Tokugawa Ieyasu
Episode 35: Death of The Regent
Autumn, 1594.
Ieyasu, who returned to Edo, was watching Hideyoshi closely
as he faced life's cruel ordeals.
Lord Konishi's peace talks in China don't look promising.
The Regent is deeply disturbed.
Moreover, the troubles with the Adviser have intensified.
The Regent was unable to move to Fushimi Castle
which was completed in August.
How is the Adviser?
Nothing that I hear about him is good.
He behaves admirably in front of the Regent,
but changes when he returns, and rumors abound again.
I heard he executes criminals himself to improve his skills,
and stabbed a maid in the stomach.
He is the perfect target
for Mitsunari to spread false rumors.
The residents of Fushimi are looking forward to your move.
But...
Public opinions can be quite bothersome.
If I move with Hiroi,
people will think there's a rift between Hidetsugu and me.
What a strange thing to say.
This is for our heir's future.
There's a limit to our concern for the Adviser.
Please set a date and decide.
That December, Hideyoshi moved to Fushimi Castle
with Hiroi who was almost three.
Just as expected, the public interpreted this to mean
that Hiroi would be the successor to the clan.
The following March, Hideyoshi renamed Hiroi to 'Hideyori',
and requested a rank from the Imperial Court.
Hidetsugu became increasingly uneasy when he learned of this.
Look! My stupid chief retainers
are still trying to humor the Regent with this tea jar.
It's just the right size for a human head.
It resembles the white-haired head of his!
My lord!
Please calm down. You're such a sorry sight!
Hidetsugu had gone mad.
His own uncle drove him to madness!
Let me go!
Wait!
I am...
I'm the 'Killer Adviser'.
I'll start with you.
Excuse me!
Hurry, go!
I have hurt my master.
I'm prepared to accept my punishment.
But there's one favor I'd like to ask of you.
What is it?
Please request the Court to let you resign from your post.
Tell them you are ill and want to lead a life of religion
in the temple dedicated to your grandmother.
Give them some money and ask them to talk to the Regent.
If you decide to lead a life of religion,
the Regent will not take your life.
If we talk to Lord Tokugawa and disclose everything,
he may help us out.
Please consider!
On July 3rd, Hidetsugu gave 3,000 silver pieces to the Court.
He sent a letter on July 5th
stating that he had no intention to oppose Hideyoshi.
On July 6th, Hidetsugu invited Hidetada to a game of 'go'.
Young Lord!
The Adviser's invitation finally came!
Young Lord!
Just as your father instructed,
I sent the messenger away by telling him
you had a prior engagement to have tea with the Regent.
Young Lord!
I told him you're leaving. You must see the Regent now.
What will your reason for this meeting be?
I'll have to tell him the truth.
You tried to prevent me from seeing the Adviser.
So, I'll tell him I came to see him in deference to my retainers.
Isn't that the truth?
I was the one who lied... in deference to me?
I appreciate it.
Please prepare.
Hidetada left for Fushimi with 20 escorts.
Come closer! Come closer.
Come on, don't be shy. Come closer!
You were almost taken hostage.
Is that right?
You're so calm about it.
I'm glad you're safe.
I can face the Councilor in Edo now.
Welcome, general.
You look well, Lady Yodo.
She's a mysterious woman.
This is Yodo's sister.
Get to know her.
Did you hear anything from your father?
About your bride.
This is a trial.
That's Hidetada. Isn't he handsome?
Yes.
Her childhood name was Princess Tatsu.
This was Oeyo who was recently widowed.
It's great to be young!
Life isn't only filled with bad things.
We'll settle the matter with Hidetsugu,
and celebrate Hidetada's marriage!
That will be a relief.
Exactly!
The next day, Hidetsugu's mansion
was surrounded by Hideyoshi's soldiers.
It was a close call.
Had Hidetada accepted Hidetsugu's invitation,
he would have been suspected of plotting with him.
