Imagawa Yoshimoto saw that Yu Qiuping was already as uncomfortable as eating, and he was embarrassed to tease his subordinates anymore.

"That's right." Imagawa Yoshimoto explained, "I don't have enough information at hand to be able to analyze who planned this disappearance and what the motive is. ”

"But to be able to make the messengers of all three of us disappear at the same time must be a huge strength. If it weren't for the Hojo family or the Takeda family, it would probably be the Uesugi family. ”

"Moreover, their motive is also clear - to disrupt the Triple Alliance." Imagawa Yoshimoto whispered his judgment, "I won't hide it from you, our Imagawa family is in Kyoto, and we very much need the Triple Alliance of the Shoshojun behind it to be stable, so I attach great importance to this matter." I hope to be able to find out more about it. ”

"Then why do you have to put Zai Xia in a situation where he could be killed at any time?" Yu Qiuping asked.

"Because only in this way can something useful be found." Imagawa Yoshimoto said, "If you go fully armed under the banner of the Imagawa family, the people behind the scenes will not dare to do it, and then your result will be that you will go around Fuji County and Jundong County without gaining anything." ”

"On the contrary, if you go as a businessman, with a weak force." Imagawa Yoshimoto smiled, "Then the mastermind behind the scenes is in the purpose of further disrupting the Triple Alliance, and it is very likely that he will attack you to provoke the conflict between the three of us." Even if he doesn't attack a weak target like you, it helps me to analyze his determination and strength. ”

"But haven't all the caravans come and go under too many troubles?" Yu Qiuping asked, "In the past few days, I have seen caravans passing by in the territory, except for saying that the road is a little uneven, but I have not encountered any accidents." ”

"Do you really think you can pretend to be a caravan?" Imagawa Yoshimoto stroked his palms and laughed, "It must have been seen through at a glance." Let you pretend to be a caravan, but on the surface you are not going to represent the position of the Imagawa family, and if you kill you, the Imagawa family will not make a statement. ”

The corners of Yu Qiuping's mouth twitched, and he had another expression of eating.

"It's like selling a flaw in a martial arts competition." Imagawa Yoshimoto said with a smile, "Only by luring the other party to attack can you have a chance to defeat the enemy with one blow." Otherwise, two opponents of equal strength are afraid that they will fight for half a day, and they will not win or lose. ”

"Because of your weakness, the man behind the scenes will be ready to attack you, and you will have a chance to catch his tail." Imagawa Yoshimoto looked at Yu Qiuping, "You don't have to catch the black hand, as long as you can fight with the black hand a few times and bring me enough information, after all, I have now roughly guessed who is behind the scenes, but I need information to refine my conjecture." ”

"Who does the hall think it is?" Yu Qiuping asked excitedly.

"I won't tell you for now, preconceived impressions may affect your judgment," Imagawa Yoshimoto said, "After all, it is very likely that you will encounter the reconnaissance forces of the Takeda family and the Hojo family, and your mission is to find out." If I tell you my guess now, you'll have a tendency to communicate with them. ”

"Will they all come as merchants, too?" Yu Qiuping asked.

"I guess so." Imagawa Yoshimoto nodded, "After all, if the official investigation force encounters an accident, it will be difficult for the master to convince the public if he does not react, and the alliance may be forced to break down." And even if this kind of informal team encounters problems, they can hide them and not report them. ”

"Do I need to catch the murderer?" Yu Qiuping asked again.

"No, you don't." Imagawa Yoshimoto shook his head, "If the murderer is from the Uesugi family, what's the use of us catching it?" The sky is high, and the emperor is far away. If the murderers were from the Takeda family or the Hojo family, we would not have used them to denounce the Hojo family and the Takeda family, because our Imagawa family was the one who needed the stability of the alliance the most. To denounce these two will only exacerbate the contradictions. I guess even if we catch someone, we won't be able to do it. I just want to know who did it so that I can deploy diplomatically. ”

"With all that said, are you willing to do this dangerous mission?" Imagawa Yoshimoto asked with a smile.

"This mission is important to the master's family, isn't it?" Yu Qiuping hesitated and asked.

"That's right." Imagawa nodded.

"In other words," Yu Qiuping swallowed, "because the danger is important, so what will be the reward after success?" ”

"Haha, that's right, the judgment is correct." Imagawa Yoshimoto smiled, "Then Yuqiu, you agreed?" ”

"Obey the order!" Yu Qiuping respectfully bowed his hand, "I am willing to go to the soup for the Imagawa family!" ”

"It's not like you." Imagawa Yoshimoto tilted his head and looked at Yu Qiuping, "Your personality is so conservative, you usually give up opportunities to avoid a little risk, how can you take such a big risk to fight for fame?" ”

Yu Qiuping smiled bitterly.

Only in this way can you have a chance to catch up with Feng'er, isn't it?

After Yu Qiuping received the task, he went to ask Sena Shijun to resign. After Sena Shijun approved the preparation of Akihei Akihei with the front foot, he found Yoshimoto Imagawa with the back foot.

"Sena?" Imagawa Yoshimoto smiled when he saw Sena Toshi enter the door, "I was looking for you." But thinking of your temperament and your concern for that kid, I don't even have to send a small surname, you will come over yourself. ”

"The Great Hall." Sena Shitoshi saluted and asked, "Why did you let Momiji carry out that mission?" It's too dangerous. I think this is even the role of an outcast. Isn't he the offspring that the main hall wants to focus on cultivating? ”

"Don't worry, it's also a training for him." Imagawa Yoshimoto smiled, "If my expectations are correct, he shouldn't be in danger." In addition, I have sent dozens of ninjas before, and although I haven't heard from them for the time being, I think I have gained something. And," Imagawa Yoshimoto patted the Chidori incense burner on the table lightly, "It's not ordinary to believe that kid." ”

Imagawa Yoshimoto sent someone to inform Akihei and let him set out from his territory in the early morning of May 6.

