At noon on April 17th, the fifth year of Tianwen (1536), Dongrong, Lejun County, Sanhe State was established.
"Xiao Qilang, are you sure your map is correct? Why is it getting more and more detoured?"
The pampered Imagawa Ujimoto was leaning on crutches and moaning in pain on the mountain road - even though all the luggage was carried on Hayasaka Nao's body.
"Your Highness, this is the right one. We need to take a detour to Minami Shinano so that we can avoid the possible appearance of Imagawa Ryojin ninja." Hayasaka Nao held the map in her hand and repeatedly confirmed the location. The two masters and servants have been walking in this mountain forest for two days, and Imagawa Shimoto feels that he keeps going back - he has passed the same creek three times. But the good thing is that passing by the stream means Imagawa Ujimoto can take a bath. Otherwise, he would be sweating all over and not have enough clothes to change, but it would cost Imagawa Shimoto his life.
This time Imagawa's Yuan Gu came to Luo to avoid attracting attention. But Taiyuan Xue Zhai was not so big-hearted as to let Imagawa Shimoto, a young man with little experience in the world, go on the road with an attendant who did not know martial arts. There were always ninjas secretly protecting him in the distance. However, in order to avoid attracting the attention of other forces and causing complications, the ninjas always kept a long distance from Imagawa Jimoto - Imagawa Yoshimoto was very doubtful that at such a long distance, if something really happened to him, those ninjas would not come. There was time to rescue.
"Your Highness, why do you have to go all the way to Shangluo?" Hayasaka Nao asked with some confusion, "And it's not safe."
"The ruling of Gongfangden and the order of the shogunate are not as prestigious as before the Onin Rebellion, but they are still respected among samurai families in the world." Imagawa Ujimoto explained while walking strenuously on the mountain road.
He is right. Although the shogunate in 1536 was far from as powerful as it was more than a hundred years ago, it was still very influential - at least it did not fall into decline around 1570 - even if it fell into decline around 1570, the assassination of Ashikaga Yoshi Teru's Matsunagahide and Miyoshi's trio will still be discredited, and the last general Ashikaga Yoshiaki can also pull up a massive Nobunaga encirclement network. In 1536, even a giant daimyo of the size of the Hosokawa family had to show courtesy to the shogun.
Perhaps the shogunate could not actually influence areas outside Kinki through the power of the public, but the concepts of "loyalty to the shogunate" and "the shogun is the master of the world" that had been cultivated for more than a hundred years remained in the hearts of samurai and common people. The daimyo who climbed to the top might sneer at this, but the samurai and the people under their command believed it. If you are designated by the shogun as a target of rebellion or crusade, the samurai under your command will become disloyal, a rebellion will break out in the territory, and other surrounding daimyo will also attack in groups in the name of "great justice".
Perhaps the besieging daimyo didn't really believe in the shogun's will, but they were able to use this as an excuse to send troops legitimately, and they were recognized by their samurai and the citizens. Therefore, whether it is in terms of territorial disputes, civil war between family governors, conclusion of alliances, or mediation of armistices, the shoguns of this era still have great energy.
"Back then, the sixth Megami Sosuke (Imagawa Norimasa) made extraordinary contributions during the Uesugi Zenhide Rebellion and was appointed by the shogunate as the 'Vice General of the World'. He was famous for a while. But in his later years, he wanted to abolish the elder and establish a younger one. , the shogun made his efforts in vain and passed away sadly with just a ruling. The shogun ruled that the seventh generation Daisuke Minbu (Imagawa Noritada) should succeed to the throne, but rejected the sixth generation's doting son Oga Norai. The retainers of the Imagawa family learned that After the news, he no longer supported the Lord, but instead supported the Seventh Generation."
"Later, my grandfather, Yatsumijibu Daisuke (Imagawa Yoshitaka) made a special trip to Luka to thank the general. The general also gave the Ashikaga family letter 'Yi', which was an infinite favor. Ietsu (Imagawa clan's relative) and Oka When Fan Man competed for the family governor, Xiao Lu Norman once relied on his talents to win countless supports from inside and outside the family, but the only person I could rely on was Soun Gong (Hojo Soun). But Soun Gong replaced him at the time. The general came to hand with the imperial letter ruling that Jia Yan should succeed the family governor, and the situation turned around. More and more retainers switched to Jia Yan from Xiaolu Fanman, and finally Jia Yan succeeded in succeeding. The power of the general's ruling can be seen A spot."
