Chapter 118: Forced (already revised)
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The news brought back by Sakai caused widespread panic and unspeakable fear within the shogunate - everyone understood that the "King of Japan" enthroned by the former Emperor Taizong of Daian had been completely lost and would never be restored; after the Warring States Period, all power transfers in Japan, of course, did not seek the opinion of Daian. How should we calculate the mess that has lasted for more than a hundred years?
According to the etiquette of the Central Plains, this matter could be big or small; at the smallest, it was just a rude attitude that required humble words and courteous manners to ask for forgiveness from the superior country; at the biggest, it was a traitor with ulterior motives who regarded the Emperor Taizong's enthronement as nothing - at this point, the envoys on the black ship could only obey the will of heaven and take the trouble to help Japan change a king.
As for what kind of king to change... Nowadays, Edo Castle is full of celebrities, aren't there daimyo lords with ulterior motives everywhere?
This is the tactic that the Chinese nation often uses to control barbarians with barbarians. Throwing out titles of titles as bait, they lure the vassal states into fighting each other in order to determine the strongest and most fierce loyal dog. As neighbors separated by a narrow strip of water and sworn enemies for hundreds of years, Japan is of course well aware of this tactic and is firmly on guard against it, and has developed a large number of theories to undermine the sacredness of the conferment by the superior country; but now, now, the "rocket" of the black ship has fallen from the sky, and all theories that undermine the sacredness of China are nothing more than bullshit!
Sinologists worked hard for decades to debate the classics, but it was not as good as the sound of a cannon from the black ships. Reality is so cruel.
I don’t know who leaked the information, or if this information cannot be blocked at all. Barely two hours after Sakai's return, the words of the envoy from the upper country regarding the "King of Japan" had spread far and wide, and caused unpredictable ripples in the hearts of the outer daimyo in Edo - in the past, the shogunate was strong in military power, and the ripples were just ripples; but now, the elite troops that the general had worked so hard to mobilize were burned outside the city, the shogunate lost face, and its strength had been greatly weakened; and the envoy from the upper country who had the power to decide the ownership of the "King of Japan" seemed to be more powerful than gods and demons, more unpredictable, and fully qualified to influence the situation in Japan.
When the shogunate lost its deer, the whole world chased it; who could not like such a tempting bait?
Therefore, just half a day later, the smart people who understood the situation decisively placed their bets. The daimyo of powerful feudal domains such as the western province were ambitious and sent envoys to offer clean water and various precious fruits and vegetables that day, taking the lead in expressing their attitude. The nobles of the upper country actually gave him this face. Not only did they let the soldiers accept the tribute, they also gave the envoys two pieces of silk to reward the feudal lords for their loyalty.
These two pieces of silk really stirred up a hornet's nest. The so-called Shangluo big stage is there for you to come if you have a dream; Japan lacks many things except ambitious and foolish people. Now that the superior country is using the three islands of Japan as bait, how can the powerful vassal states in the world not give it a try to test their quality? Anyway, we are here now, and we can afford the cost!
So, starting from the second day, many feudal lords had the same idea and began to send envoys to offer tribute to the black ships in an endless stream, using up almost all the money and property they had with them. The small pier was bustling with people, and the ships coming and going for transport gathered under the big ship, transporting all kinds of treasures like flowing water, covering all corners of the world. Nobles from superior countries were also welcomed and all were rewarded; some powerful feudal lords were even invited to a small gathering in the secret room on the ship - as for what was discussed specifically, it was really unknown.
The daimyo who were strongly suppressed actually bypassed the shogun and communicated directly with the black ships, which was undoubtedly a naked challenge to the authority of the shogunate. In the past, such a crime would have been enough to reduce the title or even order the person to commit suicide. However, everything changed in one day. The authority that successive generals had spent decades building up was wiped out. The daimyo openly violated the law. It was a sign of the collapse of the central government, the rise of local powers, and the reappearance of the chaotic Warring States period!
Such rudeness naturally aroused great indignation. The high-ranking retainers gathered at the castle tower, and in unison they denounced the shameless betrayal of the powerful feudal lords, racking their brains to plot how to take vengeance on these traitors after this turmoil.
