Chapter 145 The Battle Between the Lord and the Servant

In the fifth year of Fuso Kan'ei (1628), Emperor Gomizuo, who had ascended the throne for five years, was tasting beef porcelain head from Keelung with Kinshi.

"Do you think we can make something like this?" Hou Shuiwei played with the porcelain head in his hand.

The appearance is smooth and delicate, even better than women's skin.

It is truly a product of heaven, even the small food is so exquisitely prepared.

Several servants with minor surnames came forward and said, "Your Highness, this will take some time to prepare."

"Exclusively for Keelung!" Hou Shuiwei muttered the four Chinese characters marked on the porcelain head, "It seems that the craftsmanship is not simple, so it takes a lot of work."

"Hai Yi!"

Had it not been for the lack of money in the palace, Hou Shuiwei would never have allowed his servants to engage in menial jobs such as merchants.

A daughter was recently born, and the palace expenses were huge.

Izumi, Kawachi, and Yamashiro in Kyoto Kinki are the royal family's property. They are located in the Kanto Plain, with thousands of miles of fertile fields, a prosperous population, and an annual income of one million koku.

In addition, the royal family does not need to send military pay, and the attendants they usually support can be paid for three to four hundred dan, and the rest is pure income.

Although I have no freedom and cannot leave Kyoto, I can live a worry-free life, with endless wine and delicious food, so I don’t have to worry about my safety.

The problem is that three years ago, Tokugawa Ieyasu, who was behind the scenes, died, and the incumbent Tokugawa Iemitsu immediately showed his fangs.

I don't know where I found a copy of the royal family's "Four Rules of Astronomy", and arbitrarily and unreasonably seized nearly a million stones of land in Izumi, Hanoi, and Yamashiro.

1. The royal family cannot have private property, and all common expenses are provided by the shogunate;

2. Royal marriages cannot be settled privately;

3. The royal family is not allowed to leave Kyoto randomly;

4. The royal family needs to report to the shogun for enthroning, and can only ascend the throne after receiving permission.

This is not the Four Principles of Astronomy. It is simply the Four Principles of Murder and the life of the royal family. Seeing this newly bound "Four Principles of Astronomy", Hou Shuiwei had no choice but to press down his seal.

There are always evil people, but the Tokugawa family went too far, which made Gomizuo very unhappy. No matter how hard you try, you can't make me hungry.

If you are unkind, don't blame me for being unjust.

After lunch, Gomizuo invited the Minister of Internal Affairs of Kyoto. This official position was to manage Fuso's political affairs. But like Gomizuo's throne, it was just a decoration. The person who really managed Japan's food was in Edo.

"Your Highness, stay safe!" Kita Nobu, who was wearing simple cyan clothes, saluted respectfully. Kita Nobu is the head of the contemporary Kita family and is also the Minister of Internal Affairs of Kyoto.

"Get up!" Kita Cheng stood up slowly. He is fifty-three years old this year and has long passed his prime. His face is full of wrinkles.

After sitting cross-legged, he looked at the table and said, "I wonder what instructions your Highness has to the minister!"

In Kyoto, where no imperial meeting had been held for three years, Gomizuo's sudden recruitment was still very strange to Kita.

"Master Mamoru, you also know what the Tokugawa family is doing now." After saying this, Mizuo completely ignored his own image and cried to Kita Kazuo about all the evil deeds of Tokugawa Iemitsu.

"What Iemitsu-sama did was a bit excessive." Kita Kaori had heard a little bit about Tokugawa Iemitsu's confiscation of royal land.

"It's not just excessive, it's simply a heinous crime." Hou Shuiwei twirled his fingers angrily.

Only in front of Kita Shoto can he express his true feelings without any concealment. There is no other reason. Kita Shouki is the minister left to him by his father and will never betray him.

"Your Highness, when I get back soon, I will send some land and silk cloth to the royal family for their salary."

"Thank you, Wei and sir."

