Tokugawa Ieyasu
Episode 20: Challenge
In May, 1576,
Takeda Katsuyori was finally defeated at Nagashino.
Ieyasu's victory, however, brought credit to Nobunaga.
Since then, he proceeded to unify the country.
On November 4th,
the Imperial Title of Great General was bestowed upon Nobunaga.
Ieyasu sent Sakai Tadatsugu with congratulatory greetings.
...I'm sure his ceremony must've been grand.
Yes, it certainly was a grand celebration.
But...
But what?
The next day his son attacked Iwamura Castle
with a sweep of the gunmen and defeated it.
Lord Nobunaga again transferred his authority to him.
What?
He said he's moving to a new castle in Omi.
So...he's finally building his castle.
As soon as he gave those instructions to his son;
before he bade him farewell,
he walked out of his castle with authority.
How strange.
It's hard to figure him out.
Once he built the castle,
he ordered the roads to be built, too...
Without roads he can't rule the country.
But this is different.
He ordered all the roads in his territory to be widened to 18 ft.
18 feet?
Who signed the charter for the new castle?
I heard it was Sir Akechi Mitsuhide.
I see.
Then shall we let Sir Sakura sign our charter,
and pretend to build another castle?
Now that Nobunaga gained control of the country,
Sakura and Kazumasa felt the need for caution.
The castle that Nobunaga constructed
was the future Azuchi Castle.
He chose this site because
Kyoto lay on the other side of Lake Biwa.
He also had access to the northern areas.
With wide roads he could control the country.
New Years, 1578.
Ieyasu received the imperial title of Major General.
He treated his retainers to sake.
Hiraiwa Chikayoshi represented his son in Okazaki.
Ieyasu had his fill of his son's troubles.
And instructed Chikayoshi the adviser to come.
Thank you for coming. Is Nobuyasu well?
He is fine. Another thing.
The lady had another girl.
A girl...
She's still young. She'll have more children.
Are mother and daughter alright?
Yes, they are, but...
Chikayoshi.
Something seems to be bothering you.
Tell me what it is...
The first child was a girl and so was this one.
My lord was very angry and flung his sword at the pillar.
What?
You useless woman!
Was his wife hurt?
Fortunately, no.
But she was told she was useless,
and insisted to go home.
And did you try to calm them?
I took my lord out for diversion.
But he caught nothing on his hunt and was frustrated.
Just then a monk passed by.
He upset him.
What're you doing?
Wait!
The Buddha willed it so you found no catch.
Don't kill uselessly.
Shut up! I can't fight wars if I'm afraid to kill!
You're being rude to a warrior!
...what a terrible thing.
Chikayoshi.
This is because I didn't raise him myself.
Tell him that we are safe today because of Lord Nobunaga.
Thinking about that luck...
...we are pleased to present this to the people.
From now on...
everyone may take a position of government official.
You understand?
It's not about posts that anyone can do.
It's about posts that anyone can't do and Nobuyasu held them firmly.
Excuse me.
Right now, Lady Tsukiyama has come here.
Lady Tsukiyama?
Yes.
Lady Toku.
How are you?
What a pleasant meeting.
You don't have to be so formal.
Because we haven't meet, despite the fact we're in this caste.
So, I've come today to have a talk with you.
First, I'm going in.
Kino, bring tea for Lady Tsukiyama.
- Yes. - No need.
By the way, lady Toku...
do you know that recently Nobuyasu has risen up...
and is suspected of doing brutal things?
No, I don't know anything.
That day...
he was in very brute mood.
It's understandable.
A warrior who doesn't know, when will he be defeated in war,
...is taking a wife...
because he wants his successor as soon as possible.
However,
you are still just princess...
Don't you think that it may affect the next battle Nobuyasu will be in?
Mother.
Lord Nobuyasu?
Kikuno.
Today, I've took in custody...
no one else than that girl over there called Kikuno.
Although it's slightly, inside this girl...
is, right now, that blood flowing.
You have to make a successor as soon as possible.
Well then, lady Toku...
it's for family.
Please, rely on her...
...as much as possible.