The retainers were closely tied to the shogunate, and if things went wrong, there would be no chance of escape; therefore, they were resentful and angry, and the words they cursed were quite harsh, and the plans they speculated were extremely vicious. Despite this, amid the crowd's endless fury and insults, some key points were still intentionally or unintentionally avoided - for example, who was it that suddenly appeared and tricked the originally docile daimyo into breaking away from their normal behavior and daring to betray the shogunate?
Everyone knows the reason, but precisely because everyone knows it, no one dares to publicly mention this elephant in the room. The negotiations of the monk Sakai were a failure, but even in several failed negotiations, the important people were keenly aware of some terrible details: for example, the black ships must have arranged some secret intelligence channels in Japan, otherwise it would be impossible for them to know everything, even the details of the shogunate's military strength.
Wherever there is an intelligence channel, there is the possibility of leaks; if you don't want to wake up one day with a hellfire hanging over your head, then you should learn to speak clearly and respect the superior country as soon as possible.
However, this kind of roundabout and vague rebuke is more like metaphysical talk than political discussion. The black ship they were thinking about turned out to be an object that could not be defined, speculated, or discussed. It sounded like a wonderful material for a weird story, only suitable for being used as fantasy literature in the future, rather than political discussion. This kind of purely nonsense topic went on for several rounds. The general sitting cross-legged in the middle finally couldn't bear it anymore and looked up to signal Sakai, who was serving at the side, to speak.
As a highly respected monk in Edo, Sakai had a special status. Even when the situation was so tense, he could still move freely between the daimyo's mansion. But precisely because of this, the information that Mr. Sakai discovered was extremely bad.
"I have advised the daimyo to behave themselves and not fall for the Chinese provocation." He sighed, "But the daimyo's attitudes were ambiguous and their words were quite worrying. They all thought that the shogunate's restrictions were too strict and it was better to plan for the future slowly."
I have tried to put this as tactfully as possible. In fact, the attitudes of the domineering daimyos were far from being as gentle as the monk reported. They had suffered heavy losses over the past few decades at the hands of the shogunate, and their resentment was immense. Even though they knew that the bait thrown by the black ships contained hooks, it was difficult for them to resist the temptation to suppress the shogunate.
That’s right, even if you win the favor of the black ships, you may not be able to secure your position as the ruler of the world. The so-called “King of Japan” who was openly enthroned was most likely just a puppet of the Central Plains. But everyone was crushed and humiliated by the Shogun, and weren't they also puppets trapped in Edo?
We are both dogs, but it is better to be Da'an's dog than to be the shogunate's dog! Given the current situation, it is already the greatest honor to be Daan's dog, unlike some stray dogs that run around without knowing who their owners are!
If the black ships didn't come, we would be puppets. If the black ships came, we would still be puppets. Then wouldn't the black ships have come in vain?
The general's chest heaved, and he was almost pale with anger. Finally, he could no longer maintain his unshakable demeanor:
"Is this how they repay my kindness? What a bunch of traitors! Am I just going to sit back and watch them destroy the foundation of the world?"
The retainers trembled and fell to the ground, not daring to look up; they were afraid that the general would vent his anger on them, and they were also afraid that if they opened their mouths and agreed, they would inadvertently say something terrible that would offend the black ships and ruin their entire family's lives (to be honest, the latter is much more terrifying than the former). The general took a breath for a moment, but finally spoke helplessly:
"What do you think, Master?"
"I think that since the elite troops have been defeated and their strength has been weakened, now is not the time to pursue the culprit." Sakai clasped his hands and said, "Why not negotiate with the black ships? As long as we can get the permission of the superior country, we can temporarily stabilize the situation and plan for the future."
"Deal with the black ships?" The general couldn't help laughing. "The enemy is so ferocious, is it possible to deal with them?"
"In my humble opinion, the superior country still has some room for maneuver." Sakai said, "So far, the black ships have not bombarded Edo Castle, but have only slightly demonstrated the power of the 'rocket'. In addition, the nobles of the superior country have clearly instructed that the great ancestors of Da'an and Emperor Taizong should be worshipped in the Edo Castle Tower. This is also an obvious hint."
Always think positively about everything. Of course, the castle tower sacrifice was incredibly arrogant and disrespectful, sweeping away the so-called "East-West enemy" argument that the shogunate had carefully constructed for decades, and downgrading it to a vassal state that was not even as good as Goryeo (with the Emperor Gaozu's imperial decree, the Da'an envoy certainly wouldn't dare to go to the Goryeo palace to worship their ancestors); but on the other hand, think about it, the Edo castle tower was firmly in the hands of the shogunate, and if they had to use the castle tower for sacrifice, it would mean that the shogunate's rule would not be overthrown in a short period of time - isn't this a great kindness?
