Chapter 1645: Honoring Han, Punishing the Shogunate

Yet under everyone's doubtful stares, Doi Toshikatsu showed not the slightest sign of panic. He remained kneeling unhurriedly in place, as if he had merely mentioned some trivial matter.

Compared to the doubtful clamor of the others, however, the Elder Ii Naotaka was far more composed — clearly, in the mind of this senior shogunate minister, though not as extreme as Doi Toshikatsu, he too had dimly glimpsed the outline of the situation they might face in the future.

"Is it truly necessary to go this far?" He looked at Doi Toshikatsu with calm, oppressive intensity.

"In ordinary circumstances, I would not think it necessary to go this far." Doi Toshikatsu returned the other man's gaze, just as composed as the Elder; clearly his mind was already made up. "But when facing a powerful nation like Great Han, we must prepare for the worst. I am not saying we must now turn Kyoto and even the Kinai into scorched earth, or make Owari and Mino into battlefields — but we must make such preparations, lest we regret it too late."

"Could it be that Toshikatsu-dono has no confidence in the shogunate's great army?" Sakai Tadakatsu, still smarting from Doi Toshikatsu's earlier rebuke, seized the chance to vent his displeasure. "The Han invaders may be strong, but they are still flesh and blood, not divine soldiers descended from heaven. Besides, however mighty the Han nation's strength, they cannot project all of it across such a distance onto our land. They are weary from a long expedition; so long as we mass our great army and march to the western provinces to meet them in open battle, we will surely be able to defeat them."

"What meaning is there in saying 'surely be able to defeat them' here? Will the Han invaders admit defeat and withdraw just because we say a few words?" Doi Toshikatsu suddenly rebuked him with harsh severity. "Since ancient times, war has been a perilous affair. Even the Divine Lord, when he rose from Mikawa, did not have smooth sailing — where is there any certainty of victory?! My proposal is merely to prepare for the worst circumstances. If the great army can drive back the Han invaders, then nothing could please me more!"

This outburst instantly silenced the people in the audience hall once again. Though Doi Toshikatsu was the Chief of the Elders, he normally took great care with his relations among colleagues, rarely quarreled, and even more rarely rebuked a colleague to his face. His outburst today had instead cowed everyone else.

Sakai Tadakatsu wanted to say something more, but suddenly noticed Sakai Tadayo beside him secretly signaling with his eyes. He immediately held his tongue, then caught a glimpse of the Shogun's face from the corner of his eye and saw that he already looked thoroughly displeased, so he quickly ceased his questioning.

"Lord Shogun, in summary, this is merely your servant's suggestion for the worst-case scenario. Your servant, more than anyone, wishes that such things never come to pass. But since we are to go to war with a powerful nation like the Han invaders, we must make thorough preparations for it early…" Having silenced Sakai Tadakatsu, Doi Toshikatsu did not entangle with him further, but instead knelt directly before Tokugawa Iemitsu once more. "If I have spoken wrongly, I beg Your Lordship's forgiveness."

Though outwardly he was trembling with contrition, inwardly he was utterly certain that the Shogun would not blame him for this in the slightest.

The reason he had rebuked Sakai Tadakatsu was precisely because he had discerned that the Shogun already hated the two Sakai Elders to the marrow of his bones, so there was no need to feign civility with them any longer — rather, he should align himself with the Shogun.

By doing so, he also declared to everyone that he had not been favored by the Shogun's discerning eye and appointed Chief and Head of the Elders without reason.

"You are the Chief and Head; it is your duty to consider state affairs comprehensively. There is nothing wrong with envisioning the worst-case scenario." Just as Doi Toshikatsu had expected, Tokugawa Iemitsu did not remain silent long before making a statement in his favor. "State your worst-case plans plainly here. If there is merit in them, it would do no harm for us to make some preparations in advance."

"I thank the Lord Shogun!" With an inexplicable lightness of heart, Doi Toshikatsu raised his head once more and began to speak with eloquence. "As your servant said earlier, we must resist the Han invaders in the western provinces and at Kyoto. But now the Han invaders' military edge is sharp, the Imperial Court's attitude is unfavorable to us, and the stance of the western province daimyo remains deeply uncertain. Under these multiple adverse factors, the shogunate will likely face many difficulties in holding the western provinces… If we can overcome these difficulties, that would naturally be best, but the current situation does not permit us to be careless. We must squarely face the possibility that the western provinces may fall."

