Jingnan Strategy

Chapter 418 Tomorrow’s Treaty
"Beep! Beep beep——"

"Crack, crackle, crackle!!"

"Uh-huh!"

When whistles and gunshots appeared on the battlefield outside Kyoto, a line of three thousand Ming troops also advanced steadily amidst the whistles.

No matter whether there is a slope or a deep ditch in front of them, their behavior is uniform. Every time the whistle blows, it brings a burst of gunfire and thick smoke.

Even the large armor could not defend against the Ming army's muskets within a distance of twenty or thirty steps. Countless people were shot and killed in one instant.

The Ming army's hand-to-hand spearmen returned to the ranks before the musket platoon was formed, so the musketeers could shoot without any scruples.

Tens of thousands of Japanese troops, under the command of Ashikaga Yoshimochi, charged towards them. However, the closer they were, the greater the chance of falling.

Only twenty steps away, nearly a thousand people were shot and fell. Before they could rush in front of the musketeers, the musketeers stopped shooting, and more than a thousand pikemen jumped out from behind them, holding their guns on top.

"go forward!"

When the muzzle appeared, Imagawa Takamasa's mind went blank. Countless projectiles shot out from the muzzle, like pear blossoms in a rainstorm, killing hundreds of Japanese soldiers and taking away Imakawa Takamasa's vitality.

Or they were severely injured by a spear. The so-called large armor could not protect them in the slightest, and countless people fell down.

"Turn the horse's head and prepare for the enemy!"

Ashikaga Yoshitomichi had not yet reacted to the heavy damage he had suffered. By the time he gave the stern order, the Ming army's back attack had already arrived.

In just one charge, hundreds of Feng Gong people fell, while only a few dozen people fell from their horses in the Ming army.

"Retreat! Retreat!"

"Oh!"

"The whole army is pursuing us!"

As the horn sounded, less than 6,000 Ming army infantry launched a pursuit of the retreating Japanese army.

Feng Gong, who were riding four-foot-tall war horses, caught a glimpse of Yang Xiong's charge and quickly adjusted their formation without exposing their flanks to the Ming cavalry front.

Most of the spear ashigaru were killed while they were busy escaping. Even if there were a small number of ashigaru in formation, Yang Xiong turned his troops around, bypassed them and raided the ashigaru who were inexperienced in combat.

Their disappearance completely exposed the Japanese flank to the iron heel of the Ming army.

However, they overestimated their own strength. In front of the Ming army's cavalry, whether it was a side attack or a frontal attack, they had no chance of winning...

"Pfft!"

Among the large number of charging troops, Ashikaga Yoshitomichi led two thousand men riding four-foot-tall war horses to flank the Ming army.

At some point, the Ming army's artillery actually advanced two hundred steps and came behind the line of gunners.

However, Feng Gong's beheading could not stop this trend. Even though there were still thirty or forty thousand Ashgaru in number, they had been demoralized by the Ming army.

But while they were commanding the retreat, the Japanese army's two thousand cavalry had been reduced to pieces. Ashikaga Yoshimichi led hundreds of remaining soldiers to retreat to Kyoto City, and could no longer protect the army's flanks.

Without mercy, the cavalry charged from behind them, squeezing them down and trampling them over.

"kill!!"

For a time, countless people were killed, but most of them were Japanese soldiers serving the public.

"Boom boom boom——"

The public, who didn't think so at first, realized something was wrong when the Ming cavalry came about twenty steps in front of them.

It was as easy as an arrow piercing the human body. The retreating Japanese army did not organize a decent counterattack at all.

Seeing that their own morale was shattered, Uesugi Fukata and Yamana Tokihiro quickly began to command the army to withdraw to Kyoto City, trying to rely on Kyoto City for garrison.

Therefore, the collision between the two parties was like a large truck and a car traveling at high speed. The car was ruthlessly squeezed and trampled.

The Japanese army has collapsed, and Zheng Jun will naturally not miss such a good opportunity.

The Japanese army horse, which was more than four feet tall, was knocked down and overturned by the Ming army horse. Even Feng Gong on it fell to the ground and was trampled to death.

Both sides shouted this sentence in unison, all in order to protect the flanks of the infantry.

While Imagawa Takamasa led the samurai to charge, the Ming army's pikemen and musketeers in front quickly retreated to the left and right wings, exposing the muzzles of the guns.