Of course, such goodwill must come at a heavy price. The black ships could certainly support puppets as they pleased, but since the Han people had come from afar, they certainly could not do business at a loss. If they wanted to draw on the resources of Japan, of course the shogunate, which had nominally unified Japan, was the most reliable and cost-effective.
The so-called "goodwill" is essentially just a test - how much is the shogunate willing to sell in order to buy the goodwill of the Central Plains?
Everything can be traded, everything has a price; the key is whether you are willing to agree to that price. The black ships only wanted to be the father of the Japanese king, and it didn’t matter who the Japanese king was.
Of course, such a price must be very painful, especially when there are many ambitious daimyo putting pressure on the shogunate. No matter how powerful a feudal lord is, he is still just a feudal lord. As the saying goes, a son sells his father's land without any regret and he will agree to any conditions. But for the shogunate, which actually controlled most of Japan, such concessions were like cutting flesh with a blunt knife, and every cut would hurt deep into the bone.
The affairs of the world have come to such a complete mess!
The general's face changed drastically and even his lips trembled. He took a deep breath, but could no longer maintain his composure; he could only grit his teeth and force out a few words:
"We'll discuss this later!"
·
Unfortunately, the situation developed too quickly and did not give the shogunate much time to react. By the third day, people's hearts had gradually calmed down, and the daimyo who had reacted were no longer satisfied with simply paying tribute to win favor. No one knew who was behind the scenes directing them, but some feudal lords who were eager to make progress actually surrounded the Satsuma clan's headquarters with their guards, and denounced them for disrespecting their superior country and collaborating with the Japanese pirates, forcing them to apologize and give an explanation to their superior country. Some of those who were more eager to perform even hung portraits of Emperor Gaozu of Da'an and Emperor Taizong outside their headquarters, and cried and kowtowed on the spot to express their sincere loyalty.
——However, due to being isolated from the Central Plains for too long, the portraits hung by the daimyo were basically smuggled in, and their shapes were imagined by the people based on rumors. Among them, Emperor Gaozu had "a strange bone through the top of the head", "phoenix eyes and dragon chin", and "a high nose and protruding ears". Overall, he looked like an overly curved mango, or a pig kidney.
This kind of pig kidney face is actually a bit disrespectful, but the black ships did not react. They just let the daimyos cry to the sky and cry to their ancestors, trying their best to express their loyalty and sincerity. Seeing the black ships' tacit approval, the other feudal lords who were watching suddenly realized the situation and followed suit.
Of course, with the examples of predecessors, simply mourning over Emperor Gaozu and Emperor Taizong would not have much impact; so later generations racked their brains and simply flipped through the Da'an genealogy, collecting the tablets of all the previous emperors one by one, placing them on both sides of the street and began to mourn and offer sacrifices; if you worship Emperor Renzong, I will worship Emperor Xuanzong, if you worship Emperor Xiaozong, I will worship Emperor Wuzong, and we would compete with each other and make the list longer and longer like playing connect the dots, until all the emperors of more than ten generations of Da'an, from Emperor Gaozu's grandfather Zhu Wusiba to the current Emperor Feixuan Zhenjun's father Emperor Xingxian, were placed.
Mankind's desire for progress is endless. After just a few hours, all the white cloth, incense and candles in the market had been sold out; in Edo Castle, there were loud gongs and drums, cries that shook the earth, and crowds of people waving white cloth. Those who understand will know that he is crying for the late Emperor Da'an, while those who don't understand may think that something big has happened in the shogunate!
——Oh, no, even if the Shogun kicks his legs immediately, he won’t be able to achieve such a grand occasion!
The momentum of such a collective mourning was truly shocking. Not to mention the living who were stunned and speechless, even the ancestors of the Zhu family in the underworld must have been confused and bewildered, wondering when they had cultivated such sincere and loyal ministers and filial sons overseas, and why there was such an unexpected incense. I think the legacy left by the ancient sages to the world is nothing more than this, right?
After half a day of crying in Edo Castle, the shogunate finally couldn't stand the intensity - crying or making a fuss was secondary. Once the officials of Satsuma Domain who stayed in Edo couldn't stand the pressure and committed suicide, these daimyo would really gain the reputation of "loyal and loving ancestors", and the title of "King of Japan" would be settled, and there would be no room for maneuver!
