Chapter 1615: The Lives of Han Sons Are Precious

"General, I have understood your meaning. Please believe me, as a Dutchman I have absolutely no intention of interfering in your country's war with another nation, nor will I stand beside any Japanese to oppose your army." Gozet first declared his neutrality, then put forward his own conditions. "However… as you surely know, our country has long maintained close commercial ties with Japan. We still have a trading post in the Hirado domain, where many of our people have lived for decades. I… might I humbly request that you order your soldiers not to threaten our property there?"

"We have no intention of destroying the property of your country's merchants." Zhao Song answered immediately after hearing the translation. "But war is war. If we are forced to fight in the Hirado domain, we cannot guarantee that your merchants' property will not be harmed. Therefore, for the sake of everyone's interests, I suggest that upon your return you discuss this with the Lord of Hirado and urge him to remain neutral in this war, just like your country's merchants, rather than feeling obliged to fight us on behalf of the shogunate."

"That… it is not proper for us to interfere in Japan's internal affairs." Gozet looked troubled. "The domain lord's decisions are not something we can control."

"Then please make the effort. Otherwise, we cannot guarantee how the situation will develop." Zhao Song waved his hand impatiently. "Well, do you have any other requests? My time is extremely pressing."

"I have understood all of the General's demands… We will strive to preserve our property." Gozet frowned in thought for a moment, then bowed to him in salute. "At such a moment, I beg you to show great mercy and allow us to dispatch a few ships to send the merchants unwilling to remain back to Batavia, and to report the news to our company's leadership."

Zhao Song did not answer, but instead looked at Cai De, who nodded gently.

"Very well, we grant that. We can permit you to leave Japan, but you must fly your flag." Cai De immediately said to Gozet. "Right, I have one more demand. Now that we are at war with the shogunate, we do not wish you to provide any aid to the shogunate, including the sale of arms. During the war, if we discover any merchant ships coming to Japan, we will issue a warning to all of them. If they do not heed the warning, we will treat them as enemy vessels and sink them if necessary. So the people you send back to Batavia had best relay this matter as well, lest any innocent merchant ships suffer disaster!"

Such an overbearing demand instantly drained the color from Gozet's face.

"This demand… is far too difficult for us. Both of you Generals surely know that our company has always had a long-standing and stable trade relationship with Japan…"

"Now that our two nations are at war, the shogunate is already overwhelmed. Where would they find the leisure to buy your country's goods? Even if you shipped them over, what use would they be?" Zhao Song frowned. "This is not a request; this is our order. During this period, if your country needs anything, you may purchase it from our nation. Our nation has a vast territory and abundant resources, and I believe we can satisfy your country's needs."

Such harsh demands put Gozet in an extremely difficult position, but he also knew that he currently had no opportunity whatsoever to refuse the other party's terms. He could only first find a way to return to Batavia and see how the company leadership would consider it.

"Very well, I will relay your country's demands to the company." He looked cautiously at Zhao Song. "Then, I would also like to ask you… after the war ends, may we resume our trade with Japan?"

"After the war ends, everything can return to normal. We merely intend to punish the shogunate for being excessively disrespectful to us." Zhao Song answered with great solemnity.

However, these words were entirely insincere, because during the state council meeting he had attended, they had already decided to monopolize Japan's trade routes and conduct exclusive trade after the war.

"I understand your meaning. Thank you, General." Gozet expressed his thanks once more.

"Alright, my time here is limited, and I must continue the offensive. If there are no other requests, then you may return." Zhao Song was growing somewhat impatient.

"Yes, General, I will not waste any more of your valuable time. Farewell." Gozet could see that this general no longer wished to speak with him, so he had no choice but to end the meeting. He and his attendants then left the Songshan, rowed back to the Dutch merchant ship, and would immediately rush back to the trading post to relay this terrible news to the merchants there and to the Lord of Hirado.

After casting off the Dutchmen, the fleet once again pressed on toward Nagasaki at full speed. By the time they assembled in the outer seas of Nagasaki, it was already dusk.

And by this time, both Naitō Tadashige and Soga Koyū had already received word that the Great Han army was attacking Kyushu and had landed at Hakata Bay.

The report came from Kuroda Tadayuki, the lord of the Fukuoka domain. Perhaps because he was scared out of his wits, his wording in the report was extremely vehement, declaring that Great Han had sent a naval fleet the likes of which had never been seen before, that the cannon fire was far too fierce and had destroyed their artillery emplacements at Hakata Bay in the first moments, and had routed the domain soldiers lying in ambush inland, leaving them unable to resist. Now that Hakata Bay had fallen and the Great Han army had occupied the former artillery positions, the domain's military strength alone was probably unable to stop them from pressing on toward Fukuoka. He therefore requested that Nagasaki send a large army to reinforce the Fukuoka domain. His panic and terror were evident in his words.

After reading this report, both men were momentarily speechless.

They very much wished to reinforce the Fukuoka domain, but the defenses around Nagasaki were already somewhat strained. How could they dispatch a large army to provide reinforcements?

