Chapter 289: Managing Nagasaki

"Please accept me as your disciple. I am willing to follow you and serve you!"

The Battle of Kanagawa further strengthened Yoshida Shoin's determination to learn from America.

No matter how miraculous the Battle of Nagasaki was, Yoshida Shoin only heard about the battle in Nagasaki.

But in the Battle of Kanagawa, Yoshida Shoin witnessed with his own eyes that the shogunate army, which was several times larger than the American army, was defeated by the powerful American army in just one day and had no power to resist.

Yoshida Shoin, who was proficient in Chinese studies and Dutch studies, was keenly aware that neither Chinese studies nor Dutch studies could save Japan. Japan urgently needed an object as powerful as the prosperous Tang Dynasty and worthy of learning.

This is the only way to save Japan.

"I heard that your former lord, Mori Takashige, appreciated you very much and treated you well, but you still left the domain and became a ronin. I dare not accept a half-hearted and disloyal person like you." Liang Yao said as he looked at the thin and short young man from the Choshu domain in front of him with a firm look in his eyes.

"I left the domain and gave up my samurai status and hereditary salary to become a ronin with nothing in order to travel around better and increase my knowledge. It is not disloyal to my lord. I will always be grateful for the lord's kindness to me. It's just that the Choshu domain is a small place, and what I can learn is really limited." Yoshida Shoin said very seriously.

"Lu Fangweng once said, 'What you learn from books is always shallow, and you must practice it to know it. I don't want to be a person who talks about war on paper, and I don't want to be a frog in the well, but I want to learn something really useful. And these things can only be learned from you.'"

"You have learned Chinese well."

Looking at Yoshida Shoin, who is very fluent in Chinese poetry and idioms, Liang Yao remembered the neat handwriting, rigorous logic, and smooth classical Chinese in the book of foreigners, and had to sigh that Yoshida Shoin really has a talent for learning.

In terms of age, Yoshida Shoin is about the same age as him, but this is only the physical age. Liang Yao's psychological age is much older than Yoshida Shoin.

It's a pity that such a person can't really be used by him.

Liang Sen was born a drifter. He left Japan at a young age for a living. He didn't have a strong sense of identity with Japan, and his family and country feelings were not so strong, so he could be completely used by Liang Yao.

However, Yoshida Shoin, who was deeply influenced by Sinology since childhood, had the idea of ​​loyalty to the emperor and the country deeply engraved in his bones. It was obviously unrealistic to expect Yoshida Shoin to work hard for him.

"It's a pity that Sinology has been declining. Sinology in the past could cultivate oneself, manage the family, govern the country and bring peace to the world. Now Sinology can cultivate oneself and manage the family, but it is difficult to rely on Sinology to govern the country and bring peace to the world." Yoshida Shoin said.

"I have always loved talents in my life. Since you are a studious person, I will help you. Lieutenant Colonel Deng is a famous American general. He will be stationed in Nagasaki in the future. He just needs an advisor who is familiar with the national conditions of Japan. You can be Colonel Deng's advisor for the time being."

Liang Yao said to Yoshida Shoin.

Deng Yan on the side couldn't help but widen his eyes, secretly complaining in his heart: When did I become a famous American general?

To be honest, the military records of American officers before the Civil War were not very good. There were not many real professional officers. Most of them were officers from powerful families in various states like Liang Yao, and officers from military families like Perry.

There were very few middle and senior officers who really climbed up by military records and merits. Although Deng Yan's current record is not the best among American officers, it is definitely outstanding. It is not an exaggeration to say that he is a famous American general.

The record of the Mason Infantry Regiment in the Civil War and the record of defeating the shogunate army in Japan are more valuable than those American officers who relied on the scalps of Indians and bullied their Mexican brothers to get to the top.

"Thank you, sir!"

Yoshida Shoin was overjoyed. He loved military science, and being able to be a consultant to senior American officers was also an opportunity for him to get in touch with and learn about American military affairs.

After the signing of the Treaty of Nagasaki and the Treaty of Amity between Japan and the United States, Perry did not stay in Japan for long, but left Japan quickly with the treaties and returned directly to the United States.

Liang Yao was not in a hurry to leave, but stayed in Nagasaki for some time.

According to Article 3 of the Treaty of Nagasaki, the United States obtained a concession in Nagasaki.

Liang Yao used this concession as a transit station, so at the beginning of the demarcation of the concession, Liang Yao deliberately demarcated the concession next to the dock to save the cost of subsequent construction.

After inspecting Nagasaki and the Nagasaki Concession, Liang Yao formulated a planning plan for the concession area, and then inspected the Waime Fort.

According to Article 2 of the Treaty of Nagasaki, the Waime Fort in Nagasaki was completely taken over by the US military.

After Liang Yao knew himself, the great powers such as Britain, France, and Russia would flock to propose a series of unequal treaties to the Japanese shogunate.

Given that the United States is not currently strong among the great powers, Liang Yao cannot stop this trend.

It is unrealistic for America to eat Japan's cake alone. What Liang Yao can do is to focus on operating a base, establish America's strong position in the base, and consolidate the benefits that have been obtained.

Nagasaki has a superior geographical location. It was the only trading port before Japan's founding. It has a relatively open atmosphere and a developed economy. It is a region worth focusing on and a very suitable base.

Whoever controls the Waime Fort is equivalent to controlling Nagasaki. This is why Liang Yao asked for the Nagasaki Waime Fort.

It must be said that Naomasa Naoshima's vision is good. There is no problem with the location of the fort. The biggest problem is the artillery.

The outdated artillery on the Waime Fort is not enough to completely control the waterway into Nagasaki due to its insufficient range and limited firepower coverage.

Therefore, it is urgent to assume that new coastal defense artillery is imminent on the basis of the existing artillery.

"With the current level of artillery casting in California, we are still unable to produce coastal defense artillery that can meet the requirements of completely controlling the Nagasaki waterway."

After accompanying Liang Yao on the inspection, Deng Yan came to a more frustrated conclusion.

"I heard that the French artillery is good, and you have a good relationship with the French. Why don't you ask the French to help us tinker with this fort?"

It's not that California can't make artillery, but it has little experience in manufacturing coastal defense artillery.

Liang Yao also bought the coastal defense artillery in the Kinmen Strait directly from the French. It is not surprising that Deng Yan has such an idea.

But Nagasaki is not San Francisco after all, and the French will not help for free. If the French ask to share the Waime Battery with them, wouldn't that be a free gift to the French?

"The coastal defense guns on the Waime Battery in Nagasaki must be cannons made by us Americans." Liang Yao's attitude was very clear.

"Just because California can't build coastal defense guns that meet the requirements doesn't mean that America can't build them. After returning to China, I will go to the East and ask the War Department for help, and by the way, ask the War Department for funds to repair the Nagasaki Waime Battery."