Guiyi Fei Tang

Chapter 533 The Han Ship Incident
"Crunch, crunch, crunch..."

At dawn, as the sun rises and the tide ebbs and flows, nearly a thousand ships of various sizes are anchored in the bay.

In the distance, banners bearing the character "Han" fluttered continuously over the port, while the port itself was filled with countless Han soldiers dressed in battle robes.

"Open the gate!"

With a command from the gatekeeper, the harbor gates slowly opened, revealing countless ordinary people and merchants who had been eagerly waiting outside.

Nearly a thousand Han soldiers walked out of the ward gates and began to inspect merchants, civilians, and retired soldiers rushing back to the harbor in front of the three ward gates.

Although there are three gates, they all bear the same three characters: "Mingzhou Port".

Originally, there were no city walls or gates here. However, since the establishment of the East China Sea Navy several years ago, this largest port in Jiangnan has been built up and transformed into its current form.

The harbor stretches for ten miles from east to west, with twenty-eight gun emplacements and the capacity to berth over a hundred large ships of five thousand liang (approximately 2,000 tons).

In addition, more than seventy forts of various sizes were built in the Wengshan Islands (Zhoushan) to the north.

Even though many of the forts had not yet been equipped with cannons, it was enough to show the imperial court's attention to the construction of Mingzhou Port.

"A Kunlun slave! A Kunlun slave worth fifteen strings of cash!"

"Fish, vegetables and fruits..."

"We're hiring laborers, thirty coins a day!"

"Clang... clang... clang..."

As the gates of the port opened wide, the harbor was immediately filled with the cries of merchants and ordinary people, and the clock tower in the harbor began to ring.

From the hour of Mao (5-7 AM) to the hour of Chen (7-9 AM), in just one hour, tens of thousands of people poured into the three gates of the city.

Some of them came to work, some came to sell fruits and vegetables, and others came to volunteer as laborers.

Soon after the beginning of the eighth year of the Hongwu reign, the entire Mingzhou knew that the navy had returned from its northward voyage and was preparing to cross the sea to escort the Japanese envoy back to Japan.

The 20,000 naval personnel and over 300 warships needed a huge amount of fruits, vegetables, and laborers to travel to Japan. Many merchants were also preparing to take advantage of this opportunity to go to Japan to sell their goods, so much so that over 400 merchant ships of various sizes were now docked in Mingzhou Port.

"As expected of a seaport of the Celestial Empire, this place is almost more prosperous than Heian (Kyoto)..."

On the clock tower in Mingzhou Port, as the bell tolled and stopped, Geng Ming had already led Fujiwara Hirosada to the top of the four-zhang-high clock tower, from where one could see almost the entire Mingzhou Port.

It is now April of the eighth year of the Hongwu reign, more than half a year has passed since the Liaodong war was quelled.

Liu Jilong appointed Zhang Yanhui as the Governor-General of Liaodong, Wang Chongrong as the Deputy Governor-General, and Song Wentong and Zhu Wen as Vice Governors-General, leaving 30,000 troops to govern Liaodong.

Geng led the navy south and returned to Mingzhou at the beginning of the year to replenish the navy's personnel.

The East China Sea Navy has now returned to its pre-battle state before the Liaodong Campaign.

"The ambassador flatters me. This is merely one of the larger seaports of the Han Dynasty."

Faced with Fujiwara Hirosada's praise, Geng Ming humbly admitted that after witnessing the prosperity of Chang'an, Luoyang, Hangzhou, and Yangzhou, the situation in Mingzhou Port was indeed not considered prosperous.

"This is not an exaggeration, but simply a statement of fact."

Fujiwara Hirosada responded with a smile, explaining, "Although the people of Heian can earn fifteen coins a day, prices are lower in the Central Plains. Two coins from the Central Plains can be exchanged for five copper coins from our country. Therefore, people in the Central Plains often have formal attire, but the people of Heian do not."

The copper coins used in Japan were called "Imperial Dynasty Coins" by Japanese merchants. Although Japan stipulated that the exchange rate between Imperial Dynasty Coins and Tang Dynasty Tongbao coins was one to one, Imperial Dynasty Coins contained less copper, so one Tang Dynasty coin could be used as two Japanese coins.

Eight years after the founding of the Han Dynasty, many inferior coins in the market were recalled and recast. The newly minted Hongwu Tongbao coins were of better quality than Kaiyuan Tongbao coins. Therefore, two Han coins were equivalent to five Japanese coins.

It can be said that a commoner in the Han Dynasty could buy seven or eight catties of rice with thirty coins, while a commoner in Japan could only buy two catties of rice with fifteen coins.

Faced with Fujiwara Hirosada's words, Geng Ming nodded slightly, while his gaze fell on the group of people dressed in modified Japanese clothing who had just entered the harbor from the gate.

