Whenever he climbed on the black ship like a "city on the sea", Xiangshan felt a lot smaller. On June 8 of the Heli calendar, this time he did not see Admiral Perry, and in the negotiation, Xiangshan said, "The public side is sick." The stakes are too great to change. It is advisable to come to Nagasaki next year to be reported. ”

The Mi people consulted Admiral Perry and confirmed, "Yes." Please go directly to His Royal Highness the Maharaja. In fact, the Fuso royal family is called the Maharaja, Perry is wrong here, and the Maharaja of the Mi people refers to the shogun.

However, Perry resolutely did not agree to submit the credentials on the ship, nor did he agree to submit them in Uraga - there were many forts near Uraga, and he was afraid of being ambushed by the Fuso, so he asked the adjutant to discuss with Kayama, and finally chose Yokosuka.

The small fishing village of Kurihama had been renamed Yokosuka because the shogunate was going to build a third ironworks, but because there were not enough professionals skilled in ironmaking, the land was leveled and a simple dock was built, and nothing else was built.

Perry's assistant chose Yokosuka because, although it belongs to the Edo Bay Inland Sea, its location is very close to the Uraga waterway, which is considered a sensitive but not so sensitive location, and it is close to Uraga, which is convenient for the Fuso people; At the same time, the hydrological conditions are good, and the terrain is relatively open, which helps the Mi people to avoid ambushes.

Kayama Saemon was very happy to hear that the rice people agreed to "come to Nagasaki next year to be reported", this is a year back, tomorrow's wind will blow again tomorrow, the Buddha blessed, finally temporarily escaped this catastrophe - as for the next year, what to do? I'll talk about it then, I'm not really Uraga Minister, where can I manage so much.

Xiangshan returned to the shore with an interpreter and reported the reply of the rice people word for word, and as a result, as soon as he heard that Admiral Perry had actually promised to "come to Nagasaki next year to be reported", several of them regretted it again, and felt that the rice people were very inward-looking, and if they delayed for a few more days, maybe the food and grass would not be good and the rice people would leave by themselves.

Hearing these mutterings, Damu Fu Tsutsui Masaken, Kanding Chuan Lu Shengmo, and Kanding Yinwei Servant Egawa Yinglong were angry - these three people were the ones who took the lead at that time, and at this time they inevitably had some sympathy and sympathy for each other.

In fact, these three opinions are not in agreement:

Tsutsui Masaken believes that "it is better to delay it, but if it can't be delayed, the opening of the country can open the port" - the so-called opening of the country is to formally establish exchanges, including allowing ports of refuge and supply ports, and the opening of ports is trade;

The Chuanlu Shengmo tends to drag on as long as he can - typical of not crying when he sees the coffin, and does not give up until he reaches the Yellow River;

Mr. Tanan is much more enlightened, he thinks that there will be no good conditions in the national book, and if the conditions in the national book are too bad, then he must have done a game - even if he can't win, he must play with momentum, don't let the rice people underestimate, and then he will inevitably open the country and open the port.

This is because he had read Malthus's "Theory of Population", and his protégé Naohide had also told him that Fuso was now a stock competition, and no matter how hard he tried, there were only so many properties, and the fundamental problem could not be solved. If you don't open the country, the inside will be a pool of stagnant water, and tossing for half a day will be a pool of stinky water, and nothing should be done.

Mr. Tanan deeply believes that Western science is changing with each passing day, and it is necessary to open up the country to survive. He is also not optimistic, according to Naoxiu's words, agricultural and industrial countries naturally suffer losses in trade, and Fuso's products are far from abundant, once the port is opened, it is bound to be a day by day, prices are soaring, and it is better to have a buffer period.

These three wanted to go back to rest with a wave of their sleeves no matter what anyone complained, but after all, they were all old ministers of thousands of mountains and rivers, and the three of them thought of a question at the same time, and hurriedly asked Xiangshan and the accompanying interpreter:

"According to your experience, what is the faith of this rice man?"

