At the same time, more than ten miles east of Imagawa Hall, Imagawa Ujimoto and Taiyuan Yuksai and their group were changing the outfits of the Asahina family ninjas and messengers. Taiyuan Xuezhai was still carrying his precious box on his back, and did not leave it behind even on the embarrassing escape route.
"The Asahina Binchu Prefectural Suspense Formation in the city must have delayed them a lot of time." Taiyuan Xuezhai looked back at Imagawakan, which was already as small as a dot, "Even if they find that we have left the city, we will not be able to catch up before sunset. Come on us."
"The master is really good at calculating." Tsuchizune, who was accompanying him, couldn't help but admire. "Imagawa Yoshizhin has guessed our whereabouts accurately, and Imagawa Yoshizhin plans to lure the Asahina family to seize the door in one fell swoop. Pulling out the thorn will definitely not alert the snake, but will allow the Asahina family's ninjas and messengers to come and go freely without interrogation. Unexpectedly, we had already slipped away among the first batch of Asahina family ninjas and messengers to leave the city. "
"Then since Imagawa Yoshizhin claims to be a prophet, I'll let him guess my first move." Taiyuan Xuezhai controlled the horse and said with a smile, "Sometimes thinking too much is not necessarily a good thing. It's just to increase the loopholes. How can we let us slip out if we keep the four doors closed?"
"What should we do next?" Ohara Zhenmi, who took a long way out of the city to hide his traces and came to meet up, asked.
"Chengfang, what are you going to do?" Taiyuan Xuezhai did not answer, but turned his horse's head and looked at the silent Imagawa Ujimoto behind him, "Now that you have escaped from the city, whether you are going to the Hojo family to seek asylum Okay, it’s up to you to hide in the Western Kingdom anonymously.”
"I want to stay in Suruga and fight for the family governor." Imagawa Ujimoto's answer surprised everyone.
"Weren't you the one who said before that you would not become the governor even if you were killed? Why are you taking the initiative now?" Taiyuan Xuezhai glanced at Imagawa Shimoto knowingly, then smiled and said, "Did you promise during the lobbying? What did you steal from the Asahina family? Now you have to become the family governor in order to fulfill your promise?"
"A gentleman, a promise worth a thousand pieces of gold. There is really no other way." Imagawa Shimoto replied with some embarrassment, but his tone was unquestionable. In just one day, the carefree little monk has been faced with three life-and-death crises in a row, and his mentality has changed unknowingly.
"But as a teacher, I have to tell you something. In this troubled world, no one deserves 100% trust, and the Asahina family is the same. You think Asahina Binchu supports you because he appreciates you, but maybe he just thinks you are weak and can be bullied. You are much easier to control than Imagawa Yoshima, who is ambitious and is bound to carry out reforms that will endanger the interests of the Asahina family." Taiyuan Xuezai did not forget to pour cold water on Imagawa Clan.
"Teacher, don't you deserve my 100% trust?" Imagawa Shimoto choked Taiyuan Xuezhai, but the latter laughed.
"Haha... I naturally hope that you don't trust me 100%, but I also know that you, a brat like you, will definitely not be able to do it."
"Since the teacher knows that I can't do it, why are you talking about this?" Imagawa Ujimoto said softly very simply, "I can't do it now and doubt His Highness Asahina Binchu who just saved my life. I can't do it either. When it comes to burning bridges across the river, I have to do what I promised. Only by seizing the governor can I protect the teacher and the Asahina family."
"Okay, since my disciple has such ambitions, I will naturally help him as a teacher." Taiyuan Xuezhai patted Imagawa Shimoto on the shoulder with satisfaction.
"My third brother is the most talented in the past and present. Now my mother has announced her support for my third brother, and all the important officials in the family have unanimously supported me. The entire army and the Imagawa Hall are in the hands of my third brother. Is there any way for the teacher to reverse this situation?" Imagawa Shiyuan's face was full of confusion, and he tilted his head and asked Taiyuan Xuezhai.
"If I said no, would you choose to run away?" Taiyuan Xuezhai joked with a smile.