The procession consisted of over a hundred people, stretching over a hundred paces in front and behind, and was drawn by more than eighty horse-drawn carts, which were loaded with goods purchased from the Han Dynasty.

"The ambassador's return to China this time has likely yielded significant results."

Geng Ming seemed to be implying something, and Fujiwara Hirosada quickly replied with a smile, "It's just relying on the Celestial Empire's large ships to gain some benefits for the family."

"I have heard that the Grand Commander's cargo ships also have a considerable stockpile. If the Grand Commander trusts me, I am willing to sell these stockpiles on his behalf."

"If that's the case, then we're in trouble." Seeing that Fujiwara Hirosada was so sensible, Geng Ming didn't say anything to spoil the mood.

The navy's mission to Japan would take at least half a year, and Liu Jilong naturally did not choose to do nothing. Instead, he wrote a letter authorizing Geng Ming to take some goods to Japan to sell in the name of the imperial court.

Of the proceeds from these sales, 40% was given to the imperial court, 20% was divided equally among the generals, and the remaining 40% was divided equally among the soldiers.

Therefore, Liu Jilong ordered the Jiangnan East Circuit Administration to allocate 200,000 strings of cash and 20,000 bolts of brocade and silk to Geng Ming, who in the past few months exchanged the 200,000 strings of cash for cartloads of goods.

With the imperial court's backing, Geng Ming could easily obtain goods such as tea, silk, porcelain, and rock sugar at cost price through official channels.

Once these goods are shipped to Kyoto, Japan, they can be sold at three to ten times the price, depending on the type of product.

After the sale was completed, the navy could also purchase gold dust, silver, pearls, sulfur and other commodities from Japan, and then obtain a 40-50% net profit upon returning home.

If it weren't for the fact that the demand for some high-profit goods wasn't that high, and therefore he didn't purchase a large quantity of high-profit goods, Geng Ming would have been able to bring back money and silk that had increased tenfold.

For Geng Ming, who disliked backstabbing and intrigue, he never imagined that doing business could be so profitable.

Upon learning of this, he was inclined to focus on managing the imperial court's trade with Japan and Silla, but the remaining words in Liu Jilong's letter caused his plan to fail midway.

Ultimately, Japan is just a small country with a population of four or five hundred, most of whom are poor farmers whose land has been taken over by nobles, and the number of people who can consume is not large.

If the navy monopolizes this trade route, it is estimated that the prices of these high-priced and sought-after goods in Japan will plummet in less than two years, at which point they will no longer be profitable.

Only by buying and selling in fixed amounts can a steady stream of income be generated.

The annual profits of over a million strings of cash are already substantial, and ultimately, a share must be given to private maritime merchants.

Lost in thought, Geng Ming looked at the Jiangnan merchants who were entering the port.

The seas are not peaceful, and the opportunity to travel to Japan with the help of the imperial army is rare, so most of the Jiangnan merchants joined the voyage.

The advantage was that with the East China Sea Navy escorting them, no pirates would dare to plunder them along the way, and the goods on board could be salvaged after a storm, so they wouldn't lose everything.

The downside was that they had to operate under the watchful eyes of the navy, and upon their return, military officers would tally their spoils and they would have to pay taxes at a rate of two-tenths.

Even so, they still make two or three times the profit, and that profit is enough to drive them crazy.

"After this, I'm afraid many goods from the Celestial Empire will become much cheaper for the vassal states."

Fujiwara Hirosada gave a dry laugh as he looked at the merchants, his heart bleeding. After all, the more merchants who brought goods to Japan, the less profit he could reap.

Geng Ming didn't seem to have much to say about this, and instead changed the subject:
"Our army needs to rest and reorganize on Sado Island in your country, and we also need to replenish our supplies for the eastern expedition in Kanagawa to the east."

"If the King of Japan can grant permission, that would be best; if not, then I will seek other methods."

Although Geng Ming said this, Fujiwara Hirosada was well aware that if the Emperor did not agree, Geng Ming would probably not be so kind.

The 50,000 Han troops directly defeated Bohai and occupied Liaodong. Geng Ming personally led 20,000 troops across the sea this time. If his demands are not met, Japan may break out into war with the Celestial Empire.

Currently, the land and population that can be controlled by the imperial court are limited to the Kinai region and some directly owned manors. Locally, power is shared between the provincial governors and manor owners such as the Fujiwara and Minamoto clans.

The only troops that the imperial court could directly dispatch were the five thousand troops from the Imperial Guard and the Military Guard.

