Emperor Ming's grandson

Chapter 315 Post-War Planning
The night was as dark as ink, but unusual flames lit up the streets of Kyoto, interweaving with the cold moonlight to create a strange picture.

As the coalition forces of the Ming army and the Southern Dynasty army entered the city in large numbers, the killing began.

The camp where the shogunate troops gathered to resist stubbornly, the residences of the Northern Court nobles and shogunate high-ranking officials who were deeply rooted in Kyoto, and the warehouses of the great merchants of Dokura.
The Southern Dynasty army took revenge for grievances and revenges, while the Ming army began to seize strategic points and important warehouses according to the map of Kyoto drawn by the Jinyiwei through detailed reconnaissance in recent years.

The Kyoto Imperial Palace of King Go-Komatsu of the Northern Dynasty of Japan and the Hana no Imperial Palace of the Shogun of the Muromachi shogunate were also targets that needed to be surrounded.

The soldiers of the Ming army were divided into small teams according to the pre-deployment and moved quickly and orderly through the streets and alleys of Kyoto, with firelight and moonlight serving as their guide.

The Ming army was extremely cruel to these barbarians and showed no mercy to any resistance. The roar of muskets and the clash of cold weapons came one after another. The air was filled with a strong smell of blood, which mixed with burnt wood chips and dust, forming an indescribable depressing atmosphere.

Some remnants of the shogunate were still fighting stubbornly, but their resistance seemed so small in the face of the Ming army's powerful firepower and highly targeted formations.

Taking into account the possibility of a security war, a part of the Ming army that was going to Japan underwent a long period of training in the Mandarin Duck Formation. The Ming army that entered the city at this time were the most proficient in street fighting among the more than 100,000 Ming troops and those who were not night blind but had the ability to fight at night. They formed the Mandarin Duck Formation, matched cold and hot weapons, and divided into small teams of "Shi" to search and advance.

After all, plain field fighting and street fighting are different, and street fighting requires more consideration.

This way, they could ensure that the Japanese bows and crossbows could not easily kill them, and at the same time, it would be difficult for the samurai hiding in the corners to get close with their swords.

Faced with the ignorant Japanese samurai who dared to rush towards them on the street with swords in hand, the musketeers fired round after round of volleys, knocking down the enemies in large numbers. Then the sword and shield men in the mandarin duck formation rushed forward with their shields, using their long swords to end the lives of those enemies who were still alive.

Corpses were lying on the streets, and blood had dyed the cobblestone roads red, like winding red rivers.

The Ming army gathered a large number of teams and their target was the Kyoto Imperial Palace in Go-Komatsu and the heart of the Muromachi shogunate - the Hana no Gosho.

As the Ming army gradually approached the Kyoto Imperial Palace, the defending samurai fought desperately, but their efforts seemed insignificant in the face of the Ming army's sophisticated equipment and strict tactics.

The intensive fire from the muskets quickly weakened the enemy's defense line. Then, infantrymen armed with long swords poured in like a tide and killed the remaining sporadic resistance one by one.

The gate of the Kyoto Imperial Palace collapsed with a huge crash, and Ming army soldiers filed in.

Inside the Kyoto Imperial Palace, King Go-Komatsu and his family were already in chaos.

Well, in the Ming Dynasty, that’s what he’s called, “King”, and it was only the King of the Northern Dynasty.

"Protect the Emperor!" A loyal samurai shouted, waving his sword and rushing towards the Ming army, but what greeted him was ruthless musket fire, and he fell in a pool of blood in an instant.

Seeing this, the other warriors, although knowing that they would die, still continued to advance, trying to use their flesh and blood to stop the Ming army.

However, all this is in vain.

The Ming army soldiers were well-trained and cooperated well. They quickly cleared out all resistance forces in the Kyoto Imperial Palace and captured Go-Komatsu and other important members of the Northern Dynasty royal family one by one.

After capturing the Northern Dynasty royal family members, the commanders quickly set up guards to ensure that no one escaped, and at the same time began searching the secret passages and secret rooms in the Kyoto Imperial Palace to prevent anyone from hiding there.

