Although Xiuzhong's face softened a little, his eyes were still staring at Matsudaira Nobutsuna and said: "Since you know that the Junfu may have colluded with foreign countries, especially this foreign country may also include the Ming Kingdom, then how can you be sure that the shogunate can use force to solve the rebellion of Junfu and Osaka before foreign interference?"

If the shogunate has not yet dealt with the rebels in Sunfu, and the intervention forces of the Ming Kingdom and the Nanban have arrived in Edo, what can you do? ”

Matsudaira Nobutsuna and Sakai Tadakatsu both closed their mouths tightly, and Iemitsu on the side finally couldn't help but say angrily: "Then mobilize the Edo banner and the imperial family, I don't believe that the Ming Kingdom and the Nanban can transport tens of thousands of troops to Edo." ”

Xiuzhong finally couldn't bear Iemitsu's arbitrary political means, and he said to his son a little unceremoniously: "Don't put the solution by force in the first place, when the Toyotomi clan was the strongest, in order to launch the Battle of Wenroku Keichun, 500,000 people were mobilized in the country.

However, it was defeated again and again in Korea, and the Toyotomi clan's elite soldiers were exhausted, so that the Tokugawa clan won the world. It has only been 30 years since the opening of Tokugawa, and although the princes of the world have bowed their heads, the number of troops that can be mobilized in Edo alone is only 50,000 or 60,000 people, which is far from the Toyotomi clan back then.

If every rebellion breaks out in the world, Edo has to send troops to quell it, then how long can my Tokugawa shogunate outlast the Toyotomi family?

What's more, Sunfu itself is the hometown of my Tokugawa clan, and the local people are also loyal to my Tokugawa clan. In the end, the shogunate raised its army and destroyed a territory loyal to our Tokugawa clan, so whether you win or lose this war, isn't it weakening the power of our Tokugawa clan? ”

Under his father's questioning, Jiaguang kept his mouth shut, but he was especially indignant in his heart. However, the retainers who knelt down in the lower room couldn't bear the majesty of the big palace, and honestly bowed their heads and confessed their sins one by one.

Xiu Zhong endured a feeling of fatigue and dizziness, and then said to everyone: "I have given you enough time, but you have not been able to come up with a real solution..."

Xiu Zhong was talking, and suddenly the guards outside the Daguang room came with an urgent military report, and he couldn't help but stop and let the guards enter the room to report. The guard nervously reported that the Tosa clan had reported that the Satsuma clan had rebelled and invaded the Kumamoto domain, and now the Kumamoto domain was asking for help from all sides, and the Tosa clan had begun to gather forces and asked the Edo shogunate to give instructions on the next step.

"Instructions? What more instructions do you need for this? The Shimazu family was in turmoil, so it was natural that they would immediately send troops to rescue the Kumamoto Domain. When the shogunate gave instructions, did he ask him to collect the body for Tadahiro Kato? After hearing this, Sakai Tadakatsu shouted anxiously.

Regarding the negative practices of the Tosa Domain, Hidetada did not speak out to blame, because he knew that the Tosa Domain was also avoiding trouble. Ever since he formulated the "Laws of the Samurai Family" with the daimyo at Fushimi Castle, he has used the terms of it to change many daimyos, and now how can the Tosa clan fall into the trap of serving the shogunate.

But even though he knew that the Tosa clan was doing things for a reason, Xiuzhong was still uncomfortable. However, he also knew more clearly that the affairs of Junfu could not be solved by force now.

