Chapter 868 Suffering from Stockholm Syndrome【5100】
The first year of Yuanzhi (1864), October 9——
The offices of Qinjin Fan, Dajin, Judi, and Qingdeng——
After his health was no longer serious, Qingdeng returned to work.
At this moment, he was immersed in a case, holding a piece of letter in his hand and studying it intently, with a serious expression.
This letter was written by Tokugawa Iemo and had just been delivered to Aoto.
In recent days, the two have been exchanging letters very frequently, with messengers traveling between Edo and Otsu almost every day.
If someone saw the specific contents of these letters between them, I'm afraid they would be shocked.
Every letter discusses the same thing: reforming the shogunate's military system!
Shortly after Aoshinobu officially moved to the right as "Army President", he received a secret letter from Tokugawa Iemo.
This letter is very long, but it can be condensed into one message: The 80,000-horse flag base cannot be reused! Reform of the current military system is imminent!
The Eighty Thousand Horsemen of the Flag - the core military force of the Edo Shogunate.
The meaning of this sentence certainly does not mean that the Edo shogunate had 80,000 habans. Even if the shogunate was packaged and sold, it would not be able to support so many habans.
After the shogunate issued a general mobilization order, both the Hatamoto and the imperial family were obliged to send their retainers to participate in the war.
I remember when Qingteng was still the imperial family member of the Baishi family, his only retainer was his old servant Jiubingwei.
If the shogunate issues a general mobilization order, then not only Aonto will go to the battlefield, but Kyuubei will also join the battle.
The Hatamoto, the imperial family, and their retainers can gather a total of 80,000 troops. This is the origin of "Hatamoto's 80,000 Cavalry".
Hatamoto and the imperial family are soldiers who undertake specific combat tasks.
Their retainers served as auxiliary soldiers, responsible for transporting grain, digging trenches, repairing fortifications and other logistical work.
In the feudal era, this system was relatively advanced.
There are both off-duty professional warriors and auxiliary soldiers with acceptable quality.
Relying on this system, the Edo shogunate, which had an army of 80,000, made all the vassals in the world dare not disobey.
However, times have changed.
Hatamoto's 80,000 cavalry are no longer able to adapt to the current situation.
Moreover, the corruption of the Hatamoto and imperial families has become a commonplace issue.
No one would think that these guys who have been hollowed out by lustful dogs and horses have any fighting ability at all.
Tokugawa Iemo's idea was very simple, which was to learn from the Shinsengumi model, vigorously introduce advanced Western equipment and tactics, and form a new Western-style army.
Regardless of those ambitious goals, the mere thought of causing trouble for Hatamoto's 80,000 cavalry made Seito even more interested.
Once the military system is successfully reformed and a new army is formed, the status of the banner's 80,000 cavalry will inevitably be shaken.
Qingdeng had long been very unhappy when he saw these wastes who were eating, drinking and having fun all day long.
Therefore, he is naturally happy to see these guys defeated.
Today, Aoshito is the dignified president of the army and controls all the army forces of the shogunate.
If the military system of the shogunate was to be reformed, it would be most appropriate for Tokugawa Iemo to take the lead and Aototo to be responsible for the specific affairs.
It's just that... "reform" is a simple word, but it weighs more than a thousand pounds!
Once the military system is reformed, it means that the cake of 80,000 cavalry will be destroyed.
There is a saying that "cutting off someone's wealth is like killing one's parents."
History has proven countless times: the cake of interest groups is not so easy to move. If you are not careful, it will be a bloody mess.
The flag base, what the imperial family relies on, is nothing more than the status of "the core military force of the shogunate".
They could have just rested on the merits of their ancestors and waited to die.
And now, you want to take away their privileged status?
As early as the rise of the Shinsengumi, they were already feeling uneasy.
It was only because Seito's prestige was too high and the Shinsengumi was based in Gyeonggi Province, far away from Hatamoto and the imperial family's hometown (Kanto), that the opposition was slightly smaller.
It is conceivable that when Tokugawa Iemo announced the reform of the military system, the opposition was as loud as a mountain and a tsunami!
At that time, it will not be possible to suppress it by relying on Tokugawa Iemo's status as a general or Aoto's personal prestige.
It is not an exaggeration to say that it is not impossible for one person to stand up and shout the slogan "Kill Qingdeng, Qingjun side".
This is a serious matter and must not be acted upon rashly.