Now, I'm going back.
- Kotome. - Yes.
- Excuse me my rudeness once. - Wait.
- Kino. - Yes?
I need to speak with lady.
Take that girl and guide her to apprentices over there.
Yes.
I've made you worry.
As my father said, I'm still someone who needs to learn.
I'm sorry.
Even at Ninohime's birthday...
...I've made you worry.
I'm apologizing too much.
Despite that...
I did something inexcusable.
Lord.
I'm going to be very strict about the girl my mother brought.
Therefore...
open your heart to me again, as you did before.
Will you?
Since an unexpected misunderstanding of hearts,
when ill feelings melted, the settlement was quick.
However, in some time later, this issue has brought different meaning...
to both families, Tokugawa and Oda.
Meanwhile, in Hanamatsu...
Ieyasu got a long awaited message from Oai.
What? Pregnant?
Yes.
Congratulation.
That's a happy news!
Therefore, you should take another girl to you for now....
Wait.
Tonight...
I just want to celebrate your pregnancy.
Alright.
At Nobuyasu's and Kamehime's birth,
I was too young.
There was too much going in my mind at time of Oniwaru.
This time, I pray for being a good father to the child born from you.
Yes.
May, 1579.
Azuchi Castle, with it's 7-layered tower, was completed.
Here, Nobunaga established his position as the countries ruler.
Hideyoshi had come to report on the wars in Chugoku.
Monkey! How do the lands look from the tower?
Every time I come to make a report,
I am astonished by the grandeur...
I wish Ieyasu in Mikawa could see this.
I'm sure he'll be surprised...
That Takeda Katsuyori waged war on Ieyasu again.
Do you think Ieyasu can fight him alone?
Over these past few years, both sides have not fought.
They've nurtured their strengths...it's hard to say.
That's alright. I can send my men to the Chugoku area.
I appreciate that.
I don't think Ieyasu can destroy the Takeda clan alone.
I'd have to finish them off someday.
I want to do that with my own hands.
It would cause me problems later on
if Ieyasu should destroy the Takeda alone.
I must keep him in line so he won't become too powerful.
Right?
Right, exactly.
No! Where's No!
Welcome. Did you think of something again?
The Monkey reminded me of something.
You have the letters from Toku in Okazaki, don't you?
Letters from Toku?
The ones where she complained of Lady Tsukiyama and Nobuyasu.
I have those in my letter box.
Bring them out.
Hurry.
What are you going to do with them now?
I'll use those letters to make Ieyasu kill Nobuyasu.
I shall stop you!
You are now the Minister of the Right, lord.
How can you kill your daughter's husband...
You're obnoxious.
Incompetent though I may be, a woman has her own thoughts.
- Please don't do this. - No!
Listen! In the past, I would have let things pass
because they are my relatives.
But now I'm different.
I will not forgive anyone who disrupts the peace
or obstructs my intention to subjugate the country!
I'm sure you can understand that.
So you understood...
I did what you asked,
so please kill me right here.
What?
Fool, why should you be killed?
Because I'm mortified.
You're mortified if I have Nobuyasu killed?
It's not Lord Nobuyasu!
But I know that Toku's future will be affected
and Lady Tsukiyama would be implicated.
As a woman, I am mortified!
We are not men's toys!
As a woman, I can't agree to what you're about to do.
Is that how it is...
Yes.
Lady Tsukiyama is a victim of the wars.
Our daughter didn't complain out of hatred.
The love for her husband made her falter a bit.
But you're using that to kill her husband and Lady Tsukiyama.
I'm a mere woman, too.
Why don't you kill me too?
Our relatives in Mikawa sent...
Sakai Tadatsugu and Okubo Tadayo.
Let's ask them...
I'll ask them what Nobuyasu's reputation is within his clan.
If I feel I'm being too cruel,
I'll forget what I said.
If I feel you're being unreasonable, don't admonish me!
Is anyone around?
Don't feel reserved. Come closer.
It seems Takeda Katsuyori is at it again.
If you're both out here, Lord Ieyasu must be in trouble.
Go back soon and protect your territories well.
