Di Ming

Chapter 329 I think I hurt him deeply!
At noon, the fully loaded ships set sail, bringing joy and relief to everyone in the group.

Having made such a great contribution, everyone will be rewarded when we return.

Even a mere Jinyiwei captain could probably become a captain, or even a trial centurion!

Zhu Yin, Xu Wei, and the others were even more confident and assured. They knew that Ning Caiwei was waiting for them at Osaka Castle.

Once we get to Osaka, everything will be fine.

However, Zheng Guowang and other officials in the delegation, including Nurhaci, were still somewhat uneasy.

Could the foreign pirates really be allowed to return home with us?
If they are unwilling to cooperate…

Just as Zheng Guowang was worrying, Zhu Yin took the initiative to walk over and say:
"Brother Yueying, you are the brother-in-law of the Ming Dynasty and the deputy envoy of the delegation. The negotiations with the pirate leader will depend on you."

Zheng Guowang sneered, "Why doesn't Brother Zhihu go to negotiate? Brother Zhihu is a child prodigy of the Ming Dynasty, famous throughout the world. The pirates should have heard of him. They would give you face, wouldn't they?"

Zhu Yin said very seriously, "How could I not want to go? But I am the chief envoy, and I must bear the primary responsibility for the safety and well-being of the mission, just like the commander-in-chief of an army. How can I personally go to negotiate with the pirates?"

"I would like to ask Brother Yueying to make the trip in person."

Zheng Guowang: "..."

She was speechless. Zhu Yin's reasons were so plausible that they were impossible to refute.

Who told me to be the deputy envoy? Indeed, I should be the deputy envoy!

This Zhu Zhihu is truly cunning at every turn. He gets all the credit, but takes all the risks himself.

I was the one who blocked the enemy at Yase Gorge, I was the one who blocked the enemy at Ichijoji Slope, and now I have to negotiate with the pirates, and that's still up to me!

Hmph, no matter what, Zhu Zhihu is strategizing and commanding from behind the scenes, while I'm destined to be a busybody.

You wait, there will always be a chance to impeach you again!
Her feelings were very complicated. Although she had a lot of complaints about Zhu Yin, she couldn't help but admire his methods, strategies, courage and boldness, and felt ashamed of herself for not being as good as him.

If anyone were to say in front of her that Zhu Yin was seeking fame and fortune and that his reputation was undeserved, she would be the first to refute them.

Zheng Guowang said somewhat dejectedly, "Pirates have always been unreasonable. Brother Zhihu, have you considered that the envoy might be detained?"

Zhu Yin shook his head and said, "That depends on who the envoy is. Brother Yueying is a man of great talent and refined character, worthy of our utmost respect, and he also represents the Great Ming Dynasty. With a character like Brother Yueying, there will be no danger for him."

"Character?" Zheng Guowang scoffed, his expression mocking. "In Brother Zhihu's mind, do you think I have a good character?"

Zhu Yin laughed and said, "What is character? Character is a person's rank. Brother Yueying is a scholar who passed the imperial examinations twice, the younger brother of a concubine, and the Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies. Isn't that a good character?"

Zheng Guowang: "..."

Zhu Zhihu, what you said makes a lot of sense.

Xu Wei suddenly laughed and said, "Your Excellency, let me go with you. If the pirates are truly unyielding, I can act as an intermediary."

Zheng Guowang nodded and said, "With Mr. Wenchang going along, things will not be difficult."

He then probed further, "Brother Zhihu, if I am captured by pirates, you don't need to worry about me. Returning home to report to the emperor is the most important thing."

Zhu Yin's face darkened. "What are you saying, Brother Yueying? Do you think I'm that kind of person? We're in the same boat, practically family and friends. How could I possibly disregard your safety?"

"Even if I have to give all the gold and silver I've captured to the pirates, I will still ransom you! Even without the gold and silver, with the Japanese emperor and his men in our hands, we will still have accomplished a tremendous feat!"

Xu Wei sighed, "Gongbao is truly a man of strong character. Aren't pirates just after money? How could they dare to offend the Ming Dynasty?"

"Since the Grand Secretary is willing to part with gold and silver treasures, the old man and the Junior Minister will naturally be safe."

