August 11, the 10th year of Tenmon (1541), Matsuno Castle, the border port between Kai Kingdom and Suruga Kingdom.
"I said, Yuantsuna, you people in the Imagawa family don't seem to welcome me, the in-law, very much!"
Takeda Nobutora led a small team of attendants and rode on the mountain road. He smiled at Okabe Motsuna who came to accompany him as a guide. It turned out that instead of having an honor guard listed to welcome the Matsuno Castle Ogi family, the entire army was on alert for Takeda Nobutora's arrival.
"Let me tell you a joke, no one really thinks that a few years of marriage alliance can erase the blood feud of the past decades, right?" Even in the face of outsiders and distinguished guests, Okabe Motsuna showed no intention of restraining his mean jokes. , "His Royal Highness Ogi Shosuke has been at war with your country for half his life. Now there are many exiled ronin in the Junbei area occupied by the Takeda family who have fled to His Highness Shusuke for shelter. Is His Highness Sakyo hoping that the Ogi family will give you a good look?"
"Haha, what do you know, you little brat? If you want to fight, fight to death, but now that we are at peace, we shouldn't dwell on the past grudges. This is what a mature samurai should look like." Nobutora Takeda laughed loudly. , the fleshy face and beard are almost squeezed together, and the heroic look is exactly the same as Takeda Harunobu:
"Not to mention anything else, your father Sakyo Susumu Okabe was the main force in the invasion of Kai back then. He and I fought to the death every time, and one time he and I even went hand-to-hand with each other. The recognition of us Kai people under the Okabe family Countless lives have been lost, but why don’t I let his children be my guides now? You and your father are quite similar, both in appearance and personality, both are cold and mean menial gourds."
"To tell you a joke, I don't want to be your guide at all. I am assigned by the House Governor's Palace." Okabe Momotsuna had no intention of getting close to Takeda Nobutora.
"Haha... My son-in-law must have no intention of giving me a good look when he takes pictures of you, an incomprehensible person like you, for coming to greet me?" Takeda Nobutora laughed at himself, then shook his head repeatedly, sighing in a pretense of sadness: "How sad! The old man misses his daughter, grandson, and granddaughter. He traveled thousands of miles to visit his son-in-law's house alone, but he received a cold reception. It is really inhumane."
"Tell me a joke. You are better at telling jokes than I am." Okabe Momotsuna nodded thoughtfully, and seemed to really start to study Takeda Nobutora's joke-telling skills.
"If you can't survive in the Imagawa family, you are welcome to come to the Takeda family. Kai is quite big. When you are tired, you can just retire, no problem." Takeda Nobutora turned around on his horse and looked at the man who was half a body behind. Okabe Motsuna sent out a meaningful invitation, "I often take in exiled ronin. If you don't want to come, it doesn't matter. If you do, I can give you the Takeda family's official name later." Let’s call you ‘Okabe Motonobu’.”
"Tell me a joke, you can't be close without being close." Okabe Momotsuna sneered at Takeda Nobutora's request, "It's really too shameful to blatantly poach allies."
"Haha, how old are you? You are still so childish. You believe these nonsense. I think you don't understand at all." Takeda Nobutora laughed again when he heard this, and he laughed so hard on his horse.
"What do you know?" Okabe Motsuna asked coldly.
"You want to understand, there will be many good things in the Imagawa Hall from now on." Takeda Nobutora calmly let it slip.
"Good luck? Is it a mutiny?" Okabe Motsuna had already put his hand on the handle of the knife and said in a deep voice with full vigilance, "I advise His Highness Sakyo not to cause trouble to the allies in the Imagawa family territory."
"What kind of mutiny? It's more exciting than mutiny! I can also teach you how to become an adult." Takeda Nobutora nodded and showed a strange stubble-like smile unique to middle-aged men, "Here you go, watch carefully later, you will know after you see it. . Do you think your main hall and that Xuezhai monk will be fuel-efficient lamps?"
