Chapter 33 Chapter Thirty-Three

In the inner courtyard of Junfu City, autumn flowers are in full bloom. Although it is July, the atmosphere of early autumn is already permeating everywhere, and the wind blowing in from the corridor gives people a sense of high autumn air.Tokugawa Ieyasu closed his eyes and listened to the report of Takeo Omura sent by Honda Bungomori Hirotaka who followed Hideyoshi to Kyushu.On one side is Okubo Hikozaemon, on the other side is Nomotozazaemon, and a little further away is the tea house Shiro Jiro who came from the capital. "So, the Major General did not make any contribution in the attack on Yanshi Castle in Chikuzen?" Okubo Hikozaemon asked Dai Ieyasu to make up for Omura's ambiguity.

"Yes. The major general led the second team. When he arrived, the city had already fallen." Wu Taifu said regretfully, his face was tanned on the battlefield.The so-called major general is Yu Yimaru, Hashiba Hideyasu, the adopted son of Hideyoshi.Yu Yiwan now holds the title of Major General Sanhe.For this expedition to Kyushu, he was incorporated into Sasaka Naruga's team as a general. "Oh! When we arrived, the city had already fallen. Is the enemy vulnerable, or is the major general's team moving too slowly?" Yan Zuowei said. "The major general is not responsible for this matter, because the fall of the city was earlier than expected. Because of this, the major general felt that he had lost a chance to gain military exploits. It was a pity, and he shed tears."

"Huh? Tears?" Ieyasu said suddenly. "Yes, after Sasaumu Okumori found out, he praised him in front of his retainers as worthy of being the empress of Tokugawa, and a role model for everyone!" "Yes, you should always be enterprising." Hikozaemon glanced at Ieyasu and said, "Honta Bungo has made great contributions to the defense, and the Major General has performed well. Therefore, everyone can be safe and sound with Kanbai on the 14th." Returning to Osaka every day, isn’t it?” "Yes. There is a celebration banquet in Osaka. Hirotaka Honda said that if the Lord goes to Osaka to congratulate, he will stay in the formation and wait for you, so I specially asked the villain to ask."

"Oh." Hikozaemon nodded, "He said that?" Ieyasu was speechless, his eyes were half-closed, as if he had fallen asleep.Hikozaemon said again: "My lord." But Ieyasu remained as unmoved as an old monk. Hondasakuzaemon from Okazaki laughed. "Okay! Go down and rest for a while. I'll let you know after we discuss it with the lord." Takeo retreated a little puzzled, and Tsukuzaemon glanced at Hikoza and Chaya, and smiled again. "My lord seems to be really asleep." Hikozaemon breathed a sigh of relief, and explained: "Recently, my lord is very tired because of the Buddhist affairs of the Saixiang Bureau."

"Yanzuo, do you think the lord is a little disheartened?" Zuo Zuo said. "If you are not discouraged, you are not a good person." "I don't want you to be reasonable, tell me, do you feel this way?" "Of course, I don't want to make any big sense. In this situation, everyone should be sad." "That's the truth. I have other feelings, though." "Other feelings?" "Stupid! Physical fatigue is not the same as a heavy heart injury, don't you see?" "There are two aspects. In short, the virtuous internal assistant of the Xixiang Bureau is gone."

"Hmph!" Zuo Zuo said coldly. "how?" "Ridiculous. Do you still need to talk about this?" "Ah! The old man always has a lot of great truths, so it's better not to talk about it." Honda Saemon no longer paid attention to him, and turned to Chaya Shirojiro.Chaya stopped in surprise and listened to his question.Sakuzaemon chuckled again. "Since the lord can fall asleep, you can rest assured." He lowered his voice, "If Guan Bai wants to change the territory and ask the lord to go to Daban, what will happen to the lord?" "This matter..." Chawu was afraid that Ieyasu would hear it, so he said cautiously, "I have thought about it on the road, and judging from Guan Bai's temperament, this time I may only mention some matters about appointment as an official."

