Chapter 1601: Secret Plot and Incitement

Although the Cloistered Emperor had scolded her harshly, she was not angry or dejected because of it — in fact, she was somewhat happy. For years, because of the strained relations with the Tokugawa shogunate, she and her children had often borne the brunt of the Cloistered Emperor's displaced anger. After he abdicated and took Buddhist vows, the situation had only grown worse. She herself could endure it, but she was deeply worried that her daughter Okiko would be denied a proper upbringing and education, and this had troubled her endlessly.

To see today that the Cloistered Emperor had unexpectedly shown such concern for Okiko's scholarly pursuits, and had even decided to personally teach her classical Chinese and Chinese poetry — how could this not fill her with overjoyed surprise? No matter how well the Cloistered Emperor could teach, at the very least Okiko would get to spend more time with her father and enjoy the ordinary joys of family bonds.

"We are at fault, and beg Your Majesty's forgiveness." She quickly realized that her display had been far too improper and hurriedly began to apologize, yet the smile on her face simply could not be wiped away.

She then walked over to Emperor Okiko's side and lifted the kneeling girl up from the floor. "Okiko, hurry and thank your Imperial Father."

"I already did..." Okiko murmured in explanation, but she could not resist her mother and in the end had to kneel back down on the floor and solemnly bow once more to her father in thanks.

"Enough, why so much ceremony with one's father?" The Cloistered Emperor waved it off and pulled Okiko into his own arms, then placed the brush into her hand. "Okiko, come — finish writing the part you haven't completed yet."

Watching this rare display of father-daughter intimacy, Empress Dowager Kazuko suddenly felt a sting at the corners of her eyes and nearly shed tears; it took great effort to control herself.

They are father and daughter, after all — no matter how external things interfere, familial love can never be erased. She thought with comfort, and at the same time drew close to the two of them, watching her daughter write from beside them.

Yet, though he was in the midst of this warm and harmonious scene, the Cloistered Emperor's thoughts were far more complicated than those of his wife and daughter.

He could feel their surprise and delight, and from this he realized how much he had failed them before — so much so that doing even this little thing could earn him such gratitude.

Only, how could they know that his motives in doing this were not entirely pure?

War-drums from Yuyang shook the earth, shattering the Rainbow Skirt and Feathered Coat song. Dust and smoke rose above the nine-tiered palace walls; a thousand chariots, ten thousand horsemen fled southwest. The imperial banners swayed, halted, then moved again — a hundred li west beyond the capital gates. The six armies refused to march; there was no help for it, and before the horses, the moth-browed beauty died.

Those familiar lines from the "Song of Everlasting Regret" echoed through his mind once more.

When he had seen those verses from the "Song of Everlasting Regret" earlier, the reason he had become so angry was not merely that he wanted to seize on a pretext and create an excuse to move into the Tsune-goten Palace — it was also, in small part, a stirring of emotion brought on by the scene.

Now, because of his decision, they were so happy. How could they know that he had already secretly drawn them into a terrifying vortex that could swallow almost anyone?

Kazuko especially — when the time came for the court and Edo to formally break with each other, she would not only face an even more difficult situation, but might even encounter dangers beyond all reckoning. Just thinking of it was enough to make one shudder.

But since things had already reached this point, further hesitation was meaningless. He knew he could only do his utmost, within this great and irreversible tide, to make everything unfold according to his will.

I have failed you far too much. Once I can seize back the court's great authority, I will certainly protect you well. The Cloistered Emperor silently steeled his resolve.

The silent palace walls and halls watched all this in wordless witness, as if quietly awaiting the day the storm would arrive.

Like the Cloistered Emperor and his daughter, Zhou Pu had been hiding in the Hashimoto residence all this time. With nothing to do in his idleness, he too read through the collection of books every day and passed the time practicing calligraphy. He knew what his arrival signified — the Japanese court would certainly be caught somewhat off guard and would need some time to deliberate on their response, so he was in no hurry.

He had waited only a few days when a message was delivered to the Hashimoto residence from the mansion of the Minister of the Right, Nijo Yasumichi — to celebrate his son's birthday, the Minister of the Left, Ichijo Kanesada, intended to hold a poetry gathering at Rozanji Temple, inviting a number of young men of similar age to drink and feast. Hashimoto Sanekiyo was also to attend and play music for the guests' entertainment. The date was set for two days later.

