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

Chapter 447 Conquering the Japanese Island
In the fifteenth year of Hongzhi, in May, Wa Island.

After receiving the remaining nine red cannons from the court, Ren Qian, the commander-in-chief of the expedition against the Japanese, immediately launched a frenzied attack on the entire territory of the Japanese island.

How could the Japanese stop the Ming Dynasty's attack that was as fierce as autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves? Just one red cannon was enough to scare the Japanese, let alone ten cannons firing at the same time?

This was almost a crushing force that did not give the Japanese any chance to breathe. Emperor Go-Kashiwabara sent envoys to the Ming Dynasty for peace talks countless times, but in the end there was no news.

It was obvious that the Ming Dynasty did not want him to negotiate. Either the other party had to surrender in its entire territory, or the Ming Dynasty would force the other party to surrender completely.

By mid-May, the various shogunate forces entrenched on the Japanese islands had almost been completely defeated by the Ming Dynasty, and there was no longer any resistance force on the entire Japanese island.

As the Ming army continued to approach the capital of Wa Island, Emperor Go-Kashiwabara of Wa announced an unconditional surrender.

In the fifteenth year of Hongzhi, on May 15th, the whole country of Ming Dynasty celebrated!

After half a year, the Ming Dynasty completely took over the Japanese Islands. From then on, the entire eastern Japanese Islands were incorporated into the territory of the Ming Dynasty!

On May 16, Emperor Hongzhi immediately summoned the six ministries of the cabinet and all court officials to hold a grand court meeting.

The topic of today's grand court meeting is undoubtedly to determine how to manage the Japanese island in the future and the future rule over the Japanese people.

The officials of the imperial court were once again involved in arguments. Some people felt that these extremely evil Japanese should be classified as the lowest class of people and that Ming officials should be sent to govern them.

Some people think that the Ming Dynasty should adopt a conciliatory policy, treat the Japanese people equally, and divide and manage the Japanese islands according to the Ming Dynasty's administrative regions.

Emperor Hongzhi was kindhearted and finally decided to adopt a conciliatory policy to ensure his future rule over the Japanese.

The Ministry of War decided to divide the island of Wa into four military regions, each controlling the four directions of the island. At the same time, all the soldiers on the island of Wa were dismissed. They were either required to join the army and continue to serve as soldiers, or go back to farming. If they refused to obey the management, they would be killed to avoid endless troubles.

Many high-ranking officials of the Japanese islands, such as the emperor, his staff, and the shogunate, were all investigated and brought to justice. All prisoners convicted on the Japanese islands would eventually participate in the reconstruction of the islands.

There were too many refugees in the Ming Dynasty. The cabinet suggested that all of them should be sent to Japan so as to gradually assimilate the people of Japan.

If nothing unexpected happens, all the successful candidates in the last two imperial examinations will be sent to Wadao to serve as officials and participate in the governance of Wadao.

In addition, the imperial court also needs to send some experienced bureaucrats to the Japanese islands to participate in governance.

Today's court meeting lasted a whole day, but the discussion has not yet been fully completed. We have only determined the general direction of the future governance of the Japanese island, and many details still need to be discussed slowly.

Emperor Hongzhi immediately ordered the six ministries of the Cabinet to carry out what was decided today. They had to send people and troops first to stabilize the situation on the Japanese island.

……

In Huaihua Hutong, Chen Ce sat in the courtyard drinking medicine. He became weaker and weaker, and started vomiting not long after breakfast.

After the small court meeting the next day, Emperor Hongzhi came to Huaihua Hutong.

Seeing that Chen Ce's complexion was still not very good, he could not help but said sadly: "Pure and simple."

As he spoke, Emperor Hongzhi walked over and personally picked up the medicine pot on the stone table for Chen Ce. Huai En hurried forward to help Emperor Hongzhi, but was sent away by Emperor Hongzhi.

After pouring the medicinal tea for Chen Ce, Chen Ce thanked Emperor Hongzhi feebly, saying, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Emperor Hongzhi shook his head, tried to force a smile, and said to Chen Ce: "Good news, the Japanese island has been conquered." In fact, Chen Ce already knew it without Emperor Hongzhi saying it. The inner factory had told Chen Ce the news immediately. And it was spreading in the streets and alleys outside, so how could Chen Ce not know it?

Chen Ce smiled and said, "Congratulations, Your Majesty, for adding another great achievement."

The historians had already recorded this feat in historical documents, which should have been a cause for celebration, but Emperor Hongzhi was not very happy.

Compared to Chen Ce's health, he would rather exchange the entire Japanese island for Chen Ce's health.

Chen Ce finished drinking the medicine soup, and then whispered to Emperor Hongzhi: "Your Majesty, how do you plan to govern the Japanese island in the future?"

This is also the purpose of Emperor Hongzhi's visit to Chen Ce today. He wants to hear Chen Ce's opinion.

Chen Ce thought for a while and said to Emperor Hongzhi: "Let's develop agriculture and take agriculture as the foundation first."

Now that the inland of the Ming Dynasty has begun to move towards commercialization, the issue of land annexation does not actually require officials and gentry to pay taxes together to solve it. As long as the country moves towards commercialization, agriculture will no longer be the only source of income and benefits. When the benefits of commerce are far greater than those of agriculture, those powerful people will naturally give up land annexation.

However, the resulting problem is that once a country suffers a major natural disaster or a protracted war, food will be in short supply.

That is why Chen Ce suggested turning the newly conquered Japanese island into a local administrative region with an agricultural system, and using the agriculture of the Japanese island to feed back to the inland of Ming Dynasty.

Emperor Hongzhi nodded in agreement, as Chen Ce's idea coincided with his.

Chen Ce continued, "Your Majesty may wish to divide up several fiefdoms on the Japanese island, and then send all the princes and relatives of the Ming Dynasty to the Japanese island."

This was also another purpose of Chen Ce's desire to conquer the Japanese islands. He wanted to use the economy of the Japanese islands to supply the princes and relatives, divide up their own fiefdoms for them, make them self-sufficient, and no longer suck the blood of the imperial court.

In this way, the people enslaved by the clansmen were all Japanese. No matter how they tormented, they would never harm the people of the Ming Dynasty.

Emperor Hongzhi was stunned for a moment and said, "This is a good idea."

The actual salary issue of the clan members has never been completely resolved. Although Chen Ce solved the backlog of clan salaries last time, the court will still need to support them in the future, and they will still take up a lot of the court's economic income.

If they were sent to the Japanese islands, where they could enslave the Japanese to cultivate the land, harvest food, and gain profits, and the imperial court would no longer need to support them, this would also be a possible solution.

"It's just that... they may not be willing to go."

"Cough cough."

Chen Ce started to cough slightly, which became more and more severe. It took a long time for him to calm down, and then he said to Emperor Hongzhi: "Your Majesty, please don't be so soft-hearted."

"It's not up to them."

"It's not that the country doesn't support them, and you haven't violated the teachings of your ancestors. If they really don't want to go, then you will have a legitimate reason to stop paying salaries to this group of people in the future."

"The copper and silver mines...don't, ahem, mine them now. Wait for a while, until the Japanese island is completely pacified, then develop them. Otherwise, people will suspect that the emperor destroyed the Japanese island in order to plunder its resources, which will put you at the bottom of morality and will be disadvantageous to you."

Emperor Hongzhi took a deep breath, patted Chen Ce on the shoulder and said, "Chun Jian, I know, I know everything. Don't worry too much about every little thing. I can think of all these things."

Seeing Chen Ce like this, Emperor Hongzhi's eyes also turned red.

(End of this chapter)