373

(Everyone seems to be a little dissatisfied with the fact that this book is obviously narrated in the third person, but the story is unfolded from a first-person perspective, so well, at the beginning of this chapter, I'll try the third person, if you look at it, let's continue to use it.) )

In the middle of March, after leaving Mino, the Hojo family's brigade finally arrived at Azuchi Castle.

At this time, there is not much time left before the spring festival.

Young samurai such as the Hojo clan were not as stable and mature as the Hojo clan and Hojo Tsunari, and they were extremely disgusted with the Oda family.

But then, from Owari to Omi, along the way, they were treated with hospitality by the Oda samurai, much to their dismay.

They wanted to find fault with the rudeness and slowness of the Oda family, but to put it bluntly, they just wanted to find fault and heat up some right and wrong.

But no matter how much you widen your eyes, you can't find the slightest excuse or anything unusual. The lords of the daimyo from all over the country greeted them solemnly without exception, and if the daimyo was not there, they were greeted by important ministers such as the city dynasty and the commissioner, which was very thoughtful.

Everywhere they went, the people of Hojo ate polished rice, horse food, hay, and firewood.

As a result, they became a little embarrassed.

[I can't imagine that these people are so polite to us, and I can't see any hostility at all.] 】

[Well, maybe it was an order from General Oda, and I heard that he was a very strict person.] 】

[Phew, they're so polite, I'm embarrassed to get angry anyway, and I'm uncomfortable now.] 】

[Yes, in this way, it seems that our Hojo samurai are angry...... But don't let your guard down, but don't forget, the Oda family is the biggest enemy of the family at the moment! 】

[Mutsu Okumori-sama is right, although Oda Nobunaga is a general, he is also the [Sixth Heavenly Demon King], a man with a femme fatale heart, once we are defenseless against him, it will be dangerous. 】

(The "Mutsu Shomo" here refers to the Hojo clan, whose officials worshiped from the five Tsutsu Otsu Mori at that time.) ）

The people gathered on both sides of the group from the streets of Wakamiya to Azuchi-cho via Awataguchi were surprised by the expressions on their faces -- the reason for this was that the common people, because of their low status and their aversion to violence, were always full of fear and hatred for samurai and soldiers, and this was the case everywhere.

But what the Hojo samurai saw was not like that.

The people did not panic in the slightest, and all of them were calm, but they kept praising the majesty of these [Kwantung Army] armor styles and the luxury of the gifts they carried.

Some of the ministers who were mixed with the common people and had retired to Azuchi Castle for many years were originally as nervous as the Hojo samurai, because it was not a reassuring thing for the army to go, but at this time they were also calm.

Such a large procession went to Beijing, but the people did not show any signs of panic, even in the early Heian period, when the emperor's authority was still relatively effective.

By the way, speaking of [huge], let's talk about the detailed number of people in this team.

But it seems like a mystery.

In the future, the Hojo clan boasted that he went to Beijing and brought [Kanto 80,000 Iron Cavalry], of course, as long as everyone did not make two mistakes in their brains, they knew that this old guy's words had no credibility at all--Kanhachi Prefecture was dead, and the army that could be gathered was only 80,000, okay? Have you brought them all to Beijing?

However, the official information of the Oda shogunate is very vague, only saying that "the clan Masako entered Beijing with tens of thousands of soldiers and horses", and the imperial literati next to the general, Mr. Ota Yousuke Nishiichi, said in his book "Nobunaga Gongji": The army led by the Hojo clan Masako was more than 10,000, and the armament was gorgeous and enviable.

As a close minister of Oda Nobunaga, what he saw and heard was naturally justified, but the wise Kogoro, who was his contemporary and had a more prominent status, said otherwise, in the "Unshu Notes", he recounted that he participated in the ceremony to welcome the Hojo samurai, and roughly counted the number of the Hojo army, about 20,000.

Because the "Nobunaga Official Chronicle" and the "Yunzhou Notes" are both important historical materials for later generations to study the history of the Warring States period, and there are not many errors in the fact that there are more than 10,000 and [about 20,000], people in later generations believe that the actual number of the Hojo Army is between 10,000 and 20,000.

Originally, the discussion should have ended here, but one day in the 21st century, a young man traveling in Atami, Japan, accidentally dug up the first draft of another diary-type historical document, "Takeshu Kyogen", written by Achikogoro on a certain mountain.

Not to mention the luck of the young man who dug up the huge amount of gold of the wise family here at the same time, the appearance of this book is a major event that shook the Japanese historiography!

Unlike "Yunzhou Story", the young people's hard work, "Wuzhou Kyogen" is more similar to the sighs and sighs of middle-aged people, probably related to the experience of being degraded by Zhizhi himself, at that time, he no longer had the hard work of his youth, but the biggest change is the state of mind, he was always full of pride when he was young, and [middle-aged] was less heroic than the year, and there were many unrealistic ideas when he was young.

