I

In the Ryukyu War, the Datong Army's casualties were only single digits.

And there were only injuries, no one was killed.

On Kikai Island (Kikai Island) around Amami Oshima, the Datong Army did not even bother to send troops, and directly asked prisoners such as Nakahiro, Shang Kun, and Yamamoto Hideo to persuade them to surrender. All the Ryukyu royal family, clans and Japanese on the island were taken away, and only the local indigenous people were allowed to stay.

The Datong navy and army rested for a few days and then continued to move northeast.

Along the way, we encountered a chain of islands with no population at all, so we ignored them for the time being.

Further ahead are Yakushima and Tanegashima, which used to belong to Japan's Osumi Kingdom and were later annexed by the Satsuma Domain. Also leaving it alone, the navy and army headed straight for the Satsuma clan's home base.

As soon as they arrived at the mouth of Kagoshima Bay, more than a dozen Japanese ships came to greet them.

Decades ago, when the Satsuma clan invaded Ryukyu, they dispatched hundreds of large and small ships. But now there is not much left. Not to mention the sudden attack of the Chinese navy, even if the Satsuma clan is given enough time to gather troops, they can only gather twenty or thirty decent ships.

The reason for all this was that the shogunate closed the country and refused to issue Zhuin Ship licenses to the feudal lords.

The Satsuma Domain could only do business secretly, and as Chinese and Dutch merchants concentrated their shipments on Nagasaki, the Satsuma Domain's smuggling business also declined. Gradually, old ships were too lazy to repair, and boatmen and sailors became unemployed in large numbers.

The dozen or so Satsuma clan ships in front of them are actually armed merchant ships, also known as the legendary Zhuin ships. The largest one weighs more than 200 tons, and the smaller one weighs only about 100 tons. Overall, it is one size smaller than the Datong Navy.

Shi Daxuan and Hong Xu each commanded a naval formation, intending to go around and surround the enemy ships.

Satsuma Domain's fleet, feeling that the momentum was not good, retreated without firing a shot, and all retreated to the innermost part of Kagoshima Bay.

"Boom boom boom!"

The Datong Navy moved to the narrowest part of the bay, and the Japanese forts on both sides suddenly opened fire.

"Flag order, retreat!" Shi Daxuan shouted.

Several naval warships were damaged by gunfire, but all successfully retreated to safety. Then the small boats on the warships were lowered, and the army and navy of the Datong Army landed in small boats.

Thousands of people have landed on both sides of the strait. Let's remove those forts first.

"What? Tang soldiers occupied Ryukyu, but they actually came here?"

Before the fighting started at the fort, Shimazu Mitsuhisa received the news and was extremely shocked by the situation.

The elder Shimazu Hisamichi said: "Don't hesitate any more. You should be prepared on both sides. On the one hand, you will send people to negotiate with the Tang people, and on the other hand, you will send people to Edo to ask for help. You must also order the army to be summoned. If that doesn't work, just fight to the end with the Tang soldiers!"

The Satsuma Domain secretly annexed the eight Ryukyu Islands. Although this was done behind the back of the shogunate, the conquest of Ryukyu was approved by the shogunate.

At this time, I couldn't care about anything else and first asked the shogunate for help.

Shimazu Mitsuhisa said: "Go and negotiate with the Tang people!"

"Yes!" Shimazu Hisumi could only accept this drudgery.

This guy didn't dare to go out on a warship, so he took an offshore boat and cautiously approached the Datong Navy.

When Hong Xu arrived on the ship, it was diplomat Liu Xiangke who met him.

Shimazu Kumichi knelt down and said, "Greetings to the Lord!"

Liu Xiangke's nostrils turned upward and he said disdainfully: "You should go back first and wait until the battle is over."

Shimazu Hisumi asked: "May I ask why your country sent troops to attack the Shimazu family?"

Liu Xiangke sneered: "You are ambitious, and the annexation of the Ryukyu Kingdom is just one of them. In recent years, the warships of the Satsuma Domain have robbed Chinese merchants many times, and hundreds of people have been killed and kidnapped. You are allowed to continue to provoke, but not Will China send troops?”

