Chapter 427
A sure-profit business
...
Daqing Hall.
Zhao Yu sat on his dragon throne, looking down at the kneeling Princess Consorts Choko and Nozomi, along with a hundred Japanese beauties, and was quite speechless.
Why?
This is because these so-called Japanese beauties are practically like ghosts.
These Japanese beauties pursued "snow-white skin" to the extreme, even using "white powder" mixed with animal fat or starch to cover their faces, necks, and even chests.
This makeup completely covers the skin's texture, making the face appear stiff, pale, and bloodless.
The key issue is that the main components of heroin, such as lead and arsenic, can penetrate the skin. Long-term use can lead to chronic poisoning, causing symptoms such as hair loss, skin ulcers, gingivitis, and anemia, and may even affect fertility.
They also repeatedly applied a black dye made from a mixture of iron filings, vinegar, and gallnuts to their teeth until they were stained jet black and shiny.
To Zhao Yu, a time traveler, this approach was utterly devoid of beauty and instead appeared bizarre.
Moreover, the acidic components in these dyes can corrode tooth enamel, leading to tooth sensitivity, loosening, and even premature tooth loss.
Furthermore, they consider natural eyebrows "coarse," so they pluck them out with tweezers and then use dark black pigment to draw a thin "eyebrow" in the center of their forehead, below their hairline, resembling a short horizontal line.
This kind of makeup makes the face lose the three-dimensionality of natural eyebrows, making the forehead appear prominent and the facial proportions unbalanced. In addition, the process of plucking eyebrows can easily damage hair follicles, causing inflammation of the skin around the eyes, and in the long run, it may cause the eyebrows to never grow back.
In addition, they consider long hair to be beautiful, generally growing their hair to waist length or even dragging on the ground, reaching one to two meters in length. It looks uncomfortable, and long hair is very easy to get tangled and dragged in daily activities, which not only makes it inconvenient to move around, but may also cause tripping when walking or sitting, posing a safety hazard.
In addition, the "twelve-layered kimono" they wore also left Zhao Yu speechless.
These "twelve layers" are not fixed twelve layers, but are made up of multiple layers of silk clothing. The outer layer is a gorgeous "Tang robe", and the inner layer is a light and thin "single garment". Each layer of clothing is wide and long, with the hem trailing on the ground.
This clothing may look luxurious, but it is actually extremely bulky. The entire set of clothing can weigh tens of kilograms, which is heavier than the armor of the Song Dynasty's heavy infantry. Wearing it for a long time will compress the spine and lower limbs, causing hunchback and poor blood circulation. Moreover, the multiple layers of clothing are not breathable, which can easily cause heatstroke and skin eczema, especially in summer. In winter, the heavy clothing makes it difficult to move and reduces the body's resistance.
As is well known, Zhao Yu was very promiscuous; he was interested in having sex with even very beautiful black women.
Now, when it comes to these deformed "Japanese beauties" who completely violate the basic logic of "comfort, nature, and health," lacking both visual appeal and causing multiple harms to the body, Zhao Yu truly cannot bring himself to eat them.
Zhao Yu didn't care about the Japanese envoy's feelings and simply ordered, "Take her and the others to change into normal makeup and clothing."
Upon hearing Zhao Yu's words, the Japanese envoys, including Fujiwara no Tadashi, who could understand Chinese, couldn't help but show an embarrassed expression!
From the Japanese perspective, the Jin army was far too powerful. They believed that they could not withstand the Jin army's attacks on their own, and that without the Song Dynasty's assistance, they would most likely perish.
Based on this, Emperor Shirakawa attached great importance to this mission and was determined to obtain military assistance from the Song Dynasty. To this end, he did not hesitate to give his two princesses, Congzi and Xizi, who had already become nuns, to Emperor Zhao Yu (because they were Emperor Shirakawa's granddaughters, the daughters of the late Emperor Horikawa, the sisters of Emperor Toba, and the aunts of Emperor Sutoku, and were definitely the most noble princesses in the Japanese Imperial Family). He also selected more than a hundred of the most beautiful Japanese women from powerful families across the country and carefully prepared makeup and costumes for them.
