Yagyu Mune crouched down and wept bitterly, while Hitoki Yoshimasa and Wada Yaimasa, who were sitting next to him, lowered their heads and wiped away their tears without any disturbance in their hearts.
Only Ashikaga Yoshiaki in the main seat was really moved. She has seen too little of the world, and one day she will know when she returns to Kyoto that Yagyu Sougamo's acting skills are not up to par.
But at this time, she was still a Buddhist girl who had just returned to secular life. Unlike Ashikaga Yoshiteru, who had learned tactics since childhood, she was easy to deceive.
Ashikaga Yoshiaki stood up, stepped down from the throne, helped Yagyu Soen up, and said movedly.
"Don't cry. With loyal ministers like you here, I believe that the Ashikaga family will be able to return to Kyoto again and bring order to the chaos."
Yagyu Zongyan was stunned for a moment, that's it?
For a moment, she couldn't figure out whether Ashikaga Yoshiaki was really stupid or whether he was helping her show off his acting skills. Fortunately, other people thought that the acting was enough and came to the rescue.
Niki Yoshimasa bowed and said.
"What His Highness said is that the Ashikaga Shogun family will definitely return to Kyoto again and rule the world. But for now, we still need to solve some minor troubles."
Several people around him came forward to greet Yagyu Muneyan. Apart from their old acquaintances Niki Yoshimasa and Wada Yaimasa, there was also an unfamiliar face.
Yagyu Muneyan asked.
"Who is this?"
The man said boldly.
"My Majesty, Koji Yoshitsune, is the bodyguard sent by Kofukuji Temple to protect His Highness when he came to Sakamoto Castle. Thanks to Your Highness for not giving up, I am allowed to serve you closely."
Yagyu Muneyan nodded and was polite. This person came from Kofukuji Temple together with Ashikaga Yoshiaki. They must be close to each other and cannot be offended.
Yagyu Mune sharpened his acting skills, calmed down his emotions, and observed Ashikaga Yoshiaki carefully, and then he realized that she was still very different from Ashikaga Yoshiteru.
Ashikaga Yoshiteru has been practicing swordsmanship all year round. He has a strong personality and is mean to the emperor. Although he is unkind, his majesty makes his subordinates fear him, which is also some tricks of the city government.
As for His Highness Ashikaga Yoshiaki, she looks fair and pure like a literary girl who has been sitting in a quiet room all year round. She has a bookish air about her. At first glance, she looks like a Buddhist disciple who is tolerant, kind, and easy to get along with.
As for administering the government for the king? Yagyu Muneyan doesn’t think she can be stronger than Ashikaga Yoshiteru.
Emperor's mental skills cannot be developed overnight. Ashikaga Yoshiteru was also trained as a monarch by the Ashikaga family since he was a child. Only with thunderous methods can he suppress the tortoise bastards inside and outside the shogunate.
With Ashikaga Yoshiaki like this, can he really suppress the shogunate and revive the Ashikaga family? This disrespectful thought came to Yagyu Sogan's mind, and he quickly put it out.
She still relies on His Highness Ashikaga Yoshiaki to bestow her position and power on her. Is this the time to think about this now? Of course, we can talk about the future!
After all the concubines finished the ceremony, Ashikaga Yoshiaki sat on the main seat and said with a frown on his face.
"Yagyu-hime came just in time. The situation in Kyoto and even in Japan is in chaos now, and I need loyal ministers like Yagyu-hime to help me."
"How dare you disobey your orders!"
Yagyu Zong kowtows solemnly, secretly rejoicing in her heart that she made the right bet.
Ashikaga Yoshiaki just arrived. Not to mention wanting to do something, her vision was dark and she couldn't see the situation clearly. She was in urgent need of reliable intelligence support to provide information support for Sakamoto Castle's decision-making.
Yagyu Sogan was the predecessor of the shogunate, and the intelligence network of the Ashikaga Shogun family was not eliminated, but was deceived because of the incompetence of the successor.
Yagyu Sogan was very familiar with Omatsuke affairs and could restore the intelligence network immediately for Ashikaga Yoshiaki's use.
There is no problem with her ability, but what she lacks is authorization, authorization from the Ashikaga family. And now, Ashikaga Yoshiaki obviously wants to reuse her, so her power as the chief minister can naturally be regained.
Ashikaga Yoshiaki is an orphan of the Ashikaga family, and although he is not yet a general, the leaderless Ashikaga Intelligence Network will subconsciously obey her orders. Yagyu Munen is able to bridge the gap between them, so it is not a big problem.
The two of them each wanted what they needed, Ashikaga Yoshiaki wanted information, Yagyu Muneyan wanted power, and they hit it off.
Yagyu clan sternly vowed to restore the Ashikaga clan's otakusuke function soon. Ashikaga Yoshiaki smiled happily and praised him repeatedly.
After saying a few nice words, Yagyu Soyan changed his subject and said worriedly.
"Your Highness, I heard a rumor on the way here.
It is said that on the night of Miyoshi's rebellion, the Shiba family and Ashikaga Shogun fought side by side at Nijo Castle.
Before the general's death, he gave the Seal of the King of Japan to Yukino Takada, the chief minister of the Shiba family, and asked him to pass it on to Kennobu Shiba, asking him to avenge his wife's murder.
Many highly respected veterans have gone to Iga Country, met the seriously injured Yukino Takada, relayed the inside story of Nijo Castle, and witnessed the golden seal with their own eyes.
Nowadays, there are rumors in the outside world that when Lord Shiba Kenshin returns to Kojo, it will be the day when the Ashikaga family returns to Kyoto and liquidates those who rebel against the party."
Ashikaga Yoshiaki frowned and said dissatisfied.
"Kennobu Shiba is just the governor of the Shiba branch family. He is not even considered as the third head of the clan. How can he represent the direct descendant of the Genji family in Kawachi?
It’s outrageous! It’s truly outrageous! When did the Ashikaga Shogun family fall to the point of being represented by a man!”
Ashikaga Yoshiaki's complexion changed with anger. She had no power and power. She was supported by Ashikaga's ministers only because of her close bloodline. Therefore, she valued respect and inferiority the most and loved to use her family's bloodline to make decisions.
Nowadays, there are rumors that the orthodox status is being assigned to Yoshihiro Shiba. So who is Ashikaga Yoshiaki? What is the meaning of her return to secular life?
After embarking on this path, she has no possibility of turning back. She will either become a person in the world or become a target of people in the world.
We can’t be hasty and we can’t be contentious!
Ashikaga Yoshiaki was losing his temper, several loyal ministers exchanged glances with each other, and Niki Yoshimasa came forward to persuade him.
"Your Highness, please be patient, things are not that bad.
Although Kennobu Shiba has a high prestige, he is not a bloodline of the Ashikaga family and is a man, so it is impossible for him to aspire to the position of Ashikaga Shogun.
The Shiba family probably wanted to realize their status as a direct descendant of the Kawachi Genji family and make Lord Kenshin the successor to the new general.
Although he has bad intentions, he is excusable, and at least he has no thoughts of replacing it."
Except for Ashikaga Yoshiaki and Koji Yoshinaga, the other three people present were all veterans of the shogunate. They could see through the political intentions of the Shiba family at a glance.
It is impossible for Yoshigan Shiba to become Ashikaga Shogun, neither his blood nor gender allow him to do so, but the benefits of supporting a new shogun to rise to power are huge, and it is worth the effort.
Ashikaga Yoshiaki was not stupid, he just didn't react. Thinking about it carefully, she asked uncertainly.
"Does the Shiba family want to help me rise to the top?"
Sanhime sighed in her heart, this Ashikaga twin girl really didn't understand politics and was too naive.
Wada Weimasa came forward and bowed.
"Your Highness, Duke Kenshin is already equipped with a sword. If he returns to the near future and obtains the gold seal, he will have the full status of a general to command the world's martial arts families and reorganize the shogunate.
He has many choices, much more than we do. By then, whether you can become a general or not is all in his mind.
But even if he is willing to support you to become a general, you will always be lower than him. Because he supported you and your position was determined by him."
No matter Wada Weimasa, Niki Yoshimasa, or Yagyu Munegan, these old ministers of Ashikaga did not want to take this path. Therefore, they hinted to Ashikaga Yoshiaki openly and secretly that the Shiba family had ulterior motives.
Waiting for Shiba Yiyin to come back and put things right is indeed the safest way. Who dares to go to war with him these days? Who is confident that they can beat him?
Not to mention that he is well-established, the martial arts families in the world will definitely support him. Even if it is a nameless private war between the martial arts families, the Rokkaku family and the Miyoshi family do not have the courage to confront him, and they are both afraid of being beaten.
With Mu Qiang's urinary temperament, Sibo Yiyin only needs to climb high and call out when he comes back. In recent days, the Wu family will respond in large numbers to help him go to Luo and establish himself as a general.
Then everyone sat in a row, divided the fruits, and sought their own interests and positions in the new shogunate after the shuffle.
This seems to be a good thing, but it has no advantages for the three ladies present, only disadvantages.
Yagyu Soen had nothing, so she just came here to make a career. She wanted to make contributions. How could she make contributions if Ashikaga Yoshiaki just waited for him to become the leader?
The Niki family has been weak for too long, and Niki Yoshimasa could not even keep his position as the guardian of Iga, so he was forced to give it to Shiba Yoshigan.
She now controls the Ashikaga Hui clan and sits in Sakamoto Castle. She has the ambition to support the shogun and revive the family business. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and Yoshigan Shiba cannot take all the benefits.
Wada Weimasa's mind was the most chaotic. She had the status of a dual retainer of the Ashikaga family and the Rokkaku family. The Ashikaga family declined and the Rokkaku family was in civil strife. She was sent by Ashikaga Yoshiteru to cause trouble in Koga County and offended many people.
If we don't rely on Ashikaga Yoshiaki's path as a new shogun and get enough credit, how can we have the capital to protect ourselves in the future? In this increasingly chaotic environment, there is almost no one to rely on, and the lives of the entire clan are in danger.
These three people all covet the power of the dragon and hope to contribute to Ashikaga Yoshiaki's rise to power. If Ashikaga Yoshiaki waits for Yoshigan Shiba to come back and cooperate with him, the three of them will be of no use.
They are not afraid of being tired when doing things, but they are afraid of being worthless. Being worthless means that they can be abandoned at will, and of course they are not willing to do so.
In fact, Ashikaga Yoshiaki himself was not willing.
She made up her mind to return to secular life because she wanted to be the master of the world. She was the kind of person who kept her promise. How could she endure a man climbing over her and dominating her?
Although Ashikaga Yoshiaki does not understand the politics of the samurai family, the same is true of his Buddhist background. Her name comes from Yoshigan Shiba, so she will always be one head shorter than Yoshigan Shiba.
What if Yoshigan Shiba is not happy one day, knocks her down, and then lifts someone else up? Although the Ashikaga branch has been destroyed, there are still distant relatives three generations away.
Ashikaga Yoshiaki thought for a long time and then said with a snort.
"My sister was possessed by demons before she died. How could she give the gold seal to an outsider? They didn't even have sex yet. How could Yoshigan Shiba be a member of the Ashikaga family!
If I let him do it, the Ashikaga family may suffer disasters from martial artists in the future."
All the concubines present were silent.
Ashikaga Yoshiaki can point at Yoshiba Shiba and curse him, but that is just the Ashikaga nobles fighting for power and profit as they please.
They, the retainers, were not qualified to speak, and they did not dare to speak nonsense, so they could only praise in their hearts. Ashikaga Yoshiaki has great ambitions, and everyone has a bright future.
What Ashikaga Yoshiaki said is not wrong.
