By the second day, the battle had long since ended, but the Ming army in front of them was still pursuing in separate ways. Sheng Yong led the crowd to the east road, and there was no movement of any fighting on the road.

It rained again in the air, and the rain flew diagonally in the wind, making the scene on the plains hazy. After that rain in the morning, this is the second time it has rained today.

"Heaven will not help Japan." Sheng Yong raised his head to feel the raindrops, and sighed with a somewhat complicated expression.

Usually the warring armies are reluctant to go to war in the rain. All kinds of firearms were drenched in the rain, and of course they could not be ignited and fired; Even if the bow and crossbow are used in the rain, they will be degummed and damaged. In addition, the ground would be muddy due to rainy days, making it difficult to move troops, so the big battles were often chosen on sunny days.

But the situation was different when armies like the Ming and Japanese armies differed. The Ming army was obviously unwilling to give up its firepower superiority and was forced to fight hand-to-hand, while the Japanese army had no firearms in the first place. Rainy weather will cause disadvantages to the long-range firearms of the Ming army; For both warring parties, the disadvantage of one side is the advantage of the other.

Sheng Yong sighed. The idea of the right time, place and people put forward by Sun Bin in ancient times is still valid on the battlefield today.

Along the way, in the dirt roads, muddy roads, rice fields, and wasteland, corpses can be seen everywhere; The corpses abandoned along the way、It seems that the entire plain of Hakata Bay is endless. The Ming army's pursuit of dozens of miles must have caused many more casualties than on the battlefield.

The humid air was filled with a complex and strange smell, and most of the corpses after the night could already be seen. This rich and rich region of Japan seems to have just experienced a plague or famine, and the scene is very bleak and terrible.

This is the trace left after the victory, and Sheng Yong is also accustomed to it.

The rain was getting heavier and heavier, and in the hazy air, a small village came into view. A general suggested: "The marshal can go to the village to take shelter from the rain, and then hurry after the rain stops." ”

Pei Youzhen, the accompanying soldier of the military department, said: "Someone reported that a large camp has been set up in front, and the marshal might as well go to the military camp and try to repair it." ”

The Chinese army had received news that the Japanese army had hidden spies in some villages and towns in advance, and Pei Youzhen's reminder was very tactful. Sheng Yong said: "Pei Shilang's words are reasonable, so he will discuss them accordingly." ”

The crowd continued to ride through the mud. The people were covered in mud and finally arrived at the barracks by noon.

Not long after Sheng Yong arrived at the place, someone in the west soon found a station and reported the situation in the north of the mountain.

Yesterday evening, the Japanese army in the northern fortification of Bofu Mountain marched westward and attacked the Ming army's camp on the shore of the sea; The Japanese army, of course, failed to break through the large battalion, much like a bluff, and retreated quickly.

This morning, the first part of the Eastern Front Army of the Ming Army occupied the northern fortifications of Bofu Mountain, Xiashanmen and other places, and continued to reinforce the attack to the west. However, the soldiers found that the Japanese army was vulnerable, and most of them surrendered, and some of them fled into the Bofu Mountain. The interrogation of the captives revealed that Ouchi Morimi, the head of the Ouchi family, led a group of samurai to the south overnight and ran south, leaving most of the ashigaru without officers, so naturally they had no fighting spirit and were about to collapse.

Sheng Yong was in the barracks and quickly issued a few more military orders. The men and horses pursued by the Ming army on the front line retreated beyond the walled city of Aowu County. Troops were deployed to clean up the battlefield and search for the wounded and dead bodies of the Ming army. Send people to gather Japanese villagers on all sides and bury the dead bodies of Japanese soldiers to prevent the plague from rotting.

In the big tent of the Chinese army, Sheng Yong asked the guards to put paper and ink and other things, and began to consider the words and sentences, and wrote the good news chapter by himself.

But before Sheng Yong finished writing, many generals came to the big tent one after another, and Liu Sheng also came. Then Hou Hai, Pei Youzhen and other civil officials, Zhou Quan and other eunuchs also gathered here. Only before peace arrived, it is estimated that the enemy army is still being pursued on the front line.

"The Japanese army is vulnerable." Finally, a military commander couldn't help but start talking, "My army can get back on the ship, go east from the Kanmon Strait, disembark at Namba Kyo, and go straight to Kyoto." I captured the emperor and shogun and returned to Beijing to offer prisoners. ”

Sheng Yong glanced at the general, and was silent for a while. Sheng Yong is already a prince of the country, and it is impossible for the Ming Dynasty to have a living king with a different surname, of course he does not need to be greedy for merit, he just wants to implement the emperor's will. But the generals under his command are very concerned about military merits, and Sheng Yong can't say that military merits are useless.

"And then?" Sheng Yong said.

The general was stunned for a moment: "Then go to Beijing to offer the prisoners and receive the reward." ”

Sheng Yong said: "This will be said later. Let's go back and sacrifice the prisoners after the fight, and the territory of Japan should be disposed of in this way. The imperial court spent so much military spending, why did it come? ”

The general didn't seem to have thought about anything so far away, and he was speechless for a while.

