"This is a good thing. Once the news spreads, I'm afraid countless people will go to Australia by then."
After reading Guo Ye's letter carefully, Wang Shouren smiled and said.
"Going to Australia is much easier and closer than going to Golden Continent. There will definitely be many people going there."
Liu Jin also nodded and looked towards where he was heading. In the vast mist, between the water and the sky, he could faintly see a big city standing on the earth.
Malacca City!
From Jiaozhi, Liu Jin went south and destroyed Annan and Champa successively, and established Jiaozhi and Xianglin provinces respectively. Zhang Mao and Yang Yun continued to suppress local rebellions in Jiaozhi and Xianglin.
, another convenient way to sort out local powerful forces is to attack Siam and Chenla from land.
The country of Siam is now in the most prosperous era of the Ayutthaya Dynasty. It is powerful and has great national power, so it is relatively confident. It has always been the most ruthless one in the Nanyang region against Ming merchants.
They specifically levied heavy taxes on merchants of the Ming Dynasty. On the other hand, they are now constantly contacting Southeast Asian countries to unite against the Ming Dynasty, so originally they just wanted to teach Siam a lesson.
In the end, Zhang Mao and Liu Jin also decided to attack Siam in two ways: Zhang Mao and Yang Yun attacked Siam by land from Xianglin, while Liu Jin and Wang Shouren attacked Siam by water.
However, Liu Jin was not in a hurry to attack Siam, but came to Malacca first, preparing to knock down Malacca first and control the Malacca Strait, the choke point.
Malacca is a very important place.
It is located at the core hub of transportation between the East and the West, and is the connecting link between the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea. Whoever controls this narrow Malacca Strait is equivalent to controlling this important golden waterway.
Now that Siam has united with other countries in Southeast Asia and wants to fight against the Ming Dynasty together, it is even more necessary to control such a place in its own hands.
If we control this place, the Southeast Asian countries will have no way to support us, and Siam will be isolated. Under attack from both land and water, Siam's good days will come to an end.
"Are we really going to attack Malacca?"
Wang Shouren next to him looked at the Malacca City ahead, thought for a while and asked again.
He actually didn't understand why Liu Jin had to attack Malacca City. Malacca actually had a very good relationship with the Ming Dynasty.
The history of Malacca is not long. In 1402, a prince from Sumatra established the Malacca dynasty here, which means it has a history of one hundred years.
In history, Zheng He would always stop at Malacca during his voyages to the West. Historically, he also paid tribute to the Ming Dynasty many times. Their king was also canonized by the Ming Dynasty emperor. Calculated, the relationship is really good.
Wang Shouren felt that the attack on Annan and the city was still justified. But the attack on Malacca? He felt that it was a little unreasonable. Why didn't he hit the smiling man? Fortunately, he attacked Malacca first.
"Look at the map. The location of Malacca is so important. The throat of the Malacca Strait? If we don't capture it, if this place is occupied by others in the future, it will mean that we are being strangled.
.”
"Although Malacca has a good relationship with our Ming Dynasty, they did not agree to become a vassal state of our Ming Dynasty last year? In this case? Then there is no need to talk about feelings. Everything is based on the interests of our Ming Dynasty."
Liu Jin pointed to the location of Malacca on the map and said.
It is now the fourteenth year of Hongzhi, that is, 1502. Even if they don't occupy it, in a few years' time? Portugal's power will spread to Nanyang, and they will occupy it.
Historically, the city of Malacca was captured by the Portuguese in 1511 and became a Portuguese colony.
Next, with the rise of private armed forces, major commercial banks will definitely flock to places such as Myanmar, India, Persia, the Middle East and Africa.
If Malacca is no longer in your hands? When someone takes over this place, it will be like being strangled by someone's neck. So it must be occupied.
As for the so-called friendly exchanges? That's not worth mentioning in the face of Ming's interests.
Should we learn from Westerners? Abandon the so-called face, credibility, etc., everything is just for profit.
Of course, Liu Jin actually had another reason in his heart that he didn't say out loud.
Malacca can be regarded as the center point for the spread of Middle Eastern civilization and Indian civilization in Nanyang. Conquering this place will cut off the eastward route of these two civilizations. This will be more conducive to the spread of Chinese civilization in Nanyang.
spread.
You may not be able to see anything now, but in a few hundred years, you will naturally see it.
Therefore, regardless of the reason, Malacca must be conquered, and all the indigenous people here must be driven out, turning this place into the territory of the Ming Dynasty.
After hearing Liu Jin's words, Wang Shouren said nothing more.
Although Liu Jin seems to be very bellicose now, and the Ming Dynasty has fought many wars in the past few years, the Ming Dynasty did not, as written in the book, be warlike and destined to perish, or resort to militarism or anything like that.