At this moment, whether it was a frontal battlefield or a flank battlefield, the Japanese army could not maintain composure. People who fled continued to flee towards Kyoto and were killed by Feng Gonggong who supervised the battle.

After two charges, Feng Gong Gong collapsed. A large number of Feng Gong Gong rode horses to break out from the left and right wings. Yang Xiong ignored them and kept staring at the Japanese cavalry who were trying to reorganize the military formation and repeatedly attacked.

Leading more than a thousand cavalry who were still able to move, Yang Xiong launched a flank attack on the Japanese flank.

So many people fell off their horses, which had an impact on Feng Gong Gong's formation. The Ming army's equestrian skills were superb. They immediately turned their horses' heads after passing each other and launched a back attack on Feng Gong Gong from the rear.

"Uuuuuu——"

"Hissing Law!"

When the cavalry from the two sides collided, the Ming army's five-foot-plus horse and the Bohai navy's horse, which was more than five feet tall, were already nearly two feet taller than Feng Gong in terms of height alone.

Too tall. Compared with them, the Ming army was as tall as an iron tower.

Short weapons have become the main theme of the battlefield, but against the background of this main theme, there are thousands of Japanese corpses.

However, his intention was glimpsed by Yang Xiong who was wandering outside the battlefield. Without any hesitation, Yang Xiong blew the whistle with his gun and launched a cavalry charge.

"put!"

Facing the Japanese army, the well-equipped Ming army could often defeat many enemies with one, and two pumpkin hammers became the best weapons for harvesting.

The height of the Japanese army happened to be the best height for the Ming army to swing the pumpkin hammer, because every blow could hit the head.

Even if they can't kill them in one blow, it's enough to render them incapacitated.

"Surrender without killing!"

"Surrender without killing!"

Among the Ming army, those who had learned Japanese in Yinqi began to recruit and surrender.

As the sounds of surrender came out, Japanese soldiers who lost their strength kept discarding their weapons and squatting on the ground to surrender.

From the southeast of Kyoto, the Ming army pursued for two miles. A large number of Japanese troops who were unable to enter Kyoto were either massacred or captured.

They were defeated like a mountain. Although the number of Japanese troops was still four or five times that of the Ming army, they had lost the courage to fight the Ming army.

Ashikaga Yoshimochi, who fled back to Kyoto City, saw a scene he could not forget. The sparse Ming army captured Japanese soldiers who were several times their number.

"What's going on! Why did the retreat fail?"

He frantically questioned Uesugi Fufang and Yamana Tokihi. His helmet fell off at some point and his hair was disheveled, looking very ugly.

"We were intercepted by the Ming army's cavalry. There was nothing we could do..."

Uesugi Fukata was explaining, but no matter how he explained, he couldn't explain the current situation.

"Count the number of people and prepare for negotiations..."

Ashikaga Yoshimochi's face turned dark. He did not expect that his failure would come so quickly.

Fangkata Uesugi and Tokihiro Yamana lowered their heads in shame, and spent an hour counting.

Of the 45,000 Japanese troops who fought out of the city, less than 12,000 returned to Kyoto. The remaining 33,000 or so either died outside the city or were captured by the Ming army.

Even if the Japanese troops scattered around are included, the number of Japanese troops currently in the hands of Ashikaga Yoshitari is only about 30,000, not to mention that once Kyogoku and Ouchi in Kansai learn the news, they will definitely lead their troops to attack Tamba and other cities.

Sitting in the Sanjobo Gate Residence, Ashikaga Yoshimochi, who was wearing armor, had lost his courage.

Today's Ming army's cavalry and tactics were something he had never heard of. The brutal scene was still vivid in his mind, and he no longer had the courage to fight the Ming army again.

At this moment, his best choice seemed to be to reach peace talks with the Ming army before the armies of Ouchi, Kyogoku, Uesugi and others could react.

"Get ready and go out of the city to negotiate for me."

The dejected Ashikaga Yoshimochi ordered Uesugi Fukata and Yamana Toki in front of him, and they both nodded with painful expressions.

No one dared to think that they, who had repelled the Kansai Allied Forces yesterday, would actually suffer a disastrous defeat at the gates of Kyoto today.

They didn't want to admit it, but they lost miserably today.

The contempt for the Central Plains since the Yuan-Japanese War was completely shattered at this moment. Uesugi Fangfang and Yamana Tokihi took off their armor, took a bath and changed clothes, and went out of the city to surrender and negotiate with the "Japanese Prime Seal" awarded by Zhu Di.

