Chapter 606
Zheng Zhilong Reclaims Taiwan!
The beach defenses crumbled after just one engagement.
The morale of the Ming army's marines soared, and they roared with deafening shouts. With bayonets and spears raised, they surged like a flood over the beach, launching a swift pursuit of the fleeing enemy and the distant fortress!
The ensuing battle turned into a one-sided massacre.
The fleeing Western barbarian soldiers were easily picked off from behind by the Ming army using flintlock muskets and rifles.
The few who fled into the temporary shelters built with sandbags and stones near the fortress, attempting to hold out, soon met their doom.
"Artillery! Bring the cannons up here! Aim at those bunkers and blast them to smithereens!"
The Ming general, looking at the remaining enemy soldiers huddled behind cover and firing sporadically, impatiently gave orders.
Several light field guns (such as the Tiger Squat Gun and the Franconian Gun) were quickly pushed to the front line. The gunners quickly loaded ammunition and adjusted the firing angle.
"put!"
Boom boom boom—!
Solid shot and grapeshot whistled as they pounded into the Western barbarians' bunkers. Sandbags were blown away, rocks were shattered, and the Western barbarian soldiers hiding behind them were torn to pieces by flying shrapnel and gravel before they could even scream.
Temporary shelters are no match for regular artillery.
The bunkers were cleared, and the remaining sporadic resistance was quickly eliminated.
The beaches, sandbars, and open areas surrounding the fortress were quickly brought under complete control by the Ming army.
The battlefield was littered with the corpses of numerous Western barbarian soldiers and abandoned weapons.
The air was thick with the pungent smell of blood and gunpowder, making people nauseous.
Of course, during the rout and the final mopping-up operation, many Western barbarian soldiers dropped their weapons, raised their hands, and tried to surrender by speaking broken Chinese or making random gestures.
But what awaited them was often the merciless bayonets and bullets of the Ming soldiers.
Before setting off on the expedition, Duke Zheng had clearly stated his price: the head of a Portuguese or Portuguese barbarian was worth twenty taels of silver!
For ordinary soldiers, this was an unimaginable reward! Driven by the lure of money and the subconscious feeling of being "outsiders," the language barrier became the perfect excuse for murder.
"They're chattering away, who knows if it's a feigned surrender?"
"The Duke said that we must finish this quickly!"
As a result, many Western soldiers who attempted to surrender also fell in pools of blood.
Zheng Zhilong's tacit approval and even indulgence of this behavior naturally had its own deeper meaning.
He wanted to use this bloody, cruel, and merciless crushing victory to completely break the Western barbarians' will to resist and destroy their wishful thinking.
He wanted to make the remaining enemies understand that resistance would only lead to death, and a pointless death at that.
Only in this way could the resistance encountered by the Ming army be minimized as it continued to advance deeper into the island, and the entire island be pacified at the lowest cost and fastest speed.
As for the threat of "slaughtering the entire island," it was more of a psychological tactic. What Zheng Zhilong wanted was a Dongfan that could be governed and produced, not a dead land.
His strategy proved effective.
When the Ming army took a short rest and began to divide its forces into several routes to advance towards key fortresses such as Fort Zeelandia and Fort Provintia, as well as other areas on the island with Western strongholds, the resistance they encountered was indeed much weaker.
Although a small number of fanatics and die-hards relied on the fortified castle and put up a desperate but tenacious resistance, inflicting some casualties on the Ming army.
However, most of the Western soldiers, merchants, and even ordinary immigrants were terrified after witnessing the disastrous defeat in the naval battle, the instantaneous collapse of the beach defenses, and the horrific massacre of the resisters.
When the Ming army besieged the city or entered their villages and towns, many people chose to surrender or abandon their strongholds and flee to the mountains and inland. After all, they were not fools. The naval fleet was finished, and the elite musketeers on land collapsed at the first contact. Continuing to resist would only lead to pointless deaths.
Thus, from the outbreak of the naval battle to the land-based mopping-up operation, the fierce fighting lasted for a full day and night.
As the sun rose from behind the mountains to the east of Dongfan Island the following day, Zheng Zhilong's army had essentially taken control of the main plains along the west coast, including Dayuan and Chihkan, covering an area of more than half of the entire island.
Although the core fortresses such as Fort Zeelandia and Fort Provintia have not yet been breached, they have been completely surrounded by the Ming army and have become isolated islands in a precarious situation.
The Ming army could not quickly penetrate the mountainous areas and remote coastlines in the central, eastern, and southern parts of the island due to the rugged roads and dense jungles. However, the Western Yi had few strongholds there and had lost contact with the main force in the west, making them easily frightened. It was only a matter of time before they were pacified.
