If I fail to overcome the tribulation, I can only return to the Ming Dynasty and become a prince.

Chapter 155

Li Bao did not stay in the camp for long. After offering gifts and beauties, he left the Ming army's camp and returned to Incheon City.

Zhu Zhanquan glanced at the gift list sent by Li Zhuo and couldn't help but sneered at Prince Ning: "It's only ten thousand stones of food and grass. Is Li Fangyuan sending beggars away?"

Ten thousand stones of food and grass is actually not a small amount.

The consumption of military rations in the Ming Dynasty, according to the "Explanation of the Troop Camp" in Qi Jiguang's "Records of Military Training", the three-day food consumption for 1 soldiers and horses was approximately "three hundred shi of rice, three hundred shi of coal, and five hundred shi of black beans." ".

According to the records in Mao Yuanyi's "Military Bei Zhi", an army of 1 people consumes 500 shi of rice (equivalent to replace various staple foods within 28 shi) and 250 shi of salt per year.

It can be seen that ten thousand people need about [-] shi of rice per day.

Therefore, ten thousand shi of food and grass, even if not all of them are rice, is enough for the Ming army currently stationed at the two garrison stations in Incheon for more than a month.

If used together with the Grain Controller's head, it can last for two to three months.

Therefore, ten thousand stones of food and grass is indeed a lot in terms of quantity alone.

But in the eyes of Zhu Zhanquan and Prince Ning, Li Fangyuan was indeed sending beggars away.

Because what Zhu Zhanju and King Ning had previously requested in their letters of credence to North Korea was for North Korea to provide military rations for the Ming Dynasty's army conquering Japan. This was not something that a mere [-] shi of food could cover.

The reason why Li Fangyuan took out these [-] shi of grain was just to use this [-] shi of grain as prevarication, and then use gifts and beauties to please Zhu Zhanquan and King Ning, and then make North Korea produce less or no more grain.

"His abacus is quite good. With these 'merely small gifts', he wants to avoid North Korea's errand of providing food for the army? It's a good idea." Prince Ning also had a gift list in his hand, and the things listed on it were very important to Emperor Hongwu. For my son, it is really not worth mentioning.

After all, King Ning was also a powerful vassal king at that time. Although the fiefdom was moved inland later, Zhu Di did not treat his brother badly. He had seen and used all kinds of rare treasures.

For Prince Ning, what North Korea could offer was a bit unsatisfactory.

It can be said that the only ones on the entire gift list that Prince Ning could take a serious look at were those North Korean beauties. After all, they were the "local specialties" that Zhu Di had personally ordered for.

However, even if the gifts sent were priceless treasures, it would not be possible for Zhu Zhanchun and Prince Ning to change their minds.

Zhu Zhanquan said to King Ning: "The expedition against Japan cannot be delayed. Now that we have the ten thousand stones of food and grass provided by North Korea, how about I lead the army to Jeju Island first, and leave Incheon to the uncle of King Ning to handle it?" ?”

Zhu Zhanjun did not want to deal with the Koreans. He was afraid that if he got impatient, he would actually attack Seoul.

Although it wouldn't be a big deal even if it were defeated, there would be a lot of trouble after defeating it. In addition, North Korea would not be as profitable as Japan if it were defeated. Zhu Zhanchen still hoped that it would be better to do less than to do more.

However, when Prince Ning heard what Zhu Zhanquan said, he immediately sneered and said: "As expected, he is the son of the fourth brother. He is as shameless as your grandfather! Do the war work yourself, and leave the rest of the hard work to me. Am I?" During the Jingnan period, Zhu Di not only deceived the three guards of Duoyan from King Ning, but King Ning himself was also kidnapped by Zhu Di to help him in the army as counselor of military affairs.

Therefore, what King Ning said is not nonsense, because Zhu Zhanquan's behavior at this moment is indeed exactly the same as Zhu Di back then.

However, even though he said this, King Ning still nodded and agreed: "But I have agreed in advance that I will only stay here until the army comes. This time I will not be fooled by your King Yan's lineage in attacking the Japanese country. I will Fight it yourself!”

"Uncle Prince Ning, although you can rest assured, I am just impatient to argue with the Koreans and go to Jeju Island to set up a camp first. I will not attack the Japanese country secretly by myself." Zhu Zhanqi was polite, and then Then he added: "As for the matter of grain and Jeju Island, we still need Uncle Ning to take care to prevent the Koreans from becoming a hidden danger to the army."

In Zhu Zhanju's view, although North Korea does not pose much of a threat, it is a country after all. Although it cannot do any harm, it can disgust people.

If when a large army is conquering Japan, these Koreans will jump out and engage in tricks such as burning grain and grass and attacking the army's food roads. Although it will not cause the expedition to fail, it will still cause impact and delay, making people spend a lot of effort.

Especially Jeju Island. Although this island was the territory of the Yuan Dynasty at that time, North Korea gave it to the Hongwu Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang and the island was returned to North Korea at the expense of continuing to pay tribute to horses to the Ming Dynasty. But in any case, it is considered the territory of North Korea. .

Now Zhu Zhanjun wants to directly occupy this island and build a stronghold based on it to control the route from the Ming Dynasty to Japan. It is strange that North Korea has no objection.

That's why Zhu Zhanjun hoped that King Ning could stay in Incheon and deal with the Li family in North Korea properly so that they wouldn't cause any trouble.

As for letting North Korea provide food and grass for the army, for Zhu Zhanjuan, it was just a matter of joy if it succeeded, and no problem if it failed.

"Don't worry, the North Koreans can't jump up. If he dares to make any trouble in this matter, I will immediately send troops to destroy his Li family! Even the fourth brother has nothing to say about this matter." Prince Ning said Take it all in and take care of the whole thing.

Because of the Jingnan incident, King Ning offended Zhu Di, who became the emperor, and the fiefdom was later moved back. He was very aggrieved for several years, but after all, he was also the son of Zhu Yuanzhang, and a mere North Korea was not placed in the hands of King Ning. In eyes.

Even in Prince Ning's heart, he felt that Zhu Di had taken the lead when it came to Jingnan, otherwise he would have had the chance to sit on the throne.

If Zhu Zhanquan had not suggested that Zhu Di implement the vassal's new policy, in the history books, Ning Wang's line seemed to have always thought so, and they directly rebelled during the Wuzong period of the Ming Dynasty.

Therefore, during this time of conquering Japan, King Ning may not have wanted to show off his thoughts in front of Zhu Di.

Seeing that King Ning agreed to this matter, Zhu Zhanquan didn't care about King Ning's attitude. After being polite to King Ning again, he prepared to leave the camp and return to the ship.

But when he walked out of the camp, among the Koreans who were in charge of delivering gifts, a man dressed as a guard suddenly came up to Zhu Zhanquan, knelt down on one knee to show that he meant no harm, and took out a letter. .

"My eldest son admires the prince very much, but he can't express it due to his status and the occasion. I specially ordered the villain to send a handwritten letter, asking the prince to understand my prince's thoughts." After saying this, the guard knelt on the ground with his hands. He raised the letter above his head.

(End of this chapter)