Take control of Wei Zhongxian at the start and confiscate 100 million from him!

Chapter 112: A Blood Debt Engraved in Bones and Souls Across Time and Space

Zheng Zhilong stood behind the current emperor in an almost stiff posture, his breathing so light that he could hardly hear it himself.

The emperor's precise understanding of overseas geography, resources, shipping routes, and even the psychology of people sent a chill down Zheng Zhilong's spine, who called himself the "King of the Sea."

He thought that was the pinnacle of his life, the biggest scheme he had ever heard of.

Until he saw His Majesty the Emperor's finger.

It was a long, slender, fair finger with distinct knuckles, its nails meticulously trimmed, exuding a refined air of pampered elegance. Yet, at this moment, this exquisite finger resembled a scepter capable of wielding immense power.

It moved away from the colored block on the map called "Siam," like a flagship, patrolling the long and winding ink line of the Ming Dynasty's vast sea frontier.

But this time, its movement was no longer leisurely; instead, it carried a chilling decisiveness. The air seemed to freeze, and the last remaining warmth in the hall was instantly drained away by the trajectory of that finger.

Zheng Zhilong's gaze followed it uncontrollably, and his heartbeat seemed to be drawn by its slow movement. He shivered for no reason, a sense of unease arising from his instinct for danger.

Finally, the finger stopped.

Without the slightest pause, it didn't fall, but rather, with a force as if it wanted to crush something, it slammed into the northeast corner of the Kunyu Wanguo Quantu!
"Tuk!"

A soft yet incredibly clear muffled sound.

It was a country shaped like a bow, consisting of several long, narrow islands.

Japanese country.

Zheng Zhilong's pupils suddenly contracted to needle size in that instant!

But this time it wasn't pure shock, but a kind of astonishment mixed with a chilling coldness.

Because he clearly sensed that the young monarch's entire aura changed the instant his fingertips touched that land.

It was a change that defies description.

If we were talking about Siam earlier, Zhu Youjian was an emperor who planned and commanded the country; then at this moment, he was more like a ferocious beast awakening from an ancient slumber, silently opening its blood-red eyes.

The emperor did not turn around, but Zheng Zhilong could almost see the face behind his back, which must be covered with an unyielding layer of frost.

That upright back was now taut like a fully drawn bow, every muscle radiating a deep and intense resentment!
It wasn't the hostility between nations caused by trade frictions or border conflicts, nor was it the contempt of a monarch for a barbarian state. Rather, it seemed to be something deeper and more personal, like a blood debt etched into the bones and soul across time and space, suddenly awakened at this moment!

Zheng Zhilong was stunned.

what happened?

Where does His Majesty's murderous rage come from?

Although the Ming Dynasty and the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan had no diplomatic relations, trade between them continued. They kept to themselves and did not interfere with each other. Why... why did His Majesty become a different person when he pointed at Japan, revealing such undisguised murderous intent and disgust?

Just as Zheng Zhilong's heart was pounding and he was completely baffled, the emperor's voice rang out.

The voice was no longer calm, no longer like casual conversation; it became cold and deep, like iron frozen for thousands of years under a polar glacier, each word carrying a chilling aura that made one's teeth ache.

"Minister Zheng, are you aware of... 'Stones revealing silver mountains'?"

Zheng Zhilong's breath hitched.

The shock brought by the four words "Ishimi Ginzan" and the inexplicable and terrifying overwhelming hatred emanating from the emperor were two completely different shocks that intertwined, making him feel as if he had fallen into an ice cave, and his whole body was chilled.

He realized that the emperor's ambitions for that land were probably far more...terrifying than he had ever imagined!
Zheng Zhilong's body tensed up instantly, every muscle seemed to be frozen. The strong will he had honed over the years of licking blood off the blade and surviving in raging waves was almost about to crumble at this moment.

He did not answer immediately, nor did he dare to answer, because he needed to use all his strength to suppress the barely perceptible tremor in his body.

Iwami Ginzan!

For 99% of people in the world, these four characters are probably just an unfamiliar place name.

But for Zheng Zhilong, and for any true merchant from the East, these four words represented a significance no less than the legendary Kunlun Mountains or Penglai Island!
That's silver! That's money! That's an inexhaustible source of wealth that even ghosts and gods would do.
But...but how could His Majesty know?
Before he could even begin to process the immense shock, the emperor's calm voice rang out once more, like a precise finishing blow that shattered all his remaining hopes.

"Some people also call it 'Zomo Silver Mountain'."

Soma Silver Mine!