Locally, there are still 40,000 to 50,000 troops under the command of the various provincial administrations, but due to the corruption of the provincial administrations, the troops under the command of the various provincial administrations are either short of food and supplies or the soldiers are deserted, and the troops that can be mobilized are probably only 10,000 to 20,000.

Even if nobles like the Fujiwara clan and the Genji clan sent their private armies, the entire country of Japan probably couldn't muster more than 30,000 troops to fight against the Han Dynasty.

Fortunately, the current court is presided over by the Emperor's uncle, Fujiwara no Mototsune, and he can report this matter to prevent the outbreak of war.

Although Sado Province could contribute hundreds of taels of gold each year, compared to the war between the two countries, a mere hundred taels of gold was nothing.

As Fujiwara Hirosada was lost in thought, he heard hurried footsteps behind him. When he turned around, he saw Geng Ming's son, Geng Huan, walking up to the bell and drum tower and quickly approaching the two of them, bowing and saying:
"Grand Commander, all warships and merchant ships are ready and will set sail tomorrow."

“Alright.” Geng Ming nodded calmly, then looked at Fujiwara Hirosada: “If the ambassador still has matters to attend to, he may take care of them first.”

"Very well then, I shall take my leave." Fujiwara Hirosada said with a smile, and then left under Geng Ming's watchful gaze.

After he left, Geng Huan turned her gaze to her father and said resentfully:
"Although the Japanese delegation was respectful, I inquired carefully and learned that they refer to their king as the Emperor in their own country..."

Geng Huan told Geng Ming all the information he had gathered over the past few months, including the situation in Japan and the strength of the country.

Geng Ming's expression grew increasingly grim as he listened, and he finally interrupted in a deep voice, "Alright, we still need them for now, and besides, this is our army's first time crossing the sea to the east, so we must not cause any trouble for the time being."

"However, I will return to Jiangnan and present this matter to His Majesty after the arrangements for the Eastern Tour are made."

Seeing his father say this, Geng Huan followed up on the topic he had changed and brought up the matter of the eastern tour.

“There are quite a few manors and nobles east of Kyoto, Japan, so it shouldn’t be difficult to buy enough for the soldiers on the eastern tour.”

"I have selected twelve ships of two thousand liters each and twelve hundred brave men from the army. They have memorized the map bestowed by His Majesty and will certainly not forget their mission."

After Geng Huan finished speaking, Geng Ming also said with a solemn expression, "From ancient times to the present, I have never heard of anyone who has been able to cross the sea to the east and return. If Your Majesty had not spoken so confidently, I would not have dared to gamble with the lives of my soldiers."

"I hope that these 1,200 brothers can return successfully, so that you and I, father and son, will not have failed His Majesty's expectations."

Seeing Geng Ming say this, Geng Huan nodded and then discussed the details with her father.

Their discussion was brief; a moment later, they descended the clock tower. The ordinary people in the harbor soon learned that today was the last day for the navy and merchants to make purchases, and many returned to their villages to bring more vegetables, soybeans, mung beans, and other goods to the harbor to sell.

As time went by, with the arrival of the seventh day of the fourth lunar month, the morning bell in Mingzhou Port began to ring, followed by countless piercing whistles.

"Beep beep..."

"Weigh anchor!!"

At dawn, just as the sun was rising in the distance, the East China Sea Navy's orders suddenly rang out, their sound shaking the heavens.

The shirtless laborers shouted in unison, pulling the rope to turn the winch, and the heavy anchor broke through the water, bringing with it turbid foam.

On deck, the sailors bustled about like ants, doing what they always did: furling the mooring lines, raising the sails, and adjusting the rudder.

The astronomical officials dispatched by the Astronomical Observatory were carrying a book similar to the "Needle Route Book" and walking briskly back and forth, checking with the commanders and captains of each ship. They then reported the verification to Geng Ming's ship by means of flag signals.

"Grand Commander, all warships and merchant ships are ready and awaiting your instructions!"

Commanders Geng Huan and Chen Bingwen spoke one after the other, while Geng Ming, standing on the deck, looked at the sun gradually rising on the distant horizon and took a deep breath.

"set sail!"

"Woooooooo..."

The horn blared through the air, and the ship beneath Geng Ming's feet was the first to raise its sails, rising abruptly with the monsoon winds.

Upon seeing the naval warships set sail, the ships in Mingzhou Harbor followed suit and headed outwards.

Before long, nearly a thousand ships cleaved through the waves, carving whitecaps into the sea, and sailed away into the distance.

The shore was teeming with people, and the relatives of many soldiers and merchants were still waving their handkerchiefs in farewell until the fleet turned into a string of black dots on the horizon, at which point they dispersed with a sense of peace.

Two hours later, the bustling scene at Mingzhou Port suddenly subsided, as if the previous lively scene was just a dream during a nap.

