Chapter 25 Chapter 25: A bosom friend

Takechiyo, the son of Tokugawa Hidetada, paid homage to Sannosha in Edo for the first time on the eighth day of the winter month in the ninth year of Keicho. At this time, three months had passed since the grand Toyokuni Festival was held in the capital. Sannosha, which was built under the presidency of Ota Dokan during the Ming Dynasty, was designated as the production and soil shrine of Edo Castle.The company is located in the shell mound area outside the Hanzomon Gate. Saito Fukuko, who was renamed the Kasuga Bureau, held the young Takechiyo, accompanied by Aoyama Tadatoshi, Naito Kiyoji, Mizuno Shigehisa, Kawamura Shigehisa, Okusa Koji, and Naito Masashige Next, I visited Sannosha.When he came back, he made a detour to stop at the mansion of Aoyama Hitachisuke Tadasei for a while.The purpose of this visit is to tell the daimyo and the world that there are people following Edo.

Afterwards was the third anniversary of Tokugawa Ieyasu's birth mother Dentsuin, and the ceremony was very grand.Although Edo cannot be compared with Kyoto, but as the residence of the great general who conquered barbarians, it has been expanded since last year, and its scale is comparable to that of Osaka.Todo Takatora was responsible for the construction of the castle, and it was determined that Sannosha was the Uzudo Shrine based on the suggestion of Kitain Tenkai, Kawagoe, Wuzhou. Ieyasu has roughly completed everything he should do as a general.After the new year is the tenth year of Qingchang. At this time, Ieyasu was sixty-four years old.

Ieyasu never forgot that one is mortal.He firmly believes that if he doesn't understand this truth and how to deal with the aftermath, he will be condemned by God. The new year will be ushered in three days, and Edo Honjo is busy with end-of-year cleaning.So Ieyasu hid in Hakushuin in Xiyuan, drinking tea with Amami and Todo Takatora who came from Kawagoe. Xiyuan has just been completed, and it is still exuding a fragrance of materials, and it is very elegantly built. "Although this year has been busy, it has been very rewarding. I feel relieved that I will live in Xiyuan in the cloudy year." Ieyasu looked up at the seagulls flying by in the blue sky through the window.

This scene is not common in winter.Tianhai then asked: "So, is the general going to use this place as a hermitage?" "Exactly. Todo Takatora built such a magnificent house for me. It is indeed a pity to use it as a secluded place." "My lord, still want to insist on retiring?" "Exactly. When Taige passed away, I swore that I would lay the foundation of peace before the age of Lord Taige. I spent seven years until this Fengguo Festival, and finally achieved a little success. This is all It's God's help. If you don't retreat quickly and make some plans for the things behind you..."

Before Ieyasu could finish speaking, Tianhai glanced at Takatora Fujido, and said, "Sado Mamoru also had the same idea. I think that my lord's plan was a year too early." Ieyasu smiled lightly, "Oh, why? I think it's not wrong for a person to make plans early if he knows he will die soon." "Yes, the world has been settled, and the people live and work in peace. But it has only been four years since the Battle of Sekigahara, and the defeated people still have delusions in their hearts, and they are still ready to move. It has only been two years since your lord was appointed a general. Freezing three feet is not a day's cold what."

"It seems that the master has not understood what I mean. I decided to retire a year earlier just to let those people get rid of their delusions and pay homage to the undead who died in the war." Ieyasu finished speaking, drank the tea in the bowl, and continued Said, "Taige is a year late. To this day, Master Taige seems to be still warning in my ears: Inner Palace, don't be too late, never be too late! If Taige decided to withdraw from Korea a year earlier If you reward the soldiers at the Daigo Flower Appreciation Party held in the spring of the year he passed away, then the situation will be completely different from now."

"That's right." Todo Takatora interjected, "If Taiko withdrew from Goryeo a year earlier, the dispute between Ishida and the seven generals would not have happened." "Exactly." Ieyasu put down his tea bowl as if nothing had happened, and continued, "It was Taiko's carelessness that led to the subsequent Sekigahara Battle. I must learn this lesson, and I will go to Beijing to face the saint in spring and resign as a general." Tianhai clicked his tongue and said, "I'm not completely ignorant of the great efforts of the General. But compared with the General, there is a big difference between the Great Nayan and the General."

