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Some naval soldiers were on the ship's side, condescendingly firing at the enemy's deck.As the rounds of gunfire ended, some other navy soldiers slid down the rope and rushed to the Japanese navy who was dodging bullets.

The deck was quickly occupied, and Tokugawa Tsunashige hid in the command room, watching the battle outside through the window.He muttered to himself: "Damn, how could this be? I have read so many books, why didn't they write clearly? The warships of the Tang army are too big, and the iron cannons are too powerful. How can the shogunate navy win?" ?”

Many Japanese daimyos living in Edo, as well as samurai, ronin, merchants and civilians, gathered on the shore to watch the battle.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, a large number of Japanese naval forces were defeated and defeated.That scene was not a war, but a powerful man bullying an unweaned toddler.

"The Navy of the Tang Dynasty is too powerful, even stronger than the Dutch decades ago." A famous name who had seen Dutch ships couldn't help expressing emotion.

The Dutch fleet spans all over the world, relying not on large ships, but on small and medium-sized warships and countless armed merchant ships.

Another daimyo said: "This time, it's troublesome. The shogunate has enraged the emperor of Tang Dynasty. I'm afraid the Tang Dynasty will attack Edo Castle."

"Come on, let's retreat to the city."

"Yes, we can't wait any longer, we must withdraw to the city for defense."

"..."

The daimyos returned to their residences, brought their wives, children and accompanying officials, and flocked to Edo Castle.

Except for those who hold important positions in the shogunate, daimyo can enter the city once every two years.That is to say, he went to the city to meet the shogun and said that he had returned to Edo to report.But many times, the general just stood on the city wall, and the daimyos stood under the city to pay their respects.

The daimyo's wives have no freedom at all. They can only live in Edo and cannot return to the fief with their husbands.Not even allowed to go out, no entertainment at all, just

You can stand on the balcony and watch the street view.

The gates of Edo Castle had been opened, and the daimyos poured in with their entourage, while the samurai were still queuing.

During the Tokugawa Ieyasu era, the shogunate had [-] warriors.Later, the war stopped, and the number of samurai has been streamlined. Many samurai have become ronin. Today, there are about [-] to [-] samurai in Edo.

Of the [-] to [-] samurai, only a few owned houses, and the rest of the samurai lived in longhouses, which were probably similar to staff dormitories.They dragged their families and wanted to enter the city, but they were ordered not to enter the family. Only the samurai himself could enter the city to defend.

Edo Castle is so big, how can it accommodate tens of thousands of families of samurai?

All of a sudden, at the various gates of Edo, the family members of the samurai cried and shouted loudly, and the children were so frightened that they howled loudly.

Shogun Tokugawa Iezuna dragged his weak body to the castle.He didn't know what was going on at sea, he only knew that the Japanese Navy was defeated, and seeing the chaos in the city at this moment, he was suddenly anxious and at a loss.

Sakai Tadaki stood behind the parapet, staring blankly at the chaos below the castle.His mind is also very confused at the moment, it's just a closed door, and only businessmen are affected, why does the emperor of the Celestial Dynasty raise troops for a few businessmen?

Sakai Zhongqing couldn't figure it out, but he knew very well that he must be finished this time.

If he defends Edo Castle, he can continue to be the boss, and after the Chinese army leaves, he will suppress those daimyo who are against him.But if Edo Castle is defended, no matter what the outcome is, he will only end up committing seppuku.

"Tang Jun landed, Tang Jun landed!"

Sakai Zhongqing quickly ordered: "Quickly close the city gate!"

The daimyo, his family members, and accompanying officials have all entered the city, and the high-level samurai have also entered, and only a few thousand middle- and low-level samurai have entered the city.

It's useless to go in too much, there is not enough food in the city, the Datong army besieged and did not attack, and the city was starved to death even if it was hungry.

Sakai Zhongqing let people shoot arrows and shot back the samurai who wanted to continue entering the city.He also appointed a famous general to go out of the city and organize those warriors who did not come in to fight street battles with the Datong army that was about to kill.

Chapter 1035 [Respecting the King for Thieves]

There is a large block in Edo Castle Town, where a large number of ronin live.

In a certain shabby room, many wanderers surrounded a middle-aged man.The rogues looked anxious and flustered, but the middle-aged man looked calm and continued to talk about his knowledge: "What is the foundation of wealth? Grain and cloth. Gold, silver and copper coins are just servants of the grain and cloth. Why are the ronin poor? Because they don’t do production. Not only ronin, samurai don’t do production either. There are so many samurai and ronin in the world, and they all need to be taken care of by peasants, how hard it is for farmers! We, ronin, have to learn how to work..."

"gentlemen!"

