"After Fujiwara returns to Japan, our country needs someone to meet the emperor of that country and express our country's willingness to make peace with him."
"Therefore, on the day when Fujiwara returns, sir, can you condescend to accompany him as an envoy to Japan?" Zhu Su said to Gao Qi.
Everyone present was stunned, and Gao Qi's expression also froze on his face. He frowned and thought for a while, then asked solemnly: "Do you just want to reconcile with Japan? Or..."
"My Ming Dynasty has the intention to expand its territory to the east...?"
Speaking of "opening up frontiers and expanding territory," Zhu Di couldn't help but sit up straight. The rest of the people also sat upright immediately. Zhu Su secretly praised in his heart and nodded frankly: "Yes, only by bringing the Japanese country under the jurisdiction of our Ming Dynasty can we fundamentally eliminate the Japanese plague."
"For this reason, we must instigate the Emperor to ask for help from our Ming Dynasty, so that our Ming Dynasty's legitimate condemnation army can be stationed... But Fujiwara is arrogant and talentless, and I am afraid that he will not be able to hold a big position..."
"Is this what His Highness means? Or..."
"What do you mean, Your Majesty?"
Gao Qi hit the point with one sentence.
Zhu Su was silent for a while, but finally said honestly: "No, this is a temporary arbitrary decision made by this king after meeting Fujiwara."
"But before that, I had proposed to my father to open up borders to Japan... My father also had this intention."
"Hahahaha. Is that really the case?" Gao Qi smiled freely, but Zhu Su's heart froze. Deep down in his heart, this celebrity was so proud that he did not even take the official position that Lao Zhu had given him in the past. He only resigned and traveled around to recite poems and write poems for pleasure.
If he didn't respect his "copied" reputation in the literary world, such a celebrity might not even help deceive Fujiwara.
But it is also necessary to send a useful person to the Japanese country. Someone must find out the internal political situation and distribution of forces in the Japanese country, and judge the opportunity to instigate the emperor, so as to prompt the emperor to request reinforcements from the Ming Dynasty at the most appropriate occasion. This time cannot be too early or too late. It's too early, the Ming Dynasty has not yet freed up its hands, and it is even less able to cross the ocean; it's too late, the defeat of the Emperor of the Southern Dynasties of Japan has been determined, and even if the Ming army goes, it is very likely to get into a tug-of-war with the Ashikaga Shogunate, which has unified all the forces of Japan. .
Zhu Su thought about it and decided that Gao Qi was the most suitable candidate. Firstly, Gao Qi was originally a famous person, and Japanese aristocrats admired such heavenly figures the most. Even if he did not rely on Fujiwara, Gao Qi would most likely be able to thrive in Japan with his talents and be treated as a guest; secondly, Gao Qi already had a relationship with Fujiwara. After establishing a certain friendship, it would be most appropriate for him to go to Japan to "control" Fujiwara.
But after all, this is not the emperor's order, just his own request. There is nothing wrong with Gao Qi not agreeing...
"Your Highness is really ambitious! He actually wants to devour the Japanese kingdom! It makes me feel the legacy of the Han and Tang Dynasties!" Zhu Su was worrying about gains and losses, but Gao Qi clapped his hands on the table and praised him. "Since Your Highness has such an ambition, why should he cherish this life? Although the mountains and rivers are high and the rivers are far away when we go to Japan, it is our duty to do so."
He blinked at Zhu Su: "Your Highness, you may not know that, in my life, I admire Ban Dingyuan's achievements the most!"
Ban Dingyuan was Banchao of the Eastern Han Dynasty. As an ordinary envoy, he achieved great feats that overwhelmed more than fifty countries in the Western Regions. In his life, he established an unparalleled military exploits as a civil servant, and finally became famous in history and praised forever, which can be called a legend.
Gao Qi actually aspires to be Ban Chao of the Ming Dynasty? Zhu Su was overjoyed. Over there, Ru Taisu and Wei Guan, who were also literati, frowned after listening. Ru Taisu said: "Your Majesty, Fifth Highness, are you a little too ambitious? What's the use of taking the barbarian land of the Japanese country, which is a waste of people and money?"
"Hey, Taisu, you are too rigid." Gao Qi had friendship with Ru Taisu and other literati. Before Zhu Su could say anything, he laughed loudly and said, "The emperor has always been considerate of the people, and he has always been prudent in military affairs. . If it wastes people and money, do you still need to worry?"
"If we can use a partial army to control the Japanese country and suppress the Japanese troubles, how can we say it is useless? Besides, even if I can't send troops in the Ming Dynasty, I will just come back at the worst. It's just a casual move by His Highness, why should I object?"
As soon as this statement came out, Ru Taisu and other conservative civil servants could not object. Indeed, it is well known to everyone that the Holy One cares about the people today. If it really wastes people and money, he won't allow it.
Since there is a holy master to check it, what else is there to worry about?
