Black Corporation: Joseon

Yoshinori’s power reached its peak with the elimination of Mochiuji and his children who were eyeing his position.

The power of the bakufu and the shogun’s direct rule system that previous shoguns had longed for was established, and Yoshinori took the next step to solidify this system completely.

One of these steps was directly interfering in the process of determining the kadoku (家督, successor of the family) of powerful shugo daimyo (守護大名, provincial governors).

***

The most prominent example was designating Ouchi Mochiyo (大內持世) as the kadoku to succeed Ouchi Morimi.

This was Yoshinori’s strategy.

Ouchi Mochiyo was the posthumous son of Ouchi Yoshihiro (大内義弘), the previous Ouchi lord. Therefore, this measure was certain to cause discontent among Morimi’s children, and if that happened, Mochiyo would have no choice but to rely on Yoshinori himself.

Here, Ouchi Morimi chose an unexpected method.

He accepted Yoshinori’s proposal, passing the kadoku to Mochiyo, and adopting his own son Norihiro (敎弘) as Mochiyo’s adopted son.

And upon receiving the report related to this, Hyang shook his head and muttered.

“What kind of messed-up family tree is this…”

***

In addition to interfering in the determination of kadoku in this way, he also appointed his own loyal followers as daimyo to fill the vacancies created after suppressing various rebellions.

Naturally, some among the existing shugo daimyo came forward in opposition.

When the daimyo appointed by the previous shogun rebelled, Yoshinori resorted to violence.

Isshiki Yoshitsura (一色義貫) and Toki Mochiyori (土岐持頼), who were representatives of the opposition, were killed in assassin attacks.

-This is truly a regrettable incident, and we will do our best to investigate.

Yoshinori announced this upon hearing of the incident, but none of the daimyo present at the scene believed his words.

“He’s telling us to shut up and listen to him.”

“We should have followed Ouchi who fled early, feigning illness.”

The daimyo who returned to their mansions regretted and slapped their knees, but they had no choice but to carefully watch Yoshinori’s mood.

As Yoshinori’s reign of terror continued with his power firmly in hand, the residents of Kyoto, regardless of their status, had to endure each day in trepidation.

***

Among those trembling in fear was Akamatsu Mitsusuke (赤松満祐).

While everyone was in the same situation of watching Yoshinori’s mood and trembling in fear, Mitsusuke’s case was particularly severe.

The reason Mitsusuke was even more anxious was due to a rumor that had been circulating for a few years.

-The shogun is trying to subjugate Akamatsu Mitsusuke!

Mitsusuke couldn’t dismiss this as a groundless rumor because Yoshinori was showing great favor to Akamatsu Sadamura (赤松貞村), a branch family of the Akamatsu clan.

And in the midst of this, when Isshiki Yoshitsura (一色義貫) and Toki Mochiyori (土岐持頼) were assassinated, Mitsusuke realized that his own life was also in imminent danger.

“It’s said that the first strike ensures victory.”

Finally, having made up his mind, Mitsusuke called his loyal retainer and secretly gave an order.

“You, immediately…”

***

October of the 21st year of King Sejong’s reign (1439, the year of Gimi).

Mitsusuke invited Yoshinori to his mansion.

“I wish to hold a banquet to celebrate your successful suppression of the rebellion. Please come and grace us with your presence.”

When Mitsusuke personally came to request his attendance at the banquet, Yoshinori nodded with a satisfied face.

“Of course! I must attend!”

“I am deeply grateful.”

As Mitsusuke, who had paid his respects politely, withdrew, Yoshinori chuckled and muttered.

“Hah! He knows well that now is the time to lie low. He should have done so from the beginning.”

Yoshinori was irritated by the Akamatsu clan.

When Japan was divided into the Northern and Southern Courts and engaged in conflict, the Akamatsu clan was one of the first to raise an army in response to Emperor Go-Daigo’s call to arms. And in recognition of this merit, they became a shugo daimyo family.

The Akamatsu clan was one of the families that even the bakufu had to be wary of.

Therefore, Yoshinori was thinking of dealing with the Akamatsu clan.

Seeing the head of such a family prostrating himself so deeply, Yoshinori was satisfied.

***

On the day of the promised banquet.

Yoshinori arrived at Mitsusuke’s mansion with a group of guards.

Mitsusuke, who had been waiting for Yoshinori at the entrance of the mansion, welcomed him with the highest courtesy.

Guided by Mitsusuke, Yoshinori entered the banquet hall and was led to the seat of honor.

The banquet hall was filled with daimyo staying in Kyoto and various lords. With Yoshinori’s arrival, the banquet began, and soon wine and food were brought in succession.

Yoshinori and the other attendees enjoyed the wine and food while appreciating sarugaku (猿樂, a form of theatre).

Mitsusuke, seated at a distance from Yoshinori, calmly observed the atmosphere.

After confirming that the mood of the attendees had completely relaxed, Mitsusuke discreetly gave a hand signal to a subordinate standing by the door. The subordinate who confirmed Mitsusuke’s signal quietly disappeared.

A moment later.

Thud!

A dull sound was heard from outside.

“What’s that sound?”

When Yoshinori expressed doubt at the sudden noise, Okimachi Sanjo Sanemasa (正親町三条 実雅), who was sitting next to him, answered with an expression suggesting it was nothing.

“Probably the sound of thunder, isn’t it?”

“Thunder?”

As Yoshinori was expressing doubt, suddenly the sliding doors opened and armored warriors rushed into the banquet hall.

“Slay the tyrant!”

As warriors shouting ‘Slay the tyrant!’ rushed in, the samurai guarding Yoshinori stood in front to protect him.

At that moment, a group sprang out from among the attacking warriors and aimed long sticks at Yoshinori’s guard samurai.

