Chapter 2 The first story Killing Guanbai-2

Hideto sent four veterans to Sun Qilang to assist him, they are Kazushi Nakamura, Yoshiharu Horio, Namo Ichiyanagi, and Kazutoyo Yamauchi.These four are all vassals, and they were cultivated and promoted by Hideyoshi as early as when he was an officer under Oda Nobunaga.I don't know whether it is a coincidence or Hideyoshi's deliberate arrangement, these veterans all have a common characteristic: gentle temperament, profound knowledge, weather-beaten and good at dealing with the world.They said: "Be calm and calm in everything, never show your sharpness, be patient and bear it, and don't think about it." These words have almost become their mantra.The veterans used these words to manipulate Sun Qilang like a puppet, cleverly restricting his freedom; and in front of Hideyoshi, they praised Sun Qilang in every possible way, saying: "He is very smart."

They described their plan as Sun Qilang's idea, and tried their best to make Hideyoshi change his view of Sun Qilang.At first, Hideyoshi didn't believe it easily.But later, seeing that Sun Qilang didn't have any major faults, he felt: "It's true. People will change when they get older." Once, Hideyoshi said to people around him: "Youzuo (Note: Refers to Maeda Toshiie) used to be like this." He also said: "Maeda Toshiie was a helpless wanderer when he was a teenager. But now he has become a stable and honest person, and he is completely different from the former one. An annoying caterpillar has become a lovable butterfly. This kid Sun Qilang will not always be A caterpillar."

Hideyoshi really has nothing to do with Sun Qilang, a close relative.Since there is no suitable person to replace him, he can't abandon it even if he wants to.As a last resort, in the second year—the thirteenth year of Tianzheng (1585), Sun Qilang was appointed as the deputy general of the army that conquered Jizhou, even though he was only an eighteen-year-old youth at the time.Fortunately, Sun Qilang did not make any serious mistakes this time.Then, in the same year, Hideyoshi let him participate in the war against the four countries, and also let him serve as the deputy general of the army.There were no major mistakes this time.After these two wars, Hideyoshi finally made up his mind.In the eighth month of this year, Hideyoshi allowed Sun Qilang to use the surname Hashiba and bestowed him with the title of Omi.In the same year, Hideyoshi was promoted to Kanbai.At the same time, he invited the imperial court to make Sun Qilang, who was only 18 years old, serve as the lieutenant general of the four lower right guards.It is unprecedented that a young farmer from a humble background suddenly becomes a minister of the imperial court.In the second year, the nineteen-year-old Sun Qilang became a councilor.Above the Senate is the Minister of State.However, some people were afraid of Sun Qilang's success.This person is Sun Qilang's biological father, and the world calls Yasuke of Miyoshi Musashi Shouyi.Yasuke saw his son Sun Qilang in the capital, and said to him: "You have to be careful, don't violate God's will!"

Yasuke used Owari farmers' dialect to repeat this idea over and over again, and the more he said it, the more passionate he became.I don't know where Yasuke heard it from. He said that there was a saying in the past, which was called: "Climb high, fall hurt, and high positions kill people." People, no one has a good end. Be careful that God is angry, and don’t violate its will." He said: "Because of too fast promotion, your character and ability will not be commensurate with the high position. It will also be lost.” He repeated to his son tirelessly, “You have to be careful!”

"How can I be careful?" As soon as Sun Qilang saw his father, he felt unhappy, as if someone had exposed his background and pointed out that he came from a humble background.His father looked like a farmer, and no amount of decoration could change that.There was always a look of impotence and timidity on his face.After hearing his father's words, Sun Qilang said: "I am highly skilled in martial arts. My status is equal to my ability. If this is the case, why should you be polite?" "No, no, you're wrong," Yasuke said. However, Yasuke didn't have the courage to look at Sun Qirou, who already held such a high position in the imperial court, and just lowered his head.Yasuke didn't say anything more.But he understands: Sun Qilang is just a puppet, he is by no means a living person with independent personality.He cannot be an independent person, but only a tool used by others to inherit Toyotomi's regime.Yasuke herself is a proof of that.He was picked up from Dataka Village in Owari, and his three sons were taken away by others.In order to honor the family of Toyotomi's family, Yasuke himself was artificially whitewashed.He changed his name to Miyoshi No. 1, and he was named Musashi Shou. I really don't know what the villagers in the village are talking about him behind their backs!

"Father, don't come here again." Sun Qilang couldn't bear it anymore, although he felt a little bit unbearable, he still told his father so.He is now a nobleman who can go to the palace to participate in the government.And you have to deal with those annoying ministers surnamed Fujiwara.But his father always looked like a poor man, which reminded him of the poor life he spent in the countryside of Owari.And every time I come, I always have to teach him a lesson.How was he going to keep his spirits up and his drive up like this?Isn't this deliberately embarrassing him?

However, adoptive father Hideyoshi is completely different. In order for Sun Qilang to advance step by step, Hideyoshi filled him with dazzling resumes one after another that are enough to convince everyone in the world.At the age of twenty, Sun Qilang followed Hideyoshi to send troops to conquer Kyushu.With the help of the veterans, there was no major mistake this time.In the following year, that is, the sixteenth year of Tianzheng (1588), he was promoted to Nayan from the three powers.Then in the second month after that, he was promoted to second place.This speed of promotion is even more exceptional.

"If you keep going up like this, you may become a Dainyan in the coming year." Maeda Genichi, who lives in Kyoto, sees the situation and flatters Sun Qilang, hoping to win the favor of this promising successor of the Toyotomi family.Maedahara is a monk, and now serves as the liaison of the Toyotomi family to the court.However, due to the rapid and frequent promotion, Sun Qilang had already felt dull. After hearing Xuan Yi's words, he was actually indifferent, and just responded, "Oh, I will be a Da Nayan next year." He didn't seem particularly happy look.Seeing this scene, Xuan Yi couldn't help laughing secretly.

