Da Ming: Father, step aside, I'll be the prime minister!

Chapter 283 Don't be afraid, we're here for free trade!
"Assemble! Attack!"

The Japanese caravan immediately descended into chaos, with a dozen Japanese samurai surrounding Oda Sankichiro, each with an extremely serious expression.

Matsuura Shigenori left the cabin, and when he returned to the cabin from the deck, his face was filled with anger that seemed about to explode.

He cupped his hands in greeting to Oda Sankichiro.

“Young Master, the pirates outside do not appear to be ordinary pirates. Their numbers far exceed ours, and they have clearly planned this.”

"Not pirates?" Oda Sankichiro's face paled even more. "Could it be a Mori clan ship? How could they have obtained information about our itinerary?"

Oda Sankichiro's voyage was kept strictly confidential, and only a small group of insiders knew about it.

The Mori clan has always been at odds with Oda Nobunaga, and three years ago, the Mori clan completely thwarted Oda Nobunaga's attack on Osaka.

Even this year, Oda Nobunaga is still planning how to conquer the Mori clan next year.

If the powerful Mori clan with its navy were to invade, then everything would make sense.

"That's what I think too. Young Master, the firepower of the muskets outside is so fierce, it's definitely not an ordinary pirate. It must be an attack launched against us by some force!"

Matsuura Shinobu almost bit his teeth until they bled.

Oda Sankichiro asked with suspicion, "Matsuura-kun, why have you never considered that you might be from Ming China?"

Matsuura Shigenori seemed very confident: "Young Master, the Ming Dynasty has a very strict maritime ban. Only Yuegang on this route is heavily guarded. Due to internal reasons, they have not appeared on the route for a long time."

The most crucial thing is…

He was now convinced of his own idea.

"The Ming people are reasonable; they rarely launch attacks without cause. We are a merchant ship doing business, and they have no motive to attack us!"

This time, it must be the despicable Mori family!

Oda Sankichiro trembled slightly, but quickly regained his composure and looked at the samurai inside the cabin.

"Gentlemen, the Mori clan has come to us this time, presumably to threaten Father."

I am the son of the Oda family, and I will not admit defeat so easily!
If we fail to repel the enemy in this battle, I too will commit seppuku here, just like you, to uphold the honor of the Oda clan!

When Sanjiro said this, the samurai present almost erupted in cheers. They all straightened their backs as if it were a great honor.

"To be loyal to one's lord!"

"To be loyal to one's lord!"

"To be loyal to one's lord!"

Seeing the rather fanatical samurai, the native girl huddled behind Oda Sankichiro, trembling with fear. Even the merchants who were originally being entertained in the cabin looked at each other, very uneasy about their safety.

This battle was more difficult than Qi Jiguang had imagined. He had thought that the Japanese merchant caravan consisted of only fifty or sixty people, but after the actual battle began, these Japanese warriors poured out of the cabin one after another, and he realized that he had encountered a "big fish" this time.

Hu Shouren looked rather relieved as he and Qi Jiguang observed the situation on the battlefield from behind the reef.

He said in a low voice.

"Fortunately, Lord Qi was prepared. These are definitely not ordinary Japanese merchants. Look at these Japanese samurai, their clothes and weapons are even better than those of the Japanese pirates who invaded our Great Ming."

"Don't underestimate the enemy."

Qi Jiguang used his telescope to investigate the movements ahead and said in a deep voice.

"Let our ships hold back no more and open fire directly. Also, don't hold back with the muskets we brought. We must win this battle with thunderous force!"

We must not give the Japanese a chance to catch their breath!

Qi Jiguang knew very well that this battle had to be won quickly. The Japanese samurai were not incompetent fools; on the contrary, after years of fighting, those who survived must be the bravest.

Qi Jiguang's army had the upper hand, and with the help of telescopes, they caught the enemy off guard and were now in a superior position on the battlefield.

