Ming Dynasty: Traveling through the harem, Zhu Yuanzhang was dumbfounded

Chapter 98: Japan is rich in gold and silver
On the throne.

Zhu Yuanzhang found this very difficult.

"There is civil unrest in Japan, and they secretly killed the envoys I sent out. If they are not punished, they will think that anyone in the Ming Dynasty can come and take a bite.

However, Japan is so far away from Ming Dynasty that it takes a lot of time just to travel there by ship.

The Ming navy is not strong enough now, and it is bound to suffer losses if it fights across the sea.

In addition, Japan is surrounded by the sea and protected by divine winds, so the Yuan Dynasty’s two attacks were both destroyed by two divine winds.”

Zhu Biao, who had been impulsive upon hearing that the Ming envoy had been killed and imprisoned, gradually calmed down.

Japan is an isolated island, small but full of disasters.

In the eyes of the Ming Dynasty, this thing is the best place to exile criminals.

Often affected by sea water and weather.

You have to depend on God when you die.

Sending troops just for the sake of face will certainly not be worth the cost in the end, and will also affect the soldiers' trust in them.

Just as he was silent, Yang Chen's voice suddenly came from outside the door.

"Your Majesty! I'm back!"

Both father and son looked towards the screen.

Yang Chen was seen carrying a huge box, and Zhu Di was following behind him.

Even Zhu Di was carrying a large box. The two of them appeared at the same time in a strange manner, which surprised the father and son.

Compared to Yang Chen's cheerfulness and optimism.

Zhu Di seemed very nervous.

Ever since Old Zhu found out what he had done, he hasn't dared to look his father in the face for a long time.

Sometimes he felt something was wrong even when he was next to Zhu Biao.

It was like ants crawling on his body, making him feel itchy from the outside to the inside.

Originally upset, seeing Yang Chen's playful expression, Lao Zhu said with a little impatience:

"Without our summons, what are you doing entering the palace?

"Old Four, you are such a fool, this guy is just a jinx, stay away from him, why are you hanging out with him so closely?"

When Zhu Di heard what Old Zhu said, he didn't know what it meant.

I could only stammer and explain.

The general meaning is that he happened to find Yang Chen, and was dragged here by the other party to do hard labor.

Seeing Zhu Di complaining about him, Yang Chen was not angry but found it very funny.

I never expected that I would become the nightmare of the great Emperor Yongle. If this story could be passed down to later generations, he would wake up laughing in his dreams.

"Okay Yongle, you can't even speak clearly, let me do it."

Yang Chen grabbed Zhu Di's shoulders and threw him behind him.

He looked at Zhu Yuanzhang, then glanced at the sad-looking Zhu Biao, and thought about the news he had just heard when he entered the room.

I thought something must be bothering them.

But he still plans to talk about business first.

"Your Majesty, please don't despise me. Although I am a jinx, I have brought you good news more than once, right?"

"Tsk, if you touch your conscience when you say this, doesn't it hurt?"

Old Zhu rolled his eyes without even thinking, denying what the other person said.

Yang Chen smiled and shook his head without saying anything, then pointed at the box and said:

“I know that Your Majesty is disgusted by me, but I have long been accustomed to it.

Here, Your Majesty, I have already finished this thing, and there is only a little time left before a month, so I have exceeded the target."

"Your Majesty, please let me know in advance that I lost quite a few men this time.

The last time the prince gave me some alchemists, there were less than five left.

Next time I do business, I will need to recruit a new group of alchemists, preferably those who are not afraid of death.

In addition to these, I hope Your Majesty can give me more craftsmen from the Ministry of Industry, whether they are carpenters or blacksmiths.

The more sophisticated the craftsmanship, the better the master craftsman who can do the detailed carving work."

Zhu Yuanzhang, who was originally very unhappy, heard that Yang Chen had completed the task he had deployed ahead of schedule.

The gloomy and dark old face slowly relaxed.

The only person present who was surprised by this was Zhu Biao.

He thought back to what Yang Chen had just said.

He had previously found dozens of alchemists to command him, but he did not expect that only one in ten would survive in the end.

This was really beyond Zhu Biao's expectations.

The other party had indeed said that doing this job would be life-threatening.

But I never thought the probability of death was so high!

Almost one person dies every day. This is simply arranging for these alchemists to die in advance!
“By the way, Prince, I just heard you discussing some envoy with His Majesty outside the door?
It seems that this makes you very unhappy. Could you tell me more about it?
It just so happens that I have a weapon in my hand, and I know you will give me a chance.

