On July 3, the fifth year of Tensho (1577), Yu Qiupei suddenly received a task from Oda Nobunaga from Kyoto - asking him to temporarily serve as the receptionist of the Oda family. When Yu Qiupei first received this order, he did not react.
, because it is somewhat insulting to appoint a small official like the receptionist to an important minister like Yu Qiuping. However, after Yu Qiuping knew who the person he was responsible for receiving was, he finally understood the appointment.
The significance. Yu Qiupei did not go to Kyoto alone to take up his post, but brought with him Kaede Imagawa, Yu Qiu Shang, Yu Qiu Yu and Yu Qiu Cen, as well as Sena Uji Yoshi and Asahina Taihei.
The reception location was decided by Oda Nobunaga at Shoukokuji Temple, and a group of followers of the Oda family had already been waiting here. They thought that Yu Qiuping's visit this time was just a formality, and they only needed to show their faces during the meeting.
.Who would have thought that Yu Qiuping actually took over the command of the preparation work in person, and began to arrange the meeting place, set up the reception process, and prepare meals in a orderly manner. When Yu Qiuping did these things, he did not act like a layman blindly giving instructions. On the contrary, he was familiar with the road.
The arrangement was quite decent and had its own style. Those who followed it couldn't help but secretly cheer. They didn't expect Yu Qiu Hongye to have such a method. However, Yu Qiuping was not happy at all. To him, this was just a copy of the past.
The arrangement, a memory full of sadness and helplessness.
On July 10, the guest Yu Qiuping was to welcome arrived in Kyoto. Yu Qiuping and Imagawa Kaede were waiting in person on the street outside the east gate of Xiangguo Temple. The guest had no intention of showing off and arrived half an hour earlier than the agreed time.
Having arrived after a long journey, a group of more than ten people dismounted from their horses far away and led their horses on foot. Due to the obedience of many Oda families around, Yu Qiuping could not condescend to greet them, so he had to wait where he was and watch.
A group of people came quickly.
When the leading man came closer so that Yu Qiuping and Imagawa Kaede could see his face clearly, their eyes suddenly became a little wet. Although the relationship between them could not be discussed due to the many festivals in the past and the final abandonment.
Excellent - but he is already the only link between Yu Qiuping and Imagawa Kaede with the past.
Yu Qiuping tried his best to hold back his tears. Since the goodbye more than ten years ago, he had never thought about what it would be like when the two reunited - he didn't even think that the two would have a chance to meet again. Unexpectedly, he would see his old friend again.
At that moment, it was this scene.
"I have met His Highness Imagawa."
Yu Qiuping bowed respectfully.
·
There are only a few men in the world who can bear this surname. The man in front of him is the last family governor of the destroyed Imagawa family - Imagawa Ujima - the son of Imagawa Yoshimoto.
The elder brother of Kaede Imagawa and the brother-in-law of Yu Qiuping.
It's been nearly twenty years since we parted ways, and Imagawa has already reached his forties.
At the moment of the salute, Yu Qiuping imagined countless ways for Imagawa to truly reply. However, the result was as unexpected as this reunion - so funny that it was embarrassing.
"I'm so sorry! How dare you bother His Majesty the Chief of Staff to come out in person to greet you!"
Imagawa Shima knelt down directly in front of Yu Qiuping and kowtowed to Yu Qiuping solemnly. It rained heavily last night in Kyoto, and the ground was muddy. Imagawa Shima's body was already a little old and faded, but
The exquisitely-kept samurai uniform suddenly fell to his knees in the mud, and even his forehead was stained with mud.
"Brother!" Imagawa Kaede exclaimed softly after seeing Imagawa Shima like this. Tears burst out of her eyes, and she almost bent down to help him regardless of etiquette. However, Imagawa Shima stood up slightly again and faced Imagawa Kaede's face.
Xiang Xiang bowed and said in a low voice: "How dare you trouble Maple Leaf Mountain Palace!"
"ah…"
Imagawa's true words made Imagawa Kaede freeze in her movements. She stared at her brother with strange and unbelievable eyes. More than ten years of living in exile and relying on others had already worn away everything about the former noble son.
His pride, self-respect and backbone. Today, he is as humble as those fawning surnames.
"Please come quickly." Yu Qiuping quickly leaned over to help Imakawa Uzuma, using his huge arm strength not to give him time to be humble. He made a gesture and ordered the followers of the Oda family to immediately take the Imagawa family's party
When the exiled retainers entered Xiangguo Temple, he turned around and walked quickly to the front to lead the way, without looking back - as if he didn't want to see the Imagawa family in such a miserable state again.
·
After the group arrived at Xiangokuji Temple, everyone in the Imagawa family was taken to the side hall to have a meal by the followers. Yu Qiupei and Imagawa Kaede personally led Imagawa Clan and the accompanying Asahina Taitomo. They had already
At the prepared banquet.
On the corridor, Yu Qiuping was able to take a good look at Asahina Taimo. He had not seen Asahina Taimo for more than ten years. He was only 40 years old this year, but he still looked like a 50-year-old man. His face
The wrinkles on his face were shocking, and the original resolute eyes had lost their luster at this moment, and his steps were as heavy as an old man in his dying years. It seems that these ten years of exile have not only destroyed the Imagawa family, but also smoothed this attendant.
The author's ambition is reflected in the left and right sides.
"How have you been these past few years?" Yu Qiuping asked an awkward question as if he had nothing to say.
