Chapter 13 Chapter Thirteen

The cherry trees in the courtyard are covered with heavy flowers.Time flies like a river, and now it is the sixth spring after the death of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. On this day, two rare guests came to Mrs. Dian's place.One is Mrs. Kyogoku, who was Hideyoshi's concubine like her, and the other is Imai Sokaoru, a famous tea ceremony master. Mrs. Yodo knew that since Taiko passed away, Imai Sokaoru had been in close contact with Tokugawa Ieyasu.She asked him to wait in another room to see Mrs. Jingji first.Mrs. Kyogoku looks a little older than the last time I saw her.She has given up her obsession with love between men and women. Once her heart dies, her skin seems to dry up.But when she sat opposite Mrs. Yodo, she seemed to be particularly nostalgic for the past, from Yoshino tour, Daigo flower viewing, to the fate of all old acquaintances.

"By the way, Mrs. Kaga, who married Wanli Xiaolu as his second wife, seems to be suffering from tuberculosis. It's such a sweet dream." Mrs. Dian hurriedly looked away, but Mrs. Kyogoku didn't notice it, and continued on her own: "Kaga is beautiful. Outstanding, the husband and wife are very harmonious, maybe they have been envied by heaven." "It's so pitiful." Mrs. Yodo sighed, but she was coldly calculating Mrs. Kaga's age in her heart.The misfortune of Mrs. Kaga, who was younger and more beautiful than her, did not make her feel pity.If the Taiko is still there, the enemy standing in front of him may be Kaga.This was the first thing Mrs. Dian thought of.

"Although things are impermanent, Hideyori has grown up." So the topic turned to Hideyori, and then to Faith.At this time, Koide Hidemasa was almost unable to serve the public due to aging, and there were rumors that the old man Kuroda Rusui would also die soon. "I heard that Mr. Rushui believes in foreign religions, and his foreign name seems to be Simon." Taking this sentence as an opportunity, the two gossiped about the baptism names of all the great names after they converted to the Western religion.Kuroda Nagamasa, the son of Rushui, is called Ta Miyang, the deceased Kamo clan is called Ryan, and the also deceased Konishi Xingchang is called Augustine.Also, Mrs. Kyogoku's younger brother, Kyogochi, is called Ahana, and so on.There are still many people who have been baptized, but how many are true believers?

While saying these words, Mrs. Dian suddenly thought of Zong Xun who was still waiting.She is petitioning everywhere for Xiu Lai to repair the Shinri Temple.At first, she wanted to spend the gold left by Hideyoshi, but at some point, she really began to pray: "Please let the Toyotomi clan gain the world again." She heard that Tokugawa had heard about the change in the content of the prayer, and she thought Ask Zong Xun to confirm. Once Mrs. Dian thinks of something, she can blurt out calmly: "I forgot. I still have to see Zong Xun, so let's call it a day." way of speaking.

Mrs. Jingji was surprised, her face almost changed, and Xuan pretended to be something special, and left. "Just thinking about the past, I am a poor old woman who has forgotten the time. Please send my lord my regards." Mrs. Dian didn't get up to see her off either, and another cloud of worry floated in her heart, not only about how Tokugawa would understand her prayer, but also whether the wish would come true.When she mentioned foreign religion just now, she suddenly thought of this. "Call Zong Xun." She ordered the servants. Zong Xun, as always, with a neither humble nor humble smile, bowed his hands on the ground respectfully, "Because Mr. Shang Zongjie is engaged, I went to Edo these days. I have paid a visit to you for a long time, please don't be offended."

"Who is the boss?" "Matsudaira, the sixth son of the general, Mr. Zhonghui." "Oh. I was so careless that I didn't know the general had such a son. How old is he?" "One year older than Shaojun, fourteen." "Engaged to whom?" "Date's eldest daughter Goro Hachime." "You are the matchmaker?" "Yes. The villain is very honored. In fact, when this marriage was proposed, Mr. Shang Zongjie was only seven years old. Now it finally has a result." "Seven years old? So..." Mrs. Dian counted with her fingers.In the year Taige passed away, Jiakang disregarded the ban and married people everywhere. "It's really gratifying. When is the big gift scheduled?"

"Probably in the next year or two. The Date family thinks that this is their patriarch's daughter. First, they will bring her from Edo to Oshu. After visiting the ancestral temple in Sendai, they will bid farewell to their retainers according to the ritual, and then have a big wedding ceremony." "Just to ask, how old is that girl this year?" "eleven." "In two years' time, I will be thirteen." "Yes. If that's the case, she can also be a competent bride. The lady's biological mother is from the famous family of Ozhou, the Tamura family, and she is a descendant of the Fourth General Tamura Mo. She is quite virtuous. The lady is exactly like her mother, she looks very good, and she is a pious foreigner. religious."

