Dragon Sea Empire

After returning from Ryukyu, the canonized envoy of the Ming Dynasty left a record, saying that in Ryukyu, "men and women in the country work at leisure, go to the market to weave sewing, collect salary and transport water, all are dominated by women." That is to say, women are social productive labor. They "have no hairpins and rings, and have no jewels and emeralds", but they can work hard.

Chen Zhongji saw that the construction period of the commercial hall project was delayed again and again, so he had no choice but to send the infantry brothers of the fourth regiment, all the personnel of the commercial hall, and merchant sailors to the construction site to participate in the construction together. The construction outline of the museum is that the entire business hall is made of stones collected from Nanshan Mountain in Ryukyu, and the walls are built with glutinous rice mixed with egg syrup. The walls are three feet high and one foot thick, and a wooden corridor about two feet high is built inside. There are gunholes and muzzles on the wall, and several gunholes and gunholes are also pre-drilled at the height of one person on the inner wall of the wall. Watchtowers are set up in the middle of the four sides and four corners of the high wall, which are actually used as forts.

In fact, there are many various castles on the Ryukyu Islands. The Ryukyu Island is the center of the kingdom. Since the Sanshan separatist regime, successive dynasties have built strong fortresses on the island. Therefore, the Ryukyu Island has become the focus of the Ryukyu Army’s defense. The Japanese invaded Ryukyu. If Advancing from north to south, it will land on the main island at that time. Nakijin Castle in the north of the mountain will bear the brunt of the enemy's attack. In addition, if the Japanese army divides its troops, it will most likely land in the Naha area south of Zhongshan. The friendly army attacked from the north to the south and encircled Shuri King City. Due to the geographical constraints of Ryukyu, the foreign enemy's attack route was destined not to be too different from what was expected. Fortified fortresses have been built along the main roads, including Yaraza Mori Castle and Mie Castle in Naha Harbor, and Nakijin Castle in the north of the mountain.

Yaliangza Mori Castle and Mie Castle were built in the 28th year of King Shangqing (AD 1554). Yaliangza Mori Castle is located on the south bank of Naha Port and is equipped with forts. Mie Castle is built on the north shore of Naha Port and is also equipped with cannons. Together with Yaraza Mori Castle, it is called the North-South Fort, forming a crossfire, facing the sea of ​​Naha, and jointly guarding Naha Port. At that time, most of the Ryukyu guards were deployed here, and fortifications were also built on this front. They are known as elite soldiers. 3000 people were stationed, and Zheng Jiong, the head of the three division officials, personally set up the town.

The Chinese Commercial House in the western part of Naha Port has actually become another fortress guarding the main traffic route from Naha to Shuri. Of course, in order not to irritate the Ryukyu king, the gun holes and muzzles on the high wall were not opened, leaving the last inch to wait. It will be opened again at the time of crisis. Although the Chinese company has shipped 10 cannons one after another, they can only be stored in the most hidden place of the warehouse after they are quietly transported into the store.

Chen Zhongji once again recruited some Chinese to work in the business hall through Zheng Jiong's relationship, and finally completed the construction of the new Chinese business hall in just four months.

This commercial fortress is basically nondescript. The uneven walls make the local Ryukyu people very curious. However, this multi-faceted prismatic fortress was invented to adapt to the arrival of the age of firearms. Satsuma has powerful iron cannons In the future war, the Chinese company will rely on this foot-thick stone wall to deal with firearms. Fortunately, the Japanese's cannon technology is very poor, so such a thin wall is enough.

During this period, Chen Zhongji dealt with the ruling class of the Ryukyu Kingdom up and down, traveled to and from the north and south of the main island of Ryukyu, and made friends with princes, officials and other aristocratic classes.

Now, Chen Zhongji has gained a reputation among the upper class of the Ryukyu Kingdom for being decent, warm and courteous, and generous and hospitable.

He traveled around Ryukyu, and he never forgot Yin Feng's reminder, always paying attention to the geographical situation of each place. He had attended fortification lessons taught by old mercenaries from Portugal and the Netherlands. Nakijin Castle can be said to be the leading fortress in Ryukyu. Nakijin Castle is the garrison of Kitayama Sensei. Kitayama Sensei was established in the era of the first Shang Dynasty. By the time of the Second Shang Dynasty, it was once the center of Shanbeiwang. It was built on a 100-meter limestone mountain, facing the sea in the north, and facing the ancient Uli Island in the distance. As the gate of the city (Zhiqing Zhenmen), the city's terrain is dangerous, easy to defend and difficult to attack. As early as the end of the era of King Sanboku, fierce battles took place here. It is said that Zhongshan's army besieged Nakijin City. Relying on the strong defense of the city, the Zhongshan army was unable to attack for a long time, and suffered heavy casualties. In the end, they had to buy off the defenders in the city, and cooperated with the inside and the outside, and barely took down Nakijin Castle. unexpected.

The castle is now guarded by Kitayama Warden Shang Kezhi with 500 troops to strictly prevent the Japanese army from landing here. Yaliangza Mori Castle, Mie Castle, and Nakijin Castle are defended by a total of 3000 to 4000 troops to defend the Shuri King City.

