"This annoying old man..."
On the way back to Shande Temple, Mei Yue Chengfang complained non-stop.
Shougini lived in the Imagawa family's home town, Imakawakan (later Sunfu Castle), which was only about 50 miles away from Zentokuji Temple. It was only more than half an hour's journey by carriage, but Shougini had never visited for more than ten years. Mei Yue Chengfang, who became a monk. Although Mei Yue Chengfang said that her mother had forgotten about her, she still made excuses for her in her heart - she must be too busy.
His mother, who was busy with government affairs, finally found time to see him, but Taiyuan Xuezhai did not tell Mei Yue Chengfang in advance, causing him to waste more than an hour outside - his mother had to go back before dinner no matter what. The time that mother and son had been reunited for more than ten years suddenly changed from three hours to one and a half hours. The more Mei Yue Chengfang thought about it, the angrier she became.
He rode his horse straight into the temple, and did not get off his horse until he reached the door of the house. When he opened the door, he saw Shou Guini and Taiyuan Xue Zhai sitting on both sides of the table. After more than ten years of separation, Mei Yue Chengfang could still recognize her mother's appearance at a glance - even though Shou Guini had become a nun after her husband Imagawa's death. She was wearing a purple cassock and a white headband, and she looked much more haggard.
"Teacher, why didn't you tell me that mother was coming?" Mei Yue Chengfang deliberately did not look at her mother's gaze, but turned her face sideways and took the lead in attacking Taiyuan Xuezhai. Taiyuan Xuezhai shook his head and explained in a low voice: "The poor monk didn't know that Yutai Palace would come."
"Chengfang." Before Mei Yue Chengfang could adjust her mood, Shou Guini called out in a somewhat old voice. After Mei Yue Chengfang heard her mother's voice for the first time in a long time, her whole body trembled slightly. She hurriedly combed the messy hair in front of her forehead. Then she hesitated for a moment and chose to sit down next to Taiyuan Xuezhai and said respectfully to her mother. He bowed and said, "I have met my mother."
Then, he could no longer hold back his longing, and regardless of etiquette, he raised his head and looked at his mother's face, almost crying.
"Why are you here so suddenly? I have nothing to entertain you!" In order to cover up his gaffe, Mei Yue Chengfang looked around and talked to him. He was about to ask about Shou Guini's health, but Shou Guini had already spoken coldly.
"If nothing happens, why would I come here because of my children's affair?"
Shou Guini's words made Mei Yue Chengfang swallow, and the words she had just prepared were swallowed back. Shouguini didn't mean to delay for a moment and continued directly:
"Early this morning, the governor of the Imagawa family and his younger brother died of a sudden illness. They left no heirs and left the Imagawa mansion without an owner."
Mei Yue Chengfang could understand every word Shou Guini said, but he still didn't realize what she was saying. He just let the syllables float into his ears blankly.
"The news has been blocked, but it will only leak out sooner or later, and there will be chaos in the territory. I order you to return to secular life immediately, change your name to Imagawa Clan, and inherit the throne."
It wasn't until he heard the words "Imagawaji Yuan" that Meiyue Chengfang finally realized what had happened, and the information contained in the previous sentence gradually became clear in his mind.
During the seventh generation of Imagawa Noritada, the Imagawa family made great contributions when assisting the shogunate to quell the Ekei Rebellion in Kanto. Because of this achievement, the then shogunate general Ashikaga Yoshitsune bestowed upon the Imagawa family a rare grace: the name "Tianka Miao" - from now on, only the direct descendants of the Imagawa family can use the "Imagawa" Miao character, and all children who are not the eldest son will change their surnames. , which gave rise to many branches such as Horikoshi and Sena. Since then, the word "Imagawa" has been synonymous with Imagawa's noble bloodline.
And it was the turn of Mei Yue Chengfang, the fourth son to become a monk, to use the Miao character "Imagawa", which meant that the Zong family was no longer an heir.
Big brother…second brother…
Mei Yue Chengfang raised her head in fear and looked at her mother in disbelief, but there was no expression on Shou Guini Gujing Wubo's face. He turned to look at Taiyuan Xuezhai again, wanting to ask him for confirmation. Taiyuan Xuezhai nodded slightly, then let out a long sigh.
"Why? How could the eldest brother and the second brother suddenly be on the same day?" Mei Yue Chengfang, after a brief moment of surprise, immediately asked anxiously, "What happened? How did they leave?"
