Chapter 10 Chapter Ten Sailing the Ocean

Former Luzon Governor Don Rodriguez visited General Tokugawa Hidetada in Edo, and he wanted to go to Sumfu to meet Tokugawa Ieyasu directly, so he set off to Sumfu by land.At this time, the relevant personnel have almost gathered in Junfu. Originally, Miura Anzhen, who was mediating in this matter, was going to be the interpreter, but it was changed to the missionary Alonso Mnoz midway.The reason for this is that Baimnoz came to Junfu with Sodero's secret order to meet Honda Uenosuke Masakazu. Okubo Changan originally wanted to inspect the mines of Mt. Sagami Doi, but he came to Sunfu in the name of receiving an order from Ieyasu; Date Masamune also came in the name of reporting the progress of building Zuiganji Temple in Matsushima.Jiakang expressed his displeasure at starting work without permission.Zhengzong had been aware of this for a long time, and this trip was also to explain in person: the construction of Zuiyan Temple was in the final analysis for the sake of faith and had no other intentions.

It was the beginning of September in the 14th year of Qingchang that Rodrigo came to Junfu, where the dignitaries gathered.The seven-story castle tower of Junfu City was just completed on August 20 of that year.For Ieyasu, it was extremely luxurious, but in Rodrigue's eyes, what about it?Rodrigo's later memorial reads: 〖...have arrived in Suruga.The city occupies a much larger area than the residence of the crown prince (Xiuzhong).However, Edo has a population of 150,000, while Suruga has only 100,000.The houses are also more elegant in Edo.On the next day at Suruga, the emperor (Ieyasu) sent a minister (Honta Masamune) to the samurai family where he was staying, presenting him with twelve collars and four swords, and begging to see him.

At 2 o'clock in the afternoon, more than 200 guards with guns were sent to welcome them in sedan chairs.After getting on the sedan chair and setting off, it took a long time to reach the bank of the moat.The suspension bridge was hurriedly put down in the city, and a group of guards came down the bridge, but an officer led more than 30 soldiers with guns to meet them.Walking in front of the iron gate, the door opened in response to a sound, and more than 200 soldiers with guns lined up to welcome him inside. The officer was in front, passed through the military column, and after more than 500 steps, he arrived at another suspension bridge.At this point, it was handed over to others, when another door opened.

The gun team inside the door is in order.People saluted respectfully all the way until the corridor of the palace.There are still more than a thousand guards in the corridor.Another eight or nine rooms passed by...the caisson is resplendent and magnificent, with colorful paintings on the walls, very similar to domestic imported screens, but more exquisite.In the room next to the emperor's room, there are two ministers coming out to welcome you, please wait a moment...〗 This description shows the grand occasion of Ieyasu holding a heavy handle. The one who suggested such an interview and greeting method was of course Miura Anzhen.For the majesty of his family, he took great pains.What Ieyasu looks like in the eyes of foreigners is closely related to the fate of acupuncture.How senior officials of England, the world's most powerful country, view Japan's rulers will affect how they view Ieyasu's confidant William Adams.

While Don Rodrigo waited in the other room, Honda Masazumi went to report to Ieyasu.As for what happened next, Rodrigo reported— ... The minister told the inside, and he will come out in a moment, telling the servant that he will be bestowed with an unprecedented reputation in Japan, please rest assured to see him. The servant followed suit.The inner room is wide, with three steps and two seats.My emperor's throne is gold-plated, which is called pure gold in Japan! The emperor sat on a throne covered with green velvet. His clothes were loose and seemed to be woven with green silk and gold thread. He wore two swords and tied his hair. He was about sixty or seventy years old. Forbidden, only stand six or seven steps away from the seat.

After a while, the emperor ordered the servant to sit on a chair about six steps away from the throne, and allowed him to wear a hat. He looked at the servant for a long time, clapped his hands, and called someone to come, and ordered to drive away a minister sitting next to the servant... The communication between Ieyasu and Rodrigo is that Ieyasu first told Honda Masamune, and Masanori passed it on to Mnoz who was on standby behind the partition, and Mnoz told Rodrigo...and so on.What Rodrigue said must also be passed on to Jiakang's ears through the mouth of Mnoz and Zhengchun. At the beginning, Ieyasu said in a commanding tone: "Tell him, I am very happy to see him."

