"Wait, wait, it's actually Lord Xiu? That one of the five elders, the Xiu family?! ”

Xiuzong's mouth opened wide, and his expression was incredulous. Pen "Fun" Pavilion www.biquge.info

"According to the inference of that little story, it could only be him."

Xiuguang tried hard to think about the possibility of whether it was someone else, but finally shook his head and affirmed his conclusion.

"Your Highness, but the disposition of the defeated army after the Battle of Sekigahara should be a secret of the Tokugawa family, right?"

"Yes, I remember that there were retainers in the Toyotomi family at that time who offered to investigate the movements of the captured samurai of the Western Army, hoping to try to rescue them. But in the end, due to the intelligence interference and strict secrecy of the ninjas of the Tokugawa family, nothing was investigated. In the end, I had to give up. ”

Hidemitsu recalls the situation at home shortly after the Battle of Sekigahara.

"Lord Xiuyasu, just now told us so easily where Lord Xiu is now imprisoned. She's Ieyasu's daughter, so it shouldn't be too hard to know that. But why tell us? ”

"Your Highness, I, I see from the little story just now, there should be a very good relationship between Lord Xiu Kang and Lord Xiu Family. After all, Lord Xiujia and Master Xiukang have both grown up beside Lord Taiko since they were children, and they are close in age. ”

Shang Chang said his analysis to Xiuguang,

"So, So, after receiving the news of his friend's defeat and arrest, Lord Xiuyasu will definitely try his best to save him. But it is estimated that it is because of the concern for his father Ieyasu, so it is difficult to plead. She has been looking for a way to no avail, but seeing His Highness coming today, she probably thinks that she can't do it, maybe let the Toyotomi family think of a way to do it? ”

Shang Chang said such a passage in a childlike voice.

Xiuguang laughed twice, thinking that although Shang Chang was still young, and the analysis just now was a little unreasonable and incomplete, he was also a very smart and talented child. It is estimated that he used to be at home, because he was too afraid of his father and brothers, so he didn't dare to say anything or show anything. It's good now, and the future is bright.

"Well, it's almost what Shang Chang just said. It's still long, that's right. ”

"Yes, yes! Thank you, Your Highness, for your compliment! ”

Because it was rare to be praised once, Shang Chang's face turned red.

"It's possible that it's false information, but we'll have to try it now."

Hidemitsu didn't know if the Hideya family was indeed locked up in Suruga at this time, so he couldn't make a judgment on the information Hideyasu had given.

At this time, Xiuzong, who had been thinking about it for a long time, spoke,

"Uh, that...... Your Highness, I always feel that we should trust Hideyasu-sama. I don't know why, but I always feel that the little story told by Master Xiuyasu, the more I want to make people feel like that, it's that......"

Xiuzong's face showed a strange look. He leaned into Xiuguang's ear and muttered a long series of words.

"Xiuzong, although I haven't thought about that possibility......"

"It must be...... Your Highness, do you remember again......"

The two of them got together and exchanged heads for a while. Shang Chang, who was left out in the cold, looked at a loss.

"That...... What are Your Highnesses, Xiu, and Xiu Zongjun talking about? ”

Shang Chang timidly asked the two of them. Xiuzong turned his head with an unhappy face and said:

"Shang Chang, this is a conversation between men, so don't get involved with children."

"No...... Xiuzongjun, remember that His Royal Highness is younger than me......"

"What are you doing with so many mouths! If you don't mix it, don't mix it! ”

"Yes, yes, yes, I'm sorry!"

Xiuzong, who was impatient, and Shang Chang, who was scared and cried.

"Ahem, both of you stop me."

Xiuguang interrupted the two,

"Anyway, for the time being, you can trust the information given by Hideyasu-sama. But you also need to do a good job of investigating it in case anything happens. But anyway, I think that the Xiu family-sama will definitely find a way to save it. ”

Ukita Hideya is one of Taiko Hideyoshi's adopted sons and Hideyoshi's favorite adopted son. He grew up beside Hideyoshi as a child and formed a deep bond with the Toyotomi family.

Before coming to this era, Hidemitsu had read a small number of books about the Toyotomi family when he was in middle school. Aside from Hideyoshi, Hideya is the only one who can catch his attention in the supporting roles.

When he was young, Xiuguang was sensitive and thoughtful, and he was most easily affected by feelings. He liked the Xiu family's loyalty very much at that time. The most important thing is that Hidemitsu was very touched by the relationship between Hideji and Hideyoshi, which was not father and son, but better than father and son, so when he read those books, Hidemitsu once burst into tears, because:

"Xiujia reminded me of my past self."

Hidemitsu wrote this meaningful sentence on the title page of the book at the time.

As for the reason for writing this sentence, that's another story.

"I also think that the Xiu family must be rescued."

Xiuzong recalled the appearance of the Xiu family he had seen before, and said earnestly:

"Your Highness, I don't mean to say anything flattering, it's just that I think that even if all the retainers betray the Toyotomi family in the future, Lord Xiu will not betray it. Lord Xiujia is such a person. ”

Xiuguang and Shang Chang were silent.

The figure of the man who was on the battlefield of Sekigahara and went against the tide of history came to their minds.

Even though the once fluttering "Great Fortune" has fallen and disappeared, the man is still walking backwards among the many remnants of the defeated army.

What he was thinking, no one knows.

"Your Highness, will we go back to Kyoto now? Everybody hasn't gone back yet. ”

After some time, the three of them got back into the carriage.

"No, we're not going back. Xiuzong, go directly to Osaka Castle and go to the old man. ”

Xiuguang stared at the sunset outside the carriage and squinted his eyes.

……

……

It's pitch black, and it's dark everywhere.

The man was in such a small room where he couldn't see his fingers, and the size was only about four or five pings.

In a simple interior, there is not even a decent item.

The ground was covered with only dry thatch that had been piled up for many years, giving off a strange smell of aging.

It was surrounded by solid walls made of masonry, and the only exit was a sturdy iron fence. There was also a wooden door on the iron fence, and there was a small window on the wooden door, but not even a ray of sunlight could penetrate it.

The ground under his feet is also paved with hard stones and earth, making it difficult to dig up.

The man looked around with eyes that were sunken in his sockets and sighed.

"Father, what's wrong with you?"

The girl's voice coming from the dark room showed that the man was not alone.

As if sensing the man's sigh, the girl asked in a worried tone.

"Ah, it's nothing, you can rest well. How is Xiaoping? ”

"Xiaoping slept soundly. Father, please take a break, you haven't slept well in days. ”

There was silence in the room for a long time, and the girl suddenly said in a hateful tone:

"Father, why didn't the Toyotomi family come forward to help us? My father is ......."

Although he sensed the grievances and anger exuded by his daughter, the man still stopped his daughter.

"Xiugao, there are many things in the world that cannot be done easily......

After saying that, he sighed again.

Although the girl wanted to say something, she gave up, and lay back on the dry thatch in a rage and fell asleep.

Although the room was not well lit, the man looked at his two children with pity, and then looked at the small window on the wooden door with a tired but clear gaze. As if praying for when it will open and glow.

The man clasped his palms together with his bloody fingers, wondering what he was thinking.