Chapter 1599: For the Satisfaction of Revenge

By the time Nijo Yasumichi returned to his own residence, it was already deep into the night. He slipped back home with extreme caution, then ordered his servants to keep it secret. The Nijo family's stipend was not high, so naturally the treatment of its servants was never particularly generous, but since these servants had served the Nijo family for generations, their obedience was not an issue.

The moment he returned to his study, he discovered that not only had the man he sent to deliver the letter come back, but another person wearing a hat was also kneeling inside the room. Although the hat brim was pulled down very low, Nijo Yasumichi of course knew exactly who it was.

"How did you just come running over here like this?" He took off his wooden clogs, stepped right in, and then, not caring much about appearances, flopped down onto the tatami.

"After hearing such news, how could I possibly sit still?" The visitor let out a long sigh, then removed his hat. It was unmistakably the Minister of the Left, Ichijo Kaneyoshi. "I originally wanted to go directly to the Hashimoto residence, but then I thought it wouldn't be quite appropriate, so I decided to come to your place first. So, Lord Minister of the Right, how did your talk with that Celestial Envoy go?"

He did not go to the Hashimoto residence to meet that Celestial Envoy, partly for safety considerations, and partly because he wanted Nijo Yasumichi to first probe that Celestial Envoy's stance, so that he, as the head of the Imperial Court, could be in a more advantageous position.

"The Celestial Envoy's identity has been confirmed; he is indeed an official of Great Han, and he has already spoken with Hashimoto Sanemura. He is also extremely supportive of our ideas." Nijo Yasumichi spoke unhurriedly. "Now, Hashimoto Sanemura has already departed for Great Han, and it is estimated that he will soon be able to have an audience with the Great Han Son of Heaven."

"That is wonderful! In that case, our great undertaking can be accomplished!" A trace of excitement flickered across Ichijo Kaneyoshi's face.

"It can be accomplished, yes, but it's too smooth—smooth to the point of being excessive..." Nijo Yasumichi, however, gave a bitter smile, showing little sign of joy.

"What's the matter?" Seeing the other man so out of sorts, Ichijo Kaneyoshi quickly asked. "Could there be some hidden details?"

"There are indeed hidden details." Nijo Yasumichi sighed, then told this Minister of the Left everything he had learned about the situation.

"To think that before we even went to request it, they were already planning to attack!" After listening to Nijo Yasumichi's words, Ichijo Kaneyoshi's expression turned dark and uncertain. He knelt woodenly in place, sinking into thought.

Only after a long while did he raise his head to look at the Minister of the Right. "What did you say to him?"

"I did not discuss this issue with the envoy, and I felt there was no need to discuss it." Nijo Yasumichi shook his head. "No matter the reason for attacking, they have already decided to send troops to exterminate the Shogunate. For us, this is a heaven-sent blessing. Why bother with so many other concerns? Do we even have the luxury of being picky right now?"

"You are right. To be able to invite troops here at all is already a blessing from heaven. How could we dare to be greedy for more?" After a moment of stunned silence, Ichijo Kaneyoshi smiled bitterly, then asked again, "Then did you discuss with him what exactly Great Han wants, and the issue of the Imperial Court's status after the war?"

"Both of these questions are far too significant. Even as Minister of the Right, it is not very proper for me to ask... and besides, he might not be willing to tell me clearly anyway." Nijo Yasumichi replied, "So I only probed him a little, waiting to report back to you and His Majesty the Retired Emperor. He said that Great Han's military expedition only seeks to obtain some compensation for military expenses, and that they are willing to guarantee the Imperial Court's post-war status and recognize the Court's rule over Japan."

"Those terms sound truly excellent..." Ichijo Kaneyoshi furrowed his brow. "But worldly affairs are unlikely to go so perfectly according to our wishes."

"Of course not everything will go completely smoothly. What this envoy said is probably just words to placate us..." Nijo Yasumichi smiled again. "However, judging from his words, the Great Han court is indeed willing to support us, and then use our strength to suppress the Shogunate, letting us rule Japan after the war. It's just that their appetite for money might be a bit larger, that's all."

"I fear it may not be just 'a bit' larger." Ichijo Kaneyoshi said coolly.

