But I heard Zhou Yanru, the first assistant of the cabinet, say to Cui Youhai: "Lord Cui, do you want to do this with the emperor?" You've been an envoy in Beijing for three or four years, how many times have you not been in the cabinet in any month? A few cabinet scholars, have you seen too few? ”

Zhou Yanru's words were half-true, and he was in a respected position, so Cui Youhai's face tightened, and he hurriedly explained: "Lord Zhou, this is also something I can't do." In the past few years, the domestic situation in the country has not been good, and the Manchurian Tatars have often come to harass ...... No, disaster relief and army raising all need money, and our country is small and the people are weak, so we can only come to the Heavenly Empire for help......"

When Zhou Yanru heard this, his face was blank, and he replied: "The Celestial Empire and your country are the country of father and son, and it is natural for a father to help his son." But when the son grows up, he must also know how to fend for himself. On this point, I have already discussed it in the Wanli Emperor. ”

Wen Tiren's point of view was similar to Zhou Yanru's, but his tone of voice was much softer: "Old Cui, don't look at us as a big country in the Celestial Empire, but there are also big difficulties. In the past two years, the emperor has worked hard to make the country prosperous, and there are many places to use money, but there are few places that can help you. When the emperor's governance has achieved results, he will naturally take care of your country at that time. ”

Wen Tiren once again showed his excellent flattering skills, and in three or two sentences, he brushed the Shun Mao of Emperor Chongzhen and Cui Youhai, and immediately dissolved the somewhat embarrassing atmosphere made by Zhou Yanru.

At this moment, the great eunuch Gao Qi, who had been scolded by Emperor Chongzhen just now, sneaked back, and held a large food plate with his own hands, put a few hot dishes newly made on the food plate on the table, and took away the original few leftovers of cold dishes, and then handed the food plate to the little eunuch behind him, and he stood behind Emperor Chongzhen cautiously.

Chongzhen was still in a good mood, so he first sandwiched a piece of honey meat, took a bite lightly, and said with a smile: "I have been working state affairs in the past few years, and sometimes I can't even squeeze out time for dinner, and I haven't eaten with a few Aiqing like today for a long time." Come on, don't be polite, today we don't have a distinction between monarchs and ministers, just friends reminiscing, eat more, eat more! ”

Although the emperor said this, no one would really regard the emperor as a friend - not to mention the tradition of the old Zhu family has always been ruthless - if he really toasts and punishes wine at the dinner table like a friend, then his head is estimated to not be left tomorrow.

Therefore, several people present did not dare to feast and gobble up, but carefully picked up a small dish placed in front of them with chopsticks and put it in their mouths to taste it carefully.

What Ji Qingwen put in front of him was just a stack of ordinary roast mutton slices, stuffed it into his mouth and tasted it, only to feel that although the mutton was fat and juicy, the cook of the barbecue seemed to be stingy with the seasoning

, did not give this lamb any extra flavor, and there was no more fun to eat. This made Ji Qingwen feel that such a good piece of mutton would be considered a tyrannical thing if it was sent to the imperial dining room, and if it was sent to Jiangnan to let his eldest wife Liu Ru cook it herself, it would be impossible to make roast mutton that was ten times more delicious than this.

Emperor Chongzhen saw Ji Qingwen's thoughtful appearance, so he asked: "Ji Qingwen, I heard that your dog has made a lot of money in Jiangnan, and it is said that he also accepted a famous prostitute as his wife. ”

Ji Qingwen was taken aback when he heard this, and hurriedly swallowed half of the roast mutton, and replied: "The emperor also knows that the minister is a layman, and when he sees a good-looking person, he wants to get close, and when he sees a delicious dish, he wants to taste it." Although Liu Ru was once in the dust, after all, he was also from a serious official family......

Emperor Chongzhen was quite enlightened, waved his hand, and said: "It's not a big deal, there are a few well-fed imperial histories who have written a chapter to impeach you." But I sent someone to investigate, and these officials had all been to brothels behind their backs. Hum! Words and deeds are insincere, and they are all rejected by me. If they dare to talk more nonsense, I will dismiss them one by one! ”

Ji Qingwen hurriedly got up and thanked him.

