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After a long while, Lin Chong said, "When we three brothers are alone, we should call each other brothers, but in front of others, we brothers are still the same as others. We may get a lot of unique information."

Wu Song and Shi Qian clasped their fists and said at the same time: "Everything is up to you, big brother!"

Lin Chong went on to say, "In a few days, my second brother and I will lead a team to Japan. It is said that they have a huge silver mine reserve there. We in Liangshan are in urgent need of silver. Third brother, stay in Liangshan and try to collect information and intelligence from all sides. Pay attention to the information of the people on the list I gave you. Invite those who can be invited, and those who cannot be invited will be discussed after I return from Japan."

Wu Song and Shi Qian said, "Okay, just give me your orders, big brother."

Afterwards, Lin Chong and his two brothers returned to Liangshan together. They supervised the construction and ship-building of Liangshan while waiting for Zhu Wu and others from Shaohua Mountain to lead a team over.

As we all know, the economy of the Song Dynasty at this time was really very developed, far exceeding the economic development level of other countries in the world at that time.

However, the Song Dynasty at this time was very lacking in military aspects, or it could be said to be very poor.

However, this period of military weakness was also the period of chaos and war among Japan's feudal states.

At this time, the Wa Kingdom was in the Kamakura period. The Japanese emperor at this time actually had no real power at all. His power was completely stripped away by the large and small vassal states. He was only the emperor in name only and had no ability to fight, let alone provoke other countries.

The various vassal states in Japan were fighting each other to the death and vying for power every day. At this time, the Japanese regime was actually quite unstable.

Both the Northern Song Dynasty and Japan were too busy with their own affairs to worry about the affairs of other countries.

Moreover, at this time, the Song Dynasty could provide Japan with a steady supply of materials in terms of economy. The benefits of mutual benefit were obvious. Japan also gained considerable benefits through the silk and porcelain of the Song Dynasty.

Although Japan had no shortage of gold and silver mines, due to its backward productivity, it did not know how to explore silver reserves or mine and smelt it.

Lin Chong had already made up his mind. He must arrange and organize a capable team as soon as possible to occupy the coastal area on the eastern side of Japan's Honshu Island and combine Japan's silver production reserves with the development of Liangshan. If he could have a stronger team at this time, Japan would definitely be destroyed.

However, although Japan had a "gold mountain" and a "silver mountain", it had never been able to effectively explore, develop and utilize them, so it had long used copper coins imported from China as currency. This embarrassing situation continued until the 16th century, when the "daimyo" (i.e., lords) of various places actively developed silver mines in order to expand their own power in the troubled times.

In addition, the typical silver refining method of "ash blowing method" in traditional Chinese technology and the new technology of "mercury amalgamation method" were introduced to Japan one after another. In a very short period of time, more than 50 gold mines and more than 30 silver mines were developed, and Japan's precious metal production increased significantly.

到16世纪末，其白银产量一度占世界总产量的1/4—1/3。仅佐渡岛（现属新泻县）上的银矿产量，就可达每年6万公斤（162万两）以上。在日本海外贸易的全盛期（1615—1625），日本每年出口白银高达13—16万公斤！明末思想家顾炎武因此说，“日本无货，只有金银。”同时期的葡萄牙人更是干脆将日本称为“白银之岛”。