Imperial Master of the Ming Dynasty

In the sixth year of Yongle's reign, on a spring day in March, Kyoto, Japan was in full bloom.

However, under this bright sunshine, an undercurrent is quietly surging.

Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, the powerful master of Rokuen-in in Japan, wearing a cassock and lightly twisting his rosary beads, held a music performance in the Rokuen-in with a thousand people composed of monks from Ichijo-in and Mahayana-in.

He led Emperor Gokomatsu and his entourage to the sound of silk and bamboo, but there was an unknown meaning hidden in his eyes.

After drinking for three rounds, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu showed his drunkenness and gently gestured to Emperor Komatsu.

The emperor understood and gave the glass of wine to Ashikaga Yoshitsugi, the youngest son of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu who had just been ceremonially honored as a prince in Ouchi.

This move is undoubtedly announcing to the world that Ashikaga Yoshimitsu's successor is already clear.

Moreover, this is not just a matter of successor. At the banquet, the tatami that Ashikaga Yoshimitsu sat on had a green pattern that could only be used by the emperor and emperor at that time. The building was also decorated with sixteen petals representing the Japanese royal family. Chrysanthemum, there is a golden phoenix representing the royal family erected in the temple, and his own clothes are also embroidered with sixteen-petal chrysanthemums. Ashikaga Yoshimitsu's intention to usurp the throne is obvious. When his body was weakening, he had Can't wait.

If combined with the fact that he allowed his second son Ashikaga Yoshitsugu, who was originally scheduled to become a monk at Hieizan Enryaku Temple, to return to the secular life, he planned Ashikaga Yoshitsugu's "child den" (letting underage ministers' children go to court to serve the emperor), and in just two years Within a month, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu was promoted from the fifth-ranked Zuo Matou (chief of the government-run horse farm) to the third councilor, directly placing him among the top ranks of the public. It can be said that Ashikaga Yoshimitsu was the first to usurp the throne for Ashikaga Yoshitsugu. The dream is only one step away.

Ashikaga Yoshimitsu planned to make Ashikaga Yoshitsugu the adopted son of Go Sogo-in, and then coerced Emperor Gokomatsu to abdicate the throne. Finally, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu succeeded him as emperor, and he ruled Japan as the emperor.

To this end, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu met with the angels of the Ming Dynasty in Japan and inquired about Ming's attitude in a subtle way.

In fact, regarding various measures taken by the Ming Dynasty, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu has speculated that the Ming Dynasty intends to attack Japan. However, because the Ming Dynasty has always done a good job in keeping secrets, what exactly has the Ming Dynasty prepared, how many troops are there, and whether it really intends to attack Japan. When Japan takes action, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu has no clue about these issues.

As for Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, he obviously cannot offend the Ming Dynasty now, because the main source of his military expenditure is the tax revenue from trade between Japan and the Ming Dynasty.

What's more, since the domestic situation in Japan is still unstable, he must not let Ming openly support other forces, so Ashikaga Yoshimitsu must try to avoid any conflict with Ming no matter what.

Therefore, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu planned to complete the process of usurping the throne first, and then deal with all the opponents, so that Japan would be unified, and then hand over Japan to his beloved son Ashikaga Yoshiji. By then, he would no longer be afraid of the threat of the Ming Dynasty.

——————

The atmosphere in the Shogun's Flower Palace was extremely heavy. Even the garden full of flowers could not make the owner of the Flower Palace feel happy at all.

Ashikaga Yoshimochi, the current shogun, sat at the exquisite sandalwood table, his face pale, and his eyes revealed deep fear and uneasiness.

His fingers tapped on the table unconsciously, making a dull sound that was in stark contrast to the sweet chirping of birds outside the window.

Even if you look closely at the shogun, you will find that he is shaking.

His confidant, General Shiba, the shogunate commander, was standing beside him at the moment, his eyes as sharp as a knife.

He was well aware of the source of Ashikaga Yoshimochi's fear - Ashikaga Yoshimochi's father, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, the master of Luen-in.

Although Ashikaga Yoshimochi is already the shogun, under the huge shadow of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, he has never been able to truly grasp the real power.

In fact, in Japan and Korea at this time, it was a very popular practice to give up one's position to one's heirs and actually rule oneself.

So even though Ashikaga Yoshitomichi is the shogun, he actually doesn't have much real power.

"General, we must take action."

General Sibo's voice was low and firm, and his words broke the silence in the room: "If you wait any longer, in the words of the Ming Dynasty, you will 'sit back and wait for death.'"

Ashikaga Yoshimochi raised his head and his eyes met Shiba Yishou.

Ashikaga Yoshinori saw the cruelty in Shiba Yishang's eyes, and also saw his own fearful eyes reflected in Shiba Yishang's eyes.

"I know but, but, what do we do?"

Ashikaga Yoshimochi asked, with weakness and confusion in his voice. After all, he was just a young man in his early twenties. Compared with an old fox like Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, he was too young!

Si Boyi took out a glass bottle from his sleeve with an expressionless face. There were some white crystals placed in the glass bottle.

"What's this?"

"Penicillin, when ground into powder and dissolved in water, is basically colorless and has a slightly bitter taste."

Ashikaga Yoshimochi frowned: "Where did you get it?"

"I got it from Daming."

When Ashikaga Yoshitomichi heard this, a flash of shock flashed in his eyes. He had never thought of poisoning his father, but Yoshihide Shiba's words made him see the possibility of gaining real power.

"Is this...is this okay?" he asked hesitantly.

Seeing that Ashikaga Yoshimochi was still hesitating, Shiba Yishou whispered: "General, this is the only way."

"We must take a risk. As long as the master of Luyuan dies, you can completely take control of the real power and become the real shogun. Otherwise, your only way in the future is to be deposed and become a monk."

Ashikaga Yoshimochi was silent for a moment, struggling in his heart.

