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 wanderers 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, cloth, gold, silver, and copper coins.
They are just servants of grain and cloth. Why are the ronin so poor? It’s all because they don’t engage in production. Not only ronin, but also samurai. 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, the ronin, also
You must 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 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 Gangshan Domain, but he and his teacher spread Yangming's philosophy of mind, and were framed and suppressed by Lin Luoshan, who admired Zhu Xi's knowledge. From then on, he hid in Tibet,
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 the second generation disciple of the Japanese Yangming School.
The knowledge of Zhongjiang 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 he has learned. He does not blindly follow his teacher's teachings, and does not even follow Wang Yangming. He claims that he is learning from ancient saints, and later tried to integrate Neo-Confucianism and Xinxue——
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: "I was born here and grew up 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 or robbed the people. A few years ago, the Tang soldiers besieged Tsurumaru.
Tsurumaru Castle is an example. The people of Tsurumaru Castle 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 today's shogunate and daimyo be willing to reform the system?"
"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 allows the royal family, daimyo, samurai, merchants, all to exploit the peasants. How rich is China? All because the peasants make a living.
Once farmers live, all industries will live."
"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
Talented people emerge in large numbers.”
"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 broad-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 spread 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...
…This is difficult, the samurai system needs to be reformed, and the land system must also be reformed.”
"Perhaps, only a great figure 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 arrest. In his later years, he was too lazy to escape, so he calmly waited to be caught, and then was 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 in the streets with the Datong Army.
Xiong Zefanshan continued: "Tai Chi divides 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 too peaceful, 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, he should learn how to work, how to do business, and how to farm, so that he can make a living. He carries a knife all day long and wanders around the castle town.
, what’s the benefit to ourselves? If it doesn’t work, just leave Japan and go out 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.
Xiongze Fanshan 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, I'm afraid some people will become traitors. Don't rush to refute. If a daimyo accepts you as retainers and samurai, will you continue to rebel?"
All 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 am 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 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 the whole of 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 were unable to enter the city definitely did not have firearms and could only fight with cold weapons.
The Datong Army adopted the standard Yuanyang Formation, with eleven people per squad - one less fire soldier than Qi Jiguang's Yuanyang Formation, and with the large number of equipped muskets, spears and wolf rifles have been completely eliminated.
Tengpai holds his shield in front of him to cover his teammates' advance.
Four musketeers followed, with bayonets pointed out, as temporary spearmen and wolf soldiers. The remaining musketeers were responsible for shooting, specifically targeting the warriors who charged at the front.
On this street, five Datong Army squads with fifty-five people moved forward.
More than two hundred warriors rushed over, and more than thirty fell down in the distance. When the musketeers finished reloading, there were only ten steps left, and this time even those with bayonets fired their guns.
A burst of 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 line and students who graduated from the military academy, 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 warriors from their fathers, and what they think about all day long is not training to fight, but how to avoid being dismissed and become ronin. So they tried every means to bribe the superiors.
He usually carries a sword to show off his power and despises the people.
With such a huge difference, a decision will be made once the battle begins.
There were corpses of warriors everywhere in the streets. More warriors fled in defeat and 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 could serve as cavalry in Nanjing were all tall and strong, and all of them were tall and strong men. In the eyes of the Japanese warriors, they were all like gods descending to earth.
The warriors were chased by the cavalry. They were no longer concerned about their body, and they only ran as hard as they could to the north. They had recovered a little bit of organization, but were rushed by the Chinese cavalry. Fear spread like a virus, and the tens of thousands of warriors outside the city were completely routed.
.
The shogunate and the old and middle-aged lords stood at the top of the city and watched the whole process, their faces turned pale with fright.
