Tokugawa Ienari's decision to win over Zheng Jiangfu, simply by the fact that Zheng Jiangfu was unaware of the contents of Jiang Xinlong's letter, was enough to prove that Tokugawa Ienari wasn't entirely devoid of intellect.
Unfortunately, while Tokuawa Ienari possessed a brain, its capacity for wisdom was limited.
Zheng Jiangfu was by Jiang Xinlong's side when the letter was being written, but he paid no mind to what it contained.
Moreover, Zheng Jiangfu was well aware that Jiang Xinlong was deliberately trying to set up Tokugawa Ienari.
This leads to the question: what concern was it of Zheng Jiangfu, a noble of the Great Ming, that Jiang Xinlong intended to trick Tokugawa Ienari, or more accurately, trick the 'Wa-Nu' (Japanese)?
For Zheng Jiangfu, the Great Ming was his homeland. Even though he had grown up in Japan since childhood and had been exposed to Japanese people from a young age, Zheng Jiangfu felt no affection for Japan.
This was because Zheng Jiangfu's ancestor was Tagawa Shichizaemon, whose father was Zheng Zhilong. Tagawa Shichizaemon and Koxinga were full brothers.
In the East, where paternal lineage was paramount, Zheng Zhilong being a Central Plains man meant that Koxinga and Tagawa Shichizaemon were also Central Plains men.
Even after Zheng Zhilong surrendered to the Qing and the Great Ming seemed to be in decline, Tagawa Shichizaemon consistently supported Koxinga's efforts to resist the Qing.
Although Koxinga ultimately failed to overthrow the Qing, the lineage of Tagawa Shichizaemon never broke its ties with the Tiandihui (Heaven and Earth Society) and always harbored the desire to overthrow the Qing and restore the Ming.
In the past, when the Qing dynasty was powerful and Japan's Tokugawa Shogunate was preoccupied with its policy of national seclusion, Tagawa Shichizaemon's lineage had no effective recourse.
However, now the Qing dynasty was in decline, and while Japan remained secluded, it had acknowledged the Great Ming as its 'father.'
With the 'Wa-Nu' having acknowledged their 'father,' the current leader of Tagawa Shichizaemon's lineage, Zheng Jiangfu, was granted the title of Baron due to the efforts of Koxinga in the past.
Therefore, whether it was due to blood ties or from a perspective of self-interest, Zheng Jiangfu firmly considered himself a citizen of the Great Ming, and he felt no qualms about selling out Japan, where he was born and raised.
If Jiang Xinlong asked him to deliver a letter, he would deliver it.
If Jiang Xinlong wanted to trick Tokugawa Ienari, he would help him do so.
And along the way, he could gather some information for the Tiandihui and the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
It was a win-win situation!
With this thought, a smile appeared on Zheng Jiangfu's face, and he said to Tokugawa Ienari, "General, I am delighted to see the cherry blossoms of my homeland once again. If it is possible, I would also like to pay my respects at Mount Kami to pray for the long prosperity of Japan!"
Upon hearing Zheng Jiangfu's words, the joy on Tokugawa Ienari's face intensified. "Of course, you are always welcome to admire the cherry blossoms of your homeland and pay your respects at Mount Kami."
After a moment's thought, Tokugawa Ienari added, "How about this, I will send someone to escort you to Mount Kami?"
Zheng Jiangfu smiled and shook his head. "There is no need for such trouble."
"To pay respects at Mount Kami requires sincerity, not a grand ceremony with many people."
"With too many people, the heart can easily become agitated."
Saying this, Zheng Jiangfu suddenly put on a look of realization and said, "Oh, yes, His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Ming has another matter he wishes to convey."
Tokugawa Ienari's heart tightened, and he looked at Zheng Jiangfu. "May I ask what other instructions His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Ming has? I, Ienari, will surely fulfill His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Ming's commands even if it means my life!"
Zheng Jiangfu, however, waved his hand with a smile. "General, there is no need to be nervous."
"Before I returned to Japan, the Great Ming Emperor sent someone to tell me that Japan and the Great Ming are separated only by a narrow strip of water. Although our mountains and rivers are different, we share the same sun and moon (we are under the same sky). Japan was once a country designated as not to be conquered by Emperor Taizu Gao of the Great Ming, and now it is one of the Great Ming's few vassal states. Therefore, any thoughts Japan may have do not require extensive calculation."
"To stabilize the minds of General Tokugawa and Emperor Kōkaku, His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Ming has ordered me to bring back a stone. Upon my return to Japan, I am to build a pagoda to enshrine it and offer sacrifices throughout the seasons, symbolizing that the land of the Great Ming is in Japan, and Japan belongs to the Great Ming."
Hearing Zheng Jiangfu's words, Tokugawa Ienari felt a sense of internal conflict.
What was the Emperor of the Great Ming thinking?
He didn't know.
Did the Emperor of the Great Ming truly consider Japan as his own territory, perhaps even with the intention of incorporating it as an internal vassal state?
He was unclear.
Tokugawa Ienari could not fathom the thoughts of Zhu Jinsong, the Emperor of the Great Ming, nor could he understand what Zhu Jinsong intended to do.
