For Shen Yourong, this naval battle must be won cleanly and beautifully. Even if only one enemy ship escapes, it will not be perfect enough and will not be enough to repay the emperor's earnest expectations.
Of course, he was right to think so, but he didn't know the emperor's next series of moves.
Strike hard against the Dutch, frighten the Portuguese, and take this opportunity to regain control of Macau Island. No outsiders are allowed to occupy the territory of the Ming Dynasty.
Business was permitted, as was residence. However, management had to be by appointed Ming officials, and forts and batteries had to be manned by Ming troops.
This is only the first step. The second step is to completely take back Macau and establish one or two or three large ports elsewhere, allowing merchants from all countries to reside there.
The emperor envisioned that this major port would first be located in Guangzhou, and then in Shanghai.
Of course, they were only allowed to reside there, but were not allowed to carry guns or knives. If they wanted to go ashore, they had to disarm and obey the rule of the Ming Dynasty government.
Driving the Western Barbarians out of Asia one by one meant using armed force, not severing trade. Money still had to be made, and to realize the huge profits of new products, there had to be a sufficiently large market.
Portugal has declined, and the Portuguese armed forces in Macau are pitiful. Now they don't even have a warship.
Therefore, it was not difficult to regain control of Macau. However, the emperor did not want to ruin his relationship with the Portuguese, as Malacca was still in Portuguese hands.
Although the Portuguese in Malacca did not have much military power, they would probably be defeated by the Dutch soon and lose Malacca.
But the emperor believed that in a dozen or even dozens of years, in the war between the Dutch and the Portuguese for Malacca, the Ming navy would be able to intervene and reap the benefits.
Compared with Batavia, Luzon, and even more overseas places, Malacca is the place that the emperor cares about most.
Although it has not yet fully demonstrated its importance and is occupied by the declining small country of Portugal, no one knows better than Malacca's important position in the world.
Controlling this place would strangle the throat of the Western Barbarians entering Asia and open the door to the world. The Golden Waterway was well-deserved.
The emperor's plans were far-reaching and he was quite patient.
Borneo was not only a threat to the Dutch stronghold, but also a base for the capture of Malacca. However, the emperor did not rush to send regular troops, but instead continuously strengthened the armed forces there through the Maritime Merchants Association.
A master chess player focuses on the overall situation. The emperor is that master. Every chess piece he places has a deeper meaning, and is not as simple as it appears on the surface.
The key is timing and time. Resisting major disasters, expanding the navy and army, and becoming familiar with sea routes are all factors that the emperor needs to consider.
And with this first kick, or the navy's opening victory, the emperor targeted the Dutch.
With the help of intelligence and sufficient preparation, a naval battle began like a tiger attacking a rabbit.
Shen Yourong's orders were issued in different routes. After receiving the orders, the naval fleets that had already been in position set sail from Cam Ranh Bay, Jinmen and Xiamen, and Haikou, heading straight for the Pearl River Estuary.
In fact, any of the three squadrons had the confidence and hope of winning against the Dutch warships.
But Shen Yourong didn't want the navy to miss this rare opportunity for actual combat. Even if they just watched from the sidelines at the designated battlefield, it would definitely be a good opportunity to gain experience.
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