From the Four Nations to Kyushu

The old man looked up and smiled, saying, "I understand." He pulled out a letter from beneath the cushion: "Go to Himeji and find Ibe Kenzo; he will help you."

The old man lowered his head and let out a "humph": "Excellent—you're here today..."

The lord of Uwajima, Date Shinkō, makes a dazzling appearance (though not in a very glorious manner)! Is there anyone willing to portray this guy who enjoys suffering and weeping? Rest assured, I will not write him as Liu Bei. As for those fellows from Kyushu, they are merely supporting characters to Shinkō, with no tricks to play—however, if someone is interested in them, I will consider giving a certain character a glorious moment, and then let them die in a less disgraceful manner, haha

"So what?" Maggie laughed instead, "It didn't mean you ran in vain. It's equivalent to having a drill in the Seto Inland Sea, and you've earned quite a bit of wealth..."

The actions of Shiju were orchestrated by behind-the-scenes figures: one was the leader of the anti-dynasty forces in China, Mao Li Guanghui, and the other was Yamauchi Munetaka from Tosa. Of course, Ichiyu Shiugo also had his backers; the overlord of the Four Eastern Provinces, Hachisuka Kumamoto, was originally Shiugo's father-in-law. However, this old fox made a misstep this time and ultimately lost the life of his son-in-law

The soldier briefly explained a few things to his companion, then led Sanlang to a cave located behind the main keep. Sanlang walked straight in, and inside was a large space approximately fourteen or fifteen tatami mats in size, where an elderly man with white hair sat motionless facing the wall.

On that day, a banquet was held at the Tengu Pavilion of Kagoshima Castle, with the host, Katsutaka, seated at the head. To his left, the first seat was occupied by Hosokawa Hirotaka, and the second by Gojo Sadamitsu. To his right, the first seat was taken by Kuroda Tora, and the second by Arima Haruaki. These four families collectively held no less than 210,000 koku and up to 540,000 koku, making them renowned powerful clans not only in Kyushu but throughout all of Japan, figures whose roar could shake the entire archipelago. Below them were the smaller daimyos such as Tachibana, Inaba, Nakagawa, and Kinoshita.

The lord of the Uwajima Domain in West Iyo, Date Goi Daifu Shinkō, is renowned for the formidable combat strength of his navy. On the eighth day of the ninth month, twenty tall and sturdy ironclad warships, fully equipped with soldiers, sailed into the Seto Inland Sea, preparing to force a landing at Suitan.

There should be no problem; Xin Hong is like a gust of wind, arriving suddenly and departing just as abruptly. As long as we can withstand his initial onslaught, there will be no further issues.

"No, no," the confidant hurriedly explained, "a few days ago they all sent letters saying they would come to celebrate your birthday, probably..."

"Alright, alright," Sheng Long waved his hand, "Everyone sit down, let's deliberate on this matter at length."

Ita Shinkou returned to his hometown, Yuhe Island, feeling dejected. After removing his armor, he sat down in a daze. His wife, Mei Ji, was already aware of what had transpired. She cautiously approached him and softly asked, "The hot water is ready; would you like to take a bath first?"

"Hold on," Sheng Long leaned forward, "I deeply admire your dedication to protecting the faith. If the guardians of the faith were to sacrifice themselves in my territory, Louis," he called out the name of the pure and loyal, "I would be unable to ascend to heaven after my death"

"Ha!" Sanlang laughed, "What a joke! He goes to pay respects? He doesn't even believe in his own ancestors! He must be off to watch the battle—so take me to see the old man."

Shen Gang was taken aback, his heart immediately softened. He wanted to step forward to assist, but was stopped by Mei Ji's disdainful gaze: "Indeed, indeed, martial valor!"

"It can't be," Shen Gang said, his face clouded with worry, "the enemy's trick?"

"Does the old gentleman think that Uesugi Nobuhira can be compared to Lord Kenshin?" Saburo asked with a smile after taking a sip of tea

Entering the mountainous area in the morning, the roads inside were winding and complex. It was not until the end of the day that I finally saw the stronghold of the wild warriors—no one would have expected that in such a remote location, there would be a well-constructed fortress, built to take advantage of the terrain, capable of withstanding an army of fifty thousand. The person who constructed this fortress possesses truly extraordinary strategic insight.

