Chapter 1462: Details from Across the Sea

Ever since the new dynasty was founded, in order to purge the decadent and corrupt official culture left over from the former Ming, His Majesty had expressly abolished the ritual of kneeling and kowtowing between officials. Thus, even when meeting the current Chief Minister of the realm, Kong Zhang did not kneel or kowtow, merely bowing in salute.

"You know why I called you here, don't you?" The moment he saw Kong Zhang, the Chancellor did not waste words. "It has already been several days. I assume you've come up with some ideas by now."

"In reply to the Chancellor, ever since receiving your confidential instructions, I naturally dared not be remiss. The moment I returned, I discussed the matter with specialists, and after several days of deliberation, we now have a set of policy proposals." As Kong Zhang spoke, he drew the proposals drafted by Zhou Pu from his sleeve. "I have also brought the man who wrote these proposals with me. He has been responsible for matters concerning Japan for many years, so he is thoroughly versed in them."

"Good. Go and summon him. I will question the two of you together to save time." The Chancellor nodded, then took the proposals in hand.

Just as the attendant went out to summon Zhou Pu, the Chancellor leaned slightly closer to Kong Zhang and lowered his voice. "Director Kong, the magnitude of this affair's significance — you must have understood it when I spoke with you last time, yes?"

"I understand," Kong Zhang hastened to nod.

"You understand?" The Chancellor sized him up, then smiled and shook his head. "You don't quite understand yet."

"What does the Chancellor mean by that...?" Under the Chancellor's gaze, which seemed to see right through a man, Kong Zhang wavered slightly.

"You are not wrong — this is a fine opportunity for your Foreign Affairs Department to shine. But at the same time..." Chancellor Wang's face showed a faint smile. "It is also an opportunity for our entire Chancellery and the Grand Cabinet to distinguish themselves. You must stand a little higher and see the whole picture more clearly..."

Stand a little higher, see the whole picture more clearly... Because he had to be mindful of the implications, the Chancellor's words were somewhat veiled, reserved, and profound. Kong Zhang fell into a moment of silent deliberation, pondering his true meaning.

"Does the Chancellor mean that this time, we must handle the Japan assignment well, for the sake of the Chancellor and the Grand Cabinet?" After a moment, Kong Zhang probed.

"Yes. You must use this matter to properly establish the name of the Foreign Affairs Department. Don't let them always say you're just trailing behind the army eating their dust. And, by the way, you must also use my name to restrain those soldiers — make them act according to our plan, not just clamor for killing and slaughter. Remember, this punitive expedition against Japan is absolutely not for the sake of murder and arson, but to achieve other objectives. This is the one area where we alone can call the shots; they can only listen to us."

"With us as the lead..." Kong Zhang deliberated for a moment, then a look of dawning comprehension appeared on his face. "I believe I understand."

In the new dynasty, the civil and military paths were separate. To avoid excessively esteeming the civil and suppressing the military, it had been deliberately stipulated that the Grand Cabinet did not manage the army; the army was directly subordinate to the Son of Heaven alone. While this arrangement preserved the military's standing, it naturally created some estrangement, with both the army and the government harboring a mindset of competing with and seeking credit over one another.

Because the Chancellor had no direct authority over the army, there was considerable indifference toward him within the military, and sometimes they even acted as they pleased. Although no one ever showed this in his presence, for the sake of nipping problems in the bud, he did not want to let this tendency persist. He had the seniority and prestige; even if the military men inwardly refused to listen, they still had to be courteous to his face. But what about the Chancellors who came after him? That might not necessarily be the case then.

Therefore, even for the sake of his successors, the Chancellor wished to use certain opportunities to rap the military on the knuckles, making them understand that although they were an indispensable blade, it was still the pen that maintained the realm.

"This time, I will certainly dispatch capable men to Japan. I will ensure they keep the situation well in hand, and especially restrain the army, making them act only according to plan and not create extraneous complications that ruin the grand strategy," Kong Zhang continued. "The various factions in Japan are tangled and complex; only we can unravel the threads and fulfill His Majesty's wishes."

"Very good. As long as you understand. Proceed boldly and with confidence; His Majesty will support you and will not let you be embarrassed." Chancellor Wang's face still wore a smile. "Do you know why the man sent to lead the troops this time is Zhao Song?"

Under Kong Zhang's blank stare, the Chancellor lowered his voice even further. "Brothers are brothers, but you can't let the brothers hog all the merit... The men below need to be promoted as well."

This... could it be...? Kong Zhang was so shaken by these calm, flatly spoken words that his mind grew unsettled.

Truly, as the Chancellor had said, these marshals had followed His Majesty too long and their achievements were too great. Indeed, it was time for them to rest a little and give newcomers a chance.

His Majesty probably did not truly intend to suppress the marshals; he was merely beginning to cultivate a new generation of meritorious officials and did not wish to emulate the former Ming's founding emperor. Otherwise, the Chancellor would not be so calm and composed. After all, if His Majesty truly wanted to do something, the first to bear the brunt would be him...

Kong Zhang's state of mind finally settled.

