Zheng Zhilong chuckled, looking relaxed, and said, "It's just taking over the defense of Haojing. The Portuguese dare not act rashly. But the necessary pressure is indispensable."

The emperor had no plans to drive out the Portuguese in the short term. Instead, he expanded the Guangzhou commercial port and promoted greater prosperity in maritime trade.

A weakened Portugal was a European trading partner that the Ming Empire could rely on and trust. The reason was simple: it posed no threat to the Ming Empire.

Moreover, the emperor did not completely fall out with the Portuguese, and his eyes were still on Malacca, which was occupied by the Portuguese.

With Portugal's strength, Malacca could not be defended. When the Dutch felt that they had enough strength and a solid foundation in Asia, they would send troops to attack.

At that time, the Ming Empire could reap the benefits and obtain the greatest benefits at the lowest cost.

Therefore, the emperor allowed the Portuguese to continue to reside in Hao territory, but defense had to be controlled by the Ming army and government affairs had to be managed by the government.

This involves national sovereignty, although no one understood this concept in the feudal era. The Portuguese gradually consolidated their presence in Macau because the Central Plains dynasties did not pay attention to it and did not understand this principle.

Now there have been major changes. The emperor not only wants to take back the governance of Macau, but also orders the navy to patrol the island, erect stone tablets and declare sovereignty.

In addition to sovereignty, there are also territory and territorial waters, which the emperor must instill and put into practice.

Of course, just like the new ideas introduced by the emperor, it takes a process for people to accept and understand them, and it cannot be achieved overnight.

Compared with the officer Wang Huazhong, Zheng Zhilong did not have much knowledge, but his understanding of the emperor's intentions was deeper and more thorough.

He used both power and kindness to easily seize the ruling power. He completed the task assigned by the emperor cleanly and beautifully, and the governance of Haojing was his.

Wang Huazhong had the direct thinking of a soldier. He used his strength to crush the Portuguese. He would fight without any nonsense and deal with them quickly and thoroughly.

Wang Huazhong chuckled twice and did not argue with Zheng Zhilong. After all, the task of regaining the administrative power over Haojing was led by Zheng Zhilong.

At this moment, a horseman galloped out of Guangzhou City and headed straight towards them, attracting the attention of Zheng Zhilong and Wang Huazhong. The two of them also had guesses and expectations in their hearts.

The rider ran up, dismounted, and reported with a bow, "My Lords, urgent news has arrived from the navy: the Dutch Red Barbarians' six warships have been completely destroyed. Our army is on its way back."

Zheng Zhilong and Wang Huazhong looked at each other and smiled with ease.

"In that case, it's time to invite Gongxie to come over so that I can have a talk with him." Zheng Zhilong smiled and brushed off his official uniform, his confident look undisguised.

Gongxie was an artillery instructor once hired by the imperial court. He had a clear understanding of the Ming army's combat effectiveness and could help the Portuguese make rational decisions.

In fact, for the Portuguese in Hao, as long as the Ming Dynasty cut off their trade or imposed a blockade at sea, it would be enough to put them in a desperate situation.

However, the emperor wanted to take advantage of this great victory to gain the greatest benefits without fighting. If the Portuguese were ungrateful, it would not be difficult for the Ming Dynasty to wipe out a few hundred of them.

……………….

No matter how the war with the Dutch goes, there are only two possible outcomes: a clean victory or a victory at a certain price. The administrative power of Macau must also be taken back.

The emperor had no doubt about victory. With so many ships, so many cannons, and an astonishing number of rockets, the Dutch would never be their match even in a melee without any tactical strategy.

As for the Portuguese, they had no ships, and at most they had one or two armed merchant ships; they were not numerous, and all the armed men were only a few hundred. How could they resist a fully armed regular army?

Therefore, the emperor believed that the war was well prepared and did not need him to worry. The battle with the Dutch was only one part of the overall strategic plan of the empire.

At this time, the emperor was immersed in the happiness of having a son.

In fact, when the queen gave birth to a prince, not only the emperor was excited, but also the ministers and the people were happy.

This wasn't a concubine, but the empress, the mother of a nation. A boy was considered a legitimate son, and could even be considered a crown prince, though he still needed the emperor's canonization to establish his status.

The emperor was excited because he had an heir, which had already greatly changed history. He had really lost confidence in Zhu Youjian. It is difficult to change a person's character, and he really didn't want his hard work on reform to be wasted.

The ministers were excited because the emperor had a successor and the succession was orderly. In just a few years, the traditional education they received could not be changed.

The people were happy because this was a great event. Whenever there was such a great event, the court would always introduce policies such as tax reduction and exemption, and amnesty.

"Approved!" The emperor drank the fragrant tea and briefly approved the memorial.

A general amnesty was declared, and all criminals except those sentenced to death were exiled to Mekong Province, Dongfan, Hainan, and Borneo.

That’s right, the maritime merchant groups need a lot of manpower to develop in Borneo, and criminals are the lowest cost.

The same is true in other places. The development potential is huge, human resources are most welcome, and there is no need to spend money to recruit them.

"Approved!" All exemptions were given to Shaanxi and all disaster-stricken areas. The emperor would do this even if there was no big happy event.

The bloody lessons of history are that even if people suffered disasters, they still had to pay taxes, forcing the people to rise up in rebellion, just for food and to survive.

If this most basic demand cannot be met, then why would the dynasty not perish?

After dealing with the memorials, the emperor finally relaxed. He then turned to Wang Tigan and instructed him, "Wang Ban, celebrate only in the palace. There's no need for extravagance."

"I obey your command." Wang Tigan's face was full of joy. He bowed and said, "Your Majesty, rest assured. I will make this grand occasion dignified and grand, without any extravagance or waste."

There is no shortage of festive supplies in the palace, as they are used during the New Year and other festivals. Since the emperor has given such an order, Wang Ti Gan will naturally rack his brains to get it done.

The emperor smiled to himself and gave up the idea of ​​setting up a banquet and collecting more money.

……………….

Shaoyingyuan.

The news spread quickly, but the children were only happy for a short while, and most of them didn't take it seriously. If there were extra food or a holiday, they would be even more excited.

But Hailanzhu and Bumbutai were different. The two sisters thought that on this happy occasion, they might be allowed to return home and live there for a long time, or even return to the grassland.

"Father is timid and probably doesn't dare to submit the memorial?" Hai Lanzhu shook her head uncertainly, her eyes dimming.

Although the emperor appointed Zaisangbu to a high official position and granted him a house in the capital, he also sent Wu Keshan back to Khorchin and made him a jasak.

However, the two sisters were kept in Shaoyingyuan to receive their education and were only allowed to return home during holidays. Zaisang Buhe did not dare to object, and the two sisters were confused about the emperor's intentions.