Di Ming

Chapter 321 "Hungry Ghosts Cannot See the Buddha!"

The old man who suddenly advised Taiko to stop the war while Hideyoshi was performing a Noh play was none other than Fujiwara Seika, a great Confucian scholar in Japan at the time.

Fujiwara Seika appears to be a man in his fifties or sixties, but he is actually under forty. He only looks old because his hair has turned white early.

This man was quite cunning; he requested to be a character in the play, to advise the Japanese Taiko (Taiko). Nominally, he wasn't directly advising Hideyoshi.

But everyone still thought he was daring.

Not long ago, Kuroda Yoshitaka, Hideyoshi's most trusted strategist and advisor, was also neglected and alienated by Hideyoshi for advising that "the Ming Dynasty should not be moved lightly," and was demoted and lost favor.

Moreover, Fujiwara Seika was a Confucian scholar who was never valued by Hideyoshi.

Hideyoshi was playing the role of a ghost in the opera "Atsumori" at this moment. True to his reputation as a composed warlord in troubled times, he paused only briefly before continuing to sing as if he hadn't heard:

"Life is but fifty years, a fleeting dream compared to the vastness of the world. Having been given this body, how can it not perish..."

While singing in a desolate tone, Hideyoshi slowly danced, waving a folding fan and using "twisted foot dance steps (ghost steps)" to express the elusive and mysterious nature of the dead.

"Yohoho—"

When Hideyoshi sang the most exquisite part, he suddenly pivoted on one foot and spun around rapidly. As his robes fluttered, he suddenly knelt on one knee and pointed his fan at the sky!
Then, looking up and opening his mouth, he is questioning the heavens about the great principles of life and death.

Even as the performance reached this point, the lingering melody seemed to have faded away, as if the sounds of wind and snow outside had also fallen silent. It appeared that the only sound in the entire pavilion was the gentle, rhythmic tapping of the wooden fish.

"Duo—Duo—"

Everyone remained silent.

Everyone knows that His Highness the Taiko is already immersed in the atmosphere of the performance.

Fujiwara Seika could only stand there awkwardly, unsure whether to leave or sit.

Looking at Fujiwara Seika's bitter expression, Zhu Yin remembered who he was.

This person is one of the few anti-war advocates in Japan today. He once presented the Analects and Mencius to Hideyoshi, advocating "benevolent governance to stop war" and emphasizing that "weapons are instruments of misfortune, and sages use them only as a last resort."

In Japan, Confucian scholars who advocated benevolence and righteousness like Seika were rare, and their influence was limited. However, in the Ming Dynasty, there was no shortage of scholars who emphasized benevolence and righteousness; they were the absolute mainstream.

After a long silence, Ieyasu suddenly broke the silence at just the right moment, clapping his hands and laughing:
"In the past, Cao Mengde was a man of both literary and military prowess. He was a hero of unparalleled talent, and he lashed out at the wise rulers of the world. He composed poems while holding a spear, and sang them in public. His ambition as Wei Wu has been passed down through the ages. Today, His Highness Taiko is a man of both literary and military prowess. He has spread his great strategy of military power throughout the world and achieved extraordinary feats in pacifying the chaotic world. He personally sang Noh music and danced in the Snow Pavilion. This can be a great story for all time."

Only then did Hideyoshi break free from the dramatic atmosphere. His face, still wearing the ghost mask, turned to Fujiwara Seika, and he asked in a chilling, murderous tone:

Do you understand the meaning of life and death?

Fujiwara Seika bowed respectfully in a Confucian manner and said:
"The righteousness of a gentleman is to leave behind benevolence and love between heaven and earth, nourishing mountains, rivers and plants. His noble spirit is like a spring breeze and rain. He sacrifices his life for righteousness, and though he dies, he lives on. He seeks benevolence and attains it between life and death. There is only the Way."

“No.” Hideyoshi, wearing a mask, shook his head: “That is the duty of a Confucian scholar, not the duty of a warrior.”

"If one cannot achieve the glory of a once-in-a-lifetime encounter, then life is but a dream, and death will leave only regret. Between life and death, only honor and enlightenment can attain eternity."

"Life is impermanent; life is like a summer flower, and death is like an autumn leaf. The rise and fall of the samurai family is like the blooming and falling of cherry blossoms. They only seek the fleeting beauty of spring, why should they need to last forever?"

Fujiwara Seika boldly stated: "Samurai die in the quiet beauty of autumn leaves and live in the brilliance of summer flowers, but for a fleeting moment of glory, they only seek the sound of wild geese for a single night. However, Japan is not only home to samurai; most of the soldiers who go abroad to fight are not samurai."

