At this moment, Maeda Riku walked in. Looking at Maeda Yoshida who smelled of alcohol, he stepped forward and slapped her on the forehead.
"Asshole! You're still drinking!"
Maeda lowered his head and sighed sadly.
"I'm sorry, mother, I know I was wrong."
She admitted her mistake, but her body remained as motionless as mud, adhering to the rogue virtues of accepting humbly and refusing to change despite repeated admonitions.
Maeda Riku sneered.
"Want to apologize? Leave it to the master!"
Maeda smiled bitterly.
"If the master is willing to come back, I am willing to bear the thorn and apologize. I don't ask for his forgiveness, just to make me feel better."
Maeda Riku's face was cold, he pointed at the castle gate of Lord Tenshu and said coldly.
"Then you have to move quickly. The master's cavalry will arrive in ten miles. I'm afraid you won't have time to find the back of the thorn tree."
Maeda was stunned, jumped up from the tatami, and shouted.
"What!"
———
Shiba Yiyin ordered the troops of the Shiba family to garrison Guanyin Temple City and follow the actions of the Shangluo coalition forces. In the army, Toshiie Maeda is the leader, and Todo Torai is the assistant.
The Maeda Toshiie family has a close relationship with the Oda family, and the Todo Toraka and the Asai family have close contacts. With them in charge, there should be no problem with the Sabajo Raku army along the way.
The Kanto Hime Warriors who were prosperous in the mountains and the members of the Kamo Clan Village escorted Yoshigan back to the Kinsbo Territory.
Yukino Takada, who was recuperating in Mino Country, also struggled to come to Kannonji Castle and asked to serve his lord. Unable to control her, Yiyin had no choice but to take her on the road with him.
More than 150 horseback warriors marched southward through the Suzuka Pass in Koga County and entered Iga Country. Yiyin deliberately did not notify Maeda of his interests and went directly through the customs.
His cavalry was fast, and the warriors did not dare to stop them along the way. By the time Ueno Castle received the news, Yiyin was already less than ten miles away from the city.
For these ten miles, some time was delayed because the cavalry needed supplies along the way. Otherwise, Yoshigan might rush directly into Ueno Castle and see the drunken and decadent Maeda Benefit.
After hearing his mother's words clearly, Maeda was so frightened that he sobered up instantly. She didn't even care about her mother's presence, she rushed down to the castle tower and shouted in the court.
"Come here! Go to the dining room and get me a bundle of firewood!"
The spring breeze was slightly cold, blowing on Maeda's body, causing her to burp and spit out the smell of alcohol. She could smell the rancid smell on her body, mixed with the stench of alcohol.
When she thought that her master would arrive soon, cold sweat broke out on her forehead. what to do? If the master were to smell his stinky self, Maeda would really not want to live anymore.
She was at a loss when the frightened deer in the courtyard threw water and the crisp sound of green bamboo hitting rocks gave her inspiration.
She gritted her teeth, stamped her feet, and jumped directly into the pool next to the frightened deer, causing water to splash everywhere.
Maeda Riku just came down from the castle tower and walked out to look for his daughter, but saw her fall into his favorite fish pond, her face turned pale.
This damn daughter is a good fish in my pond!
Maeda didn't care what her mother thought. The cold spring water made her shiver. She had no time to feel the cold, so she shivered and took off her clothes, quickly scrubbing her body to get rid of the smell of alcohol.
She was still shouting while washing.
"Mother! Someone send me a set of clothes quickly! Huh? What is this?"
While scrubbing his body, Maeda accidentally picked up something. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a small fish, still wagging its tail to survive. She threw the fish away and continued wiping her body.
The small fish followed the parabola and hit in front of Maeda Riku. I don't know whether he was knocked unconscious or killed, but he didn't move.
Maeda Riku's face became even stiffer. She glared at her silly daughter and squeezed out a sentence through her teeth.
"What a sin...how could I teach such a bastard..."
———
Sibo Yiyin rode forward, but his mind was thinking about how to take back control of Sibo's territory recently.
In recent years, the grassroots level in Spoland has relied on the Sbo Zhong Fund to bribe them with money. The top management mainly deals with the interests of Akechi Mitsuhide and Maeda.
Akechi Mitsuhide's problem is more complicated. She and Yoshigan are the only two people who know about the plan to occupy the magpie nest.
After not seeing each other for two years, Yiyin couldn't figure out what this scheming woman was thinking. Whether she could still be used could only be determined after an interview.
During the war, the punishments were severe. Akechi Mitsuhide's behavior was tantamount to rebellion, and he would definitely die under the command of other daimyo, but it was difficult for Yoshihiro to do so.
Although he has gradually adapted to the principles of doing things in this world, he still has the worldview of his previous life in his bones.
Yiyin really couldn't bear to kill a woman who was sleeping with him.
