On the third day of April, the Japanese delegation had just stayed at Honglu Temple and had not even warmed up the bed, but they received a notice from officials of Honglu Temple to hold diplomatic talks between the two countries.

The matter came too suddenly. The Japanese envoy was worried that the Ming Dynasty would refuse. He ignored the time and ran to give gifts early in the morning, trying to get through the upper and lower levels.

As expected, the Ming Dynasty officials did not accept gifts, but said that they would charge 10% more on the basis of the price of weapons.

Being able to negotiate prices means that this matter can be accomplished, and the Japanese delegation is excited.

The negotiations on the arms deal were simpler than they thought. The Ming Dynasty was very happy and the Japanese delegation was even happier.

In this way, the first arms deal in Chinese history was quickly negotiated, and both sides were very happy. The emperor's special envoy returned to Japan happily, waiting for the promotion.

Because before leaving, the Ming Dynasty’s Honglu Temple Minister Mao Taifu held his hand politely and said bluntly that no matter how much arms Kyoto wants, the Ming Dynasty will provide as long as the money is in place, it will be enough!

A few days later, Emperor Shaoren's heartfelt laughter came from the Imperial Palace of Kyoto. He had equipment in hand, and he had the confidence to unify Japan again raised another class.

As the first time I received an order, the Ming Dynasty shipped the goods very quickly. In less than a month, several ships of equipment arrived at the Osaka Pier.

Then, Emperor Shaoren held a dividend meeting, and the Nagato family, as the leader of the anti-scene alliance, were assigned 4,000 muskets and fifty guns;

The Izumo vassals were allocated to the various vassals. The three major vassals in the inverted camp of Ishimi were divided into three thousand muskets and thirty cannons, and the other muskets and cannons were divided into several other small vassals.

After obtaining this batch of arms, the Anti-State Alliance was very calm and its momentum rose sharply, and the leadership team led by the Emperor became even stronger.

Although Shao Ren was young, he was quite scheming. He used this arms deal to constantly promote and advocate that the Ming Dynasty was the protective umbrella of Kyoto, which put pressure on the Tokugawa shogunate.

However, what he didn't expect was that it was this batch of arms that accelerated the pace of showdown between the two sides.

Edo Castle, the palace of the General of the Conquering Yi.

In the spacious study, the shogunate master Tadao Sakai and the general Tokugawa Izuku, kneeling down to each other.

Tadao Sakai is 68 years old this year and has a beard. Tokugawa Izunobu opposite him is only fourteen years old. The two just sit there like this, immersing the study in a suffocating tranquility.

After a while, Tadao Sakai slowly stood up and looked out the window with a tired look.

In the courtyard outside the window, there are several cherry blossom trees in an orderly position. It is the season when cherry blossoms are in full bloom. The pink petals slowly shake with the wind, and the fragrance gently spreads over the courtyard with the breeze, making people feel refreshed.

Tadaoka Sakai sighed lightly. The situation is difficult now. The batch of arms purchased by the Emperor from the Ming Dynasty, which was already fragile, was even more in danger.

This incident stimulated the shogunate a lot and caused an uproar within it. The hardliners advocated launching a fierce attack on Kyoto first and not allowing the Emperor's anti-shog alliance to grow.

Of course, Tadaoka Sakai is the representative of the hardliners, while Tadaoqiu Abe and others advocate appeasement.

The Appeasement faction believed that the Emperor had the support of the Ming Dynasty. If the Emperor was forcibly sent troops to abolish the Emperor, the Ming Dynasty would definitely be unhappy. If the troops were sent to fight, wouldn't the shogunate be done?

The old middle-aged Tadao Abe suggested that the shogunate should take the initiative to contact the Ming Dynasty. Whether it is licking or sending it thousands of miles away, it would be much easier to make the Ming Dynasty comfortable first and make it his own.

The two sides are incompatible, and the situation has developed to this point, and the shogunate is about to be split. Tadao Sakai, the eldest son of the shogunate, is very troubled.

Tadao Sakai turned his head and saw Tokugawa's family still kneeling there respectfully, lowering his head and silent.

A few years ago, it was hard for him to imagine that the high-ranking general of the Tokugawa Shogunate would serve him so respectfully.

But now this great general of the Conquering the Wild is more like a mascot and has no use.

The child Tokugawa Yasuto is not good at brains and is mentally retarded.

