In the past, negotiations between countries have always been conducted by envoys from both sides, and there is no such thing as the head of the family coming out to meet.
For the sake of face, what if the talks fail? The lower-level people can go and negotiate, so there will always be room for turnaround.
But Zhu Ying did exactly the opposite.
Going to the Northern Yuan Dynasty was a sneaky way, but coming to Japan was even more open.
Now that the Ming Crown Prince has arrived, the negotiations have become less simple.
This is the Ming Dynasty, the largest dynasty in the eyes of almost everyone.
The territory of some small countries may not even be as big as a county in Daming Dynasty.
Among all nations, Japan is considered one of the leading powers. It dominated one side and became famous after it surrendered to the defeat of the Mongol army in two invasions.
But compared with the Ming Dynasty, this is far behind. The area of one country is barely compared to one province of the Ming Dynasty.
But there were thirteen provinces under the Meiji era.
Let’s talk about population.
In fact, before the Northern and Southern Dynasties War, Japan still had a population of nearly 10 million. However, the Northern and Southern Dynasties War mobilized the entire Japan, and the forces under the emperors of both sides and the local daimyo fought each other fiercely.
It is better to be a dog in peacetime than a man in troubled times. The same applies to Japan.
After the war involving a population of nearly ten million, more than half of the Japanese were gone by the time the Northern and Southern Dynasties War ended.
Whether it was the common people, officials, soldiers, warriors, or generals, they were all tired of fighting and didn't want to fight anymore.
It seemed that it was time to recuperate, but at this moment, the Ming Dynasty appeared.
It seems that the entire Kyushu Island has been lost, and Japan seems to have no power to resist at all. But in fact, Japan is now at its most exhausted.
Moreover, the war between the Northern and Southern Dynasties mainly took place on Honshu Island, and Kyushu Island was completely ignored. Therefore, neither the Japanese royal family nor the shogunate had completely regained control of Kyushu Island.
The defeated Japanese nobles mainly relocated to Kyushu Island, and the Japanese pirates who frequently invaded the coast of the Ming Dynasty also basically lived on Kyushu Island.
When the Ming army and Goryeo joined forces to attack Kyushu Island, both Shikoku Island and Honshu Island seemed to be languishing in their efforts.
The Japanese royal family was the loudest in protest, but they had no military power.
Ashikaga Yoshimitsu did not want to throw all his loyal elite troops into the fight against the Ming army. If anything unexpected happened in the future, the shogunate would have to change its master.
It was a coincidence that made it possible for Kyushu Island to be controlled by the Ming Dynasty.
Japan has resisted before.
But it was just one naval battle that completely destroyed the entire Japanese navy, and from then on they lost their temper.
Emperor Go-Komatsu, supported by the nobles, arrived at Daming Port in a luxurious sedan chair.
It is nearly two thousand miles from Honshu Island to the coast of Kyushu Island, but taking a ship can save a lot of time.
As early as when Zhu Ying instructed to arrive in Japan, we were already preparing and waiting.
If the Ming Crown Prince had to wait for your Japanese royal family for half a month, there would be no need for any negotiations.
"What is that? How could there be such a large ship? This... could this be a mirage?"
"This must be the tower of the heavenly soldiers and generals. It is the soldiers of Amaterasu who are protecting our country of Japan."
The temple monks and shrine staff who followed Emperor Go-Komatsu, after seeing the rows of Ming treasure ships on the seashore, first exclaimed in surprise. Then someone said it was a mirage, and immediately thought of the major gods of Japan.
Then, everyone began to kneel down and worship, believing that this was the deity appearing to protect Japan.
Even Emperor Go-Komatsu stood up from his sedan chair and paid his respects at this time.
The Japanese people have a strong faith from top to bottom, and the emperor's power does not come from the Japanese people, but from the gods in heaven.
This is also the reason why the Shogun actually holds power and the Emperor is the only one who can rule the country for generations.
Once the mythological system is established, the emperor's inheritance will not be cut off.
Therefore, at this time, Emperor Go-Komatsu had to take the lead in paying homage, even in order to maintain his reputation as an emperor.
However, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, who was standing next to the emperor, had a face so gloomy that it looked like water could drip out of it.
Because he knew very well that these treasure ships as tall as city walls were not the gods' generals, but the Ming Dynasty's reliance on dominating the sea.
The Ming Crown Prince, whom they were about to face, was coming on these treasure ships.
At this time, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu not only did not speak out, but also wanted to maintain the emperor's face.
Because the basis of the shogunate's rule was under the name of the emperor, although Ashikaga Yoshimitsu seemed to have unified the country, in fact the country was in great chaos, and the local lords had different ideas.
