At six o'clock, the vanguard of the Asahina Army, Asahina Taehyung's headquarters, arrived at Dataka Castle. To everyone's surprise, Uden Nagatorsu, the defender of Otaka Castle, did not leave with Okabe Motonobu, but gathered the whole army and stayed in Otaka Castle. According to the guards guarding the door, when Okabe Motonobu invited him to attend the evaluation meeting last night, he also firmly refused. Such a statement can be said to be very supportive of the Asahina side! However, due to the identity of the Uden Nagasho himself as the lord of Dataka Castle and the sister-in-law of Imagawa Yoshimoto, Okabe Motoshin was not easy to embarrass him.

After getting the news, both Asahina Taichao and Yu Qiuping were moved. In that case, Uden Nagasho was able to hold his ground and refuse Okabe Motonobu's persuasion, which can be said to be a great help to them. If Uden Nagatoro had thrown himself at Okabe Motonobu, it would have been possible that the latter would have left many people to defend Odaka Castle and hinder the pursuit of the Asahina army. Uden Chosho maintained the independence of Otaka Castle and refused to join the Okabe camp, preserving a route for the Asahina family.

After Asahina Taiheng led his troops into Dataka Castle, Yuakihei and Asahina Taichao immediately rode their horses to the castle tower and prepared to thank the Uden Nagasho in person. When they arrived at the door, they found Asahina Taehyung standing in the door with an embarrassed face.

"Matsuchiyo, what's wrong?" Asahina asked in surprise.

"Brother," said Taehyung Bina, scratching his head, "I have long since come to thank His Highness the Ulican." As a result, His Royal Highness said that he would not see me. ”

Asahinai Taichao thought for a moment, and immediately asked out loud: "Did you do something impolite in the city that made His Royal Highness Pelican unhappy!" ”

"No! I'm honest when I enter town! Asahina Taehyung shouted.

"It shouldn't be like that." Yu Qiuping's eyes were red, and he persuaded in a low voice: "His Royal Highness the Governor has just encountered an accident, and everyone must be very sad and heartbroken. How could His Royal Highness be so careless because of such trivial matters? ”

"That's what Momiji said." Nodding to Binataichao, he turned to face one of the guards: "I'm tired of reporting to His Royal Highness the Pelican, and I said that I came to visit Binataichao." ”

"Yes." The guard reluctantly agreed, and it seemed that he was the one who had reported to Asahina Taehyung.

Soon after, the door to the castle tower was opened. The one who came to open the door was the Pelican Hall Changzhao himself.

He was dressed in linen and filial piety, his face was haggard, and he was almost no longer human. His eyes were red and swollen, and the tear stains on his face were clearly visible.

"Pelican... Your Highness. Asahina Taichao was stunned for a moment, remembering the death of the governor, and his eyes turned red all of a sudden, "Please take care..."

"His Royal Highness the Governor..."The tears that Yu Qiuping had finally stopped before also burst out of his eyes again. He couldn't remember how many times he had shed tears in all this time.

"It's not time to cry, everyone cheer up!" Holding back tears, Asahina Taehyung roared, "The revenge of the Governor's Hall has not been avenged!" We are blessed by the palace of the family governor, how can we sit back and watch the rebellion run rampant! ”

"That's what I'm saying," Asahina Tai said in a deep voice with tears in his eyes, "His Royal Highness understands the righteousness and has not joined the rebellious side of Okabe!" This is really a blessing for the Imagawa family! I'm here to thank Your Highness for everyone in advance! Please reorganize your highness and follow us in the pursuit of Okabe's rebellion! ”

However, the pelican hall Changzhao was still expressionless and shook his head silently.

"Huh?" Asahinai Taichao was stunned for a moment, "His Royal Highness Pelican, what is there to hide?" But who is not sure who is the traitor who killed His Royal Highness the Governor? ”

"We have evidence here." Yu Qiuping said as he took out the pile of paper with the process of doubts and reasoning compiled by Sena Shijun from his arms. "Your Highness, please take a look. Everything is exactly what Motonobu Okabe did that rebellion! Everything he said to you, Your Highness, was a lie! ”

"No, you don't." The pelican hall still shook his head, and did not reach out to take the pile of paper in Yu Qiuping's hand.

"Your Highness... You are—" Asahina Taihyung said urgently, "Could it be that you believe the words of Okabe Motoshina!" ”

"Nope." Urinden Changzhao sighed.

"Then why won't Your Highness join us? Could it be that you can't trust us? Yu Qiuping asked.

"Nothing can be trusted." The voice of the pelican hall Changzhao was a little hoarse, "It doesn't matter to me who the traitor is. ”

The air was suddenly quiet. For a moment, the atmosphere in the room was a little awkward.

"Why did His Highness Pelican say this?" Asahinai Taichao asked with some disbelief, "Doesn't Your Highness want to avenge the Governor?" ”

The pelican hall Changzhao sighed, and his expression suddenly became extremely helpless. After a long time, he said in a deep voice: "I'm a martial artist, and it's not good to speak directly, please don't mind, three of you." ”

"His Royal Highness Pelican, if you have something to say, let's talk about it." Yu Qiu responded calmly.

