When the Chinese "purchasing group" and the British mission fleet left the European continent and embarked on the long journey home, a major event that would change the course of a country's history was also happening in the east of the world.
Japan, Edo Castle.
The third generation of Tokugawa Shogun Iemitsu was terminally ill. He was bedridden last winter and stayed up until April of the fourth year of Qing'an, when the oil was exhausted. However, he was still reluctant to leave behind his heir, the "foolish father" Tokugawa Ietsuna, so he was still holding on to his last breath, waiting for the completion of a major event that could eliminate the source of the troubled world.
This major event is "Hua Tai's appearance", which is the invasion of Kuwu Island, China's sacred territory since ancient times!
However, Tokugawa Iemitsu does not think that he has become an invader that destroys world peace, nor does he think that Huata Island belongs to China in his eyes, that is, the Ming Dynasty.
It has been so many years since the Ming Dynasty abandoned Kuwu Island, and the mainland land across the sea from Kuwu Island was the territory of the Qing Dynasty. It was so far away from the Ming Dynasty that it would be impossible to reach it with eight poles, not to mention eight hundred poles. Can’t catch it!
And he doesn’t really intend to occupy the entire Kabota Island - to be honest, although this Kabota Island is drawn on the "Comprehensive Map of Japan", how big is it and what is going on on it? Tokugawa Iemitsu, the Japanese ruler The person has no idea at all. He only knew that the climate in that place was cold, even colder than Ezo Island, and rice could not be grown at all.
If you can't grow rice, you won't have "Shi Gao". Without "Shi Gao", you won't have a stable income, and you won't be able to give warriors the land they need to know and do what they do.
In addition, Iemitsu also knew that except for some low-value furs and some gold, there was nothing else of value on Huatai Island, and there was no trade to be done.
This entire island is an uninhabited island. No matter how large it is, its value is quite limited. If no one wants it, it would be nice to send a few people to circle it and draw it on the "Comprehensive Map of Japan" to make everyone happy.
But if you really want to fight over a deserted island, that's not what Mingjun does.
But at the last moment of his life, Akijun Iemitsu still decided to send troops to Huatai Island!
Moreover, he had been preparing for "Hua Tai's deployment" for more than a year, and also took out a large sum of gold and silver from the shogunate's treasury to use it as military expenses for "Hua Tai's deployment".
It is said that in order to carry out a protracted war and sympathize with each clan, Tokugawa Iemitsu reduced the military service required by each clan as much as possible, and at the same time spent money to recruit about 5,000 "ownerless men" wandering in Edo, Kyoto, Osaka and other places. , forming them into the "Hua Tai Army".
Therefore, during this period of time, the public security in Edo Castle Town has improved a lot, and there are slightly fewer impoverished vagabonds on the streets.
What makes Tokugawa Iemitsu feel most at ease is that the "Daironin" who is said to "combine all the military arts of Han and Han" and who also claims to be the orthodox successor of Kusunoki Masashige, is invited by Hi Masauki to serve as Kaota's first army. Army general.
Tokugawa Iemitsu, who was obviously thin and had a lifeless look on his face, was sitting weakly among the seven treasures, supported by two people, and another person was putting on makeup for him to make him look less like a human being. Dying person.
His younger brother, Masayuki Hoshina, was sitting on his knees on one side, hesitantly reporting the test results of Tokugawa Ietsuna, who was about to become a general...
“The score in the Young Master’s Computer Science test is a bit lower, but it is still improved compared to last time. As long as we work harder in the future, we will definitely get better and better.
As for the test scores of "Zi Lun Ge Wu Pian", they were much better than the last time. The test scores doubled! If this momentum can be maintained, the young master will become a great scholar sooner or later! "
Masayuki Hoshina didn't dare to say what the exact score would be... If the general got angry to death, his responsibility would be huge.
The general suddenly asked: "How does it compare with Guangguo?"
Hoshina Masayuki said bravely: "My lord, Master Mito did not take the exam yesterday."
How to take the exam? too easy! Even Tokugawa Mitsukuni couldn’t write!
Moreover, Tokugawa Mitsukuni has already completed the self-study of "Elementary School Arithmetic" and is now self-studying the contents of "New Arithmetic". Masayuki Hoshina and several other teachers responsible for teaching Tokugawa Ietsuna couldn't keep up with Mitsukuni, so how could they take the exam?
Tokugawa Iemitsu sighed, "It's hard for Mitsukuni. He is so smart. Let him study with a child who is not bright-minded..."
