Chapter 23 Chapter Twenty-Three

On the eighth day of September in the first year of Yuanhe, two envoys from Edo arrived in Junfu successively. One of them was Munemo Yagyu, who was not sent by the general, but invited by Ieyasu.Ieyasu wanted to inquire about news from all over the world through his disciples all over the world, soliciting opinions on the issue of martial arts in the Taiping era. The arrival of another person was something Ieyasu never expected.This person is Mizuno Tadamoto, the leader of the general's servant boy. On the surface, he came here to report to Ieyasu the military exploits made by the Banner soldiers in the First Battle of Osaka, so as to consider the rewards.Zhongyuan saw Honda Zhengchun first, led by Zhengchun to Jiakang's room, and then asked Jiakang to screen everyone present.If it wasn't for General Xiuzhong's secret mission, he would not ask others to avoid him, even the important ministers of the Junfu would avoid him. Naturally, one can imagine the importance of the matter.Knowing this, Jiakang frowned and said, "What's the trouble?"

Zhong Yuan seemed more nervous than usual, "This is about August 28th." "August twenty-eighth, isn't it ten days ago?" "My lord, just ten days ago, Date Masamune, who was originally in Edo, suddenly disappeared." "Zhongyuan, don't speak so strangely. Date Masamune is gone? Didn't it mean that he was killed?" "He originally said that he wanted to rebuild the mansion, and invited the general to enjoy the ape music in his mansion, but he suddenly returned to the collar." "Then why don't you say that he returned to the collar and that he disappeared?"

"The reason why I said he disappeared is because he told his subordinates to go hunting the night before, but he changed his mind on the way to the hunting ground and returned directly to the collar." "On the hunt?" "He said that there is not much prey in the hunting ground, it is better to be in the collar, so he went back cursing." "Is this said by someone who stayed in Edo?" "Exactly." "On the second day after he left, did the general know about it?" "No, that evening." "Huh? Since that's the case, I'm afraid I'm really angry because I haven't hunted anything. Don't worry."

"However, it is said that Date was responsible for Mr. Shangzhongsuke's return of the territory. Therefore, there were rumors that Date was very annoyed that Mr. Shangzhongsuke and his wife separated, so he discussed with Mr. Shangzhongsuke to prepare Raise troops to rebel." Ieyasu gave a wry smile, and fell into deep thought with a serious face. "Regarding this matter, the General's subordinates have two opinions." Mizuno Tadamoto spoke carefully, for fear that Ieyasu would blame him for making a fuss. "One of them is tougher, thinking that this is contempt for the shogunate and must be punished. The other is But I think there is no need to worry, as long as the original plan is followed, and Mr. Shang Zongjie is punished first, the matter will resolve itself."

But Ieyasu still frowned, staring closely at the flower mirror on the table. "My lord general said, Ida is your long-standing friend, my lord, and I dare not presume to make my own claims, so I sent you here to report, please give me your orders." Ieyasu didn't know what he thought of, and he smiled wryly again, "It's really embarrassing, the general was overwhelmed by Masamune's aura, this won't work, this won't work." "My lord, do you mean that at this time the majesty of the shogunate should be displayed?" "No. I mean, what's the use of blaming the other party, regardless of the person? Did Date say that he would take back the wife of the chief executive?"

"He didn't say much about it, so he hurried back to the collar." "It must be that the general's tone is not serious, and he still needs to practice." "yes." "All the evils in the world, and the disputes in the world, mostly arise from misunderstandings." "My lord means..." "I recommended him to the imperial court, and I also bestowed on his concubine Xiuzong's character and the island's one hundred thousand stone. This is my compensation to him. These compensations can also fully show that I have no hostility before letting him take back the chief executive Wife." Ieyasu said, "How about this, just say that I hope Date will bring back the wife of the chief executive, and at the same time, I want to marry one of the daughters of the Tokugawa family to Date's direct son Zhongzong, so as to continue the good relationship between the two in-laws. If so Say it, and the other party won't be annoyed."

"My lord, you mean the general's daughter?" "It's okay to adopt a daughter, the important thing is to ensure the peace of the world." Ieyasu said with a gloomy face, "Okay, I will think of a way, you go back and rest first." He sent Zhongyuan away, and immediately called into another room. The one person who was waiting to meet was Yagyu Somo. "Mataemon, have you heard about Date?" "In Edo, the rumors are widely known, and some even say that there will be war." "What do you say?" "I think that although Ida has always been frivolous, this time she really went too far."

"He is frivolous? There are words that make the false come true. How do you think we should deal with it? Should we strike him with a sword, or stab him in the eye?" "Of course it's eye contact." "Oh. Because he didn't put the sword in his eyes, is he so frivolous and defiant?" "My lord, frivolity and drunken madness, are they the same thing or different?" "Your question is so weird. You mean, Date Masamune is just frivolous, and he didn't go crazy with alcohol?" "Yes. He's never going to get drunk. He's methodical and knows what he's doing."

