My Portable Ming Dynasty

Chapter 499 Huang Wenbin, whose Return Home is Hopeless
Yoshitaka Okubo did conduct research before choosing Hideyoshi Kinoshita.

This Oda clan general, nicknamed "Monkey," rose from a low-ranking samurai to his current position not because of bravery.

Kinoshita Hideyoshi was long appointed by Oda Nobunaga to handle negotiations with Sakai Port, and he had seen the Ming Dynasty's powerful ships and cannons.

So what Yoshitaka Okubo was betting on was that Hideyoshi Kinoshita was someone who could see the situation clearly and was someone who could sit down and communicate.

"The Shingigumi?" Kinoshita Hideyoshi's voice carried a hint of amusement as he slowly tore off a piece of fish and put it in his mouth.

"So you're one of those Satsuma ronin with Chairman Huang? You've got some nerve. You came to my camp alone in the middle of the night, aren't you afraid I'll chop off your head and give it to Imai Munehisa as a greeting gift?"

Okubo Yoshitaka stood ramrod straight, showing no fear, his gaze fixed intently on Kinoshita Hideyoshi:
"Lord Kinoshita is too kind. I have come here to offer you a promising future, a truly magnificent future."

"Give me a better future?" Kinoshita Hideyoshi laughed so hard he almost fell over, as if he was amused by the joke of the ronin samurai, Okubo Yoshiki.

However, seeing that Yoshitaka Okubo still looked serious, Hideyoshi Kinoshita gradually put away his contempt.

Even when beating a dog, one must consider its owner. The Shin-Yi Group works for Huang Wenbin, the president of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce. No matter how much Kinoshita Hideyoshi looks down on him, he still has to consider Huang Wenbin, who is behind Okubo Yoshitaka.

"The lord has been ordered by Lord Oda to station troops here, ostensibly to support Imai, but in reality, his situation is delicate."

Okubo Yoshitaka quickened his pace: "Lord Oda is a man of great talent and ambition, with his sights set on the world. His Highness desires Sakai Port, this lucrative prize, but he is also wary of the Ming Dynasty's powerful navy and cannons."

"Therefore, we sent you, sir, so that we can exert pressure if we want, or observe if we want to retreat. If we succeed, the credit will go to His Highness; but if we anger the Ming Kingdom and incur His Highness's wrath, you and these five hundred men will be 'discarded pawns' that His Highness can abandon at any time!"

Kinoshita Hideyoshi still wore a smile, while Okubo Yoshitaka's words were the most obvious attempt to sow discord.

However, this attempt to sow discord struck at Kinoshita Hideyoshi's most vulnerable spot.

He came from humble beginnings and climbed to his current position entirely through hard work and understanding his lord's intentions. He has an instinctive wariness of the word "abandoned pawn".

Yoshitaka Okubo pressed his advantage: "The Shingigumi has acted on behalf of Heaven tonight, executing the traitor Imai Munehisa, who betrayed his country, colluded with foreign invaders, and intended to start a war to burn down Sakai Port!"

"With this villain dead, Sakai Port is leaderless. We need a strong and righteous person to step forward, take charge, maintain order, and ensure Sakai Port's prosperity and stability as a free port, in accordance with the spirit of the Sakai Port Treaty! This person is none other than you, sir!"

"Kill Imai?!" Kinoshita Hideyoshi sat up abruptly, nearly dropping the grilled fish he was holding into the fire.

This news is shocking!
“That’s right!” Yoshitaka Okubo declared decisively. “Just now! The Shingigumi acted on behalf of Heaven and rid the country of this scourge!”

"My lord, the opportunity is fleeting!"

"If Your Excellency leads your troops into the port now, under the pretext of maintaining order and preventing riots, you can take over the defense of Sakai Port, appease the merchants, and express your stance to Li Changshun, the representative of the Ming Dynasty's Japanese Silver Company, and Chairman Huang Wenbin: the Oda family has no intention of opposing the Celestial Empire, but only wishes to maintain the peace and smooth trade of Sakai Port! This is an act that is in accordance with Heaven and the people!"

