The most reckless man in the Ming Dynasty

The relationship between the Ming Dynasty and Korea can be traced back to before the Sui and Tang Dynasties.

The Sui and Tang Dynasties were a heyday for exchanges between the two countries. In the Ming Dynasty, exchanges between China and Korea reached another climax.

According to the regulations of the Ming Dynasty court, Korea should pay tribute every three years.

But the fact is that Korean tribute envoys who came to China from the Shandong coast for fame or profit more than once a year!

According to statistics from the third and fourth years of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty, Goryeo envoys came to China twice a year by sea, mostly landing in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, and arriving in Nanjing by boat via the canal.

Because the capital of the Ming Dynasty during the Hongwu reign was still in Nanjing, and the capital had not yet been moved.

They took this route mainly for the convenience of transportation, because the large amount of tribute trade goods and smuggled private property had the most convenient water and land transportation costs.

So after the Ming Dynasty moved its capital to Beijing, Korean tribute envoys still took a boat to Beijing via the Grand Canal, but the landing place was mostly changed to the Shandong coast, which made it more convenient to enter Beijing.

The main feature of Korea's tribute to the Ming Dynasty was war horses.

Because the army needed horses to defend against the Mongolian attack in the early Ming Dynasty, a large number of war horses were purchased from the Korean Peninsula, and Jeju horses were the most among these war horses.

From the 17th year of Hongwu to the 28th year of Hongwu alone, more than 35,000 war horses were imported from Korea to the Ming Dynasty!

Although Korea was rich in war horses, no matter how good its relationship with the Ming Dynasty was, it could not afford to give so many war horses for free. At that time, the trade price between the two countries was at least two pieces of Wenqi and eight pieces of silk cloth.

In other words, every time the Korean tribute envoys entered the Ming Dynasty, the ship was full of war horses, and the ship returned with a large amount of silk and cloth. The waterway they traveled was still the Grand Canal, which was transported back to Korea by sea.

But now there is a problem. The Jeju horse farm, which Korea relied on for its survival, was directly seized by the Ming army!

In addition to excellent war horses, what else can the Ming Dynasty look up to in Korea?

This is also what Li Yi, Cui Tan and others are worried about.

To be honest, there is no comparison between Korea and Ming Dynasty.

Now even the war horses that Ming Dynasty needs the most have become Ming Dynasty's, so what can Korea use to trade with Ming Dynasty?

Cloth?

Ming Dynasty's cloth is first-class!

Once it is shipped to Korea, it will be a hot commodity that the powerful and nobles will fight for!

Ming Dynasty doesn't need war horses anymore, and Ming Dynasty doesn't like cloth. The only thing left in Korea is... food!

After Li Yi discussed with Cui Tan, Cui Tan immediately went to Jeju Island to meet Tang Mu.

However, Tang Mu couldn't make a decision easily, so he took Cui Tan back to his country and rushed to the capital immediately after arriving in Shandong.

After all, Tang Mu got a hereditary earl and hasn't officially accepted the reward yet!

For Cui Tan's arrival, Tang Hao gave due enthusiasm and respect.

After all, this is now a powerful official of Korea and a leader of the old meritorious forces.

In order to ensure that the East China Sea trade can proceed normally, there must be no trouble on the North Korean side, so Cui Tan's importance is reflected at this moment.

"Cui Tan, I haven't seen you for a few days, but your demeanor has become more extraordinary!"

Looking at Cui Tan who was led into the lobby, Tang Hao couldn't help but laugh and joked.

This guy has a more unusual demeanor than before, which is the confidence and confidence brought by holding great power!

Cui Tan is indeed confident and confident, because he is now the most powerful official in North Korea.

Thanks to the fact that he personally led the imperial army to massacre the Shilin faction that night, the old meritorious forces all joined him, so Cui Tan surpassed Shen Zhen, Nan Gun and Hong Jingzhou and others, becoming the undisputed leader of the old meritorious forces, and was deeply trusted by the Korean King Li Yi.

In addition, the profits of the East China Sea trade are tempting. Because of a word from Zhongshan Hou Tang Hao, Li Yi had to rely on Cui Tan. After all, Li Yi had already massacred the Shilin faction. If he still couldn't carry out the East China Sea trade, he would really lose both his wife and his army!

Cui Tan's position is unbreakable, but he knows very well who his current position and power come from.

Before he met Zhongshan Hou Tang Hao, Cui Tan was just a Jeju governor who suffered from exclusion and oppression. Because of his ancestor Cui Ying, the entire Cui family was not allowed to enter the power center of Lee Joseon.

