Nobunaga Gets Killed Again / The Demon God Toyotomi Hideyoshi

The Matsudaira family head waved his hand and said, "I know, money is not a problem. I will have someone provide you with everything you need. How many of these swords can you forge for us at most?"

"Ten swords. I will forge the remaining nine within three months and deliver them to you," Shirou replied.

The Matsudaira family head stood up and readily agreed, "Very well! Very well! Very well! Then, we request that you forge this precious sword for us. I will keep this sword, and seven will be distributed among my son Ieyasu, the two chief retainers, and the four generals. The remaining two will be reserved for the heroes who have rendered great service to the Matsudaira family!"

"Excellent!!!" A chorus of praise rang out in the hall. The elders who had obtained the treasured sword and the four generals all showed satisfied smiles. The young generals also saw an opportunity and began to rub their hands together excitedly, chatting amongst themselves.

"If we had such a treasured sword, wouldn't we be able to slay demons and monsters like the Four Heavenly Kings of Minamoto Raikou?"

"You little brat, you just want a pretty female ghost to come knocking on your door, don't you?"

"Hahaha, if a female ghost is willing to submit to me, that's fine too."

At this moment, the head of household in the hall pressed his hand to restore silence to the hall, and looked at Shirou and said.

"Then it's settled, sir. I look forward to the completion of your work. We still have a meeting to attend to, so we won't keep you any longer. Please go with the servants to the living room to rest for a while."

"Okay." Shirou nodded.

The Matsudaira family head then looked at the kneeling merchant and said:

"I am very satisfied with the gentleman you brought us this time. As for your goods, we will buy them at a high price. Please take your gentleman to the side hall to rest now, and I will arrange for someone to take you to the mansion to stay later."

"Yes, yes, thank you for your generosity, Lord Matsudaira." The merchant was overjoyed and bowed repeatedly in agreement.

Led by a servant, Shirou and the merchant left the hall.

After seeing the two walk out the door, the people inside the house began to make different plans.

"Such a talented young man must be kept in our Sanhe," the elder said first.

"Yes, he's incredibly knowledgeable. He's not afraid of us veterans, and he's more composed than most young officers. He also has the potential to be an eloquent speaker. Besides, it would be such a waste to only give him ten swords."

"Yes, I'll leave this matter to you, Honda! Let your household's Himegishi meet this young talent." Matsudaira family head, half-jokingly, pointing to his loyal general.

The military commander Honda's eyes lit up, and he smiled as he agreed, "Yes! Leave it to me, head of household!"

"Hahaha, if you can keep him as your son-in-law, you'll hit the jackpot!" the military officer beside him laughed.

"You're just envious!" Honda said with a laugh, but inwardly he sighed. If his troublesome daughter could form a good relationship with a talented young man, that would be a wonderful thing. He was just afraid that her stubborn nature would cause endless trouble.

Of course, Shirou was unaware of these things at the time. As he walked outside with the merchant, he listened to the fat merchant's incessant rambling, saying that he was very grateful to him for being his guide and that he should not forget his friends after he became successful.

It all boils down to that dog... May we never forget each other in our wealth and glory.

"Shirou! If any general takes a liking to you and wants to marry his daughter to you, you absolutely must agree! You absolutely must agree! I'll sell my possessions and come to be your advisor! With my help, you'll be the next Toyotomi Hideyoshi!" The merchant waved his fat hand, speaking with great excitement.

"You should save your breath. It's just a few words and a knife. How could any father want to send his daughter over like that..." Shirou waved his hand dismissively.

The merchant saw that Shirou didn't believe him, but seeing things go so smoothly was rare. He was looking for a bargain and didn't want to give up such a promising young man as Shirou, so he continued to persuade him.

Shirou was extremely annoyed. After walking for several minutes, he heard hurried footsteps behind him, as if someone was catching up.

"Sir, please wait a moment!" Just then, someone ran up from behind and called out to Shirou.

Looking back, it turned out to be that young master with the extraordinary appearance.

Chapter 344 Nobunaga is killed again

"Ieyasu, may I ask what brings you here?" the merchant asked with a bowing and scraping smile.

"Haha, I have something I'd like to discuss with Mr. Shirou. Please come with me to the tea room over here," Tokugawa Ieyasu said, his smile truly radiating warmth and friendliness.

