Chapter Thirty-Three: Another Door

Chapter Thirty-Two: The Ming Strategy for the Southern Seas

At that moment, Zhu Qizhen’s mind was flooded with countless thoughts. All along, he had viewed the abandonment of Jiaozhi as a separate matter from halting the Western Ocean voyages. Only now did he realize that these were, in fact, one and the same. Upon understanding this, he dared not underestimate the ancients any longer.

To the south of Annam lay many excellent harbors, such as the renowned Cam Ranh Bay. If Zheng He’s fleet were stationed there, news from the various Southern Seas kingdoms would be received within mere days. Throughout history, countless people and affairs have changed, but one thing remained constant: geography. As long as Annam could be taken, it would become a hand reaching into the South China Sea; control over the Southern Seas would shift from something distant and unattainable to something within immediate grasp.

Consider Champa, Siam, Burma, even Malacca and Sumatra—all would fall within this sphere of control. Upon receiving intelligence, dispatching ships would only take a few days. Compared to the distance from the Tang dynasty’s Four Garrisons of Anxi to Chang’an, this was as if the Ming’s grasp over the Southern Seas mirrored that ancient control, requiring only a modest garrison to keep order in all directions.

Zhu Qizhen cared little for the grand spectacle of tributary missions. Yet he was deeply fascinated by Emperor Taizong’s strategy for the Southern Seas. If in his lifetime he could bring these lands into the imperial domain, even if he accomplished nothing else, he was certain his name would be immortalized in history.

His interest now fully aroused, Zhu Qizhen turned to Wang Zhen and said, “Bring me the Complete Map of All the Empires Under Heaven.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Wang Zhen replied.

Immediately, accompanied by several young eunuchs, he joined together several tables and unrolled a huge scroll, almost as tall as a person, across them. With a gentle push, the scroll unfurled, covering the entire surface.

In history, there was also a Complete Map of All the Empires made during the Wanli era. Yet that map was different from this one; only the name remained the same. This map was actually more widely known by another name: the Zheng He Maritime Map.

Zheng He had only passed away the previous year; his bones were barely cold. Under such circumstances, how could the Zheng He Maritime Map not have been preserved? Naturally, there was a copy in the palace.

However, ancient maps were drawn with north and south reversed—a custom still found in some Japanese maps today. At first, Zhu Qizhen found this disorienting, but over time he grew accustomed to it. In particular, when Wang Zhen told him that such a precious map was stored in the palace, he was overjoyed, wishing he could hang it on the wall to study every day.

But this was not the future age.

Maps in later times were of little worth, but in this era, they were considered vital instruments of state and highly treasured. Therefore, Zhu Qizhen had a special place set aside in the Palace of Heavenly Purity to store these maps, and ordered the eunuchs to make copies by hand.

Emperor Xuanzong had established the Inner Study Hall in the palace, where eunuchs were instructed in reading and writing. Though some officials objected to this, Zhu Qizhen found it incredibly convenient. After all, some things could not be shown to outsiders and had to be handled by those within the palace—such as eunuchs.

Those copying the maps were all from the Inner Study Hall, serving also as Wang Zhen’s assistants in managing affairs. Wang Zhen was busy every day, rising earlier and retiring later than Zhu Qizhen to maintain his presence at the emperor’s side. Fortunately, Zhu Qizhen was not one for amusements; he spent most of his time reading and studying, which gave Wang Zhen more opportunity to handle state matters.

Even so, the memorials delivered to the palace by the Grand Secretariat each day numbered at least several dozen, sometimes hundreds. If Wang Zhen did nothing else but read each one, he would not have enough hours in the day. Hence, he needed assistants. These eunuchs from the Inner Study Hall had naturally risen in status within the palace.

Zhang Zhong, upon seeing the map, nearly had his eyes pop out. Forgetting his physical ailments, he hurried forward a few steps, wanting to climb up for a closer look, but, fearing he might soil the map, he stood there, gazing longingly with utmost care. This was, after all, a critical instrument of state. Even though the Duke of Ying’s residence housed many books, it certainly did not possess such a map.

