Chapter 660: Hurry Up and Plug That Black Hole

"How could they all be poor? Does His Majesty think there's money to be picked up on Taiwan Island? That you can just go over there empty-handed?" Zheng Zhilong had drunk a few extra cups today, and his tongue was loosening.

He took a sip of the chrysanthemum white that had come down from Beijing with the Zhu Emperor, smiled, and went on: "When a poor man goes to sea, six die, three live, and one turns back. A man with some means, who crosses the sea with his family and property, has a far better chance of building up a household and is not so likely to die out there.

And those with some means who are willing to go to sea for Taiwan are of only two kinds: those skilled at business, and those skilled at fighting.

Going overseas to open new ground offers greater opportunity than working the land in the southeast, but the dangers are also far greater! A man who cannot manage a business, cannot fight, and has no capital to speak of, goes to sea staking his life — whether he makes it or not is entirely up to Heaven. But a man who is good at business and has a little capital is a different matter, because most of those who go out are staking their lives, while few are good at business and have capital, so on Taiwan Island it is very easy to make money. Moreover, such men usually bring their families, so they are looked after in food and clothing, and when they fall ill they can be treated in time — naturally they prosper easily and do not easily lose their lives.

As for those who can fight, and have a bit of property — heh heh... that is even easier! Your Majesty, you may not know this, but those remnants of the eunuch faction whom you exiled to Taiwan Island — the ones who have not died are all doing rather well for themselves now."

"Cough, cough..." Zheng Sen seemed to choke on his chrysanthemum white.

Zheng Zhilong heard his son cough and only then realized he had been talking too much... He hastily shut his mouth!

In fact, the matter Zheng Zhilong had let slip had long ago been reported to Zhu Cilang by Zhu Chunjie — those ruined noble houses who had gone from Gulangyu to Taiwan Island, the ones who had not died of illness, were mostly showing signs of rising in the world.

Those ruined nobles, however down on their luck, had spent their lives in military camps — otherwise they would never have fallen into the pit of the "eunuch faction troubles"!

Zheng Zhilong was also a man of loyalty, and he looked after this group of down-and-out households who had once, in one way or another, helped the Zheng family — he not only let them recover for a year or two on Gulangyu, but also gave them capital and equipment before sending them off to Taiwan Island to "hunt monsters."

Besides, these ruined households all had wives, children, and clans back home, and some even brought loyal servants. A great crowd of people crossed the sea in imposing array, all carrying swords and matchlocks...

In fact, the same situation also exists in the history of European colonial expansion.

Those who fled to the New World were not all European beggars — beg in Europe, go to the New World, and strike it rich? It was never that easy.

"Eldest Senior Brother," Zhu Cilang said, now remembering Zheng Sen as well, "how is Annam at present? Can we go and seize a piece of territory to grow grain?"

Zheng Sen, who had been toiling at sea and in Southeast Asia for more than a year, was now dark and thin — one look told you he had suffered plenty. This eldest son of the richest man had not had it easy either!

When he heard Zhu Cilang's question, his head was already shaking like a rattle-drum.

"No, no..." Zheng Sen said. "Your Majesty, although Annam today is divided into four states, the Mo and Wu clans have both grown weak, and in practice it is the northern Trinh and the southern Nguyen holding each other in check. And for the sake of their mutual slaughter, the northern Trinh and southern Nguyen have both pressed forward vigorously over the past twenty or thirty years, and have even studied military matters from the Western barbarians. The southern Nguyen obtained large numbers of cannon and matchlocks from the Portuguese, and also bought several Portuguese soft-sailed warships. Relying on these Western firearms and warships, the Nguyen, though their territory has a smaller population and no great army, have repeatedly defeated the northern Trinh and held their own state of Quang Nam.

And the northern Trinh, twelve or thirteen years ago, followed the southern Nguyen's example and brought in the red-haired Dutch as outside support, likewise equipping themselves with Western matchlocks and cannon, and buying Western warships. But the northern Trinh's navy is still inferior to the southern Nguyen's, which is why they were defeated again in the last great Trinh-Nguyen war. Still, the strength of both the Trinh and Nguyen houses is not weak — they will not be easy to deal with!"

Out of chaos, cockroaches thrive!

Annam's age of chaos had been running for over a hundred and forty years, and the southern Nguyen and northern Trinh were both ruthless players forged in that chaos — it would be strange if they were easy to deal with.

The Great Ming of today claims a restoration, but it cannot compare with the Yongle Emperor's era, and it simply lacks the strength to destroy those two cockroach houses of Annam.

"What about Champa?" Zhu Cilang asked again. "Champa should be quite weak, surely?"

