Emperor Chongzhen was too extreme.

Chapter 128: Offense Only, No Defense; Combat Strength Unknown

The next day.

Chen Jisheng got up very early and then led a group of people to Japan.

His Majesty already gave him instructions yesterday.

After arriving in Japan, he adopted a ruthless and unscrupulous approach.

You can say anything, make any promise, and sign any treaty.
Anyway, all that matters is getting the money back.

His Majesty's candid explanation naturally excited Chen Jisheng and his group.

On the one hand, acquiring silver would enable Korea to develop rapidly, contributing to the grand ambitions of the Ming Dynasty.

Their trip to raise money this time was of great significance.

On the other hand, that is...

In any case, this was the first time everyone had acted in this style, which made everyone feel novel.

However, this excitement was quickly dampened after everyone boarded the ship bound for Japan.

Although everyone had already thought of an excuse to borrow money from Japan before they set off.

But a plan is ultimately just a plan.

It wasn't that if they went to Japan and talked a lot, the Tokugawa Shogunate would lend them such a large sum of money without hesitation.

That's a whopping 15 million taels of silver.

Even among the patriarchs of prominent families in Jiangnan, this was a considerable sum of money.

How exactly to get hold of this money will have to wait until we land in Japan, and then we'll have to act according to the actual situation.

North Korea is not far from Japan; it will take about a few days to reach it.

Thinking about these things, Chen Jisheng sat in the cabin with his eyes closed in deep thought.

the other side.

Edo region of Japan.

After Tokugawa Ieyasu established the Edo Shogunate.

The so-called Emperor has become nothing more than a stray dog ​​on the roadside.

Now that the position of Shogun has passed to the third-generation core figure, Tokugawa Iemitsu, all power in Japan is now in his hands.

but.

Tokugawa Iemitsu, who had only recently ascended to power, was not complacent.

He was still pondering how to further consolidate his power.

At the same time, they were also planning how to pass on the power belonging to the Tokugawa family from generation to generation.

If nothing else happens.

Tokugawa Iemitsu would likely implement a policy of national isolation in Japan, and then continuously strengthen the central group, consolidating all power in Edo.

This is because it best serves the interests of the Tokugawa family.

However, just as a butterfly flapping its wings can cause a tsunami.

Anything that happens in neighboring countries will also affect Tokugawa Iemitsu's plans for the future.

these days.

Tokugawa Iemitsu had naturally heard about the Ming Dynasty army's landing in Korea.

From the moment he heard this intelligence, Tokugawa Iemitsu had different thoughts, and his horizons broadened accordingly.

Perhaps it was because Japan's long-standing imitation and learning from the Celestial Empire had become deeply ingrained in people's minds, or perhaps it was due to Tokugawa Iemitsu's lofty ambitions.

In any case, when he heard this news, his original plan for a closed-door policy was greatly diminished.

Is North Korea closed off from the world enough?
In recent years, however, Korea was first invaded from the rear by the Later Jin, and now it has been attacked from the front by the Ming Dynasty.

And what about the surrounding small countries? Are they enough to blockade us?
They were terrified of attracting the attention of major powers, but they could still be wiped out at any moment.
This shows that the policy of closing the country off from the world seems to be of little use.

Only by constantly strengthening oneself can one ensure the smooth transfer of power.

Tokugawa Iemitsu was also well aware that the fastest way to make himself stronger was to continuously plunder the resources of other countries.

The spoils he gains from a single raid by the ronin samurai he sends out might be something that would take a long time to achieve through stable development.

Think of this.

Tokugawa Iemitsu, who was not particularly tall and had a chonmage hairstyle, stood up and narrowed his eyes slightly.

The Ming emperor had only been on the throne for a short time, and I had only been in power for a short time as well.

Even when the Ming Dynasty was in complete decline, the emperor was able to lead an army to invade other countries.

Although we don't yet know the current situation.

But no matter what, does this mean that I can also achieve that level?

If the Ming Dynasty was accessible, why can't Japan?!

Moreover, Japan's current situation is even more suitable for taking this path than that of the Ming Dynasty.

There are many more suitable options.

Since the Kamakura Shogunate, the spirit of the samurai has been sown in the hearts of the Japanese people.

By the time of the Edo Shogunate, the spirit of the samurai had been further developed and gradually evolved into the Bushido of today.

Tokugawa Iemitsu believed that if he truly abandoned the policy of national isolation and instead embarked on a path of foreign aggression...

It will inevitably gain the support of the entire nation, and Japan will become the most powerful war machine in a short period of time.

It is clear.

If Japan follows this path, it will only become more powerful than the Ming Dynasty.

Why has Japan gone to great lengths and hardships to send envoys to learn from the Central Plains since thousands of years ago?
That's because their nation wants to keep getting stronger!

What is the purpose of becoming stronger?
It's all about trampling everyone who was ever stronger than you under your feet!

If this path can be successfully followed, then perhaps even the Ming Dynasty will be trampled underfoot by Japan!

after all.

For every ruler of Japan, the fertile Central Plains were extremely coveted.

No one is an exception.

Whoever can bring the vast Central Plains under their control will be the true ruler of the world!
Even if no one brings these things to the forefront.

