Tokugawa Ienari understood perfectly that no matter how obedient he and Emperor Kanenori appeared, nor how many women and silver he offered to Liu Yangxing, the Governor of Kyushu Island for the Great Ming, it could not change the fate that had long been sealed for the land of Wa.
Liu Yangxing, the Governor of Kyushu Island for the Great Ming, was essentially the leash the Great Ming had placed on Wa. The so-called "good things" Liu Yangxing mentioned were basically just more things the Great Ming wanted from Wa.
Tokugawa Ienari never expected Liu Yangxing to show mercy to Wa, even while continuously arranging women for him and sending various local specialties from the Iwami region of Wa.
Tokugawa Ienari's hope was that the Great Ming Emperor would see his sincerity, and that Liu Yangxing would speak a word or two in his favor at critical, potentially fatal moments.
As for how many "Wa slaves" he had to sell, or how much of Wa's interests he had to betray, Tokugawa Ienari actually didn't care.
However, if one were to say it again, even if Tokugawa Ienari didn't mind betraying Wa and the interests of its people, he still couldn't help but feel a pang of pain—if the Great Ming hadn't plundered these interests, wouldn't they have belonged to the Edo Shogunate?
Just as Tokugawa Ienari was calculating the cost of this latest endeavor with a heavy heart, Liu Yangxing said with a chuckle, "This time, it is at the designation of His Majesty the Emperor of Great Ming that Wa shall send a contingent of vassal troops to the land of Tianzhu, to cooperate with the British and Dutch East India Companies in recruiting laborers there."
Tokugawa Ienari felt a pain so intense it made it difficult to breathe.
He had only recently received notification that Wa was to send a contingent of vassal troops to open up new territories in Xinqin Prefecture with Prince Jin of the Great Ming, and now they were to send another contingent to Tianzhu?
It was as if Wa's vassal troops were being treated like leeks, ready to be harvested whenever needed!
Liu Yangxing continued, "Furthermore, the Ministry of Works of Great Ming intends to recruit a group of supervisors here in Wa to manage the laborers recruited from Tianzhu."
"Of course, the salaries for these supervisors will be settled by the Kyushu Island Governor's Office with the Edo Shogunate, just as before, to prevent them from spending carelessly in the Central Plains and failing to save money."
Hearing this news, Tokugawa Ienari couldn't help but feel a surge of joy.
The Great Ming had always been generous with wages. Regardless of how much ordinary Ming citizens earned in a month, the "Wa slaves" working as supervisors in the Great Ming were receiving wages each month that were nearly equivalent to those of some lower-ranking officials in Wa.
More importantly, these wages were settled by the Great Ming Kyushu Governor's Office with the Shogunate. As for the "Wa slaves" working as supervisors in the Great Ming, their food, clothing, shelter, and transportation were all covered by the construction sites in the Great Ming, leaving them with no expenses.
This meant that if the Great Ming Kyushu Governor's Office settled ten million in wages with the Edo Shogunate, the Edo Shogunate could withhold nine million and give the remaining one million to the families of those supervisors.
Of course, no matter how much was siphoned off and embezzled from this one million, it was not Tokugawa Ienari's concern how little reached the hands of the supervisors' families.
What Tokugawa Ienari was more concerned about was whether the vassal troops recruited this time would receive wages. Regarding the previous batch of vassal troops recruited to accompany Prince Jin to Xinqin Prefecture, Tokugawa Ienari dared not ask about their salaries, because they were working for Prince Jin, which was essentially working for the Great Ming.
When a grandson works for his grandfather, does he dare to ask for wages?
But this time it was different.
Although going to Tianzhu was also for recruiting laborers for the Great Ming, this time they would be working for the British and Dutch East India Companies, which meant bypassing the grandfather and working under middlemen.
After careful consideration, Tokugawa Ienari cautiously asked, "May I ask, Lord Liu, will the vassal troops going to Tianzhu this time be going as Great Ming vassal troops, or..."
Upon hearing Tokugawa Ienari's words, Liu Yangxing knew what he wanted to ask.
Chuckling inwardly, Liu Yangxing replied, "This time, they will be going to Tianzhu as mercenaries of the English East India Company. Afterwards, representatives from the English and Dutch East India Companies will come to settle the employment fees with your Shogunate."
