Chapter 65 South China Sea Railway Chronicle (5)

ps: On the explanation of the Donglin Party's self-funded organization of a group to go south to investigate the case.

Some readers think that Donglin Shizi went south to investigate the case, which does not feel like it is in line with the model of party struggle in the late Ming Dynasty. Because the party dispute at the end of the Ming Dynasty was not a court case, it never relied on any evidence? chiseling, but by whose voice is loud and powerful, the winner is decided. All the opponents who were killed by the Donglin Party at the end of the Ming Dynasty basically did not end up because they were found to be true and substantiated...... In fact, the southward journey of the two Donglin scholars in my book was originally intended to build momentum, and their real key task was not to find out any evidence, but to send some high-ranking people with strong status to serve as political lobbyists, to collude with influential high-level figures such as local officials and retired high-ranking officials in Fujian and Guangdong provinces, and unite them to promote this matter.

Generally speaking, the launch of any political trend requires the cooperation of the local and central governments. If some members of the Donglin Party exert their efforts in the court to punish Huangshi and expel the "thieves" (although Qian Qianyi's fame is great, he cannot mobilize the entire Donglin Party), and the local officials of Fujian and Guangdong provinces who are the parties oppose them, then things will become embarrassing, and there is even a danger of being attacked by other political forces.

Then, it is not enough to send a servant to send a letter to the past, there must be a heavyweight in the past, otherwise, the person is also a well-known gentleman family or a powerful feudal official, and if you send a servant to send a letter to the past, you will have to stand in line to participate in the political struggle...... They're not from your family, it's insulting! It is necessary to negotiate in person, and to make all kinds of promises, guarantees, and exchange of benefits.

At that time, although Qian Qianyi was famous all over the world and had amazing influence, he was temporarily idle at home because of the failure of the last political struggle, and he was anxious to do something big to attract attention, help him accumulate prestige and attacks, and realize his dream of returning to the political arena, so he took the lead in making this matter.

Another problem is that other members of the Donglin Party do not fully trust Qian Qianyi, and other bigwigs also have the consideration of competing for credit and dominance with Qian Qianyi. Moreover, the political level of the members of the Donglin Party is also different, and those who are good at playing politics often lack courage - as soon as the people who went to Lingnan arrived in Guangzhou, most of them were scared away by the false alarm of "the Australian army is coming", and the rest were stunned.

And Fang Yizhi, the leader of the famous man, was brave, but he reversed the priorities, and did not bother to contact the government and the gentry, just like the Donglin Party organized the Suzhou tax resistance incident, first instigated the "anti-party trend" among the people, and then "went up to heaven" - he is actually not good at this, but is really stupid to go to Hainan Island to spy on the enemy (judging from Fang Yizhi's anti-Qing deeds in the late Ming Dynasty and the Southern Ming Dynasty, this guy is at most the level of a young officer who launched the Japanese 226 Mutiny, I have done a lot of stupid things to make the relatives and enemies happy, and it is simply undesirable except for a firm position, and it was not until the end of the period that I was a little smarter, but unfortunately the general trend has gone), not to mention the "Wuwei Little Tiger" Yu Guozhen, this inner ghost who is also a traverser is constantly deliberately fooling and bringing them into the ditch...... That's why there was this trip to Qiongzhou.

As for encountering Huangshi on Hainan Island, it was completely lucky, and it was impossible to predict it in advance. Otherwise, the Donglin Party would have taken advantage of Huang Shi's absence in Fujian to find a way to seize his military power—whether they could win it or not is another matter. In fact, Donglin Shizi, who went to Fujian at the same time, did unite with the gentry and officials in Fujian to create some trouble for Huangshi......

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In the dining car at the end of the train, accompanied by the light music of the American country playing on the stereo, His Excellency Huang Shi, General Pingman of the Ming Dynasty, the General of the Fujian Army and the Commander-in-Chief of the Army of the Lingao Senate, was sitting behind the slightly cramped train table, entertaining the Japanese envoys who had come from afar for lunch.

