When a food shortage occurs, the first thing to happen is unrest.
After the price of grain skyrocketed, even many wealthy people are finding it difficult to buy food.
At this time, neither Japan nor Korea had particularly strong central governments, and their control over local areas was very weak, especially Japan.
This results in Japan's authorities being completely helpless when the country's economy and people's livelihoods are in crisis. Even if someone wants to do something, it is extremely difficult to implement policies in a short period of time.
This is why the Japanese authorities were unaware of the impending food crisis.
Because they had no idea how many people across the country were farming, or how many people were weaving cloth to earn money from the Song Dynasty.
Until many people suddenly had no food to eat.
The most serious problem is that the Japanese troops stationed at Osaka Port only have enough rations for about ten days.
As a result, the Japanese army looted grain from various villages in Osaka, but after several raids, they only managed to seize enough grain for half a month.
This half-month's worth of food is equivalent to several months' worth of food for those villages.
According to villagers, the able-bodied men and some women in the village went to the cloth factory and made some money, but now they can't afford to buy food with that money.
Panic spread in Osaka and quickly affected the morale of the Japanese army.
Two days later, Li Bao led three thousand men ashore, bringing with him five iron cannons, including a firearms battalion, and began fighting the Japanese army.
Cai Rixin made great contributions in the war to destroy the Xia dynasty in the Northwest. After the war, he entered the Imperial Military Academy. Last year, he was assigned to the First Naval Army in Hangzhou Bay and served as the Commander-in-Chief, leading a firearms battalion of one thousand men.
Upon hearing that the Song army had landed, the Japanese army hastily formed ranks. However, the already demoralized Japanese army scattered after being bombarded by arquebuses a few times, completely losing their will to fight.
Next, a total of 8,000 Song soldiers landed and began their attack on Osaka.
At this point, Osaka was completely defenseless and was captured in a single day.
Osaka was only a hundred miles from Heian-kyo, and the news of Osaka's fall reached Heian-kyo the next day, immediately causing great shock.
Emperor Sutoku had no choice but to compromise with Taira no Tadamori, who controlled the samurai class. Tadamori then used this opportunity to ask the emperor to bestow upon him the title of Protector of the Nation.
Emperor Sutoku had no choice but to bestow this honor upon Taira no Tadamori.
On the third day, Li Bao led 8,000 Song soldiers to Heian-kyo.
However, due to the food shortage, the people of Heian-kyo were in a state of panic, and many samurai had no will to fight.
Shen Lang said to Li Bao, "General Li, His Majesty the Emperor wants Chongde's head."
"Rest assured, Lord Shen, I will definitely send Chongde's head back to His Majesty."
Shen Lang continued, "Li Jundu, there's something else I need to tell you. Consort Han is about to give birth to a prince. If you, Li Jundu, were to conquer Japan for His Majesty at this time, His Majesty would surely be overjoyed."
Li Bao glanced thoughtfully at Shen Lang and said, "I am grateful for your kindness, Mr. Shen."
Shen Lang humbly replied, "No problem, no problem."
Li Bao had also heard that Shen Lang was a favorite minister of the emperor, and that the emperor intended to appoint him as the Grand Minister of the Song Dynasty's military, in charge of the entire Song navy. It was very likely that Shen Lang would become his superior in the future.
Shen Lang's intention to win over Li Bao is also quite obvious.
In terms of the current power structure of the Song Dynasty, the actual control of the navy is in the hands of Prince Kang, Zhao Gou. Moreover, even the Maritime Trade Office is under his jurisdiction.
If Shen Lang is to take this position, he will need to create a power check on Prince Kang, so he will naturally need to have his own capable assistants.
Whether intentionally or unintentionally, the emperor deliberately sent Shen Lang and Li Bao to fight against Japan this time.
Shen Lang glanced at the Japanese troops already lined up ahead using his Qianliwang (a magical tool), thinking to himself, "His Majesty is right. We really need to use force to push the Japanese through first and completely subdue them before they will behave themselves."
Given the current situation, food supplies in Heian-kyo are already scarce, yet they are still thinking of rebelling.
"Li Jundu, there is less than a month left until Consort Han gives birth."
"Lord Shen, you can rest assured. We will take over Heian-kyo today. Before dark, I will put Chongde's head in a box and send someone to deliver it to the ferry at top speed."
"Li Jundu truly deserves to be the man His Majesty has chosen, the Commander-in-Chief of the First Navy of our Great Song Dynasty!"
The sound of Japanese war drums could be heard ahead, and squads of samurai began to advance and charge towards them.
The war drums of the Song army also sounded.
Five iron cannons were placed at the very front.
They didn't even need to wait for the Japanese samurai to charge over; they were already within range of the artillery.
"Fire the artillery!"
The artilleryman immediately loaded the shell into the cannon, while another person adjusted the direction and lit the fuse.
Boom boom boom...
The explosion occurred several hundred meters ahead, and the Japanese samurai who was hit by it was thrown into the air by the tremendous force, which even broke his internal bones.
Some were even worse off, getting hit directly in the body and blown to pieces, with some even having their heads blown off.
Cai Rixin shouted, "Musketeers, prepare!"
The musketeers, lined up in a long row, loaded ammunition and cocked their guns.
When the Japanese samurai entered the range of the musketeers, the sound of muskets suddenly rang out on the plain, and the samurai at the front fell one after another.
Then the musketeers behind skillfully replaced the musketeers in the first row, fired a second shot, and another group of warriors fell.
As the warriors charged closer, the archers and crossbowmen behind them unleashed a barrage of arrows, a deluge of arrows raining down from the sky.
Some of them pierced directly into the eyes of Japanese samurai.
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