Autumn of the 17th year of Chongzhen

Chapter 1025 One servant and two masters
The mission was ordered to visit Japan, but did not intend to go to Ryukyu. Qian Bingdeng originally wanted the fleet to replenish some fresh water and food in Shuri Castle before leaving Ryukyu for Japan.

Two gunboats from the Ming Dynasty came to Ryukyu, which attracted the crowds of Ryukyu people in the harbor. King Shangzhi, who got the news first, led dozens of Ryukyu officials and guards of the palace, and hurried to the pier to ask for an audience.

A ladder stretched out from the blessing boat, Qian Bingdeng straightened his clothes and got off the boat.King Shangzhi didn't know the purpose of the mission. He saw a senior official in a crimson official robe, a jade belt around his waist, wearing Usha on his head, and wearing soap boots, leading several officials in green robes, one by one from the boat ladder. Walking down, I was surprised for a moment, and at the same time I was overjoyed.

The Ryukyu country is as small as a small county in the Ming Dynasty. Although the King of Ryukyu is the king of the county, every time the Ming Dynasty came to proclaim the decree, it was always six or seven green robes, or even eight or nine rank green robes. This time they came A senior member of the scarlet robe of the fourth rank, Shangzhi Wang immediately bowed down and said: "Young king of the lower kingdom, welcome the envoy of the heaven and the court!"

In this era, Chinese civilization is the center of East Asia. The cultural super giants and the dwarves around them all yearn for it in their hearts. The upper-class nobles in North Korea, Annan, Ryukyu, and even Japan are proud to write Chinese characters and speak Chinese. Like Europe in the near future, the nobility and the royal family had to speak French to appear classy and different from ordinary people.

The Ryukyu officials at the back were slightly taken aback when they saw the Ryukyu King bowing down. The two leading officials glanced at each other, hesitated, and then led everyone to kneel down.

Qian Bingdeng's attention was all on the King of Ryukyu, and he didn't notice the hesitation of the ministers behind him. He didn't have the letter of credence given to Ryukyu by the imperial court, and he didn't represent the emperor. After all, the King of Ryukyu was a county king, so logically he couldn't accept it. I prayed this time.

"Your Highness! Misunderstood!" Qian Bingdeng stepped forward and helped the Ryukyu King up, "I am not on a mission to Ryukyu, but I have other official duties. I just left after supplying supplies in Shuri. Your Highness and Ryukyu don't need to be polite, as usual Just do it."

"Your Excellency is not going to Ryukyu as an envoy?" King Shangzhi was startled, and a look of anxiety appeared on his face, and asked hurriedly, "Then I don't know when Your Excellency will leave?"

Qian Bingdeng said with a smile: "I have a mission for the court, and I will leave immediately after the supplies, so the Ryukyu King doesn't need to spend money."

Wen Yu Shangzhi Wang was slightly silent, with a troubled face on his face, he suddenly grabbed Qian Bingdiao's arm, and pleaded, "Your Excellency, please let Xiao Wang show his kindness as a landlord."

Qian Bingdeng frowned slightly. Before leaving, the King of Chu had given an explanation that he must complete his trip to Japan as soon as possible to open up the Japanese market. He didn't want to waste time on eating and drinking. He was about to refuse, but Xu Junsheng on the side felt a clue , stepped forward, and said to Qian Bingdeng: "My lord, it's getting late, so it's okay to stop in Shuri for one night."

"Then rest for one night." Qian Bingdeng was slightly taken aback, then nodded in response.

The Ryukyu King was overjoyed, he hurriedly turned sideways to get out of the way, stretched out his hand and said, "Xiao Wang is hosting a banquet in the palace, my lord please!"

Qian Bingdeng had no choice but to walk away. Wu Junsheng told his subordinates to take good care of the blessing boat, ordered people to replenish supplies and fresh water, and then led more than ten soldiers to accompany him.

As soon as the crowd left, the Ryukyu people who were watching gradually dispersed. Two samurai outside the crowd, wearing kimonos and shaved their heads and holding Japanese swords, chatted in Japanese and then left in a hurry. .

On the way to the Ryukyu Palace in Shuri City, Qian Bingdeng found an opportunity and asked in a low voice, "Dawang, why did you let me have a banquet with Yi Ryukyu King? This is not in compliance with the rules!"

Xu Junsheng said in a low voice: "My lord, the general just feels a little abnormal. It seems that other than the Ryukyu king, other officials in this Ryukyu country are not very enthusiastic towards you. The Ryukyu king has repeatedly asked, and the lord is too generous. Why don't you just It doesn't matter if you rest for one night."

Qian Bingdeng was slightly taken aback, hearing what Xu Junsheng said, he really felt something was wrong.

Ryukyu is a small country, the area of ​​the royal palace is very small, and the scale of the palace is small.

Everyone came to a big hall to have a feast, and the method was also the meal sharing system that was popular before the Song Dynasty. Everyone knelt on the floor and put a table in front of them, which was filled with various foods and fruits.

Although Ryukyu is small, but because it is located at the node of trade, it is known as "the bridge of all nations", and the place is very rich.

A small but rich country is like a child holding gold and walking on a road full of bandits. It is a very dangerous thing.