Zheng Guowang was also somewhat moved. If Zhu Yin really was willing to pay any price to redeem himself, then it would show that he was ultimately a kind-hearted person.

She immediately said, "I'm going to the cabin to change my clothes so I can go negotiate with the pirates."

Zhu Yin cupped his hands in greeting: "Then I'll leave it to Brother Yueying."

When Zheng Guowang entered the cabin, Zhu Yin and Xu Wei couldn't help but exchange a smile.

...

At this time, Emperor Zhouren of Japan, who had been imprisoned and sent back to the Ming Dynasty, still clung to a fantasy.

The Nanban fleet attacking Osaka must be the troops that Gutt brought. A day ago, I sent someone with a secret edict to the chief priest of Takatsu Shrine, who was loyal to me, instructing him to open the city gates from the inside and help the Nanban army enter the city.

If Gutt's troops had already occupied Osaka Castle by this time, it wouldn't be impossible for them to stop the Ming delegation's ship and save themselves.

At this moment, his only hope lay with Guter.

Thinking of General Guterres brought Zhou Ren some peace of mind.

……

Just one day before Zhu Yin launched the "Kyoto Incident," a fierce battle also broke out in Osaka Castle, which was only a hundred miles away.

Half a month ago, Ning Caiwei and Ding Liyang led a fleet of 18,000 people northward.

With the world's most advanced navigation technology and warships, they circled around the Ryukyu Islands from the east, avoiding Kyushu Island, and appeared directly in the Izu Islands in the East China Sea.

Then, the fleet headed west, splitting into two. Ding Liyang led five thousand men straight towards the Kuki Shipbuilding base in Ise Bay.

The objectives were threefold: first, to burn down the shipyards in Ise Bay; second, to capture and raze the Ise Grand Shrine, Japan's most important shrine; and third, to tie down the Japanese forces in Ise Bay and prevent them from reinforcing Osaka.

Ning Caiwei led her main fleet of 13,000 men and arrived at the Akashi Strait without anyone noticing!
It was only at this point that the Japanese realized the enemy fleet was attacking.

It's a pity it's too late.

At present, the daimyo such as Hideyoshi, Ieyasu, Date Masamune, and Mori Terumoto are all based at Nagoya Castle in Kyushu, which is more than a thousand miles away from the Akashi Strait.

Japan didn't have the well-developed postal system of the Ming Dynasty, which allowed for urgent dispatches over 600 li (approximately 300 kilometers). It would take them at least five days to deliver urgent military intelligence to Hideyoshi.

By the time Hideyoshi sent troops to rescue them again, it would have taken more than ten days, and by then it would be too late.

The white prisoners of war captured in Jingzhou also came in handy, playing the roles of captains and officers on the ship and deliberately showing themselves in front of the Japanese.

By the time the news reached Osaka, the intelligence was already quite certain: the Nanban fleet was attacking!
Panic gripped the entire Osaka Castle. Two hundred thousand people, both inside and outside the castle, were gripped by fear.

They had never seen such a huge warship before!

The townspeople and fishermen outside the inner city, having no businesses to protect, chose to flee immediately.

Meanwhile, wealthy merchants with businesses could only hope, clinging to a sliver of hope, that the warriors could defeat the southern pirates.

At this time, the ruler of Osaka Castle, Kita no Mandokoro Nene, immediately dispatched messengers on horseback to Kyoto, Ise, and other places to send messages and request assistance. Meanwhile, he sent someone to Kyushu to deliver a message to Hideyoshi.

Although Ning Caiwei's fleet had reached the coast, she could not immediately bombard Osaka Castle because it was still more than ten miles from the sea.

Fortunately, intelligence indicated that the section of the Yodo River downstream that flows into the sea, which is about ten miles long, is nearly two zhang deep, making it perfectly navigable for the Jinghai Navy's sailing warships.

Ning Caiwei led the fleet upstream. However, due to the headwind and current, the ships moved very slowly, and it was not until late afternoon that the fleet arrived at the river port outside Osaka Castle.

The fleet spent another half an hour slowly lining up and changing formation on the river, the dark muzzles of the cannons pointing menacingly at the city.

Nearly a hundred warships filled the river, which was several miles long and one mile wide, completely blockading Osaka Castle and the Yodo River.

Only then did Ning Caiwei order the direct bombardment of Osaka Castle.

"Issue my order: all ships, prepare in half a quarter of an hour, and bombard Osaka Castle!"

Upon receiving the order, the flag bearer on the flagship Kuaiji immediately signaled with flags.

"Gunners, to your positions!"

"Left rudder 15 degrees...Aim—"

"preparation--"

With the command flag waved on the flagship, the heavy cannons on dozens of warships roared in unison.

"Boom boom boom—" A thunderous roar resounded, like a sea of ​​thunder pouring down, causing the sky to collapse and the earth to split.

The enormous thrust caused the tall warship to sway, and the waves it created instantly rose several feet high!
Suddenly, smoke billowed up, and the strong smell of gunpowder made it impossible for people to open their eyes.

Originally, the defenders thought that the inner city of Osaka Castle was impregnable and that it would be difficult for the Nanban pirates to conquer it. However, when the heavy cannons of the Eighth Flagship Fleet roared, they were frightened.

How can there be such a powerful cannon in the world?
so horrible!

Even the mighty Yamata no Orochi, a creature of immense power deep in the ocean, probably wouldn't dare to venture out to sea.

The naval guns of the Daishan Army are the most technologically advanced and powerful artillery in the world today, with performance surpassing that of the West and leading the era by more than a hundred years.

The main guns of the battleship Kuaiji weighed over 5,000 jin each, had an effective range of over four li, and produced shells weighing 40 jin each, capable of easily penetrating rammed earth walls or stone fortresses nearly ten zhang thick. Even in terms of rate of fire, they could fire five or six rounds every fifteen minutes.

In addition to firing solid shot, it can also fire burst shot, grapeshot, and chain shot.

These cannons were too heavy to be used on warships, fortresses, or city walls. However, their power was undeniable.

Of course, the ammunition for this shot cost five taels of silver!

A Kuaiji-class battleship was equipped with sixty cannons, including twelve of these long-range heavy cannons with forty-pound shells.

The fleet heading north this time consisted of four Kuaiji-class sailing battleships: Kuaiji, Gusu, Linzi, and Xianyang. Except for Gusu, which went to Ise Bay with Ding Liyang, the other three were under Ning Caiwei's command.

These three sailing battleships alone plunged Osaka Castle into unprecedented panic.

"Boom boom boom—" Hundreds of heavy cannons from the fleet roared together, and the supposedly impregnable Osaka Castle fortress was instantly filled with flying stone chips and towering flames.

"Ah—" Amid screams and cries of terror, large numbers of the defending soldiers were torn to pieces, dying in this horrific bombardment, leaving no trace of their bodies.

The entire surface of the Yodo River outside Osaka Castle was shrouded in the shadows of warships' sails.

The air for miles around was filled with the roar of cannons. Smoke and fire filled the air for miles around, like a ghostly mist rising from hell.

On the Kuaiji, Ning Caiwei, dressed in black armor and wearing a mask, looked at the devastation inside Osaka Castle with a cold gaze through a monocular telescope.

The intelligence was accurate; the inner walls of Osaka Castle were indeed very well constructed. No wonder it was a formidable castle built by Hideyoshi, who enslaved tens of thousands of laborers over two years.

Even such a fortified city could hardly withstand the bombardment of heavy artillery that was ahead of its time.

The Japanese troops inside Osaka Castle could only passively endure the attack. Their troops were relatively densely packed, making it difficult for them to disperse on the castle walls. Under the barrage of heavy artillery fire, they were quickly annihilated.

Osaka Castle certainly had cannons as well. However, their cannons were far inferior to those of the eight flagship fleet in both range and power, posing no threat whatsoever to the fleet on the river.

In just three rounds of bombardment, more than 300 heavy artillery shells were fired, and the defending troops in the city suffered more than 1,500 casualties. The remaining 6,000 or so were all terrified.

The entire Osaka Castle, from Hideyoshi's principal wife Kita-no-Mandokoro Nene and concubine Yodo-dono Chacha down to the foot soldiers and townspeople, was as if a nightmare had descended upon them.

