The person who presented the memorial was Nanjing garrison, Wei Guogong Xu Chengzong.
Recently, the activities of Japanese pirates have become increasingly rampant. In just one month, they landed and robbed more than a dozen times in Fuzhou, Quanzhou and other places.
It is said that because of the civil war between the north and the south in the Japanese country, the north defeated and unified the whole country. The samurai, frustrated politicians and ronin in the south lost their support, so they lived on the sea and occupied the islands. These people gathered in groups of thirty or fifty people and came ashore to plunder at night.
Once you are noticed, you will immediately run away.
Nanjing wants to send troops to suppress Japanese pirates, but facing this scattered Japanese pirates, it is really a headache.
Cao Nai and the others were undecided about the danger of Japanese pirates, so they had to go to Wenhua Hall to look for Zhu Qiyu.
Zhu Qiyu frowned after reading the memorial, and said helplessly: "The Japanese pirates are raging like loose sand. What can be done?"
Cao Nai and others looked at each other and said to themselves, if we had a way, why would we need to look for you?
"Why don't you... Your Highness go and ask the Emperor? Let the Emperor make the decision!"
Zhu Qiyu was suddenly stunned, and suddenly an unknown fire arose in his heart, and he said: "There is no need to bother the emperor. Since the Japanese pirates are raging, they can just suppress them, so there is no need to say more."
Cao Nai and others did not know what Zhu Qiyu was thinking, but they still said: "However, this memorial clearly states that the Japanese pirates come and go without a trace in groups of thirty or fifty, and have no fixed base. The navy is troublesome."
It’s so annoying…”
Zhu Qiyu had no intention of listening to him. For some reason, a thought he had never had before appeared in his mind.
From the moment he was born, his identity determined his position.
Emperor Xuanzong had two sons before his death, the eldest son Zhu Qizhen and the second son Zhu Qiyu.
Although Zhu Qiyu is only one year younger than his brother Zhu Qizhen, this age is like a dividing line, with the monarch on one side and the ministers on the other. This line cannot be seen or touched, but it can never be crossed.<
/p>
Zhu Qizhen's status as the eldest son determined that he was born to be the emperor. Even when Emperor Xuanzong died, Zhu Qizhen, as the prince, was only eight years old. In the name of Guoyi Changjun, the ministers of the court discussed whether they should welcome King Xiang.
When he came to Beijing and ascended the throne, no one ever considered Zhu Qiyu.
The prince is the first in line to succeed, but he is too young, and the forces of the Northern Yuan Dynasty are eyeing him, and he may go south at any time. Therefore, everyone proposed that King Xiang succeed him.
King Xiang is older and has two experiences in supervising the country. He has a good reputation among the ministers and has no problem in governing the country. However, from the perspective of the successor, he is not justified enough.
As for King Zhu Qiyu...Sorry, it is not considered at all.
The biggest reason is not that he is one year younger than the prince Zhu Qizhen, but... he is a commoner.
Zhu Qiyu's mother, Concubine Wu Xian, was originally a slave in the palace of King Zhu Gaoxu of Han Dynasty. When the King of Han rebelled, Zhu Zhanji personally led the army to fight. After the battle, he became interested and saw that this woman was quite pretty. He couldn't control it for a moment and sent her to her.
After she returned to the capital, she was not even brought into the palace, but placed in the home of the eunuch Chen Fu.
In the third year of Xuande's reign, the Wu family gave birth to Zhu Qiyu, but mother and son still lived in seclusion outside the palace for a long time.
It can be seen that neither Zhu Zhanji himself nor the ministers in the DPRK have any sense of identification with Zhu Qiyu's existence.
It was not until the tenth year of Xuande that Zhu Zhanji became seriously ill. Remembering that he had a son outside the palace, he sent someone to summon Wu's mother and son into the palace. Only then did they officially recognize them and entrust his mother, Queen Mother Zhang, to treat Wu well.
Mother and son.
Since Zhu Qiyu has lived outside the palace for a long time and lacked the company of his father, he has been very cowardly since he was a child. Zhu Zhanji does not expect this child to do anything when he grows up. He just regards this child as his own flesh and blood, making him a prince to protect you.
A lifetime of prosperity and wealth is all.
Empress Dowager Zhang did not break her promise and named Zhu Qiyu the King of Yin, and built a palace for their mother and son to live in.
This year, Zhu Qizhen was eight years old and Zhu Qiyu was seven years old.
Perhaps because of his father's early death, Zhu Qizhen lacked company in the palace compound. At this time, Wang Zhen saw the opportunity and used various methods to make the baby emperor happy in exchange for his favor.
However, Wang Zhen is an adult after all. Playing with adults has a different feeling than playing with children.
As a result, Zhu Qiyu, a little transparent person, returned to everyone's field of vision.
When the emperor reads, Prince Tan is his companion.
When the emperor went to court, he would also bring his younger brother to the palace from time to time.
The ministers all commented that it was so unethical, but the young Zhu Qizhen insisted on taking Zhu Qiyu with him.
Even though he looks obedient on the surface, in fact, deep down in his heart, he has a natural resistance to these old guys.
