Prince Chongzhen

Chapter 447 Don’t Go to the Mountain Knowing There Are Tigers

"Mr. Freeman, the Chinese leader is very busy and may not have time to see you."

"It's okay, I can wait."

"Well, come in."

After obtaining permission from the samurai in front of him, Freeman bowed slightly and stepped into Ii Naotaka's mansion.

He was an ordinary employee of the East India Company's branch in Japan, and it was somewhat by luck that he was sent to Edo.

When the Shogun expelled Western countries, the Dutch were the only ones granted permission because they were not involved in missionary activities.

Later, the shogunate decided to set up the port in Nagasaki, and he, an employee who could speak some Japanese, was left alone in Edo.

To be honest, the early years were quite comfortable.

The consumption in Japan is extremely low, and expatriates like him have very generous allowances. Considering the special nature of his status, Freeman's life in Edo is even more affluent than that of European nobles.

But God will not let people go smoothly all the time.

Some time ago, the Ming Dynasty's fleet suddenly arrived in Japan. After razing the main city of Satsuma to the ground, they came to the shogunate with an extremely arrogant attitude to demand an explanation.

Originally, Freeman didn't take this seriously.

After all, the Ming army is still fighting the Tartars in the north. Even if its navy is powerful, it is unlikely to have much impact on Japan. As long as they can let the East Asian Celestial Empire vent its anger, they can trade with peace of mind as before.

With this idea in mind, Freeman continued to use the funds allocated by the company to build his own network of contacts, and whenever Japanese officials wanted to get some information about the Dutch attitude from him, he only gave empty words to evade the question.

But who would have thought that at a banquet one day he received terrible bad news.

The shogunate wanted to restore the tributary relationship with the Ming Dynasty through this incident.

You have to know that Japan is a country with a population of nearly 20 million, and due to its geographical location, this country is extremely scarce in resources.

It is no exaggeration to say that as long as they could be transported to Nagasaki, whether it was cotton and linen cloth or rare treasures, they would be swept away by daimyos from all over the country at the fastest speed, and the profits they made would be beyond imagination.

At this time, the shogunate wanted to restore the tributary relationship with the Ming Dynasty, which meant that Dutch merchants would encounter extremely powerful competitors.

By then, most of this huge trade volume will inevitably be divided up by the Ming government. Taking into account the cost difference caused by the journey, it is not completely impossible for them to be completely squeezed out of the Japanese market.

Freeman would never allow this to happen!
just
"Mr. Freeman, forgive me for being blunt, but the general already knows about what happened in Taiwan. If your head office doesn't dare to intervene, this incident will probably be unstoppable."

On the way to the hall, the warrior suddenly said this, but Freeman did not respond after hearing it.

He had no idea why Batavia had not taken appropriate action in response to the loss of Taiwan, nor did he know what those gentlemen were planning.

But he knew that once he left Edo, he would never be able to live such a life again.

Therefore, even if there was no response from the branch, he still tried to stop Japan from paying tribute to the Ming Dynasty in his own way.

But then again, he was just an ordinary employee, and the only forces he could mobilize were the dozen or so Japanese servants he hired with his own money.

At this time, there was no news from Nagasaki, and the shogunate officials avoided him, so all his actions were in vain.

"Badavia will definitely come forward. We have had a good relationship with the shogunate for many years. Governor-General Vanderline and the Council will never sit idly by and watch the Ming Dynasty act recklessly!"

"I hope so, please."

Freeman spoke passionately, but the warrior just replied indifferently and let the other party into the hall. Then he made some efforts and left after serving tea to the guest. Freeman could only wait in the hall awkwardly.

The impact of the loss of Taiwan was so bad that the company's many years of operations in East Asia became a castle in the air.

If Batavia still fails to respond appropriately, then the East India Company will truly become the East India Company.

Hmm. That's not right.

Just call it the Batavia Company.

After all, the company does not have a strong army, and its influence on inland India is far less than that of Britain and France. If it really loses the East Asian market, it will be forced to change its name.

While gently shaking the tea bowl with one hand, thoughts were running wild in my mind.

At this time, Freeman's complaints about Batavia had reached their peak, but as an ordinary employee he could only wait for a reply from the Nagasaki branch.

This feeling was so anxious that if Japan's criminal law was not so brutal, he might have done something inappropriate.

"The head of the family is here~~~~~!"