Ratatata!

With a loud explosion, dozens of lead bullets rained down on the guard samurai, and the warriors who had stood in front of Yoshinori fell, covered in blood.

The firearms that Mitsusuke’s loyal retainer had secured through secret contact with the Sо̄ clan in exile on Tsushima Island had revealed their existence.

As the guard samurai protecting him fell in an instant, Yoshinori suddenly found himself in a state of complete isolation.

“Die, tyrant!”

With a loud cry, Mitsusuke’s warrior swung his sword, and Yoshinori’s head was severed.

***

Chaos erupted simultaneously inside and outside the banquet hall. Mitsusuke’s subordinates and Yoshinori’s guard forces clashed, and the daimyo attending the banquet and their guard samurai moved desperately to escape.

“They’re in on it too!”

The daimyo and their guard samurai, mistakenly attacked by Yoshinori’s guard forces and Mitsusuke’s warriors, moved desperately to find a way out.

Due to Yoshinori’s guard forces and Mitsusuke’s subordinates madly swinging their swords to kill each other, and the daimyo trying to escape by climbing over walls, the inside of Mitsusuke’s mansion turned into a scene of carnage.

***

This scene of carnage was brought under control when Yoshinori’s guard forces were subdued and Mitsusuke’s retainer stepped forward to explain the situation.

“This is a rebellion against the tyrant who attempted to assassinate our lord! We have no intention of harming the other daimyo!”

At the retainer’s shout, the commotion gradually subsided. As promised not to harm them, Mitsusuke’s soldiers stepped back, and the daimyo were able to safely leave Mitsusuke’s mansion.

***

The assassination of the tyrant Yoshinori was the beginning of chaos.

“Secure the main gate firmly!”

Mitsusuke’s subordinates, who had sent out the daimyo, closed the main gate and prepared for the worst.

With the shogun dead, it was certain that the bakufu army would come. Therefore, starting with Mitsusuke, everyone was preparing for seppuku.

“Why is it so quiet?”

However, even late into the night, the bakufu army showed no movement. So, Mitsusuke sent out soldiers to observe the surroundings.

“There’s no movement from the bakufu.”

“All the houses of the daimyo and kanrei have firmly closed their doors!”

At his subordinates’ reports, Mitsusuke, who had been quietly preparing for seppuku, stood up.

“We return to our domain! We resist!”

“Ha!”

At Mitsusuke’s order, the retainers who loudly echoed his words led their subordinates to prepare for withdrawal.

“We return home! We resist!”

“We resist!”

“Pack the luggage!”

***

“Preparations complete!”

“Horses are ready!”

Mitsusuke, now wearing Joseon-made riveted armor, came out of the room at his retainer’s report and ordered.

“Set fire! Leave nothing for the bakufu bastards!”

“Ha! Set fire!”

Mitsusuke, who mounted his horse watching warriors with torches setting fire everywhere, looked back at his retainers and subordinates.

“Let’s go then.”

“Ha!”

Led by a soldier carrying a spear with Yoshinori’s head impaled on it, Mitsusuke’s group began to leave Kyoto.

***

There was a reason why the bakufu couldn’t immediately mobilize troops despite Shogun Yoshinori’s death.

The core figures of the bakufu, including Hosokawa Mochiyuki (細川持之), thought as follows:

-This tragedy couldn’t have been a solo act! There must be involvement from other daimyo! If we move rashly, we might be caught off guard!

Because they thought this way, they focused on preparing future countermeasures rather than taking immediate action.

This was the same for the daimyo.

-Such a thing couldn’t be done alone! There must be collaborators! We mustn’t act rashly!

While the daimyo and the bakufu were watching each other’s moves and being cautious, Akamatsu Mitsusuke was given the opportunity to escape Kyoto and resist.

***

When the report came that Mitsusuke had escaped Kyoto, Hosokawa Mochiyuki’s face became troubled.

“You mean it was a solo act?”

Mochiyuki looked around at the heads of the Shiba (斯波) and Hatakeyama (畠山) families, who along with his own family formed the Three Kanrei (三管領) families, and continued speaking.

“It seems we misjudged.”

“Oh my…”

“Tsk!”

The three, who had expressed regret, soon regained their composure and continued their conversation.

“Let’s forget about the fish we’ve already lost, and what should we do from now on?”

“Shouldn’t we first enthrone the next shogun?”

“Ashikaga Yoshikatsu, the shogun’s legitimate son, is only five years old!”

“First, we must prioritize subjugating the traitor!”

After various heated debates, it was decided to prioritize the subjugation of Akamatsu.

***

Once this matter was settled, Hosokawa Mochiyuki immediately rushed to the Imperial Court.

“Please issue an imperial order (綸旨, rinji) to subjugate the traitor!”

Despite Hosokawa Mochiyuki’s plea, the response from the Imperial Court, including Emperor Go-Hanazono, was lukewarm.

“While the shogun’s situation is regrettable… isn’t Akamatsu Mitsusuke’s situation also lamentable?”

“Pardon?”

“Wasn’t the shogun exceedingly harsh? How bad must it have been for rumors of ‘terror of ten thousand people’ to circulate?”

“Why would a daimyo who has been loyal for generations do such a thing?”

Contrary to Hosokawa’s expectations, the imperial order was not easily issued.

While the Emperor and the Imperial Court delayed day after day, Mitsusuke was able to prepare more thoroughly.

“Causing trouble when they’re just a name in name only!”

Hosokawa gritted his teeth, but even the Emperor had many grievances against Yoshinori.

***

OG Author’s Note:

When developing the situation in Japan, I narrate from the Japanese perspective.

Therefore, please understand that I use the term “Emperor” instead of “Japanese Emperor.”