It was April in the third year of the Republic of Ming Dynasty, and April 15th in the fourth year of Yanbao in Japan.
The Satsuma Domain Ryukyu Imperial Office, located in Naha Port Town near Shuri, the capital of the Ryukyu Nakayama King, is as strict and busy as usual.
In the banxingsuo, the samurai of the Satsuma clan were busy processing a lot of information related to China under the auspices of Kagoyama Hisuchi.
"Fengxing, I received news from Ningbo that the Dajing Kingdom has been destroyed, and the Great Tomorrow Dynasty is really back!"
"Yaoxi! This is good news. Report it to Kagoshima Castle immediately. The feudal lord must be the first to inform Mr. Kakata of this good news!"
"Hai!"
The one who thought it was good news that Ming defeated Dajing was a Japanese soldier in his forties, thin and with a small beard on his lips.
He is a member of the Satsuma Shimazu family. The Kalashama family he was born in is a branch of the Shimazu family. Therefore, he is especially trusted by Shimazu Mitsuhisa, the head of the Shimazu family, and came to the Ryukyu Kingdom as an elder of the Satsuma clan. When this is particularly difficult, Ryukyu Zaiban's implementation is poor.
The reason why this is so difficult to implement is because the Ryukyu Kingdom’s legitimate sovereign, Great China, is now in a strange state of breaking through and establishing itself! Originally, when the Qing Dynasty unified the country, the coast of China was lifeless. Except for the Zheng family merchant ships that had a good relationship with the Tokugawa shogunate, there would be no Chinese ships coming to Ryukyu.
As for the mission sent by the Qing Dynasty to enthrone the King of Ryukyu, they came once in the early years of Kangxi. It was very busy at that time. The Ryukyu people in Ryukyu had to change into Tang Dynasty clothes, while the Japanese had to hide in Tibet!
In short, the Ryukyu Kingdom had to pretend that it had not been conquered by Japan, and the Japanese conquerors had to pretend that they did not exist, lest the little Kangxi Emperor became so angry that he sent Qing soldiers to Ryukyu to shave his hair and change his clothes!
What's even more exaggerated is that the Ryukyu Ban Office also specially published a "Question and Answer Manual" and distributed it to the officials and people of the Ryukyu Kingdom. It listed almost all the questions that the Qing angels might ask, and attached "standard answers" , all Ryukyuan people who can talk must memorize it and strive to be foolproof.
It’s just a toss-up anyway!
After struggling for several months, I finally fooled the Qing Angel away. In fact, the Satsuma clan didn't have to bother so much at all. Wouldn't it be solved by giving some Japan's souvenir-gold?
However, the King of Ryukyu would not change his position at that time, and the Angel of the Qing Dynasty would not come to Ryukyu, so it was a rare effort. But since the "Warring States Period" of the Chinese Empire, their maritime ban has ceased to exist. Merchants from Fujian and Guangdong are scurrying around in the waters of East Asia and Southeast Asia. Even the ports in Japan will come from time to time with a few merchant ships with the sign of "Da Chongjin Customs Road" requesting trade.
The Tokugawa shogunate was so troubled that it was neither entertaining nor expelling!
If you want to entertain, do you still want the ancestral family method of seclusion?
To drive away, the war fleet of the Qing Dynasty Beiyang Navy is anchored in the Port of Busan! If you want to drive away the ships from Daecheongjin Customs Road, can the Busan Japanese Museum still be opened?
But compared to mainland Japan, Ryukyu is a big deal!
Chinese merchant ships come every three to five, and the ships are getting bigger and better, and they are more and more well-armed. They look so scary!
So the Ryukyu Zaiban Office used to pretend not to exist once every few decades or ten years, but now it has to pretend not to exist every day!
In addition to the daily "hide-and-seek", Ryukyu also received a task personally assigned by a shogun at the Ban Office - to collect all good news about the Ming Dynasty shogunate!
The Japanese general is now very concerned about how the Ming general is doing!
