The Wanli Emperor of the Ming Dynasty was extremely rebellious

Chapter 407: Toyotomi Hideyoshi Enters the Trap

The conditions offered by Wanli are really scary.

He actually asked Japan to pay 217 million taels of silver, 140 million koku of grain, and cede Kyushu Island!

Could Toyotomi Hideyoshi agree to this?
Xiao Xifei was afraid that Toyotomi Hideyoshi would be so angry that he would chop him to pieces.

The problem was that he didn't dare not tell Toyotomi Hideyoshi. If he didn't tell him, Toyotomi Hideyoshi would probably be so angry that he would want to kill him.

He had no choice but to bite the bullet and tell Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

The speed of the Ming army's speedboat was really extraordinary. With forty or fifty people taking turns rowing, they actually returned to Nagoya in less than six days.

At this time, Nagoya Castle was covered with dark clouds, as if a rainstorm was about to come at any time.

It was only around 3 p.m. when the sky became extremely dark.

Xiao Xifei came to Nagoya Castle trembling with fear, walked into the clean room which was so dark that he could hardly see his face, and respectfully bowed to Toyotomi Hideyoshi who was sitting cross-legged in front of a small table, without daring to say a word.

Seeing this, Toyotomi Hideyoshi frowned slightly and asked, "How's the talk going? Why don't you say anything?"

I dare not say it.

Xiao Xifei answered the question irrelevantly: "Your Highness, this time when I went there, I also stayed at the Ten Princes' Palace and met my adoptive father and others."

Sure enough, Toyotomi Hideyoshi immediately couldn't help but ask: "How are they?"

Xiao Xifei explained in detail: "Except for the Second Corps' General Kato Kiyomasa, the other daimyo and generals are still there. They are living well over there. The Emperor of Ming only asked them to learn Ming Mandarin to facilitate communication, and there are no other requirements.

Also, I heard from them that most of their men were only captured, and they didn't suffer many losses. They still have over 400,000 men. The Emperor of Ming even said he intends to release them."

Upon hearing this, Toyotomi Hideyoshi nodded with satisfaction and said, "Very good. How did your talk with the Emperor of Ming go?"

I have said all the nice things, now comes the unpleasant part, very unpleasant, so please don’t get angry.

Xiao Xifei had no choice but to nervously recount the negotiation process with Wanli in detail.

After hearing this, Toyotomi Hideyoshi's face suddenly became gloomier than the sky.

The Emperor of the Ming Dynasty actually demanded so much money and grain as compensation, and also wanted to cede Kyushu Island!

is it possible?

Baga, are you forcing me to keep fighting?
The question is, what should I use to fight?
More than 300,000 of the more than 400,000 Japanese samurai were captured, and most of the able-bodied men in Kyushu and Shikoku were captured. How could this war be fought?
If the Ming Dynasty could release the captured soldiers and able-bodied men, there would still be hope of fighting.

The question is, how can we get the Ming emperor to release the captured soldiers and able-bodied men?

If I don't cede land and pay compensation, will this guy let me go?
Toyotomi Hideyoshi frowned gloomily and pondered for a while. Suddenly, an idea struck him. He said, "The Ming Emperor said that the compensation can be paid in installments over ten or even several decades?"

Xiao Xifei nodded repeatedly and said, "Yes, I said I couldn't afford it, and he said I didn't have to pay it all at once, but could pay it off over ten or even several decades."

This is an opportunity!
He could have paid for a year or two first, lured the captured soldiers and able-bodied men back, and at the same time built a coastal defense line in those one or two years.

When the captured soldiers and able-bodied men were tricked back, he would stop paying compensation and food, thus luring the Ming army to attack!
The terrain of Japan is so complex that even the Mongols at their peak were unable to conquer it. How could the Ming Dynasty be able to conquer it?
So what if the Ming Dynasty has an army of millions?

Even if Kyushu Island, Shikoku Island and even western Honshu were turned into a scorched earth, it wouldn't matter, as most of Japan's farmland is in central and eastern Honshu.

If they could take this opportunity to exhaust the main force of the Ming army, counterattacking the Ming would be a piece of cake.

By the time they conquer the Ming Dynasty, not only will they get back the money they paid in compensation, but all four hundred states in the Tang Dynasty will be theirs!
Toyotomi Hideyoshi thought about it carefully, and then said decisively: "Go and tell the Emperor of Ming that we can pay 200 million taels of silver and 140 million dan of grain, but we have to pay it over a hundred years.

Also, ceding Kyushu Island is unlikely, but we can cede Tsushima Island. We only ask the Ming Dynasty to cease fire and withdraw its troops, and return all prisoners to us."

He had calculated very well. The compensation of 200 million taels of silver and 140 million dan of grain was to be paid over 100 years, which meant 2 million taels of silver and 140 dan of grain per year. The annual food needs of the more than 400,000 captured soldiers and able-bodied men were more than this amount.

This is equivalent to letting the Ming Dynasty support more than 400,000 troops for him, and he can only make profits and not losses!

As for Tsushima Island, it was a springboard for invading the vassal state of Korea, and also a springboard for the Ming Dynasty to attack the mainland of Japan.

He paid compensation to the Ming Dynasty in order to lure the Ming Dynasty to attack the Japanese mainland.

