Tokugawa Ienari finally understood the precise meaning of the idioms "caught in a dilemma" and "riding a tiger, it is difficult to get off."
The pro-shogunate envoys to Ming supported Tokuagawa Ienari's usurpation and declaration of independence, as did his consorts and children. Emperor Kōkaku, on the other hand, was undoubtedly intent on abolishing the Tokugawa shogunate, leaving Tokugawa Ienari with no room to retreat.
After pondering for a good while, Tokugawa Ienari, his expression shifting between pleased and displeased, finally made up his mind. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Reply to the Imperial Court that the Shogunate agrees to reinstate the Grand Offering Ceremony, which has been long interrupted, and also the Hollyhock Festival."
The Grand Offering Ceremony, also known as the Taiso-no-gi, was an integral part of the accession ceremony for the Emperor of Wa. It was a once-in-a-lifetime event for each emperor, considered exceptionally solemn by the people of Wa. All related practices, specific rituals, and procedures were strictly forbidden from being recorded or divulged to outsiders. Only a select few high-ranking nobles, such as the Kanpaku and the Sesshō, could obtain the general outlines and essential points beforehand, but the core rites had to be performed by the Emperor himself. How the Emperor acquired the necessary knowledge and practiced them was a closely guarded secret, unknown to outsiders and never made public.
In the history of Wa, the Grand Offering Ceremony gradually declined after the Heian period. It was only during the reign of Emperor Higashiyama that it was restored, along with court ceremonies such as the investiture of the Crown Prince. Shortly thereafter, it was interrupted again. Later, during the reign of Emperor Sakurachi, it was revived once more due to Emperor Sakurachi's success in securing the support of the then Shogun Tokugawa Yoshimune.
As for the Hollyhock Festival, it was a sacrificial event held at Kamo Shrines in the Atago district of Yamashiro Province. Originally known as the Kamo Festival, it was officially renamed the Hollyhock Festival in the seventh year of Genroku in the reign of Emperor Higashiyama, which corresponded to the thirty-third year of Masako of the Great Qing. It was a festival of the Kamo Mioya Shrine (Shimogamo Shrine) and the Kamo Wakeikazuchi Shrine (Kamigamo Shrine) in Kyoto, with origins dating back to the fifth year of Emperor Kinmei's reign.
During the Kamo Festival, an official procession transmitting imperial edicts and offerings from the Emperor to the Shimogamo and Kamigamo Shrines would depart from the Kyoto Imperial Palace in the morning, pass by Shimogamo Shrine, and arrive at Kamigamo Shrine in the afternoon. Upon arrival at the shrines, performances such as dances and horseback races would be held.
For the Emperors of Wa, the Grand Offering Ceremony was considered a grand rite of accession that established their authority and mystique. The Hollyhock Festival, on the other hand, was an opportunity to win popular support.
Unfortunately, while the Grand Offering Ceremony was crucial for the Emperors of Wa, it was a labor-intensive and financially draining activity with little practical benefit for the shogunate. Consequently, after Emperor Sakurachi, it was again interrupted for a long period. Emperor Kōkaku's enthronement did not feature the Grand Offering Ceremony.
The equally important Hollyhock Festival had also been interrupted for a considerable time, for the same reasons as the Grand Offering Ceremony: it was labor-intensive, financially draining, and served little purpose.
"Labor-intensive" referred to the need to mobilize a large workforce for preparation and aftermath. This was not a concern for the Edo shogunate or Tokugawa Ienari; after all, the nobility of Wa never considered the common people as human beings.
However, the "financially draining" aspect was something the Edo shogunate absolutely could not accept. The shogunate bore the expenses, while the Emperor held the Hollyhock Festival and the Grand Offering Ceremony. This was akin to spending the shogunate's money to enhance the Emperor's prestige, and the Edo shogunate naturally refused to be the foolish financier.
Tokugawa Ienari's sudden proposal to reinstate the Grand Offering Ceremony and the Hollyhock Festival was clearly intended to lure Emperor Kōkaku out of the palace with the promise of the Hollyhock Festival.
In other words, if Emperor Kōkaku agreed to reinstate the Hollyhock Festival, he would have to appear at the gate of the Imperial Palace of Wa. At that point, whether invited by Emperor Kōkaku or by Tokugawa Ienari, Chen Yan, the ambassador of the Great Ming to Wa, would be present at the gate of the Imperial Palace of Wa, appearing before both Emperor Kōkaku and Tokugawa Ienari. The rest would naturally fall to Watanabe Uemon and his associates.
Watanabe Uemon and Matsushita Ichiban understood the situation perfectly and showered Tokugawa Ienari with flattery such as "The General is wise" and "The General is a master strategist."
