How can one be Emperor Chongzhen without money?

Chapter 236 Come on, let's all open our eyes and see the world!
Jeonju Prefecture in Joseon, formerly the prefectural government office, has now become the temporary palace of Huang Taiji, the Great Khan of the Jin Dynasty.

Wrapped in a thick sable fur coat, Huang Taiji sat in the main seat, his face slightly reddened by the charcoal fire. His hand stroked a finely crafted, unusually large iron-barreled musket, its barrel black and cool to the touch.

Kneeling below was a Japanese man dressed as a Japanese, none other than Yanagawa Ichiro, a retainer of the Tsushima Domain's Sō clan. His head was bowed low, and he spoke Chinese quite clearly.

"The might of the Great Khan is renowned far and wide. My lord, Lord Zongyicheng, respectfully presents ten 'National Friendship Guns' as a token of our respect."

Huang Taiji remained silent and handed the gun to Fan Wencheng, who was standing next to him. "Mr. Fan, take a look."

Fan Wencheng picked up the musket with both hands, examined it carefully, and weighed it in his hand. "Your Majesty, this musket is finely crafted and seems to be heavier than the muskets we usually capture from the Ming army."

Ichiro Yanagawa quickly replied, "Mr. Fan has a good eye. This musket was made by a famous craftsman in our country. It is accurate and has a long range. If the Great Khan is willing to accept it, my lord is willing to supply this kind of musket, as well as the best gunpowder, for a long time."

Huang Taiji squinted at Liuchuan and asked in broken Chinese, "Long-term supply? What do you Japanese want?"

Ichiro Yanagawa lowered his body even further and lowered his voice: "I dare not ask for more. I only beg the Great Khan to grant my lord permission to set up a trading post on Yeongdo Island, off the southern tip of Busan, to facilitate trade."

“Shadow Island?” Huang Taiji tapped his fingers on the armrest of his chair. “It’s hard to say who owns that place now.”

"Your Majesty is wise." Liu Chuan raised his head, his eyes shining. "That is precisely why we need Your Majesty's protection. If Your Majesty approves, the Tsushima Domain will be Your Majesty's eyes and arms at sea. Not only firearms and gunpowder, but also any overseas matters Your Majesty wants to know, such as the situation of those foreigners and Portuguese, we can inquire on your behalf."

These words really struck a chord with Huang Taiji. He waved his hand, telling Liu Chuan to step back and rest, saying he needed to think it over.

Ichiro Yanagawa bowed respectfully and withdrew.

Only Huang Taiji, Fan Wencheng, and Ning Wanwo, who had just been called in, remained in the room.

"Did you all hear that?" Huang Taiji asked.

Fan Wencheng spoke first: "Your Majesty, this matter... may be an opportunity. Our army excels in horsemanship and archery, but is weak in firearms and siege warfare. If we could have a stable supply of high-quality muskets, it would be like adding wings to a tiger."

Ning Wanye nodded in agreement: "Mr. Fan is right. Korea has been weakened by our recent conquests and plunder. If we can use this opportunity to control Yeongdo Island, it will be like holding Korea by the throat, and we can also gain access to overseas markets. However..."

“Just what?” Huang Taiji asked.

“However, the Japanese are cunning and cannot be trusted entirely. We can set up trading posts on Shadow Island, but the right to station troops there must be in our own hands. The opening and closing of the port is up to us,” Ning Wanwo added.

Huang Taiji stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the gray sky outside. He thought of the mountains of grain and fodder he had plundered during his recent invasion of Korea, the hundreds of thousands of men and women he had captured, and the tens of thousands of soldiers who were eating in Korea. Suddenly, the pressure on his hometown in Liaodong eased considerably.

North Korea is not only a piece of fat meat, but also a gateway.

He turned around abruptly: "You're right! The Japanese want to do business, fine. But this trade route must be controlled by our Great Jin! Send down the order to send more troops to firmly occupy Quanzhou, and that Yingdao Island in the south. Which prefecture and which route does it belong to? Send troops to guard it first!"

A slight smile appeared on his face: "I never expected that North Korea would be such a treasure trove, and such a bridgehead to the outside world!"

Japan, Edo Castle West Maru.

The third Tokugawa shogun, Ieyasu, sat with his legs crossed, his back ramrod straight, his young face serene. Yet, his slightly narrowed eyes held something unfathomable.

The senior Chinese scholar Matsudaira Nobutsuna knelt at the lower end, remaining silent.

The air felt a little stagnant.

Iemitsu's thoughts had already drifted back to the urgent report from Nagasaki a month ago.