Ashikaga Yoshimochi knew that what Shiba Yishou said was right, but he still could not make up his mind to poison his father. However, thinking of his current situation, he felt that this was an opportunity worth taking the risk.

Finally, Ashikaga Yoshimochi raised his head and his eyes became firm.

"All right."

Ashikaga Yoshimochi said: "I will do as you say, but we must make sure nothing goes wrong."

General Si Boyi's tone was full of confidence: "No one can cure this poison. We can bribe the ministers who can get close to the master of Luyuanyuan."

The early artificially extracted penicillin was basically the same as poison, and it had no taste except for a slight bitter taste, and it had no color when dissolved in water. This thing Kong Xilu developed could not save people for the time being, but it could easily kill people.

The biggest obstacle to the Ming Dynasty's attack on Japan was undoubtedly Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, the great hero who unified the Northern and Southern Dynasties of Japan.

Jiang Xinghuo has no idea of ​​heroes cherishing each other. If he can achieve his goal, it is best to let Ashikaga Yoshimitsu die. In this way, without the existence of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, a person who can calm the situation, all forces within Japan will be temporarily suppressed. , can cause chaos by oneself.

For the Ming army, the difficulty of a cross-sea expedition was completely different between an organized unified Japan and an independent and chaotic Japan.

Ashikaga Yoshimochi thought about many things in an instant, but he did not speak. Instead, he hesitated for a long time before saying, "Who are you looking for?"

There is no doubt that Ashikaga Yoshimochi, who was cornered, made up his mind.

"Find Sarugaku actor Zeami and ask him to poison the wine for the master of Deer Garden."

Zeami, the most famous Sarugaku actor and playwright in the Muromachi period, was named Oniyaksha when he was young, and was later given the name Fujiwa by Nijo Yoshiki. After his father's death, Zeami inherited the title of "Kanzedofu" and inherited his father's Kanze Ami's artistic achievements are based on Yamato Sarugaku, which is characterized by imitative performances, and absorb the song and dance elements of Omi Sarugaku. He also extensively draws on local folk songs, ancient court music and Japanese and Chinese poetry, integrating acting skills from various schools. The culmination of this work created the unique style of Kanze-ryu. The ballads composed by Zeami are known for their poetic beauty, gorgeous beauty and mysterious beauty.

As an "actor", he was very loved and trusted by Ashikaga Yoshimitsu.

"I will do as you say. If you need money, the treasury of the Flower Palace is at your disposal."

Shiba Yishou was relieved to see Ashikaga Yoshimochi's determination. He knew that the next plan would be very dangerous, but he also believed that as long as he acted carefully, he would be able to succeed.

So, Shiba Yishou bowed to Ashikaga Yoshimochi, then turned around and left the Flower Palace, and began to prepare for the next action.

Ashikaga Yoshimochi looked at the other person's retreating back and fell into deep thought.

There is no such thing as love without reason in this world. The other party's making such plans and even putting one's life at risk certainly has some agenda.

The Shiba family is one of the three governors of the Muromachi shogunate, and has the position of guarding daimyo in many places. The family has served as the governor of Oshu and Yushu for a long time, and has also served as the governor of Kyushu and Kanto for a short period of time. It is very powerful. , was jealous and suppressed by Ashikaga Yoshimitsu.

There is no doubt that Spoelstra intends to push himself to the top and thus seize greater power.

After Shiba Yishang left, Ashikaga Yoshimachi remained sitting there for a long time.

His mood was very complicated, with both expectations for the future and fear of the coming danger.

However, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu knew that he had made a choice and he had to go on firmly. In fact, he really had no choice. If Ashikaga Yoshimitsu's plan succeeded, then there would be no need for him as a shogun to exist.

So Ashikaga Yoshimochi took a deep breath, tried to calm down his mood, and then began to think about his next plan.

Next, Ashikaga Yoshimochi gave Goshodai a gift.

——"New Book of Tang".

The imperial office has been replaced. After the death of Hino Yeko a few years ago, Hino Yasuko, who was also born in the Hino clan, as the niece of Hino Yeko, naturally became the official wife of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. Of course, the two parties were still in a political marriage.

However, neither Hino Yoshiko nor Hino Yasuko gave birth to an heir for Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, and Ashikaga Yoshimitsu was not close to the new stepmother. The relationship between the two parties was very stiff. Coupled with the Hino family's position, it gave Goshodai and An opportunity for the Flower Palace to join forces.

As night falls, the streets of Kyoto are filled with the faint fragrance of cherry blossoms, but there is a chilling atmosphere inside the Flower Palace.

Ashikaga Yoshimochi has received the return gift from Goshodai.

He paced the room, feeling increasingly heavy.

Although Ashikaga Yoshimochi has made up his mind, he is still full of struggle when thinking about the impending attack on his father.

There was no other reason. The sense of oppression that Ashikaga Yoshimitsu had brought to his life over the past twenty years was simply too powerful.

At this time, there was a slight knock on the door, and General Sibo's figure appeared at the door.

"General, everything is ready." His voice was low and powerful.

Ashikaga Yoshimochi nodded, took a deep breath, and tried to calm his inner turmoil.

"How's it going over there Zeami?"

"Zeami has agreed to our plan."

Si Boyi will reply: "He will take the opportunity to poison the wine of the owner of Deer Garden during tomorrow's performance."

Ashikaga Yoshimochi was silent for a moment, then nodded slowly.

Tomorrow will be the day that decides his fate.

——————

The next day, Luyuan Courtyard of Xiangguo Temple.

The sun was shining brightly, the Luyuan Courtyard was bustling with officials, and people were excited for the upcoming performance.

Ashikaga Yoshimitsu also arrived at the performance early, completely unaware of the upcoming danger.

Among Japanese-themed scripts such as "Takasago", "Yumi Hachiman" and "Old Pine", as well as Chinese-themed scripts such as "Bai Letian", "Handan" and "Nishi Queen Mother", Ashikaga Yoshimitsu chose "Old Pine".

