Chapter 3 Chapter Three

Toyotomi Hideyoshi arrived in Osaka Castle in early September of the second year of Wenlu.On both sides of the familiar Oyodo River, the reeds and miscanthus ears are beginning to turn white, and the people of Osaka, whose life is getting better and better, rush out to greet them first, and the joyful atmosphere is almost frenzied.Hideyoshi pretended to be very happy, making people think that he was happy for the truce and the birth of his son, but this was not the case in his heart. Regarding the peace talks, the envoys of the Ming Dynasty had indeed returned from Nagoya with Hideyoshi's seven conditions.Japan also sent Ruan, the father of President Xiaonishi, to Daming Beijing to inquire about Shen Weijing's whereabouts. However, they finally found that the situation was not as optimistic as imagined—both sides were playing tricks.

Both Emperor Ming and Hideyoshi felt a sense of victory before agreeing to make peace temporarily.The seven conditions put forward by Hideyoshi are nonsense at all, and once they are rejected, Hideyoshi, who has vowed never to back down half a step out of face, will raise troops again and use force to increase the bargaining chip in the negotiation.Therefore, while Hideyoshi ordered Asano Nagamasa to secretly improve the ships and raise food and salaries, he secretly ordered to strengthen the supervision of the officers and soldiers in court and severely punish deserters; he also ordered Tachibana Muneshige and others to strengthen their combat readiness and be ready to go to war no matter how the negotiations progressed.After everything was arranged, he set off from Nagoya and returned to Beijing as if nothing had happened on August 25th. Terasawa officially stayed at Nagoya Castle, and the North Korean side temporarily entrusted Daisuke of the Maori Civil Affairs Department in Tsushima to be in charge.

As for the peace negotiation, Hideyoshi was always concerned about it, and he didn't dare to be sloppy at all, and the same was true for the birth of his beloved son.When his son was just born, he was ecstatic, but the haze gradually emerged in his heart.Thinking of Hideji, Hideyoshi felt extremely unhappy: Why can't he trust an uncle like me?If Xiuci could listen to his words and be more self-respecting, all the resentment between nephew and uncle would have vanished.But contrary to expectations, Hideyoshi's ears were filled with deteriorating rumors—people not only ridiculed Hideyoshi for killing a living Guanbai, but even said that in order to fight against Hideyoshi, he conspired to rebel and kept buying daimyo in private.

"Is there really such a stupid person in the world? It may be that his inappropriate behavior has caused others to misunderstand. In front of me, he is as docile as a cat." Whenever Sancheng, Changsheng and others spread rumors, Hideyoshi always He waved his hand and showed a wry smile. But when he arrived in Osaka, not only did Hideji not come out to greet him, he was not even in the capital, but went back to Qingzhou to recuperate due to illness, and only his important ministers came to welcome him instead.Hideyoshi was so shocked that he was speechless for a while.Even if Hidetoshi doesn't go to Osaka to greet him personally, it would be fine if he goes to the Hyogo area, and then the father and son return to Osaka together, which can eliminate the rumors in the world. Affection far away.

Not long after, Hideyoshi entered Osaka Castle, finished dealing with external affairs early, and hurried into the inner court.He originally planned to ask Chacha to bring Ashi back from Xiyuan as soon as he entered the city, and then have a face-to-face talk with Xiuci and the others, but this dream full of family happiness was ruthlessly shattered by Xiuci.Hideyoshi knew very well that it would be even more painful if Hideyoshi just hugged Ah Shi and kissed him endlessly as soon as he came back. Although he was very annoyed in his heart, he didn't want to show it. This is Hideyoshi.The war is unfavorable, and family affairs are troublesome. Once ridiculed by the world, it is a big joke.Fortunately, there is Ning Ning, who can vent endless troubles to her heart's content, Hideyoshi thought as he walked into the room of Beizheng Office.

"Congratulations, my lord, on your triumphant return." Facing the Beizhengsuo who bowed to the ground, Hideyoshi clicked his tongue and said, "Is there anything worth celebrating? It's just occupying the four provinces of North Korea and then making peace." "No, you didn't even cross the sea, and you took North Korea into your pocket, isn't that enough?" "Forget it, how can women understand Toyotomi Hideyoshi's lofty ambitions. The peace talks have not yet been settled." "Then, let's invite Mrs. Nishimaru and Master Oshi first..."

