Chapter 5175: Ashikaga

Chapter 5175: Ashikaga
Su Dingfang knew better than anyone the significance and mission of the Royal Navy's existence. On the contrary, the civil and military officials in Chang'an City who were high up in the government were unable to understand the vastness of the ocean, and the opportunities and dangers it brought to the empire.

Therefore, the Royal Navy could only obey Fang Jun, and only Fang Jun could give this army profound historical significance.

In a sense, although the Royal Navy has a royal name, it is actually equivalent to Fang Jun's private army.

It can only be Fang Jun’s private army.

Otherwise, if the "disorderly orders" in Chang'an City were followed, the Royal Navy's greatest advantage would be wiped out...

So when Jin Renwen brought Liu Renyuan's document to him, he agreed without hesitation.

Since they were Fang Jun's private army, then Jin Renwen, who worked for Lady Wu, was naturally "one of our own". There was no need to refuse these not-too-excessive requests...

……

However, when Jin Renwen placed the military order signed by Su Dingfang in front of Li Jinxing, although Li Jinxing already knew about Jin Renwen's power, he was still shocked.

It would be fine if he could connect with the Buyeo people and use Liu Renyuan, but he could actually move Su Dingfang, the pillar of the Royal Navy? !
Jin Renwen didn't seem surprised by Li Jinxing's shock, and smiled warmly: "Although I am from the royal family of the Jin family, I am now a Tang person."

If he was instructed by the Silla people, then he would inevitably be accused of "colluding with foreign races". However, he had already been a Tang citizen and was a real Tang person. No one could use this point to attack Su Dingfang or the royal navy.

By the same token, everything was planned within the scope of the Tang people, and gains and losses were all the Tang people's own business.

Li Jinxing nodded and said frankly, "I was overthinking it. After all, it's really surprising that you are so capable."

On the side, Li Yifu said: "In fact, things are often not difficult to handle. The difficult part is the lack of someone who can thread the needle and gain the trust of all parties."

This is the necessary condition for the existence of brokers.

Of course, not every broker can achieve what Jin Renwen has achieved. Background and strength are both essential.

Jin Renwen asked with a smile: "Do you two have a detailed plan?"

Li Jinxing took a deep breath and said, "The complete plan has already been formulated, and the troops can set off tomorrow."

"Then I will go to Iyo Island with you two."

Li Yifu was delighted: "That's great! Let's go together and act according to the plan after arriving at Iyo Island. We should get this done as soon as possible and put it in our pockets to avoid any accidents."

He was repeatedly suppressed by Fang Junzhi and had given up on his official career. He thought about going back to his hometown of Yanting in Sichuan to farm and study for the rest of his life. By chance, he found the way of Wu Meiniang, which saved him from a desperate situation and was like a blessing.

No one in the world can turn things around from Fang Jun's oppression, except Wu Meiniang. With Fang Jun's love and trust for Wu Meiniang, as long as Wu Meiniang gives him this opportunity, he will surely be able to turn things around.

So for him, this matter can only succeed and cannot fail.

……

Mononobe Ashikaga was very upset.

The entire clan had to move from Asuka-kyo to Iyo Island as a last resort. The entire main island of Japan had been completely engulfed in war, and most of the northeast had been lost to the invasion of the Emishi. The Emishi had been enslaved by the Japanese for generations, and had accumulated endless amounts of war. Now that the war had broken out, all the Emishi went crazy and attacked the Japanese cities and villages. Once a city or fortress was captured, the Japanese would be massacred.

In the southwest of the main island, the defeated Goguryeo and Buyeo people crossed the sea by boat to avoid being hunted down and liquidated by the Tang people. After landing on the main island, they committed all kinds of atrocities. Countless Japanese were killed or captured by them and sent to work in mines and shafts.

Japan is such a big country with countless islands, but now only Iyo Island is left as a piece of pure land.

It's not that Iyo Island is easy to defend and difficult to attack, but because the island is full of mountains and hills, there is very little land that can be cultivated, so few people have lived here since ancient times...

However, as many Japanese families moved here from the main island, the population increased dramatically, which naturally attracted the attention of the Goguryeo and Buyeo people.

Now, in the narrow strait between Iyo Island and the main island, many Goguryeo and Buyeo people have occupied the scattered small islands and are constantly attacking Iyo Island.

