Out of the main hall, Jing Zheng didn't speak, and silently followed me to the study on the fifth floor. I waved my hand to rebuke the maid who was tidying up the housekeeping, and asked him, "Why, are you dissatisfied with my decision?" ”

"Don't dare!" He replied angrily, "But, if you want to punish me, just say it, why do you coax me to say that it is to take back real power?" ”

"Didn't you get it back for you?" I asked rhetorically, "Qingguang, like Pinguchi Liding, is also the iron cannon commander of my direct reserve, and he is loyal to his family. If you make a decision, you have the support of Zhezhi, Takino, Hattori, and Ueda, and behind you is the Kira clan, and if you get the support of two or three neutral wealthy families, won't you be able to hold it in your hands? What's more, you still have the right of veto, which can not only ensure your authority and interests, but also win over the capital of the wealthy family! ”

"However, the territory ......" He was still a little unwilling.

"If you don't give up part of your territory, how can you expect the Fudi family to back down so easily? Moreover, you are the guardian, the castle town is so prosperous, and now that the temple has recovered the tax, do you have to have that bit of territory? The Fukuchi family is different, losing half of the territory and guardian authority, the human and financial resources are greatly reduced, and the power to challenge the guardian authority will be completely lost. ”

"Is that so?" Jing Zheng thought for a while, and a smile appeared on his face, "I understand my father's deep meaning. ”

"So, what are you going to do?" I studied him.

Jing Zheng thought for a while: "The child will use his influence to win over two or three neutral wealthy families and make them biased towards me; Or just sow discord between them and let them quarrel on their own. In this way, you can take the decision-making power into your hands! ”

"I'm afraid you won't be able to gain support if you do this," I shook my head, "Iga's wealthy clan is not stupid, and they are very united, and they are not easy to provoke and co-opt. In their previous system of the Twelve, everyone had the same authority and equal position regardless of the size and prestige of their territory, so they could repeatedly work together to expel the Guardians...... This time, he was able to oust Fukuchi Munetaka from the position of guardian because he was too strong before, and he also provoked the law of the main family, which brought the danger of crusade to the entire Iga, so he was abandoned by everyone. ”

"That's why you asked me to give up some of my territory too, just to take care of this reciprocal position, right?" Jing Zheng nodded, "The child understands." The child will learn from his father's usual practice and treat each wealthy family fairly, so as to establish a good reputation, and then cooperate with the name of the guardian and the clan behind it, and completely control the whole of Iga. ”

"You can teach," I nodded with satisfaction, and taught me further, "but you must also learn to think for yourself." Always put my father on his lips and follow him step by step, I'm afraid it's hard to have anything to do. ”

Even though I said that, I couldn't help but feel a little happy in my heart. In any case, it's always nice to be adored like this, right? What's more, it's still his own biological child.

At present, among the three children I have served in Yuanfu, Keitaro Zhou Jing is long in military strategy, and his surname has developed the best, which is the most reassuring for me; Keijiro Shinkei is a sister-in-law, maybe he is a little more stressed, and he is a little too awe-inspiring to me, but he has developed well in terms of political strategy, and is willing to ask his retainers for advice, and is willing to accept their advice, and this alone is at least a successor who can be kept; This Jing Saburo Jing Zheng, when he was a child, his surname was a little cringe, but after he had the opportunity to play, he became very expressive, and he liked to follow my example, and it seems that he is ready to work strategy.

It's a pity that so far, he hasn't learned too properly, and has only noticed the strategy itself, not the sincerity that is the core, so it seems to have gone a little off. In Kii before, although he got the title of sending troops to Fanhe Temple, it was at the cost of the lives of dozens of people who worked together, and the timing was not suitable; This time in Iga, he even used his retainers and his wife and children to do it, and he almost made a mess out of control. However, now that he has learned a lesson and has the consciousness of treating people fairly, this is a good change, and the prospects are still very promising.

As for the other four, Jing Shiro, as the second son, is also deeply cared for, but he does not have as much pressure as his brother, so he is the most comfortable, and he is currently extremely mischievous in Awaji, which makes the assistant Yamauchi Kazutoyo very headache; The fifth son was the heir of the Awahosokawa family, and lived deep in the city, the details of which are unknown; Jing Liulang is still young, and he will only hold Xiao Xia's legs and be coquettish; And the name of the religion? Rui's Keichiro is simply still in infancy.