Zhang Zhong had seen some maps of Jiaozhi, but never before one of the Southern Seas or the Western Ocean. This was his first time. The map showed all the places Zheng He had reached by sea, as far as Africa, outlining the continents with remarkable accuracy. Though it was impossible for Zhu Qizhen to tell where it differed from modern geography—not everyone could draw a map by hand—still, the names on the map were mostly familiar to Zhang Zhong. Yet previously, he had only learned the names, and even with brief textual descriptions, there was nothing like seeing the actual map.

A mere glance solved countless doubts in Zhang Zhong’s mind. “So that’s how it is,” he thought, wishing he could clutch the map in his hands and study it for days on end. But he knew that was impossible. Such a treasure of state could not be so freely displayed. The emperor allowed him to see it, no doubt in recognition of his family’s generations of loyalty.

He longed to memorize the entire map with a single glance, but still managed to compose himself and said, “The southern strategy pursued by Emperor Taizong differed from his Western Ocean policy. The latter was only for attracting tribute, but over the Southern Seas, he sought absolute control.”

“The key points for controlling the Southern Seas lie first in Jiaozhi, second in Old Port.”

He lightly tapped the map and said, “That is the Old Port Pacification Office.”

Zhu Qizhen stepped forward and, comparing the map to his memories of later times, saw that the Old Port was on the island of Sumatra, facing Singapore across the strait—a vital position at the very heart of the Southern Seas.

Zhang Zhong continued, “The Old Port Pacification Office is located on an island—formerly the territory of Srivijaya—five days’ sailing from Champa. Its pacification commissioner, Shi Jin-qing, was rewarded by Emperor Taizong for capturing the pirate Chen Zu-yi, and appointed hereditary commissioner. This place became the imperial foothold in the Southern Seas, situated at a critical maritime crossroads. The Grand Eunuch’s voyages to the Western Ocean often stopped at Old Port to replenish supplies.”

Chen Zu-yi—Zhu Qizhen vaguely recalled—was a notorious pirate who once dominated the Southern Seas, later slain by Emperor Taizong, though the details escaped him. Indeed, one could not speak of Old Port without mentioning Chen Zu-yi.

Zhang Zhong explained, “Old Port was once part of Srivijaya, but when the Majapahit kingdom on Java rose to power, it repeatedly attacked Srivijaya. After the old ruling house was destroyed, the remaining Srivijayan nobles in Old Port allied with Chen Zu-yi to resist Majapahit. Chen Zu-yi repeatedly defeated Majapahit in the Southern Seas, and the Chinese in the region all flocked to Old Port.”

“So, though Old Port lay in a foreign land, most of its people were Ming subjects.”

“When the Grand Eunuch sailed south on Emperor Taizong’s orders, he was to persuade Chen Zu-yi to surrender. But Chen, wild from years overseas and ignorant of heaven’s might, dared oppose the Celestial Empire and was struck down by the Grand Eunuch’s thunderbolt, becoming a prisoner.”

“Shi Jin-qing, formerly Chen Zu-yi’s subordinate, then surrendered Old Port and was appointed hereditary commissioner. Old Port, founded on Chen Zu-yi’s following, flourished under imperial protection. Goods from the Western Ocean and from China all converged here. Even naval soldiers who fell ill stayed in Old Port, some settling and never returning.”

“Though it was overseas, it resembled the Central Plains.”

“However,” Zhang Zhong paused, “such a situation cannot endure much longer.”

“Why not?” asked Zhu Qizhen.

“Shi Jin-qing has passed away. Now his son Shi Ji-sun serves as commissioner, but his abilities are far inferior to his father’s. Majapahit is resurgent, and Shi Ji-sun has repeatedly petitioned the court for help. Yet since the last Southern Seas voyage in the sixth year of Xuande, the court has refused to dispatch another fleet.”

“In my view, within five years Old Port will remain under Ming control, but beyond that, its fate is uncertain.”

“If Your Majesty wishes to control the Southern Seas, Old Port must be secured. And the best route there is to sail along the coast, so Jiaozhi is best held in imperial hands.”

Zhu Qizhen sighed softly and said, “Jiaozhi leads to the Southern Seas, the Southern Seas to Old Port, Old Port to the Western Ocean. With the ocean fleets as the final link, all are interdependent and none can be omitted.”

“Your Majesty is truly wise,” Zhang Zhong replied.

Zhu Qizhen gave Zhang Zhong a long look. Never before had anyone explained the Ming strategy for the Southern Seas to him with such clarity.