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Chapter 1041 – 1037【Empress And Monk Taishanghuang】

Chapter 1041 1037【Female Emperor and Monk Supreme Emperor】

This shogunate meeting was not only attended by senior middlemen and councilors, but also the names of major vassal states.

Sakai Tadaki expressed his opinions one by one: “First, some military expenses for the Tang soldiers can be compensated, but not too much, absolutely not more than 600,000 guan (150,000 taels of silver).”

“600,000 kan is too much.” Tokugawa Ietsuna didn’t want to pay.

The financial revenue of the shogunate all comes from the directly governed territory, which can be divided into annual tribute, mouth rice, Sanyong, Yunshang and Xiaopu request gold, etc. The annual income is floating, and there are about 500,000-800,000 stones of rice, 300,000-600,000 taels of gold, and 20,000 guan (5,000 taels) of silver.

The number seems to be quite a lot, and gold is the most, but it takes money to support retainers and samurai!

The wealth accumulated by the previous generations of shoguns was exhausted when the Edo fire was rebuilt. In another time and space, in the shogunate twenty or thirty years later, it was difficult to pay the retainers and warriors salaries, so they had to make money by minting low-quality gold, silver and copper coins.

Sakai Zhongqing said: “Then it will be 500,000.”

Tokugawa Ietsuna was rarely tough, and said: “The maximum compensation is 400,000 guan. If the Tang envoy disagrees, then stick to Edo to the end!”

Sakai Zhongqing also said: “The second article is to return the confiscated goods of the Tang people. This can be agreed. The third article is that Japan must be founded. This is absolutely impossible. The cotton cloth and iron pots of the Tang Dynasty are far cheaper than ours. One Ships arrived one after another, and many weaving craftsmen and potters lost their jobs. In the castle towns of Edo, the people bought Tang cloth and pots. If this continues for another five years, Japan will no longer have craftsmen weaving cloth, and Japan will lose its jobs. There will be no craftsmen for forging pots anymore. And those craftsmen who lost their jobs will conspire with the ronin to riot again.”

Abe Zhongqiu finally couldn’t help but say: “Why are Tang cloth and Tang pot so much cheaper than Japanese goods? I asked Tang merchants, and they used steam engines to weave cloth and smelt iron. I think that no matter what the emperor of Tang wants, it can be done.” You can temporarily agree. Then send more envoys to Tang Dynasty to learn steam engine technology, so that Japanese craftsmen can also use steam engines to produce.”

“Ridiculous!”

Sakai Zhongqing said angrily: “In the past twenty years, the shogunate has sent many envoys to the Tang Dynasty. What have they learned in the end? I have learned the “Da Tong Ji” about infidelity and injustice, and I have learned the fake learning of the Nanban (Netherlands). I There was an eldest son of a retainer who was sent to study in Nanjing, and when he returned home after six years, he always said that the earth is round…”

“The earth is indeed round,” Abe Tadaaki interrupted, “Your Excellency forgot that the shogunate also imitated the Nanban ship (Galen ship), and visited America and Europe by boat, sailed westward, and finally came back. This Can’t you prove that the earth is round?”

Sakai Tadaki was even more angry: “That **** not only said that the earth is round, but also dared to observe the celestial phenomena privately. He also said that the earth is a planet, which, like Venus, revolves around the sun!”

Xiong Ze Fanshan spreads Yangming Mind, and will be wanted by the shogunate. It can be seen how serious the ideological imprisonment in Japan is at this time.

In order to prevent the Japanese from admiring China, even “West Lake Records” was listed as a banned book.

What is “West Lake Chronicle”?

A book about Hangzhou culture and attractions!

Also banned is “The Scenery of the Imperial Capital”, which is a book introducing Beijing’s culture and scenic spots. In recent years, “Jinling Scenery” has been listed as a banned book, fearing that Japanese readers will know the prosperity of Nanjing.

The Chinese translation of Aristotle’s “Cosmology”, “Huan You Quan”, was also banned by the shogunate last year, preventing Japanese readers from studying astronomy.

