Hearing this, Yang Ling's expression suddenly changed and he hurriedly said, "Has the navy made complete preparations for such important news?"
Cheng Qiyun replied, "Don't worry, Daren. The news has already been sent to the commanding department. The Wokou pirates attack every year, mostly taking advantage of the wind to attack in April or May. This year, they hastily escaped under the attack of the Ōuchi and Xichuan families, arriving half a month earlier than usual. They must not have made sufficient preparations. At the same time, they didn't have time to contact the spies hidden in Ming Destiny and will stop on the island halfway. When they really attack, it will be about the same time as last year. "
Hearing this, Yang Ling calmed down slightly. He thought for a while and nodded. Then he shook his head and said, "This year is different from previous years. Japan is currently suppressing the pirates. The Wokou pirates know each other's background in their country and will find it difficult to hide their tracks. In addition, the coastal residents of Japan are barren. Even if they completely pillage them, it won't be enough for daily use. If they want to survive, they can only pillage the coastal areas of Ming Destiny. However, their fleets cannot stay on our land for long periods of time. They need to find a reliable foothold and supply point on the sea. "
Yang Ling stood up and paced slowly with his hands behind his back. His brows were slightly furrowed, and it was unknown what he was thinking. Cheng Qiyun's bright eyes followed his figure, and there was a hint of a smile on her face.
When Cheng Qiyun and Yang Ling had first met, she had tried her best to show off her intelligence and abilities in order to attract Yang Ling's attention. However, she didn't believe that there would be a man who would like a strong woman who was better than him in every aspect.
Now, she felt that Yang Ling also seemed to have unclear and hazy feelings for her. Cheng Qiyun was filled with joy. She didn't want to destroy the image that she had painstakingly created in Yang Ling's mind. Therefore, she had wanted to hide her abilities today and let her beloved little lover show his face.
Unexpectedly, this dear friend was like a millstone. The more he talked, the smaller the circle became. His brows furrowed deeper and he didn't say a word for a long time. Cheng Qiyun's heart softened. She couldn't bear to trouble him any further and was just about to speak of her plan when Yang Ling suddenly stopped and said word by word, "Remember it!"
Cheng Qiyun's eyes revealed a trace of interest. She stood up according to his words and leisurely walked to the side of the writing table. She picked up the ivory Old Luohan Bamboo brush and dipped it in the ink. Her left hand rolled up her red sleeve and her right wrist hung in the air. The tip of the brush lightly touched the snow-white paper. She tilted her head and said with a smile, "Daren, please speak!"
Her long black hair draped over her shoulders, contrasting with her beautiful face. The red candlelight gave her beautiful face and hair a layer of brilliance. Her soft outline was half light and half dark. In the mysterious atmosphere, the fragrance of books, ink, and beauty complemented each other, creating an antique atmosphere.
It was a pity that Yang Ling was looking up at the sky and didn't notice this moving scene. He thought for a moment and said, "This time, the Wokou pirates may not be attacking Jiangnan. The coastline of Ming Destiny is too long. I am afraid that the Wokou pirates will avoid our navy and attack the commoners. In reality, they have always done this.
This time, the Wokou pirates have come out in full force. They have lost their foundation in Japan and need to plunder large amounts of property to build a base on the island. Their methods will be ten times more brutal than before.
Qiyun, the news of the Wokou pirates' attack will be quickly reported to the Ministry of War tomorrow morning. Another secret letter will be sent to the Emperor. At the same time, the Emperor will send the official seal to warn the various departments along the coast. Liaodong, Shandong, Zhili, Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guangdong, a total of 58 guards and 89 officers and soldiers must be on high alert. Patrol on the sea and on land. The people must also be mobilized to prevent the Wokou pirates from attacking and harming the commoners of Ming Destiny. "
Cheng Qiyun's brush was like a dragon and a snake. She waved the brush and wrote quickly. A beautiful hand of cursive appeared on the paper.
After listening to Yang Ling's words, Cheng Qiyun's brush paused. She rolled her eyes and said, "Daren, is there anything else?"
Yang Ling said, "We also need to send people to warn Korea, Ryukyu, and Luzon. This is to prevent the Wokou pirates from attacking their base. With the military strength of Korea and Luzon, if they can receive the news and prepare early, it won't be difficult to deal with the Wokou pirates.
Right now, I am only worried about Ryukyu. Ryukyu is small and weak. It will be easy for the Wokou pirates to take it. In the past, they didn't need this base. Now that there is no place for them in Japan, as long as they suffer some losses at the border of Ming Destiny, there is an eighty percent chance that they will choose Ryukyu as their base. "
Hearing this, Cheng Qiyun secretly let out a sigh of relief, "My little ancestor, you have finally thought of what I wanted to say."
