Chapter 1640: Tokugawa Is the Enemy of All Under Heaven

Zhou Pu had no idea that Mori Hideo was mulling these things over in secret, but even if he had known, he wouldn't have cared. Just like with Shimazu Tadahiro, no matter how they purged their own opposition within their domains or killed the vassals who refused to submit, as long as they were willing to pledge allegiance and aid the Great Han's military advance into Japan, he was fine with it.

"Then your domain should begin preparations at once. You must raise your banner and declare your allegiance the moment our proclamation arrives," he gave the order coolly. "We will have many occasions to call upon your domain's support in the future, and we ask for your domain's generous assistance."

"When exactly will the Heavenly Envoy issue the proclamation?" Mori Motonobu quickly asked. "If our humble domain could know the Great Han's specific date of advance, we could prepare well in advance."

What he did not know was that Zhou Pu was utterly unable to give him a clear answer right now, because these questions were still being debated within the Great Han military itself.

In the Great Han army's previous plan, after taking Kyushu, they were to fully restore the ports, then use Kyushu as a new springboard for the advance, continuing to attack further by sea and even driving straight toward Edo. Therefore, they should concentrate their forces and strike the shogunate's strongest point with maximum strength, striving to secure final victory as quickly as possible.

However, during the state council meeting discussing the offensive against Japan, Zhou Pu proposed that, in order to strengthen the Great Han's striking power, they should simply use the auxiliary troops to march north and attack Kyoto. If they could capture Kyoto, on the one hand, they would be able to seize control of the Japanese imperial court, strengthening the Great Han's rallying power and further weakening the Japanese people's will to resist; on the other hand, it would also tie down a large number of the shogunate's troops, providing coordinated support for the Great Han's major battle on the Kanto Plain.

With the personal support of the Great Han Son of Heaven, this revision to the plan was approved in principle and became the main operational plan for the Great Han army. But of course, every plan is subject to change and requires a certain degree of on-the-spot modification to adapt to the situation.

Zhou Pu's work went very smoothly. Backed by the military might of the Great Han army, he used various means to recruit a large number of powerful Kyushu families into his service, and it seemed that having them cobble together an army to cross the sea and march on Kyoto would not be a difficult matter.

However, after the Great Han army fought several engagements with the shogunate forces and the various domain armies, they were stunned to discover that these domain armies were even weaker than they had previously anticipated. Their morale and training were both extremely low, and to put it bluntly, they were little more than a rabble. Thus, they had serious doubts about whether these troops could march north on their own.

Originally, the Great Han army had planned to send only a small portion of its own forces, combining them with the various auxiliary troops to form a northern advance corps. But now it seemed that marching on Kyoto with such an army would not be so easy, and the Great Han contingent assigned to stiffen the force would need to be strengthened to a certain degree.

As for how much it should be strengthened, and whether it would affect the subsequent landing operation in Kanto, the Great Han army's highest-ranking officers were still deliberating carefully, and there was no precise result yet. Fortunately, although the Great Han overseers had been driving the laborers to work hard, Nagasaki Harbor had still not been fully restored, so the army's high command did have enough time for the moment to discuss the next steps.

Since this issue had not yet been resolved, there naturally could not be a precise departure date for the march on Kyoto, and so Zhou Pu truly had nothing to tell the other party right now.

"The Great Han army currently needs to rest and regroup, and for the moment we cannot give a specific time. But rest assured, the march on Kyoto is only a matter of time, and it will be soon." Zhou Pu had no intention of divulging all these facts to Mori Motonobu and simply glossed over it vaguely. "Your domain need only make the preliminary preparations. When the time comes, you will advance on Kyoto together with our army to fulfill your long-cherished wish of many years."

"So long as there is an opportunity to topple the shogunate... our humble domain is certainly unwilling to lag behind others." Mori Motonobu once again gave his assurance. "However, there is one matter I still wish to ask clearly about. In the proclamation issued by the Heavenly Envoy, it was mentioned that you would restore proper order for our country, and there seemed to be an intention to have the imperial court once again rule over Japan. Moreover, given the sudden disappearance of His Cloistered Majesty and His Majesty the Emperor, it appears that our country's imperial court has already reached some kind of tacit understanding with your esteemed nation. May I ask, then, if the Great Han succeeds, what status will the imperial court be placed in, and how should our humble domain conduct itself?"

