Chapter 1597: A Pale Complexion

A surge of anger suddenly welled up inside Zhou Pu's heart.

The Shimazu clan's grand plan was to confine the scope of operations to Kyushu and western Japan, refusing to march into the Kanto region, the shogunate's very base of power. That meant they had no intention of going all-out to help the Great Han army; instead, they were harboring the thought of pushing their allies to the front lines while they themselves sat back and watched from the sidelines.

Although, back when Zhao Song and the others originally drew up the plans, they had never counted on these daimyo to help them fight a decisive battle against the shogunate, and had never even considered pushing overland from Kyushu along the capital road all the way to Edo, the fact that the Shimazu clan was still playing its little schemes even at this juncture truly irked Zhou Pu.

Moreover, if this news had been announced only after they reached Kyoto, it would certainly have cost him a great deal of prestige before the Japanese imperial court, possibly even affecting their stance. That Togo Shigekata was willing to speak up in advance was, in the end, a small favor done for the sake of their mutual ties.

Shimazu Tadatsune, sooner or later I will make you understand that neither I nor the Great Han are so easily manipulated, he thought darkly to himself.

"Your domain's request is far too strange..." Zhou Pu furrowed his brow, forcefully suppressing the anger in his heart. "In warfare, since ancient times, one must commit with full force. Where is the logic in limiting one's own operational scope before the fighting even begins? Besides, our army is a guest force; we inherently require the aid of local powers like your domain. Without the combined efforts of all of you, would our army not face considerably more casualties for nothing?"

"This is the conclusion reached after joint deliberation by the elders of our domain... Even the domain lord himself cannot alter it for the time being. My apologies, my lord." Togo Shigekata offered his apology with some hesitation. "Recently, the domain lord, in order to eliminate dissenting opinions, has already offended the interests of many. If he were to disregard the consensus opinion of the entire council of elders, I fear it would instead provoke discontent within the domain. I beg my lord's understanding."

To Zhou Pu, these words rang hollow and insincere. Given Shimazu Tadatsune's original degree of control, coupled with the iron-fisted purge of so many opposition factions he had recently carried out, there were surely few power-brokers left within the clan who still dared to challenge him. If he wanted to force the issue through, no one would oppose him at all. The excuse of some council of elders' decision was probably just a pretext he had found for himself.

His guess was indeed correct; this had been Shimazu Tadatsune's intention all along. The shadow the Tokugawa clan had cast over the Shimazu clan—and indeed over all the anti-Tokugawa daimyo—during the Battle of Sekigahara was simply too deep. Armies over a hundred thousand strong had faced off, only to scatter in rout before a few real, pitched battles had even been fought. The mere thought of it still sent a chill through one's heart.

While Shimazu Tadatsune had extreme confidence in the Great Han's army and its military strength, he felt that Kanto was the Tokugawa power base's heartland. If they were to penetrate deep into Kanto again, he feared they would inevitably suffer heavy losses. Having endured such hardship back then, Shimazu Tadatsune did not dare risk putting his entire clan through that trial once more.

Furthermore, while the Shimazu clan had followed the Great Han in raising arms partly out of a desire to expand their own power, they had no intention of seizing the opportunity to replace the shogunate in one fell swoop and become the masters of all Japan—that exceeded the Satsuma Domain's practical limits, and the Great Han would likely not tolerate one shogunate being smashed only for a new one to emerge.

Since fighting to the death brought no benefit, why fight to the death? In Shimazu Tadatsune's calculations, as long as they could use the Great Han to take Kyoto and western Japan, they could then observe the situation and sit back while the Great Han fought the decisive battle with the shogunate. If the Great Han truly overthrew the shogunate, that would naturally be best. But if the Great Han could not, then at the very least, a stalemate could be maintained, splitting Japan into eastern and western camps. At that point, the Shimazu clan would become the indispensable pillar the imperial court had to rely on, and the clan's power would naturally sweep away its previous gloom and reach new heights.

Although Zhou Pu could not fully see through the other party's schemes, he could naturally guess the gist of it. Since it was a done deal, he raised no further objections outwardly, but inwardly he had already developed a measure of antipathy and wariness toward the Shimazu clan, planning to find ways to limit their excessive expansion after the war.

After departing from Choshu Domain, they traveled northeast along the coast and soon entered the territory of Hiroshima Domain.