At the same time, a large number of Ming army teams were heading towards Hana no Gosho.

At first, the shogun did not live here. After Ashikaga Takauji died, his son Ashikaga Yoshiakira lived in Sanjo-bomon in Kyoto. At that time, Ashikaga Yoshiakira bought the residence of Muromachi Kiakira and built a small flower pavilion as his own residence. Later, Ashikaga Yoshiakira presented this residence to Emperor Sogo. Because there was a flower pavilion built in the new palace, Emperor Sogo named it "Hanano Gosho", but later this original version of Hanano Gosho was burned down in the war.

After Ashikaga Yoshimitsu ascended the throne, he began to build the Ashikaga family residence on the site of the former Emperor Sogo Palace in Kita-koji-Muromachi, Kyoto, by piecing together the mansions that had been burned down by fire. He introduced water from the Kamogawa River into the courtyard and decorated it with exotic flowers and plants presented by tutelary daimyo from all over the country. Flowers bloomed in all seasons. Ashikaga Yoshimitsu moved his residence from Sanjo-bomon to the second version of the "Hanano no Gosho".

The "Hana no Gosho" where the Ashikaga Shogun lived was twice the size of the "Kyoto Imperial Palace" where the Kyoto Emperor lived. The meaning of this is self-evident.

At the same time, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu built Kyoto's Muromachi Avenue, so that the shogun could go directly to pay homage to the emperor via Muromachi Avenue.

This place was once a symbol of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu's power, but now it has become the next target of the Ming army's conquest. The spacious Muromachi Avenue in Kyoto has also become the best route for the Ming army to advance quickly. After all, the shogunate army was in chaos at this time and did not have enough time and materials to lay a large number of roadblocks on Muromachi Avenue.

Moreover, the night provided a natural cover for the Ming army's actions. In addition, the Ming army responsible for entering the city in the middle of the night had been carefully screened, had good eyesight, and did not have night blindness. At that time, many Japanese samurai suffered from night blindness, which could not be improved by eating sashimi alone.

But the Ming army soldiers remained highly vigilant, because everyone knew that the remnants of the Muromachi shogunate would never easily give up their last resistance.

In fact, this is indeed the case. The situation is now in chaos, and most people don't know what the situation of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu is in the depths of Hana no Gosho. However, these samurai, as retainers, have been bound to the Ashikaga family for generations. Coupled with the influence of the deformed culture, many of them chose to resist to the end.

Outside the Hana no Gosho, a low horn sounded suddenly, which was the signal for an attack.

The Ming army soldiers launched an attack and engaged in a fierce battle with the remnants of the shogunate. The roar of muskets once again resounded through the night sky, interweaving with the shouts of the samurai.

In the fierce battle, the Ming army gradually gained the upper hand with advanced firearms and strict discipline. They flexibly used the Mandarin Duck Formation to defeat the shogunate warriors who dared to resist one by one. As the battle deepened, the resistance in the Hana no Gosho was gradually weakened until it completely collapsed.

The headless body of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu was also discovered by the Ming army.

Ashikaga Yoshimitsu did not escape, which undoubtedly saved the Ming army a lot of effort.

The commanders of the Ming army quickly organized their personnel and began to count the prisoners and clear the property.

Except for Kyoto Imperial Palace and Hana no Imperial Palace, other places were not so lucky. In the bloody massacre that night, both the important officials of the shogunate and ordinary samurai were killed on the spot or executed after being captured. Kyoto was a river of blood and corpses were everywhere. The former center of the Northern Dynasty has now become a Shura field.

For the Japanese, without bloodshed, it would not be enough to make them afraid and surrender.

As the sky gradually brightened, the Ming army gradually controlled most areas of Kyoto. Zhu Xiongying personally led his troops to the Kyoto Imperial Palace, and Komatsu was temporarily detained there.

Go Komatsu, who was worshipped like a god by the palace servants in the Kyoto Imperial Palace, staggered over at this moment, and then with a "thump" he was forced to his knees by the Ming army soldiers.

Zhu Xiongying looked down at Hou Xiaosong, whose hair was in a messy bun. The short man looked like a cowering mouse at this moment.

