1932: Playing with the Japanese Communist Party with a doll

As he spoke, Fujiwara no Kanezane bowed to the east and said:

"It is precisely because I feel the Emperor's kindness and majesty that I issued such an order!" "Let me tell you, I came to Kansai this time for only three things!"

"Reduce the rent! Reduce the rent! Reduce the fucking rent!"

"Hurry up and tell me, thank you Emperor... Your Majesty!"

"

After a moment of hesitation, the group of people began to shout in a daze: "Thank you, His Majesty the Emperor!"

The sounds that rose and fell seemed chaotic at first, but later they became a unified "The sky is dark and the card is loaded." "That's right!"

Fujiwara no Kanezane waved his hand to Terauchi Hisaichi and others who had rushed out after hearing the gunshots, and then shouted to the people:

That's all! Go home! Don't crowd around the barracks! Those who need rent or interest reductions should go ask the Fujiwara clan stewards in various places! If they dare to commit corruption or abuse the power, come find me! After sending the grateful people home, Fujiwara no Kanezane strode towards Terauchi Hisaichi and apologized:

"I'm sorry to trouble you, Lord Terauchi."

"...Your Highness..."

Terauchi Hisaichi gave a wry smile, pulled Fujiwara Kanezane aside, and asked cautiously and uncertainly:

"You...are you really following the Emperor's orders to order the Fujiwara clan to reduce rent and interest for these peasants? Even for the entire Kansai area?" "Huh?"

Fujiwara Kanezane pretended to be puzzled and said:

"Although His Majesty hasn't explicitly stated it, but... well, anyway, is there anything wrong with spreading His Majesty's kindness to the people?"

Alas... Your Highness, you are still..."

Terauchi Juichi sighed, giving a look that said, "You're too young!" Without saying anything more, he hurried off to report today's events to his superiors. Fujiwara Kanezane blinked, chuckling inwardly.

Hehe, it is true.

Do you really think Fujiwara no Kanezane would be so kind as to give Hirohito more prestige by giving him a disability? What a joke!

Yes, his actions did add some prestige to Hirohito, but so what? The emperor system is deeply rooted in the hearts of the Japanese people, and the emperor's additional reputation is not much; besides, Hirohito got the reputation, but who did the deed?

Who are the people that farmers interact with most?

Who actually reduced their rent and interest? The Fujiwara family, the Fujiwara clan, and Fujiwara no Kanezane.

Therefore, even if they temporarily praised the emperor's kindness, they would eventually return to the person closest to them - Fujiwara no Kanezane. Most importantly, Fujiwara no Kanezane's move was actually helping Hirohito step on the bottom line of the domestic landowners;

In other words, it crossed the bottom line of a considerable number of nobles, both big and small.

Hirohito, you little bastard, what do you want to do by ordering the Fujiwara family to reduce rent and interest? What, are you trying to dig up our roots?

Damn it, the Emperor of Tianzhu...

While this is an exaggeration, it's certain that the landlords and nobles would be disgruntled, and even religious forces would put pressure on Hirohito. (These three forces often worked together.) It's fine if the Fujiwara clan, out of kindness, were to resort to "rent and interest reductions"—they've always done that in history. But who could have let Fujiwara no Kanezane use the Emperor's name? This easily rubbed the already sensitive nerves of the nobles and landlords:

Is this a preliminary attempt to plunder our land?

Oh my god! The land that our ancestors worked so hard to obtain is being taken away by His Majesty the Emperor! Oh my god! His Majesty the Emperor is planning to rebel again!

A single noble might appear weak against the Imperial Family, Japan's largest aristocracy, but what if the land interests of the entire (traditional) nobility were violated? The importance of land reform is understood by the leaders of any industrial nation, but implementation is another matter entirely. Japan's land reform had to wait until the Emperor officially landed, and only partially materialized under the pressure of nuclear bombs and American soldiers.

Even so, the reform was still not thorough, and the landlords were still secretly revived through various means such as religion, temples, and agricultural cooperatives, and continued to exploit the Japanese people with expensive agricultural products.

In this day and age, you want to touch their fundamental interests (land)? Oh, the Emperor?

It’s not like my ancestors haven’t killed the emperor before! Eat shit!

Even if Hirohito was opposed and abused, and suffered this loss, could he blame Fujiwara no Kanezane for anything?

No.

Because Fujiwara no Kanezane was helping him spread his "kindness and majesty" and gaining fame; okay!

Your Majesty is punishing even a loyal minister like Fujiwara no Kanezane severely. This makes us feel disheartened... Hehehe, Your Majesty, Your Majesty, do you like this move?

148 The royal family fights the nobles, the royal family fights the royal family!

As Fujiwara no Kanezane expected, when the news of his performance at the gate of the Osaka Division Headquarters spread, some rulers in Japan were furious. The first to be furious were the large landowners and nobles near Osaka and Kyoto.

