Imagawa Yoshimoto looked at everything that happened in front of him with his mouth open - Katsurayama Kiyoshi standing beside him in a shooting posture, and the child with an arrow in his chest in front of the city gate - behind the child were the equally stunned Hojo family samurai.
Kazuyama Shiqing shot his own child with his own hands in front of the two armies.
Things have been done to this point, and it is obvious to the naked eye that there will no longer be any room for negotiation. The Hojo family also retreated from Katsurayama Castle wisely. They were even worried that they would retreat too slowly, so that they would be eliminated by the Hojo family.
The imaginary "main force of the Imagawa family" caught up near Katsurayama Castle.
"Katsuyama..." After the victory, Imagawa Yoshimoto, who returned to the samurai's house in Honmaruchi, was a little unhappy. Looking at Katsurayama Ujikiyo, his eyes became a little complicated, "Tiger poison doesn't even eat its seeds...
Even if you refuse to negotiate, the child's life may not be in danger. What are you..."
"It's not just a problem like this." Akai Kurotaka had just driven the Hojo family out from under the city gate. He was still holding a few captured heads in his hands, and then he strode over to the Katsurayama clan and asked: "Even if it's...
Your son, whether to kill or not to kill, whether to talk or not to talk about your son in the battle formation, is also a matter decided by His Highness. Is it your turn to make your own decisions? Huh? What do you mean?"
"Please forgive me, Your Highness!" Upon hearing this, the Geshan clan immediately knelt down and kowtowed.
"Why are you apologizing...Are you being able to make your own decisions or being stubborn? The latter can't be considered a crime, right?" Imagawa Yoshimoto sighed helplessly.
"No, I am apologizing for my concealment." Katsuragi Kiyo raised his head and whispered to Imagawa Yoshimoto: "The child I shot just now was not my son, but the adoptive brother who adopted me from a branch of the Hojo family.
Adopted son. It’s just that the situation in the battle was critical and I didn’t have time to explain. I was also afraid that the crowd would leak the news, so I didn’t dare to report it to His Highness in public. Now there’s no need to worry. I’ll tell you everything.”
"Huh? Not your master?" Not only Imagawa Yoshimoto, but also other close relatives around him were confused.
"Your Highness, please. I and Brother Yu have long had conflicts over whether to follow the Imagawa family or the Hojo family. We are both well aware of each other's tendencies, but the two of us have already discussed it. Whether it is our brothers
Whichever side wins, the bloodline of the Kazuyama family must be preserved. Brother Yu has no children, so after Brother Yu was forced to marry the Hojo family and adopted the children of the Hojo family as his heirs, Brother Yu poisoned his wife and killed her.
The descendants of the Hojo family are secretly exchanged with the children below. If the Hojo family wins the Imagawa family in the future, then after Brother Yu retires, the Katsurayama family will also be passed on to Inuko, and to the heirs with the blood of the Katsurayama family. If the Imagawa family wins
If I succeed, I will find an opportunity to murder the heirs of the Hojo family, and then I will have a son to succeed the family governor."
After hearing this astonishing plan, Imagawa Yoshimoto and the horsemen didn't know how to answer. After a long time, Imagawa Yoshimoto gloomily asked a seemingly irrelevant question: "So in your original plan
, you also plan to kill this child, right? That’s why you are so determined this time.”
"That's right. From the day I exchanged my infant heir, all I have been thinking about is how to kill him and when to kill him. That's all." Katsuraji Kiyoshi seemed not to have heard Imagawa Yoshi at all.
He didn't understand the trouble in Yuan's words, but answered righteously.
"I understand, no matter what, thank you for Kazuyama's contribution in this battle. We will make arrangements for the treatment of the Kazuyama family and your brother later, and Kazuyama's reward will not be less." Imagawa Yoshimoto showed a kind and decent smile,
"We are going to discuss military affairs, so please ask Geshan to go and appease the troops of the Geshan family who surrendered."
"As ordered." Katsuragi Kiyoshi handed over his hands and left, leaving Imagawa Yoshimoto and others looking at each other.
"It's too poisonous, I really can't stand it." Seeing that the person had gone away, Kira Hesei began to complain carelessly, "I have been here at the Imagawa family for a while. I have seen all kinds of cold-blooded people, but I have seen this one before.
