The rise of the poor

Chapter 2170 Let Us Suffocate for Our Dreams (6)

Wang Zhi was silent for about ten seconds before he looked up at Zhu Ping'an, shook his head slowly, and said softly;

"Master Zhu, I am not trying to pour cold water on you. The Japanese pirates have spread from Liaodong and Shandong to Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, and Guangxi. There are no less than 800 Japanese pirate gangs, big and small. The so-called Japanese pirates are actually a mixed bag. There are real Japanese, fake Japanese, red-haired barbarians, Portuguese barbarians, etc. Some of them are roaming around and committing crimes, some have bases on coastal islands, some are merchants who occasionally become Japanese, some are ordinary people who fish and farm but temporarily commit crimes in the name of Japanese pirates, and some cross the ocean several times a year. If the number of these people is added up, there are at least hundreds of thousands, if not millions."

"Master Zhu, the Japanese pirates are like leeks. You can never cut them all unless you dig out their roots. The root is the maritime ban. In dynasties that did not have a maritime ban, there was no news of Japanese invasion! If the maritime ban is lifted, it would not be difficult to eliminate the Japanese invasion. However, if you want to eliminate the Japanese invasion without lifting the maritime ban, you are putting the cart before the horse and it is as difficult as climbing to heaven."

Wang Zhi looked at Zhu Ping'an as if he was looking at a fantasy, saying that it was impossible to eliminate the Japanese threat without lifting the maritime ban.

Zhu Ping'an smiled and shook his head. "Captain Wang, for others, eliminating the Japanese threat is as difficult as ascending to heaven, but if you and I join forces, we can eliminate the Japanese threat in one year, if not overnight."

"Hahahaha. Lord Zhu really thinks highly of you and me." Wang Zhi laughed.

"Captain Wang, look at things and don't be fooled by appearances. Today's Japanese invasion seems to stretch for thousands of miles, with hundreds of thousands of people, like leeks that can't be cut off completely. But if you look beyond the appearance of the Japanese invasion, behind these messy merchants, civilians, pirates, Japanese, Portuguese, red-haired barbarians and other Japanese pirates, there are three real opponents that need to be dealt with. If these three opponents are solved, the Japanese invasion will be solved."

Zhu Pingan said with confidence.

"Oh, there are three opponents that we really need to deal with? Which three are they?" Wang Zhi asked curiously.

"There is no doubt that the first opponent is the real Japanese. The main force of the Japanese invasion is the real Japanese. The real Japanese are brave and fearless. If there were no real Japanese, it would not be difficult to deal with the Japanese pirates."

Zhu Pingan said slowly.

"Having said that, how do we deal with the real Japanese?" Wang Zhi asked.

"Haha, the real Japanese have come from afar across the sea and ocean, and they are unfamiliar with the world. Most of them are obedient, but they don't have much culture and are stubborn. If they were allowed to rob on their own, they would have lost their way like a headless fly! Who knows, they might have been sold to the black mines by human traffickers and become coolies!"

Zhu Pingan chuckled.

When Wang Zhi heard this, he fell silent. He now knew who the other two opponents Zhu Ping'an was talking about.

"The Japanese have been burning, killing and looting along the coast of our Daming since the time of Emperor Hongwu. However, over the past two hundred years, the Japanese threat has been just like that and has never been as frequent as it is today. Is it inseparable from the other two opponents that make the Japanese threat so serious today?" Zhu Ping'an said this, squinting at Wang Zhi.

"The other two opponents mentioned by Mr. Zhu, are they me, Wang Zhi and Xu Hai?" Wang Zhi tapped the table lightly.

"Yes, it's Leader Wang and Xu Hai." Zhu Ping'an nodded.

After saying this, Zhu Pingan picked up the teapot and filled Wang Zhi's cup, then filled his own cup. He put down the teapot and said seriously, "So I say, Chief Wang, if you and I join forces, it won't be difficult to eliminate the Japanese threat."

Wang Zhi remained silent.

"Captain Wang has restrained the Japanese pirates under his command. There are only two opponents left for the Japanese threat, Xu Hai and the real Japanese! Xu Hai's strength is far inferior to that of Chief Wang. If you and I join forces, there are only two outcomes left for Xu Hai, either surrender or perish."

Zhu Ping'an looked at Wang Zhi with burning eyes and spoke slowly.

Wang Zhi narrowed his eyes and remained silent, but his mind was in turmoil. What Zhu Ping'an said was indeed right. If he, Wang Zhi, really joined forces with Zhu Ping'an, then Xu Hai would be at the end of his rope. He would have to either surrender decisively or be destroyed.

"Without Chief Wang and Xu Hai leading the way for the Japanese pirates, the Japanese pirates would have come across the sea and were unfamiliar with the way. With a little guidance, we can lure them into a trap, ambush and destroy them. Just like the Battle of Wanghaitang during the Yongle period, General Liu Jiang set up an ambush at Wanghaitang, lured the Japanese pirates into Wanghaitang, and then sent out all the ambushers to wipe out the invading Japanese pirates in one fell swoop, making the Japanese pirates dare not invade Liaodong for three hundred years! During the Yongle period, General Liu could do it, and so can we!"

"Of course, we can't wait for the Japanese pirates to invade the inland. We need to build a strong navy, equip more firearms, and defend against the Japanese pirates at sea!"

"Once the real Japanese are eliminated, the remaining fake Japanese and the small number of red-haired barbarians will be vulnerable to a single blow and can be easily destroyed."

After saying this, Zhu Pingan picked up the teacup and toasted to Leader Wang, "Leader Wang, let us suffocate for our dreams together!"

Wang Zhi closed his eyes and was silent for a few seconds. He opened his eyes and looked at Zhu Ping'an with burning eyes, "What if Wang doesn't suffocate with Master Zhu for his dream? Master Zhu wants to smash the cup as a signal?"

After he finished speaking, Wang Zhi looked around.

"Haha, Chief Wang, you are overthinking. I invited you to discuss important matters with sincerity and goodwill. This banquet can be a welcoming banquet, a discussion banquet, or any other banquet, but it is definitely not a Hongmen Banquet. Chief Wang, please look, this place is only a few dozen meters away from the camp gate. The camp gate is wide open, and the fences and chevaux de frise have been removed. Today, you can come and go freely and return to the camp at any time. My army is also a hundred meters away from here. By the time they get here, you will have already reached the other side. You can rest assured, Chief Wang."

Zhu Ping'an laughed, pointed in the direction of the gate, and told Wang Zhi to rest assured.

After saying this, Zhu Ping'an couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

"It's a pity that you and I can't join hands to achieve this great feat. The next time we meet, we'll be enemies of life and death. It's a pity for Chief Wang's dream of opening up the seas for trade, it's a pity for my dream of the Age of Exploration, and it's even more a pity for the millions of people in Jiangnan. I don't know how many more years they will be ravaged in this dire situation."

Zhu Ping'an sighed deeply.

Just as Zhu Ping'an sighed, a teacup was extended to him, and then Wang Zhi's voice rang out:

"I have seen Mr. Zhu's sincerity. Although this is our first meeting, Mr. Zhu's character has won me recognition. Mr. Zhu's great talent and strategy make me admire him. Although I am not talented, I also want to experience the grandeur of the Age of Exploration. I am also willing to suffocate for my dream with Mr. Zhu!"

Wang Zhi raised his teacup and clinked it with Zhu Ping'an's.

He thought he had failed, but unexpectedly there was a sudden turn of events. Zhu Ping'an couldn't help but smile and clinked his glasses.

"Dry!"

The two teacups clinked together. (End of this chapter)