Mingzhou, which is later Ningbo. When the Shanghai Stock Exchange was still worried about the backflow of sea water, and when large areas of land were still swamps of mudflats, the importance of Mingzhou port was very prominent.

Since the Li Tang Dynasty, Mingzhou has been the most prominent trade port in the Central Plains dynasty, and even Guangzhou is hard to overwhelm. Because trade exists on the market, the wealth of Lingnan behind Guangzhou is obviously not comparable to Jiangnan behind Mingzhou. Not to mention that Mingzhou, which is backed by the canal, can also play a role in domestic sales and re-export. (That is, after the development of the Nanyang Ocean, Guangzhou began to catch up). Moreover, whether it is Japan or Goryeo, both of them are the main ship trade ports with the Central Plains, and not the Qilu Denglai, which seems to be closer.

What is the specific reason, I won’t say much about it here.

Anyway, as the most important foreign trade port today, Mingzhou is prosperous and rich, and has a dense population. It must be the first-class city second only to Bianjing City. In this world, it is also the first-class bustling city.

As the first prosperous place in the Central Plains and one of the most important trading ports in China, Mingzhou is well-known in Asia and Europe. Even Baifans, who are thousands of miles away, have heard of the name of this city. Merchants from all walks of life gather here, including the Seljuks, Egyptians (Fatima dynasty), the Indians, the Goryeo, and the Japanese. Some of them are merchants who trade here, while others are for studying.

The official and private schools in the Zhao Song Dynasty were all prosperous. After frequent exchanges between Japan and Goryeo and China, people were inevitably coming to study.

Those with high specifications will be sent directly to the Taixue, Imperial College, and those with low specifications will even be in the Mingzhou private school Panheng.

In the early morning, a red sun emerged from the sea, and the whole city woke up, and then the crowds of people were filled with noises.

Even though it is winter now, it is a good season for sea boats to ride the wind to the south, rather than the time when overseas merchant ships come to the port. And it is already the end of the year, and the merchant ships that are about to go south have already moved south, and the ports of Mingzhou are much deserted.

But the entire city is still emitting endless vitality.

There are no sea ships coming from the south, and local offshore merchant ships transporting goods.

As the severe cold winter swept across the south of the Yangtze River and frozen all the rivers, coastal offshore transportation will become more prosperous.

The city gates are opened, and people entering and leaving have already lined up inside and outside the city.

It seems like an ordinary day.

Li Ruoxu of the Mingzhou Maritime Warehouse Department used food and dressed neatly, and slowly stepped from the back yamen to the front hall. Although the Maritime Warehouse Department in winter cannot be said to be almost a free job, it is really too leisurely compared to spring, summer and autumn.

After staying in the signing room for half a day, Li Ruoxue stood up and stretched. It seemed that this day was no different from the past. But when he was about to go back home and returned to the Houya to rest, he suddenly reported that he would never come again this year's safe life.

But there was a fleet of ships coming from the sea outside, a Japanese official fleet.

The official visitor is here!

Good guy, this is definitely big news. Although there are often foreign envoys in Mingzhou, such as Goryeo, Japan, Sanfoqi, etc., and even Mingzhou has special museums for Goryeo envoys to temporarily live in.

But Japan's serious sending of a sect is the first time to "create the world".

The envoy of Zhengdan was the messenger of He Zhengdan. In the Song and Liao dynasties, they often sent envoys to each other before the old calendar years. Yu Zhengdan (Spring Festival) congratulated the Empress Dowager, the Emperor, and the Empress. The envoy was called the messenger of He Zhengdan, and was referred to as the envoy of He Zhengdan, or the envoy of Zhengdan.

Because Japan has never paid much attention to Zhao Song.

Everyone has heard of sending envoys from Sui and Tang dynasties, but have you ever heard of sending envoys from Song dynasties?

Even if Zhao Gou was forcibly vassalized, Japan only sent envoys to Bian Jing, rather than the so-called envoys of the dynasty.

In fact, although Zhao Song and Japan frequently had cultural, belief and economic exchanges, far exceeding those of the Li Tang Dynasty, they were quite unenthusiastic at the national level.

