Zhu Yuanzhang Returns from Modern Times

Chapter 215 received a critical hit of 10,000 points.
The giant ship cleaved through the blue waves, its white sails billowing, and sailed forward.

The salty sea breeze hits your face, and the shady spots where the sun doesn't shine can make you feel a chill.

Mu Ying and Ping An were on two separate boats.

This was a special instruction given by Zhu Yuanzhang.

Sailing at sea is ultimately different from sailing on land. Although there were few storms at sea at this time, if they were to encounter one and all perished on the same ship, it would be heartbreaking for Zhu Yuanzhang.

For safety's sake, just in case, this instruction was given.

Mu Ying and Ping An are the two people in charge of this matter, with Mu Ying taking the lead.

However, the mission's chief and deputy envoys were not the two of them, but two commanders of a thousand.

There was a reason for this, and it was due to Zhu Yuanzhang's considerations.

The situation is very different now compared to before.

He has decided to use force against Goryeo and bring it under Chinese control.

However, the Northern Yuan has not yet been destroyed, and destroying the Northern Yuan is now the primary task in dealing with external threats.

As for Goryeo, it was naturally impossible to launch a large-scale attack, otherwise it would easily disrupt the plan.

That's why Zhu Yuanzhang thought of sending Mu Ying and Ping An to resolve the matter through diplomatic means.

However, this time the diplomatic tactics are far more intense than in the previous life.

The purpose of having Ping An and Mu Ying conceal their identities was to make it easier for others to arrive in Goryeo and launch a surprise attack, catching them off guard and making their actions more effective.

After all, in the past, most of the envoys sent were at the level of a thousand households, and some were even at the level of a hundred households.

At this moment, it was highly unusual for him to suddenly send his two adopted sons, Mu Ying and Ping An, over there.

It immediately gives the impression that something is planned.

This will raise the awareness of people in Korea.

If that happens, then some things will become quite difficult to handle.

Therefore, Zhu Yuanzhang would have kept this in mind and made this arrangement. Mu Ying and Ping An naturally had no objection to this and both expressed their agreement.

The enemy is in the open, while we are in the dark; this is a very good strategy.

Moreover, although they were not nominally the chief and deputy envoys, the entire delegation had to obey them.

Recalling the instructions their adoptive father had given them, the two were both very interested in and full of anticipation for their upcoming trip to Goryeo.

As for the dangers of this trip... they didn't even consider them.

If you're afraid of danger, then don't go out to work; just stay home and sleep with your wife.

With great anticipation, the giant ship cut through the waves and gradually approached Tamna Island...

……

In Suzhou, Hangzhou, Songjiang Prefecture and other places, many things have quietly changed significantly recently.

This change is more reflected in people's hearts and minds.

It is said that Zhu Di was ordered to establish the Maritime Trade Office here, and there was also the fact that some people rebelled.

They really did ruthlessly kill a bunch of people here, and with a tough stance, they established the Maritime Trade Office and successfully put it into operation.

Those who survived all seemed very honest, expressing their willingness to obey orders and work diligently in the Maritime Trade Office, promising never to misbehave again.

In reality, how many people are truly willing to fail like this, willing to hand over so many benefits to others?

The profits from maritime trade are substantial, and their appetites have long been inflated.

Even if they are forced to temporarily admit defeat due to power, they are still somewhat unwilling in their hearts and want to see some miracle happen.

What they looked forward to most was the pirates at sea.

They knew that Chen and Fang's pirate groups were very capable fighters.

They also knew that the pirates at sea would react very strongly to the imperial court's establishment of the Maritime Trade Office.

They are far more anxious and frustrated than they are, and will not compromise easily.

So this time, Zhu Laosi led his men out to sea to start the first foreign trade for the Maritime Trade Office. Those pirates at sea will definitely not let this opportunity pass and swallow this insult.

We will inevitably strike them hard.

The Ming Dynasty's army was indeed formidable on land, but at sea, it was truly uncertain who would win or lose.

