Chapter 5177: Troops Arrive at Iyo

Chapter 5177: Troops Arrive at Iyo
"That's all?"

Mononobe Ashikaga was somewhat incredulous.

Regardless of whether this matter succeeds or not, the Mononobe clan will be confirmed as a "traitor to the Japanese", incurring countless insults and becoming despised by all knowledgeable people among the Japanese.

Who would do this if there wasn't a huge benefit?
For the family?
No one believes it...

Mononobe Maro nodded solemnly: "That's it!"

Seeing that his father still looked unconvinced, he explained, "The Tang Dynasty is known as a country of etiquette, and treats all ethnic groups in the world in unity and friendship, and treats them equally. In fact, the Tang Dynasty is extremely xenophobic. It is extremely difficult for foreigners like us to truly integrate into the Tang Dynasty, unless we have merits that are recognized by all Tang people."

Mononobe Ashikaga understood a little: "You want to study in Zhenguan Academy and become a real Tang person?"

"That's right!"

Mononobe Maro's eyes sparkled, his fair face flushed, and he looked very excited: "Father, you have also been to the Tang Dynasty and Chang'an. You should know how majestic Chang'an is and how prosperous the Tang Dynasty is! There, peddlers and hawkers will abide by the rules, old farmers can earn a living by their own labor, and children in the fields can do whatever they want! No matter where you are in the world, as long as you show your identity as a Tang person, you can run rampant and be honored as a guest of honor! The Tang Dynasty is the most powerful country in the world, and the Tang people are the noblest nation in the world. If I can enter the Tang Dynasty and serve as an official with what I have learned in my life, and if my descendants of the Mononobe family are all Tang people from generation to generation, this will be an incomparable honor, and future generations will be grateful for this, thanking us for washing away the humble and dirty name of the Japanese for them!"

Later on, he even started dancing.

Mononobe Ashikaga remained silent. He was a little confused. Even if the Tang Dynasty was good, it was still the Tang Dynasty. Why should he betray his ancestors just to become a Tang person?

How is this different from the Soga clan's flattery and promotion of Buddhism and disregard for Japan's traditional gods?
"But we are Japanese after all..."

"so what?"

Mononobe Maro said, "After three or ten generations, who will still remember that we are Japanese? We look exactly like the Tang people, and we are the descendants of the ancient Chinese ancestors who crossed the sea and came to the Japanese island. What's wrong with tracing our roots and recognizing our ancestors?"

"what?"

Mononobe Ashikaga was a little confused. Not only did he want to become a Tang person, but he even had to abandon his own ancestors and recognize China as his ancestor?
But then again, although the Japanese people lived in hiding overseas and believed that they had their own heritage, their physical signs and writing were indeed passed down from the Tang people.

Maybe he is really a descendant of the Chinese...

What's more, in the upper class of Japan, there are countless Han people and their descendants who have come here to escape the war since the Northern and Southern Dynasties. Although these people live in Japan and are protected and supported by Japan, they always think of themselves as superior and a more outstanding group than the Japanese.

If we raise the banner of "returning to our roots", we will surely gain support from these people...

If the King of Wa was really overthrown, it would not be impossible for the Mononobe clan to take his place and actually rule Wa.

By then, it seems that it will be possible to become a Tang person or a puppet of the Tang people.

As the leader of the Mononobe clan, Mononobe Ashikaga naturally had the courage to match that. After weighing the pros and cons, he nodded vigorously: "I will contact some high-level figures to discuss the assassination of the King of Wa. You should quickly contact the Tang Dynasty to state our demands and see what conditions they ask for. If it is not too much, then agree to them!"

Mononobe Maro was extremely excited: "Don't worry, father. They will come to Iyo Island soon. I will talk to them in detail then!"

As for the conditions demanded by the Tang people, it is not difficult to guess. They are nothing more than mines and ports. Anyway, these things nominally belong to the King of Wa. If they do not get the support of the Tang people, those things will have nothing to do with the Mononobe clan. Therefore, even if they agree to all the conditions demanded by the Tang people, it would just be "giving away other people's generosity" and the Mononobe clan would not lose anything.

*****
The sea area between Iyo Island and the main island of Japan is very long and narrow, with many small islands scattered like broken stones. This makes the waterway tortuous and long, and it is basically impassable especially in windy and choppy weather. Otherwise, once the ship deviates from the waterway, it may run aground on the reef.

The Tang army possessed the best shipbuilding technology at the time, and the shape of the ships was more conducive to long-distance sailing, but it was inevitably inflexible. When the sails were inflated, the warships would go too fast, so they were not suitable for such narrow and winding waterways. Therefore, when Li Jinxing arrived, the fleet had to travel carefully in the sea.

Standing at the bow and looking at Songshan Harbor in the distance, Li Jinxing was somewhat incredulous. He looked at Jin Ren standing beside him and asked in amazement: "Is this the place that Japan said is very likely to replace Asuka-kyo in the future?"

Although he joined the navy, he had not been there for long and did not have much experience going to sea, let alone being in Japan. He thought that Asuka-kyo was the capital of Japan after all. Since Matsuyama Castle could replace Asuka-kyo, it should be a big city anyway, right?