"Master Ashi? Ningning, who gave you permission to be so polite to a hairy kid?" "Hehe, otherwise, what should I call it? This makes the concubine difficult." "What's the problem?" "You don't always have to talk about a hairy child. Who in the world would dare to call an adult's son by his first name?" "You can't call him by his first name... Do you think the child will grow up smoothly?" "Where are you talking?" "Don't talk about it. I came back today, but Guan Bai didn't greet me. I heard that I went back to Qingzhou for recuperation. Since I was seriously ill, why didn't you let me know in advance? You are used to Ashi and Xiuci. How are you like Taige?" It's better to shave your hair and become a nun!"

The Beizheng Institute was reprimanded for no reason.Regarding the fact that she didn't know that Hideyoshi returned to Qingzhou, she thought that Hideyoshi would complain at most, but unexpectedly he had such strange remarks, and even made use of the topic. "Why didn't you talk anymore? When Xiuci went back, didn't he discuss it with you?" "My lord, you have gone too far." "I'm too much? It's you who I see too much." "No, even if something goes wrong, don't yell. Otherwise, people will joke that Taige is old and overwhelmed."

"Presumptuous! As soon as I came back, you confronted me." "But you yelled as soon as you got home. You haven't completely handed over the military and political power to Guan Bai, and you are still a member of the world. If you yell like this, aren't you afraid of losing face?" Being robbed by Ningning, Hideyoshi was very depressed.Even if Xiuci was wrong, it wasn't Ningning's fault, he knew this, but he had nowhere to vent his anger.After a cold pause, Hideyoshi said again: "Ning Ning, could it be that Hideji's fault is caused by me alone?"

"Of course, you don't realize it?" "You are such an amazing woman." Hideyoshi's eyes widened in surprise.He thought Ning Ning would answer: neither his fault nor Hideyoshi's fault.But she didn't shy away from saying it so bluntly. "Okay, then I want to hear, how did I make Xiuci make a mistake?" "The military and political power is still in your hands, yet you actually asked the imperial court to seal a young man as Guan Bai." "what?" "Aren't you the one who decided that Xiuci should be the heir of Toyotomi, and asked the court to make him Guanbai? Isn't Xiuci begging you for nothing, right?"

"Is such a thing possible?" "Yes, therefore, the fault lies with the adults themselves." "Ning Ning, you speak too bluntly." "This concubine is nothing more than telling the truth, unlike those of my lord, who can only tell you three parts of the truth, and the rest are all flattery. I have made up my mind a long time ago not to tell you lies. What, you now Did you get scared when you heard the truth?" Hideyoshi was speechless, staring blankly at Ningning.But he was not convinced by the words.He seemed to have been waiting for this kind of sharp and pungent criticism for a long time. "In your eyes, that's the way it is?" "Anyone with a heart probably has the same opinion as my concubine. Whether you want Xiuci to inherit your family business or let him be Guan Bai, it's all up to your own will... But everything has changed now." "What's changed?" "My lord gave up the position of Guan Bai to Xiuci, and devoted himself wholeheartedly to a big game. If this game is handy, the actions of Xiuci may not annoy you so much. But, everything is not what you want Whatever happened, something big happened at this time." "event?" "My lord, don't pretend to be ignorant. You don't know why you decided to let Xiuci inherit the position of Guanbai, and even handed over the big sword symbolizing power to him in front of the lord and the emperor... Later, As Shi was born, the progress of the Korean War was not going well, and you want to conquer it yourself... In this way, Hideji, who has not yet fully taken over the military and political power, will not be shaken, and the overall situation will be stable. This is what your lord really thinks, I can say it Yes, my lord?" Hearing this, Hideyoshi couldn't help trembling in his heart, he wanted to grab Ning Ning's hair and drag him around the hall a few times, but finally held back.He knew very well that everything was not Ningning's fault.If he had an attack on the spot, Ning Ning would suddenly find that her husband who had been serving her for more than thirty years was so stupid, she would definitely scold him like a dog, and resolutely escape into Buddhism.In this way, how can he face others?All kinds of blame will rain on him: Hideyoshi is obsessed with women, and even his wretched wife has abandoned