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In the fourth year of the Wanli reign, the spring was still chilly, but the seas south of Kyushu Island seemed to have entered the sweltering heat ahead of time.

The naval forces of the Satsuma and Hizen domains assembled hundreds of various types of sekibatsu, kobayafune, and some Western-style otakubin, setting up for a decisive battle off the coast of Kagoshima Bay.

The sea was filled with sails that blotted out the sun and banners that fluttered, a scene brimming with the clamor and brute force of naval battles from bygone eras.

They were confident that their familiarity with the complex sea conditions, their numerical superiority, and the bravery of their warriors would be enough to repel any invading enemy in the coastal waters.

However, what they are about to face is a devastating blow from the dawn of the industrial age.

At dawn, the first things to appear on the horizon were a few wisps of untimely smoke.

Then, like a mirage, three massive, dark steel ships appeared—

The "Qiming" and its sister ships "Mingyuan" and "Mingwei" cut through the morning mist and appeared first in the sight of the Japanese navy at a steady speed that defied the laws of sail.

Following them were dozens of slightly smaller but also modified warships equipped with new cannons and auxiliary power. They maintained a strict formation, like a group of mobile fortresses, silently pressing in.

A commotion of surprise and uncertainty arose within the Japanese army ranks.

The steel hull, the towering smokestack, and the menacing cannon at the bow were all beyond their comprehension.

"Those are the Ming Dynasty's demon ships!" Satsuma Domain naval commander Shimazu Tadatsune, forcing himself to remain calm, drew his katana and pointed it at the Ming fleet. "Gentlemen! The time has come to demonstrate the might of the Satsuma warriors! Get close, board them! Use our swords to cut off their heads! Charge—!"

Under his command, hundreds of Japanese ships, like a swarm of sharks smelling blood, billowed their sails, rowed their oars, and roared as they launched a mass charge.

The waves were cleaved apart by the dense array of ship prows, creating an unparalleled spectacle.

Faced with the surging Japanese ships, the Ming fleet maintained a suffocating silence and formation.

It wasn't until the vanguard of the Japanese ships had entered a distance of three miles, far exceeding the effective range of the old-style cannons, that a string of signal flags was raised on the watchtower of the flagship "Qiming".

The next moment, the gates of hell opened!

"boom--!!!"

“BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM—!!!”

The 150mm breech-loading rifled main gun on the side of the "Qiming" roared first!

The heavy high-explosive shell, accompanied by a piercing whistle that tore through the air, flew through a graceful arc at a speed too fast for the naked eye to follow, and precisely struck the densest area of ​​the Japanese ships!
"Boom!!!" A huge fireball rose into the air from the sea, accompanied by a deafening explosion!

A massive Atakebune was hit directly in the hull. The wooden structure was torn apart and thrown around like a toy by the violent shockwave. The samurai and sailors on board were instantly reduced to dust and limbs, and burning fragments scattered like fireworks!
However, this is just the beginning!
The cannons of all the Ming fleet's warships opened fire in succession!
The breech-loading rifled gun had a high rate of fire and high accuracy; its shells seemed to have eyes, precisely targeting each Japanese ship.

Whether it's a massive ship or a nimble little boat, once hit, it will either sink or be destroyed.

Columns of water shot skyward from the sea, carrying wood chips, canvas, and human remains.

The Congreve rockets, like vengeful fire serpents, trailed long plumes of smoke and made chilling whooshing sounds as they swept across the ranks of the Japanese ships, igniting a continuous blaze that seemed to set the entire sea ablaze!

The bravery of the Japanese appears so pale and tragic in the face of such an absolute technological gap.

Some valiant Satsuma samurai, braving a hail of bullets, piloted their fastest boats, the Kobayashi, and desperately approached the Ming warships, attempting to employ their specialty of boarding and close-quarters combat.

Arrows and arquebus bullets clanged and clattered against the steel armor of the Ming warships, leaving only shallow white marks, like a tickle.

When they finally managed to get close, they were met with a barrage of flintlock muskets fired by the Ming army marines who were already on high alert on the deck!

"Bang bang bang bang—!" A hail of bullets rained down, and the samurai who tried to board were shot into the sea like dumplings being dropped into boiling water, their blood quickly staining the surrounding seawater red.

The few Japanese samurai who managed to climb aboard the Ming warships were easily overthrown and stabbed with bayonets before they could even wield their swords, and their bodies were mercilessly thrown into the sea.

This was not a battle at all, but a one-sided, highly efficient massacre.

The battle lasted less than two hours.

