Di Ming

Chapter 319 "Little Tiger, wait for me."

Nurhaci now genuinely considers his little tiger brother as one of his own.

Because Zhu Yin had already shown him so much kindness and help that no one else could compare.

Upon learning of the Ming army's crushing defeat in their first battle and the capture of Yang Shaoxun, Nurhaci's first reaction was not schadenfreude, but deep concern.

After all, once they crossed the Yalu River, they would reach Jianzhou. Once the Japanese army occupied Korea, they would naturally want more and try to occupy Liaodong as well.

This is obvious; there's no room for wishful thinking.

This trip from Korea to Japan truly showed him what ruthlessness was. The Jurchens were indeed fierce, but when it came to ruthlessness and madness, how could they compare to the Japanese pirates?

Given the brutal and warlike nature of the Japanese pirates, and their large numbers of troops, what would be the consequences if they entered Jianzhou?
It's a catastrophe!
The Jianzhou tribe, including men, women, and children, numbered less than 100,000, and at most 20,000 able-bodied men were fit to fight. Could they possibly hold off Japan? If not with the support of the Ming Dynasty, who else could they rely on?
Zhu Yin said in a low voice, "As long as I am still in the court and serving as an official of the Ming Dynasty, I will not allow Japan to enter Jianzhou!"

"Brother Wild Boar Skin, this time we not only want to return home safely, but we also want to get some interest back..."

Nurhaci listened with a hint of excitement, "Good! Little Tiger, I'll do as you say. I'll be your bodyguard now, whatever you say, I'll do!"

Zhu Yin nodded. "When brothers are of one mind, their strength can break metal. Brother Wild Boar Skin, with one being a scholar and the other a warrior, working together, who can stop us?"

After a brief private discussion, Nurhaci returned to his quarters.

Eidu, Feiyanggu, and Huerhan were already waiting in the room.

"Erzhen (Master), what do I say if I like Beile? Have you agreed?" Eyidu asked first.

Nurhaci poured himself a cup of ice-cold tea, gulped it down, wiped his mouth, and said:

"How could Little Tiger disagree? He's one of our own. But even if he helps, the imperial court might not agree."

Fei Yanggu said, "The court doesn't agree because the King of Joseon opposes it. But now Joseon is about to perish, and the Ming army has suffered a defeat. Does the King of Joseon still oppose our entry into Korea?"

Nurhaci took off his hat, revealing a small braid resembling a rat's tail. He stroked his shaved, bluish-black forehead and sneered:
"If the King of Joseon remains so stubborn, he deserves to die and his country be destroyed. Sending troops is something to do after we return; Little Tiger will report to the emperor. We won't concern ourselves with that for now."

"Right now, we only need to do one thing: make the warriors below as alert as wild beasts. This is Japanese territory, so we must be careful in everything we do."

Huerhan said, “Ezhen, I have discovered that although these Japanese are fierce and warlike like jackals, they are not strong, and their horsemanship and archery skills are not worth mentioning. They are no match for our Jurchen warriors in one-on-one combat. However, their muskets are very powerful, and there are many of them.”

Nurhaci nodded. "I noticed that too. Their muskets are better than those of the Ming Dynasty. I don't know why."

Nurhaci and others were unaware that Japan's arquebuses were actually purchased from and copied from European matchlock muskets, which were considered the most advanced firearms in Europe at the time.

More importantly, Japan had relatively standardized arquebus models and ammunition configurations, as well as mature musket tactics.

The Ming Dynasty's firearms were characterized by chaotic standards, numerous types, and outdated technology (historical fact). Coupled with rampant corruption, shoddy production, and artisans treated like slaves, their reliability was extremely poor.

The Ministry of Works reported that "nine out of ten cannons are unusable" and "nine out of ten cannons explode; soldiers hold them as if they were holding burning coals, and they kill themselves before they can even injure the enemy."

The quality of their gunpowder was also inferior to that of Japan. Japan used standardized European gunpowder. In contrast, the Ming army's gunpowder formulation was very crude, with more charcoal than saltpeter (because saltpeter was expensive and charcoal was cheap).

The only firearms that made the Ming army superior to the Japanese army was its large cannons.

Eidu also said, "This servant has also noticed. The Japanese swords are extremely sharp, far surpassing ours. Their bows are very long, and although they look flimsy and laughable, their firing rate is very fast."

Fei Yanggu said, "Really, Japan is actually very strong. Not only does it have a large population, but its weapons are also quite good. It's not simple."