him... Hideyoshi even had the idea of ​​killing his wife.But Ning Ning is not an ordinary woman, she is the first-class wife appointed by the imperial court... After thinking about it, he finally escaped from the terrifying delusion. "What's going on? How could I be so confused? Only Ningning is willing to exhaust my energy and energy for me, thinking about everything..." Hideyoshi felt a little bit in his heart, and suddenly recovered.When he raised his eyes to look at Ningning again, he found that his wife's eyes were full of tears.She must have made the worst plan just now. "Ningning, you really make me feel bad... Is everything you said true?" "My lord understands?" "To be honest, if you hadn't been my wife who has been with me for more than 30 years, I would have killed you long ago." "These concubines have also thought of it, and they may be killed by adults at any time..." "Oh! It seems that I am too willful after all." "If you really think so, it will not be difficult to cope with the current situation." "You mean that Hideji is not suitable to be Toyotomi's heir?" "An incompetent person was pushed into that position, making him overwhelmed - Guan Bai is really sad." "Huh? Is he so reluctant?" "People who are promoted like this will one day make many mistakes. The phrase 'tailoring clothes' really has far-reaching meaning." "Ningning, do you still have a word to say?" "My lord, alas!" "Do you still want to say: Conquering the Ming Dynasty is purely wishful thinking?" "This……" "Hey. It was precisely because of this delusion that I pushed Hideji to the position of Kanbaro. Perhaps all the faults stem from this." "My lord, please think carefully about the future." "If you say that, do you already have plans for the future? In your opinion, what should be done about Xiuci?" I don't know when, Hideyoshi has been freed from anger, and regards his wife as the best counselor.Ning Ning looked at Hideyoshi meaningfully and began to think. "I also know that Xiu Ci has put on a very ill-fitting armor now, and it is so heavy that he can hardly walk. I, the instigator, what should I do?" Hideyoshi urged, but Ning Ning quietly wiped away tears, "Guan Bai is the son of my elder sister." "That's why I let him go everywhere." "But your loving heart is tantamount to putting him in shackles. I hope you will think about it, untie the shackles as soon as possible, and return him to freedom." "Yeah, so what do you think, how should we deal with that bastard who goes his own way?" "If I..." Ning Ning became more cautious once he put away his spear of resistance, "Please don't take Guan Bai's speculations seriously." "You told me not to treat him as an opponent?" "Yes. Your Excellency can gather all the important officials of Guan Bai, inquire about his condition carefully, and then send gifts to Qingzhou." "You want me to take the initiative to show him favor?" "It's just to coax a crying child." "Oh. And then?" "Let Mrs. Nishimaru write a personal letter to Guan Bai to express her greetings." "Let Chacha write a letter?" "Yes. My lord, please don't think that my concubine is meddling in my own business. This is just Ningning's idea, and I don't want to let the family's ugliness spread." "What should Chacha write?" "Just say that although Ah Shi was born, it is still unknown whether he will grow up to be an adult, but the future needs to be arranged first." "That's right, what's next?" "Just say that you want to adopt Ah Shi to Guan Bai, and let Guan Bai marry his daughter to Ah Shi. Wouldn't it be the best of both worlds?" Hideyoshi was taken aback when he heard this, and hurriedly looked around.This was originally a conspiracy between him and Ishida Mitsunari, but it was caught in this woman's words, and it was not bad at all!Hideyoshi was surprised: "Well, what happened after that?" "After Guan Bai returns from Qingzhou, I ask him to go to Osaka to meet Ashi. If possible, let Guan Bai's daughter come with him... That is to say, invite him to pay a formal visit. What do you think?" Hideyoshi didn't answer, but just nodded.He felt his heart beating violently, his voice trembled, and he was speechless for a while.No wonder Ning Ning made her mother so satisfied.The more angry he is, the more shameful Toyotomi will be, and the finger will be pointed at him, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and people will blame all their problems on the disadvantages of foreign wars.If Ning Ning did as he said, Xiuci would be able to clear up the misunderstanding.It is the best policy for Xiuci to throw away those absurd ideas and retire as soon as possible. "My lord, the concubine is definitely not fainting for a