Emperor Chongzhen was too extreme.

Chapter 131 Don't be afraid, I'm just borrowing your heads.

at the same time.

Japan.

After Chen Jisheng and others landed in Japan.

Without taking any rest, they headed directly to Edo, the current political center of Japan.

Meanwhile, Tokugawa Iemitsu, the shogun of the Edo shogunate, was also lost in thought after hearing that the Ming Dynasty had sent envoys to Japan.

The Ming Dynasty hasn't sent envoys to Japan for many years. What is their purpose in sending them here so suddenly?
In addition, he had just conceived the idea of ​​weighing the Ming Dynasty a couple of days ago.

Tokugawa Iemitsu was also very curious for a moment.

He immediately received Chen Jisheng and his entourage with a rather grand ceremony.

When Tokugawa Iemitsu heard that the Ming Dynasty, under the leadership of its new emperor, had conquered Korea and executed King Injo, he was deeply disappointed.

Tokugawa Iemitsu, who was kneeling on the futon, immediately sat up straight.

He then immediately led the civil and military officials in the room to solemnly bow to the Ming Dynasty's imperial banner.

and.

Tokugawa Iemitsu also proposed on the spot that Japan send a large number of envoys to the Ming Dynasty to learn more about its culture.

Chen Jisheng readily agreed.

Tokugawa Iemitsu then treated Chen Jisheng and his group with the utmost courtesy, which need not be elaborated upon further.

In Tokugawa Iemitsu's view...

We can exchange some insignificant gifts for valuable experience in learning from more powerful countries.

It’s simply a blood profit!
but.

When Tokugawa Iemitsu heard that the Ming Dynasty wanted to borrow money from him, his expression immediately turned cold.

of course.

They're the kind of people who are cold inside but still act warmly on the outside.

To be honest, the Ming Dynasty's sincerity in borrowing money was quite satisfactory.

The envoy offered the reputation of the Ming Emperor and the entire Ming Dynasty as collateral, along with substantial benefits, and his attitude was extremely sincere.

It certainly looks like they're asking for money.

However, these conditions were not enough to truly sway Tokugawa Iemitsu.

While the interest of ten million taels over two years was indeed substantial, it wasn't particularly attractive to Japan, a country rich in silver.

the most important is.

The Ming Dynasty's move to borrow money from Japan made Tokugawa Iemitsu sense a sign of weakness.

Although we don't yet know the current state of the Ming Dynasty, this action reveals a lot.

If a sufficiently powerful country were to ask Japan for a loan, they would gladly accept.

Because he could take the opportunity to propose learning from powerful countries, thereby enhancing his own strength.

Tokugawa Iemitsu considered this a very worthwhile deal.

But they are unwilling to do so with weaker nations!
The Ming emperors didn't seem as powerful as I imagined? Or was luck a large part of their conquest of Korea?

Or perhaps it means that the Ming Dynasty's recent unusual actions are just a temporary resurgence.

Otherwise, why would the Ming Dynasty emperors borrow money from Japan?

For a powerful ruler, making money shouldn't be too difficult, right?

Think of this.

Tokugawa Iemitsu neither directly agreed to Chen Jisheng's loan request, nor did he directly refuse it.

He wanted to wait until his men found out the details before deciding whether or not to lend money to the Ming Dynasty.

This process will take about a month.

We should take advantage of this time to extract more information about the Ming Dynasty from Chen Jisheng and others.

They will ask me for something, so I will definitely tell them everything I know.

This can be taken good advantage of.

the other side.

After concluding their conversation with Huang Taiji, Mao Wenlong and his entourage entered the border city.

As soon as he entered the city, Mao Wenlong immediately asked the question that he had been pondering for a long time.

"Your Majesty, will Japan obediently hand over the money?"

As soon as Mao Wenlong finished speaking, the other officials and generals immediately turned their attention to Zhu Youjian.

Although it was nominally a loan, everyone now regarded the money as something that the Ming Dynasty was entitled to.

Over the years, Japan has allowed ronin samurai to plunder far more than 15 million taels of silver from the borders of the Ming Dynasty.
We're just collecting some interest for now.

the most important is.

If you don't give me money, how can I develop civilian and military capabilities, and how can I destroy you in two years?

Therefore, both morally and logically, Japan has no choice but to obediently hand over the money.

Putting aside the facts, is Japan completely without fault?
Asking to borrow money from you is a sign of respect; don't be ungrateful.

but.

Everyone still felt uneasy about the money they were entitled to.

Before things are accomplished, no one knows what the final outcome will be.

If Chen Jisheng hadn't succeeded in bringing back the silver, if Japan had delayed for a while, if Japan had played some tricks during that time...

So what should the Ming Dynasty do next in Korea?
Although no one wanted to face this situation, necessary preparations still needed to be made in advance.

