Autumn of the 17th year of Chongzhen

Chapter 1022 Shimadzu

The Shimadzu family is a Japanese feudal lord whose territory is located in the southwestern part of Kyushu. It is called the Satsuma Domain and is the foreign name of the Tokugawa Shogunate. ?
During the outbreak of the Battle of Sekigahara, the Shimadzu family supported the Western Army and fell into a hostile relationship with the Tokugawa family. After the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate, the Shimadzu family successfully kept the domain through diplomatic lobbying and marriage with the Tokugawa family. .

In Japan during the Edo period, daimyos who had a close relationship with the shogunate mostly closed their domains near Edo, and the more distant the relationship, the farther their domains were from Edo.

The Satsuma clan where the Shimadzu family is located should have a very poor relationship with the Tokugawa shogunate from the perspective of the location of the territory, but in fact, although the Shimadzu family is a foreign daimyo, the relationship between the two sides is currently relatively stable.

In the southwestern part of Kyushu controlled by Shimadzu, there are frequent volcanoes and frequent typhoons, low productivity and poor living conditions, but the Satsuma clan is a powerful clan in Japan.

This is because of the poor mountains and bad waters, which made the Satsuma warriors brave and good at fighting, and the second is because the Shimadzu family has mastered the trade with the Ming Dynasty.

After the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate, because of the Catholic uprising, it was also convenient for the shogunate to control trade and prevent the daimyo from becoming bigger, so they promulgated a decree to lock up the country, and only maintained certain trade with China and the Netherlands under the control of the shogunate.

After the shogunate promulgated the decree of closing the country, Japan's foreign trade was mainly in the hands of the shogunate, but Satsuma did not give up trade with the Ming Dynasty, but has been conducting smuggling trade with the Ming Dynasty.

There are at least three reasons why Satsuma was able to carry out smuggling trade. It is located at the southern tip of Japan, close to Ryukyu and Ming Dynasty, which provided him with a geographical advantage. Kagoshima has a natural good port, which provided him with a geographical advantage. The poor living conditions of the Satsuma clan forced the locals to seek their livelihood from the sea, which provided them with a boost, so the Satsuma clan was able to conduct trade even though the country was locked down.

Today, the lord of the Satsuma domain is the second son of Shimadzu Nakatoge, Shimadzu Mitsuhisa, known as "Matsudaira Satsuma Shouguanghisa" or "Tiger Shoumaru", he is the second generation of the Satsuma domain during the Tokugawa shogunate.

At this time, in Luer Castle where the Shimadzu family lived, a samurai wearing a kimono with a shaved head, two knives, one long and one short, and wooden clogs was led to a traditional building. In front of the Japanese-style building.

The samurai walked in an unhurried pace, and the wooden clogs knocked on the ground, making a "thumping" sound.

"Your Excellency, the guardian is waiting inside!" A Shimadzu retainer who led the way stopped in front of the house and said respectfully.

The samurai-looking man listened, nodded slightly, and took off his clogs. Two kneeling women in kimonos opened the landing door, and the samurai walked into the room, and saw a Japanese general kneeling in front of him.

"Guard Your Excellency!" The samurai hurriedly performed a Japanese etiquette, and then knelt down.

The general in the room is none other than Matsudaira Satsuma Mori Mitsuhisa, the second generation lord of the Satsuma clan. The man dressed as a samurai in front of him is Tagawa Nanazemon, the son of the Zheng family adopted by the Tagawa clan, and Zheng Chenggong's younger brother.

Mitsuhisa Shimadzu was in his 30s, but he was very dignified and rigid, with no expression on his face. After Shichizaemon sat down, he waved his hand, and two women in kimonos bowed their heads and brought up two Wooden trays, each with a pot of sake, and a little food.

What was popular in Japan is the meal sharing system before the Tang Dynasty in China. Each eats his own food. After the two women stepped aside and knelt down, Mitsuhisa Shimadzu poured a glass of sake and signaled Shichizaemon. He opened his mouth and said, "Your Excellency, you are not in Nagasaki, but you are visiting Kagoshima. What's the matter?"

Shichizaemon was in charge of the trade between the Zheng family and Japan. The situation in the fight against the Qing was unfavorable earlier. His mother, Tagawa, committed suicide after being insulted by the Qing soldiers. Qizaemon wrote several times to Zheng Chenggong, wanting to return to China to fight against the Qing, but Zheng Chenggong considered It is necessary for him to stay in Japan to preside over the Zheng family's trade, so he has been kept in Japan.