When they walked out of Kyoto City, tens of thousands of Japanese civilians were cleaning the battlefield for the Ming army.

They looked at Uesugi Fufang and his party with great interest, and did not feel any sadness. After all, the rule of the shogunate did not reduce their burden, but made it heavier.

Now that the war is over, I just don't know if they can continue to live a good life.

But it doesn't matter even if they can't make it. Anyway, many adults in the army have said that they can move to Omiki and Sado to live and work there to support their families.

Good opportunities like this don't come around all the time.

"These guys who have no righteousness for their family and country..."

Uesugi Fangfang gritted his teeth and rebuked, while Yamana Tokihi lowered his head and said nothing, silently looking at the Ming cavalry leading the team in front.

A quarter of an hour later, they were brought to the camp where they had just been stationed, but the Ming army generals were not in a hurry to receive them.

They stood outside the tent until dusk. It was not until the camp suddenly became lively that they saw the Ming army's central and rear troops stationed in the camp.

Zheng Jun, Yang Wen and others walked out of the tent. Uesugi Fangfang and Yamana Tokihi saw this and were stopped when they tried to step forward. They could only watch a few people leave.

After a while, they came to the big tent surrounded by a general in his forties.

Without thinking too much, Fusukata Uesugi and Tokihiro Yamana knew who the general was surrounded by.

Pingjiang Marquis Chen Xuan entered the big tent to rest, but did not immediately summon Uesugi Fangfang and Yamana Tokihi.

It wasn't until Xu Zengshou, who had arranged for the army to enter the camp, entered the tent that Chen Xuan summoned Uesugi Fangfang and Yamana Tokihi.

"The guilty minister meets the heavenly army and the heavenly general..."

Fusaka Uesugi and Toki Yamana waited until dark for this opportunity, with a very humble attitude.

Inside the tent, Chen Xuan touched his short beard and said, "Now we are guilty. I remember you scolded us yesterday."

"How can a frog at the bottom of a well know that the world is vast? Please don't argue with us, sir." Uesugi Fufangka and Yamana Tokihi heard the words and kowtowed. Chen Xuan also knew that delaying for too long would easily lead to Kyogoku, Ouchi in Kansai, and Kanto. The Uesugi and other families benefited, so he got straight to the point:

"The imperial court's request is very simple. Ashikaga Yoshinori and Ashikaga Yoshinori become monks, and Ashikaga Yoshitsugu becomes the leader of Japan."

Chen Xuan did not mention the matter of the Emperor and Mutsu officialdom, because he was not prepared to let Ming Dynasty raise such matters himself, but asked Ashikaga Yoshitsugu, who was in charge of the shogunate, to take the initiative.

In this case, it would be the shogunate who took the initiative to show kindness to the Ming Dynasty, rather than the Ming Dynasty asking for Mutsu from the shogunate.

In addition, the emperor can only intervene in secret affairs, not in practice.

"We need to go back and discuss this condition with the general."

Fusaka Uesugi and Tokihiro Yamana didn't expect Chen Xuan to be so easy to talk to, but they still kowtow pretending to be embarrassed.

"You guys go back and talk. Anyway, I need to get your answer as soon as possible. If there is no news by tomorrow, I will order an attack on the city."

While speaking, Chen Xuan waved his hand to signal them to retreat. Upon seeing this, Uesugi Fufang and Yamana Tokihi kowtowed again, carefully stood up and left the Ming army's military camp.

"Okay, as I said just now, if we don't get a reply before Tatsuki tomorrow, we will be the first to attack the city."

"Yes!"

Chen Xuan talked to the generals and then hastily ended the impromptu meeting.

The generals felt that Chen Xuan was a little anxious, but they were just confused and did not reveal anything.

They stood up, bowed, and then left the commander's tent.

After they left, Chen Xuan, with the help of the soldiers, took off his armor and sat in the main seat in military uniform, as if waiting for someone.

A quarter of an hour later, the curtain of the big tent was opened, and a military attache in his forties walked in and bowed to Chen Xuan.

"how?"

Seeing him coming, Chen Xuan couldn't help but ask.

Hearing this, the military attache took a few steps closer, and then slowly spoke: "The arrangements have been made. If nothing else, we have intercepted it now."

"This is the best." Chen Xuan breathed a sigh of relief and raised his chin at the same time: "Then in Kyoto..."