Nagasaki was an extremely important port and the main city they were now holding, so it could not be relaxed in the slightest.

"I never imagined Great Han would strike so easily." After a long while, Soga Koyū sighed and said something utterly meaningless.

"This was within expectations, I suppose." Naitō Tadashige appeared far more composed. "Great Han's sturdy ships and powerful cannons are indeed as expected. With their naval gunboats providing such fierce artillery support, we cannot fight them on the coastline. We simply cannot win. The various domains have enjoyed peace for too long, and their military preparedness has decayed. How could they withstand such an artillery barrage?"

When he said "simply cannot win," a slight bitterness welled up in his heart. It was precisely because the shogunate had so severely restricted the power of the domains that the shogunate's defensive strength in Kyushu had become so feeble… If only they had known not to be so ruthless back then.

But what use was saying "if only" now?

"Nagasaki is also on the open sea." Soga Koyū said out of nowhere.

"Then we can only proceed according to our previous plan." Naitō Tadashige frowned. "Are the preparations for setting fires everywhere complete?"

According to their earlier discussions, neither of them had any confidence in holding Nagasaki harbor against the Great Han army, which held superiority both at sea and on land. They believed that confronting Great Han by the sea was extremely unwise, so they decided to only put up a certain degree of resistance in Nagasaki and, when the situation turned unfavorable, retreat inland to the Kurume domain and rely on the domain castle to resist. At the same time, to prevent Great Han from easily taking Nagasaki and turning it into a base for further invasion, they would set Nagasaki ablaze when Great Han attacked, destroying all the port facilities.

"It is more or less done." Soga Koyū's expression remained extremely grim. "As for the remaining stubborn and unenlightened ones, we can no longer afford to worry about them."

They had already spent several days expelling the civilians of Nagasaki. Even though most were unwilling, they had still been driven away to the desolate wilderness outside Nagasaki city. Some civilians, however, simply could not bear to abandon their homes and livelihoods, so they clung to wishful thinking and stayed behind to hide in Nagasaki city. Because they had to constantly focus on defense arrangements, Soga Koyū and his subordinates had not bothered to search for and arrest these people.

Once they began setting fires everywhere in Nagasaki, perhaps not even one in ten of them would survive.

"Although we will eventually have to withdraw from Nagasaki, the resistance here cannot slacken. We must give it our all." Naitō Tadashige had not given the remaining civilians a single thought. "Great Han's ships are sturdy and their cannons powerful; we cannot match them in that. But the valor and will of our samurai are things they can hardly compare to. Inside the city, the streets are narrow and there are residential houses. The terrain is highly advantageous for us and prevents them from leveraging their specialty in sharp firearms and cannons. Therefore, we must fight desperately here, killing and wounding as many of them as possible."

"That goes without saying… I will remain here to lead everyone in the bloody fight, to not disgrace our family name, nor betray the Shogun's trust." Soga Koyū raised his head, his face full of fervor. "But you, Elder… you should return to Kurume first. Set up defenses there and prepare military supplies for us."

"No!" Naitō Tadashige flatly rejected Soga Koyū's counsel. "I am currently the highest-ranking shogunate official in Kyushu. With the two armies not yet engaged, how can I flee alone?! I will remain here to personally oversee the battle, and we will retreat together when everyone can hold out no longer."

Just as they were still in secret talks, an attendant walked in and reported the news that Great Han's naval fleet had arrived and assembled in the outer seas of Nagasaki.

"So they have finally come…" Naitō Tadashige looked up blankly toward the empty sky outside the window.

At that very moment, with a tremendous boom, the rumbling sound of cannon fire rang out once more, followed by the crash of collapsing walls and houses, shaking the very ground as if it were trembling.

"Elder, please oversee the battle from outside the city. I will lead the main army myself to fight the Han bandits to the death!" Soga Koyū abruptly stood up and charged outside. He shouted loudly, his attendants brought him a horse, and then he vanished with them into the streets and alleys of the city.

Compared to him, Naitō Tadashige was far more composed. Without haste, he drank the tea on the low table, and only then stood up amidst the unending roar of explosions.

Then, he too walked out the door, mounted the horse brought over by his attendants, and galloped off in the direction opposite to the one Soga Koyū had taken.

According to the predetermined plan, Soga Koyū would be responsible for commanding the soldiers inside Nagasaki city to resist the Great Han army, while Naitō Tadashige would oversee the battle from outside the city and be responsible for rear-area logistics and supply transport. They did not expect to hold out for long, but they sought to kill and wound as many Great Han soldiers as possible and ensure this port could never again be used by Great Han.

He rode swiftly with his attendants and soon arrived at a small hill on the outskirts of the city. This hill commanded the road linking Nagasaki city and the Kurume domain, and had been given great importance from the very beginning.

By now, it was dusk. Golden light dyed the land in an illusory hue. Naitō Tadashige reached the hilltop and picked up a telescope.

