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When the Ming army was busy replacing new weapons, Tokugawa Ieyasu, who had retreated to Edo Castle, was dying. On his sickbed, he forced himself to gather the remaining hereditary ministers and advisers such as Honda Masanobu to make the final deployment.

The remnants of the Tokugawa army, samurai from various places who came to support the emperor, and even some monks and peasants who were coerced, put together a garrison of about 80,000 (less than 50,000 soldiers were actually capable of fighting) in Edo Castle and the surrounding passes (such as Hakone and Kamakura). They had enough food and grass to last for several months, but their morale was low and their weapons were outdated (less than 10,000 cannons, most of which were old models).

The strategy of building walls and clearing the fields was adopted, and all houses and bridges outside Edo Castle were burned down to create an open death zone. Deep trenches were dug in a criss-cross pattern on the necessary roads (the part where river water was diverted to flow in), and multiple bamboo and wooden fences and deer traps were set up.

With the Edo Castle Main Keep as its core, it relied on tall and solid stone walls (partially covered with bricks) and densely packed turrets (arrow towers). It stored rolling logs and stones, boiling oil, and gold juice (boiled feces and urine).

Several "death squads" (including a large number of ronin and monks) were formed, equipped with double swords, spears and a small number of gunpowder cans, ready to launch a suicide counterattack when the Ming army attacked the city, specializing in attacking firearms positions or ladders.

Tokugawa Ieyasu ordered his people to erect his symbolic "Jinbaori" and "Horse Seal" at the highest point of the castle tower, declaring that "the Shogun and the castle will live and die together", and brought out a replica of the Kyoto imperial family's "Brocade Imperial Flag" (which had no real power but was symbolic), in an attempt to inspire the frenzy of "respecting the emperor and fighting the Ming."

However, these defenses, which were considered solid in the Middle Ages, were destined to be futile in the face of the upcoming new war machines.

On the first day of April in the fifth year of Zhaowu, Zheng Zhilong personally led 50,000 elite Ming troops (including 30,000 musketeers who had been equipped with "Thunder Guns"), carrying all the new weapons, to the gates of Edo Castle.

The prelude to the decisive battle begins!

The Ming army first deployed "Fire Dragon Out of Water" rocket vehicles at key passes around Edo (such as Shinagawa and Asakusa). With a shrill whistle, hundreds of rockets, dragging fire tails, smashed into the Japanese army's pre-set trench defenses, fence fortifications and hidden troop strongholds like a meteor shower!

The incendiary oil bombs exploded as soon as they hit the ground, and the sticky flames splashed everywhere, igniting all combustibles and turning the trenches into rivers of fire; the thunder bombs set off a terrifying shock wave and fragmentation storm, tearing the wooden fortifications and hidden Japanese troops into pieces. After only three rounds of salvos, the Japanese army's carefully constructed outer defense line collapsed, the defenders suffered heavy casualties, and the survivors were terrified and rushed to Edo Castle.

The Ming army's musketeers were arranged in battalions, forming a tight linear formation, marching steadily to the beat of drums and on the still-burning ruins. Facing the suicidal charge launched by sporadic Japanese troops (mostly "death squads"), the "Thunder Gun" demonstrated terrifying efficiency. The flintlock mechanism ensured extremely high shooting reliability, and the dense rain of bullets formed a wall of death. Japanese samurai often fell down after being hit by several lead bullets at the same time before rushing less than thirty steps. The traditional "pig-thrust" tactic became collective suicide in the face of the continuous musket fire. The Ming army cleared all strongholds outside the city at the cost of almost zero casualties, completely isolating Edo Castle.

The sixth day of April.

The Ming army pushed hundreds of large and small artillery pieces (the newly arrived heavy red cannon) outside the moat of Edo Castle and launched a devastating bombardment on the city walls and turrets. At the same time, the "Fire Dragon Out of Water" rocket vehicle once again unleashed its power, raining fire behind the city walls and suppressing the defenders' reinforcements and counterattacks.