A wanderer asked: "We don't have land, so we can't plow and grow food. Even if we are willing to be craftsmen, craftsmen will not teach us skills. We also want to be merchants, but merchants only specialize in buying and selling. The current situation is that we Ronin also wants to work, but they can only do some odd jobs, or serve as guards for wealthy businessmen."

The middle-aged man sighed, "The system is flawed and needs to be reformed from top to bottom. When I was in Okayama Domain with my teacher, I had already persuaded the lord to reform. Unfortunately, I was framed by villains, and I was dismissed from office and exiled to various places."

The middle-aged man's name is Xiong Zefanshan, and his father is a ronin.He himself was an official in the Okayama domain, but he and his teacher spread Yangming's philosophy of mind, and were framed and suppressed by Lin Luoshan, who admired Zhu Xi's learning.From then on, he hid in Tibet and died under house arrest in another time and space.

His teacher, Fujiki Nakae, is the originator of the Japanese Yangming School of Mind, so Kumasawa Fanzan is the second-generation disciple of the Japanese Yangming School of Mind.

Zhongjiang Fujishu's knowledge split into two factions.

One school is called the Cunyang School, and the academic leader is Yuan Gangshan, who follows the teacher's thinking and cannot be changed.

Xiong Zefanshan is the leader of the Shigong School, "Shigong" means applying what you have learned.He did not blindly follow the teachings of his teacher, or even follow Wang Yangming, claiming that he was learning from an ancient sage, and later tried to integrate Neo-Confucianism and Xinxue—his thoughts and practices, on the contrary, inherited the true meaning of Wang Yangming.

A ronin disciple couldn't help it: "Sir, there is a fight outside, you can help us out. Should we help the shogunate fight, or help the Tang soldiers fight? Or, we just run away, Edo is now It's the battlefield!"

Xiong Zefanshan shook his head and said: "We are ronin, not shogunate warriors, how can we help the shogunate in fighting? The ronin have rioted many times, and they have long been distrusted by the shogunate. We all want to be loyal, but we can't get it."

"Then shall we help Tang soldiers fight?" Another disciple asked.

Xiong Ze Fanshan continued to shake his head: "Born here and raised here, you are a country and a citizen, and you must not fight for foreign countries."

"Then should we run away?" another disciple asked.

Xiong Ze Fanshan still shook his head: "There is no need to run away."

More disciples were anxious: "We don't help each other, and we don't run away. Are we waiting to die here?"

Xiong Zefanshan smiled and said: "Sit down and listen to me slowly."

"Although I have never been to China, I have visited two envoys sent to the Tang Dynasty. From their mouths, I know China very well. The soldiers of the Tang Dynasty are also called the Datong Army. They advocate the unity of the world and never kill and plunder the people. A few years ago, the soldiers of the Tang Dynasty besieged Hewan The city is an example, and the people of Tsurumaru City all praised Tang Bing. Therefore, as long as we stay here, as long as we don't run around, there will be no danger."

"The shogunate is already decaying, and the killing of Tang soldiers is a good thing. It can wake up the shogunate princes from their dreams. If there is no foreign enemy, how can today's shogunate and daimyo be willing to reform the system?"

"Since ancient times, agriculture has been the foundation. The shogunate's annual tribute rice system seems to be based on agriculture, but it allows the royal family, daimyo, samurai, and merchants to exploit farmers. How rich is China? It's all because farmers get their jobs. Once the peasants live, they will live in all kinds of industries.”

"Today's Japan is a pool of stagnant water. Samurai are kept in captivity for no production, farmers are imprisoned on the land and cannot move. A pond without running water will become a pool of stagnant water, which will breed snakes, insects, rats and ants. Only flowing water will not rot. People are moving."

"I have also read "The Collection of Datong", and it can be summed up in one word: live!"

"The emperor of China was able to rule the land of the Tang Dynasty because he allowed the people under his rule to live. The lowly people have equal status. Farmers, actresses, craftsmen, merchants, scholars, military households... can choose occupations at will, so the people's hearts and minds, Capable people come forth in large numbers."

"The people in the world are water droplets, which gather into rivers, lakes and seas. But the Chinese emperor has a broad mind, just like the sea. All rivers belong to the sea, and the people belong to the emperor."

"How big is the Chinese emperor? I've heard that as long as he doesn't criticize Tian Zheng, as long as he doesn't violate the law and commit crimes, even if he publicly scolds the emperor, he will be imprisoned for a few days at most. Chinese scholars can speak freely and express their thoughts freely. And What about us in Japan? My mentor and I were charged with conspiracy for treason just because we spread the teachings of the mind in the Okayama Domain."

