Speaking of which, semi-professional soldiers such as Hong Zhengkai, who think more from a military point of view, are also not very in favor of sending troops to help the Ryukyu royal family at this time.

In the face of Hong Zhengkai's euphemistic persuasion, Li Tianyang was noncommittal, and then turned his head to ask Tan Songyun about the opinion of their secretariat: "What about you, do you think we should help the Ryukyu royal family?" ”

"We don't know much about military matters, but if we look at it from other aspects, helping the Ryukyu royal family will have more advantages than disadvantages for us Hongtang."

"First of all, it is natural to be able to get a considerable amount of income because of this, during this time, Hongtang has made a lot of moves, not only to replace armaments, hold military parades, but also to send 4,000 soldiers to the east to clear out the Ryukyu pirates, for our logistics, the pressure is not small, if we can have an income to fill our deficit, it is naturally excellent."

"Secondly, the position of the Ryukyu royal family is special, it is just in the middle of the route between the Japanese kingdom and our chicken coop port, including our ocean-going fleet, many maritime merchants will inevitably need to stay in the meantime, to avoid the storm and replenish supplies, etc., if we help their royal family defeat and control their Samosa, then it is equivalent to us have one more ally, and many maritime merchants on this route will need to see our faces in the future, and we will also be more comfortable in controlling the Ryukyu seas."

"As for offending Satsuma, although there are losses, don't forget what Wang Decai's treasurer said, there is a discord between the Shimazu clan of Satsuma and the Edo Tokugawa shogunate, and as long as we do not offend the Tokugawa shogunate and do not block the trade between us and our people, on the whole, our losses are less than the benefits we have gained."

"Third, if we are able to defeat Satsuma and help the Ryukyu royal family expel Samosa's power in the Ryukyu Islands, then does it mean that we can take the opportunity to extend our tentacles into the Ryukyu Kingdom? As Team Leader Hong said, the strength of our Hongtang lies in the water division, as long as we control the waterway, then can we control more of the Ryukyu royal family's right to speak and replace Samosa? ”

"The reason why the Ryukyu Kingdom is rich is because of their geographical location, but from the point of view of the capture of the Ryukyu Kingdom by Satsuma, their military strength is not outstanding, so after our Hongtang helps Satsuma to expel Samosa, the Ryukyu royal family is free, and we can also use the advantages of our Hongtang sailor to negotiate with the Ryukyu royal family and obtain some benefits from it." Compared with Hong Zhengkai and other paramilitary people who think about the problem from a military point of view, it is Tan Songyun and other administrators who are more active in helping the Ryukyu royal family.

Li Tianyang also found at these times that as the strength and territory of their team gradually expanded, the way of thinking that used to simply consider certain things was no longer suitable for them. As a result, bringing military and administrative personnel together to discuss issues, as is the case today, will become the norm for teams in the future.

For Tan Songyun and their perspective of considering this matter from the other side, Li Tianyang agrees very much, of course, he does not deny the angle of consideration of Hong Zhengkai, but he also has his considerations: "You say, can we help the Ryukyu Kingdom this time and win a reasonable identity for our Hongtang?" ”

Li Tianyang's question is very abrupt, and at the same time, it is also very fantastical in everyone's eyes, but then everyone thinks about it carefully, but it is not impossible at all.

Hong Tang's current position is very embarrassing, as a hegemon, Hong Tang's total scale now exceeds the number of 8,000 people, which is very dazzling in the eyes of the Ming government. Coupled with their powerful sea power, the temptation for the now eroded Da Ming Sailor is quite great.

Although in the past few years, because Li Tianyang has done a lot of homework behind the front desk, he has not only maintained his awe of the Ming Dynasty, but also made a look of a folk green forest hero who is looking forward to accepting Zhao'an, and he has been making trouble behind his back, so that the action of a Ming official like Shen Yourong who really wants to recruit An Hongtang is hindered, and their own identities cannot be exposed.

This makes Li Tianyang and them like an acrobat who walks a tightrope in the air and has no protection, and the slightest carelessness will become a catastrophe.

But if Li Tianyang's current idea comes true, Hongtang will be officially included in the name of the Ryukyu Kingdom, so that Hongtang's most powerful whale department will no longer need to hide its own strength, and it will be able to rule the Ryukyu Sea in the name of the Ryukyu Kingdom's sailors.

As a subject country recognized by the Ming Dynasty, as long as the Ryukyu Kingdom did not infringe on other subject countries and territories of the Ming Dynasty, then it is not impossible to establish a few strongholds on Dayuan Island, a desert island that is not recognized by the Ming Dynasty.

And after losing most of the strength of the whale department, even if Hongtang still has the shark department and the leopard department, but Hongtang, whose strength has shrunk by more than half, is not so eye-catching in the eyes of the Daming government, and will be feared by the Daming government, and Li Tianyang has much more room for them to operate behind their backs.

Even if Shen Yourong is really allowed to handle the pattern of Zhao'an's affairs at that time, Li Tianyang and them will be able to develop their strength between the Ming Dynasty and the Ryukyu Kingdom at the same time, even if it may be difficult to have a lot of restrictions in the Ming Dynasty, but there are also Ryukyu ones that can continue to develop, which just proves the words of later generations: eggs cannot be put in one basket, especially the basket that has been determined to fall to the ground.

And the advantage of this is that the Ryukyu Kingdom does not have the ability to control the Hongtang Naval Division at all, and they even hope that Hongtang can be used as an umbrella for their kingdom to regain at sea, in case Satsuma is repulsed and comeback.

As long as Hong Tang does not participate in the political and military measures of the Ryukyu Kingdom on their island, and let King Shangning be his native emperor on this isolated island within a radius of several hundred miles, then presumably for at least a few years or ten years, King Shangning will not dare to do anything to Hong Tang.

Li Tianyang sat down and said all the considerations he had in mind, Wu Jie and many of them might not have thought of such a far-reaching thing, but there was still a little bit of agreement in their eyes. And Tan Songyun and the others, including Hong Zhengkai and the others, all of them had their eyes lit up, and they almost slapped the table and jumped up, raising their hands in agreement with Li Tianyang's idea.

With Li Tianyang's final voice, the next matter of aiding the Ryukyu Kingdom was basically decided at the meeting.

Hongtang's upper and lower soldiers, after learning about the strength of Satsuma from the information of Yamamoto Fifty-six and Wang Decai, patted their chests and assured Li Tianyang that they could expel Satsuma from the Ryukyu Kingdom, and what Li Tianyang needed to do now was to get a verbal agreement on remuneration and the needs of the team of officials and lords from the mouth of Shang Zhong's secret envoy.

(End of chapter)