Chapter 1663: Can We Stop the Han Invaders?

"Good news…?" Tokugawa Iemitsu was so furious he laughed. "They want me to step down from the position of Shogun, and they want to punish the senior councilors of the Bakufu… How could we possibly agree to such humiliating terms?"

"The Han invaders are advancing on all fronts, their military might is blazing, and the war is going smoothly for them. Naturally, they are brimming with confidence, so it's quite normal for the terms they propose to be extremely harsh." Doi Toshikatsu remained as composed as ever. "However, my lord, since they have proposed such terms, it means they do not wish for a fight to the death with the Bakufu. They can accept a situation where the Tokugawa family continues on, and even retains a portion of its foundation…"

Upon hearing Doi Toshikatsu's explanation, Tokugawa Iemitsu suddenly saw the light.

"Since they do not wish to fight us to the bitter end, it means that as long as we continue to haggle, there will come a time when they soften their stance, and ultimately they will reach a compromise with us." Doi Toshikatsu continued his explanation. "The key is that we can begin talks—that in itself is a good thing. Of course, if we want them to lower their demands, we must rely on the Bakufu army to put on a performance on the battlefield, forcing the Han invaders to realize that they cannot simply push us around at will. If we achieve nothing on the battlefield, then there is no basis for negotiation."

"In other words, you still firmly believe we should seek peace with the Han invaders?" Tokugawa Iemitsu asked in return.

"Yes, my lord… I believe we should seek peace with the Han invaders as quickly as possible. Only then can we stabilize the realm." Doi Toshikatsu was quite straightforward and immediately nodded. "My lord, please look at the situation. It is far too dire now. The Western Provinces, apart from the Kinai region, have already collapsed. The Bakufu's decrees can no longer be enforced there…"

The moment he heard the harsh assessment that the Western Provinces had collapsed, Tokugawa Iemitsu's expression instantly turned grim. But in the end, he said nothing and let the other man continue. "In the regions beyond the Western Provinces, the various daimyo have all received the news, and some have even received the Imperial Court's edict calling them to raise arms… They are already stirring restlessly. According to reports coming in from various places, whether it is the Date family of Sendai or the Maeda family of Kaga, they have all begun conscripting soldiers within their domains and closing their borders. Their intentions are unfathomable."

As he spoke, Tokugawa Iemitsu's brow furrowed tighter and tighter. "These treacherous curs! When a great enemy is at our doorstep, they only think of themselves and have not a shred of loyalty! Sooner or later, they must be exterminated one by one. Only then can the realm be at peace!"

Although many of the daimyo had long-standing grievances with the Tokugawa family, this did not stop Tokugawa Iemitsu from considering himself the supreme leader of the warrior houses. Thus, his fury at this sense of betrayal burned all the more fiercely.

"My lord is absolutely right. If not for these people dragging the Bakufu down, how could we have ever found ourselves in such a difficult situation? The Han invaders' military might is blazing now, but at its root, it is because these feudal lords are selfish, even to the point of acknowledging a thief as their father and acting as his jackals… We were far too lenient with them before." Doi Toshikatsu let out a long sigh, clearly somewhat regretful.

"As the saying goes, to resist foreign aggression, one must first pacify the interior. We must first wipe them all out before we can rally the strength of the entire realm to resist the Han invaders. Otherwise… if this stalemate drags on, the situation will become increasingly unfavorable for us. After all, the more the Bakufu's strength is depleted, the more powerful and uncontrollable the surrounding powerful domains will become, until finally, those powerful domains will rise up and leave the Bakufu with no path forward."

Because many daimyo had already risen in arms and pledged allegiance to the Great Han due to their discontent with the Bakufu's oppression, now not only the various daimyo of Japan, but even people within the Bakufu itself had begun to murmur, 'Was the previous harsh treatment of the domains somewhat unreasonable?' As the two primary decision-makers behind the hardline policy towards the domains, Tokugawa Iemitsu and Doi Toshikatsu could never admit that the previous daimyo policy was wrong. Instead, they could only say that they had been too lenient with the domains before, to the point that they still had the strength left to rebel.

And compared to the Han invaders, these feudal lords were even more hateful and terrifying.

