Chapter 629 626【Ryukyu】
There is no grand ceremony for the emperor to accept his concubine.
Princess Ayesha of Brunei just lit two red candles, put on a wedding dress, and slept with Emperor Zhao. Not even a concubine, just a concubine.
Lu Tianxiang is a little better, after all, he chose a good time and auspicious day.
She was not opposed to being a concubine, but rather proud and excited. After all, the emperor is a great hero. If he can't be a female general, it would be good to marry a hero.
Just when Lu Tianxiang officially entered the palace, the Cossacks from Tsarist Russia passed through the entire Siberia and actually saw the Pacific Ocean.
They named the river that flows into the Pacific Ocean the Okhot River. And at the mouth of the river, it was planned to build a fortress, the Okhotsk Fortress. In another time and space, that area of the Pacific Ocean was also called the "Sea of Okhotsk."
At the southern end of the sea area, there is a large island, Sakhalin.
As for Sakhalin Island, the Nurgandosi formerly belonged to the Ming Dynasty, but later all surrendered to the rule of the Manchu Qing Dynasty. Now that the Manchu Qing Dynasty has declined, the natives on the island no longer pay tribute, but they have not raised armies to resist the Manchu Qing rule.
Just three years ago, Japan drew a national map and included Sakhalin and Hokkaido into Japanese territory for the first time.
Now, Sakhalin will be targeted by Tsarist Russia again.
Except for Zhao Han, no one in the entire Datong Chinese court knew about the existence of Sakhalin Island. Even Pang Chunlai and Li Banghua don't know. They only know that the northeasternmost place was once the slave of the Ming Dynasty, Gandusi. For the specific situation, we have to look up the official archives of the Ming Dynasty.
Of course, the same was true for the emperors and ministers of Tsarist Russia. They didn't care about Siberia, as long as the Cossacks could get furs.
The problem is that it was freezing and snowy, and those Cossacks were not supermen. How could they reach the Pacific coast?
Just tell me one thing and you will understand.
Four years ago, 132 Cossacks fought their way to the north bank of Heilongjiang. Not to mention the burning, killing and looting along the way, due to lack of food, 50 Daur residents were actually eaten.
This story was spread by the escaped prisoners and quickly spread throughout Heilongjiang. Everyone knew that the Cossacks were cannibals. Residents in the middle and lower reaches of Heilongjiang gave up their internal fighting and united to fight the Cossacks. Of the 132 Cossacks, only 53 managed to return.
After that, the people of Northeast China fought with the Cossacks, and there were many records of Cossack cannibalism.
This is the secret of the Cossacks' conquest of Siberia. When there is not enough food, they eat human flesh. As long as the battle can be won, there is no supply problem at all, and enemies killed or captured can be used as food.
early morning.
Lu Tianxiang, a new wife, lay in bed in the emperor's arms and asked, "Your Majesty, now that I have become a concubine, can I go to the racecourse at any time?"
Zhao Han said with a smile: "Let's go in a few days. It's just autumn, and the prey is getting fat. Let's go to the horse farm to ride horses first, and then go to the hunting ground to hunt. Call everyone together."
"Hunting is good. I haven't hunted since I came to Nanjing!" Lu Tianxiang suddenly became happy.
Zhao Han got tired of the new concubine for a while, then he dressed and ate under the service of the palace maid, and then took a walk to the Qinzheng Hall for work.
After randomly reviewing more than ten memorials, Zhao Han discovered something strange.
King Shangxian of Ryukyu died of illness. Since Shangxian had no children, his younger brother Shangzhi proclaimed himself the crown prince. He sent his uncle Mao Taijiu and Chang Shi Jin Siyi to Nanjing to request the official canonization of the king.
The cabinet's reply was: The leader of the Ryukyu Kingdom is the leader and the rat. Please make your decision.
Zhao Han summoned the cabinet ministers and asked: "How come the Lord of the Ryukyu Kingdom is in such a precarious position?"
