As April begins, spring becomes even stronger in Kyoto, with flowers blooming all over the mountains and fields, and farmers driving their ploughing cattle barefoot down to the still cool paddy fields.

On all streets, regardless of the farmers and industrialists, and whether they are noble or lowly, they all change into gorgeous clothes with the season, breathe the fresh and comfortable air, and enjoy this hard-won happy life. Although the sky in central Honshu is now cloudy again, it doesn't seem to affect people's happiness.

There was no mass conscription; There is no large amount of solicited materials; If there is no temporary increase in exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous taxes, what does this war have to do with the people? Moreover, when their own actual interests are not involved, ordinary people have a certain morbid enthusiasm for the cruel matter of war.

The army was already being mobilized, and it was proceeding very quickly, and I personally gave orders to the daimyos. Of course, I said it very tactfully, almost jokingly: if you are interested in "traveling" with me, you can bring some of your direct subordinates, and you can get supplies as soon as you reach Sakai Town!

There is no need to recruit soldiers and only bring rations for ten days, so wouldn't it be possible to go back home and raise your legs? At this rate, I believe that in a month at most, I will be able to assemble an army of professionals from all over the country in Owari. Even if Tokugawa and Hojo had gathered all the men of school age in their domain to form an army with peasants as the main body, it would not be possible to surpass me in number, and even more so in terms of quality.

Tokugawa Ieyasu was a fierce and cunning man with great patience, and whether it was for Imagawa Yoshimoto or Oda Nobunaga, he was not simply obedient at first. He knows very well that in order to achieve enough autonomy in the alliance, he must make the other side realize his strength, and blindly lowering his eyebrows and pleasing his eyes can only be eaten in the end.

I stomped back and forth in the study of the Nijojo Castle Castle Tower, thinking about Tokugawa Ieyasu's problem, and it was a series of questions.

"If Tokugawa Ieyasu died, would the Tokugawa Group collapse? It doesn't seem to be. In the past, Ieyasu was not big when Matsudaira Hirotada died, and the Mikawa Territory was still under the trusteeship of Imagawa at that time, but these did not break the cohesion of the Mikawa Samurai Order. ”

"If you want to completely eliminate the Three Rivers Samurai Order, can you do it with my current strength? It seems to be possible, but it comes at a great cost. As long as they can't be completely cut off, they will continue to set off riots everywhere, which is a very annoying thing. From this point of view, the Tokugawa family has a certain amount in common with the Maori family, and it seems that in the end, it can only be referred to! ”

In fact, I already knew all this, but I regretted that I couldn't completely destroy Tokugawa, but since everything can only be said after the fight, let's beat him harder at once!

A large red-tailed dragonfly landed on the open window, and I stopped to look at it, and then its wings pressed down slightly, which was a sign of stability. I quietly walked over and stretched out my hand, but it suddenly flew away, this kind of dragonfly is really alert.

"Tokugawa Ieyasu, I hope you don't disappoint me too much!" I yelled at the dragonfly flying in the sky outside the window.

"My lord, Your Excellency Kikutei and the Hojo family's envoy, Lord Hojo Phantom, are here!"

"Invite them in and have tea!"

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Kikutei is very greedy and snobbish in the sunny season, but there are different opinions about whether he is stupid or not. This person's greed will make you think of him as soon as you want to do anything, because he has a lot of connections and takes the money to do things. The same reason would make everyone instinctively avoid him when they carry out the "secret", because he is not trustworthy at all.

This creates a strange phenomenon: he can do a small favor to anyone, but there is no fundamental harm to anyone! I don't dare to say whether this is a manifestation of "wisdom" or not, but at least from Hosokawa Harumoto to Miyoshi Nagakei, to Matsunaga Shu, Oda Nobunaga, and later "Monkey" and me, he has been a very active figure among the ministers.

"Oops! Your Highness, it's been a long time! "As soon as Juting came in in the sunny season, it was like I said hello, and I didn't know that I thought we were warm to the point of indistinguishing each other." There is also a limit to working for the country, and you can't take everything on yourself. With such a good weather, we should hold more tea parties or something, otherwise it won't be a disappointment......"

"Hmm...... Cough! Seeing him pulling farther and farther away, Hojo Phantom on the side couldn't help but cough.

"Oh...... That's right, that's right! "Juting Qingji seemed to suddenly remember something, and patted his head vigorously with his hand." I've heard that you promised to accompany Hojo-sama on a trip to Kyoto, but you haven't heard anything for so many days. I think you may have forgotten about the state affairs, so I volunteered to accompany him to remind you of this! ”

"Is it for this? I'm really sorry! "I'm naturally going to apologize for bringing it up, even though I know they can't be here for it." The daimyo from all over the world have been returning to the territory one after another these days, and I have to send one to show me. I'm really sorry for neglecting Boss Hojo, but fortunately, it's over now, and the tour can start tomorrow. How about the Honorable Kikutei as a companion and starting with Kinkakuji Temple? ”

"Okay! Let's hold a small tea party for Hojo-sama! After listening to my suggestion, Juting Qingji actually clapped his hands excitedly.

