Imagawa Yoshimoto looked at everything that happened in front of him with his mouth open - Katsurayama Ukiyoshi standing beside him in an arrow-shooting position, and the child with an arrow in his chest in front of the city gate - behind the child were the equally stunned Hojo family samurai.
Kazuyama Shiqing shot his own child with his own hands in front of the two armies.
Things have been done to this point, and it is obvious to the naked eye that there will no longer be any room for negotiation. The Hojo family also retreated from Katsurayama Castle wisely. They were even worried that they would withdraw too slowly and be overtaken near Katsurayama Castle by the "main force of the Imagawa family" that only existed in the Hojo family's imagination.
"Katsuyama..." After the great victory, Imagawa Yoshimoto, who returned to the samurai's house in Honmaruchi, was a little unhappy. Looking at Katsurayama Ujikiyo, his eyes became a little complicated, "Tiger poison does not eat its seeds... Even if you refuse to negotiate, the child's life may not be in danger. What are you..."
"It's not just a matter of this kind." Akai Kurotaka had just driven the Hojo family out from under the city gate. He was still holding a few captured heads in his hands. Then he strode over to the Katsurayama clan and said, "Even if it's... Your son, on the battlefield, whether to kill or not to kill, to talk or not to talk about it is also a matter for His Highness to decide. Is it your turn to make your own decisions? Huh? What do you mean? "
"Please forgive me, Your Highness!" Upon hearing this, the Geshan clan immediately knelt down and kowtowed.
"Why are you apologizing...Are you being able to make your own decisions or being stubborn? The latter is not a crime at all." Imagawa Yoshimoto sighed helplessly.
"No, I am apologizing for my concealment." Katsuragi Kiyoshi raised his head and whispered to Imagawa Yoshimoto: "The child I shot just now was not my son, but the adoptive brother who adopted me from a branch of the Hojo family. Adopted son. It’s just that the situation in the battlefield was critical and I didn’t have time to explain it. I was also afraid that the crowd would leak the news, so I didn’t dare to report it to His Highness in public. Now there is no need to worry. I will tell you everything.”
"Huh? Not your master?" Not only Imagawa Yoshimoto, but also other close relatives around him were confused.
"Your Highness, please. I and Brother Yu have long had conflicts over whether to follow the Imagawa family or the Hojo family. We are both well aware of each other's tendencies, but the two of us have already discussed it. Whether it is our brother Whichever side wins, the bloodline of the Kazuyama family must be preserved. Brother Yu has no children, so after Brother Yu was forced to marry the Hojo family and adopt the children of the Hojo family as his heirs, Brother Yu poisoned his wife and killed her. The heirs of the Hojo family secretly exchanged with the children below. If the Hojo family wins the Imagawa family in the future, then after Brother Yu retires, the Katsurayama family will also be passed on to Inuko, and to the heirs with the blood of the Katsurayama family. If the Imagawa family wins If I succeed, I will find an opportunity to murder the heirs of the Hojo family, and then I will have a son to succeed the family governor."
After hearing this amazing plan, Imagawa Yoshimoto and Ma Yuzhong didn't know how to answer. After a long time, Imagawa Yoshimoto gloomily asked a seemingly irrelevant question: "So in your original plan, you also planned to kill this child, right? That's why you were so determined this time. .”
"That's right. From the day I exchanged my infant heir, all I have been thinking about is how to kill him and when to kill him. That's all." Katsuraji Kiyoshi seemed not to have heard Imagawa Yoshi at all. He didn't understand the trouble in Yuan's words, but answered righteously.
"I understand, no matter what, thank you for Kazuyama's contribution in this battle. We will make arrangements for the treatment of the Kazuyama family and your brother later, and Kazuyama's reward will not be small." Imagawa Yoshimoto showed a kind and decent smile, "We are going to discuss military affairs, so please ask Geshan to go and appease the troops of the Geshan family who surrendered."
"Yes." Katsuragi Kiyoshi handed over his hands and left, leaving Imagawa Yoshimoto and others looking at each other.
"It's too poisonous, I really can't stand it." Seeing that the person had gone far away, Kira Yusei began to complain carelessly, "I have been here at the Imagawa family for a while, and I have seen all kinds of cold-blooded people. I have seen this one before. The most ruthless."