I'm taking a break today so I can drink to your departure.
You are the pillars of the Tokugawa clan.
I'm relying on you to take care of your clan.
Have a cup.
I can't ask others about this, so let me ask you.
I heard my son-in-law has a bad reputation.
Why is that?
He's at a most emotional age, so maybe that's the reason.
He is a truly brave warrior and even scolds us, Elders.
That may be why some talk ill of him behind his back.
He scolds you?
That's promising.
Have a drink.
Why was a brave warrior like you scolded?
Last year, when Takeda Katsuyori crossed the Oi river,
he scolded me for being slow and cowardly.
Oh? That was too harsh.
I know Katsuyori's ways, I retorted.
I told my lord to watch how I fight.
I drove Katsuyori back the very next day.
Our young lord is braver than our lord.
He needs to work on winning his retainers over.
He hasn't suffered as much as his father.
He's still young.
He seems to be very short-tempered.
I heard killed a monk while on a hunt.
I admonished him upon orders from our lord.
What did Nobuyasu say?
He said you killed thousands of monks at Mt. Hiei.
And he killed only one. He said he regrets it.
Let me make this clear to you.
I have never killed a monk because of my hot temper.
Those monks at Mt. Hiei kept soldiers
and used violence to subjugate the people.
They might have been monks in appearance,
but were nothing more than bandits.
That's why I killed them.
It's selfish of Nobuyasu to confuse those two incidents.
And? Is Lady Tsukiyama still the same?
She is a willful lady who
still talks of the glorious days of the Imagawa rule.
We believe the young lord's willfulness is her influence.
You're telling me the lady is leading him astray?
Yes.
Does she still talk of me as an Imagawa enemy?
A woman's vengeance is something else...
Though Nobuyasu was not the ideal heir,
these two retainers did not hate him.
In order to justify Nobuyasu's behavior,
all they could do was to blame Lady Tsukiyama.
In Hamamatsu, Oai, who came to be called Lady Saigo,
gave birth to the future Hidetada.
...it's strange.
What is?
The older you are when you have a child,
the dearer the child seems.
They say it's because there is less time to spend with them.
Maybe it's true.
Nobuyasu is 21.
Once he has an heir, then he and his son,
my son Omimaru, and this boy, can gather here for Noh.
Yes.
This boy has a lot of energy.
What is it, Sakuza?
Nobunaga has finally bared his fangs!
Tell me what happened.
He demands that
we make Lady Tsukiyama and Lord Nobuyasu commit seppuku.
And did you accept?
Of course not! This isn't something we can decide!
And?
Why is he upset?
He gave 12 reasons.
I'm so upset I forgot the order. Please excuse me.
First, regarding the dance which was a fad in Okazaki.
It became popular after the defeat of Imagawa Yoshimoto.
The dance reminisces the past. Lord Nobunaga claims it proves
the people don't have faith in Lord Nobuyasu.
Secondly?
Lord Nobuyasu like this dance
and killed those who were inept at it.
This was inappropriate.
Thirdly?
He killed a monk on the way back from his hunt.
What is the fourth reason?
Nobunaga knew things even he didn't know.
Ieyasu felt Nobunaga's power as the country's ruler.
Next, it's about Lady Tsukiyama...
Enough!
He claims the lady planned a rebellion.
But Lord Nobunaga said our young lord was not part of it.
However, he may sympathize with her out of love.
He said that this is a crisis for Lord Ieyasu,
so don't hold back making him commit seppuku
just out of deference to him...
What? 'Deference to him', he said?
And? What did you tell him?
It's all true. I couldn't deny it...
Isn't it your job to feign ignorance to such matters
even though they may be true?
Even a foot soldier could just sit and listen to charges!
Two clan elders were there,
and how can you just swallow those charges and return!
Stop it!
Send a messenger to him immediately telling him that
you'd go to war first before you'd kill your own son!
Wait, Sakuza...
I'll go if nobody's going.
Wait!
When Lord Nobunaga moved castles, he brought nothing.
So what! Lord Nobuyasu is his son-in-law!
He brought nothing with him because from now on,
he will operate as the ruler of this country.