Xiangshan and the accompanying interpreter listened to it, this is for fear of being deceived:

If on the day Yokosuka presented his credentials, Admiral Perry turned his face and denied him, saying, "At that time, I didn't promise to wait for news from Nagasaki next year, and I must give an answer within three days," then it would be completely ruined.

Or if a large number of high-ranking officials of the shogunate have gone to the scene, in case Admiral Perry says, "I see that you have good manners, come back to the country with me", and there will be a wrap-up party on the spot, that will not work.

Therefore, where did Xiangshan and the interpreter dare to pat their chests to guarantee that nothing happened, so they had to say vaguely, "This time the rice people are arrogant, and they have not broken their trust so far, and I don't know what the future holds"—isn't it? He said that he had to give a reply in three days, "or I am afraid that something would be unbearable", but on the third day, he did not receive a reply, and began to measure Edo Bay.

You coastal defense subordinates can't guarantee it, think about it carefully, you can only take one step at a time when the matter comes, as for another thirteen regulations and forty-two articles to deal with, don't even think about it - I didn't sleep all night last night, I really can't do it. Therefore, it is serious to go to rest and rest, or to make up for sleep, so they scattered.

On the 8th day of the sixth month of the Japanese calendar, although Kayama Saemon had come forward to promise to receive the credentials, the survey ship of the rice people still measured for a whole day.

What is even more excessive is that on the morning of June 8 in the Heli calendar, the rice boat actually openly fired a cannon! Dozens of cannons actually fired more than a dozen times each!

At first, the leader of the nearby Odaiba group was very nervous and almost ordered to fire back, but after a while

You will find that there are no injuries on the shore, and there is no column of water in the sea, and then you will realize that it is an empty cannon. But the air cannon was also a cannon, and the malice in it came to his face, so he rushed to Uraga to carry out the orders he had listened to, whether to fight or not?

After the rice boat fired the cannon, the people of Puga were in chaos, and when the head of the group rushed to the commission, it still did not subside, and there were scenes of crying fathers and mothers everywhere, and there were even fires in some places.

Fortunately, the eight coastal defenses and the two commissioners were not jealous, so they hurriedly ordered people to suppress them, saying that this was an "empty artillery", but the townspeople didn't believe this, empty artillery? How did the fire start? Besides, this time it is an empty cannon, and the next time it will inevitably not be a real cannon, or the thirty-six plans are the best, and the fool runs first for respect!

Several coastal defense were in a hurry, and while ordering people to continue to bomb and suppress, they asked people to shout that Uraga Commission, the head of the naval army and the head of the Odaiba group came to discuss - these people had already rushed here, so soon the assessment meeting was held again, Tsutsui Masaki, Kawaro Shengmo, and Egawa Yinglong were not humble this time, and the three of them asked the group leader to go back to prepare for the war after a brief communication, but they did not receive a warrant from the three of them and were not allowed to act rashly - after all, this was an empty artillery, and there were no direct casualties; At the same time, let Kayama Saemon come forward again, and quickly ask the rice people what the hell they are doing, this kind of formation can't scare us, it's a miscalculation, right?!

Poor Xiangshan has been prepared, the shogunate requires samurai of different identities to wear different styles of clothes, and he has borrowed more than one set of clothes these days, and he has honestly let the servants carry them, and take them wherever they go, are they prepared, no, they will be used again.

After a busy time, Xiangshan boarded the Saskana with an interpreter, because he had come too many times, and they were all acquaintances with each other, so there was no need for Xiangshan to be wordy, so naturally someone came forward to receive him.

Xiangshan was angry and anxious, and loudly accused the rice people of "being untrustworthy and unseemly", but the reply he received was that "today is the day of the founding of the rice country, and firing cannons is the tradition of the navy." But I didn't expect it to cause such a big storm, which is really an unintentional mistake."

Speaking of which, all the rice people present were haha, and the ridicule was not concealed at all.