In normal times, you can just make the decision on major national affairs. Now that I have my brother by my side, you have to take care of it too?
Therefore, under the care of his brother, Zhu Qiyu still lived in the capital until he was twenty years old, and did not become a vassal.
Immediately afterwards, Oara attacked, and the emperor personally led the expedition. He was first besieged in Tumu Fort, then reversed the situation, and led 3,000 battalions into the desert, and then lost contact with the court.
At this time, the officials remembered that there was a King Tan in the capital!
Zhu Qiyu was taken seriously for the first time. Those important officials in the court who didn't look at him seriously at the beginning all greeted him with greetings, which actually made people feel flattered.
However, since I came to prison, I have obviously felt that the burden on me is getting heavier and heavier.
Dealing with major affairs in the DPRK every day had exhausted him physically and mentally. However, what shocked him even more were the words the emperor said on the day he left Beijing.
The ancestral system does not have to be static.
The principles of sages and the way to govern the world in the mouths of the civil servants of the Manchu Dynasty turned out to be extremely pedantic empty talk in the mouths of the emperor.
Everyone has his or her own position. A king or a minister looks at issues from different angles.
From that day on, Zhu Qiyu began to doubt life.
He thinks about who is right and who is wrong every day. However, the more he thinks about it, the more tired he feels. Especially the truth contained in the emperor's words does not seem to belong to what they should have at their age. p>
So much so that... he now felt the gap between him and the emperor, and felt a sense of inferiority in his heart...
Maybe he didn't realize this clearly, but Cao Nai's words made him feel angry.
The emperor can trust me and leave the court to me. How about you, you have to go to the emperor for everything and think that I, the supervisor of the country, is just a decoration?
Aren't they just Japanese pirates? Why did the imperial court raise so many Japanese guards for food? They just sent out troops!
As for the difficulties that Japanese pirates move quickly, come and go like the wind, and the coastline is too long and difficult to defend, these are all nonsense. If Japanese pirates are so easy to deal with, why do you need to talk about them?
"Let the Ministry of War come up with a charter for suppressing Japanese pirates. Now the court wants soldiers and food. Why should we be afraid of small Japanese pirates?"
Cao Nai was still worried and asked again: "What His Highness said makes sense, but I suggest... we should ask the Emperor what he means. The Emperor has not been in court for three days in a row. Some important matters need to be handled by the Emperor himself."
”
Zhu Qiyu immediately darkened his face and said, "Japanese pirates in small groups are considered a big deal. Mr. Cao Ge is making a fuss out of a molehill, isn't he?"
Cao Nai has already vaguely felt that there seems to be some changes in King Xi today.
However, he did not realize the seriousness of the situation and continued: "I believe that the rampant Japanese pirates are inseparable from the Japanese country."
Zhang Yi also said: "Yes, if no one is behind it, where will the property looted by the thieves be sold?"
After the two of them finished talking, Gao Hub said: "The Japanese envoys are in the capital. Why don't we summon them and let the emperor talk to them in person?"
Zhu Qiyu thought for a while, nodded and said: "Okay, bring the person here, and I will receive him personally!"
"The Emperor's side..."
Seeing Gao Hub mentioning the emperor again, Zhu Qiyu said impatiently: "He is just a young man. When I see him, I have already given them great face. Even if the king of the Japanese country comes here, he can at most be regarded as a prince.
Due to my status, according to etiquette, I will also receive you!"
Cao Nai and others looked at each other. They didn't know what made King Xi unhappy. This was the first time such an unpleasant situation happened.
"I'll make arrangements right now!"
The three of them left the Wenhua Palace, and Zhang Yi took the lead and said, "Two of you, have you noticed that there is something wrong with King Tan?"
Gao Hub said: "Could it be that he was influenced by the emperor, more or less...somewhat..."
As for what else, he couldn't tell.
The emperor has been changing at a speed visible to the naked eye in the past two years, even to the point of being deviant.
Well now, King Tan, who has always been honest and responsible, has also started...
The surrounding countries all had envoys stationed in the Ming Dynasty, mainly to coordinate tribute matters.
Dong Changyuan, the Japanese envoy of Honglu Temple, was summoned, but he was also confused, so he hurriedly came to see him.
Now, the Japanese country is in civil strife, and the one who now controls Kyoto and controls the shogunate is Ashikaga Yoshimasa, who is only fourteen years old.
Ashikaga Yoshimasa is the third son of the sixth shogun Ashikaga Yoshitsune. After Ashikaga Yoshitsugu was assassinated by Akamatsu Mitsuru in the sixth year of orthodoxy, his elder brother Ashikaga Yoshikatsu succeeded him as shogun, but he died young two years later. Ashikaga Yoshitsune
With the support of the leader, Hatakeyama Mochikuni and others, he was elected as the eighth shogun and officially took office in the 14th year of Orthodoxy.
Higashikata En is a staff member of the Ashikaga family. In addition to being a military commander, he is also a singer, which is equivalent to a scholar in the Ming Dynasty.
