Chinese martial arts! Grandmaster

East Asia, Kyoto.

"Your Majesty, you're awake!"

Emperor Meiji slowly opened his eyes and looked around.

at this time,

He had just woken up; his pupils were not yet focused, and he could only feel that he couldn't see very clearly, his vision was blurry.

call--!
He took a deep breath, then closed his eyes slightly before opening them again.

After regaining his sight, he could see clearly that the people standing in the main hall of his palace were Miyamoto Musashi, Araki Kazuo, Matsui Toshio, Hisahara Kage, and other close confidants.

Originally, Miyamoto Musashi led all the military commanders of the Eastern Empire to the northeast of the Daqian Dynasty to garrison and prepare for a general offensive.

but,

Miyamoto Musashi received a report from a guard that Emperor Meiji had suddenly fallen seriously ill and was vomiting blood.

Not knowing what had happened, he quickly led the elite military officers under the command of the Japanese Imperial Family back to Kyoto, Japan, and arrived at the main hall of Emperor Meiji's palace.

As the greatest swordsman in the Orient, Miyamoto Musashi had the right to carry his katana wherever he went.

Even when entering Emperor Meiji's bedroom, he never parted with his sword.

of course,

If he wanted to harm Emperor Meiji, then no one in the entire Eastern Empire could stop him.

Therefore, whether he carried a samurai sword or not was not a concern for others.

at this time,

Seeing Emperor Meiji awaken from his coma, Miyamoto Musashi stepped forward and asked:

"Your Majesty, what happened? Why did you suddenly vomit blood—?"

Before this, he had a doctor examine Emperor Meiji's injuries, and he also examined Emperor Meiji himself.

Apart from being slightly weak, no other symptoms were found.

Emperor Meiji shook his head, signaling Miyamoto Musashi to stop talking.

He pointed to a secret document on the table, and Miyamoto Musashi took it in his hand with a puzzled look.

"Your Majesty, what is this?"

Emperor Meiji exhaled and gestured to Miyamoto Musashi, saying, "Read it. My days are numbered. This is the arrangement for the future."

Upon hearing this, Miyamoto Musashi frowned slightly.

He opened the secret document and read it aloud to the surrounding military officers.

A moment later, the expressions of all the military officers around them changed completely.

Emperor Meiji glanced around and said to Miyamoto Musashi, "Now you understand my plan, don't you?"

Miyamoto Musashi nodded and said, "Your Majesty, I understand. You intend to—?"

Emperor Meiji sighed and said, "Keep it a secret for now. Summon all civil and military officials of the Eastern Empire and begin reading it tomorrow."

Miyamoto Musashi carefully put away the secret document.

Next,
He suddenly remembered something, took out a map from his body, unfolded it, and asked, "Your Majesty, what do you think of the current situation? How should we respond?"

The map clearly showed the territory of the Eastern Empire.

The Great Qian Dynasty had become part of the Eastern Empire's territory, and the entire East Asia and South Asia were also within the Eastern Empire's borders.

This map reveals that the Eastern Empire was ambitious and wanted to conquer all of Asia.

but,

Emperor Meiji glanced at the map, then sighed helplessly, his gaze dimming.

Then, he shook his head and said:

"Let's burn this map first. The dragon that is the Great Qian Dynasty has awakened, and we don't have much of a chance left!"

finished,

He closed his eyes slightly, his heart filled with regret.

He originally thought that the Eastern Empire would take the lead in carrying out the Meiji Restoration and industrial reform, so that the entire economy, military, commerce and so on of the East would be in line with the West.

Then the Eastern Empire built the most powerful army and swept across the entire Asia.

but,

The sudden appearance of Simondō disrupted the Japanese Empire's plan to dominate Asia.

Furthermore, the Eastern Empire suffered heavy losses in several consecutive major battles.

He knew very well that if he continued to implement the previous plan, the losses to the Eastern Empire would only increase.

but,

Miyamoto Musashi, however, had a different opinion.

He snorted coldly and said in a deep voice:
"Your Majesty, don't rush to burn the map!"

"The Great Qian Dynasty has not truly awakened. Their royal family and civil and military officials are still as ignorant as before. Internally, they are not united and are still fighting openly and covertly for power."

"The only truly terrifying one is Ximen Tang. Last time, I failed to kill Prince Qian, Chen Jie, with a single strike, which was a great pity."

"But this time, he won't be so lucky. I will kill him myself."

boom!
As soon as he finished speaking, a suffocating pressure emanated from Miyamoto Musashi.

The might of the Sword Saint!

Although he had already restrained his sword intent, the aura he unintentionally exuded gave people an endless sense of oppression.

Emperor Meiji nodded without saying anything more.

The general trend of the world is irreversible!
While individual power may be strong, it is not so easy to reverse the course of the world.
He knew very well that the Great Qian Dynasty had awakened and was on a path of rapid development in terms of economy, military and other aspects.

The chances of the Eastern Empire's plan to unify Asia being realized are extremely slim.