"Foreign believers?" Mrs. Dian leaned forward. Mrs. Dian's attitude towards belief has recently undergone a major change.At first, although she knew about the existence of shrines and Buddhist pavilions, she thought it had nothing to do with her and didn't care much.When He Songwan got sick, she was forced to make all kinds of wishes and prayers for him. Only then did she start to care, and she seemed to feel that faith was more effective than medicine.But Tsurumatsu Maru still died young.This was a big blow to her, and she felt a sense of being cheated. From last year to this year, Mrs. Yodo's donations for the renovation of various shrines and temples were only carried out under the persuasion of Katagiri Kamoto and Koide Hidemasa.However, due to repairs and donations, she met many monks and priests.During this period, she vaguely knew the invisible spiritual support of "belief".

The shrines and temples to be repaired are Yokogawa Nakado in Mount Hiei, Koshousha in Jinfengshan in Yamato Yoshino, Zaodo in Yoshino, Uji Bridge Hime Shrine in Ise, and Zhongshan Temple in Settsu. in progress.Mrs. Yodo also plans to repair the south gate of Toji Temple in Kyoto and the dharma hall of Sangkoku Temple.Every time, she would hear about the origin of temples and shrines and various benefits for life.From Yoshino's practitioners, she heard many very effective stories of subjugation.During this period, she unconsciously became interested.Does this work?She had doubts in her heart, but she thought, since she donated, let's make a wish.Therefore, his wish became to pray for the world for Hideyori and curse Ieyasu in every possible way.

It was at this time that the foreign believers caught Mrs. Dian's attention.She has also heard the teachings of foreign religions, but why do those people abandon countless shrines and Buddhist temples, and pray to the gods of foreigners who are completely unfamiliar? Originally, Mrs. Dian wanted to inquire about Edo's views on her praying around after seeing Zong Xun, but when she heard that the wife of Ieyasu's son Kamisousuke Zhonghui who came to visit was actually a believer in a foreign religion, she was greatly moved. interest. "Is the young lady of the Date family a foreigner?" Mrs. Dian asked.

"Yes. I heard that sooner or later he would pay homage to the Virgin Mary. He is a devout believer." "This matter... this matter...does the general know?" "of course I know." "Mr. Imai, I have something to ask you. How do those people who have become believers of foreign religions view our gods and Buddhas? Do they think that no matter how much they pray, it is useless, so they give up?" Seeing Mrs. Dian's eager expression, Zong Xun, a Buddhist believer, was speechless for a moment. "Don't you find it strange? The general seems to believe in the Pure Land sect, but his daughter-in-law who came here is a foreign believer." The most difficult question in the world to answer is what is right or wrong to believe in.What could be more infuriating than this question?What's more, the other party is a paranoid woman and the hostess of Daban City, who speaks in an orderly manner. "This... Madam, instead of asking the villain about this matter, it is better to summon famous monks and wise men. They will definitely give Madam some explanations." "Sir, do you think I'm a girl, so you want to be perfunctory?" "Zong Xun dare not." "All I want to ask is why the general himself believes in Buddhism, but allows his daughter-in-law to believe in God." "I think it's because...the general and the prime minister can pull a boat in their belly. The general believes that all kinds of beliefs purify the soul, so you can do what you want." Mrs. Dian smiled contemptuously: "You are always a person who refuses to tell the truth." "Don't dare." "Hehe. The general sees that marrying Date will benefit a lot, so he doesn't care what Buddha or God he believes in." "The villain is terrified." "You have nothing to be afraid of. In fact, I was also wondering whether I also believe in foreign religions before I mentioned this." "Oh? Madame also believes in foreign religion?" "That's right. The late Lord Tianxia didn't hate foreign religions. He just gave up because he heard that foreign religions allowed only one wife. Later, the reason why those criminals were expelled was because those people sold poor people overseas. Being a slave annoyed him." "The villain has also heard about this matter." "What do you think? The general and the prime minister can hold a boat in his stomach, even if I become a foreign believer, he will have nothing to say?" Zong Xun was at a loss for words for a moment, and after a while, Fang said: "The villain thinks that he will not forcefully interfere..." "Zong Xun, if I become a foreign believer, I will stop repairing all the temple gods." "Ah... yes." "I've heard that foreign believers