With the cheers of many retainers, Kenmasa Asai succeeded to the throne and became the next head of the Asai family. His first order was to strengthen the armament, train the soldiers, and use the savings saved for many years to recruit Ashigaru and strengthen training. At the same time, he also chased down many lords and factions in the territory and the retainers who tended to the Rokkaku family, and for a while, the Asai family took on a new look, exuding a long-lost sharpness from the inside out. In particular, Kenmasa Asai himself is a banner eagle who works overtime to practice day and night.

After that, Kenmasa Asai signed a secret alliance treaty with Sena Shitoshi. The content of the treaty is not too detailed, but it roughly finalizes the framework for cooperation between the two parties.

After that, Kenmasa Asai sent his wife Hirai back to the Rokkaku family, and broke with the Rokkaku family on the surface. Yu Qiuping has a lot of complaints about this, and he found Kenmasa Asai on the day he said goodbye to his wife.

"Shinkuro," Yu Qiuping asked with some dissatisfaction, "why did you send your younger siblings away?" Don't you love her? ”

Kenmasa Asai was stunned for a moment, and his expression was a little lonely. For a long time, the young man who had always been resolute and resolute had red eyes.

"Love, how can you not love." Kenmasa Asai shook his head, "There's no way around it. ”

"A lover who has something to do with politics... And how many are able to follow their emotions to the end? ”

The speaker has no intention, but the listener has the intention.

Yu Qiuping raised his head and looked up at the starry sky, so that tears would not fall.

"Brother, there's one more thing." Kenmasa Asai suddenly said, "I hope to give up the word 'Xian' in the name and give the word to the hexagonal Yoshimasa." Since it has been decided to break with the Hexagonal family, the word 'virtuous' should also be discarded. ”

"How about being called Changzheng?" Yu Qiuping immediately said categorically. He didn't want the name Nagamasa Asai to not appear. In "Warring States Warriors", Ah Shi shouted "Lord Changzheng" again and again, but he was quite moved.

"Asai Nagamasa," Asai Nagamasa muttered a few times, "Then thank you brother for the name." ”

"But since you have separated from your wife and changed your name, it is obvious that you have completely broken with the Hexagonal family." Yu Qiuping instructed, "Rokkaku Yoshixian must not be able to bear this kind of thing happening, you have to start preparing for war." ”

On July 22, the Imagawa family's mission left Kotani Castle. After taking a boat on the east shore of Lake Biwa, we arrived at Kyoto on July 25.

As the seat of the imperial court and shogunate, Kyoto was a veritable political center during the Taiping period, and because of its location in the rich city of, commerce flourished and it had a large population.

However, since the Onin War, there has been a lot of war in the region. Recently, several major battles between the Miyoshi family and the Hosokawa family, the Rokkaku family, and the shogun's family have been fought around Kyoto. It brought great damage to Kyoto. Although Miyoshi Chokei issued three prohibitions the year before last and began to rectify law and order in Kyoto, the Battle of Shirakawaguchi last year caused Kyoto to be confronted with war.

In the Battle of Shirakawaguchi, although the Miyoshi family defeated Hosokawa Harumoto and Ashikaga Yoshiki again, they were forced to return Ashikaga Yoshiki to the Nijo Imperial Palace under pressure from other daimyo and wealthy clans such as the Rokkaku family. However, although Ashikaga Yoshiteru returned to the seat of the shogunate, his rights were still very limited. Yamashiro Ichikoku is still under the control of the Miyoshi family, and the only area he can govern is the villages and towns around the Nijo Imperial Palace.

However, the newly appointed shogun was young and promising, and he was committed to restoring the former dignity of the shogunate. He was trying to regain his prestige by mediating disputes with daimyo and granting powerful local daimyo positions and reputations. On the other hand, he managed the surrounding castles and towns well, developed his limited strength, and won over the wealthy families of.

Therefore, when Yu Qiuping and his party came to Kyoto, although the city had not yet completely recovered from the years of war, it was not a depression as Yu Qiuping imagined. It was the autumn harvest season, and the farmers were busy harvesting in the golden fields, and the crops were piled up on the ridges at the edge of the fields. There are also a large number of vendors and stalls in the castle town, as well as many Noh dramas and dances staged in theaters.

The fly in the ointment is that the people don't seem to be very wealthy, and most of the items sold by the vendors are necessities rather than mid-to-high-end consumer goods. Most of those who went to watch Noh performances were samurai or wealthy merchants.

"Then it's an extremely cumbersome process." Sena said with a wry smile, "Although the prestige of the imperial court and the shogunate is long gone, this frame is very strong. If you want to meet with the general and the high-ranking palace ministers under His Majesty the Emperor, it will take a lot of trouble, and it is not impossible to wait for a month. ”

"If you're bored, you can go around Kyoto." Sena said with a smile.