"Oh." "Mr. Yu Yiwan is already a major general of Lanhe, so the lord will probably be the second grade Quan Da Nayan..." "Hmph! This is just a favor." "Furthermore, he may hold the Yuanfu ceremony for Mr. Changsongmaru during the throne ceremony." "Oh. Hideyasu's word 'Xiu' comes from Kanbai's name. Mr. Nagamatsu Maru should also be blessed, anyway, it's all a matter of effort." After Sakuzaemon finished speaking, he said to Hikozaemon, "Hirasuke, you should call the lord Wake up. I should not take care of this matter, it is the Lord's family business."

Hikozaemon leaned closer to Ieyasu's ear and said, "My lord." Ieyasu opened his eyes slightly.He wasn't asleep, but he wasn't quite awake either.He heard everyone's conversation, but it didn't impress him. Recently, he often fell asleep. "My lord! Did you hear everyone's words?" Zuo Zuo said. "I heard about it." "Zuo Zuo wants to reiterate his point of view: we don't have to go to this celebration banquet." "Why?" "Hideyoshi will deliberately arrange some favorable favors. For him, whether it is the position of Quan Da Na Yan or Zhong Na Yan, it will be effortless."

"Zuo Zuo, do you think the position of Da Nayan will become a burden?" "My lord, this is interesting. Hideyoshi can give favors at will, heh." "As the left, Guan Bai is free to do so, but we should not worry about accepting the official position or not!" "So, my lord is going?" "Go!" Ieyasu said decisively, "Don't think that Hideyoshi is just Guan Bai. He pacified Kyushu for Japan, and I'm going to Beijing to congratulate the imperial family. This is my only purpose." "I'm afraid he will make us breathless. It seems that my lord still doesn't understand Mr. Chaya's worries. If Kanbai said that he wants to change the territory..." Honda Saemon said, "He deliberately gave favors and forced them with giri. , so that you can't refuse. Knowing that he is going to play tricks, we will not fall into the trap in the first place. This is very important."

Ieyasu glanced at Chaya, his plump cheeks tightened, "I know everyone is worried. But, since Ah Ai's death, my heart has changed." "Variety?" "Aai is a good woman!" "Of course, she is a rare and virtuous woman." "I made a careful comparison between A'ai and Mrs. Tsukiyama." "Hmph! It's a woman again!" Sakuzaemon seemed to deliberately annoy Ieyasu, turned his head to the side, and ignored it. "A'ai told me to learn to be patient—she sees farther than I do." "Yes!" Chaya agreed. Ieyasu's eyes shone with excitement, and he said, "As long as I talk to Mrs. Tsukiyama, I will definitely get angry. The more reasonable her words are, the more angry I will be. Reasonable things cannot bring happiness to people."