"If the shogunate wants to reform, it doesn't have to copy China. It's easy to draw a tiger instead of a dog. But it must learn from China and let Japan live. Samurai and ronin should be encouraged to produce. Farmers should not be tied to the land... …It's hard, and the samurai system needs to be reformed, and the land system needs to be reformed."

"Perhaps, only a great man like the emperor of China, who became a shogun, could achieve this kind of reform."

"The siege of Edo by Tang soldiers this time may wake up the shogunate. Even if the reform cannot be completed, it is good to change a little bit. If it can be changed a little bit, it means that Japan can still move and live, and it is not completely dead. If Tang If the soldiers are withdrawn and the shogunate still does not reform, then Japan will really be over."

Kumazawa Fanzan was the most sober and pragmatic Japanese thinker from the 17th to the 18th century, and no Japanese could surpass him in the following 100 years.

But looking at this man's life, he spent two-thirds of his time avoiding arrest.In his later years, he was too lazy to escape, calmly waiting to be arrested, and then under house arrest until he died of illness.

"Bang bang bang bang!"

Gunshots were heard from the streets and alleys outside, and the warriors who were unable to enter the city were already fighting street battles with the Datong Army.

Xiong Ze Fanshan continued to preach: "Tai Chi divides Yin and Yang, and when Yin and Yang circulate, all things in the world will be born and multiply. This is the so-called golden mean. Now in Japan, Yin and Yang cannot circulate. Yin is Yin and Yang is Yang. Yin and Yang cannot be exchanged. Tai, everything will be ruined. We ronin, what should we do?"

"The ronin should make peace with himself, and don't think that he is superior to ordinary people. Whenever he has the opportunity, he should learn how to work, how to do business, and how to farm, so that he can survive. He carries a knife all day long and wanders around in the castle town. , What good is it for us? If it doesn’t work, let’s leave Japan and go to the outside world.”

Suddenly, a disciple asked: "Sir, can we learn from the emperor of the Tang Dynasty? Sir, come to be the leader, lead the ronin to rebel, and lead the peasants to rebel together. Overthrow the tyranny of the shogunate, return the government to His Majesty the Emperor, and then let Japan live!"

Xiong Zefanshan became silent, and then sighed.

"Why didn't you speak, sir?" asked the disciple.

Xiong Ze Fanshan said: "Many people will die that way, and it may not be successful. The daimyo and their banners will work together to suppress it. But the ronin and the peasants are hard to be single-minded. Among us, if the rebellion becomes big, the shogunate will I am afraid that some people will become traitors if you buy them secretly. Don’t rush to refute, if a big name accepts you as retainers and warriors, will you continue to rebel?”

The disciples immediately fell silent.

Suddenly a ronin disciple stood up, drew his knife and slashed at the corner of the table: "No matter how many people die, we should rise up. If we don't rise up, what hope is there in this life? Swimming around towns and alleys all day is nothing more than beggars. One more knife. I've had enough of this kind of life. I didn't open my mind before, but now I know what to do after listening to my husband's good words. The shogun is a thief who steals the country. We should respect the king and punish the thief, and return the great government of the world to the world. Your Majesty the Emperor! Gentlemen, who would like to go with me?"

"I would like to go together!"

"Count me in!"

In an instant, more than ten people stood up, with fanaticism written all over their faces.

Xiong Ze Fanshan couldn't help sighing, he knew that his disciples would definitely fail, but he still had a little hope.

Moreover, Xiong Ze Fanshan knew that he should leave.

If the disciples make trouble, he will be severely wanted. I am afraid that there will be no hiding place in the whole of Japan.

On the street, more than 200 warriors rushed forward with swords and guns, and arrows were shot down from the attic on the street from time to time.

Warriors who cannot enter the city must have no firearms and can only fight with cold weapons.

The Datong Army adopted the standard mandarin duck formation, with 11 people per team—one less fireman than Qi Jiguang's mandarin duck formation, and with the large number of muskets equipped, spears and wolf guns have been completely eliminated.

The rattan card holds the shield in front to cover the progress of teammates.

Four musketeers followed, holding bayonets, temporarily serving as pikemen and wolf soldiers.The rest of the musketeers were in charge of shooting, especially those warriors who rushed to the front.

On this street, five Datong army squads with 55 people marched forward.

More than 200 warriors rushed over, and more than 30 fell from a long distance.When the musketeers finished reloading, there were only a dozen steps left, and this time those with bayonets also fired together.

A burst of gunpowder smoke filled the air, and the warriors were already scattered.

Such a situation happened in every corner of Edo Castle Town.

Although the troops from Nanjing haven't seen blood for nearly 20 years, their daily drills have not stopped.Moreover, there are many officers from the front line, as well as students who graduated from military academies, and the best were selected and transferred to the Nanjing Garrison.

