Rule the Ming Dynasty Alone

On this day, Daming City on Shenzhi Island seemed very lively, with a strong atmosphere of chilling.

"Tianjin Guards are in place, please call General Zhengdong for dispatch!"

"Weihai Guards are in position, please ask General Zhengdong for dispatch!"

"The Jinshan Guards are in place, please call General Zhengdong for dispatch!"

…

On the school grounds, representatives of the fleet came here one by one and greeted Xu Shiying, who had just been conferred by the emperor as the General of the Eastern Conquest on the high platform.

Xu Shiying is wearing armor and holding a sharp blade, which has a bit of the charm of her ancestor Xu Da.

He was originally an unsuccessful prince, but fortunately Emperor Hongzhi appreciated him and made an exception for him, a martial arts disciple, to serve as the governor of the East China Sea.

During his tenure, he saw the Ming Dynasty's East China Sea trade prospering step by step, and also saw the great situation being eroded by the gang of rats in the south of the Yangtze River.

Now the small Ouchi family actually ignored the imperial power, and even transferred the imperial mines belonging to the Ming Dynasty to be jointly mined by them and Jiangnan Company. They simply regarded their Ming Dynasty as nothing.

Xu Shiying has never been a governor of the East China Sea who just wants to eat and die. He shouted loudly with high fighting spirit: "Death to those who do not respect my emperor's order! Death to those who kidnap my people! Death to those who offend my power towards the sky!"

"You will die if you don't respect our emperor!"

"Whoever takes my people captive will die!"

"Anyone who offends me will die!"

…

The drums beat loudly, the horns blew, and all the soldiers responded with loud shouts.

Their loud voices resounded through the sky, shaking everyone's heart and burning the raging anger in their hearts.

Whether it was to demonstrate the power of the emperor, to rescue a Chinese woman who was abducted on Kyushu Island, or to clean up the gang of traitors, the knives in their hands were already bloodthirsty and the guns on their shoulders were polished.

Xu Shiying felt the morale of the entire campus and stopped talking nonsense. She waved the knife in her hand firmly and shouted: "Let's go!"

Following the order, all the soldiers went to the dock one after another, and then led their respective warships to set sail.

At the end of September, the Ming Dynasty navy, which had been dormant on Shenzhi Island, headed towards Kyushu Island, like a dragon setting out to sea.

On the sea surface, the waves suddenly became rough and the waves splashed. The masts are like forests, the sails are like clouds, and each warship is decorated with bright flags, embroidered with various fierce patterns, fluttering and hunting in the wind.

The soldiers of the Ming Dynasty who went on the expedition stood on the deck with their heads held high and marched towards the distant horizon, already determined to raze the Ouchi family on Kyushu Island.

Dark clouds shrouded the sky over Kyushu Island, making the island look frightening.

Although the Ming Dynasty's navy points to the northern part of Kyushu Island, other forces have to think about a question: if the Ouchi family is annexed, what can they do to resist the powerful Ming Dynasty, and how can they ensure that their territory will not be annexed? What about annexation?

You know, although Kyushu Island is divided into nine kingdoms, it is essentially the same as the Qiongzhou Prefecture of the Ming Dynasty, not to mention that they are experiencing a serious food crisis.

As for ordinary people, they are also afraid of war. After all, war requires food, and they are at the bottom of the human food chain and are likely to be robbed again.

Unexpectedly, the first person to become unsettled was not the leaders of these forces, but the Jiangnan firm that had just recently taken root here.

"Then the tyrant is serious?"

"Crazy, all I know is fighting and killing all day long!"

"We can't let him destroy this place, we should give Japan a helping hand!"

…

Zheng Jie and Hou Haotian have been staying on Kyushu Island, and when they learned that Zhu Youtang sent troops to invade the territory of the Ouchi family on Kyushu Island, they immediately became excited.

They are not so eager to go against Ming this time, but their current industries are all here, and both the Ouchi family and the Ouchi family have silver mines.

If the Ming Dynasty really moves here, not to mention whether their minerals will be confiscated by the Ming Dynasty, their various inappropriate behaviors are likely to be learned by the Ming Dynasty.

You know, even if the Ming Dynasty court has doubts about their Jiangnan business, it is just an investigation. If they get actual evidence, it will probably bring a catastrophe to all members.

It doesn't matter that they are on Kyushu Island now, but those relatives who stayed in Jiangnan will probably be in trouble.

In particular, the Zheng family is a large family that has been inherited for hundreds of years. Once it is known that they took the lead in establishing the Jiangnan business and abducted a group of female weavers to build the Jiangnan weaving factory here, the consequences will be disastrous.

