After everyone heard the sound, they immediately drew their knives in their hands. The person who came immediately stopped, took out an "L" shaped object from his pocket and pointed it at Imagawa Yoshimoto and others. However, after the two parties looked at each other's faces reflected in the torch, they discovered that they were acquaintances.
"Is it you?" Imagawa Yoshimoto recognized this person - it was the young man who guided him into this tunnel 7 years ago - he was still the same, with a good face, black hair, not shaved. Substitute. No wonder, not many people know about this tunnel, who else can they meet here?
"Your Highness Imagawa, you're fine." The young man also recognized Imagawa Yoshimoto, and then inserted the L-shaped object back into his waist.
"Your Excellency, do you know me?" Imagawa Yoshimoto couldn't help but be a little surprised. He didn't remember that he passed his name the last time they met.
"I knew it last time." The young man said frankly without any concealment, "I just don't know why His Highness Imagawa 'revisited his old place' this time." I passed by by chance tonight and found that the tunnel entrance had been moved, so I tracked it down. Unexpectedly, it was an old acquaintance. "
"Who is this person?" Ginkgo, the only one who didn't know this young man, asked in a low voice in Imagawa Yoshimoto's ear.
"That's the noble man who helped me last time. Don't worry, he's probably not an enemy." Imagawa Yoshimoto answered Ginkgo, but also decided to be honest with the young man: "To be honest, our trip is to rescue those who were under house arrest by the Kizawa Military Department. Among the dignitaries at Awata Shrine, there are several ministers with ties to the Imagawa family."
"Oh, so you are going to be the enemy of Kizawa Hyobu." The young man smiled in relief, "I thought you were allies of Kizawa Hyobu."
"Huh? Your Excellency, you have a problem with Kizawa Hōbu?" Imagawa Yoshimoto couldn't help but be curious.
"No, it's just a matter of likes and dislikes. Just like when I wanted to help His Highness Imagawa deal with your brother (Imagawa Yoshima), there was no reason." The young man shrugged his shoulders leisurely, and then pointed at the people behind Imagawa Yoshimoto and others. The sealed exit: "But it seems that the one you are looking for is the wrong one. It should not be the exit of Awata Shrine, but the exit of Qingrenin."
"Is that so?" Imagawa Yoshimoto frowned in embarrassment, "It's really difficult. You can't see anything in the underground secret passage. It's hard to tell the direction and distance. How to find the corresponding position on the ground."
"I'll take you there. I'm very familiar with this tunnel." The young man took the initiative and said with a smile: "As long as you are against the Kizawa Military Department, I will be happy to accompany you. I hope you will put him to death."
"Is there really nothing to celebrate..." Imagawa Yoshimoto secretly complained, but he quickly handed over his hands and said, "Thank you very much."
"Everyone, please give me some advice." The young man bowed to everyone, and then stretched out his hand to shake hands with everyone. Kira Usei and Kentaro Tian Shen were confused by this inexplicable etiquette, but they still stretched out their hands to shake them symbolically.
"Men and women don't kiss each other. Do women even have to shake hands?" Ginkgo asked with a frown.
"Excuse me." The seemingly well-educated young man was extremely persistent on this issue and just shook hands with Ginkgo.
"What does this mean?" Imagawa Yoshimoto was a little confused, but then he smiled and said, "And why don't you shake my hand?"
"I assure you that His Highness Imakawa doesn't need to ask any more questions." The young man showed a nonchalant and innocent smile, then shook his head and said: "As for Your Highness, didn't we meet last time?"
"You met my two guards last time." Imagawa Yoshimoto asked reluctantly.
"But I haven't shaken hands with them." The young man left an incomprehensible explanation, and then prevaricated: "Don't ask more questions, Your Highness, you are in a hurry, right? Hurry up."
"Okay." Imagawa Yoshimoto then nodded and motioned for the young man to lead the way.
"Why are you so obsessed with this, sir?" Ginkgo approached Imagawa Yoshimoto maliciously and teased, "Are you jealous even when someone shakes his hand?"
"No, I vaguely remember that the last time I shook hands with him, it felt like my body was slightly electrocuted. Ginkgo, do you have a similar feeling?" Imagawa Yoshimoto glanced at his right hand and shook it slowly , as if recalling the feeling at that time.
