Liu Jun regards Taiwan as a treasure, but in Zheng Zhilong's eyes, Taiwan is actually a grass, a worthless grass.●⌒,. Even in Zheng Zhilong's eyes, Taiwan Island is actually the area of ​​Tainan Dayuan Island that is now occupied by the Dutch people. Other places are just barbaric and unconventional places full of natives.

Not only Zheng Zhilong had this idea, but also other Ming people. When the imperial court was so banning the sea, those maritime merchants could not gain a foothold on the coast of China, they could only turn to pirates, run to remote islands, and even go to Taiwan to rest and recuperate.

The officials of the Ming Dynasty knew about Taiwan Island for a long time, but they were not interested in that deserted island. When the Dutch repeatedly wanted to seize a maritime trade base on the coast, Fujian officials took the initiative to let the Dutch go to Taiwan, and even generously wanted to give the entire Taiwan Island to the Dutch. Although this was just an irresponsible word from local officials in Fujian at that time for their own peace, Taiwan was indeed in such a position at that time.

In the eyes of Ming officials, the Penghu Islands are only considered the territory of the Ming Dynasty. As for Taiwan Island, which is countless times larger than Penghu, it is not the territory of the Ming Dynasty at all.

Even due to the Ming Dynasty's maritime ban, the intermittent operations of countless Chinese maritime merchants and Japanese Japanese pirates, the Han people on Taiwan's island are only more than 10,000, and they are mainly refugees from Fujian who moved to Taiwan when Zheng Zhilong used Taiwan as a base. The Dutch and Spanish occupied Taiwan in the south and north. From the fourth and sixth year of the Tianqi period to the present, in the 14th and five years of operation, these red hairs have only been over a few thousand people.

Even those native high mountain people in Taiwan have not had a stronger force in the years. They all live a very primitive life in the form of villages and communities. The villages and communities in various tribes often fight hatred and often cut off their heads. The biggest king is just a unity of several villages and communities.

Any county in the Ming Dynasty was not as rich as Taiwan, and any village or town were more prosperous than Taiwan. If it were not forbidden, who would have been willing to go to Taiwan to accompany some vicious savages?

Even the Spaniards and Dutch people who have been entrenched on Taiwan for more than ten years have had to run to Taiwan after hitting countless walls along the southeast coast and deceived a place from the mountain people to serve as a transit station. Although the Spaniards occupied Luzon, which is very close to Taiwan, they never thought of occupying Taiwan.

Later, it was also because of the arrival of the Dutch, who occupied Jakarta. Then they went to the east and began to trade with Japan. They also sent a fleet with the British to block the route from China's South China Sea to Manila. This made the Spaniards unable to trade with China and Japan, so they had to go to Taiwan to establish a stronghold to break the joint blockade between the Netherlands and Britain.

As for Zheng Zhilong, when he was recruited by the imperial court, he could freely set up trading stations in Fujian, Guangdong and other places to moor sea boats, why did he stay in the remote place in Taiwan?

However, facing Liu Jun's question, Zheng Zhilong did not make much excuses, and did not understand why Zhennanhou valued Taiwan so much. Isn't it just a deserted island? Even the Pi Island on the Yalu River was once a transit station for Sino-North Korea trade, and its prosperity was more prosperous in Taiwan a hundred times.

Liu Jun stood on the deck of the Zhenhai and looked at the distant coast. He was very excited. Others thought that Taiwan was worthless, but he didn't think so. Taiwan is China's southeastern sea portal. In the era of maritime power, Taiwan's value to China is irreplaceable. It is a giant ship that will never sink.

Similarly, when the population of Ming Dynasty had grown to more than 200 million people, when the land was severely merged, such an uncultivated virgin land in Taiwan could accommodate many landless people and how many new grain fields could be reclaimed. With time, as long as sufficient development is provided, Taiwan can become a new granary.

"Are we really going to fight with the Spanish?" Zheng Zhilong asked again, "Spain occupies Luzon and its surrounding islands, not far from Taiwan, and is strong. If it attracts the Spanish to retaliate."

Zheng Zhilong is very familiar with the strength of the Spanish. Although Spain in northern Taiwan is not strong, Luzon Manila is not far away, which is the Spanish base camp in East India.

East India actually refers to East Asia. At the end of the fifteenth century, Columbus arrived in the Caribbean Sea in the Americas and thought he had arrived in India. A few years later, the Portuguese reached Gama to the real India and still called the Caribbean West India, and called the East India east of India. It was not until a long time later that Europeans gradually understood Asia that they changed it to East Asia or the Far East.

When it comes to East India, we have to mention East India Company. When Liu Jun first heard of East India Company, the first thing he thought of was the British. As a result, others told him that the East India Company, the most powerful East India Company in the East India region, was actually the Dutch. Although the British also had an East India Company, which was even established two years earlier than the Netherlands East India Company, in the East India region, the Dutch East India Company is the most famous and most powerful.