However, regardless of his inability to understand, since Zhu Jinsong had ordered the construction of a pagoda in Japan to enshrine a stone from the Great Ming, Tokugawa Ienari could only comply.
After a moment of deliberation, Tokugawa Ienari looked at Zheng Jiangfu and said, "Zheng-san, what are the true intentions of His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Ming? Does he intend to make Japan an internal vassal state?"
Zheng Jiangfu glanced at Tokugawa Ienari and retorted, "If Japan were to become an internal vassal state of the Great Ming, how would Your Excellency Tokugawa position yourself then?"
Tokugawa Ienari stammered, "Naturally, naturally, I would be loyal to His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Ming."
Zheng Jiangfu, however, shook his head. "His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Ming has no intention of making Japan an internal vassal state. The reason for ordering the construction of a pagoda to enshrine a stone in Japan this time is merely to express the Great Ming's stance. Furthermore, according to the gossip I've heard in the Great Ming, this stone is of great significance..."
Tokugawa Ienari's heart tightened, and he repeatedly asked, "What significance?"
Zheng Jiangfu leaned closer to Tokugawa Ienari and whispered, "It is said that Zhang Tianshi of Longhu Mountain observed the celestial phenomena and discovered that the 'small broken ball' (Earth) will soon experience great turmoil, and Japan... will also be difficult to escape!"
Tokugawa Ienari became even more nervous.
He completely dismissed the notion of the 'small broken ball' experiencing great turmoil as a joke.
This was because the Great Ming was currently the most powerful entity on the 'small broken ball,' so much so that it could contend with the entire planet on its own.
As long as the Great Ming did not experience any internal upheaval, and the Emperor of the Great Ming did not suddenly decide to wage war against the entire planet, the 'small broken ball' would absolutely not fall into chaos!
However, when Zheng Jiangfu said that Japan would also be difficult to escape, it made Tokugawa Ienari tremble—what if the Emperor of the Great Ming intended to act against Japan?
But as Tokugawa Ienari was lost in thought, Zheng Jiangfu continued to whisper, "It is precisely for this reason that His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Ming specifically ordered the construction of a pagoda in Japan to enshrine a stone—an immortal stone from Mount Tai!"
Upon hearing the words "immortal stone from Mount Tai," Tokugawa Ienari suddenly had the feeling of not understanding but sensing that it sounded very powerful.
Zheng Jiangfu said, "The immortal stone from Mount Tai is collected from Mount Tai, the foremost of the Five Great Mountains. It has also been personally blessed by the current Celestial Master of Longhu Mountain's Tianshi Mansion. It was even specially sent to the Forbidden City for three days of veneration. It not only carries a trace of the Great Ming's national destiny but also a trace of the current Emperor's true dragon aura. If Japan were to enshrine this stone, would not Japan's national destiny be stabilized?"
Tokugawa Ienari became immediately excited.
Would Japan's national destiny be stabilized?
Stabilized, my foot!
If the dragon脉 (dragon veins, veins of power) of the Central Plains' great halls were like the Kunlun Mountains, the ancestral mountains of all mountains, then Japan's dragon脉 could only be considered its so-called sacred mountain.
If the dragon脉 and national destiny of the Central Plains were comparable to a giant dragon, then Japan's dragon脉 would likely only be comparable to an earthworm.
For instance, Japan's sacred mountain had erupted one hundred years ago, causing considerable damage to Japan.
If it had the national destiny of the Great Ming...
With this thought, Tokugawa Ienari became excited and said to Zheng Jiangfu, "In that case, I will immediately order people to prepare for the construction of the pagoda to enshrine the stone!"
However, Zheng Jiangfu stopped Tokugawa Ienari and whispered, "Your Excellency is only thinking of using the Great Ming's national destiny to suppress Japan's national destiny. Have you not considered that simply enshrining the stone, how can it possibly suppress it?"
Tokugawa Ienari was stunned and asked, "Then what should be done?"
Zheng Jiangfu said, "I specifically inquired with Master Wuzhi, the abbot of Baoen Temple in the capital. He said that to borrow the Great Ming's national destiny to suppress Japan's national destiny, not only must Japan sincerely enshrine it, but the pagoda must also be built using stones from various mountains in Japan."
Tokugawa Ienari became even more bewildered and asked, "Stones from various mountains?"
Zheng Jiangfu nodded. "Indeed, stones from various mountains. If the sacred mountain is considered the ancestor of Japan's dragon脉, then the numerous mountains in Japan can be considered its branches."
"Only by using stones from various mountains to build a pagoda to enshrine the immortal stone from Mount Tai of the Great Ming can Japan truly borrow the national destiny and dragon aura of the immortal stone from Mount Tai to suppress Japan's current chaotic national destiny and dragon aura."
Upon hearing Zheng Jiangfu's words, Tokugawa Ienari was greatly startled and exclaimed, "Japan's national destiny and dragon aura are already in chaos?"