Xiangshan was originally a cautious character, but this time he was also angry, in order to show his identity, he usually spoke in Fusang and then asked the translator to translate into Lan, but this time he roared directly in Lan, "You cannons are not good for shouting!" ”

But after shouting Xiangshan, he regretted it, although he claimed to be Uraga Executive, but in fact he was a fake, he was just a force, Uraga pursued the force of the twelve horses, usually a master, but now it's a fart, eight coastal defenses are hanging in the office, how can it not be their turn to come forward hard!

Mi Ren saw that Xiangshan was quite remorseful and laughed even more, Xiangshan didn't dare to give in immediately, he didn't know what a character was, but he could also understand that the situation behind the soft words at this time could no longer be cleaned up, so he had to get off the boat with the interpreter "angry".

The interpreter is a solid heart, just now patronized staring at the rice man and said something, did not find any abnormality in Xiangshan, after returning to the boat to Xiangshan is very admired, it is simply "the high mountain looks up, the scenery stops", before returning to the office, he did not stop praising Xiangshan, summed up in a sentence, "The wind knows the grass, and the board knows the Chengchen." Over the years, we have seen the true color of the Xiangshan Hall today."

Where is Kayama Saemon in the mood to pay attention to what the interpreter says, his mind is full of lawsuits, if he hadn't taken care of his wife and young children on the boat just now, he really wanted to jump into the water with a "poof", and come to a hundred!

But after all, he has already gone ashore, so let's think about how to reply to the adults, thinking of this, Xiangshan glanced at the interpreter, "I don't know if it's too late to strangle this now?" ”

After arriving at the commission, Xiangshan also let go, and told the matter as it was - he couldn't do it if he didn't let it out, and the interpreter publicized his righteous deeds to the sailor on the boat, and it was too late to change his words temporarily.

Xiangshan closed his eyes after speaking, come on, isn't it just a belly, for the sake of not falling into the Tokugawa family's majesty in the end, his son must have a service position when he grows up, although he must not be as tall as himself, and he can't make the second half of the royal family tree, but he has a landing.

"It's rare to see a loyal man with my own eyes today."

Without waiting for the expected punishment, Xiangshan was praised by all the adults present, and he couldn't figure out if this was a backword for a while, so he still knelt down honestly.

Of course, this is not a counterword, everyone here, including eight coastal defense hangers, a Mito courtier, and Uraga chief and deputy commissioner, if you really want to endure it like this, I'm afraid none of them will be able to run away in the future! If it is light, it will be scolded, and if it is heavy, it will be reduced, and it is also possible to cut the abdomen.

Therefore, everyone praised Xiangshan fiercely, and then asked Xiangshan to go back to the rice boat.

"I know, isn't it just an apology? Although the two adults Toda and Ido usually treat people quite kindly, after all, their identities are very different, and it is definitely right to apologize immediately as long as Shangguan is not satisfied. Xiangshan said, "I'm ready, I can also go to the rice boat to perform the live belly shaving."

But unexpectedly, the adults just asked Xiangshan to invite the rice people to watch the ceremony, "Isn't it a tradition for you to establish a rice country and fire a sunfire?" We in Fuso are very hospitable, and you shoot us

also accompany a few cannons, the host is as he pleases. But because the large barrel bomb is precious, each rifled gun can only sound three times, and at the same time, the empty shell is too insincere. ”

Kayama Saemon has already seen it, anything is fine, nothing is a big deal except death, why can't you do it if you are not afraid of death? So the old brother changed his clothes again, and returned to the Saskana with the interpreter.

Because tomorrow is the day of the submission of credentials, Admiral Perry has already let his subordinates rest well except for those on duty, but Xiangshan is here again, and the Mi people are curious and still gather a large number of people on the deck, even Perry regrets it a little, "It's not that I've gone too far, this Fusang people are angry and ready to go to war." But this is too particular, the governor actually came to inform him in person - just send a subordinate, and you are not afraid of being detained when you come to declare war? ”

But Perry thought about it, "Could it be that this person is here to apologize for his bold words just now." That's kind of disgusting. ”

As a result, after the governor of Fuso got on the ship, he changed his previous caution, showed a different demeanor without being humble or arrogant, and asked the rice boat to anchor and retreat, because "the owner of the house will also fire a few cannons as soon as he is a guest—if there is a good thing, everyone will celebrate together."

