After everyone got together for a day, they set off to Komaki Mountain Castle to attend the evaluation meeting. However, Yu Qiuping has been distracted since meeting Maori Shinsuke that time. He always felt that he seemed to have missed something important, and he didn't know what it was. What. Ikeda Hengxing and Maeda Toshiie noticed something was wrong with Yu Qiuping, but they didn't know what happened to him.
After all the important ministers of the Oda family arrived at Mount Komaki, the evaluation meeting officially started. As usual, Takigawa Kazumasu still reported to everyone at the beginning of the meeting important information in the world in recent times. Two of them caused a stir. Yu Qiuping's attention.
The first piece of news is of course the news about the Imagawa family, and it is also news that makes Yu Qiuping extremely worried.
After Asahina Yasuhiro killed Ii Naomori and married Ii Naomori, the relationship between the many gaijin wealthy families in Toe and the Imagawa family became increasingly tense. The Asahina family, which had long been wary of the gaijin wealthy families in Toe, sent heavy troops to garrison. Go to various key areas to be on guard against possible changes in the Toe family. Under such a tense situation, Iio Renryu, the lord of Hikima Castle, became active. He accepted Matsudaira Ieyasu's strategy and announced his separation from the Imagawa family and joined the Imagawa family. Go to the Matsudaira family.
The Imagawa clan responded quickly and ordered the Asahina family to immediately go to quell the rebellion. The brothers Asahina Taitomo and Asahina Taiheng were also unambiguous. On the second night of Iio Renryu's rebellion, they attacked Hikima Castle. Hikima Castle was surrounded. On the third day, the outer city of Hikima Castle was also captured by the Asahina family. Because the offensive developed so quickly, the Matsudaira family had no time to send reinforcements, so Iio Renryu had to humiliate himself and sue for peace, leaving his wife behind. The child was sent to Kakegawa Castle as a hostage. The Kanagawa clan really wanted to kill them all, but Sugini insisted on making concessions and let Iio Renryu continue to be the lord of Hikima Castle.
After hearing the news, Yu Qiuping sighed helplessly. The short three years he spent in the Imagawa family seemed to have failed to affect the development of the Imagawa family. They still gradually lost the hearts of the Yuanjiang family in the 1960s. The Jianghao clan rebelled one after another, and the Imagawa family also consumed their little remaining strength in suppressing rebellions again and again.
The second news came from Kinki, which made Yu Qiuping extremely depressed - every time he heard about the major progress made by the Mihaoshi family, he would be so angry that he would regret why he had to talk so much and make predictions.
In October last year, Rokkaku Yoshiharu, the governor of the Rokkaku family, murdered Goto Kentoyo and his son, who had always been at odds with him. Goto Kentoyo had always been an important retainer of the Rokkaku family and was very prestigious throughout Minamiomi. His violent death, It immediately aroused the indignation of the wealthy Minami Omi family. For a time, the Nagata family, the Mikami family, the Ikeda family, the Shinto family, the Hirai family and other wealthy families rebelled one after another and besieged Kannonji Castle. Rokkaku Yoshiken and Rokkaku Yoshiharu and his son saw that the situation was not good. He hurriedly fled to the territory of the Kamao family and asked for asylum. With the mediation of the Kamao family, the rebellious wealthy families stopped their military activities and returned to the rule of the Rokkaku family. However, as a condition, a large amount of the Rokkaku family's direct territory was divided among the wealthy families, and the Rokkaku family While the family's face was completely lost, its strength was also greatly weakened, making it almost difficult to control the wealthy family under its command.
When they learned that their old rival, the Rokkaku family, had no time to take care of them due to civil strife, the Miyoshi family also quickly launched action. And their target was Settsu Country. Settsu Country was nominally under the rule of the Miyoshi family, but as Settsu The Ikeda family, protected by the country, has considerable strength, which makes the Miyoshi family quite afraid. In the history of Uakihei's previous life, when Oda Nobunaga invaded Kyoto, the Ikeda family of Settsu country and many small wealthy families had no peace. The Miyoshi family resisted together, but quickly surrendered to Oda Nobunaga, causing the Miyoshi family's Kinki defense line to quickly collapse.
But this time, the Miyoshi family wanted to take action to completely bring Settsu Country under their control.
·
Time goes back to last autumn, Ikeda Castle in Settsu Province.