Ieyasu gritted his teeth and let out a wry smile, "Mataemon, you have grown a lot since the first battle in Osaka. You still have no intention of accepting the title of general?" "Yes. If it weren't for that, I would be ridiculed by Toyomasa Okuhara, who disappeared the day Osaka fell." "You are not afraid of Okuhara's ridicule, but what you are afraid of is your father's eyes." "It's also one of the reasons." "It's really enviable. Shi Zhouzhai has a good son." "Don't dare. My late father knew about it underground, and I'm sure to be relieved to hear what your lord said."

"I asked you to come here for no other reason. I don't have many days to live, and I want to go to Kyoto again next spring." "To Kyoto?" "Yeah, it might be the last time. It's the third time I've come to Beijing with this idea in mind." "What's the matter here, my lord?" "I came to Beijing this time to bring the future general Takechiyo to the palace to face the saint." Ieyasu continued with a rare self-mockery on his face, "It really makes you laugh. I originally thought that when a person reaches a certain age, he will Nothing to worry about."

Yagyu Somo was taken aback, and listened carefully to what Ieyasu said. "However, things are not as I imagined." "Oh." "The older a person is, the more worried he becomes. He clearly sees that his life is coming to an end, but he is still confused and distressed by the world all day long, and he can't rest assured. Maemon, I haven't 'enlightened' yet, I am a hopeless person. The dull man of medicine." "I'm ashamed, I can't even understand what your lord said." "I've thought about it, and I can't get confused. I want to clearly establish Takechiyo as the third-generation family governor of Tokugawa. What do you think of my thoughts? My current thoughts are like walking in a house of fire. Missing ship." "House of fire? Leaked boat?" Yagyu Somomo heard Ieyasu's emotion for the first time.Everyone wants peace of mind, but the world is changing all the time, how can people always "peace of mind"?Living between heaven and earth, one cannot feel at ease.Somo, who had already begun to think about these issues, was even more shocked by Ieyasu's words. Jia Kang said again: "At first, I thought that I had thought enough about my children and grandchildren. General, Shang Zongjie, Yi Zhi, Lai Xuan... I thought that if the youngest son was entrusted to Mito this time, the children's affairs would not be necessary. I don't worry anymore. But in fact, the matter is not over yet, and I'm worried about Takechiyo again." "This is also human nature, and it is the same in the art of war." "That's why I have something to ask you. You are still young, can you teach Takechiyo the art of war, and come to Beijing with us in the next spring." Zong Ju didn't say a word, just looked at Ieyasu silently. "Master can't last one generation, so you just agree. The world is full of desires, confusion and restlessness have become a bottomless pit, and I'm getting deeper and deeper. You just agree." "This……" "If the general has the general's master, and Takechiyo has the master of Takechiyo, there will be a gap between the father and the son, which will create antagonism, and deeper discord will also arise. The general and I seldom argue because the general is young. There was Ah Ai from time to time, and Ah Ai conveyed my aspirations to Xiuzhong. And when I became an adult, Hidetaka had Honda Shoshin by his side, and I conveyed my aspirations to him accurately. But even so, the general would sometimes blow my mind. " "..." "I will die soon. When I leave, no one will be able to communicate with the general and Takechiyo. Therefore, I am restless all day long, like living in a fire house or on a leaky boat. What, would you like it?" Yagyu Munemo couldn't help feeling hot, tears blurred his eyes.He understood that this is not the old people's unreasonable worries, this is the real care and prudence.Zong Ju was very moved for a moment, and said passionately: "My lord is too serious, I don't think so..." "You agreed?" Ieyasu heaved a sigh of relief, and his tone eased, "Then I have one more question to ask you, do you think the general will use the knife against the chief executive?" He immediately turned the topic to Zhonghui. "I am worried every day, and I am worried every night. When a general governs the world, if there is civil strife at home, what is there to talk about peace in the world?" Ieyasu said softly, "Whether fighting or harmony can bring prosperity to the world, even a three-year-old child We all know. But even so, if you don’t pay attention, disputes will arise. This is the way in this world. I want to eliminate the possibility of disputes between the general and the chief executive. When people are old, they will always be overwhelmed, but I think Listen to what you mean. Do you think it is appropriate for me to hand over the matter of punishing the chief executive to the general?" "This..." Yagyu Somo hesitated, and began to think: Ieyasu had another meaning, it seemed that he simply ignored Zhonghui and subdued Masamune in one fell swoop.This goes back to the question just now—should I strike at the head and control it with force, or should I aim the knife at the opponent's eyes first and win with ingenuity? Zong Ju groaned for a moment, settled his mind, and said, "I would venture to ask, what kind of opponent does Your Excellency think Yi Da is when the general and Yi Da fight hand-to-hand?" "When fighting hand to hand?" "Forgive me for taking the liberty." "It should be a terrible opponent." Ieyasu said, "You also said that Masamune is not that frivolous. He seems to want to fight me alone, but in fact there are already reinforcements around him. He is such a person." "yes." "Therefore, don't take it lightly." "I also think so, but I would like to take