Jingming

Chapter 189 The battle of Kanhe, traces of the war

There are foreign enemies approaching aggressively, and the life and death of a warship on Haiphong Road is already in doubt. Everyone in the Guangdong Provincial Affairs Conference is all respectful.

Zhang Fujing looked at Jiang Xiuyi, the commander-in-chief of Guangdong, Sima Yong, the chief of public security, and Zhao Jun, who had been promoted to be the admiral of Guangdong Haiphong Road.

"Seventeen warships, whereabouts are unknown, do you have a good plan?"

Jiang Xiuyi's expression was grim: "The general can only order the guards along the coast to strengthen their defenses. If we want to go to sea to investigate, we need the Haiphong Road. In my opinion, the decisive victory still needs the Haiphong Road warships, and it is better to return to Hong Kong to prepare for the battle. Investigate For the matter, you can recruit private fast boats to go."

Zhang Fujing clasped his fists at Zhao Jun: "General Zhao, I'm sorry. Take the clipper, don't go more than fifty miles from the shore, just check the movement."

Zhao Jun nodded coldly, his eyes sparkling.

Under Wang Hong's hands, he has learned a lot of naval warfare skills.And in Haiphong Road, there are also veterans trained in the two battles in Tuen Mun.

In Zhao Jun's view, this is credit.

However, Zhang En was very worried: "Futai, there are many things related to the restructuring of the government office. Now that it is spring plowing season, the coastal prefectures and counties may need to strengthen their vigilance. Apart from the guards, there is still the Department of Public Security."

"Horseshoe?"

Ma Yong nodded solemnly: "The lower official understands. It's just that the lower official is new here, and I still need to consult General Jiang for everything."

"Beware of the inside." What Zhang En wanted to remind was this, "under the new law, which Guangdong gentry and rich households will take risks? We must beware of inland collusion with the Portuguese, where to gain a firm foothold first.”

For the officials in Guangdong, the Portuguese must have something to rely on if they dared to make a comeback after suffering such a big loss in Tuen Mun.

From their point of view, it needs to be considered carefully.

Zhang Fujing bowed to Sun Jiao: "Mr. Ge, you are the honor of the Marquis and the head of the state. At this moment, Guangdong depends on you to control the overall situation."

Sun Jiao didn't expect that there would be another war when he came to Guangdong for the reform of the Governor's Office. He, the old Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, first asked: "How will the food and payment be arranged?"

Zhang En also looked at Zhang Fujing.

Last year, Guangdong was exempted from land taxes. This year, Guangdong is only responsible for corvee purchases by local finance. To be honest, the pressure is not small.

It was all supported by Zhang Fujing's income from confiscating his home last year and Huang Mingji's investment in Guangdong brought about by the Municipal Shipping Department's tax collection.

Now that there is a war coming, is it possible to pay taxes to the wealthy gentry in Guangdong?The general direction of this year is stability and differentiation.

Zhang Fujing looked solemn: "I will invite you to play. It is best to solve the war quickly, so that the burden of food and wages is the least."

"Last year's disaster relief, land tax exemption, and transportation to Fujian, the budgets for the storage of grain in various stores were only enough to cover the salaries of many officials in Guangdong this year." Zhang En knew it well, "When the army moves, food and payment are not trivial matters. It is a small matter to solve the problem quickly. If this year's summer grain The autumn grain is unsustainable, and the policy of reforming the government office will definitely be greatly disturbed."

Zhang Fujing shook his head: "The war happened suddenly. After Benfu went to the court, His Majesty has his own rules. The most important thing now is to protect the land and keep the people safe. The war must not be delayed! First use all the food and salaries, and then Benfu will go to Huangmingji to buy it. There should be nothing wrong with the suspension of the silver balance. Benfu will go to Huguang to send grain to the south."

He said so, but the pressure in his heart was very heavy.

Because this is a defensive battle, and the opponent is a sea fleet.Guangdong's sea area is so long, it is not known where they will start the war.

