Chapter 4 Chapter Four: A Childish Conspiracy

Ishikawa ushered in the first month of the thirteenth year of Tianzheng in Osaka City.On the surface, his mission is to make Ugimaru get used to life in Osaka as soon as possible, but in fact he is ordered by Ieyasu to investigate Hashiba Hideyoshi's real intentions.Of course Hideyoshi also saw this. "How can I get Ieyasu to come to Osaka, don't you want to think about it?" He asked the number as if he was a vassal, "To calm the world as soon as possible, there are a few important things that must be done first. It doesn't matter if I bow my head to Ieyasu. "

Hideyoshi is busy with a mountain of government affairs every day.In November of last year, he had become a member of the Three Great Nayans, but he didn't seem to care about his official position. "Is Dainagon great? Oh, I don't care about that." Then he immediately seemed to have forgotten about it, and said: "Now I am worried, there is another person besides Ieyasu. It is Niwa Goro left! I urged him several times, but he didn't come. I told him , Half of my great cause today is accomplished by him, if he is worried, he can bring the army here, just let me see him."

Hideyoshi said all of this without reservation.The problem is, if Wakasa's Niwa Goroza and Etchu's Sasaka Narumasa join forces with Ieyasu, and join hands with the Hojo father and son to raise troops, it will be a big disaster.Hideyoshi seems to be very worried about this, so he thinks that inviting Ieyasu is the most important thing.If even Ieyasu has bowed his head and proclaimed himself a minister, the remaining Niwa, Sasa and Hojo, even if they have two hearts, will not be a problem. I spent the thirteenth year of Tianzheng New Year's Day in Osaka, but I couldn't deny that my fear was getting stronger and stronger.Hideyoshi's strength and charm are completely different from Ieyasu's. His body exudes brilliance like the rising sun.

When accepting the congratulatory message on the high steps of the hall, Hideyoshi smiled all the time, however, a majesty that was not there half a year ago appeared on his face.At this time, many houses had been built in the city, and daimyos such as Hosokawa, Zikita, Hachisuka, Hori, Maeda, Asano, and Tsutsui naturally became his retainers successively.Just as he was holding a banquet to entertain these retainers, the imperial court's decree to reward him also arrived. There are two internal ministers.This is a commendation for his renovation of the imperial palace in the autumn and winter of the eleventh year of Tianzheng, and it is also evidence that the court confirmed him as a "man of the world" through the hands of the former Guan Bai Jinwei Qianjiu and the right minister Juting Qingji.

At this moment, Hideyoshi smiled and said, "How much lower is the quality of the Minister of Internal Affairs than General Zhengyi?" The fact that Hideyoshi was promoted to the second grade and served as a minister shocked Shuzheng greatly.Because at this time, Ieyasu was the lieutenant general of the left guard right, from the fourth rank.However, in the past few years, Ieyasu has been carrying Hideyoshi on his back, and has paid tribute to the court through the tea house Shiro Jiro. This year, he presented two white cranes and ten pieces of gold to the palace.To be honest, the purpose of these tributes is to hope that the official position will not be too far from Hideyoshi, but now it seems that the two are no longer comparable.

On the afternoon of the third day of the first lunar month, Hideyoshi called Shuzheng into the room, and said to him in a candid and intimate manner, "What do you think of the New Year in Osaka? I am the Minister of the Interior now, and I want to be promoted to the Great General Who Conquers the Barbarians by July 15th. In this way, if the Japanese generals disobey my orders, I have the right to designate them as thieves. The so-called general who conquers barbarians, if he is not a direct descendant of Genji, he will not be able to become one! However, I am different, because I am the sun Son." After saying that, he laughed.

"Congratulations." I answered right, feeling sweat all over my body. "Number one, have you thought of a good way to invite Ieyasu to Osaka?" "Sorry, there's nothing we can do." "I'm going to conquer Kishu soon. This is punishment for the riots caused by Ieyasu and Nobuo's instigation. Therefore, they are likely to ask Ieyasu for help. Needless to say, the Nerai and Zahe people are Koyasan. As long as they don't If you obey, I will set them on fire. I am following the example of Master Youfu in Mount Hiei." Shuzheng hurriedly wiped the sweat from his forehead, "I will report to the lord, don't support them behind the scenes."