The most cruel."
"What's this? After all, I only killed one person. I just did it in front of you, so it's just a shock to you, a stinky peasant who has never seen the world." Akai Kuroko did not forget to seize every opportunity to disparage.
Kira Isei, "Those who kill thousands or tens of thousands of people without blinking an eye are the ones who are truly ruthless."
"Then you go and kill your son and shock me?" Kira Weicheng
He yelled back and cursed, and the two people immediately started arguing, while Imagawa Yoshimoto silently blocked the conversation between the two.
"Your Highness, Master Yukisai has sent a reply." At this time, Hayasaka Nao led Amano Keitoku, the envoy sent by Taiyuan Yukisai, into the house hurriedly and handed a piece of paper with Taiyuan Yukizai's seal to Imagawa.
Yoshimoto, "Master Sekssai has instructed you to attack Katsurayama Castle no matter what. If you can capture it, hold on to Katsurayama Castle and wait for reinforcements from the Imagawa family. If you cannot capture it, withdraw your troops immediately."
"Stand and wait for help, how long should we hold on?" Imagawa Yoshimoto asked in a low voice while pressing his hand to signal Kira Uishari and Akai Kurotaka to stop arguing.
"Master Yukisai said it will take 3 days. Even at the fastest speed, it will take about 3 days for the Imagawa Army in the Kadong area to gather troops, and it will take longer for the main force of the Imagawa family in the Kasai area." Amano Keitoku finished this paragraph.
After speaking, he raised his eyes and looked at Imagawa Yoshimoto, "The mission is more dangerous. After all, you only have 400 people in the main hall. If possible, leave the task of leading the army to the samurai among the horse soldiers, and the main hall should evacuate to a safe place first."
"No need." Imagawa Yoshimoto rejected Amano Keitoku's proposal without hesitation. He had already made up his mind that he would not abandon his subordinates at any time. "3 days, right?"
"Yes, but Master Yukisai thinks there may be difficulties. Three days are enough for the Hojo family's banners from Odawara Castle and a large number of Hojo family retainers from western Sagami and northern Izu to arrive. The number of people you face may be tens of thousands." Amano Kage
Toku took out the border map he brought with him and reported to Imagawa Yoshimoto: "Those who are expected to definitely arrive include the Hojo family's Hatamoto and the Japanese people near Odawara Castle, a total of more than 6,000 people, Kasahara Nobumi's more than 1,000 people, and Hojo's people.
There are more than 1,000 people from Shiyao and more than 1,000 people from Fuyong Zhisheng."
"If it is to get to Katsurayama Castle as quickly as possible, the main force starting from Odawara Castle should go directly to the mountain road of Ashigahara Mountain to go west. And from Izu, Kasahara Nobuya's Hakube, Tominaga Naokatsu's Aobei and
Hojo Ujiyao's 3,000 men should go directly north via the official road. This force will also cut off the connection between Katsurayama Castle and the Imagawa family's territory, cutting off your escape route."
After Amano Keitoku finished speaking, Himura Ueha also advised: "Although our 400 horsemen are elites and possess iron cannons, they will be useful in defending the city. However, none of the horsemen are wearing heavy armor. Armor, but mainly light armor. Once the enemy attacks the city, I am afraid there will be heavy casualties. We can only rely on the soldiers of the Katsurayama family as support, but they have just defected from the Hojo family and returned to the Imagawa family, so they may not be reliable. Unless the No. 1 soldier in Kadong A group of reinforcements can enter the city before the Hojo family arrives, otherwise there will be insufficient troops in the city, so I still recommend that your highness leave first."
"As long as the Hojo family is not allowed to capture Katsurayama Castle within three days, why do we have to defend the city?" Imagawa Yoshimoto raised his head and looked around at his subordinates. Everyone was confused. Just here. When Imagawa Yoshimoto wanted to explain, Tsuchi Atomsune suddenly asked to see him.
"Your Highness, Lord Katsurayama left the castle tower and seemed to have gone between Honmaru and Ninomaru without informing you in advance." Tsuchiyangjing Shen Shenghui reported that this information immediately aroused everyone's vigilance.
