Chapter 28 Chapter Twenty-Eight

Tokugawa Ieyasu left Kitain and returned to Kawagoe Castle overnight. When he set off the next day, Yagyu Munemo noticed that Ieyasu's face had changed a lot. At this time, the lord of Kawagoe Castle was Sakai Sanuki Shou Tadakatsu, who was later replaced by Matsudaira Izu Shouxin Tsuna, the important minister of the third shogun Iemitsu.From the perspective of terrain, this is the key point for the defense of Edo City's periphery.When setting off, Ieyasu half-jokingly said to Zhongsheng: "Only victory, just like your name, should be nothing to worry about." Then he got into the sedan chair and left.

The smile on Jia Kanggong's face immediately illuminated Zongju's heart.Before that, Ieyasu always seemed to have a pimple in his heart, with a gloomy expression.But since leaving Kawagoe City, he suddenly became brighter.Jiakang has changed too much. Yesterday he looked gloomy, but today the sun is shining brightly. Is it just because Tianhai agreed to invite a prince to come down? Ieyasu's physical exhaustion has not been eliminated, and it is still getting worse day by day.But now, there was no trace of melancholy in his eyes, they were as bright as a child's eyes.Zongju later found out that at this time, Ieyasu was not only relieved because of asking Tianhai, but more importantly, he had achieved his hunting goal at this time.Sunshine came into the heart of Ieyasu, who was suffering so much, and he had a great understanding.

In the evening of the same day, the party arrived at Ninja City.When Ieyasu stepped out of the sedan chair, Zongju seemed to really feel a ray of sunshine shining on his body.Ninja Castle used to be the castle where the fourth son of Ieyasu and Hidetada's brother Matsudaira Tadaki lived.Zhongji was later transferred to Owari Qingzhou, and died of illness in the 12th year of Qingchang, only 28 years old. "Mataemon, look, this boy Tadakishi is welcoming me at the gate of the castle." Hearing what Jiayasu said, Zong Ju hurriedly looked around, how could the dead come out to greet him?After a long time, Zong Ju realized that Jia Kanggong's eyes were as clear as water, allowing him to see the underworld.

There is currently no lord of the castle, and Abe Bungo Mamoru serves as the castle representative. Ieyasu smiled and called out Naotaka Ii, who came with him, and said, "Naotaka, I asked you a question in Kawasaki, do you have the answer?" With a bitter expression on his face, Jing Yizhi knelt down in front of Ieyasu and said loudly, "Please forgive me, my lord!" "Forgive?" Ieyasu asked slowly, his eyes still as clear as a spring. "My lord, forgive me!" Jingyi Naotaka repeated, tears streaming down his face, "Naotaka is incompetent. Naotaka has been thinking about it, but he can't find a solution to both."

"Oh?" "Please forgive me for being stupid, I don't know how to apologize to my lord in the next moment, I would like to take the blame and retire..." "Wait, Naotaka!" "grown ups……" "You've matured and spoke well." "what?" "In troubled times, military commanders are taboo to say discouraged words, and momentum is the most important thing. But now, it is not enough to rely on bold words, the most important thing is to be on guard. Strong words without confidence are just empty words. You speak very well, very well After finishing his speech, Jiakang took out a piece of paper that he had prepared a long time ago from his pocket, and said with a smile, "In order to commend your courage that lacks a confidant, I will seal you 50,000 shi. Accept it."

Ii Naotaka raised his head in surprise, tears were still on his bearded face, "This..." "Don't worry. I decided to place a son near Jizhou to help you defend the capital. Therefore, you have to remember: no matter what happens, you must swear to defend the capital. With this determination, you can think of a way. This Fifty thousand stones are for you." Naotaka looked at Ieyasu blankly, after a while, he understood what Ieyasu meant, and suddenly trembled all over. Munemo Yagyu was no longer surprised. This was exactly the gist of the new Yin stream created by his father Shi Zhousai, and Ieyasu used this gist to govern the world.He seemed to see his father somewhere, smiling and nodding.

At this moment, the general and his party also arrived.After the father and son had hunted together in Iwaki, Koshigaya and Konosu, Hidetada returned to Edo from Konosu, but Ieyasu seemed to have no intention of returning.After parting from the general, he rushed to Koshigaya again, then from Kasai to Chiba in Shimoso, and finally to Higashigane Honzenji Temple, where he stayed overnight. When Ieyasu was hunting, he mainly gave some instructions on the reclamation of wasteland and the construction of water conservancy.On the sixteenth day of the winter month, he once again called Hidetada, who had returned to Edo, to Shimoso Funabashi. The two hunted together and arrived at Doi Toshikatsu's home castle in Sakura.