"Hou Xiaosong, have you ever thought about what caused the current situation?"

Later, Xiaosong knelt on the ground, his whole body shaking with fear. The majesty of the past was gone, replaced by a kind of humility that was almost desperate.

He looked up at Zhu Xiongying, his eyes full of pleading. Tears mixed with sweat slid down his cheeks and dripped onto the cold ground, making a subtle but clear sound.

He was originally a puppet of the Muromachi shogunate. Although he was the so-called "Emperor", he actually had little real power. The Muromachi shogunate still had some concerns about him, but the Ming army had no concerns at all.

Of course, to be honest, the status of the so-called "Emperor" in Japanese society outside the Kyoto Imperial Palace was not that sacred, because at that time in Japanese society, there were often phenomena such as shugo daimyo despising the shogun, local lower-level lords and samurai challenging the shugo daimyo, and even the samurai did not take the emperor seriously. Well, this was "the lower overthrowing the upper."

About sixty years ago, when Emperor Mitsurugi of the Northern Court was on tour, he met Toki Yorito, a guardian of Mino. The emperor's close ministers shouted, "The emperor is here, get off your horse quickly!" Toki Yorito did not get off his horse, but he became furious and said, "Tell me clearly whether it is a court carriage or a dog carriage. If it is a dog carriage, shoot him with an arrow." As he said this, he really drew his arrow and shot. His followers rushed forward, tore off the curtain of Emperor Mitsurugi's carriage, overturned the carriage, and beat up the court officials around Emperor Mitsurugi.

Afterwards, Toki Yorito was executed by the shogunate, but this caused even greater dissatisfaction among the lower-class samurai. The most classic words of Toki Yorito were "If it won't work without an emperor, then carve one out of wood or cast one out of gold and exile the living emperor to another place to avoid trouble."

Therefore, the so-called Japanese emperor really had nothing to show for himself at that time. The shogunate took the emperor seriously and could barely get by. But if they encountered someone who did not take the emperor seriously, such as the Ming army, they might lose their head if they said something wrong.

"The foreign king knows his mistakes. He knows his mistakes. He is willing to submit to the Ming Dynasty and never commit the same mistake again. I beg Your Highness to have mercy on me and spare my life." Hou Xiaosong could speak Chinese. His voice was tearful and every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, filled with the desire to "survive".

Zhu Xiongying curled up the corner of his mouth in a sneer, slowly walked to Hou Xiaosong, gently lifted his chin with his toes, and forced him to look at him.

"Submit? Humph, do you think it's that easy? The Japanese pirates have been harassing our Ming sea borders for many years, burning, killing, looting, and committing all kinds of evil. Your dynasty did not respect the mediation of our Ming Dynasty and provoked a war without authorization. Today is the day for you to pay the price for your past crimes."

After hearing this, Xiaosong's face turned pale instantly, and he seemed to have been drained of all his strength. He collapsed to the ground, and he kowtowed desperately. Each impact seemed so forceful, as if he wanted to express his regret.

"Your Highness, I am willing to atone my sins and give away all my wealth, just asking Your Highness to spare my life."

Seeing this, the surrounding Ming army soldiers cast their glances over, some with disdain, while others just watched indifferently.

"Money? Can your money make up for the lives of my people?" Zhu Xiongying's voice suddenly rose, echoing in the palace like thunder. "The Ming Dynasty is not here to conquer, but to bring peace. However, you are stubborn and refuse to accept the grace of the Celestial Empire, causing countless lives to be destroyed. How can you bear such a sin? However, considering that you still have a repentant heart, I can give you a chance."

Later Xiaosong finally raised his head, ecstatic.

After saying that, Zhu Xiongying waved his hand, signaling the soldiers to help Hou Xiaosong up, but Hou Xiaosong could no longer stand straight.

"From now on, the Northern Dynasty must pay tribute every year to show its submission. At the same time, you must personally go to the Ming Dynasty, apologize to the emperor, and learn the etiquette of our Ming Dynasty to show your sincerity!"

After hearing this, Xiaosong nodded repeatedly as if he had been pardoned, with tears of gratitude in his eyes.

