Chapter 148 The Art of Misdirection

The capture of the Mobei Khan and his escort to Shuntian Prefecture was a feat sufficient to fill the memorials of the civil officials with praise. Even those who had been wont to criticize the emperor in the past could not do so now. The current Son of Heaven was practically the reincarnation of the Three Sage Kings, a rebirth of the ancient saints, a transmigration of Taizu and Chengzong. At home, he appeared to do nothing, yet he commanded strategy within the tent and won victories a thousand *li* away.

This was a major event. Shuntian and the surrounding cities were already aware of the cause and effect of this war. The process was unimportant; what mattered was that the khan was here, and certainly not of his own free will. Knowing this was enough.

The common people had already begun to artistically embellish the story of the attack on the Eastern Khanate, while Father Matteo Ricci's newly arrived protege, Father Bartoli, and Kobayakawa Takakage were reeling from the news.

"The three Tatar tribes, entrenched in northern Ming for two centuries and impossible to eradicate, had two of their number wiped out in a single battle?"

When Mongolia split into three tribes, the Oirat were the most well-known because the Ming Emperor Yingzong personally led an expedition that resulted in his capture by Esen, who then took him back as a "foreign student." This was a matter known throughout the Eastern world, a truly "shocking" event.

In the fourteenth year of the Jingtai era, Esen sought to rebuild the Yuan Dynasty and hoped to gain recognition from the Ming Dynasty, even offering jade in exchange for imperial items such as yellow and purple, large red woven gold dragon satin, yellow and red colored satin clothing, gold pots, and gold bowls. This was sternly rejected by the Ming Dynasty.

But the Oirat's glory ended there. Esen was eventually betrayed by his own ministers and died a tragic death.

After that, the Tatars made a comeback, wiping out the Oirat tribes, and the Oirat gradually declined, withdrawing from the northern grasslands and migrating further west.

Subsequently, the Tatars also split into three tribes.

"The Eastern Khanate, the Mobei grasslands, two khans, one dead and one captured?"

Kobayakawa Takakage was both thrilled and terrified. He thought to himself that he was fortunate to have come here and not chosen to go to the Old Port Pacification Commission in Luzon. Otherwise, with the Ming Dynasty's current insane momentum, they might have traveled thousands of miles across the sea to skin him alive.

"I heard that our dynasty is preparing to recover the South Sea and reorganize the Old Port Pacification Commission."

"Indeed, I also heard that the Southern Dharma Sect has sent a letter of attachment, expressing their willingness to contribute to the imperial court and not stand aloof from the world."

People were talking everywhere in the streets and alleys. Recent events were all happening at once, with big news coming one day after another. Newspapers were scattered all over the streets.

"What is this?"

Kobayakawa Takakage looked puzzled. Japan did not have newspapers at this time, while the Ming Dynasty had the official *Di Chao*. Newspapers originated in the Northern Song Dynasty, but were then called "small reports," and were not official Song Dynasty publications. The imperial court repeatedly prohibited them, but reporters made a living by selling them. The news they published covered everything from north to south, the imperial court, the three religions, and all peoples.

The Ming Dynasty's *Di Chao* mainly contained current political issues and mostly circulated among officials, becoming an official newspaper. But in the eighth year of the Wanli era, private newspapers appeared, and the "small reports" that had disappeared for three hundred years after the Song Dynasty reappeared on the historical stage.

"Having schemes whispered in one's ear but allowing them to be spread to the masses, what kind of government is this? If the border defenses are urgent, and the information in this paper is exaggerated, shaking people's hearts, wouldn't it ruin major affairs? Why not ban it?"

Kobayakawa Takakage held the small report, his face filled with doubt. The Minister of Rites, who was receiving them, said, "In the eighteenth year of Wanli, someone already said these things. But how can civilian newspapers shake the foundation of the country? Let them be."

"A word from the Emperor can overturn the country, but a word from the common people is just a joke after tea and dinner."

The officials did not care about these small newspapers at all. After all, the current country could not be compared with the previous one. Even if someone with ulterior motives used the small newspapers to promote rebellion... this kind of thing had already happened, okay!

Kobayakawa Takakage was stunned to learn that the White Lotus Sect had openly used the printing factories in the capital to print small anti-government leaflets.

They dared to take on a job that would get them killed?

Oh, it turned out the Emperor took it, so it was alright!

The pragmatic spirit of doing things for money deeply shocked Kobayakawa Takakage, and the White Lotus Sect's baffling behavior shocked and puzzled him even more. You shouted about rebellion while giving money to the imperial court's printing factory, and then the imperial court even provided free shipping...

For a moment, he didn't know who looked down on whom.

"Then... the court's talk of rectifying the South Sea... isn't just a rumor spread by these civilian newspapers, but there really is such a thing? How can such a major action be made known to the common people? If it causes trouble there, wouldn't it waste a lot of effort?"

"No trouble, no trouble, the imperial court is only symbolically sending some people to rectify the south."

The Minister of Rites waved his hand in a completely apathetic manner, not mentioning any more details, giving the impression that the imperial court did not care about the situation in the South Sea at all. This instead made Kobayakawa Takakage feel uneasy.

When they arrived at the Catholic Church, Father Bartoli said to Kobayakawa Takakage, "Japan does not have this kind of publication. I wanted to create one in Japan, but it was terminated because of Hideyoshi's massacre. It's perfectly normal that you haven't seen this kind of political system, so you feel strange about the Ming Dynasty's reaction."

"Don't think that the common people can talk about national politics. On the contrary, the country can use this kind of newspaper to cover up what it wants to do. Like this time, when they used troops against the Eastern Khanate, Matteo Ricci told me that at least a month ago, the news about rectifying the South Sea had already spread in the capital. However, the imperial court did not use troops against the South Sea, nor did it go to the Old Port Pacification Commission, nor did it sail to Luzon. Instead, it directly sent troops to the Eastern Khanate..."

"If the Tatars have spies in the capital, the news they can find out is that the Ming Dynasty is going to use troops against the South Sea, not go north to the Eastern Khanate entrenched in Liaodong."

These words awakened him from his dream. The Minister of Rites' apathetic behavior was precisely a manifestation of wisdom. Because it was brought to the extreme, you simply couldn't predict what he would do next.

Small newspapers spread rumors everywhere, which would not interfere with the Ming Dynasty's decisions, but would interfere with the decisions of the Ming Dynasty's opponents.

"Brilliant, truly brilliant!"

........

In the Forbidden City, after arranging things for Namudai Sechen Khan, the Wanli Emperor heard about the arrival of the Japanese surrendered soldiers. Matteo Ricci had handled this matter well, which made the Wanli Emperor show an approving look. Then, he told Tian Yi to arrange the date for the meeting.

"I still have some things to do now."