Cursed Mountains and Seas

Chapter 235 Internal Strife in the Otomo Family, Uncle Dong Qi's Promotion (4000 words)
"The emperor's power extends from ten steps to a thousand miles away, while the power of the vassal kings is even smaller, with their power limited to a few hundred miles to a few steps away."

In short, the most dangerous time is when the enemy gets close.

Now that we have this talismanic flintlock pistol, the safety of Fugui within seven steps is guaranteed.

However, this trump card ability cannot be wasted.

Two months' worth of 'Fear Bullets' can neutralize the combat power of a fifth-rank [Samurai], but I am a fifth-rank myself, and I am confident that I can win in a head-on fight.

I wonder if the 'fear pellets' I've accumulated over six months can take down a fourth-rank official? And if they can defeat living ghosts and gods in a few years? That's where the true deterrent power lies!

Shen Yueye flipped her magnolia-like hand, put away the flintlock pistol that had attracted everyone's attention, and then waved her hand behind her.

Several guards and military doctors immediately stepped forward and dragged the seriously injured Takahashi Shōun back to the main camp for treatment.

Although one of his hands was completely ruined, he still possessed the fifth-grade cultivation level.

Even if it cannot ultimately be used for our own purposes, it is still a highly valuable material for "minting coins," so it cannot be wasted casually.

At worst, we can retrieve his head and use it as a promotion ritual for the assassin [Bodhisattva Barbarian].

"Your Highness! Your Highness!"

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

At this moment, deafening cheers erupted from the main camp.

Whether or not the Tanka people in the Five Peaks Banner had met Shen Yueye before, or whether they knew in advance about her plan to act as bait in place of their prince, they were all innocent.

Everyone was captivated by her perfect performance.

He initially served as an assistant, preventing the fifth-rank Confucian scholar Jiang Wenyuan from creating an opportunity for the prince to kill Mao Haifeng.

Even renowned generals like Takahashi Shōun from the Nine Domains were almost instantly defeated by her. It's unclear whether this princess is a virtuous wife or not, but she is definitely a virtuous wife!

Moreover, they also heard that the war expenses, military pay, and compensation for the war against the Otomo family were all sponsored exclusively by the princess.

What is this? This is true virtue and gentleness!

Shen Yueye didn't feel anything too strong when she defeated the enemy general, but when she heard the whole army shouting "Long live the Princess Consort!", she felt as sweet as if she had drunk honey.

The veiled lips curved into a breathtakingly beautiful smile:

"We princesses are most afraid of Zhong Wuyan when trouble comes and Xia Yingchun when things are peaceful."

However, if Zhong Wuyan's talent and Xia Yingchun's beauty were combined, and the adoration of her base and the emperor's favor were combined, wouldn't her position as queen be secure?

That's exactly what happened.

As Shen Yueye played a crucial role in major events concerning the future and destiny of the Donghai Kingdom, she naturally gained a large following.

Her position in the East Sea Kingdom naturally became more and more secure.

Even if Yunxiao changes her mind and really sends her reincarnated self, she will still be several steps behind her best friend.

Of course, the Dragon Girl [Madam Yan] has her own base of support and doesn't care about these things at all.

The Donghai Kingdom was filled with jubilation.

On the other side of the river, the Otomo family seemed to have turned into wooden figures, watching helplessly as the raging torrent swept away their main force, and all was silent.

It should be noted that a daimyo's basic military strength is approximately 250 to 400 men per 10,000 koku of rice.

The combined koku of Buzen and Chikuzen provinces is 48, and with the addition of the powerful clans and their troops who have joined them from the seven provinces, the tens of thousands of people they have mobilized so far are already their limit.

The fact that most of them died in the Chikugo River today means that they will have no chance to make a comeback anytime soon.

Even though Tachibana Dōsetsu's advice saved the two elite units, the arquebusiers and the national collapse squad, it was fortunate that they were able to preserve them.

However, before the next generation grows up, the Otomo family's hegemony is difficult to sustain, and it is only slightly better than Xiang Yu, the King of Chu, on the banks of the Wujiang River.

Seeing the military might he had once dominated across the nine islands, Ōtomo Yoshishige was utterly dejected and unable to accept it, muttering to himself repeatedly:

Shouldn't God always protect me, a devout believer?

Why? Why is that?

Tachibana Dōsetsu, who had always been firmly opposed to his conversion to the Church of the Holy Cross, finally couldn't help but speak his mind at this moment:
“My lord, it is said that monks from other places are better at chanting scriptures, but is the ‘master’ of this Christian religion really better at chanting scriptures than our local Buddhas and spirits?”

If this god is truly omnipotent as the Franks claim, the sole supreme god who created the world, or even the only god, then what are our Eastern Great Sun Goddess and Three Officials?
As it turns out, that Lord is not omnipotent!