Prince Zheng Zhilong of Jizhou in the Ming Dynasty...

He was quite familiar with that name. Back in Hirado, there was that shrewd and capable Fujianese man who hung out with Yan Siqi and Li Dan, exuding the stench of the sea. He even came to Edo to pay homage to his father, Hidetada. How did he suddenly become a prince of the Ming Dynasty?

And that title of "Admiral of the Beiyang Fleet" sounds intimidating. Why did the Ming emperor suddenly become so focused on maritime affairs? And why did he even grant Jeju Island of Korea to Zheng Zhilong?

He couldn't figure it out.

What bothered him even more was that the main branch of the Tsushima clan sent another message saying that the northern barbarian Khan Huang Taiji had led 100,000 troops to conquer Korea, and that the army had already entered Jeonju and might soon reach the southern coast of Korea.
It seems that the Mongol invaders used Korea as a base to attack Japan back then.

The Ming Dynasty, the nomadic tribes, Korea… these ropes suddenly became tangled together, taut and tight. Could Tokugawa Iemitsu still sit peacefully in Edo Castle, guarding this secluded peace?

difficult.

Zheng Zhilong arrived, bearing the banner of the Ming Dynasty. Huang Taiji moved, revealing his sharp fangs. If Japan continues to feign ignorance as before, one day another wave of Mongol invaders might break out, and then it will be too late!
Therefore, he issued two orders.

A message to Tsushima Soji: Send men with some good arquebuses to Korea to meet with Huang Taiji. Assess their strength and see if they can cause some trouble for the Ming Dynasty, preventing them from having too much of a smooth sea voyage. Also, it would be best to establish a few outposts on Korean soil.

Another plan was to "invite" Zheng Zhilong to Edo. He wanted to see for himself what kind of power this former pirate king, now a prince of the Ming Dynasty, had become.

"Lord General."

The attendant's cautious voice pulled Iemitsu back from his thoughts.

"His Highness Zheng Zhilong, Prince of Jizhou of the Great Ming Dynasty, has arrived outside the palace to await an audience."

Iemitsu took a deep breath, the slight ripple on his face instantly disappearing, and he returned to his dignified state as the Shogun. "Summon them."

The heavy palace doors slowly opened.

Zheng Zhilong strode in. His crimson python robe, a Ming Dynasty garment, stood out starkly in the dimly lit hall. With a jade belt around his waist and pink-soled official boots, his demeanor was composed and dignified; where was there any trace of his former maritime merchant days?
He walked into the hall, and following the etiquette of the Ming Dynasty, clasped his hands in a salute, and said in a loud voice: "Zheng Zhilong, the Prince of Jizhou and Commander-in-Chief of the Beiyang Fleet, conferred by the Emperor of the Great Ming Dynasty, pays his respects to the General of Japan!"

The Tokugawa retainers inside the palace couldn't help but frown.

This guy really thinks he's some kind of prince from the Celestial Empire!
Iemitsu nodded slightly, his voice steady: "Your Highness, you have had a long and arduous journey. Please take a seat."

Zheng Zhilong didn't stand on ceremony. After thanking him, he sat down on the tatami mat, his back still straight.

"I have heard that under your rule, General, the seas are calm and the rivers are clear, so I have come to pay my respects." Zheng Zhilong got straight to the point. "Now the northern barbarians are rampant and have invaded our vassal state, Korea. His Majesty the Emperor is benevolent and cannot bear to see the people suffer, so he has sent heavenly troops to quell them. I hope that your country will remember our neighborly relations and not allow these bandits to pass through your territory and disturb our coastal borders."

Iemitsu sneered inwardly, but showed no sign of it on his face: "I have taken note of what the Prince said. Japan is a small and poor country, and we only wish to remain closed off and guard our territory. We have no intention of getting involved in the conflicts outside the city. As for the matter of the Northern Barbarians, that is for the Celestial Empire to handle. It is not appropriate for our country to interfere."

The two exchanged barbs, each word laced with veiled barbs. Zheng Zhilong probed the shogunate's attitude towards the Later Jin, while Iemitsu remained tight-lipped, emphasizing only neutrality.

As he spoke, Zheng Zhilong changed the subject, his tone softening: "To be honest, General, I have come here on some personal matters. My wife, Ms. Tianchuan, and our young son, Mori, have been living in Hirado for a long time, and I often think of them. Now that I have been granted the imperial favor and the title of Prince, I wish to bring them back to the Ming Dynasty to reunite with my family, in order to fulfill the natural order of human relationships. I hope that you will grant my request."