Although Japan and the Ming Dynasty are not friends, the fourth-generation general Tokugawa Ietsuna, who was not very smart (a bit low in IQ), sincerely wished Li Zhongshan well! Because in Kaetsuna's view, if the Great Tomorrow Dynasty can also achieve shogunate rule, then he, the great general of Japan, will be able to rule the world by shogunate.
Even the Celestial Dynasty uses generals to rule the world. Doesn’t this mean that it is right for generals to rule the world?
Although the senior officers of the shogunate and the Satsuma domain lords all felt that the correctness of Japan's shogunate rule did not need the Ming dynasty's shogunate rule to prove it, they still had to do things well to make the shogunate happy.
Therefore, in addition to daily hide-and-seek, Kagoshima Hisashi now has to carefully collect news about Li Zhongshan. The bad news will be concealed first, and the good news will be reported to Kagoshima City immediately, and then Kagoshima City will use the fastest speed to Report to the Lord of Edo
The Ming shogunate was in a panic a while ago, and Kagoshima Kyusaki had not reported to Kagoshima for a long time, so much so that the Tokugawa Ietsuna became anxious and saw the young master of the Shimazu family, Tsunaki Shimazu, staying at the Edo feudal residence. Just ask. Shimazu Tsunaki couldn't answer, so he had to send someone to Ryukyu to press for the good news. But Kaguyama Hisakashi didn't dare to make it up. If the fabrication was exposed, he would commit hara-kiri!
Fortunately, these days, there is finally good news!
"According to the news from Ningbo, the Li family shogunate of the Ming Dynasty has just sent a general to Ningbo to conquer the east. The general to conquer the east is gathering ships in Ningbo and seems to have plans to send troops to the outer sea!"
"Nani?" Huashan Jiuqin's heart twitched, "They... they still found us?"
"Fengxing, maybe they are going to conquer elsewhere." Yuli, a soldier from the execution office said, "There is reliable information that shows that the Mingyi Palace is planning an attack on Luzon Island!"
"But Luzon is to the south of the Ming Dynasty!" Huashan Jiuchin said, "They should send General Zhengnan there!"
"Indeed, the brother of the Ming shogunate is General Zhengnan, and he is responsible for military affairs in Annan."
"The shogunate of the Ming Dynasty is really warlike!" Huashan Jiuchin frowned, "We haven't even finished fighting at home yet, and we have started to use troops abroad. I still have to be careful!"
"Hai!"
The one below said "Hai" with Li. However, these and other forces have been in Ryukyu for many years. Knowing their daily hide-and-seek can only deceive the envoys of the Qing Dynasty. The shogun of the Ming Dynasty probably knows everything! After all, the Shogun of the Ming Dynasty and the Prince of the Ming Dynasty are allies. How can the Zheng family of the Prince of the Ming Dynasty know the details of the Ryukyu Kingdom?
But even if the Ming Dynasty knows everything, Ryukyu has to take hide and seek seriously in the Banfufu. That is the spirit of craftsmanship. No, it is the spirit of Bushido!
Outside the newly dug trench outside the execution center and the newly erected wooden fence along the trench, Satsuma warriors carrying swords patrolled back and forth vigilantly. Every Ryukyu native or other person who approached the execution station was attracted by them. With a smile on his face, he asked me amiably.
"What's your job there? What are you doing in our Tokara Business Store?"
"Our Tokara merchants work, but where do yours come from?"
"Is yours from the Ming Kingdom, the Jing Kingdom, or the Qing Kingdom?"
"Are you here to buy sulfur? There is a special sulfur store over there, and the best sulfur in Tokara is there."
Now, because Ming merchants come so frequently, it is no longer possible for the Japanese in Ryukyu to pretend they don’t exist at all. However, they still came up with a trick to deceive themselves and others. They did not admit that they were Japanese devils. In fact, they were all Tokara people!
Tokara is the general name for a series of small islands between Japan's Kyushu Island and the Ryukyu Islands. According to the standard answers in the "Question and Answer Manual" formulated by the Ryukyu Zaiban Administrative Office during the last visit of the Qing Angel.
There are no Japanese here in Ryukyu, only the rustic Tokara people. So these are not Japanese samurai, but samurai of the "Tokara Empire"!
