Chapter 99

"Hey, Ming! Are you taking me for granted!"

The peace negotiations with Ming finally began, and Nobunaga received a letter from Ming.

However, the rudeness of its contents made Nobunaga tear up the letter in anger.

"As expected..."

Dan羽 Chōshū, who had retired due to illness and now served as Nobunaga's advisor, sighed.

Chōshū knew that the Chinese dynasties had always treated neighboring countries as uncivilized and viewed them as vassal states.

The reason for negotiating with Ming over the ceasefire in Korea was because the Lee Dynasty of Korea was a vassal state of Ming.

From the perspective of the great Ming, Japan was considered even more uncivilized and barbaric than the Lee Dynasty of Korea.

Chōshū had learned this from the information provided by Mitsuharu, but actually receiving such a response made him sigh.

"Lord Tsuda"

"I expected as much..."

Mitsuharu, who now spent more time at Ishiyama Castle and entrusted his territories to his son and nephews, had been working as Nobunaga's advisor alongside Chōshū.

According to Mitsuharu, Nobunaga's anger was mixed with his complex feelings.

Nobunaga was always mindful of the economy and even used the Yongle Tongbao, a currency of Ming, on the Oda family's flag.

The Yongle Tongbao was a currency of Ming and served as an international currency in East Asia, with a high level of trust.

The Tsuda family had risen to prominence by privately minting coins that closely resembled the genuine Yongle Tongbao, and designing their own currency would not have led to such success.

Although Ming's power has declined recently, it remains a formidable nation.

Nobunaga understood this, but it was only natural for him to be furious if he were treated with such contempt.

Nobunaga had unified Japan and had a certain level of pride.

He could not afford to back down in front of his retainers.

"Should we quickly withdraw from Korea and retreat..."

When Mitsuharu pieced together the letter Nobunaga had torn up, he found that it demanded the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Japanese troops from Korea, as if addressing the King of Japan as a subordinate of the Ming Emperor.

This was a common way of thinking in Chinese dynasties.

"Damn it! Who do they think they are, the Ming!"

Nobunaga, who had become more irritable with age, was enraged by Ming's attitude.

The fact that the Oda army had occupied most of Korea and that Ming should make some concessions if they wanted the Japanese to withdraw was taken for granted.

"Mitshu! We must impose sanctions on Ming!"

"Lord, what about Korea?"

"Indeed, we are struggling to control it, but they are so insolent despite being defeated multiple times!"

Currently, the royal family and nobles of the Lee Dynasty of Korea have moved their temporary palace to the territory controlled by the Korean ethnic group outside Korea and are plotting to reclaim Korea with the help of Ming's reinforcements.

Although Ming's dispatched army has suffered heavy casualties and been defeated several times by the Oda army, they are trying to increase their forces by recruiting reinforcements from the Jurchen tribes under the command of Li Chengliang and his son Ruzong, who oversee the Liaodong region.

If their large army were to flood into Korea, the Oda army might be driven out.

In this situation, it was difficult to impose sanctions on Ming.

"Mitshu, do something about it."

"Yes, sir."

It would be unwise to voice opposing opinions to the currently enraged Nobunaga.

Therefore, Mitsuharu decided to implement a plan to pressure Ming, which had been in the works for some time.

"Lord, are we sending troops?"

"The plan has been in place for a while, and it is now by Lord's order."

"Understood."

Kuki Sukenaga, who commanded the Tsuda navy, loaded his troops onto ships and successfully occupied the Amami Islands, the Ryukyu Kingdom, the Taiwan Islands, and Hainan Island, which were not under the control of the Shimazu clan.

This did not directly attack Ming's territory, but it was intended to deal a blow.

By colonizing and assimilating these regions, it would benefit Japan in the long run.

Additionally, they were also cracking down on large-scale Wokou (Japanese pirates).

Although called Wokou, they were mostly Chinese, and by defeating them and seizing their ships and cargo, they gained significant profits.

