Chapter 4 After Zheng He, there is no second Zheng He Author: ?? Year: ??? Month: ?? txt ???? Traditional Chinese

  Previously, we mentioned that Zhu Di sent two groups of people to search for Jianwen Emperor. One group was led by Hu Mian. We have already talked about his story. Many people are not familiar with Hu Mian's life, which is not surprising because he was involved in secret work and it was not good to publicize it widely.

  But another group of people had a vastly different encounter, not only famous at the time, but also leaving their names in history, and their fame lasting for centuries. This is the renowned Zheng He fleet and their magnificent achievement of seven voyages to the Western Ocean.

  Similarly carrying out secret missions, yet encountering such different circumstances, we can't help but ask: being the same human beings, how come there is such a huge gap?

  There are many reasons, such as the scale of the fleet and the attached mission, but in my opinion, the greatest credit for achieving this magnificent feat should go to the commander of this fleet - the great Zheng He.

  The word "great" is absolutely not an exaggeration when used to describe Zheng He. He was not a member of the royal family, nor did he have a prominent family background, but through his own efforts and wisdom, he achieved a legendary status - a legend on the high seas for the Chinese people. Before Zheng He, there were countless kings, generals, and nobles in history, and after him, there will be many more, but there is only one Zheng He.

  After Zheng He, there is no more Zheng He —— Liang Qichao

  Now let's introduce this great navigator's magnificent life.

  Zheng He, born in 1371, originally named Ma Sanbao, was a Yunnan native. From an early age, he showed great intelligence and a love for learning. What's more remarkable is that he had a strong interest in navigation from childhood. Considering the time period in China, navigation wasn't exactly a popular field of study, and Yunnan wasn't even a coastal province. So why did Zheng He develop such an interest in navigation?

  This is because Zheng He was a devout Muslim, his grandfather and father were both Muslims, and all Muslims have the greatest wish in their hearts - to go to the holy city of Mecca for pilgrimage.

  Going to Mecca for pilgrimage is the greatest wish of Muslims all over the world. The followers who live in Mecca are lucky because they can look up to the holy land at any time, but for Zheng He at that time, it was really a very difficult thing to do. Mecca is within the borders of Saudi Arabia today, and friends with interest can connect Mecca and Yunnan on the map, then multiply by the scale, and you will know how far it is. Fortunately, his family's economic conditions were not bad, and both his grandfather and father had been to Mecca. When Zheng He was a child, his father often told him about the thrilling experiences of breaking waves and sailing far away, climbing mountains and wading through rivers during the pilgrimage journey, as well as strange people and things in foreign lands thousands of miles away. All these had a profound impact on Zheng He.

  It was for this reason that young Zheng He was different from his peers, he did not sit at a desk day after day reciting the words of saints in order to seek fame and fortune in the future, but instead worked hard to exercise his body and learn knowledge related to navigation, because in his heart there was such a conviction: one day, he would ride the wind and waves, and make a pilgrimage to Mecca.

  If his life continues to develop like this, maybe in more than ten years, he will be able to realize his wishes and complete the lifelong wish of an ordinary Muslim, and then live an ordinary life.

  But some people are destined not to lead ordinary lives, great missions and enterprises seem to be the lot of those chosen by fate, even if sometimes it is with a cruel hand.

  In the 14th year of Hongwu (1381), Fu Youde and Lan Yu, under Zhu Yuanzhang's command, went on a distant expedition to Yunnan. The Ming army was like a hot knife through butter, and in just half a year, they had pacified all of Yunnan. It was this expedition that changed Zheng He's fate. Incidentally, during this campaign, one of the Ming generals, Qi Xiang, died in battle. His sacrifice earned his family a hereditary military position, changing their fate, and from then on, his descendants were trained in martial arts for generations to come. Qi Xiang was just an unknown soldier, but he is mentioned here because he had a very accomplished descendant - Qi Jiguang.

  History is indeed elusive.

  For the Ming government and Zhu Yuanzhang, this was just one of countless expeditions, but for Zheng He, this expedition was a turning point in his life, a painful and unknown turning point.

  After the war, many children became prisoners of war. It can be said that being a prisoner of war is just that, and being taken away to do hard labor is nothing more than that. However, at the time, there was an extremely cruel custom for treating child prisoners of war - castration.

  The purpose of this convention is self-evident and it's really hard to say more, but 11-year-old Ma Sanbao was one of these unfortunate children.

  It's not hard to imagine the pain of Ma Sanbao back then, countless dreams seemed to have left him, but history has told us countless times that the beginning of a tragedy is often also the starting point of glory.

  Tragedy or glory, it's all up to you, depending on whether you are strong.

  From then on, this eleven-year-old boy began to follow the Ming army to conquer all corners of the country. The winds and snows of the north, the yellow sands of the desert, everywhere left his mark. At his age, he should have been playing at home, but suddenly became a member of the war, rushing across the battlefield where blood flowed like rivers and corpses were scattered all over. Swords and spears replaced wooden horses and toys, in the military camp, no one would treat him as a child, nor would anyone take care of him. In the war, no one could guarantee that they would still be alive tomorrow, so the only one who could take care of himself was himself.