·
On the evening of August 12, the 10th year of Astronomy (1541), Suruga Imagawakan.
"Ah, ah, ah, how dare I trouble you to spend so much money?" Outside the east gate of the Imagawa Hall, Takeda Nobutora had already seen the streets decorated with lights and colorful decorations, and was polite to Imagawa Yoshimoto and Taiyuan Xuezai who came to the gate to greet them in person. road.
"My father-in-law is here, how can my son-in-law not express his feelings?" Imagawa Yoshimoto smiled and bowed to Takeda Nobutora. What he said was sincere, "My son-in-law is very lucky to have your wife as his wife. Naturally, I am also grateful to you.”
"Haha, that girl Ginkgo is lucky to have you as her husband!" Nobutora Takeda laughed with satisfaction and patted Imagawa Yoshimoto hard on the shoulder, "You have a good figure, quite strong!"
"Your father-in-law, you are so complimentary." Imagawa Yoshimoto declined his thanks and turned around, making a "please" gesture, "Please come into the city."
Behind Imagawa Yoshimoto, countless warriors and common people of the Imagawa family lit lanterns and lined the streets to welcome him. Under the cheers and surroundings of the crowd, Nobutora Takeda was so happy that he could not stop smiling from ear to ear, as if he had forgotten all the unpleasantness he had encountered on the border.
"This Suruga is really rich!" Takeda Nobutora looked at the samurai and civilians on both sides through the firelight. "The clothes that these common people wear are something that only samurai can wear in our Kaibi. And the fabric of this samurai's clothes, even if I can’t even afford a few items at home!”
"If His Highness Sakyo likes this style, let alone a few pieces, even if there are thousands of pieces, we will have to send them to you after we have evacuated Suruga, right?" Taiyuan Xuezhai continued with a smile, "But poor On the contrary, the monk prefers the clothes of your country. The materials are simple and can cultivate the mind. It is more suitable for you when you are older. It is not better than those young people who dress up like the Qingqi every day."
"Master Yukisai, what are you talking about? People can grow old, but their hearts cannot grow old. No matter how old you are, you can't live with money, right?" Takeda Nobutora also smiled kindly, "We people in Mount Kai are all born in hard times. "When I was a child, I only had one pair of pants and one piece of clothing. I didn't have to change or wash it if it got dirty. I was careful not to touch it. If my clothes were torn, I would be scolded by my parents when I went back."
"So, no matter how many clothes you sent from Suruga, you still don't feel comfortable wearing them. After all, if you have a broken one and one less, how can you dare to wear it." Takeda Nobutora smiled and patted his big head. , "But I am an active person by nature. I can't sit still or stay still. I always want to run on the wild roads in the mountains. I feel uncomfortable if I don't hunt for a day. How can those clothes stand up to the tossing? Those beautiful clothes you gave me are not good at all. I don’t even dare to wear it, I guess I only dare to wear it to sleep after taking a shower.”
"Then according to His Highness Sakyo, you want a place rich enough to make your own clothes?" Taiyuan Xuezhai was still smiling, but the meaning of his words gradually became more subtle.
"So I say that you rich people in Suruga have never lived in poverty, how can you understand the suffering of us mountain people?" Takeda Nobutora seemed to be lamenting his life, but he also cleverly changed the subject, "What should I do here?" It’s really prosperous, and a country bumpkin like me, who has been poor all his life, is a little too happy to miss Shu!”
"The ones who are more happy and reluctant to miss Shu are still behind." Imagawa Yoshimoto took over the conversation - the group of people had arrived at the gate of the castle tower unknowingly, "Please, Lord Father-in-law, we have prepared a banquet."
·
Numerous important officials from the Imagawa family gathered in the guest room and prepared a sumptuous banquet to welcome Takeda Nobutora's arrival. Ginkgo herself held Goro Imagawa and hugged Nagachiyo, while Takaki Mochizuki behind her hugged Osomatsu, waiting to see her grandpa together.
