"Xia Guan understands!" Zhou Pu's heart was relieved, and he felt that the strategy he proposed had been adopted after all, "The lower officials will grasp the scale." ”

The prime minister didn't speak again for a while, and continued to keep his eyes on the map of Japan, to be precise, on the island of Kyushu, frowning and thinking about something.

"By the way, I heard that Japan has imposed a strict sea ban, and their treaty port is Nagasaki Castle on the island of Kyushu, right?" After a moment of silence, the prime minister asked again. "Whose house is this Nagasaki Castle now?"

"Back to the prime minister, in order to control foreign trade, to prevent the daimyo in the west from taking advantage of foreign trade to gain power, and in order to ban Catholic missionary activities, the shogunate implemented a policy of banning the sea throughout Japan, prohibiting Japanese ships from going to sea to trade and Japanese people from overseas, smugglers should be sentenced to death, and missionaries who infiltrated Japan should be denounced and arrested, so Japan basically no longer has contact with the outside world, but only in Nagasaki to trade with other countries." Zhou Pu hurriedly replied, "In the previous war era, Nagasaki Castle was the domain of the Daimyo Omura clan, but after the shogunate unified Japan, it was taken away, and now it is directly under the shogunate. The shogunate designated it as a direct jurisdiction and sent an official in charge of foreign trade, called the Nagasaki Commission. ”

"It turned out to be under the direct jurisdiction of the shogunate...... That's easy to do. The prime minister knew this, then nodded slightly, as if he had made up his mind, "Tell Shimazu Tadashi that as long as they follow us, this Kyushu island will be given to them after the matter is completed - but except for Nagasaki." After the signing of the treaty with the shogunate, the port of Nagasaki was to be ceded to the imperial court as the central station for the imperial court's trade with Japan, and when we occupied the port of Nagasaki, all other countries were to be expelled...... When the time comes, they will not be allowed to trade with Japan. ”

In other words, the prime minister had already made up his mind that after this expedition, he would monopolize the right to trade with Japan and exclude all other countries (in fact, mainly the Netherlands) from trading with Japan. Japan is already rich in gold and silver, and if it is an exclusive business, this profit is very considerable......

"Xiaguan understands the prime minister's once, Xiaguan will definitely work hard in Japan to help the imperial court get Nagasaki Port in his hands." Zhou Pu hurriedly agreed.

"It's not that you have to work hard, it's that you must bring Nagasaki over, and only when you bring it over can you complete the task." Prime Minister Zhengse looked at Zhou Pu and looked very serious, "In this attack, in order to fight for meritorious service in the army, they will definitely fight to the death, and when the time comes, as long as they win, they will have great achievements." If you can't bring Nagasaki over, won't you just be able to watch the soldiers sing? If you follow the pace of the army, how can you show your role, and how can we reward you? ”

Zhou Pu was slightly stunned.

Only then did he realize that the prime minister had given him a problem, asking him to ask him to agree to the conditions of the imperial court, and also ask him to try his best to bring the port of Nagasaki from Japan, and then he would be credited and rewarded. With the addition of the Port of Nagasaki, this task is even more important than before.

"Zhou Pu, are you confident?" At this moment, seeing that Zhou Pu was a little suspicious, Kong Zhang, who had been silent, finally spoke, "Don't worry, the prime minister will not give you conditions in vain, you serve the country, of course, the country will do its best to help you...... With the name of the prime minister, are you still afraid that you won't be able to suppress people? ”

Because of what he said to the prime minister just now, the prime minister made this proposal not only to monopolize Japan's trade rights, but also to compete with the military for the spotlight and to show the important role of the foreign affairs department under the cabinet by extracting more benefits from Japan.

And as the chief officer of the Foreign Affairs Department, he naturally would not object to this opinion.

After getting the hint from his boss, Zhou Pu finally understood what the prime minister meant, and it turned out that he wanted to make himself as much as possible to get benefits other than the military's goals.

"Xiaguan understands, Xiaguan will definitely work hard to get Japan to agree to all our conditions." He bowed solemnly, indicating that he had understood what the two superiors meant.

"Very good, it is indeed a manufacturable material." Seeing that Zhou Pu understood the meaning of his implication so quickly, and was so impulsive, the prime minister couldn't help but be more satisfied, "Then I will work hard for you this time." Zhou Pu, this time I have entrusted you with all the affairs of Japan, and I am ready to promote you to the position of deputy director of the Department of Foreign Affairs, and to make you the special and plenipotentiary representative of me and the cabinet, so that you can have full authority to deal with relevant matters, and if the army has any misconduct or behavior that goes against the plan, you can also exercise restraint on my behalf. I hope you don't let me down. ”

It's finally here.

