The Matsuura clan, the guardian daimyo of the Hirado region, showed an extremely friendly attitude towards the Ming mission led by Cao Guogong.

If you don't take into account the pirate ships that are fully loaded in the port of Hirado.

Li Jinglong's trip to Japan has been smooth so far.

Whether it is the Matsuura clan or the Ouchi clan, or the Otomo clan and the Kono clan, these hedgehogs gathered in western Japan and are not the guardians of the Muromachi shogunate lineage, all of them respectfully send the Ming mission out of the country.

And the Matsuura clan had already sent an envoy to inform Emperor Go-Komatsu in Kyoto, the general of Seiyi in Muromachi, Kyoto, and the real ruler of Japan, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu in Kyoto's Mannenyama Shogun-ji Temple.

Well, now Ashikaga Yoshimitsu generally asks others to call him by his Dharma name "Tenzan Doyoshi".

Xiangguoji Temple, Luyuan Temple.

The flowers on the other side of the mountains form a beautiful sea of flowers, and the Manzhu Sahua is reflected in a shocking red, which is quite enchanting and moving.

At this time, it is the early autumn season, but there are still flowers and fragrances here.

"Amitabha."

"Presiding."

Ashikaga Yoshimitsu walks side by side with a handsome middle-aged monk dressed in an earthy yellow robe.

Ashikaga Yoshimitsu's steps were calm and his expression was indifferent.

He stopped: "Host, I want to ask you something?" ”

The middle-aged monk also stopped and looked back at him, his eyes clear and clear.

This middle-aged monk is the presiding officer of Kyoto's Xiangguo Temple, which is called "Ancient Sword Miaokuai", although he does not look old, but in fact he is in his fifties, and he has traveled to the famous mountain temple of the Ming Dynasty to participate in Zen, and now he is the most exquisite person in Japanese Buddhism.

During the Kamakura Shogunate, Zen Buddhism, which was introduced from China, was enthusiastically sought after by the shoguns and samurai from the top to the lower ranks because of the spirit of advocacy, the taste of pursuit, and the simplicity of its practice, and its influence soon spread to the common people.

During the Muromachi Shogunate, Buddhism also went from its peak to decline due to the social turmoil caused by the long-term confrontation between the North and the South.

After the death of their founders, the Pure Land sect and the Nichiren sect gradually split into many factions due to ideological orthodoxy, but they were still supported by many peasant believers.

During this period, the most admired were the Dream Window National Teacher and the Great Lamp National Teacher who established the status of "Five Mountains Literature".

Well, the National Master of Dream Window is the master of this ancient sword.

Dream window Shushi as a Japanese Rinzai sect monk in his life does not seek fame and fortune, does not enter the power gate, intensively studies Buddhism, and promotes Zen style, has been given the title of the Seven Great Masters by the Japanese Emperor, called "the emperor of the Seven Dynasties", and the ancient sword Miaokuai is his proud protégé.

"What Your Excellency wants to ask, is it about the Ming Mission?" Gu Jian asked quickly.

Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, who was already old and unshaped, coughed and nodded.

This old man, who ended the era of the Northern and Southern Dynasties in Japan with his own hands, was full of undisguised worry in his eyes.

Ashikaga Yoshimitsu pursed his lips and thought for a long time before asking, "You have traveled to the Ming Kingdom for many years, and in Japan, you are the person who knows the Ming Kingdom best. The messenger of the Matsuura clan did not find out anything, and the envoy of the Ming Kingdom was very tight-mouthed. ”

Gu Jian pondered for a moment and said, "What Your Excellency is worried about should have happened. ”

"The new emperor of the Ming Kingdom was a tyrannical and murderous vassal king, who relied on force to kill the king and seize the throne. This kind of person, like those who won the battle for the Great Khan in the first place, is full of ambition in his heart. ”

"Within the Ming Kingdom, he has no opponents, so it is very likely that he has set his sights on our Japan, just like Yuan Kou."

"When I traveled to the Ming Kingdom, I once became acquainted with a high monk named 'Dao Yan' in the Ming Kingdom, and he was the advisor of the vassal king. Like the role I played for you. This person is also vicious and ruthless, and it is very likely that he suggested that the new emperor of the Ming Kingdom expand into our Japan. ”

The Daoyan people sat in the temple, and the pot came from the sky.