Sarugaku originated from the "sanraku" that was very popular during the Han and Tang Dynasties in China. It was introduced to Japan in the Nara period and developed into "sarugaku" at the end of the Heian period. It is a form of musical performance in which actors wear masks and perform with costumes. The performance on the rooftop stage is somewhat similar to the Chinese stage.

The performance started soon, and Zeami and his Sarugaku team performed hard on the stage.

Their performance was brilliant and won rounds of applause from the audience.

However, behind the laughter, there is a deadly murderous intention.

During the toasting session after the performance came to an end, Zeami took the opportunity to poison Ashikaga Yoshimitsu's wine glass.

Ashikaga Yoshimitsu drank the glass of wine without noticing and continued to enjoy the performance.

As time passed by, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu's face gradually showed a painful expression, his body began to tremble, and then suddenly fell to the ground.

The ministers and monks in Luyuan were stunned by this sudden scene, and the whole scene fell into chaos.

Ashikaga Yoshimochi stood next to Ashikaga Yoshimitsu and watched this scene happen.

His heart was filled with complex emotions. He was less sad about his father's death and more excited about taking real power.

The doctor quickly announced Ashikaga Yoshimitsu's death. Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, as the shogun, naturally declared martial law on the scene, and all the ministers and monks were not allowed to leave.

Shiba Yishou walked to Ashikaga Yoshinori and whispered: "General, you have taken the most important step. Now you should go out to stabilize the situation and declare to everyone that you are the true shogun."

"Zeami."

"I'll take care of it."

Ashikaga Yoshimochi nodded, took a deep breath, and walked out of Luen Yin.

He would first order his confidants to control the military power of the shogunate and control of Kyoto, and then go to see the emperor to report the situation.

However, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu's death did not mean the end. This murder only meant that the real struggle had just begun.

The death of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu undoubtedly dropped a heavy bomb on the seemingly peaceful Kyoto. Emperor Komatsu posthumously awarded him the honor of "Royal Emperor of Rokuonin". Ashikaga Yoshimitsu overstepped the rules due to the opposition of Yoshitshog Shiba. However, the Buddhist forces represented by Luyuan Yuan of Xiangguo Temple accepted this title smoothly, making the whole situation even more confusing.

Buddhist temples are a huge force in Japan, and cannot be ignored by anyone. In Japan, the economic development of Buddhist temples is very abnormal. These people are not only monks, but also big landowners, and they also have their own armed forces.

At this time, the Hino family's new Odaisu Hino Yasuko also plays an ambiguous role in this game of power. However, her mind seems not to be on her late husband at all, but is busy in this turbulent Kyoto. , looking for new support.

Every corner of Kyoto, whether it is Ouchi, Flower Palace, Godai Palace or Luyuan Yuan, is enveloped in an atmosphere of nervousness and alert. Everyone is guessing what will happen next, and everyone is fighting for their own safety. Secretly arranged for interests.

Although it was announced that Ashikaga Yoshimitsu had a sudden illness, the impact of this murder has not completely dissipated. Somewhere in Kyoto, there are people secretly investigating the truth of the incident, suspecting that Ashikaga Yoshimitsu's death is not that simple.

Especially after Zaiya was assassinated by a ninja, the situation became even more bizarre.

These undercurrents did not arouse enough vigilance from Ashikaga Yoshimochi. He was busy contacting powerful parties from various places to support his rule.

The Muromachi shogunate was a deformed product when it was first established. There were a large number of guardian daimyo in the shogunate who both hereditarily monopolized real power and important positions in the center of the shogunate and also owned a large number of local territories. The representatives were the so-called "three managers and four posts", that is, Shiba, Xiba Families such as Kawa, Hatakeyama, Akamatsu, Yamana, Isshiki, and Kyogoku.

Facing the guardian daimyo represented by the "Three Controls and Four Positions", the Muromachi shogunate's generals had no better way. Starting from the first general Ashikaga Takauji, the most common and best way for the Muromachi shogunate's generals to deal with these people is To stir up trouble, that is, to let the guardian daimyo fight with each other, and then the shogun will come out to mediate or suppress them, thereby strengthening their authority.

In addition to the powerful factions within the Muromachi shogunate such as the "Three Supervisors and Four Posts", Ashikaga Yoshimichi also had to face the "Kamakura Lord" who came from the same sect.

The so-called "Kamakura Lord" refers to the fact that Ashikaga Takauji, the first shogunate of the Muromachi shogunate, had to set up the shogunate in Kyoto in order to fight against the Southern Dynasties when he founded the shogunate. In Kanto, the center of the samurai family, Takauji entrusted it to his son. The Ashikaga Moto family, whose administrative seat is Kamakura, is called "Kamakura Kōfō".

The Kamakura Prefecture governs the eight Kanto Kingdoms and the two countries of Izu and Kai. The Kamakura Prefecture has the power to appoint and dismiss the guardian daimyo and Kanto governors of the ten kingdoms mentioned above. It can be said that the Kamakura Prefecture is the shogun of Kanto.

Meanwhile, the organization of the Kamakura Prefecture was almost identical to that of the Shogunate, and was sometimes called the Kanto Shogunate.

By the generation of Ashikaga Yoshinomichi, the conflict between the two sides has become very acute. The Kamakura Crown Prince often has the idea of ​​​​"the other can replace him." In fact, if the historical line does not go awry, in another thirty years, the Kamakura Crown Prince will There will be an "Eternal Rebellion" that openly confronts the shogunate. In the end, the army will be defeated, and the bloodline of the Kamakura Lord will be cut off for a while.

Therefore, there are actually two shogunates within the shogunate, the Muromachi shogunate in Kyoto, and the Kanto shogunate in Kamakura. Both shogunates are Ashikaga clan, but at this time, after several generations of inheritance and power struggles, they have formed We are strangers.

