In the emperor's view, competition between the army and navy should be a good thing.
Everyone is rushing to achieve great things and expand the territory of the Ming Dynasty. Isn't it good as long as the strength allows?
The pioneering and enterprising spirit should be cultivated starting from the army, and the will of the whole nation should be inspired through continuous victories. Isn’t this the normal path of development?
Looking at the dynasties in history, from being bold and enterprising and sweeping across the world to being conservative and weak, they almost all went through a stage, that is, a long period of peace.
Peace in the world is originally a good thing, but it has become a breeding ground for the erosion of enterprising spirit and the generation of various ills.
Therefore, the emperor was not prepared to stop. He took advantage of the fact that the Ming Dynasty's military strength had reached a new height to conquer all directions and plunder wealth, thus laying the foundation for the future development path of the Ming Dynasty.
Originally, after the invasion of Burma, they planned to attack Luzon again in a year or two to launch a bloody revenge against the Spaniards.
However, the emperor vaguely remembered that there had been a massacre against the Chinese, and fearing that the situation would become more serious, he accelerated the pace of his actions.
If we compare the military strength, there will be no problem in defeating the Spaniards, and the natives of Luzon are nothing to worry about.
When the Spaniards invaded Luzon, they only had an army of two or three hundred people, but they defeated the indigenous troops and gradually turned central Luzon into a Spanish colony.
Up to now, according to the intelligence figures, there are only two to three thousand Spaniards, including civilians, and more than ten warships.
To the natives of Luzon, a few hundred Spaniards were considered well-equipped and well-trained. But to the rising Ming army, both their weapons and equipment and their numbers were overwhelming advantages.
If the war's consumption did not require a planned and step-by-step approach, the army and navy would have intensified their military operations. This was still due to the emperor's suppression, who did not approve the confident army's report to increase its efforts.
This year's invasion of Burma will focus on picking the weaker persimmons first. Boosting the people's morale is one thing, but plundering wealth for the next battle is also crucial.
If the spoils are large enough, there will be funds to continue investing in the army's attack on Qiantao and the navy's expedition to Luzon next year.
War is also a business. Try not to do something that loses money but only gains reputation. To win a battle, you must gain something. This is the only way to create a virtuous cycle and continue this business.
After all, the national finances cannot support years of foreign wars. Although these wars will bring benefits, they can be divided into short-term and long-term.
Short-term means immediate gains. For example, conquering Champa was not only easy but also very rewarding. The invasion of Burma can also be classified as such. The capture of Ava would have brought a staggering amount of gold, silver, and treasures to the Burmese royal family.
In the long term, the Liaodong front's northward advance would not yield immediate gains. Land is certainly a treasure, but it requires cultivation and management, which will take at least two or three years before it yields any profit.
Just like investing in stocks in the market, you can trade short-term or hold them for the long term. Only with a reasonable allocation can you maximize your returns.
Therefore, the plan to attack Luzon is just a plan, but it also depends on the gains from the Burmese invasion and the issuance of war bonds.
Tens of thousands of troops and nearly a thousand ships—the investment in attacking Luzon was enormous. As for the returns, the gold and silver seized from the Spanish probably wouldn't even cover the investment.
However, if Luzon was occupied and managed well, it would provide a fairly stable long-term income. Among other things, Luzon's copper mines could solve the Ming Empire's copper shortage problem.
Luzon's teak is a strategic resource. As one of the most durable hardwoods, teak is also known as the "king of woods" in shipbuilding.
With sufficient teak, the ships of the Ming Navy could be upgraded to a higher level, greatly improving both their strength and durability.
Although the attack on Luzon next year was still just a plan and the final decision would depend on the specific circumstances, preparations were already underway in full swing without the slightest delay.
"In the third year of the Yongle reign, when Zheng He visited the Luzon Islands during his voyage to the West, he was ordered to appoint Xu Chai Lao, an overseas Chinese leader, as the Governor-General of Luzon... Xu Chai Lao was loyal to the court and emulated the people, setting an example..."
The emperor picked up the teacup and drank tea. Li Dan lowered his head slightly, but his mind was full of thoughts, confused and excited.
The purpose of this visit to Beijing was, first, to celebrate the Emperor's 1000th birthday, second, to report on the preparations of the General Chamber of Maritime Merchants, and third, to purchase war bonds.
Another reason is that Li Dan had lived in Luzon for many years and was also a Kapitan (overseas Chinese leader).
The campaign against Luzon was a secret to outsiders, but Li Dan knew it. To this end, he arranged for ships to transport personnel, supplies and ammunition to the Ming army when the campaign began.
Li Dan was deeply resentful of the Spanish and would never forget them. When he learned he was going to fight the Spanish, he was so excited that he said he was buying war bonds, but in reality, he was making donations. The second tranche of bonds hadn't even been issued yet!
But after the emperor asked about the situation in Luzon, he said this, which made Li Dan unable to help but think wildly.
The emperor's idea was not complicated. When occupying overseas territories, stationing troops for defense, and governing the government, he still had to take into account the local customs and living habits.
If the imperial court sent officials directly there, firstly, the methods and means of governance could not be copied from the domestic ones; secondly, the affinity with the local Chinese might not be harmonious.
It doesn’t matter if it’s not Li Dan. We can also select a prestigious overseas Chinese leader from Luzon.
The emperor did not want to use the word "colony", but in the initial stage of occupation, he still had to learn from the experience of the Western barbarians.
Without investing too much money and incurring high occupation costs, the colonies can be gradually turned into the territory of the Ming Dynasty. This process may take several years, dozens of years, or even decades, but it is relatively safe.
Overseas expansion is necessary, but spreading it too broadly and too hastily can be a heavy burden. Since Luzon is considered a long-term investment, it makes sense to take a longer time to digest it.
As for the Governor-General's powers, except for the military, he could be given all of them. With the help of officials selected by the Ministry of Personnel and the promotion of local Chinese, as long as he managed the business properly and could bring in a sustained and stable income for the Ming Dynasty, he would be qualified.
This idea is not strange, that is, to operate Luzon as a subsidiary, just like the British and the Dutch opened the East India Company.
To explain it more deeply, it's similar to contracting. Whoever manages the business better and brings more benefits to the Ming Empire will become the governor, which is not a bad idea.
Realizing that the emperor had put down his teacup and was looking at him with a smile, Li Dan hurriedly bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I am stupid..."
The emperor nodded gently and said, "Since you are familiar with the situation in Luzon, I think after defeating the Spanish, I can appoint you as the Governor-General of Luzon to govern. I wonder if you are willing to do so, and I wonder if you have the ability to do so."
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