The change in attitude of the eighteen generals was the last straw that crushed Saito Yoshiryu's heart.

How so? Although Saito Michizo seized power from the Toki family, this was mainly supported by the countrymen, especially the Eighteen Shogun.

With the support of the Eighteen Generals, Saito Michizo had enough to quell the rebellion of the people of Higashimino Country.

But in the recent past, Saito Michizo expelled Toki Yoriyi, and now he has encountered the entry of King Qin's army, and the Eighteen Generals are a little disappointed with Saito Michizo.

Historically, Saito Michizo suddenly retired in 1554 and gave up the position of governor to Saito Yoshiryu, which was the result of pressure from the retainers united by the eighteen generals.

In 1553, floods broke out on the Kiso River and Nagara River, and many people died in the war. In June, the enemy army from the neighboring country was killed again ("Astronomical Diary"), but this time the enemy army was not the Asakura clan before, but the Rokkaku clan of Omi.

The Rokkaku clan and Toki Yoiyi are in-laws (Toki Yoiyi is the daughter of Rokkaku Yoriri - I don't understand the Warring States Note), so this time the Rokkaku clan's attack is to support Toki Yoiyun's reset.

So after the exile of Toki Yorii, Saito Michizo became the lord of Mino Province.

However, in March of the 23rd year of Astronomical (1554), Michizo suddenly retired and gave up the position of governor to his son Saito Toshisho (i.e., Yoshiryu).

According to the general popular book, the dispute between Dao San and Yilong's father and son is that after Yilong inherited the position of family governor, he learned that he was the son of Toki Lai Yun and his concubine Sanfangye, so he pretended to be sick and designed to attack and kill Dao San's sons, and then fought with his father.

But in fact, this is only the Edo period emphasis on karma, persuasion of good and punishment of evil ideology created, the Warring States period of flesh and blood struggle is like a commonplace, Imagawa Yoshimoto, Uesugi Kenshin, Oda Nobunaga These people have had brother rivalry, Takeda Shingen also exiled his father, won the position of family governor, generally mainly relying on their own strength and background.

Therefore, there is nothing special to explain the retreat of Dao San and the struggle between father and son.

As mentioned earlier, in the era of Michizo's reign, in addition to the lack of light in the means of superiority, domestic disasters and repeated invasions by foreign forces can be described as internal and external difficulties, perhaps Michizo's retreat this time was not on his own initiative, but out of the pressure of his own retainers, as if Takeda Shintora failed to rule and was exiled by his retainers.

From the point of view of the retainers, Michizo was not a governor who could effectively rule the territory, and there did not seem to be any policies in civil affairs that could improve the people's livelihood.

Unwilling to be forced into seclusion, Michizo still wanted to give it a go, but Yoshiryu took the lead and was forced to choose between being exiled to another country like Takeda Shintora or dying in battle, and he chose the latter.

When Michizo raised his army, there were only about 2,000 troops in response, which was one-tenth of the Yoshiryu army, and it was a battle without suspense, and the samurai of Mino were basically on the side of the new ruler, Yoshiryu.

During the Battle of the Nagara River in April of the second year of Koji (1556), Nagai Tadasaemon of the Yoshiryufang tried to capture Michizo, but Genta Komaki rushed and cut off Michizo's leg bone with a single sword, and cut off his head, and Nagai Tadazaemon cut off Michizo's nose in order to prove his merits. A generation of heroes Saito Michizo fell to such a tragic end.

Now because of Yoshinaga's appearance, the shogunate has deposed the guardian of the Toki family, and the Yoshicho side is strong, and the Rokkaku family does not dare to move.

In fact, whether it is in history or in the current situation, Saito Michizo has reached the end of his rope.

Yoshiryu has already made up his mind to get rid of his father, Michizo Saito.

He secretly sent someone to contact Inaba Ryotsu, and on the other hand, he exchanged some of the people in Honmaru for his own cronies.

The reason why he wanted to contact Inaba Yoshitsu was that he hoped that Inaba Yoshitsu would control the retainers who supported Daosan.

For example, the Akechi family, historically, there was the Akechi family who supported Saito Michizo and Yoshiryu's war, and after the Michizo War was killed in the battle of Nagaragawa, Yoshiryu began to attack Akechi Castle, and after Akechi Castle was breached, Akechi Guangan committed suicide in the city.

Akechi Mitsuhide, who was the adopted son of Koyasu, fled to Echizen Province with his family, and later took refuge with the Asakura clan.

When he received Inaba Ryotsu's letter, it was already past nine o'clock in the evening, and Yoshilong did not feel sleepy, but a little excited.

After reading the letter, he immediately called his retainers to leave his courtyard and go to the courtyard of his younger brother Sun Shiro.

By the time he reached the courtyard, the servants and the samurai guarding it had already been killed.