Within Kyoto, there are also factions with different positions such as Ouchi (Emperor), Hana no Gosho (Shogun), Goshodai (Hino Yasuko), and Rokuonin (Buddhist).

In addition to the shogunate, there are powerful daimyo from various places who have never been of the same mind as the Muromachi shogunate, as well as the three major dynasties of Oshu, Yushu, and Kyushu (approximately equal to the governor of the Ming Dynasty), plus the Southern Dynasty. Emperor Gogameyama, who was a monk and dormant, and those old ministers who were interested in the Southern Dynasty. It can be said that although the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimachi is consolidating his power position and has no time to take care of these, these undercurrents will eventually converge into a huge force, which will have an impact on this The dominance of young people in their early twenties poses a threat.

——————

In the western suburbs of Kyoto, there is Saga Daikyaku Temple.

After the "Meitoku Peace Treaty", the Southern Dynasty handed over three artifacts representing the emperor's legal authority, namely the Amancongyun Sword, the Eight-foot Qiong Magatama, and the Eight-tatami Mirror. After that, Emperor Gogameyama has been living here, with the name "Southern Although he lived a lonely life, Emperor Go-Kameyama endured it and persevered.

At this time, the Japanese emperor, who had become a monk, was sitting in the exquisite Buddhist hall.

Close ministers such as Ano Minoru, Gongwei's father and son, and Rokujo Tokihiro served by his side.

"Has the news been confirmed?"

"Confirmed."

Yoshida Kanatoshi said with certainty: "The news from Shoukokuji Temple, combined with the news from Kyoto, is confirmed to be correct."

On the other side, Yoshida Kanehiro added: "Furthermore, your daughter, Prince Yasukouchi, has previously written that the Ming Dynasty's imperial master intends to support you in regaining the throne of the emperor. Now that Ashikaga Yoshimitsu is dead, it is completely possible to start an uprising."

"Many of the samurai who were monitoring us around Saga Daikyuji Temple have obviously been withdrawn. Ashikaga Yoshimochi's manpower must be very tight. He doesn't think we can do anything."

Emperor Gogeyama listened to their stories and felt an inexplicable excitement in his heart. His ambition to restore the Southern Dynasty had never stopped, and now, the opportunity had finally come.

Emperor Go Kameyama knew very well that as long as Ashikaga Yoshimitsu dies, the current situation between the government and the opposition will change drastically. Not only will Emperor Gokomatsu of the Northern Dynasty not be willing to become a puppet, but other forces will not obey Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, who has a weak foundation. As the successor of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, Ashikaga Yoshitomichi will face countless troubles and challenges, and this is the opportunity that Emperor Go-Kameyama has been waiting for for a long time.

"Yes, even without Ming's intervention, now is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

"Initiation."

Emperor Go Kameyama quickly made a decision. There was no better opportunity than this. The worst outcome would not be worse than the current state of house arrest. The best outcome would be to either restore the Southern Dynasties or regain the status of the entire Japan. The Emperor, what is there to hesitate about?

Soon, Emperor Go Kameyama decided to run away after discussing with his cronies, and secretly visited Yoshino, the old capital of the Southern Dynasty. He believed that as long as he could summon the forces of the old Southern Dynasty, he could raise an army to resist the rule of the Muromachi Shogunate and restore the glory of the Southern Dynasty.

Under the cover of night, Emperor Gogameyama led a group of people to quietly leave the Saga Daikakuji temple. They passed through dense forests, crossed precipitous mountains, and finally arrived at Yoshino after untold hardships.

This ancient capital still retains the traces of the Southern Dynasties, which made Emperor Gogameyama feel very familiar.

Emperor Kameyama, who returned to Yoshino, immediately began to summon the forces of the old Southern Dynasty. He issued orders to the noble families and samurai who were loyal to him in Yoshino, calling on them to respond.

At the same time, he also sent envoys to various places to contact the remnants of the old Southern Dynasty and his once loyal supporters, including his most important supporter, the Kitahata clan.

During his time in Yoshino, Emperor Gogameyama's life became extremely busy and tense. He dealt with various government and military affairs every day and had almost no time to rest, but he felt the excitement that he had not seen for a long time.

Moreover, Emperor Go-Kameyama also clearly knew that his actions had attracted the attention of the Muromachi Shogunate, and he must have the power to protect himself as soon as possible, so he not only continued to gather troops to prepare for the upcoming war, but also officially sent an envoy Rokujo Shi Xi asked Ming Dynasty for help.

——————

In April of the sixth year of Yongle reign, Nanjing.

In the Fengten Hall, after receiving the envoy Rokujo Tokihiro sent by Emperor Kameyama, the top brass of the Ming Dynasty were discussing matters in Japan.

Whether it is the envoy sent by Imagawa Ryotoshi, the spies disguised as Ming Dynasty merchants, or the intelligence from various other channels, it has been confirmed that Ashikaga Yoshimitsu is indeed dead. Now Japan seems to be calm on the surface, but in fact It was a mess.

The death of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu means that many things have gone smoothly for Ming Dynasty.

Later, Emperor Kameyama also expressed his respect for Ming Dynasty in a written letter and asked Ming Dynasty to support him.

"Since Hou Guishan has asked the heavenly soldiers to help suppress it, there is a reason to start a war."

Zhu Di knocked on the dragon chair and asked: "But there is such chaos in Japan. I haven't decided yet whether we should wait and see what happens and wait until chaos breaks out within them, or whether Ming Dynasty will take the initiative."

Zhu Di's worries are reasonable. If Ming Dynasty takes the initiative, even in the name of helping Emperor Kameyama, it may still have the opposite effect. Assuming that with the death of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, various forces within Japan will If chaos breaks out, then the arrival of the foreign enemy Ming will actually unite them.

But things also have two sides. There is another possibility that although Japan is in chaos, it is not enough to overthrow the rule of the Muromachi shogunate, and the Ming Dynasty's sending troops will give these forces the courage to rise up against the shogunate.

Everyone roughly expressed their opinions.

