"Liu Bowen, don't talk nonsense in front of your superiors."
Li Shanchang really couldn't listen anymore and shouted:
"Do you know what you are talking about? Why would we, our great country, annex our own vassal countries?"
"Not to mention, the sea is like a natural chasm, lying between Wo Dao and our Ming Dynasty. It is impossible to cross it."
"If you dare to talk nonsense again, your superiors will never let you off lightly."
As soon as he finished speaking, Liu Bowen bowed his hands towards Li Shanchang and said:
"Prime Minister Li, the current situation in the sea has changed from offensive to defensive, and the chasm has become a smooth road. Don't you even know this?"
"I'm not talking nonsense, but Mr. Li, your information is too limited."
Liu Bowen's eyes were calm, but Hu Weiyong found a hint of sarcasm in Liu Bowen's eyes.
This shocked Hu Weiyong. He didn't understand why Liu Bowen, who had always been a good man, suddenly changed so much.
Although above the court, there are two factions, Huaixi and Zhejiang.
However, Liu Bowen, as the leader of the Zhejiang East Party, has always avoided conflicts with the Huaixi Party and tolerated everything. Even if he was run against by Li Shanchang, he would rarely take the initiative to fight.
But now Liu Bowen seemed to be a different person, actually taking the initiative and confronting each other tit for tat, which made Hu Weiyong feel more vigilant.
Who is Liu Bowen? He was the top strategist who helped Zhu Yuanzhang open up the Ming Dynasty. His previous appearance of being harmless to humans and animals made all the officials in the court gradually lose their respect for Liu Bowen.
But Hu Weiyong never dared to look down on him and always treated Liu Bowen with courtesy. Now Liu Bowen's attitude has changed drastically. Could it be that something happened?
No matter what Hu Weiyong thought, Li Shanchang's expression changed drastically after hearing Liu Bowen's sarcasm.
Cold sweat suddenly broke out on his forehead. Li Shanchang quickly glanced at Zhu Yuanzhang with his peripheral vision, and saw Zhu Yuanzhang looking at him with amusement, without any intention of blaming Liu Bowen.
From this point of view, what Liu Bowen said is indeed true.
The sea area of the Ming Dynasty has undergone earth-shaking changes long ago, but he didn't know it yet and was kept in the dark by the emperor.
This has led to a misjudgment of the emperor's next strategic direction.
Li Shanchang's mind was racing, and he quickly thought of a way. In an instant, Li Shanchang ignored Liu Bowen next to him, knelt down directly towards Zhu Yuanzhang, and said loudly:
"I'll forgive you, sir. I really don't know what's going on."
"If it is true, as Liu Zhongcheng said, that such a situation will lead to frequent chaos in Japan, and it is indeed necessary to clean up the country."
"Please, Your Majesty, send troops quickly to save the people of Japan Island from the fire and water."
Li Shanchang actually refuted his advice without any bottom line, and used different words to repeat what Liu Bowen had just said.
Zhu Yuanzhang chuckled and said:
"I can't blame you for this. It's all my fault that I didn't explain it clearly to you."
"Now the Japanese pirates and pirates around our Ming Dynasty have basically been eliminated by our Ming Dynasty Navy."
"All the waters of the Ming Dynasty are now under the jurisdiction of the Ming Navy and are under martial law."
"Except for our Daming navy, no ships are allowed to sail in the Daming waters. Otherwise, once discovered, they will be sunk immediately."
"Whether you are a pirate or a merchant, we are all treated equally, do you understand?"
Zhu Yuanzhang was inoculating several people present. After all, the benefits of sea trade were too great. If someone really took the risk and went overseas to do sea trade, this would deviate from Zhu Yuanzhang's plan.
It's not yet time to fully open the sea. He wants to incorporate all the Japanese islands into his territory, and then hold the trade in the south of the Japanese islands in his hands, so that he can open the sea.
The court will benefit the most at that time. If the sea is opened now, these trade routes will probably fall into the hands of some wealthy families.
This conflicts with Zhu Yuanzhang's interests and is something he does not want to see.
The few people who received Zhu Yuanzhang's warning all nodded quickly and accepted the order. After all, they all knew Zhu Yuanzhang's temper, and there was no need to lose their heads for some benefits of opening the sea.
If Zhu Yuanzhang really finds out who leaked the news, I'm afraid Zhu Yuanzhang will never show mercy, but will kill him.
