I started with the Shinsengumi in Bakumatsu

Chapter 128 Yagyu goes north
Shimazu Hisamitsu summoned a group of retainers and said excitedly: "Hahaha, I didn't expect that Yagyu Hiken would be so arrogant. He actually asked the emperor for orders to go to Ezo Island to handle affairs. This is our opportunity. "

Komatsu, who was wearing a sword, was also a little excited and said: "Yagyu Koshien must have follow-up arrangements, but when he arrives at Ezo Island, which is thousands of miles away from Kyoto, it will be difficult to deal with Kyoto's problems in time. Lord, I have the advantage this time!"

Okubo Toshimichi said with some pity: "Actually, Prime Minister Yagyu went to stabilize Hokkaido because he probably wanted to further strengthen the power of the imperial court. I think Prime Minister Yagyu will abolish the feudal lords and establish prefectures in the future."

Shimazu Hisamitsu's eyes widened and he said: "How dare he, Yagyu Heiyan, is he crazy? If he dares to do this, all the princes in the world will be in an uproar!"

Komatsu, who was wearing a knife, also shook his head and said: "Yagyu Heiyan is so cunning, he should not do such a thing of digging his own grave."

Okubo Toshimichi opened his mouth, but in the end he did not continue to defend.

Saigo Takamori immediately said: "As long as Prime Minister Yagyu leaves, we can contact Lord Iwakura, Tosa Domain, Choshu Domain, etc. to force the shogunate to return the great power."

The Satsuma clan made plans and sharpened their swords.

On the side of the shogunate, Tokugawa Yoshiki was a little panicked. The reason why he was able to develop the shogunate steadily now was because Yagyu was in charge of Kyoto. Once Yagyu left, the Satsuma clan and other forces would surely press harder.

If it were Emperor Komei now, he would never panic, but the new emperor is in power now, and his relationship with him is average, so it is impossible for him to support the shogunate like Emperor Komei did.

Tokugawa Yingxi said to Nagai Naoshi, Matsudaira Yoshiho and others: "Yagyu wants to leave Kyoto, which is extremely detrimental to our shogunate. Everyone, you must be careful in the future to deal with the rebel actions of Satsuma Domain and Choshu Domain. .”

He looked at Matsudaira Yoshiho and said: "Aizu Hou, over at the cabinet, you are the deputy prime minister. After you take charge of the cabinet, you have to help the shogunate."

Matsudaira Yongho saluted and said: "Don't worry, General, I will do my best to protect the shogunate."

Tokugawa Qingxi was slightly relieved when he heard Matsudaira Yongho's assurance.

Although Tokugawa Keiki was a little panicked, judging from the emotional card he played with Matsudaira Yoshiho, Tokugawa Keiki was not in a hurry.

He immediately realized that the deputy prime minister of the cabinet was Matsudaira Yoshiho. When the prime minister left, the deputy prime minister would naturally preside over the cabinet. Therefore, Tokugawa Keiki directly deceived Matsudaira Yoshiho. As he expected, Matsudaira Yoshiho always stood on the side of the shogunate.

In Kyoto, the waves are strange, and everyone is waiting for Yagyu to leave.

Yagyu also knew these things, but these movements were within his control.

Before leaving Kyoto, he directly held a meeting of ministers. The ministers and deputy ministers of each department came to the small conference room for the meeting.

Yagyu said to Matsudaira Yoho, Ogata Shuntaro, Yokoi Konan and other ministers: "I will go to Hokkaido to inspect the local prefectures and counties and stabilize the prefectures and counties system.

In addition, I have negotiated with the Russian ambassador and signed a contract. The 170 million square kilometers of Alaska belong to Japan. Now Japan has expanded its territory four times! "

Sheng Haizhou clapped his hands in surprise and said: "Buying territory with money is really unheard of. The Prime Minister is awesome!"

Yagyu waved his hand and said: "Most of Alaska is an icy and snowy environment, and the area suitable for human habitation is about [-] square kilometers. But this is not important. What is important is that Alaska has the resources we need."

Yokoi Konan nodded and said: "If you run out of money, you can still make more. I'm afraid this is the only chance to get so much land. Your Prime Minister is wise!"

Matsudaira Yongho also said: "Yokoi-sama is right. Even if the habitable area is only [-] square kilometers, it is still enough for millions of people to survive."

What Matsudaira said was measured according to the level of Japan. After all, Japan has about 37 square kilometers and is home to about 3000 million people. Matsudaira's statement of millions is just a conservative estimate.

"You are right." Yagyu affirmed what several people said, "So, things about Hokkaido and Alaska are very important, and I must go there.

