Chapter 99

As the night grew dark, a light cloud covered the moon, and for some reason, the moonlight turned a blood-red hue. Everyone who saw it felt an indescribable unease in their hearts.

Yamamoto Kiyoshi, holding his famous thirteen-foot iron spear, sat on a rock and gazed up at the moon. The soldiers beside him were carefully fastening his armor. It was a Nanban-dou, a thin steel cuirass with a few small dents, marks left by the lead bullets of foreign guns, which showed the high level of protection this armor provided.

"Do you think having firearms makes you great? I have the most protective Nanban-dou in Japan, and I will personally slay these detestable Qing people..." Just as Yamamoto Kiyoshi was speaking with venom, his favorite page spoke gently, "Sir, is it really okay to bypass the elder of the Kashiwagi family? Aren't you afraid of being punished?"

"Damn it!" Yamamoto Kiyoshi raised his hand to strike, but seeing the page's delicate face, he couldn't bring himself to do it. "You must remember, we are samurai, brave warriors who protect the samurai code. We must never be cowardly in the face of the enemy... Lord Kashiwagi has his own considerations and difficulties. As subordinates, we must share his burdens..."

If Xiaole Tian had heard these words, he would have been furious. In modern Japanese history, there were too many brainless military leaders. Many military adventures were initiated by these low-ranking officers. Their minds were filled with nothing but fervor for war, lacking any sense of the bigger picture or strategy. They were obsessed only with the thrill of battle.

These low-ranking samurai, to put it nicely, were dedicated to the samurai code; to put it bluntly, they were madly eager for promotion and wealth. In each military adventure, if they won, their superiors would not hesitate to reward them. If they lost, it didn't matter; the leaders would commit seppuku, as their samurai code sought a glorious death.

In the history Xiaole Tian knew, the shocking September 18th Incident was actually a military adventure by young Japanese officers, a gamble. A few lieutenants and captains conspired privately and led ten thousand troops to Shenyang's Beidaying, with not a single general involved in the entire operation.

In the minds of these mid- and low-ranking officers, their thoughts were very similar to Yamamoto Kiyoshi's: if they won, they would be great heroes; if they lost, it would just mean death.

What a ridiculous history, what a lamentable history. When the September 18th Incident erupted, the Japanese government in Tokyo was the first to be shocked. All the high-ranking politicians were stunned. A government that couldn't control its army, not even having basic information, showed how peculiar these samurai were.

As Yamamoto Kiyoshi prepared for the night's operation, the Sakura-no-yado was brightly lit and bustling. Xiaole Tian had forcibly requisitioned an entire street of inns, and all the owners and staff had been driven out. Apart from Chihaya and her brother, and Yano Heita, there was not a single Japanese person left.

All the sliding doors in the rooms were open, forming a large living room. Xiaole Tian sat in the center, issuing battle orders to everyone present. Liang Kun was kneeling before him.

"Chief Strategist, the 245 veterans from Naha Port are all gathered, awaiting your orders..." As he said this, Liang Kun sneaked a glance at Wing King Shi Dakai, who was sitting below Xiaole Tian, his eyes full of doubt.

Liang Kun's heart was pounding. He couldn't quite understand the situation. Xiaole Tian was just a chief strategist under Wing King Shi Dakai, so why was he sitting in the main seat giving orders, while the king was sitting below? This didn't make sense.

Shi Dakai, of course, could see Liang Kun's confusion. His eyes flashed with a fierce light, and he glared at him, making Liang Kun break out in a cold sweat.

Liang Kun quickly bowed his head and said, "Chief Strategist, I am truly convinced of you today. When the Chinese merchants consulted me, I rashly said you wouldn't get too involved, but I was wrong. I am truly convinced by your actions... I will kowtow to you and apologize..."

Xiaole Tian had always only half-trusted these Heavenly Kingdom veterans. The veterans from Taibaiding had heard his "Journey to the West" and burned the imperial tombs with him. They had gradually accepted Xiaole Tian's leadership, especially with Shi Dakai's support, and Xiaole Tian's authority had been established.

Since Xiaole Tian burned the tomb of Emperor Yongzheng, Shi Dakai and his old comrades had secretly met and agreed to hand over command to Xiaole Tian, with Shi Dakai serving as the nominal leader of the Heavenly Kingdom veterans.

Xiaole Tian trusted the brothers from Taibaiding but was cautious about using other scattered Heavenly Kingdom veterans. He could sense Liang Kun's hesitation, but he didn't care. He was gradually building his own loyal forces and was less dependent on the Heavenly Kingdom veterans.

The musket team led by Luo Huo was trained by Xiaole Tian himself, with no connection to the Heavenly Kingdom. The special forces led by Xiang Shaolong were also Xiaole Tian's direct subordinates, beyond the control of the Heavenly Kingdom system. The merchant group led by Fan Lian, the shopkeeper, was Xiaole Tian's loyal financial support.

