In the history of another time and space.

After Toyotomi Hideyoshi invaded the dynasty, but the Ming Dynasty had different opinions, among which Shi Xing was the most resolute in the main battle, and he strongly advocated entering the dynasty to resist the Japanese, which made the Son of Heaven make up his mind.

Later, it was Shi Xing who presided over the matter of paying tribute to Japan, and entrusted Shen Weijing with carte blanche to do so.

In the end, the tribute failed, and Toyotomi Hideyoshi invaded the dynasty again, which made the Wanli Emperor furious, and finally put Shi Xing to death in prison and his son in exile on the charge of being a Japanese robber.

North Korea thought that Shi Xing had a reinvention of North Korea, and Shi Xing was uneven, and after Shi Xing's death, he set up a shrine for Shi Xing in the country.

Not only did North Korea think that Shi Xing was wronged, but the civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty also shouted injustice for Shi Xing, thinking that the failure of the tribute was completely due to Shen Weijing's big fool, and Shi Xing was only deceived by Shen Weijing, and he still dared to act in the matter of aiding Korea.

Although Yu Shenxing expressed sympathy for Shi Xing after his Zhishi, his book "Gushan Bichen" pointed out Shi Xing's three failures.

First, the matter of tribute should have been the responsibility of the Ministry of Rites. However, the Ministry of Rites should not be in charge of it, evading responsibility, and the Ministry of War should not be in charge, and overstepping its responsibilities will be replaced, and finally end up with the result of 'the soldiers and ministers will die of the law if they mistakenly die, and the ministers will be exempted from the crime if they mistakenly'.

Second, because Shi Xing had full authority to shirk Shen Weijing, Yu Shenxing lamented that except for Shen Weijing, there was no second person who was proficient in Japanese state affairs in the entire Ming Dynasty, resulting in everyone resigning Shen Weijing to it.

Third, in the court, for the Japanese strategy, for a while presided over by the ministers, a while presided over by the Ministry of War, and a while presided over by the officials, everyone did not know anything about Japan, and formulated various strategies for war and defense.

This opinion was cited by the princes as a strange strategy, not to mention that Siam had paid tribute to the Ming Dynasty for 30 years, but to say that Yu Shenxing had asked the minister who asked Siam to send troops where Siam was located, and the other party was at a loss and could not answer. As for Shi Xing, who even the Japanese Guan Bai is, why he didn't know why he sent troops to Korea, and without any temple calculations, it was too hasty to formulate a combat strategy in a hasty manner.

Therefore, Shi Xing's final fate was not wronged.

With this lesson from the past, Lin Yanchao also decided to remedy it.

He knew that the reason why he had been able to make all the courtiers appreciate him in the court discussion before was because he had not only come up with a strategy, but also a responsibility.

Lin Yanchao took the initiative to take the canonization to the Ministry of Rites, which can also be regarded as the Ministry of Rites fighting for power, which takes the risk, and it can also be said to seize the opportunity.

Historically, the Ministry of Rites has not been of any help to this war of tomorrow.

Now that Toyotomi Hideyoshi is canonized, Lin Yanchao has already let him out.

However, Lin Yanchao knew that even if he couldn't do it, he would not fall into the fate of Shi Xing in history, but he would lose his prestige, prestige, and the emperor's trust.

But what are the chances of success?

Will Toyotomi Hideyoshi accept the canonization of the Ming Dynasty?

Lin Yanchao felt that Toyotomi Hideyoshi didn't know much more about the Ming Dynasty than the Ming Dynasty knew about him.

Otherwise, before his death, Toyotomi Hideyoshi would not have said that his rash invasion of Korea would have led to the Ming Kingdom and Korea's counterattack on Japan.

After Lin Yanchao returned to the ministry, he recruited envoys to the Japanese state.

Shen Weijing didn't know where to mix at this time, and Lin Yanchao was also afraid of being cheated by him, so he chose another candidate.

This is not for the bold and careful.