"What does this mean? After all, I only killed one person, and I just did it in front of you, so it's just a shock to you, a stinky peasant who has never seen the world." Akai Kuroko did not forget to seize every opportunity to disparage Kira Isei, "Those who kill thousands or tens of thousands of people without blinking an eye are the ones who are truly ruthless."
"Then you go and kill your son and shock me?" Kira Weicheng
He yelled back and cursed, and the two people immediately started arguing, while Imagawa Yoshimoto silently blocked the conversation between the two.
"Your Highness, Master Sekssai has sent a reply." At this time, Hayasaka Nao led the envoy Amano Keitoku sent by Taiyuan Sekssai into the house and handed a piece of paper with Taiyuan Sekssai's seal to Imagawa. Yoshitsune, "Master Sekssai has instructed you to attack Katsurayama Castle no matter what. If you can capture it, hold on to it and wait for reinforcements from the Imagawa family. If you cannot capture it, withdraw your troops immediately."
"Stand and wait for help, how long should we hold on?" Imagawa Yoshimoto asked in a low voice while pressing his hand to signal Kira Uishari and Akai Kurotaka to stop arguing.
"Master Yukisai said it will take 3 days. Even at the fastest speed, it will take about 3 days for the Imagawa Army in the Kadong area to gather troops, and it will take longer for the main force of the Imagawa family in the Kasai area." Amano Keitoku finished this paragraph. After speaking, he raised his eyes and looked at Imagawa Yoshimoto, "The mission is more dangerous. After all, you only have 400 people in the main hall. If possible, leave the task of leading the army to the samurai among the horsemen, and the main hall should evacuate to a safe place first."
"No need." Imagawa Yoshimoto rejected Amano Keitoku's proposal without thinking. He had already made up his mind and would not abandon his subordinates at any time. "Is it three days?"
"Yes, but Master Yukisai thinks there may be difficulties. Three days are enough for the Hojo family's banner from Odawara Castle and a large number of Hojo family retainers from western Sagami and northern Izu to arrive. The number of people you face may be tens of thousands." Amano Kage Toku took out the border map he brought with him and reported to Imagawa Yoshimoto: "Those who are expected to definitely arrive include the Hojo family's flag and the Japanese people near Odawara Castle, a total of more than 6,000 people, Kasahara Nobuya's more than 1,000 people, and Hojo's people. There are more than 1,000 people from Shiyao and more than 1,000 people from Fuyong Naosheng."
"If it is to get to Katsurayama Castle as quickly as possible, the main force starting from Odawara Castle should go directly to the mountain road of Ashigahara Mountain to go west. And Kasahara Nobuya's Hakubei, Tominaga Naokatsu's Aobei and others starting from Izu Hojo Ujiyao's 3,000 men should go directly north via the official road. This force will also cut off the connection between Katsurayama Castle and the Imagawa family's territory, cutting off your escape route."
After Amano Keitoku finished speaking, Himura Ueha also advised: "Although our 400 horse warriors are all elite and possess iron cannons, they will be useful in defending the city. However, none of the horse warriors are wearing heavy armor. Armor, but mainly light armor. Once the enemy attacks the city, I am afraid there will be heavy casualties. We can only rely on the soldiers of the Katsurayama family as assistance, but they have just defected from the Hojo family and returned to the Imagawa family, so they may not be reliable. Unless the No. 1 in Kadong A batch of reinforcements can enter the city before the Hojo family arrives, otherwise there will be insufficient troops in the city, so I still recommend that your highness leave first."
"As long as the Hojo family is not allowed to capture Katsurayama Castle within three days, why do we have to defend the city?" Imagawa Yoshimoto raised his head and looked around at his subordinates. Everyone was confused. Just when Imagawa Yoshimoto wanted to explain, Tu Atomsuke suddenly asked for a meeting.
"Your Highness, Lord Katsurayama left the castle tower and seemed to go between the Honmaru and Ninomaru without informing you in advance." Tsuchiyangjing Shen Shenghui reported that this information immediately aroused everyone's vigilance.
