Chapter 6 Chapter 78: The Messenger
Tōkaidō fell into unprecedented chaos.The men and horses of the generals heading west and the logistics troops transporting supplies crowded the road and moved forward.
"Never give up the vanguard!"
Fukushima Masakura continued to inspire his soldiers and horses to compete with Ikeda Teruma's troops who also served as the vanguard.
Zheng Ze was also rude and arrogant towards other generals during the march.At this time, the agents sent by Ieyasu in Edo, Naomasa Kanai and Tadakatsu Honda, had to come forward to mediate.
"Don't hurt Dr. Zaemon's mood!"
Ieyasu's exhortation is one of the tasks shouldered by the two.Also receiving this exhortation were the Toyotomi family daimyo Kuroda Nagamasa and Ikeda Terumasa.These four are regular mood mediators.
——That half-madman holds the key to victory or defeat.
This is the consensus of the four.Most of the generals of the Eastern Army supported Ieyasu's crusade against Sancheng because Fukushima Masamori, who was the deepest member of Meng Fengchen's family, supported him with both hands.
——No, I follow the Osaka side.
At the Xiaoshan Military Conference, if Zheng Zheng expressed his position in this way, the situation of the military conference would definitely change.
(That bastard holds the fate of the world.)
Thinking about it this way, Kuroda Nagamasa felt that he was walking on thin ice.I don't know when the regular mood will change during the march.
In fact, during the march, Zheng Ze got very drunk and yelled to the left and right:
"Call me Koshu (Kuroda Nagamasa)!"
Feeling in a dilemma.Zheng Zheng couldn't leave the wine for a moment, lost his composure when he was very drunk, and killed his retainers while drinking, but he didn't remember it the next morning.
——Call Koshu!Why don't you call?
Zheng Zheng's sudden roar made the left and right tremble, and they felt that they were in danger of being killed by Zheng Zheng again.Forced and helpless, he ran to Changzheng's camp.
"My lord is a man, and you know it too, please condescend to go in a sedan chair."
The retainers begged Changzheng to go.It is impossible to be called by the big names of the same level. In reality, this is impossible.
(However, before the big event, you must be patient.)
Changzheng thought so.Holding a fan in his hand, he is calm and relaxed, and he is camping regularly.
Zhengzheng was completely drunk.Seeing Nagamasa's figure, he stared at it, the corners of his mouth drooping, and shouted loudly:
"Koshu, samurai have nothing to say, right?"
Changzheng understood the meaning of these words, nodded his head and replied:
"Nothing to say."
The meaning of Zhengzheng's exhortation is "Ieyasu doesn't hide his ambition to hurt Hideyoshi, right?" This happened on the eve of the Koyama military meeting.
"Nothing to say."
Changzheng said so categorically to Zhengzheng.Zhengzheng believed it, and it was precisely because of this that he fought against Sancheng.However, on the way west along the Tokaido, suddenly,
(Unbelievable. In the final analysis, isn’t this the first battle in which the Tokugawa government won the world?! According to the natural trend, how can Hideyori Gong not perish?)
Regularity raises doubts.
"Jiazhou, assert it again, it's absolutely nothing!"
"Of course it can be asserted."
Nagamasa nodded and repeated the same content.However, the other party was a drunk and forced Nagamasa:
"Go on!"
Nagamasa was also impatient, so he just endured it and repeated it several times.
"Understood."
Zhengzheng leaned out.
"Koshu, I have something to say first. In this battle, I, Dr. Zaemon, followed the inner government because I hated Jibu Shaosuke so much. If we want to do it, we must do our best to fight until the spear is killed by the enemy's bone Until it is worn out. However, if the Neifu has wolfish ambitions for the Toyotomi family, it is another matter, I will never forgive the Neifu!"
"Doctor Zaemon, stop talking."
Nagamasa raised his big palm, facing the important ministers of the Fukushima family in this posture and said:
"Pretend I didn't hear what Dr. Zaemon said just now. Everyone, forget it too."
Next, the troops continued to march.