I will teach them how to use the weapons, and then let the Ming soldiers experiment with them?
Isn't this killing two birds with one stone?
It can test the power of weapons and also let you vent your anger!
Otherwise, if your thoughts are not clear, it will easily cause problems in your daily life.”

Zhu Yuanzhang was just about to reprimand Yang Chen for some things that were not his to inquire about.

Zhu Biao told the matter directly without hiding anything.

"The thing is, a few years ago, my father sent envoys such as Yang Zai and Wu Wenhua to Japan with the imperial edict of the Ming Dynasty to announce that the current dynasty in the Central Plains is the Ming Dynasty.

As a vassal state throughout the ages, Japan should send envoys to the Ming Dynasty to pay tribute, and at the same time ask them to control their own ronin.

Cities and villages in the coastal areas of the Central Plains must not be invaded.

However, I didn't expect that Japan was in the middle of a conflict between the North and the South and had no time for anything else.

He was even rude to the envoys from the Ming Dynasty and ended up killing several of them.

When I learned the news, I immediately proposed to my father that we send a navy to Japan to suppress the chaos and disputes there.

It is a pity that Japan is a remote and poor country, just like Qiongzhou (Hainan), and is a place of exile. "

When he knew the whole story, Yang Chen revealed a barely perceptible smile.

"So, Your Majesty and the Crown Prince think that this island nation of Japan is a poor country?"

"indeed so."

Zhu Biao nodded slightly: "Could it be that Brother Yang has a different idea?"

The sharp-minded Zhu Biao sensed something different in Yang Chen's tone.

"Haha. Your Majesty, Prince, if you think that the island country of Japan is a poor place, then you are very wrong!

I don't think you two should be bothered by this right now.

Instead, I feel happy. After all, they have given the Ming Dynasty a legitimate opportunity to go to the mountains of gold and silver!"

"Mountains of gold and silver? Are you crazy?"

Zhu Yuanzhang did not suspect that there was something wrong with his ears, but suspected that Yang Chen was just daydreaming.

As a great power, especially a political dynasty occupying the Central Plains.

Sending envoys to negotiate abroad is an inevitable procedure.

Now that the Ming Dynasty was becoming increasingly powerful, Zhu Yuanzhang was confident that if he was given another ten years, the destruction of the Northern Yuan regime was inevitable.

Even if Yang Chen didn't tell him these things in advance.

Old Zhu was also very confident that he could take credit for this political achievement.

As the Ming Dynasty's territory expanded outward, it was inevitable that it would come into contact with other countries.

Firstly, it can maintain the stability of its own borders.

Secondly, it can also add color to the dynasty he established.

The prosperous Tang Dynasty with all nations coming to pay tribute is the dream of many emperors.

Zhu Yuanzhang was naturally no exception.

No matter who he is, as long as he is an envoy, when he travels abroad, his words and deeds represent the face of the country.

Except for the envoys from the Han Dynasty, most envoys from other dynasties were generally very polite before they had a falling out.

Who made the legend that Chinese civilization is a country of etiquette spread throughout this area?
Now, the envoys sent by Zhu Yuanzhang were either imprisoned or killed.

Obviously, this incident is equivalent to tearing off Lao Zhu's face and trampling on it.

He was already very angry, but there was nothing he could do, because he thought that Japan's geographical location was of no value at all.

Now Yang Chen goes the other way and says that Japan is a treasure land with mountains of gold and silver.

Lao Zhu felt that this joke was not funny at all.

During this period, various policies need to be rearranged.

In particular, Zhu Biao mentioned to him about Zhang Juzheng's "One Whip System".

Combine taxes and labor service into one and collect them uniformly in the form of silver. Combine various taxes and labor service into one and collect silver according to the area of ​​land and population.

The more Zhu Yuanzhang thought about it, the better this method seemed to be, and it was very suitable for the current Ming Dynasty.

However, this method certainly cannot be implemented before Hu Weiyong is captured.

Anyway, Lao Zhu thinks that there are too many things bothering him.

Add to that the issues in Japan, and it’s simply adding to the trouble.

"Your Majesty, your words are still as harsh as ever. I declare in advance that I am not crazy."

Yang Chen looked relaxed and showed no fear at all when facing Old Zhu's big eyes.

Instead, he continued with what he was saying.

"Just now, the prince said that the Ming Dynasty sent envoys to Japan with the intention of establishing friendly relations.

