"What, have our sailors also been attacked?" Zong Lin coughed and asked.

Zong Huan silently took out a handkerchief, wiped the tea soup off his face, shook his head and said, "That's not true." Ruolin Zhenxing and his sailors are still staying in the Usuki Harbor. ”

"That's good, that's good." Zong Lin breathed a sigh of relief, the battle with the Maori family is inseparable from his own Fenghou water army. "Then what are the Ming Dynasty people doing here?"

"They didn't come in person, but they sent Juntada Omura as an envoy to propose an alliance with us." Zong Huan put away his handkerchief and said, "It is said that as long as we agree to their three conditions, we can help us defeat the Maori family." ”

"What a big breath." Zong Lin sneered and said, "What conditions? ”

"From now on, Kyushu can only do business with the Tamna Chamber of Commerce designated by them, and no other foreign ships are allowed to dock." Zong Huan said and glanced at the face of the lord, in fact, he was the same as Omura Junzhong, and felt that this condition was quite Oak...... I've been with Nanban for a long time, and I can speak a few words of Western.

Otomo Zonglin touched his shiny head and was silent, and slowly shook his head for a while and said, "The old man refuses." ”

"Why? Who do business with and who is not doing? Zong Huan asked puzzled.

"We have won this battle. If the people of the Ming Dynasty don't help us, we can also win. Then he heard Zong Lin say: "So why should I pay for what I already have?" ”

"And I've had enough of their blackmail, whether it's Wang Zhi or the Southern Barbarians, I've earned too much gold and silver from us in the past few years!" After a pause, he snorted coldly and said: "Daming silk, tea, and porcelain, as long as they are transported to us, they will all immediately increase in price tenfold, and treat us as wronged people!" What are they relying on? Isn't it just that we have no choice but to do business with one? ”

"Yes." Zong Huan nodded, he also heard that these are ordinary items in Daming, but they are all sold extremely expensive in Japan. It's like a blue and white porcelain plate, which only costs a dozen dollars in Hangzhou, and costs 200 mosquitoes in Japan, which is really dark.

"Now, finally, we finally have a chance to get rid of their blackmail, and we must not miss it again!" Otomo Zonglin put his hands behind his back, watched the maple leaves in the courtyard fall into the pool with blazing eyes, and said firmly: "Tell Omura Juntada, at most, I agree that the Ming Dynasty and the Nanban have the same rights - they can trade freely in my territory!" It is impossible to give them more. ”

He was talking about his own territory, not Kitakyushu. Because he just doesn't want to be exploited by foreigners, it doesn't mean that he doesn't want to exploit his own people. Therefore, he naturally wanted to monopolize the foreign trade of the whole island, and not everyone could do business with foreigners.

"If they are dissatisfied, they will wrestle with the Nanban, we can't afford to offend anyone." Otomo Zonglin stretched his waist and said lightly with a calm face.

"But in this way, will they fall to the Maori family?" Zong Huan reminded him.

"Hiss......" Otomo Zonglin frowned when he heard this, and after a while, he shook his head and said, "Even if they want to form an alliance with the Maori family. Yuan will not agree. The Maori family's navy is stronger than us in itself, and there is also Murakami's navy to help, and Yuan Gonggong's clever calculation is unexpected, we have ......"

When it comes to the top secret of this battle, even if it is only the two of them, Otomo Zonglin also chooses to jump over and say: "So I believe that Yuan Zhigong will not agree to them." ”

"But maybe Yuan will be a false guild and a snake." Zong Huan thought of another possibility: "First pretend to promise to coax them, and then turn around and deny it after the war." ”

"No, it won't." Otomo Zonglin said categorically: "The fleet of the Ming Dynasty can even defeat Western ships, and there is no good fruit to eat if you coax them." ”

"And how can foreigners count on it?" As Zong Lin spoke, the corners of his mouth couldn't help twitching, he had already suffered such a loss once.

That was eight years ago, when the Otomo family last fought against the Mori family. Because Zong Lin had already seen the strength of the Southern Barbarians' ships and artillery, he threatened to cut off trade and asked them to send ships to help him attack the city of Mensi, which was guarding the Guanmen Strait.

The artillery of the southern barbarians was very fierce, and they soon bombarded the Maori army under the mountain castle and fled into the mountain castle of Menji. However, the artillery of the southern barbarians could not attack the city, and when they saw that there was no effect after firing a few shots, they began to work without effort, and on the same day, they asked him to resign and withdraw from the battle on the grounds of lack of ammunition. The Otomo family eventually gave up attacking Moji Castle and ceded control of the Strait to the Maori Army, which led to a final defeat. He and his generals had to take responsibility by becoming a monk.

The so-called once he was bitten by a snake for ten years and was afraid of the well rope, with the lesson of the last time, how could he still pin his hopes on outsiders?

He won't be able to do it, so how can the number one wise general in the West be?