The three hundred soldiers of Xiaosong stood in formation, ready for battle. At the beginning of the hour, after the warships from Yuhe Island failed to achieve the expected results following two rounds of bombardment, they finally lowered their small boats and began a forced landing.

Shen Gang received the letter but did not open it; instead, he bit his nails in silence for half a day. Then, suddenly, he began to cry softly.

The flames of war in Dongshan have not yet extinguished, and the South China Sea has stirred once more. In the autumn of that year, in the eighth month, the small lord Matsuno Ieyasu of Iyo, with a fief of 10,000 koku, launched a surprise attack against his clan member Ieyasu Ugo of the Saijo branch. Seven days later, at the age of twenty-nine, Ugo's entire army was annihilated, and he committed seppuku.

Hosokawa drew a cross and said, "Amen." He was the only Christian among the four, undoubtedly aligning himself with Omura, Matsuura, and the others

Shen Gang resembled a defeated rooster, with his head hanging low, staring blankly for a moment. Suddenly, he stole a glance at Mei Ji and still walked over to help her up. Mei Ji looked into her husband's eyes, her gaze very complex, but Shen Gang's eyes instead flickered and avoided: "I, I am going to take a shower..."

"Is it similar to Uesugi Kenshin's campaign in the Kanto region back in the day?" The old man waved his hand, and a young attendant presented tea. "Unfortunately, Harunoyama is not Odawara, and moreover, it has already fallen into enemy hands.

In the depths of the mountains, in a place difficult for the shogunate's influence to reach, resides a group of wild warriors. No one knows exactly how many there are; in any case, nearby domains such as Matsushiro, Ueda, and Matsumoto do not dare to provoke them. The Saburo family has extensive connections and is a frequent visitor to this area, so the sentry posts along the way did not conduct any checks and allowed him to pass.

Shen Gang was furious, grabbing Maggie by the collar and demanding, "What did you say?!"

The enemy has surrendered," said Nagata Shuuzou, his expression quite awkward. "Lord Hōsuka and Lord Yamauchi have reached an agreement, and Komatsu has returned half of the land in Saijo to Lord Hōsuka— the war is over

The old man coldly said, "My wishes remain unfulfilled, my hatred persists, I cannot die—are the brothers from the roots doing well? How is the situation of the war in Yufront?"

Master Shenglong was somewhat angry: "It turns out that the royal relatives truly look down on us outsiders."

The feudal lords exchanged glances, none daring to express dissent

Everyone united together, said with great solemnity, "Respond to Hiroshima's call, overthrow the regime!"

What? The feudal lords were mostly taken aback upon hearing this. Sheng Long seized the opportunity to glance at the four powerful figures beside him: "What do you gentlemen think?"

At this point, he suddenly clenched his fists, his eyes revealing a deep-seated hatred: "Ueda Castle, Kudoyama, and Osaka Castle... I must make the descendants of Tokugawa Ieyasu pay for all of this!"

What? Half of the confidants stood up, partly out of surprise and partly out of politeness, "You actually dare to collude with the rebels..."

Shimazu is the foremost daimyo of Kyushu, possessing all of Satsuma, Osumi, and part of Hyuga. Katsutaka inherited his father's legacy and, for over a decade, openly strengthened his military power under the watchful eyes of the shogunate, while also controlling a significant portion of the Southern barbarian trade. With ample troops and wealth at his disposal, as his birthday approached, the lords of the western seas came to pay their respects.

I said, "Meiji shows no fear. Do not forget that Lord Shenli is still on De Island. Your father can allow you to surpass him and inherit the position of head of the Ida family, but he can also depose you and continue to support his eldest son!"

The confidant was interrupted mid-sentence, sitting down in frustration. Suddenly, he felt something uncomfortable pressing against him. He reached down and touched what seemed to be a small metal pendant, and thus he took it out.

The soldier shook his head: "He went to Dewa with Lord Tsuchiya, saying that they were going to pay homage to the Kumano Sanzan to seek divine signs for their uprising."

"What Anren Prince? That is a trick played by the rebellious faction led by Maoli," the confidant exclaimed anxiously, "My lord, do not listen to rumors!"

