The Wanli Emperor of the Ming Dynasty was extremely rebellious

Chapter 440 If You Don’t Give It to Me, I’ll Be Polite
In July, the capital of the Ming Dynasty was already scorching hot, and the war in Japan was in full swing.

At this time, Tokugawa Ieyasu had already taken over Anbo Province, and Gamo Ujisato had already taken over Hitachi Province.

Uesugi Kagekatsu was driven back to a small corner in the northwest of Echigo Province.

The allied forces of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and the Sanada clan could not break into Ueno Province no matter what they did.

There was no other way. Kerosene cans were too ineffective for defending the city. The siege equipment they made would be burned as soon as they were pushed up, and there was no way to attack the city wall at all.

While the various warlords in Honshu were fighting fiercely, the battle on Kyushu Island ended early.

In mid-July, Kobayakawa Takakage captured Satsuma Province in one fell swoop, and the entire Kyushu Island seemed to be in the hands of the Mori clan.

At this time, if we only talk about the area of ​​territory, the Mori clan is undoubtedly the number one force in Japan.

They have conquered 19 out of the 66 countries in Japan.

When Toyotomi Hideyoshi heard the news, he was almost anxious to death.

What if the Mori clan transferred Kobayakawa Takakage, who was attacking southern Kyushu, to attack his territory?
Mori Terumoto wanted to preserve his strength, but Kobayakawa Takakage didn't need to. Almost all of this guy's subordinates were soldiers from Kyushu.

Just when he was getting extremely anxious, the Ming Dynasty, which had remained silent all this time, suddenly sent an envoy to ask them to pay compensation for this year's taxes and grain!

It's really unreasonable that he still hasn't paid the compensation for the grain now that half of the year has passed.

The problem is that he has been conscripting young men to fight in the war since last year. The food produced in his territory is already insufficient. Where can he get the food to pay compensation to the Ming Dynasty?

As for silver, there is even less. Since last year, this guy Mori Terumoto has swallowed up all the silver produced by the Iwami Silver Mine, so that he is now unable to pay the food and wages.

There was no other way, he could only send Xiao Xifei to the capital of the Ming Dynasty to explain to the Ming Emperor.

He really has no way to pay the compensation unless the war is over.

Xiao Xifei felt so miserable.

How could he discuss this matter with the Emperor of Ming?

But no matter how sad he felt, he had to go.

At this moment, Toyotomi Hideyoshi was anxious and angry because the war was going badly. If he dared to disobey orders, Toyotomi Hideyoshi would most likely be so angry that he would chop him to death!
There was no other way, he could only bite the bullet and board the Ming Navy's express ship and head to the Ming capital.

This time, the Ming navy officers and soldiers did not row hard because the journey was too long. As a result, it took them more than half a month to get from Osaka Castle to the Ming capital.

Fortunately, the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty did not leave him out in the cold.

As soon as he arrived in the capital of the Ming Dynasty, he was summoned into the palace at around noon the next morning.

The Emperor of the Ming Dynasty still received him in that terrifyingly luxurious palace.

This guy actually ordered two pots of tribute tea.

Xiao Xifei has no mood to drink tea at this moment.

He poured a cup of wine into his mouth like a cow, and then said carefully: "Your Majesty, I'm sorry, we are at war in Japan right now, and it's very chaotic.

Our Lord Taiko simply cannot raise the money and food to pay the compensation. Can you wait until the war is over before paying the compensation?"

Upon hearing this, Wanli feigned curiosity and asked, "Why are you fighting again?"

How do you say this?

Xiao Xifei thought blankly for a while, then said carefully: "Our Taiko-sama does not want to fight, but Tokugawa Ieyasu is ambitious and wants to drive our Taiko-sama out of power and replace him.

This war was entirely provoked by Tokugawa Ieyasu, and our Highness the Taiko has no choice but to fight back."

Is this the ambition of Tokugawa Ieyasu, a playboy?
How many of you Japanese pirates don’t have evil ambitions?
Tokugawa Ieyasu is not as ambitious as your Taiko Toyotomi Hideyoshi. At least this guy never thought about attacking the Ming Dynasty.

Do you think I don't know?
Wanli pretended to sigh slightly and said, "What should we do then?

You should know how much food two or three hundred thousand prisoners need to eat in a year. Even if I collect all the money and food from you, it will not be enough to feed those prisoners.

If you don't give me this year, I will be in big trouble, right?"

How would I know what to do?

Xiao Xifei thought about it carefully, then said, "Your Majesty, how about you release all the captives to us? That way you won't have to lose money and food, right?"

You're probably dreaming.

Wanli shook his head slightly and said, "No, the issue of Kyushu Island has not been settled yet, and you haven't paid the compensation for this year. I can't release all the prisoners.

If I release all the captives, your Taiko Toyotomi Hideyoshi will definitely deny the responsibility."

Did you guess all this?
What can I say?

Xiao Xifei thought about it carefully again, but still said helplessly: "Your Majesty, we really can't pay the compensation this year. Can you please make some concessions?"

Do you think I'm really that easy to talk to?

Wanli pretended to frown and said, "Do you know how much I will have to pay for this concession?

