Bright Spring

Controlling the air routes east of Malacca, currency issuance, taxes, prices, and trade rules are all decided by the Ming court.Imperial court caravans can profit from it, private merchants can profit, and city ship lifters can only get tax revenue. This is open source.If the national treasury has no source, what's the use of crying for poverty? "

After hearing this, Xia Yuanji stopped talking.

Zhu Gaoxu said: "I want to build the South China Sea Governor's Mansion and the Western Governor's Mansion, and use two yamen to manage affairs east of the Strait of Malacca, which belong to the cabinet. The South China Sea Governor's Mansion can be set up in Saigon Port (near Vung Tau, the name comes from Yongle years. Zheng He's Fleet, which means paying tribute to the West). The Western Governor's Mansion can be set up in the Xuanwei Division of the Old Port."

Qi Tai made a bow and said: "The comfort envoy of the old port is Shi Jinqing from the Han Dynasty. He has been conferred by the imperial court and has made meritorious service. Most of his subordinates are Han people from all over the southeast. This matter can still be handled. However, Saigon Port is a place of the Chenla Kingdom, and the Chenla Kingdom I'm afraid I don't want to cede the land."

Zhu Gaoxu said: "We can change the name, instead of ceding land, we can set up an 'envoy city'. Countries that accept the tributary system can also set up 'embassy' in our Ming capital. Let's help those vassal states to reduce disputes and achieve harmony. Getting along, how can we do things without a stronghold?"

Qi Tai said: "I'm afraid this matter is still not easy."

Zhu Gaoxu nodded and said: "So we have to make full use of the conflicts between countries, so as not to waste the treasury and send troops to crusade. Because it is not easy, we have to start as soon as possible. At first, it was nothing more than lip service, but it was too time-consuming."

The officials in the court were talking a lot, and there was a lot of noise in the hall.

Zhu Gaoxu beckoned: "Everyone, sit down and look at the picture." He pointed to a large picture spread on the big table and said, "I have thought of a plan, if it doesn't work, you can think of another way."

He tapped a place on the table, "Annan is a vassal state of our dynasty, we can stand up for Annan and claim the land of Hue from Champa; Become a supply port and trade distribution center. The Champa people have looted and slaughtered Thang Long and other places many times. The clan, nobles and common people of the Annan Kingdom all remember their grudges; if there is such an opportunity, the Annan people must work very hard. The Champa Kingdom has it pressure, it is possible to compromise."

Hu Wei reminded: "The relationship between the Champa Kingdom and our dynasty is good. The king (Jaya Sanghavarman V) is a courtier and pays tribute. According to the etiquette, it is very respectful."

"They just wanted to take revenge when I conquered the Southern Kingdom. Let's not care about those illusory things." Zhu Gaoxu said, "Champa is no longer the Linyi of the Qin Dynasty. The kings and ministers here are all curly-haired and dark-skinned people, who have long since severed their direct subordinate relationship with the Ming Dynasty. They can’t be used as money to flatter us.”

Hu Yan was speechless for a moment.

Zhu Gaoxu said: "The Champa Kingdom is currently attacking the Chenla Kingdom. If the Annan Kingdom in the north raises troops and goes south, the Champa Kingdom will be attacked. If they are still unwilling to compromise, then I will go to the Chenla Kingdom and promise Provide military assistance. The situation of Champa will immediately become very dangerous.

Angkor Thom in Chenla Kingdom (near Tonle Sap Hubei and Siem Reap) is currently facing attacks from east and west, and at the same time resisting attacks from Siam and Champa. They are in a critical situation and urgently need foreign aid.Our court can promise to set up an "envoy city" in Saigon Port on the condition of arms and other assistance.

If Chenla doesn't want to ignore our 'reasonable deal', then we will support Siam.After the Siamese Ayutthaya Dynasty got rid of Chenla's control and squeeze, it now wants to fight back.If the royal family of Chenla wanted to kill themselves, they could continue to ignore Daming. "

Everyone fell silent, with different expressions and very complicated silence.