It is highly likely that the Ming Dynasty's navy was utterly defeated.

Many people were very confident because they were well aware of the strength of the pirates.

Ever since Zhu Di led his men out to sea, many people have been eagerly anticipating his arrival.

They eagerly awaited the news they longed for, hoping that the pirates at sea would achieve great merit and utterly defeat Zhu Di.

They were very familiar with the situation of the Maritime Trade Office.

Goods were being produced continuously, and the imperial court was constantly subsidizing the production.

If this time, the goods are not sold and turned into money, and the ship is severely damaged by pirates at sea.

That would mean losing all the money I'd saved for my wife.

It is now virtually impossible to organize a crew for a long voyage across the sea.

Even state-owned enterprises established by the imperial court will collapse.

This voyage was something that the emperor and his men had to do with all their might to make it possible.

If we suffer such a major setback in this matter, it will be virtually impossible to organize such a large force and set sail again in the future.

Even if they could organize themselves, there would still be no way to avoid being attacked by pirates again.
Once that happens, their good days will begin.

In the future, the Maritime Trade Office will gradually become a mere shell of its former self.

These people can then start their own businesses again.

Even if it is affected by this, it will be impossible to return to its former glory.

However, as long as they see Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Laosi suffering such great setbacks and losses, they are happy to accept it.

Ideally, Zhu Laosi would die directly from this, torn to pieces by the pirates; that would be the most satisfying thing to do.

After much anticipation and longing from them, news finally came back from the sea.

But the result was completely different from what they had expected.

If it weren't for Zhu Laosi, that King Yama, he would have suffered a great loss and been utterly defeated.

Instead, the two pirate groups led by Chen Fang, on whom they had placed great hopes, suffered heavy losses.

Not only did they fail to deliver the heavy blow they had hoped for, but they were instead wiped out by Zhu Laosi!

The leaders of Chen Fang's two sea tribes were all killed, and even their stronghold was wiped out by Zhu Di and his men!

From then on, there were no more pirates under Chen Fang's command at sea, and people no longer had to worry about being harassed by pirates when doing business.

When the news reached them, it left all those who had been eagerly awaiting good news completely stunned.

It took a critical hit of 10,000 points.

This news was far from what they had expected.

So much so that when the news came, many people were unwilling to accept it and doubted whether the news was true.

how could it be possible!
According to their understanding, Zhu Di's troops were far inferior to the pirates at sea.

Coming to sea to fight, they were only going to be beaten by pirates.

But who could have imagined that the final result would be like this!

Faced with these people's doubts, Zheng Shiyuan, along with many officials from the Maritime Trade Office and heads of state-owned enterprises, kindly provided them with answers and explanations.

They told these people more about the battles at sea, as they knew them.

It focuses on the power and quantity of the Hongwu cannons and the specific course of the war.

Later, I saw with my own eyes the many pirate heads that had been cut off, pickled, and brought back.

They had no choice but to accept this outcome.

Even if you are shocked, incredulous, and unwilling to accept that this is true, you have no choice but to accept this outcome.

Those pirates who had dominated the seas for years and were considered invincible were dealt with swiftly and decisively.

Zhu Laosi, that King Yama, didn't die; he even got things done.

They extinguished their last glimmer of hope.

Under such circumstances, the impact on people's hearts is unimaginable.

Those who had still held some hope were completely deprived of it and became docile.

I dare not think about anything else anymore.

It can be said that it was only at this point that the Maritime Trade Office was able to gain a firm foothold and be fully established.

This battle to eliminate the pirates was the battle that established the Maritime Trade Office's reputation.

This severed the last thought of those who harbored disloyal intentions or had such thoughts.

When Zhu Di and his merchant ships were able to complete their trade and return with a large sum of money and the goods they had purchased overseas, it would be time for them to return.

Then the Maritime Trade Office was completely at peace.

There is nothing left to threaten the Maritime Trade Office.

