Volume 2: Soaring! The Overlord of the Region Chapter 343 Japanese Imagination
"Your Highness, our soldiers stationed in Ryukyu are reporting that the main fleet of the Ming Empire has been dispatched!"
"Oh? Yoshi! Those Chinese pigs finally came out of the pigsty!"
On January 23, when Tokugawa Yoshida heard the news that the main fleet of the Ming Dynasty had left the port, his excitement was beyond words. He could not help but shout out the contemptuous name that later militarists used to describe China.
He couldn't help being excited. This war had lasted for nearly a year. Although there hadn't been any real major battles so far, the main fleets of Japan and Thailand had been exhausted in the past six months in order to maintain the sea lanes. The sailors, commanders, and ships themselves had all reached their limits.
However, this channel had to be maintained: Japan itself never had enough food, and even during the Meiji Restoration, if God was not kind to it, there would be nationwide rice riots.
After conquering Korea in 1617, the first year was tax-free. Not only did they not have any income, but they also had to increase the supply of materials to Korea. Yes, they did get a lot from the manors of the yangban nobles. But in addition to feeding the 70,000 expeditionary soldiers, they also had to share some profits with the traitors. Therefore, at least before the summer tax collection in 1618, Japan's income from Korea was negative.
In order to ensure domestic stability, Tokugawa Yoshinao also organized nearly 10,000 samurai who had lost their land and salaries in previous wars, as well as more than 20,000 bandits and refugees into an army and threw them all to Korea in the past six months. So this negative number is still growing!
In Japan, in addition to the First Division stationed in Korea, the training and daily salaries of the other six newly formed divisions required a huge amount of supplies and money. There was also a huge fleet, a huge shipyard, and huge mines everywhere...
Of course, the shogunate could pay for all expenses with gold and silver. But gold and silver cannot be worn or eaten. Without food, what good would gold and silver do? Therefore, the fleet that was buying food from Thailand could not stop.
After the war began, Ming naturally cut off trade with these two countries and Spain. The Thai government's biggest source of income, which was selling antibiotics to India, was completely cut off. In order to maintain a fleet and a large army that far exceeded its national strength, Thailand had no choice but to desperately squeeze the countries in Indochina, collect a large amount of grain, sell it, and then exchange it for precious metals to pay military salaries.
Therefore, the Hakata-Ryukyu-Taiwan-Luzon-Saigon-Bangkok route has been busy since the second half of 1617. And the busyness of this route means the busyness of the fleet - who knows when the pirates of the Ming Dynasty will come out to grab a stick ?
In short, the fleets of Japan and Thailand have not had a good rest in the past six months.
As for the Spanish Manila Fleet? Although the Treasure Fleet was not completely destroyed by Yan Siqi, it did lose one-fifth of its cargo. So Alfonso was severely reprimanded , but Philip still wanted to help Japan and Thailand to hold back the Ming Dynasty, so Alfonso's position as commander remained, and he occasionally led the Manila Fleet to participate in the escort of trade between the two countries.
In short, for the exhausted fleets of the three countries, hearing that the main fleet of the Ming Kingdom had come out and was heading straight to Ryukyu was really great news - since ancient times, it is only a thief for a thousand days, how can you guard against thieves for a thousand days? You pigs hiding in the pigsty are finally willing to come out, so we will quickly kill you. In this way, we will also be free.
"Tell me in detail what happened."
"Hi, Your Highness, on January 12, we followed the previous regulations for garrisoning Ryukyu and went out every morning to patrol and guard 20 nautical miles west of Naha Port in Ryukyu. Then we saw a large number of Ming warships suddenly appear on the sea. Yes, the sun and moon flags, the Ming flags, there is no mistake, they are Ming warships."
"Then what?"
"Then I ordered my sailors to turn east. At first, I wanted to go straight to Naha Port to warn the enemy, but the Ming warships also discovered us and immediately sent three second-level warships to chase us. My dear, my ship is a Guan ship. Facing such a warship, we really have no ability to resist. Therefore, we can only turn north again and head towards Kyushu..."
"Well, have you seen how many warships the Ming Dynasty has?"
"Your Highness, the Ming fleet is too large, at least no less than a hundred ships. I don't know how many first-class warships and second-class warships there are."
"What a useless thing!" After angrily cursing the captain, Tokugawa Yoshinao said to another person kneeling below him: "What about you? How did you come back? Can you see clearly?"
"Hi, Lord Kofu. My mission that day was to patrol 20 nautical miles south from Naha Port. So, when I returned to the waters near Naha , I found that the Ryukyu Island had been occupied by the Ming people. Then, under the cover of darkness, I quietly approached Naha Port for observation. I can confirm that the Ming country's attack this time has at least 35 first-class warships and at least 70 second-class warships."
"Yoshi! This is what a loyal and brave warrior is like! I will reward you handsomely!"
After sending away the captains of the two ships, Tokugawa Yoshinao immediately invited the relevant ministers of his country, as well as the commander and the commander of the Spanish Manila fleet, Alfonso.
"Everyone, the opportunity has appeared! As long as we destroy the main fleet of Ming, our fleet can be freed from the endless escort mission. Then we can occupy Qiongzhou Prefecture of Ming again, or Changsha Shipyard! We can even enter the mainland of Ming along the Yangtze River!"
"Hmm..." The current political official of the shogunate is Honda Masazumi. After listening carefully to the intelligence report from Hattori Hanzo who just served beside Tokugawa Yoshinao, he thought seriously and said to the commander of his country's fleet, Yagyu Kanbei: "Major General, do you think this is a bait released by the Ming Dynasty?"
After respectfully returning the greeting, Yagyu Kanbei said, "Honda-kun, this possibility is almost non-existent."
"Why is that?"
"According to pre-war intelligence, the Ming Kingdom only had 20 first-class warships, so when they faced our three-country joint fleet, they did not dare to accept a decisive battle, and could only use guerrilla warfare and harassment to reduce the pressure on the land. Now, more than half a year has passed, and the number of first-class warships of the Ming Kingdom has reached more than 35, and then they attacked... This situation can only mean that, first, the Ming people believe that they have the strength to fight a decisive battle with us. Second, the Ming people have been blockaded by us along the coast and cut off from maritime trade for more than half a year, and the dissatisfaction in the country has reached its limit. They must also come out to seek a fight.
Moreover, the construction period of a first-class battleship is so long, how could the Ming people produce hundreds of battleships as bait in just half a year?"
After saying this, Yagyu Kanbei turned around and saluted Tokugawa Yoshinao: "Kumō-dono, the Ming people have built more than ten first-class warships in such a short time. This production capacity is really too strong. Fortunately, they could not withstand the blockade and were forced to go out to sea to fight us. Otherwise, if we give them another year or two, our advantage will really be gone by then. Therefore, I beg you to let the three-country joint fleet go south to fight the Ming fleet!"
"Yes." He nodded readily and turned his gaze to Zhanla and Alfonso: "What do you think?"
"Your Highness, I have a warrant from our king. Once the opportunity arises, we can immediately engage in a decisive battle. Therefore, I am willing to go south with your fleet to have a decisive battle with the Ming fleet."
"Your Highness, my Majesty has ordered me to obey your orders and those of His Majesty of Siam in the Far East. Therefore, as long as you want to go south for a decisive battle, the Manila Fleet will definitely obey your command."
"Yoshi! Pass the order down, all the crews of the warships return to their positions, prepare supplies, and prepare for the decisive battle. Five days later, I will personally lead you south to fight a decisive battle with the Ming fleet!"
