"I would like to listen to His Highness Asahina!" Matsudaira Motoyasu immediately borrowed the slope to get off the donkey, "I came down here for this purpose." His Royal Highness the Governor treats my Matsudaira family like a mountain, and the Matsudaira family swears to avenge His Royal Highness the Governor! ”

Naturally, this statement is not untrue. Saying that His Royal Highness the Governor brought it with such grace as a mountain, and the Matsudaira family swore to take revenge or something, it is estimated that it is just a pretext. Yu Qiuping bets that the Matsudaira family's regret over the death of His Royal Highness the Governor will definitely not reach one ten-thousandth of their own, and there will even be many loyal retainers who feel happy. And the reason why the Matsudaira family chose to unite with the Asahina family at this time was just to speculate on the sidelines. After all, the Matsudaira clan was still too weak to even resist either Asahina or Okabe, let alone the Imagawa clan forces that would one day come to quell the rebellion. Therefore, the Matsudaira clan had to unite with one of these forces to gain immunity against the other.

And the reason why the Matsudaira family chose the side of the Asahina family is probably because the Asahina family fell behind in the initial battle and wanted to make their weight in the alliance heavier.

And when Matsudaira Motoyasu came on this trip, the Asahina family really didn't dare to do anything to him, because the Asahina family really needed the assistance of the Matsudaira family. After all, the Asahina family and the Sena family's forces were now cut off from Kariya Castle, and no matter which side the Okabe family attacked, the other side could not provide effective assistance. If the Matsudaira family also falls to the Okabe family, the Sena family and the Sekiguchi family, who are caught in the middle, will be wiped out.

After figuring out these joints, Yu Qiuping glanced at Matsudaira Motoyasu again. Although the distance between the two was only one meter, Yu Qiuping suddenly felt that this living person was suddenly much farther away from him. The boy who was committed to perfection but had his own persistence, the boy who knelt outside Okazaki City, the boy who still pretended to be strong even though he was about to shed tears, suddenly became strange. In his place was the scheming Tokugawa Ieyasu in later history.

The change in Yu Qiuping's expression made Matsudaira Motoyasu stunned for a moment. The change from appreciation to disappointment is often more hurtful than scolding and criticism.

"The Matsudaira family can have this heart, which is really a blessing for the Imagawa family." Asahina Taichao nodded and said, "Then please Matsudaira family!" Please dedicate your loyalty to the Imagawa family! This statement can be regarded as an acknowledgment of the semi-independent position of the Matsudaira family.

"Your Highness, please." Matsudaira Motoyasu bowed and said respectfully. His low profile also calmed everyone's anger to a certain extent and allowed the negotiations to proceed smoothly.

Yu Qiuping looked at all this in front of him and was silent. Your Royal Highness Asahina, can you guess it, in the history of your previous life, it was the person in front of you who was now respectful to you, who surrounded your home city Kakegawa Castle and finally destroyed the Imagawa family.

"His Royal Highness Matsudaira rushed back to the army as soon as possible, led the army into Anxiang Castle, and received His Royal Highness Sena and His Highness Sekiguchi." Asahina Taichao said, "I will inform His Highness about the rest of the matter." ”

"Without further ado," Asahina Taichao knew that there was no delay at this time, although there was no way to prove the reliability of the Matsudaira family, but he could only let him leave after a simple negotiation, "Momiji, I bother you to send Matsudaira His Highness on the next trip." ”

"Your Highness Matsudaira, please." Yu Qiuping got up, sent Matsudaira Motoyasu out of the tent, and led the way in front without saying a word. Matsudaira Motoyasu was stunned for a moment, and just silently followed. Yu Qiuping could clearly feel that the footsteps of the person behind him were scattered, and there seemed to be something on his mind.

Just when Yuqiuping was about to send Songping Yuanyasu to the Matsudaira family guard at the gate of the camp, Matsudaira Yuanyasu suddenly said softly: "Your Highness Yuqiu... There are a few words below..."

The footsteps behind him stopped abruptly, and Yu Qiuping could feel it, and Matsudaira Motoyasu had stopped.

"I want to talk to Your Highness."

Yu Qiuping sighed and turned around slowly. A gust of wind blew, and the shawls of red leaves rustled on the shoulders.

"Is His Highness Matsudaira going to say a few words to His Highness Yuqiu, or is Takechiyo going to say a few words to Momiji?" Yu Qiuping asked in a low voice.