At this time, Huang Shi had already finished his sumptuous lunch, and while wiping his mouth with a napkin, he motioned for the orderly to remove the cups and plates and cutlery from the table, and at the same time smiled and asked the Japanese envoy who was still chewing slowly on the other side of the table, "...... Mr. Shousui, is lunch still appetizing? ”

“…… Well, thanks to General Huang's hospitality, the food of the Heavenly Empire is really extraordinary! ”

The Hajj envoy from the Maori family of the Choshu Domain, a famous diplomat, military strategist, reformer and sinologist who has become famous in the Japanese archipelago in recent years, and known as the all-Japan star idol who is better than the "famous military division of the Warring States" Takenaka Hanbei and Kuroda Kanwei in the past, "Choshu Veteran" Shousui Nobuyoshi, heard the words and hurriedly put down the wine glass and chopsticks in his hand, swallowed the food in his mouth, and replied with a smile in the official dialect of the Ming Dynasty, "...... Turning the ordinary into magic, color, fragrance and shape? The breadth and profundity of Chinese cuisine really amazes me and other remote islanders......"

In fact, in the dining car at this time, the eating appearance of Shousui Nobuyoshi, the "old man of Changzhou", was relatively reserved, and the few Changzhou Domain attachés he brought were even more delicious, and even the radish flowers used for decoration were eaten by them, and they almost licked the plates.

On the other side, after listening to Shousui Shinji's words, the others didn't have any special reactions, but Miss Ma Tong, who was using Doraemon's magical prop [Gourmet Tablecloth] to make after-dinner fruits and drinks next to her, couldn't help but tremble her hands slightly when she heard this, and her expression was very strange, "...... Chinese Cuisine? In order to entertain these Japanese guests, I have specially prepared a traditional Japanese meal today! ”

She looked down at the menu she had drawn up on the sticky notes, and then looked up at the messy table to confirm that she had indeed ordered Japanese food just now, and she was sure that it was Japanese food on the table, but why did these Japanese insist that the table was full of Chinese food?

“…… Hand tuna sushi and bean skin sushi, deep-fried vegetable tempura, Osaka takoyaki meatballs and tamagoyaki, mini oden and mini sukiyaki beef hot pot, the main dish is omelet rice, and the dessert is dorayaki...... Except for the fear that they would get drunk and make a mistake, the table wine was served with low-alcohol light beer instead of sake, and the other dishes were all genuine Japanese food! How could these Japanese not recognize them? ”

“…… Because these so-called traditional Japanese dishes have not yet been invented in Japan at this time, at least in the Choshu Domain! ”

Ping Qiusheng, the "Japan expert" of the Senate of Lingao Travelers, who was sitting next to her, raised his eyebrows and replied, "...... While it's true that all of the dishes you serve are Japanese, the problem is that nigiri sushi and dorayaki were inventions from the early Edo period, tempura didn't exist until around the end of the Edo period, and sukiyaki, oden, and Osaka octopus meatballs didn't appear until after the Meiji Restoration. At present, this time and space is only in 1632, not long after the beginning of the Edo period, and these envoys are all from the westernmost part of Japan, Choshu Domain, even if there is sushi and dorayaki in Edo today, it is estimated that it will not spread across the whole of Japan to Choshu anytime soon...... Naturally, they will treat these never-before-seen dishes as Chinese food! ”

“…… I see! It's so complicated! Ma Tong scratched his hair, feeling as if he had punched the cotton, and he couldn't laugh or cry.

At the same time, another compliment from Shou Sui Shinji made Huang Shi, who was sitting opposite, also smile bitterly, "...... In addition, General Huang is still so self-disciplined in his daily life and dining, he is not afraid of hard work, wears heavy armor, and keeps his body up, which is really a model for our martial artists! ”

——Looking at Huangshi's shining silver and bright gorgeous armor, Shou Sui Xinji, who knew the heaviness of the armor, said with admiration and envy.

But Huang Shi knew in his heart that the set of armor on his body, which looked very luxurious and very heavy, was actually a movie prop made of plastic, and the outside was sprayed with a layer of gold and silver paint, just looking majestic, but in fact, it was light and fluttering on the body, and there was no protective effect at all - this thing was a guy from the "relevant department" who had watched too many costume dramas for a while, and he didn't know which crew got it, so he asked Huang Shi to wear it in the "foreign affairs activities", so as to pretend to be forced in front of the Japanese envoy...... It's just that you can't say this explicitly, otherwise it won't look good to anyone.

