Chapter 30

【Zheng Chenggong's second achievement, demonstrating national integrity.】

【The Qing court tried to induce his surrender with the position of Governor of Fujian and Zhejiang; Zheng Chenggong replied: "My father has already erred in the past, how could I dare to err again in the future?"】

【The Qing court captured his father to threaten him; he replied:】

【"Since my father could not be a loyal subject, how can I be a filial son?"】

On the sky screen, the scene of Zheng Chenggong writing the reply appeared.

The brushstrokes were like knives, every word sonorous and powerful.

Han Dynasty.

Liu Bang sighed with emotion: "What a great 'Since my father could not be a loyal subject, how can I be a filial son'! This integrity, I am impressed!"

Xiao He beside him laughed: "Your Majesty, you are the founding emperor of the Great Han, why are you impressed by a junior?"

Liu Bang glared at him.

"What? Can't I be impressed by someone? This Zheng Chenggong is truly a man!"

Yuan Dynasty.

Kublai Khan was also watching the sky screen.

As the Great Khan of the Mongols, he established the Yuan Dynasty, but he also knew that later generations had mixed reviews of the Yuan Dynasty.

Seeing this, he nodded: "This person has backbone."

Bayan beside him asked: "Your Majesty, do you admire him?"

Kublai Khan said indifferently: "Admiration is one thing, stance is another. He was anti-Qing, and I am a founder; our stances are different. But I acknowledge this person's integrity."

【April 21, 1661, Zheng Chenggong led 25,000 soldiers and 400 warships, departing from Kinmen and crossing the Taiwan Strait.】

【April 30, the fleet took advantage of the thick fog and high tide to land at Lu'ermen; the Dutch exclaimed "Divine soldiers descending from heaven."】

【Zheng Chenggong's key battles:】

【Siege of Chikan City, May 4, captured Fort Provintia (now Chikan Tower).】

【Siege of Fort Zeelandia, besieged for 9 months, cutting off water and food supplies.】

【Final maritime decisive battle, sank the Dutch relief ship "Koudekerke."】

【February 1, 1662, Dutch Governor Coyett surrendered and signed the "Dutch Surrender Treaty."】

【Taiwan, which had been colonized by the Dutch for 38 years, returned to China.】

On the sky screen, the images were shocking.

Zheng Chenggong's fleet took advantage of the thick fog and high tide to land at Lu'ermen.

The Dutch were panicked and fled in all directions.

Besieged for nine months, water and food were cut off.

Finally, the Dutch governor bowed his head and surrendered.

Ming Dynasty.

Seeing this, Zhu Yuanzhang finally smiled.

"Good! Good! Recovering lost territory, raising our national prestige!"

He looked at the sky screen, his eyes full of gratification.

"This Zheng Chenggong is a meritorious official of my Great Ming!"

Liu Bowen beside him reminded him: "Your Majesty, the Great Ming had already perished at that time."

Zhu Yuanzhang's smile froze on his face, and it took a long time before he squeezed out a sentence.

"Then he is still a person of my Great Ming!"

Qing Dynasty.

Kangxi looked at the sky screen, silent for a long time.

"This person is indeed extraordinary."

He turned to look at the Grand Secretary beside him.

"Do you know about Taiwan?"

The Grand Secretary said hurriedly: "Reporting to Your Majesty, Taiwan is a large island in the southeast sea, rich in products, but it has not yet been incorporated into our territory."

Kangxi was lost in thought: "Recovering Taiwan... This Zheng Chenggong has left a topic for later generations."

【During the recovery of Taiwan, Zheng Chenggong implemented a series of governance measures.】

【Politically: Established Chengtian Prefecture, which is now Tainan, renamed Chikan as Eastern Capital Ming Capital, and set up one prefecture and two counties.】

【Economically: Implemented the tuntian system, placing soldiers among farmers to solve the military food problem.】

【Culturally: Built a Confucius Temple, promoted Confucian studies, and spread Chinese culture.】

【Ethnically: Pacified the indigenous people and taught them farming techniques.】

【He said: "Taiwan is the land of China, long occupied by the Dutch; now that I have come to claim it, the land should return to me."】

On the sky screen, the images of Zheng Chenggong implementing governance in Taiwan were presented one by one.

