roccoschili Chapter 5421 Military Deterrence
Chapter 5421 Military Deterrence
Chapter 5421 Military Deterrence
When the massive Tang Dynasty royal navy fleet appeared at the port of "Xinjing", the sky-covering sails and the array stretching across the sky immediately caused an uncontrollable commotion among the crowd on the dock. Not only were the Tang people present proud and held their heads high, but the Japanese and Ainu people also raised their arms and cheered, their faces flushed with excitement.
Mononobe Ashikaga, Soga Akane, and the others exchanged glances, all seeing the relief and smugness in each other's eyes.
If they had not organized the Japanese to submit to the Tang Dynasty through the strategy of "democratic election," how could they have boosted their status with the help of the mighty Tang army?
Just thinking about how these naval warships carried countless Tang soldiers across the sea to liberate the "oppressed and exploited" Japanese and punish these "traitors" sends chills down one's spine.
Fortunately, he knelt down quickly...
As dozens of warships of all sizes anchored in the waterways outside the harbor, the flagship "Royal Princess Jin Yang" entered its berth and settled in. Squadrons of well-equipped and spirited naval soldiers rushed ashore on gangplanks to quickly deploy defenses, and the overwhelming aura reached its peak.
All Japanese and Ainu people were filled with awe and reverence for the Celestial Empire.
The remaining descendants of the Japanese king were all ashen-faced, their last remaining desire to restore their kingdom completely extinguished.
Japan has no chance of recovery until this fleet is completely rotten...
……
Li Tai looked around in the crowd, then whispered to Princess Yan, "To pull off these tricks, we need Fang Er. He can just take the fleet out and circle around the Japanese islands without firing a single shot. Those petty scoundrels who are unwilling to accept defeat will be so frightened that they will no longer dare to secretly cause trouble."
Mononobe Ashikaga, Ōtomo no Sakai, and Soga no Akagi do not represent all Japanese people. There are quite a few who are unwilling to accept the rule of the Tang Dynasty. Moreover, do these three really have no other intentions?
Even the Ainu people, who had struggled back from the brink of extinction with the aid of the Tang Dynasty, might not have been willing to obediently submit to the Tang Dynasty.
However, these barbarians feared power but did not appreciate virtue. No matter how good their policies were or how strong their welfare was, they were not as effective as firearms and cannons.
Princess Yan nodded slightly, but her focus was not on that. Instead, she turned her head and asked, "Which of Erlang's concubines is beside him?"
At this time, the "Royal Princess Jinyang" had already docked at the pier, the soldiers' deployment was complete, and all irrelevant people were outside the cordon. Fang Jun also helped Wu Meiniang off the ship.
Li Tai said, "This is Wu Meiniang, the concubine bestowed upon Erlang by Emperor Taizong. Now she has taken charge of the 'Dongda Tang Trading Company' and become a giant in managing the Tang Dynasty's maritime trade. Even I have to treat her with kindness, after all, I also have some shares in the company."
Madam Yan exclaimed, "It's truly rare for a woman to live to this extent. I've heard that even the Prime Minister Fang treats her with special regard."
"It's more than just treating her differently. When Fang Xiang has something difficult to solve, he will even take the initiative to ask Wu Niangzi for her opinion, and most of the time he will take it... You must not neglect or treat her poorly because of her status as a concubine. In the Fang family, her status is not low, and she is extremely favored by Erlang."
Am I confused?
Madam Yan rolled her eyes and said reproachfully, "Leaving aside her position in the Fang family, the fact that she, a woman, is in charge of a 'business' is enough to show that she is no ordinary person. Now that we are enfeoffed overseas, maritime trade is of utmost importance to us. I'm trying to curry favor with someone like her, how could I dare to offend her!"
Li Tai chuckled, "Isn't it because you, as a princess, are too ashamed to fawn over a mere concubine from the Fang family?"
As they were talking, Fang Jun and Wu Meiniang came closer, bowed deeply to the ground, and Wu Meiniang also returned the bow.
Li Tai laughed heartily and strode forward, helping Fang Jun up by the shoulders with both hands. He looked Fang Jun up and down, saying, "It's been a long time since we last met. You're still as handsome and dashing as ever!"
Fang Jun also smiled and said, "Your Highness is even more dashing than before!"
This was not just polite small talk. Perhaps it was because conditions in Fusang were harsh, or perhaps it was because he had just arrived in this place from Chang'an, where he had grown up, that he was experiencing such a great sense of loss. As a result, Li Tai was much thinner and darker than he had been in Tang Dynasty, but he looked radiant and full of energy.
Beside her, Princess Yan, holding Wu Meiniang's hand, chuckled upon hearing this and chided, "You two used to be ruler and subject, but you are close friends. Now that you are meeting in a foreign land, there is no need for you to flatter each other like this. His Majesty has already prepared a banquet in the palace. Go quickly."
Fang Jun smiled and said, "I will obey the Queen's decree."
Princess Yan covered her mouth and laughed, "Oh, I dare not accept such praise. I am now a princess, and I am far removed from you, the Grand Commandant. We live in a small country with few people, far from home. You are already a great man."
Wu Meiniang smiled gently: "Even if we live in seclusion overseas, Your Majesty is still a prince of the Tang Dynasty and the son of Emperor Taizong. No matter how close our personal relationship is, Your Majesty will always be the sovereign and Erlang will always be the subject. My father-in-law has always taught us that there is no reason to take matters of status lightly."
These words warmed Yan's heart. What she said was not just politeness. Nowadays, Fang Jun would call them "Your Majesty" and "Your Majesty" when he was happy, and even if he treated them coldly when he was not happy, what could the couple do?