Compared to the clamor earlier, because Tokugawa Iemitsu himself had personally endorsed it, most of the people in the audience hall still wore expressions of unconvinced disapproval. Only Tokugawa Iemitsu, Ii Naotaka, Matsudaira Nobutsuna, and a few others listened in thoughtful silence.

"If things truly come to such a pass, we can only create obstacles to the Han invaders' advance into Kanto, forcing them to continue depleting their national strength in the western provinces." Doi Toshikatsu continued. "Therefore, the entire line from the Kinai to Owari and Mino must be stripped of all resources, and we must begin preparations now, lest it be too late when the time comes."

"How do we prepare?" Tokugawa Iemitsu asked at once, clearly very interested.

"As your servant said just now, the members of the Imperial House and the domain lords throughout the realm who are loyal to the shogunate must all be transferred to Edo, to prevent the situation from deteriorating further. This must be carried out as quickly as possible. But that alone is not enough. We must also requisition grain from the Kinai and surrounding regions — seize every last bit of surplus grain!" Doi Toshikatsu, heedless of all else now, spoke with utter bluntness. "As it happens, we have a great army heading to Kyoto. Let them requisition grain along the way; part will be used for military provisions, and the rest will all be shipped to Edo. If any domain lords along the route dare disobey, they shall be punished without mercy!"

Because the Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu had previously decided to march on Kyoto with a great army the following year, orders had long since been issued to shogunate officials and domain lords all along the line from Edo to Kyoto to prepare provisions for the army. After a long period of requisitioning, officials and domain lords everywhere had already stockpiled vast quantities of grain, and once the shogunate's upper echelons sensed unusual movements from Great Han, they accelerated this requisitioning even further.

The massing of the great army and the gathering of grain along the route had originally been preparations for marching on Kyoto to demonstrate power before the Imperial Court and all under Heaven. Now, unintentionally, it had conveniently aided the shogunate's army in resisting the Han invasion.

But Doi Toshikatsu's intent went beyond this. He wanted to squeeze the surrounding regions dry, concentrating all grain in the hands of the great army heading to Kyoto and the shogunate in Edo, turning the area in between into a grain-starved zone — so that if the shogunate truly lost the battle for the western provinces later, the army could withdraw to Kanto, and the devastated, grain-depleted route could not be exploited by the Han invaders.

Though this method was somewhat cruel to the common people along that route, in Doi Toshikatsu's view, so long as it could stop the Han invaders, everything was worth it.

After all, for the shogunate, Kanto was the foundation. Here lay both the domains directly belonging to the Shogun and vast numbers of hatamoto, as well as abundant resources. The shogunate could mass heavy troops here and hold firm, and could rely on the stable system of governance built over many years to resist the Han invaders.

At this moment, every consideration was solely for repelling the Han invaders and preserving the shogunate. So long as that could be achieved, whether the western provinces became a land of wailing and desolation from the ravages of war was something the shogunate's upper echelons could no longer afford to dwell upon.

"Then what of the common people there? Shall we simply leave them to fend for themselves?" Ii Naotaka suddenly asked.

"We can relocate as much of the population as possible; it would be just the thing to fill out Kanto. As for the stubborn and foolish who remain, we can only leave them to their own fate." Doi Toshikatsu spoke with utter detachment. "Lord Shogun, this is a moment of crisis; we cannot look forward and back. If sacrificing a small portion of the people can salvage the situation, then it must be done!"

With the great army now advancing on Kyoto, every region along the route was already overwhelmed with supplying it — where would they find the time or resources to support a massive population relocation? Most people would certainly have to remain in their native places, left to fend for themselves.

Tokugawa Iemitsu of course understood the implication in Doi Toshikatsu's words, yet he did not grow angry as he usually would. Instead, he pondered in silence.

Doi Toshikatsu's proposal would undoubtedly cause enormous upheaval in the Kinai, but as he had said, at present all other concerns must be placed behind resisting the Han invaders. Moreover, with the shogunate's position in the western provinces so unfavorable, they had to prepare for the worst.

