Late Yuan Dynasty: I am the true emperor

Chapter 584 Eloquence is enough to cover up mistakes, and wisdom is enough to reject advice.

Upon hearing the word "express," everyone was immediately speechless. Previously, Lu Jin had used the pretext of "jointly resisting the Yuan" to force Goryeo to pay tribute of 6,000 horses and 100,000 catties of lead every year. Now he had found another opportunity. They wondered what the emperor was planning to ask for this time.

Li Shanchang hesitated for a moment before asking, "Then what does Your Majesty mean? How should Goryeo express its opinion this time?"

Without hesitation, Lu Jin said, "Take this battle in Yunnan and Guizhou for example. Our army has consumed a lot of cannonballs and lead. The 100,000 catties of lead that Goryeo sent last time has been used up. 100,000 catties of lead a year is not enough. In the future, the annual tribute should be increased to 200,000 catties of lead."

"Oh, right, there are also horses. After the war in Yunnan and Guizhou, the imperial court still owes the five chieftains of Guizhou tens of thousands of horses. Since Goryeo has many horses, shouldn't it also make a contribution? The annual tribute of horses should be increased to 10,000."

Upon hearing this, everyone exchanged bewildered glances and began to mourn for Goryeo. Goryeo's formation of this "anti-Yuan alliance" with the Ming Dynasty was truly a terrible mistake. Goryeo would not receive any spoils of war from the remnants of the Yuan Dynasty, such as territory and people. Yet, they were bound to the Ming Dynasty's war machine by Lu Jin and forced to share military expenses. It was a complete rip-off no matter how you looked at it.

Feng Guoyong hesitated for a moment before asking, "Your Majesty, if we really let Goryeo share the expenses of our campaign against Yunnan and Guizhou, what will happen if they want the Ming Dynasty to share the spoils of war with them?"

Lu Jin raised an eyebrow upon hearing this. "Sharing the spoils of war? Sure, isn't there the head of the Prince of Liang, and that captured Darima? These are the spoils of war of the Ming Dynasty. If Goryeo wants them, just give them to them."

Everyone was speechless upon hearing this. You call this sharing the spoils of war? What use is a prisoner to Goryeo? Li Shanchang and Feng Guoyong exchanged a glance, both seeing the doubt and worry in each other's eyes.

They had been reprimanded by Lu Jin before for their attempt to extort a large sum of tribute from Goryeo.

Last time, Lian Tichen asked the Ming Dynasty for the Shuangcheng General Administration Office, but Lu Jin rejected him. At that time, Li Shanchang intended to give up that place, which was like a "chicken rib". He was scolded by Lu Jin and finally refused to give up the land on the grounds that there were important minerals in the northern part of the Goryeo Peninsula. He even showed an attitude of not being afraid to fight.

However, Lu Jin's tough stance last time was not without reason. That was the first formal contact between the newly established Ming Dynasty and Goryeo. Emperor Lu Jin also showed the demeanor befitting a superior nation, not letting Goryeo look down on him. He not only preserved the territory that the Ming Dynasty had seized in Liaodong, but also temporarily dispelled Goryeo's idea of ​​continuing to expand northward.

However, Goryeo has been very obedient for the past two years. Not only does it send envoys to pay tribute during festivals, but it also delivers the tributes requested by Lu Jin on time without fail, truly fulfilling the obligations of a vassal state.

But now the emperor has suddenly increased his efforts towards Goryeo, which seems a bit unusual. This clearly indicates that the emperor's attitude towards Goryeo has changed.

Having followed Lu Jin for so long, they knew that His Majesty was not an impulsive person and preferred to plan carefully before acting. Therefore, whatever the emperor wanted to do, he must have his reasons. If others couldn't understand, it was only because their vision was not far-sighted enough. This time was no exception.

So what was the emperor's purpose in suddenly escalating the conflict with Goryeo this time?

The two men were preoccupied with their own thoughts, so after the tea party, just as everyone had dispersed, Li Shanchang and Feng Guoyong secretly turned back and found Lu Jin in private. Only then did Li Shanchang ask him what was going on.