Until now, because of the support of Zhongshan Hou Tang Hao, Cui Tan finally successfully entered the court center at the age of sixty!

When he thought of this, Cui Tan bowed to Tang Hao.

"Tan, thank you, Tang Hou!"

"I am willing to be Tang Hou's running dog in this life!"

If you want to say it, it has to be Korea. Their Confucian culture has been passed down to this day, which is really more charming than the orthodox Confucianism of China, and they value this kind of scholar's character and benevolence and kindness more.

Tang Hao nodded with a smile, and then motioned Cui Tan to sit down.

"Are you here for the East China Sea trade this time?"

"My Lord is wise!" Cui Tan hurriedly explained: "In the past, the main goods traded between our dynasty and the Ming Dynasty were war horses, especially Jeju horses."

"But now..."

Cui Tan stopped talking before he finished.

Because some things really can't be said out loud.

How did the Jeju horse farm disappear?

It's all because of the Marquis of Zhongshan in front of him.

Not only did he rob my Jeju horse farm, but he also forced Korea to bow to the Ming Dynasty and voluntarily offer the horse farm!

This kind of robbery and banditry can only be done by the Marquis of Zhongshan.

"In addition to war horses, Korea also has many special products."

"For example, your Korean ginseng (Korean ginseng) has the effects of tonifying energy, promoting body fluids and calming the nerves. It is more effective than my Central Plains ginseng. You can definitely make this into a signature!"

"Another example is your North Korean rice, beans, grass bundles and other grains. I, the Ming Dynasty, can use cloth handmade products to trade with you. The price is clearly marked or the purchase is compulsory. Anyway, the purpose of the transaction is mutual benefit and mutual benefit. Everyone gets what they need. You don't have to worry about this."

"In addition to our two countries, there are also swords, lacquerware, screens, etc. from Japan, as well as Ryukyu lacquerware, sucrose, etc. from Ryukyu. These are things that the people of the three countries need, and they are also things that can change everyone's lives. This is also The true meaning of East China Sea trade.”

"After all, it is different from tribute trade, which involves mineral resources, etc., and is more strict than the official. You can think of the East China Sea trade we run as a three-party trading platform. No matter what it is, as long as someone is willing to buy it, it is a good thing, so there is no need to think about it. It’s too much, just take out all the money.”

After hearing these words from Tang Hao, Cui Tan finally put his heart back into his stomach.

He had always been worried that Ming Dynasty would not look down on North Korea's modest wealth.

But now it's better. East China Sea Trade, a third-party trading platform, is not as demanding as tribute trade.

The two continued chatting for a while, and Cui Tan made a request, hoping that Tang Hao, the Marquis of Zhongshan, could take him around the capital of the Ming Dynasty and witness the prosperity of the Ming Dynasty with his own eyes.

It's hard for Tang Hao to refuse. After all, people want to be your "stooge". Can you still take them shopping and buying and selling specialties?

So Tang Hao called Tang Mu and Chang Kuohai, and the four of them started hanging out together.

I have to admit that even though the Ming Dynasty was in a state of decay, the capital of the Ming Dynasty, Beijing, was as prosperous and noisy as ever.

There are cars and horses, and people are flowing.

There are many shops on the street, ranging from jewelry and antiques, silk and leather goods, calligraphy brushes and inkstones, to clothes and cloth, knives, scissors, ceramics, paper flowers and toys.

This is in line with a certain idiom, gold and jade are ruined on the outside, but they are nothing more than this.

The group of people walked and stopped, feeling the smell of fireworks.

When I was tired from walking, I casually found a restaurant to fill my stomach first.

There is usually no shortage of diners in Jingshi restaurants, especially restaurants with exquisite decoration and grandeur, which are even more crowded with guests.

Tang Hao and the other three were eating and drinking wildly. Marquis Zhongshan had no airs about eating and drinking. He pulled Cui Tan and started drinking heavily. He made a good gentry and scholar become confused and confused, and he couldn't even speak quickly. I don’t know clearly, but I am still humming and reciting poems.

But Tang Hao, Tang Mu and Chang Kuohai couldn't stop laughing. These literati were just hypocritical.

While they were enjoying themselves eating and drinking, a voice came, which made their expressions change slightly.

"Hey, have you heard this? The Marquis of Zhongshan colluded with Prince Ning to plot a rebellion!"

One person pretended to be cautious and looked around, then said these words in a loud voice, which immediately attracted the attention of all the diners in the restaurant.

