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I started writing this book two years ago.

At that time, because I really didn't know what to write, I added things to it randomly, like [Maeda Keiji fights a tiger], [The protagonist dreamed of a girl in his previous life] and the like, there are countless absurd and bloody plots.

Looking back today, I feel that these episodes (mainly chapters 1~70) really make people, including myself, feel that my heart is tumbling and I almost want to vomit.

Several times I wanted to revise the plot of the first seventy chapters, but in the end I didn't bother to do it.

This has become the biggest joke of the book......

Oda Nobunaga looked at me for a long time, squinting.

[I've always thought of Kogoro as a child, it doesn't seem like that, you've finally grown into an adult, hum! Very good. 】

[Grow up to be an adult or something, the little one is ashamed to be, everything is just a good way for the general, I'm just ......]

[Don't be a sycophant! What you just said, I never thought about it for a while...... Will this be what I [teach] you? 】

Oda Nobunaga's expression became more and more complicated, and my nerves tensed————

Could it be that I just said something wrong and upset him?

[Forget it, you go back first.] 】

Fortunately, Oda Nobunaga didn't delve into anything on this issue, but the matter hasn't been resolved yet, so why did he let me go so easily?

[General, do you want to ...... Let me step down? 】

I tested Oda Nobunaga's meaning, and the latter gave me a roll of the eyes.

[Why don't you leave?! I'm not going to leave you for dinner! 】

【Good...... Small retirements. 】

Although I can't understand it, I don't look at the rebuttal either.

When Moranmaru sent me away, I still didn't understand Oda Nobunaga's intentions, and he wouldn't let me go [off work] if I didn't do things well before, so why did I ...... today?

Wait a minute!

I froze suddenly.

I'm just talking about Hideyoshi Hashiba today, and I haven't said a word about my own topic?!

This topic is not a big deal, but it should never be ignored, and it is better to say it sooner rather than later.

I subconsciously wanted to go back, but Moriranmaru, who saw my intentions, hurriedly stopped me.

[Wise Lord, this is the time...... Forget it, I'm afraid of you, don't you want to go back, haven't you seen it yet? The Shogun is in a bad mood right now...... Don't worry, there's your factor, but not entirely because of you...... Now the general won't see anyone, if there's anything wrong, I'll take care of it for you...... Okay, don't worry, I'm here...... I'll see you later, I'll take Renli to your house, see you later! 】

That's what I experienced this afternoon, I was beaten up for no reason, and then I was driven away without saying anything meaningful.

When I got home, I saw the bruises on my face and was so distressed that I took an ice cube and put it on me, feeling much better.

[Huh~~ It's really hard this afternoon, by the way, where did Ah Xiang go? 】

[She went out with Asa Yuki, and Akane and several other members of the Shinsengumi accompanied her as escorts. 】

[With light snow? Those eight achievements are to go to the church of foreigners...... By the way, you go and instruct you, call Zuo Majie, Chang'an, Zhengxin and the administrative lords, I have something to discuss with them, by the way, the military department will also come here, some things, maybe you have to ask the old-timers for a lesson or two. 】

What I am talking about is still the [Hashiba Hideyoshi Rebellion Case] that I discussed with Oda Nobunaga for a long time but did not come to any conclusion.

In fact, I already have some ideas in my heart, but I am not mature, and it is a relatively safe idea for me to find my retainers and listen to their opinions.

This time it may sound tricky, but if you think about it calmly, it's quite easy.

First, it is necessary to stabilize the mood of the people in, which is the most important thing at the moment.

Second, the army of the Yuchai family should also be arranged, they are all the children of Yushiba Hideyoshi, if they know that their lord is under house arrest, it is not ......

Third, the issue of the disposal of Hideyoshi Hashiba. This is the easiest, according to Oda Nobunaga's [fine style], Hashiba Hideyoshi may suffer a little loss, but there will never be a big punishment.

After a few people came, I didn't do too much politeness, and just said a few casual words and sat them down.

On the contrary, it was the wise Chang'an, who stared at me several times, but in the end he still didn't hold back his curiosity.

【Lord, your face ......】

[I fell and my face was on the ground, can't I?! 】

[No, the small ones are just a little surprised. 】

As soon as he heard my words with a little resentment, the wise Chang'an, who knew the most about current affairs, closed his mouth very wisely.

And I stared at him unrelentingly for a long time before I stopped.

