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Chapter 1099: Small Country Ryukyu 2
The Ryukyu King Shang Ning followed the Emperor Jing Yang's instructions 100%, and within four years, he saw the effect. From noble officials to ordinary people, everyone made money and was satisfied with his rule.

Shuri became the most economically developed region in the Ryukyu Kingdom, attracting many people from other cities and villages. The population has grown year by year from just over 2 to more than 5 now.

More people means more labor, more labor means more tax. This is the scenario that the rulers want to see the most. They have tried for several lifetimes but to no avail. Unexpectedly, it has been realized.

What made the Ryukyu King Shang Ning most satisfied was not the economic development and the completion and construction of the sugar factory, but two very simple words: safety!

In the past, the Ryukyu Kingdom had to seek a delicate balance between the Ming Dynasty and Japan. It dared not offend anyone and every sentence and every word had to be carefully considered, and its safety could not necessarily be guaranteed.

Now, there is nothing to think about. With the Ming navy stationed next to the capital, the Tokugawa shogunate would not dare to show off its power even if it had ten times the courage. And those who have ulterior motives in the country have to stop, and now the army and the palace are guarding the entire province.

Of course, everything has two sides. If you hand over the country to the Ming Dynasty for protection without reservation, you will definitely lose your voice. But this is the fate of a small country with few people. You can't have both. You can only choose one.

"Prime Minister, send someone to ask General Sun, how about I arrange a banquet in the palace and invite the generals who have come from far away to attend the banquet?"

Shuri Castle is located on a hilly plateau, and the royal palace is located on a highland within the highlands. Standing on the second floor and looking out, you can clearly see the bay several kilometers away.

The Ryukyu King Shangning, who is over 50 years old, received a report from port officials last night that a large number of ships flying the Sun, Moon and Wave flags had arrived. A small number of them were docked at the pier of the naval base, and most of them were anchored in the anchorage.

Shang Ning didn't take the news seriously when he first heard it. It wasn't the first time that the Imperial Navy had docked at the port. As long as they didn't harass them and provided whatever they were asked to provide, there would be nothing to worry about.

It would be great if it happened during a large-scale exercise, as the entire port area and Shuri Castle would be like a festival. Many Ming officers and soldiers would take advantage of their vacation to hang out, and restaurants, teahouses, and shops selling local specialties would make a lot of money. It doesn't need to be much, two or three days is enough.

But when I looked into the bay at daybreak, I immediately became uneasy. There were not just a dozen ships anchored in the anchorage, but dozens of them. In addition to the common warships, there were also some unfamiliar large ships.

This type of ship is fat and large, wider and longer than the sturdy armed cargo ship, and is the opposite of the skinny warship. In all these years, Fudao Port has never seen such ships, and it is indeed unusual that so many of them suddenly arrived.

"On the way here, I asked the military police at the base, and they said General Sun was not there. They didn't say where he went, and just kept asking me not to ask. It seems that there should be an important person in the base. Could it be..."

Even more unusual was the news brought by the prime minister. He had noticed the strangeness earlier and immediately went to the port to take a look. Then he became even more worried.

The Floating Island Naval Base was under martial law, and the area within two miles was blocked off by naval police wearing red armbands. No one was allowed to enter, including him, the Prime Minister of the Ryukyu Kingdom.

Moreover, the naval officer in charge of the base's external liaison did not show up. A series of accidents forced him to guess at more special circumstances, such as... he stretched out his index finger and pointed above his head.

"This... Wait for me, I'll change my clothes and we'll go together!" Shang Ning was startled by the prime minister's finger. He was the king, so the one above him must be the emperor. As his mind opened up, the more he thought about it, the more reliable it became. He couldn't help but get nervous.

Normally, the emperor's arrival should be announced in advance, but Emperor Jingyang's style of doing things has always been unconstrained, and the navy was founded by him, so it should not be difficult to go to sea with the ships. He is probably the only one who can have so many warships escort him.

With the attitude of "better to believe it than not to believe it", Shang Ning decided to go to the base in person to find out the truth. If the emperor of the Ming Dynasty really came, whether the navy military police let him in or not, he would have fulfilled his etiquette as a subject.

"Your Majesty, please don't forget the account books...the accounts of transactions with the Satsuma Domain!" The prime minister thought the king's decision was appropriate, but he still had to prepare one thing in order to be polite.

He had accompanied the King of Ryukyu to the capital of the Ming Dynasty more than once, met the emperor more than once, and even asked the officials of the Ming Dynasty about the situation. The conclusion he came to was that if he wanted to keep the status of the Ryukyu Kingdom, he could give up gifts and tribute, but he had to keep accounts.

Once the accounts are clear, even if you get more money, as long as you admit your mistakes promptly and sincerely and take compensatory measures, you will have a chance to correct them. Otherwise, even if you didn't get a penny more, you won't be rewarded, and if there's a slight problem, you'll be in big trouble.

"Yes, yes, yes, I will tell people to prepare it right away. Prime Minister, how should we explain the money used to dredge the river and build the dam?" Shang Ning shuddered when he heard the word "account".

The smuggling trade between Ryukyu and Japan was in full swing in recent years, and a lot of money must have been made. The dividends belonging to the emperor of the empire were naturally presented in full, not a single copper coin was less, and the rest was distributed between himself and the officials.

But the emperor once said that a portion of the profits should be set aside every year to repair water conservancy facilities and roads around the capital, and to reduce taxes from time to time for poor and disaster-stricken areas. This would not only facilitate the production and life of the people, but also gain a good reputation.

I understand the truth, and I think the emperor is right. But when I got the silver, I just couldn't bear to spend it.

However, given the emperor's prestige, he dared not go back on his word, so he diverted half of the money that was supposed to be used for water conservancy construction around the capital and tax reduction. Unless you look closely, it is difficult for outsiders to tell how much the annual construction cost.

"...I can't take care of that. As long as Your Majesty admits the truth and promises to make up for it, His Majesty the Emperor will not blame you any more. You must not quibble, remember that!"

The Prime Minister was also very embarrassed when talking about this matter, because it was not only the King of Ryukyu who had played a role in it, but he was also involved. Now that things have come to this, he can only tell the truth, lying will lead to no solution.

Many Ming Dynasty officials have made it clear that the Jinyiwei were not only present in the Ming mainland, but also in overseas territories and vassal states, and they were specifically engaged in gathering information about political leaders.

Since the emperor of the empire came suddenly, it is impossible that he had not heard anything about it. Once he asked, how to answer was a crucial step, and he had to give instructions in advance.

(End of this chapter)