Chapter 226: They Lost Everything, But Gained Freedom

Zhang Juzheng's methods were extremely ruthless. His memorial contained many specific measures, though Zhang Juzheng did not voice them aloud.

Zhang Juzheng's actions could by no means be called kind, nor did he ever claim to be a good man. However, the court officials did not oppose him; being able to make Japan suffer even a little was worth it.

Between the Great Ming and Japan lay a blood feud, an inextricable dead knot.

Regarding the matter of annihilating Japan, Zhang Juzheng was serious. He was not fooling the Emperor, but rather using various political decrees to push the decision forward step by step. Most terrifying of all was that even if these poisonous schemes of Zhang Juzheng were made public and known to all, it would not hinder their implementation, nor their ability to assist the Great Ming in annihilating Japan.

Because these poisonous schemes were open plots that could not be blocked.

The first political decree was to permit merchant ships to travel to Japan for trade.

This decree could likewise be understood as: this was the Great Ming Dynasty taking a further step in opening the seas.

Zhang Juzheng would not become a treacherous official colluding with Japan because of this, because Great Ming merchants traveling to Japan to trade for Japanese silver was not a business of one or two years, or five or ten years, but a trade spanning decades, even centuries. Having already undergone over a hundred years of struggle, Zhang Juzheng himself would not be labeled as colluding with Japan, because he was resolving a deep-seated contradiction and problem for the Great Ming: the Japanese pirate menace.

The causes of the Japanese pirate menace were extremely complex, but overall, they were related to opening or banning the seas. Banning the seas could not prohibit maritime trade; instead, it made maritime trade a private monopoly.

For instance, the cupellation method currently used in Japan was actually transmitted there from the Great Ming.

The amalgam method used by the Westerners was more efficient, but it was more harmful to the laborers.

The Great Ming side had actually noticed very early on that mercury could dissolve gold and silver into mud, and that mercury could be used to collect free gold and silver from coarse ore to form an amalgam, or mercury alloy. However, mercury was a highly toxic substance. The Spanish colonists used the amalgam method in large quantities to refine gold and silver because they had a large number of cheap slaves they could use.

The cupellation method utilized the property of silver and lead being mutually soluble to obtain a silver-lead alloy, then introduced air to oxidize the lead, obtaining crude silver.

Great Ming merchants had traveled to Japan for years to trade for Japanese silver, often having to detour through Ryukyu, and no mention of Japan could appear in their customs clearance documents. This time, the imperial court further opened the seas and lifted the ban, so they no longer needed to detour. The maritime merchants would only earn more.

For maritime merchants doing business on the sea, passing through one checkpoint meant losing a layer of skin.

"We are cultivating friends in Japan who are close to us. With this opening of the seas, won't the Great Ming have many more traitors colluding with Japan?" Ma Ziqiang voiced his doubts. He did not quite approve of this decree. Japan had few people, while the Great Ming had many; the absolute number of traitors colluding with Japan would certainly be greater than the number of friends who admired the Great Ming.

This would cause the Great Ming a great deal of trouble.

When the time came, if the traitors colluding with Japan shouted that the Great Ming and Japan were one family, wouldn't that be a laughingstock to all?

Wan Shihe sneered and said, "Even if we don't open the seas, will they stop colluding with Japan?"

"That is also true." Ma Ziqiang frowned, then relaxed. Wan Shihe was now too skilled at ending a debate with a single sentence. Even if Great Ming merchants were not permitted to go to Japan to trade, there would be no fewer people close to or colluding with Japan, because Japan's silver production was stable and the quantity was the greatest.

Merchants pursued profit and always flocked to where the silver was most abundant. The number of people from Fujian, Zhejiang, and Huai in Japan was not small, such as the former great pirate Wang Zhi.

Zhang Juzheng looked at Wan Shihe with some surprise. When Wan Shihe first became Minister of Rites, he was truly walking on the edge of death. Now, he already had the appearance of a perennial tree in the court. This shift in the wind was truly extremely keen.

"Former Nanjing Minister of Personnel Wang Bengu submitted a memorial to discuss affairs, hearing that there are pirates like Lin Afeng under the command of the Governor of Luzon, and requested an order to execute them." Zhang Juzheng took out a memorial.

Wang Bengu had served through the Jiajing, Longqing, and Wanli reigns, serving three dynasties, and was highly respected.

