The Ming Dynasty: A Modern Return, Building an Overseas Empire

Zhu Gaoxu's pupils contracted briefly upon hearing Yao Guangxiao mention the location, then quickly flashed across his face.

Zhu Gaoxu was genuinely surprised by the mention of Dongyang; he truly hadn't expected Yao Guangxiao to bring up such a place.

He had considered that Yao Guangxiao might mention the islands of Southeast Asia, or perhaps Ryukyu, or even Rhodes.

Roseaus, also known as Australia.

The name was first mentioned by Wang Dayuan, a Yuan Dynasty navigator, in his book "Daoyi Zhilue".

North of Australia, in the Darwin area, is what Wang Dayuan refers to as "Ma Nali" in his book.

In other places, it is called Rhodes.

Only the East, because that area to the east, namely Xiaoliuqiu, the three countries on the Ryukyu Islands, and Wa, which is Japan.

There's also Ezo Road, which hasn't yet been incorporated into Japan, and further north, Kotobuki.

If there are any more, it would just be North Korea.

In these few places, Yao Guangxiao mentioned Japan, and Zhu Gaoxu gradually began to have suspicions.

But his suspicions only made him understand Yao Guangxiao even less.

At that moment, Yao Guangxiao's voice came through.

"The various places in the East are related to the peace of the coastal areas of the Great Ming Dynasty."

The King of Han should be aware that Japanese pirates frequently raid the coast of our Great Ming Dynasty, and the surrounding small countries have also suffered greatly from them.

During the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty, the coastal areas have been harassed by Japanese pirates more than twenty times, and the people in many places have been robbed, causing chaos in the lives of the people in many places.

Even during the Hongwu era, the area was harassed by Japanese pirates more than sixty times.

Although Your Majesty has established a garrison to defend against Japanese pirates and has greatly strengthened the coastal garrisons to guard against them, the country is still subject to their incursions.

The Ming Dynasty has a vast coastal area, making it difficult to defend against. Even with the deployment of enormous manpower, material resources, and financial resources, the results have been minimal.

As Yao Guangxiao spoke, he became somewhat heartbroken, his voice hoarse with grief.

Zhu Gaoxu listened with particular heaviness; he was aware of all of this.

It can be said that from the Hongwu to the Yongle reigns, over a period of fifty-seven years, the Ming Dynasty was harassed by Japanese pirates ninety-four times!

All of these are recorded; if we include those that are not recorded, the number would be even greater.

The amount of money, grain, supplies, and people looted from the Ming Dynasty is countless.

Thinking back on the crimes committed by Japan in modern times, Zhu Gaoxu couldn't help but clench his fists.

In fact, it's not that the Ming Dynasty couldn't defeat the Japanese. In fact, as long as there was a battle, whether at sea or on land, the Ming army could completely overwhelm the Japanese pirates.

However, most of the time, those Japanese pirates were able to precisely bypass the Ming army and then land to plunder.

Moreover, they were always able to withdraw before the Ming army arrived at the garrison, and they were also able to bypass the Ming army that came to reinforce them.

The imperial court did indeed strengthen efforts in this regard in all aspects, and from Hongwu to Yongle, it never slackened.

Zhu Gaochi could not deny what Yao Guangxiao said: the coastline of the Ming Dynasty was too long.

The Ming Dynasty could not possibly station a million troops along the coastline, which inevitably led to a situation where defense was impossible to achieve.

But he still couldn't stop most of them. Zhu Gaoxu knew very well that he wouldn't believe there wasn't something fishy going on.

In those coastal areas, countless civil and military officials either harbored pirates to enhance their own power or profited from the pirates.

But there was nothing he could do about it.

In fact, Zhu Di was well aware of all this, and for this reason, he punished many officials in coastal areas.

Even though Zhu Di valued coastal defense, the navy, and the incursions of Japanese pirates, the results were, as Yao Guangxiao said, minimal.

Yao Guangxiao paused for a moment, then continued in a deep voice, "Those Japanese pirates are elusive and their whereabouts are uncertain. His Majesty has issued an edict to exterminate them, but the results have been minimal."

Japan was a country that Emperor Taizu decreed would not be conquered.

In fact, it was not that Emperor Taizu forbade the conquest of Japan. Emperor Taizu's original intention was to see the hidden danger of the Japanese pirates and worry that future emperors would fall ill and launch a conquest of Japan.