The once-mighty Japanese navy, with its forest of masts, is now a scene of utter devastation.

Countless burning wreckage, broken planks, capsized ships, and countless corpses floated on the sea.

The surviving sailors struggled and cried out in the icy seawater, only to be mercilessly shot down by the advancing Ming army's small gunboats to eliminate any future threat.

The seawater was dyed a shocking dark red, and the strong smell of gunpowder and blood mixed together, making people nauseous.

Shortly after the start of the war, the flagship of the Satsuma Domain general Shimazu Tadatsune was hit in the ammunition magazine by a heavy cannon shot from the "Meiwon," causing a secondary explosion that sank him and hundreds of elite soldiers on board to the bottom of the sea, leaving no trace of their remains.

The remaining dozens of Japanese ships completely lost their will to fight, hoisted white flags, or desperately fled into the harbor.

The Ming fleet did not pursue, but instead cruised the seas littered with wreckage like victorious kings.

The roar of the steam engine sounded so majestic at that moment, as if announcing the end of an old era and the arrival of a new one.

Standing on the bridge of the "Qiming" ship, Su Ning calmly surveyed the carnage he had created through his binoculars.

His face was expressionless, showing neither the elation of victory nor pity for the slaughter.

"Give the order," he said calmly, "to clear the battlefield and spare the lives of those who surrender. The fleet shall advance and bombard all visible docks, warehouses, and fortifications in Kagoshima Harbor."

"Boom!" Even more intense artillery fire, like divine punishment, descended upon the Kyushu coast once more.

The Battle of Kyushu ended in an absolute victory for the Ming Dynasty's modern navy.

On this day, the naval power that Japan relied on to maintain its maritime power and tolerate piracy for a century was completely broken and buried in steel and fire.

From this moment on, the hegemony over the East China Sea has undeniably changed hands!

The cancer on the Ming Dynasty's coastal borders will be eradicated completely!

……

The smoke of the Battle of Kyushu had not yet completely dissipated, and the mighty torrent of the Ming Dynasty's expeditionary force did not cease despite the glorious victory in the naval battle.

The sound of gunfire in Kagoshima Bay became the prelude to the amphibious landing operation.

After the naval guns relentlessly bombarded the coast like Thor's hammer, leveling any resistance strongholds that dared to show their faces, landing craft carrying elite land forces and heavy equipment began to surge onto the beaches of Kyushu like a tide.

Supporting this transoceanic expedition was an unprecedented, powerful, and efficient supply line.

From Ningbo Port in Zhejiang and Quanzhou Port in Fujian to Longjiang Port in Yingtian, countless transport ships flying the "Ming" flag or the "Great Ming Chamber of Commerce" flag were fully loaded with food, ammunition, clothing, medicine, and replacement weapon parts. Like an inexhaustible blood vessel, they continuously transported nutrients from the mother ship to the Ryukyu base on the expeditionary front, and from there distributed them to the Kyushu front.

What's even more astonishing is that no matter how much the losses were on the front lines, the army never seemed to have any real worries about supplies.

In the dead of night, Suning would quietly open his industrial space and secretly replenish the core warehouse with standardized ammunition boxes, high-energy rations, first aid kits, and even replacement gun barrels and artillery parts that had been stockpiled there.

This support from another dimension enabled the Ming Dynasty's expeditionary force to achieve a level of logistical support that left any adversary in that era in despair.

However, the Ming army did not rush into an advance after landing.

They fully learned from the lessons of the Mongol Yuan expeditions in history and adopted an extremely prudent "fortress advance" tactic.

Whenever a strategic location is captured, whether it be a port, town, or transportation hub, the accompanying engineering corps will immediately take action. Under the guidance of naval engineers, they will quickly construct sturdy bastion-style camps using prefabricated components and local materials.

These camps were surrounded by trenches and barbed wire, and equipped with artillery inside, forming strongholds that could defend independently and support each other.

Using these camps as a base, the army, like a giant python coiling around its prey, tightened the encirclement step by step.

The naval fleet advanced parallel to the coastline, using its powerful naval guns to provide flank cover for the land forces and ready to launch devastating artillery barrages against any stubbornly resisting strongholds.

This coordinated land and sea strategy, advancing step by step, left the Japanese samurai, accustomed to fierce charges, one-man raids, and surprise attacks, bewildered. Their counterattacks often ran into the Ming army's strong defenses and dense firepower, resulting in heavy losses. Su Ning knew that to completely conquer a territory, military crushing alone was not enough; political division and disintegration were also necessary.

