Di Ming

Chapter 324 Imprisoned on the Jade Throne
The Japanese in the city were all astonished to see the delegation carrying the ceremonial regalia of the Ming Dynasty.

Soon, many townspeople, soldiers, monks, courtesans, and samurai gathered on both sides of Suzaku Avenue to watch the spectacle.

Many observant members of the delegation noticed that the clothing of ordinary people in Kyoto, Japan, was somewhat different from that of people in Osaka, Nagoya, and other places. It looked more elegant and more like the clothing of the Central Plains.

However, when some noble ladies from high-ranking families revealed their powdered white faces and smiled, showing their blackened teeth, many members of the delegation felt uneasy.

Even the Jurchens like Nurhaci found it hard to accept black teeth.

Soon, the benefits of Zhu Yin impersonating Xiushan Maru and gaining Hideyoshi's trust became fully apparent.

The prestige of the samurai family was also clearly demonstrated.

Not long after the official document bearing the vermilion seal personally signed by His Highness the Taiko was submitted, two court officials came together to greet him.

They weren't giving face to the Ming envoys, they were giving face to Hideyoshi.

Two high-ranking officials who came to greet them rode out in a government oxcart and arrived before the delegation with an honor guard.

Their oxcarts were engraved with different family crests.

In addition to the two court nobles, Sugihara Ieji, the Kyoto Shojidai of the Taiko government, also came to greet them.

Unlike the two nobles who arrived by oxcart, Sugimoto Ieji, a samurai, came on horseback.

Even their attire was quite different. Sugimoto Ieji wore a jinbaori commonly used by samurai, sported the chonmage hairstyle typical of samurai, had a katana hanging at his waist, and had an arrogant and haughty expression.

The two noblemen wore round collars and wide sleeves, tasseled hats and brocade belts, with jade pendants at their waists and upturned silk shoes on their feet. Even their expressions were refined and elegant.

The elegance of the public and the martial prowess of the military are clearly distinct in comparison, like yin and yang.

When the ceremonial instruments began to play, Zhu Yin immediately raised his staff and said in Chinese:
"Zhu Yin, Imperial Envoy of the Great Ming Dynasty, is hereby dispatched to your country by imperial decree!"

He knew to treat people differently based on their status. Since he was facing high-ranking officials, Zhu Yin saw no need to immediately speak Japanese.

After the translation, the court official on the left bowed in court etiquette and said, "I am Minister of the Ministry of Ceremonies, Kenshuji Harutoyo, and I welcome the envoy from the Great Ming Dynasty to our country!"

The official on the right also greeted him with official etiquette: "I am Yamashina Yanjing, the head of the Xuanfan Bureau, and I welcome the envoy from the Great Ming!"

The etiquette of the official court emphasized "Tang style as the bone, Japanese style as the flesh." Their etiquette differed from that of the samurai.

Compared to the arrogance and even insults shown by the Wu family towards the Ming envoys, the court nobles were much more refined and polite.

Zhu Yin cupped his hands and said, "My name is Zhu Yin. Thank you for coming to greet me."

To avoid needing a translator, Zhu Yin used Japanese again.

Sugihara Ieji had already received Hideyoshi's letter and politely replied, "The Ming Dynasty delegation is a guest from afar, please!"

Upon hearing Sugihara Ieji's words, Kenshuji Harutoyo and Yamashina Gensuke said together, "Please!"

Zhu Yin noticed all these details.

As a trusted retainer of Hideyoshi, Sugihara Ieji served as a special envoy stationed in Kyoto for many years, effectively controlling and monitoring the court's diplomatic power.

Meanwhile, the official diplomatic offices of the imperial court, such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Xuanfan Office, became mere decorations.

The Minister of Ceremonies and the Genban-ryo (Sect Leader of the Imperial Household Department) had to be mindful of Sugihara Ieji's mood when it came to diplomacy.

The nobles and high-ranking officials were merely nominally responsible for receiving guests, while the real power in diplomacy was entirely controlled by the military families.