If the status of the Japanese king has been determined, how should the shogunate deal with it?
At this point, the shogunate had no room for any more procrastination. That afternoon, the eminent monk Sakai was ordered to visit the noble on the black ship for the third time in the midst of danger, and respectfully presented the gifts prepared by the shogunate, the so-called "honzen" of the highest level, for the noble to enjoy.
Perhaps because the boat was no longer shaking after it anchored, the nobleman looked much better. Even so, when he opened the wooden box with gold inlay, his expression still changed slightly - this "original meal" included a grilled fish, a side dish of mixed salad, a stew of kelp and shellfish; and the so-called "boiled food": octopus feet boiled in water without any seasoning.
The nobleman calmly stirred the stew and smelled a watery soup without any oil or fat, and perhaps even a fishy smell without much salt. He quickly put down his chopsticks, feeling that his rare appetite in the past few days had been ruined, and he might not be able to eat dinner again.
It is said that even the Koreans dislike the food in Japan, but I never thought it could be so bad. A meal like this, let alone presenting it to an honorable envoy from a superior country, even if it was fed to the guard dog at Yan Ge's home, I'm afraid the dog would bite it a few times!
So, at this moment, the noble man had secretly made a decision. In the future, if he dislikes a political enemy, he will try to exile that person to Japan. Just eating the delicious food here for a few years will make you cry bitterly and think more deeply about the kindness of our great country, China.
He put down his bowl and chopsticks and spoke calmly:
"What can I do for you, Master?"
Now that things have come to this, there is no need to pretend. Sakai bowed and said:
"I am here on the orders of the general to discuss important matters with you, my Lord."
"What's the big deal?"
"Buddhism says that every drink and every bite is predestined. If you offer something, there will be a reward." Sakai said expressionlessly: "My country is willing to offer something to the upper country, but I wonder if the upper country will return the favor?"
The nobleman looked at him deeply and asked, "What do you want to offer?"
Even though he was living in a remote place with nothing in his heart, Sakai couldn't help but feel a little heartbroken when he thought about the concessions he was about to make. But now that things have come to this, what can we do? Needless to say, the general had already given instructions that as long as the current position could be maintained, nothing else could be considered - this was truly an incredible concession.
So, he just managed to say:
"I don't overestimate Japan's resources, I just hope to win your favor!"
This sentence had an immediate effect. The nobleman was stunned for a moment, and finally smiled brilliantly, as if a spring flower was in full bloom. His sickly look was gone, and he was no longer languid and pale. This was the first time he had a sincere and joyful smile since they had met several days ago.
"Very good." The nobleman said in a gentle voice: "I am not mistaken. The master is indeed a great monk who is proficient in Buddhism!"
·
At 2:45 on the same day, the eminent monk Sakai, on the orders of the shogun, reached ten terms of intent with the visiting black ships, covering major rights such as trade, military adjustments, and mineral exploitation; this is what historians call the "Black Ship Agreement," which claimed that "after the black ships, the shogunate's rights and interests were all acquired at once"; because the interests involved were so great, Sakai, who was ordered to negotiate, was so confused that his hands trembled and his mind was confused, and he was almost unable to sign.
He tried his best to refute it, but he was helpless, with a knife on his head and a thorn in his back. The disaster was imminent and there was really no room for maneuver. So after thinking it over again and again, he finally gritted his teeth and picked up the heavy pen.
However, despite this, the negotiation was still not complete. The nobleman clearly told Sakai that although Qi Yuanjing and others were ordered to "act at their discretion", they were not qualified to decide such a major event. The signing of the specific agreement must be implemented in Jinling before it can take effect.
——That’s right, the Treaty of Nanjing, which was regarded by later generations as an important symbol of the authority of the Chinese emperor, was actually just a procedural delay.
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Due to some unknown reasons, the content of the Black Ship Agreement has not been leaked, and only a glimpse of the outline can be found in the memories of the monk Sakai. From the perspective of later historians, the real significance of the Black Ship Agreement is not the lengthy and complex clauses, but the most important preface in the outline, which is reproduced here as follows:
The Emperor of the Da'an Empire and the distinguished envoys appointed by the court, together with His Majesty the Emperor of Japan and the Shogun, have concluded a draft treaty, so that the two countries and their subjects can restore peace and share happiness under the grace of the present Emperor, and prevent future disputes. They have reviewed the imperial edicts and confirmed that they are all appropriate and flawless. They jointly agreed on the various clauses and confirmed the fact of the vassal state's tribute.