Although on the surface, he did not appear to have any illness.

but,

Emperor Meiji knew better than anyone that his time was drawing near.

After so many years of reforms, he was already exhausted.

After hearing the news of the loss of the Penghu Islands and the Ryukyu Islands, and at the same time hearing that the 300,000-strong army led by Oyama Iwao was completely annihilated in the Daqian Dynasty.

Emperor Meiji could no longer hold on!
-

Early the next morning.

Emperor Meiji lay in bed, his health deteriorating further.

Next,
News of the war in the northeast of the Daqian Dynasty reached Kyoto in the East.

Ximentang has landed on the Liaodong Peninsula and blockaded the Bohai and Yellow Seas.

For a while,
The entire Japanese court was shocked.

Although the news that Shenyang had been recaptured by Ximentang had not yet reached Kyoto in Japan.

but,

Everyone knew that it was only a matter of time before Ximen Tang launched a full-scale attack on the Northeast.

Next, the civil and military officials in the Japanese court began to discuss how to preserve the strength of the Kwantung Army and stabilize the situation in the northeast of the Great Qian Dynasty.

The Great Qian Dynasty, Jinling, the Qian Prince's Mansion.

"Excellent! As expected of the 'War Department,' you have not disappointed me!"

Chen Jie looked at the telegram and a smile appeared on his face.

Since having his daughter, he has stayed at the Qianwang Mansion every day except to practice martial arts.

but,

Battle reports from Liaodong were delivered to him every day.

Although he did not personally lead the troops to the Northeast, the entire war situation in the Northeast was under his control.

Three days later.

The Eastern Empire once again received news that Shenyang had been captured by Ximentang, and Takeuchi Hisakichi even fled Shenyang.

In an instant, the entire Eastern Empire, both the government and the public, were shocked.

After the fall of Shenyang, Takeuchi Hisakichi fled to Changchun.

Next,
Takeuchi Hisakichi began to gather his troops, preparing for a counterattack.

Upon hearing this news, many military officers of the Japanese army found it hard to believe. In particular, they were shocked to learn that Takeuchi Hisakichi's 500,000 troops, who had defended Shenyang to the death, had failed to hold out for even three days.

The civil and military officials of the Eastern Empire were still shocked, causing quite a stir.

Prior to this, Emperor Meiji had already received intelligence that Nishido had landed in Liaodong.

but,

Other unfavorable news has not yet reached Japan.

Emperor Meiji and other civil and military officials all harbored a sense of侥幸 (a sense of侥幸, a feeling of getting away with something).

According to intelligence, the number of troops that Ximentang landed in Liaodong was only over 200,000.

The Kwantung Army stationed in Northeast China numbered over a million, and the walls of Shenyang had been reinforced, making it difficult for artillery fire to breach them.

in addition,

Throughout the Liaodong region, the Kwantung Army built numerous bunkers and equipped them with the most advanced weapons in the East.

It won't be easy for Ximen Tang to defeat the Kwantung Army.

Moreover, immediately after receiving news of Ximen Tang's landing in Liaodong, Emperor Meiji dispatched the Eastern Fleet to rush to the Northeast to provide support.

in addition,

Elite troops of the Kwantung Army stationed in other parts of Northeast China began to gather in Shenyang to assist Takeuchi Hisakichi in the defense, hoping to hold back the main force of the Ximengtang in Shenyang.

but,

Unexpectedly, Shenyang Prefecture was lost in less than three days.

Emperor Meiji immediately ordered a meeting of key figures in the Eastern Empire, including Miyamoto Musashi, to discuss how to send troops to support Liaodong.

The fall of Shenyang in Northeast China had a profound impact on the overall war situation of the Eastern Empire.

Therefore,
All cabinet members of the Eastern Empire, including the heads of major martial arts families in the East, attended this meeting.

Shenyang was the first major city occupied by the Japanese Kwantung Army after they landed in the Daqian Dynasty.

and,

Many Japanese migrated to the city, and even built steel mills, textile factories, and so on.

According to the development plan of the Eastern Empire, occupying Northeast China was only the first step.

What they wanted was the entire Great Qian Dynasty. After several years, many military and civil officials of the Eastern Empire regarded the Northeast as the territory of the Eastern Empire.

therefore,

Upon hearing that Ximentang had landed in Liaodong and swept through Shenyang Prefecture.

Japanese officials and military officers began to suggest that a large number of troops be sent to Japan to support the northeast of the Daqian Dynasty.

Emperor Meiji was well aware that the Liaodong war of the Daqian Dynasty had to be resolved in the shortest possible time.

The longer the war dragged on, the more unfavorable it would be for the Kwantung Army's overall war situation.

but,

The problem lies here: the active-duty army of the Eastern Empire has difficulty mobilizing troops to provide support.

If reservists are recruited, the difference in combat effectiveness will be significant.

of course,

This does not mean that the Eastern Empire no longer has soldiers, but rather that it is necessary to protect the security of the Eastern mainland.

The hundreds of thousands of troops stationed on the mainland cannot be moved at present.