However, no matter how much they pretend, they can't stop the Ming army of General Geng Jingzhong, who also knows how to pretend. Because this Ming army is also pretending, they can't stay in Ningbo at all. If they don't go to sea quickly, wait until tomorrow. The soldiers are coming and their doom is coming!
And today is the day when the fake Daimei soldiers arrive in Ryukyu Kingdom!
At this time, a Japanese samurai disguised as a soldier from the Ryukyu Kingdom who was standing sentry on the lookout in the port ran toward the Zaiban Order Office, shouting as he ran: "Coming, coming , they are coming!”
"We're here, we're here!"
Geng Jingzhong, who was enduring the discomfort caused by seasickness in the cabin of a large fortune ship, suddenly heard someone cheering outside the cabin. He quickly stood up, staggered out of the cabin, and stood on the deck outside.
At this time, the deck was already filled with jubilant sailors and soldiers. They had been wandering at sea for several days and almost missed the Ryukyu Islands!
Now I finally got my wish!
"Your Majesty, we have arrived, that is Naha Port of Ryukyu Kingdom!"
Li Daoren was also on the deck. He saw Geng Jingzhong coming out and hurried up to report the good news to him.
Geng Jingzhong waved his hand: "Don't call me king, call me general."
Geng Jingzhong's "Eastern King" was handed over to the soldiers below in Ningbo to give them some peace of mind. Before the fleet went to sea, he issued an order. After the fleet went to sea, everyone would call him "General", "General Geng" and "Geng Zhengdong". He was not allowed to call him "King" or "King Dong".
The reason why there is such an order is of course to deceive the Ryukyu people. The Ming Dynasty sent a Dongwang to rescue them. Is that too exaggerated? Even sending a general to conquer the east is too big!
So Geng Jingzhong asked his subordinates to call him "General", "General Geng" and "Geng Zhengdong". In addition, there is a more reasonable explanation for his arrival in Ryukyu. He passed by Ryukyu during the Eastern Expedition and helped Ryukyu to expel Japanese pirates.
As for where is the Eastern Expedition? Li Dao people, who knew a lot about the outside world, suggested that Geng Jingzhong conquer an eastern continent.
"Oh, General, we are here!" Li Daoren smiled and said to Geng Jingzhong, "General, Ryukyu seems to have no intention of resisting, let's enter the harbor!"
"Okay!" Geng Jingzhong was already dizzy and almost dying. Now after hearing what Li Daoren said, of course he nodded in agreement, "Let the Musketeers prepare. We must let the Japanese pirates in Ryukyu know how powerful we are!"
"yes!"
Amidst the sound of gongs and drums, a huge fleet of forty-eight lucky boats and bird boats entered Naha Bay. The largest lucky boat among them had already anchored at the pier. . Several officials from the Ryukyu Kingdom wearing "Tang Dynasty clothes" on the shore stared dumbly at the large Chinese ship that was about to crowd the port, and the man in fine clothes on the big ship in front of them.
These strong men were dressed in blue robes and scarves, and all had flintlock rifles with bayonets on their shoulders. Under the blazing sunshine of Naha, the bayonets of these flintlock rifles glowed with a frightening light.
The Japanese soldiers hiding among the welcoming Naha people and foreign businessmen all turned blue in the face. Why did General Zhengdong of the Ming Dynasty come to Ryukyu with dozens of ships of elite troops at this time? Are you going to drive away the Ryukyu Zaiban Administrative Office? Then you don’t need so many soldiers, right? The Ryukyu Zaiban Army had only a few hundred people in total. There were only a hundred matchlocks in total. How could they resist so many Ming troops?
In fact, the Satsuma Domain's Ryukyu Administrative Office was not a military institution, although the people working in the administrative office were all samurai. But most of them are "civilian samurai". At most, they can only manage public security and expel pirates. They are not a professional army at all.
Several decades have passed since Japan's Warring States Period. Although each feudal clan has many samurai, the number of feudal armies is not large, and most of the few feudal armies are not standing armies that can be deployed at any time.