The four exchanged a few words, and the atmosphere became somewhat heavy.

In fact, the Japanese army was superior not only in firearms, but also in melee weapons. Not to mention swords, even their spears and lances were of better quality than those of the Ming army.

Japan took weapon manufacturing more seriously, establishing small-scale, specialized private workshops that were now part of the market competition. Weapons were procured privately by daimyo, and the artisans enjoyed relatively high status and treatment, resulting in weapons of relatively superior quality.

The systemic collapse caused by political corruption in the Ming Dynasty had long affected the Ming army's weapons manufacturing. It truly was a case of "when officialdom is corrupt, everything else falls apart."

Tang Shunzhi reported: "Swords and blades are rusted, bows and crossbows have lost their glue and reinforcing material, and arrowheads are made of lead and tin instead of iron, penetrating armor by only an inch or so."

Qi Jiguang vehemently criticized: "The waist knives break as soon as they are swung... they are all crude and unusable..."

Officials colluded to embezzle funds, and during weapons inspections, "substandard products would pass if silver was given, while good weapons would be rejected if no bribe was given."

During Zhang Juzheng's reign, the performance evaluation system was in effect, and its quality was acceptable. However, after the system was abolished for many years, its quality has predictably declined.

Nurhaci, lacking sufficient experience, did not yet understand these principles. Perhaps in another ten years, he would.

Nurhaci comforted his three trusted confidants, saying:
"Don't worry, we still have the Ming Dynasty, right? With the Ming Dynasty here, what can the Japanese do? Even if they lose a battle, it's just because Yang Shaoxun himself is incompetent. The Ming Dynasty can afford to lose, and it can lose many times. How many times can Japan lose?"

"Besides, although Japan has powerful firearms, the Ming Dynasty has cannons. Once the Ming Dynasty's cannons arrive, Japan will no longer have an advantage."

At this point, Nurhaci narrowed his eyes, "It would be best if, after we return, the court could change the commander-in-chief and let Little Tiger lead the troops. We can send 10,000 elite soldiers to accompany Little Tiger to the court."

Eidu laughed and said, "I like that the Beile is a young general, a person blessed by Lord Cuohazhan. If he commands troops, Mother Foduo will also protect him."

Nurhaci gave his three subordinates a deep look and sighed inwardly.

This time, countless Jurchen warriors will perish in a foreign land. And these three men, as close as brothers, may not even make it back alive.

Even he himself might not be able to make it back alive. But over the years he has personally charged into battle, narrowly escaping death many times, so one more time won't make a difference.

Since they were speaking Jurchen, they weren't worried about being overheard by the Japanese ninja. There weren't any ninja who actually understood Jurchen.

...

Meanwhile, Zhu Yin and Zheng Guowang were also having a secret discussion.

“The Japanese are wolves in sheep’s clothing and have no sincerity in negotiating. We never had any hope of them either,” Zhu Yin said. “After the banquet, Hideyoshi may talk to me privately, and he will most likely try to bribe me.”

Zheng Guowang nodded and said, "The practice of bribing envoys has existed since ancient times, so it's nothing new. Don't worry, Brother Zhihu, I know what I'm doing. Just play along and make excuses; the most important thing is to return home safely."

"Also, Brother Zhihu, you still need to be careful of assassins. If you are assassinated, our entire delegation will lose its backbone."

Zhu Yin said, "When Hideyoshi seeks my private consultation, I will take the opportunity to propose that I go to Kyoto to deliver a letter of credence to the King of Japan. As a high-ranking official, he will most likely not object, but he will certainly inspect the letter..."

"Brother Yueying, if something happens to me, the delegation will rely on you as the deputy envoy. You must lead everyone back to the country safely."

Zheng Guowang suddenly felt a lump in his throat. "Brother Zhihu is a lucky man. What could possibly happen to him? Without you, the delegation would be helpless."

She was filled with mixed emotions. Why did Zhu Yin have to be her political enemy? They could have been very good friends.

As the two were discussing matters in the pavilion, a Japanese woman dressed in a pristine robe and heavily made up approached gracefully, bowed, and said:
"My lord, His Highness the Taiko invites you to a banquet tonight at 5 PM. The Onmyoji says it will snow tonight, and the banquet will be held at the Snow Viewing Pavilion. Please be on time."

Zhu Yin chuckled and replied in Japanese, "May I ask what kind of banquet it is? Is it a victory celebration banquet for your country, or a welcome banquet for the delegation?"

