Chương 598: Splintered wood flies everywhere, sparks fly in all directions

"On July 17th, we conquered the Kingdom of Ito, beheading 1, 273 people and capturing 312 women."

"On the 18th of July, the Kingdom of Bumi was destroyed, 845 people were beheaded, and 217 women were captured."

"On the nineteenth of July, the Kingdom of Sma was destroyed, 562 people were beheaded, and 184 women were captured."

"Record 1: After all the men were executed, the remaining women showed no resistance and were extremely obedient. They can be used with confidence."

"Record 2: After burning down all the houses and food supplies, no Japanese soldiers were found to have fled into the mountains to carry out guerrilla warfare. This shows that this method can effectively cut off the enemy's means of survival."

......

These records were delivered back to Jia Xu by fast horse.

Jia Xu looked at the writing on the bamboo slips, nodded in satisfaction, and said to Cheng Yu with a hint of appreciation in his voice:

"It seems His Majesty's judgment is correct. When dealing with such uncivilized people, iron and blood are the only effective means. Trying to reason with them is less effective than resorting to force."

Cheng Yu said coldly, without even looking up, as he sorted through the household registration books:

"Not only that, we also need to collect statistics on the age and physical condition of these women, select suitable ones, and assign them to the Han people who are about to migrate here."

Within three generations, the "Wa" people will no longer exist on the island of Wa. Their descendants will speak Chinese and write Chinese characters; who will remember the Wa kingdom then?

Just as Li Wenzhong was sweeping across northern Yamatai, the other two armies were also making rapid progress.

With the cooperation of Cai Mao's navy, Gan Ning's western army quickly surrounded the capital of the Touma Kingdom.

Toma was the second strongest country in Japan, with more than 50, 000 households and a military force of 40, 000.

When the king heard that the Han army was coming, he mobilized all his troops to defend the city to the death, thinking that the three-zhang-high wooden fence and the moat outside the city would be enough to stop the Han army's attack.

Gan Ning had no interest in attacking cities.

He ordered Cai Mao's navy to blockade the coast, and then used ships to transport hundreds of cannons ashore, lining them up and pushing them three hundred paces in front of the royal city.

"Bomb them!" Gan Ning gave the order.

Hundreds of cannons roared at the same time, their flames shooting into the sky.

Shells rained down on the wooden fence.

Those giant trees that the Japanese considered indestructible were like paper in front of the cannonballs, instantly blasted to pieces.

Wood chips and human remains flew everywhere, and the trench was quickly filled with corpses, with blood flowing like a river.

With just one volley, a gaping hole, several dozen feet wide, was blasted open in the capital of the Touma Kingdom, as if a huge bite had been taken out of it.

"Kill!" Taishi Ci charged ahead, leading five thousand soldiers into the breach. Blades flashed, and the battle cries shook the heavens.

The soldiers of the Toma Kingdom were already terrified by the cannons and dared not resist at all. They threw down their weapons, knelt down, and surrendered, kowtowing repeatedly.

Gan Ning rode into the royal city and beheaded the King of Touma with a single stroke. Blood splattered all over the ground, and the head was hung on a flagpole for all to see.

"Pass down the order." Gan Ning wiped the blood from his knife and shook it off.

"Kill all the men and old men. Leave the women alive, count them, and report to Mr. Jia. Hurry up!"

......

Sun Jian's Eastern Route Army also successfully swept away more than a dozen small states in eastern Kyushu.

Looking at the corpses scattered on the ground, Cheng Pu couldn't help but sigh and shake his head: "These Japanese are really overestimating themselves. They dare to resist with such little ability."

Han Dang laughed and said, "Why are you so emotional, Demou? His Majesty said that these barbarians occupy such good land, yet they only know how to fight each other and don't even know how to farm. It would be better for them to return to our Great Han, which would be a blessing for them. We are helping them."

Sun Jian nodded, his tone firm: "That's right. Pass down the order to speed things up and join forces with Commander Qi as soon as possible. Don't let that brat Wen Zhong steal all the limelight."

......

On July 25th, the three armies met as scheduled at the foot of Yamatai Royal City.

At this time, Li Wenzhong's cavalry had been stationed outside the capital city for five days.

In those five days, he pacified more than a dozen outlying tribes of Yamatai, beheading more than 20, 000 and capturing nearly 10, 000 women.

His military camp had a layer of dry grass on the ground, used to absorb blood.

The capital city of Yamatai was completely surrounded, with no way to get through.

Himiko mobilized all available troops, a total of 30, 000 men, to defend the royal city to the death.

Dressed in a shaman's robe, she stood at the highest point of the royal city, waving her staff and chanting incantations, performing a ritualistic dance, attempting to frighten away the Han army with "divine power."

She was sweating profusely from jumping, and her staff almost flew off her feet.

Inspired by her, the Japanese soldiers' morale did indeed rise considerably. They shouted and yelled at the Han army's positions, waving their weapons like a pack of mad dogs.

Qi Jiguang stood on the high platform, looking at Himiko in the royal city, sneered, and shook his head: "Playing tricks. Trying to show off your skills in front of me is like showing off your axe-wielding skills before an expert."

He turned and gave the order, his voice icy: "All cannons, bring them up! Aim them at the main gate and the main hall of the royal city, and bombard them mercilessly! Blow that charade of hers to smithereens!"

Five hundred cannons were lined up in a row, their dark muzzles pointing straight at the Yamatai capital.

The gunners lit the fuses.

"put!"

At Qi Jiguang's command, five hundred cannons roared simultaneously.

The earth trembled violently, and the sky was stained red by the gunfire.

Shells whistled towards the royal city, and wooden fences, thatched huts, and towers were all reduced to ashes in the artillery fire.

Splinters of wood flew everywhere, and sparks flew in all directions.

Japanese soldiers fell in droves, their screams, cries, and explosions mingling together, creating a scene resembling hell on earth.

Some people were blown away, others were trapped under the collapsed wooden fence...

Himiko stood on the roof of the main hall, watching her "divine kingdom" crumble in the gunfire. The color drained from her face instantly, turning her deathly pale.

Her staff fell to the ground, and she collapsed onto the roof like a lump of mud.

After only half an hour of bombardment, the main gate of Yamatai Royal City was completely destroyed, leaving piles of broken wood everywhere.

"All troops, charge!" Qi Jiguang drew his sword and shouted the order, pointing his sword forward.

Sun Ce took the lead, charging into the royal city with his cavalry, his spear sweeping across the battlefield.

Zhou Yu commanded the infantry to follow up and wipe out the remaining enemy, while the musketeers fired in rows.

Gan Ning, Taishi Ci, Sun Jian, Cheng Pu, and Han Dang each led their troops and stormed into the city from different directions, amidst the clash of swords.

The Japanese resistance was easily defeated.

Their weapons were no match for the Han army's iron armor, clanging and clashing incessantly.

Their courage seemed utterly laughable in the face of artillery and iron cavalry.

The battle lasted only an hour before it ended.

Of the 30, 000 Yamatai troops, more than 20, 000 were killed, and the rest surrendered and knelt on the ground.

Sun Ce led a group of soldiers and stormed into the main hall of Yamatai.

The main hall was in a mess, with corpses and broken pottery scattered everywhere on the floor. Incense burners were overturned and statues of gods were shattered.

Himiko, wearing her dusty priest's robe, huddled in a corner of the throne, surrounded by a dozen or so trembling maids, some crying, some shaking.

Seeing Sun Ce walk in carrying a sword, blood still dripping from it, Himiko suddenly raised her head, her eyes filled with fear and despair.

She tried to say something in the witch's language, but Sun Ce couldn't understand a word she said.