Di Ming

Chapter 327 "From this day forward, the Japanese court is in the hands of the Ming Dynasty!"

The Japanese emperor and his officials could hardly believe that the rebel soldiers attacking Kamo Taisha were actually a Ming Dynasty delegation!
How is this possible? Is there some mistake?
The mission had traveled a long way across the ocean, so it definitely needed a guard to protect it. Otherwise, what would they do if they encountered bandits or pirates?
Therefore, it is permissible for a mission to bring a guard. As long as the number is small and they do not carry firearms, there is no problem.

The number of guards of the Ming delegation was registered when they entered the city: 385 armored soldiers, without firearms.

A guard of less than three or four hundred men, not many at all.

When Japanese envoys visited the Ming Dynasty, they were always accompanied by hundreds of samurai to guard against robbery.

Moreover, the Wu family has repeatedly reported that the Ming Dynasty now prioritizes civil affairs over military matters, and that the Ming army is weak and incompetent, no match for the warriors of the Divine Kingdom. Let alone three or four hundred men, even if a thousand entered the capital, what could they do?

Because they underestimated the Ming army, Emperor Zhouren and his ministers had no idea what the Ming army dared to do or what they were capable of doing.
"Are you telling the truth?!" Konoe Genju shouted. "Look closely, is it really a Ming Dynasty delegation?"

Before he could finish speaking, another blood-soaked samurai rushed into the innermost shrine hall, shouting, "Your Majesty the Emperor! The Ming army is about to storm the shrine!"

Only then did everyone believe that it really was a Ming Dynasty delegation.

“The Ming people are incredibly audacious.” Zhou Ren’s face was ashen. “Gentlemen, let’s go and see for ourselves.”

"I refuse to believe that this small Ming army can breach the Kamo Shrine!"

However, when he cautiously led everyone to the vicinity of the torii gate, he was horrified.

The sounds of fighting, screams, roars, blades piercing flesh, and arrows whistling through the air mingled together, creating a terrifying atmosphere.

The ferocity of the battle far exceeded their expectations. Despite their numerical advantage, the defending forces were completely outnumbered, suffering two to three hundred casualties!
Most of the arquebusiers behind him died from arrow wounds. Almost all of those arrows bypassed their armor and struck their faces.

Inside and outside the torii gate, which was more than three zhang wide, blood flowed like a river, a sight too gruesome to bear, littered with the corpses of warriors from the Divine Kingdom. Even in the dead of winter, the intense stench of blood was so strong it was impossible to dispel.

Although the Ming army was much smaller in number, it was extremely fierce and ruthless, each soldier like a god of death.

The most terrifying one was a fierce man wearing a mask and wielding a spiked club. He was at least six and a half feet tall (195), like a peerless warrior. Almost every time he struck, a warrior was either killed or injured.

The other Ming soldiers were also significantly stronger than the warriors. They were not only much taller than the warriors, but also much more ferocious and skilled in battle, like a pack of crazed wild beasts.

A large group of samurai, wielding katana, blocked the torii gate, but were unable to hold them off.

If it weren't for the large number of corpses blocking the gate, forming a wall of corpses, the Ming army would probably have already stormed in.

Upon witnessing this scene, the Japanese emperor and his ministers felt their legs go weak and their faces turn ashen.

Aren't the warriors of the Divine Kingdom invincible? They are warlike and martial, practice Bushido, and are protected by Hachiman, Kasuga Myojin, and Bishamonten. How could they not defeat the Ming army?
Wasn't the Ming army supposed to be weak and incompetent? Why are they so fierce that even strong and skilled warriors can't withstand them?
It's no wonder that the Japanese emperor and his ministers found it hard to understand, because the Japanese army had suffered nearly 300 casualties, while the Ming army had only suffered more than 30 casualties.

It would take the casualties of seven or eight Japanese soldiers to equal the casualties of one Ming soldier. How could they possibly bear that psychologically?
Break the defense.

It's not surprising, really. Whether it was Nurhaci's direct subordinates or Zhu Yin's personal guards, their individual combat strength and fighting spirit far surpassed those of ordinary elite troops, making them incomparable to ordinary Japanese samurai.

In addition, they have iron armor, which makes them more protective, allowing them to fight against a large number of enemies and still maintain the upper hand.

In other words, the Japanese army believed in Bushido and their fighting spirit was indeed tenacious; otherwise, they would have collapsed long ago.

