Chapter 1587: How About Resuming Next Month?

"Say no more!" But the moment he opened his mouth, Naitō Tadashige cut him off sharply. "When I questioned you earlier, you said nothing. After all this time at the banquet, you still said nothing. In that case, I no longer wish to hear your quibbling excuses. You have brought this upon yourself."

"My lord... please spare me!" Takenaka Masayoshi abandoned all dignity, rose from his seat in full view of everyone, then knelt before Naitō Tadashige. "I... I was merely momentarily blinded. I will never do it again! Please, for the sake of... for the sake of the generations my family has served the Tokugawa clan, spare me!"

"Whether you are spared or not is for the Shogun alone to decide." Naitō Tadashige paid his pleas absolutely no heed. "I can only send you to Edo to await judgment."

"Await judgment... what judgment will that be?" Takenaka Shigeyoshi felt his entire body go limp, unable to muster any more strength. He knew Tokugawa Iemitsu's temper well; if Iemitsu were to pass judgment, it would absolutely not end well for him.

"If everything is verified, you will commit seppuku. Your eldest son, who also took part in this matter, will likewise commit seppuku." As if fearing the man was not yet desperate enough, Naitō Tadashige directly relayed Tokugawa Iemitsu's intent. "Your family's domain will also be confiscated and reassigned."

"Ah!" Not only did Takenaka Masayoshi let out a miserable cry — practically everyone else present who understood Japanese gasped almost in unison.

Takenaka Masayoshi was the daimyo of the Funai Domain in Bungo Province. His father had been enfeoffed there for following Tokugawa Ieyasu in conquering the realm, and he had inherited it. Though the Funai Domain could hardly be called large, with a kokudaka of merely twenty thousand koku, it was, after all, a hereditary patrimony, and the title of daimyo was a noble status beyond the reach of common folk. Now all of it was to vanish at once.

That Takenaka Masayoshi himself and his eldest son were to cut their bellies in atonement, and even the domain was to be confiscated — this was a rare punishment, excessively severe, showing just how furious the Shogun truly was.

The Shogun's fury, however, was easy to understand. What he had done was not merely an economic error, but a colossal political blunder. The shogunate had established the shuinjō system precisely to control Japan's foreign trade, derive fiscal benefit from it, and thereby prevent the various domains from strengthening themselves — this was national policy. Takenaka Masayoshi's actions not only harmed the shogunate's revenue, but would also place a large number of merchant ships beyond the shogunate's control. This directly meant the foundations of national policy had been shaken. He could not possibly tolerate such an outcome under any circumstances.

In truth, the man's reputation had long since spread throughout the shogunate, and Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu had long been deeply dissatisfied with the conduct of this fudai daimyo posted to Nagasaki. He had only refrained from acting because the man was a trusted retainer of his father, Hidetada. After Hidetada's death, he observed him for roughly another year, only to find Takenaka Masayoshi unchanged and utterly unrepentant. Thus, he would extend no further leniency to this man, conveniently using him to purge another remnant of his father's old guard.

Naitō Tadashige, during the previous council of the Rōjū, had accepted the mission of traveling to Kyushu to preside over the...

Under such a devastating blow, Takenaka Masayoshi was utterly stupefied, his mouth agape and speechless. Only after an indeterminate time did he finally regain his senses, whereupon he scrambled and crawled frantically toward Naitō Tadashige.

"My lord, I beg you to intercede for me... My lord, I beg you to intercede for me!" he shouted as he rushed forward, tears streaming unconsciously from his eyes. "Please, let the Shogun show me mercy! I will do anything you ask, just intercede for me! I beg you!"

Yet before he could reach Naitō Tadashige, he was mercilessly blocked by the guards the Elder had brought with him.

He pleaded repeatedly, but Naitō Tadashige ignored him completely, as though he had heard nothing, and simply waved his hand.