are like this. I'm thinking, maybe I'm fine too." Confusion appeared on Zong Xun's face, and then disappeared.He has already sensitively sensed that there is something in Mrs. Dian's words. "Hehe. You don't have to make such a weird face. I heard that someone spread rumors everywhere, saying that I donated to the shrine and temple for the sake of Hideyori in an attempt to subdue Edo. If I believe in God wholeheartedly, I won't be suspected. Honestly, what should I do? I want to hear your opinion." Mrs. Dian finally cleverly turned the two questions into one, and smiled at Zong Xun with a relaxed face, but her words were not so serious easy. Zong Xun couldn't help feeling angry, and remained silent. When Zong Xun came here today, he only wanted to say hello and didn't intend to involve any political affairs, but Mrs. Dian had other ideas in mind.She made up her mind, as if she wanted to discuss with others whether she should believe in foreign religions, but in fact, because of Shi Jiakang's suspicion, she stopped all donations for repairs to temples and shrines.Zong Xun couldn't feel the real meaning of faith from it, on the contrary, he felt that she had disgust and doubts about herself.Thinking of this, Zong Xun also wanted to express his views.Of course, if Hideyoshi was alive, Zong Xun would not be like this.If he was misunderstood at that time, he would suffer the same bad luck as Rikyu, but now the Lord of Osaka City has no such strength. "Madam is a good question, but Madam's words seem to be misunderstood." "Misunderstand?" "Madam said... a prayer to subdue Edo?" "Exactly. Didn't the rumors spread in Edo?" "No, the villain has been in Edo for some time, and I haven't heard anyone talk about it. Who told Madam that there was such a rumor? I'm afraid it was deliberately destroying the relationship between Edo and Osaka." Mrs. Dian blinked her eyes for a while, "Really? So, it's something out of nothing?" "This... must be the guess of the person who said that." "Okay, then I can rest assured. He is not worth mentioning." "That's good. As for Madam's conversion to a foreign religion, the villain thinks it's Madam's free will." "Freedom? That is to say, I can do what I want? Are you sure the general won't blame me?" "Ah, how could it be!" Zong Xun immediately interjected, "Anyone who believes in it is afraid that they believe in mistakes, and they don't care about worldly things." "what?" "Whether the general blames you or not is not a problem. Compared with this, the anger of the gods and Buddhas is more worrying. Therefore, if my wife converts to foreign religions, there is no need to worry about the general's thoughts. No matter how angry the general is, as long as the wife believes, God To be able to redeem yourself is the true belief. No one else can interfere with this." Mrs. Dian began to be absent-minded.She didn't want to ask this, she had other purposes, "It's okay if I don't say anything. I'm not that enthusiastic and want to believe in God. However, if I believe in God, the general and Hideyori will always be at peace, right?" Mrs. Yodo Cleverly changed the subject and laughed. Zong Xun did not give in: "The two are not the same thing. In the opinion of villains, belief should not be disturbed by trivial matters." "So, foreign religions don't have that kind of merit?" "Yes. Belief that considers merit and benefit is not true belief. Only by faith can one's heart be clear, and no one can interfere or ask. It's just a personal matter. This state can be called Dharma joy." "Oh. I don't seem to just believe in it." "Forgive me for being blunt, Zong Xun thinks so too." "Sir, you don't seem to be a liar. You went to Edo, what do you think? In your opinion, when Hideyori turns sixteen, will the general return the world to him as promised?" Zong Xun held his breath and stared at Mrs. Dian.She really wanted to ask about this!He was saddened and disgusted by this ignorance.He still clearly remembered how ecstatic Mrs. Yodo was when she heard the words "it has nothing to do with Hideyori and Mrs. Yodo" after the battle of Sekigahara.It's not clear to her that it is a rule in troubled times to drive their mother and son out of Osaka and the deadly wilderness.Her ecstasy is rejoicing for herself, so an emissary should be sent immediately to express her gratitude.Hideyori will hand over the world when she is sixteen years old - even if this is an agreement made by men with the highest credibility, at this time, it has already become a dead letter. In any case, Sancheng sent troops in the name of Hideyori. "Madam, I don't know about this matter. However, after chatting with the general for several nights in a row, the villain can feel the general's mood firsthand." "What mood?" "First, after the age of sixty-three, the general wants to retire." "Sixty-three? Isn't it this year?" "Yes, it is this