Chapter 15 Chapter Fifteen

In mid-February of the 14th year of Tensho, Tokugawa Ieyasu sent a secret envoy to see Shiro Jiro, a tea house in the capital, and asked the tea house to order 300 pieces of cloth. Prior to this, Chaya received an order from Dairoku Oguri to order a batch of tiger skins, leopard skins, orangutan scarlets, etc. for him. He had just prepared these things in Sakai Port and sent them to Hamamatsu.He must be preparing for the wedding with Asahi Ji, he can only think so, but he doesn't seem to understand. The secret envoy came to the store pretending to be Oguri Dairoku's subordinates. In fact, he was ordered by Ieyasu to ask the tea house to investigate Toyotomi Hideyoshi's current movements so that he could report back to Okazaki in detail.Because almost every strategy of Hideyoshi is unexpected, this time it is very likely that he pretended to talk about marriage and suddenly sent troops to Qingzhou.Although Mikawa was fully prepared, he did not dare to be careless towards Hideyoshi, so he sent the thirty-five-year-old Iga secret envoy.After the secret envoy conveyed the secret order, he said: "Once the battle starts this time, there will be no winner or loser within two or three years!"

"Master Hamamatsu has also taken hostages from farmers in Koshu and Shinshu." "What, from the farmer?" "Yes, my lord said, because Kishu, Shikoku, and Hokuriku are all in the hands of Hideyoshi, and the army is 100,000 more than in the battle of Komaki, what if he sends troops to Qingzhou? Therefore, we have to fight against him. .” "Oh." "That is to say, not only the generals of Koshin must fight for the Tokugawa clan, but also guard against those who stay behind trying to rebel, otherwise chaos will arise from the elbows and armpits. Therefore, the lord is so far-sighted."

The secret envoy said to the tea house in a half-threatening tone, "Since all the farmers have asked for hostages, the hostages from the generals from all over the country have of course gathered in Junfu. This time, there is no one left in the family. When the war started, The hostages will be transferred to Hamamatsu, and Okubo Shichiroemon Tadaise-sama will stay behind to guard them." While staring at the tea house, he described the deployment for the start of the war. Sakai Tadashi's 5,000-plus cavalry were the vanguard, and they were divided into ten teams out of Narumi; followed by Osuga Kotaka, Honda Tadakatsu, and Kanbara Komasa each with 5,000 soldiers and horses, responsible for guarding Hideyoshi's vanguard and flanks; Ieyasu Lead the main force in person, and form a winning formation of 18,000 people with Naomasa Ii just like in the Nagakute War.

On the front, 5,000 people each led by Ishikawa Isari and Heiwa Okinyoshi, Matsudaira Yasushige, Ogasawara Xinling, Hoshina Masao, Suwa, Yashiro, Suganuma, Kawakubo, Atobe, Sone, Toyama, Castle, Tamago, and Imafuku , Komai, Saneda, Takekawa and other generals led the mobile units respectively, and at the same time Hideyoshi sent troops, they marched towards the land of O and Nong. Why did the emissary say such things?After sending the emissary away, Chaya was stunned for a while, he never thought that there would be such a warning. It is known without any further investigation that recently, Toyotomi Hideyoshi has traveled to and from Beijing, Yodo, Yawata, Osaka, Sakai Port and other places.At the beginning of the month, he went to Sakamoto Castle, held a tea party near Otsu, and recited poems and Fu.This is purely Guan Bai's romantic tour of the mountains and rivers, and does not imply major military actions such as expeditions and troops.He will not hide it. If he really wants to take action, he will create a bigger reputation than he actually needs, and make the opponent lose his fighting spirit before the battle.

Chaya Shirojiro believes that Ieyasu should understand this.Therefore, he was deeply puzzled.He knew that Ieyasu's personality was completely different from that of Hideyoshi.Ieyasu was always cautious, sometimes almost paranoid.However, his movements and instructions have always been of great significance, so why be so careful? The general's request for hostages from his subordinates is to boost morale and make the other party wake up. This has almost become a common practice, but it is also a last resort.However, asking farmers for hostages is rare in ancient and modern times.This will deepen the resentment of the local people, and there is a risk of inciting disturbances in Yixiangzong.However, the lord actually did this, and put on the posture of a decisive battle.

Looking at the red plum blossoms in the small garden, Chaya gradually became uneasy.Maybe it's because I don't understand some things? He clapped his hands to call his servants, and said, "I have something urgent to go to Sakai Port. Also, where is Lord Guan Bai now?" He wanted to compare his own knowledge with the world's evaluation of Hideyoshi. "From Yodo to Uino, he ordered Hosokawa Yuzhai to draw a rope around the border, and then went to build a new residence." "So, you haven't returned to Osaka yet?" "yes." "Okay, get ready right away. If Lord Guan Bai comes here, Zong Yi and most of the Sakai Hong Kong people will accompany him out. This may be a good opportunity for business." He pretended to talk to himself, and got up to prepare.