"I know. But I can't ignore my age." "My lord general, if there is a good name who thinks about it the other way around, what should I do?" "in turn?" "They also think that people are mortal, and the general cannot live forever. The lord will leave this world sooner or later, so let's bear with it for a while. Before, he tried to curry favor and win favor, but once the lord dies, he will stir up trouble. If someone like this If you think about it, that's the root of the disaster." "Yes." Fujido Takatora echoed.When there are differences of opinion, San Gaohu will definitely agree with both parties before expressing his own views.Because he knows that after acknowledging that the previous statements are all reasonable, and then put forward new opinions, the weight will increase a lot. "That's right, that would actually encourage some people's ambitions." Gao Hu looked sideways at Jiakang.

But Jiakang didn't pay attention to Gao Hu, and still smiled, relying on his support, he said: "Master, do you want me to wait another year?" "Exactly. Just one year." "So, what am I doing this year?" "Adults can add the finishing touch." "How can I draw this pair of dragon eyes?" "It's really cruel to do this, but this old monk suggests that your lord should get rid of a few rude names who don't understand the New Deal." Master Tianhai said without changing his expression, "General, it seems that you have not fully understood the teachings of Buddhism. Doing good is the heart of the Buddha, and eliminating evil It is also the Buddha's heart. If you want to truly consolidate peace, you must wipe out those who are difficult to tame and fear that the world will not be chaotic. Only with such courage and compassion can you truly consolidate peace. Your Excellency, you need to think twice."

Fujido Takahu blinked vigorously, on this point, he agreed with Tianhai. Ieyasu let out a long sigh, "So, good governance sometimes requires killing?" "Exactly. It is a last resort to use evil to control evil." "Hehe." Ieyasu suddenly laughed in a low voice, "Tokugawa Ieyasu has also thought about these things, and he has already thought about them carefully." "Oh?" Ieyasu nodded briskly, "They haven't surfaced yet, and Ieyasu doesn't need to take action. This is my top priority." "Oh." "Nowadays, there are not a few people who don't like peace and are discouraged because of it. Before, everyone could betray their father, kill their brothers, and become famous with a spear in their hands. But I ended all this. I am afraid that there are too many restless people. For them, I have to explain patiently and tell them that they are wrong. This is my responsibility. No matter what others say, I believe the Buddha will agree with me. Master, you should also understand this. I will retire in the next spring, but I am not escaping. On the contrary, I am advancing by retreating. I know the fate and take the initiative to retire. No matter what the intentions of those people are, as long as their ambitions have not been exposed, I will not do it. But If someone shows his ambition, Xiuzhong will easily rise up and punish him, and he doesn't need to leave it to me. This is more beneficial than holding on to the position of general all the time, what does the master say?" Jiakang said with a smile.