"What exactly is Your Majesty's plan? Isn't this forcing Goryeo to turn against the Ming Dynasty? Is Your Majesty preparing to wage war against Goryeo? But that doesn't make sense. Goryeo has already submitted and has been so obedient for the past two years. Why would Your Majesty do this? Or perhaps, Your Majesty wants to incorporate Goryeo into the Ming Dynasty's territory?!"

Li Shanchang immediately voiced a guess that he himself did not quite understand.

Lu Jin smiled and said, "Why are you two prime ministers so nervous? Someone, please bring seats to the two gentlemen."

Upon seeing this, the two men bowed and expressed their gratitude. After they were seated and watched the servants leave, Li Shanchang impatiently asked earnestly, "Your Majesty, please speak frankly: does Your Majesty truly intend to annex Goryeo?"

Seeing that there were no outsiders around and that the two of them were staring at him very seriously, Lu Jin smiled and nodded, "I do indeed have this intention."

Feng Guoyong was puzzled and said, "But now, Goryeo is a vassal state of the Ming Dynasty, serving as our bulwark in the East China Sea and resisting Japanese pirates. Isn't that a good thing? Why must we include Goryeo in our territory?"
"The Goryeo Peninsula is mountainous with little land and barren soil. Taking it over would be a burden. To annex them, we would have to conscript a large army. The disastrous consequences of the Sui and Tang dynasties' years of warfare in Goryeo are still fresh in our minds. With Your Majesty's wisdom and intelligence, you must see this clearly. Why repeat the mistakes of the Sui and Tang dynasties?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Jin immediately became serious and said, "If the Japanese pirates are not eliminated, Goryeo, as the eastern sea barrier of the Ming Dynasty, will naturally be useful. Since you are a military minister, even if you have not studied geopolitics, you should know a little about it. Please take a look at this world map."

Lu Jin led them to the map hanging in the side hall and pointed in the direction of the Goryeo Peninsula, saying, "Large peninsulas extending from the mainland have always had only two uses: one is to extend the land power of mainland countries to the sea, or to use them as a barrier to the mainland, or as a springboard to the sea."

"Another use is to serve as a springboard for overseas powers to counterbalance mainland countries."

"Now, we don't need to go to the ocean from Goryeo. The Ming Dynasty has thousands of miles of coastline with many excellent ports. Since we don't need to go to sea from Goryeo, it only serves as a barrier against foreign powers."

"Then, I ask you gentlemen, if this overseas force, that is, the Japanese pirates, were to disappear, what use would we have for this barrier?"

The two were taken aback upon hearing this, looking thoughtful. Lu Jin tapped the map and continued, "Ultimately, the future of the relationship between the Ming Dynasty and Goryeo depends not on the relationship between the two countries, but on the third-party forces overseas."

"If there is a strong overseas force, the peninsula may serve as a shield for major powers or as a springboard for island nations. If there is no third-party power overseas, then Korea has no value in existing. It's that simple."

Seeing that the two seemed to understand, Lu Jin continued.

"This is still when facing overseas countries. For domestic countries, the existence of Korea is only harmful and not beneficial, just like when we face Northeast China."

"There are currently three forces in the northeast: one is us in Liaodong, the second is Goryeo on the peninsula, and the third is the remnants of the Yuan and Jurchen further north. Goryeo is on the side of the Ming Dynasty. When we face the remnants of the Yuan and Jurchen in the northeast, we have to keep an eye on Goryeo next to us. Goryeo can also be sold between the Ming Dynasty and the remnants of the Yuan. This is a restless factor."

"Take the present as an example. Because of the existence of Goryeo, we have to deploy three army groups in Liaodong to face enemies from two directions at the same time. What if Goryeo is gone?"

"Without Goryeo entangled in our affairs, we could have concentrated our mobile forces long ago and continued our northward expedition to the northeast. Why would we be stuck in this place, relying on immigration to free up our main forces?"

However, no matter how eloquently Lu Jin spoke about the Northeast, Li Shanchang grasped the key point about overseas affairs and quickly asked, "Does Your Majesty also intend to conquer Japan?"

