◇ ◇
By Echigo Fukushima Castle, the man was quietly spending the rest of his life in a small temple in Taiyan Temple.
The man's name is Naotaka Tamaru.
After the battle of Sekigahara, he had been deposited with Hideji Hori, the lord of Echigoku, but he had to leave the castle because of some reason.
As for Hideji Hori, since the Battle of Sekigahara, Naotaka Tamara had never set up a wave, and he hoped that he would spend a great deal of time with Hideji Hori, but the person in question had never read about Hideji Hori's complexion or anything else, and had obviously told Hideji Hori that it was going to be a big spark.
That's because of the sight he saw in the rustling temple of Kawanakajima… that is, revealing everything he saw and heard to Hideji Hori.
It's...
That a large quantity of gold was hidden inside the hidden little room of that temple…
And it was not an exaggeration to say that the mastermind of the cover-up was the account service of General Tokugawa's family and held Edo Shogun's purse in his hand, that it was Chang 'an Okubo.
Hideji Hori, who was asked about this, was honestly not amused.
Hideyoshi Hideyoshi was one of the most trusted houses for Hideyoshi Taisho, who was given the Hideyoshi Hanzai surname for the first time in history and was then also allowed the Toyotomi surname.
However, since Hideji Hori is now in charge, he quickly took a look at the fallen Toyotomi family.
And I have a history of having 300,000 stones in Echigoku appeased by the success of having managed to get into General Tokugawa's house by sending hostages to Jiayang Tokugawa, etc.
Holding a "spark" that could still rock Tokugawa's interior in a precarious way was utterly dangerous.
Moreover, while Daikubo Nakajima, then head of the neighboring Shinanagawa Nakajima, Tadahira Matsuhei, also has jurisdiction over Kanayama Sado in Echigoku.
In other words, he is very close to this country.
It was more obvious than to see the fire that if even a few weaknesses were held, the Horizons would soon be crushed.
This is exactly what I don't know about Buddha, and what Naokchan Tamaru told me was deposited by Hideji Hori, who made it useless to say otherwise.
Fortunately, Naokchan Tamaru is a hard-mouthed man, so if Hideji says, "Don't talk," he won't tell anyone.
- I can't refuse to tolerate the evil treason of fattening my private belly in the midst of Heavenly Tahei not being made! I would like you to tell His Excellency the General that you are not to speak English at all!
Yes, Naoto-chan added that he could still be outraged without reading the air, but that was Hideji who recognized it on the shape.
But...
That's when I was able to get over it.
But now, Hideyoshi is in the worst position.
It was about his own illness.
From the time he entered Keio 11 (1606), he was not in good health, but he was still thirty-one years old and of working age.
"It will get better in time," he said, leaving it alone, not particularly for the doctor.
But apparently this came out on his back, and by the time it was flower season, he was so weak that he could hardly stand alone, he lay low on the hospital bed.
If anything happens to him like this, Naotaka Tamaru must entrust another person with what he saw and heard.
If that brightens up, it could be a headwind, "Why did the Hori hide this fact?"
Wouldn't it be convenient...
He was more disturbed by the handling of "sparks" that could ruin his home than by his medical condition.
But... bad luck overlaps.
In that, something further bothered his head.
"My lord! I take care of you!
Yes, Naoki Hori, one of the chief ministers from outside the room, called out loudly.
Hideji Hori answered with a stiff face as the voice sounded like a kink in his head.
"What...? Noisy… tell me."
To be honest, Hideji's expression was hard to see, but he also kept his voice low again at the tone of that apparently grumpy voice.
"Ha! Your Messenger is here from the Honourable Toyotomi Hideyoshi!
"What!? Toyotomi Hideyoshi's messenger!?
Hideji, whose medical condition had deteriorated and weakened, jumped up unexpectedly in the news.
With the exception of General Tokugawa's family now, some masterpieces outnumber the Toyotomi family on top of Ishikawa, such as the million stone Kaga Maeda family and the Sendai Dada family. But still, the house "Toyotomi" was distinct.
If you try him, he is as heavy an opponent as a messenger from General Tokugawa's house. At the same time, there was backwardness as a limited opponent.
But it was too sudden to visit, and no one was ready to welcome him. Even he was lying on the hospital bed sleeping rolls.
While I was instantly disturbing my mind as to what was going on, the straightening still rang from outside the room.
"We are pleased to welcome you during your illness treatment and would like to refrain from formally welcoming you."
"But... no matter how much it takes, it won't make a face."
"No, he said the matter was not particularly necessary either. However, I would like to convey the words of Lord Hideyoshi directly to you, and in this room you have said that you wish for him as you see him."
"Mmmm... let's say... let's say it's sweet for your words. Let them through here."
"Ha! I did!
Naoki, who replied in a prestigious manner, leaves the scene early.
Though he was told "no welcome," Hideji was waiting for a messenger from Toyotomi Hideyoshi by letting his lowest surname make him look familiar, such as fixing his hair.
………
……
"You can see Hideyoshi Otani University, the ambassador of Toyotomi Right-Minister Hideyoshi!