As long as it is preparing for war, the officers and soldiers of so many coastal guards in Guangdong will be counted as a wartime ration, right?

It's a game where you can win but you can't lose. After winning, you can't live without a reward, right?
If this battle is not fought beautifully and drags on for a long time, then there will be more troublesome things.

The Portuguese were still missing. Xie Changjie and Ryan from Zhejiang met Luangang Ruizuo, the chief envoy of another Japanese tribute mission, and Song Suqing, the deputy envoy.

"My family remembers, didn't the Ministry of Rites once expressly order you not to serve as an envoy?"

Ryan's first sentence surprised Luangang Ruizuo—he can be an envoy, so he can naturally understand Ming's language.

In his eyes, Song Suqing smiled calmly and said: "I am still acting as a foreign envoy, because there are other envoys coming from other places. The foreign envoy does not want Daming to be deceived by outsiders and mess up Zhengshuo. The new emperor ascends the throne." , Eunuch Lai does not want to pay tribute to His Majesty, is he not ordered by the Japanese king?"

Ryan's heart trembled when he heard this.

Although he knew that Japan was already in a state of separatism, Zhengshuo obviously mattered.His Majesty is the successor of the vassal king, if he foolishly accepts the tribute from the fake ambassador, then Ryan will really lose his head.

"Why do you all have credentials? Why did you bring Hongzhi Dynasty Kanhe?"

Song Suqing replied unhurriedly: "Since the Yongle period, the Ming Dynasty was able to brighten Zhengshuo in Japan, and the tribute envoys should have come from the royal residence of Kyoto. The next one came from Kyoto, so naturally they have credentials. As for Kanhe, the Da Nei family The credentials of the embassy you sent were all obtained from the looting of the Japanese embassy a few years ago. Lai Gonggong, I am afraid that you handed over the Japanese embassy three times before. But I remember that it is a tribute every ten years. , I heard that the new emperor has ascended the throne, so I prepared a tribute and came here."

Ryan was a little flustered suddenly, and after taking a look at Xie Changjie, he said, "It's true that our family has learned the national books and is worthy of matching."

"Things are true, but people are not appointed by the king, but sent by the heroes of the separate regime." Song Suqing grasped the legal system between the Ming emperor and the Japanese king, and he had a well-thought-out plan. "If Eunuch Lai doesn't believe it, just ask."

Ryan said with a sullen face, "Zheng Tiju, please ask me."

……

Shibosi Guest Hall is just an inn, and the conditions are so-so.

After all, according to the ancestral system, the Japanese tribute mission can only come once every ten years, although they do not abide by it.

Normally, Zhejiang Shipping Department only receives Japanese tribute missions, and Ryukyu missions go to Fujian Shipping Department.

That's why people from the tribute missions came to the Zhejiang Shipping Department's guest hall, so they would be cleaned out temporarily and let them live in it. It usually takes several months for a tribute trade process to be completed.

During this period of time, Daming provided food and lodging for the members of the mission.

Now, Zong She Qiandao lives here, and he is disgusted with the musty smell after hastily cleaning the guest hall, when the vice-president Zheng Shoujie came.

"Zheng Tiju, I wonder if Eunuch Lai and Xieqian have arrived? The ship has not been able to enter the port, and the foreign envoy is very worried."

Zheng Shoujie was respectful in front of Xie Changjie and Lai En, but he was not polite in front of Zong She Qiandao, and said indifferently: "The capital of Xie Qian and Mr. Lai are both in Hangzhou. It will take some time to come and go. Mr. Xu, It's useless for you to rush."

Zong Sheqian was a little surprised: "...Zheng Tiju already knows who the foreign envoy is?"

Zheng Shoujie glanced at him: "I just want to ask you, where did your mission come from? Is it appointed by the Japanese King Minato?"

After saying this, Zheng Shoujie's eyes sharpened.