Zheng Shiyuan, along with many other officials from the Maritime Trade Office, could clearly sense the changes within the office and state-owned enterprises. They all appeared delighted and felt a sense of relief.

Thank goodness! Thank goodness! With His Majesty's foresight and His Highness Prince Yan's presence on the front lines, fighting the enemy, we wiped out the pirates in one fell swoop and won such a brilliant battle.

After that, everything settled down completely.

They genuinely dared not imagine what would happen if they suffered a setback at sea and a large quantity of goods remained unsold. The situation would inevitably become incredibly difficult as a result.

They tried their best, but it's likely they could not keep the state-owned enterprises and the Maritime Trade Office running any longer.

This is the benefit of having strong military power and winning battles.

If you deliver a powerful punch and achieve a great victory, many problems will be easily solved.

Your Majesty is mighty! Prince Yan is mighty!
This is a sentiment shared by many people from the bottom of their hearts...

Zhu Yuanzhang, Empress Ma, Crown Prince Zhu Biao, and others were also overjoyed.

Recently, whenever Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma thought of this matter, they couldn't help but smile; it was sweeter than honey.

Even knowing that, according to Chongba's arrangements and his own fourth son's talent, there would be virtually no unexpected incidents when leading people to sea this time.

But when it comes to sending troops into battle, is there any truth to the idea that there is absolute safety?

On the battlefield, it's not uncommon for commanders to be killed by stray arrows.

Furthermore, the sea is different from the land; it is prone to large storms, and many things are out of control.

When the definite news came back at this time, how could Empress Ma not be overjoyed and not breathe a sigh of relief?

At the same time, she became even more certain that when her fourth son returned, she would definitely reward him well—this good son who would later be revered as the Yongle Emperor!
……

Mu Ying and Ping An's group arrived at Tamna Island.

"This is an island? This place is really big!"

Looking at the vast expanse of land before him, Ping An couldn't help but speak up, his voice filled with amazement.

Clearly, the island before him shattered his understanding of what an island should be.

After sailing at sea for some time, he had long lost the excitement he felt when he first came to the open sea.

The endless blue sea, the blue sky, and the seagulls seemed quite novel at first.

But after watching too much of it, it can become boring and tedious.

Especially for people like them who don't spend much time at sea, spending so many days at sea all at once is really tough.

Seeing land, and such a large piece of land at that moment, it was inevitable to feel excited.

It was at this moment that Ping An suddenly understood why her adoptive father was so attached to this place.

We must take it down.

This place really is a wonderful place.

When viewed on a map, it appears as just a small patch.

But when I got there, I realized it was not small at all.

The key point is that, according to my godfather, this place is also particularly suitable for raising horses.

The Northern Yuan Tartars established the Tamna Military and Civilian General Administration here, and were responsible for raising horses.

Moreover, this place also served as a bridgehead during the previous invasion of Japan.

The governor's office for attacking Japan was located here.

And it was precisely after learning these things that his heart burned with passion.

The fact that their adoptive father instructed them to take control of Tamna Island suggests that his intentions extend beyond just targeting Goryeo.

They might not be immune to their own agendas towards Japan in the future!
As military generals, they were never afraid of having many battles, but rather of having no battles to fight.

He had previously heard some claims that after the Northern Yuan was destroyed, the Ming Dynasty would not have many more battles to fight.

They lost the opportunity to make a name for themselves as martial artists.

Their status as warriors would also decline as a result.

Ping An was worried about this.

After all, his skills lie in charging into battle, and if there are no more battles to fight in the future, it will undoubtedly be a disaster for him.

But now he was completely at ease. Judging from his adoptive father's actions, even if he destroyed the Northern Yuan royal court, he would not stop easily.

Even without the Northern Yuan, there was still Japan, the southwest, and Annam further south.

In the future, they will have no shortage of opportunities to fight.

It won't be like those ignorant people spreading rumors.

While other aspects of peace might not be so sensitive, when it comes to war, things are quite different.

A lot came to mind all at once.

And this Tamna Island is indeed a place worth fighting for.