He keenly observed that the Japanese were not a monolithic entity, with sharp class contradictions and conflicts between vassal states.

Many low-ranking foot soldiers, ronin, and even some small noble families were not willing to die for their respective daimyo (feudal lords) in the face of the powerful Ming army.

Thus, a politically astute surrender order was issued from the Ming army camp: "Those who abandon darkness and surrender to light will be spared death! Those who defect on the battlefield will be granted land! Those who perform meritorious service to atone for their sins will be richly rewarded!"

The effect of this order was immediate.

Faced with the Ming army's invincible military force and its tempting recruitment policies, sporadic and then organized Japanese troops began to surrender.

Suning did not discriminate against or kill these surrendered soldiers, but instead conducted a rigorous selection and reorganization process.

He selected those who were more docile and had conflicts with the die-hards like Satsuma and Hizen, and formed several separate "Japanese vanguard teams" (commonly known as "Japanese camps"). They were equipped with basic weapons and distinctive markings, and were controlled and commanded by Ming army officers.

These "Japanese troops" were deployed to the front lines of the next offensive.

Let them storm the positions of their former comrades, sweep through familiar villages, and identify hidden enemies.

This tactic of "using Japanese pirates to control Japanese pirates" was incredibly ruthless. It not only effectively reduced the casualties of the main Ming army and depleted the Japanese forces, but also dealt a heavy blow to the morale of the resisters...

Watching their former comrades turn their guns on them, the sense of betrayal and despair was more lethal than the Ming army's cannonballs.

Under the combined pressure of ruthless military crushing and political division and disintegration, the Japanese pirates who stubbornly resisted on Kyushu Island were like poisonous insects exposed to the scorching sun, rapidly losing their moisture and vitality.

Their space for maneuver, on which they depended for survival, was gradually compressed by the Ming army, their logistical supply lines were completely cut off, and the people inside were filled with anxiety and mutual distrust.

Every battle drains their already limited strength and will to fight.

Standing in the newly built frontline command post, Su Ning watched as the blue flags representing the Ming army's controlled areas on the sand table continued to spread northward, while the red areas representing the resistance forces shrank and fragmented.

He knew that this "poisonous insect" that had plagued China's coastal areas for over a century was being crippled and dismembered by him, inch by inch.

It's only a matter of time before the problem is completely resolved.

The dragon flag of the Ming Dynasty is being deeply embedded in this land that has been plagued by bandits with unprecedented force, writing a new and unquestionable order with steel and fire.

……

In the early summer of the fourth year of the Wanli reign, the capital was immersed in the languid atmosphere of late spring.

Inside the Forbidden City, the young Wanli Emperor continued his daily studies at the Imperial Academy under the supervision of regents such as Zhang Juzheng.

Although there were occasional minor ripples in the implementation of the new policies in the imperial court, a delicate balance and calm were generally maintained.

However, this tranquility was completely and violently shattered by two reports of victory delivered in quick succession from the southeast coast at an urgent speed of eight hundred li!
The first document was a memorial entitled "Report on the Suppression of the Japanese Pirates' Nest in the Eighth Mountain".

When the officials of the Office of Transmission first reviewed it, they could hardly believe their eyes.

When it was confirmed that this was not a fabrication, the scribe's hands trembled as he copied it.

The memorial, written in extremely concise language, detailed how Su Ning located the pirates' lair, how he led his fleet on a long sea expedition, and how he uprooted the main force of the Japanese pirates who had been entrenched in Yaeyama for many years with overwhelming force, burning down their lair and killing and capturing countless pirates.

The news spread like wildfire, quickly from the Office of Transmission to the Grand Secretariat, the Six Ministries, and even the entire officialdom of the capital.

"Incredible! Soviet leader actually found the Japanese pirates' lair and wiped it out in one fell swoop!"

"A cross-sea expedition, sweeping away enemy strongholds—this is a feat unprecedented for the Ming Dynasty navy since the Yongle era!"

"Is there really hope of eradicating the century-old scourge of the southeast?"

Amazement, praise, and disbelief filled the offices of various government departments and the teahouses and taverns of the capital.

However, before this fervor could subside, just over ten days later, a second, even more earth-shattering piece of good news, carrying the salty smell of the sea breeze and the scorching heat of war, crashed into the capital!
The second document was a memorial entitled "Reporting on the Great Victory of the Japanese Navy in the Seas of Kyushu".

The content of this memorial was beyond the comprehension of most court officials.

