Although Cheongju Castle is still an "important town", it is far from the "border". First, the nerve center of the Oda family has left here, and second, the biggest force in the neighborhood is the Tokugawa family, a loyal ally, who would take such a big risk to attack a place that doesn't make much sense? Therefore, although Cheongju Castle, like all castles in the Warring States, still maintains the tradition of closing the city at night and curfew, the implementation is not as good as before.

However, since ten days ago, the situation has changed dramatically, and as the first participants to arrive at the meeting, Nobutaka, Nobuo, Nobubao and others of the Oda family have moved into the city. There was a big uproar about who lived in what position, and the arrival of Hideyoshi Hashiba and Katsuya Shibata added to the confusion.

Shibata Katsuie and Hashiba Hideyoshi did not live in the inner city, but stayed in their own residences back then. However, this did not affect their role in the slightest, and all kinds of people were scurrying in and out of them, active throughout Cheongju City like rats. It is through these "rats" that the two behind-the-scenes masterminds outside the city and the front desk spokesperson in the city are connected, and the two information centers are faintly formed.

It took another two days for Niwa Nagahide to ease the situation, and he was visibly aware that if they were allowed to go on like this, the meeting would go uncontrollable. It doesn't really matter what message they want to deliver, what matters is that they are testing the attitude of the moderators, testing how their actions will be reacted, and at the same time increasing the confidence of their own subordinates who are not determined.

Niwa Nagahide set up the tablets of Oda Nobunaga and Nobutada in Honmaru, drove Oda Nobutaka and Nobuo to Ninomaru and Sannomaru, and imposed a strict curfew, even during the day, and the low-ranking Oda retainers who did not have permission were not allowed to enter and leave at will. This series of measures did have a certain deterrent effect on Shibata Katsuie and Hashiba Hideyoshi, and they couldn't figure out what Niwa Nagahide was relying on for a while, but they couldn't stop what they were doing, they just became more secretive.

Because of this "episode" by Ikeda Hengxing, I really didn't hit the road again until the sun rose, and although the frost had melted away, the time was still delayed. It was already half past nine in the morning when we crossed the Xiaomu River, and it was even past midnight when we arrived in Cheongju in a hurry.

"If I'm in a hurry, maybe the 'rat nest' here will become three!" Looking at the deserted streets, I couldn't help but think with some wickedness. But when I think about it carefully, I think it's a little funny, if I'm really in such a hurry, will there still be this Cheongju meeting?

"I can give up Ishiyama Imperial Castle for you this time, but you can't let me ...... too much," Ikeda Tsuneko, who was walking in his hand, was still nagging in my ear, he had been grinding all the way. I really don't know where he got such a lot of tenacity, if he uses it in the right place, maybe he can get the world!

"I'm almost ready to memorize what you're saying, so why can't I do it if I say it again to someone at the meeting?" I struck his helmet with the rod of my horsewhip to tell him not to put his face too close to me. He loved to get excited as soon as he opened his mouth, and the spittle had already splashed on my nose.

"You mean that my opinion will be supported by the majority?" He didn't understand the teasing meaning of my words, and excitedly almost collided with me with the reins.

"I mean, most of them will be annoyed by you!" I hurriedly adjusted my mount and replied to him angrily. "The key issue at this meeting is that everyone will fight for their own interests! Although it seems that some places in Ishiyama Gozumi Castle and Settsu are going to be abandoned this time, if you don't even fight, it will be too fake, and the 'monkeys' will not believe it. We do this so that they can eat the bait and then the rest will be easy to say! ”

"The 'monkey' guy can be said to be inferior and arrogant, even if he knows that it is a trap, he will not hesitate to stick his head into it!" Ikeda now grits his teeth at the mention of "monkey", but this does not affect his objective judgment. After all, they have also dealt with each other for more than 20 years, so they naturally know no less. "I guess he'll probably know what you're up to, and even if he doesn't think of that Kuroda under him, he'll remind him. But even so, he still won't give up, because the place of Kyoto and its high position are so attractive to him! ”

"Hmm...... I thought so too! I nodded silently, and the smug and perverse thin face came to mind again. I think he is extremely confident in his own abilities, confident that he can handle Shibata and hold Kyoto firmly in his hands before I can deal with the problems of Kyushu. At that time, he will have the reputation of the righteousness of the imperial court and enough resources, and he can fight me evenly with me! ”

"And in order to prevent the imperial court from falling into Shibata's hands, it is impossible for him to turn around and deal with you first, isn't this what it looks like!" Now that Ikeda has a general idea of my plans, he says with a grin. "Are you trying to use this 'rotten peach' to kill these two 'soldiers'?"

