PS: The third update is here, asking for subscriptions, monthly passes and recommended tickets! Thank you for your 30 years of dedication!

Edo, the ruling center of the Tokugawa shogunate, was also the ruling center of all of Japan. Compared with Edo, the emperor of Kyoto has a high status in the hearts of ordinary people, but the person who can really decide the fate of Japan is Edo. If it weren't for the high status of Japan in the eyes of the common people, it might have been killed by the shogunate's shoguns a long time ago. Although the emperor is just a puppet, the shogunate generals still don't want to have an emperor above their heads. The reason for retaining the emperor is simply to rule Japan in the name of the emperor.

Tokugawa Iekei, the current shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate, regretted that he did not kill Emperor Nintaka. If Emperor Renxiao had been killed, he might not have caused such a big mess. Emperor Hitotaka received Sannori Onodera by slandering China before the enthronement ceremony of the Chinese emperor, which caused a great crisis for Japan. Tokugawa Ieyasu hated Emperor Hitotaka's behavior of leading the whole of Japan into crisis for his personal gain. Of course, now that things are like this, even if you kill Emperor Nintaka, it will be useless. The Chinese have already gathered outside Edo Bay and are about to launch an attack on Edo. This will be a great test for the Edo shogunate.

"Yamamoto-kun, how many of our troops have been gathered? If the Chinese attack Edo, will we be able to resist them? Tokugawa Iekei, the shogun, asked. Although Masahiro Abe rushed to negotiate with the Chinese, he did not know whether it would bring good news. Therefore. You can only prepare for the worst. The Tokugawa family ruled Japan for two hundred years, and it is clear that they would not be willing to admit defeat. Although, Tokugawa Ikei also heard a lot of legends about the Chinese* army. However, he believes to himself that the samurai are not vegetarians either. Once the two sides go to war, the Chinese will not take much advantage. In the end, even if Japan fails, the Chinese will pay a heavy price for it.

"Shogun, at the moment in Edo, we have gathered 30,000 valiant samurai. More samurai are coming. We have issued a conscription order to each feudal lord. Everyone will send elite samurai to Edo and fight the Chinese to the death! "Yuji Yamamoto was the chief Wakanian, the samurai who controlled the shogunate. He is the number one military general under the general.

"Hmmm! That's good. If the Chinese know each other, they will withdraw from the army, otherwise, we will definitely make them pay a heavy price! Tokugawa Iekei said confidently. For the Japanese samurai, he still trusts more. Japanese samurai at the time of battle. Fearless to death. Very heroic. Tokugawa Iekei believed that the elite Japanese samurai were stronger than the Chinese. Besides, this is their home stadium, and the final victory or defeat will definitely not disappoint him. Although the Edo shogunate also had firearms, the Japanese have always believed that. The fight of cold weapons can show the bravery of a samurai. With firearms, it was a complete disgrace to the samurai. As a result, the firearms of the Edo shogunate were never taken seriously.

"General, the armament of the Chinese* army is very powerful, and even the Westerners are not their opponents. We must avoid this war as much as possible! The chief old middle minister said. He was afraid that Tokugawa Iekei would be carried away and lead the Edo shogunate and the whole of Japan to the bottomless abyss. Although the samurai of the Tokugawa family were very brave. But Mabe was not optimistic about them.

"Mabe-kun, I know that the Chinese are very powerful. However, this war was imposed on us by the Chinese. It would be great if war could be avoided. But if the Chinese must go to war with us, we will not be afraid of them! Tokugawa Iekei said. Being able to get through this crisis without fighting, even if it is at a certain cost, is within the acceptable range of Tokugawa Iekei. However, if the two sides can't get along, then there is no way. The Tokugawa family can only use war to protect the interests and glory of the Tokugawa family.

"Yes, General!" Mabe nodded. All he could pray now was that Masahiro Abe would be able to bring back the good news. I hope that the appetite of the Chinese is not too big, otherwise, Japan will be finished.

Immediately after leaving the Chinese fleet, Masahiro Abe returned to the Boso Peninsula and then rode back to Edo. Edo is hundreds of kilometers away from the Boso Peninsula. Naturally, Japanese horses are not fast. Even after changing horses twice on the way, it took Masahiro Abe four hours to return to Edo. Moreover, he was very tired, and his two thighs were even hotter. If I hadn't prepared in advance, I'm afraid that the inner thighs would have been ground with flesh and blood.

