I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 117: The East Can't Be Hasty, and the North Can't Be Slow

Li Chunfang entered the Lifanyuan, and Xu Wei, Wu Dui and Li Zhi stepped forward to receive him.

"Your subordinate greets Mr. Lord."

"You're welcome. The three of us are colleagues and we are here to share your worries." Li Chunfang was very polite and his eyes moved across Li Zhi's face.

The four of them filed into the front hall of the living room and sat down one by one. Li Chunfang asked.

"When will the Japanese envoy arrive?"

Xu Wei replied: "It is set to be 3:30 pm."

"There is still time. Let's discuss how to talk to the Japanese envoys later. Mr. Wenchang, you are in charge of the intelligence. Tell us what the rules of these Eastern Japanese dwarfs are."

"Yes."

Xu Wei coughed and said, "The intelligence on Japan should be obtained by the Lifanyuan's Advisory Office. It's just that time is too short and we haven't had time to make arrangements. For now, we can only obtain intelligence from the Commercial Investigation Section of the Coordination Bureau."

Li Chunfang interjected: "Does the Commercial Investigation Department have any spies in Japan?"

Xu Wei smiled and said, "The Commercial Investigation Division of the Coordination Bureau follows the businesses. They can follow wherever the businesses of Daming go.

As long as a company had done business with overseas vassal states such as Japan, Korea, Annan, and Siam, there would be people from the Commercial Investigation Department following them.

The farthest places are Ceylon and Goa in India, where there are people from the Ming Dynasty Commercial Investigation Department. "

Li Chunfang knew some of the inside story, but not the details. He just nodded and said nothing.

Wu Dui and Li Zhi heard of it for the first time and could not help but look at each other in horror.

The Commercial Investigation Section of the Coordination Bureau is little known, but how could it be so wild?
Even in Ceylon and India, which are as far away as the horizon, there are their people.

Xu Wei continued: "The Commercial Investigation Division also has its own secret agents in Qinghai, Hami, and the Tumed Tribe. However, after the establishment of the Border Investigation Division, some of them were transferred here. Now I will talk about the situation in Japan."

"Admiral Lu led the Dinghai Battalion of the Zhejiang Navy to pursue the pirates to Hirado Port. After failing to capture the pirates, he bombarded Hirado Port. The Matsuura Party suffered heavy losses, the lord of the Hirado Domain died of his injuries, and several important officials were also killed or injured.

The domain affairs were temporarily managed by the domain magistrate Ishii Sanxing. He ordered the capture of the pirates Xie Zhengyong and the remnants of Chi Sanjin who had escaped, and handed them over to Admiral Lu, and also apologized.

After this battle, Admiral Lu led the Dinghai Battalion and Zhenhai Battalion of the Zhejiang Navy to the Japanese ports of Kagoshima and Hakata to pursue the pirates. The local lords honestly captured the pirates and handed them over to Admiral Lu.

It was just that the Ming navy came to pursue the pirates, which caused a great shock in the Japanese feudal domains. However, at this time, the Japanese feudal domains were fighting each other and did not respect the central government, so they were at a loss for a while.

Finally, under the urging of merchants from Hirado Port, Kagoshima Port, Hakata Port and other places, Otomo, the lord of Bungo Domain in Kyushu, Japan, contacted the Mossa, Hyuga and other domains, and petitioned the Shogun Ashikaga Yoshiteru of the Muromachi shogunate of Japan, requesting the Japanese court to formally send envoys to negotiate with the Ming Dynasty to determine matters such as tribute, exchanges, and trade.

Ashikaga Yoshiteru petitioned their lord, and finally decided to send an envoy group. The members included their lord's representative Konoe Maehisa, the shogun's representative Hosokawa Fujitaka, five representatives from Kyushu domains such as Bungo, Moss, and Hyuga, and six representatives from port merchants such as Hirado, Kagoshima, and Hakata. "

Li Chunfang nodded. "Mr. Wenchang has explained it in great detail. Do you know what the Japanese delegation wants?"

"Sir, the letter from Japan has been delivered to the Lifanyuan."

"Well, I've read it. It's poorly written. But the letter did mention that Japanese merchant ships were allowed to freely come to the Ming Dynasty for trade, and our navy was not allowed to easily invade their ports.

Absurd! Does the Ming Dynasty need these Eastern Japanese monkeys to teach us how to do things? We haven't even settled accounts with them about the Japanese pirates, yet they dare to take advantage of us!"