Many "relatives and old friends" came to visit, politely asking what the Fujiwara clan was up to. "Prince Hachimangu Kanezane" was hiding in the military camp, so they had no choice but to look for his father!

As a result, the Fujiwara clan leader, who had never participated in any political activities, was embarrassed and said some repetitive things like "Those who understand will understand, and I won't explain any more to those who don't understand" and "This matter involves a lot of things, and it will not benefit you or me to explain it." Now everyone "understood".

So it turns out that it was you, Hirohito, who was putting pressure on me!!

On weekdays, these nobles would rather lie down than sit, and would take you two days to wipe their butts, but once their most practical interests are involved, they will be as fierce as a tiger.

As a result, the overwhelming pressure spread like lightning from the aristocratic circles near Osaka and Kyoto to the aristocratic circles in Tokyo, and then immediately to the Imperial Palace;

Even people like Saionji Kimmochi and Konoe Fumie were forced to enter the palace and express their dissatisfaction to Empress Dowager Kujo Setsuko directly on behalf of the nobles (don't forget, Jinto was a descendant of the branch family of the Fujiwara clan).

So, Kujo Setsuko called her son over:

...So, Hirohito, it was you who really gave the order to Kanezane-chan?" "Huh?"

His Majesty the Emperor was obviously confused.

There were so many other things going on both domestically and internationally during this period that, let alone Fujiwara no Kanezane's performance, he didn't even know about the Fujiwara Kita family's rent and interest reductions in Osaka and Kyoto. Rent and interest reductions?

How could I possibly give such an order?!

As the largest landlord in Japan, I would have to be crazy to chop off my own money! That's my money!!

My!!

How could I possibly give it to those peasants?! Hirohito subconsciously wanted to deny it:

"No, I..."

and many more!

I can't deny it!

How can we deny such a thing that wins the hearts of the people?

How come even the Fujiwara clan, as ministers, are reducing rent and interest for the farmers, and I, the emperor, am raising rent and interest? Isn't this just bringing hatred upon myself?!

No, it cannot be denied.

Although the peasants are not important, this is a modern society after all, and their ideas cannot be completely ignored; otherwise, what will happen if there is another "rice riot"?

Hirohito shuddered as he recalled the hundreds of workers' and thousands of peasants' movements since he ascended the throne, including the Namba Assassination Attack that had shaken the nation. He touched his left ear, the wound from the flying glass still aching.

Just as Fujiwara no Kanezane had expected, Hirohito has always been a person who cares about face, and he has to accept this loss whether he wants to or not.

That year, Naniwa Daisuke stole the "crutch gun" given by Ito Hirobumi to his father, a congressman, and rushed 1000 kilometers from Yamaguchi Prefecture to Tokyo to assassinate the emperor. Hirohito didn't even dare to admit it!

Under Hirohito's orders, Japanese police tortured Nanba Daisuke in various ways, forcing him to admit that he was instigated by communists and foreigners to do so, rather than just saying, "I am eliminating harm for the people." Why?

Because, if the news of the son of a Japanese congressman using a gun given by the Japanese Prime Minister to assassinate the Japanese Emperor spread, it would be a disgrace to the national dignity and might even undermine the legitimacy of the Emperor's rule!

Therefore, in order to prove that "there are no people who rebel against the imperial family in Japan", they finally put all the blame on foreigners and the Communists, and persecuted these people even more frantically. Now, Fujiwara no Kanezane is winning the hearts of the people for him. Does His Majesty dare to say that he actually does not want to benefit the peasants at all?

Maybe I dared to do that in the past, but I definitely wouldn’t dare to do that now.

Once the emperor publicly denied the throne, his legitimacy and sanctity would be immediately shaken. However, the nobles' thoughts could not be ignored.

Because this is Hirohito's real base. If they are offended, Yongren will probably die of laughter. Thanks to brother Hirohito for the throne!

Bastard Kanemi!

Look at what you've done!!

In just over ten seconds, Hirohito's mind turned again and again, and finally he had to admit against his will: "Yes, I gave him a little hint..."

These words were said with great frustration and anger.

But this kind of anger is more like the helplessness of a naughty younger brother who smashed the neighbor's window, rather than "these damn bugs down there are causing me trouble again."

“Ah…I see…”

After hearing this, Kujo Setsuko said with relief:

"I may be a bit too impatient, but you two brothers are truly one, otherwise Kanezane wouldn't be so obedient..."...Yes...ah...yes...ah..."

Hirohito gritted his teeth and admitted his "instructions." "Then, how should we respond to Saionji and the others?"

".…"

The thought of that old man, Saionji Kimmochi, made Hirohito's anger rise rapidly, and he completely ignored the mess that Fujiwara no Kanezane had caused. Isn't it just a rent and interest reduction?

As for asking you to come here again to force the emperor to abdicate?!

