The emperor said to Ye Gucheng: "Toyotomi Hideyoshi overestimated his capabilities and tried to occupy North Korea. After being defeated, he wanted to sue for peace, but he couldn't understand the language. I know that Master's maritime trade is very prosperous. I wonder if I understand their true and false intentions. Is there such a thing? Can you recommend someone to me?"
Ye Gucheng frowned. He knew that he had maritime trade when the emperor was still the prince of Pingnan. To be honest, it was not legal. After he ascended the throne and became emperor, he turned a blind eye and allowed himself to continue trading, never mentioning this matter. If it were another person, his house might have been ransacked long ago. What does it mean to suddenly mention it now?
Ye Gucheng said: "I only go south, never east, and I don't know them well."
"Communicating with the Japanese" is a serious crime, and it is true that I have never done business with the Japanese.
The emperor said: "Master, don't worry, I just lack such talents now."
Ye Gucheng frowned even more tightly, because he didn't believe himself.
Ye Gucheng said calmly: "I'm not overly worried, it's the Emperor who is overly worried."
The emperor's face darkened for a moment, but he recovered quickly and said: "In that case, I will find someone again. The Japanese pirates have been running rampant for so many years, it is not difficult to find someone who can speak Japanese. It is rare for Master to come to the capital, so why not come to the capital more often? Stay for a while. The state affairs have been busy these days, so I will let Jin Jiuling entertain Master on my behalf."
Ye Gucheng nodded and said, "Your Majesty, you're welcome."
The chief arrester of the Six Doors, Jin Jiuling can be said to be a powerful figure in the capital and a popular figure in front of the emperor, but he is very humble in front of Ye Gucheng.
Jin Jiuling said: "A small Japanese country dares to covet our land of China. It is really overestimating its capabilities."
Ye Gucheng nodded, noncommittal.
Ye Gucheng was very aware of this war. Not only was he aware of it, he was also involved in it, but no one knew about it.
An important reason why Toyotomi Hideyoshi was willing to negotiate peace was that his navy was severely damaged by the North Korean navy. He lost control of the sea, cut off his military supplies, and was unable to increase his troops. This gave the Ming army an opportunity to further gather.
The world only saw the great power of the famous North Korean general Yi Sun-shin and his "Turtle Ships", but they did not know that Ye Gucheng sent his own "Water Ghost" team, equivalent to the Marine Corps, to constantly help the North Korean navy in the dark. But no one knew that there was such a team participating in the war.
In fact, the invading Japanese army was not completely wiped out, and the Japanese suffered heavy losses, so it was far from a great victory. At the same time, the peace talks also ensure that this aid to North Korea will not bring gratitude from North Korea, but only complaints.
Jin Jiuling continued: "There have been constant wars in the past few years. The rebellion in Ningxia has just subsided, and North Korea came to ask for help again. At the beginning of the year, there was also a conflict in Bozhou. Although we won, our losses were actually huge, otherwise we would not be able to agree to Fuso's request. And, Your Majesty has devoted himself to these matters."
Ye Gucheng is still speechless. It is the emperor's duty to devote all his energy to the country. If you want to wear the crown, you must bear its weight, and no one forces you to be the emperor.
It's just that Jin Jiuling is a six-door catcher. He is neither a general nor a royal guard. Telling him this is a bit rhetorical.
Seeing that Ye Gucheng still didn't respond, Jin Jiuling continued: "Now that the Japanese pirates have been basically eliminated, His Majesty intends to open the sea to increase trade and tax revenue."
Ye Gucheng suddenly became excited and seemed to understand what the emperor meant.
The so-called "Japanese pirates" are just Japanese samurai hired by smuggling groups to act as thugs. The famous Japanese pirates Wang Zhi and Xu Hai were actually Chinese, and most of the smuggling groups were also Chinese, with Japanese in the minority. It was only because these Japanese samurai were particularly cruel that they were regarded as the main body.
But these are not the point. The point is that Ye Gucheng is actually a smuggling group now, so the emperor suddenly mentioned his maritime trade, which may have a deeper meaning.
Ye Gucheng saw Jin Jiuling's cautiousness, and asked with pondering in his eyes: "Did the emperor say anything to you?"
Jin Jiuling rolled his eyes and said, "Your Majesty has no special instructions. I just feel a little different."
Ye Gucheng knew that this man was so versatile that he was beyond his reach when it came to trying to figure out the Holy Will, so he said, "Just tell me."
The relationship between Jin Jiuling and Ye Gucheng is different from that of ordinary people.
It's a "talisman of life and death", so there's nothing taboo about it.
Jin Jiuling thought for a moment and said, "The war in North Korea has been suspended, but the two countries are at war, so it is not easy to negotiate a peace. Your Majesty knows that the city lord's trade is prosperous and he has many talents, so it is normal for him to want to ask the city lord for help."
Ye Gucheng said coldly: "Tell me the important point."
Jin Jiuling paused and said: "I am facing the Forbidden Sea, and the city lord's trade is too conspicuous, especially after the recent cooperation with Huo Xiu. Huo Xiu, this old man, is greedy and has gone too far."
Ye Gucheng drew a question mark in his mind: "Did Huo Xiu go too far?"
Ye Gucheng asked: "Did the emperor talk about this?"
Jin Jiuling shook his head and said, "No, this is just my personal opinion. This is inappropriate."
Ye Gucheng was silent for a moment and said: "If the emperor likes my fleet or even maritime trade, I can give it to him."
"ah!"
Jin Jiuling was shocked. He couldn't tell how much wealth this was. In short, even a rich man like Huo Xiu was so greedy that he would give it away just because he wanted to.
With Jin Jiuling's intelligence, he didn't know how to answer the question. He is a greedy person and really can't understand what Ye Gucheng means by this move.
Jin Jiuling asked himself that he had read countless people, ranging from emperors, generals and ministers to traffickers and pawns. There was no one he could not see through. The only exception was Ye Gucheng.
Ye Gucheng has done many things, but it is never clear what he wants.
He planned to usurp the throne and follow the dragon's merits. However, since the emperor ascended the throne, Ye Gucheng has become more distant from the emperor. He will never take the initiative to meet the emperor unless he is summoned. As for the matter of Prince Taiping, the difficulty can be imagined, but Ye Gucheng agreed without thinking. After it was completed, he did not talk about the difficulties and dangers involved, and did not even return to his life in person, but only sent a verbal message.
The only thing he does like a normal person is smuggling. He finally has the desire that a person should have, but he has to give it away so easily: "Is he sincere?"
Ye Gucheng paused and said, "As for Huo Xiu's piece, I suggest you don't touch it. After all, it was mine that he promised to save face for me."
Jin Jiuling hurriedly interrupted Ye Gucheng. He had no right to talk to him about this kind of thing: "City Lord, this kind of thing is not something I can decide."
But at this time Jin Jiuling believed that Ye Gucheng was sincere.
Jin Jiuling was originally afraid that Ye Gucheng would fall out with the emperor because of the "talisman of life and death" in his body, so he felt uncomfortable being caught in the middle. He had no choice but to reveal some of the results of his observations, but he never expected Ye Gucheng to give up such a big piece of cake.
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