However, Japan was in constant conflict between the north and the south, and the country deliberately killed the Ming envoy even though it knew his identity.

This is simply a disregard for the Ming Dynasty and Your Majesty!

If you ask me, this is a legitimate reason for challenging the prestige of the Chinese Empire. The crime should be punished and death is not a pity!
If it were me, I would send troops to wipe them out.

When two countries are at war, neither of them kills envoys. This Japanese man is so bold before the war even starts, which is enough to show that the people of Japan are brutal and cruel, and even inhumane.

Since ancient times, the Chinese nation has been adhering to the purpose of educating barbarians and has eliminated many foreign enemies.

When you arrive in Ming, Your Majesty must not lose face!"

"Why do I feel like the one who wants us to go to war the most is not Japan, but you?"

I thought Yang Chen would be able to say something fancy, but I didn't expect him to be just talking nonsense.

How could he not know such a simple truth?

It's just overthinking.

"Yang Chen, Japan is indeed not giving face to the Ming Dynasty, but the Ming Dynasty cannot attack lightly.

Because the price is too high!"

Zhu Biao also added this sentence after Zhu finished speaking.

When countries go to war, there are too many things to consider.

The first thing is interest.

A war without interests is doomed to fail.

Just like the Northern Yuan Dynasty, its land clearly borders the Ming Dynasty?
But why didn't the Ming Dynasty take the initiative to attack?

Isn't it because if we take the initiative to attack, even if we win the war, the spoils we gain will not be able to make up for the losses incurred in the expedition?

Therefore, under the most desperate circumstances, Zhu Yuanzhang would never take the initiative to launch an attack.

Located deep in the East China Sea, the tiny country of Japan exists across the sea from the Ming Dynasty.

But the Ming navy was too weak.

At the beginning, Zhu Yuanzhang almost suffered a loss in the navy and failed to conquer the world.

After unifying the Central Plains, coupled with his maritime ban policy, the strength of the navy was simply appalling.

Besides, in Zhu Yuanzhang's opinion, the Japanese islands are a barren place.

What’s the point of winning?
We can't treat it as an isolated island and demote officials who have made mistakes to become refugees here, right?

Old Zhu, who was in a bad mood, did not keep his emotions to himself.

Instead, he was surprisingly calm, and his eyes were always on Yang Chen.

"What's wrong with this guy today? He speaks unclearly and seems a little excited and weird!"

As an emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang trusted his sixth sense very much.

This is also the reason why no matter how angry he was, he would never really kill Yang Chen.

It was because his sixth sense told Lao Zhu that if he killed Yang Chen on impulse, he would regret it for the rest of his life.

Since entering politics, Zhu has placed great trust in these mysterious things.

Today, all the performance, words and deeds of Yang Chen revealed two words to Lao Zhu!
conspiracy!

"Your Majesty has misunderstood. How could I be someone who wants war?
The main reason is that Japan does not give face to Your Majesty. Considering the reputation of Emperor Hongwu, I think we must do something, right?
Besides, what was the saying from the ancients?

When my neighbor collects grain, I store my gun, and my neighbor is my granary.

Japan is far away but close at hand, so it's a good opportunity to test weapons and train the Ming navy. This is truly a blessing that has the best of both worlds."

Yang Chen touched his nose and his heartbeat actually quickened a little.

He almost forgot that among the three people around him, two of them had a thousand minds, Lao Zhu had seven hundred and Zhu Biao had three hundred.

As someone who has only read some information about civil service exams, it is easy for me to reveal some of my inner thoughts in front of a thousand-year-old fox like Lao Zhu.

As he finished speaking, the study fell into silence.

Zhu Biao also vaguely reacted to what his father had said earlier.

It seemed that Yang Chen was taking the initiative, so proactive that it was a little weird.

When mentioning Japan, the other party revealed an inexplicable emotion, which Zhu Biao realized belatedly.

On the stage, Lao Zhu lowered his head and stared at Yang Chen, but did not continue to ask questions.

Instead, he went on to explain why he chose not to attack.

"I understand what you said, but a war is not as simple as you think.

You are just an ordinary person in the future world and are unfamiliar with this aspect. We don’t blame you.

When we fight a war, we are fighting for the destiny of our country.

Those who love war will perish! You should know this.

What's more, Japan is surrounded by the sea, and we don't have a detailed map of Japan's territory. Once the navy gets close, it will run aground.