In the West, everyone prays for His protection. Only those who survive have the opportunity to tell others that God saved them, while those who died never had the chance to speak.

Therefore, what you always hear is that the Lord saved so-and-so today, but you never hear that He didn't save anyone.

That omnipotent 'Lord' is actually just an illusion created by the survivors out of ignorance!

Have you forgotten that the essence of our Eastern Shinto practice has never been the Western approach of seeking divine salvation, but rather self-improvement and self-reliance—that seeking divine help is less important than relying on oneself?!

One god stole fire, the other drilled wood to make fire; one fled with his entire family by boat without even taking his neighbors, the other united the people and sacrificed his own home to control the floods. This is the fundamental difference between their respective divine systems.

Tachibana Dōsetsu continued to earnestly advise:
"My lord, cheer up! While the floodwaters are holding back the Eastern Sea Kingdom's army, let's retreat quickly."

We still have most of our arquebusiers and the national defense force. If we gather the troops stationed along the way and return to consolidate our defenses, we can at least hold our main base in Buzen Province.

Unfortunately, there's no reasoning with a fanatic who's deeply ingrained in superstition and has suffered a major blow.

This wake-up call from the top retainer did not bring Yoshishige Otomo back to his senses or help him regain his composure; instead, it touched upon his deepest sore spot.

"You blasphemer, shut your mouth!!!"

The latter roared and suddenly drew his sword, slashing down at his head.

Tachibana Dōsetsu's spiritual response, "Listening to Thunder," had already detected that fleeting killing intent.

However, he couldn't believe that his decades of loyalty to the Otomo family was less important to his lord than his Christian faith, which had only lasted for a few years. He was a step too slow to react.

He smiled bitterly to himself: 'Superstition is harmful.'

clang!
At that moment, a petite figure darted out from behind him, swiftly drawing her sword with a backhand grip to meet Yoshishige Otomo's furious attack.

Sparks flew as the two gleaming samurai swords came to a stop an inch in front of Tachibana Michiyuki's door.

The slender arm holding the knife trembled slightly, but it still managed to block the blow.

Of course, the main reason was that Yoshishige Otomo, a fourth-rank samurai, although he was furious, his killing intent was not too strong, and he did not activate "Unity of Heaven and Man" to fight at full strength.

"Yukichiyo, you must not be disrespectful to your lord. Get out of my sight immediately."

Tachibana Dōsetsu looked at the knife before him—a cut that might not kill him, but would certainly leave a deep scar on his face—and his heart sank. He glanced at his daughter, who was kneeling on one knee, holding the knife and wearing a bronze demon mask, and outwardly reprimanded her, but inwardly protected her.

Tachibana Yukichiyo is the only descendant of Tachibana Dōsetsu and is destined to be the next female head of the Tachibana family.

By the standards of the Oojo people, she was considered petite, almost 1.6 meters tall, but in the Otomo clan's main camp, she was taller than Otomo Yoshishige, their lord.

In addition, because he was a powerful monster like a Raiki, he was able to take the blow for his father as a sixth-rank Samurai.

Under normal circumstances, drawing one's sword in front of one's lord is tantamount to a capital offense, and even being asked to commit seppuku would be considered lenient. However, in Tachibana Dōsetsu's words, it was merely considered rudeness, and his attitude was quite obvious.

Both within and outside China, loyalty to the emperor is paramount; when it comes to the core interests of powerful clans, loyalty must always be sidelined.

"Father!"

Despite Yoshishige Otomo's unpleasant expression, the young girl, Reggae, stubbornly refused to bow her head.

They wouldn't even give that "church name," who had become a madman, a chance to apologize.

When their personal guards and warriors saw the conflict erupting in the main camp, they rushed over as well.

With people's hearts in turmoil, the internal strife within the Otomo family, triggered by issues of faith, has been brought to the forefront in a very unexpected way.

Moreover, the leader was none other than the Tachibana family, the most powerful traditional clan in Chikuzen province.

However, the issue now is not whether they want to leave or not, but whether the Donghai Kingdom will allow them to leave.

The flintlock musket can't hit the other side of the river, but there are other things that can.

The musketeers retreated to the sides, and a batch of twenty wheeled field guns were pushed out by the artillerymen.

It was made with a similar process to the shipborne 12-pounder cannon, but with a lightweight design, it was made of bronze and weighed 558 kilograms, allowing for rapid deployment by horseback.

It is equipped with all necessary components, including trunnions, breechblocks, and sights (front and rear sights). It has a caliber of 117mm, a length of 1.68 meters, a rate of fire of 2 rounds per minute, and a range of 1300 meters. It can fire solid shot, grapeshot, and high-explosive shrapnel.

Solid shot: capable of penetrating an entire infantry column within 1300 meters; Grappling shot: forms a barrage within 350 meters, specifically designed to counter cavalry charges;
Explosive grenade: fires indirect fire at targets behind cover, travels through the air for three seconds with a delayed fuse, and explodes upon reaching the target's airspace.

