In the town of Chikuzen Kuniya County, groups of heavy infantry of the Ming army were marching in formation, not walking fast. On the deserted road, the neat footsteps of the Ming army moved very loudly.

The soldiers were well dressed and armoured, and this kind of clothing was barely comparable to that of the samurai class in Japan. The sparse passers-by who couldn't tell the situation suddenly encountered such people and horses, and they all knelt on the side of the road to avoid the road, not daring to come forward to provoke.

The Ming army did not arrest the samurai officials in the city; Therefore, Ouchi Sheng did not make a mistake, nor did he go to see Yao Fang without permission.

He stood some distance from the main road, silently watching the military appearance of the Ming army, thinking about something without saying a word.

In the Great War that took place in the Hakata area, Ouchi Katsu did not participate, and he and some of the samurai stayed behind in Kaguya-gun. However, the city lord Tao Jing followed the governor to the battlefield, and his whereabouts are still unknown.

The Ming army marched to the city lord's mansion one after another and stopped in an open field.

After a while, two more groups of infantry arrived. They were clothed in two garments, blue and gray; Although these people were not armoured, and their clothes and hats were very strange, they were very neatly dressed, and the material was very good. Some of them were carrying brand-new firearms, while others were carrying musical instruments.

Sure enough, soon the music was playing, with a group of people playing horizontal blowing and others with brass percussion instruments. The grand ceremonial music spread almost throughout the city. Several sergeants held a blue and yellow dragon flag of the sun and moon and pulled a flagpole with a sliding rope.

After the ceremony, an official wearing a round collar came over and began to read out the Chinese army's Anmin Bang, military law, and other decrees in Chinese and Japanese.

The general content is that the soldiers of the Ming army are not allowed to disturb the people and plunder, and the military law is implemented as in the Ming Dynasty. The local Japanese civil and military officials who did not resist were all forgiven and acquitted. The Japanese people who harbor spies will be implicated and will be guilty of the same crime as the spies; Those who anonymously reported to the Ming army were protected and rewarded with copper coins.

Ouchi Katsu watched for a while, then took the two slaves of the family and made a detour home.

His wife, Shibukawa, looked panicked, and when she saw Ouchi Katsu, she quickly took out a cinnabar summons and said, "People from the Great Ming Kingdom have been here, and we don't understand what they said. Later, a 'samurai' took out a piece of paper written in Japanese and showed it to us, and asked the husband to go to the castle lord's mansion to talk about it today, and left this thing behind. ”

Ouchi Katsu took the ticket, looked at it over and over again, and said, "I'll change my clothes, and I'll go." ”

Shibukawa asked worriedly, "Isn't there any danger?" ”

"Don't worry, you wait at home." Ouchi Katsu glanced at his wife. Recently, my wife's attitude has become more deferential. The whereabouts of the city lord Tao are unknown, and the situation in the county is unstable, so she should be very worried about her situation.

Under the careful service of his wife, Ouchi Katsu changed into a kimono, took two swords, and went out.

"Husband......" his wife suddenly called out to him, and then said, "I was really helpless about some things before. ”

"Well, I know. I was also at fault, and I never won the trust of the governor. Ouchi nodded very calmly, turned and walked out the door.

Ouchi Katsu and his entourage returned to the castle lord's mansion. There were already some samurai outside, and after being questioned by the officials of the Ming Kingdom at the door, everyone took off their weapons and walked in obediently.

The Ming sergeant took Ouchi Katsu to the antechamber of the castle lord's meeting. A Ming army general and translation official stood on it and asked, "Where is Tao Shi, the lord of Qiwu County?" ”

Several samurai said that Dow had followed the governor Ouchi to the battlefield and had not returned.

The translation officer asked again: "Dow's subordinates, has anyone come back?" ”

At this time, no one in the antechamber answered.

