Chapter 905 Peace Negotiation

Author: Chongqing Lao Q

Chapter 905 Peace Negotiation

January 22, 1675, Nagasaki, Japan.

In the past year, nothing attracted the most attention in the entire East Asia region than the outbreak of the Qi-Japanese War. No one expected that two countries tens of thousands of miles apart would be involved in the seizure of merchant ships and the disposal of personnel.

This then triggered a war between the two sides.

In less than half a year, Qi State gathered the troops of nine vassal states including Weiguo, Luzon, Sulu, Shunguo, Champa, Hexian, Liangshan (Hao family), Ryukyu, and Yunzhou Town.

town, dispatched more than 20,000 troops and nearly a hundred large and small ships, and brazenly launched a war against Japan.

Three months after the war broke out, Qi State first bombarded Edo with dozens of warships for five consecutive days, then attacked Osaka, captured Kyoto, occupied Nara, and almost attacked the entire Gyeonggi region. And the Ming Dynasty forces in Ezo even more

They took the opportunity to conquer the northern part of Mutsu and occupied a large territory. Sado Island, where the shogunate's gold mine was located, was also captured by the shogunate a month ago, and they looted countless gold and silver.

It stands to reason that Nagasaki, as a territory directly under the shogunate and Japan's most important trading port, has accumulated countless wealth, and is very close to Gengluo Island to which Yunzhou Town belongs, and is also close to Toyi Island (today's Amami Oshima Island in Japan) leased by Qi State.

) is only three to five days' voyage away. With Qi's maritime superiority, it can be captured as soon as possible.

Not to mention how strong the Nagasaki defenders were and how tight the city defenses were, but Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Hyogotsu (today's Kobe City) and other important towns in the capital were easily captured by the Qi army two months ago. Let me ask, if Nagasaki

Facing the Qi army's attack, how could they be spared?

However, to this day, the Qi army has never attacked Nagasaki. Even though there have been several warships floating outside the harbor, they have not made any attacks and only carried out the task of blockading Nagasaki. This made the shogunate officials and officials in the city

While the merchants were rejoicing, they could not help but murmur to themselves, did the Qi people want to maintain the integrity of this trading port so that they could continue to trade through Nagasaki in the future?

"After this war, Qi will not only continue to maintain trade with Japan." Grene Ward, the senior manager of the Dutch East India Company in Japan, said with a worried look: "With their superior performance on the battlefield in the past few months,

I am afraid that they will ask for more trade privileges after the war, and they will not even exclude

In addition to the Japanese government threatening Edo, open more trade ports to them. It is conceivable that once this happens, the dominance of the entire Japanese trade will inevitably be completely in the hands of the Qi people. As for our East India Company, we will

It will be reduced to a position of insignificance.”

"Yes, the people of Qi can provide the goods that our East India Company can provide to the Japanese. And the people of Qi can also provide the goods that we cannot provide." Knut Stevenson, commercial counselor of the East India Company, smiled bitterly.

He said, "Whether it is in the East Indies or the entire Far East, our East India Company's voice is getting weaker and weaker in front of the increasingly powerful Qi State."

"Facing the strength of Qi, our East India Company has to be cautious in many matters." Grene Ward shook his head and said: "The Japanese were very angry at our refusal to provide them with artillery and muskets, and even

Their Nagasaki policy also threatened to cut off trade with our East India Company."

"Dear Ward, your handling measures are very correct. If you offend the Japanese, the most you can do is lose the Japanese market. But once you anger the people of Qi, our East India Company may lose the entire Eastern trade." Stevenson disagreed.

He said: "Besides, with their current situation, they won't push us against them. Through the course of the war over the past few months, the performance of the Japanese army does not seem to be as expected.

powerful."

"The performance of the Japanese is indeed beyond our imagination. Several of their core cities were easily defeated by the Qi people. In the battle of Osaka, the number of troops lost was as many as 50,000." Ward sighed: "

It is said that the loss of the Qi people was only about a thousand people. If the Qi people did not cheat, then this would be an amazing exchange ratio!"