At that time, without support, our Ming Dynasty navy will be like fish on the chopping board at the mercy of others.

This time only a few messengers died and we lost some face, but it is not irreparable.

If the navy attacks and ends up in a miserable defeat with the entire army wiped out, this would really make the Ming Dynasty lose face.

Even if we win, this isolated island has nothing on it. What's the point of conquering it?
It's a waste of manpower and a thankless task.

You should stay out of these matters and focus on studying your gunpowder."

Old Zhu could feel that Yang Chen himself might have some opinions about Japan.

But he also had to tell the other party that he could not start a national war just because of a momentary impulse.

Warmongering has always been a compulsory course for many emperors.

As an emperor in a prosperous era, he must not only consider the people, but also the national situation.

Otherwise, if the enemy walks in front of you and leaves you alone, you will have to rush forward with all your men.

It would be fine if you win, but if it is a trick and you fail, that would be a real loss of face.

“Your Majesty, you said I have no military knowledge, I have nothing to say.

But you can't say I don't understand anything!

Didn’t I just say that this Japanese territory is a gold mine and silver mine?

By the way, Prince, do you remember what I said before about how to solve the problem of the devaluation of the silver and treasure notes?"

In response to Lao Zhu's advice, Yang Chen was not humble but instead defended himself.

He knew that it would be useless to rely on himself alone, and he needed Zhu Biao's help in positioning.

Hearing what Yang Chen said.

Zhu Biao only pondered for a moment, then answered directly:

“You said that in order to prevent the Ming Dynasty’s treasure notes from losing their original value, we need to choose an anchor for the treasure notes.

The best anchor is precious metals, with gold and silver being preferred, and copper coins being the second best.

The people must be made to believe that the banknotes in their hands can be exchanged for corresponding silver from the imperial court.

As long as this step is achieved, the problem of Ming Dynasty treasure notes being worthless will certainly be solved. "

Ever since he learned about the seriousness of the Baochao problem last time, Zhu Biao went back and began to think of a solution carefully.

Unfortunately, silver is not a policy and it cannot appear out of thin air just because he says so.

In the end, we can only summarize the solutions and try to see if there is any chance to change it in the future.

"Yes! It's silver! I told you, as long as there is enough silver, the problem of treasure notes can be solved!

There is silver everywhere in Japan. Your Majesty, conquer it and dig up their silver.

If the national treasury is enriched, wouldn't the Ming Dynasty's own problems be solved?
But your majesty is right, I am indeed lacking in military skills, your majesty is teaching me a lesson, I accept it!"

Yang Chen looked calm, as if this was a matter of course.

But no one knew what kind of waves these words would cause in the hearts of several people.

"Wait? What did you say?"

Old Zhu knew that Yang Chen was good at speaking, and he also wanted to see how this guy would refute him. Then he used the truth to tell him not to think that you can be so great just because you came from the future and that you can surpass him in everything.

Unexpectedly, after hearing what Yang Chen said, Lao Zhu couldn't help but tremble all over.

It's not fear or dread, but excitement!
The key points of Yang Chen's words kept echoing in my ears.

'Silver mines! Silver mines everywhere! Silver mines that can solve the problem of Ming treasure notes!'

In a trance, Lao Zhu stood up, raised his index finger and pointed at Yang Chen with a strange expression, and asked:

"Kid? What did you say just now? Say it again for us?"

"Ah? Words?"

Yang Chen touched his head, as if he had really forgotten it.

After a moment, he stammered and said uncertainly:

"I say, Your Majesty is right, I don't have any talent for military affairs?"

"No, no, go to the previous sentence, you asked about the one after Biao'er.

You said that the solution to the silver problem is to find a large amount of silver to enrich the national treasury, and then there will be silver mines and gold mines everywhere in the Japanese territory?
Are you sure you are not lying to me?"

Old Zhu stared at Yang Chen. As long as the other party showed the slightest intention of deceiving him, Zhu Yuanzhang would be able to see through whether the other party was pretending or not with his own eyesight.

However, not only did Yang Chen not reveal any panic as if he was lying, but he was calm and composed. Not to mention lying, he didn't even look panicky.

"Silver mine? Oh! So this is what Your Majesty is talking about!

Don't underestimate Japan, it's just an island. The entire island was formed by volcanic eruptions.

There is a giant volcano on top, called Mount Fuji.

Generally speaking, places with many volcanoes are bound to have various minerals.

There are many silver mines and gold mines in Japan.

