Chapter 659: Surrender Is the Only Thing You Can Do

Fang Zhenghua's smile was radiant, and his tone was gentle, yet the words he spoke made people feel extremely uncomfortable and stifled.

Matsuura Dairo glanced at Zheng Zhilong, his expression strange.

The meaning was obvious—this is the man from the Great Ming you brought back? This is how he talks?

That remark I just made was only modesty—does he have to take it so seriously?

And besides, is he really taking it seriously? He's just belittling me!

Zheng Zhilong was also embarrassed, a helpless look appearing on his face.

After all, when Fang Zhenghua had interacted with him before, it hadn't been like this—he had been genuinely gentle and courteous. Why the sudden change?

Glancing at Fang Zhenghua, Zheng Zhilong had a moment of understanding.

This was deliberate—clearly meant to give Matsuura Dairo a show of force, to make him understand who was in charge.

Thinking this, Zheng Zhilong could only smile bitterly.

Wasn't this going a bit too far?

And provoking Matsuura Dairo was hardly a good thing. With the slightest misstep, the other party would turn hostile. Provoking him would do more harm than good.

Yet Fang Zhenghua seemed oblivious, still sitting there with an unruffled, matter-of-fact air that made people gnash their teeth in frustration.

Matsuura Dairo also decided to stop beating around the bush and drop the pleasantries. He had only made one modest remark, and this man gave him this attitude?

Matsuura Dairo said grimly, "So what business does the eunuch have in coming here this time?"

"I've come to accept your surrender." Fang Zhenghua said it as if it were the most natural thing, then glanced at Matsuura Dairo with some surprise. "Did Zheng Zhilong not tell you? That shouldn't be."

Matsuura Dairo nearly choked on his own saliva.

He was direct, but this one was even more direct. Did all people of the Great Ming talk like this?

And speaking like this, are you sure you've come to negotiate?

He glared at Fang Zhenghua and said, "Zheng Zhilong did speak of it—I just couldn't bring myself to believe it."

"Oh? And why?" Fang Zhenghua looked at Matsuura Dairo with a puzzled expression.

"Because I don't think anyone would do such a thing. I've been doing quite well here, and I'm not a man of the Great Ming. Someone comes running all the way here and starts talking about doing this and doing that—I think that person might not be right in the head." Matsuura Dairo stared straight at Fang Zhenghua as he spoke.

"I see." Fang Zhenghua seemed unbothered, nodding with a smile. "Well said. I can understand that. I've come here precisely to explain this matter to you."

"If you surrender, you need not die, and your forces can be preserved rather than destroyed." Fang Zhenghua continued with a gentle smile on his face. "Is that not a benefit?"

"If you refuse to surrender, you will be killed, your clan will be wiped out to the last, and your lands will be lost."

"I rather think this is an easy choice to make. Any clever man should know which way to choose."

Seeing the growing tension between the two, Zheng Zhilong's expression also soured.

He felt Fang Zhenghua was being a bit too aggressive. Couldn't he just speak nicely? Why did he have to be so sarcastic and snide?

Fang Zhenghua, however, paid it no mind and ignored Zheng Zhilong's gaze, continuing, "Do you not think what I say is right?"

Matsuura Dairo's expression at this moment was extremely ugly.

He was nearly furious enough to die from anger at Fang Zhenghua, wanting nothing more than to overturn the table and have his men cut Fang Zhenghua down on the spot. But he couldn't.

A man this arrogant must have backing. He couldn't act rashly—he had to be careful.

"Do you not believe what I say?" Fang Zhenghua looked at Matsuura Dairo. "If you don't believe me, then let's have a fight first. But I can't guarantee what the outcome will be after that. By then, whether you still have a chance to surrender will no longer be up to me."

If war truly broke out, Fang Zhenghua knew exactly what those men of the Imperial Navy would do. Those people had been holding in a breath of frustration, and fighting, taking territory, and looting goods could be said to come to them in one smooth motion.

Matsuura Dairo said grimly, "But why must you attack us? We've kept to ourselves and harmed neither side—no old grievances, no recent grudges. Isn't this uncalled for?"

"What of it?" Fang Zhenghua said with a smile. "During the Jiajing years, when wokou raided the southeast coast of the Great Ming, wasn't that the work of your people? Did you bother to inform us? No, you didn't."

"During the Wanli years, we fought once in Joseon—did we inform you? No, we didn't either."

"So now that we've come to fight you, why should we inform you of anything? Two paths lie before you now: surrender, or die. The choice is yours to make. If you're not convinced, then let's have a fight and see."

From start to finish, Fang Zhenghua wore a gentle smile, his tone calm and unhurried. But the words that came out of his mouth were anything but courteous—they cut to the bone.

Matsuura Dairo's face grew even uglier, his whole body trembling with rage.

He knew the other man was speaking this way to provoke him, to make him lose his temper—or perhaps to intimidate him, to keep him from daring to turn hostile.

But no matter what, he absolutely did not dare to turn hostile. Zheng Zhilong had already explained in detail the strength of the Great Ming's Imperial Navy, and also recounted his great rout.

And now the Imperial Navy was right outside—his own men had seen it. Those warships, those cannons—truly beyond anything he could match.