A tremendous panic, like a giant demonic hand, loomed over the entire city of Osaka.

However, because saltpeter and sulfur were rare, and the number of workers in the ammunition factory was limited, the Jinghai Navy's ammunition production was also limited. There were only 5,000 of these 40-pound cannon shells in stock, and 3,000 of them were taken on this northward journey. Ning Caiwei's fleet received 2,000 of them, so they couldn't be wasted.

Ning Caiwei certainly didn't expect to take Osaka Castle by artillery alone. Artillery was mainly used for siege warfare; once the inner castle's defenses were destroyed, a amphibious landing would still be necessary.

The vanguard of 5,000 Jingzhou native servants is ready and can launch a landing attack at any time.

Although Ning Caiwei was attacking Osaka Castle, her mind was in Kyoto, a hundred miles away.

She knew that once the news reached Kyoto, and Toyotomi Hidetsugu led his army to rescue Osaka, the little tiger would make his move.

She was worried about the tiger cub's safety.

To meet the little tiger, as soon as she arrived at Osaka Castle, she dispatched several small, shallow-draft warships to sail north to meet her.

However, because it's going upstream and there's a headwind on the river, the speed is very slow, and the earliest we can arrive is tomorrow afternoon.

“Madam,” Zhang Cha approached Ning Caiwei, “it’s almost dark, so we probably can’t attack the city today.”

Ning Caiwei looked up at the twilight sky and said thoughtfully:

"Could we burn down the towns and cities outside the inner city to provide lighting, and then launch a night attack?"

Zhang Cha shook his head and said, "No, Madam. Attacking the city with the fleet at night is actually very dangerous."

He pointed to the warship beneath his feet, "The Japanese pirates have always loved to use fire attacks, especially at night. Their water monsters are excellent swimmers and are not afraid of the cold. They lurk under the ships at night, making them impossible to guard against."

"The river is too narrow, and our ships are too close together. The sails are flammable, the hulls coated with tung oil are also flammable, and there is too much gunpowder, so we are even more vulnerable to fire attacks."

"During the day, the Japanese pirates were helpless, and they had no chance to use fire. But it was a different story at night."

Ning Caiwei quickly understood, "General Zhang is right. Right now, the only chance for the Japanese pirates is to launch a fire attack at night at the risk of their lives."

"In that case, our army not only cannot risk night battles, but must also temporarily withdraw from the river section and return to the sea."

Zhang Jia laughed and said, "Madam is truly open to advice and understands things very quickly. That's right, it's time to stop while we're ahead and retreat from the river to the sea."

"We can attack again at dawn tomorrow. Osaka Castle is right here, it can't run away now. Anyway, the Japanese pirates are terrified today, suffering heavy casualties and their morale is low. We will definitely be able to break through the castle tomorrow."

What he admired most about his wife was that she was good at accepting opinions and never presumptuously believed in herself or pretended to know what she didn't.

Ning Caiwei immediately ordered, "It's getting dark. Pass on my order to return to the sea for now."

At the command, the countless warships immediately slid downstream into the sea.

Zhang Qi breathed a sigh of relief and pointed to the east, saying:
"Ding Shuai's fleet must have already burned down the shipyard in Ise Bay and that Ise Grand Shrine by now. At the latest, they should be able to rendezvous with the lady by tomorrow night."

"This humble general guesses that our lord will arrive in Osaka by tomorrow night at the latest. At that time…"

Ning Caiwei's eyes sparkled with anticipation as she smiled and said:
"There was still a play to be performed. We couldn't let the others in the delegation think that we were in cahoots with the Ming Dynasty's chief envoy."

"Make this performance more realistic, don't ruin it."

Zhang Jia smiled and said, "Don't worry, Madam. The candidate has been prepared long ago, and I guarantee there won't be any leaks. It's truly delightful to work with the Lord and Madam."

...

Not to mention the Jinghai fleet's triumphant departure, Osaka Castle was already shrouded in gloom, as if the end of the world had arrived.

The terrifying cannon fire this afternoon left even the most determined warriors feeling powerless.