No matter what they say, military ministers usually prefer to fight now, while civilian ministers generally believe that Japan should wait until Japan itself is in internal chaos.

"What does the Imperial Master think?" Zhu Di looked at Jiang Xinghuo and asked.

"The fight should be fought now, sooner rather than later."

Jiang Xinghuo answered decisively, and then elaborated on his basis.

"After these years of intelligence detection, the situation in Japan has become very clear."

"Although there are many contradictions within the shogunate system, whether it is Gokomatsu, the new Goshodai Hino Yasuko, or the guardian daimyo represented by the 'Three Supervisors and Four Posts' and the 'Three Great Questions', they are actually all related to the Muromachi Shogunate They are grasshoppers on the same line, at least for now. The Muromachi shogunate has fallen, and they have no good fruits to eat. So whether they are facing the Ming Dynasty's expedition or the restoration of Kameyama in the Southern Dynasties, their attitude must be the same. It’s the same – that is, first defeat the external enemies, and then start the internal battle.”

"Outside of the shogunate system, the Kamakura Kōkō is also the Kanto shogunate. It is a separate system. Their attitude is different from the Muromachi shogunate system. The Kamakura Kōkō sits on the ten kingdoms of Kanto and is very powerful in Japan. , and in terms of seizing the supreme rule of Japan, although the two families are both named Ashikaga, they are incompatible with each other. If the Ming Dynasty sends troops, then Kamakura Duke will immediately go to Luo with his sword and go to Gokomatsu to state his interests. It is huge, because the Ming Dynasty's sending troops will not damage the interests of the Kamakura Crown Prince in a short period of time, but it will greatly damage the interests of the Muromachi Shogunate, and the damage to the interests of the Muromachi Shogunate will definitely affect the Kamakura Crown Prince's seizure of power. Benefit from the buckle.”

Zhu Gaoxu added: "What's more, the Ming Dynasty must have started attacking from the west, and the Kamakura Palace is in Kanto! Even if the Kamakura Palace really thinks that the Ming Dynasty has the possibility of annexing Japan as the war progresses, they will definitely attack it first. The Muromachi shogunate replaced them, and then summoned the princes of Kanto and Kansai to resist. In any case, the Kamakura Duke would attack the Muromachi shogunate first."

"That's right, make friends at a distance and attack at close range."

Zhu Di nodded and signaled Jiang Xinghuo to continue.

Jiang Xinghuo pondered for a moment and continued: "Once Ming Dynasty lands, the first people they will face are actually the guardian daimyo of Kyushu Island, Shikoku Island and the western part of Honshu Island, that is, the Matsuura clan, the Otomo clan, the Ouchi clan, and the Kono clan. Families such as the Hosokawa, Arima, and Yamana families have been doing business with the Ming Dynasty for many years and generally attach importance to overseas trade. As long as the Ming Dynasty makes it clear that this expedition is only to help Japan eliminate civil strife and will not harm their interests, then these The guardian daimyo of the western part of the Japanese archipelago can definitely win over to the side of the Ming Dynasty."

Qi King Zhu Gaochi also said at this time: "The biggest problem now is that when Goguishan returns to Yoshino, if only Kitahata Manga's help is available, it may be difficult to resist Ashikaga Yoshinori, because Ashikaga Yoshinori will inevitably use this weak The enemy strikes, thus shocking the crowd.”

In fact, the life and death of Houguishan is not important, it is just a name for sending troops, but everyone understands it tacitly. Zhu Gaochi asked if he could land directly and go straight to Kyoto to achieve his goal.

After all, the Ming fleet did this to small countries such as Ceylon and Britain, and it was very convenient and fast.

Zheng He suddenly asked at this time: "Can we directly land on the territory of the Hatakeyama clan in the south of Honshu Island? In this way, we can directly support Yoshino, and even march directly to Kyoto, which is much faster than pushing in from the west."

"no."

At this time, Ping Jiangbo Chen Xuan explained: "We have seen the hydrology over there. Except for a few ports, there is no way to land in other places, and these large ports are too close to the core area of ​​​​the Muromachi shogunate's rule. The Muromachi shogunate It would be easy to gather hundreds of thousands of people around here. The Muromachi shogunate fought the unification war of the Northern and Southern Dynasties just a few years ago. Even though its combat power is not as good as that of the Ming Dynasty, it must not be underestimated. If it is forced to land, it will be easily pushed into the sea. .”

Zhu Di looked at Li Jinglong, the master of landing warfare in the Ming army, who successfully staged the Qinghua landing.

After Li Jinglong pondered for a moment, he also gave a negative answer: "Based on the transfer point of Jeju Island to land from the west, all conditions are relatively favorable, it is easy to gain a foothold, and then continuously send troops up, but if forcefully never Landing in the southern part of Kyoto, which is unfamiliar to internal forces, it is inevitable that a fleet of this size will be discovered by the Japanese navy in advance. Even if a naval battle does not break out, it means that the task of the fleet will be very heavy, not only to seize the beach but also to transport personnel and The supplies also need to be covered by naval guns. With our transportation capacity, including the necessary supplies, it would be enough to send a few thousand people up at one time. We have to leave some warships behind for cover, and the remaining ships return to Jeju Island to continue loading people and cargo. , it will be impossible to come back within a few days. If the shogunate army is determined to attack at any cost in the past few days, the troops on the beach may not be able to hold it, and if the first landing is ineffective, the rest will be lost. Suddenness makes it even less likely to succeed.”

"We can't land directly. Isn't the Mongolian lesson painful enough?" Zhu Neng also expressed his clear opposition.

"What about sending firearms troops up? With naval gun cover, and the firearms troops forming a hollow square formation, even if tens of thousands of shogunate troops come, they should be able to defend it if they can't take the initiative to attack."