As a result, the messenger responsible for carrying the two people's letters was not an ordinary flying kicker, but an elite ninja from the new Imperial Palace, who would never leak any information.
All in all, if they want to reform the military system, there are only two methods in front of Aomori and Tokugawa Iemo.
First, mobilize the Shinsengumi, Hachioji, Thousand Men, and all the troops that Seito can mobilize to fight an earth-shaking civil war! Eradicate the 80,000 Hatamoto Knights from the root and dig out this abscess completely!
The second is to cut the flesh with a blunt knife, slowly eliminating the influence of Hatamoto's 80,000 knights in a gentle way that will not irritate the opponent.
The former is definitely not advisable.
At this time, there is a civil war, what should we do with the "Changshu Expedition"? What should we do with the imperial court that has just been suppressed? What should we do with the Satsuma, Tosa, Hizen and other feudal clans that are watching covetously from the sidelines? What should we do with the Hōshu Party, which is trying to get better?
Qingdeng does not think that the energy he currently possesses is enough to start a war with so many forces.
Furthermore, if the 80,000 flag horsemen were destroyed, would there still be an Edo shogunate?
The Eighty Thousand Horsemen of the Flag were the cornerstone of the rule of the Edo Shogunate.
In other words, they were one of the embodiments of the ruling will of the Edo shogunate.
"Destroying the Eighty Thousand Riders of the Flag" is no different from "eliminating the Edo Shogunate".
How to act specifically?
How can the costs of reform be minimized?
In recent days, Aomori and Tokugawa Iemo have conducted lengthy discussions around these two issues.
There were more than twenty letters sent to each other alone - thanks to the small size of Japan, it was not that far from Edo to Otsu, otherwise the courier would have been killed just by traveling back and forth.
As of today, they have finally reached an agreement: using the Eight Princes and the "Martial Arts Army" as the pilot unit.
It is certainly unrealistic to launch a comprehensive reform that will break your muscles and bones from the very beginning.
Therefore, you can only take your time.
Start the reform with one or two troops first, and then slowly expand the scope, that is, cut the meat with a dull knife and boil the frogs with warm water.
Although there will definitely still be people jumping out and shouting, the noise will be much smaller, and they can be suppressed by the prestige of Aoto and Tokugawa Iemo.
The Eight Princes and Thousands of People are united as a militia armed with half soldiers and half peasants.
Because they have been farming for generations, and due to folk customs, they are not as corrupt as the Hatamoto and the imperial family. They are a truly good family unit, with both loyalty and certain combat capabilities. It is perfect to choose them as a pilot unit.
The same goes for "Talk about the Military Army".
"Jiaowu Army" is the abbreviation of Jiangwu Institute New Army.
A long time ago, under the orders of the shogunate, the Military Academy organized and trained a new army with guns and artillery as its main weapons.
Unfortunately, due to various reasons such as a shortage of funds, malicious attacks by the 80,000-horse bannermen, and other reasons, the development of the "Strengthening Military Army" has been quite tortuous and has experienced several downsizings.
So far, its total strength is around 500, and it is not a true Western-style army.
If we introduce it in simple and easy-to-understand words... it is an "ancient army with advanced guns and artillery", and there is still a lot of room for reform.
To sum up, it is the most appropriate choice to make these two forces the primary targets for military restructuring.
Although there is no guarantee that this approach will be effective, no matter what happens, if there is a civil war in the future, having two more Western-style armies under his command who are good at using guns and artillery can also increase the chance of victory.
The main content of the letter that Aoto is currently studying is that Tokugawa Iemoge told him: He will soon allocate resources to the Hachioji Thousand People Unity and the "Martial Arts Army", and strive to achieve results within three months.
After reading the letter, Qingdeng silently closed the letter, turned his head to the sky, let out a long breath, and murmured:
"'Army President' is really not that easy to be..."
After being promoted, Qingdeng often felt as follows: the power in his hands has not expanded, but the burden on his shoulders has increased a lot.
At this moment, the waiter's voice suddenly sounded outside the door:
"My Lord, Kyoto Director Tojo Shintaro is here!"
Qingdeng was stunned for a moment, then quickly said:
"Well, let him in quickly."
"yes!"
After the Summer Battle in Kyoto ended, the people who had fled to escape the war returned to Kyoto one after another.
This is a good thing, but many bad guys took the opportunity to occupy the roads and rob the money of the people returning to the city.