  But how can an eleven-year-old child take care of himself?

  We can't imagine how much suffering Ma Sanbao had endured, how many hardships he had suffered, and how many times he had narrowly escaped death. What we do know is that his tragic experiences did not extinguish the hope and faith in his heart. He struggled to survive and eventually became the great Zheng He.

  Summing up the childhood experiences of famous people in history (such as Zhu Yuanzhang), we can assert that suffering a bit more when young is not necessarily a bad thing.

  After five years of wandering, he met a person who would influence his life, Zhu Di.

  At that time, Zhu Di was still the King of Yan. He took a liking to this quiet and taciturn young man with a firm gaze and chose him as his personal bodyguard. From then on, Ma Sanbao followed Zhu Di everywhere and became his trusted aide.

  Jinzi shines wherever he goes, Ma Sanbao is a man destined to achieve great things. In the following Jingnan campaign, he followed Zhu Di through life and death, making great contributions. As we mentioned earlier, in the Battle of Zhengcunba, Zhu Di adopted his strategy, breaking Li Jinglong's seven camps one by one, and defeating the Southern Army.

  From then on, Zhu Di also re-recognized this personal guard. In the first year of Yongle (1403), after Zhu Di ascended to the throne, he immediately appointed Ma Sanbao as the Taichang of the Nei Guan, which was already the highest official position in the Nei Guan. In the second year of Yongle (1404), Zhu Di gave him even greater honor and bestowed upon him the surname "Zheng". After that, he changed his name to Zheng He, a name destined to shine in history.

  It is worth noting that the imperial surname was the highest honor in the Ming Dynasty. After Zheng Chenggong was granted a surname by the emperor, he regarded it as the greatest glory of his life. His subordinates also called him "Guo Xing Ye", which shows how highly Zhu Di valued Zheng He.

  Heaven wants you to suffer, often returns more to you, this is also common, Zheng He was reused by Zhu Di, became a hot figure in the court, as Zhu Di's minister, he has already gained many honors that others dare not think about, it seems that Zheng He should have been content back then.

  But fate seems to have destined him to be a legendary figure, to make his name immortal. Greater missions and glories will descend upon his head, greater undertakings await him to initiate.

  Departure

  Zhu Di's arrangement for Zheng He to go to sea had a profound purpose, in addition to finding Jianwen Emperor, Zheng He also shouldered the mission of subjugating the four seas and embracing distant peoples. This can also be considered an old tradition in Chinese history. Whenever a dynasty is prosperous, it will inevitably have such actions, such as the Han Dynasty's opening up of the Silk Road connecting east and west, and the Tang Dynasty's development of China and many underdeveloped countries sending students to study advanced science, culture and technology in our country, all of which are manifestations of this tradition.

  China's prosperity, admired by all nations, is probably the greatest dream of emperors throughout history. Historically, China has not had many territorial demands, because we have always been self-sufficient, with a superior attitude as the celestial empire, where everything is abundant, why bother to snatch other people's tattered clothes?

  But as the saying goes, a sharp blade will eventually show its edge. The glory of China, strong and resplendent in the East, cannot be obscured; when its progress and civilization are recognized by the world, the moment for it to command the respect of the four seas will naturally arrive.

  To be honest, when China was prosperous, although it also had territorial disputes and wars with foreign countries due to the expansion of its power (such as the Tang-Arab War), and launched wars against neighboring countries (such as the conquest of Goguryeo), but overall, China's diplomatic policy was still relatively open-minded. We generously provided help to foreigners and spread the advanced scientific and cultural achievements of the Chinese nation to all parts of the world. The Four Great Inventions are the best examples.

  In summary, we can describe China's tradition and tenet of embracing people from afar with four words:

  Win people over with virtue.

  Now China has become a powerful nation, after long periods of war and recovery, as well as the hard work of several emperors who can be called model workers. At this time, the land of China has truly become a peaceful and prosperous world, where people live in peace and contentment, and the country's grain and silver are abundant. It is time to do something about it.

  What lies beyond the vast lands of our great nation? This is a question that has piqued the interest of every prosperous dynasty, and the Ming Empire was no exception. The land territories surrounding the Ming Empire had already been explored by the heroic expeditions of the Han and Tang dynasties, but it was the empire's long coastline that sparked people's imagination - what kind of world lay on the other side of the vast ocean?

  The first thing that comes into people's eyes is the Western Ocean. It needs to be explained that the term "Western Ocean" in the Ming Dynasty has a different meaning from today, and what was called the "Western Ocean" at that time is actually the South China Sea today. Although previous dynasties had also sent ships to navigate these areas, it was only a relatively single action, and there was no great impact. As for what was on the other side of the ocean, people were not very clear. However, Zhu Di, the ruler of the powerful Ming Empire at that time, was a man who stood out from the crowd. He is considered one of the few wise rulers in history, not because of his kindness or gentleness, but because he did many things that no one had ever done before in history.