When he was young, Wise Chang'an, his appearance was eight or nine points similar to Oda Nobunaga, but he didn't have the latter's mighty and domineering, and as he grew older, the similarity slowly weakened, but there were still Oda Nobunaga's shadows in many places, which often made me uncomfortable.

[I'm looking for everyone, mainly for a rumor that happened in Azuchi City in the past two days...... I don't need to introduce the origin of the matter, compared to everyone should have a general understanding, before, the general also discussed this matter with me, if this rumor that is close to rumors spreads wantonly, it will have a great shake on the hearts of the people of......]

[I'm sorry, my lord, please allow me to interrupt you!] 】

The person who interrupted me was Fujita Administration, who asked me anxiously:

[You just said that this rumor is close to a rumor, does it mean that Hashiba Saemon Governor did not rebel?] 】

[Well, yes, the Shogun and I both believe that Hashiba-sama is innocent. 】

[That's it, that's good......]

Hearing my words, Fujita's expression suddenly softened, and it seemed as if he had let go of a huge burden in his heart.

It seems that the [lethality] of this rumor is indeed huge, and even a high-ranking samurai like Fujita Administration, who has been an official for many years and has a lot of life experience, believes it.

Those group of Iga ninjas who killed a thousand knives are so dignified, what kind of rumors are they making?!

Not to mention the spring festival now, it's a question of whether you can even live a quiet life.

Of course, I can't complain about anything, compared to the Hashiba Hideyoshi family, my current peaceful life is enough to envy.

At this time, Zuo Majie asked again:

[Since there is nothing wrong with Lord Yuchai, then why did Lord Shogun put him under house arrest? 】

[Yes, at this time, if the General can stand up and clarify the innocence of Lord Yuchai, won't this rumor be self-defeating? Azuchi Castle will be peaceful again. 】

It seems that everyone else thinks so, too.

I sighed inwardly.

Zuo Majie is a reliable general on the battlefield, and he is also a good official praised by the people of the territory in taking care of internal affairs and people's livelihood affairs.

But he doesn't know much about the games and battles in officialdom.

This may be because his status in the wise family today is all based on the accumulation of merit, not the struggle for power, that is to say, he has not actually participated in the officialdom of playing power tricks to the death, so little is known about it.

If you were a fox like Wise Chang'an, you would definitely know the answer to this question.

However, Wise Zuo Majie is not an ordinary person after all, he not only has an enviable talent, but also a gentleman with a very old-time martial arts style in terms of dealing with people.

So, even I have a high opinion of him.

So, I decided to spend a little time explaining this to him, and of course, for the sake of time, I just gave him a rough idea.

[Actually, this is the case, because Lord Yuchai is a big name in the territory of more than one million stones, and his position is high and powerful, which will inevitably make the general-sama ......]

After hearing this, his eyes widened, probably not expecting that there would be so many Taos among them.

Seeing that he had roughly understood, I continued with the topic I had just discussed.

[Now let's discuss the countermeasures, and I'll submit my ideas to the Shogun later...... The first is to stabilize the popular mood in! 】

At this point, I made up my mind, and when I saw that everyone was looking at me, I continued:

[The Kasuga Festival is about to begin, and the shogunate must come forward to clarify this matter immediately...... Although the Iga ninja can't be caught, I heard that there is a group of Kansai ronins in the castle town of Azuchi Castle, and the earliest rumors were brought into Azuchi Castle by them, so in order to make an example of them, I will ask the general to put them all in prison! …… Execute them all if necessary! 】

Everyone present gasped.

Probably because the world is gradually peaceful, Oda Nobunaga's temper has been much better than it was at the beginning over the years, and large-scale massacres have already been done, but, as I just said, at this point in time, it is not impossible to redirect a [big prison], and even, this image of a tyrant is more in line with Oda Nobunaga.

[But the lord,]

Fujita asked:

[The spring festival is coming soon, and if there is another [big prison] at this time, I'm afraid it will have a very bad impact......]

[Then tell me, who should be the one who died?!] 】

I waited for a glance at Fujita, who bowed his head weakly.

[This time, no matter what, we need to find some people to come out as scapegoats, besides, I have also heard that these fifty people from Kansai think that it was the general who pacified Kansai and caused their poverty, so they always take the opportunity of drunkenness to make a big fuss...... Hmph, it is necessary to tell this group of people that words are not just casual and can be said randomly! 】

I hugged my arms and imitated Oda Nobunaga's usual movements, but unfortunately the latter's temperament was really not something that I could learn from a small role like mine.