At this time, the orderly brought a fruit platter and after-dinner drinks, and Huang Shi took the opportunity to make a haha and divert the topic, "...... Although this Hainan Island is remote, it also has many benefits, such as summer all year round, even in winter, it is not cold. And there are treasures everywhere, take the fruits here as an example, they are inexhaustible all year round! There are a lot of fruits here that are hard to eat in Japan, so Mr. Mori might as well try a few more......"

When he looked down, he saw a huge blue and white porcelain plate filled with sliced fruits of various colors, including watermelon, cantaloupe, mango, pineapple, dragon fruit, and coconut meat...... Red red, white white, yellow yellow, colorful, exudes a rich sweet fragrance, even if you haven't eaten it in your mouth, just looking and smelling it like this is already mouth-watering. Next to it, there is a large glass jar, filled with a fuchsia drink floating with ice, filled with the aroma of flowers and plants, and the slightest hint of cold air, which can make people feel like they are all over the summer in an instant......

“…… Among these melons and fruits, there are indeed many treasures that are rare in our small states such as distant domains, and I would like to thank General Huang for his kindness......"

Shousui Nobuyoshi nodded humbly, "...... It's just that at present, the battle of Shangluo (Jinjing) of the Changzhou Army is ready to start, and it is in urgent need of the replenishment of ordnance and ammunition, as well as the assistance of your country's naval fleet. Otherwise, after all, the Tokugawa Shogun's family owns most of the country, and there are many generals, and under the trapping beasts, the victory or defeat of our army is still unknown. Therefore, when the ministers meet His Majesty the Emperor of your country, please ask the general to say a few more kind words......"

“…… Mr. Shousui, please rest assured, although there is still a debate about the extent of the court's assistance to your domain, it is absolutely no problem to replenish the ordnance and ammunition for your army. The ammunition, guns, and artillery are now piled up on the pier, ready to be taken with you when you return! ”

Huang Shi patted his chest and said, "...... As for the purchase of arms, it is also possible to pay on credit first. If the decision to send troops to help the war is finally reached, Shogun may once again personally lead the Fukuning Army on an expedition to Japan, and try how sharp the Tokugawa family's troops really are! ”

“…… Ah, that's a ...... General Huang's great kindness, the small clan is grateful, and it is unforgettable! Mamoru Shinyoshi quickly showed a look of joy and lowered his head sincerely again, "...... May General Huang's military fortune be long and wait for a hundred ......generations."

At this time, what Huang Shi didn't know was that the Fujian base camp, which he thought was quite stable, was already surging with undercurrents and riots......

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-- The famous and powerful "Choshu Veteran" Shousui Nobuyoshi quietly left the Choshu Domain at this time, and traveled thousands of miles from Japan to Hainan Island, of course, it was not just to eat, drink, and enjoy the sunshine and sand of the southern country, but to shoulder the heavy responsibility related to military affairs.

In fact, in the spring of 1632 A.D., a new round of war was launched by the Maori family.

Soon after the winter snow melted, 3,000 Chōshū new troops crossed the Kanmon Strait and headed for the shogunate's last two strongholds in the western country: Hirado and Nagasaki.

Instead of encountering any of the armed forces of the Tokugawa shogunate, they were surprised to see two blackened ruins, and a crusader of "overseas Japanese" from the Spanish colonies of the Philippines, led by a foreign Christian surnamed Okamoto......

-- In addition to breaking into the Seto Inland Sea last year, wantonly plundering Sakai Town, and burning all the new shogunate troops that General Tokugawa Iemitsu had spent great efforts to pull up, the two crocodile-class landing ships of the Vladivostok Far East Company and the modern mobile unit that crossed the sea to attack the sea, not only did the shogunate troops stationed here fall apart to ashes, but also severely harmed the two shogunate heavenly lords and treaty ports in Kyushu, Hirado and Nagasaki. Even the peasant townspeople who didn't have time to escape were kidnapped and used as coolies.

