As soon as Lu Jiude and Xu Xinsu entered the capital, they were picked up by Chongzhen, who received the news in advance. The two were directly taken into the imperial city and came to the office of Emperor Wuyingdian.

After saluting the emperor, Lu Jiude wanted to tell about the turmoil at sea to set off his loyalty to the emperor, but Zhu Youzhen couldn't wait to interrupt him and asked, "What is the benefit of this voyage?" What is the situation in Japan today? ”

Lu Jiude hadn't thought about how much profit he could make from this voyage, and Xu Xinsu on the side had already replied: "The goods brought by the ministers have earned three times the profit, and when they returned, they brought back 45,000 catties of red copper, 60,000 catties of sulfur, a shipload of volcanic ash, and 82,600 taels of silver.

However, when he arrived at Phi Dao, Mao Shuai unloaded 30,000 catties of sulfur and said that the payment would be deducted from the military salary. ”

Zhu Youzhen didn't show a dissatisfied expression on his face, but said casually: "There is no need to deduct it from the military salary, even if this sulfur fee is my special subsidy to Dongjiang Town this year, it will be recorded in the accounts of the palace."

Wang Chengen, on behalf of me, sent an order to the General Logistics Department of the Governor's Office of the Five Armies, and then transported a batch of saltpeter with the configuration * to Dongjiang Town. ”

"Yes, Your Majesty." Wang Chengen, who was standing behind the emperor, agreed.

Only then did Zhu Youzhen continue to say to the two of them: "On this trade voyage to Japan, I will take out 10% of the net profit to reward the personnel who travel to Japan this time.

In addition, another 15% of the net profit will be given to the owner and crew of the ship as a reward for the trip. I will not interfere in how the ship owner and crew are divided. ”

Xu Xinsu suddenly smiled, he originally thought that this trip to Japan would be very good if he paid less money in the end, but he didn't expect to be able to get a tea money back. It was a surprise for him.

After all, he had been entangled at sea with Eighteen Zhi for two years, and the money he had earned in the past in the sea trade had been almost spent. And in order to maintain a fleet that can sail to sea, it is necessary to constantly consume money.

Being able to share in the profits of this trade voyage was a drop in the bucket for his fleet, but once this rule was established, he no longer had to worry about the palace misusing his fleet for trade.

Lu Jiude and Wang Chengen felt a little painful, and from Xu Xinsu's calculations, they came to the conclusion that the income of this voyage was at least 14 or 50,000 taels of silver, and a quarter of the net income was nearly 40,000 taels.

These eunuchs have always collected money from the palace, and when did they send money outside. Lu Jiude thought about it, and then said cautiously: "This trip to Japan, thanks to His Majesty's planning, the minister is just running an errand, how dare he accept the reward?" I also ask Your Majesty to withdraw the reward given to the ministers. ”

Xu Xinsu's smile froze suddenly, and after he had to follow Lu Jiude, he also resigned the reward to the emperor. However, in his heart, he had already scolded Lu Jiude for a bloody squirt.

Zhu Youzhen waved his hand and said: "This is all you deserve, risking your life across the sea, if there is no reward, who will be willing to go to sea for me next time?"

I now have a rule that every time the palace organizes a fleet to trade overseas, it will give 10% of the net profit as a reward for those who go to sea.

If the ships of the fleet are hired, they are paid according to the agreed price, and if they are ships under the name of the palace, then 8% of the net profits are withdrawn and rewarded to the crew and captain on board. ”

The emperor's insistence does not seem to be just casual talk, Xu Xinsu is very determined, and Wang Chengen and Lu Jiude are helpless about it.

Next, Lu Jiude and Xu Xinsu told about their experiences in Japan. Along the way from Nagasaki to Edo, the two men passed through a number of ports, where they observed the lives of civilians in Japan today.

After the Osaka Summer Battle, Japan enjoyed a peaceful life for nearly 13 years, which also allowed Japan's economy and population to return to a period of prosperity.

Under the advocacy of the second shogun, Tokugawa Hidetada, the daimyo from all over Japan pursued a hedonistic life, and all kinds of extravagant Ming silk, porcelain, Nanban and other items.

As a result, the town culture that spread from Edo Castle became popular throughout Japan. Under the guidance of this hedonistic atmosphere of the citizens, even the ordinary urban commoners began to pursue it, wearing silk clothes and using porcelain from the Ming Kingdom as food utensils.

The Japanese shogunate's one-country-one-city decree made each castle town the most prosperous place in the territory, but behind this flowery brocade, Wang Chengen and Lu Jiude also heard some rumors.

As a result of the profligacy of the daimyo in various regions, the number of peasants who committed suicide because they could not pay the harsh annual tribute began to increase in the number of peasants in the countryside except for the castle towns.

For a country with a national stone height of no more than 25 million stones and a population of nearly 20 million, the annual import of raw silk is as high as more than 560,000 catties, and the annual export of silver is nearly 1.5 million kilograms, which is obviously a heavy burden for ordinary civilians.

