This seedling castle lord Kawajiri Hidecho is the eldest son of Oda Nobunaga's retainer Kawajiri Hidetaka, when Kawajiri Hidetaka was the daimyo of Kai a country, but died in Kai's hand during the change of Honnoji Temple, Kawajiri Hidecho had to stay in the Mori family, until after the Battle of Bunroku did he get Hideyoshi's permission to become independent from the Mori family and become the daimyo of Zhixing 10,000 stones. It stands to reason that after receiving the care of the Mori family for so many years, Kawajiri Hidecho should not slander Mori Tadashi in front of Hidebo, but this is not the case, it was the father of the current head of the Mori family who accepted Kawajiri Hidenaga at the beginning, Mori Kecheng, he and Kawajiri Hidetaka were colleagues, and it was reasonable to take care of his orphans, but after Mori Tadashi inherited the family business, the relationship between the two families was somewhat conflicted.

The reason is very simple, after the change of Honnoji, Hideyoshi inherited the world of the Oda family as the heir of Oda Nobunaga, and in order to stabilize the regime, he comforted the generals under Nobunaga, so after learning that Kawajiri Hidetaka was killed in the battle, he gave Higashimino Seedling Castle to Kawajiri Hidenaga, but Kawajiri Hidenaga was young and lived in the Mori family, and this seedling city was temporarily managed by the Mori family. As Kawajiri Hidecho grew up and Mori died, the idea of independence from the Mori family germinated in the hearts of Kawajiri Hidecho and his retainers, but Mori Tadamasa was unwilling to lose the seedling castle, which was equivalent to a quarter of the Mori family's stone height, but no matter how he persuaded him, Kawajiri Hidecho just didn't want to continue to live in the Mori family as a diner.

In order to achieve the goal, Hidecho Kawajiri visited Hideyoshi with Mori Tadamasa Kamiraku on his back, expressing his desire to participate in the Battle of Bunroku as an independent daimyo, and Hideyoshi agreed to his request with his old feelings, and as a result, Hidecho Kawajiri and his retainers made war exploits in Korea, and Hideyoshi pushed the boat down the river, officially announcing the revival of the Kawajiri family as a daimyo with 10,000 koku of seedlings. On the other hand, the Mori family was indignant at Hidenaga Kawajiri and Hideyoshi's order, and turned to friendship with Tokugawa Ieyasu, and the relationship between the two families became inevitable. Informing Hideho of the Mori family's movements is a good opportunity to take revenge on Mori Tadamasa.

When Hideho heard that the daimyo of Hida, Shinano, and Mino around the seedlings were frequently frequent, he couldn't help but worry about the safety of the Noo corridor.

The so-called "Noo Corridor" refers to a narrow strip of land between No-Kitawari in South America, which stretches from Ise Nagashima Castle in the west to Shinano-Chikuma County in the east, and includes the three counties of Nishi-Owari, Inuyama Castle in Kita-Owari, the five counties of Namino, and the castles of Takasu, Unuma, Ghana, Ota, and Ochiai, which are important nodes of the Nakado Road, and finally connects with Shinano-Chiku-gun, which is hidden in the Taikoku, and from Chikuma to the north through the Ishikawa Yasunari Domain, it can be connected to the Kitakuni Street, and eastward through the Kyogoku Kochi Territory to reach the Kai Province of Asano Nagamasa. Therefore, it is not an exaggeration to say that this corridor is the second artery connecting the eastern country, especially now that Nishimikawa belongs to Tanaka Yoshimasa, Higashi-Owari or Kurachi, the importance of this corridor is self-evident.

