Yagyu Mune crouched down and wept bitterly, while Hitoki Yoshimasa and Wada Yaimasa, who were sitting next to him, lowered their heads and wiped away their tears without any disturbance in their hearts.
Only Ashikaga Yoshiaki, who was in charge, was really moved. She has seen too little of the world, and one day she will know when she returns to Kyoto that Yagyu Muneyan's acting skills are not even good.
But at this time, she was still a Buddhist girl who had just returned to secular life. Unlike Ashikaga Yoshiki, who has learned tactics since childhood, she is easy to deceive.
Ashikaga Yoshiaki stood up, stepped down from the throne, helped Yagyu Soen up, and said movedly.
"Don't cry. With loyal ministers like you here, I believe that the Ashikaga family will be able to return to Kyoto again and bring order to the chaos."
Yagyu Zongyan was stunned for a moment, that's it?
She couldn't figure out for a moment whether Ashikaga Yoshiaki was really stupid, or whether he was helping her show off his acting skills. Fortunately, other people thought that the performance was almost over and came to the rescue.
Niiki Yoshimasa bowed and said.
"What His Highness said is that the Ashikaga Shogun family will return to Kyoto again and rule the world. But for now, we still need to solve some minor problems."
Several people around him came forward to greet Yagyu Muneyan. Apart from their old acquaintances Niki Yoshimasa and Wada Yaimasa, there was also an unfamiliar face.
Yagyu Muneyan asked.
"Who is this?"
The man said boldly.
"My Majesty, Koji Yoshicho, is the bodyguard sent by Kofukuji Temple to protect His Highness when he comes to Sakamoto Castle. Thank you for Your Highness's persistence in allowing me to serve you closely."
Yagyu Soyan nodded politely. This person came from Kofukuji Temple together with Ashikaga Yoshiaki, so they must be close to each other and must not be offended.
Yagyu Mune sharpened his acting skills, calmed down his emotions, and carefully observed Ashikaga Yoshiaki, only to realize that she was still very different from Ashikaga Yoshiteru.
Ashikaga Yoshiki has been practicing swordsmanship all year round. He has a strong personality and is mean to the king. Although he was unkind, his majesty and majesty made his subordinates fear him, which was also some of the city's tactics.
As for His Highness Ashikaga Yoshiaki, she looks like a literary girl who has been sitting in a quiet room all year round. She has a bookish air about her. At first glance, he seems to be a Buddhist disciple who is tolerant and easy to get along with.
As for governing for the king? Yagyu Muneyan doesn't think she can be stronger than Ashikaga Yoshiteru.
Emperor's mental skills cannot be developed overnight. Ashikaga Yoshiteru was also trained as a monarch by the Ashikaga family since he was a child. Only with thunderous methods can he suppress the tortoise bastards inside and outside the shogunate.
With Ashikaga Yoshiaki like this, can he really suppress the shogunate and revive the Ashikaga family? This disrespectful thought came to Yagyu Soyan's mind and he quickly put it out.
She still relies on His Highness Ashikaga Yoshiaki to bestow her position and power on her. Is now the time to think about this? Of course we can talk about the future!
After all the concubines finished the ceremony, Ashikaga Yoshiaki sat on the main seat and said with a frown on his face.
"Yagyu-hime came just in time. The situation in Kyoto and even in Japan is in chaos now, and I need loyal ministers like Yagyu-hime to help me."
"How dare you disobey your orders!"
Yagyu Zong kowtows solemnly, secretly rejoicing in her heart that she made the right bet.
When Ashikaga Yoshiaki first arrived, let alone wanting to do something, his eyes were completely dark and he couldn't see the situation clearly. She is in urgent need of reliable intelligence support to provide information support for Sakamoto City's decision-making.
Yagyu Sogan was the predecessor of the shogunate, and the intelligence network of the Ashikaga Shogun family was not eliminated, but was deceived because of the incompetence of the successor.