The Ming army dispatched the "Hundred Tigers Running" bazooka squad to target several major gates of Edo Castle (such as Otemon and Sakuradamon). Soldiers approached within fifty steps under the cover of shields and fired on their shoulders! The heavy armor-piercing rockets slammed into the heavy iron-clad wooden gates with a piercing scream! In the violent explosion, wood chips and iron pieces flew everywhere, and a huge gap was blown open in the solid city gate, and even the whole gate collapsed!
The moment the gate was opened, the Ming army's death squad, which had been prepared for a long time, threw the ignited "thunder bombs" into the gate and the soldier caves behind the wall on both sides like raindrops! The continuous explosions overlapped in the narrow space, and the shock waves and deadly caltrops and broken porcelain pieces blew the Japanese soldiers who were crowded behind the gate to block the gate into blood and flesh, and the broken limbs and arms were hung all over the wall! Before the smoke of gunpowder had dispersed, the Ming army's heavy armored infantry had already rushed in from the breach with spears, stepping on blood and broken bones!

The seventh day of April.

The layers of resistance put up by the Japanese army using houses and barricades quickly collapsed under the precise and intensive volleys of the Ming army's musketeers. The high firing rate and reliability of the flintlock rifles allowed the Ming army to quickly clear the streets and sweep house by house. The close-range ambushes that the Japanese army was good at were often locked and shot by several muskets as soon as they showed their heads. The bayonets equipped with them made it possible for the musketeers to kill the enemies who rushed to them directly without changing weapons in a narrow environment. The streets of Edo were flooded with blood, and the corpses of the Japanese soldiers were piled up.

For the remaining enemies entrenched in solid buildings (such as temples, warehouses) or tunnels, the Ming army no longer launched a violent attack, but directly launched "sky-shaking bombs". The loud noise and fragments of the explosion doubled the killing effect in a closed space, and often one bomb could clear a stronghold. The stubborn warriors and monks, along with their hiding places, were reduced to ruins.

Qiu Chengyun personally led the most elite 100 soldiers of the Western Factory, like poisonous snakes in the dark night, specializing in "beheading". They used their extraordinary light skills and evil-repelling swordsmanship to avoid the frontal battlefield, sneak into the inner city, and accurately assassinated several Tokugawa officials in charge of regional defense (such as Sakai Tadayo, the son of Sakai Tadatsugu), and set fire to many key locations in the main castle to create greater chaos.

The ninth day of April.

The Ming army surrounded the last fortress of Edo Castle, Honmaru Castle. Tokugawa Ieyasu was already on his deathbed, and his grandson Tokugawa Iemitsu (supported by his hereditary successor) took symbolic command.

The Ming army mobilized all the "fire dragons" to launch a rocket bombardment on the castle tower! The burning rockets were nailed into the wooden building, igniting a fire. At the same time, the "hundred tigers" concentrated on bombarding the stone wall base on the bottom floor of the castle tower, blasting a gap.

Finally, the Ming army's heavily armored infantry attacked upwards through the gaps and burning stairs, braving the boiling oil and gold. The remaining Tokugawa hatamoto samurai launched a desperate "die with honor" charge, but in the narrow space, facing the Ming army's musketeers' close volleys and the heavy armored infantry's spear formation, they were like moths to a flame. After half a day of fierce fighting, the Tokugawa sunflower flag on the top floor of the castle tower fell in the flames. Tokugawa Iemitsu and his retainers committed suicide on the top floor. Tokugawa Ieyasu, on his sickbed, breathed his last when the city was broken.

The fire in Edo Castle burned for three days and three nights, with black smoke covering the sky and visible for hundreds of miles. The castle tower, which symbolized the ruling center of the Tokugawa shogunate, was reduced to a charred ruin.

After Zheng Zhilong entered the city, his first order was to search the entire city for ten days!
Qiu Chengyun's Xichang guards and the elite Ming army detachment searched the streets and alleys for the Tokugawa clan, the hereditary important families and the stubborn samurai who had escaped. Once captured, regardless of gender, age or status, they were all taken to the execution ground outside the city and publicly beheaded!

Heads piled up like mountains, corpses filled the ravines, and the bloody purge completely crushed any fantasy of restoration.