In fact, before Hidecho Kawajiri reminded himself that Mori Tadamasa and others were in frequent contacts, Hideho was already suspicious of these little daimyos. At the beginning of Wang Tu's return, Kawajiri Hidenaga and other small daimyo and wealthy families took refuge in Hideho one after another, while the five small daimyo of Nishimino, the Inaba brothers of North America, and Mori Tadamasa of Higashimino were unmoved. Although the five small daimyo are not very knowledgeable, their location is very important, and they are blocked at the junction of Omi, Mino, and Owari. Eyeing the Nowei Corridor, Hideho repeatedly hinted that they would surrender, but they turned a deaf ear and refused Hideho's request; As for Iwamura Castle, where Mori Tadamasa is located. It was once a bridgehead for Takeda Shingen's attack on Mino, and now it is bordered by Kyogoku Kochi in the east, Tanaka Yoshimasa in the south, and Nagaki Castle on the south side of the Nakasendo Road in the north. The geographical location is also dangerous, but under the general trend of the surrounding Mino daimyoshi returning to Shun Hideho, he is extremely persistent. Rejected the temptation of Hideho 80,000 stone Zhiyuki, and insisted on not handing over Iwamura Castle.

Why would these small daimyos, who occupy important positions, refuse Hideho's kindness, and even replace them with twice as many zhixing? At first, Hideho was only suspicious of this, until Hidecho Kawajiri reported on the unusual situation in the Higashimino area, which finally turned suspicion into worry, and finally caused Hideho to rush to an inexplicable threat.

"The seven daimyo of Northwest Mino are connected with Hida, and if you cross Inuyama Castle, you can enter Owari, and as long as Higashimino captures Naeki Castle, Hida's military strength can reach Nishimikawa Tanaka Yoshimasa, so that the two countries will be encircled, and the Noo Corridor will no longer exist." Hideho said worriedly, his words revealing his distrust of Mori Tadamasa and Kanamori Naga.

Fujido Takatora is located in the northern city of Nishimino and has a more thorough understanding of the local situation, and when he saw Hideho mentioning this place, he also expressed his opinion: "In addition to the southern part of the border with the Noo Corridor, the other three sides of the northern city are surrounded by four of the seven families you mentioned, and the minister thinks that the reason why these seven families refuse the temptation of their own family and always have the same breath is probably due to the powerful forces behind it, as for Iwamura Castle of Mori Tadamasa, if there is no support from other daimyos, as an independent small lord, It is absolutely impossible to refuse the request of the family. ”

"The daimyo of Hida Takayama Kanemori Nagakin, Gungami Hachiman, Sasayasu Kato of Nishimino, Tadamasa Mori of Higashi Mino, and Yoshimasa Tanaka of Nishimikawa are all in collusion, and it's hard for me not to think of a person." Xiubao did not name names, but his tone was very affirmative.

Fujido Takatora heard Hideho say this, and said with the situation: "If you add Shinano's Ishikawa, Kyogoku and other families, then it is really a big net spread in the eastern country, my lord, the daimyo who can make such a detailed plan, I am afraid that there is only one person in the world." ”

"Edo Uchifu." Xiubao couldn't help but shudder, "I didn't expect to lose the Tokaido, and the inner government is still cloudy and rainy in the eastern country." Fortunately, it was discovered early, otherwise the Uesugi family would have been buried in the vast forest of Shinano before they were defeated. ”

"But what if you find out?" Fujitang Gaohu asked, "I know that I am surrounded by enemies, but I am helpless, this is the wisdom of the inner house." ”

"You're right," Hideho nodded, "Even if they perceive the danger, the family can't do anything to these daimyos, especially at this stage, if they casually do something to that daimyo, wouldn't it be in response to Naoeyama Castle Mori?" At that time, Mino had not yet been pacified, and war broke out again in Aizu, and this situation made people feel embarrassed and embarrassed. ”

"Otherwise, give up the Nakasendo and choose the Tokaido, it's safer." Shima Kiyoshi, who had been silent for a long time, said tentatively, "The Daimyo families of Tokaido, except for Tanaka Yoshimasa, have all been tamed by their own families, and when the time comes, they will directly coerce the Tanaka family to hand over the city, so that the East China Sea will be unimpeded, and there is no need to go through the dangerous Nowei Corridor." ”

"Then Nakasendo will be left alone?" Fukushima Takayoshi was a little dissatisfied, "It's all small daimyos, just kill one and make an example, the lord will give his ministers ten days to take down the two families of Inaba and Kanemori, and he will definitely be able to subdue the other daimyo and keep the Nakasendo safe!" (To be continued.)