"This fool!" Although Xuan Yi didn't show it, because he was the teacher in charge of Sun Qilang's etiquette, no one looked down on Sun Qilang more than him.In Xuan Yi's view, Sun Qilang is almost an idiot.Xuanyi thought to himself, I'm afraid you still don't understand how high Da Nayan's official position is.He said to Sun Qilang: "The so-called Dainagon is a minister from the Habayashi family such as Fujiwara Gongqing, Lianjie Koji, and Asukai, and they can only become high officials when they are old. In short, it is second only to The official position of the Minister of Internal Affairs!" After hearing this explanation, Sun Qilang was overjoyed, and asked anxiously: "Really? So, next year will you be able to become the Great Nayan?"

But unexpectedly, an accident happened in the second year.To be precise, this probably shouldn't be called a "change".For the Toyotomi regime, this was an unexpected happy event.Because Hideyoshi's concubine Asai gave birth to a boy.Hideyoshi always thought that he did not have the blessing of having children.At this point, he was almost hopeless.And now there is a boy. For Hideyoshi, what could be more exciting than this! The newborn boy is named "She'er". According to folk customs, this name can guarantee the child's longevity.All in all, Hideyoshi was ecstatic about it.In order to please Hideyoshi, the princes all over the world spent a lot of money and gave a lot of congratulatory gifts.Even the emperor presented the new Toyotomi heir with luxurious swaddling clothes.For this gift from the emperor, Maeda Genichi, who is well-rounded, has been busy for a long time.As a result, the character Sun Qilang was suddenly forgotten by people.

"Da Nayan..." Sun Qilang was secretly looking forward to becoming the Dainagon this year, but there was no movement from Hideyoshi.This is a matter of course.Because between Hideyoshi and the bureaucrats of the Toyotomi family, a straightforward and very practical idea arose: If Sun Qilang's official rank is raised too high, it will be detrimental to the future of the newborn baby. However, Sun Qilang's important position in the army is still the same as before.In the military campaign against Odawara in the second year after Sheer was born, Sun Qilang still did not lose his position as lieutenant general.After the end of this battle, although Hideyoshi did not promote Sun Qilang, who had fallen from the throne of successor, to be a minister, he gave him the most affordable reward for the daimyo.Sun Qilang's fief increased to one million shi in one leap, and he became a vassal of his hometown Owari and Ise. "You should be happy now." Hideyoshi said to him. Sun Qilang didn't know how to be happy. "Do it well!" Hideyoshi said to him as before. It's just that I missed an old saying that I've been used to for many years: "Do it well, and I will let you take over my class in the future." Instead, I used another sentence: "You are my agent!" However, Sun Qilang thought to himself: "The agent is a job, not an official title!" Anyway, Hideyoshi didn't give this young man any leisure.After conquering Odawara, Sun Qilang continued to participate in the war against Oshu.Returning triumphantly and returning to the capital, before he had time to catch his breath, he sent troops to Oshu to suppress the rebellion in Jiuhuo.This time Hideyoshi did not go.Sun Qilang became his agent for the first time.But Hideyoshi was still worried about the strength of this young man, so he asked Tokugawa Ieyasu to go with him as the de facto commander-in-chief of the Crusade Army.At this time, Ieyasu happened to be an official in Da Nayan.Just to balance the official titles of Sun Qilang and Ieyasu, this young man was appointed as Quan Da Nayan before departure.This is what he has been looking forward to for a long time.But he had no time to celebrate, and immediately embarked on a journey, moving to various parts of Ozhou.After suppressing the rebellion, Sun Qilang returned to Osaka victoriously in October of the same year. Sun Qilang went to Daban City to meet Hideyoshi, and Hideyoshi gave him some condolences as usual.To Sun Qilang's deep surprise, his uncle's old bell-like voice (which was his pride and a symbol of his health) had completely disappeared, and his tone was very low.Sonichirou could barely hear Hideyoshi's voice coming from the height of the seats in the hall.At the same time, the entire hall, which used to be full of laughter, full of vitality, and even felt too noisy, is as silent as the main hall of a temple today.Sun Qilang had already heard about it on the way back to the imperial court, so he knew that it was because Hideyoshi's legitimate son, He Song, whose nickname was She'er, had died of illness more than two months ago. After He Song died of illness, Sun Qilang's fate changed.The fate of this young man in the Toyotomi family is changing rapidly.Three months after Tsurumatsu's death, an envoy sent by Hideyoshi appeared in front of the young man.They conveyed Hideyoshi's decision to Sun Qilang: He has officially become the heir of the Toyotomi family.Since He Song's