I

Chapter 1039 – 1035 [Respecting The King To Seek Thieves]

Chapter 1039 1035 [Respecting the king to seek thieves]

Edo Castle Town, there is a large block, where a large number of ronin live.

In a certain shabby room, many wanderers surrounded a middle-aged man. The rogues looked anxious and flustered, but the middle-aged man looked calm and continued to talk about his knowledge: “What is the foundation of wealth? Grain and cloth. Gold, silver and copper coins are just servants of the grain and cloth. Why are the ronin poor? Because they don’t do production. Not only ronin, but samurai don’t do production either. There are so many samurai and ronin in the world, and they all need to be taken care of by peasants. How hard it is for peasants! We, ronin, must also learn to work…”

“gentlemen!”

A wanderer asked: “We don’t have land, so we can’t plow and grow food. Even if we are willing to be craftsmen, craftsmen will not teach us skills. We also want to be merchants, but merchants only specialize in buying and selling. The current situation is that we Ronin also wants to work, but they can only do some odd jobs, or serve as guards for wealthy businessmen.”

The middle-aged man sighed: “The disadvantages of this system must be reformed from top to bottom. When my teacher and I were in the Okayama Domain, we had persuaded the feudal lord to reform. Unfortunately, we were framed by villains and were dismissed from office and exiled to various places.”

The middle-aged man’s name is Xiong Zefanshan, and his father is a ronin. He himself was an official in the Okayama domain, but he and his teacher spread Yangming’s philosophy of mind, and were framed and suppressed by Lin Luoshan, who admired Zhu Xi’s learning. From then on, he hid in Tibet and died under house arrest in another time and space.

His teacher Nakae Fujiki is the originator of the Japanese Yangming School of Mind, so Kumasawa Fanzan is the second generation disciple of the Japanese Yangming School of Mind.

Nakae Tengshu’s knowledge split into two factions.

One school is called the Cunyang School, and the academic leader is Yuan Gangshan, who follows the teacher’s thinking and cannot be changed.

Xiong Zefanshan is the leader of the Shigong faction, “Shigong” means applying what you have learned. He did not blindly follow the teachings of his teacher, or even follow Wang Yangming, claiming that he was learning from an ancient sage, and later tried to integrate Neo-Confucianism and Xinxue—his thoughts and practices, on the contrary, inherited the true meaning of Wang Yangming.

A ronin disciple couldn’t help it: “Sir, there is a fight outside, you can help us out. Should we help the shogunate fight, or help the Tang soldiers fight? Or, we just run away, Edo is now It’s the battlefield!”

Xiong Ze Fanshan shook his head and said: “We are ronin, not samurai of the shogunate. How can we help the shogunate in fighting? The ronin have rioted many times, and they have long been distrusted by the shogunate. We all want to be loyal but can’t get it.”

“Then shall we help Tang soldiers fight?” Another disciple asked.

Xiong Ze Fanshan continued to shake his head: “Born here and raised here, you are a country and a citizen, and you must not fight for a foreign country.”

“Then should we run away?” Another disciple asked.

Xiong Ze Fanshan still shook his head: “There is no need to run away.”

More disciples were in a hurry: “We don’t help each other, and we don’t run away. Are we waiting to die here?”

Xiong Zefanshan smiled and said: “Sit down and listen to me slowly.”

“Although I have never been to China, I have visited two envoys sent to the Tang Dynasty. From their mouths, I know China very well. The soldiers of the Tang Dynasty are also called the Datong Army. They advocate the unity of the world and never kill and plunder the people. A few years ago, the soldiers of the Tang Dynasty besieged Hewan The city is an example, and the people of Tsurumaru City all praised Tang Bing. Therefore, as long as we stay here, as long as we don’t run around, there will be no danger.”

“The shogunate has been corrupted, and the killing of Tang soldiers is not a bad thing. It can wake up the shogunate princes from their dreams. If there is no foreign enemy, how can today’s shogunate and daimyo be willing to reform the system?”