At that time, the Satsuma clan sent Hisaka Kayama to lead 3,000 clan troops to conquer Ryukyu, but now it is simply unrealistic for the Satsuma clan to maintain a 3,000 garrison in Ryukyu for a long time. The 3,000 garrison cannot be given a salary of more than ten or two hundred thousand taels? How many warriors are there in total in the Satsuma Domain? The feudal lord is no longer squandering? So many high-level and mid-level samurai are having a hard time? And the one who spends money like water to explain the pilgrimage is not going to do it anymore?
Therefore, in the face of the sudden attack of the "Ming Army", Kaguyama Kyuchika had no way to stop the resistance. He could only ask the Ryukyu Kingdom to arrange people to greet them politely, and organized the samurai from the garrison to hide and seek in an emergency for such conquerors. There is no one left, I feel ashamed just thinking about it!
The high-ranking Ryukyu officials who greeted the heavenly soldiers on the pier were also confused by the dozens of ships of the Ming army. The regent of the Ryukyu Kingdom, Shang Tingzhu, and the three officers Wu Zhonggui, Xiang Yongbao, and Mao Fengming, all looked as if they were dumbfounded. They stared blankly at the Ming troops with green scarves and green robes, carrying flintlock guns on their shoulders, silently disembarked, lined up in order, and said The chill of not coming out.
This heavenly soldier looks more powerful than the people of Satsuma Domain!
A team of about two hundred Qingjin musketeers had already lined up, and then there was another piercing suona, and then they shouted in unison: "Geng Dong's arrival!"
Geng Dongzheng was Geng Jingzhong. At this time, he also cleaned himself up. He was wearing a python robe and led a group of subordinates wearing various official uniforms. He came off the boat with such an imposing manner that he looked like he was not an ordinary person!
The regent of the Ryukyu Kingdom, whose "Tang name" is Shang Tingzhu, dared to neglect, so he quickly stepped forward to bow and salute: "The regent of the Ryukyu Kingdom, Shang Tingzhu, respectfully welcomes the General Zhengdong of the Celestial Dynasty. I don't know what the purpose of General Zhengdong coming to Ryukyu is from thousands of miles away? "
Shang Tingzhu was the prince of the Ryukyu Kingdom, and of course he was pro-Japanese, but he spoke Chinese well enough that Geng Jingzhong could understand him completely. Moreover, Geng Jingzhong had a favorable impression of everyone with the surname Shang, so he smiled slightly and said: "The imperial court sent me to conquer the Eastern Continent, but I just passed through your country. In addition, the imperial court heard that your country was invaded by the Japanese pirates seventy years ago. , let me expel Demon Sa for you! Where is the Demon named Sa? Let him come out to fight!"
Expedition to the New World?
Are you still going to fight a demon named Sa?
Where is this going?
Shang Tingzhu didn't understand it at all. He even doubted whether he really understood Chinese?
Standing next to him, Wu Chonggui spoke Chinese better than him. This man was the younger brother of Haji Asahide, who was later known as one of the five great men of Ryukyu. The "Haji" of Haji Asahide was a place name. His surname was Wu, and so was Asahide. The name he only got after his death was the Chong family name during his lifetime, which was also the Wu Chong family. With the support of the Japanese, the Wu Zhong family served as regent for 20 to 30 years, and was very effective in cooperating with Japanese rule. Although his brother Shigeki is not as capable as him, he still has Japan's trust. Now listening to Geng Jingzhong say this, I know that these Ming troops are here to cause trouble for the Japanese.
Seeing that they have many ships, strong soldiers, and nice words, we must join them!
So he quickly plopped down and knelt down in front of Geng Jingzhong, crying: "God, we Ryukyu people are finally saved, and we finally have the king. The good days of Japan's national devil are over!"
As soon as he behaved, the Ryukyus and Japanese who could understand Chinese were all dumbfounded. His family was so pro-Japanese, and they wished they could just be Japanese. Why did they fall out so easily now? Is this still shameless? Then, more Ryukyu people reacted.
"Heavenly soldiers are coming! Ryukyu is saved!"
"The Satsuma clan is over!"
"The Heavenly Soldiers, they are the demons of Satsuma Domain!"
"It's them. That mustache is the leader of the Satsuma clan!"
(End of chapter)