while, but just feels that there is no other way." Ning Ning said.Hideyoshi already admired her so much that he nodded repeatedly. "It is precisely because of the predestined relationship with the lord that I can come to the lord's side and receive all kinds of favors. In order to repay the kindness, I must not let your life and the Toyotomi family leave even a trace of stain... This is what I miss all the time. .” Ning Ning said again. "I understand. Don't need to say more, do exactly what you said. It's nothing more than coaxing the child. It doesn't matter whether Guan Bai is stupid or find his own way. Since he is his own child, the fate will never stop." "If my lord handles this matter with such a heart, Guan Bai will be so grateful that he will cry bitterly. No matter how heavy his burden is, he will not be so stupid that he doesn't even understand such a compassionate heart." "Xiuci is really blessed to have such a good aunt and adoptive mother like you." "My lord said that, it made this concubine feel ashamed." "No, I'm telling the truth. If it weren't for you, Hideji would have made me die. Well, I finally understand now that everything is for Hideji, of course for me, for Toyotomi Also, I want to bury my mother's remains in Mt. Koya. People think that I was depressed because of my failure in the expedition. Go, so that the world can see that we, father and son, have never had any grievances, so everyone can rest assured." "In this way, the late Dazhengsuo and Ruilongyuan, I don't know how happy they will be." "This is all thanks to you. By the way, I haven't had dinner with you for a long time. Please order someone to prepare the meal." "My lord, I almost forgot one thing." "What is it?" "My lord can't eat at my concubine's place tonight." "Why?" "Someone is waiting for your lord." Ning Ning clapped her hands and called Master Xiao Zang in. "What are your orders, madam?" "Master, I would like to invite you to Mrs. Nishimaru's place." "The poor nun understands." "Please hurry to Xiyuan and inform Mrs. Nishimaru that your lord will be there soon, and you want to take a look at Ashi, whom you have never met." "clear." "By the way, tell Madam, let her prepare dinner quickly and welcome the adults. Time is running out... Just say, I said these things." "clear." Master Xiaozang agreed and left in a hurry.Ning Ning looked at Hideyoshi and laughed again.Hideyoshi was very embarrassed, and quickly turned his face away. "My lord, I won't prepare any meals for you today." "Ugh." "Be careful when talking to Mrs. Nishimaru. Don't shout loudly, so as not to frighten Shi." "Well, it's up to you to say. I don't even dare to laugh loudly." When he spoke, Hideyoshi's face was already red to the neck. In Osaka City, Chacha is now known as Mrs. Ximaru, which seems to be called by Ning Ning.Hideyoshi felt that the title "Mrs. Nishimaru" was very suitable for Chacha's identity as Ah Shi's biological mother. Female Guan Bai, what a woman, half the world! Hideyoshi often felt this way.He rose rapidly from a low-level warrior, and his status changed so quickly that it was dizzying, but no matter how noble his status was, Ning Ning has always been faithfully by his side and reminded him from time to time.Most women, once their husbands become daimyo, will become extravagant and only know how to enjoy themselves, but Ningning has been helping Hideyoshi.When she was in Nagahama, she tirelessly taught the servant boy; when Hideyoshi became Guanbai, she still gave advice from time to time; even if Hideyoshi became Taiko and was in a difficult situation, she would not intentionally distance herself from him. On the way to Xiyuan, Hideyoshi kept seeing the shadows of two women, one was his late mother and the other was Ning Ning.He felt that when his mother was alive, she must have been pleased to have such a good daughter-in-law as Ningning by her side, and she might have no regrets under the Nine Springs.However, if Ning Ning was from a nobler background, I am afraid that the mother would be so frightened that she would not dare to breathe, and would only curse behind her son's fortune for bringing disaster to herself.Asahi Hime and her older sister, Mrs. Miyoshi, seem to have the same idea. "If Hideji is reprimanded, I don't know how sad my sister will be." Hideyoshi thought to himself.When he was in Owari Nakamura, he and his elder sister Amizu played in the mud and grew up... Thinking of this, Hideyoshi felt that Ning Ning was really a lucky star of the Toyotomi family, and his fortune and the harmony of the whole family were inseparable from her , it can be said that Ningning is the backbone of the whole family, her