Asahina Taino got so drunk in the house that he fell asleep. It wasn't until the next morning that he woke up in a daze, only to be told by Xiao Xing that Imagawa Yoshimoto wanted to see him and had been waiting for a long time. Asahina Yasuno quickly wiped his face and ran to find Imagawa Yoshimoto with his bare feet unconcealed.
"Your Highness, what's the matter?" After opening the door, Asahina Taino seemed to have forgotten all about his speech and attitude yesterday, and returned to his usual informal appearance. He had a stubble on his face, smelled of alcohol, and exposed his thick chest hair. He sat carelessly on the ground with his legs crossed. The smell of his feet almost choked Imagawa Yoshimoto.
"I'm a little concerned. How come I don't know anything about what Bichu Mamoru said yesterday?" Imagawa Yoshimoto thought about yesterday's conversation, and felt shocked by the situation that Asahina Yasu could describe - he didn't expect that in his Asahina, who has always been considered the most important and loyal minister in the family, is actually experiencing such an undercurrent in her family. He never expected that Tai Asahina would go to such great lengths to maintain the loyalty of the Asahina family to him.
"Master Xue Zhai has protected you so well... I haven't told you all these bad and dark things. I guess he wants you to feel at ease, have a more positive view of your retainers, and live a relaxed and comfortable life. No need. Just like guarding against thieves all day long, deal with our retainers under great pressure." Asahina Taino sighed, "I communicated these matters with Master Yuksai, and Master Yuksai also helped me a lot, suppressing Asahina for me. The separatist forces in the family...but it seems that he didn’t tell you anything.”
"Is there anything else I don't know?" Imagawa Yoshimoto scratched his head in distress.
"Yuanjiang and Sanhe areas have always been unstable, especially the foreigners, who are very dissatisfied with your style. They think that you ignore government affairs, do nothing, pay no attention to the interests of retainers, and never discuss anything with retainers, even You didn't even meet them, which made them very confused and angry. They feel that people like you are not worthy of being the governor at all." Asahina Yasuno was one of the few retainers who had the qualifications and courage to directly admonish Imagawa Yoshimoto. He said without hesitation: "Didn't Master Xue Zhai give you good advice?"
"The teacher has told me many times to handle some government affairs by myself, but I have always refused on the grounds that "I have agreed before that I will not take care of any government affairs." He also said that the retainers would be dissatisfied, but I didn't take it seriously, thinking it was just the teacher. Just use it to beat me." Imagawa Yoshimoto could only smile bitterly at this moment. Only now did he understand why Taiyuan Xuezhai always earnestly persuaded him to join politics - because Taiyuan Xuezhai understood the undercurrents in the darkness and eagerly hoped that Imagawa Yoshimoto improved his image, but Imagawa Yoshimoto himself didn't know it.
"You should be lucky that you have met such a good assistant as Master Yusei, who is rare in a century." Asahina Tainou also sighed, and then said with a lucky smile:
"Although Master Xuezai has great power, he is also selfless. He manages the Imagawa family in an orderly manner, and people's livelihood, business, and military equipment are all booming. In order to show that he has no selfish intentions, Master Xuezai takes the initiative to draw a clear line between himself and his relatives. You know Xuezai How long has it been since the master and his ancestral Anhara family (Taiyuan Xuezhai came from the Anhara family, the current Anhara family governor Anhara Zhongyin is Taiyuan Xuezhai's nephew) and his natal family Xingjin family (Taiyuan Xuezhai's mother came from the Xingjin family, the current family governor Xing Has Jin Zhengping (Taiyuan Xuezhai's cousin) contacted him? Since he became the housekeeper, he has not sent a letter to the Anhara family or Xingjin family, nor has he met his relatives once. Every time he receives a reward At that time, there was basically no involvement of the Anhara family and the Xingjin family. It was because Master Xue Zhai was afraid that others would make excuses and say that he was enriching his own pockets."
"Master Xuezai himself did not marry, have children, and carry on the family line. He just wanted to show the Imagawa family retainers in a unique way that he had no intention of monopolizing power for a long time. He sacrificed so much and held a bowl of water so flat that he reluctantly Let the Imagawa family maintain stability, and at least let the Imagawa family's direct ministers, clan members, and descendants turn a blind eye to your neglect of government. Otherwise, think about it, if you entrust the power of the family to a person Not to mention the dissatisfaction of the outsiders, I am afraid that the family members and retainers will also protest against this sycophantic woman who is dominating and seeking public benefit for herself, right?"
"But even so, those outsiders are still dissatisfied. People are like this. They are born to yearn for power, and they will be dissatisfied with whoever has more power. Power is justifiable in the hands of the house governor. Even so, there will be people who will make irresponsible remarks. Not to mention that the power in the family is now in the hands of an outsider. You let those outsiders
How convinced? The direct descendants of the family all know the talent of Master Xue Zhai, and Master Xue Zhai will discuss things with them on weekdays. However, Master Xue Zhai cannot trust those outsiders and arranges numerous spies in their families. As time goes by, the conflicts between the two parties become more and more serious. The bigger it is, the harder it will be for Master Xue Zhai. "
Imagawa Yoshimoto couldn't help but fell silent after listening to Asahina Taino's heartfelt words. He is the person who understands his teacher best. The strong old monk will probably never reveal these bitter experiences to his apprentice until his death. Instead, he plans to silently shoulder everything for Imagawa Yoshimoto and let him You can enjoy a free and relaxed life - just like you did in the temple when you were a child.
