"Father, I failed and ruined the future of the Shimazu family. I am a sinner and I beg you to punish me."
Returning to Satsuma Domain, kneeling in front of Shimazu Tadahashi, Shimazu Mitsuhisa finally showed his broken side.
Shimazu Tadashi was helped by the maid to sit up, but he was still shaky.
He had already felt that his vitality was rapidly draining away, but this sadness could not be compared with the news of failure.
"From now on, the Shimazu family will focus on their lives."
Shimazu Mitsuhisa raised his head in astonishment, not quite understanding.
"Father, will the Shimazu family still exist?"
Seeing that his originally high-spirited heir had become decadent and sluggish, Shimazu Tadahashi suddenly felt a surge of vitality.
"The Satsuma clan has been in various countries, and has experienced many ups and downs. The most difficult times were far worse than now, and they still survived. What qualifications do you have to give up hope?"
"Father!"
Shimazu Mitsuhisa burst into tears, and his heart, which was about to die, was stimulated to life again.
Seeing that he cheered up a little, Shimazu Tadahashi felt a little relieved.
He raised his hand and stroked his son's head.
"When a tiger is injured, he will find a secluded place to rest quietly. After he recovers, he will be the king of the forest again. While he is recuperating, jackals and vicious dogs will ride on his head and dominate. At this time, it is best to
What needs to be done is not to rise up and resist, but to endure humiliation. Only those who can bear this humiliation can achieve immortal great deeds."
Shimazu Mitsuhisa understood that his father was teaching him how to preserve the vitality of the Satsuma Domain.
But what he was more worried about was...
"General Da'ao will definitely not let us go."
Shimazu Tadahashi slowly turned his head and looked in the direction of Edo.
"What Oku has to consider is the situation in Japan as a whole. The Satsuma clan needs to show its attitude in order to survive."
He was about to die, but he stood up.
"Prepare the highest courtesy and follow me to Edo."
Shimazu Mitsuhisa was really frightened when he heard that Shimazu Tadahashi was going to leave in person.
"Father, you must not do it. Will you..."
With Shimazu Tadahashi's current physical condition, he might die before he reaches Edo.
Shimazu Tadahashi pushed away his stop.
"I am still the lord of the Satsuma clan, so I need to take responsibility for this matter. I will complete my mission, and the fate of the Satsuma clan will be borne by you."
Shimazu Mitsuhisa understood.
Shimazu Tadahashi planned to use the last bit of his life to fight for the hope of survival for the Satsuma Domain.
Can Shimadzu Tadahashi 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 did not dare to stay for a moment, and went directly to Edo without even returning to his own domain.
They are all smart people.
His approach won Tokugawa Iemitsu's trust.
"The firearms of the Xia people are very 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 Xia people."
After hearing the description of the battlefield, Tokugawa Iemitsu strongly suspected that he was exaggerating.
Fortunately, there is corroboration from other people.
However, it proved the strength of Xia's army, but it caused Tokugawa Iemitsu to face difficulties.
"News came from Nagasaki that they were attacked by Xia's army. This shows that Xia has the ability to reach the Japanese mainland."
Doi Toshiki was worried.
The Tokugawa shogunate's dominance has just been consolidated. If the Xia army were to attack them at this time, an accident would probably occur.
Tokugawa Iemitsu understood his subtext.
"Aren't the Xia people seeking negotiation? Lao Zhong, as a special envoy, you will go there in person to listen to the Xia people's conditions."
Doi Toshikatsu quickly agreed and asked at the same time: "What is the bottom line for the conditions we can agree to?"
At this point, everyone understood that Xia's army was too powerful and invincible. And the Tokugawa shogunate wanted to maintain its own rule, so how to negotiate must be done with sufficient skills.
Tokugawa Iemitsu narrowed his eyelids slightly.
"This conflict is a result of the Satsuma clan's wanton behavior and is not the shogunate's original intention. This must be conveyed clearly. Now I, the Japanese, have no intention of spying on the mainland. This is our goodwill, and we must convey it clearly. Tell me this.
Xia people, we will punish the culprits."
Doi Toshikatsu understood.
Tokugawa Iemitsu planned to use the Satsuma clan as a scapegoat. He hoped to use this to quell the war and eliminate a powerful feudal state.
However, before he finished speaking, a guard rushed in and reported to Tokugawa Iemitsu.
"The Satsuma Domain has sent a memorandum of apology, and the feudal lord is on his way to come in person. Every time Shimazu Tadahashi visits a city, he will bow to Ooku and apologize. This is the sincerity of the Satsuma Domain to atone for his sins."
Tokugawa Iemitsu took a look at the memorial and was shocked.
"Shimazu Tadahashi, this sick tiger, is indeed extraordinary."
He passed the memorial to everyone to watch, and all the senior officials in the shogunate were amazed.
At the critical moment of life and death, Shimazu Tadahashi showed unprecedented courage.
He collected all the Shimazu family's finances and sent people to escort them to Edo as a ransom. Not only that, he also reluctantly ceded the Hyuga Kingdom to Tokugawa Iemitsu.
The Satsuma clan once occupied the territories of Satsuma, Osumi, and Hyuga through conquests. This was their capital to dominate Kyushu.
But this time, for the sake of the survival of the Shimazu family, Shimazu Tadahashi brazenly cut off his flesh and blood and handed over control of the Hyuga Kingdom.
He himself was on his way to Edo.
Along the way, Shimazu Tadahashi was very grand. Every time he passed a city, he would stop and kowtow in the direction of Edo in the most crowded place in the city.
Each time, he performed ninety-nine times and was extremely respectful. Even though he fainted on the spot several times while prostrating, he still persisted after waking up.
His blood was all left in those cities.
Tadahashi Shimazu has kept his attitude to the lowest possible level, which has caused great repercussions throughout Japan.
Even someone as cruel as Tokugawa Iemitsu couldn't help but hesitate for a moment when faced with this situation.
The arrival of Sakai Tadakatsu forced Tokugawa Iemitsu to stop his original plan.
"The Choshu Clan, Kumamoto Clan and other western daimyo have sent important figures one after another, and are coming to Edo to plead guilty to Ooku."
Tokugawa Iemitsu sighed.
None of these famous names in the West chose to bear it to the end.
Putting on such a bachelor attitude made him unable to do anything.
Because if he still holds on to it, he will lose the morality that he finally grasped.
At that time, the daimyo from all over the country will probably be worried about the ambitions of the Tokugawa shogunate, so they will form an alliance to jointly fight against the shogunate.
This was not a situation he wanted to see.
After ten days of arduous journey, Shimazu Tadahashi finally arrived at Edo Castle.
He knelt outside Makucho and exerted his last remaining strength.
"The ignorant and arrogant Satsuma Domain violated the wisdom of General Ooku and committed an unforgivable sin. As the Lord of the Satsuma Domain, I must die to apologize!"
In full view of everyone, Shimazu Tadashi exposed his chest and abdomen, pulled out a short sword, and plunged it into his own stomach.
Then Shimazu Hisaki, who was standing aside, brandished a long sword, cut off his head, placed it respectfully on the ground, and led everyone in the Satsuma clan to kneel down before the mayor.
Through such a decisive decision, the Satsuma Domain gained the initiative in the entire situation.