When Naotaka, the chief retainer of the shogunate, heard the news, he recovered after only a moment's distraction, and he asked Hidetada and the shogun for instructions: "Regardless of whether the Shimazu family is in rebellion or not, their residence in Edo Castle should be seized, and the eldest son Saburo Tadamoto, who has remained in Edo for a long time, and others should be taken." ”

Xiuzhong thought for a moment and said, "Whether the Satsuma Domain is really causing chaos or not, we can't be sure. Or ask Saburo Tadamoto's mother and son to go to Nishinomaru to live for a few days, and the others are under house arrest in the mansion and are not allowed to go out. In addition, let's invite the envoy of the Ming Kingdom, Master Shinfu, to Nishinomaru as well. You do it yourself. ”

Naotaka Ii said yes and left in a hurry. Xiuzhong continued calmly: "Where did I say just now? O, since you can only propose a solution by force, then I can only veto your solution. As for Tadanaga, I'll handle it myself now, and everyone except Matsudaira Nobutsuna and Sakai Tadakatsu will step down. ”

With an unquestionable gesture, Hidetada expelled the other courtiers, and it was the first time that Iemitsu had seen his father show such a strong side, and he suppressed the irritability in his heart and decided to hear what his father planned to do with Tadashi's affairs.

After driving the others away, Hidetada opened his mouth and asked Matsudaira Nobutsuna, "What is Masamune doing these days?" ”

Matsudaira Nobutsuna thought for a moment and said, "Mutsunoku-samarum-samaru has had an eye attack recently, and he hasn't been out yet. ”

Xiuzhong then gave an order: "Ask a few osocratic doctors to check on Masamune's condition, don't let the condition worsen." After the examination, ask them to write down the details of their condition and give it to me to read. ”

Matsudaira Nobutsuna naturally nodded and said yes, and Hidetada continued: "Sakai, I remember that you and Asakura Nobuyashi are in-laws, right?" ”

Sakai Tadashi hurriedly cleared his eyes and said: "Yes, but the minister and Asakura have no contacts, and I also ask the Great Imperial Palace to investigate." ”

Xiuzhong said disappreciatively: "I didn't have any contacts before, but now I should have more contacts." Asakura Nobu was the chief retainer of Tadashi, and he was naturally guilty of failing to stop Tadashi's chaotic actions. However, if he can wake up in time, you will not be able to make up for his mistakes, and you will convey the meaning of the shogunate to him well, and don't let him make mistakes again and again. ”

Sakai Tadashi then understood, and he hurriedly assured Xiuzhong that he would write to this in-law when he returned, and he must make him wake up.

Hidetada then said to Matsudaira Nobutsuna: "The retainers under the name of Tadashi were originally all retainers of my Tokugawa clan, and I still know their loyalty to my family.

The temporary chaos of Tadashi did not mean that these retainers had become rebels against the shogunate. You go to find their relatives in Edo, and ask them to write letters to persuade one or two, especially the famous Four Heavenly Kings of Suruga in the streets and alleys recently.

As long as they are willing to repent, you can accept them on behalf of the shogunate, and the shogunate will not hold them accountable for following the tadamantious plot, and their territory and official position can be retained.

As for Tadacho himself, he will only be punished by imprisonment afterwards, and he will not be made to seppuku, and the position of head of his family will be passed to Shichiro. In the future, they will continue to assist the new head of the family without being subject to disciplinary changes. ”

Hearing his father's handling of Zhongchang, the resentment in Jiaguang's heart was finally eliminated. If this matter can be resolved by the abdication of Tadacho, it will be a good solution for the shogunate, and even the previous defeat can cover up the past.

Although Matsudaira Nobutsuna thought that this method was good, he hesitated again and again, but still cautiously reminded Xiuzhong: "Although His Royal Highness the Great Imperial Palace's method is very good, if His Royal Highness Tadashi cares about the relationship between father and son, he will always wake up."

It's just that now that those foreigners are involved, the ministers are worried that if His Royal Highness Tadashi is obsessed, even if these retainers loyal to the shogunate want to persuade him, I am afraid that it will be difficult for His Royal Highness Tadacho to abdicate automatically. ”

In response to Matsudaira Nobutsuna's reminder, Hidetada nodded approvingly before continuing: "Relying on the power of words alone, of course, you can't make Suruga's monarchs and ministers submit. Therefore, we also have to levy a large army, and only when the shogunate's army is stationed on the edge of the Fuji River will they seriously consider whether the conditions given to them by the shogunate are suitable.