Although at the time of writing this book, Wise was only twenty-seven years old.

Because of his own experience, Mr. Wise has a lot of complaints about Nobunaga, and these complaints are written in "Wushu Kyogen".

In order not to commit a crime for this, Akechi only kept his own story and what he saw in Kanto after completing "Kyogen", and "Complaints" was only kept in the first draft, and was not published with the whole book.

Soon after, the first draft mysteriously disappeared, and Akechi himself kept silent about it, and in [Genroku Prison], Ishida Mitsunari once tried to find the first draft as evidence for the execution of Ake's father and son, but to no avail.

This lucky young man dug the first draft out of the ground, and the truth of many things was revealed.

Going on to say that the authenticity of the first draft of "Wuzhou Kyogen" is naturally far greater than that of the later texts, and in addition, historians have also found more inside stories about unknown events in the time of Nobunaga.

Among them, Akechi's account of [Hojo Kamikyo] is, "According to the order of the Gongfang, the Azuchi Prefecture prepared rations for 30,000 people in anticipation of the arrival of the Kanto Gong (Hojo clan)." 】

Later, in the first draft, it is also recorded that when Akechi was building Edo Castle in the Kanto region, he had a conversation with Hojo Mino Moritoro, who had participated in Kamikyo in the past, and also talked about "the 30,000 troops of the clan are in An(Tsuchijo)].

If the number of people in Hojo Kamikyo is 30,000, then the previous conclusion will be debatable.

The historiography circles have once again launched a [bloody controversy] over this.

But it was the lucky young man, who made a windfall because he had dug up a wise treasure, and since then he has become a wealthy man.

After that, he used the money to do many amazing and jaw-dropping things...... Of course, that's another story......

At this time, the streets of the Hojo clan reflected a peaceful scene, and even religious projects such as the Nanban Church and the Buddhist Shrine Hall, which had nothing to do with secular affairs, were being repaired and built everywhere.

In a trance, the Hojo clan even thought that this was already Kyoto.

More than 20 years ago, when I was still young, I went to Kyoto with several retainers on the orders of my father to seek official positions...... At this time, the people, the land, the city, and the sky on the shores of Lake Biwa have completely changed, and it seems that the time has really come to peace and prosperity.

Hojo clan is a little bitter in his heart, all this peaceful scene is due to that man's efforts, he has been in Kanto for a long time, I didn't expect there to be such a great person in the world.

But it was at this time that a raging flame burning in his heart began to spread, and the Hojo clan did not break out for a long time, and the competitiveness and fighting spirit that he had lost reappeared at this moment.

Unlike Oda Nobutada, Oda Nobunaga is after all a general canonized by the imperial court and the leader of the samurai in the world, Oda Nobutada can also go out of the city to visit the Hojo clan in person as the lord of Mino and the governor of the Oda family, Oda Nobunaga is not good, and the shelf must be placed when it should be placed, otherwise the rules will be broken.

However, in order to show his importance to the Hojo family, the shogun still sent the shogunate ruling wise Kogoro to greet him.

I forgot to mention that the other ruling power at this time, Hashiba Hideyoshi, finally escaped the previous [catastrophe] and finally got his innocence, but his job was also lost--the shogun finally decided that the mission of the Yushiba army was canceled, and there was no need to defend Kyoto, so he stayed in Nagahama Castle and waited for the shogunate's order, and Hashiba Hideyoshi, if such a big thing happened, he couldn't enter Kyoto casually, so he had to go to Beijing with the general during the general's itinerary later.

No matter how unlucky Yushiba Hideyoshi is, this time he can only admit it, the most terrible thing is that he and the casual nonsense of the dozen Kansai ronins who don't believe in it, plus the [grapevine] of a group of ninjas, tossed himself into this virtue, but the problem is that he can't find out the culprit behind the scenes, who is sacred!

Moreover, what is even more troublesome is that because of this incident, he owes Akechi Kogoro a lot of favors. Favors are not as good as money, and there is a specific amount of money, and it is easier to pay it back, but it is much more difficult to do favors.

The matter of Hashiba Hideyoshi was put aside for a moment, and when the men and horses of the Hojo Army marched to the streets of Aichigawa, the sound of horses' hooves suddenly came from the road ahead.

The Hojo samurai had already put down their hearts, and the people watching on both sides of the road praised them, so they slowly forgot that this was the territory of the Oda family, and thought that they had returned to Kanpachishu.

Suddenly, the sound of horses' hooves was heard, and everyone was silenced.

Hojo Tsunari's face changed, if the enemy attacked, it would be a big deal.

He hurried to the front of his horse and shouted loudly towards the dusty place ahead:

[Who is it from the front?!] Enemy? …… Prepare for battle! 】

His voice was loud, and a murderous aura came to him, and the people on both sides of the road were frightened, thinking that war was going to begin.