"As for the necessary equipment, military supplies, and provisions, they will be temporarily allocated by the Kyushu Island Governor's Office. Once this contingent arrives in Tianzhu, the Dutch and English East India Companies will replenish the expended resources."
Hearing Liu Yangxing's explanation, Tokugawa Ienari was immediately relieved.
Although the vassal troops had to be comprised of samurai, unlike the ordinary "Wa slaves" who could serve as supervisors before, as long as there was money, the Edo Shogunate would never lack samurai.
As for the salaries to be issued to the samurai…
While the samurai's salaries could not be withheld to the same extent as the laborers', it did not mean the Shogunate had no income.
For instance, if ninety percent of the laborers' salaries were withheld, then fifty percent of the samurai's salaries could be withheld.
For example, there were also significant opportunities in the equipment, military supplies, and provisions allocated to the samurai.
With this thought, Tokugawa Ienari smiled and nodded, saying, "Lord Liu, rest assured, Ienari will recruit enough samurai as soon as possible to go to Tianzhu and help the British and Dutch East India Companies recruit laborers."
Liu Yangxing laughed heartily and gave Tokugawa Ienari a thumbs-up, praising, "Ienari, you are a wise man—this time you are going to Tianzhu to help the British and Dutch East India Companies recruit laborers, not to help Great Ming recruit laborers."
Even though the laborers would eventually be transported to Great Ming, recruiting laborers under the name of the British and Dutch East India Companies was entirely different from recruiting them under the name of Great Ming.
In the former case, it would be the barbarian Europeans recruiting laborers, and future historical records would only document how cruel the European barbarians and these "Wa slaves" were.
But in the latter case, acting under the name of Great Ming, Wa's vassal troops would be indisputably linked to whatever actions they took in Tianzhu.
Tokugawa Ienari actually felt a sense of disdain towards Liu Yangxing's statement.
The laborers belonged to Great Ming, yet the infamy would be attributed to the British and Dutch East India Companies and Wa's vassal troops.
Was this behavior akin to what was colloquially referred to in the Central Plains as wanting to be both a prostitute and a memorial archway?
However, in the face of such hypocrisy, Tokugawa Ienari could only grit his teeth and accept it, even having to praise how beautifully the memorial archway was erected.
After all, if anyone else were to act so hypocritically, Tokugawa Ienari could certainly mock them.
But the one acting hypocritically was "Father Ming"...
Tokugawa Ienari did not dare to mock.
Wa had always been this way.
If these short, stumpy people could not be subjugated, they would constantly scheme to overthrow their masters. But once subjugated, they became the most loyal, obedient, and considerate loyal hounds in the world.
Therefore, upon returning to the Edo Shogunate, Tokugawa Ienari quickly recruited a contingent of about five thousand vassal troops and appointed Tojo Kojiro as their leader.
Before their departure, Tokugawa Ienari repeatedly instructed, "The purpose of this trip to Tianzhu is primarily to recruit laborers for Father Ming. Therefore, you do not need to pay heed to the attitudes of the foreign devils from the British and Dutch East India Companies. However, if there are any orders from the Great Ming army stationed in Tianzhu, you must carry them out without fail. Do you understand?"
"Hai!" Tojo Kojiro bowed deeply and said, "I understand. We will recruit many laborers to Tianzhu and ensure Father Ming is satisfied with our work!"
Tokugawa Ienari nodded, then continued to instruct, "The ones escorting you to Tianzhu this time are from the East Sea Fleet of Father Ming. Be extremely cautious once you board the ship; you must not displease Father Ming. Do you understand?"
"Hai!" Tojo Kojiro bowed deeply again and said, "I understand! Once aboard the East Sea Fleet's ships, we will not look at what we should not see, nor ask what we should not ask. We will strictly abide by the regulations of Father Ming. Even if Father Ming were to throw us into the sea to feed the sharks, we would willingly jump in, so as not to soil Father Ming's hands!"
Tokugawa Ienari then nodded with satisfaction and praised, "Yoshi! Tojo-kun, as long as you satisfy Father Ming this time, your future will be very bright upon your return to Wa!"
Tojo Kojiro bowed deeply once more and said, "Hai! Kojiro is immensely grateful for the General's cultivation!"
