I formed the strongest swordsman group.

Chapter 994: Kidnap the Emperor and the Crown Prince! Seize the "Three Sacred Treasures"! [4400]

Imperial Palace - the residence of the Emperor.

In fact, just by looking at the difference between the Imperial Palace and Edo Castle, one can clearly feel the weakness of the royal family during the shogunate era.

To put it simply, the Imperial Palace is just a larger and more luxurious park.

It is 700 meters wide from east to west and 1300 meters long from north to south, with an area of ​​11 square meters.

The area looks large, but its defensive capabilities are worrying.

Not to mention the tiered defenses of San-no-maru, Ninomaru, and Honmaru, there weren't even the most basic defensive facilities such as moats and turrets. There was only a circle of walls - and this wall was not very high.

You can easily climb over the wall of the Imperial Palace by just building a slightly longer staircase.

In short, the two are not on the same level. Compared with Edo Castle, the Imperial Palace is really just a large park.

When it comes to "how to defend Kyoto", there has always been a very clear division of responsibilities between Aoto (Kyoto Pacification Commissioner) and Matsudaira Yoshiyasu (Kyoto Guardian).

When these two positions were first established, Tokugawa Iemochi made quite clear provisions on the specific powers and responsibilities of the "Kyoto Pacification Commissioner" and the "Kyoto Guardian".

The former is responsible for guarding the capital and maintaining public order in Kyoto.

The latter was responsible for monitoring the western part of the country and defending the imperial palace.

In other words, the Imperial Palace was no longer under the jurisdiction of Qing Deng.

The situation in Kyoto is like this. Aoto only needs to guard the capital area and maintain Kyoto's public order wholeheartedly. However, Matsudaira Yoshiyasu, who is specifically responsible for defending the Imperial Palace, has a lot of things to consider.

Matsudaira Yoshiyasu was a loyal retainer of the shogunate, and his loyalty to the shogunate was beyond doubt.

But while being loyal to the shogunate, he also respected the imperial court.

Because of his hard work and great achievements, as well as his respectful and humble attitude, the Emperor always favored Matsudaira Yoshinobu and regarded him as one of the only people he could trust.

On the eve of the "August 18th Coup", the Emperor, who was deeply disgusted with Choshu's autocratic rule, first handed the "Kidai Noble Edict" to Matsudaira Yoshinobu - it was thanks to this "Kidai Noble Edict" that Qing Deng and others were able to have the righteous cause of "expelling Choshu".

This shows the Emperor's trust in Matsudaira Yoshinobu.

The latter has always been deeply grateful for this.

In order to repay the favor, he specially selected elite soldiers from the Aizu army and deployed them inside and outside the Imperial Palace, trying to make the Imperial Palace the safest place in Kyoto.

Matsudaira Yoshiyasu's special relationship with the Imperial Palace earned him another title among the common people: "The Guardian of the Imperial Castle."

Since the "August 18th Coup", the imperial court has been very quiet, with no major movements. It is no longer as hectic as it was when Choshu was in power - and this is all thanks to the Emperor's "rule by inaction".

The current emperor's political stance is consistent - maintaining the status quo.

He was not hostile to the shogunate; rather, he welcomed it.

He had no intention of changing the tradition of "I am the one in charge of sacrifices, and Tokugawa is in charge of government", and only wanted to continue to be a "carefree puppet".

However...just because he enjoyed his leisure time didn't mean that everyone else in the court felt the same way.

Whenever there is unrest in the world, ambitious people will emerge like spring after rain - this is common sense.

Tonight, on a seemingly ordinary night, a series of dark shadows rushed straight towards the Imperial Palace...!
……

……

Iwakura Tomomi - a rare and capable person among the court officials.

Whenever people talk about this person, their comments are always the same - he is tough and cruel!

At the beginning, when the shogunate made the proposal of "integration of the imperial court and the military", it caused a huge sensation in the court.

At that time, Choshu controlled the imperial court.

Under the influence of Choshu, the court officials fiercely opposed the "integration of the court officials and the military" and clamored wildly.

There were all kinds of absurd remarks, such as "A general is not worthy of marrying a princess" and "How can a noble princess marry far away in a barbaric land?"

Only a very small number of court nobles, such as Iwakura Tomomi, were able to judge the situation and keenly realize that the "integration of the court and the military" was in the interests of the court.

In order to promote the "integration of government and military", he ran around and did a lot of dirty and tiring work personally.

For those court nobles who disagreed with the marriage, Iwakura Tomomi personally met with them and either offered bribes or directly threatened them with "exile".

Under Iwakura Tomomi's soft and hard tactics, even Prince Arisugawa Akihito, who was engaged to Princess Kazunomiya as a child, surrendered.

He Gong was isolated and helpless, with no other helper and no other options left, so she had to agree to the marriage.

Because Iwakura Tomomi's actions were so despicable and cold-blooded, he was called a "gecko" by the world and was once regarded as a traitor to the country by the Sonnōjo patriots.

In the end, it turned out that Iwakura Tomomi's actions were correct.

He used "marriage" as a bargaining chip to put pressure on the shogunate and forced it to compromise.

