Chapter 1281 Aftermath of Overlord
Zheng Zhilong's death struck the coast of Fujian Province like a thunderbolt. The news was so stunning that the destruction of Zhangzhou Bay scarcely registered in comparison.
For over a decade, Zheng Zhilong had contested for supremacy on the seas, weathering countless storms. Though he had suffered major setbacks—the Dutch had once lured him into capture, Li Kuiqi had once split from him—he had remained invincible on the water with Xiong Wencan's backing. From humble smuggler, he had vaulted himself into the ranks of great sea merchants, earned a guerrilla general's commission from the Ming court, and become known as the "Great Wall of Eight Mins." Wherever the Zheng banner pointed, men bowed before the wind.
Now this leviathan of East Asian waters—the once-invincible young sea lord—had crashed down in a single day's battle. When the news arrived, shock came first. Then disbelief.
Had Zheng Zhilong truly died?
Messengers and spies dispatched by various factions scattered in every direction, converging upon Anping, Xiamen, and other key locations.
Fujian Governor Zou Weilian received word on September 25th. In truth, on the second day after D-Day, he had learned of "sea bandits invading Zhongzuosuo"—but had paid it little mind. The area around Zhongzuosuo was Zheng Zhilong's stronghold. Though the man's loyalty to the Ming left much to be desired, he had always been vigilant about defending the Eight Mins. Liu Xianglao's assault on Min'an had been crushed by Zheng Zhilong's personal leadership. Now that invaders threatened his very home, he would surely fight to the death.
But subsequent reports grew progressively grimmer. Local officials in Jinmen and Xiamen dispatched urgent messages one after another: the sea bandits wielded overwhelming force; Zheng's troops were routed across Jinmen and Xiamen; men and horses were fleeing toward the mainland. They requested reinforcements to suppress the scattered soldiers.
Today brought the most shocking news since Zou Weilian had taken office: Zheng Zhilong was dead.
The confirmation came via a letter from Zheng Zhifeng:
...The Kun bandits crossed the sea to invade Zhongzuosuo and Anping County seat, advancing by both water and land. Duke Zheng led troops out of the city to engage the enemy, recruiting death-defying soldiers for fierce combat. The fighting yielded a considerable tally of enemy heads and captures. However, the bandit soldiers employed repeating fire muskets and unleashed giant cannons. Duke Zheng drew his waist saber and personally joined the battle, slaying more than ten men. Though struck by multiple bullets, he still fought on with thunderous shouts. After a Kun cannon ball wounded his foot, he nevertheless remained at the head of the city wall, unmoved, continuing to command. When the main force of Kun bandits swarmed ashore, he was struck seven more times by repeating fire musket shots. Duke Zheng's strength at last gave out. He bowed twice toward the north, then removed his seal and ribbon, pressing them into the hands of valiant general Tong Tailang, saying: "I cannot return to life. Take my head quickly and cast my body into the ditch." With a final cry of grief, he perished.
After Duke Zheng's defeat and death, the bandits entered the city and plundered mercilessly. Tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians were slaughtered or carried off. The Kun bandits then demolished Zhongzuosuo and Anping County seat, burning what fire had not already consumed. Stone pavilions and railings were shattered; structures too massive to break were cracked with gunpowder. By the end, both cities had become rubble...
Zheng Zhifeng was Zheng Zhilong's brother and one of the more deliberate leaders within the Zheng clan. His report carried substantial credibility.
So Zheng Zhilong truly died in battle? Zou Weilian found it difficult to believe. A complicated mixture of relief and worry floated through his mind.
The relief stemmed from his long-standing concerns about Zheng Zhilong growing too powerful to control—a warlord on the verge of becoming a true vassal. His predecessor had successfully "pacified" Zheng Zhilong and "cleared" the Fujian coast. But anyone with discernment could see that "clearing the coast" had merely transformed a sea full of scattered pirates into Zheng family dominance.
More troubling still, the Zheng clan had leveraged official authority to openly occupy Zhongzuosuo, recruit private armies, and forcibly collect protection fees—swelling into an enormous force. This power had grown beyond the control of the Fujian Governor alone. When military pressures in Liaodong led the court to discuss transferring the Zheng fleet northward as reinforcement, Zheng Zhilong had deflected every request with convenient excuses.
Unlike Xiong Wencan, who enjoyed "beneficent" ties and personal friendship with Zheng Zhilong, Zou Weilian had no such leverage. Any misstep risked provoking open rebellion—and local Fujian forces simply could not suppress it. That would mean the entire southeast coast rotting from within. The Ming court was no longer as stable as when the Emperor first ascended. Fires were already burning everywhere; smoke rose from all directions. If Zou Weilian ignited another conflagration in Fujian, he would most certainly lose his head.
Yet now someone had defeated Zheng Zhilong—had taken his very life. Amid his astonishment, Zou Weilian felt a secret surge of relief. With Zheng Zhilong dead, the Zheng clan would be leaderless and inevitably fracture. When that happened, divide and rule would not be difficult.
The worry arose from a different quarter: the invading Kun bandits possessed the power to sweep Zheng Zhilong's stronghold clean. The seas ahead would surely run red with blood once more. The coastal waters, peaceful for so brief a time, would descend again into chaos. If this band of pirates took to landing raids along the coast, it would become a major headache for coastal defense.
A measure of maritime turmoil—merchant ships and fishing vessels robbed or killed—troubled him little. But if the bandits frequently came ashore to slaughter and plunder, the local gentry would suffer. Once officials of Fujian origin in the capital grew alarmed, his days would become considerably harder.
As he deliberated, a servant brought in pond reports from Nan'an and Jinjiang counties. Zou Weilian opened them one by one.