[Wait!] Hojo-sama! We are not enemies! There is no ill will towards you, please do not attack us! 】

After a while, a dozen men on horseback appeared in the smoke and dust, and the leader was wearing a wind-folded black hat, wearing a feather weave, and a sword pinned to his waist, looking like a samurai, but without footgear.

When the man approached, Hojo Tsunari noticed that he was quite young, and the people behind him, all dressed as flags, should be his retainers.

[I am the commander of the general's left and right banners (group leader) Moriranmaru Chosada, and I came to greet Hojo-sama on the orders of the general. 】

[You're here to greet us?! 】

Hojo asked, patting his horse forward.

[Yes.] 】

[What an abomination! Since you are here to greet the regent of my family, why did you only bring a dozen samurai, is this how the shogunate treats my Hojo family?! 】

Listening to his tone, it seemed that he was very dissatisfied with the fact that the shogunate had only taken a dozen flags to greet him, and Moriranmaru was about to speak, when he suddenly heard the voice of a middle-aged man in the Hojo Army, who must have come from the sedan chair.

[Shut up!] Mutsu! What you say is abominable! 】

The head of the Hojo clan was stretched out of the sedan chair, and after reprimanding the Hojo clan, he said to Mori Lanmaru with a pleasant face:

[Are you the commander of the general's banner? How old is this year? 】

[I've met Hojo-sama, I'm nine out of ten years old this year.] 】

[Only nineteen years old? It's really remarkable, but at the age of nineteen, you became the commander of the banner, and it seems that you must be a very capable person. 】

[Hah! Hojo-sama praised me falsely, I don't have any great skills, it's just because my father died for the Oda family, and the shogun misses the old man and takes more care of me. 】

[Hehe, if you say that, the general is really a true gentleman who values love and righteousness...... By the way, he won't just send a dozen of you to greet tens of thousands of us. 】

[Of course not, it is a great fortune for Hojo-sama to be able to go to Beijing, and the shogun attaches great importance to this, and has sent the ruling wise Kogoro-sama, the governor of Azuchi-fu, Hori Hidemasa, the lord of Hino Castle, the lord of the Kamo clan, and the lord of Sawayama Castle, Niwa Nagadai, etc., to greet Hojo-sama at Kannonji Temple not far from here, and in the next, all that is done is just a guide. 】

[It turns out that Lord General has been prepared for a long time, he is really bothered, since this is the case, Lord Lawson will lead the way. 】

[Don't dare to be...... Ladies and gentlemen, please! 】

After about a quarter of an hour, the Hojo samurai met Akechi and the others waiting at Kannonji Temple, and they were very satisfied with the latter's etiquette, the only surprise was that Akechi Kogoro, who was the ruler of the shogunate, was too young to believe.

At this point, the Hojo family and the shogunate were officially in contact.

Next, the task of being in charge of hospitality fell to Wise Kogoro.

Under his leadership, the Hojo clan moved into the newly renovated Shigegenji Temple, and his retainers, under the arrangement of the rest of the shogunates, lived in major temples and mansions, and the army was stationed in the town.

As soon as the Hojo clan entered Shigegenji Temple, he folded his hands to the monks who came to greet him and said, "Hard work]. His tone was very calm, even restrained, and he couldn't tell that he was a big lord with a vast territory in his hands.

[Hojo-sama is really gratifying to be able to arrive, and now the celebrities, monks, scholars, and tea people in Azuchi Castle will come to your accommodation one after another with gifts. 】

[Wise lord, these things can be put aside for now, I am concerned now, when will the general summon me? 】

[Your Excellency does not need to worry, the Shogun has already said that tomorrow at noon, there will be a grand meeting ceremony in the main castle of Azuchi Castle, and you will officially meet with the Shogun. 】

[Meeting ceremony? Hehe, the general is so polite. 】

While laughing, the Hojo clan looked at the decorations in the temple and asked:

[This Chongyuan Temple is really luxurious and exquisite, tsk...... If it weren't for the Buddha statue in the main hall, I would have thought of this place as the mansion of some kind of adult, haha. 】

A few monks who were originally accompanying them on the side, their cheeks suddenly flushed, although this Chongyuan Temple is nominally a Buddhist temple, in fact, its role is mainly for those high-ranking officials and nobles to stay, that is to say, the [main business] of this Buddhist temple is a hotel.

Ignoring the embarrassment of the monks, Hojo Clan Masato then asked Akechi Kogoro.

[Wise man, I'm afraid it will cost a lot of money to build such a Buddhist temple, right? 】

[Forty taels of gold.] 】

[Heh! It's even more extravagant than the West Garden of Odawara Castle, where I live in seclusion. 】

[Haha, it's not that I'm extravagant, but Hojo-sama is frugal and thrifty. 】

[When the people of see that the world is peaceful, they must be overjoyed. 】

Wise Kogoro said again.

