At this moment, Maeda Riku walked in. Looking at Maeda Yoshida who smelled of alcohol, he stepped forward and slapped her on the forehead.
"Asshole! You're still drinking!"
Maeda Yoshida lowered his head and sighed sadly.
"I'm sorry, mother, I know I was wrong."
She admitted her mistake, but her body remained as motionless as mud, carrying out her rogue behavior of humbly accepting the past few days and refusing to change despite repeated admonitions.
Maeda Riku sneered.
"Want to apologize? Leave it to the master!"
Maeda Yoshiko smiled bitterly.
"If the master is willing to come back, I am willing to bear the thorn and apologize. I don't ask for his forgiveness, just because I feel better."
Maeda Riku's face was cold, he pointed at the castle gate of Lord Tenshu, and said coldly.
"Then you have to move quickly. My lord's cavalry will arrive in ten miles. I'm afraid you won't have time to find the back of the thorn tree."
Maeda was stunned, jumped up from the tatami, and shouted.
"What!"
———
Shiba Yoshigan ordered the Shiba family's troops to garrison Kannonji Castle and follow the actions of the Sanluo coalition. The army was led by Maeda Toshiie and assisted by Todo Torakaka.
The Maeda Toshie family has a close relationship with the Oda family, and the Todo Toraka and the Asai family have close contacts. With them in charge, there should be no problem with the Shibajo Raku army along the way.
The Kanto Hime Warriors who were prosperous in the mountains and the members of the Kamo Clan Village escorted Yoshigan back to the Kinsbo Territory.
Takada Yukino, who was recuperating in Mino Country, also struggled to come to Kannonji Castle and asked to serve her lord. Unable to control her, Yoshigami had to take her with him on the road.
More than 150 horseback samurai warriors dispatched troops and marched southward through the Suzuka Pass in Koga County and directly into Iga Country. Yoshigan deliberately passed through the customs without notifying Maeda's interests.
His cavalry was fast, and the warriors did not dare to stop them along the way. By the time Ueno Castle received the news, Yiyin was already less than ten miles away from the city.
For these ten miles, some time was delayed because the cavalry needed supplies along the way. Otherwise, Yoshigan might have rushed directly into Ueno Castle and saw the drunken and dejected Maeda.
After hearing her mother's words clearly, Maeda was so frightened that she suddenly woke up. She didn't even care about her mother's presence and rushed down to the castle tower and shouted in the court.
"Come here! Go to the dining room and get me a bundle of firewood!"
The spring breeze was slightly cold, blowing on Maeda's body, causing her to burp and spit out the smell of alcohol. She could smell the rancid smell on her body, mixed with the stench of alcohol.
When she thought that her master would be arriving soon, cold sweat broke out on her forehead. What should she do? If the master smelled her stinky self, Maeda would really not want to live anymore.
She was at a loss when the frightened deer in the courtyard threw water and the crisp sound of green bamboo hitting rocks gave her inspiration.
She gritted her teeth, stamped her feet, and jumped directly into the pool next to the frightened deer, causing water to splash everywhere.
Maeda Riku just came down from the castle tower and walked out to look for his daughter, but saw her fall into his favorite fish pond, her face turned pale.
This damn daughter is a good fish in my pond!
Maeda didn't care what her mother thought. The cold spring water made her shiver. She had no time to feel the cold, so she shivered and took off her clothes, and quickly washed her body to get rid of the smell of alcohol.
While she was washing, she was still shouting.
"Mother! Someone send me a set of clothes quickly! Huh? What is this?"
While scrubbing her body, Maeda accidentally picked up something. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a small fish, still wagging its tail to survive. She threw the fish away and continued wiping her body.
The small fish followed the parabola and hit in front of Maeda Riku. I don't know whether it was knocked unconscious or killed, but it didn't move.
Maeda Riku's face became even stiffer. She glared at her silly daughter and squeezed out a sentence through her teeth.
"What a sin...how could I teach such a bastard..."
———
Sibo Yiyin rode forward, but his mind was thinking about how to take back control of Sibo's territory in recent years.
In recent years, the grass-roots level in Shiba has relied on the Shiba Tadashi Foundation to bribe them with money. The top management has mainly dealt with the interests of Mitsuhide Akechi and Maeda.
Akechi Mitsuhide's problem is more complicated. She and Yoshigan are the only two people who know about the plan of occupying the magpie's nest.
After not seeing each other for two years, Yiyin couldn't figure out what this scheming girl was thinking. Whether she could still be used could only be determined after an interview.
During the war, the punishments were severe. Akechi Mitsuhide's behavior was tantamount to rebellion, and he would definitely die under the command of other daimyo, but it was difficult for Yoshihiro to do so.
Although he has gradually adapted to the principles of doing things in this world, he still has the worldview of his previous life in his bones.
Yiyin really couldn't bear to kill a woman who was sleeping with him.
