Chapter 819: An Egg Broken from Outside Is Food, Broken from Within Is Life

Oda Nobunaga forgot that his life belonged to Great Ming, not to himself; Great Ming had not fully realized this either, or its handling would have been more effortless.

As Oda Nobunaga mobilized troops to act, the ambitions of the daimyo, suppressed by Great Ming's investiture and overwhelming military power, sprouted again like mushrooms after rain.

This time, Great Ming's troops waited at Ying'en Gate, ready for Oda Nobunaga to send his forces to fight, standing squarely against him.

Oda Nobunaga's funeral was hastily arranged; after receiving the title of Kōbaku, Toyotomi Hideyoshi sent his remains back to Owari Province, where the people of Owari buried him hastily beside his father.

Even Oda Ichi did not return to Owari to bury her brother; she chose instead to return directly to Great Ming.

Oda Ichi had never anticipated her brother's fate—absurd yet logical. She had grown utterly weary of this mire-like Japan and chose to leave forever; Japan's future would have nothing to do with her anymore.

This may have been Oda Nobunaga's final wish fulfilled: coming from Owari, returning to Owari, reverting once more to the Fool of Owari, not the Demon King who sought to dominate the world.

Great Ming's diplomatic mission engaged in fierce clashes with Toyotomi Hideyoshi's newly formed shogunate over Oda Nobunaga's posthumous reputation.

Of the ten crimes Toyotomi Hideyoshi fabricated, only one remained: the destruction of Buddhism. In this round of confrontation, Great Ming won a decisive victory, transforming Oda Nobunaga's posthumous reputation from utterly wicked to mixed praise and blame.

After this round of negotiations, Great Ming gained additional concessions: the Oda family could retain its status as lord of Owari Province, but since the entire Oda family resided in Great Ming, the appointment of Governor of Owari was effectively under Great Ming's control.

In effect, through this maneuver of creating leverage from nothing, Great Ming gained the seven districts of Owari, which became part of the Nagasaki Viceroyalty.

Oda Nobunaga's Azuchi-Momoyama Castle also fell within the scope of these negotiations, but news soon arrived that during the Kyoto purge, Azuchi Castle suddenly caught fire; the flames spread with terrifying speed, and the keep, symbol of Nobunaga's authority, was reduced to ashes in the inferno, marking the definitive end of the Oda Nobunaga era.

On the fourth day of the third month of the sixteenth year of Emperor Wanli, Zhu Zhu Yijun received Gao Qi's memorial and news of Oda Ichi's return to Great Ming.

"Japan indeed owes no gratitude to Oda Nobunaga. Before him, the sixty-six provinces of Japan each had their own lords, mutually ununified; only when Nobunaga launched his campaigns did all submit, none daring to resist. He was a man of extraordinary talent and wit; in my view, his abilities surpassed Hideyoshi's tenfold." Zhu Zhu Yijun finished reading the memorial, his brow furrowed at first, then finally sighing in resignation.

In the Honnō-ji Incident, Oda Nobunaga survived; in the Two-Story Granary Corridor Incident, he did not—his complex life ended with a touch of haste.

Oda Nobunaga's military talent

was unquestionably formidable; after all, he shattered all three of the anti-Nobunaga encirclements.

Among Japan's daimyo, who were little more than human caricatures, Oda Nobunaga was relatively decent—he implemented a series of reforms aimed at easing the burdens of commoners and restoring farmers to the land.

In Zhu Zhu Yijun's view, no matter how you judged it, Oda Nobunaga had tried.

At least on the issue of eliminating Japanese pirates, Oda Nobunaga's stance aligned with Great Ming's; Japan too suffered greatly from Japanese pirates raids, as farmers, displaced from their fields, wandered aimlessly, inevitably fueling piracy.

"Your Majesty, Oda Nobunaga was no ordinary man—did he never consider that the daimyo would leap out the moment he lost Great Ming's protection and cut him down with a thousand blades?" Feng Bao whispered: "Your Majesty, I can't help but feel Oda Nobunaga was committing suicide."

"He couldn't win. Great Ming's offensive would never be as reckless as the Yuan's; they had spent over a decade surveying hydrography and geography, hoping for a divine wind—wasn't that betting on Great Ming's carelessness? He witnessed the Six Battles of Korea and the Battle of Tsushima; he saw Great Ming's caution with his own eyes."

"But peace talks would mean bearing historical guilt. Great Ming's victory meant impossibly harsh terms—ceding maritime rights, mineral rights—how many insults would he endure afterward?"