year, that is to say, next year he will retire. Why did the general say that he will retire after the age of sixty-three, madam, do you know the meaning behind it?" "What does this have to do with me?" "This is the age when Lord Taige passed away." "Under Heaven is sixty-three..." "Miss, have you forgotten? Taige passed away at the age of sixty-three, so the general will retire next year. The hermit has no dust and desires, and he said that he will help the world to create peace as a hermit. It is still an eventful autumn." , so many people said it was too early, but the general replied clearly: "It's not too early, if the successors are not allowed to treat themselves as dead people and get used to governing the world alone, how can the world be governed?"" Zong Xun no longer wants to flatter unrealistically and let Mrs. Dian continue to dream of her spring and autumn dream.He wasn't even afraid of her anger anymore. Previously, as a famous teacher of tea ceremony in Sakai Port, he visited daimyos in various places one by one.People who have little relationship with the Toyotomi family are more or less worried about Ieyasu's leniency: "Osaka may one day become an obstacle to peace." They are a little dissatisfied. Among the daimyos of the West who received the kindness of the Toyotomi family, not one thought that the world would return to Hideyori's hands.All they think about is how to make Toyotomi survive.They were anxious and anxious for this purpose, but they had to watch Ieyasu's face. Kato Kiyomasa, Higo, built a magnificent mansion in Edo, rode around on a horse, with a beautiful beard, showing his majesty to the people of Edo, but he was respectful to Ieyasu.It's all for Toyotomi, who strikes a delicate balance between demonstration and loyalty.At this time, only Mrs. Dian was still daydreaming. Zong Xun said again: "Madam, do you know that after the general is sixty-three years old, he will give up his throne. This determination is unshakable." "Does that mean Hideyori is underage?" "Yes. The general also believes that the world is not peaceful yet, and the lord of the inner court may not be competent." "So, Xiuzhong is the next general?" "Yes." Unknowingly, Zong Xun was driven by a kind of sympathy, and he wanted to change the poor woman's mind, "The villain said two things. There is another one, that is, people don't know what they will do." When will you live?" "I know about this..." "The general realized this truth and decided to retire at the age when Lord Taige died. Maybe he learned this from the late Lord Taige. The life span of a person cannot be predicted, so in the cultivation of successors , must not be taken lightly.” Mrs. Dian's face gradually turned pale, and the corners of her mouth twitched slightly. She stared at Zong Xun without saying a word. "Therefore, the successor must have the ability to command the world. Even if something happens to the general one year later, the succeeding general will still be able to rule the world." "..." "However, the new general has no sons. My wife also knows that A Jiang and his wife have daughters. Therefore, it is unknown who the third generation general is. Another thing the villain wants to say is that the next generation of generals will be Who is still unknown..." "So, so you say, Xiu Lai will become the third generation of Tianxiagong?" Mrs. Dian asked tremblingly. Zong Xun was a little flustered, Mrs. Dian's sad and absurd dream almost involved him too. In fact, Zong Xun believes that as long as Hideyori is capable, as Hideyoshi's eldest daughter and husband-in-law, Ieyasu may consider making him the third generation general.On the way back from Edo, he had been thinking about it.But anyway, these are just imagination.What Zong Xun wants to say is that the third generation of generals has not yet been determined, so Toyotomi should respect himself. This is his advice.Mrs. Ke Dian desperately clung to this remark, which made him feel ashamed and hated. "Madam, the villain has some ideas about the name 'Tianxia Gong'." "Is this name inappropriate?" "It's not a question of whether it's appropriate or not. Madam doesn't seem to know that it's different from Mr. Taige's time." "The Taige is different from the general?" "As the commander-in-chief of the samurai, the general is appointed by the emperor and holds the handle of the world. This began with Lai Chaogong in the Genpei era." Mrs. Dian was a little puzzled and blinked her eyes.But because it was related to the three generations of generals, she didn't intervene. "The cause of the incident was the court administration system in the era of Lai Chaogong's father and grandfather, that is, the abdicated emperor can also handle government affairs." "That was a long time ago." "Yes. The military general was very troubled by the dispute over the administration of the court. The emperor