prosperous age

"Does Japan want a ceasefire?"

Wei Guangde had already received the memorial from Zhang Ke, but after reading only a few paragraphs, he frowned and asked a question.

"It seems that the daimyo of Japan do not want to continue to be enemies with the imperial court and want to settle things peacefully."

Zhang Ke was still very excited and hurriedly said.

In any case, this was yet another victory for the Ministry of War in the national war under his leadership.

Although Japan was a bit small, looking around the Ming Dynasty, it seemed that apart from Burma, which had already been destroyed, there was no other power stronger than Japan.

Annam, actually Annam is not strong, it's just annoying.

The Ming Dynasty's defeat in Annam was not due to a lack of ability, but rather to the Ming Dynasty's unwillingness to continue its campaign there.

After the unrest broke out in Annam, no troops were sent to quell it immediately.

The subsequent reinforcement of troops was mainly due to the court's apparent hesitation.

Ultimately, by the time of Emperor Xuanzong of Ming, Zhu Zhanji, the wealth left by Zhu Yuanzhang had been almost entirely squandered.

The wealth left by Zhu Di was still there, but the most important thing was that the imperial court's finances were in trouble.

The imperial court was short of funds, so all policies were based on considerations of benefits and costs.

The reason why Emperor Wanli and his court officials agreed to the Ming army's campaign against Japan was because they were spurred on by news of the gold and silver mines.

Without mountains of gold and silver, absolutely no one would support the idea of ​​an eastern expedition.

At that time, Annam was something that the Ming Dynasty found neither appealing nor worth abandoning.

The cost of ruling Annam far outweighed the benefits, and the entire court disagreed with continuing military operations against Annam.

With a number of veteran generals either dead or defeated, and no one strongly demanding revenge, Emperor Xuanzong of Ming, Zhu Zhanji, had no choice but to comply with the wishes of the court officials, withdraw the Ming army, and allow the restoration of the country.

In fact, the claim that China ruled Vietnam is not entirely accurate.

Before the Tang Dynasty, the Central Plains dynasties mainly controlled northern Vietnam, while southern Vietnam was mainly ruled by local chieftains.

During the Tang Dynasty, its rule had already extended to the southern region of Vietnam.

However, starting from the end of the Tang Dynasty, during the Song and Yuan Dynasties, Vietnam completely broke away from the control of the Central Plains dynasties.

It can be said that the Central Plains dynasties had only a short period of complete control over Vietnam, and then it was freed from rule for several hundred years, making it difficult to incorporate Vietnam back into their territory.

Zhu Yuanzhang deserves praise. In the third year of the Hongwu reign, Zhu Yuanzhang dispatched generals Xu Da and Chang Yuchun to lead troops on a northern expedition, thus completing the war of unification.

At this time, the northern regions had already broken away from the control of the Central Plains dynasties for as little as two hundred years and as long as four hundred years.

Without Zhu Yuanzhang's Northern Expedition to unify China, this land might have been divided into two or more countries.

"Good Loan, with such a victory, what else do you have to worry about?"

At this moment, Zhang Ke noticed that Wei Guangde was still frowning and carefully reading the report, and asked in confusion.

"I'm not worried about anything. Whether the Japanese are truly defeated or not, even if a treaty is signed, what will happen after that?"
How should the imperial court deal with the newly conquered territories and the Japanese people there?

"They are not of our race. The Ministry of War cannot lower its guard just because the Japanese have submitted. You need to carefully consider how many Japanese troops should be stationed there in the future."

Wei Guangde was still carefully considering the situation mentioned in the report. He naturally hoped that everything would be as the report stated, and that the war would end there.

But what if it's just a delaying tactic by the Japanese?

He used the pretext of peace talks to lull the court into a false sense of security, while secretly reinforcing his troops and launching a surprise attack on the unsuspecting Ming army.

The losses that China suffered at the hands of Japan in later generations were too great for the people of this era to comprehend.