It was four quarters in the afternoon, and if we went to Fushimi now, we could cross the Yodo River at night by boarding the Yodoya boat.When you arrive at Sakai Port, even if Zongyi and Zongji are not there, you will definitely see Nawujiaoan and ask him to confirm the guess.In order to reconcile Hideyoshi and Ieyasu, Shouan is working hard both on the surface and behind the scenes.He is not an ally of either side, but a middleman of great significance. Chaya Shiro Jiro just caught up with the boat from Fushimi, which was the boat carrying rice from Yodoya.When he hitchhiked across the Yodo River, he noticed that there were many more boats on both sides of the river than before.Recently, Hideyoshi put the Yodo River under the management of his favorite Ishida Mitsunari, and the number of people pulling the boat increased, opening up a convenient road for the remote mountain village.The new city of Osaka is connected to this waterway, and the number of people in the capital is gradually increasing.It seems that the peace that the common people prayed for seems to have arrived.

At this time, Ieyasu is still planning a war?Chaya panicked at the thought of this.Whether it's Ieyasu's friend or Hideyoshi's friend, don't let the peace that has finally come slip away!But what should we do if we are to deal with the present situation? When the boat was moored near the Yodoya Bridge, the tea house had all sorts of misgivings and wanted to see Yodoya Chang'an, but it was not yet dawn, so it was really wrong to wake people up in the middle of the night to frighten them.So he boarded another Yodoya boat bound for Sakai Port. "Say hello to Mr. Yodoya." He asked the servant who came to inspect the rice to say hello to Chang An for him, and went directly to Sakai Port.

It was nearly noon when we arrived at Sakai Port, and Chaya went to pay a visit to Nayashoan's mansion in Oji-no-machi, but the master was not there.Jiaoan took his adopted daughter Mushi to the annex located near the exit of Kizhou Road, near the Rushouguan of Nanzong Temple. Chaya Shiro Jiro went straight to the annex again.The nearby plum blossoms have withered, peach blossoms are blooming everywhere, and the sun is far warmer than that in the capital. "If you walk around here, you will really feel sleepy." Under the guidance of the servants, the tea house came to the door of the annex that Jiaoan liked very much.What came into view was the thick Jisong beside the earthen wall, and the sound of big drums came from inside the wall.

"It seems to be Mr. Tonkaku Ishimi's big drum." "Yes, Master Tadake Hosokawa's wife came from Osaka to visit Miss." "Oh?" "It's Mrs. Wise." "Oh. This is Sakai Port after all." He and Mrs. Akechi once took the same boat from Sakai Port to the capital, but they did not exchange names at that time.Chaya recalled and couldn't help sighing with emotion. "Then, please wait here, I will inform the master." The servant left the tea house at the entrance, and came out immediately after entering the inner room. Mr. Zongyi's daughter, Ms. Ayin, is also here, and the master is practicing drums with them."

