Chapter 1644: Scorched Earth and Total Annihilation!

Install a new Prince Regent?

As if a stone had been cast into a still pond, the previously silent outer hall instantly erupted into a clamor; everyone exchanged bewildered glances, murmuring among themselves.

The upheaval that had occurred in Kyoto had reached Edo a few days prior, along with an urgent report from the Kyoto Deputy Governor Itakura Shigemune.

The Emperor, the Cloistered Emperor, the Ministers of the Left and Right, and many court nobles had all vanished without a trace during that night's chaos.

These were the most paramount figures of the Imperial Court; their simultaneous disappearance was tantamount to emptying the entire court in one stroke.

In ordinary times, this news would have been an earth-shattering event capable of shaking Edo to its core; even now, with the Han invaders bearing down and the Shogunate facing its greatest crisis since its founding, it still left people utterly horrified.

All along, although the Shogunate had repeatedly encroached upon the Imperial Court and used every means to undermine its prestige—even forcing the Cloistered Emperor to abdicate—the Court was, after all, the nominal sovereign of the realm, holding the moral mandate to command the nation. For the Court to choose flight at such a critical moment of survival was clearly a severe blow to the Shogunate's efforts to resist the Han invaders.

Although Itakura Shigemune's report was vague and stated that everything was still under investigation, the Shogunate's senior ministers, and even Tokugawa Iemitsu himself, were firmly convinced that without secret collusion with the Great Han, the Court's senior ministers and the Cloistered Emperor would never have dared to take such drastic action—nor would doing so have held any meaning.

What was even more worrying was a truth everyone understood: the Imperial Court, though possessing neither power nor wealth and serving as a mere ornament when the Shogunate's rule was stable, could, in times of difficulty for the Shogunate, serve as an inspiration to any ambitious schemer.

Compared to the terrifying pressure exerted by the Great Han army, the threat posed by the Imperial Court was somewhat smaller, but it was still not to be underestimated.

If the two truly joined forces... the calamity brought upon the Shogunate would likely be catastrophic.

"This flight of the Court must have been authorized by the Cloistered Emperor. What sentiment or duty do we still owe them now? Why not simply declare them traitors outright and install a new Emperor?" Sakai Tadayo said with some indignation. "Installing a Prince Regent is acceptable, but we must make this man's crimes absolutely clear to the realm, so that all under Heaven know the Shogunate's resolve."

"This man's crimes must certainly be pursued, but not right now." Ii Naotaka, however, was not as agitated. "We face a powerful enemy at present. Consider this: the Cloistered Emperor has already fled, and His Majesty the Emperor is in his hands. If we make a public proclamation, it would be tantamount to admitting that the Court has broken with the Shogunate! This would bring us a hundred harms and not a single benefit."

Ii Naotaka shared the same concerns about the Court as Sakai Tadayo and the others, but after assessing the situation, he felt it was best not to tear away all pretense just yet.

It was not that he cared for the Cloistered Emperor's dignity or harbored any affection for the Court, but rather an obvious fact: the moment the Shogunate publicly proclaimed that the Cloistered Emperor and the Ministers of the Left and Right opposed it, it would be tantamount to declaring that the Shogunate was fighting only for itself, and that the Court did not stand on its side.

Therefore, Ii Naotaka believed it was best, for now, to simply not acknowledge the fact that the Court had completely broken with the Shogunate. Instead, they should merely inform the realm that Their Majesties were currently being held captive by traitors, and that any edicts issued—and any future collaboration with the Han invaders—were acts committed under duress and could not be regarded as the true will of the Court.

Moreover, given the current circumstances, His Majesty the Emperor, who was only ten years old, was indeed being held captive. The true culprit behind all these crimes was surely none other than that Cloistered Emperor, who had always been on poor terms with the Shogunate. So, saying they were being held captive by traitors was at least half true.

"You make a valid point. For now, we still need to act under the Court's name; we absolutely cannot lose face before the realm." After pondering for a long while, Tokugawa Iemitsu finally nodded, but then added with some lingering resentment, "However, the Cloistered Emperor's actions are truly intolerable. He has not only opposed the Shogunate but also colluded with the Han invaders who have unleashed their armies to ravage our land... He is a sinner against the realm! Once we drive out the Han invaders, we must depose him and ensure his name is reviled for ten thousand years!"

