Crazy at the end of the Ming Dynasty

And this time Zheng Zhibao came to Nanjing City precisely for Zheng Zhilong's running and seeking support.Because Zheng Zhilong had just fought a sea battle with the joint fleet of the Netherlands and the big pirate Liu Xiang, and won a big victory in the sea battle.But then Zheng Zhilong wants to completely eliminate the last opponent-Liu Xiang, so as to completely occupy the Far East Sea.

Zheng Zhilong was born in a small official family in Shijing, Nan'an. His original name was Yiguan, and his character was Feihuang.When Zheng Yiguan was 17 years old, due to the difficult family livelihood, he and his younger brothers Zhihu and Zhibao went to Xiangshan Macao (Macao) in Guangdong, one of the locations of China and Foreign Trade Center at that time, to live with their uncle Huang Cheng.

So after more than ten years of struggle, Zheng Yiguan started the process from assisting business to engaging in business activities and foreign trade, and displayed his wisdom and talent in business competition and interest competition, and learned Lusita and Portuguese. .

Later, he became a disciple of Li Dan, the most powerful maritime merchant at that time, and helped Li Dan do business, became Li Dan's subordinate, and "served him as his father".In a few years, Zheng Yiguan became a wealthy businessman, often traveling between China and Japan, the most profitable shipping lanes at that time.

Not long after, Zheng Yiguan was elected as the leader by the overseas Chinese in Japan.You must know that the overseas Chinese in the Far East at that time were not the modern overseas Chinese living under the fence, but similar to the superior foreign adults in the Shili Foreign Concession before liberation.

It was logical that Zheng Yiguan, the leader of overseas Chinese, paid a visit to Ieyasu Tokugawa, the general of the Japanese shogunate at that time, and Ieyasu also ordered to entertain him at the Nagasaki Hotel, giving him a generous gift.Therefore, Zheng Yiguan was immediately regarded by the Japanese as a glorious and prominent figure, and he was often acquainted with local nobles, so he was called "Old Official".

And Zheng Yiguan's life in Japan was even richer and richer. At that time, the Japanese Marquis Matsuura introduced Tian Chuan Song, the daughter of the Hirado Marquis's minister, Tian Chuan Yu Huang, to marry him.The eldest son of Zheng Yiguan, born to the Tianchuan family, is the famous Zheng Chenggong in later generations.

At this time, the Dutch military and commercial complex "East India Company" had already occupied Penghu, and Li Dan intervened to persuade the Dutch to withdraw.Transfer to Taiwan.Zheng Yiguan was sent to Penghu by Li Dan to act as a messenger (translator) for the Dutch.

Then Zheng Yiguan became the minion of the Dutch, and made great contributions to the Dutch monopoly of Taiwan.However, in April and May of the fifth year of Tianqi, perhaps because there was not much development under the hands of the Dutch, or because of the order of his foster father Li Dan, Zheng Yiguan left the Dutch and started a career of merchants and pirates.

But a few months later, after Li Dan died, his property and career in Taiwan were all owned by Zheng Yiguan, which was Zheng Yiguan's merger with other Han Chinese armed forces that existed in Taiwan at that time.And the recruitment of new forces from the mainland to Taiwan has created conditions.

At that time, Yan Siqi, Yang Tiansheng, Chen Zhongji, Zheng Yiguan and other 28 people worshiped the alliance as brothers, and everyone recommended Yan Siqi as the leader of the alliance.But more than a month later, Yan Siqi died of typhoid fever due to excessive drinking and overeating.Zheng Yiguan became the leader of the alliance.

Don't tell me, Zheng Yiguan's luck is really good.The god of death cleared the way for him and supported him step by step.This also aroused speculation in later generations that it was Zheng Yiguan who continued to commit murder.

After Zheng Yiguan set up his own family.Zheng Xing, Zheng Ming, Yang Geng, Chen Hui, Zheng Cai and other generals were recruited from Fujian.He divided his subordinates into eighteen pioneers and became "Eighteen Zhi", and changed their name to "Zhilong" instead of "Yiguan".Zheng Zhilong continued to explore the great cause, and his power continued to grow, becoming the largest armed group in the sea at that time.