Not so much since Horizon Naoki went to get the messenger, and his loud voice echoed from outside the room again.
Maybe it was because I was a little nervous, or that voice that had been hissing on my head earlier is strange because this time it was a comforting one for Hideji's mood.
"Uhm! Let me through!
And he was commanded by the lowest names to support his body, but still with a voice so tense that it could not be beaten by the voice of straightness.
At that moment a sudden glimpse opened, one young man appeared.
Even when it comes to youth, they will be about the same age as Hideji. Nonetheless, Hideji honestly envied Yoshiji's skin, which had been burned in the sun due to his youth and energy, which could be said to be the opposite of Hideji's blue and white skin because he had been in the hospital bed for a long time.
"Be the first to see you! Hori Samurai Hideji! Thank you very much for watching this while you are ill! Please, make yourself comfortable!
What cares for the other party in polite language, even though he is an emissary of the Toyotomi family who can be called Heavenly Man. Now if anyone dislikes it, how many twists will it be?
Hideji Hori, the owner of the so-called normal senses, spoke up as he improved his mood.
"No, I apologize for looking like this when I said I was a messenger from Lord Toyotomi Hideyoshi in the corner.
Please stop by and tell us what Lord Hideyoshi has to say. "
"Ha! I did!
Yoshiji stopped by Hideji's neighborhood to reply so pleasantly, he quickly began to read it when he took the letter from his nostalgia.
Its contents are gentle content that cares about Hideji's physical condition, and Hideji, who has also weakened his mind with his body in recent times, accidentally made me cry over its contents.
And when Yoshiji looked away from the script and looked at Hideji, he continued to inquire in a gentle tone.
"Finally, from Hideyoshi, I have a message." If you have any problems with anything, don't hesitate to talk to me. "
How about it, Lord Hori? Do you have any problems?
In that inquiry, I floated all the way...
Naotaka Tamaru's testimony...
Though the matter came up to my throat, if I spoke of it, I would not have known what would happen next.
He tied his nearly open mouth and shook his neck to the side.
"Just a warm word. That's enough for the fruit reward. Please don't worry…"
Yoshiji Otani laughed and said to Hideji Hori, who was so frightened.
"Ha! After all, Zong-yong is right! Lord Hori is a humble man!
Hideji turned his eyes round when he heard a name he had never heard of "Sou-yong".
Seeing Hideji like that, Yoshiji tightened his loose expression once now.
"I'm sorry. I was accidentally disturbed by the answers I had assumed.
Is it easier to understand when I say Lord Zongyong... Major Ishida Yaobe?
You said that you must not be bothered by Lord Hori. "
"Ishida Yakitori... Mako..."
Hideyoshi Tai used to work in Fushimi with his father, Hideyoshi Hori, during his life, so Hideyoshi had a good knowledge of the central situation, but the past few years had been in Echigoku and it was as if he was happy with the current situation.
I heard that Sansei Ishida was helped by Hideyoshi Toyotomi's efforts, but I didn't even know where he was doing it and what his name was.
That Sansei is now involved behind this pleasant messenger named Yoshiji Otani...
It used to dazzle His Highness Taiko about Sansei Ishida, who would always refrain next door, but now he is a rebel who pulled a bow on General Tokugawa's house under heaven.
Still, I could not tell Hideji's chest how high he sounded because he knew well the wisdom of a man named Sansei Ishida.
But complicated, his emotions were another cloud.
It's... guilt.
From Sansei Ishida, whom I admired, that sentiment due to his disobedience shortly after Hideyoshi Tai's death was difficult.
"I was wondering if Hori would have trouble with his annual contribution over the years."
A sharp pain ran in Hideji's heart at this point.
In fact, by this time, the Hori family had serious financial difficulties. No, rather, that's not what started now. It had started once when my father Hideyoshi Hori was transferred here to Echigoku.
It was precisely the "transfer" that caused it. In fact, at the time of its transfer, under the leadership of Naoke and Success, the side of the former lord's Uesugi scenery, the Uesugi family moved after taking up its annual contribution for the year later.
It was more than a decade ago, but even in the less promising Egyptian countries, it was tough to feed many ministers and soldiers without a year's worth of rice.
For this reason, the Hori family imposed a large tax on their annual contribution from the following year. That prompted it, and between the Hori family and the people of Echigoku, it was completely chilled out.
When this happens, crop productivity falls. And for what fell, we'll have to do with further heavy taxes.
That said, the negative chain continued to afflict both the Hori family and the peasants.
Yoshiji Otani has pointed that out precisely. Of course there is Souyoshi Ishida behind it.
... but Hideji Hori is also a samurai full of them.
Reaching out to others' troubles, but to his troubles, that attitude only pierced his fortitude, was the same for him.
"Don't worry. Ha ha."
Hideji said away with such a dry laugh, but Yoshiji's smiling expression remained unchanged.
Hideji's reaction was then conveyed in a resounding voice without any interference.
"Lord Toyotomi Hideyoshi of Osaka Castle has decided to hire Echiko Uebu for the kimono of the students at the school.