Zhengchun stepped back on his knees and forwarded the words to Mnoz.Finally, the reply of "It's a great honor to see the honorable face" came back. "A samurai should not lose his courage in the event of an accident at sea. Don't worry. If you have any request, just say it. I will act with discretion, and the same is true for your emperor." Ieyasu was also preaching to Rodrigo. Don Rodrigue was tall, well-dressed, and aristocratic, and he was outstanding among the southern barbarians.However, the short and chubby Ieyasu was no less impressive, sitting firmly on the chair, looking with an unshakable dignity.In a few questions and answers, he treated the world's largest country and its proud King Philip as friends with full kingly demeanor, without any timidity.He also praised Miura who was standing at the foot of the steps several times.

Don Rodrigue was ashamed of himself, and his words became more and more respectful, "The sufferings in the past are indeed sad, but I can see my dignity and comfort my arms a little. We will surely receive grace and be favored." His words were entirely diplomatic.Ieyasu seemed to sympathize with his intentions, "You still seem to have some scruples. Don't worry, just say what you want. I'm not a strict person." Don Rodrigo then made three requests. First, the priests and believers of the Jesuits in Japan should not be abused, and their safety should be guaranteed in the same way as monks of various sects in Japan are treated, and they should be allowed to preach freely.

Second, Dutch ships trying to enter Japanese ports were enemies of the Ban.Japan should not protect the robbers, hoping to expel them as soon as they arrive at the port. Third, I hope that the monarch of the Ban Kingdom will continue to maintain peace and treat ships entering Japanese ports from Luzon well. After Jiakang listened, he smiled wryly and said to Zhengchun: "Sure enough, he didn't tell the truth. That's it for today. Give him the gift, take him around the city, and then invite him back. This is also true. It’s a grand ceremony.” With that, the meeting between Ieyasu and Don Rodrigue came to an end.After that, there will be a negotiation between Rodrigo and Honda Masazumi.Rodrigue's immediate goal was to cross the ocean to the country of Mexico in a boat built by Miura.But before he reveals the truth, he wants to test the idea of ​​acupuncture and whether Ieyasu has goodwill towards him.

Two days after the meeting, Ieyasu brought news through Honda Masanzu, and agreed to Rodrigue's three requests. At the same time, he said that if he could find mining technicians in Mexico, he hoped that Rodrigue would send 150 people. Come to Japan, at least 50 people. In the mansion of Ando Naoji in Junfu, Honda Masakazu, Miura Anzhen, Horenso Mnoz and Okubo Changan sat together.Ieyasu's message reached their ears.After their meeting with Rodrigo, Ieyasu went to Edo to inspect the progress of the Dentsu-in Temple built for his birth mother. "My lord has been thinking about it for a long time. The establishment of the Chuantong Institute made him feel very relieved." Honda Zhengchun said to Chang'an and Mnoz.