"So, caught between two impossible choices, seeing that Oda Ichi faced no reproach, he chose this near-suicidal path?"

As a palace insider, Feng Bao was cautious to a fault; Oda Nobunaga's mobilization to kill the Great Ming envoy Gao Qi was far too obvious. Didn't he send his own men to clear potential dangers before entering the granary corridor?

After surviving multiple assassination attempts, how could Oda Nobunaga, post-Honnō-ji, be so careless?

Behind this almost absurd ending lay the truth: Oda Nobunaga had truly run out of options.

"What strength did Great Ming's garrison troops in Japan possess? Oda Nobunaga had seen them himself—did he truly believe his fifteen hundred mofu soldiers could stand against Great Ming's elite?"

"Your Majesty, he left no final words at all." Feng Bao added another piece of evidence: Oda Nobunaga had ample opportunities to leave a last message—when meeting Oda Ichi, or when the daimyo performed their hollow displays of grief.

Feng Bao judged that in his final moments, Oda Nobunaga had simply given up, choosing a foolish final charge to end his life—either killed by his own men or by Great Ming troops.

"You may be right, but it's impossible to verify now." Zhu Zhu Yijun nodded in deep agreement, endorsing Feng Bao's view, then shook his head: "Whether he committed suicide or not—I can't summon him back from the dead to ask."

The true nature of history no longer matters; the wheel of history rolls forward, never pausing for anyone, never changing again. The greatest significance of Oda Nobunaga's final intentions lies in crafting a dramatically fitting conclusion to his complex life.

"Your Majesty, Censor Yang Yang Yinqiu of Yunnan Circuit has impeached Minister of Revenue Wang Wang Guoguang on six charges." Feng Bao handed a memorial to the throne, then opened two others: "These are the petition for clemency and the resignation memorial from the Grand Secretary."

"Misappropriated ten thousand taels from the Ministry of Public Works to repair his private residence—charge one; this ten thousand taels were approved by Your Majesty, used to repair the firehouse of the old treasury; the Grand Secretary's residence was funded by Your Majesty's private treasury! Nonsense—calling a deer a horse!"

"Do you think I'm old, senile, and forgetful? I am only twenty-six!" Zhu Zhu Yijun slammed the table upon reading the first charge.

If true, Zhu Zhu Yijun intended to grant Wang Wang Guoguang a special pardon under the Eight Privileges, preserving his dignity—but this first charge was outright falsehood.

The firehouse of the Ministry of Revenue's old treasury and Wang Wang Guoguang's residence were repaired together, but the funds for the residence came directly from Zhu Zhu Yijun's private treasury; he remembered every single coin spent.

Wang Wang Guoguang had never misappropriated funds.

In his memorial, Wang Wang Guoguang himself clarified: repairs were done jointly, but his residence was funded by the imperial treasury; since the private treasury accounts were inaccessible to Great Ming censors, this misunderstanding arose, making it appear as if Wang Wang Guoguang had embezzled ten thousand taels for his home.

This misunderstanding had circulated in the streets for some time; the censors, acting on hearsay, believed it true.

All six charges were similarly flawed—the censors lacked full context, and every accusation was a misattribution.

"Hmm, charge four: Grand Secretary accepted two beautiful women gifted by the Prefect of Cangzhou, Zhang Zhang Yuxing." Zhu Zhu Yijun said with interest: "Is this true or false? If Grand Secretary loves beauties, tell me—I'll gift him twelve wan guo beauties."

"False." Feng Bao replied succinctly, informing the emperor that Ming scholar-officials truly had no interest in beauties, let alone wan guo beauties; for Wang Wang Guoguang, power was what he desired.

Sometimes Feng Bao wondered where the emperor got his odd whims—daily gifts of beauties to ministers. He truly wanted to remind His Majesty: consider yourself. How much you love power, so too do your ministers.

"Zhang Zhang Yuxing and Grand Secretary are fellow townspeople and distant relatives; Zhang's two daughters came to the capital and stayed at Grand Secretary's residence, primarily to study at the Quan Jin Academy. Such patronage is very common." Feng Bao explained the background.

Zhang Zhang Yuxing, serving away from home after his wife's death, entrusted his daughters to Wang Wang Guoguang for education—a common practice; staying for years, even a lifetime, was not unusual, akin to adoption.

In Great Ming, there were five prohibitions on marriage, one of which was: do not marry an eldest daughter who lost her mother. In the eyes of Ming scholar-officials, a daughter without a mother's guidance in conduct and manners was likely unrefined; no matter how high her father's rank,

she would struggle to find a suitable match.

