Just as Fanning continued to inspect the counties and military camps in Kunzhou, Chengqing, the county of Jinxian, arrived at Heianjing, the capital of Japan, as Fanning's advance envoy.

At this time, the civil war in Japan had ended, but the power of the Fujiwara clan, the imperial power, and the samurai class was becoming more and more intense.

During Fanning's reign in Kunzhou, the Fujiwara family obtained the rich Changqi through the hands of the Song army and became the biggest winner, but with the death of Sekibai Fujiwara Yoritsu, the Fujiwara family went into a downturn, and the control of Changqi Port was gradually taken away by the samurai class led by Minamoto Yoriyoshi, so that the Fujiwara family's financial resources gradually appeared in crisis, and the Fujiwara family, who were eager to find another source of wealth, looked for opportunities everywhere.

At this time, Cheng Qing arrived in Heianjing as Fanning's advance envoy.

Cheng Qing had just handed over the document to the Zuofu Palace, which was in charge of foreign affairs, in the morning, and in the afternoon, an official of the Zuofu Palace invited Cheng Qing to the Zuo Prime Minister's Mansion.

In the distinguished guest hall, Cheng Qing had just taken a sip of tea, and there was a heavy cough outside, only to see an old man with white hair walking into the hall, Cheng Qing recognized this person at a glance, it was Fujiwara Kyotong who personally went to Kunzhou to negotiate with Fanning, and was also the current regent of Japan, Guan Bai, the patriarch of the Tengyuan family.

Cheng Qing hurriedly got up and saluted, "Cheng Qing, the envoy of the Great Song Dynasty Overseas Economic Strategy Mansion, see Lord Guan Bai!" ”

Seven or eight years have passed, and Fujiwara Kyotsu is already a seventy-five-year-old man.

Breaking through for the Fujiwara family became his ruling wish in the last few years.

"I should have seen you!"

Fujiwara Kyotong still has an impression of Cheng Qing, "You were Fan Zhizhou's translator back then, right!" ”

Cheng Qing smiled slightly, "I am the county governor of Jinxian County, Kunzhou, and this time I am on the order of Fan Envoy Jun to take the lead in sending an envoy to Japan." ”

Fujiwara Kyotsu said happily: "Sir, please take a seat!" ”

The two sat down separately, and Fujiwara Kyotsu asked with some excitement: "Your country's overseas envoy is the former Fan Zhizhou?" ”

Cheng Qing nodded, "Fan Zhizhou is already a high-ranking official in the imperial court, and he is fully responsible for overseas affairs of the Great Song Dynasty, he is now inspecting Kunzhou, and he will soon come to Heianjing to visit the regent Guan Bai." ”

Fujiwara Kyotsu sighed: "I am also looking forward to his visit, I wonder why Fan Envoy-kun visited Heianjing?" ”

Fujiwara Kyotsu has dealt with Fan Ning countless times, and knows that Fan Ning has nothing to do but go to the Three Treasures Palace, and there must be something important to come to Heiankyo.

Cheng Qing hurriedly said: "This is exactly my duty as an advance envoy, I need to inform your country in advance of the purpose of Fan Envoy's visit to Heianjing, so that your country can prepare in advance." ”

"Sir, please!"

Cheng Qing said unhurriedly: "This time, Fan Jingluo's visit to your country has two purposes, the first is to sign another agreement to hire Japanese laborers, and the number of people needed for the development of the Ryukyu Prefecture is about 25,000; The second is to open a second trade port between the Great Song Dynasty and Japan. ”

The former purpose Fujiwara Kyotsu was not very interested, and wage labor was something that interested the country in various places, and it didn't mean much to him, but the second purpose, the opening of a second trading port to lift his spirits, wasn't this exactly what he wanted?

"I don't know where Fan Yuanjun intends to open a second trade port?"