"The Okabe family and the Asahina family, and the Yuqiu family have always had a grudge, and I've heard a little about it." The pelican hall chief said in a low voice, "This time the two sides are opposed, and each other comes up with evidence to declare that the other party is rebellious, is it really for the sake of internal traitors?" I'm afraid it's more of a feud between the two families. Such an infighting with personal vendettas, and under the banner of revenge, is absolutely unwilling to participate in this kind of thing. ”

"It's not like that!" Yu Qiuping argued, "His Royal Highness the Governor of the Family unfortunately died, at this critical moment, how can we be because of personal vendetta..."

"Does His Highness Yuqiu also know that it is a crisis?" The pelican hall Changzhao's eyes suddenly widened angrily, and he stopped Yu Qiuping in a low voice: "Then why do you two want to be tense!" Why can't we be unanimous to the outside world! The whole army went to infighting, Narumi City was no longer defended, and Yujiao City was no longer defended! Once the Oda family invades, Southeast Owari will be lost! This is the territory that the Imagawa family has bought after more than ten years and how many people have died on the battlefield! ”

"This..."Yu Qiuping was speechless for a while. He had to admit that the reason why the two families almost met each other was that they were unwilling to sit down and talk openly and honestly, or go back to let the next governor of the Imagawa family judge justice and accept the investigation. To a large extent, it's because the Asahina family and his Yuqiu family have a grudge against the Okabe family, and they don't trust each other.

"I will never participate in the infighting mixed with selfish desires. If His Royal Highness the Governor had a spirit in the sky, he would never want to see his subordinates kill each other in order to find out the so-called traitors. No matter which side I join, it will be a disservice to the Imagawa family, so I will not join anywhere. The Pelican Hall Changzhao shook his head firmly, his face as solemn as ice, "The last order that His Royal Highness the Family Governor left me before his death was to lead his troops to hold the Great High City. That's what I can do for the Imagawa family. ”

"I will not interfere with the actions of the Okabe family or you, because I do not have the authority to command the entire army." The pelican hall turned his back and signaled that he didn't want to talk any further.

Without saying a word, he silently looked through the window of the castle tower at Narumi Castle, the last place where Imagawa Yoshimoto stayed and where he died.

"His Royal Highness the Governor treats me like a mountain, and I will swear to die for the long time." Tears welled up in his eyes and he whispered. "The arrow is on the line, and it has to be sent. You go and do what you want to do, go and fight with His Highness Okabe in front of the young master who is a traitor, and I will uphold the will of His Highness the Governor. ”

This stubborn man all his life, whether it is the Asahina family or the Okabe family, is not close to pleasing at all. just silently completed one task after another given to him by the governor, without asking for credit or seeking fame.

"His Royal Highness the Governor, I will defend the Great Castle and the last stronghold of the Imagawa family in Owari, complete the last task given to me by His Royal Highness the Governor, and complete the last order of His Royal Highness the Governor."

In Yu Qiuping's previous life, after Imagawa Yoshimoto died in the barrel narrow, the entire army of the Imagawa family retreated to Enoe Suruga, and only Uden Nagasho stayed in Mikawa to insist. The generals who remained in Mikawa threw themselves into the Matsudaira family. Only the Uboden Nagasho alone held the banner of the Imagawa family, defended the city to the death, and swore not to surrender. Later, under the siege of the Mikawa army, Uden Nagasho held on until the last moment and committed suicide.

"Death is the only way to stop."

A true loyalist.

In front of your awe-inspiring righteousness, the so-called loyalty of our generation has no shame.

At three o'clock, after everyone solemnly said goodbye to the pelican hall chief, they left enough grain and grass for Dagao City to eat for half a year, and then led the army to leave Dagaocheng and continue to march south.

At four o'clock, Sena Toshiya sent a herald to come, saying that Asahina Shinji, who was in the castle, could not leave for the time being. Because the forces of the Katsuyama family seemed to be leaning towards Okabe's side, the two sides confronted each other in the castle, and the situation became even more chaotic, and the Imagawa army on the entire Mikawa-Owari border was in chaos.

At the same time, the troops of the Okabe family and the troops of the wealthy families also reached Nawa, which was more than twenty miles to the south. It seems that the troops of the Ii family were in charge of the break, who were the first to flee in the battle of Narumi Castle, and suffered the least damage compared to the wealthy families of the Miura family.

The cavalry of the Ii family spread out on and on both sides of the official road, spreading a huge intelligence barrier, trying to prevent the troops of the Asahina family from obtaining their information. The cavalry of the Ii family even tried to attack the Tanma of the Asahina family. Both the Asahina family and the Okabe family used the excuse that the other party was rebellious when they gathered their troops. Therefore, it is inevitable that the two sides will clash. When Asahina Taehyung heard that the people of the Ii family were trying to attack his tanma, he flew into a rage. With more than two dozen samurai, he rushed out on horseback.

As Asahina Taehyung's cavalry approached the front line, their movements immediately alerted the Ii family's troops. They began to shrink their forces one after another, and gathered on the official road, and there were about twenty people. The number of cavalry on the front line of the Asahina family was more than forty people, and they suppressed the troops of the Ii family in terms of numbers.

Asahina Taihyung ordered two dozen other cavalrymen, maintaining formation, and attempting to make a detour from both sides of the official road towards the flank and rear of the Ii family's troops. He led his more than 20 cavalry and rushed straight towards the team of the Jing family from the official road. The troops of the Jing family did not dare to fight hard, so they could only shrink the defense line and retreat. As soon as they retreated, the intelligence barrier of the Okabe family was gone, and the cavalry team of the Asahina family began to reconnoiter the deployment of the Okabe family's ranks.