The Ming Dynasty's Spokesperson

As the night got late, Lin Tailai was ready to leave.

But Eunuch Chen had no intention of leaving, and suddenly asked again: "How can a small country like Japan have so much silver? Can they pay out three million taels?"

He had no other intention, he was just curious and wanted to learn more about world geography.

Lin Tailai replied: "Although Japan is small and poor, and its products are not abundant, its gold and silver mines are extremely rich.

For example, the largest silver mine in Japan is called Iwami Silver Mine, which is said to produce one million taels of silver per year."

Eunuch Chen was in a high position in the Imperial Palace, and he was well-informed, but when he heard the introduction of "a silver mine with an annual output of one million taels", he also opened his eyes wide in surprise.

No wonder it is not called a silver mine, but a silver mountain! Isn't it just a silver mountain?

"Where is this silver mountain?" Eunuch Chen asked with great curiosity. He still had no other intention, he just wanted to know if the silver mountain was far from the Ming Dynasty.

Lin Tailai answered in detail: "Iwami Silver Mine is across the sea from Korea. Among all the regions in Japan, it is relatively close to the Ming Dynasty.

In fact, the Ming Dynasty's official army is closer to the silver mine. It only takes a few days to march to Iwami Silver Mine."

Fuck! Eunuch Chen said in shock: "There are Ming Dynasty official troops around Iwami Silver Mine?"

Lin Tailai smiled and said: "Do you remember that a few months ago, the Ming Dynasty conferred a Japanese lord named Konishi Yukinaga?

This person's territory includes Chikuzen, Chikugo, Hizen, and Higo. Among them, Chikuzen is located at the throat between Kyushu and Honshu in Japan.

The 8,000 official troops of my Ming Dynasty who are responsible for protecting Konishi Yukinaga are stationed in Chikuzen. And starting from Chikuzen, it will take a few days to reach Iwami Silver Mine."

Eunuch Chen was speechless for a long time. You, Lin Tianshu, must have made such an arrangement on purpose, right? It must have been premeditated, right?

Lin Tailai added: "Wakoku not only has silver mountains, but also rich gold mountains, but the largest Sado Gold Mine is a bit far away.

But there is also a very impressive gold mountain in the Shimazu family's territory on Kyushu Island, which is very close to Konishi Yukinaga, who was canonized by my Ming Dynasty.

If you start from Konishi Yukinaga's territory, you can reach the gold mountain in a few days!"

Eunuch Chen replied subconsciously: "So, eight thousand soldiers are a bit too few?"

Lin Tailai explained: "Anyway, half of the output of Iwami Silver Mine in recent years must be compensated to Ming Dynasty, so don't be too anxious.

The ruling Toyotomi Hideyoshi of Wakoku is old and weak, and he will not live for a few years. After his death, Wakoku will inevitably have civil strife. That will be the best opportunity to take advantage of the situation and achieve twice the result with half the effort."

Eunuch Chen was deeply impressed, "When I read the book, I didn't know what the meaning of "Guoshi Wushuang" was. Today, I met Lin Jiuyuan and finally understood it."

Lin Tailai: ""

Eunuch Chen, you'd better give a positive evaluation, not a hidden connotation.

The next day, Lin Tailai continued to set out from Tongzhou and arrived at the reception pavilion outside the East Gate half a day later.

The official welcome from the court was here. As for yesterday's eunuch Chen, he was the emperor's personal envoy.

The welcoming team was led by Ye Mengxiong, the Minister of War, in person. In addition, there were officials from the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Imperial Household Department. The court gave Lin Jinglüe, who had returned victorious, enough face.

Ye Da Sima presented a poem of praise: "It is said that the general is on the border, holding the axe and ascending the altar, the murderous aura is gone. Ten thousand captives surrendered and returned to the remote area, and the three armies played a victory in the Central Court."

Lin Jinglüe replied with a poem: "The emperor has ordered me to attack Fuso in the East. The victory is the result of many temple calculations, and the killing is the power of heaven.

I have always been loyal and righteous, and my military vehicles are so magnificent. Every step is a long-term strategy, and the waves will never rise."

The whole text is mediocre and has no highlights. It is completely different from the flamboyant and exaggerated style of the poems he wrote in the Kingdom of Korea.

After all, the Ming Dynasty's Lin Tianshuai became Lin Tailai, a courtier, and he could not act recklessly under the emperor's feet like he did in the Kingdom of Korea.

The poem begins with "the emperor", followed by "loyalty and righteousness". The courtiers all sighed, and even Lin Tailai knew to keep a low profile, which shows that his contribution was too great this time.

After the superficial etiquette, Lin Tailai and Ye Mengxiong, the Minister of War, rode side by side, talking as they walked.

As for outsiders, they were separated by the entourage, so that the two could say something that was not convenient for outsiders.

"Is there any major event in the capital recently?" Lin Tailai asked habitually.

Ye Mengxiong replied: "Jiuyuanjun, you are not in the capital, what major event can happen?"

Lin Tailai felt that he was implied, but he had no evidence.

