"This time..." Han Du paused and continued: "According to my estimation, it is only less than half a month later than the time when Xiaosong Lingzi returned to Japan."
"Xiaosong Lingzi?" Zhu Biao looked up at Han Du unexpectedly and said in confusion: "What? Do you think this change is related to Xiaosong Lingzi?"
Han Du said calmly: "Tang Ding had blocked the entire Japanese country a few months ago, and the original progress was as we expected. Now something has changed, and during this period, the only thing that happened was that Xiaomatsu Reiko returned. It’s hard to say that it has nothing to do with it, right?”
Zhu Biao thought for a moment and couldn't help but nodded slightly.
Suddenly he smiled and said: "When you put it like that, it's true. But she is just a prostitute, how could she cause such a change in just half a month?"
Han Du also shook his head. There was a lot that needed to be done to bring about such a change. If it is really because of Komatsu Reiko, then after she returns to the Japanese country, she must obtain the leadership of the entire Japanese country in the shortest possible time. Just this little bit cannot be completed within half a month. If it could really be done, then Reiko Komatsu would be too terrifying!
But other than that, Han Du really couldn't think of anyone else who could cause such a change.
Zhu Biao obviously thought of this and said leisurely: "Maybe it's not because of Xiaosong Lingzi at all. Although Japan is just a small country, it is not without capable people. At first, maybe they didn't think of dealing with it. Ce, maybe they have thought of a solution now that something unexpected happened."
Han Du thought for a while and felt that Zhu Biao might not be talking about it. Then Han Du felt that maybe he was overthinking it. Komatsu Reiko was just a princess, and she was not the emperor. How could she make everyone listen to her as soon as she returned to Japan?
...But the next news from Tang Ding was extremely bad. The Ming army patrolled for many days but did not find a single Japanese on the beach. Tang Ding immediately changed his strategy and sent troops to land for battle. At first, Tang Ding was worried that the Japanese would take advantage of the Ming army's landing to attack, but nothing happened, which made Tang Ding relieved.
But the ensuing march began to cause constant troubles. First of all, no Japanese was found after marching for hundreds of miles, and all the houses were burned down and all water sources were polluted. This made Tang Ding couldn't help but think of a situation: strong walls and clearing the country! After arriving here, Tang Ding finally understood why no Japanese went to the beach to fish to satisfy their hunger. It turned out that these Japanese people were forcibly driven away.
People can go several days without eating, but they cannot go several days without drinking water. When all water sources were contaminated, Tang Ding had no way to move forward and had to retreat temporarily.
Tang Ding quickly organized a second attack. This time he asked the army to prepare fresh water in advance. Although the march would be a little more troublesome and slower, at least it would not be restricted by water sources.
Then they continued to go deeper, and were often harassed by Japanese people, which greatly delayed their marching speed. Although the weapons and equipment of the Japanese were not as good as those of the Ming Dynasty, they were familiar with the environment.
On the contrary, Ming Dynasty was not familiar with the geographical environment of Japan at all. As a result, the Japanese often rushed out from unexpected places and killed lone Ming soldiers. These Japanese are not afraid of death and will trade their lives, or even multiple lives, in a fight. Although the Ming army was strong, they were not familiar with the terrain and faced endless life-threatening sneak attacks. They would lose more than a dozen people every day.
Moreover, what troubled Tang Ding the most was that although he had gone deep into the Japanese country and occasionally saw signs of human activities, he could not find the main force of the Japanese at all. All the Japanese seemed to have been reduced to pieces and did not want to fight him face to face at all.
...
In a simple cave, Komatsu Lingzi was holding a wooden bowl, taking some mountain spring water, putting it to his lips and drinking slowly. The tasteless mountain spring water was drank by Komatsu Reiko in small sips. Anyone who saw the scene in front of them could not help but feel pity for her and wished to give her the best things in the world.
This was the case for Hosokawa Mokiyuki who was following her.
Only after Komatsu Reiko came back did she understand how bad the situation in Japan really was. Although the armistice between the North and the South that she had dreamed of had already begun, it was not a truce after both sides woke up, but a forced truce due to lack of food and the inability to continue fighting.
Without food, the entire Japanese country was starving to death all the time.
When Komatsu Reiko met Emperor Go-Kameyama, he suggested that he immediately negotiate peace with the Ashikaga clan. The two sides could work together to resist the Ming Dynasty. However, they were opposed by all the generals, including Emperor Go-Kameyama. They had long had a deep hatred with the north, no matter what. No matter what, they refuse to negotiate.
At that moment, Komatsu Reiko said nothing, turned around and left, returning to the Chrysanthemum Imperial Palace.
That night, Komatsu Reiko directly led his confidants to rush into the Hosokawa clan, cooperated with Hosokawa Mochiyuki to clean the Hosokawa clan, and firmly held the Hosokawa clan in his hands.