"Your country's imperial court... has vanished from Kyoto?" Zhou Pu was somewhat pleasantly surprised. "Is this true? Is there any other news at present?"

In his earlier planning, on the day the Great Han advanced, Ichijo Kaneyoshi and Nijo Yasumichi and the others were to take Japan's Cloistered Emperor and Emperor and flee Kyoto, doing everything possible to reach Kyushu territory, and then issue a proclamation in the name of the imperial court, calling upon the various daimyo across the land to rise up against the shogunate. But ever since the Great Han's advance, communication between Kyushu and Honshu had been cut off. Zhou Pu had heard no news of the Japanese imperial court and had no idea whether their plan had succeeded or not, so he was naturally somewhat anxious.

Therefore, upon hearing that they had indeed fled from Kyoto, this naturally filled him with delight.

"It seems the Heavenly Envoy did not yet know..." Mori Motonobu's eyes lit up. "Could it be that the imperial court has not yet arrived in Kyushu?"

The violent upheaval of the imperial court — the simultaneous disappearance of the Ministers of the Left and Right, the Cloistered Emperor, and the Emperor, practically the entire apex of the court's central leadership — was of course earth-shattering news. It spread out of Kyoto almost on the very same day. On the second day of the Great Han's advance into Kyushu, the Mori family had received this news and had been utterly shocked at the time. None of them had imagined that the Great Han would be so deliberate and calculating, nor that the imperial court would actually cooperate to such an extent.

He discovered that the connection between the Great Han and the imperial court was not as close as they had anticipated, and he also discovered the fact that the Great Han currently had very little control over the situation on Honshu — these things could enhance the Choshu domain's bargaining power, and at the very least, he knew that his domain's value to the Great Han was very high.

"Regrettably, we are not yet aware of the current whereabouts of your country's imperial court. However, we believe that since they were able to escape Kyoto, they will certainly find a way to make contact with us. I am deeply confident they will be safe and sound." Zhou Pu admitted this quite honestly. "Furthermore, the actions of your country's imperial court have clearly proven that not only are they not of one heart with the shogunate, but they regard the shogunate as an enemy. Your domain need no longer have any misgivings. To exterminate the shogunate, that pack of treacherous ministers and rebellious villains — that is where the great righteous cause truly lies."

"Since the imperial court has the will to summon all under heaven to chastise the shogunate, as subjects, our Mori clan will of course obey the imperial court's summons." Mori Motonobu spoke without the slightest shame. "Additionally, Heavenly Envoy, please rest assured. We will help the Heavenly Envoy search for the imperial court. The moment we find them, we will protect them, so as to prevent them from falling into the shogunate's hands."

"We shall trouble your domain with this, then." Zhou Pu was in excellent spirits now, and his attitude toward Mori Motonobu improved considerably as a result.

"However... regarding the question I asked earlier, I beg your pardon, but I wish to ask it once more... If the Great Han succeeds, what status will the imperial court be placed in, and how should our humble domain conduct itself?" After pausing for a moment, Mori Motonobu insisted on obtaining information about his domain's post-war disposition. "I beseech the Heavenly Envoy to inform our humble domain, so that our humble domain may prepare in advance."

This question was of paramount importance to the Mori family, even a matter of life and death. Therefore, even at the risk of displeasing the Great Han envoy, Mori Motonobu still had to obtain a concrete promise from his mouth.

"Since we have come for the purpose of supporting your country's imperial court and restoring your country's proper order, we will naturally support your country's imperial court after the war." Zhou Pu first fell silent for a moment, then answered, carefully weighing each word. "We have already reached a tacit understanding with your country's imperial court. After the war, Kyoto and the surrounding areas will be returned to your country's imperial court, to be directly ruled by them."

Mori Motonobu stiffened slightly, but still did not speak, waiting for this envoy to continue on to the disposition plan concerning his own side.

"Kyoto and the surrounding areas" was phrased very broadly. It could refer to the five provinces of the Kinai region — Yamashiro, Yamato, Kawachi, and the others — or it could be expanded in scope to become ten provinces or even more. Although the Great Han envoy did not specify, it was likely that the imperial court would receive a very large territory after the war and become a powerful force.