But Tokugawa Iemitsu was also very clear about this.

Starting from the Tang Dynasty.

This was already an open secret among successive Japanese rulers.

It all comes down to who will be the first to break through this barrier.

but.

Tokugawa Iemitsu ultimately only thought about these things in his mind.

Changing national policy is a major national issue, and it's impossible to do it on a whim.

Even the closed-door policy he had previously planned to implement was only something he kept imagining in his mind and had not yet actually put into action.

Suppressing his emotions, Tokugawa Iemitsu summoned a trusted aide and instructed him: "Gather as much intelligence as possible about the Ming Dynasty in the coming days, from all aspects."

Tokugawa Iemitsu was extremely interested in what had happened in the Ming Dynasty recently.

He couldn't wait to learn everything that happened in the Ming Dynasty, then learn from it, surpass it, and finally trample it underfoot!

"Yes!" the subordinate replied and left.

After his subordinates left.

Tokugawa Iemitsu went alone to a quiet room, drew his katana from his waist, and began to carefully wipe it.

This samurai sword was left to him by his grandfather, Tokugawa Ieyasu, and is extremely precious.

Therefore, even Tokugawa Iemitsu, the ruler of a country, was extremely careful when wiping it, and dared not be negligent in the slightest.

After going through the entire process, more than an hour had passed.

Tokugawa Iemitsu carefully wiped the sweat from his forehead, then washed his hands before placing the sword on the sword rack with utmost reverence.

Just then, a ray of sunlight pierced through the room and shone on the samurai sword.

The incredibly sharp, bloodthirsty katana reflected a cold light, shining directly onto Tokugawa Iemitsu's face.

Seeing the katana gleaming with cold light, Tokugawa Iemitsu straightened his kneeling body.

Will the precious sword left by my ancestors become even sharper in my hands?
What exactly happened in the Ming Dynasty recently?
soon.

Another day has passed.

Inside the capital of Korea.

Mao Wenlong and his colleagues were busy handling various affairs in the city.

Meanwhile, outside the capital, a group of Later Jin envoys with tassels and scalloped rat tails were rushing towards the capital.

in fact.

If this group of Later Jin envoys had paused for even a moment or asked around, they would have known that the capital of North Korea had changed drastically.

But no way.

It's because these people are too eager to improve.

The moment Li Zong's men arrived in Later Jin and informed them that the Ming emperor had already come to Korea.

The entire Later Jin dynasty seemed to go mad and began to assemble a massive army.

These envoys barely slept at all during the journey.

Just to seize every opportunity to come here and tell Li Zong:
withstand!

Just hold on for a few more days and my Later Jin army will arrive. We will surely capture the Ming emperor alive! All you need to do is stay in the city and hold them off!
Also, be careful not to take the initiative and scare the Ming emperor away!
Capturing the Ming emperor alive would be an unparalleled feat. It's as alluring as the carrot in front of a mule, drawing all attention away from everything else.

Ever since.

This group of Later Jin envoys arrived in the capital of Joseon and were captured on the spot—their raven-tail hairstyles were so conspicuous that they couldn't help but be arrested.

then.

Mao Wenlong then began interrogating the group of Later Jin envoys.

Although it was called an interrogation, Mao Wenlong's methods were rather crude.

They were so crude that they had already beaten several Later Jin envoys to death before realizing they hadn't even started asking questions.

However, this also has an advantage.

After several people died, the remaining Later Jin envoys quickly poured out all the answers, like beans spilling from a bamboo tube.

The Later Jin dynasty attached great importance to this operation and assembled an army of 50,000 within just a few days.

This army of 50,000 will arrive in the Korean capital in about three to five days at most.

Moreover, these messengers were not notified before their arrival.

Mao Wenlong could also foresee that, given the importance Jin would place on this matter in the future, these 50,000 people would inevitably only be the first wave of advance troops.

Once these 50,000 men arrive in Korea, the Later Jin will inevitably send more troops to reinforce them.

With this intelligence in hand.

Without lingering, Mao Wenlong immediately led a group of generals to Zhu Youjian to report:
"Your Majesty, we have just extracted information from the Later Jin envoy: the Later Jin have amassed an army of 50,000 and will be besieging the capital in about three to five days!"

Listening to Mao Wenlong's report, Zhu Youjian nodded slightly.

But his gaze remained fixed on the map on the table in front of him.

This map of North Korea shows some of the Later Jin's military outposts on the border between the two countries.

Mao Wenlong, oblivious to anything amiss, exchanged glances with the other generals and continued speaking:
"Your Majesty, Li Zong's elite troops in the city have been completely wiped out. There are still tens of thousands of garrison troops left in the city, and all the food and supplies are readily available."

"In addition, with over ten thousand elite troops from our Great Ming Dynasty, as long as we rely on the strong defenses of the Joseon capital, the Later Jin army is not really a threat."

"Moreover, winter is coming soon, and the Later Jin will definitely not be able to effectively guarantee their logistics and military supplies while fighting in a foreign country. After failing to conquer the country for a long time, they will inevitably have to withdraw in disappointment."