In contrast, the defense of Shuri Castle is very lacking. As the political center of the Ryukyu Kingdom and the seat of the royal family, the defense of Shuri Castle is very low. Shuri Castle is built on a narrow highland with an elevation of 130 meters. It is only 270 meters to 400 meters long, but there are only stone foundations and few high walls. It immediately exposes the tall main buildings in the city---the main hall, the south hall, and the north hall (the Satsuma army has iron cannons). Shuri Castle The two city gates (Zhongshan Gate and Shurei Gate) on the Ayamon Avenue of the gate passage are undefensible --- they are not so much city gates as they are archways. The cornerstone of the main hall in Shuri Castle was transported from China It is built of large bluestone, with gorgeous stone railings, and there are dragon pillars erected in front of the hall. It can be seen that the layout of Shuri Castle does not have the function of city defense at all. As the residence of the king of Zhongshan, the city, Shuri King City, is mainly used to hold canonization ceremonies, but little consideration is given to the defensive function, so the design is very unreasonable.

The entire Ryukyu Islands are divided into three island groups. The central part is the Okinawa Islands, including the main island of Okinawa, as well as Kume, Kerama, Iheya, and Isina Islands. The south is the Miyako Islands and Yaeyama Islands, and the north is the Amami Islands, including Oshima ( Amami Oshima, "Amami" is the transliteration of the god "Amo Meijiu" in Ryukyu mythology), the five main islands of Xijie, Yoron, Dezhi, and Chongyongliangbu, as well as several small islands. The residents of these islands belong to Ryukyu The race, language, religion, and living habits are exactly the same as those of the Ryukyu Kingdom, and it has also developed to a social stage where the local government is governed by the press. Chinese companies also have some trade with the managers of these islands, but they cannot gain bases on these islands. In fact, From a geographical point of view, these islands have no decisive strategic significance, and the main island of Ryukyu is the most fundamental.

During the season when the southeast wind blows, the Japanese returned to the Satsuma domain, and three more merchant ships from the Chinese Merchant Hall came, and two merchant ships from Guangdong and Zhejiang coasts also came. After arriving in Ryukyu, they also lived there. Now, the Chinese businessmen have another place to live: the new Chinese business house. Although it has not yet been built, a large residential area can already provide services for the Chinese businessmen.

The Ryukyu Zhongshan Kingdom once took advantage of the maritime ban of the Ming Empire, and Chinese merchants could only go to sea by smuggling, and became the largest international entrepot trade center between East Asia and Southeast Asia. For hundreds of years, the Ryukyu merchant fleet brought tribute The Chinese goods brought in by trade are distributed to Luzon, Siam, Malacca, Sumatra, Cambodia, and Java in the south, and to North Korea and Japan's near-river areas, and the bulk of its overseas trade is actually tribute trade to China.

After the Portuguese occupied Macau, they became the largest middleman of Chinese goods; with the addition of "moon port opening the sea", after the Ming Dynasty's sea ban was partially lifted, Chinese businessmen could also participate in overseas trade competition; thus, Ryukyu's overseas trade The volume has plummeted, and today's Ryukyu Kingdom relies entirely on the merchant ships of the Chinese company to bring trade. Therefore, Chen Zhongji has thus become the most popular guest of the Ryukyu royal family. He brought strange western gifts and Chinese treasures, and also gave the king a self-sounding clock made in Taiwan. This self-sounding clock is engraved with the three stars of fortune, wealth and longevity, and can also jump out of a Guanyin statue at regular intervals. Although it is a bit nondescript, King Shangning likes it very much. .

In November of the 36th year of Wanli, the north wind had brought a slight chill, the leaves on the Ryukyu Island were withered, and everything was bleak. The Zhonghua Merchant House received a large number of Chinese merchant ships returning from Japan, most of which were merchant ships of the Zhonghua Company. Or it is also a merchant ship flying the flag of Zhonghua Company. Many ship owners, cargo owners, and businessmen are acquainted. For several days in a row, these people gathered and drank at the banquet in the Yuanlai Building.

Chen Zhongji did not participate in it. He, Luo Aquan and another mysterious figure were talking on the east watchtower.

This person is dressed in Chinese-style Confucian clothing, but his face is a typical Westerner with a high nose and deep eyes.

This person is Andre Pessoia, the commander of the Sino-Japanese trade fleet in Portugal. He just came to Ryukyu Island on a merchant ship of the Chinese Company. Those who escaped from Japan, originally the Sino-Japanese trade fleet in Macau has become a fleet jointly owned by the Portuguese of Macau and the Chinese company. Most of the Chinese goods shipped to Japan are provided by the Chinese company. The commander of the Sino-Japanese trade fleet this year is Andrei. Pessoia, he fell into a murderous disaster in Japan for no reason, and was ordered to be hunted down by Ieyasu Tokugawa. As a result, other members of the Portuguese fleet abandoned Andre Pessoia mercilessly in order to leave Japan.

This matter has something to do with Hizen Hinoe daimyo Arima Harunobu, a merchant ship dispatched by the daimyo and great merchant in early 1608 to spend the winter in Macao port. Walking around the streets of Macau, the Chinese living in Macau at that time had always regarded the Japanese as mortal enemies because of the various deeds of the Japanese pirates. Proposed: Don't take such ostentatious behavior, but the Japanese crew and soldiers who have always been uneducated, arrogant and rude simply ignored them. On January 40, some trivial incidents caused riots again, and then riots broke out. Andre Pessoia In order to maintain normal order in Macau, the garrison stationed in Macau was mobilized, a barricade was built outside a building, and more than 1 Japanese who wantedonly caused trouble and did not listen to advice were suppressed on the spot. After hearing about this, the Jesuits in Macau They rushed to the scene immediately, and after mediation, Pessoa agreed to release the 30 Japanese who surrendered, but more than 40 Japanese died in the riot. Afterwards, the Japanese side signed the relevant documents, declaring that the Japanese were responsible for the incident. The whole responsibility of the Portuguese, and none of the Portuguese, things finally calmed down,