Compared with several ministers he had approached before, Kita's attitude made Hou Shuiwei very satisfied.

Food is temporarily secured, but the real problem has not been solved. If the Tokugawa family does not return the land for one day, this problem will exist for one more day.

I can still rely on the support of my retainers for a while, but what will happen later.

"I can't even get enough to eat. I'm probably the worst offender." Hou Shuiwei couldn't help but laugh at himself.

The unsatisfactory life made this strong man, who had just celebrated his thirtieth birthday, become thinner and thinner, with wrinkles showing at the corners of his eyes.

Hou Shuiwei had already retreated, but he still felt unsafe. After all, who knows if walls have ears.

If what he said just now was heard and reported, the Tokugawa family would probably pay more attention to it, but what he was going to say next was an even bigger secret.

Hou Shuiwei leaned close to Kita's voice and whispered in his ear: "Master Weihe, I was wondering if I could invite you to Keelung."

Kita was stunned and narrowed his eyes as he looked at His Highness, who had been regarded as the most cowardly and incompetent person in the royal family in the past century. His heart was filled with waves.

"Your Highness, you"

"Master Weihe, you are the old man left by my father to me. I will not hide it from you. The Tokugawa family has gone too far this time. I could tolerate it in the past, but now."

"But Your Highness, you have to know how risky it is to do this." Kitaru cautioned cautiously, "If the Tokugawa family finds out, I'm afraid the Kyoto dignitaries will face a big looting."

"What's the matter? There are still a few officials in Kyoto who are looking at me." Gosui Wei really didn't care.

"Lord Weihe, I heard that Qin Hao of Keelung has hundreds of thousands of troops and a base of tens of thousands of miles. He has tens of thousands of cannons and countless iron cannons. He also has ships sailing on the sea. He has already become a hero for a while. Is this true?" In fact, Hou Shuiwei was still puzzled by this news. How could a person suddenly rise to prominence in just a few years and build such a big business?

He had no choice but to believe it. Kita Makoto immediately confirmed: "Your Highness, what you heard is true. That man is indeed a hero. The Shimazu family suffered a lot in occupying Taiwan Island and attacking Ryukyu."

"The Shimazu family also suffered a loss." Hou Shuiwei was shocked. He poured a glass of sake for Kita Makoto and asked him to continue.

"Just a month ago, the Shimazu family brazenly sent troops to attack Ryukyu. Before Ryukyu asked for help, the Shimazu family's foot soldiers were all killed by the guards left in Ryukyu by Keelung."

"In that battle, the Shimazu family lost 3,000 foot soldiers, and as for Keelung, only more than 30 people were killed or injured." Kita Makoto, who was over 50 years old, couldn't help but feel very emotional, as if he remembered the battles he had fought in Kansai.

"Hiss!"

He opened his eyes wide and looked surprised, "How can he be so brave."

"This is not worth it for me."

If I have such an army

Hou Shuiwei drank a glass of sake and woke up. How could such a thing be possible?

However, since Keelung is so powerful, the possibility of realizing his plan is much greater.

After tidying up his robes, Gomizuo solemnly knelt in front of Kitano. This was against etiquette, but he had no choice.

"Please save me, Lord Weihe!"

Kitano, who was immersed in the first battle to get the enemy's head, was frightened by Gomizuo's move and knelt down quickly.

"Your Highness, I deserve to die."

"I hope Lord Weihe will go on a mission!"

"Your Highness, please, I will never fail my mission!"

Faced with His Highness's persistence, Kitano was helpless. Looking at the child he had accompanied since childhood, he softened his heart.

Now he is also a father, and he has the idea of ​​planning for his descendants.

Edo, the most prosperous city in Japan, has a permanent population of 330,000, which is much higher than Kyoto's 250,000.

Since the 18th year of Tensho (1590), after the battle of Odawara against the Hojo clan, Tokugawa Ieyasu was granted the title of Kanto and made Edo his home. After several renovations, Edo Castle began to prosper.