Even if it was just the death of Fujibayashi Xing, who had secretly had sex with her, it still made him feel sad, not to mention Akechi Mitsuhide, a vixen who had a good time twice, and the level of harmony between water and milk was really great.
Yiyin is destined to be a foolish king. He cannot be ruthless and only interested in profit.
Compared to Mitsuhide Akechi, the issue of Maeda's interests is relatively simple. This guy is stupid and was used as a weapon by Akechi Mitsuhide.
Yoshigan understands Maeda's interests. She does not know the existence of the Hato Occupy Magpie Nest Plan and thinks that Yoshigan will eventually be forced to marry Ashikaga Yoshiteru.
As the military commander of the Spur Territory in recent times, she would turn a blind eye to Miyoshi's visit to Luo, and sit back and watch the general die, just because she was the true love of Yiyin.
The rumor that Si Bo was qualified to become a wife was widely circulated in Si Bo's family. Maeda Yoshiko has always tried his best to express himself, eager to stand out in the battle for his wife.
But the problem is, getting married is just a trick played by Akechi Mitsuhide on their Yoshiyin admirers.
Maeda was so blinded by his selfish interests that he actually threw aside the political trust of Yoshihiro for the sake of his children's personal relationship. This crossed Yoshihiro's bottom line.
The plan to occupy the magpie's nest is gradually advanced, and the conflicts between the concubines will become more and more intense in the future. If it is because of emotional matters, it is not necessary to respect the emperor's order. Can Maeda's loyalty to his interests still be relied on?
This trend cannot last long. If all the important ministers are busy competing for power and jealousy, how will Yiyin control the concubines in the future? He was very disappointed with Maeda and had to make her realize how serious his mistake was.
But the trouble is, Yiyin can't make her wake up through heavy punishment, for two reasons.
First, Maeda Yoshiro is the first retainer of Yoshigan. He has made so many contributions before and after the horse, which can be said to be loyal.
The death of Ashikaga Yoshiteru is destined to be a bad debt. Yiyin could not reveal the truth, so he had to let the three of them take the blame and let the other participants go.
Maeda's charges could only be vague, leaving Yoshihiro no reason to punish her severely. Any heavy responsibility would make the entire Spo retainer group uneasy.
The lower-level warriors don't know what tricks the upper-level samurai are playing. They will only see Maeda, who has great military exploits, bleed for the sake of public service, but in the end he ends up with a bad end, which is too chilling.
Secondly, Maeda was one of the first important ministers after the restoration of the Shiba family. He guarded Iga country for two years and has already taken root here.
The samurai family that Owari came to seek refuge with, and the samurai families that remained in Iga from the old Iga clan, had many people who took refuge in Maeda's interests and worked with her to earn a living.
If Yiyin beats her to the end, what will happen to these people who eat with her? They have no feelings for Yiyin. When it comes time to break up their jobs, who knows what trouble will happen?
Moreover, Otani Yoshitsugi vowed to protect Maeda's interests. Although Todo Takatora had selfish motives, he still stood up to speak for Maeda's interests.
The military commander faction led by Maeda's interests is relatively united. If Yoshihiro really wants to suppress Maeda's interests, it will cause turmoil, which will be of no benefit.
He had just returned from Kanto. The most important thing at this time was to regain control of the Konkisbo Territory and unite the Konji clan ministers who had been unfamiliar with each other for two years, instead of making them feel uneasy and pushing them away.
Therefore, Yi Bank cannot make a big move against Maeda's interests, even with small punishments and large warnings.
Maeda had been in charge of the Konjisbo Territory for two years. In the battle with the Rokkaku clan, he defeated the Koga clan and captured the Suzuka Pass.
Later, in order to raise food for the Yoshino Bank in Kanto, Suzuka Pass was handed over to the Oda family.
She is a person who has made great contributions, and Yiyin has to praise her.
Politics is such a bastard of logic. For the sake of the overall situation, not only can those who make mistakes not be punished, but they must also be rewarded for everyone to see. Let everyone learn from her, serve the public well, and work with peace of mind.
Yiyin was still thinking, and the guy from the Hamo clan next to him approached him on horseback and said respectfully to him.
"The Imperial Palace is in front of Ueno Castle."
Yiyin nodded, looked at the city in front of him, and groaned.
In the past two years, Maeda's interests have been asking the Konkispo Territory to import materials, help her build Ueno Castle, help her replenish military supplies, and use the entire Konkispo Territory's materials to enrich her foundation.
This guy is becoming more and more reckless in his actions. Although Yiyin does not doubt her loyalty, he must teach her a profound lesson and make her feel the pain. Otherwise, sooner or later she will be overturned.
After much thought, Yiyin gritted his teeth and could only use the last resort.
She couldn't be punished on the surface, and she had to make Maeda feel heartbroken without making her feel disloyal. This was simply an impossible punishment.
Fortunately, Maeda has a deep love for Yoshigan, and Yoshigan has one last trick, which is enough for Maeda to cry and feel regretful.
