No matter how Li Dan, Yan Siqi, and Li Guozhu considered future events, the navy's actions continued.
The Spanish were completely eradicated from Asia. Besides Luzon, there were also places like Cebu and Mindanao. The Spanish had only about 180 men and were no match for the murderous Ming army.
For the emperor and Li Dan, the safest plan was to focus on managing Luzon first and then wait for an opportunity to advance to other islands.
To expand territory, or to develop overseas territories, the emperor was not prepared to rely entirely on regular troops.
Like the adventurers of the Western Yi, he will introduce policies of encouragement and support to allow more of his people to set sail and use guns to seize a wider area of living.
Li Dan being appointed as governor was just the beginning. According to the emperor's idea, he would not hesitate to give the title of governor to anyone who could occupy land overseas and manage it well.
This is the method of expansion with the lowest cost. Relying solely on the court to send troops, immigrate, and supply materials would require a huge amount of funds and would be relatively slow.
Of course, some key and important places still need to be attacked and occupied by the navy.
For example, Temasek, also known as Star City, as mentioned by Li Dan. Although it is not as important as Malacca in terms of geographical location, after the construction of fortresses and naval bases, it can still control the Strait of Malacca to a large extent.
As for immigration, the emperor planned to let Li Dan or Yan Siqi move about a thousand people from Borneo first to form the scale of a town.
The emperor did not have strict requirements regarding whether one was Chinese; naturalized indigenous people were also accepted. After relocation, the risk of rebellion was reduced to a minimum.
After Temasek came Malacca, and going to war with the Portuguese to seize it was an option. If the Portuguese were sensible, the emperor could take a step back and share Malacca with them.
Of course, this was only temporary. With the increasing strength of the Ming Empire's navy and the continuous immigration to Malacca, the Portuguese only had the right to reside in Malacca, and the dominant power would be controlled by the Ming Empire.
The Portuguese should have been aware that the Dutch were eyeing Malacca, and they knew they could not resist the Dutch attack.
Moreover, there may be more opportunities for cooperation with the Portuguese. Although Portugal has declined, it has established many strongholds along the coast of India because it started early.
For example, Galle, Colombo and other places in Sri Lanka will also be the key points of the emperor's layout.
The emperor did not want to resort to force if the problem could be resolved through negotiation. Of course, negotiations also had to be backed by force to achieve the desired results.
Asia is the Asia of the Ming Empire; the South China Sea is the South China Sea of the Ming Empire.
Come to do business, and it will be mutually beneficial; if warships come, they will be attacked without mercy. This is the domineering power of the Ming Empire that the emperor wants to create.
The Ming Empire's navy swept across the Spanish in the Philippine Islands with thunderous force. Years of preparation had not only strengthened the military, but also involved meticulous intelligence work.
The merchants traveling to and from Luzon, as well as the local Chinese, were all the eyes and ears of the Ming Empire. The spies of the Pacification Office and the inquiries of the Maritime Merchants Association played a significant role in the conquest of Luzon.
The news spread quickly, especially among the Chinese in Luzon, who ran around telling each other and were all beaming with joy.
"That's right, I, Li Dan, am back." At this time, Li Dan summoned the Chinese overseas leaders and local chiefs who came to pay him a visit at the Governor's Mansion.
His voice was deep and powerful. Li Dan narrowed his eyes, pointed at a local chief, and said, "Kapitan is a Spanish title, so there's no need to omit it in the future. Right now, I, Li, am the Governor-General of Luzon, appointed by the Emperor of the Ming Empire."
"Greetings, His Excellency the Governor." The overseas Chinese leaders who had been arranged in advance bowed and saluted. It was their job to act as a good liaison.
Everyone saluted respectfully, at least on the surface showing respect for the Governor.
Li Dan sneered in his heart, and finally understood why the emperor wanted him to kill people to establish his authority.
These people were obedient to the Spanish and would not resist under their own rule, but they would also stand idly by when Luzon was in danger.
Simply put, they only obey the strong, so we must make them fear and respect each other. At the same time, we must make the Chinese feel that they are masters of their own land, participate in the construction of Luzon, and even fight to defend Luzon in the future.
Li Dan raised his hand, a smile on his face, and said in a gentle voice: "No need to be so polite, everyone. Please take a seat. Let's discuss the Luzon strategy together."
"Thank you, Governor." After expressing their gratitude, everyone sat down.
Servants served tea and water, as well as various snacks brought from the Ming Dynasty. They were exquisite and delicious, which was amazing.
Li Dan first talked about taxes. He naturally denounced the Spaniards' extortion and extortion, and announced that he would collect half of the tax in the future.
Even if it was half, it was still higher than in the country. Li Dan knew that this favor must be shown when Luzon was first occupied.
"Your Excellency the Governor is so kind and righteous. We are suffering terribly under the oppression of the Spaniards." Another overseas Chinese leader spoke up again, giving compliments with great gratitude.
This flattery is of poor quality!
Yan Siqi watched with a smile on his face, learning a few things but also complaining.
Listening to everyone's compliments, Li Dan smiled humbly, asked about everyone's needs and difficulties, and readily promised to help solve them, looking approachable and easy to get along with.
After talking for a while, Li Dan finally coughed and waited for everyone to quiet down before slowly saying, "What suggestions do you have for how to deal with the Spaniards?"
Everyone was silent for a moment, all considering the situation. Perhaps they had anticipated this, but were hesitant to speak first, fearing they might not agree with the Governor.
"What do you think, Governor, of asking the Spanish to pay a ransom for the prisoners?"
Finally someone spoke, but it was unclear whether he was speaking the truth or just a pawn arranged by Li Dan to trick others into talking.
"This is a good idea. It won't hurt the relationship with the Spaniards and there won't be any big trouble in the future." Some people agreed, but this revealed their own mentality and was of little use.
"Have we just let the story of the Spanish massacre of the Chinese go?" a Chinese community leader retorted grimly, "There were tens of thousands of people, men, women, young and old, and the Spanish spared no one."
The meeting hall fell silent. It would have been fine if this matter hadn't been mentioned. Once it was mentioned, no one dared to comment. Speaking for the Spanish, you still want to stay with the Governor? Speaking for the dead Chinese, what if the Spanish come back?
Yan Siqi crossed his arms across his chest, pursed his lips and sneered, looking at everyone's expressions, trying to figure out their mentality.
"Killing prisoners is unlucky." Someone, not quite confident, looked at Li Dan's expression and said, "According to the rules of the Western Barbarians, if you surrender, you can be spared."
Li Dan narrowed his eyes and said in a deep voice, "When the Spanish surrendered, it was unconditional. No one promised them anything."
"Besides..." Li Dan's voice suddenly rose. "As the Governor-General, how can I not uphold justice in the massacre of the Chinese in Luzon? Those Spaniards were not prisoners of war; they were murderers. Shouldn't they be tried and severely punished?"
After a pause, Li Dan chuckled, his expression calming down again, but his words were chilling and frightening. "Killing someone means paying with one's life. This is only natural. This Governor has decided to behead all the Spanish men and display their heads in public. You will all come and witness the execution the day after tomorrow!"
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