"Has he been to Luzon? Does he know the situation in Luzon? How much effort did Minister Yin expend to make Luzon as solid as a golden soup? With one word from him, I must issue an edict to kill Lin Afeng? Minister Yin wants to use him, and I say no? Luzon is far away overseas; if they harbor rebellious hearts, the Great Ming is in danger." Zhu Yijun immediately expressed his opposition to this memorial.

Zhang Juzheng had personally presented this memorial and told the little Emperor about the details within it.

When Wang Bengu was the Governor of Zhejiang, he had once had contradictions and conflicts with Hu Zongxian regarding the handling of the pirate Wang Zhi.

But in the end, the Governor of Zhejiang, Wang Bengu, won a complete victory, arrested Wang Zhi, and finally beheaded him in Hangzhou. From then on, the Japanese pirate menace grew increasingly intense.

Hu Zongxian advocated for both suppression and pacification, recruiting Wang Zhi and utilizing Wang Zhi's powerful overseas influence to annihilate the pirates.

Wang Bengu, however, hated evil like an enemy and felt that pirates were pirates. Wang Zhi's boast of helping the Great Ming pacify the Japanese pirate menace was merely to borrow the imperial court's prestige to bolster his own influence.

Before Wang Zhi was recruited by the imperial court, he had usurped the throne in Satsuma, styling himself as the King of Hui. The thirty-six islands of the Satsuma Domain were all under Wang Zhi's control.

Hu Zongxian personally wrote a letter asking Wang Zhi to enter the Ming. Wang Zhi's entry into the Ming was extremely cumbersome and complex. When Wang Zhi's ships arrived outside Cengang in Ningbo, he still hesitated. Only under Hu Zongxian's persuasion was Wang Zhi willing to disembark.

But Hu Zongxian ultimately could not protect Wang Zhi. Wang Bengu, representing the deep-rooted restorationist faction in the court, beheaded Wang Zhi. The leaderless Japanese pirates began to harass the southeast.

Wang Bengu's desire to kill Wang Zhi carried a stubbornness and prejudice against petty people. Even though Wang Zhi had never once incited Japanese pirates to invade the maritime borders, and even had several instances of helping the Great Ming navy pacify Japanese pirates under Hu Zongxian, Wang Bengu felt that a petty person like Wang Zhi was two-faced. In the general environment where colluding with Japan meant death, Wang Zhi was beheaded.

Wang Bengu believed that Wang Zhi, a petty person, had a heart for profit, violated the sea ban to go to sea, forgot the righteousness of China, entered a foreign country to become a pirate, usurped the title of Song, and set himself up as king; he deserved to die.

When Wang Zhi was arrested, he was actually already dead. Even if Wang Zhi had been released, who could guarantee that Wang Zhi would not harbor resentment and collude with Japanese pirates to invade the Great Ming's maritime borders?

When he heard that Yin Zhengmao was heavily using Lin Afeng in Luzon, Wang Bengu submitted a memorial to the imperial court, requesting the execution of the rebellious barbarian.

Why did Wang Zhi have to die?

Because Wang Zhi's advocacy harmed the immediate interests of the smuggling merchants along the southeast coast of the Great Ming.

Wang Zhi advocated that the imperial court abandon the outdated sea ban policy, legalize maritime trade, establish maritime customs houses to collect tariffs, set up Shipping Commissions in Zhejiang and Fujian, and restore tributary trade relations with Japan.

This seriously harmed the smuggling merchants' monopoly on the profits of maritime trade, so Wang Zhi had to die.

In the second year of Longqing, the Great Ming established the Yuegang Shipping Commission. Many years after Wang Zhi's death, maritime trade was legalized, finally unfolding slowly in a hesitant manner.

"Lin Afeng is in Luzon; can he be killed just because one says so? Does Wang Bengu still think it's the time when he killed Wang Zhi?" Wan Shihe caught the wind and immediately spoke up in agreement: "For the sake of ensuring the relationship between the Great Ming and Luzon, Your Majesty even spared no effort to bestow the national surname. If such an edict reaches Luzon, wouldn't it become the root of disaster?"

Once the edict to kill Lin Afeng reached Luzon, whether to kill or not would be a problem.

If they killed him, the six or seven thousand recruited pirates under Lin Afeng would turn into internal strife in Luzon, and might even spread to the Great Ming's maritime borders.

If they did not kill him, disobeying the imperial court's clear edict would mean a break with the Great Ming. The Governor's Office, which relied entirely on the Great Ming to achieve governance, would immediately be beaten to the ground by the Western red-haired barbarians, and its collapse would happen in an instant.