Yagyu Sogan was very familiar with Omatsuke affairs and could restore the intelligence network immediately for Ashikaga Yoshiaki's use.
There is no problem with her ability, but what she lacks is authorization, authorization from the Ashikaga family. But now, Ashikaga Yoshiaki obviously wants to reuse her, and her Omatsu authority can naturally be regained.
Ashikaga Yoshiaki is an orphan of the Ashikaga family. Although he is not yet a general, the leaderless Ashikaga Intelligence Network will subconsciously obey her orders. It's not a big problem for Yagyu Sogan to bridge the gap.
The two of them each wanted what they needed, Ashikaga Yoshiaki wanted information, Yagyu Muneyan wanted power, and they hit it off.
Yagyu clan sternly vowed to restore the Ashikaga family's Omatsu functions soon. Ashikaga Yoshiaki smiled happily and praised him repeatedly.
After saying a few nice words, Yagyu Soyan changed his subject and said worriedly.
"Your Highness, I heard a rumor on the way here.
It is said that on the night of Miyoshi's rebellion, the Shiba family and Ashikaga Shogun fought side by side in Nijo Castle.
Before the general was killed, he gave the Seal of the King of Japan to Yukino Takada, the head of the Shiba family, and asked him to pass it on to Kenshin Nobu Shiba, asking him to avenge his wife.
Many respected veterans have gone to Iga Country, met the seriously injured Yukino Takada, relayed the inside story of Nijo Castle, and witnessed the golden seal with their own eyes.
Nowadays, there are rumors in the outside world that when Lord Shiba Kenshin returns to Japan, it will be the day when the Ashikaga family returns to Kyoto to liquidate the rebels. "
Ashikaga Yoshiaki frowned and said dissatisfied.
"Kennobu Shiba is just the governor of the Shiba branch family. He is not even considered as the third leader of the clan. How can he represent the direct descendant of the Genji family in Kawachi?
outrageous! It’s really outrageous! When did the Ashikaga Shogun family end up being represented by a man! "
Ashikaga Yoshiaki's face changed with anger. She had no power and was supported by Ashikaga's ministers only because of her close bloodline. Therefore, she attaches great importance to respect and inferiority, and loves to talk about things based on her family background.
Nowadays, there are rumors that the orthodox status is being attached to Sibo Yiyin. So what is Ashikaga Yoshiaki? What's the point of her returning to secular life?
After embarking on this path, she has no possibility of turning back. She will either become a person in the world, or become a ghost under the sword of the people in the world.
We have to be anxious and we have to fight!
Ashikaga Yoshiaki was losing his temper, several loyal ministers exchanged glances with each other, and Niki Yoshimasa came forward to persuade him.
"Your Highness, please be patient, things are not that bad.
Although Kennobu Shiba has a high prestige, he is not a bloodline of the Ashikaga family, and he is a man, so it is impossible for him to aspire to the position of Ashikaga Shogun.
The Shiba family probably wanted to realize their status as a direct descendant of the Kawachi Genji family and make Lord Kenshin the successor to the new general.
Although he had bad intentions, it was excusable, at least he had no thoughts of replacing it. "
Except for Ashikaga Yoshiaki and Koji Yoshinaga, the other three people present were all veterans of the shogunate. They could see through the political intentions of the Shiba family at a glance.
It was impossible for Yoshigan Shiba to become an Ashikaga Shogun, neither blood nor gender allowed him to do so, but the benefits of supporting a new shogun to ascend to the throne were legitimate, and it was worth the effort.
Ashikaga Yoshiaki was not stupid, he just didn't react. She asked uncertainly, thinking about it carefully.
"Does the Shiba family want to help me rise to the top?"
Sanhime sighed in her heart, this Ashikaga twin girl really didn't understand politics and was too naive.
Wada Weimasa came forward and bowed.
"Your Highness, Lord Kenshin is already equipped with a sword. If he returns to the near future and obtains the gold seal, he will have the full status of a general to command the world's martial arts and reorganize the shogunate.