That’s why I said earlier that Japan’s provocation to Ming was to give Ming an opportunity to go after its mountains of gold and silver with a legitimate reason.

But I don't think Your Majesty is interested in this.

He also said that starting a war would easily lead to the loss of a large amount of manpower, financial resources and material resources, and the gains would not outweigh the losses. In your Majesty's eyes, attacking Japan is a thankless task."

"Bullshit! When did we say that?
What we are saying is that war must be started for the sake of interests!

Now silver mines have been discovered in the Ming Dynasty, and they are everywhere?
You actually want us to give up this mountain of gold and silver! I think you have bad intentions!"

"Yang Chen! Is what you said true? Japan has always been a remote place since ancient times.

During the Tang Dynasty, they also longed to obtain a piece of land in the Central Plains where they could settle down.

Why do you say that Japan is so rich? "

Zhu Biao looked at Yang Chen with confusion on his face and asked about his confusion.

Seeing this, Yang Chen held his forehead and smiled bitterly.

"Oh, Prince! This is a long story!

First of all, Japan does have a lot of gold and silver mines. I swear I am not lying.

Secondly, why hasn't Japan discovered it yet? "

"why?"

Old Zhu stood up impatiently, put his hands on the table made of expensive high-quality golden nanmu, leaned out half of his body, and stared at him with burning eyes.

Yang Chen looked around and found that the three people looked at him as if he were a piece of delicious food.

“Ahem, the reason is that Japan is still in a very backward dynasty, and their productivity is very poor.

I have no idea how to find the silver mines in the mountains, even if I found them.

Given their current situation, with the number of people gathered together in the village, there is no way they can concentrate manpower to dig out the mineral veins.

Not to mention refining silver."

In Lao Zhu's eyes, it was originally a piece of barren land, but in the blink of an eye it became a treasure within his reach.

As for what he had said before, they all disappeared in the face of such huge benefits.

There was a mountain of gold and silver before his eyes. If he hesitated for even a moment, it would be disrespectful to these gold and silver items.

"Brother Yang! I understand!
It turns out that you wanted to move this land into the territory of Ming Dynasty long ago.

That’s why the idea of ​​enfeoffment of vassal kings was proposed, right?
Hahaha! Father! I am willing to lead the troops to the Japanese territory, capture it and present it to you, Father!"

Zhu Di's mind seemed to become extremely clear in an instant, and he spoke out all his inner thoughts.

"Don't talk nonsense, I never said what you said.

Please don't blame me for this, Yongle."

Yang Chen looked at Zhu Di's confident look. He didn't want to pour cold water on him, but he finally decided to speak:
"Yongle, the Japanese sea is extremely dangerous. This is your first time to fight the enemy in unfamiliar territory. You are not afraid of capsizing by accident and even dying without your body being found.

I would say you should start from the south."

"Okay, kid, don't drag us anywhere else.

Let's draw up the map of Japan now, and see where our gold and silver mines are!"

As soon as Old Zhu heard that Yang Chen wanted to say something else, he interrupted him immediately.

Now all he has in his eyes is Japan's mountains of gold and silver, and nothing else.

As for Zhu Di’s thoughts, we will talk about it later.

"Biao'er, give this fellow the Four Treasures of the Study. We want to see where the treasure from Japan is. No, no, it should be our treasure!"

Although he changed his words, Lao Zhu did it very naturally and did not show any timidity at all.

It’s as if this was originally something from the Ming Dynasty.

"Yang Chen, I've brought all the things to you. Hurry and report back to the original place in a second."

Zhu Biao acted very quickly and found paper, pen and ink in the study.

"Please trouble you, Prince. I will draw it right away."

Without saying anything, Yang Chen spread the huge piece of paper on the ground, selected a larger brush, and dipped it in ink.

He began to draw the map of Japan on the ground with his pen.

Seeing this, Zhu Di hurried forward, wanting to see where the treasure land was.
But within a few minutes, the three of them were completely confused and looked at what Yang Chen had drawn in silence.

"Yang Chen? Aren't you going to draw a treasure land on the ground? Why did you draw a worm?"

"No? Yongle, if you can't speak, just don't say anything. How did you see that I drew a bug? This is clearly a map! A map, okay?

Look at this, several islands connected together, isn't this a map?"

Upon hearing this, everyone looked at each other for a few seconds, and finally looked at Yang Chen at the same time.

Faced with all this attention, Yang Chen also felt a little embarrassed.

He looked at his work and it did look a bit like a caterpillar.

