Chapter 786

Chapter 786: Inner sorrow (4)

Is it because of the words of encouragement and tarot that the emperor wrote in his own hand? Or has he faced the reality that if not this time, there will be no next chance?

“We will be with you too.”

“There must be times when we act boldly for the greater good.”

Finally, the conservatives decided to join the radicals.

Of course, there were some who did not lose their caution until the very end.

The representative of such people was Matsudaira Chikatada, who ruled West Mikawa.

After the meeting was over and everyone had left, Chikatada continued talking with Takeda Nobushige, the central figure of the radical faction.

“Are you really sure about that?”

Nobushige expressed doubt in response to Chikatada’s question.

“Who are you talking about?”

“Konoe Taro.”

“I’m sure.”

“Really? Has anyone confirmed that he met the Emperor?”

“There was someone who went in with me.”

“Hmm...”

Chikatada folded his arms and pondered in response to Nobushige’s answer. Seeing this, Nobushige asked a question.

“What are you worried about?”

Chikatada answered Nobushige’s question with a serious expression.

“The biggest problem is that he is from the Konoe family. Isn’t the Konoe family the family that was most thoroughly trampled upon after the Kuge family was defeated in the last civil war?”

As Jikatada said, Ouchi, who won the civil war, thoroughly crushed the noble families of the feudal lords who had rebelled against them.

They tracked down not only the direct lineage but also the collateral lineage and killed both men and women. Those who survived this process were only a small number of collateral families that did not participate in the civil war and a few lucky people who changed their surnames through marriage with other families.

That’s why Jikatada was suspicious of Taro Konoe.

“Do you think it is possible that you survived with the last name Konoe despite Ouchi’s persistent pursuit?”

Nobushige responded to Chikatada’s point.

“According to him, he made a living by stealing the battle tablets of those who died on the battlefield.”

“By stealing a fighting tablet? Ouchi’s fighting tablet was modeled after Joseon’s, and that was possible?”

As Jikatada pointed out, the new identity badge of the empire, made with the breath of incense, was famous for being difficult to forge. No, it was almost impossible.

* * *

The imperial identity card, which was created after several revisions, was divided into two pieces.

One of the two sheets contained the bearer’s name, date of birth, and place of birth. On the other page, the bearer’s facial features were recorded in detail, especially physical characteristics that could be recognized at a glance, such as moles on the face.

These badges were placed in a protective frame, which was secured with screws and lead was poured over the screw holes. Ultimately, the official seal was stamped on the lead seal to make it impossible for it to be counterfeited.

As soon as imperialists graduated from the Social Democratic Institute, they had to make a status card like the one above. The protective frame containing the identity badge was made in the form of a notebook, so imperialists had to carry it with them at all times.

If you were caught walking around without this identification card, you were immediately imprisoned and had to go through a notoriously difficult identity verification process. The reason why the question was asked again and again was because not only the person involved but also everyone around them were called in to check if it was the person.

In the case of loss, the same notorious procedures followed and the cost of reissuing was equivalent to ten days’ wages for an ordinary worker.

Thanks to this, the people of the empire took good care of their identity cards as if they were holding a sacred tablet.

Perhaps because of this inconvenience, complaints were occasionally made.

-Isn’t it impossible to forge and falsify and easy to possess by having a letter tattooed on your body like those who served in the military did in the past?

Every time an appeal like this came up, the court’s answer was the same.

-What should we do when verifying the women’s identities? Are we going to ask them to take off their clothes in the middle of the street?”

Jiketada was still unable to hide his anxiety.

In the end, after thinking for several days, Jikatada made a decision.

Gathering his sons together, Jiketada explained the situation.

“...Therefore, I am the Emperor . “I will dedicate myself to a fierce fight for the sake of the shogunate.”

“I will prepare.”

The sons nodded with calm expressions at Chikatada’s words. They already knew that their father had participated in the force that overthrew the shogunate. As expected, he wanted revenge for Ouchi’s political retaliation.

Jikatada nodded at the sight of his sons and continued,

“But the family line cannot be cut off. So, the youngest should indulge in this rebellion.”

“Father!”

“It is the order of the family head.”

“But it is the shame of a warrior!”

“If the rebellion succeeds, it will be a temporary shame, but if it fails, it will be the best move to continue the family. You’ve just gotten married, and won’t your first child be born soon?”

The eldest son, who had been listening quietly, asked a question.

“Does your father think this venture will fail?”

“It’s half and half. With the assistance of His Majesty the Emperor, and well-meaning patriots gathered their strength. However, the power of those Ouchi guys is so great that we will only know whether they win or lose when it is over. That’s why we left out the youngest son.”

In response to Jikatada’s words, the youngest son gritted his teeth and answered,

“I will follow. However, please be sure to succeed in your act and let this end to a brief shame.”

“Thank you.”

Jikatada lightly responded to his youngest son’s words and held out a heavy bundle.

“I put a new identity card and some belongings in it. It’s just one chance. If, by any chance, your heroism fails, you will have to live with the surname contained within it. Although the wealth contained may not be abundant, it will be enough to establish a stable position.”

At Chikatada’s words, the youngest son unpacked the bundle and checked his identity card.

“Tokugawa?”

“That’s right. If the rebellion fails, you will have to live as the Tokugawa clan.”

“I hope you succeed in the rebellion.”

“I will.”

The eldest son, watching the youngest son packing up his bags again, asked Chikatada.

“But how? Did you make a new identity card?” In response

to the eldest son’s question, Chikatada smiled slightly and answered,

“Isn’t it already a known fact that the dogs of Ouchi love bribes? I secretly gave him a few pennies and he made it right away. Is it because there is no recorder?”

“Hot!”

“Hahaha!”

The room, which had been filled with sadness, filled with laughter at Chikatada’s unexpected joke.

* * *

‘ Despite loud calls for ‘reform’ and ‘royal politics’, paradoxically, the corruption of lower-level officials of the Ouchi shogunate was considerable.

There was almost no corruption in the arms and tax collection areas directly managed by the shogunate’s leaders, but other than that, in the general administrative area. It was an open fact that all kinds of bribes were exchanged in the Empire. The

reason this was possible was because there was still no one to replace them. Those who studied abroad in the empire started in mid-level executive positions as soon as they returned, and there were still a small number of those who graduated from elementary and secondary schools and entered low-level management positions. In

the end , When those in power, especially those who studied abroad, learned of this, they raised their voices and advocated for the establishment of a record office.

“The reason they openly accept bribes is because they know full well that if they leave, there will be no one to work immediately! Rather than killing such arrogant bastards, we should show them suffering to the point of death!”

“The justification for the record office created by the empire is sufficient!”

Yoshinori and other retainers agreed with the Confucian scholars’ argument, and the record office finally appeared in Japan. I am ready to pay.