"May I ask the wise spirits who speak with the heavens, those farmers, fishermen, and townspeople who are not samurai, who are also sent to the perilous battlefield, abandoning their families to become sacrifices on the battlefield, do they also understand the samurai's sense of life and death?"

"I humbly request that Your Excellency ask the Taiko, why do you disregard the suffering of the majority of Japanese people simply because of an unjust war?"

"If the Taiko is the Taiko of all people, not just the Taiko of the samurai family, why would he disregard the well-being of the people for the sake of the samurai family's glory?"

"How dare you!" Ieyasu's expression changed drastically. "You pedantic Confucian scholar! Do you really think you can interfere with the divine kingdom's ambition to conquer the world and unify the eight directions through this method?"

"While His Highness the Taiko is indeed magnanimous, you cannot be so bold as to offend him! You Confucian scholars always presumptuously preach benevolence and righteousness. Are you the only ones who love Japan the most?"

"Get out of here right now! This place doesn't welcome an annoying Confucian scholar like you!"

When everyone saw Ieyasu angrily rebuke Fujiwara Seika, many people sighed that he was a kind and honest elder.

Anyone could see that Ieyasu was trying to help Seiwa out of a predicament, to save Seiwa.

Otherwise, Hideyoshi might have been so angry that he ordered Seiwa's execution on the spot.

Fujiwara Seika felt indebted to Ieyasu, and since he had already offered his advice, he dared not say more and took the opportunity to leave.

“Ieyasu.” Hideyoshi removed his mask, looking at Ieyasu with a deep gaze. “You are truly benevolent, quite like a Confucian scholar.”

Others thought Ieyasu was kind and benevolent, but he thought Ieyasu was hypocritical and used to win people's hearts.

He originally intended to punish Fujiwara Seika severely, regardless of his reputation. However, since Ieyasu offered him a way out, he could only spare Seika for the time being.

"My lord is too kind," Ieyasu said sincerely, even changing his form of address. "I was worried that you would be branded with the infamy of killing Confucian scholars."

Hideyoshi's mood improved considerably upon hearing Ieyasu address him as "Lord," and he no longer bothered to pursue the matter with Fujiwara Seika. He returned to his seat and addressed the crowd in a chilling tone:
"Fujiwara Seika is pedantic and corrupt, spouting empty rhetoric about benevolence and righteousness that misleads the country. If these pedantic scholars had been in power in Japan, it would have perished at the hands of the Mongol invaders long ago, falling into the brutal hands of barbarians. Would it still be in its present state?"

"Xingwo's attacks on the national policy of conquering Han and entering Tang were seditious and misleading, destabilizing the army. He should be beheaded as a warning to others—"

As Hideyoshi spoke, his tone suddenly became more forceful, his short body leaning forward, his hands gripping the table like an old wolf poised to pounce.

Everyone felt a chill run down their spines and dared not meet his gaze.

“However—” Hideyoshi’s tone changed, and his expression softened suddenly, as if he had changed his face. “I am unwilling to kill the Confucian scholar easily, so I will spare his life for now.”

He slammed his folding fan down, pointed to the decorative cross hanging on his chest, and said resolutely:
"Gentlemen! The world today is a time of great contention! The southern (Western) countries are thousands of miles away, yet they have managed to cross oceans, destroy countless nations, and spread their fame and power throughout the world. They will surely become Japan's greatest enemies in the future. How can our divine nation remain stagnant and fail to strive for progress?"

"The southern barbarians may go, but the divine kingdom is not to be visited?!"

"If you do not know autumn, when the red leaves are stained with blood."

"If the Kingdom of God cannot expand its territory and surpass others, it will likely regret it in the future."

He suddenly stood up abruptly, slashing downwards with his folding fan, his narrow fox-like eyes widening. "My heart is as firm as iron, unchangeable! But for the sake of the great cause of the Wu family, the future of the Divine Kingdom, and the eternal glory of His Majesty the Emperor, I would gladly face thousands of others!"

"Korea is a country of dogs and horses, and Ming is large but ineffective; both can be conquered!"

"Whoever dares to suggest retreating is a traitor who sows discord among the troops and deserves to die! I will kill them! Do not say I did not warn you!"

"Gentlemen, for the sake of the unified world of our divine kingdom, let us all unite and work together!"

At this moment, the short-statured Hideyoshi exuded a terrifying aura, like a towering mountain, and everyone was intimidated and subdued by him.

Ieyasu and the others bowed and said, "Let us work together with one heart and one mind!"