"Even if it's much larger, so what? It's nothing more than wanting money. If we can seize back the governance of the nation, what does it matter to pay out some money? Where in this world is there such a good thing as achieving one's desires without paying a price?" Nijo Yasumichi retorted sharply. "Minister of the Left, the wealth of Japan has always been beyond our grasp. What difference is there between that and not having it at all? To exchange empty promises for such immense benefits—I think we should be rejoicing!"

His attitude was extremely radical, because he had always been the planner and driver of this scheme, pouring tremendous effort and expectation into it. More than anyone, he hoped this plan could continue and ultimately achieve the dreamed-of result. Although the situation now had a slight deviation, in his view the circumstances still supported continuing the plan, so he could not bear to see any wavering in others—whether it was Hashimoto Sanemura or the Minister of the Left himself.

"You... don't get agitated. I absolutely have no intention of giving up on this." Seeing Nijo Yasumichi speak so harshly, Ichijo Kaneyoshi also backed down slightly. "You are quite right. At this point, we indeed have very little room to retreat. But..."

"But what?" The sudden shift in his tone made Nijo Yasumichi somewhat worried, and he quickly pressed for an answer.

"But since the Celestial Envoy is already here, it won't do if we don't broadly settle the situation. Having finally obtained such an opportunity, we should coordinate well between both sides. If Great Han truly has an insatiable appetite, we cannot agree to everything."

As the elder of the Fujiwara clan and a de facto member of the imperial family, and simultaneously the head of the Imperial Court, Ichijo Kaneyoshi's thinking was far more complex than Nijo Yasumichi's. Nijo Yasumichi only thought about borrowing troops from Great Han to defeat the Shogunate, but Ichijo Kaneyoshi had to balance many aspects—without a doubt, the Imperial Court borrowing troops from Great Han, and standing on Great Han's side when Great Han attacked Japan, was an act of pure national betrayal. But betraying the nation had to have limits and also required a cover; the Court could not afford to lose all the people's hearts across the realm because of this. The reason the Imperial Court could still exist and endure now relied entirely on its righteous name and the legitimacy passed down over a thousand years of imperial dynasty. He could not let the matter of borrowing troops completely exhaust the Court's legitimacy, or else even if they could seize the ruling power of Japan after the war, they might not truly be able to govern.

In short, even if they were going to betray the nation, they had to do it with skill, not selling it out completely in one go and thus losing the people's hearts. Even more, they had to strive for better terms and sell themselves for a good price.

And for this, they had to negotiate with Great Han carefully and cautiously, starting right now.

"Then what should we do next?" Nijo Yasumichi asked again.

"First, make preparations and report the matter to His Majesty the Retired Emperor. We need to unify our opinions on this side and determine a baseline for negotiations. Find a way to enter the Imperial Palace within these two days and explain clearly to His Majesty the Retired Emperor the situation we are all in. Best of all, obtain a personally written letter from him, granting us full authority to negotiate with Great Han."

On the surface, everything they were carrying out was the will of His Majesty the Retired Emperor, so there was no absolute need to obtain a personally written letter from him. However, Nijo Yasumichi also understood the Minister of the Left's intention—since they were definitely going to betray the nation, they might as well do everything in the name of His Majesty the Retired Emperor himself, so that afterward the Retired Emperor would have no way to shift all the blame onto the few of them.

But what Nijo Yasumichi did not realize was that Ichijo Kaneyoshi was far more resolute than he had imagined.

"Time is pressing. Once you obtain His Majesty the Retired Emperor's personally written letter, send it to me. I will also immediately arrange a meeting with Great Han's envoy. Furthermore... do not tell His Majesty the Retired Emperor the details of the negotiations. We only need His Majesty's approval." Ichijo Kaneyoshi spoke in an extremely calm tone.

"..." Nijo Yasumichi stared at the other man in great shock, momentarily speechless.

This was blatantly intending to shut His Majesty the Retired Emperor out of these negotiations.

"Although His Majesty the Retired Emperor is shrewd, his will is sometimes not firm enough. If there were any reversals in this matter, some wavering would be inevitable. Since things have already reached this stage, there absolutely can be no more wavering. Therefore, we should help His Majesty the Retired Emperor make up his mind—this is precisely fulfilling our duty as subjects." Ichijo Kaneyoshi remained unhurried. "Besides, the people around His Majesty the Retired Emperor are too mixed, and it is indeed not suitable for them to participate in major affairs. After all, aren't we exerting ourselves so wholeheartedly for him and for the Imperial Court?"