"Hahaha, I know that Ieyasu finally fought me because of Nobuo. This Nobuo, this time, he will go to Kishu to persuade him to surrender." "Lord Lieutenant General?" "Yes!" Hideyoshi nodded casually, "Now Nobuo is going to Hamamatsu from Kiyosu, the purpose is to persuade Ieyasu to come to Osaka." "Nobuo going to Hamamatsu?" "In this way, Ieyasu will definitely not stop coming. My plan is to clean up Kishu, and then attack the Soga Division of the Four Kingdoms, subdue the Chosoga Division, and then launch an offensive against Sasa Naruma of Etsuchu. Naruma is now frequent Send secret envoys to Ieyasu. At that time, if Ieyasu is still undecided, I will treat him as I treat other daimyos."

"As soon as I go back, I will tell my lord these words." "Why don't I marry Ieyasu as in-laws, how about it?" "relatives by marriage?" "Ieyasu doesn't have a real wife yet, right? I married my younger sister to him, and we became uncle's relatives. Ieyasu also has face." For a moment, Shu Zheng doubted his ears.He knew that Hideyoshi no longer had an unmarried younger sister, so he couldn't help asking in surprise, "What did your lord say?" Hideyoshi repeated again: "I said, if he marries my sister as his wife, we will be relatives, and Ieyasu will have face."

"My lord's younger sister? It means..." "Asahi!" "It's Mrs. Saji Hinata Mori?" "Now it is, but I told them to break up, so it's okay?" "Oh." "Age, she is about forty-two or three-year-old, how old is Ieyasu?" The count was a little tongue-tied, "My lord is forty-four." "Okay, the age is also the same. How, let's do it like this?" "This……" "I want to take Yuyi Maru to conquer Kishu, and then I can use it as a name for visiting relatives in the battle." Hideyoshi said this, and the topic changed, "Yes, yes, there is Yuyi Maru!"

