After the Meiyo coup, the Hosokawa family completely sidelined the shogun and became the actual controllers of the Muromachi shogunate. However, there is an undercurrent surging within the Hosokawa family. The three adopted sons of Hosokawa Masamoto - Hosokawa Sumiyuki, Hosokawa Sumitomo and Hosokawa Takakuni - are all spying on the position of the family governor. In the fourth year of Eisho (1507), Hosokawa Sumoyuki assassinated Hosokawa Masamoto, and the Hosokawa family officially fell into civil strife. After several battles between you and me, Hosokawa Seiyuki and Hosokawa Seimoto died successively, and the power was taken by Hosokawa Takakuni.
However, Hosokawa Harumoto, the orphan of Hosokawa Sumitomo, made a comeback with the support of Miyoshi Gennaga, the important minister. In the fourth year of Hiroki (1531), he defeated Hosokawa Takakuni and forced him to commit suicide. But later, Hosokawa Harumoto began to doubt Miyoshi Genchang, who had played the most important role in the earthquake. He instructed Miyoshi Masaichi and Kizawa Nagamasa to induce the Ichijo sect followers to attack Sakai Town, and forced Miyoshi Genchang to commit suicide - thus ending He took revenge on Miyoshi Changqing for killing his father.
After Miyoshi Nagakei made a comeback from Awa, Hosokawa Harumoto returned part of Miyoshi Motocho's territory in Kinki back to the Miyoshi family - the southwest of Settsu Kingdom and Izumi Kingdom. The two territories are not connected. From south to north, they are separated by the Ishiyama Gobo, the Ikeda family of Arioka Castle, the Miyake family, the Itami family and many other wealthy families. Therefore, the Miyoshi family's rule in Settsu was actually very unstable, and they could only form effective control over the areas surrounding Toshima County, Arsenal County, and Hachibe County around Koshisu Castle.
Ikuku Castle, the residence of the Shiokawa family who rebelled during this battle, is located in the north of Settsu, at the strategic point of the mountain road north of the Miyoshi family's territory. The head of the Shiokawa family, Masatoshi Shiokawa, is Hosokawa Takakuni's sister-in-law. He has a blood feud with Hosokawa Harumoto and the Miyoshi family, but due to the situation, he has now joined the Hosokawa family. His rebellion put the entire Miyoshi family's territory in Settsu Country at risk, and even basic transportation lines could not be guaranteed.
"Think about it with your toes and you will know that a person like Shiokawa Masatoshi, who has no power, no backing, no ambition, and no reason, will rebel like an egg against a stone."
On March 9, the twelfth year of Tianwen (1543), in the Kennin Temple in Kyoto, Taiyuan Xuezhai was explaining the situation in front of Imagawa Yoshimoto: "So obviously, there is someone behind the scenes."
"Miyoshi family, Hosokawa family or Kizawa family?" Imagawa Yoshimoto gave three guesses.
"Kizawa Sakyo Nagamasa." Taiyuan Xue Zhai reported his answer very confidently.
"Why is the teacher so judged?" Imagawa Yoshimoto gently rotated the tea cup in his hand, lowered his head and took a sip of tea, "We have almost no ninjas in Kinki."
"Because Shiokawa's rebellion is related to the safety of the Miyoshi family territory, Miyoshi Chikuzen will definitely want to personally send troops to quell the rebellion, and Chief Hosokawa will definitely send him to quell the rebellion. In other words, the only effect of this matter is to The troops of the Miyoshi family were transferred from Kyoto and Izumi to Settsu." Taiyuan Xuezhai stroked the mustache on his chin with his right hand and gently tapped the table with his left hand:
"For both Hosokawa and Miyoshi Chikuzen, Kizawa Sakyo is currently the biggest threat. Hosokawa is worried that Kizawa Sakyo will not be able to defeat him, while Miyoshi Chikuzen and Kizawa Sakyo have a hatred of killing their father and share the same power. Naturally, Shui Huo doesn’t want to see him grow bigger. Now that they have a common enemy, these monarchs and ministers who have different motives must have the same interests at the moment. In this case, what is the purpose of Miyoshi Chikuzen and Hosokawa? The family's troops are sent to Settsu, so just let Commander Hosokawa give the order directly, and Miyoshi Chikuzen will definitely carry it out. Why go to all the trouble to arrange for people to rebel? It is obvious that the person who planned this is Kizawa Sakyo, and the purpose is to put Miyoshi The troops at home are transferred away so that he can take advantage of the situation."
"Why didn't Miyoshi Chikuzen and Commander Hosokawa deliberately transfer people in order to invite you to the urn and induce Kizawa Sakyo to take action?" Imagawa Yoshimoto proposed a "third level" idea.
"Impossible, because the mutual trust between the Miyoshi family and the Hosokawa family does not support them in carrying out such a complicated and risky plan." Taiyuan Xue Zhai put his left hand on the table and said confidently:
"Such a sinister plan that would lead to mischief if it goes wrong can only be given to absolutely trustworthy confidants. How could Chief Hosokawa arrange it for Miyoshi Chizen who has ulterior motives? You know, Miyoshi Chizen and Miyoshi Chizen Kizawa Sakyo and Kizawa Sakyo are essentially the same, they all want to take over the leadership. The difference is that Kizawa Sakyo is now more powerful, while Miyoshi Chikuzen is weaker, so the Miyoshi family can only rely on Hosokawa to lead. Hosokawa is responsible for The leader is to drive away tigers and devour wolves, so how can he be confidant with the "tiger"? Wouldn't that mean he is seeking skin from the tiger? What if Sanhao Chikuzen doesn’t go as planned? just in case
Miyoshi Chikuzen secretly made an appointment with Kizawa Sakyo to deal with Chief Hosokawa together? Isn't that just throwing stones at someone's feet and inviting a wolf into the house? "
"I see." Imagawa Yoshimoto carefully savored Taiyuan Xuezhai's inference, "Then what does the teacher want us to do by calling us back?"
