The Hirado Navy was beaten by the Ming Army!

The news immediately spread to Toei Mishima, and the taverns in the lower towns of each feudal clan were full of discussions. Pen × fun × Pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

"Did you hear that? The Ming army was preparing to attack Jeju Island from the sea, only to receive interference from the Hirado naval army? ”

"And this thing, it's a pity! The North Koreans should teach this a lesson. ”

"That's it!"

Speaking of North Korea, the drinkers were all excited. This is Feng Taige's unfulfilled wish.

During the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, the samurai of the island country followed Toyotomi Hideyoshi to North Korea, but was beaten on his back. But it also left a continental dream in the hearts of their descendants.

Although I knew that the Hirado Domain was unlucky, I knew that the Hirado Navy was beaten to the ground by the Daming Navy. None of these talkers took it seriously.

Edo Castle and Kagoshima Castle were all defeated by the Ming army's artillery fire, and your Matsuura family still wants to block the thunderous wrath of the Celestial Empire!

In a large room in the castle tower of Edo Castle, a letter from the Hirado clan is placed on a small table.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Ming Dynasty asked Hirado for Fukue Island as a foothold for the Korean conquest. Because of the pirates of the five islands, in order to avoid conflict, the Hirado Domain simply handed over all the five islands to the Ming Dynasty. Hotta Masamu looked at the many high-ranking officials of the shogunate in the room, "How do we reply!" ”

Fukue Island is the largest of the Goto Islands. The Goto Islands are an archipelago off the west coast of Kyushu, Japan.

Since the Mongol Yuan, Japan has not ceded an inch of land for hundreds of years. Moreover, such an agreement had to be communicated to Kyoto, and the shogunate must not become the target of public criticism.

Hotta Masamu is now the first of the shogunate's elders and the most powerful official under the shogun.

Masahiro Abe was criticized by many parties afterwards because he pushed to be friendly with the Ming Dynasty and signed a tributary agreement, and was forced to resign from the position of the first seat of the old middle school last year.

"Hotta-sama, this reply is very simple."

Masahiro Abe sat first on the right, and he said in his chest, "Let the Hirado family marry a daughter to Daming, and Goto is the dowry." ”

"That's one way. If you can't beat people, it's normal to lose a few small islands in the open sea. Hotta Masamu nodded, "Lord Abe, I'm a little confused now, whether this Great Ming Kingdom is an enemy or a friend!" ”

"yes!" Masahiro Abe tapped his forehead lightly, "I've been thinking about this for the past few days. ”

Masahiro Abe and Masamu Hotta are both moderate and open their eyes to the world.

In this complicated era, the Western countries were eyeing the East, the Manchu Qing was at a loss, and the emerging Ming Dynasty was able to cope with it with ease.

They knew very well that Japan could no longer close itself off from the rest of the country, and if they wanted to resist the oppression of the West, they could only rely on the protection of the Ming Dynasty.

Since Japan officially recognized China as a vassal domain, for more than a year, the Ming Dynasty helped the shogunate to stabilize prices, promote the opening of the port of Yokohama, and develop the Kamaishi mine, which effectively reversed the deterioration of the shogunate's finances, and the money bags of the feudal clans were all bulging.

In addition, the Ming Dynasty also recruited a large number of wandering samurai and bankrupt poor, and the number of unemployed vagrants in the region was greatly reduced, which greatly eliminated the unstable factors and greatly improved social order.

Although Edo was generally full of favorability towards the Ming Dynasty, people of insight never relaxed their vigilance against the Ming Dynasty. There has always been a saying in the market that the Ming Dynasty is bitter first and then sweet, harboring evil intentions.

The origin of this statement is mainly because of the two shellings, which made some conservatives seriously hate the Ming Dynasty. Since the agreement between Japan and the Ming Dynasty and the tributary relationship have been clarified, this hatred has deepened.

"This is the third time that Ming Guo has shelled Japan, and we need to figure out, is this shelling really an accident? Will there be a fourth shelling? Hotta's expression was very serious.

