Chapter 289: Destruction of Shimazu Domain

Chapter 289: Destruction of Shimazu Domain

Chapter 289: Destruction of Shimazu Domain

On the morning of December 16, the sixth year of the Tongzhi reign, the Nanyang Fleet arrived at the Osumi Strait and simultaneously launched artillery attacks on Yakushima and Tanegashima.

All the warships flying the cross flag were sunk, and the Guards Brigade landed and carried out organized looting on the two islands.

The Imperial Guards Brigade had strict military discipline. They strictly followed orders, shot all armed personnel, and then moved away all valuables, especially the arms manufacturing base on Tanegashima, which was the focus of the transportation.

On the Japanese side, the losses were basically the property of the Shimazu domain. Seeing that the Konoe Brigade had reaped great rewards and withdrew, the people all breathed a sigh of relief.

Then—two thousand Cuban mercenaries landed on the island.

These mercenaries were subordinates of the Cuban emperor Shi Lao San (Shi Dakai), and their military discipline was strict.

During the Civil War, Shi Dakai's men served as mercenaries for the Northern Army for several years. After being ordered to implement a scorched earth policy against the South, military discipline no longer existed...

When the two thousand mercenaries got on board with their rich harvest, flames were rising from the two islands. I won’t describe the situation in detail, but you can refer to Atlanta, which was ravaged by the Northern Army during the Civil War.

40.5 American soldiers died in World War II, 11.7 in World War I, and 3 in the Vietnam War.

But in the Civil War, 62.5 soldiers and 22.5 civilians died, far more than the total of World War I, World War II, and the Vietnam War. Wherever the Union Army went, no grass grew, and it was a scorched earth.

Many people complained that the Qing Dynasty "prefers to treat friendly foreign countries rather than domestic slaves." In fact, the Americans are much more cruel to their own people than to foreigners - they are all the same.

Shao Quanzhong "visited" with the world's third largest fleet, a brigade of guards, and a reinforced regiment of 2,000 Cuban mercenaries, spending tens of thousands of taels of silver every day. Is it possible that he did it just to show off?

This "visit" was destined to be full of gunfire. According to Shao Quanzhong's temperament, at least I couldn't take the warships and soldiers out, or I would lose money, right?
Isn't it always said that if I buy these warships, they will be outdated when they are built, and I will lose money? Then I have to use them quickly to make back my investment, right?
Zeng Jize, who was traveling with him on the boat, turned a blind eye to the two islands with flames rising to the sky. Instead, he sighed that the Huai Army had excellent military discipline, which the Xiang Army could not compare to. Those Cuban Han people with American equipment and bicorne hats looked like the Qing army...

As for Mark Twain, Grant and Emery, who were traveling with him, they also turned a deaf ear to it.

Grant and Emery are excellent commanders and staff officers, but are they kind?
If Shao Quanzhong hadn't appeared, Grant would have been in charge of the Union Army, and it was he who ordered the scorched earth policy against the Southern Army, and Emery would have also participated in the war against the South...

Mark Twain was a sympathetic intellectual, and his kindness was for the common people of the Union. He was an intellectual from an imperialist country and had no sympathy for backward nations.

In Mark Twain's famous novel "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer", "Injun Joe" is a villain who is portrayed as sinister, vicious, greedy and cunning. So, this... American literati is not a saint...

The devastating destruction of the two islands lasted for a day, and on the third day, the Nanyang Fleet arrived in Kagoshima.

This time, four Wangfu-class main steam-clad battleships took action.

王夫级战列舰排水量六千八百三十二吨，侧舷配10门7吋后膛炮（110磅），8门100磅滑膛炮，12门68磅后膛炮。

In Zhenjiang, four giant ships equipped with new TNT explosive-explosive shells fired at the broadside. The giant ships kept tilting, waves surged on the sea, and black smoke billowed. The backward muzzle-loading coastal defense guns of Kagoshima City were blown into pieces outside the range.