If he gave the enemy a chance to catch their breath, Qi Jiguang was confident that he could defeat them, but that would inevitably come at a great cost.

Qi Jiguang was well aware that the purpose of this voyage was not to completely eliminate these Japanese pirates, but to plunder them like pirates and frighten them into submission.

With Qi Jiguang's orders, the nearly two hundred Qi Family Army soldiers no longer had any concerns. They had already boarded some of the ships and even killed twenty or thirty warriors without firing a shot. Now, they were taking a step back to advance, and did not intend to launch a full-scale attack.

Before anyone knew it, Matsuura Shigenori was already standing on the deck, clad in armor. He had originally planned to travel as a merchant and not wear armor, but Matsuura Shigenori had been thinking ahead and brought a few suits with him.

Armor can protect against bullets to some extent, but ordinary samurai are not so lucky. They are dressed as ronin and wear ordinary cloth clothes. When they are hit by a bullet, a bloody hole will appear instantly.

Seeing this, Matsuura Shigenori's initial enthusiasm was instantly dampened.

Iron bullets rained down like raindrops. Anyone who dared to climb onto the deck would be knocked down by dozens of bullets in less than a moment.

Even if you're wearing armor, facing such iron bullets, you can only endure it for a little longer.

Under the cover of his subordinates, Matsuura Shigenori retreated back into the cabin. He looked at everything in disbelief, gazing at the blurry clothing of the people in the darkness.

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! How could the Mori family have so much gunpowder and firearms! Are they crazy?! Taking so many firearms and gunpowder to the sea!"

In Matsuura Shigenori's view, such a dense barrage of musket fire was tantamount to directly scattering silver.

Even Oda Nobunaga only used firearms on key battlefields, and the opposing side seemed completely unconcerned.

After thinking for a long time, Matsuura Shinko finally came to a conclusion, and he said through gritted teeth.

"Damn the Mori family! They've broken our rules; they must have made a despicable deal with the Portuguese!"

At this juncture in the 16th century, the resistance of the Japanese against foreign tribes was even greater than that against the Ming Dynasty.

They even referred to the Portuguese as "southern barbarians".

In particular, the missionary activities of the Portuguese were described as "a scourge to the world".

Affected by the severance of trade with the Ming Dynasty, the Japanese were forced to cooperate with the Portuguese to purchase silk and cloth from the Ming Dynasty through smuggling.

Even this time, the fleet was using the name of the Portuguese.

According to Matsuura Shigenori, if the Mori family was able to obtain so many muskets, it must have been because they had reached a compromise with the Portuguese, and they might even have allowed the Portuguese to preach on Japanese soil, or ceded some land.

For Matsuura Shigenori, this was absolutely intolerable.

"Damn the Mori clan! We will fight you to the death!"

He roared, about to rally his warriors for another charge, when someone called out to him.

"Matsuura-kun."

Standing inside the cabin, Oda Sankichiro's face was half-hidden in darkness, and he was still tightly holding the hand of the Luzon native girl.

"Now it seems we are no match for them; this voyage carries a heavy responsibility."

As he said this, Oda Sankichiro's body trembled, clearly showing that his bold words were nothing but an act.

This pampered son of a famous figure is truly afraid this time.

Matsuura Shigenobu paused for a moment, thinking of saying something, but in the end he didn't say anything.

Once his mind cleared, he began to realize that running away might be the best option if he didn't let the other side capture Oda Sankichiro.

However, just as Matsuura Shigenori gave the order, a loud "bang" was heard, and a ship next to him, which was about to set sail, was instantly punched with a large hole.

His eyes were almost red, and he kept shouting things like "Counterattack! Counterattack!" and "Set sail and take cover!" It was utter chaos.

Under the barrage of fire from Qi Jiguang's naval fleet, the Japanese ships were instantly paralyzed, leaving only one flagship stuck in the middle, unable to move.

