vrcanaries Chapter 1266 Onishimazu
Chapter 1266 Onishimazu
These words, sharp as needles, pierced into the very marrow of Yoshihiro Shimazu.
He drank countless blood throughout his life and was known as "Oni Shimazu".
But no one ever dared to call him a dog to his face.
Draw the knife!
The thought exploded in his mind.
The "Muramasa" at his waist hummed wildly, yearning to wash away the humiliation suffered by its master with this woman's blood.
但他不敢动.
Not even a little bit.
In his single eye, all that remained was a reflection of despair—those pitch-black cannons, thicker than the city gates, were like the fangs of a hellish beast, silently aimed at his country.
He had no doubt that the moment the sword was drawn, he and the entire port of Satsuma would be completely wiped from the world, leaving not a speck of dust behind.
This feeling of powerlessness—having one's fate choked by others, and having no control over one's own life or death—was more agonizing than being slowly sliced to death!
Elizabeth admired his face, contorted with extreme anger and humiliation, and her smile grew increasingly seductive.
What she enjoyed most was peeling away the layers of pretense that these so-called warlords of troubled times were proud of, and watching them reveal their most primal and pathetic fears in front of her.
This kind of pleasure far surpasses the thrill of conquering ten cities.
"Not convinced?"
She released her fingers and instead used her fingertips, painted with scarlet nail polish, to slowly trace across his rough cheek.
Her movements were extremely provocative, but her eyes were as cold as an icy sea.
"Are all Japanese men this ridiculous?"
"Even when death is imminent, they still cling to that worthless dignity."
She turned and stepped barefoot onto the cold deck, walking step by step back to the throne carved from whalebone, where she lazily sat down once more, becoming the center of the storm again.
"Shimazu Yoshihiro, I didn't come here to listen to your nonsense."
Her voice regained the queen's coldness and majesty.
"Give you two choices."
"First, lead your Satsuma warriors and fight to the death against my lord's vassal army for your ridiculous Bushido. Then, along with your castle, your people, and everything else, wipe them clean and utterly from this land."
"Second," she said, a devilish smile curving her lips, her azure eyes brimming with soul-devouring allure, "offer your loyalty to the great Eastern monarch behind me."
"To become another, fiercer, more ruthless, and more obedient mad dog under his command."
"Go and replace that useless monkey, and crush all the idiots who still dare to stand."
"At that time, the entire Kyushu will be your doghouse."
"select."
A single word, like the final judgment of a god.
After Elizabeth finished speaking, she stopped looking at him and picked up her rum to take a sip.
It was as if the life-or-death decision of the man at their feet was nothing more than a boring pre-dinner show.
The captain's cabin was deathly silent.
Yoshihiro Shimazu stood frozen in place.
Two voices were tearing at his mind.
A voice roared: Draw your sword! For the honor of the samurai, fight to the last drop of blood!
Another voice whispered: What is glory? What is dignity worth? While alive, you have everything! In death, you turn to dust!
He thought of his infant son, the Shimazu family's centuries-old legacy, and the loyal samurai who were willing to give their lives for him...
Must we really let all of this turn to ashes just for the sake of his personal dignity?
Do not!
No!
"Pfft!"
A dull thud sounded as the ground was struck.
This "Oni Shimazu," who struck fear into the hearts of all of Kyushu, finally bowed his knees, a knee he had never yielded to before.
His proud head slammed heavily into the deck that reeked of tar and blood.
“I… Yoshihiro Shimazu…”
His voice was hoarse and strained, each word sounding as if his dignity had been crushed and squeezed out from the depths of his throat.
"I wish to be...that great Eastern monarch..."
"I will do my best to serve you!"
Elizabeth looked down at the head that had finally bowed at her feet, a smile on her face that only a victor deserved.
She knew that the task Lin Zhen had given her was complete.
From this moment on, the toughest bone in Kyushu belongs to the "Qian" family.
……
The carrier pigeon pierced the sky, and the message was relayed back to the flagship outside Azuchi Castle.
Inside the captain's cabin, Lin Zhen was holding a small pair of silver scissors, trimming a pot of orchids that had been transported from Jiangnan.
It was simply because Murong Yan liked this delicate fragrance.
Murong Yan leaned against the soft couch, wearing a dark black brocade dress embroidered with a giant phoenix, which shimmered in the sunlight, exuding a luxurious and languid elegance.
The five-zhang-long, dark gold trail resembled a sleeping river that covered the entire ground.
She gazed quietly at her husband's focused profile, feeling a sense of peace within her.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty."
The ghostly figure appeared silently at the doorway and knelt on one knee.
"Admiral Elizabeth has sent word that Yoshihiro Shimazu has surrendered."
"Ah."
Lin Zhen didn't even raise her head, trimming off the last excess leaf, as if all she heard was that the weather was fine and sunny today.
Murong Yan raised her beautiful eyes, a hint of a smile appearing in her phoenix eyes.
"Husband, are you really at ease? A pirate captain and a war maniac, aren't you afraid they'll team up and turn on you?"
"What are you afraid of?"
Lin Zhen put down the silver scissors, walked over to her, sat down, and pulled her into his arms with a smile.
“I never doubted their ambition and madness, but both of these things need something to support them.”
"strength."
His voice was soft, yet it carried an all-seeing confidence.
"Faced with the thirty-six devastating cannons of the 'Black Pearl,' and with absolute power capable of instantly pulverizing them, any ambition is a joke, and any madness is foolish. Elizabeth understands this now, and that devilish Shimazu should understand it too."
Murong Yan rested her head on his shoulder, inhaling his comforting scent, and softly hummed in agreement.
Yes, what can truly bring people to their senses is always strength.
"The situation in Japan is settled, shouldn't we go back? I miss the lively atmosphere of Chang'an."
"Go back?" Lin Zhen asked with a smile, "Why should we go back?"
Murong Yan was taken aback: "The matter with Japan is settled, the Iwami Silver Mine is already in our grasp, and the vassal army is also in place. What are we still doing here?"
"Silly girl," Lin Zhen gently flicked the tip of her nose, "Have you forgotten the real purpose of our trip?"
"The real purpose?"
"Japan has always been just an appetizer."
Lin Zhen's gaze fell on the huge world map on the wall, and a fierce, all-consuming flame ignited in his eyes.
His fingers traced the territory of the Great Qian Dynasty, crossed the East China Sea and swept across the South China Sea, finally landing heavily on that strategically important place that guards the throat between the East and the West.
"Our real enemies, those Western hyenas who built their so-called 'sun never sets' hegemony by selling war and plunder, are still alive and well."
His voice suddenly turned icy cold.
"Especially that East India Company, which has been trying to trip me up from behind, attempting to control the trade lifeline of the entire East."
"If this malignant tumor is not removed, our Great Qian will never have peace!"
Murong Yan followed his finger and saw that his beautiful phoenix eyes were also burning with overwhelming fighting spirit.
East India Company!
The blood feud of the Battle of Humen and the greed for the coastline of Daqian came flooding back to me.
"Does my husband mean... that our next step is to deal with them?"
"It's not about dealing with it."
Lin Zhen shook his head, a cold smile curving his lips.
"I'm going to...pay a visit."
"visit?"
“That’s right.” Lin Zhen’s eyes gleamed with a fox-like light. “I heard that their governor built the ‘First Fortress in the East’ in Southeast Asia, which is even more luxurious than Yan’er’s palace.”
"I just want to see it with my own eyes."
"Just how sturdy is that castle?"
"By the way, I'll discuss a business deal with that governor about what the future of this world should be."