The news of the fall of Edo spread across the archipelago like thunder. Upon hearing the news, the fighting spirit of the scattered strongholds that were still resisting (such as Date Masamune in Sendai and the remnants of Gamo Ujisato in Aizu) collapsed instantly, and they opened their cities and surrendered. Kyushu and Shikoku had already been pacified. The remaining forces in Honshu and Hokkaido (Ezo) surrendered one after another under the threat of the Ming army's front and the all-pervasive Western Depot.

June 15th, the fifth year of Zhaowu.

Zheng Zhilong held a grand ceremony at the original site of Edo Castle (renamed Dongying Prefecture) and officially announced the establishment of the Dongying Chengxuan Zhengshisi! The first three chiefs (appointed by the imperial court) took office.

Kyushu, Shikoku, Honshu, and Hokkaido were divided into 18 prefectures and 120 counties. Ming officials, laws, taxation, imperial examinations, and currency (Ming Baochao was enforced) quickly covered the entire territory. The Ise Shrine was taken over by the Ming army, and the sacred body "Yata Mirror" was packed and shipped to Beijing as a trophy. The imperial palace in Kyoto was strictly monitored, and the emperor became a symbolic puppet. Temples and shrines across the country were either destroyed or controlled, and monks and priests were forced to return to secular life or accept transformation. Confucian schools were established everywhere like mushrooms after rain, and children read aloud "Three Character Classic" and "Ming Code".

Zheng Zhilong stood on the top floor of the newly built "Jinghai Tower" (built on the site of the original castle tower), overlooking the gradually restored order but completely changed appearance of the Japanese Prefecture. The sea breeze brought the whistles of ships in the distant port, and also blew away the last trace of blood in the air. He held tightly in his hand the latest edict of commendation and consolation sent by Emperor Zhaowu, but his eyes were cast to the depths of the distant ocean.

Japan has been conquered, but the journey of Marquis Jinghai may have just begun. The sun and moon flag of the empire is destined to shine on more vast waves.

………………

The fifth year of Zhaowu, autumn.

When the huge fleet loaded with Sado gold and silver bars and Iwami silver mine ore entered the Tianjin wharf like a giant dragon flashing with cold metallic light, the whole city of Beijing was shaken.

The expedition to Japan, which lasted nearly two years, cost countless money and was full of controversy, finally came to an end with the glorious victory of the Ming Dynasty incorporating it into the "Japan Provincial Administration Commission".

At this moment, the torrent of precious metals that continuously flowed into the heart of the empire was washing away the last noise in the court in the most direct and brutal way.

Forbidden City, Jinshen Hall.

The atmosphere of the court meeting was subtle and depressing. Li Ruhua, the Minister of Revenue, held a report that still smelled of the sea, his voice trembling slightly with excitement:
"Your Majesty! The first quarterly tribute from the Japanese province has been sent to the capital! It includes: 1.5 million taels of silver from the refined treasury of Sado Gold Mine! 800,000 taels of silver from the ore of Iwami Silver Mine! 300,000 taels of silver from the land tax and commercial taxes of various prefectures and counties! ... In addition, there are countless tributes such as 100,000 kilograms of sulfur, 3,000 high-quality Japanese swords, folding fans and lacquerware... The fleet is still on the way, and there will be more to come..."

When the number was announced, the whole hall fell into silence.

Those censors and Neo-Confucian scholars who had previously passionately criticized the expedition against Japan on the grounds that "the sage king did not pursue far-reaching strategies," "the troops were exhausted and the money wasted," and "the gains did not outweigh the costs" now felt as if their throats were strangled.

One million and a half taels of silver! This is just the mining tax for the first quarter! It is almost equivalent to one-third of the annual revenue of the Ming Dynasty in a normal year! Not to mention the subsequent continuous land tax, commercial tax and strategic materials.

The old censor who once threatened to die in opposition to the Japanese invasion, now looked at the heavy list in the hands of the Minister of Revenue, opened his mouth, and finally let out a barely audible sigh, and dejectedly returned to the train. The huge weight of practical interests completely overwhelmed the empty accusations of moral articles. The voice of opposition, under the light of real gold and silver, seemed pale and powerless, and quickly dissipated.

