Section 124: Informal Negotiations

The Forbidden City and the Imperial Study, in an atmosphere of "peace and joy", how will the Chinese Cabinet be divided @ split...... A consensus was reached to lease Jeju Island, and in the process, no North Korean officials were involved, and it was not known that their island had left the arms of North Korea forever. Of course, for a long time, people thought that Jeju Island was a lend-lease enclave, and although North Korea had an administrative structure on the island, the island was handled by the Chinese North Korea in everything from defense to law and order, and taxation, and North Korean officials only collected a symbolic annual rent and turned it over to the North Korean treasury. Until one day, the Korean compatriots on the island unanimously demanded a referendum on their nationality, and then the island naturally became a territory under the Chinese territory. Of course, the current Korean envoy does not know about this, unless he can predict the prophet or is also a cross-traveler, which obviously he does not have. Even so, Jiang Tian didn't intend to tell the other party so bluntly: "We have accepted the national letter, but this island will continue to be rented, not only the port and horse farm, but you don't have to expect to go back in the future." ”

If it is said so explicitly, it is obviously a bit too domineering, although we are doing such a domineering thing, at least there is a little bottom line in reputation, so Jiang Tian decided to invite the North Korean ambassador to a light meal in private first, and find an opportunity to reveal the meaning after three rounds of drinking. This is also a major feature of the country's affairs. As for why Jiang Tian came to do this job again, the reason is actually very simple, not only because he is also the vice minister of foreign affairs, and it is already a big face for the small vassal state to be received by a deputy ministerial-level official, but also because everyone in the cabinet really doesn't want to do this errand, anyway, it is also a plan between you brothers and sisters to rely on it, then you Jiang Tian is naturally duty-bound.

The North Korean ambassador's name is Kim Yong-tae, and as a native of North Korea, he speaks fluent Ming Dynasty official dialect, also known as the Nanjing dialect. As for calligraphy and Bagu articles, it does not disgrace the name of Little China, compared to him Jiang Tian is vulgar and unheard, but when Jin Yongtai received the invitation, he did not dare to have the slightest slack, you must know that even if it is the king of Korea, it is the level of a vassal king on the Chinese side, and the bigwigs in Beijing are more powerful than him, and this guest Jiang not only has the title of prince Taibao, but also the recent officialdom upstart, no matter from which angle he looks at himself, the third-grade civil official of the Korean state, is not even worthy of lifting shoes, you can't be honest and afraid to receive an invitation. But he is not a fool, he knows exactly what is written in the national letter, he originally thought that this matter was nothing more than to give the Celestial Empire a face, and he gave some gifts casually, and then the Chinese emperor exchanged Jeju Island back with a few polite words. Unexpectedly, the emperor who was on the Golden Palace at that time read the letter of state but remained silent, just let himself rest in the post house, this matter seems to be gone, and now it seems that it is not so simple to return to the island.

The location of this banquet is also in the restaurant of the ** family, because Jiang Tian doesn't know where else to go in the capital, although it is not bad to invite the other party to drink a flower wine, but recently his reputation in the ** world is too big, last time he just dealt with it casually and couldn't get rid of a dog skin plaster, Hongyun now runs to the house if he has nothing to do, and he has a hot fight with the girls of the band, even if he is indifferent in the face of Linglong's cynicism. It is said that her value is now bullish, and it has reached the point where it is difficult to see a dignitary, and if she runs further, there may be many more red clouds. Besides, although this kind of banquet is unofficial, it can be reimbursed from the emperor in a real way, no matter how local Old Man Liu's bill is, it is not his own business.

"The juniors are going to harass General Liu again this time."