If the Han invaders advanced all the way, and the domain lords along the route fled at the mere rumor of their approach or surrendered outright, allowing them to occupy the western provinces, then this course of action would be imperative. And if the Han invaders were driven back in the western provinces, this approach would still not be wrong, for it would serve to weaken those daimyo in the west who harbored treacherous intentions.

Ever since succeeding to the office of Shogun, he had devoted himself to suppressing the western provinces and expanding the shogunate's authority. He had long wished to weaken the Imperial Court and those domain lords even further, making the shogunate the authority with absolute control. Now, to do such a thing under the pretext of resisting the Han invaders — it might well be an opportunity.

"Then we shall proceed as you have said. You will arrange this matter specifically." After pondering for a long while, he made his decision.

"Yes." Doi Toshikatsu touched his head to the floor, signifying that he had received the Lord Shogun's command.

"What of the shinpan houses of Kii and Owari?" At that moment, Matsudaira Nobutsuna asked with some unease.

When Tokugawa Ieyasu was alive, in order to consolidate the shogunate's rule, he had enfeoffed his three sons — Yoshinao, Yorinobu, and Yorifusa — with domains of five or six hundred thousand koku each, to serve as powerful shinpan houses shielding the shogunate. These three branch houses of the Tokugawa were known as the Three Houses. According to Tokugawa Ieyasu's stipulation, as close collateral shields of the shogunate, should the main Shogun's line die out, sons from these Three Houses could be adopted into the main shogunate line to continue its bloodline.

As descendants of the Divine Lord, with succession rights to the office of Shogun and vast domains of several hundred thousand koku, these three shinpan houses were naturally set apart from all others and wielded enormous influence.

Setting aside Tokugawa Yorifusa, enfeoffed in the Mito Domain of Hitachi Province, the Kii Tokugawa house in Kii Province and the Owari Tokugawa house in Owari Province were situated squarely within the regions that would be affected. If this plan were truly to be carried out, their domains and people would certainly suffer severe damage.

Moreover, many other Matsudaira shinpan houses would also be affected, which was why Matsudaira Nobutsuna, himself an Elder from a shinpan house, could not help feeling uneasy. But he could not say so directly, and had to use the name of the Three Houses to probe.

"When matters come to a head, we can no longer concern ourselves with so much." Tokugawa Iemitsu said flatly. "Since they are the shogunate's shinpan, they should all the more share a common hatred and set an example for everyone. I trust they will understand the greater principle. When the orders are transmitted, tell the army commanders and Itakura Shigemasa — make no distinction between shinpan and tozama; the shogunate's decisions must be carried out!"

"Yes…" Matsudaira Nobutsuna's body trembled slightly, but he still prostrated himself and accepted the Lord Shogun's command.

Seeing that the Shogun's resolve was set, those senior shogunate ministers who had intended to raise objections could only hold their tongues. The audience hall returned to the deathly silence of moments before.

Though some kept looking toward the Elder Ii Naotaka, hoping he would voice opposition, Ii Naotaka never opened his mouth, as if he had heard nothing at all.

Although he felt Doi Toshikatsu's proposal was somewhat too extreme, he in fact secretly supported this approach. After all, thorough preparations now needed to be made for the shogunate's survival. It was only because his position was special and his ties to the Tokugawa shinpan houses were close that it was inconvenient for him to openly express support.

But as the Elder, his silence was in itself already a form of support, and so the others who had some objections could only follow him into silence.

"Through our earlier preparations, there are now close to a hundred thousand troops massed near Edo." Tokugawa Iemitsu raised his head and looked at the light streaming in from beyond the hall. "In the coming days we can gather even more troops. The supply of these troops is the matter of paramount importance; none of you may slacken in the slightest. They are the foundation upon which we defend the shogunate and defend the realm."

"Understood." All the other senior ministers answered at once.

"The punitive decree against the Mori house and the other daimyo for their treason must be issued without delay and delivered into their hands as quickly as possible, to steady men's hearts and summon them to mass troops and resist the Han invaders. The relocation of the Imperial House and the daimyo is also imperative. The grain requisitioning and population relocation in the western provinces absolutely cannot be postponed!" Tokugawa Iemitsu suddenly raised his voice. "The above matters are all the most urgent tasks at present. Everyone must exert their utmost effort to accomplish them; all other matters can be set aside!"