“Since ancient times, agriculture has been the foundation. The shogunate’s annual tribute rice system seems to be based on agriculture, but it allows the royal family, daimyo, samurai, and merchants to exploit farmers. How rich is China? It’s all because farmers get their jobs. Once the peasants live, they will live in all industries.”

“Today’s Japan is a pool of stagnant water. Samurai are kept in captivity for no production, farmers are imprisoned on the land and cannot move. A pond without running water will become a pool of stagnant water, which will breed snakes, insects, rats and ants. Only flowing water will not rot. People are moving.”

“I have also read “The Collection of Datong”, and it can be summed up in one word: live!”

“The Chinese emperor was able to rule the land of the Tang Dynasty because he allowed the people under his rule to live. The lowly people have equal status. Farmers, actors, craftsmen, merchants, scholars, and military households… can all choose occupations at will. Therefore, the hearts of the people and the ability to There are many people.”

”The people in the world are water droplets, which converge into rivers, lakes and seas. But the Chinese emperor has a broad mind, just like the sea. All rivers belong to the sea, and the people belong to the emperor.”

“How big is the Chinese emperor? I’ve heard that as long as he doesn’t criticize Tian Zheng, as long as he doesn’t violate the law and commit crimes, even if he publicly scolds the emperor, he will be imprisoned for a few days at most. Chinese scholars can speak freely and express their thoughts freely. And What about us in Japan? My mentor and I were charged with conspiracy for treason just because we spread the teachings of the mind in the Okayama Domain.”

“If the shogunate wants to reform, it doesn’t have to copy China. It’s easy to draw a tiger instead of a dog. But it must learn from China and let Japan live. Samurai and ronin should be encouraged to produce. Farmers should not be tied to the land… This is difficult, and the samurai system needs to be reformed, as well as the land system.”

“Perhaps, only a great figure like the emperor of China, who became a shogun, can achieve this kind of reform.”

“The siege of Edo by Tang soldiers this time may wake up the shogunate. Even if the reform cannot be completed, it is good to change a little bit. If it can be changed a little bit, it means that Japan can still move and live, and it is not completely dead. If Tang If the soldiers are withdrawn and the shogunate still does not reform, then Japan will really be over.”

Kumazawa Fanzan was the most sober and pragmatic Japanese thinker from the 17th to the 18th century, and there has been no Japanese who has surpassed him for a hundred years since then.

But looking at this man’s life, two-thirds of his time has been avoiding arrest. In his later years, he was too lazy to escape, calmly waiting to be arrested, and then under house arrest until he died of illness.

“Bang bang bang bang!”

Gunshots came from the streets and alleys outside. The warriors who were unable to enter the city were already fighting street battles with the Datong Army.

Xiong Ze Fanshan continued to preach: “Tai Chi divides Yin and Yang, and when Yin and Yang circulate, all things in the world will be born and multiply. This is the so-called golden mean. Now in Japan, Yin and Yang cannot circulate. Yin is Yin and Yang is Yang. Yin and Yang cannot be exchanged. Tai, everything will be ruined. We ronin, what should we do?”

“The ronin should make peace with himself, and don’t think that he is superior to ordinary people. Whenever he has the opportunity, he should learn how to work, how to do business, and how to farm, so that he can survive. He carries a knife all day long and wanders around in the castle town. , What good is it for us? If it doesn’t work, let’s leave Japan and go to the outside world.”

Suddenly, a disciple asked: “Sir, can we learn from the emperor of Tang Dynasty? Sir, come to be the leader, lead the ronin to rebel, and lead the peasants to rebel together. Overthrow the tyranny of the shogunate, return the government to His Majesty the Emperor, and then let Japan live!”

Xiong Ze Fanshan became silent, and then sighed.

“Why didn’t you speak, sir?” asked the disciple.

