Chapter 1691: For the Shogunate, This Is the Decisive Battle

After hearing the terms put forward by the envoy sent from the Great Han, the Shogunate's Great Elder Ii Naotaka politely saw the envoy off. He neither agreed to the demands and conditions raised by the Great Han, nor did he utter any words of opposition.

Yet as soon as the Great Han envoy had departed, the originally frantic retreat preparations of the great army under Ii Naotaka's command suddenly slowed to a crawl. Ii Naotaka claimed that the Han invaders were now watching like a tiger eyeing its prey and had already made full preparations to pursue their entire army, so for now, no one could retreat rashly; they had to proceed with caution.

Although a portion of the commanders were extremely anxious, and the envoy sent by the Shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu, urged them daily, the majority still heeded Ii Naotaka's orders and chose to proceed with caution — for one, everyone was somewhat afraid of the catastrophe of a total army collapse if the Han invaders struck during their retreat; and for another, Ii Naotaka was the Shogunate's Great Elder, and few dared to disobey his commands.

As time passed, a small group of those burning with impatience to return and relieve Edo could finally endure no longer. They secretly conspired to band together and confront Ii Naotaka directly, intending to use the authority of the Shogun's envoy to at least withdraw their own troops first and rush back to Edo's aid.

But after Ii Naotaka discovered this, he immediately had his personal retainers suppress these men with thunderous measures, even executing one or two of the ringleaders, forcibly quelling the unrest within the army. Then, he even had the envoy sent by the Shogun placed under confinement.

By this point, his subordinate commanders had all sensed that the situation was amiss, but they were so cowed by Ii Naotaka's harsh methods that they were at a loss and even less dared to conspire in secret. It was only then that Ii Naotaka gave the order for the great army to march, and he completely reversed his earlier plan, declaring that to rush to the Shogunate's aid they must exert every effort, and so he even took the designated rearguard troops with him.

After Ii Naotaka's entire army began marching toward Edo, the Great Han army on the opposite side immediately began following behind, keeping their distance and commencing their pursuit. It was precisely because the Great Han army was trailing them that Ii Naotaka's army advanced at an exceedingly slow pace, frequently stopping and starting to guard against a possible surprise attack by the Great Han forces.

Amid this stop-and-go pursuit and interception by both sides, time was gradually frittered away.

It was abundantly clear that Ii Naotaka had tacitly accepted the terms the Great Han envoy had proposed to him. To preserve the last remnants of the Tokugawa family's bloodline, he would rather accept the dissolution of the Edo Shogunate and bear the infamy — in his view, given the Shogunate's current situation of being beset on all sides, to be able to preserve the Tokugawa bloodline and maintain the Tokugawa family's former domain was already a stroke of fortune.

And for the Tokugawa family's future survival, the army under his command was of paramount importance, so he was unwilling to risk his troops again by engaging the Great Han in battle.

Nor was he willing to openly raise the banner of rebellion and make himself a sinner against the Tokugawa family. Thus, the only choice left to him was to stall for time, ensuring that Tokugawa Iemitsu, far away in Edo, could not receive the aid of this great army of his and would have to face the blade of the Great Han landing force alone.

What he hoped for was that before he returned, Tokugawa Iemitsu, unable to bear the pressure brought by the Great Han army, would choose to end himself, making a choice befitting the head of the Tokugawa family and the position of Shogun. That would be best for everyone.

Sacrificing one Tokugawa Iemitsu to preserve the entire Tokugawa family was not, in Ii Naotaka's eyes, an impossible choice to make.

And judging by the Great Han army's consistently swift and resolute style of action, Ii Naotaka anticipated that moment was not far off.

And just as Ii Naotaka had predicted, at this very moment, the commander-in-chief of the Great Han expeditionary force against Japan, Zhao Song, was leading his army in an advance on Edo.

Since occupying Kamakura, Zhao Song had led his subordinates in sweeping operations all around the Kamakura area, repeatedly routing armies coming from various regions to relieve the Shogunate, and almost completely cutting off Edo's connection to the west. After multiple rounds of their sweeps, no Shogunate army now dared to approach the vicinity of Kamakura; at least in the short term, no one would be able to go to Edo's rescue.

