Chapter 1609 New arrival

Putting the overall situation first is what the imperial court entrusted to Fei Cexian. The territory that Haihan had taken away from the Ming Dynasty in the past few years could no longer be returned to the Ming Dynasty through negotiation. This view has basically been accepted by the Ming Dynasty court.

A consensus was formed, and even Emperor Chongzhen did not intend to force anything more on this. The tripartite negotiations in Liaodong made Ming Dynasty realize that if the Haihan Army had not restrained the Houjin soldiers and horses with considerable strength in Liaodong, then

The direction of Shanhaiguan is bound to face tremendous military pressure, and even the political stance of North Korea, a slave country, will be loosened due to this. Although exchanging land from Liaodong for military support from Haihan is a poisonous move to quench thirst in the long run, it is compared to the crude and cruel

For the barbarians outside the customs, at least Haihan is civilized enough and has always maintained a superficial friendliness towards the Ming Dynasty. Disputes and conflicts have the opportunity to be resolved through negotiation. As far as the severe situation currently facing the Ming Dynasty is concerned, Haihan is not

It is the enemy that Ming Dynasty needs to deal with first, but it is a weapon that can be used temporarily.

One of the main tasks of the Ming Dynasty's envoy to Haihan is to ensure that Haihan's current position will not change significantly in the future, at least to buy enough time for the court to maintain it until the Ming Dynasty is able to free up its hands to deal with severe consequences.

Until Hou Jin is taught a lesson. If he can't even meet this basic requirement, then the envoy's work will definitely fail, not to mention the serious consequences of offending Haihan.

Fei Cexian knew very well how important the tasks he shouldered were to Ming Dynasty. Even if he had to bear the humiliation during this period, he must try his best to complete the work. The first high-ranking Haihan official he met after arriving in Haihan was so difficult to deal with.

It also reminded Fei Cexian that he should not just think about how to make a fortune after coming to Haihan. His opponents are famous for their shrewdness, and they must not be underestimated. The more details, the more careful and careful they must be.

Don't let your opponent easily take advantage of you.

Although Qiu Yuan gave Fei Cexian a small slap in the face as soon as they met, the reception banquet he arranged in the city was unambiguous and was completely in accordance with the highest reception standards. The leading figures in the military, political and business circles of Haikou City

They all attended, which gave Fei Cexian a lot of face.

Although the Etiquette Department where Fei Cexian works is considered a clean yamen and doesn't have much to talk about, welcoming people to and from various banquets and dealing with all kinds of people is a compulsory course for members of the Department of Etiquette. The Etiquette Department even has a dedicated

Funds are used to train members of the Pingren Division on banquet etiquette and communication skills. Although it is the first time to interact with people like Haihanguo, fortunately, the language and culture are very close, so there is not much obstacle in communication, and Fei Cexian also

Finally, I was able to use my expertise and interact with everyone at the banquet, and I quickly adapted to Haihan's drinking culture.

Fei Cexian quickly noticed that whether it was Qiu Yuan, the mayor of Haikou, or other officials or businessmen working for Haihan, they all showed very strong confidence in their words, even if Haihan State actually controlled

Their territory is many times smaller than that of the Ming Dynasty, but they show the feeling that Haihan is the real big country.

According to Fei Cexian's work experience in the Ministry of Rites in the past ten years, most of the countries surrounding the Ming Dynasty were full of awe of the Ming Dynasty. Even countries like Houjin and Annan, which had wars with the Ming Dynasty, did not dare to visit the Ming Dynasty.

In front of the envoys, they talked about the general trend of the world without any scruples. But these Haihan people were really different. In their eyes, it seemed that other countries except themselves were weak, even the Ming Dynasty was no exception.

Of course, in the presence of Fei Cexian, an envoy of the Ming Dynasty, the Haihan people did not overestimate the Ming Dynasty. They only pointed out that the year-by-year decline in the national power of the Ming Dynasty would give the Central Plains rebels and the wild boar skin outside the pass a chance to gain momentum.

, if it were placed in the Wanli period, how could there be such a passive situation. The invincible Ming army had already wiped out these opponents. To be precise, it was the Ming Dynasty before the Battle of Sarhu in 1619. Since

After the disastrous defeat to the Jurchens in that battle, the Ming Dynasty began to increase troops, increase pay, and increase taxes, which led to peasant riots and the government of the party. From then on, the world was corrupted and it was difficult to clean up.

Fei Cexian did not think that the situation in the Ming Dynasty was as passive as the Haihan people described it. Although the uprising of the peasant army in the Central Plains has not yet been quelled, these rebels have neither a fixed base nor a stable source of food, weapons, and soldiers. They are just a group of people.