After a while, the interpreter conveyed the order of the Ming general, telling the samurai to go to the huts in the back and separate them for questioning. Ouchi Katsu calmed down, and according to the request of the Ming people, he went to a hut.

He, like the other samurai, was a little worried. Because everyone was afraid that the Ming army would deceive and gather before slaughtering. Yao Fang, whom Ouchi Katsu knew, also never showed up.

Suddenly, the lattice door was opened, and Ouchi Katsu looked up and was very surprised. The person who came in was actually Yao Fang.

"Ouchi-kun, long time no see, I'm glad to meet." Yao Fang hugged his fists.

Ouchi Katsu knelt and sat down, and also bowed and said in Chinese: "Fortunately." ”

Yao Fang skillfully placed the pen and paper and inkstone in his hand on the wooden table, which was the way the two communicated.

Yao Fang wrote two sentences to the effect that the money I promised would have to wait for a while.

Katsu Ouchi: Don't worry, the situation is unclear now, and I don't have a place to hide my money.

Yao Fang: It is very likely that the Ming Dynasty and Japan will make peace, and China will occupy Hakata Bay, Iwami Province and other places. The imperial court was not willing to directly rule the country, and was looking for someone who could lead it on his behalf.

In order to repair relations with the Ouchi clan, the meaning of the official army is that if you want to nominally assign Iwami to the commander of the Ouchi family, you may have to find an agent for the Ouchi family. You are a samurai of the Ouchi clan, and you have a heart for the Great Ming, so you are a good candidate. Are you interested in being the guardian of Iwami Province?

Ouchi Katsu: I recommend one person, Tao Jing, the lord of the county of Aowu.

Yao Fang glanced at Ouchi Sheng with puzzled eyes, and wrote: Don't you resent him?

Ouchi Katsu leaned forward and bowed, and then wrote: There are many main battle factions in the countries, and their anger has not subsided after the defeat of the Japanese army. The Japanese who took refuge in the Ming Dynasty at first will surely become the target of public criticism. There is a very common way for Japanese samurai to treat this kind of person, assassination!

Yao Fang was stunned, and also gave a thumbs up to Da Neisheng.

Ouchi Katsu: Tao Jing is the guardian of Iwami Province, and I went with me as a retainer. When Tao Jing is stabbed and the rumor is quiet, I will take up another important position and secretly control the real power of Iwami.

Yao Fang: This is a good solution, and I will report this matter to the commander of the official army. When the time comes, the Chinese army will arrange a Han man to become one of the subordinates of the Tao family. This person was supposed to be an official of the Japanese Command of the Imperial Division.

Katsu Ouchi: Isn't it Nishiki?

Yao Fang glanced at him, and he seemed very surprised that Ouchi Katsu still knew about Jinyiwei. Yao Fang wrote: Jinyiwei is now mainly responsible for domestic affairs, and the Northern Department of the Imperial Department is equivalent to the foreign Jinyiwei.

He paused and wrote: How do you know that Tao Jing is still alive?

Ouchi Sheng: The Tao family belongs to the branch of the Ouchi family, and Tao Jing is very trusted by the family governor. Hearing that the Jiadu fled with the samurai, Tao Jing was most likely by the Jiadu's side.

Yao Fang: In the future, you can directly contact the people in the North Department of the Imperial Division. If Dow hadn't been assassinated, could this person be relied upon?

Ouchi Katsu: I will help him, but he will definitely be assassinated, and he may need the help of the Ming army.

Yao Fang nodded after seeing it, and wrote: Tao made you suffer great shame, why can you still be so calm, how did you do it?

Katsu Ouchi did not move.

Yao Fang stood up, hugged his fists and said, "There will be a period later, farewell." ”

Ouchi learned this sentence and said, "There will be a period later, Mr. Yao." ”

…… Yao Fang is becoming more and more interested in Ouchi Sheng. In the past, the two were just business partners, and their friendship was only superficial. But Ouchi Sheng's private affairs made Yao Fang look at this person with admiration.