Hearing Mao Wenlong's question, Zhu Youjian pulled his thoughts back from his conversation with Huang Taiji.

Zhu Youjian had considered whether Japan was willing to lend him money.

However, he has been busy dealing with peace talks with the Later Jin these past two days, so he hasn't focused on that.

Now we can start to deal with this matter.

Will Japan be able to lend money to the Ming Dynasty smoothly?

Judging from the allure of high interest rates and various promises, coupled with the ulterior motives of the Edo Shogunate.

Japan might agree to the Ming Dynasty's request for a loan.

But this is not a guarantee.

in other words.

The conditions available at hand were not enough to convince Japan to willingly lend money to the Ming Dynasty.

Therefore, if we want to ensure everything goes smoothly, we need to put more pressure on them.

As long as there is pressure, Japan will certainly not dare not lend.

Because Zhu Youjian, having been through it all, understood this very well.

Japan, as a country or a race, is somewhat different from other races.

for example.

When a normal person is attacked, they either choose to fight back or choose to feign submission.

But some people, after being beaten, will willingly submit to you and show you the utmost respect.

Then, after I've learned enough from you and become stronger,

He will then decisively strike and kill you.

This is pretty much the nature of Japan.

It sounds similar to the story of "enduring hardship and biding one's time," but in essence, they are quite different.

Because Goujian knew he was enduring humiliation and bearing heavy burdens.

But Japan is capable of genuinely serving countries that are more powerful than itself.

Throughout this process, he did not develop much rebellious intention.

They can even brainwash themselves and derive a certain pleasure from being a dog.

This is a typical case of showing courtesy in small matters but lacking in righteousness, or in other words, fearing power but not morality.

Regardless of whether this extreme admiration for the strong is good or bad.

In any case, Zhu Youjian could use this to achieve his own goals.

Zhu Youjian looked at Mao Wenlong and the others and said, "Let's go back to the capital first, and we'll talk about it when we get back."

Mao Wenlong and the others nodded, but their worries only deepened.

His Majesty's reaction made them realize that relying solely on huge interest rates and verbal promises was ultimately not enough to ensure security.

How will His Majesty handle this matter? It's not so easy to resolve.

After all, Japan was far away in a foreign land, and the Ming Dynasty could not exert much direct influence on it.

After half a day.

Zhu Youjian and his entourage returned to the capital of Joseon.

Once back.

Zhu Youjian did not wait for Mao Wenlong and the others to ask questions.

He then led them directly to the palace, pointed to a map of Korea, and said:
"If we want Japan to honestly lend silver to the Ming Dynasty, we must start from the Korean border."

"Several cities along the North Korean coast have been plagued by Japanese pirates in recent years, and there are dozens of pirate gathering points on the islands near these cities."

"What the Ming Dynasty needs to do now is to wipe out these Japanese pirate strongholds and then send their heads to Japan."

Upon hearing Zhu Youjian's words, Mao Wenlong and the others instantly understood His Majesty's intentions.

They also understood the character of Japan, a small country, and knew that it had a certain degree of snobbishness.

So if the Ming Dynasty could eliminate the Japanese pirates in the Korean region and then send their heads to be exhibited...

Under such coercion and enticement, Japan would certainly not dare to refuse to lend money anymore.

They might even borrow more money.

Mao Wenlong had also thought of this solution on the way.

However, if you want to use this method to achieve your goal, you will find that there is a difficult gap in front of you.

That is, those small-scale groups of Japanese pirates are extremely difficult to eliminate.

There was simply no way to gather enough Japanese pirate heads to send to Japan in such a short time.

Because the strongholds of the Japanese pirates were usually located on islands near the border.

When they hear rumors that an army is heading their way, they immediately flee to the sea or other islands.

By the time the army sent to wipe out the Japanese pirates got close, they had already vanished without a trace.

Even if the army landed on the island with the intention of venting their anger and smashed and burned down their strongholds, it wouldn't actually have much of an effect.

The Wokou were all composed of samurai who did not engage in production and relied mainly on robbery for their livelihood.

When fleeing, one must definitely carry valuables such as gold and silver with them.

As a result, all that was left for the army to suppress them were a few dilapidated houses.

All that effort was wasted, and in the end, all that was done was destroy a few thatched huts.

Moreover, they can always come back and rebuild a few better ones.

This is an unacceptable and unprofitable deal for any party.

Even Qi Jiguang, back then, didn't have a very good solution for dealing with these Japanese pirates who would immediately run away at the first sign of trouble.

Otherwise, there wouldn't still be so many Japanese pirates in the coastal areas of the Ming Dynasty.

same.

If these Japanese pirates were so easy to deal with, the original Joseon Dynasty would never have allowed them to exist for so long.

Even said.

Li Zong was unable to resolve the issue of these Japanese pirates, but he wanted to minimize the extent of the damage.