Zong She Qiandao's real name is Xu Chuanlin, now he heard Zheng Shoujie point out his identity, and after a moment of silence he said: "Zheng Tiju, the tributes in the past few years were all paid by our doctor Zuo Jingzhao, Ouchi Yixing, after inviting His Highness the King." Appointed, I wonder if there is any problem?"

After a pause, he smiled and said, "Please rest assured, Zheng Tiju. Although it is the first time for a foreign envoy to be appointed as an envoy, he understands the rules."

Xu Chuanlin thought that Zheng Shoujie wanted to take advantage of it, but Zheng Shoujie put on a straight face: "I ask you questions, you still need to answer honestly. Now there are missions from Kyoto, Japan with credentials, and the king of Japan Congratulations to His Majesty on his enthronement. Do you know what crime it is to pretend to be a tribute envoy?"

Xu Chuanlin suddenly changed color.

Those who came from Kyoto were from the Hosokawa clan.

"Zheng Tiju, are there any fakes in our credentials and Kanhe?"

"...Fake is not fake, but the Shibo Department can only recognize one mission. This division of Zhengshuo can't be messed up at all!" Zheng Shoujie stared at Xu Chuanlin carefully.

After a moment of silence, Xu Chuanlin said: "Zheng Tiju doesn't know something. Japan's domestic affairs are complicated. If we talk about Zhengshuo, the new mission can't be called Zhengshuo. As far as the foreign envoys know, he can't be suitable. I don't know Zhengshuo. Why do you call them righteous?"

Zheng Shoujie choked for a moment.If we talk about kanhe, before the kanhe issued by the Jiajing dynasty, we can only recognize the kanhe issued by the Zhengde dynasty.The Kanhe of the Hongzhi Dynasty... Logically speaking, it should be invalidated.

Seeing his reaction, Xu Chuanlin felt more confident: "Since the credentials are correct, why should Zheng Tiju care about the domestic disputes in Japan? I wonder who is the leader of the new mission? How many ships have come?"

Zheng Shoujie thought that in the current situation, it would be necessary to ask the whole story, so he said: "The name of the envoy is Luangang Ruizuo, and the name of the deputy is Song Suqing. The envoy appointed on behalf of King Genji of Japan is Dr. Chuan Gaogong, the mission has only one boat."

Xu Chuanlin thought it was so, and laughed when he heard the words: "Japan always admires the etiquette of the Celestial Dynasty, and respects the left. Doesn't Zheng Tiju know where Zhengshuo is? It is someone who sent envoys to pretend to be Zhengshuo. Even the foreign envoys of Song Suqing knew that they had been warned by the Celestial Dynasty. The foreign envoys came with three ships. If they were the official envoys, Japan would only have one ship of tribute for this year. Congratulations, Your Majesty, isn't it a negligence?"

Some words reached Zheng Shoujie's heart, but he still said with a straight face: "This matter is very strange, just wait here and don't act rashly."

Seeing him leave the guest hall, Xu Chuanlin's face darkened.

Unexpectedly, the Hosokawa clan also sent a mission, but since they don't have any suitable cooperation, why is Shiboji so troublesome?
Xu Chuanlin began to think about countermeasures, and Zheng Shoujie had already returned to the main hall of the Shibo Department's Yamen to report the matter.

Luangang Ruizuo and Song Suqing had already been invited to wait in the side hall. Ryan thought about it and looked at Xie Changjie and said, "It is very difficult to solve the capital now. Although the mission sent by the Japanese doctor You Jingzhao has no integrity, However, there is a congratulatory form; the envoy sent by Dr. Zuo Jing has three boats of tributes. In view of the proposal, what should be done?"

Xie Changjie smiled slightly: "Father-in-law is in charge, he should be the master."

After thinking for a while, Ryan ordered: "Go and bring that Luangang and Song Suqing over first."

When the two reappeared, it was Song Suqing who took the initiative to speak. It can be seen that the mission is essentially dominated by him as the deputy envoy.