Because the Zhao Song army was weak, the existence of the Khitan caused the Central Plains to lose its dominance. Zhao Song's foreign policy paid more attention to economic and practical benefits than the previous Han Dynasty, Sui Dynasty, Tang Dynasty, and later Ming and Qing Dynasty unified dynasties.

Adhering to the flexible diplomatic principle of "no rejection when coming, no pursuit when going". Take Goryeo for example. Goryeo was established during the Later Tang Dynasty of the Five Dynasties. Before 993 AD, Song was regarded as the main story. In 994 AD, Liao invaded Goryeo, and his ministers were also in the Khitan. Song and Goryeo broke off diplomatic relations. During the reign of Emperor Shenzong of Song, diplomatic relations that had been interrupted for 40 years were restored, but Goryeo proposed to continue to use the Liao Dynasty, and the Song Dynasty also agreed. In official history, Jin replaced Liao and the Song Dynasty moved south, Goryeo still respected the Northern Dynasties, but there was also communication with the Southern Song Dynasty. Lin'an still accepted it, and on this basis, developed half-official and half-people maritime trade.

However, there are also exceptional periods. For example, the two dynasties of Shenzong and Huizong, which explicitly urged Japan to come to the court and pursued it enthusiastically. But Japan refused. Even if Zhao Song issued a document on national certificates several times, Japan only barely wrote a reply, but it did not mention the matter of diplomatic relations at all, let alone the resumption of tribute.

Therefore, Zhao Gou used to force Japan to be a vassal state in an absolutely arrogant manner, so Japan bowed his head and gave in.

There is no way, the country is not as powerful as others. In addition, Goryeo has already bowed his head, and Peace Anjing has not even had a helper, so he has to surrender. Now he has sent envoys to Bianjing more than once. But this is the first time such a sectarian mission.

Li Ruoxu was the elder brother of Li Ruoshui, a famous minister of Jingkang. He was not from the imperial examination. In his early years, he worked in Qingzhang, Hebei under Zhao Gou's rule, and then jumped to the Transport Department. In a few years, he became the deputy transshipment envoy of Jingxi South Road. He was then sent to Mingzhou to promote the Maritime Department.

There are activities at home and abroad. Although I was surprised at first, I realized the reason in a flash.

Nowadays, Goryeo has been controlled by Zhao Song, and only after Goryeo King has a letter of gift attached to Bianjing.

There was no way. The Goryeo King's Army could not defeat the Xijing Army, and even drove Kyoto, the Xijing Army was captured by the Xijing Army. However, the Song army, which was nominally invaded the aid, remained at the Thousand Mile Great Wall and ignored it.

A discerning person can tell at a glance that the Xijing Army and Zhao Song might have reached an agreement, and even Takujunjing's power has a certain relationship with this.

But no matter what the public opinion on the peninsula is, Goryeo Wang's army was defeated again and again. After Jin Fushi was dismissed, Wang Kai chose several ministers in the court, but they were all useless. Wang Kai himself had no choice but to escape to Jeonju (Jeolaudao) in the south. It was inevitable that the country's decay was declining.

Then Zhao Kuangju of Xijing surrendered to Zhao and Song, and the Song army began to advance south across the Great Wall of the Thousand Miles. Then Liu Yang, who was entrenched in Kaijing, also surrendered to the Song army. At the same time, the Song army naval army entered Jeolla Road through sea routes, and the entire Goryeo was already under the control of the Song army.

How could Japan, separated by water, not be frightened?

When Zhao Song set up the Haidong General Administration, more than one Goryeo was vigilant. The fact was indeed as Heian Kyo had expected. The Song army immediately planned to start Japan as soon as it gained a foothold. Although it was just a Sado Island, that was also Japan's territory, right?

The Song people easily took it down there. Who can guarantee that they will not be able to get more and more?

But Goryeo was already submissive at that time, and Japan did not dare to challenge the behemoth in the west alone!

Now, Goryeo, which made concessions to the Song Dynasty, has become the mouth of a giant. It would be strange if the Japanese powerful people don’t stand upside down.
Chapter completed!