On the contrary, the war became stronger and stronger, more and more places were occupied, the people of Ming Dynasty became richer and richer, and the internal and external situation of Ming Dynasty also underwent tremendous changes.
This kept him thinking, why is this happening?
If you think about it carefully, every time the Ming Dynasty engages in foreign wars, it can gain huge benefits from the war. Whether it is gold and silver wealth, vast land, etc., every time the Ming Dynasty gains a lot, but its own losses are
Very little.
Even after Annan was captured, the losses of the Ming army were minimal, and the casualties were almost negligible. This was the reason why the Ming Dynasty became stronger as it fought, and why Emperor Hongzhi and everyone in the government and the public supported the use of foreign force.
There are benefits, benefits, and little loss for oneself. This kind of trading will become more and more addictive the more you do it.
Putting aside the so-called benevolence, righteousness, morality, face, etc. that restrained oneself in the past, everything was only for the benefit of Ming Dynasty, and the days of Ming Dynasty were getting better and better.
More than a hundred large ships were getting closer and closer to Malacca City, and they were soon discovered by people in Malacca.
Suddenly the entire Malacca city was in chaos.
In the royal palace in the city of Malacca, the Sultan of the Malacca Dynasty Mahmut Shah is enjoying his wonderful life. Since he came to power, he has been in charge of government affairs and indulged in pleasure. Basically, everything has been left to the Prime Minister Tun Mok Taixi to handle.
.
Tun Mok Taihi continued to suppress the Malay nobles, which led to serious factional struggles within the Malacca dynasty. It was a big place, and there was serious internal strife. This is the reason why Portugal was able to easily occupy this place in history.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty~"
"The people of Ming Dynasty are coming, the people of Ming Dynasty are coming~"
Dun Mo Taixi and a group of ministers hurriedly came to the palace and shouted anxiously before anyone arrived.
On the sea outside the city of Malacca, there were more than a hundred Ming Dynasty ships. This frightened them. Even in such a small country, they had never encountered such a thing.
The most powerful opponents they encountered were the Siamese. However, although the Siamese were known as the first brother in Nanyang, they had never been able to defeat the Malacca dynasty.
From here we can know that this Siamese is actually fighting against the fifth scum.
"People from Ming Dynasty?"
Ma Mosha raised his head in surprise. He seemed to have a good relationship with the Ming Dynasty. Why did the Ming Dynasty people come to fight him?
"They are the Ming people. All the Ming warships are outside the city. They are coming with great force. The Ming Dynasty has already destroyed Annan and Champa, and now they are probably coming to destroy us Malacca again."
Dunmo Taixi almost cried. He was also thinking carefully in his mind. He didn't seem to have done much to apologize to the people of Ming Dynasty.
It is nothing more than suppressing the descendants of the Ming people here in Malacca, and just levying more taxes on the passing Ming merchant ships. In addition, it seems that they have not done anything to feel sorry for the Ming Dynasty.
The good-natured Ming Dynasty actually launched an army to attack. With the small arms and legs of the Malacca Dynasty, how could it be the opponent of the Ming Dynasty fleet.
"Did you do anything to offend Ming?"
Ma Mosha stood up immediately. He didn't care about the delicious food and the beauty. He hurried towards the city wall and asked sharply.
He ignored government affairs and left almost all matters to Dun Mo Taixi to handle, so it was natural to wonder whether Dun Mo Taixi had offended the Ming people.
"No, how dare I do anything to disgrace the Ming Dynasty, that is, just like other places, I levied a little more tax on the Ming Dynasty merchant ships."
Dunmo Taixi said quickly.
"Just a little more tax?"
Ma Mosha asked again.
He knew very well that this Tun Motai Xi had no ability or talent, and was greedy for money. This was the reason why he could trust him to hand over the government affairs to him.
"We collected a little more, but we definitely don't collect much here. In other places like Java, Siam, and Sulu, they charge heavy taxes, which are several times higher than ours."
Tun Mo Taixi lowered his voice. It was not just Malacca that raised taxes, but also the entire Southeast Asian countries.
"This is actually mainly due to last year, when our Southeast Asian countries went to pay tribute to the Ming Dynasty. The Ming Dynasty forced us all to sign the Ming Dynasty vassal state agreement, but the agreement was too harsh, so no one signed it. Finally, we discussed it and we all agreed together.
The Ming Dynasty imposed heavy taxes on merchant ships.”
"This is something that everyone has discussed together. We in Malacca have a good relationship with the Ming Dynasty, so the tax collection is not heavy. In Java and Bodhi, they not only impose heavy taxes, but also support pirates in looting the merchant ships of the Ming Dynasty."
Dunmo Taixi then added, what he actually meant was that this was agreed upon by everyone, mainly to show Daming the color, and also to say that what he did was not excessive at all.