Old man Liu waved his hand arrogantly: "Eh, where does the virtuous nephew say, it is the duty to share worries for the country, how can the old man stand by and watch." ”

Jiang Tian's title gradually changed from Jiang Daren to a virtuous nephew, this is for a reason, not to mention that he and Liu Baokai are brothers, the old guy also sees that if the Liu family wants to continue to enjoy peace in the future, this Jiang Tian is an indispensable key factor, and as a cavalry general, he knows very well that the climate of Jeju Island is very suitable for raising horses, but he went to the island and stationed for half a year, and he was envious of the lukewarm and abundant water pastures there, Jeju Island was originally the private land of those Korean nobles and ministers, The animal husbandry on the island has a large scale, as long as it does not make trouble with the Japanese Kou only by relying on the pastures here, it can completely supply the military horses of the army in North China and even the Jianghuai region, he coveted there at the beginning, but unfortunately his cavalry was only there to assemble and standby, and did not expect that one day he could really seize this treasure land. Therefore, he is very attentive to Jiang Tian's mission, and it can even be said that he attaches more importance to the Japanese mission than the last banquet.

Let's say that Kim Yongtai of North Korea, he actually came to the door of Beilaishun a long time ago, and then he was speechless by the domineering side leakage of bronzing characters and vulgar decoration, and said that the world rumored that Jiang Tian was lucky to enter the upper position, and his knowledge was just the level of the first talent. Now I see that it is true, otherwise how could an elegant person choose such a vulgar place, but this is what he thinks in his heart, he doesn't dare to talk nonsense, and then he goes to report it. Fortunately, the guy from Beilaishun has also seen the market, and knows that although this is not of high grade and is still a vassal minister, there are a lot of courtesies at all, until Jiang Tian sent a word to invite him to meet at the back of the Accord.

At this time, Old Man Liu had already avoided it, he was a duke and didn't need to pay attention to such a small envoy, but because he cared about the treasure land in his mind, he sent his son to accompany him. When Jin Yongtai followed the guy around and around to the small building at the back, there was suddenly a feeling of willow and dark flowers suddenly opening up, here is very different from the vulgar style in front, the pavilions and water pavilions are winding and quiet, and although it has entered the late autumn, the trees have not yet withered but the chrysanthemums are blooming, the unique Taihu Lake stone just right to divide the courtyard landscape, and occasionally a few birdsong echoes the quiet and chic feeling spontaneously, it is really a good place to be quiet in the middle of the noisy. Jin Yongtai had to nod, it seems that the rumors can't be believed, he is right that he did not reveal his flaws, this is the big hidden in the city! Jiang Tian stood at the door and looked at this North Korean who was not tall but had a good face, he couldn't guess what people thought of him, but he felt that if this person was dressed and walked on the streets of the capital, I am afraid that no one would be able to see that he was a North Korean. Since it is a private banquet, it is right not to wear official clothes, but when you come out wearing a Confucian shirt, do you have to show that you are also a disciple of a saint?

Jin Yongtai saw that there were two young people standing at the door, who looked of the same age, but one was polite and polite, and the other looked a little sloppy, thinking that he only cared about kowtowing on the Golden Palace, and didn't pay attention to Jiang Tianzhang's appearance, but he thought to himself that the other party was at least from Xiucai, and he would never be a bandit: "Xiaguan Jin Yongtai meets the prince of the Celestial Dynasty!" ”

Even if his status is low, it is impossible for him to kowtow to Jiang Tian, this rule will not be changed, so Jiang Tian also bowed to him as a courtesy: "Lord Jin doesn't have to be polite, today is just a private drink, don't be so restrained, come on, let me introduce, this is the eldest prince of the Protector's Mansion and the young owner of this restaurant......"

Jin Yongtai also came here after doing his homework, and naturally knew that this kid surnamed Liu was not a mortal, and to put it in a big disrespectful way, that is, when his own king came, he had to give this kid three points, not to mention his own minister. What surprised him even more was the relationship between Jiang Tian and the Liu family, just to entertain himself, a petty official, and he could use the property of the Guogong, maybe it was not worth mentioning for others, but it was a big face on himself, so he couldn't help but be a little shorter psychologically, although he didn't bow down, but at least he was a lot timid, as for what purpose people had for the banquet, he didn't dare to guess indiscriminately.