However, in Zhu Yin's observation, the high-ranking officials were truly obsessed with trivialities. For example, the former Minister of Ceremonies and Minister of the Imperial Academy both had pale faces and faded clothes.

The facade is barely holding together, but the substance is completely hollow.

Zhu Yin couldn't help but recall the historical record that when Hideyoshi requested the Emperor to visit Jurakudai, "the Emperor's carriage was simple, but the gilded screen of the Imperial Guard was dazzling. The court nobles all wore old clothes, and the ceremonial guards were simple."

During the famine in Kyoto, nobles "ate bran porridge to fill their stomachs" and even "pawned their Tang-style clothes to exchange for millet."

Culturally and by lineage, they are undoubtedly from the aristocracy. But economically, they are impoverished people who depend on others for survival.

However, it would be a grave mistake to think that the Emperor, the Imperial Court, and the nobility are unimportant. Without these titles and responsibilities, the samurai government could not have survived, and the unification of Japan would have been difficult to maintain.

The government and the military, one in name and one in reality, one yin and one yang, one outward and one inward, are truly an indispensable symbiotic relationship.

As the saying goes, "Using the form of the government to practice the substance of the military," and "The government's pen and the military's sword together forge the world."

After the two sides exchanged greetings, Kenshuji Harutoyo said:

"Originally, the Ming envoy should have stayed at the Honglu Pavilion. However, our country does not have a Honglu Pavilion at present, so please forgive us."

He came from a noble family, second only to the top-ranking Five Regent Families, and was well-versed in the system.

During the Heian period, foreign envoys would stay at the Honglu Hall. Now that the Honglu Hall has long been abandoned, the missions naturally have to stay elsewhere.

Sugihara Ieji said, "His Highness the Taiko has already given instructions, so please have the delegation stay at the Kitayama Residence near Kinkaku-ji Temple."

Sugihara Ieji immediately decided that Zhu Yin and several dozen other high-ranking members of the delegation would stay at the Kitayama Residence. The remaining three hundred-plus people were then separated and housed at the nearby Kinkaku-ji and Shokoku-ji Temples.

Thus, Zhu Yin and dozens of others, guided by Sugihara Ieji, went to Kitayama-no-Dai in the northern part of Kyoto.

Zhu Yin walked north along the bustling Suzaku Avenue, admiring Heian-kyo along the way.

Although Heian-kyo in Japan was built in imitation of Chang'an and Luoyang in the Tang Dynasty, it is no longer what it used to be and its former glory is gone.

More than a hundred years ago, during the Ōnin War, Heian-kyo suffered great damage, and the once magnificent Imperial Palace, the "Gosho," was burned down.

Like Chang'an and Luoyang in the Central Plains, Heian-kyo, which had been glorious for more than 600 years, declined.

However, although the inner palace of Heian-kyo is not what it used to be, the outer city is still bustling and prosperous, with rows of buildings, and the outer city walls still stand as they were.

As one of Japan's largest cities with a population of 200,000, it remains the most desirable place for Japanese people.

Kyoto was home not only to more than a thousand nobles and members of the imperial family, but also to many samurai nobles, wealthy merchants from Sakai, and Westerners.

Even Hideyoshi's Jurakudai, Fushimi Castle, and his tomb after his death were all located in Heian-kyo.

Kyoto was the silk capital of Japan, with tens of thousands of weavers whose silk supplied the entire country. There were also over ten thousand monks and priests. The five legally operating brothels in Kyoto, tacitly approved by Hideyoshi, housed several thousand courtesans.

Its prosperity is evident.

People at the time described it as: "The oxcarts of high-ranking officials and the merchants of the southern barbarians travel side by side, and the sound of samurai swords and looms resonates together."

Although Hideyoshi left Kyoto, he stationed 8,000 troops there to maintain order and ensure security. Of course, this was also to control the court nobles and the imperial family in Kyoto.