Chaya Shirojiro reported the news to Nene.
...arrested?
Yes.
The Regent didn't even meet with him.
The Adviser was sent to Mt. Koya and Jurakudai was destroyed.
His concubines and children, too?
Like a quick gust of wind,
Ishida Mitsunari executed his instructions.
My pleas were blocked by Mitsunari and Yodogimi
and haven't reached the Regent.
This will provide the most harm to the regent's health.
On July 13th, 10,000 well-armed soldiers attacked the temple where
Hidetsugu was confined in the burial grounds of the late Omandokoro.
Make sure you tell the Regent that I'm innocent.
A slanderer pressed false charges of treason on me.
I will not admit to the false charges.
However, I regret the fact that I was incompetent,
and that I was a bad son.
I forbid my retainers from suffering the same fate.
Make sure you relay that to the Regent.
I, Fukushima Masanori, will tell him.
I'll follow you, my lord!
On July 15th, the bon season...
When thousands of the departed souls were said to return,
Hidetsugu left for the land of the dead.
In spite of Hidetsugu's final wishes,
his concubines and children were executed on August 2nd.
The children are all very young
including his oldest son, Senchiyomaru, age 6.
With unusual severity,
Hideyoshi began punishing Hidetsugu's clansmen.
Hideyoshi was tormented by the feelings of guilt
that the curse of the dead may affect Hideyori.
Ieyasu arrived after the executions were carried out.
Hideyoshi ordered all the lords to be loyal to Hideyori.
These pledges sealed with blood,
were given to me by Ishida Mitsunari and Masuta Nagamori.
All of you who feel the same way give me your pledges.
I will not force those who disagree.
However, those who can not give me a pledge
will be considered dangerous to the Toyotomi clan.
Any objections? If so you may leave.
As you can see, we will all write you a pledge.
Good.
I hope you have no objections, Councilor.
Just as you say.
Let me inform you that
Maeda Toshiie will be Hideyori's assistant.
Bring the pledges!
...all the lords signed a pledge to the heir?
This is all because of the Regent's power.
They all followed Lord Maeda's lead.
Congratulations!
Thank you.
Was is all right to let Lord Maeda be the attendant,
rather than the Councilor?
The most dangerous man in the entire nation is Ieyasu.
I recommended Lord Maeda to prepare for our future
I'm glad you're assisting the Regent.
I hope you help our young heir in the future.
That Ishida Mitsunari is a strange man.
You once said that he's exceptionally loyal.
Why did he let Lord Maeda become the attendant?
That's just it.
He knew his own capacity
and recommended the Regent's old time friend.
Everyone thought that our lord will be the best.
If our lord became the heir's attendant,
his power would be greatly increased.
That's what Mitsunari is most concerned about.
I see.
How about you, Hidetada?
I believe Honda Masanobu is right.
The Regent will try another strategy:
that's your marriage.
Yodogimi's sister has been widowed three times.
I doubt it, but our lord may be killed...
Don't be ridiculous. We'll test our luck.
Test our luck?
Oeyo was unlucky to have her husband die on her.
Why not try to make an unfortunate woman happy?
Father...
Compassion follows the teachings of the Buddha.
Show compassion to her.
Yes.
She is lamenting her misfortunes.
She will respond to your kindness. Understand?
Yes...
I understand.
On September 17th, Oeyo married Hidetada
as Hideyoshi's adopted daughter.
Hidetada was 17. Oeyo, 23.
May, 1596.
Hideyoshi had Maeda Toshiie promoted to Councilor,
and Ieyasu to the Minister of Internal Affairs.
He set up the system for young Hideyori.
That summer, a strong earthquake shook Fushimi Castle
which was built to send the last wave of men abroad.
I am truly happy to see that you are safe.
I appreciate your respectful remarks,
but a man of your caliber didn't come because of the quake...
You're sharp as expected.