Faced with internal and external difficulties, the shogunate was forced to agree to most of the conditions proposed by Iwakura Tomomi.

As a result, he did earn a lot of benefits for the court.

"Promoting the integration of the imperial court and the military" was the first time that Iwakura Tomomi appeared in front of the world, demonstrating his outstanding strategic skills and outstanding political vision.

Compared with other ministers who were unruly and only knew how to recite poems and compose essays, he was indeed an outstanding person.

After He Gong set out on her journey eastward, he went with her as an attendant - it was during this period that he met Qing Deng.

Not long afterward, he left Edo and returned to Kyoto.

Soon after, he was affected by the "August 18th Coup" and was forced to resign and live in seclusion.

After that, there was no news from him.

Today and tonight, at this moment, he is seen leading a group of trusted followers and heading straight for the Imperial Palace!

Their target was Xuanqiu Gate, located on the west side of the Imperial Palace.

Xuanqiu Gate - This gate is also called "Gongjia Gate" or "Tang Gate". It is the first gate for princes, ministers, generals and princes who are allowed to enter the palace.

In a short while, the magnificent Xuanqiu Gate came into their sight.

However, the Aizu soldiers who were supposed to guard this place were nowhere to be seen.

Iwakura Tomomi took a leisurely step forward, moved to below Tang Pofeng, raised his head and shouted:
"It's me, Iwakura Tomomi! Open the door!"

[Note: Tangpofeng: A common decorative part of the main entrance roof in traditional Japanese architecture. It is a building with concave sides and a protruding arch in the middle, similar to a rain shelter. Its appearance is similar to a Chinese porch.]

As soon as he finished speaking, he heard a creaking sound—and saw the Xuanqiu Gate slowly opening!
Iwakura Tomomi walked forward with his head held high, stepped over the threshold, and then saw a young samurai in helmet and armor - this man was the general of the Aizu army who was responsible for defending the Xuanqiu Gate.

Iwakura Tomomi looked at him and they nodded to each other.

The warrior said:
"Hurry up, please."

Iwakura Tomomi said calmly:
"It's natural."

Afterwards, he said no more and led a group of his trusted followers straight to the depths of the imperial palace.

At this time, a confidant behind him quickened his pace and said to him excitedly:
"Lord Iwakura, everything went as you planned! We broke into the Imperial Palace without firing a single shot!"

Iwakura Tomomi raised the corners of his mouth, revealing a meaningful smile, and then slowly recited a famous line from "Six Strategies and Proverbs":
"'The world is bustling with people, all for the sake of profit; the world is bustling with people, all for the sake of profit'."

"Most of the 'loyalty' in this world is because the price of 'betrayal' is not high enough."

There was no complicated reason why the guard of Xuanqiu Gate opened the gate just now.

Iwakura Tomomi offered him a huge sum of money that he could not refuse and asked him to act as an insider - it was that simple.

Bribing others - this was a skill that Iwakura Tomomi had already mastered when he was promoting the "integration of the government and the military."

The larger the organization, the more likely it is to make mistakes, and ridiculous accidents happen from time to time.

Sometimes, the superiors have good intentions - for example, Matsudaira Yoshiyasu specially deployed the best troops of the generals in the Imperial Palace.

But after being implemented layer by layer, the situation changed completely - for example, Iwakura Tomomi easily bribed the guard of Xuanqiu Gate just by using the "money offensive".

The times were difficult, and even many of the elites in the Aizu army were troubled by money.

"Breaking into the Imperial Palace" is only the first step, and it is far from time to let down our guard.

Iwakura Tomomi put on a stern face again and said in a deep voice:

"Follow the plan! Remember, move quickly! Not a minute or a second can be wasted!"

After the order was issued, they immediately dispersed and divided into three groups, each heading towards a different area.

Tonight, they have three tasks to complete - the first is to kidnap the emperor.

Second, kidnap the crown prince.

Third, steal the "three sacred artifacts".

No matter who you are, after looking at this "plan list", you will probably take a deep breath.

They forcibly abducted the Emperor and the Crown Prince, and also wanted to steal the "Three Sacred Treasures"... This kind of behavior is the first time in history!
Iwakura Tomomi will be personally responsible for the most important of the three tasks: kidnapping the emperor.

Before resigning from office and retiring, he often walked around the imperial palace.

Therefore, he knew the topography and architectural layout of the Imperial Palace like the back of his hand.

It is no exaggeration to say that even if he walked with his eyes closed, he could easily find the emperor's bedroom.

The area of ​​the Imperial Palace is far smaller than that of Edo Castle.

Not long after, they arrived at their destination as scheduled.

There were many attendants waiting outside the emperor's bedroom.

Seeing an unknown person approaching, the attendants were stunned:
"What are you..."

Before the man could finish his words, Iwakura Tomomi's cronies rushed forward and cut him into pieces.

Using the prepared to attack the unprepared...the brutal massacre began.

In just 5 seconds, the world returned to silence... All the attendants outside the emperor's bedroom were slaughtered.