And after mopping up Kamakura, they thus embarked on the march to Edo.

In recent days, the weather in the Kanto region had been consistently poor, the sky overcast all day long, and today was no exception. The sun was deeply hidden by the clouds, and the sky's color, once a clear azure, had turned into something resembling water stained by a filthy rag.

The main road from Kamakura to Edo, originally a bustling thoroughfare teeming with residents and traveling merchants bringing considerable quantities of grain and supplies to Edo's masses, was now utterly deserted, leaving only Zhao Song and his subordinates.

His great army, numbering in the thousands, marched in impeccably neat formations, bringing a few bright splashes of color to the gloomy weather. They were all silent, eyes fixed ahead, and even their footsteps sounded uniform. Their weapons, along with the banners fluttering in the wind, moved forward as they kept their spacing with the other soldiers of their unit, arrayed in ranks. These soldiers were elite troops, tempered by the most rigorous training and years of combat; they could transition from marching order to battle formation in an extremely short time and then deliver a fatal blow to the enemy.

And right beside them, the rhythmic clatter of hoofbeats could be heard everywhere. These cavalrymen, clad in red uniforms and some still wearing armor, rode tall, straight warhorses. Some even sported dazzling medals on their chests, looking both fiercely imposing and magnificently dashing. Although this cavalry force was not large in number, as they advanced slowly forward in row after row, they still exuded an intimidating sense of pressure.

These cavalrymen had been shipped over from Kyushu and were the last batch of Great Han troops to be transported. Because horses are rather delicate, Zhao Song had deliberately let the cavalry remain stationed in Yokosuka first, only ordering them to come up and rendezvous with him when he was ready to advance on Edo, after which they marched east together.

And in the gaps between the infantry and cavalry, cannons were mounted on gun carriages, then pulled forward alongside the army by draft horses and artillerymen. The cannons, polished to a gleaming shine and glinting with a bronze luster, trembled on their carriages, and the faint sound of carriage parts and supports vibrating against each other could be heard. Those nearby seemed even able to smell the scent of gunpowder diffusing all around.

These cannons were the field guns that the Great Han Army took such pride in — immensely powerful yet convenient for the army to maneuver and transport, making them a sharp field weapon for the Great Han Army.

Although his force numbered only a few thousand, when the infantry, cavalry, and artillery converged and marched forward like this, it was still a rather grand and mighty spectacle.

In the center of the column, Zhao Song rode forward with his staff officers and personal guards. His expression was extremely solemn as he looked left and right, constantly monitoring the marching state of each unit and the surrounding terrain. Although he had previously been a brigade commander in the Liaodong Army, the army he now commanded was of diverse origins and comprised multiple branches, so he could not afford to treat the matter lightly.

"Commander Zhao, the recent days of intermittent rain have greatly affected our army, and it looks as though it will rain again today." His chief staff officer, Yan Guang, rode up beside him. "At present, our army is drawing ever closer to Edo, and the weather is a factor we must guard against."

Although it was currently summer, the weather had been a continuous stretch of overcast skies and drizzling rain. While this weather was very comfortable for marching, for the Great Han army, which was accustomed to relying on muskets and cannons, it was nothing short of bad news. If it rained, their firepower would be severely weakened, creating an exploitable opportunity for the enemy — and the closer they got to Edo, the greater the likelihood of engaging the enemy, allowing not the slightest negligence.

"That is indeed something we must guard against." Zhao Song nodded gravely. "However... it is summer after all, and it can't possibly rain every day in Japan, can it? Perhaps by the time we reach the walls of Edo, the skies will have cleared."

"Commander Zhao makes a fair point, but one must always prepare for the unexpected; we should take extra precautions." Yan Guang nodded. "In short, we cannot allow the enemy to seize the initiative. We must be the ones to suppress the enemy, forcing them to dance to our tune."

Zhao Song knew the other man had an ulterior meaning behind his words, so he did not reply, merely looking at him and waiting for what would follow.

