Chapter 86: Child, Are There No Adults in Your Village?
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With a spring, Old Zhu Di shot forward, taking two steps ahead and respectfully declared, “Father, your son has long been ready, prepared at any moment to lead your horse and assist your mounting!”
“Yes, yes.”
“So am I!”
Old Zhu Fourth and Young Zhu Di hurriedly echoed.
Old Zhu Di was in high spirits; finally, it was time to get to work. For more than a month, he hadn’t had a single matter of state, government, or military to attend to, and it had left him restless.
“That’s more like it.” Zhu Yuanzhang’s expression softened considerably, and he finally reprimanded, “I had the eldest grandson call you to set out, and you were all slumped in your chairs—what kind of behavior is that!”
“Eldest grandson, we haven’t finished our conversation yet. Tell me again, which troops have already arrived?”
Three resentful glances swept over Zhu Youjian. This little rascal had kept silent.
But you three never gave me a chance to speak!
Zhu Youjian gave a wry smile, cupping his hands, “Great Ancestor, the Hongwu forces were first dispatched. General Xu Da has entered Goryeo and ordered the King of Goryeo to take full charge of logistics, while Lan Yu has led the navy to Sekimi and awaits your command.”
“The troops from the other two dynasties are waiting to dock.”
“Very good!” Zhu Yuanzhang nodded. “Since that’s the case, let’s go to the Hongwu court first.”
“Yes!”
…
The Island of Wa.
The Country of Sekimi.
In the sixteenth year of the Hongwu era, Japan was in the midst of the Northern and Southern Courts period, with the Muromachi shogunate as the greatest authority.
The supporters of the Northern Emperor, Emperor Go-Komatsu, and the Southern Emperor, Emperor Go-Kameyama, were not split across the whole island but each controlled territories about the size of counties—half yours, half mine. Their respective powers were tangled and chaotic.
Moreover, this period in the land of Wa was rife with the custom of the lower overthrowing the upper. The shogunate treated the emperor as a mascot; if the shogun felt like listening, he’d listen. If not, he’d tell the emperor to get lost.
Take, for example, the greatest power-holder on Wa Island at present: Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, who later unified the Northern and Southern Courts by negotiation during the Yongle era. He was just like that. This fellow was the villainous general from the cartoon “Ikkyu-san.”
As for the provincial protectors, the daimyo—akin to lords and gentry—those with strength didn’t even bother with the shogunate. If they wanted to listen, they would; if not, they ignored it.
Lower-level landowners were the same; they treated weaker protectors with indifference, and the lowest-ranked samurai were even more audacious. Meeting the emperor on the road, they dared to draw their bows and shoot—rebellion was their main trait.
Strength was what mattered. Some formidable samurai, accompanied by dozens of followers, were small feudal lords in their own right.
Individual martial prowess was comparatively strong.
After all, across the whole island, there were dozens of provincial daimyo. Even a powerful daimyo, exhausting all resources, could muster only a thousand samurai and a few thousand peasant soldiers.
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And the lower-level landowners dared not cross the big samurai; the imperial family’s influence brought a penchant for inbreeding, resulting in a touch of madness among them.
Inside the Hongwu army’s camp.
Lan Yu, clad in armor and sword at his waist, frowned as he looked down at a Wa native, complaining to the guard beside him:
“How did you bring back a child? He’s barely grown—what could he possibly know?”
The guard protested, “Reporting to General, we didn’t see a single adult in this village, only this little fellow who seemed mature and knew some official language.”
“Enough, silence.”
Lan Yu waved his hand and barked at the child below, “You! Where are the adults in your village?!”
“Baka!”
Ishikawa Island Shitsu could no longer hold back, his face flushed as he muttered a curse under his breath.
Hongwu army interpreter Yang Zai hurried over, his expression odd. “General, he’s cursing you.”
Lan Yu’s face darkened. He strode to the little fellow, barely reaching his chest, and grinned cruelly. “Little beast, I’ve killed plenty of children, but you’re the first to dare insult me!”
