"Huh?" Ashikaga Yoshiharu was stunned for a moment, but obviously did not take the child's words seriously, "It should just be a passing hunter."
"No, they should all be samurai. I can see clearly, father. Please move quickly!" However, Ashikaga Kikusamaru became a little anxious and kept urging Ashikaga Yoshiharu uneasily.
"Since you saw it, why didn't you say it immediately? Why did you wait so long to say it?" Ashikaga Yoshiharu glanced at Ashikaga Kikusumaru suspiciously, and then turned his attention to several guards, "Did you see what my son said? A warrior?"
Several guards looked at each other, and finally shook their heads: "Your Highness, no."
"Oh, they didn't see it at the time. Only the child saw it. But the child didn't pay attention at the time. Only now he realized that he might be a dangerous person!" Ashikaga Kikusumaru saw that several people and adults were unmoved. His own reasons were also unmoved. He couldn't explain it, so he started to make a fuss in a coquettish manner. Not only did he pull Ashikaga Yoshiharu's sleeves and keep swinging them, he even cast his eyes on the outsider Imagawa Yoshimoto for help: "Your Highness Imagawa, please persuade me to come up!"
"It's unreasonable and rude, Kikushomaru, you don't need to praise me." Ashikaga Yoshiharu showed a wry smile and rubbed Ashikaga Kishomaru's head, "The guests are still here, how can there be such a fuss? ?”
"The child is leaving anyway, we can't stay here anymore!" Ashikaga Kikusumaru shouted regardless, and then he got on his horse and ran towards the forest in the northeast.
"I made my love laugh." Ashikaga Yoshiharu smiled apologetically, but he was not angry. "The dog is naughty. In the past, he often made one or two inexplicable requests. If he didn't do what he said, he would die. If love You have no other arrangements, why don't you go hunting in the mountains and forests with me again?"
"Children's words are unbridled, but the Lord's words are serious." Imagawa Yoshimoto accepted the order, got on his horse, and followed Ashikaga Kikusamaru into the distant forest with Ashikaga Yoshiharu and all his attendants. Ashikaga Yoshiharu and Imagawa Yoshimoto were about to draw their bows and arrows, but Ashikaga Kikusumaru suddenly made a silencing gesture to stop the two of them, and even stopped in front of Ashikaga Yoshiharu's horse.
"It's dangerous!" Ashikaga Yoshiharu became a little anxious. He got off his horse and scolded his child, "Be careful!"
"Quiet, father, don't make any noise!" Ashikaga Kikusamaru said in a deep voice again without explanation. Then he waved his hand and pointed over the bushes and trees to the plain where the group of people had just stayed: "Look there!"
Everyone was stunned for a moment, and turned to look around - they saw that a group of more than ten knights had arrived on horseback, circling around there, seeming to be observing the direction of the horse's hoof prints.
"No flag? Whose knight is that?" After Imagawa Yoshimoto discovered that these people did not carry flags that could mark their identities, he gradually realized that they must be assassins doing shady work.
"Who else could it be? It's probably Kizawa Sakyo and Miyoshi Echigo (Miyoshi Prime Minister)." Ashikaga Yoshiharu smiled bitterly, "After the governor left the capital, there was a faint tendency in Kyoto to say the same thing. Even Wherever I, the general, are going, I have to report to him in advance."
"Then this group of people are here to find Gongfangdian?" Imagawa Yoshimoto asked.
"No, probably not. I'm probably here to see you, Ai Qing." Ashikaga Yoshiharu shook his head and frowned slightly, "Although Kizawa Sakyo is extremely powerful, he hasn't done anything that exceeds the rules. Although he has been keeping a close eye on me. It’s tight, but you won’t send someone to get me.”
"I'm looking for you...has your whereabouts been leaked? But I just arrived in Kyoto." Imagawa Yoshimoto fell into silence, and after thinking for a moment, he suddenly realized - Kizawa Nagamasa and Miyoshi, who planned to overthrow the Konoe Ue family, must have A lot of people were sent to monitor the Konoe Ue family, so the news that the Konoe Ue family went to Myoshinji Temple to secretly meet with mysterious people this morning was probably also passed back to the ears of Masakataka Miyoshi - this team of people may be Masaichi Miyoshi. He was sent to Miaoshin Temple to track down the mysterious person, and then followed the trail all the way to this wilderness.