If war truly broke out, it would really be as the other man said: his lands occupied, his family slaughtered.

Lifting his head to look at Fang Zhenghua, Matsuura Dairo said directly, "If you want us to surrender, you'll have to test it with your blades. Our men do not fear death—we cannot retreat like this."

He still needed to save face.

Matsuura Dairo felt he couldn't just cave in so directly, or he wouldn't be able to answer to his men below.

Otherwise, his position might not even remain secure. He could only utter a few harsh words.

"I see." Fang Zhenghua nodded. "If I cannot send word out today, then by tomorrow morning the Imperial Navy's fleet will be bearing down on you in full force. Are we to consider these talks broken?"

"If that's the case, I'm right here—kill me, butcher me, do as you please. You may also kill me to consecrate your banners. There's still time—you could even think about launching a surprise attack today; who knows, you might just win. And when that happens, all the benefits will be yours."

Seeing Fang Zhenghua's utterly unruffled demeanor, Matsuura Dairo very much wanted to overturn the table.

Zheng Zhilong on the side hastily stood up, walked between Fang Zhenghua and Matsuura Dairo, and said directly, "Gentlemen, gentlemen, why must it come to this? Why must it come to this?"

"Since we can sit down and talk, that's good—it means both sides can accept each other's opinions. How about we talk things through properly?" Having said this, Zheng Zhilong turned to Fang Zhenghua. "Eunuch Fang, this isn't what you said when you first came."

"Times have changed." Fang Zhenghua said with a smile. "Now it must be said this way."

Fang Zhenghua had planned to say this all along—he just hadn't told Zheng Zhilong.

He remembered deeply the words His Majesty had spoken back then: the people of the Wa nation fear might but do not cherish virtue. Once there, there was no need to be overly courteous—if they wouldn't comply, fight them; beat them into submission first, then talk.

So when he had planned the trip to Hirado Island, Fang Zhenghua had already made up his mind. Judging from the current situation, His Majesty's words were absolutely right.

Take this Matsuura Dairo before him, for instance—he had provoked him so hard, yet the man hadn't turned hostile, clearly because he was intimidated by him.

With the Imperial Navy as his backing, he had nothing to fear.

Zheng Zhilong was helpless. He turned to look at Matsuura Dairo and said, "Lord Domain Master, I think we should still talk things through properly. After all, this is a matter where cooperation benefits both sides."

Glaring at Zheng Zhilong, Matsuura Dairo didn't fire back. He wasn't Fang Zhenghua; he didn't have that kind of nerve.

He said, "It's not impossible for me to surrender, but I have conditions. As long as you can agree to them, I'll surrender."

"Let's hear it." Fang Zhenghua set down his teacup and said with a smile, "I'm only listening, mind you—whether it works out or not is another matter."

Snorting coldly, Matsuura Dairo said, "Hizen Province still belongs to me—that cannot change. I am willing to submit to the Great Ming, to be a subject of the Great Ming, to accept the Great Ming's enfeoffment, and I can also send troops to assist the Great Ming in battle. But any territory we take, the Great Ming must share with me."

Fang Zhenghua looked at him and said with a smile, "That request won't do. The Great Ming won't agree. Surrender—surrender is the only thing you can do."

This time Matsuura Dairo was truly enraged, and he shouted angrily, "Is this your attitude for negotiations?"

"Who told you I came to negotiate? I already said, I came to accept your surrender." Fang Zhenghua continued, "Only by surrendering do you have a way out. If you refuse to surrender, then we'll kill you—there's no room for discussion."

"Do you believe I'll kill you first?" Matsuura Dairo slammed the table hard, stood up, and glared at Fang Zhenghua as he roared.

"Killing me is easy." Fang Zhenghua said with a smile, "But if you kill me, not a single person in all of Hizen Province will survive. Believe my words—everyone will be buried with me. So you'd better think it over carefully."

As if they weren't discussing his own life and death, Fang Zhenghua picked up his teacup again, took a sip, and nodded with satisfaction.

The atmosphere in the room could only be described as daggers drawn and bows bent.

Zheng Zhilong's expression was grim. He hadn't expected this Eunuch Fang to be so unyielding. What was wrong with those conditions that they couldn't be agreed to? Why was it like this?

Standing there panting heavily for a long while, Matsuura Dairo sat back down.

At that moment, someone suddenly rushed in from outside, gasping for breath and pale-faced. Upon seeing Matsuura Dairo, he said, "Lord of the Domain, the Great Ming's navy has arrived!"

Matsuura Dairo shot to his feet, turned to look at Fang Zhenghua, and said, "Didn't you say tomorrow?"

"Perhaps I misremembered the date, or perhaps they got the date wrong." Fang Zhenghua thought for a moment and said, "I'm getting old, my memory isn't what it used to be. But it doesn't matter—they've only arrived, they haven't started fighting yet."

Matsuura Dairo glared at Fang Zhenghua, wishing he could tear apart that hateful, ever-smiling face of the dead eunuch.

Taking a deep breath, Matsuura Dairo said, "I don't want to talk to you anymore. I want to meet the commander of the Imperial Navy."