Two days later, Wan summoned Masahiro.
“I and the Empire will henceforth refer to Japan not as Wa but as Japan. This will be established by law and promoted not only in official documents but also in official communications used within the Empire and in conversations and statements in public places, replacing Wa with Japan.”
Moved by Wan’s announcement, Masahiro prostrated himself on the floor of the great hall and raised his voice.
“Your Imperial grace is boundless! You have granted our country’s deepest wish, how could we ever forget this kindness? May you live ten thousand years. May you live ten thousand years!”
Having obtained what he wanted, Masahiro repeatedly bowed as he withdrew from the great hall. Watching him, Wan suddenly seemed to realize something and turned to Hwangbo In.
“Prime Minister, isn’t it interesting?”
“Pardon? I’m not sure what you mean, Your Majesty.”
“The Japanese and the Europeans. Now they can communicate without interpreters, can’t they?”
At Wan’s observation, Hwangbo In bowed his head and said:
“Ah, that’s right, Your Majesty!”
***
As the Empire established itself as the strongest nation in Northeast Asia, the imperial language became the international common language not only in Northeast Asia but throughout Asia.
Those who wanted to study in the Empire or conduct business used not only the imperial language fluently but also Jeongeum. At the very least, they could converse in the imperial language.
It wasn’t just them. Tribes and small nations with their own spoken languages but no writing system used Jeongeum as their script.
This was the result of a strategy that Hyang had employed since the early days of Jeongeum’s promulgation.
“In the 21st century, there were numerous Southeast Asian countries that adapted the alphabet for their national scripts. Jeongeum will take that place! And we’ll record this. Then later there won’t be people spouting nonsense!”
Hyang’s strategy worked perfectly. With the Empire’s strong national power and Jeongeum’s convenience, Jeongeum became the common script among many Southeast Asian countries.
A similar situation was unfolding in Europe. Merchants who wanted to trade with the Empire diligently learned the imperial language and Jeongeum.
It wasn’t just merchants.
Scholars also learned the imperial language and Jeongeum, in order to read academic books published by the Empire. This was the combined result of the fact that the Empire’s basic science level was higher than Europe’s and the scholars’ intellectual vanity.
“You don’t know the imperial language and Jeongeum, so you read the Latin translation? Ha! And you call yourself a professor?”
Understanding the imperial language original texts became a subtle way to boast about one’s scholarship.
As a result, it became fashionable for European elites to have libraries full of imperial language original texts or to carry around one or two imperial language books.
This imperial language fever was strongest in Wa, no, in Japan.
Japan was the first country to send exchange students, and it was a country where those exchange students had early on established themselves at the core of power.
The study-abroad faction who seized the core of power deliberately conversed in the imperial language to mock the domestic faction.
Because of this, in the castle of the Ouchi Shogunate located in Yamaguchi, the imperial language flowed more than Japanese.
Hyang, who was the Emperor at that time, heard the report and inwardly muttered with a smirk:
‘Even in the 21st century, those who thought they were successful would twist their tongues to use English even when unnecessary. People really live the same way everywhere.’
The only place to escape this imperial language and Jeongeum fever was Ming.
Because of their pride in ‘China’ and ‘Chinese civilization,’ they resolutely rejected the imperial language and Jeongeum.
The hardline nationalism of Ming’s power holders and intellectuals became a headache for Zhu Jianshen, who had newly become emperor.
***
Because Wan had made the decision, within a few days, new notices were posted in government offices throughout the Empire.
As always, a person with a good voice came forward to read the notice, and people listened attentively.
“…Therefore, in all official documents including state letters and in places where many people gather, it is forbidden to use the terms ‘Wa country’ and ‘Wa people.’ This is for the friendly relations between our Empire and Japan, and the people of the Empire are asked to comply with this.”
After hearing the content of the notice, people gathered in small groups to discuss.
“So, from now on, instead of saying ‘Wa country’ and ‘Wa bastards,’ we should say ‘Japan’ and ‘Japan bastards’?”
“It would be ‘Japanese bastards.'”
“Tsk, ‘Wa bastards’ rolls off the tongue so well. Tsk, tsk, tsk.”
Nevertheless, since it was the solemn imperial command, people began to use the word ‘Japan’ instead of ‘Wa.’
Of course, there were still rebels and non-mainstream individuals.
“No matter how hard I try, it doesn’t stick in my mouth. It doesn’t feel right!”
“Language should roll off the tongue to be enjoyable!”
Eventually, these people created a new term, which spread among many people over time.
The new term that spread was ‘jjokbari’ (lit. “pig’s trotters”).
It was a nickname given because when wearing Japanese socks or shoes, they looked like pig’s trotters.
***
Having achieved success in the Empire, Masahiro immediately headed to Ming.
Upon hearing Masahiro’s request, Zhu Jianshen immediately mobilized the Hidden Dragon Society. Through members of the Hidden Dragon Society who secretly visited Masahiro, Zhu Jianshen heard about the Empire’s decision and immediately summoned his ministers.
“Since we have already written ‘Japan’ and ‘King of Japan’ in our state letters, it seems good to grant their request. In return, should we demand the return of the craftsmen taken to Japan and the reopening of commerce?”
In the aftermath of the last war, exchanges between Ming and Japan had almost stopped.
- Those who harmed Ming were rebels and criminals in our Japan as well. Our Shogunate has captured and punished them, and we have communicated that those caught in Ming may be punished according to Ming’s laws. Therefore, please reopen your doors.