Ieyasu's official answer to Rodrigo was translated by Mnoz, and it was quite concise: the Franciscans in Banana and the Jesuit missionaries in Portugal will not be banned, and they can live in Japan.Ieyasu didn't know that the Dutch were pirates.It is also Ieyasu's expectation to be able to make good friends with the king of such a powerful country as Ban Guo. He will make it as convenient as possible for the ships of Ban Guo to arrive in Japan.Then, the question of the mine mechanic came up.This matter was originally proposed by Ronimo, a national missionary in the seventh year of the Qing Dynasty, when he came to Japan, and Ieyasu was just urging.How will Don Rodrigue respond to this? Because of the language barrier, Rodrigo's reply cannot be known to everyone with certainty. According to Mnoz's translation, it roughly means that half of the ore produced from this will be distributed to the miners, and the remaining half will be shared by Ieyasu and Ben. The owner of the country is divided equally, so Ban Guo still has to send people to Japan. After hearing this, Okubo Changan smiled slightly.I can't decide on the matter on the spot, Honda will tell Ieyasu afterwards, and of course Ieyasu will not agree easily. Once Rodrigo and the important ministers around Ieyasu get acquainted, they will be more handy.He is indeed good at diplomacy. At first, he only said that he hoped that missionaries would not be banned, and public worship was allowed... Then, he proposed that since he had good relations with Ban Guo, he should reject the Dutch and drive them out of the country, etc. After listening to Zhengchun's report, Ieyasu just smiled wryly, he seemed a little absent-minded, "Lend him the boat." None of the people around Ieyasu would have thought that they would lend Don Rodrigue the 120-ton giant ship built by Miura Yasuki.When Rodrigo proposed to borrow the ship, Honda Masazumi and others secretly asked Anzhen and Mnoz whether there was a similar situation in Europa.But Ieyasu found out that Rodrigue was still unwilling to bring up the matter, so he said, "Zhengchun, did Rodrigue not frankly say that he wanted to borrow the boat?" "Yes. Maybe it's Europa's diplomatic way of judging the situation. The Ban Guo Emperor rules the Ban Guo people in the world, and your lord can't punish them at will. He was sent here for negotiation from the very beginning. This kind of temptation is really annoying." "Haha. It's interesting, go around in circles with us, but don't waste that effort, just let him tell the truth." "Don't worry, my lord, I will stop his useless words." "Words of no use?" "Yes. We treated him kindly, and he became more and more smug. Let him learn from us." Honda Masamune said. Zhengchun may be worried that Rodrigo has been reluctant to talk about borrowing the boat because he wants to ask Ieyasu for money to buy the boat.If you have to hire boatmen and boatmen from Japan, the conditions will cause headaches.Rodrigue is good at playing diplomatic rhetoric, going around, just to find the opportunity to tell the truth... From this point of view, it is better to go straight. "My lord, do you want Rodrigo to build another boat?" "No," Ieyasu smiled wryly, "neither he nor the people around him are capable of building ships, and he understands this. So I want to send envoys to Emperor Philip and his Governor of Mexico." "envoy?" "Yes. You can send Sodero and Mnoz. Let them write down the detailed terms of the deal between Mexico and Japan and bring them there." "Then how should Don Rodrigue arrange it?" "Take him with you." "Like a castaway..." "He floated here in the first place, but turned into a diplomatic envoy in disguise. He has no special calculations." "But let Sodero and Mnoz..." "Take it as an order to sail home. I don't like Rodrigo's hatred of the Dutch." Zhengchun looked at Ieyasu quietly. Frankly speaking, Honda Masazumi was very disgusted with Rodrigo.On his way back to Mexico from Luzon, this person drifted to Iwawada, Isumi County, Shangzong, where he was protected by Honda Tadashi, the lord of Otaki City. When he arrived in Bungo, he traveled a long distance for the reason of taking a national ship. After returning, he was in Izu. Shipbuilding, by all means.If Toyotomi Hideyoshi is still alive, I'm afraid he won't do it at will.Not to mention this, Rodrigo's arrogant and conceited words have already made Honda really angry.But Ieyasu didn't care about it, and said with a smile that when soldiers come to block, water comes to cover up, without a broad mind, it is absolutely impossible to do business with other countries.However, as early as Rodrigo started to play with what he thought he was clever, Ieyasu was already thinking about how to gag him. "My lord, can Sodero and Mnoz come and go freely?" "Yes. But they will come back. They are the emissaries of Tokugawa Ieyasu, sending Rodrigo and others back. Therefore, they should have much more face than Rodrigo." "yes." "Call Rodrigo and Mnoz to the house, and say to Mnoz in front of Rodrigo, I have made a decision, and ask him and Sodero if they would like to be Tokugawa Ieyasu's envoys." "They must agree." "If they agree, we'll make a decision on the spot, and then discuss the departure date with Acupuncture." After speaking, Ieyasu looked at the thing called a globe next to him, narrowed his eyes, "Interesting." "Uh?" "Taiko wanted to conquer the whole world, but in the end he failed to set foot on the land of the Ming Dynasty. Tokugawa Ieyasu wanted to be the first person to cross the ocean on a Japanese-made ship." "Your mind is admirable." "By the way, prepare more good local products for the Governor of Luzon." "yes." "My true intentions must be kept strictly confidential." "What