Japan is mostly mountainous, and all conquests against Japan would have to be carried out by sea. If a major war were to break out, the Ming Dynasty would expend a great deal of national strength. Even if it were to be defeated, the Ming Dynasty's national strength would be severely damaged, making it a losing proposition.

The founding emperor established this instruction precisely because he was worried that some rulers would be ambitious and fond of grand achievements, thus causing internal and external troubles for the Ming Dynasty.

Now, His Majesty's absolute focus is on the northern expedition; the Oirats and Tatars are the real threats to the Ming Dynasty.

The remnants of the Northern Yuan dynasty still exist, constantly eyeing this land with covetous intent.

No matter what, the Japanese pirates were still pirates and could not shake the Ming Dynasty's rule.

The situation is different in the north. Once the northern tribes grow strong, the Han people will again face the danger of annihilation.

This is precisely why the Japanese pirates became increasingly rampant.

Now that the King of Han is going to go to sea to assume his fiefdom, another suggestion I have for him is Japan.

If the Prince of Han can establish the Great Ming Han vassal state above Japan and wipe out Japan, the people of the world will surely remember the Prince of Han and all will praise him.

In this way, the Prince of Han can not only obtain a fiefdom, but also eliminate potential enemies for the Ming Dynasty and the Han people. His Majesty will certainly not stop the Prince of Han, and may even support him.

The imperial court could not send troops to Japan, but the King of Han could.

The King of Han is renowned throughout the land for his military prowess; these mere Japanese pirates are nothing to fear.

If the King of Han has not yet decided on his fiefdom, we hope that he will accept the islands of Wa (Japan) as his fiefdom.

After Yao Guangxiao finished speaking, he bowed to Zhu Gaoxu in a Buddhist gesture and waited quietly.

Zhu Gaoxu looked at Yao Guangxiao with a deep gaze, but did not rush to respond.

He realized he had underestimated Yao Guangxiao. He had thought he was being tricked, but now it seemed to be a trap within a trap.

First, ask him which territory he would choose. Then, first mention Jiaozhi, which seems good in all aspects but he would never choose. Then, mention Wa (Japan).

He had been guessing Yao Guangxiao's purpose, but only now did he realize what Yao Guangxiao's ultimate goal was.

First, they tested him, then they made comparisons under the guise of suggestions, but in reality, they wanted him to go to Japan and make him use the Japanese islands as his fiefdom.

To get him to agree, she told him all about the hardships of the Ming Dynasty and the suffering of the people, while also praising him and coaxing him.

In fact, Yao Guangxiao harbored malicious intentions, because if he were to go to Japan to assume his fiefdom, he would have to defeat Japan.

But at most, he only had three guards and his palace guards.

With such a small force, how could we possibly fight Japan, especially given its terrain?

Knowing full well that sending a large army to conquer would be extremely costly for the Ming Dynasty, and that he had so few men and no follow-up funds, supplies, or military resources, what else could it be but to persuade him to go if not to harbor malicious intentions?

In the past, he would have definitely despised Yao Guangxiao.

But at this moment, he couldn't feel the slightest bit of disgust.

Because that's Japan.

Because Yao Guangxiao also had such big ideas about Japan, and he had a long-term vision.

And an understanding of Zhu Yuanzhang's ancestral instruction of not conquering the country.

Although Japanese pirates are frequently raiding the country, they are not actually taken seriously in the imperial court.

To put it bluntly, the people in the court looked down on Japan from the bottom of their hearts, and everyone despised them.

But what could a tiny island nation possibly do to shake the Ming Dynasty?

Even Zhu Di couldn't escape this thought.

Zhu Di did strengthen defenses and did a lot of work for it, but the reason was that Zhu Di's focus was on the Oirat and Tatar in the north.

If the Ming Dynasty were to send out its elite troops, no one would believe that Japan could withstand the Ming Dynasty's attack.

Yao Guangxiao's understanding was far more insightful than that of the people in the imperial court.

More importantly, the domain he himself wanted to choose was also in the East!

Taking a deep breath, Zhu Gaoxu stopped thinking about it.

He doesn't want to say where he will choose his fiefdom, at least not for now.

"Young Master, I know everything you said."

I have a question: why can I go to Vietnam and Japan, but I can't go to the islands in Southeast Asia, like Luzon?