In the 8th year of Keicho (1603), Ieyasu established the Tokugawa Shogunate in Edo, which lasted for more than 200 years. Since then, as the political and economic center of the country, Edo Castle has developed greatly and eventually formed the current Tokyo.

As the third-generation shogun of the Tokugawa Shogunate, he lives here. However, compared with the title of the third generation of the Tokugawa family, the current shogun prefers to be called by his name - Tokugawa Iemitsu.

The difference of one word makes the praises of the two generations of grandfather and grandson completely opposite.

Tokugawa Ieyasu is considered an old turtle in the eyes of later generations, but the Japanese still have a good impression of him. After all, this guy ended the chaotic Warring States Period and opened the Edo Period.

As a grandson, Tokugawa Iemitsu was not so popular. When his grandfather was alive, he could still be respectful to the wise and humble, but as soon as his grandfather died, he completely exposed his true nature.

He was talented but arrogant!

After Toyotomi Hideyoshi died, he was given the title of Toyokuni Daimyojin. After Tokugawa Ieyasu destroyed the Toyotomi family, he took back the title of Daimyojin. This was understandable.

But Tokugawa Iemitsu did something that was beyond everyone's expectations. He personally climbed up the Higashiyama in Kyoto - Amida Peak, and destroyed the Toyotomi tombstone.

He also ordered Gomizuo to define himself as a god, and accepted worship from all directions with the title of Tosho Daigongen.

According to Ryotaro Shiba, it is better to say that Iemitsu is a freak than a genius.

In the Evaluation Hall, Tokugawa Iemitsu was reviewing the letter sent by the Kumamoto family in Kyushu. Looking around at the many retainers in the room, he only handed the letter to a close attendant beside him: "Musashi, what do you think about this matter?"

This man named Musashi is Matsudaira Nobunaga, the minister of "Wisdom Izu", but now he has not made a fortune, but he is deeply appreciated by Tokugawa Iemitsu.

Today, all the retainers of the Tokugawa family gathered in the Evaluation Hall, including the Grand Minister Kitajima Ryuji, the Grand Councilor Masuda Mikio, the Right Guard General Yamashita Tomoko, and many high-ranking officials above the fourth rank.

How could he, a small attendant, have a say?

The Right Guard General Yamashita Tomoko spoke first: "Tokugawa-dono, we must deal with the matter of Kobe"

Before he finished speaking, Tokugawa Iemitsu looked at him coldly.

"Your Highness, did I say something wrong?"

"Did I ask you to speak?"

"No" Yamashita Tomoko was stunned for a moment, he was speechless by Tokugawa Iemitsu's words.

He was speaking, so did he let a close attendant speak?

How could a person without a rank be qualified to stay in the evaluation room.

"Musashi, tell me what you think."

Tokugawa Iemitsu didn't care about the eyes of these family elders at all, and asked Matsudaira Nobutsuna to speak by name.

Matsudaira Nobutsuna was also sweating, his Highness had become more and more confident recently.

Now he was an ant on the chopping board, or an ant that had to be put into the oil pan.

"For Kobe, Your Highness, I think it's better to take a long-term view?"

"Take a long-term view?!"

Yamashita Tomoko snorted coldly, "Do you need others to tell you what to do in Fuso? I think your Highness, this little think tank, is just a coward!"

Yamashita Tomoko looked at Matsudaira Nobunaga in a commanding manner. Your Highness couldn't contradict him. It would be easy to beat Matsudaira Nobunaga, who had no official position.

He had no idea that he would offend Tokugawa Iemitsu with just such a casual sentence.

Even if Matsudaira Nobunaga was useless, he was still his man. You have to look at the owner before you beat the dog.

For the old ministers of the Azuchi-Momoyama period, Tokugawa Iemitsu had reached the limit of wanting to deal with them cleanly.

But the Grand Minister Kitajima Ryuji seemed to see the gloom on Tokugawa Iemitsu's face, and quickly pulled Yamashita Tomoko's sleeve and scolded in a low voice.