"The difference in combat power is significant."

"Given the superiority in firepower, defense, and speed, it's no wonder."

In front of Sukenaga, several Wokou ships were stopped by cannon fire from the Tsuda navy's ships, and were then boarded and subdued by trained sailors.

The surviving Wokou were taken as prisoners, the cargo was seized, and preparations were made to tow the ships that could be repaired and not sunk.

"The training of sailors to board and seize ships is also progressing smoothly."

"It's a dangerous mission, but the special allowance from the profits of the seized ships and cargo makes it popular. Many people are applying, so we are conducting rigorous selection and training."

Wakizaka Yasumasa, a young commander giving orders, reported the success of the operation to Sukenaga.

The steam-powered warships already in service were equipped with numerous cannons and easily disabled Wokou ships and South Seas pirate ships carrying slaves.

In this era, sailors were often free from the constraints of state and law, and many acted independently to gain enormous profits.

However, this also meant they were constantly exposed to a world of survival of the fittest.

Any suspicious ships that did not benefit the Tsuda family were mercilessly attacked, and their ships and cargo were seized.

On the other hand, Japanese merchant ships with ties to the Tsuda family were protected and were regarded as guardian deities by their owners.

Thus, the Tsuda navy rapidly expanded in scale and gained combat experience.

In the occupation operations, the Tsuda family's security forces landed and eliminated the resistance, quickly occupying the entire territory and establishing a government.

Immigrants from Tsuda territory were sent to gradually assimilate the local population.

The process was similar to what was done in Ezo and Karafuto.

"Mitshu, this will put pressure on Ming. Well done."

Nobunaga was pleased, but what surprised Mitsuharu was Ming's lack of reaction.

"Isn't Ryukyu a tributary state, even if it's a foreign land?"

Instead of showing a sense of crisis, Ming did not react at all.

Mitsuharu had misread the situation, as the Ming court did not seem to care about the situation in foreign lands.

"They might start to worry once we establish complete control."

Fortunately, the local resistance was not as severe as in Korea.

The warm climate in the south and the prevalence of diseases like malaria made it necessary for the Tsuda family to possess medicines to treat these conditions, which gradually led to their recognition as rulers of the region.

‘Sigh, now we have to mass-produce medicines...’

In Kanagawa, Seiki was using robots in an automated factory to mass-produce effective medicines for malaria and other diseases.

"Ming, aren't you worried about when the coast will be attacked... Send more cannons to the Korean expeditionary force!"

Considering further troop increases to be imprudent, Nobunaga decided to supply the Korean expeditionary force with more firearms and cannons to defend against Ming's attacks.

He believed that if they could deal a significant blow to the Ming and Korean forces with firepower, they could launch a counteroffensive even if they were temporarily on the defensive.

In the 16th year of Tenshō, Ming finally launched a full-scale offensive on the Korean Peninsula.

With negotiations with Japan making no progress and the Li Chengliang and Ruzong father-son duo having gathered reinforcements from the Jurchen tribes, the Ming-Korean allied army of 500,000 troops attacked the defensive positions constructed by the Japanese army.

"Considering the claimed 500,000, it's about half in this country."

At the main camp of the Japanese army, Takenaka Hanbei, a strategist for Hideyoshi, explained the attacking enemy forces to the generals.

Inflating the number of troops was a common practice in any country.

Hideyoshi recalled the army of 40,000 led by Imagawa Yoshimoto, which had invaded Owari, claiming 40,000, but in reality, the actual combat strength was about half.

Even so, it was a significant threat to the Oda family at the time.

"So, about 250,000. Still a large number."

"We don't need cowards who are intimidated by an enemy twice our size! Our Shibata army will crush them with the belief of certain victory!"

"I'm not saying I'm intimidated, but what if we suffer heavy casualties and the Ming-Korean allied army, with ample reinforcements, launches an immediate counteroffensive?"

In response to the vigorous and still strong Shibata Katsuie, Tokugawa Nobuyasu replied with a look that seemed to mock him.