"Edo is a great city, housing an enormous number of residents and troops. Although it lies on a plain with no natural defenses to hold, our army numbers only a few thousand. If we directly assault its walls, we will undoubtedly suffer tremendous casualties, and fighting street battles with the defenders will prevent us from leveraging our superiority in firepower and combat strength." Yan Guang spoke to Zhao Song in a low voice.

"Haven't we already considered this point before?" Zhao Song looked at him with some puzzlement. "That's precisely why we are going to turn and head north, to cut off their water sources from the Tama River and the Tone River..."

Edo was a major city and the nerve center of the Tokugawa Shogunate. Therefore, ever since the two nations began hostilities, the Shogunate had been continuously concentrating its forces in Edo. Coupled with the vast urban area and numerous buildings, the Great Han army had no intention of launching a direct, forceful assault.

Thus, under the advice of staff officers like Yan Guang, Zhao Song decided to have the army advance north along the inland route, locate the rivers flowing into Edo, then sever the river transport and threaten Edo's water supply, using this method to compel the Shogunate to fight the Great Han army in the field.

Since Edo had a massive population of residents and troops, its demand for water was immense, and the city's primary water sources were the Tama River and the Tone River. As long as these two water sources were threatened, it would be tantamount to seizing Edo by the throat, placing the Shogunate in an exceedingly difficult position.

Even worse, Edo's supply of grain and other materials was also heavily dependent on water transport. If the river transport was also cut off, the Shogunate would find the cost even harder to bear. Therefore, in the view of these staff officers and Zhao Song himself, as long as they advanced according to this plan, the Tokugawa Shogunate would be forced to steel itself and march out of the city for a decisive battle with the Great Han.

"If problems arise on the Tama and Tone Rivers, Edo's water supply cannot be guaranteed — that is a certainty." Yan Guang did not mean to negate their earlier plan. "However... these rivers are all located inland. To execute this plan, we must proceed with the utmost caution."

Zhao Song finally understood what Yan Guang meant.

Indeed, executing this plan would be tantamount to sending this entire army deep inland, even to the rear of Edo. Not only would the marching distance be long, but the supply of materials and logistical support would also be extremely troublesome. Moreover, the current weather had been somewhat unfavorable to the Great Han army, so although he had great confidence in his subordinates, he could not guarantee with absolute certainty that nothing would go wrong.

From a prudent perspective, it was indeed worth deep consideration.

"So you mean we should postpone the offensive?" Zhao Song asked.

Then he shook his head himself. "No, there's no need to postpone the offensive. Our army is now deep in enemy territory, and we should fear only that our advance is not swift enough — how can we afford to stall for time? Besides... there are no more reinforcements coming from our rear, so further delay would be pointless. The Shogunate is now on the brink of collapse; we cannot give them a chance to catch their breath."

"If Commander Zhao believes the advance should not be postponed, then at the very least, please prepare some foolproof contingency plans." Yan Guang did not oppose Zhao Song's will. "Our army's rear supply currently relies entirely on the navy to maintain. Up to now, we have been maneuvering along the coastal areas, so supply has not been difficult. But if we push deep inland... I fear there will be some difficulties."

"No matter how difficult, we must do it!" Zhao Song reined in his horse and spoke decisively. "The navy and our army are one family to begin with, and now that I am the commander-in-chief, they must obey my orders. Whatever happens, our army's supply must be absolutely secure. Even if it means having their sailors come ashore, rifles in hand, to guard our rear line, we must maintain our army's rear!"

"Those are precisely the words I wanted to hear from you, my lord!" After Zhao Song expressed such a firm stance, Yan Guang was clearly very pleased.

Then, seizing the moment, he directly pulled out a map of Japan from his bosom and brought his horse close to Zhao Song's side. "Let's simply press our advantage in one go, occupy the area around Kanagawa near Yokohama, and then have the navy come ashore to help us hold these ports. Only then can our army rest easy!"

After that, he furrowed his brows slightly, as if complaining about something. "Commander Zhao, you've been too lenient with those navy men before. What nonsense about warship harassment — it's a complete waste of manpower and shells! Them sailing around in circles out at sea is nothing more than scratching an itch through a boot, and they can't even knock off a few hairs of the Shogunate. What use is it? They'd be better off obediently coming ashore and assisting us."