"Therefore, I believe that as long as we go and announce to the whole city now, and tell all the soldiers that the Later Jin are about to invade, we can successfully deal with this crisis."

After saying this, Mao Wenlong fell silent and stood there quietly waiting.

He didn't say these words casually; rather, they were made after everyone had discussed them, and he finally presented this decision to His Majesty.

First of all.

North Korea must be defended, otherwise all the efforts made by the Ming army after their arduous journey would be in vain, as it would only benefit the Later Jin.

Second.

Let's analyze it from a realistic perspective.

The capital can be defended.

It is true that the Later Jin army was powerful, but they were more adept at field battles.

Attacking a city without several times the number of troops is generally not very effective, especially against the most fortified city like the capital.

Such a feat as Your Majesty, leading ten thousand men to breach a city, is ultimately unrepeatable.

So it's not just Mao Wenlong.

The other generals believed that the most important thing to do at the moment was to get the city into war preparations as soon as possible.

But Zhu Youjian shook his head in response to the expectant gazes of the crowd.

He was naturally aware of what Mao Wenlong and the others were thinking.

However, no matter how well tactically prepared one is, it cannot make up for a lack of strategic vision.

Using the capital of Korea as a base, all forces were concentrated here to defend the city, and the Later Jin could not easily break through the city.

But this raises a problem.

That is, once the powerful families in Shandong and Liaodong heard the news, they would inevitably send troops to collude with the Later Jin.

Perhaps we can find a way to fight our way out based on the actual situation.

But all his plans upon arriving in North Korea were rendered futile.

The manpower in the royal entourage will inevitably be greatly depleted.

Settle for the next best thing.

Even if the Later Jin did not choose to collude with these forces, they would retreat after failing to capture the city and occupy other Korean cities.

Then all his plans in North Korea were wasted.

Because Zhu Youjian was well aware that the Ming Dynasty had only captured the capital of Korea, but in reality, it had no control over Korea.

The Later Jin could keep at it in Korea, but he didn't have time to waste even a single day with the Later Jin.

And there is an even more crucial point.

Once the city is defended, many things will be exposed.

For example, this would make the Later Jin realize that the current imperial procession is not as powerful as outsiders imagine.

to be honest.

Currently, Zhu Youjian's core team consists of only a mere ten thousand people.

Facing the crowd, Zhu Youjian said calmly, "If the Later Jin army were to set foot in Korea, then regardless of whether they attack the city or not, the Ming Dynasty would have already lost."

"So what we need to do now is not to think about how to defend the city, but to prevent the Later Jin from daring to set foot in Korean territory."

Upon hearing this, Mao Wenlong and the others frowned, exchanged glances, and then immediately began to think quickly.

They were not quite sure why His Majesty said that they would lose as soon as the Later Jin army set foot in Korea.

But sometimes, many things are just a matter of a thin layer of paper separating them.

With His Majesty's guidance.

These people quickly figured out the reason behind it.

Then everyone was shocked.

Fortunately, His Majesty had planned ahead meticulously, taking all possible scenarios into account.

Otherwise, they might foolishly decide to defend the city to the death.

Even if one possesses extraordinary abilities and strategies, they will likely find no use in them at that point.

However, at such a critical juncture, no one had the mind to say anything flattering or sycophantic.

The most important thing to do now is to figure out how to deal with the Later Jin.

The group fell into deep thought once again.

Zhu Youjian sat quietly in front, waiting for them to speak.

Soon, Mao Wenlong had an idea.

Combined with what His Majesty just said, which prevented the Later Jin from venturing into Korea.

Mao Wenlong instantly realized something, and he couldn't help but take two steps forward, tentatively asking:

"Your Majesty, shouldn't we take the initiative and use our intelligence advantage to catch the Later Jin army off guard?!"

Zhu Youjian nodded, but did not directly agree to Mao Wenlong's request to fight.

Mao Wenlong was half right.

The Ming Dynasty should take the initiative now, but it should not attack the Later Jin army.

A hasty attack on the Later Jin army would only allow the enemy to quickly see the strength of our side and launch a greater counterattack.

Unless said.

The Ming Dynasty's single attack annihilated the entire 50,000-strong army.

But this is obviously impossible.

What the Ming Dynasty should attack now are the strongholds that the Later Jin have placed on the Korean border.

After clearing out those weak strongholds.

They then widely publicized to the Later Jin that they had destroyed Korea.

Eliminating these strongholds now is merely a convenient matter for the Ming Dynasty.

This prevented the Later Jin from seeing the true strength of the Ming Dynasty.

of course.

That alone is not enough.

We also need to employ some other psychological tactics to leave the Later Jin side with enough room for imagination.

Thus.

Only then can they be deterred from setting foot in North Korea.

In fact.

Whether in war or in life, people don't actually need to be that strong.

Simply projecting an image of strength, or rather, making your enemies believe you are strong enough, is perfectly sufficient.

If this can be achieved, the enemy will naturally not dare to make a move easily.

Just like when someone wants to mess with you, they can't just bully you to death right away.

They must have tested your weakness before escalating their actions step by step.

This has nothing to do with any scheme; it's just human nature.

(End of this chapter)