Tokugawa Ienari couldn't help but feel a sense of elation. Being the Shogun was already so exhilarating; if he were both Emperor and Shogun of Wa, wouldn't that be even more so?
Meanwhile, Emperor Kōkaku was troubled.
Chen Yan's departure from the Imperial Palace of Wa after uttering the words "People must rely on themselves" without even partaking in the meal was not only a complete lack of respect for Emperor Kōkaku but also a harsh slap in the face.
If it were merely a matter of being snubbed and slapped, it wouldn't have been so bad. After all, short people were known for their thick skin. The problem was that before leaving, he had not given Emperor Kōkaku any clear indication of his stance. He neither supported Emperor Kōkaku nor Tokuagawa Ienari, nor did he reveal any inclination toward either side. This left Emperor Kōkaku in a difficult position.
As for the nonsense Emperor Kōkaku had spoken earlier to Gen Masayoshi and the other anti-shogunate envoys to Ming, it was merely to "comfort their sentiments." Now that the envoys had departed, Emperor Kōkaku no longer needed to pretend to be a strategist.
Emperor Kōkaku raised his hand and rubbed his brow, sighing to his fourth son, Prince Hiroshi, "Hiroshi, if this matter succeeds, I will abdicate the throne of Wa to you. If it fails, I fear the imperial lineage of Wa will end with me."
Prince Hiroshi also furrowed his brow slightly, but the reason for his frown differed from Emperor Kōkaku's.
Emperor Kōkaku frowned because the imperial lineage of Wa might end with him, and there was a risk of the entire country being renamed Tokugawa.
Prince Hiroshi frowned because Emperor Kōkaku had used the word "朕" (zhèn), a term historically used by Emperors.
Prince Hiroshi had always favored the culture of the Central Plains and was committed to promoting Wa's restoration to a court-centered system. By "court-centered system," he naturally meant adopting a grand court model similar to that of the Central Plains, consolidating power from the shogunate.
For this reason, Emperor Kōkaku had sent Prince Hiroshi to study at the Imperial Academy of Ming at an early age. Prince Hiroshi had indeed lived up to Emperor Kōkaku's expectations, not only acquiring a plethora of miscellaneous knowledge but also winning over many anti-shogunate envoys to Ming for Emperor Kōkaku.
However, it was through his experience studying in Ming that Prince Hiroshi gained some understanding of Ming and knew what actions were taboo.
After looking around, Prince Hiroshi lowered his voice and said, "Your Majesty has been drinking. The term 'Emperor' is merely an old saying from decades ago. Your Majesty is now the King of Wa, personally enfeoffed by His Majesty the Emperor of Ming. How can you still refer to yourself as Emperor? Your humble son can keep this secret for you today, but if Your Majesty utters such reckless words again in the future, will it not ruin the entire country of Wa?"
Emperor Kōkaku looked at Prince Hiroshi with bewilderment. After Prince Hiroshi nodded emphatically, Emperor Kōkaku waved his hand, signaling all the short individuals present to leave the palace, not even leaving a single guard behind.
Prince Hiroshi finally breathed a sigh of relief and whispered, "If Your Majesty wishes to discuss any secret matters, it is best not to have anyone serving you. Otherwise, the information will inevitably be leaked."
Emperor Kōkaku pointed towards the direction outside the main hall, looking utterly perplexed, and said, "Do you know what you are saying? The people who just left are all native-born Waese. If they are not loyal to me, the Emperor of Wa, will they betray me?"
Emperor Kōkaku's question plunged Prince Hiroshi into a state of struggle and silence. After a good while, he replied, "Your Majesty should know that Ming has the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot. These two organizations were once renowned. Who can guarantee that our conversation will not be overheard by their spies?"
"Especially these Waese you mentioned—they are Waese, yes, but how much temptation can they resist? Money, Ming does not lack it. Although the national treasury cannot print it freely, at least it is not short of the budget to bribe a few spies."
"If your recent self-proclamation as Emperor were to be leaked, the Emperor of Ming might dismiss it with a smile, or he might consider you to have rebellious intentions."
"The former is easy to handle, but if it is the latter, I fear the Ming fleet in Kyushu will immediately cut off all sea routes for Wa, and the Ming army will soon arrive on the mainland of Wa."
"If that moment comes, it is likely that not only the imperial lineage of Wa will be extinguished, but the entire country of Wa!"
Emperor Kōkaku fell silent.
Emperor Kōkaku might not trust anyone, might not trust Chen Yan, might not trust Tokugawa Ienari, and might even not trust Empress Chūgū Kanshi's mother, Dainagon Kaishūji Keii's daughter, Kaishūji Kyōko. However, Emperor Kōkaku would never doubt Prince Hiroshi.
