Chapter 98

The sliding door was abruptly opened, and Xiang Shaolong helped the heavily injured Yapingtai into the room. The wound, which had already scabbed over, began to seep blood again, possibly due to the rough handling.

"Mr. Xiao, I have brought some very bad news. Yamamoto Kiyoshi and his band of ronin and samurai are about to take action against the Chinese in Naha Port. Moreover, the ninjas under the command of the Kiyama family have also gotten involved... I'm sorry, I couldn't gather the specific plans or the timing..."

It was truly a case of fearing what one dreads. Xiao Letian knew that these Japanese would not let the matter rest. Their anger, it seemed, would be vented on the ordinary people. Furthermore, from the attitude of these Japanese, once he left, they would surely find ways to pressure the Ryukyu King and take action against all pro-Chinese factions, even possibly removing him from his position as Chancellor.

Xiao Letian was well aware that with his reputation as an unparalleled national hero, these Japanese wouldn't dare to destroy him directly, but others would suffer. Xiao Letian stood up and paced around the room like a caged beast, continuously calculating various possibilities, with different scenarios flashing through his mind.

No one dared to disturb him. The situation in Naha was precarious, and no one knew where the Satsuma family's limits lay. If the entire matter got out of control, the ten thousand Chinese would surely face a catastrophic disaster.

Time passed bit by bit. When Xiang Shaolong finished bandaging Yapingtai's last wound, the swordsman suddenly interrupted Xiao Letian's deep thoughts.

"Mr. Xiao, I must remind you that Japan is currently in a state of great chaos. The samurai class has gradually lost its order, and many rules have been broken... You may be a highly respected national hero, but in the eyes of some Japanese samurai, your reputation cannot protect you..."

"Have you heard of the 'Sonno Joi' (Revere the Emperor, Expel the Barbarians) group? Have you heard of the Shinsengumi, which is supported by the Tokugawa family? They are willing to assassinate for their goals. These people are mad, completely irrational, and they never consider the consequences of their actions..."

Xiao Letian's heart sank as if he had fallen into an abyss. He had miscalculated this aspect. The lower-ranking samurai in Japan had entered a state of collective madness, and they were the vanguard in the great transformation, ready to kill.

In history, the Tosa loyalists led by Takechi Hanpeita and the now famous Shinsengumi were known for their violent assassinations. Once these people were riled up, they wouldn't care about your status as a national hero.

"Are you saying that the Satsuma family is not the only dominant force in Ryukyu? Other forces from Japan have also infiltrated?"

"Hai! Although I don't know the specific details, I at least know that these ninjas are backed by a major power..."

Xiao Letian almost punched through the tatami mat. "I have an important task for you... Tell Liang Kun to immediately gather his troops and be on standby. Warn all Chinese merchants to be on high alert and to gather with me immediately if there is any conflict..."

"Shi-ya, please contact the informants in Shuri Castle and have King Shotei prepare for everything. Naha Port is likely to see a major disturbance, and King Shotei's safety is the most important. Shuri Castle must be defended at all costs..."

"Lu Huo and Sima Yun, start distributing weapons immediately. All ammunition must be distributed, and everyone must be ready for battle..." Xiao Letian said to the gathered officers in a low voice.

"Brothers, this is not China; this is Naha Port, a vassal state of China. We do not want war, but we must not fear it. If the fighting starts, I only hope you remember who you are... We are Chinese, and we must not disgrace the name of China..."

Xiao Letian suddenly stood up, his face flushed as he growled, "I will give you a chance to be remembered in history. The achievements of Chen Tang and Ban Dingyuan are what I desire, not what you desire. Our ancestors could pacify a country with just 36 men. Now we have 260 brave warriors and ten thousand Chinese as our support. If we lack the courage to fight, what kind of men are we?"

His words stirred the blood of everyone present. "Sir, rest assured, this is a national war, and none of us are cowards!"

While Xiao Letian's side was preparing for battle, Akahachi and Kiri Kuro had already gathered over a thousand ronin. Due to the centuries of cohabitation of Japanese, Chinese, and natives in Naha Port, there were no obvious large-scale gathering areas. To facilitate the attack, Akahachi and his group dispersed the thousand ronin and hid them in ten large, hidden warehouses.

It was precisely because of this small-scale gathering that they avoided arousing the suspicion of the Chinese in the city. In one of the warehouses, wooden boxes were filled with rice balls and sake. Akahachi had spared no expense; these rice balls, mixed with seaweed and plums, were something he usually couldn't afford, but today he used them to reward his subordinates.

"Brothers, wait here patiently for our signal. These Qing slaves are too arrogant, and we must teach them a lesson... Don't be afraid; I have the approval of Lord Kiyama. At the time, three thousand ashigaru will come to support us, and even the Anazukisen ships at sea will provide us with support..."