Abe Zhongqiu asked: “So many books, can it really be banned? It is better to send Tang envoys to study and make Japan stronger. During the Tang Dynasty in China, a large number of Tang envoys were sent back to bring back knowledge, and Japan has the glory it is today. Datong Dynasty As powerful as Datang, now is the time for us to fully learn!”

Sakai Zhongqing didn’t bother to argue any more, and angrily said: “You are no longer a middle-aged man, you are not even a councilor now, you have no place to speak here!”

Tadaki Abe saluted the shogun, then got up with a flick of his sleeves, walked towards the outside of the hall, and said as he walked, “Since I have no part to speak, there is no need for me to stay here!”

The people continued the meeting, and then sent Lin Efeng out of the city to negotiate.

Lin Efeng said to Dai Sheng: “First, Japan can compensate 600,000 guan for military expenses.”

Dai Sheng knowingly asked: “How much silver is 600,000 guan?”

Lin Efeng explained: “1 tael is equal to 4 points, equal to 16 Zhu, equal to 4000 wen. 1000 wen is 1 guan, 4 guan is 1 tael. 600,000 guan is 150,000 taels of silver.”

Dai Sheng sneered, and the lion opened his mouth: “Is the shogunate sending beggars away? 6 million guan, there must always be no less. Continue to the second point.”

Lin Efeng said: “Second, our country is willing to return the goods of the merchants of the Tang Dynasty, and give some compensation. Third, it is impossible for Japan to establish a country, but it can add two trading ports.”

“Just two more ports?” Dai Sheng shook his head, “Japan must have at least ten ports open to sea!”

Lin Efeng continued: “Article 4, the gold, silver and copper coins of the Tang Dynasty can be used in Japan, but Japanese merchants can refuse to accept them. The specific transaction is entirely voluntary by the merchants of both parties. territory.”

The last two are a big surprise to Hoopoe.

Actually allowed merchants to use Chinese currency, and agreed to cede Ezo Island. Dai Sheng thought that these contents were the most difficult to negotiate, but unexpectedly, it became the easiest.

Lin Efeng could only run back to the city to report.

“What? 6 million yuan in compensation?”

The sick and weak shogun suddenly became iron-blooded and strong. He drew his sword and shouted: “Defend Edo to the death, defend Edo to the death, this general vows to live and die with Edo!”

There is nothing to talk about, and there is another fight.

As the siege continued for more than ten days, more and more Japanese people could not buy food due to the suspension of commercial activities in the castle town.

They covered their faces with sackcloth, accepted the employment of the Datong Army, and filled the moat with shells, just to earn daily rations for their families. The Datong Army has always been innocent, as long as they work honestly, they will be paid on time. Even if they were killed by shells, the family members of those Japanese people could still receive a small bag of rice as a pension.

With the hard work of the Japanese people, the moat of Edo was filled little by little.

Sakai Tadakiyo went to the castle himself, looked out with binoculars, and his lungs exploded immediately. Judging by his clothes, the people who filled the moat were all Japanese, and even covered their faces with sackcloth, for fear of being recognized by acquaintances. He roared angrily: “Strictly investigate all collaborators after the war, and no one will be let go!”

After filling the moat, those Japanese people were not unemployed and were sent to dig siege tunnels.

From the castle town to the outside of the city wall, there are “Z” shaped tunnels everywhere. At every corner of the tunnel, fortifications were built with mounds of earth, and Datong soldiers hid behind the fortifications to prevent the enemies in the city from coming out to destroy the tunnels.

“You can’t sit still and wait for death, you have to go out!” Said Tadaki Sakai.

Masorori Inaba, who served as the chief general, could only obey orders, let the muskets and artillery on the city fire together, and covered two thousand soldiers rushing out of the city gate. The target of their attack is the Japanese people who are digging holes.

When the Japanese people heard the shouts of killing, they immediately ran away in fright, and fled to the castle town along the tunnel.

Seeing this, the morale of the two thousand shogunate troops was high, some were chasing in the tunnels, and some were running on the ground.

