Chapter 437
The Incident in Heian-kyo
...
After conquering northern Kyushu, the Song army stopped there and even moved Han Chinese people there, laying railways, planting crops, and mining gold and silver.
This clearly indicates they're not going anywhere.
This could even be a case of the Song Dynasty using one enemy to devour another, hoping that the Jin Dynasty would destroy Japan, and then the Song Dynasty would destroy the Jin Dynasty and annex Japan.
It's no wonder the Japanese overthink things.
Indeed, they sent people to northern Kyushu to urge Wu Yong to advance his troops.
Wu Yong first said that the Song army was burdened with supplies and could not fight without trains to transport equipment. Therefore, they could only wait until the railway was laid and the Song army delivered the trains before they could continue their campaign against the Jin.
Later, Wu Yong said that transporting grain from the Song Dynasty was too costly, and that the Song army should first grow grain in Japan so that they could continue fighting; otherwise, there was a possibility of serious problems.
In short, no matter how much the people sent by Emperor Shirakawa urged him, Wu Yong refused to advance his troops, allowing the Jurchens to launch a frenzied attack on the China region and Shikoku Island, both of which were in grave danger.
Faced with this situation, Emperor Shirakawa sent someone to bypass Wu Yong and go directly to see Zhao Yu, asking him to issue an edict to send troops to the front lines; at the same time, he discussed countermeasures with his ministers.
……
Heian-kyo Shishin-den.
Emperor Shirakawa leaned back on his throne, his face somber. He slowly spoke, “The Song army has occupied northern Kyushu for half a year, building railways, mining, and relocating people to cultivate land, without any intention of advancing an inch. The Jurchens have already captured Harima and Sanuki, and are pressing towards Settsu. Shikoku is about to fall, and China is in imminent danger! Wu Yong has used the excuse that the railways are not yet completed and the food is not yet ready to delay the war, but his intentions are obvious. Gentlemen, how should Japan survive now?”
Fujiwara no Tadamichi stepped forward and said in a deep voice, “The Song emperor is far away in Beijing, and Wu Yong is holding onto his troops and acting with great power. In reality, he is using the pretext of attacking the Jin to occupy our Japan. He has already moved Han people and built railways, and he intends to hold onto northern Kyushu for a long time. The Jin people are bloodthirsty, and the Song army is greedy for land. Our dynasty is attacked from both sides. There are only three paths: either we beg the Song emperor to issue a military order as soon as possible, or we unite our remaining troops to resist the Jin, or we negotiate peace with the Jin people and then plan for the future.”
Sanjo stepped forward and said, “What the Regent says is absolutely right. However, it may take several months for an envoy to travel to and from the capital of the Great Song Dynasty, while the Jurchens could reach Setsujin any day or two. I believe that we should urgently mobilize the troops of the Minamoto clan in the east and the Taira clan in the west to guard the Seto Inland Sea and prevent the Jurchens from crossing westward. At the same time, we should send an envoy to northern Kyushu again, openly forcing Wu Yong to send troops with a treaty, while secretly bribing him with gold and silver. Perhaps we can persuade him to send troops to attack the Jurchens. At the same time, we should send another envoy to make peace with the Jurchens. With these three measures in place, we can ensure that nothing goes wrong.”
Taira no Masamori declared sternly, “This strategy is like drinking poison to quench thirst! The Jin are cruel and cunning, and the Song are wolfish and ambitious. Compromising with them will only embolden them. I request to lead the imperial guards from the capital region to reinforce the China region. Although the Jin are brave, they are exhausted from a long war. We can wait in comfort and perhaps blunt their advance. Once the situation in the four countries and China has eased, we can use a treaty to force Wu Yong to join forces with the Song army to attack the Jin. Afterwards, we will surely reclaim the land of northern Kyushu!”
Fujiwara no Tadashi shook his head: "The Left Minister is indeed brave, but the number of soldiers in the capital region is less than 100,000, and their armor and tactics are inferior to those of the Jurchens. If they go to war, it will be like throwing an egg against a rock. In my opinion, since Wu Yong said that 'we cannot fight before the grain is ripe' and 'we cannot fight without railways,' our dynasty can send people to help them cultivate the land and then send people to help them lay railways, so that they can quickly obtain grain and start train service. In this way, they will have no excuse to delay any longer."
Minamoto no Yujin shook his head: "The Grand Councilor's plan is flawed. After the Jurchens breached the city, they burned and killed indiscriminately. Most of the people of China and Shikoku have already fled. Helping Song with land reclamation and railway construction will likely be insufficient to address the immediate crisis. I believe we should proceed in four directions: First, send envoys to Beijing to present Wu Yong's military strength and request the Song emperor to issue an order to advance. Second, order the generals of Shikoku to retreat to Awa and Tosa, holding their positions to delay the Jurchens. Third, gather tribute from across the country and send eloquent individuals with gold and silk to the Song camp, explicitly stating, 'If the Song army defeats the Jurchens, we are willing to share half of the benefits of Kyushu with Song,' thus enticing them to send troops. Fourth, send envoys to negotiate peace with the Jurchens, and if necessary, grant them Ezo Island, allowing the two countries to coexist."
At this moment, Emperor Toba suddenly strode into the hall from outside and said, "There is no need to choose the first three options. I have already sent envoys to negotiate with Wanyan Zongbi, the Jin ruler. As long as Japan agrees to give Ezo Island to the Jin Dynasty, they will immediately withdraw from the China region and Shikoku Island, and help Japan drive out the Song Dynasty."
Emperor Shirakawa frowned deeply upon seeing that Retired Emperor Toba had come to cause trouble again!
Emperor Shirakawa frowned, not only because Emperor Toba had secretly sent people to negotiate peace with the Jurchens without informing him.
What made Emperor Shirakawa even more dissatisfied and worried was Emperor Toba's lack of foresight.
Yes.
According to the agreement reached between Emperor Toba and the Jurchens, Japan might be able to temporarily escape the Jurchens' attack.
But the question is, what about the Song Dynasty?
Don't forget, the Song Dynasty destroyed the Jin Dynasty and wiped out most of the Jin people. If it weren't for the fact that Jin Wuzhu and his few thousand men ran away quickly, they would have been wiped out by the Song Dynasty as well.
The Song Dynasty came here for two reasons. First, it was at the invitation of Japan to send troops to help Japan eliminate the Jin people. Second, the Song Dynasty also intended to completely eliminate the Jin people.
By shielding the Jurchens behind themselves, weren't the Japanese just waiting to be attacked by Song Dynasty cannons?
Without saying a word, Emperor Shirakawa dismissed Emperor Toba and then issued an edict:
“What you all have said has its merits and demerits. Avoiding war is not an option, fighting alone is not feasible, and colluding with the Jin people is also a dead end.”
Now we should combine them and use them:
First, he sent Fujiwara no Tadashi as an envoy to Beijing overnight to meet with the Song emperor, complain about Wu Yong's delaying tactics, and request that the emperor issue an edict to urge the troops to advance.
Secondly, he ordered Minamoto no Masaaki to lead troops from the East to aid the China region, and Taira no Masamori to defend the Seto Inland Sea, preventing the Jurchens from continuing their attack on Japan.
Thirdly, send three officials to northern Kyushu with 10,000 taels of gold and 100,000 taels of silver to meet Wu Yong and say: "Our court will assist the Song in land reclamation and railway construction. We urge the Song army to quickly rescue the people of Shikoku and China. After defeating the Jin, the Song will take 60% of the mineral profits and trade routes in Kyushu, and we will take 40%." If Wu Yong still does not comply, then proclaim to the entire nation: "The Song army has broken its alliance, and the Jin people are cruel. All Japanese citizens should take up arms to resist the enemy and face this national crisis together!"
The assembled officials kowtowed in unison and said, "Your Majesty, we obey your decree!"
Emperor Shirakawa then instructed his ministers: "There is no time to lose. You all must hurry and make preparations. If the Song army delays any longer and the Jin army penetrates deeper, the century-old foundation of our Yamato will be destroyed in an instant! Success or failure hinges on this one move. You all must strive!"
"We would gladly die a thousand deaths!"
……
Emperor Baihe was convinced that the Song Dynasty would fulfill its treaty with Japan, continue to help Japan defeat the Jin invaders, and reclaim their lost territories.
However, Wu Yong seemed determined to sit back and watch the fight, showing no intention of making a move.
What made Emperor Baihe and his ministers even more uneasy was that Zhao Yu's attitude was also ambiguous, and he only tried to buy time for Wu Yong.