"I see. Of course, Shirou would be more than happy to oblige. Let me make you some tea," the merchant said solicitously.

"No, you stay here. I'll talk to Mr. Shirou." Ieyasu held out his palm, gesturing for the merchant to be quiet, and said softly. But this time, however, his words carried an undeniable determination.

The merchant stood there awkwardly, stunned. After a few seconds, he recovered and said with a helpless smile, "Yes... yes, then I'll stay here."

"Then please." Ieyasu turned to Shirou and extended an invitation.

Shirou had no choice but to follow Ieyasu Matsudaira family's tea room. Inside, famous paintings hung on the walls, and the decorations were only in black and white, giving it a very simple and elegant feel.

During the Warring States period, the lords and daimyo also followed the example of the nobles, becoming dainty and fashionable, and tea drinking became popular. They would sit facing each other in enclosed spaces, waiting for the matcha to be made, during which no loud noise was allowed, and everything was considered sacred.

For the daimyo, it was also the best place to observe their subordinates, exchange ideas, and cultivate relationships. Oda Nobunaga once personally made matcha for Toyotomi Hideyoshi, which moved Toyotomi Hideyoshi to the point of becoming completely devoted to Nobunaga.

At this moment, Ieyasu also took out a tea set, waved for the servants to leave, and went to be alone with Shirou.

"Oh, Mr. Shirou, although you claim to be a blacksmith, your speech and demeanor are quite remarkable. Why don't you stay here with me for a while? There will definitely be a place for you to use your skills in Mikawa."

"No, I just heard that there are demons and monsters in the city, so I came here to solve this problem," Shirou said. After all, soon Tokugawa Ieyasu, now Matsudaira family Ieyasu, would be transferred from his hometown headquarters to Edo by order of Toyotomi Hideyoshi along with his family.

"The overall situation is now settled. The Shimazu in Kyushu won't be able to hold out for long. It will naturally be a victory for Toyotomi Hideyoshi," Shirou said.

"Oh, what do you think Toyotomi will do after he unifies the country?" Ieyasu asked Shirou curiously.

"I'm just an unknown blacksmith, how could I possibly know what such an important person is thinking?" Shirou replied with a light laugh.

Shirou really didn't have much to say. If he had met Tokugawa Ieyasu, who had already seized power, he could have played the role of a prophet, offering advice and helping him seize the opportunity to prepare in advance for the Honnō-ji Incident and Oda Nobunaga's death, protecting all the heirs of the Oda family and maximizing his gains.

Of course, whether the other party will believe it is another matter entirely.

There's a saying in the State of He that vividly describes the personalities of the Three Heroes of the Warring States: What should you do when a cuckoo refuses to sing?

Oda Nobunaga's answer was, "Kill them!"

Toyotomi Hideyoshi's answer was, "Lure him."

Tokugawa Ieyasu's reply was, "We'll see..."

Tokugawa Ieyasu, who was adept at both expansion and contraction, was historically regarded as cunning like a fox and patient like a tortoise. Even if he believed Shirou's words, he would not do anything too risky.

However, at present, Ieyasu is not in power in this world.

Meanwhile, Toyotomi Hideyoshi had already seized power, absorbed the Oda clan's army, and his dominance over the country was assured. He had also formed alliances with various forces and become the Kanpaku (regent) recognized by the imperial court. The Matsudaira family lost its chance to contend for supremacy and could only surrender and submit to him, avoiding his sharp edge. This is why Osaka merchants, under Toyotomi Hideyoshi's protection, were able to so easily receive an audience with the lord of a province.

Shirou could offer him now was the news that Toyotomi Hideyoshi's westward expedition to Korea would inevitably end in failure, thus allowing him to remain in seclusion for a few more years. Meanwhile, Toyotomi Hideyoshi was still working hard to unify the sixty-odd provinces of Japan.

"It's alright. I see you're a well-traveled and knowledgeable person. Let's just have a casual chat and hear your thoughts," Ieyasu said with a friendly smile, without any airs.

Chatting with someone like this is indeed very relaxing and enjoyable. And seeing this face, almost everyone has fantasized about having a robot like this pop out of a drawer and live with them.

"It will probably prove his status," Shirou said.

