Yuan Chonghuan and Sun Chuanting failed in the peace talks and hurriedly returned to Kyushu Island. Everyone in Kaiyuan clamored for war.
Start a war.
Only those who have traveled through time understand the true face of European civilized people - as they claim to be - and the true strength of the bandits.
They are said to be bandits because this group of people robbed from Africa to the Americas and from Oceania to Asia. Countless ethnic groups were exterminated by them, and countless civilizations were turned into powder under colonial fire.
Fortunately, penguins did not establish civilization in Antarctica, otherwise, that ice sheet would have been colonized by bandits.
Ping Liaohou was not prepared to start a premature war with these bandits, even though they had already reached the door of his house.
In the dead of night, he would hold Jin Yuji in his arms and murmur to himself, telling the woman about the history that happened on the other side of the earth.
"Broken spears lay across the road. They pulled their hair in grief and hammered the wall with their hands in despair, mourning the disappearance and death of their heritage and glorious city."
One hundred years ago, the Spaniard Pizarro led an expedition of 168 people into Peru. Surrounded by the Inca Empire army, he captured Emperor Antahuallpa alive and ultimately destroyed the Inca civilization.
Liu Zhaosun was convinced that the tragedy of the Inca Empire would not happen to him.
Facing this group of crazy bandits, one must have the courage to risk everything. Only by beating the bandits painfully can they look down upon the ancient oriental ethnic groups.
In order to delay the outbreak of war, Ping Liao Hou never gave up his efforts for peace.
After the talks between Yuan Chonghuan, Sun Chuanting and others collapsed, Marquis Pingliao sent Roman and missionary Francis to continue talks with the British.
On behalf of Marquis Ping Liao, the Portuguese made a concession of "equal interests", which meant that the four countries were allowed to trade freely in Japan's treaty ports and enjoy the same rights as the subjects of the Ming Dynasty.
Liu Zhaosun's gesture was already full of sincerity. However, the more he acted like this, the less he appreciated it.
The French firmly demanded that the Kaiyuan Army immediately withdraw from Kyushu, withdraw from Tsushima and Iki Islands, retreat to Busan, and restore the original order of the shogunate.
The Dutch stated that they would launch punitive actions against the Ming Dynasty and did not rule out the bombardment of a certain coastal city.
Roman and Francis warned his fellow Europeans that allowing Kaiyuan's troops to withdraw from Kyushu would trigger a terrible war.
When the time comes, not even God can protect them.
Representatives from the Four Nations Chamber of Commerce were dismissive.
In fact, they have begun to deploy mercenaries from various countries stationed in Southeast Asia to maintain order and justice in the Far East.
Ruprecht Koren paid no attention to the exhortations of the two Portuguese men.
After the last round of talks, the British, on behalf of the British East India Company, the Dutch East India Company and two other partners, formally issued a letter of war to the Kaiyuan Army stationed in Fukuoka.
The letter of war was sent to Kyushu by an earl knight. In theory, when the letter of war reached the hands of Marquis Pingliao, it meant that the war between the two sides had begun.
This is in line with the so-called European chivalry.
~~~
Fukuoka Domain's official residence.
Marquis Pingliao looked at Earl William, who was as strong as an ox and as beast-like as before, and asked Zheng Zhilong to translate the declaration of war brought by the Earl.
Earl William held his head high and pointed his nostrils at Liu Zhaosun.
Liu Zhaosun listened halfway and asked Zheng Zhilong to stop.
He pointed at the unruly British man in front of him and said calmly:
"Earl William, you keep claiming that we are pagans and barbarians. I want to know what is the difference between barbarism and civilization?"
Zheng Zhilong quickly translated to William. After hearing this, William shrugged and said:
"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry. Without us Europeans, the entire New World would still be ignorant and chaotic, a land abandoned by God."
Marquis Ping Liao knew that the New World among the British was North America.
"America is already there, and it will always be there without you discovering it. Your discovery is to burn, kill, and loot, and then forgive God for your sins?"
When Earl William heard the pagans slandering God, he became furious, completely disregarding his image as a knight.
"It is our queen who has brought to the indigenous people technology, culture, and gifts from the Lord that transcend the local area. This is discovery!"
Liu Zhaosun pulled out the Yanling sword, and the light of the sword flashed. William's left ear disappeared, and the base of the ear was bleeding profusely.
"Go away! Go back and wait. After defeating you this time, a few years later, I will also drive a ship to Europe to discover the New World! Let you also accept the grace of the Lord!"
William raised his sword and prepared to counterattack, but was held down by Pei Dahu and others, and Liu Zhaosun waved his big hand.
"Let him go back! Three days later, we will have a decisive battle on Tsushima Island! Tell you group of barbarians that I am waiting for you to come over and discover the New World."