"Old man, don't make fun of me at this time!" Imagawa Shiyuan snorted, but Taiyuan Xuezhai laughed again. After laughing enough, he said in a deep voice: "There is a way, don't panic."
"What are the chances of winning?" Imagawa Shimoto asked with some anticipation.
"Fifty percent." Taiyuan Xuezhai raised his hand and moved his five fingers.
"Is there still a 50% chance of winning in this situation?" Imagawa Shimoto couldn't help but be shocked, "We can't even get a hundred people together."
"It's hard to do anything within the Imagawa family alone now. But don't forget, there is also our ally, Sagami Hojo." Taiyuan Xuesai waved his raised hand to the east, snapped his fingers, and pointed directly at In the direction of Odawara Castle, "My father was orphaned and widowed, and his situation was even worse than yours today. Didn't he turn things around with the help of Lord Soun (Hojo Soun)? Zhenshi, I will draft a letter right now, You take me to Odawara Castle to see Master Hojo Genan. I am a bit unfaithful to him, so please ask the Hojo family to send troops to assist us."
"Can the Hojo family send troops just by relying on thin noodles? Are you kidding me?" Imagawa Ujimoto frowned, took out the green-edged folding fan from his waist and tapped his head.
"In addition to thin noodles, there is also family ties! The wife of the young master of the Hojo family is your sister (Zui Keiin, the daughter of the Imagawa family and Sugini). For this reason, I have to send troops to help you, right?" Taiyuan Xuesai explained with a smile, "The head of the Hojo family, Dr. Sakyo (Hojo Utsusuna), is quite humane, so don't worry."
"Yesterday, the old man told me that human kindness is useful. I may still believe it. After what happened today, I no longer believe it. The Hojo family would only come to help me out of favor and face." Imagawa Shimoto sighed angrily. , and shook his head at the same time, "Taking a step back, even if the Hojo family is willing to intervene in the Imagawa family's housework. But my third brother is so good at predicting others, and he must have guessed that we are going to the Hojo family to ask for help, so he will definitely We will send envoys to lobby Hojo. On one side are talented people who have already won the support of my mother and retainers, and on the other are me, an ordinary person who has betrayed all my relatives. Why would the Hojo family help us instead of helping my third brother?"
"That's right. Imagawa Yoshizhen seems to have divine help and foresight." At this point, Taiyuan Xuezhai still shook his head in disbelief and kept smacking his tongue, "If he hadn't assassinated the family governor, then He predicted in advance that the governor of the house would die suddenly, he predicted that Mr. Hikoro would also die suddenly, he predicted the precise time of their sudden death, he predicted that Odaiden would come to us, he predicted the time when you would pass near Fuji River and then set up a trap The ambush was delayed, and he entered the city first to persuade Odaiden and the retainers to support him. Later, he predicted that you would persuade the Asahina family to support you, and also predicted that the Asahina family would definitely agree..."
"Each of these predictions is so incredible. Even if I were informed of these developments in advance, I might not dare to believe them. However, Imagawa Yoshima really predicted it right... What an amazing ability. It's like someone who came back from the future. .”
"But those who rely on talent must be arrogant, and arrogance will leave flaws. If there are flaws, we can take advantage of them. As a teacher, I just said that since he can predict our next move, we will let him guess our next step before using it." The future he himself foresees will plot against him."
Taiyuan Xuezhai reined in his horse and looked back at the sunset with confidence in his eyes.
"I have been bragging to you for more than ten years about how great I am as a teacher, but for most of the day I have been chased around like a lost dog. I have really lost face in front of my disciple. Now, I want to regain my dignity. "
"In his eyes, the world is probably just a chess game," Taiyuan Xuezhai laughed loudly against the setting sun, as if he already had a chance to win, and snapped his fingers in the direction of Imagawa Pavilion——
"However, it's the poor monk's turn to hold the white position!"
·
After nightfall, on the wall of Imagawadate Honmaru.