Lu Jin admitted without hesitation, "Of course, otherwise why would I send immigrants to Chengzhou for settlement? Do you think I'm just trying to plant a thorn in Japan's back and use Chengzhou as a stepping stone to Lizhou? Of course not. First of all, the best starting point from the Western Pacific to Lizhou is not Chengzhou, but Edo Bay (Tokyo Bay) in Japan, so I am determined to get this place."

"Secondly, Japan is rich in gold and silver mines. Conservatively estimated, once they are mined, at least four million taels can be extracted every year, and this can be done stably for over a hundred years. This would be a considerable income for the imperial court. Four million taels a year is enough to do a lot of things, no matter what you do in the country."

"Third, if Japan is not eliminated, it will become a major threat in the future. Now is the time when Japan is divided between the Northern and Southern Courts, so it is much easier to fight now than later."

"The Ming Dynasty has just been founded and is militarily strong. It has not yet reached the point where we can relax our weapons and let our horses graze freely. If we do not fight now, who knows what our descendants will be like after we die?"
"Now is when Japan is at its weakest and we are at our strongest. If this drags on, and the Ming Dynasty becomes complacent and its military is idle, while Japan fights its way out of the Northern and Southern Dynasties and establishes a unified Japan, and its army is tempered by bloodshed, then the balance of power will inevitably reverse."

"At that time, it won't be the Ming emperor and his ministers discussing when to attack Japan, but rather Japan taking the initiative to attack the mainland along the Korean Peninsula, while the Ming Dynasty will be forced to defend the peninsula against the Japanese invaders."

"Although Mr. Hyakushi is not known for his military strategy, surely you can understand such a simple principle as when is the most appropriate time to attack Japan?"

Upon hearing this, Li Shanchang immediately nodded. He had long seen that this emperor was ambitious and had great aspirations. He not only planned to recover the lost territories of the Han and Tang dynasties, but also to expand the territory.

The key point is that His Majesty's mind is particularly firm. Once Lu Jin makes a decision, not even ten oxen could pull him back. Moreover, His Majesty is very clear about what he is doing, what he can do, or what the national strength of the Ming Dynasty can achieve. Therefore, once Lu Jin makes a final decision, it means that he has already made a perfect plan in his mind.

So at this point, you can't persuade him otherwise. But Li Shanchang hesitated for a long time and tried several times to persuade the emperor to give up the idea of ​​waging war against Japan and Goryeo, citing the reasons that the country had just been established, everything was in need of rebuilding, and the people's hearts were set on stability. But after thinking about it, he felt that it was hopeless. With the emperor's wisdom, would he not know these difficulties?
Therefore, Li Shanchang hesitated for a long time before finally giving up his advice and asking questions instead.

"When does Your Majesty plan to launch a military campaign? Will you attack Goryeo first or Japan first?"

Lu Jin glanced at the two men and immediately said, "I know what you two prime ministers are thinking. Don't worry, I will not attack them within five years unless Goryeo takes the initiative to rebel."

"In the next few years, we need to promote new crops, abolish the population tax, and accumulate more money, food and ammunition."

"The military also needs to complete its reforms and train in new tactics. After the reforms are completed, we can fight with fewer soldiers and achieve greater results, which will also reduce military spending."

"At the same time, we also need to build up ships. The navy will be indispensable in the war against Korea and Japan. According to our original plan, we will build ten warships a year. After five years, we will have at least fifty warships available for the war. By then, that will be enough."

Upon hearing this, the two exchanged a glance, both understanding the meaning in each other's eyes. They thought to themselves that His Majesty had indeed planned ahead, and he knew very well what he was doing and what the Ming Dynasty's national strength could do. Now that the Emperor had made up his mind, there was no way they could persuade him otherwise.

At this moment, the two suddenly thought of Sima Qian's evaluation of King Zhou of Shang in the "Annals of Yin" in the Records of the Grand Historian: "His words were enough to cover up his mistakes, and his wisdom was enough to reject advice." This means that King Zhou was eloquent and persuasive, able to turn black into white, and use words to cover up his mistakes. He was also quick-witted and wise, so much so that people had no desire to give him advice.