Li Chunfang cursed angrily.

Xu Wei smiled and replied: "The Japanese slaves are arrogant and have always been so. Now our Ming navy is powerful and can control the world. According to the prince, the initiative is in our hands.

If they don't obey, tell the navy to go to their ports a few more times. If they don't behave once, go a few more times. Bombard them one by one in order, and they will behave themselves."

Li Chunfang already knew the style of his student Zhu Yijun. He stroked his beard and smiled without saying anything.

Wu Dui and Li Zhi felt the unknown edge of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince for the first time and were a little surprised.

"But what the Crown Prince meant was that we only needed to bombard them a few times and subdue them. The navy set sail to provide food and wages for the officers and soldiers. When the cannons go off, all they get is silver. So they should stop at the right time. The important thing is to make money. There is no problem with trade, but they must dock at the designated ports of Shanghai and Ningbo. They must trade with licensed businesses and pay taxes according to the law.

The key is to let them know that the Ming Dynasty is reasonable. If you obey the law, you will make money. If you break the law, break the rules, or even dare to support the Japanese pirates, then the Ming Dynasty navy will definitely destroy you.

Don't think that the Ming navy can't go ashore and can't do anything to them. The Ming navy has a marine battalion. The suppression of Guangdong is almost complete, so they can free up their hands. "

Li Chunfang smiled a little helplessly.

My own students are not so kind and benevolent towards overseas vassal states.

Li Chunfang clearly felt that his student Zhu Yijun regarded these overseas vassal states as so-called "markets". To put it bluntly, Ming Dynasty merchants must make money in these vassal states.

If you don't let Ming merchants make money, it would be a violation of heaven for the Crown Prince.

In his eyes, the navy and the marine battalion are specifically responsible for dealing with disobedience and maintaining the laws of nature.

"Your Highness, a list has been drawn up with conditions that Japan must agree to."

Xu Wei took out a document from his sleeve, stood up and handed it to Li Chunfang.

After reading it, Li Chunfang did not comment, but raised his hand and said, "Huanzhou, Zhuo Wu, you can also take a look."

Li Zhi stood up, took the document and handed it to Wu Dui first.

After reading it, Wu Dui had a complicated expression and handed it back to Li Zhi.

Li Zhi finished reading ten lines at a glance and his throat felt a little tight.

"Ming ships can freely enter Japan's ports, Ming merchants can freely go ashore and trade with local people, buy houses and land, open businesses and mines. The Japanese court and local vassal governments must ensure the safety of the lives and property of the people of Ming.

If Ming citizens violate the law in Japan, they cannot be arrested or punished without authorization. They must consult with the Ming envoy stationed in the local area.
If Japan imposes taxes on Ming merchants, it must report to the Lifanyuan Trade Office of the Ming Dynasty. The tax rate must be negotiated by both parties and cannot be arbitrarily increased.

"

Sixty-one in total.

Li Zhi asked hesitantly, "Lord, Mr. Wenchang, can the Japanese envoys agree to these terms?"

"You're asking for a sky-high price and then you're bargaining." Xu Wei replied with a smile, "Since this is a peace talk, let's talk slowly. There are 21 demands, which were drawn by the Crown Prince. These are the bottom line, and the Japanese envoys have to agree to them even if they don't agree."

Li Zhi couldn't help but ask.

"Mr. Buncho, what if the Japanese envoys disagree this time?"

"If they don't agree this time, let them agree next time, and the next time. With some give and take, after a few rounds of nagging, they will eventually agree."

Li Zhi was speechless.

Li Chunfang waved his hand and said, "Not long after the establishment of the Lifanyuan, it encountered two major events. One was the envoys from Altan Khan of the Tumed tribe, and the other was the envoys from Japan.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has instructed that we cannot be hasty in the east and cannot be slow in the north.

One is related to the peace of the nine borders, and the other is related to the prosperity of the southeast. Both cannot be neglected. I would like to trouble Mr. Wenchang, Huanzhou and Zhuowu to take more care. "

Xu Wei, Wu Dui, and Li Zhi understood from Li Chunfang's words that His Royal Highness had given the tone of the talks, and they all responded in unison, "You are too polite, sir. This is my duty."

A clerk reported in front of the hall: "Mr. Grand Master, three officials, the envoys from our country, have arrived."

Xu Wei stood up and said, "Zhuo Wu, you and I will go to greet them."

Li Zhi stood up and said, "Yes!"

(End of this chapter)