On the night of the 30th, Shinano Hanshina-gun, Katsumi Castle.

Goto Kiji and Hori Hideji sat opposite each other in the palace, and sitting next to them were the Toyotomi clan's Toyotomi Toyotomi Commander-in-Chief General Kuki Yoshitaka, Kataka son Kuki Moritaka, Kiji son Goto Kinori, and Hori Hideharu's younger brother Hori Kinyo.

Although Hideji was the general of the defeated army, he was still nominally a great name with 450,000 Zhixing in Echigo, and Kiji did not dare to slack off on him. And in order to reassure him and the Hori family's retainers, Kiji has been patiently analyzing the current situation with him in Koshin-etsu and Kanto, urging him to promote Hori Hideshige and Hori Naomasa as soon as possible, so that the army can move south as soon as possible to participate in the battle of Komoro Castle and Matsuida.

Hori Hideji is forty out of twenty this year, although he looks white and clean, and Yushu is in the wind, but because he has been under the control of Hori Hideshige for a long time, his personality has always been cowardly, and his ability is also very average, so that he does not dare to give a clear response to the questions and requests of Toyotomi's generals, which makes Kiji quite helpless. However, Hori Qinliang, who was sitting under Hideji, showed the decisiveness that a general should have at this moment. As the lord of Zaodo Castle, Horikin's conscience traveled 45,000 stones, and he played an important role in the opening of Kasugayama Castle. As a conservative in his family, he had always been resolutely opposed to taking risks to join the Tokugawa camp, but when Hori Hideshige and Hori Naomasa became bigger, he had to return to Zaodo to live idlely. When Sakado Castle was breached and Hideji Hori decided to fight to the death of the cage castle after listening to the rumors, he rushed to Kasugayama single-handedly and single-handedly facilitated the opening of Hideji Hori, minimizing the casualties of both sides.

Hori is four years younger than Hideji, and since he is not a sister-in-law, he is not taken too seriously by Hideshige Hori, which is a good thing for him. At this moment, Hideharu Hori felt that his ability was limited, and he didn't dare to face Hideshige Hori, so he simply let Hori Kinra take the place of himself to be responsible for persuading him to surrender.

"Grandfather currently has 9,000 troops in Toshi City, and he has just conquered Haijin City, and his morale is booming, so the letter sent in the afternoon may not make him change his mind." Hori kinra knows Hori Hideshige's stubbornness very well, and Hori Naomasa has already secretly communicated with Ieyasu, and the two of them are together, I am afraid that it will be difficult to surrender without a fight with a letter.

After hearing this, Kiji nodded, expressing his agreement with Hori Qinliang's analysis, after all, when he was still in the Kuroda family, he also dealt with Hori Hideshige, this old minister under the former Mino Saito clan, can get the status he has now in the troubled times, he must have his merits, and he will never lay down his arms as soon as he is intimidated or persuaded like Hori Hideji.

But at this moment, there was a sound of footsteps from far and near, and then I heard the attendant say outside the door, "Lord Keiyu, the envoy of the Horiki family has come from Toishi Castle to ask for an audience. ”

When everyone heard this, they were all surprised, and Jiji first glanced at the Nine Ghosts Jialong, Jialong nodded, and Jiji let the attendant messenger enter the hall. Hori Hideharu was ashamed to be seen by the envoy sitting next to the enemy, so he wanted to temporarily go to the inner room to avoid it, but he was stopped by Kiji as soon as he got together, and he said: "Jingo (the Tang name of the Saemon Governor) must not leave at this time, if the envoy comes and does not see His Highness, he must think that we have deceived him, and it is a pity to really do something bad because of this." As soon as Kiji said this, Hideharu Hori had no choice but to sit where he was, waiting for the envoy to enter the temple with a red face.