"Why so jumpy? Steady yourself!" The Chancellor was still smiling. "Handle this assignment well, and the road ahead for you is long. As long as you procure for His Majesty what he wants, how hard could it be to give you a seat in the Grand Cabinet?"

Kong Zhang froze again, but this time it was not from shock — it was from delighted surprise. The Chancellor had already hinted that as long as he handled this assignment well, elevating the Foreign Affairs Department by one rank, turning it into a Foreign Affairs Ministry, and promoting him to Foreign Minister would be a possibility.

This was the first time he had received such a promise. With this promise alone, he was already willing to dare anything.

"I... will not fail the Chancellor's expectations!"

Just as he was still stirred with emotion, the attendant who had gone out returned, bringing Zhou Pu, who had been waiting outside.

When this young, low-ranking official entered the side hall, the Chancellor, seated upright in his chair, happened to open the policy proposals he had written. "Zhou Pu? A fine name."

"I pay my respects to the Chancellor!" Forcefully suppressing the excitement in his heart, Zhou Pu bowed with the utmost deference.

"You may dispense with formalities." The Chancellor waved his hand casually, gesturing for him to sit in the seat opposite his desk. "I hear from Director Kong that you are one of the men in the Foreign Affairs Department specifically responsible for matters concerning Japan, and that you co-authored these proposals with him?"

"Yes, that was I," Zhou Pu answered immediately.

"Good." The Chancellor's gaze, which had been on the proposals, abruptly lifted and settled on this young official. The proposals in his hand were closed together and tossed directly onto the desk. "I have little time during the day, so I won't read these for now. Give me a detailed and concise account of the current situation in Japan. I hear that in Japan, the military officials have hollowed out the monarch's power and rule the country directly through the shogunate. Who are the ones calling the shots now?"

"Yes. Ever since several centuries ago, when the samurai leader Minamoto no Yoritomo assumed the title of Seii Taishogun and founded the Kamakura Shogunate, Japan has been ruled by the warrior houses, with the Emperor serving as little more than a puppet." Zhou Pu answered cautiously. "Over a hundred years ago, the Ashikaga Shogunate of the time declined, and Japan fell into over a century of civil war. It was not until thirty years ago that Tokugawa Ieyasu, through the Battle of Sekigahara, crushed the alliance opposing him and had the Emperor appoint him as Seii Taishogun, establishing his shogunate in Edo. He later passed the shogun's position to his third son, Tokugawa Hidetada. Tokugawa Hidetada, in turn, passed the shogunate to his own son during his lifetime. He died last winter, and the current shogun is now the third generation, named Tokugawa Iemitsu. Although his father has only just died, he has already been shogun for nearly ten years. He is a man of shrewd and astute character, not to be underestimated."

"Passed the title during his lifetime?" The Chancellor found this somewhat strange.

"Yes. Both Tokugawa Ieyasu and Tokugawa Hidetada passed the shogunate to their sons while still alive, then moved elsewhere and styled themselves as Ogosho, ruling jointly with the shogun. This both clarified the succession and allowed them to assist their sons in governing."

"Such an arrangement is likely because of domestic instability..." the Chancellor said meaningfully.

"That is indeed the case," Zhou Pu answered immediately. "The shogunate's hollowing out of the Emperor is not entirely legitimate. Moreover, the Tokugawa house rose from an age of chaos, and the methods they employed were not all open and aboveboard. Therefore, although they have now ruled Japan for several decades, there are still many within Japan who do not truly submit to them..."

"This is something we should exploit well. Do you know who is discontented? Have you had contact with any of them?" the Chancellor asked again.

"The Tokugawa house subjugated Japan through military force, and their rule lacks proper legitimacy, so discontent exists everywhere. Among them, two groups harbor the strongest rebellious sentiment and are the most exploitable by us." Zhou Pu answered quietly, and without keeping the Chancellor in suspense, immediately continued. "The first is the Emperor and the court nobles. Although these people nominally still hold legitimacy and occupy the highest official positions in the Japanese court, in reality, under the shogunate's years of oppression, they have long been reduced to dire straits. The Japanese call powerful houses that hold territories producing over ten thousand koku of rice 'daimyo.' According to what I have learned, the Edo Shogunate currently grants the Emperor a domain producing only ten thousand koku in total, less than even the smallest daimyo. Among the court nobles, the five regent houses most esteemed and intermarried with the Emperor for generations — the Kujo and Konoe houses have a mere three thousand koku as their family stipend; the Ichijo house has two thousand koku; and the Nijo and Takatsukasa houses have even less, at seventeen hundred and fifteen hundred koku respectively. From this, it is evident that although the Tokugawa Shogunate is nominally a vassal, its oppression of the court and nobles is extremely severe. Naturally, these people are filled with resentment toward the Tokugawa Shogunate."

"I have heard that these so-called five regent houses actually share the same origin?" the Chancellor asked with some curiosity.

"Yes. The five regent houses are all branches descended from the Fujiwara clan. Starting from the Song dynasty era, the Fujiwara clan produced powerful ministers generation after generation, controlling the court. They intermarried with the Emperors for generations and dominated the court. It was only later... that the warrior houses rose, established the shogunate, and ultimately turned both the Fujiwara and the Emperor into puppets."

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