The journey was extremely difficult.There were many rainy days, the rivers were swollen, and the ruts of the wagons were covered with mud on the roads, and the scene was miserable.
On August 10th, Zhengzheng came to Owari Kiyosu, his residence.
Zheng Ze had already dedicated the city to Ieyasu at the same time as the generals along the Tungkaido, and it was inconvenient to enter the main pill, so he entered the second pill.
Afterwards, the generals entered Owari one after another and were arranged to live in camps inside and outside Qingzhou City.On August 14th, the whole army finally arrived.
A council of war was called immediately.
However, Ieyasu did not come, and there was no news that he had left Edo. "What is the inner government doing?" This matter naturally became the main topic of the military meeting.As long as the commander does not sit in the seat of the military council, nothing can be discussed, and it will always be illusory. The generals were puzzled. (Isn't the Neifu coming?) Ieyasu clearly stated in Shimono Koyama: "Your Excellencies, let's go first. I have some things to prepare. I will go back to Edo first, and then I will quickly catch up with you." However, now that the generals have arrived at Owari Kiyosu Castle, the front line, there is no sign of Ieyasu leaving Edo. Immediately after the army arrived, a fast horse was dispatched from Kiyosu to urge Ieyasu to come.The generals couldn't hide the anxiety in their hearts. "Have we been deceived?" Some people even whispered like this.Everyone began to suspect that Ieyasu intended to divide the names of the Toyotomi family into enemies and provoke internal strife.Maybe when both sides are exhausted, Ieyasu will come out to reap the benefits. "If this is the case, it will be miserable." The little daimyos murmured and felt that in the end they were nothing more than rebels of the Toyotomi family, and eventually became bait for the Western Army like clouds. Meanwhile, with Ogaki Castle on the other side of the Kiso River as the center, Mitsunari formed a formation.Sancheng's planning was very active, and secret envoys were sent to the opposite bank to start the work of instigating rebellion against the generals of the Eastern Army. The most embarrassing ones were Naomasa Ii and Tadakatsu Honda, the military supervisors dispatched by Ieyasu. Whenever a military meeting is held, "What is the inner government doing?" The generals gathered together and asked with a sudden change of color.The two of them didn't know what Ieyasu meant, so they just replied respectfully: "What you said is very true. An urgent envoy has been sent to Edo. Please stay calm before returning quickly." Other than that, they couldn't offer any other explanation. On the night of the 18th, the military meeting in Qingzhou City was full of turmoil, and the situation was out of control. Zheng Ze seemed to be smelling of alcohol as he slapped the tatami with a white fan in his hand. "Could it be that the inner government wants to treat us as a 'robbery' and pay in advance?" Zheng Ze used the terminology of Go to yell.Ieyasu's son-in-law Ikeda Teruma warned from the side: "Doctor Zaemon, be careful with what you say." The quarrel intensified.The two military supervisors were unable to stabilize the situation. But Ieyasu from Edo. To be honest, at the Koyama military meeting, the generals of the Toyotomi family easily stood on their side, which exceeded Ieyasu's expectations.So he doubted their hearts even more. (Can you turn back so easily?) Ieyasu knew well how the Toyotomi family's daimyos, especially Masanori Fukushima, loved Hideyoshi's bereaved son, Hideyori. Although they vowed to follow him for a while, they couldn't guarantee that they would not change their hearts on the way west. On the night of the ninth day of staying in Edo, Ieyasu called Honda Masanobu, "I have doubts in my heart." Ieyasu said in a low voice. "At this juncture, what doubts do you have?" "Oh, it's still about those people." "Ah. So what shall we do?" "Our strategies are too fulfilling. Good strategies are implemented to achieve what we want, but such ingenious fulfillment leaves us with worries." "My lord thinks too much." Zhengxin smiled.Ieyasu has as many worries as Masanobu. "Don't you think so?" "Forgive me for taking the liberty. I have the same idea as the Lord. However, until now, there is no other way but to trust them." "I understand the truth, but it's hard to trust them." If he proceeded rashly from Edo, marched into the fronts of Mino and