Then Ye Mengxiong said: "Jiuyuanjun, you will probably be conferred a title when you return to the court this time."

If Lin Tailai's academic title and qualifications are followed step by step, his future is very bright. He will be a minister, a minister, and enter the cabinet. Whether he can be the chief minister depends on fate.

Lin Tailai's great military achievements have become a variable in his future. There are not many conventions to follow and no clear system for civil officials to follow after being awarded titles for military merit.

For example, the title is set within the system of military merit, and the definition of whether a civil official is considered a civil official or a military official after being awarded a title is vague.

Lin Tailai replied: "There is no hard and fast rule in my Ming Dynasty. Can civil officials continue to be civil officials after being awarded a title?"

Ye Mengxiong said: "But it is still too high-profile after all. Besides, the result of not having a system is that what to do depends on everyone's words.

There will always be dissatisfied villains in this world who keep criticizing.

They will definitely say that being awarded a title is a military merit and should not continue to be a civil official; or that after being awarded a title, one should avoid suspicion and should not be in the central government."

Those who have been court officials know that according to the general principles of the court, when encountering difficult decisions, precedents should be followed first.

There are only three precedents of civil officials in the Ming Dynasty being awarded titles based on their military merits. These precedents were too accidental and not very meaningful for reference.

After Wang Yangming quelled the Ning Wang Rebellion, he was granted the title of Xinjian Earl, and eventually served as Nanjing Minister of War and Nanjing Left Censor-in-Chief.

Earlier in the Chenghua Dynasty, Wang Yue was granted the title of Weining Earl, and his official position was mostly governor of border towns. Then there was Wang Ji, who was even earlier.

Another example of a civil official being granted a title was Xu Youzhen, a fellow villager from the same county as Lin Tailai, but not because of his military merits.

When Xu Youzhen was granted the title of Wugong Earl, he was also granted the title of Prime Minister.

Logically speaking, Xu Youzhen's precedent of "a civil official being granted a title and being able to enter the cabinet" may be the most suitable for Lin Tailai to cite today, but Xu Youzhen's reputation is too bad.

Xu Youzhen's title of Wugong Earl was obtained by flattering Yingzong's restoration, and he also participated in the false murder of Yu Qian, a great hero in saving the country. This matter was compared by people at the time to "Qin Hui's false murder of Yue Fei".

Even if Lin Tailai was beaten to death, it would be absolutely impossible to cite his fellow villager Xu Youzhen as a precedent.

So Lin Tailai sighed to Ye Mengxiong: "My original intention was just to kill the enemy for the country, not to gain wealth and honor.

As Qi Shaobao said, I don't want to be conferred a title, but I hope the sea is peaceful.

If the court must confer a title, then I can't resist, I can only accept it temporarily, and then see the situation."

After entering Chongwen Gate, Ye Da Sima walked north, and saw Lin Tailai still following him, and asked curiously: "You have traveled a long way, why don't you go home to rest today, and follow me?"

Lin Tailai rolled his eyes and said: "Of course I will go to the Ministry of War to return the seal and the king's flag first! Do you want me to command the army in the capital?"

Minister of War Ye Mengxiong: ""

After arriving at the Ministry of War, handing in the seal and flag, and completing the formalities, Lin Tailai is no longer "the right assistant censor, pretending to be the right assistant minister of the Ministry of War, and managing Liaodong, Denglai, Korea and other places to prepare for the Japanese war."

Then Lin Tailai took out a thick book and said to Ye Mengxiong: "This is the Eastern Expedition Merit Book, which records the merits of the generals and recommendations for promotions and rewards!

I gave it to your Ministry of War, and you can only report it to the cabinet. I might as well send it to the cabinet myself tomorrow."

Ye Da Sima subconsciously said half a sentence: "This needs to be reviewed by the Ministry of War first."

Under normal circumstances, the review and confirmation of the merits of generals and the formulation of promotions and rewards are all within the scope of the Ministry of War.

Then Ye Da Sima realized that his attitude was wrong, and quickly changed his words and said: "Jiuyuan Jun will do it himself!"

That night, Lin Tailai returned to the Lin Mansion in Li Ge Lao Hutong to rest, and finally slept soundly at home.

The next day, Lin Tailai did not inspect the various government offices, nor did he receive visitors at home. Instead, he took the Eastern Expedition Merit Book directly and entered the imperial city from the right gate of Chang'an.

Then he passed through several palace gates and came to the cabinet to do business.

What? In order to avoid suspicion, ministers of ministries and courts generally do not go to the cabinet in person to avoid criticism?

But although Lin Tailai lost the assignment of "Right Censor-in-Chief, Acting as Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, and Supervising Liaodong, Denglai, Korea and other places to prepare for the Japanese war", he still had a post as a reader in the Hanlin Academy.

The Hanlin Academy and the Cabinet are in the same system. What's wrong with a Hanlin going to the Cabinet?

The cabinet ministers are respectable and noble, so naturally no one can greet Lin Tailai, so Lin Tailai can only kick open the door curtain by himself and swagger into Wenyuan Pavilion.