As time went on, the Japanese people said that Emperor Shirakawa had been tricked by Zhao Yu, who had spent 200 million taels of gold and silver to buy Japan's greatest enemy, inviting a wolf into the house. They said that if Japan did not find a solution quickly, it would surely be annexed by the Song Dynasty.
This message was released by Emperor Toba, who was unwilling to let Emperor Shirakawa continue to hold the supreme leadership of Japan. His purpose was simple: to take advantage of the mistakes made by Emperor Shirakawa to overthrow his rule and become the supreme leader of Japan.
Under the deliberate manipulation of Emperor Toba's faction, resentment surged both inside and outside the Japanese court, with rumors circulating that "the Retired Emperor has let a wolf into the house," attempting to use this atmosphere of hostility to subtly shift the wheel of power. It must be said that Emperor Toba seized the opportunity perfectly.
At this time, Japan faced external threats from the Jurchen Jin dynasty and the covetous gaze of the Song dynasty. Internally, Emperor Shirakawa's "Insei" (cloistered government) monopolized power, and the excessive emphasis on literature over military affairs elevated the status of Japanese intellectuals while restricting the status of Japanese samurai, resulting in significant internal conflicts.
The key issue is that, faced with this situation, Emperor Shirakawa clearly had no way to deal with it and could only place his hopes on the Song Dynasty fulfilling its treaty with Japan.
Emperor Toba, however, believed that the Song Dynasty was Japan's greatest enemy. Compared to the Song Dynasty, the Jurchens, who only wanted a place to live, were not a threat. He believed that the Japanese and the Jurchens could coexist.
Furthermore, 60% of Ezo Island is mountainous, with volcanoes accounting for 40% of the mountainous area. The Ezo Mountain Range runs across the entire island, with only a small, narrow plain along the coast. At that time, Japan's productivity was low, making it difficult to cultivate the mountainous and volcanic lands. The limited flat land was mostly located along the coast, making it susceptible to storms and tides, which could not support agricultural development. Japan could only rely on primitive fishing and hunting.
In addition, Ezo Island is in a relatively cold climate phase, with average winter temperatures often below -8°C. From December to March of the following year, the snow depth can reach several meters, making even semi-subterranean houses difficult to withstand the severe cold. In summer, the southeast coast is often shrouded in sea fog, hindering navigation and outdoor operations, while in winter, there is drift ice on the north coast, which greatly hinders coastal fishing and hunting activities.
Moreover, Ezo Island is prone to earthquakes and tsunamis, and its volcanic eruptions are frequent. The scattered volcanic ash will pollute the land and water sources, further shrinking the living space for humans.
In short, at that time, Ezo Island was a bitterly cold place that Japanese people living near Kyoto would rather die than go to.
Emperor Toba felt that giving such a dilapidated place to the Jurchens would have no impact on Japan.
In fact, it wasn't just Emperor Toba who thought this way; many Japanese people also felt that it would be great to let the two barbaric peoples, the Jurchens and the Ezo, wear each other down while they watched the spectacle from the sidelines.
In other words, Emperor Toba's political views were very popular in Japan at that time.
Emperor Toba then claimed that someone had presented him with the Imperial Treasures (Yata no Kagami and Kusanagi no Tsurugi) stolen from the Imperial Household Department, and commanded the court nobles and samurai who were disillusioned with the Insei system to overthrow the erroneous rule of Emperor Shirakawa and save Japan.
At the call of Emperor Toba, Taira no Kiyomori led 3,000 Taira warriors to block the four gates of Heian-kyo and posted a proclamation against Shirakawa, listing the three major crimes of the retired emperor Shirakawa: "inviting the Song Dynasty to invade, exhausting the national treasury, and misleading the country and its people." Meanwhile, Minamoto no Yoshitomo led 20,000 Genji soldiers from Kanto to rush into the capital from the east and control the key roads around the capital.
Inside the Toba Palace.
Emperor Retired Toba, clad in a striking suit of armor and wielding the Yata no Kagami (a mirror-like object) and the Kusanagi sword, addressed the assembled court nobles and samurai in a stern voice: "Treacherous officials have misled the Retired Emperor into spending two hundred million taels of gold and silver to lure the Song army into occupying northern Kyushu. They have also slandered the Retired Emperor, preventing him from allying with the Jin dynasty to repel the Song, leaving Japan besieged on both sides, its situation as precarious as a rock! Now, the imperial regalia is tarnished, and the people are suffering. As the Retired Emperor of Japan, I have an inescapable responsibility at this critical juncture for the nation's survival. I will personally punish the traitors, purge the court of corrupt officials, and restore the land of Japan!!!"