Owari, and sat in their commander's seat, he might be betrayed that day and accept the general attack of the Toyotomi family daimyo, including them. "People are unpredictable." "yes." "What should I do?" "this……" Zhengxin has no tricks either.If the ingenious plan has not been thought out, it cannot start from Edo, and it has been delayed day after day until now. "It must be treated with caution. When I was young, I was bossed around by Lord Imagawa and Lord Oda, and I suffered a lot, but I endured it. Later, Lord Oda passed away, and at a critical moment, I fell to the point where I had to serve Hideyoshi. Nevertheless, I have endured this fate. Now that I am lucky, I am overjoyed and treated rashly, and finally the rare good luck will slip away again." "Exactly. The matter has come to this point, the Lord's last-minute caution is very important." Zhengxin does not like doing things like gambling, which is the same as Ieyasu. "However, I can't sit in Edo all the time." "Let's do this first, the Lord sent envoys to confirm their sincerity, how about it?" "How does it work?" "They looked at the enemy city in the south of Owari, guarding their positions for a long time, and passing the time. The Lord should scold them: 'Why doesn't the enemy start a war right now, it's incredible!'" "Your opinion is to order a battle first?" "Exactly. With such a stern accusation, those who are sincere will be angry when they are humiliated, and those who are false will join the enemy. Naturally, the difference between the enemy and us will be clear." Ieyasu nodded and accepted the plan. "Who should be the envoy?" "this……" Zhengxin listed several people, all of whom were famous people with a salary of more than ten thousand stones.His talent and eloquence are enough to be a messenger who travels thousands of miles. Ieyasu shook his head, thinking that neither was appropriate.The reason is that everyone is smart. "Fools are better, especially fools are better." (what?) Zhengxin looked surprised.He finally felt that he was not as good as Ieko.Indeed, this emissary cannot be performed by a shrewd person. In Owari Kiyosu Castle, which is ninety miles away from Edo, the generals expressly suspected Ieyasu, and their emotions became increasingly agitated.At this time, if a savvy person went and understood the atmosphere of the scene, he would moderate Ieyasu's intentions appropriately, and in the end he could not convey Ieyasu's "reprimand" tone truthfully. What is needed now is not sweet words, but how to use Ieyasu's whip sound as a strategy to open up the situation in one fell swoop. "Who is the most suitable?" "Murakoshi Shigerusuke, who seems a bit rash and impatient, how about it?" "Good idea!" Ieyasu smiled.Mosuke Murakoshi is a bannerman with a very low status, but in terms of stupidity, he is an incomparably suitable candidate. "Call Mosuke!" Ieyasu ordered.Moments later, Mosuke appeared, about fifty years old, with dark skin. Ieyasu dictated the matter to Shigerusuke, Shigerusuke repeated it, made many mistakes, and finally was able to recite it accurately. Maosuke made his way. He changed horses every time he arrived at a post station, and galloped west along the East China Sea Road. The notice of this news reached the ears of the two military supervisors in Qingzhou City. (What's the reason for sending someone like Maosuke here now?) Ii Naomasa doubts Ieyasu's true intentions, and what worries him even more is Mosuke's character.The image of this person who is too blunt and rude appears in front of the generals of Qingzhou, and he conveys Ieyasu's oral message directly, which will eventually be revealed. (What kind of message? Prediction is.) Naomasa Ii speculated this way, and he discovered that Maosuke's master of war, Yagyu Mataemon (later Tajima Shoumoji), was currently in the army. "On your way, meet Mosuke!" Jingyi Naomasa ordered him to set off from Qingzhou immediately.On the morning of the 19th, Mataemon met Shigerusuke in Mikawa Pond, and asked him about the mission of this trip.Mosuke stubbornly remained silent. Finally, Maosuke entered Qingzhou City. Military Supervisor Ii Naomasa and Honda Tadakatsu immediately called him to the government affairs room and asked in a low voice: "What kind of message?" Facing Ieyasu's agent, Maosuke told the whole story. When the two military inspectors learned about it, they were shocked. "Mosuke, this is extremely dangerous! This is the current situation!" The military inspector detailed the movements of the daimyos, and