The people were all numb.
Despite the fact that these short, squat fellows were always so arrogant, not only looking down on the Indian brothers but also completely disregarding the people from the English East India Company and the Dutch East India Company, they were utterly intimidated by the common people of Daming from the bottom of their hearts.
Even if a dozen or so short, squat fellows armed with katanas surrounded a common Daming merchant who held a great saber but had never killed anyone, these short, squat fellows would still feel uneasy. What was even more crucial was that these short, squat fellows could understand Daming officialese, but none of them could speak it. If they had wanted to put down their katanas and admit their mistake, Guan Sheng, who stood opposite them, had no intention of lowering his great saber.
In this situation where both sides were hesitant, these short, squat fellows who had charged into Guan Sheng's home could only continue to surround Guan Sheng. Then, they sent one person to quickly inform Tojo Kojiro.
Tojo Kojiro, upon receiving the news, was also stunned.
He rushed into Guan Sheng's courtyard and walked straight up to Guan Sheng without his hands, first bowing ninety degrees, then prostrating himself and saying, "I am the commander of the Japanese auxiliary forces, ordered to recruit laborers here in India. It was my subordinates, these samurai, who were blind and disturbed your noble self. I am extremely sorry!"
After speaking, Tojo Kojiro straightened up, turned his head, and yelled at the assembled Japanese samurai, "Put down your swords immediately!"
After all the samurai had placed their katanas on the ground, Tojo Kojiro turned back and prostrated himself before Guan Sheng, saying, "These lowly, wretched people have disturbed your noble self. If your noble self is unhappy, you can kill them all. As long as you can vent your anger, there is no need to alarm the Daming garrison. I beg you!"
Guan Sheng was somewhat bewildered.
As a merchant who dared to venture out to sea, Guan Sheng was quite experienced. He wasn't surprised that a short, squat fellow of five feet could speak Daming officialese.
However, Guan Sheng never imagined that the short, squat fellow before him would be so humble.
As for the statement by this short, squat fellow that he could kill all those samurai, Guan Sheng had never considered it. After all, even a merchant daring to venture out to sea was just a merchant and didn't have the courage to kill people at will. More importantly, Guan Sheng couldn't judge whether this short, squat fellow's statement was sincere or not. What if this short, squat fellow was just putting on a show, and after Guan Sheng put down his saber, he would make a sudden move?
After carefully considering the situation, Guan Sheng finally said, "I don't care how you recruit laborers. That is your business. However, please leave my courtyard and do not disturb me."
Tojo Kojiro immediately bowed his head and replied, "Hai! Please rest assured, noble sir. From now on, no one will disturb your peace here!"
After speaking, Tojo Kojiro directly went to the assembled Japanese samurai and gave each of them several slaps, then angrily cursed, "Baka yarou! This is where the noble sir resides, you wretched fools!"
Only after the faces of the assembled Japanese samurai had visibly reddened and swollen did Tojo Kojiro bow to Guan Sheng again and say, "Thank you for your magnanimity, noble sir. Tojo will take them away now. Please rest assured!"
Whether it was Tojo Kojiro's earlier statement that Guan Sheng could kill all these Japanese samurai to vent his anger, or the subsequent slaps he administered to the Japanese samurai, all of them maintained a posture of respectful bowing, seemingly without the slightest objection.
This scene left Guan Sheng utterly bewildered, and looking at it, Howard and Olfstraten felt even more uncomfortable.
If Tojo Kojiro's prior deference to Liu Dingxing, the commander of the Daming East Sea Fleet, was within Howard and Olfstraten's understanding, then the current scene was completely beyond their comprehension.
Howard and Olfstraten were both well-traveled, but they had never seen people like this before, neither in Europe nor within the sphere of Daming's influence!
After leaving Guan Sheng's courtyard with Tojo Kojiro, Howard couldn't help but ask, "Tojo, you seem to fear that Daming merchant?"
Tojo Kojiro glanced dismissively at Howard and said with a cold sneer, "What do you know?"
Howard was stunned and asked, "What is it?"
Tojo Kojiro replied, "What is it? What do you think? Don't you know he is a Daming merchant?"
Howard said, "I know, I know he is a Daming merchant, but just being a Daming merchant, there's no need for this, is there?"
Tojo Kojiro let out a cold laugh and said, "Then let me ask you a few questions. The first question, where are we?"
Howard replied, "This is India, or rather, this is the village of Bangmarra, an inconspicuous small village, perhaps one that can't even be found on a map."
Tojo Kojiro laughed mockingly, "Yes, this is an inconspicuous small village. There is only one merchant from the Daming Empire here, and we just happen to be passing through. If this Daming merchant were to mysteriously disappear after we leave, what do you think would be the consequences?"
Olfstraten nonchalantly said, "What consequences could there be? He's just an ordinary merchant. Would Daming really trouble us over a merchant?"
Howard nodded in agreement, "I think Olfstraten is right. If he were a Daming merchant of status, he would certainly not be living in such a dirty and backward village as Bangmarra."
Tojo Kojiro let out another cold laugh, "Of course, he doesn't have any noble status. In Daming, truly noble people wouldn't become merchants."
"However, a Daming merchant like him, living alone in Bangmarra village, would definitely be recorded by the Daming government. If he were to disappear, the Daming government would surely investigate."
"If the Daming government finds out, who among you can bear the responsibility?"
As he spoke, Tojo Kojiro's expression suddenly turned ferocious, "Daming's army would not care why he disappeared, nor would they care if it had anything to do with us. They would only need to know that this Daming merchant disappeared after we passed by."