"Thank you for not killing me, Your Highness. I will follow your instructions and will never disappoint you."

Zhu Xiongying nodded with satisfaction, then turned to the general beside him and instructed: "Immediately pass the order to impose martial law throughout the city, hunt down the remaining resistance forces, and ensure that the capital is in order. Also, prepare documents to record today's events and report them to His Majesty for review."

Zhu Xiongying turned and left, leaving Hou Xiaosong standing there, looking at his receding back.

Hou Xiaosong felt mixed emotions. He knew that although he had saved his life, he would probably have to spend the rest of his life as a prisoner under house arrest in the Ming Dynasty.

The night gradually faded away, and the sky turned pale. On the streets of Kyoto, the soldiers of the Ming army were still busy, either patrolling or cleaning up.

However, killing is still the main theme and peace is impossible.

As Zhu Xiongying's order was issued, a large-scale search operation was quickly launched in Kyoto City. Ming army soldiers shuttled through the streets and alleys, carefully checking every possible hiding place to ensure that no remnants of the shogunate forces escaped.

In this process, although Hou Xiaosong, as a symbol of the Northern Dynasty, lost his former authority, he unexpectedly played a role in some aspects. As long as he was carried out and paraded through the streets a few times, the civilians who were frightened by the war would no longer be so panicked.

As for Go-Komatsu, he may gradually adapt to his new role in the days to come - a "former emperor" under house arrest.

He will spend the rest of his life under the surveillance of the Ming Dynasty.

But his son, Kunihito, who was born not long ago, did not live such a comfortable life. Later, Komatsu had two sons, one of whom was a well-known person, Kunihito, and the other was a poor person, uh, Ikkyu, the Ikkyu in the cartoon.

However, Ikkiu managed to escape this time because he entered a temple to become a monk, and since he was an illegitimate child, he would not be affected.

Mikihito will be sent to Kanto by the "loyal retainers of the shogunate" to Ashikaga Mitsukane.

In this way, while the power of the Northern Dynasty in Japan was greatly weakened, it retained a "legal system" that could confront the Southern Dynasty.

It is said that legal legitimacy is useless, and it is indeed useless, but in special circumstances, it is really necessary to have it, and this is one of the special circumstances.

In order to continue to maintain the division of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, Go-Komatsu's son had to go to Kanto to continue to be the so-called "Emperor", but he changed from a puppet of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu to a puppet of Ashikaga Mitsukane.

As for Ashikaga Mitsukane, his power in Kanto is not strong enough at present, and Zhu Xiongying has no intention of suppressing him for the time being. Imagawa Ryotoshi is enough to interfere and check and balance him.

But if Ashikaga Mitsukane's power grows one day, he will certainly be suppressed.

After two days of continuous searching, a Jingguan was majestically erected at the gate of Kyoto.

The construction of this Jingguan not only marked the sweeping away of the resistance forces in Kyoto and the nobles of the Northern Dynasty, but also marked the beginning of a new stage in Japan's division.

Go-Kameyama of the Southern Dynasty returned to Kyoto after a long absence with the so-called "Three Sacred Treasures", namely the Kusanagi Sword, the Yasakani no Magatama, and the Eight-foot Mirror.

In fact, without the help of the Ming army, the decline of Go-Kameyama's Southern Dynasty regime would have been irreversible. Before the arrival of the Ming army, the places that Go-Kameyama's orders could reach were limited to parts of several provinces around the imperial palaces such as Yamato, Kawachi, Izumi, and Kii, as well as the areas controlled by the Seisai Prefecture on Kyushu Island and the Kono clan on Shikoku Island. It can be said that the Southern Dynasty was at an absolute disadvantage on the three islands.

Kameyama's return to Kyoto did not mean that the Southern Court had turned the tables. On the contrary, the area actually controlled by the Southern Court was cut off by the forces of Kofuku-ji in the Nara Basin in the north of Yamato Province, and was also subject to checks and balances.

Later, Kameyama, accompanied by close court nobles such as Ano Saneyoshi and Rokujo Tokihiro, came to the Kyoto Imperial Palace.

"The Ming Dynasty doesn't agree with us continuing to attack northward?"

