Back to Ming Dynasty with Industrial Revolution System

Chapter 1113 Undefended Japan

Hokkaido, the four islands of Japan, was still called Ezo at this time. Even in the eyes of the daimyo of Honshu Island, Hokkaido was still a desolate and cold barren land, once inhabited by the Ainu people.It was not until the last century that the Matsumae clan crossed the sea and built Fukuyama Castle that they gradually controlled this big island.

In fact, the Kyushu Army sent a small team to occupy Sakhalin Island when Jinhe explored Siberia after driving northward.Sakhalin Island is also in the north of Hokkaido. The Kyushu Army established a lighthouse there, and a team of dozens of people stationed there is responsible for purchasing fur from local residents as a tax.In addition, the Kyushu Army did not send more manpower to develop Sakhalin Island.

In this era, let alone Sakhalin Island, Hokkaido in the south of Sakhalin Island, Heilongjiang at the same latitude and the wilderness areas to the north are rarely inhabited.

Masaoyuki Hoshina, Akihiro Kato and others led the rebellious samurai group to defeat one after another, and had to flee Honshu Island.About a thousand samurai who were unwilling to put down their samurai swords and surrendered went north across the strait and set foot on the barren Hokkaido.

However, the narrow strait could not stop the new government army led by Zhang Yuan. They were in hot pursuit under the leadership of the Zhili fleet. Several small-scale battles broke out between the two sides in Hokkaido, and even the local Ainu people were attacked. spread.

Hoshina Masaoyuki was captured by the new government army in a battle, while Kato Akishiro fled all the way to the northernmost part of Hokkaido, where he accidentally fell off a cliff and died.Under the pursuit of the new government army, thousands of the most stubborn warriors escaped death, and the survivors also became prisoners.

The Ainu people living in Hokkaido witnessed this crusade. The use of large-scale muskets made them terrified, and they regarded outsiders as gods.The new government took over Fukuyama Castle after the war and made it the seat of Hokkaido.

"There are as many as a thousand samurai who fled to Hokkaido, and only more than 200 became captives. The others either died in battle or committed suicide. They are almost a group of hard bones. There should be a small number of samurai fleeing on the island. Ezo Island too It’s getting bigger, and many places are still barren mountainous areas, and the troops we brought are not enough to search all places on Ezo Island.” Mitsuhisa Shimadzu set foot on the land of Hokkaido for the first time, and was in charge of the post-war inventory work.

"In this way, it is correct to launch this crusade. The most stubborn resistance elements jumped out during this crusade, and almost died. As for the resistance warriors who are still fleeing, let them be in the mountains and forests of Hokkaido , It is their own business that they freeze to death in winter." Zhang Yuan was quite satisfied with the results of the war launched against the warrior group.

Tens of thousands of samurai gathered in the northeast region. After the heavy artillery battalion came to Japan, the so-called strong city became extremely vulnerable to heavy artillery.

The tactics of the new government army were very simple. First, the city wall was smashed down with heavy artillery, and then the infantry broke into the city under the cover of superior firepower.

Although the tactics were extremely simple, Kurokawa Castle and Yamagata Castle fell one after another under the continuous blows of heavy artillery. At the end of the war, most of the samurai groups lost the courage to continue fighting and could not prevent effective resistance.

"Leave a small team to control Fukuyama Castle, and the others will follow me to escort the prisoners back to Edo Castle." After Zhang Yuan chased and wiped out the most stubborn remnants of the rebel samurai group in Hokkaido, he ordered everyone to board a boat and return to Honshu Island.

The desolation of Hokkaido is destined to be far from becoming a place of commercial prosperity in the future, and perhaps it will become a relatively primitive tourist destination in the future.Nearby is the Hokkaido fishing ground, one of the world's four largest fishing grounds.

The triumphantly returning crusade army returned to Edo City on the ships of the Zhili Fleet. The new government army that had experienced the Northeast War shocked Honshu Island, especially the new government army. The warriors were afraid.The daimyo and prudent samurai, who were still on the sidelines, saw that the rebels failed and were killed. They had no choice but to obey the order of the new government and hand over the katana, arquebus, and imitation guns to the government.

Anyone who violates the "Discarded Knife Order" will be regarded as breaking the law and need to be sentenced.The new government also organized inspection teams to go door-to-door to search for weapons that could resist. Samurai swords, spears, matchlock guns, and military bows and arrows were all considered weapons.Those who resist fiercely can even be sentenced to death.

The "Abolition of Swords Order" not only affected the warrior class, but also affected civilians with cold weapons.Some civilians who had participated in the war had spears, longbows and other weapons, all of which were confiscated by the government.

The process of confiscating samurai swords and matchlock guns still triggered resistance from many samurai and caused bloodshed.

"How to deal with these defeated prisoners?" Zhang Yuan went to the provincial yamen to meet Shen Youlong, the first Dongying Civil Affairs Officer, and asked him about the disposal of the prisoners.

Because they defeated the samurai group in the northeast, they captured a lot of samurai prisoners, with more than [-] people.

"All the captives are used for post-war reconstruction, as well as reclaiming farmland and building water conservancy, temporarily alleviating our manpower shortage. After they serve their sentences, they will be sent back to their original places." Shen Youlong had already thought about the captives' fate. To deal with the problem, the samurai captives who used to serve as soldiers were regarded as free labor.

"Come over and take a look at the new Edo City plan, wondering if it's okay?"

Shen Youlong unfolded the new Edo City planning map produced by the urban planner, and asked Zhang Yuan to come over for details.

The new Edo Castle was designed according to the boxy pattern of the Central Plains, and almost all the walls, forts, and forts were demolished, and replaced by spacious main streets and neatly planned partitions.

"Is Edo Castle planning to completely abandon the fortifications?" Zhang Yuan saw the undefended Edo Castle and confirmed his intention to Zhang Yuan.

"Yes, this city will be positioned as a commercial city in the future, not a military city. We can only attack, not defend. If our national strength is weak enough to defend, turning this city into a military city is just a cloak for others. .” Shen Youlong said.

"Just as the existence of the army is to actively attack, the defensive side is always passive." The officers of the Ministry of Army and Navy represented by Zhang Yuan also flattered the concept of active offense, and they were not concerned about dismantling all the defensive facilities of Edo Castle. be opposed to.

If Edo Castle is in danger of being surrounded by that time, it means that the mainland is also in jeopardy, and there is no benefit in defending Edo Castle. At that time, we must shrink our troops to defend the mainland.

"It's not just Edo Castle, we also need to gradually dismantle the mountain cities and forts in the Eastern Province to turn this area into an undefended place, and the safety will be handed over to the Beiyang Fleet for protection." Zhang Yuan said.

(End of this chapter)