Chaya Shiro Jiro's heart was stimulated by the disharmonious reality in front of him.Mr. Jiaoan is practicing drums with enthusiasm?He couldn't bear to spoil this harmonious atmosphere. "Please!" The servant led him through the corridor, and the sound of the loud drum was getting closer. "Mr. Chaya from the capital is here." The big drum stopped, and then the cheerful laughter of the women sounded. "Mr. Chaya, please come in. Don't mind them, even I am practicing drums among these girls." "It's been a long time, I've disturbed your pleasure." "Hey, don't be polite. Come on, Mu Shi, let this uncle join in." "Sorry, I really don't understand Fengya." Under Mushi's urging, Chaya knelt down on the mat and bowed politely. "Oh, we are talking about people who don't understand Fengya. Mr. Chaya, we are looking for the person who doesn't understand Fengya the most in the world. We are listening to Mr. Ishimi." Jiaoan said. "I'm really ashamed, this person should be me, right?" Ayin, the daughter of Zongyi who is now married to Wandai Yazongquan, took a look at Mrs. Zhizhi and laughed. Mrs. Wise was taken aback when she first saw the tea house, but she soon returned to normal.She must have remembered where she had seen this person in the past, but couldn't remember. "Hey, don't laugh, don't laugh." Jiaoan said, "Mr. Chaya is very shy, he will care. Hahaha." "It's okay, in this respect, I am indeed a person who doesn't understand Fengya." The tea house said. Jiaoan shook his hand: "This one, it has already been assessed! It's not you, it's a great big shot." "Big man?" "Yes. Let me tell you, the person in the world who is most puzzled by Fengya is none other than Lord Guan Baifengchen." "Ah! Oh, this..." "Listen to me. He once said that the world has gradually calmed down. Since then, in Japan, the war has subsided. Therefore, he will also start hunting women." "Oh? Who actually said that?" "Master Guan Bai! Hahaha." "Who did he... tell?" "What Beizheng said." "Oh? With his wife." "How, is it rude, Mr. Chaya? And Beizhengsuo answered even more bluntly-please feel free, but I will prepare the prey! Hahaha! This answer makes Mrs. Mrs. Zhizhi is trembling with fear." Jiao An said, smiling with narrowed eyes under her long eyebrows. Chaya looked at all the people present in surprise, Tongkou Ishimi also smiled slightly, the women seemed to think of something, and suppressed their smiles. "Then, how many wives did Master Guan Bai take a fancy to?" "Yes!" This time it was Mu Shi who interjected, "A beauty without an owner is not worth hunting. He deliberately wants to disturb the peace of this world." "How could this happen, maybe it's a joke?" "Hehe! Does he really want to catch prey? In any case, just in case, he can't show his face easily." After Mushi finished speaking, Shi Jian leaned forward and said, "Then, tell Mr. Chaya another secret." He twitched his nose jokingly. "secret?" "Yes, a happy event that is not easy to hear." "Then I must listen." "Of course. It happened like this. The swordsman Sorori Shinzaemon went to Osaka to visit Mrs. Matsumaru and Mrs. Kaga, Kanbai's concubine." Ishimi said mysteriously, "It happened that the two ladies were arguing with their eyebrows upside down." "A concubine?" "Yes! That's how it happened. The young Mrs. Kaga said that the Lord has two testicles, and Mrs. Matsumaru argued with her angrily, saying that Mrs. Kaga was wrong, but in fact there was only one." "Huh? Testicles?" Chaya hurriedly looked at everyone again.All the women present turned their faces away to hold back their laughter, but Jiaoan couldn't stop smiling. "That's right, one said there were two, and the other said there was only one. They refused to admit defeat, so they asked Shinzaemon to decide. Mrs. Matsumaru asked, is it one? Mrs. Kaga asked, is it two?" Xinzuo was also questioned." "Oh." "If one side is affirmed, the other side is dissatisfied. So, guess what he answered, Mr. Chaya?" Jiro Shiro shook his head, glanced at Jiaoan, and asked him for help. "Haha! The spring breeze is rippling, Mr. Chaya!" "No... dare not!" "Xinzuo replied, both of them are right." "Oh?" "Understood? To say one is to see it from the outside, and to say two is to refer to the content inside. Therefore, both parties are right. After he made such a ruling, he fled quickly. This is not a happy thing for the world. What about it, Chaya-san?" "Please stop talking, Mr. Tongkou!" Ah Yin couldn't take it anymore, and stared at Shi Jian.Mu Shi tilted his head seriously: "I don't understand what this means at all." He said and got up and left the seat. "Mr. Chaya, why are you looking for me?" Jiaoan said. When did the wind of world peace blow into people's hearts?If Jiaoan hadn't mentioned it, before the guests left, the tea house would not have had the courage to speak out, because the atmosphere here is so harmonious, he said: "I have some words from the bottom of my heart." "Oh? Well, let's go over there and talk." "It's really frightening." "Everyone, I'm sorry. Mushi, prepare lunch for everyone. Mr. Chaya and I will also drink tea later." Jiaoan said. The two stood up, walked through the atrium full of cherry blossoms, and sat down in the middle of the eight-tiered room surrounded by corridors on three sides. Jiaoan asked, "What did Mikawa say again?" "I'm a little uneasy." "So, Tokugawa-sama is going to do something?" "That's right! He probably thinks that Master Guan Bai might use Asahiji's marriage to numb him, and then he will fight against him." "Oh." Jiaoan fell into deep thought, "I heard that Mr. Tokugawa publicly agreed to this marriage." "Yes, first I prepared dog skins and tiger skins, and then ordered 300 bolts of cloth." "Three hundred horses?" "Yes, I think I'll send it over if I buy everything this time." "Cloth?" Jiao An's eyes sparkled and he pondered. "Master Guan Bai doesn't want to fight this