earnestly explained: "This letter from the lord will actually delay things." "Therefore, it should be communicated as such." Ii slightly distorted Ieyasu's oral letter, so that Mosuke could remember exactly what he said. The content is as follows: "At present, my (Ieyasu) occasionally suffers from a cold and cannot leave Edo. He will recover in a few days. Once he recovers, I will go out as soon as possible. Together with the ministers, we will defeat the enemy in an instant." "Just convey it like this! In the future, blame it, and we two will cut seppuku." When Ii said this, Mosuke could not resist, and he bowed his head and agreed to do so. "Repeat it and see." "Then, let me say it again." Mosuke spoke the new message, surprisingly fluently. The two military inspectors were relieved.The two accompanied Mosuke to the hall packed with daimyo.As Ieyasu's envoy, Mosuke sat in front of all the daimyos. "Mosuke, tell me." Ii Naomasa said. Mosuke straightened his knees, straightened his back, coughed, and spoke loudly. (what!) Ii Naomasa was horrified.Just now he taught Mosuke how to speak so earnestly, but what he said now was the exact words that Ieyasu told him in Edo. "According to this, the inner government can't come, right?" "yes." Mosuke nodded, expressionless. The daimyos were disappointed, especially Masanori Fukushima, who asked bitterly: "Is that all the content of the inner government's message?" Mosuke shook his head and replied, "There are more." "In short, everyone sees the enemy in front of their eyes and does not fight a single battle. If you stay for a long time without fighting, I can hardly tell whether you are an enemy or a friend. You should attack the other side of the river as soon as possible and show me a battle. Then, I will Depart from Edo." Maosuke repeated the original words. The two military supervisors were sweating profusely, and their hearts almost stopped beating in horror.Then something unexpected happened.It is Masanori Fukushima. Zheng Zheng suddenly changed, and he leaned forward happily, opened the folding fan, fanned Mosuke's forehead exaggeratedly, and shouted: "well said!" This ferocious martial artist was driven by the excitement of rushing to the battlefield and slapping his saddle just by this incitement, and said: "What the Neifu said is absolutely true! Take action immediately and report victory to Edo as soon as possible!" Hearing this remark, the generals responded with cheers.They are forced to respond.Same as the situation at the Xiaoshan military meeting, Zheng Zheng was once again led away by the nose.
However, Ieyasu did not come, and there was no news that he had left Edo. "What is the inner government doing?" This matter naturally became the main topic of the military meeting.As long as the commander does not sit in the seat of the military council, nothing can be discussed, and it will always be illusory. The generals were puzzled. (Isn't the Neifu coming?) Ieyasu clearly stated in Shimono Koyama: "Your Excellencies, let's go first. I have some things to prepare. I will go back to Edo first, and then I will quickly catch up with you." However, now that the generals have arrived at Owari Kiyosu Castle, the front line, there is no sign of Ieyasu leaving Edo. Immediately after the army arrived, a fast horse was dispatched from Kiyosu to urge Ieyasu to come.The generals couldn't hide the anxiety in their hearts. "Have we been deceived?" Some people even whispered like this.Everyone began to suspect that Ieyasu intended to divide the names of the Toyotomi family into enemies and provoke internal strife.Maybe when both sides are exhausted, Ieyasu will come out to reap the benefits. "If this is the case, it will be miserable." The little daimyos murmured and felt that in the end they were nothing more than rebels of the Toyotomi family, and eventually became bait for the Western Army like clouds. Meanwhile, with Ogaki Castle on the other side of the Kiso River as the center, Mitsunari formed a formation.Sancheng's planning was very active, and secret envoys were sent to the opposite bank to start the work of instigating rebellion against the generals of the Eastern Army. The most embarrassing ones were Naomasa Ii and Tadakatsu Honda, the military supervisors dispatched by Ieyasu. Whenever a military meeting is held, "What is the inner government doing?" The generals gathered together and asked with a sudden change of color.The two of them didn't know what Ieyasu meant, so they just replied respectfully: "What you said