When the shopkeeper saw this, he secretly thought, this is obviously because he wants to cause trouble!

He immediately asked people to stop him, but when the diners saw this, they all tried to dissuade him.

"Keep talking!"

"Yes, let him continue, we all want to hear it!"

"This is the Marquis of Zhongshan! I am the hero of the Ming Dynasty!"

The customer is God, and the shopkeeper is helpless.

I saw this man speaking mysteriously: "It is said that Prince Ning brought more than 20 carts of gold, silver and jewelry to the capital, all of which were used to bribe court officials, and among them, the Marquis of Zhongshan accepted the most bribes!"

"The Marquis of Zhongshan not only accepted financial bribes, but also accepted the beauty bribes from King Ning. King Ning raised a large number of stunning beauties, and the Marquis of Zhongshan took the most beautiful among these beauties as his concubine!"

Since ancient times, heroes matching beauties is something that everyone talks about the most.

Especially the protagonist here is the Marquis of Zhongshan, the hero of the Ming Dynasty who just led his army to defeat the Japanese country.

The sexy news about him is really earth-shattering!

Tang Mu and Chang Kuohai were a little dazed and looked at their Marquis subconsciously.

They have never doubted the Marquis's loyalty to His Majesty the Emperor, but such rosy news is really rare!

Tang Hao glared at the two of them angrily, and then looked at the person who spread the rumor with a strange expression.

This is interesting.

Zhu Chenhao would not do this.

After all, Tang Hao had just fed him with a Biezi silver mine.

So who is behind the scenes and insisting on putting Tang Hao and Zhu Chenhao on the fire?

"What?"

"Prince Ning wants to rebel?"

Waves of exclamations rang out, instantly frightening the faces of all the diners in the restaurant.

This is a serious crime of treason!

That is a capital crime that will kill the whole family of the nine clans!

"It is said that Prince Ning has been raising dead soldiers in his fief for a long time to build ordnance!"

"The reason why he uses all means to steal the people's wealth and support is to save money and food so that he can recruit troops..."

"hiss……"

Many people took a breath when they heard this.

It was not common in the Ming Dynasty for clan kings to rebel and cause chaos, but it was not uncommon either.

After all, wasn't the current imperial family and the Yan-fan lineage the same as the Ming Dynasty that we usurped through the Jingnan Campaign?

However, since then, even if another vassal king rebelled in the Ming Dynasty, it would basically lead to its own destruction.

For example, not long ago, the Anhua King Zhu Zongyi rebelled in his fiefdom Qingyang, which lasted for a total of 18 days, and was completely suppressed by the current Xianning Marquis Qiu Yue alone. It was simply a farce!

Now it is even more strange, there is another Ning King Zhu Chenhao.

And he is still an official in the court, and is still plotting a rebellion under the nose of His Majesty the Emperor?

Strange!

It is really strange!

"How could the Zhongshan Marquis..."

"The Zhongshan Marquis holds the Beijing Army in his hands!"

"The reason why the Ning King won him over is nothing more than going for military power!"

"Let's put it bluntly. The Ning King's adopted daughter became the Zhongshan Marquis' concubine. The Zhongshan Marquis helped the Ning King to successfully usurp the throne. Who will own the throne in the future..."

Before the man finished speaking, he closed his mouth directly, and then hurriedly got up and left.

But before he finished speaking, the lingering sound lingered!

The Marquis of Zhongshan took the adopted daughter of the Prince of Ning as his concubine!

In a sense, the Marquis of Zhongshan is the son-in-law of the Prince of Ning!

If the father-in-law and son-in-law can really plot to usurp the throne, who will sit on the throne in the future?

Once this idea came into being, everyone present suddenly changed their faces.

Tang Mu looked at Tang Hao with a gloomy face and whispered: "My Lord, I will follow and see..."

However, Tang Hao shook his head and sneered: "They are just some clowns."

"I want to see, even if these rumors are flying all over the sky, what can they do?"

"Do these clowns think that they can pull me down with these ridiculous tricks?"

This is the most ridiculous thing.

Because at this moment, the Marquis of Zhongshan Tang Hao is no longer the same as before.

In addition to the Beijing Army, the Ming Navy is also under his control, and the profits of the entire Japanese country are also under his control.

Driven by profit, no force would attack him, nor would they dare to attack him!

Unless they don't want the profit of Japan!

"Let them make trouble!"

"Anyway, there must be someone more anxious than us!"

Tang Hao said with a smile.