"Since he has done such a thing, naturally we will make him pay the due price later." Ii Naotaka was not as agitated as the Shogun, but he still echoed his words.

With the current situation so dire, no one knew when they might drive out the Han invaders. Discussing how to deal with the traitorous Cloistered Emperor felt somewhat dispiriting. As long as they could expel the Han invaders, the Cloistered Emperor and his rebellious ministers would be nothing more than clay chickens and pottery dogs; they could deal with them however they wished later, and there was no need to get worked up over them now.

"If we are to install a Prince Regent, it would be best to consult Her Majesty the Empress Dowager first..." At this point, Doi Toshikatsu once again added his opinion. "If she personally grants the authority, the realm will likely be more accepting. Furthermore, in these extraordinary times, with the nation in turmoil, your humble servant believes it would be best to relocate the Empress Dowager, the Imperial Family, and the remaining courtiers to Edo... This would, on one hand, demonstrate the shared hatred and unity of the kuge and buke against the Han invaders, and on the other, make it convenient for the Shogunate to issue decrees in the Court's name and command the realm."

Doi Toshikatsu's suggestion drew slight nods from the assembled senior ministers. In this moment of peril, with Kyoto situated in the western provinces and facing the Han invaders' blades at any moment, moving them over sooner would also benefit their safety.

Moreover, though he did not state it explicitly, everyone knew this was also to prevent a similar incident from happening again. The Court had already suffered such a massive upheaval; the Shogunate could not bear any greater losses. It was better to move them all over first and keep them firmly within their grasp.

"Well said, that is exactly what we must do! This time, we will hold the Imperial Court in the palm of our hand!" Tokugawa Iemitsu lightly tapped the folding fan in his hand. "The Cloistered Emperor and those traitors were able to escape from the Imperial Palace and even flee the entirety of Kyoto; they must have had inside collaborators everywhere. After we move these people over, we must interrogate them thoroughly, root out every single hidden traitor among them, and execute them publicly as a warning to the realm!"

Seeing the Shogun's anger rising again, the others all bowed their heads deeply, terrified of drawing his redirected wrath.

"Her Majesty the Empress Dowager's authority is beyond question, and His Majesty the Emperor should also retain his title and position, as he too carries the bloodline of our Tokugawa clan. As for Masahito..." Tokugawa Iemitsu's tone grew even colder; he even directly called him by name. "When the time comes, I will have him hacked into ten thousand pieces!"

After venting his fury, he let out a slight sigh, as if his mood had finally improved a little. "Ah, if only my elder sister's male heir had survived... How hateful. It must have been those court nobles who deliberately schemed to cause her son's early death. This time, we must seize the opportunity to purge the Court, eliminating all those within the Imperial Family and the kuge who oppose us. After the war, we must select an imperial prince loyal to us to succeed the throne, and then marry him into the Tokugawa clan... Henceforth, the Imperial Family shall be nothing more than a vassal of the Tokugawa Shogunate, never again given the chance to resist us!"

"Your servant seconds this!" Doi Toshikatsu immediately touched his forehead to the floor, leading the others in unanimously supporting the Shogun's will.

In ordinary times, although Tokugawa Iemitsu and these senior Shogunate ministers acted with arrogance and domineering authority, they did not feel they had wronged the Imperial Court. On the contrary, they believed they had granted the powerless Court and Imperial Family privileged treatment, for which they should be profoundly grateful.

The Court's flight this time had truly ignited their boundless fury; everyone was thinking of revenge, not just Tokugawa Iemitsu alone.

Of course, revenge was something for later. Shouting about it now served little purpose beyond venting emotions, so Ii Naotaka immediately stepped forward to offer counsel.

"Lord Shogun, the Han invaders' military might is formidable, but it is not invincible. They are constrained by distance and financial resources, making it difficult for them to sustain a war of attrition against us... For us, the greatest danger lies with the various daimyo, especially those in Kyushu and the western provinces... If they defect to the Han invaders and act as their jackals and tigers, it would be like adding wings to a tiger for the Han."