The father and son arrived at Sakura Castle and had a secret talk with the city lord Toshikatsu Doi.At this time, Liu Sheng Zong Mo was protecting the three of them. It was now the end of the winter month, and around Ieyasu there were three stoves and four candlesticks burning. "I've decided to go hunting in Funabashi and Kasai for the next two or three days, and then return to Edo on the 27th," said Ieyasu. "What your lord ordered before..." Doi Toshikatsu's words were a little inexplicable.He seemed to have received some orders in private, and he wanted to settle it after Liebi.Zong Ju was confused at first.

"Mataemon, you should sit by the stove too." Ieyasu said, "Edo's defense is fully guaranteed, so you can go back to Sumfu for the New Year without worry." Xiuzhong still sat beside him solemnly.Doi Toshikatsu looked back at Zongju and sighed softly. "Oyaku seems to be still worried. The rumors in Edo are really raging this time." "Rumors from Edo?" "It's about Date. But Date doesn't dare to act rashly. There is no news about Hasekura, and Katakura Ketsuna has passed away again. He, I should give him a hand. Mataemon, how about this?"

Zong Mo waited for Ieyasu's next words.Ieyasu seems to mean that Date Masamune has put away his betrayal.But how can I easily trust Ida? Ieyasu didn't seem to notice Zongju's worry, and continued: "I wrote a letter to Date. Tell him that he should be invited to go on this hunt." "Hunting with Date?" "I said in the letter: This trip is to strengthen Edo's defenses, and I want to hear what he thinks so as to correct the shortcomings. It's a pity that he has to temporarily return to Katakura because of his illness. I heard the film Cang has passed away, please give me condolences..."

Zong Mo looked at Ieyasu in surprise.Masamune suddenly returned to the collar, and Ieyasu explained that he had returned urgently to visit Katakura Ketsuna, and found a step for him.But can Masamune readily accept this kindness?He might say, "This old fox is playing tricks again." Just as Zong Mo was thinking about it, Ieyasu said another unbelievable thing. "I asked someone to apologize to the wife of the general manager, saying that Zhonghui Inuzi was stupid and wronged the lady. I am really sorry. However, for the sake of the friendship between the two families, I decided to marry one of the general's daughters to Date Zhongzong .This is all for the stability of the world, please be sure to agree." After Ieyasu finished speaking calmly, he glanced at Toshikatsu Doi, "Although Dashou is against it, what is it worth in exchange for peace?" Zong Ju secretly raised his eyes to look at Li Sheng.Doi Toshikatsu seemed to be opposed to this approach, but Ieyasu's openness was enough to suppress his narrowness. Date Masamune was on guard against Toyotomi Hideyoshi, but Hideyoshi almost ordered him to change his territory.It was under Ieyasu's efforts that Masamune was able to stay in Mutsu, and that's why he has the power he has today.Now Ieyasu is trying to free Masamune from the world's hatred for him. "Mataemon," Ieyasu's expression was still as calm as water, and he turned his gaze to Munemo, "The art of war and the way of being a human being are the same thing, right?" "yes." "After I returned to Edo, I wanted to gather everyone together and tell everyone: In case something happens in the world, Fujido and Izumimori will be in the vanguard, Iisa will follow closely behind, and Hori Naoyori will go straight in the middle." "Todo is the pioneer?" "Then, I told Masamune that he must never leave the general's side. What's the idea, tell me?" Zong Ju said: "I dare not judge rashly." "Zhengzong is a rare general. As long as he guards the general with one eye, who in the world would dare to act rashly? That's fine, don't worry." Zong Mo thought that Ieyasu would talk about Zhonghui next, and his heart beat faster.But Ieyasu never exported. On the second day, Ieyasu continued to enjoy the field hunting with a rare cheerful mood. From Dongjin to Funabashi on the 25th, and to Wujiakasai on the 26th.When meeting people on the way, Ieyasu would chat with them easily, ask about the harvest in the field, and confirm whether the previously promulgated tax system of four lords and six people has been implemented. "How about the annual tax? Is it light or heavy?" The newly reclaimed land is exempted from the seven-year annual tax, and the next three years are three public and seven people.If the barren land is reclaimed into fertile fields within seven years, and the four publics and six peoples are implemented, the people of the world will have no food to worry about. "Treat the farmers well. Only when the farmers work hard, the world will not suffer from hunger." Ieyasu preached to his servants whenever he had the opportunity, "Why is the world suffering? Farmers suffer the most. They have nothing to gain, but there is no war. , They will not die in the war. Because of this, warriors should always think about the suffering of the people, and frugality should be the first priority, not extravagance." Ieyasu returned to Edo Castle on the 27th, and spent six days with Takechiyo in Xien.This was the last time Iemitsu, the third general, saw his grandfather, but he always stared at Ieyasu dreamily.In the eyes of this sensitive young man, the grandfather at this time is a giant tree shining in the sun.It was precisely because of this that he later ordered people to draw more than ten portraits of Ieyasu and built the extremely gorgeous Nikko Toshogu Palace.This is for a later story, not a table. On the fourth day of the twelfth lunar month, Ieyasu left Edo when he saw that Date Masamune was unable to raise his troops. Yagyu Zongju was ordered by General Xiuzhong to escort Ieyasu back to Junfu.Hidetada Xu knew that Zongju had been ordered by Ieyasu to serve as Takechiyo's master, so he deliberately arranged him by Ieyasu's side. On the way back to Junfu, Ieyasu was still quite happy, like a fish swimming in the sun, but his physical fatigue could no longer be concealed, and this trip made him extremely tired. Ieyasu seemed to feel it himself.He stopped and rested in Inage, Central Plains, and Odawara along the way.When he arrived at Mishima, he said that he would build a hermitage at the former site of Quantou City, eight miles southwest of this place.The former site of Quantou Castle is next to Qingshui Pond in the north of Tangting, and a separate garden is built here facing the hill of the Odawara Hojo family. It must be a scenic spot. "Mataemon, come and see, as a hermitage, there is nothing better than this place in the world." When heading to Edo, Ieyasu inspected the terrain along the way in the name of hunting.On the way back, he was thinking about where to choose as a hermit.Zongju chatted with Jiakang while following the sedan chair on foot. It would be fine if it was March in Yangchun, but now it is the middle of the twelfth lunar month, the cold wind is relentlessly blowing in, and the clear water pool is surrounded by a lonely barren grassland. At the foot of a small hill, Ieyasu ordered someone to live in a sedan chair and spread a blanket under the shade of a day lily, and said, "Mataemon, come and sit here." "yes." "Hunting with me this time, how do you feel? Do you think the people are happy?" "Yes. Compared with the troubled times..." "I won't be killed by someone... just for this, is it Fuze?" Zong Ju didn't answer.Human happiness cannot be perceived just by comparing it with the tragic past. "Oh. If you can't answer, you don't need to answer." Jiakang listened to the howling cold wind, narrowed his eyes, and said, "If the lord is not kind and doesn't obey the rules..." "Oh?" "I'm talking about the year's endowment. Suppose they wantonly plunder the people and implement evil policies..." "Oh……" "Who should the people complain to at that time? If you complain to the lord's retainers, no matter what you say, they will ignore you." "yes." "Mataemon!" "exist." "I want to solve these problems. If the peasants start a riot, the lord has enough power to suppress it. But at this time, force is no longer needed for defense, but is done by villains who bully the people." Zong Ju was shocked when he heard