"Actually, I am not surprised by the strong combat power shown by the Qi State." Stevenson shrugged and said: "After all, in the past thirty years, the Qi State's army has participated in many wars.

One after another, almost without stopping. I think this has a positive effect on maintaining the combat effectiveness of their army."

"However, I was very surprised by Qi's strong military mobilization capabilities. Think about it, in less than six months, they mobilized more than 20,000 troops, and then crossed tens of thousands of miles of sea routes to attack a country with a

A large country with a population of more than 10 million can launch a landing war and win consecutive battles, which seems to be very easy."

"Stevenson, do you think it's possible that the Qi people will send troops into Europe at some point?" Ward's expression changed after hearing Stevenson's words.

"...No way?" Stevenson was stunned for a moment and said hesitantly: "If the Qi people sent troops to Europe, they would have to cross tens of thousands of miles of sea routes and take five or six months on the way. They estimate...

Can’t do it?”

"The Qi people occupy a large coastal area in southern Africa." Ward said thoughtfully: "It seems that they can use South Africa as a springboard. From there, they can gather and transit, and then go all the way north to Europe, which is a distance of

It’s already very close.”

"Ward, I think your idea is very...reasonable." Stevenson nodded and said: "Perhaps, at some point, Qi's power will really enter Europe. At that time, I don't know if Qi will

What impact and changes will it bring to the entire European region?"

"More than ten years ago, our East India Company predicted that the Qi State would gradually control the world east of the Indian Ocean in the next hundred years. But with the current development momentum of the Qi State, I think this time may be greatly advanced.

.By then, a huge empire that controls the Indian Ocean will inevitably have a strong influence on the entire European region. This is beyond doubt."

"So, both our East India Company and our United Provinces Republic should continue to maintain and deepen the strategic partnership with Qi. This is very important for our future..."

"Dong dong..." Suddenly there was a rapid knock on the door.

"Gentlemen, half a month ago, Qi State once again defeated the shogunate army in Edo!" An East India Company employee entered the room with a surprised look on his face, "The Tokugawa General of the shogunate has proposed to Qi State

Armistice demand... They want to negotiate for peace! So, the war may be over soon!"

"Oh?" Stevenson and Ward looked at each other.

"Gentlemen, I think it is necessary for our East India Company to witness the peace talks between Japan and Japan." Stevenson said solemnly: "Perhaps this will have positive significance for our market in Japan."

——

January 28, Edo.

"The compensation of 20 million taels proposed by your country is indeed far beyond the financial burden of our shogunate." Sakai Tadaki, the elder of the shogunate, said with difficulty: "Therefore, our shogunate cannot agree to this clause in any case."

Qi Yuanshan, Deputy Prime Minister of the State of Qi and Minister of Industry and Commerce, looked indifferent when he heard this. He gently leaned back on the chair, picked up the tea cup, blew on the hot air, and then took a sip without saying a word, as if he didn't want to be with him at all.

The look of bargaining.

"This war was initiated by your shogunate." Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces Wan Changshu said with a cold face: "Then you have to bear all the consequences of the war. The compensation of 20 million silver is to make all Japanese citizens

We express our sincere regret for rashly launching a war. The compensation of one tael of silver per person is the minimum we require."

After Sakai Tadakichi heard this, he couldn't help but glance at Lao Zhongtsuchiya Shuzhi, showing a bit of helplessness and bitterness.

A few days ago, in order to show the strength of Japan and the tough attitude of the shogunate, Tsuchiya kept talking nonsense, saying that all 20 million people in Japan can be the emperor and be loyal to the shogunate. Even if they are all broken, they will not surrender.

, let alone agree to the various rude conditions proposed by Qi State.

As a result, when talking about the shogunate's compensation request today, Qi proposed that all Japanese citizens should pay one tael of silver each as a punishment for the shogunate's defeat.

In fact, the shogunate itself did not know the actual population of Japan. During this period, except for Qi State, there was no concept of census at all, and no government conducted a detailed census of its own population.

