Chapter 2726
From this failed mission, it is not difficult for Zhu Zian to discover that the purpose of Haihan's mission to Japan is not just to seek cooperation. If a suitable opportunity is found, it is also one of the mission's tasks to create some internal troubles for Japan. .
Although the methods used in Japan are different, the principle is actually similar to what Haihan did in North Korea. It is also necessary to support a force in the country that can oppose those in power in order to weaken its national power.
Compared with using military strikes or trade sanctions to provoke internal strife and artificially create a political state of division and opposition, it is obviously more clever and more effective in the long run. It's just that Zhu Zian's illness came suddenly, which directly affected the mission's planned plan, and had to give up the plan temporarily.
Zhu Zian said with regret: "This disease came at a really bad time. It delayed a big event! I missed the opportunity this time. I wonder if there will be another chance in the future."
Shi Chengwu was very open-minded: "It doesn't matter. If it doesn't work this time, we can look for another opportunity and try it slowly. Besides, the people we can contact are actually not just the royal family. There are many people who want to be the shogun." Very!”
The shogunate regime, which was independent of the imperial family, seemed to control the overall situation of the country, but the area it actually controlled was only about a quarter of the country. Most of the remaining areas were ruled by the daimyo of various local vassals, and of course there were also some among the princes. There is no shortage of ambitious people. As long as they have enough strength, they can replace the Tokugawa Shogunate in power.
Of course, if we only rely on the accumulated strength of these feudal daimyo, it will be difficult to confront the Tokugawa shogunate that is already in power. However, if we can get help from the outside, especially the support from the military power Kaihan, then the direction of the situation may be It will be different.
The situation mentioned by Shi Chengwu reminded Zhu Zian of the situation in the Ming Dynasty a few years ago. Haihan used similar methods at the beginning to bribe officials and support local forces in various places along the Ming Dynasty, especially in the areas south of the Yangtze River. This also caused the few areas of the Ming Dynasty that were not affected by natural disasters and man-made disasters to fall under Haihan's control early on.
Although Zhu Zian is in Shandong, he has heard a lot of news in this regard through various channels. It's just that most of the information I knew before came from hearsay, but now I can finally see with my own eyes how Haihan uses such methods to divide other countries, and I can finally see the whole story.
Zhu Zian couldn't help but think that Haihan's plan for Japan was not the first of the mission, and might have been carried out secretly. Thousands of Haihan troops are stationed at the Nasasebo base all year round, probably not just to guard the area at the western end of Japan. Zhu Zian vaguely remembered seeing some people dressed as Japanese samurai in the Sasebo base. Maybe they were special personnel receiving secret training locally.
Similar practices are not uncommon in the Haihan Army. When the mission stayed at the Dinghaigang Naval Base in Zhoushan before departure, Zhu Zian had met military cadets from Korea and Annan there. If you want to secretly train military personnel for some Japanese daimyo, it shouldn't be difficult to do so.
However, Zhu Zian knew that this kind of matter involved military secrets. If he took the initiative to inquire, he would be a little taboo, so after listening to Shi Chengwu's story, he did not continue to inquire.
In the original schedule of the mission, they would also visit the Owari Domain in Ise Bay on the way. This area is the largest coastal plain area between Osaka and Edo, and its administrative seat was the famous Nagoya Castle in later generations. It has excellent shipping conditions. The Owari Tokugawa family that ruled the Owari domain was a branch of the Tokugawa family, known as one of the three imperial families. In the trade treaty signed between Haihan and Japan, Nagoya was also one of the places that opened trade rights to Haihan. However, because the mission spent too much time on the previous itinerary, the expected visit to Edo was already several days late. The mission decided to skip the Nagoya stop for the time being and go directly to Edo, and make arrangements based on the situation on the return trip. visit.
When the fleet sailed through the Izu Peninsula, heavy snow fell in the sky. Counting the days, it was the day of the winter solstice. Shi Chengwu issued an order for all ships in the fleet to prepare warm clothes and quilts and eat hot ginger soup to avoid illnesses caused by cold weather as much as possible.
On the Zhoushan, the officials of the mission, led by Shi Chengwu, came to the deck to sweep away ice and snow to set an example for the officers and soldiers on the ship.
Zhu Zian was born in the north, so he was no stranger to heavy snowfalls, but he rarely shoveled snow himself. However, seeing that the others were working enthusiastically, I didn't dare to be lazy at the moment. I followed suit and took a shovel to shovel the piles of snow on the deck into the sea. But because of the rawness of my hands, the movements can't help but look a bit clumsy.
At this time, Zhu Zian's clothes were changed into the winter clothes issued by Haihan Army officers, and a cotton hat with ear protection on his head covered his bun tightly. No one would have thought that this man was actually the real deal. of the Ming Dynasty nobles.
Tao Hongfang and others have grown up in the south since childhood. In the past, their understanding of snow was limited to written words and verbal descriptions from their elders. This was the first time they really saw heavy snow, and they were quite excited.
The only person who is worried is probably Wang Anguo. If the trip had not been delayed along the way, the fleet he led should have embarked on the return journey to North America more than ten days ago. By this time, it had already left Japan thousands of miles away. It should have Just avoid this heavy snow. But at this time, he had to worry about how long the snow would last, how large the coverage would be, and how much trouble it would bring to the immigration fleet he led.
You must know that these immigrants are not as well-trained as the army. They are old and young, and their reasons for wanting to immigrate to the other side of the ocean are different. Once they encounter a difficult situation on the way, it is difficult for these people to command them like the army. It may even become a burden that slows down your trip.
Therefore, Wang Anguo was particularly careful when arranging the itinerary of immigrants, trying not to make these immigrants too tired. During the fleet's visit to North Korea, the immigrants were temporarily accommodated at Seogwipo Port on Jeju Island and later transferred to the Sasebo base. While the mission was traveling here and there, the immigrants lived a relatively stable life.
The reason why immigrants are given such good treatment is that they hope to adjust the immigrants' physical and psychological conditions to the best before starting the long transoceanic voyage, so as to reduce various conditions that may occur during the journey.
Edo is the last supply point. After leaving here, even if the journey goes well, it will take twenty or thirty days to reach the next supply point, Honolulu Island.
(End of chapter)