[Yes, I walked from Otowa to Aichigawa, and from Aichigawa to Kannonji, every corner of Azuchi Castle was busy, and houses were being built everywhere, and it was in full swing. 】

[Because more and more people are coming to live in Azuchi Castle.] 】

[Wise Lord, as a senior, I will rely on the old and sell the old a little...... Governing the world is a long-term event, and you, as a courtier next to the general, must not lag behind, remember soberly, completely remove the selfish desires in your heart, and do your best for the peace of the world. 】

【Yes!】 Hojo-sama's lesson is that the younger generation will remember it. 】

It seems that this Hojo clan and Oda Nobunaga are completely virtuous, and they both like to teach people.

[Hojo-sama, the bath water is ready.] 】

[So, I'll change my clothes right away.] 】

[Wait a minute, the adults came from afar, I'm afraid it's already unbearable, I want to ask the lord to use some tea first. 】

【Tea?】 Okay, or wise Lord thoughtful, you say that, I really have a dry mouth, I have heard of the fragrant tea in -- by the way, is there a tea room in this Chongyuan Temple? 】

The Hojo clan stood up with a relaxed look.

Wise Kogoro also breathed a sigh of relief and led the Hojo clan to the tea room in the temple.

Wise Kogoro, who is familiar with history, originally thought that Hojo Clan Masaa was a very stubborn and difficult person to entertain, but now it seems that the other party's personality is very ordinary, and there is no problem at all.

But then again, why are you always ordered to do such work?

Isn't there anything else to do except entertain foreign guests?

This large tea room consisting of 11 tatami mats was built on the idea of the famous tea ceremony master Sen no Rikyu, and since many celebrities have experienced the tea ceremony here, Akechi Kogoro wanted to let the Hojo clan experience it.

When he arrived at the tea room, the Hojo clan had completely let go, and his lean body was sitting on his knees, because there was no cushion on it, so it was quite uncomfortable, but this appearance was unpretentious and unpretentious. He was actually a master of the tea ceremony as well.

Wise Kogoro swept away the dullness and restraint at the beginning, looked at the Hojo clan, and served tea.

[Yes, that's very good.] 】

Hojo Masamichi, put down the tea bowl. He didn't care about the cups and plates at all, he just concentrated on tasting the taste of the tea and experiencing everything here.

[Tea is good tea, and the actions of the wise adults are also very skillful, it seems that a lot of work must have been put into the tea ceremony on weekdays, and he has also received the guidance of a famous teacher...... However, although the craftsmanship of adults is exquisite,]

The Hojo clan Masachi Wise Kogoro smiled, like a kind father staring at his immature son.

[The core of the tea ceremony is the test of one's own character, and the understanding of life experience, although the wise man boiled a pot of good tea, but did not understand the true essence of the tea ceremony...... Yikes! Look, what nonsense am I, old man, talking about...... Haha, wise adults, please don't be angry, when I'm old, I always like to talk nonsense, haha......]

[Nope! Hojo-sama, you're right, my master of the tea ceremony said the same thing, and although I can learn the various procedures of the tea ceremony, the gist of the tea ceremony can only be learned through years of training. 】

[Hehe, it seems that I coincide with your master's point of view, can you tell me his name?] I also visited him once when I had the chance. 】

[He is a famous Kansai general, Mr. Takakei Kobayakawa. 】

[Huh?! It's someone from the Maori family?! 】

[Yes.] 】

[Mr. Kobayakawa is said to be a very cultivated and cultured person, although I haven't seen it. But he is the general of the defeated army after all, how can you worship his door, wise lord? 】

[Let's learn from each other and make up for our own shortcomings, because in the tea ceremony, I am the general of the defeated army, haha. 】

When he said this, Akechi Kogoro was a little embarrassed -- this question had been asked more than once, and each time he had to find some grandiose reason to answer, after all, if he told the truth, it would also be a kind of damage to Kobayakawa Takakei's reputation, and everyone would think that he deliberately relied on the old and betrayed the old.

After the short tea party, the two went out of the tea room, and the Hojo clan went to change his clothes, and the wise Kogoro wanted to wait quietly outside, but he didn't want to be at this time, Hojo Tsunari came.

After the Hojo clan finished changing clothes and was about to go out, Wise Kogoro was doing the work of chatting with Hojo Tsunari, hurriedly turned back, and whispered:

[Hojo-sama, since your retainers have something to report, then it is inconvenient for me to stay any longer, see you later. 】

After greeting the Hojo clan, he left Shigegenji Temple.

