Japan.

Not far from the coast of Nagasaki is Chinatown.

This is a piece of land specially set aside by the Japanese shogunate to build a Chinese house, which was specially used for the Chinese who came to Nagasaki, Japan to trade. Correspondingly, across a shallow bay, a place called Dejima, was specially allocated by the shogunate government to the residence of Dutch merchants.

Surrounded by brick walls and moats, Chinatown is like a fortress. The streets and patterns here are still in Tang style. Tushen Hall, Tin Hau Hall, Guanyin Hall, Hokkien Hall, every brick, every tile, every ornament, is obviously completely different from the Japanese style, so that Kusaka Genrui who is walking on the road is a little unaccustomed, but the opposite sex brother Fukuzawa Yukichi next to him is at ease and seems to be very adaptable.

Fukuzawa Yukichi patted the shoulder of the sworn brother and said, "Xuanrui, don't be surprised, this is an antique Tang Dynasty building in China, with the charm of the ancient Tang Dynasty, such a building is so exquisite." ”

Kusaka Genrui's immature face was a little shy, this was his first time traveling far away to study. He was born in the westernmost part of Honshu Island, Nagato Kunihagi Domain, a doctor, and studied medicine and Western studies at the Chōshū Domain's Ryōnōnkan, and was only 17 years old this year. Unexpectedly, a few days ago, on a secluded road, he was surrounded by several down-and-out wandering samurai and robbed his money clean, but fortunately, Fukuzawa Yukichi next to him came to his aid and rescued him. Although Fukuzawa Yukichi was a few years older than him, he had extraordinary insight and elegant conversation, which made him feel good, and Fukuzawa Yukichi heard that Kusaka Genrui had studied medicine and Western studies, and there was a lack of manpower around him, so the two were like-minded and happily married as brothers of the opposite sex.

"Brother, the descendants of this Tang people, the people of China are really rich!" Kusaka Genrui said with envy: "These are just the houses they live in temporarily, they are built so magnificently, if it is a house in their hometown, what kind of appearance does it have to be built, isn't it the same as the General's Mansion or even the Emperor's Palace?" ”

Yukichi Fukuzawa sneered: "Xuanrui, you haven't been to Huaxia, I don't know what it's like over there." It was an unimaginably rich country, and my brother was fortunate enough to visit Guangzhou once this year, oh, now called Nanjing, where there is a thirteen-line wharf, several times larger than the entire island of Dejima, and the goods are piled up, and the goods sold there every year alone can buy us the whole of Japan! ”

"Also, when you see the Chinese people, don't call them the people of China, and I don't know why for my brother, in short, you have to remember that you can't call these two words! Remember, remember! Fukuzawa Yukichi said with palpitations, he remembered what happened to him when he first said those two words in front of a Chinese person, and it was enough for him to regret it until now.

"Huh? I understand! Jiusaka Xuanrui was stunned, his mouth couldn't close for a long time, he thought that what he saw in front of him was already magnificent, but he didn't expect that what Yuji said shocked him even more, he had an urge to go to Huaxia and go to the Nanjing Thirteen Lines Wharf to see!

Fukuzawa Yuji seemed to understand his thoughts, and said with a smile: "Xuanrui, we will meet the people of the Huaxia Heavenly Empire over there later." Do you know why my brother went from a poor low-ranking samurai to the guest of the current Hizen Domain's Naomasa? It's because of the Chinese Celestial Empire! ”

Yukichi Fukuzawa remembered his own experience. Just a year earlier, he had been a low-ranking samurai, his father had died when he was a child, and he had followed his mother from Osaka to his hometown of Nakatsu in Kyushu, where he suffered the humiliation of being an inferior samurai and the pain of his family's poverty. However, Fukuzawa Yukichi was heroic and uninhibited, unmoved by the hardships of life, and learned to do business to supplement his family while learning Hanshu and Chinese studies. The year before last, Yukichi Fukuzawa came to Nagasaki to study and lived as a diner at the home of the artist Yamamoto Monojiro. Originally, it would have gone on like this, but unexpectedly, there were twists and turns, and the jealousy of Okuhira Iki, the son of the "family elder" (the elder of the family was the head of the family), who was studying together in the family of Yamamoto Monojiro, forced Yukichi to prepare to leave Nagasaki.

Just as he was about to leave by boat, he met a Chinese merchant named Lawson, who heard that his name was Fukuzawa Yukichi, and for some reason, he was willing to hire him at a high price. In addition, he asked Naomasa Nabeshima, the lord of the Saga Domain of the neighboring Hizen Province, to be willing to exchange him for the title of a middle-level feudal lord at a price of 5,000 koku, although he did not have a fortune, but it was also a kind of aristocratic status. Not only that, but from then on, this wealthy Chinese merchant named Luo Seng asked him to come forward every time he came to Nagasaki to trade with the lord of Saga, so that he was very important in front of the lord Naomasa Nabeshima, and gave him a large reward after each transaction.