"So, in your view, if we are to negotiate peace with the Han invaders, what terms can we offer on our side?" Tokugawa Iemitsu steeled his heart and asked.

"That depends on whether the war goes smoothly. If everything goes perfectly and we directly crush the Han invaders, then naturally we need give them nothing… But if the war goes unfavorably and we can only barely hold them to a stalemate, then we will… we will have no choice but to accept some harsh terms." Doi Toshikatsu lowered his voice even further, afraid that someone might overhear. "For example, punishing some of the chief instigators, paying some monetary compensation, or… or… ceding the island of Kyushu and recognizing the Great Han's occupation there."

"Cede Kyushu?" The moment he heard this suggestion, Tokugawa Iemitsu's eyes widened abruptly, and he almost lost control of his emotions. "How… how could I cede Japanese territory to the Han invaders? Wouldn't that… wouldn't that make me a sinner against the Tokugawa family?!"

"At present, Kyushu has already fallen into the hands of the Han invaders. If we are to speak of sinners, my lord, we are already sinners against the Tokugawa family." Doi Toshikatsu stated the fact without any fear. "However, my lord, we originally did not have much territory on Kyushu. Even if we abandon it now, the loss to us will not be too great. Of course, the loss of Nagasaki is indeed very painful, but since it is already lost, we can only face reality."

Doi Toshikatsu's words, so blunt and showing no consideration for his lord's feelings, were naturally extremely unpleasant for the normally irascible Tokugawa Iemitsu to hear. But he knew that now he could only listen to unpleasant but honest counsel, so he endured it.

"If Nagasaki is lost, it is far more than just a minor pain to us! Besides… the Bakufu's finances are already so strained. If we must also pay reparations, where could we possibly find the money? This matter… I fear it is not as easy as you make it sound."

"If we can make the Han invaders understand that we are not an enemy they can easily overcome, then they will naturally lower their demands and not insist on having their way. Moreover… those gold and silver mines in the Western Provinces have already fallen anyway. As a bargaining chip, we can simply cede them directly to the Han invaders." Doi Toshikatsu's attitude remained very steady, giving Tokugawa Iemitsu great confidence. "Those mines are certainly also the heart's desire of those powerful domains. If we compromise with the Han invaders and transfer them over, the Han invaders will surely fall out with those powerful domains, and then we can exploit the rift to sow discord. Furthermore, the powerful domains will have no way to use the mines to strengthen their own power, which will also make it easier for us to exterminate them later."

"Transfer the gold and silver mines of the Western Provinces to the Han invaders…" Tokugawa Iemitsu murmured softly, deep in thought.

"My lord, this is merely a temporary expedient, just to buy time for the Bakufu and make the Han invaders withdraw their troops!" Seeing that Tokugawa Iemitsu was hesitating, Doi Toshikatsu pressed on. "The Great Han certainly cannot sustain an expedition with such a large army for long. Once they get what they want, they will withdraw. And we will use the time while they withdraw to prune away all the powerful domains… Then, Japan will be united in purpose, all obeying your commands. At that point, we will tear up the agreement with the Han invaders. Even if they want to launch another expedition against us… we will surely be able to resist them."

Although these words sounded impassioned, they were merely spoken to please Tokugawa Iemitsu. After all, given Tokugawa Iemitsu's personality, making such a huge concession required a justification of enduring humiliation to bide one's time. However, how easy would it be to subjugate the previous rebels and consolidate the various powerful domains? And even if the realm were truly united, could they really go to war with the Han invaders again? Doi Toshikatsu knew the answers to these questions in his heart.

After Doi Toshikatsu presented his proposal, Tokugawa Iemitsu sank back into contemplation. Although he was utterly unwilling to acknowledge this reality, after careful thought, he still felt that the advice Doi Toshikatsu gave him was the most feasible and effective course of action.

Now, he could only endure humiliation and bide his time.

"Then use these conditions as a baseline and begin negotiations with the Han invaders. They certainly won't agree at first, but we must also let them know our bottom line." After a long while, he let out a long sigh. "Such humiliation must be repaid in blood by those traitors."

Doi Toshikatsu bowed his head and accepted the Shogun's decree.