Wan Shihe saying this was the root of disaster was absolutely not alarmist, because turmoil would certainly occur.

Lin Afeng was not disobedient; after being recruited, he was also diligent and conscientious. Moreover, Yin Zhengmao's restraint of Lin Afeng was also very effective. The junior officers under Lin Afeng were all filled by guest troops led by Yin Zhengmao, Zhang Yuanxun, and Deng Zilong.

"Grand Minister Wan's words make sense." Tan Lun was very much in agreement with Wan Shihe's statement.

Tan Lun, Qi Jiguang, and Yu Dayou, as famous anti-Japanese generals of that year, clearly knew that Wan Shihe's words were based on historical lessons. What kind of disaster did Wang Bengu's unauthorized arrest of Wang Zhi cause back then?

Wang Zhi's pirate force was the only one that was powerful, entrenched in Satsuma, and completely blocked Japan's influence on the Great Ming's maritime borders. Once Wang Zhi died, the Japanese pirates were like vicious dogs out of a cage.

Because Wang Zhi's death meant the Great Ming completely lost control over the maritime borders.

Hence Hai Rui said with a playful expression: "As the saying goes, once power is in hand, orders are carried out. It is said in the streets that a clean prefect in three years earns one hundred thousand gold flowers and silver. This means that no matter how clean a prefect is, he can still earn one hundred thousand gold flowers and silver in three years."

"This Wang Bengu reached the position of Minister of Personnel and has always had a reputation for integrity. It might be worth checking if he is truly clean."

Hence Hai Rui directly treated Wang Bengu as an anti-corruption indicator, because he felt that this memorial was submitted without reason. Luzon was ten thousand miles away; how did Wang Bengu figure out the situation in Luzon and submit a memorial to discuss it?

After Yang Bo retired to his hometown, he did not ask about affairs in the court. The imperial court only heard news of Yang Bo again when he passed away at home.

Ge Shouli shook his head and said: "If something is found, it can't be handled, right?"

The Great Ming previously did not fight corruption, and letting bygones be bygones was a tacit political rule. No matter how much Wang Bengu had embezzled, it couldn't be investigated, right?

Hence Hai Rui smiled and said: "Why was he able to submit a memorial to discuss affairs? Because he is a retired gentry member of the second rank. Why did he submit this memorial to kill Lin Afeng? This can always be investigated."

"I see." Ge Shouli understood.

When can bygones be investigated? When he does not stop and continues to take money to do things, the old accounts of the past must be cleared and dealt with.

Zhang Juzheng continued to preside over the court meeting. This time, it was to appoint an envoy to Ryukyu to bestow the title of King upon Shang Jiu and assist the King of Ryukyu in pacifying the Japanese pirates.

Shang Jiu was not the heir apparent, and the imperial court did not want to bestow the title, dragging it out for five years. But the problem now was that the Great Ming's reach was not long enough. Utilizing the matter of assisting Ryukyu in pacifying the Japanese pirates to expand the Great Ming's influence in Ryukyu was the right path.

San Niangzi entered the capital. This was her third tribute. After staying at the Huitong Hostel, she rested for a day and then impatiently requested an audience with the Minister of the Court of Ceremonial Guests, Chen Xuehui.

"My sister's matter has caused Chen Dongqing a lot of trouble." After exchanging greetings, San Niangzi apologized first. She had sent her sister to Chen Xuehui to establish a communication channel and prepare for her own entry into the court.

This was also one of the reasons why Zhang Siwei took a risky move, because the wool business was of great importance. The Great Ming and the Jin Kingdom were no longer satisfied with communicating with the Northwest Jin Party, but wanted to communicate directly with the imperial court. This sister was actually the same as when Altan Khan's grandson fled into the Great Ming; both were creating communication channels.

But San Niangzi's sister fled back, which made Chen Xuehui very passive.

"She is just a woman. The court infighting is intense; it is normal for her to be afraid." Chen Xuehui sat upright and said with a smile.

San Niangzi's sister was Chen Xuehui's concubine outside the home, and now she was Chen Xuehui's concubine. Therefore, San Niangzi and Chen Xuehui were in-laws. Chen Xuehui had originally intended to avoid suspicion. As the Loyal and Obedient Lady bestowed by the Great Ming, San Niangzi was also qualified to face the Minister of Rites, Ma Ziqiang, directly.

However, Zhang Juzheng still let Chen Xuehui receive her during the court meeting. This was a kind of protection.