There was a subtle sense of tacit understanding between the Yi Jong regime and the Japanese pirates.

In other words: I can turn a blind eye if you don't rob North Korea too much normally.

Later, everyone can team up to raid nearby merchant ships; that would yield even greater profits.

Li Zong's move may have been an attempt to win over the enemy, or it may have been a strategy to gradually lull them into a false sense of security before wiping them out in one fell swoop.

But none of that matters now, Li Zong is dead.

The only useful piece of information that remained was that some officials in Korea had connections with the Japanese pirates.

As for the Ming Dynasty at present...

If the Ming Dynasty wanted to wipe out the Japanese pirates in the surrounding areas, it wasn't entirely without a solution.

However, this is conditional upon requiring a significant investment of energy and time.

Mao Wenlong didn't know how long it would take.

Anyway, the month that His Majesty managed to secure was simply not enough.

However, Mao Wenlong was also aware of this.

Your Majesty must have given this matter considerable thought before speaking of the matter of eliminating the Japanese pirates.

But what method will Your Majesty use to deal with those Japanese pirates this time?

Call them in for a meeting? Bribe them with benefits? Sow discord and win them over? Utilize distant alliances while attacking nearby ones? Or something else entirely?
But none of these methods seem to be effective in a short period of time...

What the Ming Dynasty lacks most right now is time.

Mao Wenlong and the other generals exchanged glances, and saw that everyone was frowning and deep in thought.

Obviously.

No one could come up with a suitable way to wipe out the Japanese pirates.

Finally, Mao Wenlong had no choice but to ask:
"Your Majesty, the Japanese pirates have always been cunning. At the slightest sign of trouble, they will flee to the sea and are extremely difficult to capture."

"We are foolish and cannot think of any good way to apprehend them. Do you have any guidance for us?"

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone turned to look at Zhu Youjian with eager eyes.

Although the current situation makes everyone seem somewhat incompetent, this is only a superficial incompetence.

Leaving aside the tight schedule and heavy workload, there are also several powerful forces outside that are eyeing them covetously.

And the most important thing is.

They had only been in North Korea for a few days at most.

These past few days, everyone has been so busy that they haven't had much sleep.

In this situation, even Zhuge Liang would have to say it's a difficult problem.

Zhu Youjian was naturally prepared for the expectant gazes of the crowd.

Those Japanese pirates might indeed be difficult to deal with for others.

But to him they were just a bunch of petty thieves.

The Japanese pirates like to run away? Then we'll use a scheme to make them obediently wait to be killed.

Zhu Youjian gave the direct order:
"First, send someone overnight to inform the Japanese pirates along the nearby coast that the Ming army has captured the capital of Korea."

"However, the former King of Joseon, Yi Jong, took advantage of the chaos to escape the capital and fled to the sea with his people. The Ming army will send troops to pursue Yi Jong tomorrow, so they need not panic."

Mao Wenlong immediately replied, "Your Majesty, are you planning to use the pretext of pursuing Li Zong to pass through those Japanese pirate strongholds and then launch a surprise attack on them?"

Zhu Youjian nodded: "Yes, but there is one thing we need to pay attention to when we send troops tomorrow. Even if the actual number of troops can be small, the scale of the campaign must be large enough."

"To make those Japanese pirates think that the Ming Dynasty would not send troops at such a great cost for their small group of people."

After hearing this, Mao Wenlong and the others exchanged glances and simultaneously showed their delight: This move works!

There were already some people in Korea who had connections with the Japanese pirates, so it was perfect to have these people give the Japanese pirates a heads-up.

If the Japanese pirates received prior warning, their vigilance would be somewhat reduced.

The Japanese pirates would be even more reassured when they saw that the Ming Dynasty had dispatched hundreds of warships the next day.

A Japanese pirate stronghold only had a few dozen or a hundred ronin living there.

You're saying the Ming Dynasty dispatched hundreds of warships just to wipe out these few dozen people?
No one would believe that if it happened to them.

Even if some of the more cautious Japanese pirates realized something was wrong and ran away, it didn't matter.

Because all the Ming Dynasty needed to do was seize enough Japanese pirate heads during this surprise attack to intimidate Japan.

In this way, Japan's concerns about not being willing to lend money instantly disappeared.

They achieved their goal.

Mao Wenlong took a deep breath and replied loudly, "Your Majesty, I understand. I will now take men to handle this matter!"

With Zhu Youjian nodding in approval, Mao Wenlong and the others immediately left the room to begin preparations.

Before dispersing.

The group exchanged glances, all unable to hide their excitement.

Once the Japanese silver arrives, Korea will become part of the Ming Dynasty's territory.

Even if the Later Jin were to lurk nearby, they were confident they could withstand their offensive.

Simultaneously.

The people's admiration for His Majesty grew even stronger.

Whenever faced with a desperate situation, His Majesty always manages to come up with an unexpected solution in a very short time.

