Chapter 298 Slow Progress
Many years ago, Fujiwara no Michizane and Fujiwara no Tokihira of the Fujiwara family carried out a land reform in Japan.

The general content of land reform is to recognize the private ownership of land.

At the same time, it is also stipulated that all newly reclaimed land belongs to the reclaimer.

It is not difficult to see from this reform that this is just a fuss.
If all newly reclaimed land belongs to the reclaimer and is privately owned.

Wouldn’t this encourage the development of local forces?
Yes!

That’s right! Two hundred years later, in today’s Japan, there are already hundreds or even thousands of lords and powerful families, both large and small.

This is also why, when Zhao Xi first landed on the island, he often encountered groups of troops.

Rather than a large army.

As for the latter time, they encountered a large army. This was because the Fujiwara family took advantage of their power and added the power of the country.

That’s why so many people were gathered together to fight.

But even so, you can still see that they are not very united.

They are all small groups, just put together.

The more Zhao Xi understood the various systems in Japan today, the more he could feel it.

Conquering Japan may be different from conquering other places.

Because whether it was the Liao Dynasty, the Dai Viet Dynasty, or the Goryeo Dynasty, they were all highly centralized countries.

Therefore, when you capture their emperor alive, they will generally shut down the entire country and surrender.

But what is the situation in Japan today?

All I can say is that there are fish and turtles everywhere.

Each one can be said to be an independent entity in its own territory.

They often do not need to obey the emperor’s orders and can live their own lives.

even……

If the emperor was captured, they didn’t need to worry.

Anyway…

Just don’t come and take my land.

The emperor was killed, what does it have to do with me?

Fortunately, he talked to the local Dazai Shuai about the situation in Japan, otherwise, Zhao Xi would not know that Japan today is still in an era of “warring states”.

Although the number of soldiers under the command of these princes usually does not exceed one thousand.

And those who can have more than 500 people are considered to be very powerful.

In addition, they generally do not call these soldiers soldiers, they call them warriors.

Zhao Xi sighed and said, “No wonder Dad gave us the method of building the bastion. Dad must have known that this is a protracted war. It is impossible for him to conquer the whole of Japan in two or three months like my brothers did.”

“Even if we capture Emperor Shirakawa now, I guess we still need to persuade these landlords to surrender one by one.”

Zhao Xu also added: “It is not enough to persuade them to surrender one by one. We want to take the land back to the court, which will inevitably conflict with their interests. I am afraid that we can only eliminate them one by one. Otherwise… even if they surrender, should we let them continue like this?”

“The Grand Marshal has already said that it is precisely because of the private ownership of land that the imperial family is now weak. The local tyrants do not listen to the imperial court at all, and some of them even hide a large amount of land.”

Zhao Xi said, “If that’s the case, then it seems we can only take them one by one. We have to restore the prestige of the court.”

Then…

The two men then carried out “liberation” and “reform” in Japan.

For those landlords and powerful people, if you can persuade them to surrender, then do so. Of course, before you surrender, you must promise to return your land to the court.

what?
You don’t want to return it?

Then I’ll send you to heaven!

After conquering the land, they distributed it to the poor people and set a suitable tax.

For example, take one out of ten, take two out of ten.

In the Song Dynasty, the general rule was to select one out of ten. Of course, this was actually different in different places.

Some get more, some get less.

Considering that they currently need a large amount of food and there are still many battles to fight, we will temporarily decide to take two out of ten.

And this two out of ten is definitely much better than many people working as tenants for Japanese landlords and powerful families.

Because you are a tenant farmer, you will probably have to give half of it to the local landlord.

In fact, today’s Japan is really the best era.

But it was also the worst of times.

The best thing is that Japan today is peaceful and prosperous, and its culture has almost reached its peak.

The worst thing is that the gap between the rich and the poor is quite serious.

As for the surrender letter from Emperor Shirakawa that you mentioned…

What to do next.

Seriously!
After realizing that the Japanese emperor was just like that, Zhao Xi and Zhao Xu felt that it didn’t matter whether they fought or not.

Since you have no way to command the entire country and are controlled by your in-laws, the Fujiwara family, there is not much point in me attacking you.

At best, they can only control the area around the capital.

But they haven’t actually occupied Kyushu Island.

This is like when you are in a war, and the city behind you has not been conquered yet, but you go to attack the next city. That is a complete taboo in military operations.

therefore……

For Zhao Xi, his most important task now is to manage Kyushu Island well first.

Once we have a stable rear, we can discuss the capture of Kyoto.