Faced with such bad behavior, Qingdeng, as the envoy of Gyeonggi Town, naturally cannot remain indifferent.
Since Shintaro Tojo became the director of Kyoto, he has been mainly responsible for maintaining public security in Kyoto.
Although he knew that the other party was an undercover agent of the Salt Party, Qingdeng not only did not report him, but also reused him as always - of course, he would not be allowed to participate in certain tasks involving important secrets.
Aoto quickly dispatched Shintaro Tojo, ordering him to clear out the bandits in the shortest possible time. He also sent Nishiki Nimi, Sanosuke Harada and their fifth and tenth divisions to assist.
Tojo Shintaro is indeed a reliable official.
After more than half a month of high-intensity bandit suppression, these road bandits died and escaped, and the roads around Kyoto returned to peace.
Seeing that the road bandits have been cleared, Qingteng asked Tojo Shintaro to come over today to give a detailed work report.
Qingdeng waited silently while sitting upright and adjusting his clothes a little.
After a while, he heard heavy footsteps approaching from far away.
Wow - the door of the room opened, and the plump figure of Shintaro Tojo came into view.
"Your Highness, long time no see."
Shintaro Tojo bowed slightly, with a faint smile on his face.
"Don't be formal, just relax."
Qingden said and waved his hand.
Suddenly, his gaze tilted downwards involuntarily, looking straight at Shintaro Tojo's right abdomen, with complicated emotions flashing in his eyes.
His strangeness is only temporary.
Qingdeng quickly adjusted his eyes and expression and remained calm.
There is nothing special about Tojo Shintaro's work report.
Just briefly and concisely state the results of the battle, how many gangsters were killed, how many heads were chopped off, and so on.
After Qingdeng listened quietly, he cast an appreciative look at the other party.
"Dongcheng-kun, thank you for your hard work."
Dongcheng Shintaro hurriedly said:
"Don't dare to take it seriously."
At this time, he probably remembered something important, his face changed slightly, and he looked like he was hesitant to speak and found it difficult to speak.
The subtle changes in his expression caught Qingdeng's eyes.
"Dongcheng-kun, what's wrong? If you have something to say, it's okay to say it."
Qingdeng's words dispelled the other party's last worry.
"...Your Highness, I have something to report to you."
He put on a solemn expression and said word by word:
"As far as I know, many people in Kyoto sympathize with Changzhou."
When Qingdeng heard this, he couldn't help showing a look of astonishment:
"Do you sympathize with Changshu? The soldiers and people of Kyoto?"
Shintaro Tojo nodded vigorously and continued:
"Due to the Ansei Five-Nation Treaty, domestic goods were in short supply, prices soared, and people's lives were seriously affected. Therefore, many people in Kyoto have always expressed sympathy for the Choshu Domain, which actively resisted the foreigners."
"Recently, 'Changshu Bixi' has become popular in Inma, Kyoto City."
Qingdeng interjected:
"'Bi Xi'? What is this?"
Tojo Shintaro answered:
"'Bici' is a dialect, which means sympathy. To put it simply, when people chat, they always use euphemistic expressions to express their sympathy for Changzhou."
After Qingdeng heard this, a look of understanding suddenly appeared on his face.
The Edo shogunate strictly prohibited public criticism of politics.
However, as the saying goes, "There are policies from above and countermeasures from below."
No matter what kind of orders the shogunate issued, the people at the bottom also had many ways to deal with them.
The most typical example is, as Shintaro Tojo said just now, using various "black words" and "code words" to discuss and criticize current affairs.
"In addition to 'Changshu Hagi', a round red bean glutinous rice dumpling called 'Changshu Hagi mochi' has become popular in Injama, Kyoto."
“‘Choshu Hagi Mochi’ is actually a specialty of the Hagi castle town of Choshu.”
"Recently, many stores in Kyoto have started selling this kind of Hagi mochi."
"When selling this cake, the store will specially arrange three round hagi cakes in the shape of the word 'pin', with a pair of chopsticks placed across them, which looks like the Maori family's family crest 'one moji three stars'."
"The price of this cake is uniformly set at 36 cents, which symbolizes the height of the Changshu domain stone at 360,000 koku."
“When buying, say ‘negativeけてくれ’ (make it cheaper for me).”
"The seller will answer 'minus けん' (can't be cheap)."
"This is a typical pun."
“‘negative ける’ can either mean price reduction or failure.”
"That is to say, 'Changzhou will never fail.'"
