The seventh year of Taiping, the first day of May.
In Japan, in the waters near Yindu Peninsula, a huge fleet is moving northward at a speed of about 12 knots, five to ten nautical miles away from the coast of Japan.
The size of this fleet is astonishing! There are a total of 10 Hongwu Emperor-class battleships, 10 Prince-class battleships, 10 Guogong-class armored cruisers, 20 Lushun-class cruisers, 20 Ningyuan-class cruisers, 20 Chongmingdao-class cruisers, 40 Xinchang-class destroyers, and 6 Fast supply ships, 6 fast coal ships, 2 fast hospital ships, and 10 fast troop carriers.
There were a total of 152 ships, and the billowing smoke almost obscured the sky... Oh, there were a total of 120 Flying Dragon III airships in the sky. Such a spectacular scene made the Ming Navy officers and soldiers on the deck and in the airship, as well as the army officers and soldiers on the troop carrier, very excited. These 142 ships are the capital of the three major fleets of the Ming Navy, Nanyang, Beiyang, and mainland coastal fleets. More than 90% of the battleships and cruisers of the three fleets are here. The naval aviation force also used its capital and launched it in one go. 120 airships. What makes these navy and army officers and soldiers even more excited is that what they are going to perform this time is not an exercise or a peaceful cruise mission, but a crushing war!
This was the first war that the Ming Empire fought independently since the death of King Zhuge Wuzhong! The enemies of Ming Dynasty in this war were only the evil, weak and Japanese traitors who did not know the heights of the sky.
During the emergency training before dispatching troops, all officers and soldiers of the Ming Dynasty's army and navy had been told that they were not going to invade Japan, but to maintain the stability and collective security of East Asia, to nip the Japanese pirate problem in the cradle, and to In order to prevent Japan from falling into an endless civil war and to prevent Western colonists who coveted the wealth of East Asia from using Nagasaki as a base for colonial expansion, they had to take counter-insurgency actions to help Japan.
And this operation will also be invited by the Emperor of Japan or (perhaps "and") the Edo Shogunate!
After successfully assisting Japan in countering the rebellion and eliminating the Japanese pirates and Western lackeys entrenched in Nagasaki, the Ming army will immediately withdraw and will not station on Japanese land, let alone use it as an excuse to seize Japan. Land... In short, Ming Dynasty is definitely the righteous party in this military operation, and will definitely be the victorious party.
As for why the grand fleet did not go straight to Nagasaki, but ran outside Edo Bay, it was of course to accept the review of Shogun Tokugawa Ienashi! Tokugawa Jiaqi must be allowed to see the power of the Ming Dynasty's navy, and he must be made to know that justice lies in the Ming Dynasty!
However, in the flagship Hongwu Emperor, Zhuge Wenyong, who was appointed as the chief admiral of this temporarily formed "Japanese aid fleet", was a little uneasy. Standing in front of a Japanese coastal defense layout map, he was even a little uneasy.
Well, because the country's coastal defense, especially the coastal defense of Edo Bay, is still very stable.
Although the Ming Dynasty has always been unwilling to accept Japan as a dog, the Tokugawa shogunate who ruled Japan has always felt very good about themselves. They felt that the Ming Dynasty must be planning day and night to invade Japan, to make the Japanese emperor the king of Japan, and to turn the Tokugawa shogunate into He became the lackey of the Ming Dynasty... In order not to be the dog of the Ming Dynasty, the Tokugawa shogunate was working hard to carry out the Mingwu movement of the founding and reform of the country in an attempt to strengthen the national power; at the same time, it was working hard to develop the navy, the army, and engage in military industry. A large number of forts were built around Japan's three important seaports, including Toto, Nagasaki, and Osaka, to prevent "white ship attacks."
According to intelligence, Japan's Tokugawa shogunate also introduced 11-inch breech-loading howitzer technology from the United Kingdom. A total of more than 300 guns were manufactured, all of which were placed around the ports of Nagasaki, Osaka, and Edo. Although this kind of howitzer has a short range and poor accuracy, it is an 11-inch cannon shell after all. Even the Hongwu Emperor class can't stand it!
If Zhuge Weidao cannot convince Tokugawa Jiaqi to surrender with his sharp tongue, then the next battle will be difficult to fight!