Imagawa Yoshima was still commanding the ninjas to search the castle town outside the city under the cover of night, looking for the whereabouts and escape route of Imagawa Ujimoto and Taiyuan Xuezai, but two uninvited guests had already arrived quietly. After hearing the footsteps, Imagawa Yoshima turned his head and saw that it was Imagawa Ujiteru's Waka teacher - the Imagawa family's diplomatic monk Reizumi Mikazu, and Imagawa Ujiteru's first confidant - the head of the Okabe family Okabe Matsuna. .
"You two..." Imagawa Yoshima was about to say greetings, but was rudely interrupted by Okabe Otsuna.
"I'm a rough man and speak directly." Okabe Oyatsuna ignored the samurai behind Imagawa Yoshima, directly pressed his hand on the handle of the sword, and shouted angrily: "Third Young Master, you'd better give me an explanation, what will happen to my lord?" How did you die?"
"Why did His Highness Sakyo Susumu (Okabe Chitsuna) come to ask me?" Imagawa Yoshima was overwhelmed by this question and asked subconsciously.
"Whether it is among the common people or among the important ministers, the news has spread all over the city. Don't you think that the news of the former master's mysterious death can be concealed, right?" Lengquan Weihe looked at Imagawa Yoshima coldly, "Among them, the most popular news Broadly speaking, it means that you first poisoned the First Master and the Second Young Master, and then intercepted and killed the Fourth Young Master on their way back, just to seize the throne. That's why you were able to learn about the First Master's death when the Imagawa Pavilion blocked the news. , enter the city first."
"That's nonsense." Imagawa Yoshizhin denied without hesitation, "How could I do such a treasonous thing as assassinating the lord?"
"That means you don't deny the second part of the sentence?" Leng Quanweihe's eyes became more fierce. He took out a piece of paper from his arms and stuffed it into Imagawa Yoshima's hand, "The old monk and Na are wanted by the Third Young Master. There is an old Taiyuan Xuezhai. Before he disappeared this afternoon, he entrusted a ninja to give some heads to the old monk. They were all close associates of the Fukushima family. This paper is a list. They were killed after they failed to assassinate the fourth son. The evidence is conclusive, and the three Young Master, do you need to check it yourself?"
"This is true. It's just that the fight for the governor is a life and death struggle. Master Lengquan is not a child, so how can he not understand this truth? So what about an ambush?" Imagawa Yoshima didn't even glance at the piece of paper, but responded directly. road.
"The problem is that the location of the ambush is at the foot of Shandeji Temple. If you want to deploy people there, you have to set off at least around 90:00 in the morning. The problem is that at that time, even the poor monks who served the late master did not know that the late master was unfortunate and that he was far away. How did the Third Young Master at Bianzhaoguang Temple know?" Leng Quan Weihe's tone suddenly dropped to freezing point, and his eyes could almost condense the air, "Unless the Third Young Master has no foresight, or... you killed the third Young Master. Poor monk. He was fine when he accompanied the late master back from Odawara Castle two days ago. If there was no conspiracy, how could he have died so suddenly? How could the second master have died together?"
"At the foot of Zentokuji Mountain..." Imagawa Yoshizhin was stunned when he heard this, and hurriedly explained: "The place where I set up my ambush was clearly west of Fuji River and Kabara Castle, and it was definitely not at the foot of Zentokuji Mountain, which was farther away. I also learned about the death after We just made the plan, how could we predict it beforehand?"
"The people who went to ambush are all dead, and the whereabouts of Xuezhai and the Fourth Young Master are also unknown. Whatever you say is what it is. How can the old monk prove it?" Lengquan Weihe snorted again, and then glared at Imagawa Yoshizhindao fiercely. , "The old monk was not present at the afternoon assessment meeting, otherwise why would you be allowed to become the family governor before clarifying the suspicion? If you can't give an explanation afterwards to explain why you learned about the death of the late master so early, the old monk will never let it go. you."