"General, Masahiro Abe is back!" While Tokugawa Iekei and Yuji Yamamoto were discussing how to fight the Chinese, Masahiro Abe returned to the shogunate. The high-ranking officials of the shogunate immediately stopped talking and looked at Tokugawa Iekei. Everyone knows that the news brought back by Masahiro Abe is directly related to the fate of the shogunate, whether it is war or peace, it depends on the negotiations between Masahiro Abe and the Chinese.

"Please!" Tokugawa Iekei took it from the tatami mat, and the expression on his face was also a little eager, and he couldn't calm down anymore.

Soon, Masahiro Abe walked into the hall of the General's Mansion. Everyone's eyes were focused on him, which made Masahiro Abe feel extremely stressed. But at the same time, when he thought of the conditions put forward by the Chinese, Masahiro Abe was very desperate. He knew that everyone was waiting for him to bring good news, but, unfortunately, the news he brought back was bad news. That's enough to plunge everyone into despair!

"Participate in the general. Masahiro Abe was ordered to negotiate with the Chinese, and now he has come to return his life! Masahiro Abe bowed.

"Abe-kun? What do the Chinese say? Are they willing to retire? Tokugawa Iekei looked at Masahiro Abe expectantly. If you can avoid fighting, it will be great. This is especially true in this kind of battle that must be lost.

"General, the Chinese put forward two conditions, if we agree, they will retreat! Otherwise, they will perish Japan! Masahiro Abe said stiffly. At this point, he had no choice but to tell the truth.

"What? Those Chinese want to destroy Japan? They are so arrogant! Yuji Yamamoto said angrily.

"Yaga! Arrogant Chinese, general, I ask for a war with the Chinese, so that those Chinese, who are as timid as mice, know how powerful our Japanese samurai are! The other generals also scolded one after another. Obviously, they were all stimulated. These guys who are poisoned by the samurai spirit are basically people who have missing roots in their heads.

"Shut up!" Tokugawa Iekei said in a deep voice. Although he was also a little displeased, it was not as fierce as the other generals. Now, the most important thing is to avoid this war. If the Chinese did not make too many requests, Tokugawa Iekei would most likely accede.

The other generals, when they saw that Tokugawa Iekei had spoken, had to keep their mouths shut. However, the dissatisfied expressions on their faces can be seen by everyone.

"Abe-kun, what kind of conditions did the Chinese put forward?" Tokugawa Iekei asked.

"General, the conditions put forward by the Chinese are very harsh." Masahiro Abe hesitated for a moment, then said.

Tokugawa Iekei couldn't help frowning when he saw Masahiro Abe's reaction. He had already realized that Masahiro Abe's negotiations with the Chinese this time did not seem to be going well. The Chinese must have put forward some conditions accepted by Nanyang.

Other high-level officials also thought of this. So, everyone kept silent. In the hall, only the sound of heavy breathing remained.

"Abe-kun, what kind of conditions did the Chinese put forward, you tell the truth!" Tokugawa Iekei said.

"Yes, General. The Chinese put forward two conditions, first, the emperor would go to the honorific title, and Japan would bow down to China. Second, to compensate China for the loss of reputation and the military expenses for sending troops, a total of 200 million taels of silver! Masahiro Abe said with his head down.

Tokugawa Iekei's whole face was as black as the bottom of a pot. Although he had already thought that the conditions of the Chinese would be very harsh. However, now he knows that he still thinks of the Chinese too kindly. The conditions put forward by the Chinese were much harsher than he expected.

"Yaga! The Chinese simply want to destroy Japan. Shogun, we must not agree to their conditions, as the samurai of the Tokugawa family, we are willing to fight to the death for the Tokugawa family and the Chinese. Amaterasu will bless us, and the final victory will be ours! Yuji Yamamoto said first.

Subsequently, the other generals also chimed in, and they all asked Tokugawa Iekei to fight to the death, asking for a decisive battle with China to defend the glory of the Tokugawa family. They all knew that Tokugawa Iekei would never accept such conditions. This means that war is inevitable. It's time for these samurai, to prove their worth with their bravery.

The bigwigs of the civilian faction don't know what to say at the moment. Obviously, such a condition cannot be agreed, otherwise, Japan will be almost destroyed. But if war does break out, will Japan be able to win? Unlike the generals, they know how powerful China is. Compared to China, Japan is too weak.

Tokugawa Iekei's face was as gloomy as water. As the shogun of the shogunate, he knew that it was time for him to take a stand. In his opinion, the Chinese are really too deceitful. Now, there is no other way but to fight to the death with the Chinese. Perhaps only in this way can there be a glimmer of life.

"Samurai of the Tokugawa family, get ready to fight!" Tokugawa Iekei shouted loudly! (To be continued......)