Zhou Pu, of course, understood the significance of this invitation. He set aside his idle pastimes and began to formulate his strategy for the negotiations ahead, while also listing out the conditions he would need to raise during the talks.

The Great Han's army had not yet arrived, so he still held no deterrent power over the Japanese court. How, then, to achieve the conditions his homeland expected while not frightening the Japanese court away — this required a delicate balance and truly called for careful handling.

When one has matters at hand, time flows very quickly, and soon the day of Ichijo Kanesada's scheduled banquet arrived. Just as the sky was darkening into dusk and night was about to fall, Zhou Pu carefully donned a headscarf, disguised himself as Hashimoto Sanekiyo's servant, and followed Hashimoto Sanekiyo as they walked toward Rozanji Temple north of the city.

Because they had been stripped of real power, the court nobles had leisure time in abundance, and banquets and entertainments were nearly continuous. Moreover, Ichijo Kanesada was young and especially fond of amusements, frequently holding similar gatherings with his peers. Thus this banquet drew no attention whatsoever — everyone simply assumed that the Minister of the Left was in the mood for revelry again.

When Zhou Pu arrived at Rozanji Temple, he found that several people were already there. They were all dressed in the small straight robes reserved for courtiers, and on their heads they wore the tall, curved, upright eboshi caps, looking as if they were attending a genuine banquet.

And Zhou Pu immediately spotted the Minister of the Right, Nijo Yasumichi, among them.

Almost at the same moment, Nijo Yasumichi also noticed Zhou Pu. He raised the folding fan in his hand and gave Zhou Pu a slight wave, signaling him to come over to his side.

Since this was, after all, in a public setting, Zhou Pu hesitated briefly.

Nijo Yasumichi smiled faintly.

"The Heavenly Envoy need not worry. Everyone present today shares our convictions and aspirations. They are all trustworthy — there is no need to hide any longer."

Only then did Zhou Pu set his mind at ease. He removed the hat from his head, looked around, and cupped his hands in salute to these young court nobles. Though he performed a Chinese gesture of respect, the fact that half his head was shaved made him look somewhat peculiar no matter how one saw it.

Yet none of the guests today cared about this peculiarity. In unison, they fixed their gazes upon Zhou Pu, scrutinizing him carefully with fervent eyes, and even whispering among themselves — practically treating him as some rare and curious novelty.

Zhou Pu felt rather uncomfortable under the weight of their stares, but he controlled his emotions well. He raised his head, looked at them, and then spoke out in a clear voice.

"I am Zhou Pu, an official of the Great Han. By the command of the Son of Heaven, I have come to the imperial capital of your esteemed country to pay my respects to you, my lords."

Though everyone already knew his identity, his words still stirred a commotion among the group.

For these court nobles, who had been stripped of real power for five hundred years, when had they ever imagined that a day would come when someone would seek them out — and that the Son of Heaven of the Central Plain would personally send an envoy to convey his regards?

Because Ichijo Kanesada and Nijo Yasumichi had deliberately kept the information restricted, they did not know the specific details. They simply assumed that the Cloistered Emperor and Nijo Yasumichi's plan to borrow troops from the Central Plain to suppress the traitorous vassals had already succeeded, and so they were all doubly stirred — in their eyes, from this moment on, Japan at last had hope of restoring the old order, and they at last had hope of restoring the glory of their ancestors.

In this atmosphere, some trembled faintly, and some even had tears welling in their eyes.

"We greet the Heavenly Envoy!" they shouted in unison to Zhou Pu. Though none of the voices were loud, the fervor behind them was unmistakable.

"Quiet, everyone — we must not disturb the crows!" Nijo Yasumichi stretched out a hand to stop them, then spoke with pointed meaning.

He then turned to Zhou Pu with a smile. "Heavenly Envoy, you have surely seen our passion by now. We are all filled with ardent zeal, willing to shatter our bones to dust for the court's revival. We have only been forced to swallow our rage and endure in silence because the shogunate's power was too great. Now, with the Heavenly Dynasty's help, we at last have a chance to hold our heads high and pour out the grievances pent up in our hearts. We only regret that we cannot sacrifice ourselves for the nation this very moment!"

Though his words once again stirred a wave of impassioned fervor, and Zhou Pu outwardly played along, inwardly he kept his reservations.

