Todo Takatora trembled twice, not knowing what to say. Her mother sent her here to see him in order to distance herself from Teng Tang’s leadership.
Fortunately, now, Otani Yoshitsugi chased her to Gifu City, dragged her to plead with the Odaisho for Maeda's interests, and immediately forced her into a corner.
It would definitely be false to say that Maeda was completely unaware of the situation. That guy was obsessed with his master, and he was angry and outspoken against the Ashikaga Shogun who wanted to marry his master by force.
Todo Takatora really doesn't know what Mitsuhide Akechi has done. But what Maeda had done was not hidden from Todo Takatora in his inner circle.
Takataka Toudo knew through his daughter Takatora Toudo that Maeda's interests were involved in the Kyoto Incident, and immediately ordered her to come to Gifu Castle to see the master in order to pluck out the Toudo family.
Takatora Toudo also thinks this is reasonable. Although we are good sisters, Maeda's interests are so desperate that the sisters have to find their own way out.
She has always prided herself on her outstanding abilities, but even when she surrendered to Shiba Yiyin, she felt a little twisted. Warrior Ji should serve the seven lords throughout his life and constantly look for ways to ascend.
Although Shiba Yiyin is powerful, he is still a man. The future of the Shiba family is murky and unclear, so we should not get caught up in it.
It's just that Todo Takatora's idea has been suppressed by her mother. My mother has never been a serious person in half her life. Once she had the chance to get her current family fortune, she would be very satisfied and content with the status quo.
Todo Takatora's active thoughts were never exposed until now. To this day, she has no hesitation in betraying Maeda's interests, finally revealing a little bit of her cold nature.
But Otani Yoshitsugi's statement in front of Shiba Yoshigan made Takatora Toudo not know what to do.
Although Takatora Toudo wanted to sever the relationship, Maeda was still the boss of the Suba Military Advocate Faction, so his intention to betray him should not be too obvious, otherwise he would not be able to continue to lead the charge in Saba in the future.
She thought for a moment, gritted her teeth, bowed with Otani Yoshitsugi, and said.
"My minister also means the same thing.
Mr. Maeda Yoshida has worked hard and achieved great results, and his achievements in suppressing the Rokkaku family in the past two years are obvious to everyone. She was just careless for a moment, and she has absolutely no intention of caring about you.
At the Imperial Palace, I dare to guarantee with my life that Lord Maeda Yoshida is a loyal minister of the Shiba family! "
Otani Yoshitsugi took a trick, and Toudo Takatora quickly reacted and picked up the conversation.
Sibo Yiyin sneered at their cleverness and was helpless.
Is Maeda's interest loyal to him? That must be loyalty. But the problem is, whether she is loyal and whether she participated in the Kyoto Incident are not the same thing!
The retainers of my retainers are not my retainers. This is a characteristic of the feudal system.
Ashikaga Shogun is rich in the world, and it is said that all samurai families in the world are the subjects of Ashikaga Shogun. But specifically, Maeda was not a retainer of Ashikaga Yoshiteru, but a retainer of Yoshigan Shiba.
She is loyal to Shiba Yoshigan, and she can stab Ashikaga Yoshiki without any conflict!
Otani Yoshitsugi was confusing right and wrong, secretly changing concepts, and forcibly blocking the loyalty of Maeda's interests to Yoshihiro Shiba from the truth of the Kyoto Incident.
Anyway, Fujibayashi Anya is dead, and there is no evidence of his death. Who can prove that Maeda was really involved? Who would believe what that bastard Akechi Mitsuhide said!
Yiyin sighed, feeling melancholy.
He recalled that when he was in Owari, he had nothing. It was Maeda who led him to clean up the evil gangs in the wilderness and taught him the skills of fighting and killing.
It can be said that without Maeda Yoshida, the first retainer, there would not be today's Shiba Yiyin.
Yiyin can ignore Otani Yoshitsugi's sophistry. But if Maeda’s interests are really to be wiped out, can Yoshigoshi bear the heart?
He rubbed his forehead, feeling weak.
He couldn't be cruel to Takada Harano. He still couldn't be ruthless towards Maeda's interests. After all, Ashikaga Yoshiteru died in vain.
Yoshihiro could even see Akechi Mitsuhide's mocking smile of false elegance flickering in front of his eyes. That bastard already knew that there was nothing he could do.
If you can't even take care of your retainers, how can you take care of your foreign ministers? If one favors one over the other, Yiyin's reputation for fairness and strictness will inevitably be damaged.
Yiyin slowly closed his eyes and said.
"I'm tired, please step back."
Otani Yoshitsugi and Toudo Takatora looked at each other, neither of them could figure out their master's thoughts.
After a long silence, Otani Yoshitsugi mustered up the courage and asked.
"Odaisho, it's the matter of Mr. Maeda Yoshida..."
Yiyin closed his eyes, not wanting to look at the shadow of Akechi Mitsuhide dangling in front of him, and sighed leisurely.
"You have finished explaining the truth, what else can I say? She has merit and hard work, and I also remember the good things she did when she followed me.