Apart from the people of Jiangnan, the people of other provinces were unaware of this and continued to work in the fields as usual.

While they were working on the land, news of the East China Sea Navy setting sail for Japan also reached Luoyang.

Many ministers felt that this was a waste of resources and manpower, and believed that the court should continue to recuperate after the Liaodong war ended.

For this reason, many memorials offering advice appeared in the Zhenguan Hall, but Liu Jilong simply ignored them.

After changing his name and going to Qianzhong Road, Liu Lie, who had finally enjoyed a relaxed life for more than half a year, is now busy again.

While he was busy, officials in various prefectures and counties also submitted reports on the various issues facing their respective counties in accordance with the imperial decree, and after receiving approval, they began to prepare for the recruitment of laborers during the off-season after the summer harvest.

After the summer harvest, the people will have a month to rest. The prefectures and counties that have received approval are preparing to make good use of this month to recruit workers and solve the major projects in the prefectures and counties.

In this situation, the Sihu Yamen, which was in charge of taxes, household registration, house deeds and various documents, undoubtedly became the busiest county government office.

Even the remote Puning County couldn't escape these assignments, and these assignments were maddening...

"Do you think I have no legal authority to deal with them?!"

Inside the Puning Revenue Office, Liu Lie, dressed in a light green official robe, was throwing a tantrum, his chest heaving with anger.

The two registrars stood inside the room, seemingly oblivious to Liu Lie's outburst, while the eight registrars behind them were completely lost in their own thoughts.

With the summer tax collection season fast approaching, Liu Lie ordered the officials in charge of household registration to remeasure the fields. However, as soon as the officials began to remeasure the newly reclaimed wasteland, many clans began to try to sabotage them.

When the officials found themselves in a difficult position, they didn't try to find a solution themselves. Instead, they simply reported the matter back to Liu Lie, passing the problem on to him.

They weren't idle; they worked methodically and slowly. If they encountered trouble caused by villagers or clans, they would stop working and only continue if the matter could be resolved by the authorities.

After all, they were all visiting officials and clerks, while the yamen runners in Puning County were mostly recruited locally, so they dared not offend the local clans too much.

Since the yamen runners didn't help, the assistants in the household registration department had no reason to make a big fuss, since they would all be transferred eventually anyway.

"Please calm down, Mr. Household Official. These villagers are uncivilized and lack manners, which is why they have offended us so much."

"If we can mobilize the troops of the prefecture, or ask the military commander to send troops to protect us, this matter will be much easier to handle."

The two constables under Liu Lie spoke in unison, while Liu Lie stared directly at them, as if trying to detect their guilty conscience.

"You may all leave now. I will personally go there tomorrow and see just how uncivilized and ignorant these villagers are!"

"This humble official respectfully withdraws..."

Upon seeing this, the ten assistants withdrew one after another. Only after they left did Liu Lie's face turn completely gloomy.

He could easily see that these officials were trying to sabotage him, but he had boasted before heading south that he would definitely manage the household affairs department of Puning County in an orderly manner.

Now he could take the initiative to request the provincial inspector to mobilize troops from the prefecture, or even directly mobilize troops from there, and incidentally order the Censorate to thoroughly investigate the officialdom of Puning County, but if he did that, he would undoubtedly lose.

Thinking of this, he took a deep breath to calm himself down, while the assistants who had left the Household Affairs Office gathered together after walking a distance.

The eight household officials were led by two assistant officials, who then spoke with each other after leaving the guardhouse:

"Doing this is rather irresponsible. This Zhang Hucao is a man of considerable influence; isn't this going too far in offending him..."

"Hurt him?"

Another official couldn't help but raise his voice, then looked around before lowering it again:
"You all saw the situation in Wudang Township. Hundreds of Yao barbarians, along with hundreds of Han men, were trying to make things difficult for us at every turn. If a real conflict had broken out, would you and I still be standing here unharmed?"

"With a salary of only seventeen or eighteen strings of cash each year, do you really want to lose your life here?"

He glanced at the crowd. Since the Han Dynasty mainly employed officials transferred from other regions, all the officials here were transferred from Jiannan, Shannan, Longyou and the capital region.

These clerks were not particularly talented and could not pass the university entrance exams, so they were not as good as university students and had to start from the lowest rank of clerk.

According to the promotion system of Bai Zhi, Liu Cao Li, Liu Cao Zuo, and finally Liu Cao Guan, they need to be evaluated for merit for six consecutive years before they can become Liu Cao Guan, a lower-ranking official of the ninth grade.

This is assuming exceptional ability and good luck; without considering these factors, it would take at least a decade or more to accumulate seniority before becoming an official. Liu Lie's starting point of being sent down to Puning County was the goal they would need to strive for for several years, even a decade or more.