Therefore, after receiving the edict of the Son of Heaven to canonize Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Lin Yanchao first asked Chen Jichuan: "There are people in your hometown who are familiar with Japanese affairs. ”

Chen Jichuan said: "Our Chen family has a lot of contacts with Ryukyu, if we are familiar with Japanese affairs, it is better to entrust it to Ryukyu." ”

Lin Yanchao stopped when he heard this, and immediately said, "Ryukyu? ”

Ryukyu has a Rouyuan Station in his hometown of Fuzhou, and every time Ryukyu comes to the Ming Dynasty to pay tribute, he stays at Rouyuan Station.

However, the Ryukyus may have had contacts with the Shimazu family and other Kyushu countries, but Toyotomi Hideyoshi may not be able to speak to the center.

However, it is the best choice at the moment, because Korea and the Ryukyus enjoyed the 'most favored nation treatment' in the Ming Dynasty, and the tribute trade with the Ming Dynasty over the years has caused Ryukyu to accumulate a lot of wealth, so in the face of interests, Ryukyu can be called 'Ryukyu Iron'.

After arriving at the Yamen, Lin Yanchao immediately summoned Dong Sicheng, the host and guest, and the head of the hall and other officials of the Ministry of Etiquette to discuss the canonization.

The people were elected and promoted, and they also thought that they would go through the intermediary of the Ryukyus and then communicate with the Wa Kingdom.

The reason is that Ryukyu has dealt with the Ming Dynasty for many years, and we believe it. At the same time, Ryukyu's loyalty to the Ming Dynasty is also relatively guaranteed.

This is like Toyotomi Hideyoshi's dealings with Korea through the Ma's clan.

So the director of the same hall recommended the Ryukyu official Zheng Zhen to Lin Yanchao. This Zheng Ji is a descendant of the Han people in the Ryukyus, who studied in Guozijian for six years, and admires the Ming culture, which can be regarded as a pro-Ming faction in the Ryukyus.

The Ming Dynasty could send officials to Ryukyu, and then through Zheng Zhen's help, send his entourage from Ryukyu to Japan.

Lin Yanchao listened to the opinions of the officials below and deeply felt the lack of diplomatic talents in the Ming Dynasty.

It is indeed a bit of a feeling that apart from Shen Weijing, there is no second person in the whole country, so this matter can only be mediated through the Ryukyus. This is currently the only way to contact Japan.

But for the Ryukyus, can the Ming really be trusted?

Lin Yanchao met with Ma Liangbi, the Ryukyu envoy of the Ryukyu Hall.

According to the guild hall, the reported Ma Liangbi is the uncle of the current Ryukyu Kingdom, and he is also the head of Gomakiri.

The Ryukyu system is similar to that of Japan, and the so-called land head is similar to that of the Japanese daimyos. It's just that there are only one or two villages in this daimyo district.

Knowing these details, Lin Yanchao felt that the diplomatic work of the Ming Dynasty was not useless.

In the yamen of the Ministry of Rites.

The Ryukyu envoy Ma Liangbi came to the hall with several entourage, looking worried.

Immediately, several officers and soldiers stepped forward to search the bodies of several people, and after the inspection was completed, Ma Liangbi was put into the house alone.

In the room, Ma Liangbi saw a young official in a scarlet robe, and this person didn't need to think much about him to know that the other party was now Lin Yanchao, who was in charge of the guest of honor department.

Facing Lin Yanchao, Ma Liangbi kowtowed three times respectfully.

In the hall, Lin Yanchao was holding the book in front of the bookshelf, and turned his head to look at the other party and said, "You get up." ”

When Ma Liangbi felt that the other party had a kind attitude, the next sentence was a bolt from the blue for him.

"I heard that there are envoys from the Wa Kingdom stationed on Ryukyu Island?"

Ma Liangbi was taken aback when he heard this, and then said: "Returning to Lord Shilang, there is no such thing as ......"