Suddenly, the Saskana was a sensation, and even the chef ran out to see the excitement, and the rice people laughed continuously, "Look at the serious appearance of this Fusang person, he actually let us lift the anchor and retreat, saying what cannon can hit here, it's so funny, I can tell this joke on the ship for a year, and I can tell it for a lifetime after getting off the ship." ”

Unlike the sailors, Perry and many of his subordinates didn't laugh, after all, the Fuso people stayed on the ship to watch together, and a madman could make such a joke - since Xiangshan didn't seem crazy, it was probably not a joke.

But Admiral Perry thought that it might be that the Fuso people wanted to release Congreve rockets or something, in order to be safe, he personally came forward to ask for details, but the shogunate did a good job of keeping the information secret, and Xiangshan didn't know about it, Perry thought about it again, and still ordered everyone to pull the anchor and set sail - after all, there is no big mistake in being careful, the Fuso people really want to make jokes, and they can come back; But if it's true, you'll be a joke.

And he also thought like this, "Although I was prepared from the beginning to 'go to war if I didn't go well and disobeyed the order', it was based on the premise of deciding that I could win, and now there is a change, as an old man, I can't accidentally bury the reputation of the first generation and the reputation of the Perry family in this strange country." ”

At this time, the sea off Uraga was windy, and Perry had to order the two sail-steam mixers to ignite the boilers, which in those days took several hours to ignite and reach operational status once the steam boilers were turned off and then ignited, so the sailors did not understand why it was so solemn, but Perry had a high reputation, and the order was still carried out to the letter.

Strange to say, after the steam boilers of the two hybrid warships reached normal operation, the wind actually rose, and it was a waste of work.

The four black ships slowly retreated to the southern sea, and according to the request of the governor of Fuso, the rice ships retreated about 1 nautical mile (1.852 kilometers) outward - the original berthing of the rice ships was about 13 chains (about 2408 meters) in the port of Ouraga, which was due to the fact that the range of the ship's bombardment shells was about 15 chains (about 2778 meters), while the long-standing bronze cannon of Fuso should have a maximum distance of 8 chains (about 1500 meters).

Now the location of the rice ship is about 23 chains (about 4,260 meters) from the port of Uraga, and at this time, Kayama and the two interpreters, Tatsunosuke Hori, and Tokujuro Tateiwa, began to wave a flag with a sunflower pattern on it—the rice people were not allowed to bring the flag on board, but Admiral Perry personally agreed, so it was accommodating.

Most of the Odaiba on both sides of the Uraga Waterway were not built due to blind expansion, but there were originally five old Odaiba near Uraga Port, and the reconstruction was not completed but it was usable, so this time it was a meritorious service.

The shogunate obtained a total of 40 3-inch rifled guns from Hamhen Yoko, of which 20 were placed in Shinagawa Odaiba and 20 were arranged on both sides of the Uraga waterway.

Eight coastal defense hangers, a Mito courtier, and Uraga Shoji were impatient to wait, and when they saw the rice boat stopped on the sea, and three more people began to wave the flag as agreed, they felt that it was almost enough, so they ordered the cannon to be fired, and suddenly the mooring place of the black ship splashed a column of water.

Speaking from the heart, the level of the shogun's gunners was not very good, and they didn't know where they hit a few shots, and the charging speed was obviously slow, and the water column was not very high, but this did not affect the crowd in Puga Port to let out bursts of cheers, and the three of Xiangshan were even more excited to run around on the deck of the rice ship with flags.

Perry already knew in advance from Xiangshan that there were three salvos, so when the shelling was over, he had people stop the Fuso people from running, and by the way, he also collected the flags - Xiangshan and the two interpreters were cowards, and they only muttered a few words and obeyed.

But Perry found that the Fuso people no longer avoided his gaze, and he immediately knew that his mission to Fuso might have encountered unexpected difficulties—even if he knew the location of his opponent's Achilles heel, it was now doubtful whether he could shoot it.