In the following days, Zheng Zhilong did not rush to attack the remaining two fortified castles, but instead adopted a two-pronged approach:
While deploying heavy artillery to bombard the castle continuously and exert psychological pressure, they also sent their subordinates who could speak some Portuguese or Dutch, as well as some captured personnel who were willing to cooperate, to shout into the castle to persuade them to surrender. They promised that as long as they gave up resistance and handed over the castle, their lives would be spared and they would be allowed to leave by ship.
Meanwhile, Zheng Zhilong began to appease the local community and restore order.
He strictly ordered all tribes not to harass or plunder the Western civilians, merchants, and missionaries who had surrendered or did not resist, and even more so not to harm the island's native inhabitants or the Han Chinese immigrants who had already settled there.
He dispatched officials to post notices everywhere to reassure the people, announcing that the Ming army had recovered Dongfan and that officials would be appointed to govern the region, protect the innocent, and restore trade.
Rewards and verbal promises were given to tribal leaders and elders who actively cooperated, provided intelligence, or helped maintain local order.
The population of Dongfan Island is complex. In addition to the defeated Dutch and Portuguese colonists and their descendants, mercenaries, Southeast Asian servants and Japanese laborers brought by them, there are also many indigenous tribes who have lived there for generations, as well as Han Chinese from the coastal areas of Fujian and Guangdong who "smuggled" themselves over since the late Ming Dynasty to escape war and taxes.
As long as these people did not resist with weapons, Zheng Zhilong mainly adopted a policy of appeasement, and even allowed some Western civilians who were willing to stay, especially craftsmen, doctors, and those with special skills, to continue living there, but they had to accept the management of the Ming government.
After all, conquered territory needs people to manage it, and requires various talents.
Several days later, besieged by internal and external troubles, with no hope of breaking out, and with the Ming army promising not to kill those who surrender, the besieged Fort Zeelandia and Fort Provintia finally raised white flags one after another.
The remaining Western barbarian leaders, including Governor-General Kui Yi and Commander Fernando, walked out of the castle with ashen faces and surrendered to the Ming army.
Zheng Zhilong kept his promise. He did not massacre the prisoners. In fact, he was quite "generous" and sent people to help the Western Barbarians repair some of their less damaged but still navigable ships. Then, he allowed the surrendered Western Barbarian soldiers, officials, and civilians and missionaries who were willing to leave to take their personal belongings and board these ships to leave Dongfan.
Destination? Go wherever you want, back to Batavia, to Macau, or directly back to Europe, Zheng Zhilong doesn't care, as long as he leaves the territory of the Ming Dynasty.
As for the Western barbarians who were unwilling to leave due to a lack of ships, having nowhere else to go, or having developed an attachment to the Eastern Barbarians, Zheng Zhilong did not forcibly expel them. He ordered them to be registered, their residential areas to be divided, and required them to abide by the laws of the Ming Dynasty. He also began to consider how to utilize the language and skills of these "foreigners" for future governance and trade.
Thus, from the moment Zheng Zhilong's army launched its attack to the pacification of the main areas of the eastern and western coasts and the surrender of the remaining enemy forces, it took less than five days.
A long and arduous sea expedition, which was expected to be protracted and brutal, ended swiftly and decisively, with such efficiency and brilliant results that even Zheng Zhilong himself was somewhat surprised.
Of course, this was inseparable from the strong support of the imperial court for new firearms, from the naval resources he had built up over many years, and even more so from the fact that the Western colonists were outwardly strong but inwardly weak, their morale was low, and they had lost timely support from their homeland.
Standing atop the highest point of Fort Zeelandia, where the Ming Dynasty's dragon flag had just been planted, and gazing upon this vast, rich land that had finally returned to the map of China, Zheng Zhilong was filled with emotion.
It should be noted that in another time and space, on another timeline of destiny, the first Chinese hero to recover Taiwan from foreign colonizers should have been his son, Zheng Chenggong.
But now, by a twist of fate, or rather, by the historical upheaval brought about by Crown Prince Zhu Cilang, this unparalleled achievement has fallen upon Zheng Zhilong's head more than twenty years ahead of schedule.
History sometimes really likes to play these kinds of jokes that are both hilarious and thrilling.
"Send this urgent message to the capital, to His Highness the Crown Prince, to report the victory!"
Zheng Zhilong snapped out of his thoughts and gave a stern instruction to the clerk beside him.
"The Eastern Barbarians have been recovered, and the dragon flag flies high. Your subject, Zheng Zhilong, has fortunately fulfilled his mission!"
Two weeks later, in the Wenyuan Pavilion of the Forbidden City.
The snow in December seemed to be swallowing the entire city of Beijing into a vast expanse of white.
The snow that had stopped a few days ago fell silently again last night, covering the golden-roofed and red-walled palaces, the carved beams and painted rafters of the halls, and the crisscrossing thoroughfares with a thick blanket.
The cold wind swirled fine snowflakes, making a low, mournful sound as it swirled along the empty palace path.
In stark contrast to the icy and snowy outside, the Wenyuan Pavilion was warm and cozy, even a little hot.