There was not much time to prepare, and Yu Qiuping began to plan for his wife in full swing. With only fifty men with him, he left all the recruits behind to continue their training. Then select the most clever and clever fifty people from among the veterans and form a temporary platoon.

Because it was a caravan, although it couldn't be hidden, but the other caravans still had to be hidden, so they couldn't carry too conspicuous spears, and everyone brought a katana or a sword. Yuakihei asked Yasunari Fukushima, Nakahide Mizenezaki, Katsumasa Yoshioka, and Yufuto Ogawa to each select nine elite archers from their own platoon, and then asked Charlie to select nine elite archers to form a temporary team for this operation. Yu Qiuping also brought Honda Nabenosuke, Naoe Tadahei, and Amano Keitori to help command. The rest of the people who stayed behind were arranged to give a few of them to Xueshan Faithfulness and continue to strengthen their training.

Since it was a classified mission, Yu Qiuping did not inform the purpose of the temporary assembly, but only vaguely said that he was going to carry out a diplomatic mission. I plan to announce it when I leave on May 6 to avoid leaking the news.

Yu Qiuping has not recovered until now, why did he take on such a difficult task like a ghost at that time.

If it was a year ago, before the crossing, I heard that there was a place where dozens of people had disappeared in a row, and now I let myself take fifty people to reconnoitre, I would definitely be too scared to move.

And now, he has taken the initiative to take on such a task, just to be worthy of his sweetheart.

What have I experienced this year?

A crossing that lost everything, a cowardice that lost a close friend, a group of partners who believed in themselves, a few elders who loved and cared for them, two thrilling battles, and a sweetheart who had spent his life lucky to meet.

If it weren't for this crossing, I would still be in my second year of high school, sitting in the classroom, bragging and playing games with my classmates, and desperately brushing up on the questions in the sea of Chinese and English. And now, I am the lord of a large land with my own army.

I'm only 18 years old.

Yu Qiuping shook his head and expelled these thoughts from his mind. At this moment, on May 5, he was sitting in the cabin of Kaede Imagawa's house. Outside the house, there are mountains full of autumn leaves. On the table, there was a greeting card and a note that could not be delivered.

He wanted to write several letters, but they were all torn up. Because, as soon as the brush touches the paper, thoughts and love flow continuously, and it is impossible to contain it at all. In the end, it had to be replaced with a small note.

This time it was a confidential mission, and it was impossible for Yu Qiuping to ask Kaede Imagawa to see him off - the two who had broken up would not have a chance to see them off. So, Yu Qiuping left his birthday gift in the cabin, so that even if he encountered an accident this time, the birthday gift would definitely be given away without regrets.

Speaking of which, he hadn't been to the cabin for a long time. This time, I found that the maple tree, which was supposed to grow new shoots and flourishing leaves, was not well developed because the original paper red leaves more or less blocked the sunlight.

That beautiful maple forest, will it ever come back? Will she come back again?

If I'm gone, will she miss me? Will you miss me as much as you did on the previous expeditions?

I don't know.

"A late birthday present." The note read, "I'm leaving, take care of myself, Your Highness the Princess." ”

The inscription is: Yuqiu Serving General.

After everything was ready to stop, Yu Qiuping led more than 50 people, and in the early morning of May 6, quietly left the village and walked along the official road to the east. They also carried five ox carts and more than two dozen carts, on which they carried a lot of porcelain, calligraphy and paintings, and other goods as camouflage. Most people's weapons are hidden in the goods. Only Yoshioka Katsumasa, a squad of wild samurai disguised as a guard, wore weapons on his body. Yu Qiuping carefully tied the red leaf shawl on her shoulders, hoping that she could bless herself with a great achievement and return safely.

A day ago, on the evening of May 5, at the dinner party of the Imagawa family.

The family was talking and laughing and tasting the food, but Imagawa Kaede was preoccupied and silent. The food on the table didn't move a few bites at all. Every time someone else urged her to eat, she absentmindedly picked up a few grains of rice and put them in her mouth. Chew and chew until you don't feel it at all.

He hadn't been here for five days.

Did something happen to him?

"Stupid, don't worry about him." Another voice sounded in Kaede Imagawa's heart, "He doesn't understand anything at all. ”

However, whenever he closes his eyes, his figure will still appear in his mind, and he will not forget or disperse.

She hesitated, but still made up her mind to open her mouth tentatively, "Daddy," she bowed and looked at Imagawa Yoshimoto, "Why haven't you seen the sons of the Asahina family and the Okabe family recently, but is there another war?" ”

"Oh?" Imagawa Yoshimoto looked at Imagawa Kaede, "Those two boys, there was another fight in the castle town a few days ago, and I locked them up, so you can't see them." ”

Imagawa Yoshimoto's words caused the people around him to laugh, and the Imagawa clan really laughed and coughed, "They also asked Erchen to be the referee at that time, and they must judge who won?" ”

In the laughter of everyone, Imagawa Kaede had to accompany the smiling face, but his mind was not here.

"However, there are some things that may have to be warned." Imagawa Yoshimoto took a sip of tea and said casually, but suddenly Imagawa Kaede's heart was raised to his throat.

"And with whom? Is it the Oda family again? Kaede Imagawa asked anxiously, only to realize after a moment that he was showing too much attention—it was rude.

"It's not." Imagawa Yoshimoto didn't pursue it, "It's a confidential mission, and it's not convenient to leak too much, it's dangerous anyway." ”

Having said this, Imagawa Kaede didn't want to ask any more, so he had to sigh.

Let's hope he doesn't have to go on the expedition.