If it were the North Korean army, even if their forces were twice as large, they would have scattered by now.

Even the Japanese army, supported by Bushido, could not hold out for long under the fierce attacks of the Ming army.

Emperor Zhouren and his courtiers looked beyond the battlefield toward Zhu Yin, the chief envoy of the Ming army's delegation at the very back.

It's him!

At this moment, the young envoy stood on a rock about sixty or seventy paces away, his gaze coldly fixed on the Kamo Shrine, his eyes fixed on it menacingly.

He wore a magnificent suit of armor, covered by a crimson cloak, like a red flame amidst the white snow.

This doesn't look like a teenager at all! This looks exactly like the evil Kagutsuchi god who burned his mother Izanami!
Just two days ago, he was insulted and kicked out of the Zichen Palace, given three days to leave the capital.

But only two days later, he dared to lead a delegation to attack Kamo Shrine!

It was only then that the Japanese emperor and his officials realized that this seemingly young and unbelievable envoy was actually a ruthless person.

You really underestimated them.

Emperor Shujin was shocked and furious, and felt extremely humiliated, but he quickly recovered.

"Konoe!" The Emperor looked at the nine Konoe no Genju (Primordial Guards), "Tell the samurai that the monks from Mount Hiei and the samurai in the castle will soon come to the Emperor's aid. Tell them not to give up and to hold out until reinforcements arrive."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Konoe Genju stepped forward and shouted, "Protect His Majesty the Emperor! Reinforcements from Mount Hiei and the castle are almost here! Hold on!"

"For the safety of His Majesty and the court, I beg you!"

"Please!" A large group of noble officials bowed and saluted the Japanese soldiers who were fighting a bloody battle.

Kikutei Haruki shouted, "The reinforcements to aid the emperor are almost here! Hold on!"

"I will give my life for my country! I will protect His Majesty! Banzai!"

The warriors roared hysterically in unison, "We will fight to the death for our country! We will protect His Majesty!"

"Onboard load! Onboard load! Onboard load!"

Even with nearly half of their troops killed or wounded, the remaining few hundred Japanese soldiers were still incredibly motivated, charging forward relentlessly to hold the torii gate and block the Ming army's advance.

His Majesty the Emperor is watching them!

However, the Ming army was simply too powerful. Even though they fought bravely for the Emperor, they suffered heavy casualties, essentially sacrificing their lives to hold off the reinforcements that came to the Emperor's aid.

Xu Wei, who was watching the battle from behind the Ming army, said with a solemn expression:

"The Japanese pirates are as fierce and stubborn as ever, a tough nut to crack. Our army of three hundred elite soldiers has already suffered thirty or forty casualties, but we still haven't been able to break through."

Xu Wei couldn't help but feel a little worried. The Japanese army numbered in the hundreds of thousands, both domestically and internationally. If they all fought this desperately, how could they possibly conquer the country?

It's strange, these samurai are clearly from samurai families, but when the Japanese king is in danger, they fight to the death for him. It's really incomprehensible.

"My lord, although the Japanese king is a puppet, he can still inspire the Japanese people and boost the morale of the Japanese army. His prestige should not be underestimated. No wonder you are so determined to capture him."

"However, the Japanese army is at its last gasp and won't hold out for long. Our army will soon break through their defenses. The Japanese emperor and his officials won't foolishly hide in the temple; they might try to escape. The surrounding area is all forest; if they flee into the woods..."

Zhu Yin smiled slightly, looking at the little black dog at his feet, "They can't escape. Even if they hide in a mouse hole, my beloved dog will find them."

After Zhu Yin finished speaking, he pointed to the young man deep inside the shrine, who was wearing a yellow-dyed sacrificial robe, a black lacquered ceremonial crown, and holding an ivory tablet. "Little Black, you see him, right? That's him, Tenko Zhouren."

The little black dog's ears twitched, its eyes fixed on the Japanese Emperor with a half-smile.

It remembered.

Xu Wei looked northeast. "Was the Yasebashi Bridge destroyed by Zheng Guowang? Would Zheng Guowang really mess things up at a crucial moment?"

Zhu Yin said, "This person is no ordinary person. During the suppression of the rebellion in the Northwest, she rode a horse and fought the enemy. She is not just a simple scholar. In addition, she has sixty Zheng family loyalists and twenty Jurchen warriors. There should be no problems."

