Under normal circumstances, Hosokawa Fujitaka, as a well-known cultural person, always pays attention to his appearance and demeanor, and always maintains a personable, gentle, well-read, and amiable posture.

But if there are only a few cronies and retainers around, they will occasionally let themselves go and be unkempt.

For example, at this moment, he is lying listlessly on the floor of a messy abandoned warehouse, staring blankly at the ceiling, holding a dead branch in his hand, babbling in his mouth, not knowing what to count.

This place is already some distance away from the battlefield near Xiangguo Temple, and the bloody gas is completely inaudible, and the sound is completely inaudible, presenting a quiet, leisurely and boring atmosphere.

However, as the ghostwriter of the Hosokawa family tree, the middle-aged samurai named "Ariyoshi Liyan" was anxious and worried, walking around repeatedly, looking out from time to time, and unable to sit still at all.

After pacing back and forth for a long time, Hosokawa Fujitaka finally couldn't help frowning.

But before he could stop him, he asked first: "My lord, have we just put Mibuchi-sama, Yoneda-sama, and Nitoki-sama in a desperate situation?" Like today, it can be said that it is worthless to die, it is really ...... I really don't feel worth it for them! ”

Hearing this, Hosokawa Fujitaka frowned, stretched his waist, and said angrily: "They have at least tested the arrangement of Shibata, Kinoshita, and Akechi, which is very important, and everyone's sacrifice is valuable." But we have more to do, so we can only quietly leave. ”

"More things...... Did you anticipate it in advance......" Ariyoshi Liyan wondered. Because as a retainer with a pen, he has not heard the follow-up arrangements, and he doesn't quite understand what his lord is doing.

"Exactly." Hosokawa Fujitaka straightened up and sighed: "You should remember a few days ago that Mibuchi and Yoneda came to me with a few people, and I felt that there seemed to be suspicious people in that group, and I basically confirmed it through some other means...... So they are already in a certain situation of death. I was lucky enough to be able to disrupt Shibata and Kinoshita's arrangement. At this time, if I go to die with me, I will only take a false name, but I will not help the shogunate in any way! ”

"I see!" Ariyoshi Liyan was shocked, frightened, and was silent for a moment before he arrived: "I didn't expect those Owari people to operate in Kyoto to such an extent, and there are eyes and ears in any party...... But now, even Mibuchi and Yoneda have already suffered an accident, and only we are left ......."

In fact, what he wanted to say in his heart was - Lord, didn't you have a good relationship with the Oda faction before, and you also made an appointment with Akechi Mitsuhide about your children's in-laws, and today you suddenly became a loyal dog of the shogunate......

Of course, Ji Liyan is not a fool, he will definitely not say this, he just slandered in his heart.

"We are not alone, don't worry!" Hosokawa Fujitaka comforted, "At least, there can be another Owari to help us!" ”

"Is it the Daisama of the Hirate Punishment Department of Nankaido?" Youji Liyan asked knowingly.

The young lord Kuma Chiyo went to Izumi Kokujie Town to learn the tea ceremony from Sen no Rikyu monks, which was clear to all the retainers.

And with Yoshiriyan as a pen head, he can also get in touch with more insiders, and he vaguely knows that Xiong Chiyo's main task is actually to be a messenger and hostage, to express his allegiance to the Heishou Punishment Department.

"In other words, is there any big difference between being held hostage by Shibata, Kinoshita and others, and being embraced and used by the Hirate Punishment Department? Our Hosokawa family, although it is only a tributary, is also a minister of the humerus who has been loyal to the shogunate for many years, is it possible that today we are going to sell our lord to seek glory? ”

- Ji Liyan only dared to think about it in his stomach, and he couldn't reveal half a word.

As a pure genealogy retainer, he has long been one with the lord's family, sharing the rise and fall, even if he does not agree with it in his heart, he must follow the lord to act together, and there is no room for retreat.

Hosokawa Fujitaka just pretended to be profound, smiled slightly, and signaled that everything was silent.

Suddenly, a slight rhythmic rattle sounded somewhere in the abandoned warehouse.

Several retainers held the handle of the knife vigilantly, but Hosokawa Fujitaka turned over and stood up violently, smoothed the wrinkles on his clothes, wiped off the dust just now, returned to his daily appearance, cleared his throat, and said with a polite and gentle voice: "Is Hattori Hall here?" The contemptible people have been waiting here. ”

I don't know who I'm greeting.

Then, a wall in the abandoned warehouse creaked open - it was a disguised door.

A man in black walked in with no merit and no strengths.

The man smiled twice, made a sound worse than crying, and bent down to salute in return, "Heisate-sama instructed me to bring his greetings to Hosokawa-sama." ”

"I'm really flattered." Hosokawa Fujitaka said politely, and then waved his hand to introduce: "The few people present are all confidants and retainers that I regard as brothers and sisters, this is Ariyoshi Liyan, then Sawamura Yoshicho, and below are Sandogaya Rokubei, Kitamura Jinzaemon ......"