"Get rid of Kizawa Nagamasa and win the Guanbai dispute for the Konoe family, so that our Imagawa family's agents in the court can rise to prominence." Taiyuan Xuezai's tone was calm, but when he opened his mouth, his words were shocking .
"Teacher, you have such a big appetite." Imagawa Yoshimoto took a breath after hearing this, and then couldn't help laughing: "We only have these dozens of people at hand, between the Hosokawa family, Miyoshi family and Kizawa family These are conflicts involving tens of thousands of people, so it is our turn to intervene. A strong dragon should not overwhelm local snakes, not to mention that we are snakes, and they are dragons."
Taiyuan Xuezai smiled, then raised his left hand and snapped his fingers crisply towards Imagawa Yoshimoto's chest:
"My master has specialized in dragon slaying since he was a child. A three-foot snake can also play with a dragon."
·
On March 10, the twelfth year of Tianwen (1543), Taiyuan Xuezhai bid farewell to the abbot of Jianren Temple. At the same time, he asked Imagawa Yoshimoto, Takeda Harunobu, Sanjo and others to say goodbye to their old friends in Beijing. The group left. Return to Jingdong. At this time, the security in Kyoto was much stricter than before, presumably because of the changes in the situation in Kinki. The various checkpoints around Kyoto only let people out, but it is extremely difficult to get close.
On the way out of Kyoto, Imagawa Yoshimoto couldn't help but ask Taiyuan Xue Zhai: "Teacher was very ambitious before and said he wanted to make great achievements. Why did he suddenly stop and retreat?"
"It's obvious that your disciple is not good at learning." Taiyuan Xuezhai was very dissatisfied with Imagawa Yoshimoto's question, "You are a little snake, are you going to confront a dragon? You must be hiding in the dark. Before, you were not The people of the Ze family may have discovered your traces, and they will naturally care about the actions of our Imagawa family and the Takeda family. Only by avoiding their eyes and ears and hiding in the dark where no one cares can we have a chance to achieve something. So we must make a big splash first Ji Lijing made Kizawa Sakyo think that we had left and took us lightly."
"The problem is that Kyoto is now under martial law. It's easy to go out but hard to come back. If we go back, won't we still pass by the checkpoint and alert the Kizawa family?" Imagawa Yoshimoto looked back at the heavily guarded Yamashina Pass.
"Someone will help us find a way to get in." Taiyuan Xuezhai smiled calmly and waved forward, pointing to the turning point of the mountain road not far away, where a young man in blue and a middle-aged man were waiting:
"Look, isn't this coming?"
·
"Miyoshi Chikuzen?" Imagawa Yoshimoto recognized Miyoshi Nagaki in plain clothes at a glance. The middle-aged man with a shocking scar on his face who followed behind him seemed to have been seen somewhere.
"Imagawa Yoshimoto." Miyoshi Changqing simply nodded to Imagawa Yoshimoto, then turned to look at Taiyuan Xuezhai, "I guess this is Master Xuezhai?"
"I didn't expect His Highness Chikuzen to come in person. The poor monk thought that Matsunaga Danmasa was the only one here." Taiyuan Xuezhai dismounted and handed the reins to Amano Keide, while calmly asking the man beside him Scarface smiled.
"Oh? Master Xue Zhai actually knows this villain? What an honor. I wonder when I met Master Xue Zhai?" Hearing this, Matsunaga Hide immediately nodded and bowed with a smile, "A small name is not enough to ring in the ears."
"Haha, this dirty smell is unmistakable." Taiyuan Xuezhai sniffed his nose and exposed Matsunaga Hide's disguise in one sentence.
But Matsuhisa Nagahide was neither angry nor annoyed, and still replied with a businessman-like smile: "Master Xuezai also stinks."
"What riddles are they talking about?" Imagawa Yoshimoto whispered to Miyoshi Nagakei quietly.
"It's just that you can't hear it." Miyoshi Nagakei glanced at Imagawa Yoshimoto speechlessly, and then continued to Taiyuan Xuezai: "Further contact will be left to Matsunaga. But this is the first time we come to discuss, I I still think it’s better to come in person.”
"What does His Highness Zhuqian want to discuss?" Taiyuan Xuezhai asked knowingly.
"I want to invite the Imagawa family to participate in a gambling game." Miyoshi Nagakei smiled eagerly.
"We don't have much money to gamble. There are only a few dozen of us, and we are eager to return to Suruga." Taiyuan Xue Zhai laughed twice, waved his hands and declined.
"You don't need to
We come to the table and bet, and the Imagawa family can place their bets. "Mihao Changqing is as enthusiastic as a shop owner who understands the tight pockets of gamblers.
"Then what exactly is the bet about?" Taiyuan Xuezhai also straightened his expression, and his eyes gradually focused on Miyoshi Changqing's face.
"The gamblers are the Miyoshi family and the Kizawa family. The bet is the life of the whole family. If you win the bet, you will become the Lord of Kinki and the Vice King of Japan." Miyoshi Nagakei smiled and stretched out his hand, as if to extend an invitation, and then As if asking for chips: "As far as I know, the Imagawa family's influence in the court also wants to get rid of Kizawa Nagamasa. This is a good job that hit it off. How about, guests from the East Kingdom, do you want to take a gamble? ?”
"Eating, drinking, whoring, gambling, how can I refuse?" Taiyuan Xuezhai laughed heartily when he heard this, and twirled the rosary beads in his arms appetizingly, "I would like to hear the details!"