Therefore, Wei Guangde remained wary of the Japanese from beginning to end.

"The army will not withdraw on a large scale within three years, but some troops will be rotated."

After all, the long-term transfer of the main forces from Liaodong and Jizhou is not beneficial to the security of the capital region.

Before I came, I had already instructed the Bureau of Military Affairs to plan and transfer some garrison troops to Japan to replace the troops in Liaodong and Jizhou.

Zhang Ke replied.

Why was Zhang Ke so happy about this report? Because he had been worried all along: the main force of the Ming army had been transferred east, leaving Liaodong and Jizhou garrisons with weak troops.

Of course, this lack of troops was mainly due to the fact that all the elite troops had been deployed, not that there were no troops in the north.

Finally, Wei Guangde put down the memorial in his hand, looked at Zhang Ke and said: "The Ministry of War should make plans as soon as possible and send elite troops to Japan to take over the defense."

The key point is that the commander-in-chief of the Japanese army must be proficient in soldier training. It would be best to discuss this with Motokyo and have him select the garrison commander.

Yes, Wei Guangde has decided to divide the western part of Honshu Island, which he has occupied, into three parts. Two garrison commanders will be sent to manage the part bordering Japan, and another commander will be sent to manage the remaining mines and other places.

As for the final commander-in-chief, it's too early to discuss that now.

However, one point is that the generals stationed in Japan must be familiar with military training, and those who have been trained by Qi Jiguang are given priority.

In the present Ming Dynasty, Qi Jiguang's tactics are the most advanced, so it is most appropriate for his generals to serve as officers stationed in Japan, rather than having the Ministry of War's Military Selection Office make a decision on the spot.

“Okay, I’ll contact Qi Yuanjing when I get back to the Ministry of War and ask him to recommend a general.”

Zhang Ke readily agreed.

However, he then hesitated and said to Wei Guangde, "Now that the war against Japan may be coming to an end, shouldn't we also consider the report that the South China Sea Fleet submitted earlier and start preparing for it?"

"Southeast Asia travel guide?"

Wei Guangde said something in a low voice, then lowered his head to think.

The so-called "Southeast Asia Strategy" was actually an operation planned by the navy while Yu Dayou was still alive. The aim was to coerce the establishment of military ports in the Champa region, specifically in Shengzhou and Huazhou, which were officially known as Shenghua Prefecture.

The reason is to shorten the distance between the old port and the mainland.

Until now, due to the special geographical location of Old Port, documents were usually sent to the capital quickly via Burma by land.

Goods were transported by sea, passing through islands in the South China Sea, over Luzon, northward to the islands of the East Asia, and finally delivered to the Jiangnan region.

Thus, it almost encompassed a large area of ​​Southeast Asia. Most importantly, the goods had to pass through the waters near the Philippines, which were controlled by the Westerners, making the entire journey unsafe.

Therefore, heading north along the Annam coast, passing Qiongzhou, and reaching Guangzhou became a new safe shipping route.

However, the Ming Dynasty had no naval ports along the coast of Annam, and the safety of the seas they traversed could not be guaranteed.

Therefore, the navy needed to obtain a naval port within Annam.

After all, due to the Earth's rotation, typhoons mostly affect the eastern coast of the mainland.

For the safety of the naval fleet at sea, it is necessary to establish as many naval ports as possible in Southeast Asia to facilitate the fleet's safe evacuation during typhoons.

Contrary to what most people think, although Annam was nominally under the rule of the Later Le Dynasty at this time, real power had fallen into the hands of others, resulting in a situation of "Trinh ruling the north and Nguyen ruling the south".

The division between North and South and the confrontation between warlords truly reflected Annam during this period, making the situation exceptionally complex.

If the Ming army were to occupy Shengzhou at this time, the consequences would be predictable. Being situated right in the middle of the North-South division, it would likely become a thorn in the side of various factions in Annam.

