I

Edo, shogunate.

All the six ministers under Tokugawa Iemitsu who were still alive gathered together.

After listening to Lin Efeng's diplomatic report, the general of the shogunate Matsudaira Nobutsuna shouted: "The Tang State has bullied others too much. If the Satsuma Domain just asked the Satsuma Domain to pay compensation and apologize, it could be tolerated for the time being. But they punished the Hirado Domain! Two powerful domains suffered in a row. , if the shogunate still does not send troops, where is the majesty of your Excellency General? We should summon the troops from all over the country to fight to the death with those Tang soldiers!"

Hota Masamori came from a relatively humble background and had a clearer view of the middle and lower classes of Japan. He advised: "Sir, our country has suffered from natural disasters for many years and has forced large armies to fight. I am afraid that the common people will be embarrassed everywhere. At least I, the Sakura Domain, have not. Enough food to fight the war."

When the people revolt, it is a peasant uprising.

Years of floods, droughts, and snowstorms have caused headaches not only for Zhao Han, but also for the Japanese generals and feudal lords.

The Tokugawa shogunate reformed agricultural policies, encouraged farmers to open up wasteland, inhibited land annexation, and implemented unified planting, marketing, and purchasing of agricultural products in response to natural disasters.

Abe Tadaki's character was more tactful and he did not express his attitude. Instead, he said: "You can contact the Dutch first to see if the Netherlands is willing to jointly send troops."

However, Ota Shizune was a man of culture and was familiar with Confucian classics. He echoed: "China is like Qin, and although Japan is also strong, it is only like Qi. In this case, it is time to unite vertically and horizontally." Netherlands There were many disputes with Chinese merchants during trade in Nagasaki, so maybe the Netherlands is really willing to fight together."

Abe Shigetsu also said: "If the Netherlands sends troops, its ships are strong and its artillery is powerful, it will definitely defeat the Tang soldiers at sea. Japan is far away from the Tang Dynasty by the ocean. As long as it can defeat the Tang navy, no matter how powerful the Tang army is, it will have no roots in Japan." Wood."

Several important ministers, you and I, seem to agree to form an alliance with the Netherlands.

Tokugawa Iemitsu is also tempted, but has not yet made a decision. He looked at Lin Luoshan and asked, "You stopped talking several times. What do you want to say?"

Lin Luoshan bowed his hands to everyone: "I once went to Nanjing as an envoy. Today's China is different from the past. The Chinese Emperor Zhao Han started from a humble beginning and was originally just a slave. He not only raised troops to defeat the Ming Dynasty, rebels and barbarians, but also The land of the big landlords was also distributed equally to the poor people. In China today, the people have enough food and clothing, and you can't even find beggars in the big cities. Even the farmers in remote mountain villages are willing to die for the Chinese emperor."

"The Chinese army, which is separated from soldiers and peasants, numbers in the hundreds of thousands. The Chinese army, which combines soldiers and peasants, is said to have millions of soldiers. Once a war breaks out with China, even if its navy is wiped out, China will have enough money to build warships. By then, the number of people coming to Japan will not be 10,000, but 100,000 or 200,000!"

Ota Zizong had a good relationship with Lin Luoshan. The two had also collaborated on compiling the genealogy of the Wu family. He smiled and said: "Your Excellency is alarmist. How can the Chinese emperor afford millions of troops?"

Tokugawa Iemitsu turned to ask the guard behind him: "You have also been to Tang Dynasty, please tell me."

Yagyu Jubei has succeeded his father's position and is the intelligence chief of the Tokugawa Shogunate. He replied: "China is indeed rich and has a strong military. Millions of soldiers may not be possible, but hundreds of thousands of troops are possible."

Matsudaira Nobutsuna said disdainfully: "Even if there are ten million Tang soldiers, as long as their navy is destroyed, they can still swim to Japan to fight?"

Tokugawa Iemitsu felt that this statement was reasonable. The Mongols were so powerful at the time. Wouldn't they be wiped out by a divine wind when they attacked Japan?

After thinking for a long time, Tokugawa Iemitsu said: "First test the attitude of the Dutch."

…

Nagasaki, Dejima.

"What? War with the Tang State?" Hasegawa Gonroku was inexplicably shocked.

Lin Efeng sighed: "We haven't decided whether to go to war yet, let's test the Dutch's ideas first."

Hasegawa Gonroku said: "You don't need to test to know that the Netherlands does not dare to fight the Tang Dynasty, but it will lie to us and say that it is willing to send troops."

"Why is that so?" Lin Efeng asked.

Hasegawa Gonroku explained: "The Dutch merchant chief came to see me again and again and encouraged me to cut off trade with China. However, they only dared to rob Chinese merchant ships secretly and did not dare to fight openly. They would only let them go if they were sure. We will attack Chinese merchant ships only if any ship is involved.”

The position of Hasegawa Gonroku is called "Nagasaki Executive".

This is not a local official position, but the person in charge of foreign trade for the entire Japan. He only acts under the orders of Tokugawa Iemitsu, and also has some diplomatic powers.

Hasegawa Gonroku has been dealing with the Dutch for more than ten years. When a Dutchman sticks his ass out, he knows what he's going to do.

Hasegawa Gonroku said: "If we start a war with the Tang Dynasty, I am afraid that the merchants in the three capitals (Edo, Osaka, and Kyoto) will start a riot before the shogunate sends troops."

Lin Efeng asked in confusion: "What's the matter with merchants?"

Hasegawa Gonroku explained: "Many of those Tang maritime merchants were agents of merchants from Sandu!"

Lin Efeng suddenly realized this and was dumbfounded at the same time.

Tokugawa Iemitsu's isolation from the country could only lock down local feudal lords, but instead benefited Japan's big businessmen.