Xiong Ze Fanshan said: “Many people will die that way, and it may not be successful. The daimyo and their banners will work together to suppress it. But the ronin and the peasants are hard to be single-minded. Among us, if the rebellion becomes big, the shogunate will If you buy it secretly, I am afraid that some people will become traitors. Don’t rush to refute, if a big name accepts you as retainers and warriors, will you continue to rebel?”

All the disciples immediately fell silent.

Suddenly a ronin disciple stood up, drew his knife and slashed at the corner of the table: “No matter how many people die, we should rise up. If you don’t rise up, what hope is there in this life? Swimming around towns and alleys all day is nothing more than beggars. One more knife. I’ve had enough of this kind of life. I didn’t open my mind before, but now I know what to do after listening to my husband’s good words. The shogun is a thief who steals the country. We should respect the king and punish the thief, and return the great government of the world to the world. Your Majesty the Emperor! Gentlemen, who would like to go with me?”

“I would like to go together!”

“Count me in!”

In an instant, more than a dozen people stood up, with enthusiasm written all over their faces.

Xiong Ze Fanshan couldn’t help but sigh. He knew that his disciples would definitely fail, but he still had a little hope.

Moreover, Xiong Zefanshan knew that he should leave.

If the disciples make a fuss, he will be severely wanted. I am afraid that there will be no hiding place in the whole of Japan.

On the street, more than two hundred warriors charged forward with swords and guns in hand, and arrows were shot down from the attic on the street from time to time.

Samurai who cannot enter the city must have no firearms and can only fight with cold weapons.

The Datong Army adopted the standard mandarin duck formation, a team of eleven people—one less fireman than Qi Jiguang’s mandarin duck formation, and with the large number of muskets equipped, spears and wolf guns have been completely eliminated.

Rattan shield in front of the hand to cover the progress of teammates.

Four musketeers followed, holding bayonets, making temporary cameos as pikemen and wolf soldiers. The rest of the musketeers were in charge of shooting, especially those warriors who rushed to the front.

On this street, five Datong army squads, fifty-five people marched forward.

More than two hundred warriors rushed over, and more than thirty fell from a long distance. When the musketeers finished reloading, there were only a dozen steps left, and this time those with bayonets also fired together.

A burst of gunpowder smoke filled the air, and the warriors were already scattered.

Such a situation happened in every corner of Edo castle town.

Although the troops from Nanjing have not seen blood for nearly twenty years, they have not stopped practicing daily. Moreover, there are many officers from the front line, as well as students who graduated from military academies, and the best were selected and transferred to the Nanjing Garrison.

And what about these low-level warriors?

Not to mention the experience of war, even decades of no formation drill. They inherited their samurai status from their parents, and what they think about all day is not training to fight, but how to avoid being dismissed as ronin. So he tried every means to bribe the superior officials, and usually carried a knife to show off his might and despise the people.

With such a huge disparity, once the battle is fought, the judgment will be judged.

There were samurai corpses in all the streets, and more samurai fled in rout and gathered at the city gate automatically. They were not allowed to enter the city again, so under the leadership of the general officer, they bypassed the city wall and retreated to the streets to the north.

“Bang bang bang bang!”

“Follow me to kill the enemy!”

Datong cavalry was dispatched, and there were only two or three hundred cavalry, because the horses had just landed and needed to rest.

But the heavily armed cavalry rushed out from the streets, and the defeated warriors were frightened. Those who can serve as cavalrymen in Nanjing are all tall horses and burly men. In the eyes of Japanese samurai, they are all like gods descending from the earth.

The samurai were chased and killed by the cavalry, and they didn’t care about their heads, they only knew how to run to the north desperately. Originally, they recovered a little bit of organization, but when they were rushed by the Chinese cavalry, fear spread like a virus, and tens of thousands of warriors outside the city were completely defeated.

The shogun and daimyo stood at the top of the city and watched the whole process, their faces pale with fright.

(end of this chapter)