Compared to the reputation of the Tiger Banner Navy, the reputation of the Tiger Banner Battle Division is undoubtedly greater.
No matter how powerful the Tiger-Character Banner Navy is, for the people of the Duke of Wei, it is a big deal that they will not engage in sea trade business, but the Tiger-Character Banner Battle Division is different, because the Battle Division can attack cities and seize territory, directly threatening the Wei Palace, and it is a matter of concern. Everyone's lives are at risk.
"My Duke is supportive of the peace talks." Duke Wei said to Hong Chengchou, his tone softening.
Hong Chengchou said with a smile on his face: "The Duke may have misunderstood. I don't mean to threaten you. I just hope that the Duke can stand on a fair point of view on the peace talks and not be influenced by some people with bad intentions."
"Ambassador Hong, don't worry. I will propose peace talks with you in public at the next court meeting. However, there are many people in the court who oppose it, so the peace talks with you may not go smoothly." Wei Guogong said.
Upon hearing this, Hong Chengchou smiled and said: "I believe that the Duke of Guo must have a way to make the peace talks successful. Even if the peace talks do not go smoothly for the time being, it is not suitable for the Qing envoys to continue to stay in the Ming Dynasty."
"This is not easy to handle." Wei Guogong frowned.
The departure of the Qing envoys and the peace talks with Huzi Banner were basically the same thing.
"Please also ask the Duke to give me an exact time so that I can send a message back so that the navy waiting outside the Yangzi River does not have to come over." Hong Chengchou said to Duke Wei with a smile.
The Crown Prince's face darkened and he angrily said: "Ambassador Hong, please don't push yourself too far. My father has promised you to propose peace talks at the court meeting and has tried his best. Even if the peace talks fail, it has nothing to do with the Duke of Wei, and I have nothing to do with you." We should go to those who oppose peace talks with you."
"Does the Duke think so too?" Hong Chengchou ignored the eldest son of the Duke of Wei and looked at the Duke of Wei.
Wei Guogong looked at the tureen in his hand and said nothing.
Seeing this, Hong Chengchou stood up, bowed his hands to the Duke of Wei, and said: "Since the Duke and the Crown Prince have the same idea, I have nothing to say. I believe that soon, a ship will come to the Yangzi River to pick him up." I, the envoy, go back and say goodbye."
After saying that, he turned around and walked out with his legs raised.
"Wait a minute." Wei Guogong called out to Hong Chengchou who was about to leave, and comforted him with kind words, "Ambassador Hong, don't leave in such a hurry. Why don't you just listen to what I have to say."
Hong Chengchou stopped and turned around to look at Wei Guogong, waiting for his next words.
Eunuch Wei put down the tureen in his hand and said: "I have supported peace talks with your Tiger-Character Banner from the beginning. After all, compared to your Tiger-Character Banner, the so-called Qing Dynasty is a foreign race. No matter who the Ming Dynasty falls to, They cannot be destroyed by the hands of foreigners."
Hong Chengchou looked at him without speaking.
Because he knew that the next words were the real deal.
Wei Guogong paused for a moment and continued: "Although I am the auxiliary minister of the Ming Dynasty, I am only one of the five auxiliary ministers. I cannot represent the opinions of the others, especially now that many people in the court hope to cooperate with the Qing Dynasty. Form an alliance to deal with you together. In this case, even if I am the auxiliary minister, I cannot act against the wishes of the majority of people, so the peace talks with you have been postponed. It is really not that I, the auxiliary minister, do not want to take action. , It’s really impossible to do it alone.”
"It seems that the Duke is not worried about the sea trade business at all. I wonder what will happen if the goods in the workshops under the Duke's name cannot be sold?" Hong Chengchou asked the other party.
He didn't believe a word that Wei Guogong said he was so pitiful.
Most of the existing military forces in the Ming Dynasty are in the hands of these nobles. Even Yang Guorui, the great eunuch who occupies the palace, has to rely on the power of civilian officials to compete with the nobles.
As the head of the nobles, Wei Guogong said that he was alone and alone, and he was fooling the devil!
Duke Wei frowned.
He suddenly understood that the Hong Chengchou in front of him was not that easy to fool.
Hong Chengchou looked at Wei Guogong and continued: "Your Majesty, there is no need to prevaricate me. I came here today to ask for permission. If the Ming Dynasty has no intention of peace talks, I will leave with my people, so as not to continue to embarrass the Duke."
"this!"
Duke Guo of Wei hesitated.
He definitely didn't want Hong Chengchou to leave the Ming Dynasty just like that. After all, if he left, who knew whether the Tiger Character Banner would take action against the Ming Dynasty, but if he continued to stay, he would have to find a way to negotiate peace talks.
However, the peace talks with the Tiger-Character Banner were very troublesome. Those civil servants did not support the peace talks with the Tiger-Character Banner, and even incited the people everywhere to infiltrate the Tiger-Character Banner and sabotage the peace talks with the Tiger-Character Banner.
Even if several auxiliary ministers agree to peace talks with Tiger Flag, or even make a resolution, it may be directly rejected by the civilian officials.
Although the emperor could not directly take charge of affairs, the cabinet and the censors of the Metropolitan Procuratorate had all the powers they should have. Without the support of the cabinet and the Metropolitan Procuratorate, the peace talks would not be successful at all.
The cabinet needs to be sealed with a seal, and the censor has the power to directly seal the imperial edict.
"I can support the peace talks with you at the court meeting with several princes. As for the outcome of the peace talks, I can't do anything." Duke Wei decided to tell the truth.
Although the eunuch Yang Guorui no longer opposed the peace talks, he did not support it, and he was not of the same mind as their nobles, not to mention that there was Qian Qianyi, the chief minister of the cabinet.
Hearing this, Hong Chengchou looked thoughtful.
He could feel that this should be Wei Guogong's bottom line.
Thinking of this, he said: "I hope that the Duke and the other Dukes can make the peace talks successful. Hengjiu would like to thank you in advance."
As he spoke, he crossed his hands and bowed.
After hearing this, Duke Wei finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Unless he had to, he didn't want to quarrel with Hong Chengchou or Tiger Flag in front of him.
Having barely achieved his goal, Hong Chengchou took the initiative to say goodbye.
If you continue to stay together, you will become annoying.
Duke Guo of Wei did not persuade him to stay, but asked the housekeeper to send the person out of the house for him.
"Father, are we really going to be threatened by him?" Prince Wei Guogong said with reluctance.
Wei Guogong looked at him sideways and said: "The Ming Dynasty is not yet ready to deal with the tiger-character banner army. We Wei Guogong and other nobles cannot lose their sea trade business. Let's put up with him for now, and wait for the Ming Dynasty to compile If you train your new army well, you won't have to be threatened by them anymore."
"My child feels aggrieved." The Crown Prince of Wei State said bitterly.
Duke Guo of Wei did not speak.
He didn't hate it, but for the benefit of the family, he had to endure it, because even if the Tiger-Character Banner army did not go south to attack the Ming Dynasty, the Tiger-Character Banner could cut off the sea trade business that the Duke of Wei had consolidated for many years.
Unless Wei Guogong opens a new route.
If you want to open a new route, you need to invest a lot of money in the early stage, and it may not be successful. Even if you successfully open a route, there is no guarantee that one day it will be discovered by the Navy of the Tiger Flag again.