However, the high-explosive shells turned out to be too unreliable, so the artillerymen were reluctant to use them during test firings.

"All artillery crews, load your shot and fire!"

How wide can a river be, no matter how wide it is?

Even when using shotguns in close combat, it's perfectly adequate.

With a wave of her hand, Shen Yueye's twenty cannons instantly transformed into twenty angry fire dragons, spewing flames towards the opposite bank of the river.

The 12-pounder's accompanying shotgun shells, each consisting of 112 small lead bullets and 46 large lead bullets, were now transformed into a blazing metal storm that swept across the east bank of the Chikugo River.

The National Collapse Team, positioned relatively far back, disregarded their internal strife and quickly operated five or six miscellaneous artillery pieces of varying models to retaliate with solid shot.

Under their cover, the last remaining troops quickly retreated.

Uncle Dong, who was the de facto commander of the Donghai Kingdom, refused to accept this and shouted:
"Please don't leave yet, everyone. Let me sing a bit of 'The Five Senses Compete for Credit'!"

A stage had been erected on the city wall at some unknown time; it was also the altar of the storyteller's Caixi sect.

With a "snap," Dong Piao opened the fan in his hand, revealing the word "open and honest," while his left hand held two bamboo clappers, which he swiftly began to strike.

Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap!
Caw caw caw caw caw—slap!

Strangely enough, the crisp sound of bamboo clappers pierced through the battlefield, making it clear to everyone. Regardless of whether they understood the official language of the Great Zhao Dynasty or not, they could instantly understand its meaning.

As soon as the motherboard stopped, the fifth-rank storyteller continued his tale:
"The bamboo clappers clap loudly, the four brothers quarrel and fight for credit; the mouth is king and can talk a lot, the nose complains that he is too arrogant."
The ears, though hearing this, were not convinced; the eyes widened, arguing vehemently; if not for the old man's intervention, the master would have long since met his maker!

Immediately, the tone of voice changed, and the sound was pronounced through the mouth:
"My mouth is the best in the world! I'm the first to taste all flavors, the first to savor fine wines and delicacies, and the best at talking about everything under the sun."

When the song reached this point, there was no reaction from their own side, but most of the enemy soldiers who were fleeing in panic were astonished to find that they could no longer open their mouths.

It's as if their innate abilities have been sealed away.

The second step in the cultivation of the middle three ranks is to open the six orifices and control the six desires. This section, "The Five Senses Compete for Merit," is specifically designed to subdue the six senses of the officials of the divine path!

Opening the corresponding six orifices can forcibly grant immunity, while not opening them will immediately subject one to varying degrees of suppression.

This is not over yet.

Dong Piao changed her tone again, using her nasal cavity to pronounce the words:

"I snort and laugh at your absurdity! Without me, you'd be dead long ago. I can distinguish between fragrant and foul odors, poisonous and clean. I'm on duty day and night, working tirelessly. You dare to block my way?"

After singing this part, their mouths and noses stopped working one after another, and most of the Japanese had difficulty breathing. The faces of the weakest of them turned purplish-red.

In this situation, how could one possibly escape?

They were knocked over and scattered, then gradually cleansed up inch by inch by field artillery.

The entire battlefield became Uncle Dong's stage, with tens of thousands of soldiers, including both living people and corpses in the river, serving as the audience to appreciate his brand-new form of folk art performance.

Sudden.

"Haha, my path has been completed!"

Uncle Dong was still singing, but his loud laughter could be heard in the air.

The Daoist Qi rose from above his head, rapidly outlining a phantom stage unlike any in the traditional style.

This signifies that he has finally taken a step ahead of his own Zhang Sange, crossing the threshold of the fifth rank that has blocked countless officials, and stepping into the realm of the fourth rank [Five Temples Divine Treasury]!
Artists must be cultured.

After receiving Wang Cheng's "Miscellaneous Talks on Folk Arts," Dong Piao pondered and created the mysterious method of "The Five Senses Competing for Merit," finally achieving her wish.

Furthermore, he had a premonition that when he was promoted to the third rank, he might not need to rely on the fusion of legal positions, but could create entirely new official legal positions simply through artistic innovation.

However, he was originally just a very "open and honest" traveler, but now that he has opened up a new path, he seems to have inexplicably developed strange habits and obsessions such as smoking and drinking.

"It's not a big deal. How many people in the world can't even get a chance to be a living god? I'd be willing to indulge in all the vices, even if it meant eating, drinking, gambling, and smoking."

My nephew is truly a lucky star for our family!

Seeing that Yoshishige Otomo finally realized that regardless of whether God had protected him or not, he could not deny the fact that he had lost the battle, he finally turned around and ran away.

"Where to go?!"

The tune Dong Piao was playing changed again.

He started singing a section of "Eighteen Touches"!
(End of this chapter)