When Zhu Gaochi and Zhu Mengwan formally presented their credentials, all the civil and military officials of the Ming Dynasty felt honored.

Although some neighboring vassal states paid tribute or submitted to the Ming Dynasty during the Hongwu reign, this seemed to indicate the strength of the Ming Dynasty and hinted at a prosperous era where all nations paid tribute.

However, this time it was different. This was the founding of a new country overseas by the Ming Dynasty's imperial family. This was not just a matter of nominal submission and tribute as before. Naturally, the significance here was completely different.

Granting a country a name is actually nothing special. Of course, in the eyes of some people, it is more meaningful.

Whether it's Dongri or Fuyue, the emergence of these two countries actually has other different meanings.

The Han Dynasty was too distant, and the so-called "King of Wa" and the like were too far removed from the Ming Dynasty. During the Tang Dynasty, Japan sent envoys to Tang China more than ten times, and they also recognized the Central Plains dynasty as their suzerain state.

However, everything changed after the fall of the Southern Song Dynasty. Especially after Kublai Khan sent envoys to Japan demanding submission and tribute, they were firmly rejected. Furthermore, Kublai Khan's two failed campaigns against Japan filled the Japanese with confidence.

They felt that not only were they strong, but they were also protected by divine winds, which greatly boosted their confidence in defeating the Celestial Empire, and they stopped worshipping the Central Plains dynasty.

When Zhu Yuanzhang established the Ming Dynasty, he also sent envoys across the sea to Japan. However, Prince Kaneyoshi, the regent of Japan at the time, not only detained the Ming envoys Yang Zai and Wu Wenhua, but also killed five members of the delegation.

Of course, this was also the Nanboku-cho period in Japan, and it was the Southern Court Emperor who killed the Ming Dynasty envoy.

Even if they had previously occupied the Iwami silver mine, or if Zhu Yuanzhang had expanded his territory in Japan, these were all acts of righteous warfare by the Ming Dynasty.

Many people understand that Japan has long since ceased to respect the Central Plains dynasties, especially after the Mongol Yuan dynasty, when many of its surrounding vassal states became disloyal. Now, much of Japan's territory has been occupied, Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Yuanzhang have established their own kingdoms there, and Goryeo (Korea) is constantly in danger of collapse.

The Ming Dynasty of today is no longer just a facade; it has made its neighboring vassal states more vigilant. They either obediently submit to the will of the Ming Dynasty, or they must prepare for the Ming army to march on their borders.

This kind of Ming Dynasty was clearly more powerful, even if some people felt it was not behaving like a true monarchy. However, in the eyes of others, this was what a true Celestial Empire should be like, not just something that could be appeased by bestowing some rewards.

Regardless of the balance between tension and relaxation, it also fully demonstrates the grandeur and strength of the Ming Dynasty, a superior nation.

Some things that the Hongwu Emperor failed to do, the Yingshi Emperor seemed capable of doing, and even seemed to do better.

However, in the eyes of some civil and military officials, their Emperor Yingshi was not magnanimous enough and was different from emperors of previous dynasties.

According to certain historical precedents, if a vassal state paid tribute, the Central Plains dynasty would reciprocate with ten times, or even more, the amount of wealth. Even if the tribute from some small vassal states seemed insignificant, the rewards returned to demonstrate the wealth of the Central Plains dynasty would be astonishingly generous.

In fact, during the early Hongwu reign, this was also the case, with generous gifts being given in return. However, gradually, the Ming Dynasty gave fewer and fewer gifts to the surrounding vassal states, and sometimes none at all.

This caused dissatisfaction among many small vassal states. Originally, they paid tribute in exchange for some benefit. But now that there was no profit to be gained, these small vassal states immediately changed their tune and refused to even pay tribute in name only.

Three hundred horses, one hundred stones of sulfur, one hundred agate stones, and thirty Japanese swords—these are the items that Dongri and Fuyue need to pay tribute to, once every three years.

In return, the Ming Dynasty gifted Japan 100 bolts of cloth and 30 iron pots. Considering the remoteness of Japan, the court allowed Japan and Japan to trade, including gold, silver, cattle, horses, hides, silk, cloth, and cooking pots in the trade.

Undoubtedly, some of the practices of the Ming Dynasty differed greatly from those of previous dynasties. Previous central dynasties treated their surrounding vassal states very well. However, the Ming Dynasty not only failed to reciprocate with generous gifts, but instead engaged in 'merchant relations' with them.

These were clearly considered improper by some, and indeed detrimental to the prestige of the Celestial Empire. However, Emperor Ying Shi obviously did not care about such things, nor did he care about empty titles. He never believed that national prestige needed to be demonstrated through extremely generous reciprocation.

In fact, the Ming Dynasty was quite friendly to Dongri and Fuyue. It should be noted that the Ming Dynasty strictly restricted trade with the Tatars and other tribes that still exist today, such as the Oirats.

Large iron pots and similar items have always been strategic resources for the Ming Dynasty. It was extremely difficult for nomadic tribes to obtain iron pots, salt, and other such items. But now, the supply to Dongri and Fuyue is completely open, as long as they can afford it.

It seems that this was indeed the foundation of the imperial family. Although the country had already been established, the Ming Dynasty was still quite lenient towards them.

However, as many people can see, since the country has been founded and has essentially separated from the family, there are many restrictions in place.

For example, the Japanese pirates in Dongri and Fuyue were to be severely punished. In fact, at the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, the problem of Japanese pirates harassing the borders had always existed. Emperor Hongwu issued several edicts, but they were all brushed off by the Japanese, who were in the midst of internal strife, and they didn't even care.

Historically, this was also the case. During the Yongle reign, Japan, having ended its internal strife, submitted to the Ming Dynasty, and the number of Wokou (Japanese pirates) decreased for a time. However, in the mid-to-late Ming Dynasty, when the Ming Dynasty stopped providing generous treatment, Japan immediately changed its attitude, and the number of Wokou increased dramatically.

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