In Kyoto, as the weather gets warmer, the city starts to come alive.
When spring comes in a while, 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. Recent times are no longer what they were when the Ashikaga family was stable a hundred years ago. Frequent wars have made the land desolate.
Even Ashikaga Generals 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 discussion was the death of Rokkaku Sadayori.
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.
Later, 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 through ups and downs, while the Ashikaga family, which was strong and domineering at the beginning, is already in turmoil.
By the time the twelfth generation shogun Ashikaga Yoshiharu, in order to fight against the invasion of the Miyoshi family, he had no choice but to accept 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 that obeyed the king into becoming the Ashikaga family's most important allies.
Even Ashikaga Yoshiteru's Yuanfu was made by Rokkaku Sadayori.
The black-hatted relatives are a very close relationship in the martial arts family. Shiba Yiyin presided over the Yuanfu and hat-dressing for the Takada sisters, and the three of them were black-hatted relatives.
It can be said that Rokkaku Sadeyori is the biggest support for Ashikaga Yoshiteru to sit firmly in Kyoto. Once she died, the situation became confusing.
The Rokkaku family is not without its enemies. The three offices and four offices of the shogunate have all declined. Kitanomi, ruled by the Kyogoku family, one of the four offices, was usurped by the Asai family, which was 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, hoping to kill the Rokkaku family and unify Omi country.
The Rokkaku family is threatened by Asai, and the Miyoshi family is prying from the outside. If you are an ordinary person, you will definitely choose one of them first.
But what Rokkaku Sadayori did was to blow them all up! The beating made the Miyoshi family sign an armistice treaty, and the beating made the Asai family bow their heads and become subordinates.
With her help, the Ashikaga family stabilized the situation, although there were some unequal contents in the armistice treaty. But 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 bears the title of co-owner of the world. How should they deal with the next situation?
It is not that there are no capable people among the ministers. However, this is a troubled world where you are strong and you are justified, and you are weak and you are weak. It's hard for a clever man to make a meal without rice, so there's nothing he can do.
Just as Japan is about to fall into new wars and disputes, Yiyin and its interests are also heading towards Kyoto in Owari.
The north wind is still blowing, and the early spring has not yet reached three points of coldness. It is really not a comfortable job to ride a horse for a long distance at this time. Although he was well prepared, Yiyin was completely frozen.
The wrapped ears and nose were always stung by the cold wind that leaked in, and the body seemed to be falling apart after a day of jolting on the horse.
After a few days, Yiyin had already begun to doubt the correctness of this trip. No wonder people in ancient times didn’t like to travel far. Traveling without cars, high-speed trains, and airplanes was really a torture.
The interest 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 child in the third grade of elementary school on a spring outing.
Maybe it was because he had never traveled far before, and this time he was traveling alone with his favorite master, which made him feel happy.
But 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 confused.
"Isn't it faster to go to Kyoto than to go north to Mino and walk to the river?"
Although she has never walked this road, maps are also an important lesson in the 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 is bumpy and uncomfortable, and some people choose to take the shortcut even if they choose to go there. But the fact that he went to Beijing to seek a guardianship for Oda Nobunaga should 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 Kamioda family governor Nobuyasu is only mediocre in talent, but he is 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 watched 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 family are inextricably linked to each other, Yoshigami can find a way to get through. How did Meinong 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 come out of nowhere, but it may not be without cause. I believe Isshiki Yoshiryu would be happy to deduct Yoshiyin or cut off his head and send it back to Owari.
Yoshigan, who was still a bit of a heel in Owari, was not doing so well in Mino.
Therefore, Yoshihiro’s idea is to make a high-profile announcement about taking the Mino-Omi route, low-key and take the benefits eastward 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.
It is most famous for its port seafood and forged swords. Yiyin is still thinking about whether to buy two good knives.
Ise is the birthplace of Shintoism in ancient times. Ise Shrine is the most respected place, and the emperor has 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.
Yiyin and Yiyi rode through Kaidong County and entered Ise Country in three days. That night I found a nearby dilapidated shrine to stay.
Shintoism has been in decline for a hundred years, but Buddhism is now thriving in Japan. But the torii gate and main hall built back then are still majestic, independent from the world, silently watching the world.
Stay overnight and simply light a fire to keep warm. The cold wind rushes through the palace extending in all directions, no different from the wilderness.
Not daring to let down their guard, the two of them split up and kept 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 temple, and I couldn't open my eyes. He only closed it and opened it for a moment, and there was a person sitting in front of the sleeping Li Yi opposite him.
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 face could not be seen, only his eyes were exposed.
A pair of peach blossom eyes looked at Yiyin with watery eyes. His hand gently caressed Li Yi's neck, holding an inch of sharp iron between his fingertips, making Yi Yin'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 and she was a woman. Looking at the iron piece on Li 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.
"Then you sleep with me."
"good."