At the beginning, Wu Fu of the Celestial Dynasty took advantage of the emperor's favor, and the hen Si Chen... no, it was the rooster that hatched the eggs, and he had all the power. He almost killed all the descendants of the Li family, including several of his own children.
Wu Fu rose from empress to empress dowager, and finally ruled the world, becoming the only male emperor in the history of the dynasty.
Yoshigan Shiba was also the high office of Ashikaga Yoshiteru. When the new shogun was promoted to the throne by him, he would become the high court of the previous shoguns, and his reputation and strength would be at the peak of his powers.
At that time, Ashikaga Yoshiaki will be a pawn in front of him. If Yoshiaki Shiba has the ambition to replace him, the Ashikaga family will be in danger.
This set of inferences of guilt is not legally valid. But politically, it is an iron law that everyone firmly believes in.
No one is willing to put their life in the hands of others, especially the hands of politicians who love to play dirty tricks. These people have no moral integrity at all.
In just a few words, Ashikaga Yoshiaki and several loyal ministers who had taken refuge with her reached an agreement. They could not wait for Yoshigan Shiba to come back, and they had to find another way to return the Ashikaga family to Kyoto.
Returning to reality, Ashikaga Yoshiaki asked worriedly.
"I have raised my flag to make it clear that the Miyoshi and Ise families in Kyoto are working together. I wonder if Sakamoto Castle will send troops to deal with me.
There is also the Rokkaku family. The ancestors persecuted Rokkaku Yoshiharu very hard, will she take advantage of the Ashikaga family's weakness to attack us?"
Before Ashikaga Yoshiaki set off from Kofukuji Temple, she thought things were going well. But after arriving at Sakamoto Castle and learning about the recent situation, she was no longer optimistic.
But there was no turning back. Now that she had raised the banner and carried the banner of the Ashikaga family, she could only hold on.
In this regard, several people present were more optimistic than she was. If they felt that nothing could be done, they would not join Ashikaga Yoshiaki and make a bet for a better future.
Niki Yoshimasa smiled.
"Don't worry, Your Highness, Sakamoto Castle is an important town in Minami Omi that was carefully prepared by our ancestors. It is easy to defend and difficult to attack. It also has a large amount of military supplies in reserve, which is enough for us to last for a long time.
The city is backed by Lake Biwa. As long as the channel on the lake is not cut off, external materials and energy will continue to be input.
The Miyoshi family's treacherous act of going to Luo Xing shocked the world. Since His Highness raised the flag, many local samurai families have expressed their willingness to serve the Ashikaga family and continue to donate supplies.
Although the Miyoshi and Rokkaku families have strong military power, if they want to capture Sakamoto Castle, it will not be something they can do in a short time.
What's more, winter is about to begin. It's a long way from Sanhao to Luo, and the place is unfamiliar. There has been civil strife in Liujiao for a long time, and the retainers all have their own agendas.
These two families are unable to raise the logistics supplies for winter operations, so there is no need to worry about them coming to siege the city before spring begins."
Ashikaga Yoshiaki seemed to understand, and of course she didn't know much about military affairs, but Niki Yoshimasa's words made her feel at ease. At least she understood that the enemy could not attack him for the time being.
After Niki Yoshimasa finished talking about military affairs, he nodded towards Wada Weimasa, and the Ashikaga family diplomat here spoke.
"Your Highness, I have reached an agreement with His Highness Rokkaku Yoshiharu, and she is willing to provide you with supplies."
Ashikaga Yoshiaki said confused.
"The ancestors forced her so hard, why would she retaliate with kindness? This is unreasonable."
Wada Weimasa smiled.
"The Miyoshi family was just a retainer of the Hosokawa clan. The subordinates conquered the upper class, slaughtered the master family, and occupied the four countries. Rokkaku Yoshiharu did not want to see such humble servants coming to Kyoto to show off their evil deeds.
The Rokkaku family of the Sasaki family has been a famous family for thousands of years in Omi, how can they accept a country bumpkin from Shikoku climbing on top of them?"