Yao Guangxiao took a sip of tea: "Your Majesty, your Majesty's Northern Expedition is massive and has unprecedented morale. When the army gathers to attack next year, it may be possible to decide the outcome in one battle."

“The barbarians from the north have harassed the Ming Dynasty’s borders for many years, looting and killing. It’s fitting that this king’s army will march north to spread the country’s prestige on the grassland.”

Yao Guangxiao said with profound meaning: "However, the poor monk made a fortune after observing the sky last night."

"Is this the Northern Expedition that Master is planning?"

"Um."

"How's the hexagram?"

"Of course it is a sure sign of victory. It is superfluous to calculate this hexagram. With the morale and combat power of the Ming army at this time, the Tatars in the north are simply unable to fight with our army."

At this point, Yao Guangxiao made a U-turn: "I measured the national fortune for the Ming Dynasty again. The national fortune is prosperous, but the direction of the fortune is not in the north, but in the west. I am quite puzzled."

Zhu Zhanchang stood on his head with cold hair. In the West, can this old monk really predict destiny? Is there really such a thing as fortune telling in the world?

After suppressing the shock in his heart, Zhu Zhanzhen asked tentatively: "Master, are you sure about this calculation? Apart from beauties, other things in the Western Regions are not of much interest."

"Go further west, but His Highness the Fifth Prince does not believe in gods and Buddhas."

Zhu Zhanyang smiled: "Master, it's the same."

The two looked at each other and smiled. The two sitting here were the two most staunch supporters of materialism in the Ming Dynasty.

"Your Highness, I just saw that the Ministry of Punishment has sent a secret report. Can you show it to this poor monk?"

Zhu Zhanzhen took out the secret report without any hesitation: "Your Majesty said before going on the expedition that you should ask the master's opinion on everything. If the master can help, you will be happy to ask for it."

The two of them read the report from the Ministry of Punishment together, and Yao Guangxiao frowned slightly after reading it.

"The young of these people are twenty-two years old, and the older ones are over forty, and all of them have been in Japan for at least ten years. Some of them were even born in Ming Dynasty. Japan has penetrated far more into Ming Dynasty than I think.

There are so many on the surface, and the Japanese thieves have been coveting the Central Plains for a long time."

"Master, do you think we can use this as an opportunity to send troops to Japan?"

"This is not possible for the time being. The barbarians in the north have not been eliminated, and the small countries such as Jiaozhi in the south have too many trivial matters. If we continue to cross the sea, I am afraid that it will be a waste of national power. When the time comes, the three parties will be attacked. Once one of the parties breaks a hole, the war will resume in the Central Plains."

This is the reason why Zhu Yuanzhang listed Japan as a country not to be conquered. Naval battles are too variable and the wind and waves on the sea alone are difficult to fight. Therefore, although Japan often harassed the coast of Ming Dynasty, Ming Dynasty never counterattacked its homeland.

Not only Japan, many of Zhu Yuanzhang’s countries without conquests were island countries or places in the past that required navigation.

"But Master, Japan has a heart that can be killed."

"The time has not come yet, so there is no need to rush. The biggest enemy of the Ming Dynasty is still the barbarians in the north. I hope that your majesty can defeat those barbarians this time so that our Central Plains land can recuperate. The poor monk looked at the steam engine. If you give me another ten years of the Ming Dynasty,

Maybe we can go to Japan."

Zhu Zhanzhen also nodded, but he felt that in less than ten years, the development of science and technology would definitely be faster than Yao Guangxiao predicted.

"What do you think of the discrepancies in the master's confession? The most critical part is wrong."

Yao Guangxiao thought deeply: "Four of the five people identified the dead, and one identified the living. The dead can't speak, but the living can always speak. To dig out more spies buried underground, we need more of these living people."

Open your mouth."

"What should I do better, Master?"

"Three of these people are natives of the Ming Dynasty. They were born, married, and had children in the Ming Dynasty. Such spies are not reliable. They only need to use soft and hard tactics. If Your Highness can trust the poor monk, the poor monk will do this for you."

If someone is doing something, it is naturally good: "Thank you very much, Master. By the way, Master, do you think it is possible to instigate these people to become our undercover spies in Japan?"

Yao Guangxiao shook his head: "Your Highness, it is better not to give up such an unreliable spy, but your Highness's statement does make sense. From now on, spies can be arranged to go to Japan. This matter can be done after His Majesty returns from the expedition."

"Master is right."

In the prison of the Ministry of Punishment, Shangshu Liu Guan and Yao Guangxiao stood side by side. Yao Guangxiao looked gloomy and said reproachfully to Liu Guan: "Liu Shangshu, you have just been reinstated not long ago. It is understandable that you want to show your meritorious service, but if you dare to do it next time,

If you let His Highness interrogate the prisoner in person, don’t blame me for asking you to read the book."

Liu Guan's face was covered with cold sweat: "National Master, His Royal Highness King Zhao ordered me to inform His Highness the Fifth Highness of all official matters."

Yao Guangxiao stared at him: "His Royal Highness, King Zhao, can you order you to hand over the interrogation of prisoners to His Highness the Fifth Prince?"

"Yes... His Highness came on his own."

"Master Liu, you are the Minister of the Ministry of Punishment. If the criminal cannot be found out, His Highness the Fifth Highness will have to help. You, the Minister, have done your best."

In terms of official title, Yao Guangxiao could not talk to Liu Guan like this, but after all, Yao Guangxiao's status was extraordinary, so he was reprimanding him on behalf of the emperor at this time.

"I... I know I was wrong."

"Liu Shangshu, I would like to remind you that no matter which emperor or grandson wants to interrogate a prisoner, he or she must sit in the high hall and interrogate people like a police officer. You cannot bear the reputation of being ruthless and cruel. We
Chapter completed!