Just as Freeman was getting restless, a loud shout came from outside the hall. When he quickly stood up to respond, Naoki Ii appeared in the porch.

"Excuse me, I've been very busy these days, please forgive me."

"Thank you for being polite, Mr. Chinaman. I am the one who is being rude for interrupting you several times."

It can be said that Freeman's time in Edo was not in vain. In response to the host's courtesy, he was able to be polite and courteous.

Afterwards, the host and the guest sat down, and he went straight to the point without waiting for the host to speak.

"Excuse me, Elder, but the Ming Dynasty cannot be trusted. If Japan resumes tributary relations with it, the shogunate will inevitably be in danger."

As soon as he finished speaking, Freeman stared at Ii Naotaka with burning eyes, obviously wanting to see some unusual expression on his face, but to his surprise, this important official of the shogunate just fiddled with the tea set in front of him, as if he didn't notice anything.

Faced with such a situation, Freeman would not retreat. After three or five breaths, he continued, "I know that Japan was once a vassal of the Ming Dynasty, and there have not been many incidents over the years, but the current Ming emperor is different!"

"Oh? Mr. Freeman knows something about the Emperor of Ming Dynasty?"

Finally, some curiosity appeared on Naotaka Ii's face, and he asked a question after putting the tea bowl back in place. Freeman knew that his words had hit the sore spot of the shogunate, and then he said very seriously. "You don't know that the company will distribute important matters to relevant employees, and I got some clues from this." At this point, Freeman paused, and took a breath of relief before continuing: "As far as I know, the Ming Dynasty has always had a laissez-faire attitude towards overseas since its founding. Except for the vassal states bordering on land, there is no record of sending troops."

"Yes, except for Annan and Korea, the Ming Dynasty basically does not care about the internal affairs of its vassal states."

"Look at the current Emperor of the Ming Dynasty. The warships he owns are almost comparable to those of a company, and he is also extremely enthusiastic about overseas affairs. If the shogunate and the Ming Dynasty resume their vassal relationship, he will definitely interfere in Japan's internal affairs in the name of the suzerain state. At that time, Kyoto will..."

After the words were spoken, no more sound was heard in the hall.

Looking at Naoto Ii who was lost in thought, Freeman felt that his words had an unprecedented effect. But when he thought that things had taken a turn for the better, the other party took out a letter from his arms.

"This is a letter from Mr. Burke."

Mr. Burkle?
The appearance of this name made Freeman suspicious. Even though the servants in the mansion had handed the letter to him, he did not take any action.

This person is Freeman's direct superior, and the manager of the Japanese branch. Faced with such a big change, the branch had to respond appropriately, and he had been waiting for Burkel's reply.

But why did this letter come from Ii Naoki?

With this in mind, Freeman looked towards the main seat, but Ii Naotaka had already turned his attention back to the damn tea sets. After a moment, he said quietly, "The Emperor of the Ming Dynasty has sent an order, saying that he agrees to restore the tributary relationship and is willing to support the shogunate in combating the rebels, as long as we do not restrict the merchant ships of the Ming Maritime Trade Group."

When Freeman heard the words, his heart immediately skipped a beat, but before he could say anything else, the other party's voice came again.

"I know what you are worried about, and I understand your worries, but interests must be fought for with strength. Since your Dutch East India Company is so afraid of the Ming Dynasty, I really can't do anything about it. I'm sorry."

Afraid?
How could my great East India Company be afraid of the Ming Dynasty?
Since the other party had said so much, Freeman had to argue for both his own future and the company's reputation. But just as he was about to open his mouth, Ii Naoki raised his hand.

"Mr. Freeman, don't lose your composure. Let's wait until you finish reading the letter."

Hearing this, Freeman immediately remembered the letter in his hand, but when he opened the letter with great expectation, his expression gradually fell.

"Dear Freeman,
Our strength in the Far East is not enough to compete with the Ming Dynasty, so the Governor-General and the Council decided to be tolerant for the time being and try not to anger the cruel emperor.

But please rest assured, this does not mean that the company will give up such huge profits. The situation in the Far East is still under the control of the company. It won't take long for us to regain the exclusive trading rights with Japan."

Control shit!

Due to the circumstances, Freeman did not vent his anger unrestrainedly, but as Ii Naoki watched the letter gradually crumble into a ball in the other party's hands, he could more or less understand the feeling of impotent rage.

