On November 5, 1580, I arrived in Kyoto and stayed in my old residence. I deliberately arranged this day because the day when the Oda family and others were waiting to meet the emperor was set on November 10. On the evening of my arrival, I met with a few people in courtesy, and then invited the official in charge of ceremonies to my home, and the rest were all gone.

Niwa Nagahide was extremely happy with my arrival, and after meeting with me in a hurry, he went to arrange various matters, and all kinds of issues that needed to be negotiated were indeed complicated, but he was busy with some things. I couldn't bear to see him work, and I almost told him that it didn't have to be like this, those problems would not be settled so easily in Kyoto, and there were still many scenes to go through!

Shibata Katsuie and Yushiba Hideyoshi naturally can't help but come, but it seems that they are so forced to enter Beijing very facelessly, they originally planned to be the protagonists of this big drama, but now they see that their status is declining. However, when faced with the same thing, different people will have different ways to deal with it, and they can also see different qualities. "Monkey" and Shibata Katsuya are two different types of people, and naturally their behavior is even more different.

On the night I arrived in Kyoto, the "monkeys" came in a hurry. Before the man could disarm and unsaddle the horse, he launched a series of shuttle diplomacy. From the eunuchs to the celebrities, in short, all the people who can influence the hearts of the holy will and the people, he has come into contact without exception, and for a while, his reputation has almost had the momentum of "the second of the Qing clan". It seems that he intends to take the active and amiable route, which is in stark contrast to my recent low profile.

Shibata Katsuya didn't come until November 9, the day before Shinmi, and then, at the "kind invitation" of Oda Nobutaka, he moved into the official residence of Nijo Castle, where Oda Nobunaga lived before his death, as if he was the minister of the Oda family. He is indeed majestic, and the guards of me and the "monkey" entering Beijing are only 1,000 people, but his posture is quite obvious. It was not without reason that he did this, and a large number of second-rate elders of the Oda family, such as Takigawa Kazuyi, had openly sided with him.

Every move of the two of them is under my control, and I secretly laugh at their actions. Shibata Katsuie's behavior can only be evaluated as stupid, and he gets carried away with a slight advantage, and he and Uesugi, Hojo, and Tokugawa are a little "catty" that others may be afraid to know about, but in front of me this is just a small trick. The "monkey" is much more clever, but now it's too late to work hard, first, my years of hard work are not in vain, he doesn't have so much financial resources to catch up overnight. Second, even if he improved, it was just a copy of my shadow.

I didn't take any direct action against them, I just watched how they behaved. At this moment of attention in the world, we should no longer take the middle route, and I have prepared another deafening move!

Once again, I walked through the gates of the Imperial Palace, and I can't remember whether it was a dozen or twenty times over the years, but it was the first time that I had stopped coming with Oda Nobunaga. Regardless of everyone's subjective feelings, the era that belonged to Oda Nobunaga is over.

"You're a little late?" When I arrived in the verandah of the main hall, I was spotted by a sharp-eyed "monkey", who was talking to Niwa Nagahide and five or six ministers.

"Can you come earlier?" I looked at him and the others in great confusion, bewildered. "I used to come to the audience as an attaché to the lord, so I didn't think much about it. Now that the world is in turmoil in the lord's ancestral world, I don't dare to bluff at all about such a major event as the face saint, I have consulted people! ”

"yes, yes!" A white and chubby minister next to him hurriedly said, his expression was very moved. "Now there is no such benevolent gentleman as His Highness Zhuxing in the four seas, and he does not dare to be negligent in the slightest for fasting and bathing in the mansion for three consecutive days. Such loyalty to the royal family and observance of duty is really a model in the world! "This person has a low position in the imperial court, but he is a celebrity who is proficient in etiquette and law, and he has been asked by me to consult in the palace for the past few days.

In the era when the politics of the world was still centered on the imperial court, the meeting with the emperor was a great and important event, from the issuance of edicts, receiving edicts, fasting, bathing, and the honor guards and hours of entering the palace, there were very strict regulations, and it was not something that a single person could do as he wanted. Of course, today's era cannot be compared with the past, but those who abide by etiquette will still be respected, and they will only be regarded as a pedantic master.

"In the end, His Highness the Stars, this old Cheng is not comparable to the next!" Yushiba Hideyoshi sighed with some shame, and lowered his shriveled and half-bald head slightly.

The floor of the hallway where we stood had been painted not long ago, because it had been carefully wiped down in the morning of the ceremony, and although it was far less than a mirror, it was still a blurry image of people. I don't know if it's an illusion caused by psychological effects, but I actually saw the corners of the mouth on the lower face of the "monkey" slightly upturned, with obvious disdain and ridicule.