If the emperor's reputation is impacted and questioned, the shogunate's rule will also be shaken.
"What are they doing?" The eunuch leading the way carefully asked the guards stationed in Japan nearby.
The guard hesitated for a moment, then said, "Maybe it's to express respect for the Ming Dynasty. This should be the custom of Japan."
The eunuch nodded slightly: "It seems that the Japanese royal family is indeed loyal to our Ming Dynasty. We must report this matter to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."
The corners of the mouths of several guards around who could understand some Japanese twitched slightly.
You can't laugh. If you laugh, it's a sin.
After all, we can't just kneel down forever, and no one knows how long this mirage will last.
What made Emperor Komatsu and the monks in the temple happy was that they were heading in the direction of the miracle.
This made them feel that this was the will of the gods, and they felt more confident about today's negotiations with the Crown Prince of the Ming Dynasty.
"With the blessing of the gods, today's negotiations will surely be a great victory. It is also time to let the Ming Dynasty Crown Prince know that the gods have not abandoned Japan. I think the Ming Dynasty Crown Prince is in a panic right now."
"This kind of miracle has never appeared in the classics. After I learn about it, I must record it in the classics."
The monks at the back were talking about it. Emperor Go-Komatsu was a little nervous at first, but now he felt suddenly enlightened.
He raised his eyes and looked at the tall ship as big as a city wall in the distance, thinking secretly in his heart that when Japan became rich in the future, he would also build such a ship.
At that time, the emperor's prestige will be greatly enhanced.
Thinking of this, Emperor Go-Komatsu couldn't help but glance at the Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu.
He said fiercely in his heart: "The power to rule all the people should belong to the Emperor!"
At this time, the Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu covered his face and walked ahead, the embarrassment in his heart had already fallen to the ground like cherry blossoms.
"Sure enough, he has begun to get scared."
Seeing Ashikaga Yoshimitsu like this, Emperor Go-Komatsu's mouth curled up slightly, and the haze of many days was swept away, and even his breath felt sweet.
However, it seems that this taste has a short shelf life and changes quickly.
As the journey got closer, the ships became more realistic and the flags on them became more clearly visible. They were not the gods or heavenly generals, but the flags of the Ming Dynasty.
On the treasure ship that was as tall as a city tower, there were many Ming soldiers in armor standing on duty.
The slap in the face came too quickly, leaving Emperor Komatsu and others with no time to react.
Some monks with poor eyesight were still shouting: "May Amaterasu protect us, there are actually heavenly soldiers moving in that mirage."
The moment it was said, the atmosphere suddenly became weird.
Emperor Go-Komatsu lowered his head deeply, not wanting others to see his embarrassment at the moment.
But the monks with poor eyesight were still asking others: Did you see it? Did you see it?
Seeing everyone keeping their heads down and keeping silent, the monk thought that he was the only one who could see it, so he raised his voice a little louder.
The eunuch sighed and said, "During the heyday of the Tang Dynasty, Jianzhen sailed to Japan. Now Japan has developed rapidly. These later monks still have a desire to return to the Central Plains."
The eunuch didn't understand Japanese, but he was so excited to see the monks so happy and excited to see the Ming treasure ship.
So I thought it was related to Buddhism.
At this time, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu originally wanted to send people to drag away the monks who were only making a fool of themselves, but after hearing what the eunuch said, he swallowed the words after rolling his throat for a long time.
"Look carefully, that is the treasure ship of the Ming Dynasty. Hanging on the deck is the flag of the Ming Dynasty."
Finally, the monks nearby couldn't help it and gave a careful reminder.
The monk opened his eyes wide and looked for a long time before he finally saw it clearly.
Originally, he didn't take the reminder from the person next to him seriously, but at this moment, the smile on his face froze.
It was only then that he realized that the people around him were looking at him as if he were a fool.
…
Daming Port Palace.
Even if it is just a temporary residence, it is more luxurious than the royal palace of Japan.
Of course, the most important reason is that the current Zhu family is not short of money at all.
No local Japanese citizens were employed in the construction of this palace. All the miscellaneous work was done by the military households stationed in the local area. Everything else, whether it was design, carving, or even the workers who made the floor tiles, were all from the Ming Dynasty.
It was not a compulsory conscription, but rather a voluntary registration. The round-trip expenses, including accommodation and food, were covered by the government treasury, and the soldiers could also receive a considerable salary.
When this matter first came out, countless craftsmen were fighting over it.
Who doesn't want a free trip, especially when working for the Crown Prince? It would be an honor to talk about it to others. Besides, this money is not a small matter for most craftsmen.
