Ming Zuo

Chapter 919 Shimadzu's Decision

"Father, I failed and ruined the future of the Shimadzu family. I am a sinner, and I beg your punishment."

Back in Satsuma, kneeling in front of Tadahiro Shimadzu, Mitsuhisa Shimadzu finally showed his broken side.

Shimadzu Tadahiro was helped by the maid to sit up, still precarious.

He already felt that his vitality was rapidly draining, but this kind of sorrow was completely incomparable with the news of failure.

"From now on, the Shimadzu family will concentrate on their lives."

Mitsuhisa Shimadzu raised his head in astonishment, somewhat confused.

"Father, will the Shimadzu family still exist?"

Looking at his heir, who was originally a high-spirited heir, now became decadent and sluggish, Shimadzu Tadatoshi suddenly raised a wave of vitality.

"The Satsuma clan spanned all countries, with several ups and downs. The most difficult time was far better than today, and it survived. What qualifications do you have to give up hope?"

"Father!"

Mitsuhisa Shimadzu burst into tears, and a heart that was about to die was stimulated to come alive again.

Seeing him cheer up a little, Shimadzu Tadahiro felt a little relieved.

He raised his hand and stroked his son's head.

"When a tiger is injured, it will find a secluded place to rest quietly. After it recovers, it will be the king of the forest again. During the rest, jackals and vicious dogs will ride on their heads to do their best. At this time, the best What needs to be done is not to stand up and resist, but to endure humiliation. Only those who can bear this kind of humiliation can achieve immortal greatness."

Mitsuhisa Shimadzu understood that his father was teaching him how to preserve the vitality of Satsuma.

But what he is more worried about is...

"General Da'ao will definitely not let us go."

Shimadzu Tadahiro slowly turned his head and looked in the direction of Edo.

"Da Ou has to consider the situation in Japan as a whole. The Satsuma clan needs to express its attitude in order to survive."

He, who was about to die, stood up unexpectedly.

"Prepare the highest etiquette and follow me to Edo."

Hearing that Tadahiro Shimadzu was going to go himself, Mitsuhisa Shimadzu was really frightened.

"Father must not, you will..."

With Shimadzu Tadahiro's current physical condition, he might die before reaching Edo.

Shimadzu Tadahiro pushed away his stop.

"I am still the lord of Satsuma, so I need to be responsible for this matter. I will complete my mission, and the fate of Satsuma will be borne by you."

Mitsuhisa Shimadzu understood.

Shimadzu Tadahiro intends to use the last sliver of his life to fight for the hope of Satsuma's survival.

Can Shimadzu Tadahiro do it?
At this time in Edo, Tokugawa Iemitsu was listening to Date Hidemune's report.

After forcibly leaving the battlefield that day, Date Hidemune didn't dare to stay for a moment, and went directly to Edo without even returning to his vassal state.

All are smart people.

His approach won the trust of Tokugawa Iemitsu.

"The firearms of the people of the Xia Kingdom are terrifying, even the Dutch and the Francois cannot compare with them. It is a brand new weapon. Maybe in the near future, the whole world will belong to the people of the Xia Kingdom."

After hearing the description of the battlefield, Tokugawa Iemitsu suspected that he was exaggerating.

Fortunately, there is evidence from others.

However, it proved the strength of Xia Guo's army, but Tokugawa Iemitsu made a difficult situation.

"News came from Nagasaki that they were attacked by the army of the Xia Kingdom. This shows that the Xia Kingdom has the ability to reach the mainland of Japan."

Toshikatsu Doi was worried.

The dominance of the Tokugawa shogunate had just been consolidated not long ago, if they were attacked by Xia Guo's army at this time, accidents might happen.

Tokugawa Iemitsu understood his subtext.

"Isn't the Xia people looking for negotiations? Lao Zhong, you are a special envoy, go there in person and listen to the Xia people's conditions."

