"Report to the Shogun, in the first battle of Osaka Bay, my samurai boy fought to the death under the banner of the Tokugawa family, beheaded more than 1,500 Hakuki, sank one Hakugi first-class battleship and one fourth-class battleship, and damaged two third-class battleships and two fourth-class battleships. The White Ghost Fleet has retreated towards the Kitam Strait, and the Shogunate Army Artillery Team has set up an ambush at the High Bear Mountain Fort, and there will be a good news report tomorrow! ”

In the courtyard of Nijo Castle Ninomaru, the general's side employed Matsudaira Jian Yu to talk eloquently. And listening to his report, in addition to the general Tokugawa Iekei, there are also the regent Seki Hakutaka Si Masatsu, the left minister Kujo Shotada, the secretary of the military department Iwakura Gushi and the old Katsu Kaishu of the Yokohama clan, among which Katsu Haizhou also has the identity of the special envoy of the Ming Emperor. Unlike the confrontation between the shogunate and the imperial court in the historical incident of the visit of the black ship, this time the attitude of both sides is the same - to destroy by force! Although the shogunate did not ask the imperial court for a ruling, Emperor Toshito, who had just ascended the throne, invited Tokugawa Iekei, the shogun who had arrived in Osaka, to the palace to inquire about the situation of the war, and instructed Tokugawa Iekei in person not to let the white ghost army set foot on Japanese soil under any circumstances. However, even Emperor Xiaomei probably never expected that the battle would go so smoothly.

But when he heard the news of the victory in Osaka Bay, Guan Baiying Si Zhengtong's face covered with fat powder did not show much smile. The left minister, Kujo Shozhong, even sighed softly. And although Iwakura Gushi, the secretary of the military department, was full of smiles, Tokugawa Iekei clearly saw a face that was not smiling.

The victory in the Battle of Osaka Bay belonged to the shogunate and the samurai! Now the whole world knows who is guarding the country. The victory in this war once again showed that the pillar of Japan is the samurai, and the pillar of the samurai is the Tokugawa family! As for the public house, it's just a bunch of outdated guys who play promotion games in Kyoto. The pet of the samurai family. I didn't even think I could do it myself. I want to get involved in the government through the combination of public and military forces!

Matsudaira Kanyu's report has just ended. Tokugawa Iekei smiled and said to the Takashi Minister: "Lord Sekihaku, the Battle of Osaka Bay showed that the shogunate's policy of strengthening the army has been successful, and no country will dare to covet Japan in the next 20 years. However, 20 years from now, Japan's safety cannot be pinned on the closure of the country. ”

Eagle Masatoshi sighed, gave Iwakura Gushi a look, and Iwakura said: "Does the Shogun want to break the 250-year-old ancestral system of the shogunate and give up the country?" ”

Iekei Ha said with a smile: "There is only one ancestral system of the shogunate: the Tokugawa family must lead the world's warriors to protect the country of Japan from generation to generation. If the founding of the country is beneficial to Japan, it should be the founding of the country and strive to be strong! ”

Iwakura looked at it and said, "When is the general going to open the country?" ”

"Of course, after the implementation of the combination of public and military! Japan can only be founded as a unified country first! "The general looked at Shenghaizhou." Katsu-kun, tell me about your suggestions. ”

Sheng Haizhou sighed, and solemnly bowed slightly to the three ministers present. In Japan, although the minister has no wealth and power, and it is often difficult to solve the problem of food and clothing, he has a high status. Not to mention sergeants like Sheng Haizhou, even the general himself still has to respect the ministers of the court in terms of face.

"The next proposal is to merge the shogunate and the imperial court on the premise of securing the wealth and status of the samurai family, and realize the combination of public and military forces."

"The property of the samurai?" Eagle Si Zhengtong seems to be a little confused. Iwakura's brows were already slightly furrowed.

"The land is the property of the samurai! The heavenly domain of the general's family, the domain of each domain, and the place of knowledge of the sergeant's family are all property. Sheng Haizhou glanced at the general again as he spoke. Zhu Jishi's proposal clearly played into Tokugawa Iekei's heart—land had always been a favorite of the samurai, and the Tokugawa family was certainly no exception. This is a unique Japanese method of calculating land by yield per acre. There are about 25 million koku in the whole of Japan, and the Tokugawa clan owns about 4 million koku. In addition, the Tokugawa family also has a large number of divisions and relatives and genealogies with Tokugawa blood. The entire family owns no less than 8 million stones! As long as such a huge fortune is controlled in their hands, the Tokugawa family will be able to firmly grasp the power of Japan even after the combination of public and military!