They are just stragglers. As long as the cities in various states can keep the walls clear and prevent them from having the opportunity to break through the city to obtain supplies, they will naturally be defeated under the encirclement and suppression of the various Ming armies over time. Although the enemies outside the Northeast Pass are powerful, they

They are just a group of barbarians. How can they compete with the Ming Dynasty, which has ruled the world for more than 200 years? Even if it is a war of attrition, the people who will be killed in the end will definitely not be the Ming Dynasty, which has a vast territory and rich products.

Fei Cexian listened to the discussions of these guests calmly, but he was a little dissatisfied with these remarks in his heart. He felt that these Haihan people were too good at boasting. How could the real strength of Ming Dynasty be surpassed by these onlookers sitting in Hainan Island and watching the sky?

Understood?

"Master Fei, if you have any suggestions, you might as well share them."

Qiu Yuan's voice awakened Fei Cexian from his meditation, but he was distracted and did not hear clearly what the topic was being discussed. Qiu Yuan saw that his expression was a little confused, but he guessed a bit, and immediately took the initiative to introduce: "

If the Ming Dynasty wants to change its current situation, what does Mr. Fei think it needs most? A strong army or an efficient court?"

After all, Fei Cexian was a bureaucrat who had been in the officialdom for ten years. He immediately grasped the meaning of Qiu Yuan's question. This was to test him. For the Ming Dynasty, which one, military or political, could save the current situation?

.

How could Fei Cexian fall for such a trick easily? He responded with a smile: "As a minister, how can I arbitrarily discuss government affairs? Lord Qiu, don't say it's a joke."

Qiu Yuan said seriously: "It is understandable that Mr. Fei should be cautious in his words and deeds in the Ming Dynasty. However, this is in the country of Haihan, and everyone here is a citizen of Haihan. What Mr. Fei said here will not be spread.

Go out. Besides, we are just discussing issues, not against the Ming Dynasty. We are just exchanging opinions. Mr. Fei need not be so nervous."

Fei Cexian said: "Having said that, these matters should not be evaluated by me. The Department of Rites and Rites is all under the jurisdiction of diplomatic matters. It is indeed difficult to answer the questions raised by Lord Qiu."

Qiu Yuan nodded and said: "Well, let me ask another question. If our country is willing to provide certain assistance to Ming Dynasty, then based on the current situation of Ming Dynasty, which one can really help Ming Dynasty, political support or military assistance?"

A way out of this predicament?”

Fei Cexian thought to himself that Qiu Yuan was really eloquent, and he actually related this question to the foreign teacher. But if he continued to refuse to answer, he might not make the Haihan people look down on him. Fei Cexian thought for a moment.

After that, he responded: "According to the agreement negotiated by the two countries in Liaodong, Ming Dynasty and Haihan should form a brotherly state, trusting, helping and supporting each other. I believe that both politics and military affairs should stand on the same side.

Only the position can reflect such a relationship, and the same is true when Haihan's position is replaced by Ming Dynasty."

Fei Cexian's Tai Chi answer couldn't fool Qiu Yuan. He asked this question to test whether the Ming Dynasty envoy really had something to say, and also to test the other party's true attitude towards Haihan. Qiu Yuan said with a smile.

: "That's true, but it's not easy to get the best of both worlds. If you have to make a trade-off one day, how would you choose?"

Fei Cexian was silent for a longer time this time. It wasn't that he couldn't understand the question, but he didn't want his answer to give the people of Haihan a false impression. The responsibility of his position is that he can eat whatever he wants, but he can't talk.

Just say it casually, every word you say may be taken as Ming Dynasty's attitude, and he, a young man named Si Zuosi, can't bear such a big responsibility. Although Qiu Yuan promised him

The conversation here will not be spread out, but Fei Cexian knows that every word he says here will soon be submitted to the desk of the Haihan Executive Committee and become a reference for Haihan senior officials to formulate strategies against the Ming Dynasty.

The guests at the banquet also stopped using their chopsticks and put down their wine glasses, looking towards Fei Cexian, waiting for him to give a more specific answer or refuse Qiu Yuan's request. Qiu Yuan was very relaxed.

He is not worried that Fei Cexian will refuse to answer his questions. If Daming wants to maintain communication with Haihan, then it must face reality. If he refuses to answer any sensitive questions, then a series of subsequent negotiations and consultations can also be done.

All were cancelled. He believed that Fei Cexian would also be able to imagine this consequence.

