Ishikawa Shumasa noticed Yu Qiuping's gaze, and couldn't help but look at this simple samurai who had not attracted his attention before: "I don't know this... What are the adults? Ishikawa hesitated for a moment, but still used an honorific.

"It's just a nobody, and he can't get into the eyes of Lord Ishikawa, but he just accompanies His Highness Yuqiu as a deputy envoy," Lin Xiuzhen replied humbly, "Everything is at His Royal Highness Yuqiu's orders." ”

Yu Qiuping was stunned for a moment, but still chose to nod. After all, he has historical knowledge and understands that Oda Nobunaga and Matsudaira Motoyasu will eventually form an alliance, and his choice will not go wrong.

"In that case, please follow me to Okazaki Castle." Ishikawa got up with a sense of relief, and with a dozen escorts, escorted the group to Mikawa Okazaki Castle before nightfall on November 16.

·

On November 16, 1560, the third year of Eiroku, at the fourth quarter of the hour, inside the castle tower of Okazaki Castle.

Yu Qiuping was waiting for Matsudaira Motoyasu to arrive in the assessment room on the third floor of the castle tower. Amano Keitoku and the rest of his entourage, because of their lack of status, could only wait outside the castle tower. And Lin Xiuzhen actually insisted on waiting outside the assessment room, which surprised Yu Qiuping a little - he thought that Oda Nobunaga wanted to let the person he trusted monitor the whole negotiation. Originally, Yu Qiupei wanted to bring Honda Tadashi in to meet Matsudaira Motoyasu, but Honda Tadashi resigned on the grounds that his qualifications were not enough.

Matsudaira Motoyasu didn't let them wait long, and at five o'clock, Matsudaira Motoyasu came to the assessment room alone. Before entering the door, he also asked the guards to close the door and leave a little farther away, obviously to have a secret conversation with Yu Qiuping.

"Momiji, long time no see." After Matsudaira Motoyasu saw Yu Qiuping, a smile unconsciously appeared on his face, "It's really nice to see that you're okay." ”

"Takechiyo, I'm sorry for you," Yu Qiuping smiled bitterly, "It looks like you're in good spirits." ”

"Thank you Momiji," Matsudaira Motoyasu said gratefully, "Half a year ago, when the Matsudaira family was semi-independent from the Imagawa family. If it weren't for Momiji, you persuaded His Highness Asahina not to attack me, where would the Matsudaira family be today? ”

Yu Qiuping was stunned for a moment, then nodded with a wry smile: "Do you want to hear the truth?" I was very embarrassed. Yuqiu paused, "On the one hand, I am a retainer of the Imagawa family. His Royal Highness the late Governor treated me with great kindness, and I sincerely wanted to maintain the unity of the Imagawa family. But on the other hand, you are my good friend, and I hope that you will be able to live without groveling anymore..."

"It's just that the highnesses of the Imagawa family don't understand the painstaking efforts of Momiji." Matsudaira Motoyasu shook his head, "I'm not stupid, but Momiji definitely shouldn't be exiled, and it should be Okabe Motoshin's party that should be exiled." They were the first to fight, and the late Governor was killed for his dereliction of duty... I really don't know why His Royal Highness Shou Gui Ni and the current Governor of the House are so mean to Momiji..."

"Don't talk about this, it's sad," Yuakihei interrupted Matsudaira Motoyasu with a wave of his hand, "It's all over... During those days, there was no going back. ”

"I was really worried when I heard that Momiji was exiled," Matsudaira Motoyasu's voice was slightly lower, "I even thought that if Momiji really couldn't find a place to live, I could also go against the Imagawa family's ban and take Momiji in for a while." He paused and continued, "I'm relieved to see that Momiji can gain a foothold in the Oda family and be reused. ”

"Speaking of which," Matsudaira Motoyasu raised his head and looked at Yu Qiuping, "Chang Panbei's family members still live in Zhili Castle!" During this time, I knew that martial law was in the vicinity, and I also specially instructed the ashigaru people not to embarrass them. When Momiji goes back this time, let's bring them back with me, so that everyone can reunite for a good year. ”

"Thank you so much, Chiyo Take, I don't even know what to say." Yu Qiuping was a little speechless for a while, but he was usually speechless at the moment. Matsudaira Motoyasu seems to have been kind to the families of his subordinates, and even though he was the lead in attacking Mikawa, he still did not break his promise. And he offered to return his family to Yu Qiuping, which also allowed Yu Qiuping to avoid the embarrassment of opening his mouth.

"You don't have to be polite, I owe you so much favor before, how can I pay it off with this little bit of strength?" Matsudaira Motoyasu shook his head, "And didn't I promise you at the New Year's banquet that year?" If there's anything I need help with, just ask. ”

Yu Qiuping was stunned for a moment, recalling the picture from a long time ago. At that time, both of them were still working together in the Imagawa family.

·

"At that time, everyone was riding on their horses proudly, but you were the only one who didn't despise me like that, and helped me and cared about whether I was okay." Matsudaira Motoyasu said in a low voice, "Later, after the banquet, Momiji told me to hurry up and have dinner..."

Matsudaira Motoyasu seemed to be about to say something, but his Adam's apple squirmed up and down, and what he wanted to say was more than how to express it because he had been suppressed for too long.