Lin Yanchao said: "No? In the seventh year of Wanli, after the envoy of the Ryukyu Dynasty canonized to the Ryukyus, he was threatened by the personnel of the Wa Kingdom, who are these people? ”

Ma Liangbi hesitated and didn't dare to answer.

Lin Yanchao walked in front of the other party, and Ma Liangbi took the initiative to bend down. Lin Yanchao said condescendingly: "You don't say it? So in terms of the main department, this is someone from the Shimazu family, right? ”

Ma Liangbi was surprised: "Lord Shirou actually knows about the Shimazu family? ”

Lin Yanchao waved his hand and said: "Not only do I know the Shimazu family, but I also know that the Shimazu family is a powerful country in Kyushu, and it has almost unified Kyushu, but because of this, it has been conquered by Toyotomi Hideyoshi's army!" ”

Ma Liangbi knelt down again and kowtowed: "Lord Shilang really has a clear insight into the affairs of the small country and the Japanese country, when the little envoy left Ryukyu and came to Beijing last year, Toyotomi Hideyoshi had just sent troops to attack Kyushu. ”

Lin Yanchao said: "Then who do you think will win and who will lose this battle?" ”

Ma Liangbi said: "This." ”

Lin Yanchao smiled and said: "That's it, it doesn't matter, no matter how bad the Shimazu family is, then the Ryukyu Kingdom and the Shimazu family communicate with each other and pay tribute, what one servant and two masters do, do you think that the Ryukyu Kingdom is deceitful?" ”

Ma Liangbi sweated profusely and said: "The little envoy doesn't dare to ......"

Lin Yanchao said: "Calling you here today is to warn King Ru, don't think that Ryukyu is thousands of miles away from the Ming Dynasty, and if it hangs far on the sea, you can deceive the court." ”

"All these things are clear to the official, and tell you about the Sui Emperor's expedition to Ryukyu back then, and it can be done in this dynasty. Don't say anything else, just say that if you stop paying tribute in the future, Ryukyu will be able to hold out for a few more years."

"The lower state does not dare, the lower state does not dare." Ma Liangbi said again and again.

Speaking of this, Lin Yanchao said: "However, this matter is not intended to be reported to the Great Tomorrow, and the Ministry Hall is not sympathetic to you, but because of the relationship between this official and Ryukyu." ”

Ma Liangbi seemed to be in a desperate situation, and said at the moment: "What Lord Shilang said is extremely true, if it wasn't for Lord Shilang's life-saving grace back then, my Ryukyu boat people would have been killed as Japanese robbers." We are grateful to all of us at the Ryukyuan for your kindness to the rebirth of our Ryukyu country. ”

"My Ryukyu country will always be loyal to the Great Tomorrow, and below the Great Tomorrow, my Ryukyu people will look forward to the head of Lord Shilang."

Lin Yanchao nodded and said, "This is about the same for you kings, but then you also know how much risk this official has taken for you." Now the main hall is the head of the Ministry of Rites, and this time he was ordered to preside over the canonization of the Japanese, and tell you that his country is likely to go to war with the Japanese country, between the two countries, which side of the Ryukyu affair? ”

"Of course it's the Ming Dynasty, and the Ming Dynasty is the state of my parents in the Ryukyus." Ma Liangbi said without hesitation.

"Really? So, do you know that you Ryukyus must tell the Ministry of Information that you know about the Wakoku State word for word, and you are not allowed to hide anything? ”

Ma Liangbi said seriously at the moment: "Absolutely do it." ”

Lin Yanchao knocked Ma Liangbi at the moment, and immediately ordered him to assist the Ming envoy to go to Ryukyu to pay tribute, and at the same time asked the Ryukyu king to resolutely stand on the side of the Ming when Toyotomi Hideyoshi and the Ming Dynasty had a conflict in the future, and no disobedience was allowed.