Zheng Jiangfu nodded and whispered, "Master Wuzhi said that Japan's national destiny and dragon aura were damaged during the Battle of Baekgang River. If it weren't for the envoys to the Tang dynasty and the subsequent journey of Jianzhen to the East, Japan would have long since perished, let alone have the divine winds to protect Japan through the Yuan invasion!"
"But later, Toyotomi Hideyoshi provoked the Great Ming in the land of the 'stick' (Korea)."
"Although the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate, General Tokugawa Ieyasu, quickly implemented a policy of national seclusion to try and seal Japan's national destiny and dragon脉, over a hundred years after Toyotomi Hideyoshi's death, the sacred mountain still erupted in the fourth year of Hōei."
"This was because Japan's national destiny and dragon脉 could not withstand the backlash from provoking the Great Ming."
"Since then, Japan's national destiny and dragon脉 have been in a damaged state."
"If the 'small broken ball' were to truly descend into chaos, it is likely that Japan, with its already damaged national destiny and dragon脉, would be the first to bear the brunt."
Hearing this, Tokugawa Ienari felt a sense of sudden enlightenment.
So, the Emperor of the Great Ming did not care about Japan's fate, nor was he particularly benevolent. Instead, he needed Japan's samurai! Because the Great Ming also needed Japan's supervisors!
If Emperor Kōkaku was directly eliminated due to this incident, Japan's already damaged dragon aura would likely be further diminished, perhaps collapsing immediately!
And if Japan collapsed, it would essentially mean the Great Ming would lose a stable source of supervisors and auxiliary troops!
Therefore, the Emperor of the Great Ming had people collect an immortal stone from Mount Tai, and even went to the trouble of having it blessed by the current Celestial Master of Longhu Mountain's Tianshi Mansion, and then further imbued it with dragon aura!
However, Tokugawa Ienari still had a question in his mind. "If the Emperor of the Great Ming intends to help suppress Japan's national destiny, why did he not choose stones from the Kunlun Mountains, the ancestral mountains of all mountains, but instead chose stones from Mount Tai?"
Zheng Jiangfu glanced at Tokugawa Ienari again and retorted, "If it were stones from the Kunlun Mountains, the ancestral mountains of all mountains, would Your Excellency be certain that Japan's national destiny would not be suppressed to the point of collapse?"
With that, Zheng Jiangfu shook his head again. "Speaking of which, the Emperor of the Great Ming is truly treating us Japanese extremely well."
"I heard from Master Wuzhi of Baoen Temple that to suppress Japan's national destiny and dragon脉, and to prevent it from collapsing, many stones from mountains in the Great Ming could achieve this, as long as they are blessed by a Celestial Master and imbued with dragon aura."
"However, the Emperor of the Great Ming ultimately chose stones from Mount Tai, because Mount Tai is the foremost of the Five Great Mountains, and among all mountains, it is the most majestic, pure, and upright."
At this point, the expression on Zheng Jiangfu's face became somewhat mysterious. "It is said that the dragon脉 of the Great Ming is Mount Tai. Originally, the dragon脉 of the Great Ming was Mount Zijin in Jiangling. Later, after the King of Yan moved the capital to the imperial city, the dragon脉 of Mount Zijin protected the Great Ming for nearly three hundred years."
"As for the Qing dynasty, it was different. The Qing dynasty ultimately ruled through subjugation. Although many barbarian chiefs like Qianlong ascended Mount Tai, they ultimately did not have the protection of the dragon脉 for the Qing dynasty's national destiny, which is why the Qing dynasty perished in three generations."
"The current Emperor of the Great Ming, coincidentally, rose from Ningyang County, not far from the foot of Mount Tai, borrowing the power of Mount Tai's dragon脉. Perhaps Your Excellency does not know this, but the Emperor of the Great Ming specifically demarcated Ningyang County from Yanzhou Prefecture to Tai'an Prefecture."
Tokugawa Ienari shook his head. "I did not know this, as it was not mentioned in the 'Great Ming Gazette.'"
Zheng Jiangfu chuckled and whispered, "Most people, even in the Great Ming, are unaware of such matters. How could the 'Great Ming Gazette' mention them?"
Tokugawa Ienari, however, expressed doubt. "But this also seems somewhat inconsistent. Think about it, it is said that the dragon脉 of the Central Plains is the Kunlun, the ancestral mountains of all mountains. Yet, how is the Emperor of the Great Ming borrowing the dragon脉 of Mount Tai?"
Zheng Jiangfu said, "Kunlun is not only the ancestral mountains of all mountains but also the ancestral mountains of all dragon脉 in the world. To put it plainly, the dragon脉 of Kunlun Mountains is for the Central Plains. Regardless of how the world changes, the Central Plains will ultimately remain the Central Plains."
Seeing Tokugawa Ienari nod in agreement with his statement, Zheng Jiangfu continued, "With the suppression of the immortal stones from Mount Tai, not only will Japan's national destiny not collapse, but it will even rise to a higher level because of it."
"Of course, no matter how much Japan's national destiny rises, it will ultimately be incomparable to the Great Ming, as the dragon脉 of the Great Ming is Mount Tai, and its ancestral脉 is Kunlun."