"What the Minister of the Left says does have reason..." After pondering for a moment, Nijo Yasumichi also agreed with his view. "But... won't this incur His Majesty the Retired Emperor's displeasure? If our great undertaking succeeds and His Majesty comes to rule over Japan, if he still harbors resentment over this matter, I fear it will be very disadvantageous for both you and me."

"Having already done such things, what meaning is there in looking forward and backward with hesitation?" Ichijo Kaneyoshi countered. "His Majesty will surely be able to understand our painstaking efforts in the future. Besides, having rendered such meritorious service, and as Minister of the Left and Minister of the Right, will the Imperial Court not remember our contributions?"

"That is also true... Very well, I understand." Nijo Yasumichi nodded silently. "I will find an opportunity to have an audience with His Majesty the Retired Emperor within these two days and do everything as you have said."

"Then I entrust everything to you, Lord Minister of the Right." Ichijo Kaneyoshi solemnly bowed his head in salute, then rose, preparing to leave. "I will also make preparations on my side and go talk with Great Han's envoy within these two days."

After the morning sun rose anew, Kyoto welcomed another day. Within the Imperial Palace in Kyoto, the Retired Emperor Masahito was in a secluded small room, writing calligraphy practice sheets with a brush. This small room had been specially opened up in his residence after he abdicated to become Retired Emperor. Its location was deep and secluded, surrounded by plants and trees, with the breath of nature everywhere. While cultivating his mind and spirit, he could also use the scenery to compose poems and prose, and wield the brush for practice.

Because they had long accepted Central Plains culture, there had never been a shortage of people skilled in calligraphy and painting throughout history among the imperial and court noble families, and many exquisite works had been passed down. Even the Retired Emperor Masahito himself could write a fine hand.

Spring is an extremely vibrant season. At this moment, outside the window, everything was already a lush verdant green. A gentle breeze drifted everywhere, carrying the fragrance of flowers and the scent of earth together into the room, refreshing the heart and mind.

However, although the atmosphere was so suited for creation, and although the piece he was using as a model today was an excellent work, the Retired Emperor today seemed absent-minded. His characters were written without any spiritual resonance, possessing only their outward form. Not only would others not find them good, even he himself was very dissatisfied. After writing a section, he tore the paper off, crumpled it into a ball, and tossed it into the bamboo wastebasket beside him, which had already accumulated quite a bit of discarded paper.

He continued like this, writing a section and destroying a section, intermittently for nearly the entire morning. Only when an inner attendant reported that the Minister of the Right, Nijo Yasumichi himself, had come to the Imperial Palace to request an audience did he calm down slightly, and then immediately summoned Nijo Yasumichi for an audience.

Then, guided by an attendant, Nijo Yasumichi walked slowly into the room and performed a kneeling bow to the Retired Emperor. Because this was a formal audience, Nijo Yasumichi today wore the sokutai formal attire of a court noble: a light-colored robe on his body, a cap with trailing cords on his head, and a white ivory shaku tablet in his hand. Thus, as he performed the rites, a continuous rustling sound could be heard.

The moment he saw Nijo Yasumichi, a trace of joy flickered across the Retired Emperor's face, then his expression returned to one of ancient, undisturbed calm. He waved his hand for the attendants to withdraw.

"My beloved minister, for what matter have you come to request an audience today?" he then asked in a calm tone.

"Your servant has come today to inquire about the recent condition of His Highness the Prince," Nijo Yasumichi answered very respectfully. "Also, may I ask if Your Majesty has already thought of a name for His Highness?"

The "His Highness" he spoke of referred to the Fourth Prince, who had recently been born in the palace.

The Retired Emperor had previously had several sons, but their lifespans were not long, and they had died young very quickly. Therefore, when he abdicated to become Retired Emperor, he had no choice but to pass the throne to his daughter Okiko. However, after becoming a monk and Retired Emperor, he still visited his consorts, and once again added several children to his knee. One of his consorts, Sono Mitsuko, who served as a Naishi-no-Suke, had recently borne him a prince. Because his previous sons had all died young, whether this son could survive became a focal point of attention for the entire Imperial Court. It was thus perfectly natural for Nijo Yasumichi to come for an audience regarding this.