Jiang Xinghuo shook his head and just said: "We have to consider the weather factors. It is already April. If we cross the sea to conquer the sun, we must do it before autumn to avoid the storm on the sea. However, the southern part of Honshu Island in Japan is affected by the storm in summer. Affected by the southeast monsoon from the sea, there is generally too much precipitation. Once it rains, the firearms troops will not be able to use it. We cannot predict the weather and cannot bet on whether it will rain during the landing days."

Yes, the firearms troops forming a hollow square array have fierce firepower when defending, but the biggest problem is that the flintlock muskets have not yet been installed. Now they are matchlock muskets. Once it rains, the combat effectiveness will be greatly weakened.

The Ming Dynasty's firearms troops faced the Annan Army and the British Army, and of course they achieved a near-massacre loss ratio, but the weather conditions cannot be ignored. Once fighting on a rainy day, and the enemy is close, relying solely on the blunderbuss sword formation, Ming Dynasty will not be able to defeat the enemy. It is impossible for the army to achieve such an astonishing battle loss ratio, and it is not unusual for the enemy to be pushed into the sea by a superior number of enemies when they are at a numerical disadvantage in a cold weapon battle.

Jiang Xinghuo's analysis of the various forces within Japan is obviously very reasonable. Zhu Di is increasingly aware of the urgency of the situation. As an ambitious emperor, he cannot sit back and ignore Japan's internal strife, let alone let this opportunity slip away in vain. .

At this critical moment, Zhu Di showed his determination and courage.

Zhu Di stood up and glanced firmly at every important minister present.

"I have listened to your opinions and am fully aware of the pros and cons of all aspects."

Zhu Di spoke slowly, his voice echoing in the silent palace: "Japan is related to our Ming Dynasty's currency reform, and more importantly to our Ming Dynasty's world hegemony. We must not miss this opportunity!"

He paused and continued: "Therefore, I decided to send troops to Japan to seize this opportunity to support a regime close to the Ming Dynasty and ensure that Japan becomes our loyal ally to the Ming Dynasty. At the same time, we must also take this opportunity to completely dismantle the Japan, causing Japan to fall into constant civil strife."

"I have already decided."

Zhu Di once again emphasized: "Prepare the expedition as soon as possible to ensure the success of the first battle. At the same time, sufficient intelligence and logistics preparations must be made to prevent unexpected events."

After Zhu Di finished speaking, the Fengtian Hall became quiet, and everyone's opinions apparently began to unite.

As for the specific selection of generals and combat strategies, Zhu Di had already made plans.

"The land army has Cheng Guogong Zhu Neng as the commander, Cao Guogong Li Jinglong as the deputy commander, Prince Zhu Gaoxu as the vanguard, Ping'an, Li Yuan, Liu Cai, Fang Kuan and others as generals; the navy has the Three Treasures eunuch Zheng He as the commander, Ping Jiang Bo Chen Xuan is the deputy commander; the logistics are unified and prepared by the national division."

"As for the specific combat plan, according to the previous plan, the Japanese troops who are already familiar with the landing operations will set off from Denglai as the first batch of troops, shipped to Jeju Island for training and adaptation, and then capture the two unarmed trade zones of Tsushima and Iki. islands, occupied these two islands, and then landed in western Japan.”

Zhu Di made up his mind. The Ming Dynasty was large and had many troops. Although Japan was already a giant with a population of tens of millions to other countries in the world, to the Ming Dynasty, it was only a moderate opponent. After all, the Ming Dynasty has a hundred thousand Japanese troops that have been trained for a long time. This is still the first wave of troops. If the follow-up does not go well, the Ming Dynasty, whose neighbors have been conquered, can increase its troops to two hundred thousand at any time. , three hundred thousand, four hundred thousand!

And how many shogunate coalition forces can there be? Jiang Xinghuo calculated according to the standards of the Guanyuan joint battle, excluding auxiliary troops, and the 200,000 soldiers he had gathered were enough to stand up to the sky.

The Ming army was large in number, high quality, well equipped, and its weapons had a generational advantage. As long as they landed successfully, there was no reason why they couldn't win. So there was no need to step in after seeing the Mongols step on the trap twice. Log in honestly from the west to stock up on troops and supplies, and then push all the way through to win.

What Ming Dynasty has to do now is to take advantage of the opportunity given by Hou Guishan and legitimately land in Japan under the banner of supporting Hou Guishan. As for whether Hou Guishan is alive or dead after landing, it doesn't matter.

"In addition, send an envoy to inform the North Korean King Li Fangyuan and ask him to send the navy to transport supplies to assist the Ming Dynasty. Don't send the land army. It will be embarrassing to go up."

——————

Although Zhu Di doesn't think highly of Li Fangyuan, it has to be said that Li Fangyuan still has two skills.

After Li Bangyuan came to the throne, he reformed the administrative divisions of North Korea. He removed the first palace, fifth palace, sixth palace, and twenty pastoral houses inherited from the Goryeo Dynasty. He changed both sides of the fifth road to the eighth Korean road. At the same time, he abolished the military system of Goryeo. The private military system implements a unified government military system and concentrates military power in the center.

Although these two groups of bugs in Seoul and Kaijing always held him back, Li Fangyuan never stopped being "sneaky and aggressive", such as pushing the fortress in the direction of the Tumen River

But in the past few years, Zhu Di's northern expedition to Tatars shocked Li Fangyuan greatly.

According to Li Fangyuan's words, "My emperor (Zhu Di) likes to celebrate great achievements. If our country suffers a big disaster, he will definitely send troops to hold the culprits accountable. I think that the most urgent task today is to do it with sincerity and to consolidate the city and store food and pay." People understand and know that Daming is not easy to mess with, so they have to be prepared for defense while pretending to be a grandson.

Therefore, in the fourth year of Yongle, Li Fangyuan sent his son Li Zhenchao to congratulate the Ming Dynasty. This was also the highest-level envoy sent by Korea to the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Di was very happy and said to Li Zhu: "I am your father!"