Six to seven years after the apocalypse.Zheng Zhilong led a fleet to attack Zhangpu, Fujian, plundered Kinmen, Zhongzuo (now Xiamen), Jinghai, Jiazi and other places in Guangdong, and soon returned to Fujian to attack Xiamen again.Attacking Tongshan (Dongshan), sinking the old town, defeating the Kinmen guerrilla Lu Yuying and Fujian general Yu Zigao's offensive, across the southeast sea, the momentum was invincible, and the officers and soldiers were exhausted, unable to do anything.

During the raid, Zheng Zhilong and others also recruited tens of thousands of hungry people from Quanzhou to go to Taiwan to develop land reclamation, and the hungry and unemployed coastal people competed to seek refuge.Zheng Zhilong defeated the officers and soldiers and Xu Xinsu in this battle, making Xiamen the territory of the Zheng family from then on. The power became stronger and stronger, and the officers and soldiers were invincible, which also represented the rise of the Quanzhou gang.

However, Zheng Zhilong's growing power at sea aroused the fear of the rulers of the Ming Dynasty, and sent troops to pursue and suppress him many times, but all failed.The Ming government was unable to exterminate Zheng Zhilong, and in order to use this maritime force to contend with the Dutch and suppress other "pirates", it had no choice but to appease Zheng Zhilong.

However, due to the substantial development of the Zheng Zhilong Group's power, it also posed a great threat to the Dutch colonists. As soon as the Dutch ships appeared in the China Sea, they were intercepted by the Zheng Zhilong Group. Zheng Jun's war resulted in the defeat of the Dutch army.

Then there were several times of courting Zheng Zhilong by the Ming court.The previous few times were unsuccessful, and it was not until July of the first year of Chongzhen that Fujian Governor Xiong Wencan successfully recruited Zheng Zhilong.After Zheng Zhilong led his troops to the Ming Dynasty, he was appointed as the "Five Tigers Guerrilla General" and left Taiwan, the maritime trade base he had operated for many years, to sit in the Fujian Sea.At this time, Zheng Zhilong had more than [-] men and more than [-] ships.

But what is funny is that Zheng Zhilong's consolation was successful, but in the end it became Xiong Wencan's life-threatening talisman.But that's another story.

Then it was time for Zheng Zhilong to clear up other pirate forces.Regarding Zheng Zhilong's descending, the original brothers pulled their flags to stand on their own, so Zheng Zhilong defeated them one by one.In the end, only Liu Xiang, who was born and died with him, pulled a force to Guangdong to continue his plundering at sea to make a living.And Liu Xiang's forces colluded with the Dutch, posing a great threat to Zheng Zhilong for a period of time.

In the fifth year of Chongzhen, Zheng Zhilong and Liu Xiang's fleet encountered a bloody battle near Fuzhou. From morning to evening, nearly a thousand people were killed or injured on both sides.Zheng Zhilong's younger brother Zheng Zhihu rushed into the enemy line with two wounds on his body, and was entangled by Liu Xiang's men with four-claw anchors and iron chains. He could hardly escape. Later, his subordinates desperately rescued him.Liu Xiang himself fled south.

In July of the sixth year of Chongzhen, in order to force the Ming Dynasty to open up trade, Putmans, the new governor of Taiwan in the Netherlands, attempted to seize the coast of the mainland by force. Xiang returned to Xiamen unsuspecting Zheng Zhilong and Ming officers and soldiers to launch a surprise attack.Sink, burn and sink more than [-] warships of Zheng Zhilong and Ming Dynasty officers and soldiers in the port.

And these ships were Zheng Zhilong's elite troops, and they were also the most advanced maritime armed fleet in China at that time. The ships were well equipped with 36, [-] to [-] cannons.

However, Xiamen officials in the Ming Dynasty, after the garrison was severely beaten by the Dutch, adopted an attitude of calming down the matter and finding someone to communicate with the Dutch, expressing their willingness to notify the people of Xiamen, Kinmen, Lieyu, Gulangyu and nearby islands to send 25 cows, 25 Only pigs and a hundred chickens, I hope the Dutch will stop harming the people so that they can continue farming with peace of mind.

