Chapter 482: Preparing the Great Ming Navy

After reaching agreement on dispatching the imperial envoy, Zhu Youxiao felt somewhat disappointed. He had originally expected this matter to stir up some trouble, but it turned out everyone simply acquiesced.

It seemed everyone had grown accustomed to his methods. Under such circumstances, Zhu Youxiao instead found himself unaccustomed.

But in the days ahead, there shouldn't be any other matters disturbing the court; what everyone needed to do was properly sort through the disaster relief situation, otherwise things would become very troublesome.

That was what Zhu Youxiao had originally thought, but some things don't go the way you expect.

Watching Minister of War Cui Jingrong walk in, Zhu Youxiao's expression turned rather unpleasant.

Why was it so hard for this Great Ming realm to know peace? When would it finally rise?

Something had happened again this time — not in the west, not in the north, but in the south.

Glancing at Cui Jingrong, Zhu Youxiao asked directly: "Has the news been confirmed?"

"Your Majesty, it has been confirmed." Cui Jingrong replied, respectfully presenting a routine memorial to Zhu Youxiao, then obediently stepped aside.

This routine memorial was one Zhu Youxiao had instructed Cui Jingrong to prepare. It originated from a routine memorial sent earlier from Fujian.

The memorial stated: Japanese pirates were again stirring up trouble along the Great Ming's southern frontier, and Xiamen had been attacked.

Although Governor Shang Zhouzuo's men had driven back the attackers, the matter had still reached Zhu Youxiao's attention.

But once this matter reached Zhu Youxiao, it immediately drew his concern.

The reason was simple — aside from some scattered Japanese pirates, this time it was mainly the Dutch causing trouble.

After receiving this news, Zhu Youxiao had Cui Jingrong investigate the situation thoroughly, to see just how far the Dutch had gone.

This was very important to Zhu Youxiao.

Truth be told, before the north was settled, Zhu Youxiao really didn't want to turn his attention southward. Those Japanese pirates and the like — he had no desire to deal with them for the time being.

As for other people, Zhu Youxiao had even less interest. Dutch or English, Spanish or Portuguese — Zhu Youxiao had no interest in any of them.

Zhu Youxiao currently had no money, no men, nothing at all. His own realm wasn't even in order yet; meddling overseas was hardly a wise choice.

Going to sea would have to wait until proper preparations were made.

But these people constantly causing trouble was truly intolerable. The situation still needed to be clarified first.

Setting down the memorial in his hand, Zhu Youxiao said: "I won't read it. You tell me about it."

Having said this, Zhu Youxiao leaned back against the dragon throne, waiting for Cui Jingrong to speak.

Cui Jingrong also understood that His Majesty was testing him.

For Cui Jingrong, ever since becoming Minister of War, he had discovered that his actual authority as Minister of War wasn't all that great.

The court's actual military forces were the Imperial Guard Corps newly established by the Emperor.

Although the armies in various regions still had their daily affairs, much of their authority had already been carved away by the Staff Office. Ever since Sun Chengzong had been transferred to head the Staff Office, the Ministry of War had been leaderless. It had been dismantled severely.

Looking at the current situation, getting that power back was impossible. So now Cui Jingrong's position as Minister of War could be said to have plummeted.

If not for this memorial being sent this time, His Majesty probably wouldn't have had any inclination to listen to what Cui Jingrong had to say.

To resolve his predicament, Cui Jingrong had thought of a very good method.

In fact, when it comes to saving money, there are two approaches — one is called increasing revenue, the other is called cutting expenses.

For officials in government, there are also two ways to gain power — one is to seize it, to snatch power from others' hands. That's what the Staff Office did; the Ministry of War was the office that got robbed.

As for Cui Jingrong wanting to seize that power back — impossible in the short term. That path was blocked.

Then there was only the other method: expanding power. In terms of taxation, this would be increasing revenue.

As long as Cui Jingrong found a new source of power, he could naturally elevate his own authority. This was very common in officialdom.

In ordinary times, establishing all sorts of matters and all sorts of regulations — wasn't it all for power?

Something that clearly needed only one procedure had to go through every single office, precisely because every office needed power and needed to demonstrate its function.

If I had no function at all and did nothing, wouldn't I be eligible for elimination?

But Cui Jingrong wouldn't do anything so petty — he was the Minister of War, after all.

Moreover, the current Emperor was no fool; His Majesty was supremely wise, and playing petty tricks before His Majesty was useless.

When he saw the memorial sent from Fujian, Cui Jingrong had already formed some ideas. After receiving His Majesty's verbal order to investigate in detail, Cui Jingrong had even more ideas.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Cui Jingrong hastily replied.