"Amano, the envoy we sent should have told the teacher about the encounter with Katsurayama. Did the teacher say anything about this? Is this person the teacher's spy?" Imagawa Yoshimoto asked Amano Keide for confirmation.
"Master Yukisai said that Katsurayama is a reliable samurai. He is willing to do anything for the survival of the Katsurayama family. And the way he believes that the way for the Katsurayama family to survive is to follow the Imagawa family, so there is no doubt that he is from our side." Amano Jingde repeated Taiyuan Xuezhai's instructions, but then he added: "But I don't have the courage of Master Xuezhai to "don't use people when you doubt them, and don't doubt people when you employ them." Acting privately at such a sensitive time is suspicious anyway, and you should check the situation immediately. "
"Yes, Your Highness, we are not familiar with the place in Kazuyama City. The future defense deployment will have to rely entirely on Lord Kazuyama, a local snake. If he does anything fishy, we have to discuss it early." Himura Hiroyuki also agreed. He said, and at the same time he murmured, not sure whether he was praising or derogating: "A person who doesn't even have the eyesight to kill a child can achieve great things with his cruelty."
"You continue to evaluate and inventory the supplies and equipment. I will personally take people to take a look." Imagawa Yoshimoto suddenly had an idea in his mind, and then he immediately got up.
He took his body and rushed to the east gate of Honmaru with a group of guards. It didn't take long for Kazuyama Shikiyo to be spotted. Kazuyama Ujikiyo seemed to have heard the noise coming from the Honmaru. He trembled in fright, and then immediately stood still. He gently put down the things on his back, turned to Imagawa Yoshimoto and spread his hands. , indicating that he had no agenda.
"Katsuyama, it's so late. You are alone in the city without reporting, and it is easy to cause misunderstandings." Imagawa Yoshimoto scolded, and motioned to Hayasaka Nao to come forward with a torch to check what Katsurayama Kiyoshi was carrying just now. What was it - only when he got closer did he realize that the body of a child was safely placed at the feet of Kazuyama Shiki - it was the "son" he shot with his own hands. The blood on his cheek seemed to have been carefully wiped away, and the bloody wound had been bandaged. His appearance was as peaceful as if he had fallen asleep.
"This is..." Imagawa Yoshimoto pursed his lips.
"I'm sorry, Your Highness, I went out without asking for permission." Katsurayama Ukiyo's tone was still so calm and calm, and he bowed deeply to Imagawa Yoshimoto, "Please forgive me."
"Do you want to bury this child?" Imagawa Yoshimoto's tone became gentler.
This time, Kazuyama Shikiyo hesitated, but after a while, he replied: "Yes."
"If it is such a request, why don't you report it? Do you think I will reject it?" Imagawa Yoshimoto asked sharply, causing Katsurayama Ukiyo to fall into a longer silence.
"You think this is embarrassing?" Imagawa Yoshimoto's question became more direct, and this time a low moan came from Kazuyama's clear throat.
"This is the child you have raised since he was a baby, even if you know that you may kill him in the future. But humans are not grass and trees, how can we be ruthless? Isn't it enough to say "Father" and rely on you for several years? Have feelings for him? I have feelings for the stray cat that has been with me for several years, let alone a living child? To him, you are his father. "Imagawa Yoshimoto took a step closer, took the torch from Hayasaka Nao's hand, illuminated Katsuraji Kiyoshi's face, and asked in a deep voice:
"So, is there anything wrong with burying your 'son'? What else would you find difficult to talk about? Are human feelings so unworthy? To you, only those who only care about family interests and are ruthless are what people should be like? Everything is for the Geshan family, right? As a samurai, it's embarrassing to accidentally reveal human emotions, isn't it? "
Geshan Shiqing hesitated and tried hard to hold back his tears, but tears still flowed down his cheeks. His eyes kept wandering towards the child's face, and the years of guilt-ridden father and son seemed to reappear in front of his eyes. It was a blood-stained family happiness.
"I don't think there's anything shameful about it." Imagawa Yoshimoto left these words and walked away, "Haasaka, ask a carpenter to pick a coffin for your child. Katsurayama, please spend the last journey with your child."
