154

I took Hidemasa Hori as an assistant and Shinsuke Mori as the chief of the guard, and rode all the way from Azuchi Castle to Hino Castle in Minami-Omi.

Like the Rokkaku family, the Gamo family in Hino Castle is also a branch of the Usa Gen clan - the descendants of the Omi Sasaki clan, but compared with the famous Rokkaku family, the Gamo family has been in decline for a long time, and before Oda Nobunaga went to Luo, the Gamo family only existed as a genealogy retainer of the Roxagonal family, and then the "Kirin" Kamo Tsuru Chiyo clan was loved by Oda Nobunaga, and was promised to love his daughter Tsuruhime, and the Gamo family only developed.

With the experience of the Gamo Township, I, who was more greedy for life and afraid of death than him, was so frightened that I didn't dare to risk my life and make any stops.

Along the way, we finally arrived at Hino Castle at noon.

From the perspective of the structure of the castle, Hino Castle is a small Hirayama Castle, which is completely different from Sakamoto Castle, which was built on the water.

Because the castle site is near Nakano Village in Minami-Omi, when the ancestors of the Gamo family built the castle, the castle was also called Nakano Castle, and the core of the castle was the Jinya of Ninshoji Temple.

"Who's coming?! Register your name!! ”

When the guards of the city saw us, they did not show the same flattering expression as ordinary subordinates did when they saw their superiors, which was not what I had seen and heard over the years.

Hey? What's going on? Even as a guard, no matter how conscientious you are, you shouldn't be so ignorant, and our group of people together is only more than thirty, so it doesn't look like it's going to attack the castle, and it's a unique example of the deceased Takenaka Hanbei who relied on a dozen people to defeat Inabayama Castle.

And we, who are freshly dressed and angry, will we still use our brains against this small city that no longer has much strategic value?

The soldiers pointed their spears at me, their eyes full of vigilance and precaution.

It seems that the assassination of the Gamo clan, who is the lord of the castle, has made the people of the entire city a little anxious.

"Bastard thing! How dare you talk to me like that! ”

I don't know when my temper has become very big, and I wouldn't be angry when people with low status talked to me in the past, but now that I was yelled at by these little soldiers, I felt a burst of killing intent in my heart.

It seems that the environment in which a person lives can indeed change his character.

"I'm from Azuchi Castle, and I'm the wise right general who is on par with your city lord! Here! At this time, the seal issued to me by the Oda Uchifu! Can identify me! ”

Just as the soldiers were about to speak, a middle-aged samurai walked out of the city.

"Bastard! What are you doing?! He is a well-known and wise general! How dare you point your weapons at him! Are you tired of being alive?! ”

This person is the father of the lord of the castle, His Royal Highness Kamo Kenhide, who has abdicated and lived in seclusion.

Since the accident in the Gamo clan, Gamo Kenxiu, who is a father and has long since stopped caring about the world, has to go back to the mountains to take charge of the Gamo family's housekeeping.

"Your Highness Wise, I will punish these people later, and please have a lot of them."

"His Royal Highness Gamo has already said, these brothers just did their duty as guards at the city gate, there is nothing wrong with us, and when we suddenly visit, your Highness Gamo is unprepared, I'm really sorry!"

I said polite things against my will.

However, when Mr. Gamo Hyun-so said that I was "famous", I was still a little stunned.

Is he complimenting me politely, or praising me sincerely?

Compared with the Gamo clan that won the famous general Baba Nobubo at a young age, I haven't done anything earth-shattering in my life in the past 20 years, and every time I go to the battlefield, I obey the orders of the chief general and are assigned to work in various places, so I haven't made much meritorious service, and thanks to the fact that I'm the son of Akechi Mitsuhide, Oda Nobunaga's son-in-law, I can mix like a fish in water, in fact, my military ability is far less than Hori Hidemasa who stands on horseback. If I really want to stand at their starting point...... Hehe, it is estimated that it will only record the history of princes and generals, and there will be no trace of me at all.

However, I am not completely famous, and aside from my relationship with Oda Nobunaga and Akechi Mitsuhide, I seem to be best known for playing the piano well, and you must know that the major piano has just been invented in Europe, and there are not many people who can do it except for religious clergy, and in Japan, it is even more ...... For the record, I'm the only Japanese person who can play the piano.

(The first Japanese in history to learn to play the piano appeared in the middle of the Edo period, when "Rangaku" was in full swing.)

In any case, it is also fun for a military general to make himself known to the world in such a strange way instead of gaining fame by capturing the flag or conquering cities.

I jumped off my horse and saluted Kamo Hyun-so.