Why did he kick open the door curtain with his feet? Because Lin Tailai was holding a thick merit book in his hand and couldn't free his hands to lift the door curtain.

The Zhongshu Sheren who was waiting outside the door secretly complained in his heart that outsiders who entered the cabinet to do business were mostly cautious, fearing that they would say a wrong word or take a wrong step.

But when Lin Tailai came to the cabinet, he felt like a bad guest.

"Oh, you are all here!" Lin Tailai looked at the situation in the middle hall of Wenyuan Pavilion and greeted casually.

It is true that the usage of this idiom damages the reputation of the champion, but it does not matter. Even if Lin Tailai writes a typo now, it will be regarded as a homophone.

At this time, the four cabinet ministers were sitting together, preparing to gather for a meeting.

The chief minister Zhao Zhigao said to Lin Tailai: "We are just about to discuss the follow-up matters of the Eastern Expedition, such as rewards, captive offering ceremony, etc., and the use of the first installment of 600,000 silver taels of compensation."

"Speaking of rewards, it seems to be related to me. There are no outsiders here, so I will not be shy.

After all, who would not want to be honored and blessed by his wife and children if a man has made achievements in the world?

The highest official position was the fourth-rank Shaoqing of the Taichang Temple. If I can be promoted to the third-rank assistant minister this time, I will be very satisfied.

I think the right assistant minister of the Ministry of Rites is quite suitable. It is also in line with the common practice for the right assistant minister of the Ministry of Rites to serve as the attendant reader of the Hanlin Academy."

If it were not for his great achievements, and the three harvests of politics, military affairs, and economy, Lin Tailai's proposal would be quite reasonable.

The third assistant Zhang Wei said in a slightly sarcastic tone: "How can a promotion to the third rank be enough to reward merit? It should be promoted to the super rank."

The second assistant Zhu Geng explained: "The emperor ordered the cabinet to draft your reward first, and the eunuch said that you should be conferred a marquisate."

Generally, great merits are conferred as earls, and the previous civil officials were all conferred as earls.

But Lin Tailai was the first to ascend the enemy four times, killed generals twice, captured three times alive, annihilated 100,000 enemies, and recovered a large amount of silver and copper mines. His merits were so great that it was stingy to give him an earl.

But the weight of the Duke was too heavy, so it was most appropriate to confer a marquisate.

Lin Tailai heard the words of several cabinet elders and sighed in his heart. It seemed that he could not avoid the title this time.

I was only 26 years old, how could I be conferred a marquisate, and how could I make progress in the future.

It can be said that it is undisputed for me to get a title, even the opponents of the Qingliu Party have no reason to object, but the excitement will definitely be after I get the title.

Fortunately, Emperor Wanli is not attending court now, otherwise he would argue for half a day just for whether he should stand in the East Class of Civil Officials or the West Class of Honored Nobles in the court.

If it doesn't work, he should go back to his hometown to run a business for a few years after being conferred the title, and avoid the farce of the country by the way, and wait until Emperor Wanli is completely out of control before cleaning up the mess?

The ancients called it raising hopes, and then there will be a "Tai Lai does not come out, what about the people"?

Speaking of it, the old course of Wusong River is dredged, the seaport is opened, and the Xujiang Industrial Park is mature. Suzhou's development has reached a critical period again, and it really needs to be in charge and controlled by himself.

When Lin Tailai was thinking about it, he saw four university scholars looking at him together.

"Why are you all looking at me?" Lin Tailai said inexplicably, "Aren't you going to hold a meeting? Don't worry about me, just hold your meeting."

The cabinet elders: ""

This is a meeting of cabinet university scholars. Is it appropriate for you, an outsider, to stand by? Besides, it's still about your own business!

Lin Tailai said impatiently: "It's not a secret matter. Isn't it just a discussion about how to confer a title on me?

What else could happen? Can't I just listen and share the emperor's grace at the first time?"

The elders thought to themselves, it seems to make sense? Conferring a title on Lin Tailai is indeed not a secret?

Forget it, forget it, we can't drive him away, so we should hold a meeting to finalize the title and send Lin Tailai away.

Zhao Zhigao spoke first: "According to convention, the title is usually based on the place where the meritorious service was made. For example, Wang Yangming's title of Xinjian Earl comes from Xinjian County, Nanchang.

This time, Lin Tailai made meritorious service in Korea, so his title must also come from Korea, but he cannot be a Joseon Marquis, otherwise it will overlap with the Joseon king, so it is best to use the ancient name of Korea."

Lin Tailai interrupted and said: "If you must confer a title on me, can you take back the title of Lelang Duke that was conferred on the sixth prince of Korea, give him another title, and then give Lelang to me? I really like the name Lelang."

The elders really wanted to stand up and beat Lin Tailai up. Do you think the court's reward is a child's play?

Lin Tailai blinked his eyes, patted his pectoral muscles and promised: "I am responsible for the ideological work of Lelang Duke, to ensure that he does not make trouble and does not cause too much trouble to the court!"

Finally, the third elder Zhang Wei couldn't stand it anymore and said: "Shut up! This is a cabinet meeting, you have no place to talk!"