[However, although you are relieved, the general will not ignore the questions you asked, but he cares more about the Kasuga Festival than any of us! 】

I estimate that Oda Nobunaga will definitely kill someone this time, as I said just now, if he wants to solve the problem of Yushiba Hideyoshi without damaging the face of the shogunate, he can only find some people who carry the black pot.

After listening to my words, the five most intelligent people in the Sanyin Dao Legion Legion had different thoughts.

I don't want to wait for their reply, though.

Tapped the floor with the folding fan in his hand, drawing their attention back.

We have so much to discuss today, and we don't have much time to desert the five of them.

[Okay, okay, let's listen to me...... Even if Lord Hashiba's innocence can be confirmed, the people's trust in him has decreased a lot, I'm afraid ...... The security work in Kyoto will no longer be taken care of by him! 】

[That's right, even if we are no longer within the coverage of Yushiba's army, it is difficult to enjoy the spring festival with peace of mind, let alone those people]

[So, who will take over from Lord Hashiba? 】

[What's this...... Faith! 】

I looked at Honda Masanobu, who didn't know why and didn't speak all the time.

【The small one is in!】 】

[Who do you think will be in charge of public security in Kyoto?] 】

[I think...... With all due respect,]

Honda Masanobu bowed down and said:

[It would be better to have the Shogun bring some soldiers from Azuchi Castle to maintain Kyoto, so that the people would be relieved to think that these people were directly dispatched by the Shogun.] 】

[Well, that's a good idea, so who do you think, under the general's account, who will deploy these people? On the day of the spring festival, the Shogun and several of us in power had to go to the palace to meet His Majesty the Emperor, inquire about His Royal Highness's condition, and finally go to Todaiji Temple and Qingryoji Temple to pray for His Royal Highness the Prince. 】

[Hehe, lord, this couldn't be simpler, the general has a lot of talents, what is the difficulty in finding a suitable military general with troops...... I used to practice for a few days at Mt. Hiei Enryakuji Temple, where I met a ......]

【Wait a minute! Faith! 】

I interrupted Honda Masanobu and asked in an incredulous tone:

【Have you ever practiced at Enryakuji Temple?】 Didn't you tell me before that you were a true believer in the Nichiren sect? Although I have seen the Ichikozong before, it ...... Mt. Hiei Enryakuji belongs to the Tendai sect, how did you get involved with them? 】

I knew before that this guy had a wide range of contacts, and it is estimated that there is no one in the world who he doesn't know.

It's just that it has been more than ten years since Mt. Hiei Enryakuji Temple was burned down by Oda Nobunaga, so where else did Honda Masanobu have the experience of being a monk? It really taught me to believe it.

Listening to my words, Honda Masanobu scratched his head in embarrassment, his [Baidatong] personality has been joked by me more than once.

[My lord, you misunderstood, I am not a monk there...... At that time, I was an official under Matsunaga Masasada Hisahide-sama, and Matsunaga-sama had a good relationship with Enryakuji Temple, and I took advantage of this relationship to practice at Enryakuji Temple for half a month, regardless of the occasional loss of learning Buddhism, but to look at the books of the ancients, and now that I think about it, I really learned a lot at that time. 】

[Well, you love to learn so much, it's really admirable, let's go on, who is that person you know? 】

[That person, in fact, you also know the lord, he is currently the official of Azuchi Castle, serving as a commissioner under the general. 】

[Oh? He's already a general's subordinate? It couldn't be more convenient. 】

[Yes, he is the one that the adults have seen at the tea party in the past, Lord Maeda Genyi. 】

【Genyi Maeda...... Well, I remember, it's the Mino Maeda clan, but he used to be a monk, and he wasn't usually responsible for leading troops to fight, so this time he can do it......]

(Take a moment to introduce, some people may be confused about the relationship between Genyi Maeda and Toshiya Maeda.)

In fact, the two families are not related, Maeda Genyi is a descendant of the Mino Maeda clan, and like the Saito clan, the guardian of Mino, they are both descendants of the court samurai Fujiwara Toshihito in the Heian period.