If we really asked them to risk their lives to work for the government, they would probably be targeted within three years of their reckless behavior, given their lack of connections.

Upon realizing this, the assistant clerks all lowered their heads, while the head constable who had reprimanded them calmed himself down and said:
"We have also given this Zhang Hucao a heads-up. If his background is not strong enough, he should not act so recklessly in his duties and investigations. He should not only realize the difficulties of local governments when he is targeted."

As soon as he finished speaking, the head constable next to him said, "But I have observed that four officials in the county treat him with great respect, so this person must be of high status."

"If he can really persuade the county magistrate to mobilize the state troops, then we..."

"Then we will just do our jobs as assigned. Anyway, we will all be transferred in the future, and we can't make things difficult for each other."

Tosa spoke first, and then everyone saw that he wanted to say something, but after a moment he suddenly bowed to the front with a serious expression.

Everyone looked over and saw four officials from the county coming from a distance, clearly heading to the Household Affairs Office.

The four men, led by Zhao Bingzhong, the magistrate of Puning County, nodded slightly to their assistants and then entered the Jieshi Archway, heading towards the Ministry of Revenue.

The remaining clerks looked at each other, secretly marveling at their superior's background, realizing that their clerk's connections were probably even greater than they had imagined.

Many people had the idea of ​​seeking refuge with the local officials, and at this time, County Magistrate Zhao Bingzhong had already led the county's chief clerk, assistant magistrate, and county constable into the Household Affairs Office.

“Zhang Hucao…”

“Magistrate Zhao, Assistant Magistrate Wang, Registrar Li, and County Lieutenant Yang.”

Upon seeing Zhao Bingzhong and the others arrive, Liu Lie, who was still angry, could only suppress his anger and stand up to respectfully bow to the four of them.

Seeing his reaction, the other three, except for Zhao Bingzhong, all looked at Zhao Bingzhong, who smiled and looked at the chaotic Household Affairs Office.

"Having only been in office for half a month, he has already begun to remeasure the fields. This is a very important matter."

Zhao Bingzhong was exaggerating a bit, after all, Liu Lie had just started working in the county and didn't even have his own trusted confidants before doing this kind of thing, so he was somewhat reckless like a newborn calf that was not afraid of tigers.

When Liu Lie saw Zhao Bingzhong praising him so earnestly, his expression became somewhat unnatural.

Fortunately, his awkwardness didn't last long, and Zhao Bingzhong took the initiative to introduce him, saying, "County Lieutenant Yang heard that some villagers were causing trouble and resisting the government's measurement of the fields, so he came here specifically to inquire."

"The three of us are merely accompanying County Magistrate Yang so that we may go to the main hall later to discuss matters."

The county magistrate, who appeared to be in his thirties and had a sharp, capable appearance, bowed respectfully upon seeing Zhao Bingzhong introducing him to him:
"I have long wanted to measure the land and register the villagers and barbarians so as to clean up the evildoers within the county."

"Now that Zhang Hucao has taken the lead, I have come uninvited. In the future, when Zhang Hucao sends his assistants to measure the fields, I will send state troops to be at his command."

Upon hearing this, Liu Lie immediately looked at Zhao Bingzhong, only to see Zhao Bingzhong smiling憨厚ly. Anyone who didn't know better would think he was a simple, honest old farmer, rather than a county magistrate who governed a county.

He wanted to refuse, but considering that he hadn't asked for the matter himself and that the Ministry of Revenue was indeed facing obstacles, he hesitated for a moment and then chose to take advantage of the situation.

"If that's the case, then I'll have to trouble County Magistrate Yang."

"Zhang Hucao, you are being too kind to me. If you encounter any difficulties in governing the people of Puning in the future, please just ask."

County Magistrate Yang responded with a smile, and then Zhao Bingzhong stroked his beard and said with a smile, "That's how it should be."

"Now that the matter has been discussed and decided, there is no need to change it. We should go to the main hall to discuss matters."

Zhao Bingzhong bowed to Liu Lie, and Liu Lie respectfully returned the bow.

Under his watchful eye, Zhao Bingzhong and his three companions came and went in a hurry.

But after they left, Liu Lie breathed a sigh of relief.

The immediate problem has been overcome. With the help of Zhao Bingzhong and others, it is not difficult for me to work in Puning County.

Thinking of this, Liu Lie felt a pang of bitterness.

After twenty years of smooth sailing, he has finally tasted some bitter fruit these days. Besides lamenting the power he wields, he can only sigh that there are no secrets in the world.

Even if his father had given prior instructions and even kept it a secret from many officials in Puning County, he still couldn't hide it from officials like Zhao Bingzhong who were transferred to the inner court.