He has many choices, many more than we do. By then, whether you can become a general or not is all in his mind.
But even if he is willing to support you to become a general, you will always be inferior to him. Because he raised you up and your destiny was determined by him. "
Regardless of Wada Weimasa, Niki Yoshimasa, or Yagyu Munegan, these old Ashikaga ministers did not want to take this path. So they hinted to Ashikaga Yoshiaki openly or secretly that the Shiba family had ulterior motives.
Waiting for Sibo Yiyin to come back and put things right is indeed the safest way. Who dares to start a war with him these days? Who is confident that they can beat him?
Not to mention that he is well-established, the martial arts families in the world will definitely support him. Even if it was a nameless private war between the Wu family, the Rokkaku family and the Miyoshi family did not have the courage to confront him, and they were both scared.
With Mu Qiang's urinary nature of the Wu family, Sibo Yiyin only needs to climb up and call out when he comes back. In recent days, the Wu family will respond in large numbers and help him go to Luo and establish himself as a general.
Then everyone sat in a row, divided the fruits, and sought their own interests and positions in the new shogunate after the shuffle.
This seems to be a good thing, but it has no advantages for the three girls present, only disadvantages.
Yagyu Soen had nothing, she just came to make a career. She wants to make contributions. How can she make contributions if Ashikaga Yoshiaki just waits for him to rise to power?
The Niki family had been weak for too long, and Niki Yoshimasa could not even keep his position as the guardian of Iga, so he was forced to give it to Shiba Yoshigan.
She now controls the Ashikaga Hui clan and sits in Sakamoto Castle. She has the ambition to support the general and revive the family business. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and Spo Yiyin cannot take advantage of all the benefits.
Wada Weimasa has the most chaotic mind. She has the status of a dual retainer of the Ashikaga family and the Rokkaku family. The Ashikaga family declined and the Rokkaku family was in civil strife. She was sent by Ashikaga Yoshiteru to cause trouble in Koga County, offending many people.
If we don't rely on Ashikaga Yoshiaki's path as a new general and get enough credit, how can we have the capital to protect ourselves in the future? In this increasingly chaotic neighborhood, there is almost no one to rely on, and the lives of the entire clan are in danger.
These three people all covet the power of the dragon and hope to contribute to Ashikaga Yoshiaki's rise to power. If Ashikaga Yoshiaki waits for Yoshigan Shiba to come back and cooperate with him, the three of them will have no use value.
Don’t be afraid of being tired when doing things, but be afraid of being worthless. Being worthless means that you can be abandoned at will, and of course they don't want to.
In fact, Ashikaga Yoshiaki himself was not willing.
She made up her mind to return to secular life because she wanted to be the master of the world, the kind of person who sticks to her word. How could she endure a man climbing over her and dominating her?
Although Ashikaga Yoshiaki does not understand samurai politics, his Buddhist roots are also the same. Her name comes from Sibo Yiyin, so she will always be one step shorter than Sibo Yiyin.
What if Sibo Yiyin is not happy one day, knocks her down, and then lifts someone else up? Although the Ashikaga branch was destroyed, there were still distant relatives three generations away.
Ashikaga Yoshiaki thought for a long time and then said with a snort.
"My sister was possessed by demons before she died. How could she give the gold seal to an outsider? They didn't even have sex yet. Yoshigan Shiba is not a member of the Ashikaga family!
If I let him do it, the Ashikaga family may suffer disasters from martial artists in the future. "
All the concubines present were silent.
Ashikaga Yoshiaki can point at Yoshiba Shiba and curse him, but that is just the Ashikaga nobles fighting for power and profit, doing whatever they want.
These retainers were not qualified to speak, and they did not dare to speak nonsense, so they could only praise her secretly in their hearts. Ashikaga Yoshiaki has great ambitions, and everyone has a bright future.
What Ashikaga Yoshiaki said is not wrong.