I just didn't expect that my own willfulness would put the teacher on the fire - making him sacrifice so much, but still walking on thin ice day and night facing criticism.
·
At this moment, there was a burst of noise outside the Horie Castle Castle Tower. Imagawa Yoshimoto and Asahina Yasunou got up to look, and happened to meet Hayasaka Nao.
"Koichiro?" Imagawa Yoshimoto was stunned for a moment when he saw Hayasaka Nao, "Aren't you at Imagawakan? Why are you here?"
"Hearing that His Highness was in danger, Odai-den sent all the knights in Suruga to come to Yue River for rescue. Not only our Imagawa-kan, but also each family and clan generation sent their own horse-riding samurai! "After Hayasaka Nao saw Imagawa Yoshimoto safe and sound, she almost shed tears, "Fortunately, Your Highness is fine!"
"Excuse me for your trouble." Imagawa Yoshimoto nodded slightly apologetically.
"Master Yukisai has also come back. He is in the Yashiki outside the castle tower." Hayasaka Nao said while pointing behind him, "I asked you to bring His Highness over. He wants to see His Highness."
·
When Imagawa Yoshimoto followed Hayasaka Nao out of the castle tower, he heard Taihara Yukisai's scolding coming from the house far away. Imagawa Yoshimoto pushed the door open and found Obara Zumi, Tsuchi Atonsune and Amano Keitoku kneeling in front of Taiyuan Xuezhai, while Taiyuan Xuezhai was tapping their heads one by one with his fingers and yelling:
"His Highness is ignorant, don't you guys understand? Don't you know the little thoughts of those wealthy families in Sanheyuanjiang? How dare you leave His Highness alone? You don't even know how to confirm His Highness's whereabouts? You won't even change the way. You know, you are in danger, but you don’t know, the people sent to protect you went in the completely opposite direction? If the wealthy family rebels and doesn’t confirm and understand the situation, and kill the hostages as soon as possible, isn’t this forcing the rebels to fight you to the death? What are you thinking? What are you doing? If you are not still needed, I will let you all commit seppuku today!"
"Teacher, you can't blame them." Imagawa Yoshimoto hurriedly explained to several subordinates, "It's my problem. I didn't inform Obara Hizen of the route change in time. Amano also clearly warned me to be careful, and Tuyuan, he went to deliver the order on my orders."
"It's good that you brat knows it's your fault." When Taiyuan Xuezhai saw the real master coming, he threw away his three subordinates and strode towards Imagawa Yoshimoto with an expression as if he wanted to eat him. Same: "Why, you're not dead? You're actually still alive?"
"There's really no way..." Imagawa Yoshimoto scratched his head in embarrassment.
"I just stayed in Kyoto for a few more days to take care of things, and you kid just reversed half of Yuanjiang and Mikawa for me?" Taiyuan Xuezhai took out the rosary in his sleeve, rounded it up, and headed to Imagawa Yi He smashed the Yuan on the head, and at the same time muttered: "You almost lost your life? You almost lost your life, don't you know, you brat?"
"Old man, I was wrong, I was wrong!" Imagawa Yoshimoto apologized carefully while driving more rosary beads from Taiyuan Xuezhai in embarrassment.
"Everything else is fine. In the end, you can obviously evacuate by boat. Why are you going back to Horie City?" Taiyuan Xuezhai mentioned the news he had just learned not long ago, and pulled Imagawa Yoshimoto to him very angrily. In the corner of the room, he said in a serious voice: "His Majesty Takeda, who escaped by boat, has now returned to his own territory and sent a letter to report that he is safe. Where is your kid? Why don't you go with them and go back to Horie Castle?"
"Well..." Imagawa Yoshimoto was a little embarrassed and didn't know how to speak.
"You must have feelings for your retainers and soldiers, right? You can't bear to abandon your subordinates and leave alone?" But how could Taiyuan Xuezai, who knew Imagawa Yoshimoto best, not understand what his apprentice was thinking?
What? He lowered his head slightly and said in a low voice: "It was the same last time in Shodouzaka. I asked you to evacuate but you refused to evacuate. You insisted on going back to save your subordinates and even cut off the troops yourself. Don't you know how dangerous this is, you brat?"
"I feel that as an incompetent family governor like me, I am not worthy of those good subordinates dying for me, and I have no reason to ask them to do so." After hesitating for a while, Imagawa Yoshimoto confided to Taiyuan Xuezhai. In my heart, "Leaving them to escape alone would make me feel very uncomfortable."
"Hey...Chengfang, you are good at everything, but you are too kind-hearted. If you want to be a fool, just do it to the end. Those who are willing to sacrifice for you are also benevolent, and they are also benevolent in history. You will leave a good reputation, don't take risks for the sake of your subordinates..." Taiyuan Xue Zhai sighed and wanted to say something else, but he also understood that the seemingly easy-going Imagawa Yoshimoto was actually involved in some three-view issues. The place is so stubborn that no matter how hard you try, you can't be persuaded.
"The war is dangerous, and something will happen to you sooner or later. Maybe one time you were unexpectedly attacked in the battle formation, and you refused to retreat first and insisted on covering your subordinates, which cost you your own head." Taiyuan Xuezhai finally said He could only leave this sentence in anger, then shook his head and stopped the topic.