But I heard Emperor Chongzhen say again: "There is a saying that the prime minister can support the boat in his belly, and I am the son of heaven, and my belly is naturally much larger than others." As long as you do things for me honestly, as long as you don't make trouble, everything I can tolerate! ”

As soon as Chongzhen's words fell, Ji Qingwen didn't have time to thank him, Zhou Yanru, Wen Tiren, and even Cui Youhai were all busy opening their mouths to praise the saints, and all kinds of good things were said.

Especially Cui Youhai, relying on himself as a Korean envoy, clapped his horse and said: "The saint is elegant and ambitious, and the civilization in the sea is a barbarian land, and he is also vying to praise the holy name......"

Suddenly, Ji Qingwen asked: "Envoy Cui, I remember that your country pays tribute every year, and every time the emperor is a minister, he always has to reward some gold, silver and satin." I don't know if you have ever received the tribute brocade produced by my Suzhou Weaving Yamen? ”

Cui Youhai hurriedly said: "Of course, of course." The Jiangnan fabrics of the Celestial Dynasty are exquisite, and the tribute silk of the Suzhou weaving yamen is one of the best. After receiving it, the monarch of the country couldn't put it down every time, and couldn't help but praise Emperor Chongzhen's generosity and benevolence! ”

Ji Qingwen asked again: "I don't know how to dispose of these silks after your country gets them?" ”

Cui Youhai's heart tightened when he heard this, his eyes rolled, and he replied: "Such a good silk is naturally extremely cherished. In addition to sewing new clothes for the emperor's relatives every year, they also occasionally awarded meritorious officials. I will not tell you anything,

I was also rewarded with a few colored brocades by the king of the country, and I made a set of official uniforms, and I was only willing to wear them when I waited for the great gifts of the country. I didn't even want to throw away the leftovers from making clothes, so I made a few handkerchiefs and gave them to Weichen's mother-in-law......"

Cui Youhai was still talking, but Ji Qingwen interrupted his words in a soft tone, and asked, "Then how much brocade will the emperor reward your country every year?" ”

Ji Qingwen's attitude of breaking the casserole and asking to the end made Cui Youhai uncomfortable, and muttered something that he didn't know what to say, but he didn't answer in time.

The matter of foreign tribute is in the hands of the Ministry of Rites, and the Ministry of Rites is in front of the dinner table - he is Xu Guangqi, who is also a cabinet scholar, and Xu Guangqi has a very good relationship with Ji Qingwen, although he did not guess the intention of such a careful inquiry, but he also knew that Ji Qingwen must have a reason for saying this.

So the old Xu Guangqi coughed twice and replied for Cui Youhai: "That's the case." The Celestial Empire was an ordinary subject country, and it was usually allowed to pay a tribute every three years or two years. And North Korea is the head of all the subject countries, according to the ancestral system of Emperor Taizu Gao, and is granted three tributes a year. Every time the tribute was paid, the Celestial Empire would give all kinds of property as usual, specifically to the colorful brocade of the Jiangnan weaving yamen, which was a hundred horses each time. ”

It turned out that in ancient East Asia, except for Japan, which was close to the Ming Dynasty, the rest of the countries (including Korea, Annam, Burma, Siam, etc.) all had a kneeling attitude towards the Ming Dynasty, and they all rushed to come over to pay tribute.

They paid tribute so actively, not to show their respect for the Celestial Empire, but because the Ming Dynasty, for the sake of decency, always gave back gold and silver treasures that far exceeded the value of the local specialties paid by these countries several times the value - if they took out less, the court would feel too stingy and lose face in front of foreign countries.

However, if you earn face, you will inevitably lose your money - every time a foreign country pays tribute, the imperial court will spend a lot of money, and over time it will become a huge financial burden.

The cautious eyes of these countries could not hide from the Ming court, not to mention that the emperor at that time was Zhu Yuanzhang, who gave the most face to others in ancient and modern China and abroad. Other countries regard him as Kaizi, but his real identity is a demon king who kills people without blinking, and a holy decree stipulates the annual amount of tribute for each country, and it is also said to be to reduce the burden of the people of these countries.

And North Korea is the closest to leaving Beijing, and the attitude of kneeling and licking is also the most serious, so it naturally has obtained the highest treatment among the subject countries, the density of tribute is several times that of other countries, and the benefits from the Ming Dynasty are naturally several times that of other countries.

For this reason, the annual tribute from Korea to the Ming Dynasty was called "tributary trade" by later historians, and was a major pillar of North Korea's finances.

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