This was because Emperor Kōkaku's three elder brothers, the first prince Kōnin and the second prince Shunshin, had both died at a young age. The third prince Onin had also passed away. Only Prince Hiroshi had grown up healthy and was enfeoffed as Prince Hiroshi, undoubtedly the next Emperor of Wa.
This meant that unless Prince Hiroshi had lived long enough and wanted to be killed by Tokugawa Ienari, the interests of Emperor Kōkaku and Prince Hiroshi were entirely aligned. Even if anyone else betrayed them in the matter of eliminating the shogunate, Prince Hiroshi would be the least likely to do so.
Furthermore, Emperor Kōkaku had always relied on Prince Hiroshi's judgment. When Tokugawa Ienari had just sold Wa to Ming, Prince Hiroshi had pointed out that Tokugawa Ienari was unreliable and requested to study in Ming.
However, after a period of silence, Emperor Kōkaku let out a chuckle, forcing a smile that was more bitter than tears. "What can be done about it? Let alone the Emperor of the Ming dynasty who does not care about the fate of Wa, even that Ming envoy Chen Yan is indifferent to the fate of Wa. As for Tokugawa Ienari..."
However, Prince Hiroshi prostrated himself and cried, "Your Majesty! I have already said, you are the King of Wa, personally enfeoffed by the Emperor of Ming. Even if you are to be deposed for various reasons, it must be by an imperial decree from the Emperor of Ming. If Tokugawa Ienari wishes to usurp the throne, he would be not only offending the dignity of Wa but also..."
Emperor Kōkaku snorted coldly, "And then? The pro-shogunate envoys of the Edo shogunate have already begun to act. Tokugawa Ienari has been cornered by them. If he doesn't find a way to get rid of me, I will definitely get rid of him. There is no room for reconciliation between the Imperial Court and the shogunate."
"No, there is still a turning point," Prince Hiroshi bowed deeply and said, "What you need to do now is, in the name of the King of Wa, personally enfeoffed by the Emperor of Ming, to seek aid from the Great Ming Ambassador to Wa who is already in Kyoto, and directly expose Tokugawa Ienari's intention to usurp the throne."
"In addition, you should also submit a memorial to the Emperor of Ming, explaining the entire situation to His Majesty the Emperor of Ming and requesting that His Majesty the Emperor of Ming take action to uphold justice for the country and people of Wa."
Emperor Kōkaku asked doubtfully, "And then? Is that all?"
Prince Hiroshi calculated silently and replied, "If the sole purpose is to thwart Tokugawa Ienari's intention to usurp the throne, then this is sufficient. If Your Majesty also wishes to take this opportunity to suppress or abolish the shogunate, then this is naturally insufficient."
Emperor Kōkaku's interest was immediately piqued. After discussing for a long time with so many envoys to Ming and achieving nothing, Prince Hiroshi had now resolved the issue with just a few words?
Emperor Kōkaku urged repeatedly, "Tell me, what else do I need to do?"
Prince Hiroshi let out a cold laugh and said, "Naturally, you need to find a way to appear before the Ming envoy along with Tokugawa Ienari. If the Great Ming Ambassador to Wa still cares about the Emperor of Ming's reputation, then he will surely side with you and suppress Tokugawa Ienari. If he sides with Tokugawa Ienari, then the problem becomes even easier to handle."
Emperor Kōkaku hummed and frowned, "How is it easier to handle?"
Prince Hiroshi's cold smile remained, and his voice carried a hint of chill, "If the Great Ming Ambassador to Wa does not care about the Great Ming Emperor's reputation, it means he is bound to have ulterior motives. If Your Majesty is willing to pay the price, it should not be difficult to win over a Ming envoy, should it?"
"In addition, Your Majesty should also have people make an ambush beforehand. Once the Great Ming Ambassador to Wa expresses support for Tokugawa Ienari, immediately have him killed."
"Once Tokugawa Ienari is dead, Your Majesty will still be the Heavenly King of Wa, and you can even use the Edo shogunate to kill that Ming envoy."
...
As the saying goes, one who harbors the intent to harm a tiger also has the heart to wound a tiger.
Tokugawa Ienari wished to usurp the throne and declare his independence, and Emperor Kōkaku also wanted to get rid of the shogunate to completely control the power of Wa.
Under such circumstances, like dry tinder meeting fierce fire or a wild girl meeting a hooligan, the proposal for the Edo shogunate to fund the Hollyhock Festival was quickly approved, with the date set for a few days later. Chen Yan, the Great Ming Ambassador to Wa, also agreed to attend by invitation.
However, while waiting for Chen Yan's arrival, Tokugawa Ienari couldn't help but reach for the samurai sword hanging at his waist and cast a hostile gaze at Emperor Kōkaku.
As the saying goes, with a sharp blade in hand, the urge to kill naturally arises!
(End of Chapter)