After listening to Gu Jian's wonderful words, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu's face was a little ugly.

"Could it be. Could it be that the Ming Kingdom really wants to destroy our Japan? ”

"Your Excellency, this is just my guess." Gu Jianmiao said slowly, "Compared with the Ming Kingdom, our Japan is just a small land, and the Ming Kingdom is far superior to us in terms of territory and population, and it is an extremely large country. ”

"But this country is not quite the same as the Yuan Kou, as a country established by the Han expelling the Yuan Kou, in dealing with external affairs, the most particular Confucian Huayi debate, generally speaking, in the traditional concept of the Ming people, the use of troops against the surrounding 'four Yi' for no reason is a violation of the rules of heaven, is a bad act against the mandate of heaven."

"But that doesn't preclude the worst-case scenario." Gu Jian Miao quickly asked rhetorically: "Your Excellency, if the Ming Kingdom is like Yuankou and our Japan, where will they use their troops?" ”

Ashikaga Yoshimitsu narrowed his eyes and said slowly, "Of course, it's the southwest coastal area. ”

"What should we do if the Ming Kingdom sends troops to our hinterland?" Gu Jian Miao quickly asked.

Ashikaga Yoshimitsu leaned over and said slowly.

"Then let them come."

He paused, and then said, "But no matter what, we must first find out the intention of this Ming mission." ”

"Your Excellency, are you afraid?"

Ashikaga Yoshimitsu showed his dry palms covered with age spots under his robe, and he was still shaking habitually just now, but he was still steadily.

Ashikaga Yoshimitsu squatted down and picked up a manju sawa.

"We have tens of millions of people in Japan, dozens of guardian daimyo, hundreds of castles, each with garrison troops, and every village with troops to be called upon."

"And with our strong walls, and our swords, spears, and horses, and our armour."

"Under such circumstances, what can a mere Ming Kingdom mission do? How could I be afraid? All I'm worried about is the new emperor of the Ming Kingdom. ”

Ashikaga Yoshimitsu spoke eloquently, and his tone was sonorous and powerful.

Gu Jian said quickly: "The only news we know is that this Ming State mission is of a very high standard, and it is led by Cao Guogong, who has a position below one person in the Ming Kingdom. ”

"Cao Guogong?"

Ashikaga Yoshimitsu frowned slightly.

Gu Jian Miaokuai explained: "Yes, this is the Gaomen inherited from the third-ranked founding duke of the Ming Kingdom, and this generation of Cao Guogong, when we sent an embassy to the Ming Kingdom the year before last, was once the 'great general' of Emperor Jianwen, which is the highest official position that a military general can obtain in Chinese history. At that time, Emperor Jianwen personally pushed the wheels of the Cao Guogong chariot to send him on the expedition, which was also a certain supreme ceremony inherited from China. ”

Ashikaga Yoshimitsu asked a little puzzled: "Since this Cao Guogong is a general appointed by Emperor Jianwen, why is he now sending an envoy on behalf of the new emperor?" ”

"I once heard 'Daoyan' say a few words, which can be regarded as a rumor."

"When the new emperor was the vassal king, several great generals who had followed the Ming State to the north to expel the Yuan Kou, and he had high prestige and deep connections in the military circles of the Ming State."

"And the monks who sent an envoy to the Ming State a few years ago also told me that Emperor Jianwen did not have this unique advantage at all, on the contrary, he overly favored the Wenchens and changed the strategy of the founding emperor of the Ming State to reuse the ministers, which aroused the disgust of the Ming Founding Ministers group headed by Cao Guogong."

"So I speculate that this Duke of Cao and the founding ministers of the Ming State did not have enough determination and will to fight when facing the new emperor on the battlefield."

"The new emperor won the victory in this civil war, and after finally completing the murder of the emperor and ascending the throne, he rewarded Cao Guogong heavily, gave him the title of the head of a hundred officials, and sent him to Japan with honor."

Ashikaga Yoshimitsu heard this, and his originally gloomy eyes rejuvenated.

He took a deep breath and said solemnly: "Fortunately, there is the abbot Ming Guotong, thank you for the abbot's guidance, I think I have understood how to treat this Cao Guogong." ”

"What do you mean?" Gu Jian asked quickly.

Ashikaga Yoshimitsu fell into a short thought, he is already a dying man, although in appearance and temperament, he has long lost the majestic and strategic appearance of the past, but this Japanese generation of heroes, still has his own unique determination.