Hojo Masa looked at the back of Wise Kogoro leaving, and asked Hojo Tsunari:

[I see that the two of you are talking quite speculatively, why did he leave immediately when he saw me? 】

[Hehe, the old man doesn't know the reason for this, anyway, I only told me that I have something important to report to you, if the wise man is also interested, you might as well stay and listen. 】

【Boss! Aren't you trying to bombard people away, no matter what, people have done their best to entertain me, and I haven't thanked them yet. 】

[You don't have to feel guilty, thank you for the wise man's things, the old man has already given it to him. 】

[What's that?] I think you and he are empty-handed. 】

[He wanted to leave immediately, but he felt that he had to say hello to you before leaving, otherwise he would be rude. 】

[And then you're here to talk to him?] 】

[No, I can't talk about it, he has already told him, if there is anything, I can explain it to you, so that you will not have any unhappiness, he will not listen at all...... Thinking that this little guy looks very delicate, he is so stubborn. 】

[Stubbornness doesn't seem to have anything to do with appearance.] 】

[People have such rules, I, as an elder, naturally can't be too nonsense, so I chatted with him for a while...... You know, I'm a bad old man, what do I have to talk to young people? Luckily, we were both samurai, so we found something in common. 】

【Should you ...... Tell others about your achievements when you were younger, right? Haha, I've been tired of listening to it since I was a child. 】

[I didn't talk about this, but he was really interested in the old man's past, so I taught him some art of war. 】

[What? You actually taught him the art of war? 】

[I can't talk about [teaching], I'm just giving him a little pointing.] 】

[Humph! Now that you [Rehmannia Hachiman] have found a successor, just give him your family's [seal]. 】

[Do I have a seal that opened a dojo, where did it come from?] It's just a little bit of communication, how could I casually reveal my family's art of war to an outsider. 】

[Whew, I was almost scared to death by you...... But then again, since you've had conversations with him, what kind of person do you think he wise Kogoro is? 】

[A very interesting person, but he is too young and needs to be honed, otherwise, he can't be called a [famous general].] 】

【Famous General...... Hmm, I almost forgot, he's Nobunaga's son-in-law, so, compared to the previous Gifu Nayan, which one is bigger? 】

[Both of them are about the same, but Oda Nobutada is slightly stronger...... By the way, my lord, what I said to Akechi Kogoro before is not false, and there are indeed people who want to see you. 】

[Ahh 】

Hojo remembered what Wise Kogoro had told him earlier that "someone will come to visit with gifts", and he suddenly felt a lack of interest, and like Oda Nobunaga, he was not interested in this kind of polite officialdom.

However, his reaction was expected by Hojo Tsunari.

[Regent, since you say so, then I'll let him go back first or wait, but he's different from ordinary visitors, and you're familiar with him. 】

[How?] Is it my deceased? That's worth seeing...... However, it has been more than 20 years since I last returned to, so how can there be any old people here? 】

[That person came more secretly...... He's your fourth brother's son! 】

[Huh?! What did you say?! 】……

On the day of the meeting with Oda Nobunaga, the Hojo clan did not dare to be sloppy, and his entourage in addition to Hojo Tsunari, Hojo Clan, Hojo Clan Teru and other relatives, as well as more than 30 people such as Shimizu Yasuei and Tamu Mototada, after breakfast, took a sedan chair to Azuchi Castle.

Hojo Clan Masato wears a kimono with white trim on a blue background, a delicate haori coat, and a black hat that symbolizes the status of a samurai, but there is no rib difference around his waist, and his expression is very relaxed, natural and leisurely, giving people the feeling of a successful big businessman.

And Hojo Tsunari, who was riding a horse in front of the sedan chair, was almost the same, dressed ordinary and solemn, but he only put a feather weaving on the outside, and did not wear armor, so he didn't look like a military general.

The two of them were at ease, it didn't matter at all, just like they usually walked to the door of their relatives, but their subordinates were not so relaxed, Hojo Shiteru and the others were all covered in armor, sweating because of nervous tension.

After entering Sandao City, they saw Mori Lan Maru from yesterday again.

[Your Excellency, please come with me, the Shogun has been waiting for a long time. 】

The Hojo clan left everyone behind, taking only Hojo Tsunanari and Hojo Clan, and under the leadership of Moran Maru, they went back and forth, through the corridor of carved beams and paintings, and finally met Oda Nobunaga in the main hall.

Before the Hojo clan could speak, Oda Nobunaga greeted him with a smile on his face.

[Yikes! It's Dr. Sakyo (before the Hojo clan retired, the official position was Dr. Sakyo), I'm so happy that you're finally here. 】

Whether it is an official position or a military position, Oda Nobunaga is above the Hojo clan, and according to the rules, he can sit on the main seat and wait for the Hojo clan to salute him before speaking.

But now he is doing the opposite, which makes the Hojo clan flattered and a little helpless at the same time.

And the wise Kogoro, who was accompanying him, was secretly thinking that Oda Nobunaga wanted to use this to show his attention to Hojo's current politics, but that he was playing a prank at all, deliberately wanting to see how Hojo's political affairs were in a bit hasty.