"what?" "Yu Yiwan is quite clever!" "clever?" "Miss Asai, it seems that she is not an older sister, but a younger sister." "Little sister?" "Third Miss, haha, if it's two older sisters, I can still reprimand, but there's no need to reprimand Third Miss. It's really a family wine, a family wine! Haha!" "How is this going?" "Don't worry about it, don't worry about it. I will hand him over to Tsutsui and teach him well. However, Ieyasu will not refuse about Asahi's affairs, right? If he refuses, there will only be a war. I can't compare This is a bigger concession. Otherwise, the daimyos will have something to say, and the court will not agree." "..." "The number is positive, and I will be a general in a few days. I hope my sister-in-law can help me. Let's see if Ieyasu will help me to pacify the world, or he will be charged with disturbing peace. Haha." Susho stared straight at Hideyoshi, speechless.Hideyoshi's proposal is truly shocking!Asahihime, who is over forty years old and gradually aging, is to be taken from Saji Hinata Mori, and promised to be Ieyasu's wife.How can you respond easily to this matter?Hideyoshi must be determined to say such words!However, he had already manipulated the court, and he could easily accuse people of crimes in the event of disputes. "What, do you have the confidence to persuade Ieyasu? This is not only for the sake of the Tokugawa clan, but also for the sake of the world!" "Please give me some...time to think about it." "Okay, I'll let them make tea, you can think about it slowly." Hideyoshi smiled calmly. "A person should be able to grasp the general situation." Hideyoshi told his attendants to leave immediately after the tea was served, squinted his eyes and looked at the bright partition, and said, "Even if you are squeezed out and hated by those stubborn veterans because of this, you will be under the Tokugawa clan It’s hard to stay, and this has to be done.” "yes." "Ieyasu will definitely agree, the problem is only those stubborn people in the family, but after the matter is done, they will be grateful to you, and you will become the mainstay of the Tokugawa family." "..." "You have to know, no matter when, I will deal with the aftermath. My treatment here has never been five thousand eight thousand, and my net worth is more than five or ten times that of Ieyasu. How, for the sake of the world, for the Tokugawa family, and for me Hashiba Hideyoshi , for yourself, can you accept this mission?" "But... Saji Hinata Mori's wife..." "You mean, I didn't ask Asahi Hime?" "Yes, the couple have lived together for many years." "Numbers are correct! For the sake of the world, Hashiba Hideyoshi needless to say, even all my relatives will do anything for the world!" "Does your lord mean that you have already asked her?" "Not yet, but I'm sure she has no objections." "If I refuse this matter..." "Then there is only one battle! I have already said clearly, do you think Ieyasu is willing to fight against each other?" "but……" "Numbers! I'm going to attack Kishu soon, followed by Nagaso and my troops. When Sasao Naruma is dealt with and Nobuo becomes my ally, what chance do you think Ieyasu has? At most, I can visit Hojo and his son a few times. Then I was at a loss. My calculation was not wrong. If you think Ieyasu still has a chance of winning, then reject me. Don’t worry, as long as Ieyasu is related to me, I will never be petty. Zuo’s son was sent back safe and sound, and then, let’s see each other on the battlefield!” "A grown-up is intimidating!" "Haha! Actually it's not. I hope everything will go smoothly, even my own sister has made a bet. Hideyoshi has always been for the people of the world, and the number is right!" "Hug, hug... sorry!" "So, will you convince Ieyasu when you go back?" "Yes, I can't refuse." "Since you understand so well, you will have a good time talking to Ieyasu. No matter what happens, Hideyoshi will never abandon you and will definitely take care of the aftermath for you." "Thank you, my lord!" Shu Zheng became more and more distressed.He was helpless in front of Hideyoshi, and almost became a manipulated puppet. How could it be like this?Hideyoshi's attitude has made Shuzheng think that he is not like Tokugawa's retainer, but seems to have betrayed Ieyasu and become Hideyoshi's retainer.Hideyoshi wanted to use the recent catchphrase "for the sake of the people of the world" to manipulate Shuzheng, and let him say: "In order to calm the world, I am willing to go against the lord and stand on the side of the adults." "My lord is so daunting!" Shuzheng repeated the meaning just now, and couldn't help crying sadly, with a lot of feelings in his heart.This also stems from his weak nature, "After I go back, I have no other choice but to follow the instructions of the adults." Hideyoshi's aggressive gaze finally softened, "Do you understand my original intention?" "I haven't fully understood it yet. It's just that in front of the adults' decision-making, I have no room to comment, only to submit." "Numbers! This submission is not to me, Hashiba Hideyoshi, but to the Dali of the world!" "yes!" "Ieyasu has a