"Yes, if it were me, I would also choose to consolidate my territory and recuperate. But that Monkey can't do that. When he came to power, it was when the world was greatly disappointed in him." Ieyasu, who looked a lot like a tanuki, laughed at this moment, just like a cat-shaped robot that secretly ate all the dorayaki when Nobita wasn't paying attention.

"..." Shirou remained silent, but nodded inwardly. It seemed that even without power, the one who ultimately reaped the rewards among the Three Heroes of the Warring States was still incredibly capable.

After Toyotomi Hideyoshi completed the unification, he began to purge the country, bestowing various rewards in secret. The Matsudaira family was soon ordered to relocate from the main camp to Edo. Later, in order to clear obstacles for his youngest son, he killed one group after another of the retainers who had contributed to his success, and even killed the great tea master Sen no Rikyu.

As an emperor who rose from a peasant uprising, he can be said to be the one who obtained the throne most legitimately in history, and the era in which he ruled can be said to be the most prosperous period of imperial power.

However, perhaps because of his childhood experiences, he became arrogant and suspicious when he held absolute power, and he had no tolerance for others. He almost killed all the meritorious officials who helped him conquer the country, and killed tens of thousands of officials. He also killed all the successful candidates in the imperial examinations without hesitation.

Even someone like Chen Sheng, who sought wealth and status, killed his fellow villager who had once farmed with him.

The dissolute Liu Bang was even willing to abandon his elderly father, wife, sons, and children.

Emperor who rose from poverty to power often seemed more callous, perhaps because dividing the wealth they had painstakingly acquired throughout their lives was simply too painful.

Zhao Kuangyin, who came from a military family, was able to release his military commanders from power with a cup of wine.

Li Shimin, who was born into the imperial family and had killed his brother and forced his father to abdicate, was also extremely loyal to his comrades and full of righteousness. It's no wonder that Yang Guang had to take the blame and be condemned as a patricide and usurper, otherwise how could the stain on the reputation of a great emperor be covered up?

"Toyotomi Hideyoshi is a wise and intelligent man; he will naturally recognize his mistakes and correct them in time," Shirou said.

"Yes, I admit he is indeed a genius, and the reforms he and Nobunaga implemented were remarkable. However, even a monster like him will soon realize that this approach won't work," Ieyasu said.

"..." Shirou nodded to himself.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi was destined to fail. He discovered that if he stagnated, even though he, a peasant by birth, held the position of Kanpaku and used force to suppress all the daimyo and castle lords in Japan, many people still harbored resentment.

Therefore, Toyotomi Hideyoshi had no choice but to embark on a new ambition: to conquer Korea in order to expand his territory and prove his wisdom and prowess.

What Toyotomi Hideyoshi needed to do next was the latter half of the famous Daikō Risshiden (The Great Regent's Ambition). This was also a disadvantage for Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who was born a peasant. He had to do something big to prove his wisdom and prowess, so conquering Korea was the first big thing he needed to do.

After all, Japan is different from China, and it places great importance on bloodline and lineage. Even if a warlord group gains control of the country, they will still nominally be loyal to the Emperor, at least in their hearts they will acknowledge the Emperor as the legitimate bloodline.

At this time, Toyotomi Hideyoshi's situation was similar to that of the Qing Dynasty Ming Dynasty rebels, completing the reduction of feudal domains, and unifying China, Qianlong had already conquered all the territories. On the surface, it seemed that the threats had been eliminated, but in reality, undercurrents were surging. Most Han ethnicity people still did not truly acknowledge this emperor.

Qianlong thus styled himself the "Ten-Complete Old Man," praising his civil and military achievements as the greatest emperor of all time. However, besides his military exploits, other achievements also played a significant role. By the 17th century, the Qing Dynasty, influenced by global trade, indirectly benefited from imports from the Americas, including various new fruits and vegetables, as well as high-yield staples like corn and potatoes, and the highly resilient sweet potato for famine relief. When basic needs like food, clothing, and shelter were met, the population exploded.

The rest were mostly ambitious and eager for quick success, enjoying the boundless adulation of the people. They claimed to have written 40,000 poems, but the only ones that have survived have been proven to be direct plagiarism of the poems of their ministers Ji Xiaolan and Shen Deqian. Yet, they also engaged in literary inquisitions against others for their well-written poems and essays. They also liked to inscribe their names on various antiques and paintings, which benefited antique dealers in later generations.