Qi Jiguang, with his keen eyesight, used his telescope to see the movements on the ship and immediately gave instructions to his subordinates.

"Men! Don't let the thieves escape! Capture them alive!" The Qi family army soldiers were like cats seeing mice, all looking energetic. They had been attacking from a distance with their muskets for a long time and were really frustrated. Now the Japanese had completely lost their resistance and poured into the main ship like tigers descending the mountain.

There was a "bang" sound.

Matsuura Shigenori's eyes widened as he watched one of his trusted men fall before him. He had lost all will to fight. He pushed his confidant's body forward and jumped onto the small boat that was preparing to escape.

"asshole!"

He glanced at the ever-increasing number of enemies and began to doubt their identities. When did the Mori samurai become so brave?
But then he glanced at the young master Oda Sankichiro, who was huddled at his feet, and shouted at the two samurai.

"Row! You bastard! Row now!"

All those grand pronouncements just now become worthless in the face of real life and death.

Under the cover of darkness, by boarding this small sailboat, they might have had a real chance to escape. After all, once they were out of sight, it would be like finding a needle in a haystack for the enemy's large ships to find them.

However, Matsuura Shigenori greatly underestimated the enemy's "vision".

Qi Jiguang felt he couldn't live without the telescope. Standing on the deck of the Japanese flagship, he raised the telescope and searched the sea, immediately determining its location.

"Ten miles to the southeast."

He gave the order, and immediately dozens of small boats sped forward toward the same location.

Qi Jiguang glanced at the "Sun Flag" flying high on the ship's bow and smiled at Hu Shouren.

"Take this flag down. The old Yongle Tongbao flag was much better. Why do you have to hang this Japanese flag?"

In the past, Japanese sailors typically flew flags bearing the "Yongle Tongbao" coin when sailing at sea. The Yongle Tongbao was a hard currency in Southeast Asia, symbolizing wealth and power.

Over the years, the Japanese have had other ideas and have started to hang up this "Japanese flag," which Qi Jiguang finds extremely displeasing.

Seeing the flag being ripped down, Qi Jiguang felt much relieved and then gave instructions to Hu Shouren.

"Send men to search the ship's cabins. Anyone who dares to fight back should be killed on the spot, regardless of age or gender. Anyone who is willing to lay down their weapons and surrender should be spared."

Qi Jiguang was naturally not polite to the Japanese pirates. When the Japanese pirates were plundering in Jiangnan, they never talked about morality.

"Please rest assured, Lord Qi."

Hu Shouren clasped his hands in a fist salute, his eyes remaining completely still. However, when he saw the telescope in Qi Jiguang's hand, he couldn't take his eyes off it, just like when he saw a young wife.

In less than half an hour, the sailboat that had escaped was captured again.

In the relatively spacious cabin, Qi Jiguang saw Matsuura Shigenori, whose armor had been stripped off, and Oda Sankichiro, who looked like a lump of mud.

He sat upright in the chair. It was not easy to find a chair on a Japanese ship; he had even brought one from his own ship.

He glanced at the several merchants trembling in the corner, then at the boy slumped on the ground, and finally fixed his gaze on the warrior.

This guy clearly seems to be more communicative.

"Who are you? State your origins and names."

Qi Jiguang stared at the warrior with his bull-like eyes, exuding an aura of majesty.

Matsuura Shigenori could sense that the other party was no ordinary person; his aura was even stronger than that of an ordinary daimyo, and in his view, he could even rival the patriarch of the clan, Oda Nobunaga.

He gritted his teeth and said, "Who are you? You are not from the Mori clan! Are you from the Ming Dynasty? Why are you opposing us?"

As he spoke, he even became somewhat frantic. Matsuura Shigenori couldn't understand why the other party was attacking him like this. He wasn't a Japanese pirate; he was just an ordinary merchant ship!

Seeing the other party babbling incoherently, Qi Jiguang realized that he was talking to a brick wall and quickly found a "translator" from his Qi Family Army.