The border between Hiroshima Domain and Choshu Domain was extremely heavily guarded. They were only able to proceed after undergoing rigorous inspection by the domain's samurai. At the border, he also saw numerous defensive fortifications; Hiroshima Domain's deep wariness of Choshu Domain was clearly evident.

As a carefully designed link in the Tokugawa shogunate's chain, Hiroshima Domain had been established from the very beginning to contain the Mori clan's Choshu Domain. The first lord of Hiroshima Domain was Fukushima Masanori, one of the Five Commissioners, who had been irreconcilably at odds with Ishida Mitsunari and others and subsequently defected to Tokugawa Ieyasu. This domain possessed a territory of 490,000 koku, precisely intended to suppress the Mori clan's holdings.

Later, because Fukushima Masanori incurred the suspicion and dislike of the Tokugawa shogunate, he was transferred to a different fief, and Hiroshima Domain fell into the hands of Asano Nagaakira, the son of Asano Nagamasa, another of the Five Commissioners. Asano Nagaakira had passed away the previous year, and the one now inheriting the position of domain lord was his son, Asano Mitsuakira. This domain lord was also pro-Tokugawa, and thus he continued Fukushima Masanori's hostile policy toward Choshu Domain, always keeping a cautious watch on the Mori clan.

In Zhou Pu's view, the Asano clan of Hiroshima Domain, which held over 400,000 koku of territory, would certainly continue to stand on the pro-shogunate side. Moreover, because they possessed the largest territory among the domains along the San'yodo road and blocked the obligatory route to Kyoto, Zhou Pu regarded them as the greatest future enemy, carefully gathering relevant intelligence along the way, even consulting members of the merchant caravan about the population distribution of various areas.

Perhaps because they shared the same mindset as Zhou Pu, Togo Shigekata and Jiang Xiamingxian likewise began to meticulously observe the roads and everything around them as they passed, no longer displaying their previous relaxed demeanor. It was clear that the Shimazu clan also viewed the Asano clan as a dangerous foe.

Amidst this stop-and-go journey of the merchant caravan, Zhou Pu finally arrived in Kyoto.

Unlike other heavily fortified fortress cities, Kyoto's terrain was much flatter, and it lacked many towering defensive structures, which made Zhou Pu, who had grown accustomed to high walls and fortresses along the way, feel instantly much more relaxed and open-hearted.

Naturally, he did not actually run around sightseeing; instead, he first found an inn to lodge at.

Although Kyoto had suffered greatly from repeated warfare during the Warring States period, it had recovered much of its vitality over several decades of general peace, and commerce had flourished. The area around Kyoto was the center of Japan's domestic textile industry, with a large number of practitioners, and merchant travel was also very frequent.

After the group had settled in, Zhou Pu, using the pretext of sightseeing, went out with a few merchants. Then, following the information Hashimoto Sanemura had left behind, he arrived outside the Hashimoto family residence.

The Hashimoto family's house status was not high; they were merely a cadet branch of the Saionji clan, belonging to the Urenke, the fourth rank of court nobility. Their home was in a modest neighborhood, and because their hereditary stipend was only five hundred koku, comparable only to a higher-ranking samurai, its upkeep was quite slipshod. Yet therein lay its advantage—precisely because it was humble and of low status, no one paid it any attention whatsoever.

Hashimoto Sanemura had come to the Hashimoto family through adoption to become its heir, and his adoptive father, Hashimoto Sanekatsu, had already passed away. Now, the Hashimoto household consisted only of him and his younger brother, Hashimoto Sanekiyo. Hashimoto Sanekiyo was also aware of the inside story; ever since his elder brother had left home, he had been managing the Hashimoto household himself.

Because their income was not high, the Hashimoto residence was not large and had few servants. However, when Zhou Pu arrived at the gate, strains of a flute drifted into his ears. The sound was ethereal and elusive, yet very well controlled, clearly the product of years of training. This flute melody lingered in the air, quite out of tune with the humble surroundings.

Zhou Pu did not know that the one playing the flute within the residence at that moment was not a servant or a professional musician, but Hashimoto Sanekiyo himself. Moreover, the Hashimoto family had, for generations, made the playing of the flute their hereditary family profession.