"No." Ginkgo simply shook her head.
·
Therefore, under the guidance of young people,
Under his leadership, the group walked around the tunnel for a long time and finally found an inconspicuous-looking exit.
"This is the exit of the secret passage leading to Awada Shrine. It should lead directly to the pavilion inside Awada Shrine." The young man pointed to the dark top, "But I'm not sure whether the hostages you want to rescue are really under house arrest. In Tingxieli, if you get out now but fail, and the tunnel is discovered by the Muze family, it will be difficult to handle."
"Indeed, we should break into Awada Shrine from the ground first, find an opportunity to control the exit of the secret passage, and then transfer the hostages to the courtyard and send them away through the secret passage. It is safer." Imagawa Yoshimoto nodded and thought for a moment. , formed a rough plan, and then said to Ginkgo: "Ginkgo, please remember where we came from, and you will be responsible for guiding everyone to leave."
"But it's still not advisable to stay here for a long time. If the ninjas of the Kizawa family who are searching around discover the entrance to the secret passage, it will be really troublesome." The young man seemed to be very concerned about keeping the secret passage secret, and said with a hint of urging.
"Okay, let's leave then." Imagawa Yoshimoto nodded, and then walked back to the entrance under the guidance of the young man.
·
"Speaking of which, what happened to your brother?" On the way back, the young man suddenly brought up a topic. Although his tone pretended not to care, Imagawa Yoshimoto, who was good at observing words and expressions, noticed some subtleties.
"Uh... passed away." Imagawa Yoshimoto didn't know how to answer this question - what happens to the dead?
"Well... Although it's a bit offensive, how did your brother die?" Unexpectedly, the young man asked a more unexpected topic. This time, not only Imagawa Yoshimoto, but also Ginkgo, who was a step behind, felt a little strange.
Suddenly, a storm surged in Imagawa Yoshimoto's mind, and he remembered the instructions Imagawa Yoshima had given him before committing seppuku, which happened on September 22, the seventh year of Tianwen (1538) -
·
"Remember, just tell the outside world that I died in the fire in Yuanjiang. Don't tell others that you killed me with your own hands. You must also kill Yutaka Furuno and Nao Hayasaka, and don't let them. Leaked the news that you personally executed me." Imagawa Yoshima took the trouble to give the last instruction, and Imagawa Yoshimoto just curled his lips noncommittally.
·
When Yoshima Imagawa told Yoshimoto Imakawa to keep the cause of his death secret, Yoshimoto Imagawa just felt confused - does it matter how he died? Who cares about these things?
But when the mysterious young man in front of him actually asked about the cause of Imakawa Yoshima's death, Imagawa Yoshimoto felt that his dusty memories were suddenly awakened, and along with them were also awakened by inexplicable doubts and vigilance.
Could it be that how Imagawa Ryojin died is really important? Is it really something that many people care about? That’s why Third Brother repeatedly asked me not to leak it? Or, in fact, not many people care, only the young man in front of me cares about this matter - so he also worked very hard to assist Imagawa Yoshimoto against Imagawa Yoshima. Could he be Imagawa Yoshima's enemy? Do you want to do something to Ryojin Imagawa's body to vent your anger? Is Imakawa Ryo really afraid that his body will be gone, so he asked Imagawa Yoshimoto to conceal the matter?
"He died of gunfire when the Enjiang Kingdom was defeated. No body could be found." Imagawa Yoshimoto then followed Imagawa Ryojin's instructions and lied, concealing the fact that he personally helped Imagawa Ryojin make mistakes.
"Is that so... It seems to be the same as the rumors." The young man heard some regrets and sighed helplessly, and then asked with some hopelessness: "On the day your brother died, what new life was happening near Yuanjiang? Will a child be born? It’s best to be one who is related to him by blood.”
"Huh?" Imagawa Yoshimoto was once again stopped by the young man's question, this time it was completely baffling. Does this question make any sense? What logic drove the young man to ask this question after asking about the cause of Imagawa Yoshima's death.
"Sorry, I was just asking casually." The young man seemed to feel that he had jumped a little too far this time. He nodded slightly and apologized, with no intention of continuing to ask further questions.
