Chapter 1678: Giving You a Chance

After weighing the options, Inaba Masatoshi decided to accept the harsh conditions proposed by the Great Han envoy, in exchange for their support of his lord Tokugawa Tadanaga becoming head of the Tokugawa family after the war.

Although he was only here to negotiate on Tokugawa Tadanaga's behalf and had no authority to make declarations himself, knowing his lord as he did, he understood it was only a matter of time before Tokugawa Tadanaga agreed to this proposal.

Besides, between a lifetime of seclusion in the mountains and becoming head of the Tokugawa family, there was no real choice at all.

During this period, Kobe had suddenly become the focus of attention throughout Japan, with envoys coming and going everywhere, negotiating with Great Han according to their own interests.

After sending off the envoy dispatched by Tokugawa Tadanaga, Zhou Pu did not pause to rest, but continued to receive the envoys sent to him by various local powers. According to the needs of Great Han's interests, he alternately offered gentle encouragement or stern rebukes, using every means to win them over or intimidate them, making them act according to his will.

Through his negotiations over this period, he had roughly sorted out the intentions and movements of all parties, and also figured out what they wanted to obtain from him. He knew deeply that all parties had now been shaken by Great Han's string of victories; apart from the shogunate, virtually no one wanted to fight Great Han to the death. On the contrary, they feared Great Han would regard them as enemies, and so dared not declare their stance at all.

Therefore, to set these people's minds at ease, Zhou Pu repeatedly emphasized that Great Han had launched this war against the shogunate only to punish the shogunate and Tokugawa Iemitsu, and to uphold the discipline of the Japanese imperial court. As long as they did not support the shogunate or oppose the court, and peacefully accepted the court's confirmation of their domains, they would not suffer Great Han's attacks.

By now, his promises had become increasingly weighty. Although Right Minister Nijo Yasumichi, representing the court, was also in Kobe, not many people went to curry favor before Nijo Yasumichi. Instead, they offered all kinds of gifts and flattery to Zhou Pu — although Zhou Pu outwardly showed great respect for the court, these people of course knew who truly had the greater say in Japan, now and in the future.

And once he had coordinated relations with all the various powers, the entire army's rest and reorganization was also nearing its end, and the time to continue the advance had come.

In recent days, Zhou Pu had summoned his staff officers and the generals of the Japanese domain armies under his command, and everyone gathered together to discuss the subsequent advance plan.

Initially, Zhao Song had assigned their column the primary task of advancing with all effort to tie down more shogunate forces, creating conditions for the main Great Han army's operations later. Zhou Pu and his chief staff officer Huang Changguo did not see it that way; in order to earn more merit, they wanted to amplify their column's momentum and strive to achieve greater battle results.

However, even they had not imagined that their column's advance would achieve such great accomplishments. They had marched north from the Mori family domain at the southernmost tip of Honshu, relying on the court's rallying power and the combat of the Japanese domain troops under their command, and had unexpectedly won battle after battle, pushing the battle lines step by step toward the Kinai region.

Encouraged by this series of victories, Zhou Pu and Huang Changguo's appetite grew ever larger, and they resolved to penetrate further into the heart of Honshu, ideally marching directly into Kyoto. After they had requested heavy artillery from Zhao Song and, with immense determination, won the Battle of Himeji Castle, they suddenly realized that Kyoto was truly right before their eyes.

During this time, they had been deliberately gathering information about the shogunate forces in the Kinai region. Relying on the help of wealthy merchants and powerful clans who had sided with Great Han, they quickly got a rough picture of the enemy forces facing them.

Clearly, the shogunate army had not yet recovered from the shadow of the disastrous defeat at Himeji Castle. Not only were their troop strength damaged and a large number of experienced troops annihilated, but even their morale was flagging due to the crushing loss. Although the shogunate had been continuously striving to send reinforcements toward Kyoto, and although the Kyoto Deputy Governor Itakura Shigemune had already returned to Kyoto to reorganize the army, their vitality had still not recovered.