He naturally considered this situation when he went to sea. There happened to be a man in Qi Jiguang's army who had a basic understanding of Japanese, and Qi Jiguang took him with him.

Qi Jiguang looked at the Japanese as if he were looking at a pack of wild dogs.

"Please talk to him for me. We're here to do business. If he cooperates, we might spare his life."

The translator relayed the story truthfully, but Matsuura Shigenori not only showed no willingness to cooperate, but instead became somewhat deranged, constantly cursing.

The babbling and chattering annoyed Qi Jiguang, who then waved his hand and said...

"Fine, drag him out and execute him."

In Qi Jiguang's view, these warriors were inherently unstable elements, and keeping them around would only bring trouble. It would be better to kill them all at once.

It should be noted that after Qi Jiguang's army boarded the ship, only Matsuura Shigenori, a Japanese samurai, remained on board.

Matsuura Shigenobu understood what he meant. His eyes widened, and he struggled and cursed.

"Ming people! You cannot do this! I am a samurai of the Oda clan!"

"Despicable Ming people! Why did you launch a sneak attack!"

"I'll talk! I'll tell you everything! Spare my Ming people!"

"Ming people! Stop! Give me a dagger!"

Matsuura Shigenori had originally intended to put on a show of pride, but he hadn't expected that these Ming people were completely unreasonable. By the time he begged for mercy, no one was listening to him anymore.

The Qi family soldiers escorting him couldn't understand what he was saying at all; they just thought he was extremely noisy.

One good thing about these Japanese samurai is that their heads are shaved completely, with only a few strands of hair left at the back. When they cut off the head, they grab the hair back and then swiftly bring down the blade.

With a "plop," accompanied by a harsh pleas for mercy, Matsuura Shigenori's head fell solidly into the sea, staining the silvery moonlight with a hint of turbidity.

Hearing the screams outside and the sound of heads falling into the sea, Oda Sankichiro shuddered, his face turning ashen. He could no longer suppress his fear and lay prostrate on the floor, saying...

"My lord! I am Sankichiro of the Oda clan, the sixth son of my father. Please, my lord, spare my life! My father will surely grant His Majesty all his requests. Please have mercy on me!"

Qi Jiguang was surprised that the Japanese, who had seemed so stubborn before, could turn around and be so obsequious. He learned their identities from the translator and was quite taken aback.

Qi Jiguang wouldn't have known about other forces within Japan, but he had heard of Oda Nobunaga before.

Inside the cabin, Qi Jiguang paced back and forth, looking down at the young man with an increasingly complicated expression.

It's like someone just handed you a pillow when you're sleepy; if you want to open up business with Japan, this young man is indeed a breakthrough point.

Oda Sankichiro felt uneasy under their gaze, fearing that if they became displeased, they might drag him out and behead him as well.

He talked about committing seppuku, but that was just a way to motivate the samurai. Only those who have witnessed seppuku know how painful it truly is.

Oda Sankichiro prostrated himself at Qi Jiguang's feet and said very humbly.

"My lord! What is the purpose of your journey here? I am willing to do everything in my power to assist you!"

Qi Jiguang raised an eyebrow, having heard the contents from the translator, and immediately burst into laughter.

"Hahahaha~"

That laugh nearly scared Oda Sankichiro so much he wet himself; he gritted his teeth, sweat dripping from his forehead.

Finally, Qi Jiguang stopped in front of him, squatted down slightly, and looked at the thin young man.

"Kid, we're pirates, and we're thinking of doing some business with you. Don't be afraid, this is called free trade."

He mimicked Zhang Yunxiu's tone of voice, a warm smile appearing on his lips.

Oda Sankichiro took a slight step back. He was terrified, but upon hearing what the translator said, his face immediately turned astonished, his mouth agape, and he blurted out instinctively.

"Huh?"

(End of this chapter)