Emperor Shirakawa and his court thought this would surely win over Zhao Yu and persuade him to send troops to rescue Japan, but instead they were met with his blunt disdain for "changing into normal makeup and clothing".
Although Princess Congzi did not understand Chinese, she sensed something was wrong from Zhao Yu's expression and the envoys' embarrassment. Her slender fingers twisted the hem of her twelve-layered kimono, her black teeth biting her lower lip, and her eyes were full of grievance and fear!
Princess Xizi raised her head slightly and, through the thick white powder, timidly looked at the legendary most powerful emperor of the Song Dynasty, not understanding why her proud makeup and clothing would make the other party show such impatience.
Zhao Yu paid no attention to the changes in the expressions of the Japanese envoy and the two Japanese princes. Instead, he watched as the two princes, Congzi and Xizi, and a hundred Japanese beauties were led away by female officials.
This is not because Zhao Yu is now the most powerful emperor in the world and has become arrogant, nor is it because Zhao Yu is ignorant of etiquette, but because it is all the fault of the Japanese (more accurately, the Japanese imperial family and the Japanese court).
Since the Huang Chao Rebellion at the end of the Tang Dynasty, Japan has kept its doors tightly shut, abolished the system of sending envoys to Tang China, and cut off all contact with the Central Plains dynasty, ostensibly to "prevent pirates," but in reality, it was a policy of isolationism.
To this end, Japan issued a series of "seclusion edicts," which were gradually tightened from the early Heian period to the present day, during the reign of Emperor Shirakawa, and were refined to an almost harsh degree.
Although the Japanese court did not completely cut off the entry of Song Dynasty merchants, it set up numerous checkpoints: Song Dynasty merchant ships could only dock at one port in Hakata Bay, and had to sail into a designated anchorage under the "escort" of Japanese warships. They could not unload their cargo without inspection and registration by Dazaifu officials. The cargo on board had to pay more than 30% of the goods according to the "percentage system". If it was a luxury item such as porcelain or silk that was sought after by the nobility, the percentage could be as high as 50%. The remaining goods had to be given priority to the imperial family and nobles. The pricing power was completely in the hands of the Japanese government, and merchants were not allowed to negotiate prices.
Even more concerning, Japanese law explicitly stipulates that "Song Dynasty merchants may not stay in Japan for more than three months" and "Song Dynasty merchants must have an interval of more than two years between two visits to Japan," with violators facing immediate deportation, and so on...
Over the years, Song Dynasty maritime merchants have gone to great lengths to open up trade with Japan.
Most importantly, Japan never opened its trade channels, and only a few types of goods from the Song Dynasty entered the Japanese market each year.
This is similar to chicken ribs—tasteless to eat, but a pity to throw away, especially considering the enormous size of the Song Dynasty court.
The Song Dynasty, especially during the reign of Emperor Zhao Yu, also sent envoys to Japan to discuss with the Japanese court the expansion of trade between the two countries (preferably free trade).
As a result, Emperor Shirakawa wrote a letter to Emperor Zhao Yu in a polite tone, but a good listener is worse than a good talker. Emperor Shirakawa's words conveyed only one meaning: Japan has no chance of opening up trade!
This infuriated Zhao Yu, who had always wanted to vigorously develop maritime trade.
To be honest, the main reasons why Zhao Yu failed to quell the northern barbarian threat and why the gentry and landlord class of the Song Dynasty caused him so much trouble were that Japan was too far away. Otherwise, Zhao Yu would have sent a large army to fight Japan long ago.
All of this was caused by the Japanese imperial court.
