Chapter 1607: Only One Way to Respond

1607. Chapter 1607 — Only One Way to Respond

"We've been discussing the best time to advance the troops all along. You've been in Japan recently, so I'd like to ask your opinion — which approach do you think is better?" After thinking for a moment, the Crown Prince decided he might as well consult Zhou Pu as well.

He then explained the internal disagreements within the war council to Zhou Pu and quietly waited for his views.

For Zhou Pu, the sooner the better, of course — that would minimize the risks he faced. But he also knew he could not use his own safety as a reason to persuade His Highness.

"I am originally unqualified to speak on matters of state and war, but since Your Highness asks for my opinion, I can only offer some humble thoughts." He first found himself a way to step down gracefully.

"Speak freely — even if you say something wrong, no one will blame you for it." The Crown Prince urged him impatiently.

"I believe both sides' arguments have merit, but advancing the troops as soon as possible seems relatively better," Zhou Pu said cautiously. "The faction that wants to delay the advance fears that after prolonged destruction, there won't be enough usable ports. But today's Japan is vastly different from the Japan of old. Back then, Japan had little trade with foreign nations. Now, however, the country has been open to the sea for a hundred years, and many places have traded with Westerners and built ports. So there are already many ports on Kyushu suitable for our army's use. After we occupy Kyushu, even if Kyushu's ports are temporarily unusable, we can still use other ports."

"Won't the other ports be destroyed as well?" the Crown Prince countered.

"They shouldn't be." Zhou Pu shook his head, looking very certain. "Right now, many of Kyushu's ports are in the hands of local magnates — for example, the Satsuma Domain and the Hirado Domain. These domains are on extremely bad terms with the shogunate, even bearing grudges, so they would certainly be happy to see us attack the shogunate. Not to mention Satsuma — they've already agreed to cooperate with us, and when the time comes, their ports will be open to us. As for the Hirado Domain, I've already communicated with them earlier, and they too harbor considerable rebellious intent toward the shogunate. I am confident that once war breaks out, I can persuade Hirado to side with us. Hirado was previously a major trading port, more than sufficient to meet our army's needs."

"If that is truly the case, then it would be wonderful!" The Crown Prince was overjoyed. "It seems Father Emperor showed true insight in sending you to Japan — his vision spans ten thousand li!"

Then he stood up excitedly, as if he had already made up his mind. "I will ask you once more — matters of state and war are no child's play. If a wrong judgment is made, I fear many soldiers will lose their lives for nothing… Do you have definite confidence that what you just said can be achieved?"

Under his pressing question, Zhou Pu suddenly found it hard to breathe; the pressure weighed down on him like a mountain.

He lowered his head, thinking carefully, weighing exactly how much confidence he had. For a moment, beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

It was as if he had returned to that day when he participated in the state council meeting — that day, he had left an excellent impression before the Emperor and was entrusted with an important mission. And the Crown Prince was the future emperor. If he could also leave an impression of shrewd decisiveness before His Highness, wouldn't that secure his wealth and rank for the long term?

After a long while, he finally nodded firmly. "In reply to Your Highness, I dare not be reckless, so I cannot claim absolute certainty. However, I am seventy to eighty percent confident that when our dynasty's great army advances into Kyushu, Hirado can be made to serve our purposes — at the very least, it will not be burned to ashes. I believe there is no need to worry about resistance in Kyushu, because the shogunate's forces there are very weak and will not pose much of an obstacle to us."

In his heart, he of course understood the weight of these words, but he also knew what kind of impression this would leave on the Crown Prince — and he had full confidence in his own judgment.

His firm attitude was enough to sway the Crown Prince. With the help of this minister who had just rushed back, he finally made his final decision.

"Very well, then I will summon them here and inform them of my decision. You will join as well and tell them the opinions you've shared with me today, so that everyone can finalize the time for the troop advance in this meeting. Also, if there is anything you need their help with, make it clear to them now, so that we don't end up landing on Kyushu without proper coordination."

