The Choshu clan bombarded the barbarian ships with cannons. Emperor Komei was very happy and quickly ordered: The Choshu clan's move will show the country's prestige overseas! Each vassal must send reinforcements and quickly achieve success in repelling the barbarians.
The shogun Tokugawa Iemo was angry, and privately told the Kyoto guardian Matsudaira Yōho: The compensation to the barbarians and the negotiation for the lock-up of the port were all successful, but the Choshu clan had no choice but to ignore the announcement of the expulsion of the barbarians and start the war lightly, which is extremely hateful.
Songping Rongbao said: "I would like to inform you, General, that the fire of resisting the barbarians is getting stronger and stronger. Even if you kill one or two of the barbarian ministers, it will not help." Isamu Kondo of the Mibu group reported the bombardment of Shimonoseki. The person who made the terracotta warriors was the Choshu ronin Hisaka Gensuiye. This man has now changed his name and hid in Luo. I would like to ask my lord, the general, to ask my emperor to kill him.
Tokugawa Iemo said: He is a eloquent and eloquent person, and he is deeply loved by our emperor and all his ministers. Killing this person is not easy! Immediately, he informed the general that after meeting Hitotsubashi Keiki and political president Matsudaira Keinaga, the artillery bombardment of the Chohan clan and the repelling of the barbarians had begun, Edo should be settled as early as possible. If it is not allowed to grow, it will be difficult to control the spread.
Hitotsubashi Qingxi and Matsudaira Keinaga took over the order and made another appointment with the British Acting Minister John Neill.
Before Ichibashi could speak, John Neil said angrily: We, the British Empire, are deeply regretful and extremely disappointed! I would like to ask Mr. Ichihashi Keiki, why is it that the Choshu clan brazenly bombarded our friendly ships in the Shimonoseki Strait? Has your country declared war?
Hitotsubashi said happily: Declaration of war? It is absolutely impossible, it must be a rogue who is doing something wrong! Mr. Neil must not presume to make any assumptions.
John Neil said: The murderer of the Satsuma Domain has not yet been brought to justice, but the Choshu ronin has made trouble again. Since Mr. Yoshiki Hitotsubashi is unable to stop it, the imperial battleship will clear the door for you.
The commander of the British East India Fleet, Augustus Cooper, said: It is human nature to bully the weak and fear the strong. Mr. Keiki Hitotsubashi, please tell the two feudal clans of Choshu and Satsuma that the combined fleets of the British Empire and the Netherlands, America and France are approaching. Do people still dare to act recklessly?
On July 18, 1863, the U.S. warship Wyoming arrived in the ocean at Shimonoseki, and the Choshu battleships Imigo Maru, Gengshen Maru, Guihai Maru, and Byshin Maru jointly launched a routine interception.
The Wyoming used its long fire to attack its shortcomings, and only waited for the Changshu battleship to move into range before launching a bombardment. The guns of the Changzhou battleship were outnumbered, and within an hour, the Renwu Maru and Gengshen Maru sank successively, the Bingchen Maru was severely damaged and ran aground, and the Guihai Maru escaped in panic. The Wyoming bombarded the shore-based forts and blocked the Shimonoseki Strait.
The lord of the Changshu domain, Maori Jingqin, was frightened and hurriedly summoned the commander-in-chief, Maori's capable ministers, and said: If the navy is gone, can the army fight?
Maori Nengchen said: The range of shore guns and naval guns is not as good as that of Yi. The morale of the army is unstable. If we fight again, we will be defeated!
Qin Academy's imperial official, Gao Shanjin, wrote: "My lord, all those who fight must use the right combination to win by surprise." If the naval guns are not as good as the barbarians, I can withstand close night attacks; if the shore guns are not as good as the barbarians, I can abandon the outside and take the inside, close the door and beat the dogs; if the morale of the army is turbulent, I can recruit new soldiers to temper themselves and fight again!
Mao Li said respectfully: "As soon as the Yi artillery hit, Pan's soldiers collapsed. What a shame!" After passing on my military order, Takasugi Jinzuo formed an army and rushed to Xiaguan to defend against the enemy.
Before Takasugi Jinzuo's army was completed, the French combined fleet arrived again. 36 heavy guns fired together, and the Changzhou shore-based fort collapsed instantly. The vassal soldiers were frightened and dispersed. The French army's artillery and infantry coordinated to capture the fort, then seize residential buildings, set fire to vent their anger, and showed off many times before leaving.
The French ships retreated, and Maori, the lord of the Choshu domain, sighed and said: The barbarian cannons are so powerful that it is difficult to stop them.