Although Ashikaga Yoshimasa is young, he knows very well that controlling maritime trade, especially the tribute trade with the Ming Dynasty, is tantamount to continuously making himself invincible. Therefore, he is extremely concerned about paying tribute.
This is why Dong Changyuan, the staff member, was stationed in the Ming Dynasty as the envoy of the Japanese country.
Dong Changyuan was extremely smooth in dealing with people and was willing to spend money. During his years in the Ming Dynasty, he got to know many powerful people and he already knew the internal affairs of the Ming Dynasty.
Especially for the Ming Dynasty's new firearms, the Mongols were defeated along the way and lost their armor, completely putting an end to the northern troubles that had plagued the Ming Dynasty for hundreds of years.
Dong Changyuan looked at it and felt itchy in his heart. What would it be like if the Japanese pirates also had such firearms?
He wrote to Ashikaga Yoshimasa and told the truth about these things. Ashikaga Yoshimasa also showed great interest and wanted to follow suit. He wrote a letter of credence and submitted it to the Ming Emperor, hoping to imitate the Ming Dynasty.
Teacher, learn the techniques of new firearms to improve yourself.
When Zhu Qizhen saw this letter of credence, he cursed him as a shark and never heard from him again.
Today, he was finally summoned. Although he was not the emperor, it still gave him a glimmer of hope.
"I've met His Highness King Xi!"
Dong Changyuan bows down and salutes.
Zhu Qiyu nodded slightly and went directly to the topic: "I heard that Japanese pirates frequently landed on the southeast coast and robbed the people of Ming Dynasty. Have you heard about this?"
Dong Changyuan had lived in the Ming Dynasty for a long time and was no stranger to Chinese. When King Tan asked this question, he quickly replied: "I have heard that these are some poor bandits from our country who refused to surrender and therefore went to sea..."<
/p>
Zhu Qiyu was very dissatisfied with this answer and frowned: "Could it be that the property they looted was sold on a deserted island? If your country has no domestic support and no one is there for them to sell the stolen goods, then... they looted,
Just to plunder food? According to this king, the root of Japanese pirates is not just some wandering warriors, but that the Japanese country cannot help them and drive them out!"
"This..."
Dong Changyuan looked panicked and was speechless.
Zhu Qiyu already looked impatient and said: "If the Japanese country ignores it, I will have no choice but to suggest to the emperor to reduce the tribute!"
The Ashikaga family originally relied on sea trade to make their fortune, and of course they are most aware of these activities at sea.
The essence of the so-called trade is to rely on the treasures plundered by many Japanese groups to sell stolen goods. Overseas trade is not as simple as paying money and delivering the goods. On the vast ocean, who will abide by the rules?
It's a business in the name of business, but secretly it's a knife. You give me the goods, and I'll kill your whole family.
This kind of business is not only for the Ashikaga family, but also for all major families. Once the Japanese pirates are attacked, a financial source will be completely lost.
Dong Changyuan looked nervous and said cautiously: "Your Highness, please be clear that this has nothing to do with us. This is all done by wandering rogues. As for whether they are secretly selling goods in the Japanese country, they must be doing it secretly. Even if the country wants to
It may take a year and a half to thoroughly investigate this matter and give an explanation to His Majesty the Emperor... no, it may even take three to five years... to get the result..."
Zhu Qiyu's face was gloomy, but he didn't say anything. He just waved his hand: "I know, you can go down!"
Dong Changyuan mustered up his courage and asked: "Excuse me, Your Highness, the letter written by the king to His Majesty the Emperor..."
"You mean, you want the Ming Dynasty to send craftsmen to Japan to teach new firearms manufacturing methods?"
"Yes, yes, that's exactly what it is!"
Dong Changyuan nodded repeatedly and added: "The Japanese pirates will bear all the travel expenses!"
Zhu Qiyu couldn't help but laugh and said: "What are you thinking? Is this possible?"
Dong Changyuan didn't know why and said: "If it's inconvenient, the king can send a study group to inspect..."
"Don't mention this again!"
Zhu Qiyu learned Confucianism again, talked about benevolence, justice, etiquette and wisdom, and also knew the importance of firearms.
How could I give you this thing?
Dong Changyuan, however, looked like a dead pig that is not afraid of boiling water, and continued: "Your Highness, please convey to His Majesty the Emperor that the Emperor admires Ming Dynasty very much and hopes to worship Ming Dynasty as his teacher and learn from Ming Dynasty's advanced technology. This matter..." "I have said it, don't mention it again, just go down!"
Zhu Qiyu once again issued an order to expel guests, and two Han generals walked in with a posture of "If you are not dignified, I will help you look decent."
Dong Changyuan wiped his sweat and hurriedly resigned.
After leaving the Wenhua Palace, he couldn't help but think that he must tell the king of the matter quickly. However, as long as he refused to admit it and decided that the Japanese pirates were wanderers in exile overseas and were not subject to the control of the Japanese country, even the Ming Dynasty would not come.
Break your face.
He raised his head and looked at the majestic Forbidden City. He couldn't help but sigh in his heart. The richness of China is really surprising and makes people forget to leave...