That’s all, I just believe her. "
Otani Yoshitsugi couldn't bear it when he saw the tired look on his lord's face. He felt that what he did today was a violation of etiquette.
But after thinking about it, I didn't know what to say to comfort my lord. In recent times, these important ministers in Sibo's leadership have been really bastards, and she has also lost her reputation.
So she kowtowed to the ground and resigned together with Todo Takatora.
After the two of them left, Yiyin slowly opened his eyes and looked at the beams.
When rituals and music are ruined, wolves take over and lead beasts to eat people. There is no way to survive in this world. You must either join in the evil deeds or die quickly.
It’s so hard to be a human being.
———
Todo Takatora walked out of the inner courtyard and looked up at the New Year's sunshine, as if he was in another world.
Otani Yoshitsugi walked up to her silently, stared at her and said.
"Toudo Takatora, do you still remember the oath you made back then? What did you and I say in front of Maeda Hime?"
Toudo Takatora lowered her head, her sight that had just seen the sun was a little blurry, she said with a wry smile.
"Otani-hime, I have no intention of betraying you, but I cannot disobey my mother's orders. After all, I am not the governor of the Todo family yet."
Takatora Toudo shied away all the responsibilities and put them all on his mother, Takatora Toudo. She is just the heir of the Toudo family, and it is not wrong to obey the orders of the family governor.
Otani Yoshitsugi snorted and said nothing more.
She had been wearing a headband for many years due to illness. Todo Takatora couldn't see her face, but he knew that this incident would definitely cause a rift and suspicion in the relationship between the two.
Todo Takatora secretly sighed, Otani Yoshitsugi is really stubborn and does not understand the principle of assessing the situation.
A good bird chooses a tree to roost in. Maeda is greedy for profit. He is not a good boss. Why would he hang himself on this crooked tree?
Friendship? Can we talk about friendship these days? In troubled times, all the kind and righteous people have died long ago.
Toudo Takatora felt that she was right, but she knew Otani Yoshitsugi's temper and did not dare to say anything. She just said in a casual tone.
"Otani-hime is really powerful. Your outspokenness to the imperial office actually made your Majesty give in and recognize Maeda-hime's loyalty."
Otani Yoshitsugi said with a look of shame on his face.
"The imperial office is a benevolent and righteous monarch. I am using villainous tricks to hide justice. This is not the behavior that a loyal minister should have.
I had no choice but to do it for Maeda-hime, and I really feel unworthy of your lord's kindness. "
Takatora Toudo disagreed.
Shiba Yiyin is indecisive and a person who values friendship too much. In troubled times, this is the way to die.
This incident further strengthened her view. She really couldn't see a bright future by following a sentimental man.
The Sibo family lacks a descendant, has no young master, and the family governor is a man. One day Sibo Yiyin accidentally dies, no matter how big the family fortune is, it will collapse in an instant.
It's just that his mother was stubborn. Thinking of Shiba Yoshigan's support, Toudo Takatora could only hold back many words in his heart and did not dare to say them randomly.
Takatora Toudo was thinking about his thoughts and never forgot the compliments.
"Otani-hime is humbled.
It was only because of your strong arguments that Maeda Hime could successfully pass the test. I am really happy for her. "
Otani Yoshitsugi looked at her seriously for a moment, and finally sighed.
"Fujido-hime, together with Maeda-hime, you and I fought through thousands of troops and finally gained the power and wealth we have today.
I won’t care about what happened this time, but don’t let it happen again, okay? "
Todo Takatora groaned in his heart, but with a pleasant look on his face, he nodded in agreement.
"It's natural.
This time it was my mother who forced me to leave, so I didn’t have the chance to go to Iga Country to discuss things with you. But I also wrote a letter specifically to give you a heads up. "
Otani Yoshitsugi's attitude softened and he bowed.
"I was too harsh, please forgive me Todo-hime."
Todo Takatora quickly bowed in return and said.
"It's my fault for not thinking well, please forgive me Otani-hime."
After understanding each other, the atmosphere warmed up and the two walked out while talking. The Hamo clan has prepared a place for them to stay, and they just went to rest together.
The two of them seemed to have no grudges, and it was impossible to tell whether they had any grudges in their hearts.
———
With the arrival of Takada Harano, Toudo Takatora, and Ohtani Yoshitsugi, Yoshihiro Shiba's doubts about Shiba's leadership in recent years were gradually dispelled.
Only then did Yiyin realize that he was far more powerful than he thought. Just because he refused to return with anger, he was so frightened that all the concubines in the recent Sibo leaders came to express their loyalty, fearing that they would be left behind and become cannon fodder.
With this momentum and new ideas from Spozhong Fund, the time is ripe for Spozhong Bank to return to Japan.
But at this time, he had made an agreement with Oda Nobunaga that they would jointly support Ashikaga Yoshiaki in Shangluo, so naturally he could no longer return to Konki without authorization.
He ordered Takada Harano, Toudo Takatora, and Otani Yoshitsugi to return to Konki first to arrange follow-up matters for the army to go to Luo.
Oda Nobunaga's planning for the whole winter has gathered the supplies, and all the military forces are fully mobilized.