Every one of the court nobles present was thin and frail, their complexions and skin tones exceedingly pale — clearly, most were bookishly weak. Moreover, having not eaten meat since childhood, they were all severely lacking in physical strength and stamina. Let alone fighting in battle, even manual labor would be extremely difficult for them.

"Ardent zeal" they certainly had — but how much combat strength this ardent zeal actually translated into was an entirely different matter. Counting on them to fight to the death was surely hopeless — though, of course, he had never actually intended for them to do so.

"The ardent zeal of all you lords truly moves me," Zhou Pu replied unhurriedly. "The court of your esteemed country has ruled the realm for over a thousand years and has long been the seat of legitimacy. That successive shogunates have forcibly usurped the court's authority by military might and cowed the sovereign — this is an act of disloyalty and unfiliality, a crime of the greatest enormity. Our dynasty, ordained by Heaven, upholds the moral order under the skies. That the Tokugawa house has so corrupted the hearts of men — for this, it must pay the price. My lords, please rest assured: the Son of Heaven of our dynasty has always been deeply sympathetic to your esteemed court, and so our nation will always stand at your side. Once our nation can crush the shogunate, that will be the moment your esteemed court once again rules the realm — and the moment you lords can fully display your talents in service to the nation."

Unsurprisingly, his words once again stirred a wave of excitement. Every face lit up with joy, as if the great enterprise were already accomplished.

After the initial pleasantries had set the mood, these men each raised their cups and drained the wine within. The heat the alcohol brought made the flames in their hearts burn even hotter, and even Zhou Pu felt as if a fierce fire blazed in his own chest, his body growing much lighter.

"To be frank with you, my lords, I did not enter office through the civil examinations. Due to family business in the past, I came to Japan several times, and it is precisely for this reason that the Son of Heaven selected me as envoy to your esteemed country." He lifted his head and swept his gaze over these court nobles. "Should the great enterprise fail, I will of course give my life for the nation — that goes without saying. But should the great enterprise succeed, the Son of Heaven will certainly appoint me as our dynasty's ambassador to your esteemed country, with full authority over all dealings between our two nations. So you, my lords, need not worry about any future complications and may cooperate with me fully. At the same time, should you have any matters requiring coordination, you may also convey them to our homeland through me."

He seized this opportunity to vigorously elevate his own standing, intent on overawing these court nobles and establishing a framework with himself at the center, and so he spoke with particular force.

"That the Heavenly Envoy enjoys such great trust from your esteemed nation's Son of Heaven clearly shows you hold a cherished place in the imperial heart," Nijo Yasumichi offered with a smile in flattery. "And only a peerless hero like your nation's Son of Heaven could fully draw out the Heavenly Envoy's talents."

"Many thanks for the praise." Zhou Pu smiled, slightly embarrassed. "Since what needed to be said first has been made clear, and time is pressing, I will dispense with further pleasantries. In truth, our nation's strategy is quite simple. Since we are to advance our troops into Japan, we must secure a foothold in Japan's borderlands from which to continue our advance into the interior — and Kyushu, being the island closest to the mainland, is the best choice for such a foothold. Therefore, we will attack Kyushu directly from the start, hoping to pacify it as swiftly as possible and create a secure base for our nation and for yours."

He had no intention of going into too much detail, nor did he wish to reveal the cooperation of the Shimazu clan and the other great houses of Kyushu — not only for the sake of secrecy, but also to minimize any misgivings among these men.

As expected, though his words brought a certain gravity, no one found them surprising. This strategy was simple and obvious; the Great Yuan had done the same back then, only without achieving a favorable outcome.

"Presumably, as soon as we advance our troops, the shogunate will do everything in its power to resist, and from the very start it will seek to keep your esteemed court firmly in its grasp, using the court to command all of Japan. We therefore cannot let them succeed. Before they can take your nation's two sovereigns hostage, we must preemptively spirit them out of the palace. If possible, have them cross the sea to Kyushu; at the very least, have them go into hiding among the common people and wait for us to march north and capture Kyoto, then return to the court. With the authority of the throne and the weight of the sacred regalia, they can then command Japan, stripping the shogunate of all its authority and rallying power, leaving it able only to reveal its true face as a traitorous vassal!"

Because Zhou Pu had spoken so bluntly, several of the young men drew sharp breaths and looked at one another.