These 8,000 troops were commanded by Toyotomi Hidetsugu, the current regent, Hideyoshi's adopted son, and crown prince, who was stationed at Jurakudai.

In addition to the 8,000 troops commanded by Toyotomi Hidetsugu, there were also 2,000 monk soldiers from various temples and private soldiers from noble families in Kyoto.

In total, the entire Kyoto garrison numbered ten thousand.

Although Heian-kyo has lost many things from its former glory, it has gained some new ones: a Western-style church, which the Japanese call "Nanban-ji".

Today is a Christian Sunday, and Zhu Yin happened to hear the sounds of mass and hymns being sung as he passed by.

Zhu Yin turned his head and looked at the oak cross on the church by the street, his gaze deep and unfathomable.

Five years ago, Hideyoshi issued the "Bantenren Expulsion Edict," ordering the expulsion of missionaries. However, it was not actually enforced; churches still existed throughout the country, and the number of Christians in Japan actually increased to over 300,000.

He knew very well that, historically, a few years later, Hideyoshi would ruthlessly suppress Christianity, and this church would be destroyed.

Sugihara Ieji, who was leading the way on horseback, also turned his head and glanced coldly at the church, his eyes filled with hidden murderous intent.

Xu Wei said in a low voice, "I never expected that Kyoto, the capital of Japan, would have such a grand atmosphere."

Zhu Yin and his entourage walked north along Zhuque Avenue for several miles before finally seeing the Imperial Palace.

So, the Imperial Palace is this small.

After the Imperial Palace was destroyed, the Muromachi Shogunate rebuilt the Imperial Palace on the original site, but the scale was reduced to one-tenth of the original, and it was much simpler. The main reconstruction was of the Shishinden Hall, which had the highest level of ceremony.

After the palace was rebuilt, even the city walls were gone, and it was only surrounded by earthen ramparts and bamboo fences, relying on the protection of officials and monk soldiers, but it still retained traditional names such as Xuanwu Gate and Zhuque Gate.

The once towering city gate is now just a bamboo and wood fence and an earthen wall, barely a few feet high. But above the Vermilion Bird Gate is a huge chrysanthemum pattern, representing the imperial family.

However, although the Imperial Palace is only one-tenth the size of its original self, it still covers more than a hundred acres. The main hall, Zichen Hall, is still the tallest hall in the city, and it still looks somewhat majestic and imposing.

There were also many soldiers around the palace, numbering over a thousand, making it a heavily guarded area. It's unclear who they were guarding against.

As we passed the Imperial Palace, we heard the sound of a koto coming from inside; it was a piece called "The Sound of Pine Trees".

"It is His Majesty's own music on the zither," Yamashina Yoshitsugu said. "His Majesty knew that the Ming envoy had come, so he played the zither to express his greetings."

Zhu Yin could only bow in the direction of the Imperial Palace, but inwardly he chuckled to himself.

What a load of rubbish! Do you think I don't know anything about the zither? I've already mastered the art of the zither.

The music played by Emperor Shujin clearly carried an air of worry and melancholy.

Zhu Yin said, "After I have burned incense and bathed, I will bring the official letter into the palace and hold the ceremony of presenting the official letter."

Kanshuji Harutoyo asked, "Your Excellency, may I take a look at the official letter first?"

Sugihara Ieji smiled slightly. Of course, he already knew the contents of the letter. His tone was very stern and extremely disrespectful to the Emperor.

However, in his letter, Taiko said that by allowing the Ming envoy to deliver the letter, he should use the Ming envoy to remind His Majesty that the court cannot do without him and the military family.

Zhu Yin smiled apologetically and said, "I am very sorry, but the letter can only be delivered to your sovereign and cannot be read in advance."

Upon hearing this, Yamashina Yoshitsugu frowned slightly. Now that the two countries are at war tomorrow and have become enemy states, how could the Ming emperor's letter possibly be polite?

Why did Hideyoshi allow the Ming envoy to come to Kyoto to deliver his credentials?