status is natural, but her efforts are hard to describe.He couldn't help saying to himself: "Yes, she is the patron saint of my Toyotomi clan." Just when Hideyoshi was thinking wildly, the chariots and horses had already passed the gate of Xiyuan City and came to the gate of Chacha Mansion.Chacha's voice and smile naturally appeared before Hideyoshi's eyes.For my Toyotomi family, what kind of person is Chacha?Hideyoshi was a little dazed. Speaking of it, the encounter between Hideyoshi and Chacha is simply a romance.The first time I saw Chacha, she was only four or five years old, and she was still a young girl who liked to run around in Xiaogu City in front of the Huyuqianshan military camp.When Xiaogu City fell, Chacha was already seven or eight years old.At that time, Hideyoshi probably never dreamed that this girl would give birth to him a son in the future. "Killing her father, she will definitely hate me." Every time Hideyoshi thought of this, he felt very heartbroken.But now, Chacha has become the owner of Xiyuan... "Master Taiko is here." A woman's voice interrupted Hideyoshi's thoughts.What kind of child is the newborn Ah Shi?Curiosity and paternal instinct prompted Hideyoshi to quicken his pace.He nodded to the two female officers Dazang Bureau and Xiang Ting Bureau who came out to greet him. Chacha asked the nurse to stand beside her with the baby in her arms, and then she fell down and bowed down, her figure caught Taige's eyes.However, Hideyoshi's attention was already attracted by the baby next to him. "You have worked hard. It is better than anything else to give birth smoothly." After saying the hard work, Hideyoshi hurried to the seat that had been set up earlier, "Show me quickly." He stretched out his hand impatiently , "I'm talking about Ashi. Let me give you a hug." "Yes... yes." The wet nurse was a little at a loss, looking at Chacha as if asking for help.Chacha took the baby from the wet nurse with a stiff face, and handed it to Hideyoshi gently.Hideyoshi took the child with a strange look on his face.For a moment, the whole audience fell into an inexplicable silence: how to break this deadlock? "Not to mention the facial features and appearance, even the legs and feet are exactly the same as adults." The Dazang Bureau said in a dry voice, "Hey, son, take a look, this is my father." Hideyoshi didn't make a sound, his eyes still fell on the baby's face with slightly frowning eyebrows.If you have to say similarity, the only wrinkles on that monkey-like face are probably similar to Hideyoshi.The Dazang Bureau can really talk!Hideyoshi hesitated in embarrassment, "Hmm..." "Growing up so fast, she even cries like an adult, with a loud voice." "meet." "I love breastfeeding, and I especially like taking a bath..." "Well." "I heard that babies who like bathing will have fair skin in the future..." "Chacha." "In the." Hideyoshi stared at Chacha and the baby, comparing them carefully.Although Chacha had raised her head, her expression was still stiff, and she finally couldn't hold back: "My lord, according to the rumors outside, you think this child is not our husband and wife's, but Chacha's alone..." "Hmm. They look alike." "My lord means..." "Like. Really like." "According to adults, who exactly does a child look like?" Unspeakable unease, fear and tension appeared on everyone's faces.Since the child was born, there have been rumors that he looks a lot like Ohno Osamu.After a long time, Hideyoshi's expression relaxed, and he said with a smile: "Like, like. From the forehead to the eyes are exactly the same as Chacha. Hahahaha." The Dazang Bureau gently pushed Chacha's knee, trying to ease Chacha's nervousness, but he didn't realize that his face had already turned pale.But Chacha smiled, stretched out her hand and said, "Since we've met each other, leave the child to me, so as not to stain the adult's clothes." However, Hideyoshi still didn't take his eyes off the child's face.The word "like" he just mentioned has a lot of meaning: First of all, the child looks like Chacha, which goes without saying; in addition, he is also very similar to the deceased Hesong.What was even more unbelievable was that he suddenly felt that the child looked like Nagamasa Asai in some parts, and the tall and straight nose reminded him of Nagamasa's wife, Ashi. On a person's face, there will be more or less shadows of ancestors and relatives, and outsiders can often see these characteristics at a glance.The face of the child bears the shadow of Hideyoshi, the shadow of Taisho, and perhaps the shadow of his father Kinoshita Yaemon, who passed away when Hideyoshi was young.A feeling of sadness suddenly