On June 24, the eleventh year of Astronomy (1542), the Imagawa family's army returned to Yoshida Castle, and the digestion and absorption of Higashi Mikawa was officially included in the agenda. The Toda family, the leader of the Higashi Mikawa local snake in the Atsumi Peninsula, had been completely wiped out in the previous rebellion. After Osawa Motoin's Shoudunbei captured Tahara Castle, he destroyed the rebellious Toda family in accordance with the law. Part of the Toda family's original territory was compensated to the Makino family, whose land had been previously misappropriated by the Toda family, and the other part was taken over by the Imagawa clan.
As for the request document for genocide, Imagawa Yoshimoto directly chose to escape - he did not open it, but asked Osawa Moto to send it to Taiyuan Xuezai of Imagawa Pavilion for processing - Taiyuan Xuezhai also did what Imagawa Yoshimoto expected. disposal in. I wonder if such "hypocrisy" can alleviate the torture of Imagawa Yoshimoto's conscience. Although evasion is shameful, it may be useful?
From the perspective of family interests, Taiyuan Xuezhai's disposition has always been correct. With the strongest Toda family learning from the past, other wealthy families no longer dare to make the same mistakes. Imagawa Yoshimoto issued instructions to the Higashi Mikawa wealthy families such as the Saigo family, the Okuhira family, and the Kanuma family, asking them to hand over the hostages. The reason was that the rebellion of the Toda family caused the Imagawa family to lose trust in the Higashi Mikawa wealthy families. The two more powerful wealthy families, the Okudaira family and the Kanuma family, still wanted to negotiate, but the other wealthy families had already obeyed. In desperation, they had no choice but to hand over their own children and send them to Yoshida City, under the supervision of Ohara Jinshi. As a result, the Imagawa family completed further control of Higashi Mikawa.
Although the Imagawa family has not inspected the territory of the wealthy families in Higashi Mikawa, nor has they recruited them to participate in the battle. But being willing to hand over the hostages already means that Higashi Mikawa actually accepts the leadership of the Imagawa family, rather than just obeying at the verbal level.
"If there is any change among these wealthy families, you won't really kill all the hostages, right?" Before leaving, Imagawa Yoshimoto suddenly remembered Ohara Zhenmi's speech when he killed all the hostages of the rebel wealthy families in Kakegawa Castle. Some of them Confirmed uneasily.
"Aren't the hostages taken here just for the purpose of killing?" Ohara Zhenmi replied matter-of-factly, almost choking Imagawa Yoshimoto, "If they rebel, I will kill the hostage whoever rebels first, and then use their skin as a cover-up." Grass hangs on the top of Yoshida Castle."
"Then I hope they will never rebel." Imagawa Yoshimoto shook his head in fear.
·
On June 27, the eleventh year of Tenmon (1542), Imagawa Yoshimoto led the main army to Kakegawa Castle. Along the way, the troops of various wealthy families gathered from Yuanjiang have been disbanded and returned to their territories, and Banner An Yuanbei has also returned to his base in Nishizaki City. Following Imagawa Yoshimoto, the only ones left beside him were Shoudunbei and Asahinabei. It's getting late, and we will return to Suruga territory tomorrow. Asahina Taino then prepared a banquet in the Kakegawa Castle Castle Tower to entertain Imagawa Yoshimoto.
It is said to be a banquet, but it is really a "wine" banquet. There was not much food in total, but wine bottles and flasks were piled up like mountains. Although Imagawa Yoshimoto has some capacity for alcohol, he has never liked drinking. However, Asahina Taino had a good nature and kept pouring cup after cup into his mouth, so Imagawa Yoshimoto had no choice but to drink with him for a while. Asahina Yasunaga, Asahina Taitomo, Asahina Chitoku and others couldn't stand it anymore, so they all apologized to Imagawa Yoshimoto and ordered the kitchen to serve some hot dishes to Imagawa Yoshimoto.
"Is the wine that good?" Imagawa Yoshimoto, while waiting for the meal, smiled and joked to the already drunk Asahina Taino, "Binaka Mamoru drank from morning to night every day, and he didn't stop. But I don’t think the taste of this wine is good, it’s a bit choking, and it’s not a good drink anyway.”
