Wajima, Choshu Domain, Hagi Castle.

This fortress, which has been run by the Mori clan since the time of the Kansai Shogun during the Battle of Sekigahara, has become popular.

Mori sat on the top and felt that the incandescent lamp, which used to be very bright, seemed to be dimmed.

Looking at the vassals who were arguing and panicking below, Maori frowned.

In fact, only half a month ago, things were not like this.

Equipped with American-style iron cannons, the Choshu army took Asano, occupied Okayama, Katotori, and drank horses and Hyogo, and defeated the shogunate's coalition army three times.

Kansai Xiang sound booms in Kyoto!

Gangs such as the Black Dragon Society and the Han Soul Group in Kyoto City have begun to blatantly assassinate the old ministers.

It is even rumored that Emperor Xiaomei has embroidered the sun and moon flag of the Ming Dynasty and the three-star badge of the Maori family overnight, and hung them in the living room, waiting for the Changzhou army to enter the city at any time.

"Filial piety, filial piety, filial piety to the Ming Dynasty, filial piety of the Ming Dynasty! I and Maori are both clear sons, brothers! ”

Xiaoming is actually close to Maori in personality, and both are extremely disgusted with foreigners, and close to China.

As long as the Ming Emperor allowed him to retain the title of Emperor, even if it was just a child emperor, nephew emperor, and Sun Emperor like the Song people, Xiaoming would recognize it.

However, things changed when France, a longtime ally of the shogunate, intervened directly.

Xiaoming, as in history, died in the prime of life but unclear.

He was succeeded by his son, Meiji, who was only 14 years old.

Meiji's first edict after succeeding to the throne was the "Five Articles of Imperial Oath":

1. Raise troops to fight against rebellion and protect the foundation of the ancestors for all generations.

Second, up and down as one, the prosperity of the economy.

3. The integration of public and military forces, and even the common people, each follow his own will, so as not to make people's hearts burn out.

Fourth, break the old bad habits, a book of heaven and earth justice.

5. Seek knowledge in the world and greatly revitalize the foundation of the imperial kingdom.

For more than ten years, only thunder was heard, and the combination of public and military forces, which had not seen raindrops, was actually reached with the concession of the minister under the internal and external pressure of the Maori clan and the French.

Last year, the Choshu Domain launched a hunt for the "Amakusa Saints", and the recent surge in the assassination of foreigners by non-governmental organizations such as the Red Dragon Society made France, a traditional ally of the shogunate, not react to the defeat of the shogunate as it has historically been, but directly invited to send troops.

Of course, this is only the official statement of the Second French Empire.

In fact, the reason that really prompted them to actively send troops was the "Twenty-one Articles" signed with the shogunate after the defeat of the First Battle of Changchang.

This opened the eyes of the French to the possibility of seeking a complete new colony in the East.

At this time, Japan was a semi-feudal and semi-colonial more thoroughly than the Qing Dynasty.

The French held the majority of interests in Japan, including the shogunate, while the British had only a few interests in the Satsuma domain.

This was not kindly conceded by the British, but was shot down by the two flagships of the French Oriental Fleet, the "Semiramis" and the "Doncred", during the Shimonoseki War two years ago.

In the East, the British have India, Burma, Borneo, Malacca, Hong Kong......

In France, however, there are only princely states like Kindernagar, Bangladesh, Puducherry in India, and Cambodia, which has little presence.

Therefore, the French were very interested in Japan, and there was reason to believe that the gloriously isolated British would not be verbose for Japan and themselves.

At most, it's good to leave the island of Kyushu to the UK, it's not a big deal.

Of course, with the exception of the Oriental Fleet, which was still dominated by old wooden sail battleships from 25 years ago, the French were very limited in the number of troops they could actually commit to Japan.

Because at this time, Napoleon III, the Emperor of the Second French Empire, was planning a big event.

That is to prepare to take advantage of the chaos in North America to invade and carve up Mexico with the British and Spaniards.

Compared to Mexico, the country of gold, Japan is a little less important.

Therefore, although the shogunate claims to have 120,000 soldiers to help fight the war, in fact, the total number of French troops will not exceed 8,000, and at least 3,000 of them are Sange and Cambodian mercenaries.

In addition, according to the "21st Article of Law and Japan", the French chicken has trained more than 10,000 new troops for the foot basin chicken.

