GBP Chapter 327 Night Raid on the Tagawa Family
Chapter 327 Night Raid on the Tagawa Family
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After weighing the pros and cons, Amazaki Hyosuke nodded and bowed, saying, "General Liu, let's go to the magistrate's office. We will definitely cooperate with you in the best of our ability!"
“Very good. It’s getting late today. There probably aren’t many maritime merchants going to the magistrate’s office by now. I’ll take some people there tomorrow and save me a few seats.”
"sure."
After Amazaki Hyosuke bowed and took his leave, Liu Ye said to Qin Tian, "Go to Hirado tonight, find the Tagawa family's mansion... You know what to do. After you succeed, return to Nagasaki immediately."
Qin Tian rubbed his hands together, eager to try. "I know what to do, General."
Li Fu reminded him: "The Tagawa family is the family of Zheng Fusong's birth mother and maternal grandfather. They are a prominent family in the Hirado Domain. You can find out where their residence is with just a little inquiry."
Qin Tian nodded: "Thank you for the reminder, Steward Li."
Hirado and Nagasaki are separated by a narrow strait, a mere 30-mile waterway, easily traversable by boat. Qin Tian led his special forces team, employing a local Han Chinese as their guide. They set off at noon and arrived in Hirado by evening.
Zheng Zhilong's father-in-law, Tagawa Yukō, was an immigrant from the Ming Dynasty who settled in Japan. His original name was Weng Yukō. He was a blacksmith by trade and continued to work as a blacksmith after moving to Japan. He once forged swords for the lord of Hirado Domain and was treated as an honored guest by the lord, the Matsuura clan. After his adopted daughter, Tagawa Matsu, married Zheng Zhilong, his status rose even higher. The lord of the domain, the Matsuura clan, granted him land near Hirado, where he was granted a new residence and built a new home. He was one of the most prominent and respected families in the area.
Qin Tian easily located the Tagawa family mansion in Kawachiura. The so-called prestigious mansion was merely a large estate; its architectural style was not significantly different from the surrounding area, featuring the typical low-rise Japanese style. The walls were only about a person's height, easily climbed over.
Qin Tian sized up his target from a distance, feeling disdain. What a prestigious family! They don't even have proper high walls and gates, nor any gatekeepers. They exude a petty and stingy air.
"At least put up a couple of stone lions!" Qin Tian spat. "It can't compare to our general's residence. The Japanese are just not presentable." He didn't know that this was the traditional architectural style of Japan.
Most of Japan has a mild climate and abundant rainfall, making it a major timber-producing region. Wooden frames and thatched roofs are a traditional form of Japanese architecture. Houses feature an open layout with raised floors and deep eaves. The rooms are small and exquisite, with unpainted pillars, beams, and wall panels. A layer of straw mats, typically used to make tatami mats, is laid on top of the wooden floors, where people sit, lie down, and live. Naturally, such houses cannot be as grand and imposing as traditional Chinese architecture.
After his initial outburst, Qin Tian led his men to hide in the distant woods, not immediately making a move. Though outwardly rough, he was not cowardly at heart. After all, they were committing murder and arson on Japanese territory; they couldn't just storm in during the day with their weapons at large. They had to wait until after dark to take action.
After waiting for nightfall, dim lights were lit everywhere. Qin Tian waved his hand, signaling his subordinates to prepare for action.
Team Vice-Captain Huang Gan asked, "Aren't we going to wait a bit longer? Nobody's asleep yet!"
Qin Tian slapped him on the back of the head and scolded him in a low voice, "Are you a pig-brain? Waiting until dark is just to cover our identities and not cause the general too much trouble. Why do we have to wait until everyone is asleep? Do you think this is like stealing? Remember, we're here to kill and set fires!"
Huang Gan awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "I understand."
The special forces team consisted of two hundred men. After emerging from the woods, they headed straight for the Tagawa residence. Unlike later times, the streets at this time lacked nightlife; apart from a few taverns that were still open, there were very few pedestrians on the streets.
Two hundred burly men walked down the street with a menacing air, attracting considerable attention. Occasionally, a few drunkards would stagger along the street, but upon seeing these men, they would sober up instantly, their limbs would give way, and they would tumble to the ditch at the street corner.
Upon reaching the gates of the Tagawa residence, the two Japanese samurai stared dumbfounded at the group, unsure of their purpose and hesitant to draw their swords. A samurai who appeared to be their leader, with his back to them, was speaking rapidly in Japanese to the two, seemingly instructing them to guard the gate properly. Seeing the two men's stunned expressions and lack of attention, and hearing the rumbling footsteps behind them, they turned around and were immediately startled.
He drew his katana and spoke a few words loudly in Japanese. Qin Tian didn't understand Japanese at all and didn't bother to listen to what he was saying. He just kept walking forward, pulling out his Patriot Type 5 pistol as he went—this was standard issue for special forces. When carrying out special missions, they abandoned the rifles used by army infantry and replaced them with pistols and short swords.
Even the most obtuse leader could tell these people had ill intentions. Seeing that they weren't dressed like Japanese, he switched to Chinese and shouted, "Halt! This is the residence of the Zheng family, samurai of the Hirado Domain. You are not allowed to approach. Otherwise, you will incur the wrath of Lord Matsuura, and you will all die!"
Qin Tiancai didn't care what "vassal" meant, nor did he care whether the Japanese lord would be angry. He raised his pistol, ready to open fire. But before pulling the trigger, he thought that the gunshot might alert the Japanese inside the city too early and cause unnecessary trouble. So he changed his mind, put the gun back in its holster, and drew his iron rod from behind. The special forces soldiers behind him drew short knives.
This short knife is specially made for special forces, using bayonet-hardening technology, making it hard on the outside and tough on the inside, so it's not easy to break even with fierce chopping. It's a few inches shorter than a regular waist knife, but the blade is much thicker; the tip is straight, allowing for thrusting. Special forces soldiers are highly skilled in hand-to-hand combat, and this short knife allows them to chop, thrust, and even be used as a club, maximizing their close-quarters combat capabilities.
Seeing that words were not enough to intimidate these people, the leader ordered the two Japanese samurai: "You two go up and hold them off, I'll protect the mistress and the young master!"
Although the two samurai were somewhat flustered, their sense of obedience was very strong. They immediately drew their katana and replied in unison, "Hai, please lead the way, Commander!"
This man was none other than Toru. After rescuing Fukumatsu, having nowhere else to go, he brought the young master back to Hirado. Fukumatsu and his mother, Tagawa Matsu, had a deep bond, and the Tagawa family held a high position in Hirado, making it an ideal hiding place. Toru returned to the Tagawa residence at night to guard the young master and his wife, while during the day he went out to contact former members of the Zheng family scattered throughout Hirado, preparing to assist the young master in his comeback.
Qin Tian sneered, "Overestimating yourselves! These few shrimps, who can stop you? None of you will escape!" With that, he grabbed his short knife and charged forward. The special forces soldiers behind him quickened their pace and surged forward.