In fact, Jiang Tian didn't want to do anything, he just didn't know that there were other suitable places for this kind of private political consultation, and this kind of opportunity to eat and drink at public expense should also take care of acquaintances, fortunately, the effect is obvious, but he himself doesn't know, after a few glasses of wine poured into his stomach, Jin Yongtai, who was completely relaxed, also wanted to open, in the final analysis, the exchanges between countries are fighting for strength, although he also reads sage books, but as an official of a small country, he will definitely not have the illusion of an ordinary nerd, No matter what the idea of the other person is, it is not something that he can resist. He is not in a hurry, Jiang Tian is actually not in a hurry, for the relationship between countries, Jiang Tian sees the relationship between countries much more thoroughly than the Chinese of this era, he does not have the ideological baggage of the suzerain, nor does he care about the face that Mr. Daoist pays attention to, as long as it is needed by the country, it should be fought for and adhered to. So up to now, the entire wine table has only listened to Liu Baokai talking alone, and occasionally Jin Yongtai will echo two sentences flatteringly, as for Jiang Tian, he seems to pay more attention to the dishes.

The two owners are not in a hurry, but the ** who accompanies the wine is anxious enough, he knows very well what his father cares about, that Jeju Island is said to have a warm climate and abundant pastures, and the conditions for raising horses are unique, if they can be used well, they will become a military horse breeding base in less than ten years, if the emperor said that the improvement plan is smooth, then the grand cause of reproducing the Central Plains cavalry sweeping the world in the Han and Tang dynasties is also just around the corner. So he had to intentionally or unintentionally lead the topic in this direction.

"Lord Jin, junior brother heard that you came to the court this time, and you still bear the trust of your king?" Seeing that there was nothing to talk about, Liu ** had no choice but to get straight to the point and point out the topic.

Jiang Tian smiled slightly at the corner of his mouth when he heard this, after Zhang Tao's pointing, he already knew the army's attitude towards this matter, it can be said that it was the first time to let go of the suspicion between the military branches and factions, and the highly unified support for the occupation of Jeju Island, and some people have even said that if he is a small North Korean country that does not open his eyes and does not agree to the lease plan, they don't mind directly Chen Bing Yalu River or go around Seoul. Of course, this belongs to the radical faction, and there is no rumor for the time being, and after the island is in hand, there will definitely be a scramble, but this is not for Jiang Tian to worry about. This is also the reason why he is not in a hurry, anyway, these warmongers in the military are more anxious than him, so it is better to let them be evildoers, and it is better to put pressure on North Korea with a red face and a white face.

Kim Yongtai thought that he should come after all, and finally fell on his biggest task, he himself was not hopeful about returning to Jeju Island, don't look at the Celestial Empire's army has already withdrawn, Jeju Island is just symbolically placed more than 100 people to guard the camp, just this 100 people are said to be strict in military discipline and Minqiu have not committed any crimes, but the defense of the whole island has been taken over by them, and no one dares to really use force to expel them. Originally, those smuggling ships would inevitably be inspected if they wanted to leave the port, and the "ownerless" land on the official register was also circled as big as they wanted, and those bigwigs in the DPRK were more concerned about their own small treasury than the government, not to mention that because of the developed animal husbandry, some local products on Jeju Island were still the main raw materials for making zuò bows and arrows, and bows and arrows were the only export military products that North Korea could take out its hands on at the beginning, and there were countless people who made a fortune pointing to this industrial chain.

"Don't hide it from the little grandfather, we are indeed under the king's order, this Jeju Island is owned by our country, and it is okay to borrow troops from the Celestial Empire, but this port and civil affairs should at least be returned to our country." Kim Yongtai didn't hide it, and he put out his bottom line as soon as he came up.

Jiang Tian shook his head when he heard this, and smiled as if he was chatting: "Lord Jin's words are wrong, that Jeju Island was originally the homeland of the Celestial Empire, but your king took advantage of the inability to take care of it at the beginning of the Ming Dynasty. ”

** Suddenly came to the spirit, and also shouted like a coax: "There is such a thing? Lord Jin, this is your fault, occupy my heaven and earth, and it doesn't hurt to give a small island to your family, how can you still use strong words? ”

