I

In Edo Castle Town, there is a large block where a large number of ronin live.

In a certain shabby room, many wanderers surrounded a middle-aged man. The rogues looked anxious and flustered, but the middle-aged man looked calm and continued to talk about his knowledge: "What is the basis of wealth? Grains and cloth. Gold, silver, and copper coins are just servants of grains and cloth. Why are the rogues so poor? Because they are not engaged in production. Not only ronin, but also samurai are not engaged in production. There are so many warriors and ronin in the world, and they all need to be supported by farmers. How miserable the farmers are! We, ronin, must also learn to work..."

"gentlemen!"

A ronin asked: "We have no land and cannot cultivate fields and grow food. Even if we are willing to be craftsmen, the craftsmen will not teach us their skills. We also want to be businessmen, but businessmen only specialize in buying and selling. The current situation is that we Rogues also want to work, but they can only do odd jobs or work as escorts for wealthy businessmen."

The middle-aged man sighed: "The disadvantages of this system must be reformed from top to bottom. When my teacher and I were in Okayama Domain, we already persuaded the feudal lord to reform. Unfortunately, we were framed by villains and were dismissed from our posts and exiled to various places."

The middle-aged man's name is Xiong Zefanshan, and his father is a ronin. He himself once served as an official in Okayama Domain, but he and his teacher spread Yangming's philosophy and were framed and suppressed by Lin Luoshan, who admired Zhu Xi's knowledge. From then on, he hid in Tibet and died under house arrest in another time and space.

His teacher Nakae Fujiki was the founder of the Japanese Yangming School of Mind, so Xiongzawa Fanshan was a second-generation disciple of the Japanese Yangming School.

The knowledge of Nakae Fujishu was divided into two factions.

One sect is called the Cunyang sect, and its academic leader is Yuan Gangshan. They follow the teacher's ideas and cannot change them.

Xiong Zefanshan is the leader of the Shigong sect, and "Shigong" means applying what you have learned. He did not blindly follow his teacher's teachings, or even follow Wang Yangming. He claimed that he was learning from ancient saints, and later tried to integrate Neo-Confucianism and psychology. His thoughts and practices instead inherited the true meaning of Wang Yangming.

One of the ronin disciples couldn't help it: "Sir, there's a fight outside, please help us come up with an idea. Should we help the shogunate fight, or should we help the Tang soldiers fight? Or, we can just run away. Edo is now It’s a battlefield!”

Xiong Zefanshan shook his head and said: "We are ronin, not samurai of the shogunate. How can we help the shogunate fight? The ronin have rebelled many times and have long been distrusted by the shogunate. We all want to be loyal but cannot get it."

"Then we help Tang Bing fight?" another disciple asked.

Xiong Zefanshan continued to shake his head: "Born here, raised here, this country and its people cannot fight for foreign countries."

"Then should we escape?" Another disciple asked.

Xiong Zefanshan still shook his head: "There is no need to run away."

More disciples were anxious: "If we don't help each other or run away, are we waiting here to die?"

Xiong Zefanshan smiled and said: "Everyone sit down and listen to me slowly."

"Although I have never been to China, I visited two envoys to the Tang Dynasty and learned a lot about China from their mouths. The Tang soldiers were also called the Datong Army. They advocated the unity of the world and never killed and robbed the people. A few years ago, the Tang soldiers besieged Tsurumaru. Tsurumaru City is an example. The people of Tsurumaru City all praise Tang Bing. Therefore, if we stay here, as long as we don't run around, there won't be any danger."

"The shogunate is in decay. It is a good thing that Tang soldiers are coming to kill them. It can wake up the shogunate princes from their dreams. If there are no external enemies, how can the shogunate and daimyo be willing to reform the system today?"

"Since ancient times, agriculture has been the basis. The annual tribute rice system of the shogunate seems to be the basis of agriculture, but it actually allows the royal family, daimyo, samurai, and merchants to exploit the peasants. How is China so rich? It is all because the peasants make a living. Once farmers survive, all industries will survive.”

"Today's Japan is a pool of stagnant water. The samurai are kept in captivity and do not produce, and the farmers are imprisoned on the land and cannot move. A pond without running water will become a pool of stagnant water, which will breed snakes, insects, rats, and ants. In order for running water to not rot, it must be allowed to survive. People are moving.”

"I have also read "The Collection of Datong", which can be summed up in one word: live!"

"The Chinese emperor was able to dominate the Tang Dynasty because he allowed the people under his rule to live. The lowly people were given equal status. Farmers, actors, craftsmen, merchants, scholars, military households...all could choose their occupations at will, so the people's support, There are many capable people.”

"The people in the world are like water droplets, which gather together to form rivers, lakes and seas. The emperor of China has a broad mind, just like the sea. All rivers return to the sea, and the people return to the emperor."

"How big-minded is the Chinese emperor? I heard that as long as he does not criticize land affairs and does not violate the law and commit crimes, even if he openly scolds the emperor, he will be imprisoned for a few days at most. Chinese scholars can speak freely and express their thoughts to their heart's content. And What about us in Japan? My mentor and I were accused of intending to commit rebellion just because we were spreading the philosophy of mind in Okayama Domain."

"If the shogunate wants to reform, it does not have to copy China. It is easy to paint a tiger but not a dog. But it must learn from China and let Japan live. Samurai and ronin should be encouraged to produce. Peasants should not be tied to the land... … It’s difficult, the samurai system needs to be reformed, and the land system needs to be reformed.”

"Perhaps, only a great man like the Emperor of China who became a shogun can achieve this kind of reform."

