On September 27, the tenth year of Tenmon (1541), Imagawa Yoshimoto, who originally planned to retreat when Takeda Harunobu reported victory, received the news that Takeda's army was defeated in an ambush at Mitsuzō Pass. Along with this, there is also top-secret information brought by Kansuke Yamamoto, who is covered in blood.
"Hojo Sakyo is not dead at all... He personally led his troops to set up an ambush at Miso Pass. Even our army's scouts saw him in person. He faked his death to trick us into marching!"
"What?" Imagawa Yoshimoto held his forehead deeply after hearing the news, "My cousin... really can do anything for victory."
After regaining his composure, Imagawa Yoshimoto hurriedly recited a few Buddhist chants, as if he was repenting to the gods and Buddhas - after all, he had just recited sutras to pray for the souls of Hojo Uzuna a few days ago - who would have thought that he would bully him in front of the gods and Buddhas? Delusion.
"How is His Highness Takeda doing now?" Imagawa Yoshimoto asked again.
"The troops have been withdrawn back to Kai, and the troops will be disbanded soon." Yamamoto Kansuke seemed a little embarrassed when he answered Imagawa Yoshimoto's question, but in fact, he was quietly observing the subtle changes in Imagawa Yoshimoto's expression - trying to determine who Imagawa Yoshimoto was. Did he choose not to march because he realized that Hojo Uzuna was still alive, or did he really not march because he didn't want to kill others.
Yamamoto Kansuke was originally more inclined to the former: After all, Imagawa Yoshimoto is the overlord of one party, how could he give up a good opportunity to fight because of these meaningless affection between children? It must be because the ninjas of the Imagawa family discovered the secret of Hojo Tsuna's survival and quietly reported it to Imagawa Yoshimoto. Imagawa Yoshimoto refused to attack, but allowed the Takeda family to die - a good move to kill someone with a borrowed sword.
However, Takeda Harunobu disagreed with Yamamoto Kansuke's judgment. He believed that Imagawa Yoshimoto simply did not want to take advantage of others, especially since that person was the son of the benefactor who saved his father back then, and no further information was obtained at all. Before Yamamoto Kansuke came, he scoffed at Takeda Harunobu's speculation, but after seeing the surprise on Imagawa Yoshimoto's eyebrows, the guilt after lying to gods and Buddhas, and the worry about Takeda Harunobu, etc., Yamamoto Kansuke realized It was Takeda Harunobu who truly understood Imagawa Yoshimoto.
"The Ryosugi family has also marched. Do you need to send someone to remind them?" Imagawa Yoshimoto added.
"My lord has sent someone." Yamamoto Kansuke replied - but Takeda Harunobu did not notify him at all. Sitting and watching the Ogidani Uesugi family, the Yamauchi Uesugi family and the Hojo family go shopping, this is what the Takeda family is happy to see.
"Even if the Hojo family did win, how could they make such false claims about their own life and death?" Imagawa Yoshimoto sighed, obviously still a little dissatisfied and confused by Hojo Ujitsuna's deception.
·
On September 30, the Tenth Year of Astronomy (1541), Imagawa Yoshimoto led the Imagawa Army back to Imagawa Hall, preparing to disband the troops and go back for the autumn harvest - in fact, they could not catch up. As compensation, Imagawa Yoshimoto provided additional stipends to every family serving in the military.
However, outside the castle town of Imagawakan East Castle, Imagawa Yoshimoto unexpectedly found many people standing on both sides of the road. After seeing Imagawa Yoshimoto's red bird horse seal from a distance, Sui Feng brought cheers and gratitude from the people - Imagawa's army had never received such treatment. When Imagawa Yoshimoto walked in, he discovered that the people who came to welcome him were the refugees he brought back from Shinano. Taiyuan Xue Zhai placed them beside the uncultivated fields around Imagawa Hall. After they learned that Imagawa Yoshimoto's class had returned, they all spontaneously came to greet him. There were also many ignorant children in the team - they were children saved from the massacre in Uehara Castle.
Amid the cheers of gratitude from the people, Imagawa Yoshimoto's eyes turned slightly red. He just did some trivial things - he could obviously do more and save more people, but he didn't, because he gave up because he considered the interests of the Imagawa family - but just these small things, in the poor In the eyes of the people, it was already an incredible kindness.