"Don't you have to worry about revealing your identity?" Yu Qiuping asked,

"No, you don't." Sena shook his head, "If you knew we were coming, you already knew about it." I didn't know we came back, and we won't know later. Miyoshi must have known our movements for a long time. ”

On July 27th, Yuakihei and Matsushita were in chaos, Maeda Toshiie, and Sanada Masayuki went for a walk on the street. Honda Nabenosuke still practiced martial arts alone in the post house, and Amano Keitoku was left behind by Sena Shitoshi to deal with a series of audience matters.

In the early morning, is still a little cool. The group was not wearing a lot of clothes, and Panasonic was relatively weak, and he had already sniffed several times in a row just now.

"Let's find a place to warm up, have some breakfast by the way, and go shopping when the sun comes out." Yu Qiuping proposed, and as he spoke, he led the crowd to start looking for a place to rest on the street. But just now, there were obviously a lot of restaurants and post stations, but none of them could be found at the moment. The people who didn't want to go back had to continue to go down. I had walked for a few quarters of an hour, and all sides were full of residential areas.

"What a layout! Can you be more professional? Yu Qiuping sighed again and again, "Will you do business!" With so many residents, you don't have a restaurant? ”

Before the words fell, a casino appeared around the corner.

"There's always something to eat in the casino!" Yu Qiuping touched and walked for a long time, a little hungry, "Let's go, let's go in and eat something!" ”

As soon as he entered the casino, a rush of alcohol choked Yu Qiuping. The noisy noise, clinking glasses, cheers, and swearing and foul language were mixed together, making Yu Qiuping feel sick for a while. The light in the room was a little dim, and I could only see the gamblers staring at the gambling game in front of them with red faces and thick necks, and let out a roar or lament from time to time.

"I guess it's all a night of gambling." Sanada Masayuki said, "Not to mention the dark circles under my eyes, I am very excited one by one, obviously I have been gambling for a while." Besides, no one will get up in the early morning to gamble. Looking at the clothes and dress, it is estimated that they are some wealthy merchants or samurai. ”

In the midst of a large group of shouting gamblers, a middle-aged uncle caught Yu Qiuping's attention. He sat in a window seat, gambling quietly, and next to him stood a dealer with a money bag. However, what surprised Yu Qiuping the most was that although there was a pair of gambling equipment opposite him, there was no one sitting.

Is he gambling with himself?

Yu Qiuping stepped forward in some surprise, wanting to see what the hell that uncle was doing. As soon as the uncle raised his head, he also happened to see Yu Qiuping. He seems to be in his thirties, his face is very fair, he wears a blue samurai uniform, he is very well groomed, and his body invisibly exudes a heroic aura, and he is estimated to be a samurai with a high status.

"Listening to the accent, it seems to be from the Ming Kingdom?" Before Yu Qiuping could speak, the uncle said first. Everyone on Yu Qiuping's side was shocked.

"But I haven't spoken yet?" Yu Qiuping was confused, "How did you hear the accent?" ”

"Bet." The uncle smiled lightly, and casually messed up the cards on the table, "It looks like the bet is right." He gestured to the chair across from him, "Please take a seat." ”

"This..."Yu Qiuping smiled bitterly, "You are really right, I am indeed from the Ming Kingdom, and how many of us are..."

"No need to introduce," the uncle waved his hand, "in the casino, everyone is a gambler. It doesn't matter what your identity is, His Majesty the Emperor is here, and you have to give money if you lose. You may be seated! ”

"Haha, you're laughing!" The crowd was amused.

After Yu Qiuping sat down, Panasonic and a few people also sat down around a table next to him. The uncle waved his hand, and the dealer immediately retreated. After a while, a few plates of fried rice were served.

"Thank you for your hospitality!" Yu Qiuping said gratefully: "How can you tell that I haven't eaten?" ”

"Bet." The uncle smiled again, "I opened the casino, you can just let it go." ”

"That's embarrassing." Yu Qiuping shook his head and wanted to take the money out of his arms.

"Haha, instead of giving money, it's better to accompany me for a few rounds." Uncle laughed.

"You bet so accurately, I don't dare to bet with you?" Yu Qiuping was secretly very surprised, and didn't understand how this casino owner knew his identity? Could it be that he is spying on himself in secret?

"In casinos, it's not all about gambling. Luck is also very important. The uncle himself took a plate of fried rice, "Eat, eat your stomach, and gamble a few games with me!" Just win back your meal days! ”

That uncle is obviously a master of this way, and Yu Qiuping came up because he was not familiar with the rules, so he lost three times in a row. The three hundred texts are gone. Maeda Toshiya couldn't stand it, so he dragged Yu Qiuping down, and as a result, he lost three times in a row. Later, Sanada Masayuki and Matsushita teamed up to attack, but they were inseparable from that uncle, but they still had no choice but to lose. In just a quarter of an hour, Yu Qiuping had already lost his consistent entry. The dealer next to him smiled from ear to ear when he collected the money, which was a loss of money for dozens of plates of fried rice. Yu Qiuping and the four of them had dark faces, looking at the uncle who was still light.

Yu Qiuping was unwilling, and asked with a red face: "Boss, do you dare to try our Mingguo's gambling method!" ”