Even if it was just the death of Fujibayashi, who had secretly had sex with her, it still made him feel sad. What's more, Akechi Mitsuhide, a vixen who had been in love twice, had an amazing level of harmony.
Yiyin is destined to be a foolish king, he cannot be ruthless and only interested in profit.
Compared with Akechi Mitsuhide, the issue of Maeda's interests is simpler. This guy is just stupid and was used as a weapon by Akechi Mitsuhide.
Yoshigan understands Maeda's interests. She does not know the existence of the Hatto Seize Magpie's Nest Plan and thinks that Yoshigan will eventually be forced to marry Ashikaga Yoshiteru.
As the military commander of the Sibo Territory in recent times, she would turn a blind eye to Miyoshi's visit to Luo, and sit back and watch the general's death, just because she is the true love of Yiyin.
Rumors that Shiba was not qualified to become a bride-in-law were widely circulated in the Shiba family. Maeda had always tried his best to express himself, hoping to stand out in the competition for the bride-in-law.
But the problem is, getting married is just a trick played by Mitsuhide Akechi on their Yoshiyin admirers.
Maeda was so blinded by his selfish interests that he actually threw aside the political trust of Yoshibank for the sake of his children's personal relationship. This crossed Yoshibank's bottom line.
The plan to seize the magpie's nest is gradually advancing, and the conflicts between the princesses will become more and more intense in the future. If it is because of emotional matters, it is not necessary to respect the emperor's order. Can Maeda's loyalty to his interests still be reliable?
This trend cannot last long. If the important ministers are busy competing for power and jealousy, how will Yoshigage control the girls in the future? He is very disappointed with Maeda's interests and must make her realize how serious his mistake is.
But the trouble is, Yiyin can't make her wake up through heavy punishment, for two reasons.
First, Maeda Yoshida was the first retainer of Yoshigan. He had made so many contributions before and after the horse, which can be said to be loyal and loyal.
The death of Ashikaga Yoshiteru was destined to be a bad debt. Yoshihiro could not reveal the truth, so he had to let Miyoshi and the other three take the blame and let other participants go.
Maeda's charges could only be vague, leaving Yoshigan with no reason to punish her severely. If the punishment was too heavy, it would make the entire Shiba retainers uneasy.
The lower-level warriors don't know what tricks the upper-level samurai are playing. They will only see Maeda, who has great military exploits, bleed for the sake of public service, but in the end he ends up with a bad end, which is too chilling.
Secondly, Maeda was one of the first batch of important ministers after the restoration of the Shiba family. He guarded Iga country for two years and has already taken root here.
The samurai family that Owari came to seek refuge with, and the samurai families that remained in Iga from the old Iga clan, had many people who took refuge in Maeda's interests and worked with her to earn a living.
If Yiyin beats her to the end, what will happen to these people who follow her to eat? They have no feelings for Yiyin. When it comes time to break up their jobs, who knows what trouble will happen?
Moreover, Otani Yoshitsugi vowed to protect Maeda's interests. Although Takatora Toudo had selfish motives, he also stood up to speak for Maeda's interests.
The military commander faction headed by Maeda's interests is relatively united. If Yoshinobu really wants to suppress Maeda's interests, it will cause turmoil, which will be of no benefit.
He had just returned from Kanto. The most important thing at this time was to regain control of the Konkisbo Territory and unite the Konkisami ministers who had been alienated for two years, rather than making them feel uneasy and pushing them away.
Therefore, Yi Bank cannot make a big move against Maeda's interests, even with small punishments and large warnings.
Maeda had been in charge of the Konjisbo Territory for two years. In the battle with the Rokkaku family, he defeated the Koga clan and captured the Suzuka Pass.
Later, in order to raise food for the Yoshino Bank in Kanto, Suzuka Pass was handed over to the Oda family.
She is a person who has made great contributions, and it is only right that Yiyin should praise her.
Politics is such a bastard of logic. For the sake of the overall situation, not only can those who make mistakes not be punished, but they must also be rewarded for everyone to see. Let everyone learn from her, serve the public well, and do things with peace of mind.
While Yiyin was still thinking, the Hamo family next to him approached him on horseback and spoke respectfully to him.
"Odaisuo, in front of us is Ueno Castle."
Yiyin nodded, looked at the city in front of him, and groaned.
In the past two years, Maeda's interests have been asking the Konkispo Territory to import materials, help her build Ueno Castle, help her replenish military supplies, and use the entire Konkispo Territory's materials to enrich her foundation.
This guy is becoming more and more reckless in his actions. Although Yiyin does not doubt her loyalty, he must teach her a profound lesson and make her feel the pain. Otherwise, sooner or later, she will turn upside down.
After much thought, Yiyin gritted his teeth and could only resort to the last resort.
You can't punish her on the surface, but you have to make Maeda feel heartbroken, and you can't make her feel disloyal. This is simply an impossible punishment.
