Hearing Pei Jinquan cite the story of the return of the Turhut Mongol tribe to the east of the Great Qian, King Shangtai knew that the Great Qian Imperial Court must have made arrangements in advance in this matter, otherwise it would be difficult for Bei Jinquan to say such words that were enough to make the officials of the capital speechless, and his heart fell to the ground, but he still felt uneasy.

For the Satsuma people, who have been in contact with the Ryukyus for hundreds of years, King Shotai's feelings are quite complicated.

Middle-earth and the Ryukyus had a close suzerain-vassal relationship, and successive Ryukyu kings accepted the canonization of the emperors of the Middle-earth Dynasty; They all sent envoys to the emperors of the Middle-earth Dynasty to pay tribute; The whole of Ryukyu followed the era of the Middle-earth dynasty; The Ryukyus received a full range of political, cultural, and socio-economic influences from Middle-earth, thus constituting a subordinate relationship to Middle-earth. However, the Middle-earth Dynasty did not interfere in the internal affairs of the Ryukyus, but allowed it to be self-governing and the Ryukyus "a state of its own", and in this context, the Ryukyu Kingdom was able to accept the good influence of Middle-earth's advanced culture and technology while maintaining its own independent development. In the eyes of many, the Ryukyus are like a jewel set on the edge of the crown of the Middle-earth emperors. In practice, however, the situation is rather complicated.

It all started in 7009. This year is the 37th year of the Shengzong Bangli of the Middle Earth Min Dynasty and the 14th year of Keicho of Japan. In that year, the Japanese Satsuma Domain invaded Ryukyu with 3,000 samurai and more than 100 warships, starting from the main island of the Ryukyus, successively suppressing the islands, as if entering a no-man's land, and finally captured Shuri Castle, taking Nakayama King Shoning as a hostage, and occupying the entire Ryukyu Kingdom. Two years later, the Satsuma clan allowed King Shōnin to return to Japan, but at the same time sent Japanese officials to strictly monitor all movements in the Ryukyus.

After the Battle of Keichau, the Satsuma Domain's "Zaibanjo" (the chief executive stationed in the Ryukyus) became the emperor who ruled the Ryukyu Kingdom. They also sent personnel to the Ryukyu islands to "survey and survey land." to determine the amount of annual tribute and collect various miscellaneous taxes). 15 articles of the ruling decree governing the Ryukyus were promulgated. It controlled trade, taxation, ideology, and rule, and regarded the previously independent Ryukyu Kingdom as a vassal. After King Shōnei's return, the Satsuma clan ordered him to continue to pay tribute to the Minchao, and the capital of the tribute market was issued by the Satsuma domain, and the profits were also owned by Satsuma, and the Ryukyuan people were just tools at his mercy. After that, the Satsuma clan had a strong control over the Ryukyus, and there was both local tax revenue. In addition, the Middle-earth Dynasty and the Ryukyus Dynasty exchanged huge profits from the tribute market, and gradually became one of the four great feudal domains of Japan.

In 7012, when the newly troubled King Shangning returned to China, the Satsuma Domain "forced Ning to send an envoy to Fujian, but he was released and returned, and the country was restored. Although Middle-earth is suspicious, it is not known." In 7019, when King Shokei was crowned, the Satsuma clan feared that the Daikan Dynasty would use the Ryukyus under the control of the Satsuma domain. He severed the suzerain-vassal relationship between Churyū and made use of the Tugara Islands, which were located in the northern part of the southwestern islands. The name "Treasure Island" was fabricated and the so-called Saryukyu relationship was a border trade relationship between the Ryukyus and the Japanese-affiliated island of Takara. In fact, when the shogunate's new shogun was inaugurated or the king of the Ryukyus ascended the throne, the Ryukyus would send envoys to Edo to congratulate or thank them, the former being called "celebratory envoys" and the latter called "thanksgiving envoys". Throughout the Edo period, Ryukyu envoys sent envoys to Edo a total of eighteen times, and the Ryukyuan people "went to Edo" not much differently than the ceremonial guards they used to go north from the Ryukyu Hall in Fuzhou to Beijing to pay tribute.