China and the Netherlands shipped goods and seemed to be trading with the shogunate. But those who actually handled it were wealthy Japanese merchants from Edo, Osaka, and Kyoto. Only they could turn foreign goods into silver. In addition, the taxes in kind collected by the shogunate and feudal lords were also converted into money through merchants.

Rich businessmen are also competing with each other, and they are wildly willing to directly pay Chinese people to act as agents.

As long as a small Chinese businessman has access to both sides. Then he could get nothing, take money from wealthy Japanese businessmen, rent ships from shipowners along the coast of China, hire sailors, and then find Chinese suppliers to get the goods and transport them to Nagasaki for sale. And there is no need to worry about sales. If a wealthy Japanese businessman invests, this wealthy businessman will take all the money.

Even the contents of the traded goods are given by wealthy Japanese merchants in advance, and Chinese merchants use the list to purchase goods.

The two countries went to war, foreign trade was cut off, and the wealthy chambers of commerce in Japan's three capitals exploded!

All Japanese feudal lords, including the shogunate, were debtors to the wealthy merchants of the three capitals. Once the capital chain of wealthy Japanese businessmen is broken, they will definitely find ways to collect debts. They certainly wouldn't dare to ask for it by force, but they can definitely stop lending money to the feudal lord - and the reason is very good, I have no money in my hands.

At that time, regardless of the outcome of the war, Japan's powerful men will have to drink the northwest wind.

Drinking northwest wind is an adjective, and eating must be no problem. But there is no money to buy luxury goods, no money to build luxury houses, and the good days are gone forever, which is worse than killing them.

To what extent are the Japanese elites so keen on money?

After years of severe disasters, many Japanese people died of starvation, and they were still exporting food to China. Last year alone, it exported 5,100 packages of rice, 3,050 packages of wheat, and 2,850 packages of adzuki beans to China. Although the quantity is not large, adding up to more than a thousand tons, Japan itself is short of food.

Lin Efeng found Hendrik, the director of the Dutch Chamber of Commerce, and after a small chat, he asked: "Does the director know the news about China's dispatch of troops to Kagoshima?"

Hendrick nodded: "I heard about it."

"If China and Japan go to war, what are the Netherlands' plans?" Lin Efeng asked bluntly.

Hendrick said: "I will send people to Batavia immediately. Your Excellency the Governor will definitely help Japan."

Lin Efeng asked again: "How many warships can the Netherlands produce?"

Hendrik said ambiguously: "It's impossible to say for sure. It all depends on the governor's arrangements. Of course, if Japan cuts off trade with China, I believe the governor will do his best to support Japan."

He said it, but he didn't say it, but he was encouraging China and Japan to go to war.

Even if the Netherlands sends troops, it will take at least three to five months for the fleet to arrive in Japan. During this period, has Japan been wasting money?

Lin Efeng returned to Edo, reported the situation truthfully, and said: "The Netherlands wants to monopolize Sino-Japanese trade, and is eager for a war between China and Japan. However, the Netherlands will probably not send troops, or wait until the war is almost over, and then wait and see the situation to make a decision. "

"None of these red-haired ghosts of Xifan can be trusted!" Tokugawa Iemitsu was very angry.

Lin Efeng added: "Many Chinese maritime merchants are agents of wealthy merchants from the three capitals. I hope the general will act with caution."

Tokugawa Iemitsu said: "The attitude of the merchants does not matter. If you find an opportunity to kill a few, you will not only be able to ransack the homes and obtain the goods, but also scare the remaining wealthy merchants. If you throw a few bones out, the merchants will start fighting among themselves."

"Yes." Lin Efeng did not object.

It was difficult for Tokugawa Iemitsu to make a decision at the moment, and it was the Satsuma Domain and the Hirado Domain that were causing trouble. If he forcibly gathered troops to start a war, he would offend merchants and other feudal lords. After all, the Satsuma and Hirado clans had always occupied the profits from sea trade and did not share them with other feudal lords.

Oh, you two keep the profits exclusively. If something goes wrong, let us help? We can't get a penny of benefits, so we still have to pay for food and work hard.

But if Tokugawa Iemitsu sat idly by and allowed the Satsuma and Hirado clans to be attacked, the other feudal lords would think: This shogun is really a coward. He was attacked and did not dare to send troops to rescue him. He was simply the best of the samurai clan. shame!

Fighting or not fighting will not be good for Tokugawa Iemitsu, and it will cause a lot of trouble.

"Convene martial arts families from all over the country to discuss!" Tokugawa Iemitsu planned to kick the ball out.

It's simple to convene the feudal lords from all over the country to discuss matters.

Because all the feudal lords across the country lived in Edo for one year and then returned to their territories to live for another year. When the feudal lord returns to his territory, his eldest son must be in Edo, and he can also hold meetings.

A group of feudal lords or eldest sons quickly gathered at the shogunate.

Tokugawa Iemitsu explained the cause and effect clearly, and then said: "Whether it is war or peace, it is very important. I respect everyone's opinions. Come here, bring a pen and paper! Those who are willing to send troops, draw circles on the paper; those who are not willing to send troops, Just put a cross on the paper.”

Soon, the results were revealed.

Except for the Satsuma and Hirado clans, only three other clans were willing to send troops, and the other feudal lords all planned to watch the fun.

Whoever helps is a fool, and who is willing to do things that are not beneficial?

Tokugawa Iemitsu nodded and said: "This is a decision made by the entire samurai family. In this case, I respect everyone. The two clans of Hirado and Satsuma provoked the Tang Dynasty without authorization and refused to obey the orders of the shogunate. The governors of these two clans should be changed. If one person is responsible, let them commit seppuku.”