The Wanli Emperor of the Ming Dynasty was extremely rebellious

Chapter 421: The Highest Level of Deception

Toyotomi Hideyoshi actually clamored about the threat from the Ming Dynasty.

It's not okay for this guy to yell like that.

Wanli wanted to destroy Japan, but he didn't want to do it openly because the cost would be too high and the Japanese pirates would definitely fight to the death.

If the Japanese pirates fought to the death, the Ming army would have suffered heavy casualties that would be unimaginable.

More importantly, the cost of cross-sea warfare is too high, and the cost of transporting food and supplies is enormous.

He couldn't let this battle turn into a war of attrition where every inch of land was fought for. The consumption of manpower, material resources and financial resources would be too horrific, and even the current Ming Dynasty might not be able to afford it.

The Battle of Iwo Jima, the Battle of Midway, etc. are quite famous in later generations. The Japanese pirates really fought hard, which was quite terrifying.

Therefore, he could not let the Japanese pirates fight desperately or he could not let the Japanese pirates feel threatened by the Ming Dynasty.

This seems a bit fanciful.

It is obvious that Japan cannot defeat the Ming Dynasty now. Moreover, there was the Japanese invasion during the Jiajing period before, and now it is invading its vassal state of Korea. Toyotomi Hideyoshi had always clamored to join the Tang Dynasty and attack the Ming Dynasty. Japan has indeed offended the Ming Dynasty.

In this case, won’t the Ming Dynasty retaliate?

The Ming Dynasty will not deal with Japan?
Are they all fools?
The Japanese pirates were certainly not fools, and Toyotomi Hideyoshi saw that very clearly.

However, sometimes even fools will believe things that are obviously absurd.

For example, the Japanese pirates in Japan all said that they believed in Buddhism.

Everyone seems to believe this, and they believe it themselves.

But look at their behavior.

May Buddha have mercy on me.

Are they merciful?
The Japanese pirates are the most brutal and have nothing to do with mercy.

What other precepts are there?

Do the Japanese pirates abstain from alcohol, meat, and sex?
This is just a joke.

They believe in Buddhism, which is simply ridiculous.

However, everyone still seems to believe that they are Buddhists.

To put it bluntly, this is just deceiving yourself and others.

Are you all fools?
Obviously, it is impossible for all people to be fools.

So, sometimes even a fool would believe something that is obviously absurd.

As for how to make people believe it, to put it bluntly, it is to lie to them and trick them into believing it.

The Japanese pirates would cheat people, and so would Wanli.

He planned to trick the Japanese pirates.

Near noon that day, he actually invited all the captured Japanese pirate daimyos and generals to visit the Yangxin Palace.

The Japanese pirate daimyo and generals are so confusing.

What does the Ming emperor mean?
It seems that the Hall of Mental Cultivation is a place dedicated to printing books.

There are ink pads, paper, ink, bookshelves and so on in here. What's so good about it?

The Japanese had learned movable type printing a long time ago. Although they did not have such a large printing workshop, they understood the printing process and methods.

They can even understand the books printed by craftsmen now.

Those are the Four Books and Five Classics that they learned during this period.

They really couldn't understand what was so good about these things.

Wanli took them around in a serious manner before leading them into the dining hall.

The dining hall of the Hall of Mental Cultivation was extremely large, as it provided food for hundreds of craftsmen.

There were dozens of large tables lined up in rows, each of which could accommodate more than ten people to sit down and eat together.

Wanli chose the five large tables in the innermost row and invited the Japanese pirate daimyo and generals to sit down.

There were actually not more than fifty of them.

At Wanli's table were he, Li Xuancheng, Shan Sinan, Qin Bangping, and Li Rusong.

The other four tables were not full either, with only seven or eight Japanese pirate daimyos and generals at each table.

After everyone was seated, he ordered the food and wine to be served.

This guy, the seemingly simple dining hall actually serves all kinds of delicacies from land and sea!

Moreover, each table was packed with food, so much that more than ten people could not finish it.

At this moment, the Japanese pirate daimyo and generals couldn't help but swallow their saliva.

It's not that they don't eat meat, but they have a ban on eating poultry and livestock.

The wild game in the mountains had long been eaten to extinction by them, and they had no meat to eat.

If there is meat to eat, they will eat it more happily than anyone else.

This is based on historical facts, because during this period in history, one of the major trades between the Dutch East India Company and Japan was venison produced in Dongfan.

Any maritime trade that can be classified as a large transaction involves at least hundreds of thousands of taels of goods a year. How much venison is that?

Why does Japan import so much venison?

The reason is very simple, because venison is considered game, not poultry or livestock. It was raised by the Dutch in Dongfan, so it has nothing to do with them, so they can eat it.

Therefore, as long as there is edible meat, they enjoy eating it more than anyone else, even if it has to be purchased from overseas.

This time there was venison on the table, freshly killed and roasted, a huge piece, piled high in a large bowl.

Smoked fish is of course indispensable, as well as various wild delicacies and cured meats, steamed crab, braised shad, braised prawns, sea cucumbers, abalone, etc.

In Japan, it would be considered good to have a few of these things, but here there is a whole table with dozens of them!

Wanli saw that these guys were so greedy that he raised his glass and said, "Come, I offer a toast to you all. Drink this glass of wine. Everyone, please feel free to do as you please. Don't be polite."

Then let’s drink and eat.

The Japanese pirate daimyos and generals quickly raised their glasses and drank.