Doi Lisheng quickly agreed, and asked at the same time: "What is the bottom line for the conditions we can agree to?"

Now that the matter has come to this point, everyone understands that Xia Guo's army is too strong and invincible.And the Tokugawa shogunate wants to maintain its own rule, so how to negotiate must have enough skills.

Tokugawa Iemitsu slightly retracted his eyelids.

"The conflict this time was the reckless behavior of the Satsuma clan, not the original intention of the shogunate. This point must be clearly conveyed. Now I, Dongpu, have no intention of spying on the mainland. This is our goodwill, and we must convey it clearly. Xia people, we will punish the perpetrators."

Toshikatsu Doi understood.

Tokugawa Iemitsu is planning to use the Satsuma clan as a scapegoat.It is hoped that this will quell the war and at the same time cut off a powerful vassal state.

However, before the words were finished, a guard rushed in and reported to Tokugawa Iemitsu.

"The Satsuma clan has sent an apology, and the feudal lord is on his way. Every time Shimadzu Tadahiro arrives in a city, he will kowtow to Ooku to apologize. This is the sincerity of the Satsuma clan's atonement."

Tokugawa Iemitsu took the watch and looked at it, and he couldn't help being shocked.

"Shimadzu Tadahiro's sick tiger is really extraordinary."

He passed the performance list to everyone to watch, and all the top officials of the shogunate were amazed.

In the autumn of life and death, Tadahiro Shimadzu showed unprecedented courage.

He collected all the property of the Shimadzu family and sent escorts to Edo as a ransom for sin.Not only that, he also reluctantly ceded Hyuga Kingdom to Tokugawa Iemitsu.

The Satsuma clan once fought and occupied the territory of the three kingdoms of Satsuma, Osumi, and Hyuga, which was their capital for dominating Kyushu.

But this time, for the sake of the survival of the Shimadzu family, Tadatoshi Shimadzu brazenly cut his flesh and handed over the control of Hyuga Kingdom.

He himself was on his way to Edo.

On the way, Shimadzu Tadahiro made great fanfare. Every time he passed a city, he would stop and kowtow in the direction of Edo in the most crowded place in the city.

Ninety-nine strokes each time, extremely respectful.Even if I fainted on the spot when prostrating several times, I still persisted after waking up.

In those cities, his blood was left behind.

Shimadzu Tadahiro put his posture to the lowest level, which has already aroused great repercussions in all parts of Japan.

Even Tokugawa Iemitsu, who is as cruel as Iemitsu Tokugawa, couldn't help hesitating for a while in the face of this situation.

The arrival of Tadakatsu Sakai forced Tokugawa Iemitsu to stop his original plan.

"Changshu Domain, Kumamoto Domain and other western daimyos have dispatched important figures to Edo to plead guilty to Ooku."

Tokugawa Iemitsu sighed.

None of these big names in the West chose to fight it out.

Putting on such a bachelor posture made him unable to make a move.

Because if he still clung to it, he would lose the morality he had so hard to hold in his hands.

At that time, the daimyo from all over the world will probably be worried about the ambitions of the Tokugawa shogunate, so they will form an alliance to fight against the shogunate.

This is not the situation he wants to see.

After ten days of trekking, Tadahiro Shimadzu finally came to Edo Castle.

Kneeling outside Makucho, he mustered his last remaining strength.

"The ignorant and arrogant Satsuma clan violated the wisdom of General Ooku and committed an unforgivable crime. As the lord of the Satsuma clan, I should apologise with death!"

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Shimadzu Tadahiro exposed his chest, pulled out a short knife, and blatantly inserted it into his stomach.

Then Hisashi Shimadzu, who was standing aside, brandished a long knife, chopped off his head, and placed it respectfully on the ground, leading all the people of the Satsuma Domain to kneel before the head of the Makucho.

Through such a decision, the Satsuma domain has gained the initiative in the entire situation.

(End of this chapter)