  Now, Zhu Di is going to entrust Zheng He with a task that no one has ever done in history, which is both an honor and a heavy responsibility.

  From any point of view, Zheng He was the most suitable candidate. He not only had rich navigation knowledge but also experienced war tests, with high military literacy, and a strong and unyielding character. Finally, many countries in Western Asia he was going to visit believed in Islam, and Zheng He himself was a devout Muslim.

  It was supposed to be just a maritime mission, why send someone like Zheng He who is a versatile talent? However, the fact proved that Zheng He's voyage this time had to face not only the sea.

  History will remember this day, the 15th of June in the third year of Yongle (July 11, 1405), when Zheng He set sail from Wuhumen in Fujian, beginning China's greatest maritime expedition. Standing at the bow of his ship, Zheng He gazed out at the vast fleet about to depart and the endless ocean before him.

  He understood the mission and responsibility he bore on this voyage, but he did not know that at this moment, he was creating a piece of history that would be passed down by later generations forever.

  His heart was filled with excitement, the ocean he had yearned for since childhood was now in front of him, waiting for him to conquer! A great journey was about to begin!

  Set sail!

  Invincible Fleet

  We previously repeatedly used the term "fleet" to refer to Zheng He's fleet, which seems a bit exaggerated. How can a diplomatic and search-and-rescue fleet be called a fleet? But after reading the following introduction, I believe you will agree that there is no other word that can describe this fleet except for "fleet".

  In the early days, Zhu Yuanzhang attached great importance to shipbuilding technology, which is not surprising. In his encouragement, the Ming Dynasty's shipbuilding craftsmanship developed greatly. According to historical records, Zheng He's largest ships were called "Treasure Ships". How big was this ship? "The larger ones were 44.4 meters long and 18 meters wide; the middle ones were 37 meters long and 15 meters wide." Everyone can convert it themselves. With this length, Zheng He could easily hold a sports meeting on board, setting up a 100-meter track would be no problem.

  And the sail of this ship is not the single sail we see on TV, it's hard to imagine that it has twelve sails! Its anchor and rudder are also gigantic, requiring hundreds of people to shout slogans together to move them. In the 1950s, Nanjing excavated the site where the Ming dynasty treasure ships were built and unearthed a wooden pole, which was eleven meters long. The question is, what part of the ship was this wooden pole?

  The appraisal result came out and left everyone stunned. This wooden pole was not the mast that people had imagined, but a rudder!

  If you don't understand what this concept is, I can explain it. Everyone should be clear about what a mast is. The so-called rudder rod is just the control linkage rod of the ship's rudder blade. After calculation, the height of the rudder blade connected by this rudder rod is approximately six meters. That is to say, the rudder blade of this ship is as high as three floors!

  Aircraft carrier, a real aircraft carrier.

  This treasure ship was the main force of Zheng He's fleet, also known as the flagship. In addition, there were horse ships for transportation, warships for combat, grain ships for transporting food, and water boats for transporting people between large ships.

  The fleet led by Zheng He was just such a fleet, and its name is indeed well-deserved.

  What was the situation with Zheng He's fleet? How many people did he take on his voyage to the Western Ocean?

  "More than 27,800 soldiers and officers".

  To be honest, judging from the number of ships, this fleet doesn't seem to be on a rescue mission or diplomatic visit at all. Instead, it's quite suspicious that they're going out to pick a fight. But in reality, this is indeed a friendly fleet, wherever they go, there is no war and bloodshed, only peace and friendship.

  Strong but not tyrannical, mighty but not overbearing, this is the demeanor and depth of a great nation and people.

  Zheng He's fleet sailed south and first arrived at Champa, then they sailed south from Champa and reached Java (Indonesia's Java Island) half a month later. This place is an important stronghold of the Malacca Strait, and all ships going to Africa from the Malacca Strait must pass through here. At that time, this was also a densely populated area with rich products. Of course, at that time, there was no unified Indonesian government in this place. Moreover, until today, we are still unclear about what kind of people made up the island's government at that time.

  After Zheng He's fleet arrived here, they originally wanted to continue southward, but a tragic event suddenly occurred, and the voyage of the fleet was forced to stop, while Zheng He would face the first difficult test in his maritime career.

  Here is the translation:

  It was like this, when there were two kings ruling Java, they fought each other. The historical records say it was "East King" and "West King", but who exactly they were is unclear. Anyway, "West King" defeated "East King". After "East King" lost, his country was also destroyed. "West King" was preparing to settle the score when Zheng He's fleet passed through "East King"'s territory. The people under "West King" were blinded by killing and didn't even look carefully, and they killed more than 170 sailors who had landed from the ship.

  Zheng He was extremely surprised when he heard the news, and his soldiers were furious and excited when they heard that this small armed force dared to kill people of the Great Ming. They ran to Zheng He's face, crying and demanding that he immediately settle with that "Western King" and let him go to the Western Heaven to be a real king.

