Kyoto, as the weather gets warmer, the city becomes more popular.
When spring comes a little while later, high-ranking young men will go to the countryside in groups to enjoy the flowers in ox carts, the warriors will drink and sing under the trees, and the merchants in the castle town will make a lot of money.
Everyone has a different vision for spring. The recent times are no longer the same as when the Ashikaga family was stable a hundred years ago. Frequent wars have made the earth desolate.
Even the Ashikaga shoguns have to escape from Kyoto from time to time. Ashikaga Yoshiteru's mother, the twelfth generation shogun Ashikaga Yoshiharu, has lived on the run for most of her life.
The precarious days make the martial artists greedily enjoy the beauty of the present without caring about the long-term future.
But those who want to see it longer live in pain.
Ashikaga Yoshiteru held a meeting at the Imperial Palace, but all the ministers could not come up with an idea. She was so angry that she sat on the table and screamed, but there was nothing she could do.
The reason for this meeting was the death of Rokkaku Tayori.
The Rokkaku family and the Kyogoku family among the four positions of the shogunate are derived from the Sasaki family. They are a powerful samurai family that has been entrusted to Omi Province since the Ritsuto era when the emperor was in power.
Since ancient times, Omi Kingdom has been one of the most important components of recent history. The Sasaki clan has been in Omi Kingdom for more than 600 years, and its influence has been feared by the Ashikaga shoguns of all generations.
Then the Sasaki family was divided into two branches, the Kitaomi Kyogoku family and the Minami Omi Rokkaku family. The Ashikaga family wooed the Kyogoku family and used her family as a starting point to continuously suppress the Rokkaku family who refused to submit to the shogun.
What's ridiculous is that the Rokkaku family still rules Minami Omi despite the ups and downs, while the Ashikaga family, which was strong and domineering at the beginning, is already in turmoil.
The twelfth shogun Ashikaga Yoshiharu, in order to fight against the invasion of the Miyoshi family, reluctantly accepted the olive branch of Rokkaku Sadeyori, the governor of the Rokkaku family.
Only then did the Miyoshi family's offensive be blocked, and the Rokkaku family transformed from the rebellious samurai family who had surrendered to the king, to becoming the most important allies of the Ashikaga family.
Even Ashikaga Yoshiteru's Yuanfu was made by Rokkaku Sadayori.
The black-hatted relatives are a very close relationship in the samurai family. Shiba Yiyin presided over the wearing of hats for the Takada sisters, and the three of them are the black-hatted relatives.
It can be said that Rokkaku Sadeyori was the biggest support for Ashikaga Yoshiteru to stay in Kyoto. But once she died, the situation became complicated and confusing.
The Rokkaku family is not without enemies. The three branches and four positions of the shogunate have all declined. Kitaomi, ruled by the Kyogoku family, one of the four positions, was usurped by the Asai family, which is almost the same as the Shiba family's experience in Owari Province.
The Asai family, who replaced the Kyogoku family, also inherited the Kyogoku family's ambition and hoped to kill the Rokkaku family and unify Omi country.
The Rokkaku family is threatened by Asai inside, and the Miyoshi family is prying from the outside. If you were an ordinary person, you would definitely choose one of them first.
But what Rokkaku Sadayori did was to blow them all up! He beat them so much that the Miyoshi family signed an armistice treaty, and the Asai family bowed their heads and became subordinates.
With her help, the Ashikaga family stabilized the situation. Although there were some unequal contents in the armistice treaty, at least the general's face was saved and he no longer had to flee Kyoto and wander around.
Now that Rokkaku Sadayori is dead, this fragile balance has been broken again in recent years. The Ashikaga family is extremely weak, and they bear the name of the common master of the world. How should they deal with the next situation?
It's not that there are no capable people among the ministers. It's just that this is a troubled world where you are strong and you are reasonable, and you are weak and you are worthless. It is hard for a clever person to make a meal without rice, so there is nothing you can do about it.
Just as the country is about to fall into new wars and disputes, Yiyin and its interests are also heading towards Kyoto in Owari.
The north wind was still blowing, and the early spring was not yet three-quarters cold. It was really not a comfortable job to ride a horse for a long distance at this time. Although I was properly prepared, Yiyin was very cold.
My wrapped ears and nose were always trembling from the cold wind that leaked in, and my body felt like it was falling apart after a day of jolting on the horse.