This was certainly not good news for the Mori family — the imperial court already possessed the great righteous name, and was even nominally the sovereign of the Mori family. If they also had a base of power, holding enormous financial and material resources, it would undoubtedly bring immense pressure upon the Mori family, especially if the Mori family still only retained its current small patch of territory.

And so, an unavoidable look of worry appeared on Mori Motonobu's face as he awaited the Great Han envoy's pronouncement.

"Of course, besides satisfying the needs of your country's imperial court and supporting it, we will also grant rewards and fiefs to your country's loyal ministers and to those meritorious subjects who assist us in rooting out the shogunate. And the more effort contributed, the greater the reward and fief." Zhou Pu saw the anticipation and anxiety in the other party, and so he smiled slightly. "Here, I can make a promise to your domain — if your domain, the Mori family, is willing to serve the Great Han and assist our nation in supporting your country's state, our nation is willing to act as guarantor and have your country's imperial court, after the war, return all the territories seized by the Tokugawa shogunate to the Mori family."

His tone was utterly calm, but to Mori Motonobu's ears, it was no less than a thunderclap.

"All... all returned? This... this... May I ask the Heavenly Envoy, is this true?"

His shock was hardly unwarranted. One must know that back in the day, as one of the Five Great Elders, the Mori family's domain, as confirmed by the Taiko Toyotomi Hideyoshi, comprised the Chugoku region — the greater parts of the seven provinces of Nagato, Suo, Iwami, Aki, Bingo, Izumo, and Oki, as well as small portions of Bitchu and Hoki provinces — a territory of over one million koku, nearly three times the size of their current domain, and in terms of area, not much smaller than the entirety of Kyushu.

When the Mori clan's domain lord and senior vassals had discussed this earlier, they all wanted to use this opportunity to expand their territory while taking revenge on the Tokugawa shogunate. But even in their most optimistic view, they had never imagined that the Great Han would return all of their former territories to them. After all, they had not previously established good relations with the Great Han, and the Great Han had no need to treat them so generously. Their best hope had been nothing more than being granted an additional one or two provinces on top of their existing domain.

Therefore, upon hearing the Great Han envoy be so generous as to actually say that all of the Mori family's former territories would be returned to the Mori family, Mori Motonobu found it extremely difficult to believe.

"I have come here representing the will of the Great Han Son of Heaven. How could there be any principle of deceiving you with frivolous words?" Zhou Pu still smiled. "The shogunate's past bullying of the Mori family was an unprincipled and unjust act, and we will of course set things right. Naturally, this is also a result that can only be obtained if the Mori family deeply understands the great righteousness and contributes effort for our Great Han and your country's imperial court. Moreover, we are merely giving a suggestion to your country's imperial court; the specific implementation will still depend on them..."

Zhou Pu's plan in this regard was certainly not a spur-of-the-moment whim. As early as when he had previously gone to Kyoto, when he landed at Shimonoseki on the northern tip of Kyushu and passed through the Mori family's territory, he had carefully considered how to arrange the Mori family's post-war disposition.

At that time, after consideration, he had made a decision: so long as the Mori family cooperated with the Great Han, he would also support the Mori family after the war, making them a major domain lord possessing enormous strength.

This was, of course, not because he liked the Mori family, but in order to uphold the guidance given by the Son of Heaven and the Prime Minister. Both the Great Han Son of Heaven and the Prime Minister, when he had left China, had given him key instructions: the Great Han was sending troops not merely to plunder wealth once, but to strengthen its control over Japan after the war, turning it into a vassal state that would have no choice but to rely on the Great Han.

To achieve this goal, apart from continuing to station troops in Japan after the war, the most important thing was to construct, as far as possible, a situation where the various powers checked and balanced one another. Only if the various powers checked and contended with one another would they rely on the Great Han's heavenly might to preserve themselves.

In order to draw the major powers of Japan to pledge allegiance to the Great Han, Zhou Pu had already very generously arranged for the entirety of Kyushu and the Kinai region to go to the Shimazu family and the Kyoto imperial court respectively. This meant that these two would certainly become powerful forces after the war, capable of influencing the entire country.

To balance their influence, and especially to prevent them from easily expanding their power further, Zhou Pu believed it was necessary to place a strong power between them, so as to keep them from continuing to grow unchecked.