And the Owari Maeda clan, that is, the Maeda Toshiya and the Maeda Keiji branch, the origin is even bigger, it turned out to be the descendants of Sugawara Michizane, known as the "Thor", of course, this statement needs to be verified, if it is true, then the family character of the Owari Maeda clan will be much lower than that of the Mino Maeda clan, because after the death of Sugawara Michizane, the family character of the Sugawara family has fallen again and again, and it has been reduced to the lowest doctor's family before the Meiji era, of course, the descendants of the Maeda Toshi, the industry of Kaga million stones, So that no one dares to despise the bloodline of this clan. ）

[You're too careful, although Maeda-sama is from Buddhism, he is a descendant of the samurai after all, and he himself is a very decisive person, and he never drags his feet in his actions...... The main reason is that if the people knew that it was a compassionate monk who came to lead the troops, they would be much more at ease. 】

[Well, that makes sense, I'll give your opinion to the general when I get back.] 】

I remembered that Genyi Maeda was also one of the famous [Toyotomi Five Commissioners] in history, and he was very steady, so I felt that there was no problem.

The first problem is solved.

[Since Hashiba's army no longer has to defend Kyoto, how should the shogunate deal with them? 】

Speaking of which, I feel a little uncertain————

If this group of soldiers knew that their task had been snatched away by others, they would probably be very unhappy, and they would even gather to make trouble.

At this time, I heard Wise Chang'an say:

[Lord, I have an idea, I don't know if it's feasible. 】

[Well, if you have anything to say, you just have to say it. 】

[My idea is to ———— military parade!] 】

[Huh? 】

[A military parade can reflect the military prestige and comprehensive combat effectiveness of an army, and can best accumulate military morale. A successful military parade is essentially a successful political ritual that can bring about a mythical effect, just like the [Great Military Parade] held by the Shogun in Kyoto, and it is still talked about by the people of Kyoto to this day...... Not only the spectators, but also the soldiers who were inspected felt immensely proud and extremely loyal to the shogunate, compared to which the security work in Kyoto was nothing at all. 】

[Senseless! 】

Listening to the words of Akechi Chang'an, I felt much more relaxed, and when I came back from Oda Nobunaga, I had been thinking about how to deal with this problem, but I didn't have an idea.

Wise Chang'an's words made me suddenly enlightened, it turns out that the problem can be solved in this way!

At this time, I heard Wise Chang'an say:

[However, please forgive me, my lord......]

At this time, his expression became cold and hard.

[Now Yu Chai Jun's mood may not be too good, after all, his own general was framed as the culprit of the rebellion, and he was also detained in Azuchi City and his life and death are unknown...... So, before the parade, I think it's necessary to have a pacification event! 】

[Appeased? That's right.,Originally, I was sent by the shogunate.,Happily came to.,And for no reason was wrongfully accused of rebels who rebelled.,The soldiers will only be indignant in their hearts.,At this time,The messenger who went to pacify ......]

Thinking of this, my voice lowered unconsciously.

Everyone was stunned for a moment, and then they also figured out the joints————

I'm afraid this appeasement messenger won't be too easy to behave, and I'm afraid that those angry guys will kill the sacrificial flag!

So, who will act as this messenger? Let the soldiers of the Yuchai Army rest assured.

That's a problem.

Wise Zuo Majie glanced at Wise Chang'an, looked at me again, and whispered:

[Lord, why don't we think of another way? 】

I gritted my teeth and said:

[No, the idea of a military parade is good...... The stakes are high in the work of pacification, and I decided...... Let me be the messenger! 】

The five were shocked.

[You can't do that!] Lord, in case someone from the Yuchai family ...... you]

[Yes, you don't have to put yourself in danger!] 】

[Lord, you won't do this, besides, this road is dangerous, if something happens to you, what can the wise family do?! 】

I listened to everyone's words, and I like to listen to this kind of concern, but now I look at them like this, as if I will really [the strong man will never return], which makes me really unhappy!

TMD！ Labor and management are not dead! What are you guys doing here crying and sad?!

I whispered a few words with a sense of powerlessness in my heart, and then said:

[My official position in the shogunate is the same as that of Hashiba-sama, and I am also the son-in-law of the shogun-sama, with these two identities, the people of the Hashiba family should be able to see that the shogunate cares about and attaches importance to them......]

Seeing that everyone seemed to want to persuade me, I could only smile bitterly:

[Not only did I have this idea, but if I had reported it to the Shogun, he would have spared this [fat difference] on my head...... Hehe, after following him for so many years, can I still not understand him? 】

When I said this, everyone lowered their heads, and they also sensed the helplessness in my words.

After a long time, Hosokawa Fujitaka suddenly raised his head and said:

【General! Although you are the beloved son-in-law of the Shogun, you are not from the Oda clan after all, and if you act as an envoy alone, I am afraid that you will not be able to completely convince the people.