Building a Confucius Temple, promoting Confucian studies, teaching the indigenous people to farm.

That sentence, "Taiwan is the land of China," echoed through the Heavens and Myriad Worlds.

Qin Dynasty.

Ying Zheng nodded: "This person not only has courage but also strategy. Being able to govern after recovering it, this is a true meritorious official."

He looked at Meng Tian beside him: "What do you think?"

Meng Tian cupped his hands: "Your Majesty is absolutely right. If one only recovers it without governing, it will sooner or later be lost again. This person considers the long term; he is truly extraordinary."

Sui Dynasty.

Yang Jian was also watching the sky screen.

He had just established the Sui Dynasty not long ago and was thinking about how to govern the world.

Seeing Zheng Chenggong's governance measures, he was lost in thought.

"Tuntian system, building a Confucius Temple, pacifying the indigenous people... These measures are worth learning from."

Empress Dugu beside him laughed: "Is Your Majesty going to learn the way of governing a country from a junior?"

Yang Jian said earnestly: "Governing a country has no distinction of seniority; if there is reason, one must learn."

【The inventory of achievements is complete; now let's talk about his faults.】

On the sky screen, the image changed.

Gu Shanhe's voice also became serious.

The emperors of various dynasties immediately perked up.

Is this going to talk about shortcomings?

Interesting.

【Zheng Chenggong's first fault, governing the army too strictly: Because his cousin Zheng Tai colluded with the Qing court, he executed his entire family, leading to the alienation of his generals.】

【Second fault, decision-making error: The 1659 Nanjing Campaign, due to underestimating the enemy and advancing rashly, missed the best opportunity for battle.】

【Third fault, unstable internal affairs: He died of illness only one year after arriving in Taiwan, failing to complete the construction of the regime.】

【These three major faults caused a family tragedy: His son Zheng Jing had an affair with his wet nurse; Zheng Chenggong was furious and wanted to execute his son before he died.】

【The greatest controversy among later Huaxia descendants: In order to raise military pay, he once monopolized maritime trade, levied "license taxes," and increased the burden on coastal merchants and people.】

On the sky screen, these faults were presented one by one.

Governing the army too strictly, executing his cousin's entire family.

Nanjing Campaign, underestimating the enemy and advancing rashly.

His son having an affair with the wet nurse, wanting to execute his son before he died.

Monopolizing trade, increasing the burden on merchants and people.

Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Yuanzhang's expression changed again.

"Executing his cousin's entire family? This..."

He sighed: "Too much. Governing the army strictly is a good thing, but being too strict will lead to alienation."

Empress Ma beside him said softly: "Chongba, didn't you also kill quite a few people back then?"

Zhu Yuanzhang glared at her.

"Can that be the same?! I killed those who deserved to be killed!"

Empress Ma smiled and said no more.

Qing Dynasty.

Kangxi shook his head.

"No one is perfect. This Zheng Chenggong had both merits and faults, but overall, his merits outweigh his faults."

He looked at Songgotu beside him: "What do you think?"

Songgotu said hurriedly: "Your Majesty is wise. This person indeed had merits and faults, but the achievement of recovering Taiwan is enough to cover most of his faults."

【June 23, 1662, Zheng Chenggong died of illness in Taiwan at the age of only 39.】

【Three regrets before death:】

【"No face to see the former emperor in the underworld" — failed to resist the Qing and restore the Ming.】

【"Both loyalty and filial piety failed" — his father was killed by the Qing court, failing to fulfill filial piety.】

【"Family misfortune" — his son Zheng Jing's scandal.】

【It is said that before he died, he scratched his face and shouted: "I have no face to see the former emperor!" and passed away covering his face with one hand.】

On the sky screen, the image of Zheng Chenggong on his deathbed was moving.

He scratched his face, shouting "no face to see the former emperor," and passed away covering his face with one hand.

He was only thirty-nine years old.