Anyway…

Kyoto is right there and it won’t run away.

of course!

This reply still needs to be replied.

Just say…

Those who surrender must have the sincerity to surrender and surrender in person.

As for the reaction of the Japanese people.

At first, they thought they were invaders and not good people, but when they learned that Zhao Xi actually wanted to divide the land among them, they could only express disbelief.

As a matter of fact, those landlords and powerful people who refused to surrender were killed by Zhao Xi and his men.

of course!

At this time, Zhao Xi’s influence was limited to Fukuoka and Saga in Japan.

No matter how much more, we just arrived in Kumamoto.

……

Kyoto, Japan.

The two cousins ​​of the Fujiwara family were also dumbfounded when they learned that their emperor was planning to surrender.

But if you think about it, you will understand what their emperor is thinking.

Your Majesty intends to use external forces to restore the power that belongs to the Emperor.

No wonder the surrender was so positive.

Once His Majesty gets external support, what role will the Fujiwara family have?

When the two men understood what was going on, they immediately changed their attitudes and were able to work together to persuade their emperor not to give up so early.

And they swore that they would drive the foreign enemies out of Japan.

Emperor Shirakawa was unable to stop them.

Anyway…

You guys go and deliver it.

The more of your people die, the more the Fujiwara family will decline in the future.

But no matter how much Emperor Shirakawa hoped, the Song Dynasty’s heavenly soldiers did not attack directly this winter.

Is it possible…

Does he really want to go there in person?

But the two Fujiwara brothers would definitely not let him go.

The end of the year.

Zhao Xin also received Zhao Xi’s letter.

It read, “Dad, the plan has changed. We can’t pacify Japan in two or three months this time.”

For example, the system of private ownership of land, where whoever reclaims the land owns it, if this system cannot be completely eradicated, even if the local landlords surrender, you will still have a lot of trouble in the future.

therefore……

They had to slow down their pace.

Zhao Xin also wrote back to them.

Say they are very stable, so let’s do it.

and……

If there was a shortage of military rations and gunpowder, he would arrange for someone to deliver them.

In addition, it is best to learn as much as possible about the local language.

otherwise……

I am afraid it will be difficult to form a relatively stable rule in the future.

then……

Zhao Xi then found a beautiful woman to study with.

In fact, there is no need for Zhao Xin to teach such things.

By the second year.

Thanks to Zhao Xi’s efforts, most of the more powerful landlords on Kyushu Island have been pacified by Zhao Xi.

In total, they killed more than 10,000 enemies.

At this moment……

In Kyoto, Japan, people have gradually realized that something is wrong with this trend.

This was completely different from what they had originally expected.

By sending out spies, they soon learned what the Song army was doing on Kyushu Island.

Suddenly…

Even Emperor Shirakawa couldn’t help but feel a little panicked.

Because how can I say this.

It seems that the enemy now does not want to simply beat you up, make you surrender, and then go back.

The other party wanted to dig up all their ancestral graves.

How amazing is this!
Emperor Shirakawa immediately became alert and summoned all the castle defenders and lords in Japan, big and small.

Discuss together how to repel the Song army.

Ever since they learned that the Song army was going to carry out land reform on Kyushu Island, even if they had any previous grudges, they had to unite for the common interests.

As the saying goes, cutting off someone’s financial resources is like killing his parents.

The Song army must not be allowed to do this.

then……

You contribute 500, I contribute 1,000, and he contributes 1,500.

Plus the troops directly under the imperial court.

They barely gathered 90,000 people and claimed to have an army of one million.

In the second half of the second year, they came towards Kyushu Island in succession, stretching for hundreds of miles.

But there is one thing to say.

The landlords and powerful people in the easternmost and northeastern part of Japan actually don’t care much about this matter.

Their territory was far away from the emperor, and they had a record of betraying the court before the Song army came.

If they could listen to the imperial court, there must be something fishy going on.

of course!

They don’t care, and they have good reasons for that.

You know, the distance from the northeast to Kyushu Island is at least more than 2,000 miles. With such a long march, when the army arrives at the destination, how heavy a burden will it be for the people along the way?
Moreover, many places in Japan are mountainous.

So it is obvious that the number of troops they deployed is also the least.

At most, it can only be considered a symbolic contribution.

Zhao Xi also built several bastions in various places on Kyushu Island.

to be frank!
It is difficult to guarantee that someone among the Japanese civilians will not suddenly rush out and assassinate you.

Therefore, it is actually safest for the troops to stay in the bastion.

of course!

In some important cities, some troops will be stationed in order to control the people in the city.