By then, the offensive and defensive positions will be reversed, and the time, place, and people will all be on their side. The more than 400,000 troops released by the Ming Dynasty can even consume the main force of the Ming army!

The Emperor of the Ming Dynasty probably didn't expect that they would stop paying compensation for one or two years, and would turn against them and start a war as soon as the captured troops were released!
Originally, he was afraid that the Ming Dynasty would take advantage of the situation to attack, but it would be different if the prisoners could be tricked back.

He felt that the Ming Dynasty could only muster a million troops at most, and they were the defending side, fighting on their own soil. More importantly, they were resisting the invasion of the Ming Dynasty, and everyone would definitely fight hard. The time, place, and people were all on their side.

In this case, the more than 400,000 released captives alone would cost the Kingdom of Light millions of troops!
Upon hearing this, Xiao Xifei said cautiously, "Your Highness, I think we can negotiate with this amount of compensation. But what if the Emperor of Ming insists on taking Kyushu Island?"

How come you don't get the point?
Toyotomi Hideyoshi said gloomily, "We can start paying the money and food compensation immediately, and we can continue to discuss the issue of Kyushu Island. The key is that you must make the Ming Dynasty return all the prisoners to us. Do you understand?"

Oh, that's something to discuss.

Xiao Xifei quickly bowed and said, "I understand." In order to show that he was quite diligent, this guy boarded the express ship left there by the Ming Navy early the next morning and headed for the Ming capital. In less than six days, he returned to the Ming capital.

The weather in the capital of the Ming Dynasty was very good. It was still sunny even after the afternoon.

When Wanli heard that Xiaoxi was coming, he immediately ordered people to bring her to a side hall of the Qianqing Palace.

After Xiao Xifei bowed respectfully according to Ming Dynasty etiquette, he pretended to be impatient and asked, "Well, what did your Taiko say?"

I'm afraid we'll have to continue discussing this.

Xiao Xifei explained carefully, "Our Highness Taiko said that 140 million dan of grain is no problem, but the indemnity is too much. Can it be reduced to 200 million taels? What do you think, Your Majesty?"

Hehe, Toyotomi Hideyoshi has fallen into the trap.

This guy must be thinking of just paying for a year or two and then not having to pay. As long as the prisoners are released, he will turn hostile and start fighting again.

Will I give you this chance?
If you fall into the pit, don't even think about climbing out!
Upon hearing this, Wanli pretended to hesitate for a moment, then slowly nodded and said, "Alright, we'll take a small loss. Two hundred million taels is two hundred million taels. How are you going to compensate us?"

This is a bit long, don't you agree?
Xiao Xifei said carefully, "Our Lord Taiko said that the compensation should be paid over a hundred years, with an annual payment of two million taels of silver and one million four hundred thousand shi of grain. What do you think?"

This guy, one hundred years!

Okay, I don’t care how much money you can compensate me, I want all of Japan.

Upon hearing this, Wanli pretended to frown slightly and said, "A hundred years? Isn't that too long?"

There is a play!

Xiao Xifei quickly explained, "Your Majesty, we in Japan are poor. We only earn two to three million taels a year. Moreover, we have a large population and little land. If we pay 1.4 million dan of grain a year, many people will starve. There's nothing we can do."

Do you think I don't know? If you work hard in the Iwami Silver Mine for a year, you can dig out three or four million taels of silver.

In addition, Tokugawa Ieyasu seemed to have discovered new gold and silver mines, whose annual profits were greater than those of the Iwami Silver Mine.

Okay, I'll pretend to be confused.

Wanli pretended to frown and pondered for a while, then slowly nodded and said, "Since you are so poor, then pay the compensation over a hundred years. What about Kyushu Island? What do you think of the Taiko?"

Our Lord Taiko said that Kyushu Island cannot be ceded to you.

Xiao Xifei said carefully, "Our Taiko said that ceding Kyushu Island is a bit unacceptable. What do you think about ceding Tsushima Island?"

No!

I will talk to you about this slowly.

Wanli shook his head repeatedly and said, "Tsushima Island is so small, it's not even enough to reward a marquis. You must cede Kyushu Island."

Alas, it doesn’t work.

Never mind, that's not the point.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Xifei said carefully, "Our Taiko has also said that the issue of Kyushu Island can be discussed. We can pay this year's grain compensation first. Your Majesty, can you please release this prisoner for us first?"

I will release you, I will release a bunch of traitors back to you!
Wanli nodded slowly and said, "I can release some of the prisoners for you first. When can you prepare the money and food for this year?"

Are you really letting go?

Very good!
Xiao Xifei said excitedly, "Our Highness Taige said that we can prepare the money and food in a month."

You think the captives I released will help you fight me, right?
I will give you a surprise then!
Wanli pretended to think about it, then slowly nodded and said, "Okay, I will send a ship to take them in a month, and the prisoners who will be released will also go on the ship."

Very good!
Now I can go back and report.

Xiao Xifei bowed repeatedly and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Don't be happy too soon.

Wanli pretended to be serious and said, "Go back and tell your Taiko that I will take Tsushima Island first, and Kyushu Island must be ceded to us, otherwise I will not be able to reward the meritorious soldiers."

Should I tell you?

I'll drag it for you!

Our Lord Taiko said he would delay until you release all the prisoners.

Xiao Xifei nodded repeatedly and said, "Okay, I will tell His Majesty Taiko when I get back."

(End of this chapter)