The Japanese pirates that had endangered the Ming Dynasty for a century, and after the suppression of famous generals such as Qi Jiguang, it was still like a rambler on the bones, making waves along the coast.

What really made the Japanese pirates disappear was the current ruler of Japan, the Tokugawa Shogunate.

Japan, which had just ended the Warring States Period and entered the Edo Period, is now taking the policy of closing the country in the late Qing Dynasty in later generations.

From the sixth year of Chongzhen to the twelfth year of Chongzhen, in just six years, the Tokugawa shogunate issued five orders to lock the country, which were more stringent than once. Whenever Japanese ships went to sea for trade, Japanese people would be punished with death. In this way, once Japanese went to sea, they would be sentenced to death. The relatives who stayed at home would be executed. Where could there be Japanese people coming to our coast to become gangs.

Hou Xuanyan knew a little about this, so he was quite surprised when he heard the visit of Japanese envoys.

The tribute relations between the Ming Dynasty and Japan lasted for more than a hundred years, but a major event occurred in the second year of Jiajing, ending the tribute relations between the two countries. At that time, Japan's Daming Hosokawa clan and the Ouchi clan all sent trade delegations to China for trade. After arriving in Ningbo, Zhejiang, the two groups caused a conflict because of the debate on authenticity and falsehood, and a forceful killing broke out in Ningbo, Zhejiang.

The representative of the Orion clan clan, burned, killed, robbed and captured along the road, causing great damage to the local residents. The commanders of the Beiwu City, Liu Jin, Qianhu Zhang Tong and other Ming Dynasty officers and soldiers were killed in battle.

From then on, the relations between China and Japan gradually dropped to freezing point, and then to the later battle of thousands of miles of North Korea, it was another new revenge.

Hou Xuanyan thought carefully and decided to explore their background first, and ordered Zhao Yuanhua, who was staying in Jinling, to check their purpose.

In the yamen of the Ministry of Rites of Jinling, officials lazily worked as usual. Suddenly, the sound of gongs sounded outside and several officials entered the courtyard. The officials of the Ministry of Rites did not understand anything else and were most familiar with the ceremonial guards of various positions. At a glance, they knew that this was Wang Fuzhi, the Minister of Rites of the Ministry of Rites. There was little work to do in this kind of clear water yamen since the Ming Dynasty fell. The officials of the Ministry of Rites came out to greet them. After a while, Wang Fuzhi walked in with a smile, and followed by a group of short-sized Japanese people with ugly hairstyles.

Wang Fuzhi reached out and introduced: "These are envoys from Japan who are here to restore their tribute relations with our dynasty. You must take good care of them in the past few days."

"Don't worry, Lord Shangshu."

Wang Fuzhi nodded with a smile, turned around and left with his followers, with a proud look on his face. Since he was in charge of the Ministry of Rites, major events have been constantly causing the always low-key Ministry of Rites to be in the limelight several times.

The officials of the Ministry of Rites' heads and guest offices were in good manner and according to the convention, they settled these Japanese people and continued to clock in and get off work. The people in the Qingshui Yamen are all Buddhist officials who do not seek merit but do not seek any mistakes.

After the officials of the Guest Office arranged the residence of the Japanese envoy, they met with the officials of the Siyiguan (the translation department of the Ministry of Rites) and made an appointment to go for a drink.

After watching them leave, the taciturn Japanese envoy, who had been silent, said excitedly: "Tueror, have you seen it? This place is so prosperous than our Shimahara!"

"Shut up, what are we here to do this time? Are we here to let you enjoy the scenery on the street?"

The Japanese who were scolded saw that there was no rule at first sight. Although they were scolded, they continued to walk back and forth in the room with strangeness, staring at the various tables, chairs and furniture full of Chinese style in the room.

Two spies outside the window looked at each other and found the suspicion in each other's eyes...

Japan is not a small country. As for the envoys of a country who are so ignorant, they make a fuss about a chair?

As the night gradually rose, Hou Xuanyan listened to the report from Qianxiang Camp in his study, and felt suspicious. These Japanese people were not here to cheat food and drink. Thinking of this, he decided to meet these people immediately.

The Japanese envoy did not expect that it was so late and would be received, and he was the most powerful regent in this country.

There were 28 people in this envoy, led by his personal soldiers to the outer hall of the royal palace. The hall was brightly lit, and the two rows of beast-headed lamp posts were filled with candle flames, illuminating the hall as if it were day. The personal soldiers on both sides held the handles of the knife in their hands, stood straight, and their faces were as heavy as water.

This majestic royal palace has exceeded the perception of these people. After entering, he was shocked. Hou Xuanyan sat on the top and looked down with interest. He couldn't help but be stunned.

Among this group of Japanese, one of them was as tall as a crane, and his body was taller than himself, and was almost half a figure higher than other Japanese. What’s even more strange is that this person had blond hair and blue eyes, deep eye sockets, and he was obviously a purebred European white skin...European white man.

These people were very polite and bowed to Hou Xuanyan together. Hou Xuanyan laughed and said, "I heard that what you Japan respects is Cheng and Zhu Neo-Confucianism now. This set of etiquette does not conform to your domestic rules."

The Japanese led by the leader knew Chinese. He straightened up, drew a cross on his chest, and said with a chuckle: "That is all the sinful Tokugawa family practices. We believe in God. This time we came to the great Ming Dynasty, one to meet the wise Regent, and the other to hope to use your strength to eliminate the evil Tokugawa shogunate."

Hou Xuanyan almost fell off his chin. A group of Japanese people came to preach to him in the Ming Dynasty, and spoke European Chinese. He sorted out his chaotic thoughts, pinched his chin and said, "It's interesting, let's talk about it carefully."

Seeing that he was not angry in court, the Japanese man had already expressed that he was not a representative of the Japanese government in power. He was still interested in listening to his words, obviously there was hope for what he wanted. He immediately mumbled and said something randomly, and Hou Xuanyan then realized a rough idea.

It turned out that at this time the third general of the Tokugawa Shogunate was in power. He had just completed the lockdown order and hunted and killed Japanese people who believed in Catholicism in China. In order to further consolidate his rule, the shogunate desperately advocated Confucianism, especially the speech of Zhu Xi, a Neo-Confucian scholar of the Song Dynasty, was classified as a national study, imprisoning the ideas of the lower class and suppressing their resistance; on the other hand, he implemented a closed-minded "lockdown" policy, established any relationship between other countries, and strictly closed the entire Japan.

The Catholics were mainly Franchise and British, who became the least popular people in Japan. They announced that except for Chinese and Dutch merchant ships, they could land on Nagasaki and go out to do business at a fixed time, and merchant ships from other countries were not allowed to dock.

And these people in front of them were the remnants of the "Amaku Rebels" who had just rebelled in Japan but were wiped out. Their main force was killed by the samurai under Tokugawa, and only these people were left. With the help of Franjiren, they fled to the sea. At the end of their lives, they had to ask for help, the most powerful Ming Dynasty, hoping to help them turn over. The one who speaks Chinese was the leader of these people, Amaku Shishiro.

After listening to it, Hou Xuanyan lowered his head and thought about it, pinched his fingers and thought about how to deal with this matter.

I don't know whether this matter is good or bad so it is naturally impossible to make a blind decision. Looking at the earnest eyes below, Hou Xuanyan raised his head and said lightly: "I already know this matter, but Tokugawa has no grudges with our Ming Dynasty in the past and has no grudges recently. Moreover, Japan has been enthroned by Emperor Taizu Gao of our dynasty. We will never promote an unknown army. After I discuss with Your Majesty, I will tell you."
Chapter completed!