Nan'an Pond Report: ...The Kun bandits attacked the city day and night. As their soldiers approached the gate and climbed the walls, the apparition of Guanyin suddenly manifested amid the smoke and mist. The Bodhisattva spread her sleeves, and heavy rain poured forth. None of the enemy's rockets, shells, or repeating guns would fire. The bandits grew fearful and withdrew.
Jinjiang Pond Report: ...On the 20th, tens of thousands of Kun bandits invaded Xiamen. Guerrilla General Zheng Zhilong fought bitterly to repel them but tragically perished from gunshot wounds. The bandits then captured the city. Enraged by the fierce resistance, they slaughtered without mercy—neither soldier nor civilian was spared... Bands of Kun bandits spread out to raid and invaded Jinjiang. The common people had no means of resistance. The county gentry spent over a thousand taels to recruit a hundred death-defying warriors for a night assault on the Kun encampment. Each bore an unsheathed blade. The bandits were caught off guard and thrown into chaos. Though the Kun Ferangi guns were sharp, every one was met with night soil buckets, and all their fire-lock guns cracked. Countless bandits fell—perhaps a hundred or ten—slain and beheaded within the city. The bandit host wept, abandoned their guns and cannons, and fled carrying their dead.
Utter nonsense. Zou Weilian had served as the Yanping Maritime Patrol Circuit Intendant in this very province. He knew the tricks behind prefecture, county, and guard pond reports intimately. His estimate: the Kun bandits had merely shown their faces near these two counties. There had been no "great battles" or "death struggles." Nevertheless, the Jinjiang report confirmed Zheng Zhilong's death, lending support to Zheng Zhifeng's account.
At least Nan'an and Jinjiang remained unoccupied. Judging from the reports, the Kun bandits had withdrawn after their landing raids. This meant he could avoid the grave charge of losing prefectures or counties. As for Zhongzuosuo City, he could draft another victory memorial to paper over the disaster. Zheng Zhilong's death, though it shook the coastal scene, was merely the loss of a minor guerrilla general in bureaucratic terms. In recent years, the deaths of commander-in-chiefs, vice commanders, and assistant commanders had become almost routine.
With this, Zou Weilian already had a plan forming for his response. He summoned his staff and instructed them to draft several letters to Zheng Zhilong's people, ordering them to "restrain the troops, take in the refugees, and station separately in various locations to await further orders."
He then wrote personally to the magistrates of Jinjiang and Nan'an, commanding them to close the city gates, establish temporary camps outside the walls, and shelter refugees and scattered soldiers.
He ordered his staff to compose an elegy for Zheng Zhilong—one that was affectionate and appropriately grief-stricken—to be prepared for use.
Next, he summoned his adjutant and ordered him to select meticulous soldiers of local origin from the Governor's Standard Central Battalion and dispatch them quietly to various locations to gather intelligence.
"Prepare an additional three hundred troops and ten ships. Have them stand by at the mouth of the Jiulong River. When I issue my command arrow, weigh anchor for Zhongzuosuo. By the time you arrive, the Zheng family's troops will probably have already returned. Simply go ashore, walk around the garrison city, and come back."
"Yes!" The adjutant did not understand what the Governor intended, but the task was simple and posed no danger. There would be departure silver going out and reward silver upon returning—a modest profit.
"Do not provoke the Zheng family's men. Just make a safe circuit and return. I will see to your recommendation."
"Thank you, Your Excellency, for your grace!"
Next came the question of how to handle the Zheng family. Now is the moment to be rid of them, Zou Weilian mused. Strike while the iron is hot. The Zheng clan was leaderless; their strength had been shattered. This was the ideal opportunity to move. Moreover, many forces in Fujian harbored grievances against the Zheng family. As rising sea merchants, the Zhengs had purchased land extensively throughout southern Fujian after obtaining official status, monopolized export commodities and maritime trade, and provoked serious resentment among the local gentry. Under Xiong Wencan's administration—since pacifying Zheng Zhilong was Xiong's signature achievement—this dissent had been suppressed. But once Zou Weilian took office, a steady stream of complaints had reached him through various channels. Many local officials had quietly encouraged him to "discipline" the Zheng family.
Yet eliminating the Zhengs offered Zou Weilian little advantage. While pleasing the local gentry had its appeal, he still could not be certain how much damage the Zheng forces had sustained. If his actions provoked rebellion, the consequences would be catastrophic. Furthermore, Xiong Wencan now served as Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi while concurrently governing Guangdong Province. Imperial favor toward him remained strong. Any move against the Zhengs risked antagonizing Xiong Wencan.
Besides, the Zheng clan had suffered grievously and lost their leader. Divide and rule would accomplish the same ends with far less risk.
He considered for a moment, then summoned one of his trusted household servants.
"Go to the accounting room. Have them prepare one hundred taels of silver, ten piculs of rice, dried meat, roasted chicken, and dried fish. Also prepare one of my full visiting cards. Send everything to the Jinjiang County School."
The Jinjiang pond report had mentioned that many Zheng clan families had fled to Jinjiang and were currently sheltered at the county school.
"After you arrive, try to discover which people there are the Zheng clan families who fled to Jinjiang. Besides those who fled to the county seat, where else did they go? Where are General Zheng's wife and young son now? Investigate everything thoroughly. Take an additional twenty taels of silver for your expenses on the road, and choose a few capable servants to accompany you."
"Yes, Master." The servant accepted his orders and departed.
Finally, Zou Weilian summoned his confidential staff members to discuss how to compose a memorial for the court—and how to request posthumous honors. How to phrase it, how to make the "Sacred Heart feel comforted," how to conceal defeat and dress it as merit—these were profound arts. Eventually, a list of recommendations and credit requests would need to be issued. All of it required careful deliberation in advance.
(End of this chapter)