Chapter 009: Teasing the Japanese Commander
Lin Yuan laughed heartily and said, "Ito Yuheng, you do not dare to kill us"
Lin Yuan almost laughed out loud upon hearing this, thinking to himself that he had come to persuade them to surrender, yet it had turned into them persuading him instead! He then replied: "I am now just a commoner, merely a small merchant, managing a boat to trade some goods for a living. Your Excellency, the commander, has destroyed my ship, and now you refuse to mention any compensation, which puts me in a difficult position"
The term "surrender" is, for Eastern soldiers, a profound humiliation. During the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II, the psychological warfare units of the U.S. military never dared to use the word "surrender" in their propaganda leaflets; instead, they had to resort to the phrase "cease resistance." Today, when Lin Yuan uttered this statement, Ito Yuheng, as a fleet commander, remained unperturbed in the face of a great crisis, showing no reaction. However, an officer behind him was infuriated, gripping his sword and shouting "Baka!" in anger, ready to draw his blade. Today, when Lin Yuan uttered this statement, Ito Yuheng, as a fleet commander, remained unperturbed in the face of a great crisis, showing no reaction. However, an officer behind him was infuriated, gripping his sword and shouting "Baka!" in anger, ready to draw his blade
Lin Yuan smiled and said: "If Your Excellency the Commander feels unable to produce that much money at once, I have an idea. You can hand over your fleet to me; it is worth about that amount."
As Ito Yuheng's thoughts shifted, he pondered: "The fact that this captain did not mention being a subject of the Qing Dynasty upon boarding the ship suggests he harbors discontent towards the Qing government. If that is the case, it would be better to take this opportunity to have him serve the Empire of Japan." He then said: "Let us not discuss these technical matters. May I ask what position you hold in the Qing Dynasty, Captain? If you are willing to pledge allegiance to the Emperor alongside me, I can assure you that the position of fleet commander will eventually be yours."
Lin Yuan immediately realized that the commander was not easy to deal with when he skillfully shifted the topic to tea tasting. In fact, he understood that anyone capable of becoming a fleet commander must be exceptional among people. When he heard the question about helicopters, Lin Yuan became even more certain; the commander was trying to inquire about the weaponry and equipment that he had not seen before
Shen Wanqing felt a void in her heart and thought: "It's over"
Ito Yuheng coldly laughed and said: "220 million, as far as I know, is about the total fiscal revenue of the Qing government for two years. With such a lion's share, it seems you have no sincerity at all."
Yidong Youheng smiled and said: "Captain Lin is Chinese, so he must know a saying: 'Is it not a joy to have friends come from afar?' Since Captain Lin is on my ship, he is my guest. Our Yamato people have always been hospitable, and the tea ceremony is our national essence. Why not enjoy a few cups of tea first, and then we can discuss these matters at https://m.hetushu.com? What do you think, Captain?"
As Ito Yuheng gestured for his subordinates to bring two cups of tea, what he referred to as cups were actually two enamel mugs. The Japanese military, in their efforts to build warships and develop the navy, adopted a minimalist approach to everyday items. These mugs could be used for both drinking water and eating meals. The tea was obtained from the accompanying medical officer, who was the only one equipped with a small supply of tea leaves, intended for certain medical purposes, reflecting a spirit of resilience in the face of hardship. These mugs could be used for both drinking water and eating meals. The tea was obtained from the accompanying medical officer, who was the only one equipped with a small supply of tea leaves, intended for certain medical purposes, reflecting a spirit of resilience in the face of hardship.
Yidong Youheng is truly a perplexing figure—impossible to comprehend. He coldly asked, "What does it mean to hand it over to you?"
Lin Yuan smiled and said, "That is still too far off. If you do not compensate me with 200 million taels of silver, my son and daughter are likely to starve to death"
Lin Yuan laughed heartily and said, "It's very simple. You surrender to us, hand over the management of the warships, and once we reach the port, your people can return home."
Lin Yuan once again extended two fingers and smiled, saying: "I want Commander to compensate us for the transport ship, two hundred million taels of silver!"