Iwakura Tomomi pushed open the door expressionlessly and stepped in.

Then, he heard a shrill scream:

"Who are you?!"

In the center of the bedroom, behind the imperial curtain, a figure was shaking violently.

【Note: Imperial curtain: the curtain that hides the emperor’s face.】

Iwakura Tomomi walked over quietly and said to the Emperor through the imperial curtain:

"Your Majesty, please be patient."

"W-who are you?!"

"Your Majesty, it's me, Iwakura Tomomi."

"Iwakura-sama? Why, you..."

The emperor was so shocked that he was at a loss, his tongue became tied and he temporarily lost the ability to speak.

Iwakura Tomomi was too lazy to say more and got straight to the point:
"Your Majesty, Kyoto is already a dangerous place. We cannot wait any longer. Please move to Choshu."

The emperor recovered instantly after hearing this.

After hearing the word "Changzhou", as if a psychological shadow was triggered, he roared without thinking:

"Changzhou? I will never go to Changzhou!"

Such words, such a situation... No matter how stupid the emperor is, he knows his current situation.

He didn't care about anything else, and hurriedly opened his throat and screamed in panic:
"Someone come! Someone come quickly! Protect the emperor! Protect the emperor!!"

Iwakura Tomomi saw this and smacked his tongue in displeasure:

"Tsk... I wanted to be gentle with you, but there's nothing I can do..."

After saying this, he turned his head and winked at the two confidants behind him.

The two men understood what was meant, stepped forward, opened the imperial curtain, and then dragged the emperor out like a dog.

The emperor struggled, but in vain.

In despair, he glared at Iwakura Tomomi:

"At this point, you still won't give up?!"

"Changzhou is on the decline! It will be destroyed soon!"

"Even if you kidnap me to Changzhou, what's the point?"

Faced with the emperor's criticism, Iwakura Tomomi burst into laughter - a smile full of sarcasm.

The next moment, he sneered.

"The sparrow knows the ambition of the swan."

"Your Majesty, you are right."

"Changzhou today is indeed like a candle in the wind."

"If you want to preserve your fame and wealth, it is better to join Ju Qingdeng as soon as possible - just like those good-for-nothings under your command."

"But, in my opinion, there are things in this world that are more important than 'fame and wealth'."

“‘Building a world of my dreams’—that’s my ambition!”

"Tachibana Aoto is not trustworthy."

"I don't think the 'world' that Tachibana Seidō wants is the same 'world' as the 'world' I want!"

"Therefore, instead of begging for mercy from Tachibana Aoto, I would rather fight with Choshu until the last moment!"

After he finished speaking, he reached into his bosom and took out a wet cotton cloth - the next moment, he leaned forward and used the cotton cloth to block the emperor's mouth and nose.

The emperor, who had been struggling violently just now, turned into a puddle of mud in the blink of an eye, and it took two people to lift his body.

Iwakura Tomomi put away the wet cloth and said coldly:

"Put him in the sedan."

The confidants responded and then roughly stuffed the emperor into the sedan chair that had been prepared early in the morning.

Although the process was a bit rough, the result was satisfactory - they successfully captured the emperor!
"let's go!"

Iwakura Tomomi waved his hand and led everyone back along the original route.

They hurried back to Xuanqiu Gate, waiting for news of victory from the other two groups of troops.

After a while, there was the sound of footsteps. Iwakura Tomomi looked in the direction of the sound and recognized that it was the team that was going to kidnap the Crown Prince, so he asked quickly:
"Where's Prince Mutsuhito?"

In order to highlight the uniqueness of the royal family, male members of the Japanese royal family are basically called "Xin".

The current emperor is named "Tōhito" and the crown prince is named "Mitsuhito".

Crown Prince Mutsuhito is only 13 years old this year and is still a teenager.

As soon as Iwakura Tomomi finished speaking, an excited response came from the other side:
"I caught him! He's in the sedan chair!"

As the other party spoke, he pointed to the sedan chair in the team.

Iwakura Tomomi nodded, a look of satisfaction on his face:
"Very good! Now all we need is the 'Three Sacred Treasures'!"

The three sacred treasures are the sword of Ame-no-Kame, the Yasakani no Magatama, and the Eight-foot Mirror.

It is said that when the grandson of heaven came, the great god Amaterasu granted Qiongqiong Chuzun and was inherited by the Japanese emperor from generation to generation.

These three sacred objects have been regarded as tokens of the Japanese royal family for thousands of years and are considered symbols of Japanese imperial power, similar to China's imperial seals.

However, there are rumors that these three sacred artifacts were all lost when Emperor Andoku jumped into the sea to commit suicide, and the "three sacred artifacts" that have been passed down to the present are all fakes.

The truth is difficult to verify.

In any case, according to the common convention of the world, the "Three Sacred Treasures" have a pivotal position in the Japanese royal family and are important items that must be obtained.

Iwakura Tomomi waited anxiously, craning his neck repeatedly in the hope of catching a glimpse of the team that was going to grab the "Three Sacred Treasures".

Unexpectedly... I didn't see the "three sacred weapons", but I heard noisy shouting first...

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