In late February, an evaluation meeting was being held in Dewa Province's Yamagata Castle. All the people attending the meeting had serious faces, staring at the Takeda family's envoy in a daze. They were indeed just in a daze, staring motionless at a golden brilliance.
A total of five hundred taels of gold, the Takeda family spent a lot of money to win over allies. As a local tycoon in Deyu, it is rare to see such a large amount of money.
"As long as the Mogami Minbu-don nods to join the anti-Echigo alliance, these five hundred taels of gold will belong to the Mogami family. Please consider it carefully and take my leave now!" Kasuga Torasuna, who changed his name to Kousaka Masanobu, caught a glimpse of the expressions of the Mogami retainers.
, smiled and put away the glowing gold and stood up to leave. Dozens of eyes followed the gold until he walked out of the evaluation room.
The old and frail Tendo Yoriichi did not participate in the meeting, and a young and vigorous Tendo Yorisada was replaced as the successor of the family governor. He is the second son of the family. His eldest brother Tendo Yoricho is more than ten years older than him. In a few years
He had died of illness before. This time Tendou Yorizada appears as the successor of the family governor to give the people of the country and the Lord an adaptation period. The next time he appears, he will be the family governor of the Tendou family.
"This gold must be kept! My lord must also think so, right?" Tendo Yorisada squinted at Mogami Yoshimori, a look of disdain flashed across his face.
Mogami Yoshinori was just the stepson of the commoner Nakano family, and his status was almost the same as that of the Tendo family. In the eleventh year of Eisho, the previous family governor Mogami Yoshisada was severely defeated by the Date Aizhu army in the battle of Hasedo Castle, and he wanted to die on the spot.
The army exceeded a thousand people, and Hasedo Castle was captured as a result. After the war, Mogami accepted the marriage request of the Date family, married the daughter of the Date family, and gave birth to a legitimate son. Fortunately, the legitimate son died in infancy.
A brief respite for the people of Dewa.
So the local people, headed by Mogami Hachio, stood up and decided to introduce a local lord. The most thoughtful one was naturally Tendo Yoromichi, the head of Mogami Hachio. Their family was originally from the Oshu Shiba clan, and later the family changed to
The Satomi clan inherited the family, and a few generations ago they were adopted by members of the Mogami clan, so he has the best chance.
However, Mogami Hachio was worried that the Tendo family would become a powerful monarch because of this, so they strongly opposed Tendo Yoriichi, who was still very young at the time, to serve as the governor of the family. After a final dispute, they decided to appoint the son of the relatively weak Nakano family to succeed the family governor. In Tendo Yorisada's view,
This governor should belong to the Tendo family. If his father became the governor of the Mogami family, he would now be the successor to the governor of the Mogami family.
This kind of thinking makes Tendou Yorisada particularly dissatisfied with the governor of the house. Without the full support of Mogami Hachio, he would never be the governor. Mogami Yoshinori was the one erected by Mogami Hachie to deal with the infiltration of the Date family.
flagpole, but now Mogami Yoshimori is striving to become stronger. After experiencing the Echigo invasion three years ago, he was very unhappy when he successively surrendered several Japanese people and showed great rejuvenation.
"Of course we have to take it down, but my family is more interested in this plan. This time the Takeda family actually brought together half of Kanto, as well as Kaga's always-famous general, and presumably the Ashina Mori clan from Aizu. It seems like
The opportunity is great this time!" Mogami Yoshimori closed his eyes with a fascinated expression, as if he was imagining the wonderful feeling of eating the whole Shigotsu in one bite, with a satisfied look on his face.
It is true that the invasion three years ago failed. The Mogami family's loss was actually very small. The Mogami Hachimon's trip was in vain at most. It is also welcome for the Dabaoji family to suffer some losses. Mogami Yoshimori made two hundred taels of gold in one trip.
In addition to using half of the top eight coins to pay for the troops as hard work, as the governor of the house, he would only enjoy half of it. This time he also had this plan. After sending troops to fight against Echigo, everyone would enjoy the fruits of victory, and if he lost, he would also get two
One hundred and fifty taels of gold is not a big loss.
"As we all know, Echigo's wealth is so coveted that it would be great if we could take some advantage... But what if we encounter the same situation as last time?" said Toyooka Morigi-gun, Toyomae.
The meaning is very simple. Everyone likes to eat fat meat, but he can't lose his teeth just to eat fat meat. The last time he had a small loss and failed to achieve anything, he was very unhappy.
Shimizu Hizen Mori Yoshitaka was also unhappy. The main force in Hachigori did not move, so he and the Masaoka family were sent to Echigo. He was hit on the head by the Kira family and is still fresh in his memory. It looked like Mogami Yoshimori was successful in his planning.
The foundation of Echigo was explored in a war with little loss. In fact, he knew the reason why.
