The situation of the Rokkaku family was just as Miyoshi Changitsu expected. Hearing that tens of thousands of soldiers gathered at Sawayama Castle, Rokkaku Yoshiharu was frightened to death.
Sawayama Castle is an important town in the central part of Omi Kingdom. No matter whether you are attacking from the south or from the north to the south, you cannot avoid this castle.
The troops of the Shangluo Allied Forces were heading straight towards the Nanjiang River, and Rokkaku Yoshiji was in a state of panic all day long.
Therefore, when the Miyoshi trio arrived at Kannonji Castle, they hoped that the Miyoshi and Rokkaku families could work together to defeat the enemy. This matter was taken seriously by Rokkaku Yoshiharu.
After negotiating with the Miyoshi trio, Rokkaku Yoshiharu summoned a group of retainers to Kannonji Castle to discuss the matter.
It was the New Year at this time, and preparations for spring plowing had begun in various places. The retainers were quite critical of the Lord's summons.
The Oda family's Nobi Plain has fertile soil for thousands of miles and a stone height of millions, which is enough to support Oda Nobunaga's out-of-season operations in Kamikaze, and there is no shortage of supplies.
The Minami Omi Rokkaku family's territory is also a prosperous place, but unfortunately the passing years have been unfavorable. In recent years, they have lost troops and generals in foreign campaigns, and the family's wealth has long been emptied, so spring plowing is particularly important.
But with the enemy at hand, no matter how unhappy the retainers were, they could only arrange the spring plowing of the territory and go to Guanyin Temple City to participate in the review.
———
Guanyin Temple Castle and Castle Tower.
The atmosphere of the review was quite dull. Rokkaku Yoshiharu frowned in the chair and glanced at the important ministers sitting there.
Finally, she fixed her gaze on Pu Shengxianxiu and asked.
"Lord Pu Sheng, what do you think of the Mihaoshi family's desire to join forces with my family?"
Kenshu Kamao was stunned, not expecting that Rokkaku Yoshiharu would call her name. She was in a very awkward situation and was unwilling to say anything.
Her daughter, Kamo Shigo, is now serving under Shiba Yiyin. It is said that she has achieved the goal of writing with one heart and one mind, and is the number one confidant among the ministers.
The Kamao family married Kan Nobumori and Kobe Gumori in Kitaise, and they have abandoned the Rokkaku family and surrendered to the Oda family.
There was a lot of gossip in the Rokkaku family, and everyone felt that her position as Pu Shengxianxiu was unstable and unreliable.
Pu Shengxianxiu felt that he was wronged.
At the beginning, there was fierce internal fighting in the Rokkaku family. In order to keep the heir to the Kamao clan, she had no choice but to give her to Shiba Yigen as a minor surname.
Who would have thought that the child could be so promising and rely on his own ability without any help from his family to climb to the position of leader of the guards of Shiba Yiyin, which made her feel happy and embarrassed at the same time.
The betrayal of the two brothers-in-law in Kitaise was even more due to Rokkaku Yoshiharu's stupidity.
Rokkaku Yoshiharu was busy with internal fighting and had no time to take into account the rescue appeals of the samurai families affiliated with the Northern Ise Territory, and allowed the Oda family to conquer the Northern Ise Territory.
Oda Nobunaga drove the Kitaise samurai family to despair. Of course they had to surrender and find another way out to join the new master. What's wrong with this?
Fortunately, now, the incompetence of the master has become his own fault, and Pu Shengxianxiu is also heartbroken when he is afraid of his loyal minister.
The Rokkaku family has been in turmoil in the past few years, but she has always stood by the main family, helping Rokkaku Yoshihide and Yoshiharu mother and daughter to stabilize the situation and mediate disputes.
But what about the master? They are becoming more and more wary of her for various reasons. She is doing a thankless job and it is really hard to be a loyal minister.
Seeing that Kenhide Kamamao was stunned and silent, Rokkaku Yoshiharu asked.
"Master Kamao, don't you have any ideas?"
Pu Shengxianxiu couldn't help but smile bitterly, what can she say? The master has a grudge, and anything she says will be misinterpreted. In this case, why should she open her mouth to offer advice and be criticized for nothing.
Pu Shengxianxiu's embarrassment caught the eyes of others, and they had other thoughts.