Xiong Yi did not wish to personally take action to avenge his son-in-law, which led to a full-scale conflict with Yamauchi. Instead, he incited another son-in-law, Date Shinkō of the 100,000 koku in western Shikoku, to mobilize troops against Komatsu.

He had not yet discerned what it was when Chunzhong suddenly leaped up, drawing his long sword: "Desecration of the Holy Son!" With one stroke, he cleaved Matsunari's confidant from head to toe into two pieces

From a distance, the small boat drew closer to the shore, ten steps, nine steps, eight steps... Suddenly, a white flag was raised among the enemy ranks

What?

"My lords, I apologize," Chun Zhong turned to Sheng Long, bowing deeply. "He should not have placed the cross beneath him; this is a deliberate insult to the holy faith... I shall commit seppuku now to express my apologies to all of you, my lords"

Thank you for your concern, sir. The brothers are all well. The allied forces of Jōki and Aizu have broken through to the vicinity of Chikushigō, but due to the absence of the promised reinforcements from the Sendai domain, they were forced to move south again; around August 24, Matsudaira Hiroaki was surrounded by Sukeda Chikagumi at Takadate.

The old man shook his head and then asked, "The Northeast is already in a complete mess. How is it that Hori Nakashio is still not satisfied? Does he really want the world to descend into chaos before he is content?"

How could the elder speak such words? The confidant was taken aback, "Of course, it is to strictly adhere to the orders of the shogunate and His Majesty the Emperor"

Da Village Junzhong stood up and exclaimed: "This is not a rumor! Last month, I personally went to Hiroshima and confirmed that it is indeed His Highness Prince Anren, the bloodline of the late emperor."

However, Daizumi Juncho, sitting at the lower seat of his confidant, said loudly, "Prince Anren has raised troops in Hiroshima— the shogunate has poisoned the late emperor, and has placed his young daughter in power, showing utter disregard for the imperial lineage!"

I am waiting for you," the old man turned his head. His appearance was very aged, yet his spirit seemed quite vigorous

Five doctors raised their telescopes high, standing proudly at the bow of the ship. He is exactly thirty years old, tall and handsome, with two upward-curving mustaches. That day, he wore a conical hat adorned with golden dragons and water buffalo horns, a set of light silk garments with two short sleeves, and an outer coat patterned with dark yellow flowers and stars. At his waist, he carried the renowned "Daheng Wan" katana and the "Yanling" dagger, truly exuding an imposing presence and a fierce aura

Mei Ji interrupted him and exclaimed: "How dare you speak ill of my father? Have you ever considered who has helped you to reach this point? If it weren't for my father's support, as the second son, you..."

In that case, no one is allowed to harbor any ulterior motives; we shall jointly support Lord Shimazu as our leader. The officials and soldiers of the Western Sea and the Ministry of Books vow to shed every drop of blood for His Highness Prince Anjin—should anyone violate this pact, they shall be forsaken by both heaven and earth! With a sharp snap, he broke the folding fan in his hand in two.

Enough! Be quiet!

Haha, you can come back to vent your anger at your wife, yet in front of your vassals, you can only sigh and lament, only able to cry—your eyes are still red now. You, a man without ambition, are not wronged at all to be a pawn for others...

"Bah!" Shen Gang jumped up, cursing loudly, "I, Shen Gang, am not a mere pawn; I am a lord with a fertile land of 100,000 stones! But your scoundrel of a father..."

On the 8th of September, in the city of Kagoshima, 62-year-old Shimazu Katsuhira held a grand birthday banquet.

"Thank you!" Listening to Shen Gang's tone, it seems he is about to cry, "I let him be played like a monkey. You want me to send troops to avenge your brother-in-law, but before the battle even started, I withdrew. Alas—I am merely a small piece on your father's chessboard!"

Oh, Saburo bowed again, "I haven't been to Kansai in many years, and things over there are not easy to handle"

Everyone then saw clearly that it was a gilded cross

Shinzo Ida could hardly believe his eyes; without any exchange of fire, how could such a thing happen? He watched in disbelief as his side's small boat reached the shore, approximately seven hundred infantry disembarked onto the beach, securing their horses and men, and came to a halt. The enemy remained motionless, only a white flag fluttering in the breeze.

