novelhk Chapter 1267 Japan is settled, and the nine provinces are pacified.
Chapter 1267 Japan is settled, and the nine provinces are pacified.
Hideyoshi Hashiba felt like he was living in a dream.
A month ago, he was just a lowly samurai in the Oda clan, carrying his lord's straw sandals, with only one thing on his mind: to survive the next bloody battle, earn a few more copper coins, and give his family a good meal.
Now, he, Hideyoshi Hashiba, has become the supreme commander leading an army of 100,000 and conquering Kyushu.
This dream is absurd and nonsensical.
The one who bestowed this dream upon him was the regent of the Great Qian Dynasty, a true god and demon.
"Pass on my orders!"
He stood on the makeshift platform, looking down at the black torrent of steel below, the sea of people stretching as far as the eye could see.
He issued the first general's order in his life.
His voice trembled with extreme excitement, yet it carried an unprecedented air of authority.
"Army attack!"
"Target: Samo!"
"Raze the inner castle! Capture Onishimazu alive!"
He drew his katana from his waist, the tip pointing straight south, the sunlight reflecting off the blade with a blinding, cold gleam.
"This battle is a celebration for Your Highness!"
"This battle is for the great Qianhe!"
"oh--!"
The roar of 100,000 people rose from the ground, the sound waves turning into tangible shockwaves, tearing open the clouds in the sky with cracks.
The army marched forth with banners fluttering like a forest, and the ironclad torrent surged forward, causing the entire earth to tremble.
As Hideyoshi Hashiba rode on his horse, his heart felt like it was about to explode.
He has already thought about it.
He wanted to prove his worth to that high-ranking Eastern monarch with a resounding victory, a bloody siege battle worthy of being recorded in history.
He wanted to show the prince that this "monkey" of his could not only climb trees, but also bite people!
He wanted to use Yoshihiro Shimazu's head as a stepping stone to the pinnacle of power!
However, he never dreamed of it.
Just as they were sharpening their knives, preparing to exchange the toughest bone in the land for fame and fortune.
The "Onishimazu" who was already seen as a lamb to the slaughter made a decision that left everyone speechless.
Satsuma Bay Port.
Hideyoshi Hashiba's vanguard army arrived amidst billowing dust.
The scouts brought back incredible intelligence.
They were met not by the deadly fire nets of the Satsuma arquebusiers, nor by the city defenses riddled with traps.
There was only an empty city with its four gates wide open.
The city walls were covered with countless white surrender flags, which swayed helplessly in the sea breeze.
Hideyoshi Hashiba didn't believe it. He rode his horse to the front of the battle and witnessed the scene that he would never forget.
Outside the city gate, a man with a shaved head, dressed in a glaring white prison uniform, knelt alone, his forehead pressed against the cold earth.
Former ruler of Kyushu.
Yoshihiro Shimazu.
He surrendered.
In the most thorough and humiliating way, he offered his head and loyalty to the Eastern monarch he had never met.
The news spread like wildfire among the vassal armies.
Everyone is stupid.
Along their journey, they had imagined countless possible bloody battles, but this was the only one they hadn't considered.
This epic battle, which was expected to be a bloodbath, ended in an almost comical way.
Hideyoshi Hashiba felt a tightness in his chest, and almost spat out a mouthful of blood.
He felt as if he had punched a ball full of strength, and it landed heavily on a ball of cotton.
Empty, stifling, absurd!
He reorganized his army and worked tirelessly to devise battle plans, determined to demonstrate his prowess in the conquest of the Nine Provinces and prove his worth to that prince of the Celestial Empire.
It's better now.
He didn't even touch the enemy's knife before the enemy knelt down!
How is this fight going?
Where does the credit come from?
"Baka! Shimazu Yoshihiro, you coward! You coward!"
He reined in his horse and angrily began to curse.
Kneeling on the ground, Yoshihiro Shimazu remained motionless, like a stone statue.
Insults? What are those?
He simply knelt there quietly, his face, once filled with madness and violence, now showing only a deathly stillness.