trusted someone yesterday, but he trusts another person today, and every time he would order the trusted person to attack the person who lost the trust. Lai Chaogong's father and grandfather, both He lost his life because of fratricide. In short, because of an order from the emperor, today's favorite will become tomorrow's enemy. As long as the emperor is dissatisfied with his father, he will order his son to conquer him. I had to go too. As a result, the turmoil did not stop. Therefore, Lai Chaogong pacified the world." Mrs. Dian stared sharply at Zong Xun and remained silent. "Ma'am, do you know why Lai Chaogong and his younger brother Genkuro Yoshitsune are at odds?" "It is said that Lai Chaogong is too jealous." "No. Yijinggong led his elder brother's retainers and made great military exploits as an acting official. How can Lai Chaogong have reason to be jealous? Lai Chaogong is fair to Yijing. There is only one thing to keep in mind. This matter is very important, but Yijing Gong Didn't do it." "What is it?" "Even if the emperor wants to praise him and give him an official position, he must not accept it. The warriors in the world are all servants of Lai Chaogong. Therefore, if there is meritorious service that needs to be commended, Lai Chao will ask the emperor instead of directly accepting the award. This point must be observed. be sure……" Mrs. Dian interrupted Zong Xun sharply: "What does this have to do with me?" "It does matter!" Zong Xun also said decisively, "If it doesn't matter, why does the villain bother to bring out these old things? These things are the answer to Madam's question." Mrs. Dian's face was still twitching, she looked away and whispered: "Then you continue." "Yes. Lai Chaogong strictly stipulates that warriors are not allowed to directly accept the official position appointed by the emperor, but Yoshitsune violated the regulations and accepted the appointment of the emperor, and became Zuoweimen's inspector. This is the beginning of the estrangement between the brothers. Lai Chaogong As long as someone accepts favors without permission, the emperor will make enemies for Lai Chaogong and order his enemies to attack him. Yoshitsune, who did not understand his brother's ambition, was severely reprimanded by his brother. Therefore, Yoshitsune resented The elder brother is ruthless and depressed. He received an imperial decree from the emperor to attack Lai Chaogong, and openly made him an enemy of Lai Chaogong. The misery of this pair of brothers has a lot to do with his wife and your lord. Madam must understand that the general is the former Lai Chaogong, and Master Taige is helping the emperor to handle government affairs, the two are completely different." Mrs. Dian seemed to understand a little bit, "You mean, the era of the Lord of the World is different from the current era?" "Yes. Madam also knows that the late Taige was a public minister, and he was the Guanbai Taizheng minister who handled government affairs by the emperor's side. But now the general is serving as the commander-in-chief of the warriors, accepting the appointment of the emperor, and establishing the shogunate." Mrs. Dian was speechless, and said for a long time: "Zong Xun, you mean, this difference is not good for the Toyotomi family?" "It doesn't matter whether it's good or bad. If the head of the Toyotomi family is a military general, he is also under the general's subordinates, and he is the general's retainer." Zong Xun wrote lightly. Mrs. Yodo's expression froze immediately, "What did I hear on this beautiful spring day? Zong Xun, Hideyori is now the Minister of the Interior and a retainer of Edo?" "The two should not be confused." "Then how can I not be a retainer of Edo?" "Leave Osaka, go to the emperor's side, and give up the status of general." Mrs. Dian's tongue was trembling, she was speechless.She also knew that the court officials and ministers were all in vain. Zong Xun suddenly felt that she was going too far, and Xuan gritted her teeth again: she will understand sooner or later.So, a smile appeared on his face, and he took a step forward, "But ma'am, this is just a reason. Perhaps next year, Miss Qianji's father will become a general, and the lord of the inner court will be the general's son-in-law. Therefore, as long as the two sides are harmonious, The Toyotomi clan will prosper forever." Mrs. Dian was already absent-minded, and Zong Xun's words had already become the wind on the distant treetops.How did it become like this?When did this happen?On the fourth day of February last year, Ieyasu came from Fushimi to pay New Year's greetings to Hideyori, but soon he accepted the entrustment of the emperor and became the commander-in-chief of the samurai. Could it be that even Hideyori had to obey his orders?If even Hideyori became retainers, it would be reasonable for Kato, Fukushima, Asano