In the Mindai, the invasion of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and his attempt to invade Middle-earth made the Min government strongly repulsive to any request from Toei, so that both the Satsuma clan and the Edo shogunate failed in their attempts to negotiate with the Min.

Against this backdrop, the Ryukyus became Japan's only remaining channel for indirect trade with Middle-earth, and both the Satsuma Domain and the Edo Shogunate wanted to maintain trade patterns in East Asia. As far as the Ryukyus are concerned, the country is known as the "Wanguo Jinliang", and thanks to the sea boats and related crews and navigation technology donated by Minchu Chutu, the Ryukyus has become a Pacific maritime trade center connecting Japan and North Korea in the north and Southeast Asia in the south through international trade in East Asia. For the Ryukyus, the bounty of tributary trade and the commercial profits brought by the tributary exchange were vital to the country's survival. The government of the Ryukyu Kingdom feared that if it was revealed that it was subject to Satsuma, the tributary system and the survival of the kingdom would be greatly affected. The Satsuma Domain, on the other hand, was very dependent on trade between China and China, and it did not want the deterioration of relations between China and China to affect its own revenues. In addition, whether it was the Min Dynasty at the end of the Dynasty or the Qian Dynasty at the height of its heyday, the Middle-earth Dynasty was a formidable behemoth in East Asia, and no neighboring country dared to underestimate it, and maintaining good relations with the Middle-earth Dynasty meant that it could obtain extremely rich economic rewards. In this regard, the Ryukyu Imperial Government and the Satsuma Domain of Japan had common interests, so they deliberately concealed the truth about the relationship between the two countries for a long time, until the defeat of Japan's first foreign war after the Meiji Restoration, the Battle of Moss Bay, and the Qianguo Ship Administration and Naval Division took advantage of the victory of Moss Sea to recover the Ryukyus, and this secret that had been hidden for more than 150 years was revealed.

After the recovery of the Ryukyus, the officials of the Qianguo also heard about the fact that the Ryukyus "two belongings" were there, but in order to maintain the decent scenery and great martial arts of the Celestial Empire, they deliberately chose to ignore it, and did not criticize the Ryukyus because of this, but "the Ryukyus are the most obedient in Middle Earth, and now their heirs are still Taili, not slack off and pious, and it is advisable to be crowned by the king." Naturally, the Ryukyus were grateful for this, and thus treated the Celestial Empire more faithfully, but now that the Satsuma refugees had come to avoid trouble, if they did not accept it, they would be deeply hated by the Satsuma, and when the Satsuma people were cornered, it would inevitably provoke rebellion; However, if it is accepted, there will definitely be people with good deeds in the Celestial Empire to talk about it, rehashing the secret history of these "two genera", saying that Ryukyu has two hearts for the Great Cadres, and the lethality of the relationship between Ryukyu and the Celestial Empire is undoubtedly huge.

"Satsuma entered our country in the past, for many years, fortunately the heavenly soldiers drove it out, and now its refugees come to vote, and there are many Satsuma people in our country, and rumors are inevitably spreading in Beijing, our country is partial to the sea, far away from the capital, and ......it is urgent to distinguish between them" King Shangtai carefully observed Pei Jinquan's facial expression, and said with some hesitation, "At that time, General Pei will be needed to help." ”

"This is natural, the king and relax." Pei Jinquan understood King Shangtai's doubts. happily agreed. "Wait for someone to find out. After the report, I should quickly telegraph the court and explain the details, but the slander will naturally disappear. ”

"Then General Law will play the table as soon as possible." King Shangtai said gratefully.

"The king can rest assured, but in the next two days, the telegram will definitely be sent, and the court will receive it in a few days, and it will not delay time." Pei Jinquan Road. "It's just to avoid chaos among the Satsuma refugees, and this relief will require the king to bother a lot."