"That's not what he said." Kitabatake Mangya explained, "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Ming just said that we can continue to attack in any direction, but the Ming army will not cooperate."

Hou Guishan sat on the cold throne, his eyes passing through the empty imperial palace to the smoke that was gradually dissipating in the distance, his brows full of worry.

"So what should we do next? Are we just going to watch the remnants of the Northern Dynasty linger in northern Kyoto and Kanto?"

Ayeshi walked forward slowly and whispered, "Although the Ming Dynasty did not directly help, their existence is already the biggest blow to the Northern Dynasty. Since we have to make plans on our own, we can also use this time to consolidate our foundation and gradually erode the power of the Northern Dynasty."

"Make plans on your own?" Hou Guishan repeated these words with a bit of helplessness in his tone, "We are short of troops and food, how can we compete with the Northern Dynasty? Not to mention those shugo daimyo who are ready to make a move, they may not really surrender."

Rokujo Tokihiro stroked his beard and spoke slowly: "Although the current situation is difficult, it is also a turning point. The arrival of the Ming army has broken the situation of the Northern Dynasty's monopoly. Now that we have Kyoto, even without the help of the Ming army, we can slowly develop around Kyoto. As long as we strengthen internal affairs, restore people's livelihood, and win the hearts of the people, the revival of our dynasty is just around the corner."

Kitabatake Mangiya nodded in agreement: "That's right. Although the Ming Dynasty did not directly send troops to help us attack Kanto, their existence itself is the greatest support for us. We also need to show our value and let the Ming Dynasty see that we are not incompetent."

"Hey"

Hou Guishan sighed deeply: "I'm afraid that the Ming Dynasty is not really helping us and wants us to continue the chaos."

Everyone was afraid to speak. Although they had just said these nice words, they knew it too. They just didn't dare to say it out loud.

But no matter what, the Southern Dynasty is indeed much stronger than it was in the most difficult time before. Even if they have complaints in their hearts, they have to admit that the help given to them by the Ming Dynasty is the only factor for the turnaround.

At the same time, not far from Kyoto, in the Hana Imperial Palace, Li Wenzhong and Zhu Xiongying were discussing the next plan with several generals.

"Our mission is not only to occupy Kyoto, but more importantly to reconstruct the order in Japan."

Zhu Xiongying said in a deep voice: "In addition to this, on the other hand, Sado Island has been occupied by the navy. The next step is to take over Iwami Province."

"Iwami Province is now in the hands of Ouchi Yoshihiro. Ouchi Yoshihiro is now stationed in the west of Kyoto and is being blocked by the shogunate forces there."

Mei Yin frowned and didn't finish his words, but his meaning was very clear. Ouchi Yoshihiro was also a force that supported the shogunate. If they went to war against each other right away, wouldn't that be bad?

"The interests of the Ming Dynasty are above all else."

Zhu Xiongying said lightly.

Li Wenzhong took over the conversation: "Although Ouchi Yoshihiro is also an anti-shogunate force, we must also carefully consider his ambitions. The purpose of the Ming Dynasty's expedition to the east is to maintain peace on the coast, not to simply support a certain force. Iwami Province is geographically important and rich in mineral resources. Its strategic significance to the Ming Dynasty is self-evident."

"As for Ouchi Yoshihiro," Zhu Xiongying pondered for a moment and continued, "We can try to communicate with him and exchange the territories we have conquered from other daimyo with him. If he can understand the current situation and is willing to cooperate with the Ming Dynasty, then everyone will be happy. But if he is stubborn and tries to use the power of the Ming Dynasty to expand himself, then we don't need to be soft-hearted."

Mei Yin nodded after hearing this.

"Then, our next move will be a two-pronged approach." Li Wenzhong took over the topic and arranged the tasks in a clear and orderly manner. "On the one hand, send an envoy to Ouchi Yoshihiro to find out his attitude; on the other hand, strengthen intelligence gathering on Iwami Province and prepare for possible military operations."

"Where's Hosokawa?"

Among the major families of the Muromachi shogunate in Kyoto, the Hatakeyama clan was buried with the shogunate, the Sasaki clan wanted to escape but failed, and the Akamatsu clan was spared because of their relationship with the Southern Court.