Throughout his life, he did things that seemed to enhance his image but lacked any regal bearing, much like a politician. However, these actions may have also been motivated by a desire to maintain political stability, given the precedent set by the Yuan Dynasty, which demonstrated that foreign rule over the Han Dynasty was unlikely to last long.

He presented himself as an all-powerful emperor. Although he had Manchu and Mongol blood, he also had Han Chinese blood in his heart. He enjoyed composing poems, writing calligraphy, and painting. He was even more Han Chinese than the Han Chinese themselves. This made the majority of Han ethnicity people feel more attached to him and feel safe and in awe of the Qing Dynasty.

Qianlong was demonstrating to the powerful Han Chinese clans across the country through his actions that he also loved reading, could compose poetry, and was fluent in Mandarin, just like any other Han emperor. He told them to take the imperial examinations and he would give them official positions. He added that it didn't matter who was emperor, so they shouldn't rebel, as he would treat them the same way and that rebellion was too much trouble.

Of course, what is true and what is false is uncertain. It is said that Chiang Kai-shek always carried a book with him when he went out, and he would always take it out to read whenever the newspaper came to interview and take photos.

Even if the president of a superpower like Sichuan is criticizing China and wants to overturn and rebuild the current commercial system that is so beneficial to other countries, he still has to continue doing business with China.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi's fate was, of course, defeat. The Ming Dynasty sent troops to support Korea, but by this time, the Ming Dynasty army was no longer the same as it was at the founding of the dynasty, when it could freely roam the grasslands and ride horses to roam with the barbarians.

But even a starved camel is bigger than a horse. At this time, there was no country in the world that could wage a protracted war of attrition on land bordering the Ming Dynasty.

However, his invasion did cause significant problems for the Ming Dynasty's finances, and it never launched another war against foreign powers. This allowed the nomadic peoples on the grasslands to grow stronger, foreshadowing their eventual demise.

Because the Ming Dynasty was already very poor at this time. Although the economy of the whole country was definitely ahead of the world, the rich were the corrupt officials and landlords, and the government's treasury really had no spare money.

The political culture of China has always been evolving, from Shang Yang's reforms and Xunzi's entry into Qin. The early Han dynasty saw the rise of Huang-Lao thought, followed by Emperor Wu of Han's exclusive promotion of Confucianism, a system of outward Confucianism and inward Legalism. Then, during the Song Dynasty, numerous great Confucian scholars emerged. Initially, things were relatively peaceful, given that Confucius had seventy-two disciples and many schools of thought had survived. These schools experienced the same contention of a hundred schools of thought, as well as factional struggles and ideological clashes.

Later, Zhu Yuanzhang, whose family had been poor farmers for generations, became emperor and recognized Zhu Xi as his ancestor. As a result, Neo-Confucianism flourished, and Confucianism became a single school of thought. The knowledge that could be learned became narrower and more fixed, and the minds of scholars became increasingly obscured.

The scholar-officials of the Ming Dynasty lacked the ability to generate revenue like Guan Zhong, Tao Zhu Gong, and Lu Buwei. They didn't understand the proper way to make money. Even those learned and renowned ministers had a very superficial understanding of finance. They were still stuck on the idea that the wealth of the world was finite, and if six parts were taken from one place, only four parts would be left.

Therefore, the imperial court could only try to cut spending and could not compete with the people for profit. The emperor should also follow the example of the ancient sages, farm the land himself, do it himself, and be self-sufficient.

No one knew how to increase revenue, so although corrupt officials amassed great wealth and local magnates were rolling in money, the financial situation of the Ming Dynasty's central government was becoming increasingly dire. By the time of the last Emperor Chongzhen, Chongzhen, the national treasury was so poor that it couldn't even afford to eat.

Li Zicheng was actually no longer able to support his increasingly bloated rebel army. His ability to lead troops in battle was still decent; he could launch a campaign, and once he reached a destination, he could eat the provisions of that place without much difficulty.

But if he were to truly settle down and support hundreds of thousands or even millions of mouths, that would be no easy task.

