The ronin's name is Ohara Sawataro, and he is the owner of a bankrupt handicraft workshop in the Matsuma Domain of Wakoku.
Six years ago, Ohara was recruited by Zheng Zhilong's second son, Tagawa Shichizaemon, along with the ronins in his hometown, but because his skills were not high, and he was also a little afraid of death, he failed to enter Tagawa's guard for several years to become a Zheng family samurai, or was selected as a guard by a certain big man of the Zheng family, but has been working as a sailor in the Zheng family fleet.
The sailors and ship's handymen were the lowest and hardest members of the Zheng army, and the composition of these people was very complex, ranging from fishermen and farmers recruited by the Zheng family from the coast, pirates and merchant marines captured by them, and some Japanese people like Xiao Yuan who were taken in by the Zheng family because of bankruptcy or crime.
Just as the Ming Dynasty army valued the family and regarded other soldiers as "cannon fodder", the Zheng family also regarded those low-level sailors and miscellaneous personnel as "cannon fodder", and if they wanted to get rid of the fate of cannon fodder, they had to fight for themselves.
If they refuse to give their lives, then they can only live a dark life on the ship, with no future and no hope.
After the Zheng navy defected to the Taiping Army under the leadership of Zheng Mingjun and Zheng Zhangxu's uncle and nephew, it was reorganized into the East China Sea Division.
The Japanese and red-haired ghosts in the army were in danger of being dismissed, but then the Taiping army recruited them and offered attractive rewards, and most of them chose to stay in the navy to serve with nowhere to go.
Although they are not regarded as regular troops, at least they can't starve, and more importantly, this time the Taiping Army gives them hope, provided that they are willing to fight for their lives.
The young man called "Zheng Jun" by Xiao Yuan is called Zheng Qi, and in terms of blood, he can be regarded as a member of the Zheng family, but he is far away.
The Zheng family has thousands of people, and it is impossible to take care of everyone surnamed Zheng, so Zheng Qi has been mixing in the class of sailors and ronins.
Because of his surname Zheng, he was appointed as the squad leader and had 13 subordinates, of which 2 were Japanese and 1 was a red-haired ghost.
The headhunting order that Ohara said was another military merit reward order specially issued two days ago following the land sealing order.
In addition to supplementing the land sealing order, the headhunting order clarified the level of military merit rewards, and it also said that if the Japanese and red-haired ghosts can obtain the head of the Hu people in the north, then they can not only exchange the head for the high reward given by the Taiping Army, but also apply to the Taiping Army to become a citizen of the Ming Dynasty with the first rank.
Once they were allowed to become the Ming people, then Xiao Yuan and they could have all the rights of the Ming people, including allocating land, participating in the imperial examinations, becoming official officers and soldiers of the Ming Dynasty, and the right to do business and trade within the territory of the Ming Dynasty.
The specific rights are determined according to the number of heads, that is, the more Hu people are killed, then non-Chinese people such as Xiao Yuan can enjoy more treatment as Ming people, even if they are not willing to become Ming people, they can also engage in trade activities that were unimaginable before the Ming Dynasty according to their military exploits.
This, in the past, was strictly forbidden.
Of Zheng Qi's team, only three are from overseas, and the rest are from the Ming Dynasty.
Although before that, most of them were reluctant to admit their identity as Ming people, and even fabricated their names and places of origin in order to prevent the government from knowing what they committed outside and thus implicating their families.
After all, the predecessor of the Zheng Navy's navy was pirates, and if Zheng Zhilong had not been recruited back then, the Zheng family would have been the largest pirate organization in the Ming Dynasty.
Its influence is not even worse than that of the year.
You must know that it was the plague of the year, and its main personnel were all Ming Dynasty people, and those so-called real Japanese were just thugs hired by Ming Dynasty pirates.
Therefore, a small number of Han people begging for food at sea are forced by their livelihoods, but the vast majority are outlaws, and there are murder cases in their hometowns.
The promulgation of the land sealing order and the headhunting order made these Han people who had scruples in the past no longer have any worries, and also gave those widows and red-haired ghosts the opportunity to change their fate, which naturally won their sincere support.
Zheng Qi told Xiao Yuan and another widow with certainty, as well as the red-haired ghost named Billy, that the military order must be true, no need to doubt it, but whether they can get what they want from it depends on themselves.
If it is the same as before, then no matter how good the reward is, it will not be with them.
"Zheng Jun, please rest assured, we will definitely go to the soup for the Ming Dynasty" Ohara is also trying to reconfirm the authenticity of the headhunting order, and he is actually convinced in his heart.
He spoke Chinese well, and was more fluent than his other companion, Kuki.
The red-haired ghost Billy put down the rice bowl that he had licked cleanly, and said with a full hiccup: "The commander of the Taiping Army is the new conqueror of the East."
I have always believed in the words of the strong. ” God knows how this red-haired ghost Billy learned a Hokkien accent, if it weren't for Zheng Qi or Hokkien, I'm afraid I wouldn't understand what this red-haired ghost said.
"Zheng Jun, I can't wait for when we'll be on the boat, Sodisnai."
Ohara asked with concern, the conquest of the Manchurian Hu people was the unanimous voice of all the Japanese people, including the shogun, even if he, the low-level person among the ronins, was also hateful to the Manchurians.
This time, he had already made up his mind that he must show himself in the battle of attacking the Hu people in Manchuria in the north, and defend China with his life.
"Ohara-kun is in a hurry, and I'm in a hurry, but we have to wait for the order.
This, hard work Ohara-kun.
Zheng Qi laughed and handed the bowl in his hand to Xiao Yuan.
"Hayi, it's an honor to serve Zheng Jun."
Xiao Yuan lowered his waist a little and happily took it to wash.
Looking at the back of Xiao Yuan's departure, Zheng Qi nodded with satisfaction, it is not good to be a Japanese person, but in terms of obedience, it is something that people have to praise.
While Zheng Qi praised Xiao Yuan, a boat sailed to Baimao Town on the south bank, and then a group of people dressed in Japanese costumes came ashore from the boat, and under the leadership of the Taiping Army personnel who had been waiting for a long time, they went very respectfully to meet His Royal Highness the King of Qi of the Ming Dynasty.
Walking at the front of the team was Tagawa Shichizaemon, the second son of Zheng Zhilong, who had just returned from the Wa Kingdom, and next to him was an old man with white hair, and the only person in the whole team wearing Ming Dynasty costumes, this person was named Zhu Zhiyu, called "Shunshui".
"Second son, Mr.
Shunshui, please come with me, King Qi has been waiting for you for a long time."
The one who came out to greet Tian Chuan was Zheng Quan, a representative sent by Zheng Xi, the Prince of Min, who was also Zheng Zhilong's cousin.
"Uncle Thirteen" This is the second time that Tagawa has seen Zheng Quan again, and the last time was twelve years ago.
Zhu Zhiyu and Zheng Quan nodded as a sign of politeness, and then the two of them and their entourage were taken by Zheng Quan to the big tent of King Qi. oshow7 t1706231537: