Prime Minister Bizen

Chapter 363 The Decisive Battle in Southern Kyushu ([-]) Persuading the Surrender of Yuwa Jiuhu
Early the next morning, the first thing Xiujia did after waking up was to look for Yingwa Jiuhu.

After Ose Hidemasa's treatment, his spirit has improved a lot. When Xiu's family came to him, he was eating tea and rice.

"It seems that you are recovering well." After seeing Yingwa Jiuhu, Xiujia took the initiative to greet him.

When Yingwa Jiuhu saw Xiu's arrival, he habitually wanted to get out of bed and salute, but just as soon as he moved his feet, he realized that his leg had been injured.

"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness, please forgive me for not being able to salute," Anwa Jiuhu replied slightly apologetic to the Xiu family.

"It's nothing. What did Dr. Ose say about your leg? Can it be restored?"

"I still want to thank Your Highness for allowing Dr. Ose to treat me. The doctor told me last time that even if my life is saved, my leg will be disabled. But Dr. Ose said that as long as I listen to him Command, it can be recovered in seven or eight."

Hearing Yuwa Jiuhu's answer, Hideka turned to look at Ose Hidemasa who was at the side, and got his affirmative answer.

"Doctor Ose is very good at treating bruises." Xiujia comforted him, and finally brought the topic back to how he got injured.

"I remember that you seem to have been following Shimadzu Hyogotou (Shimadzu Yoshihiro) all the time? How could you be captured by Zhong Nayan?"

Hearing the Xiu family's inquiry, Ji Wa Jiuhu was not embarrassed at all, and replied frankly to the Xiu family, "Your Highness is really cunning. He attracted the attention of me and Hyogo head in Bungo, and let Zhong Nayan take the lead. The troops went around and attacked Hinata.

Looking at the whole world, only His Highness who had launched the Three Rivers Surprise Attack could have come up with such an ingenious strategy.

It's just that His Highness doesn't seem to be proficient in grasping the situation. If His Highness spends another two days under Saiki Castle, our army may be unable to advance or retreat. "

"En?" Hearing that Jiuhuo gave him the credit for Hinata's surprise attack, Xiujia was suspicious for a moment, but soon understood what he meant.

Naturally, Xiujia would not explain the real reason. The two brothers Hideyoshi and Xiuchang actually came up with this plan, and they even opposed it.

Now that Yingwa Jiuhu wants to blame himself for this matter, he is unwilling to refute it, instead he said to him, "I'm afraid this is not right, my timing was very good.

If only later.You can calmly destroy the dam, like a flood flooding the Fanjiang River, hindering our pace.

By the time you return to Hyuga, you will have the same military strength as Zhong Nayan. With the bravery of the Shimadzu family's soldiers and your resourcefulness, I am afraid that it will not be you who break through the encirclement and leave, but Zhong Nayan will be beaten away by you. "

Hearing Hideka's answer, Yoshiba Jiuhu smiled helplessly. It was indeed as Hideka said, and they only heard the news that Toyotomi Hidena crossed the sea to surprise Hinata on the way back.

The Hyuga-Osumi corps of the Shimadzu family have been exhausted after the bloody battle in the Banzao River, and their soldiers and morale are very low. If it hadn’t been for Toyotomi Hidecho’s failure to organize an interception in time, the Shimadzu family’s East Road Corps would be very May be buried here again.

"Then how did you get captured? Didn't Yoshihiro Shimadzu take you away, a senior warrior like you?"

"At that time, the formation was too chaotic, and the head of the Hyogo was also responsible for charging and commanding the army, so he couldn't take care of me.

Moreover, I was assigned to the rear army operation, and I was about to rush out of the formation, but I was stabbed to death by an unknown ashigaru with a spear. "

Hearing Ying Wa Jiuhu's answer, Xiujia continued to ask: "Did the head of Hyogo notice that you fell off the horse?"

"Maybe he discovered it, or maybe he didn't. Does it matter whether he discovers it or not? As the commander of the legion, he will never put the whole army in trouble because of me alone."

Having said all this, Jiuhu, who had finished speaking, was suddenly as frustrated as a deflated ball, without the slightest feeling of a Confucian general just now.

But after thinking about it, it is true, no matter how wise Naiwa Hisutora is, how much he can understand Yoshihiro Shimadzu's decision, he is also a person.

As Yoshihiro Shimadzu's vassal, and Yoshihiro Shimadzu's mentor and friend, Hisawa Jiuhu may never have imagined that there would be a day when Yoshihiro Shimadzu would abandon him, which somewhat made him feel a little lonely.

Xiujia didn't want to dwell on this question any longer, and continued to ask, feeling as if he was acting like a good boy, so he took the initiative to change the subject and asked, "Did you come up with the plan to store water in the Fanjiang River?"

The moment he saw Shimadzu Yoshihiro destroying the dam and flooding the dam, Hideka had already thought of the scheme of Nawa Hisutora in his mind, and now he was just confirming with him.

Yingwa Jiuhu seemed to have expected the Xiu family to have this problem, and admitted frankly, "It is indeed my plan. I heard that your highness's army has killed thousands of people because of it. If your highness needs it, you can take my head." To calm the emotions of the soldiers."

To be honest, because of the water attack that day, the top and bottom of Toyotomi's army were indeed suffocated and had nowhere to vent their anger.

However, when Yingwa Jiuhu frankly admitted this problem, Xiujia's heart began to become uneasy and reluctant again. After all, the man in front of him was the talent he had always wanted, and he had to find ways to keep him.

"Masuke Zuo, do you still remember the conversation between you and me when we were in Fuliang Castle that day?"

"Of course I remember, but which sentence is your Highness referring to?"

"I don't know if you know that at the Chikugo defense line, because of Naoshima Naoshige's jump, the Gohara defense line has collapsed, and even the Chikugo River did not stop His Highness Kanbai's footsteps.

As for the situation on the Eastern Front, you know best. The death knell of the Shimadzu family has already sounded. I wonder if you are satisfied with the performance of the Shimadzu family.

In your opinion, has the Shimadzu family shown enough fighting power, is it qualified to negotiate peace with His Highness Guan Bai? "

Hisawa has been in Bungo and Hinata all the time, how could he know about the battle in Chikugo? Although the retreat of the Shimadzu family was within his expectations, Hideo's description of the battle situation in the west with "Zongbang" is still beyond him. expected.

The battle situation on the Eastern Front was also very unfavorable. Although Shimadzu Yoshihiro was defeated in Banjiangchuan, he was intercepted by Toyotomi Hidecho in Goraichuan.

Hisawa Taka, who has personally experienced two battles, knows how exhausted the soldiers are. Even in his opinion, after two defeats, even the nobles who once loyally served the Shimadzu family have been shaken.

The current Yingwa Jiuhu really can't say a big word anymore.

Seeing Yingwa Jiuhu's hesitation, the Xiu family planned to strike while the iron was hot, and continued to persuade him to surrender, "The current Shimadzu family is like a broken ship full of holes that was beaten by His Highness Guan Bai. Sea water is constantly pouring into the cabin. The sinking of the Tsu family is already doomed, does Saomasuke have to think for himself?"

Although Jiuhu himself had to admit what the Xiu family said, he still responded stubbornly: "The Yingwa family is a branch of the Shimadzu family."

The Xiu family doesn't believe that Jiuhu is the kind of pedantic person who strictly abides by the old ways. He just can't get over his own hurdles. The Xiu family intends to break through his psychological defense step by step.

"The current Shimadzu family was originally the Isaku Shimadzu family, but it was just a few generations later than yours. It was originally a commoner, and the commoner descended from the upper class to occupy the title of the clan. Isn't this righteous?"

"."

"This is how the samurai family passed down. Isn't that how the Shinano Shimadzu family passed down?"

Hearing the Xiu family's persuasion, Ying Wa Jiuhu's thoughts seemed to be a little shaken, and he asked the Xiu family, "What will His Highness Guan Bai do with the Shimadzu family in the end?"

This question was beyond the expectations of the Xiu family. He originally thought that Jiuhu would ask about the terms he offered him, but he never thought that he was still thinking about the future of the Shimadzu family at this point.

Hearing Yingwa Jiuhu's question, Xiujia's heart was shaken for the first time in recruiting him. Xiujia even felt that this person might not be able to recruit him.

After thinking for a while, Hideka still gave him the answer, "It depends on when the Shimadzu family will surrender. At this time, the surrender may still preserve the two countries of Satsuma and Osumi, but if they are attacked by the East and West In the territory, the Shimadzu family may have no future by then."

After finishing speaking, Hideka asked him very curiously, "According to Samasuke's understanding, which path do you think the Shimadzu Brothers will choose?"

"The Shimadzu family will eventually surrender, but Satsuma is the foundation of Shimadzu. If Satsuma is lost, Shimadzu would rather die with His Highness Guan Bai."

In fact, the Hide family knew what Yingwa Jiuhu said. The Shimadzu family has experienced hundreds of years of reproduction and has many branches in Southern Kyushu.

The Shimadzu clan with the clan as the core is a force that cannot be ignored in Satsuma and Osumi.

Even if the four Shimadzu brothers were transferred away, the local Shimadzu branch in Satsuma Osumi would not be able to take them away. They had already taken root in various villages and fields.

This is why neither Toyotomi Hideyoshi nor Tokugawa Ieyasu were willing to deal with Shimadzu excessively.

Because if you want to really deal with the Shimadzu family, it is almost equivalent to overturning the samurai systems of Satsuma and Osumi. How many people have to be killed?How much will it cost?

It is also strange to say that although the Shimadzu clan is very fierce when fighting internally, they often unite in the face of external enemies to defeat the enemy. This is why the Shimadzu family has become the thorn in Southern Kyushu.

Hisuto's answer seems to be answering the choice of Shimadzu Yoshihisa and Shimadzu Yoshihiro, but it also seems to be answering Hideka's solicitation. The "Shimadzu" here seems to be referring to himself.

Hideie, who thought he had already got the answer, nodded in disappointment, but still wanted to persuade him, "Is this the answer from Zuomasuke? Do you know that I am the only one who can protect you in the whole world? The Shimadzu family is already weak. Faced with the oppression of the world's famous names, His Highness Guan Bai will definitely make the Shimadzu family hand over the instigator, and then I am afraid that the only way for you is to apologize."

Jiwa Jiuhu knew that what the Hide family said was true, and he knew very well in his heart that Shimadzu Yoshihisa would never hand over Shimadzu Yoshihiro, and he would be most likely to be responsible at that time, which seemed to be him The fate of being a samurai.

At this time, Jiuhu, the baby boy, was at the time when his will was the weakest in life. Xiujia thought that there was still room for manipulation, so he didn't give up and continued to persuade
"Samasuke-sama, I heard that you used to be Shimadzu Satsumamori's vassal, but later you thought Hyogotou was the one who could bring peace to the world, so you switched to Hyogotou, right?"

Hearing Xiujia talk about his private affairs with Yoshihiro Shimadzu, a gleam of light flashed in the eyes of Yuwa Jiuhu, and at the same time he looked at Xiujia with some surprise, "There is such a thing, but your Highness How do you know?"

"Since this is the case, don't you want to see the peaceful world with your own eyes?
If you are really ready to die calmly, my lord, why did you let me see your miserable appearance yesterday, and why did you let me help you heal your injured leg? What are you doing? "

Hearing that Xiujia had pointed out the true thoughts deep in his heart, a trace of panic flashed in Yan Wajiuhu's eyes, and he deliberately avoided Xiujia's gaze.

Just as Xiujia said, how can the young boy Jiuhu who thinks he has extraordinary talents and great ambitions be so calm in facing reality and accepting death.

He just still has a natural arrogance when facing the Xiu family, and he doesn't want the Xiu family to witness his fragile side, but the Xiu family ruthlessly exposes him in front of him.

"My foreign minister, I can't understand what His Highness is saying."

"Master Zuomasuke, please allow me to tell you the truth here, in fact, you should have already seen that from the first time we met, I have developed a strong interest in you.

I think you are a doer who has the same ideals as me and is willing to put it into action. There are so few people like you and me in the world.

Someone like you should be a pillar of existence, not a meaningless sacrifice like firewood. It is not your responsibility as a retainer to make suggestions.

Personally speaking, the Bizen Toyotomi family is far less glamorous than it looks on the surface. My ability to deal with the two countries and the three countries may be good, but I am not capable enough to go further.

My adoptive father, Sekibai Toyotomi Hideyoshi, had the assistance of Takenaka Hanbei and Kuroda Kanbei to achieve hegemony in the world.

To tell you the truth, I have been looking for a good minister who can assist me all these years.

After I got acquainted with you, I realized that you are my Takenaka and Kuroda. Would you like to help me end this troubled world? "

With the rise of Hideyoshi, the stories of Takenaka Hanbei and Kuroda Kanbei also spread from Kinki to all parts of Japan. Many people think that it is because of their assistance that Hideyoshi is what he is today. The presence.

But now when I heard Hideka compare himself with the two, the Satsuma countryman Ning Wa Jiuhu was a little excited for a while, and he suddenly felt a feeling of sympathy, which was only felt by Yoshihiro Shimadzu in the past.

As mentioned earlier, as an aspiring warrior, Jiwa Jiuhu was not willing to be appointed here. At the same time, he also has his own arrogance, that is, no good man will not help him.

Although following Yoshihiro Shimadzu may become a victim of politics, he believes that this is the price he is willing to pay for Yoshihiro Shimadzu.

But everything has changed now. He believes that Hideka is as worthy of assistance as Yoshihiro Shimadzu. Under the same conditions, human beings seek advantages and avoid disadvantages so that he is willing to make a choice. After all, who would really sacrifice for others? What about yourself?
After thinking for a long time, Jiuhu, who had been crying into tears, suddenly grabbed Xiujia's hand, looked at Xiujia and said with a choked voice, "Thank you, Secretary of State for your enlightenment. Since Secretary of State does not dislike you, please allow me to Burn this remnant body for His Highness."

It took the Xiu family a lot of effort to persuade Ying Wa Jiuhu, but when they heard that Ying Wa Jiuhu was willing to work for him, the Xiu family still smiled sincerely, and finally their efforts were not in vain.

The Xiu family, together with Yingwa Jiuhu, tightly held his hand, nodded solemnly to him, and formally accepted him as their retainer.

(End of this chapter)