"Well, you can't blame me, right?
The island nation of Japan is composed of four main islands and thousands of small islands, arranged in a long strip shape.

Looking down from a high place, it really looks exactly like a bug! "

The main body of Japan is composed of Honshu Island, Kyushu Island, Hokkaido Island and Shikoku Island.

Among them, Iwami Ginzan is located on the largest island near Honshu Island, and Hishikari Mine is located in Kagoshima Prefecture on Kyushu Island.

Only Sado Gold Mine is a separate island, remote from the four main islands, but the gold mine on the island was mined for hundreds of years before it was exhausted.

"It's obviously your own poor drawing skills, stop making excuses."

It was a rare opportunity to find a place to mock Yang Chen, so Old Zhu naturally enjoyed continuing with what his son said.

Facing the three father and sons who shared the same hatred for the enemy, Yang Chen had a knot of black lines on his forehead.

Finally chose to give up resistance.

He knew very well that as long as Lao Zhu was given the opportunity, this guy would do his best to oppose him.

The farce only lasted for a short while.

Yang Chen then used another smaller brush to mark a few places he could remember.

"Come on, come on, don't talk about anything else. Your Majesty, don't always accuse me of changing the subject. It's obvious that you like it the most."

He wanted to get back at his enemies, but Lao Zhu's eyes, wide as copper bells, told him that if he continued talking, he would be rude to him.

"Na!

This place is called Iwami Ginzan!

Located in the southwest of Honshu Island, specifically in the Omori area of ​​Oda City, Shimane Prefecture.
The storage capacity of silver mines in this place alone reaches an astonishing number!

It is said! It is just said!

Some people said that there were hundreds of tons of silver in this place! Later records said that it took Japan hundreds of years to dig out all the ore.

This ton is a unit of measurement in later generations. According to the Ming Dynasty, one dan is equal to 120 jin, so one ton is equal to 17 dan of the Ming Dynasty!"

At this point, Yang Chen did a simple mental calculation: seventeen times one hundred and twenty equals two thousand and forty, and one ton is two thousand kilograms.

As for the forty kilograms, he ignored it.

He saw that everyone was very surprised by his words, and some of them even gasped and forgot to breathe.

He went on to say:
"Anyway, all the silver mines in the entire Japanese territory can produce at least forty tons of silver a year!

Remember! This is refined silver! Not silver ore!"

In an instant, the only sounds in the room were those of Old Zhu and his sons.

They couldn't help but lean back. It was really hard to imagine that such a small country like Japan could be so rich?

At this moment, Lao Zhu just felt that he was dreaming?
A dream that you wouldn’t even dare to dream about during daydreams?
According to Yang Chen, one ton is equal to 17 shi of the Ming Dynasty, and one shi is 120 jin, so one ton is 2,000 jin!

If converted into two pieces of silver
"Biao'er, how many ounces of silver are there for this ton?"

Old Zhu spoke with a dry mouth and was even uncertain. He was really bad at numerology, so he had to ask his son for help.

Zhu Biao, who had recovered from his shock, began to pry it apart with his fingers.

A minute later he said a number that shocked Lao Zhu.

"Your Majesty, after my calculation, this ton of silver, calculated at 17 stones, should be around 26,000 taels.

I need to use an abacus to figure out the exact amount."

"The 26,000 silver mines in the two Ming dynasties in southern Zhejiang and northern Fujian combined probably don't have even one-tenth of the silver mines in this place."

After learning this number from his son, Old Zhu said with some lack of confidence.

However, he did not expect Zhu Biao to say something that made him even more certain to attack Japan.

“Your Majesty, the amount of silver produced from mining in the Ming Dynasty each year is very scarce, and almost all of it is confiscated into the national treasury.

As far as I know, if converted into tons, the total output of these mining areas may not even reach five tons per year.

It would take at least several decades of continuous mining to produce as much as Japan produces in a year!"

At this moment!

The green light in Lao Zhu's eyes shocked everyone present!

"Good! It takes decades to compare to one year in this place. Fortunately, God bless the Ming Dynasty!
Although many envoys such as Yang Zai and Wu Wenhua died, they made great contributions to the Ming Dynasty!

When we conquer Japan in the future, we will find the murderer who killed them, cut off his head and offer it to the heavens! To avenge him!

We must also reward and take good care of their children!

If it weren't for them, we would have missed out on this mountain of gold and silver that produces countless taels of silver every year!
These are all ours!"

