Water Margin: The opening scene involves assassinating Emperor Huizong of Song and forcibly taking L

This is utterly outrageous!

Deputy Envoy Oe Kojun finally spoke:

"Your Majesty, our Emperor Emeritus only began ruling from the inner circle this year,"

"We are correcting past mistakes."

"This envoy has come to China,"

"We want to request the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty to bestow an official title upon us,"

"Resolve the conflict that arose from a previous misunderstanding."

Fujiwara Ienari quickly replied, "That's exactly right!"

Zhao Yuan asked, "How does the King of Wa intend to resolve this?"

Oe Koreyuki said, "Japan is willing to submit to the Ming Dynasty."

"We request the Ming Dynasty to bestow an investiture upon the King of Japan."

"From this day forward, the Ming Dynasty will be the suzerain state, and Japan will be a vassal state."

Zhao Yuan then asked, "If merchants from the suzerain state go to trade with the vassal state,"

"Can vassal states obstruct this?"

Oe Koreyuki said, "Merchants from the Ming Dynasty can trade in Naniwa-kyo (Osaka)."

At this time in Osaka,

Controlled by a large group of monks

It also involves Onmyoji forces.

Merchants all sought refuge with religious groups.

But over the past few decades,

Emperor Baihe has been suppressing monks.

Taira no Tadamori punished monks of Mount Hiei on several occasions.

The port in Osaka,

The royal family has already been given more power.

Establish a dedicated port for Sino-Japanese trade.

It's still manageable, albeit with some difficulty.

Zhao Yuan finally understood.

The monk Enshin, serving as Japan's chief envoy.

It's just a mascot.

Fujiwara no Ienari, a confidant of Emperor Toba,

And because he was too young,

It's very difficult to actually get things done or negotiate.

The core figure of the diplomatic corps

It still has to be this Dajiang Weishun.

Zhao Yuan questioned, "Merchants from the suzerain state, when they arrive in the vassal state,..."

"It turns out that this is the only place where we can make a transaction."

"Is there any logic to this?"

Chapter 3237 Port Trade

"The Ming Dynasty has now opened its seas,"

"Japanese fleets can trade in any port."

"Similarly, Ming Dynasty merchant ships,"

"It should also be possible to trade at any port in Japan."

Fujiwara Ienari looked at a samurai.

That was Taira no Tadamori's younger brother, Taira no Tadamashige.

He served as the captain of the escort team for this mission.

Taira nods quietly.

Fujiwara Ienari also smiled.

Immediately afterwards, Fujiwara Ienari said:

"Our country is willing to repair Ōwata-no-mari (Kobe Port)."

"Open another port for trade between the two countries."

In Kobe, the Taira clan wields immense power.

Moreover, this was one of the five major ports in Japan during the Heian period.

It gradually fell into disrepair due to Emperor Shirakawa's policy of isolationism.

Historically, Taira no Kiyomori developed this area into a center for Sino-Japanese trade.

They were very successful in doing business with the Southern Song Dynasty.

They even went so far as to force Japan to move its capital here.

But the resistance was too great and soon things went wrong.

Fujiwara no Ienari is fully capable of representing his family.

They partnered with the Taira clan to engage in Sino-Japanese trade.

The money earned from maritime trade

It could also be divided among the Fujiwara clan, the Taira clan, and Emperor Toba.

Oeko Weishun added another sentence:

"If two ports are not enough,"

“Edo (Tokyo, Japan) can also be opened as a port.”

Jiangdu is the core territory of the Jiang clan.

Oe Masafusa ran his business there for decades.

These Japanese envoys,

Actually, everyone is willing to open up the sea.

However, opening the sea requires determining the port.

Moreover, the port must be located on their territory.

Zhao Yuan carefully observed the expressions of these people.

I can basically guess what's going on. He said:

"Three ports are not enough; we must open five ports for trade."

Five ports, enough for the Japanese imperial family and nobility to fight over.

We must never allow one or two forces to monopolize trade.

Oe Koreyuki said, "Five ports are too many; this matter needs to be discussed with the Emperor upon my return to Japan."

"Sure," Zhao Yuan said with a smile.

Fujiwara no Ienari asked, "Your Majesty, shall our two countries open maritime trade?"

"After the Ming Dynasty officially recognized the King of Japan, and these two things were accomplished,"

"Can the Ming Dynasty withdraw its troops from Iwami Province and Tsushima Island?"

"cannot,"

Zhao Yuan flatly refused.

"Abiru Motomori of Tsushima Island does not recognize it as Japanese territory."

Oe Kojun immediately retorted: "Your Majesty, Tsushima is one of the countries under the Japanese imperial system."

"The Abiru family has always been officials appointed by the Dazaifu to govern Tsushima Province,"

"There are even nobles in Heian-kyo who hold the title of State Governor of Tsushima Province in a nominal capacity."

"On the contrary, the position of Tsushima no Kami was fraudulently claimed by Abiru,"

"Our country has not appointed any nobleman as the governor of Tsushima!"

Oe Kojun was telling the truth.

It was Abiru Motomori who was talking nonsense.

The name "Tsushima Province" already existed at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty.

It is one of the many ancient countries belonging to Japan.

Zhao Yuan ignored all of that and said domineeringly:

"The Abiru family has ruled Tsushima Island for generations,"

"Now they have surrendered land to the Ming Dynasty."

Oe Koreyoshi angrily said, "Your Majesty, the Ming Dynasty is already rich beyond measure."

"Do we really intend to occupy this impoverished land of Tsushima?"

"The suzerain annexed the territories of his vassals,"

"This is neither righteous nor proper!"

Zhao Yuan replied, "The Ming Dynasty has not yet officially recognized the King of Japan."

"Even the Song Dynasty before that did not bestow a title upon a Japanese king."

Chapter 3238 The Sect Master and His Vassal Lords

"How can you say it's a relationship between a suzerain and a vassal?"

"The Abiru clan surrendered Tsushima Island to the Ming Dynasty,"

"What does this have to do with Japan?"

Oe Koreyuki asked, "How can the Ming Dynasty return these two countries?"

Zhao Yuan said, "Tsushima Island is ours for the taking."

"If the King of Wa stops pursuing this place, then Iwami Province can be considered for return."

"The so-called return means changing from occupation to lease."

"Lease?"

Da Jiang Weishun didn't understand.

Zhao Yuan explained, "That is, Iwami Province remains Japanese territory."

"But it must be leased to the Ming Dynasty for three hundred years."

"We don't need too much space, just rent the area around Iwami Kunijo and Omoriyama,"

"The annual rent is one thousand taels of silver."

One thousand taels of silver?

If only Kunijo and Omoriyama are rented

It doesn't seem like a losing proposition.