Li Banghua replied: "According to reports from officials in Fujian and Zhejiang, merchants from Fujian and Zhejiang often go to Ryukyu to do business. But many times, their goods cannot be bought and sold freely, and they are criticized by Japan's Satsuma clan. This Ryukyu country is in control of China. While professing vassalage, he is also professing vassalage to Japan. How can a country have two masters if one woman does not marry two husbands?"
"What benefits does it bring to Ryukyu to surrender to Japan?" Zhao Han asked.
Li Banghua said: "It is not good for the Ryukyu Kingdom, but it is good for some Ryukyu ministers."
"Let's talk about it in detail." Zhao Han said.
Li Banghua said: "During the Wanli period, most of the Ryukyu monarchs and ministers were close to China, and they were invaded by the Satsuma domain of Japan. After the defeat, the Ryukyu ministers who were close to China were either killed or dismissed from office. And the Ryukyu officials who were close to Japan not only took the opportunity to ascend to power, but also Controlled the king. The leader is Mao, the King of Ryukyu who just died, and the current Crown Prince of Ryukyu, both were born to Mao’s daughter when she married the previous king."
Zhao Han asked: "The Ryukyu envoy who went to Nanjing this time to request a title is also named Mao?"
Li Banghua said: "He is the uncle of the Ryukyu Crown Prince."
Well, the government of Ryukyu Kingdom is controlled by a group of leading parties. They sold out Ryukyu interests in exchange for Japan's support, thereby consolidating their political and economic status.
Zhao Han praised: "Li Qing has worked hard and is actually familiar with Ryukyu affairs."
Li Banghua said: "Fujian and Guangdong merchants were dissatisfied with Japan's control of Ryukyu, and asked officials from the two provinces to report to the court for punishment. At the beginning of our dynasty, all parties were undecided, so the small Ryukyu country could only put it aside for the time being. But I asked the Fujian and Guangdong merchants to do so. Report the actual situation in Ryukyu so that it can be dealt with accurately in the future.”
Zhao Han asked: "Are there any forces close to China in Ryukyu?"
Li Banghua said: "There are not many people who are close to China, but there are many who hate Japan. Just because of the trade between Ryukyu and China, Japan has to impose taxes on it, and the sale of some goods is also controlled by Japan. In fact, Japan has not had enough food in recent years. , and also forced the Ryukyu Kingdom to donate food. In addition, there are many people of Han descent in the Ryukyu Kingdom."
"Are there many Han descendants?" Zhao Han finally smiled.
Li Banghua said: "During the Wanli period, before Japan invaded Korea, the Wanli monarchs and ministers received a report that Japan was about to send troops. The person who reported the report was the third officer of the Ryukyu Kingdom, Zheng Yu. This man was loyal and loyal, and because he was unwilling to surrender to Japan, Frying to death.”
Zhao Han sighed: "He is indeed loyal."
Zheng Hao's ancestral home is Fujian, and his father worked as a general officer (diplomatic translator) in Ryukyu. He was born in Ryukyu. At the age of 16, he went to the Imperial Academy of the Ming Dynasty to study, and became the third official (second grade) of the Ryukyu Kingdom. He opposed Ryukyu's surrender to Japan, beat Japanese envoys who came to ask for food and grass, and secretly conveyed the news that Japan was about to send troops to China.
Japan sent troops to invade Ryukyu. Zheng Zong led his troops to resist and was captured. He was thrown into a frying pan because he refused to surrender.
Li Banghua said: "Both Zheng Zou and his son were killed by the Japanese, but his younger brother Zheng Zhou took his son and fled back to Fujian. Zheng Zhou's great-grandson Zheng Shen seems to have been an official in Fujian. He went to the imperial court many times to request that he be his ancestor. Take revenge.”
Zhao Han asked: "I want to send troops to Ryukyu, what do you think?"