is very true. An urgent envoy has been sent to Edo. Please stay calm before returning quickly." Other than that, they couldn't offer any other explanation. On the night of the 18th, the military meeting in Qingzhou City was full of turmoil, and the situation was out of control. Zheng Ze seemed to be smelling of alcohol as he slapped the tatami with a white fan in his hand. "Could it be that the inner government wants to treat us as a 'robbery' and pay in advance?" Zheng Ze used the terminology of Go to yell.Ieyasu's son-in-law Ikeda Teruma warned from the side: "Doctor Zaemon, be careful with what you say." The quarrel intensified.The two military supervisors were unable to stabilize the situation. But Ieyasu from Edo. To be honest, at the Koyama military meeting, the generals of the Toyotomi family easily stood on their side, which exceeded Ieyasu's expectations.So he doubted their hearts even more. (Can you turn back so easily?) Ieyasu knew well how the Toyotomi family's daimyos, especially Masanori Fukushima, loved Hideyoshi's bereaved son, Hideyori. Although they vowed to follow him for a while, they couldn't guarantee that they would not change their hearts on the way west. On the night of the ninth day of staying in Edo, Ieyasu called Honda Masanobu, "I have doubts in my heart." Ieyasu said in a low voice. "At this juncture, what doubts do you have?" "Oh, it's still about those people." "Ah. So what shall we do?" "Our strategies are too fulfilling. Good strategies are implemented to achieve what we want, but such ingenious fulfillment leaves us with worries." "My lord thinks too much." Zhengxin smiled.Ieyasu has as many worries as Masanobu. "Don't you think so?" "Forgive me for taking the liberty. I have the same idea as the Lord. However, until now, there is no other way but to trust them." "I understand the truth, but it's hard to trust them." If he proceeded rashly from Edo, marched into the fronts of Mino and Owari, and sat in their commander's seat, he might be betrayed that day and accept the general attack of the Toyotomi family daimyo, including them. "People are unpredictable." "yes." "What should I do?" "this……" Zhengxin has no tricks either.If the ingenious plan has not been thought out, it cannot start from Edo, and it has been delayed day after day until now. "It must be treated with caution. When I was young, I was bossed around by Lord Imagawa and Lord Oda, and I suffered a lot, but I endured it. Later, Lord Oda passed away, and at a critical moment, I fell to the point where I had to serve Hideyoshi. Nevertheless, I have endured this fate. Now that I am lucky, I am overjoyed and treated rashly, and finally the rare good luck will slip away again." "Exactly. The matter has come to this point, the Lord's last-minute caution is very important." Zhengxin does not like doing things like gambling, which is the same as Ieyasu. "However, I can't sit in Edo all the time." "Let's do this first, the Lord sent envoys to confirm their sincerity, how about it?" "How does it work?" "They looked at the enemy city in the south of Owari, guarding their positions for a long time, and passing the time. The Lord should scold them: 'Why doesn't the enemy start a war right now, it's incredible!'" "Your opinion is to order a battle first?" "Exactly. With such a stern accusation, those who are sincere will be angry when they are humiliated, and those who are false will join the enemy. Naturally, the difference between the enemy and us will be clear." Ieyasu nodded and accepted the plan. "Who should be the envoy?" "this……" Zhengxin listed several people, all of whom were famous people with a salary of more than ten thousand stones.His talent and eloquence are enough to be a messenger who travels thousands of miles. Ieyasu shook his head, thinking that neither was appropriate.The reason is that everyone is smart. "Fools are better, especially fools are better." (what?) Zhengxin looked surprised.He finally felt that he was not as good as Ieko.Indeed, this emissary cannot be performed by a shrewd person. In Owari Kiyosu Castle, which is ninety miles away from Edo, the generals expressly suspected Ieyasu, and their emotions became increasingly agitated.At this time, if a savvy person went and understood the atmosphere of the scene, he would moderate Ieyasu's intentions appropriately, and in the end he could not convey Ieyasu's "reprimand" tone truthfully. What is needed now is not sweet words, but how to use Ieyasu's whip sound as a strategy to open up the situation in