Shimazu Hisamichi defended: "Your Excellency, sending troops to the Ryukyu Kingdom is just a misunderstanding..."

"Stop talking nonsense," Liu Xiangke interrupted, "No matter how you quibble, you can't turn the truth around. All the soldiers and ships are here, how can you make our country withdraw its troops with just a few words of nonsense? What do you want to talk about? Don't talk about it. Let’s talk on the ship, and I will lead the troops to the city to talk!”

Shimazu Hisumi wanted to explain something else, but he didn't speak again.

Just like Liu Xiangke said, the warships have reached Japan, how can they retreat with just a few sophistry?

After a moment of silence, Shimazu Hisamichi asked: "May I ask, sir, how can we withdraw our troops?"

Liu Xiangke said: "First, this war was caused by the Satsuma Domain, and the Satsuma Domain must compensate for military expenses of 200,000 taels; secondly, for the Chinese merchant ships that were plundered by the Satsuma Domain, the deceased will be compensated 100 taels for each person, and the lost goods and ships will be paid according to the price. Compensation; third, the Ryukyu Kingdom has been incorporated into the Ryukyu County of Datong China, and the Satsuma Domain is not allowed to send troops to harass; fourth, let the Satsuma Domain Lord or his eldest son go to Nanjing in person to plead guilty to the emperor."

Shimazu Hisamichi was stunned, as the first request could not be fulfilled.

The annual fiscal revenue of the Satsuma Domain is only more than 100,000 taels. The feudal lord and his family were enjoying themselves luxuriously and were being exploited by merchants. How could they get 200,000 taels of compensation?

"Sir, we really don't have that much money." Shimazu Hisamichi cried.

Liu Xiangke said: "If you don't have money, you can pay slowly. You can reopen the Nagano Gold Mine and pay in ten years. But, the delayed compensation must be paid with annual interest."

This Nagano is not that Nagano, but the Nagano area of ​​Kagoshima. Seven years ago, the Satsuma clan developed a gold mine here, and only gold mining was banned for three years by the shogunate.

The reason for the ban is simple. Once the Shimadzu family has gold mining income, wouldn't it be able to raise more troops? What if there is a rebellion one day?

Shimazu Hisumi said: "The shogunate does not allow gold mining."

Liu Xiangke sneered: "Is the Satsuma clan so obedient?"

Historically, as soon as Tokugawa Iemitsu died, the Satsuma clan reopened the Nagano gold mine.

Although Liu Xiangke liked to show off and scold others as an envoy. But he did a good job in his homework. Before going to sea, he asked Fujian maritime merchants for detailed information about the Satsuma Domain.

After losing profits from sea trade, the Satsuma clan's stable financial resources were, firstly, the brown sugar from Amami Oshima, and secondly, the Nagano gold mine. Of course, there is also the tribute income in the territory, which is all in kind such as food, and can only be exchanged for money after being exploited by Osaka merchants.

The current situation is not bad, but in a few decades, the Japanese feudal lords will be exhausted and all will be working for big businessmen.

When the Satsuma Domain was in the most difficult situation, its annual fiscal revenue was only 150,000 taels, and the debt interest it had to pay to merchants was only 250,000 taels. How was it resolved in the end? If you can, do so. If you can't, sell your status as a samurai, and finally sell your souvenir franchise.

Amami Oshima’s brown sugar franchise is the key to the Satsuma Domain getting out of debt.

Now that Amami Oshima has been recaptured by China, it is estimated that the descendants of the Shimadzu family will be burdened with debt.

Seeing that the other party stopped talking, Liu Xiangke sneered and said: "It's best to give the money directly, or you can give it after a battle. But by then, the military expenses that need to be compensated will be even more. See you off!"

Shimazu Kutsuchi went back in despair. He heard the rumble of cannons on the way, but it was the Datong Army attacking the forts on both sides of the strait.

When he met the owner of the family, Shimazu told him the conditions offered by China.