"The siege of Edo by Tang soldiers this time may wake up the shogunate. Even if the reform cannot be completed, it is good to change it a little bit. If it can be changed a little bit, it means that Japan can still move and live, and is not completely dead. If the Tang Dynasty Even after the troops have withdrawn and the shogunate still does not reform, Japan will really be doomed."

Kumasawa Fanzan was the most sober and pragmatic Japanese thinker from the 17th to the 18th century. No Japanese could surpass him in the next 100 years.

But throughout this man's life, he spent two-thirds of his time evading capture. In his later years, he was too lazy to escape, so he calmly waited to be caught and then placed under house arrest until he died of illness.

"Bang bang bang bang!"

Gunshots were heard in the streets outside, and the samurai who could not enter the city were already fighting street battles with the Datong Army.

Xiong Zefanshan continued: "Tai Chi is divided into yin and yang. When the two qi of yin and yang circulate, all things in the world will be born and multiply. This is the so-called golden mean. In Japan, yin and yang cannot circulate now. Yin is yin and yang is yang. Yin and yang cannot interact. If it is Tai, everything will be desolate. What should we, the wanderers, do?"

"A ronin should balance his own yin and yang, and don't think that he is higher than the common people. As long as there is an opportunity, learn how to work, how to do business, and how to farm, so that you can live. Carrying a knife all day long, wandering around the castle town , What good is it to ourselves? If it doesn’t work, just leave Japan and go to the outside world."

Suddenly, a disciple asked: "Sir, can we learn from the emperor of the Tang Dynasty? Sir, be the leader, lead the ronin to rebel, and lead the peasants to rebel together. Overthrow the tyranny of the shogunate, return power to His Majesty the Emperor, and then let Japan live!"

Xiong Zefanshan became silent, and then sighed.

"Why don't you speak, sir?" the disciple asked.

Xiong Zefanshan said: "That will kill a lot of people, and it may not be successful. The daimyo and their banners will work together to suppress it. But it is difficult for the ronin and the peasants to work together. Even among us, if the rebellion becomes big, the shogunate will If you bribe them secretly, some people may become traitors. Don't rush to refute. If a daimyo accepts you as retainers and samurai, will you continue to rebel?"

The disciples immediately fell silent.

Suddenly a ronin disciple stood up, drew his sword and slashed at the corner of the table: "No matter how many people die, we should rise up. If we don't rise up, what hope do we have in this life? Wandering around alleys all day long, we are nothing more than beggars. One more knife. I have lived through this kind of life enough. I was not enlightened before, but now after listening to my husband’s good advice, I know what to do. The shogun is a thief who steals the country. We should respect the king and fight against the thief, and return the great power of the world to him. Your Majesty the Emperor! Gentlemen, who is willing to go with me?"

"I'm willing to go with you!"

"Count me in!"

In an instant, more than ten people stood up, with enthusiasm written on their faces.

Xiong Zefanshan couldn't help but sigh. He knew that his disciples would definitely fail, but he still had a little hope.

Moreover, Xiong Zefanshan knew that it was time to leave.

If the disciples make trouble, he will be severely wanted, and I am afraid there will be no hiding place in Japan.

On the street, more than two hundred warriors charged forward with swords and guns, and arrows were fired from the attic on the street from time to time.

The samurai who could not enter the city definitely did not have firearms and could only fight with cold weapons.

The Datong Army uses the standard Yuanyang Formation, with eleven people per team - one less fire soldier than Qi Jiguang's Yuanyang Formation, and with the large number of equipped muskets, spears and wolf mills have been completely eliminated.

Tengpai held his shield in front to cover his teammates' advance.

Four musketeers followed, with bayonets drawn, making temporary appearances as pikemen and wolf soldiers. The remaining musketeers were responsible for shooting, specifically targeting the warriors at the front.

On this street, five Datong Army squads, fifty-five people, moved forward.

More than two hundred warriors rushed over, and more than thirty fell down from a distance. When the musketeers finished loading, there were only a dozen steps left, and this time the men with bayonets attached also fired their guns.

A burst of gunpowder smoke filled the air, and the warriors were already in disarray.

Situations like this happened in every corner of Edo Castle Town.

Although the troops from Nanjing have not seen blood for almost twenty years, their daily drills have not stopped. Moreover, there are many officers from the front lines and students who graduated from military academies, and the best ones were selected and transferred to the Nanjing garrison.

And what about these low-level warriors?

Not to mention experiencing war, they have not even practiced in formation for decades. They inherited the status of samurai from their fathers, and what they think about all day long is not training to fight, but how to avoid being dismissed as ronin. So he tried every means to bribe the superior officials, and usually showed off his power with a sword and despised the people.

Such a huge difference will make a judgment once the battle begins.

There were corpses of warriors everywhere in the streets. More warriors fled in defeat and automatically gathered at the city gate. They were not allowed to enter the city, so under the leadership of the general, they bypassed the city wall and retreated to the streets in the north.

"Bang bang bang bang!"

"Follow me to kill the enemy!"

The Datong cavalry was dispatched, and there were only two or three hundred of them, because the horses had just landed and needed to rest.

But the heavily armed cavalry rushed out of the streets, and the defeated warriors were frightened. Those who can serve as cavalry in Nanjing are all tall and strong men. In the eyes of Japanese samurai, they are all like gods descending from heaven.

The warriors were chased by the cavalry. They were no longer thinking about their heads and only knew how to run north as hard as they could. They had recovered a little bit of organization, but were charged by the Chinese cavalry. Fear spread like a virus, and the tens of thousands of warriors outside the city were completely defeated.

The shogunate and the old and middle-aged daimyo stood at the top of the city and watched the whole process, their faces turned pale with fright.