"Actually, you have forgotten one thing, and that is the secret of Echigo's prosperity. As long as we master the secret of high-yielding crop cultivation in Echigo, I, Deha, can be as wealthy as Echigo. Can the Date family still threaten us? It's because
Only people from Vietnam, China, Jiaxin, and Kanto would take action on this!"
The Mogami Assessment Association reached a preliminary intention in the intrigue. Kosaka Masanobu organized the information in his hands in the Yamagata Castle Yashiki. This is the latest information sent by Takeda Torupo on a regular basis. Since Kaga Ichimune made the choice to join, he has been in the past few months.
He will spread his footprints all over the Hokuriku and Yuoku countries.
Spring sowing has just begun in Dewa at the end of February. The melting ice and snow have made the temperature even colder than the first month. The fire pit in the house is burning with red flames to dispel the cold indoors. Takasaka Masanobu casually throws a piece of letter paper into the brazier, and the red coals are instantly swallowed up.
A thin piece of paper, with some writing on it burned to ashes.
Since the collapse of the situation in Northern Shinano, Takeda Harunobu's love transferred him from the Northern Shinano front line to the Takeda family's diplomatic envoy. He knew that this was the lord's love and ardent expectations for him, and he could withstand the strong family lineage.
Due to the criticism, Kosaka Masanobu vowed to repay this kindness by repeatedly being promoted on the spot.
Nowadays, Echigo's actions are getting bigger and bigger, and the Takeda family is gradually becoming unable to support it. Takeda Harunobu immediately ordered him to quietly contact Echichu, Deyu, and the Daimyo of Mutsu. Takeda Harunobu's original words asked: "With the cooperation of all parties,
Fight against the Echigo nation and strive to win in one battle!"
"My lord's request, Masanobu, has basically been fulfilled! Date Harumune has agreed to send three thousand troops to support the Mogami Army, but the prerequisite is that a new alliance must be established with the Mogami family. It seems that there will be more tricks, but there is no problem.
Big! Ashina Mori has already persuaded us, and now there are Date Harumune, Mogami Yoshimori, and soon the lord's plan will be successful! Even if the Kira family has three heads and six arms, it will not be able to escape defeat! Sooner or later, we will have to repay the shame we have caused.
Come back!" When the last piece of information was thrown into the fire pit and turned into ashes, Kosaka Masanobu's eyes became more and more serious.
In the next half month, Kosaka Masanobu went around to gain support from Mogami Yatsura, and made Date Harumune's request to Mogami Yoshimori. Seeing the almost arrogant request, Mogami Yoshimori trembled with anger and said angrily:
"Alliance, marriage, sending troops through the passage! Do you want to treat our family like nothing? This extremely arrogant request is simply abominable! My family will never agree!"
"Sending troops through the passage? What's going on?" Mogami Hachie's expression was also very exciting. They suddenly realized that this was different from the previous agreement, and they would solve the foreign troubles of the Date family in the east and the Ashina family in the south through alliance marriage.
Why did they use the passage to send troops? Mogami Hachio looked at him suspiciously.
"We can discuss using the passage to send troops. Even if it fails, we can borrow it from the Aizu Ashina family. Please don't worry." Kosaka Masanobu explained unhurriedly.
"So, are both Date and Ashina involved?" One of the Eight Mogami clan, Noto Noto, Mitsushige Chao, exchanged glances with several of his companions, and then said to his master: "Then my Mogami family is the only one who has participated.
You can choose to participate in a path! I wonder what your lord wants?"
"Well, let's wait until the envoy from the Date family arrives to decide on the marriage!" Mogami Yoshimori stood up and turned to leave with a stern look on his face. The Mogami retainers also retreated one after another. Kosaka Masanobu was about to retreat with the large group of troops.
At that time, I accidentally caught a glimpse of an eleven or two-year-old boy baring his teeth at him and threatening him, as if he was muttering curse words like "bastard" in his mouth, and then turned around and ran away.
In the castle tower of Yamagata Castle, Hakushou, who had been renamed Gengoro, was having a heated argument with his father. Gengoro, who was only twelve years old, was not afraid of his majesty at all and argued with reason: "Father, why did you betroth your sister to Date?"
The bastards of the family! Those tigers and wolves will definitely infiltrate our Mogami family like they controlled Lord Mutsu! Our Mogami family has a deep hatred against the Date family, so we must not let those bastards succeed!"
Mogami Yoshimori was furious and said: "Gengoro, shut up! Who allowed you to yell in front of my family! Go back to your room!"
The little Gengoro plopped down and knelt on the porch and begged: "Father! Yoshihime is your only daughter and my only sister. My noble family is a descendant of the Ashikaga Ryu Ushiba clan of Genji in Kawachi. I can never ask Yoshihime.
