"Would you like me to introduce you to the Shogun, Tokugawa Inatsuma?"
Since the abdication of the Emperor centuries ago, the Muromachi Shogunate, which controlled the samurai, naturally assumed the throne, bestowing upon her the title of Queen of Shikishima. However, in private, many still referred to the King of Shikishima as the former "Shogun."
Even as the political landscape changed, with Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi rising to power, the Muromachi Dynasty collapsing, and the old tortoise Tokugawa Ieyasu establishing the Edo Dynasty, which continues to this day, the common title for the king remains Shogun.
However, this Shogun, Tokugawa Inatsuma, is slightly special.
Because she is not only a powerful superhuman, but also the first woman to ascend the throne as Shogun. Upon taking power, she resolved a crisis that nearly brought down the royal family. Currently, she is regarded as a "wise ruler" by conservative forces and the public, who have chosen to pledge their loyalty. Her rule is even more stable than that of the ancient Shikishima royal family.
The name Tokugawa Inatsuma, Inatsuma, means "thunder and lightning" in the Shikijima language, hence she was often called "Thunder General."
Zhao Ziran, looking at the folding fan-wielding Kujo no Miko, spoke eloquently, saying, "The Thunder General surely wouldn't want foreigners to plant such a terrifying time bomb on his own territory, especially near his royal residence, would she?"
Kujo no Miko snapped her pink fan shut, her expression seemingly tinged with helplessness, and said, "Well, Shikijima is a defeated nation, after all."
In the past, Shikijima was a vassal state of the Ming Dynasty. At the end of the Ming Dynasty, Western warships and cannons attacked, forcing the Ming Dynasty to sign humiliating treaties that ceded its sovereignty. The Ming Dynasty, deeply regretting its past actions, launched a vigorous Self-Strengthening Reform.
Among them, the people of Shikishima, renowned for their exceptional craftsmanship, were highly valued by the Ming Dynasty. Over 70% of their industrial achievements and almost all of their shipbuilding factories were located on Shikishima, with the intention of using it as a base to build a powerful fleet to compete with Britain and the United States for control of the vast Pacific Ocean and avenge past defeats.
However, unexpectedly, the Shikishima samurai were the first to rebel. They not only decisively defeated the main Ming army at the Battle of Fushimi-Toba in Kyoto, but also, with the help of the defecting Shikishima navy, launched a counter-offensive all the way to Korea. Finally, the rebels approached the capital, forcing the Ming Dynasty to sign a humiliating treaty recognizing the independence of Shikishima and Korea.
From then on, the last fig leaf of the Ming Dynasty was torn away. Foreign powers flocked to the Ming, forcing it to sign similar treaties. Under this humiliating defeat, long-suppressed internal contradictions erupted, quickly plunging the Ming into warlordism and regional fragmentation. Decades of modernization achievements vanished…
However, after gaining independence, Shikishima seemed to ride a favorable wind. It not only rose to the ranks of the great powers, but its shipyards, built with the full resources of the Ming Dynasty, laid the foundation for its naval strength, even enabling it to later wage war against the behemoth that was the United States across the ocean.
However, Shikishima's luck ended there. During World War I, Shikishima only managed to reap a few meager benefits. But before World War II, a great leader named Zhou unified the chaotic land of China, and leveraging its relatively strong industrial base, it once again stood among the world's great powers within a mere twenty years.
Shikishima, having lost its opportunity to oppress its suzerain state, was forced to take a desperate gamble, allying with Germany and waging war against Britain, France, and the United States in its pursuit of rise…
The outcome was predictable: Shikishima's proud and powerful fleet could not withstand the even more powerful industrial machine of the United States, ultimately being overwhelmed by the enemy's overwhelming sea of warships, and finally subjected to American nuclear bombing, its national destiny hanging by a thread.
Fortunately, at this time, the great leader surnamed Zhou recognized the importance of Shikishima's geographical location to the mainland, especially given the continued division of the Strait Island region; therefore, he reaffirmed the suzerain state's rights, and sent the newly formed Chinese army bravely to Shikishima territory to engage in an unprecedented and fierce battle with the arrogant American forces.
Ultimately, they repelled the American forces, occupying a large part of Shikishima and pushing the Americans to the brink of collapse. However, due to the lack of naval control and disrupted supply lines, the Chinese army ultimately failed to completely defeat the Americans, leading to ceasefire negotiations. The final agreement stipulated that both sides would withdraw from the war, using Kyoto as a boundary, and establish new regimes.
However, the US commander, in a fit of madness, launched a massive counter-offensive while the Chinese army was retreating, completely blocking supply lines with nuclear weapons, leading to the Chinese army's defeat and the fall of the entire Shiki Island to the US.
Even now, although Shiki Island has tried to regain some power, the US still maintains a significant military presence and nuclear weapons. Even powerful figures like the Nine-Headed Divine Child and General Inazuma have little effective way to deal with the US.
Meanwhile, the arrogant Simon wields considerable influence across the ocean, and it's fair to say he might control half of the US government. Under these circumstances, even though Simon acts with impunity on Shiki Island—having taken Yoshihara Eiki, one of the island's two most powerful female figures, as his bed warmer, and even rumored to have had a relationship with the respected General Raiden—he is essentially the uncrowned king of Shiki Island.
However, Zhao Ziran came prepared; how could she be overwhelmed by these difficulties? She wanted to see General Inazuma to seek a solution.
However, somewhat to Zhao Zhiran's surprise, the Nine-Headed Divine Child didn't seem particularly concerned about the matter. A dangerous, unfathomable glint flashed in her large fox eyes as she moved. Although the Nine-Headed Divine Child ultimately seemed to be persuaded and agreed to let her meet General Inazuma "on a chosen day," her attitude was somewhat perfunctory.
Back at the beautifully situated Japanese-style inn in front of Inari Shrine, Edo's largest shrine, Zhao Zhiran still couldn't quite figure out the fox's intentions—in truth, she didn't want to interact with the Nine-Headed Divine Child unless absolutely necessary, because there weren't many people she couldn't understand, and the Nine-Headed Divine Child was one of them.
However, time was ticking away. With each passing day, even each passing hour, Li Dong might face greater risks, and she simply couldn't wait.
Looking at the cherry blossoms falling outside the courtyard, Zhao Zhiran made up her mind!
******
Luo Shaoliang arrived at Yingluo Manor by car.
The guards at the gate, upon seeing Luo Shaoliang's car, exchanged knowing glances of envy and ambiguity, and tacitly opened the gate—this car was a regular at Yingluo Manor, and they naturally wouldn't be so foolish as to stop it.
Thus, Luo Shaoliang was able to reach Jiang Yingji's residence. Luo Shaoliang felt a slight excitement; this was the first time he had arrived without being summoned by a beauty, giving him the feeling of a secret rendezvous with a lover, as if he had returned to more than twenty years ago, and his whole being seemed lighter.
However, as Luo Shaoliang, filled with this faint excitement, reached Jiang Yingji's door, he heard rhythmic, melodious moans, "Ah~," "Ah~," "Ah~." Luo Shaoliang was intimately familiar with that heavenly voice, for it was the same voice that lingered in his ears, carrying the fragrance of orchids.