What was reduced was the rent and interest of the Fujiwara family, and what was lost was the interests of the Fujiwara family. It was not your Saionji family that was affected, so why are you so anxious, Emperor? Hirohito certainly knew why these nobles were anxious - they were worried that the Fujiwara family's rent and interest reduction was just the beginning, and they would take action against landlords across the country later; what's more, Hirohito himself was the largest landlord in Japan, and he could empathize with the pain of having his personal interests violated.

But this did not stop Hirohito from being angry.

You're so upset just because I've only slightly disturbed the Fujiwara clan's land revenue, and I haven't even confiscated a single cent of it. What are you planning to do next? Compared to Fujiwara Kanezane, who was so loyal and worked hard to win my favor, you idiots are nothing but insects! Insects!

How can we build a good country with insects like you?

However, after thinking it over, Hirohito could only sigh:

"Forget it, mother, please tell Duke Saionji that this time I will only let the Fujiwara family spread my grace, and it will not involve other people." There was no way. He couldn't afford to offend Saionji Kimimachi, not to mention that the Saionji family and the Konoe family represented the will of all the nobles. He could only endure it for now, and then take revenge with the help of loyal ministers like Fujiwara Kanezane in the future.

I must hurry up and promote this brother to an important official of the empire, otherwise I will not be able to swallow this breath! Kujo Setsuko did not think too much and said happily:

"Oh, I see. That's how I answered him... Well, you should find a chance to compensate Kanezane-chan. The Fujiwara family suffered a huge loss this time..." "...Yes, mother..."

At this time, the eunuchs came with the news: "Your Majesty, His Majesty Chichibu Prince requests an audience."

Empress Dowager Kujo left on her own accord.

Both of them are her own sons, and they are both her flesh and blood. But the one she likes more is not the emperor, so it is awkward no matter what, and it is better not to stay at the scene; no one knows that the reason why Kujo Setsuko likes Fujiwara no Kanezane so much is actually largely because she has transferred her love for her second son, Yoshihito, to him.

Yangou is like this.

"His Majesty!"

Prince Chichibu Yoshihito, who bore a resemblance to Fujiwara no Kanezane in stature and was also more handsome and robust than Hirohito, came in and shouted hastily, "...Have you heard this? Fujiwara no Kanezane is digging up your roots! Digging up the roots of our imperial family! You must issue an order to severely punish him!!"

Hirohito did not express his opinion immediately, but looked at his brother deeply and asked slowly:

"Oh? Then what do you think we should do?"

"Issue a reprimand! Make him stop this foolish behavior immediately! Also, deprive him of his throne!"

Yongren was so anxious not only because he was "excavating his roots" or because Fujiwara no Kanezane had offended him a few days ago, but mainly because he instinctively sensed a crisis: who would directly or indirectly benefit from Fujiwara no Kanezane's rent and interest reductions?

Farmers and merchants in Osaka and Kyoto!

Especially those whose children have joined the army! And who are these people?

It is no exaggeration to say that he was originally a supporter of Yongren!

The "people-friendly image" he had always cultivated made it easier for Yongren to gain support from the middle and lower classes compared to his brother Hirohito;

This was one of the main reasons why Hirohito was obsessed with the throne (the other reason was that Hirohito was childless and in poor health). Now, someone is trying to steal his support?

It's still the same Fujiwara no Kanezane who didn't give me face last time! Kill him!!

So, upon hearing the news, especially after hearing several officers praising "Prince Hachimangu Kanezane's kindness" while drinking, Yongren became anxious. That's my base!

This King's!!

..."

My silly Oudoudou... I hope you will always stay so childish... At this moment, Hirohito's contempt for his younger brother reached its peak.

You're just a jerk with all the muscle and no brains. And you want me to dethrone Kanezane? Haha.

His Majesty the Emperor said calmly, "Don't worry about this matter."

"...Your Majesty! What the Fujiwara clan did is..." "Alright!"

Hirohito was already in a bad mood after his recent health problems and the many troubles in Manchuria and at home. Seeing Yongren being so ignorant, he scolded him harshly: "Don't you understand my orders?! I have my own decisions! Go back!"

I haven't come to terms with you for the various things you did behind the scenes a few days ago!".."

Yongren glared at his brother resentfully, then slammed the door and left.

Hirohito didn't care about this look and didn't feel the slightest bit of emotion.

The two have been sworn enemies since childhood. He is weak and taciturn due to his disability, and has been beaten by his younger brother. In addition, there is an inherent conflict of interest, so brotherhood is really a luxury.

In fact, just like the reason why Kujo Setsuko liked Fujiwara no Kanezane, Hirohito initially disliked Fujiwara no Kanezane because he was somewhat similar to Yoshihito; but recently he began to favor Fujiwara no Kanezane because he was similar to Yoshihito but was always loyal to him and always cared about him.

Just make fewer mistakes in daily life...

Two days later, just as Hirohito was thinking about how to deal with the chaos in Manchuria and the domestic situation and his stupid Ou Doudou, the eunuch came again to report: "Your Majesty! The 4th Division..."