Matsunaga Hide took his flag book and set off from Nijo Castle on horseback, crossing Kyoto to the southern suburbs and heading to Fushimi Castle.
Along the way, she always felt that something was wrong. She stopped her horse and looked around, but couldn't see any clues. She shook her head and continued to set off.
South of Kyoto, there is one of the most important rivers in recent times, starting from Otsu in the southwest of Lake Biwa in Omi, and flowing into the Seto Inland Sea from Osaka Bay.
A section of Minami Omi flowing out of Lake Biwa is the Seta River. It flows through a section of the southern suburbs of Kyoto and is called the Uji River. It passes through Yodo Castle in Yamashiro Province and Oyamazaki in Settsu Province, and flows into the Osaka Plain, becoming the Yodo River.
This river runs through Konkyu from east to west and is the key to the control of Konkyu by the Kyoto shogunate. A section of the Uji River in the southern suburbs, with Fushimi to the southeast and Toba to the southwest, is regarded as the gateway to Kyoto.
The Ashikaga Horsemen were stationed in Fushimi Castle all year round. It was not until Ashikaga Yoshiteru built Nijo Castle that some of the military strength was taken away.
Now, all the Ashikaga Hui members have been transferred to Sakamoto Castle in Minami Omi by Ashikaga Yoshiteru to intimidate the Rokkaku family, and Fushimi Castle is temporarily under the care of Akechi Mitsuhide.
Matsunaga Hide set out from Nijo Castle and traveled all the way to Fushimi Castle to meet Akechi Mitsuhide. I thought that after meeting, I would go directly westward from the river in the southern suburbs and return to my own territory, Dincheng.
She entered Fushimi Castle with great interest, and under the leadership of the Akechi family, she came to the castle residence. Akechi Mitsuhide was already sitting indoors, closing his eyes and waiting for her.
Matsunaga entered the room, smiled and bowed.
"Akechi Ji, I kept you waiting for a long time."
Akechi Mitsuhide opened his eyes and smiled gracefully.
"Matsunaga-hime is very polite. I heard that the general summoned you to come over and answer the question. It's such an enviable favor."
Matsuzuki Nagahide laughed and said.
"Anyway, Meiji-hime is also someone deeply trusted by the general. That's why she is stationed at Fushimi Castle to guard the gateway to Kyoto for the general."
Akechi Mitsuhide couldn't help laughing when he heard what she said.
Her laughter became louder and louder, as if this was some kind of big joke. She couldn't help herself, she laughed so hard that she couldn't stop.
Matsunaga Hide had never seen this elegant and beautiful warrior Ji so unrestrained, and suddenly there was an ominous gloom in his heart.
She asked, her smile a little stiff.
"Why is Akechiji laughing?"
Akechi Mitsuhide looked at her with a smile, shook his head and said.
"It's okay, I'm just happy."
Matsunaga's heart tightened, he looked around and asked.
"Why don't you see His Highness Tsutsui Junkei? Isn't she coming to today's tea party?"
Akechi Mitsuhide asked rhetorically.
"Matsunaga-hime, do you think I came to you today to invite you to tea?"
Matsuhisa's smile gradually froze. She quietly reached out to touch the knife at her waist and pretended to be calm.
"Oh? Ji Mingzhi came to me for something else?"
Akechi Mitsuhide saw that she was wary, covered his mouth and smiled.
"Don't be nervous, Matsunaga-hime, I have no ill intentions towards you.
If it were a tea party, it should be held at the Shiba Residence in Kyoto. I came to you today because I wanted you to see something else. "
Seeing that Mitsuhide Akechi had no intention of harming him, Matsunaga felt relieved and asked.
"What do you want me to see?"
Akechi Mitsuhide shook his head.
"No rush, it's not time yet, let's talk about something else first.
Matsunaga-hime, don’t you think it’s strange? The military strength in Fushimi City is a bit lacking. "
Matsushita Nagahide recalled that he entered the city and did not see any guards, and nodded.
"Yes, there are almost no defenders in the city, which is indeed a bit strange. Why is that? Please ask Akechi Ji to clarify my doubts."
Akechi Mitsuhide looked at her and said slowly.
"Because Ise Sadakyo wants to leave this empty city to you."
Matsunaga's doubts were getting heavier and heavier, and she was just about to ask again. Akechi Mitsuhide, however, raised his index finger and put it between his lips to signal her to stop talking.
Then Akechi Mitsuhide closed his eyes, listened to something, and softly uttered a few words.
"coming."
Matsunaga Hide was confused by her and got a little angry. He felt that he had fallen into some kind of trap. He became nervous for a moment and listened carefully to what was going on outside.
In a daze, there seemed to be noise outside, from vague to clear, like there was movement outside the city.
At this time, Akechi Mitsuhide stood up, raised his legs and walked out.
"Mingzhiji, where are you going?"
Akechi Mitsuhide turned around and gave Matsunaga a manic smile that he couldn't control, which shocked her.
"Go back, go back to my territory. My business has been done, and it is your business after that."
Akechi Mitsuhide's figure quickly disappeared outside the house, leaving Matsuzaki Nagahide completely confused.
She recalled the discomfort she felt along the way, and a flash of inspiration suddenly flashed in her mind. She was shocked and finally figured out what was wrong with Kyoto.
Since ancient times, Japanese nobles have had the custom of admiring cherry blossoms in spring and red leaves in autumn. Now is the best time to enjoy autumn leaves by hunting for red leaves. But along the way, she didn't see a family of nobles coming to the southern suburbs to enjoy the red leaves!
There are many famous families in Kyoto, and they know how to be arty. Why don't they go out? Do you know what will happen today?
Matsunaga rushed out of the room and saw several of his flags coming in from the outside. Matsunaga yelled at them.
"Where is the person! Where is Akechi Mitsuhide!"
A Hatamoto replied nervously.
"My lord, no one can be found in the city, and the wise warrior Ji Ji who brought us in just now is also missing!"
Matsunaga felt a chill rush from her back to her head, instantly extinguishing her anger.
Something must have happened, but she didn't know anything. This feeling of being kept in the dark is really terrible.
The Hatamoto still wanted to speak, but he didn't know how to speak. Matsushita Nagahide glared at her and cursed.
"If you have something to say, just say it!"
Hatamoto swallowed and pointed outside.
"Your Highness, I dare not say nonsense. Please go over and take a look outside the city."
Matsuki Nagahide snorted and walked out quickly. When she walked onto the city wall just now, she seemed to have been restrained and stayed in place.
At this time, the southern suburbs were already in a noisy state. Countless troops came along the Yodo River, with clear flags and high morale.
Matsunaga was trembling all over. What did she see? Countless Miyoshi family flags were flying in front of her eyes in the southern suburbs of Kyoto.
Sanhao’s family is in Luo? Why? Why don't you know? How did these three good military forces enter Shancheng Country?
No news from Diancheng? Didn’t the ministers along the way warn me? The Izumi Hosokawa family's Shoryuji Castle is not far from Yodo Castle, but her family doesn't know anything about it?
Matsunagahide thought of his daughter Matsunagahide who stayed in Yodo City and was busy with the autumn harvest. I remembered Mitsuhide Akechi talking about Ise Sakyo and this empty castle.
Daughters, ministers, and powerful local factions in the shogunate, they all know it! Only the general and I don't know!
Matsunaga took a deep breath, almost suffocating. A huge conspiracy is coming, and she is one of the people being calculated.
Remembering that she had been in Nijo Castle just now and had a pleasant conversation with the unsuspecting Ashikaga Yoshiki, she couldn't help but feel her scalp numb and sweat dripping from her body.