"Chen Dongqing is truly a great man." San Niangzi said sincerely.

Chen Xuehui looked at San Niangzi with some confusion. This sentence seemed to have no beginning or end.

San Niangzi said very solemnly: "I thought my sister's life would not last long, until my sister came to the Huitong Hostel to find me yesterday. That is why I said Chen Dongqing is a great man."

San Niangzi held a pessimistic attitude toward her sister returning to the Great Ming. When she sent her sister back to the capital, she had actually prepared for her sister to die an unnatural death and be untraceable. She had seen the ruthlessness of Great Ming scholars many times. For the sake of fighting for power and profit, for the sake of power struggles, what could they not do?

San Niangzi's sister had become an obstacle to Chen Xuehui's continued promotion. Therefore, in order to eliminate the obstacle, death was a very normal thing.

"The Loyal and Obedient Lady overpraises. A woman follows her husband. Since she has entered my home, naturally she is under my care." Chen Xuehui then understood that in this sister-in-law's heart, he was such a petty person who would kill to silence someone.

The matter of San Niangzi's sister running away was finally characterized by the imperial court as returning home to visit relatives. After she returned, her problem was not so serious.

Because the court's public opinion was still focused on the traitor of the clan, Wang Chonggu, especially since Wang Chonggu was about to enter the cabinet due to his merits. Wang Chonggu was even more at the center of the storm, and Chen Xuehui's problem was no longer paid attention to.

After all, the person had returned with the child.

If San Niangzi's sister had not returned, or could not return, Chen Xuehui would have been in big trouble.

Chen Xuehui could not help but think of Wang Daokun. Wang Daokun presided over the land survey in Songjiang Prefecture and got into a lot of trouble. One morning, Wang Daokun woke up and suddenly saw a woman beside him. Soon, this matter was heard by the censor, and Wang Daokun was impeached for raping a civilian woman. Finally, the handling of this matter was that Wang Daokun took this civilian woman as a concubine.

Wang Daokun did not do anything to this concubine. After the land survey struggle ended, this concubine also lived well.

Great Ming scholars were insidious and ruthless. This was not San Niangzi's stereotype, but the truth.

"The imperial court will absolutely not permit Altan Khan's request for a golden seal." After reminiscing with San Niangzi, Chen Xuehui clarified his attitude.

"The Great Ming imperial court does not permit it, but Altan Khan will still go." San Niangzi said very firmly: "This is his fourth time going to Xining. In the 37th and 38th years of Jiajing, and the 2nd year of Longqing, Altan Khan moved south from the Ordos many times, successively defeating the Yibula and Bu'erhai tribes. If the Great Ming imperial court wants to stop him, they cannot."

Altan Khan had conquered Qinghai four times and attacked the Oirat twice, with brilliant military achievements. If the Hexi Corridor had not blocked them in the middle, Qinghai and the Ordos would have been connected as one, becoming a serious threat to the Great Ming's northwest.

"This is the reason why the Great Ming does not give the golden seal. The Hexi Corridor is the Great Ming's Hexi Corridor." Chen Xuehui said very frankly: "Altan Khan is very powerful. In the words of your grassland, the radiance of Eternal Heaven shines on Xining again."

"If the golden seal of the Governor were given to Altan Khan, the Hexi Corridor would be a passage for Altan Khan to enter at will."

Chen Xuehui certainly knew that Altan Khan was very strong, winning repeatedly against the Oirat, the various Rongdi in Xining, and the Great Ming. The victory in war gave Altan Khan extremely strong cohesion. However, as Altan Khan's leg ailment became more and more serious, his personal prestige weakened rapidly, which gave San Niangzi an opportunity.

"Is Altan Khan going to believe in Buddha?" Chen Xuehui suddenly asked.

"Yes." San Niangzi's expression changed suddenly, but she still answered.

Believing in Buddha was a good thing for the Great Ming. Once the grassland people believed in Buddha, they would lose their offensive ability. For example, the Liao Kingdom, which was a serious threat to the Northern Song, became a Buddhist country after believing in Buddha, lost its offensive ability, and competed with the Northern Song in being rotten.

"The grassland believes in Eternal Heaven. Genghis Khan literally translates to: one who is Khan by the power of Eternal Heaven. The gods chose him to be Khan. As a member of the Golden Family, isn't Altan Khan betraying his ancestors?" Chen Xuehui said with a full smile.

"Altan Khan is a traitor to the grassland." San Niangzi finally said helplessly.