Zhang Zhang Yuxing and Wang Wang Guoguang were distant relatives, so the girls were sent to Wang's residence.

A simple, normal matter, twisted into "accepting two beauties."

"This is the Grand Secretary's resignation memorial." Feng Bao signaled the emperor—this was the most important document. Wang Wang Guoguang, citing advanced age and declining capacity, requested retirement to spend his remaining years in peace.

【I have observed that the sun and moon alternate, spring and autumn succeed each other; my hair has turned white, my bones and sinews weakened. Since rejoining the central government in the first year of Emperor Wanli, I have managed state finances for sixteen years, day and night vigilant, never slackening. But now at seventy-six, my hearing and sight have dimmed; I must use spectacles to read ledgers, and often forget rice and salt when auditing funds.】

【The other day, summoned for audience, I dropped my ceremonial tablet before Your Majesty—deeply ashamed and humiliated; is this not clear proof of my failing spirit and vitality?】

Wang Wang Guoguang was now seventy-six, his hair entirely white, his movements sluggish; he could no longer manage the Ministry of Revenue. He often forgot figures when auditing funds, and recently, during a court session at Zhao Wenhua Hall, he even forgot to bring his tablet.

Time ages men; Wang Wang Guoguang believed that clinging to his post risked grave errors in state affairs, betraying the emperor's trust and disappointing the people, and so he requested retirement.

This was Wang Wang Guoguang's third request for retirement since the sixteenth year of Emperor Wanli; the previous two times, Zhu Zhu Yijun had gently dissuaded him.

"What do the imperial physicians say?" Zhu Zhu Yijun asked about Wang Wang Guoguang's condition.

"He is simply old—no illness. The Grand Secretary's hands now tremble so he cannot hold a brush. Your Majesty, the Ministry of Revenue manages the empire's wealth; even a single coin's error affects national finances." Feng Bao bowed low; Wang Wang Guoguang's health was still robust, with no illness.

Zhu Zhu Yijun considered, then spread out Korean tribute paper and wrote four large characters: Two Dynasties' Pillar.

He blew on the ink to dry it, relieved that during Zhang Zhang Juzheng's lectures, he had not slacked off—this calligraphy had decent appearance; not masterful, but presentable.

"Promote him to Grand Preceptor, grant five hundred taels of silver, ten sets of zhusi silk, thirty thousand paper notes, thirty jars of Guojiao liquor, and bestow the post of Chief of the Imperial Seal Office upon his eldest son, Wang Zhaohé, to honor the legacy of three generations of official service." Zhu Zhu Yijun bestowed the calligraphy and an official post, then added: "Isn't there a mountain villa called Sanwei Hall beside the Yicheng Marquis's estate? Bestow that upon the Grand Secretary as well."

Sanwei Hall was one of many grand villas Zhu Zhu Yijun had built to reward meritorious ministers; though smaller than the Yicheng Marquis's estate, it spanned over three hundred mu, extravagantly luxurious.

The Sanwei Hall mountain villa was one of many grand villas built by Zhu Zhu Yijun, specifically to bestow upon meritorious ministers; though smaller than the Yicheng Marquis's mansion, the land it occupied exceeded three hundred mu and was exceedingly luxurious.

Upon retirement, Wang Wang Guoguang recommended Zhang Zhang Xueyan to join the Grand Secretariat and oversee the Ministry of Revenue; Zhang Zhang Xueyan also held the post of Director of the Liaodong Agricultural Reclamation Bureau, ensuring that the Liaodong direction remained under court control.

At dawn the next day, as the sky lightened, the golden roof of Zhao Wenhua Hall shimmered in the morning glow; after Regional Commander Zhao Meng's three ceremonial whip-cracks, court ministers entered Zhao Wenhua Hall.

Zhang Zhang Juzheng led the ministers in a bow: "Your servants pay homage to Your Majesty; may Your Majesty live ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand ten thousand years."

"Rise, my ministers." Zhu Zhu Yijun gestured for them to stand.

"I, Wang Wang Guoguang, a humble scholar from southern Shanxi, was raised from county office by the late emperor and granted extraordinary favor by Your Majesty, entrusted with the critical duty of finance. Now my hair is gray, I humbly beg Your Majesty to recognize my sincere devotion and grant me leave to retire and spend my remaining years in peace." Wang Wang Guoguang stepped forward to request retirement.

