The most reckless man in the Ming Dynasty

"What should we do?"

"What should we do now?"

Kyoto Muromachi.

The eleventh shogun Ashikaga Yoshizumi roared wildly.

This has to mention how Ashikaga Yoshizumi ascended to the position of shogun.

After the Onin War, taking advantage of the decline of the Ashikaga shogunate, Hosokawa Masamoto seized the real power of the shogunate in one fell swoop, and did the things of abolishing and enthroning shoguns and manipulating the shogunate.

At the beginning, Ashikaga Yoshitane, Hatakeyama Masanaga and others led their troops to Kawachi to attack their successor Hatakeyama Yoshitoyo. However, the opposition took advantage of Ashikaga Yoshitane's absence to launch a coup. Hosokawa Masamoto, Hino Tomiko, Ise Sadamune and others announced the dethronement of Ashikaga Yoshitane and supported Ashikaga Yoshizumi as shogun. Then they purged Ashikaga Yoshitane's followers in Kyoto, and the shogun was directly abolished, known as the "Meio Change".

When Hino Tomiko died, Ashikaga Yoshizumi tried to rule the country himself, and thus came into conflict with Kanrei Hosokawa Masamoto, who was called "half-shogun" by people at the time. Hosokawa Masamoto resigned from the Kanrei and went to Tamba. Ashikaga Yoshizumi personally led his troops to comfort Masamoto and surrounded Masamoto at Kinryuji Temple in Iwakura.

In order to resume the Kanrei position, Hosokawa Masamoto reached an agreement with Ise Sadamune and sent people to kill Ashikaga Yoshitane's younger brother, Jissoin Ashikaga Yoshitada, who stayed in Kyoto.

Ashikaga Yoshitada was the next generation of shogun heir that Hosokawa Masamoto had his eyes on. Because Ashikaga Yoshizumi wanted to rule the country himself and was unwilling to be a puppet, Hosokawa Masamoto began to look for the next generation of shogun candidates early on. However, the killing of Ashikaga Yoshitada made Hosokawa Masamoto's plan to dethrone Ashikaga Yoshizumi a bubble. Since then, Hosokawa Masamoto and Ashikaga Yoshizumi have been trying to maintain their relationship, and the two sides have temporarily eased.

Until Hosokawa Masamoto was assassinated by his family's military retainers, the Hosokawa clan (Kyozhao family) fell into an internal struggle for the position of the head of the family (Eisho disorder), and Ashikaga Yoshizumi had no time to be happy. As a result, Ashikaga Yoshitane and Ouchi Yoshioki called on daimyo from all over the country to jointly march into Kyoto.

At this juncture, the hidden dangers buried by Hosokawa Masamoto's previous operations also broke out completely.

Hosokawa Masamoto is a very interesting person. He gave his biological son Hosokawa Sumiyuki to Kujo Masaki as a son, and he adopted Hosokawa Sumiyuki and Hosokawa Takakuni as two adopted sons. As a result, these three sons fought frantically for the position of the head of the family, but he himself could not control the situation, and was killed by Konishi Motoharu of Hosokawa Sumiyuki's faction.

After Hosokawa Masamoto was assassinated, Hosokawa Sumiyuki and Hosokawa Sumiyuki continued to fight for the position of the head of the family, and the final winner was Hosokawa Sumiyuki, who was forced to commit suicide by Hosokawa Takakuni.

After this series of chaotic changes, there are actually only three people in power in the Muromachi shogunate.

Hosokawa Sumimune, Hosokawa Takakuni, Ise Sadamune, and a puppet general Ashikaga Yoshizumi.

However, whether it is the two overlords of the Hosokawa clan or Ise Sadamune, the Kyoto noble, they are pale and panic-stricken at this moment.

Facing Ashikaga Yoshizumi's roar, the three did not know how to answer.

How to answer?

At this moment, there are densely packed Ming soldiers standing outside the city of Kyoto!

And the commander of this elite soldier is still Tang Hao, the Ming Zhongshan Marquis!

Although the Ashikaga shogunate's ruling power declined after the Onin War, they knew clearly about the massacre on Tsushima Island!

It was this Ming Zhongshan Marquis who personally led the troops and bloodbathed the entire Tsushima Island Japanese, and piled up their bodies together to cast a Jingguan, in order to deter those Japanese who dared to disguise themselves as Japanese pirates and go out to sea to plunder the coast of the Ming Dynasty!

When the shogunate learned about this, they were still scared, fearing that the Ming Zhongshan Marquis would lead his troops to the Japanese mainland in anger.