When Zhang Juzheng read the battle report aloud in the Wenhua Hall, before the Wanli Emperor and the assembled cabinet ministers and high-ranking officials, the entire hall fell silent, with only his clear and powerful voice echoing:
"...My new warships, including the 'Qiming,' 'Mingyuan,' and 'Mingwei,' engaged the main force of the Japanese navy, consisting of several hundred ships, in the bay off Kagoshima, Kyushu. Thanks to His Majesty's divine might, the soldiers' valiant efforts, and the sharpness of our new weapons, we fought fiercely for two hours, from dawn to noon, sinking and burning most of the Japanese ships, and killing over ten thousand enemy soldiers, including their naval commander Shimazu Tadatsune. The Japanese navy was almost completely annihilated... I have already landed on Kyushu and am steadily advancing to clear out the remaining enemy forces..."

"boom--!"

After a brief silence, the Wenhua Hall erupted into chaos as if a red-hot iron had been thrown in!

"What?! Not only did they destroy Yaeyama, but they also attacked the Japanese mainland?"

"To annihilate the Japanese navy? This... how is this possible? The Japanese have strong ships and powerful cannons; they are not easy to deal with!"

"What kind of divine objects are 'Enlightenment' and 'Bright Faraway'? How could they possess such earth-shattering power?"

"He's landed in Kyushu! Su Anbang... he actually actually made it there!"

The seasoned and prudent nobles stared wide-eyed, the calculating officials of the Ministry of Revenue gaped in astonishment, and even the usually composed ministers of various ministries lost their composure and began whispering amongst themselves.

To raid a territory across the sea is already a remarkable feat; to display one's might beyond the borders of a vassal state is an even more illustrious military achievement!
This is not merely about pacifying the seas and securing peace for the people; it is clearly an unprecedented achievement of expanding territory and demonstrating national power!

Despite his young age, the Wanli Emperor, seated on his throne, was deeply moved by the series of victories.

He gripped the armrests of the dragon throne with a slight tightening of his small hands, his face flushed with excitement.

He looked at his teacher Zhang Juzheng, his eyes filled with questioning and awe.

Zhang Juzheng took a deep breath to suppress the turmoil in his heart.

As the de facto leader of the empire, he understood better than anyone what these two victories meant...

It was not just the complete peace of the Ming Dynasty's coastal borders, but also an extreme boost to the nation's prestige, and...

Suning's rapid rise in personal prestige and power has reached a level that even he must take seriously.

He stepped forward, facing the throne, his voice steady yet carrying an undeniable authority, setting the tone for the debate: "Your Majesty, Governor Su's two victories are a feat of merit for the present and a benefit for future generations! The victory at Yaeyama severed the root of the Japanese pirates; the victory at Kyushu enhanced the prestige of the Ming Dynasty! This is a sign of Your Majesty's diligent governance and the blessings of Heaven! I believe that this glorious military achievement should be immediately proclaimed throughout the land to inspire the army and the people and to deter disobedience! Furthermore, an imperial edict should be drafted immediately to reward Governor Su and the soldiers on the front lines handsomely!"

"good."

The imperial decree was swiftly issued: Jin Suning was appointed Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince, given the additional title of Vice Minister of War, and bestowed with countless gold, silver, and silks. The soldiers on the front lines also received their own rewards.

The good news was announced to the world, and the whole country rejoiced, especially in the southeastern coastal prefectures and counties, where the people almost wanted to build a shrine for Su Ning.

However, beneath this facade of universal celebration, undercurrents were quietly brewing.

Some astute officials began to re-examine the Soviet dictatorship located far to the southeast.

He not only commands a large army and controls a lucrative business association, but has also achieved such extraordinary feats that his power rivals, or even surpasses, that of Hu Zongxian in his prime.

His relationship with Zhang Juzheng and his future position in the court have become topics of private speculation and even hidden worries for many people.

After the initial excitement, Emperor Wanli sat alone in the Qianqing Palace, looking at the two reports of victory, his feelings becoming more complicated than before.

While the good news was certainly welcome, Mr. Su's god-like image and the power to conquer countries across the sea made the emperor, who had not yet assumed power, feel a sense of security, but also an unprecedented, invisible pressure.

The victories in the naval battles of Yaeyama and Kyushu in Ryukyu were like two huge stones thrown into the deep pool of Ming Dynasty politics. The ripples they created went far beyond the military victories themselves, profoundly influencing the balance of power in the court and the future direction of power.

From then on, Su Ning's name was no longer just a symbol of a capable minister, but was closely associated with territorial expansion and the spread of national prestige. It became a new chapter of power that anyone, including the emperor and the chief minister, had to treat with utmost care.

...(End of chapter)