With money and guns, all he needed now was time to grow. Xiaole Tian was very confident; if he couldn't win the respect of someone like Liang Kun, he might as well go back to his 9-to-5 job.

Xiaole Tian nodded. "General Liang, stand up. Whatever doubts you have, you can speak openly to me after the battle. But this is a national war, and I hope you remember your identity as a Chinese and fight bravely..."

Liang Kun said nothing, punched his chest, and stood up to step back. At this moment, several soldiers had already laid out several pieces of white cloth on the ground.

The battle was about to begin, and command in the chaotic battlefield was crucial. In this era without telegraphs or radios, flags were the best command tools.

"Your Highness, I won't embarrass myself with my poor handwriting. I'll leave the task of making the recognition flags to you..."

Recognition flags were essential in ancient warfare. Each unit needed its own flag, either with Chinese characters or patterns, even images of birds, beasts, or mythical creatures. The purpose was to help soldiers find their unit in the midst of battle, with the flag marking their position.

The ink was already prepared, and with a large wolf-hair brush, the rectangular recognition flag was inscribed with three large characters: "Xiaole Tian," in stark black and white, very prominent.

This was a Japanese-style recognition flag, a rectangular flag tied to a sturdy bamboo pole, carried on the back of the strongest warrior. In the chaotic battlefield, these flags served as rallying points, helping scattered soldiers find their units.

"Your Highness, is it really okay to use my name so directly?" Xiaole Tian had thought the flag would just have his surname or a Chinese character, enough for all the Chinese in Naha to recognize. He hadn't expected Shi Dakai to write his full name so boldly.

"In this battle, the name of the Chief Strategist will surely be renowned overseas. The tide of the times is driven by heroes. Our era has passed, and now it's your time... To rule the Ryukyu Kingdom for a long time, you must establish your authority!"

Xiaole Tian's eyes were a bit moist. The Wing King truly lived up to his reputation as the "Righteous King" in the Heavenly Kingdom. His magnanimity and detachment from power far exceeded that of ordinary people.

"Ruo Huo! Take the flag... Xiao He Xin, Sima Yun, Liang Kun..." One by one, mid-ranking officers were called up, and one by one, black and white recognition flags were distributed, a total of ten.

The 240 men under Liang Kun, plus the 60 elite troops brought by Xiaole Tian, were divided into ten small teams, with 30 Spencer rifles evenly distributed among them.

Xiaole Tian really wanted to concentrate the weapons, but it wasn't possible. The Chinese in Naha were mixed together, and once a conflict started, the entire port would be in chaos. The troops were insufficient, and even if concentrated, they would only be 300 men. To win this battle, they had to rely on the chaos, where they would be intertwined with the enemy.

In the age of cold weapons, people were always sensitive to flags. Why was a rebellion called "raising the flag"? Because the flag was the first element of forming an army. The Heavenly Kingdom veterans and foreign company guards, seeing the recognition flags fluttering before them, felt something heavy in their hearts, something indescribable but deeply felt.

"Brother, do you think the Japanese will really attack tonight?" One of the soldiers waiting for orders whispered to another.

"Of course! Haven't you seen those ronin not drinking or looking for women tonight? And look at that blood moon, it's creepy. My gut tells me something will happen tonight..."

Xiaole Tian had checked his pocket watch countless times. It was already past eleven. The Japanese should be attacking by now. Just as he was anxious, a commotion came from the distant dock, followed by a glimmer of light in the darkness.

"Chief Strategist! Those pigs and dogs have really attacked! The dock is on fire..." The lookout, perched high, shouted in anger.

"Damn! Those bastards..." Despite all his preparations, Xiaole Tian couldn't control his anger when the real slaughter began.

"All troops, listen! The fires of war have been ignited. Whether we can save the Chinese in the city depends on us. The flames are our battlefield. I will lead you into battle..." Xiaole Tian gripped the Colt revolver given to him by Lincoln and led the charge.

Liang Kun and his veterans were stunned. None of them expected the chief strategist, a civilian with no martial arts skills, to be the first to charge out, his killing aura so intense that even the veteran soldiers were almost knocked over.

Xiao He Xin, carrying the recognition flag, rushed past Liang Kun, giving him a meaningful look. "You'll be surprised by many things. Following the chief strategist is the only way to live a meaningful life..." He then strode away.

Liang Kun felt a thorn in his heart. He suddenly jumped up. "Damn those Japanese bastards! Brothers, follow me! The chief strategist is leading the charge, and we have nothing to lose!"

"Kill!" The 300 men roared in unison, and the streets of Ryukyu were filled with the sound of boots pounding the ground.