The Nanban pirates didn't even land; just a few volleys of cannon fire were enough to kill or wound over a thousand defenders. It was truly terrifying. If this continued, the walls of Osaka Castle would soon collapse, and it would be impossible to defend it.

However, the fanatical Bushido believers still refused to give up their resistance.

Japanese samurai were a group of people who loved fighting and were highly proactive in war.

They quickly found Beizhengsuo Ningning and begged her to launch a desperate fire attack!
At night, taking advantage of the Southern Barbarian pirate fleet's arrogance, complacency, and dense formation of warships, a fire attack special force of one thousand men was dispatched for a desperate night raid!
However, just as the panicked Nene agreed to the samurai's plan to attack with fire, an incredibly frustrating and infuriating message reached the Honmaru Palace.

It turns out that the once mighty and arrogant Nanban fleet, after gaining a great advantage, actually left Osaka Bay and returned to the sea!
Clearly, the cunning Southern Barbarian pirates saw through the Divine Kingdom warriors' scheme, causing the Divine Kingdom warriors to lose a precious opportunity to defeat the enemy.

hateful! hateful!
Although the so-called Nanban fleet has temporarily withdrawn, the people of Osaka Castle are still unable to sleep at night.

Among them was a group of Westerners.

It was very late at night. Major Gutt, who lived in the church, was still working late into the night, studying strategies to leave Japan and return to Burma.

Today, he saw that familiar and powerful fleet again, one that even felt strangely close to him.

He was certain that this fleet was the same group of pirates that had captured Manila!
The ridiculous and foolish Japanese thought the invaders were Westerners, but Gutt himself knew very well that they were not!

The pirates were playing tricks, plotting a scheme to frame the white man.

He had already escaped from the pirates three times.

Good heavens, this is the fourth time!

Major Gutt couldn't help but give a wry smile.

That's right, he's already a major. On his way to Burma, he used sweet talk to gather a dozen or so Western soldiers who had fled. After arriving in Burma, he met Colonel Vitra, the Burmese king's chief military advisor.

The colonel was a Portuguese man responsible for training soldiers for the king. Seeing that he had a group of Western men who were also excellent officers familiar with the inner workings of Chinese pirates, the colonel recommended him to the Burmese king, making him the deputy in the advisory group. He then requested permission from the East India Company authorities to promote him to major.

But the colonel was unlucky and died of the terrible malaria that plagued Burma. So he took over the colonel's position and became the chief advisor.

After Japan launched its war against Korea, the East India Company, having received intelligence, paid close attention. He then proactively suggested to the Governor-General that he be dispatched north to discuss the possibility of cooperation.

But in reality, his true purpose was to swindle a large sum of money from the Japanese so that his group of European thugs could make a fortune.

The guys were overjoyed to have gotten the money. That Japanese king was a complete idiot!

But now, he has to leave.

However, he wasn't too frustrated. He believed he would escape again.

He was promoted each time he escaped the first three times. Will he get a lieutenant colonel or colonel this time?

If I bring back valuable intelligence to the Governor-General, I could be promoted to colonel with the title of "Japan expert" and a sum of money.

The son of the shoemaker from Genoa, Italy, was pondering when suddenly the oil lamp flashed, and his loyal subordinate appeared.

The other person was also Italian.

“Major,” the man said, “the King of Japan is a fool; he even sent you a letter. The messenger said it was some kind of imperial edict.”

Gutt took it and exclaimed, "Oh my god, quickly call a translator!"

The translator arrived quickly; he was a priest who had lived in Japan for many years.

After reading the so-called imperial edict, the priest said with a strange expression:
"Major, the Japanese Emperor... uh, you mean the King of Japan, naively believes that the fleet attacking Osaka was dispatched by you... He hopes that after you capture Osaka Castle, you will capture the lady of the castle, but not go on a killing spree..."

"God!" the shoemaker's son jumped up. "Poor Japanese King! I think I've deeply hurt him! I'm sorry! That damned king!"

"We need to get out of here right now! This letter is ridiculous!"

"Hurry up, guys!"

"Alright, Major!"

P.S.: The little tiger will be returning to China in the next chapter. Please vote with your monthly tickets!

(End of this chapter)