The situation on Zhou Pu's side was vastly different. Although they too had suffered heavy casualties in the Battle of Himeji, most of what they lost were only newly recruited units. The Great Han officers and soldiers who formed the army's backbone, and the domain troops of the Tachibana, Shimazu, Mori, and other domains, had not suffered great losses; it could be said their vitality remained intact.

Moreover, after arriving in the prosperous Kinai region, the army's supplies were very ample, quickly raising morale high again. In addition, with the court's righteous cause as a rallying call, their army recruited new soldiers very smoothly, and there were even many powerful clans who, believing the overall situation was already decided, directly brought their entire households over to join them.

Thus, after a short rest and reorganization of only half a month, the troops under Zhou Pu's command had already recovered to their previous strength, and even surpassed it. From top to bottom, everyone was eager for action, waiting to receive even greater rewards after capturing Kyoto.

That being the case, Zhou Pu and Huang Changguo naturally would not let this heaven-sent opportunity slip by. They set the primary objective of this advance on Kyoto itself, and all they thought about was how to take Kyoto as quickly as possible, drive the shogunate's forces completely out of the Kinai region, and make the court's rallying call even more legitimate.

However, although the plan was to attack Kyoto, the route from Kobe to Kyoto was full of mountains and rugged terrain, not a path convenient for a large army's advance. So after discussion, they decided to take a more circuitous route.

The main army would first advance along the coastline, passing through Nishinomiya, Amagasaki, and other towns toward Osaka. After capturing Osaka, they would divide their forces, with several smaller columns advancing from the south and east to attack Sakai, Nara, and other places. This would, on one hand, tie down the shogunate defenders and amplify their own army's momentum, and on the other hand, attacking these commercially prosperous areas would also increase the economic pressure on the shogunate.

The main force, meanwhile, would follow the Yodo River — which originates from Lake Biwa, flows through Kyoto, and finally empties into the sea at Osaka — advancing north upstream toward Kyoto, heading straight for Fushimi Castle on Kyoto's southern outskirts.

Fushimi Castle occupied a critical position, precisely blocking the southern gateway to Kyoto. Water transport between Osaka and Kyoto also had to pass through here, and with mountainous terrain surrounding it, its location was extremely advantageous.

In the era of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, this Taiko who once controlled all of Japan placed his own main castle here for a time, building a large-scale castle and even making it his residence for a period. This place also once became the political center of Japan.

After his death, according to his will, his son Toyotomi Hideyori moved the main castle to Osaka Castle, which he had also meticulously developed, while this place was left to the Council of Five Elders and other ministers of the Toyotomi regime to manage government affairs — as one of the Elders, Tokugawa Ieyasu once handled government affairs here.

Later, when Tokugawa Ieyasu's ambition to seize the Toyotomi family's realm had become glaringly obvious, the Toyotomi senior retainers also split into two factions and attacked each other. Fushimi Castle was then under the guard of Torii Mototada, a trusted general of Tokugawa Ieyasu. To pull out this nail the Tokugawa family had planted in the western provinces, Ishida Mitsunari and other western generals ordered an assault on the castle, and after thirteen days they breached it. Torii Mototada also died in this battle.

Torii Mototada's loyalty earned Tokugawa Ieyasu's great praise and moved him deeply. He called this beloved general a model of the "Mikawa Warrior." In the brutal siege warfare, the once tall and magnificent Fushimi Castle was also largely destroyed in the flames of war.

After the war, to strengthen control over the western provinces and to erase the last traces of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the Tokugawa family completely demolished the final remnants of Fushimi Castle, and the original building materials from the castle were all transferred to other castles.

Although Fushimi Castle no longer existed on the ground, the importance of Fushimi's geographical position would not change. As long as they took Fushimi, Kyoto would be right before their eyes, and they could even cut off Kyoto's connection with the Kanto direction, truly making Kyoto an isolated city.

Once the strategy for the advance was agreed upon, Zhou Pu wasted no more time. After leaving behind the necessary garrison troops, Zhou Pu led the entire army in a push toward Osaka.