"Now is not the time to ask these questions. Return to Imagawa Hall immediately to take over the throne. If you are too late, when Genguang Etan reacts, you will definitely fight for the throne with the support of the Fukushima clan as the third son of the concubine. Once the succession war for the family governor breaks out, the Imagawa family will be severely damaged." After Shouguini finished saying this, he stood up and walked out the door. When he walked to the door, he found that Mei Yue Chengfang had not followed him.
"What?" Shou Guini whispered.
"So mother didn't come here to see me, she came here to let me succeed... If this incident hadn't happened, you wouldn't have come to see me at all, would you?" Mei Yue Chengfang was motionless on the spot, headless. He asked without any end.
"Yes." Shouguini was not unambiguous and answered simply, adding at the same time, "Don't waste time."
"Your eyes are not red at all... The eldest brother and the second brother passed away this morning. Did you shed even a drop of tears for them?" Mei Yue Chengfang said another random sentence.
"I don't have time to cry, and you also don't have time to delay, hurry up." Shou Guini's eyebrows sank, showing signs of anger. Unexpectedly, before Shou Guini became angry, Mei Yue Chengfang suddenly burst out and shouted with a higher pitched voice.
"What's so fast? Can you be considered a mother? Even if I die one day, you won't shed a tear? You won't even take a look? If it weren't for me to go back and take over, wouldn't you be there for the rest of your life? Won't you come to see me?" Mei Yue Chengfang laughed angrily, and stood up suddenly. The tears that had been held in her eyes for a long time rolled down ironically, as if she was mocking Mei Yue Chengfang for missing her mother for more than ten years, "Afraid that I will usurp the throne. , it was you who kicked me out of the house at a young age and threw me into a monastery, and now it is you who asked me to go back and take over the throne? It is you who have not visited me for more than ten years, but when you suddenly came, you didn't even say hello to me Are you the one who is unwilling to say anything? You came here not to see me, but to be the governor of the family? Are you really so cold-blooded? Instead of treating me as your son, you treat me as a tool to seize the governor of the family? "
"What do you want to say?" Shou Guini's eyebrows furrowed even more.
"If I don't go, whoever you love will go. What does the Imagawa family, a terrible cold-blooded family, have to do with me? If the third brother wants to succeed, let him go!" Mei Yue Chengfang fiercely took Qingbian, her most beloved child, into her arms. The folding fan fell to the ground and yelled at the same time: "Why do you want me to be the governor of the Imagawa family? Just because I am your son, and the third brother is the son of the side room? His superior position is not conducive to your power. ?"
"Xuan Guang Huitan's talents are not as good as yours, and he cannot lead the Imagawa family to prosperity." Shou Guini gave an answer that Mei Yue Chengfang had not expected at all, "Since the eldest son is in a dilemma, I have no choice but to establish my talents."
"I'm not going anyway." Mei Yue Chengfang folded her arms, turned around and sat down, deliberately not looking at Shou Guini. "I stayed well in the temple and wanted to be at ease. Who wants to go back to the Wu family?" Suffering? The thought of endless Machiavellian attacks and a house full of cold-blooded people like you is disgusting."
"This is an important matter for the Imagawa family, and you can't do anything wrong." Shou Guini looked cold and raised her hand. The warriors who followed her were about to swarm Mei Yue Chengfang away. Mei Yue Chengfang was also unequivocal. He picked up the ruler placed on the table and was about to fight back. Upon seeing this, Taiyuan Xuezhai stood up in a hurry and stopped in front of Mei Yue Chengfang. At the same time, he smiled and explained to Shou Guini: "Let Yutai Palace laugh. This child has an unruly personality and is a poor monk who usually neglects discipline. Please Yutai Palace." Go ahead and wait for the poor monk to convince Chengfang, then come to Imagawa Hall immediately."
"Old man, please don't interfere. If it's not your business, I won't go!" Mei Yue Chengfang wanted to protest after hearing this, but Taiyuan Xuezhai turned around and glared at her, but she had no choice but to shut her mouth honestly.
"Master Lao." Shou Guini and Taiyuan Xuezhai looked at each other, clapped their hands, and signaled the accompanying warriors to present a sword, "This is the 'Ryuumaru' passed down from generation to generation by the Imagawa family governor."
Then Shou Guini didn't say much, turned around and left without looking at Mei Yue Chengfang again.