The emperor had already approved his resignation the day before; all procedures were complete—this was the final farewell.

"Your servant, Wang Wang Guoguang, was originally a humble scholar from southern Jin. I was promoted by the late emperor from the county level, and granted by Your Majesty a special favor, entrusted with the critical duty of financial administration. Now my temples are gray and my strength wanes; I humbly beg Your Majesty to recognize my sincere devotion and grant me leave to retire and spend my remaining years in peace." Wang Wang Guoguang stepped forward and petitioned to resign.

Feng Bao stepped forward; two eunuchs unfurled the imperial decree, and Feng Bao swept his ceremonial whisk, announcing loudly: "By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees:"

"I, inheriting Heaven's mandate and following ancestral precedent, govern all affairs, relying solely on my loyal ministers to achieve great order. I have read your memorial, your words earnest and sincere. I recall that since the Emperor Longqing era, you served as Director of the Grand Canal, eliminating corruption and establishing regulations; in the early Emperor Wanli years, you managed state finances, surveying over eight million hectares of land, saving sixty thousand taels annually from the imperial granary."

"Today, the garrisons along the northern frontier are well-supplied, county granaries overflow with grain—all due to your sixteen years of tireless labor."

"Now, in your retirement, I promote you to Grand Preceptor, grant five hundred taels of silver, ten sets of zhusi silk, thirty thousand paper notes, thirty jars of Guojiao liquor, and bestow the post of Chief of the Imperial Seal Office upon your eldest son, Wang Zhaohé, to honor the legacy of three generations of official service."

"In ancient times, Zhang Liang abstained from grain to preserve his merit; the Marquis of Liu retired gracefully to end well. You, having accomplished your mission, may now rest in peace at Sanwei Hall, where I have ordered the palace secretariat to inscribe the plaque 'Two Dynasties' Pillar' for you."

"This decree, in accordance with ancestral precedent, proclaims virtue and grace to all under heaven, let all know."

"In ancient times, Zhang Liang practiced fasting to preserve his merit, and the Marquis of Liu retired in seclusion to end his days well. Now that you have accomplished your great deeds and lean upon your cane, you may retire to the Sanwei Hall mountain villa to spend your remaining years in peace. I command the Imperial Household to commission a plaque inscribed 'Two Reigns' Esteemed Minister' to bestow upon you."

After Feng Bao finished reading, Zhu Zhu Yijun spoke: "Do not worry, my minister. The green pines before the Ministry of Revenue—I will watch over them."

When Wang Wang Guoguang assumed office, he planted a pine tree before the ministry hall; now, sixteen years later, it stood tall and broad. Zhu Zhu Yijun's words assured Wang Wang Guoguang that the emperor would oversee the Ministry's affairs, ensuring no backlash after his departure.

The cause Wang Wang Guoguang had fought for sixteen years would not be undone.

"Your servant kneels to thank Your Majesty's boundless grace." Wang Wang Guoguang bowed again, glanced around Zhao Wenhua Hall, smiled, then bowed once more: "Your Majesty, I depart."

"Farewell, my minister." Zhu Zhu Yijun, slightly melancholy, bid Wang Wang Guoguang goodbye.

Wang Wang Guoguang stepped slowly toward the Zhao Wenhua Hall entrance, both feet crossing the threshold before turning, descending the three-tiered moon terrace. He stood before the hall, staring blankly at the golden sunlight gleaming on the roof.

This farewell was his final one—farewell to the emperor, to Zhao Wenhua Hall, to Zhang Wenyuan Pavilion, and to his brilliant political career.

He stood still for a long time; his political life had ended. He reflected on his life—

he had been true to the emperor, true to the court, true to the people; in the Emperor Wanli Reforms, he had left a bold and vivid mark.

If he owed anyone regret, perhaps it was the Shanxi Faction, and the mentorship of Yang Bo.

As the Shanxi Faction grew stronger, so did his rank; he entered Zhao Wenhua Hall, yet abandoned the Shanxi Faction, never lobbying for its interests, never joining Yang Bo, Wang Wang Chonggu, or Zhang Zhang Siwei in factional strife against Zhang Zhang Juzheng's reforms.

He refused to do so—because the reason was simple: Great Ming's mandate was not yet exhausted; another attempt was still possible. Civil chaos shattered the livelihoods of the people; every dynastic change meant earthquakes, millions reduced to bones.

Wang Wang Guoguang was not of the Shanxi Faction. Was he of the Zhang Faction? Not entirely.