However, the Hojo clan is not a child, and he has not seen the wind and waves, and after a short period of hurry, he reacted when he was busy, and hurriedly bowed down to salute Oda Nobunaga, saying:

[Shame! Let the general wait for a long time, the old man is old and frail, and there are many delays along the way, and I hope that the general will forgive his sins. 】

[Where is it, Dr. Zuo Jing has been guarding the Kanto region for the imperial court all the year round, and he has worked hard, how dare I complain about you? 】

When Oda Nobunaga said this, the Hojo clan was also cautiously looking at the general in front of him.

Oda Nobunaga is about the same age as himself, I don't know if it's because's feng shui is better, his skin is fair, there is no trace of wrinkles, and there are not many signs of aging at all, and unlike himself, who is quiet and inactive, the general looks quite energetic, no matter how he looks at it, he doesn't look like he has passed fifty years old.

When Oda Nobunaga took a seat in the hall of Azuchi Honjo Castle with a smile on his face and ordered someone to put a mattress for the Hojo clan in front of her, she noticed Hojo Tsunari standing directly behind the Hojo clan.

[I'm so glad that Dr. Sakyo is finally here, well, by the way, the one behind you is the famous [Jihuang Hachiman] Hojo Kamisuke Tsunaru Adultii, I've been admiring it for a long time, come, you're welcome, please take a seat. 】

Hearing Oda Nobunaga's words, Hojo Tsunari, who was over sixty years old, was filled with emotion in his heart. "Rehmannia Hachiman" is a name that he has been using since he became famous in the first battle when he was young.

However, the last time he was called "Dihuang Hachiman" by people outside his family, it was a year before the death of the clan Kanggong, he was ordered to go to the Takeda family's Kofu Castle to handle the diplomatic business of reuniting with the Takeda family, at that time he was still black hair and black eyebrows, full of red light, and now his hair is white, and there are wrinkles around his eyes, and there is little left of the majesty and murderous aura in his prime, which looks kind and approachable, not so much a military general who has been fighting for a lifetime, but an ordinary old man next door, and the [Rehmannia Hachiman], which makes countless people unable to swallow, this majestic title is completely incommensurate.

[Previously, in Kanto, it was said that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was in poor health, and the old man was very worried, but on the way back, he heard from Mori-sama and Akechi-sama, who were shogunate officials, that His Royal Highness the Prince's condition had improved greatly, and he was much more relieved. 】

Hojo Clan Masamichi:

[This must be the general's concern for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince who moved the gods and Buddhas of the heavens, so that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince gradually recovered, which is really admirable. 】

[Lord Zuojing, don't say that, I can't afford it, His Royal Highness the Prince's health is improving, it is the wish of the whole world, which is my heart alone? 】

Then, Oda Nobunaga introduced the Oda retainers present to the Hojo clan, old, middle, and young, people of all ages, as long as they are currently in Azuchi Castle, there are all of them, and even Hashiba Hideyoshi, who was involved in the turmoil for no reason a while ago, is also among them, his [monkey face] is really attractive, and the Hojo clan Masashi watched it for more than ten seconds before turning around.

Of course, if he knew that in another time and space, it was this strange-looking guy who wanted his life, he would definitely be reluctant to look away.

However, Hojo noticed that there was just one person missing the last thing he wanted to see - Shibata Katsuie, the one who had been looking for trouble with his family.

It may be that Oda Nobunaga thought of this, and was afraid of causing unnecessary embarrassment and quarrels, so he asked Shibata Katsuya to go to Kyoto in advance.

So, the Hojo clan asked the Hojo clan and others to come in to meet each other.

In the hall, the shogun's close attendants, the shoguns of different ranks, and the courtiers of the Hojo family sat down in order, and when the noon banquet began, the atmosphere on both sides slowly became lively.

[Come, bring the wine glass!] Dr. Zuo Jing is a distinguished guest, and it is rare to get together today, so you must drink two more glasses! 】

[Okay, since the general looks up to the old man so much, then the old man will accompany him to the end! ] 】

Although the Hojo clan has a [old man], in fact, he is six or seven years younger than Oda Nobunaga.

[Now it's all young people in charge, and the old man has dry bones, so there's nothing to worry about! ] I came to the capital on purpose, firstly, to pray for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and do my best to be a minister, but also to pay homage to the majesty of the general...... Hahaha, when I saw it today, it was really extraordinary! 】

[Haha, Dr. Zuo Jing is too modest, you are no worse than me...... Come, come, drink. 】

Pushing the cup and changing the lamp, staggering, a few glasses of wine down, both of them were slightly drunk.

Next, Oda Nobunaga's old temper was committed again, and he always judged a person's merits by [instrument quantity], so he wanted to test the Hojo clan who was sitting opposite him.

