Chapter 678: The Great Gamble

Edo Shogunate.

Fengchen Xiu and other Dongying Navy generals knelt before Watanabe An.

Watanabe An looked furious, his pair of narrow eyes staring at Fengchen Xiu like a tiger choosing someone to devour.

Under Watanabe An's gaze, Fengchen Xiu suddenly straightened his body, took off his outer garment, and drew the short sword he was carrying.

"Great General, this time the Dongying Navy suffered an attack, the fault is mine; please let me commit seppuku to apologize." Holding the short sword with both hands, Fengchen Xiu stabbed toward his own abdomen.

Just at this moment, with a "Ding!" sound, the short sword in Fengchen Xiu's hand was knocked away.

Fengchen Xiu was stunned for a moment and looked toward Watanabe An.

At this moment, Watanabe An still maintained the posture of having swung his blade.

"Great General!" Fengchen Xiu cried out, prostrating himself on the ground and sobbing.

"This is not your fault," Watanabe An said slowly. "No one expected this Dayan Wang of the Great Song to suddenly march south to attack Qi, and even order his fleet to launch a sneak attack on us."

After a moment of silence, his expression became grave. "This Yan Wang is a dangerous enemy to our Dongying. This sneak attack has served as a warning to us. From now on, Dongying must prepare for war. Once this Yan Wang unifies the Great Song, his military blade will certainly point toward the Northern Di and our Dongying."

Fengchen Xiu's face was twisted with hatred. He said to Watanabe An, "Great General, after the Sailing Warships are launched, please hand them over to me to command. I, Fengchen Xiu, stake my life on it: I will definitely destroy all the warships of the Yanzhou Fleet."

Watanabe An nodded and said solemnly, "Remember your promise. That will be your last chance."

Fengchen Xiu was overjoyed; Watanabe An had agreed to his request.

Pressing his head almost against the ground, he shouted loudly, "Fengchen Xiu will certainly not fail the General's expectations."

Waving his hand, Watanabe An let Fengchen Xiu and the other navy generals leave, and summoned Masho Taro. "Call all the Four Great Regents and the Assistant Generals here."

Masho Taro answered "Yes," his pupils slightly dilated.

In the Shogunate, he held the position of Administrator, equivalent to the Prime Minister of the Great Song, while the Four Great Regents were equivalent to the Six Ministers of the Great Song.

The Assistant Generals were Watanabe An's Vice Generals, responsible for affairs within the Dongying military and reporting directly to Watanabe An.

This time, Watanabe An calling them all here showed that he was certainly going to discuss a major matter concerning the national destiny of Dongying.

One hour later, Masho Taro entered the Shogunate with four officials and one general.

After bowing to Watanabe An, they sat down in order in the main hall. Masho Taro sat on Watanabe An's left, and the Assistant General Yamada Haruno sat on his right.

Next were the Four Great Regents: Konishi Masataka, Kuki Shi, Ogawa Tora, and Shimazu Nagamei.

"Looking toward?"

The six of them nodded simultaneously.

Yamada Haruno said, "This is truly a great humiliation. Since ancient times, no dynasty in the Dongtu has ever attacked our Dongying homeland; it has always been us Dongying sea raiders plundering them."

Pausing for a moment,

he continued, "This is a very dangerous signal. Since the Yanzhou Fleet was able to sneak attack our navy warships this time, next time, their soldiers might be able to cross the sea and invade our Dongying."

Watanabe said, "This is exactly what I am worried about. Whether out of protection for Dongying or for the grand plan of Dongying dominating the Dongtu, we must prepare for war. I called you all here this time to prepare for the wars that may occur in the future."

Konishi Masataka, Kuki Shi, Ogawa Tora, and Shimazu Nagamei looked at each other.

The seven people, including them, represented the seven most powerful families in Dongying at present.

They were also the biggest beneficiaries after Watanabe An established the Shogunate, so naturally, they did not want a force that could threaten the Shogunate to exist.

Konishi Masataka said, "We will fully support the Great General."

The other three nodded.

Watanabe An was satisfied in his heart and said slowly, "In that case, starting from tomorrow, order that all Dongying males over the age of ten must receive bayonet and formation training. At the same time, have the craftsmen forge flintlocks and artillery day and night."

After thinking for a moment, he continued, "I plan to negotiate with the British Consul and the Sam Country Consul to purchase warships from them, and demand more advanced firearm technology for Dongying. However, they are a group of insatiable people; they might require us to concede some interests."

Kuki Shi said, "As long as we can take revenge for the fallen Dongying warriors, paying some interests is acceptable. Otherwise, our Dongying will forever live under the shadow of the Great Song."

"That's right, no matter how much interest we pay, it is worth it. In the future, if we can turn the Great Song into our territory, this small loss will be repaid a hundred or even a thousand times over," said Ogawa Tora.

"Please, Great General, lead us to dominate the Dongtu, just like you unified Dongying thirty years ago," Shimazu Nagamei said loudly.

"Glory shall belong to Dongying!" they then shouted in unison.

Watanabe An nodded. The depressed mood he felt because the Dongying Navy had suffered a devastating blow was swept away, and ambition burned fiercely in his heart.

For him, whether he could conquer the Great Song concerned the future national destiny of Dongying.

He had to do his utmost and gamble once.

Either he would destroy the Great Song with his own hands, or Dongying would shatter like jade.

In any case, he would never submit to the Great Song.

Having settled this matter,

Watanabe An let the six men return to lead their respective Dongying officials and generals to execute the agreed-upon policies.

After everyone left, he straightened his clothes and first headed to the consulate established by the British in Edo.

"Consul Jack, please agree to our request. Apart from Dongying, no one can contain the Dayan Wang of the Great Song in the Dongtu. We will charge and fight for Britain in the Dongtu and bring huge benefits to Britain."

Entering the consulate, Watanabe An first introduced the situation of the Dongying Navy being sneak-attacked by the Yan King Fleet, and then made his request.

Sitting opposite Watanabe An was a red-haired, corpulent British man.

He was the British Consul stationed in Dongying. "Sorry, I cannot make the decision on this matter; I must request the consent of Governor Bolt."

Watanabe An nodded. Bolt was currently in Tianzhu, and he was responsible for all British affairs in the Dongtu.

Furthermore, the British factories in the Dongtu were established in Tian Zhu Guo.

These factories could produce flintlocks.

Only if Bolt agreed could Dongying possibly obtain them from Tianzhu, or even obtain the technology.

"Then please trouble the Consul to make a trip." Watanabe An gave a wink to the servant behind him.

The servant carried a tray and walked to Jack, on which were twelve gold bars.

Jack revealed a smile. "Dongying is a friend of us British in the Dongtu. We will not let such an evil existence as the Dayan Wang of the Great Song bully our friends."