"I'm satisfied to be able to get rid of one, not to mention that they are not any 'soldiers'!" I gently struck the trifurcation of the war horse with my horsewhip, and the heavens should meet my "little" request!

"Well, where are we going?" Instead of continuing towards the castle above after passing through the center of Kiyoshu, my group turned around and headed into a fork in the road, which Ikeda soon discovered.

"It's closed for a curfew, so I can only go to a house under the city to stay in Ao Li for half the night, and talk about other things tomorrow morning!" At this point, I suddenly reacted. "Aren't you also from Cheongju, why don't you go back to your own house to have a look?"

"There are only two people of the same clan looking at the house, and there is nothing to see!" Then he asked curiously, "The 'monkey' and Shibata both live outside the city, and it is obvious that they are divided into courts. At this time, you should hurry into the city to meet His Highness Niwa, why are you also outside the city? It's just a matter of calling a door, who can not open it for you. ”

"Although it is a small thing, it is also a big thing!" I shook my head and disagreed. "When they are arrogant and rude, I am humble and prudent; They boycotted the meeting, and I actively promoted it; They have turned a deaf ear to His Royal Highness Niwa's instructions, and I want to be an example of implementation. The lockdown curfew may seem like a trivial matter, but I just have to follow it scrupulously. It's not about whether someone will open the door for me, but I want to influence a group of people with my actions! ”

"You! It's really ......" Ikeda shook his head and sighed, not knowing whether to sigh or feel bored. "By the way, do you think Shibata will be a match for 'Monkey'?" He asked suddenly.

"How could you say that?" I asked with a smile. "The general perception now is that Shibata has an advantage over the 'monkeys', and this can be seen from the number of people attached to each side!"

"This ...... I also said it's not good! He tilted his head sideways for a moment, then finally shook his head. This is just one of my feelings: Shibata's depth can be seen at a glance, and he even makes it very flamboyant, and what strength is easy to master. It's hard to say what the 'monkey' will hide, and no one can say for sure. So compared to these two people, I have no hesitation in voting for 'monkey'! ”

"That's what I thought about too, so I'm going to help Shibata at this meeting!" I stopped joking, but said to him very seriously: "Shibata's territory is the most remote, and it is very inconvenient to enter and exit, and since he can't give up his roots, he will definitely make some other plans." At this meeting, I am prepared to support most of his claims on the land in order to allow him to exert sufficient influence in Kyoto in the future. As for the 'monkey'...... His tilt was mainly in politics, but it did not allow him to hold the supreme power of the imperial court and the Oda family. In order to achieve this balance, I'm afraid that not only Ishiyama Imperial Castle, but most of the Settsu will have to be given up to him! ”

"Unwilling...... I really don't want to ......" Ikeda still hated this question, but he was not so excited.

"I'll think about this for you, and I won't let you be too wronged!" I reassured him that he was not sure that he would be able to get the best outcome.

By this time the party had come to my property, which was nothing more than a courtyard that I had set up at random outside the city to store supplies, and I had never lived here before. But it's only half a night, and tomorrow I can at least move to my house in the outer city.

"My lord, Lord Yamauchi Ichitoyo is waiting for you!" As the queue in front of me was entering the courtyard, Sadatomo Ishikawa returned and reported to me.

"Good job of intelligence!" I smiled and said to Ikeda Tsuneko, knowing in my heart that Kazutoyo Yamauchi was coming to me. "Please wait a moment, Yamauchi-sama, I'll see him right away after I wash up!"

"I'd better go back to my own house, we'll see you in the city in the morning!" After Ishikawa left, Ikeda Tsuneko said suddenly. "He's been very close to Monkey lately, and I don't want to see him right now!" After saying that, he turned his horse and led his men in the other direction.

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"Your Highness the Stars, it's rude to disturb you so late!" Kazutoyo Yamauchi was waiting respectfully at the gate of the courtyard, and when he saw my queue, he came in with him. I really just wiped my face and met him, without any sincere embarrassment.

"What a faux pas, it's not rude, we don't need this between us!" I sat him down and then sat down on my own, and my tone was very intimate. "If you and Zhensheng hadn't saved my life in the barrel room, maybe I would have stayed there!"

"It's hard for you to remember, but it's just some due diligence!" His face froze, and then relaxed.

"It would be nice to be able to save yourself in the situation at that time, but it was in the midst of the siege!" Seeing that he was no longer so reserved, I asked, "If there is anything, just say it!" ”

"I came to see you to ......"

"Wait!" He had just said something but I stopped him. "I know it's not necessarily 'you' what you want to do, it's about asking me for someone else. I understand your situation very well, so you don't have to be afraid of me in the slightest. Go ahead! Who arranged for you to come here to see me at this time? I asked with a smile.