They openly declared their intention to conquer the Ming Dynasty right in front of the Ming envoys, without any pretense.

Because Hideyoshi's good mood was ruined by Fujiwara Seika, it's easy to imagine how dull the banquet would become.

The members of the Ming Dynasty delegation were all distracted and hoped the meeting would end immediately.

Ieyasu and the others, fearing that Hideyoshi would become angry again, did not drink to their heart's content.

Fortunately, Hideyoshi only drank a few cups of wine before leaving. Once Hideyoshi left, the banquet ended.

Zhu Yin and his men had just returned to their lodgings when a female official came to invite them:
"Your Excellency, the Grand Historian has privately invited you. Please come with me."

Zhu Yin had long known that Hideyoshi would ask him, "Oichi's adopted son," for a private chat after the banquet.

This is the best opportunity to propose going to Kyoto to present one's credentials.

So Zhu Yin, carrying the real imperial edict, followed the female official to Hideyoshi's main palace.

Inside the magnificent mansion, Hideyoshi, Chacha, Kaihime, and others were already prepared in the golden tea room. It was 7:45 PM, and the golden tea room, illuminated by the lights, shimmered and glowed, like a dreamlike realm.

Hideyoshi's Golden Tea Room was truly famous throughout the land.

The walls, ceiling, and floor of the tea room are covered in gold leaf and inlaid with precious stones such as pearls, mother-of-pearl, amber, and gemstones. The teapot, tea caddy, and other tea utensils are also made of gold.

Moreover, the architectural components of the Golden Tea Room can be disassembled and assembled, making it easy to move with Hideyoshi.

When Hideyoshi was in Kyoto, the Golden Tea House was in Kyoto. When he was in Osaka, the Golden Tea House was in Osaka. Now that he is in Nagoya, the Golden Tea House is naturally in Nagoya.

The Golden Tea Room has only one small window, under which golden light diffuses, truly deserving of its title as a "divine space".

Although Zhu Yin had heard of the Golden Tea House before, he was still somewhat surprised when he entered it.

That's incredibly extravagant and crude.

Damn it! Even the tatami mats, lamp stands, knife racks, and tea tables are made of gold.

Just how much gold was used in this golden tea room? Probably over a hundred thousand taels.

All the gold and silver the Zhu family has now is probably not worth this golden tea room.

The thoughts of someone like Hideyoshi, who climbed from the bottom to the very top of power, are truly terrifying.

In recent years, Japan has been greatly influenced by Sen no Rikyu's "wabi-sabi" philosophy, which pursues the beauty of simplicity and imperfection. However, Hideyoshi went against this trend, using the extravagance of the Golden Tea Room to suppress Rikyu's influence.

Zhu Yin understood psychology. The essence of the Golden Tea Room was the aesthetics of power, illustrating Hideyoshi's pursuit of absolute control over power.

Of course, this golden tea room also possesses treasures even more precious than gold: the Yohen Tenmoku tea bowl.

This is a Tang dynasty artifact, with a seven-colored sheen in its black glaze, and it is one of the "Three Great Tea Bowls of Japan".

As a prized possession of Hideyoshi, this bowl was only brought out to show off when entertaining distinguished guests.

On the tea table, there was a rare item that was seldom seen in the Ming Dynasty: a Western clock.

This is what the Japanese call the "Nanban Toki" (Southern Barbarian Clock). The dial is engraved with Roman numerals, and Hideyoshi used it to tell time.

He once boasted to his retainers with pride, "This thing is worth more than 100,000 soldiers!"

At that time, Western clocks were not common in Europe and were considered luxury items, and even less so in the East.

Hideyoshi's taking out these two items shows that he was giving Zhu Yin a lot of face.

"I have met Your Highness the Grand Secretary." Zhu Yin did not put on airs as an envoy of the Celestial Empire and took the initiative to greet him as soon as he entered.

Hideyoshi rose and bowed, saying, "Please sit down, Mr. Chizuru. Tonight, let's try Chacha's tea ceremony."

Hideyoshi was all smiles now, showing none of the anger he had shown at the banquet earlier.

Zhu Yin sat down cross-legged on the golden tatami mat, bowed, and said, "Then thank you...Lord Yodo."

At this point, he couldn't help but look up at Cha Cha, his expression complex, carrying an indescribable emotion.

Anyone could tell that he knew Cha Cha; they must be old acquaintances.

While brewing tea, Cha Cha smiled and said, "What's wrong? After all these years, you really don't recognize your older sister?"

Her expression was a mixture of sadness and anticipation.