"I think it is still necessary to wait and see what happens, Cao Guogong, as the official envoy of the Ming Kingdom, since he dares to take the risk to come, he must have something to rely on, otherwise he will definitely not be so reckless."

"If what I expected is right, the Ming Kingdom must have been fully prepared, otherwise how could such a noble person be sent to death?"

Gu Jian Miaokuai's face was solemn: "What do you mean?" ”

"Since the Ming people do not advocate taking the initiative to use troops against the surrounding countries in the Chinese tradition, then they must be looking for an excuse to make them 'famous'!"

"The Ming Kingdom may be waiting for us to take the initiative to be disadvantageous or disrespectful to the mission, so as to settle down as a reason to conquer us!"

"Therefore, we must treat Cao Guogong's mission carefully and respectfully, and we must not give the Ming people a handle!"

When Gu Jian Miao heard this, he also had a look of sudden realization.

This must be a conspiracy of the Ming people!

We must not be fooled!

Consciously thinking about all this, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu said.

"Please go to the temple to rest first, I still want to enjoy the sea of flowers for a while, and after sunset, I will come to visit the abbot."

Gu Jian Miao bowed his head quickly and turned to leave.

Ashikaga Yoshimitsu stood in place, staring at his back silently until he completely disappeared from sight, and then sighed slowly.

For the sake of the survival of the shogunate, Japan, which had just ended the war between the North and the South and was battered, must not rashly start a war with the Ming Dynasty.

Gu Jianmiao was walking on the tree-lined path paved with blue bricks, and suddenly saw a young girl standing in front of him.

She was wearing a plain kimono, with a slender figure, skin better than snow, and a quiet and gentle temperament between her eyebrows, looking at him silently.

"Prince Taikonai ('Prince Nai' is the title of the princess of the Japanese imperial family)."

The ancient sword is wonderful and fast, and it is a gift.

"Abbot, you're so polite, I'm not a prince anymore, just call my current name, Snow Dance Sakura." The woman called softly.

Ashikaga Yoshimitsu raised his head and looked at the beautiful face in front of him, and couldn't help but be stunned for a moment.

The girl in front of her is about 14 years old, with a delicate and refined appearance, and a strand of black hair on each cheek hangs down her ears, which looks particularly playful and smart.

Her facial features are extremely exquisite, like a work of art carved by the heavens.

Especially those watery eyes, like two bright stars, people can't take their eyes off.

She was the first concubine of Emperor Kameyama after the Southern Dynasty and one of the theoretical heirs to the position of Emperor of Japan.

Why is it that the Northern and Southern Dynasties of Japan have been unified, and the concubine of the Emperor of the Southern Dynasty is still eligible to inherit the position of Emperor?

This is because when the three artifacts were moved from the Daikakuji Temple of the Southern Dynasty to the inside of the Tsuchigomon Gate, where Emperor Komatsu lived after the Northern Dynasty, the two sides made an agreement, which is the "Meitoku Peace Treaty".

The "Mingde Peace Treaty" clearly stipulates that the throne of the Japanese emperor is a system of overlapping unifications, that is, the Southern Dynasty Daikakuji system and the Northern Dynasty system will inherit the throne alternately.

According to the agreement, the next emperor will be succeeded by the Daikakuji lineage of the Southern Dynasty.

Therefore, if none of the princes can inherit the throne, then she will become the seventh female emperor in the history of Japan, as the first princess.

"Abbot."

As soon as the other party spoke, Gu Jian Miaokuai said directly.

"I know what you mean. You want to leave Japan, a place of right and wrong, and you've already told them? This means that you are giving up your identity. ”

The girl bowed slightly.

Gu Jian Miaoku sighed quickly, the shogun would not let the Southern Dynasty Daikakuji Tong become the emperor again, this is almost a certainty, the other party continues to stay in Japan, it is indeed embarrassing.

"When the Ming delegation arrives in Kyoto, I will convey your meaning to the envoy of the Ming Kingdom, and when the time comes, I will also repair a letter and bring it to my deceased, the 'Daoyan' master of the Ming Kingdom. He is a very powerful monk in the Ming Kingdom, and maybe he can help you find a good place to settle. ”

Another new pot will be thrown from the other side of the ocean to Dao Yan's head.

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(End of chapter)