He stared at me with fierce eyes and said:

[You'd better bring another person from the Oda family when you rush to Nagahama Castle, and get as close to the shogun's bloodline as possible, in this case, the Yushiba family will have nothing to say at all! 】

[Well, that's a brilliant idea...... In this case, let Lord Yurakusai go with me, he and the general are brothers of the same mother. 】

Both issues were solved.

Also, it's how to deal with Hideyoshi Hashiba.

Regarding this issue, I don't think there is any point or need for me to discuss it, Oda Nobunaga should have known it in his heart, after all, Yushiba Hideyoshi has been with him for so many years, if he can't get it, then he might as well not be a general.

The solution to the matter was moved out by us like a stream, and even I thought it was incredible, and I even had the illusion that this was not discussed before.

After the five of them had left and left, Ah Xiang came in through the hallway.

[Huh? When did you get back? 】

[I've been back early, and I've been in the hallway early to listen to you.] 】

[Listen to us? Hehe, if I'm not mistaken, you seem to have said before that you're not interested in officialdom, have you changed? 】

[Perhaps, people will always change, just like do you think that the current me is exactly the same as when I first married you? 】

I smiled and didn't answer————

Are you kidding! You were so well-behaved and obedient at the beginning, and now you are simply a [mini version of Oda Nobunaga].

[So, Mrs. Xianghime, may I ask, do you think the solution that we have discussed is feasible? 】

[It's not feasible, it depends on the general's decision, but I still admire you, in order to stabilize the people of the Yuchai army, you are willing to act as a messenger, no matter whether your appeasement will have an effect or not, the general will probably be moved by your courage. 】

【Ah Xiang! What do you mean by that?! Am I an opportunistic, pretentious person?! 】

Ah Xiang looked at me with a smile, as if I was a political opportunist who wanted to please Oda Nobunaga and gain a reputation as a wise and courageous person.

This made my original good mood disappear in an instant!

Seeing that I seemed to be angry, Ah Xiang quickly put away her smile and leaned over to apologize to me, she is a measured woman, and she knows that although she can joke with her husband, she needs to keep her limits, and [crossing the line] will only invite unpleasant consequences.

In fact, I myself asked myself in the bottom of my heart————

Is it really necessary for me to get to this point for the sake of Oda Nobunaga?

If you really put your life on the line, it will be more than worth the loss.

At this time, Ah Xiang put her delicate and smooth hand on my hand and asked me softly:

[My lord, may I ask you a question, okay?] 】

[You ask.] 】

[Do you have the idea of seizing the world?] 】

[Well, Ah Xiang, why did you suddenly ask me this question? 】

Nine times out of ten, I would have been furious when I heard this kind of question, but now I am so calm, as if what my wife was asking was just an inconsequential problem.

[I heard the discussion between the adults and the retainers, and it caused a sensation in the problem of, in your eyes, it is so easy to start, I feel that in this family, there are only eight fights, and there are many people who are Wen Tao Wuluo, so ......]

[Haha, so you think I have the ability to take over the world, right? 】

[Yes, I am both happy for the martial arts of my lord, but I am also worried about the stability of the shogunate, who is now in a high position and is trusted by the shogunate, so it is inevitable that I will not ......]

I waved my hand and motioned for Ah Xiang to stop talking.

[Ah Xiang, you can rest assured, I am very satisfied with everything I have so far, and I have never thought of seizing the world or something...... Even if I really have this idea, hehe, do you think I will be an opponent of the Shogun? 】……

The vast Tokaido Province raised many heroes during the Warring States Period, the most famous of which are Matsudaira Kiyoyasu, Tokugawa Ieyasu, Imagawa Clan, Imagawa Yoshimoto, and the Hojo clan, the overlord of the Kanto region.

As we all know, although this Hojo clan has nothing to do with the Hojo clan, which was in power during the Kamakura period, the signboard of the [Taira clan] and the "Great Righteousness" are vividly used by them.

After three generations of the Hojo family and more than 70 years of hard work, the Hojo family finally developed to its peak.

Here, allow the author to make an analogy.

If the Hojo family is compared to a company, then Hojo Sakumo (Ise Shinkuro) is the gestation period and infancy, the Hojo clan is the toddler period and adolescence, and the Hojo clan is undoubtedly in the prime of life.

(The above statement is based on the author's reference to the famous American economist Itak Eddis's "Enterprise Development Life Cycle Theory".) ）

As for the current Hojo clan government, because he continued to work the basis of his predecessors, persuaded farmers and mulberries, and advocated the relationship between the four princes and six people, the economic industry of the Hojo family showed impressive vitality, coupled with the stability of the border and the fact that there were few wars, the Hojo Domain became one of the few places on the Kanto Plain that was too peaceful and happy.