Even Hideyoshi, Kaihime, Nagamasa, and others were somewhat moved. They hoped that Zhu Yin would acknowledge his identity.

Seeing that Zhu Yin still refused to admit it, Hideyoshi couldn't help but say:
“Young Tiger, you are no longer an envoy of the Ming Dynasty, but merely my guest. There are no other Ming people here, so you need not worry. In fact, I know everything about your background.”

"Huh?" Zhu Yin looked at Hideyoshi with surprise. "Your Highness, you..."

Nagamasa smiled and said, "Lord Chikorō, please don't take offense. Of course, we need to investigate the matter of the Ming envoy. Your background is not difficult to find out since you were once in Japan."

Zhu Yin's Adam's apple bobbed, his expression hesitant, and his eyes welled up with tears.

Chacha couldn't help but shed tears, saying, "Xiushan Maru, are you still unwilling to admit it? What are you afraid of? Are you reluctant to give up your official position in the Ming Dynasty?"

Zhu Yin sighed softly, then smiled through her tears, saying, "Sister Chun, it's been so many years, I'm so happy..."

Ah Chun was Cha Cha's childhood nickname, which few people knew. After the tragedy that occurred, it became even less known. Even her maids rarely knew the name Ah Chun.

She used the name A-Chun because she liked Wabisuke Tsubaki and had personally planted several Wabisuke Tsubaki saplings.

"It really is Hideyama Maru!" Upon hearing that familiar name, Chacha had no more doubts. "Nine years! I've finally found you, Hideyama Maru..."

Zhu Yin looked sad. "Yes, it's been nine years. I never imagined that Sister Chun would be His Highness Taige's wife. I'm so happy for her."

Tea Tea smiled through her tears and said, "No wonder you gave me so many gifts before."

Zhu Yin said, "Unfortunately, I am now an envoy of the Ming Dynasty, an imperial envoy of the Ming Emperor. With so many people in the delegation watching me, I really cannot recognize my sister."

Cha Cha nodded and said, "I know it's inconvenient for you, don't make things difficult for yourself."

Hideyoshi said, "Hideyama-maru, you've thought this through very well. It's right not to admit it. A man shouldn't let his emotions cloud his judgment. You can't expose your connection to Japan, and you certainly can't expose your relationship with Chacha. You're a minister of Ming, and you've finally gained power in Ming. How can you give it up?"

"As long as you remember that you were raised on Japanese breast milk and that you are Chacha's younger brother, that's enough."

"It might be better for you and for Japan if you stay in Ming China."

Zhu Yin thought to himself, "The real show is about to begin!"
This is an attempt to recruit him as a spy within the Ming court's upper echelons. The Japanese have always liked to do this, and the same applies to later generations.

Zhu Yin readily agreed, saying, "I've been thinking a lot lately about how I can help Japan, but I'm afraid of letting down the Ming Dynasty."

Hideyoshi laughed and said, "I knew I hadn't misjudged you; you are indeed close to Japan. I have a brilliant idea. Hideyama-maru, are you currently facing any difficulties?"

Zhu Yin wouldn't stand on ceremony. He said directly:

"There is a difficult matter at the moment. When I was sent on my mission, there were actually two letters of state, one from the Cabinet to the Taiko, and the other from the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty to His Majesty the Emperor."

"Huh?" Hideyoshi's eyes widened immediately. "There's even a letter from the Emperor?

Zhu Yin nodded, saying with a helpless expression, "Yes, it was a letter from the Emperor of the Great Ming Dynasty to His Majesty the Emperor, and the tone was very stern."

Hideyoshi's face immediately darkened. He had only just learned of such a momentous matter as the imperial letter—that there was another letter addressed to the Emperor!

What exactly is written?
"Where is the official letter?" Hideyoshi's tone was somewhat cold.

Chacha immediately became worried, fearing that Taiko might suddenly become angry, and said, "Your Excellency, this is a letter from the Emperor of Ming, it has nothing to do with Hideyama Maru."

Zhu Yin took out the real letter of state from his bosom. "Your Excellency, please take a look. This is the letter of state from the Emperor to the Emperor. According to the imperial decree, it must be delivered to the Emperor. Otherwise, I would be disobeying the decree."

Hideyoshi took the letter, opened it, and immediately flew into a rage.

"That bearded barbarian is utterly despicable! How dare he insult the divine nation! How dare he be so disrespectful to the Emperor!"

"Bagaya Road! この野郎!"

"A hungry ghost cannot see the Buddha!"

P.S.: Please help me maintain my position on the monthly ticket ranking. Thank you, goodnight!

(End of this chapter)