"According to Daming law, their army would mobilize due to the disappearance of this one Daming merchant and kill all of us who might be the culprits, including me, including these Japanese samurai behind me, and including you all."
"Once, a Daming merchant disappeared in a village in Wa Country." Howard pressed, "Did the Daming army really mobilize?"
Tojo Kojiro said with lingering fear, "Yes, Daming's East Sea Fleet directly stopped at the port of Kyushu Island. The Governor-General's Office of Kyushu Island demanded that the Shogunate hand over the culprit. The final result was that all the people in that village were made into a 'Jingguan' (a mound of enemy heads)."
"Since that incident, no one in Wa Country has dared to harm Daming citizens."
"Perhaps you don't believe me, but I can tell you that the one who ordered the village massacre was the Shogun Tokugawa Ienari, and the ones who carried out the order were me and the samurai behind me."
"Therefore, being able to appease the Daming merchant is the best outcome of today's incident. As long as we don't bother him from now on, I believe there will be no problem."
With that said, Tojo Kojiro sneered, "Of course, our Wa Country cannot afford to offend Daming. If you believe that the countries behind you can afford to offend Daming, then you are welcome to do something after I leave."
Upon hearing Tojo Kojiro's words, Howard and Olfstraten couldn't help but shiver, thinking, if your Wa Country cannot afford to offend Daming, can we afford to offend Daming?
Look at George III of England. He was still fighting fiercely with Washington, desperately wanting to turn the 'Silly Eagle' back into an English colony, and now he's sitting down honestly with Washington.
And look at William I of the Netherlands, and Louis XVI of France...
Thinking of Louis XVI, the "number one Daming lickspittle," Howard and Olfstraten couldn't help but feel a sense of despair. This matter was truly disgusting.
If France could have joined forces with other European countries, then the whole of Europe might not have been without the confidence to contend with Daming.
However, it was precisely because of the existence of France that the European continent had now completely fallen into chaos, and there was no possibility of uniting anymore.
Seeing the expressions on their faces constantly changing, Tojo Kojiro couldn't help but mock, "Do you feel uncomfortable in your hearts?"
Howard remained silent with a grim expression, while Olfstraten directly sighed, "What's the use of feeling uncomfortable?"
Tojo Kojiro said, "It's alright. Our Wa Country also had this mindset at the beginning."
Olfstraten became curious and asked, "Then how did you...?"
Tojo Kojiro said with a cold laugh, "We no longer have this mindset now. Similarly, you will all slowly get used to it."
Hearing Tojo Kojiro say this, Howard and Olfstraten felt speechless. What was going on? Listening to your words, it seemed like you were quite proud?
Tojo Kojiro no longer paid attention to Howard and Olfstraten, but instead, he was constantly pondering in his mind. There were Daming citizens in Bangmarra village, and the subsequent matters would be somewhat difficult to handle. Did this Daming merchant take a concubine here? Did he have any relatives or friends here?
Japanese samurai could recruit laborers in India, but those protected by Daming merchants absolutely could not be recruited as laborers.
With this thought, Tojo Kojiro simply beckoned a samurai who could also speak Daming officialese and instructed him, "You, prepare gifts and go to the residence of the Daming noble. Ask him if he has anyone here who needs protection. If so, let him provide a list to avoid accidental injury. If not..."
Tojo Kojiro's expression turned ferocious again, "Recruit all the fools in this village as laborers, and then make them disappear, especially those who have witnessed today's events. Not a single one left." With that, Tojo Kojiro couldn't help but glance at Howard and Olfstraten, pondering how to make these two European barbarians completely shut up. Losing face was secondary, but a conflict with a Daming merchant absolutely could not be revealed by these two. Otherwise...
Howard and Olfstraten saw Tojo Kojiro's expression becoming somewhat unfriendly, and they couldn't help but feel a little intimidated. Howard directly asked, "Tojo, what's wrong?"
Tojo Kojiro was startled, then smiled, "Nothing, it worried you, Howard. I was thinking about how to recruit Indian laborers faster to complete our mission as soon as possible."
Tojo Kojiro suddenly realized that these two barbarians, Howard and Olfstraten, could not die for now, at least not while he was still in India.
If it was the work of Daming's Embroidered Uniform Guard, then their deaths would be their deaths, and probably no one would pursue it. But what was his status? He was just an auxiliary force commander. Although he shared the title of commander with Daming army commanders, the gap between commanders was too great.
If England, the Netherlands, and France were to pursue the matter, would Daming protect him?
With this thought, Tojo Kojiro smiled and asked, "Speaking of which, I don't know much about your English East India Company and Dutch East India Company. I would like to trouble the two of you to tell me about them?"
Howard was somewhat bewildered by Tojo, but still replied, "Our English East India Company can be considered both a private company and a semi-official company. Recently, we have been responsible for recruiting laborers for Daming."
"As for their Dutch East India Company... in the past, there were some misunderstandings with Daming, but now these misunderstandings have been resolved. The Netherlands has handed over Batavia to Daming, and the Dutch East India Company has thus obtained a trade license."
Hearing Howard's words, Tojo Kojiro couldn't help but secretly feel fortunate.
Fortunately, he hadn't rushed to kill these two European barbarians just now, otherwise, he would have caused great trouble. Offending England and the Netherlands was one thing, but if he caused Daming's labor recruitment to be delayed because of him, the Shogun himself might not be able to protect him. With this thought, Tojo Kojiro said with a grin, "Speaking of which, we are all serving His Majesty the Emperor of Daming."