Deputy Director General of the Department for Foreign Affairs, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Cabinet...... Titles and titles slammed into the young man's head, making him almost dizzy. In particular, the word "plenipotentiary" gave him a chance to do whatever he wanted during the invasion of Japan, as long as he could grasp this opportunity, were he afraid that he would not be rewarded?

"Xiaguan...... Xiaguan ...... Thank you, Prime Minister......" This young man was already a little incoherent because of the excitement in his heart.

"Of course, this is just a pre-arrangement, if you do things well, then you will be rewarded with you." As if he felt that the impact on him was not big enough, the prime minister smiled again and continued, "This time, of course, we don't want to just give Japan a gust of wind, although the army will withdraw after the battle, there will always be some people left in Japan." In addition, of course, we must follow the example of Goryeo and leave a mission in Japan to be responsible for controlling all our affairs in Japan, not to mention, knighting great meritorious heroes, which is also the proper meaning of the title. Zhou Pu, I have already explained what I should tell you, and the rest depends on your own efforts. ”

Imitation of Goryeo case......

Since the Han Dynasty intervened in the abolition of the King of Goryeo and forcibly reinstated the deposed ruler Li Hui, under the instructions of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs left a mission in Seoul to handle all the affairs of the Han Dynasty in Goryeo. The mission was led by an ambassador with a deputy director, and it was not small, and a place in Seoul was designated as an embassy district.

Of course, they were not just dealing with the affairs of the Han in Goryeo, but interfering in the national affairs of Goryeo through the power of the Han. As a result, the Han envoys could often dominate the whole of Goryeo, as if they were the emperor.

In the Department of Foreign Affairs, officials of all sizes naturally regard being able to serve in the Goryeo mission as a great beauty, and I don't know how many people secretly envy those who have the opportunity to go. Zhou Pu originally had the idea of going there to enjoy it because he was proficient in Goryeo, but because the director Kong Zhang was very important to him, he didn't succeed.

Now the prime minister's meaning is very clear, as long as he completes the tasks assigned by the emperor and the prime minister, then he can follow the example of Goryeo and set up a mission in Japan, and he will continue to wear the title of deputy director and become an ambassador to Japan. The mission of Goryeo can do whatever he wants in Goryeo, so won't he be able to do whatever he wants in Japan at that time?

What's more, there is also a knighthood...... How can anyone in Zhou Pu's family be knighted for dozens of generations? If he really did it, wouldn't it be the real glory of the ancestors? I'm afraid that even the deceased grandfather will laugh at Jiuquan......

Thinking of this irresistible reward, thinking of Japanese gold, silver and jewelry, and remembering that he had seen those bewitching women in Nagasaki, under the heavy figure, Zhou Pu suddenly felt a sigh of relief in his mouth, and then swallowed in a gulp.

"What a determined boy!" When Kong Zhang saw him like this, he couldn't help but laugh and scolded, "Why don't you hurry down?!" ”

In the midst of the shouting and scolding of his boss, Zhou Pu finally came to his senses.

"Prime Minister Xie cultivated, if the official goes to Japan, he must be smeared with liver and brain, do his best, and die!" He subconsciously wanted to kneel, but at the last moment he suddenly remembered that the new dynasty did not allow kneeling between officials, so he restrained himself and bent his knees and shook slightly, the action was really ridiculous.

Seeing him like this, the prime minister couldn't help but laugh too.

"Okay, if you have this heart, I'll be relieved, work hard." He waved his hand and motioned for Zhou Pu to sit back in place, "Because the army may be mobilized in the summer, so you have to hurry up at this time, I'm afraid you won't have a good time this year, so let's leave for Japan early." ”

"For the sake of the country, what else do you want to celebrate the New Year!" Zhou Pu replied loudly, "Xiaguan is ready to set off in a few days!" ”

"You don't have to say that you have to prepare for a few days, you still have to do the preparations you should have, otherwise if you just run over and say that you are the envoy of the Han Dynasty, who will believe you?" The prime minister smiled and signaled him not to worry, "I will match the subordinates who should be matched to you, you should wait patiently for a few more days, by the way, there should be a lot of talents who can speak Japanese in the Foreign Affairs Department, you can pick and choose, find some assistants from inside, and send them to Director Kong, and he will arrange arrangements for those people when he goes back." The angels of the court, the shelf still has to be sufficient......"

The prime minister was full of smiles, and his tone was also very calm, which made people feel like a spring breeze, and Zhou Pu's originally restless heart slowly calmed down. "Prime Minister Xie, the next official will arrange it immediately."

"Okay, you go down first, I've worked hard for you." The prime minister waved his hand again and asked him to leave first, "I will read your article tonight, do some review, and return it to you when the time comes, you just try to do it according to my review." ”

"Retire!" Zhou Pu stood up again, then bowed to the prime minister again, turned around and left the side hall proudly.

Looking at his high-spirited back, the prime minister was still smiling.