February 24, the 28th year of Chongzhen.
Soon after nightfall.
Zheng Zhilong received the news that Shi Fu and Zheng Zhibao had been defeated.
Before this, he had fantasized that he could use Quanzhou to negotiate with the imperial court.
Now the last bit of fantasy has been shattered.
"Someone come!" Zheng Zhilong shouted outside, "Send Zheng Zhibao here."
Not long after, Zheng Zhibao walked in, looking dusty and dusty: "Big brother!"
Zheng Zhilong pointed to the stool next to him and said, "Sit down."
Zheng Zhibao had just been defeated and felt guilty so he didn't dare to sit down.
Zheng Zhilong did not force him, but poured him a cup of tea and said, "Fifth brother, drink this cup of tea first."
Zheng Zhibao picked up the cup and drank the tea in it. Then he said, "Brother, I lost the battle due to my poor command. I know I am guilty. No matter how I am punished, I will not complain."
Zheng Zhilong slowly shook his head: "No, you are not guilty!"
Zheng Zhibao was a little surprised: "Not guilty?"
Zheng Zhilong's expression was calm: "Yes, this is the general trend, the outcome has already been determined, and it cannot be changed by human power!"
"So why did Big Brother call me here?"
"To ask you a favor."
"Please, that's too polite. Just tell me if you need anything, big brother!"
Zheng Zhilong sighed and said, "I plan to surrender to the court."
Zheng Zhibao exclaimed: "Surrender? Why did you surrender now, brother, when you didn't surrender earlier or later?"
Zheng Zhilong explained: "I have already said that the outcome is already determined and cannot be changed by human power! Continuing to resist will only lead to the death of the Zheng family army and cause heavy losses to the Zheng family. So I plan to surrender to the court in exchange for the safety of the entire clan."
Zheng Zhibao's face changed: "Brother, you..."
"Listen to me!" Zheng Zhilong interrupted Zheng Zhibao: "No need to persuade me, I have made up my mind!"
Zheng Zhibao explained: "Brother, what I mean is, isn't it too late to surrender now? After all, we participated in the rebellion, and it is difficult to get away with it."
Zheng Zhilong patted Zheng Zhibao on the shoulder and said, "It's not too late! If the court holds me accountable, I will take all the responsibility."
"But..."
Zheng Zhilong straightened up and acted like a big brother: "No buts, this matter is settled. If the court convicts me, Zheng Chenggong and the Zheng clan will be in your hands."
Zheng Zhibao kept waving his hands: "No, brother, I can't bear this heavy responsibility."
"You have to carry it even if you can't bear it."
Zheng Zhibao still disagreed. He suggested: "Brother, why don't you tell this matter to Zheng Hongkui? After all, he is your brother."
"Zheng Hongkui?" Zheng Zhilong snorted coldly: "It's nothing that he surrendered to Li Dingguo, but he didn't even inform me before surrendering. Tell me... can I entrust such an important matter to him?"
Zheng Zhibao declined for a while, but finally had to agree.
That night.
Zheng Zhilong sent someone on a small boat to the shore to express his intention to surrender to Zhu Cijiong.
Zhu Cijiong was very happy.
Just as he was thinking about who to send to accept the surrender, the voice of the Jinyiwei came from outside: "Your Highness, the decree to pardon Zheng Zhilong has arrived."
Zhu Cijiong was stunned.
As soon as Zheng Zhilong expressed his intention to surrender, the decree to pardon him arrived.
This is such a coincidence.
But he didn't think much about it.
After all, it takes one or two months for the imperial edict to be sent from the capital to Fujian.
It is indeed a coincidence, there is no conspiracy.
The reality is that the imperial edict had already been sent to Fujian, but not to the front line.
The next morning, the Jinyiwei who conveyed the imperial edict boarded Zheng Zhilong's boat.
Looking at the imperial edict pardoning him in his hand, Zheng Zhilong felt mixed emotions.
Before that.
His only way out is to follow the prince in raising an army to support the king.
Now...
Surrendering and committing suicide was his only way out.
His fate seemed to be cruelly teased by an invisible hand.
Zheng Zhilong faced north and fell to his knees with a thud.
When he stood up again, his face was already covered in tears.
Zheng Zhibao and others thought that Zheng Zhilong was grateful to the Ming Emperor Chongzhen for pardoning his crimes.
Little did he know that it was Zheng Zhilong's expression of fate.
After a while, Zheng Zhilong stopped crying.
He ordered everyone to abandon their ships and go ashore to surrender to the suppressing army on the shore.
Wait until everything is ready.
Zheng Zhilong's boat also slowly sailed towards the shore.
Prince Ding Zhu Cijiong, Li Dingguo and others had been waiting on the shore for a long time.
Without waiting for the surrender ceremony to be over.
Zeng Ying, Yang Zhan and Zheng Chenggong led the navy into Quanzhou Bay.
Zeng Ying and Yang Zhan were surprised when they learned that Zheng Zhilong had surrendered.
Zheng Chenggong was even more surprised.
But the fact has already happened, and there is no need for him to look for reasons for surrender.
After the ceremony, Zheng Chenggong came to Zheng Zhilong and said, "Dad... what are you doing..."
Zheng Zhilong didn't say anything, but stared at Zheng Chenggong carefully.
At this time, Zheng Chenggong was wearing military uniform with a sword hanging under his ribs.
Although he has given up writing and joined the military for many years, one can still see the elegance of a scholar on his face.
He is very content and proud.
Because this is his son.
As long as he is here, the Zheng family will be here.
The Zheng clan can also prosper.
Seeing that Zheng Zhilong had been silent, Zheng Chenggong asked with concern: "Dad, are you okay?"
Zheng Zhilong supported Zheng Chenggong's shoulders and said, "I'm fine."
Zheng Chenggong prepared a lot of words in advance, but when the words came to his lips, he couldn't say them.
I could only nod and say, "I'm glad you're okay!"
There was a long silence.
After an unknown amount of time, Zheng Zhilong coughed and said, "Go back quickly. The military is busy and you can't stay away for long."
Zheng Chenggong nodded vigorously: "Okay, take care, father, I will take my leave first!"
"Wait," Zheng Zhilong called to Zheng Chenggong, "Go home more often to visit your mother when you have nothing to do."
"knew."
Zheng Zhilong raised his voice: "It's not enough to know it, you have to remember it!"
"Yes, I remember it!"
"There is one more thing," Zheng Zhilong said again: "I heard that Wu Sangui and others fled to Dongfan, where there are not only local natives, but also red barbarians."
"If the imperial court intends to send troops to suppress them, they will certainly dispatch the navy, and the Fujian navy will be the first to bear the brunt! The Red Barbarians are good at firearms, and it is not easy to defeat them. However, there is a man named He Bin in the Red Barbarian Army. He once served under me and later became a translator for the Red Barbarians."
"If a war really breaks out, you can ask him to be your accomplice and help you defeat the Red Barbarians."
(Hongyi was the name given to the Dutch in the Ming Dynasty. According to the Ming History Biographies, Helan is also known as Hongyi and red-haired Fan.)
"Okay, I'll remember it." Zheng Chenggong turned and left.
Looking at his back, Zheng Zhilong smiled with satisfaction.
One day later.
Zheng Zhilong committed suicide on his boat.
A generation of heroes came to an end.
When Zheng Chenggong heard the news, he was stunned at first, and then burst into tears!
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