Tokugawa Ienari grunted, "You should be more grateful to yourself, Tojo-kun."
"If you couldn't speak the official language of Great Ming, and if your martial skills weren't the best among the samurai, this opportunity would never have fallen to you."
"As the 'Great Ming Daily' stated, opportunities are for those who are prepared, and in my opinion, you are that prepared person."
"Go now, take the equipment, military supplies, and provisions allocated by Father Ming, and go to Tianzhu with the honor of Wa samurai. Let those barbarians from Europe witness the might of Father Ming, and also let them witness the valor of Wa samurai."
With that, Tokugawa Ienari couldn't help but sigh, "Tojo-kun, the burden on your shoulders is very heavy."
Tojo Kojiro bowed and said, "Tojo does not fear the heavy burden on his shoulders. If we fail to satisfy Father Ming, or if we disgrace the honor of Wa samurai, then Tojo is willing to atone with his life!"
Tokugawa Ienari patted Tojo Kojiro's shoulder and said, "I believe in you, Tojo-kun."
After exchanging a glance with Tojo Kojiro, Tokugawa Ienari gestured with his hand, "Tojo-kun, please board the ship."
Tojo Kojiro brought his legs together and bowed, replying, "Hai!"
...
Although Tojo Kojiro could speak fluently before Tokugawa Ienari, once he and the five thousand samurai boarded the warships of the Great Ming's East Sea Fleet, Tojo Kojiro was filled only with nervousness and apprehension.
Tojo Kojiro, for the first time, understood what it meant to be like Granny Liu entering the Grand View Garden.
Whether it was the sturdy and towering masts, the clean and bright decks, or the thick and long cannons, everything seemed to silently speak of the might and invincibility of the Great Ming warships.
Wa did have warships, but compared to the warships of the East Sea Fleet, which seemed to block out the sky, Wa's so-called warships were as laughable as small sampans.
Liu Dingxing, the commander of the Yongping, where Tojo Kojiro was stationed, seemed to sense Tojo Kojiro's nervousness and smiled to comfort him, "The journey to Tianzhu is thousands of miles away. We will be sharing the same ship for over a month. As the commander of the Wa army, you should learn to relax."
Tojo Kojiro bowed and said, "Hai! I apologize for my impoliteness, Lord Taijun, for troubling you with your concern!"
Liu Dingxing laughed heartily and casually patted Tojo Kojiro's shoulder, saying, "It's nothing, it's nothing."
Bowing and admitting fault at every turn, taking all the blame upon themselves and not causing trouble for others—although these "Wa slaves" appeared polite, they were actually pushing people away, exhibiting true impoliteness.
However, it was understandable. After all, they were a small nation with a small population. Even though they were learning from the Great Ming in every aspect, they could not truly learn the magnanimity of a great power, which was unavoidable.
Especially at meal times, the small nation and small population mentality of these Wa vassal troops became even more apparent.
They were eating the same food as the Great Ming soldiers, yet these Wa vassal troops dared not eat as openly as the Great Ming soldiers. Instead, they would hold their bowls and hide in the corners of the deck to eat, and they ate very loudly, as if this ordinary food were an exceptionally rare delicacy.
Of course, if it were merely this, Liu Dingxing would not have looked down on these Wa vassal troops. After all, every country had its own customs, and Liu Dingxing had never expected these Wa vassal troops to be like the Great Ming soldiers.
What truly earned Liu Dingxing's contempt was the performance of these Wa vassal troops in Tianzhu. Although they had come to Tianzhu under the guise of mercenaries for the British and Dutch East India Companies, these Wa vassal troops clearly lacked the basic respect for the managers of the British and Dutch East India Companies.
When Overtstraaten and Howard received the news that the Great Ming had appointed Wa vassal troops to Tianzhu and personally came to greet them by sea, Tojo Kojiro, who was less than five feet tall, even dared to treat Overtstraaten and Howard with a condescending attitude.
This greatly displeased Overtstraaten and Howard.
Especially for Howard, who thought, "You short, stumpy fellow. Looking down on Overtstraaten is one thing, after all, the Dutch East India Company is in decline, and the Netherlands itself has been conquered. It's understandable that you look down on him."
"But you, a mere wretch, dare to look down on me, Howard? I am the General Manager of the English East India Company!"