Divine medicine?
Tojo Nijuhachi felt his intelligence was being challenged.
In Tojo Nijuhachi's understanding, Fushougao was indeed a good thing, so good that it could make people forget pain and worries. In Japan, it was an indisputable luxury item, and ordinary people could not enjoy it at all.
Now, these rose beefs from England were actually claiming that this thing was divine medicine bestowed by God?
Before Tojo Nijuhachi could reprimand them, a rumbling sound of cannons suddenly came from afar, followed by bursts of fire and explosions in front of the English positions.
Tojo Nijuhachi had to suppress his civilized curses like "baka" and "yagga" and turned to Edward and Richard, asking, "Now, how do you plan to counter those French frogs?"
Edward and Richard exchanged glances and saw that both their faces were filled with confusion.
Europe had never had a tradition of fighting at night, nor a tradition of artillery duels at night!
Edward tentatively said, "Perhaps, they are simply firing cannons, and not thinking of attacking?"
Richard echoed, "Exactly, exactly. We can't see at night, and they definitely can't see at night either. It's probably just blind firing."
Tojo Nijuhachi cast a dismissive glance at the two and sneered, "And then? We just wait here foolishly, letting the French frogs opposite us fire their cannons?"
Seeing that Edward and Richard were playing dumb, Tojo Nijuhachi decided to lay all his cards on the table. "George III hasn't made any moves not because he can't do anything to us, but because he's also taking a gamble, to see if we can gain anything."
"If we can tear off a piece of flesh from France, then everything that happened before, including us detaining George III's envoy, will not matter."
"But if we lose, not only will England gain nothing, but it might even have to cede territory as compensation to France. Then George III will absolutely not let us off."
Edward exchanged glances with Richard again, his face showing some defiance, "It's true that our English soldiers like to inhale Fushougao, but those French frogs opposite us are no better than us. How can we not have a chance to win?"
Richard even snorted, "Now we are in France, and you control the English army. Even if His Majesty George is displeased with you, what can he do to you?"
Tojo Nijuhachi sneered, "He certainly can't do anything to you, but that doesn't mean he can't do anything to you – don't forget, you still have parents, wives, mistresses, and a bunch of sons, daughters, illegitimate sons, and illegitimate daughters."
"The reason George III hasn't used your family records as a threat is simply because he wants to take a gamble. But your current actions are clearly going to make him lose all his capital."
Upon hearing Tojo Nijuhachi's words, Edward and Richard immediately panicked.
Just as Louis XVI had to consider the French nobles, George III also had to consider the English nobles.
As it happened, Edward and Richard were of noble birth from England, otherwise, they would not have been able to hold the positions of Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy.
The two of them also guessed George III's desire to gamble, otherwise, Edward and Richard would not have repeatedly rejected George III's orders to withdraw troops.
But if they really lost...
This blame, while not necessarily huge, was certainly not small, and it was enough for the Edward family and the Richard family to be in trouble.
What was even more fatal was that there was indeed a possibility of losing now – before this, Edward and Richard had felt that their army, even if not stronger than the French frogs, was at least not weaker. Since they had a significant advantage at the start, even if they negotiated peace later, they could still be considered meritorious officials.
However, who could have imagined that those unscrupulous French frogs would choose to sneak attack with artillery at night?
Thinking of the price of being beaten severely by the French frogs, Edward's heart became even more flustered, and his gaze towards Tojo Nijuhachi was full of flattery. "Mr. Tojo, what has happened has happened. What we should do now is to find a way to deal with the threat of those French frogs?"
Richard quickly echoed, "Yes, yes, Edward is right. It's meaningless to pursue past matters now. It's better to quickly find a way to deal with those French frogs?"
Tojo Nijuhachi let out a cold sneer, "Deal with them with what? With these cannonballs mixed with sand? Or with this Fushougao?"
Before Edward and Richard could answer, Tojo Nijuhachi continued, "Tell me honestly now, how many cannonballs were mixed with sand?"
Edward and Richard exchanged glances, then replied in a low voice, "About one-third, but we also found sand in the cannonballs fired by those French frogs opposite us!"
Looking at Edward, who had suddenly become more assertive, Tojo Nijuhachi was amused to the point of anger. "Are you two idiots? This is French land. It doesn't matter how many cannonballs they mix with sand, because they can still replenish more cannonballs without sand."
"But what about us?"
"Without rear support, we can only rely on the cannonballs we have to win this war!"
"Now, you two baka, who can tell me how to fight the upcoming battle with one-third fewer cannonballs?"
At this point, Tojo Nijuhachi suddenly sighed, not expecting Edward and Richard to answer his questions. After issuing an order to counterattack, he instructed a messenger to summon all the English officers.
When everyone was assembled, Tojo Nijuhachi got straight to the point. "I already know about the matter of mixing sand into cannonballs and bullets. Now, I don't want to pursue who is responsible, I just want to tell everyone that we can only, and must, use the intact cannonballs and bullets to fight this war."
"As for why, perhaps you understand, perhaps you don't, but it doesn't matter. After the meeting, you can ask Edward and Richard, they can tell you why."
The faces of the English officers were all written with the words "not caring."
Because everyone was of noble birth.
Especially Justin, the son of the steward of the English treasury, who said with a grin, "Actually, the situation isn't that serious. I'll find a way to have my father send another batch of supplies, including the divine medicine."
As soon as Justin finished speaking, the English officers present became excited. Not only did some clap each other on the shoulder to express their excitement, but some even took off their hats and threw them into the air.