Dajia, bow your head!"
"You!" Mogami Yoshimori glared at his eldest son, too angry to speak.
A little girl about ten years old appeared in the other corner of the corridor. She wore a beautiful silk satin hair ornament on her head, big eyes and a small nose. She smiled with two beautiful dimples and was wearing a beautiful dress.
She was wearing a pink gown, holding a few small flowers in one hand and holding the hem of her skirt in the other hand as she ran over like flying.
Seeing his father and brother facing each other in the corridor, he asked in a low voice: "Father! What is Onii-chan doing?"
"Yoshihime!" Gengoro looked back and saw his sister's innocent eyes. He looked back and found that Mogami Yoshimori had already strode away. In a few steps, he threw Gengoro, who was kneeling in the corridor, far away. Before he could react,
Disappeared at the end of the corridor.
"Father!" Gengoro was about to catch up when his mother, Major General Ono, stopped him. The woman already understood her husband's decision. She hugged Gengoro with a sad face and said, "Hakushou, don't disturb you.
Father, it will be hard for your father to make such a decision..."
Major General Ono hugged Gengoro with a sad expression and whispered softly: "But you must know that as the daughter of the Wu family, her destiny is to contribute to the family marriage!"
"...Why? Why is this happening! Why do we, the Samurai family, have to bear such a heavy burden! We are the famous Genji clan, the Ashikaga branch, why are we still being oppressed? Mother, please tell Gengoro what I did wrong.
What? What did Yoshiki do wrong? Why do gods and Buddhas punish us? Why!" Gengoro cried hysterically, and he would only cry in his mother's arms.
"Bai Shou! This is how we are atoneing for the sins of our previous lives!" Major General Ono closed his eyes in grief, and tears gently flowed from the corners of his eyes.
"Oh... Ni-chan! Mother! What's wrong with you?" The little girl's flowers fell on the floor, and she stared blankly at her mother and brother hugging each other and crying. The panicked little girl hurriedly walked over and knelt down to beg.
: "Did Yoshihime do something wrong? Did she make mother and Oni-chan angry? Yoshihime will change! Yoshihime is the most obedient. Please mother, Onii-chan stop crying! Yoshihime is wrong
Got it!"
The little girl's tears were streaming down her cheeks. This kind-hearted child has never left Yamagata Castle since she was a child. Her biggest wish is to see the outside world, and she always likes to squat under the high wall to care for those young flowers.
, he saw some lovely flowers again today and couldn't help but pick them to show to his brother. He didn't expect that they would turn out like this.
At her age, she still doesn't know where her destiny will go. Marriage is still too far away for her. She watches her brother study hard every day and says some strange words that she doesn't understand. Every time he talks about anecdotes from far away places.
The interesting story always carries a hint of envy and yearning. His wish is to go to the beautiful Kyoto to meet His Highness the Shogun.
You must also go to the magical Kasugayama Castle. It is said that there is a legendary figure who became a famous shogunate at the age of ten. As a member of the Ashikaga clan, everyone envies this general of the Ashikaga family. I have never heard him talk about his highness.
The little Yi Ji always listens to the legendary story with gusto, even if she has heard it a hundred times, she never gets tired of it.
The little girl also had some vague thoughts about finding a husband like His Highness in the future. Not even her mother knew this secret, only her brother could guess some of it.
Yi Ji was very afraid that she would make a mistake and make her family sad. She still remembered that when she was very young, she accidentally broke a precious vase and was scolded by her father when she was playing hide and seek with her brother. At that time, she was so scared that she shrank.
Crying in her mother's arms, her mother could only hold her in her arms and endure her father's scolding. Her brother stepped forward to take on this responsibility. For this, his father slapped her with a cane twenty times, and his whole back was beaten.
Blood flowed.
From then on, the little girl vowed never to make her family sad again, and she always worked hard to be a well-behaved and obedient child. She respected her brother and felt guilty. The time he took the blame for her was always hidden in her heart. She was particularly
She attaches great importance to the brotherhood between brother and sister, and carefully obeys her brother's arrangements. When the little girl saw that her mother and brother were crying, she was so frightened that she could only sit on her knees and shed tears.
"Yihime is not wrong. It's not you or me who is wrong. What's wrong is this troubled world! What's wrong is the decline of the shogunate and the rise of evil!" Gengoro wiped away his tears and stood up from his mother's arms. He walked over and pulled up his sister.
He took out a handkerchief and wiped the tears from her face.
"I vow to imitate the Zhenfu Palace, carry the three-foot sword to defeat the enemy, and protect my mother and Yiji!"
…
In a secluded teahouse in Sagami Odawara Castle, Hojo Ujiyasu personally met with Takeda Nobuyoshi. As an alliance, the messenger sent by Takeda this time was the Takeda family's most popular member, the Takeda Punishment Officer who looked quite similar to Takeda Harunobu.