He knows better than you what you want to advise him, so there's no point in trying to persuade him.

Such incompetent rulers are the most destructive to a country. Emperor Huizong of Song, Zhao Ji, was a prime example. Did he not know the terrible things he had done? No, he knew better than anyone, but he simply refused to change.
However, can you call the emperor before you a foolish ruler? No, not only is he not a foolish ruler, but judging from his performance in governing the country over the past three years since Lu Jin raised his army, it would not be an exaggeration to call him a wise ruler.

Leaving aside the conquest of the country, let's just talk about governing. We will relocate people to strengthen the border defenses and stabilize the borders; promote high-yield and improved varieties and pay attention to agriculture; hold imperial examinations to recruit talents and stabilize the political situation; implement a nine-tiered tax system to reduce the burden on ordinary people, while curbing land annexation and preparing to abolish the poll tax.
The introduction of salt and iron certificates and silver dollars quickly stabilized the collapsing financial system of the Yuan Dynasty; militarily, the country was also steadily recovering lost territory. None of these things could be the work of a foolish ruler.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he was "capable of governing the country with his civil administration and suppressing rebellions with his military prowess," but this emperor was also very difficult to deal with, and once he made up his mind, no one could stop him.

Thinking of this, the two secretly felt fortunate that this emperor was not a foolish ruler, otherwise he would definitely be more destructive than Emperor Huizong of Song.

The two completely gave up on trying to persuade him, and only then did Li Shanchang speak.

"I understand. So, what is our response to Goryeo this time?"

"Do as I say. The annual tribute will be increased to 10,000 horses and 200,000 catties of lead. This will not force Goryeo to rebel. Let's exploit them for a few years and deplete their warhorses and manpower."

“After we complete the military reform in a few years, we can force them to pay more. If they can’t pay, then we can send troops. That way, we’ll have a reason to do so,” Lu Jin said immediately.

Upon hearing this, the two rolled their eyes. Your excuse for sending troops is really not very good.

But Lu Jin said he didn't care. What does it mean to use both benevolent and hegemonic methods? What does it mean to be domineering? Just look at Duke Huan of Qi, the first hegemon of the Spring and Autumn Period. He could even use the fact that he wouldn't put straw in his clothes as an excuse to send troops into battle.

In other words, if I'm unhappy with the first step you take when you enter the room with your left foot, I can beat you up. That's what you call domineering. Later generations like Dai Ying and Ah Chou are far inferior to that. If you want to play the role of hegemon, you still have to look to China's ancestors.

Two days later, at the last grand court assembly of the year, Goryeo envoy Choi Cheol had just extended his New Year's greetings to the Ming Dynasty in advance and congratulated the Ming Dynasty on its successful recapture of Yunnan and Guizhou, saying that gifts would be sent after the New Year.

However, no sooner had the court session ended than Cui Zhe received this devastating news. He was immediately heartbroken, never expecting that such a routine mission to offer New Year's greetings would lead to this mess. He was certain that he would face dire consequences upon returning home.
Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in Yunnan, the campaign to pacify Yunnan was also ongoing. However, with the Lunar New Year approaching, Zhu Liangzu and others did not launch any new campaigns. Instead, they ordered their soldiers to be stationed in various places for rest and recuperation, at least to let them enjoy the New Year first.

Meanwhile, they have already set their sights on their next target: the chieftains entrenched in the Wumeng Road (Zhaotong) area. These chieftains are extremely tough. A few days ago, when they sent people to pacify them, these chieftains actually killed the envoy sent by the Ming Dynasty. They are truly ignorant of their own limitations. It seems that another battle will have to be fought after the New Year.

As for Si Kefa, the chieftain of Luchuan Road (Ruili), well, Si Kefa hasn't had time to clash with the Ming army in Yunnan yet; he's currently busy expanding southward.

Historically, it was this Sikhopha who successively destroyed the Sagaing Kingdom and the Pyin Oblast Kingdom of Burma. Now, he has become even more arrogant, showing no regard for the Yuan Dynasty and the Ming Dynasty. Sooner or later, a war between the two sides is inevitable.

(End of this chapter)