Tojo Nijuhachi's face immediately darkened. Just as he was about to say something, a ronin warrior rushed over, bowed, and said, "Lord Tojo, someone from the Ming Empire's ambassador to England has arrived and requests your immediate presence!"
Tojo Nijuhachi was stunned for a moment. After coming to his senses, he no longer paid attention to the bewildered Edward and Richard. After tidying his clothes slightly, he followed the messenger ronin warrior to the command post.
Upon arriving at the command post, Tojo Nijuhachi's heart sank to the bottom. A person dressed in Ming attire stood in the command post, and coupled with his distinctly Ming appearance, Tojo Nijuhachi was certain that this was the envoy sent by the Ming Empire's ambassador to England.
Standing beside this envoy was another person dressed in English military uniform, whom Tojo Nijuhachi had seen before.
The son of George III, the Prince of Wales of England, almost considered the heir apparent to the next King of England, Young George.
The signal that these two people standing together sent...
Ignoring Young George, who was sneering at him, Tojo Nijuhachi directly and concisely saluted the person sent by the Ming Empire's ambassador to England. "Tojo Nijuhachi pays his respects to the envoy!"
The person Tojo Nijuhachi called envoy nodded with a smile and then said, "Tojo, do you know the purpose of my visit?"
Tojo Nijuhachi shook his head slightly and replied, "Please forgive my ignorance, but may the envoy enlighten me?"
The envoy smiled and said, "Tojo, your mission in England has ended. The Ming Empire's ambassador to England has decided to recall you to India to be responsible for organizing the second corps for recruiting Indian laborers, and you will serve as the commander of the second corps."
Upon hearing this news, Tojo Nijuhachi felt a sense of indescribable emotion.
If he had received this news when he was in India, Tojo Nijuhachi would have jumped for joy and exclaimed that his ancestors' graves were emitting auspicious smoke.
But after commanding the English army, Tojo Nijuhachi suddenly lost interest in the labor recruitment corps. Although recruiting laborers also involved fighting, fighting the Third Brother in India was nothing compared to fighting the French frogs in France!
In comparison, Tojo Nijuhachi couldn't help but feel like he had ridden a roller coaster.
After thinking for a moment, Tojo Nijuhachi couldn't help but tentatively ask, "Envoy, the English army is currently fighting the French army, and the arrangements I made..."
The envoy smiled and shook his head. "Tojo, the English army will be taken over by the Prince of Wales. The subsequent matters are between England and France, and you do not need to be concerned with them anymore."
Tojo Nijuhachi fell into silence.
He wanted to agree, but he was unwilling.
He wanted to refuse, but he didn't dare.
Tojo Nijuhachi knew very well that although Tokugawa Ienari was the spokesperson for the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan, he was actually a dog nurtured by the Ming Empire. Whoever the Ming Empire wanted Tokugawa Ienari to bite, Tokugawa Ienari would pounce without hesitation.
Just as Edward and Richard's families were controlled by George III, Tojo Nijuhachi's own family was controlled by Tokugawa Ienari. If he dared to disobey the orders of the Ming Empire's ambassador to England, then what would happen next was self-evident.
What made Tojo Nijuhachi even more desperate was that even if he chose to abandon his family, he still wouldn't dare to refuse the order. Beside the envoy was a guard in Ming military uniform.
After carefully considering, Tojo Nijuhachi couldn't help but begin another round of probing. "May I ask the envoy, can Tojo wait until after this battle before departing?"
Seeing Tojo Nijuhachi probing again and again, the envoy sent by the Ming Empire's ambassador to England lost his patience. His gaze towards Tojo Nijuhachi was full of warning. "Tojo, you are a smart person, you should know what choice is the correct one?"
After the envoy finished speaking, the guard beside him took a slight step forward.
The meaning was clear: you, Tojo Nijuhachi, can play tricks when dealing with those English barbarians, but when facing the Ming, you either obey honestly or you die.
With his mind racing, Tojo Nijuhachi immediately made the correct decision. "Hai! Please convey to the ambassador that Tojo will return to India immediately to begin preparations for the second labor recruitment corps."
After the envoy, whose face had regained its smile, left with Tojo Nijuhachi, Prince Young George, sent by George III to take over command, called Edward, Richard, and the other English officers to the command post with a grim face.
Facing Edward, Richard, and the other English officers, His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales was not as silent as he had been moments ago.
"Mr. Edward, Mr. Richard, please gather your troops immediately and assemble on the shore."
George III's own son, the Prince of Wales, the tacitly acknowledged first heir apparent of England, Young George, began issuing orders unceremoniously. "Regardless of how much territory you have already captured, now, immediately, abandon it."
"And to the gentlemen present, please manage your soldiers well and maintain military decorum. Do not behave like bandits!"
As Young George finished speaking, the English officers present were all dumbfounded.
Justin, the son of the head of the English treasury, asked unceremoniously, "Why? Does Your Highness George believe we cannot defeat those damned French frogs?"
"England will not only gain nothing, but it might even have to cede territory as compensation to France. George III will absolutely not let us off."
George III also had to consider the English nobles.
Edward and Richard were of noble birth, otherwise, they would not have been able to hold the positions of Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy.
This blame, while not small, was certainly enough for the Edward family and the Richard family to be in trouble.
Who could have imagined that those unscrupulous French frogs would choose to sneak attack with artillery at night?
And standing beside this envoy was another person dressed in English military uniform, whom Tojo Nijuhachi had seen before.