On May 4, Kato Kiyomasa led about 18,000 people from Kato, Tachibana, Otomo, and Shimazu to Chikugokurumme Castle via Satsuma Kaido.

However, when they arrived at Mayue Castle in the evening of the same day, they saw that the gate of the city was open, and all the troops in the city were gone, except for dozens of Ashigaru who were in charge of guarding the supplies. Kato Kiyomasa learned from the head of the Ashigaru group that just two days earlier, Kuroda Rusui had gathered about 1,200 of the remaining troops in the territory at Mayue Castle, and the army had set off by ship from Moji Port to China. However, Masadamasa told him in person before leaving that if the Toyotomi coalition army killed, he should not make senseless resistance, just open the city and surrender, and he would never surrender afterwards.

How could Kato Kiyomasa not know what calculations Rushui had? He gritted his teeth and said fiercely: "What a Kuroda is like water, can you still make such a strange move in this situation, thinking that attacking a few cities of the Maori family can change from a rebellion to a successful minister?" I will not let you succeed! ”

Shimazu Tadashi, who learned what happened, was even more excited than Kato Kiyomasa at the moment, seeing that Kuroda Rushui wanted to atone for his crimes by attacking the Maori generals, but the Shimazu family was forced to surrender under the siege of the Toyotomi army. Long look at the first release of Chinese network.

Thinking of this, he immediately suggested to Kato Kiyomasa: "China is a vast territory, with more than 1,000 people like water, how many cities can be won in two days?" In the next thought, the master can also lead his troops from Moji Port to attack the Maori domain, and he must not let the Kuroda family's plan succeed. ”

After hesitating for a moment, Shimazu Tadashi asked Kato Kiyomasa with a serious expression: "I, Shimazu Ichi, was bewitched by the inner government and water, violated the mandate of heaven, and raised a riot army, causing Kyushu to be ruined and the people to be displaced. This attack on China, although I am not talented, I am willing to lead a clan of soldiers as the vanguard, let you drive, sweep away the rebellion, capture the enemy chieftain, in order to repay the right government and your kindness. ”

Hearing Shimazu Tadashi's words, Kato Kiyomasa sighed with emotion: "The former overlord of Kyushu was so humble, which was unprecedented during the Taiko Kyushu expedition. If it weren't for the surprise attack of the 20,000 troops of the right province on Satsuma and the bottom of the kettle, perhaps until the end of the war in Honshu, the Shimazu army would still refuse to defend the three states. Thinking of this, Kiyomasa's admiration for Hideho became stronger and stronger, but he did not lose his reason because of Shimazu Tadashi's humility, he knew that Tadatsune also wanted to borrow his own hands to use Maori and Kuroda as stepping stones to make a final effort to preserve the family name.

After all, as early as yesterday, they had received a letter from Hideho, and learned that the major event of Aizu had been decided, and the world was still the world of the Toyotomi clan, and the prosperity of stability and peace seemed to be close at hand.

"Satsuma Mamoru understands what he thinks in his heart," Kato Kiyomasa pulled Shimazu Tadashi aside and said in a low voice: "The war in Mutsu,, Hokuriku, and Kyushu has subsided, and only the Kanto and Koshin areas are still dead and struggling, but you and I both know that the general trend of the traitors has gone, and the right will triumph Sakuraro in a few days, and the world is about to return to stability."

Although the pacification of the Maori domain was a great achievement, please think about it, from the 12th of April when Kuroda raised his army to the 29th when Yatsushiro Castle opened, how many castles were destroyed in the war, and how many daimyo were involved? Not to mention my Kato clan, just the daimyo of Hosokawa, Tachibana, Otomo, Arima, and Sagara consumed almost all the manpower and material resources in their hands to fight against the noble army and the Kuroda army, and the Hosokawa and Sagara families were almost destroyed. At this time, if I don't give them the opportunity to make meritorious contributions, but I want to give Satsuma to guard you, wouldn't I have betrayed everyone's trust in Integrity and the Toyotomi clan? ”

