Chongzhen Chat Group

In the chat group, a private message sent by Jin Yiwei from Tianjin Port said: The Japanese Tokugawa shogunate came to pay tribute to our Ming Dynasty. The tribute was very rich, estimated to reach 100,000 taels of silver, and there were five Japanese beauties.

Emperor Chongzhen was really speechless. Ever since Toyotomi Hideyoshi sent troops to attack North Korea during the Wanli period and officially went to war with the Ming Dynasty, the Japanese country had never sent envoys to pay tribute. Moreover, even when they came to pay tribute in the past, they all wanted to make money from the Ming Dynasty. During the Jiajing period, in order to gain this benefit, even the two groups of Japanese people fought with each other on the territory of the Ming Dynasty.

This time, it was really real. The tribute was worth as much as one hundred thousand taels of silver, and there were also five Japanese beauties. This move was really generous!

At that time, Emperor Chongzhen did not receive a secret report from the Jin Yiwei lurking in Edo regarding this mission. Including the opponents of the Tokugawa shogunate, whether it was Qian Fugui or Wu Daji, there was no secret report of this news. It was obvious that the mission of the Japanese Tokugawa shogunate was a secret mission. Of course, this is also related to the fact that the Kinyiwei spies in Edo were not of a high level and could not get into the decision-making level of the Tokugawa shogunate.

However, after Emperor Chongzhen thought about it for a moment, he actually understood the reason why the Tokugawa shogunate secretly sent envoys to pay tribute. To be precise, the Tokugawa shogunate sent envoys to the Ming Dynasty this time, and the purpose of paying tribute was not to obtain enough profitable goods from the Ming Dynasty, so the tributes were very real. The real purpose of the Tokugawa shogunate should be to ask the Ming Dynasty to send troops to help them deal with the remnants of the captives in our country.

This can be calculated.

First, Kyushu Island has been occupied by the remnants of the Japanese for a long time, and the Tokugawa shogunate has never been able to take it back. You know, there are only a few islands in our country, and Kyushu Island is the largest and most economically valuable island besides Honshu. It is impossible for the Tokugawa shogunate to not want it.

Second, because he had previously ordered Qian Fugui and Wu Daji to cause trouble and encouraged the remnants of Jianlu to capture Shijian Yinshan. Although the remnants of the rebels have not been defeated yet, they have been mobilizing troops and generals. It is estimated that the Tokugawa shogunate has felt that a war is about to break out and feels enough pressure.

Haha, these Japanese people also have beautiful ideas! Emperor Chongzhen couldn't help but said in his heart when he thought of this. After having planned it for so long, the Ming Dynasty wanted to take possession of the Japanese country. Although it is just a few islands in itself, with many volcanoes and earthquakes, its geographical location is good. When the Ming Dynasty plots North and South America in the future, this Japanese country will be a springboard.

Besides, in the past, when the Japanese country felt stronger, it wanted to take advantage of the suzerain country. Now that something happened, it wanted to ask the suzerain country to help you. This plan was very good!

With this in mind, Emperor Chongzhen forwarded the news to the temporary cabinet group, and then asked: "What do you all, dear friends, think?"

There was silence in the temporary chat group for a while, and then Chief Minister Wen Tiren replied: "Your Majesty, Taizu once decreed that the Japanese country is a country without conquests."

In the past, he knew that Emperor Chongzhen wanted to lay out the Japanese country and capture it. He did not persuade him, because Emperor Chongzhen's method was to force the remaining Jianlu remnants into the Japanese country and let them bite dogs. In this case, the place where the Ming Dynasty captured the Japanese country from the remnants of the Jianlu captives would become part of the Ming Dynasty's territory, which would not conflict with Taizu's will at the time. Just like Korea, Taizu also said that it was a country without conquests, but in the end it did not become part of the Ming Dynasty. During the process, no one could say that it should not have happened.

Because the Ming Dynasty was taken from the remnants of the Jianlu, and all the members of the royal family in North Korea who had the right to inherit were killed by Gwanghaejun. As for Lord Gwanghae himself, not only was he kidnapped by the remnants of the Japanese captives and sent to the Japanese country, he was also a man who wanted to usurp the throne and was an enemy of the Ming Dynasty. No matter what, it was impossible for North Korea to return him. In this way, it was justifiable for Ming Dynasty to incorporate North Korea into its territory.

But the Japanese country is a little different. They now send envoys to pay tribute, which shows that they recognize that the Ming Dynasty is still the suzerain state, and they will definitely shirk their responsibilities back then. In this situation, it's like two people fighting, and the other party gets scared, kneels down and hugs his thigh and begs, saying that he is wrong, saying that it is not what he wants, it is someone else who instigates it, and one party is a humble gentleman (heavenly country), this Under such circumstances, can we still fight? The situation in Japan is similar.

Therefore, Wen Tiren just reminded him, but that was it, and didn't say much else. Obviously, the decision-making power still lies in the hands of Emperor Chongzhen. He is just a reminder for Emperor Chongzhen's reference.

On the other hand, Sun Chengzong, the second assistant, went straight to the point: "Your Majesty, we have laid plans for the Japanese country for a long time, how can we give up all our efforts? Moreover, the Japanese country is a wolf-hearted person who bullies the weak and fears the strong. What's the use of keeping them?"

Sure enough, people who lead troops and those who don't lead troops have different ways of doing things and thinking.

Several other assistant ministers in the cabinet also spoke, and they were obviously divided into two groups, supporting the different views of the first assistant and the second assistant respectively.

Emperor Chongzhen pondered. As a mature politician, he could not shout nakedly to fight and kill. Although the Ming Dynasty is currently strong enough, the so-called master has a reputation, whether it is internally or externally, there must be an explanation. Fortunately, I had already guided public opinion and denounced the Japanese invasion of North Korea in the past. Today's Ming Dynasty does not have a good impression of the Japanese country.

Thinking of this, Emperor Chongzhen frowned slightly. He definitely wanted this Japanese country, but it was best to resolve the matter of face properly and have enough reasons.

If the Japanese state did not pay tribute and maintained the previous non-communication relationship, based on the previous public opinion, the Ming Dynasty occupied the Japanese state. But now Japan's envoys have come, and they have prepared real tributes to bow their heads and admit their mistakes. If the Ming Dynasty were to capture Japan first at this time, it is estimated that there will definitely be public opinion in the country that sympathizes with Japan. Although I am not afraid, it is better to avoid this situation if possible!

After thinking for a while, Emperor Chongzhen suddenly had a thought in his heart, and he suddenly had an idea, let's do this!

So, he told the cabinet all his ideas, and then told them to ask Honglu Temple to come forward when the time comes.

When Wen Tiren, Sun Chengzong and others heard this, they couldn't help but admire the emperor's concern for face and dignity. Only the emperor, who often had incredible ideas, could come up with such a countermeasure.

Then, an imperial edict was passed down, allowing Japanese envoys to enter Beijing.

But at the same time, news of the Japanese envoys also spread in Gyeonggi. Under the secret guidance of Jin Yiwei and Dongchang, public opinion began to ferment.

Therefore, the Japanese envoy was a little dumbfounded when he went to the capital of the Ming Dynasty.