"These people expressed their spiritual support for the Choshu clan through hagi cakes and puns."
"In addition to Hagi mochi, 'Changshu Katsu' from Choshu has also become popular and has become one of the most popular dances in Kyoto."
"As the name suggests, this is a dance song praising Changzhou's victory."
"It is reported that this dance started in a restaurant in Akaishi,"
"The owner got drunk and danced 'Changzhou Sheng' while wearing a child's clothes. His wife finally stopped him, but the child died suddenly."
"The owner next door came over to ask what was going on. The owner of the restaurant said that the child died because his wife stopped him from dancing. If he didn't dance, he would get into trouble."
"Then the owner next door came home and danced the same dance. It was spread to ten, and then to hundreds, and 'Changzhou wins' soon spread throughout the capital."
“Even shrunk kapok produced in Changzhou, which is essential for dancing, has become a hot commodity overnight.”
Speaking of this, Dongcheng paused and hesitated for a while before continuing:
"There is one more thing, I think it would be better to report it to you together."
"After our army won a complete victory in the Battle of Kyoto's Summer Battle, a Choshu feudal lord named Yamamononosuke committed suicide in Amagasaki and buried his body on the spot because he realized that there was no hope of escaping with the large army."
"Somehow, news suddenly spread a while ago that 'Yamamonosuke's cemetery has magical effects in curing difficult and complicated diseases,' so people from the surrounding area rushed to pay homage."
"The local lord kept the ban in place, so he ordered his subordinates to bury the body elsewhere."
"While his men were digging the grave, he suddenly became stiff and feverish and died. This frightened the lord, and he never dared to explore the cemetery again."
"This miracle has strengthened the people's faith, and there is an endless stream of people going to the local area to worship."
“The local people named this cemetery ‘Cannian Tomb’ to express their sympathy and pity.”
After Shintaro Tojo finished speaking, he stood quietly, waiting for Qingto's response.
"..."
Although Qingdeng said nothing and had a calm expression, he had already cursed in his heart.
——Tsk...what the hell is this...!
——Is it possible that these guys all suffer from Stockholm Syndrome? The more you abuse them, the happier they feel?
Stockholm Syndrome - a very classic mental illness. Its main manifestation is that when the victim faces an extreme threat, he will develop emotional identification with the perpetrator and form a harmonious relationship.
As the "Changzhou Expedition" was about to begin, Seito mobilized a large number of elite ninjas headed by Yamazaki Hao to go to the Western Kingdom to gather information.
For this reason, Seito's intelligence network deployed in Kyoto has become much weaker. He has not received much intelligence related to Kyoto recently.
If Shintaro Tojo had not made this series of reports to him today, he would not have known that Kyoto had undergone such changes recently.
To be honest, Seito truly felt that these Kyoto citizens who sympathized with Choshu either had bad intentions or were unfortunately suffering from Stockholm Syndrome and had developed emotional identification with the perpetrators.
It's fine if they are from other places. Why do you people from Kyoto sympathize with Choshu?
During the Battle of Ikedaya, the radicals in Choshu planned to burn Kyoto and take advantage of the chaos to kidnap the emperor.
If Qingdeng and others hadn't crushed their conspiracy, I don't know how many people would have died that night.
During the Battle of Summer Formation in Kyoto, Choshu mobilized tens of thousands of troops and directed their troops towards Kyoto.
If Qingteng hadn't led his troops to hold the Changshu Army firmly on the outskirts of Kyoto, I don't know how serious damage this battle would have caused Kyoto.
It is obvious that Changshu never cared about the life and death of the people in Kyoto.
In order to achieve their goals, they did not hesitate to put innocent people into danger many times.
Choshu is so bad, yet so many people in Kyoto sympathize with and respect Choshu.
This, this...
Qingdeng was speechless for a moment and didn't know who to scold.
Suddenly, Dongcheng Shintaro asked:
"Your Highness, do you want to ban these acts of solidarity with Changzhou?"
Qingdeng waved his hand:
"No need, I'm not stingy to this extent."
"There are definitely people behind these incidents who are adding fuel to the fire."
"We can only 'sparse', not 'block'."
"Otherwise, you will play into the opponent's hands."
"At that time, we will be labeled as 'narrow-minded' and 'suppressing the people'."
As Qingdeng spoke, he narrowed his eyes, his eyes were unkind, and his expression was solemn, as if he was deep in thought.
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