When Honda Masanobu's footsteps sounded in the corridor again, Mitsunari's eyes suddenly lit up, and his heart, which had been hanging high for a long time and was anxious, gradually fell to the ground, and he felt a lot more at ease.
It has to be said that this time, the seven generals who followed closely behind Fushimi had to chase and kill him. This only meant that if he had stayed leisurely in Osaka, he would have died long ago. From this point of view, at least he managed to escape from the danger of death, which can be regarded as a blessing in misfortune.
"Lord Jibu, I have kept you waiting. My lord is going to meet you soon." Honda Sado Mamoru said softly, and then he shrugged his shoulders and smiled: "By the way, the seven generals have also arrived. At this moment, Ii-sama We have already gone to the dock to greet you... It seems that this negotiation may be quite tricky."
Honda Masanobu's appearance sounded like he was worried about Sancheng's safety from the bottom of his heart, but also like a subtle coercion.
Ishida Mitsunari remained silent, and Honda Masanobu seemed not to expect a response from him. He just stretched out his hand in vain, and then turned around calmly. Mitsunari followed Sado Mamoru up the corridor, thinking to himself: Now that we have come this far, we can only make up our minds to deal with Ieyasu, and take it one step at a time.
Despite this assumption in his mind, the crisis was approaching at this moment, and his legs were still trembling, wondering what Ieyasu would do to him.
"Have you come to me for help after all?" If such words really came from Ieyasu's mouth, would Ishida Mitsunari be able to bear it? Maybe the other party will deliberately provoke me, and then use this as an excuse to hand me over to the Seventh General. When the time comes - hey, if that's the case, how can there be any "when"?
"I've brought Mr. Jibu here." Mitsunari was in a trance when he suddenly heard Honda Masanobu say.
It turned out that they had reached the end of the corridor. At this moment, the corridor window opened, and their eyes suddenly lit up. On the other side of the window, by the spring in the courtyard, the irises had bloomed purple flowers early, and the room was bright and bright. The layout of the spring stone looked very familiar. The room seemed to have been built by Ieyasu, and a fresh woody fragrance came to his nostrils.
"I'm sorry, please leave Jibu-sama's sword to me for safekeeping." When entering, Shintaro Torii said to Ishida Mitsunari with a respectful expression. It was said to be respectful, but of course it was just polite. Mitsunari could tell that Torii's words were emotionless. It was obvious that he didn't have any respect for himself in his heart.
And when he heard that he had to hand over the sword, Sancheng couldn't help but feel nervous, and his knees couldn't help but shake slightly. Although Mitsunari tried his best to cover up such a gaffe, how could he escape Ieyasu's vicious eyes?
"Master Zhibu, please come this way."
At this point, there was no way to retreat, so Sanzheng had no choice but to muster up the courage and go in. However, after entering, Sancheng looked up and was immediately shocked. I saw warriors standing on both sides of the entrance, and Ieyasu was also surrounded by strong guards on both sides, as if they were in battle. It was really heavily guarded and impeccable.
"The chief accountant has already come to me to ask for the administration of the department. These arrangements are to prevent them from using violence." Ieyasu seemed to have already anticipated what Mitsunari was thinking, and said calmly before he could ask questions.
"Thank you Zuofu." Sancheng said this, but he was very disdainful in his heart: What a beautiful lie. Isn't everything in this arrangement just to scare me? As for using force... it's a joke. The Seven Generals didn't intend to overturn Toyotomi Gongyi, so how could they use force against Taige's elder Tuogu at this moment?
"I've heard what Sado said about the current situation. It's really troublesome. But since Ieyasu is here to help Ieyasu, how can Ieyasu obediently leave the master in the hands of others? Just don't worry, Ieyasu will ensure your safety."
When Sancheng heard this, he almost doubted his own ears. Just now, his whole body was tense, worried that Ieyasu would try his best to insult him, but unexpectedly, as soon as Ieyasu opened his mouth, he had already taken over the responsibility for his own safety.
Sancheng said in a trembling voice: "So... Zuofu is willing to take Sancheng in?" With life and death at stake, Sancheng didn't care about words like "defection" and "take in".
But he didn't care, Ieyasu actually cared. Mr. Zuofu waved his hand and said: "If you talk about taking in, that would be too far-fetched. You and I are all Taige's remaining ministers. How could the Seven Generals take advantage of the death of the Great Nayan to start such a big dispute with the Governing Department? Even if the Governing Department Don’t worry, Ieyasu will severely reprimand the seven of them.”
