Chapter 187 The Meiji Restoration of Japan (36)
The two female relatives regarded death as if they were home, and the Tokugawa celebrants became more and more sweaty. They quietly withdrew from the Edo castle walls and moved into Ueno Kan'ei Temple Daiji-in Temple to examine themselves for their crimes.
The shogunate's military chief Katsukaishu was ordered to do so in the face of danger, and he did not dare to neglect. He urgently summoned the navy chief Yada Horihiro and the accountant chief Okubo Kazuo to discuss the matter of city dedication.
Sheng Haizhou said: Those who lead the neck to be killed are reckless men in the market. Breaking the pot and sinking the boat, you may be able to find a glimmer of hope. To the north of Edo Castle lies the great plain of Kanto, with Shinshu straddling its height; to the south of Edo Castle is Koshu Prefecture, which is wide in the middle and surrounded by four fortresses, with steep mountains and rivers. It is rare in the world, and it is holding the back of Edo. It is my intention to organize the Koshu and Shinshu subjugation teams, led by Kondo Isamu and Furuya Sakuemon respectively, and rush to reinforce them.
Yada Horihong said: "Master Katsu, this plan is brilliant!" Kosu Tadjun, Enomoto Takehi and others are determined to fight to the death. If we collude with the Kondo Isamu Shinsengumi, we will be killed and it will be difficult to save our lives.
Katsu Kaishu said: Our life and death are related to the survival of millions of people in Edo. This matter must not be paralyzed! Isamu Kondo and others blocked the offensive of the Japanese army. We won and sued for peace. Edo opened the city without blood. This is the best strategy! Otherwise, thousands of boats were prepared to evacuate the general's family and all the citizens; then the city was set on fire, whether it was war or peace, forcing Xixiang Longsheng to make a decision.
Yadabori Hongdao: If Saigo Takamori, Prince Miya Chihito, etc. remain stubborn, I will order Enomoto Takeyō to lead the fleet to bombard the Tokaido, cut off its grain route, and block its retreat.
Katsukaishu said: Let's fight and talk. I will immediately send General Tiezhou Yamaoka and a letter to the prosperous area of Shunfu Saigo to discuss the matter of surrendering the city without blood.
Okubo Kazuo said: Navy Vice President Takehiro Enomoto is determined to fight. Lord Yada must not make things worse. Kiyokawa Hachiro, a wanderer of the Shonai domain, single-mindedly respected the king and overturned the throne. Yamagang Tiezhou once relied on his subordinates. Yamagang may be a person with evil intentions, so please do not put yourself in danger.
Sheng Haizhou said: With a bold heart, everything you do should put all people first; upholding morality and justice can abandon life and death. Those who built iron boats on mountains and hills and prospered in Xixiang all belonged to these people.
Kondo Isamu, the leader of the Shinsengumi group, received the order and immediately went to see Katsu Kaishu and said: "I would like to inform you, Mr. President, that the era of swords is over. Please give me more guns and cannons."
Sheng Haizhou said: If I send you a post in the year, I will give you four hundred barbarian guns and five barbarian cannons. If you can defend it, Jiazhou will be your fiefdom.
On March 1, 1868, Isamu Kondo led 400 troops and arrived at Kofu; however, the 5,000-strong coalition of Sa, Cho, Gei, and Tou had already occupied it the day before.
Isamu Kondo had no choice but to divide his troops into three groups to attack them according to the terrain. As soon as they met, they were defeated.
On the 7th, Governor Furuya Sakuemon led the Shinshu town defense team to Shinshu. Hearing that the Sachō coalition forces had already crossed the dangerous Suihi Pass, Furuya Sakuemon sighed: The situation is over!
Saigo was very happy that the war was going well. Saigo was discussing the siege of Edo with Prince Hirohito of Arisugawa Palace. He sent a message to the shogun's attendant, Hatamoto Yamaoka Tetsune, to ask for a meeting.