Regarding the peace talks with China...
Has the ship with the Korean and Chinese emissaries left?
Yes, but the ship does not carry the Chinese Princess.
This is a record of the talks between the Chinese official
and Konishi Yukinaga given to me by Shimai Soshitsu.
The talks began with a question asking
why the Regent penetrated into Korea,
a country who pledged allegiance to China.
It read like an interrogation of a criminal in court.
Konishi Yukinaga's responses were evasive,
and there was no sign of peace.
It seems Sir Konishi is determined to swallow their insults,
call their emissary here, and report that the Chinese emperor
submitted to the Regent just to end this war.
Lord Tokugawa?
Send the emissaries back alive.
Then send a second wave of soldiers abroad.
The attention will go to the war abroad,
and we can avoid trouble within our country.
We can solve our internal problems
just by insisting to send our troops.
It was a crisis which allowed no time to be lost.
Ieyasu went to Fushimi Castle immediately.
Minister? Whether or not the princess comes, I've decided.
There's no need to express my opinions.
We didn't break off the peace talks.
You're right.
Sire?
We'll join together and fight again.
And wait for them to surrender.
It's a contest between me and the Chinese Emperor.
What do you think?
I wonder if we should fight again.
I'd like to work toward obtaining peace.
They are skilled negotiators.
The real contest lies in trying to make them understand you.
The real contest...
On September 1st, Hideyoshi met the Chinese emissaries at Osaka Castle.
Hideyoshi hired a monk, Shotai as a translator
who was forbidden to make any mistakes.
But the letter was harsh from the start.
The Chinese didn't treat Hideyoshi as an equal,
but as a new ruler of a small island nation,
who was surrendering to them.
'...I shall make you the King of Japan.'
Stop.
Stop reading!
Bring me that insolent letter!
Yukinaga!
You made a fool of me!
I wouldn't dare!
Shut up! How dare you bring me such rude emissaries!
I have unified Japan.
It's unforgivable that he wants to make me King!
Now that I know, I can't wear this!
This is the end of the peace talks.
Send the emissaries back!
I'm going to fight in Korea!
In spite of Ieyasu's remonstrance,
Hideyoshi sent troops abroad again.
They numbered 140,000 and left the following February.
One comforting news in the midst of the turmoil
was the birth of a princess to Oeyo and Hidetada.
The baby was named Princess Sen.
Upon receiving that news,
Hideyoshi invited Ieyasu to flower-viewing.
Isn't it sad...
Man is burdened and confused �til he dies.
It's a long, long journey in darkness.
Regent!
People say that I failed to conquer China
yet I sent out troops again.
They think I am at a loss.
This may be the end of this territory.
But it's beyond my power to make the flowers bloom this year.
I don't have much time.
Let's have a grand flower- viewing here next year.
Don't worry.
There's nothing I can't do.
I'll lift up the morale of our citizens.
The key to politics is to keep the people interested.
Just watch.
I'll fill this garden with cherry blossoms.
A year later, as his army struggled bitterly in Korea,
Hideyoshi ordered the reconstruction of Sanpoin,
to cover the entire area with cherry blossoms
for an unprecedented spectacle of flower-viewing.
Minister, I have a favor to ask.
When I'm bedridden...
What're you saying!
Can you order my army in Korea to return quickly?
I'm weary of war.
It's not because I'm ill.
But the flower viewing interests me more.
Next year...
the year after...
let's come again.
As the public was dazzled by the flower viewing,
Hideyoshi was desperately trying to end the war.
He said that he grew weary
as a face-saving way to retreat.
I'd like to play with the young heir
before I'm bedridden.
Hideyori is only six.
He may not remember his father when he grows up.
Isn't it strange that I'm trying to make him remember me?
Hideyoshi suddenly aged and became bedridden on May 5th.
Listen, Mitsunari.
You're here today to listen to our promise.
Remember that.
