Dominate the Country

The second year of Japan's An Yong, that is, the 145th year of the Chongzhen Emperor's era in China, 1773 in the Western calendar.

At this time, Japan was in a relatively prosperous and stable period. The health insurance reform implemented by the eighth shogun Tokugawa Yoshimune saved the vitality of the Tokugawa shogunate to a certain extent. The ninth shogun Tokugawa Ieshige continued to implement this reform. Reform, but the latter lacked ability. Compared with his father, the Tokugawa shogunate's rule in Japan did not continue to improve, but worsened, but the desire to enjoy the reform still remained. Tokugawa Ieju was born with a weak constitution and died at the age of fifty.

The current shogun Tokugawa Ieharu is already the tenth. It has been thirteen years since he succeeded to the throne in 1760, but the Tokugawa family's luck has declined, that is, nothing good can come out of them. Rather than handling government affairs personally, Tokugawa Ieharu preferred playing chess. When he first inherited the throne, he could still devote himself to managing politics with Matsudaira Takemoto and the others. However, after Tanuma Yiji became the senior minister, Tokugawa Ieharu entrusted government affairs to Yiji, while he immersed himself in his hobbies. in shogi and other things.

"Sir, Tanuma Yiji is now gradually being isolated by the important officials of the shogunate." Tang Feipeng warmly entertained Xiao Jian in front of him in his luxurious residence in Edo. This big shot who has just resigned from Guangdong will definitely bear a heavy responsibility when he comes to Japan this time. Has a heavy responsibility.

"Although Western learning [Orchidology] spreads in Japan, the prominent school is still Zhuzi's Confucianism. Confucianism emphasizes agriculture and suppresses business. What's more, the founder of the Edo shogunate, Tokugawa Ieyasu, was a village representative (village representative, one of the three local officials) Origin, the governance philosophy of the Edo shogunate There is a strong agricultural color in it. In Japan, samurai business is looked down upon. However, Tanuma Yiji neglected farming and focused on improving the shogunate's finances. He can only be said to be complicit in the business and enrich himself. "Pocketed."

Xiao Jian nodded faintly after hearing this. Tang Feipeng has done very well in Japan in recent years. Although Chen Han has strong support from China and fully supplies all kinds of high-end luxury goods needed by Japanese dignitaries, Tanuma Yiji He is also a character that cannot be bypassed.

This person came to power six years ago and made a lot of changes to promote trade in Nagasaki. At the same time, he exported copper and seafood (dried abalone, sea cucumbers, shark fins) to replace the large outflow of gold and silver, and promoted the import of gold and silver. In addition, he recognized the Chamber of Commerce and increased the collection of shipping gold (similar to corporate tax). At the same time, he expanded the monopoly system and promoted the shogunate's independent business.

At the same time, the planned development of Ezo land and the war on trade with Russia were planned. At this time, Russian exploration ships had begun to appear in Japanese waters. Therefore, Japanese economic scholar Kudo Heisuke wrote the "Aka Ezo Feng Shuo Kao" advocating national defense. "Tanuma Yiji has always hoped to protect Japan from the threat of Russia through official diplomatic relations and trade with Russia. Just like the Manchu Qing Dynasty's transactions with Russia in Kyaktu, it was restricted by bilateral interests."

"Tanuma Yiji's policy ideas are contrary to Japan's current political thinking, so Tanuma Yiji's reputation is very bad." Tang Feipeng has established a foothold in Japan so quickly, which is inseparable from Tanuma Yiji's series of reforms. contact.

"I am a merchant. How many times in the history of the Chinese dynasty have we heard that a merchant could become the guest of the prime minister of the dynasty?" Even Tang Feipeng himself had a little contempt for Tanuma Yiji and felt that he was too low in status. Outsiders accuse Tanuma Yiji of being corrupt and accepting bribes, which is not false at all. Tanuma Yiji lives a luxurious life, which is very Zhang Juzheng's style.

Japan was willing to export copper, so Tang Feipeng bought copper materials on a large scale. China will never be dissatisfied with too much copper. Especially for the casting of small auxiliary coins, how much copper will be used to cover the world?