clear mind, but he is always inferior to me in terms of courage. I, Hashiba Hideyoshi, is not the kind of person who will be satisfied after unifying a few territories. I want to do too many things, higher than the mountains and deeper than the sea. When I unify When the world is under heaven, I will completely hand over the management of the affairs here to Ieyasu, who is skillful in internal governance." "I don't want to listen to such consoling words anymore, so I will take my leave." "It's not consolation, it's eye-opening. If Ieyasu fights with me, I will win the battle; if you join hands with me, with my generous mind, Ieyasu will surely prosper. The conquest will only cause double losses to the Tokugawa clan. There is only one person in the world who has painstakingly persuaded Ieyasu to this point, and that is Ishikawa Shusho! Shusho, you are not only for Hideyoshi, but also for Ieyasu to adapt to the general trend, and you are a loyal minister!" Shuzheng didn't respond, just said: "I'll go to Mr. Yu Yiwan immediately, meet him, and go back immediately." "Okay! You can do what I tell you quietly. When I go to Kishu, please come here! I want Yu Yimaru to go out with the army, and then Ieyasu can come here as the supervisor of the army. " "Then, I will take my leave." Shuzheng simply didn't know what he was talking about - wouldn't my faith be completely lost in this way?This honest man with a weak heart walked through the cold corridor amidst the contradictions, and was momentarily dizzy.He asked himself: In this way, are you still a warrior of Sanhe? The cold sweat was blown by the wind, and the hairs all over his body stood on end. In the past, Shuzheng never thought of going against Ieyasu and falling for Hideyoshi.Even now, this determination remains unchanged.However, he always felt that today's sunshine was particularly dazzling, and he heard the wailing of conscience frequently.If he returns to Hamamatsu Castle and tells Ieyasu that Hideyoshi is going to marry Hime Asahi, what will Ieyasu say? Ieyasu, who has always been calm, would be shocked when he heard that Hideyoshi unreasonably wanted to break up the couple who had lived in harmony for many years and marry that aging woman to him?Honda Zuzuo and Sakai Tadashi will definitely curse angrily: "Chikuzen must be crazy!" Hideyoshi is already the Minister of Internal Affairs, so Asahi Hime is the Minister's younger sister, and to Ieyasu, she is a noble person.However, Mikawa Samurai did not recognize Hideyoshi as the Minister of Internal Affairs at all.Therefore, the matter became Owari's farmer's son, and the forty-year-old farmer's daughter married to the retainer was given to their lord. "The lord was insulted like this because he got close to a lowly woman." Some people even said that.At that time, he will have to work hard to explain Hideyoshi's power and Ieyasu's status as a subordinate.Thinking of this, Shuzheng's legs trembled unsteadily. Zheng was uneasy, and Shuzheng unexpectedly met Asahihime's husband, Saji Hinata Mori Hidemasa.He hurriedly said, "How is Master George?" "The weather is always good, and I feel so comfortable!" "yes." "Is Hoki still staying in Osaka?" "No, I have to go back, and then I'm going to meet Mr. Yu Yiwan." "Master Boqi may be very reluctant, right? But please rest assured, my master will not take him as a hostage. We all understand the master's intentions and will not treat Master Yimaru badly." "Thank you very much!" Shuzheng said, thinking that this person did not know Hideyoshi's scheme to hurt people, he suddenly felt pity, and dared not look at him directly. Arriving in front of Yuyimaru's room, Saji Hinata Mori seemed to be thinking of something, and said rightly: "Actually..." This man who abides by faith led the way in front, and seemed to have something to say, but he was thinking hard about whether to say it or not. .When he finally turned his head, his expression became much more relaxed: "Master Neifu ordered you to live with Miss Qianjing, and you seem to be a little reluctant. Didn't you hear about this?" Shuzheng understood that Xiuzheng was worried that he would give Yu Yiwan an idea, but in fact he had suppressed that thought miraculously. "I know." "Did the Master of the Inner Palace tell you, or..." "It was the adults of the inner palace who told me that the young master is in the age of rebellion, and he is still just a child. Even if he resists, the adults of the inner palace will not care." "That's natural." Xiuzheng nodded hurriedly.Originally out of good intentions, he hoped that Shuzheng would not care about it, but unexpectedly he was refuted, and he couldn't help regretting his rashness. "It's just that the other party is a young lady of the Asai family, so I feel that I must tell my lord." Xiuzheng finished speaking quickly, and then said in a very solemn tone, "Mr. Yuyimaru, Ishikawa Hokimori is here to see you!" As he said, he opened the lattice door . Upon hearing the sound, Senchiyo and Katsuchiyo hurried out from the next door and greeted them respectfully at the door.Shuzheng didn't look at them, just stared at Yu