This is really unreasonable!

After passing the Imperial Palace, you'll reach the Koke-machi (Gongke Town). This is a large cluster of courtyards, covering over a thousand acres, with the residences of court nobles scattered like stars in the sky. The courtyards are low, quiet, elegant, and serene.

Even the trees and stone beasts bear the marks of history. Against the backdrop of white snow, plum blossoms are in full bloom in many courtyards, filling the air with fragrance and bringing life to the ancient and tranquil settlements.

Almost all the noble families of Heian-kyo, namely the Five Regents, the Seika, the Ministers, and the Imperial Guards, lived in this area.

Each family had a different family crest on its lintel, representing different social statuses. Zhu Yin saw the peony crest of the Konoe family, the wisteria crest of the Kujo family, the quince crest of the Saionji family... The families closest to the Imperial Palace were the Five Regents, followed by the Seika family... It was a strict hierarchy.

Once here, the previous noise was gone, and the surroundings became much quieter, with even the faint chanting of the temple echoing in the air.

After passing Kogyocho, you'll reach the famous Jurakudai.

Six years ago, Toyotomi Hideyoshi spent two years and 30,000 laborers building the magnificent Jurakudai on a high ground north of Kyoto.

They further widened the Horikawa River, connecting the commercial district with the samurai residences, creating a huge samurai settlement area.

Juroku, meaning "the world of joy" in Buddhism, reveals Hideyoshi's ambition.

The settlement, perched high on the northern plateau, overlooks the Imperial Palace and the court nobles' quarters. It exudes a strong Tang Dynasty atmosphere and boasts a magnificent landscape, covering an area of ​​over 300 acres, more than twice the size of the Imperial Palace.

The settlement is not only majestic and imposing, but also modeled after Tang Dynasty architecture, so the exterior does not show any trace of the Wu family's architectural style.

If you didn't know better, you'd think the settlement was the imperial palace.

Such a blatant transgression of ritual regulations is something even Wang Mang and Zhao Jian would not do.

Hideyoshi ascended to the position of Kanpaku (regent) at Juraku-dai. Emperor Shujin even led his court nobles to Juraku-dai to visit Hideyoshi.

The residences of great samurai such as Kato Kiyomasa and Fukushima Masanori were all built around Jurakudai.

Hideyoshi lived in Jurakudai for three years before moving to Osaka Castle, where he gave Jurakudai and the position of Kanpaku to his adopted son, Toyotomi Hidetsugu.

Therefore, the settlement is now inhabited by Toyotomi Hidetsugu.

As soon as the group arrived near the settlement, they saw a samurai slashing at a townsman on the street not far away.

With a "thud," the townsman's head flew into the air, and his body fell to the ground.

However, the samurai continued to swing his sword, shouting excitedly as he chopped the townsman into eight pieces, leaving a bloody mess on the snow, a glaring sight.

"Sugihara-kun!" Kanshuji Harutoyo exclaimed angrily, "Isn't this samurai testing his sword far too often?!"

"They kill someone and then don't clean up. They make a mess of it everywhere."

"Lord Kanpaku (Hidetsugu) loves to kill, and so do the samurai under his command."

Sugihara Ieji sneered, "What use is an old townman? He'd be better off being used as a test subject for a samurai, which would save some food."

"Lord Shikibu-no-kami, I advise you to mind your own business and not invite trouble. If your words reach the ears of the Regent (Hidetsugu), he might come to see you with his sword."

Kenshuji Harutoyo and Yamashina Gensuke sighed and could only remain silent.

The Ming people in the delegation were used to seeing Japanese samurai killing people in the street again.

Upon hearing the name Toyotomi Hidetsugu, Zhu Yin couldn't help but smile slightly.

Heh, a killer, huh?

After passing the settlement and walking a short distance, we finally saw the north gate of Kyoto: Xuanwu Gate.

During the Heian period, nobles often traveled through Genbu Gate to visit Mount Hiei.