and the others to bow down to Ieyasu no matter how much they did.That's all for Ieyasu, his son Xiuzhong will become a general next year.In this way, the status of Mrs. Dian and A Jiangyu will be completely reversed.To this day, Mrs. Dian thinks that because Qianji is the daughter of her younger sister, she married her as her daughter-in-law.But in this way, people may say that because Xiu Lai is the son of his sister, Ah Jiang and his wife betrothed Qian Ji to him.Isn't this upside down?Zong Xun said that the times have changed, but will there be such a huge change without anyone noticing it?But as Zong Xun said, Ah Jiang and his wife have no son, she can't get angry, she's not that stupid.But what did Ieyasu and Hidetada think? "Perhaps," Zong Xun took advantage of the momentum, "The general wants to see how the world understands the peace he created after he abdicates. At that time, Lai Chao announced to everyone that they must never accept the emperor's bestowal directly, and they must go through the general to receive it." , This is the capital of the Kamakura shogunate. But Yoshitsune thought that this was for all the retainers, and they were brothers, so they didn't take it to heart. This is Zong Xun's understanding." "..." "However, this negligence is very fatal. Mr. Yijing accepted the emperor's conferment without his brother's consent, and the retainers couldn't calm down: Jiulang did not obey the order! If the elder brother just sits idly by because he is a younger brother, they will surely Forced to ask: Is there still justice in the world? As a person who handles major affairs in the world, Lai Chao judged that he could not sit idly by, so he reprimanded Yoshitsune with pain. But the one who was reprimanded did not understand this truth. The brothers fell out because of this, and the swords were turned against each other. Feng Although Chen and Tokugawa are not blood brothers, the late Taiko and General are uncles, Lord Nayan and his wife are sisters, and Lord Neifu and his cousin Miss Qianji have married Qin and Jin. Lai Chao and You Jing are even more intimate, that's the point." Zong Xun was still enthusiastic about explaining, and he didn't seem to give up until Mrs. Dian was persuaded. Zong Xun is not someone who takes other people's misfortunes to heart.Sometimes, he would be a calm bystander, but today he was different from usual.In order to convince Mrs. Yodo, he brought up the old story of the Lai Chaogong brothers, but after talking, he realized that the relationship between this and Edo-Osaka was so similar.He immediately felt great unease.Generals such as Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, and Ieyasu worked hard for peace, and no matter Rikyu, Shoan, Sorori or Zonghisa, they all worked hard for this wish all their lives.If there is another war between Edo and Osaka, not to mention the Osaka built by Mr. Hideyoshi, even Sakai Port and the capital may be turned into scorched earth. "Madam, ordinary people think that changes in the times have nothing to do with their family. Madam can't be like this. Brother Lai Chaogong is a good example. Mrs. Toyotomi should be a role model for everyone. In this way, the Lord of the Inner Palace will definitely get good rewards." "I understand, I understand!" Mrs. Dian had tears in her eyes, "The times have changed... Therefore, Hideyoshi must take the lead in obeying the general. You just say so." "The villain dare not. This is for the peace of the world, for the blessings of the underworld in the Taige, for the adults of the inner palace, for the common people..." Seeing Mrs. Dian crying, Zong Xun was at a loss for a moment.Only then did he discover his heart of stone. "Madam, please forgive me. The villain can't calm down because he thinks about Lai Chaogong's past." "You speak well!" Mrs. Dian no longer concealed her sarcasm, "The situation has changed, and the palace has entrusted the general with full authority over the affairs of the world." "As Ma'am said." "If you want to change this fact, you must launch a war and win it?" "That's the truth." "Okay, I will explain this to Hideyori. Not only Hideyori, but I will also ask Fukushima, Kato, and everyone who still has contacts with us. Tell them that the times have changed. If it is against Toyotomi If you still have a heart of loyalty, you must take the lead in obeying Edo." Such a reasonable lady, why did no one tell her the truth before?Zong Kaoru suddenly wanted to accuse Katagiri and Koide of their negligence. "I see. Will the general retire at the age when the Duke of Tianxia died?" Mrs. Dian murmured. Mrs. Dian is by no means ignorant, Zong Xun thought, the problem is that the people around her lack knowledge and sincerity.In any case, it was indeed too much for a woman to bear such a rare burden.If the cronies around her don't point out or remind her