So Lin Yanchao personally drafted a letter of state, and finally decided that Lin Cai would be the chief envoy of the engineering department, and Chen Xinggui, a fellow countryman of Lin Yanchao, would be the deputy envoy, and he would go to Japan through the Ryukyus.

In order to take care of this fellow villager, Lin Yanchao went to the Son of Heaven and gave Chen Xinggui an official position, and granted the official position of pedestrian division.

The pedestrian division is the eighth grade of the Beijing position, which is the official position granted by the Jinshi, which is very beautiful.

For Chen Xinggui, an ordinary businessman, it is an incredible thing to be promoted to a pedestrian division at once, not only for Chen Xinggui, but also for the Chen family, who was born in the maritime business.

Of course, the benefits are not given in vain, the Chen family must be responsible for the ships that send to the Ryukyus, the recruitment of sailors, for the Chen family, the ships and sailors are ready-made, and they can also run a trip to the Ryukyus to do business.

However, the Chen family must also cooperate with Lin Yanchao to infiltrate the Ryukyu Kingdom and strengthen the surveillance, influence and control of the Ming Dynasty over the Ryukyu Kingdom.

For Lin Cai, Lin Yanchao also taught him a face-to-face opportunity, and it is not a beautiful difference to go to Ryukyu, but if the mission is achieved, it is also a strong stroke for Lin Cai's political achievements.

This kind of thing not only does not flow into the fields of outsiders, but also must be entrusted to the henchmen to do it, and the canonization of Toyotomi Hideyoshi in Japan is only superficial, but the most important thing for Lin Cai and Chen Xinggui is to shoulder the task of testing Japan's reality and reality.

Because of the tribute, Lin Yanchao mobilized his own strength.

The weather was just right on this day, and the sky was clear.

On the outskirts of the capital, inside an ancient pavilion.

Lin Yanchao and a group of officials from the Ministry of Rites will send the forest timber of the Ryukyus soon, and Chen Xinggui will send it out of the capital.

The sea is stormy and turbulent, and it is not an absolutely peaceful errand, but at the moment, Lin Yanchao can only entrust the burden to his two fellow villagers.

They were accompanied by a delegation of dozens of people, carrying letters from the Ministry of Rites to the King of the Ryukyus, Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

They went to Fuzhou, boarded a ship from Fuzhou, and then went to Ryukyu, and after some of them stayed in Ryukyu, they then passed through Ryukyu to Japan to meet Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

When saying goodbye, Lin Yanchao said to the two: "The two of you are going to Ryukyu all the way, and Lin has entrusted you with state affairs." ”

The two fellow villagers were also emotional in the face of such a scene.

Chen Xinggui said: "Don't worry, you and I were classmates at the beginning, and we were on the list together, and it is a happy thing to serve the court together today." In the next will live up to the trust of the ministry. ”

Lin Cai was arrogant and immediately said: "When I was studying, I often thought of Su Wu, Zhang Qian's integrity, I don't mean that today I can leave a name in history like my predecessors, and the ministry can rest assured that it is incumbent on me to serve the country and the society, even if it can't be achieved, it will not disgrace the country." ”

Seeing this, Lin Yanchao said deeply: "Whether the mission can be achieved or not, as long as the two of you come back safely, don't say much else, Lin is waiting for the two good news." ”

Then Lin Yanchao toasted each of them a glass of hot wine.

Lin Yanchao knew that even if everything went well for them to go, the so-called good news would not reach his ears until a year or two later.

In ancient times, information was isolated, and national diplomacy could only rely on human footsteps to travel thousands of miles to deliver news.

Even so, diplomatic envoys have to face all kinds of contingencies at any time.

After drinking hot wine, the two immediately got on the horse, and both hugged Lin Yanchao on the horse.

Lin Yanchao also chased out a few steps and hugged his fists back.

At that moment, the two of them rode their horses and never looked back, and the mission also moved forward.

Lin Yanchao stood on the pavilion, looked at the backs of the two from afar, and stood for a long time.

waited until the centaurs disappeared into the sky, and Lin Yanchao left.