The sea was a vast expanse of water that stretched as far as the eye could see. The Jiaolong Army's light boat No. 1 sailed with full sails in the favorable wind, flying as lightly as a bird, its pointed bow splitting the waves, white water splashing and blooming.
Ah! A sailor stood on the deck, cupped his hands in front of his mouth, and shouted loudly to the sea.
Haha, everyone burst into laughter. Someone shouted, "Li Mazi hasn't even learned to read yet, but he's already reciting poetry. Haha!"
A Yamato merchant said in broken Chinese: Your ship is too fast. At this speed, we will soon be able to see the Japanese mainland.
The envoy, Zhao Hong, from the Privy Council, said with a smile: "Everything goes smoothly and you will get twice the result with half the effort."
Deputy envoy Zhang Yin leaned over and whispered to the envoy: "The Jiaolong Army's light boats are improved from the Dashi ships. They are slender and equipped with longitudinal sails and water wheels. They can carry 50 people. They are suitable for sailing in headwind and calm weather. With favorable winds, the speed is 60 miles and 8 knots per hour. It is about 1,700 miles from Jiangning Jingkou Port to Japan's Kyushu Island. If our ship has such weather all the way, and sails at full sail day and night, it will reach Japan's Kyushu Island in less than three days."
Zhengshi nodded.
Zhang Yin was originally a clerk beside the Privy Councilor Wang Pu. He had no connections in Tokyo, but fortunately, he was familiar with Wang Pu in the office. Later, when the emperor went to war, he worked in the Qianying Military Office and stayed with the emperor Guo Shao for a while. In Zhang Yin's opinion, Guo Shao was a very special person, and his words and deeds could influence people; in just a few months of the war, Zhang Yin was also greatly influenced.
Unlike most superiors, Guo Shao was not as eloquent as most people in power. Instead, he was most concerned with specific details. Zhang Yin recalled the unforgettable days with the emperor, and the things that came to his mind were all small things. Guo Shao picked up a spoon in the military camp and tasted the soldiers' meals himself; and once he got angry and said to the scout general: "From Suizhou to here, 100 miles is 100 miles, 150 miles is 150 miles, it is definitely not not too far, almost to Suizhou, etc. If you are not clear about the word, then dismount and walk, count for me step by step."
Shu has been a land of abundance since ancient times, and anyone who leaves Sichuan does so to realize their ambitions. Zhang Yin straightened his chest, stroking the fine and sturdy wood structure on the ship's railing, feeling inexplicably excited.
The attitude of the dynasty's supreme ruler in every word and action will obviously affect many places. Now even the guardrail of a warship can be made so delicately and carefully.
Guo Shao had said this twice: the foundation of an empire. Zhang Yin stood at the bow with his hands behind his back, looking up to the wind, and watching the waves of the vast ocean. The distant East Island seemed to be at the horizon, but the king's land under the heavens had no boundaries; the ambition to make achievements was also in the distance.
Sure enough, a few days later, people saw land on the ship, and there was another round of cheers on the deck. Zhang Yin gained a lot from this trip, and he also truly experienced the joy of sailing on the vast ocean and suddenly seeing land.
However, the voyage was not over yet. According to the guide of the Yamato merchants, the ships had to sail north along the coast and then enter the Japanese inland waters through the strait between Kyushu and Honshu, so that they could dock at the port near Heian-kyo.
When they met Japanese ships along the way, they asked the guide to translate and showed the envoy's seal, and they were allowed to pass smoothly. At this time, the wind was weak and the sailing speed slowed down. People took in the sails and used human-powered water wheels to drive the boats slowly. Many of Xu's light boats did not use oars, but directly used water wheels as power.
After several days, Zhang Yin and his companions arrived at Watanabezu Osaka Port at the mouth of the Yodo River, and then met Japanese officials. The chief envoy, deputy envoy, guide and translator changed boats and followed the officials to Heian-kyō. In fact, Zhang Yin and his companions did not need translators. The Japanese officials who received them could speak Chinese, and their history books were also written in Chinese. Civil servants could read and write to some extent.
When they arrived at Heian-kyō, Zhang Yin had a sense of déjà vu. The architectural layout in front of him was very similar to the Tang Dynasty Chang'an in the paintings. The etiquette of Japanese officials and people was also faintly similar to the Central Plains. The familiar feeling made Zhang Yin have a very good impression of Japan. He said to the envoy: Japan is a place ruled by the king. If we follow the rules of the Central Plains, this trip should be much smoother.
Zhao Hong said calmly: It's too early to say now.
Zhang Yin bowed and said: “Envoy Zhao is right.”
Zhao Hong and others were taken to a government garden to submit the letter from Daxu, and then they were settled down without meeting the Japanese king. Zhang Yin found that the officials of this country were relatively silent and cautious, and generally did not get clear answers when asked. The Yamato merchant guide was easier to get along with, but the merchant knew too little, and could only get some information that everyone knew.
The name of the Japanese ruler at this time was Emperor Nariaki Murakami, who was well-known among the people because his rule of Tenryaku brought peace and prosperity to the country. However, the person who actually held power was not the king, but the regent Fujiwara no Tadahiro.
During the days of waiting to be summoned, Zhang Yin often talked with the guide and local people and recorded various things.