Ritualizing daily life is an instinct of the nobility. On one hand, it enhances their sense of sanctity and mystery; on the other, it serves to distinguish them from commoners, solidify professional circles, and exclude commoners from squeezing in.

After the Fujiwara clan monopolized the vast majority of court noble positions, its proliferating descendants formed branch after branch. To provide these branches with a foundation for their status, the upper-ranking court nobles assigned certain fixed professions to the lower ranks, having them serve in specific roles during daily life or ceremonies. This was called the family profession. The family profession assigned to the Hashimoto family was the flute, and they were often required to play the flute during ceremonies. Many other families were assigned professions such as the sho mouth organ, flower arranging, or calligraphy. There were even court noble families whose hereditary family profession for generations was the Way of the Kitchen Knife (Japanese culinary arts).

The gate of the Japanese-style courtyard was very small, and the surrounding wall was also quite low, giving it a somewhat cramped appearance, though it excelled in quiet seclusion.

Zhou Pu carefully knocked on the door. He rapped on the door rhythmically: first five knocks, then three knocks, and finally five knocks again.

The moment Zhou Pu began knocking, the flute melody that had been drifting continuously suddenly ceased. Silence fell over the courtyard. Aside from the echo of his knocking reverberating through the grounds, there was no other sound, as if someone inside was carefully counting his knocks.

After finishing his knocking, Zhou Pu remained silent, waiting quietly outside the door.

Before long, the door was opened again. An elderly servant poked his head out. Upon seeing Zhou Pu, he immediately glanced around to confirm that no one was watching. Then he beckoned to Zhou Pu and led him inside.

Because Zhou Pu's attire and hairstyle were completely indistinguishable from an ordinary samurai's, the servant was full of misgivings, even though Zhou Pu had knocked according to the method Hashimoto Sanemura had left behind beforehand.

"From where do you hail?" he asked in a slightly guarded tone.

"I am an official of the Great Han's trading house in Nagasaki. I have come specifically to pay a visit regarding your master's affairs." Compared to them, Zhou Pu was far bolder. He openly declared his identity. "This attire is merely for the convenience of traveling from Kyushu. Please take me to see your master."

When Zhou Pu revealed his identity, the elderly servant's eyes widened, and he carefully scrutinized Zhou Pu up and down several times.

"Enough. Staring like that won't yield any results. Take me to see your master," Zhou Pu said, growing somewhat impatient. "If I harbored ill intentions toward you, why would I need to come visiting so politely?"

After this rebuke, the old servant's expression shifted again, but seeing Zhou Pu's air of complete confidence, he gradually began to feel the other party's words made sense.

"Please follow me, my lord."

He turned and led Zhou Pu through the carefully tended flowerbeds and bushes beyond the entranceway, into the residential building.

Japanese-style residences are all wooden structures, with sliding wooden doors providing intercommunication between rooms. Zhou Pu changed into the wooden clogs provided inside the house and made his way to the innermost part of the residence. By this time, Hashimoto Sanekiyo was already waiting there.

Japanese courtyards are inherently cramped, and because all the window doors were shut, the room was even dimmer, causing the atmosphere to suddenly grow somewhat solemn.

Compared to his elder brother Hashimoto Sanemura, Hashimoto Sanekiyo was far more refined and scholarly. Moreover, because he often stayed indoors at home, his complexion was much paler. Coupled with his simple attire, Zhou Pu's first impression was that he resembled the teacher from the private school of his youth, which naturally gave him an extra sense of affinity.

The old servant walked up to his side and respectfully recounted everything he had just seen and heard. Like the old servant, Hashimoto Sanekiyo initially spent his time scrutinizing Zhou Pu, seemingly trying to confirm his identity. "Since you say my elder brother sent you, may I ask if you have brought any token?"

"Your elder brother is far bolder than you," Zhou Pu said, growing impatient. He directly knelt down and sat on the floor, then looked at the other party with a measure of arrogance. "I came after reading the national letter you sent pleading for help, to assist your brother, to rescue you. Yet here you are, still fearful of this and that. Isn't that laughable? As for a token, I have none, but I do have a letter."

The moment he heard Zhou Pu even mention the matter of the national letter, Hashimoto Sanekiyo largely confirmed the other party's identity in his heart—if the shogunate or anyone else truly knew of these matters, why would they need to come probing him? They could simply arrest him directly.