After I leave, some people will definitely try to seduce the Emperor, but it doesn't matter. Our cabinet will not care about the fight between the Chief and the Shogunate. After I leave, everyone can just follow the previous plan. "

Matsudaira Yongho asked quickly: "Prime Minister Yagyu, what if there is a fight between the chief minister and the shogunate?"

Yagyu took out a letter from his arms and said: "If you find out that the commander of the army has entered Kyoto, you can open this letter. You only need to do what is said in the letter."

Matsudaira Yongho took the letter, nodded and said: "Prime Minister, don't worry, I will definitely protect the letter. Even if the general asks, I will not tell you."

Yagyu knew Matsudaira Yongho's character, so he handed the letter to him with confidence.

After settling the cabinet, Yagyu took the 201st Infantry Regiment of the newly formed [-]nd Guards Division to Osaka.

After Yagyu arrived in Osaka, he took the Koshi, three other warships, and five steam transport ships to leave Osaka and head north to Hokkaido along the southern coast of Japan.

In fact, Ezo Island did not originally belong to the territory of Japan. The Yamato court and the shogunate extended their influence to Ezo Island to the middle and late period of the Muromachi shogunate.

In the 15th century, the Yamato people began to enter the "Ezo Land", which is the Toshima Peninsula in southern Hokkaido today.

At that time, the Yamato people established several Japanese bases called "Donan Twelve Halls" here. At that time, the powerful people active in southern Ezo were the so-called Uyizaki clan.

The ancestors of the Oyizaki clan were originally the Mutsu Ando clan, or the Andō clan, the Abe clan during the Battle of Nine Years Ago. The surviving family members changed their surname to Ando, ​​and were later appointed by the Kamakura shogunate as the acting governor of Ezo, active in southern Ezo. The power was weak at first, but it developed rapidly after the Battle of Hushemayin.

This battle was the Yamato's first battle on Ezo Island. The forces of the Oyizaki clan and the Nanbu clan combined to defeat the Ainu.

After this war, the Uyizaki clan established a firm foothold and developed in the south of Ezo Island. 150 years later, they took refuge with Tokugawa Ieyasu and were named the lord of Matsumae Domain.

However, the Tokugawa Shogunate's jurisdiction over Ezo Island was limited to Matsumae Domain.

In the north there are Higashi Ezo and Nishi Ezo, where the Ainu people still live in tribes.

In the late eighteenth century, Tsarist Russia approached northern Japan, prompting the Edo shogunate to continuously strengthen its investigation and control of the northern border, and the shogunate directly controlled the Ezo Territory.

In 1799, the Higashi Ezo Territory came under the direct control of the shogunate, thus starting the process of the shogunate directly taking over the Ezo Territory; until 1807, Matsumae and Ezo Territory were unified under the direct jurisdiction of the shogunate, and the direct control of the Ezo Territory by the shogunate was completed.

Therefore, Hokkaido became a territory of Japan for a short period of time, less than 60 years ago.It took less than four months for Yagyu to obtain Hokkaido from the shogunate, which was a very short time.

He sent Toshizo Hijikata to hand over the situation, bringing the entire Second Guards Division with him. All officials of the shogunate evacuated, and the Matsumae Domain Uyizaki clan also left with their retainers.

The East and West Ainu were very happy to see that the shogunate had left. Some tribes began to attack the Yamato people in Hakodate and other places. Hijikata Toshiro did not say anything and directly sent an infantry regiment to suppress them.

Just one combat infantry regiment was enough to suppress a tribe of thousands of people. The new imperial army used the three-three light infantry system to directly defeat the spirit of the Ainu people.

This time, hundreds of people were killed and more than a thousand were injured. The leader of the East and West Ainu personally knelt before Hijikata Toshizo and begged for mercy.

Hijikata Toshizo first scolded the two leaders with his eyes, then took out the official documents of the shogunate, and then showed them the imperial edict and said: "From now on, this place will be called Hokkaido, and it will be one of the eight imperial provinces.

From now on, you will be the Utali tribe, a minority in Japan. We will respect your customs and culture, but you must also abide by our laws. "

The two leaders were grateful and thanked him quickly.

The reason why the two leaders were happy was because they claimed to be Utari people, and the Ainu people were the derogatory name given to them by the Yamato people. Such a small change made the two leaders less likely to complain.

The first thing Hijikata Toshizo did next was to register the population and measure the land, which was the basis for the subsequent delineation of counties, towns and villages.

After assigning the jurisdiction to the area, Hijikata Shisan arranged for the officials he brought to go to various places to govern. At the same time, he also selected village elders from the Utali tribe who were popular and knew how to advance and retreat as adjutants to govern together.

