I started with the Shinsengumi in Bakumatsu

Chapter 85: Opening the port, building roads, new army

With the support of the emperor, Yagyu opened the port and signed treaties with various countries, which did not arouse much response from the people. The only ones who were really affected were the major feudal lords and the shogunate.

As a founder of the shogunate, Sakuma Shoyama heard that the imperial court was negotiating with Shikoku on the issue of opening a port, and he immediately persuaded the shogunate's veteran Ogasawara Nagato to go to Luo.

However, due to political factors, he was unable to participate in the founding of the country.

"I never expected that it was Yagyu Battosai who founded Japan."

Sakuma Shoyama looked at the scenery outside with some melancholy.

Yamamoto Kakuma said worriedly: "Can Mr. Yagyu really save Japan by opening the port?"

Sakuma Shoyama shook his head and said: "It's hard to say. In order to found the country, I ran around Edo, and this time I came to Kyoto. I hope the imperial court can support me.

There are still concerns within the shogunate about comprehensive Westernization, and some even think that it only needs to learn Western military technology.

But I think that we should not only learn about Western military affairs, but also learn about their scientific and technological ideas. This has no conflict with the Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism we have learned.

I have already heard that Yagyu Battousai will establish a factory in Japan, and will later introduce Western science and technology and establish a school.

Although the shogunate is not in charge of these matters, I think it is okay to do so. "

Yamamoto Kakuma nodded and said: "It seems that Mr. Sakuma approves of Yagyu Battousai?"

"From the bottom of my heart, I think what he did was right."

Sakuma Shoyama raised his glass and said, "Maybe we can see a new Japan soon."

"It should be our Satsuma clan who forges a new Japan!" Okubo Toshimichi was very dissatisfied with Yagyu's opening of the port, especially Emperor Komei's strong support for Yagyu Higen.

The Satsuma Domain now has in-depth cooperation with the United Kingdom and has opened its own ports to trade with the United Kingdom.

But the person who led the court in establishing diplomatic relations with foreign countries was Yagyu, and both the Satsuma clan and the shogunate were the backdrop.

Komatsu sighed with his sword and said: "Now the imperial court is completely controlled by Yagyu Sheeyan. If we want to take the lead, we must drive away Yagyu."

Saigo Takamori suggested: "Now that even the shogunate is being suppressed by Yagyu Hee, it is better to cooperate with the shogunate for the time being. Moreover, I feel that the Choshu clan has suffered a heavy blow and needs someone to help. I think we need a middleman to persuade Choshu.

If Choshu joins forces with us, plus the shogunate, and all the vassals in the world join forces, the emperor and the court will have to consider our feelings. "

Okubo Toshimichi immediately said: "Right now Yagyu Hien is busy with reform matters, this is our opportunity!"

Komatsu asked with a knife: "Who can be the middleman between us Satsuma and Choshu?"

Saigo Takamori smiled and said: "There is one person who can do it. He is a robber from Tosa named Sakamoto Ryoma. He used to learn naval technology from Mr. Katsu. This person does not like fighting and has been looking for a peaceful path. I think he can definitely become The middleman between us and Choshu.”

Xiaosong nodded slightly and said, "Then help him secretly."

……

In Nijo Castle, Ichihashi Keiki paid homage to Matsudaira with a solemn expression. Matsudaira Yongho said: "Now Satsuma's strength in Kyoto is only inferior to our shogunate, and those foreigners and even the court think that Yagyu is more powerful than the shogunate! Again! If this continues, the shogunate will really be replaced."

Matsudaira Yongho asked: "What does Mr. Hitotsubashi plan to do?"

Hitotsubashi said immediately: "In order to succeed in the reform, Yagyu Nozomi has no time to take care of the court. I plan to persuade the emperor to order a crusade against Choshu and let Satsuma also send troops to weaken Choshu and Satsuma first.

In addition, I have asked Lao and China to contact France, which has the best relationship with us, and ask for their help to establish the shogunate's army and navy. "

Matsudaira Sadaki immediately asked: "Will France agree?"

Hitotsubashi smiled happily and said: "French Minister Baileycourt met with me before leaving. France still hopes to cooperate with our shogunate."

"As long as France's assistance arrives, the world will still belong to the Tokugawa family."

……

All forces in Kyoto are secretly watching Yagyu, but Yagyu has no time to care about it because he is busy enough with the opening of the port.