Goto Takaharu was gloating about the misfortune. She was the daughter of Goto Kentoyo. She became the governor of the Goto family because her mother and sister were killed by Rokkaku Yoshiharu.
Rokkaku Yoshiharu was afraid of Goto Kentoyo's prestige and strength, so he murdered her without charge. Who knew that this move would cause panic and commotion among the retainers, and Rokkaku Yoshiken and Yoshiharu's mother and daughter were driven out of Kannonji Castle.
After Goto Takaharu inherited the position of family governor, he has always maintained a tough stance. As a result, the Rokkaku retainers group, through the mediation of Kamao Kenhide, chose to welcome Rokkaku mother and daughter back.
Although the head of the family and the retainers agreed on the Rokkaku style and made concessions to the retainers, the Goto family suffered heavy losses. Without the highly respected Goto Kentoyo, the family business suffered a great decline.
Goto Takaharu did not like either Rokkaku Yoshiharu or Kamao Kenhide. Seeing Kamao Kenhide in trouble, she was of course happy to laugh at them.
On the other side, Shindo Kenmori had a different feeling.
Shindo Kenmori is an important minister of the Rokkaku family who is as famous as Goto Kentoyo. At first, she and Kamao Kenhide both sided with the master's family.
It's just that Rokkaku Yoshihide defeated the Norada Kaifeng and retired behind the scenes, manipulating his daughter Rokkaku Yoshiharu to continue to rule.
Shindo Kenmori was disgusted with his master's hypocrisy and pretentiousness, so he began to alienate himself from his master's family and keep his distance.
Sure enough, the subsequent Northern Expedition led by Rokkaku Yoshihide failed again. She was forced to give up power by Goto Kentoyo, and Rokkaku Yoshiharu became the real governor of the family.
In the conflict between Rokkaku Yoshiharu and Goto Kentoyo, Shinto Kenmori also remained neutral, unlike Kamao Kenhide who worried about his family and got deeply involved in it.
The results of it?
The neutral Shindo Kenmori is respected by all parties and is in an invincible position. However, Kamao Kenhide, who sincerely plans for the master, is disgraced. Today, he was even embarrassed by Rokkaku Yoshiharu.
At this time, Shindo Kensei felt no trace of pride in his heart. Instead, he felt sad that a rabbit had died and a fox had died.
The hearts of the Liujiao family have been wiped out. The head of the family is unkind and the retainers are unjust. A few loyal ministers are still being harshly criticized, which is really chilling.
Rokkaku Yoshiharu didn't know that there was an undercurrent in the Rokkaku retainers group and that the family business was in danger of falling apart. She was still questioning Kenhide Kamao who was speechless.
Pu Shengxianxiu was forced to have no choice but to finally decide to offer advice with loyalty, she said.
"Your Highness, Sanhao's family went on to commit regicide. This is a stain that cannot be washed away.
We should stay away from the Sanhao family at this time and not be implicated. If we form an alliance with the Sanhao family, it will convict our family of participating in the rebellion.
In my opinion, it is better to send an envoy to Sawa Mountain Castle to meet with the Imperial Palace.
It is a righteous act for Luo, who is on the imperial platform, to avenge the general. We can only follow the trend and cannot stop the rebel army, causing disaster for nothing."
Rokkaku Yoshiji narrowed his eyes and said.
"According to you, I should go to unite the Oda family and the Asai family?
The Oda family conquered Kitaise and took away my vassal, and the Asai family even became sworn enemies of my Rokkaku family. Go and beg them? Isn’t it like a sheep entering a tiger’s mouth?
Do I still have to dedicate my family property with both hands and ask them to be merciful and give me a few stones of land to preserve my family name?"
The more Rokkaku Yoshiharu spoke, the angrier he became, and in the end he almost pointed at Kenhide Kamao and scolded her, as if he had already predicted that she would be eaten inside and outside.
Pu Shengxianxiu smiled bitterly and kowtowed to the ground. She had already known this would be the result.
Because his daughter and brother-in-law were in Shiba Yoshigan's camp, Rokkaku Yoshiharu believed that she was unreliable from the beginning. In this case, why bother asking her for countermeasures? Isn't this deliberately disgusting?
And her advice is indeed a mature advice for the country.