"Take him away. Tomorrow, escort him under guard to Edo! Also, arrest his son — absolutely do not let him escape!"

"Yes!" The guards acknowledged the order even as they forcibly dragged away Takenaka Masayoshi, who was still pleading incessantly.

A deathly silence still filled the great hall, broken only by the fading echoes of the distant cries.

This meal has truly been... interesting, thought Liu Jing, who had remained silent the entire time. To dispose of an official like the Nagasaki Magistrate before so many people — clearly, there was an intent to make an example of him.

Takenaka Masayoshi, the Nagasaki Magistrate who had long tyrannized Nagasaki and given every foreign merchant there a massive headache, had thus, after the Elder's arrival, taken his leave in such an abrupt fashion. Although the official word was that the Shogun must verify the facts and render judgment, it was abundantly clear that not only would he lose his post, but his very life as well.

Amid this unnatural stillness, Naitō Tadashige appeared utterly composed. He waved his hand, signaling his attendants and servants to come quickly and clean up the area soiled by Takenaka Masayoshi.

He sensed the fear in others, and from this fear, he truly tasted the sweet flavor of power. Back in the shogunate, he was merely one of the lower-ranked Rōjū; though his status was high, he was inconspicuous and constantly subject to the oversight of the Tairō Ii Naotaka and others. But here in Nagasaki, it was different. He was now the highest-ranking shogunate official in Kyushu and indeed the entire Kansai region — his word was law. After seizing the Nagasaki Magistrate with thunderous force, the officials of Nagasaki and the merchants of every nation now bowed their heads before him, trembling and scarcely daring to breathe. Such a scene was truly gratifying.

"My apologies. A shogunate internal matter has been brought before you all, making a spectacle. Please forgive me." He suddenly smiled again, then addressed the merchants with an amiable expression. "Takenaka Masayoshi was insatiably greedy by nature. I imagine you were all constantly bullied and exploited by him. Fortunately, the Shogun is perceptive and discerning; he has been removed from office and is to be investigated. Henceforth, he will never again be able to trouble any of you. You may conduct your business in peace. Moreover, now that you have witnessed this, you surely understand our original intent in reissuing the shuinjō... Come to think of it, this is also for your own good. Otherwise, many ships of unknown origin would be competing with you merchants. Wouldn't you agree?"

As he smiled, he gazed upon the assembled officials and merchants, but received only sparse murmurs of assent. Everyone was still shaken by what had just transpired; who had the presence of mind to speak? The officials, especially — many of whom were Takenaka Masayoshi's trusted confidants — seeing their patron fallen to such a state, were even more terrified.

Yet under Naitō Tadashige's gaze, those gradually recovering their senses also grasped the current situation and their own positions. Soon, the murmurs of assent grew louder and louder, finally resounding throughout the entire hall. The Japanese officials in attendance, in particular, pressed their heads to the floor in the utmost deference.

Seeing that his actions had achieved the desired effect, Naitō Tadashige was very satisfied. Takenaka Masayoshi had spent several years in Nagasaki and promoted many trusted subordinates. Now that he had been dealt with, these officials were certainly unsettled. He needed to stabilize morale first before purging them one by one.

As for those crafty merchants, they needed some reassurance even more. These men had long maintained covert dealings with Takenaka Masayoshi, sending him considerable bribes, and some had even purchased the counterfeit shuinjō he produced. They were undoubtedly still anxious. Foreign trade was vital to the shogunate; probing too deeply and affecting trade stability was inadvisable. A proper scare would suffice.

"Well, the hour is late, and I imagine you all still have many important matters to attend to. Today's banquet shall conclude here. To make amends for summoning you all on such short notice, I have prepared some gifts. Though they are nothing precious, they are a token of my regard, and I hope you will all depart with pleasure." Naitō Tadashige continued addressing the merchants with a face full of smiles, and finally his gaze settled upon Liu Jing. "Special Envoy Liu, I have some matters to discuss with you. If it is convenient, could you stay a while longer?"

