Chapter 193: Victory!

"Reporting to Your Highness, the preliminary plan is 30,000 strings of cash." When Zhao Mao said this, he held his head high and chest out, as if he was very proud, which made Zhu Chong unable to help but roll his eyes at him for free.

The tribute was 10,000 strings of cash, and the Ming Dynasty gave a return gift of 30,000 strings of cash. This is simply taking advantage of the Ming Dynasty!

Zhu Chong finally understood why the Ming Dynasty had so many vassal states. They all regarded themselves as poor relatives of the Ming Dynasty and came to extort money under the name of tribute!

Just like the Goryeo Kingdom in front of us, it paid tribute more than once a year. It is said that the year he was exiled to Yunnan, he came to the Ming Dynasty to pay tribute more than five times in the entire year!

What a concept! Even if the value of their tribute each time is not high, they can still be fleeced like this!

How dare you all be so embarrassed? Does the Ming Dynasty need vassal states like you? Zhu Chong looked at the envoys from the vassal states with disdain, but to his surprise, none of these envoys felt embarrassed.

"So that's how it is." Seeing them all acting like this, Zhu Chong simply stopped pretending, "Then it seems I'll have to re-determine the amount of the return gift!"

Hearing Zhu Chong's words, the envoys and officials from the Ministry of Rites were immediately shocked. The Korean envoy blurted out, "Your Highness, Prince Qin, what do you mean by this?"

"That's pointless!" Zhu Chong snorted coldly, "You, the Goryeo Kingdom, are using 10,000 strings of goods to exchange for 30,000 strings of wealth from the Ming Dynasty. How dare you do that?"

"I've heard that your rags are only worth two or three thousand strings of cash in your country. How come they're worth so many times what they were worth in the Ming Dynasty?"

"What do you mean by this, Your Highness?" The face of the Goryeo envoy turned red. He was exposed in public by Zhu Chong. Of course, he knew that Zhu Chong must have known something from some channels. In this case, he would not pretend anymore.

"Your Highness should be aware that the contents of the tribute and the return gifts have been drafted by your country. The amount of tribute and the amount of return gifts have long been determined. How can you change them at will? The Ming Dynasty is the Celestial Empire. Do you think you can bully Korea on this point?"

The Goryeo envoy spoke in a pretentious tone, raising the matter to a level of conflict between nations. When the Minister of Rites Zhao Mao heard this, he was shocked and looked towards Zhu Chong eagerly, but was stopped by Zhu Chong's glare.

"Is this bullying you?" Zhu Chong turned around and sneered at the Korean envoy, "But I heard that you didn't bring back the gifts from the Ming Dynasty before."

"Take the return gift from the Ming dynasty to you after your last tribute from Goryeo last year. You exchanged all of it for Ming dynasty copper coins and took it back to Goryeo. Is that true?"

Upon hearing this, the Goryeo envoy's face turned even redder. He didn't expect that Zhu Chong came prepared today.

The gifts that the Ming Dynasty always gave to its vassal states included, in addition to money, silk, tea and other luxury goods for the vassal states. Without exception, the vassal states would take back only a small portion of the gifts, while exchanging most of the items for copper coins on the spot and taking them back to their own countries.

After all, not everyone in Goryeo could afford these luxury goods of the Ming Dynasty, and the King of Goryeo had already told them privately that they should bring back as much copper coins or property as possible. As for the so-called specialties of the Ming Dynasty, they should try not to bring them with them.

The reason for doing this is, of course, because money is more valuable to these vassal states and can create higher value for them.

These are all open secrets, known to all within the vassal states and the Ming Dynasty's top leaders. But unexpectedly, Zhu Chong revealed them right away today, and even the Minister of Rites was unable to interrupt.

"Your Highness the Prince of Qin, what exactly do you intend to achieve by saying this?" The Goryeo envoy's tone became hard.

Before, Ming Dynasty officials would not pay attention to these things, but no one expected that Zhu Chong, the King of Qin of the Ming Dynasty, would find out so many things and say them directly in public, which made it difficult for him to step down.

"I am awaiting your answer." Zhu Chong snorted coldly, "Korean envoys, what exactly do you intend to accomplish by doing that?"

Hearing Zhu Chong's cold voice, the Goryeo envoy's momentum faltered, but he still argued, "The return gift from the superior country to Goryeo, I can naturally do whatever I want with it..."

"Emissary from Goryeo, what you said is wrong!" Zhu Chong sneered, "Do you still have any awareness of being a vassal state?"

"Those return gifts are from His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Ming to your ruler. Who do you think you are? What qualifications do you have to dispose of them? Could it be that you are the ruler of Goryeo, or that you can represent the ruler of Goryeo?"

"You..." The Goryeo envoy was furious, but when he noticed Zhu Chong's half-smile, he was startled and immediately backed down.

The other party was obviously well prepared, and was targeting the vassal state for returning the gifts. Because of his momentary desperation, he became a pawn. Looking back at the envoys from Annan and other vassal states, they were all retreating far away, and the Goryeo envoy almost bit his teeth.

"Sir, your Majesty promised me your request. Are you going to go back on your word now? If so, why did you invite me here to discuss this?"

Upon hearing this, Minister of Rites Zhao Mao looked at Zhu Chong anxiously. He also felt that Zhu Chong's behavior was not right, but he had no way to say it.

Since Old Zhu had handed the matter over to Zhu Chong, and Zhu Chong had already done so, how could he possibly turn his elbow outward?

But Zhao Mao couldn't help but test Zhu Chong, "Your Highness, Prince of Qin, what do you think about this matter..."

"Your Excellency, you talk too much!" Zhu Chong looked at Zhao Mao expressionlessly. He was already a little impatient with the Lord Shangshu beside him, and planned to teach him a lesson if he dared to say another word!

When Zhao Mao saw this, his heart started pounding and he quickly closed his mouth. He reacted immediately.

In this situation, would he dare to say a single word? I'm afraid anything he said would be wrong.

Even if Zhu Yuanzhang did agree to these envoys, it was only a verbal agreement and he did not issue an explicit decree. Moreover, he sent Zhu Chong specifically. This was obviously Zhu Yuanzhang's return gift to the vassal state. He had other arrangements, so how could he have any say in it?

Also, Zhu Chong just treated the envoys from these vassal states in an impolite manner, which was obviously instructed by Zhu Yuanzhang.

After figuring out these key points, Zhao Mao picked up the teacup beside him and began to pretend to open the lid of the cup and blow away the floating tea.

Seeing Zhao Mao's expression, Zhu Chong sneered and turned back to stare at the Goryeo envoy. This guy was the one who showed off today, and he had to be beaten to pieces in order to intimidate the envoys from other vassal states present!

Seeing Zhao Mao's retreat, the Goryeo envoy realized that something was wrong, but he could only bite the bullet and ask Zhu Chong, "Your Highness, Prince of Qin, what exactly do you want to propose as a return gift?"

Zhu Chong smiled faintly. He had won the first round so far. The second round would be the highlight!