Ping Liaohou ordered the entire army to end their rest and prepare for a new battle.
All the ships of the combined fleet will go to the battlefield. In addition, he also urgently recruited two hundred Zhuin ships from the Satsuma pirates. Most of the lucky ships Zhuin ships and Western ships anchored in Nagasaki Port were temporarily requisitioned by the Kaihara Navy.
In this era, there was actually not much difference between merchant ships and warships. Sailing on the vast sea, ordinary lucky ships and red seal ships became pirate ships when they were replaced with skull flags.
The combined fleet, plus these modified merchant ships, barely managed to make up 2,000 ships, which was four times more than the fleet of the four countries.
In addition, the King of Korea, Li Zhu, also sent a hundred ships from Busan to assist in the battle. Li Zhu was very smart. If the Kaiyuan Army was defeated in Kyushu, both the shogunate and the daimyo, and even the red-haired barbarians would cause trouble for North Korea. Another landing from Busan, another replica of the Imjin Japanese Rebellion.
Ping Liaohou knew nothing about naval warfare. This time he was still not commanding the battle on the front line. All tactics and tactics of the fleet were decided by Wu Aheng, Meng Jinbao and the others.
As a well-known hardliner in the Kaiyuan Army, Wu Aheng had long been thinking of fighting against the various red-haired barbarians, and now the opportunity finally came.
On February 25th, after receiving accurate information, the Kaiyuan Army learned that a reinforcement force from Manila had arrived in the waters of Kagoshima and was heading north at a fast speed. It seemed that it wanted to fight with the Shikoku merchant ships. Convergence.
It would certainly not be appropriate to let the red-haired barbarians transport troops under their noses like this.
So on February 25th, the battle between the Kaiyuan Navy and the British, French, Spanish and Dutch was about to break out in advance.
~~~~~
Hou Ping Liao's Chinese military tent was moved from Nagasaki to the flagship Hiryu, and the fleet was anchored in the sea more than 20 miles west of Tsushima Island.
Jin Yuji came with her husband, and Liu Zhaosun arranged for her to be at Fukuoka Port. If the naval battle failed, Jin Yuji could save her life.
Marquis Ping Liao came to Kang Yingqian and asked Lao Kang whether he was behind the incident with Zhang Yan a few days ago.
Kang Yingqian immediately denied it and swore a poisonous oath with his finger in the sky, saying that he had no idea about Zhang Yan's pregnancy.
Liu Zhaosun saw an expression of astonishment on Lao Kang's face, as if he didn't know anything about it.
Of course he didn't believe it.
"Jin Yuji did not give birth to a boy, and Mrs. Yang has no hope of giving birth. If she does, what will happen in the future? I remember that I didn't touch it at all that night."
Ping Liaohou was talking to himself, and his tone sounded like what would later be called a scumbag.
Kang Yingqian clapped his hands and laughed.
"Hahaha! Ping Liaohou is a very popular minister. Now you can understand the difficulties of Emperor Shenzong's struggle for the foundation of the country."
Liu Zhaosun glared at Kang Yingqian and shook his head helplessly: "Do you really want to make Zhang Yan..."
Kang Yingqian said seriously:
"That's natural. As long as it's a boy, she can't take the position of queen. As the saying goes, a eldest son can't establish a direct descendant. After all, Zhang Yan is born with beauty and scheming. She plays Yang Hao and his daughter around, and she can become the queen with just one chance. Caught. It’s not a loss to establish this woman.”
"How is Zhang Yan doing now?"
Kang Ying patted Marquis Ping Liao on the shoulder and said, "Don't worry, I have sent someone to make arrangements and found a secluded house to raise the baby in peace."
"That's good, let's not talk about it for now."
Liu Zhaosun waved his hand to interrupt. He had no time to worry about these trivial family matters now.
Tens of thousands of lives and deaths, Kaiyuan's fate and future will be decided by himself again. This is not the time to care about his children's personal affairs, let alone let other matters affect his decision-making.
"Kang Supervisor Army, only by defeating the red-haired barbarians can peace be created for all eternity. From now on, you can also be the prefect of Kyushu with peace of mind."
Kang Yingqian curled his lips. Being a magistrate in a shabby place like Japan was far different from his previous expectations.
Liu Zhaosun smiled and said:
"You are just taking on a part-time job, just for a name. The real people in charge are the officials at all levels. Don't worry. When the Japanese country is pacified, I will let you return to the Ming Dynasty, southwest and southeast, and be selected by Kang Supervisor."
Kang Yingqian laughed loudly:
"Don't dare, don't dare, just don't put me under house arrest again."
Liu Zhaosun laughed.
The two reconciled as before.
