1635 Han style rises again

Chapter 903 Qingyuan
September 1674, 12, Osaka.

Commander-in-Chief Wan Changshu of the Allied Forces, Commander-in-Chief of the Landing Force Su Zhongfu, Chief of Staff Ren Maoyong and other generals of the Qi State Army and Navy, as well as generals of the vassal forces of Yunzhou Town, Weiguo, Luzon, and Champa, were all waiting respectfully at the pier, ready to welcome The arrival of Qi Yuanshan, the emperor's special envoy from Hanzhou, the deputy prime minister of the cabinet and the minister of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.

Among Qi's political forces, both the army and the navy belong to the military department, an existence implicitly independent from the government, and directly controlled by His Majesty the Emperor.

Therefore, the Qi military’s position in the country is relatively detached. Apart from being controlled and restricted by the government in terms of military expenditure allocation, military service mobilization, weaponry and equipment development and procurement, and logistics support, it is basically in the personnel and administrative management of the military department. It has great autonomy in many aspects, such as army formation, combat readiness training, and the process of wars outside the territory.

It stands to reason that with the rough character of the military, there is no need to be so flattering and courteous in such a cold weather, waiting at the pier to welcome a government cabinet member.

However, those who can become senior generals like generals in Qi State still have to talk about politics more or less.Not to mention that the special envoy who came was the deputy prime minister of the cabinet, even his status and background, they must also play up their spirits and take it seriously.

That's right, the deputy prime minister's surname is the surname of the country, so he is naturally a member of the royal family.It is said that this deputy prime minister, who is only one year younger than the emperor, is the nephew of the emperor who has not yet served five clothes, and is also a minister of the dragon who jointly developed the foundation of Hanzhou with the emperor.

Moreover, the Deputy Prime Minister did not rely on the nepotism of the royal family to achieve his current position.When he was 13 years old, he dared to kill bandits on board to protect the safety of His Majesty today.

At the age of 14, he landed on the mainland of Hanzhou with a group of Dengzhou veterans.When developing the first foundation, he even did it himself. He not only planned and built Jianye City, the largest industrial and commercial town in Qi State, with His Majesty, but also developed and established a series of industrial and mining enterprises, laying a solid foundation for the industrial development of Hanzhou. Base.

Qi State's most important anti-espionage intelligence organization, the Public Survey Office, was also established by the Vice Premier himself, building a security gate for Qi State's internal security. More than 30 years ago, after the secretive "Hu Yu incident", the vice premier personally presided over a large-scale political purge campaign.More than forty veterans of Dengzhou were either killed or exiled, and the notorious black-clothed guards were thoroughly purged from top to bottom.

Subsequently, the deputy prime minister was ordered to go to the east of Hanzhou to preside over the development and colonization of the new territory there.In ten years, a barren eastern region was built into a rich land of wealth and people in Qi State. Daxing, Shaoliang, Yongchang and other eastern cities all developed rapidly during that period.

Later, the deputy prime minister moved to the prefect of Jianye Prefecture, minister of the Ministry of Industry, minister of the Ministry of War, minister of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, and deputy prime minister of the cabinet.

It can be said that His Excellency the Deputy Prime Minister is definitely one of the top five figures in the political and military circles of the Qi State, and he is the most trusted person of His Majesty.This time, you are the emperor's special envoy, and he went to Japan to preside over the peace talks, which will inevitably bring the emperor's key decree. How can this not make these army and navy generals who lead the army to attack Japan respectful.

"Your Majesty has no decree." Qi Yuanshan was wearing fur, and after greeting the welcoming people with a friendly attitude for a while, he said with a smile: "Just one sentence, Japan has been conquered! As for the peace talks after the event, there are not many requirements , you military might as well offer your opinions. Oh, even your Royal Highness King Yong, and your Royal Highness the Ryukyu King, can also talk about your own requirements and suggestions. At that time, we will discuss it and make it clear."

Hearing this, the Ryukyu leading generals didn't respond, and seemed a little indifferent. The country was small and weak, and its defense also depended on the protection of Qi, so there was no special requirement for Japan.This time, more than [-] troops were dispatched at the order of the Qi State, and they were only fulfilling their vassal duties. If they could get some military compensation from the shogunate after the war, they would be very satisfied.

But after hearing Qi Yuanshan's words, several generals in Yunzhou Town next to him became more active.King Yong's covetousness for the northern territory of Japan is undisguised. It would be best if he could incorporate part of the captured territory into Yunzhou Town in the form of a formal treaty with the support of the Qi State.

The envoys led by Qi Yuanshan did not settle in the former Osaka Executive Hall, but chose a usury merchant’s residence called Konoike Zenemon, waiting for the response from the shogunate from the emissary sent by the navy to Edo to request peace talks.

In their view, the shogunate territories such as Osaka, Kyoto, and Nara in the Gyeonggi area have been ravaged by the coalition forces for more than two months, and countless wealth and materials have been lost, which has caused the Tokugawa family to lose a lot of blood.In addition, in the battle of Osaka, more than [-] shogunate troops were annihilated. Although most of them were conscripted troops from various vassal states, there were also more than [-] troops that belonged to the core of the shogunate, and they must have been beaten.