"This is a matter for the ministers, and the general can rest assured." King Shang Tai agreed.

After talking for a while, Pei Jinquan got up to take his leave, and after leaving the royal city, he did not go back to the barracks, but came to a nearby hill and looked in the direction of the harbor.

Seeing the ships of the Ship Master and the Beiyang Naval Division that had been berthed in the harbor, the worries in his heart disappeared. For a while, I became confident again.

"Don't make us all wait too long, Hanpeng......" Pei Jinquan said softly to himself.

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For Natalia. After arriving on Kyushu Island, the front-line life that I was accustomed to began again.

In the middle of the night a carriage drove in, and it brought an order for her to go to the front line observation post.

The officer who came in the carriage kept urging Natalia, but he didn't explain what was going on. He only told her that she had to take everything she needed for the operation.

They went away in a carriage. The carriage drove past several ruined villages, turning into a small, narrow path and jolting over undulating knolls in the fields. There was rumbling and moaning all around. The sound of firing from rifles was close.

The carriage stopped beside a hill in the valley full of young saplings, and the officer got out of the carriage and helped Natalia to get out of it, saying, "Let's walk here." ”

They began to walk up the hill. Shells exploded in front of them, on the right side of the back. After a while, Natalia saw a newly dug trench that led to the top of the hill.

"Come here, please," said the officer, making a gesture to invite Natalia, as if opening the door to the theater for her.

She walked along the trench. It's dirty and damp in here. The trench led her to the entrance to the shelter, which was covered with logs.

In a gloomy room, people sat on the floor and next to the blast holes. There was a guy on the phone, and his voice was completely hoarse.

"Is the doctor here?" Someone asked in the dark.

"Here we are." The officer replied.

The small wooden door opened.

"Please come in." Natalia heard a hoarse voice inside.

A candle was lit on a small table at the back of the next room, and Natalia saw a Japanese general reclining on a chaise longue in the dim candlelight. He extended a hand with his sleeves rolled up to her, and said to her in proficient Russian:

"Don't tell anyone! Otherwise, they will shout and tell me to go to the rear. It's nothing more than a minor scrape. Please diagnose it. ”

Natalia felt that the Japanese general in front of her was very young, and his impure Russian sounded familiar to her, and she could not remember where she had seen him, nor did she think about it, but did not follow his instructions and examined his injuries.

His injuries don't seem to be that minor. Although the French rifle bullet was no longer powerful, it was embedded in the soft tissue below the elbow of the arm.

"You have to go to a medical camp for treatment." Natalia said to the Japanese general.

"No! I will never leave the camp! ”

"Go, General." Natalia said sincerely, "I'm the only one here, I need an assistant, and the necessary medicines, otherwise, you will be in unbearable pain." ”

"I can't leave here, my men are fighting. The Satsuma people were pressed tightly. You want me to leave when they need me most, and if I do, their morale will crumble,...... I beg of you! …… Please help! …… How could I lie in a medical camp! …… I can't! Let's have surgery right here. He added softly: "My troops have suffered heavy losses. The Japanese general said stubbornly.

Natalia hesitated for a moment, but agreed to have surgery here, so she asked for water to wash her hands.

It's getting busy. Natalia set the instruments aside and began the operation. The Japanese general was silent and did not groan. There was a knock on the door and it was a combat staff officer. He waved his uninjured hand and motioned for him to read the war reports. His movements made his brow furrow in pain. But he deliberately pretended to be in high spirits.

When the surgery is done and the bandaging is done. The Japanese general, whose face was pale and broke out in a cold sweat, leaned back, leaned on the pillow, and with childlike pride, said in Russian: "What strong people we are! Only we are worthy of the title of the Imperial Japanese Army! Thank you! Doctor! …… Remember, don't tell anyone! …… As soon as we repel the Satsuma, I'll go to you to change the bandages. Feed. Protect this doctor for me! He then shouted in Japanese to someone in the other room, "Lead her out of the traffic trench...... There's no one here but her to operate! ”

Although he speaks Japanese, now the smart Natalia is able to understand Japanese, although she doesn't speak it well.