His learning ability is extremely poor, his ability to adapt to life is also discounted, his communication ability is even worse, and he is stupid when speaking.

Just now Tadao Sakai asked him: "Master, are you willing to enter Kyoto and live in the Imperial Palace?"

As a result, Tokugawa Family Tsuna thought for a long time and replied: "If I go to the Imperial Palace, where will the Emperor and the others live? What should I do with my General Seiyi's Mansion?"

When encountering such a mentally retarded, Tadao Sakai really didn't know how to answer.

Fourteen years old! The emperor next door to the Ming Dynasty was still the crown prince when he was fourteen years old. He had already brought up his own team, politics, power, military, economics, and other people's methods to perfection.

Look at this person, he is inferior to the children of ordinary families and cannot be carried at all!

As a powerful minister, it should be a good thing to encounter such a master.

However, in the current crisis of the shogunate, without the prestige of the general of the siege, chaos is easy to occur within, and all the burden will be on him, the big boss.

At this time, the old middle-aged and Tadao Abe came. The two looked at each other and were about to argue again.

Tadao Abe asked Tadao Sakai to change his position and take the initiative to contact the Ming Dynasty to strengthen trade and cultural exchanges. Even if he opened a few more places, he would gain the favor of the Ming Dynasty in order to introduce their firearms and enhance the strength of the shogunate.

Upon hearing this, Tadao Sakai was immediately displeased and scolded sternly: "Abe Tadaki, you do this, and you will definitely put Japan in a desperate situation!"

Tadao Sakai specialized in studying China and found that this ancient country had a brilliant history of expansion.

For thousands of years, their territory has continued to expand from the narrow areas of the Yellow River Basin to the east, west, south and north. The Eastern Yi, Northern Di, Southern Barbarians and Western Rong gradually surrendered to him, thus forming a great country with a radius of thousands of kilometers.

During the expansion process, their weapon is not only swords, but also something even more terrifying, culture!

Chinese people have always paid attention to civil governance. In their way of thinking, culture is a force that is above everything else and is also the most effective means to govern the country and pacify the world.

Culture is like flowing water, weak and clear, and anyone can easily deform water.

However, water is invincible and invincible!

Today, Japan is still influenced by Chinese culture inherited from the Tang Dynasty.

Tadao Sakai also learned that a scholar named Zhu Zhiyu came from the Ming Dynasty a few years ago and taught in the Mito family. His knowledge and virtues were immediately treated and respected by Japanese government and opposition officials.

The Mito family's prince Tokugawa Mitsukoku actually held the disciple ceremony and hired the Ming people named Zhu to give lectures in Edo, and many Japanese scholars came to study.

Tokugawa Iemitsu didn't understand what kind of ecstasy that Ming scholar had given those vassal lords, which attracted many people to attend classes and were willing to act as disciples. Even their subordinates regarded Zhu Zhiyu as their teacher.

There are also some vassal lords who introduced their friends to the disciples of Ming scholars like pyramid schemes.

Tadaoka Sakai couldn't help but sigh secretly. China's ancient culture had already penetrated into Japan's bloodline. Is Japan really an opponent of the Ming Dynasty?

Looking at the beautiful and beautiful Abe Tadaki, who was in front of him, the old master of the shogunate family, the lord of the territorial vassal, and the daimyo of 60,000 shi. Such a great figure in the second-in-command of the shogunate family, was willing to be a dog of the Ming Dynasty!

Tadaosaki Sakai was disappointed and said with a flash of inspiration, "Abe Tadao Aki, let's do this. You will go to Mingguo on behalf of the shogunate and tell them your ideas to see if it can be exchanged for arms trade."

His meaning is very simple. You have to do something like treason in the country.

Tadao Abe looked at him suspiciously, thinking to himself that you are an old guy, don’t you want to use me to waste me while I go abroad, right?

Then he thought about it carefully and gave up the idea. After all, he was also a 60,000-shi Daming with military power, which was equivalent to ten ordinary Daming. Tadaoka Sakai knew a little, but he would not take the risk and act seriously with him.

Tadao Abe said: "Okay, let me go to Mingguo, but within a month, you cannot act rashly and send troops to Kyoto privately."

Tadaoka Sakai smiled slightly and said, "Don't worry, you, Tadao Abe, is the mainstay of the shogunate, and I will not destroy you."

After the two sides agreed, they started to work their own work, without considering the general Tokugawa family treason next to them.
Chapter completed!