And what about these low-level warriors?

Not to mention the experience of war, and even decades of no formation drills.They inherited their samurai status from their parents, and what they think about all day is not training to fight, but how to avoid being dismissed as ronin.So he tried every means to bribe the superior officials, and usually carried a knife to show off his might and despise the people.

With such a disparity, once the battle is fought, the judgment will be judged.

There were warrior corpses in every street, and more warriors fled in rout and gathered at the city gate automatically.They were not allowed to enter the city again, so under the leadership of the general officer, they bypassed the city wall and retreated to the streets to the north.

"Bang bang bang bang!"

"Follow me to kill the enemy!"

The Datong cavalry was dispatched, and there were only two or three hundred cavalry, because the horses had just landed and needed to rest.

But the heavily armed cavalry rushed out from the streets, and the defeated warriors were frightened.Those who can serve as cavalrymen in Nanjing are all tall horses and burly men. In the eyes of Japanese samurai, they are all like gods descending from the earth.

Let's go and give it a try. 】

The warriors were chased and killed by the cavalry, and they didn't care about their heads, they only knew how to run to the north desperately.Originally, they recovered a little bit of organization, but when they were rushed by the Chinese cavalry, fear spread like a virus, and tens of thousands of warriors outside the city were completely defeated.

The shoguns and daimyos stood at the top of the city and watched the whole process, their faces pale with fright.

Chapter 1036 [The emperor wants Hokkaido]

"I will be the general who defends the enemy? Impossible. They would rather Edo Castle be breached than let me take power again." Abe Tadaaki sneered.

The daimyo who can really fight will die and retreat, and the shogunate has no generals.

Abe Tadaaki is the only one left, but because he opposed the expulsion of Chinese merchants, he was expelled from the court by the old man Sakai Tadaki.

When the Edo ronin rioted, only Tadaaki Abe opposed the expulsion.He believes that the reason why the ronin make trouble is because they have nothing to live for, and they should be allowed to work.Since then, he has been isolated by other daimyos, and at the same time offended the shogun who had just succeeded to the throne.

By the way, Abe Tadaaki is the lord of Musashi Kunin, but unfortunately he doesn't know ninjutsu like in the anime.

Masanori Inaba, the feudal lord of the Odawara domain, was appointed general at this time.This man is a genealogical daimyo, equivalent to the Tokugawa family's Conglong hero, and with the support of the power minister Sakai Tadaki, no one can object to him being the general.

As for military talent and command experience, it can only be said that he has been on the battlefield and suppressed the Amakusa Shiro uprising with the army.

The watchman got off the hot air balloon, took the castle floor plan he had just drawn, and went to meet Huang Fei, the coach of the Japanese War.

Huang Fei is the nephew of Huang Long, the commander-in-chief of Dongjiang Town. He served as the commander-in-chief of the Daming Navy, and was the first to lead his troops in Shandong to surrender to the Datong Army.He is not young anymore, and he will have to resign after the war this time, and he will be transferred from the army to take up a position in the Dudu Mansion.

Huang Fei looked at the plan of the castle for a while, and said, "This is a bit like a European bastion. There are sharp edges and corners everywhere on the wall. There are mountains in the north, so it is not convenient to attack by artillery. It is better to go step by step from the south."

Except for the different architectural styles in the city, Edo Castle is very similar to a European fortress in the 16th century.

It has the shadow of a bastion, but it only has the prototype of a bastion.

The southwest is the outermost city, and there is only one gate to enter.In the middle and southeast is the second city, which has two gates to enter.The east and center are the third city, and there are also two gates to enter.To the northeast is Sairi Castle, where the shogun lived.

In other words, the entire castle has four areas, each of which is separated by a wall.And with the ups and downs of the mountains, the city walls are higher and higher one by one, making it difficult to break through in the era of cold weapons.

"The artillery position has been measured, let's demolish the house." Huang Fei ordered.

The ronin who took the initiative to seek refuge took the temporarily hired Japanese people to demolish the houses closest to the city wall.Artillery positions need to be arranged there, and the dismantled wooden boards can also be used to make ladders and other equipment.

The demolished block is located in the "Shitamachi", which mainly houses small traders and craftsmen.

Groups of Edo people were driven away. They were full of resentment towards the Datong Army, but they didn't dare to show it. They just left silently with their heads down.Especially handicraft workers, cheap goods from China put these people in danger of losing their jobs. The textile industry in Edo is almost finished, and only some special fabrics are still marketable.

"Boom boom boom!"

The sound of cannon suddenly sounded, but it was the city that was firing, aiming at the Japanese people who were demolishing their houses.