this, "Yes. This is a big violation of the warrior's way." "The people must be taken care of. The lord implements bad governance, and the people can directly sue the general. Only in this way, the daimyo will not dare to do anything arbitrarily." Ieyasu curled up in the cold wind, but his eyes were like torches. Yagyu Somo didn't quite understand Ieyasu's words.The root of government lies in compassion, which is the heart of Buddhism. If you are separated from compassion, you are not worthy of being in power.Moreover, warriors are the sons of the Buddha, and the people are also the sons of the Buddha. They should all be illuminated by the light of compassion, and there should be no injustice.Zongji often hears Ieyasu talking about these things. He understands Ieyasu's thoughts, but how to judge a criterion to distinguish good governance from bad governance? "Your Excellency, you mean that when the lord bullies the people, the people can directly complain to the general, right?" "If this is not the case, there is no way to prevent the lord from doing evil." "Does your excellency mean that the general may also support the farmer?" "Exactly. Some of the so-called riots were for no reason, and some were caused by the lord's bad government." Speaking of this, Ieyasu seemed to think of something again, and asked a question that surprised Zongji. "Do you know why the ancients divided Yifan into 360 pings?" "I don't know. However, since the late Taige measured the land in the world, it was changed to 300 pings, and it is still used today." "Exactly. Taige doesn't know the meaning of the reverse. He is buried in the war all day long, and has no time to study allusions. The reverse must be 360 ​​pings." "Oh?" "There is a saying that the harvest of one ping land is the food for one person for one day. There are three hundred and sixty days in a year. Therefore, on the other hand, it is three hundred and sixty ping. On the other hand, the harvest of cultivated land depends on farming. The one-year ration of the son of the Buddha who lives. Everything started because of this, but Taige changed it to 300 pings because of the good measurement of 300. However, the current farming is much better than before. If you work hard Farming can make up the difference between the internal and the internal, and there is no need to pursue the right and wrong of the Taige." "yes." "However, we must not forget that when we are born in this world, we must cultivate a ping of land a day in order to survive. This is the equal compassion bestowed by the Buddha to all living beings in the world. Once we are born in this world, we can survive. This is Gods and Buddhas care for all living beings. God’s merciful hand will reach out to everyone, so that everyone can survive. If you forget this will, you will not be worthy of being in power.” The cold wind howled across the water, causing ripples and feathery snowflakes in the sky.Zong Ju held his breath, looked at Duke Jia Kang whose face was reddened by the cold wind, and thought in his heart: What would Duke Jia Kang want to build a secluded place here to enjoy his old age in peace? "The people have worked hard to get some harvest from the land. Therefore, they must not take more than four points of it. Six points of the harvest are the salaries the people get from farming the land. If they don't give six points to them, the gods and Buddhas will be destroyed." It will be furious. A samurai is not good for farming, and if four points are not enough for defense, the samurai will only become a useless weapon." At this moment, Yagyu Munemo felt as if he was being illuminated by a strong ray of Buddha light.He even had an illusion: the dead branches trembling in the cold wind suddenly sprouted leaves and blossomed, and the scene in front of him was early summer... "Therefore, the lord must abide by the rules of the four lords and the six people, otherwise, he must be punished." Jiakang said with a smile, "If there is an accident, there is a disaster, or even a sudden mutiny, the lord must explain the situation: only then can he be exempted from punishment .If not, the people may rise up." "When the people rise up, it will inevitably lead to riots." "Although direct lawsuits are allowed, this is after all a rebellion against the lord. Therefore, the daimyo will be debarred because of being sued, and the person who litigates will be punished. Judgment of all matters is not child's play." "Yes, there used to be monks from Mt. Hiei and violent monks from Nandu urging the people to report the past." "I've decided, I've decided, Mataemon." "what?" "I want to formulate a law of direct litigation. The name of the defendant will be unsealed, and the leader of the lawsuit will also be nailed." "Crucification?" "It is basically compassion, so that the evil government can be effectively controlled. I can tell from your face that you have no objection. Well, let's go back." "The building of the hermitage?" "It's okay to talk about it later. I've been looking for a safe place for myself when I return from Shangluo in the next spring. I found it! It's too cold, let's go back. The scenery in this area is really good. If you only think about the royal family and forget Wanmin, it's like there are mountains in this beautiful scenery, but there is no water. Only when the green mountains are always there and the green water is flowing, is the real peace. If you have the opportunity, tell Takechiyo these words." Ieyasu and his party stayed at Zentokuji Temple in Seko that night. On the sixteenth day of the twelfth lunar month in the first year of Yuanhe, Iekang returned to Junfu, and the sound of the New Year could be faintly heard. At this time, Hakura Tsunaga and his party headed for Europa under the secret order of Date Masamune, from Rome via Citafe, arrived at Frosa, and then headed towards the port of Livorno. Philip would not send reinforcements, and news would not come back to Japan.After Shangshou Zhonghui was imprisoned in Fukaya Castle and Date's important minister Katakura Ketsuna died, Date Masamune read the letter written by Ieyasu in Sendai Castle, and the blood of rebellion that flowed on his body gradually cooled... Ieyasu and Lieutenant General Lai Xuan who came to welcome his son Yuanjiang entered Junfu City together, and met Doi Toshikatsu who came later.Doi Toshikatsu reported, and Date Masamune sent a letter back to the general with a serious matter. Ieyasu just said "hmm" and didn't care.