After all, one's own family knows one's own business. Not to mention that the Muromachi shogunate is now an empty shell, even the most powerful three-generation shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu was frightened by the terrifying navy of the Ming Dynasty and immediately surrendered and paid tribute. The two sides were not on the same level at all.

Over the years, relying on the Kanko trade with the Ming Dynasty, the Muromachi shogunate has also made a lot of money, so that it can barely maintain the majesty of the shogunate.

However, after the Onin Rebellion, the local daimyo saw the weakness of the Muromachi shogunate, so they no longer obeyed the shogunate's orders. They could not participate in the Kanko trade with the Ming Dynasty, so they simply transformed into Japanese pirates and formed a fleet to go to the Ming Dynasty to plunder.

The shogunate had no way to deal with this, and it was powerless to stop it.

Fortunately, the Ming Dynasty was either stupid or crazy, and implemented a national policy of maritime ban. They had an invincible navy but did not allow it to go out to sea, so the people in the shogunate were relieved and allowed these local daimyo to plunder the coast of the Ming Dynasty.

However, the Tsushima Island incident undoubtedly slapped them hard.

The Ming navy cannot go out to sea?

Who slaughtered the Japanese people on Tsushima Island?

Before the shogunate responded to it and restricted those local daimyo from continuing to plunder the Ming Dynasty, a series of events broke out.

First, Hosokawa Masamoto was assassinated by his own son, Hosokawa Sumiyuki, and then Hosokawa Sumiyuki and Hosokawa Takakuni, the two adopted sons, joined forces to kill Hosokawa Sumiyuki, their own son. Before Ashikaga Yoshisumi could breathe a sigh of relief, Ouchi Yoshioki summoned local daimyo to jointly march into Kyoto in the name of Ashikaga Yoshitane.

The armies of Hosokawa Sumiyuki and Hosokawa Takakuni were beaten back step by step, and were no match for Ouchi Yoshioki at all.

However, before they could despair, something even more desperate happened.

The Ming Dynasty's Zhongshan Marquis personally led a large army to land in Hyogo-jin. After occupying Hyogo-jin, he led 8,000 elite soldiers to attack Kyoto. They were unstoppable all the way and had no enemies to fight against. In less than ten days, they reached the outskirts of Kyoto!

This sudden change completely stunned Ashikaga Yoshizumi's shogunate.

Not to mention that this Ming Zhongshan Marquis also sent troops to help Ashikaga Yoshitane restore the throne and restore order!

The term "restore order" is very intriguing.

Because Ashikaga Yoshitane was the shogun appointed by Emperor Go-Tsuchimikado himself, and Hosokawa Masamoto, Hino Tomiko, Ise Sadamune and others took advantage of Ashikaga Yoshitane's absence to launch a rebellion, announced the abdication of Ashikaga Yoshitane's position as shogun, and then supported Ashikaga Yoshizumi as the shogun, without the emperor's approval at all!

Although the emperor has always been a mascot, they have a righteous reputation. Otherwise, why would there be a shogunate? Wouldn't it be better to overthrow the so-called Japanese royal family and become the emperor themselves?

Without the approval of the imperial court, Ashikaga Yoshizumi was not legitimate, not to mention that he was just a puppet after he came to power. He finally waited until the old witch Hino Tomiko died of illness and wanted to rule the country himself, but found that Hosokawa Masamoto was a more difficult opponent.

As a result, now that Hosokawa Masamoto died, Ashikaga Yoshizumi's shogunate collapsed directly, not only attracting Ashikaga Yoshitane's counterattack, but also provoking the heavenly soldiers and generals of the Ming Dynasty. What should he do?

Could it be that Ashikaga Yoshizumi can only be a puppet in this life, and even now he can't even be a puppet?

No one answered, because they didn't know what to do.

Forget about continuing to fight against the coalition forces of Ouchi Yoshioki and Ashikaga Yoshitane. The 8,000 Ming soldiers commanded by the Ming Zhongshan Hou outside the city are enough to bloodbath the entire Kyoto!

Hosokawa Summoto and Ise Sadamune are still discussing, trying to find a ray of hope in the desperate situation.

However, Hosokawa Takakuni remained silent. He had already had the answer in his heart.

Because his sister married Tianshan Naojun, who supported the former general Ashikaga Yoshitane, so relying on this relationship, it is not impossible for Hosokawa Takakuni to... temporarily switch sides!

At this critical moment, if he made the wrong choice, he would only end up defeated and killed.

But if he made the right choice, then he Hosokawa Takakuni might be able to unify the entire Hosokawa clan, and then welcome the Ming Dynasty soldiers to enter Kyoto to restore order!

With this great achievement, when the Ming Dynasty soldiers leave, Ashikaga Yoshitane might give Hosokawa Takakuni a position as the governor of the shogunate, and he would be the next Hosokawa Masamoto!