Now that Japan is in dire straits, facing the risk of annihilation, it has only now resorted to last-minute pleas for help, attempting to secure military aid from the Song Dynasty with two princes, a hundred women with grotesque makeup, and 500,000 taels of gold and 5 million taels of silver. In Zhao Yu's eyes, this is utterly delusional. Fujiwara no Tadashi also knows that Japan has gone too far in the past, taking advantage of its remote location to completely disregard the Song Dynasty. Even when Zhao Yu personally wrote to the Retired Emperor Shirakawa requesting trade between the two countries, they refused, showing utter disregard for both Zhao Yu and the Song Dynasty. Now, with their army suffering repeated defeats at the hands of the Jin Dynasty and facing the danger of national annihilation, they have panicked and desperately come to the Song Dynasty for military assistance. But such a thing is never so easy.
Fujiwara no Tadashi suppressed his anxiety and stepped forward, speaking in broken Chinese: "Your Majesty, we have come here because Japan is at a critical juncture of life and death. We hope Your Majesty will consider this..."
Fujiwara no Tadashi wanted to say, "Considering the past friendship between our two nations, we will send troops to provide assistance."
But as soon as he was about to speak, Fujiwara no Tadashi realized that there was no friendship whatsoever between the Song Dynasty and Japan. If he said that, judging from Zhao Yu's attitude just now, he would be slapped in the face.
Therefore, Fujiwara no Tadashi changed his tone and said, "I hope Your Majesty will remember Heaven's benevolence and send troops to save Japan. If the Song Dynasty's heavenly army comes to our aid, Japan is willing to become a vassal state of the Song Dynasty, open trade with the Song Dynasty, pay tribute every year, and come to the court every year..."
Before Zhao Yu could speak, Wang Fu stepped forward to refute Fujiwara no Tadashi:
"Envoy Fujiwara, you are mistaken! The Song and Japan are separated by thousands of miles of sea. Since the end of the Tang Dynasty, your country has closed its borders and cut off all communication. How can you expect to provide assistance?"
Furthermore, our Song Dynasty merchants have repeatedly suffered from oppressive policies and exploitation when they travel to Japan. Customs duties have been levied at a rate as high as 50%, and those who stay for even a short period are sent back. Moreover, our Song Dynasty merchants are not allowed to travel back and forth repeatedly in a short period of time, and laws are frequently introduced to make things difficult for them. Has your country ever thought of the friendship between neighboring countries?
Your country is now suffering from the ravages of the Jin army, a disaster you brought upon yourself. To launch a military expedition across the sea would require the mobilization of tens of thousands of ships, and the expenditure on provisions and supplies would be immense. The seas are treacherous, and the outcome is uncertain.
How can the lives of the people and soldiers of the Song Dynasty, and the wealth of the treasury, be so easily squandered on a country with which we have no relations?
Your country's attempt to use the guise of a vassal state and the benefits of trade to shift the burden of your predicament is tantamount to dragging our Great Song Dynasty into a quagmire of war. This is neither reasonable nor advantageous, and is utterly unfeasible!
Cai You then stepped forward to refute Fujiwara no Tadashi:
"In the past, the Emperor of our Great Song Dynasty, mindful of the friendship between our neighbors, specially issued a letter of state, wishing to exchange goods and achieve mutual benefit with your country. This is a benevolent act that benefits the people of both countries!"
However, your country, relying on its remote coastal location, has become arrogant and disrespectful. In the exchanges of official correspondence, your words have been dismissive and your manners lacking. You have treated the good intentions of my Emperor as worthless and refused our request for trade. How rude of you!
Now, ravaged by the Jin invaders, our nation is on the verge of collapse, and we grovel before them in utter humiliation—how laughable! Had we known our dire straits, why were we so arrogant in the first place?
As the saying goes, "Heaven's sins may be forgiven, but self-inflicted sins cannot be escaped." The calamities your country faces today are all due to the arrogance of the past.
How could our Great Song Dynasty lightly wage war and waste its national strength for an impudent country? The envoy's promises of vassalage and trade are merely expedient words spoken in times of crisis; how can they be trusted by the Great Song Dynasty? This matter is absolutely unacceptable!
Tang Ke then stepped forward and addressed the matter directly to Zhao Yu, expressing his opposition to sending troops to rescue Japan: "Your Majesty, I believe that aiding Japan is absolutely unacceptable! There is no alliance between Song and Japan, and they are separated by thousands of miles of sea. Japan's troubles are not the responsibility of our Great Song. Why should we send troops across the sea to relieve their suffering?"
