Chapter 55: The Death of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu
Kyoto, Imperial Palace.
Ashikaga Yoshimitsu lost a lot of weight.
A gentle breeze could lift his robe. Ashikaga Yoshimitsu looked at the pool full of water in the garden, the cherry blossom petals on the water, and the Golden Temple reflected behind him. The state of wealth and splendor seemed like yesterday.
Ashikaga Yoshimitsu was the most powerful shogun in the history of the Ashikaga Shogunate.
During his reign, the Ashikaga Shogunate reached its peak.
Ashikaga Yoshimitsu was also a very extravagant shogun. This imperial palace was built by him with a courtyard, a large pool of water rippling slightly, and the cherry blossom trees beside the pond were flying. The Golden Palace is a real Golden Palace, a simple three-story attic. , which is similar to and different from Chinese architecture. It is generally the so-called Japanese style.
However, the most important thing is that the entire hall is covered with gold foil. Looking from a distance, it looks infinitely rich.
Ashikaga Yoshimitsu's aesthetics are still in place, and the land in the yard is all white sand. As a result, the white sand, green water, flowers and trees, and the golden palace complement each other beautifully. The temperament of the golden rich man has been washed away.
It gives people the feeling of elegance and luxury, rather than the feeling of wealthy people.
This is Ashikaga Yoshimitsu's favorite place.
But it was also the last place Ashikaga Yoshimitsu visited.
Without him, the Ashikaga family has fallen into serious financial difficulties and cannot make ends meet. After all, it supports hundreds of thousands of troops, so Ming Dynasty is actually under a little pressure now. Therefore, when implementing another major event.
It’s time to give up here.
Not to mention the Ashikaga family.
Even the Ashikaga family in its heyday was worse than the Oda family and the Tokugawa family in their heyday. The fact that the Ashikaga family was able to persist in such a cruel war was already a profound achievement, as was the gold foil used for decoration. Taken down together, there are actually more than a thousand taels.
For the previous Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, it was not a number worth caring about. But now it doesn't work.
Ashikaga Yoshimitsu looked at the beauty he created. Close your eyes slightly. Turn around and leave. Wait for someone to take down the gold foil here. Suddenly, he heard a sound, the sound of wooden clogs stepping on the white sand.
Ashikaga Yoshimitsu's closed eyes suddenly opened, with a hint of murderous intent in them.
He knew that this was not a place where others could enter.
No matter who enters here without notifying him, it is a great offense to him.
People only go back to emphasize something when they are lacking something. As the war continued, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu's decision to drag the entire Japan into the war with the Ming Dynasty became increasingly criticized. Ashikaga Yoshimitsu would do anything to establish and emphasize his authority. He even pacified several temples and took the money from the temples for military expenses.
It should be noted that monks in Japan have always been a special profession with many interests behind them, not just religious issues.
You must know that Japanese monks even competed with the emperor for land, and in the end the emperor lost.
How could Ashikaga Yoshimitsu do such a thing without worrying about backlash and retaliation, so he became more and more nervous about his own safety. This kind of person did not notify him that someone suddenly came to his side, and it was still in such a private place. It was enough to set off alarm bells.
Ashikaga Yoshimitsu slowly turned around, was stunned, and said, "It's you."
It was none other than Hosokawa Yorimoto, whom he trusted most. Hosokawa Yorimoto was wearing a black samurai uniform, holding a long sword, and walked slowly. Said: "Meet the general."
Many things ran through Ashikaga Yoshimitsu's mind.
Suddenly he breathed a sigh of relief and said: "Hosokawa Yorimoto, why are you here."
Hosokawa Yorimoto said: "General. Why ask questions knowingly? Today, only one of me and the general can walk out of the palace."
Ashikaga Yoshimitsu appeared here from Hosokawa Yorimoto, holding a Japanese sword, and he had already guessed that something must be going on today. But Ashikaga Yoshimitsu still wanted to play a trick and fool him. After all, this imperial palace is surrounded by people from the Ashikaga family.
As long as he leaves here, the situation will be reversed.
It's just that Ashikaga Yoshimitsu didn't expect that Hosokawa Yorimoto would be so blatant.
Ashikaga Yoshimitsu said: "How dare you do the following, do you deserve your father?"