The Hosokawa clan managed to protect themselves, but some people died in the war, which was inevitable.

The problem now becomes how to deal with the Hosokawa family.

"We'll call Hosokawa Mitsuru over later."

Zhu Xiongying was just planning to drive a wedge into the Southern Court, and the Hosokawa family, who had a profound influence in Kyoto politics, was the perfect choice.

After the meeting, Mitsuru Hosokawa was also waiting respectfully for Zhu Xiongying.

Hosokawa Mitsurumoto was well aware that at this turbulent time, every choice he made would affect the fate of his family. The arrival of the Ming army not only broke the balance between the Southern and Northern Dynasties, but also meant that this was actually an opportunity to further expand the family's power.

Therefore, Mitsuru Hosokawa attached great importance to this meeting.

"Hosokawa Mitsumoto, do you know why I summoned you?"

Hosokawa Mitsuru hurriedly stepped forward, bowed deeply, and replied respectfully: "I am stupid and dare not guess why the Crown Prince of Ming Dynasty summoned me, but if there is anything that the Hosokawa family can do for Ming Dynasty, I will do it even if it means death."

"What a great man who is willing to die."

Zhu Xiongying nodded slightly and looked at Hosokawa Mitsuru.

"You are indeed a smart man. The Hosokawa family has always been influential in Kyoto. I hope you can also play a good role in the court of the Southern Dynasty."

Upon hearing this, Hosokawa Mitsurumoto was surprised and delighted. He quickly bowed again and said, "I will do my best to serve the country."

Judging from this answer, Mitsuru Hosokawa obviously understood the implication of Zhu Xiongying's words.

Zhu Xiongying nodded with satisfaction and continued, "Report anything in time, and someone will tell you what to do next. Remember, whether the Hosokawa family prospers or becomes extinct depends on your performance next."

"I will do my best and live up to your trust." Hosokawa Mitsurumoto solemnly promised again.

Zhu Xiongying nodded slightly, then waved his hand to signal him to leave.

After Hosokawa Mitsuru left, he turned to the Jinyiwei beside him and said, "Hosokawa Mitsuru cannot be trusted. You must observe him carefully to make sure that he does not make any excessive moves while serving the Ming Dynasty."

"clear."

The envoy who went to Kansai also quickly gave a reply to Ouchi Yoshihiro.

Unexpectedly, Ouchi Yoshihiro was very happy about exchanging territories and handing over Iwami Province.

What Ouchi Yoshihiro asked for was the position of guardian daimyo of Settsu Province and the territory of Sakai City.

This is not difficult to understand.

Because on the surface, this deal was very profitable for Yoshihiro Ouchi.

Sakai City is the most prosperous port city in Japan and the center of the Tomokan trade. It is quite prosperous. Merchants from the three countries of Settsu, Kawachi and Izumi would gather here to do business. It is an out-and-out commercial city with many big businessmen. And because the shogunate's control over this place is relatively weak, Sakai slowly developed into a new type of autonomous city.

As long as they occupied Sakai City, the tax revenue alone would be a considerable figure each year.

Yoshihiro Ouchi was committed to actively expanding eastward, and Sakai City, close to the Kyoto Plain, was the best springboard for him to exert influence in Kyoto.

As for Iwami Province, if it were in the past, Ouchi Yoshihiro would definitely not agree to it, because this would be equivalent to driving a wedge into the complete territory of their Ouchi clan.

But now, after the Battle of the Osumi Islands and the demise of the Muromachi shogunate, Ouchi Yoshihiro clearly realized one thing, that is, whether it is the navy or the land force, the Ouchi clan is completely unable to match the Ming army. If the Ming really wants a piece of land, it is impossible for him to stop the Ming army fleet from landing on the northern coast of Iwami Province. Is he capable of stopping it? In other words, if he goes to war with the Ming army, can the Ouchi clan continue to exist?

Therefore, Ouchi Yoshihiro chose to exchange Iwami Province for Settsu Province and Sakai City, which could not only increase tax revenue but also expand influence eastward.

(End of this chapter)