Chapter 150: Victory After Victory

After all, taking them to Great Ming for a look around will be a great help to Great Ming.

Upon hearing Zhu Yong's words, everyone laughed.

Indeed, before absolute power, all conspiracies and tricks are jokes.

"However, Wa Country surrendered too easily; Kagoshima's single battle scared them, but the Southern Court still has many cities, we must let them know that surrender is allowed, but it must be thorough."

Li Wenzhong shifted his tone and said.

"What does cousin mean?" Zhu Yong asked.

"After inspecting the mine tomorrow, we will continue the advance; the next target is Osumi City. If Osumi City also surrenders, then we move on to the next."

"…until someone dares to resist," Li Wenzhong said, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

Lan Yu exclaimed excitedly, "Right! We must kill a few to establish our authority!"

Wang Baobao replied, "General, if we surrender at every step, does that mean we don't kill at any step?"

"Kill… the surrendered cities: all the samurai are executed, families become slaves, among the civilians, able‑bodied young men are sent to mine, the old, weak, women and children may be kept."

Li Wenzhong said calmly.

He looked at Zhu Yong and asked, "Yong Er, what do you think?"

Zhu Yong thought for a moment and said, "I'll follow cousin's orders, but I think some cowardly samurai don't have to be all killed; we can pick the useful ones and let them help manage the mines."

Li Wenzhong nodded and said, "Reasonable, then that's the plan."

…

Sixth day of the third month, morning.

Daojin Jiufeng led Li Wenzhong and others to Satsuma's Gold and Silver Mine.

The mine lies in the mountains Thirty Li outside the city, with over five hundred miners working.

The miners were terrified at the arrival of the Ming army.

Li Wenzhong carefully inspected the mine shafts and Gongfang, and inquired about output.

It was indeed as Daojin Jiufeng said: about five hundred taels of gold and three thousand taels of silver annually.

Not a huge amount, but not insignificant.

"From today onward, this mine belongs to Great Ming. The samurai under you who know mining may stay to manage it. The rest are to be executed."

Li Wenzhong said to Daojin Jiufeng.

Daojin Jiufeng's face turned ashen, but he dared not resist and could only answer, "Yes… I obey."

Back in Satsuma City, Li Wenzhong immediately ordered a tally of the Shimazu clan's samurai.

In the end, twenty who understood mining and smelting were kept; the remaining seven hundred eighty were marched to the riverside outside the city and beheaded.

The citizens of Satsuma City were ordered to watch.

Seven hundred eighty heads hit the ground, and blood dyed the river surface red.

Daojin Jiufeng knelt on the ground, watching his clan's samurai beheaded one by one, tears streaming down his old face.

But he dared not cry out.

Because he knew that if he dared any move, the next one to die would be him.

After the execution, Li Wenzhong said to Daojin Jiufeng, "From today, you are the acting overseer of Great Ming's Satsuma Mine. When the imperial envoys arrive, you will return to Great Ming with them; make good use of this time, your wealth is assured. If you have any ulterior motives…"

If you have any ulterior motives…

He pointed at the bodies by the river and said, "That is the fate."

Daojin Jiufeng prostrated himself on the ground and said, "I… dare not…"

…

On the eighth day of the third month, the Ming army left two thousand troops to garrison Satsuma, while the main force continued eastward.

The target: Osumi City.

The Osumi commander had already received the news.

Kagoshima's forty thousand were annihilated within an hour; Satsuma surrendered without a fight, its samurai were slaughtered…

"What to do… the Ming army is coming…" the Osumi commander Ganfu Jiuxin paced back and forth inside the mansion, sweating profusely.

The retainers also turned pale.

"Lord, surrender! Resistance leads only to death…" a retainer whispered.

"But… surrender also means death… all Satsuma's samurai were killed…" another retainer cried.

"That's different! Satsuma's samurai were executed, but Daojin Jiufeng is still alive; as long as he is useful, the Ming army will spare his life!"

The senior minister hurriedly said.

Ganfu Jiuxin stopped, a glimmer of hope flashing in his eyes, and said, "You mean…"

"Lord, Osumi has a good harbor, a shipyard, and shipbuilding craftsmen; these are what the Ming army needs. If we offer them, perhaps we can save our lives!"

The senior minister said.