It was an act to show that he is no longer a mere lord.
It's true that Nobuyasu was an unworthy son-in-law.
But how can you lose your own heir upon another man's order?
Wait!
You're excused Tadatsugu and Tadayo.
I'll think this over tonight.
I thought I knew all about Nobuyasu...
I was careless.
It was my mistake to place
Toku and Lady Tsukiyama in the same mansion.
They are mother-in-law and daughter...
One was the Imagawa niece and the other
the daughter of the man who killed the Imagawa.
Please don't give up. Lord Nobunaga is a father, too.
It won't be shameful for you to beg for your son's life.
Oai.
Just when I thought we could gather together for Noh,
one is already struck by misfortune.
Nobuyasu...
Why couldn't you live more carefully?
The next day, Ieyasu sent Tadatsugu to Azuchi.
I'll send Okudaira Kuhachiro with you.
Pretend that I don't know of this.
Just tell him that when you returned,
I ordered you to go back
because I had a fine horse for Lord Nobunaga.
Tell him that you couldn't tell me about Nobuyasu
since I was in a good mood.
Ask him to reconsider the matter about Nobuyasu.
I told Kuhachiro he is supposed to know nothing
and that he is only delivering the horse.
I'm not asking you to go to war.
Just don't decide this matter yet.
This is alright.
This is the predicament of a father...
Don't worry, I won't lose control and patience.
Love bloomed once again between Nobuyasu and Toku.
He was involved in daily training.
I have 20 more to go! Wait!
Welcome; your greeting, Princess?
Good morning, father.
Is something the matter? You don't look well.
Your father in Azuchi is upset with me.
Do you know what it could be about?
I complained to him in my letters before, but
he hasn't answered, and I haven't written much lately.
I see...
What did he say?
If it's something I can do, I'll send a messenger.
Chikayoshi went to find out more.
I'll let you know.
Right, Princess?
This was the last time Nobuyasu talked to his family.
...Lord Nobunaga wants me killed?
Who said that?
It was a message to my father.
In Hamamatsu?
That's funny. Since when is Lord Ieyasu his retainer?
Is he going to blindly accept his orders
to kill his wife and successor?
Let me ask you again, mother.
Did you send a secret letter to Takeda Katsuyori,
and did he reply to you?
If you have, tell me.
I must consider it.
I have.
Mother!
I saw that Yashiro and Genkei were enemy spies.
I just pretended to be their ally for your sake.
Please understand.
...please my lord!
If you kill me, Lord Nobunaga wouldn't ask for Nobuyasu.
Please grant me my request!
No, I won't allow you to commit seppuku.
Why not?
I am a general. Many men died for me.
You have been with me since I was a hostage at age 6.
If I let you die in exchange for my son's life,
I can't live as a man.
I'll hate you for this!
Until the gods forsake me, you can't die until I die!
Then, you're allowing your son to die?
I won't wait for Lord Nobunaga's orders.
I'll punish Nobuyasu on my own.
On your own?
I won't take orders from anyone!
You return to Okazaki and comfort my men.
Has Tadatsugu returned?
And how are they?
Sir Kuhachiro says he can't face you...
So...It's decided...
Yes.
Tell them to wait in my study.
I'll put Nobuyasu in prison.
This is an important time for us
when peace and order is coming to a turbulent age.
I can't forgive him for letting Lady Tsukiyama be
when she was communicating with the Takeda clan.
Right.
Therefore, I shall go to Okazaki and punish him.
Nobuyasu is Lord Nobunaga's son-in-law.
I shall inform him of this.
Ieyasu's messenger left immediately for Azuchi.
Ieyasu wanted to make it clear that
he wasn't acting upon Nobunaga's orders.
Ieyasu left for Okazaki
without waiting for Nobunaga's reply.
Sakuza.
I didn't think I would lead my troops to attack Okazaki.
Don't say 'attack'... that's strange.
But it's the truth.
Don't let your guard down.
Let's be careful and brace ourselves
as if this were our first battle.
We're off.
Ieyasu never dreamt that he'd be attacking his own Okazaki.