Long before the advance, Zhou Pu had already reached a tacit understanding with the wealthy merchants of Osaka. They had absolutely no intention of martyring themselves for the shogunate, so on the eve of Zhou Pu's advance, they had already risen up in the city, expelled the local official the shogunate had placed in Osaka Castle — the Osaka City Magistrate Hisami Masatoshi and his trusted subordinates — and seized control of Osaka Castle.

When Zhou Pu's army, after several days of marching, finally pressed upon the walls of Osaka Castle, the castle immediately chose to surrender, falling into the hands of the Great Han army with almost no bloodshed.

Although Osaka Castle's status could not compare to the era of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, this castle falling into the hands of the Great Han army would undoubtedly bring even greater shock to the various powers in Japan.

Before Osaka Castle, the immensely proud Zhou Pu, riding on horseback and surrounded by guards and subordinate generals, strode into Osaka Castle.

At this moment, on both sides, throngs of citizens and merchants gathered, curiously sizing him up, as if wanting to catch a glimpse of the Celestial Empire envoy's distinguished bearing.

Because Tokugawa Ieyasu had twice besieged Osaka, causing horrific casualties, the residents and wealthy merchants of Osaka held no affection whatsoever for the Tokugawa shogunate. Moreover, most Osakans were people engaged in trade and did not regard distinctions between nations as very important, so their attitude toward Great Han was not one of fear or loathing as in other places.

After Great Han attacked, the shogunate wanted to implement a scorched-earth strategy in the western provinces, but its execution in the Osaka area went very poorly. The merchants and citizens all tried every means to stay behind. On one hand, they did not want their family businesses and property to be seized by the shogunate's people in the chaos; on the other hand, they felt that even if Great Han came, there was nothing to fear — business was business, and they would still do business when the time came.

Among these people, a rumor was also secretly circulating — that the reason the Tokugawa family had so enraged Great Han as to invite such calamity was divine punishment from the spirit of the Taiko in heaven.

Under the morning sunlight, amidst gazes filled with awe and curiosity, the red uniforms of the Great Han infantry rolled over in waves, making the original fields outside the city pale in comparison.

Although the Great Han officers and soldiers were not numerous, their movements were uniform and precise. They advanced behind fluttering banners, obeying the officers' low commands to halt, turn, or maintain spacing with other soldiers in their unit to form ranks, skirting around the infantry squares of another formation.

Behind them, Japanese domain troops in various uniforms also surged forward in orderly battle formations, their columns stretching almost endlessly before the city walls.

And Zhou Pu, riding on horseback, slowly entered Osaka City amidst this escort of Great Han troops. Because he deliberately intended to show off Great Han's military might and his own authority before these Osaka merchants and citizens, he had specifically ordered his troops to pass beneath the city walls in their most immaculate formation.

The guards around him were all ceremonial troops he had meticulously selected. They all rode pure-colored horses and were tall in stature; their uniform movements, attire, and armor made them appear all the more heroic and extraordinary.

Zhou Pu's goal was achieved. When Zhou Pu arrived inside the city, the merchants and citizens all cheered for him, as if welcoming a triumphant army returning in victory. Amidst the cheers of the multitude, his expression was solemn and unsmiling; every gesture he made was reminiscent of the late Toyotomi Taiko's manner.

Because the shogunate's local officials and magistrates in Osaka Castle had all fled, those welcoming Zhou Pu today were a group of wealthy merchants, and among these wealthy merchants was Mitsui Takamatsu, whom Zhou Pu knew.

This member of the Mitsui family, ever since that meeting and negotiation with Zhou Pu, had sided with Great Han, determined to help Great Han strike against the shogunate, so as to spare his own family from this unforeseen calamity and at the same time elevate the Mitsui family to a higher level.

And he had indeed made contributions. Not only did he secretly send people to sell grain to Zhou Pu's army, but he also played an important role in the upheaval within Osaka City this time, allowing Osaka to fall smoothly into the hands of the Great Han army.

For such an active collaborator, Zhou Pu would naturally bestow rewards.