"This is the evaluation room, not the backyard of the Yamashita family. His Highness Iemitsu can let anyone speak, why are you butting in?"

"I just can't stand it." Yamashita Tomoko said stubbornly, full of arrogance, "It's just a close attendant. How can His Highness take it so seriously? Can it be compared with us important ministers?"

"Alas!"

Kitajima Ryuji shook his head helplessly. If there is no point in talking, it's better not to say anything.

If Yamashita Tomoko was not an old minister, he really didn't want to remind her.

Ignoring the arrogance of the right guard general, Matsudaira Nobunaga stayed by Tokugawa Iemitsu's side and said what he thought.

"Lord Iemitsu, as far as I know, Kobe is occupied by a group of sea merchants, but those people should be the Keelung people who have become famous recently. It is this group of people who support the Saga family on Kyushu Island.

According to the escaped foot soldiers, this group of people's iron cannons and cannons are sharp and ordinary people can hardly resist them."

Tokugawa Iemitsu touched his moustache under his chin, thinking.

The appearance of this group of Keelung people is bound to disrupt his deployment to recover Kyushu Island.

"How to deal with it?" For a moment, even he had to ask Matsudaira Nobutsuna.

"If the Lord allows, I am willing to lead the troops to fight. If I win, I will follow the original plan of the Lord and merge with the Kumamoto family, attack from both sides, and annihilate them in one fell swoop. If the military luck is not good, I will find another way out. As for Kobe, I will decide after the war."

"This is the only way for now!"

Although he did not learn the skill of "surviving" from his grandfather, Tokugawa Iemitsu was the one who was most influenced by Sinology, and he was familiar with various Chinese classics, history, and collections.

In the future, he would be a top student who graduated from Stanford University and is familiar with dozens of good books with top thinking, such as "The Way of the Wolf", "Guiguzi", and "Murphy's Law".

"War is a major event for a country, a place of life and death, and a way of survival and destruction. It must be carefully considered."

This is the opening words of "The Art of War" and the sentence that Tokugawa Iemitsu remembers most. "Musashi, don't go to Kyushu for the test. I have my own arrangements."

Tokugawa Iemitsu looked at Matsudaira Nobutsuna confidently, and then turned his eyes to Yamashita Tomoko.

Yamashita Tomoko also noticed the look in Iemitsu's eyes and hurriedly stood up, "I don't know what your Highness wants."

"Lord Ukone, it has been found that the person who occupied Kobe is the supporter behind the Saga family, so I plan to send you to fight. Are you willing?"

Iemitsu threw this burden to Yamashita Tomoko calmly, not afraid that he would not agree.

Whenever there is a war, this old guy is always the most active. Although his foot soldiers have strong fighting ability, they are the most undisciplined, burning, killing, looting and doing everything.

When his grandfather Tokugawa Ieyasu was alive, he loved and hated him.

But now Iemitsu has no love for this old guy, and sending him to death is the best choice.

He also warned the officials who wanted to persuade him with his eyes, and the general who went on the expedition this time was taken by Yamashita Tomoko.

Except for the evaluation room, he was still complacent about being entrusted with an important task by the palace again, and did not notice the eyes of others, the kind of eyes that looked at the dead.

The three old ministers of the Azuchi-Momoyama period, the Minister of State Kitajima Ryuji, knew how to advance and retreat, Masuda Mikio, the Grand Councilor, was just a decoration and never gave a word of advice. As for the Right Guard General Yamashita Tomoko, everyone knew that the palace hated him the most.

This time, he was asked to go on the expedition to test him, which was an open conspiracy.

Even so, this guy did not see it, and was still the same young man as before.

He had to die sooner or later. Many ministers hoped that the old fool Yamashita Tomoko would die on the way to the battle, otherwise the palace would have to find other excuses after he returned.

It doesn't matter if he died, but it would be bad if he implicated others.

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