Iemitsu's eyelids twitched. They'd come after all. Zheng Zhilong's wife and children were effectively hostages in Hirado. Zheng Zhilong hadn't obtained so many trade permits without a price.

His demand for people now is an attempt to reconcile his relationship with the Tokugawa shogunate!
Matsudaira Nobutsuna chimed in, speaking in an official tone: "His Highness's concern for his family is genuine and touching. However, Lady Tagawa has long resided in our country, and her son is studying in Nagasaki. Her sudden departure may cause inconvenience. This matter concerns the customs and traditions of both countries. Please allow us to discuss it carefully and we will certainly give His Highness a proper explanation."

Zheng Zhilong knew this matter couldn't be rushed, so he smiled and didn't press the issue. After exchanging a few more pleasantries, he got up to take his leave.

As Zheng Zhilong's figure in his python robe disappeared outside the hall, Iemitsu's face darkened.

"Beiyang Fleet..." he repeated the four words softly, his fingers tapping lightly on his knees.

Is the Ming Dynasty really going to expand into the sea?

Fort Zeelandia, Taiyuan Island.

Peter Nuyez, the Dutch East India Company's commander in Taiwan, was frowning at the accounts—they were losing money! The East India Company built a fortress and stationed troops on Taiwan Island to facilitate trade with the Ming Dynasty, ideally through a free trade monopoly held by the Dutch East India Company—only such trade could allow the East India Company to profit. If it were truly free, they would definitely lose money!

But the officials of the Ming Dynasty were all arrogant and aloof, making it harder than climbing to heaven to even meet them.

The Netherlands wants a monopoly? Forget about the door, they don't even have a window!

"Reporting, sir!" A soldier knocked on the door and entered. "There's a Chinese merchant outside requesting an audience. He says he's from Fuzhou and has important business to discuss."

“Fuzhou?” Nuyiz frowned. “Let him in.”

Before long, a thin Chinese man wearing a silk jacket walked in, smiling broadly, and handed over a letter sealed with sealing wax.

"Your Excellency, I have been entrusted by the Prince of Fu's Mansion of the Great Ming Dynasty to deliver a personal letter from His Highness the Prince of Fu."

"Prince Fu?" Nuyiz took the letter and opened it with suspicion. The letter was written in both Chinese and Latin, with polite wording, inviting him to the Prince's Palace in Fuzhou for a meeting to discuss trade matters.

Nuyuz looked at him twice, then stared at the Chinese man: "Prince Fu? A prince of the Ming Dynasty? Why do you want to see me?"

The merchant smiled and said, "Your Highness has long admired your country's strong ships and powerful cannons, as well as its abundant resources, and is eager to establish friendly relations. This invitation is made in good faith and has no ill intentions whatsoever."

Nuyiz's mind was in turmoil. A prince of the Ming Dynasty had taken the initiative to invite him? This was unprecedented! If it were true, wouldn't it mean that the opportunity to open up the Chinese market had arrived?
He suppressed his excitement and said as calmly as possible, "Go back and tell His Highness Prince Fu that Nuyiz is grateful for his kindness. Once I have made the arrangements, I will go to Fuzhou to pay my respects soon."

After seeing the businessman off, Nuyuz paced back and forth in his office, rubbing his hands excitedly. An opportunity! This was absolutely a God-given opportunity!
The West Warm Pavilion of the Qianqing Palace in the Forbidden City.

Emperor Chongzhen put down his vermilion brush and rubbed his throbbing temples. On his desk, the ink on the newly drafted "Provisional Regulations for Grain Coupons" was still wet.

He picked up two secret documents that had been delivered almost simultaneously.

One of the letters came from Uncle Fu in Fuzhou, saying that the Dutch chieftain intended to visit.

Another report was sent by Zheng Zhilong from Edo, Japan, detailing the reaction of the Japanese chieftain Tokugawa Iemitsu and Huang Taiji's movements in Korea, especially mentioning that the Japanese might provide firearms to the Tartars.

Emperor Chongzhen placed the two reports side by side, his finger unconsciously tapping on them.

The Dutch from Fujian, the Tokugawa clan of Japan, Hwang Tae-gil from Korea...

He stood up and walked to the window. Outside, the night was pitch black, and the glazed tiles of the Forbidden City gleamed faintly in the moonlight.

"Eat..." Chongzhen murmured to himself, as if speaking to himself, or perhaps to this sleeping empire.

"To make a living, we can't just rely on reform; we also need opening up."

(End of this chapter)