Therefore, Qi State proposed a peace agreement at this time, just to give the shogunate a step.Let them see Qi's "strong ships and guns" and the power of the battle formation, and realize that if they continue to fight, they will only lose more. They should start a peace negotiation on this and end the war between the two sides.

Before coming to Japan, after intense discussions between the cabinet and the military, they agreed that this war was only a limited punitive military operation, not for the purpose of conquering the city and destroying the Tokugawa shogunate.Under the premise of forcing the shogunate to compensate and apologize for the unprovoked killing of the sailors of the Qi State and opening up the trade of the Qi State, it is still necessary to maintain the rule of the Tokugawa Shogunate in Japan as much as possible.

Because, the Tokugawa shogunate era in this period can be regarded as the true "great unification" era in Japanese history. The highly centralized rule of Japanese samurai has kept Japan at peace for more than 70 years.The Tokugawa shogunate used force to frighten the power of the vassals and various classes in the world, and strengthened the rule through various laws and regulations, so that almost all classes were controlled by the shogunate, which was not done in the previous two shogunate periods.

In addition, in order to consolidate the ruling order of the shogunate, the Tokugawa shogunate implemented a strict hierarchy.Scholars (generals, daimyo, and samurai), farmers, workers, merchants, and "untouchables" all have strict boundaries, hereditary inheritance remains unchanged, intermarriage is not allowed, and clothing, food, and housing are all different.Coupled with its closed-door policy, which prohibits inside and outside, the whole of Japan is immersed in its own world.

This kind of state and ruling class is the least aggressive and most harmless for Qi, and must be maintained and supported.Of course, the premise is that Japan’s seclusion will return to the seclusion of the country, but we must be given the privilege of commerce and trade in Qi, and do small business with each other.

However, within a few days, the envoy sent by the navy to Edo brought back news that surprised everyone.

"The shogunate still wants to fight with us?" Qi Yuanshan gently put the precious samurai sword in his hand on the table, the corners of his mouth could not help but raised, showing a meaningful expression on his face.

Sure enough, the performance and reaction of the Japanese people are exactly as His Majesty said, and they will not be reconciled to "leading their necks to be slaughtered" before the end of their lives!

"Your Excellency, Prime Minister, when I entered Edo Castle, I found that the shogunate had assembled tens of thousands of troops and raised countless food, grass and equipment. I think it will send troops to Osaka again in the near future to fight to the death with our coalition forces." Captain Renyong of the Navy ( Lieutenant) said respectfully: "When I met the shogun and told the Qi State's request for a peace agreement, I was immediately rejected by them. At the same time, I declared that unless our Qi State accepted Kona's surrender in Edo Castle and paid tens of millions of indemnities, Fang Negotiations are allowed."

"Haha..." Qi Yuanshan couldn't help laughing when he heard the words, and then looked at the army and navy generals with different expressions in front of him playfully, "Since the shogunate has kindly invited you, then I will go to Edo Castle for a while. Now! Can your military have a plan for this?"

"Our military has a plan for this." Wan Changshu said in a deep voice: "Since the Prime Minister has ordered, our coalition forces will naturally obey and send troops to Edo!"
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On November 12th, Yunzhou, Qingyuan Fort (today's Hakodate City, Hokkaido, Japan).

As the only ice-free port in Yunzhou throughout the year, at this time, Qingyuan Port gathered no less than thirty warships and merchant ships from Yunzhou Town and Qi State. They either stayed here for the winter, or after some maintenance , will return to Osaka and Edo to perform combat or transportation tasks.

More than a dozen wine shops, restaurants, gambling crotches, and brothels in the city were crowded with sailors and military officers who came to have fun.

After more than ten years of development, this port leased by the Qi State to Yunzhou Town has a population of more than [-] people, and more than half of the residents focus on port supply services. In addition, there are also a series of shipbuilding in the area. Industrial enterprises such as factories, ordnance repair factories, mints, food factories, fishery processing factories, etc. have become the most prosperous places in the Strait region.

In late September, after the outbreak of the war against Japan, the navy fleet of Yunzhou Town and a large number of conscripted merchant ships went south with the Qi State Yunzhou Squadron to carry out the mission of fighting against Japan and coastal blockade, which once made the place "quiet". The market has shrunk dramatically.

However, in less than a month, as ship after ship of supplies and Dingkou (mainly women) looted from Japan stopped at Qingyuan Port, the consumer market in that place was suddenly exploded.

The officers and soldiers of the navy and merchant sailors in Yunzhou Town with bulging pockets, when they stopped the ship to rest, they brought each other into the halls and halls of the houses, "throwing a lot of money", which seemed extremely rich and powerful.

Subsequently, from the northern regions of Japan such as Mutsu's Hirosaki Domain and Hachinohe Domain, there were also continuous ships coming and going, transporting ships of new troops, old troops, local soldiers and combat supplies to Mutsu, and at the same time transporting a large number of plundered Cattle and horses, gold and silver, cloth, and Dingkou were transported back one after another.