Due to his excessive nervousness just now, Ieyasu's reaction at this moment was completely unexpected, and Sanzhi didn't know how to deal with it. Ieyasu was straight to the point this time, concise, clear and well-organized... But Mitsunari immediately became alert and reminded himself that he must not take it lightly: Although Ieyasu is extremely powerful, he never lets go of the opportunities he gets. How could he do it now? Let things go easily? Maybe he wanted to sell me a favor first, which is his best trick.
But just at this moment, Ii Naomasa hurriedly walked in. Before he could salute, he had already spoken: "My lord, something is not good. It is difficult for the seven generals to talk this time... They have to meet the lord no matter what. Negotiate with the lord face to face.”
Ishida Mitsunari on the side felt nervous at first, but immediately suspected that Naomasa Ii was acting like this to intimidate him, so he held his breath and waited to see Ieyasu's reaction.
Ieyasu frowned, as if he did not expect Qi to be so insistent. He pondered for a moment and said decisively: "You are not a child anymore. You should know that I, Tokugawa Ieyasu, have been entrusted by the Taige and will never allow anything to cause chaos in the world. A private fight has occurred! If you go again, let them wait for my decision."
"These words have been spoken to the seven generals below, but they are all excited and filled with righteous indignation..."
"So what! In front of me, Tokugawa Ieyasu, how can I allow them to do whatever they want!" Ieyasu's voice was almost shouting at this moment: "If it were someone else, it might be a different matter, but today's person is Lord Jibu, if you let If they continue to be lawless, Tokugawa Ieyasu will show his face to the world! Let them go back!"
Hearing Ieyasu's scolding, Ii Naomasa stood up and left with a displeased expression. When Sancheng heard this, although his face was still tense, he couldn't help but smile in his heart.
Was this incident a carefully choreographed drama from the beginning?
However, just when Mitsunari thought of this, Ieyasu had already turned to him and said: "Please rest assured, management department, if they continue to make things difficult, Ieyasu will go out personally to drink them away. I hope they will not dare to be rude to Ieyasu." He gently pulled Fukichi over. , said: "But having said that, now that things have reached such a stage, the rebellion of the seven generals must not go away. The management department must have an idea of how to deal with the aftermath."
"Ah?" Sancheng was startled subconsciously. Tonight, all he could think about was escaping with his life. As for dealing with the aftermath, how could he care about it?
However, Ieyasu seemed to think highly of him and actually asked such a question seriously. Seeing that he didn't seem to have any plans at this moment, he immediately changed to a sincere tone and said: "Since the relationship between the two parties has deteriorated to this point, it will definitely be difficult to reconcile in a short time. But Ichibu can rest assured that everything will be left to Ieyasu... But, it will be How to deal with it, Ieyasu still wants to hear your opinion."
Mitsunari suddenly panicked. Unexpectedly, Ieyasu came unexpectedly. Yes, things have reached this point, and it is not enough to just quell the riots in front of you.
"Even..." Ieyasu paused, and then said: "Even if the seven people are wrong, after all, they are all generals who have followed Taiko since childhood, and they have made great achievements in the past. What's more, they are all deeply loved by the Northern Song Dynasty. The Zhengsuo (Ningning) is so kind to them, and the Beizhengsuo feels like mother and son with them... In this way, we can neither kill everyone nor let them commit suicide. Once that is done, the world will be in chaos. Therefore, how should we deal with it in the future? You have to think carefully.”
Mitsunari raised his eyes and glanced at Honda Sado Mamoru sitting next to him. Honda Masanobu was squinting his eyes at this moment, looking at Mitsunari and Ieyasu in turn. Mitsunari couldn't tell what the old fox was thinking, so he could only say: "Regarding this matter, if the Zuofu comes forward and severely reprimands them with Lord Mouri, Lord Ukita, Lord Uesugi, etc., I think they might restrain themselves."
"Well, Ieyasu knows what Haribu means. But in this case, I wonder if Harube-sama can return to Osaka alone and serve his duties with peace of mind?"
