"What…"
Immediately after the sudden change, Imagawa Shimoto felt as if five thunders were striking his head, and he was completely stunned. The coldness from the blade on his neck made it impossible for him to calm down and think. The air in the room seemed to have become thinner, making it very difficult to breathe.
"Yutai Palace, how are you going to bed these days?" Taiyuan Xuezhai remained as calm as ever, looking at Shou Guini and asked softly. However, Shou Guini shook his head and whispered: "Master Xue Zhai does not need to pay attention to the secret code left by the First Master. I was not held hostage by Xuan Guang Huitan, but made my own choice. In addition, the third son Xuan Guang Etan has now returned to secular life and changed his name to Imagawa Yoshima.”
"The poor monk overstepped his bounds and wanted a reason." Taiyuan Xuezhai turned his head and moved the sword a little further away from his neck.
"The reason is very simple. I will support whoever is more beneficial to the Imagawa family. Shortly after I returned to the city, His Highness Liangzhen suddenly came to the city to ask for an audience. I wanted to get rid of him, but his words made me I am impressed. Whether it is domestic affairs, diplomacy, military strategy, or understanding of the general trend of the world, I feel enlightened. His Highness Liangzhen's strength is far greater than that of Chengfang, and even his late husband (Imagawa's wife) can't even compare. His overflowing talent only reminds people of Xiaolu Nomanman back then."
"I have introduced His Highness Ryozhen to the genealogy officials. They are currently holding an evaluation in the Honmaru Yashiki. They must have been impressed by his talent." Shou Guini narrated very calmly, but the content of his words was shocking. Incomparably, "I chose Chengfang to return to secular life and inherit the throne because his talents were superior to His Highness Liangzhen. But now, looking at it, His Highness Liangzhen's growth in the past few years is impressive. If such a hero is allowed to lead the Imagawa family, the world can also hope .”
"Furthermore, his loyalty and love for the Imagawa family is far greater than that of Chengfang, and his desire to revitalize Imagawa between the lines cannot be concealed. Compared to him, Chengfang has no feelings for the Imagawa family at all. If he indulges in flowers, birds, and the moon, he will inevitably fail. Will be diligent in political affairs. Which one is better and which one is worse can be known at a glance. In this case, Chengfang has no role. In order to prevent Chengfang, as the legitimate son, from being supported by someone with intentions and coming back to seize the throne one day, causing civil strife in the Imagawa family, it is better to first It’s best to get rid of them. So just half an hour before you entered the city, I changed my mind.”
"Is that enough?" After Shouguini finished speaking, he looked coldly at Taiyuan Xuezhai and Imagawa Ujimoto, "This reason is enough for you to die calmly."
"Chengfang, have you learned? This is what I just taught you. Those who achieve great things must be ruthless and ruthless and not be moved by personal feelings." Taiyuan Xuezhai sighed and whispered a lesson to the stunned Imagawa Ujimoto.
Did I just change my mind this afternoon... If I had not wasted time... but followed my mother back directly, wouldn't things have turned out like this... Imagawa Shimoto looked at Taiyuan Xuezhai with great regret, and felt in his heart The thought already made him feel guilty.
Taiyuan Xuezhai saw the regret in Imagawa Shiyuan's eyes at a glance, and smiled at him pretending to be relaxed, then turned to face Shou Guini, "Yutai Palace, can you give this poor monk a cup of tea? The monk convinced you to change your mind.”
"I have already experienced Master Xue Zhai's persuasive talent. Naturally, I don't want to give you this opportunity. However, it is related to the future of the Imagawa family. It would not be a bad thing if the master can make some suggestions." Shou Guini straightened up. He sat upright, then stretched out his hand and said, "Please."
"Your Majesty the Royal Palace, His Highness Imagawa Ryozhen is not your biological flesh and blood. Although you support him now, when he becomes more powerful, he will definitely have doubts about you, and you can't wait to get rid of him."
"If he can bring the Imagawa family to prosperity, I will give up power. If he is still not at ease, why not kill me for the sake of the Imagawa family?"
"Odaiden's concern for the Imagawa family is touching. But I'm afraid you don't know that the reason why the poor monk and Chengfang delayed their trip was that they encountered an ambush arranged by His Highness Liangzhen on the road. Chengfang luckily escaped death. We The corpse you brought can prove your identity, and if Yutai Palace doesn’t believe it, you can send someone to examine it.”
"I have made it clear that His Highness Liangzhen's talent is unmatched, and no one in the Imagawa family can match him. As long as he is the governor of the family, there is no problem in killing me and Chengfang. Only a ruthless person can achieve great things and become strong. The Imagawa family. His ambush on Chengfang not only does not make me suspicious, but actually makes me more approving."
"Is there some misunderstanding in the Imperial Palace? What the poor monk wants to say is that His Highness Liangzhen was actually able to arrange for someone to ambush Chengfang on his way back to Junfu early when the Imperial Palace blocked the news. Shining light all over the world with Zende Temple Calculating the distance to the temple, he must have known about the sudden death of His Highness Kamizoujie and His Highness Hikogoro at least this morning."
"To be able to lay out the center as a monk and concubine, and to get the news so quickly shows that this person is very capable. It is enough to leave the Imagawa family to him without any worries."
"Odaiden still misunderstood. Is there really such a smooth assassination plan in the world? How much money should it cost to convince the Fukushima family to assassinate the legitimate son of the family before the situation is clear? How can he get accurate evidence to prove that the two highnesses have already Death? Can these things be accomplished in an instant?"
"What did the master want to say?"
"If all the time required is taken into account, His Highness Liangzhen probably knew that the two His Highnesses would die suddenly in the early hours of this morning before they died."
Shouguini fell into silence for the first time.
The other warriors in the room also trembled slightly.
"Master wants to say that His Highness Liangzhen murdered my two sons? After all, it is unusual for the two of them to suddenly die on the same day. I have been investigating for a long time, but found nothing." Shou Guini's eyes gradually converged on Taiyuan Xue. On the blade beside Zhai's neck.
"Everything has not yet been determined. But unless His Highness Liangzhen has the ability to predict the unknown, he must be closely related to the sudden death of the two His Highnesses."
The other warriors in the room were a little restless, but Imagawa Shimoto felt that his breathing suddenly became easier. It was only now that he gradually understood what had happened, and the fear of approaching death also came to his mind.
"So what?" Unexpectedly, Shouguini's next words directly hit the bottom of Imagawa's mood, which had finally recovered, "I have recognized His Highness Liangzhen's talent, as long as he is still a bloodline of the Imagawa family. , is the child of Lao Shen's late husband, it doesn't matter what he does. As long as he can lead the Imagawa family to prosperity, so what if he murders Lao Shen and Lao Shen's two sons for the sake of superiority? Only by being decisive in killing can he prove that he is qualified for the big job. .”
Crazy... She has gone crazy for the sake of the Imakawa family.
This was what everyone in the room thought of Shougini at that moment.
Only Taiyuan Xuezhai understood that Shouguini was not crazy. On the contrary, this woman, who has experienced the death of her loved ones too many times, has gone to such a level of calmness, coldness, and cold-bloodedness in order to protect the interests of the Imagawa family.
"Yutaidian still misunderstood. This is not what I am referring to." Taiyuan Xuezhai slightly moved the rosary in his hand and gently opened his last trump card, "Yutaidian just praised His Highness Liangzhen's talent. He said nothing, but the poor monk felt that it was an exaggeration. If he was really talented, how could he not understand the importance of a prosperous family? The Imagawa family has experienced several civil strife, and now there are very few direct heirs. Throughout the ages, how many families have died due to lack of heirs? In crisis? How could Yutaidian not understand?"
"Including His Highness Ryōshin, none of the five brothers of the previous lord's generation have left any heirs. The fifth brother Ujitoyo had already been adopted by the Owari Na Furuno clan, and His Highness Ryōshin first murdered his eldest brother and second brother, and now he has also murdered the fourth brother. Take action, wouldn't this be the end of the old master's life? We have no eyesight, and the situation is unpredictable. If His Highness Yoshizhin himself encounters misfortune again, wouldn't the Imagawa family be in danger of extinction? To overdraw the Imagawa family's number of people in order to ascend to the throne, this talent Isn't it really putting the cart before the horse and just showing off? Isn't it true that Odaiden is trusting to hand over the family to such a short-sighted, quick-profit person? Even if it is really to be handed over to him, Odaiden does not intend to save Chengfang's life to avoid the Imagawa clan. Extinction?"
After some words, the warriors in the room were already persuaded, and they all turned their anxious eyes to Shouguini, waiting for Shouguini to change his attention. But Shouguini's expression remained calm. After thinking for a moment, he slowly said:
"Master is right, but that's just because you have never met His Highness Liangzhen in person. If you had met him, you would naturally be fascinated by his talent, and you would inevitably miss some things."
"Can you listen to what the poor monk said?" Taiyuan Xuezhai smiled.
"I have learned Master Xue Zhai's eloquence once again." Shou Guini leaned slightly and gave a half salute to Taiyuan Xue Zhai, "Follow the order and spare the lives of the Fourth Young Master and Master Xue Zhai. Before His Highness Liangzhen stabilizes the situation, Detained in Ninomaru Dungeon."
"The poor monk is not good at eloquence, he is just good at telling the truth." Taiyuan Xuezhai looked at the warriors around him, and they all put down their swords with sincerity.
"But there are some facts you didn't tell. For example, your subordinate Ohara Zhenmi was left outside the Honmaru, and now he has gone to ambush around the Ninomaru dungeon, right? You deliberately said this to lure me into seducing Chengfang. Take him to the dungeon so that he can seize the opportunity to rob the prison." Shouguini's expression remained the same as before, and he waved his hand and said, "Send someone to feint and lure Ohara Zhenshi's deployment out of the city. Move the master and Chengfang to Sannomaru West City Prison , send someone to supervise it. Chao Peng, go there in person."
"Yes." Gao Li responded to Chaopeng, while Taiyuan Xuezhai's expression became a little helpless.
"Unload the 'Ryuumaru' and hand it over to His Highness Ryoma." Shouguini raised his hand and pointed at Imagawa Ujimoto. Ruilin Kotaro immediately stepped forward, took off Imagawa Ujimoto's sword from his waist, and whispered at the same time. Said: "Fourth Young Master, I have offended you."
However, the force he used this time was a little too strong, and the green-edged folding fan attached to the belt on the other side also fell off. Imagawa Shimoto, who was about to be escorted out of the door, turned around in a hurry when he saw this, and ordered in a deep voice that left no room for doubt: "Pick up the fan and give it back to me."
Ruirin Kotaro was startled by the sudden momentum and subconsciously followed the instructions. Shouguini's eyes trembled for the first time when he saw that the parting gift he had given to his child more than ten years ago was still being treasured, and when he saw the child's desolate figure being escorted out the door.