repeatedly, her wavering is inevitable.However, in Zong Xun's view, there is a real lack of such insightful and sincere people in this city. Who can really understand the deep meaning of Taige's last wish? In Sakai Port, Zong Kaoru is the one who can fairly evaluate the ambitions and achievements of the three generations of Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, and Ieyasu.Nobunaga Gongwei is superior to others, Hideyoshi Gong is superior in talent, and Ieyasu Gong's strategy of governing the country makes Zong Xun willing to be heartbroken.But is this peace created by these three people with lofty ideals?No.Nobunaga is good at knowing people, Hideyoshi is good at using people, and Ieyasu is good at both.Because of this, they each have loyal and capable retainers, and they never misjudge the overall situation.But only these can create a peaceful and prosperous world? There is something that has helped their great cause behind the scenes, and thousands of people in the world often don't see it.Needless to say, it is the hope of all living beings and the will of the people.Zong Xun believes that although this kind of power looks small alone, it can be combined into a mighty river that can determine the direction of the world. This stream has been flowing silently in troubled times for more than a hundred years.People in the world have gradually forgotten what peace is, but deep down in their hearts, they yearn for a prosperous world and explore peace from time to time.Therefore, when they feel that there is peace, even if no one encourages it, they will help secretly.Zong Xun wanted Mrs. Dian to understand this. "Ma'am, Zong Xun has one more matter... Please don't blame Zong Xun for talking too much." "Oh, then listen, your words calm me down." "No, this matter may disturb my wife's mind. The villain deeply feels the romantic relationship between my wife's uncle Zong Jiangong and the Taige Lord and General." "Fate?" "Yes. Without these three lords, the world would still be in endless wars, and the people of Li and the common people would still suffer from misery." Mrs. Dian nodded frankly, "Yes, it makes sense." "It's a romantic relationship!" Zong Xun saw that Mrs. Yodo agreed with her statement, and felt that it was time to speak clearly, "If there is no Sangong, first of all, there will be no Osaka Castle. Osaka is still just a small town in front of the Ishiyama Honganji Temple. Surrounded by reeds." "That's right." "Thinking about it this way, I feel that Zong Jiangong is really wise." Seeing that Nobunaga was not Hideyoshi who Zong Xun praised first, Mrs. Dian blinked her eyes in confusion. "Madam, you probably know that the one who thought of building the city in Osaka was Zong Jiangong, and Lord Taige inherited Zong Jiangong's behest." "good." "The villain sometimes thinks, is it possible that Sangong is a god and Buddha who couldn't bear to watch the common people suffer, so he descended to ask people?" "Well, it's a brutal, bloody god and Buddha." "No, no. There has never been a real fight between the three males, and this is a clear proof. Lord Taige and the general have always followed the lead of the male horse before." "That's not bad." "Mr. Zongjian has always regarded the general as his brother from the very beginning. Mr. Zongjian always refers to the general as Sanhe's brother, and the two work together. Mr. Taige also quickly inherited the great cause of Mr. Zongjian." "yes." "The chief magistrate of the Taige sees the friendship between the prince and the general, so even if there is a battle for Xiaomu, he doesn't care about it. He even betrothed his own sister to him, making it a good relationship between Qin and Jin. If the three princes had a bad relationship with each other, how could there be peace now? ? This kind of romance, for Wanmin, the more I think about it, the more fortunate I am." "That's true. If the three are fighting each other, it will definitely be a chaotic world now." "Yes." Zong Xun unconsciously leaned forward.Today, he has lost the prudence that a seasoned master of tea ceremony should have. Successfully inherited the will of the second lord. If this relationship is severed and the two families meet each other in battle, it will incur the curse of the gods and Buddhas and the resentment of the people. The general is fully aware of this worry, and please don't forget it. If this The romantic relationship between God and Buddha turns into a bad relationship, and I always see my lord and Taige lord under the nine springs, and I can't rest in peace." After Zong Xun finished speaking, he began to worry about Mrs. Dian's reaction. Mrs. Dian has a stubborn temper. If she is offended, she will lose her mind.Zong Xun's palms were sweating.Mrs. Kedian showed no sign of anger.She seemed to have forgotten the sarcasm just now, and agreed with what Zong Xun