"This..." Sancheng was speechless for a moment. Are you kidding me? If these elders jointly reprimand the seven generals, they will certainly be able to make them not dare to contradict them face to face, and they may even have to admit their mistakes face to face, but what happens after they turn their backs? As Ieyasu said just now, these seven generals were not only direct descendants of Taige, but also brought up by Beizhengshuo from childhood. They were so confident that even the five elders did not dare to kill them.
What does it mean to not dare to kill them? It means that they only need to carry the fifth elder and find an opportunity to kill him Ishida Mitsunari next time! The five elders could only stare blankly and give them some painless "punishment" afterwards.
"Anyway, the seventh general is obviously furious now. Once people are angry, they often lose their reason and become desperate... From this point of view, there must be some ill-thought in the administration at the moment."
Ieyasu was methodical and gentle at first, but it turned out that he had set a trap for people to fall into... Mitsunari finally came to his senses and couldn't help but feel regretful.
Yes, Ieyasu went around in such a big circle, just to remind Ishida Mitsunari: You and the Seventh General have completely fallen out, and the Seventh General actually has a death-free medal due to the relationship with the Hoi Masato, so as long as you dare When you return to Osaka, you may be killed by them at any time, and they won't even get any punishment!
"So, does Zuofu have any better countermeasures?" Mitsunari asked, staring straight at Ieyasu. Ieyasu also stared at him without saying a word for a long time. The look in his eyes was clearly that of an eagle playing with its prey, which frightened him. Perhaps Ieyasu was looking at him with disdain: How foolish he was to run into my house so recklessly! Or maybe you want to set some harsh conditions and see how he reacts.
After a long time, Tokugawa Ieyasu sighed and said: "Since the administration has no idea, Ieyasu has no choice but to express his own thoughts."
"Thirty percent are all ears."
"Jibu, the best way for you to avoid the seven people at the moment and to protect both sides from harm, according to Ieyasu, is for you to immediately withdraw Sawa Yamashiro's plan."
"Withdraw into the collar?"
Ieyasu nodded, still staring at Mitsunari: "The Administrative Department should know that the real reason why the seven generals hate you is that you have gathered Taikaku's favor in one person."
"But is this 30%'s fault?"
"Of course it's not...at least it's not your fault alone. However, there is a saying in the Tang Dynasty: if the trees are beautiful in the forest, the wind will destroy them. When you are alive and stand out, you will naturally be jealous. Besides, in the past, you relied on the pavilion's favor and you were arrogant. He goes his own way, and his attitude toward the Seven Generals is a bit harsh. Is this true?
This accumulated over time and finally led to today's disaster. Unfortunately, the only person who could clear up the misunderstanding, Mr. Taige, is no longer alive. I see that the Zhibu has no choice but to retreat temporarily and go back to Zuohe Mountain for a while, quietly waiting for the opportunity for reconciliation. What do you think of the governance department? "
Ieyasu's words were like a thunderbolt, and Sanzheng was stunned. Although Ieyasu said this lightly, in fact the key to it lies in the word "retreat" - Gohouxing is in charge of the administration of Kinki and the world, so he must live in a central place. If he goes to Sawa Mountain Castle to retreat, he will naturally not be able to continue. Responsible for implementation!
Mitsunari didn't expect such an outcome beforehand, but he didn't expect that Ieyasu would force him here and now in this way. He was indeed a traitor!
Sancheng shouted in his heart: Tokugawa and I are incompatible! However, as the saying goes, people have to bow their heads under the eaves. No matter how angry they are in their hearts, they can only say bitterly: "So, 30% of them are useless people and are no longer suitable for religious practice?"
But Ieyasu was very gentle and said: "No. What I mean is that if this continues, no matter whether the administration is in Fushimi or Osaka, the danger will never be eliminated, and government affairs cannot be handled normally, so it is better to retreat temporarily and wait for an opportunity to make a comeback... Governance We are young and promising, and there will be plenty of opportunities in the future, right?"
Mitsunari quietly glanced at the saber that had been taken away. I said in my heart that if my weapons had not been confiscated, I would not hesitate to pull out the knife at this moment and kill this old thief who was taking advantage of the situation!
He suddenly understood the current situation: Maeda Toshiie was no longer here, and if he was driven away again, the world would completely fall into Ieyasu's hands. Those fools who have followed Taige since childhood, they thought they were loyal to Taige, but they finally drove me into the trap carefully designed by Ieyasu, and handed over the world to Ieyasu...