Fortunately, Maeda has a deep love for Yoshigan, and Yoshigan has one last trick, which is enough for Maeda to cry bitterly and feel full of regret.
The relationship between monarch and ministers is not easy to punish, but the relationship between men and women can be bullied hard.
Yiyin is very skilled in this aspect.
———
Outside Ueno Castle, Maeda Yoshie urgently summoned the retainers in the castle and came to the gate to welcome the Lord.
It was still spring plowing time, and most of the retainers were not in Ueno Castle.
The sparse queue of Hime warriors looked strangely at Maeda Yoshie, who was at the front. She was kneeling on the ground with no clothes on and a bundle of firewood on her back.
Maeda Riku looked at his embarrassed daughter and couldn't help but shake his head. He carried thorns on his back to plead guilty, and used the thorns as punishment.
Shiba Yiyin arrived so quickly that Maeda didn't even have time to look for vitex and was busy bathing in the fish pond. She had no choice but to find a bundle of firewood instead.
Now, she was kneeling seriously while carrying firewood, looking so nondescript that it made people laugh and cry.
The sound of horse hooves sounded in front, and dust was seen billowing. One horse took the lead, followed by more than a hundred knights and knights, heading towards the city gate.
Seeing the crowd in front of him from a distance, Yoshigan signaled the cavalry to slow down slowly. When he saw Maeda Yoshiki kneeling in front of the queue, Yoshigan's eyes couldn't help but twitch.
What's this guy doing? What's the point of carrying a bundle of firewood?
Yiyin thought about it and understood the meaning of firewood, and was speechless. If you can't find the thorn sticks, don't apologize for it! This idiot!
He was angry and funny, and the anger in his heart towards Maeda's interests was slowly dissipating.
Yiyin's heart trembled, and he forced himself to keep a straight face. He couldn't let this bastard get away easily just because he laughed about it.
But seeing her kneeling seriously, Yiyin couldn't help but feel a little distressed. Although the sting of firewood was not as strong as that of wattle, the spring was cold and she had been kneeling with her upper body naked for who knows how long. She was shivering so cold that it was unbearable.
Yiyin reined in his horse and stopped, approaching on foot.
How did he know that Maeda had been practicing martial arts since she was a child, so she didn't care about the cold. She was shivering because she had just climbed out of the pool. After soaking in water and blowing the wind, could she stop shivering?
Maeda knelt on the ground, feeling a little uneasy. She breathed into her palms, then put it under her nose and smelled it to see how the alcohol smell had dissipated.
Because she was too focused, she didn't even notice that Yoshigage had walked over. Maeda Riku was looking anxiously from behind, but he didn't dare to say a word to remind him.
Yiyin saw her breathing into her hands, thinking she was too cold, and said with a soft heart.
"If you can't stand the cold, don't do what the ancients did and plead guilty."
Maeda Yoshida was still carefully identifying the smell of alcohol in his mouth when he suddenly heard Yoshigan's voice and was startled.
She raised her head suddenly, but because she leaned back too far, she was unable to maintain her balance and was pushed backwards by the weight of the firewood on her back.
Carrying firewood on her back, she rocked back and forth a few times like a turtle that had been overturned.
Yoshihiro was stunned for a moment. He thought Maeda was about to raise his head and salute. Who knew that a white light flashed in front of his eyes and he saw her turning over, her white breasts beating uncontrollably.
He couldn't help but swallow, thinking.
We haven’t seen each other for two years. This guy’s secondary growth is fine. He’s usually well nourished.
Seeing that his daughter was losing her temper, Maeda Riku finally couldn't help but stepped forward and helped her up. Then he kicked her hard on the buttocks, made her kneel down, and bowed in salute.
"The imperial palace is safe."
Yoshigan Shiba came back to his senses, nodded to Riku Maeda, and said.
"Lord Riku, long time no see."
Maeda Riku bowed deeply and did not dare to say a word. Yoshigan smiled at her, and then cursed at Maeda Riku.
"Unload the firewood on your back!
You are already an important minister of the Shiba family, and you are not the unknown person you were at Owari. Why are you still showing off your ugliness for fun like an admirer!
You are shameless, the Sibo family still wants it!
Also, put on your clothes. The weather hasn’t warmed up yet, and seeing you shaking like this is really confusing!"
After saying that, Yoshigage ignored her and said politely to Maeda Riku.
"Lord Riku, I'm a little tired from the long journey."
Maeda Riku quickly moved out of the way, bowed and said.
"Otai Suo, please follow me into the city to rest."
Yoshihiro nodded and walked straight into the city without looking at Maeda Yoshiki.
Maeda Riku glared at his stupid daughter and quickly followed Yoshigami in to lead the way.
Maeda was so dejected that he unloaded the firewood behind him and picked up the clothes wrapped around his waist.
She felt someone was observing her and looked up to see Yukino Takada staring closely at her upper body.
"what?"
Takada Yukino subconsciously touched her washboard, turned her head away, and snorted.