Seeing Zhu Youzhen's thoughtful appearance, Xu Xinsu couldn't help but intercede for his trading partner: "Your Majesty, Peter Natsto's ministers have made a suggestion to Your Majesty that as long as he can replace Bill, then he will definitely try his best to meet Your Majesty's requirements for the trade between the East India Company and the Ming Dynasty." And he himself is also very willing to look for rare plants unique overseas for His Majesty. ”

Zhu Youzhen sobered up from his thoughts, he turned the focus of his gaze to Xu Xinsu and said, "What do you think of the Dutch East India Company?" ”

Xu Xinsu thought for a while and then said, "As long as the Ming army can defeat them, they are the most trustworthy merchants. At least more trustworthy than the Spaniards in Manila. ”

Zhu Youzhen nodded at Xu Xinsu and said, "What you said is good, but if we want to step out of the sea in front of us and explore the wealth on the other side of the ocean." Then whether it was the Dutch East India Company, the Spaniards, or something else, they had to act under the rules set by the Ming Dynasty. Do you think this Peternatz will help us? ”

"Your Majesty, of course this is impossible." Xu Xinsu subconsciously denied Chongzhen's statement.

"If he can't help us, why would he replace Bill? This is not good for Daming. Zhu Youzhen said casually, Xu Xinsu was silent for a moment, waiting for Chongzhen's decision.

"I heard that when Li Dan was alive, you often traveled back and forth to Japan, how much do you know about the current Japanese shogunate?" Zhu Youzhen suddenly changed the topic and said.

Chongzhen's thinking jumped too fast, so Xu Xinsu couldn't come back to his senses a little, but he still said quickly: "Because the leader of Li Dan died the year before last, the maritime trader gang that the original minister participated in was also split.

The foundation of Hirado in Japan fell into the assistant of Li Guo, the son of Li Dan, and the foundation of Taiwan fell into the hands of Shibazhi, and the foundation of Fujian was managed by ministers and several friends.

After everyone separated from the merchants, the ministers and other Fujian maritime merchants had some grievances with Zheng Zhilong and others, so the trade route between Japan and Fujian had been cut off by Shibazhi for more than 1 year.

Wechen's understanding of the Japanese shogunate is limited to the old news of 2 years ago. The minister heard that in the third year of the Apocalypse, Tokugawa Hidetada, the second shogun of the shogunate who ruled Japan, gave up the position of shogun to his 20-year-old son Tokugawa Iemitsu, and called himself the 'Great Imperial Palace'.

However, the second-generation shogun still lived in Edo Castle and controlled the major politics of Japan, and Tokugawa Iemitsu's decisions must be approved by him before they can be implemented. ”

When it comes to the Japanese shogunate, Zhu Youzhen feels a little interested, although he is not interested in Japanese history, but he has played "Nobunaga's Wild Hope OL", and he still knows something about Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu.

"Is it already a third-generation general? So what happened to Toyotomi Hideyoshi's descendants now? Zhu Youzhen asked.

Xu Xinsu was originally a little surprised, Chongzhen actually knew the name of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, but soon he thought that it was Toyotomi Hideyoshi who was the one who Japan went to Korea, maybe the emperor knew this name from the records about the Korean War.

“… After the fall of Osaka, the first shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu, ordered the execution of all the men of the Toyotomi family, regardless of age. Oku, according to rumors, Toyotomi Hideyoshi has a granddaughter who is still alive and was adopted by the Tokugawa family. ”

Zhu Youzhen's eyes flickered, and his right hand tapped rhythmically on the table. After a long time, he asked, "What kind of person is Tokugawa Hidetada?" ”

Even if Xu Xinsu is dull, it is clear now that Chongzhen seems to have become interested in Japan. It seems that the last maritime meeting speculated that Japan had gold and silver mountains, which made the emperor moved.

For the Japanese shogunate, Xu Xinsu did not have any reverence. At the beginning, Yan Siqi and others felt that the shogunate rule was too dark, and the Japanese people were boiling with resentment, so they contacted a group of Fujian merchants and wanted to set themselves up as kings in Hirado. It's just that the discussion was not confidential enough, and the shogunate received the news.

Xu Xinsu just thought about it, and replied: "Is this Tokugawa Hidetada?" Rumor has it that he was a well-mannered clay figure. Others say that he is a hypocrite and a sinister villain. However, in the eyes of Wetoshi, he was not an excellent military commander, but he did a good job of balancing the forces among the various Japanese feudal domains and strengthening the authority of the shogunate. ”

Zhu Youzhen said again: "If I send you to act as an envoy to the Ming Dynasty, do you think he will support the restoration of normal trade relations with the Ming Dynasty?" ”

Xu Xinsu immediately said: "The minister thought that the shogunate would be very happy, since more than 10 years ago, Japanese merchants wanted to resume tributary trade with the Ming Dynasty, without passing through the hands of Portuguese, Dutch, Spanish and other intermediaries. ”

Zhu Youzhen shook his head and said: "No, it's not tributary trade, but normal commercial trade, and the Ming Dynasty and Japan trade on an equal footing." ”

Xu Xinsu suddenly said with a little weakness: "Your Majesty, will the adults in this court agree?" ”

"Why should the officials in the court know that they have many national affairs to be busy with, and there is no need to trouble them for such small things.