Just then, a sudden flurry of hurried footsteps sounded from outside the door. Someone was rushing over. Tokugawa Iemitsu's expression instantly turned even more grim. This was a place where the Shogun and his senior councilors held secret discussions. Without a matter of extreme urgency, absolutely no one would dare to come and disturb the Shogun.

And in these turbulent times, any major news that could be delivered was unlikely to be good news.

As expected, when the messenger attendant entered the room, he did not even dare to breathe loudly. He immediately knelt on the ground and, in a trembling voice, relayed the news he had just received.

"Reporting to the Shogun! According to a report just arrived from Takasaki Castle… the Dainagon… the Dainagon-sama, a few days ago… a few days ago… took advantage of the chaos to flee Takasaki Castle. His whereabouts are unknown!"

This sudden piece of bad news made Tokugawa Iemitsu's face flush crimson in an instant. He stared wide-eyed at the attendant kneeling on the ground, as if he were a ferocious beast about to devour someone. His hand, veins bulging, trembled as it moved to his waist.

"Traitor! Traitor! That beastly traitor!" He violently drew the sword from his waist and swung it down with immense force, hacking into a small table beside him. The sharp blade instantly cleaved it in two, producing a thunderous crash.

Upon hearing this news, Doi Toshikatsu's expression also underwent a subtle change, but he did not act impulsively like Tokugawa Iemitsu. He remained kneeling in place, though his gaze flickered considerably, his thoughts unknown.

In their previous secret discussions, it was he who had advised Tokugawa Iemitsu that, in order to unify the Bakufu internally, he should simply go all the way and kill his younger brother, the Dainagon Tokugawa Tadanaga. Tokugawa Iemitsu had adopted his suggestion and dispatched an envoy to Takasaki Castle to end the life of this younger brother he had always detested.

He had not expected the Dainagon to be so vigilant as to flee in advance at this moment—clearly, although he was under house arrest, his access to information was not completely cut off. At the very least, he knew of the great events Japan was currently experiencing and had foreseen the calamity that would befall him if he did not run, hence his decisive escape.

His refusal to obediently commit suicide according to the Shogun's will was, in Tokugawa Iemitsu's eyes, an act of heinous rebellion. But in Doi Toshikatsu's view, it was merely human nature, and he was also a man who could face reality squarely.

"My lord, we must intensify our negotiations with the Han invaders. We must also pay close attention to the Bakufu's interior, ensuring that no internal chaos arises because of the Dainagon's escape!" With complex thoughts, he bowed his head and advised Tokugawa Iemitsu.

The internal strife within the Bakufu, and indeed every decision made by Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu, would naturally create ripples outside the Bakufu, ultimately affecting all of Japan.

And the Western Provinces, already in the midst of raging storms, could feel the gusts of cold wind blowing from Edo even more keenly. The Bakufu officials in the Western Provinces had to endure pressure from Edo while simultaneously trembling before the military might of the Great Han. They felt only scorching anxiety, even more uncertain when this torment of anxiety would finally end.

Although summer was approaching and the weather was gradually turning hot, this chill still made Itakura Shigemune, the Kyoto Shoshidai, heave a heavy sigh.

As the highest-ranking Bakufu official stationed in the Western Provinces, the pressure he now endured was unmatched by anyone else, and the responsibilities he now had to bear were equally beyond compare.

Ever since the Great Han launched its attack on Japan and landed on Kyushu, bad news had been relayed to Kyoto one piece after another. And when the Great Han army, with the cooperation of the Mori family, landed on Honshu and began advancing towards Kyoto, that pressure became increasingly tangible with every step of their march.

The Great Han army had already thrust forward into Bizen Province, and with open road ahead, they were about to enter the Kinai region and pose a real threat to Kyoto.

Before, although the Han invaders were terrifying, it was ultimately others who had to face them. But now… it would soon be his turn.

Can we… truly stop the surging tide of Han invaders? He could not help but ask this question.

Even the towering castle he stood in could not give him much confidence.

Although this Himeji Castle was indeed a sufficiently magnificent fortress. Himeji Castle was situated at a strategic chokepoint on the route from the Western Provinces towards the Kinai region. Its geographical position was extremely important, and thus it had long since developed into a major castle, receiving great attention.