"Amano, the envoy we sent should have told the teacher about the encounter with Katsurayama. Did the teacher have anything to say about this? Is this person the spy planted by the teacher?" Imagawa Yoshimoto asked Amano Keitoku for confirmation.
"Master Yukisai said that Katsurayama is a reliable samurai. He is willing to do anything for the survival of the Katsurayama family. And the way he believes that the way to survive the Katsurayama family is to follow the Imagawa family, so there is no doubt that he is from our side." Amano. Jingde repeated Taiyuan Xuezhai's instructions, but then he added: "But I don't have the spirit of Master Xuezhai to "don't use people when you doubt them, and don't trust people when you employ them." It's very dangerous to act privately at such a sensitive time anyway." It’s suspicious, you should check the situation immediately.”
"Yes, Your Highness, we are not familiar with the place in Kazuyama City, and the future defense deployment will have to rely entirely on Lord Kazuyama, a local snake. If he does anything fishy, we have to discuss it early." Himura Hiroyuki also agreed. He said, and at the same time he murmured, not sure whether it was praise or derogation: "A person who doesn't even have the eyesight to kill a child can achieve great things with his cruelty."
"You continue to evaluate and inventory the supplies and equipment. I will personally take people to take a look." Imagawa Yoshimoto suddenly had an idea in his mind, and then he immediately got up.
He took the body and rushed to the east gate of the main pill with a group of guards. It didn't take long for him to find the figure of Katsurayama Shikiyo. It seemed that Katsuraji Kiyoshi also heard the noise coming from inside the main pill. He trembled in fright, and then He immediately stood still and put down the things he was carrying on his back. He turned to Imagawa Yoshimoto and spread his hands out to show that he had no agenda.
"Katsuyama, it's so late. You are alone in the city without reporting, and it is easy to cause misunderstandings." Imagawa Yoshimoto scolded, and motioned to Hayasaka Nao to come forward with a torch to check what Katsurayama Kiyoshi was carrying just now. What was it - only when I got closer did I find that the body of a child was safely placed at the feet of Kazuyama Shiqing - it was the "son" he shot with his own hands. The blood on the cheek seemed to have been carefully wiped away The bloody wound was bandaged up, and his body looked so peaceful as if he had fallen asleep.
"This is..." Imagawa Yoshimoto pursed his lips.
"I'm sorry, Your Highness, I went out without asking for permission." Katsurayama Ukiyo's tone was still so calm and calm, and he bowed deeply to Imagawa Yoshimoto, "Please forgive me."
"Do you want to bury this child?" Imagawa Yoshimoto's tone became gentler.
This time, Kazuyama Shikiyo hesitated, but after a while, he still replied: "Yes."
"If it is such a request, why don't you report it? Do you think I will reject it?" Imagawa Yoshimoto asked sharply, causing Katsurayamaji Kiyoshi to fall into a longer silence.
"You think this is embarrassing?" Imagawa Yoshimoto's question was even more pointed. This time, a low moan came from Kazuyama's clear throat.
"This is the child you have raised since he was a baby, even if you know that you may kill him in the future. But humans are not grass and trees, how can we be ruthless? Isn't it enough to say "Father" and rely on you for several years?
Do you have feelings for him? I have feelings for the stray cat that has been with me for several years, let alone a living child? To him, you are his father." Imagawa Yoshimoto took a step closer and took it for himself
The torch in Hayasaka Nao's hand illuminated Katsuraji Kiyo's face, and she asked in a deep voice:
"So, is there anything wrong with burying your "son"? And what would make you feel embarrassed to talk about it? Are human feelings so unworthy? Only the interests of the family are the only one, and ruthlessness is only for you.
Is this how a person should be? Everything is for the Kazuyama family, right? As a samurai, it’s embarrassing to accidentally reveal human emotions, isn’t it?”
Geshan Shiqing hesitated and tried hard to hold back his tears, but tears still flowed down his cheeks. His eyes kept wandering to look at the child's face, and the years of father and son burdened with guilt seemed to reappear in front of his eyes.
Bloody family happiness.
"I don't think there's anything shameful about it." Imagawa Yoshimoto left these words and walked away, "Haasaka, ask a carpenter to pick a coffin for your child. Katsurayama, please spend the last journey with your child."