Altan Khan was very persistent in believing in Buddha. This meant that Altan Khan not only betrayed the gods of the grassland but also betrayed his ancestors. San Niangzi also opposed it, but the stubborn Altan Khan went his own way.

The imperial court did not give the golden seal, and Altan Khan wanted to go to Xining. The imperial court gave the golden seal, and Altan Khan still wanted to go to Xining.

San Niangzi said unwillingly: "It is also good for the imperial court if the imperial court gives Altan Khan the golden seal. The Great Ming is managing the Northeast, so the Northwest should be more stable. It is only good, not bad, for the Great Ming's management of the Northeast if Altan Khan goes to Xining smoothly."

"The court meeting has already made a decision and will not change." Chen Xuehui answered this question very clearly.

"What a pity." San Niangzi had to accept this decision of the imperial court, because the imperial court had already formed a resolution. Even if they found it was wrong, they would go to the end.

The Great Ming Emperor was supreme, and the Great Ming Emperor's imperial edict was golden words. But in the early years of Wanli, the effectiveness of the Great Ming court meeting's results even exceeded the Emperor's imperial edict. Once the court meeting passed, it represented the highest will of the Great Ming. Even if it was wrong, it would be resolutely implemented.

This was also one of the reasons why Zhang Juzheng was liquidated by the Wanli Emperor; Zhang Juzheng substantially threatened the imperial power.

Gao Gong's downfall was because he wanted to knock out the Directorate of Ceremonial, threatening the imperial power. Zhang Juzheng was liquidated by the Wanli Emperor after his death also because Zhang Juzheng threatened the imperial power.

"Has the court meeting already permitted the expansion of border trade this time?" San Niangzi asked with a smile.

"The Loyal and Obedient Lady is well-informed. Even in the Baisheng, the speed is faster than the news I received." Chen Xuehui confirmed the authenticity of this news.

Previously, after the Great Ming imperial meeting ended, the court officials had not received clear news, but Altan Khan in the grassland already knew what the court meeting was discussing, and Altan Khan knew more accurately than the court officials.

But now, this situation had changed. The news San Niangzi received was passed to San Niangzi by Chen Xuehui's concubine.

"What does the imperial court want?" San Niangzi asked with a frown.

"Horses." Chen Xuehui answered with a smile: "To be precise, warhorses and stallions."

"That's impossible." San Niangzi said decisively. Warhorses and stallions involved the foundation of the Northern Barbarians' survival, their mobility.

Chen Xuehui stood up and said with a smile: "It doesn't matter if Altan Khan doesn't sell. We can just buy them from Tuman Khan."

"Chen Dongqing, wait!" San Niangzi said in shock: "The Great Ming has military affairs recently; isn't it to fight Tuman Khan?"

"You can also do business while fighting; it doesn't delay anything." Chen Xuehui left San Niangzi's room without any nostalgia. San Niangzi, let alone having an audience with the Emperor, would probably find it difficult to gain anything from this trip to the capital.

The border trade expanded by the imperial court was to buy fine horses and stallions. If Altan Khan didn't sell, the Great Ming would buy from Tuman Khan.

Chen Xuehui did not leave the Huitong Hostel, but found the Western envoy Li Yashi.

"Hearing the magpie chirping happily on the branch in the morning, I knew a distinguished guest was coming. Chen Dongqing's visit really makes me extra surprised and happy." Li Yashi was all smiles. He had lived in luxury and stability in the Great Ming for several years, and looked a bit plump.

Li Yashi was the Governor of the Philippines and Special Envoy appointed by Philip II, but this Governor was not in Mindanao, but in the Great Ming's capital.

Li Yashi had become accustomed to the comfortable life in the capital, and had become strange and fearful of the days of fighting storms, huge waves, and natives on the sea.

The Great Ming had everything, and was quite polite to Li Yashi. If Li Yashi were allowed to choose between returning to the West or staying in the Great Ming, Li Yashi would definitely hesitate repeatedly.

This was like heaven to him.

Friends who admire us are cultivated in this way.

"You have already learned the polite phrases of Great Ming scholars." Chen Xuehui signaled for Li Yashi to sit down.

After the two exchanged pleasantries, Chen Xuehui tentatively asked: "How do Westerners feel at ease selling slaves?"

"Slander! This is slander! When did we sell slaves? We are their pilots, leading them out of ignorant and backward lives, letting them gain a new world, living anew, living freely!" As soon as Li Yashi heard this, he directly broke his defense and argued loudly.