As Natalia was leaving, she heard the Japanese general say to the officers: "Hey! It's time to get started! What about the artillerymen? ”

Natalia silently returned to the medical camp. She was shocked by the situation on the front line, and now she gradually forgot her personal sadness.

She was told in the medical camp that Second Lieutenant Nauminko had just been here, and when he asked about her, he was visibly worried that she had been missing and had not returned. Although he tried his best to hide this look.

The next day he came again. Natalia has just finished her routine surgery. She was delighted with his arrival and immediately inquired about the situation at the front.

He made an exception and did not answer her question. He doesn't take off his coat. He just stared straight at her, and finally said, "Please forgive me, Natalia?" Trubetskaya, but I'm a soldier and I like to act openly. I was told that there was an ensign who once came to see you, and then you were away all day. You went out again last night. Of course, I have no right to ask you, but ...... I'm in pain. I couldn't have imagined it myself...... Or are you laughing again? ”

She didn't laugh, but she didn't answer him.

Then he suddenly proposed to her, pacing up and down the room, and saying that he could not live without her, and begging her to cut ties with the man she had visited the previous day.

She couldn't help laughing at these words, and he exclaimed angrily, "You're laughing again! ”

He looked pitiful and overwhelmed.

Natalia was moved. She could not have imagined that Nauminko loved her so much, and that love could turn this usually conceited and steady young man into such a person.

She felt pity on him, and she said, "I won't tell you where I was yesterday." I must keep my promises. In any case, I didn't go out for personal things. But that ensign...... That ensign won't come again. He will never come again, he sacrificed. ”

At this time, someone came to call her to the surgery tent, and she hurried away.

Although Natalia did not say a word to Naumenko's proposal, he felt that basically everything was settled. He was delighted, but at the same time afraid, and regretted his rash proposal. He thought of his wife and daughter with trepidation. It's even more important to think about what friends and family think about it than about them.

After that conversation with Natalia, although he was skeptical and scared, he was more determined than ever to find the excitement of meeting Natalia. This state of affairs distressed him. Naturally, the best thing to do was to leave Natalia behind completely, but that was no longer within his reach.

Natalia had no idea what was going on in Nauminko's heart. She had always spoken to him with sincerity and cordiality, and had always promised to visit him, but the affairs of the medical camp had always kept her out of it.

The Japanese general did not break his promise, and came to the medical camp that day, Natalia changed his bandages, and then she realized that she didn't even ask his name, and didn't know what to call him, the Japanese general saw her thoughts, and took the initiative to introduce herself, and she then knew that his name was Oyama Iwa, and he was the supreme commander of the Japanese army here.

"How did you get hit by a rifle?" She looked at his wound and asked, a little confused.

Her surgery was successful, the wound recovered well, and no fatal infections occurred, but in her experience, she knew that it was a wound caused by a rifle bullet at close range, and that it was impossible for the Japanese general's arm to return to its original appearance, and many times, he could only curl up on this arm slightly to avoid pain.

How can a general, commanding at the command headquarters, be used to hit a rifle at close range? She was amazed that such things generally happened to soldiers and junior officers fighting on the front lines, and that a general was rarely hit directly by a bullet.

Hearing her inquiry, a trace of fear unconsciously flashed in Da Shanyan's eyes.

"While inspecting the front line, I was accidentally shot by an enemy sniper." He replied vaguely.

There was no way he could tell her what was really going on.

What happened that day had become his eternal nightmare.

"It's so dangerous." Natalia looked at the mountain rock and imagined the scene, "You shouldn't put yourself in such a dangerous situation, you should pay more attention to your own safety, if you are injured or killed, what will your troops do?" (To be continued......)

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