"Oh?" Zuo Zuo seemed to be surprised. "However, Ah Ai has no reasonable proposition. She, just like her name, has only pity and love in her heart." Jiakang said, turning his head away.Honda Zuzaemon also couldn't help crying, he tightly pressed his lips together, trying to control his emotions.He understood the meaning of the lord's words.The lord wants to use the survival method of the Xixiang Bureau to convince everyone to understand the necessity of going to Beijing this time.But Saemon's dissatisfaction lies precisely in this. The lord now wants to get close to Hideyoshi to avoid war.But, can he exchange his heart for his heart?Zuo Zuo thought that walking this road was like facing an abyss.If you are sincere, but others are still all over the place, you will fall into a trap.Chaya Shiro Jiro made a special trip from the capital to remind them that if Hideyoshi proposes to change the territory, they need to come up with a countermeasure. "Do you understand the state of mind of the lord?" When the crowd calmed down, they acted in a wrong way, "The lord wants to turn Guan Bai into emotions, and learn how the Xixiang Bureau serves the lord. Is that right, lord?" Ieyasu said: "Sometimes, you have to argue with reason and confront each other; sometimes, you have to be courteous; sometimes, it is more beneficial to plan without scheme than to spend all your energy. The most important thing is to grasp your own direction, persevere, and you will be determined." Can influence. This is learned from Aai." "Ha ha!" "Zuo Zuo, you're too rude! I'm not alluding to anyone, I'm just talking about Ah Ai." "I can't help laughing because I think that what the lord said will make Mrs. A'ai have no peace in Jiuquan." "She can't live in peace?" "Yes, you shouldn't comfort Madam with lies, otherwise she won't feel at ease on the road to Huangquan. Listen to the lord's thoughts, and use the sincerity of Madam A'ai to influence Guan Bai and serve Guan Bai wholeheartedly..." "serve?" "Haha! The lord is born headstrong, how can he serve Guan Bai like Mrs. A'ai? If the lord can really do that, I'm afraid Mrs. A'ai will cry if she finds out. What do you think, Pingzhu?" Okubo Hikozaemon suddenly turned his head to the side—the hateful ghost, old man!Seeing Hikozaemon evading, Zuo Zuo's words became sharper: "My lord, go and tell Masanobu what you are saying. People like me who understand what the lord thinks are a bit puzzled." "It seems that you are determined to oppose it?" "This is not an objection. It seems that the lord has not really understood the Xixiang Bureau. She is serving the lord sincerely, and she is also trying her best to fight the lord. In the end, she left because of exhaustion. She left full of resentment." Saemon's outspokenness made Ieyasu furious and his veins exposed.When he was deeply immersed in the grief of pursuing the deceased, Zuo Zuo actually said that the deceased was full of resentment, of course he would be furious.Jiakang said angrily: "Zuo Zuo, you are so rude!" "No. I just see it more thoroughly than my lord." "You mean, Ah Ai is not convinced by me?" "What is convincing? My lord thinks that if you have affection, you can easily be convinced?" "Zuo Zuo, in your opinion, what kind of mind does Ah Ai serve me with?" "Haha! Obviously, Mrs. Tsukiyama and the Xixiang Bureau are the same. There is no difference between them." "Hmph, nonsense! One is against me, and still leaves me with much unhappiness, while the other has brightened my life. How can they be the same?" "Is this the way my lord sees the world?" Saying this, Tsukuru took a step forward on his left knee and said, "Mrs. Zhushan and the Xixiang Bureau both want you to be at their mercy." "But one makes me unhappy, but the other comforts my heart." "Oh? From this point of view, the lord is really wrong. One is trying to win the lord with all his strength, but it annoys you. She won a small victory. The Xixiang Bureau won with great patience and sincerity, but in the end But she went early. But she pretended to be sincere, but convinced the lord. The lord mistakenly thought that she treated you sincerely. The lord did not see the truth, and she lost her life." "You?" Ieyasu felt that he was a little abnormal. When Sakuzaemon opposed him with strong words, he must have a very special purpose. He knew this well, but today he couldn't control his anger.He leaned his upper body to Fuji, tried his best to suppress the dissatisfaction in his heart, and said: "As the left, do you think Mrs. Zhushan is not wrong?" "My lord really doesn't know what I'm thinking!" "you say!" "Mrs. Zhushan and the Xixiang Bureau are fighting with the