She happily put down her brush and smiled, "Daren's thoughts are very detailed. I did not think of it at the time. However, Daren's words have reminded me that although saving Ryukyu is difficult, defending it is easy. If we wait until the Wokou pirates occupy Ryukyu before sending troops to help, I am afraid that Japan will weigh the pros and cons and will secretly drag us down.
Therefore, since we have predicted that they will take Ryukyu, in my opinion, we should be ahead of them. We only need to send three troops to guard the island and Ryukyu will be safe. At the same time, we can restrain the Wokou pirates from attacking the coast of Ming Destiny. Killing two birds with one stone. What does Daren think? "
Yang Ling's heart stirred and thought, "Not only will it deter the Wokou pirates, but it will also restrain Japan. With this as a springboard, if there is a conflict between the two countries, with this island in hand, there will be no worries about the transportation of troops, food supplies, and fleet maintenance. Moreover, there will be no need to worry about small Japan annexing Ryukyu.
It is just that although I, the imperial envoy, have received four secret edicts and an order to mobilize troops, they were all prepared for Ming Destiny. Now that I want to send troops to another country, how can it be possible without the Emperor's edict? This matter is really difficult … "
Cheng Qiyun saw his difficult expression and covered her mouth with a smile, "Ryukyu is the most loyal vassal state of Ming Destiny. If we do not help Ryukyu when it is in trouble, it will disappoint the vassal states. The officials in the court will not be able to see this.
Moreover, His Majesty trusts Daren very much. I believe that Daren will submit the secret memorial to the court and analyze the pros and cons. His Majesty will also agree to Daren's suggestion. Military expenses are easy to handle. First, the garrison will protect Ryukyu. Second, after the opening of the market, they can act as guards for the merchants of Ryukyu. Therefore, the military needs can be paid by Ryukyu … "
The more Cheng Qiyun spoke, the more proud she became. She could not help but smile and said, "As for Ryukyu, there is no problem. Ryukyu has been bullied by pirates and Nippon for a long time. They have long requested to borrow troops from the court. However, the navy of the court cannot sail far. They are too busy to take care of themselves. Now that we have a large number of ocean-going warships, what is there to be afraid of?
Daren, the King of Ryukyu has learned that Ming Destiny has decided to open the sea ban. He has sent his heir across the sea to inquire about the news. He is in Suzhou right now. Daren might as well meet him tomorrow and tell the heir of Ryukyu about the pros and cons. I think it will not be difficult for Ryukyu to take the initiative to ask for help. "
Yang Ling looked at her speaking confidently in front of him and showed a faint smile. That strange expression made Cheng Qiyun's hair stand on end. She could not help but take a step back and look at herself up and down. She asked in doubt, "Why is Daren looking at me like this?"
Yang Ling raised his eyebrows and snorted. He walked back to the table and sat down. He picked up the cup and gently stirred the tea leaves on the water with the lid. He lowered his eyelids and said slowly, "What I said just now, I believe Second Chief Cheng has already thought of it?"
"Eh?" Cheng Qiyun laughed dryly. Only then did she realize that when she was happy, her old habit had recurred and she started to show off in front of him.
Yang Ling smiled, blew on the tea, and drank it in one gulp. He then put down the teacup and stood up. "Okay, since you already have a plan in mind, I do not need to go into too much detail. Think about it again, polish it up, and hand it to me tomorrow morning."
He walked to the door and suddenly remembered something. He turned back and said, "That's right, the power of our internal faction in Jiangnan was mostly developed by you. You have to control them. In the future, the direction of intelligence gathering will not only be on our Ming Destiny's commercial war and military affairs. As the scope of trade with the vassal states expands, you have to arrange spies to disguise themselves as merchants and travel with merchant ships to various countries in the world. Pay attention to collecting intelligence on the scholars, farmers, and industries of various countries."
"Yes!" Cheng Qiyun responded. Seeing Yang Ling walk out, she hurriedly called out, "Daren, take care …"
Yang Ling casually waved his hand and said, "En, en, no need to send me off. I have finished writing the memorial. You should also sleep early."
Cheng Qiyun stamped her feet and coquettishly said, "I mean, please don't go!"
"Ah?" Yang Ling's hand had just lifted the curtain of Su Xiu's door. When he heard this, his heart skipped a beat. The curtain actually slipped out of his hand and gently swayed. The curtain was embroidered with a picture of flowers folding on a spring night.