"Haha, Your Highness, you don't understand this. What makes people addicted is never 'good to drink' or 'delicious', but always has a strange taste." Asahina Taino wiped his mouth, He stood up, holding the wine gourd and supporting the table, and staggered closer to Imagawa Yoshimoto. He propped up the table with his elbows, leaned down and said with a smile, "Cigarettes or wine, whichever is the first time, isn't it?" Does it make people choke? But in the end, the most addictive thing is these weird-smelling ones."
"Why?" Imagawa Yoshimoto smiled. This was the first time he heard Asahina Yasuno's explanation. The drunkards I met in the past (especially Taiyuan Xuezhai) always talked about how delicious the wine was.
"Because it's even more uncomfortable if you don't drink." Asahina Taino hit his head hard with a wine gourd, causing the wine to splash out. "You people who are not addicted don't understand how uncomfortable it is to go a day without drinking. . It’s just because it’s too uncomfortable not to drink. A sip can alleviate the discomfort. Isn’t it a different kind of ‘comfort’? You who are not addicted are not uncomfortable in the first place, so naturally you won’t feel how comfortable drinking is.”
"Oh, that's it, then how did Bichu Mamoru get addicted back then?" Imagawa Yoshimoto saw that all the wine in Asahina Taino's sake gourd was empty, so he poured a glass of wine himself and sent it to Asahina Taino. Tai Neng immediately raised his glass and drank it in one gulp.
"When you're drunk, your mind becomes confused and you can't remember things. In this world, most of the things that can be remembered are annoying. It's the best if you can forget them, and you can live a comfortable life for an hour or two. I can still have a good sleep." Asahina Yasuno rarely vomited some bitterness. This was the first time Imagawa Yoshimoto saw him say depressing words in front of him.
"Is there anything that Bitinaka Mamoru is worried about?" So Imagawa Yoshimoto also teased with a smile, helping Asahina Yasuno restore his previous personality.
"Haha, you lied to Your Highness, I just wanted to drink!" Asahina Taino immediately laughed along with the words, then burped a few times, and fell asleep leaning on Imagawa Yoshimoto's desk. .
·
Early the next morning, Imagawa Yoshimoto finished washing and was ready to set off. Everyone in the Asahina family said that if Asahina Yasushi had such a hangover, he would not be able to get up until noon anyway. Imagawa Yoshimoto did not intend to wait for him anymore, and said goodbye to Asahina Yasutomo, Asahina Taitomo, Asahina Chantoku and others. Then let the troops set off.
However, not long after his people walked out, horse hoof dust suddenly rose behind them. Imagawa Yoshimoto turned around and saw that the person coming was the disheveled Asahina Taino, with a few somewhat embarrassed guards chasing behind him. When I got closer, I realized that Asahina Tenno was carrying a 3 or 4-year-old boy in front of him.
Seeing this, Imagawa Yoshimoto also left the queue, clapped his horse and went back to greet them.
"Your Highness." Asahina Yasuno called the guards who were following him to stay at a distance, while he rode his horse to the front of Imagawa Yoshimoto's horse, and patted the child in his arms who was still unfamiliar with the world, "Inuko Matsuchiyo, just I'll send him to Imagawa Hall to serve as a waiter for you, and let him develop his skills."
Asahina Yasushi can say it tactfully, but how could Imagawa Yoshimoto not understand the meaning? Generally speaking, important ministers would send their children to the family governor's castle as hostages, and the Asahina family was no exception. The eldest son of the family, Asahina Taitomo, has been serving as the bodyguard of Imagawa Yoshimoto at Imagawa Hall. Logically speaking, there is no need to send the second son.
Seeing Imagawa Yoshimoto's confused expression, Asahina Tenno just smiled heartily and seemed to have no interest in explaining his so-called "trouble" to Imagawa Yoshimoto. Instead, he joked: "Why, His Highness doesn't like Inuko? "
"Of course not." Imagawa Yoshimoto looked at the face of Asahina Matsuchiyo. The young and ignorant man was also looking at Imagawa Yoshimoto with his head raised. Although his face is still chubby, his thick eyebrows and big eyes make him look particularly energetic. He will probably be a talented person when he grows up.
"Then leave him to Your Highness." Asahina Yasuno made a hasty bow to Imagawa Yoshimoto, then lifted the back of Asahina Matsuchiyo's shirt with one hand and pushed him onto Imagawa Yoshimoto's horse.
"Isn't it okay for such a young child to be separated from his parents?" Imagawa Yoshimoto was still a little uneasy. He himself was sent away when he was very young, and the psychological impact has always been there.
