Hideho originally wanted to return to Beijing via the Nakasendo, but due to the delay on the road and the fact that the Nakasendo Road is mostly mountainous, he had to return along the same road.

Xiubao opened the letter and looked at it, but it was just some polite words, mainly hoping that Xiubao could go to Kofu by the way, so that he could fulfill the friendship of a landlord as a father-in-law.

Hideho wanted to refuse, but since he had been to Yamagata Castle, if he didn't go to Kofu, Nagamasa would definitely think that he was heavy and Sakurahime was light, and if that was the case, I am afraid that the image he had established in the Owari faction would also be greatly reduced. Thinking of this, Hideho accepted Nagamasa's invitation and asked Nagasei to return to the castle first, saying that he would turn to Bowl Castle and enter Kai along Chichibu Street.

On 20 February, as soon as Hideho arrived at Hagatata, Keiji Maeda rushed with a few men from Kasugayama to join him.

When Hideho left Tatebayashi for Utsunomiya, Keiji Maeda left the team with two attendants and went to Kasuga Yamajo Castle without permission on the pretext of visiting Kanesuke Naoe. Although he is nominally Hidebo's marksmanship, Keiji Maeda and Hideho do not have a strict master-slave relationship, and they still come and go whenever they want. After a long time, Xiubao is also used to his dissolute and uninhibited character, and he does not restrain him too much, even if he often "neglects his duties", Xiubao still distributes money on time and in full. Perhaps touched by Hideho's tolerance, Keiji did restrain for a while.

Although Keiji had said that he was going to Kasuga Mountain before leaving, when he left, he only asked the little surname to send a message to Hideho, and there was not even a decent letter, which really made the accompanying retainers angry.

Hearing that Keiji had returned to the team, the retainers finally couldn't help but ask Hidebo to remove Keiji from his position, but Hidebo just laughed and comforted everyone: "It's not that everyone doesn't understand Keiji's temperament, although it is a profligate wreckage, but there is no delay in serious matters, as long as it is not a big mistake, everyone will bear more." ”

Shima Qingxing was really unwilling, and retorted: "Since Keiji served as His Highness's spear teacher, His Highness's spear skills have not improved in the slightest, so forget it; But now that he is out of the house, I thought he could protect His Highness closely, but who knew that he went to Kasuga Mountain without saying a word, if His Highness had any three long and two short, how could he afford it. ”

"You're really direct." Xiubao scratched his head in embarrassment, his gunnery was not good, to be precise, he didn't know anything, in addition to Keiji's lack of serious teaching, there was another important reason, that is, Xiubao didn't want to learn, he felt that it was the responsibility of the generals to charge into battle, and it was enough to strategize by himself, and he didn't need to fight and kill at all. So although Qingci often urges, Xiubao is also busy with government affairs, and over time, Qingci no longer asks, anyway, he will take it, why not.

At this moment, Keiji walked into the big wide room with four people, presumably hearing Qingxing's accusation, and after saluting Xiubao, he glanced at him, and asked unwillingly: "I am His Highness's spear master, and I am not a close attendant, what reason is there to protect His Highness?" ”

Qingxing blushed and had a thick neck when he heard this, and just wanted to organize a language rebuttal, but Qingci had already turned to Xiubao with a straight face, and said respectfully: "Since His Highness lacks a close attendant, there are just a few good candidates here, please take a look." With that, Keiji moved to the right and showed the four people behind him to Hideho.

The combination of these four people is also strange, two young people of the same age as Hideho, and two middle-aged people over forty, although they don't know their names, but looking at their sturdy appearance, Hidebo can also guess that they are not ordinary samurai.

Xiubao asked very respectfully, "How dare you ask your honorable names, how can you want to serve as my close attendant?" ”

The middle-aged man with the tallest of the four moved forward and replied solemnly: "In the lower upper spring, the main water Satai Tsuna, the one on the left is my senior brother, Kiota Iki Mamoru Keiyoshi, the one on the far left is the nephew Kikita Keicho, and the one on the right is Inuko Gengoro." I have been waiting for a long time to hear about His Highness's prestige, and I have come here in the hope that I can serve His Highness. ”

After listening to this person's introduction, Hideho was overjoyed: "Lord Mizusa-sama doesn't have to be modest, you are the grandson of Kamizumi Isemomoru, and you must be deeply aware of the mystery of Kamizumi's new yin flow, and you can be blessed by His Royal Highness, and Xiu Baoding should rest easy." ”

"Please also ask Your Highness to help me wait for the restoration of the new Yin Stream Orthodoxy!" As soon as Hideho finished speaking, Kisada Keiyoshi bowed down.

"Senior brother, don't be so presumptuous." Taegang rebuked softly.

"It's okay, since you are willing to work for Xiubao, then if you have any requests, just ask." Xiubao waved his hand to signal that Taitsuna didn't need to mind.

"Yes," Keiyoshi sat up straight and poured out indignantly: "As we all know, Kamiizumi Isemoru is the founder of the new Yin Stream, and the junior brother is the grandson of Ise Mamoru and is undoubtedly the descendant of the new Yin Stream. ”

"Isn't the 'no sword' of the Yanagi family the essence of the new Yin Stream, Yanagi Zongyan has this strength, so it makes sense for him to be a descendant, right?" Hidebo's impression of swordsmanship is only "no sword".