During the chaotic Warring States period, this Himeji Castle changed hands many times, eventually falling into the hands of the Kuroda family, retainers of the Kodera clan, a branch of the Akamatsu family. Through years of management by its owners, it had become a fortress city.

In the late Warring States period, Oda Nobunaga began his rise, making the unification of Japan his life's ambition. After pacifying the surrounding powers, he began to cast his gaze further afield.

He ordered Hashiba Hideyoshi, who was then his subordinate general, to serve as the vanguard commander and go to the Western Provinces to subjugate the Mori clan, beginning with an attack on Harima Province, the necessary passage to the west. In this war, the Kodera clan originally sided with the Mori, but Kuroda Yoshitaka, the retainer controlling Himeji Castle, defected, surrendering to the Oda side and presenting the castle to Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Himeji Castle thus became the rear base for the Oda and Hideyoshi armies' offensive against the Mori family.

After Oda Nobunaga's death, Hideyoshi began his rise. He certainly did not overlook the importance of Himeji Castle, and so he appointed Kinoshita Iesada, the younger brother of his lawful wife, Kita no Mandokoro, as the lord of Himeji Castle, stationing him there to guard it.

Not long after, with Toyotomi Hideyoshi's death, his regime was replaced by Tokugawa Ieyasu. To eradicate the remnants of the Toyotomi power and reward his meritorious retainers, Tokugawa Ieyasu carved out a 520,000-koku Himeji Domain centered on Himeji Castle and made Ikeda Terumasa the lord of Himeji Domain, granting him control over Himeji Castle.

However, before long, after Ikeda Terumasa's death, his son Ikeda Tadao inherited Himeji Domain. Ikeda Tadao also died soon after, and his son Ikeda Mitsumasa was still very young at the time. The Tokugawa Bakufu, using the reason that Ikeda Mitsumasa was too young to bear the responsibility of guarding the strategic chokepoint of Himeji Castle, transferred Ikeda Mitsumasa to Tottori Domain, with his territory shrinking from 520,000 koku to 320,000 koku.

Himeji Domain then became a smaller domain of 150,000 koku, and the position of domain lord was transferred to Honda Tadamasa. The Honda family was an important hereditary retainer family of the Tokugawa, with its various branch lines all becoming daimyo and relied upon by the Bakufu for generations. Honda Tadamasa was the son of Honda Tadakatsu, one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Tokugawa. The Bakufu's purpose in having Honda Tadamasa guard Himeji Castle was self-evident: they wanted this strategic chokepoint to be under the Bakufu's direct control.

Through the changes over these years and the painstaking efforts of successive domain lords, Himeji Castle had become one of the most magnificent and impregnable fortress cities in Japan. Everywhere there were towering structures and a complete supporting defensive system. The outside was a layer of stone walls wrapping the entire castle; inside, the defenses were even tighter. Unlike ordinary cities, there were several fortress-like tenshu towers here. Several three-story small tenshu with steep outer walls surrounded the large central tenshu. In the embrasures of the castle walls, there were nearly a thousand small designed loopholes, sufficient to provide mutually supporting firepower while also offering concealment for the defenders.

At the very center of the castle was the Honmaru, the grand main tenshu. This great main tenshu was a towering precipice, standing a full ten zhang high, and situated at the highest point within the castle, it seemed to look down upon everything in the world. Its white outer walls and winding eaves gave it the appearance of a white egret spreading its wings to take flight, hence Himeji Castle also earned the alternate name White Egret Castle.

Standing within the great main tenshu and gazing into the distance, the buildings of varying heights throughout the castle were all visible at a glance. Amidst its imposing grandeur, there was even a unique sense of beauty.

Normally, climbing to a height and gazing afar would give one a feeling of relaxation and joy, but now, no matter what, Itakura Shigemune could not feel at ease.

The middle-aged man beside him was the same.

This middle-aged man had a pallid complexion and a frail constitution, looking several years older than his actual age. He was none other than the lord of Himeji Domain, the shogunate fudai daimyo Honda Masatomo. He had inherited the position of family head the previous year after his father Honda Tadamasa died — how could he have known back then that he would suffer such a shock!

"My lord... can we... can we really hold back the Han pirates?" he asked for the third time.