There is really no way...
"How wonderful." Ginkgo sighed softly in the sedan chair behind him. "How many times better than the voices of Kai's people cheering to the daimyo for the wealth they plundered?"
"Well..." Imagawa Yoshimoto nodded slightly, and finally sighed. He doesn't know yet that his series of good deeds in Shinano will soon spread throughout the Tokaido along with the word of mouth among the honest people and every ordinary person's desire and praise for goodwill, bringing him a He has the reputation of "the most benevolent person in Tokaido".
·
On September 30, the Tenth Year of Astronomy (1541), inside the Imagawakan Castle Tower.
"Overall, you did a pretty good job this time. You helped our allies expand their territory and you didn't suffer much loss yourself. With Minami Shinano taken, our defense in the northern part of Enjiang was much lighter. And Takeda We will definitely spend a lot of energy on the annexation of Minami-Shinano territory in the future, and will definitely rely on us even more." Taiyuan Xuezai read the files of Imagawa Yoshimoto's expedition, and finally praised a few words with satisfaction, but then He changed the subject and said:
"But what about the half-percent sea salt that is sent to Kai every month? In order to prevent the massacre of the Takeda family - in fact, you only saved some children - you still have nothing to do with us Suruga. Nongren—promised to send more sea salt every month?”
"It's my problem, old man, please stop talking about it." Imagawa Yoshimoto pursed his lips and shook his head, twisting his body on the tatami with some frustration, "There is really nothing I can do..."
"All the sea salt has been given away, now you know it was wrong?" Taiyuan Xue Zhai laughed dryly.
"Even if I was wrong, it was because I failed to save the whole city." Imagawa Yoshimoto raised his head and glanced at Taiyuan Xuezhai, "But it is impossible for me to break the alliance with the Takeda family because of this. Even if I No matter how dissatisfied I was, I was a hypocrite who gave up my principles for worldly interests, and I was indeed wrong on this point."
"Then you later insisted on not taking advantage of the death of Hojo Sakyo to march. What did you say about not attacking the people? But this time you succeeded in sticking to the principle?" Taiyuan Xuezai scratched his shiny head and teased Imagawa Yoshimoto. One sentence.
"You can't repay kindness with hatred..." Imagawa Yoshimoto said unhappily, "Besides, I didn't find out afterwards that what you found out was false news, old man. My cousin's uncle is not dead. If it's true what you said. As we advance, we will probably be the first to be ambushed."
"Chengfang, you brat, you know how to talk hard." Taiyuan Xuezhai laughed and cursed, but didn't say anything more. Imagawa Yoshimoto also fell silent when he saw this, his brows no longer looked as bright as before. Taiyuan Xuezhai naturally understood the entanglements and contradictions in his beloved disciple's heart, so he stood up with a smile, belched wine and patted Imagawa Yoshimoto on the back: "Let's go, I will get you a new one from Kyoto." I have a few paintings of flowers and birds by famous artists, why don’t you come and take a look?”
·
Just like Imagawa Yoshimoto who went to find Taiyuan Xuezai as soon as he came back, Ginkgo also wanted to go to Takeda Nobutora with great interest. To her surprise, Nobutora Takeda did not stay in the room reserved for him by the Imagawa family on the second floor of the castle tower. Ginkgo was a little surprised, but decided to go back to her bedroom first, but heard the laughter of Goro Imagawa and Nobutora Takeda coming from the bedroom.
Ginkgo did not enter the door. Instead, she stood on tiptoes like a kitten and quietly approached the bedroom. She put her ear against the paper door to listen to what was going on inside.
"Grandpa, grandpa, throw it away!" Imagawa Goro shouted with a smile.
"Come on, grandpa, throw it over now, catch it, don't let Miao Miao snatch it!" Takeda Nobutora smiled, but Ginkgo almost didn't recognize the voice - such a kind and kind laughter is really that murderous one. Can my father send it out?
Then Ginkgo heard the sound of throwing from inside the room, probably throwing paper balls - this is Miaomiao's favorite game. There is no doubt that this playful kitten will pounce on the paper ball.
