After sleeping one night in Sone Castle, Kyogoku Takamasa expressed his gratitude to Inaba Ittetsu for hosting him so warmly the next morning, and then said goodbye.
Inaba Kazutetsu wanted to drag Kyogoku Takamasa to stay for a few more days, but Kyogoku Takamasa was thinking about the talents of Shinano and Kai, so he politely rejected Inaba Kazutetsu.
Seeing that Kyogoku Takamasa had decided to leave, Inaba Ittetsu was no longer trying to persuade him to stay. However, before leaving, Inaba Kazutetsu personally sent Kyogoku Takamasa out of his own territory, which made Kyogoku Takamasa very grateful.
Leaving Ono County and heading east, passing through Honchao County, Kyogoku Takamasa and others gradually entered the territory of the Nagai clan.
The Nagai family was the minor guardian of Mino. During the Nagai Nagahiro era, he launched a rebellion in Mino and captured Inabayama Castle. However, in the second year of Tenmon, Nagai Nagahiro was murdered (?) by his retainer Nishimura Kankuro. The family name was inherited by Nishimura Kankuro and changed to Nagai Shinkuro Kihide (Saito Michizan).
Nagai Norihide was deeply loved by Toki Yorii, and in the sixth year of Dayei, he gave his concubine Fukayoshino Shita to Nagai Norihide as a concubine.
As a powerful figure in Toki Yori Gekata and also an important minister in the family, the Nagai clan was actively preparing for war during this period.
The confrontation between Toki Yorii and Toki Yoritake has reached a critical moment that is about to break out, and both sides are working hard.
Walking in the territory of the Nagai family, you can see groups of people carrying all kinds of equipment heading towards Inabayama Castle, Nagai's beautiful residence.
Kyogoku Takamasa and others were even regarded as ronin who went to Inabayama Castle to look for opportunities by their fellow travelers, and many ronin who were traveling with them even took the initiative to chat with Kyogoku Takamasa and others.
In order not to reveal his identity as much as possible, Kyogoku Takamasa simply pretended to be a ronin who was going to Inabayama Castle to join the Nagai clan.
In this era, whenever a war is likely to break out, the nearby wanderers will flock to that place.
Due to the needs of war, warring parties often not only mobilize their own troops, but also temporarily recruit rogues to fight for themselves.
Although the ronin's discipline is very poor, the same is true for the peasant soldiers, but at least the ronin's combat effectiveness is still very strong.
Inabayama Castle is located on the banks of the Nagara River, in the upper part of Inaba.
In the first year of Kennin's reign (AD 1201), Nikaido built the castle at Inabayama Castle, but the castle was soon abandoned after Nikaido's death.
Two hundred years later, Saito Toshiyaga, the guardian of Mino, restored the abandoned Inabayama Castle and put it into use again. The castle still exists today.
After Nagai Norihide inherited the Nagai family name, he soon moved the Nagai family's residence from Sekijo to Inabayama Castle.
Inabayama Castle combines the steepness of Mount Inaba with the convenience of the Nagara River, and it quickly developed.
When he arrived at the castle town under Inabayama Castle, Kyogoku Takamasa was still in a good mood.
Although the city is not the city in my impression, the mountains are generally unchanged. Kyogoku Takamasa once traveled to Inabayama Castle before he traveled through time. In later generations, this place became the "Gifu Castle Ruins".
Although most of the city ruins that have survived to later generations have been restored later, similarities can still be found in some places. Unlike Mount Inaba and the Nagara River, the scenery of mountains and rivers has not changed much in hundreds of years.
After finding an accommodation in the castle town and settling down, Kyogoku Takamasa took Hatayama Asanobu and others to wander around the castle town of Inabayama Castle.
"The castle town of Inabayama Castle is indeed prosperous, and it is not far behind the castle town of Imahama Castle." Looking at the bustling scene around him, Kyogoku Takamasa couldn't help but sigh.
"It is said that the lord of Inabayama Castle, Nagai Shinkuro, inherited his family name by overcoming his subordinates and murdering his lord. However, there are different opinions on this matter, and I don't know whether it is true or not." Masanobu Hayashi, who was born in Mino, suddenly started gossiping at this time. stand up.
Kyogoku Takamasa, who knew the whole story, couldn't say much. After all, where did he go?
The target of someone else, Kihide Nagai, is the entire Meino Country. Is the name of the country-stealing thief Saito Douzan in vain?
"Don't discuss these here, or you will be arrested as a spy." Kyogoku Takamasa warned again.
Lin Zhengxin, who was on the side, was about to say something, but after hearing Kyogi Takamasa's words, he quickly shut his mouth.
After all, the castle town of Inabayama Castle has just developed, so it is not large in scale, with only a few streets. Kyogoku Takamasa and others soon finished visiting the castle town.
Just as Kyogoku Takamasa and others were about to turn around and return to their residence, Kyogoku Takamasa suddenly felt that his waist was empty.
He reached out and touched it, and the few strings of copper coins on his waist were gone.
By chance, out of the corner of his eye, Kyogoku Takamasa saw a young man walking forward with his head lowered.
Kyogoku Takamasa calmly pointed at the young man. Although Hatayama Asanobu and others beside him did not know what happened, they quickly moved closer to the young man.
As if he noticed something, the boy who was walking slowly before suddenly quickened his pace, and then immediately changed to running.
"stop!"
Hatayama Chonobu couldn't help but let out a loud shout. Unexpectedly, the boy ran faster, and Hatayama Chonobu quickly chased after him.
Seeing Hatayama Chaobu chasing him out, Kyogoku Takamasa and others quickly followed.
As a result, a chase battle quickly took place in the castle town.
There were many pedestrians in the castle town, and the boy was obviously very familiar with the terrain here, and he disappeared into the crowd in a few moments.
Looking at the pedestrians around him, Hatayama shook his head helplessly and lost track of them.
Kyogoku Takamasa also came over at this time, and when he saw Hatayama's expression, he waved his hand quickly and said nonchalantly: "It's okay, it's just a few dozen coins, there's no need to chase after it."
"Everyone who is unfamiliar with the place here should be careful."
"ha!"
With that said, Kyogoku Takamasa and others walked towards the dormitory.
However, Yamaoka Inuhachiro, who was hiding in the crowd and secretly protecting Kyogoku Takamasa, his eyes lit up, and then he winked at the other two ninjas, asking the other two ninjas to continue to protect Kyogoku Takamasa, while he looked towards He walked quietly along a street.
After Kyogoku Takamasa and others turned around and left, in an alley at the corner of the street, a dirty boy carefully stretched out half of his head.
I finally let out a long sigh of relief when I saw no one was chasing me.
Holding the heavy copper coins in his hand, the young man suddenly fell silent.
You have been away from home for so many days. Although you came to Inabayama Castle to cause destruction, is it a violation of samurai ethics to do so?
He often heard his father say bad things about Nagai Norihide, and the young man had a very bad impression of the Nagai family.
In order to make his father happy, the boy decided to run away from home and go to Inabayama Castle to cause destruction.
In the past few days, the boy climbed over walls, set fires, and even stole food from children. But today was the first time he stole someone's money. Although it was exciting, it seemed unethical.
"It's better to go home... I miss mother's cooking." The young man said to himself as he leaned against the wall.
"Boy! I'm afraid you won't be able to go back for a while!"
At this moment, a voice suddenly sounded in the young man's ears...