And the solutions proposed by His Majesty are often the most effective, just like now.

Thinking about this, everyone couldn't help but feel hopeful for the future of the Ming Dynasty.

Under Your Majesty's leadership, the Ming Dynasty will surely prosper!
Not long after.

With the tireless efforts of Mao Wenlong and others, as well as their coercion and enticement.

The officials who were originally under Yi Jong's command in Joseon quickly became loyal dogs of the Ming Dynasty.

The various Japanese pirate strongholds along the Korean coast also quickly received notifications from North Korea:

Korea was destroyed, and King Injo fled.

The Ming army is going to sea tomorrow to capture Li Zong. Do not act rashly. This matter has nothing to do with you.

If you make any rash moves, and the Ming army mistakenly identifies you as an accomplice of Li Zong and eliminates you tomorrow, then you'll be in deep trouble.

Faced with this announcement.

The various Japanese pirate strongholds, large and small, generally exhibited three different mindsets in response to this.

The first scenario is that as soon as they receive the news, they immediately decide to run away.

When did the Ming Dynasty arrive in Korea? How come I haven't heard a single thing about Korea being destroyed?!

Anyway, no matter what, the Ming Dynasty's strength is just too terrifying, so I'd better run away.

Don't let the blood splatter on me!
However, this is a very small minority.

Because running back and forth is quite a hassle.

Most people don't have the courage to immediately leave their comfort zone at the slightest hint of trouble.

The second scenario is that when one side receives the news, the other side immediately feels reassured.

The Ming Dynasty was able to conquer Korea in such a short time. With such great strength, it's impossible that they would even bother with my measly trifles.

Anyway, they've already said they're going to sea to pursue Li Zong, and it has nothing to do with us.

Then we don't need to pay attention to it, we can just stay on the island and sleep soundly.

same.

This is extremely rare; most Japanese pirates weren't that stupid.

The third option is to wait until tomorrow to find out the specific situation before making any adjustments.

This mentality was the most common and the most prevalent among the Japanese pirates.

Most people were waiting to see what the Ming Dynasty army would do before deciding whether to run or not based on the actual situation.

soon.

The next day arrived.

Under the bright sunshine.

Hundreds of imposing warships set sail from the coastal cities of Korea under the pretext of pursuing and suppressing Yi Jong, making a very grand spectacle.

Such a large fleet of ships.

Given the current strength of the Ming Dynasty, it was naturally impossible to assemble and equip the soldiers, sailors, and all necessary supplies overnight.

Therefore, this fleet can be described as a mere shell.

However, for the Ming Dynasty, what they wanted was merely a superficial product.

Because we were notified in advance.

The Japanese pirates along the coast also focused their attention on the fleet the moment it set sail.

At the very beginning.

These people were still a little nervous, wondering if the Ming Dynasty's sudden dispatch of troops was aimed at them.

If that's the case, then I'd better pack my things and run away quickly, lest I fall into the hands of the Ming Dynasty's executioners.

After all, the Ming Dynasty was no pushover, having defeated Li Zong in such a short time.

but.

When these people saw that the Ming Dynasty had dispatched hundreds of warships at once, their hearts, which had been hanging in suspense, instantly settled down.

It seems that the Ming Dynasty was indeed preparing to go to sea to pursue Li Zong, otherwise they would not have mobilized such a large number of troops.

In that case, there's nothing to worry about the Ming Dynasty fleet passing by.

It's impossible to send out hundreds of warships on such a large scale.

Is it all just to wipe out dozens or hundreds of samurai on my island?

I wouldn't believe you even if you said it.

not to mention.

People will do the beheading business, but no one will do a business that loses money.

Such a large-scale mobilization of troops.

If it were only for a few dozen people on our island, how much wealth would the Ming Dynasty have to afford such extravagance?

What kind of idiot would do something like that?

Just stay on the island and let the Ming army get there; that's all.

It wouldn't be good if I made any sudden moves and was mistaken for an accomplice of Li Zong.

If the Ming army were to send out troops in small groups, that would truly mean they were coming for us.

There's absolutely no need to worry about this situation!
This is the most genuine and simple thought in the hearts of many Japanese pirate strongholds.

It's like if someone pushes a cannon out to kill a chicken, the chicken certainly won't think that the person is going to use the cannon to bombard it.

It won't hide even if it sees you.

But soon.

Many Japanese pirate strongholds found that their ideas seemed to be wrong.

Because when Ming ships passed by their island, a group of men would suddenly appear, claiming they were searching for Li Zong's remnants.

However, after landing on the island, those people did not search for any remnants of Li Zong.

Instead, he held a gleaming steel sword in his hand, a mocking smile playing on his lips as he looked at these ronin samurai:

"Don't be afraid, we just want to borrow your heads, we have no other intentions."

(End of this chapter)