1850 American Gold Tycoon

"Please be sure to accept me as your disciple. I am willing to follow you and serve you!"

The Battle of Kanagawa further strengthened Yoshida Shoin's determination to learn from the United States.

No matter how miraculous the battle of Nagasaki was, Yoshida Shoin only heard about the battle that took place in Nagasaki.

But in the Battle of Kanagawa, Yoshida Shoin witnessed with his own eyes that the shogunate army, which was several times larger than the American army, was defeated by the powerful American army in just one day, and was unable to resist.

Yoshida Shoin, who specializes in Sinology and Orchidology, is keenly aware that neither Sinology nor Orchidology can save Japan. Japan urgently needs someone as powerful and worthy of learning as it was in the prosperous Tang Dynasty.

This is the only way to save Japan.

"I heard that your former feudal lord, Maori Kinkin, appreciated you very much and treated you well, but you still left the feudal clan and became a ronin. I dare not accept a half-hearted and disloyal person like you." Liang Yao looked at him. Said a young man from the Choshu clan who was thin, short, and had firm eyes.

"I left the feudal domain, gave up my status as a scholar, gave up my career, and became a ronin with nothing, in order to better travel around and increase my knowledge. It is not that I am disloyal to my feudal lord. I will always be grateful to my feudal lord for his kindness in knowing me. It's just that I am not disloyal to my feudal lord. The things that can be learned from this small area of ​​the Choshu Domain are really limited." Yoshida Shoin said very seriously.

"Lu Fangweng has a poem that says that what you learn on paper is ultimately shallow, but you know that you have to practice it. I don't want to be a person who talks on paper, let alone a frog in the well, but I want to learn something truly useful. And these things can only be obtained by following you. Learn it.”

"You've done quite well in Chinese studies."

Looking at Yoshida Shoin who knew Chinese poetry and idioms at his fingertips and was very fluent in Chinese, Liang Yao thought of the neat fonts, rigorous logic, and smooth writing of the classical Chinese in Tou Yi Shu, and had to sigh that Yoshida Shoin was indeed extraordinary in learning. talent.

In terms of age, Yoshida Shoin is about the same age as him, but this is only a physical age. Liang Yaoshi's mental age is much older than Yoshida Shoin.

It's a pity that such people can't really be used by him.

Liang Sen was a drifter. He left Japan at a young age to make a living. He didn't have a high sense of identity with Japan, and his feelings about his family and country weren't that strong, so he could be completely used by Liang Yao.

However, Yoshida Shoin has been deeply influenced by Sinology since childhood. The ideological imprint of loyalty to the emperor and serving the country has been deeply ingrained in Yoshida Shoin's bones. It is obviously unrealistic to want Yoshida Shoin to work for himself wholeheartedly.

"It's a pity that Sinology has been on the decline. In the past, Sinology could cultivate one's moral integrity, govern one's family, and bring peace to the world. Today's Sinology can cultivate one's morality, govern one's family, and bring peace to the world, but it is difficult to rely on Sinology to govern a country and bring peace to the world." Yoshida Shoin said.

"I have always loved talents in my life. Since you are eager to learn, it doesn't matter if I help you. Lieutenant Colonel Deng is a famous American general. He will be stationed in Nagasaki in the future. He needs an advisor who is familiar with Japan's national conditions. For the time being, you can become Lieutenant Colonel Deng's advisor. Bar."

Liang Yao said to Yoshida Shoin.

Deng Yan on the side could not help but widen his eyes, and secretly cursed in his heart: When did I become a famous general in the United States?

To be honest, the American generals before the Civil War had poor records. There were not many real professional officers. There were more generals like Liang Yao who came from powerful states, and generals like Perry who came from a military family.

There are very few middle- and high-level officers who really rely on their military merits to rise to the top. Although Deng Yan's current performance cannot be said to be the best among the American generals, it is definitely outstanding. It is not an exaggeration to say that he is a famous American general.

The record of the Mason Infantry Regiment in the Civil War and the record of defeating the shogunate army in Japan are more valuable than those American generals who relied on Indian scalps to gain power and bullied their Mexican brothers.

"Thank you, Your Excellency!"

Yoshida Shoin was overjoyed. He loved military science and being able to serve as a consultant to senior American military officers was also an opportunity for him to get in touch with and learn about the American military.

After the signing of the Treaty of Nagasaki and the Treaty of Goodwill between the United States and Japan, Perry did not stay in Japan for long. Instead, he quickly left Japan with the treaty and returned directly to the United States.

Liang Yao was not in a hurry to leave, but stayed in Nagasaki for some time.

Under Article III of the Treaty of Nagasaki, the United States obtained a concession in Nagasaki.

This concession was used by Liang Yao as a transfer station. Therefore, at the beginning of delineating the concession, Liang Yao deliberately designated the concession next to the pier to save the cost of subsequent construction.

After inspecting Nagasaki and the Nagasaki concession, Liang Yao formulated a planning plan for the concession area, and then inspected the outer fort.

According to Article 2 of the Treaty of Nagasaki, the external fort at Nagasaki was completely taken over by the US military.

After Liang Yao understands himself, the great powers such as Britain, France, and Russia will also swarm in and propose a series of unequal treaties to the Japanese shogunate.

Given that the United States currently does not have a strong position among the major powers, Liang Yao cannot stop this trend.

It is unrealistic for the United States to want to eat the Japanese cake alone. All Liang Yao can do is to operate a key stronghold, establish the strong position of the United States in this stronghold, and consolidate the benefits already obtained.

Nagasaki has an advantageous geographical location. It was Japan's only trading port before the founding of the country. It has a relatively open atmosphere and a developed economy. It is an area worth focusing on and a very suitable base.

And whoever controls the Outer Eye Fort is equivalent to controlling Nagasaki. This is why Liang Yao originally asked for the Nagasaki Outer Fort.

It has to be said that Nabeshima Naomasa's vision is okay. There is no problem with the location of the fort. The biggest problem is the artillery.

The outdated artillery on the external fort had insufficient range and limited firepower coverage, and was not sufficient to completely control the waterway entering Nagasaki.

Therefore, it is assumed that new coastal defense batteries based on existing batteries are imminent.

"With the current level of artillery casting in California, we are still unable to produce coastal defense artillery that can fully control the Nagasaki waterway."

After accompanying Liang Yao on the inspection, Deng Yan came to a rather depressing conclusion.

"I heard that the French cannons are good, and you have a good relationship with the French. Why don't you ask the French to help us build this fort?"

It's not that California can't build cannons, it just has little experience in manufacturing large coastal defense cannons.

Liang Yao also spent money to buy the coastal defense artillery in the Kinmen Strait directly from the French. It is not surprising that Deng Yan has such an idea.

But Nagasaki is not San Francisco after all, and the French will not help in vain. If the French ask to share the external fort with them, wouldn't it be a benefit to the French in vain?

"The coastal defense artillery on the Nagasaki Outer Fortress must use cannons made by the United States." Liang Yao's attitude was very clear.

"California cannot build coastal defense artillery that meets the requirements, but it does not mean that the United States cannot build it. After returning to China, I will go to the east and ask for help from the War Department. By the way, I will ask the War Department for funds to repair the Nagasaki Outer Fort. .”