In Chikuzen Kuni, Kyushu, which is far away from Osaka Castle and Edo Castle, a not-so-small incident is about to take place. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 info

Chikuzen Province is located in the northernmost part of Kyushu, across the sea from Nagato Province. The climate here is mild and humid all year round, with large plains and a relatively developed agriculture.

The lord of Chikuzen Island, who now has a total of 523,000 koku, is the governor of the Kuroda family. Nagamasa is the eldest son of Takataka Kuroda. Kuroda Takataka was one of Hideyoshi's think tanks "Ryobei", and he was a very capable military advisor and daimyo. Now because he is a monk, his Dharma name is "like water".

The Kuroda clan is said to be a descendant of the Utagen clan Sasaki-ryu. During the Kuroda Takamasa era, the Kuroda clan left Omi and came to Ekuku-gun in Bizen Province. At the time of Takamasa's son Shigetaka, he came to Harima Country again. Shigetaka's son, Zhilong, came out of the powerful and wealthy Kotera family in Harima at that time, and married the adopted daughter of the Koji political office, and since then he has called himself "Koji" Miao character and has become a member of the Koji family.

Later, the son of Jobaka, also known as Kuroda Shobei Takataka, turned to serve Oda Nobunaga and entered the command of the late Taiko, who was still called "Hashiba Hideyoshi" at the time. Because the Kodera family and the Oda family were enemies, Takataka restored his "Kuroda" Miao character.

Subsequently, in the 15th year of Tensho (1587), the Kuroda family received the title of 120,000 stone daimyo of Bunzen Province. After the Battle of Sekigahara, because of his military exploits, he received 523,000 koku from the current Chikuzen Province. This is now the Kuroda family.

The Kuroda family, under the management of Rusui and Nagamasa, has many very capable retainers. Like the Kuroda Eight Tigers and the Kuroda Twenty-Four Rides, they are the best symbols. During the Nagasei period, there were also a large number of new retainers in Kyushu.

However, the Kuroda family, which seems to be calm on the surface, actually has many fuse-like disputes within their own house. Now, when the previous generation of family governors were seriously ill and unconscious, these disputes became more and more unscrupulous and obvious.

The smell of gunpowder here is getting heavier and heavier, and there is a faint tendency to explode.

……

……

A dozen miles from Fukuoka Castle, where the Kuroda family's governor Nagamasa lived, was a castle called Masatomi Castle.

The other name of Okuma Castle is also known as Okuma Castle, which is a mountain castle. Okuma Castle was built around the time of Eiko and was built by Ouchi Morimi. After becoming the domain of the Kuroda family, the owner of the castle also changed.

Inside Okuma Castle.

A stout middle-aged man sat in the middle of the room.

He has thick arms and a muscular body, especially with an exceptionally thick chin. His eyes are very calm and quiet, and he does not lose the sharpness and sharpness of a ghost. This makes people know at a glance that this person must be a brave man who has experienced a hundred battles.

He is the lord of this Okuma Castle, Goto and Keiji. Ranked among the Kuroda Eight Tigers and Kuroda Twenty-Four Horsemen, he is indeed a warrior who has experienced a hundred battles.

When Matabei was young, his father, Shinzaemon, died. He was raised by Takataka Kuroda, also known as Rusui. Later, he was implicated in his uncle's rebellion and was forced to leave the Kuroda family. During the Shikoku expedition, Matabei made a great contribution, so he returned to Kuroda's house with the consent of Rusui. He also went with him during the Battle of Sekigahara, and after making a meritorious service, he was awarded a total of 16,000 koku to Okuma Castle in Karok-gun.

It stands to reason that now should be the time for another soldier to be successful. But......

"Alas......"

Matabei suddenly let out a sigh.

"My father, my brother, I sent a letter from Fukuoka Castle, and it seems that the old lord's illness seems to be getting worse again, and it is said that the days are running out."

The thick-eyed and big-eyed boy who respectfully handed over a letter to Matabei was his second man, Zhengfang, who was only thirteen years old this year.

"Old lord...... Is that really the case? I've been asleep for a long time lately, and sure enough, it's not long in coming......"

After reading it, Matabei put down the letter in his hand with some sadness.

This letter was sent from Fukuoka Castle by Matabei's eldest son, Keonori.

Ji Ze is fifteen years old this year, and his appearance and personality are very similar to his father Youbei, and he is also a martial artist at a young age. Now he is a close surname of the lord Kuroda Nagamasa, so he lives in Fukuoka Castle, where Nagamasa is located.

Because he is a small surname, Kei is more aware of the recent situation in Fukuoka Castle and the overall state of the Kuroda family.

The place where the previous governor Kuroda Rusui now lives in seclusion is in Ninomaru in Fukuoka Castle. Therefore, Ji Ze was able to clearly detect the condition of the old lord Rushui.

Since a few years ago, Rushui's condition has gradually become serious. Even after going to Arima Onsen in for almost a year to recuperate, there was no improvement. Rusui, who had given up treating his illness, decided to return to the territory of the Kuroda family and lived in Ninomaru in Fukuoka Castle.

At the beginning, Rushui was still able to live on its own and had a very clear consciousness. But in the past two years, his health has deteriorated day by day, and now he is in a coma almost every day, unable to get up. Not to mention the Kuroda family's own people, who are superb in medical treatment, even the doctors from the southern barbarians said that there is no way to return to heaven.

Many of the retainers were very worried, including Matabei.

Of course, this worry is not only about the old lord's condition, but also about the internal struggle of the Kuroda family.

The conflict within the Kuroda family can also be said to be a power dispute between the retainers of the new faction and the retainers of the old faction.

The retainers of the old faction, that is, the old ministers of the Harima period who once followed the old lord Rushui, are like the old ministers such as Matabei and Inoue no Fang, Musato Yunobu, Kuriyama Riyan and Kuroda Naoyuki. And the new faction is the newly promoted retainers of the current family governor and the governor.

To tell the truth, Changzheng's strength is completely inferior to that of his father. This can be seen from the attitude of Changzheng towards Youbei and a group of old ministers.

When the old lord Rushui was still conscious, everyone didn't dare to fight openly or anything, including Changzheng, who didn't speak out on this matter. However, now that Rushui is sick and sleepy all day long, Changzheng and those retainers of the new faction seem to be becoming more and more unscrupulous. This caused the dissatisfaction of many old ministers.

Matabei was the one who was caught up in these struggles. He and Changzheng had incompatible personalities when they were young, and there were many conflicts. Now because of the prestige, strength and merits of Youbei himself, as well as his father's high opinion of him, Nagamasa is even more jealous of him. Moreover, Matabei also belongs to the old minister's faction, and he is very close to Kuroda Eight Tigers. 、

With the strength of Changzheng, it is absolutely impossible to tolerate the guards. When his father was still sober, Nagamasa didn't dare to do anything to Youbei. However, in the past few years when his father Rushui's health has been in good condition, he has treated Youbei with mean and countless suppressions.

Matabei was very angry about this, believing it to be an insult to himself. But because of his loyal character, he endured Nagamasa's insults, meanness and suppression, and continued to serve the Kuroda family in this atmosphere despite his own pressure.

However, Nagamasa's suppression of his clan does not seem to stop because of the repeated forbearance of the guards.