Now that copper production in Yunnan has almost stopped, and copper mining in Jiangxi has just begun, China needs massive amounts of copper.

At the same time, he also spent a lot of money to purchase high-quality natural sulfur from Japan. The sulfur here is cheaper than that in Taiwan, and the quantity is large and the quality is favorable. As for those overseas products, Chen Han's senior management never refuses them. In this way, Tang Feipeng's true face was almost exposed openly, but by the time everyone was able to determine the origins behind Tang Feipeng, the Fuhan Army had already captured the entire Southern Kingdom. The Tokugawa shogunate was stupid enough to expel Tang Feipeng.

And the high-ranking officials and dignitaries of Chen and Han who used beef and mutton as their treasures a few years ago are now beginning to eat delicacies such as bird's nest, shark's fin, sea cucumber, and abalone. A considerable part of the high-end delicacies imported into the capital every year come from Japan. It's not that China's coastal areas don't produce these, but because of the war, China's production of dry seafood has not yet been completely restored, and it is impossible to form a "trading market" with abundant and concentrated supply.

The Internal Affairs Office can purchase a piece of quality-guaranteed seafood from Japan with only one point of effort, but it takes two or three minutes of effort to purchase an equivalent piece of seafood from China. Although the supply and demand ratio of Japan's marine goods to the Ministry of Internal Affairs has been gradually decreasing with the recent recovery of domestic industries, China's market is too big. Tang Feipeng will never lose money in business.

For Tanuma Yiji, no matter who is standing behind Tang Feipeng, the meaning of his existence and what he represents is a living golden Milky Way. Moreover, Tang Feipeng was already his guest before he revealed his true skills, so he had no reason not to be very friendly to Tang Feipeng now.

Not to mention that when the Manchu Qing Dynasty was short of money, they brazenly invaded North Korea and used North Korea's wealth to make up for their anemia. Although this move brought disaster to the Qing Dynasty only in North Korea, it also made Japan feel a chill.

Japan is only separated by a river from North Korea.

The tense atmosphere spread from the Mutsu, Uzen, and Ugo domains in the north of Honshu to Kyushu and Shikoku.

Tokugawa Ieharu had no time to play his favorite Go during those days. He followed the shogunate officials and daimyo from all over the country to hold meetings one after another. Even though the daimyo of the domains on the west coast of Japan were all outside daimyo, the Tokugawa shogunate had to give up their past grudges under threat. As a result, they became people who worry about the sky.

But no matter what, the whole of Japan is extremely concerned about the changes in China's political situation.

From the rise of the Fu Han Army to its growth, from occupying the four-warring land in southwest Henan to sweeping across Jiangnan, the Japanese attitude towards it was first to watch the excitement of the Qing Dynasty, and then to be stunned, and only felt that there was an illusion in front of them.

It was really amazing and terrible. It was like an ant married an elephant home, and a few days later, the elephant was pregnant. Too shocking, isn't it? It was only a few years? The Fu Han Army completed the transformation from the rise of the army to the foundation of the emperor. The battle between the Fu Han Army and the Qing Army was almost a sure win. Invincible in attack and impregnable in defense!

Since Toyotomi Hideyoshi messed with Korea more than a hundred years ago, but was beaten back by the Ming Dynasty, which was at the end of its life, Japan has never made any trouble. It has honestly huddled on three small islands, closed its doors to the outside world, and lived its own stable life. They despise the Qing Dynasty, but they are not unfamiliar with the major events in China.

Since Emperor Qianlong ascended the throne, he has pacified the Junggar tribe twice, destroyed the Junggar, pacified the Hui tribe, and established his capital in Xinjiang. The Qing Dynasty's military power flourished!

Even in Japan, everyone knows the name of Qianlong's prosperous era, but at the peak of the dynasty, it was beaten to death by a righteous army in just a few years. Xiao Jian had no idea how curious and respectful Japan was to the Fu Han Army!

Japan, which advocates Zhu Xi's Confucianism, is not like the 120 years later in the original time and space, and sneers at everything in China. Their dignitaries may look down on the Qing Dynasty, but they have begun to absolutely respect Chinese culture. And the specific manifestation of Chinese culture cannot go beyond the word "Han".

