The fleet led by Ling Yunyi consisted of two Fubo-class ships, sixty-two other large and small warships, troop transports, and supply ships, with a total of 23,800 soldiers—the Ming Dynasty's Beiyang Navy was almost fully mobilized.
Of course, such a large-scale military operation cannot be kept secret. While the navy was still chopping the waves on the sea, a fast ship had already arrived in Japan to inform the Ming army of a massive attack. The first stop was probably Hirado or Nagasaki.
The lord of Hirado Castle, Matsuura Town, urgently reported to his old father that Hizen was guarding Matsuura Takanobu. At that time, Matsuura Takanobu was negotiating with Shimazu Yoshihisa, who had defeated the Ryuzoji family in the Battle of Okitabana in March and killed his family governor, Ryuzoji Takanobu, to help Matsuura.
They are still negotiating over how much they should contribute to the Shimadzu family every year.
Shimazu Yoshihisa was frightened when he heard Matsuura Takanobu's report. The Satsuma vassals in Kyushu had already opened up trade during the Goho era, so they were very well-informed - the Ming Dynasty destroyed Burma like cutting melons and vegetables in Indochina.
These people had already known the details in detail. When they heard that these murderers were coming to bring bad luck to Kyushu, Shimazu Yoshihisa's complacency after he destroyed the Ryuzoji family was wiped out.
Along with the Matsuura family elders who reported the news, there was also military intelligence about the Ming army's main battleship Fuha class - there were 128 artillery pieces on the two battleships alone, and there were now a total of ten "big barrels" in the entire Hizen.
, or the Matsuura family bought it after the Portuguese fought a naval battle at Futian Bay in the 44th year of Jiajing's reign and were beaten by the Portuguese with a black nose and a swollen face.
At this time, we are not continuing to discuss the issue of how much money the Matsuura family will get after surrendering. If the Ming army does not handle it properly when it comes, Nagasaki or Hirado will inevitably become a scorched earth. Whether the Shimadzu family and the Matsuura family can continue to exist is a question: Myanmar has tens of millions.
The Ming Dynasty easily took over a country with a large population. Kyushu’s strength was not even one-tenth of Myanmar’s, so what could it do to resist?
At that time, Shimazu Yoshihisa and Matsuura Takanobu ran away to Isaku Kamamaru Castle. Before leaving, he told Matsuura Takanobu, I will not pursue any wrongdoing you did with Ryuzoji Takanobu, as long as you keep Hirado Castle.
.Keep the green hills alive and don’t worry about running out of firewood. I will give you strong support here.
Matsuura Takanobu had no idea and planned to be a coward. He wrote back to his son Zhenxin and said, "You are a businessman who manages the trade of Hirado Castle. Come when the Ming army comes. Just treat it as if you are here to trade - what does the Ming army have?"
If necessary, you can handle it from a business perspective.
Of course, the Ming army just doesn’t want to give money, so you have to give when you should. Don’t pick at Sosou. Just lie down and get hammered. At the same time, Takanobu told his son to tell the commander of the Ming army that the boss of Satsuma in Kyushu is Shima.
The Tsu family has the largest territory. If they want to pacify Kyushu, they must attack Shimazu first. The other vassals will surely surrender.
...
On the first day of August in the twelfth year of Wanli, Ling Yunyi led the fleet to Hirado. In Matsuura Zhenxin's eyes, the Ming army's ships were like mountains, and their long sails blocked the sun.
When I was observing with a telescope imported from the Ming Dynasty, I was so frightened that I lost my voice. It took me a stick of incense to find it and I could speak.
Immediately, the Ming army sent small boats ashore and asked the city lord, Matsuura Jinnobu, to immediately clear the Hirado Pier and guide the Ming warships to the shore, otherwise they would immediately launch artillery attacks on the city.
How could Songpu Zhenxin give the Ming army that chance? He immediately dispatched the labor ship that had been prepared for a long time and sent the reception and the dust banquet and himself to the ship of Commander Ling Yunyi. Ling Yunyi entered smoothly without firing a single shot.
To Hirado.
After a pleasant day in Hirado, Ling Yunyi explained his intention and asked Matsuura Jinshobu to inform the Japanese court that Marshal Ling Yunyi was ordered to come to Japan to interrogate the emperor's name. Matsuura Zhenshu immediately wrote to inform his father and Taizheng Minister Nijo Akiyoshi
, and then accompanied Ling Yunyi to kill chickens and reward the Ming army.
Three days later, Hirado Castle, which had a population of 300,000, was in ruins, and its supplies were almost wiped out by the Ming army. Matsuura Town hesitated and told Ling Yunyi that you have too many people, and I really can't afford it -
—But the Shimazu family has a lot of supplies on their territory, so I can lead the Emperor Ming's army.
Ling Yunyi said yes, but the army has been in a dangerous situation along the way, and now it is too tired to move. Go and call Shimazu Yoshihisa, and I will talk to him.
Matsuura Jinnobu went to Isaku Kamamaru Castle with a mournful face and invited Shimazu Yoshihisa to come to Hirado, saying that Imperial Envoy Ling Yunyi had invited him.