  Zheng He calmly watched the excited subordinates surrounding him, he understood that these angry people had not yet attacked Java only because they had not received his order.

  Many of the victims were sailors whom Zheng He had seen before, and they had followed him on his voyage to the Western Ocean in order to complete their mission, not to die. Their innocent deaths made Zheng He very angry, and he had every reason to attack this so-called "Western King". It was undoubtedly a war without suspense, as his troops were equipped with advanced weapons such as cannons and guns, while his opponents were just local aborigines. As soon as he gave the order, his fleet would easily win the victory and avenge the dead sailors.

  But he did not give such an order.

  He calmly looked at those eager subordinates and told them that they absolutely could not go to war, because we have a greater mission.

  Mission of Peace.

  If we go to war now, we can naturally win, but that would deviate from our original intention of going west and delay our journey. More seriously, if the news of defeating Java spreads to various countries in the Western Ocean, they will suspect our intentions and our mission will really not be achieved.

  After Zheng He finished speaking, he forcefully overruled the opposition and stopped his subordinates' rash actions, ordering envoys to be sent to the Western King's residence to negotiate this matter.

  Zheng He was indeed an extraordinary person, who could keep a clear head and control his anger when he had the power to do otherwise, putting the bigger picture first. This requires what kind of endurance! In fact, Zheng He's actions were not weak, but wise.

  Zheng He needed to face was endurance, while that Western king faced was fear, great fear.

  When he learned that his subordinates had killed the sailors of the fleet sent by the Ming Dynasty, he was so frightened that his soul was not attached to his body. He immediately dispatched an envoy to Zheng He's place to repeatedly explain the misunderstanding. He was also afraid that this would not work, and ordered people to take a boat overnight to rush to China to apologize. This is not necessarily because he was ashamed and regretful, but because he understood that with the strength of the Ming Dynasty, it would be easy to destroy himself, just like pinching an ant to death.

  After Zhu Di learned of this, he praised Zheng He for considering the overall situation and severely reprimanded the envoys of Western King, ordering them to pay an indemnity of 60,000 taels of gold (this compensation was quite high). Two years later, Western King sent people to deliver the indemnity, but only one-tenth of it, 10,000 taels of gold. This was not because they dared to go back on their word, but simply that this small island could not produce 60,000 taels of gold even if they dug three feet underground.

  We're really at our wit's end, this is all we have at home, you just deal with it as you see fit.

  When the envoy of the Western King nervously presented the gold, he received an unexpected response. Zhu Di clearly told him that he had long known they couldn't afford it and that demanding compensation for the gold was merely to make them understand their own guilt. Did they still lack that little bit of gold?

  Zhu Di's expedition completely subjugated Java, and from then on they voluntarily sent tribute to China every year.

  In this event, Zheng He fully demonstrated his calm thinking and accurate judgment, which also shows that Zhu Di's vision for people is really unique.

  After this storm, Zheng He's fleet sailed south and passed through Sumatra, Ceylon and other places. Along the way, they exchanged contacts with Western countries and carried out trade activities. These countries also sent envoys to follow Zheng He's fleet and prepare to go to China to pay tribute to Emperor Yongle.

  With goods obtained through trade and envoys from various countries, Zheng He arrived at the destination of this voyage - Calicut.

  Kollam is today's Kozhikode in India, located at the southwest tip of the Indian peninsula. This place was an important transit station, as early as the Hongwu period, Zhu Yuanzhang had sent envoys here, and this time Zheng He came with another important mission.

  In the third year of Yongle, Ming Chengzu issued an edict (appointment letter) to the ruler of Guri, formally conferring upon him the title of king and bestowing upon him a seal and other objects. Of course, the people of Guri may not have used seals in the same way as the Chinese, but since it was a matter of conferring kingship, some sort of ceremonial gesture was necessary.

  But the imperial edict was written, it wasn't that easy to deliver, because this old brother who received the title was still in India. So Zheng He came to Kollam with the imperial edict this time, he held the imperial edict and formally appointed the local ruler as the King of Kollam in the name of the Ming Emperor. From then on, the relationship between the two countries became even closer, and later Zheng He's voyages to the Western Ocean all took this place as a transit station and foothold.

  After completing this major event, Zheng He began to prepare for his return voyage. At that time, it had been more than a year since he set sail. He looked back on the various encounters during this journey and felt deeply moved. After experiencing so many ups and downs, he finally arrived in this country called Kollam and completed his final mission.

  The land is rich in products, the scenery is beautiful, and the people are kind and generous, friendly and enthusiastic. All this left a very deep impression on Zheng He.

  Leave a memory.

  He led his subordinates and local people to build a monument and inscribe an inscription to commemorate this history, which reads:

  Its country is over 100,000 miles away from China, with the same people and things, harmonious and prosperous under the same wind. The inscription was carved on this stone to be passed down for eternity.

  This is a historic milestone.

  Zheng He's fleet began its return voyage. Standing on the ship against the wind, Zheng He gazed at the gradually receding shores of Calicut. It was a beautiful place and they would come again!

