Historically, the colonies of the Western Yi people also grew from nothing to something, and from small to large.
At the beginning, most of the people who arrived at the colony were merchant ships or adventurers. Seeing that the natives were ignorant, easy to deceive and fight, they built forts and strongholds here.
Then, as it continues to expand and reaches a certain size, the government may give it a title and bring it under its jurisdiction.
Take Luzon as an example. When the Spaniards first arrived, they had only two or three hundred people, but they were able to defeat the local chiefs and become the local lords.
Therefore, to occupy territory and dominate overseas, one does not necessarily need exceptional strength. At the very least, the flintlock rifle was already a world-leading weapon, and a few hundred men were enough to crush the natives.
Strength is only one condition for pioneering and developing overseas. What is more important is to have a spirit of adventure and exploration.
It is better to retreat and seek the net than to envy the fish by the river. Just watching Li Dan rise from a mere merchant to a governor-general, without considering all the years of hard work and foresight he had put in, yet still achieved nothing.
Of course, what was more important was the attitude of the imperial court. Using the power of the navy to defeat the Spaniards created the conditions for Li Dan to take control of Luzon.
Moreover, the conquest of Luzon was carried out under the pretext of revenge for the Chinese. In other words, the imperial court encouraged and supported its people who were pioneering and enterprising overseas, and was willing to deploy a large army to protect their interests.
The emperor's multi-pronged approach was to reassure his subjects as they ventured overseas. Although they were far away, they had the support of their motherland, which would remain a powerful one.
Occupation and struggle were inevitable experiences in overseas territories. Western merchants and adventurers were often backed by government investment or direct government action.
Do you think you can conquer the land by recruiting a few hundred people? Without the support of a strong motherland, it is just a temporary illusion.
A wise pioneer will not declare himself king just because he has occupied a piece of land. Instead, he will try every possible means to seek recognition and support from the court.
If it is recognized by the Ming Empire, even if no troops are sent to assist in defense, those who covet it will be cautious and dare not invade.
Therefore, the emperor had no such worries. Or rather, even if someone declared himself king, he wouldn't care much. After all, it wasn't Ming Empire territory, so it wouldn't be a loss to the Ming Empire.
As news of the Luzon invasion spread, the court's policies and objectives gradually became apparent. Those with the ability naturally became interested, and among them, the wealthy made up the majority.
That’s right, as long as you have money, you can recruit people, hire retired officers and soldiers, and buy weapons and equipment.
However, the difficulty of going it alone is self-evident. Information is the most important, followed by ships and experienced sailors, and finally, the approval of the court.
Overseas, where the natives are easy to conquer, the land is fertile, or there are lucrative crops, wouldn't it be a waste of money to go there blindly?
At this time, the emperor's foresight was evident. Li Dan was indeed the president of the Maritime Merchants Association, but he also had a company in Borneo. After assuming the office of governor, he had handed over the management of this company to Yan Siqi.
This company, which has been renamed "Huaxia Longteng", has moved its headquarters to Shanghai and is said to include shares of the emperor.
Along with the news of the victory in the conquest of Luzon came the company's announcement, jointly signed by Li Dan and Yan Siqi.
Want to expand overseas? Want to leave a legacy for generations to come? Join us and make your dreams come true. There's nothing we can't do, only things we can't imagine. Let's suffocate for our dreams together!
Well, that's roughly what it means. With Li Dan as an example, the credibility of the announcement should be beyond doubt.
Moreover, if the court had not allowed it, Li Dan and Yan Siqi would not have dared to write some of the contents in the announcement so confidently.
For example, if a company wants to establish an armed force and recruit retired soldiers, this alone is enough to constitute a crime of conspiracy.
Anyone with a discerning eye could see that this was the emperor's intention. He just pushed Li Dan and Yan Siqi to the front, and he was directing everything behind the scenes.
It's no surprise that the emperor didn't step forward because he felt the name "Huaxia Longteng" was easier to use than the court coming forward directly.
Just like the British East India Company, the Dutch also had an East India Company. Although it had a government background, it was not directly managed by the government.
"Luzon--" The emperor stared at the sand table in the Qianqing Palace and finally felt relieved.
Sailing at sea is full of unpredictable risks, and that is what he is worried about, not the strength and combat capability of the navy.
Moreover, when it comes to overseas expansion and development, Luzon was the first in the true sense. As for Mekong Province, it was relatively close and there was no fighting, so it was just occupied by immigrant garrisons.
Luzon was different. Not only did they have to fight naval and land battles with the Spaniards, but they also had to demonstrate the power of the Ming Empire and send out a warning and domineering message of "punishing the enemy even if they are far away."
"Your Majesty is in control of the strategy, and the Western barbarians are vulnerable." Zhu Youjian returned to Beijing to report on his work and happened to encounter this incident. However, he did not know why the emperor summoned him to watch the sand table together.
The emperor smiled and corrected him, "It's Spain, a small country in Europe."
As he spoke, he pointed at the sand table with his pointer, explaining, "This is the Dutch stronghold, and this is the Portuguese stronghold. They are both small European countries, thousands of miles away, but they were able to sail here and occupy this land."
Zhu Youjian nodded. Although he also studied geography, such an intuitive sand table was more impressive and eye-opening.
"This is Luzon, which our Great Ming Empire just captured from the Spanish," the emperor continued. "This is Mekong Province, very close to our Great Ming. This is Borneo, where Li Dan has been managing it for many years and has already grown to a considerable size."
Zhu Youjian thought for a moment and said, "Why did His Majesty appoint Li Dan as the Governor-General of Luzon instead of selecting an official from the court or the Ministry of Personnel?"
The emperor pursed his lips and said, "That is an overseas territory, and the situation is special. I want to give Li Dan more room to develop his talents, without being bound by the rules of the Ming Dynasty. This is also the reason why I did not select officials."
Zhu Youjian was still somewhat puzzled and continued to ask, "What about the future? Will it remain an overseas territory forever, and not be incorporated into the Ming territory?"
"It will depend on the circumstances in the future." The emperor smiled and said, "Li Dan and I have a secret agreement to guarantee that he and his successor will hold the position of Governor-General of Luzon for fifty years."
Zhu Youjian was startled and looked at the emperor in surprise, saying, "Fifty years, is it almost hereditary?"
The emperor pondered and said, "If not, how could he be willing to work so hard? If his successor is capable and courageous, what harm can there be in inheriting the throne? Besides, I have constraints. If Li Dan is not capable, he won't even be able to hold on to his position as governor!"
"So that's how it is. Long live your wisdom." Zhu Youjian breathed a sigh of relief.
The emperor looked at Zhu Youjian and said with a smile, "I want you to take charge of the Huaxia Longteng Company, to promote private capital and manpower, and to expand overseas."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