lord. The former has the upper hand, but the latter lost to the lord." "Why do you say that?" "The reason is very simple. When Mrs. Zhushan served the lord, the lord was unbearable; when Xixiang Ju married the lord, the lord was already quite powerful. Therefore, I say that the lord won the Xixiang Ju, and at this time the only way is to win. This is the world of men. The truth is, at this time, the master has few opponents." After Sakuzaemon finished speaking, he looked around like an old toad.Ieyasu stared at Sazaemon the whole time without making a sound.In Sakuzaemon's eyes, there was an indescribable sadness.What is the reason for him to oppose it so strongly and talk so outrageously? "My lord, you still don't understand? After all, the Xixiang Bureau can't control the lord at will, just like the lord can't control Guan Bai at will. You can only keep fighting. Pretending to be sincere is a struggle; not saying a word is also a struggle. If you If you misunderstand her again, how can she rest in peace? Madam told us that we can’t give up fighting until we die! If the lord doesn’t think so, she will always sink into hell and not be able to ascend to heaven.” Zuo Zuo seemed a little proud. Ieyasu suddenly swung the fan in his hand at Sakuzaemon, "Shut up! You bastard, think you're smart!" Zuo Zuo laughed loudly and said, "Oh? My lord is really annoyed!" "You people have talked too much to encourage me to fight. My patience is at the limit." "Of course we have to fight!" Zuo Zuo said loudly. "Hmph!" Ieyasu reprimanded, but the depression in his heart suddenly eased a lot.Because he suddenly understood the purpose of being Zuo: he was guarding the tea house!Of course, it's not that I have any doubts about the tea house, I'm just afraid that if it leaks out.The left is to convince Shiro Jiro that Ieyasu will no longer confront Hideyoshi in the future. Ieyasu suddenly turned to Shiro Jiro and said, "Did you see it? Chaya, this stubborn old man." "Hey..." Chaya whispered. "Didn't you expect that? When you talk about things, you will be supreme." "However, this kind of family tradition is rare!" "Because everyone thinks so, Zuo Zuo and others are even more presumptuous. Zuo Zuo, what good strategy do you have? Tell me. If Guan Bai proposes to change the seal, how do you plan to deal with it? I have a countermeasure, you first Say it." "Oh." Sakuzaemon smiled and walked forward.Sure enough, as Ieyasu expected, he did it on purpose for the tea house to see.Chaya Shirojiro looked at the crowd uneasily.Hikozaemon couldn't help but clenched his fists and leaned out. "The countermeasures below are not to influence people with sincerity, my lord!" Zuo Zuo said. Ieyasu remained motionless. "I think that if Guanbai is rude, he will send troops to Owari immediately. Controlling Gifu from Kiyosu while issuing orders to the rear is enough to stabilize the overall situation." "Who are you giving orders to?" "There are our allies Hojo, Uesugi, and Date in the east. We can't let Guan Bai come here to enjoy flowers as he likes like he conquered Kyushu!" Chaya Shiro Jiro hurriedly interjected: "Of course, as Lord Honda said, I also think that before the Kanto is settled, Guanbai will not be harmful to the lord." "Stay in the tea house! This is my humble opinion, and I must listen to the master's opinion next. Master, please tell me." Zuo Zuo said. Ieyasu felt relieved.Chaya Shiro Jiro was already very confused about the morale represented by Zuo Zuo.This wind is determined, and when he comes to the capital in the future, no matter what the occasion is, no matter what he says, he will never show weakness! "Haha," Ieyasu laughed, and said, "Zuozuo, according to what you said, you have to prepare to send troops?" "how you said that?" "The tea house has already told us that Guan Bai has acted suspiciously." "That's another matter. Now, my lord, tell me what's on your mind." "The so-called sincerity by me means doing your best, and then you can't act at will." "This is what he said about him. I would like to ask, if Guan Bai proposes to change the territory, how should we respond?" "At that time, you don't need to worry, I will attack Beijinjiang in one fell swoop." "Oh?" "There is nothing to hesitate. Once I am asked to change the territory, the east will not be pacified. Tokugawa Ieyasu will rely on others for the sake of the world? Hmph! As the left, you must not forget this." "Oh." "I said that Ah Ai gave me enlightenment, for the sake of the common people in the world, I have to endure what others can't bear. I'll replace the struggle you mentioned with patience. Chaya, right?" "Yes Yes." "However, Guan Bai agrees with