In truth, matters along the coast had a long history.

In the seventh month of the thirty-third year of Wanli, these Dutch invaded and occupied the Penghu Islands, felling trees and building houses, intending to stay long-term; they also sent letters to the Great Ming through the merchants Li Jin, Pan Li, and Guo Zhen.

Fujian Governor Xu Xueju prohibited merchants and commoners from going to sea, cutting off their supplies. The Dutch, unable to obtain food, departed at the end of the tenth month.

Later they invaded and seized land in Taiwan, building houses and cultivating fields, refusing to leave for a long time. Then they came out and occupied Penghu again, building fortifications and setting up defenses, seeking to open trade.

The defending officials persuaded them that if they demolished their forts and moved far away, trade could be opened. The Dutch then demolished their forts and sailed away in the third year of Tianqi.

Governor Shang Zhouzuo reported to the throne that they had complied with the order and departed far away, but the Dutch still occupied Taiwan, and subsequently built forts at Penghu once more.

"A few days ago, these Dutch sent troops to attack Xiamen and were driven back by Governor Shang Zhouzuo. But in your minister's view, these Dutch won't give up. Although they petitioned for peace after their defeat, these people's thieving hearts remain unchanged."

Zhu Youxiao looked at Cui Jingrong and asked directly: "So do you think they can succeed?"

"Merely petty scoundrels — naturally they cannot succeed." Cui Jingrong said directly: "The only reason they can stir up trouble is that someone behind them is supporting them."

"Who is supporting them?" Zhu Youxiao looked at Cui Jingrong and asked again.

"Your Majesty, it is the great pirate Li Dan overseas. This man occupies many islands along the coast and even has bases in Japan. He is the greatest pirate overseas, colluding with these foreigners to continuously plunder the Great Ming. Without his help, these Dutch would absolutely not have gotten this far."

Hearing this, Zhu Youxiao nodded and said: "What you say makes sense."

That was indeed the case — Li Dan and the Dutch were currently still in a period of cooperation, both wanting to pry open the Great Ming's gates and force the Great Ming to negotiate trade with them.

But later they also fell out — by that time, the Zheng family was in charge, namely Zheng Zhilong, the father of Zheng Chenggong.

After Zheng Zhilong submitted to the Great Ming, he began to turn against the Dutch, though more than anything he built up his forces to assert his own importance.

It wasn't until the fall of the Great Ming dynasty that Zheng Zhilong's son Zheng Chenggong formally turned against the Dutch. The Dutch in Taiwan were driven out by Zheng Chenggong.

"Your Majesty, your minister feels this matter is of great importance." Cui Jingrong said with a grave expression.

At this moment, Cui Jingrong's face was extremely solemn, with the look of a crisis of survival, which left Zhu Youxiao somewhat puzzled.

What was this man about to say?

Zhu Youxiao said, "If you have something to say, my dear minister, speak freely."

Cui Jingrong hurriedly said, "The Japanese pirates beyond the seas have never given up their treacherous ambitions, harboring ill intentions toward the Great Ming. These Westerners are even more relentless in their schemes, eyeing our Great Ming with predatory intent!"

"Your minister believes we should make preparations early, for once they collude with one another, they may well rekindle a disaster in the southeast like that of the Jiajing years."

"At present the northern border is stable, and the Tartars in Liaodong are in dire straits—they cannot stir up any major trouble. Your minister believes the matter of the southeast should be put on the agenda as soon as possible."

As he said this, Cui Jingrong's expression grew even more solemn. Looking directly at Zhu Youxiao, he said, "Your minister believes we should establish a navy for the Great Ming."

"The seas beyond our shores are restless now—this truly cannot be underestimated. The Great Ming should have a navy to guard the court, to guard the Great Ming! Though various regions do have their own naval forces, their tactics are outdated and their vessels are small and low—they have no strength to fight the Japanese pirates of the open seas at all. Therefore, your minister requests permission to prepare a Great Ming navy, to pacify the southeast!"

Watching Cui Jingrong's earnest expression, Zhu Youxiao felt somewhat moved.

The Great Ming had no nationwide navy—that is to say, there was no naval force directly under central command, only the coastal military garrisons that equipped some vessels on their own.

Moreover, the funds allocated by the court were limited. The ships they currently had were still those flat-bottomed boats with gangplanks.

Take a rather famous battle in history: Yu Zigao, the son of Yu Dayou, once fought Zheng Zhilong—only to be defeated and saddled with the charge of cowardice and retreating before the enemy.

The people of this era might not understand, but Zhu Youxiao knew very well in his heart that this was actually a conflict between civil and military officials.