"Everything has been arranged." The military attache took the lead and said, "Bo Mu Yang has transferred people from North Korea, Bohai, Liaodong and other places to Japan in advance. Together with some people we have bribed and trained, we can guarantee that tonight's incident will not happen. "

"Okay!" A smile appeared on Chen Xuan's face, and then he showed contempt: "A small country with no real power dares to call the emperor, it is really asking for death..."

"Uh-huh!!"

At the same time Chen Xuan said these words, screams could be heard one after another on the mountain road less than a hundred miles away from Kyoto.

Lying in the blood-stained sedan was a man in his thirties wearing a green robe. He was already dead in the sedan. Around the sedan, hundreds of shogunate warriors in armor fell to the ground, their blood stained red. one slice.

Behind the sedan, there were many nobles wearing orange and dark purple lying in the sedan. Although the colors of their clothes were different, their fates were surprisingly the same.

"Now that the matter has been settled, let's clean up the situation and leave no flaws."

On the mountain road under night, a military attache wearing armor gave instructions to several military attaches in front of him, and behind them were hundreds of elite soldiers who were cleaning the battlefield.

Their height of more than five feet revealed their identity, but it didn't matter, because they had cleaned up the entire forest within a radius of twenty miles.

Now as long as they confirm that there are no survivors, their mission will be completed.

Because of this, they began to clean the battlefield carefully. At this moment, more than a hundred miles away from them in Kyoto City, Ashikaga Yoshimichi also received the news brought back by Uesugi Fangkata and Yamana Tokihiro.

When he heard that the Ming army wanted him and his younger brother to become monks, Ashikaga Yoshimochi looked very ugly.

Although there is nothing wrong with a shogun becoming a monk in Japan at this time, voluntary and forced are two different things.

Ashikaga Yoshimochi wanted to resist, but when he thought of the Ming army's performance during the day, he weakly let go.

"I accept……"

Ashikaga Yoshimochi closed his eyes and chose to accept his fate.

At the same time, rapid footsteps came from outside the door.

As the door was pushed open, a warrior stood at the door covered in sweat. The dim candlelight illuminated him very frighteningly.

"What's wrong? Why are you so flustered?"

Ashikaga Yoshimochi thought the Ming army was attacking the city, but the samurai's words made him feel nervous.

"The Dajue Temple caught fire, and King Kameyama and the three princes were killed."

"Prince Ueno was also found angry in his residence..."

"What did you say?!"

These two simple sentences left Ashikaga Yoshimochi's mind blank, and Uesugi Fukata and Yamana Tokihi were even more horrified.

Although Go Kameyama participated in Kitahata Manya's rebellion, his identity as the former Emperor of the Southern Dynasties was there, and even Ashikaga Yoshinori did not kill him.

Now that Hou Kameyama and his three children were buried in the flames, and his younger brother Prince Ueno also died of anger in his mansion, wouldn't this mean that the Southern Dynasty line was completely cut off?
Thinking of this, Ashikaga Yoshimochi and the others couldn't help but feel chills in their hearts.

"Send the order and say that I am willing to surrender to the Ming army. After Emperor Kameyama learned the news, he burned himself in Daikakuji Temple and Prince Ueno died for his country!"

Ashikaga Yoshimochi was keenly aware that someone was taking action against the Emperor of the Southern Dynasties. Logically speaking, he should not take the blame, but the problem was that these people all died in Kyoto City and in the areas under his jurisdiction.

If he doesn't give an explanation, then the outside world is likely to think that he killed Houguishan.

He couldn't wear such a big hat by himself, so he had no choice but to set himself on fire after Kameyama and others to cover up the matter.

There is a huge difference between suicide and homicide.

"General, this matter..."

Uesugi Fukata and Yamana Tokihiro did not want Ashikaga Yoshimochi to live with the hat of indirectly causing Kameyama, but Ashikaga Yoshimochi knew very well that those who attacked Kameyama obviously wanted to wear the hat on themselves.

If you don't wear this hat well, you will have other hats to wear.

Thinking of this, Ashikaga Yoshimochi's face turned gloomy. He probably knew who organized this incident, but he was unable to take revenge.

"Go out of the city overnight and tell Chen Xuan the news."

"General..."

Ashikaga Yoshimochi turned around and left. Uesugi Fukata and Yamana Tokihi heard this and kowtowed in sorrow. It wasn't until Ashikaga Yoshimochi's footsteps faded away that they slowly stood up and walked out of the mansion.

