Chapter 2040: Chapter 1489: Mori no Kiyoshi’s Farewell! Ming Dynasty, Ming Dynasty!_3
"This is like a golden peach forest where a heap of golden peaches has grown, originally planted by the two of us... But now, the peaches have caught the eye of a greedy monkey, reaching out its claws. This monkey is very arrogant and won’t restrain itself unless it gets a beating... Yet, if you truly beat the monkey to death, a band of conceited monkeys will emerge behind it, including those self-proclaimed Monkey Kings!..."
"If we keep fighting, the monkeys, once hurt, will chatter noisily across the mountains, alerting the real fierce beasts in the mountain! And those real tigers and wolves are not something that this group of conceited and greedy monkeys could ever compare with..."
"Zu! Do you understand my predicament now? I can’t decide for the Tiantai Sect and have no say in it. I definitely want to continue trading with you, but what happens next and how the situation will unfold, I can’t decide! Therefore, I can only avoid it for now, go to other places, and wait for the dust to settle..."
At this point, Mori no Kiyoshi shook his head and handed the still-burning Divine Smoke to Zou Jirou. Then, he straightened his attire, bowed deeply, nearly bending over his knees. What he said next caused Zuwaro and Loshanda to be utterly shocked, their mouths agape in astonishment.
"Zu Sang! Buddha bear witness! Thanks to your fate, these two gold trades have saved me over a thousand pounds of gold... And with this solid currency, combined with the exertion of the Sect, I finally got a chance to squeeze into next year’s validation trade and join the Ming Dynasty’s tribute fleet!..."
"Next year’s tribute fleet going to the Ming Dynasty is controlled by the Hosokawa family and led by the merchants of Sakai Port. But the Ming Dynasty’s demand for our country’s goods is not large. Only by bringing enough gold and silver currency can we purchase a large amount of good goods from the Ming Dynasty, including the finest porcelain and brocade! And these merchants, none of them have as much gold currency as I do! They are always limited in what they can buy, and they need more gold, while the tribute fleet desires more gold!..."
"And I, Mori no Kiyoshi, will represent the Omi Business Group and the nobles of the Shogunate, with the validation of the merchants of Sakai Port, bringing vast amounts of gold currency aboard! My gold is the ticket to entry. I can enable the tribute fleet to buy back more treasure-laden goods from the Ming Dynasty. These goods, when brought back to Japan, can be resold for multiple times of profit. My participation will allow the merchants of Sakai Port to double their wealth! So, thank you for the generosity of the Golden Clan, allowing me to finally achieve my dream of obtaining the entrance qualification for the validation tribute trade!..."
At this, a bright gleam appeared in Mori no Kiyoshi’s eyes, like a traveler who has finally reached the summit of Mount Fuji after decades of journeying. The torrent of gold will ultimately flow into the world’s gold and silver black hole, flowing towards the most prosperous and flourishing Ming Dynasty! And riding this river of flowing gold, participating in the tribute trade, means that Omi merchant Mori no Kiyoshi has finally squeezed into the top echelons of the commercial circle, becoming one of the most distinguished merchants in all of Japan!
"Zu Sang! Thank you for your favor! By March next year, I will board the Sakai Port fleet for the validation tribute trade. By April or May, I should already be in the world’s most bustling port, the most prosperous city of the Ming Dynasty, Ningbo! And by August to September, I should have arrived with the tribute mission at the grand capital city of the Ming Dynasty to meet the Ming Dynasty’s Emperor..."
"When the tribute trade returns, and the fleet sails back to Sakai Port with countless treasure goods from the Ming Dynasty... perhaps it will already be the spring of the year after! If by then the monkeys haven’t drawn those fierce beasts to us, our golden peach forest can continue on! Furthermore, this golden peach forest will open up a real path connecting with the truly prosperous Ming Country merchants who can provide any goods!..."
"What! Mori! You are going to the Ming Dynasty for tribute!"
Upon hearing these words, Zuwaro’s mouth hung open in shock, his expression turning complex. He was still racking his brains on how to mingle with Chief Ali of Harman, to sneak into the Jurchen tribute team heading to the Ming Dynasty, bringing just a few dozen pounds of gold. Yet he never imagined that before his plan could even take form, Mori no Kiyoshi had already boarded a Sea Ship to join the Japanese tribute fleet and was set to meet the Great Emperor of the Ming Dynasty!
Even more aggravating was the fact that these Japanese, once they set out, could bring thousands of pounds, or even more, in gold, boldly heading for trade! Could it be that they are not afraid of being robbed by the fierce Ming Army?
"Zu Sang! Karma of good and evil remains unbroken; if the fate is unresolved, we’ll surely meet again! I believe you and I will eventually reunite and reopen this river of gold trade! Today’s farewell, the mountains are high, the waters long, please take great care, and be cautious over the sea!..."
"Namo Amitabha Buddha! Separation in life, meeting in death, life’s impermanence, and fate’s encounters; may Buddha bless us!..."
Reciting these two lines of Buddhist prayer, Mori no Kiyoshi smiled radiantly, carefully putting away the gift from Zuwaro, an unprecedented corn cob pipe. Then, he turned gracefully, along with the following Zou Jirou, bidding farewell to the beloved Golden Chief and the vast Sea of Ezo~~