The division commander of this French-style new army is Toshizo Hijikata, the deputy leader of the Shinsengumi (don't ask why the French chose this guy, historically, the French planned it this way).

But the actual command was vested in the French advisers.

These new armies were all equipped with French-style weapons, and their clothes were changed to blue and red trousers, and the French military uniforms worn over the autumn trousers were far stronger than those of the old armies.

These two sudden military forces stopped the overwhelming Choshu Domain.

Due to the need to guard against the backstabbing of the Satsuma Domain, a bad neighbor with an unknown attitude, the Choshu Domain's new army of the Ming Dynasty sent to the front line only 2,000 people, and the rest were traditional ashigaru and samurai troops.

They suffered heavy losses under a surprise attack with far more force than expected.

The captain of the Odd Soldiers, Takasugi Shinsaku, risked his life to break through and was also seriously injured.

It was precisely this fiasco in Hyogo that made the hearts of the people in the Choshu domain fluctuate.

·

"Gentlemen, the French have sharp weapons, and they are not brave enough to stop, so they should not be enemies!"

"Baga, how can there be such a reason in the world, we only lost once, but we won two games before!"

"Our previous enemy was only the alliance of the feudal clans, but now we are facing foreigners! How can it be generalized? ”

"Yes, yes, while we still have chips in our hands, we can quickly win and surrender, restore the annexed land, and exchange the forgiveness of Kyoto and Edo is the best policy!"

"Hmph, you don't have to be like this!"

In a pessimistic mood, a person suddenly stood up, "It's just foreigners, why don't you let me meet them!" ”

The man had a tall nose and deep eyes, blond hair and blue eyes, and his open samurai robe was covered with thick chest hair.

This is none other than McCann, who was sold to the Changzhou Domain by Daming.

Because of his meritorious crusade against the surrounding small clans, McCann has become the captain of the 19th team in Changzhou, the White Slave Team.

Maori was overjoyed and said: "This is a foreign policy, the McCann warriors go quickly, and I will wait for the king's warm wine!" ”

McCann, of course, couldn't understand such advanced words, in fact, he did learn some Chinese in the mine, but he still hasn't learned this Japanese.

But he had an interpreter next to him.

"Haha, Your Excellency General, I will garrison Shinome and meet them well! Wait for the good news! ”

After that, McCann ordered the people and horses of the headquarters, and more than 1,200 white slaves sold by the Ming Dynasty one after another, put on helmets and armor, and rode north.

Mori and other vassals watched these majestic foreigners disappear into the distance, and they all stroked their beards and breathed a long sigh of relief.

"Fortunately, we also have people and foreigners!"

"Yes, yes, Captain McCann fought bravely and faithfully when he was crusading against the feudal domains!"

"Well, this time we finally don't have to rely on Daming, otherwise we will rely on Daming for everything, how can we have our status in the future?"

Ministers, you say a word, I say a word.

Maori Jingqin couldn't help but stroke his beard and nodded repeatedly.

Although these white slaves and weapons were all exchanged for women from the Ming Dynasty, the war is commanded by me!

These are all bargaining chips that will make him Li Chenggui's second in the future!

After all, Maori Jingqin has been in the top position for a long time, and he has sensitively noticed all kinds of restrictions imposed on him by the Ming Dynasty, and even secretly set it up.

This made him not seek help from Daming in the first place after suffering a fiasco.

Obedience is deferential, Maori wants to be a prince, not an idle prince.

Therefore, this time he must quickly cut through the chaos and quickly achieve major results, even to unify Japan.

Only in this way can it be possible to tear the earth and seal the king like the Li dynasty in the Hongwu period, and be happy and happy!

It's just that Maori Jingqin doesn't know that Daming doesn't have a B plan.

Whether it was Japan or Korea, the preservation of the vassal state was never in the plan.

Maori took out a pack of large backdoor cigarettes from his bosom, lit one, and took a deep breath, the aroma of flue-cured tobacco made him waft through the air.

Thinking of the Rising Sun car in exchange for his daughter, Maori Jingqin faintly felt that in fact, it might not be bad to be an idle cloud and wild crane in retirement.

After all, the thing of the Ming Dynasty is Sbarassi!

Just when he shook his head and felt quite good about himself, an attendant suddenly rushed to the castle tower in a hurry.

"General, the big thing is not good, the big thing is not good!"

The waiter held a piece of paper in his hand and said breathlessly, "That white slave McCann left an anti-poem and went north to vote for the French!" ”