Yao Fang is still in Iwamikoku. The place where he usually lived was Iwamiwei, one of the two guards set up by the Ming army; The other is Hakatawei in Kyushu.

Iwami Wei is not in Iwami Castle, but by the sea, a port dock has been built near Iwami Castle. The original Iwami Castle was located in the southeast, built on the slope of an important valley passage and guarded by the Japanese Tao Jing.

The center of the Ming army here was by the sea, in order to obtain reinforcements from the sea and transport to the sea. As for Iwami's Japanese army, the main enemies it was originally guarded against were all from other areas on land, so the places where they were set up were different.

The location of the Iwami silver mine also has to go deep into the southeast mountainous area, in the deep mountains. From Iwamiwei and Iwamicheng to the silver mine, the Ming army has repaired a post road, and there are post station shops along the road; At the same time, at the important barriers, a tunpu was built, and a number of units such as the Thousand Households and the Hundred Households were set up.

The Ming army had three post roads in Iwami, except for the post roads from the silver mine to Iwamiwei and the port; The second is a post road from the silver mine to Omori Castle (Ota City), which is used to transport grain and grass from Rima County, which is controlled by Omori Castle, to the silver mine. The third is the post road from the Izumo Province area to Omori Castle, which is also for transporting grain and grass from Izumo Province.

At present, it seems that Japan should be able to maintain temporary stability, and the Battle of the Japanese Shogunate (known as the Battle of Hakata in Japan) caused heavy losses to the elite troops of the Japanese shogunate and other countries, and it was difficult to organize a new war for a while; However, the war with the involvement of the Ming officials and troops was very intense, and it was meaningless for the general army to start a war.

So after a while, some civil and military forces such as General Ping'an, as well as the main force of the naval division, will return to China. Yao Fang is also ready to take this opportunity to return to Daming.

However, Sheng Yong's military and civil military judged that there would still be war in Japan in the medium and long term, and the contradictions between all parties had intensified......

On this day, Yao Fang received a notification from Ishimiwei: Ouchi's retainer Mori Sadacho was going to come to Iwami to inspect, and the Japanese "national government" was looking for Ouchi Katsu and asked the Ming army to send Yao Fang to receive the Ouchi family together.

Yao Fang immediately accepted the offer, and he thought that Ouchi might have gotten some more news.

With a few guards in his entourage, Yao Fang rode south along the post road, and the journey to Iwami Castle was not far. As the surrounding flatlands narrowed and the mountains and forests on both sides drew closer, Iwami Castle was on the eastern side of the valley.

There is a torii gate at the foot of the mountain, and after entering the "Divine Domain", they pass by the Iwami Hachimangu Shrine, and then go up the mountain to Iwami Castle. There is a cherry tree forest on the mountain behind the shrine, and it is wonderful when it is in full bloom. It's a pity that Yao Fang had something to do and couldn't stay to enjoy the flowers.

Ouchi Sheng was already waiting outside the city, and when the two met, they said a simple "lucky meeting" to each other in Chinese, Ouchi Sheng bowed his hand, and Yao Fang hugged his fists and saluted.

The interpreter beside Ouchi Katsu said: "Maori-kun will only arrive tomorrow, please General Yao to stay at Ouchi-kun's house, and greet Maori-kun tomorrow." ”

Yao Fang actually didn't have a military position, but he didn't correct the Japanese title, and only said, "It's bothering." ”

The translator said, and bowed to Yao Fang again with Ouchi Sheng, and Yao Fang had no choice but to return the salute. The group entered the city.

The current Ouchi Sheng, who is in much better condition than before, is more powerful, and the official he is the "National Government Eye Generation" is more powerful, and the Yulu is also higher.

Nominally, Iwami belongs to the Ouchi clan, and the supreme governor of the country is the guardian Tao Jing; Guardian generation

It means that it is the acting guardian daimyo, and the power is equivalent to that of the guardian daimyo of Iwami Province.

The "national government" is the yamen responsible for many affairs of the country, managing the affairs of the officials (administrative officials); It used to be called "Kokuji", and it was very powerful, directly under Kyoto, and had great power. Later, the guardian daimyo of various countries began to be feudalized and warlordized, and gradually turned the national department into a subordinate yamen and became a national government. Nowadays, although the state government is completely under the leadership of the guardian generation, it still has great influence because of its official functions.

Iwami's Ming army was mainly concerned with silver mines and transportation lines, and did not care much about Iwami's management power. Therefore, the current Tao Jing and Ouchi Sheng are actually much higher than the original status.

Ouchi Katsu's new home is not large, the main body is a courtyard, but it is exquisite.

There is a small garden in the courtyard, which has rockeries, flowers and trees, and stone pavilions, which are very elegant. In the gardens of the Ming Dynasty, people can generally move in them; And this kind of garden can only be viewed around, and there is a difference, as if it is a rare thing between a garden and a bonsai.

Ouchi Katsu ushered Yao Fang into the hall, while the entourage stopped outside the courtyard.

The two of them began to skillfully arrange the paper and ink again, when the old slave of Ouchi Katsu came in with a tea set.

Ouchi Katsu wrote some classical Chinese texts to the effect that he should have called his wife Shibukawa to serve tea, but his wife went out and did not return, which was rude.

The wives of Japanese officials are the same as the noblewomen of the Ming Dynasty, and the door is not out of the door, and it is impossible for a woman to be an official at all, so what does the Shibukawa clan do when they go out? Yao Fang felt very curious, but he didn't continue to investigate, after all, it was someone else's private matter.

