Chapter 149: Gold and Silver Mine

In the seventh year of Hongwu, the third day of the third month, Satsuma City.

The sky was overcast, and a fine drizzle fell continuously.

Inside the city garrison, Satsuma Governor Dao Jin Jiufeng's face turned pale as he listened to the report from a fleeing, broken soldier.

"General... Kagoshima... is gone... General Kikuchi shattered like jade, twenty thousand warriors fell in battle, nine thousand... nine thousand heads were erected into a monument..."

A badly wounded samurai knelt on the ground, his voice trembling as he said.

"The Great Ming troops... the Great Ming troops are demons... their armor is impervious to sword and spear, their cannons strike from far away..."

"That Zhu Yong... truly a demon king... one hammer blow can crush three men..."

"Li Wenzhong... Li Wenzhong ordered the construction of the monument... he said... he said every resisting city must build such a monument..."

Dao Jin Jiufeng listened, his fingers gripping the seat armrest tightly, his knuckles turning white.

He was forty‑two this year, the head of the Dao family, ruling over the Satsuma domain.

The Southern Court now only retained a few states in southern Kyushu, and Satsuma was the foundation of his clan.

"Where are the Great Ming troops now?" Dao Jin Jiufeng asked in a low voice.

"They've already... already marched toward Satsuma... at most three days away..." the broken soldier said tremblingly.

Silence hung dead inside the headquarters.

Several retainers looked at each other, fear reflected in their eyes.

"Lord, surrender... surrender, perhaps..." an elder retainer whispered, "the Great Ming troops are unbeatable..."

"Scoundrels! My Dao family has guarded Satsuma for generations; how could we surrender without a fight!" Dao Jin Jiufeng shouted angrily.

The elder fell to the ground, crying, "Lord, it's not that I fear death, it's simply... simply we cannot fight! The Great Ming armor, our swords strike it without even leaving a mark!"

The Great Ming cannons can topple a city gate with a single shot! And that Zhu Yong...

Mentioning that name, the elder's voice quivered: "He is not human at all... a demon god incarnate!"

Another retainer urged, "Lord, Kagoshima had forty thousand men, all annihilated within an hour; our Satsuma City has only eight thousand defenders, how can we hold?"

Dao Jin Jiufeng fell silent.

He knew the retainer was right.

But he was unwilling to accept it.

Satsuma is the Dao family's century‑old foundation; how could it be handed over so easily?

"Send orders, gather all samurai, foot soldiers, to defend Satsuma City to the death, and also dispatch envoys to the Northern Court for aid..." Dao Jin Jiufeng gritted his teeth.

Before he finished, a panicked samurai rushed in, "Lord! The Northern Court... the Northern Court has replied!"

"What did they say?" Dao Jin Jiufeng asked urgently.

The samurai, trembling, handed over a dispatch: "General Zu Li Yiman of the Northern Court says... that the Southern Court repeatedly provokes Great Ming, bringing disaster upon itself; the Northern Court has already pledged allegiance to Great Ming and will not send troops... also... also urges them..."

"Bang!"

Dao Jin Jiufeng slammed his fist onto the desk, and the desk shattered with a crack.

"Shameless! Despicable! That coward Zu Li Yiman actually pledged allegiance to the Great Ming!" he roared.

The retainers stared at each other, and the last glimmer of hope was extinguished.

The Northern Court would not help; Satsuma stood isolated and unsupported.

"Lord... surrender, for the sake of the townsfolk..." the elder raised his head, tears streaming, and said.

Dao Jin Jiufeng closed his eyes, lingered, then let out a long sigh and said, "Open the gates... surrender."

…

The fifth day of the third month, afternoon.

The Great Ming vanguard arrived beneath Satsuma City.

Zhu Yong rode his horse, looking at the gaping city gate, somewhat surprised.

"Cousin, are they about to surrender?" Zhu Yong asked beside him Li Wenzhong.

Li Wenzhong squinted, surveying the city walls; although some defenders remained on the ramparts, the flags had already been lowered, the gates flung open, and a group was emerging from the city.

At the head was a middle‑aged samurai dressed in splendid armor, followed by a few retainers, holding a large sword, seals and other items.