In particular, Buyeo Seong, the second son of Baekje King Buyeo Uiji, led the last troops of the Baekje royal family to launch surprise attacks on Matsuyama Castle where the Mononobe clan lived, causing heavy losses to the Mononobe clan, forcing them to ask for support from the Tang Dynasty.

However, since the civil strife in Japan began, the attitude of the Tang Dynasty has been ambiguous and intriguing. It will neither side with the Japanese nor allow the Ainu to destroy Japan in one fell swoop. It sways back and forth, mediates in the middle, and speaks to whoever gives more benefits, pursuing profit only.

Therefore, even if the Tang army could send troops to help this time, no one knew what price they would have to pay.
Opposite him, Mononobe Maro, who had just returned from studying in the Tang Dynasty, was kneeling there, making tea with his head down and a calm expression. The young man was a little thin, with a straight back, and had a bit of the elegant, indifferent and calm demeanor of the great Tang Dynasty scholars.

This is almost the only comforting thing for Ashikaga at the moment.

Mononobe Maro placed the brewed tea in front of his father, and asked calmly, "The family has already left Asuka-kyo, so why did you move here? Iyo Island is poor and barren, surrounded by the sea, and it is really not a good place to support the continuation of the family's development."

Monobu Ashikaga took a sip of tea, sighed, and said with a sad face: "Today, where can we find a piece of pure land in the Japanese islands? The war with the Ainu people in the north never stops, and the Goguryeo and Buyeo people are in turmoil in the south. Only Iyo Island is relatively quiet at present, but it is now targeted. Although the Buyeo people are not numerous, their troops are all elite, and they are secretly supported by Baekje's crown prince Buyeo Long who is in the navy. They are really irresistible."

Why did the Ainu people, who had been enslaved by the Japanese for generations, suddenly erupt, defeating the Japanese and causing them to lose most of their territory?
The reason is that the Ainu people suddenly sacrificed everything they had to the Tang people and received weapons assistance from the Tang people.

In such an era, whoever has more advanced weapons and better equipment will see their combat effectiveness soar.

The same is true for the Buyeo people.

Although Baekje was destroyed, its royal troops were stranded on the sea. Its crown prince Buyeo Long swore allegiance to the Tang Dynasty and joined the Royal Navy. He then used his connections to get some obsolete equipment from the navy and gave it to his brother Buyeo Sheng, who armed the last troops of Baekje...

The equipment eliminated by the Tang army is an unparalleled killer weapon in other countries.

How can the Mononobe clan resist this?
Mononobe Maro drank his tea and shook his head, saying, "Father was wrong. We shouldn't have come to Iyo Island in the first place."

Wu Bu Ashikaga asked curiously: "Then where should we go?"

"Edogawa!"

Wu Bu Ashikaga was shocked and said, "Edogawa is now a land leased by the Tang people. It has been developed by the Tang people. I heard that there are markets everywhere and countless warehouses... How could the Tang people allow us to stay there?"

Mononobe Mamoru did not answer, but asked: "Father, what do you think is the final solution for Japan?"

Ubu Ashikaga was stunned and remained silent.

Although the territory of Wa Kingdom is no more than a group of islands, it has never been truly unified from ancient times to the present. Even the King of Wa, who claimed to be "the dynasty of all ages", could only influence and control Asuka Kyo.

And now, the entire country of Japan has been plunged into war, the territory has been divided, and the people have been lost...

He saw no way out for Japan except the destruction of the country.

Mononobe Maro said, "It seems that father has foreseen the future of Japan. Even if the country does not perish as we expect, it will certainly be full of wars and chaos. Such a chaotic world will take decades or even hundreds of years to calm down. In this case, why should we, the Mononobe clan, accompany Japan to perish together?"

Wu Bu Ashikaga guessed, but his voice trembled slightly: "What do you want to say?"

Mononobe Maro straightened his back and did not kowtow to his father. Instead, he said confidently: "Why not join the Tang Dynasty?"

"presumptuous!"

Monobu Ashikaga was furious: "You studied in the Tang Dynasty for a few days, and you were brainwashed by the Tang people? We are Japanese, and we have Japanese blood flowing in our bodies. If even our Mononobe clan joins the Tang Dynasty, won't the Japanese nation be destroyed?"

Mononobe Maro said with innocence, "Wakoku is just a tiny country. What does it matter whether it is destroyed or not?"