"This time, the matter of the Zuojin General has shaken the Oda Inner Mansion, and His Royal Highness the Inner Auxiliary sent me to investigate the case and find out the murderer who intended to murder the Zuojin."

"His Royal Highness the Inner Mansion is really kind to my Kamo family, and the old man is very grateful."

"Let's leave the words of thanks later, anyway, you want us to go into the city, it doesn't seem like the main station is here."

"Yes, please!" ……

"Gamo-sama, the atmosphere in this city seems to be tense."

"His Highness Wise smiled," Kamo Xianxiu's face was a little embarrassed, "Since this kind of thing happened in the clan, a very bad rumor has begun to appear in the city?" ”

"Rumors? What is that? ”

"This ......" Kamo Xianxiu looked embarrassed, and he wanted to make a look at the attendants who were following behind, and the attendants took a few steps back with great interest.

"Rumor has it that the lord of the city is no longer trusted by His Royal Highness the Inner Palace, and His Royal Highness suspects that the city lord will rebel, so he decides to assassinate him on the road......"

"Nani?!"

I was dumbfounded.

It's the first time I've heard something like this: someone thinks that Oda Nobunaga is the real culprit who intends to murder the Gamo clan!

Not to mention the authenticity of this rumor, according to what I have seen, among the "Three Generals of the Imperial Palace", Oda Nobunaga's favorite and most trusted is the Gamo clan, and "outsiders" like me can only stand aside.

"No, Lord Zuo Jin is the most appreciated person in the younger generation, even if His Royal Highness the Inner Mansion no longer trusts him, he must always take into account his daughter's thoughts, so as not to be ruthless to his son-in-law."

"Originally, according to the idea of ordinary people, this is the case, but ......" Kamo Kenhide lowered his voice and said: "Since the incident in Mikawa, everyone thinks that His Royal Highness the Inner Mansion has long become as hard as a rock, and even his son-in-law will not hesitate to kill the killer." ”

Well, it's Tokugawa Nobuyasu again, and I can't help but feel a chill in my heart.

Looking at this rumor, it is not entirely groundless, Oda Nobunaga is completely the kind of ruthless person who "shoots when he should act", and the ethical feelings that ordinary people have, in his eyes, have become something worth looking at like roadside dung.

But this doesn't mean anything, not to mention that the relationship between Oda Nobunaga and the Gamo clan has not broken down, even if Oda Nobunaga really wants to kill his son-in-law, there is no need to use such a means as "assassination", he can completely put a trumped-up charge on him in Azuchi Castle, and then give him a "magnanimous" suicide......

(Well, I'm kind to me, even if I die, I still retain his samurai dignity.) ）

Moreover, Fuyuhime and the children of the Gamo clan are in Azuchi Castle.

"Your Royal Highness Gamo, don't worry," although I wasn't sure in my heart, I still held on to the scene and said, "His Royal Highness the Inner Mansion has always cared for Lord Zuo Jin, and regarded it as his own, as long as Lord Zuo Jin doesn't do anything rebellious, I think...... Nothing should happen. ”

"That's good, that's good, Your Highness the Inner Palace, please say more good things about Your Highness Wise......"

Strange, why does this sentence sound so much like what the traitor boss who beat the devil in the old movie often said: You'd better be smart for me, and if there's any benefit, give it to me quickly...... Hee-hee, the Imperial Army, I'll give you a few kind words.

"Oh...... By the way, how is Lord Zuojin, is it better? ”

"Much better!" Unexpectedly, a smile appeared on Kamo Hyunxiu's face, "Actually, this morning, the city lord has already woken up from his coma and opened his mouth to eat, but I estimate that he has just woken up, and his body has not yet recovered, so he only gave him some white rice porridge." ”

Gamo clan has woken up! This is really a miracle, in the Warring States, this era when medical skills were not developed, if a human being was hit by a firearm like a projectile lead stone, he would lose half his life if he didn't die, and even if he was slightly injured, he would have to rest for a while.

It has only been five or six days since the assassination of Gamo Shixiang, and it is remarkable that he has been able to come to his senses in such a short period of time without going through modern surgery.

"So, can you give way to the left to see the Lord?" As soon as the words came out, I regretted it a little, people are patients, and it is not an ordinary minor illness, in this case, it is not suitable to support my body to meet outsiders, but my status is equal to him, plus as a "minister, on official business", if this time brushes my face, then, everyone will be unhappy.

However, Gamo Hyunxiu's answer turned out to be unexpected!

"This is no problem at all, the city lord has wanted to get up and do things since he woke up, if I hadn't stopped him...... Now that Your Highness is going to meet him, I think he will be pleased. ”