“Bang bang bang bang!”

A series of gunshots rang out, the shogunate army kept falling, and the Datong army hiding behind the tunnel fortifications fought back.

The shogunate army was originally fighting a defensive battle, but now it has become a tough battle.

After some fighting, the shogunate army left hundreds of corpses and fled back to the city gate in embarrassment. The Datong army did not chase, because even if they break through the city gate, they will become targets after entering. The enemy’s castle has four walls.

The Japanese people were called back to continue the tunnel work.

Datong Military Barracks.

“News came from the friendly army that Shimonoseki and Osaka have been captured. May I ask whether you are here to help, or to attack Kyoto?”

“Don’t use it to help, just control Osaka. If he has nothing to do, he can also capture Kyoto if he wants to.”

Huang Fei was still a little worried about the lack of soldiers, but judging from the previous battles, the Japanese soldiers were already unusable, and they were all useless without battle.

Edo is the political center, Kyoto is the cultural center, and Osaka is the commercial center. These three cities gather one-tenth of Japan’s population.

Osaka, where a thousand shogunate troops were stationed, was easily captured by Han Shouxin.

This guy is eager to make contributions, and he has nothing to do. Anyway, Kyoto is very close, so he leads the army to kill towards Kyoto.

The defenders there are weaker. When the artillery bombards and the hot air balloon explodes, the defenders escape faster than rabbits.

Han Shouxin led his troops into the city, came to the Japanese imperial palace, and asked a palace official: “Where is the king of Japan?”

The translator automatically translates King as Emperor.

The palace man replied: “The emperor is inside, please wait a moment, General, I will go in and report.”

Not long after, a short middle-aged woman came out surrounded by palace people and warriors.

Han Shouxin asked in surprise, “Is the Japanese king a woman?”

Emperor Meisho at this time was the granddaughter of the second-generation shogun Tokugawa Hidetada. Under the political game, the previous emperor suddenly abdicated, and the five-year-old Empress Meizheng ascended the throne. This happened in the second year of Chongzhen’s succession to the throne.

A Japanese ronin who took refuge in the Datong Army said: “Master General, the Supreme Emperor is not dead, and he holds the authority in Kyoto.”

“Bring the Supreme King of Japan!” Han Shouxin ordered immediately.

Not long after, the soldiers under his command brought a monk, who was Emperor Gomizuo of Japan.

The emperor was not a puppet, he was forced to marry the daughter of the shogun. Although he also has a son, he was born to a female official in the palace, and he has no legal right of inheritance.

The shogun at the time, Tokugawa Iemitsu, coveted the throne of the emperor. Certainly not being the emperor himself, but letting the Tokugawa family and the emperor’s descendants succeed on the grounds that the emperor has no children, and suppressing the empress Mizuo through the Ziyi incident.

Emperor Mizuo took the initiative to abdicate and gave up the throne to his wife (Tokugawa Iemitsu’s sister). This move was so brilliant that Tokugawa Iemitsu did not dare to agree, so he passed the throne to the emperor’s five-year-old daughter. But after the passing of the throne, Emperor Gomizuo appeared to be a monk, but still controlled the power of the palace.

“Zhengren pays homage to the Chinese general!” Emperor Gomizuo can speak Chinese.

Han Shouxin said cheerfully: “Japan is really weird. The king is a woman, and the Supreme King is a monk. I think you are quite pitiful. You were forced to go out of your home by the shogunate. How about this, the Datong Army will help you get rid of the Tokugawa clan, How about returning the power of Japan to you?”

Emperor Mizuo had joy in his eyes, but quickly lowered his head and said, “Don’t dare, I’ve already abdicated.”

Han Shouxin said with a smile: “In this country of Japan, the king is not the king, and the ministers are not ministers. It is too shameful. In my opinion, it is best for you to be the king. I will send someone to send a message to Edo immediately!”

Han Shouxin is definitely not stupid if he can become a teacher.

He said these words purely to put pressure on the Tokugawa shogunate and panic the defenders of Edo Castle.

(end of this chapter)