Imagawa Clan recalled the past, and gradually understood Taiyuan Xuesai's intentions, "The Imagawa clan is from the Ashikaga clan. Since ancient times, there has been a saying that 'the public has no heir, Kira Tsugumi, and Kira has no heir, Imagawa Tsugumi'. Our Imagawa family also and the shogunate We have a close relationship. The previous two disputes over the governor of the Imagawa family relied on the shogunate's decision. Both my teacher and my mother had connections in Kyoto. They must have wanted me to follow the story of my ancestors, receive a word from the general, and then let the general make the decision. I will serve as the governor of the Imagawa family."
"In this way, there are two precedents. When I go to Yuanjiang to quell the rebellion as a general, I can get twice the result with half the effort. If the people of Yuanjiang country dare to resist, they are enemies of the shogunate, and all the samurai under his command will Rise up against them.”
"I see." Hayasaka Nao nodded repeatedly in sudden realization, but she still couldn't help but complain, "Then why not just ask Kōhoden to send the imperial letter on disarmament to Suruga?"
"You are the shogun after all, so you have to save some face. We should go to Luo for a visit." Imagawa Ujimoto smiled and turned around to explain to Hayasaka Nao, but he seemed to touch something under his feet without paying attention. He looked down and found a girl sleeping under the tree in front of him.
As if her dream was disturbed by an uninvited guest, the girl frowned slightly, stretched out while muttering, rubbed her sleepy eyes, and raised her head drowsily as if she was not full of sleep, looking at Imagawa Ujimoto who appeared as a stranger. For some reason, her red lips parted slightly, and she suddenly said hello lazily:
"Good morning, sir."
·
A girl who looks like a cat—this is Imagawa Ujimoto’s first impression of girls.
He glanced at the girl, but found that he could no longer look away - even though this was a very rude move, Imagawa Ujimoto, who had always been knowledgeable and courteous, could not do anything - the tenderness and gentleness in the girl's lazy eyes She is charming and makes people lose their soul once they look at her.
Her upper body is a white feathered fabric, and her lower body is a burgundy long skirt. Such simple and loose clothes could not hide her graceful and exquisite figure. Her satin-like long hair hangs loosely and loosely to her waist. Behind her two figure-shaped bangs on her forehead, her willow-like eyebrows are looming. The jet-black hair at the temples accentuates the fair and beautiful face, and the facial features are so delicate that they don't even look like human beings. The lines of the girl's eyebrows are very soft, and she looks very unmotivated, as if she is taking a nap for most of the day, but she is so gentle that people want to get close to her and take a look at her beauty.
Imagawa Ujimoto, who had read poetry and books, tried hard to find some words to describe the girl in front of him, but he was still at a loss. He could only stare at her in ecstasy, feeling that all the famous mountains and rivers he had traveled to in the past ten years, all the rare paintings and calligraphy he had admired, and the thousands of good poems he had recited were eclipsed in front of her. Because this girl is as beautiful as if she stepped out of a painting.
·
"It's about love, it's about etiquette."
Imagawa Shiyuan has been reciting this sentence silently in his heart, but he still can't bear to look away, even blinking. So as I kept reciting it, it became "A fair lady, a gentleman is fond of fighting".
"That's too rude, sir." Under the young man's fiery gaze, the girl's cheeks seemed to have warmed up. However, she was not like those public girls in ancient books who shyly covered their faces with their fans when strangers saw them. Instead, she smiled and teased Imagawa Gendo generously, "Isn't it possible that in just a few seconds, we agreed with our hearts? "
That smile made Imagawa Shigen fall in love even more. He had to force himself to bend down slightly, look away, and whispered: "I'm sorry, miss, don't blame me."
