Not long after,
Twenty warships, armed to the teeth and considered the pinnacle of modern naval power, cut through the waves. It was a rare day of clear skies and vast horizons. Gazing at the endless expanse of water, Zhu Mo and Yu Dayou were filled with emotion.
For Yu Dayou, this voyage marked the culmination of twenty years fighting against Japanese pirates. For Zhu Mo, it was the beginning of a grand expedition as a reformist minister.
Yu Dayou suddenly chuckled, "Scholar Zhu, I recall you gave Soza a confession from an assassin? Now you're sailing warships towards Shuri. Wouldn't he be cornered into a desperate act?"
Heh,
Zhu Mo replied calmly, "If he dares to act foolishly, that would be for the best... But, Old Yu, have you met him?"
Yu Dayou shook his head and reminisced,
"He arrived about seventeen or eighteen years ago, didn't he? Before him, a fleet of merchant ships landed at Nan'ao. The local authorities confiscated forty of their firearms and let them return... I suspect it was due to that mishandling that Soza found justification to act aggressively, forcing Mao Longxuan to sign a capitulation, and then he settled in permanently.
ID-563743675
I haven't met the man myself, but I've fought against Portuguese soldiers quite a bit over the years. These people are fierce, but if they lose their edge, they become quite docile..."
Mmm,
"Westerners are like that. If you overpower them, they'll be scared. If you can't beat them, they'll torment you to death... Old Yu, what about that Mao Longxuan? How is he?"
Yu Dayou spoke slowly,
"His clan, the Mao clan, seems to be related to the Mao clan in the Quzhou region. They later crossed the sea to Ryukyu and merged with a local Mao clan, known as the Tomigusuku Mao clan, forming the 'Two Maos.' This fellow, he's comparable to Yan Song. In just a few years, he became a confidant of King Sho Sei. Later, when King Sho Sei passed away and a powerful minister attempted to depose the heir in favor of a younger son, Mao Longxuan quelled the rebellion and gained immense power...
As far as I know, because he is not from the Tomigusuku Mao clan, the four great powerful families have always been dissatisfied and have caused several disturbances. It was only with Soza's formidable ships and cannons that he managed to solidify his position as a powerful minister. Therefore, I believe when we reach Ryukyu, a battle is likely inevitable. Even if Soza doesn't make a move, Mao Longxuan will..."
This assessment,
Indeed, reminded Zhu Mo—
On this trip, why not interfere with Ryukyu's internal affairs directly, much like we did in Japan? Support a pro-China prince to ascend the throne. If that's not feasible, then support a pro-China minister. However, this matter cannot be handled directly, or the surrounding small nations will be terrified. It must be hinted at indirectly, allowing them to act on their own initiative...
...
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Two days later,
At dusk.
The fleet had approached Shuri. The two men stood at the bow of the flagship, and they could already see the naval base and the city.
Ryukyu had always been a small country, and its city walls were quite low. Due to the frequent storms on the island, houses were not built very tall. However, the naval base outside the harbor had some semblance of order. At this time, about thirty to forty Portuguese ships were anchored there. Although the naval base appeared imposing, in the setting sun, it had a somewhat haphazard and desolate look.
Yu Dayou raised the Sun, Moon, and Stars flag and ordered the vanguard warships to cruise laterally. This was a common formation in naval warfare, signifying no hostility, merely a patrol.
Half an hour later,
Three small boats approached from the port. A middle-aged civil official in official attire, holding a stone tablet, shouted towards the two:
"The superior nation has already exchanged diplomatic notes. Why then have you sent warships? Our sovereign is most perplexed. Please come forward and state your intentions, otherwise, our navy will expel you!"
Haha,
The two men burst into laughter, finding the official somewhat comical. Ryukyu was simply too weak to expel their warships. His declaration was likely an attempt to leverage the dozens of Portuguese ships in the nearby military harbor.
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However, the official's appearance was identical to that of a Chinese person, and his accent was no different, similar to the accents in the Jinshanwei area.
Zhu Mo shouted loudly:
"I am Zhu Mo, Grand Scholar of the Wen Yuan Pavilion of the Great Ming and Chief Administrator of the Zhoushan Office! This is Yu Dayou, Admiral of the Fujian Sea Fleet! We are here today to apprehend the Portuguese Soza and bring him to justice! Quickly inform him! We will wait for one hour. If Soza does not surrender within that hour, I will destroy you all!"
What?
The man was instantly stunned!
This,
Damn, was that diplomatic language?
It was too humiliating!
His expression changed immediately, and he waved his hand, signaling the small boats to turn back.
...
This book is first published on < >: . Tadunovel, Yu Dayou smiled and said: "Scholar Zhu, I think you're deliberately provoking him, aren't you? Afraid Soza won't fight desperately?" Before he finished speaking, he looked at Zhu Mo again, a half-smile on his face, "You deliberately brought only twenty ships, just to make Soza think he still has a chance to fight?" Heh, Zhu Mo nodded and said leisurely, "Old Yu, I tell you, if we can fight, we should fight. We should base ourselves on fighting... Look at the naval base over there, those thirty to forty Portuguese ships are ultimately a nuisance. I want to sink them, so that many small nations won't still be thinking of strong support." Yu Dayou countered, "It won't be easy to fight, will it? If Soza is someone who can bend and stretch, we won't have an opportunity. We can't just attack their warships, can we?" "Then let's see if that Soza is a dragon or a worm..." Zhu Mo sneered coldly, remembering that this man was the chief culprit behind twenty years of trouble, and he intended to humiliate him thoroughly this time. ... Discussion group 563743675 Inside Shuri Castle, At the Prime Minister's Residence. Soza was already furious, but Mao Longxuan, having weathered many storms, remained quite calm. "Prime Minister, Ryukyu is an independent nation. Why must you bow to the tyrannical Ming? This is blatant aggression! Don't worry, the Ming dare not antagonize my Great Portuguese Empire! They wouldn't dare, even with a hundred times their courage! We have four thousand warships and one hundred thousand cannons! We have colonies all over the world! What is the Ming compared to us? You, you should declare war on the Ming immediately!" He naturally wanted to fight, but on one hand, he was somewhat fearful, and on the other, he knew he was in the wrong. Therefore, he wanted to force Mao Longxuan to fire in the name of the Ryukyu Kingdom, so that he could explain himself to his own people. Mao Longxuan was not easily deceived. He retorted, "General Soza, I believe it is your Great Portuguese Empire that should declare war on the Ming! Ryukyu is but a small nation, how could it possibly have such capability?" "You..." Soza, instead of getting angry, laughed, "Ha, Mao Longxuan, let me tell you, you are a vassal of the Ming. Zhu Mo, with just the little finger of his hand, can overturn your seat! I advise you to be wise and brave, stand with the Great Portuguese Empire, and only then can you preserve your position as Regent Minister." This book is first published on < >: . Tadunovel, Mao Longxuan calmly replied, "General Soza, the Ming would never dare to touch the Governor-General of the Great Portuguese Empire. Furthermore, Minister Yan Song and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Yu have already reached a consensus. Why don't you make a trip to Beijing, General? With your eloquent tongue, persuade the Ming Emperor and his ministers, and perhaps relieve the siege of Zhoushan and rescue those confined friendly envoys and righteous men?"