After a year of living together, the Japanese people have gone from being panicked at the beginning to being accustomed to it now.

The decline in the prestige of the imperial court also made them less concerned about protecting the nobles and the interests of the emperor.

After all, you are not an official, so why should you worry about those who are?

The next year, autumn.

The vanguard of 4,000 Japanese troops, led by Japanese general Hachimantaro Minamoto no Yoshiie, quickly landed in the eastern part of Kyushu Island by small boat.

When the people saw the imperial troops coming from Kyoto, they did not feel at all that a royal army had arrived.

even……

Some even think that we are living a good life, the Song government has allocated land to us, and you coming here to fight are not destroying our beautiful life?
I even felt a little disgusted.

The main thing is that war will disrupt their lives and destroy their homes. How can that not be hated?

Soon…the two sides started fighting.

This Hachimantaro Minamoto no Yoshiie is a rare famous general in Japan.

It is said that he is quite brave.

After Zhao Xi learned about it, he had to take it seriously.

But there is one thing to say.

After meeting him in person, Zhao Xi felt that this was probably the case.

After a year of development, the Japanese army seems to have become stronger this time.

Because they had begun to roughly learn how to fight in formation.

even……

It looks quite decent.

Or…

This may only be the credit of this Hachimantaro Minamoto no Yoshiie.

As soon as Minamoto no Yoshiie arrived, he began to enumerate the crimes of the Song army.

Zhao Xi could only say that what they said was right.

However, he refused to admit to the crime of harming the people.

They slandered each other.

Next…

The two sides began the decisive battle.

This time, the Japanese army made preparations in advance and brought a large number of thick shields to ensure that they could withstand the Song army’s musket attacks.

Before this, they had sent people to test the strength of the Song army.

By sending out some death squads to take on the Song army’s musket attacks, and then using horses to drag the bodies away.

The final analysis concluded that all their people were killed by those bullets.

Moreover, the destructive power of these projectiles is extremely amazing.

Even when the distance is too close, it can pierce a person’s abdominal cavity.

After obtaining this information, their response was to make huge shields, and very thick ones.

It must be at least two or three times thicker than the previous shields. Finally, the shield must be covered with iron sheet.

This makes the movement a bit slow.

It’s not easy for soldiers to carry the supplies, but at least you have to be able to resist the enemy’s attack first.

As long as both sides can narrow the distance.

It’s not impossible to win.

but……

Even so, after seeing the opponent’s armor, Minamoto no Yoshiie still felt that this battle might not be easy to fight.

To know……

In the Song Dynasty, everyone wore infantry armor.

That thing is simply not on the same level as Japan’s defense that only focuses on the arms and ignores the elbows, and only focuses on the upper body and ignores the lower body.

No wonder, he has to be the one to win this battle.

Even Minamoto no Yoshiie couldn’t help but gasp while riding his horse after seeing the equipment of the Song army.

of course!

Fighting a war requires brains.

He had already ambushed troops behind him, and when the fighting started, they would pretend to be defeated. As long as they could lure the enemy to an area suitable for them to fight, they would not be completely without the possibility of winning.

then……

They used five hundred men to pretend to fight in the front, and then ambushed three thousand five hundred men in the back, equipped with bows, arrows, shields and other items.

The two sides started fighting first.

There were only five hundred people, but Zhao Xi felt something was wrong as soon as he saw it.

Maybe from their Japanese perspective, 500 people is already a lot.

However, Zhao Xi felt that these five hundred people must have ill intentions.

Besides, Master Dazai has already said that this man should not be underestimated.

For this reason, he also told the generals below: “This is probably just a test. There may be some conspiracy. Don’t delve too deeply into it.”

really!

But as soon as the battle started, the opponent retreated immediately.

Zhao Xi asked them to come back and stop fighting, as this must be a trick.

The fighting between the two sides ended on the first day.

Minamoto no Yoshiie was also somewhat helpless against the Song army.

Because this bastion looks difficult to attack at first glance.

They could only look at the worried faces of the Song army hiding in the bastion.

Let’s wait for the next people to arrive.

As a large number of Japanese soldiers arrived on Kyushu Island.

The food pressure on Kyushu Island also doubled instantly.

The pressure on Minamoto no Yoshiie’s shoulders was increasing day by day.

After all, you have so many soldiers, you can’t just waste time here.

What’s worse is that the system of the Song Dynasty is humane.

For one stone of grain, I only charge you two dou.

The rest is yours.

When Minamoto no Yoshiie sent people to collect food and fodder and evacuate the people, some of the people actually complained about it.