After losing his great father in the battle against the Takeda army, Nobuyasu had worked hard to avoid being a reckless warrior and to be a good lord for his retainers.

This was largely influenced by the Tsuda Mitsuharu and Kyouko couple, but Katsuie, knowing this, deliberately treated Nobuyasu as a coward.

"I'll do it again for Lord. I've done it for him before."

‘(This old man...)’

The current Katsuie, boasting of his past achievements, seemed to Nobuyasu like nothing more than a senile old man.

While he was still a skilled warrior, he lacked flexibility and cooperation, causing even Hideyoshi to struggle with handling him.

In the Korean expeditionary force, Hideyoshi was of higher rank, but as the chief elder, he had to show consideration, and the military command structure was not as strictly hierarchical as it would be in later times.

Of course, the Tsuda army was different, and Nobunaga was gradually trying to correct this, but it was still in progress.

‘(I wish he would just stop already...)’

Nobuyasu believed that Nobunaga's expedition to Korea was a mistake.

However, voicing this opinion could lead to immediate dismissal.

The Korean campaign was considered Nobunaga's only major blunder, and criticizing it could bring trouble upon himself.

Nobuyasu, who ruled over Mikawa and Enshū, was facing a tight financial situation due to the prolonged war, despite the success of cotton cultivation and production plans entrusted to Ishikawa Suemasa.

Even so, he was better off than other generals who had to take out loans.

Even if Korea were to be taken at this point, it would take a considerable amount of time to recoup the investment.

To Nobuyasu, the Korean campaign was like a losing gamble, with no clear way to recover the investment.

"I have no objection to defensive measures. We should deploy the additional matchlocks and cannons and fire them relentlessly."

"That's the only strategy we have. The deployment should follow the plan outlined by Hanbei and Kōbei..."

"Very well."

Katsuie's tone irritated Hideyoshi, but in return, he deliberately placed Kōbei in the most intense battle position.

Katsuie, who always boasted of his military achievements, would likely be pleased with such a deployment, despite the expected high casualties.

Hideyoshi wondered what Katsuie's retainers truly thought about this.

"If we lose this position, Korea could fall to the enemy. Be vigilant."

"Hmph! I don't need to worry about the likes of Hanbei!"

Katsuie, who had become the de facto leader of the expeditionary force, responded in a condescending tone to Hideyoshi, who had been appointed as the governor of Kyushu.

"Do as Hanbei says."

For the first time, Nobunaga's nominal commander, Nobuo, spoke, but no one paid attention.

Nobuo had been appointed as the commander of the Korean expeditionary force out of necessity after the sudden death of Nobushige, but no one had any expectations of him.

He was considered the most foolish of Nobunaga's sons and was thought to be better suited to a life of dance by his retainers.

"Everyone, prepare for defense."

Following Hideyoshi's orders, the generals' forces were deployed in the field fortifications, which were equipped with additional cannons.

Trenches were dug to facilitate the use of firearms, an idea from Kyouko.

"I would rather have Kyouko as the commander than that old hero."

"I fully agree with your lordship."

"Me too."

In the main camp of the Hashiba army, Hanbei and Kōbei agreed with Hideyoshi's opinion.

The Tsuda army always fought with a large force, heavy firepower, and a cautious approach to minimize casualties among their elite troops.

Initially, both Hanbei and Kōbei had underestimated this strategy, thinking it was due to a lack of advanced command skills.

However, they now considered it an excellent strategy.

By minimizing casualties among the elite troops, the Tsuda army's strength was not only maintained but also increasing.

Large-scale sieges and decisive battles in the field often led to significant losses and required a lot of time and effort to rebuild the army.

New recruits took time to become reliable.

Therefore, the Tsuda family's approach of expanding the military organization smoothly with minimal casualties was correct.

Katsuie, however, always criticized it as a "cowardly tactic."

"Three times our strength."

"It's like a siege."