[After the age of forty, I haven't practiced the art of war much anymore, and I haven't been too lazy to practice swords for the past two years, and I don't want to take it, Doctor Zuojing, what about you? Do you still like to dance with knives and swords? 】

[The old man is similar, since the death of his father, he has to worry about all the big and small things in the family, how can he still have the energy to practice martial arts? It's just that when I'm idle occasionally, I'll [shoot arrows and throw pots] to have a pastime. 】

[Archery pitcher? Ah, it's really a great Yaxing, I'm useless, the time is tight, it's not enough, and after becoming a general, I'm even more busy every day, not to mention [archery and pitching], I can't even find someone to talk to and relax. 】

Wise Kogoro, Hashiba Hideyoshi, and Mori Ranmaru, the three of them looked at each other a few times, and they all felt that the shogun was really talking nonsense with his eyes open---he was much more leisurely after he became a general.

[Hahaha, General, then you might as well enjoy it as the old man, no matter how hurried the old man is every morning, he will squeeze out a meal time to practice calligraphy (calligraphy), and then drink a cup of morning tea and eat breakfast. 】

[Well, Dr. Sakyo will enjoy it, the water, soil and hot springs in Kanto are nourishing, and Dr. Sakyo is blessed. 】

Oda Nobunaga nodded vigorously, looking really envious of the Hojo clan.

In fact, his heart was not as calm as it appeared to be -- his original intention was to learn about the Hojo clan's way of life through casual chat, and then to judge whether the Hojo clan still had the necessary tools to compete for world domination.

If the Hojo clan said that he had stopped practicing martial arts and riding horses for a long time, it meant that he was really old and had become accustomed to a comfortable life. And if he says that he is still practicing, then it is worth being vigilant.

Although this method sounds ridiculous, Oda Nobunaga thinks that it may have a different effect.

Of course, stupid solutions can only get stupid answers.

[Archery and Pitcher] can be regarded as both martial arts practice and leisure and entertainment, how to judge it?

[I'm ...... here]

Oda Nobunaga was interested, and was about to continue, when the maid brought a plate with two tempting shrimps.

Oda Nobunaga suddenly felt that the opportunity had come again.

According to the rules, when a new dish is served, the host must taste it before the guest can move the chopsticks.

Oda Nobunaga didn't move his chopsticks, but introduced to the Hojo clan:

[Dr. Sakyo, please taste it, this is the famous Ise lobster, and it tastes really good. 】

Ise lobster is of course a great delicacy, but Oda Nobunaga felt that it did more than that--if the Hojo clan did not dare to move his chopsticks, or if he excused himself, it meant that he really did not have enough of it, and if he tasted it without frowning, it would be terrible.

Of course, there is absolutely no poison in this lobster, it depends on whether the person who eats it has the guts.

[Tut-tut...... It turns out that this is the Ise lobster, I've always heard of its name in Kanto, and I haven't seen the real form, Shogun, you, as the master, let me eat it first, this ...... Is it really suitable? 】

[There is nothing inappropriate, Dr. Zuojing is a guest and should be treated favorably. 】

[Since you say so, hehe, then I'll ...... You're welcome! 】

Hojo picked up a piece of shrimp meat with short Japanese chopsticks, protected it with his other hand, and put the shrimp meat in his mouth and chewed it in small bites.

[Well, it's tender and juicy, and it's indeed a rare delicacy.] 】

[Hahaha...... I'm worried that Dr. Sakyo doesn't like the taste of food...... Do you know? When I sent troops to Beijing more than ten years ago, I was severely ridiculed by the ministers in the court because I was not used to eating the food here......]

Oda Nobunaga chatted with Hojo Masa about the past with great interest, in fact, the reason why he was so happy was all because of Hojo Masa's hesitation just now.

I'm not entirely sure, but at least I can tell that this guy isn't as powerful as I thought, and he's worried about being poisonous.

In fact, Oda Nobunaga is completely [crazy] today, and when he eats, people are a little polite, what's wrong?

Seeing that the relationship between the two big men is so good, the atmosphere of the banquet is naturally more relaxed.

Ever since the Takeda Expedition, Oda and Hojo, the retainers of both families, have always been uneasy, believing that sooner or later a bitter war will break out between the two families. This kind of worry is not groundless, the winner is the king and the loser is Kou, the overlord of the world, only one is enough, and the so-called [heroes and heroes] are all exhausted for this organ. Now, the situation is completely different, and there seems to be room for communication between the two sides.

Hojo Tsunari patted his chest and stroked his beard, it seemed to be the happiest moment of his life.

Although he also knew that it would be very difficult for Oda and Hojo to get along safely, he still hoped that he could do his part.

Phantom Nunnery, you also went to Huangquan Avenue with this kind of thought, right?

Somehow, he thought of Hojo Phantom Nunnery again, and suddenly felt that today's situation seemed to have the help of the old monk who had quarreled with him all his life. Phantom Nunnery has been reciting Buddhist scriptures all his life, and this merit is finally showing in front of him today.

It is a good thing that Oda and Hojo, the masters of the two families, sit down and eat together in such harmony, at least for the time being.

The Hojo family has a great favor to Hojo Tsunari, and the Hojo clan has promoted him from a wandering orphan to the lord of the castle and the genealogy, so he always thinks that his life's obligation is to assist the Hojo family, if he does not fulfill this obligation, he just lives a day after he is old, and if he messes around, he will not be able to live from his beliefs and conscience.