The Hosokawa clan was originally a powerful clan on par with the Ashikaga clan. Even Go Kameyama was able to succeed the emperor without the support of the Hosokawa clan.
After taking down the Hosokawa clan, Komatsu Reiko immediately sent troops to raid Eizan Temple without stopping, killing all the generals and her father who opposed her.
By the time the blood-red sun rose, the entire Japanese Southern Dynasty had changed its owner. Komatsu Reiko took charge of the three artifacts as a woman and immediately ascended the throne as emperor.
After Komatsu Reiko ascended the throne, he immediately sent people to Kyoto to find peace talks with the Ashikaga clan.
Ashikaga Yoshimochi, the head of the Ashikaga clan, did not pay much attention to Komatsu Reiko at first, and even looked down upon her identity as a woman. But when he learned that Komatsu Reiko had millions of koku of food, he immediately agreed to the peace talks, and was willing to submit to Komatsu Reiko, treat her as the emperor, and follow her orders.
At this time, everyone knows that whoever has food in his hands almost has everything. Even if peace talks are not easy for Ashikaga Yoshimichi, when his generals know that Komatsu Reiko has so much food, they will probably abandon him and go to the Southern Dynasty.
As for why Komatsu Reiko has so much food? Because she was wary when she couldn't find the source of food in Jeolla Province. She was even more shocked when she learned that the Northern Dynasties also purchased grain in Jeolla Province.
If she buys millions of koku of food every year, the whole of Goryeo can barely provide it. Then coupled with the grain purchased by the Northern Dynasties, Goryeo alone would not be able to provide it. In other words, the source of these grains is not Goryeo at all, let alone Jeolla Province.
Daming...there is only one source for these grains.
When Komatsu Reiko discovered this, she immediately went all out to buy grain, but at the same time reported to Eizan Temple that the amount of grain purchased had decreased. In this way, she was able to quietly save some food, which amounted to more than a million dan over the years.
Originally it was just a well-prepared plan by Komatsu Reiko, but he didn't expect that it would now become a life-saving food for all the Japanese.
"Owner."
Hosokawa Mokiyuki had already put on a suit of armor that was as red as blood and bowed fully armed.
Komatsu Reiko paused for a moment, then asked: "How is the situation?"
Hosokawa Mochizuki was silent for a moment, and said in a dry voice: "Tang Ding has brought enough fresh water this time. I'm afraid our method of strengthening the wall and clearing the field will not be of much effect."
"It doesn't matter." Komatsu Lingzi's face did not change at all, and he still looked calm. "Originally, we didn't place our hope on the solid wall and clear fields. Now that we can resist Tang Ding once, it is already the result of his mercy. If He was willing to pay a higher price last time and break through by force? Our strong wall and clearing the field will not be of any use."
Hosokawa Mokiyuki also nodded in agreement, "Yes, if it weren't for Akito being too expensive and Tang Ding not willing to pay the price, I'm afraid we wouldn't be able to still stand here."
Komatsu Reiko smiled slightly and said: "The Ming people are indeed more valuable than us Japanese, but this is their advantage, but it can also become their weakness."
Change the source app and view the latest chapters of this book on multiple sites at the same time. 】
After a pause, Komatsu Reiko put down the wooden bowl, turned around, and asked: "Where is Ashikaga Yoshimachi? When will his troops arrive?"
Hosokawa Noriyuki said quickly: "The news just came from Ashikaga Yoshinori. Although most of his people are willing to follow him south, there are still a small number of people who insist on staying in the north. These people have been obedient to him before, and now the situation is urgent There is nothing he can do against them."
"Tell him to give up if he can't control it and let him lead his troops south immediately." Komatsu Reiko made a decisive decision.
Hosokawa Mochiyuki was a little unwilling and asked: "Master, we are already short of manpower. If we can persuade those people to join, it will be a big help. Why don't we let Ashikaga Yoshinori persuade one or two?"
"Time." Komatsu Reiko indifferently stretched out a finger, "We don't have enough time anymore. Tang Ding will not just watch us unite and remain indifferent. As for those people, let them become Tang Ding to vent his anger. Target."
"Okay, I will inform Ashikaga Yoshinori now." Seeing that his master had made the decision, Hosokawa Mochizuki said no more. He has always obeyed Komatsu Reiko's words, and the question just now was just to increase his strength as much as possible. After all, he had to fight against a behemoth like Ming Dynasty, and Hosokawa Mochiyuki had no confidence in his heart.
Seeing that Hosokawa Mochiyuki didn't speak, Komatsu Reiko asked calmly: "How is the ship made?"
Hosokawa Noriyuki quickly came to his senses and replied: "We have been working hard to build it in a hidden cave."
"You must personally supervise this matter and never let anyone know about it." When Komatsu Reiko said this, her face couldn't help but become stern.
"Master, don't worry. This cave is very remote and only one of my subordinates knows about it." Hosokawa Noriyuki quickly replied.