"Thank you for your condolences, His Highness Mikyu," said Ikeda Nagamasa, the old head of the Ikeda family, who was lying on the hospital bed at the moment, and Miyoshi Yoshihide, who was sitting outside through a curtain. "I have been ill for a long time and my life is not long. I can't get up to salute, so why not?"
I hope Your Highness is not surprised." Because he was extremely ill and even his voice was very weak. Even if Miyoshi Yoshixian sat so close to him, he had to listen hard to barely hear the slight voice.
"It's okay, Your Highness Ikeda doesn't have to be so polite." Miyoshi Yixian smiled and waved his hand, gesturing for several of his attendants to step back. "I have something urgent and I want to talk to His Highness. Is it possible for you to do it conveniently?"
"No problem, of course it's no problem," Ikeda Nagamasa coughed twice and waved to signal his attendants to retreat. When the last few attendants went out, they even closed the door behind them.
"I don't know, Your Majesty Mikyu, do you have anything important to discuss?" Ikeda Nagamasa asked in a low voice after seeing everyone push him away.
"Of course it's about His Highness's death." Miyoshi Yixian lowered his voice and said, "I'm so frank, I hope His Highness doesn't think it's unlucky."
"It doesn't matter," Ikeda Nagamasa coughed twice more, "Our martial arts family is no better than that minister, so we naturally won't shy away from death. Your Highness, please speak frankly."
"I'm here especially for the heirs of the Ikeda family." Miyoshi Yoshiken said this calmly, but his eyes never left Ikeda Nagamasa's facial expression. After seeing the latter obviously startled, he was satisfied.
A smile appeared.
"I heard that Your Highness Ikeda has not yet designated an heir, so I am worried," Miyoshi Yoshihide smiled and added in a low voice, "I am here to help you."
After Ikeda Nagamasa heard this, he froze in place. Indeed, he was a little hesitant about who should be the heir. The eldest son of the Ikeda family, Ikeda Katsumasa, should have been the natural heir, but Ikeda Katsumasa
His own qualifications are not outstanding, he is a bit stubborn, and his relationship with his retainers is not very good. What worries Ikeda Nagamasa most is that the only retainer who has a good relationship with Ikeda Katsumasa is the ambitious and powerful faction in the Ikeda family——
Araki Murashige, the lord of Arioka Castle.
The second son, Ikeda Tomomasa, has been well-educated and intelligent since he was a child. He is favored by the Ikeda 21 members who are an important component of the Ikeda family's retainers. Ikeda Tomomasa also maintains a good relationship with the Miyoshi family.
Ikeda Nagamasa was originally hesitant between the two people, not knowing who to appoint as his heir, so he had not decided who would succeed the family governor until now. Unexpectedly, Miyoshi Yoshihide actually came to his door.
"This..." Ikeda Nagamasa coughed and his mind started spinning rapidly. No matter who the throne is passed to these two children, the Ikeda family's family business is likely to be in crisis. If the throne is passed to Ikeda Katsumasa, Arakimura
I will never let go of an opportunity. If the throne is passed to Ikeda Tomomasa, the Miyoshi family will most likely seize the power of the Ikeda family. And Miyoshi Yoshihide's coming this time is obviously to support Ikeda Tomomasa in the throne. If the throne is passed to
If it is given to Katsumasa, the family knowledge may only be lost. But if the throne is passed to Chimasa, the Miyoshi family will definitely not miss this opportunity to annex the Ikeda family!
"This..." Ikeda Nagamasa coughed violently and made a quick balance in his mind. "After all, Katsumasa's child is still the eldest son," Ikeda Nagamasa whispered, "Let him inherit the family governor. But then
The child's abilities are limited, so I hope the host family can give me more support."
"Oh?" Miyoshi Yixian stood up slowly and sneered: "What did Your Highness say? I didn't hear clearly."
"Huh?" Ikeda Nagamasa was stunned for a moment, "I would like to say...Tatsumasa is the heir..."
"Ah, so you want to make Chimasa-sama your heir," Miyoshi Yixian nodded with satisfaction, "I also think that this is a good suggestion. Then please rest assured that after a hundred years, the Miyoshi family will definitely support Sir Chimasa.
.”
"Mikyu...Your Highness?" Ikeda Nagamasa was completely stunned. He stared at Miyoshi Yoshiken with his eyes open and told lies, saying that he wanted to make his second son his heir. Just when he wanted to speak to refute, he suddenly felt a burst of breath in his chest.