Matsudaira Motoyasu's Adam's apple squirmed, looked at the guards waiting for him in the distance, turned to the side slightly, and said in a low voice, "It's Takechiyo who wants to talk to Momiji." ”

"I don't know about Momiji... Wasn't it hard to do that just now? Matsudaira Motoyasu said in a low voice, as if he had returned to the young man he had made compromises when he first met.

"Do you want to hear the truth?" Yu Qiuping unconsciously uttered Kaede Imagawa's mantra, "I'm really disappointed." ”

"You're my friend, that's why I trust you and send a herald to contact you." Yu Qiuping shook his head and said, "You use this trust for personal gain. Or is it His Royal Highness the Governor of the Family..."Yu Qiuping choked up, "Your Highness, he just... When. I was really disappointed. ”

"I'm so sorry." Matsudaira Motoyasu lowered his head and said softly.

"I have already said this cliché once when we first met." The corners of Yu Qiuping's mouth twitched. "Your Highness Matsudaira, please come back." With that, he turned and wanted to leave.

Matsudaira Motoyasu was stunned for a moment, then suddenly stepped forward and grabbed Yu Qiuping's sleeve. Yu Qiuping looked back blankly and saw that Matsudaira Motoyasu had buried his face deep in the shadows.

"I am... It's true... I'm so sorry. Matsudaira Motoyasu spoke a little intermittently, whispering almost word by word. It looks like how hard it is for a man like him, who has lived under a strong exterior since childhood, to say such things. "Exploited... Momiji's trust to do such a thing... I'm really sorry. ”

"But... I—" Matsudaira Motoyasu sighed, and his words became a little coherent: "Not only Momiji's friend, but also the governor of the Matsudaira family. I... I'm sure I'm going to put the interests of my family first... So many people, so many subordinates are looking forward to me... The spirits of my father and grandfather in heaven must also be... It's impossible for me not to fight for my family! ”

"That's it..."Yu Qiuping was stunned for a moment, thought about it, and sighed, "Takechiyo also has your troubles." ”

Yes, Tokugawa Ieyasu in his previous life has always been burdened with the fate and expectations of so many people, and the rise and fall of the family. From the moment he became the governor, there was no turning back. In order to be able to protect the family, he can only keep making the family stronger. He had to use all means, abandon his personal feelings, and be pushed and shoved to keep moving forward, without a chance to rest - until the world was unified. Otherwise, once he retreats, he will be killed and wiped out.

"I understand." Yu Qiuping suddenly remembered the gambling uncle he met in Kyoto, who seemed to be the head of a family. "As a family governor, you can't just think about your personal feelings and positions. I have to take care of the interests of the whole family. Under the mask of the family governor, it is inevitable to do this kind of thing. ”

Perhaps, the reason why Takechiyo became Tokugawa Ieyasu is also a matter of no choice. He may not want to be like that himself, but he has to carry the fate of his family forward. Once you're on this path, there's no going back. The people of the Tokugawa family need a "Tokugawa Ieyasu", the daimyo of each family who submits to the Tokugawa family needs a "Tokugawa Ieyasu", and the hundreds of people need a "Tokugawa Ieyasu". Therefore, Takechiyo had to become that "Tokugawa Ieyasu".

Just when Yu Qiuping was stunned, Matsudaira Motoyasu's face turned white and red. After a long time, he made up his mind and suddenly whispered.

"Momiji... It's really my very important friend..."Matsudaira Motoyasu's voice trembled a little with shame because he said such a childlike words, "Although... I just did something like that... To say this kind of thing again, it is very unpositional. ”

"But!" Matsudaira Motoyasu raised his head and looked into Yu Qiuping's eyes, "Please Momiji must believe me... Two years before... Momiji's respect and care for me... I really appreciate it. ”

Yu Qiuping looked at Matsudaira Motoyasu, who was already speechless in shame and embarrassment. The air suddenly quieted down, and after a long time, Yuqiu smiled calmly.

"I see," he waved his hand, a little embarrassed, "next time you'll treat me to tempura." ”

After sending off Matsudaira Motoyasu, Yu Qiuping immediately rushed back to the big tent. On the way, he met Honda Tadakatsu, who was standing guard outside the account, bowing his head and being silent. It seems that the latter has obviously listened to the conversation in the shogunate's tent just now.

"Nabenosuke..."Yu Qiuhei was speechless for a while, not knowing how to explain to Honda Tadakatsu. He didn't know what Honda Tadakatsu's mood was now, and would he be happy because the lord family had regained the territory?

Honda Tadakatsu's gloomy face had obviously given Yu Qiuping an answer.