"It's okay, let him be the young master's companion. He's about the same age." Asahina Taino was open-minded. He stretched out his big hand and rubbed Asahina Matsuchiyo's head vigorously, making his hair messy. .
·
After returning to Imagawakan, Imagawa Yoshimoto gave the little Aoi he brought back to Mochizuki Takaki for placement, and he took Asahina Matsuchiyo's hand to the castle tower, intending to let him get to know Imagawa Goro as his playmate. Imagawa Yoshimoto was originally worried that Goro Imagawa, who was a bit naive, would reject this child. Who would have thought that Goro Imagawa would get excited as soon as he saw Asahina Matsuchiyo, and jumped to his side, raised his hands and started playing with Asahina Matsuchi Chiyo's bushy eyebrows. Asahina Matsuchiyo was tickled by Imagawa Goro, and she became very happy. The two children actually became familiar with each other like this.
"My name is Goro!" Goro Imagawa stretched out his little hand, "I am 5 years old this year! Are you younger than me?"
"My name is Matsuchiyo!" Asahina Matsuchiyo also raised her little hand, shook hands with Imagawa Goro vigorously, and then said a little harshly, "This year... I am almost 4 or 5 years old!"
"That means you are younger than me. Call me 'Goro' brother! From now on we will be friends!" Imagawa Goro immediately puffed up his chest as if he was victorious. Asahina Matsuchiyo lowered his head in depression and shouted "Goro" elder brother".
"It's good." Ginkgo looked at her son's new friends with a smile, while she petted two cats in her arms. "Aside from Miao Miao and Miao Xiaomiao, Wulang finally has a playmate. He also takes the initiative to make friends.”
At this moment, there was a sound of footsteps in the corridor, and Asahina Taimo was seen jogging all the way to the castle tower. He smiled and said to Imagawa Yoshimoto: "Your Highness, I heard that my brother is here."
"Here it is." Imagawa Yoshimoto pointed at Asahina Matsuchiyo. Asahina Yasumo immediately rushed forward and wanted to hug his biological brother. However, Matsuchiyo Asahina was very vigilant. Instead of hugging Asahina Yasumi, she started a fighting stance - before he was born, Asahina Yasumi had come to Imagawa Hall as a hostage, and he had never seen this before when he was a child. elder brother. He straightened his small body and asked in a sweet voice: "Who is coming!"
"I'm your brother, who else could it be?" Asahina Taino put her hands on her waist in dissatisfaction and pointed at her face, "Look, do we look alike? Do I look like daddy?"
Asahina Matsuchiyo frowned, and her two thick eyebrows were almost squeezed together. He tilted his head and thought for a long time, but still refused to let down his guard and continued to assume a fighting stance - it looked like his brain was not working well.
"Don't mention it, you still have a bit of the momentum of your father, Asahina Bechu." Imagawa Yoshimoto looked at the energetic Asahina Matsuchiyo, smiled and encouraged, "I will definitely be a good martial artist in the future."
"I want to become the most powerful samurai in the world!" Asahina Matsuchiyo became proud when praised by Imagawa Yoshimoto. She raised her thumb high and said, "Knock everyone down!"
"What do you know, little brother? If you want to become the most powerful samurai in the world, you must not only rely on fighting, but also know how to govern and train soldiers!" Asahina Yasutomo, who has been diligently studying the affairs of the samurai family recently, hurriedly showed off his learning achievements. He threw out a lot of words that Asahina Matsuchiyo could not understand at first glance, trying to show off in front of his younger brother and establish his status as the elder brother.
"Uh..." Sure enough, this sentence stumped Asahina Matsuchiyo. He tilted his head and thought for a long time, but finally refused to admit defeat and said stubbornly: "Then I will recruit a younger brother who is the best in politics and military training in the world and let him help me!"
"There is such a powerful person, why is he your younger brother instead of you being his younger brother?" Goro Imagawa, who was on the side, also smiled and said something sarcastically in Asahina Matsuchiyo's ear. Asahina Matsuchiyo suddenly turned red. Face:
"I don't care, I don't care, I will accept such a powerful little brother!"
"Then learn Cuju first!" Imagawa Goro immediately picked up Cuju from the side, ran a few steps away happily, and kicked Matsuchiyo Asahina, "Matsuchiyo, play with me!"
