Chapter 56 of Part One

  First, thank you to the netizens who pointed out my mistake and provided help. In Chapter 55, Tokugawa Ieyasu's successor should be the second generation Tokugawa Hidetada, but he was already dead. The Edo period should have started with the third-generation head of the house, Tokugawa Iemitsu. Blood Sea is ashamed to have made such a mistake and will correct it in future chapters. Additionally, another netizen pointed out that at that time, both the Oda and Toyotomi families had already been destroyed. Therefore, Blood Sea made another mistake. Here, I will once again make corrections and put the mastermind behind the assassination on a daimyo or ronin who harbors deeper resentment towards the shogunate.

  Exiled daimyos can choose from the Otomo, Takeda, and Ryokyu (Takeda and Tokugawa both have relatively strong ninjas) clans. Daimyos with their own domains can be from the Shimazu, Kobayakawa (Toyotomi branch), or Uesugi clans. Additionally, readers pointed out that at that time, the Ryukyu Islands were already a place of exile for Japan and had no government. Therefore, I also offer an apology and correction here.

  In this era, warships were all broadside sailing ships. Compared to Zheng Chenggong's ironclad ships, it was a difference between heaven and earth. Japan, after Tokugawa Iemitsu declared the isolation policy, had no way of comparing with the warships of the Chinese Empire. Tokugawa Iemitsu, compared to his predecessor Tokugawa Hidetada, still managed to do something. After learning that the Chinese army had occupied Okinawa, Tokugawa Iemitsu's face was filled with anger and quickly organized all the ships in Japan that could float on water. They gathered near Sasebo.

  Zheng Chenggong and Li Lei stood in front of the harbor on Deer Island, gazing out at the neatly lined up warships. Zheng Chenggong said proudly, "Who would have thought that I, Zheng Chenggong, would become the commander-in-chief of the world's number one navy today?" He turned his head to look at Li Lei and continued in a low voice, "After my father surrendered to the Qing dynasty, I continued to resist with a burning passion. Although I only controlled a small region, I was waiting for an opportunity. Who would have thought that a moment of hesitation would make me the commander of the first navy?"

  Li Lei looked at Zheng Chenggong with a low mood and comforted him, saying: "Commander Zheng, life and death are destined, wealth and honor are bestowed by heaven. Commander Shi Lang's death was indeed an accident, and you becoming the commander is also something that everyone agrees with. Why worry about it?" As he spoke, he patted Zheng Chenggong on the shoulder and said: "Commander Zheng, as long as we continue to follow General Shi Lang's dreams, I think General Shi Lang will be smiling in the afterlife." At this time, who would have thought that the person known as the butcher in future wars was comforting someone here.

  Zheng Chenggong turned his head to look at Li Lei, smiling and saying "I think our navy is too rigid. With the strength of our navy, I don't think we need to waste time with these Japanese dogs here. Think about it, Tokugawa Ieyasu was just one of the four old men of the Toyotomi Hideyoshi family, but he seized power and took over the shogunate. If we now stir up conflict between the Mōri family and the Tokugawa family, and then unite with the Sanada family and the Suzuki family to dissolve the shogunate's strong rule... wouldn't it be easy to eliminate the powerful Tokugawa family?"

  Li Lei looked at Zheng Cheng with a profound expression and asked "What do you mean?"

  Zheng Chenggong picked up the telescope and looked at the waves rolling in the distance, then smiled and said: "My intention is that our navy will destroy the Japanese naval forces with a crushing momentum. Then you quickly occupy the entire Ryukyu Islands to intimidate other families. Let them see our strength. Then my navy will head north directly to Edo, straight to the dragon's lair."

  Li Lei thought for a moment and nodded "Good, as General said, I wish us success."

  When Zheng Chenggong's navy appeared in front of the Japanese, Tokugawa Iemitsu only then realized how badly he had underestimated. He only then knew that his envoys had not exaggerated. After personally setting the isolationist policy, Japan's contact with the outside world was finally severed. Among the over 300 warships gathered, only a little more than 100 had broadside cannons.

  The fleets of both sides quickly unfolded their mutual attacks without much verbal sparring. Zheng Chenggong only prepared to let three ironclad ships take the lead, while other ships were ready to provide covering fire from behind and on both flanks.

  Shells splashed up layers of waves on the sea surface. The shells of the Japanese fleet couldn't reach our fleet's range at all. The wooden warships were on fire everywhere. The chatter of the Japanese on their warships seemed to have reached our fleet. Only saw people falling into the water everywhere. Warships sank one by one.

  All the fighting was over by afternoon, with all Japanese warships sunk except for a few that had escaped earlier. The sea was covered with the bodies of soldiers.

  At the same time, Li Lei's troops were rapidly advancing in a swift expedition. They divided into four fronts to launch a surprise attack. This was Li Lei's bold move. Although his own side had excellent equipment, but having lost the advantages of heaven, earth and human factors, he still dared to launch such an attack, which was indeed a serious violation of the principles of war.

  To avoid having worries in the back, Li Lei ordered all soldiers on the way to kill Japanese people, regardless of men, women, old and young.