  Perhaps it was the arrangement of fate, Zheng He would not have thought that the beautiful Calicut was not only the end point of his first voyage, but also the end point of his legendary life! The first long voyage was completed in this way, and the fleet returned to China with a flourish. However, heaven seemed unwilling to let Zheng He return home so smoothly, it had already prepared the last hurdle for these people who were eager to go home, and for Zheng He and his fleet, this was a real test, a life-and-death test.

  Since ancient times, major transportation routes have never been safe places. Many people who originally relied on heaven for food found that relying on roads was more effective. As a result, there were road bullies on land and pirates at sea, but regardless of whether they were on land or sea, their opening remarks and slogans were the same - if you want to pass from now on, leave your tolls behind.

  It would seem that Zheng He's fleet should not have been subject to these harassments, but this was not because the robbers were moved by the peaceful mission of this fleet, but rather due to the deterrent effect of military force.

  Even the most ferocious bandits would consider the cost of robbery, and someone like Zheng He who brings tens of thousands of soldiers with guns and walks around with a big cannon on an aircraft carrier is really not easy to deal with.

  The pirates of Northern Europe were also rampant, but they did not dare to rob the invincible Spanish fleet. Before looting, they had to weigh their own strength, a principle that has been remembered by many clever and powerful thieves throughout history.

  But in this world, where there are clever robbers, there must also be clumsy ones. There are people who get hot-headed for a moment, misjudge the situation, and dare to rob tanks with just a handgun. The following is an introduction to one such hot-headed brother.

  His name was Chen Zuoyi, and he was about to embark on the biggest robbery of his life.

  Of course, and for the last time.

  Chen Zuoyi, a native of Chaozhou, Guangdong Province, fled overseas during the Hongwu period due to his crimes. At that time, there was no Interpol or extradition treaty, so no one pursued him anymore. Later, he escaped to the country of Polombang in Sanfoqi (now Indonesia) and became a general under King Manaraja Wulie.

  He's really something, this Chen Zuoyi was just an escaped prisoner, originally didn't even discover he held any position, at most a village head, but in this country of Bolin (sorry, I really don't know which place it is now), he actually became a high-ranking official, China truly has many talents.

  Something even more formidable was yet to come. After the king's death, he gathered a group of pirates and proclaimed himself king. Thus, Chen Zuoyi became the King of Polinbang Kingdom.

  That's Mr. Chen Zuoyi's story of struggle and success, probably can't be considered as bringing glory to the country either.

  Chen Zuoyi had soldiers (pirates) and often robbed in the vicinity of the Malacca Strait, which was very normal. His subordinates were all pirates, and if they didn't go looting, what else could they do? The surrounding countries suffered greatly from this, but because these countries were all very weak, they couldn't do anything to Chen Zuoyi.

  Thus, Chen Zuyi's guts and appetite grew bigger and bigger, gradually evolving into specializing in robbing large ships and merchant ships, and rampaging for many years until he met Zheng He.

  When Zheng He's fleet sailed past Samudra, they happened to run into Chen Zuyi. Zheng He had heard of this man before and was prepared for battle, but Chen Zuyi made a decision that no one expected.

  He decided to surrender to Zheng He.

  It is worth noting that Chen Zuoyi, although greedy, was not a madman. He had managed to rise to the position of king (in reality, just a small tribe), which was no easy feat. Looking at those massive warships and dark cannon muzzles, anyone with a clear mind would not be willing to become cannon fodder.

  But pirates are pirates after all, Chen Zuoyi's surrender was just a temporary measure, the gold and silver treasures on Zheng He's ship were the greatest temptation, in Chen Zuoyi's view, as long as he succeeded in this deal, he would be set for life.

  But how to do it? Forcing won't work, so let's outsmart!

  Chen Zuoyi decided to use a fake surrender to paralyze Zheng He, then gather a large number of pirates to launch a surprise attack on Zheng He's flagship when the government army was unprepared, control the center and disrupt the Ming army's deployment, and defeat them one by one.

  It's a good plan, considering Chen Zuoyi's abilities. He could only choose this kind of plan, and after careful planning, he began to prepare for the robbery with full confidence.

  In Chen Zuoyi's view, Zheng He was a sheep, a fat sheep that could bring him enormous wealth.

  Will be rich soon.

  Chen Zuoyi, in order to complete this robbery mission perfectly, searched everywhere for accomplices. After gathering a motley crew, he unexpectedly found over 5,000 people and more than 20 warships. He then led his subordinates with great enthusiasm towards the Ming army's warships, preparing to catch them off guard.

  As expected by Chen Zuoyi, the Ming army fleet was quiet, and even the sentries on the ships were fewer than usual. Chen Zuoyi was overjoyed and ordered his pirates to launch an attack. However, at this moment, the Ming army fleet suddenly erupted in a frenzy of killing, with cannons firing in unison. Chen Zuoyi's fleet was split and surrounded, becoming the target of the big guns. The dumbfounded pirates had not yet woken up from their beautiful dream when they went to the Yellow Springs.