"Yes!" The senior ministers prostrated themselves and touched their heads to the floor.

These matters, which during discussion had been met with a babble of conflicting opinions and many reservations, had now, through the Shogun's personal confirmation, become imperative tasks that must be accomplished, permitting no slackness — for the Lord Shogun's authority was beyond question.

These senior ministers, like the common folk of Edo, had already been terrified by the dire situation at hand. But after today's deliberations, a guiding strategy for future action had at last been settled. In the bottomless darkness, they had finally glimpsed a sliver of light.

Though these strategies might not necessarily produce miraculous results or directly drive back the Han invaders, they were at least practical and offered hope, freeing people from the fear of helpless bewilderment.

Just as Tokugawa Iemitsu was still issuing orders, one of the Shogun's close attendants entered the audience hall with a bowed waist.

Ordinarily, when the Shogun was deliberating major affairs with his senior ministers, no unrelated person was permitted to enter the audience hall and cause a disturbance. But after the Han invasion, because urgent reports came in ceaselessly and the situation was critical, this rule had been temporarily suspended. Regardless of whether the senior ministers were in council, any urgent message could be delivered directly into the Shogun's hands.

The attendant's steps were swift, and he deliberately muffled his footfalls to avoid causing a disturbance. Judging from the attendant's expression, however, this was likely yet another piece of bad news.

The shogunate's senior ministers had grown accustomed to bad news these days, so they did not stir. Everyone simply remained prostrated on the floor as before, silently guessing in their hearts what major event had now occurred.

It was a report sent by the Kyoto Deputy Itakura Shigemasa, with a proclamation he had ordered someone to transcribe tucked inside.

Expressionless, Tokugawa Iemitsu took the report from the attendant's side and unfolded it to read himself.

Yet when he saw the specific contents of the report and the attached proclamation, his face abruptly flushed crimson, as if blood had suddenly surged upward. His brows furrowed tightly, and even his hands trembled faintly.

Seeing the Lord Shogun in such a state, though no one knew exactly what the bad news was, everyone's mood grew even more tense and uneasy. No one dared even to breathe loudly.

"Bastards! Bastards!"

A thunderous roar erupted. Tokugawa Iemitsu could no longer contain the fury in his heart. He tore the report in his hands to shreds and hurled the pieces violently into the air.

Then, he suddenly drew the sword from his waist and slashed hatefully at the empty air before him several times, still roaring, "Han pirates! Shimazu! Tachibana! I swear an irreconcilable feud with you!"

The paper fragments drifted slowly to the floor, making everyone all the more curious about the contents. The Shogun's furious roar had included the name Tachibana, which truly set imaginations racing.

Many guessed it might be because Tachibana Muneshige had surrendered to the Han pirates, but not a single person dared to ask.

Their guess was correct. The report Itakura Shigemasa had sent did indeed record Tachibana Muneshige's defection. And it was not only Tachibana Muneshige — he also informed Tokugawa Iemitsu of one definite piece of news: the Han pirates had already crushed all resistance by the shogunate army on Kyushu. The Elder Naitō Tadashige had died for his country, and most of the daimyo on Kyushu had already surrendered to the Han pirates and raised troops to overthrow the shogunate.

The proclamation appended to the report was a copy of the "Kyushu Rewards and Punishments Decree" that he had ordered transcribed. It denounced the shogunate as traitors and rebels, declared the restoration of Japan's order and discipline, and proclaimed that the Imperial Court would once again rule over Japan — such rhetoric undoubtedly provoked Tokugawa Iemitsu's boundless rage.

Furthermore, the report also stated that the daimyo in the south were showing signs of unrest and urged the shogunate to make plans early.

All these pieces of news confirmed the shogunate senior ministers' most terrifying prediction just moments ago — the Han pirates' advance was unstoppable, the Imperial Court was colluding with them in secret, and the feudal lords harboring discontent against the shogunate were defecting one after another.

How could this not fill Tokugawa Iemitsu with hatred and fury?

In the outer hall, packed with kneeling men yet feeling utterly empty, he madly brandished the sword in his hand, nearly striking the close attendant who had entered once again.

"Send down the order! All relatives in Edo of the court nobles and feudal lords who have surrendered to the Han pirates are to be executed — all of them executed!" His roar echoed through the outer hall and did not fade for a long time.