While the name "Iwami Ginzan" might be leaked through official documents or rumors, the name "Sama Ginzan" is known only to intelligence chiefs with deep roots in Japan and influence reaching the highest levels of the shogunate!
Zheng Zhilong felt a chill creep up from his tailbone, climbing his spine and making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. He suddenly realized a terrifying truth: this young emperor, seemingly ignorant of the world beyond the capital, might actually possess a deeper and more precise understanding of Japan than he, the maritime overlord who had dominated the East for over a decade!

Zheng Zhilong forced himself to lower his head, not daring to look at the map again, much less at the emperor's back, for fear that his eyes would betray the undisguised horror.

Deep inside, countless thoughts were colliding wildly.

"How did the Emperor know? After the 'Genwa End of War' twenty years ago, the Tokugawa Shogunate took over the Iwami Silver Mine and placed it under the direct jurisdiction of the 'Silver Mine Magistrate' dispatched by the Shogunate. Its defenses were as tight as those of a capital city!"
That was the Tokugawa family's lifeline, the foundation they used to balance domestic daimyo, win over the hearts of the people, and maintain their rule!

Ordinary merchants are already incredibly lucky to have reached the 'Chinatown' in Nagasaki Port safely; who would dare to pry into such a forbidden place? My Zheng family's many connections in Japan only give us a vague idea of ​​its general location; we've never been able to find out the truth... The Emperor, the Emperor he..."

Just as Zheng Zhilong was in shock, Zhu Youjian seemed to have done something insignificant. He withdrew his finger, turned around, and looked calmly at the somewhat distraught Zheng Zhilong.

"It seems that Zheng Qing knows this place."

This is not a question, but a statement.

Zhu Youjian's face showed no hint of pride in showing off his extensive knowledge, only a matter-of-fact calmness. He continued:
"Japan is now under the rule of Tokugawa Iemitsu, and it is no longer the chaotic world when you first ventured out. Under the shogunate system, the daimyo appear to be subservient, but in reality, there are undercurrents. However, there is one thing in common: although their country is stable, from the shogun and daimyo down to the samurai and wealthy merchants, they are extremely dependent on the resources of our Great Ming."

He spoke slowly, and every word was clearly delivered to Zheng Zhilong's ears.

“Raw silk, silk fabrics, porcelain, medicinal herbs, books, and even sugar… Without my Great Ming, those arrogant daimyo warriors would lose their dignity and prestige. The magnificent haori they wear, the silk sashes used to weave their armor, the Tenmoku cups at tea ceremonies, and even the cords binding their sword hilts all originate from my Great Ming.”

After he finished speaking, Zhu Youjian's eyes suddenly became very quiet.

It was a strange silence, like an ancient sword that had been sheathed for many years, yet the chill that had accumulated over countless years seeped through the cracks and silently adhered to Zheng Zhilong's skin.

"Minister Zheng, do you... understand what I mean?"

It was just a very light sentence.

Zheng Zhilong felt as if a wad of dry cotton had been stuffed into his throat. He swallowed with difficulty, the movement appearing extremely awkward and stiff.

He felt he should understand.

But he also felt that he didn't understand anything.

The living emperor standing before him was not flaunting the secrets he knew. For those who truly stand at the top, intelligence is always just a tool, not something to boast about.

So, was the emperor demonstrating power?
The thought flashed through Zheng Zhilong's mind, but he immediately rejected it.

That's not right either.

Power is ships, cannons, and brothers who can fight and kill. It is the power of the Zheng family, which can cut off the sea routes to the East with a single command. The emperor can certainly do the same, but he has not shown him these things yet.

The emperor simply recounted in an extremely ordinary tone some things that Zheng Zhilong also knew, or rather, thought he knew.

Iwami Ginzan, Tokugawa Iemitsu, the shogunate, daimyo, raw silk, sugar...

These words are like individual pebbles, and Zheng Zhilong has many of them in his pocket. He achieved his current status by picking up and distinguishing the quality and origin of these pebbles.

However, when the emperor casually picked up these stones and placed them on the chessboard, they naturally formed a line, outlining a net—a net that tightly bound the entire Japanese nation, from its economy to its people's hearts.

It's like a drop of ink falling into a bowl of clear water.

Zheng Zhilong always thought he was holding a bowl of clear water, and he knew the depth of that water.

But it wasn't until the moment that drop of ink fell, watching it irresistibly spread along some vein he had never noticed before, that he was suddenly horrified to realize—

He doesn't understand this bowl of water at all.

He suddenly realized that all the knowledge he had built up over half his life about power, wealth, and intrigue was so... crude and ridiculous in this deep hall, under the emperor's indifferent glance.

He was like a local expert who knew every alleyway well, but today he met someone who held a map of the entire capital.

At this moment, the indomitable spirit that Zheng Zhilong had forged in the midst of turbulent waves was not shattered, because it was not impacted at all; it simply... silently shrunk down.

Like a mountain meeting the sky.

(End of this chapter)