“Kill him! Bring the next one!”
Ishikawa Island Shitsu, face red, stammered in awkward official language, “I am forty years old—not a child!”
What?
“That can’t be—Wa people, I’ve seen them. They’re certainly shorter than us, but this is absurd!” Lan Yu was stunned. He looked him over carefully—no matter how he looked, he seemed no older than ten!
Yang Zai cupped his hands. “General, most Wa people are this small. Those who come to pay tribute are selected for show—the tallest among the short…”
Seeing Lan Yu’s sour expression, the official quickly changed his words, “They’re like soybeans among sesame seeds—exceptionally tall.”
Lan Yu eyed the little fellow, grumbling, “What’s the point of fighting them? With these tiny bodies, even the cooks could beat ten of them.”
“I want to challenge you!” Ishikawa Island Shitsu glared at Lan Yu with hatred, eyes wide.
Pfft!
“Take him away, next.”
Lan Yu wiped his sword clean of blood on the child’s clothes, sheathed it, and impatiently waved his hand.
“Yes!”
Soon enough, another Wa native was brought in—this one exceptionally ugly, trembling, and not daring to raise his head.
Suddenly.
A dozen figures appeared inside the tent. Zhu Yuanzhang frowned.
“What is this!”
Lan Yu and his men were startled, hurriedly kneeling. “Your servant greets Your Majesty!”
“Reporting, Your Majesty, this is a Wa native. Your servant is interrogating him.”
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A Wa native?
Zhu Yuanzhang was taken aback. “Why are you interrogating a child? He’s barely grown—what could he possibly know?”
Lan Yu scratched his head anxiously.
You’re quoting my words exactly.
Zhu Youjian shook his head. “Great Ancestor, this should be an adult. Wa natives are generally small—in appearance, this three-foot fellow is quite normal.”
“Is that so.”
Zhu Yuanzhang’s brows relaxed. He asked, “Eldest grandson, why don’t we just seize the person in charge and force a resolution? Who has authority here?”
A Wa native, barely four feet tall, posed no threat among the Ming soldiers, most of whom stood around five and a half feet. To any Ming soldier, they were like Lü Bu reborn.
Even the cooks and horse keepers were at least like generals of Lingling.
Until the later Ming period, when Wa natives grew to over five feet, their strength increased and they began to harass Ming’s borders.
The authorities were a group of vice protectors and daimyo.
“This place is in the midst of the Northern and Southern Courts period, might makes right, and there are too many officials. The top figure in the Northern Court is the shogun, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. For the Southern Court, it should be Prince Kaneyoshi of Wa,” Zhu Youjian explained.
Interpreter-official Yang Zai, familiar with Wa affairs, stepped forward and reported respectfully, “Your Majesty, the national letter you previously sent was delivered to Prince Kaneyoshi.”
A national letter?
Zhu Yuanzhang blinked, memories flooding back.
In the second year of Hongwu, as Wa often harassed the borders, he was forced to send a strong, domineering letter to Wa:
When this edict arrives, if you are a subject, send envoys to court; if not, defend your own land, enjoy peace as Heaven wills; if you continue as bandits, I will command the fleet to sail to your islands, hunt down your followers, reach your country, and capture your king!
In other words, take care of your pirates, or I’ll come and punish you.
Prince Kaneyoshi of the Southern Court read the letter and replied with a single sentence: “I won’t bother, come if you dare!”
He then killed five Ming envoys. Seven envoys went to Japan, and only two returned, the rest were slain.
One of them was Yang Zai, now serving as interpreter in the tent.
Zhu Yuanzhang was furious, but as he was still contending with the remnants of Yuan, the matter was left unresolved.
Kaneyoshi, that little demon, succeeded in bluffing his way into the history books.
Old Zhu gave a cold laugh, gazing outside the tent.
Little bastard, you never expected this, did you?
I’ve come in person!
…