Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 2

Side Story 2. The Southern Sea War of 1592. (2)

Until that time, Oda served as Mori’s loyal instrument, eliminating Mori’s rivals.

No, perhaps he was using Mori to eliminate those who posed a threat to him.

As the purge of the military neared its conclusion, Oda conferred with his closest advisors.

“It’s about time we cleaned house among the literati [intellectuals or scholars],” Oda declared.

“Are you suggesting a purge of the civil officials? That could be a dangerous move,” Akechi Mitsuhide, the most astute of his confidants, cautioned.

Oda scoffed at the warning.

“Hmph! Those fellows are arrogant now, but they’re merely basking in His Majesty’s reflected glory.”

“Still, their words are sharper than any precious sword.”

“Hmph! I’ll test the sharpness of their tongues by severing them with a precious sword,” Oda retorted, his words laced with a hint of menace.

“Honestly, dealing with civil officials is always risky. Over the years, they’ve become adept at using their words as weapons. But we possess a truly sharp sword – Mori Motonari and the Japanese army.”

Akechi began to speak, but Oda raised a hand, silencing him.

“There are still some cowards among us who are uneasy, like that ‘kumquat head’ over there. So, we must take further action. We need to sever the ties between His Majesty and the civil officials, even if it requires bloodshed. In fact, it *must* require bloodshed. We must act decisively, without the timidity of that ‘kumquat head’.”

As Oda rebuked him, using the unflattering term ‘kumquat head,’ Akechi’s face flushed crimson.

Oda was mocking his baldness.

Akechi, gritting his teeth and suppressing his anger, pressed Oda further.

“There’s a saying: ‘Once the rabbit is caught, the hunting dog is slaughtered.’ We could be the ones to suffer once the civil officials are dealt with.”

Oda Nobunaga readily acknowledged Akechi’s concern.

“You’re right, Kumquat Head. Before that happens, we need to prepare a *hanamachi* [a flower-lined path, symbolizing a ceremonial farewell] and send Mori off when the time comes.”

Oda’s words were a mix of honorifics and bluntness, and he offered a wry smile. His core members mirrored his expression, understanding the implications.

All except Akechi.

Returning to his office after the secret meeting, Akechi muttered, his expression troubled.

“A *hanamachi*… I wonder if I’ll be walking that path as well?”

Akechi’s anxiety was not unfounded.

Most of Oda’s confidants were, in many ways, reflections of Oda himself.

– Either they came from humble backgrounds or from insignificant families with no real power.

– They were self-made men, having risen to their positions through their own merits.

Akechi, however, hailed from a relatively distinguished family.

This difference led Oda’s other confidants to nickname Akechi ‘坊や (boy),’ a term implying naivete or inexperience, and Oda himself often teased Akechi about his baldness, calling him ‘kumquat head.’

Consequently, while Oda and his other confidants shared a strong bond based on shared experiences and a sense of kinship, Akechi felt like an outsider.

Akechi worked tirelessly to compensate for this perceived difference. However, as Oda’s power grew, Akechi’s anxiety about his own future intensified.

* * *

Oda executed his plan with meticulous care and ruthless efficiency.

“Your Excellency, I believe we must also purge the civil officials.”

“The civil officials?”

“Ha! Isn’t it obvious that those civil officials have been blinding the King’s eyes and ears with their cunning words and manipulating state affairs? It’s time for the military to intervene! What is the duty of a soldier? To devote oneself to the country! To achieve this, we must eliminate the corrupt civil officials who are manipulating state affairs!”

Oda spoke with fervent passion, but Mori remained unconvinced.

“Those fellows are already busy slandering me. If I take such a drastic step, they’ll paint me as a power-hungry tyrant.”

“You are already the second-in-command of the Japanese army! Everyone knows that Your Excellency has no need for such petty ambition! We are in a critical situation! Now that their tongues have begun to wag, Your Excellency must make a decision! If you hesitate, your patriotism will be twisted into mere lust for power!”

“Hmm…”

Mori crossed his arms and fell silent, his expression thoughtful.

After a long pause, Mori finally spoke.

“I cannot allow my loyalty to be misconstrued as a cheap grab for power.”

“Exactly! And consider the state of affairs both within and outside the country! Everyone else is progressing, but Japan remains stagnant! Whose fault is that? It’s those corrupt and incompetent civil officials! Drawing our swords is the very definition of patriotism!”

Oda’s words spurred Mori to his feet.

“I will seek an audience with His Majesty! Oda! You will accompany me!”

“Yes, sir!”

* * *

Mori, after a private meeting with the Japanese King, drew his sword not long after.

– The current situation in Japan is dire!

– A cabal of corrupt officials has been blinding the eyes and ears of His Majesty and silencing the voices of the people, manipulating state affairs for their own gain.

– The lives of the country and its people grow harder each day, while rice and silk rot in the storehouses of these corrupt officials – a truly lamentable state of affairs!

– Therefore, the Japanese army has risen up to carry out a great purge!

– This action has been sanctioned by His Majesty, so the people should not be alarmed and should continue to focus on their livelihoods!

With this declaration, Mori, mobilizing the capital’s defense forces, launched raids on the residences of the literati.

The raids resulted in the downfall of powerful civil official families, who had long boasted of their traditions and influence.

Many ministers vanished, their lives extinguished on the execution grounds, while countless others were imprisoned and sent to the mines.