Zhu Su was extremely satisfied with Gao Qi. He thought that Gao Qi, a madman like Gao Qi who would resign at every turn, was even more interested in him. Who among those who behave wildly does not have their own heroic ambitions in their chests?
Well. This point can be put to good use. If we encounter such literati again in the future, we can guide their ambitions and use them to fight against and neutralize the conservative faction in the court...
The tide of history is overwhelming. If we miss this opportunity, the next time the Chinese nation expands its territory, we may have to wait thousands of years!
…
After deciding that Gao Qi and Fujiwara would go to Japan together in the future, everyone dispersed. Most people only regarded Zhu Su's "expanding the Japanese country" as a temporary strategy and did not pay much attention to it. Zhu Su had already planned which troops to take with him when he went to sea. This time he went to sea to rescue the people of the Ming Dynasty who were kidnapped by Japanese pirates. It could also be used as a touchstone to test whether Fujiwara sincerely returned to the Han Dynasty: if he was sincerely devoted to the Ming Dynasty, he would definitely serve the Ming Dynasty wholeheartedly. The military should be a good "party that leads the way."
As the former small leader of the Oita Japanese pirate tribe, he knew where the lairs of other Japanese pirates were hidden. If he could wholeheartedly assist the Ming army in suppressing the Japanese, it would be enough to prove that he had truly and legitimately become a descendant of the Chinese nation.
Seeing that everyone else had left, Zhu Di was still sitting on the chair and reluctant to leave. Zhu Su asked strangely: "Fourth brother? What's wrong with you? Do you have something to say to me alone?"
"Lao Wu." Zhu Di came over as expected. "You want to open up the Japanese country. As I said before, do you want this Japanese country to be the first stop for our brothers to establish a vassal overseas?"
"Tell me secretly, what are the benefits of this Japanese country? Is it worth your trouble?"
Zhu Di had already known Zhu Su's origins, so he naturally guessed that Zhu Su's calculations must be more than just the "Yongjing Japanese pirates". However, the Japanese land was poor and rough, and Zhu Di really couldn't think of anything good about this place, so he waited for everyone to leave and looked for an opportunity to ask Zhu Su.
"Uh..." Zhu Su laughed for a moment. Zhu Di wanted to choose a suitable fiefdom in advance by knowing his origin.
In fact, the main reason why he wanted to destroy the Japanese country was the hatred between the country and the family in later generations. But it was a long story to tell Zhu Di, so he had to say: "I'm telling you, don't tell others."
"Actually, there are countless gold and silver mines in Japan!"
"Gold and silver mine!" Zhu Di was shocked. "Isn't that money?"
He immediately realized what was the most expensive thing about fighting? money!
Food can be bought with money, soldiers can be recruited with money, and people can be cared for with money... In a word, as long as you have money, you can fight to the ends of the earth!
"Lao Wu! I want this fief!" Zhu Di's eyes have turned into coins. "Don't fight with me! When the time comes, we will send troops to Japan, and I, Zhu Di, will be the first!"
Can Zhu Su know his thoughts? Ever since he told him about Alexander the Great, he had been holding back his energy to compete with this great Western emperor from the pre-Qin period.
But Zhu Su said that "Emperor Yongle" was not good at logistics and internal affairs, and he did get a headache when he saw things like grain and grass dispatching. He doesn't plan to marry a wife in this life, so naturally he won't be able to give birth to a capable fat son to help him coordinate logistics.
Therefore, this guy has been focusing on searching for the surrounding barbarians these days, preparing to find a wealthy barbarian to "rob him", and then use the barbarian country as a fiefdom, use its wealth as military supplies, and fight all the way to the west. , and they didn’t stop until they reached the hometown of the great emperor who was under great pressure.
Now that he has heard that Japan has a lot of gold and silver, how can he give up?
"Fourth brother, don't worry about this gold and silver mine." Zhu Su said. "Why do you think I didn't tell the literati about this? The household department is very short of silver right now. If they knew that Japan had gold and silver, wouldn't they have encouraged my father to rush eastward?"
"It's not just to guard against other people. Those gold and silver, dad is of use! Isn't there a map of Kun Yu and all the countries hanging in Jinshen Palace? The old man drools all day long, just staring at the Japanese country on the map..."
"The gold and silver mine will definitely be in the hands of the old man. Don't think about it anymore!"
Since Zhu Su harmed Lao Zhu Chen Ming Bao Chao, Lao Zhu stopped the indiscriminate issuance of Bao Chao. However, the economic problems of the Ming Dynasty were already very serious, and the money circulating in the market was extremely insufficient. In a few years, we will reach a point where we can no longer afford to issue money.
The gold and silver mines in the Japanese country were all "reserves" that Lao Zhu had set aside for the Ming Dynasty treasure banknotes. With Japan's almost endless gold and silver as insurance, the Ming Dynasty's treasure banknotes will no longer be in danger of collapse.
(End of chapter)