"I'm really moved," he spat out for a long time.

"Takechiyo, you don't have to... That's just, human nature. Yu Qiuping explained, but Matsudaira Motoyasu waved his hand.

"Is it normal for people to be human? If you become a samurai, you will no longer be human. He smiled bitterly, "I've been used to seeing the world for so many years, and Momiji is the first person who treats me like a friend without being bound by your identity." Really appreciated. ”

"Momiji, if there is anything you need Takechiyo to help with in the future, just ask."

·

"Do you remember that incident," Yu Qiuping couldn't help laughing when he remembered the appearance of the two of them in the past.

"Momiji has always done what he says, and as a samurai, I'm naturally not far behind." Matsudaira Motoyasu also smiled, the two of them recalled the past encounters and bits and pieces, and unconsciously, they had been chatting for a long time.

"Alright, let's get down to business!" Yu Qiuping clapped his hands, "As an envoy of His Royal Highness Oda this time, I still have important matters to discuss!" ”

"Yes," Matsudaira Motoyasu laughed innocently, "Anyway, Momiji and I also belong to the two camps of the enemy and us, and we definitely won't come here to catch up on the past." If there is anything you want to say, please talk about Momiji. ”

"It's very simple, just one sentence." Yu Qiuping made his tone a little more serious, and Matsudaira Motoyasu also listened intently.

"His Royal Highness Oda wants to shake hands with you Chiyo Take." Yu Qiuping said in a low voice.

Matsudaira Motoyasu was stunned for a moment, and didn't seem to understand what Yu Qiuping meant, but opened his mouth to confirm: "Momiji, with all due respect, I'm afraid His Royal Highness Oda is a little too big." The Imagawa family and the Oda family have a deep blood feud, and the late family governor His Royal Highness is still cold, how can he form an alliance with the Oda family? Even if it's an alliance, it's not up to the bottom to say. ”

"No, no, no, Takechiyo, you can do the master." Yu Qiuping stared into Matsudaira Motoyasu's eyes.

"Because, His Highness Oda wants to form an alliance with the independent Matsudaira family." Yu Qiuping bit the word "independent" very hard. It can be seen from the surprise in Matsudaira Motoyasu's expression that he obviously understood Yu Qiuping's voiceover.

"Does His Highness Oda want me to become independent from the Imagawa family?" Matsudaira Motoyasu, who has always been calm, was also a little breathless, and his tone became hurried, "But an alliance with the Oda family is equivalent to breaking with the Imagawa family!" ”

"That's right." Yu Qiuping nodded.

Matsudaira Motoyasu's eyebrows are about to twist into a pimple, and he looks like he is only a teenager, and he is still a lot worse than the bearing of the shogun who will sit in the world in the future.

"Momiji, you and I have been friends for so long, and I won't be official with you anymore." Matsudaira Motoyasu was obviously the first time to deal with such a major matter, and he was a little unbreathable, "With all due respect, the strength of the Oda family is still not as strong as the current Kawa family." The Oda family of Barrel Sasama just won by luck. What should I do if I form an alliance with the Oda family and abandon the Imagawa family, and wait for the Imagawa family's army to attack? ”

When Yu Qiuping heard this, he breathed a sigh of relief. At least when Matsudaira Motoyasu rejected this suggestion, he did not use his loyalty to the Imagawa family as a reason, but directly analyzed his interests. It can be seen that he still hopes that the Matsudaira family can gain independence. This saves Yu Qiuping a lot of trouble. After all, Yu Qiuping himself also has feelings for the Imagawa family, and if he wants to persuade a Imagawa family's loyalty to betray, he may not be able to say a lot of words.

But... Even if I don't say it, in 2 years, the Matsudaira family will form an alliance with the Oda family... It's not something I can change. His Royal Highness the Governor, His Royal Highness Sena... Please forgive me. It's also for revenge that I have to let history continue.

"That's not true." Yu Qiuping shook his head, "Takechiyo, you might as well think about it again, the strength of the Oda family and the Imagawa family are compared. ”

Matsudaira Motoyasu was stunned for a moment, and looked at Yu Qiuping with a puzzled look.

"Although the Imagawa family was known as a million-stone daimyo before... But it was also the heyday of the late Governor's reign. Yu Qiuping said with some regret: "At that time, the Imagawa family included the three three kingdoms of Junyuan, as well as most of the southeastern Owari and Chita Peninsulas, so that they could have a territory of nearly 1 million koku. His Royal Highness Oda, on the other hand, was unable to completely unify Owari, and only owned a territory of about 300,000 koku. ”

"But now, the situation is very different," Akihei Akihei pointed to the map hanging on the wall of the assessment room, "The Imagawa family has completely lost Owari, and if Takechiyo breaks away, Mikawa will also be erased from the map." At that time, the Imagawa family will only be left with the territory of 400,000 koku of Toe and Suruga. Add to this year's fiasco and civil war, and the strength will only get weaker. Yuakihei paused, "And the Oda family, which unified Owari, will have a territory of more than 400,000 koku even if it doesn't count the territory occupied by His Royal Highness Inuyama, but in terms of strength, there is no need to be afraid of the Imagawa family at all." If Takechiyo joins the Oda family, the strength of both of us will be able to overwhelm the Imagawa family. ”