Stepping out of Xuanwu Gate, one is greeted by graceful snow-covered trees and enchanting snow-capped mountains. Nestled amidst these mountains and waters lies a vast, tranquil courtyard.

The surrounding area was filled with the sounds of chanting and the gentle chimes of bells and chimes.

Beishan No. 1!
The guesthouse at Beishandi is built in the Tang Dynasty style. The guest courtyard is modeled after the scenery of West Lake in Hangzhou. It was built by Ashikaga Yoshimitsu to cater to the Ming Dynasty envoys.

The present-day Kitayama Residence was rebuilt after the Ōnin War and became the de facto official residence of the Kyoto court. At that time, Ryukyu envoys who came to Kyoto still lived there.

Zhu Yin entered Beishan Residence, as if he had returned to the Tang Dynasty.

The residences of high-ranking officials often featured an open-style "palace-like" layout, typically in the form of Tang-style pavilions and towers. The front of the residence emphasized east-west symmetry, with deep courtyards, winding paths leading to secluded spots, courtyards, gardens, and rockeries. The murals depicted snow, moon, flowers, and birds representing the four seasons, exuding the elegance and charm of the Tang Dynasty.

In contrast, samurai residences are quite different. Samurai families often use the "Shoin-zukuri" style, which is simple in construction, highly practical, uses more stone and less wood, and often features castle towers. They place great emphasis on defense, such as heavily fortified stone walls and fortified fortresses.

Zhu Yin naturally preferred the style of courtyards associated with high-ranking officials.

The Ming Dynasty Records state: "In the fourth year of the Yongle reign, an envoy named Zhao Juren was sent to his country and lodged at his residence in Beishan. He was treated with great courtesy."

Zhao Juren, the Ming Dynasty envoy, stayed here. Nearly two hundred years later, I myself am now living in Beishan Residence!
...

Zhu Yin had been staying at the hotel for a short time when it was getting dark.

The dinner bell rang on time, and the Japanese side delivered their evening meal.

Even the food in Kyoto is different from other places. Kyoto was the seat of the imperial court and a gathering place for nobles, so the recipes are ancient and traditional.

Nobles and nobles preferred refined rice, which had a mild flavor. Samurai preferred brown rice, which had a strong flavor.

The nobles preferred freshwater fish from Lake Biwa and rarely ate seafood, considering it coarse food. The samurai, however, primarily consumed sea fish.

The nobility favored Tang-style tableware and enjoyed drinking sake. The samurai class typically used pottery and wooden utensils and preferred strong spirits like shochu.

The nobility ate elaborate meals, strictly adhering to the appointed times. The military, however, were much more casual.

The nobles adhered to the old customs of the Tang Dynasty and insisted on separate meals. The military families preferred to share meals using large dishes.

In Zhu Yin's view, high-ranking officials and warriors were like the chrysanthemum and the sword.

After Zhu Yin finished his evening meal, a courtesan named Yun came to brew tea.

The tea ceremony also differed between the court nobles and the samurai. The court nobles preferred aristocratic tea, while the samurai preferred wabi-cha.

Zhu Yin discovered that the tea served by nobles and officials was more like the tea ceremony of the Song Dynasty.

This elegant and refined residence is also very similar to those in the Central Plains.

Besides classics, historical texts, philosophical works, writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, the room contained many Tang Dynasty artifacts. Even the curtains in the room were made of Tang Dynasty silk.

During the Nara period, the "Yōrō Edict" stipulated that Tang dynasty silk and porcelain were reserved for use only by members of the imperial family and high-ranking nobles. Tang items were considered symbols of status, as Emperor Saga wrote in a poem:
"My home is truly impressive when it is filled with Tang Dynasty artifacts."

Of course, nowadays, samurai families imitate the etiquette of court nobles; for example, Oda Nobunaga learned court noble attire, and Toyotomi Hideyoshi pursued Tang dynasty-style tea utensils. Tang dynasty items are no longer exclusive to court nobles.