Thinking of this, Zhuge Weiyong asked in a low voice: "Has the Lushun arrived at Hayakawa Port?"
Zhuge, a staff officer of the "Japanese Aid Fleet" who was also born with the word "wei", immediately took the question and replied in a low voice: "Reporting to the admiral, the Port Arthur arrived at Hayakawa Port 100 before 12 noon today. The eighth brother should have entered Odawara Castle by now and met the Tokugawa General."
Zhuge Wenyong nodded and whispered: "If General Tokugawa saw our fleet, he would understand our Ming Dynasty's kindness, right?"
"Yes, it will definitely happen!"
...
"This, this, is this going to destroy the Tokugawa family?"
Tokugawa Ieki stood in the main building of Odawara Castle, looking at the hundreds and dozens of warships spread out on the sea and the hundreds and dozens of airships in the sky. He was so frightened that he could hardly speak.
He rushed to Odawara Castle from Edo Castle after learning that the Ming Navy's large fleet had come to Japan with good intentions to help the Tokugawa Shogunate suppress thieves, and that Zhuge Weidao wanted to hold talks with him in Odawara Castle. —He also wants to see Daming’s kindness with his own eyes!
Only with this look did he realize Daming's kindness... It was really hard to bear!
This is no longer killing a chicken with a bull's knife, but killing a chicken with an eighty-two-pound Qinglong Yanyue knife... How desperate must this chicken feel when seeing such a big knife!
And Tokugawa Jiaqi is now the chicken who saw the Qinglong Yanyue Sword!
"Master Gongfang, please don't, don't worry... The navy of the Ming Empire is not here to destroy Japan, they are here to help us!"
The person who was talking tremblingly was the Tokugawa family's royal businessman, the big boss of Ginza in Edo, and Zhuge Weidao's father-in-law, Tsunegi Daikoku. This Daikoku Chang is now dressed in a samurai costume and has shaved his head. He is standing next to the Shogun with a sullen look on his face.
His daughter Okoku Sora, now called Tokugawa Sora, stood on the other side of the general, looking at the large fleet on the sea, with inexplicable surprise on her pink face - what on earth did the Ming court want to do? Do you want Daozi to be Japan's general to conquer the barbarians?
Thinking of this, she looked at her cheap father, Tokugawa Iezai, and then helped her biological father and said: "Father, please rest assured that my daughter will protect the Tokugawa Shogunate at all costs and will never let Tokugawa shogunate." The inheritance of the great power is cut off in the hands of our generation!"
Are you going to protect your generation? Why do your words sound so awkward?
Just when Tokugawa Ieki felt that his cheap daughter couldn't speak, a rush of footsteps came from outside the castle tower of Odawara Castle, followed immediately by Tokugawa Saiaki's voice: "Kongkata, Lord Kongkata , Zhuge Daozi has arrived outside Odawara Castle..."
"He, he's here?" Tokugawa Jiaqi said quickly, "Then, let's invite him to the city quickly!"
"Are you going to the city now?" Tokugawa Qi Zhao was stunned, "Master Gongfang, Zhuge Daozi has not yet mastered the etiquette of audience..."
The Tokugawa shogunate was still very particular about red tape and had certain requirements for foreign envoys who met with them. Therefore, envoys visiting Edo for the first time would receive some training so that they would not be too "impolite."
"No, no need." Tokugawa Ieki raised his hand and pointed to the fleet and airships in the sky outside the sea. "This is the etiquette of an audience... This is the most solemn etiquette of an audience! Go quickly Invite Zhuge Gong to come to the city!"
Well, Zhuge Weidao is now "Zhuge Gong"!
It seems that the Japanese general is still a bit timid!
Zhuge Gong Weidao was dressed in a feather fan and turban at this time. He was standing outside this famous Warring States city that had witnessed the glory and destruction of Hojo. Next to him stood Zheng Guoxian, who had already held the title of Lieutenant Colonel of the Ming Army. In front of Zheng Guoxian, there is a veteran of the shogunate, Okubo Tadashi, who is also the lord of the Odawara clan. He is sweating profusely waiting for the shogun's order... Don't fight! The Tokugawa family can still withstand a fight, but Odawara Castle and the Okubo family are completely ruined!