Good guy!
This made Minamoto no Yoshiie question his life.

Someone in the army came up with a bad idea, saying that it was outrageous that the people were providing food and fodder to the enemy. They should relocate all these people to other places and prohibit them from providing food and fodder to the enemy.

Get the people off their land.

How can the people not rebel?
In fact…

The Song army was quite friendly to the people.

They are no more popular here than the Song army.

to this end……

Minamoto no Yoshiie also had to write a letter to Zhao Xi, asking Zhao Xi what he was trying to do.

In fact, the reason for the Song Dynasty to attack Japan was not very sufficient.

The most important thing is that the other party does not submit to the Song Dynasty.

Zhao Xi pondered all night, but couldn’t come up with a suitable reason, so he replied: “To avenge the Tang Dynasty.”

Ok!

It happened hundreds of years ago, and you are still bringing it up.

Minamoto no Yoshiie was speechless.

then……

A very strange scene occurred on Kyushu Island.

The two sides were at war, but the local people acted as if it had nothing to do with them.

even……

There was still a hint of disdain towards the arriving imperial army.

Some prostitutes in brothels who had nothing to do were discussing with great interest who would win next.

He is a 1.8-meter-tall handsome man from the Song Dynasty, and he is also Minamoto no Yoshiie, who is known as the bravest warrior in the world.

Minamoto no Yoshiie could only say that he was in a difficult situation.

Having a large number of people also has its disadvantages. This battle cannot be dragged on for too long.

and so……

Next, at the same time, Minamoto no Yoshiie ordered others to divide their troops and launch an attack on several strongholds of the Song Dynasty.

The attack and defense between the two sides can only be described as brutal.

of course!

The situation in Japan is particularly tragic.

The Song Dynasty, as the defenders of the city, was like a meat grinder.

The bottom of the city was filled with corpses of Japanese soldiers.

Worse……

After working hard for a month, they finally almost dug through the tunnel.

The enemy began to counterattack.

When they had no idea that the enemy would take the initiative to attack.

The enemy launched a direct attack on their camp.

Suddenly…

The Japanese army suffered heavy casualties.

Ninety thousand people.

According to rough statistics, nearly half of the people were killed or injured.

The soldiers fled all the way, they were so frightened that they had no intention of fighting the enemy anymore.

The news reached Kyoto.

The nobles of Kyoto were in an uproar.

The key is……

They still don’t know why the Song Dynasty wanted to attack them.

Speaking of revenge for the Tang Dynasty, anyone who hears it will know that it is just an excuse.

At last……

It was a man named Oe Masafuse who stood up and said that the other party probably wanted their Japanese territory.

They must fight to the death with the Song Dynasty.

of course!

Some people, however, don’t think so.

Because fighting to the death is indeed a touching sentiment, but what if they have already reached their own territory?

Those who should surrender should still surrender.

only……

Of course, they would not say such unambitious words directly in the court.

Next…

The only thing we can do is to train and reorganize the army.

Emperor Shirakawa also thought it made sense, and by the way, he used this name to control everyone under his control.

Although there are still some people who are dissatisfied with each other in the court.

But at least when facing a powerful enemy, they were able to appear united in facing the enemy.

And after the Song army defeated the enemy’s army.

Zhao Xi was also thinking about what to do next.

Should we cross the sea to attack Honshu Island or attack Shikoku?

Or should we stay, develop and consolidate people’s hearts?
of course!

All of these can actually be done.

With the defeat of the Japanese army, Kyushu Island was almost split apart.

Zhao Xi also rebuilt the local administration as much as possible.

For example, if you want to collect taxes, you must at least have an official who is specifically responsible for helping collect taxes, or a clerk or something like that.

These must be done properly.

And Dazai Shuai had not expected that things would develop to this point.

It seems like I have the power again.

But he also became Japan’s biggest traitor.

His wife and children are all in Kyoto.

then……

In order to avenge him, Emperor Shirakawa beheaded all his wife and children and had them sent to him.

From that day on, he swore that he would never reconcile with the nobles in Kyoto.

Zhao Xi could only express deep regret about this.

In Zhao Xi’s opinion, this Taizai Shuai still needs to be killed, but now is the time when he is needed, so he will be let go for now.

When they have mastered the way to communicate with the locals, this Taizai Shuai will no longer be of much use.

the second year……

Zhao Xi began to divide Kyushu Island into counties.

While promoting some local people to be officials, they also stepped up their language learning.

after all……

Not being able to understand what others are saying is indeed a big obstacle.

(End of this chapter)