Jinsaku Takasugi, the imperial commander of the Qin Academy, said: "Please tell me, my lord, that the surprise force is about to be formed, and the shore-based forts are also being repaired." My lord can follow my emperor's order to repel the barbarians and send troops to the Kokura domain on the other side to build a brief fort and set up artillery. They will form horns with my shore-based forts. If this situation is achieved, how can the barbarian ships be wanton?
Maoli Jingqin said: Building a platform and building artillery is not a day's work. If we fight again in the near future, it will be difficult to achieve success. Although there is an edict issued by our emperor to fight against the barbarians, there is no movement among the vassals, which is very chilling.
Takasugi Jinzuo said: "Lord, since the fight against the barbarians has begun, we must not retreat easily!" According to the report, Yingyi vowed to avenge Mai Village. Seven warships have arrived at the Satsuma Domain. At that time, more than a hundred cannons will blast together. Where the Satsuma Domain goes will have a bearing on our country.
In mid-July, the British acting minister John Neal and the commander of the British East India Fleet, Augustus Cooper, led seven warships to Kagoshima Bay.
The head of the Satsuma clan, Shimazu Hisamitsu, was panicked, and all the retainers also said that peace was the most important thing.
Okubo Tori of the Imperial Household worked hard to overcome all the objections and said: "My lord, the killing of Shengmai Village is a matter of course." To seek perfection through humiliation is an insult to the country.
Shimazu Hisamitsu said: If we fight, what are the chances of winning?
Okuboli Passage: Lord Qi, there is almost no chance of winning, but we surrender on our knees, we are all just meat on the ground, ready to be slaughtered.
Shimazu Hisamitsu said: Pass on my military orders, load the guns, and the feudal soldiers will pour out and line up to resist the enemy.
Okuboli Passage: Report to my lord, the gun range of the barbarian ships is twice as far as mine, and the wave battle will be defeated. Show it to be weak, open it to benefit, and then use it to attack, and there may be a chance of victory.
Shimazu Jiuguang said: Of course! To confuse or lure the enemy is my own doing. Raul has full authority to coordinate the formation of troops to resist the enemy.
After Shimazu Jiuguang said this, he sent an envoy to bring meat, fish and vegetables to contact him.
The envoy received the order to board the ship, and John Neal submitted his credentials and said: The murderer involved in the case will be handed over and the compensation will be 25,000 pounds, and the matter will be settled.
The envoy did not dare to agree, so he immediately disembarked and reported truthfully.
Shimazu Hisamitsu said: It would be nice to get someone to pay back the money and get everything settled!
The translator Fukuzawa Yuki said: Qi Lord, the person Ying Yi wants is the Lord.
Shimazu Hisamitsu said: This is really unreasonable!
Okuboli Passage: I inform my lord that a war is inevitable. This place is within the range of barbarian artillery. I kindly ask my lord to move the camp to Senganji Temple.
Shimazu Hisamitsu said: Once the war breaks out, all life will be devastated. Don't talk about war easily unless it is absolutely necessary. In the incident at Shengmai Village, the British and foreigners clashed first, and our country really has no responsibility at all. I would like to invite the British and foreigners to land for negotiation, how about that?
Okuboli Passage: Please inform my lord, if the British and foreign envoys dare to abandon the ship and land in the city for negotiations, this matter may turn around.
On August 13, the negotiators boarded the British ship again and invited John Neal and others to the city to discuss negotiations.
John Neal firmly refused and said: This matter does not need to be discussed further. The murderer must be paid and the imperial fleet will retreat.
The envoy said: Regarding the Shengmai Village incident, our country acted in accordance with the rules and has no responsibility whatsoever.
Augustus Cooper said: "In that case, please tell the lord of your vassal that we will anchor the ship one kilometer away from the castle town. It is beyond the range of the British Empire's naval guns, and your country really has no responsibility."
The British ships were advancing step by step, and Okubo Toshimichi did not show weakness. He sent the governor Narahara Kizaemon and others to pretend to be envoys and board the ship for a sneak attack.
Augustus Cooper saw this and was furious. He personally led his warships into the shoal and captured three steam warships of the Satsuma Domain. He ordered the fleet to move to the offshore waters of Hengshan Village and Koike Village.
The captain of the British flagship Yuriyari quickly advised: Our ship has entered the range of the enemy's artillery. If the enemy counterattacks, it will be disastrous.
Augustus Kupat said: "We captured three of his ships and did not hear his voice. The enemy is intimidating us and we have no courage."