do you mean, my lord?" "Which thing is liked by the most people, it is also the most valuable. Pursuing as hard as Rodrigo will only make the world hate you. Haha. However, I can't bully Rodrigo. No matter what, he still worked hard to come here, The same goes for the other three hundred and fifty people." Ieyasu's words made Zhengchun extremely excited on the way home. Don Rodrigue was invited to his home by Honda Masazumi. "The Imperial Palace has decided to send two priests, Alonso Mnoz and Luis Sodero, as envoys to take a boat to the country of Mexico. So you take other people to take the same boat." Rodrigue was taken aback, "Mnoz and Sodero are envoys? Can they sail safely?" Honda Zhengchun deliberately downplayed the topic and avoided the topic, "If you are worried, don't go yet. Anyway, there will be a military ship coming to meet you soon." He knew that the Ban Guo Navy was currently worrying about the shortage of ships, "What? , do you accept your lord's kindness, or decline?" Rodrigue was completely overtaken by Ieyasu.Before he proposed to borrow the ship, his act of acting as a diplomatic envoy was a bit too much, and the expectations he raised were even more whimsical! "No! The mighty emperor will never let a brat sail the boat, I am very willing to take that boat!" Rodrigue said anxiously. After translating these words, Mnoz whispered in Zhengchun's ear, "Did Miura come up with this plan?" Zhengchun shook his head with a smile, "You also agree with Lord Ogosho?" "My lord..." "Yes. Originally you were an interpreter, but I didn't tell you in advance, sorry." "What do you mean, my lord?" "Please go to the country of Mexico with Sodero as the envoys of the Great Imperial Palace." "This..." Mnoz blushed, and gently wiped the sweat from his forehead.Ieyasu's move was unexpectedly fast. "Master Dayusuo is really a hero!" "Sodero won't have any objections?" "No...no. Although Father Sodero is slightly unwell, he will accept it gladly." "Okay. Then please convey this matter on your behalf. I will report to Edo after the selection of the crew is confirmed." So far, the matter of returning Rodriguez has been decided.Between Ieyasu and the country of Mexico under the jurisdiction of Philip III, a brand new door to trade is opening. Whether for Tokugawa Ieyasu or for Japan, the 14th year of Keicho is a year of special significance. During the three years from the thirteenth year of Keicho to the fifteenth year of Keicho, the pioneering enthusiasm of Ieyasu and his subordinates was burning, and its climax was in the fourteenth year of Keicho.That year, North Korea decided to build a Japanese pavilion again.Iehisa Shimadzu reported to Masazumi Honda that he had occupied Ryukyu, and that he would take control of it with Ieyasu's promise, which was in late May.The treaty between Japan and North Korea was concluded on the fourth day of July.In the same year, the lord of the Netherlands raised the hope of trade and decided to make Hirado Port a trading port; a fleet of ten merchant ships from the Ming Kingdom also came to Satsuma for trade with goods... The daimyo with higher salaries also began to look overseas. Date Masamune took foreign women as his concubines, not just because of his lust and special hobbies. He secretly took care of and protected Takayama Ukon and Naito Roan and others in Kaga's Maeda Mansion, not just because they were loyal to God. The previous Nai Dai, who did not distinguish between robbers and warriors and relied on force to show off his strength, has long passed.Ieyasu's powerful force and great prestige have become a solid foundation for building a peaceful and prosperous age, and his vision is naturally far superior to that of the ancients.Ieyasu is naturally happy to see this situation, which can also set an example for the stabilization of domestic unity. After making all kinds of preparations for the ship built by the Japanese to cross the ocean for the first time, the "According to the Needle" set off from Edo on June 13th in the 15th year of Qingchang and arrived at the destination smoothly. Arrived in Madan Cherlu, Mexico.Of course, not only the samurai and crew in charge of the ship were the Japanese who went there by boat.There are twenty-three merchants including Shuya Liqing and Tanaka Katsusuke in Kyoto.It's hard to imagine how people in this world view the outside world. General Tokugawa Hidetada, the general who conquered barbarians, even delivered diplomatic documents to the king of Ban Guo.Since Ieyasu lived in seclusion, the letter could only be written in Hidetada's name.Although Rodrigue was mentioned in the letter, the details were relayed by Mnoz and Sodero, which showed Ieyasu's caution. This matter was greatly glossed over in Don Rodrigo's diary.He said that when the emperor (Ieyasu) sent an envoy, he asked him for advice on candidates, and he nominated Father Mnoz. When Mnoz and his party were about to leave, Sodero claimed that he was ill and could not go with him—he had never planned to leave Japan from the very beginning.Because at this time, the Dutch fleet, with which he has a sworn enemy, came to Japan for the first time and was allowed to enter the port in Hirado. The English fleet will also arrive soon, and he will not be so stupid as to leave at this time . "According to the Needle" is full of confusion, glory and hope, starting from Edo.What is the function and significance of this voyage? In the future, the Kyoto businessman Zhu Wuliqing wrote "Wai Fan Tong Shu": After crossing the ocean on the "According to the Needle", he brought back a lot of scarlet felt, but there was not much gold and silver there.Zhu Wu found that the Mexicans were not very interested in the Japanese who