He wrote in the files that the power of the ruler of the country had been lost, and the Fujiwara clan, the in-laws, had long held the real power. The main family and nobles who owned land lived in the remote fiefdoms of Heian-kyo, and Heian-kyo was prosperous, but the local area was actually controlled by the farm officials and samurai.
At this time, a Japanese official came to visit the inn, claiming to be the councilor Ono Yoshifuru. Zhao Hong and Zhang Yin received the councilor in the living room.
Ono Yoshifuru is a short and thin old man, but he is in good spirits and has a very good posture.
A Yamato man in the entourage said in Chinese: Ono-kun is a military strategist and is also good at poetry. He is both civil and military. The rebellion of the former rebel Fujiwara no Sumitomo and the Johei and Tenkei Rebellion were all quelled thanks to Ono-kun.
Zhao Hong clasped his fists and bowed, saying: I have long heard of General Ono's great reputation.
Ono Yoshifuru's gaze lingered on Zhao Hong for a moment, but paused for a long time on Zhang Yin's face. He bowed and said in fluent Chinese with a stiff accent: "If our officials have been inadequate in our hospitality, I hope you will forgive us."
Seeing his politeness, Zhao Hong smiled and said, "Very good, very good. Although we sleep on the floor, the place where we live is very clean. The rice and dried fish are also very good. Please take a seat."
Several people knelt down in the room facing each other.
Then Ono Yoshifuru pondered for a moment and said, the two envoys came to our country this time to ask the Emperor Daxu to confer the title of Emperor of our country.
When they heard about the Japanese emperor, Zhao Hong and Zhang Yin's faces changed. The originally good atmosphere changed immediately. Zhao Hong said solemnly: There is no two suns in the sky, there is only one emperor in the world, and that is the Emperor of Daxu. It's fine for Japan to be an emperor, how can it be called an emperor
Zhang Yin was also unhappy: "The laws of the world are all like this. Your country is deeply influenced by the etiquette and laws of the Central Plains of China. Don't you know that
Ono Yoshifuru frowned and said: "The Emperor of our country is the Son of Heaven where the sun rises, and the Emperor of the Central Plains is the Son of Heaven where the sun sets. Our monarchs and ministers recognize the Emperor of Daxu as the Son of Heaven, why don't you give him the same respect?"
Zhang Yin said: General Ono can speak Chinese and is familiar with etiquette. He should know that there is no such thing as two emperors.
Ono Yoshifuru said coldly: Since the founding of the country by Amaterasu, the emperor has been eternal and unchanging. Why should he accept the title from others? If you hold this thought, please leave.
After saying that, he stood up and left.
Zhao Hong and Zhang Yin looked at each other. Zhao Hong said: That guy just issued an order to expel us. Let's go back like this.
Zhang Yin said without hesitation: Even if we return without success, we must not give in on this matter. Besides, there is no loyalty between the monarch and his subjects. What title can the court use for official exchanges? Japan is too arrogant. Our dynasty only calls the Khan of the Liao Dynasty the Lord. How can we call the Lord of Dongdao the Emperor? If they pay tribute to the court, call themselves the King in Daxu and the Emperor at home, just like the Liao Dynasty, things may be negotiable. But now, the Lord of Japan is sending a letter to the court in the name of the Emperor. How can the court officials accept it
In the afternoon, another fat man came. He was so fat that he couldn't get in the door, so everyone had to talk in the courtyard. He called himself Fujiwara no Asanari and boasted that he was a big eater, eating seven or eight bowls of rice and dozens of fish. He first criticized Ono Yoshifuru, saying that the guy was a warrior with little knowledge and offended the noble envoy.
Although this guy was ugly and fat, his words were much more pleasant to listen to. He also praised the great emperor of Xu's achievements in conquering Youzhou and Pingxia, expressing his admiration.
Zhang Yin listened and roughly guessed that Japan was not united in its attitude and had different political views. Although Fujiwara no Asanari was a drunkard who ate too much, he at least had some concerns about Xu Jun's military performance.
He immediately asked: "General Ono was rude to drive me away, but Lord Fujiwara treated me with courtesy. Who should we listen to? How should we report our country's attitude?"
Fujiwara no Asanari said seriously: Of course you will listen to me. Your Excellency only needs to think about the surname of the current regent minister, and you will know whose words are effective.
After hearing this, Zhang Yin couldn't question it. It made so much sense.
Zhang Yin asked again: "The Regent Minister agrees that the Japanese ruler should be enthroned by our emperor?"
Fujiwara no Asanari whispered, "You all know that the success or failure of everything depends on the opinion of the Regent. The matter of enthronement may be difficult to handle. But our country has always admired the Central Plains, and we can pay tribute to the emperor in the name of the Regent."
This statement sounded sincere, and was a compromise to resolve the dispute. But in reality, Zhao Hong and others could not complete their mission. Their mission was to try to discuss the matter of conferring the title on the Japanese lord and establish a monarch-subject relationship. In this way, Daxu would be able to work in his own vassal state, which was completely different in name and convenience. This was also to pave the way for further gaining a foothold in Japan in the future.
They had been in Heian-kyō for almost ten days, and there had been little progress. Zhang Yin felt that it was difficult to make achievements, and that the country they came to seemed to admire the culture of the Central Plains, but in fact it was not so submissive. He also wrote his views in the files he was preparing to submit.