When he thought of this, Hosokawa Takakuni's heart suddenly became hot, and his eyes looking at Hosokawa Sumimoto were also filled with murderous intent.

Ashikaga Yoshizumi looked at the three powerful ministers with despair on his face, but it was a pity that it was useless.

After discussing for a long time, it seemed that they had no choice but to surrender.

After hastily ending the meeting, Hosokawa Takakuni returned to his home and immediately summoned his trusted forces.

In fact, after Hosokawa Sumimoto and Hosokawa Takakuni joined forces to kill Hosokawa Sumi, Hosokawa Sumimoto turned his spearhead on Hosokawa Takakuni, his nominal brother. After all, he was also a strong competitor for the head of the Hosokawa family. Although Hosokawa Sumimoto did not take direct action, the suppression and weakening still existed. Therefore, at this moment, Hosokawa Takakuni's trusted forces were only two or three hundred people, but this was enough.

Hosokawa Takakuni discussed the battle plan with his confidants. It was nothing more than fighting for the East Gate, playing the name of supporting the restoration of Ashikaga Yoshitane, and then welcoming the Great Ming soldiers into Kyoto.

As long as the Great Ming soldiers entered Kyoto, with Hosokawa Sumimoto's 5,000 or so troops, they could not resist these heavenly soldiers and generals at all. At that time, Kyoto would change its master, and Hosokawa Takakuni would take the opportunity to stand up and call for surrender to the entire Hosokawa family.

The plan was perfect, at least Hosokawa Takakuni thought so.

So he started the operation quickly, and just had to wait quietly until midnight.

At this moment, in the Ming army tent outside Kyoto, the generals were still discussing.

"Although Kyoto looks like a miniature version of the capital, the city walls are still so high. If we attack directly, the casualties of the soldiers will definitely be very high..."

"That's right, we don't carry siege equipment, so we don't recommend attacking directly!"

"Then how can we get in without fighting? Wait for them to surrender?"

"Don't forget that there is also the coalition of Ouchi Yoshioki and Ashikaga Yoshitane in the west, and the two thousand soldiers led by Ma Yong and Deng Boyan are also in it!"

"It's better to wait for these Japanese to fight themselves. When Ma Yong and Deng Boyan go in, just open the city gate!"

"It's not that easy. Ouchi Yoshioki is not a fool. I'm worried that he will use Ma Yong and Deng Boyan's troops as guns and force them to attack the city. Even if they take it down, they won't let them enter Kyoto..."

The generals talked a lot and even started arguing about it.

They were eager to find a way to defeat the enemy, because the army could not stay here for a long time.

One was the problem of food and fresh water. Because of the urgent march, they did not carry much.

The second was that they were fighting in a foreign land, surrounded by wolves, and they were deep in the hinterland of Japan. If they did not resolve the battle and attack Kyoto as soon as possible, if these Japanese local daimyo came to Beijing to defend the king, their army would even be in danger of being wiped out!

The last one was purely because of excitement. If they entered the capital of the Ming Dynasty and captured the Japanese pseudo-emperor, and the shogun, the core of Japan would fall completely into the hands of the Ming Dynasty. Then the whole of Japan would open its arms to the Ming Dynasty and take whatever it wanted!

However, the key is that if they continue to attack at all costs, they will lose too many soldiers. Even if they take down the capital, they may not be able to defend it!

Therefore, a group of generals began to argue fiercely, and even had the intention of fighting.

Tang Hao has been sitting on the main seat, watching the scene in front of him with a smile.

These generals will go to various places to defend a place in the future, so each of their ideas is worth paying attention to, and their personality traits and shortcomings can also be seen from them.

Tang Mu cursed at the one-eyed Lei Xiong, and then he noticed that his own marquis was laughing at him, so he immediately shut up.

Seeing this, the other generals also woke up and shut up honestly.

"Are you done arguing? Are you done cursing? Do you want to fight?" Tang Hao asked with a smile.

All the generals lowered their heads silently and did not dare to say anything.

Only Tang Mu was bolder, and asked with a smile: "Lord, how do we fight next?"

"We can't just wait here forever, there are problems with food and fresh water, and enemy reinforcements... these are all difficult problems!"

Tang Hao stretched lazily, then held his chin and glanced at the generals.

"Wait!"

"Within three days, there will be changes in Kyoto!"

Everyone was shocked when this was said.

They didn't understand where their Lord got such confidence!

"Your previous analysis is all reasonable."

"Based on the consideration of the soldiers, a strong attack is not advisable."

"But based on the situation, our army must enter Kyoto as soon as possible, otherwise there will be a danger of annihilation!"

