Japan was in the third year of protection, and Zheng Zhilong sent Huang Zhengming to sail from Fuzhou to Japan. However, on the way, there was a storm, and the ships scattered, and some of them were blown back to the mainland, where they were captured by the Qing army. Huang Zhengming himself was also blocked at sea, so he had to reorganize his boats and re-send Chen Bisheng and Huang Zhenglan as envoys, and it is said that they arrived in Nagasaki in early September.

The envoy brought a total of eight letters from Zheng Zhilong, including two to Emperor Shokyo of Japan, three to the Shogun, and three to the King of Nagasaki (Nagasaki Minister). According to Hayashi Chun-sai's "Huayi Metamorphosis", the content of a letter to Emperor Shogyo is as follows (Zheng Zhilong's original letter has not been transmitted, it was written by Hayashi Chunzhai based on the recollection of his father Hayashi Luoshan when he attended the discussion of the shogunate meeting): "...... Attached to the pardon decree of Emperor Longwu (King of Tang), the matter of Peng Pu of Zhou and Uighur of Tang was introduced, with the intention of borrowing strong soldiers. Qianyun borrowed 5,000 soldiers, and now he wants more to defeat the enemy. "And brought many gifts, asking for strong reinforcements.

About the ...... Qianyun borrowed 5,000 ,...... troops", I plan to talk about it later. It is said that after receiving these letters, the shogunate discussed them repeatedly for several days, mainly with the old and middle schools as the center, and at that time, the so-called three families of "Owari and Kii's two great masters and Mito Naka's Nayan" also came to Edo and expressed their opinions. What appears to be an extremely significant event is to be treated with caution.

As a result, according to Hayashi Shintoshi's "Kanei Novel", the three royal families were all in favor of sending troops, "According to Yunwei Zhang, 'Of the three, I am the longest, and I should be appointed as the main general.'" 'I asked to come out. Naotaka Ii was the only one who objected, and he retorted that the opinion of the Gosan family had some truth and could be trusted, but ,...... As for the call for help, I don't think it will do any good, and it won't be of any benefit. As a result, everyone thought that Naotaka Ii was justified and canceled the dispatch of reinforcements. ”

However, according to the "Nanlong Gong Genealogy", "Lai Xuanqingyun: If the state sends reinforcements, if it is ineffective, it will not only be a shame for the state, but also a long-term enmity with foreign countries, which will become an eternal harm; ...... From this point of view, it was not Naotaka Ii who was opposed, but one of the three royal families, Tokugawa Yorinobu of Kii, and the situation was slightly different. Overall, however, there was a considerable amount of strong argument in favour, and those in favour seemed to be predominant. But in the end, it was probably prudent to win, and decided to wait and see for the time being. The reason for saying this is that although it is generally believed that although it was decided to refuse for the time being, in fact, as Ishihara Michihiro and others pointed out, they never completely gave up their intention to send troops.

Then he prepared to send Hino Neoribe, the lord of the castle in the Bungo Prefecture, and others to Nagasaki as envoys, and directly conveyed the shogunate's opinion to Zheng Zhilong's envoy. This was the news that Fuzhou, the stronghold of Tang Wang and Zheng Zhilong, had fallen, so everything was canceled. For example, in "Hosokawa Family Tree", it is said: "In this Ming rebellion, the first official of Hirado (Zheng Chenggong) begged for help, although Shuhan arrived, he could not respond." There are many questions in the book, but for the long-term plan of the Ming Dynasty and Japan, Shangyi can send an envoy to Nagasaki to inquire about the situation of an official envoy, and then convey his intentions. At this time, a letter arrived in Nagasaki on October 4, reporting the fall of Fuzhou. That's it, it's all out of reach. In accordance with the above, the above information may be reported to the relevant authorities in Edo and forwarded to you. Sincerely, I am afraid, and I am sincere in my words. This shows the specific situation at that time. This is a letter from Abe to Shimamoru and the other three old middle schools to Hosokawa Higo Mamoru. It can be seen from this that although the decision not to support was reluctantly made, a rather ambiguous attitude was adopted in consideration of the "long-term plan of the Ming Dynasty and Japan," and it can also be understood that the decision was made because of the report of the loss of Fuzhou and the feeling that "everything was beyond reach," so he abandoned all plans. Of course, the dispatch of the envoy was also cancelled.

As mentioned earlier, Zheng Zhilong surrendered to the Qing Dynasty later, but his son Zheng Chenggong still fought alone, supported the Ming Dynasty, and sent envoys to our country, asking for reinforcements (begging divisions) and materials (begging for money).

