Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 44

Extracurricular Story 44. Imperial Scenery. (9)

pt. 1.5. Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

Just before the end of the South Sea War, Japanese King Takayo imprisoned Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

After imprisoning Toyotomi and seizing power, Takayo immediately ordered the Japanese army to raise the white flag.

Although there was some confusion, the Japanese soldiers who received the order followed Takayo’s command.

The situation was already hopeless, and there was the justification of the king’s order, so there was little resistance. Rather, the atmosphere was welcoming.

As the situation moved towards resolution, Takayo was deep in thought about how to deal with Toyotomi.

“What should I do with this guy….”

Toyotomi’s value had long since disappeared.

The easiest thing to do would be to hold him accountable and kill him immediately, but the problem was what would happen afterward.

Although the war had stopped, it was not yet over.

Therefore, negotiations for an armistice were being prepared.

If negotiations proceeded in earnest, the Empire would naturally hold them accountable for the war.

If Toyotomi were killed first, there was a considerable possibility that Takayo would take the blame.

In the end, after much deliberation, Takayo decided to keep Toyotomi alive.

“If the Empire holds us accountable in the negotiations, we will throw Toyotomi to them.”

And in the ensuing negotiations, the Empire naturally questioned the responsibility for the outbreak of the war, and Japan handed over Toyotomi.

“Former Grand Minister of State, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, this man decided on the war!”

* * *

A trial was held in Seoul with the handed-over Toyotomi Hideyoshi as the defendant.

Among the trials held due to the ‘South Sea War,’ this trial, along with Won Gyun’s trial, became the most famous.

Accordingly, quite a few attorneys from other regions stepped forward to defend Toyotomi.

Most were aiming for fame, but some surprisingly stepped forward out of a sense of responsibility to uphold the principles of an attorney.

-Even those who have committed serious crimes have the right to a defense.

This was the principle Attorney Hyang had established, and they stepped forward to be faithful to this principle.

The biggest issue in the trial was whether Toyotomi was the principal offender (the main perpetrator) or an accomplice.

“According to documents submitted by Japan and testimonies from witnesses, the defendant is the one who conceived and decided on this war!”

Saying this, the prosecutor argued that Toyotomi was the principal offender, but the attorney countered.

-According to the defendant’s testimony and documents secured from the Japanese government, the plan for this war had existed for a long time.

-The assassinated former Grand Minister of State, Oda Nobunaga, was secretly establishing a war plan called ‘Tenka Fubu (天下布武) [roughly, “rule the realm by force”].’

-The defendant only thought this plan was a national policy (國策) [a fundamental policy of a nation] and actively supplemented and executed it.

The prosecutor raised an objection to this.

-It does not mean that he becomes an accomplice just because he is based on a plan established by his predecessor. The one who decided on the actual execution is the defendant!

The attorney raised another objection.

-No matter how much power the defendant, who seized all power in Japan, had, it is impossible to decide on a major event such as war single-handedly!

-Such a major event necessarily requires the approval of the Japanese king!

-Even though Oda Nobunaga’s ‘Tenka Fubu’ plan was top secret, there is no way the Japanese king would not have known about it.

-Therefore, the real principal offender is the Japanese king!

From this point on, a war of words began inside and outside the courtroom.

-Toyotomi Hideyoshi stated that he was ‘one person below, ten thousand people above (一人之下 萬人之上) [second only to the Emperor].’ Although he seized power, it must be acknowledged that he had to receive the approval of the Japanese king.

-Therefore, this war must have had the approval of the Japanese king.

-Therefore, this war should be seen as a decision made by the Japanese king!

-Why is there a saying ‘calling a deer a horse (指鹿爲馬) [deliberately misrepresenting something]?’

-Even before Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the Japanese king had become a nominal figure.

– Therefore, saying that Toyotomi Hideyoshi is an accomplice rather than the principal offender is just sophistry!

While such a war of words was taking place among intellectuals, many people instead had expressions that they found it difficult to understand.

“Since he’s going to be executed anyway, why does it matter whether he’s the principal offender or an accomplice?”

Those who were engaged in the war of words explained the reason for these people’s questions.

“Because it is something that will remain in history, and because it is also a political matter.”

As many people expected, even Toyotomi Hideyoshi himself expected a death sentence.

However, there was a clear difference between being executed as the principal offender and being executed as an accomplice.

If he died as the principal offender, he would become a ‘villain who will be remembered in history,’ and if he died as an accomplice, he might receive a different evaluation in the future.

The war of words that unfolded in this way came down to one last issue.

-Is there a record of the Japanese king being involved in the process of establishing the war plan and preparing for it, or receiving reports and approving it?

The conclusion reached after investigating this was as follows.

-‘Officially,’ none at all.

Everyone who heard this simultaneously muttered the same words.

“That’s telling.”

In the end, the judges of the court handed down the following verdict.

“The defendant acknowledges that he played a leading role in planning and carrying out this war, and therefore, we confirm his guilt. Does the defendant have anything to say?”

In response, Toyotomi Hideyoshi replied briefly in a calm voice.

“The loser has nothing to say.”

“We sentence the defendant to death!”

With the death sentence of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and the guilty verdict of Won Gyun, the war officially came to an end.

* * *

Afterward, Won Gyun became a symbol of ‘incompetence,’ ‘arrogance,’ and ‘opportunism’ to the people of the Empire.

And Toyotomi Hideyoshi became a ‘symbol of evil’ to the Japanese, and Oda Nobunaga became a ‘symbol of a stormy petrel [a harbinger of upheaval].’

Because of this, the name ‘Hideyoshi’ was not often given to boys in Japan for a while. In particular, if the last name was Toyotomi, it was 100% not given.

In addition, in various movies, TV dramas, and animated films made for children in Japan, it became common for the name ‘Saru,’ like ‘Saruman,’ to be included as the name of the villain boss.

Hideyoshi’s nickname, whose face resembled a monkey – saru [monkey] – was ‘Saru.’

Over time, movements to attempt a reevaluation of Hideyoshi and Won Gyun emerged as historical revisionism appeared, but this did not achieve great results.

No, at least that was the case with Won Gyun.

“Reevaluation my ass! Go to the archives and check the records properly! See if that great man is worthy of reevaluation!”

This was because a reliable database called ‘the Archives’ existed.