Everyone was innocent and conceived a crime, and Ryukyu had always hugged Daming's thigh tightly in order to protect himself.When Toyotomi Hideyoshi launched the campaign against Korea and asked Ryukyu to provide money and food, Ryukyu not only refused to agree, but informed Daming about it.

After the banquet went on for a while, the sense of disobedience became even worse. Qian Bingdeng found that apart from the Ryukyu king who frequently persuaded him to drink, the other Ryukyu officials seldom spoke to him, and many of them even could not speak Chinese.

At that moment, he frowned, put down his wine glass, and said directly: "I am a little tired after traveling on the sea for days, let's end the banquet here today! You wait to step back first, I have a few words to say to His Highness , and then go to rest."

Hearing this, a Ryukyu official with a cold face stood up and said a few words in Ryukyu.

A Ryukyu interpreter next to Qian Bingdeng hurriedly whispered in his ear: "My lord, he said that it is inappropriate for the officials of the Ming Dynasty to stay in the palace. Please go to the post house to rest."

Xu Junsheng on the side heard this, and immediately got furious, stood up and said, "Bold, don't you people in my celestial dynasty know how to be polite? Mr. Qian has something to tell the Ryukyu King, and he insists on staying in the palace, and asks you to talk too much! Why don't you all retreat?" go out!"

The atmosphere in the hall turned cold for a moment, the official's face revealed anger when he heard the translation, King Shang Zhi, who was seated on the throne, immediately spoke Ryukyu dialect, and the official retreated with the crowd with a cold face.

Xu Junsheng also led a few officers out of the palace and waited outside. The strange thing was that the officer was also standing with a group of people not far away, and did not leave the palace. It seemed that he would not be relieved until they left.

In the main hall, after King Shangzhi and other people had gone out, he hurriedly retreated to the left and right, and then hurried to Qian Bingdiao, bowed down suddenly, and said in a painful voice: "Xiao Wang begs the heaven and court, save Liuqiu!"

At this time, Qian Bingdeng was already mentally prepared, knowing that something had happened to Ryukyu, he helped the Ryukyu king, and said, "Is it because the powerful officials are making trouble and ignoring the lord? Your Highness can rest assured that the court has issued an order the previous year. Daming belongs to the kingdom, and I, Daming, have the obligation to ensure the stability of the royal family, if someone wants to rebel, Daming will definitely send troops to help His Highness stabilize the country."

In order to strengthen its influence on the vassal states, mainly to control the markets of the vassal states and facilitate trade, the Ming Dynasty changed the previous unilateral tribute policy and re-established the relationship with the vassals.

The Ming Dynasty obtained economic and political benefits from the vassals, so they naturally had to do something to ensure the stability of the vassal state. Only by helping the royal family of the vassal state to maintain the local rule, the vassal state would follow the Ming Dynasty.

Qian Bingdeng saw the domineering officials just now, and thought that the safety of the Ryukyu King was threatened, but the Ryukyu King shook his head, "My lord, it's not that the powerful ministers rebelled, but that Ryukyu has been controlled by Japan and Satsuma. They are all pro-Japanese, and many officials are even directly Japanese.”

Qian Bingdeng was surprised when he heard this, he didn't expect the King of Ryukyu to say that, he was about to go to Japan as an envoy, and such a thing would happen.For a moment, his face darkened, "When did it happen, why didn't you report it to the Heavenly Dynasty!"

"My lord, this has happened for many years. The Shimadzu family invaded Ryukyu with the permission of the shogunate in the 37th year of Wanli. At that time, the Celestial Dynasty was too busy to take care of itself, and the former king was in the hands of Japan, so they did not dare to report it!"

"The 37th year of Wanli?" Qian Bingdeng took a breath, "So Japan has controlled Ryukyu for more than 40 years?"

Qian Bingdeng was a little sullen, and before the King of Ryukyu could speak, he went on to say: "According to what I know, Ryukyu's tribute to our dynasty has not been cut off in the past 40 years. Why didn't you report it, and since you surrendered to Japan, why did you still come?" Tribute to the Ming Dynasty!"

"My lord, it's because Japan doesn't want Daming to know that they are afraid of causing war, and they don't want to lose the tribute trade. The attack of Liuqiu is controlled by Japan!"

At this time, the Ming Dynasty spent money to raise a concubine, but the concubine was slept by someone else, who spent more than 40 years of being taken advantage of by the Ming Dynasty.

Qian Bingdeng's face was gloomy, and he asked angrily, "Then why didn't the emissary of Liuqiu say that they were sent by the Japanese during the imperial court review last time?"

"My lord, calm down. Before the Tianchao was troubled by internal and external troubles, Ryukyu considered that the Tianchao had no time to take care of the Ryukyu and was afraid of Japan, so they kept silent. The last time the envoy was secretly sent by Xiao Wang after he heard that the Tianchao had restored the southern capital. , I just want to understand the situation of Tianchao, and then decide whether to report the truth to Tianchao. The envoy returned to Liuqiu and told Xiao Wang about the power of Tianchao soldiers, which made Xiaowang's confidence soar, and wanted to ask Tianchao for help Ryukyu got rid of the Shimadzu family, but because the matter was not confidential, it was known by the Japanese side, so everything in Ryukyu is now under the control of the Japanese side."

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(End of this chapter)