While reminiscing, I walked into the interior of Chinatown.

After a short time, I turned around the exquisite pavilions and came to a sturdy stone wooden house.

In front of the door, there were four guards standing upright, dressed in strange light gray costumes, standing straight, looking like sergeants. Fukuzawa Yukichi stepped forward and bowed, and asked with a smile: "Please inform Lawen-kun, just say that Deacon Fukuzawa Yukichi is here." ”

"Yuji is here, why do you need to report it, just come in!" At this moment, the stone door opened, and a hearty voice came.

Led by one of the guards, Yukichi Fukuzawa hurriedly and carefully led Kusaka Genrui into the stone house.

"Yuji has seen Rosen-kun! Xuanrui, I've come to see Rosen-kun! Yukichi Fukuzawa pushed Kusaka Xuanrui, and introduced with a smile to a lean Chinese man in his thirties in front of him: "Luo Jun, this is the Jiusaka Xuanrui I mentioned to you last time, and now he is my brother-in-law." Although he was young, he was very talented, and he studied medicine and foreign books at the Myorunkan of the Choshu Domain School for several years, and he had just traveled to Nagasaki. ”

After Fukuzawa Yukichi finished his introduction, the Chinese named Lawson glanced at it, and for some reason, Kusaka Genrui seemed to feel as if he had been scraped by a knife, and felt that he was naked, like a prey being targeted by a hunter, and he was seen clearly.

"Good!" Luo Sen smiled, praised Fukuzawa Yuji, and said, "Brother Xuanrui is willing to work for Luo like your brother?" ”

Jiusaka Xuanrui felt that he was insulted, his face turned red, and he said: "I'm sorry Luo Jun, although Xuanrui is only a low-level samurai, he is also a warrior, and he is unwilling to be hired by a merchant!" ”

Fukuzawa Yuji's face became ugly, and he shouted: "Xuanrui, Luo Jun is not a simple businessman, he is the marquis of the Huaxia Heavenly Dynasty!" The fief is the size of a county, wider than the entire Hizen country, but it is a real nobleman! ”

When Kusaka Genrui heard this, he quickly apologized.

Rosen waved his hand and said, "It's not an exaggeration to know!" Brother Xuanrui, and Brother Yuji, let me tell you the truth, Luo is the deputy director of the secret service department of the Chinese Empire, and he admires the talents and learning of the two of you, and specially recruits and absorbs you! If you are willing, you can all become the nobles of the Chinese Empire like me, and fight hard for the empire, and it will not be difficult to have a fief larger than Nagasaki in the future. Of course, if you don't want to, just if Luo didn't say it, Luo asked his subordinates to send you back! After saying that, Rosen clapped his hands, and four powerful men walked out, each carrying a spear with a bayonet in his hand, and he looked eerie and exuding a chill.

Kusaka Genrui just wanted to refuse, but when he thought of what Rosen said, there would be a fief bigger than Nagasaki in the future, and he would also be a nobleman of the Chinese Empire, and he couldn't help but be moved. However, he remembered his intention again, and when he heard the name of Yoshida Shoin and wanted to study at Matsushita Murajuku, he couldn't help but hesitate a little.

He just wanted to refuse, but Fukuzawa Yuji next to him pulled him down and arched his hand directly to Luo Sen: "Luo Jun, the two of us are willing to serve Luo Jun!" ”

Rosen laughed and said, "The two of you are really smart, and you will definitely thank you for your choice today in the future!" After speaking, he clapped his hands, outside the stone house, several sturdy men invited a few people in, and Kusaka Genrui looked at it, but it was his parents Kusaka Ryoshi and Tomiko and his eldest brother who were among them.

Yukichi Fukuzawa also stepped forward and shouted, "Mother, second brother, are you all here?" ”

Only then did Kusaka Genrui understand why Yukichi Fukuzawa would hold him and agree with him. He couldn't help but feel angry, what is this doing, this surnamed Luo, actually wants to force it?

He was just about to shout, when Rosen spoke: "Two brothers, thank you for joining us!" In return, you will not only receive the lowest title in the Empire, the Baron, but also help you take care of your family so that you can work for the Empire with peace of mind. Therefore, your family will take the boat arranged by Luo today to go to China and enjoy Qingfu in peace! ”

As soon as he heard this, Kusaka Genrui suddenly became deflated. This is obviously his own family members have been taken hostage. Can you still say yes?