Well, Li Zhen is very happy anyway. As for how he and Li Fangyuan will discuss seniority after they return, that is a matter between them.

But in general, Li Fangyuan has always been very wary of Zhu Di and the Ming Dynasty. Therefore, under the guidance of the traditional diplomatic policy of "Making matters big", Li Fangyuan respects the status of the Ming Dynasty as the suzerainty, but at the same time he also maintains A certain distance to avoid too much influence from the Ming Dynasty. The Uijeongyo government once suggested sending people to study in the Ming Dynasty, but Li Bangyuan refused. What he said at the time was, "The current emperor has many doubts. When people from this dynasty come, they will be ordered to set up secret surveillance. Do not communicate with them." The Yuan Dynasty was a mess for a while."

The important ministers in North Korea also generally believed that after the Ming Dynasty ordered the Duoyan Three Guards to destroy the Jurchen tribes and then reorganized their troops on the banks of the Yalu River, they were trying to strangle North Korea by its throat and its right arm.

For this reason, Li Fangyuan also made some preparations, because the Jurchens actually straddled the Ming Dynasty and North Korea, so he had gathered many Jurchen Men'an before, such as Sansan Meng'an Gulu Dolan Timur, Haiyang Meng An Kuo'er Ya Huo lost Timur, Jiazhou Meng An Yun Gang Kuo, Hong Ken Meng An Kuo Er Ya Wu Nan, Tulu Wu Meng An Jia Wen Bu Hua, Meng An Xi Tan Xue Lie and so on.

Moreover, Li Fangyuan could not do anything on the Yalu River line, but in the vast area from the north of Gonggui Town to the Tumen River, North Korea established six military towns composed of a mixture of Jurchens and Koreans as a defense against the Ming Dynasty in the direction of the Tumen River. outpost.

Moreover, because the Ming Dynasty began to clear out the Jurchen tribes and kill them all, many Jurchens fled to North Korea. Li Fangyuan gave the Jurchen leader a title, encouraged him to enter the capital as a guard, and allowed him to marry Koreans. North Korea also provided These tribes who came to surrender provided horses, clothing, food, etc., and it was clear that they wanted to recruit the Jurchens to resist possible attacks by the Ming Dynasty.

But this time Li Fangyuan was greatly relieved when he learned that Zhu Di did not need to send Lu Division as cannon fodder.

Regardless of whether Zhu Di looked down upon the combat effectiveness of the North Koreans, as long as they were not used as cannon fodder, it would be good. As for dispatching the navy and providing supplies, these horrific amounts of supplies directly emptied more than half of the warehouses in the two capitals of North Korea. , but Li Fangyuan has to grit his teeth and say it, otherwise? It's hard to say that the Ming Dynasty didn't attack Japan to attack him, because it was not worth the loss if he lost the throne because he was reluctant to give up the money. And if the Ming Dynasty could destroy Annan, it would be about the same difficulty to destroy North Korea. Li Fangyuan didn't dare to bet.

However, once war breaks out between the Ming Dynasty and Japan, the entrepot trade between North Korea and Japan will definitely come to a standstill.

As early as the founding of Lee's Korea, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu accepted the request of Lee's Korea to ban Japanese pirates and established diplomatic relations with them. Trade between Japan and Korea was thus established. Not only the shogunate participated, but also the guardian daimyo, local wealthy families and businessmen actively participated. Therefore, trade was prosperous. The items Japan exported to North Korea included copper, tin, sulfur, and medicinal herbs, and the items North Korea exported to Japan included cotton, Korean ginseng, rice, lacquerware, Confucian classics, etc.

"The Zongzhen family is going to be in trouble."

Li Zhen said somewhat helplessly.

"Then there's no other way. Who makes the Zongzada family the guardian daimyo of Tsushima Island? Having made so much money over the years, it should be enough."

The trade between Japan and North Korea is also called "communication charm trade" because of the use of communication charms issued by the shogunate. The Japanese guardian daimyo closest to North Korea is Munesada Shigeru on Tsushima Island, and the two sides have a good relationship.

But now that Lee's North Korea has too much time to take care of itself, how can it still care about this old friend?

Li Fangyuan thought for a while and said: "Send an envoy to Tsushima Island and ask Zong Zhenmao to come to Korea with gold and silver treasures, tribes and ships. If you pay 90% of the wealth, we will allocate a small area for him on the Yellow Sea Road, and Allow him to keep his troops and ships."

"yes."

Li Bao looked at Li Fangyuan and asked, "What about sending troops?"

"Sending troops does not produce results."

At the end of April in the sixth year of Yongle, the King of Korea ordered Li Congmao, Lord of Changchuan, to be the commander-in-chief, and divided the naval forces into two armies. The commander of the left army was Pu Su, and his generals were Pu Hongxin, Park Maoyang, Jin Gai, and Jin Xi. The commander of the right army was Pu Su. Li Shunmeng and his generals Jin Xiaocheng and Pu Tai led a total of 200 warships to assist the Ming army in attacking Japan.

——————

Night falls over Tsushima Island.

The sea breeze on the island is salty, humid and chilly, blowing the dense woods and making a rustling sound.

In the center of the island, the mansion of the guardian lord Sadashige was brightly lit, but it could not conceal the atmosphere of panic.

When the news came, Zong Zhenmao was discussing matters with several confidants in his study.

The cronies rushed in and reported breathlessly: "Sir, the Ming army's fleet has appeared in large numbers near Jeju Island. I'm afraid they are about to land on Tsushima Island!"

As soon as these words came out, everyone in the room changed their expressions.

Zong Zhenmao felt dizzy. He tried to stabilize his body, but his voice trembled involuntarily: "Is the news accurate?"

The confidant lowered his head and said: "It's absolutely true, sir, the flag of the Ming army is clearly visible, and the size of the fleet covers the sky. There are probably thousands of large and small ships."