surged into Hideyoshi's heart like a tsunami. He should be happy, but why does he always feel sad? "Oh, oh, oh..." Hideyoshi suddenly pressed his face against the baby and kept kissing.Frightened, the child curled up and opened his eyes wide.His eyelashes are very long, and his eyes always wander when looking at people. "Could it be that this child is weak?" Hideyoshi kissed the child, tears rolled down, and sighed. The women breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Hideyoshi crying: it turned out that he had no doubts... "Don't get your body dirty. Leave the child to me." Chacha said. Hideyoshi carefully handed the child over to Chacha, but asked for it again.The child's small mouth seemed to be sucking something.Hideyoshi laughed, but immediately burst into tears, a strange thought flashed in his mind: how long can I live with this old bone, how old can I be?Even if the child can live to be ten years old, I don't know if I can live to be sixty-nine. "It's so cute, it's just too cute." "My lord, give it to me." "What are you in a hurry for? Let me hold you for a while." "This……" "He Song left me alone...the two of us will never see each other again. If I die first this time, wouldn't we be unable to see each other again?" "..." "Mother was almost able to meet this child, but it's a pity..." Hideyoshi grabbed the child's curled up little hand, put it to his mouth and kissed vigorously, "In this world where it is difficult for people who have no fate to meet each other, we often meet. It's my son... I really don't know how to love you." After kissing enough, Hideyoshi reluctantly handed Ashi to Chacha, but he still couldn't take his eyes off the child's face, and his whole body was trembling slightly.In the eyes of outsiders, this is not a Taige or a man from the world, but an upright and simple old father who loves his children deeply. At some point, the women's eyes turned red, and they just silently watched this touching scene from the sidelines.People live for a lifetime, and the grass and trees fall in autumn.Just as Hideyoshi felt, Dazhengsuo and A Shi passed by, but failed to meet each other.However, it is incredible that people who are destined to meet each other can meet each other.Now, this incredible luck is favoring Hideyoshi. "Chacha, can you write a letter to Guan Bai?" "Ah?" Chacha was startled and stared at Hideyoshi. "I don't want you to hate each other, everyone must live in harmony." "This...what the hell is going on, my lord?" "In this world, being able to live together is definitely not an ordinary fate. I heard that someone took a nickname for Guan Bai, and I was really angry..." "Why did your lord let the concubine write the letter?" "Chacha, Kanbai is my nephew, and also my blood relative, Toyotomi Hideyoshi." "That's why he became Lord Guan Bai. But that's not what Chacha asked." "Don't interrupt, just listen to me." Hideyoshi raised his hand to stop Chacha, "You do the math, how old will I be when Ah Shi grows up to be ten years old? I just thought of this suddenly. I really want to keep talking To live and see this kid rise to prominence." "I hope so too." "However, wishes belong to wishes, and no one knows whether they can see it. Therefore, for the sake of this child's future, I mean, we must live in harmony with Guan Bai." Chacha was silent. "Guan Bai's misbehavior, you must have heard about it. Even so, Ah Shi and Guan Bai are still blood relatives that can't be cut off." "..." "Therefore, if possible, I want to unite the people of the Toyotomi Clan. If the Toyotomi Clan is split into two factions, Guanbai and Ashi, it will be a mess." "Bring people together?" "Yes, Chacha, look, Guan Bai has a daughter, although she is older...I want to promise her to A Shi, and pass the position of Guan Bai to him in the future. Wouldn't it be all right?" Chacha said nothing, just stared blankly at Hideyoshi. "People become irritable when they get old. No, it has nothing to do with age. I have seen through everything a long time ago. Only when I do what I want to do can I feel at ease... So, I want to lend your hand to Guan Bai Write a letter to hint about Ah Shi's marriage." After Hideyoshi finished speaking in one breath, a mocking smile appeared on Chacha's face, "My lord, I'm afraid this is not your own idea." "What do you mean?" "I'm afraid this is the opinion of Mrs. Beizheng." "No matter whose opinion it is, it is a good thing after all. Moreover, once Taige adopts it, it is Taige's opinion." "I don't want to do this. Guan Bai, who cursed Ah Shi behind his back, should I take the initiative to write a letter to him? I don't!" "Curse Ah Shi? Who dares to