These ronin were initially a bit worried, but when they learned that Lord Kiyama and General Yamamoto had explicitly supported them, their madness returned.

"Akahachi, rest assured, we have long been dissatisfied with those Chinese. They have accumulated so much wealth but are unwilling to pay protection fees. This time, we must teach them a lesson, making them remember who the true masters of Naha Port are... Cheers!"

The atmosphere in Naha Port was becoming increasingly strange. Even the foreign merchants in the city had begun to notice. The Japanese ronin, who were usually everywhere, had almost all disappeared, and there were fewer Japanese workers with headbands and wooden sandals. The docks were mostly filled with Chinese and native laborers.

Then a piece of gossip began to spread among the foreigners. It turned out that the Chinese scholar Xiao and the Japanese had a serious conflict, and both sides were secretly negotiating, but neither was a pushover, and a violent and bloody conflict was likely to occur.

"Oh, my God, this scholar Xiao doesn't seem like a Qing person. Don't they only fight among themselves? They have never been strong against outsiders... What? You say Xiao was raised in Europe and is now an American citizen? No wonder, a person educated in modern times naturally has our unique pride..."

The sun slowly set, and many merchants in Naha Port closed their doors early. Even the bars, brothels, and gambling houses, which usually operated all night, were only partially open, with some even closing completely. The entire city was in a state of inexplicable agitation.

While Naha Port was preparing for battle, in Kagoshima, the southernmost port of Japan, a distant ship had just arrived. As soon as the gangplank touched the pier, several soldiers quickly jumped off the ship and ran towards their destination.

In the high tower of the Kagoshima castle, the lord, Shimazu Tadayoshi, was reviewing intelligence from various daimyo with his father, Shimazu Nariakira. His father, who was like a regent, was patiently teaching his son how to be an excellent lord.

At this moment, a young retainer suddenly reported, "My lord, a messenger from Naha Port has brought an urgent message..." and placed the neatly folded letter in front of the lord.

Shimazu Tadayoshi and his father exchanged puzzled glances. When they opened the letter and read it quickly, they both exclaimed in surprise, "Nani? A few dozen Chinese want to challenge our Shimazu family's 250 years of rule?"

At this time, in the bustling town below, the lively bars were filled with the raucous laughter of geishas. These Japanese women, their faces covered in white powder, were drinking sake with their chests exposed. Inside the screens, a young man was holding two half-naked women, swaying to the sound of the sanshin.

"Mr. Ryoma... How long will you stay in Kagoshima this time? The girls have missed you so much since we last met..." It seemed these geishas were familiar with the young man, even boldly kissing him.

As the young man was enjoying the wine, food, and women, a sweaty and sea-smelling ashigaru suddenly burst into the bar, not even taking off his bamboo armor.

"Hey, hey, hey, this is a place for gentlemen, what are you doing here, a mere ashigaru..." The doorman tried to push him out, but the ashigaru shouted, "Is Mr. Sakamoto Ryoma here? Is Mr. Sakamoto Ryoma here? I am a messenger sent by Lord Inoue Chuzo..."

The young man, who was enjoying himself, suddenly changed his expression, his eyes flashing with determination as he stepped out from behind the screens. "I am Sakamoto Ryoma. What message does Inoue have for me?" The messenger, seeing the resemblance to Lord Inoue, quickly knelt down and handed over the letter.

"Someone, take this messenger to have a meal. I have some questions for him later..." Sakamoto Ryoma said, then opened the letter. After reading just a few lines, his face changed. He grabbed the messenger, asked a few questions, and then turned and ran straight to the Shimazu family's main castle.

This young man, Sakamoto Ryoma, was the famous historical figure who presented the 'Eight Policies of the Ship' and was a top-tier elite in the reformist faction. His 'Eight Policies of the Ship' basically determined the political landscape of modern Japan, including the return of power to the Emperor, the establishment of a constitutional monarchy, the convening of a parliament, the drafting of a constitution, the formation of a navy, and even monetary reform, all of which were covered in the 'Eight Policies of the Ship'.

During the constitutional process after the Meiji Restoration, the 'Eight Policies of the Ship' were almost directly copied, highlighting the importance of these eight policies. If Sakamoto Ryoma had not been assassinated in that mysterious incident and had lived longer, he would undoubtedly have become one of the strongest politicians in the Meiji government.

Figures like Ito Hirobumi and Yamagata Aritomo, who were major figures in the Meiji government, would have been mere subordinates compared to Sakamoto Ryoma.

Sakamoto Ryoma was currently following the familiar historical path. He had come to Kagoshima on an important mission, leading the alliance between the Satsuma and