Not knowing what Tianhai was thinking of, he burst out laughing, completely ignoring the reserve that a monk should have. "Master, what are you laughing at?" Ieyasu didn't blame Tianhai for his rudeness, but calmly said, "Is there something wrong with Ieyasu's thinking?" "No, no, there's nothing wrong with it." After laughing loudly, Tianhai straightened his cassock and said, "It's not the general who laughs at me, but the monk who laughs at himself. After such careful consideration, the poor monk will never Add more obstructions. The general's thinking is much more thoughtful than the poor monk's." Ieyasu changed the subject: "It is said in the world that Taiko and I are not of the same mind in the end. No matter in Edo or in Osaka Castle, many people think so." "Hey. A sparrow knows the ambition of a great swan. If you are not a hero, how can you understand what a hero thinks?" "At the beginning, I was also wary of the late Taiko, fearing that he would tarnish Nobunaga's behest, so I secretly sent Ishikawa Shusho to Taiko to check Taiko's integrity. However, Taiko But it’s not what I imagined.” Tianhai seemed to think of something, "Then Ishikawa Hoki kept his numbers, what happened afterwards?" Fujido Takatora smiled and replied for Ieyasu: "Later, he died twice." "Oh? One person died twice?" "Exactly. In the last years of Wenlu, he saw that the world had fallen into the hands of Lord General, and he died once in the capital. In the eighth year of Qingchang, when he saw that Lord General was truly exercising the power of the world, he died again in Shenzhi City." Tian Hai stared at the two of them intently, as if he had finally figured it out, "So that's it, that's it, no wonder I died twice." However, it is said that Ishikawa Shuzheng was awarded the 100,000 koku of Fukashi Castle in Shinshu. On the surface, he was tempted by Hideyoshi, betrayed Ieyasu, abandoned the post of Okazaki Jojo, and voted for Hideyoshi.But Sanhe Samurai didn't understand the inside story, just thought that he really betrayed Tokugawa, and hated him to the bone.Therefore, after Jiakang won the world, in August of the third year of Wenlu, he had his coffin carried out from the mansion in the capital.It was probably a decision made after discussing with Ieyasu.His position was inherited by his son Kang Chang, and his territory remained intact.The second death, I'm afraid it will be the real end of his life. Ieyasu began to recall Hideyoshi: "Taiko is a rare hero in this world. He is born with outstanding talents, and I am far behind... He has a cheerful temperament and open-mindedness. He is worthy of being called the Son of the Sun." Hearing Ieyasu's praise of Hideyoshi, Todo Takako eyes showed doubts.Although he used to be Hideyoshi's vassal, he admired Ieyasu more than Hideyoshi, and because of this, he was reused. At this time, it was natural that he could not agree with Ieyasu's words, "Yes, Taiko-sama is very popular and easy to get close to. But his words and deeds always feel a little flippant and bravado, which is his shortcoming." "No. Behind the bluff and big talk, he is actually introspecting seriously like a child. This is the reason why he can carry forward Nobunaga's legacy." "My lord general is always so humble." "No, I'm telling the truth. In order for me to go to Osaka Castle to meet Taiko, who is famous for his filial piety, he even took his mother as a hostage. If he didn't have a mind and ambition like heaven and earth, he would never be able to do it." "In return, the general is also as big as Haichuan. After the Sekigahara battle, you did not pursue the crimes of Mrs. Yodo and Hideyori." "Gao Hu, they are just orphans and widows, and they know nothing about war. When it comes to repaying the Taige's kindness, it will be later." "Interesting!" Tian Hai leaned forward suddenly and said, "The poor monk also wants to hear about it. What is the general going to do with Toyotomi's orphan?" "When I come to Beijing to face Sheng in the coming spring, I plan to settle everything and pave a way for him." "Pave a road?" "That's right. I plan to ask Hideyoshi to be the Minister of the Right before handing over the position of general to Hideyoshi." "Oh. Mr. Xiuzhong is still just Quan Da Nayan, even if he becomes a general, he is only a minister of the interior." "After Xiu Lai Jin became the Minister of the Right, wait for the imperial edict to confer Xiu Zhong as a general, and then invite Xiu Lai to Beijing." "Oh, so, the two of you can go to Beijing to meet Saint Xie En together, can't you?" "Exactly. Master really has insight. After that, patiently explain to Xiu Lai, let him understand how honorable the right minister is to him at the age of thirteen." "I understand. That is to say, Tokugawa is the leader of the samurai family, and the Toyotomi family is the head of the ministers. The general wants to use the two families to work together to ensure the peace of the world." Ieyasu smiled calmly, "Master thinks there is something wrong with Ieyasu's idea?" "No, in this way, the Toyotomi family will be with the royal family and will never be shaken." Tianhai patted his knees excitedly with admiration on his face, "But, why did your lord call