  Chen Zuoyi finally realized that he had fallen into the Ming army's ambush, and this time he was completely finished.

  The well-trained Ming army gave these undisciplined pirates a lesson in military training, quickly resolving the battle and annihilating over 5,000 pirates, sinking more than ten enemy ships, capturing many, and Chen Zuyi, the organizer of this action, was also captured alive.

  Chen Zuoyi never dreamed that Zheng He, who had accepted his surrender with a gentle face, would suddenly turn from a fat sheep into a fierce tiger. He felt a sense of being deceived.

  Chen Zuoyi previously thought he would win without a doubt, on the one hand because of his self-confidence, and on the other hand because he did not understand what kind of person Zheng He was.

  Chen Zuoyi was probably in Sanfotsi for a long time and even became the head of the tribe, being treated as a master by a group of people every day, so he really thought highly of himself. In fact, from the identity of the two men, it can be seen that Chen Zuoyi was an ordinary prisoner who escaped to China because he couldn't make a living there, while Zheng He was a rare talent selected from thousands of miles away!

  Chen Zuoyi had been leading his pirate troops to plunder ships for a long time, with the most commanding only a few thousand people, and he had not encountered any resistance. He seemed naive to think that fighting was so simple, and this person named Zheng He would also become his defeated general.

  Zheng He had been a soldier since he was eleven years old and had rich military experience. He fought in many battles under Zhu Di, participating in large-scale wars commanding hundreds of thousands of troops. He also clashed with the best generals of that era, such as Tie Xuan, Sheng Yong, Ping An, etc., and those super strong men couldn't defeat him, let alone a small pirate leader like Chen Zuyi.

  Chen Zuoyi's tricks couldn't escape Zheng He's eyes. The reason why Zheng He didn't immediately expose Chen Zuoyi was that he decided to use a cleverer trick, setting up an even better trap for Chen Zuoyi to jump into, and wait until he gathered all the pirates around him before making a move to capture them all at once. Moreover, in Zheng He's view, capturing Chen Zuoyi alive was very necessary, because this person would be useful in the future. As for what use he would be put to, we will introduce it later.

  After clearing out these pirates, Zheng He continued to sail towards his motherland. In the ninth month of the fifth year of Yongle (1407), Zheng He gloriously completed his mission and returned to the capital, where he was warmly welcomed and received by Zhu Di.

  At this time, Chen Zuyi became a useful person. As he was an escaped prisoner and had also been a pirate, to commemorate the completion of this maritime mission and the success of the anti-pirate campaign, Zhu Di ordered him to be killed in front of envoys from various countries and beheaded as a warning to others. It can be said that Chen Zuyi made some contribution to the propaganda cause.

  This historic voyage, although it did not find the Jianwen Emperor, brought a large number of envoys from various Western countries. These envoys witnessed the prosperity of the Great Ming and were deeply impressed, and they all paid tribute to the Great Ming. Zhu Di finally experienced the taste of ruling over all nations.

  A strong country is great, it really feels good.

  And Zhu Di also learned a lot about the customs and conditions of distant countries from them, and he also knew that in even more distant places, there were dark-skinned nations and their mysterious country.

  This is really a very interesting thing, not only can we visit the unknown world in the past, but also spread the prestige of the Great Ming Empire overseas, and do some business along the way. What's not to be happy about? Although the cost of going out to sea is a bit high, this amount of money is still affordable for the Great Ming Dynasty. Who let us have money?

  With the full support of Zhu Di, Zheng He continued his voyages. Thereafter, he led fleets to the Western Ocean five more times: in 1407, 1409, 1413, 1417 and 1421.

  These five voyages were similar to the first one, except for different routes, destinations and encounters along the way.

  Zheng He's main purpose in his subsequent five voyages to the Western Ocean had changed to peaceful exchange and official trade, of course he and his fleet also did some small things during these voyages.

  To adjust national conflicts and maintain world peace (Siam and Sumatra);

  The country of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) that blocks the way and robs, not listening to summons, has taken its king back to China to be imprisoned (how ruthless).

  Bring kings of other countries to China for sightseeing (Sulu delegation, the king led the team in person, with a total of over 340 people, and they ate for more than a month before leaving)

  Brought back a beast yearned for by Chinese people for thousands of years - Qilin (later proved to be a giraffe).

  So to sum it up, these things don't seem like small matters either.

  Through the efforts of Zheng He, Western countries established good relations with the Ming Dynasty. Although they had different living habits and great disparities in national strength, the open-minded Ming did not look down on these countries. It truly conquered them from the heart with its own civilization and tolerance.

  China under the rule of the Great Ming did not mount loudspeakers on its fleets to proclaim that it came in peace and friendship, unlike those Westerners who later arrived with Bibles in hand, riding small boats, loudly proclaiming that they had come to spread the gospel.