He forcibly steadied his nerves, then waved his hand for the old servant beside him to leave, instructing him to keep an eye on the surroundings and permit no one to approach.

"I am Zhou Pu, currently serving as Observer of the Great Han's legation in Nagasaki. Because I received envoys from your nation's imperial court, who bitterly recounted numerous instances of the bullying your court has suffered, I felt compassion for your court's current plight and wished to come to Kyoto to investigate and see whether these things are true." Once only the two of them remained, Zhou Pu remained unhurried. "Do you believe me now?"

Seeing him speak so plainly, Hashimoto Sanekiyo withdrew all his remaining doubts. His expression instantly changed, and he quickly knelt down before Zhou Pu.

"An... an Imperial Envoy has arrived, and we failed to welcome you from afar! Please forgive our transgression! The matter is of grave importance; we had no choice but to be cautious and guarded. For any discourtesy, I also beg the Imperial Envoy's forgiveness."

"Since you are engaged in a matter of great importance, being cautious and prudent is only proper. What fault is there in that?" Zhou Pu did not mind in the slightest. "No need to stand on ceremony."

"I thank the Imperial Envoy." Hashimoto Sanekiyo raised his head again, then asked with great concern, "May I ask how my elder brother is faring now?"

"He is very well at present. Before I set out for Kyoto, he had already been sent out of Japan by us. By now, he has probably reached our nation's capital," Zhou Pu said with a slight smile. "Originally, our intention was for him to simply remain in Nagasaki and await news. However, duty-bound and eager to serve his country, he was single-mindedly determined to go to our nation and plead his case in person before the Son of Heaven. Left with no choice, we had to agree to his request. To safely smuggle him out of Japan, we expended a great deal of effort..."

"So... my elder brother's loyal devotion has finally been rewarded..." After hearing this, Hashimoto Sanekiyo's eyes suddenly brimmed with hot tears. "To be granted an audience with the Son of Heaven of China—what immense, blessed fortune!"

His agitation was not merely because his brother had gained an opportunity to meet the Son of Heaven, but because he saw within it the Great Han's attitude. Had they not been interested in his proposal, these Great Han officials in Nagasaki would have had no need to risk such enormous danger to send him out. Although these Great Han officials might not be able to decide matters of state and war, their attitude should carry influence with the Chinese court.

If his mission truly succeeded perfectly, and if everything developed as hoped, not only could the imperial court seize the opportunity to once again truly rule Japan, but the Hashimoto family could also use this chance to leap upward in a single bound, escape its current straitened circumstances, and become the most powerful family among the court nobility...

"Right — earlier, the angel mentioned you had brought a letter from my elder brother... might I ask if the angel could hand it to me?" After a moment of excitement, Hashimoto Sanekiyo finally regained his composure.

"The letter was always meant for you." Zhou Pu still wore a smile as he drew out the letter Hashimoto Sanemura had sent back from inside his robes and passed it to him. "However, from now on, do not call me 'angel' — it sounds far too strange. Just call me Lord Zhou."

"Yes, yes." Hashimoto Sanemura answered repeatedly even as he took the letter, opened it, and began to read.

The moment he unfolded the sheets, Hashimoto Sanemura did not first check the contents; instead, he first examined the handwriting on the letter, then verified several special marks and the signature. Finding each one authentic, only then did he fully set his heart at ease, now utterly certain of Zhou Pu's identity.

Next, he read the letter carefully, and was soon so shocked by its contents that even his hands began to tremble faintly.

Zhou Pu had naturally long known what the letter said, so he was not the least bit impatient. He merely knelt quietly to one side, closely observing the other man's reactions.

Under his gaze, Hashimoto Sanekiyo's originally pallid face slowly flushed red, and his hands shook more and more violently, until at last he forced himself to put the letter away and raised his head to look at Zhou Pu.

"Lord Zhou, your honored country... had your honored country already decided before this to send a punitive expedition against the shogunate?"

"Yes. In truth, it is precisely by the Son of Heaven's decree that I have come to Japan to contact factions dissatisfied with the shogunate, so that we may unite and together aid us in striking down the shogunate." Zhou Pu nodded composedly. "So is this not perfect? Your honored country's court wishes to strike down the shogunate, and we also wish to strike down the shogunate — we are natural allies and ought to unite."