Traveling through the late Ming Dynasty to promote Chinese civilization

Chapter 342 The Shimazu Clan Submits

Hearing her father say this, Shimazu Chiyo knew that the situation was beyond repair. She gritted her teeth, knelt down and said, "Chiyo has long said that she is willing to leave the city to accept her punishment. Please, Father, tie Chiyo up and hand her over to the Ming people."

Before the shelling, his daughter had indeed said she was willing to bear the consequences alone, but he had vowed to protect her. Now, facing imminent disaster, she was going to back out, and Shimazu Tadatsune couldn't help but blush. Thinking back to the past few years, with Mitsuhisa absent and him bedridden, it was all thanks to her that the entire Shimazu family was supported. Whether from the perspective of blood ties or merit, abandoning her at this crucial moment would not only be a matter of conscience but would also chill the hearts of the other retainers. In a moment of impulse, he blurted out, "Chiyo, don't worry, no matter what, I will protect your life!"

Shimazu Mitsuhisa was taken aback, thinking the old man had changed his mind, and hurriedly advised, "Father, please consider the safety of the entire city, and do not be so sentimental!"

Shimazu Tadatsune waved his hand to stop him from continuing, and said in a deep voice, "I know what to do. Everyone come with me to the beach and negotiate with Akito!"

On board the "Guangdong," Liu Ye asked Gao Jie, "How come we ran out of shells in less than half an hour? Is our ammunition reserve that low?"

Gao Jie said with a wry smile, "General, do you know how staggering the number of shells consumed by a continuous shelling for about half an hour is? Our cannons have an average rate of fire of one shell per minute. If the rate of fire were even faster, we might run out of ammunition in ten minutes. We are warships, not gun emplacements. There is a limit to the number of shells we can carry on ocean voyages."

Liu Ye sighed, looking at the billowing smoke over Tsurumaru Castle, and said, "I hope the Japanese aren't so stubborn, preferring to die in the city rather than back down. Otherwise, I'll gain nothing but the infamy of massacring the city." He wouldn't feel guilty about blowing up everyone in Tsurumaru Castle, but the prospect of being united against the Japanese would be a huge loss, making it very inconvenient for him to do business or conduct tax audits in Japan in the future.

Unable to walk due to old age and illness, Shimazu Tadatsune sat on a palanquin carried by four men, surrounded by his retainers, and crossed the streets toward the South Gate, where the seaside was located.

The horrific scenes of collapsed houses and corpses strewn across the land shocked the rulers of Tsurumaru Castle; they almost felt as if they had entered the deepest hell. Many houses were still burning fiercely, and many people were fetching water to put out the fires. Thick smoke billowed from all over the city, and the cries of the wounded and the sorrowful weeping of survivors who had lost their loved ones echoed in every street and alley.

Shimazu Tadatsune sighed deeply and said to Shimazu Mitsuhisa, who was accompanying him, "I once thought that the collapse of a nation meant the strongest cannon in the world. I never imagined that there are always stronger forces at play. The cannons possessed by the Ming people far exceeded our imagination. If the Ming people had such firepower during the Keicho War (Note 1), how could we have escaped unscathed? If 14 elite Japanese troops had perished in Korea, I'm afraid even the Kanpaku (Note 2) would have had to commit seppuku to atone for his sins..."

Shimazu Mitsuhisa's eyes flickered. His focus differed from his father's. While his father was reminded of the war, he was thinking: if they could turn enemies into friends with these Ming people, acquire their advanced arquebus technology, and combine that with the already formidable arquebusiers of the Satsuma Domain, then the Satsuma Domain would be more than just a powerful western domain; it would be a force to be reckoned with against that Edo-based powerhouse relying on his ancestors' legacy. As for the civilians who died or were wounded in the castle, these ants were nothing compared to the great cause of revitalizing the Satsuma Domain and glorifying the Shimazu family.

Chiyo Shimazu looked at the horrific scene around her, her heart filled with complex emotions. Before today, she had never felt her assassination decision was wrong; in fact, she had regretted her failed attempt for a long time. But today, seeing the city's people either dead or their families destroyed, she felt a deep sense of unbearable sorrow. Had she made a mistake? Should she have provoke that man?

The surviving people saw the lord and his entourage and spontaneously knelt down by the roadside, watching them leave the city with hope, hoping that the lord and the samurai lords could stop the disaster from continuing.

The gates of Tsurumaru Castle opened, and samurai and retainers escorted Shimazu Tadatsune out in single file. They stopped at the dock, and a samurai with a loud voice came forward and shouted, "Please, General from the Ming Dynasty, disembark and meet with our lord."

Liu Ye breathed a sigh of relief. The Japanese had finally given in. He ordered, "Shout to them and tell them to send a few men aboard to talk to me. I won't go down. If they don't agree, send them back, and I'll continue firing." After the ambush on the coast of Nagasaki, Liu Ye dared not be careless again. Negotiating on someone else's turf was never as safe as staying on his own ship.

Upon hearing the other party's call, Shimazu Tadatsune hesitated for a moment before instructing his men: "Chiyo, come aboard with me. Mitsuhisa, stay behind."

Retainers such as Ijuin Tadatsunō hurriedly dissuaded him, saying, "My lord, you must not risk your life."

Shimazu Mitsuhisa initially intended to stay as ordered, as he had no desire to venture into the lion's den. However, Ijuin Tadatsune, while advising the lord, was also giving him meaningful glances. Shimazu Mitsuhisa, being astute, immediately understood. The position of head of the clan was still uncertain, and his biggest rival was on the verge of death. Now was his chance to prove himself to his father. Taking the risk of boarding the ship might mean the position would be his upon disembarking. After all, without his father's personal approval, everything was still uncertain, and he had several younger brothers eyeing him covetously.

He immediately declared with righteous indignation, "How can I let my father go to such a dangerous place alone? I am willing to accompany my father on the ship!"

Thus, the Shimazu father, son, and daughter, along with several close samurai, boarded the "Guangdong". Like Abe Masahiro, the chief elder of the shogunate, they were also awestruck by the massive Yongle-class warship, but compared to the overwhelming cannon fire ahead, the impact of the ship was relatively weak.

Although the enemy numbered less than ten, the Qiongzhou camp remained on high alert. Lin San led his guards to surround Liu Ye and his men, their black gun barrels and gleaming bayonets pointed at Shimazu Tadahira and his group.

Having witnessed the power of the enemy's artillery and now with a hundred or so guns pointed at them, the immense pressure made Shimazu Mitsuhisa and his samurai feel like they were being pricked by needles. They knelt down, their heads bowed low, as if only in this way could they express their respect for the strong and ensure their own safety. Shimazu Chiyo glanced at her younger brother with disdain, then stood proudly unmoved.

Shimazu Tadatsune said respectfully, "Your Excellency, I am old and frail, and plagued by illness. Please forgive me for not being able to kneel and pay my respects." He glanced at his daughter and said in a low voice, "Chiyo, why are you not kneeling down?"

Chiyo Shimazu snorted defiantly, but ultimately refused to disobey her father's orders and reluctantly knelt down.

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Note 1: This refers to the Imjin War, which Korea called the Imjin War and Japan called the Bunroku-Keicho War.

Note 2: This is an ancient Japanese official title, originating in China, equivalent to the Chinese prime minister. In Japan, it is usually synonymous with regent; the emperor is called regent during his childhood and regent after adulthood. Here, it refers to Toyotomi Hideyoshi.