me, and now he will not make unreasonable demands. This is what people do. Therefore, I intend to congratulate me sincerely. If he wants me to change the territory, as long as it is for the sake of the world, I will have nothing to say." Yan Zuo smiled.He understood what Ieyasu and Sakuzaemon said.He acted as a peacemaker and said: "So, what the lord said and what Mr. Bendo said are only fifty steps and a hundred steps." "Fifty steps and a hundred steps?" "There is truth in the false, the false in the true, the true in the false, the false in the true. Right, old sir?" "Don't talk like a monk. No matter what, people must have fighting spirit. This is the most important thing in the world!" "It's fighting spirit," Hikozaemon said, looking carefully at the tea house, "if it's not for the world, fighting spirit is just the courage of a man. My lord is wholeheartedly for the sake of the world." "Pingzhu!" Zuo Zuo said angrily. "How big is Honda's popularity?" "Want to enlighten the old man?" "How dare you!" "Then, who were you talking about just now?" "That's talking to myself, but it's just to make myself remember." But Sakuzaemon burst into tears at the tea house, "Sir Kanbai's casual words may cause an uproar! Because we have a formidable morale." "No, it's the backbone!" Chaya Shiro Jiro praised loudly, "I just heard about it, so I said some inappropriate things. Now I feel relieved." "Mr. Chaya, those words are priceless! It's really hard for you to come here. At least I, Hikozaemon, know that if something happens, the lord will go to Kita Omi, and the master will respond in Kiyosu." "So, I also have a reputation." Chaya laughed. "So, what should Hikozaemon do? Should I rush to Osaka first? Hahaha, thanks to you, I know what to do." Hikozaemon said. "Pingzhu!" Ieyasu said solemnly, "This time you are going to Beijing, you will also go with me." "Let's go down and fight." "No, you have been influenced by the stubbornness of being a leftist. From now on, you should show your face more and let the world know more about you, a warrior of Mikawa." Ieyasu said, seeing that everyone was exhausted, he called his servants with a smile on his face : "Prepare meals." Chaya Shiro Jiro also felt hungry.The time has passed, and from morning to this time, everyone has been discussing enthusiastically without thinking about eating. "My lord, have you made up your mind?" Sakuzaemon asked.Chaya thought the conversation was finally over. "Yes, but don't worry, how could Guan Bai say such rude words?" "Mr. Chaya said the same thing. But my lord, you must be cautious!" "He can poison?" Ieyasu sneered. "I'm not just talking nonsense, but I'm just reminding my lord!" Zuo Zuo said. "What does the old man mean?" "If this continues, the lord will gradually become a cunning fox like Guan Bai." "Hey, rude." "I don't want to mention it, but I'm really worried, so I can't help but say it. My lord has been talking for the sake of the world and the common people." "A man should have great ambitions!" "'For the sake of the world' is Guan Bai's catchphrase. Didn't my lord realize that you are like him?" "Zuo Zuo, needless to say." "Also, this time my lord is going to Beijing, Guan Bai will definitely let you bring your wife with you." "lady?" "Yes. The wife of the Dazheng Office is ill, so I will ask you to bring your wife to visit your mother." "Oh?" "Also. At that time, Guan Bai will first please you with his position as Da Nayan, and then propose to let his wife stay in the capital." "Don't worry about this. Doing so can make Madam happy, and it's also my blessing." "Hmph, my lord is wrong! Doing so is falling into the trap of the old fox. When the lord comes back, the old monkey will ask again that the wife wants to see the son Chang Songmaru. Anyway, they are also mother and son, how can the lord refuse? In this way, you have two son as a hostage." "oh oh?" "Then, is to attack Odawara. Hideyoshi is extremely cunning, and he will never let you be the vanguard like Imagawa Yoshimoto. Anyway, the victory of this kind of conquest is already decided. If he wants to transfer the territory, or let you go to Osaka to take office, he will let you go. You are in a dilemma. For the sake of the world, the lord must give up the world to the old monkey. It is not important, the important thing is that the old man must return to Okazaki as soon as possible, and start training a group of soldiers that can be used at the critical time, because we We must send troops to Owari immediately!" Zuo Zheng said, when the maids brought the food, he rolled his eyes, stood up, and said: "Tea house, I have some things to do, so I'm leaving." Chaya