Chapter 209: Chapter 102: The 24-Year-Old Virgin Widow Debuts!

In general, anyone with some insight into Japan’s current politics is aware of the feuds between Ii Naosuke and the Mito Domain.

As Aoto was pondering how to succinctly explain this somewhat complex issue to Mr. Chokata, a gentlemanly voice suddenly came from behind them:

"If you don’t mind... I can help explain it."

"Mr. Yamanaka?" Aoto turned his head in surprise to see Yamanaka Keisuke sitting at the table behind him, turning his head to smile elegantly at them.

...

...

Aoto’s table was a six-person table, with enough space for Yamanaka to join them.

After inviting Yamanaka to sit with them, Aoto immediately asked his gentlemanly old friend in surprise: "Mr. Yamanaka, what brings you here?"

"Encountered some bothersome matters recently," Yamanaka said lightly, "To relieve my gloom, I went to Yudashima Tenman Temple today to view the still-blooming white plum blossoms."

"I unintentionally got entranced, and by the time I snapped back to reality, it was already dark."

"Even if I hurried home to cook dinner, it would be too late."

"This noodle shop is a restaurant I always pass by on my way home."

"So I decided to simply have my dinner here."

"I never imagined that after I entered this noodle shop and sat down next to an empty seat, I would hear a familiar voice behind me."

"A bothersome matter?" Aoto scanned Yamanaka’s face carefully and indeed found a faint look of worry between his brows, "Mr. Yamanaka, what’s troubling you?"

"Haha." Yamanaka chuckled indifferently, "Just a trivial matter not worth mentioning."

Aoto was someone with a strong sense of privacy.

He disliked others probing into his privacy forcefully.

Conversely, he wouldn’t casually probe into others’ privacy either.

Since his old friend didn’t want to elaborate on his "bothersome matter," Aoto did not press further on the subject.

"Ah... speaking of which, Mr. Yamanaka, I seem to owe you a drink."

Aoto suddenly remembered: more than a month ago, the day after he traveled to this Edo Era, he promised Yamanaka a drink as thanks after confirming the relationship between Shiwei Hall, Xuanwu Hall, and Little Chiba Sword Dojo.

"Hahaha." Yamanaka smiled with his lips pursed, "Then let’s settle the drink you owe right now, I’m also a bit tempted."

After Aoto laughed heartily, he readily agreed, calling the passing Shodai and ordering 2 bottles of sake.

"Mr. Chokata." At this moment, Yamanaka turned his gaze to Chokata, "Are you interested in the feud between Ii Dairou and the Mito Domain?"

"Sort of," Chokata made a small gap with his right thumb and index finger, "I’m mainly curious why the Mito Domain, as part of the ’Three Royal Families,’ has such a bad relationship with Ii Dairou."

Yamanaka smiled, placing his folded hands on the table before him.

"The feud between Ii Dairou and the Mito Domain... to put it simply, is about three things Ii Dairou did that angered the vassals of the Mito Domain."

"The first matter — Ii Dairou advocated for ’opening the country,’ which conflicted with the Mito Domain’s stance on the ’National Lockdown Order’ and ’expelling barbarians.’

"In the Mito Domain, there’s a school of thought that’s more than two centuries old: the Mito School."

"Mito School formed around the teachings of Zhu Shunshui, a famous Ming scholar who declined to serve Qing Country and instead sought refuge in Japan, combining Japan’s National Studies into a discipline."

"One core idea of Mito School is the ’Venerable Monarch’ thought, advocating ’revering the Emperor and protecting the Divine Kingdom.’

"As the birthplace of Mito School, the vassals of Mito Domain naturally were deeply influenced by Mito School."

"Under the influence of Mito School, the vassals of Mito Domain generally had a strong awareness of ’expelling the barbarians and protecting the Divine Kingdom’s pure land.’

"Seven years ago, after the Black Ship from the United States invaded, the current Daimyo of Mito Domain, Tokugawa Yoshiaki, who greatly admired Mito School, was the first to issue a rallying call — never lift the ’National Lockdown Order,’ and use the national power to defeat the barbarians and defend the Divine Kingdom."

"After Tokugawa Yoshiaki issued this call, the vassals within the Mito Domain responded collectively."

"In the vassals’ eyes of Mito Domain, Ii Naosuke, who advocated ’opening the country,’ is nothing but a cowardly traitor who harms the nation."

"The second matter — Ii Dairou signed the ’Japan-US Treaty of Amity and Commerce’ and other treaties with five countries without waiting for His Majesty the Emperor’s consent."

"Two years ago, when the United States and other countries forced Japan to sign new treaties, whether to sign them or not was something the Kyoto Court kept wavering on, never giving a definitive answer."

"Due to fear of the Western world’s military might, Ii Dairou had no choice but to sign these new treaties with the Western countries without His Majesty the Emperor’s consent."

"Although Ii Dairou had his reasons for his actions, in the eyes of the vassals of the Mito Domain, deeply influenced by Mito School’s ’Venerable Monarch’ thought, Ii Dairou’s act of bypassing the Emperor was nothing short of blasphemous."

"As for... the final third matter — after Ii Dairou took over the position of Tairō, he severely suppressed all his political opponents led by Tokugawa Yoshiaki."

"Not only did Mito Domain’s Daimyo Tokugawa Yoshiaki have opposing views to Ii Dairou on the ’opening the country or expelling barbarians’ issue."

"In the ’Hitotsubashi and Nanji contention’ that decided whether Tokugawa Keifuku or Hitotsubashi Yoshinobu would be the General’s successor, he also had extremely sharp conflicts with Ii Dairou."