"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness, everything is going well." Although Asahina Taitomo's attitude is a little more comfortable than the Imagawa family, Yu Qiupei still doesn't dare to call "Momiji" directly like before. And the sentence "Things are going well."
", but it seems like a more embarrassing answer to Yu Qiupei's embarrassing question. "I first took refuge in Sagami Hojo. For the sake of past favors and today's marriage, the Hojo family also worked hard to help the Imagawa family fight back the Takeda family.
The Suruga Kingdom was restored. But later Takeda and Hojo formed an alliance again, and the matter of restoration was no longer mentioned. Our life there became more and more difficult every day, just like walking on thin ice... Finally, about a month ago, the Hojo family issued an order
With the expulsion order, we, the remaining ministers, are no longer welcome. There is no place for us to stay around, so we have to boldly come to Kyoto to find a way out."
"How can you be so ungrateful?" Kaede Imagawa whispered angrily after hearing this, "Ise Soun was just a subordinate of the Imagawa family back then. If it weren't for the kindness and support of the late master, how could the Kanto Tojo family be today?
Who would have thought that today..."
"Your Majesty, Princess, please calm down." Asahina Taitomo was not angry at all. Instead, he sighed with gratitude, "In troubled times, kindness is as cheap as dirt. There are many close friends in the past and enemies today. It is not easy for the Hojo family to entertain Hayakawa-don for ten years.
For more than ten years, we have been deeply moved by the fact that we have never left His Majesty the Family Governor and served him wholeheartedly."
"Why haven't you seen Hayakawa-den?" Yu Qiuping turned to his side, Imagawa Uzuma, who was always one position behind him, and slowed down his pace at the same time and asked. Upon seeing this, Imagawa Uzuma immediately coughed alertly, and at the same time, his feet moved.
They walked in sync with each other and whispered to Yu Qiuping in a very respectful voice: "Your Highness, I am sorry to hear that it is cold, so I have already stayed at the inn outside the city."
"How can you leave Hayakawa-don outside?" Seeing this, Yu Qiuping hurriedly gave instructions to an Oda family member, "Send someone quickly to pick up Hayakawa-don. Make sure to serve him properly."
"His Majesty the Governor, I am extremely grateful for your great kindness." Seeing this, Mr. Imagawa bowed to Yu Qiuping again, and his etiquette was meticulous and did not neglect at all. Yu Qiuping glanced at Mr. Imagawa, and what came to his mind was
But it was the majesty of Mr. Imakawa who was the head of the Three Young Masters of Sunfu twenty years ago - the Imagawa clan at that time scolded Yu Qiu for how domineering and domineering he usually was, and how he was so pampered and pampered that he was not even willing to look at his subordinates and retainers.
At a glance, today's desolate situation is even more sad in comparison.
Imagawa really seemed to understand the compassion in Yu Qiuping's eyes, and his frightened expression finally showed some fluctuations. But he didn't say anything more, and just followed Yu Qiuping forward silently.
When he arrived at the door of the living room, Yu Qiuping coughed twice, and Asahina Taihei inside the room immediately rushed to open the door knowingly. The moment he opened the door, he happened to make eye contact with Asahina Taihei in front of him. Asahina Taihei
Chao looked at the child with thick eyebrows and big eyes in front of him, and there was a burst of vigor and vitality between his brows, and he suddenly recognized him as Asahina Taehyung.
"Matsuchiyo?" Asahina Taichao subconsciously exclaimed, and the wrinkles on his face suddenly became more distorted by his facial expression.
"Huh? Grandpa, do you recognize me?" Asahina Taihei didn't know who the old man in front of him was, and asked in confusion for a moment.
"Ah?" Asahina Taihei was also stunned when he heard this. He stared at Asahina Taihei for a moment, and then he suddenly realized. He turned to look at Yu Qiupei, but pointed at Asahina Taihei with trembling hands and said, "Red leaves... this...
This is…"
"My eldest brother's orphan..." Yu Qiuping introduced with some bitterness. He looked at Asahina Taihei, and then at Asahina Taihei next to him, and suddenly felt that time passed so fast. He seemed to have returned to the Imagawa family again.
When I was there, I was chatting with the brothers Asahina Taito and Asahina Taiheng. It’s just that one of them has become much older, while the other one is much younger.
"Matsuchiyo, say hello to your uncle." Yu Qiupei touched Asahina Taihei's little head and whispered to him.
"Uncle?" Asahina Taihei was also stunned. His big confused eyes made him understand that when he told everyone that he was here to greet Imagawa Clan and Asahina Taihei, the child was really distracted and didn't listen.
"Your father's brother is also the current leader of the Asahina clan - His Highness Asahina Yasuhiro." Yu Qiuping patiently explained to Asahina Yasuhei again. However, before Asahina Yasuhira could salute, Asahina Yasuhiro suddenly squatted down.
He pressed his hands firmly on Asahina Taihei's shoulders, stared at Asahina Taihei's face, and kept mumbling to himself: "How old have they become... How old have they become... Matsuchiyo... the child... I miss him so much."
It’s so similar…”
"I have troubled you to take care of Matsuchiyo for so many years." Asahina Taitomo suddenly turned around again, bowed to Yu Qiupei, "Matsuchiyo has grown into an upright man now. Taehyung has a spirit in heaven.
…You will definitely be pleased.”
Chapter completed!