Song Yingxing said: "Your Majesty, now that all parties have decided, it is best to use troops cautiously. We can first reprimand the Ryukyu monarchs and ministers to obey China wholeheartedly and not serve two masters at the same time."
Pang Chunlai said: "It's either fight or ignore it. It's useless to rebuke. As Mr. Li Ge said just now, the Ryukyu Xunqi Mao clan relied on Japan's support to report to the country. Once they deviate from Japan, their power will be unstable, and their power will be unstable. How could you give up so easily?"
Zhao Han said: "We have to find something for the navy to do, and Ryukyu is just a good place to practice. Which division was ordered to be transferred to the south and hasn't boarded the ship yet? Don't go to Qiongzhou to station, first go to Fujian to rest. In the meantime , collect more information about Ryukyu, and let businessmen from Fujian and Zhejiang help connect the anti-Japanese forces in Ryukyu."
Li Banghua said: "For the small country of Ryukyu, if they go to war in such a big way, I'm afraid the gains will outweigh the losses."
Zhao Han smiled and said: "Don't just focus on the land, you must also focus on the ocean in the future. The Ryukyu Kingdom is located at a strategic point on the sea, and its location is very critical. Since the Ryukyu monarchs and ministers have turned away from China, and there are many Han people in Ryukyu, then we should simply destroy the country. And set up a county!"
"Destroy the country and establish counties?"
The three cabinet ministers were all shocked, thinking that the emperor's desire for territorial expansion was at work.
Why send troops to occupy some broken islands?
Li Banghua and others supported the occupation of Luzon Island because they could grow a wide range of food and also had gold, silver, copper and other minerals. Ryukyu, however, has nothing. It cannot grow enough food for itself and has to rely on fishing to fill its stomach.
If you just send troops to punish severely, you can just replace it with another king. To destroy the country and establish counties is purely a loss-making business. In order to prevent rebellion, troops must be stationed on the island, and the profits earned are not enough for military expenses.
Zhao Han doesn't care about so many things. He just wants to fight and expand. Key islands like Ryukyu must be occupied!
Back at the cabinet, the three cabinet ministers looked at each other in silence.
It was Pang Chunlai who spoke first: "Your Majesty, you are truly a hero... Alas!"
It is natural for a male ruler to expand, and expansion will inevitably affect finances and people's livelihood.
Li Banghua said: "This has always been the case with founding kings. Taizu and Taizong of the previous Ming Dynasty also continued to use troops abroad. It was not until the reign of Renzong that they began to recuperate."
As soon as these words came out, the three of them smiled bitterly.
Not to mention Pang Chunlai and Li Banghua are old, even Song Yingxing is already sixty years old this year.
But Zhao Han is still young and powerful. Not to mention killing three of them, he is expected to be able to kill other ministers who will succeed him in the future. They couldn't wait for the Lord of Shou Cheng. In the days to come, they would have to accompany the founding emperor to expand.
Song Yingxing said: "Immigration in several northern provinces requires a lot of money and food. The establishment of counties in Ryukyu will require additional expenditures, such as setting up officials, running schools, and establishing systems. Everything will cost money, and it will take at least ten years to balance the expenditures. Your Majesty seems to be still If we want to fight Annan...our big housekeeper will have a lot of headaches from now on."
The chief butler is Fei Chun, who is often so tired that he wants to hit the wall.
Li Banghua said: "According to your Majesty's wishes, it seems that you still want to make North Korea a province. That is what really costs money and food. Fortunately, Your Majesty also knows the priorities and helps North Korea establish its currency system. It should not be possible within ten years." Send troops to North Korea."
Pang Chunlai returned to his office, leaned on his chair and closed his eyes to rest.
He suffered too much when he was young and his health was very poor. As he got older, all kinds of problems appeared. It was better last year, but this year he is even more out of shape. At this moment, he just wants to resign and go back to Liaodong to retire. Unfortunately, the emperor has been unwilling to let him go.
Since the emperor wants to make troubles, then let him make troubles with the emperor.
It is better to toss externally than internally.