On October 6th, the group hurried back to Suruga. They didn't rest much in the village town all the way, they ate the dry food they brought with them, and they lived in the city's post house. More than three months have passed, and it is still green when I left, and now. But it's already snowing.

In the past, I went back, and the willows followed.

Now I think about it, the rain and snow are falling.

However, why does it snow so early in Suruga?

Snow rebuilt the streets of Sunfu, but horses' hooves and ruts stained the white jade bricks. Only the snow tiles on the buildings on both sides were still so white and flawless, and from time to time there were groups of four or five children, stepping on the boxes, standing on tiptoe to scrape the snow from the roof, forming snowballs, and throwing them at the children who followed.

When Yu Qiuhei returned to the Imagawa family, he put on the red leaf shawl again, and walked through the snow, and the shawl was dyed white.

As a result of this crisis, it was resolved by Sena Shitoshi. Then Yu Qiuping's help for the Asai family to defeat the Rokkaku family can be called a great achievement. Sena Shijun privately told Yu Qiuping that it was not impossible for him to be promoted to the lord of the city this time.

That's great! Finally caught up!

Yu Qiuping looked at the towering castle tower, and tears couldn't help but welled up in his eyes. He seemed to be able to see that on the corridor on the fifth floor of the castle tower, there was a young girl who was looking forward to it.

Within half a year, I have been promoted two levels in a row, and I can finally have the identity worthy of Feng'er.

This was obtained with Imamiya's almost death of the enemy, and Norada fought for his life.

It's just that in such a good mood, the sky is not beautiful, but it snows.

Suddenly, Yu Qiuping caught a familiar figure on the street. He was stunned for a moment, urged the pipa under him to run a few steps to that side, and called, "Big brother! Eldest brother! ”

Yu Qiuping's shout attracted the attention of the rest of the group, and everyone looked to the right, only to see Asahina Taehyung on horseback, embarrassed to avoid the group, but was warmly invited by Sena Shitoshi.

"Virtuous nephew, why are you so twisted today?" Sena said with a smile.

"It's not... Uncle, you are back from a mission, how dare I disturb. The corners of Asahina's mouth twitched out a smile and spoke to Sena Shijun, but the afterglow couldn't stop drifting towards Yu Qiuping, which couldn't help but make the latter rush inexplicably. And Asahina Taehyung also arrived more and more surprised because of Yu Qiuping's usual look.

"That's not the style of a virtuous nephew." Sena Shijun smiled, "If you know how to count etiquette so well, you should be impressed by the three days." ”

"It's... yes. Asahina Taehyung was stunned for a long time and nodded.

"Big brother, what's wrong with you?" Yu Qiuping looked at him a little strangely, and said suspiciously: "Did you encounter something?" ”

"But something happened to Junfu!" Sena was vigilant and looked around, the people were still living as usual, and they seemed to have a smile on their faces, and there was nothing unusual about them.

"No... Junfu is fine..."Asahina Taehyung's thick eyebrows were about to twist into a pimple, and he whispered.

"What's that? Can you make your big brother like this! Yu Qiuping asked.

Woo Chohei looked at Asahina Taehyung, hoping that he could tell the reason. However, his lips moved a few times, but he could not speak. Yu Qiuping was a little impatient, and was about to open his mouth to ask, when suddenly, he heard the owner of a store next to him shouting:

"You guys, make red paper or something, and your hands and feet are a little sharper! Delay the princess's marriage, can you afford it! ”

"Which princess is getting married..."As soon as the words blurted out unconsciously, Yu Qiuping's heart seemed to have something smashed fiercely, everything seemed to be bright, and he suddenly realized, and then what struck him was a sharp pain like a whirlwind.

Yu Qiuping stared at Asahina Taehyung with a fierce gaze that he had never seen before, and listened to his voice jump out of his mouth uncontrollably: "Why is this happening!" ”

No wonder Big Brother is so twisted...

Kaede, she's getting married. But no one came to inform him.

Who is the groom? Okabe Masatsuna!

Yu Qiuping only felt breathless in his chest, and when he saw that Asahina Taehyung did not respond, he yelled again: "How can you get married now!" ”

Asahina Taehyung's face turned pale, and the surrounding people were frightened by Yu Qiuping's roar and avoided one after another. The streets around the group were empty in an instant.

"Momiji, be careful!" Sena Shijun instinctively wanted to protect his men, "You can't criticize the princess's marriage here..."

"What the hell is it for... Not! Yu Qiuping did not have the slightest intention of repenting, and just as he was about to say the words, he suddenly pounced on Bina Taehyung from behind and covered his mouth on horseback. Yu Qiuping struggled hard, but was controlled by Asahina Taehyung.

"Boy! You calm down a little bit! Asahina Taehyung whispered viciously, "Even a big stupid man like me understands that yelling here will not only not solve the problem, but will also cause trouble for yourself and the princess!" ”

Yu Qiuping shouted something indistinctly, and his body struggled violently, but he was hugged by Asahina Taehyung. The members of the surrounding mission were all taken away by Sena Shitoshi, leaving only Asahina Taehyung and Yu Qiupei.

Yu Qiuping's strength to struggle became smaller and smaller, and after a long time, he finally stopped struggling and shouted anymore.

Asahina Taehyung's palm covering Woo Cho Ping's mouth suddenly felt a few cold droplets.

Yu Qiuping burst into tears and looked at the snow.

I should have understood... It's too late. Feng'er, she should have gotten married a long time ago. Why do I still think I'm in time?

Yuchohei and Asahina Taehyung sat in a private room on the third floor of a hotel in Sunpu Castle, closing the doors and windows.

"Big brother... You say, what the hell is going on. Yu Qiuping asked in a low voice.