According to the shogun's original plan, introducing the Ming Dynasty into Japan was to balance the Netherlands on the one hand, and to gradually bring the profits of maritime trade into the hands of the shogunate on the other.

But who could have imagined that the Dutch, with their strong ships and powerful guns, would be so cowardly.

Facing the Ming navy, no one dared to take any action except Freeman.

This kind of bully who only bullies the weak and fears the strong has taken advantage of him for so many years. Even though Naoki Ii has some personal relationship with Freeman, he couldn't help but feel annoyed.

"Freiman, it's come to this, please go back."

"Sir! This must be a mistake! The company still has seven or eight main battleships in Batavia. If they are not enough, we can also bring in from the mainland."

"Don't be rude!"

Freeman's hysteria came to a halt with a loud shout. When he looked blankly at the main seat, Ii Naoki's face was as gloomy as water.

"If the Netherlands is capable of confronting the Ming Dynasty, then please provide evidence. Otherwise, please cherish the friendship between you and me. Please!"

Things had come to this point, and Freeman no longer had the courage to pester the matter. He then left the hall under the guidance of the samurai in the palace, but Ii Naoko let out a long sigh.

Since the plan of the two tigers fighting each other has failed, the only option left is to fulfill the conditions offered to the Ming Dynasty.

Fortunately, the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty did not mention anything about etiquette or laws, nor did he show any intention of contacting Kyoto. Even the most stringent condition was just not to interfere with the dealings of the Ming Maritime Trade Group.

As for the compensation of some silver
As long as the shogunate can take back the right to maritime trade from Satsuma and Hirado, what does this little bit of money mean?
As his mind turned, Ii Naoka fell into all kinds of thoughts. He didn't know how long it had been, but he seemed to have thought of something. After asking the servants to change his clothes, he hurried to the coast.

Now that the Celestial Emperor's decree has been issued, all that remains is negotiation and signing of documents.

As the most senior minister under the Shogun, such important matters had to be handled by Ii Naotaka himself, and today was the day agreed upon with the Ming army general.

After about three or two sticks of incense, he finally boarded the Ming warship. But when he was about to lay the groundwork and make a request, Zhang Pengyi said casually: "Your Majesty said that the choice of Nagasaki or Edo as the trading location can be done according to the wishes of the shogunate."

"The Emperor of the Celestial Empire is compassionate to his subjects. I, the General, would like to thank you. However, there are already Dutch people in Nagasaki. If the merchant ships of the Ming Dynasty continue to trade there, it will inevitably cause trouble. Therefore."

"I understand, I understand, it's about reducing the feudal system," Zhang Pengyi said, winking at Ii Naoko, as if he understood the shogunate's intentions quite well: "Since His Majesty has allowed you to decide, then let's leave it in Edo."

"Thank you for your consideration," said Ii Naotaka, then he bowed solemnly to Zhang Pengyi. After sitting back in his seat, he continued, "Does your Majesty have any order regarding the compensation?"

"No, let's do as you said before. It's just a small amount of money. It can't be regarded as the will of His Majesty."

Zhang Pengyi acted very indifferent, which made Ii Naotaka feel ecstatic.

The Ming Dynasty is still the Ming Dynasty that cares so much about face!
As long as you have the right attitude, you will be able to get a big gift package for the shogunate!

With this in mind, Ii Naotaka, who had behaved extremely reserved in front of Freeman, actually knelt down in the direction of Yingtian. Under the astonished gaze of Zhang Pengyi, he performed the ceremony of three kneelings and nine kowtows before speaking excitedly.

"When Toyotomi Hideyoshi attacked Korea, my first general said that both countries were vassal states of the Ming Dynasty, and if there was any trouble, the Celestial Empire should make the decision. Unfortunately, he acted perversely and finally made Japan outside the Celestial Empire. This time, this time..."

At this point, Ii Naoko was obviously unable to control himself, and Zhang Pengyi was at a loss for a long time before he seemed to remember something.

"Don't do that, don't do that. Your Majesty knows that your shogunate is loyal to the Ming Dynasty, so you have granted us a lot of firearms and armor."

Quite a few?

The words made Ii Naotaka, who seemed to be about to burst into tears a moment ago, look over immediately. However, after seeing the other party's reaction, Zhang Pengyi said naively: "A musket costs twenty taels, and a set of armor costs ten taels."

(End of this chapter)