The Wanli Emperor of the Ming Dynasty was extremely rebellious

Chapter 392: An unprecedented war

The battle between the Ming Dynasty and Japan was an unprecedented war in ancient and modern times.

This time, the Ming army alone deployed over a million troops.

The vassal state of Korea still has 200,000 troops.

If the Japanese pirates were counted together with the able-bodied men they captured later, there would be about four or five hundred thousand of them.

This is just the beginning of this epic war.

Next, the Ming army will land in Japan and launch a war of annihilation. By then, it is unknown how many troops Japan will have to recruit in order to put up a desperate resistance.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi didn't know that the lion of the Ming Dynasty had quietly opened its huge mouth and was ready to swallow the army he sent to his vassal state of Korea.

He was still madly conscripting men.

At this time, the Ming Dynasty seemed to be calm and there was no movement. In fact, all the relevant generals had received urgent orders from the Grand Marshal Qi Jiguang and began to rush to Zhendong Fort.

Early in the morning at around noon that day, dozens of generals finally gathered together.

General Zhendong Qin Liangyu, Commander-in-Chief of the Navy Deng Zilong, Commander-in-Chief of Liaodong Ma Gui, Commander-in-Chief of Datong Town Liu Jing, Commander-in-Chief of the vassal state of Korea Yi Sun-sin, as well as twelve deputy generals of the Beijing camp, four deputy generals of the Sichuan army, two deputy generals of Liaodong Town, and eight deputy generals from other border towns who led elite cavalry to participate in the war.

Each of them was filled with iron and blood, and stood on both sides of the lobby of the Zhendong General's Mansion with solemn faces.

Qi Jiguang, seated at the commander's post, slowly scanned the surroundings before rising and bowing towards the capital. "Your Majesty, I hereby declare that the war between the Ming Dynasty and Japan has officially begun. This war is a war of annihilation. No matter how great the sacrifice, no matter how many soldiers are killed or wounded, the Ming Dynasty swears to destroy Japan!"

War to destroy a nation!

Upon hearing this, the generals hurriedly bowed and said in unison: "We will obey the order of Your Majesty."

Qi Jiguang nodded slightly, then sat down and said solemnly: "The war to destroy a country will last for a long time, so everyone must remember not to act hastily.

This first battle is the battle against the vassal state of Korea. Now the regent of Japan, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, is conscripting able-bodied men. The day when these 100,000 able-bodied men are transported to the vassal state of Korea will be the day when this first battle begins.

Our primary goal in this battle is to force the Japanese pirates from our vassal state of Korea to surrender. Therefore, don't just rush in and fight. We should utilize our muskets, artillery, bombs, kerosene cannons, and even powerful bows to try to force the Japanese pirates to surrender. Unless necessary, avoid close combat. Do you understand?"

Upon hearing this, the generals bowed and said in unison, "We understand."

Qi Jiguang nodded slightly, and then explained in detail: "General Deng, the navy can start preparing in advance, and you should prepare as soon as you return.

All the navy's Fu ships will be pulled to the port south of Suncheon Prefecture in Jeolla Province and wait for orders. All the navy's centipede ships, unless necessary, will be left in the two capitals and thirteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty to transport supplies. They will all be assembled in the waters of the vassal state of Korea. At least 300,000 navy officers and soldiers must be assembled.

Remember, don't let the Japanese pirates find out that our navy ships are gathering. The harbor entrance south of Suncheon Prefecture must be sealed. The centipede ships will first assemble at the navy base west of Jeju Island, and then set out in batches every morning to hide among the islands west of Jeolla Province.

After the Japanese pirate navy begins transporting the men, you will immediately mobilize 5,000 centipede boats to quickly land 200,000 Sichuan troops on the west coast of Jeolla Province."

There is no telling how much there is to do in terms of assembling and mobilizing these millions of troops.

Qi Jiguang spent the entire morning explaining the situation to the generals.

The next step is to wait for the last batch of reinforcements from the Japanese pirates.

