The first thousand and thirty-fifth chapters do not know
Matsunaga Hide took his flag and set off from Nijo Castle on horseback, crossing Kyoto to the southern suburbs and heading to Fushimi Castle.
Along the way, she always felt that something was wrong. She stopped her horse and looked around, but couldn't see any clues. She shook her head and continued to set off.
South of Kyoto, there is one of the most important rivers in recent times, starting from Otsu in the southwest of Lake Biwa in Omi, and flowing into Osaka Bay into the Seto Inland Sea.
Lake Biwa flows out of a section of Minami Omi and becomes the Seta River. It flows through a section of the southern suburbs of Kyoto and becomes the Uji River. It passes through Yodo Castle in Yamashiro Province and Oyamazaki in Settsu Province and flows into the Osaka Plain and becomes the Yodo River.
This river runs through Konki from east to west and is the key to the Kyoto shogunate's control of Konki. The section of the Uji River in the southern suburbs, with Fushimi to the southeast and Toba to the southwest, is regarded as the gateway to Kyoto.
The Ashikaga Horsemen were stationed in Fushimi Castle all year round. It was not until Ashikaga Yoshiteru built Nijo Castle that some of the military strength was taken away.
Now, all the Ashikaga Hui members have been transferred to Sakamoto Castle in Minami Omi by Ashikaga Yoshiteru to intimidate the Rokkaku family, and Fushimi Castle is temporarily under the care of Akechi Mitsuhide.
Matsunagahide set out from Nijo Castle and traveled all the way to Fushimi Castle to meet Akechi Mitsuhide. After meeting, he planned to go directly westward from the river in the southern suburbs and return to his territory, Yodo Castle.
She entered Fushimi Castle with great interest, and was led by the leader of the Akechi family to the castle residence. Akechi Mitsuhide was already sitting indoors, closing his eyes and concentrating, waiting for her.
Matsunaga entered the room, smiled and bowed in greeting.
"Mingzhi Ji, I kept you waiting for a long time."
Akechi Mitsuhide opened his eyes and smiled gracefully.
"Matsunaga-hime is very polite. I heard that the general summoned you to come over and answer the question. It is an enviable favor."
Matsuzuki Nagahide laughed and said.
"Anyway, Meiji-hime is also someone deeply trusted by the general. That's why she stationed at Fushimi Castle to guard the gateway to Kyoto for the general."
Akechi Mitsuhide couldn't help laughing when he heard what she said.
Her laughter became louder and louder, as if this was some kind of big joke. She couldn't help herself, she was laughing so hard that she couldn't stop.
Matsunagahide had never seen this elegant and beautiful warrior Hime act so wildly, and an ominous gloom suddenly arose in his heart.
Her smile was a little stiff and she asked.
"Why is Akechiji laughing?"
Akechi Mitsuhide looked at her with a smile, shook his head and said.
"It's okay, I'm just happy."
Matsunaga's heart tightened, he looked around and asked.
"Why don't you see His Highness Tsutsui Junkei? Isn't she coming to today's tea party?"
Akechi Mitsuhide asked rhetorically.
"Matsunaga-hime, do you think I came to you today to invite you to tea?"
Matsuhisa's smile gradually froze. She quietly reached out to touch the knife at her waist and pretended to be calm.
"Oh? Ji Mingzhi came to me for something else?"
Akechi Mitsuhide saw that she was wary, covered his mouth and smiled.
"Don't be nervous, Matsunaga-hime, I have no ill intentions towards you.
If it's a tea party, it should be held at the Shiba Residence in Kyoto. I came to you today because I wanted you to see something else."
Seeing that Mitsuhide Akechi had no intention of harming him, Matsunaga felt relieved and asked.
"What do you want me to see?"
Akechi Mitsuhide shook his head.
"No rush, it's not time yet, let's talk about something else first.
Matsunaga-hime, don't you think it's strange? The military strength in Fushimi Castle is a little lacking."
Matsushita Nagahide recalled that he entered the city and didn't see any guards, so he nodded.
"Yes, there are almost no defenders in the city, which is indeed a bit strange. Why is that? Please ask Akechi Ji to clarify my doubts."
Akechi Mitsuhide looked at her and said slowly.
"Because Ise Sadakyo wants to leave this empty city to you."
Matsunaga's doubts were getting more and more serious, and she was about to ask again. However, Mitsuhide Akechi raised his index finger and put it between his lips, signaling her not to speak.
Then Akechi Mitsuhide closed his eyes, listened to something, and softly uttered a few words.
"coming."
Matsunaga Hide was confused by her and got a little angry. He felt like he had fallen into some kind of trap. He became nervous for a moment and listened carefully to what was going on outside.
In a daze, there seemed to be noise outside, from vague to clear, like there was movement outside the city.
At this time, Akechi Mitsuhide stood up, raised his legs and walked out.
"Mingzhi Ji, where are you going?"
Akechi Mitsuhide turned around and gave Matsunaga a manic smile that he couldn't control, which shocked her.
"Go back, go back to my territory. My business has been done, and now it's your business."
She recalled the discomfort she felt along the way, and a flash of inspiration suddenly flashed in her mind. She was shocked all over, and finally figured out what was wrong with Kyoto.
Since ancient times, Japanese aristocrats have had the custom of enjoying cherry blossoms in spring and red leaves in autumn. Now is the perfect time for autumn leaves hunting. But along the way, she did not see a family of nobles coming to the southern suburbs to enjoy the red leaves!
There are many famous families in Kyoto who know how to be elegant. Why don’t they go out? Do they know what will happen today?
Matsunaga rushed out of the room and saw several of his flags coming in from the outside. Matsunaga yelled at them.
"Where's the man! Where's Akechi Mitsuhide!"
A Hatamoto replied nervously.
"My lord, no one can be found in the city, and the wise warrior Ji who brought us in just now is also missing!"
Matsunagahide felt a chill rush from her back to her head, instantly extinguishing her anger.
Something must have happened, but she didn't know anything. This feeling of being kept in the dark was really terrible.
The Hatamoto still wanted to speak, but she didn't know how to speak. Matsuzaki Nagahide glared at her and cursed.
"If you have something to say, just say it!"
Hatamoto swallowed, pointed outside and said.
"Your Highness, I dare not say nonsense. Please go over and take a look outside the city."
Matsuhisa Nagahide snorted and walked out quickly. Just when she stepped onto the city wall, she seemed to have been restrained and stayed in place.
At this time, the southern suburbs were already in a commotion. Countless troops came along the Yodo River, with clear flags and high morale.
Matsunaga was trembling all over. What did she see? Countless Miyoshi flags were flying in front of her eyes in the southern suburbs of Kyoto.
The Sanhao family went to Luo? Why? Why didn’t you know? How did these Sanhao troops enter the Shancheng Kingdom?
No news came from Yodo Castle? No warning from the ministers along the way? Izumi Hosokawa's Katsuryuji Castle is not far from Yodo Castle, and her family knew nothing about it?
Matsunagahide thought of his daughter Matsunagadichi, who stayed in Yodo Castle and was busy with the autumn harvest. He thought of Akechi Mitsuhide talking about Ise Sadōkyō and this empty castle.
The daughters, ministers, and powerful local factions in the shogunate all know it! Only the general and I don’t know!
Matsunaga took a deep breath, almost suffocating. A huge conspiracy was coming, and she was one of the people being calculated.
Remembering that she had just been in Nijo Castle and had a very pleasant conversation with the unsuspecting Ashikaga Yoshiki, she couldn't help but feel her scalp numb and sweat dripping from the cold.