Hosokawa Yorimoto said: "General, are you worthy of my adoptive father?"
Ashikaga Yoshimitsu's face turned red, but he remained silent.
Hosokawa Yorimoto spoke. Said: "Father, you supported the young general, conquered east and west, and stabilized the world, but the general forced my stepfather to become a monk. Even until the last moment, he did not give up his doubts about the Hosokawa family. However," Hosokawa There was no resentment in Lai Yuan's tone as he said: "However, my adoptive father has never blamed you, because this is the great general, the great general of the world, and can never be a benevolent and righteous gentleman. He must be a ferocious beast. Powerful, tolerant, and jealous. Can suppress all evil intentions."
"So, don't blame me. Because what happened today is not that I am sorry for you, nor that you are sorry for me. It is the fate of the Wu family. Killing and betrayal."
After hearing what Hosokawa Yorimoto said, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu put his hand on the long knife on his waist, slowly pushed the handle of the knife away with his fingers, and said, "Oh, so it's my fault."
Hosokawa Yorimoto said: "No. If you kill me, walk out of this courtyard, destroy the Hosokawa family, and then drive out the Ming invaders, then I am the one who is wrong. Because the shogunate can decide what is right or wrong. . What you have to guarantee now is that you are still the shogun, a living general. A dead general is nothing."
Hosokawa Yorimoto had stopped at this moment.
The two of them were several meters apart, both wearing wooden clogs and stepping on the white sand. On one side was the gentle lake and on the other was the exquisite golden palace. Occasionally there are cherry blossoms falling, which is really a good place for a duel.
Ashikaga Yoshimitsu said: "That's right. I'll deal with you. It's not too late to discuss right and wrong. I'm very curious. How did you get here."
Hosokawa Yorimoto said: "If I don't tell you, General, don't you know? Why ask? I'm here just to give the General some dignity. General, why bother yourself?"
Ashikaga Yoshimitsu's hand was tightly grasped on the hilt of the sword, and his breathing became heavy.
He knew what Hosokawa Yorimoto meant.
Among other things, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu has always had an army of loyal followers of the Ashikaga family around him. There is no less than three hundred people at all times, and the officers among them are all from the Ashikaga family, or are in-laws of the Ashikaga family. Is someone trustworthy.
These three hundred people should be outside at this moment.
There was no fighting, no shouting. There was nothing, these three hundred people were dispatched.
Ashikaga Yoshimitsu didn't believe it.
After all, this is not a martial arts world, and no one can kill these three hundred people silently.
Apart from this reason, there is only one reason.
That is, these people betrayed.
This is what makes Ashikaga Yoshimitsu even more unbelievable, because they are all confidants of the Ashikaga family and the pillars of the Ashikaga family. If they can't believe it, who can he believe?
Ashikaga Yoshimitsu said loudly: "Here comes someone."
Very loud sound.
Enough to spread outside.
But nothing happened.
There seemed to be no one outside.
Hosokawa Yorimoto said: "General, I have told you that I am here just to give you dignity. This war needs to end. But some things need to be settled."
Ashikaga Yoshimitsu narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "Are you colluding with Akiko? What are the conditions for Akiko?"
Hosokawa Yorimoto said: "General, there is no need to know."
Ashikaga Yoshimitsu said: "Okay. Okay. -----Okay!" After saying "Okay" the second time, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu's whole body jumped out, and the long sword was pulled out from his waist like lightning, and he made a big chop. Cut off Yorimoto Hosokawa.
If this sword hits, Hosokawa Yorimoto will be split in half.
But seeing Hosokawa Yorimoto, he suddenly took a step forward.
Almost in the blink of an eye, the two people were almost face to face.
Ashikaga Yoshimitsu suddenly shed a lot of blood from his mouth and said, "I------" He wanted to say something, but couldn't.
Hosokawa Yorimoto said: "My foster father told you that your swordsmanship is already top-notch in the world. That's because you are a general."
At this moment, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu held the sword in both hands and raised it above his head. The long sword shines brightly in the sunlight. When you touch the knife, light flows on the blade. And Hosokawa Yorimoto held a long sword unsheathed in one hand, and pulled out a dagger from somewhere with the other hand.
The dagger was inserted right into Ashikaga Yoshimitsu's chest.