Zhu Yin still had confidence in Zheng Guowang. Although he was his political enemy, Zheng Guowang was also the most outstanding talent in the Zheng family, possessing both literary and military skills.

Xu Wei was relieved. "As long as the monks from Mount Hiei don't get here in time, we'll be safe!"

……

Just as the Ming army was about to storm the Kamo Shrine, a fierce battle was taking place in the Yase Gorge, not far from there.

Mount Hiei is very close to Kamo Shrine; it only takes about 15 minutes to get there by foot.

Upon seeing the flames at Kamo Shrine, the head priest of Enryaku-ji Temple immediately left only two hundred men to guard the temple and personally led eight hundred monks to rush to the emperor's aid.

However, upon reaching the Yase Gorge, at its most dangerous point, they were ambushed by the enemy!

Even at this point, they still didn't know who the enemy was!
Zheng Guowang led sixty private soldiers and twenty Jurchen soldiers, guarding the narrow canyon that could only be passed by three people side by side from a high vantage point, while sending men to cut down the Yasei Bridge below the canyon.

The shouts of battle echoed through the valley.

The monks to the north number at least eight hundred, but they are situated in a winding and narrow canyon area, making it impossible for them to deploy their forces effectively.

To the right was a rock wall several meters high, which was difficult to climb, and to the left was a stream several meters deep. The road was less than one meter wide, and the higher ground was still in the hands of the Ming army. The terrain was extremely unfavorable to the monk soldiers.

The head of Enryaku-ji Temple also realized that the enemy seemed to number less than a hundred, but despite having an overwhelming numerical advantage, he was unable to utilize it.

However, in order to serve the king, the abbot of Yanliku Temple could only chant the Buddha's name to encourage the monks to fight to the death and clear the road.

He was dressed in ceremonial robes and armor, wielding a katana decorated with Buddhist patterns and symbolizing divine protection in one hand, and raising prayer beads in the other, chanting incantations:
"Namo Tiantai Master!"

"Seven Shamans of Sannoh, Demon-Slaying Sword! Slash!"

"May the Dharma protectors vanquish the demons! May you be reborn in the Pure Land!"

"Vajradhatu Mandala! Subdue it!"

The conch shells rang out, the five-colored Buddhist banners were raised, and the monk soldiers roared together. As if protected by the Buddha's teachings, they brandished their weapons, such as naginata and demon-slaying arrows, and charged at the Ming army who were holding the strategic position.

"Kill!" Zheng Guowang, clad in iron armor and surrounded by elite warriors, led his troops to defend the strategic pass, which was easy to defend but difficult to attack.

"Whoosh whoosh!"

Demon-slaying arrows, engraved with Buddhist symbols for subduing demons, rained down. At the same time, arrows from the Ming army were also fired in succession.

The Jurchen warriors' arrows, in particular, were both deadly and accurate. With only twenty men, they killed or wounded nearly twenty monk soldiers in a single volley, their arrows almost never missing their mark.

The monks' unique mountain-coiled armor was hardly able to withstand the Jurchens' armor-piercing heavy arrows.

The Ming army's archery skills startled the monk soldiers.

But the monk soldiers still shouted slogans and roared in unison, charging forward recklessly, and soon they were engaged in hand-to-hand combat. "Protect Fourth Master!"

"The Ming Dynasty will win!"

"Kill! Protect Fourth Master!"

Clad in iron armor, Zheng's retainers charged forward, brandishing their weapons and slashing fiercely. These were loyal soldiers who served Zheng, well-fed with gold, silver, and beautiful women; they were all brave warriors selected from Cangzhou, a place renowned for its martial arts.

They not only practiced martial arts from a young age, but were also fellow townsmen from Cangzhou, known for their martial spirit. Many of them were from the same school or clan, forming a strong sense of unity. They also valued their reputation highly, making them the most martial group in the Zhili region.

Even though the monk soldiers were fearless, when they encountered these Cangzhou warriors, they were like a raging python whose head had been severed, its sharpness instantly broken.

These Zheng family warriors were not good at military formations or coordinated combat, but their individual fighting skills surpassed those of the Jurchen warriors and Zhu family retainers!

That's right. The strongest soldiers in the delegation in close combat were not Nurhaci's Jurchen soldiers, nor Zhu Yin's servants, but these Cangzhou warriors who had practiced martial arts since childhood!
Especially in terrain unsuitable for military formations, their individual martial arts skills became even more apparent. This is why Zhu Yin had confidence in them.