said from the bottom of her heart.Zong Xun felt it was time to say goodbye.He didn't make some flattering remarks as usual.He only believed that if he and Ieyasu fell out, Nobunaga and Hideyoshi would also blame him. "Mrs. Meng is magnanimous, and let the villain say something that shouldn't be said. The villain left." "I'm leaving now? You spoke very well. I have something for you." Mrs. Dian clapped her hands, called the Youjing Bureau, whispered a few words in her ear, and wanted to reward her with clothes. "It's a great honor for the villain, thank you Madam." Zong Xun bowed and thanked, and left. Mrs. Dian stared blankly at the courtyard, not because she was in a bad mood, but because she wanted to preserve the beautiful phantom in her heart completely in her memory. "I'm going to Xiu Lai's place, and Zheng Rongni can follow alone. Now Xiu Lai should finish learning calligraphy." She said, and she was about to stand up, but Xuan changed her mind again, "Let's go and see Chien first." Ji. You don't need to tell her first, she is my niece." After speaking, she covered her mouth and smiled heartily. "Hehe, look at my memory, Ah Qian is no longer a niece, but a daughter-in-law. Haha." "Yes." Zheng Rongni breathed a sigh of relief, lowered his head, "Who else will follow?" "There is no need for those red tapes, just you follow." "Miss must be very happy." "yes." Along the way, Mrs. Dian couldn't help being overjoyed, "Think about it, A Jiang and you don't have a son yet." "Yes, I heard they are all daughters." "Aqian is the eldest daughter, and the eldest daughter is my daughter-in-law." Mrs. Dian was embarrassed to continue.Zheng Rongni knew why she was so happy.She must be thinking that after Ieyasu retires, the next general will be Hidetada, and after Hidetaka, Hideyori.Qian Ji is finally the rope that connects Xiu Zhong and Xiu Lai.This fantasy reminded her of Qian Ji who had long been forgotten. Mrs. Dian walked through the long corridor excitedly and came to Qianji's room.Qianji was sitting opposite Adian, a virgin girl she had brought from Edo, playing Shuangliu.When the maids saw Mrs. Dian coming, they panicked.It is natural to be flustered without notification before coming.One maid hurriedly bowed on the ground and saluted, while the other ran into the house. "No need. Look...you can see Aqian from here, pure and calm, without fear, so cute." But the maids didn't understand Mrs. Yodo's words literally.Mrs. Dian is well known for being picky and sarcastic.A maid said: "Young lady please come out to greet me right away." "No need. I just want to see Ah Qian." At this time, a nun ran over in a hurry, fell on the ground, and tremblingly said some welcome speeches.Mrs. Dian felt nothing unusual.It's because of me that she's so scared—— she thought as she walked into the house.But after walking in, she realized that Qian Ji and Ah Dian were no longer in the original place. "Hey, where's the lady?" "Meet there." Mrs. Dian was taken aback.Outside the partition where she had just stood, Qianji and Ah Dian were kneeling side by side, with their hands on the ground. "Oh, Aqian." Mrs. Dian frowned—it was obvious that she didn't need to look outside like this.Even though she came here out of concern, these servants still did not give up their cold vigilance.Thinking of this, she became emotional, walked over, bent down, and supported Qianji, "Okay, Aqian, it's my child now, so there's no need to come here to greet her. Why don't you continue playing Shuangliu?" "Can we keep playing?" "Oh, of course. Take Ah Dian to play there." The two children secretly looked at each other, nodded, and sat aside.It was obvious that they were taken by surprise. "What did you say to Miss? Did you say that I have strict etiquette?" Mrs. Dian would say whatever came to her mind, which was a habit she had developed during Taige's lifetime. Hearing this, Mammy became even more frightened, "No, absolutely nothing." "Then why was Miss so worried just now, she was still playing carefree just now." "This... Regarding this matter, the servant wants to explain to Madam, please move Madam." 淀夫人完全没有了心情——要离得千姬远远的，这不是担心她吓坏千姬吗？ "Go ahead." “奴婢也是今日才知道荣局已有身孕的事。” “你说什么？身孕？”淀夫人急道，“你说荣局？她……” 嬷嬷怨恨地看着淀夫人，并不作答——分明为此事而来，却这样明知故问，夫人到底想做甚？ “你怎不说话？荣局怎的了？” “是……有身孕了。” “和谁？在这屋子里做了什么见不得人的勾当？” 嬷嬷皱眉摇头道：“不是在这里。” “那，莫非和本城的年轻武士？” “是在本城，可非当差的武士。”嬷嬷尽量冷静。她以为淀夫人乃是故意将责任推给年轻的武士，顿时心生反感。 “难道是出入的商家，或者是巡视的……” 嬷嬷一脸严肃，示意其他侍女退下。在众人面前，她无论如何也难对淀夫人直言。众人退下之后，她道：“奴婢想，夫人已决定如何处置了。请问夫人，当如何处置荣局？” “你在说什么？快说出那人来？眼中竟没有我了，说不定我会将两人同时斩首！” “同时斩首？” “是。是谁？说！” “夫人，您这话可重了。奴婢深知荣局的为人和性情，夫人要是随便找个人，硬说他是偷情之人，将他和荣局一起斩首，那荣局实在太可怜了。” “我随便找个人？” “是。夫人，不管怎么说，荣局乃是被人所强。” “被人所强？” “是。她时常蒙少君召见。但少君还小，谁也未想到竟会出达等事。” 淀夫人惊讶地半张着嘴，茫然若失。 嬷嬷这才明白淀夫人真不知此事。早知如此，还不如不说。可秀赖却跟荣局说，他已告诉淀夫人了。 “我又亏欠了阿江与了。”半晌，淀夫人小声道，眼圈通红。 此后，正当她一边想着如何与江户那边说，一边为了封住悠悠众口而烦躁不安时，八月初，却收到了江户来函。 庆长九年七月十七，阿江与夫人终于生下了一个众所期盼的男婴。这是一封充满喜悦的报喜函，此男便是日后的德川家光。