Faced with the overwhelming artillery fire, the poor shogunate Nagasaki had to abandon the city, flee to the wilderness, gather a few remnants of the defeated army, and wander around hungry for a long time, until the Far East Company fleet pulled anchor and went to sea, returning with a full load...... Before the remnants of the shogunate cleared out the ruined city, another group of Spanish galleons sailed and forcibly landed with more than 1,500 "overseas Japanese" crusaders from the Philippines. Rosa. Led by international terrorists of Brazilian origin, Okamoto launched a fierce attack on the dilapidated port of Nagasaki, supported by the guns of Spanish warships.

The last bit of the shogunate's power in the western country was completely wiped out under the rain overnight, and the crusaders took the opportunity to occupy the port of Nagasaki, and at the same time trumpeted that they had come to protect the Japanese believers, and tried to win the recognition and support of the Choshu domain and the "Kiritan" forces.

As for the Choshu Domain, which led the Shogunate Alliance, there were some doubts about the "Filipino Japanese Christian Crusaders", a vassal force of the Spaniards, taking this opportunity to enter Japan, but in any case, now was the time to recruit troops, and it was always good to have more forces in order to defeat the powerful Tokugawa shogunate. As a result, under the coordination of the Jesuit missionaries, Okamoto's "Filipino Japanese Overseas Chinese Crusade", composed of Japanese ronins, Nanyang natives and a few European adventurers, was finally recognized by the Toshiya family, and Shun Lì joined the sequence of the Shogunate Army.

Next, the lord of the Mori domain personally led the main force of the Choshu army of more than 10,000 people, and about 15,000 reinforcements from the allied feudal states, totaling 25,000 troops, to land on Kyushu Island, and after meeting the advance force of the Choshu domain and various local allies on Kyushu Island, he launched a strategy against the last few princes loyal to the shogunate in the western kingdom, such as the Karatsu domain and the Shimabara domain.

In the face of the overwhelming coalition that had absolute superiority in all aspects, the remnants of the Sashoku domain in Kyushu were successively defeated and destroyed, or Kaijo was subdued. And the Tokugawa shogunate, which had just been severely damaged by the Far Eastern Company, was unable to cross the sea to rescue for a while. Only a few feudal states on the island of Shikoku gathered an army and crossed the sea to attack the eastern part of Kyushu Island in an attempt to contain part of the forces of the Shogunate, but they were quickly defeated and there was not one in ten who could escape back to Shikoku.

Then, with the successful pacification of Kyushu Island, the next strategy of the Shogunate Army was obviously to go east to Kamiraku and fight with General Tokugawa Iemitsu, who was already in at this time...... But the problem is that the current shogunate is certainly in a bad situation, but there are also many problems on the side of the Choshu domain: first, in the early stage of the Kyushu pacification war, nearly half of the arms and ammunition that the Choshu domain has hoarded for many years has been consumed, and with the extremely poor production capacity of the military industry in the domain, it is completely unable to make up for the gap in a short period of time. Second, the Coalition Forces are only rough at the moment, and it is a trouble to straighten out the command system.

In addition, although the Mori family has now recruited soldiers and horses from the western and Kyushu domains, it is probably still inferior in number to the huge coalition army that the Tokugawa shogunate was able to gather in the eastern part of the country. To make matters worse, the Choshu Domain had so far failed to successfully rebel against any of the vassal states in the region, so the Battle of Joraku was a completely remote battle. Not only did the Shogunate have to travel long distances deep into enemy countries to fight against the shogunate army with inferior forces, but they also had to storm Osaka, a fortified castle built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi with all his might, and the Choshu Domain couldn't help but feel a little worried about this.

In the face of such a mixed and confusing situation, in order to increase the chances of victory in this war that decided the hegemony of Japan, and to prevent the Maori family's ambition to enter Beijing and open the mansion to come to naught, under the unanimous recommendation of the domain, the "Choshu Veteran" who was the "Ming Guotong" followed Nobuyoshi and took advantage of the pre-war preparations between the two sides! During this period of time, I took the regular contact ship sent by the Senate of Lingao Travelers and ran to Hainan Island to ask for help......

However, at this time, the Lingao Senate could no longer act autonomously as in the past. Rather, in addition to accepting the guidance of the "relevant departments" of the central government, it is also necessary to coordinate the interests of the Vladivostok Far Eastern Company on the issue of dealing with Japan...... As a result, there was this trip to Sanya by the Changzhou Domain.