Although the Hojo clan is still the actual ruler of the Hojo family, in fact, he has long since given up the position of the head of the Hojo clan.

Hojo Clan resigned as governor of the family on the second day of the eighth month of the eighth year of Tensho.

Hojo Clan was born on June 26, 1538, the seventh year of the Astronomical Calendar, and the number of days by his [retirement] was more than 40 days and 29 days.

It is rumored that Hojo Shiyasu was born on the first day of the third month of the third month, and if this is the case, he died on October 3 of the second year of Motokame, and he is not much in this world, but he is only fifty-six years old and more than 200 days.

Counting the two boxes, in fact, it is not much different from that time.

Following his father's example, he gave up the position of family governor in the prime of life, probably because he didn't want to die suddenly because of the heir issue.

(The specific birthday of Hojo Shiyasu is not available, this is the author's fiction, forgive me!) ）

Since the death of Uesugi Kenshin, the Hojo family has been in a very stable state, except for the brother-in-law Takeda Katsuyori, who is really annoying, the Hojo clan has not noticed that there is anyone around him who will become a threat to Kanhachishu, of course, the middle daimyo like the Satake family, because of the lack of strength, is not enough to fear, and he is not in his eyes.

This situation lasted until March and May of the eighth year of Tensho, when the Takeda clan, a veteran tycoon that had lasted for more than 400 years, collapsed under the blitzkrieg of Oda Nobunaga, which greatly stimulated the Hojo clan, and the war sense left by his ancestors told him————

The days of peace are coming to an end!

So, in August of that year, the Hojo clan, who gave up his alliance with the Oda family and the Tokugawa family, and at the age of only forty-two and was very energetic, he passed the position of patriarch to the Hojo clan, and he commanded the background only in the name of [regent].

After that, the Hojo clan, as the [Emperor Taishang] of the Hojo family, did not show any signs of aging, but was more active in the officialdom than when he was young......

But as the saying goes, "Wealth is in the sky, life and death are fate", no one can predict their own life and death verdict, for the Hojo clan in his forties, the rest of his life must be called "old age".

But he will not give up the authority in his hands because of this, [live out his old age in peace], on the contrary, he will use his old age to start a new life under the [New Deal].

But what kind of whirlpool will the wind blowing around such a restless [old man] roll up in the world?

There are always victories and defeats in the world, and there are also reincarnations of luck and misfortune.

Great rivers are constantly rushing, and trickles can also overflow.

In the twelfth year of Tensho, it was the Oda family, which had been the strongest in the limelight over the years, that first set off this huge wave, and the target of this huge wave happened to be the Hojo family.

The reasons for this are not only untrue gossip, but also suspicion and evil intentions that are enough to cause incidents.

It's not that Oda Nobunaga, who is now a shogun, took the initiative to make a duel to himself in Tokaido.

Instead, they resorted to another, more grandiose, and unguardable means to demonstrate against themselves————

Taking the opportunity of praying for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince at the Kasuga Festival, he invited himself and the current nominal helmsman of the Hojo family, the Hojo clan, to participate in the festival.

When Oda Nobunaga's handwritten letters were quickly transmitted from Azuchi Castle to the castle tower of Odawara Castle by the messengers of the shogunate, the people up and down the Hojo family could not sit still.

Hearing the news, the first person to jump out to oppose it was his younger brother, Hojo Shizhao, who gritted his teeth and said:

[Nobunaga's shameless dog thing! What spring festival?! What is praying for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?! Are our Kanto samurai ignorant and ignorant country villagers?! Once the Lord Regent and the lord enter Kyoto, he will definitely kill the killer! 】

The Hojo clan is a well-known military fighting faction within the Hojo family, and since the retirement of Hojo Tsunari, who is known as "Dihuang Hachiman", the military and political power of the Hojo family has always been in his hands, so he enjoys a high reputation in the military circles, and what he said was immediately responded.

His other younger brother, the Hojo clan, who was also deeply hostile to the Oda Shogunate, also thought so: Lord Regent, my lord, even if Oda Nobunaga does not do anything to you, I am afraid that in the name of His Majesty the Emperor, you will be detained in the capital and then contain the family, and in this case, the Hojo family will completely fall into the hands of the Oda Shogunate.