Takaji Masatsu took a breath: "What does Katsukun mean that the feudal lords of all Japan and the flag will still have the command and knowledge after the combination of the public and military forces?" ”

Shogun Tokugawa nodded: "The land that I received and knew was originally the property of the samurai, and it was the income of the samurai family who had guarded Japan for more than a thousand years, and the combination of public and military forces was to make Japan a unified country, not to deprive the samurai of their property." After the merger of the public and military forces, these lands should become the private land of the samurai, Lord Sekihaku, do you have any opinions? ”

"No, no opinion......" Eagle Si Zhengtong hurriedly shook his head. Now that the imperial court wants soldiers and no soldiers, no money, why should they compete for power with the shogunate? Isn't it because of a name? The emperor had the title of king, and the establishment of a unified state was also a title, and the combination of the two was to win the support of some feudal lords and samurai, and to compete with the Tokugawa shogunate. However, the name of depriving the samurai of their land cannot be taken out, otherwise the samurai above the flag of Japan will probably unanimously oppose it, and the imperial court cannot afford to offend these people with swords and handles in their hands!

Iwakura coughed and said, "Except for a very small number of lands in Japan (the emperor and the minister also have small territories), they are all owned by the samurai and the land of Zhixing, if all these lands become private land. ...... that future government spending"

"Of course it's taxes!" The general said, "Nowadays, the annual tribute paid by the peasants is a combination of taxes and rent, so the annual tribute accounts for two-thirds of the land output. In the future, it is natural that the rent and taxes in the annual tribute should be separated, and the landlord will receive the land rent and the government will receive the tax. ”

Iwakura Gushi complained in his heart, what kind of power did the Tokugawa family and the 300 feudal clan have? How much tax revenue will the new government receive from them?

Tokugawa Iekei's words are not over, Zhu Jishi only designed Japan's land system after the combination of public and military forces in accordance with China's "feudal land ownership system", but the vast majority of Japanese samurai are landless, and the interests of this part of the people, Tokugawa Iekei also has to take care of them. Otherwise, the high-ranking samurai will be better, and the lower-level samurai will not have anything to eat.

"In addition, after the merger of the public and military forces, the status of the samurai should be retained, and the soldiers and officials of the new government should be samurai or ministers."

Hearing this, Katsu Haizhou and Matsudaira Jian Yu were both taken aback, and looked at Tokugawa Iekei blankly. Not only was almost all of Japan now owned by samurai, but even serving as an official and a soldier became the privilege of samurai (a small number of ministers). In other words, ordinary Japanese can only farm, do business, and work all their lives, and it is absolutely impossible for them to become officials or soldiers!

At this time, the left minister Kujo Shangzhong, who had not spoken at this time, suddenly interjected and asked: "General, after the reform of the combination of public and military forces, can people from the samurai family and the public family engage in business?" ”

"Absolutely!" Tokugawa Iekei said with a smile, "All Japanese nationals can engage in industries such as industry, industry, agriculture, and so on, and those who come from samurai and ministerial backgrounds are no exception. ”

There are so many samurai, how can they feed if they don't find more ways to live? If these ancestors can't eat enough, who knows how many things they have to toss? Tokugawa Iekei's ideas were very simple, and he was completely from the position of a samurai. Naturally, it will be supported by the entire samurai class, and the three ministers present all know in their hearts that this combination of public and military forces will be completely dominated by the Tokugawa shogunate! And in the future, Japan will be a country where the samurai class monopolizes everything!

Everyone was silent, the samurai were the pillars of the country, and Japan was originally owned by the samurai, but now it was just a different form! Tokugawa Iekei stood up: "This shogun will soon ask for advice from the feudal domains, and if he can get the response of the feudal domains, he will go to the imperial court to implement the combination of public and military forces." After the merger, the shogunate and the imperial court will be merged into one, following the example of the Ming Dynasty to implement constitutional politics, the emperor will be the king of Japan, the samurai will be the foundation of Japan, the state will hold regular state councils to discuss national affairs, and anyone who owns land and produces more than 500 koku can participate in the election of representatives of the state council. (To be continued......)