Seeing this, Zhu Gaoxu couldn't help but say nicely: "The morality of people is different from the morality of the country. Our dynasty exercised restraint and did not carry out massacre|conquest like the Yuan Dynasty. This is morality.

But why do those small countries dare to ignore our demands, and even dare to kill our envoys?It is nothing more than my strong national power in Chaokong, but my influence has not really entered these areas, and cannot affect the vital interests of the countries.You can examine, after we have garrisoned [-] troops, will the current An Nan Kingdom dare to kill the Ming court officials?

What's more, these small countries attacked each other, resulting in countless casualties, and the barbaric crimes in the war were even more numerous.In the future, once they enter the system of the governor's office of our dynasty, there will be people who judge right and wrong, and everything can be mediated, and the killing will be reduced instead. Wouldn't it benefit the people of all countries and ethnic groups? "

At this time, the scholar Hu Guangdao said: "In terms of morality, the Holy One really has immeasurable merit..."

The officials looked sideways at Hu Guang, and Hu Guang immediately shut up.He looked as if nothing had happened, but his cheeks were slightly red.

Qi Tai said at this time: "In the past, Emperor Taizong worked hard to govern. He wanted to build a sea ship to go to the West and move the capital to Beiping. .”

After Qi Tai said this, everyone joined in one after another.

However, the reason why Zhu Gaoxu tried his best to win over the courtiers was not to seek safety; it was because what he did was not just to accomplish those few things, but was trying to establish a systematic national policy.

Zhu Gaoxu said: "After the negotiation strategy is determined, the cabinet will recommend a few people to go to the Annan Governor's Mansion first; and then ask Zhang Fu to call the ship for the use of envoys to various countries in the south... When the relationship was first established, the risk of envoys was relatively high. We can promote some Annanites to help, or we may choose scholars from China who have volunteered.”

"The minister waits for the order."

Zhu Gaoxu turned his head to find Ru Yuan, "The structures of the hulls and sails of Persia and those seagoing ships in the west seem to be different. You send people to look for opportunities to understand so that we can learn from each other's strengths. We should always maintain an advantage in technology. This matter For the matter, the Southern Guard Department can also think of a way."

Ru Yu and Qian Xun got up and bowed to each other, "I will obey the order."

A long time ago, he had a model of a western sailing ship and spent tens of dollars to assemble it himself.He just now remembered that the sails of that model were completely different from the sails of the Daming ships that he had seen so far. It seemed that one was hard sails and the other was soft sails; the western soft sails were more complicated, while the sails of Daming ships were simple. It is also very convenient and fast to use a sliding rope (pulley block) to lift up and down.

Zhu Gao is not clear about the advantages and disadvantages, or the suitable structure of large and small ships; but the navy and the officials and craftsmen in the dock should be able to figure it out.Learning from each other is the way to go, arrogance often leads to mistakes.

It was almost noon, so everyone saluted and Xie En took his leave.

Zhu Gaoxu still stayed in Rouyi Hall.This building complex is the place where the Taizu studied and swallowed, and there is nothing missing. After waiting for Zhu Gaoxu to have lunch, he can find a bed for a nap.

He walked back and forth beside the big table, looking at the map used for the discussion just now from time to time.

The entire rough structure is being rolled out rapidly, but the scope for real success is still very small. The most important thing at the moment is to wait for news from Japan.

Zhu Gaoxu walked out of the hall and stood on the steps outside the door for a while.In the sound of the wind, he seemed to vaguely hear the sound of the waves.But when he came back to his senses for a while, he realized that it was just an illusion.Not to mention that the capital is still far away from the coast, even the waves of the big river may not be heard here.

Zhu Gaoxu looked up at the eastern sky, and thought to himself: As long as the monsoon arrives on the east coast, the sailing time of the Ming Fleet will not exceed a month at the longest. .