"In this case, I'll take my leave first so as not to cause trouble to the public hall." Imagawa Yoshimoto then said goodbye to Ashikaga Yoshiharu without any hesitation. Ashikaga Yoshiharu was also worried that something might happen to Imagawa Yoshimoto when he was met by Miyoshi's people, so he did not do much to retain him. However, Ashikaga Kikusumaru suddenly took a step forward, took Imagawa Yoshimoto's horse rein and whispered:
"Your Majesty Imagawa, when you go down the mountain and cross the river later, be sure to take the small bridge on the left instead of the mountain road on the right. If you encounter an enemy, just jump into the water."
·
Riding his horse down the mountain, Imagawa Yoshimoto was still thinking about Ashikaga Kikusumaru's inexplicable reminder - telling Imagawa Yoshimoto which way to go is understandable, maybe Ashikaga Kikushoumaru knows the terrain here better - but look What does it mean to jump into the river when you see an enemy? He couldn't understand, but he still followed Ashikaga Kikusamaru's request, turned left, and walked along the river towards the small bridge.
Just as he was thinking wildly, the sound of chasing horse hooves could be heard from behind - it seemed that those who followed the horse's hoof prints had discovered the traces of Imagawa Yoshimoto. Imagawa Yoshimoto then straightened his clothes, and then slowly began to increase the speed of his horse. Relying on the good horse and his outstanding equestrian skills, he soon left his pursuers far behind, and the small bridge across the river Already close at hand.
Imagawa Yoshimoto couldn't help but recall that he had just returned from Zentoku Temple and was ambushed by Tanuma Dixin - he was also in the wilderness at that time. It's just that Imagawa Ujimoto was at a loss back then, but now Imagawa Yoshimoto is able to use his martial arts to get out of trouble.
Maybe this is my own growth?
As soon as this thought came to mind, the sound of horse hooves came from the front.
Imagawa Yoshimoto took a closer look and saw another group of ambush soldiers coming directly from the other side of the bridge, completely blocking Imagawa Yoshimoto's path forward - while the pursuers in the rear blocked the retreat. Under attack from both front and back, Imagawa Yiyuan was about to be cornered.
I have grown up like a ghost...
Kill him directly? That's not a bad idea. With my skills, they probably won't be able to stop me. But if there were casualties, and Kizawa Nagamasa and Miyoshi would pursue the case, wouldn't it affect the Imagawa family's diplomatic activities?
However, since they don’t know my identity, they probably don’t dare to do anything to me, right? Kizawa Nagamasa, Miyoshi, and I have no grievances and will not do anything to the Imagawa family governor. Why don't you resist and go back with them?
Just when Imagawa Yoshimoto was thinking about the two plans, he suddenly remembered Ashikaga Kikusumaru's reminder just now - jump into the river.
So Imagawa Yoshimoto turned his head and looked at the river - the river didn't look very deep, and if he was riding a horse, it was even possible to wade through it - whether he should be overtaken or not, he had to be overtaken.
Imagawa Yoshimoto himself didn't know why he suddenly had such a whim that he believed a child's outrageous suggestion - but at that time, his mind was so hot that he really jumped into the river on his horse, and then waded all the way south. As he expected, the pursuers also rode their horses into the river and chased after him. The river is full of mud, and the water also adds huge resistance. No matter how good your horsemanship is, you can't run.
Just when Imagawa Yoshimoto began to regret his reckless decision, something unexpected happened.
I only heard a few low roars behind me, and then there were splashes of water all around me - I saw a few crocodiles rising out of the air, letting go of Imagawa Yoshimoto who had already run away a few places, and pounced on the twenty or so people behind me. Chasing troops. These knights were frightened by the sudden appearance of the crocodile. After sitting down, they stood up in panic, causing the knights to fall into the river one after another. The companions who followed quickly attacked the crocodiles with their knives, causing a mess. Men, horses and crocodiles were fighting in a chaotic mess in the river, and no one came to chase Imagawa Yoshimoto.
"No, is this okay?"
Imagawa Yoshimoto, who was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat, felt incredible after riding his horse to escape - could it be that Ashikaga Kikushumaru also knew the location of these crocodiles in advance? But how could he conclude that the crocodile bit him not Imagawa Yoshimoto, but the pursuer behind him? This is too outrageous.
