After the Meiying coup, the Hosokawa family completely eliminated the shogun and became the actual controller of the Muromachi shogunate. However, there was an undercurrent surging within the Hosokawa family. The three adopted sons of Masamoto Hosokawa, Sumiyuki Hosokawa,
Both Hosokawa Sumimoto and Hosokawa Takakuni were eyeing the position of governor. In the fourth year of Eisho (1507), Hosokawa Sumiyuki assassinated Hosokawa Masamoto, and the Hosokawa family officially fell into civil strife. There were several battles between you and me.
Later, Hosokawa Seiyuki and Hosokawa Seimoto died successively.
The power was held by Takakuni Hosokawa.
However, Hosokawa Harumoto, the orphan of Hosokawa Sumitomo, made a comeback with the support of the important minister Miyoshi Motocho. In the fourth year of his reign (1531), he defeated Hosokawa Takakuni and forced him to commit suicide. But after that, Hosokawa Harumoto began to suspect that he was responsible.
Miyoshi Gencho, the leader of Gao Zhen, instructed Miyoshi Masaka and Kizawa Nagamasa to lure the Ichijo followers to attack Sakai Town, and forced Miyoshi Gencho to commit suicide - thus forging a father-killing feud with Miyoshi Nagakei.
.
After Miyoshi Nagakei made a comeback from Awa, Hosokawa Harumoto returned part of Miyoshi Motocho's territory in Kinki back to the Miyoshi family - the southwest of Settsu Province and Izumi Province. The two territories were not connected.
Separated from the Ishiyama Gobo from south to north, there are the Ikeda family of Oka Castle, the Miyake family, the Itami family and many other wealthy people. Therefore,
The Miyoshi family's rule in Settsu is actually very unstable, and they can only form effective control over Toshima County, Arsenal County, Hachibe County and other areas around Koshisu Castle.
Ikucheng, the home city of the Shiokawa family who rebelled during this battle,
It is located in the northern part of Settsu, at the strategic point of the mountain road north of the Miyoshi family's territory. The family governor of the Shiokawa family, Masatoshi Shiokawa, is Hosokawa Takakuni's sister-in-law. He has a blood feud with Hosokawa Harumoto and the Miyoshi family, but due to the current situation,
He also joined the Hosokawa family. His rebellion put the entire Miyoshi family's territory in Settsu Province in danger, and even basic transportation lines could not be guaranteed.
"If you think about it with your toes, you will know that a person like Shiokawa Masatoshi, who has no power, no backing, no ambition, and no reason, will rebel like an egg against a stone."
On March 9, the twelfth year of Tianwen (1543), in the Kennin Temple in Kyoto, Taiyuan Xuezai was explaining the situation in front of Imagawa Yoshimoto: "So obviously, there is someone behind the scenes."
"Miyoshi family, Hosokawa family or Kizawa family?" Imagawa Yoshimoto gave three guesses.
"Kizawa Sakyo Nagamasa." Taiyuan Xue Zhai reported his answer very confidently.
"Why is the teacher so judged?" Imagawa Yoshimoto gently rotated the tea cup in his hand, lowered his head and took a sip of tea, "We have almost no ninjas in Kinki."
"Because Shiokawa's rebellion will affect the safety of Miyoshi's family territory, Miyoshi Chikuzen will definitely want to personally send troops to quell the rebellion, and Chief Hosokawa will definitely send him to quell the rebellion. In other words,
The only effect of this matter is to transfer the Miyoshi family's troops from Kyoto and Izumi to Settsu." Taiyuan Xuezhai stroked the mustache on his chin with his right hand and gently tapped the table with his left hand:
"For both Hosokawa and Miyoshi Chikuzen, Kizawa Sakyo is currently the biggest threat. Hosokawa is worried that Kizawa Sakyo will not be able to defeat him, and his subordinates will defeat him. Miyoshi Chikuzen and Kizawa Sakyo have a grudge against their father and have the same potential.
Naturally, Shui Huo does not want to see him grow bigger. Now that they have a common enemy, these monarchs and ministers who have different agendas must have the same interests at the moment. In this case, what is the purpose of Miyoshi Chikuzen and Hosokawa?
The family's troops are sent to Settsu, so just let Commander Hosokawa give the order directly, and Miyoshi Chikuzen will definitely carry it out. Why go to all the trouble to arrange for people to rebel? It is obvious that the person who planned this is Kizawa Sakyo, and the purpose is to put Miyoshi
The family's troops were transferred away so that he could take advantage of the opportunity to act."
"Why didn't Miyoshi Chikuzen and Commander Hosokawa deliberately transfer people in order to invite you to the urn and induce Kizawa Sakyo to take action?" Imagawa Yoshimoto put forward the idea of a "third level".
"Impossible, because the mutual trust between the Miyoshi family and the Hosokawa family does not support them in carrying out such a complicated and risky plan." Taiyuan Xue Zhai put his left hand on the table and said confidently:
"Such a sinister plan that could lead to self-destruction if not carried out can only be given to absolutely trustworthy confidants. How could Chief Hosokawa arrange it for Miyoshi Chizen, who has ulterior motives? You must know the true nature of Miyoshi Chizen and Kizawa Sakyo.
It's the same as above, they all want to take over the leader. The difference is that Kizawa Sakyo is now stronger, while Miyoshi Chikuzen is weaker.
That’s why the Miyoshi family can only rely on the leadership of the Hosokawa clan. The job of the Hosokawa clan is to drive away tigers and devour wolves. How can they be honest with the tiger? Wouldn’t that mean they are seeking the skin of a tiger? What if Miyoshi Chizen doesn’t go according to plan?
What if Miyoshi Chikuzen secretly made an appointment with Kizawa Sakyo to deal with Chief Hosokawa together? Isn’t that just trying to attract the wolf into the house?”