  The samurai spirit of Japan. It has come out at this moment. All Japanese soldiers are shouting "Long live the Emperor" to death. At the same time, the despicable nature of the Japanese has also emerged, and there is no way to win in a head-on battle on the battlefield, even causing casualties among our soldiers, but they have fully employed assassination, ambushes, poisoning and other means, making our advance slow down once again.

  Other families, seeing the Tokugawa shogunate's successive defeats, were also eager to redistribute Japan's order. Families from all over the country rose up in opposition to the Tokugawa shogunate's control of the emperor and other families' policies. At this time, Tokugawa Iemitsu was even more unable to cope with the rebellion on all sides. In a hurry, he united with other friendly forces to suppress the rebels in various places, while sending envoys to negotiate with Li Lei.

  Li Lei looked at the letter of surrender sent by Tokugawa Iemitsu, casually tossing it onto the table. He sneered, "Hmph, this turtle wants to negotiate a peace treaty so early? It's too soon. Let me occupy Maguan first." Then he fell into deep thought, wondering "Why did the Commander-in-Chief suddenly send an order that we must cooperate with the Navy to occupy Maguan on the island of Shikoku?"

  Li Lei ordered his troops to advance swiftly. The Japanese civilians, except for those who had escaped in advance, were all killed on Li Lei's orders without exception. A large number of corpses were processed and transported back to the country via Korea by ship, where they were sent to major medical schools for research and teaching purposes.

  Koxinga originally wanted to attack Edo after annihilating Japan's naval power, but after receiving the order from headquarters, he had no choice but to cruise within the Tsushima Strait. In the Tsushima Strait, warships with dragon flags could often be seen shuttling back and forth on the sea surface, transporting various supplies and soldiers.

  The island of Lushun was thoroughly cleaned up by our country's soldiers. The armed police troops transferred from home took over the local defense, allowing Li Lei's field army to launch a better attack. A large number of government management talents and various talents were also transported to Lushun Island.

  The Emperor of the Chinese Empire ordered that Luchu Island be renamed Hua Island. Various preliminary preparations for immigration work are proceeding in an orderly manner after a large number of talents have entered.

  Li Lei stood in the last place of Hua Island to be occupied, Kitakyushu, looking at the opposite Ma Kuan, thinking 'After occupying Ma Kuan tomorrow, we can negotiate with the Tokugawa shogunate.'

  The attack on Ma Guan unfolded swiftly with the support of the navy. The Japanese, whether civilians or soldiers, now abandoned their will to fight upon hearing Li Lei's army and thought only of escape.

  After a fierce bombardment, Li Lei began to command the troops to land. This was already the third letter of surrender sent by the Tokugawa shogunate. Li Lei glanced at it and threw it aside, telling the guard "You go respond to that Japanese man, tell him we agree to negotiate."

  September 8, 1900. Xu Jin, the Vice Premier of the Chinese Empire, arrived in Ma Guan. He began negotiating with Tokugawa Iemitsu. Xu Jin said straightforwardly, "General Tokugawa, my country has heard that your domestic wars are endless, and we truly feel deeply sorry for you. If there's anything we can help you with, please don't hesitate to ask."

  Tokugawa Iemitsu also counted as being able to bear it. He humbly said, "Prime Minister, let me explain to you first. The assassination of the commander-in-chief of the Heavenly Dynasty's Navy was not done by my shogunate, but by our country's enemies who want to frame us Tokugawa family. We have almost found the culprit. Please, Prime Minister, go back and speak well of us to His Majesty."

  Xu Jin casually handed a stack of documents to Tokugawa and said, "Take a look, sign them if you can."

  Looking at Tokugawa Iemitsu's eyes. After a round of haggling. The two sides finally agreed as follows:

  Japan compensated China with 1 million taels of gold and 3 million taels of silver for the assassination of Chinese Admiral Shi Lang.

  Japan paid China a total of 1 million taels of gold and 2 million taels of silver as compensation for the military expenses incurred due to the dispatch of troops.

  The third clause cedes Satsuma Domain (Kagoshima) and Shikoku Island to China. The lease term is 300 years.

  The fourth China sells arms to Japan. The price is for muzzle-loading cannons. 30,000 taels per cannon. Muzzle-loading rifles are 1,000 taels per gun.

  It's just a matter of time before Japan is destroyed, this is just a formality, Xu Jin knew it well in his heart, as someone who has been to the future and returned to the past, he had to say it out loud.

  In addition, secret agreements were also signed with the Sanada family, Suzuki family, and Kobayakawa family to sell arms. All the temporary guns used by the armed police forces before were taken out of the warehouse and transported to Japan. After various Japanese families obtained these weapons, they became more and more brutal in their fighting. By the time the war ended, Japan's population had been reduced by two-thirds.

  The King of Ryukyu finally arrived at Tianjin Port by boat. Song Yingxing personally went to Tianjin to welcome the King of Ryukyu.

  In Beijing, Zhu Xiao's mansion, Zhu Xiao and the King of Ryukyu had a cordial conversation about some matters. In the end, Zhu Xiao granted the title of Shun Tian Hou to the King of Ryukyu and gave him residence in Beijing. Moreover, on behalf of the King of Ryukyu, Zhu Xiao relocated all residents of Ryukyu to the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions.