Thus ensconced in time as satisfactorily as possible under the circumstances, Hideyoshi thought it best to let the women wrangle out among themselves the ordinarily necessary little adjustments of so vital a beginning; hence, without much ado, and little encroachment upon the liberties or patience of Yodogima, set off toward Ozaka fully determined upon providing the young princess with a place and environment all her own. This important old fortress city--wrested in former years by Nobunaga from the turbulent monks--not only occupied one of the strongest natural sites for offensive and defensive purposes but offered as well some most advantageous prospects for residential beautification and enjoyment. The property already fallen into his hands, Hideyoshi forthwith gave instructions for the building of a castle that should outstrip anything of a like kind theretofore attempted. "I mean to do this for Yodogima, and for her alone," said he, to Oyea, who called him to task for such intended prodigality, "in consideration of the benefits bestowed upon me by her dear father in the performance of harakiri (suicide). You need have no fears, nor she any misgivings." The men were set at work, and Esyo began planning; she could not bear the slight, yet knew that her only prospect lay in Ieyasu. Dispatching forthwith a message (duly intercepted, of course) in which all of the facts were related with as much imagination as she could bring to bear upon the subject, Esyo deliberately set herself the task of undoing all that Yodogima had suffered to accomplish. "Depend upon what I say, she has no thought or intention of keeping or remembering her obligations to your own dear self or to any one else, not even her own abused and neglected sisters," wrote she, at length, winding up with the admonition that would he save himself harm he should act at once. Having sooner made without any success several attempts at communicating with Yodogima, this first missive of an avowed friend--whom he believed to be turned somewhat practical and not at all sentimental--quite overcame Ieyasu, wholly upsetting the meager plans that he had evolved for the at least temporary subversion of a prospective antagonist and the immediate recovery of his truly dearer than ever sweetheart. Conscious of the pitfalls with which she must be surrounded, yet he could not believe her untrue: realizing the dangerous ground upon which he must tread, still he would not for that refrain from attempting a personal visit; Yodogima had advised him: she, if recovered at all, must be released by some subtler art than war--Hideyoshi held it in his power to crush him, and was he any less a diplomat?