Furthermore, Wu Zetian's words also implied "to treat them with the same respect and courtesy as always," meaning that if the couple had any requests, she would do her best to fulfill them...
Yan Shi tightened her grip on her hand slightly and smiled broadly: "Everyone says that Wu Niangzi's second son is a virtuous wife. I had never met her before and did not know if it was true. But after meeting her today, I know that she is even more famous than I have heard."
Cen Changqian, Zhang Sunrun, Chai Lingwu, Yan Zhuang and others stepped forward to pay their respects.
Fang Jun accepted the greeting with a smile, then patted Cen Changqian on the shoulder and asked with pleasure, "Is your daily life difficult?"
Cen Changqian replied respectfully, "I dare not say it is difficult. His Majesty has always been very kind to us, always providing us with clothing and food. It is our responsibility to assist His Majesty in establishing the kingdom, and we will certainly overcome all difficulties and set off on the difficult path."
Fang Jun nodded and praised, "You need to have this kind of ruthless spirit and courage to 'change the world.' After you are transferred back to Chang'an in three years, you will definitely be able to take on important responsibilities."
For such talents who have already made their mark on history and proven themselves, all that is needed is proper guidance and necessary training, and they will naturally excel and become outstanding.
The others looked at Cen Changqian, who was chatting and laughing with Fang Jun in a very friendly manner. They wanted to be jealous but couldn't. The teacher-student relationship between the two was extremely solid. In the officialdom, they were natural allies. They shared both glory and loss. It was not too much for Fang Jun to take care of her. How could others compare?
Zhang Sunrun and Yan Zhuang glanced at Chai Lingwu, perhaps this man could also receive Fang Jun's favor, after all, their relationship was unmatched by others...
Chai Lingwu lowered his head slightly and remained silent. He did not want to come to this kind of occasion, but he did not have the courage not to come. He felt extremely embarrassed and awkward. He wondered if Fang Jun would come up and make sarcastic remarks. Should he swallow his anger or fight back?
Fortunately, Fang Jun ignored him, which relieved Chai Lingwu.
Sometimes, ignoring it is actually the best way to defuse awkward situations...
Mononobe Ashikaga, Ōtomo no Sakai, Soga no Akagi, and others stepped forward one by one to meet Fusuke.
When facing them, Fang Jun stood with his hands behind his back. Although he had a bright smile, he was obviously much more reserved. He nodded slightly and said a few words that were neither salty nor bland. He looked approachable and gentle, but in reality, he was self-conscious and aloof.
The three Japanese nobles bowed low, their faces full of obsequious smiles.
Mononobe Ashikaga said, "Although we are of lowly status, we have always admired the Grand Commandant and also have great respect for Lady Wu. Therefore, we have privately discussed and prepared some gifts for Lady Wu. We hope that the Grand Commandant and Lady Wu will not look down on us, people from a small country, or of lowly character."
Fang Jun smiled and said, "It's rare for you to have such filial piety. I will accept it on behalf of Madam Wu... We will go to the royal palace for a banquet later and have a good drink. Although I have been to Japan many times, I have not had much contact with the Japanese nobles. Let's get to know each other better so as to avoid misunderstandings and damage to our relationship in the future."
The three were both surprised and delighted.
They were naturally delighted that Fang Jun not only accepted the gifts but also invited them to the banquet. What surprised them was Fang Jun's seemingly casual remark, "To avoid any misunderstandings later..."
What misunderstanding could there be?
If it is indeed a "misunderstanding," what will be the consequences?
I can't even imagine...
Finally, a group of monks came forward to meet them, led by Master Chōjō of Shitennoji Temple.
Master Chengjing clasped his hands together and bowed slightly. Fang Jun returned the gesture with the same Buddhist greeting and said with a smile, "I regret that I was unable to meet you when I visited Shitennoji last time. Today, I am pleased to see that you are indeed a master of Buddhism and have an extraordinary demeanor."
The old monk looked thin and short, but his back was straight and his demeanor was calm, showing the demeanor of a highly enlightened monk.
Cheng Jing felt a mix of emotions. It was this powerful Tang dynasty official who had proposed demolishing the Shitennoji Temple to build the royal palace. Although he was extremely dissatisfied, he dared not show it in the slightest.
"This humble monk is a free man, living like a hermit, how dare I accept such praise from the Grand Commandant? But today, I have a request to make."
“Master is a highly virtuous monk who holds a revered position in Japan. Please speak frankly about any requests you may have, and I will do my utmost to help you.”
With a calm and composed expression, he said, "Now that Shitennoji Temple has turned to dust, it is a worthwhile mission to contribute to the royal palace. This old monk wishes to go to Chang'an in Tang Dynasty to study Buddhism. I wonder if I could obtain a certificate of ordination and a document?"
The Tang Dynasty sought Buddhism in India, while Japan sought it in the Tang Dynasty. For Japanese monks, India was too far away, and its Buddhist teachings did not fit the current situation in Japan. The Buddhist scriptures of the Tang Dynasty were the true essence.
However, as the Tang Dynasty became unrestrained and invincible on the sea frontier, it also began to take a strong stance on the spread of Buddhism. The central government vigorously supported the spread of Buddhism abroad, even providing travel expenses and funds. The Tang army responded to every request wherever it went. However, it imposed extremely strict scrutiny on foreign monks who came to Tang to seek Buddhism, and strictly prohibited the reverse import of foreign Buddhism into the country.
In the past, Japanese monks only needed to travel to China to seek Buddhist teachings, and upon their return, their status and prestige would immediately rise. Now, however, the journey is blocked, leaving them only to sigh in despair.