Tang Mu's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he seemed to understand something.

Chang Kuohai didn't say anything because he was busy eating.

In the blink of an eye when Tang Hao and Tang Mu were chatting, all the meat on the table was eaten by Chang Kuohai.

"Chang Erlangzi, are you a pig?"

"Boss, bring another table!"

The four of them ate and drank a lot, and finally they were full.

At this moment, Cui Tan was still slumped on the chair. Tang Hao threw him directly to Chang Kuohai to carry, and then walked towards Huitong Hall.

After all, Cui Tan was an envoy of Japan, and he must live in Huitong Hall when he came to Daming.

There is a secluded street between the downtown and Huitong Hall. It was late at night and there were no people.

Tang Hao and Tang Mu were still chatting and exchanging intelligence information.

Chang Kuohai carried Cui Tan and followed them silently.

At this moment, Tang Hao's ears moved, and then his face changed drastically.

"Squat down!"

"There are crossbows!"

As soon as the voice fell, three arrows suddenly shot out from the direction of the houses on both sides, clearly wanting to shoot them on the spot!

This was a premeditated ambush!

In a flash, Tang Hao suddenly reached out and grabbed the stone mill weighing hundreds of pounds next to him, and actually lifted it up and swung it up and down to knock off the arrows on the left, and then blocked the three people in a dangerous way. The arrow on the right hit the stone mill and fell to the ground in an instant.

This sudden scene seemed to be unexpected even by the killer in the night.

That stone mill must weigh at least three to five hundred pounds, right?

You fucking swing it up as a weapon?

What kind of monster is this?

For a moment, the atmosphere was very solemn.

The night was dark and no one was seen, filled with an endless atmosphere of killing.

As time passed, the atmosphere became more and more oppressive.

Finally, the killer in the dark couldn't help it.

"Kill them!"

"Otherwise, I can't explain to the prince!"

As soon as these words came out, dozens of men in black suddenly appeared, and then rushed over frantically.

"Kuohai, protect Cui Tan!"

"Tang Mu, save yourself first!"

After a quick arrangement, Tang Hao rushed towards these black-clad killers, the millstone in his hand flew, and before the black-clad men approached, he fell from the roof and hung in the air, and was smashed into meat paste by the huge stone millstone!

The shrill screams resounded through the night, and the pungent smell of blood filled the whole place!

Tang Hao stretched out his hand to pinch the neck of a killer, and asked coldly: "Who sent you?"

The killer's eyes flashed with fear, but he still didn't answer, and the next second, Tang Hao broke his neck.

Taking the long knife from the killer, Tang Hao carried the body and smashed it directly at Mu who was being besieged.

Caught off guard, the killers who besieged Tang Mu were smashed and cracked their bones. Tang Mu was a veteran who had fought for many years. He took the opportunity to grab the killer's weapon and started to fight back.

As for Chang Kuohai, although he had no weapon in his hand, he still beat the killer with his brute force so that the killer dared not get close. In addition, he was against the wall, which at least ensured the safety of Cui Tan on his body.

"Be careful of these miscellaneous weapons!"

Tang Hao clearly saw a killer spit out black blood and fell to the ground and died on the spot after being hit by him!

This means that the weapon in his hand is poisoned, and it is the kind of poison that kills instantly!

"Tang Mu, retreat!"

The two slowly retreated to Chang Kuohai's side, leaning against the wall together and looking at these black-clothed assassins.

Tang Hao asked again with some irritation: "This Marquis asks you again, who sent you here?"

"What good will it do you if you kill me?"

However, there was no answer.

The assassins all approached step by step in silence.

Then the sound of bows and crossbows rang out again, and three arrows burst out, heading straight for Tang Mu and Chang Kuohai!

Seeing this, Tang Hao had to step forward and directly chose to block the deadly poison arrows for the three people behind him!

Three arrows instantly pierced into Tang Hao's body, and one of them happened to hit his chest!

Almost instantly, Tang Hao's eyes went black and he fainted directly.

"My Lord?"

"My Lord!"

Seeing the target person dead, the black-clothed assassin was about to cut the grass and root out, but an angry shout came from behind.

"Jinyiwei is here, who dares to commit murder at midnight?"

"Kill him!"

Mou Bin rushed over, only to see the Zhongshan Marquis who was poisoned and unconscious!

At that moment, Mou Bin felt cold all over, his scalp was numb, and even his voice was trembling.

"Go and report to His Majesty!"

"Marquis Tang... was assassinated!"