Chapter 916: Punishment

"Your Highness, everything we have is bestowed by you."

Beitiao Chuanqing and the three men including Ono glanced at each other, then one after another picked up the writing brushes on the table and signed their names, finishing in one go without any hesitation.

Seeing this, Zhao Xu exchanged a look with Yang He and revealed a smile.

From this moment on, Dongying, like Gaoli, would completely degenerate into a vassal state of Da Song.

Its military, culture, and commerce, among other aspects, would all be subject to Da Song.

Ordering Yang He to put away the contracts, Zhao Xu gestured to the officials and merchants standing around them, "Now, you may discuss specific commercial issues such as silver mines and Song Yuan with the four domain lords."

In the contracts, he had also directly seized the silver mines occupied by the Watanabe Family.

This largest and most easily mined silver mine in Dongying would henceforth become an asset of Da Song.

The officials and merchants needed to discuss the details of the handover with the domain lords.

Besides the silver mines, the most important thing was, of course, the circulation of Song Yuan in Dongying.

In this way, Da Song would control the financial lifeline of Dongying.

Simply put, from now on, Da Song would only need to print money to directly purchase grain, ores, and all other supplies from Dongying.

There was one more point that needed to be negotiated: any trade in Dongying must remain open to Da Song merchants.

This meant that Da Song merchants could rely on their massive capital to acquire every industry in Dongying, including the grain industry, the military industry, and even the banks and energy industries that the General's Mansion would establish.

Leaving Yang He with the domain lords, Zhao Xu gave Dong An a look and exited the Dajiangjunfu.

At this time, Eastern Japanese dressed in Dongying attire could be seen coming and going everywhere on the streets.

When passing by the General's Mansion, their gazes would immediately retract upon touching the Marine soldiers, appearing extremely fearful.

"There are more and more people in Edo." Dong An tapped the paper fan in his hand, "When we first arrived in Edo, the streets were deserted."

"The war is over, so they naturally returned. Before long, this place will return to prosperity." Zhao Xu looked toward the Dongying-style buildings on both sides of the street.

From now on, these would all be assets of Da Song.

Then, thinking of something, he knitted his brows, "Where is Watanabe An?"

With Da Song in chaos for so long, it could be said that Watanabe An was the chief culprit.

He not only supported the Han Family but also brought in the Westerners.

If not for him, how could the firearms of the Shizu Army have improved by a grade in such a short time?

I fear that even now, he still delusions of exterminating Da Song with the Westerners, intoxicated in his own dream.

"Replying to Your Highness, he and a group of Shogunate generals and officials are being detained in the prison, awaiting Your Highness's disposal," said Dong An.

Zhao Xu narrowed his eyes, "Bring them all out and send them to the port."

Responding with a 'yes', Dong An left, and Zhao Xu went straight to the port.

Before long, Marine soldiers escorted Watanabe An, Ogawa Tora, Maso Taro, and other Shogunate officials and generals over.

He had them kneel one by one on the edge of the port steps.

Behind them was the bottomless sea.

"You are Watanabe An?"

Zhao Xu strolled to the middle position and asked spiritedly.

At this moment, Watanabe An's body was filthy, his hair was like a bird's nest, and his face was covered in dust.

In prison, his days were clearly not very easy.

Back then, he had led troops to attack the four northern domains and carried out inhumane massacres.

The four northern domains had not dared to seek revenge for these years out of fear.

Now, they naturally had to humiliate Watanabe An severely.

Hearing Zhao Xu's voice, Watanabe An slowly raised his head.

"Who are you?" Watanabe An looked at Zhao Xu, his eyes filled with confusion, and even more so with a resentment that surged upon guessing Zhao Xu's identity.

Zhao Xu stared at Watanabe An for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed, "You have already guessed who I am? Why bother asking again."

"Indeed." Watanabe An lowered his head, his shoulders heaving, as if he were laughing.

Suddenly, he jerked his head up and shrieked crazily, "Yan Wang, my fate today is your fate tomorrow! The Westerners will definitely hang you, they will definitely hang you!"

"What a pathetic worm. As an Easterner, you still chant for your Western masters to this day, shamelessly acting as a dog for the Westerners. Is this the dignity of you, the Great General?" Zhao Xu's expression did not change, but his tone was exceptionally contemptuous.

"What Easterner? We in Dongying do not associate with you lowly vermin. If it weren't for you, my Dongying would soon become a member of the Western Lands too. Vermin, do you hear me? Except for Dongying, all of you in Dongtu are vermin, and should be enslaved by the Eastern Japanese like black people, ah..."

Before Watanabe An could finish his words, Zhao Xu kicked him in the chest, and he fell backward onto the ground, letting out a miserable scream.

"This Prince originally wanted to kill you directly, but now I have changed my mind. I want to keep you, keep you to see the failure of the Westerners with your own eyes. I presume that will make you suffer more than death, and when that day comes, this Prince will let you die in endless agony." Zhao Xu's eyes were cold, "As for now, since you like being a dog for the Westerners... Pan Zhang, after going back, tell Beitiao Chuanqing to put a dog collar on him and feed him whatever a dog eats."

He decided to keep Watanabe An detained in Dongying, under the custody of the Beitiao Family.

"You!" Watanabe An was shocked and furious upon hearing this.

Zhao Xu could not be bothered to pay him any more attention and waved his hand, "Execute the rest by firing squad!"

"Yes, Your Highness." Pan Zhang responded with a 'yes'.

Immediately, the Marine soldiers stood in a row and aimed their guns at Ogawa Tora, Maso Taro, and the southern domain lords and others.

These were merely the core of the Shogunate.

In reality, the number of people who died this time was far greater than this, but that was the work of the four domains.

After all, they wanted to cut the weeds and eliminate the roots.

"Great General, Great General..." Seeing the muzzles aimed at them, Masho Taro and the others cried out.

But the response they received was a burst of gunfire.

Immediately, the sounds of "plop," "plop"... hitting the water were incessant.

"Yan Wang! Yan Wang..." Seeing his subordinates killed one by one, Watanabe An screamed like a madman, "You will regret your decision today! I will definitely watch you being hanged by the Westerners with my own eyes, and watch them slaughter all of you in Da Song!"

Zhao Xu turned and left, offering no response.

In his eyes, Watanabe An was nothing more than a stray dog.

At the same time.

At the Dajiangjunfu, the sound of gunfire from the port reached here.

Beitiao Chuanqing and the other three exchanged glances, vaguely guessing something, and all revealed smiles.

At this moment, they all recalled the tragic state of the Northern Four Domains thirty years ago.

Now, Watanabe An and his lackeys had finally received the retribution they deserved.

From now on, Dongying would be controlled by their four families.

They would serve as a vassal state of Great Song, and under the protection of Great Song, enjoy long-term peace and stability.

They would work tirelessly for Great Song to repay the kindness of Yan Wang.

Thinking of this, Beitiao Chuanqing called his son over and whispered to him for a while.

Beitiao Cang nodded, turned, and left.