funeral has not yet expired, it is inconvenient to hold a public banquet to celebrate.However, there was an endless stream of princes who came to Sun Qilang's mansion to secretly congratulate him.These dignitaries, three months ago in the mourning hall in Ruxin Temple, were so distressed by the death of Hesong that they all scrambled to cut off their hair buns in front of Hideyoshi to show their loyalty to the deceased. In December of this year, the Toyotomi family invited the court to appoint Sun Qilang as the Minister of Internal Affairs.Counting from this day, after only twenty-four days, Sun Qilang's status in the world has completely changed again. He became Guan Bai. Hideyoshi gave him his Kanbai job Zen.Hideyoshi resigned from the active duty of the court and lived in Osaka Castle, which was called Taihe from then on.Sun Qilang is called Guan Baigong Xiuci.Hideyoshi gave Sun Qilang the most luxurious official residence in Kyoto, Juledi, and all the furnishings in it.From then on, Sun Qilang lived in the capital and was honored as His Highness. "Your Highness?" At first, Sun Qilang lacked knowledge in this area, so he was not at all surprised at how honorable his current position was.Later, when others gradually told him, he finally understood that the so-called Guan Bai was the first-class position in the court, the supreme position among ministers.It is true that the ruling power in today's world is still in the hands of Taihe.However, in the imperial court, Sun Qilang was already the head of the public officials.Moreover, the Juledi where he lived was enough to make him feel the dignity of his position.Juledi is adjacent to Omiya Shrine to the east, Jingshen Temple to the west, a road to the north, and Shimochoja Town to the south, covering a very large area.There are moats, walls and watchtowers around; flowers, trees, forests, springs, rockeries and waterfalls are arranged in the courtyard; buildings and buildings are mixed among them.Hundreds of princes lived outside the city walls, and there were row upon row of resplendent mansions.This Juledi is like a huge city.When Sun Qilang became the owner of this mansion, it was finally easy for him to understand his position. Sun Qilang thought to himself: "I already have such a high status." Hideyoshi, who knows Sun Qilang's ability and character well, still does not allow him to think unreasonably.Hideyoshi was still manipulating a puppet, using a few chapters to control Sun Qilang's life, and he was not allowed to be negligent in the slightest.There are five chapters in this agreement, which is a letter from Hideyoshi to Sun Qilang.Hideyoshi also asked Sun Qilang to submit a letter of determination expressing his willingness to abide by the contract.The first article of this covenant is strict armament, the second article is fair rewards and punishments, the third article: respect for the court, and the fourth article: care for soldiers.The content of the agreement is very specific and trivial, trying to avoid using abstract language, just like teaching a young child to use chopsticks.For example, the content of Article 5 is what Hideyoshi is most concerned about.From Hideyoshi's point of view, it would be easy if the heir to his regime was just an idiot.What is difficult is that Sun Qilang's sexual desire is unusual and seems a little unrestrained.Probably only in this point is it similar to Hideyoshi.When Hideyoshi talked about this, he used the words "don't learn from me".Hideyoshi's letter to Sun Qilang wrote at the beginning: "Tea ceremony, hunting, women's affairs, don't be too enthusiastic, and don't learn from Hideyoshi." For women, five to ten maids (referring to concubines) can be placed in the mansion. This number should be the limit. It is not allowed to have sex outside the mansion, fornication and debauchery." Regarding the five chapters of the contract stipulated in Hideyoshi's letter, Sun Shichiro wrote an oath using Buddhist paper from a famous temple in Mount Kumano.In the article, he swears to the four great kings of Brahma, Indra, and all kinds of gods and Buddhas in Japan, saying that he will never violate the regulations. If he violates the regulations, he will "suffer all kinds of suffering in the world in this life, and fall into eighteen levels of hell after death."These are just clichés commonly used in swearing and swearing. "Keep this oath for me." Hideyoshi handed over the oath sent by Sekibai Hideji from the capital to his servant Kinoshita Hansuke for safekeeping.Since then, only one year and nine months have passed, and Hideyoshi has deeply regretted that he has given the inheritance to his adopted son Shichiro Issei.He can't help but regret it.Because Mrs. Dian's concubine, Mrs. Asai, gave birth to another boy, named "Shi'er". When Sun Qilang got the news of the birth of Hideyoshi's biological son, for some reason, he didn't feel disturbed at all.It stands to reason that he should take the initiative to return his rights as an heir of the Toyotomi family and take the initiative to cancel his status as an adopted son.He should have realized