Old Zhu held the map tightly in both hands, as if everything in Japan was already in his pocket.

No one present was unhappy.

Zhu Di kept swallowing his saliva.

As long as the Ming Dynasty has money, he can fight however he wants in the future!
He has soldiers and weapons, and with a mountain of gold and silver that he can demand for hundreds of years, doesn't he believe that he can bankrupt the Ming Dynasty?
Zhu Biao, who had been hesitant about this, now put forward his own opinions again.

"Father! Since ancient times, the Japanese living in the land of Japan have always feared power but not virtue.

Today they have treasures but do not know how to develop them.

This matter also secretly harmed the envoy of the Ming Dynasty who was holding the letter of credence.

Before long, the news of the envoy's murder will spread throughout the court and the country. If he is not punished in time, people with ulterior motives will surely use this as a pretext to damage the reputation of the Ming imperial family.

As far as I know, 70% of the envoys sent out have returned.

Among them, many people in the small countries in Southeast Asia affirmed the legitimacy of the Ming Dynasty's rule over the Central Plains.

I am willing to choose an auspicious day to send an envoy to pay a visit to my father.

However, there are also many people who are on the sidelines. I suspect that they are just speculating that the people of Japan will harm the Ming Dynasty.

At this moment, we are watching the fire from the other side of the river to see what action the Ming Dynasty will take.

If we tolerate it, it means showing weakness.

These wolf cubs will definitely not be willing to surrender sincerely."

Today, the Ming Dynasty has established its regime for several decades, but the former Northern Yuan Dynasty has not yet been completely annihilated.

Naturally, it is impossible to make these small countries that once paid homage to the Yuan Dynasty convinced.

In their eyes, the Ming Dynasty was a young court.

This is not a bad thing, but it is not a good thing either.

The Mongolian cavalry once cast too great a shadow on them.

To them, even a lean camel is bigger than a horse.

As long as the Ming Dynasty does not show its fangs to them, these small countries will always think that the Ming Dynasty is no match for them.

Faced with Zhu Biao's persuasion, Old Zhu hesitated.

The other party's next words made him determined that these things must be done, and done immediately!
"Father! From what I can see, using military force against Japan will only bring benefits to the Ming Dynasty, and no harm at all!
Conquer Japan! Not only to avenge the envoy! But also to completely deter the villains around!
Let them know that the Ming Dynasty did not rely on gentleness and elegance to drive away the Northern Yuan Dynasty! Instead, it relied on strong and powerful fists!
"The Holy One is so brilliant! He cannot be touched!"

Yang Chen watched the murderous aura revealed by Zhu Biao from the side.

It is really amazing.

'No wonder some people say that Zhu Biao is in a sense a cultured Zhu Yuanzhang. With this temperament, he can talk about destroying a country with great ease.

Compared to Crazy Dragon Old Zhu, the future when Zhu Biao takes charge of the Ming Dynasty will definitely be an era that surpasses the Yongle era! '

Prince Yiwen was mostly recorded in history books as being kind and benevolent.

But if he was only kind, he wouldn't be able to intimidate so many brothers with extraordinary abilities.

There is no need to say much about Zhu Di. As for the second and third sons, Zhu Chong and Zhu Gang, if we take them separately, regardless of their character, their ability to command troops is definitely first-class.

If they could accept the emperor's inheritance, even if they could not create a prosperous Ming army, they could at least conquer the Northern Yuan Dynasty and prevent foreign enemies from invading the border.

Therefore, Zhu Biao, who can control his temper, is an amiable dragon.

But that doesn't mean he won't get angry.

On the contrary, once he gets angry, the damage he can do will be even more devastating than Lao Zhu because he can remain rational!
This is the scariest place!

Old Zhu looked at his son in front of him and became more and more satisfied, with the sound of "tsk tsk" coming from him from time to time.

Zhu Biao, mistakenly thinking that he had made his father angry, quickly bowed his hands and apologized.

"Father, do you think that I am a bit too radical?"

“No no no!

Biao'er, please don't talk nonsense. I think what you said just now is very good! A real man stands on the earth! Revenge when there is revenge, and complain when there is complaint!
It is only natural to pay back debts and to pay for murder with one's life!
Since the Japanese ignore the majesty of the Ming Dynasty, we must let them know that the anger of the Ming Dynasty is not something that ordinary people can bear!
However, this requires detailed discussion.
Someone come! "

After some thought, Lao Zhu made a decision. He ordered the Jinyiwei command room outside the door to enter.