"I'm more direct." Okabe Oyatsuna didn't say much. He just drew the knife in his hand and gestured at Imagawa Yoshima from a distance. "Until an explanation is given, the Okabe family will never take orders from you. They will only take orders from you." Tai's order. If it is later discovered that you were involved in the death of the former master, even if you have become the governor of the Imagawa family——"
"The whole Okabe family risked their lives, and I want you to pay with your blood."
·
——"Xiaojiulang, have you heard that the third master came back to seize the throne and assassinated the family governor this morning, and is still hunting the fourth master all over the city! There are ninjas from this master's family all over the place, maybe they are Really!"
——"I heard it! I heard it from Josuke. He said that maybe even Ni Odai was killed! It is said that he was taken to Xicheng for execution!"
——"No wonder there was so much noise there in the afternoon!"
——"This third young master is really nothing. In order to fight for power, he killed three brothers in one day, and also killed his adoptive mother...tsk tsk tsk..."
·
——"Sir, starting from this afternoon, have you heard any rumors in the city?"
——"It's already said to be a rumor, so why bother with it? Don't spread unconfirmed news."
——"But the news that the family governor's palace was murdered has spread all over the city, but the family governor's palace hasn't come out to refute the rumors for a day? Is there really something going on?"
——"Yes, sir, I have also heard from my fellow villagers of the Okabe family. Maybe it was the third son who murdered the family governor and the second son! This is treason! How could that bastard do such a thing..."
——"It is said that they also sent people to ambush the Fourth Young Master, and now they have both stolen goods and are being sent to Master Lengquan for interrogation!"
——"I've said it all, don't spread rumors. It's better to blame the higher-ups...but...things are indeed strange. There are quite a lot of things happening outside the West City and the North Gate today. Although I don't know the specific situation, But there is no doubt that there is internal strife in the Imagawa family, and the third young master is also the biggest suspect. Anyway, you all should be careful. If it is an order from the third young master, do not accept the order yet, and only obey the orders of Yuni Odai."
·
After Lengquan Weikazu and Okabe Oyazuna left, Imagawa Yoshima immediately asked the ninjas who went out to search the city to investigate the rumors inside and outside the city instead. Only then did they discover that Taiyuan Xuezhai was not idle after entering the city, and had already arranged for his deployment in Imagawa. The news of Imagawa Yoshizhin's treason was spread throughout the town hall and the castle town.
The common people and samurai also saw the abnormality in Imagawakan today. Reminiscent of the martial law in the city and the commotion in the West City not long ago, many people believed this rumor to be true, and more and more versions were spread. It has been passed down to ten and hundreds of people, but now everyone is panicking. Such half-truths are the most deadly because there are facts that Imagawa cannot deny—and this leaves Imakawa lacking credibility when denying other accusations. The dissatisfaction of the samurai and the people reached its peak after nightfall. Several incidents even occurred in the city, and Imagawa Yoshizhin had to suppress it with all his strength.
"Rumors can kill people... As a result, I have to suppress the rumors with all my strength in the city. There are no extra manpower to trace their whereabouts. And everyone is suspicious of me. How can I mobilize soldiers? I am afraid that the warriors all suspect that I am against the First Lord. It's not good." Imagawa Yoshizhin, who found Shouguini, helplessly asked for help, "Before I went down, I looked down on the old monk. What should I do now?"
"It doesn't matter. I will prove my innocence if I find out in the future." Shou Guini was indifferent to the rumors and just emphasized, "Although the ministries in the city do not believe in Your Highness, they will still obey my orders. I only need to believe in you, there is no need. If you worry too much, I should lead all the troops to assist His Highness Liangzhen."
"Thank you, Odai-don." Upon hearing this, Imagawa Yoshizhin bowed deeply as a child who has met his mother, but Shouguini's eyes were complicated. He does not believe that Imagawa Yoshima has nothing to do with the deaths of Imagawa Ujiteru and Imagawa Hikoro; she only believes in a future: as the flesh and blood of the Imagawa family, the talented Imagawa Yoshima will be able to protect the interests of the Imagawa family and lead the Imagawa family to prosperity. . She didn't care whether the person in front of her was a treasonous person, whether he was her enemy who killed her son, or whether he wanted to kill her.