There was another movement in the room, and then Imagawa Goro's laughter came again - it seemed that he got the paper ball before Miao Miao. Then he shouted: "Grandpa, pick it up!"
There was another sound of throwing, and this time the movement in the room was even more chaotic. Then came Nobutora Takeda's frustrated complaints and Imagawa Goro's happy laughter:
"You didn't get it! You didn't get it! I won!"
"Why did Miao Xiaomiao come to cause trouble!" Takeda Nobutora in the room looked at the smaller orange cat in front of him. She had a paper ball in her mouth and happily handed it to her mother, and played kicking with Miao Miao. Paper ball.
"Anyway, you just didn't get it!" The sound of Imagawa Goro's running sounded, followed by the sound of jumping and colliding with objects - probably he threw himself into Takeda Nobutora's arms.
"Come! Give grandpa a hug!"
"Now you know how to care for your child? There is really nothing you can do..." Ginkgo opened the door with a smile on his face, but he still pretended to be angry and said to Takeda Nobutora, "Huh? Father? Why didn't you know how to accompany me like this when you were a child? Where am I playing?"
"How can the Takeda family's governor have time to play with his children?" Takeda Nobutora said to Ginkgo while holding his grandson in his arms, "But now, a down-and-out old man who has been kicked out of the house naturally has plenty of energy and time."
Ginkgo sent Imagawa Goro to tidy up the messy room, so that Shouguini would not come and scold him again later. While leaning into Takeda Nobutora's ear, he whispered at a volume that Goro Imagawa could never hear:
"I hope you really want to play with your child, and are not planning some dirty tricks to get close to your child to carry out your plan."
After Ginkgo said this, she frowned. For the first time in his life, Nobutora Takeda felt the fierce murderous aura from his daughter. Miaomiao and Miao Xiaomiao on the side seemed to notice it, and they stopped playing uneasily. .
"It doesn't matter if you use me, my brother or my sister, but you are not allowed to use that child, and you are not allowed to use my children as bargaining chips for your samurai family." Ginkgo bit her lip and warned Takeda Nobutora word by word, "Don't get that kid Wulang into the mess of your Wu family, or I will kill you, and I will do what I say."
"Haha, there is no escape. Goro was born into the Wu family. It was a matter of time." Takeda Nobutora laughed, as if he was not frightened by his daughter's threat at all. "Only when he reaches my age will he be Only in exile and seclusion can you get a moment of leisure."
At this moment, the sound of crutches came from the corridor at the door again. Ginkgo immediately realized that Sugini was here and hurriedly tried to clean up the house, but her mother-in-law saw a messy bedroom and Imagawa Goro and two kittens who were playing around. Ginkgo has experienced this kind of situation many times in the past few years - after that, she inevitably got a lecture and a few words of scolding for the mountain girl who didn't understand etiquette. She didn't care, she just turned a deaf ear.
However, this time, Shouguini didn't say anything and just glanced inside the room.
"Mother, don't you teach me a lesson this time?" Ginkgo was surprised when he saw this, and couldn't help but tease, "Is it because of the face of my father, who is also a mountain man, that he doesn't want to pick his daughter-in-law in person? Really? there's no way……"
Shouguini still didn't answer. How could there be any dissatisfaction and anger on Gujing Wubo's face? He simply nodded and left.
"It's strange. Every time my mother saw me like this, she would be furious and wanted to trouble me every day." Ginkgo murmured to herself in confusion as she watched Shouguini leave.
"The stalemate in the relationship with you is just part of the old nun's plan, just to lure me into the game and make Kai change the world. Now that the plan has been achieved, do you think that old nun who is so cold-blooded that he can even kill his own son will Do you mind your lifestyle as an outsider? Would you be angry over such a trivial matter?" Takeda Nobutora grinned, looking at Shouguini's figure, the emotions in his eyes were a bit complicated:
"In a sense, your mother-in-law and I are of the same kind. She works hard for the family and has no time to pay attention to the love of her children and the happiness of her family. The difference is that I have been freed, but she will continue to be entangled in it. Only by completely losing power or Death is the end of this endless torture."