The crime of murdering Ashikaga Shogun and regicide by the Miyoshi family has made her family notorious. All the samurai families want to cut off from the Miyoshi family and not be implicated by her family.
Rokkaku Yoshiharu was lucky enough to receive the three members of the Miyoshi family who killed Ashikaga Yoshiteru, and wanted to join forces with the Miyoshi family to fight against Yoshigan Shiba.
Kenhide Kamao really wanted to open Rokkaku Yoshiji's head and see if there was any brain inside.
Sibo Yiyin went to Luo because of his great righteousness and was favored by everyone. He was brave and good at fighting. When he was short of major generals, he was able to defeat two hexagonal and three good families.
Now that he has great righteousness and leads tens of thousands of female soldiers to Luo, the Rokkaku family still wants to be his enemy? Who among the Rokkaku retainers dares to confront the Ashikaga Military God?
Pu Shengxianxiu sighed, but still wanted to try his best to persuade, and said.
"Your Highness, the person in charge of Shangluo is the Godaisho, not the Oda family or the Asai family.
Oda Nobunaga and Asai Nagamasa can raise the flag for justice, and so can we.
Even if the Oda family and the Asai family want to take advantage of the opportunity to do something, we just need to take strict precautions and ask the Odaisho to administer justice."
Rokkaku Yoshiji sneered.
"Oda Nobunaga mobilized 1.4 million koku and Asai Nagamasa mobilized 400,000 koku. They spent so much manpower and material resources just to help Odaisho go to Luo?
They came to my Liujiao family, and going to Luo is just an excuse for them! This going to Luo is just a fake conspiracy to conquer Guo!"
Pu Shengxianxiu smiled bitterly.
"The Imperial Palace has gathered various families, mobilized more than two million stones, and tens of thousands of soldiers. We cannot fight against him.
In this case, it is better to participate and become a part of Shangluo. Even if there are some losses, it is always less than the cost of confrontation.
As long as my family is cautious and uses the impartiality and strictness of the imperial office, we will definitely balance all parties.
The shogunate has always used the method of checks and balances to adjudicate disputes among samurai families in the world. Letting the Asai and Oda families grow bigger will not be beneficial to the shogunate or the imperial office.
As long as we respond to the call and sincerely serve the public, I believe the Imperial Office will definitely understand our difficulties."
Rokkaku Yoshiji raised his eyebrows with a fierce look in his eyes, pointed at Kamao Kenhide and cursed.
"You can say what's on your mind!
You have the ambition of others and want to destroy my family's prestige, have you already thought of surrendering? Anyway, your daughter is working next to the imperial office, why not ask her to reserve a place for you first?"
Pu Shengxianxiu lowered her head and said nothing, gritting her teeth and enduring the humiliation. She felt sad. It was obviously the master who forced her to give advice, but her sincere words became evidence of disloyalty and injustice.
Shindo Kensei really couldn't stand it, so he stepped out of the queue and bowed.
"Your Highness, Odaishou's wise and powerful powers cannot be manipulated by the Oda Asai family.
I think what Mr. Kamao said makes sense. We have nothing to lose by sending people to Sawayama Castle to test the attitude of the Odaisho."
Seeing Shindo Kensei come forward to calm down, Rokkaku Yoshiharu took a deep breath and said.
"Well, it doesn't hurt to try.
Mr. Kamao, since this idea is yours, I would like you to go to Sawa Mountain Castle and express my respect to the Imperial Palace."
Kamo Kenhide's heart felt cold, and he looked up to see Rokkaku Yoshiharu's cold face.
She went to see the imperial office? She was already suspected of being squeezed out. If she went there, it would be even more unclear when she came back.
Kenhide Kamao knew that Rokkaku Yoshiji already had an idea in his mind, and he must join forces with the Miyoshi family. The purpose of sending her as envoy to Sawa Yamashiro was purely to disgust her and buy some time.
Not only her, but other samurai present also saw clearly that Rokkaku Yoshiharu was determined to resist the rebels.
Pu Shengxianxiu was silent for a long time, then kowtowed to the ground and said.
"As commanded."
From this moment on, scholar Kama Shengxian really began to plan for his own family and no longer had illusions about Rokkaku Yoshiharu.