Mochitomo, who was the Shogun of the Shogunate at that time, had repeatedly requested the reopening of doors and mutual exchanges as stated above, but Emperor Jingtai firmly refused each time.
Given this history, the ministers who heard Zhu Jianshen’s words showed negative reactions first.
“Since the time of the previous emperor, exchanges with Japan have been prohibited. Going against this would be against the will of the previous emperor…”
At the ministers’ negative reactions, Zhu Jianshen’s face turned fierce.
“This! Whew~.”
Zhu Jianshen, who was about to raise his voice, took a deep breath to calm himself and continued.
“Craftsmen who were forcibly taken during the last war want to return but can’t because the way is blocked. Don’t you see their pitifulness? And although exchanges are supposedly blocked, isn’t it an open secret, known even to three-year-old children, that smuggling is thriving in Jiangnan? Rather, if we officially open the doors and strictly control smuggling, we can gain new tax sources, and the pitiful craftsmen can return to their families. Isn’t that a good thing?”
“However, going against the will of the previous emperor…”
As the ministers still showed negative reactions, Zhu Jianshen shouted angrily.
“Do you serve the previous emperor or me! Answer immediately!”
At Zhu Jianshen’s thundering voice, all the ministers prostrated themselves on the floor.
“Please forgive us!”
“Answer!”
“Please forgive us!”
“I said answer!”
Under Zhu Jianshen’s pressure, they had no choice but to surrender.
“Your Majesty.”
“Then, this matter will be decided according to my will. Anyone who opposes this, submit your resignation!”
In the end, the ministers had no choice but to follow Zhu Jianshen’s will.
***
Returning from the Empire and Ming, Masahiro reported his achievements to Yoshinori.
Upon receiving the report, Yoshinori praised Masahiro with a bright face.
“Oh! This is a better result than expected! I can see how hard my son has worked! What do you all think!”
At Yoshinori’s question, the vassals and officials present answered simultaneously.
“That’s right, my lord!”
“Resuming exchanges with Ming is an unexpected achievement! This is entirely the young lord’s merit!”
As the praise from vassals and officials subsided, Yoshinori, with a deliberately worried expression, posed a question.
“The problem is the demand to return Ming’s craftsmen who were brought over during the last war. What should we do about this?”
To Yoshinori’s question, Masahiro stepped forward to answer.
“Ming is demanding the return of the craftsmen. However, most of them have grown old, fallen ill, and died. Their children have been registered in the census as Japanese, not Ming citizens, and have been taught and raised as such. That is, they are our Japanese people. Therefore, I think we should select only those among the elderly craftsmen who wish to return home and send them back.”
At Masahiro’s suggestion, Yoshinori slapped his knee in delight.
“What an excellent plan! What do you all think?”
To Yoshinori’s question, the vassals and officials answered in unison.
“It is truly an excellent plan, my lord!”
***
A few days later, notices were posted in government offices throughout Japan.
“So, from now on, Joseon, no, the Empire and Ming won’t call us Wa but Japan?”
“That seems to be what it’s saying.”
“The Shogunate has accomplished something significant.”
“Indeed.”
The Japanese people at that time were well aware that Ming and the Empire called them by the derogatory term Wa.
Because of this, many intellectuals had been openly expressing their dissatisfaction with this.
Now, the Shogunate had resolved this issue.
As a result, the abdication faction gained momentum, and the maintenance faction lost it.
“The problem is that the young lord has been highlighted in this process. With this, the Shogunate’s succession structure will become even more solid.”
“I agree. Remember what the Emperor of the Empire, who was then the Crown Prince when the Empire was still Joseon, did? Didn’t he go to Beijing, successfully resolve the royal genealogy issue, and solidify the succession structure? The Shogunate has followed that example.”
“This is troubling. Things will get more difficult from now on.”
“It’s not just the samurai class, but also the merchants who are a problem. With the resumption of exchanges with Ming, merchants will have no choice but to support the Shogunate.”
“Chikushō!”
As the situation became increasingly difficult, the maintenance faction began to consider more drastic methods.
“With the situation as it is, assassinations alone won’t yield significant results. We need a bold move.”
“A bold move?”
“War, my friend.”
“War?”
Extremists within the maintenance faction began to advocate for war.
- The Ouchi bastards of Yamaguchi have held power for a long time. Already, many commoners recognize Ouchi as the ruler of this country.
- Among the lords who survived the last civil war, many have already died of old age.
- This means that there are few people left who remember the Emperor and the Kuni. As time passes, Japan will naturally become Ouchi’s.
- Therefore, before it’s too late, we must wage an all-or-nothing battle.
To the extremists’ arguments, the moderates pointed out problems.
“The number of samurai is sufficient for a battle, but the problem is the war expenses. The Shogunate’s dogs are armed with the Empire’s new rifles and cannons, while we mostly have swords and spears, with only a few old rifles and cannons that were secretly hidden during the last civil war of the nobles. With these, we are certain to be defeated. At the very least, we need to import Ming rifles and cannons, and this all comes down to money.”
To the moderates’ points, the extremists immediately replied.
“The people of Kyoto have agreed to help with all their might.”
“Kyoto is already a ruined city. They alone are not enough.”
The moderates’ rebuttal was true.
With the Shogunate moving the Emperor to Yamaguchi and also shifting the economic center there, Kyoto had completely collapsed.