"Yes, Your Highness!"

Just as Zhou Pu and the Crown Prince were finalizing the last details of the troop advance, Naitō Tadashige's report on the delicate situation between the two nations had also been delivered to Edo Castle, where it caused a massive uproar among the shogunate's top officials.

In the deep, secluded main hall of the Ōoku, the several rōjū currently in Edo were summoned to discuss the increasingly grave situation and countermeasures, with Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu in attendance.

Because Naitō Tadashige was currently in Nagasaki, and Inaba Masakatsu had already gone to Takasaki Castle in Kōzuke Province to guard the shogun's younger brother Tokugawa Tadanaga, those present today were only the four rōjū — Sakai Tadayo, Matsudaira Nobutsuna, Doi Toshikatsu, and Sakai Tadakatsu — along with the Tairō Ii Naotaka himself.

The several rōjū sat in two rows, kneeling behind their seats, while Tokugawa Iemitsu sat upright upon the throne, staring expressionlessly ahead. The deep, dim candlelight made every face appear somewhat blurred and uncertain, and deepened the gloom in the hall.

Rain was about to fall, and the air was exceptionally oppressive, weighing on everyone's chest as if they were being enveloped by some colossal entity.

The meeting had been underway for a long time, but no one had spoken, as if no one dared to shoulder the responsibility of breaking the silence. This was because Tokugawa Iemitsu's face was frighteningly pale, and these high officials, well acquainted with the shogun's temper, all knew how terrible the consequences would be if a single ill-chosen word provoked his anger.

The issues Naitō Tadashige had raised in his letter shattered all their previous assumptions about the Great Han. No one had imagined they would act so resolutely. Even more frightening was the possibility that an even greater storm was brewing behind this.

After receiving Naitō Tadashige's letter, the shogunate's senior ministers had set aside all other matters and gathered several times to discuss the issue. Like Naitō Tadashige, they were more inclined to believe this was a trade extortion tactic by the Great Han, but they also feared the Great Han might take even more drastic actions.

A matter of such magnitude could not be kept from the shogun. Tokugawa Iemitsu was quickly informed of these developments and immediately summoned the senior ministers to deliberate.

"Why is no one speaking? Are you not usually all so eloquent?" After an unknown length of time, the shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu, who had remained silent all along, finally spoke. "Normally, every one of you lectures on statecraft as if the realm would enjoy lasting peace and order so long as I placed my trust in you. Why are you all silent as cicadas in winter today?"

With a faint, mocking sneer, he swept his gaze over the assembled ministers, finally fixing it on Sakai Tadayo.

"Tadayo, you have read Naitō's letter. What profound insight do you have on this?"

The moment Tokugawa Iemitsu's eyes fixed on him, Sakai Tadayo instantly felt as if thorns were piercing his back. His heart suddenly raced, and a surge of fear rose unbidden from within.

In previous shogunate deliberations, he had been the foremost advocate for restricting trade with the Great Han as quickly as possible and had also been one of those who strongly pushed for temporarily cutting off copper exports. Many of these matters had become shogunate resolutions precisely because of his insistence. It was easy to imagine how furious the shogun must be with him now that the situation had grown so dire.

As the leader of the hardline faction at the time, he could not remain silent now; he had to offer an explanation and a countermeasure that would satisfy the shogun.

"I am ashamed before Your Excellency…" Sakai Tadayo prostrated himself, pressing his forehead to the floor in a dogeza to express his apology. "We misjudged the Great Han earlier, which led matters to this point. I beg Your Excellency to punish me!"

Seeing him humble himself so low, Tokugawa Iemitsu's expression softened slightly.

"What use is begging for punishment? What we need now is a response. Tadayo, since you were the most zealous in demanding the trade ban during our discussions, you must have been somewhat mentally prepared for the current situation. Speak — what do you think is the best course of action for us now?"