Then, warships with a total tonnage of over hundreds of thousands of tons began to approach and extend their fire. The Wangfu-class and Johnson-class battleships bombarded the city, and small ironclad ships of 1,300 tons cleared the sailing warships in the harbor.

The truth is only within the range of cannons. Now Shao Quanzhong has arrived in Kagoshima with the truth. The effective range of the truth is several kilometers. Kagoshima City is in flames and all suspected military targets are destroyed.

The lord of Satsuma Domain, Shimazu Tadayoshi, had no idea how this sudden disaster came about. Fortunately, he was not killed in the bombardment. He fled out of the city with a few close associates and headed for Kyoto.

The Satsuma clan was indeed lucky. Their 2,500 elite soldiers were stationed in Toba Castle and Fushimi Castle to protect Kyoto. They were fighting against the shogunate army and escaped the devastating bombardment. Shimazu Tadayoshi went to Kyoto to join his troops. The lord escaped, but the territory could not. After the naval guns destroyed all the military forces, the Imperial Guard Brigade landed.

The previous actions on Yakushima and Tanegashima could only be considered rehearsals, but this time the robbery on Kagoshima actually yielded huge gains.

Relying on its superior geographical location, Satsuma Domain traded with foreigners, Southeast Asia, and China, accumulated a large amount of wealth, and thus became a powerful domain in Japan.

Now all these riches belong to the Huai Army.

The Nanyang Navy had sufficient loading capacity, and all valuable items were transported to the warships in an organized manner. This had already been practiced in the two palaces of Hong Renfa and Hong Renda in Jinling.

At that time, only silver and treasures were transported, but now everything is transported, even seafood, grain, and lacquerware.

The Guards Brigade organized the seizure, only robbing the nobles of their large assets. Then the Cuban mercenaries went ashore and conducted a detailed search.

The fleet stayed in Kagoshima for three days, and when it left, Kagoshima had turned into a wilderness.

The fleet patrolled along the coastline, passing through all the coastal towns of Satsuma Domain. Half a month passed.

Hundreds of years of accumulation by the Satsuma Domain were reduced to ashes, all armed forces were destroyed, and all property was confiscated.

Except for the victims, all the common people fled to Kumamoto Domain. The death toll was difficult to count, which was considered a complete revenge for the Ryukyu and Joseon dynasties, two domains that were invaded by Satsuma Domain.

Of course, the fleet also did some good things. For example, the two thousand mercenaries made a lot of contributions to improving the short height of the Japanese people, which will be apparent in the future.

Shao Quanzhong sighed with regret, "We didn't bring enough mercenaries. Fortunately, this is only the first expedition to Japan, and we will have more opportunities to do more good deeds in the future."

On the sixth day of the first lunar month in the seventh year of the Tongzhi reign, the Nanyang Navy, after celebrating the New Year in Satsuma, left leisurely, leaving Satsuma in its wake, a scorched earth, completely destroyed.

Ping'er has seen what war is like. Compared with the bloody war, the palace fighting dominated by conspiracy is so gentle.

Sure enough, war drives women away, and men with overflowing hormones become the protagonists of war.

"Your Majesty, after we defeat the Satsuma clan, our trip will be free of charge."

Shao Quanzhong sneered, "The Japanese pirates owe me a lot, what's this? It's still a long way to go before they can pay off the blood debt they owe me. You are too narrow-minded, how can you just avoid losing money? I am the best beard in the world, how can I not make a lot of money from my actions?"

Liao Rong came over to ask, "Should we go to Southeast Asia next?"

"Don't worry. Even if we don't have the chance to destroy Japan this time, we still have to pay back some of the blood debt."

Shao Quanzhong drew out his command knife and pointed eastward, "Let's go to Osaka."

　In order to give back to the readers for their love and votes, I plan to add another chapter today. It may be a little late, so you can read it tomorrow.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)