Both sides agreed that the Da'an Empire and the imperial court were the undisputed suzerain states of Japan and had the privilege of protecting their vassal states. Whenever the Shogun of the Kingdom of Toyo succeeds to the throne, it is necessary to report to the court of the Kingdom of Da'an, and the most honorable Emperor of the Da'an Empire will send an envoy to confer the title to the Shogun of Toyo as the Governor-General of Toyo, the Protector-General of Toyo, and the King of Japan.
Recognized by the court of the Da'an Empire, the emperors of Japan were the incarnations of the gods of Japan on earth and the representatives of the native gods of Japan. They were appointed by the emperor to govern all matters concerning the native gods of Japan. The Shogun and the King of Japan were secular leaders appointed by the Da'an Empire to govern all civil, military and political affairs in Japan. Da'an recognized the Shogun as the legitimate supreme ruler of Japan and was in charge of all worldly affairs.
...The "native gods of Japan" here must be registered and reported by Japan and formally confirmed by the Ministry of Rites of the Da'an court; the succession and enthronement of the Emperor must also be carried out in accordance with the edict of His Majesty Emperor Da'an, and no one may be abolished or enthroned without authorization. 】
This preface is rather lengthy and tedious, and is not taken seriously by the general public except among professional historians. But in fact, compared with the various economic and mineral benefits demanded in the other clauses, this boring outline that seemed like an official document made Sakai feel dizzy and greatly stimulated his spirit and will - only fame and status should not be borrowed from others; as a monk who is well versed in Chinese studies, Sakai understands too well the lethality of status - once this draft is signed, all orthodoxy in Japan must rely on the grace of the Emperor of Central Plains!
How is this kind of dependence on others different from the loss of a country? Not to mention, the agreement was so aggressive that it actually took away the power to confer titles on both the shogun and the emperor, and deliberately laid a huge landmine - hundreds of years passed, and the emperor had long since become a powerless puppet, so poor that he could not even cope with his daily expenses and had to rely on sponsorship from businessmen; but no matter how poor he was, his title was always there. Once the title and position are in the hands of the "superior country" during the enthronement ceremony, who knows what kind of storm it will stir up?
Sakai was unwilling to delve into the matter, nor did he dare to do so. It took more than three hours to draft and sign the agreement of just a few pages. Three hours later, the accomplished monk walked out of the cabin, sweating profusely, staggering, and in a daze, unable to control himself. , and fell seriously ill that night. After fortunately recovering, the monk never mentioned the painful events of the past three hours. Only one year before his death did he reluctantly recall a few of them in his last memoirs as his final confession of his life.
Even in such a sad confession, Sakai did not dare to recall the details; he just reluctantly admitted that such a humiliating concession was almost the same as the Shaoxing Peace Agreement of the Southern Song Dynasty in the Central Plains, and even more sad - no matter how much Zhao "made up words", he did not really become the ruler of Jiangnan!
Of course, the monks also tried to fight for the shogunate, but they were ultimately outnumbered and forced by the situation. After all the fighting, they only managed to get two things:
First, the title of "His Majesty the Emperor" was retained, preventing the emperor from becoming a pure clergyman (yes, in the first draft, the Chinese side was most likely only intending to have the emperor carefully study theoretical religious texts and cultivate himself into a complete theological family); second, the title of "Shogun" was retained - according to the original version of the nobleman, he was actually quite dissatisfied with "Shogun"; after all, Japan itself was a barbarian, so what qualifications did it have to "Shogun"? Did the Central Plains court allow you to conquer the barbarians? Overstepping! ——It was only after the Sakai clan fought desperately and almost cried that they finally preserved the little dignity that was left of the shogunate.
"Master, you should know that these are actually against the rules and the court should not have approved them." The noble said solemnly, "But Master is indeed a loyal man, and we always respect noble men who are loyal to their masters - well, for Master's sake, I will take the risk and take a step back."
He paused and emphasized:
"...But this is just a concession I made out of my thin skin and soft heart. Please don't get used to such unreasonable tolerance."
Sakai was sweating profusely, his clothes were soaked, and he could no longer speak.
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