Recruit 8,000 people from the Kwantung princes and Edo banners, and claim to be 15,000 to the outside world, so that Date Masamune will lead the army, and you will assist Masamune. This time the march will be mainly based on surrender, supplemented by warfare, and it is necessary to resolve the battle at Sunpu Castle as soon as possible and open up the Tokaido from Edo to Kyoto..."

Just as Hidetada and the shogunate were discussing how to deal with the Suruga rebels, a major battle was about to begin on the westernmost island of Kyushu, the westernmost part of the Japanese archipelago.

Since more than half a month ago, the Satsuma Domain suddenly raised troops, and the troops were divided into two routes, all the way from Satsuma to attack Higo, and all the way from Hyuga to Bungo, which suddenly caused chaos on Kyushu Island.

The Fukuoka Domain, which owned Chikuzen Province, had 412,000 koku and was on a par with Kumamoto and Satsuma on Kyushu Island, but the lord Kuroda Tadayuki was in opposition to the chief retainer Kuriyama Toshiaki. Kuriyama Toshiaki wanted to send troops to the rescue, but the feudal lord Kuroda Tadayuki did not approve, so the Fukuoka domain did not send troops to help the Kumamoto domain against the Satsuma army, but afterwards it was a surprise for the Fukuoka domain.

The Nabeshima family of Hizen Saga Domain owned 357,000 koku, and the head of the family, Nabeshima Katsushige, decided to send troops after only thinking about the Satsuma Domain's army for a long time. Unlike the daimyo in other regions, the princes on the island of Kyushu knew that the Shimazu family had always had the ambition to unify Kyushu, and if they did not unite against the Satsuma domain, it is estimated that they would have become prisoners of the Shimazu family before the shogunate's order came down.

The head of the Kokura Domain of Toyozen Province was Hosokawa Tadashiko, who received 390,000 koku of stone height. Like Nabeshima Katsushige, he believed that if he joined forces with the Kumamoto clan against the Satsuma clan, it would be difficult for them to resist the attack of the Satsuma army on their own.

Compared to the Satsuma Army, which marched through the mountains on the eastern route, the Satsumi Route Army, which had already broken through to the Kumamoto Plain and the Yatsushiro Plain, was obviously more worrying. So Hosokawa Tadashi sent 4,000 people, Nabeshima Katsushige personally led 3,500 people, and more than 3,000 people from the coalition forces of other small feudal clans, forming a reinforcement of more than 10,000 people and arrived at Kumamoto Castle.

To the east of Kumamoto, there is the Kyushu Mountains, and the rivers Shirakawa, Midorikawa, and Kuma River flow from the mountains into Shimabara Bay and Yatsushiro Sea from east to west.

The two sides lined up on the plain between Shirakawa in the west and Lake Gangjin in the east, and the distance between the battlefield was about 45 kilometers from east to west. The Samoses Route Army had about 9,000 people, and the strength of the coalition army exceeded 16,000, so it can be said that the coalition army had an absolute advantage.

However, before the war, Kato Tadahiro believed that the battlefield was too narrow and not conducive to the exertion of the strength of the coalition forces, so he volunteered to suggest that the coalition forces be deployed in front, and he personally led the Kumamoto army around Lake Jiangjin to plunder the rear of the Satsuma army, giving the opponent a front and rear attack.

Nabeshima Katsushige agreed with Kato Tadahiro's suggestion, but after an hour of fierce fighting between the coalition forces and the Satsuma army, the coalition forces did not wait for the chaos of the Satsuma army's rear road, but waited for Kato Tadahiro's treacherous back blow. Under the front and rear attacks of the Satsuma Army and the Kumamoto Army, the coalition forces suddenly collapsed and fled to both sides of the battlefield.

After the battle, Shirakawa and Lake Ezu were full of corpses, the local people did not eat fish for several years, and Nabeshima Katsushige and many small feudal daimyo were captured by the Satsuma Army and Kumamoto Army, and the First Battle of Kyushu Island was decided.