When Zheng Chenggong retreated to Xiamen, Shichizaemon sent a large amount of supplies to Zheng Chenggong from Japan, so that Zheng Chenggong could develop and grow.

After the recovery of Nanjing in the Ming Dynasty, Zheng Chenggong no longer needed Shichizaemon to transport supplies, and Shichizaemon's mission was transformed into helping the Zheng family trade in Japan.

The trading port designated by the Tokugawa shogunate is in Nagasaki, and Shichizaemon generally handles the trade of the Zheng family and the Tagawa family in Nagasaki. However, due to the restrictions of the shogunate's lock-up order, the normal trade quota is limited, and the quota is mostly used by Jiangsu and Zhejiang merchants. Take it away, the Zheng family can not get much quota, so they still maintain a close smuggling trade with Shimadzu.

"Guard Your Excellency, I am here this time to ask Your Excellency one thing!"

Tagawa Shichizaemon put his hands on the thighs of the kneeling seat, bowed his head after speaking, and saluted solemnly.

The Shimadzu family has close contacts with the Zheng family. Apart from the smuggling trade with businessmen in Zhejiang, at least [-]% of the share is done with the Zheng family.

Japanese knives and fans were transported to Daming through the Zheng family in exchange for silk, tea, sugar, and books from Daming, which made the Shimadzu family earn a lot in trade, so Mitsuhisa Shimadzu attached great importance to the relationship with the Zheng family.

"I don't know what it is that requires me to serve you?" Shimadzu Mitsuhisa said in a deep voice without joy on his face.

Shichizaemon raised his head after hearing this, but did not speak directly, but tilted his head and glanced at the Japanese girls around him.

Mitsuhisa Shimadzu understood, and immediately waved his hand, and several Japanese women immediately retreated.

Seeing this, Qizaemon said: "His Royal Highness, Prince Chu of the Ming Dynasty, will send envoys to Edo to meet with Yan Youyuan, intending to renew the agreement with the shogunate and expand trade. This is for Your Excellency, the Zheng family and Zhejiang Eastern merchants are very unfavorable, so I want to ask Your Excellency to guard you and pretend to be the shogunate to intercept the visiting missions."

Shimadzu Mitsuhisa was pouring sake into the cup, when he heard this, his hands trembled violently, and the wine spilled out.

The Battle of Baijiangkou transformed Japan into Tang Dynasty for a thousand years, and the Battle of Wenlu-Qingchang destroyed Japan's peek at the heart of Middle-earth again.

Shichizaemon actually asked him to intercept the Daming envoy, Shimadzu Mitsuhisa's woodcarving face showed a hint of panic in Tadashi.

"Your Excellency, Prince Chu of the Ming Dynasty is now the regent of the Ming Kingdom. His envoy is the envoy of the Ming Dynasty. Let me accompany the shogunate to intercept the envoy of the Ming Kingdom. What should I do if Prince Chu is angry and the two countries go to war?" General Mitsuhisa Shimadzu said Putting the broken flagon aside, he frowned.

"Japan and Ming are separated by sea. If Ming wants to fight the Hulu, it is impossible to trigger a war. Besides, behind the Zheng family is the King Tang of the Ming Dynasty. There is no ability to fight against Japan at all, at most it is to prohibit trade with Japan, and this is not in our hands?" Shichizaemon smiled slightly, picked up a handkerchief on the table, and helped Mitsuhisa Shimadzu wipe away the spilled water while talking. drinks.

"Was this matter ordered by Prince Lu and Prince Tang of the Ming Kingdom?" Shimadzu Mitsuhisa asked in a deep voice.

"Guardian Your Excellency can think so!" Shichizaemon slightly nodded, "If Da Ming signed an agreement to expand trade with the shogunate, some businessmen from Da Ming would enter Japan through normal channels, and Japanese swords, paper fans, etc. The goods will also flow into Daming through normal channels, so the trade between the Shimadzu family and the Zheng family will not be able to continue. Japanese trade is only a part of the Zheng family, but the Shimadzu family has lost the benefits of smuggling. What will happen? Guardian Your Excellency should think carefully."

Mitsuhisa Shimadzu was silent for a while, and then said after a while: "The shogunate may not agree to Prince Chu's agreement, please let me think about this matter again!"

For such a big event, Tagawa Nanazawaemon knew that Mitsuhisa Shimadzu could not make up his mind for a while and needed to discuss with the deployment, so he solemnly bowed his Japanese salute, bowed his head and said: "Your Excellency, then please, I will come to visit later !"

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(End of this chapter)