Even if Zhao Bingzhong didn't know his own identity, he should have known that his background was extraordinary, otherwise he wouldn't have taken such good care of him.

Liu Lie breathed a sigh of relief, feeling the pressure ease, but a sense of guilt inevitably arose in his heart.

After calming himself down a bit, he returned to his chair and sat down, burying himself in government affairs to numb himself.

In the following period, thanks to the help of County Lieutenant Yang Duan, the Household Affairs Office was always accompanied by twenty or thirty armored soldiers whenever it went on a business trip. The local barbarians dared not cause trouble and could only obediently register and measure the fields.

These events naturally did not escape Zhao Ying's notice. His informants recorded everything that happened in Puning County and then sent it to Luoyang City by fast horse.

As they sped northward, with the East China Sea Navy sailing northward with the wind at their backs, they arrived in the southern waters of Chikushima (Kyushu Island) on April 28.

The fleet did not choose to stay there, because although Tsukushima Island had governors from Satsuma, Ōsumi, and Hyuga provinces, the local Hayato (native inhabitants of Kyushu Island) did not have a good attitude towards Japan and riots often occurred.

After several days of sailing, the fleet finally chose to anchor in the bays of Owari and Ise. Fujiwara no Hirosada sent a servant to inform the officials of both countries to prepare fruits, vegetables and fresh water for the fleet to replenish its supplies, and at the same time, he informed Heian-kyo (Kyoto).

"If we land here, how many days' journey will it take to reach Heian City?"

"It takes about six days to travel, roughly two hundred li."

On the ship, Geng Ming gazed at Japan and asked Fujiwara Hirosada without turning his head, and Fujiwara Hirosada explained to him.

By this time, a number of Japanese civilians had gathered on the coast to watch the spectacle. Most of them were tenant farmers of plantation owners or poor people under the jurisdiction of the provincial governor.

Many daring poor people even used their simple fishing boats to approach the Han fleet, trying to sell various fruits and vegetables.

In principle, this is not allowed, but right now Japan's principles are entirely up to Geng Ming.

Security along the Japanese coast was poor. Silla pirates and Yawata pirates frequently raided coastal towns. Various Japanese provincial authorities had temporarily conscripted militia to defend against them, but with little effect.

Such a formidable adversary to Japan was thwarted just days ago when it couldn't even get close to the East China Sea Fleet. Several of its warships were sunk, leaving behind over a hundred corpses and dozens of prisoners before it fled in panic.

"I hope those sixty-five pirates will show the Japanese king my sincerity."

Geng Ming spoke meaningfully, while Fujiwara Hirosada nodded repeatedly, looking embarrassed.

As the two men talked, merchant ships and warships gradually entered the bays of Owari and Ise, almost obscuring the entire bay.

The governors of Owari, Ise, Mikawa, Shima provinces, and other provinces, as well as the landowners in those provinces, were shocked and flocked to the coast to observe.

Meanwhile, the Fujiwara servants, who had been riding fast horses to Kyoto, returned to Heian-kyo after traveling day and night.

Heian-kyo was originally a city built by Japan in imitation of Chang'an in the Tang Dynasty, so the city was divided into left and right sides by Suzaku Avenue.

Heian-kyo was built using a chessboard-like neighborhood system, with the noble district on the left side of Suzaku Avenue and the commoner district on the right.

High-ranking nobles such as the Genji and Fujiwara clans mainly lived on the main street of Sakyo. Their residences were all modeled after those of the Tang Dynasty, with white walls and blue tiles, and courtyards decorated with "winding streams and floating wine cups" in the style of the Tang Dynasty.

Lower-ranking nobles lived in four alleys, in small houses, with bamboo stakes planted in the courtyard walls to prevent prying eyes.

Ukyo, a town mainly inhabited by commoners, is lined with townhouses arranged like a honeycomb. Each house is only about ten feet wide, with vegetable plots and chicken coops in the backyard. Washing women always gather by the well in the town, and the well platform is covered with Sanskrit characters for prayer.

The West Market in Sakyo's aristocratic district mainly sells Chinese goods, while the East Market caters more to ordinary people, with most of the goods being domestically produced Japanese products.

Although Japan has learned culture and skills from the Central Plains for hundreds of years, its construction techniques are still inferior to those of the Central Plains. However, because Japan has a large number of giant trees, even if its skills are not as good, it can still build palaces of decent size with giant trees.

Faced with the arrival of the Han army, there were no ministers in the Imperial Palace, which was the inner palace of the Emperor. Instead, the private residence of the Fujiwara clan was bustling with activity, with countless officials dressed in embroidered robes (official robes), with Tang-style fish-shaped pouches hanging at their waists and holding scepters.