Kim Yong-tae thought to himself, who is this strong words? It was true that he took advantage of the chaos in the Central Plains to occupy Jeju Island, but Zhu Yuanzhang didn't care if you had anything to object? North Korea has owned this island for almost three hundred years, and no one above can speak the language of your Central Plains, of course, this should be regarded as North Korean territory, he thought so in his heart, but he would never dare to refute it so righteously and sternly: "What the two of you said is an old thing from the previous dynasty, and it has nothing to do with it at the moment, and His Majesty has no objection to the national letter." ”

Jiang Tian knew that this was caused by historical limitations, since the current Chinese Dynasty was inherited from the Ming Dynasty, then the demarcation of territory and national boundaries was also a continuation of the territory of the Ming Dynasty, and the actual occupation of this matter was longer. However, there is no international law in this era, and to put it bluntly, as long as the fist is hard enough, it is no problem for you to mess around, but the country's strategy and national strength at this stage do not allow for another enemy, so it doesn't hurt if we suffer a little loss in this matter, as long as we can take back the island.

"What Lord Jin said is also reasonable, but our country is stationed on the island, and there is also the intention of guarding against Japanese invaders, although China and Japan have now resumed exchanges, but those who are used to looting how can put down the butcher's knife, so this garrison is also to help your country avoid the suffering of military disasters."

Jin Yongtai knew that the garrison could not be exempted no matter what, so after thinking for a while, he seemed to be heartbroken and reluctantly replied: "The love of the upper state for our country, the lower officials have already understood, this garrison matter is not something I can decide alone, but it should be a common practice for the garrison not to interfere in the place!" ”

This is the beginning of bargaining, foreign soldiers take over national defense, and they themselves are only responsible for civil affairs and foreign affairs, this model has a fight with the future generations of South Korea, or the Korean Peninsula has not changed much in its international status since ancient times, it is nothing more than a change of master. Their idea is that I can't get rid of you anyway, so it's better to let you stay, as long as I can collect the government, even if I am asked to pay for the military, this silver will be apportioned to the people in the end.

Jiang Tian smiled when he heard this, and said in his heart that you have a good calculation, as long as you are allowed to manage civil affairs, then sovereignty is still North Korean territory. Even if we have a garrison, nominally it is also the auxiliary defense force of the suzerain, and if there is any change in the future, Jeju Island will still be yours: "What Lord Jin said is not true, not to mention that this island was originally the homeland of the Han family, even now it is a remote and barbaric place where your country exiles prisoners, and our army has been reclaimed for a long time, and the troops stationed on the island naturally have to follow the old example. Why don't we pay the island a tax on this island and pay your king a rent every year on top of the original quota? ”

Kim Yong-tae's heart jumped twice, he was not a fool, he immediately heard the extraneous voice and paid the king rent? Although nominally the country is the king's private property, but there is still a difference between the royal family's treasury and the national treasury, if you agree to this condition, then you can imagine what kind of hero you will be in the eyes of the royal family, but in the eyes of those bigwigs in the court, it is definitely a thorn in the side of the desire to get rid of it. As for the option of rejecting unreasonable terms and completely recovering the sovereignty of Jeju Island, not to mention him, even the Korean monarchs and ministers did not dare to hope for it at all.

After struggling for a long time, Kim Yong-tae finally figured out a key question: "This matter is a big deal...... It's not for Weichen to decide, I don't know if today's things can be thought by His Majesty the Emperor? ”

Liu Baokai stood up at this time: "Lord Jin still doesn't trust me and wait?" If it weren't for His Majesty's approval, how could I be talking nonsense here? ”

**There are two advantages to standing up and making a statement, the first is that his status makes this guarantee have a certain degree of credibility, in other words, everyone will understand that the dignified future Guogong and the current minister of Yipin cannot decide this kind of major matter in private. The second is that in case of a change, the responsibility can also be completely shifted to Liu Baokai, anyway, he has not succeeded to the title of Guogong, so he is not a person in the court, if anyone is held responsible, at most the emperor's symbolic next reprimand will be regarded as a punishment, so this promise must be said by him, and Jiang Tian just nodded slightly beside him as an affirmation.

Jin Yongtai understood at a glance in his heart, as for what the final negotiation will be, this is no longer something that he can control as a sesame official, and it is completely left to those "big landlords" in the country to have a headache, and it is estimated that this time the royal family can fight with the ministers.