"Brother Hou, go to the Ouchi family's territory immediately!"

"Why?"

"You go there and lobby them to give out some benefits, and I lobby the Dayou family to support the Dayou family!"

Zheng Jie was the real backbone of Jiangnan Company, and he immediately made arrangements for Hou Haotian.

Hou Haotian knew that Zheng Xun wanted to help Japan take the alliance route, so he nodded decisively and immediately led his people to Ouchi's house.

Kyushu Island is distributed with many large and small forces. Among them, the Ouchi family occupies the northern part of Kyushu Island, the Sagara, Arima and Shimazu families divide the southern part, and the Ouchi family in the center is the most powerful Otomo family.

The origins of the Otomo family can be traced back to the Kamakura period. Its founder, Otomo Nonao, was a favorite of Minamoto Yoritomo and was later named the guardian of Kyushu's Bungo and Bunzen countries.

Since then, the Otomo family has taken root in the Kyushu region and gradually grown.

During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, the Dayou family was involved in a long-term battle with supporters of the Northern Dynasties because of their support for the Southern Dynasties. However, this did not stop the Otomo family from expanding in the Kyushu region.

By the Warring States Period, the Otomo family seized the opportunity of Japan's civil strife, completed the transformation into a Warring States daimyo, and worked with all parties to carve up Kyushu.

In the west of Kyushu Island, the inner city of Bungo Palace.

It is located in a plain area, on the side of Beppu Bay, across the sea from Shikoku Island. It is a good place for farming and maritime trade.

The Otomo family has been rooted here for generations. Although there is a food crisis in Kyushu Island, thanks to their strong basic base, they are least affected.

"I have heard the theory of 'lips are cold and teeth are dying', and I believe it. Today's Otomo family is interdependent with the surrounding families, just like lips and teeth. If one family suffers, how can other families survive alone? In recent years, Qiangming has risen in Haixi , stationed in the Ming Dynasty to participate in the governance of the Ming Dynasty, is really a big trouble for Jiuzhou. However, if the Da Nei clan is isolated and without support, it may be difficult to resist the tiger and wolf divisions of the Ming Dynasty with its own strength..."

Zheng Jie was a very eloquent person, and he used scriptures to persuade Otomo Yiyou.

If we rely solely on the strength of the Ouchi family, it will be difficult to withstand Ming's attack now. With the support of the Otomo family, the major forces on Kyushu Island can join forces and be evenly matched with the Ming Navy.

Otomo Giyuu was finally a young man, but after a retainer whispered a few words in his ear, he firmly said: "Okay, I can borrow food from the Ouchi family, and I can also send troops to support, but there is one condition !”

"Please tell me!" Zheng Jie's eyes lit up slightly and he said happily.

A flash of greed flashed across Otomo Giyou's eyes, and he asked for a price: "If we defeat the Ming Dynasty, I need the Ouchi family to give up the Hakata Port site, and our Otomo family will set up a port and operate it there!"

If it weren't for the destruction of the Ming Dynasty's navy, Hakata Port would be the largest trading port in Kyushu and one of the triggers of the conflict between the Otomo family and the Ouchi family.

There are some good opportunities now, and Ouchi Yoshiyou also wants to take this opportunity to finalize the sovereignty of Hakata Port.

"Okay! I can agree to this condition on behalf of the Ouchi family!" Zheng Jie did not bargain, but directly agreed.

Facing this war, the Ouchi family's territory in the northern part of Kyushu Island may not be protected, not to mention the sovereignty of a small seaport that has been destroyed.

Otomo Yiyou frowned slightly, looking suspicious and said: "Can you do this?"

"The Ouchi family has no retreat, and I have been authorized. The letter of alliance will arrive tomorrow!" Zheng Jie expressed with great confidence.

The next day, Otomo Giyu's uncle, Otomo Oyakiji, led five thousand people northward, intending to help the Ouchi family win this defense battle.

That night, the moon was as bright as ink, and a dark cloud covered the stars.

Fu Nei City stands on the dark ground. A luxurious mansion stands quietly in the city. The lights inside are weak, as if it will be swallowed by the boundless darkness at any time.

A group of people dressed in black approached the mansion quietly. Their faces were smeared with black mud, and only their cold eyes were exposed.

The guide was a young man with a strong build and sharp eyes. He was holding a gleaming dagger in his hand, and he climbed over the wall into the mansion as if he was familiar with the road.

They climbed over the wall like ghosts, making almost no sound when they landed, and followed the guide through the mansion, looking for their target.

"assassin!"

Two patrolling warriors ran into this group of assassins and immediately shouted.