Yes, Sire.
Your son, Hidetada, is like a real nephew to me
which my sister Asahi begged me to look after.
I wanted him to have a good wife.
I thought about Oeyo, and it seems they got along.
She bore a daughter immediately.
Wasn't this Heaven's Will?
Yes.
Can you let her marry my Hideyori?
Then the Tokugawa-Toyotomi bond will be strengthened.
This...
This may be my last wish.
Should anything happen to me, you handle the government.
Isn't that right?
You're right.
You're younger than I am.
You have a son to help you.
Hideyori will grow up to take my place.
Then my blood and your blood will be united in marriage.
Isn't this a terrific idea?
I'm counting on you.
Minister.
I'm counting on you.
Reporting!
Your wife is here from Osaka!
Sire!
Nene...
The Regent is not himself any more.
He became an old man who relied on my strength
to take care of Hideyori's future as he lay ill in bed.
All the Regent's ever thought of was the country.
What could it be that changed him
to think only of his son and his clan?
If I can't answer that,
what affected him will eventually affect me.
If I start thinking only of my clan...
In June, Hideyoshi couldn't even lift himself up.
A feeling of uneasiness filled the air.
The lords could no longer believe the validity
of the orders given by Mitsunari in the name of the Regent.
Jibu hasn't come tonight and everyone seems restless.
Don't tell me the Regent's condition worsened.
His wife is the only one besides him now.
What if his wife hates me...?
My Lady...
What's the problem?
The lords are deeply concerned about our lord's condition.
Lord Tokugawa has invited them to a feast tonight.
And the Regent?
His wife is beside him and he's sleeping well.
...let me ask Lord Mitsunari!
You're saying we should obey the 5 magistrates
because the Regent is ill?
Exactly.
I refuse!
What?
Deep-seated grudges cannot be settled so easily.
You'll disobey him and fight?
Exactly. We can't confirm his orders at his bedside!
We'll continue to bear grudges.
We don't know what's your idea and what's the Regents!
We'll only obey the Regent's personal orders.
We'll never forget how you messed up the war in Korea.
There's something I'd like to tell you.
The gates of Fushimi Castle are closed.
We are holding this party to forget our old grudges
since our country is in a state of emergency.
Yet you seem to prefer to fight.
Thus, I will not let anyone leave this castle.
If you try, you'll be killed.
We've gone too far...
We spoke our mind out of drunkenness...
Right. We'll swear to forget our old grudges.
I'm glad you understood.
Let's drink to the fact that we'll be further unified
to support Hideyori and carry out our orders.
Mitsunari interpreted Ieyasu's action
as a strategy to impress the various lords.
However, Ieyasu feared that the great dictator's death
may lead the country into chaos again.
Minister...
Please...Hideyori is still young.
Please handle the political affairs.
I don't know whether Hideyori is capable of handling the job.
Please scold him as you wish.
Take care of Hideyori, please. Take care of Hideyori...
Please...take care of Hideyori...
Please take care of Hideyori.
Please...
Please take care of Hideyori.
Nobunaga, Hideyoshi and Ieyasu
were colleagues united by a common goal
which was to unify and bring peace to Japan.
This was their life's goal and earnest desire.
Nobunaga vowed never to betray Ieyasu,
and Hideyoshi and Ieyasu enjoyed the same trust.
It can almost be said that the three were one.
Hideyoshi was about to die
leaving a legacy of the country and the Toyotomi clan.
The man to carry on Hideyoshi's great task
was none other than Ieyasu.
Compared to the state of the country
when Nobunaga died and Hideyoshi took over,
the country left to Ieyasu was far more complicated
both internally and internationally.
'I fall like dew and disappear like dew...
'what happened in Osaka is all but a dream...'
This was Hideyoshi's last poem.
On August 18, 1597,
the wayward child, Hideyoshi, who rose to the heights,
died at 63 leaving seeds of war behind him.