Hideyoshi, a senior retainer of the Oda family, was calm.

If he were to die here, his heir, Nagahiro, was supporting the rear in Chikuzen, ensuring the continuity of the Hashiba family.

"Will the governance of Korea succeed?"

"It's a difficult question."

The front-line forces were less than 100,000 because many troops were involved in the occupation and governance of Korea.

Rebellions by peasant uprisings and the private armies of the yangban class required a significant number of troops to suppress.

However, Hanbei believed that this was only a temporary solution and did not address the root cause.

Suppressing the people with military force would not prevent uprisings and rebellions, and Korea would continue to be a financial drain.

"Their army is large, but their command is far from good."

"They don't seem to care about the number of casualties."

According to Kōbei's investigation, the Ming-Korean army included many troops from different ethnic groups.

Ming had been manipulating the conflicts and alliances among the Jurchen tribes to maintain stability in northeastern China.

Coordinating these tribes was futile.

Moreover, the tribes that were called to war were always concerned about their homelands being attacked by rival tribes, making it difficult for them to form a cohesive fighting force.

On the Korean side, the army was forcibly conscripted from the local Korean population.

The conscripts had no clear reason to follow the Lee Dynasty, leading to low morale.

"Their numbers are a strength."

"They don't seem to care about the number of casualties."

The Ming-Korean allied army, like a swarm of clouds, surged towards the Japanese field fortifications.

"Fire when they reach the designated line!"

To make the shooting distance clear, shallow ditches were dug in front of the field fortifications.

Cannon and gunfire were directed at the Ming-Korean forces that crossed this line.

"Fire without hesitation!"

"My lord, the cost of gunpowder is painful."

Kōbei, who was reviewing the accounts of the Korean expeditionary force, sighed at the thought of the enormous cost of the gunpowder.

"Kōbei, what's the point of being frugal if it means dying in battle?"

"Sorry, I just mentioned it."

"I feel the same way..."

To avoid being overwhelmed by the sheer number of enemies, the entire Japanese army began firing cannons and guns in a frenzy.

There were 600 cannons of various sizes, 40,000 firearms, and numerous catapults and multi-bow launchers, which, when concentrated, mowed down the enemy soldiers one after another.

"But their momentum doesn't stop..."

It seemed there were rear guard units, and the enemy's momentum did not wane.

"Keep firing! We have more supplies on the way!"

In terms of logistics for such a large army, Hideyoshi was the best commander in the Oda army.

Following Hideyoshi's orders, the relentless artillery fire continued, but eventually, some enemy units reached the Japanese field fortifications.

At this point, both sides were forced into close combat.

The Japanese army, armed with spears and swords, engaged in a fierce battle with the Ming-Korean army, which used swords and spears.

"Here is where we must stand firm! This is what war is!"

Katsuie, standing at the front of the battle, wielded his spear and fought valiantly, cutting down enemy soldiers.

His movements were those of a man far younger than his nearly 70 years.

His retainers also fought valiantly, not wanting to be outdone by their lord.

‘Are the Japanese forces monsters?’

The Ming-Korean allied forces were intimidated by the strength of the Shibata army, but the position where the Shibata army was deployed was a crucial point that had to be taken, and the rear guard units continued to push forward.

"Cut them down! Cut them down!"

The Shibata army achieved significant results, but the casualties also increased.

"Still not retreating? Keep sending in reinforcements!"

The battle lasted for three days, with both sides fighting to the death, even through the night.

The Japanese army suffered a total of 15,000 casualties, including the deaths of Hashiba's Four Guardians: Kojida Masaharu, Otō Tomonori, Kusunoki Masahide, and Sugiwara Nagafusa.

The Shibata army also suffered significant losses, with the deaths of adopted son Katsuie, clan member Sakuma Yasumasa, generals Yamaji Masakuni, Tokunaga Hisahide, Hōkyō Ienori, Mōuke Masasaburō, and Sakuma Jūzō, and a large number of troops.

Other generals also suffered many