"If this is meant to be a victory celebration banquet, then it would be quite inappropriate for us, as Ming envoys, to attend, wouldn't it?"

The woman bowed again, her demeanor graceful and poised, and replied with gentle grace:
"This is a difficult question for me to answer. I am a lady-in-waiting in charge of inviting and receiving distinguished guests. I have been dispatched by His Highness the Taiko to invite Your Excellency."

Zhu Yin understood that this was both a welcome banquet for the delegation and a celebration banquet after receiving the good news.

Zhu Yin tentatively asked, "What if I don't wish to attend the banquet?"

Nao smiled slightly, "Your Excellency is a distinguished guest of Japan. If Your Excellency is unwilling to grace us with your presence, it would be a serious dereliction of duty on my part, causing your master to feel disrespected. In that case, I will be punished."

"Oh?" Zhu Yin raised an eyebrow. "The delegation isn't going, and you're going to be punished? What kind of punishment?" The young woman calmly replied, "Throat-cutting."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yin couldn't help but roll his eyes.

In Japan, seppuku (ritual suicide by disembowelment) was a samurai privilege and a death of honor. Ordinary people were not entitled to perform seppuku. If a woman committed suicide, she would use the method of throat-cutting (喉切り).

Just as samurai committing seppuku was considered an honorable act, slitting one's throat was also a woman's glorious death.

Oichi, the most beautiful woman of the Warring States period, committed suicide by slitting her throat.

Zhu Yin nodded and said, "Alright, you don't need to slit your throat. I will lead the delegation and attend on time."

He outwardly showed his unwillingness for the female official to commit suicide by slitting her throat, but in reality, he was still putting on an act.

Of course, it was all an act for Hideyoshi and Chacha. The more sympathetic he was to Japanese women, the more they would think he was close to Japan.

In reality, what did it matter to him whether the Japanese female official lived or died? Why would he care?
"Then I'll leave it to you, Your Excellency." The woman bowed for the third time. "Please meet me at the Snow Viewing Pavilion. A servant will come to escort you there."

After the women's Olympic team left, Zhu Yin and Zheng Guowang parted ways and returned to their respective academies.

Zhu Yin entered the tea room and casually picked up a copy of "Zhaoming Anthology" to pass the time.

The bookshelf also contains books such as "Bai Juyi's Collected Works", "Zhu Xi's Collected Works", and "Records of the Three Kingdoms", all of which were essential reading for Japanese nobles.

The Hakata brocade laid out on the table is also made using techniques learned from Song brocade.

The porcelain and antiques in the display cabinet, the vases, incense burners, and other decorative items on the table, and the ancient and modern calligraphy and paintings on the walls all exude the charm of the Tang and Song dynasties, simple yet elegant.

The furnishings of this room, while possessing the Japanese aesthetic of "wabi-sabi," are more akin to the elegant pavilions of the Tang and Song dynasties.

This may be the psychological reason why some Chinese people in later generations like Japanese culture: in terms of aesthetic imagery, it reminds them of the Tang and Song dynasties.

Zhu Yin read through the "Zhaoming Anthology" for a while, and when he came across Bao Zhao's line, "Ice blocks the long river, snow fills the mountains. Sea wind drives the clouds, and northern snow dances in the sky," he couldn't help but feel moved.

The boy looked up at the window and saw that, without him noticing, large snowflakes were already falling.

In November, it finally snowed in Japan. Japan's snow season is long at this time of year; for the next two or three months, Japan will be a land of ice and snow.

Zhu Yin couldn't help but think of Caiwei.

Caiwei's merchant corps must have completed their training on the island by now, right? Are they about to set off? She's a woman, commanding a fleet of over ten thousand people for the first time—will she run into any problems?

And is Qingchen Xiaoyixian from Beijing now in a medical school?
How is my godfather's health?
Little Black sat cross-legged at Zhu Yin's feet, dozing off, its fur warming its owner's feet. It always loved to sleep during the day when there was nothing to do.

This leads to longevity.

While Zhu Yin was lost in thought, Kangxi's voice suddenly came from outside the door, "My lord."

We have intelligence.

Zhu Yin has been staying here for several days, and Tiger Fang's intelligence can finally be delivered here.

Emperor Kangxi, covered in snowflakes, entered the tea room, took out two wax pills, and smiled:

"It's quite a coincidence that the two secret letters were delivered on the same day."