the liberty of asking my lord to imagine a situation where the general confronts Date alone." "Oh?" "It's possible that Date has planted ambushes in all directions. If that's the case, the general should take some countermeasures." "Yes, I will help the general." Zong Ju saw that Jiakang should be straightforward, and said with a smile: "My lord, you have always done this. It's just that what your lord is helping now is not just the general, but every daimyo and common people who yearn for peace. This is what your lord is doing. great achievements." "Oh! I understand, I understand, Maetemon." Ieyasu said with tears in his eyes, "You think the reason I'm anxious is because I want to help too many people, don't you?" "My lord, if you don't do this, you won't feel at ease. You are anxious about the world's urgent needs. It is because you care about the common people blindly, so in the eyes of outsiders, you are as safe as a mountain." "To move means not to move?" Zong Ju gave a salute and said, "As for the punishment of Mr. Shang Zongjie, please help the general." Ieyasu suddenly felt that Yagyu Zongju seemed to be here under the order of the general, but it didn't matter, Zongji's words were reasonable, as long as he acted according to reason.Indeed, Masamune still acted in the way of troubled times in the Taiping era, but the general, adhering to Ieyasu's ambition, was bent on consolidating peace.There are differences between the two.But the general is not helpless against Masamune, it's just that if he uses his power and strength easily and raises his troops to conquer, the war will resume.The Tokugawa father and son founded the shogunate for the sake of peace in the world. If there is another war in the world, it will be their defeat.Therefore, even if he wanted to help Xiuzhong, he would not be able to reproduce Zhan Luan. "I understand what you mean." Ieyasu said, "But I don't know what Masamune thought, why did he put on a aggressive and provocative attitude?" "This..." Zong Ju said with a smile, "In terms of the art of war, it's called throwing stones to ask the way." "He wants to test the general?" "Yes. He wants to test not only the general, but also you, the general's assistant. If Ida can't see the power of your father and son together, it will be difficult for him to change his mind. This is also a mystery bureau." "That's right." Ieyasu nodded vigorously, greatly admiring: Mataemon, you are mature, no less than Nafu Ishishusai. "Masamune wanted to test whether the shogunate had the strength to make him give up the war, so he deliberately asked the chief executive to go back to the collar, and he also left. What do you think?" "Oh." "I'm afraid he will be disappointed. But he is also a hero in his life. If he sees that others are prepared and his own strength is not enough, he will be convinced and retreat to the collar." "So, Masamune has no intention of fighting?" "He is not a dull person, and he will not provoke a war that has no chance of winning. Besides, he has a film warehouse beside him..." "So, the general doesn't want to raise troops, it's enough to make Date feel at ease." "No!" Zong Ju unexpectedly emphasized, "If Date doesn't let Date know that he can't compete with the shogunate, he will become a tiger with claws and claws." He widened his eyes and said decisively. "Well, why don't tigers eat meat?" Seeing Zongju looking at him like that, Ieyasu smiled, "Although he has no will to fight, he also has no heart to submit. In this world of peace, this tiger can't find its prey, so it can't eat meat." Be furious." "Master's lesson." Zong Ju's eyes eased, and he smiled, "But, is he going to become a tame tiger in this peaceful world, or is he still going to be a man-eating tiger walking in the wild? We are all waiting to see how the general raises his whip." "Haha, Zongji, let me ask you again, if the tiger were allowed to stay in the forest, the general would have died...Of course, I would have passed away by then, and the only one alive would be the new general Takechiyo who worshiped you as his teacher .” "This……" "Think about it, what methods will you teach Takechiyo to deal with that tiger?" "Your Excellency will really have problems." Zong Ju looked excited.He thought about it seriously, and then said: "At that time, call the old tiger and all the beasts in the forest to the general, and ask the general to order..." "What are you going to say?" "Everyone, many of you have gone through the troubled times with my grandfather and father. You are friends of my grandfather and father." "yes." "Therefore, out of friendship, grandfather and father will be polite to you, but I am different. Don't forget that I was born to be the general who conquers barbarians." "Oh." "If anyone dares to disobey and provoke Taiping, I will never forgive you lightly, please remember." Ieyasu couldn't help chuckling, and said: "Yes, in Takechiyo's generation, everyone is born to be a general's retainer..." "At this time, there is no need to start a war, and there is no need to kill each other. If there is a dispute, it can be resolved with an order from the general. Only in this way can the tiger realize that the sharpness of the claws and the sharpness of the teeth are meaningless." "Okay! I asked a silly question. The matter must not be leaked." "I understand." "Go down and rest. I have to think hard about how to help the general." "Please don't draw your sword, don't shed blood." "Are you trying to say that if you wield your weapon lightly, you will fail?" "I dare not." "Okay, I got it. I'll leave it to you to go to Beijing next spring and Takechiyo." After saying that, Ieyasu took off the dagger he was wearing, put it in front of Zong Mo, and said, "Here, this is what Bizen Kanemitsu ordered." system." "Thank you, sir!" Zong Ju was extremely grateful...