Shimazu Yoshihisa has not been idle these days after returning to the city. He seizes the time to harvest food, prepare the army, and prepare to fight the Ming army to the death.
After listening to Matsuura Jinshin's explanation of the Ming army's intention, Shimazu Yoshihisa breathed a sigh of relief. Unexpectedly, it turned out that they were not here to sweep Kyushu. I was so scared that my heart almost stopped these days. Wasn't it just to order food and supplies?
Things that can be solved with money are nothing - well, nephew, tell me the truth, is the Ming army really planning to go to Beijing to deliver the message? This circle goes far enough.
Matsuura Jinnobu then told Shimazu Yoshihisa what Ming Dynasty wanted to pursue for decades of Japanese pirates. When Shimazu Yoshihisa heard this, his face turned pale at first - most of the Japanese among the Japanese pirates were Satsuma ronin and refugees.
He was hired by the pirate forces of the Ming Dynasty to fight.
Then his thoughts changed, and he asked Matsuura Town Nobu: "Does Ling Yunyi know the relationship between the Ouchi family and the Otomo family?" Seeing Matsuura Town Nobu's head filled with questions, he said directly: "The name of the Ouchi family was inherited by the Ouchi family.
Yes, do you know about this?"
Regarding the historical confusion about the inheritance of Japanese family names, it is a compulsory course for daimyo children. After hearing this, Matsuura Zhennobu immediately retorted: "The Ouchi family died at the hands of the Mori family, and the family name was lost early. When it comes to concubine income,
After that, Kobayakawa Takakage and Ryuzoji Temple, and even our family are related, what does it have to do with the Otomo family?"
Shimazu Yoshihisa put the small fan in his hand together and slapped it on the desk, and said with a smile: "At least the word 'big' is the same! In the Ningbo Rebellion in the past, Song Suqing belonged to the Hosokawa family, so he killed him and
The Qiandao Zongshe who rioted in Ningbo was sent by Ouchi Yixing! Doesn’t Imperial Envoy Ling Yunyi not want revenge?"
After hearing this, Matsuura Zhenxin's eyes lit up and he bowed: "What do you mean -"
Shimazu Yoshihisa smiled and said: "Nowadays, there is no need to worry about the Ryuzuo Temple in Satsuma. Otomo Sorin still has the strength to fight. Why not provoke him and let the envoy order Otomo Sorin to hand over his territory and perform a caesarean section to apologize. If there is not enough food and righteousness,
Got it?"
The Matsuura family has been living in the cracks of the major forces in Kyushu. Previously, it relied on the Ryuzoji family, and Shimazu Yoshihisa had been jealous of his family's Hirado port for a long time. After Ryuzoji Takanobu was taken over, Matsuura Takanobu had already asked Shimazu Yoshihisa
Jiu Toucheng - The two sides were discussing the protection fee last time.
Judging from the exchanges between Matsuura Jinnobu and Ling Yunyi in the past few days, Ling Yunyi basically has a dark eye on the major forces in Japan - if he really deceives him according to the lies compiled by Shimazu Yoshihisa, it is very likely that
May be successful.
But in that case, the semi-independent status of the Matsuura family will be completely lost. Although Otomo Sorin has declined in recent years, there are still three thousand nails in the shipwreck. Can the Matsuura family occupy Hizen and Hirado in the form of paying protection fees, or Shimadzu?
It’s because I’m worried about Dayou’s family.
To lie or not to lie? This is a question. Matsuura Zhenxin read the telegram and said with a smile on his face: "His Royal Highness Captain Zuoemon, Ling Yunyi served successively as the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, and later served as the deputy privy envoy of the Ming Dynasty and the commander of the navy. Such people are not good.
Lie to him." I thought in my heart, "You are going to Hirado anyway, I can't tell this lie."
Shimazu Yoshihisa felt slightly annoyed when he heard that he called him Captain Zaemon instead of calling him lord as when he first met him.
He closed his eyes slightly, thought about it in his mind, and then said, "You don't have to say this. I will point it out when I visit the imperial envoy and then see what he means. Just don't make trouble in private."
Matsuura Jinnobu hurriedly knelt on the ground and swore to heaven that he would never tell. After Shimazu Yoshihisa dismissed him, he clapped his hands and told the young man next to him: "Go and call Genshiro."
When Tadayō Ijuin came in to pay his respects, Shimazu Yoshihisa ordered him: "Prepare one thousand taels of Koshu gold, two hundred sheep, two hundred dolphins, two thousand kilograms of dried fish, six hundred koku of rice, and two thousand five hundred bundles of fodder.
——I will use it tomorrow."
Ijuin Tadayaro was surprised when he heard this and said: "My lord, why do you use so much gold and things?"
Shimazu Yoshihisa smiled bitterly and said: "This disaster can happen overnight! If I can bribe Ling Yunyi, this crisis may be resolved, and I can even realize my dream of unifying Kyushu. If I offend him, Shimazu will be in danger!"
"Don't feel bad about Jin Zi at this time! After this disaster, we and other foreign vassals can still be at ease, and even enter the world. If we can't survive, Ryuzouji Takanobu - that will be my fate!"