Though he did not understand why the other party suddenly wished to detain him, Liu Jing had no other choice and immediately nodded in agreement.

"My lord commands; how dare I not obey?"

"Good, very good." Naitō Tadashige picked up the folding fan from his table and waved it gently, signaling the banquet's end. "Everyone, you may take your leave now."

Led by the attendants, the merchants and officials filed out of the hall one after another. The harrowing scenes just witnessed would become their permanent memories, and the once boisterous hall returned to silence.

Liu Jing remained behind as the shogunate Elder had requested. He felt slightly uneasy, though he had already dismissed the worry that their scheme had been exposed. He simply did not know what the other party wished to discuss with him.

Naitō Tadashige, however, seemed in no hurry at all. Leisurely, he poured himself another cup of sake, then stood and walked over to Liu Jing.

"Just now, our cleansing of a miscreant startled the Special Envoy. Please accept my apologies." He placed a cup of sake on the table before Liu Jing. "I imagine Takenaka Masayoshi must have caused the Special Envoy considerable trouble in the past?"

"... He did indeed cause considerable trouble. I will not hide from you that Magistrate Takenaka extorted bribes from me on several occasions and endlessly harassed our merchants. We certainly harbored some private grievances against him." Liu Jing nodded. "However... I must also speak honestly. Magistrate Takenaka was still relatively courteous to us and granted us many conveniences. Over these years, I have been able to continuously expand trade between our two nations and have also received commendation from my homeland..."

"The Special Envoy is indeed an upright man, refraining from kicking someone when they are down," Naitō Tadashige praised, then extended his hand holding the wine cup toward him. "As expected, an official of the Chinese court is ultimately more reliable than a merchant. Those Southern Barbarian merchants, each one cunning and deceitful, thinking only of profiting from our country. Most of the shuinjō that Takenaka Masayoshi forged and issued were bought by those Southern Barbarian merchants and then resold in secret, showing not the slightest regard for our shogunate! In contrast, after our thorough investigation, Chinese merchants were very rarely involved. Barbarians, after all — they could never match the trustworthiness of the Chinese people!"

It was true that no Chinese merchants had purchased these privately issued shuinjō, but not because no one coveted the immense profits of trade with Japan. Rather, it was because Takenaka Masayoshi, wary of China's proximity and fearing that frequent merchant comings and goings would easily lead to exposure, deliberately refrained from selling these shuinjō to Chinese merchants.

Liu Jing had long been aware of such rumors, but because of his official status, he had never discussed the matter with Takenaka Masayoshi. In any case, official trade channels already brought rolling profits to the court, and his superiors had made no such demands of him.

"My lord flatters me." Liu Jing replied with a smile, simultaneously raising his own cup. The two drank together. "I bear the heavy trust of the court, which is not merely to expand trade between our two nations, but also to ensure that relations between our two countries grow ever better. Colluding in wrongdoing with Magistrate Takenaka, even if it could yield commercial profit, would absolutely harm the relations between our two nations. I would never do such a thing."

"The Special Envoy speaks truly well! That is precisely how it should be done!" Naitō Tadashige gently clapped his hands. "Only with conscientious and responsible officials like the Special Envoy can our two nations maintain good relations. We have only just begun, with great difficulty, to move toward an era of peace and prosperity, and trade must continue to be sustained..."

Faced with such enthusiasm, Liu Jing merely responded with deferential murmurs, though he could sense that Naitō Tadashige was deliberately currying favor with him. He decided to adapt to the circumstances and see what the other party was truly planning.

"Our two nations have always been very friendly, yet recently many disturbances have arisen — rather regrettable, when one speaks of it." Just then, Naitō Tadashige suddenly sighed. "Recently, I imagine the Special Envoy has also received considerable reprimands from your homeland?"

I... receiving pressure from my homeland? For a moment, Liu Jing did not catch on.