He felt stuffy and coughed violently. He had been sick for so long, but he had never been so uncomfortable. He seemed to suddenly understand something, and looked at Nagamasa Ikeda standing in front of his bed with an expression of disbelief.
"That's right, one of your servants is mine," Miyoshi Yoshiken sneered and looked at Ikeda Nagamasa with a pity look, "This morning, he poisoned your medicine and you are already alive.
But it’s noon today.”
"And I will stay here and talk to you in secret until you die," Miyoshi Yixian lowered his voice and narrated calmly, as if he was talking about something that had nothing to do with him: "When you die, I
We will announce to the outside world your final edict when you left an orphan, passing on the position of family governor to Master Zhizheng."
"You..." Ikeda Nagamasa's eyes were completely red at this moment. He tried hard to yell and call the guards outside the door to come in. But when the roar reached his throat, it only turned into a few weak moans and a sharp pain in his chest.
.People outside can’t hear it at all.
"My Tuogu...why didn't I find a trusted retainer..." Ikeda Nagamasa whispered intermittently, making a final struggle, "Everyone won't believe it...they won't let you succeed...they will definitely rise up and resist."
"That's natural. If it were me, I wouldn't believe it." Miyoshi Yixian nodded as he should, "I'm just giving those who support the second son's faction a legitimate reason to seize power. The eldest son's faction will definitely not
They will believe it, but they will rise up to resist, and even the two factions will fight each other."
"But -" Miyoshi Yoshiken protracted his tone, slowly walked to Ikeda Nagamasa's bedside, and looked down at Ikeda Nagamasa condescendingly, "A fight between the two sides is what the Miyoshi family most wants to see, isn't it?
Isn’t it wonderful that the Ikeda family is depleted due to internal strife, and the Miyoshi family takes over Settsu on the grounds of supporting their second son and stabilizing the situation?”
As soon as Miyoshi Yoshiken finished speaking, Ikeda Nagamasa understood Miyoshi Yoshiken's plan and was so angry that his whole body trembled violently.
"You... this despicable villain... murdered His Highness Hosokawa before... and now it's me..." Ikeda Nagamasa almost exhausted all his strength, gritted his molars and uttered the final curse: "You are unworthy of Miyoshi.
In the name of the four brothers... I will not die a good death!"
"Well, you are right." Miyoshi Yixian suddenly showed a wry smile on his face.
"Three good brothers and four brothers, three do big things and one does dirty things."
"The one who did the dirty things must die a good death. Just to pave the way to the world for my brothers."
·
Everything was as Miyoshi Yoshihide expected. When he announced that Ikeda Nagamasa's last edict was to support Ikeda Tomomasa, people from Ikeda Katsumasa's faction immediately expressed dissatisfaction. Araki Murashige even threatened that when Miyoshi Yoshihide met with his old master that day,
He murdered Ikeda Nagamasa. He then raised troops in Arioka Castle, contacted many people who supported Ikeda Katsumasa and other important wealthy families in Settsu, including the Itami family, Ibaraki family, etc., supported Ikeda Katsumasa's succession, and rebelled against Ikeda Tomomasa.
.The Ikeda family was divided into two factions fighting each other, causing serious internal strife.
The Miyoshi family then marched into Settsu on the pretext of carrying out the last orders of Ikeda Nagamasa and mediating the internal strife of the Ikeda family. Miyoshi Yoshihiro and the three Miyoshis led the army of Kawachi Kingdom, and Miyoshi Yoshihide led the army of Izumi Kingdom.
The east and south entered Settsu. Although Miyoshi Nagakei himself stayed in Shikoku, he sent Tokawa Isun and Anzai Fuyasu to Settsu and approached Settsu Kingdom's Hanakuma Castle by sea. Araki Murashige watched
Due to the huge disparity in strength, he immediately struck back and betrayed Ikeda Katsumasa, who was in contact with him, other retainers of the Ikeda family and the Itami family, and obtained the leader of his territory, Anto.
Under the attack of the Miyoshi family and the Araki family, the coalition forces were defeated and were forced to surrender to Ikeda Tomomasa. The Ikeda family was also severely weakened by this civil war. After the Miyoshi family put down the war, not only did they not escape from the occupied Settsu Province castle
Withdrawing the troops, they instead placed people at the top of the Ikeda family, replacing those rebellious retainers, and ousted Ikeda Tomomasa. Although the people of the Ikeda family were dissatisfied, they had no choice but to do anything about it at the moment, and the Settsu country fell under the control of the Miyoshi family.
among.
Chapter completed!