Maeda Toshiie mobilized Owari Shiba to lead the army to join together, and together with Yamanaka Yukimori's Hime Warriors, they formed the Shiba family's Kamikawa army.
Tokugawa Ieyasu also came with the Tokugawa family's military force and arrived at Gifu Castle.
Oda, Shiba, and Tokugawa expected to mobilize more than 30,000 soldiers, and everything was ready. As long as Ashikaga Yoshiaki comes, he can go to Luo Kyoto and regain the shogunate.
———
Ashikaga Yoshiaki looked at Gifu Castle ahead and hesitated.
The coalition forces that supported her rise to power were right in front of her, and she was clearly only one step away from the Ashikaga Shogun's throne, but she still felt resentful.
Everything has changed.
As a sister of Ashikaga Yoshiki, she traveled to various powerful feudal lords both inside and outside Japan. Although the attitudes of each family were different, Ashikaga Yoshiaki enjoyed a lot of honors out of respect for the Ashikaga Shogun family.
But with the return of Sibo Yiyin, the attitude of each family changed instantly.
He was born into a noble family of the Shiba clan, and was the fiancé of Ashikaga Yoshiaki. He held a royal sword, wore a gold seal on his body, and had a white flag on his back. Which identity of Yoshigan Shiba was less orthodox than Ashikaga Yoshiaki?
He is recognized by the world as a direct descendant of Kawachi Genji, and he is much better than Ashikaga Yoshiaki, a Xibei guy who was born awkwardly.
Ashikaga Yoshiaki finally felt the meaning of Wada Weimasa and others' advice these days. As soon as Sibo Yiyin came back, he became useless and no one cared about him anymore.
What's even more hateful is that Wada Weimasa and the others were also frightened by Shiba Yoshigan. They didn't dare to help Ashikaga Yoshiaki fight for the orthodox status of the direct line of the Kawachi Genji family, and they were frightened to their knees.
Not only did they kneel by themselves, but they also persuaded Ashikaga Yoshiaki to kneel with them. How could Ashikaga Yoshiaki, who had just enjoyed the honor of Ashikaga General, endure this!
But the situation was stronger than the people, so Ashikaga Yoshiaki finally came to Gifu City with his nose pinched. As the surviving daughter of the Ashikaga Shogun family, he begged Yoshigan Shiba to help him ascend to the position of general.
Her eyes were full of anger and shame. She should have been the most noble person in the world, but she had to endure the mercy of a man.
Ashikaga Yoshiaki secretly determined that one day, she would become a veritable master of the world. No one can climb on top of her and dominate her, no one can!
———
In the Gifu Castle Castle, Yoshigan Shiba is sitting on the main seat. The lower half of the seats were empty, reserved for Ashikaga Yoshiaki.
Further down, sat Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu, as well as various high-ranking martial arts families who participated in the reception.
Yoshigan Shiba was a little bored sitting in the main seat, and Yoshiaki Ashikaga's speed was much slower than expected.
Oda Nobunaga was obviously impatient with waiting and shouted outside.
"Isn't anyone here yet? Send someone to investigate again!"
Tokugawa Ieyasu said with a smile.
"Your Highness Oda, please be patient. It may be that His Highness Ashikaga has just arrived and is not familiar with the roads, so he was delayed a little time."
Oda Nobunaga tapped the tatami with the paper fan in his hand and said.
"I clearly sent someone to guide me, why are you still so slow? Lord Qianxin is tired of waiting!"
Tokugawa Ieyasu smiled and said nothing, and Shiba Yoshigan glanced at the arrogant Oda Nobunaga and said nothing. This bastard is obviously unhappy with himself, so he insists on using Yiyin's tiger skin to make excuses.
With the status of the three people present, it is normal for Yoshigage to wait for Ashikaga Yoshiaki to see him. He is the widow of Ashikaga Yoshiteru and the direct descendant of Kawachi Genji.
But Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu are more subtle.
If Yoshigan Shiba was not here, they would definitely go out to greet Ashikaga Yoshiaki to show their respect for the Ashikaga Shogun family.
But when Shiba Yoshigan was here, Oda Nobunaga was so careless that he didn't go to greet him, as if he was waiting for Ashikaga Yoshiaki to appear in court together. It was really too arrogant.
Tokugawa Ieyasu was a little uneasy, but she was an ally of Oda Nobunaga. Oda Nobunaga won't go. If she goes, won't she lose her status?
Originally, the alliance between Oda and Tokugawa was somewhat unbalanced. If Tokugawa Ieyasu was any shorter in political behavior, it would be even harder to get along with him in the future.
As a result, it ended up like this. The three of them were waiting for Ashikaga Yoshiaki at the castle tower. It was already a somewhat embarrassing situation, but it became even more interesting when Ashikaga Yoshiaki was late.
The Wu family attaches great importance to courtesy, so of course they will make proper arrangements for the audience and plan the route in advance to avoid waiting for the noble person for a long time.
But just as Oda Nobunaga forgot to greet him, Ashikaga Yoshiaki also seemed to have forgotten the time.
Isn't this a coincidence?