Yao Fang thought about it, glanced sideways at the old man who was concentrating on fiddling with the tea set, and wrote: I may have to return to China after a while, and the original promise of 10 million copper coins has been handed over to Jin Shishi, the Japanese commander of the Northern Department of the Imperial Division. At the right time, General Ouchi could contact Commander Jin; He will distribute the money in installments and hand it over to the general one after another.

Yao Fang had explained before that guarding the North Department of the Imperial Department was equivalent to the Jinyi Guard, who was responsible for foreign affairs. Katsu Ouchi knows.

Ouchi Katsu glanced at it and nodded in agreement.

Yao Fang took out two copper coins from his waist pocket, put them on the table, and then wrote: According to the rules of the Central Bank of the Ming Dynasty, the new money is worth two pieces of old money in good condition. The transaction between us is 10 million wen, and the default is good old money, if it is new money, the amount will be halved, can the general have any objections?

Ouchi Sheng picked up the two copper coins and watched them for a while, glanced at Yao Fang, and nodded again.

Seeing this, Yao Fang took out a small stack of paper from his arms, there were words on the paper and the seal of the Northern Department of the Imperial Division, but each piece of paper was only half. Yao Fang wrote: This is an IOU issued by the North Department of the Imperial Division, each of which is worth 500,000 yuan, and the Imperial Division gives money once, and you give them one; The Imperial Guards have to take it back and hand over the accounts, and now the officials of the imperial court are strictly managed, and they must prevent officials from embezzlement.

Ouchi Katsu's demeanor seemed to relax, such a formal official document seemed to reassure him, and it seemed that the Ming government was doing it sincerely.

He thought for a moment, picked up his pen and wrote on the paper: I have an important message, and I don't need to pay for this news. Ashikaga Yoshien, who fled to Zhoufang, was secretly sheltered by the Governor Ouchi Morumi.

Yao Fang saw that his intuition was really important, but he didn't think clearly about what it was for a while

After all, Japan's domestic relations are too complicated. Yao Fang thought for a while, then hugged his fists and bowed, "Thank you." ”

Ouchi Katsu understood the simple words, and he knelt down opposite him and bowed.

He glanced at Yao Fang, and then wrote the paper again. The gist is: Ashikaga Yoshien, the half-brother of the former general Ashikaga Yoshimori, the former shogun should have intended Yoshien's heir; However, the current general of the expedition, Ashikaga Yoshiji, is the son-in-law of Yoshimitsu, and last year he received the support of the Kanto Princesses and several powerful guardians, and suddenly became the general of the expedition.

Yao Fang read it and wrote: The governor of the Ouchi family wants to support Yiyuan?

Ouchi Katsu shook his head and wrote: The righteous heir has many powerful guardians and supporters such as the Eastern Kingdom. And the Ouchi family is too busy to take care of themselves, because of the suspicion of defecting to the Ming Dynasty and betraying the shogunate, they are currently unable to convene the western countries to form an alliance, and they are completely unable to compete with the shogunate.

Before the war, the governor of the family had gone to Rakuro and met with the former shogun Ashikaga Yoshimori. There are some indications that the Governor and the "former shogun" (Yoshimochi) have fully reconciled, believing that the "former shogun" is the hope of the Japanese state.

After the assassination of the "former shogun", he was forced to assume the responsibility of the "Yamashiro Peace Treaty", and his reputation was ruined, which made the governor of the family (Ouchi Morumi) very dissatisfied. Therefore, I believe that the shelter of the Governor Yoshien, out of loyalty to the "former shogun" (Yoshimochi).

Yao Fang looked at it and felt that it made sense, so he hugged his fists and said, "Admire, admire." ”

This warrior is more and more recognized by Yao Fang, he is very strategic and forbearing. Yao Fang became interested in Ouchi Sheng, but had no choice but to communicate with him, so he could only write and communicate some important affairs, and he could not understand Ouchi Shengsheng in depth.

Yao Fang pondered for a long time, and couldn't help but write: Will the Ouchi family be besieged by a group?

Katsu Ouchi: It's hard to say, but it shouldn't be too dangerous at the moment. Originally, Kyushu and other western countries guarded the Emperor Nan; After the Muromachiden subdued the kingdoms, he cut off the power of Kyushu and Dazaifu.

Although the western region is returned to the Muromachi Temple, there is still a sense of precaution. If the daimyo of the western kingdom and the parties of the eastern kingdom join forces to attack the Ouchi family, it may not be beneficial for the daimyo to fall into the ground. And if the Ouchi family is in a critical situation, they may ask the Ming army for help. Based on this need, the Ming army should trust the Ouchi family more, and the Ouchi family is at least more reliable than others.

Yao Fang finally couldn't help but be curious, and wrote: Tao Jing's matter (Tao Jing's personal relationship with the Shibukawa clan), can the general need the help of the Ming army?

Ouchi Katsu sat quietly for a while, and finally wrote: The spy of the Uesugi family in Kanto bought a samurai leader of Iwami Castle, and after I learned about it, I didn't say it.

Yao Fang was suddenly a little surprised.

Ouchi Katsu wrote another paragraph: I hope that Mr. Yao should not leak the rumors.

Yao Fang nodded without hesitation, he was not very willing to interfere in the contradictions between the Japanese.

At this time, the old slave next to him finally made the tea, held a black tea bowl and handed it over, Yao Fang took it and thanked him. Yao Fang thought about it, then pinched the teahouse and turned halfway, admiring the tea that had been brewed with great difficulty.

Ouchi Katsu glanced at him and nodded slightly, showing relief and affection on his face. He seems to feel that Yao Fang has some kind of recognition of Japanese culture.

However, Yao Fang didn't like the tea ceremony at all and felt that it was too troublesome. He still cares more about the taste of the tea itself.