Chapter 187 The Meiji Restoration of Japan (14)
That night, Konoe Tadahiro, the former minister of the left, secretly reported that the Lord of Satsuma Domain was willing to mobilize the people of Kashima to reform the shogunate government and control Kantō; to King Luo Qin, he wanted to boost the imperial power and promote the harmony of the public and military affairs.
Emperor Komei heard about this and quickly summoned Nakayama Tadenō, Sanjo Minai, and Iwakura Tomomi for a secret discussion.
Emperor Takamei said: "Can the words of the Satsuma clan be trusted?"
From the four top attendants, Iwakura Tomoshi said: Your Majesty, in the fifth year of the Anzheng Dynasty, the officials have become domineering, and the Satsuma Domain is about to raise troops to serve the king. Today, the old matter is brought up again, and it must have been planned for a long time.
Nakayama Tadano seconded the proposal, and Prince Sikawa Palace Chihito and Masachikamachi Sanjo Minori were unconvinced.
Emperor Xiaomei sighed and said: The feudal soldiers entered Luo and were not handled properly. It has led to a chaotic situation that has attracted wolves into the house. Nagai Gagaku's navigation strategy is indeed a good way to govern the country, but there is no time to wait for others!
Zhongshan Zhongneng said: Your Majesty, I will take a closer look at this person. In order to achieve his own goals, Changjing openly disobeyed the heaven and closed the country in seclusion. This is extremely disrespectful! The rise and fall of a country cannot rely on arrogant and undisciplined people; forcing the vassal to enter Luo, listen to the holy teachings, and protect the capital is a good way to suppress Guandong.
Iwakura Tomoshi said: Your Majesty, the lords of the Satsuma, Choshu, and Tosa vassals are all foreign lords. The three vassals are in charge of their own affairs and do not belong to each other. They are all under the control of each other and constrain each other. Kyoto can be kept safe.
Prince Chihito of Sichuan Palace seconded the proposal.
Emperor Takamei said: Immediately inform Kantō that Satsuma Domain Shimazu Hisamitsu, Choshu Domain Mori Sadahiro, Tosa Domain Yamaneido, etc. must each bring their feudal troops and stop at the gate to suppress the fulangshi.
Iwakura Tomoshi said: "Your Majesty, the violent events outside the Sakurada Gate and Sakashita Gate are happening, and Kanto cannot be ignored. The rogues are becoming more and more rampant, and Kyoto is in danger." Relaying in Guandong is time-consuming and labor-intensive; it is better to make three copies and have simultaneous interpretation at once.
Emperor Xiaoming said: Accurate!
The imperial court violated the rules and passed the edict, and the elders of the shogunate looked at each other and were speechless.
Ando Nobumasa, the leader of the old school, was not injured enough to die. He sighed, hung up his seal and left.
The lord of the Changzhou domain, Maori, personally accepted the edict and summoned his retainers to discuss the matter.
Kido Takayoshi, the envoy of the Grand Inspection Commission, said: "I would like to inform my lord that the imperial court has abandoned its strategy of sailing and far-reaching strategy and is determined to fight against the foreigners." The Lord should speed up the troops of the Changzhou vassal to go to Luo, and hold the emperor hostage to order the princes!
Maoli Jingqin said: If you suddenly enter Luo and hold the emperor hostage to order the princes, you will definitely become the target of public criticism. Yoshida Shoin's view of the history of the imperial state and Nagai Gagaku's slightly distant voyage were both strategies of gradual progress. Hisaka Genrui is the most talented person in Changzhou. What does this person mean?
Kido Takayoshi said: "My lord, since my master Yoshida Shoin in the Ansei Prison was killed by the shogunate, Hisaka Genrui has been determined to respect the king and fight against the barbarians."
Maoli Jingqin said: "The sudden change of rudder makes people panic; this is a big matter, so we must take a long-term approach."
Shimazu Hisamitsu, the head of the Satsuma clan, received the edict with mixed feelings and said: My elder brother's long-cherished wish to go to Luo to appeal has finally come true; if the combination of public and military forces can rejuvenate the country, why should we blindly overturn the curtain and fight against the barbarians!
Okubo Tori Passage of Oonado: Reporting to the family leader, he left the Kanto area with an edict in his mouth, and went to the palace in purple clothes. The family leader’s trip will be a lasting success!
Shimazu Hisamitsu said: Are there any actions to be taken by the Choshu Domain’s Mori King and the Tosa Domain’s Inner Hall?
Okuboli Passage: Reporting to the family master, the Choshu clan is obsessed with sailing a little far away, and the Tosa clan is obsessed with Whale Sea Sake Mountain. While the two feudal clans are wandering around, the clan master can take the lead.
Shimazu Jiuguang said: "I will lead a group of troops to enter Luo first."
Okubo Tori Passage: Reported to the head of the family, Saigo Takamori served as a county clerk for ten years, and later participated in the feudal administration as a close retinue of the former lord. He respects heaven and loves the people, is good at dancing, and is especially good at military aircraft. I hope the owner of the family will put him to good use.