Although Shimazu Tadashi had expected that Kato Kiyomasa might reject him, he didn't expect Kiyomasa to say it so bluntly, and he was immediately ashamed, and apologized to Kiyomasa repeatedly: "What the planner said is extremely true, and it is not well thought out, please forgive me." But there's really no way to do it, I can't just watch Shimazu's door cut off with me! ”

"In that case, there is a plan below, maybe it can help His Highness." Kato Kiyomasa pondered for a moment, smiled and said to Shimazu Tadatsune: "The right government mentioned in the letter that Tosa's Nagamune Ibu Mori family colluded with the inner government, resulting in the loss of Furukawa Shrine, and the right house main camp was also threatened for a time. Such a big sin, after the war, the right government will not be spared, His Royal Highness can start from Saeki Port, one step ahead to pacify Tosa, although this credit is not as good as the pacification of the Maori territory, but it can be regarded as avenging the sergeant who died in the battle of Furukawa in advance, plus the Shimazu attendant (Shimazu Yoshihiro) in Aizu has a military exploit, the right government after weighing it may reduce the punishment of the Shimazu family, and when the time comes, it will also be said from the side, and it may not be too much of a problem to keep the family name. ”

"The grace of the master, loyalty and eternal cannot be repaid!" Shimazu Tadashi listened to Kato Kiyomasa's suggestion, and was immediately excited, he bowed to the ground with a "poof", and said tremblingly: "I listened to the slander that I turned my back on the Taiko and the Toyotomi clan, but now I have received such a courtesy from His Royal Highness, and Zhongheng is very ashamed!" In the future, no matter what the outcome of my Shimazu Sect is, His Highness's kindness and loyalty will be remembered in my heart. Please also tell the right house that in the future, my Shimazu clan will be loyal to the Toyotomi clan, the right house, and the young lord of Hideyori, and if there is a violation, people and gods will abandon it! ”

Kiyomasa Kato nodded with satisfaction when he heard this, and then ordered his retainer Kato Shigeji and Shimazu Tadashi to lead their troops to Saeki Port, and land in Sukuge Town, Tosa Province through the Saeki Waterway, in order to complete the suppression of Tosa as quickly as possible.

Kato Kiyomasa's approach puzzled many people, who believed that the Shimazu clan, as the culprit of the Kyushu turmoil, had been changed, and there was no reason for him to keep his family name or even his family character. But Kiyomasa can see that it is easy to change the Shimazu clan, which may be just a sentence from Hidebo, but the problem after the change is not something that can be solved overnight.

The Shimazu clan has long been entrenched in the three kingdoms of Satsuma, Osumi and Hyuga, and has a close relationship with the local people, wealthy clans, and temples, and various forces have maintained a delicate balance in the long-term run-in, and the Shimazu clan is at the core of this balance, and to a large extent assumes the role of reconciliation, communication, and weighing interests. This status and role is not overnight, a decree can be realized, when Sasa Narimasa was appointed by Hideyoshi as the head of the Higo country, the strength can not be said to be strong, but in the end it was still one after another Higo Ichichi was overwhelmed, and finally ended up being killed by Hideyoshi.

However, if the Shimazu clan had not been changed, the result would have been very different, and even if they only retained the chiyuki of one country or even a few prefectures, they would have been able to continue and be happy to exert their influence in southern Kyushu, and although the lords had changed in some places, the Shimazu clan would have reconciled with them, and the local order would have been stabilized. Of course, the Shimazu clan's influence in the region will gradually weaken due to the loss of direct control, but the influence of the new lords will continue to grow. In the midst of this trade-off, the gradual replacement of the core is the best means to establish authority and maintain local stability.

Therefore, Kato Kiyomasa is willing to help Shimazu Tadashi, he believes that Hideho will also approve of his approach, as for Kuroda Rusui, after this incident, Kiyomasa regards it as a cancer and intends to get rid of it quickly.