, Line Infantry, Local Cavalry Regiment, and Dragoons. Upgrading the barracks unlocks more unit types.
[Artillery Foundry (Luzon)]: Recruit and train artillery units. Currently available unit types: Falcon Cannon, Half-Cannon, 12-pounder Infantry Cannon. Upgrading the building unlocks more unit types.
[Dockyard (Luzon)]: Can build and repair twin-masted frigates, twin-masted coastal defense ships, Tier VI ships, Tier V ships, Tier V flagships, and Tier IV battleships. Upgrading the dockyard unlocks more ship types and construction space.
Zhu Jiheng was fairly satisfied with the number of recruitable troops brought about by the three buildings. The monthly recruitment limit for the barracks was increased to three teams, the artillery foundry to two teams, and the shipyard to two ships.
Therefore, he did not hesitate to include two squads of line infantry, one squad of dragoons, and two squads of 12-pounder infantry guns in the recruitment list, and also built two fifth-class ships in the shipyard.
The main reason for not choosing a better Tier IV battleship is that it takes two months to build a Tier IV battleship, which is enough time for him to recruit four Tier V ships.
……
Over the next few days, Luzon gradually returned to normal.
After receiving their due spoils, the allied forces of the various tribes that participated in the siege disbanded and embarked on their journey back to their tribes, laden with their spoils.
The Spanish garrison that surrendered voluntarily was able to disarm and, along with their families and belongings, board the ships in an orderly fashion. They were then escorted by Ming warships and sailed away from Manila Bay—or rather, Luzon Bay, now known as Manila Bay.
The local elders in Luzon quickly nominated several virtuous and talented individuals who were renowned and held the title of Xiucai (a scholar who passed the imperial examinations).
Zhu Jiheng was quite surprised by this. In his opinion, it was already good enough if people who lived overseas had studied in private schools for a few years, so there was no need to expect that there would be any real scholars among them.
As it turns out, he was the one with narrow-mindedness.