Regarding the issue of Zheng Zhilong, Emperor Chongzhen did not want to resolve it through traditional military force. It was not that he feared the outbreak of war, but rather that he wished to avoid it. Once hostilities began, the neighboring provinces of Zhejiang, Jiangxi, and Guangdong would inevitably be affected. If the conflict escalated, Southern Zhili would also be caught in the fallout. These regions were the pillars of the Imperial Court’s tax revenue.
According to tax data from the sixth year of the Wanli reign, Zhejiang accounted for 9.4% of the national tax revenue, Jiangxi for 10.4%, Southern Zhili for 22%, and Guangdong for nearly 3%. Together, these four regions contributed half of the Great Ming Dynasty's total wealth, a fact Emperor Chongzhen had to prioritize.
Since force was not an option, economic warfare became the preferred strategy. There were many ways to wage such a war, but Emperor Chongzhen deemed a trade war the most feasible. To fight a trade war, one needed not only immense capital but also the participation of a large number of merchants. He had already won over a group of influential merchants with soap, and now he was binding another segment through the use of flying shuttle looms. With their assistance, Emperor Chongzhen’s chances of success would increase significantly.
Chapter 624