Mao Xiang has changed into a new set of clothes.

This round-collared blue robe has a very special deterrent power and is very suitable for Mao Xiang, who has a tall and straight physique.

"His Majesty!"

"Send someone to the Grand Commandery to summon Mu Ying, Lan Yu, Xu Da, Tang He, Li Wenzhong and other military officers to the palace and tell them that we have something to discuss!"

"I understand!"

Mao Xiang answered in a resounding voice and then disappeared into the study.

This move can be said to be swift and decisive.

Originally Zhu Biao was worried that his father would deny him, but now it seems that attacking Japan is already on the agenda!

"You're free now, Yang Chen, didn't you say that all the tasks I entrusted to you have been completed?
How about showing us a little bit now?"

After issuing the order to summon military generals, Lao Zhu felt refreshed!
He had never felt anything like this before.

The reason is because he understood how many troubles would be solved after Japan was controlled by the Ming Dynasty!

The devaluation of the treasure notes alone was enough to save him a lot of trouble.

By then, he didn't believe that there was anyone in the world who would dare to claim to be as rich as a country!

With hundreds of thousands of tons of silver stored in the warehouse every year, how could he be as rich as a country? From now on, Lao Zhu would not allow anyone to mention his wealth in front of him.

Otherwise, he would use the silver from Iwami Ginzan to make a silver hammer and smash the opponent's head off!

“Your Majesty, are you sure you want to watch it here?

It's boring just watching, how about this, I'll find a bigger place and let me try it myself and show you.

I guarantee your jaws will drop!"

When it comes to his weapons, Yang Chen is naturally very confident.

This time, he put all his efforts of the past month into practice.

All of them are fun things that Lao Zhu has never seen before.

Hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang raised his eyebrows and said doubtfully:
"Tsk~ It's not like I haven't seen firearms before, I want to see how you can make me drop my jaw.

Isn't it just an open space? There is a martial arts arena in the north of the imperial city. Let's go."

Seeing Yang Chen's solemn assurance, Lao Zhu was naturally very curious about how powerful this weapon was.

The Ming army now has many units equipped with firearms, but they are not called Shenjiying.

Because the Shenjiying was an organization that was arranged a few years after Yongle became emperor.

After battles with Zhang Shicheng, Chen Youliang and others, Zhu Yuanzhang also realized the power of firearms.

However, there were too many things to do, and he had no time to think about how to establish an army dedicated to firearms. He could only set up a department like the Firearms Bureau to manufacture firearms.

Following his decision, Yang Chen carried his big box on his back and started walking out under the guidance of Zhu Biao.

Zhu Di also hurried to follow.

The last one to leave, Old Zhu, told his subordinates:

"When Tiande and the others arrive, tell them that I am at the martial arts arena and ask them to come to the arena to find me."

"I understand!"

A Jinyiwei responded with a bow and then disappeared.

Zhu Biao looked at the map of Japan on the ground and waved his hand to order people to put it away.

Then he slowly followed the three people walking in front.

Zhu Yuanzhang discovered that several people were actually chatting, so he intentionally or unintentionally kept his distance.

It does not affect the other party's chat, but you can still hear what they are talking about.

"Yang Chen, this matter of Japan is so important, when do you think we should send troops there?"

Zhu Biao lowered his head and thought on the way, and for some unknown reason asked Yang Chen this question.

“It would be best to build ships and artillery and prepare sufficient food and fodder, and then use Jeju Island as a transit point.

I believe that given the fear of the Ming Dynasty, the Joseon Dynasty would not choose to resist. "

Yang Chen only thought for a moment and then suggested the most convenient way.

"That's right! The rulers of the Joseon Dynasty sent envoys to the northern vassal states many times, hoping to make a pilgrimage to the capital.

Given their respect for the Ming Dynasty, they would never dare to do anything that would disobey or violate the Ming Dynasty."

As a vassal king in the north, Zhu Di had a clear control over all forces in the north.

The area closest to Japan by land is the territory of Joseon.

For the Joseon Dynasty, this is not a good thing, but a bad thing.

The reason was that the ronin from Japan invaded their territory from time to time. The Joseon Dynasty was weak and could not win at all, so they often asked the Central Plains dynasty for help.

After the Ming Dynasty established its regime, the Joseon Dynasty sent people to pay tribute to show its loyalty.

For the rulers of this land, it is an honor to be the dogs of the Ming Dynasty.

(End of this chapter)