"Eunuch Lai, my lords, now that the two missions have arrived, the tribute is a small matter, and the congratulations are a big thing. The mission sent by Ouchi Sakyo is only for rewards, and it is also a disobedient person in Japan. Please also All the high officials of the heavenly court have learned a lesson!"

For Ryan and others, this is really the case. In their cognition, the congratulatory form of the vassal state represents the tribute.

Seeing them pondering, Song Suqing struck while the iron was hot and said: "As for the foreign envoys and others, in order to show their admiration for the Celestial Dynasty, I don't care if the tribute on this ship is rewarded by the Celestial Empire. It should be sent to the envoy sent by the king of Japan!"

Ryan couldn't help looking at him deeply, and understood the implication.

Can all the rewards obtained in exchange for the whole ship of tribute be given to the officials in charge of the matter in Daming?
Song Suqing, who knew the officialdom of the Ming Dynasty very well, was able to spend a lot of money in the past, and this time he came with a congratulatory form from the Japanese king.

But it’s too early to make no profit, his idea should be to let Shi Bosi not recognize the mission sent by Dr. Zuo Jingzhao, and take the mission sent by Dr. You Jingzhao as the official, then the court’s rewards will naturally be arranged by the official .

Ryan looked at Xie Changjie: "Xie Qiandu, what do you think should be done?"

Xie Changjie had always said to let Ryan be the master, but this time he asked: "As far as I know, the rewards sent by the imperial court are all merchants summoned by the Shibo Department in Zhejiang to buy and pay, right?"

Ryan quickly said yes.

Xie Changjie understood, this is probably the time for those wealthy businessmen in Jiangnan to face themselves, after all, it is quite a big deal.

So he said with a smile: "I don't understand the old rules of the Shibo Department. Let's deal with Lai Gonggong in the past."

When Ryan asked Xie Changjie for his opinion, Song Suqing noticed that he didn't know who this person was, but Ryan clearly had a lot of respect and fear for him.

"I haven't seen Mr. Tiju yet, so the foreign envoy has the courage to ask for advice." Song Suqing immediately saluted Xie Changjie respectfully.

Ryan immediately replied: "This Mr. Xie was the left envoy of the palace when His Majesty hid in his residence, and now he is promoted to the Secretary of the Maritime Bureau as the censor of Youqin Capital. Song Suqing, you are also a citizen of Ming Dynasty. I heard that you were betrayed by your father in the past. Those who went to Japan to repay the debt on the ship and went abroad. Now that you are familiar with the rules of the ship department, you should not neglect to understand the capital."

Song Suqing was extremely respectful: "Foreign envoys should use their heart."

"Since there is a congratulatory table to present, then your ship should go to the port first to read the cargo book. But the mission sent by Dr. Zuo Jingzhao, you should discuss it first. Tomorrow night, the Department of Shipbuilding will hold a banquet in accordance with the old rules. Envoy, you can identify Zhengshuo, and select another 50 people to pay tribute to Beijing."

After Song Suqing thanked her, she said: "The foreign envoy is undoubtedly upright, but Dr. Zuo Jingzhao is used to taking in pirates as minions. This time he is here, he must guard against his arrogance and domineering. The foreign envoy is afraid that the dispute will be difficult to resolve tomorrow. , that generation was ashamed and angry. The foreign envoys came only for the tribute, and they were all people who kept the etiquette along with them, so they might not be able to defeat them."

Ryan waved his hand: "Who dares to be presumptuous within the Shibo Department? You just need to be relieved."

In his concept, it was nothing more than two groups of people competing to kneel and lick Daming for the sake of the new dynasty.The so-called King Genji of Japan, in fact, Daming also knew that it was just the lineage of General Ashikaga who became a monk and became a monk and was called Asagi, not the so-called Japanese Emperor himself.

Can any cat or dog claim to be emperor?
It doesn't matter to Xie Changjie, he just needs the scale of this tribute to be larger, so that the rich merchants in the south of the Yangtze River will be more greedy and have to pounce on him to deal with him more.