And his younger brother Sun Shiro is still sleeping peacefully in the room.

Saito Yoshiryu led his men to the corridor outside the door with an expressionless face, he opened the door and walked straight inside.

Sun Shilang heard some noises, he slowly opened his eyes, and he only saw a dark shadow blocking his vision.

However, under the illumination of the moonlight, he quickly saw that the person who came was his eldest brother Yilong.

However, he soon showed a frightened look, and he opened his mouth wide to scream, but he was covered by Yilong, and that hand was like an iron tong, and he couldn't get it away.

His eyes widened, full of panic, and he shouted fiercely "woo woo woo" in his mouth, and he watched the righteous dragon pull out his ribs, and watched the sword blade that emitted cold light plunged into his body.

A rush of pain rushed to his mind, and he felt the knife still rolling in his body, and the sharp pain made him sweat.

At first, he still had the strength to struggle, and he still had consciousness, but gradually, he lost his strength, and the pain weakened, and he only felt cold.

After a while, the samurai on the side spoke, "My lord, he is dead." ”

Yilong, who was panting, suddenly came to his senses when he heard the reminder, he took a few deep breaths, let go of Sun Shilang's mouth, and soon blood was left behind.

Saito Yoshiryu said expressionlessly: "Clean it up and cover my brother with a quilt." With that, he left the room.

After he left Sun Shiro's courtyard, he ran to Fukayoshino's courtyard, and tonight, Michizo stayed in it.

When the warrior guarding the courtyard saw Yilong coming, he also stopped him directly and said, "Young master, the lord has already rested." ”

Yilong, who looked anxious, hurriedly said: "Go and inform my father, junior brother, he has a sudden illness!" ”

When the samurai heard this, he didn't dare to delay, and hurriedly went inside, Sun Shiro was the most loved by the Taosan, and this was something that everyone in the family knew.

The samurai hurried to the outside of the room where Michizo was resting, and there was a samurai and a maid standing guard in the hallway.

He hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Sun Shilang Hall has a sudden illness!" ”

The maid's face changed, and she quickly knocked on the door gently.

After a while, Daosan's voice came from inside: "What's the matter!" There was the sound of hurried footsteps in the room.

The maid hurriedly said: "Your Highness, Sun Shilang Hall is suffering from a sudden illness!" ”

"Huh!"

Saito Michizo opened the door, and he frowned, "I know, did you hire a doctor?" ”

He didn't dare to delay, just asked, and hurried to Sun Shilang's courtyard.

Michizo broke into Sun Shiro's courtyard with two samurai, and Michizo said anxiously, "What's wrong with Shiro..."

"Lord, there is danger!"

One samurai grabbed Michizo Saito, and the other turned to open the courtyard door.

"Whew!"

"Ahh

The samurai who had gone to pull the gate was shot by an arrow, screamed, and fell to the ground and passed out.

Saito Michizo's face changed greatly, he glared at Yoshiryu angrily, and shouted, "Rebel, what are you doing!" ”

Saito Yoshiryu sneered: "Father, what is the child doing, isn't it clear to the father?" ”

Saito Michizo said angrily: "You idiot, you are still engaged in infighting at this time, do you think that your family is not dying fast enough?" ”

Saito Yoshiryu sneered: "Call me stupid, who is the stupidest in the end!" The countrymen of Nishiminon, led by Inaba Ryotsu, have already surrendered to the enemy! ”

When Saito Michizo heard this, he showed a clear expression, and he suddenly smiled: "Hehehe, yes, Yilong, you have really learned a little bit of ability to be a father." ”

When Yoshilong heard the words "father", he was immediately furious, and directly took a bow and an arrow to shoot at Daosan, and the last samurai pushed Daosan away, hit the arrow, and immediately fell to the ground and passed out.

Michizo Saito fell to the ground, a little embarrassed, and before he could stand up, he felt a sharp pain, and he snorted and fell to the ground panting.

Yilong walked over, lowered his body, and shouted: "You are not my father, my father is His Highness Tuqi!" ”

Saito Michizo laughed, laughing until Yoshiryu was annoyed and angry, and when he saw Yoshiryu draw his sword and want to kill him, Michizo said, "It was the woman who told you Fukayoshino, right?"

You idiot, he's not your mother at all, and your mother died in childbirth when she gave birth to you.

As for the child who came out of Shenfang's wild life, I have already killed it, I just handed you over to her to raise!

Ahem, ahem... To say that you are stupid is stupid, and you dare to believe what others say? Yilong, you're still a little bit behind! ”

Saito Yoshiryu glared at Michizo angrily, he pulled up half of Michizo's body and roared, "You're lying to me!" ”

Daosan didn't reply, he just asked, "You killed Sun Shilang?" ”

Yilong shouted, "So what! ”

Dao San took a breath and smiled, "It's all fate. Yilong, be ruthless, insist that you are a child of Toki Laiyi, understand? Don't understand... Forget it... Huh..."