Unlike the Empire, where the patronage system had largely disappeared, in Japan, it was common to rise to prominence through family connections. Consequently, dozens of families were decimated, with all direct descendants executed.

The success of this coup propelled Mori to the position of Grand Minister of State.

He became the most powerful figure in the Japanese court, wielding authority over both civil and military matters.

* * *

Mori, now Grand Minister of State, initiated a series of reforms.

Many of these reforms incorporated the proposals of newly appointed officials, securing their support, particularly among those critical of the coup.

Among these reforms was a distribution of rewards disguised as policy changes.

The biggest beneficiary of this distribution was Oda.

Oda secured the Office of the Inspector General, akin to the military’s audit department, and renamed it the ‘Cabinet Investigation Office,’ becoming the head of both organizations.

He now had complete control over the flow of information within and outside the military.

As time passed, Oda, having solidified his control over the Cabinet Investigation Office, gazed out the window with a faint smile.

“It’s starting to ripen.”

* * *

Mori, wielding absolute power, quickly succumbed to corruption.

Mori was already an established figure.

He was accustomed to power and the intoxicating allure it held.

And that allure proved too addictive.

Before he realized it, Mori had become so arrogant that he looked down upon even the Japanese King.

It was at this juncture that Oda approached the Japanese King.

Having successfully blocked Mori’s access to information through the Office of the Inspector General and the Cabinet Investigation Office, Oda had been holding clandestine meetings with the King.

“Are you aware of the Grand Minister of State’s abuse of power?”

At Ouchi Takeyo’s somber question, Oda prostrated himself further and replied.

“It is a truly lamentable situation! I can no longer recognize the man he was when we first rose together! How can a subject of His Majesty…”

Takeyo, witnessing Oda’s distress, cut him off, his voice filled with sorrow.

“Can you punish him on my behalf and complete the reforms?”

Oda answered resolutely.

“It is a subject’s duty to obey His Majesty’s commands, even if it means sacrificing his own life!”

“His power is so vast that he effectively controls all of Japan. Will you still follow my orders?”

“It is my purpose to strive to fulfill my lord’s command, even unto death! Simply give the order!”

Takeyo hesitated for a moment, then continued.

“Before anything else, I (朕) [royal ‘I’] have a question for you. Who is the master of this Japanese realm?”

“It is His Majesty!”

“Whose is the power to rule Japan?”

“It is His Majesty!”

Takeyo paused, then issued his command.

“I order you to punish Mori Motonari, who has betrayed my expectations and those of the people!”

“I obey the command!”

“You have affirmed that I am the master of this Japanese realm! As long as you uphold this principle, I will grant you the position of second-in-command and the power that comes with it!”

“The master of this Japanese realm is His Majesty! If Your Majesty is the sun, then I am merely the moon that shines by reflecting its light!”

“Good! I await the results you bring! Do not disappoint me!”

“Yes, sir!”

And so, another coup unfolded.

* * *

Oda mobilized 3,000 troops to seize the residence of the Grand Minister of State and the headquarters of the Japanese army.

Having previously neutralized Mori’s intelligence network, Oda was able to imprison Mori and his core forces without significant resistance.

Mori, confined to his prison cell, muttered with a bitter smile.

“I was one step too slow…”

Mori had been closely monitoring Oda’s movements for some time.

– To protect power, suspect even the closest and most loyal.

Mori had diligently observed Oda, adhering to this maxim. However, Oda had managed to blind Mori’s eyes and ears just a step ahead, leading to this outcome.

“Come out.”

Mori, escorted from his cell to the interrogation room, found Oda waiting.

“You should have been more careful. Why did you become so greedy?”

“Well… Wouldn’t the end have been the same even if I hadn’t been greedy?”

Oda smiled at Mori’s question.

“I had prepared a magnificent *hanamachi* called *Kanpaku* [chief advisor to the Emperor]. It’s a shame it had to end this way.”

“Is that so? But be careful yourself. The King is still there, isn’t he?”

“Second-in-command.”

“I see…”

Mori, realizing that even the King was now aligned with Oda, surrendered completely.

Thus began ‘Oda’s Era’.

* * *

Oda, now elevated to the position of ‘second-in-command,’ resumed the reform policies.

The most prominent reform, or rather, the central ideology underpinning all reforms, was ‘de-Empire-ization’.

– Japan is Japan, and the Empire is the Empire!

Oda, emphasizing this distinction, vigorously promoted the ‘Wa-style (和風) [traditional Japanese style] Purification Movement.’

‘Wa (和)’ was the term Japanese people had used since ancient times to refer to their own identity and culture.

– The Wa-style, passed down for millennia, has been severely contaminated by the Empire style!

– Let us purify it and restore the original, beautiful Japan!

Under this banner, Oda spearheaded the effort to eradicate the Empire style that had permeated every aspect of society.

The first initiative was the ‘Japanese Language Purification Movement.’

– We already have the word ‘economy,’ so using the Empire word ‘gyeongse’ is detrimental to the country!

– They are defiling the Japanese language by using all sorts of Empire swear words! We must eradicate this from the root!

– Language is the spirit! Let’s eliminate unnecessary Empire words and Hunminjeongeum [Korean alphabet] notation!

On the surface, it was about purifying Japanese culture, but Oda’s true intentions were more profound.

– To break free from the shadow of the Empire.

– To foster a perception of the Empire not as an entity to be revered and emulated, but as a competitor to be surpassed.

O