The hall was filled with officials dressed in purple robes, while the head seat was occupied by a short minister in his forties, about five feet tall, also dressed in purple robes.

This minister in purple robes is none other than the current Regent of Japan, Grand Minister of State, and the Vice-Sannomiya Fujiwara no Mototsune.

As Japan's first regent and the uncle of Emperor Yōzei, he oversaw the overall political situation in Japan, and even the decision to send a delegation from the Han Dynasty was made by him.

Therefore, when Fujiwara no Hirosada sent a servant to inform him that Geng Ming had led 20,000 naval troops and had cleared out 70,000 Silla and 80,000 Yamanaka pirates along the way, Fujiwara no Mototsune immediately held a regular meeting at his private residence.

The once highly sought-after Yue ware celadon now failed to attract the attention of the courtiers, as everyone's eyes were fixed on Fujiwara no Mototsune, who sat in the main seat.

Under the watchful eyes of his ministers, Fujiwara no Mototsune leisurely savored the roasted tea he had purchased from the Han Dynasty, his fingertips tracing a lead pellet.

This was a "cursed object" sent by Fujiwara no Hirosada's servants, and it was also the key to the Han army's easy victory over the Balhae Kingdom.

As he stroked the lead pellet, Fujiwara Mototsune slowly spoke, his voice as grating as a dull knife scraping through pig iron.

"Gentlemen, I have already told you the information that Guangzhen obtained with great difficulty. Now you can speak freely."

"Should we just hand over Sado Island to the Han army in the Central Plains...?"

"No way!"

Before Fujiwara Mototsune could finish speaking, his eldest son, Fujiwara Tokihira, stood up in a fit of youthful arrogance and said angrily:
"If we give Sado to them, what will we do if they use Sado to invade in the future?"

"Moreover, Sado pays tribute of a hundred taels of gold every year, so how can we easily give that up?"

"Secondly, the imperial court's act of ceding the island will inevitably undermine the dignity of the 'divine kingdom,' and those restless individuals will take the opportunity to cause trouble."

"That's why the imperial court absolutely cannot cede the island!"

Faced with his remarks, many officials nodded in agreement, but at this moment, Dr. Sugawara no Michizane, renowned for his Sinology, coughed and said:

"In the past, when Emperor Wu of Han conquered Hexi, the Xiongnu were eventually weakened. Now, the Han army is strong. With only 50,000 troops, it can take Liaodong, a land comparable to Yamato, from Bohai in just a few months."

"The current imperial court, even including the state troops of various countries, has only about 30,000 to 40,000 troops, while the Han army has as many as 20,000."

"I would like to ask you all, if the court's actions anger the Han army and they choose to attack the court, who among you can lead troops to repel them?"

"I can!" Fujiwara Tokihira said indignantly, but the courtiers looked at each other and didn't listen to him at all.

Although Fujiwara no Tokihira had some ability, he was still a newcomer who had only been in the court for a few years, and he had no ability to lead an army to defeat the Han army.

"Keep talking."

Fujiwara Mototsune ignored his eldest son's words and continued to question Sugawara Michizane, who in turn replied:

"You can invite officials and nobles from various countries to Owari and Ise to witness the Han army's military prowess, while also subtly suggesting to Hirosada that the Han army should display some of its strength."

"Once the nobles of various states know the strength of the Han army, the court can temporarily allow the Han army to rest and recuperate on Sado Island, setting a time limit to pretend to take it back. This will preserve the court's face and prevent the Han from looking down on it."

"If we can get the Han Dynasty to allow the court to send envoys to learn the Han system, and take the opportunity to learn this so-called firearms from the Han Dynasty, we can take back Sado when the Han Dynasty is weak in the future."

Fujiwara no Mototsune nodded upon hearing this, and at the same time, his gaze swept over the assembled ministers. Seeing that they all nodded in agreement, he then slowly and deliberately said:
"Three days later, send a Tang language interpreter to the Han ship."

"Then I said that Sado could be borrowed temporarily, but it would be in exchange for three things: first, the Han Dynasty must allow me to send envoys to learn the Han system; second, I hope the Han army will help our country to suppress the Silla, Hachiman and other bandits."

As soon as he finished speaking, all the ministers nodded. The condition seemed tough, but in reality, it was a tacit agreement to cede territory.

If the Han dynasty were to come to Japan, it would naturally need to quell the Silla and Hachiman pirates along the shipping lanes. If the Silla and Hachiman pirates could be quelled, it would greatly protect the rulers and estate owners of various countries from harm.

Although Sado produced gold, its output was negligible compared to the destruction of Silla and the Hachiman pirates.

"I'll leave this matter to you. Don't disappoint me."

Fujiwara no Mototsune looked at Sugawara no Michizane, who quickly raised his hand in a bow: "As you command..."