  Zheng He's fleet brought rich trade goods and relief supplies (some countries were indeed very poor), his fleet never took the initiative to attack, even in self-defense it was very measured (like that Ceylonese mountain king, who was later released), never bullying others with their power (although they did have this capital), people from various Western countries, regardless of ethnicity or wealth, could see genuine smiles on the faces of these strangers, and they knew in their hearts that these people were friendly givers.

  While Western explorers, after experiencing initial wonder, soon discovered that these countries had enormous wealth but no strong military power, so they used various violent means, killing and burning, just to rob the property that originally belonged to local people.

  A famous South African politician once said: When the Westerners came to us, they had the Bible in their hands and we had gold in our hands. Later it turned out that they had gold in their hands and we had the Bible in our hands.

  This is a very candid evaluation, for those Westerners, locals understand in their hearts: these people are evil plunderers.

  Even if they are eventually conquered by these Westerners, they will never give up their resistance and will fight for the day of freedom, because such a brutal conquest is impossible to consolidate.

  Right and wrong are clear at a glance.

  There is an old saying that fits here: we must believe in the masses; the eyes of the masses are bright.

  So I repeat the phrase: ruling by virtue is absolutely not a joke. Don't you see that certain big country today is making a big show in the world, bossing people around, yet also causing endless trouble and provoking resistance everywhere?

  Violence can be a last resort for solving problems, but it absolutely cannot solve problems.

  At that time, the strongest Ming Dynasty in the world could treat those small countries equally and respect their sovereignty and territorial integrity under the circumstances of having overwhelming military advantages, giving rather than plundering, which is not simple.

  It was not a conqueror by force of arms, but it truly conquered almost all the countries along the navigation route with its friendly actions.

  This conquest is a spiritual one, it exists in the heart of every individual. When those mighty fleets arrive, people will not flee in all directions, but instead come out to warmly welcome these guests from afar.

  In my opinion, this is the real conquest.

  Apart from fulfilling his diplomatic missions, Zheng He also successfully opened up new navigation routes. He discovered that by passing through the Indian port of Calicut (now Kozhikode) and the Maldives, he could avoid stormy areas and directly reach the Red Sea coast of the Arabian Peninsula and East African countries. This was a remarkable achievement.

  In the previous six voyages, Zheng He's fleet reached as far as the east coast of Africa and left their footprints. They visited many countries including present-day Somalia, Mozambique, Kenya, etc., which was also the furthest place that ancient Chinese people had ever reached.

  Everyone may have noticed that we only introduced Zheng He's six voyages to the Western Ocean, but missed the seventh time. This is not an oversight, but because the seventh voyage has a very special meaning for Zheng He. It was during this voyage that he finally realized his greatest dream in his heart.

  The previous six voyages were indeed unforgettable for Zheng He, but he had never fulfilled his lifelong wish - to make a pilgrimage. This also became an entanglement that lingered in his mind, but he believed that as long as he continued his western ocean voyage, there would always be opportunities.

  But an unfortunate news heavily struck him, in the 22nd year of Yongle (1424), Zhu Di, who supported his maritime activities the most, passed away. Everyone was busy fighting for power and no one had the mind to care about this old man who was nearly sixty years old with white hair and his seemingly unrealistic maritime feats.

  Zheng He was abandoned, and suddenly he became a useless person who would be left with no choice but to retire and live out his days.

  The childhood dream has not come true after all. The Yongle Emperor has passed away and the voyage will end here!

  Heaven did not strike this veteran again and gave Zheng He the opportunity to realize his dream.

  In 1430, the Xuande Emperor Zhu Zhanji suddenly sent someone to find Zheng He and summoned him personally, telling him: immediately organize a distant voyage, again going down the Western Ocean!

  It has been seven years since the last voyage, and many preparations need to be done again. The work is very arduous, but Zheng He is still very excited. He believes that the new emperor will continue the legacy of Emperor Yongle and continue the journey to the Western Ocean.

  It turned out that Zheng He was indeed too naive, and for Zhu Di, this voyage had another purpose, just a temporary measure, not the beginning of a series of maritime activities, but rather the end.

  Why did Zhu Di want to restart the maritime plan? I quote a paragraph from his imperial edict, and everyone will understand after reading it. The excerpt is as follows:

  "We, the Emperor, inherited the great foundation of our ancestors, Taizu Gao Huangdi (whom everyone is familiar with), Taizong Wen Huangdi (Zhu Di, grandfather) and Renzong Zhao Huangdi (Zhu Gaochi, father). We rule over all nations, embodying the utmost benevolence of our ancestors, bringing peace and tranquility to all people. We have already issued a grand edict to the world, proclaiming the era name Xuande, and all are renewed. You, the various barbarian countries from afar, beyond the seas, have not yet heard or known this. Now, we specially dispatch eunuchs Zheng He and Wang Jinghong to bring our edict to instruct you, each to respectfully follow the heavenly way, comfort the people, and together enjoy the blessings of peace."

