Ming Dynasty: I risked my life to teach the prince, the emperor begged me not to die

Chapter 407 Three pillars
After hearing Chen Ce's words, Zhu Houzhao suddenly began to feel uncomfortable.

He hoped that his younger brother could live in good health, so he tried many methods and consulted many famous doctors. Zhu Houzhao never gave up as long as there was a little hope. He even sent people to look for some secret recipes that were rumored, but they were of no use.

Chen Ce took a sip of tea and said to Zhu Houzhao, "Didn't the court previously trade weapons with Korea?"

Zhu Houzhao nodded. This was the idea proposed by Chen Ce.

Chen Ce said: "Let's change our thinking. We can trade weapons with the Bohai Jurchens. We can trade the weapons that the Ming Dynasty has eliminated with the Bohai Jurchens and exchange them for their abundant horses, cattle and sheep."

In this way, the Jianzhou Jurchens would not be allowed to dominate the country. By supporting the Bohai Jurchens, they could then confront the Jianzhou Jurchens in Liaodong.

Of course, this is not enough.

"The imperial court must step in to gather the remaining wild Jurchens and help them build and develop."

Chen Ce's ultimate goal was to create a three-way confrontation in Liaodong and let them fall into endless internal friction.

"When you ascend the throne, you must pay close attention to the Jurchens in Liaodong. You must focus on regulating them and maintain their balance. You can't let one group dominate alone."

Zhu Houzhao nodded heavily: "I understand!"

"Little brother, Yang Tinghe has been transferred to the southeast by my father. When will you come back?"

Chen Ce smiled slightly and said, "It's not because of Yang Tinghe that I don't want to go to the East Palace. I just don't have the energy to do it. My health is getting worse day by day. Just stay at home and recuperate."

Although Zhu Houzhao was a little disappointed, he also knew that he could not make things difficult for Chen Ce.

After he returned and told Emperor Hongzhi what Chen Ce had said, Emperor Hongzhi seemed to be thinking about something.

It is not difficult to deal with Liaodong now. The suggestions put forward by Chen Ce are quite far-sighted. After he discussed with the six ministries of the cabinet, everyone expressed their agreement.

That night, Emperor Hongzhi planned to leave the palace to find Chen Ce.

……

With the development of commerce, the income of people in all parts of the Ming Dynasty has generally increased greatly, and land annexation is gradually decreasing.

The powerful gentry have already turned their attention to more profitable businesses.

The construction of towns and cities is becoming more and more developed, and infrastructure such as shops, schools, pharmacies, clinics, and welfare homes are being improved.

At night, the sudden appearance of Emperor Hongzhi surprised Chen Ce.

In the central hall, Emperor Hongzhi stared at Chen Ce and asked, "Hou Zhao asked you to continue to serve as an official in the Eastern Palace, but you refused. Are you still angry with me?"

Chen Ce: "Why does the emperor say that? Is it because of you that I was dismissed from my position in the Eastern Palace?"

Emperor Hongzhi pondered for a moment, and suddenly said: "I think too much, you did it on purpose, you didn't want to serve in the East Palace a long time ago."

He took a jade token from his waist and handed it to Chen Ce. Chen Ce asked curiously, "What is this?"

Emperor Hongzhi said calmly: "Before, you were an official of the Eastern Palace and could enter the palace at will. Now it is not easy to enter the palace. With my token, you can enter and exit the entire palace at will."

Emperor Hongzhi was so generous that Chen Ce had no reason to refuse.

"The six ministries of the cabinet are inclined to attack the Japanese islands."

Emperor Hongzhi changed the subject and spoke to Chen Ce in a serious tone.

"The situation in Korea and Liaodong has stabilized. What I am most worried about now is the Oirat and Tatars in the north. If they take advantage of the Ming Dynasty's military deployment in the southeast to stir up trouble in the north, the Ming Dynasty will be caught in a two-front war."

It was not easy to win the war on two fronts at the same time. Emperor Hongzhi was unsure, so he asked Chen Ce for his opinion.

When the Ming Dynasty went to the Japanese islands in the East China Sea to demonstrate its power, the Japanese invaders not only did not stop their provocations, but the Japanese invasion in the southeast became even worse. During the Mid-Autumn Festival in August, several coastal villages were massacred. Previously, the Japanese invaders only robbed and did not kill people, but now they have begun to kill people in the southeast. This is not all. At the end of August, they invaded Tiantai and Xianju counties.

This shows that the Japanese's activities were no longer limited to the towns around the coast, and they had begun to invade inland.

The situation in the southeast is very serious, otherwise the civil servants of the court would not have recommended opening a battlefield in the southeast.

Chen Ce has already completed more than half of his control over the southeast. If Emperor Hongzhi and the ministers in the court knew that everything in the southeast was created by Chen Ce himself, I wonder if they would skin him alive.

But it doesn’t matter anymore, I won’t live to see that time anyway.

Chen Ce asked Emperor Hongzhi, "What does Your Majesty intend to do in the southeast?"

Emperor Hongzhi asked in confusion: "What's the difference?"

"If we just fight off the Japanese invaders, we won't have to worry about the invasion of the Oirat Mongols and the Tatars in the north. The defense mechanism of the Nine Frontiers will definitely be able to hold out until then."

After a pause, Chen Ce asked, "But since we are already preparing to attack the Japanese islands, and we have a legitimate reason to do so, and the Ming Dynasty is on the side of justice, why don't we completely make the Japanese islands a vassal state of the Ming Dynasty?"

Emperor Hongzhi's heartbeat quickened. He stared at Chen Ce and said, "Destroy the country?!"

Chen Ce nodded: "Destroy the country!"

Emperor Hongzhi shook his head and said, "Have you considered how much military and financial resources that would require? We also have to face possible threats from the north at any time. If the Ming Dynasty gets stuck in the quagmire on the Japanese island, how will it end?"

It is obvious that Emperor Hongzhi thought the Japanese were too powerful. No wonder, after consecutive defeats in the southeast, how could Emperor Hongzhi not be afraid of the Japanese?

"Let's take a step back and say that we are fighting in the ocean, landing on the Japanese island is like being blind and deaf. It is so difficult to destroy a country."

"Also, the Ming Dynasty only wants to intimidate the Japanese. Destroying the country is not worth the cost, and there is no benefit at all."

Chen Ce suddenly asked: "What if there are a lot of copper and silver resources on the Japanese island?"

hiss!
"how do you know?"

As we all know, the Ming Dynasty has very few copper and silver resources. Copper mines need to be traded with foreign countries, and private copper trade is strictly prohibited!

The same is true for silver. As the official currency of the Ming Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty’s silver reserves were actually not much. Once a large amount of silver was lost, it would bring great financial difficulties to the Ming Dynasty in the future.

But if the Japanese islands have these two kinds of rich resources, then conquering the Japanese islands will be of great benefit to the Ming Dynasty. In this way, destroying the Japanese island nation will have strategic significance!

Emperor Hongzhi was silent for a long time, and a wolf-like green light gradually appeared in his eyes.

If what Chen Ce said is true, then my historical status...

Chen Ce thought for a moment and said, "I have studied the topography of the Japanese island."

"How did you research it?" Emperor Hongzhi asked.

Chen Ce: “…”

How could Chen Ce answer this? He could only say casually: "Feng Shui, geomancy."

Feng Shui? Geomancy…

puff!
Emperor Hongzhi almost spit out his tea and angrily said, "Are you kidding me?!"

Chen Ce shook his head and said, "No, Your Majesty, you must believe in metaphysics."

Believe in your head!
(End of this chapter)