"How can you not blame me for disturbing my nap?" The girl stood up with a chuckle, casually rolled her long hair, and tied it loosely into a ponytail behind her head. The curves of her body became even more attractive when she stretched, and Imagawajimoto had to swallow. He swore and looked away again to hide his gaffe. The girl noticed Imagawa Shimoto's gaze and smiled again, "Tell me, what is the crime?"
At this moment, another young man emerged from behind the rock next to the tree. His facial features are sharp and angular, and he is calm and intimidating. He seems to have two completely different styles from the girl. The katana on his waist already indicated his identity. He glanced at Hayasaka Nao and then at Imagawa Ujimoto.
Hayasaka Nao was startled when she saw the man suddenly appeared, and after being stunned for a moment, she immediately put her hand on the handle of the knife, stepped forward to protect Imagawajimoto behind her, and asked in a low voice: "Who is coming? "
"It's me who should ask you, right?" The man also made a very alert posture, "Why are you approaching my sister?"
"Your sister?" When he heard the first half of the other party's words, Imagawa Shimoto felt as depressed as if he were drowning, thinking that the girl was already famous and married. But after hearing the word "sister", she was picked up from the bottom of the water and breathed in the sweet air.
"We were just passers-by, and we happened to meet each other. We didn't mean any harm." Imagawa Shigen took half a step back and explained kindly, "Your Excellency, please don't blame me."
"I see, your face doesn't look like someone who has done evil." The man looked at Imagawajimoto carefully, and then at Hayasaka Nao, finally relieved, and said very directly: "I am Nakasugi Tora Chiyo, I dare to ask Your Excellency is honored by your surname."
"Shinagawa Goro." Imagawaji Yuan reported his pseudonym, and at the same time looked at Hayasaka Nao, and only introduced him briefly, without naming him, "This is my attendant."
Hayasaka Nao knew what Imagawa Ujimoto meant, and took the initiative to announce her name: "Hasaka Koichiro, I have met these two adults."
Sure enough, after Hayasaka Nao also introduced herself, the girl naturally said: "Little girl Ginkgo."
The Imagawa family's trick was successful, and after hearing Fang's name, a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth unconsciously. However, his little thoughts seemed to be penetrated by the clever Ginkgo, who smiled sarcastically, "Sir, you want to know the girl's maiden name, you have bad intentions."
"Sister, don't say that..."
"When will it be your turn to teach my sister a lesson?" Ginkgo frowned and glared at Tora Chiyo Nakasugi, but her gentle and watery eyebrows could not be majestic in any way. However, Nakasugi Torachiyo seemed to listen to Ginkgo's words, so he shut up and changed the topic: "Looking at the accent, Mr. Shinagawa is from Togoku?"
"Yes, I'm from Kanto. I lived in Kyoto when I was young. I'm going home for a visit." Imagawa answered without changing his expression - this was not entirely a lie. "Mikawa, Toe, and Suruga have been in war recently, so I don't dare to leave office." If you want to know the way, we will go around the mountain road."
"Haha, it's so refreshing! We are also going to Kyoto." Nakasugi Tora Chiyo heard this and was delighted. "We are from Echigo, but we have been living in Shinano. This time we are going to Kyoto to express our condolences to our father. Originally, we wanted to On the official road of the Hokuriku Expressway, I encountered a traffic jam and was forced to take a detour in the opposite direction."
"Ah... I'm sorry." Imagawa clan Moto just wanted to say a few words of relief, but Ginkgo on the side said: "Hey, Tora Chiyo, even if our father is a damn bastard, there is no need for you to curse him to death. Go to Kyoto If you go and become a disciple, just become a disciple, there is nothing to be embarrassed about."
"Haha, what sister is saying is, why should a real man hide his lack of talent and knowledge? Why don't you just be more relaxed?" Nakasugi Tora Chiyo laughed twice sheepishly, and then looked at Imagawa Ujimoto, "Since we are going to Kyoto, why don't Mr. Shinagawa go with us? It’s not peaceful recently, there are a lot of bandits on the road, and there are many people taking care of us.”
"It's what I asked for." Imagawa Shimoto agreed without hesitation, while Ginkgo beside him showed a subtle smile.
Today we know the joy of King You of Zhou.
Imagawaji Yuan sighed secretly in his heart.
poo.