But will the colonists put down their butcher knives?In September, Putmans and Liu Xiang joined forces in Taiwan to prepare to attack Zheng Zhilong again.

The governor of Fujian, Zou Weilian, who got the news, mobilized all the generals to gather a large number of boats and prepare to beat the Dutch invaders.As the "Five Tigers Guerrilla General", Zheng Zhilong served as the vanguard of the battle, and was actually responsible for planning and directing the battle.

Zheng Zhi crossed Zhangzhou Haicheng on a dragon boat and set off with oath.Soon after the encounter in Penghu, a Dutch ship was burned, a Dutch general was captured alive, and hundreds of Dutch soldiers were drowned.

On October 22, under the leadership of Zheng Zhilong, about 150 sailing ships (50 of which were super warships) of the Ming army caught up with nine Dutch ships and more than [-] Liu Xiang ships in Liaoluo Bay, Kinmen.Eager for revenge, Zheng Zhilong took the lead and used iron hooks to hook the enemy ships and set fire to them. He burned a Dutch speedboat and captured another speedboat.Liu Xiang was defeated and fled, and Putmans returned to Taiwan in embarrassment.

After this battle, Zheng Zhilong's momentum was greatly improved, and Putmans had no choice but to abandon the collusion with Liu Xiang and repair with Zheng Zhilong. Instead, he expressed his willingness to seek trade with China in Taiwan instead of going to Fujian. Zheng Zhilong sent a ship to trade with Taiwan.Zheng Zhilong did not intend to make enemies for a long time, so under the coordination of Lin Hengwan, a Tong'an businessman who lived in Zeelandia, the two parties agreed to conduct trade exchanges.So Fujian merchant ships began to sail to Taiwan.

However, at this time, Zheng Zhilong had become a confidant of the Dutch colony. According to the historical materials of the East India Company: If the company wants to survive, the thorn of an official must be pulled out from the company's feet.Zheng Zhilong's power can be imagined from this.

It can be seen from Zheng Zhilong's experience that he is basically a person who has no national righteousness and only knows how to make money and enjoy happiness.After he took office as a coastal defense guerrilla, Zheng Zhilong built a luxurious mansion in his hometown Anhai Town, Jinjiang, and even dug an artificial canal nearly several miles long for this mansion, which really made some modern local tyrants feel ashamed!

This mansion took three years and two months to complete.And Anping became Zheng Zhilong's self-defense military stronghold and maritime trade base.Moreover, Zheng Zhilong recruited almost all craftsmen who could manufacture large ships in the Ming Dynasty at that time, and monopolized the manufacture of sea ships.

Zheng Zhilong used the navigation and business base in Anping Town, Quanzhou, to break the official maritime ban of the Ming Dynasty, prosper the sea market, and the armed fleet sailed between the coasts of China, Taiwan, Macao, Japan, the Philippines and other Southeast Asian places. Making full use of its power and financial resources, it expanded maritime trade and almost monopolized the trade between China and overseas countries.

But now, the only one standing in front of Zheng Zhilong's road is the big pirate Liu Xiang.Therefore, this time Zheng Zhibao went to Nanjing City to seek support from the major yamen in Nanjing.Of course, being able to promote Zheng Zhilong to a higher level is also a great thing that one can only wish for.Anyway, Zheng Zhilong is not short of money, all he has left is silver!

In the original history, there was a wonderful evaluation of the father and son Zheng Zhilong and Zheng Chenggong-Zheng Zhilong had great talent but no ambition, while Zheng Chenggong had great ambition but no great talent.

So in the end, Zheng Zhilong, whose ambitions had been wiped out by long-term enjoyment, obediently brought more than 1000 million taels of private wealth to Beijing and surrendered to the Qing Dynasty, but was immediately killed by the wolf-like Manchu dignitaries as fat sheep.

And in this history, what will be the fate of Zheng Zhilong? (To be continued..)