"Hey, little brother, what are you doing here with His Highness Asai?" Toshiie Maeda jumped all the way from the low wall and stood above Yu Qiupei and Asai Nagamasa and said with a smile.
"My lord and His Highness Lin have something to do with you. Let's go to the camp as soon as possible." Maeda Toshiya said to Yu Qiuping, then pointed to a female disciple over there, "I've sent someone to call you."
"Call me? What are you calling me for?" Yu Qiuping raised his head in confusion.
"What else can I do? I'm probably just going to reward you!" Maeda Toshiie stamped his feet angrily and said, "You have stolen all the limelight from this battle! Originally, I planned to leave my mark in history by relying on this battle.
In the end, you got the advantage! Do you know, your prestige has been spread all over Kinki, such as Yuqiu's art of war for absolute defense, Heihachiro's monopoly on eight fights, Tokiwabei, etc. They are all flattering you! I'm so angry.
!”
"In this battle in Kyoto, the entire coalition army collapsed, with more than 6,000 casualties and nearly 10,000 injured. However, the Miyoshi family who finally occupied the battlefield suffered only more than 3,000 casualties and drove us back to Yamashina. We can say that we were defeated.
Without Hongye to turn the tide, this battle would have been unimaginable." Asai Nagamasa was also full of praise for Yu Qiuping's achievements.
"Alas! That's why I say, the limelight has been stolen by him!" Maeda Toshiie roared up to the sky and beat his chest helplessly.
"Hahaha, don't worry, brother, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future!" Yu Qiuping laughed and stood up, gave a tacit high-five to Maeda Toshiie, and then walked towards the women's clothing group.
·
When Yu Qiuping rushed to the camp, he found that there were only two people in the main tent, Lin Xiuzhen and Oda Nobunaga. As soon as Yu Qiuping entered the door, before he could even sit down, Oda Nobunaga smiled and asked: "Hongye, what do you think?
What do you think about the fact that I only accepted the official position of emperor and did not take up the post of deputy general?"
"I'm making a wild guess. If I'm wrong, please don't blame me, my lord." Yu Qiuping happened to be thinking about this, so he directly expressed his thoughts: "My lord may not want to live under Gongfang Palace, and he doesn't want to be attacked by Ashikaga.
The old system of the shogunate has restricted our hands and feet, but we want to create a new system ourselves."
As soon as Yu Qiuping finished speaking, Oda Nobunaga laughed with satisfaction and said: "How about it! Sado, let me tell you that Momiji understands what I mean! You and Yonegoro kept trying to persuade Yu not to decline as deputy general.
Haha, you are so short-sighted!”
Unexpectedly, Oda Nobunaga really meant this! Yu Qiupei was secretly shocked. This Fengyuner, who is not afraid of anything, is indeed born to be innovative. Yu Qiupei has lived up to his promise to Akechi Mitsuhide.
"Then what do you think of Iimoriyama Castle?" Oda Nobunaga asked a question again, and after thinking about it, he added: "It's the fact that we agreed to Matsunagahide and took over Iimoriyama Castle from him.
.”
"Please forgive me for being frank, this is a trap." Yu Qiuping still doesn't understand why Lin Xiuzhen and Oda Nobunaga agreed to this condition, "Matsuhisa Nagahide wants to roast us on the fire."
"Originally, we supported the success of Gongfangdian Shangluo, and we were already the target of public criticism from famous people all over the world. This time we took over Iimori Mountain Castle, but it made our situation even worse." Yu Qiuping seemed to want to figure out the situation, and Lin Xiuzhen immediately spread out his words knowingly.
A map was placed on the table.
"The location of Iimori Mountain Castle is so important. It separates the Miyoshi family's Settsu from Kawachi Izumi! The Miyoshi family will definitely try their best to take back Iimori Mountain Castle to open up the territory. And Iimori Mountain Castle is located in the Kongo Mountains
On the west side, it strangles the trade route from Kyoto and Tokoku to Sakai Town. It is an important commercial town, and the Honganji Temple of Ishiyama Gobo is also eyeing it. The defense pressure of Iimori Mountain Castle is too great." Yu Qiupei said while eating.
Pointing around Moriyama Castle, "Iimoriyama Castle is located in Settsu of the Miyoshi family to the north, Honganji Temple to the west, Kawachi and Izumi of the Miyoshi family to the south, and Yamato of the Matsunaga family to the east. Iimoriyama Castle is located in Hanoi. For us, weavers
As far as the Tian family is concerned, it is an enclave, far away from the mainland, and almost surrounded by enemies on all sides. And most of our Oda family's troops come from Owari and Mino. Staying abroad for a long time will consume too much food and grass, so it is impossible to stay in Kyoto permanently, and we must return to the army. So,
Once Iimori Mountain Castle is in danger, there will be no chance of receiving reinforcements."