battle, Zong Yi and Zeng Luli also think so. Is it because Master Hamamatsu is worrying too much?" "Master Tokugawa will never be so reckless!" "He sent someone to tell me to carefully observe Master Guan Bai's every move." "This...strange!" "This time the secret envoy not only told me about the military deployment, but also told me in detail about the hostage request from Jiaxin farmers. The preparations for the war are in full swing." "Mr. Chaya, according to my opinion, this is Mr. Tokugawa's strategy." "Strategy?" "Yes. His main target is not Lord Guanbai, but he deliberately made it for Odawara to see. He didn't order the cloth for marriage, but to give Odawara a gift." Jiaoan said, laughing in a low voice. "Oh? Sir, that's what you said. It seems that the things you bought this time are not for the wedding." Chaya couldn't help but breathe heavily, "What is the basis for such a judgment, sir? Please tell me, so that I can understand a thing or two." "Okay!" Jiaoan narrowed his sharp eyes again, "Recently I've been thinking that Mr. Tokugawa would never do anything to take the initiative to start a war with the opponent." "Oh?" "Going to Koshin, and the battle of Komaki, others started the war first, which shows that Tokugawa-sama is just the opposite of the late Oda Youfu. He seems to believe in the Buddhist way taught to him by his grandmother and mother. Don’t make troubles artificially. His understanding of these principles will gradually mature with age.” "Oh." "Therefore, the development of the troubled times for a long time can be divided into three periods. One is the period of Oda Youfu, which completely broke the tradition. The second is to open up a new path in this destroyed world. The period of Sekibaku Hideyoshi who sows new seeds. The third is the period of a certain king who waits for the sown seeds to grow and reap the fruits. It is not clear who will rule the world now, but Tokugawa-sama must regard himself That's it. Chaya-san, can't you see?" "It seems to be the case." "In this way, Lord Tokugawa's way of survival should be very clear. Help Youfu during the period of Oda Youfu, support Guanbai during the period of Guanbai, and wait for the fruit to fall. The world is everywhere. If he understands, he will not Start a war with Guan Bai." "Oh." Chaya took a deep breath and nodded, "It really opened up Chaya." "Haha, this is my opinion. However, since Mr. Tokugawa is very cautious, he will not let people see his intentions easily. The so-called intentions are his strategy of getting closer to Guan Bai. During this period, he himself I will try my best to show my majesty to all the generals in the world." "Oh." "If it weren't for this, once Guan Bai left, my lord would not be able to rule the world." "yes." "This point is clear, and it is understandable why he had to form an alliance with the Hojo father and son in Odawara before marrying the Guanbai family. Because Mr. Tokugawa formed an alliance with the Hojo father and son, and then went to Osaka City as his sister-in-law. The status in the minds of the generals will also suddenly increase. I will make a fuss about it, maybe it is wrong. However, you can go to Hamamatsu and ask." Hearing what Jiaoan said, the tea house could only nod.From the bottom of his heart, he thought it was worthwhile to visit Jiaoan this time.Jiaoan always allows people to see traces of the future from the historical context from the past to the present.In the past, Chaya almost always followed his instructions without any mistakes.He sighed: "I completely understand." "Understood, you don't have to take it too seriously, you can tell Master Tokugawa what I said directly." "Can……" "What are you worried about?" "Mr. Nawu, are you sure that Master Guan Bai will not start a war?" "Mr. Chaya, do you know that the people of Sakai Hong Kong have traveled all over the Ming Dynasty, Tianzhu, and even the West!" "I know." "Therefore, it can be said that the people of Hong Kong in Sakai are the people of the world." "good." "People in these worlds have been paying attention to the general trend. They think that the world of Japan should be given to Guan Bai. You can think about the meaning of this sentence again." "yes……" "This statement has a profound meaning. People from Sakai and Hong Kong often come to Guan Bai's side, intending to let Guan Bai look at the world. It is not without pride that we are all the ones who teach Guan Bai. How can we not know his heart?" Shoan's flat tone when he said these words made Chaya feel uncomfortable. "If Mr. Guan Bai wants to provoke Mr. Tokugawa, the people who teach him will not allow it. It is not yet that time, but Kyushu should be pacified earlier, only where ports to the world can be opened one after another. Otherwise, We will seal ourselves off on a small island, sink into the sea, and become bait. For the future, now is a critical moment, so even if Mr. Kanbai says he is going to attack the Tokugawa Clan, the merchants of the world—the people of Sakai Port will not Let him go! That's what you think." When Jiaoan said this, he stroked his forehead and smiled embarrassedly, "Hey! I'm a gangster, and Mr. Chaya is so disgusted with beatings and killings that he ended it for the land. Fighting for a samurai career, becoming a businessman. Once you become a businessman, you must have the world in mind!" Chaya Shirojiro stared at the Yintang of Jiaoan, unable to speak for a long time.Jiaoan said that for the sake of Japan, Hideyoshi is being guided, and he will never be allowed to be unscrupulous.In this way, Toyotomi Hideyoshi should be the big shopkeeper of Sakai Hong Kong people.But if Hideyoshi knew about this, what would happen?When Chaya thought about this, before he could answer, his whole body trembled, feeling dejected. "The girls are waiting, let's go over there and have fun." Jiaoan urged lightly.