curse?" Hideyoshi spoke with an angry face.He felt that there was something in the tea chat, she was clearly saying that it was not only Xiuci who cursed Ah Shi, Ning Ning was also secretly facing Xiuci. "Who is cursing, I can't tell." "Chacha, don't talk nonsense without evidence. How did Guan Bai curse, do you have evidence?" "Yes." Chacha replied coldly, and looked up at her confidants.The women nodded meaningfully.From Hideyoshi's point of view, this is clearly encouraging Chacha. "Okay, let's talk about it. How did Guan Bai curse Ah Shi?" "My lord, do you know how Guan Bai was nicknamed 'Killing Guan Bai'?" "Why don't I know? Isn't it because he sneaked to Mount Hiei to hunt during the national mourning?" "No, that's not the case." "no?" "Yes, did no one tell the truth to the adults? He went to Mount Hiei to set up an altar, prayed to heaven, and wanted me to have a miscarriage." "How can such a thing happen! You must have misunderstood. Are you deliberately distorting the truth?" "They pretended to be hunting to cover up the truth. Even the adults were deceived by the rumors and kept in the dark." Hideyoshi stared at Chacha intently, then looked back at the women.Everyone had serious expressions and agreed with what Chacha said.Hideyoshi couldn't help shivering: since so many people believe it, it seems that they will not easily change their minds just by their own few words.This rumor is entirely possible to drive the Toyotomi family into the abyss of eternal doom. "Chacha." Hideyoshi forced a smile on his face, "There is something to say in the world, and there is something that cannot be said. You are still young. If this rumor is malicious, will we not fall into the villain's tricks? In the end, the Toyotomi family will be torn apart. But secretly rejoicing." "Adults think that this is a rumor fabricated by a villain with ulterior motives?" "It's absolutely impossible to have such a thing. Xiuci is a bit rough, and there is something wrong with it, but he was not born that kind of sinister villain. What evidence do you have?" "Have." "tell me the story." "I have witnesses. Ishida Jibu carefully investigated the hunting scene before reporting to me." "Jibu?" Hideyoshi was speechless at this sudden blow.His confidence was shattered mercilessly in the blink of an eye.I don't know what else Jibu said to these women. If Xiuci's curse is true, the matter will be serious. How can he sit idly by?However, this kind of thing should not be casually told to women, Zhibu should discuss it with him in advance! "My lord, don't you know?" Chacha continued to ask, her face still cold. "On that day, they first fired guns on the mountain to frighten the monks so that no one dared to go to the altar. Of course, hunting also It’s not that he didn’t fight. He cooked the prey he caught and gave it to his attendants to eat and drink. Let me write him a letter to say hello..." "Wait a minute!" Hideyoshi stopped Chacha loudly, deeply puzzled, "I don't believe it! Hideyoshi is not such a sinister person, he would never plan and arrange so carefully. He has always been chaotic and has no clue when doing things." "So, do you trust Guan Bai more than you trust Mr. Jibu?" Hideyoshi slapped his thigh suddenly, "There are some incomprehensible things in Jibu's words. Call me Jibu!" "Okay. Xingting Bureau, you go and call Zhibu." After Xing Tingju left, dinner was served. There were two servings, one for Hideyoshi and the other for the baby. "Hmm. If Jibu says the same thing, I believe what you say is true." "My lord, dinner is ready." "Oh, just go through the motions." Hideyoshi took the wine glass, drank it in one gulp, and then raised the other wine glass to the top of Ah Shi's head in the nurse's arms, allowing the wine to slowly pour into Ah Shi's head.At this time, Hideyoshi's joy in holding the child was gone: It would be sad and pitiful if the child was cursed before it was born. "So, you must have someone lift the curse?" "Yes. Although I don't know what kind of curse it is, I still send people around to find out..." "Unbelievable! I still don't believe it." "When Lord Zhibu arrives, everything will come to light." "By the way, hurry up and take Ah Shi down to rest." After the nurse took the baby away, Hideyoshi fell into deep thought. When Sancheng arrived, it was already a quarter of an hour later.He pretended to be ignorant, and respectfully turned over to salute, "My lord has successfully met the young master, and I am sincerely pleased." Hideyoshi stared at Jibu and was silent for a moment. "Ma'am, how is your son?" Jibu thought that Hideyoshi was embarrassed so he didn't open his mouth, so he shifted his gaze