"Then you may leave!"

"I'll take my leave now..."

At Fujiwara no Mototsune's instruction, the courtiers withdrew from the Fujiwara clan's private residence, and the news of the Han army's arrival quickly spread to the provincial government offices of various states with the help of the Fujiwara clan.

Fujiwara Hirosada also received news from Fujiwara Mototsune, and therefore persuaded Geng Ming to conduct artillery practice at sea.

As time went by, Fujiwara no Mototsune, along with Fujiwara no Tokihira and others, came to Owari to look out at the sea, and they were all impressed by the massive fleet of the Han army.

"With such a navy, if Japan were to become an enemy of the Han Dynasty, it would surely face the calamity of national annihilation."

"Tell the provincial governors of Owari, Ise, Shima, and Mikawa to allow merchants from the Han Dynasty to trade in Kyoto, and not to lose sight of the bigger picture for the sake of small gains."

"Also tell Guangzhen that no matter how much or how little the goods from the Great Han are, the Fujiwara clan will accept them, and we will provide whatever goods the Great Han wants."

"Yes!"

After witnessing the scale of the Han army fleet and the destructive power of the Han army's artillery fire, Fujiwara Mototsune decisively chose to submit.

He wasn't the only one with this idea; so were the officials, nobles, and estate owners who had come after long journeys and received invitations from the imperial court.

On their journey, they were already making plans, but after witnessing the massive Han fleet anchored at sea, resembling an archipelago, they felt their plans were truly laughable and completely lost the confidence to confront the Han.

At this moment, they were eager to know what the Han army intended to do, and Fujiwara no Mototsune revealed the Han army's intentions and the court's attitude two and a half months after the Han fleet arrived in the Owari Sea.

Although this still drew dissatisfaction from nobles such as the Genji clan, many nobles believed that Fujiwara no Mototsune had made a wise move.

Against this backdrop of public opinion, Fujiwara Mototsune also wrote to Geng Ming to express his stance.

[The Regent and Grand Minister of State of Japan, Fujiwara no Mototsune, the Vice-Minister of the Imperial Household, submitted a memorial to His Majesty the Emperor of Han...]

Since the founding of Japan, it has always maintained diplomatic relations with the superior nation… Fortunately, under the leadership of the central government, the country is at peace.

[Having learned that the ships from Shanghan need an island for anchorage, we have specially lent Sado Island to the ships from Shanghan. Furthermore, in accordance with ancient custom, we have dispatched an envoy, Fujiwara no Hirosada, to present local specialties… Ji Jing is truly humbled and trembling with fear, and bows his head repeatedly in respect.]

"I accept your kind intentions, but there's no need for the gold and silver. You all have it tough."

On the ship, Geng Ming breathed a sigh of relief after reading the letter of state delivered by Fujiwara no Mototsune to Fujiwara no Hirosada.

Although Fujiwara no Mototsune said it was a loan, in reality, as long as the Han Dynasty was strong, this place would belong to the Han Dynasty forever.

Compared to Sado Island, the tribute worth only a few thousand kan was nothing.

"The Great Governor's kindness will never be forgotten by our humble nation..."

Fujiwara Hirosada breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Geng Ming return the tribute, and added to Geng Ming:
"The Grand Chancellor has ordered the provincial governors of all countries not to obstruct merchants from coming to court, and to provide convenience to the navy of the superior country."

"Now the Grand Admiral can lead the navy to Sado and at the same time send a fleet to patrol the far east."

Fujiwara Hirosada now only wants to get rid of Geng Ming. Fortunately, Geng Ming doesn't want to stay any longer either. He now needs to lead the main force of the fleet to Sado for construction and send troops east to the Far East to explore the Far East.

As expected, he will leave several thousand men in Sado, and then lead the rest of his troops back to Jiangnan with the ocean currents.

"In that case, I will prepare to go to Sado tomorrow. I will trouble you, Ambassador, to sell and purchase those goods. After I leave my troops in Sado, I will lead my navy back to Jiangnan."

"Grand Commander, please slow down..."

Seeing that Geng Ming was really leaving, Fujiwara Hirosada exchanged a few more pleasantries, then bid farewell to Geng Ming and boarded a small boat to land on the coast before heading to Kyoto.

Meanwhile, Geng Ming issued a military order to set off for Sado the next day, leaving behind a small number of warships to protect the merchants who continued to trade in the area.

By the end of August, they would head south to meet Geng Ming in Chikuzen Province, and then return to Jiangnan.

By then, Geng Ming's mission to Japan would be largely complete, and he could report back to Liu Jilong even if he returned to China.

As for the rest, that depends on whether those twelve ships can explore the Far East and bring back the new crops needed by the imperial court...

(End of this chapter)