"Zhuxing Da Nayan (because Juting is also a big Nayan in the sunny season, so you must bring your surname here) Your Excellency's hospitality has been deeply understood, and you really dare not take it if you are neglected!" Hojo Phantom felt that the topic might go along an inexplicable line of thought, so he had to take the initiative to pull the direction back. "In the past few days, I have also met several daimyo who are about to return to their hometowns, and they all praised the great words of the stars. His Royal Highness is worthy of being a disciple of the self-confident elder father, this kind of pride is really the only one in the world! ”

"Boss Hojo is really ridiculous, you can't let the guests who come to the door hungry, right?" I waved my hand very modestly.

"It is rumored that His Highness Zhuxing will soon gather the daimyo and gather the army, I don't know if there is such a thing?" Although Hojo Phantom is an inquiring tone, preconceived notions have been defined as "rumors".

"It's true, it's not a rumor!" Ignoring his inducement, I nodded directly. "Nobunaga and I are both people who like to be lively, but he likes poetry and tea parties, and I like hunting. I do ask Your Highnesses to bring your elite retainers with you, and this is also a good occasion for Zhang Xian to be brave. His Royal Highness the Governor of the Jiuwen clan is a hero, and the samurai of the Hojo family are even more famous in Kanto. I have a few falcons and dogs that I ask Boss Hojo to bring to His Highness the clan when he returns, and they say that I am very sorry that I can't bend the bow with him! ”

"Isn't His Highness the Great Nayan of the Stars relative to the Tokugawa family?" Unbewildered by my almost poetic lyricism, Hojo asked in a hand-to-hand manner.

"To the Tokugawa household soldiers? Why, please give me a reason! I asked rhetorically with a look of "inexplicability". "His Royal Highness Tokugawa did something wrong some time ago, but it has been resolved through my mediation in the imperial court! Okubo-sama has been back for a long time, and I have not heard any objections from His Highness Tokugawa. Could it be that His Royal Highness Tokugawa has any ideas for you? This is very bad, what should not be said to talk openly and honestly! ”

"This ......" Hojo Phantom was momentarily stunned by my question, or he didn't expect that a person of my status would be such a "scoundrel", completely ignoring the unspoken rule of mediation between daimyos through "middlemen", and posing as a "political saint". He set his eyes on the chrysanthemum pavilion in the sunny season, but at this time, the chrysanthemum pavilion was admiring the ceiling.

"Before...... Wasn't your punishment of the Tokugawa family too harsh before, but in fact, there are some things that can be discussed! "Seeing that there was no help, Hojo Kan-an could only bite the bullet and talk in my way.

"Discuss? …… No way! I skeptically pulled a long note. It's been so many days, and His Royal Highness Tokugawa hasn't said anything about it, so I can only understand that he has fully accepted it. Now that the two highnesses, Nakagawa and Takayama, are ready to perform their duties on the ground, isn't it too late to say these words? ”

"I hope His Royal Highness the Stars can give me a face, this is also the sincere meaning of the contemptible lord!" Hojo Phantom Nunnery couldn't think about it, so he had to plead in a low voice.

"That's right......" I put my hand on my chin and entered into thought, and the room fell silent for a moment.

Hojo Phantom looked at me nervously, lest she miss a small expression. In his heart, he didn't want to go to war with me, at least because he thought that now was not the time to go to war, but he also knew that his all-eyed lord would fight hastily for the Tokugawa family. At this moment, he felt a sense of sadness, poor nephew Shi Kang actually died earlier than his old man.

"If His Royal Highness Hojo really meant that......" I finally opened my mouth, and Hojo Illusion's heart was excited. I'd like to talk to him personally! "But the second half of the sentence suddenly made him fall into an ice cellar." If His Royal Highness Hojo is willing to deign to come to Kyoto, then everything will be easy to say. His Royal Highness Hojo has always been difficult to invite nobles, and if I can come to Kyoto this time, it will be a good face, and I will do my best to introduce the world's daimyo as a landlord. As long as the noble of His Royal Highness Hojo opens the golden mouth, everything will always be accommodating! ”

"This ......" Hojo Mirage couldn't answer, and he knew he didn't need to answer at all. If the Hojo clan had come to Kyoto, he would have surrendered to me in front of the people of the world, and it would have been impossible for the proud clan to agree to such conditions. "So...... I won't bother anymore and will return to Odawara in the near future! ”

"I'll send you!" The Kikutei Sunny Season has finally ended the "study" of the ceiling.

"Hojo-sama, please bring a message to His Highness Tokugawa for me when passing by Mikawa!" With a kind smile, I said, "Everything is about the overall situation, take a step back and open the sky!" ”