At this time, the two capitals and thirteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty remained unusually calm, with no signs of any troop movements. However, the navy's centipede ships had already been launched from the major rivers, rapidly converging on the Jeju Island naval base. The Sichuan Army soldiers at Zhendong Fort had also quietly packed their luggage and were ready to depart.

At this time, the warships of the Japanese pirate navy began to gather towards the harbor where Nagoya was located.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi seemed to be in a hurry to send people to reincarnation. He hurriedly captured 100,000 able-bodied men, reorganized them a little, and then ordered the captain of the conscripted men to drive these guys onto the boat and send them to the vassal state of Korea for reinforcement!

On May Gengshen day, the first batch of more than 20,000 Japanese pirates were finally brought to Tsushima Island.

When Qi Jiguang received the news, he immediately ordered fast boats and horses to deliver the message, and all the men were ready to attack.

Soon, five thousand navy centipede ships rowed out from the archipelago west of Jeolla Province and rushed towards Liaodong Town at a rapid speed.

At this moment, all the Japanese pirates' warships were gathered in the line from Nagoya to Tsushima Island to transport young men and food and supplies. There was not a single Japanese pirate warship in the waters to the east and west of the vassal state of Korea, so they had no problem rowing as hard as they could.

In less than ten days, the navy's centipede ships pulled 200,000 Sichuan soldiers to the west of Jeolla Province.

At this time, the Japanese pirates also transferred all the able-bodied men and supplies to Tsushima Island, and they all began to be transferred from Tsushima Island to Busan Port.

At Qi Jiguang's urgent order, the 200,000 cavalrymen assembled in the Laoha River Valley set off immediately, rushing all the way from Yizhou Wei, Dingliao Zhongwei and Dingliao Youwei to Zhendong Fort. The soldiers of Shenji Camp and Shenwu Camp also gathered under the cover of night and quietly gathered in the direction of Shanhaiguan.

Wide floating bridges were also quietly built on the major rivers along the way, such as the Daling River, Daliao River, and Yalu River.

At this time, the main force of the Japanese pirates in the vassal state of Korea did not know that millions of Ming troops had quietly surrounded them. They were still waiting for reinforcements and preparing to fill the trenches outside Jeolla Province in one fell swoop.

At the end of May, all 100,000 able-bodied Japanese pirates finally landed in the vassal state of Korea.

Early in the morning at about 11:00 a.m. that day, seven or eight hundred huge Fujian ships of the Ming Dynasty Navy slowly sailed out from the bay south of Shuntian Prefecture, towed by thousands of navy centipede ships.

There was no other way. It was summer now and the wind was blowing from the south on the sea. When they sailed out of the bay, they would be sailing against the wind. They had to lower the sails and let the centipede boat be towed out of the harbor.

However, after leaving the harbor, the fleet can take advantage of the south wind and turn east.

At this moment, Deng Zilong, aboard a 2,000-ton giant warship, looked up at the flag on the mast, then at the gradually brightening sky. He then said in a deep voice, "Kemai, the southern waters are yours to blockade. I'll give you 2,000 centipede ships. You must completely fill the waters south of Korea, our vassal state. Don't let a single pirate warship escape."

Upon hearing this, Yu Zigao quickly bowed and said, "I obey your command."

Deng Zilong said in a deep voice, "Wuyang, the seas east and west of Korea are now yours. I will give you a thousand centipede ships. Remember to monitor them day and night. Don't let any Japanese pirate warships land."

Upon hearing this, Peng Xingu hurriedly bowed and said, "I obey your command."

Deng Zilong nodded slightly, then waved his hand and said, "Go."

Yu Zigao and Peng Xinggu hurriedly bowed and took their leave, walked quickly to the side of the boat, and went down the rope ladder to the centipede boat next to them.

Deng Zilong saw that they had all boarded the centipede boat and left. He then said in a loud voice: "Order, raise the sails, set sail, turn the rudder to the east, and proceed at full speed."

Sails of all sizes were hoisted like a forest, and thousands of Ming Dynasty navy warships turned eastward and sped towards Busan Port in the dawn.

This unprecedented war began quietly.

(End of this chapter)