"Oh, my dear daughter, I really want to be a father!" As soon as Takeda Nobutora entered the door, he ignored the looks of the important officials of the Imagawa family around him and walked quickly towards Ginkgo without caring about etiquette. Shouguini, who was about to stand up to greet him, froze in embarrassment, frowned rather remarkingly, but didn't say anything after all.
"The sun has come out from the west." Ginkgo felt sick in her heart as she watched her father talk to her in a cordial manner that she had never seen before. Father and daughter have not seen each other for so long, but they have to perform for others when they meet for the first time?
"Seeing that after giving birth to three children, you are still in such good health and are not overweight, I feel relieved as a father!" Takeda Nobutora's eyes turned red, and he actually squeezed out a few tears. Ginkgo was forced to act in this drama of "deep love between father and daughter", but she couldn't help but feel nauseated.
"Come, let me see my grandson and daughters!" Takeda Nobutora really regarded this castle tower as his own, and he happily took the swaddling clothes and wanted to hold the baby. Who would have thought that Nagachiyo, who was peaceful in Ginkgo's arms, would burst into tears as soon as he was hugged by Takeda Nobutora. Ginkgo quickly picked up the child and coaxed her in her arms. Takeda Nobutora turned to Osomatsu in Mochizuki Takaki's arms, and immediately made the child cry.
Takeda Nobutora was a little embarrassed, but he just smiled to cover it up and squatted down to say hello to Imagawa Goro. But Imagawa Goro seemed to be frightened by this ferocious-looking bearded man. He, who was always sensible, backed away continuously at this moment. First he hid behind Ginkgo - and then when he found Takeda Nobutora unwilling to come over and hug him, He ran directly to Taiyuan Xuezhai, grabbed Taiyuan Xuezhai's cassock and hid behind his legs.
"Children can't lie, and they can't make fun of themselves." Ginkgo said sarcastically in a low voice that only Takeda Nobutora could hear. Takeda Nobutora pretended not to hear, his expression remained as before.
"Hey, the children don't even kiss my grandfather. Instead, they kiss an outsider like you, Master Xuesai." Takeda Nobutora slowly stood up with his knees in his hands, shaking his head and sighing, looking like a frustrated person. The old man asked, "Is my military aura too strong?"
"Haha, such a young child can't tell the difference between relatives and seniorities. He will stick to whoever plays with him more." Taiyuan Xuezhai smiled lovingly and raised his hand to touch Imakawa Goro's hair, "Goro! , that’s your grandpa. Listen to Grandpa Xue Zhai and go say hello to him."
"Hello, Your Highness Sakyo." After Imagawa Goro hesitated for a while, he greeted him politely and politely.
"Why are you meeting with grandpa and calling him 'His Majesty Sakyo'?" Takeda Nobutora frowned with dissatisfaction, "Grandpa misses you. He has been wanting to see you for several years. Don't you want to meet grandpa?"
"If you miss the children, my father-in-law may wish to come to Imagawa Mansion often, or stay for a while. The more you come, the children will get familiar with you, and they will naturally become close to you." Imagawa Yoshimoto stood up and said with a smile, He led Imagawa Goro to sit down on the seat.
"Haha, my family is busy with work, how can I have time to go out every day? This time I came to Suruga, I have taken some time out of my busy schedule." Takeda Nobutora scratched his gray hair and sighed with a wry smile.
"Let's stop chatting and come to greet the father-in-law! Everyone, have you met His Highness Takeda Sakyo!" Imagawa Yoshimoto clapped his hands, and the Imagawa family samurai present immediately greeted Nobutora Takeda in unison.
"You're welcome, we're all in-laws, there's no need!" Takeda Nobutora waved his hand carelessly and sat down on his seat, "Let's eat quickly, otherwise the food and wine will be cold. Follow your Suruga rules. , do I have to be the first to use the chopsticks?"