An hour later, they appeared in the Ming army's military camp and brought the news that Ashikaga Yoshimichi agreed to the conditions.

After learning that Ashikaga Yoshitsugu had surrendered, Chen Xuan also ordered people to bring Ashikaga Yoshitsugu from Oki to Kyoto in preparation for his accession to the throne.

Early the next morning, the Ming army began to take over the Gyeonggi area, and at the same time sent invitations to the guardians of Kansai, Kanto and other countries, hoping that they would come to Kyoto to pay homage to Ashikaga Yoshitsugu to succeed him as shogun.

After the news spread, the three families who had not yet had time to seize Ohno and Tanba were stunned.

They had thought that the Ming army would defeat the shogunate, but they never thought it would be so fast.

It only took four days from the start of the war to the time they got the news, which meant that the Ming army did what the three of them had not done for several months in four days.

For a time, they did not dare to act rashly and sent their retainers to Kyoto to pay homage to Ashikaga Yoshitsugu's succession.

Of course, for the guardians of the Kansai countries, the sustainability of the ship trade is their biggest concern, followed by the issue of territory and taxation.

They were full of confidence and wanted to bargain, but all their confidence disappeared after arriving in Kyoto City.

More than 15,000 Ming troops lined up outside the city. The murderous atmosphere made the envoys who came and went lower their heads unconsciously. The appearance of field artillery made them dare not show their anger.

"The number of these artillery pieces should be a hundred..."

"It should be more than..."

"It seems that the shogunate will become a puppet of the Ming Dynasty in the future."

"So what, do you want to resist?"

"Asshole, don't accuse me falsely."

Facing the more than a hundred field cannons placed on the left and right of the Kyoto city gate, the ministers of various countries lowered their heads and quickened their pace as they passed by.

They had already tasted the power of artillery in the hands of Ashikaga Yoshimochi, and the Ming army's artillery seemed lighter and of better quality.

If they can defeat Ashikaga Yoshimochi in four days, it is only a matter of time before they defeat other countries.

Of course, what's more important is that they all obtained the Ming Dynasty's naval strength from the Shibo Division.

As long as Ming Dynasty wanted to, they could mobilize tens of thousands of troops to Japan within three months.

Not to mention tens of thousands of troops, even the current more than 15,000 Ming troops are enough to cause turmoil in the entire Japan.

Because of this, in the next few days of waiting, all the ministers were extremely honest. Until September 24, with the arrival of Ashikaga Yoshitsugu in Kyoto City, the entire Kyoto City was under the depressive atmosphere brought by the Ming army. To vent.

Ashikaga Yoshitsugu succeeded the shogunate. Because he was young and inexperienced, he sent invitations to ministers of various countries, hoping that the guardians of various countries could send some capable ministers to serve in the shogunate.

"I sincerely invite you to come to Gyeonggi and participate in governance. All this is for the sake of Japan's future clarity."

Ashikaga Yoshitsugu, dressed in the clothes of a Ming Dynasty prince, sat in the Golden Pavilion with a paper fan in his hand.

He was very young and immature, but no one dared to look down upon him.

All this is not because he is a general, nor is it because of Ashikaga Mitsuru next to him, but because of the man sitting next to him.

In the entire Golden Temple, only Ashikaga Yoshitsugu, Ashikaga Mitsutaka and that man were wearing Ming Dynasty clothes and wearing Ming Dynasty buns.

The difference is that Ashikaga Yoshitaka and Ashikaga Mitsutaka have no real power at the moment. Even if they inherit the entire Gyeonggi area, the severely damaged shogunate army is still weak and not enough to deter the guardians of Kansai and Kanto countries.

In comparison, behind that man who looked elegant, stood a dynasty capable of destroying all countries.

"By the way, this is the official sent to Japan by His Majesty Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty, the official of the Japanese Embassy of the Ministry of Rites in Japan, Ambassador Hu Hui."

"From today on, all diplomatic and ceremonial matters between Japan and Ming Dynasty can be communicated back to Ming Dynasty through Ambassador Hu."

"As ministers, we also need to always remember the teachings of His Majesty Emperor Yongle."

Ashikaga Yoshitsugu introduced Hu Hui without any burden, and Hu Hui also bowed to the ministers of various countries without saying a word.

Although he had a smile on his face, everyone knew what the smile meant...

(End of this chapter)