Just the three words "Fu Han Army" can win a certain respect from Japan. And Chen Han has also completed an incredible miracle!

Of course, this does not mean that the Japanese will praise China to themselves and think that they are inferior to China in everything. Japan is not Korea. It is no longer a vassal state of China. After being hit hard by Wanli, Japan closed its doors and lived its own life.

Nowadays, China's influence on Japan, except for a little economic factors, is all left with historical and cultural factors. If Xiao Jian arrived in Edo on a ship at this time, he would be treated with the highest courtesy in Japan.

"I came to Japan for two reasons. First, I, my followers, and your department will have a comprehensive and systematic understanding of Japanese society. From public opinion and livelihood to commercial handicrafts and foreign trade, from finance to the number and life of the samurai class, to the contradictions between local daimyo and the Tokugawa shogunate, and the contradictions between the Tokugawa shogunate and the Japanese emperor. The military strength of local daimyo, the military strength of the Tokugawa shogunate..." It can be said that this is a comprehensive investigation of Japanese society. The workload is huge! Tang Feipeng's cooperation is also necessary.

"Second, you have to meet Tanuma Okitsugu. Tell the shogunate that Russian cavalry appeared in the northwest and that Russia has stood against our great Han. Then tell Tanuma Okitsugu that the king is very dissatisfied with the fact that the king of a mere Japanese country dares to call himself the emperor. And it is ridiculous that a small island in Japan is named 'Kyushu'. Moreover, the Japanese Satsuma Domain, a mere feudal lord, dares to bully the vassal state of the superior country, Ryukyu, which is extremely hateful!" He did not say that the Japanese emperor and Kyushu Island should change their names, but just leaked the news. Then he pointed out that the Satsuma Domain, a thorn in the eye of the Tokugawa shogunate, dared to bully the vassal state of the superior country, and they would be in trouble. It depends on what the shogunate chooses!

Kyushu Island is the gathering place of Japan's outer daimyo. The so-called "outer daimyo" in Japan is the daimyo who was forced to surrender in the Battle of Sekigahara. Some of them have strong strength, such as the territory of Maeda Toshiie of Kaga Domain, the territory of Shimazu Tadatsune of Satsuma Domain, and the territory of Date Masamune of Sendai Domain. All three are outer daimyo and the lords with the most territories in the country, but they do not have the power of the pro-domain or hereditary daimyo, and are often monitored by the shogunate.

In the original time and space, because the territory of the outer daimyo is mostly outside the sea, it is the easiest place to communicate and contact with foreign forces during the period of Japan's isolation. For example, Choshu and Satsuma, the culture, politics and military are most influenced by the West, and the military strength is strong. They have become the main force of the overthrow of the shogunate. But it's not a hundred years later!

Chen Ming thought about the Japanese with a bad taste. What will the Tokugawa shogunate do in the face of his "dissatisfaction"?

The war in the South China Sea has gradually subsided. If the South China Sea Fleet leaves its main force in Singapore and Sulu, it will be a counter-suppression of the Netherlands and Spain. Chen Ming doesn't want to start a war right now!

He has already asked the Military Intelligence Bureau to make plans for the South Seas. Before completely falling out with Spain and the Netherlands, the Fu Han Army needs to get rubber tree seeds first, and in large quantities. Moreover, the Fu Han Army's naval forces are now in the renewal period.

A large number of old ships were dismantled and used as target ships.

The first batch of small clipper bow sailing ships are being manufactured intensively. The manufacturing process of medium-sized Western-style sailing ships has been established, and the shipbuilding technology has spread. Several large shipyards of the Fu Han Army are manufacturing medium-sized sailing ships of more than 500 tons and less than 1,000 tons. The technical combination of large sailing ships and watertight compartments, as well as the application of clipper bows, are still in the "experimental" stage. Of course, the training of operators of the Fu Han Army's Western-style sailing ships is also in full swing.

At this time, Chen Ming can deal with Japan without pressure, but he does not want to get involved with Spain and the Netherlands.

In the future, the bilateral struggle will still be controlled under large-scale conflicts. With various agents and bribery wars, the Fu Han Army will gradually expand its control area and influence in Nanyang without fighting.