"I see." Imagawa Yoshimoto carefully savored Taiyuan Xuezhai's inference, "Then what does the teacher want us to do by calling us back?"
"Get rid of Kizawa Nagamasa and win the Guanbai dispute for the Konoe family so that our Imagawa family's agents in the court can rise to prominence." Taiyuan Xuezai's tone was calm, but when he opened his mouth, his words were shocking.
.
"Teacher, you have such a big appetite." Imagawa Yoshimoto took a breath after hearing this, and then couldn't help laughing: "We only have these dozens of people at hand, between the Hosokawa family, the Miyoshi family and the Kizawa family
These are conflicts involving tens of thousands of people, and it is our turn to intervene wherever it is. The right way is to let a strong dragon not overwhelm a local snake, not to mention that we are snakes, and they are dragons."
Taiyuan Xuezhai smiled, then raised his left hand and made a crisp snap of his fingers towards Imagawa Yoshimoto's chest:
"I have been practicing dragon slaying since I was a child. A three-foot snake can also play with a dragon."
On March 10, the twelfth year of Tianwen (1543), Taiyuan Xuezhai bid farewell to the abbot of Jianren Temple. At the same time, he asked Imagawa Yoshimoto, Takeda Harunobu, Mrs. Sanjo and others to say goodbye to their old friends in Beijing. The group left.
Returning from Jingdong. At this time, the security in Kyoto is much stricter than before. It is probably due to the change in the situation in Kinki. The various checkpoints around Kyoto only allow people to leave, but it is extremely difficult to get close.
On the way out of Kyoto, Imagawa Yoshimoto couldn't help but ask Taiyuan Xue Zhai: "Teacher was very ambitious before and said he wanted to make great achievements. Why did he suddenly stop and retreat?"
"It's obvious that your apprentice is not good at learning." Taiyuan Xuezhai was very dissatisfied with Imagawa Yoshimoto's question, "You are a little snake, are you going to confront a dragon? You must have been hiding in the dark. I didn't do anything before.
The people of the Ze family may have discovered your traces, and they will naturally care about the actions of our Imagawa family and the Takeda family. Only by avoiding their eyes and ears and hiding in the dark where no one cares can we have a chance to achieve something. So we must make a big splash first.
Ji Lijing made Kizawa Sakyo think that we had left and took us lightly."
"The problem is that Kyoto is now under martial law. It's easy to go out but hard to come back. If we go back, won't we still pass by the checkpoint and alert the Kizawa family?" Imagawa Yoshimoto looked back at the heavily guarded Yamashina Pass.
"Someone will help us find a way to get in." Taiyuan Xuezhai smiled calmly and waved forward, pointing to the turning point of the mountain road not far away, where a young man in blue and a middle-aged man were waiting:
"Look, isn't this coming?"
"Miyoshi Chikuzen?" Imagawa Yoshimoto recognized Miyoshi Nagaki in plain clothes at a glance. The middle-aged man with a shocking scar on his face who followed behind him seemed to have been seen somewhere.
"Imagawa Yoshimoto." Miyoshi Changqing simply nodded to Imagawa Yoshimoto, then turned to look at Taiyuan Xuezhai, "I guess this is Master Xuezhai?"
"I didn't expect His Highness Chikuzen to come in person. The poor monk thought that Matsunaga Danmasa was the only one here." Taiyuan Xuezai dismounted and handed the reins to Amano Keitoku, while calmly asking the man beside him
Scarface smiled.
"Oh? Master Xuezhai actually knows this villain? What a great honor. I wonder when I met Master Xuezhai?" Hearing this, Matsunaga Hide immediately nodded and bowed with a smile on his face, "A small name is not enough to impress my ears."
"Haha, this dirty smell is unmistakable." Taiyuan Xuezhai sniffed his nose and exposed Matsunaga Hide's disguise with just one sentence.
But Matsuhisa Nagahide was neither angry nor annoyed, and still replied with a businessman-like smile: "Master Yukisai also stinks."
"What riddles are they talking about?" Imagawa Yoshimoto whispered to Miyoshi Nagakei quietly.
"It's just that you can't hear it." Miyoshi Nagakei glanced at Imagawa Yoshimoto speechlessly, and then continued to Taiyuan Xuezai: "Further contact will be left to Matsunaga. But this is the first time we come to discuss, I
I still think it’s better to come in person.”
"What does His Highness Zhuqian want to discuss?" Taiyuan Xuezhai asked knowingly.
"I want to invite the Imagawa family to participate in a gambling game." Miyoshi Nagakei smiled eagerly.
"We don't have much money to gamble. There are only a few dozen of us, and we are eager to return to Suruga." Taiyuan Xuezhai laughed twice, waved his hands and declined.
"You don't need to go to the table to gamble, the Imagawa family can just place the bets." Miyoshi Changqing was as enthusiastic as a shop owner who understands the gamblers' tight pockets.
"Then what exactly is the bet about?" Taiyuan Xuezhai also straightened his expression, and his eyes gradually focused on Miyoshi Changqing's face.
"The gamblers are the Miyoshi family and the Kizawa family. The bet is the life of the whole family. If you win the bet, you will become the Lord of Kinki and the Vice King of Japan." Miyoshi Nagakei smiled and stretched out his hand as if to extend an invitation, and then
He seemed to be asking for chips: "As far as I know, the Imagawa family's influence in the court also wants to get rid of Kizawa Nagamasa. This is a good job that hit it off. What do you think, guests from the East Kingdom, do you want to take a gamble?
?”
"Eating, drinking, whoring and gambling, how can I say no to this?" Taiyuan Xuezhai laughed heartily when he heard this and twirled the rosary beads in his arms appetizingly, "I would like to hear the details!"