"Because of this, Matsunaga Scholar is willing to give us Iimori Mountain Castle." Yu Qiuping glanced at Lin Xiuzhen and Oda Nobunaga, and whispered anxiously: "Because he knows that Iimori Mountain Castle is too important, and his own
His strength cannot be maintained at all. If the Honganji or Miyoshi clan come over, it is simply unrealistic for him to support Iimori Castle across the Kongo Mountains."
"But Iimoriyama Castle cannot be given up, because it is very important. If you occupy Iimoriyama Castle, you will have a huge amount of business income, and you can also cut off the territory of the Miyoshi family. Once the Miyoshi family takes back Iimoriyama Castle, they will immediately have the ability to regain it.
The ability to conquer Kinki. In the hands of our Oda family, Iimoriyama Castle is a lonely castle, and in the hands of the Miyoshi family, it is a chessboard. The threat to our Oda family is much smaller than to the Miyoshi family, so he is willing to let Iimoriyama Castle be controlled in
In the hands of the Oda family."
"That old fox, Matsunaga Hide, didn't want to defend it himself, and he didn't want to return the Iimori Mountain Castle to the Miyoshi family, so he threw this hot potato to our Oda family! Let us defend it for him and stop the Miyoshi family's fierce attack.
As long as Iimori Mountain Castle is not lost, his Yamato will not be in danger. He can even rely on us to help him block the Miyoshi Army in the north at Iimori Mountain Castle, and then he can go south to conquer the rich Hanoi and Izumi!" Uqiu Pingyue!
The angrier he got, the more he admired Matsunagahide's methods, "But Iimoriyama Castle is like useless to our Oda family. It's just an isolated city, with almost no ability to conquer territory. It's good to be able to defend it.
So he is just a barrier that wastes money, food and troops, and he is a barrier for the Matsunaga family. I don't understand why the master family wants to take over Iimoriyama Castle."
"What Momiji said is right. This is the bait thrown by Matsunagahide. Iimoriyama Castle is so crucial. The city was given away in vain. Once the Oda family gets greedy, they want to swallow it up, and then they have to bear the pain of being attacked by the Miyoshi family.
, made a wedding dress for Matsunaga Nagahide." Lin Xiuzhen listened to Yu Qiuping's analysis with satisfaction.
"Then why did His Highness Lin suggest that the lord agree to this condition?" Yu Qiuping asked in surprise when he saw that Lin Xiuzhen seemed to understand what he said.
"This time our Oda family went to Luo, but we failed to inflict a crippling blow to the Miyoshi family. In addition, the Matsunaga family set up a trap, and the Yamashiro country was not able to fully control it. In fact, the only real harvest we gained was Minami Omi.
"Lin Xiuzhen sighed helplessly and said, "If we don't take Iimori Mountain Castle, then Iimori Mountain Castle will be taken back by the Miyoshi family. Then our Oda family will no longer have a chance to get involved in the Kinki area west of Kyoto. Miyoshi.
The family can even make a comeback, which is unacceptable to us. But if we can capture Iimoriyama Castle, our Oda family can retain some influence and interference ability in Nishikinki, and even penetrate the power of the Oda family into Miyoshi
The enclave of home - Hanoi, Izumi."
"It's too difficult. Iimoriyama Castle is an isolated city, and trying to fight with the Miyoshi family, Matsunaga family, and Honganji family in Nishikinki is tantamount to fighting a pack of wolves with bare hands." Yu Qiuping still shook his head in disapproval, "This
It’s Matsunagahide’s bait. Do we still want to bite it even though we know it’s a fishhook?”
"No, Hongye, you have to know." Lin Xiuzhen didn't seem to take Yu Qiuping's complaints to heart, but whispered meaningfully: "If the fish biting the hook is strong enough, it can drag the fisherman into the water.
Come."
"And Hongye, you -" Oda Nobunaga, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke, pointing straight at Yu Qiuping's eyebrows with the folding fan in his hand: "You are the fish that our Oda family sent to bite the hook."
·
"What? Me?" Yu Qiuping pointed at his face in surprise, "My lord, you want to send me to garrison at Iimori Mountain Castle?"
"Yes, that's you." Oda Nobunaga smiled and nodded, "I will grant you 67,000 koku of the three counties of Ibara County, Jiaoye County, and Sanliang County around Iimori Mountain Castle that are now under our control.