As for the Netherlands and Spain, they have already tasted the bitter fruit. Why do they dare to "do" the expansion of the Fu Han Army head-on?

Tang Feipeng has understood his mission. From today on, he is no longer a simple businessman, but a link between the shogunate and Chen Han, and he has a layer of "official" glory in addition to his identity as a businessman.

Tang Feipeng was not too happy about this. Compared with being an official, he was more willing to continue living this way because he had lived a comfortable life for the past few years.

"Master." Sakato Ichiro walked to Tang Feipeng respectfully with small steps, knelt down and whispered to him.

A smile appeared on Tang Feipeng's face, "It's okay. Things have to come little by little. Thank you for your hard work!" What if some people didn't enjoy it? Didn't others take it? Today they enjoyed the female body mori, tomorrow the singing girl, and the day after tomorrow there was a mixed bath for men and women...

Japan is really a paradise for Tang Feipeng.

In addition to doing legitimate business in Japan, Tang Feipeng opened a brothel in Osaka, Nagasaki, Kyoto and Edo, which was full of beautiful women and women he collected. Tang Feipeng had no shortage of them.

The next day, Tang Feipeng went to see Tanuma Okiji. As expected, the two had a secret talk until the afternoon. Then Tang Feipeng walked out of Tanuma Okiji's house, and Tanuma Okiji hurried to the general's mansion.

When the three elders, Matsudaira Yasufu, Abe Masao, and Itakura Katsuki, hurried to the Shogun's residence, they saw Tokugawa Ieharu with a solemn face and Tanuma Okitsugu sitting down.

Tokugawa Ieharu was still immersed in his inner troubles. The content of Tanuma Okitsugu's report was too exciting, and he didn't want it anymore. Let the emperor give up the throne and change to "king"; change the name of Kyushu Island; punish Satsuma...

Tokugawa Ieharu's head was about to explode.

Although he really wanted to see Satsuma get into trouble, as the shogun of Japan, how could he sit back and watch all this happen? The emperor changed to king, Kyushu changed its name, would the Tokugawa shogunate have to save its face? Would Japan's dignity still be there?

It didn't matter if Tokugawa Ieharu stepped down, but the ruling power of the shogunate would be greatly shaken.

"Shogun!"

Matsudaira Yasufu, Abe Masao, and Itakura Katsuki saluted Tokugawa Ieharu respectfully. Tokugawa Ieharu waved at Tanuma Okitsugu, "Tang Feipeng told Tanuma Okitsugu about this, let him tell you in detail."

The faces of the three elders, Matsudaira Yasufu, Abe Masao, and Itakura Katsuki, all flashed with dissatisfaction. Tokugawa Ieharu favored Tanuma Okitsugu too much. I'm afraid that the three of them tied together are not as good as Tanuma Okitsugu, who was born as a lower-level samurai.

But after Tanuma Okitsugu narrated the matter in a leisurely voice, Matsudaira Yasufu, Abe Masao, and Itakura Katsuki, the three elders, could no longer care about other things. Their faces were all condensed with disbelief and deep depression!

The Chinese court's understanding of Japan seems to be unreliable, and the lack of it is ridiculous. During the Ming Dynasty, they repeatedly conferred the shogun as the king of Japan. I don't know if they really didn't know that Japan had an "emperor" or turned a blind eye.

China's canonization of Japanese titles seems to be consistent - the king of Japan, the prince. Just like the king of Korea. Of course, during the Ming Dynasty, Korea was so good at flattering that it was granted the same title as a prince, that is, the title of a county prince and enjoyed the treatment of a prince.

However, Japan called itself the "Emperor" during the Tang Dynasty, which was obviously influenced by the titles of Li Zhi and Wu Zetian as the emperor and empress. But no matter what, if the emperor was really changed to the "King of Japan", the prestige of the Tokugawa Shogunate would be gone.

"Shogun, this matter is of great importance. In my opinion, we should summon the lords of the world to discuss it together!"

If you want to lose prestige and reputation, then everyone should come together, and then the Tokugawa Shogunate can still hold its position. Matsudaira Yasufuku said!