After a few days, Yiyin has already begun to doubt the correctness of this trip. No wonder people in ancient times did not like to travel far. Traveling without cars, high-speed trains, and airplanes is really a torture.
The profit on the side is completely different. He is full of energy, shouting and yelling, and everything he sees is new. He looks very much like a third-grade elementary school child on a spring outing.
Maybe it was because he had never traveled far away before, and this time he was traveling alone with his favorite master, which made him feel happy.
However, after walking for a day, I felt that the road was a little weird, so I couldn't help but ask.
"Lord, have we reached Haidong County?"
"That's right."
Benefit asked puzzledly.
"Isn't it faster to go to Kyoto than to go north to Mino and walk closer to E?"
Although she has never walked this road, maps are also an important lesson in Wu family's military strategy, and she understands it.
Yiyin said helplessly.
"I don't want to either, but the news about me rescuing Li Jiaji has spread too widely, so we might have to take a long detour."
The road was bumpy and uncomfortable, and some people took the shortcut because they wanted to take the shortcut. But the fact that he went to Beijing to seek guardianship for Oda Nobunaga must have spread among the samurai family.
If you want to go from Mino to Omi, you must pass through the four counties of Kamiowari. The current governor of the Kamioda family, Nobuyasu, is only mediocre in talent and not a fool.
You have done a good job in protecting Dai, but you, a scoundrel of the Shiba family, want to take it back and give it to Oda Nobunaga?
I kept an eye on every house along the way, and when I saw them, I raised my sword and dropped it, so I didn't have to worry.
Even if the Owari samurai are closely related to each other, Yoshigage can find a way to get through. How can Mino Country pass smoothly?
Rumors that Isshiki Yoshiryu and Oda Nobunaga were preparing to join forces to fight against Oda Nobunaga had already spread before Yoshigan set off.
It may not be without reason. I believe Isshiki Yoshiryu would be happy to deduct the Yoshi's silver or cut off his head and send it back to Owari.
In Owari, Yoshigan was a little bit hesitant, but in Mino it was not so easy.
Therefore, Yoshihiro's idea is to make a high-profile announcement about taking the Mino-Omi route, low-key and take the benefits westward through Ise Province, and then go north to Iga or Omi to Beijing.
Ise Province and Iga Province were originally one country. The eastern plain of Ise is surrounded by the sea in the south, the western and northern parts are mountainous areas, the north is connected to the Iga Omi River, and the south has a relatively flat road into the basin of Yamato Province.
Although the mountain road is difficult to walk, it is safe.
The most famous place here is the port seafood and forged swords. Yiyin is still thinking about whether to buy two good knives.
Ancient Ise was the birthplace of Shintoism, with Ise Jingu Shrine as the most respected place, and the emperor had a close relationship with the shrine.
After Ashikaga Yoshimitsu destroyed the emperor's clan, the shrine here fell into decline and became a destination for merchants and travelers.
Yoshihiro and Ichigo rode for three days through Kaidong County and entered Ise Country. They found a nearby dilapidated shrine to stay that night.
Shintoism has been in decline for a hundred years, but Buddhism is now prosperous in Japan. However, the torii gate and main hall built back then are still majestic, independent from the world, silently watching the world.
Staying temporarily for one night, simply light a fire to keep warm. The cold wind is rushing in the palace that extends in all directions, no different from the wilderness.
Not daring to let down their guard, the two of them split up to keep vigil. Benefit went to bed first, while Yiyin held a thick branch to hold up the dead branches under the fire to prevent the bonfire from being extinguished.
Just when I was feeling bored, there was a strong wind in the palace, and my eyes were unable to open. I closed them for a moment and saw a person sitting in front of the sleeping person opposite.
Yiyin stood up nervously, holding the handle of the knife as a gesture to draw it.
"who!"
The man wore a cassock covering his head and a monk's robe tied around his waist. His appearance was not visible, except for his eyes.
A pair of peach blossom eyes looked at Yiyin with watery eyes. His hand gently stroked Li Yi's neck, holding an inch of sharp iron between his fingertips, which made Yiyin's hair stand on end.
Yiyin's stern questioning did not wake up Yi Yi, she was still sleeping soundly, something was wrong.
"Are you Shiba Yiyin?"
"it's me."
The visitor's voice was clear, she was a woman. Looking at the iron piece around Yi's neck, Yiyin said in a low voice.
"Can you let go of my partner first? Everything can be discussed."
The visitor's eyes were slightly bent, as if he was smiling.