Seeing this scene, Qi State officials and soldiers and civilians in Qingyuan Port couldn't help being stunned.This Yunzhou town's ability to take advantage of the fire to loot and search for land is really amazing!

As of last month, more than 70 officers and soldiers from Yunzhou Town raided and occupied Sado Island, ransacked the shogunate's gold mining territory, and returned with more than [-] taels of gold and silver.

In this cold winter season, other ports in Yunzhou have been frozen. Therefore, the officers and soldiers of the Yunzhou Town Navy moved boxes and baskets full of gold and silver off the ship and temporarily stored them in the armory of the Qi State Naval Base. It will be transported back to Ningzhou (now Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan) in the warm spring of the coming year.

Seeing this situation, the military and political officials of Qi State couldn't help being jealous.His grandma, my country of Qi organized the coalition forces of various vassal states to fight hard against the shogunate army in Osaka. You Yunzhou Town took advantage of this opportunity to grab a lot of money in Japan. This battle was not a loss at all.Maybe, wait for the peace talks after the war to take stock of the results, good guy, Yunzhou Town not only seized a large area of ​​land in the Mutsu area of ​​Japan, but also looted back so much gold and silver materials.

"Sir, shall we also take advantage of the winter break to carry out a military strike against Japan?" Captain Renyong (Lieutenant) Wan Zuyi, the deputy captain of the "Yunwu" under the Yunzhou Squadron, looked at the restaurant. A group of noisy officers and soldiers of Yunzhou Town said enviously.

"With our three exploration ships and more than 200 people, can we capture any coastal city in Japan?" Lieutenant Xuanjie (Major) Hou Yonglu drank the shochu in his cup, and a spicy feeling immediately filled his throat "Furthermore, fighting on the battlefield is a desperate job for the army. So, let's save our navy and take advantage of this winter season to rest and recuperate. When the monsoon comes in March next year, Let's go to the Northeast Sea again to deliver some supplies and people to various supply points. Moreover, if we have a chance, we may also try to sail along the west coast of America to the Viceroyalty of New Spain (today's Mexico) to explore the situation. Then cross the Pacific Ocean and return to Yunzhou."

"As we all know, the extreme northeast route is frequently stormy, and the sea conditions are complicated. Going there is no less risky than landing directly on the coastal cities of Japan, and then fighting with the shogunate samurai." Wan Zuyi said: "Our Yunzhou Almost 20% of the shipwrecks encountered by the squadron over the past [-] years occurred on the extreme northeast route. All the ships and personnel who can come back alive in a round trip are purely Goddess Mazu who opened the eyes of the sky and blessed the whole process result."

"Bullshit!" Qiu Jinliang, the captain of the Yunxue and the captain of the Yuwu school (captain), laughed and cursed, "Worshiping the gods and Buddhas in the sky, it's better to have a good maintenance and inspection of the ship before leaving. It's prudent. Our detachment The fleet is the only three motor sailboats in the fleet, and their safety performance is much higher than that of ordinary sailboats. If you have made enough preparations and are unfortunately invited by the Sea Dragon King, then we have nothing to say, we can only think that it is Bad luck, and the end of their respective lifespans has come."

"Hey, tell me, our mainland of Hanzhou is so far away from the extreme northeast (Kamchatka, Alaska) and the Americas, why does the upper echelon want us to continue to explore for more than ten years, establish strongholds in some places, and set up many islands along the way?" Supply station." Wan Zuyi took a sip of wine and said with some complaints: "Even if we declare that those places belong to our Qi territory, how can we control them? If something happens, it can be said that it will be beyond our reach!"

"The things arranged by the superior are naturally beyond the comprehension of us low-level officers." Hou Yonglu glared at Wan Zuyi, "It is a bounden duty for soldiers to obey orders, so don't talk about the strategy set by Shangfeng. As far as I know, more than ten Years ago, our country of Qi originally wanted to persuade Yunzhou Town to occupy those lands in the extreme northeast, and was even willing to help them find those unclaimed lands on the west coast of America. However, people looked down on those bitter cold lands and focused on Liaodong, North Korea, and Japan seized territory. As a result, Qi State had no choice but to set up a layout in the above-mentioned areas."

"As far as the extreme northeastern land we arrived, apart from high-quality fur and rich fishery, it seems that there is no great value." Qiu Jinliang took over the words, "If it weren't for the immigrants transported there, they would all starve to death from the mainland without enough to eat. The starving people and Japanese rogues may not be able to accumulate much popularity after decades. Moreover, in the past ten years, almost a thousand people have died. If we want to occupy those large unclaimed lands, we will have to It cost a lot!"

"Even if those people are not sent to the extreme northeast by us, they will die of hunger and cold sooner or later in the mainland or Japan."

"However, Yunzhou, Zhenzhou and other places are more livable. Even Bitter Leaf Island is better than those places in the extreme northeast. Why should these miserable people be sent to the extreme northeast? Frozen to death?"

"Why?... Just because of this troubled world, human life is as cheap as worthless." Hou Yonglu sighed, then raised his glass and drank it down, "Also, it is to expand more living space for our future generations!"

(End of this chapter)