came across the sea.As a businessman, he feels that the future of this Wanli transaction may not be bright.Goto Shozaburo, who sailed with Akiya Rikiyoshi, Tanaka Katsusuke and others, returned to Japan in the summer of the 16th year of Keicho, bringing back a lot of red wine and cloth.This is something for later, don't say anything. However, the results of this voyage have been reported to Ieyasu in detail, and Ieyasu has a new estimate of Mexico and the difficulties of the voyage.Shortly thereafter, General Sebastian Viscaino, who claimed to be the "Envoy of Thanks", came to Japan. Viscaino came to Japan in the summer of the 16th year of Keicho, and visited Ieyasu at Sumpu Castle on June 20.As a token of thanks for sending Rodrigo and his party back to China, he gave Ieyasu a watch, a cloak from Orangutan, red wine, and portraits of the king, concubine and prince of the Ban Kingdom.Ieyasu readily accepted, and at the same time approved General Biss' request to explore the coast of Japan. Ieyasu knew that his purpose was to find the Golden Island, and he readily agreed to his statement that he hoped to find a good port between Nagasaki and Uraga, because Ieyasu had his own ideas. General Bis came with the businessman Katsusuke Tanaka.However, his request was granted so readily that it immediately led to speculation and slander against him in the Netherlands and the English.Viscaino wrote in his memorial: 〖A local Jesuit told Bo Yizi that nothing happened, saying that people from England and the Netherlands told the emperor (Ieyasu) and the crown prince (Hidetada) about the fact that Bo was looking for Treasure Island and slandered our people for war. Relying on the power and power to run amok on Europa. The emperor said, I agree with the servants to explore the coast, but if there is any unruly attempt, I will use all the power of the whole country to prevent it...〗 This "Jesuit" is Sodero.From the very beginning, Sodero believed that even if he agreed to Viscaino's exploration of the Golden Island, he would not be able to make him have special ambitions, let alone expect him to speak his mind. Ieyasu strives to broaden the horizons of the Chinese people by expanding trade and developing mines.Of course, he is also full of confidence in martial arts.These are all things to say later, so I won’t repeat them. However, in the early winter of the 14th year of Keicho, Ieyasu decided to send Sodero and Mnoz as envoys to send Don Rodrigo back to China by "according to the needle number", and then left Junfu for Edo.He is going to pray for support for his birth mother Chuantong Temple and supervise the construction of the temple.Naoji Ando and Masanobu Takeyoshi accompanied him.These two are young talents trained by Ieyasu himself.Ieyasu sat in a sedan chair, the two of them rode horses, and the rest of the entourage walked.They did not walk in a hurry. They walked for more than three hundred miles for ten days, just like a study tour. After walking about halfway, one afternoon, the group arrived in Hakone Gongen, and when they looked back, they could see Mount Fuji in the distance.At this time, Ando Naoji seemed to think of something, and suddenly said to Ieyasu: "My lord, the world will undergo great changes in the future." "Change?" "There are no longer only Englishmen and Dutchmen in Japan, people from all over the world will come." What Naoji said was disturbing.Takeyoshi Masanobu shook his head, looked at Ieyasu, then at Naoji. "Yeah. It can't be said that such a day won't come. Zhihuan, you feel uneasy?" Ieyasu said. "Yes. No... If that's the case, will the world be governed better?" "Haha! You have been in too much contact with foreigners recently." Ieyasu smiled and pointed at Mount Fuji under the blue sky, "Look there." "Uh?" "High things, good things, no matter where you look at them, they are stable." Naoji also looked towards Mount Fuji across the lake, but at his age, he still couldn't fully understand Ieyasu's deep meaning. "Naoji, Masanobu, you all listen. Do you know why I chose Junfu to live in seclusion?" "From there, you can look directly at the vital points of the Kanto and Kansai..." Takeyao Masanobu stopped in the middle of his sentence. Naoji said cautiously, "Because there is Mt. Fuji?" "Oh? You think having Mt. Fuji will make people feel better?" "yes." "Haha. That's why." Ieyasu smiled slightly, "When we arrive in Edo, let's look at Mount Fuji again. Mount Fuji in Suruga, Mount Fuji in Kai, Mount Fuji in Hakone, Mount Fuji in Edo..." "No matter where you look at it, Mt. Fuji is as beautiful as it is." Takeyao Masanobu answered, as if he had realized something. "Shoshin understands?" Ieyasu sat firmly like a bell, shook his head with a smile, "Where can I see the same Mt. Fuji? No, Mt. Fuji taught me to have the courage to conquer all the seas in the world!" Everyone was silent. "Mount Fuji looks different from different places. Come, take a closer look. Nearby, a little farther away, further away, in the morning, at noon, in the evening...it's ever-changing!" "But... no matter when and where, Mt. Fuji is always beautiful!" "Haha! Zhengxin doesn't seem to like offending people." "Why not?" Ieyasu smiled again, "Everywhere looks beautiful, I have no objection to that. Leave it on the road and think about it. Before you arrive in Edo, you all have to think about it. Me, every time I see Mt. Fuji, Just thinking, what is it trying to tell me? Is it telling me to get out of Japan?" Naoji and Masanobu looked at each other without saying a word.The cold on the top of the mountain has covered the trees with a layer of frost, and I feel chilly all around. Seeing the servants kneeling on one knee listening to them, Jiakang said, "Let's go."