Zhu Yin took it, crushed one of the pieces, and inside was a cryptic wax book that required a written code to decipher.

Zhu Yin understood at a glance. The three thousand Eight Banner soldiers and five thousand native servants dispatched from Jingzhou had already arrived at Daishan Island.

The 5,000-strong merchant corps, which had been training at Daishan Island for several months, was also organized into two marine battalions, left and right, as planned.

Including the 5,000 Eight Banner soldiers transferred from Daishan Island, the total number of soldiers was 18,000, most of whom were Han soldiers and a small number were naturalized natives serving as auxiliary soldiers.

These thirteen thousand soldiers were the maximum mobile force that Zhu Yin and Ning Caiwei could currently muster. The Eight Banners troops left to guard Jingzhou and Daishan totaled only six thousand.

How many Japanese soldiers were there? The garrison on Kyushu alone numbered 160,000! And in Honshu, Shikoku and other regions, there were more than 100,000 soldiers mobilized.

Not counting the hundreds of thousands of Japanese troops in Korea, there were more than 200,000 troops on the Japanese mainland!
The invading Japanese army mainly consisted of daimyo from Kyushu and Chugoku, while the daimyo from Tohoku and Kwantung regions primarily remained on the mainland. In other words, the main force was actually those who stayed on the mainland.

What's even more frightening is that the Japanese aristocracy had strong control over the grassroots and the ability to mobilize the entire population, but at this time it was only a partial mobilization.

If Japan, with a population of over 16 million, were to be fully mobilized, under the call of the imperial court, Hideyoshi could leverage the resources of over 190 daimyo to mobilize a million able-bodied men to participate in the war, bringing their own food and weapons!
This is an extremely alarming number. The Ming Dynasty could not even dream of such a mobilization capability; only the Spring and Autumn Period, the Warring States Period, the Qin and Han Dynasties, and the Three Kingdoms Period of ancient China could achieve it.

Therefore, Ning Caiwei and Ding Liyang's more than 10,000 troops could not engage in a head-on battle of attrition with the Japanese army. Instead, they fought a clever battle based on deception and used unexpected schemes.

Ning Caiwei said that the fleet is currently training for amphibious landing operations at Daishan Island and will depart from Daishan Island at the beginning of next month, heading north. They will use the previously captured white men to sail north under the guise of Western pirates. They are expected to enter the Seto Inland Sea by the middle of next month.

She said that in another half month, Huya (a Chinese live streaming platform) would be able to spread rumors that the Western fleet had joined forces with the Ming Dynasty to recover Korea...

The time for the two to meet on the shore was to be determined by Zhu Yin.

She also included a line of classical Chinese poetry in the letter:
"My longing for you is like the full moon, its light waning night after night."

He then said, "Little tiger, wait for me."

After reading Caiwei's secret letter, Zhu Yin finally felt relieved.

Originally, his plan would have gone more smoothly if the Ming army had performed well in Korea. However, now that the Ming army has suffered a major defeat in its first battle, with dire consequences, his plan naturally needs to be adjusted.

Zhu Yin wrote an encrypted letter, skillfully sealed it with wax, and then handed it to Kangxi.

Then, he opened the second wax ball.

This second wax pellet came from Osaka Castle.

It turns out that Hideyoshi's wife, Kita-no-Mandokoro Nene, who stayed in Osaka, secretly did three things after learning that Chacha was pregnant.

One was to send a secret letter to Hideyoshi's adopted son, Prince Hideyoshi, in Kyoto.

Secondly, they invited an Onmyoji to secretly perform a "Shikigami curse" on Chacha.

Thirdly, she sent her adopted son, Hideaki, to the army of the powerful daimyo, Kobayakawa Kagetaka.

Zhu Yin chuckled after reading it.

It seems that Hideyoshi's virtuous and kind wife harbors a lot of resentment towards Chacha.

Zhu Yin immediately wrote an encrypted letter to the Tiger Fang agents in Osaka Castle, asking them to help Ningning and prompt Ningning and Hidetsugu to secretly form an alliance in advance to deal with Hideyori, who will be born next year.

After doing all that, it's almost time.

Zhu Yin changed into casual clothes for the banquet and led the main members of the delegation to attend Hideyoshi's Guanxuelou banquet.

If impersonating Oichi's adopted son was the first move in the grand scheme, then tonight's banquet is the second.

No regrets on your move!

(End of this chapter)