However, my lord, I have slain the hereditary daimyo of the shogunate

No, this is a message from Lord Hōsaka's subordinate, the head of the Kōgans, Yūgō. Furthermore, this is a handwritten letter from Lord Hōsaka addressed to Your Highness

"Yes," Sanlang performed a grand gesture of respect and sat down with utmost reverence. "How is the old gentleman's health?"

No," the old man sighed, "all I want is for the Tokugawa family to perish. It is the ambitious young men of the New Left who truly hope for chaos in the world, seeking to profit from it.

Shen Gang could no longer bear to listen. He flipped his wrist, yanked Maggie off the ground, and threw her out. Maggie knocked over a low table and crashed hard against the sliding door. As she tried to steady herself, she let out a gasp and spat out a mouthful of blood before collapsing.

"Nonsense, he is merely the son of a concubine"

The matter of murder is trivial," another Christian lord, Matsura Takanobu, said in a deep voice. "However, the shogunate has always strictly prohibited the holy teachings. Thanks to the protection of Lord Shimazu, we have barely managed to retain a few sanctuaries in the western seas. Today's events will undoubtedly provide the shogunate with a new excuse to reaffirm the ban, leaving no place for our believers in Japan. Therefore, we currently have only one path to take, which is to seek peace and literature.

However, he is ultimately the eldest son of the Ida family. Do not forget who was favored by the late father-in-law? Who do the vassals and the common people trust the most? Without the power of your father, even if Saburo ascends to the throne, it would not be your turn. You claim to be unmatched in martial prowess, but so what? My father excels in strategy and has a vast army; when he commands you to march, you must march, and when he orders you to retreat, how dare you not comply

Sanlang took the letter with both hands and carefully tucked it into his clothing. The old man asked, "How is it? Can your master hold onto Echigo?"

Isn't the chaos in the world exactly what you hoped for, old master

Shortly after Xiao Yilang returned to Aizu, the Kase family crossed the Chikuma River and entered the mountainous region of the Shinshu area.

What is going on?" Shen Gang asked impatiently.

The "Furious Vajra" did not speak, but simply bowed his head fiercely.

"Speaking of the great trends of the world," Sheng Long stroked his silver-white beard, "although we are situated in the remote West Sea, we cannot remain indifferent. What do you all think? Should we protect the curtain, or should we topple it?"

***

"As expected of a family, we must first discuss the celebration of longevity," interrupted the trusted aide of the renowned "Fierce Guardian" Kuroda, "In these chaotic times, everyone is likely busy organizing their military preparations."

Shen Gang remained silent and still. Mei Ji waited for a moment and then said: "Father has sent many gifts as a token of gratitude for this military expedition..."

He opened the sliding door, walked into the corridor, glanced back, and saw Mei Ji still staring blankly at him. He quickly turned his head and hurried a few steps forward. His trusted guard, Naru Chuan Mici, followed him. Shen Gang whispered an order: "I want Shen Li's head, it must be done secretly and swiftly"

Blood splattered, and amidst the gasps of the crowd, Chunzhong sheathed his long knife and sat down calmly. He extended both hands to lift the object from the corpse's grasp to his lips, giving it a deep kiss, and then hung it around his neck

Not long after, a small boat approached the flagship, and the person who boarded the ship was the vanguard commander, Yoshida Shuuzou.

The shogunate's vassals in Kyushu comprised seven families: the Hōda of Tomioka, the Matsudaira of Chikuzen and Funai, the Ōkubo of Karatsu, the Takakuri of Shimabara, and the Ogasawara of Kokura and Nakatsu. However, for some unknown reason, today only Matsudaira Kōjin, a trusted retainer from the Funai domain with a stipend of 22,000 koku, attended the banquet on time, while the other six families were nowhere to be seen

Guo Island nodded: "I have long held this intention."

Without needing a guide, Sanlang went straight to the main keep. "Is Shinza here?" he asked a gate guard.

The third generation of the Chikugo Kurume Domain, Arima Haruaki, slowly stood up, his cold gaze sweeping across the entire room. The atmosphere in the room immediately fell silent.