Yang Bo saw people clearly: Wang Wang Guoguang was solitary, upright, noble in conduct, unlike the crowd. After leaving the Shanxi Faction, he did not cling to the Zhang Faction; sometimes he even joined Wang Wang Chonggu in opposing certain Zhang Zhang Juzheng policies.

"Your Majesty speaks of loyalty: loyalty means acting from one's heart, being true to one's inner spirit and conscience. This is loyalty—loyalty to one's conscience, aligning knowledge and action to achieve true insight, resolving contradictions to reveal all truths." Wang Wang Guoguang smiled with satisfaction, turned, and walked away from Zhao Wenhua Hall toward the palace gates.

Loyalty—to the sovereign, to the state, and to oneself—to one's own understanding, to one's own spirit.

In the twilight of his life, Wang Wang Guoguang looked back and found himself unashamed of his spirit and cognition; he had not wasted his years, had not lived aimlessly. As he departed, he could tell himself: he had devoted his life and all his energy to the land that gave him birth and nurtured him—without regret.

"Grand Secretary, please wait." Zhang Hong hurried over, smiling: "The emperor personally made a walking stick for you."

Wang Wang Guoguang examined the stick—made of Huang Huali wood, simple in design, clearly not crafted by a skilled artisan; such poor workmanship would have cost a craftsman his nine clans' lives.

It was indeed made by the emperor himself.

"Your servant kneels to thank Your Majesty's sacred grace." Wang Wang Guoguang bowed again toward Zhao Wenhua Hall, leaned on the emperor's gift, and left the palace.

Indeed, His Majesty made it himself.

"Your servant bows in gratitude for Your Majesty's sacred grace." Wang Wang Guoguang bowed again toward Zhao Wenhua Hall, leaned on the staff bestowed by His Majesty, and left the palace.

In the Zhao Wenhua Hall, the Emperor of Great Ming kept gazing out the hall until Wang Wang Guoguang's figure vanished, then said: "Instruct the Dissection Institute to assign a senior physician to care for him properly."

"The Yunnan Circuit Censor Yang Yang Yinqiu, who impeached the Grand Minister of Works, is hereby stripped of his official rank, revoked of his scholarly credentials, and exiled to Java!"

Zhu Zhu Yijun had made his decision: the incessant censor Yang Yang Yinqiu would go to Java to serve Great Ming with loyalty—if he had the guts, let him become a sea pirate like Zou Zou Diguang and keep fighting the Great Ming court!

"Your Majesty…" Zhang Zhang Juzheng stepped forward, bowed deeply, and said: "The censor's accusations were not false; he simply lacked full knowledge of the matter. Is such severe punishment not—"

"—a little too harsh?"

The allegations made by the censor were all true; the facts existed. To strip him of office and scholarly status is excessively severe. Censors are the emperor's ears and eyes; punishing them so harshly may stifle free speech.

"I am simply taking out my anger on him," Zhu Zhu Yijun said calmly. "The Grand Minister of Works has retired; I am displeased. If he won't let me be pleased, how could I let him have his way?"

"Your servant obeys." Zhang Zhang Juzheng took a deep breath and ceased his plea. The emperor had made his meaning clear: this was pure spite. He didn't punish diligence or laziness—he punished the blind. Yang Yang Yinqiu had walked straight into the crosshairs.

Minister of Rites Shen Li stepped forward and bowed: "Your Majesty, even oil peddlers in the capital know that the Grand Minister of Works has been unwell and advanced in age, having submitted two memorials requesting retirement. Yet Yang Yang Yinqiu clings to this matter—does he not merely seek to gain the reputation of a loyal censor by attacking a retiring elder?"

"Censors are esteemed and pure; if they seek fame by daring to speak, and we do not punish them severely, this will become a widespread trend, bringing countless harms and zero benefit to the state."

Taking out anger? To justify this punishment under that pretext would tarnish the emperor's sagacity. How could the Ministry of Rites stand idly by while such a thing occurred? It would not merely damage the emperor's reputation—it would stain the Ministry's honor and undermine the millennia-old moral order of ruler and subject.

Such a thing must not happen.

Hai Rui closed his eyes and exhaled a long breath. He could hardly bear to watch. Shen Li, after all, was once a peer of his—a forthright, upright minister. How had this Minister of Rites, this Grand Secretary, become such a sycophant after barely a year in office? The emperor himself admitted it was spite, yet the Ministry of Rites had conjured up such a lofty, seemingly reasonable justification.