Inside the Zichen Hall.
Upon hearing of the turmoil, Emperor Shirakawa urgently summoned his trusted confidants, including Fujiwara no Tadamichi and Sanjo no Shigeaki, to discuss the matter, only to find that the palace guards had already been bribed by Taira no Kiyomori, and the palace gates were firmly guarded.
Fujiwara no Tadashi was ordered to go to Beijing to seek reinforcements, but before he could set off, Minamoto no Masasada's reinforcements were intercepted halfway by Minamoto no Yoshitomo. Although Taira no Masamori was loyal to the Insei, he was forced to remain inactive by his son Taira no Kiyomori's threat to the survival of the family.
Emperor Shirakawa stood on the palace steps, gazing at the flames spreading outside the palace and the cries of "By imperial decree, we will punish the rebels!" He trembled with rage: "You scoundrel! Now that the Song and Jin are surrounding us, you disregard the greater good and fight me to the death. Japan will surely perish at your hands!"
The rebels launched a swift offensive, and the guards of Zichen Palace collapsed after only half a day.
Taira no Kiyomori led his samurai straight into the inner palace, shouting sternly, "The Retired Emperor has ruined the country and should abdicate to atone for his sins!"
Emperor Shirakawa glared at the once subservient samurai scions, then looked towards the imperial banner rising in the direction of Toba Palace in the distance, and suddenly vomited blood. He knew all too well that the court nobles he relied on were powerless and without troops, and the samurai clan had long since sided with Emperor Toba; his fate was sealed!
Three days later.
Emperor Toba, as the victor, celebrated his newfound power with his "meritorious retainers" in the Shishinden Palace.
Prior to this, Emperor Retired Emperor Toba deposed Emperor Shirakawa from his power as regent and placed him under house arrest at Ninna-ji Temple, where he was honored as "Retired Emperor," which was tantamount to imprisonment.
After Emperor Toba ascended to the pinnacle of power in Japan, he reversed the policies of Emperor Shirakawa and brought Fujiwara no Yasuko (Kōyōin), the daughter of Fujiwara no Tadashi who had been estranged from Emperor Shirakawa, into the palace in order to consolidate his power.
On the other hand, Taikenmon-in (Fujiwara no Shōko), having lost the protection of Emperor Shirakawa, fell out of favor and was banished to the cold palace by Emperor Toba.
Next, Emperor Shirakawa dismissed all the important Japanese ministers from the Shirakawa era, especially those who had helped him deal with Emperor Toba, regardless of their usefulness, and replaced them with his own people.
At the same time, Emperor Toba sent someone to the Jin camp again to meet with Wanyan Wuzhu, explaining that he had obtained the highest power in Japan and that he would have the final say in Japan. He discussed the joint resistance against the Song Dynasty and reiterated the "Treaty of Cession of Ezo Island," intending to use the power of the Jin people to drive out the Song Dynasty and consolidate his supreme rule in Japan.
Inside Ninna-ji Temple, Emperor Shirakawa gazed through the heavily guarded samurai towards Heian-kyo, tears streaming down his face.
What others might not know was that Emperor Shirakawa, who had spent his entire life playing politics, knew that the Song Dynasty did indeed want to conquer Japan, but they were still lacking an excuse.
Without this excuse, it would be neither good nor bad for the Song Dynasty to conquer Japan.
Even if the Song Dynasty were to conquer Japan one day, it would still treat the Japanese imperial family well.
Once this pretext is available, the Song Dynasty will have no more scruples and will definitely conquer Japan.
The key point is that once the Song Dynasty conquers Japan, it will have an excuse to ensure that the Japanese imperial family, royal family, and nobles will not have a good ending.
Unfortunately, Emperor Toba, that self-righteous fellow, gave the Song Dynasty this excuse.
Most importantly, the Jin dynasty, which was already a mere shell of its former self, combined with Japan, could never possibly defeat the Song dynasty.
'Japan is doomed, and the Japanese Imperial Family is finished...'
...(End of chapter)