Chapter 8 and Seven

The sea surface in the northwest of Hakata Bay is light and foggy.

In the early morning, before the sun came out, the gray sea was covered with white mist, like clouds floating on the sea.A Japanese warship is slowly moving on the water with its sails stretched.

At this moment, there was a "clang" sound from the bow of the ship, and a sailor with a black bowl transferred the rice bowl to the ground, and stared blankly ahead.Several people were attracted attention and turned their heads to wait and see.

In the mist, two black shadows as big as a city slowly drove out, like ancient monsters drilled from the mist.Moments later, more shadows emerged from the mist.People who saw this scene were stunned for a while.

Finally, there was a hissing shout from the boat: "I'll touch the chicken!" Immediately after that, the tinkling gongs also sounded, and the whole boat was in a hurry. Immediately the man went to the oars.

The wooden boat soon began to turn around, and most of the young and strong grabbed the oars to make the boat move faster.

When the ship turned around and headed back, the leader of the ship looked back, his face changed greatly.There are countless ships on the sea, and the edge can hardly be seen, and the large sails seem to cover the entire sea over there.

Although there have been various rumors recently that the Ming invaders will launch a large-scale attack on Japan, people are still very shocked to see the fleet of the Ming army suddenly with their own eyes.People who have seen the scene of the Yuan army's army more than a hundred years ago have long since passed away. At this time, no Japanese has ever seen such a magnificent and terrifying navy.

In the misty fog behind, two groups of flames suddenly lit up. When people heard the thunderous "boom boom" of two cannons, white waves had been stirred up by the cannonballs on the sea not far away.At such a long distance, Ming Kou's shells are so fast that they arrive almost at the same time as the sound.

Not long after, two medium-sized warships on each side of the Ming army left the huge formation and pursued them at a faster speed.

The Japanese crew members paddled desperately without shouting from their leaders.The sound of people panting | all around, and everyone who swung the oars worked very hard.However, the warships and distances of the Ming army are still gradually shrinking.

The water wheels on the Ming army ships, the "squeak" sound when they stirred the water surface could already be heard behind them, and even the noise of gears rubbing against wood could be faintly heard.Those warships have slender hulls so that they can be equipped with several water wheels on both sides for fast pursuit; when the wind is light, ordinary wooden boats can't run at all.

"Dead." A Japanese sailor said.

Unexpectedly, the sound of those water wheels turning suddenly became quieter.Some Japanese were wondering, and only then did they realize that there were two Japanese ships in the distance on the sea to the south, and they were also turning around and preparing to flee.

The leader breathed a sigh of relief when he saw this, pointed to the friendly ship in the distance and said, "Ming Kou just doesn't want us to report back, but it's unnecessary now."

With lingering fears in their hearts, the people continued to paddle hard to stay away from the Ming fleet.

To the east of this place is Kumako Island, and to the south is Imajuku Village in Hakata.

More than 100 years ago, the Japanese army fought against the Yuan Dynasty's "Yuan Kou Fortress" beach, near Imatsu Village in the northwest; the Japanese army has deployed troops and sentry ships near the Yuan Kou Fortress, but no one knows why the people there Did not find such a huge Ming Kou fleet passing by.

The Japanese ship decided to continue southward in order to reach the coast of Hakata Bay as soon as possible and report to the generals on land.

... The Japanese army has already made defensive deployments near Hakata Bay.

Because of the signs of long-term activities of the Ming army in Iki Island and Tsushima Island, Muromachiden judged that the Ming army would attack from the Chikuzen country, and the judgment was obviously not wrong.The Ming army made no attempt to conceal the direction of attack.

This attacking direction seems to be exactly the same as that of the Yuan army more than a hundred years ago.However, the navy of the Yuan army did not go deep into Hakata Bay, but landed in Shima County at the northwestern tip of Chikuzen; the Ming army chose another main attack direction and entered the depths of Hakata Bay. Most of their target coasts were between Yito County and Sara County. Room (Nishi District, Fukuoka).