You lead Tokiwabi to defend Iimori Mountain Castle. You must not only defend Iimori Mountain Castle, but also find ways to make a big fuss in Hanoi and Izumi to expand the influence of the Oda family. I grant you the right to freely attack Hanoi and Izumi."
"Iimoriyama Castle may face multiple attacks, and the defensive pressure is too great. In our Oda family, the one who is best at defense is Hongye." Lin Xiuzhen explained to Yu Qiuping, who was already stunned: "In addition,
You are very capable, so I decided to keep you to defend Iimoriyama Castle."
"But I have almost no reinforcements? With the 850 soldiers, how can we hold on? Not to mention that Tokiwa Bei suffered a lot of casualties..." Yu Qiuping desperately declined this almost fatal mission.
"Including the 67,000 stone territory newly entrusted to you, your commander-in-chief will have almost 1.4 million stone, which can support more than 1,500 soldiers." Lin Xiuzhen tried hard to dispel Yu Qiuping's doubts and tried to persuade Yu Qiuping to accept the appointment.
.
"What about the reinforcements? If the Miyoshi family comes with tens of thousands of soldiers, I won't be able to hold on for too long. But the only countries that are closer to Iimori Mountain Castle are Yamajo Country and Yamato Country. Neither Kōhoden nor Matsunagahide are like
I will reinforce the people below." Yu Qiuping still struggled and protested.
"There won't be any reinforcements." Oda Nobunaga shook his head and said, "I will leave 3,000 people in Kyoto, with Mitsuhide and Monkey as the left guard in Kyoto. A city man paired with a country man will have nothing.
It’s difficult. Then I will also transfer Gonroku, Captain Uemon, and Sanzaemon to Minami Omi so that we can reinforce you nearby."
After learning that Shibata Katsuie, Sakuma Nobumori and Mori Katsunari, the three most proficient people in the Oda family, were transferred to Minami Omi, Yuqiupei felt a little calmer. Kinoshita Hideyoshi and Akechi Mitsuhide were left behind in Kyoto.
He has good relationships with others, and he won't try to save anyone.
"Even so, Iimori Mountain Castle is still too dangerous." But Yu Qiuping was still worried, "I really have no confidence that I can hold it."
"It's okay, I allow you to take your Princess Imagawa and your sons and daughters to Iimoriyama Castle." Oda Nobunaga waved his hand and promised Yu Qiupei. At this time, not only Yu Qiupei,
Even Lin Xiuzhen was stunned.
In Japan, there is an unwritten practice. Retainers who are stationed in other places will leave their wives and children in the city to serve as hostages for their lord to prove their loyalty. If these retainers are attacked, they will not do so because they are worried about the safety of their wives and children.
Will surrender easily.
Iimori Mountain Castle is an enclave for the Oda family and cannot be controlled. Yu Qiupei is alone outside the country and may surrender due to too much pressure. If his wife and children are in the hands of Oda Nobunaga, Yu Qiupei will do it for their safety.
He had to resist with all his strength. But if all the family members were taken to Iimori Mountain Castle, there would be no pressure if Yu Qiuping wanted to defect or become independent.
"I trust you not to betray me, so I don't need you to leave hostages. This trust is not in vain. It was Hongye who withstood the pressure of the Kōfōden twice for the Oda family, and fought against the Miyoshi family alone for the Oda family to retreat.
In exchange for tens of thousands of troops!" Oda Nobunaga looked at Yu Qiuping with extremely trusting eyes, and whispered: "Iimori Mountain Castle is really too dangerous, and I cannot guarantee that the reinforcements will arrive in time. If the Miyoshi family's army presses the border, things will happen.
It's no longer possible, so I allow you to temporarily surrender to the Sanhao family. So I will send you your wife and children to eliminate your worries."
"Because I believe that you always have the Oda family in your heart! As long as there is a chance, you will return to the Oda family's camp." Oda Nobunaga looked at Yu Qiuping, who was already frozen in place because of this grace and trust, and said in a deep voice
Said: "Go ahead and do it, Hongye, I believe in you!"
This trust, this kindness, and this consideration of putting yourself in his shoes. For the first time from Oda Nobunaga, Yu Qiupei felt the kindness of Imagawa Yoshimoto back then. And he also expressed his heartfelt gratitude from the bottom of his heart.
He has developed a loyalty that is no less than his loyalty to the Imagawa family back then.
"I'm so messed up that I can't repay my lord's kindness. Don't worry, lord, as long as I'm still here, Iimori Mountain Castle will never fall!"
Chapter completed!