Then, a thought suddenly flashed through his mind. Of course! The shogunate was still suspending copper ore exports to the Great Han. Under normal circumstances, the court back home should already be extremely anxious and have sent several dispatches reprimanding him.

However, the current situation was highly abnormal. The Great Han had already resolved to launch a punitive expedition against Japan. Neither the Ministry of Commerce nor the Foreign Affairs Department had anyone pressing him on this matter anymore, which was why Liu Jing had still not recalled it until now. Naitō Tadashige's reminder made him realize he had overlooked a very significant issue.

How could I have forgotten this? Such a serious dispute had arisen, yet he had seemed unhurried all along and had not urgently negotiated with the shogunate. To any observant person, this would absolutely appear highly abnormal and inevitably arouse suspicion. And if this Elder were to see through the problem, it would be an absolute disaster.

At this thought, his heart jolted. However, perhaps due to his years of prior experience in commerce, Liu Jing was already highly adept at controlling his emotions. He quickly darkened his expression and put on a pained look.

"My lord... ah... I will not hide from you, I have truly been at my wit's end lately!" He let out a long sigh, then poured himself another cup of wine, appearing deeply troubled. "Your esteemed country issued no prior notice whatsoever and simply halted copper exports to our nation. Though I do not know the reason for this decision, it has truly put us in a difficult position! As my lord is aware, copper has always been a major commodity imported by our country from yours, and our nation desperately needs copper imports. For your country to unilaterally suspend exports without allowing us any prior preparation — one can imagine our court's fury. My superiors have repeatedly sent dispatches questioning me and have been constantly reprimanding me, believing this situation arose precisely because I failed in my duties. They have charged me with resolving this issue as quickly as possible, otherwise... ah, otherwise my very post is in jeopardy!"

His lengthy lamentations seemed to earn Naitō Tadashige's sympathy. "The Special Envoy truly has it hard."

"Hard, far too hard!" Liu Jing shook his head. "Recently, I have asked Magistrate Takenaka and other shogunate officials several times, but their replies have always been vague, never saying when copper exports might resume. This has worried all of us terribly, and we have no idea what must be done to resolve it..."

"Ah, hearing the Special Envoy speak thus truly fills me with shame. It is we who have brought great trouble upon the Special Envoy." Naitō Tadashige smiled as if deeply apologetic. "In truth, this matter was also a decision we made in haste. For various reasons, when the decision was made, there was considerable debate within our shogunate, and in the end, we had no choice but to resort to this unfortunate measure."

"Governing a nation naturally entails all sorts of difficulties. I can understand that, and to be honest, there is little I can do to change it." Liu Jing furrowed his brow, still clearly very troubled. "However, I still wish to ask my lord for a definite answer. Can you tell me exactly when exports might resume? At the very least, it would give me something to report back home, so I do not appear to have accomplished nothing at all. Ideally... ideally, as soon as possible, because our country has already halted imports for several months, and copper is urgently needed everywhere."

"I fully understand the Special Envoy's feelings. For both our sides, resolving this trade dispute as quickly as possible and restoring calm is of the utmost importance." Naitō Tadashige's expression was solemn. "Would the Special Envoy be satisfied, and would your esteemed country be satisfied, if exports were to resume next month?"

"Resume next month?" Hearing these words, Liu Jing could not help but be greatly startled.

The shogunate's sudden halt of copper ore exports to the Great Han had already caused immense uproar. The Great Han's Ministry of Commerce had several times issued stern rebukes to the shogunate's representatives stationed in the Great Han — under normal circumstances, such a reaction would have been several times more intense.

Through detailed investigations by Liu Jing, Zhou Pu, and the trading post staff, although the Dutch had increased their copper imports, the increase was not so sudden or large that the shogunate was too overwhelmed to attend to exports to China. The shogunate's abrupt suspension of exports must have another purpose. And if there was another purpose, then they should not easily lift the export ban.