Wanli picked up the chopsticks and called for them to start eating immediately.

These delicacies from land and sea were all prepared by the imperial chefs, and they tasted so good that the Japanese pirate daimyo and generals were all amazed at them.

Wanli saw that most of them had tasted it, so he pretended to sigh and said, "Everyone, you may not know that your Taiko is making a big fuss in Japan, saying that we, the Ming Dynasty, are threatening Japan and want to attack the Japanese mainland."

what?
Upon hearing this, the Japanese pirate daimyos and generals couldn't help but put down their chopsticks.

The Ming Dynasty wants to attack the Japanese mainland!
That's no joke. They have all seen the strength of the Ming army, it's simply terrifying.

Seeing that they were all listening attentively, Wanli shook his head and sighed, "You all should know that it was your Taiko Toyotomi Hideyoshi who wanted to use the route to enter Tang and use Korea as a vassal state to attack Ming.

I never said that I would attack you in Japan. Moreover, I sent troops to my vassal state, Korea, only because the king of that vassal state repeatedly petitioned me with tears and requests. I only sent troops because I had no other choice but to beg him.

Everyone should know that the Ming Dynasty is a country of etiquette and is not warlike. Moreover, after the recovery of the vassal state of Korea, I have withdrawn all my troops and only left some naval ships to garrison on Tsushima Island.

Also, when I said I would release you, I really did. I didn't keep any of the Maori people alive; I released them all. I will release another batch this year, and I will continue to release them next year until all are released."

Upon hearing this, the Japanese pirate daimyos and generals all nodded repeatedly as if they had come alive.

It is true that the Ming Dynasty was a country of etiquette. After they were captured, Kato Kiyomasa was beaten to death, but the others did not suffer any punishment as long as they were obedient and learned the Ming Dynasty's official language and etiquette.

Moreover, the Ming Emperor did release all the Maori people. Now when they heard that he would release more people, they naturally became excited.

Seeing this, Wanli suddenly raised his hand and pointed at the delicacies on the table: "I really don't want to fight a war. I also want to cooperate with you to do business and make money.

Look at this venison, freshly killed, it tastes delicious, right? In order to supply you with venison, I have sent all the navy ships to develop Dongfan.

And this smoked fish, I ordered people to select the most delicious smoked mackerel specifically for you, and fishermen along the southeast coast are all catching this kind of mackerel and smoking it.

There are also these prawns, crabs, sea cucumbers, abalone, etc., which were all caught by the vassal state of Korea. In order to do this business with you, I even gave the vassal state of Korea a hundred large fishing boats.

They can now salvage millions of pounds a day, and after making dry goods, there are still more than two million pounds. Tell me, if I don’t want to do business with you, why should I let them salvage so much?

Also, as you just saw, I have ordered people to print books for you. I am going to give those books to you so that you can take them back.

This time, I have prepared a boatload of delicacies for each of you. I will give them to you when I send you back. If you want to eat delicacies in the future, it’s no problem. I will just bring them over and sell them to you.”

Oh, is it that good?

Upon hearing this, all the Japanese pirate daimyos and generals couldn't help but look excited.

Wanli, however, immediately poured a bucket of cold water on me, sighing repeatedly, "At this very moment, you, the Taiko, are so loudly promoting the Ming threat theory, frantically recruiting troops, and preparing to go to war with the Ming. Aren't you trying to force me into a fight, just like you did with Korea, our vassal state, last time?"

what?
This guy Toyotomi Hideyoshi, what is this Ming Dynasty threat theory?
This guy was afraid that everyone would unite and drive him out of power, so he spread the threat of the Ming Dynasty to get everyone to unite against the outside world.

Damn it, can the Ming Dynasty just sit there and watch you do this?
You are asking for a fight!
Isn’t it painful enough for you to be beaten by your vassal state North Korea?

By the way, you don’t feel any pain, but we are the ones who are hit.

You want us to continue to be beaten by the Ming Dynasty just to keep your position as Taiko, right?
At this time, even several of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's trusted generals had a bad look on their faces, and Date Masamune and Gamo Ujisato were so angry that they gritted their teeth.

Seeing this, Wanli took the opportunity to say, "How about this, you all write a letter and I will send it back to you.

While you report that you are safe, please also explain to your subordinates that the Ming Dynasty is a country of etiquette and propriety. I do not want to fight, and I have no intention of attacking the Japanese mainland.

If Toyotomi Hideyoshi continues to spread this propaganda, he will make you hate the Ming Dynasty and even want to go to war with the Ming Dynasty. That will harm you.

Putting aside other things, if Toyotomi Hideyoshi really forces me to take action, then I can only chop you off, right? Letting you go back is definitely not an option."

what?
They have all forgotten about this.

They are prisoners now!

If Toyotomi Hideyoshi forced the Ming Dynasty to go to war, it would be strange if the Ming emperor did not kill them as a sacrifice.

This is a matter of life and death. Toyotomi Hideyoshi cannot continue like this. If the Ming Dynasty and Japan really go to war, they will be dead.

Upon hearing this, the Japanese pirate daimyos and generals nodded repeatedly and expressed their willingness to write back.

This is the highest level of deception, selling people out and asking them to count the money for you!

There is no doubt that Wanli would definitely attack the Japanese mainland.

However, he tricked these daimyos and generals into writing letters back on his behalf saying that he had no such idea at all!
(End of this chapter)