"Your Highness must not be blinded by lies." Tai Gang couldn't help but refute, "Everyone in the world says that 'no knife to take' is the Yanagi family's mastery, but in fact, my grandfather had already understood the meaning when he was alive, and later he was deceived by Zongyan and taught him this stunt, which was not understood by the Yanagi family himself at all." ”

"That's right," Keiyoshi echoed casually, "I think that my father had defeated Zongyan three times back then, and his understanding and skills were far below my father's, how could such a mediocre talent create such a stunt, if it weren't for the hypocrisy of Ise Mamoru to win favor, I'm afraid this mastery would not have fallen into his hands." ”

Hideho didn't know much about the swordsmanship school of the Warring States, and he didn't know the grievances at all, so he had to ask Keiji Maeda the reason. Keiji had a clear understanding of kendo, and when he heard Xiubao ask for advice, he was naturally proud, and replied in a deep voice: "There are many schools of swordsmanship, and there are currently four major schools, namely the first sword stream, the dangli stream, the new dangliu and the new yin stream, and the new yin stream has become the first school in the world with exquisite skills and talents. ”

"But what does this have to do with the dispute between the descendants of the new Yin Stream?" Hideho asked, puzzled.

"Of course it matters," Keiji explained solemnly, "Since it is the number one genre in the world, the competition for lineage is even more intense. Kamiizumi Isemoru had many disciples during his lifetime, and they have now created many new Yin stream branch schools, the most famous of which is this Yagyu Soyan, although he said that he obtained the seal of the new Yin Stream, but after all, it was only a branch, Ise Mamoru's sister-in-law Kamiizumi Hideyin was the descendant of the new Yin Stream, but due to the death of Hideyin in the early years, coupled with the implication of the Hojo family's reform, the Kamiizumi clan was forced to become a ronin, and Yagyu Soyan took the opportunity to show favor to Ieyasu and won the strong support of the Tokugawa family, In one fell swoop, he replaced the Kamiizumi family and became the descendant of the new Yin Stream. ”

"So you brought them here, hoping that I could ask for an explanation for the Kamiizumi family?" Xiubao seemed to understand a little.

"Exactly," Keiji nodded, "I also met Lord Mizusa-sama when I was a guest at the mountain castle Shoufu, and I heard that I was His Highness's spear teacher, and Lord Mizusa-sama immediately recruited Iki Mamoru and said that he would also serve His Highness, so I had no choice but to bring them over." ”

Although Hideho had some sympathy for the plight of Yasuzuna Ueizumi, he didn't want to have anything to do with the Tokugawa family again, and in order to stabilize the mood of the two, Hideho accepted the appearance of these four people, but did not make any promises to their so-called request for "recovering the lineage", but only told them that when the time came, he would definitely seek justice for them.

Seeing that Taitsuna and Keiyoshi were still sullen, Hideho resorted to a money offensive, and he turned sideways and asked Aoki Hisaju: "How much is the general salary of the close servant?" ”

Aoki replied without hesitation, "It's about five hundred stones, and the highest is only eight hundred stones." ”

Xiubao nodded slightly, turned his face to Tai Gang, and said gently: "In this way, I will give each of you two brothers 1,500 stone every year, Jing Chang is still young, so give 500 stones, in the future, you two will be my close attendants, follow the instructions of this Jiuju Lord beside me, and when you return to the gunshan, Jing Chang will be responsible for protecting the Ju Imperial Front and the child who is about to be born, so you have no opinion, right?" ”

"The minister has an opinion." Gengoro, who was only thirteen years old, stood up and snorted dissatisfiedly, "The lord seems to have forgotten to arrange a post for his ministers. ”

Seeing this childish-looking young man, Xiubao couldn't help laughing: "Gengoro hasn't served yet, and when Lord Mizusa-sama takes your place, I'll arrange a position for you, what do you think?" ”

When Tai Tsunade heard this, he immediately smiled and said to Xiubao: "It's better to choose a day than to hit the day, Gengoro has reached the year of Yuanfu, but it can't be held due to the upheaval, and now His Royal Highness is loved, so that the ministers and others have a place to settle down, then please open your grace again, serve as Yuangoro's black hat pro, and perform Yuan Fu for him." ”

"That's it," Xiubao thought for a moment, he was only three years older than Gengoro, but he wanted to crown him, Taigang was really well-intentioned, since he proposed it so sincerely, Xiubao had to reluctantly accept it.

In the afternoon of the same day, Hideho held a Yuan dress ceremony for Gengoro, as a black hat pro, Hideho gave him his partiality "Bao", and Gengoro was also renamed Kamiizumi Hozuna, and after returning to the court, he will be a close attendant of Zhiyunyuan, and like Jingchang, he will receive an annual salary of 500 stones.

Early the next morning, Hideho left Hagata Castle, encountered Mt. Chichibu, and entered Kai territory. And Asano Nagamasa fell ill the day before because of Sakurahime's letter, and at this moment he has no desire for Hideho a few days ago, and only hopes to send him out of Kai as soon as possible and wake up from this nightmare as soon as possible.