This telescope was exquisitely crafted, carved with flowers and inlaid with gold, and extremely valuable. It was a product of Great Han's specialized fine craftsmanship, and had originally been one of Naitō Tadashige's cherished possessions. Yet now, as he toyed with this telescope in his hands, Naitō Tadashige gave a bitter laugh.

Firearms, telescopes, warships — if only Japan could make these things too, how wonderful that would be.

This train of thought did not last long. He immediately cut it off, raised the telescope, and looked toward the distant coast.

The sky was already very dark. The golden sea and the golden sky blended together. Amidst the blurry ocean, some indistinct black silhouettes appeared before him, like monsters just released from a demon's lair.

These monsters roared from time to time, and then bursts of light erupted. Countless cannonballs howled as they rained down upon Nagasaki harbor. When they struck the ground, they produced even more terrifying sounds, making one's heart palpitate.

The artillery emplacements in Nagasaki were also returning fire, but their cannon fire was very feeble, and their range could not compare to that of the Great Han warships. Thus, they could not pose much of an obstacle to the Great Han bombardment. Instead, they became targets for the Great Han navy's shelling, constantly bombarded. Under the repeated ravaging of cannon fire, they became a ghastly sight, their original appearance no longer visible.

Watching this scene, although he had long been mentally prepared, Naitō Tadashige's heart still tightened, and the hand gripping the telescope turned pale.

If only we had cannons as fine as theirs, how could such an outcome come to pass! His heart was filled with deep pain.

As an Elder, he had originally thought that people like himself, in governing the country, might not have been perfect but had at least done an acceptable job — maintaining the shogunate's rule, weakening those unruly domain lords, and bringing a peace to the realm that had bid farewell to the Warring States era. Now, seeing this, he realized there were far too many things they had not done well, far too many…

Because of shame and righteous fury, his chest tightened, his vision went black, and he nearly fainted. Only with great difficulty, supported by his attendants, did he steady his footing.

The messenger to report to the shogunate had already been dispatched. He wondered what the Shogun would think upon reading his report.

Just then, the sky grew darker and darker. The sun finally sank below the western sea before him. With the final disappearance of the golden light, everything was concealed in darkness. The Great Han ships on the sea could no longer be seen clearly; only a stretch of blackness remained.

However, with each salvo of cannon fire from those ships, the light bursting from the gunpowder made them clearly visible again, as if alternating between day and night.

"Night has fallen. Pass the order for all units to rest for now." Standing on the deck of the Songshan, Zhao Song put away his telescope. "Everyone prepare to eat. But the bombardment must continue and cannot stop."

In his view, the afternoon's bombardment had been fairly satisfactory — it had essentially destroyed the shore batteries that were still returning fire, and now Nagasaki Harbor lay before them with no real capacity to fight back.

After round after round of shelling, the Nagasaki coastline had also suffered severe damage. The Japanese- and Western-style buildings that had originally lined the shore were mostly obliterated under the shellfire, and the flames ignited by the shells' heat quickly set the wooden houses along the coast ablaze. The towering inferno had no one to extinguish it, so the fire grew larger and larger, illuminating the opposite shore.

However, now that night had fallen, he did not want to send troops directly ashore to seize this port city. Fighting in the dark was not conducive to the Great Han leveraging its strengths and would instead increase the risk of friendly fire, so it was better to simply wait another day. For now, the task was to continue using bombardment to flaunt the Great Han's might and shatter the defenders' confidence.

"Marshal Zhao, please let our troops land tomorrow morning — we will take this city for you!" Just then, one of his regiment commanders, Ma Tongji — a man of the Julu Marquis Ma Chonghao — drew near and begged for battle. "Our soldiers are all itching for a fight, waiting to win merit for the nation. It won't take us long to take a city like Nagasaki..."

Bi Su's performance today had made him somewhat envious, so he hoped to seize a share of the glory for himself. The landing and victory at Hakata Bay had been so effortless that it had bred arrogance in this young man, making him feel that these Japanese were far too weak in combat and not worth taking seriously at all.

"What, getting cocky already?" Zhao Song shot a glance at this junior, frightening him into immediate silence. "The Shogunate may be old and feeble, but its sheer size is still there, and it has no shortage of loyal ministers and righteous warriors — you must never let your guard down. The streets and alleys inside Nagasaki are narrow, making it hard to bring our army's strengths to bear, so we must proceed with caution and not act recklessly."

"What resistance could they possibly put up now?" Ma Tongji was somewhat unconvinced in his heart. He raised his head and looked at the towering blaze along the Nagasaki shore; he could not believe anyone could still survive there and stand against his troops. "After seeing shellfire like that, they must have long since been scared out of their wits..."

"When facing an enemy, it is better to overestimate than to underestimate. The shelling may sound impressive, but it hasn't killed that many of them. There still appear to be plenty of defenders inside the city. If we rashly charge in and their morale is high, they could still inflict considerable casualties on us." Zhao Song shook his head. "We only have a few thousand men. Every soldier's life is precious and must not be wasted lightly."

"Then what does Marshal Zhao mean for us to do?" Ma Tongji asked, somewhat puzzled.