that since he was nothing more than a puppet with an inheritance right, since Hideyoshi had a son of his own, the reason for his existence as an adopted son and successor had disappeared long ago.If it was Sun Qilang before he was promoted to Guan Bai, such thoughts might have crossed his mind.But now he doesn't think so.Sun Qilang has become another person completely.Rather than saying that he has changed, it is more accurate to say that this young man has changed from a puppet to a human for the first time. Since the age of eighteen, Sun Qilang's status and official position have risen in a straight line, which is dazzling.However, in fact, he is just a puppet in a puppet show that is constantly changed and dressed up, and he can't remember what he did.He only needs to keep his bony body breathing, eating and excreting. He has someone to help him with military affairs, and Hideyoshi will promote him in official positions.Sun Qilang has the habit of defecating twice a day.During the crusade against Ozhou, every time he went to a camp, he always had to defecate twice.Pull it all the way, until it reaches Tsugaru.It was like this every day, until Ozhou was pacified and the class teacher returned to the court.Throughout the ages, I am afraid there has never been such a relaxed and worry-free expedition general.Besides, Hideyoshi told him not to do other things.In the battle of Nagakushou, Sun Qilang was defeated and returned.At that time, Hideyoshi gave him a letter of admonition including five aspects.It has been five years since Sun Qilang was promoted to Guan Bai.In the past five years, this letter of admonition, like a curse, has been strictly controlling Sun Qilang.Of course, this is not due to Sun Qilang's conscious compliance, but the coercion of four veteran daimyos around him, Horio, Nakamura, Miyabe, and Yamauchi. However, after Sun Qilang was promoted to Guan Bai, these veterans all left Sun Qilang and returned to their general's mansion in Osaka.And there was a man named Kimura Hachirokusuke who came to Beijing from Osaka and served as the head of the Guanbai government office, replacing the original daimyo.The great changes in personnel around him liberated Sun Qilang.Instead of being a military general who is used to fighting, Kimura Tsuchirokusuke is more of a civil servant.Kimura is a native of Omi. Together with his fellow villager Ishida Mitsunari, he has been in charge of administrative affairs in the early Hashiba family and later in the Toyotomi family.But later he was alienated by Hideyoshi, and the fame and wealth he gained was not as good as his former colleagues Ishida Mitsunari and Nagatsu Masaka.He often sighs and sighs for his underappreciated talents.Sun Qilang was promoted to Guanbai, and Chang Lujie felt that this was a godsend opportunity, so he begged Hideyoshi to let him be the manager of Guanbai's mansion.He thought, since Hideyoshi's generation can no longer make a fortune, then, let's pin our hopes on the next generation.Once Hideyoshi dies and Hideji becomes the second generation person in power, then I, Chang Lujie, can naturally become the person in charge of the real power in the world. Needless to say, Chang Lujie took a lenient and indulgent policy towards Sun Qilang's hobbies and temperament.On the day Chang Lujie took office, he even said to Sun Qilang: "Your Highness is already living in Guanbai, so you can act freely." For Sun Qilang, he had never heard such beautiful words. "Really?" Sun Qilang said. Although he felt the charming charm of Chang Lujie's words, he was still cautious and hesitant due to the habit he had developed for a long time, but Chang Lujie said to Sun Qilang with confidence: "Osaka, by I will try to deal with it, and you can do as you please." Chang Lujie wanted to cater to Sun Qilang as much as possible.On the one hand, he won the favor of Sun Qilang, and at the same time, this clever and talented manager did everything possible to make Sun Qilang a person who was in line with the times and loved by others.Chang Lujie came up with a peculiar way.This is to portray Sun Qilang as a person who loves learning through propaganda, and to put him on the laurel crown of a protector of learning and a rewarder. In this era of the Warring States Period, those daimyos who were born as samurai who have always lived their careers in wars and killings did not care about any knowledge at all.Maeda Toshiie only listened to explanations in his later years.After listening to it, he even persuaded Kato Kiyomasa very strangely: "There is such an interesting knowledge in the world! Chief Accountant (Note: Kato Kiyomasa's official position), you should also listen to it." Hideyoshi also didn't care about learning. of.One day, seeing that his secretary had forgotten how to write the character "Dai" in Daigoji Temple and was worrying, he said, "Oh, you write the character '大' (in Japanese, the two characters "Dai" and "大") The same pronunciation) can be replaced?” At that time, only the monks, courtiers, ministers and others in the five major temples in Kyoto managed to maintain a bit of