Chapter 165: Toyotomi Tsurumatsu [2] Katō Kiyomasa wiped away his usual hearty smile and hurriedly left the banquet hall.
"Hmm."
Kanghyeok tilted his head and quietly watched his retreating figure.
The whispering had been so quiet that he had not properly heard who was sick.
But it was obvious that the person was no ordinary figure.
Even Katō Kiyomasa had attached "-nim" to the name.
Katō Kiyomasa was a proud daimyō, and among them, one with extremely high status at that.
It had already been nearly ten days since the diplomatic mission arrived here.
To outside eyes, Kanghyeok probably looked like he was just drinking and selling medicinal decoctions, but in truth, he had been mingling among them and learning a great deal.
In fact, compared to Hwang Yungil and Kim Seongil, who could not easily relax and get close to them, there were far more Japanese with whom he could interact comfortably.
That meant he had gathered much more information as well.
Hidetsugu is leaving too. Most of the other key figures have gone out as well.
If both Kiyomasa and Hidetsugu had to move, then there could not be many matters in all of Japan important enough to require them.
As Kanghyeok's mind spun rapidly, Dolseok edged right up beside him.
"Oh, Dolseok."
Unlike usual, Kanghyeok welcomed him with obvious pleasure.
This brat not only had an exceptional memory, but sharp ears too.
Was there not a saying that birds hear the words spoken by day, and mice hear the words spoken by night?
This bastard Dolseok heard everything, day and night alike.
"What did they say?"
"They said… someone called Tsurumatsu. They said someone with that name is sick."
"Tsurumatsu? Who's that? That's strange."
No matter how ignorant Kanghyeok was about history, he still knew quite a lot about the Imjin War.
He had even watched a long historical drama that ran to 104 episodes.
Normally, Kanghyeok would not watch dramas at all, historical or otherwise, but he had watched every rerun of that one.
There's no way I could skip it with Kim Myung-min playing Yi Sun-sin… So I know the names of most major Japanese commanders, but I don't remember any Tsurumatsu.
The reactions of the others were far too agitated to dismiss him as some nobody.
Kim Seongil, standing some distance away, provided the answer.
"Did they truly say Tsurumatsu?"
"Oh. Yes, sir."
Even the reckless Dolseok bowed himself low in front of Kim Seongil.
That was because he had witnessed Kim Seongil's impossibly strict manner countless times on the journey here.
Especially after hearing from Kanghyeok and Yeoju how Yoshitoshi's palanquin bearers had nearly all lost their heads, he had learned to crawl on his own.
Of course, because he was usually such a disaster, his behavior still did not quite fit proper etiquette.
Fortunately, Kim Seongil did not take issue with his attitude.
"Tsurumatsu. Huh. So the rumor was true."
He merely kept muttering "Tsurumatsu" to himself.
Because the name itself was so strange, hearing it from the side made it sound almost like some chant.
Not hwitduru matduru, but Tsurumatsu? What kind of name is that?
Kanghyeok smirked to himself at the dumb joke that came to mind.
But Kim Seongil's face showed no sign of relaxing.
"Some time ago in Nagoya, I heard talk about Toyotomi Hideyoshi's succession issue."
"Ah, I see."
He had clearly been present in the same place, but Kanghyeok did not remember even the tiniest bit of it.
Given his exceptional memory, he should have remembered it.
The fact that he did not meant he must have listened with astonishing indifference.
"I remember clearly. Tsurumatsu is Hideyoshi's son."
"What? Really?"
"Why are you so surprised?"
"Ah, no…"
The name of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's son that Kanghyeok knew was definitely Hideyori.
And that child was not even born yet.
Then was there another child in between that I didn't know about?
As Kanghyeok stood there tilting his head, Kim Seongil kept talking.
He seemed to consider it a rather important matter.
"I heard the child was still very young, but in poor health. Judging by the reaction just now, that truly seems to be the case."
"That would make sense… seeing how all the major figures here rushed out."
"The patient must surely be Tsurumatsu, Hideyoshi's eldest son."
"Hmm."
Kanghyeok stroked his chin again and fell deep into thought.
The successor who died later in Osaka Castle after Hideyoshi's death was definitely Hideyori.
The fact that the younger Hideyori became the successor suggested a few possibilities.
Either the eldest son, Tsurumatsu, was unspeakably terrible, or he died.
I'm pretty sure they said earlier that his lips had turned blue.
If it was an illness severe enough to cause cyanosis, then with the medicine of this era, it would have been completely impossible to treat.
So it made more sense to think that he had not lived long and died.
"It may be that you receive a request for treatment, Kanghyeok."
"Treatment…"
"Do not Katō Kiyomasa and the other commanders all take you for some kind of medical immortal? There will surely be a request."
"I think that's probably true."
In Kanghyeok's view, Japanese medicine was even more backward than Joseon's.
To begin with, the variety of medicinal ingredients lagged far behind Joseon's.
Their treatment of external injuries seemed a little better.
But only a little.
Moreover, in Japan at this time, there was a tendency to regard anything that came from Joseon as one level superior.
Even Dolseok and Makbong were being treated like famous physicians.
So what about Kanghyeok?
Requests for treatment come in almost every other day. Seriously…
Just as Kim Seongil said, Kanghyeok was practically being treated like a medical immortal in Kyoto.
That was because Yoshitaka's group, who had come earlier, had run their mouths so much.
As a result, every major figure in Kyoto wanted to see his face.
The next day, after the uproar, was no exception.
"Sent by whom?"
Kanghyeok stopped what he had been doing with Yeoni and asked.
Dolseok, who had been leaning awkwardly against a temple pillar, answered in a rush.
Kanghyeok was jumpy enough to begin with, and right now he had even finished warming up.
If Dolseok got on his nerves, he might start seeing stars right away.
"She said some woman called O-no-dono sent her."
"O-no-dono? Did you hear that right?"
Kanghyeok's eyes were full of suspicion.
How could they not be?
O-no-dono?
What kind of person's name was that?
At least, it did not sound like any Japanese woman's name Kanghyeok knew.
I've heard of Aoi and Yoko, but O-no-dono is a bit…
But Dolseok only felt wronged.
He had definitely heard it that way, and he had definitely been told to pass it on that way.
"I'm telling you, it's right. O-no-dono."
"O-no-dono… anyway, fine. Who is she?"
"They said she's Hideyoshi's secondary wife. What's a secondary wife?"
He had learned quite a bit from Yeoju, but there was no helping the fact that he was still ignorant.
In truth, it was a little troublesome if a servant knew too much.
And when it came to ignorance, Kanghyeok himself did not lose to anyone.
"You little shit."
It had been a while since Kanghyeok had come across something outside medicine that he knew better than Dolseok.
So, feeling good, he began speaking with a smile all over his face.
But when he actually tried to explain it, it was a little difficult.
"It means, you punk, she's not the primary wife."
"What the hell does that mean?"
"It means… that…"
While he was stammering, Yeoju, the most learned person in the group, stepped in.
"It means she's a concubine."
It was indeed a perfectly clear explanation.
Only then did Dolseok slap his forehead with a look of understanding.
"Ahh."
"Yeah, a concubine."
"You didn't actually know, did you, Young Master?"
"I did too, you little shit. A concubine."
"Yeah, right…"
In that brief moment, Dolseok completely forgot what Kanghyeok had been doing just before.
He truly could not resist showing off whenever the slightest opportunity appeared. That was his illness, if it could be called one.
Because of that, he got smacked hard on the back of the head.
"If I say I knew, then I knew. What do you mean, 'yeah, right'?"
"Ow…"
"Where's the person she sent?"
"Out in front. That person doesn't look low-ranking either. He's carrying a sword."
"A sword. Hmm. All right."
That meant he was some kind of warrior-class man.
In the past, going to meet someone carrying a sword would have been rather frightening.
Now it did not bother him at all.
Partly because he had seen too many of them, but also because he knew the other side absolutely could not lay a hand on him.
Someone like me is an honored guest here.
Right then, the woman attending to the lodgings bowed politely.
She was dressed in a kimono, and every time he saw her, she was unfailingly courteous.
At any rate, it felt good to be treated like this by people from another country.
Smiling in satisfaction, Kanghyeok began trying to reason out who the woman who had sent for him might be.
If she's Hideyoshi's secondary wife… then her status probably isn't low. What could it be?
For some reason, it did not seem unrelated to yesterday's disturbance.
"Young Master, that's him over there."
"Ah. Right."
Kanghyeok came back to himself at Dolseok's voice and looked ahead.
The man said to have been sent by O-no-dono was standing there with two soldiers in tow.
Sayaga said if you want to judge status, first look at the sword.
More precisely, he had said to look at the scabbard and the hilt.
It would be better if one could see the blade too, but seeing the blade meant things were nearly at the point of a fight.
Besides, Kanghyeok knew nothing about swords, so even if he saw it, he would have no idea what was expensive.
But the scabbard and the hilt were a little different.
Jet-black, ink-dark… and decorated with gold thread. I don't know the material, but it looks expensive.
At moments like this, even a rough glance was enough to tell.
Thinking that O-no-dono's status might be even higher than he had expected, Kanghyeok slowly approached the man.
The man spoke first.
"Are you Physician Baek?"
"I am… What brings you here?"
"I came under the orders of my mistress, O-no-dono. If you are not too busy, would you be willing to come with me?"
Kanghyeok reflexively looked behind him.
Before he knew it, Yeoni, Makbong, and Yeoju had all tagged along.
Dolseok, of course, had been standing beside him from the beginning.
Well, surely nothing's going to happen.
Probably it would be fine as long as Kanghyeok did not do anything rude to this woman called O-no-dono.
So Kanghyeok nodded readily.
"All right, then."
"That is good. Let us go."
The warrior led Kanghyeok out of the temple.
They had been in Kyoto for quite some time already, but it had been a rather long while since Kanghyeok had left the temple grounds like this.
Mounted on horseback, Kanghyeok looked around in every direction.
It was a different country and a different era, so there was a certain pleasure in sightseeing.
"Um, Physician Baek."
The warrior cautiously addressed him.
"Ah, what is it?"
"I heard you are close with Lord Katō Kiyomasa. Is that true?"
Close, huh.
To outside eyes, it probably looked that way.
It was a misunderstanding, but letting people believe that was far more advantageous.
"Well, we get along."
"That is fortunate. Since he is presently with O-no-dono, it should not be awkward for you to go."
"Ah, he's there too?"
"Yes."
It seemed O-no-dono's status was far higher than Kanghyeok had expected.
Seeing that even Katō Kiyomasa was with her.
No, is that only natural? Right now, Tsurumatsu is Toyotomi's only son…
If O-no-dono was Tsurumatsu's birth mother, then was she not the mother of the heir?
It would have been strange if her influence was not tremendous.
"This way. She is waiting inside."
"Mm. Thank you."
"Not at all."
Following the warrior's lead, Kanghyeok headed toward O-no-dono's residence.
Once inside, he saw a woman holding a small child.
Sitting across from her was a broad-shouldered man.
He was someone Kanghyeok saw all the time.
"Ah, Physician Baek."
"Lord Kiyomasa."
"Good, you've come. Let me introduce you."
Kiyomasa quickly rose to his feet, then bent one knee toward the child in the woman's arms.
"This person here is Toyotomi Tsurumatsu, the rightful heir of Lord Kanpaku."
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