Since he is sitting in the position of the chief of the old middle, Hotta Masamu's consideration must be meticulous, and he must not drink to quench his thirst and lure the wolf into the room.

"The Ming army first shelled Edo and Kagoshima, and then aided the shogunate and helped Satsuma, which is the so-called show of power and lure to advantage." Masahiro Abe shook his head, a wry smile on his face, "Hirado is probably the third force they have chosen. ”

"Shuffle!"

At this time, Hotta Masamu thought of what Wang Tiezhu once said, and he sighed, "The Ming Dynasty takes the rejuvenation of China as its own responsibility, and the common prosperity of East Asia is their goal." Whether it's Edo or the Shimazu family, it's all the same in their eyes. Daming just needs a little friend of theirs in Japan, a little partner who can keep up with them. ”

"Hotta-sama, Abe-sama." Jing Yi straightened up and said slowly, "Are we thinking too much, the general's wedding is about to begin, and the Shimazu family and Edo should be of the same mind." ”

Masahiro Abe has a close relationship with Shimazu Kibin. It was also with the help of the shogunate that Qi Bin took the position of the lord of the Satsuma domain.

In the 3rd year of Kaei (1850), the Shimazu family was appointed as an alternate for the Imperial Observatory by Edo.

The Imperial Observatory is the official name of the Tokugawa shogun, the first lady of the shogunate.

Shimazu Saibin finally chose Atsuhime, the daughter of Shimazu Tadatsu, a branch of the Shimazu clan of the Satsuma Domain, and married to Edo.

Atsuhime has been sent to Edo to be married, and is ready to get married this year.

"When interests are conflicting, brothers can also become enemies." Masahiro Abe shook his head, "We are in this position, and there are some things that we can't think about a little more. ”

"Japan is now a weak country, even if the Ming Dynasty harbors evil intentions, the shogunate will thank him for his kindness." Jing Yi Zhibi said lightly, "We can only take Ming as our teacher, use the art of Xiyi, and the gift of Ming Huaxia to become strong as soon as possible, otherwise everything is empty talk." ”

Matsushita Village Juku is located in Matsumoto Village, an eastern suburb of Nagato Hagi Castle.

That morning, Yoshida Shoin walked out of the village school with his student Genrui Kusaka.

Yoshida Shoin wanted to take the opportunity to go overseas because he smuggled onto an American ship, but ended up in the shogunate's prison.

After being released from prison last year, he was ordered to think about it behind closed doors, and Yoshida Shoin had to come to his uncle Tamaki Fuminosu's "Matsushita Village Juku" to give lectures.

The dilapidated courtyard of the village school has been renovated, and the number of students has increased from seven or eight to more than ten.

Yoshida Shoin thought that he was going to stay in this village for a long time, and he didn't want to hear that the army had established a base camp on Ukushima Island to conquer Korea and recruit volunteers to conquer Korea.

Ukushima is the northernmost of the Goto archipelago, the closest to Hirado, only 60 km.

Recruits who pass the physical examination can get a settling-in allowance of 20 yuan, as well as clothes and bedding and other items, and a salary of 5 yuan per month, and if they die in battle, they will be paid two years of salary as a pension.

Five silver dollars a month, that's a lot! It is enough to make a living of food and clothing for poor families.

When the news came, a large number of wandering samurai, bankrupt poor, and unemployed vagrants in Kyushu Saikaido signed up for the army. Within a few days, the Ming army's recruit training camp was filled with 5,000 people.

This made Yoshida Shoin amazed, he could no longer bear the loneliness of the village school, and decided to go to Ukushima and travel to Daming, and use his own eyes to truly understand the true meaning of Daming's rich country and strong army.

Walking out of the gate, Yoshida Shoin, who was carrying his bags, couldn't help but look back, he was leaving here again today, and he might never be able to return here in the future.

"Teacher!" Student Genrui Kusaka looked at the road in the distance, and couldn't help but feel a little excited.

"Let's go!" Yoshida Shoin turned his head and walked straight towards the entrance of the village.