It is precisely because of this consideration that he has worked hard to facilitate today's meeting, and today's meeting makes him feel that his efforts have not been in vain.

If the Hojo clan can always be so wise, then Hojo Tsunari's efforts and the martyrdom of Hojo Phantom are not meaningless, but it is a pity that the future Hojo clan once again mistakenly placed himself on the opposite side of Oda Nobunaga, and then incurred a catastrophe that almost wiped out, of course, this is a later story.

Their respective retainers were arranged to drink in other rooms, and after they had left, the maids put on the table again.

Coincidentally, in the arranged seats, Tsusunari Hojo happened to sit opposite Akechi Kogoro.

Because the two of them met yesterday, they are not too unfamiliar with each other, so they can still talk.

After the maid had poured the wine, Hojo Tsunari said to the wise Kogoro:

[Wise Sir, today can really be regarded as my happiest day, and I would like to thank the General for me, he is willing to drink and have fun with the regent of my family here, which is really a blessing.] 】

[Mr. Kamisuke was polite. 】

Wise Kogoro knew the final outcome of the Hojo family in history, but he felt that if the Hojo clan did [Kaga Daiyanayan] or [Maeda Toshinaga] in a divided manner, Oda Nobunaga would not be wiped out, and it would not be an empty dream for them to hold a large territory in their hands...... But the question is, what kind of person is Hojo Clanmasa, he knows it in his heart!

(Kaga Daina is referring to the Maeda Toshiie, whose son Toshinaga was the son of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu, respectively, who acquired large territories of more than one million koku.) ）

Therefore, he felt even more pitiful that Hojo Tsunada, who was sitting opposite him, had become the realization of this fundamentally unrealistic ideal.

But it was precisely because of this that he felt how admirable this old man was.

[Actually, it is a great blessing that Hojo-sama came from afar...... Come! I was given a wine bottle, and Mr. Shang is an elder, so I should pour wine, so I must drink two more glasses today. 】

The two of them got along very happily, but the others were cloudy.

Hojo Hideyoshi directly joked about Hashiba Hideyoshi's [stunning appearance], and Hashiba Hideyoshi satirized Hojo's fiasco in Sanszenling that year.

This is the biggest shame in Hojo's life, he finally suppressed his anger and asked:

[My opponent is Xin Xuangong, who is the best in the art of war in the world, and I was defeated by him, and I also feel that although I am defeated, I am still honored! 】

[Oh, Mutsunoku-samaru is really broad-minded, and he doesn't care even if he is defeated. 】

[Hmph! It's a miracle that the farmer's son became a samurai and became a daimyo. 】

[What kind of strange story am I, a hundred years ago, there was a ronin from the same humble background, not only became a samurai, hehe, his descendants are still drinking with me here. 】

A ronin a hundred years ago?

The people of the Hojo family sitting here all changed color, only Hojo Tsunari, who was far away, did not hear this, and still happily drank with the wise Kogoro, and also chatted about his experience in the art of war.

There is no doubt that what Hashiba Hideyoshi said is Hojo Sakumo.

【Hideyoshi Hashiba! What do you mean! 】

[Hehe, you know what it means! Although I am the son of a farmer, I have never denied it, unlike some people, in order to get some background for themselves, desperately try to be a grandson for others, but unfortunately, the Kamakura Hojo clan back then, was a thief who disobeyed the emperor, and they were all beheaded all over the house, and some people even wanted to be their grandchildren...... Hahaha, it's a pity, even so, no one agrees with these grandchildren. 】

[You brute! I'm going to kill ......]

Seeing that the people of the Hojo family were about to explode, the Gamo clan and Oda Nobusumi hurriedly came to dissuade them.

[Okay, okay, Lord Yuchai, you just say a few words, just sell us a face, it's not good if the two families hurt their harmony. 】

[Hmph! 】

Hideyoshi Hashiba drank a glass of wine stupidly, and Hojo Shiteru's hand on the rib handle of his waist was released, but his eyes were still spewing fire.

When Hojo and his party left the city, it was already night, so this meal was a direct merger of lunch and dinner.

After getting on the sedan chair, the Hojo clan suddenly poked his head out and smiled at Hojo Tsunari:

[Oda Nobunaga, this person is actually quite cute. 】

[Huh?! 】

There are many words to describe Oda Nobunaga, domineering, mighty, tall, brutal, handsome, suspicious, murderous, ruthless, and versatile...... There are a lot of good and bad ones, but [cute] is the first time to use it.

[When he tasted the spiny lobster, he actually wanted to use that to test my utensils...... This method is too old-fashioned, of course, as a guest, I always have to be polite twice, haha......]

Hojo Tsuna breathed a sigh of relief and didn't speak.

The sedan chair greeted the starlight and walked all the way.