Hideyori to the capital? This is the crux of the fear." "Oh?" "This is not an issue of official position, but a major event that attracts the attention of the world. No matter what Zensheng said, let him greet the new general. In this way, those thugs who hope for chaos in the world should also understand." "Let Hideyori bow to Hidetada?" About this point, Ieyasu hadn't thought about it yet.He has two ways to call Xiu Lai to the capital: one is to pass him to Beijing through Gaotaiyuan.In the genealogy, Hideyori is the son of Kodaiin.Mrs. Dian has always been only a side room, and the weight of Gaotaiyuan is much heavier than Mrs. Dian's.If the mother said that she wanted to see the son she hadn't seen for a long time, Xiu Lai naturally had no reason to refuse to go to Beijing.Second, Ieyasu personally asked him to go to Beijing.Hideyori has always referred to Ieyasu as "Edo's grandfather" and Ieyasu's position is higher than Hideyori's, so Ieyasu said he wanted to meet Hideyori, and Hideyori should not refuse in order to respect the elders.But Tianhai said that he took the opportunity to order him to go to Beijing to meet the new general Xiuzhong, which is worrying. "Is it necessary, Master?" "To make it clear to the world that times have changed." "Okay. I will make plans for these things after I go to Beijing. Oh, yes, in this way, Taige should rest in peace." Ieyasu smiled and said. Tianhai smiled ambiguously, and said: "The Taige will surely be able to rest in peace. But those desperadoes will say that the general has cleverly deceived the world." "They always think that way." "Those people are not generals. They will only stare at the passing of the position of general to Mr. Xiuzhong, and they will not pay attention to why Xiuyao was promoted to the right minister." "It's really regrettable. I was thinking of Hideyori. When I accepted the post of General Zhengyi, I tried my best to decline the right minister. Although I didn't get permission at that time, but later I specifically asked the emperor to remove the right minister. It's all for Shurai, can't they see this?" "Excuse me, poor monk, they will only interpret this as the general's intention to deceive Osaka through this matter. They only have such a vision." "Hey, the right minister is the last official position of Lord Nobunaga, and it is also the official position that Tokugawa Ieyasu got when he was sixty-two years old and became a general. Even if this honorary position is given to a thirteen-year-old child, is it treacherous?" "It's all because the troubled times have just ended. Therefore, when it's time to act, they must act, otherwise, they will take the New Deal even less seriously. Buddhism has strict precepts, and precepts must not be confused with ruthlessness." "It makes sense." "My lord general, since I want to retire, there is another important matter that I must ask you." Tian Hai's eyes were piercing. "Important matter?" Jiakang coughed and said, "Jiakang thought he was safe, but there is still a major event?" "Yes. If after the general retires, a group of troublemakers guard the city of Daban and attack the capital, how should we deal with it?" "What a challenge to the capital! At that time, I will immediately send Jing Yi to suppress it. Therefore, I arranged Jing Yi there, and at the same time, I also ordered some bannermen to garrison. Is this not enough?" "Everything is just in case." "Oh?" "If those rioters guarding the city of Daban see through your lord's defenses, and at the same time raise their troops to rebel, and at the same time take the emperor from the palace to Daban, what will the general do?" "Take the emperor to command the princes?" "Yes. If this is not the case, there is no legitimate reason and status. Holding the emperor hostage and pretending to be a holy order, in this way, Jing Yi and the general will all bear the name of thief." Ieyasu chuckled.But he couldn't just laugh at what Tianhai said. "When Yuanping was fighting before, Lai Chaogong was most worried about this." "Exactly. But what Lai Chaogong is worried about is only the emperor's change of mind, but what the general should be vigilant about is completely different from that at that time." "What should I be wary of?" "After the troubled times, the minds of people who are accustomed to committing crimes have undergone tremendous changes, and their views on the royal family have changed greatly." "yes." "Therefore, once they hijack the emperor and raise their troops to rebel, they will become a group of lawless demons. I really don't know what they will do. If the imperial line is cut off, the general will be hated by the world forever." Ieyasu closed his eyes.The only person in the world who can say such bold words is Tianhai.Ieyasu wanted to blame him and gag him, but his words were not unreasonable. Now the head of the Jingyi family is Zhixiao, the son of Naomasa, and the emperor's heart is not inferior to his father in the slightest.But before he heard the news and rushed to the palace, the troublemakers would have kidnapped the emperor... "If those people think that as long as they hold the Son of Heaven hostage, they will be in an advantage, whether it is against