On the surface, Ryan is in charge of the Shibo Department, and the opinions that Xie Changjie should express are only those real matters related to money.

In Guangdong, the nervous crowd finally waited for the Portuguese.

But to their surprise, the Portuguese fleet general Martin Alfonso sent envoys to the mouth of the Pearl River.

The situation has been tense recently, and the boat was caught by Haiphong Road as soon as it entered the Pearl River Estuary.

"Peace treaty? Still need Tuen Mun Island? Continue to trade?" Zhang Fujing couldn't help being stunned.

He didn't expect General Alfonso to be so "polite", so he asked Tong Shi again: "Why did you intend to rob and kill the Deming fleet on the way here?"

Tong Shi was confused: "My lord, it was the Ming sea ship that fired first. After being surrounded, General Alfonso asked about the situation before he realized that it was a misunderstanding. Lord Wang Yingen said that the hundreds of households on your warship were mistaken for pirates. It also said that the Shibo Department has been restructured and welcomes tribute business groups from all over the world."

"Where are Wang Baihu and other soldiers?"

"General Alfonso also injured Lord Wang's warship to protect himself. However, except for 11 people who died unfortunately, the rest were safe and sound. We also brought a letter from Lord Wang."

"Get it now!"

After Zhang Fujing read the letter, his eyes sharpened, and after a while he said kindly: "So that's the case. Nie Tiju, first ask them to go to the Shibo Office for a rest, and I will discuss it with you adults first."

When there were no outsiders here, Zhang Fujing spread out the letter, and said in a somewhat excited tone: "Wang Baihu has written down the details of the barbarians, and there is a change at the right moment. It is to promote trade, can you lure them to come, gather and destroy them?"

But Sun Jiao asked awe-inspiringly: "Will there be fraud?"

Zhang Fujing looked at Zhao Jun: "How about Wang Yingen?"

"Fight to the death, smart." Zhao Jun still said concisely, "It is indeed Wang Yingen's handwriting."

"It has not been sealed, and the barbarians must have reviewed it." Zhang Fujing pointed to the letter and said, "He only said that the barbarians were happy to hear that the shipping department in Guangdong City reopened trade, and the merchant ships of the Maritime Trading Company went to Jiaozhi and Zhancheng several times, so although there are settlements In the first battle, Gein court mistook the Portuguese as Franji barbarian thieves. It has been found out that the Portuguese are a big country in the West, and now they lead six escort warships, eight merchant ships, and three small boats to pay tribute from thousands of miles away to congratulate His Majesty , both sides suffered battle losses, it is advisable to clear up the misunderstanding and allow them to pay tribute."

Sun Jiao tsk-tsk: "Isn't Portugal just Francine?"

Zhang Fujing shook his head with a smile: "No, they used the name of Franji earlier. This Wang Yingen is really clever, and he set up this plan by taking advantage of Guangdong's ship reform plan. The Portuguese were all cunning before, only for the sake of the market. Although this Alfonso knew the results of the Tuen Mun naval battle, he also knew that our Ming Dynasty should not be humiliated, so he was persuaded by Wang Baihu to send envoys to repair it in order to reopen the market."

Sun Jiao looked at him: "Since that's the case, why do we still gather and annihilate them?"

"Of course!" Zhang Fujing's eyes flashed coldly, "If not, wouldn't the eleven soldiers under Wang Baihu's command die in peace? Besides, if the barbarians are not subdued, will they still send warships to escort them to pay tribute in the future? Surrender, how can this action be called surrender? The Great Ming seas can only be roamed by the Great Ming warships!"

The rest of the people looked at Zhang Fujing, only feeling that this guy was bloodthirsty.

Only Sun Jiao thought about the plaque of "Nanyang Maritime Great Wall" in the imperial study room, and realized that Zhang Fujing also knew it.

The Portuguese have already occupied Managa, and their warships and soldiers can naturally be less or less.

Otherwise, wouldn't it be more difficult for the future Daming navy to attack?

(End of this chapter)