It was all too obvious: when the Great Han attacked Kyushu, there could be no Great Han troops in Kyoto. This so-called preemptive spiriting of the sovereigns out of the palace could only be carried out by their own people. This was no longer a matter of casually shouting a few slogans — it meant risking their lives to an extreme degree.

"Gentlemen, we are all direct descendants of the Fujiwara house, bearing the weight of the nation's and the realm's expectations. When the court has need of us, can we shrink back? In ordinary times, every one of us speaks with impassioned fervor, regretting only that we cannot bow in service until death — was all that merely empty words?" Seeing the mood grow heavy, Nijo Yasumichi suddenly shouted out. "What the Heavenly Envoy says is sound principle. If Emperor Go-Daigo had not fled Kyoto carrying the Three Sacred Treasures back then, how could he have re-established himself in a separate territory and called upon all under heaven to suppress the shogunate? At the critical moment, to lead the Cloistered Emperor, the Emperor, and the Three Sacred Treasures in escaping Kyoto — this is the key to success or failure, the very pivot upon which the realm turns! Even if it costs us our lives, we must accomplish this before the Great Han launches its attack."

Spurred on by Nijo Yasumichi's incitement, the others nodded one after another and ultimately agreed to the plan Zhou Pu had proposed: to rescue the Cloistered Emperor and then flee south to Kyushu.

"The Lord of the Right Office speaks truly." Zhou Pu looked at Nijo Yasumichi with great approval. "I ask all of you to begin planning this matter from today onward, to deploy every resource at your disposal, and to no longer concern yourselves with consequences. Once this deed is done, the greater cause will already be more than half achieved."

In truth, for Zhou Pu, while the support of the Japanese court and even the Cloistered Emperor himself was extremely useful and important, it was not indispensable. He therefore did not actually count on the Cloistered Emperor necessarily being able to escape and make his way to their side. As long as the Japanese court could stir up some trouble at the same time the Great Han attacked Kyushu, demonstrating resistance against the shogunate, or at the very least adopt a stance of not fully siding with the shogunate in resisting the Great Han to the bitter end, that would already achieve his objective. By then, he imagined, the shogunate would be far more overwhelmed and harried.

"My lord, we will exert ourselves to the utmost." Nijo Yasumichi's face darkened, his mind clearly made up. "We have many court nobles loyal to the throne, as well as household servants whose families have served us faithfully for generations. Moreover, among the guards stationed in Kyoto and the Imperial Palace, many are sympathizers of the court and His Majesty the Cloistered Emperor. As long as we plan properly and rally together, rescuing His Majesty from the Imperial Palace will not be a problem. Back then, Emperor Go-Daigo was tightly encircled by Ashikaga Takauji's troops, yet he still managed to escape from confinement. Can we, the descendants, possibly prove inferior to our predecessors?"

He kept bringing up the old story of Emperor Go-Daigo, his intent being to encourage and hint to his fellow conspirators — as long as they could rescue the Emperor and the Cloistered Emperor, then with the Great Han's occupied territories as the core, the court could at least establish a Northern and Southern Courts situation just as Emperor Go-Daigo had back then, and they would thereby gain important appointments. If they could achieve total success, that would naturally be the best outcome.

And his use of historical precedent to stir them up was indeed persuasive. These young men, already brimming with passion, had all cast aside their earlier doubts and were now eager and ready to act.

However, matters were of course not as simple as he made them sound. The Tokugawa house had held Japan for so many years and had never relaxed its control over Kyoto, always using the Kyoto Deputy to keep watch. To spirit the Cloistered Emperor out of the Imperial Palace would require taking enormous risks.

Yet the hope of success was not nonexistent — after decades of peace, the military readiness of the shogunate and the various domains had grown slack. To say nothing of fighting a regular war, even suppressing uprisings by townspeople and peasants had become an immense strain. Furthermore, because they held the court in contempt and trusted in the military force Kanto possessed as sufficient, the shogunate had not deployed many troops near Kyoto. Even the Kyoto Deputy himself had an authorized force of only thirty mounted constables and one hundred foot constables. Adding in hired commoners, the total armed force the whole of Kyoto could muster numbered only a few hundred men. As long as the Cloistered Emperor and his party could escape Kyoto and hide in the countryside, it would be exceedingly difficult for the shogunate to search him out.