The relationship between monarch and ministers is not easy to punish, but the relationship between men and women can be bullied hard.
Yiyin is very skilled in this regard.
———
Outside Ueno Castle, Maeda Yoshie urgently summoned the retainers in the city and came to the gate to welcome the Lord.
It was still spring plowing time, and most of the retainers were not in Ueno Castle.
The sparse queue of Hime warriors looked at Maeda Yoshie in the front with strange eyes. She was kneeling on the ground with no clothes on and a bundle of firewood on her back.
Maeda Riku looked at his embarrassed daughter and couldn't help but shake his head. Carrying thorns to plead guilty means carrying thorns and using the thorns as punishment.
Shiba Yiyin came so quickly that Maeda didn't even have time to look for Jingtiao and was busy taking a bath in the fish pond. Helpless, she had to find a bundle of firewood instead.
Now, she was kneeling seriously while carrying firewood, looking so nondescript that it made people laugh and cry.
Horse hooves sounded ahead, and dust billowed. One cavalry took the lead, followed by more than a hundred cavalry warriors, heading towards the city gate.
Seeing the crowd in front of him from a distance, Yiyin signaled the cavalry to slow down slowly. When he saw Maeda Yoshiki kneeling in front of the queue, Yoshigami couldn't help but twitch at the corner of his eye.
What is this guy doing? What does it mean to carry a bundle of firewood?
Yiyin thought about it and understood the meaning of firewood, and was speechless. If you can't find thorns, don't apologize for it! This idiot!
He was angry and funny, and the anger in his heart towards Maeda's interests was slowly dissipating.
Yiyin felt a chill in his heart and forced himself to keep a straight face. But we can't let this bastard get away with it just because he laughs about it.
But seeing her kneeling seriously, Yiyin couldn't help but feel a little distressed. Although the firewood did not sting as much as the wattle, the spring cold was severe. She had been kneeling naked for an unknown amount of time, and her shivering from the cold was unbearable.
Yiyin reined in his horse and approached on foot.
Little did he know that Maeda had been interested in practicing martial arts since he was a child, so he didn't take this coldness to heart. She was shaking because she had just climbed out of the pool. After soaking it in water and blowing it in the air, can it stop shaking?
Maeda knelt on the ground, feeling a little uneasy. She breathed into the palm of her hand, then put it under her nose to smell it to see how the alcohol smell had dissipated.
Because she was so focused, she didn't even notice that Yiyin had walked over. Maeda Riku watched anxiously from behind, but did not dare to warn him.
Yiyin saw her breathing into her hands, thinking she was too cold, and said with a soft heart.
"If you can't stand the cold, don't do what the ancients did and plead guilty."
Maeda Yoshida was still carefully identifying the smell of alcohol in his mouth, when he suddenly heard Yoshigan's voice and was startled.
She raised her head suddenly, but because she leaned back too far, she was unable to maintain her balance and was pushed backwards by the weight of the firewood on her back.
Carrying firewood on her back, she rocked back and forth a few times like a turtle that had been overturned.
Yiyin was stunned for a moment. He thought Maeda was about to raise his head and salute. Who knew that a white light flashed in front of his eyes and he saw her turning over, her white breasts beating uncontrollably.
He couldn't help but swallow, thinking.
We haven’t seen each other for two years. This guy’s secondary growth is okay, and his nutrition is pretty good on weekdays.
Seeing his daughter losing her composure, Maeda Riku couldn't help but stepped forward and helped her up. Then he kicked her hard on the buttocks, made her kneel down, and bowed.
"The imperial palace is safe."
Yoshigan Shiba came back to his senses, nodded to Riku Maeda, and said.
"Lord Riku, long time no see."
Maeda Riku bowed deeply and did not dare to say a word. Yiyin smiled at her, and then cursed at Maeda.
“Unload the firewood on your back!
You are already an important minister of the Shiba family, and you are not the unknown person you were at Owari. Why are you still showing off your ugliness for fun like an admirer!
You are shameless, the Sibo family still wants it!
Also, put on your clothes. The weather hasn't warmed up yet, but seeing you shaking like this makes me really confused! "
After saying that, Yi Gin ignored her again and said politely to Maeda Rihisa.
"Lord Riku, I'm a little tired from the long journey."
Maeda Riku quickly moved out of the way, bowed and said.
"Otai Suo, please follow me into the city to rest."
Yiyin nodded and walked straight to the city without looking at Maeda Yoshiki again.
Maeda Riku glared at his stupid daughter and quickly followed Yoshigami in to lead the way.
Maeda was so dejected that he unloaded the firewood behind him and picked up the clothes wrapped around his waist.
She felt someone was observing her and looked up to see Yukino Takada staring closely at her upper body.
"what?"
Takada Yukino subconsciously touched her washboard, turned her head away, and snorted.
"My lord said, it's ugly."
Then, she walked past Maeda Yoshiro.