The first is the issue of ports. Three ports need to be built before they can become treaty ports. Therefore, Yagyu needs to recruit craftsmen and also needs support from Western countries for port designers to help design port buildings.Western countries are more concerned about port design than Yagyu. After all, these ports are for Western countries, so there can be no ambiguity.

Yagyu immediately arranged to take these engineers to Osaka Port, Kobe Village and Hyogotsu for field inspections.

The port in Sakaicho, Osaka, has the smallest amount of construction work. It can be built into a large port in one month at most, while it takes three months for Kobe Village and Hyogotsu.

However, engineers proposed that Hyogotsu and Kobe be merged into one port.

The reason why the engineer proposed this is because the Minato River is the dividing line between Hyogotsu and Kobe. The port area to the west of the Minato River is mainly used by Japanese ships and is called Hyogo Port; the port area to the east is mainly used by foreign ships and is called Hyogo Port. It is called the Port of Kobe.

Kobe Harbor is deep and suitable for berthing of large ships.

Yagyu accepted the engineer's suggestion and combined the projects of Hyogotsu and Kobe Ports, but still named the two ports out of political considerations.

The building materials needed to build the port are all purchased from Western countries, and the prices are only sold at the original price of the country. This is equivalent to Western countries supporting Japan by selling half and giving half.

Yagyu not only had to build a port, but also built supporting roads, railways, etc. This was all done in the name of the imperial court, recruiting nearby people to work as workers.

After dealing with the port affairs, he still had to choose the location of the factory. For example, the shipyard was located near the Port of Kobe, and a steel plant was built, and an arsenal was built outside Kyoto.

In addition, Yagyu also had to recruit new soldiers and establish a new government army.

The arms supported by Western countries were enough for Yagyu to form an army of 5000 to [-] men.

Yagyu established two infantry regiments, one cavalry battalion and two artillery battalions in accordance with the organization of Western armies.

The infantry regiment has three infantry battalions. Each infantry battalion has four infantry companies, and each company has 120 five people.

Each infantry battalion has an infantry company called the Chasseur Company. The weapons they use are Henry 1860 lever rifles purchased from the United States.

This is a rifle that can fire continuously, with an effective range of about 300 meters and a maximum range of 800 meters.

Because Japan was unable to make bullets, Yagyu only purchased less than [-] bullets to equip hunters and cavalry.

In addition, Yagyu also bought two hand-operated Gatling machine guns from the United States.

In addition, the main equipment of the infantry regiment is Enfield's front-loading rifle.

Yagyu's cavalry battalion is divided into three cavalry companies. A cavalry battalion is divided into three companies, each company has three rows, each row has 60 people, a total of 540 people, and corresponding war horses.

The cavalry battalion is equipped with corresponding sabers and Henry 1860 lever rifles.

The artillery battalion is divided into three artillery companies. Each artillery company has 150 two gunners, six artillery pieces, 150 four horses, [-] ammunition trucks, [-] two-wheel trailers, a transport vehicle and a blacksmith's vehicle. , and sometimes some auxiliary personnel are added.

Six of the guns were divided into four Napoleon six-pounder field guns and two Napoleon [-]-pounder field guns.

These two artillery battalions have a total of more than 900 artillerymen and 36 artillery pieces. All of these artillery pieces were sent by the United States.

The number of this new government army reached more than 4000.This is a powerful force throughout Gyeonggi.

Yagyu arranged for Shannan Keisuke and Takeda Kanryusai to be responsible for the port affairs, and he personally watched the military construction.

The first is to recruit soldiers. Yagyu mainly recruits tenant farmers who can endure hardships and stand hard work. Of course, rogues also join.

After recruiting enough people, a military camp was built outside Kyoto and training began.

Some of the instructors responsible for training the new army are former officers of the infantry team, and there are also instructors sent from the West to teach the training of the new army.

Standing on the high platform of the training ground, Yagyu watched the new army marching in formation, and said with a hint of pride: "When this new army is trained, we will have the first advanced army in Asia.

Based on this army, we can train more soldiers, and then we can get rid of the fate of being squeezed by Western countries. "

Hijikata Toshizo asked: "Director, there are many people now dissatisfied with you for taking control of the court and taking all reform matters into your own hands."

Liu Sheng said indifferently: "Don't worry, we just need to do our own thing well."

(End of this chapter)