If Japan wants to achieve equal status with the Ming Dynasty, I have two conditions: 1. All Ming goods shipped to Japan must be transported by Ming ships;

2. Japan shall not impose restrictions on the goods exported by the Ming Dynasty, and the Ming Dynasty has also promised not to impose restrictions on the goods exported by Japan. In addition, the two sides do not levy import taxes on merchants from each other's countries. Zhu Youzhen thought and said.

Xu Xinsu felt that these two conditions were not difficult, and the so-called Zhuyin ships that Japan used to trade overseas were all purchased Chinese sailing ships, and the use of Ming ships for ocean-going trade saved a sum of money for the maintenance of ships and sailors for these Japanese daimyo and merchants engaged in overseas trade.

He thought about it again and again, but he didn't feel that there was anything to be embarrassed about, although the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate over Japan began to stabilize, but the daimyo in various places were not so loyal to the Tokugawa shogunate.

Now, if it can be recognized by the Asian suzerain, the Ming Dynasty, and recognize the fact that the Tokugawa shogunate ruled Japan, then it will undoubtedly increase the legitimacy of the legal doctrine of the Tokugawa shogunate ruling Japan.

Xu Xinsu thought for a long time before he asked carefully: "Your Majesty, is this condition too generous for the Japanese shogunate?" ”

Zhu Youzhen spread his hands and said, "Do you think that the Ming Dynasty has a fleet that can threaten Japan now?" ”

Xu Xinsu suddenly thought of Zheng Zhilong's Eighteen Zhizhi, but he immediately left him behind, and letting Zheng Zhilong come forward was undoubtedly strengthening the power of Eighteen Zhi, which was something he didn't have to think about.

Although Xu Xinsu was a little short of breath, he still shook his head and said: "Your Majesty, in fact, Japan's demand for trade between tomorrow and Japan far exceeds my Ming Ming's need for trade between the two countries, so there is really no need to treat the Japanese people so favorably." ”

Zhu Youzhen smiled, suddenly stretched out his finger, dipped the tea in the tea cup, and drew on the table.

Xu Xinsu squinted, and under Chongzhen's white and tender fingers, a map of East Asia appeared in front of him. He remembered very well that this was the map Chongzhen had drawn for him last time in the Governor's Mansion of the Five Armies. He didn't understand what it meant to draw it to him again.

However, Chongzhen soon drew a series of islands from Japan to the east, and then the outline of a continent.

Only then did Zhu Youzhen stop and say: "I saw some records from the books brought by the Westerners, and there is a big island called Hokkaido from the Japanese island, and this fish-like island on Hokkaido is called Sakhalin Island.

If you head northeast of Hokkaido, you'll find a series of small islands and you'll find a peninsula that looks like a continent. Then head east along a series of small islands to the east, and at the end of it is a continent covered with snow and ice, on which fine fur is produced.

Continuing south along the edge of the Continent of Ice, you will enter the warm, moist and fertile soil, on which it is said that there is a river that is silted not with sediment but with golden sand. ”

Chongzhen's previous geographical description of the east of Japan, Xu Xinsu only listened to it as an overseas strange talk, but the affirmative tone of Chongzhen's introduction made Xu Xinsu feel that what Chongzhen said seemed to be real geography.

Although he has been engaged in overseas trade for so many years, the maritime merchants of this era have never kept their own charts secret. Even Xu Xinsu only saw the world map that the Jesuits dedicated to the Ming Emperor after he went to Beijing.

Therefore, Chongzhen's statement began to make Xu Xinsu begin to believe that this desktop was a real map. A river flowing with gold sand on the eastern continent made his heart even more excited.

But Xu Xinsu quickly calmed down and said, "Your Majesty, since someone has already discovered this river, will they not mine it?" ”

"The man who found the gold sand was caught in a storm when he crossed the sea to Daming, and his notebook and other belongings on the ship drifted to shore. As Father Kinnyko's boat passed, the natives of the island sold them to him.

Father Kinny Pavilion didn't look closely, and I found the notebook by accident. Zhu Youjian made up lies without changing his face.

Xu Xinsu looked at the map on the desktop for a long time, and then suddenly realized: "So Your Majesty wants to use the Japanese island as a mark to explore the route to the eastern continent." If the Kanesa River can be found, then the conditions for preferential treatment of Japan will not be of much interest. ”

Xu Xinsu immediately asked tentatively: "So Your Majesty asked me to serve as an envoy stationed in Japan, just to preside over the exploration of the Eastern Continent route?" ”

Zhu Youzhen nodded, and said with some concern: "But if you go to Japan, who will be in charge of the port construction affairs of Denglai and Tianjin, as well as the affairs of North Korea?" ”

Xu Xinsu said without hesitation: "Your Majesty, the minister thinks that the affairs of exploring the Eastern Continent are more important, and the minister is willing to recommend Zhang Lun for the port construction of Denglai and Tianjin, he is very proficient in port and shipbuilding affairs, and he is the first person in my Zhangzhou maritime business." As for the affairs of the DPRK, the minister in Japan can just preside over it nearby. ”