He lost.
From the moment he stepped onto that hellish warship, the "Black Pearl," he had already lost.
He lost completely the moment he saw that blonde queen, more beautiful than a siren and more terrifying than a devil.
Faced with a power capable of overturning the world, his proud Bushido and his fearless reputation became a joke.
It's not a funny joke.
All he wants now is to survive.
Even if it's like a dog.
Live humbly.
……
The war in Kyushu ended at a speed no one could have predicted.
Hideyoshi Hashiba, the "monkey" personally pushed onto the stage by Lin Zhen, failed to win the battle for fame he had dreamed of.
But the credit for "unifying the nine provinces without bloodshed" still draped over him like a magnificent robe.
This tremendous achievement propelled his prestige within the new Japanese order to its peak.
He, Hideyoshi Hashiba, finally rose to power.
He became the second most important person in this land, second only to Mitsuhide Akechi.
With the pacification of Kyushu, the entire country of Wa was completely incorporated into the territory of the Great Qian Empire.
The Iwami Silver Mine, that enormous treasure trove flowing with wealth, began supplying the Great Qian Empire's treasury with enough silver to launch a world war.
Meanwhile, the Japanese samurai who were reorganized into "auxiliary troops" were undergoing rapid transformation under the tutelage of Yue Fei and Elizabeth, the two "devil instructors".
They transformed from a disorganized mob into a disciplined and formidable force that obeyed orders without question.
Everything was proceeding exactly as Lin Zhen had written, down to the last detail.
Japan, that evil dragon of the East Sea, has had its claws pulled out and its spine shattered.
It became a watchdog that only knew how to wag its tail and beg for mercy.
Now, it's time to deal with that hungry wolf from the West that's been entrenched in Southeast Asia and has long coveted the fertile lands of the East.
Azuchi Castle, castle tower.
An unprecedented victory celebration banquet.
All the famous daimyo of Japan gathered here.
With the utmost humility, they offered their loyalty and tribute to the divine couple, the Eastern Emperor and Empress, who sat on the throne.
Gold, silver, jewelry, antiques, and beautiful women were poured into this palace, which symbolized the highest power in Japan, like a flowing stream.
Oda Nobuo presented his family's heirloom "Ninety-Nine Eggplant" tea caddy, Tokugawa Ieyasu sent a treasured ancient copy of "The Art of War," and the Mori family even offered half of their entire territory's annual income as tribute.
The entire castle tower was permeated with a morbid atmosphere, a mixture of money, desire, and flattery.
Lin Zhen and Murong Yan sat side by side on the huge main seat made of gold and ivory.
Murong Yan leaned lazily against Lin Zhen's chest.
She looked down at the group of so-called "Japanese elites" behaving so disgracefully, a flash of disgust crossing her phoenix eyes.
These men, who were fighting to the death for a tiny piece of land one moment, could become as insignificant as dust in the face of a stronger force the next.
She even saw Hideyoshi Hashiba and Mitsuhide Akechi standing together, politely toasting each other, but their eyes concealed contempt and murderous intent towards each other.
So boring.
"My husband, I'm a little tired," she said softly.
"it is good."
Lin Zhen nodded and stood up from the main seat.
He moved.
The entire hall fell into a deathly silence.
The noisy music stopped, and the dancers froze in place. All the famous figures seemed to have their necks grabbed, frozen in place, their eyes looking up at the sky with fear and awe.
They had no idea what this Eastern monarch, whose thoughts were as deep as the ocean, was planning to do next.
"Everyone."
Lin Zhen's voice, however, clearly penetrated everyone's ears.
"Japan has been pacified, and Kyushu has been subdued."
"From this day forward, our Great Qian Dynasty will promulgate new laws and implement new policies in this place."
"I don't care if you were surnamed Oda, Tokugawa, or Shimazu before."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over each of the deathly pale faces below, his eyes calm yet carrying an undeniable, absolute will.
"From now on, you will all have only one surname."
"That is, the Great Qian Dynasty!"