Even if it is not as great as Chang'an and Luoyang, it should at least be at the level of Youzhou, right?

However, at present, it seems that it is not even as good as Changping under Youzhou...

Changping was just a county, and because Dou Jiande and Liu Heita raised troops in Hebei, the walls collapsed and the people were living in misery. It took many years for the Tang Dynasty to recover.

Jin Renwen said with emotion: "This is what you Tang people are proud of. Most of the cities in your eyes are like Chang'an, Luoyang, and Jinling, but even Pingrang City in its heyday was far inferior to those famous cities of the Tang Dynasty. Asuka-kyo is the capital of Wa, but it seems that its scale and luxury are not even comparable to a villa on Mount Li."

The Tang people had been in a prosperous and flourishing life for too long, and had no idea that everything around them had already become the best in the world. It was normal for them to feel unbelievable because of the sense of gap when they suddenly found themselves in a foreign country.

Li Jinxing remained silent.

By the time the warship docked at the port, Li Jinxing was too tired to complain when he saw the messy houses and warehouses on the shore, as well as the ragged, pale-faced, thin Japanese people.

He suddenly turned around and said to Li Yifu, who was looking down at the sea chart behind him, "Did we do something wrong? I'm afraid that Lady Wu would not look down on such a wild place!"

Li Yifu did not even raise his head: "I am not very satisfied with this place, but this is the most suitable place in Japan at the moment."

Jin Renwen patted Li Jinxing on the shoulder and said, "I understand your thoughts. You want to give Madam Wu a satisfactory island... But in today's world, there are basically no such places as you think of. Japan is close to the Tang Dynasty and faces each other across the sea. It has absorbed a lot of Chinese culture and imitated China in every way. It is already the most qualified place in the world."

……

At the port, Mononobe Ashikaga and his son led a group of retainers to welcome them respectfully. Li Jinxing was just a deputy general in the Tang army navy, but in the eyes of Mononobe Ashikaga, who had been away from the center of Japan for many years, he was already a great figure.

Not to mention that there is also a person like Jin Renwen who has great connections...

The convoy did not enter the city, but drove along the simple rammed earth wall straight out of the city into a forest. The forest was cool and pleasant with swaying tree shadows. A house building was hidden among the trees and flowers, with a winding path leading to a secluded and elegant look.

Mononobe Maro followed beside him with a respectful look, and introduced: "There is a hot spring here called 'Dogo', which is said to have a history of more than a thousand years. The spring water is soft and clear, and the temperature is suitable. When you set sail on the sea, soaking in the hot spring can best relieve fatigue and refresh your mind, and it is also very beneficial to your body."

Li Yifu sneered and said, "You Japanese are always happy to boast about your long history, such as the Japanese claiming to be an ancient dynasty, and this hot spring. But if you are asked to produce evidence of your historical heritage, you can't, and then you bring out those myths to make a fuss... But I can understand that you are a small country with few people and no roots. You can't even brag about yourself. Your ancestors were really too poor."

Mononobe Maro was not embarrassed at all, but instead had a leisurely and yearning look on his face: "When it comes to history, is there any tribe in the world that can surpass the Chinese? I am studying at the Imperial College in Chang'an, and every time I go to the library, I have a pilgrimage heart. The ancient books, wise knowledge, and teachings of sages are all filled with the weight of history."

Li Yifu understood: "You are studying abroad in Chang'an? That's right!"

Everyone in the world knows how powerful the Tang Dynasty was, and is in awe of its military might. However, only when you really set foot on the land of the Tang Dynasty and visit a majestic city like Chang'an, you will see how magnificent and prosperous the Chinese history that supported the power and prosperity of the Tang Dynasty is.

All the students who go to the Tang Dynasty to study abroad will eventually be awed by the brilliant civilization of China.

Li Jinxing and others entered the house. They were mentally prepared for the simple facilities there, but a soak in the boiling hot spring water really made people feel refreshed and comfortable.

During this time, several Japanese women dressed in traditional Japanese costumes with their faces painted like ghosts came in and served. Between their collars, one could vaguely see the rolling mountains and red plum blossoms on the snow-capped mountains, but it did not arouse the slightest interest in anyone.

Ugly makeup, short legs...

Mononobe Ashikaga was somewhat embarrassed, as these were the most outstanding Japanese women he could select, all of them were virgins, had flexible bodies and had undergone rigorous training. Unexpectedly, these Tang men did not like them at all.

After soaking in the hot spring, Mononobe Ashikaga prepared a sumptuous banquet.

During the meal, he raised his glass to toast, but Li Jinxing raised his hand to stop him.

Li Jinxing sat upright and said, "We have limited time, so let's talk business first. We came here on the orders of the Grand Admiral to help Iyo Island resist the attacks of pirates. Dozens of ships crossed the ocean, and thousands of soldiers braved the wind and waves. I think Mr. Mononobe knows how hard it was. So, what kind of reward does Mr. Mononobe plan to use to compensate the navy for their hard work?"