In the future, the schools in Kyo will buy the blueberries grown here in Yokogoku directly. "
"Nah... oh my..."
It goes without saying that the suggestion was precisely the hand of salvation for the Hori family.
Because this Qingxiao deal was a very important source of income in a transcendental country with high water damage and irresistible rice cultivation. However, the technique of cultivating the bluefin and making textiles from it has also been transferred from Naoke to Misawa for each of its artisans.
As a result, the competition with Aoyagi grown in Misawa and Aizu was lost, and the creation of Aoyagi in Echigoku had stalled.
However, Toyotomi Hideyoshi says he will buy the blue rice noodles directly after that.
That meant, in other words, securing a stable source of income for the transcendental countries, which, in turn, led to easing the take-up of annual contributions to farmers.
Of course, the purchase price offered by Yoshiji was quite expensive compared to what was on the market and was sufficient to play a part in Echigoku's income.
If we only take this offer, we don't even wish to talk about it.
But still, Hideji had one concern.
It's...
"But... if the general finds out that the great names of other countries do business directly with each other, he will be blamed..."
It was. Moreover, for General Tokugawa, the Toyotomi are still an unacceptable opponent of alarm. When it came to assisting the economy of the Hori family in such a way that its rich ministers directly assisted them, they wondered if they would be blinded.
But Yoshiji also answered the concern without changing his spare grin.
"Ha! Don't worry! Master Hideyoshi has already obtained forgiveness for this through His Excellency the General of Edo!
"Oh... my God... with the forgiveness of the General..."
In fact, during his visit to Edo, Hideyoshi Toyotomi spoke directly to Hideyoshi Tokugawa about the textiles he would like to use for kimonos at the school. And in buying it, it was also accepted to buy it from this Echigoku country, which is a producer of blue potatoes, as well as from the US and Aizu countries.
Due to Zongying's concern that corners would stand when purchasing only from certain countries, the purchase was made from the three countries, but its allocation was clearly biased towards purchasing from the Echinacea countries.
Regardless of the bias, Tokugawa Hideyoshi did not know, but General Tokugawa also agreed to make the purchase, and there was nothing behind it.
Of course, it goes without saying that Toyotomi Hideyoshi himself was a measure to strengthen future relations with Osaka and beyond.
But Hideyoshi is, as you know, a man who knows the future.
Buying large quantities of this blue potato from Echigoku is in no way meant to strengthen the link between the Toyotomi and the Hori family. That was in view of strengthening ties with the "Lord of Echigoku after the Hori family", but Hideyoji Hori can't imagine such a thing.
In response to the surprise of Hideji Hori, Yoshiji Otani took another letter out of his nostalgia and now gave it to him without spreading it.
Received with respect, Hideji expands the letter on the spot.
And the moment I saw what was in it, I opened my eyes even more...
What is its contents…
"If you could buy so many quantities..."
Yes, the amount of blue potatoes that Toyotomi buys each year was written from Echigoku.
"Thank you. Happy... this will make life easier for the people... I won't let you forget this favor from the Horikaids!
Hideji Hori bows his head deeply. He was so moved that his shoulders trembled and he couldn't lift his head for a while.
But...
The conversation couldn't even end here...
No, it was more of a matter of fact.
Hideji Arimoto could not have noticed that Yoshiji Otani's expression had changed dramatically.
And Yoshiji said with a smile.
Get to the bottom of it...
"By the way, I have a ritual I'd like to talk to Lord Hori about."
"Well, let's see what it is. If that's what you can do, do whatever you can."
"Thank you. I know what you mean. I will not hesitate to say so."
Yoshiji took a breath. Cold water was to be sprinkled on Hideji's heart, which was exalted enough to ascend to heaven, to its contents, which he had told him.
"We hope that you, Hideyoshi, will invite Lord Chung-hye Matsuhei of Shinanaguchi to respond this fall.
As for this, I am the accompanying elder of Lord Chung-hye. I would like to attach the endorsement of Lord Okubo Nagaan, but is there any wisdom in Lord Hori?
Hideji, whose expression obviously changes no matter who sees it. He didn't have the strength of body and mind to suppress his expression any longer.
Yoshiji Otani stared at him like that.
"... too, sorry! I don't know much about Lord Okubo, so I can't help you."
To Hideji Hori, who was upset but managed to say so, Yoshiji Otani frowned and said unfortunately.
"Have you come up with something good… then let me know.
Let me look around for something that's going to be a thread around here, so we're staying close for a while. "
"Are you… staying… near…"
But...
Yoshiji Otani's answer to that question was to smash Hideji Hori's weak heart.
It's...
"Yeah, I'm going to stay at the temple that is Taiyan Temple. Upon the recommendation of Lord Zong..."
That was the thing.
Yes...
Souyoshi Ishida already suspected...
I wonder if a man named Naotaka Tamaru is holding something with regard to Changan Okubo...
And...
As far as the Toyotomi family was concerned as soon as possible, Hideji Hori gained the main relief by waving his tail at the Tokugawa family.
Such unwavering loyalty to the Toyotomi family of Sosei Ishida could not have been forgiven as such.