Japan's Warring States Period: The Rise of the Wakasa Tiger

"My lord, we set out for Ming last September and returned to Wakasa today. It has been more than nine months. What we have seen and heard along the way is truly wonderful."

Hearing Hirai Toshimasa say this, Yoshishige smiled and said, "Don't be such a country bumpkin. I asked you to go to Ming Country not to see the scenery. Have you completed your mission?"

"I have always kept in mind my lord's instructions. Look at these large ships, they are the best proof of this." Hirai Toshimasa replied respectfully. From his smug expression, one can infer that these blessed ships must have brought a lot of good things.

As they were talking, the leading large ship had already docked. As the gangway was slowly lowered, a group of more than 30 people climbed down from the ship. As they got closer, Yi Zhong and others discovered that these people had their hair and beards tied up, wore sun hats on their heads, cloth shirts on their upper bodies, shorts on their lower bodies, and straw sandals on their feet. They all had knives on their waists, had bright eyes, and were very alert to their surroundings.

"Isn't this similar to the ancient common people I saw on TV?" Yi Zhong muttered to himself. He guessed that this group of people were probably the private merchants of the Ming Dynasty.

At this time, a well-dressed young man wearing a turban walked out of the crowd. He bowed respectfully to Yi Zhong, and then said in Chinese to a man who looked like an interpreter beside him: "Tell your Highness that I am the 'Confucian Wufeng' from Ming. My last name is Wang Zhe, but everyone is used to calling me Wang Zhi."

After saying that, the translator repeated Wang Zhi's words in relatively poor Japanese. Yizhong was a little surprised at this time: the young businessman in front of him was no ordinary person, he was the "Pirate King" Wang Zhi who would rule the entire East Asian waters in the future!

This Wang Zhi was originally from Zhelin, She County, Huizhou, Nanzhili. Because he often used his mother's surname "Wang", he was often called "Wang Zhi" in Chinese history books.

A few years ago, he, Xu Weixue, Ye Zongman and others built sea-going ships in Guangdong, "purchased prohibited goods such as saltpeter, yellow silk and cotton, and traded with Japan, Siam and Western countries" to make huge profits.

Since overseas trade was illegal at the time, Wang Zhi followed the principle of "it's nice to take shelter under a big tree" and joined the Xu Dong group, a fellow villager from She County, Huizhou Prefecture, to "entice the Portuguese to travel to Zhejiang Sea, dock at Shuangyu Port, and conduct secret trade." He arrived at Fukue Island in Kyushu at the beginning of this year. Because he saw five peaks there, he called himself "Wufeng" and later called himself the "Wufeng Ship Owner."

Historically, after Xu Dong was wiped out by Zhu Wan of the Ming army, Wang Zhi set up a new business and established himself as a ship owner. He then "started an evil plot, gathered fugitives, seduced Japanese slaves, and built huge ships", becoming the leader of a large armed maritime merchant group in East Asia at that time.

Later, he accepted the invitation of Matsuura Takanobu and engaged in maritime trade based on Hirado Island off the coast of Kyushu. At that time, "pirates on the sea cannot survive unless they are under the control of the king", and he was in the limelight.

However, nowadays, he should be just a ship owner under Xu Dong, far from being able to call the shots in this East Asian waters.

"My lord, this man is a Ming merchant whom I met in Shuangyu. His name is Wang Zhi." Hirai Toshimasa introduced him to Yoshishige again.

"Ming country...merchant? Excuse me...excuse me." Yi Zhong deliberately greeted Wang Zhi in broken Chinese.

Everyone didn't know that Yi Zhong could speak Chinese, and they were all a little surprised for a moment.

Yizhong did this to get closer to Wang Zhi, but seeing everyone's surprised looks, he had to explain: "When I was a monk in Kenninji Temple, the master in the temple taught me Chinese and Chinese poetry, so I know a little bit."

"I see," Hirai Toshimasa and the others suddenly realized, "Since the lord understands, then the next step will be easy."

"I didn't expect to meet a lord like Your Highness who is proficient in our language in a place thousands of miles away. I am very surprised and relieved." Wang Zhi smiled.

"You must be a little tired after coming here from afar. Please follow me to the city to rest for a while and replenish your strength. We will talk about everything after you are settled." Yi Zhong said politely.

Later, at Yoshishige's invitation, Wang Zhi rode with him in front of the queue, and the two chatted in Chinese, which naturally made Wang Zhi and others lower their guard and vigilance against Yoshishige and others. After arriving at Takeda's mansion, Yoshishige arranged for Wang Zhi and his party to live in a newly built courtyard in the east, and provided them with all the daily expenses. In the following three days, he hosted banquets one after another, which was the utmost hospitality.

Yoshishige's attention to these Ming people caused confusion among some of his retainers. In their view, although these people were foreigners, they were ultimately a group of merchants, and taking such great care of them was really a disgrace to the samurai.

However, Yoshishige did not care, because he was the only one who knew what kind of benefits Wang Zhi and his subordinates would bring to the Takeda clan and Japan in the future.

"My Lord, you have been busy entertaining them these days, but you have not mentioned the trade at all. This is not right." At the banquet on the third day after Wang Zhi arrived, Hirai Toshimasa finally couldn't help asking. He thought that these Ming merchants should beg Yishige to do business, but now it's the other way around, which really made him suspicious.

"Don't worry, it's almost done." Yoshishige smiled and toasted Wang Zhi and others, while comforting Hirai Toshimasa.

Sure enough, when the banquet was coming to an end that day, Yi Zhong was about to get up and send Wang Zhi and others back to their residence as he had done in the previous few days, but he was stopped by Wang Zhi.

"Your Highness, please wait a moment." The king spoke sincerely, not looking drunk at all.

"Why, sir, are you not enjoying your drink?" Yi Zhong slowly sat down and responded kindly.

"How dare I? Your Highness has been a great host these past few days, and we are very grateful." Wang Zhi bowed deeply to Yi Zhong and said, "But we have been here for three days already. Your Highness, don't you want to ask us something?"

"It is fate that we can meet in Wakasa. I don't ask questions that I shouldn't ask. When the time comes, you will tell me."

Yizhong's words made Wang Zhi laugh out loud: "Interesting, Your Highness is really an interesting person."

"Really? Same with you." Yoshishige responded with a smile.

"To be honest, we have been on the sea for many years and have been to many countries and places, but no lord has ever treated us as well as Your Highness. I am very grateful."

Wang Zhi spoke very sincerely, and then he told Yoshishige the purpose of his visit: "We followed Lord Hirai to your precious place this time, first to see if there are any business opportunities here, and second to find out if there is a chance to do business with His Highness."

"Since you have spoken directly, I will also reveal the truth." Yizhong moved closer to Wang Zhi and promised solemnly, "As long as you do not give up, I will do my best to facilitate the business with you."

"I feel relieved with your words, Your Highness!" Wang Zhi nodded with satisfaction. After that, he clapped his hands, and a "Southern Barbarian" walked into the hall carrying an exquisite rectangular nanmu box.

In Japan, "Nanman" originally referred to people in Southeast Asia. Later, it was extended to refer to the Portuguese, Spanish and other people who established colonies and trading posts from India to Southeast Asia. It is worth mentioning that the Dutch were not considered "Nanman" at the time, but were called "red-haired" or "red-haired barbarians."

As early as when Wang Zhi and his companions arrived at the shore, Yi Zhong noticed that there were two "Southern Barbarians" in their team who were dressed in strange clothes. It was one of them that he saw at the banquet this time. (End of this chapter)