"Your humble servant shares this concern." Doi Toshikatsu chimed in. "Judging from the various signs we see now, the Han invaders place great importance on winning over local powerful clans for their own use. Those clans are already terrified in the face of the Han invaders' blades. If the Imperial Court then goes over to the Han invaders' side and calls upon the local powerful clans to rise up against the Shogunate, I fear... I fear many will be tempted."

His words once again plunged the outer hall into silence.

When weighing matters, these domain lords undoubtedly considered only their family's interests and succession; they harbored no sense of national righteousness in their hearts. Moreover, the Shogunate had been suppressing them for years, and many of them surely nursed grievances against it. If the Han invaders lured them with profit, and with the Imperial Court's endorsement added to the mix, many would certainly choose to sit on the fence, or even surrender to the Han invaders.

The Han invaders were intruders who had come from afar, and would themselves face immense pressure from logistical supply. If they met fierce resistance, the difficulty of supply would increase, eventually becoming an unsustainable drain even for a Central Plains dynasty. However, if local powerful clans served as their agents, the situation would be entirely different. With collaborating clans to rely on, the Great Han would find it far easier to gain a firm foothold.

"Then what do you propose we do?" Tokugawa Iemitsu asked, his brow tightly furrowed again. "Is there any way to prevent them from defecting to the Han invaders?"

"There is no perfectly reliable method." Ii Naotaka sighed helplessly. "These men have never possessed hearts of loyalty and righteousness; it is impossible to awaken their conscience with appeals to duty. If the Great Han's army presses in and we suffer defeat after defeat, rebellious thoughts will surely arise in their hearts. We can only do our utmost to remedy the situation... If our main army masses at Kyoto, it should exert some deterrent effect on those lords of the western provinces."

Given the current circumstances, Ii Naotaka spoke very bluntly. Because he understood the inner thoughts of those domain lords, he held little hope for their steadfast loyalty and could only say they should strive to win them over.

"Let us simply issue a general notice. Tell those lords of the western provinces that as long as they resist the Han invaders valiantly, no matter what losses they suffer, the Shogunate will compensate them after the war and expand their domains from the Shogun's personal demesne. This might somewhat set their minds at ease." Matsudaira Nobutsuna, the Elder who had remained silent all along, finally spoke. "The Han invaders' blade is so sharp; it is inevitable that some domain lords will waver. We must entice them with profit."

"Yes, entice them with profit!" Ii Naotaka nodded. "For example, the Mori clan. We should promise them the restoration of their clan's former domain, the one confiscated during the reduction of their fief, and have them lead their own troops in resisting the Han invaders. Their lands lie at the southernmost tip of Honshu; if the Han invaders wish to march north to Kyoto, they will be on the front line... They should be rewarded."

Hearing that they would actually have to promise the Mori clan their former domain of 1,200,000 koku, Tokugawa Iemitsu couldn't help but stiffen.

However, he also knew that in this moment of crisis, the terms offered inevitably had to be generous. As long as it could steady people's hearts, even making some hard-to-swallow promises was only natural—as long as the Shogunate could repel the Han invaders and retain Japan after the war, whether or not these promises were actually fulfilled would ultimately be a matter of a single word from the Shogunate.

"Then issue the decree. Call upon the daimyo of the western provinces to form a coalition army and jointly resist the Han invaders." After pondering for a moment and seeing that his senior ministers could offer no better solution, Tokugawa Iemitsu had no choice but to accept reality. "At the same time, urge the main army to reach Kyoto as quickly as possible to calm people's hearts."

"Your humble servant has one more suggestion." Doi Toshikatsu suddenly spoke again. His expression was grave, but his eyes flickered somewhat.

"What suggestion?" Tokugawa Iemitsu looked at him.

"This invasion by the Han has dealt us a heavy blow and is very likely to further incite chaos within the country..." Doi Toshikatsu lowered his gaze. "While holding fast to the western provinces and Kyoto, your humble servant believes we must also prepare for the worst."

"What is the worst?" Tokugawa Iemitsu asked again.

"If the Imperial Court truly sides with the enemy, and a large number of domain lords, devoid of loyalty, defect to the Han invaders, we... we must be prepared for the possibility that the western provinces or Kyoto cannot be held." Doi Toshikatsu's tone suddenly turned somewhat sinister. "Of course, your humble servant is not saying that things will necessarily develop to this point, but necessary preparations should still be made."