Not long after, as the doors of the hall on both sides were slowly opened by the attendants, a middle-aged man wearing a folding black hat and a dark pigment shirt walked into the palace, only to see him kneeling in the hall, and said respectfully: "In the Shimobori clan, Kondo Oribe Sashige Katsu see all the lords. ”

After saying that, Kondo Shigekatsu raised his head, and his eyes happened to touch Hori Hideji and Hori Qinliang who were sitting on the right side, so he hurriedly bowed and saluted: "The young master and Misaku Mamoru are really here, it seems that what the letter says is indeed true." ”

"Oribe Sakuro came in person, and I really didn't expect it." Hori Kinra was very surprised by the arrival of Kondo Shigekatsu, you must know that this person is in addition to the Hori family, Hori Hideshige's most trusted retainer, before he had more than 50,000 stones in Zaodo, Hori Hideshige forcibly drew 10,000 stones to this person, which shows his status in the family, but also because of this incident, Hori Hideyo has not been very good with him. This time, Horihide sent him again, which made Horikin's conscience faintly uneasy.

"It turned out to be Oribe Sa, I'm relieved that you can come." When Hori Hideji was young, he studied swordsmanship with Kondo Shigekatsu, and he had a good impression of this person, and knowing that he was an envoy, his mood was relaxed.

"Young Master Qiqi, the minister is here this time to make you and Misaku feel at ease, and also to give an explanation to all the adults here." As he spoke, Kondo Shigekatsu took out a letter from his sleeve and respectfully handed it to Goto Keiji.

Giji took the letter and read it carefully, and when he saw the monogram at the end, he couldn't help asking, "This is the monogram of the prisoner, but what about the sweeping department, why did he ......?"

"The sweeping department has been unwell for the past two days, and the matter of peace has been entrusted to the prisoner, and you see that it is still stamped with the seals of two people, how dare you fake such a letter." Before Kiji finished speaking, Kondo Shigekatsu took the lead and said, which seemed to dispel some of Kiji's doubts.

"It seems that the two adults can still see the situation clearly." Kiji nodded with satisfaction, and said to Kondo Shigekatsu: "Since it has been decided to do it anyway, then as the letter said, I will lead the army to Toishi Castle with Jingo early tomorrow morning. ”

"It's nature." Kondo Shigekatsu nodded respectfully, then glanced at Hideji Hori, and continued: "Before coming here, the sweeping department specially asked me to meet the young master as soon as possible, but now that the general trend has been decided, I wonder if I can let the young master return to Toishi City first?" ”

"Don't be in such a hurry, right?" Kiji politely refused: "Anyway, we can meet tomorrow morning, don't rush this time, besides, it's getting late, and the sweeping department must have fallen asleep, let Jin Wu go to disturb his old man's rest at this time, Jin Wu must be unbearable, right?" ”

Seeing that Kiji glanced at him, Hori Hideji hurriedly nodded and said in a panic: "Oki Mamoru is right, you see that it's so late, and the road will be the same tomorrow morning...... It's Oribe, do you want to go back with me tomorrow? ”

"The minister also wants to bring the words of the hidden master to the prisoner, and the minister can't go back with the young master." Kondo Shigekatsu could hear what Kiji was saying, so he stopped insisting, and after saying goodbye to everyone, he left the palace and returned to Toishi Castle.

With the departure of Kondo Shigekatsu, the temple fell into a short, elusive silence. Seeing this, Hori Kinra wanted to speak a few times and stopped, but it was Kiji who opened his mouth first: "Does Misakumori suspect that there is fraud in it?" ”

When Hori Qinliang heard this, he was immediately a little overwhelmed, and he asked tentatively: "I just feel that something is wrong, but I can't say it, but Oki Shou You, do you believe in what Oribe Sakura said just now?" ”

"I never do things intuitively," replied Giji, "but it would be too underestimated to convince him of his sincerity on the basis of this letter." ”

At this moment, the cool breeze was blowing, and the attendants tried to pull the temple door shut, but they were stopped by Giji. He looked at the stars outside the hall and said leisurely: "But whether it is true or not, you can see it before dawn." ”