"This is where I want to negotiate with your country, but Fan Yuanjun personally prefers Chiba Prefecture in the lower general country, which is relatively close to Kunzhou, and has a good bay, a natural harbor, and a large plain."

Fujiwara Kyotsu pondered for a moment, the lower country is the territory of the Huanwu Taira clan, although the Taira family and the Genji family are mortal enemies, it is also a very strong family, and it is not easy to control itself, which is not good for the Fujiwara family.

"Has Fan Envoy Jun considered establishing a second trading port in Settsu?"

Fanning's proposed lower general country was present-day Tokyo, while the Fujiwara family's basic territory was in Settsu country, that is, Osaka, and Fujiwara Kyotsu certainly wanted this port to fall on the territory controlled by his family.

Cheng Qing smiled slightly: "This requires both sides to negotiate with sincerity!" ”

Fujiwara Kyoto immediately understood that it didn't matter to Fanning where the trade port was placed, what he wanted was the actual conditions.

........

Five days later, Fanning finally arrived in Heiankyo, which is today's Kyoto, where the sun had set, and in the twilight, the buildings of the black shadow pupils looked more like a sign of a declining era, old, old and lifeless.

In another ten years, the Fujiwara clan will completely decline, Japan's Heiankyo era will come to an end, the emperor will move the capital to Kamakura, the Kamakura period of Minamoto Yoritomo will begin, and Edo will rise, is it wise to visit Japan at this time?

However, Fan Ning knew in his heart that under his own intervention, Minamoto Yorito's expedition to Mutsu was defeated, and his strength was greatly damaged, and it was unknown whether he could defeat the Taira family, and even if he was finally defeated, the Kamakura era would be postponed.

Following Cheng Qing to the dock to greet Fan Ning was the left minister Fujiwara Shishi, Fujiwara Shishi is the son of Fujiwara Yoritsu and the heir of the Fujiwara family, he is about 30 years old, very shrewd and capable.

Fujiwara Kyodo is seventy-five years old, and his time is running out, and the person who really wants to deal with Fanning should be Fujiwara Shishi.

Fujiwara Shimi certainly knew what it meant to establish a trading port with the Great Song Dynasty in Heiankyo, which meant that Heiankyo would not only be the political center, but also the center of wealth for the Japanese state.

He attached great importance to Fanning's arrival, and Cheng Qing told him that Fanning could represent the Great Song Dynasty, which made Fujiwara Shishi even more afraid to slack off.

Fan Ning lived in the VIP mansion of Heianjing, at night, eight young and beautiful maids served Fan Ning to bathe and change clothes, and had dinner, Fan Ning waved his hand to let them retreat, Cheng Qing bowed and smiled: "The Fujiwara family has made a bloody investment to entertain the envoys, and the eight maids are all from the Fujiwara Mansion, and the most beautiful of them is the niece of Fujiwara Shishi, so that you can bring her back to the Great Song Dynasty." ”

Fan Ning smiled faintly: "It's okay to taste it occasionally, but if you accept her into the room, it will involve a political marriage, and I won't do this kind of thing." ”

Fan Ning didn't want to mention it, so he took a sip of tea and praised: "The tea here is good, it's actually Jingting, when did the third place tea of the Great Song Dynasty flow into Japan?" ”

Cheng Qing is a merchant family, he knows this aspect very well, he explained: "Japan has been popular in the Great Song Dynasty tea culture for decades, including the Great Song Dynasty tea cakes and tea sets, which are very popular in Japan, but there are very few famous teas like Jing Ting in Japan, only the Imperial Palace, most of the skulls on the market are relatively low-grade, but even if it is a skull, the price sold in the market is higher than that of Tokyo Jing Ting, which shows the thick profits." ”

"Can't you grow tea in Japan?"

"Japan has tea, but their tea is the same as in the Tang Dynasty, add a little ginger and shallots and salt to boil in a pot, and then drink it all, like we don't make tea cakes, and they worship Song tea, take pride in drinking Song tea, and despise local tea very much, so the middle households and above all drink Song tea, mainly sencha, and tea is only available to the wealthy."