one fell swoop. "Who is the most suitable?" "Murakoshi Shigerusuke, who seems a bit rash and impatient, how about it?" "Good idea!" Ieyasu smiled.Mosuke Murakoshi is a bannerman with a very low status, but in terms of stupidity, he is an incomparably suitable candidate. "Call Mosuke!" Ieyasu ordered.Moments later, Mosuke appeared, about fifty years old, with dark skin. Ieyasu dictated the matter to Shigerusuke, Shigerusuke repeated it, made many mistakes, and finally was able to recite it accurately. Maosuke made his way. He changed horses every time he arrived at a post station, and galloped west along the East China Sea Road. The notice of this news reached the ears of the two military supervisors in Qingzhou City. (What's the reason for sending someone like Maosuke here now?) Ii Naomasa doubts Ieyasu's true intentions, and what worries him even more is Mosuke's character.The image of this person who is too blunt and rude appears in front of the generals of Qingzhou, and he conveys Ieyasu's oral message directly, which will eventually be revealed. (What kind of message? Prediction is.) Naomasa Ii speculated this way, and he discovered that Maosuke's master of war, Yagyu Mataemon (later Tajima Shoumoji), was currently in the army. "On your way, meet Mosuke!" Jingyi Naomasa ordered him to set off from Qingzhou immediately.On the morning of the 19th, Mataemon met Shigerusuke in Mikawa Pond, and asked him about the mission of this trip.Mosuke stubbornly remained silent. Finally, Maosuke entered Qingzhou City. Military Supervisor Ii Naomasa and Honda Tadakatsu immediately called him to the government affairs room and asked in a low voice: "What kind of message?" Facing Ieyasu's agent, Maosuke told the whole story. When the two military inspectors learned about it, they were shocked. "Mosuke, this is extremely dangerous! This is the current situation!" The military inspector detailed the movements of the daimyos, and earnestly explained: "This letter from the lord will actually delay things." "Therefore, it should be communicated as such." Ii slightly distorted Ieyasu's oral letter, so that Mosuke could remember exactly what he said. The content is as follows: "At present, my (Ieyasu) occasionally suffers from a cold and cannot leave Edo. He will recover in a few days. Once he recovers, I will go out as soon as possible. Together with the ministers, we will defeat the enemy in an instant." "Just convey it like this! In the future, blame it, and we two will cut seppuku." When Ii said this, Mosuke could not resist, and he bowed his head and agreed to do so. "Repeat it and see." "Then, let me say it again." Mosuke spoke the new message, surprisingly fluently. The two military inspectors were relieved.The two accompanied Mosuke to the hall packed with daimyo.As Ieyasu's envoy, Mosuke sat in front of all the daimyos. "Mosuke, tell me." Ii Naomasa said. Mosuke straightened his knees, straightened his back, coughed, and spoke loudly. (what!) Ii Naomasa was horrified.Just now he taught Mosuke how to speak so earnestly, but what he said now was the exact words that Ieyasu told him in Edo. "According to this, the inner government can't come, right?" "yes." Mosuke nodded, expressionless. The daimyos were disappointed, especially Masanori Fukushima, who asked bitterly: "Is that all the content of the inner government's message?" Mosuke shook his head and replied, "There are more." "In short, everyone sees the enemy in front of their eyes and does not fight a single battle. If you stay for a long time without fighting, I can hardly tell whether you are an enemy or a friend. You should attack the other side of the river as soon as possible and show me a battle. Then, I will Depart from Edo." Maosuke repeated the original words. The two military supervisors were sweating profusely, and their hearts almost stopped beating in horror.Then something unexpected happened.It is Masanori Fukushima. Zheng Zheng suddenly changed, and he leaned forward happily, opened the folding fan, fanned Mosuke's forehead exaggeratedly, and shouted: "well said!" This ferocious martial artist was driven by the excitement of rushing to the battlefield and slapping his saddle just by this incitement, and said: "What the Neifu said is absolutely true! Take action immediately and report victory to Edo as soon as possible!" Hearing this remark, the generals responded with cheers.They are forced to respond.Same as the situation at the Xiaoshan military meeting, Zheng Zheng was once again led away by the nose.