But Imagawa Yoshimoto fell into deep thought...
Because he clearly remembered that on the same day that he personally killed Imagawa Ryoshi in the Imagawa Hall, Ginkgo also gave birth to his eldest son, Kon, in the Imagawa Hall.
Could it be said that Imagawa Yoshima
Is there any curse on his death? Will they curse relatives born on the same day?
So this time, it was Imagawa Yoshimoto's turn who was worried about the child and took the initiative to ask: "What do you mean? If there are children born on the same day, will there be any impact?"
"Is there any?" The young man who had stopped asking questions suddenly became interested when he heard this.
"Hey, that's not the case, it was seven or eight days later." Imagawa Yoshimoto almost let it slip - after all, nominally Imagawa Yoshimoto was murdered on September 14th, the seventh year of the Astronomical Period (1538), and now it is the seventh year of the Astronomical Period. (1538) Born on September 22. If Imagawa Yoshima's death was on the same day as Kon's birth, wouldn't it expose the fact that Imagawa Yoshima did not die of suicide?
"Oh, that's okay, it's been too long." The young man lost interest in an instant and shrugged his shoulders.
"What would happen if it were the same day?" But Imagawa Yoshimoto asked worriedly.
"Um..." The young man showed a wry smile with some confusion, and finally shook his head and said: "There are some things that are really inconvenient to talk about. Please don't blame His Highness Imagawa."
At this point, Imagawa Yoshimoto also lost the reason to continue asking, but the worry in his heart was difficult to dissipate.
After sending Imagawa Yoshimoto and others out of the tunnel, the young man said "see you later" and disappeared into the moonlight.
·
Time goes back to today, March 30, the twelfth year of Astronomy (1543), it is four o'clock.
Under the guidance of Ginkgo, the detained Ashikaga Yoshiharu, Hosokawa Harumoto, Konoe Ueie and other ministers jumped into the tunnel one by one, and were transferred to the outside through the tunnel under the protection of the Imagawa family samurai and ninjas. Tu Yuanjing and others who stayed behind in the courtyard bluffed, so that the Hatamoto of the Kizawa family did not dare to attack. It was not until the withdrawal of the personnel was completed that the traces of the tunnel exit were cleared to ensure that the tunnel would not be discovered. Afterwards, Tsuchi Atonsune and other ninjas escaped by their own movement techniques - until now, the Kizawa family Hatamoto, who threw the rat weapon, had not launched a single attack.
In the tunnel, Ashikaga Yoshiharu and Hosokawa Harumoto both looked solemn and terrified. Both the general family and the steward family were once controllers of Kyoto, but no one had ever discovered this huge, spacious, large-scale tunnel that extended in all directions - it could not only be used for intelligence, but could even be used for military operations. If this tunnel is used by the enemy, then his rule in Kyoto will be in jeopardy. ..
However, the Konoe Ue family obviously had different ideas. He found an opportunity when no one was around Taiyuan Xuezhai, quietly leaned forward, and asked in a low voice: "Master Xuezhai, are you sorry for disturbing me?"
"Your Highness the Prime Minister, don't you dare." Taiyuan Xuezhai thanked him immediately after hearing this, "I wonder if your Highness the Prime Minister has any advice?"
"I still want to ask how this tunnel came to be known to the Imagawa family. This is a serious matter, and I hope Master Xuezhai can tell the truth." Konoe Ueke whispered very sincerely, even to Taiyuan Xuezhai. The use of honorifics made Taiyuan Xuezhai frown. After seeing this, Konoe Ueke hesitated for a moment, and finally decided to reveal it: "To be honest, we have also heard rumors about this secret passage. It is said that it was built by the royal family hundreds of years ago. Its entrance and exit are... The position is only passed down from generation to generation within the royal family. But we always thought it was just a joke, but we didn't expect it to be true."
"That's it." Taiyuan Xuezhai also took a breath when he heard this. He lied without changing his face and said, "It's just that it was indeed an accidental accident when our mission went to Luo a few years ago." At the same time, his heart started to beat:
"That brat Chengfang said that a strange nobleman told him the location of this tunnel... Who exactly did he meet?"