Yu Dayou hesitated greatly because of this, and although he reported to the capital, Wei Guangde did not agree immediately.

The most crucial factor was that Thang Chau, which the navy valued, was the stronghold of the Mac dynasty, the de facto rulers of Vietnam at the time. Although the Ming court never recognized the usurper Mac dynasty, it consistently only bestowed titles upon the rulers of the Later Le dynasty.

If the Ming army intervened, the Trinh dynasty and the Later Le dynasty in the north would naturally see it as support from the Ming.

However, the Ming army had no intention of intervening in the situation in Annam, and was therefore bound to be viewed with hostility.

In other words, despite the extremely complex situation in Annam, if the Ming Dynasty were to send troops to any part of Annam at this time, it would likely be met with hostility from various Annamite warlords.

"Does the Ministry of War believe that we should take action in Annam?"

Wei Guangde lowered his head, not looking at Zhang Ke, but asked indifferently.

"According to the message from the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Trinh clan in the north and the Later Le Dynasty are showing signs of joining forces and seem to be preparing to attack the Mo Dynasty."

Zhang Ke said, "If we seize the right opportunity, when the Zheng family and the Later Le Dynasty jointly send troops to Champa, the navy can provide assistance and demand Thang Chau as a condition. Perhaps we will have a chance to obtain a naval stronghold."

Previously, the navy had secretly gathered information about the Shengzhou wharf. They planned to build two gun emplacements on either side of the port, then construct a high wall connecting the emplacements to enclose the wharf. No matter how the Annamese attacked, it wouldn't affect their Shengzhou naval fortress.

Clearly, while Wei Guangde may not have been particularly interested in acquiring a naval port in Vietnam, that was not the whole story.

Perhaps influenced by the Ming army's continuous victories in recent years, they have also become more proactive, hoping to achieve a victory led by the military.

After all, whether it was the Jurchens, Burma, or even this expedition against Japan, the starting point was always the Grand Secretary on the other side, Wei Guangde, who led several foreign wars.

The Ministry of War, on the other hand, merely played the role of execution.

This time, the action against Shengzhou was different because after the navy reported it, Grand Secretary Wei was not interested, and the Ministry of War took the lead.

"Now you can make plans or contact the Embroidered Uniform Guard to ask them to strengthen their espionage in Annam."

I think that even if the Trinh clan joins forces with the Later Le dynasty to launch an attack, we should have enough time to make a judgment.

Wei Guangde looked up at Zhang Ke and said.

A military operation is not something that can be launched immediately by deploying troops. There must be a lot of preparation work before and after, including recruiting and training soldiers, and preparing military supplies such as food and fodder.

If a major war were to break out in Annam, it wouldn't be unreasonable for the Ming Dynasty to seize some benefits.

Annam has a long and narrow coastline, so there are actually quite a few naval ports to choose from.

Wei Guangde only knew about Cam Ranh Bay, and his impression was that it was on the southeast coast of Vietnam, not the Shengzhou that the navy wanted.

However, Shengzhou's location is indeed very good. It is roughly in the middle of the shipping route from the old port to Guangzhou. From there, one can go north directly to Qiongzhou Island, and go around to Guangzhou Prefecture.

For cargo transportation, distance is definitely much more convenient than going around Luzon.

“I’ll have Ru Mo take a look at this memorial first, and then I’ll send it to the palace.”

I imagine His Majesty will be very pleased to see the good news from Japan.

Finally, Wei Guangde picked up the report again and said to Zhang Ke.

From the moment he brought up the Southeast Asian strategy again, Wei Guangde realized that his old acquaintance was also starting to have his own ideas.

It's not that it's bad, but he always felt that with the current chaos in Annam, it wasn't a good time for the Ming Dynasty to intervene.

Zhang Ke mentioned that northern Annam planned to join forces to attack the Mo Dynasty, and that the Ming Dynasty would only provide assistance in exchange for the port, which seemed worth a try.

If it succeeds, great; if it doesn't, just pretend it never happened.