academic cultural tradition.Hideyoshi and his daimyos are still slightly interested in painting, but they don't care about learning and the like.This can be said to be a distinctive feature of the Toyotomi regime.But Chang Lujie wanted to establish Xiuci as the guardian of knowledge.Through this method, the world has created an impression of Xiuci, thinking that he is a figure completely different from other daimyos and an advocate of new trends of thought.Chang Lujie tasked Monk Xitang, an official in charge of cultural and educational affairs, to carry forward this plan to build Hideji's prestige.The full name of Xitang is Xuanlong Xitang. He is a very learned monk in Dongfu Temple. Although he is still young, he is already well-known among the five major temples in Kyoto. Xitang single-handedly handled various academic and literary activities for Xiuji.It has become a custom to invite famous monks from the five major temples to hold poetry gatherings in Juledi.He also borrowed Hideji's order to collect rare and unique books from all over the country, and asked Shimono Ashikaga School and "Kanazawa Bunko" to donate their collections.He collected all kinds of books in the capital and stored them in Xiangguo Temple for the world to read.At the same time, Xitang also collected those "Nihon Ji", "Nihon Hou Ji", "Continued Japan Ji", "Continued Japan Hou Ji", "Wen De Shi Lu", "Three Generations Records", "Records of Facts" collected by all means. ", "Hai Lian Chao", "Nvyuan Hao", "Lei Ju San Dai Ge", "Ling Thirty-five Volumes" and other classics were dedicated to the emperor in the name of Hideji.In addition, seventeen famous monks from major monasteries in Yamato were summoned and ordered to copy. At the beginning, the courtiers discussed in private: "This kid has no learning and no skills." Everyone is afraid that Xiuci will not be far away.But after seeing the above-mentioned actions, some people changed their views on him.However, on the contrary, there are also people who hate Xiuji even more because of this, and think his actions are disgusting.For example, Fujiwara Shingwo is one of them.Xiuci invited him again and again, but he couldn't make excuses and refused to pay a visit.Xingwo said to his good friend in private: "This is a waste of learning!" It seems that only this person has seen through Xiuci's intention to deceive the world and win people's hearts. Xingwo made such a prophecy in front of his good friends: "I am afraid that Xiuci will not be long." Xingwo reckoned that Taihe already had a son-in-law, but Xiuci still kept his face in Jule Dili, and had no intention of resigning or retiring at all.In this way, I am afraid that it will lead to death.Not only Xingwo, but all the officials in the capital are watching the development of the situation with bated breath. Only Rusuke Kimura, the manager of Xiuci's official residence, tried his best to fabricate reasons for Xiuci and told him to stabilize. He said to Xiuci: "Before His Highness Taihe asks you to return Guan Bai's position, you don't have to be polite. Originally, Guan Bai's position is different from that of the daimyo. This is the court's minister and is appointed by the emperor. If you dismiss at will, It will violate His Highness Taihe's third commandment asking you to respect the imperial court. You must never do that." After hearing this, Xiuji felt that it made sense.In fact, Chang Lujie was worried that if Xiuci resigned from Guan Bai's position now, his own status would plummet. Naturally, Chang Lujie had no malicious intentions.He wholeheartedly wants Xiuci to be a person who is full of confidence in various things, and tries his best to educate him into a person with independent personality.In fact, from this time on, Xiuji has begun to change.He is no longer the narrow-minded and cautious Sun Qilang he used to be. "I'm a warrior." Sun Qilang kept saying this. Not only said that, but also began to show off that he is a general.In his interactions with other people in the court, this ignorant person, apart from showing that he is a general rather than a minister, cannot conceal his ignorance and cowardice.However, he has always been keenly aware that the real generals - his own subordinates and the princes of the Toyotomi family - did not regard him as a general. "One day, I will let the world appreciate my martial arts." Sun Qilang thought secretly. Sun Qilang's competitive spirit, unwilling to show weakness, was initially expressed in an extremely safe and cautious way.That is to hold individual and individual fencing competitions.At that time, fencing technology had just become popular.Post notices on the three bridges, recruit those wandering swordsmen, and let them compete in martial arts in Juledi.Incidentally, Hideyoshi doesn't believe in swordsmanship and doesn't like swordsmen.He has never been willing to recruit those who claim to be proficient in swordsmanship, let alone set up instructors to teach swordsmanship in his army.He never even expressed interest in watching such games.However, Xiuci did the opposite. He wanted Juledi to become a