Seeing that Kinoshita Hideyoshi was shocked but showed no murderous intent, Okubo Yoshitaka continued, "My lord, think about it! Once order is restored, trade returns to normal, and the bandit leader Imai Munehisa has been killed, will they still easily resort to force?"

"What the Ming Dynasty needs is a partner who can maintain order and protect trade routes!"

"At that time, you will be the de facto controller of Sakai Port!"

"With this prosperous port in your hands, the Shin-Yi Group loyal to you within, and channels of communication with the Ming Dynasty outside, your foundation will be incredibly solid!"

"Lord Oda can no longer treat you as a pawn to be manipulated at will! Isn't this a hundred times better than being cannon fodder on the battlefield, or living in constant fear under Lord Oda's suspicion?!"

Kinoshita Hideyoshi's expression shifted between light and dark.

The prospect described by Yoshitaka Okubo was so tempting that it almost broke through all his psychological defenses.

To gain independent control of Sakai Port? To become an agent recognized by the Ming Dynasty?
This is the perfect opportunity to turn your life around! There are risks, but the potential rewards are unimaginably huge!

However, Kinoshita Hideyoshi still had a question: was the Shin-Gi group acting on their own initiative, or was it at the behest of Huang Wenbin, the president of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce?

He stared intently at Yoshitaka Okubo: "Does your Shingigumi really intend to do this? Are you willing to serve me as your master?"

"Exactly!"

Yoshitaka Okubo bowed deeply: "The Shingigumi upholds the ambition of 'Respecting the Emperor and Expelling the Barbarians, and Emulating the Great Ming Dynasty'!"

"Sir, you come from humble beginnings, yet possess extraordinary talent and wisdom; you are truly a man destined by Heaven! If you can lead Japan onto the right path, the entire Shingigumi is willing to serve as your vanguard! I, Okubo Yoshitaka, am willing to relinquish my position as group leader and earnestly request that you lead us in this great undertaking! This is the true meaning of 'unity of knowledge and action'!"

"Unity of knowledge and action."

Although Kinoshita Hideyoshi came from a humble background, he was still very capable of learning.

After the last opening of Sakai Port, he also began to study the knowledge of the Ming Dynasty, only knowing that these four characters were the essence of Yangming's philosophy of mind.

However, after Okubo Yoshitaka explained and then explained their Shingigumi's slogan "Revere the Emperor and Expel the Barbarians," Kinoshita Hideyoshi felt enlightened.

So this is what it means to unite knowledge and action!

Kinoshita Hideyoshi was a very perceptive person, and he immediately realized the appeal of the Shingigumi's two slogans.

"Unity of knowledge and action"—doing what you think in your heart—can become the creed of lower-ranking samurai and quickly gain their support.

"Revere the Emperor and Expel the Barbarians" was a brilliant political slogan. The Japanese king had long been powerless, and shouting slogans would not actually give the Japanese king power.

Conversely, whoever shouts "Respect the King" occupies the political high ground.

With this slogan, there was a legitimate reason to replace the previous shogunate.

For Japan, a country with limited land and a large population, lacking room for advancement, a new political system means the possibility of overthrowing the old "shogun-daimyo-samurai" system and having new opportunities to rise to prominence.

As he pondered those four words, the last trace of hesitation in his eyes was completely replaced by a burning ambition.

Kinoshita Hideyoshi slapped his thigh and stood up abruptly, his face displaying a complex expression that combined excitement, ruthlessness, and decisiveness.

"Excellent! What a wonderful example of 'unity of knowledge and action'! What a fitting destiny!"

Kinoshita Hideyoshi's voice was hoarse with excitement: "Okubo-kun, you have brought the mandate of heaven! Pass on the order!"

Kinoshita Hideyoshi summoned his personal guards: "Break camp immediately! The entire army will enter Sakai Port! In the name of the Oda clan, take over the port's defenses! Announce to the entire city: Imai Munehisa colluded with foreign invaders, provoking the wrath of the Ming Dynasty, and has been executed!"