Zhao Song now fully understood what the other man was driving at.

It seemed this staff officer from the Military Council truly harbored deep resentment toward the navy.

But he also knew that Yan Guang's concerns were indeed reasonable and not entirely born of personal bias. Although he had always been careful to maintain good relations with his navy colleagues, at this moment, everything had to center on defeating the Shogunate. At this most critical juncture, even temporarily altering the military plan was not out of line.

"Fine, what you say makes sense. I will issue the order now." After pondering briefly for a moment, he adopted this staff officer's suggestion and then gave the command. "As of tomorrow, the navy is to cease all other operations and concentrate at Yokohama, devoting full effort to supporting our army's rear. Absolutely no shirking of responsibility will be permitted. Any who disobey orders or fail to fulfill their military directives will be dealt with by martial law!"

The navy's overall commander was Cai De. In terms of seniority within the military, he was not lower than Zhao Song; in terms of noble rank, as one of the founders of the navy, he was even higher than Zhao Song. Therefore, to command him, Zhao Song had to display the mettle of the commander-in-chief of the expeditionary force against Japan and forcibly make use of him, even if it provoked resentment in the other man's heart — he could no longer afford to care about that.

The orderlies bearing Zhao Song's command immediately rode back the way they had come, preparing to rush back to Yokosuka as quickly as possible. And the departure of these orderlies brought no visible impact to the surging crimson torrent. Under the overcast sky, they continued to roll grandly and mightily toward the walls of Edo.

And the pressure brought by this crimson torrent was, of course, felt most acutely by the people within the city of Edo.

Almost on the very same day that the Great Han army began its advance on Edo, Tokugawa Iemitsu received the news and was plunged into fresh terror.

Ever since the Great Han army landed at Yokosuka, Tokugawa Iemitsu had frantically scoured every corner for troops to relieve Edo. Some forces obeyed the call and came, while others were routed by the Great Han army's offensive in Kamakura and could not come to Edo's aid. As a result, the number of reinforcements he so desperately longed for was far less than he had expected.

What was even more worrying was that the great army taken away by the Great Elder Ii Naotaka, despite his repeatedly sending envoys to urge their swift return to relieve Edo, had shown no sign of movement all along and could not immediately support the imperiled Edo. In this dire state, upon hearing that the Great Han army had begun its march on Edo, Tokugawa Iemitsu's already highly unstable state of mind became even more chaotic.

That very night, he summoned all the Shogunate's senior officials before him and then bitterly laid out the current grim situation to them.

"The Han pirates are already bearing down on Edo. We have no choice but to fight with our backs to the river, to wage a desperate, decisive battle beneath the walls of Edo. Only thus can we live up to the unsullied name of the samurai, only thus can we be worthy of the Divine Lord's spirit in heaven." He first laid out the grim situation before the shogunate's senior councilors. "So long as we hold firm, Ii Naotaka will bring his main army back to relieve Edo and drive off the Han pirates. Therefore... let no man here entertain the slightest thought of retreat!"

The senior councilors answered with impassioned or solemn oaths; not a single one showed any sign of backing down. One after another, they vowed to fight the Han pirates to the death.

"My lord, according to the intelligence we have at present, the Han pirates seem intent on cutting off Edo's water supply and waterborne transport. We absolutely must not let their vile scheme succeed," said the Chief Elder Doi Toshikatsu. "Otherwise, the consequences are truly dire. With so many soldiers and civilians in Edo, if the water supply fails and no grain can be shipped in... we may well collapse without a fight."

As soon as he spoke, the impassioned mood that had filled the hall was dealt a heavy blow. Everyone could imagine the consequences if the Han pirates succeeded, and they could not help but feel a chill of dread.

"All the better. If they push deep into our inner territory, they will no longer have the support of their warships... We shall meet them in a decisive battle!" Tokugawa Iemitsu suddenly rose to his feet, his face flushing with a rare ruddiness. "This time, I shall personally lead the troops and strike down the Han pirates together with you!"