center for promoting and disseminating swordsmanship.Rather, it was because he found the game unexpectedly interesting.Because there is bloodshed and death in the game.Sun Qilang believes that a bloodless game is bland.For this reason, he finally announced to the world: The weapons held during the competition must be real swords and guns.Sun Qilang and his group of wives and concubines watched the scene of these two swordsmen fighting to the death.Seeing such a cruel scene, the women were so frightened that some screamed loudly, and some fainted on the spot.This greatly satisfied Xiuci's self-esteem. "After all, she's a woman, so such a trivial matter is frightening." Sun Qilang laughed out loud with joy, his thin body leaned back and forth in laughter.He loves this game more and more.He believes that only he is the real warrior.Later, he not only watched other people's games, but also had the idea of ​​killing himself.Sun Qilang dressed up in disguise and took advantage of the dark night to hide at the crossroads. When pedestrians approached, he jumped up and slashed with his knife.When killing the second person, change the method, slashing across the shoulders and back.The third person changed to chopping head-on.Sun Qilang even said that he hadn't heard the scream of a woman dying for a long time, and he really wanted to hear it.In this way, he swung his knife to kill one after another.When the cut person fell down, there was an unexpected bang that shook the ground.Xiuci said: "This thing is very exciting, much more interesting than hunting." "Look at my martial arts!" When the person was killed with a single knife, Xiuji yelled like this, telling his followers to gather around his prey - the victim's body, and let them put their ears to the victim's body. The heart of the deceased, listen to whether it really stopped beating. Later, it was dispatched even before the sun had set.Once, Sun Qilang and his party tiptoed to the torii of Tenjin Shrine in Kitano, Kyoto.At this time, a blind man was walking towards him, tapping on the ground beside his feet to find his way.This is the first time Hideji, who enjoys killing people, has encountered a blind person.Xiuci quietly approached him, wondering how he would react, how fun would it be to hack and kill? "Blind!" Xiu Ci shouted. "Come on, I'll give you a drink." As he spoke, he took the blind man's hand affectionately.The blind man raised his head and said excitedly to Xiuci: "I don't know who is the gentleman who speaks so kindly." Then he followed Xiuci and walked over.But after walking for a long time, Xiuji turned his body around, exerted all his strength, and swung a knife to chop off the blind man's right arm.According to Xiuci's past experience, if he is a normal person, he will pass out after being hit by this sudden blow.However, perhaps because the mental state of the blind man is different from that of normal people, the blind man suddenly jumped up, about three feet above the ground, straightened his waist, and shouted unexpectedly loudly: "There is someone nearby!" Are there bad people killing people! Come quickly, help!" The blind man kept shouting in a staccato but calm tone that normal people don't have. "Blind people have a different flavor." Xiuci said so. At this time, the young daimyo Ryo Naoyuki Kumagai who was in charge of the daizen, a person who was always by Hideji's side when he played this kind of killing game and was good at currying favor with his master, approached the blind man and said to him in order to further arouse Hideji's interest: "You've lost an arm, and the blood is flowing like a fountain." Kumagai told the blind man the real situation, thinking that the blind man would pass out if he knew it.Kumagai expects this to happen.Unexpectedly, the blind man reacted differently.He quickly calmed down, tilted his head and thought for a while, and then whispered in an unexpectedly quiet tone: "Ah, I know it, I understand. This murderer is probably the one who killed Guanbai. It must be him who often haunts this area!" Hideji's follower, Kumagai, is said to be a descendant of Kumagai Jiro Naomi. His ancestors were originally a famous family passed down from generation to generation during the Muromachi Shogunate, and their ancestors lived in the capital for generations.Today's Kumagai family is the lord of Izaki Castle in Wakasa Country.Kumagai is a very smart person, he fully understands what Hideji is interested in.Like a doctor asking about a patient's condition, he said to the blind man: "You were originally blind, but now you have lost an arm. Now you are double disabled. Let me ask you, do you still want to live now?" Kumagai wanted the blind man to tell how he was feeling at the moment.Hideji stood behind Kumagai, and he also stretched his neck, waiting for the blind man's reply with all his attention. "I don't want to live!" cried the blind man.Then he replied: "I can't bear this double disability. You guys just kill me. Cut me on the neck! Listen, there are people walking around. It means that people in the street are rushing through the door." Look