you or against the next generation of generals, so what? Don't you think this is the seed that will cause chaos in the world?" Tian Hai still had no idea. No scruples, "This matter is not the same as Ishida holding Hideyori hostage and raising troops to rebel. This may lead to chaos in Japan." "Master's words are unpleasant." Ieyasu closed his eyes and sighed, "Master is saying that Jing Yi alone is not enough to be on guard. You should carefully remove the seeds that may cause chaos in the world, right?" "Exactly." Tianhai replied loudly, "It is extremely stupid to blame the thieves for visiting before the door is closed." "I made Hideyoshi a minister just to close the door." "My lord wants him to stay in Osaka City forever?" "No." "Probably so. If Hideyori is allowed to stay in Osaka Castle, he will definitely be targeted by those with ulterior motives. Those ignorant people will definitely think that Toyotomi Hideyori is an excellent backer by coercing the emperor to raise troops." "Oh?" "The general should also pay attention to this matter. Then where do you plan to arrange Hideyori?" "If you are far away from the capital, you will not be able to fulfill the responsibility of defending the imperial family. Therefore, it is very good to arrange him in Yamato, so I have never handed over Nara to others, but arranged for Okubo Chang'an to be a deputy official there, which is also for Hideyori..." "My lord general, if you have thought of these things, you should make a more direct decision." "Oh?" "Quickly take control of Daban City, and then invite a first-rank prince to live in Edo. The foolish monk thought that it would not be too late to retire after my lord settled the matter." "A first-rank prince please?" "yes." "No. Never do such a thing. If someone says that Tokugawa Ieyasu is taking hostages in the name of donating the prince's mansion..." "Master General!" "Absolutely not! That is asking for hostages from the court! The world will definitely say that Tokugawa Ieyasu is a vicious traitor. Master, once you lose the hearts of the people, all previous efforts will be wasted. Don't mention this matter again." Tianhai laughed loudly, "Hahaha, since that's the case, the monk won't say anything. I thought that the general is not an ordinary person." "What does Master mean?" "Being a general who conquers barbarians, I cherish my reputation and care about the world's comments. If this is the case, the New Deal that your lord has worked so hard to implement will be meaningless. I won't say these words a second time." Ieyasu stared at Tianhai with wide eyes, and remained motionless, his plump forehead twitching violently. Fujido Gaohu couldn't stand it anymore, and quickly interjected: "It seems to be snowing, and the seagulls outside are constantly chirping..." Takahu Fujido failed to stop Ieyasu, and Ieyasu said angrily, "You monk, you want to make me angry!" "Old Man was very surprised. What good is it to provoke the adults to be angry? Even if the adults are angry, the monk is not afraid. If you keep silent because of this, you will be sorry for the love the general has for the old monk. It is for this reason that the old monk wants to talk endlessly." .” "Oh." Ieyasu murmured.In today's world, there is no one else who can say such words in front of him except Tianhai.He knew that he should be modest, but the more he thought about it, the angrier he became.Tianhai understood Jiakang's thoughts very well, and looked out the door leisurely, full of confidence. "Monk, you mean, even if the world thinks I'm taking hostages, it's still the same?" "Things are not as simple as adults imagine." "But to ask the first-rank prince to go to the Guandong, people's words are awesome." "Forgive me for speaking bluntly, I just wanted to find out if the general has such intentions." "Master, I was afraid of leaving stains that could not be washed off, so I said that." "I naturally thought of it. Your Excellency General wants to use Confucianism and Taoism to educate the people and transform the world into saints. If you think so, you are violating the precepts of greed in Buddhism." "Yes. Everyone has shortcomings that cannot be overcome. With the pure land as the mind and the sage as the standard, even if 10% of the learning is 10%, it is fine. If not, the world will degenerate into a field of Shura. I believe , the knowledge and Buddhist teachings in this world are all for the purpose of bringing the human world as close as possible to the Buddha’s land, and have no other purpose other than that.” "I also think so. Human beings were originally created by gods and Buddhas, so even if they degenerate into evil ghosts and rakshasas for a while, they should be restored to human bodies as soon as possible. In order to prevent people from forgetting this, God lowered the royal family who were originally gods to In this world, there is Japan. Therefore, in order to preserve the royal blood, these considerations do not go against the general's painstaking efforts." Tianhai looked at Fujido Gaohu, and said, "The general got angry at me before I finished speaking. Hey, The general is really in a hurry." Ieyasu closed his eyes and said nothing, he calmed