After a long time, Fei Cexian finally said: "In peacetime, the basic stance would naturally be more important, but now the problems that Ming Dynasty needs to solve are mainly on the battlefield. I think military assistance is more important."

Fei Cexian thought clearly that the so-called political support was just talk, just like those small Southeast Asian countries that came to the Ming Dynasty to ask for canonization. They said a few beautiful words such as willingness to surrender to the Ming Dynasty, and then they could get it.

Rich rewards, but tribal chiefs with a population of several thousand can also be canonized as kings, but if they really have to contribute money and efforts, what decent things can they get.

Haihan will not ask for rewards such as canonization from the Ming Dynasty, nor will they actively surrender to the Ming Dynasty. The most political support they can provide is to support the legitimacy of the current emperor's rule over the Ming Dynasty, and then promise not to

Take the initiative to provoke war against Ming Dynasty. But such support is simply insignificant to Ming Dynasty. It is not even as beneficial as opening up the door and increasing the trade volume between the two countries. The measures that can really change the current situation of Ming Dynasty can only be provided by Haihan

of military assistance.

It is said that the two provinces of Fuzhou and Guangzhou in the south have already cooperated with Haihan in this regard. The Fujian Navy even simply ordered warships and weapons from Haihan, and even handed over the navy officers to Haihan's military for processing.

Training. Whether these trained troops were ultimately loyal to the imperial court, local military attaches, or the Haihan who trained them, Fei Cexian did not know, and did not dare to think about it in detail, but he was almost certain that they were organized by the Haihan people.

These new-style armies are unlikely to oppose Haihan again in the future.

Fei Cexian did not have specific data on how many armies in the south had deteriorated due to this, but he once heard a friend from the Ministry of War mention it after drinking that since Qiongzhou Island changed hands, the armies of the southern provinces of Fuzhou and Guangdong have never had any contact with the sea.

There were large-scale bloody conflicts between the Han armed forces. What does this mean? This means that the Haihan took over the entire southeastern coastline of the Ming Dynasty almost without any blood, while the garrisons in Fuzhou and Guangzhou completely pretended to be deaf and did not respond.

Some counterattacked, and it is very likely that they even actively cooperated with Haihan's actions in the process.

This is what Haihan did to the Ming Dynasty in the name of military assistance in the past few years. Fei Cexian did not want to say that Ming Dynasty needed military assistance from Haihan, because he was very aware of the military assistance provided by Haihan.

It was not given in vain. The price was high enough to affect the territorial integrity of Ming Dynasty and the foundation of future rule. But it is a pity that Haihan did not leave Ming Dynasty any choice. During the talks in Liaodong, Haihan made it clear that

, if the Ming Dynasty is unwilling to accept Haihan's "good intentions", then the Haihan army will not withdraw from the occupied Liaodong area, but will negotiate peace with Hou Jin and ignore the war between the Ming Dynasty and Hou Jin.

.

Without the military restraint of the Haihan Army in Liaodong, at least 100,000 Houjin troops would attack the border and move south at any time. With the current border defense situation of the Ming Dynasty, it is unlikely that they can withstand the Houjin offensive. After all, in the past few years,

Every time the Later Jin army went south, they could successfully enter the territory of the Ming Dynasty, burn, kill and plunder, and then return to the outside world with their wealth and population to slowly digest. The Later Jin army became stronger year by year, but the Ming Dynasty was not as good as the other year, until

Haihan restrained the troops of the Later Jin Dynasty in Liaodong, and the Ming Dynasty finally found a chance to breathe, and was able to take action to quell the civil strife in the Central Plains.

When Fei Cexian took the order to go south, even Zhang Fengyi, the Minister of War, came to see him off. In the original history, this Minister of War, who had already committed suicide this year due to the unfavorable war, was not satisfied with Fei Cexian's southward negotiation.

He also had high hopes that he could persuade Haihan to exert more military pressure on the Jin Dynasty in Liaodong, so as to relieve the defensive pressure on the northern frontier of the Ming Dynasty.

"In one to two years, after the Central Plains rebels have been quelled, the imperial court can mobilize its troops to the north to destroy the Jurchens in Jianzhou. Then it will not be too late to settle the accounts with Haihan slowly." Zhang Fengyi informed Fei of the Ministry of War's plan at that time.

Ce Xian asked him to try his best to deal with Hai Han.

Therefore, for Fei Cexian, there is no optional answer to Qiu Yuan's question, so he must choose military assistance. And he must show a firm attitude to prevent Qiu Yuan from doubting his sincerity.
Chapter completed!