Nagato Ogiguchi Castle, a sake restaurant near the Ryōnkan of the domain school.

In a quiet room on the second floor, Takasugi Shinsaku, Katsura Kogoro, Yoshida Shoin, and Kusaka Genrui were drinking together.

Takasugi Shinsaku poured wine for Yoshida Shoin, "Teacher, are you really going to Daming?" Can't we be self-reliant? ”

Takasugi Shinsaku corresponded with Yoshida Shoin several times, admired Yoshida Shoin's talent very much, and thought that he would also go to Matsugami Village Juku to study. Unexpectedly, the teacher would leave the village school and go to the distant Daming.

"The five islands have a new administrative system, and the institutions are far more effective than those of the other domains; The military is also a new military system, and firearms are used on a large scale, which is very different from the previous forms of warfare in Japan. I must observe in detail the civil affairs, economy, and military system of the Ming Dynasty to understand the true meaning of enriching the country and strengthening the army. ”

Yoshida Songyin held his wine glass and sighed, "The road is long~"

"It's still Mr. free and easy, just go!"

Both Takasugi Shinsaku and Katsura Kogoro were a little upset.

When the news came that the Ming Dynasty was recruiting Korean volunteers on Ukushima, the swordsmen of the Myeongronkan wrote one after another, strongly asking the feudal clan to agree to them to go to Ukushima. Among them, Takasugi Shinsaku and Katsura Kogoro were the most active, and the two of them applied to the domain many times, but the lord of the domain, Mori Kei, did not approve.

Yoshida Shoin said twice, but there were no words.

Seeing Gao Bin Jinzuo's appearance of scratching his ears and cheeks, Jiusaka Xuanrui said bluntly, "Two senior brothers, let's get rid of the feudal domain together!" Let's follow Master to Mingguo. ”

Leaving the feudal domain without the consent of the feudal lord and breaking away from the leadership of the former feudal lord is tantamount to betrayal.

In the Shogunate period, the Japanese were loyal to the ruler not to the shogun or to the emperor, but to the feudal lords of the feudal domains. Patriotism is also a vassal country that loves its own domain.

"Detachment?!"

Detachment is a big crime, and Takasugi Shinsaku and Katsura Kogoro are very hesitant.

"Genrui Kusaka is too frivolous!" Yoshida Shoin reprimanded him slightly, and then said to Takasugi Shinsaku and Katsura Kogoro, "This trip is for our future." Japan is poor and weak, and it is not enough to strive for self-improvement without making a major innovation. If we can return from our studies, we will definitely do a great thing. ”

"Shuffle!" Takasugi Jinsaku raised his glass and drank it all, "Look up to the sky and laugh and go out, how can my generation be a Penghao person." ”

"Drunk and lying on the knees of beauty, wake up and hold the power of the world" Katsura Kogoro followed with a full drink and laughed.

Samoto Bo, Kagoshima Castle, inside a large house in the castle tower.

"Zhongjiao was appointed by the Ming Dynasty as the envoy of North Korea, and now he is the governor of the five islands." Shimazu Qibin had a hesitant face, "It seems that my younger brother hates Da Ming very much." ”

It's like playing Go, where Shimazu takes the lead and occupies the middle game. But Zhongjiao surprisingly gained a firm foothold in the corner, and the power in this corner is very strong, far better than what he calls the general trend of the mid-game.

Shimazu felt a lot of headaches.

"My lord, the key to Satsuma is the Ming Dynasty, not the faithful religion." Okubo Rishi's voice is like a bell, "Daming wants nothing more than the rejuvenation of China, the coexistence and co-prosperity of East Asia, which is definitely beneficial to us." Only if we don't go against the trend, we can do whatever we want. ”

Komatsu Kiyoyu suggested, "My lord, the navy is ready, and it should be dispatched as soon as possible to support the Ming Dynasty's invasion of Korea. In addition, you can also let Saigo Takamori bring more light feet from the domain to the past and learn the art of war of the Ming army. ”