"I'm glad I will."

The man in black who was called "Hattoriden" was also followed by a few retinues, but he had no intention of announcing his name.

"Meet Hattoriden."

The crowd simply saluted each other.

Some of the people present had already guessed that the man in black in front of him should be the legendary spy leader Hattori Hideyasu, who was in charge of the secret force for the Tie Punishment Department.

After a little greeting, Hosokawa Fujitaka immediately couldn't help but ask: "I don't know if my words are brought to the Lord of the Criminal Department?" What did he command? I will do my best to carry out the order. ”

Hattori Hidean shook his head silently and sighed lightly: "I sent an urgent report to Izumi, and it is estimated that it has been received over there." But unfortunately, before the messenger returned, Kyoto had already changed, and it was too late to wait for the order of the criminal department. ”

"Then we ......" Hosokawa Fujitaka was shocked and bit his lip: "What do you think?" In other words, the Punishment Department should have a pre-arranged plan......"

His voice trembled slightly.

"I think it's best to go ahead with the original plan." Hattori Hidean nodded expressionlessly and said, "It's great that Hosokawa-sama is willing to help, I hope you will go with me to meet a few people...... Although the tie has had a lot of contact with those targets, it is all indirect, and if you can get out of the way, the chances of convincing them are even greater. ”

"I see. This is incumbent upon us. Hosokawa Fujitaka didn't ask who the target was, so he agreed in one bite, and then frowned again: "However, at this stage, I'm afraid it's a little too late to try to persuade others!" In case you can't communicate smoothly without speculation......"

"There's no way around it." Hattori Hidean said: "Those people are normally reluctant to meet me easily, and they just promised that if there is a change in Kyoto, they will give priority to getting closer to the Hiruya family." So I'll have to wait until something really happens before trying to get in touch. ”

"But it's still ......," Hosokawa Fujitaka's brow furrowed deeply.

Seeing this, Hattori Hidean smiled and said, "Don't worry, in fact, in order to prevent accidents in Kyoto, Lord Hattori has already awakened a group of people who have been lurking in Kyoto for several years two months ago. The identity of these people was first known to me when I went to wake them up two months ago. They will be the main actors this time, and what you and I will do is only secondary. ”

"I see, is it a secondary matter......" Hosokawa Fujitaka breathed a sigh of relief and felt a little lost.

Hattori Hideyasu sensed the other party's emotions and immediately added, "Hosokawa-sama, you don't need to worry. This time, you sent a message in time, giving me time to prepare in advance, and guided Mibuchi, Yoneda and others to take the initiative to attack, disrupting the arrangement of Shibata, Kinoshita and others, and making them show their flaws. ”

"Understood, understood." Hosokawa Fujitaka tried his best to make a normal gesture, and reluctantly smiled: "I just need to follow the orders of the criminal department, and I don't dare to have any doubts about his old man's decision." ”

"Ah, why be so restrained." Hattori Hidean thought for a while and tried to appease, so he spoke: "Actually, there are several groups of people operating in Kyoto, all of them are performing different tasks, only one is a frontal main operation, and the others are assisting on the side and performing secondary work. Although it is said to be secondary, as long as the combined force can be formed, it can fully contain the enemy's energy and help the final victory. ”

"I totally understand." Hosokawa Fujitaka did not settle down because of this. He has already seen that Hattori Hidean has reservations about sharing information.

Perhaps most of what has just been said is true, and only the key parts are false, or all of them are true, but something particularly important is missing.

Either way, it's just not fully trusted.

At such a critical moment, he was still not completely trusted, and Hosokawa Fujitaka felt a little dangerous.

Although the reason is understandable, after all, after being released from the solitary confinement of the Takeda family, he only temporarily decided to join, and it is normal to not be trusted in the short term.

What if you send your son as a hostage? In this world, there is never a shortage of people who are in a position of power, glory and wealth, and do not care about the lives of their own sons. It's a big deal to marry a few more wives and have another life.

Empathetic and put himself in his shoes, Hosokawa Fujitaka also felt that "if I were a tie in the criminal department, I would have made the same decision." ”

Understandable.

But understanding is understanding. I still feel very uncomfortable inside.

Hosokawa Fujitaka felt a slight thorn in his heart, and he couldn't devote himself wholeheartedly to the draw in the future.

But then again, even if you don't have this thorn, you won't be wholeheartedly loyal to a tie.

"Let's pay tribute to the warriors such as Mibuchi and Yoneda who died heroically, and our Heite family will inherit the will and get close to defending the shogunate and Gongkata with all our might!" Hattori Hideyasu ended with this sentence.

Although the expression on his face is not very appropriate - no way, he lacks talent and experience in diplomatic situations.

"Salute! Inherit the legacy! Hosokawa Fujitaka immediately followed with a sad and solemn expression. As a professional, his acting skills are much stronger than Hattori Hideyasu.

But several of his retainers looked embarrassed and silent, obviously restrained by harmful substances such as cheek and conscience.