Auxiliary, he is the brother of Takeda Harunobu and Takeda Nobushige. Only the three brothers who are descended from Mrs. Oi can use "Takeda" as the Miao character. Therefore, he is also the head of the Takeda family like his other brother Takeda Norikan Nobushige.
Control one sect and many people.
"...My lord's attitude must have been clear to the Sagami Palace. The current enemy that threatens the Hojo family's suppression of Ueno is the Nagao family of Echigo. If the military threat to Echigo cannot be eliminated, the Hojo family's control over Musashi will be at risk. You have to be affected all the time. Ontake Castle has penetrated deep into the heart of Musashi. There is a proverb in the Ming Dynasty: How can you allow others to snore and sleep under the bed? I think Sagami Temple can also feel the feeling!"
Takeda Nobuya showed no stage fright at all when facing the majestic Hojo Ujiyasu. He was very familiar with this leadership quality. His brother Takeda Harunobu was such an outstanding samurai with extraordinary endurance and perseverance. , calm judgment and a very wise mind, it is obvious that the person in front of me is also of this type.
He deliberately left the Kira family aside in order to stimulate as little tension as possible in the Hojo family. It was really difficult to explain the two battles that took place last year. The successive defeats of the Takeda family and the Hojo family were a fact that was difficult to conceal. What was even worse was the The Takeda family was forced to break into the heart of the country and kidnap people and plunder food. They were so ashamed that they wanted to commit suicide, so he had to carefully control the topic within a certain range. It seemed that the Hojo retainers also quite agreed with this method.
Hojo Uyasu continued to slowly sip the strong tea without saying anything. The matcha method passed down from the Tang and Song dynasties is very complicated. The tea whisk is also one of the necessary utensils in this tea ceremony. There are only four and a half tatami-sized tea rooms with five people sitting in it. , the other three are all important ministers of the Hojo family.
They are Matsuda Morihide, Hojo Genan and the legitimate son Hojo Ushimasa. One of the first two is a genealogy writer, and the other is a first-class writer. The latter Hojo Ushimasa, as the legitimate son, has no say in this situation. Several people in the room paid no attention to his secret movements of stretching his head and shrinking his neck.
Seeing that there was no answer in the tea room for a long time, Matsuda Morihide jumped in and said: "What Xingbu-dono said makes sense, but unfortunately our Hojo family has just signed a no-war agreement with the Nagao family, so I'm afraid it's hard to send troops, right? "
"At this time and that time, Echigo's evil was known to the world. If Matsuda-dono thought that the Nagao family would stop fighting, it would be a big mistake! As far as I know, Uesugi Kensei has paid his own reward and adopted Nagao Kagetora as his adopted son. And choose a day to ascend the throne of the Kanto Governor in Kamakura. I think you must understand what this means, right?" Takeda Nobuyan carefully observed the expressions of several people, and found that except for Hojo Ushimasa's surprised and angry expression, the others The three of them seemed to have no reaction, and they roughly estimated the depth of the Hojo family.
Hojo Genan held the rosary and moved his lips slightly, reciting the scriptures silently. Hearing Takeda Nobuyan's words, he paused for a moment and continued to recite Buddhist scriptures. After a while, he put his hands together and saluted: "The Kanto governor is urging the temple to be built, the Uesugi clan. Inherited from generation to generation, people with foreign surnames cannot inherit it casually, and the affairs in Kanto are complicated and difficult for Echigo people to intervene, and the poor monks are not optimistic about the decision of the person in charge of the palace."
"I agree very much with Genanden's view, so it is imperative to crack down on the ambitious Nagao family. Once they are allowed to run Ueno Country, the climate will gradually become uncontrollable in a few years, and the horror of Echigo will surely be gone. A place for us to live!" Takeda Noburen's slightly exaggerated description soon resonated with the Hojo Ujimasa. The young heir to the governor of Hojo still lacked a calm temperament and moved his body around nervously staring at his father's face.
Hojo Ujiyasu's noncommittal expression suddenly changed, and he said seriously: "What Takeda Daisen said is right, I, Ujiyasu, have decided to join the Echigo siege network! Please speed up preparations, Takeda Daisen, and be sure to start taking action before the autumn harvest!"
"Lord! Think twice before you act!"
"Our Hojo family has no way to retreat. Only by defeating Echigo can we regain Ueno. No need to say anything, my family has its own ideas!" Hojo Ujiyasu's stern expression showed that he was determined and had no room for maneuver.
Seeing that the situation was unclear and suddenly took a turn for the worse, Takeda Nobuyan ignored the subtle differences between an "alliance" and a "surrounding network" and responded decisively: "Please don't worry, Sagami-don, I, Noburen, will definitely convey the original words to my lord."