~~

Usuki Castle Shitamachi, inside the seaside church.

Sunlight shines through the colorful glass, and the piano plays elegant religious music.

Under the crucifix, Father Louis, dressed in a black clergy robe and hanging a golden cross, is holding a Bible and reading it.

"If you walk in my statutes and keep my commandments. And I will give you rain when it comes, and cause the earth to bring forth its fruit, and the trees of the field to bear fruit......

Juntada Omura, who came from afar, was respectfully kneeling in front of the statue of Jesus and reverently chanting.

"I will give peace in your land...... I will destroy the evil beast from your land. and the sword shall not pass through your land. Pursue your enemies, and they will fall by your sword. Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred will chase ten thousand. and their enemies shall fall by your sword. I will take care of you......"

"I will be your God, and you will be my people. I am the LORD your God. The priest slowly closed the Bible, crossed his hand on his chest and said, "Itemissaest."

"Thank the Lord." Juntada Omura also reverently drew a cross. When he stood up, he bowed down and kissed the back of Father Louis's hand and said, "Thank you, too, for a special Mass for me." ”

"The Lord always favors His most devout believers, like Don Romeo." Father Louis smiled and invited, "Come and have communion." ”

The two of them went to the small dining room in the church, where they enjoyed blood-red wine and baked golden bread by the glass.

The priest shook the glass in his hand slightly, and the wine reflected his worried face. "My child, have you seen Father Torres?"

"See." Omura Junzhong swallowed the bread in his mouth, wiped the corners of his mouth with a snow-white napkin, and replied: "He and Captain Toto are safe and sound, and the Ming Dynasty people have given them the treatment they deserve." ”

As he spoke, he drew a cross again, and said in his heart that emptying the toilet is also a promising job. "Of course, they still want to be free as soon as possible."

"Of course, Fr. Torres was the pioneer who accompanied Fr. Xavier and the most important spiritual pillar of our Jesuits in Japan." The priest said in a deep voice: "I have reported this matter to the diocese of Kyoto, and someone will be sent over there immediately, and we will definitely rescue him as soon as possible." ”

After a pause, the priest added, "And, of course, Colonel Pinto and his crew. ”

"What does the priest mean that you don't have to wait for a reply from Macau?" Juntada Omura asked with some surprise.

"There are also children of the Lord. In times of emergency, we Jesuits can negotiate with the other side on behalf of the Macao side. Father Louis nodded, and said, "Of course, we have sent a clipper to Macao to inform you of this as soon as possible." The final result is still to be approved by the Governor. ”

"Understood." Omura Junzhong nodded, and said in his heart that he still underestimated these harmless missionaries, and he could actually represent the Nanban military.

"By the way, my children, those people of the Ming Dynasty, what is the attitude towards us Chezhi Dan?" Louis asked suddenly, with some nervousness.

"There is no particularly obvious indication of this." Omura Junzhong thought about it for a moment and replied vaguely: "It seems that there is no special interest." ”

"Didn't you behave like those Buddhists?" Louis's identity is in pursuit.

"Not really." Omura had no choice but to answer honestly: "In fact, that Zhao Gongzi seems to know the Chezhi Dan Sect and you Portuguese very well. But Father Priest, as you know, we East Asians talk about deep concealment, and the more high-ranking people are, the more they can't let the people below them see their thoughts, so what he thinks of you, I'm afraid that you have to listen not only to his words, but also to his deeds. ”

"Listen to his words and watch his deeds?" Louis thought it was a great statement. "Is this another Chinese rhetoric?"

"Yes." Juntada Omura nodded and said: "China is our teacher, and our civilization is thanks to them." ”

"Hmm." Father Louis couldn't help but look fascinated. Missionary travel to China was the purpose of their Jesuit visit to the East—especially after they realized that they could not conquer this great empire by force, and they wanted to infiltrate it with religion.

It is a pity that Father Xavier did not set foot in the mainland of the Ming Dynasty with all his efforts, and finally died on the island of Guangdong with regret and was buried in Macao.

For every Jesuit who dares to take on the challenge, taking China is their ultimate goal. Whoever is the first to go to China as a missionary will receive the supreme glory and will surely be canonized in the future!

"My child, when are you going back?" Father Louis couldn't contain his excitement.

"Wait for Otomo's family to reply, and then I'll go back to Yokoseura to report the letter." Juntada Omura replied. These red-haired ghosts have all their thoughts written on their faces, and it is easy to see what they think. But Omura Juntada is also happy to see it, if these missionaries can develop Na Zhao Gongzi into a parishioner, then nothing will be easy?

Alleluia!

"What does the priest command?"

"You wait two days." Father Louis said in a deep voice, "When Kyoto sends someone, we will set off with you." ”

"That couldn't be better." Juntada Omura nodded happily. In this way, even if the Otomo family does not agree to form an alliance, he will have an explanation.