"It's still His Highness Zhuxing who is meticulous, and I will be negligent in such a thing!" At this time, Niwa Nagahide and several other ministers also came around, and each expressed his sigh in sighs. At this time, many people don't think about these things, but such people may make better use of them, so there are many people who are happy from the heart.

"Your Highness Zhuxing, you can take care of the overall situation so much, this is really a blessing for the imperial court!" Juting Qingji came up with a smile and said with a seemingly flattering face: "Since the time when His Royal Highness Oda Youfu was martyred, people have been in a state of panic in the past few months. It is also thanks to His Highness Zhuxing's eyes that he directly reprimanded the traitors, which made Sheji ...... since His Highness Youfu."

"Your Excellency's words are wrong, you don't dare to speak under the banner of the lord!" I immediately retorted with stern retortion that there must be no ambiguity in such matters. "Now not only the imperial court, but also the Oda family itself is at a critical juncture in the choice of life and death. We and other important ministers can only sincerely unite and implement the will of the lord, if there are other thoughts, it is a rebel, and my Xingqing clan is the first to allow him! ”

"It's a gaffe, don't blame Your Highness the Stars!" For my accusation, Kikutei Qingji immediately admitted his "mistake", but he didn't seem to take it too seriously. He has always given people the impression that he is greedy for money and easy-going, which makes it difficult for people to be overly suspicious of him.

"Your Excellency is serious!" I didn't pursue it too much, and from what I said just now, I could already hear that he was asking for the imperial court.

"His Highness Zhuxing is exactly what he said, and he also feels the same way!" Hashiba Hideyoshi's two large round eyes swirled back and forth in the sockets twice, and then a worried look appeared on a monkey's face. "As you said, the Oda family's top priority right now is to work together to tide over the difficulties, but there are many discussions on the most important issues. Only the name can be said to be good, I don't know what His Highness the Stars thinks? ”

"His Royal Highness Yuchai!" Niwa Nagahide frowned and called him very dissatisfied, and said to him in an obviously reproachful tone: "Who should inherit the Oda family is a matter that should be decided by the lord, although the lord is no longer there, but the elders of the Oda family are still there. In the spirit of being responsible for the Oda family, we can naturally put forward our own opinions, but that should be the official consultation meeting of the Oda family, not at this time, let alone such a rude thing in front of your Excellency! ”

During this time, Niwa Nagahide was in Kyoto, and his attitude was more inclined to the "monkey" side, but this was only out of resistance to Shibata Katsuya and Oda Nobutaka's side, and it was not unconditionally echoing all of Hashiba's opinions. He maintained an instinctive vigilance against things that might lead to a split in the Oda family and a civil war.

"His Royal Highness Niwa has taught me that the juniors are a little impatient!" "Monkey" stomped deeply, he had always behaved respectfully in front of Niwa Nagahide. "But please be considerate of the anxiety below, this kind of eventful season has to be considered all the time. Although the matter of the heir of the Oda family is a family affair in itself, it is related to the safety of the imperial court and society, and it cannot be regarded as a state affair and a world affair! The insight of His Highness the Stars has always been preached, and I just want to ask for advice here. I'm sure you're also very concerned about this, isn't that so? He looked around for the "allies", and a few of them nodded yes.

"This ......" Niwa Nagahide was trapped, and "Monkey" made the problem public with the help of the attitude of the ministers, making it difficult for him to deal with it for a while. Turning his head to look at me with a hopeful gaze, he was asking for help.

"Indeed, as His Royal Highness Yuchai said, I am also worried about this matter!" I deliberately groaned and looked around at the crowd of people with their necks stretched. "But I haven't figured this out after thinking about this question for a long time, so let's wait for the formal meeting to hear everyone's opinions first!" I couldn't help but laugh and fooled them.

"If even His Highness Niwa and His Highness Zhuxing have no opinion, then don't all of us know what to do?" Yushiba Hideyoshi is pressing forward step by step, and it seems that he has already deployed a plan in private.

"Heavenly principles and people's hearts are self-righteous, and my Xingqing clan does not dare to violate the ancient system!" I said it suddenly, in no uncertain terms, and there was no doubt about it.

Although the plan of the "monkey" is very secretive, it is already clear to me. I can't suppress his interest at the moment, but I should encourage him to play monkey and never take the peach away from him, right?

"Then you ......" The round monkey's eyes lit up suddenly, and the flickering "thief light" flowed erratically. "So ......" his mouth opened.

"I'm sorry for being late!" At this time, Shibata Katsuya appeared at the gate with a greeting, and he was followed by Oda Nobutaka.

"You're not too late, you can't do anything if you don't come!" The "monkey" had no choice but to stop the topic and turn to that side without smiling.