Scholars truly had read their books; with a mere flick of the eye, they could make any absurdity seem logical.

"Your Majesty, if he truly serves the state loyally, and achieves results in Java—a frontier land—there may yet be a chance for his reinstatement. If he achieves nothing there, letting him remain in Java to foster the cultural legacy of the General Governor's Office of Jiaozhou is not without merit," Shen Li bowed again.

Thus, the emperor's punishment would appear not harsh at all, but even generous.

How magnanimous the emperor is: even when one errs, he grants a chance at redemption.

"This is using one's own spear against one's own shield. I accept the Grand Secretary's proposal," Zhu Zhu Yijun nodded in approval. The same act, rephrased, now made the emperor seem benevolent.

This was precisely the method Yang Yang Yinqiu used to impeach Wang Wang Guoguang: the facts were real, yet the interpretation was entirely different. The petty Confucian's tricks—Shen Li knew them all, he simply scorned to use them.

"Wang Wang Rulong has returned to Liaodong. Li Li Ruchang has transferred command of the Liaodong troops and is heading toward the capital," Zhang Zhang Juzheng spoke of a matter of utmost importance.

Marquis Ningyuan Marquis Li Li Chengliang had two accomplished sons: Li Li Rusong and Li Li Ruchang. Li Li Rusong needs no elaboration; Li Li Ruchang, too, is a formidable warrior.

Most importantly, when transferring command, Li Li Ruchang showed no hesitation, no attempt to extract further benefits.

He handed over authority immediately, boarded the train, and came straight to the capital—this is loyalty beyond words.

It signifies the Li family's complete abandonment of military power in Liaodong. Of course, this does not mean they have lost all military influence there—but the transition has been smooth. The Nongken Bureau has secured the region; Liaodong is now secure, and the bed of potential rebellion has been finally cleared.

"Excellent, excellent," Zhu Zhu Yijun mused. "Then grant the Marquis Ningyuan Marquis's household several more Wan Guo beauties."

Li Li Chengliang greatly favored these Wan Guo beauties. His family was not a scholarly lineage with rigid customs; all his children adored them.

"Oda Nobunaga was assassinated by his own subordinates in a grain warehouse corridor. Had his scheme of united resistance succeeded, it might have become a grave threat to Great Ming," Shen Li said gravely, speaking of Japan.

Oda Nobunaga's move was indeed perilous, but had it succeeded, the catalyzing of national unity would have yielded enormous gains for Japan.

"I disagree," Zhu Zhu Yijun shook his head. "An egg broken from outside is food; broken from within, it is life."

Shen Li was stunned, then bowed deeply in sincere admiration: "Your Majesty's words are brilliant. I have indeed overlooked this."

Great Ming sent no army, only envoys. In this push and pull, it shattered Japan's already fragile unity.

If Great Ming had invaded, even if Japan won through divine winds and mountain fortresses, it would be only temporary. That would mean Japan's egg was broken from the outside. Once external threats vanished, internal divisions would tear it apart even more severely—ultimately, it would still end up as dish on the table, meat in the pot.

As long as Great Ming still craves silver, this dish will eventually be served.

For Japan to welcome renewal, its daimyos must, before Great Ming intervenes, forge a decisive outcome and consensus—complete their national structure. Otherwise, defeat remains inevitable.

The emperor's single sentence dispelled Shen Li's concerns.

"The Director of the Grand Honglu Temple has handled peace negotiations in Japan, clarified the situation, yet failed to outline any concrete peace plan. Should we issue orders to Kyoto to reiterate the essential terms of the negotiations?" Zhang Zhang Juzheng frowned. "He has not submitted even a draft of the peace terms."

Zhu Zhu Yijun asked curiously: "Master, since you entrusted this to the Grand Grand Honglu, let him handle it. Are you worried he'll become emperor of Japan and refuse to return?"

The court drew one line for Gao Qi: mineral rights. If he cannot secure them, keep fighting. Great Ming is determined—the mines will inevitably spawn Ming troops!

Without Ming soldiers on the silver mines, how could the emperor sleep?

As for everything else, let Gao Qi act freely.

For instance, this Owari Seven Districts—what a pleasant surprise.

"I do have this concern," Zhang Zhang Juzheng admitted without concealment. "Better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix. With Gao Qi's ability and cunning, if the Nagasaki Governor's Office cooperates with military threats, he could very well overthrow the emperor and seat himself upon the throne."

Zhu Zhu Yijun shrugged: "If he wants to be king, I'll make him king of Japan. What matters is the silver."