Shimazu Hisamitsu said: With the order, Saigo Takamori was appointed as the infantry supervisor and led the front team, marching day and night, straight to Kyoto, meeting the family elders Komatsu with a sword, removing the fetters, opening the joints, and preparing for the formation.
In late April 1862, the head of the Satsuma clan, Shimazu Hisamitsu, led more than a thousand troops and marched into Luoguo. He traveled to the capital and made detailed reconnaissance reports. The Satsuma clan’s soldiers included Masinchi, Saigo Yumichi, Oyama Iwa, Maki Izumi, Tanaka Kawachi and other secrets. Gathered at Teradaya in Kyoto with the intention of assassinating Kujo Naotada Kanshiro, Tadayoshi Sakai and others.
Shimazu Hisamitsu angrily said: Kujo Naotada and Sakai Tadayoshi were both ministers of Satomu and the founding ministers of the country. Arima Shinchi's move is really bent on destroying the government and promoting the break of Kōbu! If Ma Xinqi and others act recklessly and endanger the country, they must be killed immediately!
Okuboli Passage: Reporting to the family leader, sudden encirclement and killing, which will damage the reputation of our domain. There are seven other people, including Ma Xin and others, who all belong to the Jingzhong group. Among them, only Xixiang Longsheng and Ma Xin are following. Why don't the owner of the family summon Xixiang quickly to find out what happened?
Shimazu Hisamitsu said: Call Saigo Takamori quickly!
After a while, the prosperity of Xixiang came, and he defended himself and said: To the master of the family, in the fifth year of Anzheng, the former master went to Luo. I will say that for more than a hundred years, the Tokugawa shogunate has held the emperor in power to order the princes. . Compared with the emperor, Tokugawa was only a little famous and outnumbered. The Lord has occupied Deer Island for three generations. The country is in danger but the people are attached to it, and the virtuous people can use it. Now, if out of righteousness, we lead all the respected kings of Ludao to overthrow the enemy and fight against the barbarians, who of the people will not eat pots of pulp to welcome the lord! If this is the case, hegemony can be achieved and the royal family can flourish.
Shimazu Hisamitsu said: In the twelfth century AD, the Kamakura shogunate coerced the emperor to order the princes. It has been more than 600 years since then. With only three generations of accumulation, it is absolutely impossible for our vassal to achieve the great cause of overthrow. Today's visit to Luo is only to boost the imperial prestige, innovate the government, and promote the unity of public and military affairs, so as to achieve harmony and unity.
Xixiang Longsheng said: "To the master of the family, if this opportunity is lost, I will regret it for the rest of my life; I have made up my mind, the king will fall, and I will not change it until death!"
Shimazu Hisamitsu said: You are so stubborn that you cannot end it unless you decide whether to live or die!
Saigo Takamori was imprisoned again, and Okubo Toshimichi was filled with worry. He said sincerely, "Master of the family, please punish me for my incompetent recommendation."
Shimazu Hisamitsu: Everyone has his or her own ambitions, and one cannot force them to do so. How should one deal with the loyal members of Teradaya?
Okubo Tori Channel: To inform the family master, I will immediately send Narahara Shige, Oyama Tsunryo, Suzuki Masanosuke and other eight swordsmen to the capital to dissuade them. If the Seizhong group is rebellious, they will all be killed!
Shimazu Hisamitsu said: Saigo Takamori will be killed immediately, the Seizhong group will become a headless bird, and the formation will be in chaos.
Okuboli Passage: Report to the head of the family, absolutely not! For more than ten years, we have established the country, respected the king and fought the barbarians, sealed the country and brought down the curtain, and integrated the public and military forces. One after another, I will appear on stage after you sing. The world is full of strife and chaos; no one knows how the Ming Dynasty will change. Xixiang Longsheng is particularly good at military aircraft and has the ambition to open up the world. Please be kind to the owner of the family and save it for emergencies.
Komatsu, the elder of the Satsuma clan, seconded the proposal with a knife.
Shimazu Hisamitsu said: Let Saigo Takamori be exiled to Tokushima at once, so that he can live in seclusion and think about his mistakes! Anyone in the Jingzhong Group who is stubborn and hinders the integration of public and military forces will be killed!
Xiaosong took his sword and said: "I am telling my family master to kill the feudal warriors who have defeated the rebels. My clan will be the target of public criticism. Please think twice before doing this."
Okubo Tori Passage: To the head of the family, you don’t have to stick to small details when doing important things. Anyone who hinders the integration of public and military forces will be killed without mercy!
On April 28, Satsuma Domain Governor Narahara Shigeru led eight swordsmen to enter the temple house in Kyoto. When they failed to persuade them, they stabbed them with their swords. Ma Shinchi, Maki Izumi, Tanaka Kawauchi and others were killed on the spot.