"But you forgot one thing, that is, the Japanese army in Kyoto has fallen into a desperate situation, and these Japanese are despicable by nature. In this desperate situation of life and death, they are too easy to do some things such as turning against their master and seeking glory!"

"Attack the heart first, and the city second. You must remember this point firmly. Whenever there is a chance, don't let your soldiers suffer unnecessary casualties!"

After hearing this, the generals fell into deep thought.

However, An Guo proposed a different opinion.

"My Lord, you can't rely on the enemy's mentality when marching and fighting. What if these Japanese don't surrender within three days?"

Tang Hao looked at An Guo deeply and smiled with relief.

"Then let's attack!"

"Three days is enough time for the soldiers to build some siege equipment temporarily. You are responsible for this."

"The rest of the generals, take turns to guard and harass the enemy city. They are not allowed to attack without authorization. Those who disobey the order will be killed!"

As soon as the word "behead" came out, the generals looked solemn.

However, at this moment, a scout hurriedly rode his horse straight to the general's tent, then dismounted and rushed into the tent, kneeling and shouting.

"My lord, there is a change in the enemy city!"

"In the middle of the night, shouts and screams were heard from the city gate, and there was a fire rising to the sky, and the city gate was wide open. It seems that something has happened!"

As soon as these words came out, Tang Hao stood up suddenly.

"Lei Xiong and Chang Kuohai, lead the Zhan Pei Camp and the Xiandeng Camp to immediately send troops to seize the city gate!"

Lei Xiong and Chang Kuohai were overjoyed and took the order and left.

An Guo seemed a little worried, and couldn't help reminding: "My Lord, could it be a trap set by the enemy? What if we become the turtle in the jar..."

"You are the turtle!" Tang Hao laughed and scolded unhappily, "Whether it is a trap or not, the Japanese army is nothing more than sharper arrows!"

"As long as our army enters the city gate, who can resist it?"

"Go, take Kyoto, I will wait for good news here!"

Because of the change in his mentality, Tang Hao has no interest in this Japanese country, and he has no intention of fighting and slaughtering in person.

The generals did not waste words, led their elite troops, and rushed directly to the east gate of Kyoto.

At this moment, Hosokawa Takakuni was leading his confidants to guard the city gate tightly.

"Damn it!"

"Why haven't these Ming troops come yet?"

Seeing his elite troops falling to the ground, Hosokawa Takakuni couldn't help but question.

Although he failed to establish direct contact with the Ming army, he deliberately set fire to his own residence before taking action. The flames and the shouts of killing were enough to prove that something had happened in Kyoto.

As long as the Ming Zhongshan Marquis was not a fool, he would definitely seize the opportunity and take the opportunity to enter Kyoto!

But after fighting for so long at the city gate, his own confidants were almost all killed, why didn't these damn Ming troops come? !

While he was wondering, Hosokawa Summoto rode up and saw this situation and immediately understood what was going on.

"Hosokawa Takakuni, you damned traitor!"

"You betrayed the emperor and the shogunate, and you, Hosokawa Takakuni, will surely die without a burial place!"

Hosokawa Takakuni said loudly: "The people who betrayed the emperor are you traitors!"

"General Yoshitane is the shogun appointed by the emperor himself. What's wrong with us supporting General Yoshitane to restore the throne?"

"You, the samurai of the Hosokawa family and the samurai of the shogunate, can't you see the situation clearly?"

"General Yoshitane has been recognized by the Ming Dynasty, the suzerain state, and the Ming Dynasty soldiers are here to help him restore the throne. If you don't wake up, you will only die in vain!"

As soon as these words came out, the two sides who were fighting stopped tacitly.

After all, they were just family samurai, and they didn't get much salary on weekdays. It was not worth fighting for power and profit for these powerful people!

"Kill him!"

Hosokawa Summoto shouted angrily.

However, the next moment, a deafening shout of killing sounded.

One-eyed Lei Xiong rushed into the city gate first, then laughed wildly: "Hahaha..."

"My men, kill them all, leaving no one alive!"

Hosokawa Takakuni was stunned when he heard this, and hurriedly shouted: "General Tianjiang, I am Hosokawa Takakuni, and I am the one who supports General Yoshitane's restoration..."

As soon as he finished speaking, Lei Xiong chopped it with a knife, and Hosokawa Takakuni's head flew into the air. He could not figure out what went wrong until his death.

His grand ambition was just one step away!

Lei Xiong chopped the fly to death, and then joined the battlefield with a curse.

"What Hosokawa Takakuni?"

"What General Yoshitane?"

"I don't know him!"

"Kill, kill, kill!"

"Leave no one alive!"