"The Prince's health is currently acceptable, but he is somewhat frail and can only be slowly nursed. It is not suitable for him to meet outsiders." The Retired Emperor picked up his brush again. "As for his name, I thought of it yesterday. My beloved minister, see if it is suitable or not."

After writing it, he swept the page directly forward. The thin paper drifted lightly forward and finally landed precisely in front of Nijo Yasumichi.

Nijo Yasumichi picked up the page and then saw the two Chinese characters written on it.

"Tsuguhito..." He read it softly, then pondered silently. "'Tsugu' means to inherit. Giving him this name perfectly embodies the expectation that the Prince will inherit the great lineage... Very good, Your Majesty, an excellent name."

After entering the feudal era, Japan carried out the Taika Reforms modeled on the Tang Dynasty. At the same time, to maintain their rule, they vigorously strengthened the mystique of the imperial family. Therefore, unlike ordinary subjects, the imperial family no longer used surnames, adopting palace titles instead. Also, by the late Heian period, the naming of imperial males began to follow a fixed rule: taking only two characters, with the latter character being 'hito' (benevolence) and the preceding character being the personal name. The Retired Emperor Masahito and other imperial descendants all followed this pattern.

"He is so young now; it is far too early to speak of inheriting the great lineage." The Retired Emperor merely smiled faintly. "We can discuss that when he reaches adulthood."

The current Emperor was his daughter, which was certainly not a long-term solution. Therefore, once the Prince grew a little older, he planned to transfer the throne from Okiko's hands into his.

"Your Majesty has the protection of the heavenly gods and will surely achieve what you desire. Please do not worry. His Highness the Prince will certainly grow to adulthood and continue our nation's imperial line." Nijo Yasumichi bowed in kneeling salute to the Retired Emperor once more, then slowly rose, walked toward the Retired Emperor, handed back the sheet of paper he had just written on, and then retreated back.

When the Retired Emperor took back this paper, there was also a paper ball in his hand. His facial expression unchanged, he calmly unfolded the paper again, then began to read it carefully.

Nijo Yasumichi remained kneeling on the ground the entire time. Only after a long while did the Retired Emperor raise his head again to look at him.

"Has this matter already progressed to such a stage...?"

"Yes, Your Majesty, the situation brooks no delay. I must ask Your Majesty to act according to our request," Nijo Yasumichi answered firmly.

"Good... very good..." A smile suddenly bloomed on the Cloistered Emperor's face. "At last... at last the wait is over. Wonderful, wonderful..."

Ever since suffering all that bullying from the Tokugawa house, he had resolved to exact revenge. Seeing his dream about to come true, he naturally could hardly contain himself. "Since the Celestial Envoys have come, you must entertain them well and be sure to win them over, while also disclosing the news from our side. It is only a pity that the current situation compels me — I cannot receive the Celestial Envoys in person. What a shame to miss such a grand occasion!"

"We naturally understand," Nijo Yasumichi nodded. "However, since we shall receive the envoys in Your Majesty's stead, it would be best if Your Majesty writes a personal letter today, expressing welcome and anticipation toward ****, and also enabling us to negotiate with the Celestial Envoys on your behalf."

"That can certainly be done." The Cloistered Emperor immediately drew a sheet from the paper beside him, then picked up his brush and began to write.

Strangely enough, although his mood was now far more agitated than before, his brushwork was exceptionally nimble — graceful yet dignified, as if divinely aided.

Before long, he handed this piece, arguably the most exquisite work he had produced since he first took up calligraphy, to Nijo Yasumichi. Along with it, he also handed over his fullest expectations.

Then, another important point occurred to him.

"Right, there is one matter you must make clear to them. Since this undertaking is being coordinated in my name, then once the great deed is accomplished, I should also abolish the cloistered rule and return to the throne — only then will it be legitimate and proper. Okiko was originally a female sovereign ruling in an irregular capacity, neither legitimate nor proper. When the time comes, have her abdicate."

Nijo Yasumichi's face broke into a smile.

"That is only to be expected. I think the same, Your Majesty."

He understood the Cloistered Emperor's personal anxiety. His taking of Buddhist vows from the imperial throne had itself been a move made under duress, not of his own free will. Once the court regained ruling power, he would naturally also reclaim his original position.