At this time, Zong Zhenmao's son Zong Zhensheng was also present. He took a step forward and said in a deep voice: "Father, the Ming army is powerful. We might as well surrender. Maybe we can preserve the family's bloodline."

Zong Zhenmao glared at his son, but he had mixed feelings in his heart.

How could he not know that surrender might be the only way out, but as the guardian daimyo of Tsushima, how could his pride allow him to make such a choice?

You know, during the Mongolian expedition to Japan, Tsushima fought bloody battles to the end!

However, now and then, Tsushima is so rich in business now, it is hard to say whether it still has the bloodiness of its predecessors back then.

At this moment, Hayata Zaemon Dairo, the local wealthy family and Japanese pirate leader also came after hearing the news.

Although Zong Zhenmo did not summon him to discuss matters, it actually explained the relationship between the two.

Hayata Zaemon Dairo was short but strong, with a rough face. As soon as he entered the door, he shouted loudly: "Daimyo, I heard that the Japanese army is coming?"

Zong Zhenmao nodded helplessly and motioned for him to sit down first.

Hayata Zaemon Dairo knelt down on the table and continued to speak in a loud voice: "Humph, they want to land on Tsushima Island? It's not that easy! I will lead the navy there right away and let them know that Tsushima Island is not easy to bully! "

Mune Sadashige looked at Hayata Zaemon Dairo's fearless look, but his heart felt even more uncertain.

This man is definitely not as reckless as he appears. He wants the command of the navy, but he has no idea what he has in mind.

Mune Sadashige had no choice but to persuade him with gentle words, and perfunctorily sent Hayata Zaemon Dairo out, but he didn't see the vicious look in his eyes when he left.

The night was particularly long. Soon after, a North Korean envoy quietly landed on the island.

This North Korean envoy often traveled between North Korea and Tsushima Island, and Zong Zhenmo was no stranger to him.

"Daimyo, I have a plan that may be able to protect you and your family."

Zong Zhenmao asked hurriedly: "What's the plan? Tell me quickly!"

The envoy said: "You can neither surrender to the Ming Dynasty nor return to Japan. Instead, you can take the wealth accumulated over the years to our North Korea. The king always respects virtuous people and will definitely provide you with proper accommodation."

Zong Zhenmao was very excited after hearing this, and felt that he could control the situation so as not to offend him. He asked the envoy to rest first and think about it before giving him a formal reply tomorrow.

However, on the night of delay, something unexpected happened.

Hayata Zaemon Dairo led his Japanese pirates to launch a mutiny.

These people include wandering samurai from Japan, Korean sailors who fled to Tsushima Island, and even pirates from the Ming Dynasty. They can be said to be the contempt of all people. They know that they are not worthy of the Ming Dynasty, and they covet the wealth that the Zongzhen family has accumulated through trade over the years. Wealth, so I decided to do something big before sailing back east!

Taking advantage of the dark and windy night, the Japanese pirates raided Zong Zhenmao's mansion.

The mansion suddenly fell into chaos, with fires everywhere and shouts of killing.

Zong Zhenmao and his trusted warriors fought hard, but they were quickly defeated in the face of the wolf-like Japanese pirates.

In a pool of blood, Hayata Zaemon Dairo found Mune Sadashige who had fallen to the ground. He saw that the guardian daimyo of Tsushima Island who once sat on his head and dominated him had now ended up like this, and he was heartbroken. I couldn't help but feel a sense of pleasure.

Hayata Zaemon Dairo raised his katana with a ferocious smile and struck Mune Sadashige.

Sozadamori, who was sent to the port by Sosada Shige to sail a boat at dawn to observe the Ming army's situation, was devastated after learning the news that his father had been killed. He knew that staying on Tsushima Island had no meaning anymore. So he decided to defect to the Ming army on Jeju Island.

Zong Zhensheng took advantage of the fact that the Japanese pirates were still immersed in the pleasure of burning, killing and looting before dawn, and drove a small boat to escape from Tsushima Island in a hurry.

After wandering at sea for a day, Zong Zhensheng finally arrived at Jeju Island.

He reported the tragic situation on Tsushima Island to the Ming army generals, and expressed his willingness to lead the Ming army to the island to avenge his father as he was familiar with the terrain.

Pingjiang Bo Chen Xuan, who arrived earlier, looked at the embarrassed Japanese young man with a complicated look in his eyes.

Chen Xuan knew very well that the surrender of Zong Zhensheng, a local snake, was undoubtedly good news for the Ming army. However, whether this matter was a fraud or a trick, you also need to be careful. After all, the one who attacked Tsushima Island last time The resistance the Mongols encountered at that time was quite fierce.

So Chen Xuan asked Zong Zhensheng to settle down temporarily in Jeju Island, and sent people to Tsushima Island to investigate the situation.

Facts have proved that Chen Xuan was overthinking, and the investigating intelligence officers soon returned. Tsushima Island had now become a hell on earth, with a sea of ​​fire on top, and the Japanese pirates were loading a large number of looted treasures.

Chen Xuan made a prompt decision and asked Zheng He's fleet, which had just arrived, not to repair it, but to attack Tsushima immediately.

The Japanese pirates under Hayata Zaemon Dairo's command encountered the regular fleet of the Ming army, just like a mouse encountering a cat. They were frightened and fled in all directions. The sea around Tsushima Island was full of floating corpses of Japanese pirates. The Ming army went smoothly. Landing on Tsushima Island.

Soon, a large number of Japanese troops and war supplies departed from Dengrae and arrived on Jeju Island as scheduled. Fortunately, Jeju Island was a large enough place as a horse breeding ground in the Yuan Dynasty, and this place had been operated by the Ming Dynasty for five or six years, and the port throughput was The quantity is also very considerable, so although the Ming army fleet is very large, the various ports on Jeju Island can still operate in an orderly manner.

With the arrival of Zhu Neng, Li Jinglong, Jiang Xinghuo, Zhu Gaoxu and others, the official cross-sea attack on Japan is about to begin.