The first time was in the third year of Zheng Zhilong's envoy's arrival in Japan, that is, in the first year of Qing'an (1648), and the translation (Japanese) of his letter for help was included in the "Huayi Perversion". The letter said: "...... For the rest of his life, he lived in Japan, and his longing for Japan was especially deep. In this difficult time, I would like to ask Japan to treat Yu with the affection of uncles, nephews and brothers, and to extend favors. "The true love of lips and teeth connected by blood. Although the shogunate discussed it, it did not reply to the letter, and it seems that it was not accepted.

The second time was three years later in the fourth year of Qing'an (1651). Xu Nai's "Supplementary Examination of the Chronicle of Xiao Shy" said: "(Xinmao December) Ming Zhu Chenggong (Zheng Chenggong) took Zhangpu and sent an envoy to Japan. That's what I was referring to. According to the later text, this time it was Zheng Chenggong who, in order to supplement the shortage of materials, received supplies to Japan according to the advice of his staff officer Feng Chengshi, so as to supplement the shortage, and at the same time sold them to Luzon (the Philippines), Cochin (Vietnam), Thailand, etc., in order to obtain profits.

The article once wrote: "I have received the help of Japanese lead and copper. In addition, as Nakamura Kushiro and others complained, it is conceivable that Zheng Chenggong and others already had Japanese swords and Japanese-style armor in their army. From this point of view, it is entirely conceivable that some kind of assistance has been received from Japan all the time, even without formal assistance from the shogunate, and there will be some form of solidarity from the private sector.

The third time was in June of the first year of Wancha (1658), when he sent an envoy carrying a crew of 147 people into Nagasaki, bringing letters and various items. At the beginning of the letter, it was written "Under the command of the Japanese general", and the original text was included in "Huayi Metamorphosis". However, the shogunate "did not have time to reply" and ignored it.

The fourth time was in July of the third year of Wanzhi (1660), and he ordered his subordinate Zhang Guangqi to borrow troops from Japan. "Records of Experiences at Sea" wrote: "Ordered the military officer Zhang Guangqi to borrow troops from the Japanese State. "That's what I mean this time. Shen Yun's "The Beginning and End of the Zheng Family in Taiwan" also has a record of roughly the same content, about the results of this time, he wrote: "The Japanese general did not send troops, but helped Tongxi (copper cannons), deer guns, and Japanese swords to prepare. "Probably the beggar thing didn't work out, but the beggar thing achieved some results.

Zheng Chenggong asked for help four times. But in the third year of the last beggar teacher, he died in the land of the South China Sea. Inheriting his legacy was Zheng Jing.

Zheng Jing also had a begging for money. The time was in the third year of Kuanwen (the second year of Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty) (1663).

The process of begging this time is like this: Zheng Chenggong's brother and Zheng Jing's uncle Zheng Tai originally had two hearts, and after Zheng Jing found out, he ordered him to commit suicide. At that time, it was discovered from his relics that Zheng Tai had deposited a large amount of silver coins obtained from trade with Japan in Nagasaki. Therefore, in order to obtain this money as "funds for the restoration of the rebels", a letter was sent to the Nagasaki Commission.

As a result, most of the money had been taken away by Zheng Tai's grandson Zheng Kuishe and Zheng Tai's nephew Zheng Zhishe, who had fallen to the Qing Dynasty, and it seems that Zheng Jing's intentions were largely unfulfilled. However, the kind of activities that Zheng Jing carried out against Japan can be regarded as begging in a broad sense.

Other beggars of the late Ming Dynasty

The above is the process of the Zheng family's request for reinforcements from Japan, and there are dozens of other beggars of the Ming Dynasty, the main ones listed as follows:

For the first time

December of the second year of Zhengbao (the second year of Shunzhi of the Qing Dynasty) (1645).

Cui Zhi, the governor of the Tang Dynasty, sent Lin Gao as an envoy to Japan and asked to send 3,000 troops. (Zheng Zhilong said in the letter: "...... Qianyun borrowed 5,000 troops...... "It is generally believed that this refers to Cui Zhi's request to send troops. For this loan, the shogunate instructed Nagasaki to say, "...... Although Lin Gao came to make a statement this time, he was in a hurry and had no intention of being satisfied. This intention can be informed, so that Lin Gao can return to China as soon as possible. ”

On the surface, the reply was a refusal, but it was said that he was secretly preparing for the army. However, the Kyoto office representative Itakura Shigemune once revealed the plan to his nephew Itakura Shigeki, and recorded the contents of the plan in great detail, deciding to send "one chief general and ten deputy generals", and "Zhixing 10,000 stone to levy one cavalry and three to five infantrymen". From this, it is quite clear what is going on.

second

In the winter of the same year.