"About a month ago," said Asahina Taehyung in a low voice, "The Governor's Hall said at the banquet of our important ministers that Princess Kaede's marriage has been decided. I also called that kid from Okabe Masatsuna to the castle tower of Sunfu..."

Although Yu Qiuping has already guessed that the groom is Okabe Masatsuna... But when I heard these words with my own ears, my heart was still like a knife.

"Then that little eye is probably going back to the collar to prepare for the marriage, and I haven't seen him return to Junfu for more than a month." Asahina Taehyung gritted his teeth and said, "Then, the news that Kaede is going to marry will spread in the Junfu. Several dyeing workshops and shops selling red paper were asked by the Governor's Hall to hurry up work. It's just that this time, the family governor's hall went against the previous etiquette, and did not disclose the object of Duke Feng's marriage in advance... Presumably for..."

To take care of my feelings? Does the Governor's Hall also know? So deliberately separated me to carry out foreign affairs, is it also to prevent me from grieving and embarrassing in Junfu City?

"Don't be too sad, you kid," Asahina Taehyung persuaded bitterly, "Why is the eldest husband without a wife?" There is a way that brothers are like siblings, women are like clothes, and I am with you as a big brother..."

Yu Qiuping's mind was blank at the moment, and he just poured the spirits on the table down his throat one after another. The throat was sore and spicy, but Yu Qiuping didn't realize it.

"And... Don't be upset! Her Royal Highness the princess still has you in her heart! Seeing that Yu Qiuping's spirit seemed to be in trouble, Asahina Taehyung hurriedly said: "After that banquet, someone saw Her Royal Highness the princess go to the governor's room and quarrel with him, and then I didn't go to see the palace of the governor for several days!" ”

Such comfort only made Yu Qiuping's heart ache even more in vain. He drank cup after cup until the sun was setting in the west, and the sun was about to set. He'd drunk dozens of bottles of wine, but he still couldn't get drunk. Asahina Taehyung looked at the kid in front of him who didn't like to drink, and he drank so much in one go, dumbfounded.

Inside the castle tower of Sunpu Castle.

"Princess! Princess! A maid hurried into Kaede Imagawa's house. The latter was opening the window a little dazedly and looking out at the west gate of the Shofu Mansion. Let the cold wind carry the snowflakes in, and I don't realize it.

"His Royal Highness Sena has returned, and the slave maid has seen him on the first floor of the castle tower!" The maid's words immediately pulled Imagawa Kaede back from his thoughts. She turned around hurriedly, and without saying a word, put on her coat and trotted all the way up the stairs. The servants and servants in the castle tower saluted one after another, but Imagawa Kaede, who was always approachable, had no time to return the salute at the moment, so he just rushed down the stairs to the third floor, and just happened to meet Sena Shitoshi who went upstairs.

"Uncle Sena!" When Kaede Imagawa saw Sakina Toshitoshi, he greeted him as if he had seen a savior. The surrounding slaves and servants hurriedly got out of the way.

"Kaede?" Sena was stunned for a moment, and when he saw that the latter still had tears on his cheeks, he immediately understood what she was here for.

"Where is Ping? Did you know? He's coming back with you! Imagawa Kaede asked hurriedly, ignoring the number of courtesies, and even his voice changed a little.

"Kaede..."Sena's heart tightened, feeling extremely sad and distressed for this pair of hard-working mandarin ducks, and persuaded in a low voice: "Kaede, you are about to get married, and you have to keep the woman's way... It's best not to see the autumn leaves again. ”

"I don't care." Imagawa Kaede shook his head resolutely, tears filling his eyes at once, "These little women's requests for a lifetime!" Please tell me where Ping is him! I'm going to see him! I have something to say to him! ”

"Goodbye... Maybe I'll never see each other again in my life..."

At the end of the words, the original anxious tone was already weak to the point of pleading like a mosquito. Sena's heart softened, and he said in a low voice: "The restaurant in Xicheng, he is on the third floor, and he is with Prince Asahina. ”

"Thank you." Imagawa Kaede whimpered, hid his face and ran out of the castle tower, ignoring the guards' obstruction, and ran towards the west castle. The sun had set, and the somewhat dimly lit streets of Sunpu Castle were covered with heavy snow, and the roads were full of pedestrians returning home.

Along the way, passers-by who knew her and pedestrians who didn't know her all made way for the anxious girl. She rushed all the way into the restaurant, ignoring her body, her hair was covered with snowflakes. The owner of the restaurant recognized Imagawa Kaede and was about to kowtow to salute, but Imagawa Kaede directly bypassed him and ran upstairs.

She strode over to the occupied private room and slammed the door open. I saw dozens of wine bottles poured on the table and on the ground, and sat at the other end of the table with a helpless Asahina Taehyung.

This end, but there is no one.

He's not here.

"Brother Matsuchiyo!" Imagawa Kaede was in a hurry, and even used his childhood title, "Where is Ping!" ”

"No... I don't know. Asahina Taehyung was taken aback by Kaede Imagawa, and stumbled and said, "He has drunk so much, and he is carrying five bottles of wine, and he is not allowed to go with me, saying that he wants to go to that place to be quiet, and I don't know where it is." ”

"That place..."Imagawa Kaede was stunned for a moment, suddenly realized, and immediately turned around and left, running towards the north gate. The guards at the north gate had closed the gate, but Kaede Imagawa reprimanded them and demanded that they open the door immediately. The guards, who did not dare to disobey the princess, sent someone to report to Imagawa Yoshimoto, and honestly opened the door.

In the heavy snow, Imagawa Kaede ran towards the maple forest of Kitayama in response to the howling north wind. She trekked hard all the way to the cabin on the snow mixed with paper red leaves under her feet.

There must still be a lot of his paper red leaves on the ground.

It's just that it's getting late.

She couldn't see the color of the autumn leaves.