The Mori family was an excellent candidate. They had past glory and still possessed ambition, so they would do everything in their power to reclaim their former territories and would not truly submit to any other power. If the Mori family's territories were restored, and then some small domains were inserted in those areas, the post-war situation in Japan would surely be more stable. No one would be able to unilaterally change the situation, and the Great Han could then comfortably occupy the position of arbiter.

In light of these considerations, he had agreed that as long as the Mori family cooperated, a territory of 1.2 million koku would be returned to the Mori family.

After all, it was still that same saying: this was not his land, so giving it away caused him no heartache whatsoever, and the Great Han did not care in the slightest. So long as he could accomplish the political mission the Great Han Son of Heaven had assigned him, he could divide it up however he pleased.

Still, it had to be said, this authority and feeling of arbitrarily dividing up the land of a nation was simply too exhilarating. When it came down to it, in feudal society, wasn't a man's greatest power precisely the power to carve up territories at will?

However, although Zhou Pu was brimming with pride and satisfaction, he did not let it go to his head. He knew that his power was not innately his, but merely derived from the commission of the Great Han Son of Heaven and from the formidable military force of the Great Han army. He also had to repay the Son of Heaven with satisfactory performance. Otherwise, with a single word from the Son of Heaven, his original power would vanish into thin air.

"Too... too wonderful..." Although he knew he should not lose his composure, Mori Motonobu could not help but tremble with excitement all over. "Many thanks... many thanks, Heavenly Envoy!"

Ever since the Tokugawa family had forced the Mori family to cede territory, reducing the Mori family to a domain lord of less than 400,000 koku, the Mori family, from lord to vassal, had thought of nothing day and night but restoring their former glory. However, because the shogunate's power and advantage had previously been too overwhelming, they could only bury their hatred deep in their hearts. Even the most optimistic view could only admit that, at least for these next few decades, the shogunate would still hold a dominant position and would not be easily shaken; they would have to wait patiently for an opportunity over several generations.

Yet they had never imagined that the opportunity would come so quickly, and so generously. If it truly succeeded, then they would become the generation that restored the Mori family, certain to be figures revered by the clan's later generations. As for Mori Motonobu himself, he would surely be richly rewarded within the family — he might even be granted a fief of tens of thousands of koku, becoming the founder of a hereditary branch domain within the family.

Although the Great Han envoy said this was merely the Great Han's suggestion, Mori Motonobu knew perfectly well that when the time came, the imperial court would still have to act according to the Great Han's will. Once the envoy had spoken, the matter was as good as settled.

"Our nation has always treated well those who contribute effort for our nation. The more effort contributed, the greater our reward." Zhou Pu still wore that smile that made one feel as if bathed in a spring breeze. "To set your domain's mind at ease, I will write a letter to your domain's lord, setting down our conditions and promises in writing. Of course, this is not a formal decree; the allocation and confirmation of your country's territories will still need to be recognized by your country's imperial court."

In the previous era, when the Tokugawa shogunate appointed or confirmed a domain lord, it would issue him a letter of confirmation bearing the shogunate's red seal, signifying that this territory was confirmed as his domain and granting his legitimate heirs the right to inherit it for generations. But now, a letter from the Great Han envoy would certainly be more useful than the shogunate's confirmation letter.

"Many thanks... many thanks, Heavenly Envoy!" Overcome with emotion, Mori Motonobu directly fell to his knees on the ground, touching his head to the floor in a bow to Zhou Pu. "If this matter comes true, our Mori family will, for generations to come, be grateful for the grace of the Great Han Son of Heaven and Your Excellency, and will certainly exhaust our utmost to repay the Great Han and Your Excellency. Upon my return, I will immediately have the domain lord make preparations and quietly await the Great Han's march north! We will spare no effort until our dying day!"

"What talk is this of 'until your dying day'? The Great Han's punitive expedition against the shogunate follows the will of Heaven; how could it cost you your life?" Zhou Pu teased him with a laugh. "Very well, when you return, also have your domain lord pay attention to searching for your country's imperial court, and strive to bring them under protection as soon as possible, lest delays bring trouble..."

"Everyone!" At this very moment, within the mountain forests on the far outskirts of Kyoto, a man spoke excitedly to the people beside him.

"The Great Han has truly come, and they are about to take Kyushu! We are about to see the day when all under heaven is restored!"

I'm at Jinggangshan, just got online.