Thinking about the private relationship between the Wang family and the surnamed Xiao back then, Yao Fang was extremely angry and impulsive, and did some unwise things. In contrast, now this Ouchi Katsu has a similar experience, but he seems to be extremely calm and forbearing.

This made Yao Fang a little admired, and wondered how Ouchi Sheng would deal with this matter in the future.

Yao Fang came to the Chinese army, and the military general on duty saw Yao Fang, and politely hugged his fists and said, "I've seen Mr. Yao." ”

After returning the salute, he entered the Chinese army very easily.

Previously, the coach Sheng Yong played the concerto, which was first shown to the Chinese army and civil and military, and Yao Fang's name was mentioned by name. Now many people think that there seems to be no obstacle for Yao Fang to return to the court as an official.

Outside the temporary lobby of the Chinese army, after a military general went in to report, he came back and asked Yao Fang to enter the lobby to discuss matters.

There are all people with a lot of status in the Chinese army, and Yao Fang, who is a commoner, stands at the back.

A military general was speaking in front of Sheng Yong: "It's been almost a month since we sent a letter to Kyoto, and the messenger has returned, but the Japanese shogunate has not heard back." Waiting like this is not the way to go. Why didn't the marshal mobilize the fleet of sailors and go to Nambakyo (Osaka)? Chen Binghai asked General Muromachiden to come to negotiate in person. ”

The right deputy general, Liu Sheng, said: "The Uesugi clan is only the governor of the Kanto region, and he is not sure of the Kyoto shogunate's willingness to negotiate peace. In the event of an accident, our army was not ready for war, and the naval division rashly appeared in Nambakyo, and it was inevitable that it would be hasty for the time being. ”

Ping An immediately chimed in: "General Liu is reasonable. ”

Zhou Quandao: "The previous discussion was to try to force the shogunate to negotiate peace, and this matter has been played to the emperor." If the war suddenly resumes, won't the strategy become child's play? It is better to send an envoy first to ask the Japanese whether they are at war or not. ”

Hou Haidao: "Jinshi Qian Xili has died in vain, send an envoy to go, if you suffer another accident, isn't that an insult to my Ming court official?" ”

The front of Ping An said: "Who is more anxious is not necessarily, shouldn't the Muromachi Hall take the initiative to send someone here?" ”

Hou Haidao: "Then why haven't you replied for a long time, what happened in Kyoto?" ”

At this moment, Jinshi Liu Ming walked out and said, "Xiaguan, please go to Kyoto." ”

Everyone looked sideways.

Liu Ming said: "Originally, the lower officials went to Annan to envoy the country, but they were attacked by the Annan people, and they escaped with their lives, and their entourage was slaughtered. The last time the subordinate was insulted to the mission, the saint was not held accountable. This time, the officials are willing to go to fulfill their duties and make up for their mistakes. ”

Sheng Yong finally spoke: "Barbarians may not be able to deal with common sense. In case the Muromachi Hall is unwilling to sue for peace, Liu Xingren is afraid that there will be no return, you have to think about it. ”

Liu Ming said: "If I don't go to hell, who will go to hell?" For the great cause of holiness, there will be sacrifices. As soon as the lower officials arrive in Kyoto, they will definitely let the Muromachi Hall understand that if the Muromachi Hall insists on acting recklessly, Kyoto will soon be lost! ”

Everyone cast admiring glances.

Sheng Yong decided: "Then take Liu Xing as the envoy and send the sailor warship to escort him to Namba Kyo." ”

Old? Hug his fists and said: "The last general can only mobilize Monchong and sentinel ships to form a fleet, and it is not appropriate to dispatch large treasure ships." Treasure ships are in narrow waters and are vulnerable to fire. ”

Sheng Yong said: "The warship is hung with the flag of 'Ming Envoy', and once it is attacked, it will return immediately." ”