"Your Excellency, I believe the Great Han is clearly trying to use intimidation to force us to submit, and this is something we absolutely cannot show weakness on." Sakai Tadayo raised his head again and looked at Tokugawa Iemitsu. "The moment we show weakness, it will give the Great Han the mistaken impression that we are the ones in need of them. Then they will press their advantage step by step, continuing to force concessions from us."

"You mean we should respond with toughness?" Tokugawa Iemitsu frowned.

"Yes, I believe we must respond to the Great Han's despicable conduct with a dignified stance, telling them that a great nation cannot resort to such underhanded tricks, and that they must never think of using such methods to force us to retreat." Sakai Tadayo nodded. "I am confident that if we respond to them with a firm attitude, they will ultimately compromise."

"Then how do you think we should be firm?" Tokugawa Iemitsu asked again.

"We must clearly state our position, then draft a formal state letter and deliver it to the Great Han court through the trading house in Nagasaki, so they understand our stance of no concessions whatsoever," Sakai Tadayo reported loudly. "At the same time, we must also search Nagasaki for any Great Han merchants who have violated any prohibitions and ensure they receive due punishment. Only thus can we avoid being held hostage by others."

Tokugawa Iemitsu did not press further. He turned his head and looked at the Tairō Ii Naotaka, who had remained silent all along.

"What is your view?"

"Your Excellency, I believe we cannot act so rashly." Ii Naotaka did not offer any polite preambles but instead stated his opinion directly, causing a slight stir among the others.

This was not his usual style. As Tairō, serving at the side of someone as solitary and proud as Tokugawa Iemitsu, he was ordinarily extremely cautious and prudent, rarely expressing his own views before the shogun, much less criticizing his colleagues in the shogun's presence. Speaking so directly today was highly unusual.

"Why do you say that?" Tokugawa Iemitsu was slightly curious.

"The situation is already somewhat critical. This is absolutely not the time to treat it lightly, Your Excellency." Ii Naotaka suddenly also lowered his head to the floor. "We must now show resolve and restore relations between the two nations as soon as possible, rather than merely displaying toughness and making relations even worse. We must add some conciliatory measures."

"During our previous discussions, you yourself, Tairō-dono, also agreed to take a hard line against the Great Han. Why have you changed your stance now?" Sakai Tadakatsu, another rōjū of the Sakai clan who was present, suddenly spoke up. "What Tadayo just said may be somewhat biased, but I believe it is generally correct. If we keep making concessions, things will only get worse, and we will be looked down upon. Although the situation is unfavorable now, at most trade between the two nations will be interrupted for a while, which will not greatly harm our country. On the contrary, it is the Great Han that will be the first to find the damage unbearable and be forced to compromise with us."

"Before was before. Back then, who could have imagined the Great Han would respond in this manner? Now that relations between the two nations have reached a very dangerous point, we should not continue to blunder ahead recklessly. We should think of other, more skillful ways to resolve this — that is what benefits Japan. Empty talk of saving face is meaningless."

"My lord, I do not consider my own thinking reckless." At this point, Sakai Tadayo could not help but speak up. "On the contrary, now that the Great Han has resorted to such means to pressure us, we actually have very few choices left. Other than forcing them back to their original position, no other measures hold much meaning."

"How can there be no other choices? Did we set out from the beginning to rupture relations between the two nations? Unyielding toughness sounds fine, but who should take responsibility for the losses suffered as a result?" Ii Naotaka was growing angry. "How much effort did the Divine Lord and the previous shogun expend to restore trade with the Central Plains? Have you all forgotten? How can we let all that effort go to waste over a moment's anger?"

"The Divine Lord and the previous shogun would certainly not wish us to show weakness to the Great Han either!" Sakai Tadayo immediately replied.

Seeing that before he had even expressed his own opinion, the Tairō Ii Naotaka was already arguing with the two rōjū of the Sakai clan, Tokugawa Iemitsu grew even more irritated.