His words were recognized by more people, and even Hojo Phantom, who advocated maintaining a peaceful relationship with the shogunate, couldn't stop nodding and said:

[This matter is not so simple, we must think long-term, in case we really fall into the trap of the Oda Shogunate, so that the family falls into a situation from which we will never recover, and we will not have the face to meet our ancestors. 】

Compared with his two younger brothers, the Hojo clan is naturally more willing to listen to the opinions of the old and serious Hojo Phantom An.

In fact, he also knew that the Tao in this was probably not simple, but Oda Nobunaga borrowed it in the name of His Majesty the Emperor this time, and there was nothing wrong with praying for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince from an ethical and moral point of view.

Therefore, I have always been good at dealing with diplomatic problems, but this time I can't find a suitable solution.

Whether it is himself, or the Hojo clan or the Hojo Phantom Temple, as the upper echelon of the Hojo family, at least he still maintains a serious and cautious attitude towards this unusual matter.

But the people below are far less calm than them.

Needless to say, the reason for this is that those middle- and lower-level retainers who are desperate to get ahead, as well as those wandering to Kanpachi, no one wants to find a place through war again, which is a high-risk but high-reward method.

Once their hopes were shattered, they spread rumors to attack the shogunate————

It must have been the shogunate's single-minded attack on Kanpachi. If this is not the case, then why is the old guy of the Shibata Katsu family always on the border, looking for trouble for the Hojo family, and this invitation to the so-called spring festival is simply a tool to coax the Hojo family to live in Kamikyo!

They spread rumors that the shogunate would take Shibata Katsuie as the vanguard, and Oda Nobunaga would personally go out to kill the enemy's main castle from Azuchi Castle to the enemy's main castle, the last time it was Shinfu Castle, and this time it was Odawara Castle.

They [preached] everywhere, causing panic in the entire Guanbazhou.

This is not an empty slander at all, they are a group of people who are extremely disgusted with the peace of the world, or rather, they were born for this troubled world.

The second was those retainers who were not of low status, but who were extremely disgusted with the Oda shogunate. They also linked the Kasuga Festival with various conspiracies, making a big splash:

[Nobunaga's conspiracy has surfaced.] If we don't cheer up, there will be no place for us within Japan's five ki-seven provinces. 】

They believed that Oda Nobunaga's ultimate intention was to unify the world, and the Hojo family's ultimate intention was also to unify the world, and the consistency and conflict between these two goals made it impossible for the shogunate and the Hojo family to reach a true harmony.

And what about the current owner of the Hojo family, the Hojo clan? What does he think about this?

Hojo was a very cautious person, and he also heard about these rumors, so the day after receiving this invitation, he called Daido Temple Masahiro over.

Daido Temple Masashi is the Hojo family's civil officials, second only to the existence of the Hojo Phantom Temple, in addition, he is also one of the few people in the family who has a slight affection for the Oda family, because of this, since the [Takeda Expedition], he has been ordered by the Hojo clan to be stationed in Azuchi Castle and be responsible for diplomatic affairs with the Oda family.

After the Chinese New Year, because of low back pain, Daido Temple Masashi did not return to Azuchi Castle immediately, but went to Izu to enjoy hot spring treatment, and did not return until last night.

Regarding the invitation, Daido Temple Masashi had heard about it when he was in Izu, but he didn't know enough about it.

And such a person who is not particularly clear about the situation is now going to play the role of a [strategist], which is really speechless.

It's useless to be speechless, who called that Daido Temple Masashi is the confidant of Mr. Hojo?

[Suruga (Daidoji Masashige's official position is to go down to Suruga from the five), I think you have also heard about it, but the rumors that there is going to be a war or that Oda Nobunaga is going to detain me in Kyoto with the regent, is it true or false? 】

Because only the Hojo clan and the Hojo Phantom Nunnery were present, both of whom had a good relationship with the Daido Temple Masasa, the latter laughed loudly without any scruples:

[It's all nonsense! How can it be! Lord, is such a rumor nonsense at all? Do you believe it? 】

Why are you so sure? When Xianxiu talked to me about this, he was very worried. 】

[Kenhide] refers to Kenhide Matsuda, who is ranked among the three elders of Hojo along with Masahiro Daidoji, and is an excellent internal affairs official who is good at civil administration, but unlike the latter, Kenhide Matsuda always believes that the Hojo family should be vigilant enough against the shogunate.

[Haha! Matsuda-sama was worried because he was worried that the Nobunaga Guild would be treacherous and bad for his family, but in fact, I think this is completely unfounded. 】

[Didn't you say that this matter had already spread in Guanbazhou? ] 】

[Then please take out the right person to appease the lord immediately, I believe that it will not be long before it will be quiet. 】

[That's good, anyway, with the strength of the Hojo family at the moment......]