Yiwan, his chest suddenly felt hot, tears almost came out of his eyes. Ugimaru and Tatsuki were sitting facing each other. His face, hair, and demeanor looked very much like Nobuyasu who was brought back to Okazaki from Shunfu after a fierce negotiation between Suzumasa and the Imagawa clan.At that time, Shuzheng let Xinkang sit on his horse and walked with peace of mind, naively believing that since then, the Tokugawa family has overcome the difficulties.But what happened to Xinkang? Xinkang's fate was not good, and he was later ordered by Lord Nobunaga to cut seppuku.His ominous appearance lingered in Shuzheng's mind.The present is a strategy, and the past was also a strategy... "Old man, welcome, come closer!" Shuzheng pursed his lips and sat in front of Yu Yiwan.How long will this cruel wind of strategy blow on this innocent child? "My lord, I'm here to say goodbye." Su Zhengdao, seeing Da Ji who had been staring at him, and thinking that she was also a victim of this troubled world, felt even more desolate. "You said you want to go back to Okazaki?" "Yes, I can't stay by your side all the time, the young master can live alone." Shuzheng's words and eyes were so hard that even he couldn't believe it. "I know, don't worry." Yu Yiwan said, "Have you forgotten what old man Honda told me? Yu Yiwan will not lose to anyone!" Shuzheng was taken aback, and he knew that Saji Hinata Shoubi, who was behind him, was also quite surprised.He mused.If he encounters such a situation on weekdays, he will definitely ask him to be patient and patient.But today he didn't want to talk about it, maybe because he lost too badly in front of Hideyoshi, and he wanted to vent his resentment. "It's really brave. After hearing your words, I feel relieved." It is a crime to say such a thing!As he thought about it, his tone gradually became serious.what the hell is it? Shuzheng felt as if he had another self, his eyes were bloodshot, and he said, "This is Ieyasu Tokugawa's son! Don't let yourself be wronged at any time, and behave yourself in an upright manner!" "I was talking about this with Ada just now. Isn't that right, Ada?" "Yes, if you are not strong, you will not have good luck." "Yes! Hold tight to what you have decided on and stick to it to the end." "Understood! You go back and tell Master Honda and mother that Yu Yimaru is very strong, don't worry." "How brave!" Shuzheng moaned again.Tears welled up in his eyes, his eyes were blurred, and the faces of Yu Yiwan and Da Ji became blurred.After a long time, he said, "I'll go back to Okazaki first, and I'll be back soon." "Back here?" "Yes! Young Master, after the Yuan Fu ceremony is held, the first conscript will begin. At that time, I, an old man, must be by your side and teach you how to command the battle." "Oh, it has been decided to let me go to the battlefield?" "yes!" "Where are you going to go?" "Jizhou." As he said that, Shuzheng hurriedly changed his words, "I guess it might be Jizhou. This seems to be the decision of the lord of the inner court, and I don't know very well." "Good! It doesn't matter where you go. It's decided anyway." "Yes, after the first expedition, the young master has become a great general. Therefore, you should always remind yourself that you are a general, and you must not forget it for a moment." "Of course you must not forget! Even if you go out tomorrow, Yu Yiwan will not be afraid!" Yu Yiwan said proudly, "Is that right, Ada?" hung up. Daji was overjoyed.Shuzheng planned to ask her to quit, but he didn't say anything in the end.She nodded deeply to Yoshimaru and lowered her head charmingly. "Let me make tea for the old man!" "Well, good. Old man! Ada is very good at making tea." "This..." No need!Shuzheng wanted to say this, he was very dissatisfied with his performance today, "Thank you, I will set off immediately after drinking, and ask the lord to give you a gift." "Okay, I'll boil the water right away." Suzuki was watching Daki standing in front of the fireplace in a corner of the living room, and then remembered what Saji Hinata Mamoru had said to him.Could it be that the two of them have... felt a burst of fragrance coming from Daji's body for several times.Maybe she was looking forward to something, and the joy in her heart made her emit fragrance.In this way, Shuzheng could not leave silently. For Hideyoshi, the combination of the thorny son of Ieyasu and the daughter of Asakawa Nagamasa, who is also not to be underestimated, may not be the key to success or failure, but it may become the source of misfortune. "Young master!" "What is it, old man?" "For the sake of caution, I want to tell you that when the Yuanfu ceremony is held, there will be many women around, but..." "Why?" Yu Yiwan asked seriously, and after a while, he seemed to understand the meaning of Shuzheng's words, and smiled. "You can't give your heart to a woman. Except for the woman promised by the master of the inner palace, you must never approach other women." Yu Yiwan gradually showed mischievous eyes, and he nodded, "Old man, it was my father who wanted me to be with Ada .” "Oh." "Hush!" Yu Yiwan glanced at