Suruga Province, above the Suruga Castle Castle Tower.
Takeda Harunobu put one hand on his waist and the other on the railing, looking coldly in the direction of the castle town.
In spring and summer, the Tokaido trading road is crowded with people and the traffic is intensive. But now, the castle town is deserted.
She stood for a while, feeling vaguely sore in her waist. It had been eight or nine months since she did the shameless thing to Shiba Yiyin in the late autumn of last year, and this man's seed had caused her enough suffering.
Warrior Ji is in excellent physical condition. Even if she is ten months pregnant, her daily life will not be affected as long as she does not give birth for three to five days.
But this enemy's seed broke this common sense. From the morning sickness in March to the current backache, insomnia and anxiety, Takeda Harunobu was tortured to the point of doubting his life.
Is this enemy not a human being? What on earth is he carrying?
He was thoroughly humiliated in the late autumn of last year, and now he has been tormented by his seed for eight or nine months. It is really a cycle of nature, and retribution is unsatisfactory.
There were footsteps behind Takeda Harunobu, and Kosaka Masanobu appeared on the castle tower. She glanced at Takeda Harunobu's pregnant waist, showing a worried look.
"Your Highness, it's hot outside, you'd better go in and wait."
"No, it's fine outside. I'll just stay in the house and be bored. Where is she?"
Just as Kosaka Masanobu was about to report back, there was a noise coming from the direction of the castle town, which could be faintly heard as far away as the castle tower.
Kosaka Masanobu frowned and said to Takeda Harunobu.
"Your Highness, should I send someone to take a look?"
Takeda Harunobu shook his head indifferently.
"No need, someone's men probably got greedy and robbed the commercial building."
Kosaka Masanobu was speechless, knowing that His Highness was tacitly approving the Kaibi people's indulgence.
At the beginning of spring, they entered Suruga Kingdom and captured Suruga Castle without a single battle. The morale of the Kaibi people was high.
However, after the confrontation with the Hojo family and being cut off from returning to Kai Country, the army gradually became restless.
Although Takeda Harunobu's prestige has increased with the success of this war, she should not be too strict in military discipline and always let the Kaibi people vent their anger.
The road back was cut off, and the army was alone. If plundering a few merchants could stabilize the morale of the army, Takeda Harunobu would not care about the fate of the merchants.
Takeda Harunobu touched her round belly. As the delivery date approached, she became more and more uncomfortable, and her control over the Kai clan also dropped to its lowest point.
Hojo Ujiyasu thought that she was waiting for changes to occur in the Kanto Plain by clinging to Satao Pass. In fact, that was only part of the reason.
Takeda Harunobu is very resourceful and doesn't like the current passive situation. She really can't move if she stays in Sunfu Castle.
Because she is about to give birth.
Internally, she could only hide it from the Suruga people and appease the Kai people. Externally, she also wrote letters to all parties, making the enemies of the Hojo family ready to make moves.
All this was done to delay time, stabilize the internal and external conditions, and wait for her to give birth to the child safely.
In recent days, except for Kosaka Masanobu, she rarely saw anyone. She was afraid that her weak appearance would be known to the outside world and lead to greater trouble.
As for this person today, it was hard for her to refuse, so she could only meet him once.
Takeda Harunobu said.
"No major trouble will occur in the castle town. If there is a problem, someone will naturally come to the city to report it, and you don't have to worry about it.
Tell me, where is she?"
Kosaka Masanobu smiled bitterly.
"The governor of my hometown is preparing to enter the city. She has already seen her wanting to come to the castle town."
Takeda Harunobu glanced at the city and said calmly.
"If you see it, just see it. Is the side room ready?"
"Hi! There will be a screen to block the interview so that the home inspector will not notice your changes in posture."
Takeda Harunobu glanced at her, feeling unsure.
The governor of his hometown mentioned by Masanobu Kosaka is Nobutora Takeda, the mother of Harunobu Takeda.
Back then, Nobutora Takeda unified the fragmented Kai Kingdom, allowing the Takeda family to protect the weakened Kai Kingdom and once again become the masters of the Kai Kingdom.
Although the Takeda family governor had contributed to the family business, she was extremely militaristic and almost crazy. In order to accumulate military supplies, she dug up to three feet of land and created an appalling tax system of eight public officials and two private citizens.
The Takeda retainers group could not stand Takeda Nobutora, and began to move closer to Takeda Harunobu, the young master, with the intention of changing the family governor.
Takeda Nobutora noticed this and planned to replace Takeda Harunobu and support his other daughter Takeda Nobutora to become the new young master of the Takeda family.
As a result, Takeda Nobutora refused and instead joined Takeda Harunobu. In the end, Takeda Nobutora was expelled from the Takeda family and lived as a guest in the Imagawa family.
Imagawa Yoshimoto also treated the former governor of the Takeda family with dignity and treated him as a guest of the Imagawa family, leaving behind a back-up to deal with the Takeda family.
It's a pity that her daughter Imagawa was so incompetent that she failed to use Takeda Nobutora in the end. Instead, Takeda Harunobu instigated the Suruga clan to rebel.
I wonder if Imagawa Yoshimoto Izumi, if he knew it, would lift up the coffin board, get up and slap this good-for-nothing daughter.
The Imagawa clan was really trapped in the Toonjiang River, but the communication with the Hojo family was not interrupted. Suruga Bay was enough for the two families to communicate with each other.
Takeda Nobutora's arrival this time was entrusted by the Hojo Imagawa family to negotiate with Takeda Harunobu.
Although Takeda Harunobu doesn't want to see anyone recently, he has to see his mother both in public and private life, so as not to arouse suspicion both internally and externally.
She looked towards the city gate and touched her belly.
Nobuhiro had died in the battle, and she was pregnant with the seed of the man who killed her, while her mother had become the enemy's diplomatic agent.
She was filled with emotions at the moment. The troubled times and chaotic behavior were deplorable and ridiculous.
———
Takeda Nobutora followed Kosaka Masanobu into the small side hall of the castle tower.
Although her hair was gray, it was neatly combed back, without any stray hair, and she looked energetic.
The years have left stories on her face, and the wrinkles tell the story of her ups and downs in life, without showing her original youthful splendor.
But between the eyebrows, nose, and mouth, we can see the similarity with Takeda Harunobu. It's just that the old woman's eyebrows are more erect, her lips are thinner, and her face is meaner.
When she entered the side hall, she saw in front of her a huge screen of tigers descending from the mountain. The tiger in the painting had a fierce look on its face, its vertical eyes were filled with murderous intent, and it was entrenched in the forest, looking down at the people coming, with a menacing aura.
Takeda Nobutora was furious and cursed at Kosaka Masanobu.
"Takeda Harunobu, this rebellious girl! How dare you humiliate me like this!"
Kosaka Masanobu bowed deeply and remained silent, but from behind the screen, Takeda Harunobu's slow whisper came.
"Mother, after all these years, your temper is still so bad.
Back then I deceived you into going to Suruga, blocking your way back home, and seizing your position as governor. At that time, you wrote back and said that you would not see me again until we reach death.
Now that you have come to see me, it is very difficult for me.
If we don't meet, outsiders will think that I, Takeda Harunobu, am unfilial. If we meet, wouldn't it mean that you break your promise and make yourself fat? It's still my daughter who is unfilial.
As a last resort, I had to order someone to prepare this screen to ensure that my mother's oath would not be broken and my filial piety would not be compromised.