Hokkaido has initially stabilized under the governance of Hijikata Toszo. The next step for Hijikata Toszo is to develop the local mining industry, find gold mountains, and build schools. In just ten years, Hokkaido will be completely new.

In Hokkaido, there is Japan's third largest Jinshan Konobu, which can produce 73 tons of gold and [-] tons of silver.

This was the first gold mine controlled by the imperial court. Yagyu arranged for Hijikata Toshizo to come to Hokkaido just for this gold mine. He planned to use the dug gold mine as a reserve fund to open a national bank.

With Japan's gold production, after it issues the yen, its value will definitely be strong.

Gold and silver are still being traded in Japan, causing the outflow of gold and silver. The shogunate took many measures to prevent this, which resulted in rising prices at the end of the shogunate.

Now Yagyu is powerless.

After all, the imperial court only controlled a few cities, and all the land was in the hands of the various vassals and shogunates in the world. Even if Yagyu opened a bank, it would be difficult to issue Japanese yen.

Therefore, Yagyu did not do many things. He could only carry out comprehensive reforms after the imperial court was centralized. The current reform was only to add experience to the future.

Yagyu left Osaka on a warship at the end of March and arrived in Hakodate, Hokkaido, nearly ten days later. Hijikata Tobizo and his people personally greeted Yagyu.

After Yagyu sat on the main seat, Toshizo Hijikata introduced him: "Your Excellency, Prime Minister, these two are the chief of the east, Izashitani, and the chief of the west, Tokugou."

The two men immediately saluted and said: "Yi Zuoxi Gu (Zhu Jiao) pays homage to the Prime Minister."

Yagyu said cheerfully: "You two don't have to be polite. I'm here to further develop Hokkaido and make it a rich place. In this way, the Utali people don't have to worry about lack of food in winter."

Izashitani was very happy and said: "Prime Minister, I believe what you say. Since Hijikata-sama came to Hokkaido, we are no longer bullied, and we don't have to worry about food all the time."

Zhu Jiao also said: "Compared to the shogunate, the Prime Minister is really kind to us. We Utali tribe will definitely follow the footsteps of the Prime Minister!"

Yagyu didn't expect that these two guys with thick eyebrows and big eyes would talk in the same way.

He took out a map of Alaska, pointed around and said: "This is Tsarist Russia, this is the British colony, and this part of Alaska is our Japanese territory.

This time I came not only to explore Hokkaido, but also to explore Alaska.But things have to be done step by step. Alaska will not invest too much for the time being. Hijikata, your Second Guards Division will be reorganized into the Northern Border Defense Force. One division will be stationed in the North Road and one division will be stationed in Alaska.

I have brought you the equipment and ammunition needed to expand the army. You must train a new army as soon as possible. "

Izashitani quickly asked: "Prime Minister, can our people also join the army?"

"Of course!" Yagyu said eagerly, "As long as you pass the selection, you can join the army. You Utali people are also a part of Japan. It is everyone's responsibility to defend the country."

Izashitani asked again: "Prime Minister, will we also issue such powerful weapons?"

"Of course." Yagyu patiently explained all the problems to Isa Nishitani.

Izashitani admired: "Prime Minister, I am very touched by your detailed answer. Our tribe will definitely support you."

Yagyu and the others exchanged pleasantries again before disbanding the meeting. In the end, only Hijikata Toshizo was left.

Toshizo Hijikata couldn't wait to ask: "Director, I heard that the situation in Kyoto is very tense. Why did you leave Kyoto at this time?"

Hijikata Toshizo is also concerned and confused. After all, he usually has too many things to do, so he doesn't have time to think carefully.

Yagyu explained: "Don't worry, the chief's first target is always the shogunate. Only after the shogunate is solved, they will take action against me and the cabinet.

Even though the Satsuma and Choshu clans are showing off their teeth and claws, their military strength is far inferior to ours. If they want to win, the safest way is to coerce the emperor and order the princes, unless they can defeat the [-]st Guards Division.

In the future, we have to return the vassal status, abolish the vassals and establish counties, and we have to rely on force to speak. I left Kyoto to lure the chief to take action.

Last time, we failed to take action. If the commander is ungrateful this time, let the Guards Division teach them a severe lesson. At the same time, let this battle tell the world how strong the court and the cabinet are. "

"What the director said is that these princes will not hand over everything they own so easily. Let the chief and the shogunate fight to split them up. This will reduce our pressure a lot." Toshizo Hijikata felt a little emotional. A new era is coming soon, and he is one of the people who will create it.

(End of this chapter)