While they were talking, there was a rush of footsteps outside Shippo. Then a young man opened the sliding door, knelt down again, and announced loudly: "My lord, Matsudaira Izu Mamoru, Date Mutsu Mamoru and Yuhi Masauki are here to see you. .”
"Let them in!" Tokugawa Iemitsu tried his best to raise his voice.
"Hai!" Xiao surname responded, turned and left.
After a while, I saw the surnamed leader of the shogunate, Matsudaira Nobutsuna, a short and fat man in his fifties with a straight nose and a square mouth, and a man in his mid-forties, with a medium build, and a dark and sinister face. Strong men filed in and entered between the seven treasures.
That short, fat man was Date Tadamune, the lord of the Sendai clan. Because the Sendai clan was the strongest clan in the Mutsu region of Northeastern Japan, it was natural for Tadamune to serve as the general-in-chief of the Kagada Army. The main formation will be established at Uminobeji Port, which is owned by the Morioka Domain, and will be commanded there.
Of course, Date Tadamune was only a nominal commander, and would not leave Honshu and go north to Huatai Island. The one who actually commanded the battle on the front line was the dark-faced man, who was known as the "collector of all the war arts of Han and Han". Yuhi Zhengyue is a great military strategist.
It’s hard to say whether this Yuhi Masaki has any real ability, but in Japan today he is recognized as a “strong man with unappreciated talents”. He is sought after by a large group of rogues who have no place to earn a salary, and a group of impoverished low-level samurai also regard him as a hero. Idol.
The shogunate has also been trying to win over Yuhi Masayuki for his own use, but Masayuki's asking price was too high and he refused the 5,000 koku salary offered by the shogunate.
This time, Tokugawa Iemitsu finally seized the opportunity and raised the two extremely politically correct banners of "Qing invaders are coming" and "Kata is out in battle".
Now Yuhi Masaki can no longer refuse the shogunate's offer - Japan is facing a national crisis, how can you, a great military strategist who "combines all the military techniques of Han and Han", hide and stay away?
Moreover, the policy proposed by the shogunate to recruit rogues to go to Katai Island was also very suitable to Yuhi Masayuki's appetite, because he was originally supported by a group of rogues.
Therefore, this "big ronin" no longer put on airs, accepted the order happily, and began to recruit and organize the Huata army with the assistance of Date Tadamune and Matsudaira Nobutsuna.
Not just anyone can join Hua Taijun, because there are too many rogues these days. If just anyone is recruited, the quota of 5,000 people will not be enough.
Therefore, Yubi Zhengxue and his most famous disciples had to conduct assessments one by one to ensure that all the rogues recruited into the Huatai Army were both civil and military, and could withstand the bitter cold.
After the personnel are recruited, of course they must be equipped and trained. The rogues were not samurai, and it was impossible for them to provide their own weapons and horses, so the Tokugawa shogunate was responsible.
I was busy until April of the fourth year of Qing'an, that is, June 1651, when everything was finally ready.
Today is the day when Date Tadamune and Yuhimasa go to the castle to bid farewell to Tokugawa Iemitsu!
"Masayuki!" Tokugawa Iemitsu didn't have much energy to talk nonsense with Yuhi Masayuki, so he got straight to the point, "In the name of the general, I allow you to use the character Kusunoki Nae. From today on, you are Kusunoki Masayuki!" I hope you won’t bring shame to Nanmu’s name!”
This is a great favor!
Yuhi Masaki was born as a farmer. After Yuhi Masanobu, an Imagawa retainer who claimed to have the blood of the Kusunoki family, he later became a disciple of the famous Edo military strategist Kusubuden (Kusunoki Masatatsu), who was said to be the descendant of Kusunoki Masashige. Later, he hooked up with Kusubuden. His daughter (Kanbu Chuan had no children) became a son-in-law (adopted son-in-law), and after Nan Buchuan's death, he claimed to be the orthodox successor of the Kusunoki family.
However, the Kusunoki clan has been in decline for too long, and during the Muromachi shogunate era, it was always in a position of resistance to the shogunate. Therefore, the genealogy inheritance is very informal. If Kusu is not passed down, it is hard to say whether he is a Xibei? What's more, Zhengxue?
Therefore, Zhengxue has always only dared to call himself "Yubi" and did not dare to live by the name "Nanmu".
Now that he has the endorsement of the Tokugawa shogunate, his Kusunoki is justified, and the Kusunoki family is likely to be revived in his hands!
Kusunoki Masaki must repay such a great favor, otherwise he will destroy the Kusunoki Party's reputation as a loyal minister!
Seeing Masaki Kusunoki's expression of tears of gratitude, Iemitsu knew that he could finally die in peace... because there would be many homeless wanderers going down to accompany him!