Sitting on the dragon throne, Yi Huawei flashed a barely perceptible sneer. He looked around at the officials who were in shock, and spoke in a steady voice with unquestionable majesty:
"Marquis of Jinghai, Zheng Zhilong, has lived up to my expectations, and has made unprecedented achievements! Japan has just annexed the country, and there is a lot of work to be done. However, the land is rich in gold, silver, copper and iron, and its people are gradually being influenced by the king. It is a blessing to the country, not a disaster! I order the Cabinet and the Ministry of Revenue to discuss the rewards for Zheng Qing and the Japanese generals and officials. They must be generous to honor their achievements! The tax revenue from Japan should be allocated first to the military garrisons in the northern border, the Yellow River works, and the grain storage in Taicang to strengthen the foundation of the country!"

"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"

This time, the whole hall echoed in unison, without any noise. The light of gold and silver illuminated the road to "holy enlightenment".

After the court discussed the rewards and the disposal of money and grain, Yi Huawei did not leave the court. He threw out a decree that had been brewing for a long time:

"The campaign in Japan is not only about expanding territory, but also about spreading the cultural heritage of our Ming Dynasty and reshaping the order between China and the barbarians! In order to thoroughly cultivate the new land, guide people's hearts, and make the kingly way of education shine like the sun and the moon, benefiting Japan, I have decided: in addition to the six ministries, a new "Propaganda Department" will be established! It will be responsible for the cultural and educational promotion and changing customs in the newly annexed territories!"

As soon as these words came out, the court, which had just been calmed down by gold and silver, was in turmoil again. Adding a new department is a big deal! However, the emperor's next words blocked all possible doubts and raised the mission of the new department to an unprecedented height:
"The first Shangshu, Shilang, and Zhushi of the Xuanhua Department shall be selected from the Hanlin Academy, the Imperial College, and famous academies across the country. They shall be great Confucian scholars who are proficient in Confucianism, have high moral character, and are especially good at educating people! However—"

Yi Huawei changed the subject, his eyes sharp as a knife: "Anyone who joins the Ministry of Culture must first go to the new foreign territories (Japan, Annan, and the new provinces of the future) for at least five years! If you don't experience the local customs and don't know the people's sentiments, how can you educate them? If you don't practice reality and don't follow the right path, how can you be a teacher?"

"I often think of Mr. Yangming's ultimate truth of 'the unity of knowledge and action'! Reading thousands of books is not as good as traveling thousands of miles! Scholars are trapped in their study, talking about nature and reason in vain. What benefit is it to the country? What use is it to the people? The establishment of the Ministry of Education is to ask scholars all over the world to carry out the principles in the books of sages to the newly acquired land! To the people who are in urgent need of education! Temper your mind in hardships and difficulties, and practice the great way in changing customs! This is true learning, this is true achievement!"

After a pause, Yi Huawei's tone was full of unquestionable determination:
"Those who have served in the Xuanhua Department for five years and have excellent performance in the examination will be eligible to be transferred back to the mainland, join the Imperial Academy, serve as officials in the capital, and be in charge of education! This is a new rule and will be set forever! I want the cultural heritage of my Ming Dynasty to truly flow on every inch of the newly returned royal land! My Lords, do you understand my intention?"

There was a dead silence in the hall, and then mixed emotions broke out. The faces of the nobles in the Imperial Academy changed slightly. They were sent out for five years, and they were sent to Japan, a wild and undeveloped country where they couldn't speak the language?
This is nothing short of hard labor!
However, "unity of knowledge and action" is a sacred precept set by the emperor himself, occupying an absolute high ground in morality and theory. The emperor also clearly pointed out that this is the "right way" and "shortcut" for future promotion! Some young officials with far-sighted vision and lofty ambitions have already ignited flames in their eyes. This is no longer a demotion, but a golden opportunity to expand territory and practice sacred learning!

"Your Majesty is wise and thoughtful, and we will obey your instructions!"

The cabinet chief minister took the lead and set the tone. The establishment of the Ministry of Culture, accompanied by the rigid requirement of "five years of external appointment" and the lofty banner of "unity of knowledge and action", was forcibly promoted in the complex atmosphere of the court.

This marked the beginning of a far-reaching reform of the scholarly atmosphere and bureaucratic selection system.

(End of this chapter)