Due to the economic boom these days, the craftsmen have become more inward-looking. If you have experience in participating in the construction of the Ming Dynasty Crown Prince's Palace, you will be sought after even if you go out to find work. This is the craftsman's status.
Therefore, the craftsmen who were able to come to Japan to build the imperial palace were not those who took advantage of the situation. Even if they came through connections, they had to have real skills.
Otherwise, if anyone dared to recruit people with poor skills in the Crown Prince's palace, it would be a big taboo.
Whether it was Emperor Go-Komatsu, or the daimyo who followed him, the monks of the shrine, the nobles, or even the Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, none of them had ever seen such a luxurious palace.
The carved dragons and painted phoenixes on the pillars and screens are works of art in every detail.
As you first enter the palace, you can smell a faint fragrance coming towards you, which makes you feel peaceful and calm. It is comparable to the finest ambergris, and you know it must be worth a lot just by feeling it.
Anyone who knows a little about some of the paintings on the screens will know that they are definitely the work of masters.
Even the most famous painters would be proud that their paintings were appreciated by the royal family.
For others, it is priceless, but for Zhu Ying or Zhu Yuanzhang, it is just a matter of a word. Moreover, the painter will feel it is a supreme gift, which is enough to bring honor to the family.
People like Emperor Go-Komatsu were directly hit by a dimensionality reduction attack, just like Granny Liu entering the Grand View Garden, feeling dazzled.
Even some decorative items are worth a lot of money.
Sky-blue porcelain, this rare and precious item, can be seen everywhere in this palace.
The guards in the palace gave them an even greater shock.
The exquisite armor on his body represents powerful protection, and there is not even a single set in the Japanese palace.
The most important thing is the height.
As the guard of the Crown Prince, martial arts ability is one thing, but appearance is even more critical.
According to calculations made by later generations, the height requirement for any soldier serving as the Crown Prince's imperial guard was 1.85 meters.
Whether it is Emperor Go-Komatsu, the Shogun, or the Shugo daimyo and other nobles, the average height is 1.58 meters.
Looking at the rows of giant-like palace guards on his left and right, even Emperor Go-Komatsu, who claimed to be the spokesperson of the gods on earth, felt his own humility at this moment.
Before he even saw the person, his momentum had already completely dropped.
How can we proceed with the subsequent negotiations?
After all, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu was the shogun in charge of hundreds of thousands of troops, and he quickly recovered from the shock.
Turning around to look at the stunned expressions of the Emperor and the nobles, he thought to himself, "Oh no!"
With his mind taken away, the outcome of the negotiations is obviously predictable.
I'm afraid that when the Ming Crown Prince speaks, no one dares to even raise any objection.
Outside the main hall, an eunuch loudly announced: "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has issued an order to summon the King of Japan, the Shogun and others to the palace for an audience."
Emperor Go-Komatsu seemed very nervous at this time. After the eunuchs entered the hall, he did not dare to look up. When they reached the center of the hall, he followed the etiquette that had been explained before.
He prostrated himself and kowtowed, saying, "The King of the small country of Japan pays homage to His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince of the Celestial Empire."
The shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu and other monks and nobles behind him also kowtowed and bowed: "Greetings to His Royal Highness, the Grandson of the Celestial Empire."
Zhu Yingwen said calmly and dignifiedly: "No need to be polite."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
At this point, Emperor Go-Komatsu and Ashikaga Yoshimitsu dared to look up.
Just this one glance, the two of them were completely shocked.
The prestige that the Ming Dynasty has today is inseparable from the current Crown Prince.
You should know that in the third year of Hongwu when the Ming Dynasty was first established, Japan dared to kill the Ming envoys, and was even more dismissive of the Ming emperor and did not take him seriously at all.
The rampant Japanese pirates were ignored.
The change of everything began when the Ming Dynasty enthroned the Crown Prince.
In particular, the circulation of the imperial gazette made the royal nobles of Japan admire the Crown Prince of the Ming Dynasty even more.
However, they forgot one thing, that is the age of the Ming Crown Prince.
Because of his great prestige, many people overlook the fact that the Ming Crown Prince was only in his early twenties. In people's minds, they vaguely remember him as a dignified middle-aged man.
Only this kind of image best fits everyone's definition of the Crown Prince of the Ming Dynasty.
However, when I saw him today, I realized that the young man with a fair face and no beard, who even looked a bit youthful and immature, was actually the great grandson of the Ming Dynasty who was famous throughout the world.
This is simply... unimaginable, I dare not imagine it.
If it weren't for those eyes full of wisdom and sharpness, Emperor Go-Komatsu would even have suspected that he was dazzled.
Too young, so young that I can't believe that those things can be done at this age.
Ashikaga Yoshimitsu was even more shocked and terrified.