Thinking of this, Ieyasu's fat head instantly turned into a devil's head in Mitsunari's eyes. Sancheng really wanted to pounce on him like crazy, tear him apart and beat him at all costs.
Unfortunately, this idea makes no sense. The many guards around Ieyasu are not for decoration. As long as he does the slightest drastic move, these people can chop him into pieces with just a raise of their hands.
However, Ieyasu continued to show his generosity and said gently: "Of course, if the administration has a better idea, then forget it. There is no need to be polite in a humble house, so you might as well speak up."
Sancheng's expression clearly showed anger and murderous intent. It is impossible for Ieyasu to be unaware of it, but although his tone was gentle, he did not specifically comfort his words: "In governance, if a person does not know how to advance or retreat, he will inevitably stumble. When doing things in life, knowing when to be patient is the most important thing.
You are now standing at a fork in your life, and I hope you can think calmly. To put it bluntly, Ieyasu has been forced to experience the predicament you are facing now countless times... Although the administration has had its shortcomings in the past, it is still the pillar of the world, so Ieyasu is what he is today. "
Tokugawa Ieyasu's words may have some sincerity, but Mitsunari was so angry that his whole body trembled and his blood flowed backwards. If he hadn't still had a shred of sense, he would have risked his life and pounced on Ieyasu - I, Ishida Mitsunari, had never received such a lesson even in front of Taikaku. How dare you, Tokugawa Ieyasu, be a teacher in front of me?
But at this moment, he also knew that it was not the time to fall out with Ieyasu, so he finally suppressed his anger and said: "It seems that this is the only way."
Ieyasu still stared at Mitsunari and said: "Of course, if you return to Mount Sawa, Ieyasu can swear that I will keep you safe on the way and will never give the Seventh General a chance to take action. I can send people and horses to escort you to your territory. . In short, Ichibu should take a rest first, it’s best to decide early. Sado, take Ichibu to a separate room to rest.”
"Yes! Please, Lord Jibu."
Sancheng had no choice but to bow his head and salute, saying: "The Zuofu's deep friendship will be remembered forever in Sanzheng's heart. Now that the matter has come to this, Sanzheng has no choice but to be respectful rather than obey orders..."
Just wait and see! Let's wait and see! Don't think that I will give in easily! Sancheng felt bitter in his heart. He lowered his head to prevent Ieyasu from seeing the tears of humiliation flowing from the corners of his eyes.
Under Honda Masanobu's urging, Mitsunari calmed down his breathing before standing up and leaving.
Ieyasu sighed and stopped talking. Although he was also anxious, he really had no intention of reprimanding Sancheng.
Not long after, Honda Masanobu came back and said: "I brought the governor to Dongfang An." Dongfang An is the teahouse built for himself by Ieyasu Reizong.
"Have you posted a guard?"
"Sent. If we don't send someone to guard him, I'm afraid he will be killed in the house."
"Oh. It seems that he is finally willing to withdraw to Mount Sawa. I am not worried about the others, so I will arrange for Hideyasu and Yoshiharu Horio to escort him to Mount Sawa."
Honda Masanobu nodded, and then asked with a smile: "Does the Lord still think that he is a person who can understand your sincerity?"
"You bastard!" Ieyasu suddenly reprimanded loudly, as if he wanted to spit out the long-suppressed unhappiness: "How can these two things be confused? As the saying goes: When a poor bird is in his arms, the hunter will not kill it. I, Tokugawa Ieyasu, want to rescue even the whole world, Am I unable to save Ishida Mitsunari? If I don’t have such a talent, how can I win the trust of the people in the world in the future? Bastard!"
Honda was trusting Ieyasu to vent his anger. When Ieyasu stopped scolding him, he smiled bitterly and said, "My lord, from whom do you want to save this world?"
Ieyasu was speechless, and after a long while he said quietly: "Then it depends on who wants to cause civil strife in Japan... Japan has been in chaos for too long. Even though Taige pacified the world, but soon launched the war to conquer the dynasty, Japan is still In the midst of war, people die every day.
Now that Taige has passed away and the war has finally stopped, it’s time for people to stop fighting and live in peace, right? It's true that I can't disobey...that person, but I have to give it a try. "
——
Thanks to book friend "Cao Mianzi" for your reward and support, thank you!
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(End of chapter)