"Your Highness doesn't bother..."Honda Tadakatsu whispered and rejected Yu Qiuping's comfort, "It's just such a treacherous act of the lord's family... It's really puzzling. ”

Yu Qiuping wanted to say a few words of relief, but the loud voice of Chao Bina Taehyung came from inside the tent, muttering why Yu Qiuping hadn't come back yet. He sighed, patted Honda Tadakatsu on the shoulder, and walked back to the shogunate.

As soon as Yu Qiuping returned, Asahina Taichao continued to hold the next action meeting.

"I know you're all angry with the Matsudaira family, but for now, please suppress all these emotions first." As soon as Asahina Taichao opened his mouth, he stopped the complaints of Asahina Taihyung and Okupei Sadakichi.

"We can't ignore the situation in Okazaki Castle and Ansho Castle and even the entire Mikawa, and we will never let the Matsudaira family become independent." Asahina Taichao said in a deep voice, "This is something that the Imagawa family has struggled for decades, and my father has also fought for it for most of his life, and he will never give it up easily." ”

"It's just that it's not the right time to take care of it." Asahina Taichao looked around, "I think you all know that with the situation that we and the Okabe family are incompatible, once we attack the Matsudaira family, the Okabe family will immediately unite with the Matsudaira family, and our situation will be in danger. ”

"I'd rather be cheaper than let go of Okabe's guy!" Asahina Taehyung scolded, "That guy killed the main hall!" If you keep him, the Imagawa family doesn't know what to do! ”

"The words are not coarse." Ohei Zhensheng nodded and said, "If you go outside, you must first settle inside." At the moment, the only way to do this is to catch the rebel of Okabe Motonobu first, and then think about Mikawa Owari. ”

Yu Qiuping was slightly stunned and wanted to speak, but finally held back.

In order to find out the traitor, we have abandoned the southwest Owari and His Royal Highness Urita, and now even Mikawa will be abandoned.

Even if the Imagawa family calms down the civil strife, won't they have to go back to decades ago overnight. Even, worse than a few decades ago. Because with the departure of His Royal Highness the Governor, the strongest generation of the Imagawa family, led by Taiyuan Xuezhai, left completely. Faced with their wolf-like neighbors, will the Imagawa family really be able to achieve the status they once were?

"But are the words of those Three Rivers guys really credible?" Opei asked cautiously, "They have deceived our heralds before, if they lie to us again... When His Highness Sena and His Highness Sekiguchi were lax, he attacked them and tried his hand at the Okabe family... How do we do it? ”

"Probably not." Asahina Taichao pondered for a while and said, "If the Matsudaira family is really willing to join forces with the Okabe family, there is no need to take this risk to come to our camp, just attack from both sides. His Royal Highness Sena and His Highness Sekiguchi are also absolutely unstoppable. ”

"The reason why they came to us is obviously to find a weaker party to cooperate with, so as to seek greater benefits." Asahina Taichao analyzed, "If he cooperates with the Okabe family, the Okabe family may not only appreciate it, but after eliminating us, they will also control him with their backhands. ”

"It makes sense, but it can't be guarded against." Okuhei Sadatsu said triumphantly, "I still have to let His Highness Sena and His Highness Sekiguchi be careful." ”

"Momiji, what do you think about this? Do you think you should trust the Matsudaira family? Asahina Taichao saw that Yu Qiuping had been pondering and did not speak, so he asked.

"I—" Yu Qiuping pondered for a moment, "I agree with His Highness's analysis. And I..."Yu Qiuping whispered with some embarrassment: "Although I was deceived just once... But I have to say that when the Matsudaira family became allies, I was still willing to trust them. ”

Because I know that in the history of the Warring States Period, it was not uncommon for alliances to meet each other. However, there are only a handful of allies. From the beginning of the conclusion, it persevered until the end.

Among them, there is the most famous - Cheongju League. As loyal allies of the Oda family, the Tokugawa family guarded the eastern gateway for the Oda family, participated in a series of expeditions of the Oda family, and worked hard. And even after the death of Oda Nobunaga, Hideyoshi Hashiba seized the power of the family. When Oda Nobunaga's son, Oda Nobuo, asked Tokugawa Ieyasu for help in order to fight against Hashiba Hideyoshi, Tokugawa Ieyasu still happily promised as he had done countless times before, and the story of the final Oritoku coalition was achieved.

Perhaps, that's Takechiyo him, while protecting the interests of the family, to abide by personal emotions and temperance efforts. Although all this is covered up by his series of power trajectories, Yu Qiuping understands.

Under Tokugawa Ieyasu's mask, the boy named Takechiyo is actually a person who values love and righteousness.