this way. Cut off my head quickly. Let you be infamous forever. God will punish you." Hearing the blind man's loud cry, Xiuci was angry from the heart, and the evil turned to the gallbladder.He couldn't bear it anymore, so he swung his knife and slashed at the blind man vigorously.Probably because a layer of blood had condensed on the edge of the knife. The edge of the knife was very blunt, and there was only a click, and the shoulder blade split open.The blind man was cut down to the ground, but he still kept screaming.This made Xiuci even more flustered, swinging a knife at the blind man's face, legs, feet, and body, knocking out his teeth, and cutting off his hands and fingers.In the end, the blind man was almost chopped into meat paste, completely out of shape, and this stubborn life ended.Ever since he liked blocking people and killing people, he had never encountered such a strenuous task. "There is nothing better than a blind man." Xiuci said so out of breath.However, he was so exhausted that he couldn't even stand upright, so that his followers had to support him behind him. That night, Xiuci said to the woman who was kneeling beside him pouring wine for him: "Among today's public officials, which one has such courage as me!" This woman is called Yizhitai, and she is the daughter of Juting Qingji, who lives in Dana Yan.After the death of his first wife Ikeda, Hideji forced Qing Ji to give up his daughter. Not long ago, he made her his wife.Although Yizhitai is ten years older than Xiuji, she is still the most beautiful woman in the capital.She was once married, gave birth to a daughter, and her husband died early.My daughter is eleven years old this year, and she is just a young girl with yellow flowers.But Xiuci refused to let her daughter go, so she named her "A Gong" and took her as a concubine, playing with both mother and daughter at the same time.People commented in private: "Raping a mother and daughter together is not a human relationship, it is a completely animal behavior." Haruki Ichinodai's biological father also wept secretly for Hideji's bestiality when he raped his daughter and granddaughter. "It's very interesting!" The reason why Xiuji boasted to his wife Yizhitai about killing blind people was because she came from a family of ministers.According to Xiuci, the ministers are good at dancing and writing, chewing on words, citing scriptures and allusions, and paying attention to ostentation, but they don't have his superior martial arts.They are cowards who tremble at the sight of weapons and blood.Yizhitai was silent. "Please speak!" The two of them, mother and daughter, remained silent all day long.Xiuci tried every means to get them to speak.However, since the first year of living in Jule, they have never made a sound in front of Xiuci. By the way, Hideji's existing wives and concubines have greatly exceeded the number that Hideyoshi set for him. Recently, they have increased to more than 30, so many that Hideji himself can only count them clearly by counting them one by one. "After removing the magic spell, it's a bit difficult to deal with." Even Rikusuke Kimura, who persuaded Shuji to have his own independent personality at the beginning, saw that this political nouveau riche had turned into a completely different person in just a year or two, and he was not so much regretful as he was terrified.It seems that Hideyoshi's understanding of Hideji in the early days is far more than that of Tokusuke.It was Hideyoshi who took so much trouble to restrain him back then, which made Hideji look like a human being.Now that all restraints have been removed, Hideji himself cannot control himself.For example, he has done some things like this: one day he saw a woman who was careless in his old minister, Marumo, and suddenly became interested, wondering what the hell was going on with the old woman's body, so he summoned her and took her as a concubine.His name was A Dong, and he was sixty-one years old.在秀次的妻妾之中，虽没有五十来岁的，但有个四十三岁的。有一个是仆人冈本彦三郎的母亲。有一天，秀次对手下人说，他想要一个被人称作母亲的女人。这就把她召了进来。此人名叫阿孝，三十八岁。他的这些妻妾，倘若按年龄来分，则十几岁的有十一人，三十多岁的有四人，四十开外的有一人，六十多的一人，其余都是二十多岁。其中的阿今乃是大名最上义光的女儿，阿竹则是弃儿出身。这一大批女人全是在这短短的一二年里，从各处搜集来的。犹如一大群鸡鸭那样，她们被圈养在聚乐第这座大栅栏里。 秀吉的耳朵里虽然早已隐约听到些秀次行为不检点的消息，但由于他的部下们不敢向他禀报，因而他知道得并不详细。他一味牵肠挂肚的是他的亲生儿子秀赖的前途。秀吉经过苦思苦想之后，终于得出这结论，便把秀次叫到了伏见城。 “我打算把日本国分成五份，你意下如何？”秀吉提议说，“这么办吧。我把五份里的四份给你，余下的一份请你让给秀赖。” 秀吉一边说着，一边仔细观察秀次脸上的表情。从秀吉来说，由于继承权的问题早已决定了，事到如今，已觉得很难开口，经过左思右想之后，才这么委婉曲折地提出了问题。可是，听了养父的建议，秀次的脸上却没有反应。 秀次沉默不语。和秀次那张表情麻木、感觉迟钝，甚至有点目中无人的面孔相比，秀吉却是用心良苦，就如在唱着独脚戏一般，显得有点滑稽、可怜。更确切地说，秀吉由此明白了自己目前的心境：想博取秀次的同情。这种心境有点近于哀求。秀吉在心里对自己说：“你难道不可怜我这个暮年得子的老人吗？我已经苦恼到这般地步了，你就体谅体谅我此时的心境吧。要是体谅我的话，那你就干脆讲一声辞去关白、放弃养子和后继人的地位吧。”秀吉暗暗地期待他能讲出这些话来。 然而感觉迟钝的秀次没有满足秀吉的期望。诚然，他口头上是回答了的：“大人觉得怎么合适就怎么办吧。” 秀吉看到，秀次嘴上虽是这么说，可脸上却毫无表情，嘴角甚至还留有一点倔拗的神色。更正确地说，秀吉如今已陷入了这样的心境：即便事实并非如此，他也不能不这么看了。 “这个天下究竟是谁的？” 秀吉真想这么大喝一声。他好不容易克制住了。秀吉把心头的这股怒气，化成了往常的那种训斥。然而，就连秀次听训斥的表情和态度，也似乎有些与从前的孙七郎不一样了。从前的孙七郎，犹如一只羽毛未丰的雏鸟，总还有点怯生生的地方，这多少还叫人觉得有些可爱。 “这小子，可真变了！” 秀吉觉得有点下不了台，但他仍然极力忍耐着。因为他深深懂得，自己死后，能够保护秀赖的，没有别人，唯有这个秀次。从这点来说，秀吉现在已处在得向他哀求的地位了。 从那次会见以后的几个月里，秀吉仍然在思索着这个问题，他又想出了一个收拾残局的妙计。秀次有个女儿，秀吉的计划是叫秀次把他的女儿许配给秀赖作妻子。