Sheng Yong said again: "There are still big and small daimyo around Kyushu Island, do you want to stay behind in Hakata Bay?" As long as the war is fought, there are all kinds of variables, and our army has been driving straight into the battle line and grain route by land and water, but there is no guarantee of a quick victory. Even if Kyoto was captured, the Japanese elite would inevitably retreat eastward; Then Kyoto had to stay behind again. ”

Another general said: "Our army is based in Hakata Bay, please send someone back to Beijing and ask the imperial court to send reinforcements." ”

Sheng Yong shook his head and said: "Japan is not smaller than Annam, and if the Ming Dynasty wants to occupy the Japanese islands by force alone, it will be difficult to do it without more than 200,000 people and spend a lot of money to set up a large number of post stations and forts." ”

"Handsome and wise!" The person who spoke was Pei Youzhen, who praised Sheng Yong first. Pei Youzhen continued: "There are many soldiers and horses stationed in Japan, and they can only requisition all kinds of fees from the local area, and there are things such as bullying and oppression, which are very likely to arouse the resentment of the locals; If the grudge is accumulated for a long time, it will lead to counterinsurgency wars of all sizes in the future. Such a situation has happened many times in Annan. And after the imperial court bears the military expenses, it is unprofitable, otherwise the imperial court can still transport the occupied rice back to Beijing? ”

Pei Youzhen said: "Such a situation is inconsistent with the new policy of the imperial court. Our dynasty once completely occupied the country of Annan, and now it has also taken the initiative to abolish the political envoy of Jiaozhi and return it to the Chen family, which is precisely because the imperial court implemented a new policy. For the sake of today's plan, Marshal Sheng should refer to the example of Annam and deploy Japanese affairs. ”

The eunuch who sent the Japanese envoy was thoughtful, and immediately seconded: "Our family thinks that this should also be the meaning of the saint. ”

The civil official Hou Hai also faced Sheng Yong and nodded slightly.

Hou Hai thought for a while, and quietly proposed: "Why don't you try to negotiate peace now?" ”

A military general immediately said angrily: "Anyway, the dead are all civil officials, are scholars really not afraid of death?" ”

Hou Hai looked at the general and shook his head, and smiled without smiling, "This time is different." The main force of the Japanese army was defeated, more than half of the losses were lost, Kyoto was in danger, and the Japanese dared to kill the envoys? They have pig brains!

The official believes that the richer and richer the Japanese, the more they want to keep what they have. The emperors and shoguns of Japan, how many mansions and good fields should there be in Kyoto? We can threaten to attack Kyoto, but we can't act rashly, so that we can form a coercive situation. ”

Pei Youzhen said: "The lower official seconded the proposal. For the time being, our army should put aside a truce and try to contact those in power in Japan. Try to get the control of Iwami Province and Hakata Bay at the lowest cost. Matters related to the governance of Japan are not simple and simple, and must be considered in the long run. ”

The eunuch Zhou Quandao: "Let's get the silver first." ”

Hou Hai and Pei Youzhen looked sideways together, and couldn't help but show admiration for this eunuch, and his thoughtful sentence was really concise.

Sheng Yong, who had not spoken for a while, spoke at this time: "If you mess up the major affairs of the saint, you don't say ask for credit, and you will be grateful if you are not punished!" ”

Liu Sheng hugged his fists and said, "Please make a decision." The generals listened and agreed.

Sheng Yong looked back left and right, and he already knew the demands of all kinds of high-level people in the Ming army in the big tent. He calmly said: "Our army should now stabilize the base camp in Hakata Bay, build forts, docks, and try to communicate with the Japanese elite. As for the long-term plan, it should wait for the music to be sent to the imperial court, and then the imperial court will make a decision.

In the king's destiny, the general has the right to act cheaply. At this time, if Kyoto, Japan, is willing to back down and sue for peace, we should first draw up some conditions.

The title of emperor in Japan should be abolished, and the shogun in power should be a vassal to the Ming Dynasty and be crowned king of Japan. Once the relationship between the monarch and the minister was established, the entire country of Japan and the law belonged to the vassal state of the Ming Dynasty.

At the same time, the Japanese state should hand over the Iwami and Izumo countries to the Ming court, and the imperial court should appoint the guardian daimyo. As long as Japan agreed to sign a treaty, the two countries could negotiate peace, and the Ming army would no longer attack the Kyoto area. ”

The eunuch Zhou Quan frowned and pondered: "Will the Japanese agree to these conditions?" ”

Sheng Yong said: "Try it and then talk." ”

Zhou Quan asked, "What if they regret it in the future?" ”

Sheng Yong immediately responded: "Then wait for Japan to regret it, and then weigh the disposal; The treaty signed in black and white in public, I stood up for the reason. By the way, the Ouchi clan is currently in a precarious situation, so we can talk to the captured Ouchi samurai and contact Ouchi Morimi. ”

At this time, Hou Hai asked, "Why did the marshal mention Izumo Kingdom?" ”

Sheng Yong glanced at him: "It is said that Iwami Country is mountainous, and it is too far from Hakata Bay. In the future, when silver mines are mined and troops are garrisoned, grain will be transported from Izumo Province, and there is a lot of farmland in Izumo Province. ”

Hou Hai suddenly said: "I see, the lower officials are taught." ”

There was silence in the big tent for a while, and people seemed to understand that Sheng Yong had already made up his mind; The deliberations may just be a formality and reassurance. Otherwise, how could Sheng Yong have thought of such a side detail as mining and transporting grain?

The people saluted one after another and bowed, "Obey the orders of the great commander." ”

Sheng Yong lifted the brush, looked up and said, "After I finish writing the chapter, I will give it to you to read." If nothing else, the sangs should be sent from Korea to Gyeongshi as soon as possible. ”.