"I, Kinoshita Hideyoshi, have come here under orders to maintain order in Sakai Port, safeguard the Sakai Port Treaty, and restore friendly trade with the Ming Dynasty! Anyone who dares to take advantage of this situation will be killed without exception!"

He paused, then said to Okubo Yoshiki, "Okubo-kun, your Shingigumi, immediately come with me into the castle to assist in suppressing the rebellion!" Kinoshita Hideyoshi then added:

"Let's put aside the slogan of 'Respect the King and Expel the Barbarians' for now. Let's talk about the slogan of 'Learn from the Ming Dynasty' for reform first."

"After I, Kinoshita Hideyoshi, enter the castle, I will implement the Sakai Port Treaty and establish the Maritime Trade Office in Sakai Port. I request that the Celestial Empire send someone to manage it."

Yoshitaka Okubo's eyes lit up.

Having chosen Kinoshita Hideyoshi, he's definitely no ordinary person.

The slogan "Revere the Emperor and Expel the Barbarians" would arouse the fear of the daimyo, so it was indeed inappropriate to use it openly.

Asking the Ming Dynasty to establish a Maritime Trade Office and send people to manage it was a brilliant move!
In this way, the port revenue of Sakai Port became managed by the Ming Dynasty on behalf of Japan, and then distributed by the Ming Dynasty to Kinoshita Hideyoshi, who was stationed in Sakai Port.

This may seem like a loss of economic sovereignty, but in reality it is equivalent to binding the Ming Dynasty to Sakai Port. In the future, other daimyo of Japan will not dare to make any moves against Sakai Port.

Besides this, Kinoshita Hideyoshi had other ideas.

He himself was a low-ranking samurai, and these Shingigumi samurai were all from the lower and middle ranks. If what Okubo Yoshitaka said was true, and the Shingigumi had killed Imai Munehisa, then the merchants of Sakai Port would certainly not cooperate with him willingly.

Without these merchants, Kinoshita Hideyoshi and the Shin-Gi-kai, these roughnecks, simply wouldn't have been able to handle such a complex tax as the maritime trade tax!
Instead of doing that, it would be better to hand it over to the Ming Dynasty for management. The Ming Dynasty would definitely be able to collect this tax revenue.

If the Ming Dynasty can take it over and give him a small share, it will be enough to support his five hundred men.

Since joining the Oda clan, Kinoshita Hideyoshi had always wanted an independent territory.

There was no way around it; he was the lowest-ranking general in the Oda clan. The other generals were all minor lords, many of whom were samurai who had followed the Oda clan for generations and had acquired territories during the Oda clan's expansion.

Despite his many achievements, Kinoshita Hideyoshi's territory remained small; he didn't even have a place to call his own.

If they could seize this opportunity to occupy Sakai Port, then Kinoshita Hideyoshi would have a foothold.

Sakai Port held the key to trade with the Ming Dynasty and was the gateway for the Oda clan to purchase firearms and gunpowder. Even if Oda Nobunaga was dissatisfied with himself, he could only grit his teeth and admit it.

Moreover, with Sakai Port in his hands, Kinoshita Hideyoshi could maneuver among the other daimyo and gain more benefits!

After the Oda clan began using cannons and muskets on a large scale, all the daimyo saw the value of firearms and tried every means to purchase them.

Finally, there's the Shingi-kai. The slogans and principles that Shingi-kai came up with remarkably resonated with the vast number of low- and middle-ranking samurai who had no chance of advancement. In this way, Kinoshita Hideyoshi could infiltrate the Oda clan's samurai system through Shingi-kai.

Kinoshita Hideyoshi lived up to his reputation as a ruthless leader. After making up his mind, he ignored the signals at Sakai Port and didn't care whether Imai Munehisa was dead or not. Even if he wasn't dead, Kinoshita Hideyoshi was determined to rush to Sakai Port and kill him.

Kinoshita Hideyoshi led five hundred samurai and stormed into Sakai Port under the cover of night, and the cries of agony echoed throughout the port all night long.

