unclear

Chapter 154 Internal and External Troubles 2
If the situation could be reported three years in advance, I would not have used up all the bargaining chips in my hands to cut the feudal vassal, nor would I have allowed Yuan Keli to sit back and quietly build a shipyard in Tianjin Wei. Instead, I would have fully supported him in accelerating the construction of sea-going ships. Speed, hurry up and train sailors.

But the scolding was in vain, not only Dai Yao, but also many officials in the Ming court were like this.Lying on the merits of my ancestors all day long, dreaming of the heavenly kingdom and refusing to wake up, I just don’t want to open my eyes and see the changes in the world.

What's even more frightening is that they are not interested in anything other than fighting for power. In order not to be caught by their political opponents, they have gradually become accustomed to not doing anything practical. As the saying goes, the more they do, the more they make mistakes.

In this political environment, whoever wants to do something practical will die quickly. On the contrary, it is easier for those who look around with their hands behind their backs and stare at each other to find faults all day long to get into power.The result is a vicious cycle, with fewer and fewer people doing practical things and more and more people shouting slogans.

As for the safety of the country and the nation, and the well-being of the people, in their eyes, they are just weapons to attack others. As long as they and their families make profits, everything else can be abandoned.

In addition to cursing Dai Yao, Hong Tao also felt deep self-blame.Before I traveled through time, I read a lot of history books and even memorized ancient poems. The result was that there were still gaps in the story, and I ignored the part where European colonists invaded Southeast Asia and East Asia.

Now I can only know the general context, but cannot be precise to the specific time, which seriously affects the implementation and adjustment of the overall plan.

However, it is not too late to mend the situation. Replacing Dai Yao with Li Zhi will not only develop local handicrafts and agriculture, but also make his eyes and ears more sensitive, paving the way for changes in foreign policy.If a confused official like Dai Yao is allowed to sit in the position of governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, even good policies will be ruined.

Compared with officials of the same generation, Li Zhi, Xu Guangqi, Li Zhizao, Zhao Shizhen and others were relatively enlightened, willing to accept new things and do some practical things.We must be bolder, more determined and more cautious in appointing them, striving to make the best use of them without losing any of them.

At the same time, we must find reliable channels to find out what the state of the Dutch colonists was at this time.Since they appear in the east, it means that Spain's maritime hegemony has collapsed and can no longer block the routes to the east. The Dutch and British navies will rise rapidly. This is not good news.

"Your Majesty is really wise. If all the imperial officials are like you..." I was a little embarrassed about the emperor's question about Pang Di. He was Spanish and was embarrassed to say that his motherland was defeated by two rising stars. He wanted to change the subject by flattering him.

"Hao Jing shouldn't exist if people are like me! It's better to stop talking nonsense and talk to me about the progress of the Flanders. You also know in your heart that they are followed by England. Lies can't cover up the truth. The worst is for me. Send someone to visit the ports in Southeast Asia to see if the Flemish people are willing to cooperate with the Ming Dynasty."

This is the fundamental difference between Hong Tao and Ming officials. First of all, he understands the direction of history, understands what the world is like, knows that the earth does not revolve around the Ming Empire, and is willing to put down his dignity and not be ashamed to ask questions.Secondly, he is also willing to use his brains to take the initiative, and dares to face war without flinching.

"The Flemish people established a trading post in Java in the 30th year of Wanli, called the East India Company... The company is..."

This ultimatum made Pondy and I break into a cold sweat. We had no time to think about how the Ming Emperor knew the details of so many European countries. We quickly organized our language and tried to use the most concise words to explain the origin of the Flemish people.

Unfortunately, it was not successful. It was not that the Chinese language was not good, but that the behavior of the Flemish people was advanced even in Europe. Some words did not exist in Chinese at all, making it difficult to summarize temporarily.

"The East India Company... tsk tsk tsk, it came a bit fast. In your opinion, will the Flemish people appear at Daming Port soon?" Hong Tao did not interrupt Pang Di to explain the meaning of the company. He was thinking about it. A very critical question is whether the health stations in Guangdong, Guangxi and Fujian should be immediately mobilized to prepare for war.

If necessary, what reasons should be used to persuade the six ministers and nine ministers to agree and pay military expenses.Compared with fighting, talking to these civil servants is more tiring and more brain-consuming.

"...Probably not. They are currently working hard to build a trading post on Java Island. I heard it is a big city."

"What about the English? Are they coming too?" The big city Pondy mentioned should be Batavia in Indonesia, which will later be known as Jakarta. This is good news.

What is lacking now is time. For every extra year of delay, Yuan Keli will have one or two more warships and hundreds more skilled sailors.The most important thing is naval guns. The new sail warships without cannons are just decorations. The losses in the boarding battle are too great. Without the support of the court, they cannot be supported by internal funds alone.

But it is far from enough to guard against the Dutch East India Company. There is also a more ferocious British East India Company that is eyeing it. It is appropriate to describe the current situation as a pack of wolves.

"The British East India Company is just a collection of small businessmen in London, and its strength is much weaker than that of the Flanders. Your Majesty, don't worry, they don't have any trading posts in the east, and they should not visit the empire rashly."

Pang Di, I have been exhausted mentally and physically by a series of incredible and precise interrogations. The blood supply to my brain is severely insufficient, and my curls are soaked in cold sweat.But I don’t dare to talk casually, God only knows what is in this emperor’s mind.

"Well, let's do this for now. Tell Matteo Ricci for me to take good care of his health. After the seeds are grown and confirmed next autumn, you can prepare to build the church.

In addition, he also told the Folangji people in Haojing not to push their limits too far.In the territory of the Ming Dynasty, only the imperial court has the right to build military fortresses. If you continue to persist in your stubbornness, I don't mind throwing them all into the sea, and then discuss trade matters with the Dutch. "

At this point in the conversation, Hong Tao had basically outlined the extent of the Dutch and British eastward march, he breathed a long sigh of relief, and then issued an order to expel the guests.

It seems that they have just broken through the Spanish blockade and are looking for or planning to find a base in the east to gain a foothold.The first to bear the brunt should be the Indian peninsula and Southeast Asian countries, which will not invade the South China Sea on a large scale in the short term.

Of course, Pang Di’s words cannot be trusted at all and can only be used as a reference.The next step is to send people to Zhangzhou, Xiamen and Guangzhou in Fujian to find businessmen with ties to Southeast Asia for further confirmation. At the same time, they will fine-tune the previous plan and free up some energy for the ocean.

(End of this chapter)