thought that Ieyasu would call Saemon to stop.However, Ieyasu looked as usual, and said calmly: "The old man is going?" Then, he added to Zuo Zuo's back: "You are still so impatient, don't force it!" The food had already been served, but Zuo Zuo got up and left. It was really capricious, and Ieyasu didn't even keep him.The tea house was thinking about it when Jiayasu sighed, "I wish I didn't have to work so hard every day." Chaya turned to look at Ieyasu in surprise.Master really annoyed? Chaya was thinking this way, and Ieyasu smiled at Hikozaemon: "Hirasuke, will you be the same as Sakuza when you get older? Be careful!" "What a delight." "Oh?" "Yan Zuo always encourages himself to act like Master Honda throughout his life." "Chaya, did you hear that?" "yes." "Why does my family have such weird people from generation to generation? Guan Bai will be shocked if he finds out. The retainers are too presumptuous in front of the lord." The tea house respectfully folded their palms together and did not say a word. It is still wheat rice, and there is a clear miso soup. Apart from some pickles, there is only a small dried salted fish. "It's past meal time, are you hungry? You're welcome, just use whatever you want." Ieyasu greeted. "Yes, the villain will use it first." Chaya Shiro Jiro said, he suddenly recalled the food of the merchants in Sakai Port.The merchants in Sakai Port invite people to dinner, and the richness is not less than ten times that of this place!Ieyasu is about to become Da Nayan, and he still eats this kind of food, which is really comparable to life in a meditation hall.Chaya glanced at the two suspiciously.Hikozaemon needless to say, the forty-six-year-old Ieyasu picked up his chopsticks with great contentment. According to Chaya, among the merchants, only Moto Ami Koji and his son Koetsu Nikoji are the only ones who still insist on such a simple life and live a very fulfilling life.Miaoxiu, the mother of Guangyue, is a loyal follower of Master Lianru. Even if someone gave her rare and precious silk cloth, she would divide it into thin small scarves and distribute them to the wives and daughters of poor craftsmen.People may say that she is stingy, or that she is peaceful, but she doesn't say anything, and only wears rough cotton clothes. Ieyasu, like them, carefully calculates expenses, prepares for emergencies, and thinks of the world wholeheartedly. If it weren't for this, he wouldn't be so open-minded.Just as Chaya was thinking about it, Ieyasu suddenly said, "Chaya, you need to be more thoughtful towards the world." These words were too sudden, and Chaya Shirojiro raised his chopsticks, ahed, and looked at Ieyasu in puzzlement. "Actually, sometimes I want to use something delicious." "That's right, the villain is the same." "However, at that time, I will seriously think about it. When I want to eat delicious food, it is actually when I am physically and mentally tired." "yes." "People get tired all the time." "Yes, my lord is getting old, so take care of your health." "Chaya, you misunderstood." Ieyasu smiled and said, "I am not physically tired, but mentally tired. The desire to use delicious food is born when he is hesitant." "Oh." "No matter how you take care of yourself, you can't live forever. When you should grow old, you will definitely grow old. However, your heart will never grow old." The tea house unconsciously put down the chopsticks and corrected its sitting posture.He felt that it should be so, otherwise it would be disrespectful, as if he was in a meditation hall at this moment, listening to an eminent monk's teaching. "Dian should be cautious, talk while eating." "yes!" "I appreciate the help others give me, and I don't neglect my own efforts. So when I skip meals, it's a day of confidence and tirelessness." "Little man... understand." Chaya trembled. "Although this is not a delicacy, I think it is very good. To me, simple food is a more delicious delicacy than delicacies from mountains and seas." "My lord really has the heart of a god and Buddha!" "However, as long as the people are still suffering, I must think about them and dare not be extravagant. The people are also the people of the emperor!" "yes." "Once you think about extravagance, you will forget your ambition. How about it? Isn't this meal so bad?" Only then did Chaya Shirojiro truly understand Ieyasu's heart for the common people in the world.How serious is the sincerity of the lord!Hikozaemon just said that sincerity is falsehood, and falsehood is sincerity.However, Ieyasu's sincerity has almost penetrated into the bone marrow.Chaya thought of Hideyoshi's luxury, and tears welled up in his eyes.