Even the Jurchen warriors present couldn't help but look on in surprise: they never expected that the Han warriors were so skilled in battle!
The monks' desperate charge not only failed to succeed, but also resulted in dozens of them being killed or wounded by the Ming army. Their corpses blocked the canyon, and the wounded screamed as they fell into the stream.

"Subdue demons and monsters! Reach paradise! Attack!"

"If the descendants of Amaterasu (the Emperor) perish, we monks will be gravely sinful and forever condemned to Avici Hell!"

At the stern shout of the Enryakuji abbot, the monk soldiers once again launched a desperate attack on the slippery snow, as if possessed by demons.

Carrying rattan shields and draped in mountain armor, they charged upwards in threes, fearless of death.

Looking at these monks who had gone mad, Zheng Guowang couldn't help but curse:
"Are these bald monks really monks? Madmen! Madmen!"

"Send a few more men to cut down the bridge!" she ordered her bodyguards. "No need to protect the master! The master is not a woman! You all go and cut down the bridge too! Quickly!"

Another round of bloody battle has begun. When two armies meet on a narrow path, it's truly a head-on clash!

Zheng Guowang only brought eighty men, but only sixty of them actually participated in the ambush; the other twenty went to cut down the bridge.

Yasebashi Bridge is the only wooden bridge across the Yasebashi River, which is part of Lake Biwa. Although it is only about 40-50 meters wide, the river is very deep and the current is quite rapid, so it does not freeze.

Twenty Zheng family assassins went down into the icy river and swung their swords at the bridge pillars made of thick trees.

Setting the bridge on fire would have been the simplest solution, but after days of rain and snow, the wooden bridge was very damp, and without a large amount of kerosene, it was impossible to burn it down.

Oil is a contraband and not easy to find. Even if you do find it, it's easy for ninjas to detect.

The wooden bridge was only five zhang long and one zhang wide, but it had more than a dozen bridge pillars, resembling a giant centipede lying across the river. The people not only had to cut down the bridge pillars, but they couldn't cut them completely; they also had to tie ropes to the bridge body in preparation for pulling it down.

Amidst the clanging of logs and flying sawdust, soon only the central section of the massive bridge pillar remained.

As the river water crashed against the bridge, the entire structure began to tremble.

"Fourth Master!" the assassin who had been cutting the bridge shouted as he leaped onto the wooden bridge, "We can retreat now!"

Zheng Guowang shouted, "Withdraw!"

Dozens of Ming soldiers abandoned their fortified pass and charged toward the wooden bridge. The Jurchen warriors covering the rear turned and fired arrows.

By the time they reached the bridge, the monk soldiers had not yet reached the pass they had previously defended.

As soon as the monk soldiers reached the pass, the Ming army crossed the swaying wooden bridge to the other side.

Zheng Guowang waved his hand, and a group of Ming soldiers immediately pulled up the ropes.

"One! Two! Three! Pull—!"

With a sickening crack, the already fragile wooden bridge tilted violently.

Then, with a loud "boom," it collapsed completely.

"Take the wounded and go!" Zheng Guowang only had time to glance at them before ordering, "Mount up! Head to Yichengsi Slope!"

She came with eighty people, and when she left, there were still sixty-six of them.

The monks were dumbfounded when they saw the surging river, four or five zhang wide, below the high cliff.

Nani? !
……

Just as Zheng Guowang was rushing to Ichijōji Slope, Zhu Yin finally breached the Kamo Shrine.

The Japanese emperor and his retainers never received reinforcements to come to the rescue.

Most of the more than 700 Japanese soldiers were killed in battle, and the few remaining Japanese soldiers, in despair, completely lost the courage to resist and fled in panic.

Because the Emperor and his court nobles had also climbed over the wall and escaped.

Very embarrassed.

Of the three hundred Ming soldiers, fewer than sixty were killed or wounded, and fewer than twenty died in battle, yet they killed more than five hundred Japanese soldiers.

"Escape?" Zhu Yin entered the shrine, sword in hand. "You can't escape. Xiao Hei, after them!"

Xiao Hei immediately gave chase, and the Ming soldiers followed, disappearing into the forest.

In less than fifteen minutes, Xiao Hei discovered Emperor Zhouren, members of the imperial family, and more than a hundred ministers and officials in a hidden stone cave in the forest.