If the elite troops left behind to guard the homeland were to be lost in the northeast of the Daqian Dynasty, then the Eastern Empire would be finished.

therefore,

It is indeed very difficult to spare more troops to provide support.

What troubled Emperor Meiji the most was that Nishida's two fleets had blockaded the Yellow Sea and the Bohai Sea.

Even if the Eastern Fleet wanted to provide support, it would be impossible to break through the blockade.

The last time the Ximen-dō fleet annihilated the three major fleets of the East, Emperor Meiji realized the terrifying nature of the Ximen-dō fleet.

in addition,

Shenyang has already fallen, and even if we mobilize reserves for support, it will probably be of limited use.

If things go wrong, Ximentang might defeat them one by one, resulting in even greater losses.

Emperor Meiji, with his strategic vision, naturally understood that sending reinforcements would require an overwhelming advantage to have any chance of defeating the terrifying Daqian army led by Nishimondo.

In order to have a better plan for the upcoming battle.

He quickly convened a meeting with military officers and staff of all ranks in Japan to discuss the matter.

First, Miyamoto Musashi introduced the intelligence about Shenyang Prefecture sent by Takeuchi Hisakichi to everyone present.

After listening, everyone lowered their heads and remained silent, lost in their own thoughts.

After a while,
Araki Kazuo looked up and said, "Shenyang Prefecture is the most important town after our Eastern Empire occupied the Northeast of the Great Qian Dynasty. We built factories there, and we absolutely cannot let the Ximen Hall occupy it."

"Please, Your Majesty, allow me to lead an army to the Northeast, recapture Shenyang, and defeat Ximentang's army!"

Emperor Meiji shook his head and sighed:

"I would love to send troops to help, but our Eastern Empire has limited manpower, and the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea are blockaded by the Ximeng fleet. How can we provide support?"

in fact,

Even without Emperor Meiji explaining the situation, everyone present was well aware of the current predicament.

The surroundings quickly quieted down.

Matsui Toshio thought for a moment and asked, "Your Majesty, how many elite troops does our mainland Japan still have?"

Emperor Meiji remained silent, while Miyamoto Musashi, standing beside him, spoke in a deep voice:
"The Eastern Army has a total of 500,000 elite troops throughout the entire Eastern continent, including the troops stationed in Hokkaido, of which about 200,000 are from the five major fleets."

"Even if we draw on the local army for support, we can only deploy a maximum of 300,000 troops; the rest will have to be reserves."

"Given the fighting strength of the Ximentang army, even with the support of the local army, it would probably be of no use."

"I sent people to obtain a batch of weapons and equipment from the Ximen Tang army. After the technicians studied them, they found that their cannons, heavy machine guns, shells, etc., were much more powerful than the weapons of our Eastern Empire."

"Especially their heavy machine guns and field artillery, which can pose a threat to experts above the Blood Pill Realm."

"Once a dense barrage is formed, it can even trap martial artists at the Tongmai Gangjin realm."

After hearing Miyamoto Musashi's description, the atmosphere became very oppressive.

Upon hearing this, Toshio Matsui gave a helpless, bitter laugh.

If Japan can only muster 300,000 troops, and even if it recruits hundreds of thousands of reservists, it will be extremely difficult to retake Shenyang.
Ximentang's weapons were too powerful; the two sides were simply not on the same level.

Miyamoto Musashi continued:

"Your Majesty, after receiving the military report from Takeuchi Hisakichi, I have ordered the Kwantung Army in the entire Liaodong region to assemble in Changchun!"

"About ten days later, an army of 500,000 will be assembled in Changchun."

"Until we can crack Ximentang's cannons, we must avoid their sharp edge and retreat to the Korean Peninsula."

finished,

He sighed and said, "According to Takeuchi Hisakichi's secret report, the casualties of Ximentang in this battle to defend Shenyang Prefecture were very small!"

"Their artillery was too powerful, and they also had armored tanks, so even the Japanese field guns could not break through them."

"No matter how many troops you have, they are useless against these armored chariots."

"In addition, I plan to make a trip to the grasslands to discuss matters with Guan Qilin."

"My decisive battle with Chen Jie, the Prince of Qian of the Great Qian Dynasty, will last for another month!"

"Last time in Okinawa, we failed to kill him with one strike, which was a mistake! This time, he won't survive."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Meiji nodded slightly and said:

"If we can kill the Qian King, the situation will suddenly become much clearer!"

"The sudden rise of the Great Qian Dynasty is due to Ximen Hall. As long as we can kill the Qian King, the rest of Ximen Hall are not a threat."

finished,

Emperor Meiji bowed to Miyamoto Musashi and said:
"Miyamoto-kun, I'm begging you!"

"The safest course of action is for all the Kwantung Army troops stationed in the Northeast to retreat to the Korean Peninsula before King Qian is killed."

"In addition, in order to disrupt the internal situation of the Great Qian Dynasty, the Black Dragon Society will launch attacks in the major cities of the Great Qian Dynasty."

"What we need now is time; we must hold off the main force of the Ximen Hall." (End of Chapter)