Zheng Sen nodded: "Champa is indeed not strong... its destruction is only a matter of time, but we had best not lay a finger on Champa."

"Why not?" Zhu Cilang asked. "Is Champa not a vassal of our Great Ming?"

"The situation in Champa is extremely complicated," Zheng Sen said. "There is not only the struggle between Water Chenla and the Nguyen Phuc clan of Quang Nam, but also the struggle among Brahmanism, Buddhism, and the religion of Arabia... The interests of all parties clash fiercely, and even if one could seize it in time, it would be exceedingly difficult to pacify."

Zhu Cilang thought for a moment, then asked: "Then that leaves only Water Chenla?"

"Indeed, Water Chenla is the one that is easy to deal with!" Zheng Sen said. "Fifty years ago, the Siamese hero-king Naresuan marched east in great force against Chenla and took the Water Chenla capital of Longvek in a single blow, and Water Chenla has never recovered since. Today the state has not yet perished, but it is falling apart — the royal house is split into several factions that attack one another, contending for the throne. The Regent Oudong, who now rules the eastern part of Water Chenla, once contended for the position of great king of Water Chenla, and only after his defeat withdrew to Prey Nokor, where, relying on the support of the Nguyen lord of Annam, he governs a little less than half of Water Chenla.

When I went to Water Chenla, I paid a visit to this Prince Oudong at Prey Nokor, and on the way I also went to Saigon, where the Annamese congregate. Saigon lies near Prey Nokor. It was granted to the Annamese for settlement and cultivation by King Chey Chettha II of Water Chenla, who reigned during our Tianqi era, in order to marry a daughter of the Nguyen lord — and it has now become the Nguyen foothold in Water Chenla.

Since there are also quite a few subjects of our Great Ming clearing land and farming in Water Chenla, perhaps we could follow the Annamese example and obtain a plot of land near Prey Nokor as well."

"Is that so?" Zhu Cilang thought for a moment. "How would we follow the example? Marry off a commandery princess or county princess to them as well?"

"That will not be necessary," Zheng Sen said, shaking his head. "If we really married off a commandery princess or county princess, I fear the Nguyen lord of Annam would get ideas... This subject believes it would be more prudent to rent the land with money."

"Rent land with money?" the Chongzhen Retired Emperor put in. "Would that not make us tenant farmers?"

Then tenants we shall be! Zhu Cilang thought to himself: We have begged for food before — why should We fear being a tenant?

"Being a tenant to the Water Chenla people is of no consequence," Zhu Cilang said. "The key is that we must not lose money on it!"

They could not afford to lose... For all that this Emperor Zhu Cilang was quite wealthy, the places demanding money were even more numerous!

"There will be no loss!" Zheng Sen shook his head. "This subject has surveyed the area around Prey Nokor — an endless great plain, nearly the equal of Jiangnan. The waterways are abundant and the climate warm, enough for three harvests a year. Moreover, the population there is not large, and the great majority of the land is forest — once the trees are cut down, it can be farmed.

Besides, there are very few Chenla people there; most are Annamese and migrants from our Great Ming. The Annamese have now posted officials there, and our Great Ming should follow the example... The talk of renting is merely a token gesture; it will cost very little. If the court finds it inconvenient to put up the money, this subject can pay out of his own pocket."

Zhu Cilang waved his hand. "Money is not the problem. The problem is how many people are willing to go, and how much land can be put under cultivation."

Zheng Sen said: "Your Majesty, there are already many subjects of the Celestial Dynasty around Saigon, most of them Cantonese... The Cantonese have huge clans, are fond of courage and skilled at fighting, and often go to sea as entire clans. However, they are not good at commerce, and most make their living by clearing land and farming. If we wish to recruit farmers to settle Water Chenla, it would be best to recruit in Guangdong."

Zhu Cilang thought for a moment and said: "Since there are people willing to go, then there is nothing to hesitate about... Senior Brother, can you still put to sea after this autumn?"

Zheng Sen smiled: "This subject is young and strong, and does not fear the wind and waves at sea... However, Annam, Champa, and Water Chenla are in truth one body, and if we are to squeeze our way in, we should attend to every side — at the very least, we must obtain the support of the Nguyen lord of Quang Nam, Nguyen Phuc Lan."

Zhu Cilang asked: "Will this Nguyen Phuc Lan be willing to support us?"

Zheng Sen said with full confidence: "If we sought to lay hands on Champa, Nguyen Phuc Lan would certainly refuse, but Water Chenla is still far from Quang Nam, and Nguyen Phuc Lan will not be thinking that far ahead for the time being. Besides, he has favors to ask of our Great Ming Celestial Dynasty!"