Ito Yuheng nodded. He had encountered English before and understood what that word meant. A wave of secret delight surged within him; if the Empire of Japan could produce such a thing, it could effortlessly transport thousands of tons of explosives right above the enemy's head. He then asked, "How is this kind of thing made?"
Lin Yuan said, "Well, it's quite simple. Every object on Earth is affected by..." At this point, he paused and mentioned an English term: "gravity field," then continued in Japanese: "is influenced by this kind of thing. We have developed something that can counteract all gravity fields."
Yidong Youheng could hardly believe his ears; he instinctively said, "What did you say?"
Lin Yuan noticed that Ito Yuheng's expression had turned cold, and instead smiled, saying: "Your Excellency, the Commander, are you suggesting that this number is too large for you to bear?"
"Anti-gravity" is predicted in Einstein's General Theory of Relativity. Even in the 21st century, where Lin Yuan lives, research related to it is fraught with controversy, and many scientists harbor doubts about its authenticity. Lin Yuan merely intends to deceive this Japanese officer living in the 19th century. However, when it comes to the specifics of anti-gravity, Lin Yuan himself is also unaware. He thus states: "This device is very complex; I am not a technician https://m.hetushu.com, and I cannot provide an answer for Your Excellency the Commander." Lin Yuan merely intends to deceive this Japanese officer living in the 19th century. However, when it comes to the specifics of anti-gravity, Lin Yuan himself is also unaware. He thus states: "This device is very complex; I am not a technician https://m.hetushu.com, and I cannot provide an answer for Your Excellency the Commander."
Lin Yuan then said, "That thing is called a helicopter"
At this moment, it was Shen Wanqing's turn to take action. She saw the officer's arm move and swiftly threw the jar, which struck heavily against the officer's wrist. The officer let out a grunt and released the knife. Shen Wanqing pushed off the table with her right arm, leaping over the table that was more than one person wide in a single bound. Before anyone could react, she had already landed beside Ito Yuheng. A steel needle suddenly shot out from the ring on her right hand, aimed at Ito Yuheng's neck. She intended to use this surprise attack to take Ito Yuheng hostage.
Ito Yuheng was almost doubting whether the person before him was insane, as he actually came to the flagship of the Imperial Japanese Navy's Combined Fleet to demand two hundred million taels of silver in compensation from him, the commander! However, Ito Yuheng had been navigating the military and political arenas for decades, and his control over emotions was beyond that of ordinary people
Higashi Yuheng listened to this unfamiliar term, unable to glean any useful information from it. Thus, he inquired, "So how does this thing fly up?"
Yidong Youheng couldn't help but think: "What on earth is his purpose? Two hundred million taels of silver, a transport ship, what cargo could be worth so much money! He came alone to my ship, doesn't he fear anything?
Little did she expect that Ito Yuheng would suddenly dodge back. Shen Wanqing could not have imagined that at his age, he would still be so agile. Before she could launch a counterattack, several loaded handguns were already pressed against her head
Yidong Youheng thought: "This young man calmly steered the conversation back to compensation; he seems to be a skilled negotiator." He laughed heartily and said: "As far as I know, the cruelty of Qing Dynasty officials towards merchants is unprecedented. The sons of merchants cannot attend school or take exams to become officials; the daughters of merchants cannot wear silk clothing. Captain Lin, I see you are also of an age to have children; can you bear to see them subjected to such discrimination?"
Yidong Youheng apologetically said: "In the military, everything is kept simple. If you have time, please come to my hometown and enjoy some good tea. I have a question I would like to ask the captain: What is that thing you rode in when you arrived?"
Not only can Ito Yuheng not fathom Lin Yuan's intentions, but even Shen Wanqing is equally perplexed. She does not understand why Lin Yuan would take the risk of boarding the ship, nor does she know where he derives the confidence to make such a request to the commander of the Japanese fleet. Is he planning to abduct Ito Yuheng? No, that is absolutely impossible; there is no need to do so at all. Once the aircraft carrier's deck is repaired, the carrier-based aircraft can take off, and sinking the entire Japanese fleet would only take a matter of minutes.