  Now you see, this new emperor got rid of his uncle (I'll explain later) and after a few years, he solidified his throne and finally had the idea of ruling over all nations. The problem is that these "nations" are quite far away and there aren't even highways yet. If you want them to come and pay tribute, you have to tell them first. After some thought, he could only reuse Zheng He again, with a very clear purpose: to tell everyone that the emperor's throne has been passed down and it's finally my turn, Zhu Zhanji!

  No matter what Zhu Zhanji's purpose was, Zheng He was happy at this time. He finally came out of the cold treatment by others and had the opportunity to realize his childhood dream.

  As the emperor's minister, Zheng He's first task was to complete the heavy responsibility entrusted by the state, and his strong wish could only be buried in his heart. From a mischievous child of several years old to an old man approaching sixty, he had been waiting, now is the time.

  In the twelfth month of Xuande 6 (1430), Zheng He set sail once again. As he looked at his subordinates and old sailors who had followed him for over twenty years, he couldn't help but feel a deep sense of nostalgia for the grandeur of his first voyage. After experiencing so many ups and downs, he could finally realize his dream!

  He gazed back at the increasingly distant and blurred coastline of his homeland, filled with a mix of melancholy and joy, as he was about to leave his country once again, bound for the shores of a foreign land, just like the six times before.

  But Zheng He could never have imagined that this would be his last look at his motherland, and he would never return.

  The Final Destination

  Zheng He's fleet sailed across the Strait of Malacca, delivering messages to various countries, then crossed the Mandeb Strait, up the Red Sea, and headed for Mecca, a place Zheng He had been thinking about day and night for decades.

  Islam has three major holy sites, namely Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem. Among them, Mecca is the first holy site where the great Muhammad founded Islam. The greatest honor for a Muslim in his lifetime is to make a pilgrimage here.

  No matter what race, no matter what origin, whether by boat, car or on foot, as long as you are a Muslim, and there is even the slightest possibility, you will definitely come here to reveal your heart to the Holy Stone and Allah.

  Zheng He finally arrived at this place. Although he was an excellent navigator, although he was a pioneer in history, but at this moment, he was just an ordinary and devout Muslim.

  He finally arrived at this dream place, he finally touched that sacred holy stone, he finally achieved his own dream.

  This is a pilgrimage that has lasted for over fifty years, fifty years ago the dream began, and fifty years later the dream came true. This is exactly the trajectory of Zheng He's legendary life.

  From a happy childhood to a difficult youth, and then to an unpredictable adulthood, he is now an old man in his twilight years. He has experienced the cruel battlefield killings, the cunning and deceitful power struggles, as well as the storms and rough seas of the vast ocean. Countless trials and tribulations have finally been overcome.

  My dream has finally come true, I have no other desires.

  After the pilgrimage, the fleet began its return journey, the mission was accomplished, and the dream had come true, it was time to go home.

  But Zheng He never returned again.

  The prolonged maritime life had almost exhausted Zheng He's energy, and he fell ill on the return voyage, never to recover. When the fleet arrived at Calicut, the destination of his first expedition, Zheng He's life finally came to an end.

  The great navigator Zheng He thus ended his life. Due to the misfortunes he suffered in his youth, he was unable to start a family and leave behind children, but this did not prevent him from becoming a great man who would be remembered by later generations.

  He went through hardships, nine deaths and one life, and finally achieved this great feat in Chinese history and even world history. He led a large fleet to sail the Western Ocean seven times, promoting peaceful exchanges between the Ming Dynasty and Southeast Asia, India, Africa and other countries, and showing them the true face of a powerful and enlightened nation.

  Although his personal life was unfortunate and he did not enjoy the happiness of a husband and wife or family, he left us with a legendary story, a legendary story of Chinese people at sea.

  And Zheng He, who created this legend, is a hero, a real hero, and the pride of our country and nation.

  Guli became the last place Zheng He arrived, as if it was destined. More than 20 years ago, he first arrived here, full of vigor and ambition, and made a bold statement: "Carve on the stone, forever shining for all eternity". Twenty years later, he ended his legendary life here with satisfaction.

  Zheng He, take another look at the mysterious and profound ocean, that's where your true home is, you will always belong there.

  The people of Guli never saw the fleet of Great Ming again, and after Zheng He, there was no more Zheng He.

  More than sixty years later, a fleet of four ships arrived in Calicut again, led by Vasco da Gama.

  The first thing these Portuguese did after landing was to search everywhere for what they called treasure, and when they learned that the place produced spices and silk, they were overjoyed, thinking they would really get rich.

  After finding this place to make a fortune, Da Gama was very pleased and erected a pillar in Calicut, which he said symbolized the sovereignty of Portugal.

  Establishing one's own sovereignty on someone else's land, what kind of logic is this? In fact, there's no need to be surprised, as this Da Gama erected similar pillars in all the places he visited during his voyage, using such a haphazard approach to establish what he called his "sovereignty", which is the logic of Western colonizers.

  However, this colonizer with the title of adventurer would never know that more than sixty years ago, a man named Zheng He led a large fleet of the Great Ming Empire to come here and erected a monument.

  A monument symbolizing peace and friendship.