"Woof woof woof!" Little Black barked wildly at the cave entrance, and the Ming soldiers rushed in, immediately followed by cries of alarm from inside.

The Japanese emperor and his officials were surprised that the Ming army found such a hidden place so quickly.

Is that the dog? It's truly a ghost dog from hell.

The Ming army, as fierce as wolves and tigers, stormed into the cave and captured the Japanese emperor and his ministers.

Immediately, all the prisoners were brought out. When the Japanese emperor and his officials saw Zhu Yin, they turned ashen-faced, as if they had seen a demon.

"Envoy of Ming!" Zhou Ren said boldly, "You are guests on our mission to our country. Why do you do this? Is this in accordance with national etiquette? How can your country command respect? I am the Emperor of Japan!"

Zhu Yin said sternly, "Initially, the First Emperor sent Xu Fu to Japan, and Xu Fu then declared himself emperor. He was your ancestor! Your family has become kings overseas, cutting yourself off from China. You are traitors to the Qin Dynasty, yet you dare to close your doors and act arrogantly, even proclaiming yourselves emperors!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Ren trembled with anger.

What?! My ancestor was Xu Fu? How come I didn't know that? What gives you the right to find my ancestors?!
In fact, he himself didn't know whether Xu Fu was his ancestor or not.

Because the origins of the royal ancestors are shrouded in mystery, and those mysterious records are unreliable, Zhou Ren himself felt that they might not be true.

However, he would never admit that Xu Fu was the first emperor.

Upon hearing this, most of the officials trembled with anger, but a few seemed to have some thoughts on the matter.

Even in Japan, there have been people who have suspected since ancient times that Xu Fu might have been Emperor Jimmu.

Zhu Yin, from a later era, was 80% certain that Xu Fu was Emperor Jimmu. Xu Fu and Emperor Jimmu might be the same person.

Although the Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan) records Emperor Jimmu's era as the Spring and Autumn Period of China, more than four hundred years earlier than the Qin Dynasty in which Xu Fu lived, the dates seem inconsistent—

However, the Nihon Shoki was a historical book compiled during the Tang Dynasty, and it followed the historical tradition of the Tang Dynasty, which was more than a thousand years ago.

This kind of thing is just made up stories; how can it really be considered history?

Using this kind of thing to determine that Emperor Jimmu's era was the Spring and Autumn Period is just nonsense.
To use this as a basis to say that Emperor Jimmu lived hundreds of years earlier than Xu Fu and therefore they were not the same person is simply being dishonest.

Even Japanese historical records generally acknowledge that the so-called Emperor Jimmu came from Kyushu Island. And Kyushu Island is close to China.

Zhu Yin continued shouting:

"During the Han Dynasty, the imperial court bestowed upon Japan the title of 'King of Han Wa'! During the Tang Dynasty, at the request of Wa, the imperial court changed the name of Wa and granted the country the title of Japan!"

"In the fourth year of the Yongle reign, Zhao Juren, the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies of the Ming Dynasty, was sent as an envoy to Japan by imperial decree! Japan recognized the Ming Dynasty as its suzerain state, submitted to the Ming, and established the proper etiquette between ruler and subject!"

"History is as ironclad as a record, how can it be denied! Since ancient times, Japan has been a subject of China!"

"The Japanese, as vassals, dare to rebel against the Celestial Empire and commit treason; their crimes are unforgivable!"

Upon hearing this, the Japanese emperor and his ministers were struck dumb, as if petrified, and dared not utter a word.

Zhu Yin's tone suddenly softened, but his expression became indifferent.

"Since Japan is unwilling to be a subject of China and even wants to rebel against the Heavenly Gang, then... let's destroy it."

"I will petition the Emperor to destroy the Japanese state."

"Guards, take the Japanese king back with you."

Zhou Ren's legs gave way and he collapsed to the ground.

Nurhaci gave a signal, and Eidu, covered in blood and with a ferocious expression, stepped forward and picked up Zhou Ren like an eagle snatching a chick.

More than 120 high-ranking officials of the fifth rank or above, and dozens of members of the royal family, were all imprisoned.

The Japanese Imperial Family and the Imperial Court are all here.

Zhu Yin said, "You are the Japanese Imperial Court. From this day forward, the Japanese Imperial Court is in the hands of the Ming Dynasty!"

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(End of this chapter)