He was still too young. The senior ministers his father had left behind before dying still wielded too much residual influence — especially the deeply entrenched and powerful Ii and Sakai clans. As the largest fudai daimyō, and confident in their many years of service in the shogunate, they were truly somewhat arrogant.

He had originally planned to gradually promote his own trusted men and replace these old-generation ministers. Now that seemed all the more necessary. But he still needed them for the moment, so he could only endure it for now.

He picked up the fan from his tatami mat and slammed it hard against the low table before him. The bamboo fan ribs snapped almost instantly with a crack.

That dull, muted sound immediately restored the bickering ministers to their senses. They hastily fell silent and lowered their heads in kneeling postures.

"If you quarrel like this, you can discuss for an entire day and still reach no conclusion." He looked coldly at these senior ministers. "But time will simply slip away in vain, and the situation will only worsen. You just mentioned the Divine Lord, you mentioned my late father. Then I would like to ask — when they were alive, did you conduct yourselves in this manner as well?"

This stern rebuke was almost a reprimand. None of the senior ministers could bear it, and they all hurriedly prostrated themselves again, not daring to let out even a breath.

After venting the fury in his heart, Tokugawa Iemitsu finally calmed down and looked at Ii Naotaka once more.

"You spoke of conciliation. How exactly do you plan to conciliate? How do we make them abandon their current policies and resume normal relations with us?"

"My lord, the conciliation I speak of is by no means unprincipled appeasement. It means that, without abandoning our own fundamental stance, we do our utmost to make the Great Han feel our sincerity, while simultaneously diluting the impact of the previous trade disputes. In sum, it is to act with both courtesy and firmness, and to hold harmony as the highest value." Ii Naotaka, still with his head bowed, replied in an extremely deferential tone. "The concrete approach would be to use the pretext that the Dutch orders are already complete to reopen copper exports to the Great Han. At the same time, we would express regret for some of the earlier disputes and strive to make up the previous shortfall in copper exports. Concurrently, on trade terms, we could also make some concessions. Instead of rushing to immediately restrict the scale of trade between our two nations, we would negotiate with them to first maintain the current trade volume. Then, in the years that follow, we would reduce the trade volume between the two countries at a gradual, gentle pace to stem the outflow of gold and silver. This would also give the Great Han time to adapt, and presumably, their resistance would be much lessened."

"The Great Elder claims he is not afraid, yet is this not simply showing weakness? This will only cause the Great Han to hold us in contempt. In the future, they will act with even greater impunity, which brings us no benefit whatsoever. If they continue similar actions later, must we then make further concessions? And to what point would we ultimately concede? I believe it would be better to state our position with solemnity and firmness from the very beginning," Sakai Tadakatsu could not help but interject. "The Great Han may be powerful, but given our own strength, there is truly no need for us to humble ourselves so abjectly before them."

"This is not a question of showing weakness or strength at all. Relations between nations are inherently a process of bargaining, ultimately reaching a compromise. Where in the world is the good fortune of another nation simply obeying our every word without argument? Since they find our previous terms unacceptable, we lower our asking price while simultaneously reducing our demands. In this way, they will find it easier—" Ii Naotaka disagreed. "Since maintaining trade is useful to us, we must devise our approach with that as the foundation, rather than obsessing over meaningless questions of projecting strength or weakness."

He then softened his demeanor and raised his head once more to look at Tokugawa Iemitsu. "Of course, we cannot merely lower our posture without letting the other side see our resolve. We should indeed demonstrate a measure of our strength to the Great Han. In this way, they will also carefully consider the new approach we propose. I believe that as long as we combine hard and soft tactics, the Great Han will ultimately cease their current actions and turn to negotiate with us a new trade framework that is truly effective."

"And what exactly do you mean by the 'hard' approach?" Tokugawa Iemitsu asked further.