Zhou Hezhi, the governor of the naval army in the pirate birthplace, asked the Shimazu clan, the lord of the Satsuma domain, who had old friends with him, to send reinforcements. It is said that the Satsuma clan promised to borrow 30,000 troops for April of the following year. (In addition, some people think that Cui Zhi, who sent a helper for the first time, and this Zhou Hezhi are different names, and some people recognize that they are different names.) ）

The third time

March of the third year of Zhengbao (the third year of Shunzhi) (1664).

According to the agreement with the Satsuma clan the previous year, Zhou Hezhi was ready to send a staff officer Lin Saiwu to put the plan into practice. However, the opposition of the adjutant general Huang Binqing was found, and it is said that it could not be realized.

Fourth

In September of the same year.

(That is, the beggar of Zheng Zhilong mentioned above.) ）

Fifth

February of the 4th year of Zhengbao (4th year of Shunzhi) (1647).

Zhou Hezhi was opposed by Huang Binqing, and once gave up the idea of begging for Satsuma, and this time asked for reinforcements. However, at this time, Fuzhou had already fallen, and the Tang Dynasty had also been arrested, although there was a "father-son righteousness" between the Satsuma clan and Zhou Hezhi, but his will to save Ming had weakened, so it was over.

Sixth

In March of the same year.

It seems that Zhou Hezhi is the most enthusiastic to the Japanese beggars. His righteous son Lin Gao was an envoy, and he accompanied King Anchang to beg for advice from Japan again in this year. But it is said that he could not get the essentials and returned it.

Seventh

In June of the same year.

King Anchang went to Japan as a sixth envoy for help. This time, he borrowed the imperial history Feng Jingdi and Huang Binqing's younger brother Huang Xiaoqing to come to Japan to beg for a teacher. But it is said that Huang Xiaoqing indulged in the prostitutes of Nagasaki and forgot the meaning of the beggar in his mind. It can be seen from this that the remnants of the Ming Dynasty also began to sprout the sprouts of decadence.

The eighth

The first year of Qing'an (the fifth year of Shunzhi) (1648).

(i.e., the above-mentioned beggar of Zheng Chenggong.) ）

Ninth time

October of the second year of Qing'an (the sixth year of Shunzhi) (1649).

Feng Jingdi and Huang Zongxi went to Japan to beg. Judging from the "History of Haidongyi", the account of the sixth ("The Chronicle of the Japanese Beggar") and the account of the seventh ("The History of Haidongyi") are all recorded as "returning without the essentials", probably basically not accepted, and went back in a daze.

The tenth

In the winter of the same year.

It is said that Yu Tu, who served as the king of the Zhoushan Islands, came to Japan in the south. Wang Guangfu's "Continuation of the Ming Season" only made such a record, and the details are unknown. But it is conceivable that it is also for the beggar.

Eleventh

In November of the same year. General Nguyen Mai, who served in King Lu's office, went to Japan to beg for a teacher. But there are * monks behind it, indicating that the situation of the beggar is coming to an end.

Twelfth

June of the first year of Wanzhi (15th year of Shunzhi) (1658).

(i.e., the above-mentioned beggar of Zheng Chenggong.) It was the second beggar for him. ）

Thirteenth

Same.

Zheng Tai's request for help. At the end of the record of the "Zheng Jing Cheng Nagasaki Shoshiki", the "Outer Domain Tongshu" contains a note from Kondo Shoushige: "Zheng Tai asked for help from Japan in the thirteenth year of Yongli (the year of King Yongming of the Ming Dynasty) (the fifteenth year of Shunzhi of the Qing Dynasty). But according to the sentence is only one line, I don't know if it is true.

Fourteenth

In the second year of Wanzhi (the sixteenth year of Shunzhi) (1659).

Zhu Shunshui beggar, Zhu Shunshui later received attention as a guest of the Mito Domain, and finally took Japan as the place where he was buried. He had been to Japan many times, so it was difficult to determine the age of his beggar plan. Now, according to Kushiro Nakamura, the last time he went to Japan (that is, the last time he did not return to Japan) is regarded as the age of a beggar, so it is the second year of Manji.

Fifteenth

July of the third year of Wanzhi (1660).

(The above-mentioned Zheng Chenggong's general Zhang Guangqi's borrowed troops.) ）

Sixteenth

In July of the third year of Zhenxiang (the twenty-fifth year of Kangxi) (1686).

At this time, the rebellion of the three feudatories had been quelled, the Zheng family occupying Taiwan had surrendered, and the foundation of the Qing Dynasty had been very consolidated. However, there was still a Ming man named Zhang Fei who came to Nagasaki and claimed: "Wen Mito is very moral, and he came here to seek recovery in order to get his help." "At this time, there are still people who are reluctant to revive the Ming family, which is indeed shocking. This is the last beggar I can know