In several huge copper charcoal braziers, the finest red charcoal was burning brightly, the dark red flames silently licking the air, making the edges of the braziers appear somewhat red.
Heat radiates through the copper walls, keeping out the winter chill and filling the room with a warm, slightly smoky aroma, unique to burning wood. After a while, the smell even induces a drowsy feeling.
Inside the office, several cabinet ministers were engrossed in their piles of documents.
The Ministry of Revenue's memorial regarding the allocation of funds and grain to various regions at the end of the year; the Ministry of War's report on winter defense matters in border towns; the Ministry of Rites' draft details of the Crown Prince's wedding ceremony...
Each document and every piece of paper required their careful consideration and approval.
The sunlight filtering through the window was soft and dim, thanks to the thick window paper. Only a few bright palace lanterns and the flickering charcoal fire could dispel the winter gloom.
Wang Chengen, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, gently pushed open the heavy wooden door, bringing in a gust of crisp, cold air.
He stepped aside and stood with his head bowed.
Immediately afterwards, a familiar figure stepped in, wearing a black casual robe embroidered with gold cloud and dragon patterns, which still made him look extraordinary even in the slightly dim room.
It was Emperor Chongzhen.
Upon hearing the voice, the cabinet ministers looked up and, seeing the emperor's arrival, hurriedly put down their pens, pushed aside the official documents in front of them, and rose from behind their large rosewood desks. They straightened their clothes and hats, took a few steps forward, and knelt down in unison in the open space in the center of the office.
"Your Majesty, we respectfully welcome Your Majesty's arrival!"
The sound was exceptionally clear in the quiet duty room, even drowning out the occasional crackling of the charcoal fire.
Emperor Chongzhen seemed to be in good spirits, a relaxed smile on his face. He casually waved his hand, and his voice was less solemn than usual.
"Rise, all of you, no need for formalities. I just finished court today and took a stroll, which led me here. It's snowing heavily outside, but it's warm here."
As he spoke, he walked over to the charcoal brazier closest to the door, stretched out his hands, and slowly roasted the charcoal over the flickering flames.
His demeanor was not that of an emperor reigning supreme, but rather like that of a leisurely member of the royal family visiting an old friend's house in winter, taking the opportunity to warm themselves by the fire.
Grand Secretary Xue Guoguan straightened up and noticed that the emperor was only dressed in ordinary clothes, accompanied only by Wang Chengen and two young eunuchs carrying hand warmers. He was slightly surprised, but remained respectful on the surface.
"Your Majesty's presence is a great honor for us. May I ask if Your Majesty has any important matters to discuss?"
"It's nothing, it's nothing."
Emperor Chongzhen's gaze swept over the lingering weariness on the faces of the cabinet ministers, his tone gentle.
"With the year-end approaching, there are many matters to attend to, and I can see that all of you ministers have been working hard. Especially with the Crown Prince's wedding imminent, the Ministry of Rites must have received quite a few reports, right? Also, I heard that the regional princes are already on their way to the capital. Have the arrangements for their reception and accommodation been made properly?"
He asked about the most pressing and tedious government affairs at hand, but his tone was as if he were having a casual chat.
Hong Chengchou quickly bowed and replied:
"Your Majesty, the Ministry of Rites has roughly drafted the ceremonial procedures and is currently verifying them item by item. When the princes from various regions enter the capital, the Court of State Ceremonies and the Five City Garrison Command have coordinated to arrange lodgings and guards, and all supplies are provided in accordance with the old practice, without any shortage. However, due to the heavy snow this year, there may be some delays on the road, so fast horses have been dispatched to scout and provide assistance along the way."
"Yes, the snow is heavy and the roads are slippery. Tell the post stations and local officials along the way to be extra careful and not let anything go wrong."
Chongzhen nodded, then turned his gaze to the window, looking at the white expanse of the courtyard and the crystal-clear icicles hanging under the eaves. He seemed to be captivated by the snow scene and remained silent for a moment.
The duty room fell silent for a moment, with only the faint crackling of the charcoal fire and the soft breathing of the people inside.
Several cabinet ministers stood with their hands at their sides, each pondering the emperor's sudden arrival. Was he truly just taking a stroll? Or did he have something else to say?
Just then, Chongzhen, who had his back to everyone, suddenly sighed softly. The sigh was very soft, but it inexplicably broke the deliberately maintained tranquility in the room.
He continued to gaze out the window, his voice low, as if talking to himself, or perhaps addressing the ministers behind him:
"This morning at court, I watched the Crown Prince stand below the steps, presenting his memorial in an orderly manner. His demeanor and composure... I felt an indescribable sense of satisfaction. In the blink of an eye, he has grown up so much, able to share my burdens and shoulder responsibilities for the country."
He paused, turned around, and the relaxed smile on his face faded, replaced by a complex expression that mixed weariness, satisfaction, and a certain indescribable sense of relief. (End of Chapter)