Yang Ling's heart beat faster. He mumbled, "I … I … Don't think too much. You should sleep early." As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly realized that his tone had become so weak. There was no sense of righteousness in his refusal.
Cheng Qiyun's beautiful eyes widened. She asked in surprise, "What am I thinking too much?"
Her eyes turned and she suddenly burst into laughter. Her face immediately turned red. She finally knew what Yang Ling was thinking about. It turned out that this fellow was not a good person. Indeed, there was not a single good person among men.
She bit her lips and glared at Yang Ling. She then blushed and said, "I still have something to ask Daren. Since we have already made an agreement with the Japanese navy to work together to destroy the pirates, is Daren going to use the method of each doing their own thing? You must know … the Ōuchi and Hosokawa families are wiping out the pirates in Japan. My Ming Destiny Navy is wiping out the pirates along the coast. They are not cooperating well with each other. In the middle, there will be a place where neither side can reach. This will allow the pirates to linger on. "
Only then did Yang Ling realize that her "take care" was not just a polite remark. Yang Ling was so embarrassed that he wanted to find a hole to hide in. He walked back to the room and coughed twice, "This … I also know. However … the Hosokawa and Ōuchi families are the two most powerful daimyo in Japan. If we let them work together to fight, I am worried that it will promote the relationship between the two families. If they work together to govern, the chaos in Japan will be settled."
"Qiyun." Yang Ling looked deeply at her, then said with deep hatred, "Let me tell you, no matter how polite and humble this race appears, their bones are filled with aggression and a greedy wild nature. Before the Great Ming Dynasty's wealth and the strength of their navy have the confidence to settle the situation in one battle, I do not wish for them to have a stable regime."
Cheng Qiyun looked at him in surprise. Even though the Wokou pirates were cruel and vicious, Yang Ling's evaluation of them had clearly made the people of the Great Ming Dynasty feel that he had wiped out the entire ship. Even though the people of the Great Ming Dynasty hated the inhumane Wokou pirates to the core, they still had a good impression of the Japanese who had gone through the proper channels to visit a daimyo, bowing three times with every sentence, appearing to be incredibly respectful.
However, she did not refute Yang Ling's words. Instead, she smiled and said, "Since they want to trade with Ming Destiny, why don't we let them help with this matter of Jing Qing Coast? Moreover, we can also work together to understand their strength and strengths. This will be of great benefit to the growth and development of our Ming Destiny navy. As for worrying about the two daimyo joining forces, you don't have to worry about this. "
Yang Ling asked curiously, "Why are you so sure?"
Cheng Qiyun smiled and said, "I called you to stop because I wanted to report this matter to you. Now, although Ōuchi and the Hosokawa clan are standing shoulder to shoulder, in terms of strength, the Hosokawa clan is a notch higher.
I used this opportunity to go to Japan to discuss the matter of tribute and trade with them to send people to find out about the other country's intelligence. I found out that the shogunate's manager, Hosokawa Masaoto, had deposed the Great General Ashikaga Yoshiji and supported a puppet, Ashikaga Yoshisumi, to control the shogunate himself. The other daimyo called him 'half-general' behind their backs. In fact, he is the real shogunate now.
If he wants to form an alliance with the Ōuchi clan, I believe that the Ōuchi clan will not refuse. However, this powerful hero is now obsessed with cultivation. He abstains from women and does not care about government affairs. All day long, he is doing some absurd cultivation methods, dreaming of becoming the Tengu Great God.
His three adopted sons are now constantly fighting for the position of the family supervisor. If the Hosokawa clan splits, the biggest beneficiary will be the Ōuchi clan. Therefore, not only are they happy to see this happen, they will also fan the flames if there is a chance. In order to win in the chaos, the three adopted sons of the Ōuchi clan and the Hosokawa clan, who are now in power, do not want a stable regime to appear. "
Yang Ling smiled happily and said, "Very good. If that's the case, I can rest assured. Tomorrow, I will send someone to inform the Ōuchi clan and the Hosokawa clan and ask them to send troops to help eliminate the pirates. I want to see what the Japanese navy is capable of. At the same time, we, the Ming Destiny navy, who have not been out to sea for a long time, can broaden our horizons and not be frogs at the bottom of the well."
After saying that, Yang Ling happily bowed to Cheng Qiyun, then clapped his hands and sighed with a smile, "With Qiyun, I am like a fish in water."
Cheng Qiyun glanced at him and thought, "I want to be like a fish in water with you."
She also politely bowed back and said seriously, "A good bird chooses a good tree to nest in. It is Qiyun's honor to be able to serve you."
The two of them laughed a few times with ulterior motives. Suddenly, they felt that … each other's laughter was a little fake …
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