After seeing the attitudes of several people, Zhu Yuanzhang was very satisfied, and then praised Liu Bowen:
"What Bowen just said makes sense."
"Japanese Island has been our Chinese territory since ancient times. As descendants of China, we have the ability and obligation to take back Japana Island."
"What the previous dynasty failed to do does not mean that our Ming Dynasty cannot do it."
"We Zhu Yuanzhang just want to prove that the Ming Dynasty is stronger than the Yuan Dynasty, and it is ten times or a hundred times stronger."
"This is another treaty. You can circulate it among yourself and take a look."
"All of you here are our loyal ministers. We hope you can all speak freely and we can be honest with each other."
Zhu Yuanzhang asked Zhu Biao to take the Ming-Japanese Friendship and Cooperation Treaty on the imperial case to Liu Bowen and others.
Li Shanchang was the first to get it. After seeing the contents clearly, his eyes widened instantly, as if he had seen something incredible.
Hu Weiyong stood next to Li Shanchang. After reading it, he couldn't help but sigh in admiration. The person who wrote this treaty was as shameless as himself.
Next are Liu Bowen and Song Lian.
Liu Bowen read it carefully, with so many thoughts in his mind that he didn't know how to evaluate it for a moment.
On the contrary, Song Lian next to him turned red instantly after reading it. Then he knelt down to Zhu Yuanzhang without hesitation and said loudly:
"Your Majesty, the twenty-one things written above must not be implemented."
"Since ancient times, the benevolent are invincible. I, the Ming Dynasty, sent troops to Japan to rescue the suffering people of Japan."
"I left to bring order to the chaos and eliminate the overreaching principles of the vassal countries. It was not for military expenses, nor for the Japanese territory."
"If the twenty-one instructions above are followed, then the prestige of our Ming Dynasty will be completely lost, and the benevolent teacher will also be regarded as a robber who breaks into a house."
“Since ancient times, those who have attained the truth have received much help, while those who have lost the path have had little help.”
"If I, the Ming Dynasty, really do such a thing, then who among the surrounding vassal countries of the Ming Dynasty would dare to sincerely recognize my Ming Dynasty's status as the suzerain state."
"I beg you, Your Majesty, to never do such a cruel act."
After Song Lian finished speaking, his head touched the ground, hoping that Zhu Yuanzhang would never have such thoughts.
Liu Bowen, Li Shanchang and Hu Weiyong next to them looked at Song Lian with responsible eyes.
Zhu Yuanzhang was sitting high on the dragon chair, his eyes were slightly narrowed, and his face was not very good-looking. Instead, he looked at Hu Weiyong and asked:
"Hu Weiyong, what do you think of Master Song's words?"
"To report to your Majesty, I think Lord Song's words have some truth, but not much."
The guard bowed slightly and replied loudly:
"Master Song is of high moral character and is naturally very familiar with Confucian classics."
"But Mr. Song doesn't know that the exchanges between countries cannot only be benevolent and righteous without dignity."
"As the saying goes, we are afraid of power but not moral. If we are too friendly to these vassal countries, they will think that our Ming Dynasty is weak and can be bullied."
"this is not right."
"We are indeed sending troops this time for the sake of justice, to rescue the people of Japan Island and to deal with the rebellious officials and traitors."
"Since our starting point is good, then we are the teachers of justice."
"As for asking for remuneration, that's natural."
"After all, we worked hard on the expedition to bring order to the Japanese islands. As a dependent country, they should express this."
"Therefore, I think the contents of this treaty are very suitable, and I would like to ask your Majesty for your clear understanding."
Hu Weiyong was very good at guessing people's hearts. After Zhu Yuanzhang took out this treaty, Hu Weiyong felt that Zhu Yuanzhang should be very satisfied with the above contents.
If Song Lian jumped out at this time, it would be simply courting death.
A corrupt scholar, after all, does not understand what the national interest is.
If there were no benefits, how could Zhu Yuanzhang go on an expedition to help Japan?
Hu Weiyong knew that Zhu Yuanzhang believed that the greatest enemy of the Ming Dynasty was Bei Yuan and Wang Baobao.
Now Zhu Yuanzhang is keen on attacking Japanese islands, which is profitable, and it is not a small profit, otherwise Hu Weiyong would not believe that Zhu Yuanzhang would be full and take care of the troubles on Japanese islands.