to Chacha and said, "I thought that your son would go to Fushimi Castle sooner or later and be raised by adults himself, so I sent someone to carefully select It's an auspicious day." Chacha didn't answer, but just nodded.Only then did Sancheng feel strange, and said: "My lord, you called me to come here, it's..." Hideyoshi ignored him. "Get a cup for Jibu." After giving the order to the maid, Hideyoshi gradually calmed down, straightened the table, and said, "Jibu, did you have something important that you didn't report to me?" "This... Even if there are omissions, it will not be serious." "Oh, of course I don't mean the most important thing, I'm talking about Guan Bai, do you have something to hide from me?" "I have already said everything about Mr. Bai." "What about Xiuci's illness this time?" "I am inquiring. It is said that Guan Bai didn't want to go out to meet him, so the important ministers had no choice but to come up with an idea. They lied that he was seriously ill and let him hide in Qingzhou." "You don't need to tell me about these things, I know them too. I just want to know why Guan Bai doesn't want to see me?" "This..." Sancheng seemed very puzzled, "I thought that Guan Bai was afraid of adults. This kind of emotion accumulated and deepened, and over time, he had delusions..." "So, is it true?" "Yes. Guan Bai was afraid of being reprimanded by adults, so he ran away in fright." "Jibu, you're going too far." "what?" "What I'm asking is why is he afraid of me?" "Forgive me for being humble, because he doesn't have the prestige of an adult, and his morals and abilities are far from those of an adult... Fear is a matter of course." Hideyoshi glanced at Chacha quickly, curled his lips, "You mean, Guan Bai is afraid Me, there is no special reason?" "Yes. Presumably the adults know better than the humble ones." "Let me ask you again: I heard that Guan Bai hid in Mount Hiei and set up an altar to curse in order to prevent Ah Shi from being born. Is this also because he is afraid of me?" The whole house was silent and held their breath.Sancheng opened his eyes wide, very surprised, "Curse..." "You pretend to be confused with me too! I heard everything from my wife. If there is such a thing, why don't you tell me before you tell my wife? Huh! You are a shameless villain who likes to deceive women!" After being reprimanded head and face, Sancheng's eyes widened and he looked innocent. This expression made Hideyoshi angry, and made Chacha extremely angry. "Jibu, don't you really want to say it?" "My lord's words are inexplicable... Could it be that Guan Bai really cursed the young master?" "Damn it!" Hideyoshi was even more annoyed, "Are you afraid that I will be annoyed so you dare not say it? Even if Guan Bai really cursed Ash, why don't you tell me?" "Master Zhibu." Chacha finally couldn't sit still, "Please tell me the words you told me again." "About this matter, I have already explained this matter clearly to my lord, even more detailed than when I told my wife. On that day, Guan Bai led a large number of armed entourages into the Holy Land, hunted them wantonly, then skinned them on the spot, cooked them, and his close ministers We shared that the situation was extremely cruel...then the people called it a crime of killing life..." "Master Jibu! Do you dare to say that's all you told me that day?" Chacha snapped. "Of course. Apart from that, Sancheng doesn't know what else is going on, let alone dare to talk nonsense to Madam." Chacha stared blankly at Sancheng, then at Hideyoshi.Hideyoshi breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from his forehead.Seeing his reassurance, Chacha was furious, "Master Zhibu, you should clarify the matter with him. Don't you even have the guts to tell the truth?" "What is the lady saying?" “你不要再装傻了，我已经全告诉大人了。你再这样胡说，我还有何立足之地？你那日不是说，关白在比睿山设坛诅咒我儿吗？” “哦。此事……此事……” “大人，您都听到了吧？” 三成忽然纵声大笑，“在下明白了。啊呀，这不算什么。夫人是否误会了？” “我误会了？”茶茶脸色苍白，发疯似的喊叫起来。 三成眉梢紧蹙，他似乎也失去了冷静，嘴唇一个劲地打哆嗦，“西丸夫人，您恐是听错了，在下该死。请夫人先消消火，听治部细细说来。” “难道你没有告诉我关白诅咒阿拾的事？” “没有！”三成坚定地回答，飞快地转向秀吉：“大人，三成的确说过，在剥鹿皮的地方有一滩血污，烹煮鹿肉的炉灶旁边有一个祭坛。” “大人您看……”茶茶刚想说话，却被秀吉厉声阻止了：“茶茶，你先静一静。治部的话还没说完。那之后呢？” “没想到夫人竟曲解了在下的话，真是令人惊讶。刚才卑职想了想，可能是话说得不够明白。对夫人说的是：关白竟然用兽血把充满灵气的佛教圣地给玷污了……在下不过表示惊讶之情。” "Oh?" “或许是爱子心切，夫人立刻就理解为关白在诅咒阿拾公子……当然，在下该死，若当时能体察到夫人的心情，说明这祭坛并非关白所设，估计就不会招致误会了。所以，在下应该仔细反省。” 秀吉依然绷着脸，但是不住点头，“你果真没说那是在诅咒阿拾？” “当然未说。在下坚信，关白大人虽然性情有些粗暴，可也并非那种在背地里诅咒人的阴险狡诈之徒……” “哦，一场误会。” “在下也请夫人仔细回想那日治部所说的每一句话……夫人的心情，在下完全明向，可怜天下父母心啊。在下也从中得到不少启示。” 然而，茶茶只是冷笑不已。 “这下该明白了吧？这都是你的慈爱之心造成的。”秀吉道。 "..." “你还不承认？治部就在这里，你们尽可以对质。”说完，秀吉也陷入了沉默。虽然误解之因已经说明，可仔细想想，此事远没有这么简单。从茶茶的情形来看，即使她真的和秀次和好，也会产生更多的妄念，那反而会让自己更加苦闷。而且，秀次和阿拾纠缠在一起，定会逐渐演变为明争暗斗。 秀吉闭上了眼睛。他只觉得无比疲劳，连一句话都不愿说了。