Da Ji who was making tea, and said in a low voice, "Don't worry, the two of us made a plan just to mock father." "Mocking the Lord of the Inner Palace?" "Yes, if you don't do this, you can't win. Can I, Yu Yiwan, lose?" Shuzheng hurriedly turned his head to look behind him. He was worried that Saji Hinata Mori would hear him, but Hinata Mori just sat at the door, not seeming to hear it.Shuzheng's originally tense nerves suddenly relaxed, and an indescribable pleasure flooded his heart like a tide, and he finally laughed out loud: "Hahaha! It's so wonderful!" "Interesting, old man?" "Interesting! This way, I don't have to worry. Now, the whole world dares to mock the Lord of the Neifu," he lowered his voice, "Only the young master and Miss Daji. It's really interesting!" Yu Yiwan also nodded triumphantly, "What to say, how to say it, we both discussed it, isn't it interesting?" Shuzheng laughed out loud, his eyes shining.The young man really possessed the unrestrained "power" far beyond his imagination.All the generals who had suffered hardships were not as good as others in "strength", so they were full of fear of Hideyoshi, but the new life was not injured and had no fear.In their eyes, Hideyoshi is just an old man.Shuzheng slapped his thigh suddenly.At this moment, Da Ji brought the tea with a solemn face, "Tea, please!" "If you don't dare to take it, I will not be polite!" Shuzheng sipped his tea slowly, "This tea is so good, I will never forget it for the rest of my life." "Have another drink." "No no, this taste is the best in the world. Just one cup is enough. I want to keep this taste on my tongue and bring it back to Hamamatsu." "Ada, the old man is very happy." "I'm really happy." Shuzheng laughed again, and put down his teacup.Ieyasu is six years younger than Hideyoshi.A few are just discovering this.Human wisdom can't fight against age!People keep thinking from morning to night, even when they are sleeping, they are planning. Is there any strategy that can judge the strategy?If there is only one thing Hideyoshi can take advantage of, it is age! "I'm resigning." Shu Zheng said. "Oh, be careful on the road!" "Yes, I can go back with peace of mind now. Miss, take care too. Don't be careless, lest you lose to others." "Yes, you like the tea made by Ada, Ada is very happy!" Shuzheng bowed respectfully and stood up slowly.Ieyasu's face appeared in front of his eyes, and he seemed to be smiling too. Shuzheng called his son Katsuchiyo and Honda Zuzaemon's son Senchiyo to his residence in the city, and said: "You must listen to Mr. Yoshimaru, don't talk rashly, I have already told you before." After speaking, he was ready to go back. When they came, there was a team of 1,200 people.It was Ieyasu showing his dignity in order to send his son to his adoptive father's house, but when he returned, only three people were missing.If Hideyoshi asked, all 1,000 retainers would stay here, but Hideyoshi didn't say anything.Probably he has regarded Yu Yiwan as his son, so he can send retainers to serve him.Shuzheng also hopes that way, because now the Lord is running Koshu and Shinshu, and one more person means one more pair of hands. When they left Osaka City as a whole team and were on the way to the capital, Shu Zheng immediately couldn't help feeling that the world was changing.The former Osaka was the Monzen town of Ishiyama Honganji Temple. Although it was quite prosperous, after Hideyoshi built the castle, it took on a new look.Hideyoshi built this huge city in such a short period of time, this alone is enough to make Suzheng's heart tingle. One after another, people moved here from the capital, Fushimi, and Sakai Port, and soon Osaka was almost full, and many celebrities rushed to build luxury houses.Probably since ancient times, no one has been able to build such a large city in such a short period of time!Moreover, there are countless ditches and rivers criss-crossing the city, and ships bring far more goods than any one port. However, the rapid development of Yuncheng City will no longer scare the current Shuzheng, because he can confidently say to the lord: "Hideyoshi will give you Asahihime. In addition, Mr. Yu Yimaru mocked Hideyoshi in Osaka. My lord, please relax." At that time, what expression will the lord have?Shu is immediately bathed in the warm sunshine, smiling knowingly from time to time. "Now there is no need to argue with Hideyoshi in a hurry. Hideyoshi is older than the lord. He is dead. Because of the relationship between Ugimaru and Asahihime, whose hands will the world fall into? Hehehe, treat the elders as the elders Let's go! Besides, Hideyoshi has no biological children. Youth is far better than strategy, don't you think so, my lord?" The important ministers will definitely be angry, but if they are afraid of their anger, what kind of retainers are they? "I, Ishikawa Susho, am the pillar of the Tokugawa Clan!" The number is looking back at Osaka Castle immediately.When he came, the huge castle tower that made him panic, looked much smaller under the sky. Averting his eyes, Shuzheng couldn't help muttering to himself: "The world..."