"The dog is naughty. In the past, he often made one or two inexplicable requests. If he didn't do what he said, he would seek death." - Imagawa Yoshimoto recalled what Ashikaga Yoshiharu just said - but these inexplicable requests were a bit too much. That's right, just like Onmyoji.
However, Imagawa Yoshimoto did not have time to think too much. Instead, he rushed all the way and rushed back to Kenninji Temple where the Imagawa family's delegation was staying before sunset.
"Tsuchihara has been sent to pick you up, but I didn't expect you to withdraw on your own." Taiyuan Xuezhai said in surprise when he saw Imagawa Yoshimoto running back in a somewhat embarrassed manner.
"Does the teacher know what's going on?" Imagawa Yoshimoto handed the reins to Hayasaka Nao and asked him to tie the horse while going back indoors to change out of his dirty clothes.
"Kizawa Sakyou Ryo seems to be planning to subjugate the leader (Hosokawa Harumoto). He is also in contact with the ministers in the court and wants to replace the Konoe Prime Minister who is close to the leader." Taiyuan Xuezhai leaned on the pillar and raised his head. He sipped the tea from his cup and said, "Whether I have old ministers who are my master, or ministers who are close to the Imagawa family, they are basically on the side of the Konoe Prime Minister. You went to see the ministers of the Konoe faction today. , I guess you have been targeted by people from Sakyo Kizawa and Miyoshi Echigo, I might as well go back to investigate and track you down."
"I met Konoe Prime Minister himself today." Imagawa Yoshimoto said something shocking. As soon as he said it, Taihara Yukisai choked and sprayed a mouthful of strong tea onto the white clothes Imagawa Yoshimoto had just changed - the latter was so angry Shouted: "You're so dirty! You stinky old man!"
"Why did you, my disciple, meet with the important person without discussing it with your master first? With your status, is it appropriate to meet with the Prime Minister?" Taiyuan Xuezhai calmed down quickly after squirting the tea.
"I didn't know that I was going to meet him. It was Konoe Prime Minister who suddenly came to visit. He seemed to want to win over samurai families from all over the country and build momentum for the crusade against Kizawa Nagamasa." Imagawa Yoshimoto answered truthfully with a wry smile while changing his clothes again. .
"Those who contacted me for the teacher also requested the same. I would like to trouble the Imagawa family to make some contribution. If it can be done, the official position you applied for can be granted quickly."
"Then what does the teacher plan to do?" Imagawa Yoshimoto himself had no clue or direction.
"Let's wait and see what happens. After all, I don't know much about Sakyo Kizawa. I don't know what kind of person he is. I have to observe and observe." Taiyuan Xue Zhai touched his mustache, which was rarely exposed. With a serious expression, he said, "I always thought he was just a mediocre person, but I never thought that he has become a different person recently. He has established such a large-scale power in Kinki. It seems that he has learned from me and has a glimpse of the world's heroes." …”
"It is said that it was because he wanted to meet the charming dancer Aguo. When he was rejected, he became angry and worked hard." Imagawa Yoshimoto told Taiyuan Xue Zhai the interesting anecdote he heard in the tavern.
"You're here, do you believe it?" Taiyuan Xuezhai burst out laughing after hearing this, but the logic of his rebuttal was different from what Imagawa Yoshimoto imagined: "Girls like Qingqi Dancer, I have tasted a lot as a teacher. , how can anyone refuse you? They are all eager to serve you."
"Ha...haha." Imagawa Yoshimoto gave a perfunctory laugh.
"Don't laugh, you brat. You caused trouble by meeting the Prime Minister in private. After Ryo Kizawa Sakyou tracks it down, he will definitely think that our Imagawa family is doing something in Kyoto. Shouldn't they keep a close eye on us?" Taiyuan Xue Zhai glared at Imagawa Yoshimoto, and then waved his hand toward the door in disgust: "I'll give you a holiday, leave Beijing quickly, and go shopping elsewhere. Remember to let the people watching you know that you are here to enjoy the mountains and rivers. Yes, so that Ryo Kizawa Sakyou can relax his vigilance and take action as a teacher."
"No problem." After receiving the order to go out, Imagawa Yoshimoto immediately ran away from the unhappiness of having his clothes stained just now, "Promise to complete the teacher's mission."