Shimazu Mitsuhisa was so angry that he led the way and roared: "The Tang Kingdom has bullied others too much. This is forcing our Shimazu family to die. Gather your troops and gather the warriors of the Satsuma Domain. They will all arrive at Tsurumaru Castle within half a month." (Kagoshima Castle), I want to fight to the death with those Chinese people!"

The Satsuma Domain had not fought a naval battle for a long time, and even the bay forts were in disrepair. Some of the gunpowder in the fort warehouses had become damp and hardened together.

The Datong Army killed two people and injured eleven others, and captured all the forts on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

The next step was to build a military camp. Sakurajima on the other side of Kagoshima Castle became the military camp of the Datong Army. Piles of military supplies were moved from the ship.

Don't rush to attack the city. Kagoshima Castle is built on a mountain. The terrain is easy to defend but difficult to attack. You have to prepare for a long-term siege and artillery bombardment.

Until the third day, the navy soldiers stayed at the military camp, and 10,000 army troops came to the castle town of Kagoshima - the city outside the city.

The Datong Army still maintained strict military discipline and did not rob wantonly. They even posted notices to calm the people, fearing that Japanese civilians would not understand them, so they asked soldiers to escort translators and go door to door to explain the situation.

The general meaning is that the Satsuma clan annexed Ryukyu without authorization and secretly plundered Chinese merchant ships, so the Chinese emperor sent troops to punish him. The civilians of Satsuma Domain are innocent, and the Datong Army will not rob or kill. However, the war is ruthless, and residential buildings too close to Tsurumaru Castle may be shelled. It is hoped that the residents will move to a safe place in advance.

Less than half of the people living in the castle town have fled, and the rest are hiding at home and dare not come out.

After several days of explaining to the people and punishing a few rogues who took the opportunity to loot, the people here finally believed in the Datong Army.

Then strange things happened, shops opened one after another, and the residents who escaped returned after hearing the news. There were even farmers who tried to sell local specialties to the Datong Army. After several fair sales, surrounding farmers came in droves with food.

This is about the agricultural policy of the Tokugawa Shogunate, which prohibits land sales and random planting. What crops farmers grow is determined by the government. And after paying taxes, the remaining crops must be sold to the corresponding merchants. If your family grows rice, you cannot sell it to merchants who specialize in beans.

Such a system of specializing in special crops, special crops, and special sales has led to extremely serious exploitation of farmers by merchants.

The surrounding farmers found that they could get more money by trading with the Datong Army, so how could they still sit still?

Moreover, Japan has used Chinese copper coins on a large scale since the Tang Dynasty, and copper coins from the Datong and New Dynasties are very popular here.

In Tsurumaru Castle, all the vegetation and trees are surrounded by soldiers.

Outside Tsurumaru Castle, it was a happy time.

The people of Satsuma Domain actually began to complain about the Shimazu family, feeling that the Shimazu family should not anger the Chinese emperor.

A few days later, Shimazu Mitsuhisa learned about the situation outside the city and was so angry that he yelled: "They are all traitors. We must find out after the war, and arrest all those who do business with the enemy and hold them accountable!"

On Li Dingguo's side, he was receiving several wild warriors.

Although he is said to be a samurai, he is actually similar to a beggar. He only needs a knife at his waist to prove his identity.

A samurai named Miyazaki Shiro is probably the leader of these people. He lay down in front of Li Dingguo and said with great respect: "The soldiers of the Celestial Dynasty are real warriors and will not use force against innocent civilians. After the Shimazu family secluded themselves in the country, they oppressed the people in the domain more and more. We are willing to serve the general." With this effort, I will kill all the Shimazu family!"

On the one hand, with the country closed to the outside world, the income of the feudal lords dropped, and they intensified their exploitation of the people; on the other hand, due to successive years of drought, farmers suffered severe harvest failures, and now is the period of high incidence of uprisings in Japan.

Moreover, every uprising was led by a coalition of outside warriors.

These wild warriors just want to stay alive. When they heard that China was sending troops, they actually volunteered to help, as long as they had food to eat.