So he made three demands: that the Ming Dynasty provide him with a million taels of military pay to appease his subordinates, and that the Ming Dynasty grant him the title of king and the Northwest as his fief. In return, he would be willing to nominally submit to the Ming Dynasty, but in reality, he would maintain a separate regime with the Ming Dynasty and help the Ming Dynasty resist other rebel forces and the Qing army.

However, at this time in the Ming Dynasty, the national treasury could not come up with that much money from the annual tax revenue. Although this amount could easily be obtained by simply confiscating the property of any minister or member of the imperial family, and would likely be more than the amount needed, the emperor was at odds with his ministers, unwilling to break the rules, and unwilling to ask for help. As a result, he committed suicide on Coal Hill.

However, these are all part of history, and it is because of this past that we are who we are today.

"Young master, let's get back to the main point. The only reason I came here with you is because of the demons in the city. What you're saying has nothing to do with me," Shirou said, looking at Ieyasu.

"Haha, of course. I look forward to the precious sword you forge, sir." Ieyasu said with a light laugh, looking at Shirou. "However, Mr. Shirou has never told the truth from the beginning."

"I have nothing to say." Shirou shook his head; he didn't want to interfere any further in the future of this world.

"Oh, but you seem quite confident, Mr. Toyotomi. I'm curious, weren't you even a little bit shocked when Toyotomi later turned his sword against China?"

"What? Toyotomi Hideyoshi has already planned to attack foreign countries?" Shirou asked in surprise.

"Of course, in fact, he has already begun to make strategic reserves. I heard him mention this plan at a banquet when he was drunk, before Nobunaga was killed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Although the Ming Dynasty knows nothing about us, as a great power that we have been learning from since the Tang Dynasty, we have been collecting information about them carefully!" Ieyasu said with a smile.

"Wait? Nobunaga was killed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi?!" Shirou stood up in surprise and asked loudly, looking at the tanuki-faced man.

Chapter 345 Demon God Toyotomi Hideyoshi

"That happened several years ago." Ieyasu looked at Shirou strangely. How could someone who clearly had a great understanding of the world situation be so ignorant about something that everyone knew and was so basic?

"What exactly happened? How was Nobunaga killed?" Shirou asked.

" In the Honnō-ji Incident, Toyotomi Hideyoshi directly killed Nobunaga and Akechi Mitsuhide, who served as Nobunaga's bodyguard. Even if Nobunaga was a demon Nobunaga, he was still just a mortal with flesh and blood like me, and no match for the demon god Toyotomi." Ieyasu said with a stern expression.

"A demon god? Is he even more terrifying than Nobunaga?" Shirou asked doubtfully.

"Toyotomi Hideyoshi was a true monster. He was strong enough to lift a tripod, could drag two oxen by their horns, and his body was as hard as metal and stone, impervious to swords and spears. He never suffered any injury while charging into battle. It is said that even when ninjas tried to ambush him, they could not affect him in the slightest by getting close enough to poison him. He was practically a demon," Ieyasu said.

"Moreover, Toyotomi Hideyoshi was also eccentric in other ways. He possessed the technology of prophecy and predicted the demise of the Ming Dynasty. He was preparing to act at the opportune moment."

"He won't live to see that day," Shirou said, shaking his head. Historically, when Toyotomi Hideyoshi died, it was during the Wanli era, and the Ming Dynasty still had about fifty years left in its rule.

"What if he can live to be over a hundred years old? Others may not be able to do that, but he's a monster," Ieyasu retorted.

"What!" Shirou exclaimed in surprise. Could it be that this Toyotomi Hideyoshi not only possessed extraordinary abilities, but also knew the future?

If Toyotomi Hideyoshi could truly live for a hundred years, and wait until the Ming Dynasty was at its weakest, he might very well succeed.

At the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, the Later Jin, although it had unified the Mongolia on the grasslands, was not particularly strong. Wu Sangui's Guan Ning Iron Cavalry, with its 80,000 elite troops, was enough to keep them at bay outside the Great Wall, and the two sides fought a fierce and evenly matched battle.

However, the Ming Dynasty was attacked from the west and was directly destroyed by Li Zicheng's rebel army. Wu Sangui eventually chose to surrender to the Qing Dynasty and, as the vanguard, led the Qing army into the Central Plains.

However, the Ming Dynasty was already critically ill at that time, with no money in the national treasury and no ability to provide disaster relief, which led to peasant uprisings and being attacked from multiple sides.