However, although the Edo shogunate had stronger and stronger control over the daimyo in various regions, there was now a considerable crisis within the shogunate. The current shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu's younger brother, Suruga Dainayan, Tokugawa Tadanaga, is rumored to be eyeing the shogun's position.

Tokugawa Iemitsu's three uncles, Tokugawa Yoshinao, Tokugawa Yorinobu, and Tokugawa Yoribo, all had a lot of opinions about his appointment as shogun.

Now the former shogun, the current Daigosho Tokugawa Hidetada is still alive, so he doesn't feel anything, and if Tokugawa Hidetada dies, then no one knows what will happen to the Tokugawa shogunate.

After listening to this, Zhu Youjian asked with interest: "Tokugawa Hidetada, Tokugawa Iemitsu, and Tokugawa Tadashi, what kind of people are these three fathers and sons?" ”

Lu Jiude thought for a while and said: "From the perspective of the minister, Tokugawa Hidetada is a person with a lot of self-control. He liked the cloisonné tableware brought by the minister very much, but he didn't like the pattern on the tableware. But from beginning to end, he did not ask his ministers to make another set of cloisonné tableware with different patterns for him.

As for Tokugawa Iemitsu, from the outside, he looks like a very indifferent person. However, according to the minister's speculation, this person must not have a sense of security at ordinary times, even at the banquet, his sitting posture is as if he is going to get up in the next moment, and there is no sense of relaxation.

And Tokugawa Tadanaga, the minister has not seen it, and he does not dare to comment. However, according to Edo rumors, this Suruga Daina is said to be wise and martial, much more than the current shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu.

And this Suruga Dainayan does seem to have been obsessed with the position of shogun, and when the ministers left Edo, one of his close merchants deliberately approached us and asked them to build a pair of cloisonné plums for him, and sent a drawing. ”

For speculating on people's hearts, it is obvious that Lu Jiude is several levels higher than Xu Xinsu, after Lu Jiude finished speaking, Xu Xinsu searched for a long time and couldn't find anything to say, so he could only bow his head and second.

Zhu Youzhen took a closer look at the Mei ** pattern sent by Lu Jiude, and then smiled and said: "He only asked for this pair of Mei **, didn't he make any other requests?" ”

Lu Jiude recalled for a long time, then shook his head and said: "He only asked for this pair of Mei **, and did not say anything else. However, the merchant asked his nephew to return with us on a ship, hoping to buy some goods and go back. ”

Zhu Youzhen reached out and touched his chin, and after thinking for a while, he said: "You bring the pattern to Zhang Xingsheng, and he will arrange someone to make this pair of Mei **."

And to-morrow you will take the merchant's nephew to see the Fran cannons, muskets, and armor in the ordnance prison, and then take him to see the products of our cotton mill. ”

Lu Jiude was stunned for a moment, and said with some uncertainty: "Does Your Majesty want to meddle in the civil strife of the Japanese shogunate?" ”

Zhu Youzhen smiled and said: "We can't meddle in Japan's affairs now, we just do some business." ”

Xu Xinsu hesitated for a moment, but still said stubbornly: "Your Majesty, it seems inappropriate to sell firearms to Japan, the southeast and Korean wars have not long passed, although these Japanese are short, but their personalities are violent and aggressive. Once they get these militaristic weapons, I'm afraid it may not be my blessing. ”

Zhu Youzhen looked at Xu Xinsu with a stern face and said: "As long as we can control the sea, no matter how much arms we sell to the Japanese, they won't be able to fly to the sea."

The best way to destroy a foreign enemy is not to expect the enemy to decline, but to make us stronger. We make all the Japanese munitions, and if we sell them one musket, we can equip the army with two muskets, and if we sell them one cannon, we can equip the army with two cannons.

In the absence of one another, Japan will never surpass us in muskets and artillery, and even if Japan does intend to invade Korea again, will we still sell them arms again? ”

Xu Xinsu finally determined that the emperor said to himself that he would sell firearms to overseas people a few years ago, and he was not just talking casually.

He suddenly had some confusion in his mind that the sale of cannons and muskets to the Japanese must be a good business, but it also made it more feasible for his fleet to increase casualties if it clashed with the Japanese.

At the emperor's insistence, Xu Xinsu accepted Chongzhen's proposal to sell the Furlong cannon to the Japanese.

Zhu Youzhen then said again: "Vice Admiral Xu, you will soon go south, contact Peternats after you go south, and then lease a merchant ship from the East India Company through him to transport goods for us." ”

Xu Xinsu was suddenly taken aback and said: "Your Majesty, although many of the minister's ships in Fujian have been destroyed by Zheng Zhilong, but in only two or three months, the minister can restore the size of the original fleet, there is no need to spend money on those Dutch, their prices have always been extremely high..."

Zhu Youzhen shook his head and said: "It's better to use the Dutch merchant ships to do this kind of thing like smuggling arms to Japan, of course, try not to let them know." For example, in the first one or two times, we only transported ordinary cargo, and they were unprepared and then mixed in with arms. ”

Xu Xinsu couldn't turn a corner, and he subconsciously asked: "Your Majesty thinks that if the Japanese shogunate finds out about our arms smuggling, it will blame the Dutch?" ”