It's not just because of its advantageous location, being close to both Goryeo (Korea), Japan, and the Ming Dynasty.

Also, because the area is very large, it can raise a lot of horses and station a lot of troops here.

According to my adoptive father, the number of horses raised here during the Yuan Dynasty was once over ten thousand.

Ping An was well aware of how important warhorses were in war.

This large, excellent horse-breeding land is very important to the Ming Dynasty, and it must be controlled by the Ming Dynasty.

Putting aside its important geographical location, the sheer number of warhorses it produces each year is enough to warrant their attention.

"Brother Wenying, this place is really nice. It belongs to our Great Ming Dynasty."

Ping An turned to look at Mu Ying and spoke, his eyes shining with excitement.

Now that they were closer to land, Mu Ying and Ping An boarded the same warship.

Hearing what Ping An said, Mu Ying nodded: "That's right, this is our Great Ming Dynasty."

He said this with a humble expression, but his words were anything but humble.

There's nothing to be modest about; it's simply a fact.

As the two of them were talking, a ship from Tamna Island also approached.

There were nearly a thousand soldiers on the ship.

Holding a weapon in his hand, he shouted incoherently, looking quite arrogant.

However, although their ships looked quite large, they immediately appeared tiny and laughable when compared to the giant ships of the Ming Dynasty.

It's like a baby encountering a two-meter-tall strongman; the contrast is too obvious.

"What are these Koreans saying?" Ping An turned to ask.

I first heard the word "stick" from their godfather when I was talking to him a while ago.

Ping An felt that this word was very suitable and particularly fitting for referring to Goryeo.

Therefore, one will naturally remember it and apply it flexibly.

Upon hearing Ping An's question, someone spoke up: "They're asking who we are, how dare we come here, and telling us to stop immediately and not go any further."

"If we get any closer to the island, don't blame them for being ruthless."

"Hey! Damn it, these bastards! Isn't that a rhetorical question?"
Look at the size of our ship, he should know that we are people of the Ming Dynasty, yet he dares to pretend to be ignorant and spout nonsense!

They're really courting death!

Come on, let's raise our Great Ming banner and let them have a good look!

Upon hearing Ping An's words, someone immediately did as instructed.

Soon, the large flag bearing the character "Ming" was raised on the ship, fluttering in the wind.

The Goryeo general at the head of the small boat was clearly surprised and flustered upon seeing this scene.

“Tell them that we are envoys from the Ming Dynasty and are here to rest. Tell them to make way immediately and not to be rude.”

Mu Ying spoke, and the translator beside her immediately began to speak to them.

The Goryeo general on the small sampan looked even uglier.

But he showed no intention of moving aside and started babbling on and on.

He said they never receive envoys here, and if we lack supplies, we can stop here temporarily, and they will send the foster care over in a while.

They won't let us onto the island.

"Damn it, these bastards are so arrogant and domineering, they don't even know what's good for them!"

Are we still not allowed to go to the island?

Do they really think this island belongs to them?

Ping An couldn't help but curse, his face filled with anger.

"Brother Wenying, what do you think we should do about this?"

Not to mention that this time Zhu Yuanzhang said that Mu Ying should be the main person in charge, and Ping An should be the secondary person in charge.

Even if Zhu Yuanzhang hadn't issued such an order, Ping An would still have to obediently follow Mu Ying's orders.

"Order the fleet to turn, broadside the enemy, and fire!"
"If they won't let us go, then we'll attack!"

Ping An was thrilled by Mu Ying's order.

Great! Great! As expected of Brother Wenying, you didn't disappoint at all.

That's how you should deal with these arrogant and ignorant Koreans!

As soon as Mu Ying gave the order, the fleet quickly began to turn and prepare to bombard the enemy.

The Goryeo general on the sampan breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this scene.

I knew it! Even envoys from the Ming Dynasty wouldn't dare to be arrogant and domineering!
If you tell them to leave, they'll obediently leave!

(End of this chapter)