But the fact that there are so many Tang Dynasty items in this envoy's residence shows that it is not a simple place.

Zhu Yin asked and learned that most of the Tang Dynasty items in the study were furnishings from when Zhao Juren stayed there.

It turned out that after receiving Hideyoshi's secret letter, Sugihara Ieji dared not neglect Zhu Yin and deliberately prepared this top-class residence "filled with Tang Dynasty artifacts".

Zhu Yin picked up a piece of porcelain, stroking the patterns on it, and couldn't help but reminisce about the heyday of the Ming Dynasty. When Zhao Juren, the Ming envoy, went to Japan and made Ashikaga Yoshimitsu submit to the Ming Dynasty as a vassal, the Ming Dynasty was truly a superior nation, full of vigor and pride.

Now times have changed, and Japan has come to look down on the Ming Dynasty so much.

Zhu Yin couldn't help but wonder how he should treat Zhu Di if he were to actually reclaim the throne of the eldest son's family.

What a contradiction!

Sipping his tea and watching the snow outside the window, Zhu Yin's thoughts drifted away from Heian-kyo and soared over the sea.

He seemed to see a fleet of ships with huge warships sailing through the misty ocean.

...

It was getting late, and the lights in the Imperial Palace were dim.

Yamashina Kensuke entered the Imperial Palace and arrived at the Shishin Hall.

Centered on the Zichen Hall, buildings such as the Qingliang Hall and the Changyu Hall are symmetrically distributed to the east and west. The garden is planted with the Sakon Cherry and Ukon Orange trees, which symbolize imperial power.

The Shishinden Hall was the venue for important ceremonies such as the enthronement ceremony and the Nijinsai (New Rice Sacrifice). Emperor Shunin was certainly not in the Shishinden Hall at this time, but rather in the Tokosho (Regular Palace).

Yamashina Kensuke looked at the Zichen Palace with a gloomy expression and went to the Changyu Palace behind it.

The Togosho was the emperor's daily residence, a place for reading, composing waka poems, holding tea ceremonies, and receiving court nobles.

Yamashina Tomonori trudged through the snow to the corridor, looked at the Tsunegokusho under the dim lights, and couldn't help but sigh softly.

The furnishings inside the Imperial Palace were described as having "mostly faded lacquerware and old curtains." The Emperor's everyday attire consisted of "three silk robes, without any brocade or embroidery."

The Emperor's meals consisted of only "three dishes and one soup." He also used simple tea utensils such as Shino tea bowls.

The roof leaks and is patched with thatch; the painted pillars fade and are not repaired.

The number of attendants in the Imperial Palace was only about a hundred, and the female officials were mostly wives and daughters of noble families.

His Majesty recites the Heart Sutra daily, and even when he holds "Imperial Song Gatherings" with his ministers, he mostly talks about the scenery of the four seasons and dares not discuss important military and national affairs.

His Majesty not only lost his ruling power and became the "seal" of the samurai family, but even his personal freedom was restricted.

Even refined pursuits such as ceremonies, tea ceremonies, and waka poetry were beginning to be usurped by the samurai.

Hideyoshi called himself the Tea Saint, monopolized the tea ceremony, designated his own tea bowls as famous items throughout the land, and frequently hosted waka poetry gatherings and Noh plays.

These great cultural undertakings were originally overseen by the royal family.

Just as Yamashina Kensei was about to enter, he saw a solitary figure standing by the window of the inner hall.

The figure sighed, "Only matters concerning the gods are handled by the martial arts school."

"The moon over the Forbidden Garden is in the hands of the Wu family."

"I am like a crane in a cage. A prisoner of the throne! A prisoner of the throne!"

"The moon shines brightly in the Imperial Palace courtyard, yet the hand that illuminates the world is hidden among the clouds of the samurai clan. Alas!"

Yamashina Kenshin stepped in and said:

"Your Majesty, be careful what you say, lest someone overhear you!"

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(End of this chapter)