After arriving in Osaka City, Zhou Pu summoned these wealthy merchants who had contributed, and as he had previously promised, issued them special charters, declaring that henceforth they would be the designated Japanese merchants of Great Han. Great Han's goods would only be exported through them, and the Japanese goods Great Han imported would only be handled by them.

This was certainly not a temporary, arbitrary act by Zhou Pu. In fact, when he first made contact with these wealthy merchants, he had already communicated with the imperial court back home, and the Ministry of Commerce, after weighing the pros and cons, had also agreed to this method of rewarding merit.

The merchants who obtained this trade monopoly were naturally greatly satisfied. They all curried favor with Zhou Pu, expressing their gratitude in various ways. However, Zhou Pu had important matters at hand, so he merely accepted their gifts politely and sent them on their way.

Although Osaka fell quickly, this was not the endpoint in Zhou Pu's plan, so he immediately reorganized his troops and prepared for the next phase of the offensive. With the help of Huang Changguo and others, he made one deployment after another in Osaka Castle, preparing to divide the army for the assault.

On the very day after he arrived in Osaka, Togo Shigekata was summoned by Zhou Pu to appear before him.

When Togo Shigekata arrived at Zhou Pu's residence, he was somewhat uneasy, because although he was a samurai within the Shimazu domain and commanded a small unit, and had earned merit in the previous Battle of Himeji, he was, after all, merely a retainer and ordinarily had no opportunity to meet the Great Han envoy face to face.

Like others, he regarded hierarchy as extremely important, and subconsciously felt he was unqualified to stand alongside this great lord. Moreover, he was not a smooth person, so upon receiving such an opportunity, he was not overly excited but rather somewhat at a loss.

However, perhaps to dispel his nervousness, Zhou Pu received him very cordially. Compared to his usual imperious manner before the various daimyo, this modest attitude practically made Togo Shigekata overwhelmed by the unexpected favor.

"My lord, what are your orders?" After exchanging some pleasantries, Togo Shigekata decided it was best to get to the point quickly, so as to end this uncomfortable meeting as soon as possible. "I would die ten thousand deaths without refusal!"

"No need for you to die ten thousand deaths; I'm just having you do a small thing." Zhou Pu smiled. "Togo, do you still remember what I promised you before?"

Togo Shigekata was stunned for a moment, and only then did he recall.

During the earlier rewards ceremony at Himeji Castle, this lord had promised to make him a daimyo in the future. But afterward he never brought it up again, and Tōgō Shigekata had assumed it was just a casual remark. He never expected the lord would actually remember it — and truly intend to fulfill that promise.

This sudden, wonderful news sent a rush of heat straight to his head.

"Please, my lord, speak plainly!"

"It seems you have remembered after all?" Zhou Pu still wore a smile. "That's right — I am giving you the chance to earn great merit and become a daimyo right now. Are you aware that we will soon be dividing our forces to advance?"

"I have heard some word of it." As an officer, he naturally had some knowledge of the army's next movements, though his rank limited what he could know. "Our army will launch a main assault on Kyoto, while mounting smaller attacks on several other fronts to prevent the shogunate forces from concentrating their defense."

"You are quite right. We will not only strike at Kyoto, but also pin down the east and the south." Zhou Pu nodded. "This will require us to dispatch several diversionary forces. And you — I believe you can lead one of them and win merit for our army. Can you... command a force on your own? If you can do it, I will overrule all objections and detach a flanking force for you."

To become a daimyo, one needed sufficient merit — at the very least, the experience of commanding a unit and operating independently. So Zhou Pu decided to give him such an opportunity. Of course, this force would only be used to tie down the enemy, so its numbers would certainly not be large.

When the opportunity he had long yearned for suddenly drifted right before him, Tōgō Shigekata found his mouth dry and his tongue parched for a moment — but he recovered his wits quickly.

His chance to restore his family's daimyo name had finally come.

"I will carry out this mission at the cost of my life if need be. I will never betray your expectations, my lord!"

In his excitement, he was suddenly, overwhelmingly grateful that he had once had the chance to become acquainted with this lord.