Yu Zigao did not want to fight that battle because he knew he could not possibly win. What ships did his men have? What ships did Zheng Zhilong's men have?

If he had defended along the coast, he might have had a glimmer of hope; fighting Zheng Zhilong directly was hopeless—a dead end.

But the Governor at the time insisted on fighting, and so they lost—and the blame naturally fell on Yu Zigao.

And they said Yu Zigao had feared the enemy and refused to advance—how else could they have lost? Then Yu Zigao was punished.

In truth, regarding naval warfare, later generations had already concluded that even sharp prows and powerful cannons might not be enough.

On land one could set ambushes and play tricks, but at sea it was simply a contest of whose ships were better, whose armor was thicker, and whose cannons had greater range and more destructive power.

Nothing else mattered. Even the bravery of soldiers was not so important—as long as one could fire the cannons accurately.

Under such circumstances, raising anything else was entirely unnecessary. And when Cui Jingrong made this proposal, it was not because he truly believed the southeast would descend into chaos.

This was plainly an exaggeration. What Cui Jingrong wanted was nothing more than the court's support to establish a navy.

With such a policy in place, the Ministry of War's authority would expand outward. Under those circumstances, his power as Minister of War would also grow.

Zhu Youxiao, however, was not prepared to agree. Though the Great Ming indeed needed to establish a navy—a true navy, not just a coastal fleet—it was definitely not the time for it now.

Zhu Youxiao did not have enough money, and he had not yet sorted out matters on land. Shipbuilding was no simple affair—he had no men, no money. What could he use to build ships?

Even if ships were to be built, he could not let Cui Jingrong and his ilk handle it. What Zhu Youxiao wanted to use was the Imperial Navy of the Great Ming—one not subject to the court's control. This navy must remain independent, for the people Zhu Youxiao intended to deal with were not only outside the court.

Only when the Imperial Navy of the Great Ming was fully established would be the time for Zhu Youxiao to make his move against certain people.

After a brief moment of deliberation, Zhu Youxiao looked at Cui Jingrong and said, "This matter shall be discussed at length another time."

Hearing these words, Cui Jingrong was taken aback.

But he had already anticipated this. No matter—his purpose had been achieved. He had given His Majesty a small hint. When trouble arose in the southeast again, His Majesty would naturally recall his words.

That would be the time when he could accomplish his goal. Speaking of it now was too early.

As for why Cui Jingrong could foresee trouble in the southeast—it was not that he possessed some miraculous foresight; it was merely a casual gambit.

Moreover, judging from the current situation, those Dutchmen would absolutely not let the matter rest. Until they achieved their aims, they would never stop.

"Alright, you may go." Zhu Youxiao looked at Cui Jingrong and said directly.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Your minister takes his leave." Cui Jingrong respectfully retreated backward, then disappeared beyond the palace gate.

Zhu Youxiao watched Cui Jingrong leave, tapping the armrest of the dragon throne with his hand. His expression wavered briefly, then hardened with resolve.

Turning his head to glance at Wei Chao nearby, Zhu Youxiao said directly, "Have Qi Yuanfu come see me."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Wei Chao promptly acknowledged.

This matter was of great importance—or perhaps it was not such a major affair. But in Zhu Youxiao's eyes, it was an extremely, extremely important matter.

Zhu Youxiao needed someone to help him handle it. He could not trust the various government offices below—the Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard were both unsuitable. Zhu Youxiao wanted Qi Yuanfu to handle it.

Before long, Qi Yuanfu walked in from outside.

Upon seeing Zhu Youxiao, Qi Yuanfu hurriedly bowed and said, "Your minister Qi Yuanfu pays respects to Your Majesty!"

Zhu Youxiao nodded and said, "Rise."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Qi Yuanfu quickly replied.

After Qi Yuanfu straightened himself, Zhu Youxiao looked at him and said, "I have a task I want you to handle. You will be away for a long time, and the journey is somewhat far. What do you think? Can you make the trip?"

"As long as Your Majesty commands, your minister is willing to walk through fire and tread on blades for Your Majesty!" Qi Yuanfu promptly declared.

"No need for fire and blades. I want you to go to Macau. At this time it should be called Haojiang? It matters not—you just need to know the place."

"Once you arrive there, there are some matters for you to handle." Zhu Youxiao said directly.

If the Great Ming wanted to build warships, it certainly could not do so behind closed doors—relying on Zhu Youxiao's imagination alone would not do.

Zhu Youxiao knew something about it, but not much, and converting that into blueprints was too troublesome.

Moreover, long-distance voyages required nautical charts, and approaching the Dutch was out of the question.

Zhu Youxiao had set his sights on another group of people.