The clamor and stench of blood outside the window had not yet dissipated; the rapid hoofbeats and warriors' shouts could still be faintly heard.

Huang Wenbin sat upright on the tatami mat, the tea in front of him had gone cold. His brows were furrowed, and his knuckles unconsciously tapped the low Japanese-style table.

Zhu Juntang and Li Changshun sat in the side seats, their expressions equally solemn.

"Chairman, the Shingigumi assassinated Imai Munehisa and opened the Sakai Port pontoon bridge to welcome Kinoshita Hideyoshi into Sakai Port."

"Yesterday, Kinoshita Hideyoshi's samurai burned, killed, and looted in Sakai Port all night. Of the thirty-three men in Sakai Port, twenty families have fled Sakai Port."

Huang Wenbin said:
“The fact that we Chinese merchants have not been attacked shows that Kinoshita Hideyoshi and the Shingigumi are not targeting us, and that they still want to do business with the Ming Dynasty.”

"Let's wait for Kinoshita Hideyoshi to come and negotiate."

After careful consideration, Huang Wenbin came to this conclusion.

Japan needs the Ming Dynasty, not the other way around.

The daimyo of Japan needed firearms from the Ming Dynasty, the merchants of Sakai Port needed goods from the Ming Dynasty, but what could the Ming Dynasty get from Japan?
It's just silver.

Silver is certainly important, but Japan is not the only country in the world that has silver.

The Ming Dynasty's fleet has already headed to Nanzhou. According to Su Ze's "Illustrated Treatise on Maritime Kingdoms," there are many precious metals in the world, and Japan is just one of them.

A moment later, a clerk from the Chinese Merchants' Hall rushed in and reported to the three:
"Chairman! Kinoshita Hideyoshi's five hundred soldiers have entered the city! They are flying the Oda clan's banner, controlling the docks, warehouse area, and main streets. They are posting notices claiming that they are here on Oda Nobunaga's orders to 'maintain order in Sakai Port' and 'protect the Sakai Port Treaty'."

"Kinoshita Hideyoshi announces that Imai Munehisa, who 'colluded with foreign invaders and provoked the wrath of the Ming Dynasty,' has been executed. Anyone who dares to cause trouble will be killed without exception!"

Zhu Juntang's face lit up with joy, and Li Changshun also looked excitedly at Huang Wenbin. This Chairman Huang was truly a prophet!

But only Huang Wenbin's face showed bitterness.

The Shingigumi was created by themselves, and now that it has attracted Kinoshita Hideyoshi, it's clear that Kinoshita Hideyoshi intends to stay in Sakai Port and not leave.

In this way, there was no chance for him to return to his country, and the imperial court would inevitably require him to remain in Sakai Port to oversee the affairs of Japan.

It's not just that I can't leave now; I'm afraid I won't be able to leave Japan for the next few years!
At that moment, an announcement came from outside the door:
"Reporting to the Chairman! Kinoshita Hideyoshi, a general of the Oda clan, along with Okubo Yoshitaka, the leader of the Shingigumi, and others, are requesting an audience outside the gate!"

"pass!"

Huang Wenbin regained his composure. Now was not the time to think about his personal future. The negotiations with Kinoshita Hideyoshi were related to the interests of the Ming Dynasty in Japan. He had to devote all his energy to finding out what this future ruler of Sakai Port really wanted.

Moreover, the Oda clan's power was already attracting the attention of the court officials. Imai Munehisa was the lord of Sakai Port, supported by Oda Nobunaga. For Hideyoshi Moki to do this was tantamount to betrayal.

This is also a good opportunity to divide and weaken the Oda clan.

A moment later, Kinoshita Hideyoshi appeared at the door.

He was short and thin, and before coming to see Huang Wenbin, he had changed into a brand new set of jinbaori.

However, he wore an almost humble smile, followed closely by Yoshitaka Okubo, dressed as a ronin, with a solemn expression and a hint of excitement at his newfound success.

"Kinoshita Hideyoshi greets Chairman Huang!"

(End of this chapter)