Although Daidoji Masashi repeatedly told the Hojo clan that the shogunate would not use this opportunity to eradicate the Hojo family, this was not enough to completely put the Hojo clan at ease.

[My lord, please don't say this kind of immeasurable words again. 】

[If you don't have the measure? What the?! Suruga, what do you mean by that! Am I a person with no measure?! 】

The Hojo clan is still a little young, and the words of the Daido Temple Masashi easily provoked him.

[Please calm your anger and forgive me for my gaffes, I want to say ......]

Dao Si Zhengfan hurriedly lowered his head and said:

[No matter how cold-hearted and shameless Oda Nobunaga is, he will not just summon you and the regent into the capital in the name of His Majesty the Emperor, and immediately do rude things. This is like undermining the foundation of the shogunate's credibility, and doing so would bring shame to His Majesty the Emperor...... In short, if he does such a cruel thing, he will only be ridiculed by the world. 】

[The cornerstone of credit? Hum! 】

The Hojo clan, who had been speaking beside him, suddenly spoke, with a rather disdainful expression.

[That guy, has he done less treachery and the like?!] 】

Hearing what the Hojo clan was doing, Dadao Temple Masato shook his head and smiled bitterly, and didn't say anything further.

On the contrary, Hojo Phantom said in a calm tone:

[Otherwise, my lord, the old man will take a few children of the Hojo family to the capital for a walk? Lao Yu is the son of Hakumo Gong, and he is the oldest in the family, so even if the lord and the regent do not go to Luo, Nobunaga Gong can't find anything wrong. 】

【Master! What nonsense are you talking about?! 】

The Hojo clan waved his hand and vetoed the proposal of the Hojo Phantom on behalf of his son.

[You are the pillar of the Hojo family, if there is a good one, it will be a great disaster for the Hojo family, besides, the capital is far away, how can you endure so many bumps? It's not good for the body. 】

[Hehe, regent, you are too careful, although the old decay is not too useful, but in the end, when it is not out of breath, the capital is far away, but if you move forward step by step, you can still arrive after all...... And what Suruga Mamoru said just now makes a lot of sense, right now, the main battlefield of the shogunate is in Kansai, as long as the family doesn't attack him, he won't take the initiative to send troops to the east. 】

[Why do you believe in that Oda Nobunaga guy so much?] 】

[It's not that I believe him, but I have to think about the future of the Hojo family. 】

Hojo Phantom looked at the sky outside the window and said quietly:

[Last year, the Oda shogunate pacified San'in, and counting this part of the territory, they already had nearly 8 million koku, but the family only had 1.8 million koku, less than a quarter of the family's own. 】

【Master of the Phantom Temple!】 You're too pessimistic! 】

[Father is right! There is no need for our father and son to be afraid of that Nobunaga! 】

[Scared? Haha, you misunderstand the old decay, the old decay is a member of the Hojo family, how can he say insulting words? I mean, the current strength of the shogunate far exceeds that of the main family, and if Oda Nobunaga really wants to do something to us, he can overwhelm the border with a large army and cause Kanpashu to collapse in an instant, so why would he use the next means of [luring the king into the urn]? 】

[Hmph! Speaking of which, Master Phantom still looks down on the power of his family...... Sekihachi Prefecture is rich in products, and the castle of Odawara is impregnable, so even if Nobunaga Gong leads thousands of troops to come to solicit him, I don't have to be afraid of him. 】

Hojo Phantom was about to refute the lord's words, but he heard Dadaoji Masahiro clapping his hands, as if he was appreciating what Hojo said just now.

[Well said!] Even if the enemy is extremely strong, the family does not need to be afraid, the lord is strong-willed, which is really admirable, only in this way can he be regarded as the lord of our wait......]

While talking, Daido Temple Masahiro quietly gave Hojo Phantom Nunnery a few looks, and Hojo Phantom An, who understood what he meant, simply closed his mouth and stopped talking.

Daido Temple Masashi is good friends with himself on weekdays, and most of the opinions held in the officialdom coincide, just like the attitude towards the Oda family this time, the two have the same point of view, that is, to make a reply that satisfies both Oda Hojo as much as possible.

But now it seems that this is not easy at all, the lord and the regent are strongly hostile to Oda Nobunaga, and neither he nor Daido Temple Masashi can persuade him anymore.

So how should Oda Nobunaga's letter be replied to?