When it comes to a long-distance expedition across the sea, the cost of ships and provisions can easily amount to hundreds of millions, potentially emptying the treasury. The sea winds are unpredictable, and the waves are treacherous. Soldiers face dangers, and the outcome is uncertain. If a defeat is suffered, soldiers will be lost, national prestige will be damaged, and the consequences will be unpredictable.
Even if we were to be fortunate enough to win the war and save Japan from defeat, all we would gain would be a treaty of vassalage and a small amount of annual tribute.
However, Japan is far to the east of the sea, separated by the ocean. If it were to break its alliance and refuse to pay its annual tribute in the future, how could our Great Song Dynasty follow the example of Emperor Mu of Qin and launch a distant expedition to raise an army again?
Wasting resources and manpower without any real benefit, and taking countless risks for empty fame, is putting the cart before the horse.
"May Your Majesty discern the advantages and disadvantages, safeguard the foundation of the nation, and not be burdened by the dangers of foreign lands, so as to bring peace to the people of the Great Song."
Next, a group of ministers from the Song Dynasty stepped forward to present their views.
It's unusual that almost all the ministers opposed sending troops to rescue Japan this time.
Upon seeing this, Fujiwara no Tadashi and the other Japanese envoys all felt a chill in their hearts!
Upon hearing this, Fujiwara no Tadashi hurriedly bowed and said:
"Your Majesty the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty, and all the ministers, please hear what I have to say!"
If the Great Song Dynasty is willing to send heavenly troops to rescue Japan, all military needs will be borne by Japan, and we will never dare to burden the Great Song Dynasty's treasury!
All provisions, supplies, ships, armor, military expenses, rewards, and even compensation for soldiers who have been in danger, were paid in advance by our country in gold and silver, and were fully provided without any shortage.
The dangers of crossing the sea and the perils of war shall also be borne by Japan itself—if any soldiers are lost, Japan will provide double the compensation; if there are any losses of military supplies, Japan will immediately compensate with gold and silver.
Before we arrived, my Emperor made it clear that the Song army would defeat the enemy with overwhelming force, and Japan would bear all the costs and risks, ensuring that the Song Dynasty would not suffer any loss or harm!
"We humbly beseech Your Majesty to take pity on our nation's perilous situation and grant our request for aid. Our nation will forever be grateful for Your Majesty's grace, faithfully uphold the duties of a vassal state, and remain steadfast for generations to come!"
Upon hearing Fujiwara no Tadashi's words, all the ministers of the Song Dynasty fell silent and began to ponder in their hearts whether this matter could be carried out.
War often brings a lot of trouble.
One such example is the surplus of troops left over after the war.
After so many years of war, the Song Dynasty's army had swelled to over a million.
Moreover, this only includes the regular army, not the local militia, village militia, police, and the like.
Now, the Northeast has been basically pacified, and those grassland tribes have also suffered heavy losses. Although the territory of the Song Dynasty is as vast as ever, it does not actually need to maintain so many troops to garrison it.
In this situation, there were "guys" willing to pay money and provide food to help the Song Dynasty support its army, and even willing to pay money to buy the Song Dynasty's weapons and supplies for the Song army to use themselves.
The key point is that in this process, the Song Dynasty not only doesn't have to spend any money, but may even make a lot of money.
Even if the Song Dynasty's troops were to perish at sea or die in battle, Japan would foot the bill. The Song Dynasty would not only suffer no loss, but could also make a profit by overstating its losses.
It would be even better if the Song Dynasty helped Japan win this war. In that case, the Song Dynasty would not only have gained another vassal state, but would also receive a considerable annual tribute.
Where can you find such a sure-fire way to make money?
Therefore, those ministers who reacted more quickly began to secretly wink at Zhao Yu, signaling him: "Your Majesty, this matter can be agreed to..."
...(End of chapter)