尽管为一个出世不久的婴儿选择配偶，是没有什么现实意义的，然而秀吉却把它当作一根救命稻草，抱住不放。秀吉心想，现在拉下这根线，秀次将来总不会亏待秀赖的吧。想到这里，他便想立即差人到秀次那里去。 “这很难说，还是不急的好！”秀吉左右的臣仆劝他说。 他们认为，不管怎么说，这毕竟是将来的事。可秀吉早已迫不及待了。不巧的是，这期间，秀次为了去热海进行温泉治疗，离开京都到东方去了。秀次有头痛的毛病，这次离京是想用温泉水治疗头痛。 在疗养地，秀次接到了秀吉派人送来的急信。他原以为有什么重大的急事，谁知拆开信一看，却是这么点芝麻绿豆般的小事。 “请禀报老爷，就说我同意了。”秀次回答来人说。 使者回到伏见，报告了秀吉。 “关白只讲了这么一句吗？” 自己是满腔热忱，满怀希望，而对方却冷若冰霜，这使秀吉感到不满。秀吉心想，即使不辞去关白的职务，也至少得在口头说上这么一句：“等秀赖长大成人之后，我就把天下让给他。”以此让老人放心，叫老人高兴吧。 “那不是人！” 秀吉想，他既不懂人情，又缺少怜悯心，真是个畜生。从那以后不久，大纳言菊亭晴季来到伏见，声泪俱下地向秀吉诉说了秀次并奸母女的事实。 “这混帐的孙七郎，总不至于如此吧！” 秀吉以为，孙七郎没有那么大的胆量，他派人去京城调查秀次的私生活。担任调查任务的是石田三成和长束正家。 果然不错，孙七郎已经变了。关白殿下令人惊讶的所作所为，这时才点滴不漏地一下子传入了秀吉的耳朵。秀吉听完禀报，惊得目瞪口呆，差点儿气昏过去。象他这么一个出生入死、久经沙场的男子汉大丈夫，此时此刻竟心乱如麻，半天说不出一句话来。过了好久之后，才说了这么一句：“那不是人，是畜生！”自那以后，“畜生”成了秀吉称呼秀次时的代名词。除了得出这样的结论之外，已经找不到其他办法可以拯救丰臣政权了。由于秀次作恶多端，丰臣政权在京都的上层缙绅和平民百姓之中的声誉已经一落千丈了。人们憎恨秀次，而更加抱怨秀次背后的丰臣家的权力。在这种情况下，除了说他不是人，是禽兽之外，没有其他办法可以避开人们对丰臣政权的这种怨恨。“他是畜生，并奸母女就是证据。”秀吉用明白无误的语言总结了他苦思苦想的结果，并把这告诉了他的下属官吏。 不久，秀次结束了在热海的温泉治疗，回到了京城。他知道了这一事态。那是他的留守的臣属禀告他的。 “真叫人不明白。”秀次说。 他只知道秀吉要他在遥远的将来把自己的女儿许配给秀赖。他不明白为什么事情会发展成这样。他的臣属们尽管告诉了他事态的严重性，然而唯有他并奸母女一事，却难于说出口，因而没有讲。 “看情形，大概是治部少（石田三成）等人谗言害你吧。”木村常陆介如此解说道。 常陆介相信， 产生这种事态乃是石田三成向秀吉进了谗言所致。他认为：“一旦太閤归天，秀次掌权，则太閤身边的石田三成等人就不得不丧失权势。相反，作为他们早先的政敌的自己，却会登上权势的宝座。为了防患于未然，他们急于要叫秀次失足，并为目下尚是婴孩的秀赖取得继承权。”常陆介说道：“因之，这件事乃是秀吉的宠臣石田三成等人的阴谋。” 秀次派人调查了伏见方面关于他的传闻，这才明白，事情比早先知道的更为严重。伏见地方的人们都在议论纷纷，说秀吉可能会对秀次赐死。 “会被杀吗？”秀次听了禀报，自言自语道。 在秀次手下任大膳之职的熊谷亮直之，早就预料过：“秀次迟早会被杀。”早从秀赖出生之日起，他就怀有这样的恐惧，并曾在平日的言谈之中，有意无意、闪烁其词地劝秀次多加小心。他认为，与其束手待毙，倒不如先下手为强，派兵袭击伏见，杀了太閤，使政权一举安定下来。熊谷建议使用如下方略：“目下伏见城兵力空虚，如派兵进攻，太閤必退守大坂。估计到他的这一步棋，可事先在淀和枚方两地埋伏下一千多人的洋枪队，并把余下的兵力埋伏在大津、大佛官道和竹田官道一线。如能照此办理，则击毙太閤一事就会如探囊取物，马到成功。”听了熊谷的这番话，秀次吓得用手掩着耳朵，脸无血色地说道：“大膳，你别再讲了，我害怕造反。” 但是从这一天起，为了防备秀吉方面的袭击，秀次外出时总是叫他的随从们披胄戴甲，全副武装。这消息很快就传到了伏见。不用说，这被解释成关白始终对伏见虎视眈眈。秀次自己做梦也没有想到，自己提防被人袭击，竟被作了如此的解释。 近来，聚乐第门庭冷落，已经没有一个大名前来拜访。例如，以敏感著称的伊达政宗，原本和秀次最是亲热，经常上聚乐第来，有一段时间，几乎每十天就来访一次，现在也已经不再登门了。又如，曾向秀次借了百枚金币的细川忠兴，怕因此被怀疑和秀次关系密切，为了偿还黄金而到处奔走告贷，最后从德川家康那里借到了金子，用它还清了欠秀次的债。德川家康在这之后离开京城回到江户去了，临行前，嘱咐他的留在京都的嗣子秀忠说：“太閤、关白之间如果兵戎相见，则毋用商议就站在太閤一方；万一太閤亡故，就迅速退守大坂，卫护秀吉的夫人北政所。” 既然社会上已经议论得如此热烈，秀次也就不能不采取行动。他采纳了熊谷的建议，给朝廷进贡了三千枚银币。这是为了作好准备，一旦击毙秀吉，好让朝廷迅速承认他的新政权。这是文禄四年（1595）七月三日的事。当天，这机密就传到了伏见。 秀吉终于下了决断。他派了五个人去秀次处质问。这五个人是：宫部善祥房、石田三成、前田玄以、增田长盛、富田知信。秀次会见了他们，并当场交给他们一纸手书的誓文。内容是：“谋叛之事，纯属谣言，本人无意反叛。”这是秀次向朝廷进贡白银之后的第二天。 五个使者回伏见后，向秀吉复了命。从那以后的第三天，秀吉又派了另外的使者到聚乐第。他们是早先辅佐过秀次的老将中村一氏、堀尾吉晴、山内一丰以及上次的使者宫部善祥房和前田玄以等五人。他们对秀次说道：“关白殿下与太閤之间缺乏直接晤谈的机会。为此，请关白殿下到伏见去一趟。”这是太閤的命令，要他上伏见去。 凭直觉，秀次知道，这些人乃是死神的使者。他一个劲儿摇着头，没有答应。来人也不退让。双方正在相持不下的时候，谁知从伏见方面又派来了另一个说客，要求单独地秘密拜谒秀次。来人是一个名叫孝藏主的老尼姑，她是北政所手下的首席女官。秀次年少的时候，和这位尼姑过往甚密。“请关白殿下听老尼一言！”她笑容可掬地对秀次说。“太閤殿下心情很好，所有传说，都不是事实。殿下丝毫也没有怀疑你。既然如此，你还有什么可担心的呢？”对曾是他的宿将的几位大名的来访，秀次抱有戒心，然而却上了这个尼姑的当。秀吉的计谋实现了。从后门悄悄来访的这个老尼姑，正是要他命的无常。 “是吗？那就去吧。” 秀次当即回答说，并马上做了动身的准备。他身边的熊谷等人还没来得及劝阻，秀次早已和老尼姑走出了大门。走在一行人前头的，是相当于秀吉孙儿一辈的三个幼童，随从人员也只带了百来人。晌午过后出了聚乐第，取道竹田官道，午后三时抵达伏见。伏见城下的百姓处在惊恐之中，不少人家已经开始搬运家财，准备逃往别处。街头巷尾，谣传蜂起，都说秀次率大军前来攻城了。秀次感到意外。 “是说我要造反吗？”他不禁暗暗地想。 “暂在此处歇脚，消除一下旅途的劳顿。” 就这样，秀次一行人被领到了木下吉隆的邸宅里。不料刚一进门，各方的门户全被暗暗地关闭上了。这时，秀次明白了自己的命运。不多久，伏见城里来了使者，传告了秀吉的命令：“已不用登城拜谒，落发之后立即上高野山去。”秀次只得从命。 当夜，和尚装束的秀次离开伏见，经过二天的行程，登上了高野山，住在青宿寺里。从那之后的第五天，太閤所派遣的另一批使者，各自带着不少手下人，从山底下上来了。为首的正使名叫福岛正则。 秀次向告诉他这一消息的人叮问了一句：“真的是正则吗？” “没有错，是他。”那个人回答说。 这时，秀次知道自己已经是穷途末路了。因为秀次和这个正则，从年轻时起就一直关系不好。从特意选择正则当使者这事来看，秀吉下了什么命令，也就不言而喻了。这就是死。 果然不出所料，秀吉命令他切腹自杀。 自从得知自己要死的那一瞬间起，秀次给了人们与以往的他迥然不同的印象。当听到赐死的命令时，秀次和担任他的文事顾问的僧侣西堂下着围棋。眼看着就要取胜。这时，福岛正则的部下、任淡路守的雀部，奉正则之命走了进来，通知秀次，已经作好了让他切腹自杀的准备。秀次看着棋盘，点了点头，而嘴里却风马牛不相及地说道：“我赢了。” 他指的是围棋。“各位仔细看看，作为日后的证据，这次是我胜了。”周围的人定睛细看，果然不错，这回是秀次赢了。这件事本身也颇为新奇。因为秀次和西堂对弈，从来没有赢过。也不知是什么神差鬼使，到这大难临头的时刻，他却赢了。看来，这件事使他很是高兴。他兴奋得脸颊绯红，宛如少年一般。 秀次对在场的众人说道：“我现在就去切腹，可这盘棋请别毁了，把它轻轻地搬到房间里去，大家回头好好观摩一下这局棋的着法。” 秀次说完上面这番话，便转过身子面对淡路守雀部，用一种对上司的谦恭口吻请求道：“想写封遗书，能允许吗？” 他的请求得到了允准。于是，秀次给自己的父亲、正室夫人以及全体侍妾们写了三封简单的遗书。遗书的字写得龙飞凤舞。 写完之后，把笔一掷，然后对西堂和尚说道：“我的一生，全是太閤一手安排的。连这死也如此。”当回顾这奇特的、完全由别人一手摆布的人生，他的内心也许不无感慨吧。 “我马上就去死，这也是太閤的安排。然而，切腹所用的刀子却在我自己手里。”总而言之，他或许是想说，只有切腹自杀是由自己动手的，唯有这件事是一生中自主地采取的行动。接着，他对西堂和尚说：“你是和尚，可不必死。”可是西堂却说：“您不必说了，敝人陪您同去。”说着，他自己也做好了切腹的准备。顺便交代一下，原来这西堂和尚乃是孝藏主的侄子，他为婶母说了假话而感到羞愧，已暗暗下了陪主人去死的决心。 秀次悠然地走过一段回廊，不久就在切腹的场所坐下了。 他弄错了方向，面朝了东方。按照佛门的说法，佛在西方十万亿土。应该面朝西方。西堂提醒他说：“您这样不符合规矩。向西坐着吧。”秀次没有作声。西堂再次提醒他，秀次这才回答说：“也有人说，佛在十方。故可不必寻求方位。”他的意思是想说：“至少在人生的最后一刻，让我自由一下吧。” 担任介错（为切腹者断其头的人）的人抡起大刀一闪光，秀次的人头落了地。由于违反了切腹的规矩，他的尸体向东方倒去。 目睹这副情景，西堂喃喃地说：“殿下搞错了方向。这事儿颇为奇妙。殿下的一生不也是这样吗？” 西堂仰望着西方坐下，就这样被砍下了头。自然，他的尸体倒向了与秀次相反的方向。西堂和尚临死前自言自语的那句话，后来传到了民间，这宛如一句箴言，象征了秀次的整个生涯。说实在的，秀次或许是投错了娘胎吧。 秀次死后，他的妻妾以及她们所生的孩子，不分男人老幼，一无遗漏地全都被处了死刑。 刑场设在京都三条河的河滩上。在那里挖了一个六十来米见方的土坑，土坑的四周围着鹿寨，行刑的是一些被称作“河原者”的贱民，他们个个披胄戴甲，手持弓箭。 行刑那天是八月二日。只见从聚乐第的南门赶出来一批身穿白色孝服的妇女和儿童。事先等待在门外的刽子手们，就如老鹰捉小鸡似的，把他们一个个抓起来往车上装。每辆车上装两三人，然后运往三条河滩。 在刑场南头的一角，筑了一座土台。台上放着一颗人头。这是秀次的首级。 “快向那里拜几拜，快拜！”刽子手们一边叫喊着，一边把他们驱赶进围着鹿寨的土坑里。 把人都赶进之后，就关闭了入口，接着就开始了屠杀。刽子手们追逐着这群妇女儿童，见人便刺，抓住就杀。刑吏抓住一个两三岁的孩子，当着母亲的面，犹如杀小狗似的把他杀了。母亲面对着这情景，吓得昏倒在地。这时，另一个刑吏把她拉起，立即挥刀砍下了母亲的头。秀次的正室夫人一之台和她的女儿阿宫姑娘也不例外。她们母女俩事先都写好了绝命诗，女儿的绝命诗是：“常言道，人生最悲处，莫过骨肉死别离，而今同赴黄泉路，不胜喜。” 行刑是公开进行的。在刑场四周围观的群众达数万人之多。特别是能够俯视刑场内部的三条桥上，更是人山人海，令人担心桥架是否会被压塌下去。然而他们之中没有一个人明白：杀这么多人到底是为了什么？当着天下人的面，公开进行这场大屠杀，到底期待产生怎样的效果？ 不一会工夫，行刑完毕。她们的尸体，连同秀次的首级一起被扔进了在河滩的一角事先挖好的一个深坑里。然后，往坑里填上土，在土塚上竖起一块石碑。碑上刻着如下文字： 乱臣贼子秀次之坟 孙七郎秀次的生身父亲，封为武藏守的三好一路，被撤去了官职，没收了封地，降为原来的平民，并被流放到了赞岐国。 “这到底是怎么回事呢？” 在流配之地赞岐，靠耕种几亩薄田度日的弥助，每天都要这么自言自语地嘀咕好几遍。这是怎么回事呢，这位孙七郎的父亲，看来也未能明白他自己一生的奥秘。