At the same time, Goto Takaharu secretly sneered, and Shindo Kenmori looked on coldly. The most loyal minister of the retainers group, Rokkaku Yoshiharu, couldn't tolerate him, so what else could the others say?
The hearts of the Rokkajia family were completely shattered.
———
After the deliberation, Rokkaku Yoshiharu hurried back to the inner room, where her mother Rokkaku Yoshiken was waiting for her.
Rokkaku Yoshixian asked hurriedly when he saw her coming in.
"How's it going?"
Rokkaku Yoshiharu nodded.
"As my mother expected, Pu Shengxianxiu really wanted me to join the rebel army."
Rokkaku Yoshixian sighed.
"She also means well, but we have no way to obey the imperial court.
Ever since you succumbed to the retainers and decided on the Rokkaku style, the hearts of the family have been divided.
Goto Takaharu hates you to the core, Shindo Kensei has swept away the trouble, but Kamao Kenhide is the only one who still remembers the kindness of his master and is somewhat loyal. It's a pity that you can't grasp this loyalty.
Her daughter Kamaojigo is serving under Yoshigan Shiba, and her brother-in-law has taken refuge with Oda Nobunaga. How can we use her with peace of mind?
If we turn to the imperial court, given the current situation at home, Oda Nobunaga and Asai Nagamasa can definitely use coercion and inducement to guide the disorganized retainers to join them.
You cannot control the retainers, and inviting the rebels into the country is like inviting a wolf into the house. If you want to keep your family property, you can only have a chance of survival by rejecting the rebels at the Imperial Palace and fighting them.
Rokkaku Yoshiken slowly reasoned with his daughter, and the bad blood between mother and daughter gradually dissipated with the decline of the Rokkaku family.
The last time there was a commotion at Guanyin Temple, the two of them escaped together and there was some reconciliation. The family property is almost gone. Is there any unexplainable grudge between mother and daughter that cannot be resolved? Let's save the family property first.
Rokkaku Yoshiharu nodded, understanding that she was in a difficult situation. It wasn't that she didn't want to listen to Kamao Kenhide's advice, it was just that the Rokkaku family didn't have the conditions now.
The establishment of Rokkaku's purpose greatly increased the constraints on Rokkaku Yogiharu's exercise of power. Without the consent of the retainers, she could not do anything.
At this time, I would rather push Sibo Yiyin to the opposite side than dare to let the rebels in.
If the two sides are hostile, the retainer group can still be used to fight wars. If the two sides are allies and someone comes to try to build relations, the Roxagonal retainer group may abandon its old master and find another high-ranking branch.
As a last resort, they had to divide themselves into two sides of the battlefield, forcing the Hexagonal Retainers to abandon other thoughts.
Rokkaku Yoshiji sighed.
"Mother, can we really stop the army at the Imperial Palace?"
Rokkaku Yoshiharu is afraid, and Rokkaku Yoshihide is equally unsure.
Rokkaku Yoshiken had personally experienced the strength of Shiba Yoshigan in the battle at Noragada. The formation was directly overwhelmed by a wave, and he even received a stabbing blow.
She forced herself to calm down and said.
"The Sanhao family has more than a million dan of stone, and my family also has a mobilization force of 500,000 dan. It is also a defensive operation. Our strength is equal to that of the rebels.
As long as we hold on to our position and defend the city, the rebels will come from afar and they won't be able to attack for long. With tens of thousands of soldiers, it's not a small number that can be eaten by horses.
When we hold on and weaken the morale of the rebel army, each rebel army will have different ideas. As time goes by, internal conflicts will inevitably arise.
We don’t seek merit in this battle, but we seek no faults, and we will have a chance.”
Rokkaku Yoshiharu nodded and said nothing more.
Rokkaku Yoshihide was ostracized by the retainers and was not allowed to attend family meetings.
Rokkaku Yoshiharu thought about it for a while, but still did not tell his mother about sending Kenhide Kamao to Sawayama Castle.
In order to show her determination to fight against the imperial court, she deliberately showed Kenhide Kamohide to the group of retainers. Her attitude during the review was too bad, and she seemed to be venting her sullenness on Kenhide Kamohide.
It's not good to tell my mother about this matter, lest she be nagged and make my loyal ministers feel downhearted.
Rokkaku Yoshiharu thought about finding an opportunity next time to appease Kenhide Kamamao and make things right.