Of course, as early as the Qin and Han dynasties in ancient China, there were fish scale books used to count the basic information of the people under the jurisdiction. However, due to the existence of various poll taxes, the phenomenon of hiding the population more or less occurred, and the population data was not very clear.

Accurate. Later, the internationally recognized census in the modern sense began with the first census in the United States in 1790.

The second large-scale decisive battle on land between the coalition forces headed by Qi and the shogunate army took place twenty days ago. Unsurprisingly, the shogunate army was defeated again. More than 50,000 shogunate troops were defeated in Shanghai.

Near the country (today's Chiba City, Japan), they were defeated by 20,000 allied troops in a devastating way, killing more than 30,000 wounded and captured.

When the defeated army fled back to Edo Castle, the shogunate was... well, extremely shocked again.

When the Qi army bombarded Edo again and landed on the main country with a large army, more than 50,000 feudal troops and shogunate commander Hatamoto Masaru, who had been recruited again, marched toward Osaka with great momentum, preparing to annihilate the "remaining" invading Nanman army in one fell swoop

.

Faced with the Qi army's tendency to take Edo directly, the shogunate immediately sent out several fast-horse messengers to call back the conquest army halfway. As a result, more than 50,000 shogunate troops had to brave the wind and snow in the cold winter to overcome various difficulties.

, turned around and returned to Edo to meet the incoming Qi army.

The shogunate army only rested for one day in Edo Castle, and then they dragged their tired bodies and braved the biting cold wind to head towards the capital. This time, it was the turn of the coalition forces to select the battlefield in advance, arrange their positions, and rush to meet the enemy.

More than 50,000 shogunate troops arrived.

At ten o'clock in the morning on January 8, the battle began. The coalition forces first bombarded the dense formation of the shogunate army with fierce artillery fire. Then, several huge musket phalanxes took the initiative to attack the shogunate army. Continuous volleys of gun fire

, disintegrating the resistance of the shogunate army one by one, eventually leading to collapse.

In this battle, the general of the shogunate army and the veteran shogunate Masanori Inaba were killed on the battlefield by the coalition forces. In addition, seven feudal lords, dozens of banners were killed, and more than 8,000 Ashigaru samurai were killed, and more than 21,000 were killed.

Less than 20,000 shogunate troops were captured and fled back to Edo Castle, and most of the soldiers abandoned their weapons and armor on the way to escape.

Facing another disastrous defeat, everyone in the shogunate suddenly lost their words, and what followed was endless fear.

With the tyrannical fighting power shown by the Qi army, can Edo City be saved?

You must know that the entire Edo Castle is not only the political and economic center of the Tokugawa shogunate, but also a huge "concentration camp" for hostages. Because, according to the "visiting transfer" system established by the shogunate, the family members of all daimyo in the country are staying in

In Edo Castle, at the same time, nearly half of the country's feudal lords stay in Edo Castle all year round.

If this was taken over by the Qi State, the entire shogunate rule would collapse in an instant, and at the same time, all the vassals in the country would fall into huge civil strife.

In addition, in order to control the emperor, the Tokugawa shogunate established the Kyoto Agency, and in order to supervise the Kansai region, it established the Osaka Castle Agency. Both of these places were conquered by the Qi State and the emperor was captured. All of this has made Kansai

, China and the Kyushu region experienced instability in the vassal states, and many of them refused to recruit from the shogunate.

Once Edo is captured by the Qi Kingdom again, the shogunate will really have no capital to continue playing.

armistice!

We must immediately start peace negotiations with Qi to end this war!

The eldest elder Sakai Tadakiyo, the elder Naka Tsuchiya Sunao, Abe Masano and other shogunate assistants, no matter how radical they were at the beginning and how they persisted in the main battle, at this time when the Tokugawa shogunate was in danger, they all submitted their support to the Tokugawa family.

Stop the war immediately and conduct peace negotiations to avoid the situation from worsening.

The peace talks between the two parties started ten days ago, and the negotiation location was on a large 1,300-ton warship anchored outside Edo Port.
To be continued...