"It looks like it, but whether it's a genuine surrender or a ruse, we still need to see," Li Wenzhong said calmly.

That party stopped at a Hundred Steps in front of the Great Ming formation.

Dao Jin Jiufeng removed his helmet, unsheathed his sword, lifted both hands, and knelt on the ground.

His retainers behind him knelt as well.

The interpreter stepped forward and shouted, "Satsuma Governor Dao Jin Jiufeng is willing to surrender the entire city to Great Ming; please, General, accept the surrender!"

Zhu Yong looked at Li Wenzhong.

Li Wenzhong spurred his horse forward, halted before Dao Jin Jiufeng, looking down from his height, and said, "You are Dao Jin Jiufeng?"

"Yes... I am..." Dao Jin Jiufeng lowered his head, speaking in stiff Chinese.

"Why surrender?" Li Wenzhong asked.

Dao Jin Jiufeng forced a bitter smile, "The Great Ming's heavenly might is overwhelming; we dare not resist, we only ask the General... to spare the townspeople."

Li Wenzhong stared at him for a moment, then suddenly laughed, "You have some sense; stand up! Lead the way into the city."

"Thank you, General!" Dao Jin Jiufeng exhaled, rose, and led the way.

The Great Ming troops entered the city in formation.

Satsuma City was far smaller than Kagoshima, its streets narrow and its houses low.

The townsfolk hid inside their homes, peeking out through door and window cracks, eyes filled with fear.

They had heard of Kagoshima's tragedy, the monument of nine thousand heads...

In the lord's residence, Li Wenzhong sat on the Main Seat, with Zhu Yong beside him.

Daojin Jiufeng respectfully presented the map of Satsuma, the household register, and the treasury key.

"Satsuma has a total of 63,000 households, 800 samurai, 3,000 ashigaru, grain stores holding 50,000 koku, and the silver vault holding 80,000 taels..." Daojin Jiufeng reported.

Li Wenzhong listened, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest, and said, "Is that all?"

Daojin Jiufeng was startled and said, "General... what else do you want to know?"

"Satsuma has gold and silver mountains; you think we don't know?" Li Wenzhong sneered.

Daojin Jiufeng's complexion changed.

Satsuma indeed has gold and silver mines, but that is the Shimazu clan's secret source of wealth…

"General, you are perceptive… Satsuma does have mines, but the output is modest…" Daojin Jiufeng forced himself to say.

"How modest are we talking about?" Li Wenzhong pressed.

"Each year… yields about five hundred taels of gold and three thousand taels of silver…"

Li Wenzhong laughed, and his laughter made Daojin Jiufeng's heart crawl with dread.

Li Wenzhong was referring to the Lingzhi Mine, which is a gold mine, and Zhu Yong had marked it on the map he produced.

"Daojin Jiufeng, we'll give you a chance: take us to the mine, keep all the miners and craftsmen, continue extraction, and we can ensure the Shimazu clan's prosperity.

If you dare to conceal anything…" Li Wenzhong said slowly.

He paused, his voice turning cold: "You know the capital observatory in Kagoshima is still missing a top floor."

Daojin Jiufeng shivered all over, hurriedly knelt and said, "I will not conceal! I will take the General to the mine right now!"

"Very well, we'll go tomorrow," Li Wenzhong rose and said.

That night, the Ming forces stationed themselves in Satsuma City.

In Li Wenzhong's camp, Zhu Yong, Wang Baobao, and Lan Yu were present.

"General Li, do you really trust that Daojin Jiufeng?" Lan Yu asked.

Li Wenzhong said calmly, "Whether you believe it or not is irrelevant; what matters is the mine. As long as we find the mine, it doesn't matter if he has ulterior motives."

Wang Baobao frowned and said, "General, the Japanese are treacherous; we must guard against deceit."

"No problem... with Yong Er here, even if there's an ambush, what of it?" Li Wenzhong waved his hand and said.

Zhu Yong hurriedly nodded and said, "Hmm, if there's an ambush, I'll smash it all."

In Li Wenzhong's mind, once they take over the mine, Daojin Jiufeng and his men will no longer be needed; however, whether to send them to Great Ming or eliminate them outright still requires careful consideration.