down. "My lord general." Tianhai lowered his voice, "My lord general knows the people of the world. If you pay too much attention to your will, some people will become unruly monsters, and your lord general will also be eaten. If your lord general is eaten, you will not be able to give back to future generations." Build the foundation of peace. Therefore, please ask the general to invite a first-rank prince to go to the east of the Kanto to build a solid rock to prevent the imperial line from being cut off." "..." "Even if someone says it is a hostage, my lord must not care about it. You can investigate whether there is such a case. From Hakone to the east, there is a shrine. Please invite the prince to come here. I have two or three strategies, please be sure to settle this matter." Come down. Build the prince's residence in Edo and protect it strictly." "Oh." "This is just in case. In addition, if you know that the general has such intentions, those who plan to rebel in the west will give up their thoughts. Disposing of a lock at the key point is the way to save the thieves." Ieyasu remained silent.But Tianhai knew that his words had already moved Jiayasu.He continued to chatter: "One cannot be without giri, but one cannot be swayed by giri. Similarly, one cannot be without ambition, but if one's ambition is too far away from the world, one will achieve nothing. A saint like General, must not rush to retire. Of course, General My lord is not trying to escape, but I want to train the person who will take on this important task as soon as possible. When coming to Beijing in the coming spring, needless to say, your lord general's team, even Mr. Xiuzhong's team will be extremely luxurious and mighty, with only 20,000 to 30,000 people Not enough. It is necessary to make all the sentient beings who see the team dare not look up to them. Without such a large and powerful team, some people will definitely have a different heart. After arriving in the capital, Master Quan Da Nayan used the excuse of seeing his son-in-law, Recruit Xiu Lai to Beijing. At this time, the adults explained to the two in detail that the post of general will be passed on to Mr. Xiuzhong, and the post of right minister will be given to Xiu Lai. Then, please invite a first-rank prince to go to the Guandong. Your Excellency can bury his head from now on As for the affairs after retirement, go to the ocean with peace of mind..." Ieyasu just listened carefully, still not saying a word. "People like Mr. General are also concerned about clear discussions. If they miss the opportunity, they will definitely become the laughing stock of future generations." Tianhai became more impassioned, "Isn't it? My lord thinks, when the Taige passed away, who did he rely on? It's you, my lord. He often said, except you, my lord, there is no one worthy of entrustment. Anyone with a little knowledge understands this matter. But what else is your lord general worried about?" Ieyasu was like a rock, silent. "If your lord is concerned about Taige, then nothing will insult or demean him more than this." "Belittle the Taige?" "Exactly. When Taige was dying, although he was a little confused, his grandeur and open-mindedness can be said to be unique in the world. Taige is a hero from ancient times to the present. I can't repay the kindness of knowing you, and I'm afraid it will hurt Taige's reputation. The world will think that Taige is just a short-sighted person, and maybe even Ishida's riots were instigated by Taige's undead..." "Wait! You monk, why do you mention Taige so often here?" "Alas. The Taige believes that the general is the best candidate to rule the world. Only when the lord is worthy of this kind of trust can he conform to the old saying that a hero knows a hero. This is what this old monk means." "Then, Taiko's legacy... Taiko's legacy..." "It's definitely not a humble ambition that orphans and widows can bear." Tianhai took over the conversation and said. "You mean, if you care too much about the world's opinions, it will tarnish the Taige instead?" "Exactly." Tianhai knocked on the tatami, and said, "These concerns of my lord will only encourage the ambitions of those who try to use Hideyori to rebel. My lord will send troops to quell the chaos one day. But at that time, sending troops, People in the world can't understand the true meaning of Lord General." "Why is that?" "People would think that it was Toyotomi Tokugawa's contest for the world. The Taiko became a lowly man who cared only about his own children and grandchildren and forgot his ambition, and the general became an ordinary general who brutally killed Toyotomi's orphans in order to realize his ambition. My lord If you think this is okay, then you might as well stick to the original plan.” Ieyasu's forehead burst out again, but it disappeared quickly, replaced by a sigh, "Alas! Master, everything you said makes sense." "Although it is reasonable, adults cannot accept it due to emotion." "That's right. However, Ieyasu didn't disapprove of what the master just said. I will try my best to repay Taiko's kindness. Alas, please forgive me, master." Ieyasu's face became very ugly, and he seemed to be about to cry...