This huge commercial organization composed of fourteen trading companies in the Netherlands has been established for thirty-seven years. The Dutch East India Company is also the richest company in the world today, with a huge merchant fleet and a strong armed fleet, and a large number of employees and private armed forces.

They were even a Duke who could form his own mercenaries and issue currencies, and had the right to establish formal treaties with other countries, even declare war and colonial rule over the strong locality.

Although Spain does not have such a powerful company, their strength in East India is not weaker than that of the Dutch.

Zheng Zhilong was not only worried that the Spanish who fought Taiwan would attract revenge from the Spanish in Luzon, but also worried that the Spanish in Luzon would prohibit trade with Chinese people. If this is the case, it would be extremely unfavorable for the Zheng family to make enemies with the Spanish for a deserted island where birds do not lay eggs, and to lose trade relations with Manila, an important trading post.

"Don't worry, this is the era of giant ships and cannons. Whoever has a large warship and a far-reaching cannon will make sense. Don't worry about the Spaniards' revenge. As long as we show enough strength, the Spaniards will not be foolish to fight against us. You don't worry about him not allowing Chinese maritime merchants to go to Manila. If he dares to do this, he must first consider our comprehensive ban on Spain's trade routes to the Ming and Japan. We will make it impossible for him to cross the South China Sea to travel north, and then they will be the first to be able to hold on."

Why did the Spanish travel thousands of miles? It was not for the sake of profit. After all, they built strongholds in Taiwan because the Ming Dynasty did not trade with them. The Dutch and the British blocked the route between Manila and Japan, and did not allow them to participate in the trade with Japan. The Spanish had no choice but to go to northern Taiwan to establish a trade transit station and purchase goods from Chinese and Japanese merchants.

To drive Spain away from Taiwan, as long as Liu Jun allows Spain to participate in trade with China in the future, that is something Spain is desperate for. How could he fight the Ming Dynasty for a stronghold on a deserted island?

This fleet of hundreds of ships of all sizes sailed on the vast sea and still maintained its formation. Zheng's crew sailors were quite skillful.

The coastline is right in front, and Liu Jun's flagship Zhenhai is also the command ship of the fleet this time. A huge handsome flag has been raised on the high mast, and there are several command flags of different colors around it.

When the flag bearer on the mast points the flag in a certain direction, the flag on the flagship of the squadron in that direction also sways, which is called Yingqi. In fact, it is moved from the flag order in the army. Shaking the flag and Yingqi means receiving the order from above.

After the flag was applied to the squadron flagship, the main battleships under each squadron also shook the flags and responded to the flags.

Just by relying on the flag, the entire fleet of hundreds of ships of all sizes were contacted and responded.

There are three-color red, blue and black flags next to the Zhenhai flag. When fighting, a set of flags will be used to convey combat orders in conjunction with drum music.

Flags and golden drums are the most important command method in this era. Once the flags and golden drums are lost, it means losing command and the army is in chaos. Therefore, in ancient times, killing generals and seizing flags were often a great achievement.

Liu Jun looked at the Zheng family's flag bearers skillfully sang the flags, and the ships responded. Although they were in the vast sea and the ships were separated by Xu Yuan, they were as if they were one.

Looking at these skilled generals of the Zheng family, Liu Jun had to sigh that Zheng family was indeed a dragon on the sea, and it was too difficult to compete with them. This is also the reason why Liu Jun attaches so much importance to Zheng Zhilong. To cross the sea and attack Liao, it really requires the cooperation of a sea overlord like the Zheng family fleet. In addition, Liu Jun also knew that Zheng's power at the sea was unrivalled, so he came to join them early to make an ally for himself.

With far and near attacks, the Zheng family's strength is far away in the southeastern sea, and there is little conflict of interest with Liu Jun. It is an excellent ally.

"Brother Zheng, let's make a bet. I bet that the Spaniards in Jilong Port will surrender without fighting after seeing our fleet." Liu Jun said to Zheng Zhilong with a smile.

Zheng Zhilong stood beside Liu Jun, "Although there are few Red Barbarians, they have always been fierce and brave. They have strongholds and fortresses on the shore, so I am afraid they will not surrender easily."

"Then let's take a gamble. If I win, then all the Espanyol ships, equipment, money, etc. in Keelung Port will belong to me!"

"What if the red barbarians did not surrender?"

"That Spaniards belongs to you."

"Okay, then I will make this bet with the Marquis."

Liu Jun laughed loudly, "Please give Admiral Xiong a testimony."

Xiong Wencan was invited, and after hearing their bet, he shook his head, "It's better not to fight, don't start the war easily."

The fleet was getting closer and closer to Jilong Port. In the distance, a fleet drove out of the port and stopped in front.

Zheng Zhilong laughed, "Mr. Marquis, it seems I won."

At this moment, a brisk ship sailed out of the Spanish fleet.
Chapter completed!