Nodding, he asked again, "What does the Fujiwara family say about labor and trade?" ”

When it came to business, Cheng Qing hurriedly put away his idle smile, bowed down and said: "Qiyu Envoy, I have talked about Fujiwara Kyotsu and Fujiwara Shishi, and the attitudes of the two are slightly different. ”

"Tell me about it!"

"Their attitude towards trade is the same, even Fujiwara Kyotsu attaches more importance to it, he is looking forward to making Jun can put the second trade port in Dongcheng County of the Tsu country, that is, the place where the king went ashore, where the Tang Dynasty was the Japanese trading port, but after the rise of Nagasaki Port, it gradually declined, of course, the more important reason is the interests of the Fujiwara family, the country of Fujiwara is the traditional territory of the Fujiwara family, and the lower country is the territory of the Huanwu Taira clan, although the Taira clan and the Fujiwara clan are allies, but Fujiwara Kyotsu still does not want the fat water to flow out."

"What about Fujiwara Shishi's attitude?"

"Fujiwara Shimi is a little more concerned about the products imported into Japan than Fujiwara Kyotsu, he doesn't want Kunzhou's grain to be imported into Japan, which will lead to a sharp drop in food prices in Heiankyo and countless farmers going bankrupt, and other than that, everything else is easy to say, as for the trading port, he also wants to be placed in Dongcheng County in the province of Tsu."

"Trade is mutual, so what can Japan import into the Great Song Dynasty?"

Cheng Qing said with a smile: "Actually, I know very well that Japan is short of resources, but the production of silver is very high, or some seafood and handicrafts, such as lacquerware, bamboo, paper, folding fans, etc., and the price of other items is higher than that of the Great Song Dynasty, how can it compete?" ”

"What's in seafood?"

"Seafood is mainly dried fish, hawksbill turtles, pearls, corals, conch and the like, but they sell well in the Great Song Dynasty, but if you trade with the Great Song Dynasty, the silver imported into the Great Song Dynasty is definitely the big head, and the three items of tea cakes, porcelain and silk can sooner or later empty the silver of Japan."

"In that case, the Fujiwara family is still so keen on trade? I think it should be a matter of locking down the country and preventing the outflow of Japanese silver. ”

"This is where the interests of the Fujiwara family lie, the current Japanese emperor is not born to the daughter of the Fujiwara family, the Fujiwara clan was suppressed by the imperial family, and the rise of the samurai class, the Fujiwara family invested a lot of money in the port of Nagasaki, but in the end they could not hold the port, and was taken away by the source Yorito, the Fujiwara family suffered heavy losses, plus the withering power of the Fujiwara family, began to decline significantly, in order to revitalize the family and expand the financial resources, they could not take care of the interests of Japan for the time being, and the Japanese order system was numerous, and the local division was serious, and he Fujiwara did not want this port, then the Hengwu Ping clan of the general country will definitely welcome. ”

Fanning nodded, "Trade can be negotiated slowly, but I have to negotiate 25,000 laborers this time, what is the attitude of the other party?" ”

Cheng Qing smiled slightly: "Please rest assured, in fact, the workers don't have to talk to the Japanese court at all, and it will be better to negotiate with the various countries." ”

"Why?"

"Every country wants silver! Japanese silver is mainly produced in the mountains and northeast provinces, so what if other Tokaido and Nankai provinces need to buy materials from the Great Song Dynasty and do not have silver in their hands? They exchanged their land for silver from the laborers, plus gold dust in their hands, to satisfy their thirst for tea, porcelain, and silk. ”

Fanning finally understood that he could not build a port in Higashiseong-gun in the province of Satsu, but he still wanted to build a smaller port in Kamakura, which was the province of Shimo-Soku, and that the two major powers of Japan had to be balanced.

。 m.