Do the Trinh family and the Later Le Dynasty dare to punish the Ming Dynasty?

All they wanted was a coastal city. In fact, if the Ming Dynasty wanted to insist, it could acquire any area within thirty miles of the coast.

However, at that time, Annam really didn't have anything good. Not only were resources scarce, but it was also unable to be self-sufficient in food and had to purchase from neighboring countries such as Siam.

It can be said that Annam was a poor place in history, with no taxes, which is why the ministers in the early Ming Dynasty were unwilling to send troops to Annam.

The products they could offer in their time were genuine local specialties, mainly subtropical fruits.

The sugar industry, which uses sugarcane as raw material, did not exist in Annam at that time; it only began to develop during the French colonial era.

Wei Guangde had heard Zhang Ji mention that the merchants had been to some places in Annam. The main commodities they could trade were coconuts, timber, and lacquerware, as well as a kind of rock sugar, similar to granulated sugar, but not as good as the white sugar produced in the Ming Dynasty.

It is worth mentioning that at this time, the white sugar produced by the Ming Dynasty was also exported overseas, mainly sugar frosting and white granulated sugar.

The two are similar in appearance, and the so-called rock honey in Annam is also similar, but its quality is still inferior to that of the Ming Dynasty.

At that time, the best white sugar in the Ming Dynasty was called "Xiyangtang" in China because this type of sugar could be exported overseas no matter how high the price was, and it was one of the important commodities that foreign merchants competed to purchase.

After Wei Guangde gave the order to Lu Bu, Shen Shixing was soon summoned.

"Rumo, take a look at the latest memorial from Japan."

Previously, we were worried that the Japanese were using trickery, but now it seems that the possibility is very small.

They must have truly submitted and want a truce with my Great Ming.

Wei Guangde handed the memorial to Shen Shixing and briefly explained the situation.

"Oh."

Although Shen Shixing was somewhat surprised, he still took Wang Xijue's memorial and read it carefully.

After a short while, he finished reading the memorial and then said, "In that case, the war with Japan can be stopped."

The Ministry of War should begin preparations for post-war administration of the area and expedite the recall of Qi Yuanjing's elite troops, as well as the main force of the Jizhou garrison.

Shen Shixing paused slightly at this point, as if he had thought of something, and then quickly continued, "The Ministry of War should summon the garrisons as soon as possible and send reinforcements to Japan."

"Ok?"

Wei Guangde was taken aback when he heard his words, but he looked at Shen Shixing and didn't quite understand what he meant.

"Your Excellency, sending more troops to Japan at this time will be beneficial for Yuan Yu and Yuan Jing's peace talks with the Japanese later."

Seeing the Ming Dynasty pressing in, they will surely want to end the negotiations as soon as possible and make more concessions.

After our army enters Japan, we can gradually replace the elite troops in Liaodong and Jizhou. Before Commander Qi and his men return, we can also give them some training to improve the combat effectiveness of the troops left behind.

If it's just a troop rotation, I worry that if the Japanese discover the newly reinforced troops are weak, they might develop ulterior motives and cause unnecessary trouble.

"Where does the Ministry of War plan to draw troops from to be permanently stationed in Japan?"

Wei Guangde looked at Zhang Ke and asked.

"The garrisons in Henan, Shandong, and the Jiangbei area of ​​Southern Zhili are rotated every three to five years, and there is no consideration yet for relocating the garrisons to Japan."

Zhang Ke replied.

The complete garrison meant taking all the military households from the garrison to Japan to settle down.

Considering that it was overseas, and fearing that discontent among the soldiers might lead to a mutiny, the Ministry of War considered a rotation system.

"Could we abolish some of the garrisons and convert the Japanese troops stationed there into battalion troops?"

I heard that supplies are running low there, and the key to their strength lies not in the quantity of troops, but in their quality; the camp troops are slightly better than the garrison troops.

Wei Guangde said. (End of this chapter)