Saigo Takamori said: According to what I have heard, Yamaoka Tetsutaro does not care about his life, does not value his name, does not admire his official position, and disdains money. In today's world, there are very few such people.
Prince Youqichuan Palace Chiren said: Such a person will not hinder the battle, and it will not be a problem to see him.
Yamaoka Tetsuo came in proudly and said proudly: The enemy, the Tokugawa Kei sent, and Yamaoka Tetsutarou went to the Grand Governor's Mansion in person to meet with the adults.
Xixiang Longsheng said: Are you a lobbyist?
Shan Gang Tie Zhou said: Yes! Tokugawa Keiki-sama is determined to open the city without blood, and he has now committed self-examination at Kan'ei-ji Temple in Ueno. If the Sachō coalition attacks again, there will be 30,000 troops in Edo City and 44 warships off the coast of Edo, but they will wait for an order from the military president Katsu Kaishu-sama.
Saigo Takamori said: Toba, Fushimi, Osaka, Koshu, and Shinshu were defeated in the five battles. Why should you fight again?
Yamaoka Tetsufune said: Lord Tokugawa Yoshiki never issued an order to attack, so the shogunate troops fought and retreated. Yesterday, Mr. Qingxi returned to the Daiciyuan, and Mr. Katsu Kaishu took over the command of the army. With the character of Mr. Katsu Kaishu, he fought a decisive battle in Edo. It is not yet known who will win. Katsu Kaishu-sama said that if the Edo city is destroyed and the city is set on fire, both jade and stone will be burned; this is what Tenzōin-sama and Shizukanin-sama also mean.
Prince Chiren of Yousichuan Palace said: "My emperor has ordered that the army and navy of the shogunate return to the imperial court. To celebrate the peace of the feudal lord, the allied forces can cease their activities."
Yamagang Tiezhou said: "It is absolutely difficult for Master Qingxi to stay in Beifan. No matter what, it is extremely difficult to obey my order." If war breaks out again because of this secluded place, and tens of thousands of lives are lost, it will be my fault. I beg you, sir, to hold your hands high and forgive me.
Xixiang Longsheng said: This is the destiny of the dynasty!
Shanggang Tiezhou said: Even if the emperor's order is cut off, it is difficult to bear it. If Lord Saigo and I are temporarily allowed to exchange positions, if your master, Lord Shimazu, is mistakenly slandered by the enemy and is attacked by the army, the time will come when your Lord will be respectful and prudent, and you will be in my duty. Do your best for the Lord’s family! If you just sit back and watch, where will the righteousness between the king and his ministers be?
Xixiang prospered in silence.
Prince Chiren of Youqichuan Palace said: It is difficult to believe in righteousness in the world without measuring morality and measuring one's strength! We will suspend our troops for the time being and wait until His Majesty the Emperor decides.
Meiji took over and said: "Besiege the city, don't chase the poor bandits, Kuang Tokugawa is happy to live in seclusion and wait for orders; Edo opens the city without blood, there is no great good!"
On March 14, the fourth year of Qingying, the Meiji Edict said: Today, when the government of Ying Dynasty is renewed, among the billions of people in the world, even one of them cannot find his place, and it is all my fault. I want to open up thousands of miles of waves, spread the power of the country in all directions, and make the world prosperous.
In order to achieve this arduous goal, I must bind my people with five oaths: 1. The meeting must be held widely, and all decisions will be decided by the public discussion; 2. The superiors and officials must work together to display scriptures; 3. The ministers and the Wu family are of one mind, so that the common people, It is necessary to enable everyone to achieve his or her ambitions and to be tireless; fourth, break the bad habits of the past and establish the justice of heaven and earth; fifth, seek knowledge in the world and greatly invigorate the foundation of the emperor.
In order to carry out unprecedented changes in our country, I shall take the lead and swear to the gods of heaven and earth to establish the order of the country and establish a way to protect all people. You must also understand this purpose and work together.