At the beginning, Wu Fu of the Celestial Dynasty took advantage of the emperor's favor, Si Chen. . No, it's the rooster that hatches the egg and has the power to rule the country. He almost killed all the descendants of the Li family, including several of his own children.
Wu Fu rose from empress to empress dowager, and finally ruled the world, becoming the only male emperor in the history of the dynasty.
Yoshigan Shiba is also the imperial office of Ashikaga Yoshiteru. When the new shogun is promoted to the throne by him, he will be the imperial office of the previous shoguns, and his reputation and strength will be at the peak of his powers.
By that time, Ashikaga Yoshiaki was a p*ss in front of him. If Yoshigan Shiba develops the ambition to replace him, the Ashikaga family will be in danger.
This inference of guilt is not legally valid. But in politics, it is an iron law that everyone firmly believes in.
No one is willing to put their life in the hands of others, especially the hands of politicians who love to play dirty tricks. These people have no moral integrity at all.
In a few words, Ashikaga Yoshiaki and several loyal ministers who had taken refuge in her reached an agreement. They couldn't just wait for Yoshigan Shiba to come back. They had to find another way to return the Ashikaga family to Kyoto.
Back to reality, Ashikaga Yoshiaki asked worriedly.
"I have raised my flag to make it clear that the Miyoshi and Ise families in Kyoto are working together. I wonder if Sakamoto Castle will send troops to deal with me.
There is also the Rokkaku family. The ancestors persecuted Rokkaku Yoshiharu very hard. Will she take advantage of the Ashikaga family's weakness to attack us? "
Before Ashikaga Yoshiaki set off from Kofukuji Temple, he thought things were very beautiful. But after arriving at Sakamoto Castle and learning about the recent situation, she was no longer optimistic.
But there was no turning back. Now that she had raised the flag and carried the banner of the Ashikaga family, she had no choice but to hold on.
In this regard, several people present were more optimistic than her. If they feel that there is nothing they can do, they will not join Ashikaga Yoshiaki and make a bet on their future.
Niki Yoshimasa smiled.
"Don't worry, Your Highness, Sakamoto Castle is an important town in Minami Omi that was carefully prepared by our ancestors. It is easy to defend and difficult to attack. It also has a large amount of military supplies stored, which is enough for us to last for a long time.
The city is backed by Lake Biwa. As long as the channel on the lake is not cut off, external materials and energy will continue to be input.
Sanhao's family went to Luoxing for a treacherous act, which shocked the world. Since His Highness raised the flag, many local samurai families have expressed their willingness to serve the Ashikaga family and continue to donate supplies.
Although the Miyoshi and Rokkaku families have strong military power, if they want to capture Sakamoto Castle, it will not be something they can do in a short time.
What's more, winter is coming soon. The journey from Sanhao to Luo was long and the place was unfamiliar. There has been civil strife in Liujiao for a long time, and all the retainers have their own agendas.
Neither of these two families can raise the logistics supplies for winter operations. There is no need to worry about them coming to siege the city before spring begins. "
Ashikaga Yoshiaki seemed to understand but she didn't know much about military affairs, but Niki Yoshimasa's words were reasonable and well-founded, which made her feel at ease. At least she understood that the enemy could not be defeated for the time being.
After talking about military affairs, Niki Yoshimasa nodded towards Wada Weimasa, and the Ashikaga family diplomat here spoke.
"Your Highness, I have reached an agreement with His Highness Rokkaku Yoshiharu, and she is willing to provide you with supplies."
Ashikaga Yoshiaki said confused.
"The ancestors forced her so hard, why would she retaliate with kindness? This is unreasonable."
Wada Weimasa smiled.
"The Miyoshi family was just a retainer of the Hosokawa clan. They defeated the superiors, slaughtered the main family, and occupied the four countries. Rokkaku Yoshiharu also did not want to see such humble servants come to Kyoto to show off their evil deeds.
The Sasaki Rokkaku family is a famous family in Omi for thousands of years, how can they accept the country bumpkins from Shikoku climbing on top of them? "