When calling for the assassin, a samurai, relying on his superior strength, pulled out the Japanese sword at his waist, clasped his hands and stepped on his clogs and rushed over rhythmically.

not good!

Zhao Jia of the Night Department knew very well how terrifying these Japanese samurai were. Although he had a dagger in his hand, how could the dagger deal with this Japanese long sword?

boom!

With the sound of a gunshot, a lead bullet ejected from the barrel of the gun and hit the Japanese samurai's eyebrows like a long eye, where bright flowers of blood bloomed.

"Firegun?"

Another Japanese samurai saw his companion who was ten times more powerful than him lying in a pool of blood. At this moment, he no longer had any hostility and immediately wanted to turn around and run away.

boom!

The people behind him had already raised their guns, so it was naturally impossible for the Japanese samurai to escape. Lead bullets spurted out from the barrel, immediately hitting the Japanese samurai's back into a sieve.

At this time, the light in the study room was bright.

In addition to the head of the Otomo family, Otomo Giyu, there is also a sharp-eyed little old man here, and this man is the previous head of the family, Masaki Otomo, the father of Otomo Giyu.

Since the middle of the Muromachi period, the Otomo family has been ruling in a way where the father gives up the throne to his son during his lifetime, and then continues to hold power as a guide and advisor.

To put it simply, the son was only the apparent head of the family until his father's death. When the Mingying Incident occurred, Otomo Masachika also decided to give up the position of head of the family to his son Otomo Giyou as early as the 20th year of Chenghua.

Similar to the situation of the Ouchi family, Otomo Masahin was also called up to serve as the Eastern Front to support the shogun at the beginning of this year and went to Omi to participate in the battle.

However, the war did not win as expected. Instead, due to the internal strife of the shogun, even after losing the war, they actually negotiated peace with the Rokkaku clan.

Although Masachika Otomo handed over the management power to his son, in the face of such a situation, he also intervened secretly. It was he who prompted the Otomo family to send troops to support the Ouchi family.

"The Ming Dynasty man named Zheng is right. We are now at loggerheads with the Ouchi family! It's just that our support to the Ouchi army this time is not only to help them resist foreign enemies, but also to seize the opportunity to capture Hizen, Bunzen and Chizen. The land of the Three Kingdoms!" Otomo Masachika faced his son's confusion and confessed his plan.

In fact, his support for the Ouchi family was selfish. On the one hand, he knew the importance of alliance, and on the other hand, he had the intention of taking the opportunity to annex the northern territory.

Once he is able to seize the northern territory and the integration is completed, the Otomo family can slowly take over the entire Kyushu Island.

Although he had no ambition to become the master of Japan, he always wanted to become the master of Kyushu and make the Otomo clan the true overlord of Kyushu.

Otomo Giyou knew that he still lacked something after all, and now that he was being taught by his father personally, he nodded solemnly as if he understood.

At this time, there was a loud sound of gunshots outside.

"Master, what's wrong, assassins have sneaked into our mansion, and each of them has a gun in their hand!" A retainer pushed the door in, looking very panicked.

Otomo Masachika was suddenly shocked and said: "No, Ming's target is not the Ouchi family, but our family!"

ah?

Otomo Yiyou didn't understand at all why his father thought of the Ming army, and his eyes were filled with confusion.

It's just that there is not much time left for them. Otomo Masachika is well aware of the terror of the large open fire gun, and he immediately wants to escape from here. The other party's goal is very clear. They want to kill him and his son, leaving the Dayou family without a leader.

"Where are you escaping?" Shui Sheng, who was born in Danhu, looked coldly at Otomo Yiyou and his son who escaped from the courtyard, and said with a cold smile.

boom!

As the gunman behind him pulled the trigger, lead bullets were fired one after another.

Otomo Masaki's eyes flashed with a fierce look, but he grabbed his son and stood in front of him, helping him block the lead bullets.

this……

Looking at this scene, Zhao Jia from the Night Department immediately realized that Otomo Masachika was indeed a tycoon.

"You can't even hope to leave here safely!" Masachika Otomo threw aside his son who was beaten like a hole, but said coldly to the assassins who had finished shooting.

Just as he was speaking, he was suddenly stunned for a moment, but found that the young man at the head was actually holding a short gun pointed at him. But when he saw the short gun burning with no lead at all, he couldn't help but laugh contemptuously.

You are really stupid. The power of this big open fire gun is indeed amazing, but the biggest shortcoming is that it needs to be ignited. This is also the reason why the people of Jiangnan Company are filial to themselves and abandon it.

Shuisheng seemed to be looking at Otomo Masachika firmly. Although the short blazing gun in his hand did not have a sizzling fuse, he still pulled the trigger coldly. (End of chapter)