His words instantly caused a huge uproar in the outer hall.

"Lord Toshikatsu, aren't those words going a bit too far? With a powerful enemy before us, we should be united in shared hatred. How can you utter such demoralizing words that strike at our own side's morale? If the soldiers on the front lines hear that we are actually planning to abandon the western provinces, what will they think?" Sakai Tadakatsu could not help but retort. "We have already lost Kyushu to the Han invaders. If we lose the western provinces as well, what face will we have left to meet the Divine Ancestor? The only path now is to resist the Han invaders to the death; there is no other way!"

"The Lord of Sanuki's words are full of righteous indignation and sound very fine, but is there any point in singing such high-minded tunes now? The Han invaders have already struck; the western provinces are already teetering on the brink. Is it good not to make the worst-case plans beforehand?" Doi Toshikatsu swept a glance full of displeasure at Sakai Tadakatsu. "It is precisely because we have acted without sufficient planning too many times in the past that we have fallen to our current state. Should we not take this as a lesson?"

Under his sharp gaze, Sakai Tadakatsu was momentarily speechless. In the Shogunate's past dealings with the Great Han, the Sakai clan had always been a hardline faction, and they had been the most insistent on unilaterally halting copper exports. So when Doi Toshikatsu implicitly blamed them for stirring up these calamities, Sakai Tadakatsu could only feel momentarily deflated.

"Lord Shogun, for this calamity, we, your servants, are all guilty and truly ashamed before you!" Seeing that the internal situation within the Shogunate was turning rather unfavorable for them, Sakai Tadayo, the other Elder from the Sakai clan, stepped forward. "For such monstrous sins, we should originally atone by taking our own lives. But your servant begs the Lord Shogun to send me to the western provinces, to lead my troops in a death battle against the Han invaders, and to atone for my sins by dying in battle!"

As his words fell, the two Elders of the Sakai clan simultaneously knelt to the ground, seemingly awaiting Tokugawa Iemitsu's judgment.

Tokugawa Iemitsu remained silent, merely watching the two prostrate figures coldly.

Cold sweat began to bead on Sakai Tadayo's back; he deeply feared that Tokugawa Iemitsu might take their strategy of feigning retreat to advance as genuine and actually send them to the western provinces to fight the Han invaders to the death.

"Enough. At a time like this, there is no need to dwell on past matters. Resisting the Han invaders is the sole priority now." However, at that moment, Tokugawa Iemitsu finally spoke, his tone remarkably calm, almost a different person from before. "The two Elders have always been senior ministers assisting me, rich in experience handling state affairs. Sending you to the western provinces to resist the Han invaders would be putting the cart before the horse, would it not? Do not speak of this again."

Then, he turned his head toward Doi Toshikatsu. "Speak your thoughts fully."

Of course he was not as genial as he appeared on the surface; inwardly, his fury had already reached its limit. The Sakai family had shown this young shogun repeated disrespect before, and now they actually dared to threaten their lord — an utterly unforgivable crime. But the shogunate could not afford internal strife at this moment, so he had no choice but to endure them for now.

He had already made up his mind: once the Han pirates were driven out, he would make those two Elders commit seppuku to atone for their crimes.

"Thank you, Shogun." Seeing that he had the shogun's backing, Doi Toshikatsu continued, "Since the western provinces are already in imminent danger, we must prepare for the Han pirates, with the collusion of a large number of daimyo, to penetrate deep into the western heartland and even seize Kyoto…"

Then, his tone intensified. "If it truly comes to that, we must urgently evacuate the imperial family and the daimyo loyal to us to Edo. At the same time, we must turn Kyoto and the Kinai region into a barren wasteland, so that the Han pirates cannot obtain supplies from Kinai… Even the vast stretch of territory from Kinai all the way to the gateways of the Kanto region — Owari and Mino — must be prepared for a scorched-earth strategy, so the Han pirates cannot advance from there. Yes, everything must prioritize the defense of Kanto and Edo!"

Was this preparing for the total loss of the entire western provinces?

Nearly everyone else stared at Doi Toshikatsu in stunned disbelief, as if they suspected he had lost his mind.

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