Our Ming Dynasty's annual tax revenue is only four or five million taels. Even if we compensate for all the Ming Dynasty's tax revenue with this concession, it won't be enough."

then what should we do?

Xiao Xifei said helplessly, "Your Majesty, we really don't have the money and grain to pay the compensation this year. Can you think of another way to solve this problem?"

I have already thought of other solutions. Wanli pretended to frown and pondered for a while, then said solemnly: "How about you cede Kyushu Island to us first."

what?
Cede Kyushu Island!
This is absolutely impossible.

There is no choice but to postpone it.

Xiao Xifei was stunned for a moment, then said carefully: "Your Majesty, I cannot make the decision on this matter. I must go back and ask His Majesty the Grand Chamberlain for instructions."

You want to drag it on, right?

Okay.

Wanli nodded slightly and said, "Alright, go back and ask His Majesty the Taiko. If he is willing to cede Kyushu Island, it doesn't matter if we don't pay the compensation this year. I can also return all the captives to you."

Would Toyotomi Hideyoshi agree to cede Kyushu Island?

If a person is not smart, he would probably agree.

Because Kyushu Island was occupied by the Mori clan at this time, it seemed to have nothing to do with him.

Moreover, if Wanli could release 200,000 or 300,000 captives, he might be able to reverse the disadvantage and defeat Tokugawa Ieyasu.

However, Toyotomi Hideyoshi had brains.

He absolutely could not agree to such a thing.

Once he agreed, Maeda Toshiie, Uesugi Kagekatsu, and even the Sanada clan might turn against him and immediately stand on the side of Tokugawa Ieyasu.

Moreover, even if the soldiers on Kyushu Island were released, they might not listen to him. It is possible that they would turn around and help Tokugawa Ieyasu deal with him.

He can't be the Taiko like this.

There are only three large islands in Japan now. As the Taiko, should he directly compensate the Ming Dynasty with one?
That's a joke.

It is true that Kyushu Island is now occupied by the Mori clan, but the Mori clan is the daimyo of Japan after all. Once Japan is unified, Kyushu Island will still belong to Japan.

If it was ceded to the Ming Dynasty, would they be able to take it back with their strength?
That's almost impossible.

As for the soldiers on Kyushu Island, they were even more worried.

You paid our hometown to the Ming Dynasty as compensation, and we should help you fight Tokugawa Ieyasu?
We're lucky enough not to punish you!

Toyotomi Hideyoshi knew very well that Kyushu Island could not be ceded.

Of course he couldn't agree.

As a result, Xiao Xifei was driven back to the capital of the Ming Dynasty by Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

Wanli also deliberately asked the navy soldiers to row this guy slowly, and it would take a month or so to fight back and forth.

It is already September now. The weather is clear and cool, and the rice and wheat are turning yellow. It is a good time for harvest.

The Ming soldiers are ready to reap the harvest.

Early in the morning at about noon that day, Wanli pretended to have someone invite Xiao Xifei to the luxurious palace.

He still ordered two pots of tribute tea to be served to this guy.

Xiao Xifei felt that the tea was really bitter at this moment, so bitter that he didn't know what to say.

He pretended to sip the tea for a long time, almost finishing the whole pot, before he finally said, "Your Majesty, our Taiko said that Kyushu Island cannot be ceded. Can you think of other solutions?"

Other ways?

I've thought of it all for you.

If you don't give it to me, go get it yourself!
Wanli pretended to shake his head and sighed, "It is not a gentleman's behavior to speak ill of others behind their backs, but I still can't help but say that your Taiko Toyotomi Hideyoshi is a very bad person.

It is obvious that he wants to disrupt the peace talks and force our Ming Dynasty to go to war.

They refuse to pay compensation, refuse to cede Kyushu Island, and ask us to pay for the support of so many captives ourselves. How can I do this?
If I do this, I will be cursed to death by the people of Ming Dynasty."

What does this mean?
How dare the people of the Ming Dynasty scold you, the emperor?
No, start a war!
Xiao Xifei was stunned for a moment, then immediately shook his head and said, "Your Majesty, that's not what His Highness Taige meant. We don't want to go to war with the Ming Dynasty."

This guy wanted to before, but now he doesn’t want to anymore.

However, this was not Toyotomi Hideyoshi's original intention.

The Japanese pirates are like this. If they can't defeat the enemy, they will act like grandsons. If they can defeat the enemy, they will bully the enemy at will.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi knew that he could not defeat the Ming Dynasty now, so he did not want to go to war. When he felt that he had done enough, he would think about going to war again.

Can I allow you to keep thinking about taking over Middle-earth?

Wanli shook his head slowly and said, "This is not a question of whether I want to or not. I must give an explanation to the people and soldiers of the Ming Dynasty.

Go back and tell your Taiko that if you do not agree to cede Kyushu Island, don't blame me for being rude.

In this negotiation, you Taiko can do whatever you want, as if it was you, Japan, who were victorious. Does he really think I have no temper?"

Don't do this!
Upon hearing this, Xiao Xifei hurriedly nodded and stood up, saying, "Your Majesty, please calm down. I will go back and tell His Highness the Grand Council."

What the hell are you talking about when you go back?
By now, the new issue of the tabloid has probably spread all over Japan.

The Ming Dynasty navy ships have already set off!
(End of this chapter)