Ganfu Jiuxin thought for a moment, gritted his teeth, and said, "Fine… surrender at Kaicheng!"

On the tenth day of the third month, the Ming army again entered Osumi City without a fight.

Li Wenzhong learned that Osumi had a shipyard and was genuinely pleased.

He kept Ganfu Jiuxin and the shipbuilders, and executed the remaining samurai.

This time, six hundred were executed.

The citizens of Osumi City were likewise ordered to watch.

Fresh blood again stained the ground red.

The news spread like the wind.

The next city, Hyuga Castle.

The Hinata Commander thought through the night and ultimately chose to surrender.

March 12, the Ming army entered Hinata City.

Five hundred samurai were executed.

Next came Feihou City.

The Feihou commander had intended to resist, but when the townsfolk heard of the resistance, a riot broke out.

"We cannot resist; if we resist, the whole city will die!"

"Open the gates and surrender! Open the gates and surrender!"

"We don't want to die!"

"..."

The rioting townspeople surged at the gates, and the defending troops could not control them.

March 15, Feihou City opened its gates and surrendered.

Seven hundred samurai were executed.

The Ming army marched eastward, taking four cities in succession.

Each city surrendered, and in each city the samurai were executed.

In total, over 2,500 people were executed.

The remaining cities of the Southern Court completely collapsed.

Those who resisted, the Satsuma samurai, all died.

Those who surrendered could still keep a life.

The choice was clear at a glance.

March 20, the Ming army reached the Southern Court's last stronghold, Fenghou City.

Here lies the Southern Court's court, and Prince Huailiang, the Southern Court's Emperor, is inside the city.

Fenghou City gathered the Southern Court's final forces, fifteen thousand men.

But the morale of those fifteen thousand was at its lowest point.

Outside the city, the Ming army set up camp.

Li Wenzhong looked at Fenghou City and said calmly, "This is the last one; once we take it, the Southern Court will be destroyed."

Zhu Yong nodded and said, "Cousin, how shall we attack?"

"First we urge surrender; if they surrender, we only kill the samurai and do not sack the city. If they do not surrender…" Li Wenzhong said.

A cold glint flashed in his eyes as he said, "After the city falls, not a chicken nor a dog will be left."

The messenger soldiers, with an interpreter, came to the foot of the city to shout.

On the city walls, Prince Huailiang listened with a pallid complexion.

"Prince, surrender! The Ming army is unbeatable… Satsuma, Osumi, Hinata, Feihou… all have surrendered… resistance leads only to death…" an old minister knelt and pleaded.

"Nonsense! I am the Emperor! How could I surrender to the barbarian Ming!" Prince Huailiang roared.

"But Prince… the city has only fifteen thousand, the Ming army has thirty thousand, and that Ghost King Zhu Yong… we cannot hold it…" another minister said tremblingly.

"Even if we cannot hold it, we must hold! If you dare speak of surrender again, you will be beheaded on the spot!" Prince Huailiang drew his sword and placed it on the old minister's throat.

The old minister closed his eyes, tears streaming down his face.

He knew Fenghou City was finished.

The Southern Court was finished.

Outside the city, Li Wenzhong waited half an hour with no response.

"It seems they will not surrender; send the order, prepare to assault the city," he sneered.

Zhu Yong shrugged his shoulders, lifted the Double Hammers, and said, "Cousin, I'll go first..."

"No hurry; first bombard for an hour, then we'll bring the walls down," Li Wenzhong waved his hand and said.

The Ming army's artillery positions unfolded three Hundred Steps outside the city.

One hundred cannons, their black mouths aimed at Fenghou City.

"Fire!"

The order was given.

"Boom—boom—boom…"

The cannon fire shook heaven and earth.

Fenghou City's walls trembled under the bombardment, shards of stone spraying.

The defenders on the walls were blown apart, blood and flesh flew everywhere.

An hour later, three sections of Fenghou City's walls had collapsed.

"Enough, Prince, lead the troops inside. Remember, anyone bearing weapons is to be killed without mercy," Li Wenzhong told Zhu Yong.

"Yes!" Zhu Yong raised the Double Hammers, flipped onto his horse.

Behind him, five thousand elite Ming troops followed closely.

"Kill!"

Zhu Yong rode ahead, charging toward the breach in the wall.

Fenghou City, the final battle, began.

And the outcome of this battle had long been decided.