Dao San sneered twice and then lost his breath.

Yilong suddenly became excited, he shook Dao San, and roared: "You lied to me!" I won't believe you, you're a pit viper hiding in the shadows and biting at any time!

Yes, you took a bite out of my heart before you died! Damn, shit! ”

Yilong seemed to be persuaded by himself, and he was furious and directly cut off the head of Daosan.

Looking at the head of Dao San, he was stunned for a long time, knowing that his subordinates reminded him, and he came to his senses.

He walked around the city with the head of the third do, and the eighteen families immediately took control of Inabayama Castle.

Wise Guang'an and a few others had to know that San had been killed, and they intended to kill them out of the city, but they were defeated and died.

Only Akechi Mitsuhide sensed that something was wrong early in the morning and secretly escaped, and he returned to Akechi City, beckoning his uncle's family, his wife, his old mother, and a group of retainers to run away to Gyeonggi.

After dawn, Inabayama Castle was basically pacified, and the Eighteen Generals temporarily honored Yoshiryu as the leader and waited for Yoshinaga's army.

Not long after Yoshicho got the news, he sent troops out in the morning, and not long after entering the territory of Mino, he received the news that Michizo was killed by Yoshiryu's backstabbing.

He was overjoyed and immediately told the Kakizaki family about it, and the Kakizaki family immediately praised Yoshinaga's plan.

Now that Inabayama Castle was within reach, Yoshinaga immediately asked his troops to speed up.

After Yoshinaga entered the Mino country, he no longer only had a 10,000-strong army, but the people of Higashimino also mobilized troops to join it, which made the number of Yoshinaga's army close to 20,000.

Wherever the army passed, the countrymen of Mino, the little local tyrant descended all the way, and when they arrived at the foot of Inabayama Castle, his team had exceeded 20,000.

As soon as Saito Yoshitaka saw that Yoshinaga's party had arrived, he immediately took the retainers and countrymen in the city out of the city to greet Yoshinaga.

When Saito Yoshiryu saw Yoshinaga, he was still a little incredulous, his father Michizo had struggled for more than ten years to seize the foundation of the Toki family, but the position was not stable.

And the Ogasawara Yoshicho in front of him, who was only twenty-seven or eighteen years old, was the guardian of the two countries, and the power was monstrous, he glanced at Yoshicho a little, and then bent down and said, "Meet His Highness Shinano Mamoru below!" The criminal minister Saito Michizo has been ambushed! ”

Behind Yoshiryu, his retainers came out carrying a round wooden barrel containing the head of Daosan.

Yoshicho smiled and said, "Well, you did a good job, I will remember your merits, and now take the head of Dao San and spread it all over the world, telling others that this is the end of the following crimes." ”

Yilong hurriedly nodded and said, "Ha! Your Majesty will do it immediately! ”

Yichang didn't get off the horse, he just nodded slightly, and continued: "You guys straighten out your team, and follow me to Luo in a day." ”

Yilong and others hurriedly said yes.

When the chief had given the order, he drove his horse into the city.

Subsequently, Yoshinaga issued a security barrier in the castle tower built by the three provinces to ensure the territory of those who had taken refuge in his countrymen.

As for the arrangement of Saito Yoshiryu, Yoshicho asked him to change his surname to Isshiki and change his name to Isshiki Yoshiryu, anyway, the shogunate would not object to this matter, and Yoshilong was also happy in his heart.

As for Yoshiryu's territory is the territory of the Saito family, the Saito family lineage was cut off, and the family name was inherited by Saito Michizo, and now Michizo is dead, and his other sons were also killed by Yoshiryu, and it just so happened that this territory was handed over to Isshiki Yoshiryu.

At this moment, a samurai came to inform that an envoy from the Rokkaku family had come to pay a visit.

Yoshicho was not surprised that the Rokkaku family sent someone, after all, Toki Yoshii was Rokkaku Yoshiken's brother-in-law, and Yoshicho took away the position of Mino guardian of the Toki family, or an order from the shogunate, Rokkaku Yoshiken naturally did not want to send troops to Mino, so he could only send an envoy to negotiate.

At this time, the Rokkaku family was still the overlord of one side, and he was a daimyo who could fight against the Miyoshi family who controlled Gyeonggi, and Yoshicho naturally didn't want to make trouble at this time.

So, he asked his men to lead the messenger to Daguang to meet him.

The envoy representing the Rokkaku family was named Gamo Dingxiu, the lord of Omi Hino Castle, the official position of Shimono Mamoru and Dr. Sabei, and his eldest son was Urayu Hideken, and Hidexian's son was the Gamo clan.