"Yes, yes, yes, I am here to learn this!" Chen Xuehui said with great surprise upon hearing this: "That's it."

Li Yashi was stunned, gritting his teeth but helpless. Regarding the human trade, Chen Xuehui had to learn from the Westerners. They were always so advanced in this aspect.

Zhang Juzheng's trick was to open up the breeding of Japanese women, but there was a ban that did not allow Japanese women to return to Japan. That was, any Japanese woman could sell herself to Great Ming merchants, and then marry a Great Ming person in the name of marriage.

The money for redemption was called a bride price.

Chen Xuehui explained his intention.

After Li Yashi heard it, he nodded repeatedly and said: "Isn't this very good? There is no such thing as human trade. Where is there human trade? It's just that life in Japan is too difficult. In order to pursue a better life, marrying into the Great Ming, isn't this a very good story?"

"In terms of covering up, the Great Ming and the West are already on par."

"There is still a lack." Chen Xuehui said with a heavy face: "Then if we want to eliminate their orthodoxy and sweep their nests, how should we cover it up?"

Li Yashi pondered for a moment and answered: "A limited, closed, ignorant, dark, and heavy universe is replaced by an infinite, open, civilized, perfect, and orderly universe."

"After shattering the sky and the kingdom of heaven, tell them they have gained freedom."

Chen Xuehui suddenly realized and said: "Oh, so that's it. They lost everything, but gained freedom. Good, good, good! In this aspect, the West is indeed a master-level figure."

Freedom is a kind of rhetoric. Losing everything but gaining something more important, this freedom can be fairness, justice, equality, etc., depending on how it is packaged and described.

"Are you praising or scolding?" Li Yashi had been in the capital for several years and could distinguish between good and bad words. Obviously, Chen Xuehui was scolding people.

Chen Xuehui really learned it. These Western rhetoric and narrative styles are a good way.

The Great Ming imperial edict bestowing the title of King of Ryukyu upon Shang Yong was sent to Songjiang Prefecture by the Maritime Defense Inspector. The Great Ming Emperor appointed the Songjiang Governor Wang Daokun as the principal envoy, the River-Operating Commander Xiao Chongye as the deputy envoy, and Chen Lin as the General Pacifying the Japanese Pirates to go to Ryukyu to bestow the title upon the King of Ryukyu and assist the King of Ryukyu in pacifying the Japanese pirates.

The fleet for this bestowment was not just one bestowment ship. There were thirteen five-masted ocean-crossing ships, thirty-six three-masted giant clipper ships, and seventy-two four-hundred-liao combat ships accompanying them, with a total of more than thirty thousand soldiers and officers, and three thousand guest troops of the navy, heading to Ryukyu.

This was almost all the power that Songjiang Prefecture could mobilize, and the eight prefectures along the coast of Zhejiang and Fujian would also provide more than one hundred four-hundred-liao combat ships, gathering at the Songjiang and Ningbo Shipping Commissions, waiting for the news of carrier pigeons, ready to support the main army at any time.

April was the time when the trade winds were most suitable. It only took three days to reach Songjiang Prefecture, and this period was also the time with the fewest storms at sea.

On April 17th, Wang Daokun, Xiao Chongye, and Chen Lin gathered at the Guanchao Tower in Xingang to prepare for tomorrow's maritime voyage.

"His Majesty's meaning is that this time we go to Ryukyu to pacify the Japanese pirates, but we also don't pacify them." Wang Daokun began to interpret the imperial edict.

Xiao Chongye asked in confusion: "What does it mean to pacify and yet not pacify?"

"As if pacifying." Wang Daokun said very firmly.

Come or not? As if coming; pacify or not? As if pacifying.

"His Majesty's meaning is that armed cruising is the main thing. After circling Ryukyu, we will return directly to the Songjiang Prefecture Shipping Commission." Chen Lin explained His Majesty's holy will when he saw Xiao Chongye looking confused.

This voyage was just an armed cruise, not a real battle. The reason for this was actually that the Great Ming wanted to expand its influence in Ryukyu.

The King of Ryukyu was eager to get rid of Japan's control over them. Therefore, after seeing the Great Ming's powerful naval strength, the King of Ryukyu would pay a higher price to invite the Great Ming's heavenly soldiers and generals.

No matter how harsh the Great Ming's conditions were, they were not as harsh as the Japanese pirates' conditions.

Give a monthly ticket or not? As if giving?! Ask for monthly tickets, Aowu!!!!!!!!!!!!

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 227 =====