If something really happens, it is estimated that in the next few years, then the ones who can help are Zhou Jing, Xinjing and Jing Zheng, who have already been served. Among them, the identity of Shinkei is the most important, and since it is located in Azuchi, security must be considered first, so Iga Province, located between Minami-Omi Azuchi Castle and Kita-Ise Mie Castle, is very important, as it is not only a passage to Shinkei, but also an important place to block the pursuit. I came here this time to tighten my grip on Iga, and in addition to ending the Keisa's affairs, this is another major reason for this.

……，…… Before leaving Ueno Castle, I left half of the Asaki Bei to Keimasa, including the entire 300-strong iron artillery team, the 300 men of the second spear, and the 100-strong auxiliary team, a total of 700 troops, which is definitely the most elite force in the Iga family. Among them, the iron artillery team is led by Zhezhi Qingguang, who is a celebrity of iron artillery and the former commander of the triple reserve iron cannon; The spear was handed over to Yanagi Yansheng for the second time, and with the fame that his Yanagi family had accumulated in Yamato and Iga for generations, it was enough to deter the wealthy families; The auxiliary team was handed over to Hattori Masasa, and in any case, the loyalty of the Hattori family to my Kira family, and his own loyalty to Keimasa, were reassuring. In addition, I also promoted Ueda Mitsutaka from Asakibei to the pro-guard team as a bond and reward for Ueda Mitsuji.

Since Chao Mingbei is directly under Xinjing, Jing Zhengling's half of Chao Mingbei is even equipped under Xinjing's name. In addition to strengthening Keimasa's voice in Iga, another purpose of leaving this army is to strengthen the protection of Shinkei. After all, Azuchi Castle is Nobunaga's residence, and even if Shinkei is Nobunaga's son-in-law, it is impossible to be allowed to lead the entire reserve of 1,500 people, so it has become the most suitable choice to leave half of the Asaki branch in Iga Ueno Castle, and once something really happens, Shinkei can quickly remember this force, and then enter Iga with the help of the Koga people to join Keimasa, and then either garrison Ueno Castle to watch, or return to Mie Castle to gather the military strength of Northern Ise and the Nagano family reinforcements of Central Ise, which is a good choice.

Originally, I also wanted to teach Hattori Masashi a lesson for the previous deliberate deception, or let Jing Zheng restrain himself. However, thinking of Hattori's loyalty for more than ten years, and Hattori's loyalty to Keimasa, I still forgave him. As for Jing Zheng's side...... I can only say that he is closer to the people of this era than me!

Then, I asked Keimasa to send someone to Azuchi to inform Shinkei of the stationing of Ueno Castle by the Ming Dynasty, and Shinkei reported the results of Iga's disposition to Nobunaga, and he himself returned to Mie Castle with the remaining 300 guards.

The Honmaru Castle Tower in Mie Castle is currently only inhabited by the main room of Shinkei, Fuyuhime, and a large group of maids, so in order to avoid trouble, I accepted her visit and went directly to the Joruriin Temple, where Hoshin-in and Nana lived, or stayed at the Naotora Mansion of Sanomaru. Naoto, Kazu, and Fuyuhime also often come to Sannomaru to meet and get together to chat with Hoshinin, which makes Hoshinin very happy.

"It's been a long time since the kids left." She hugged six-year-old Xiao Hejin and said to everyone with a smile.

"After all, the children are all older, like Yujin and Qiujin, they all have their own homes, isn't it great?" Nana comforted.

"Mainly the worry of disturbing your retreat. Otherwise, I'd like to take Hezu to live here, and there is no defense in the city anyway...... However, Your Highness is here, and you can't be clean anyway. Zhihu also said with a smile.

"Alas, when people are old, they can't bear the silence and like to be lively," Hoshinin sighed, "I have been at the Barren Mountain Shrine for more than ten years before, and I just came over like that." When I think about it now, I think it's incredible! ”

"Hearing you say that, Xiujing and I are going to be ashamed. It took more than ten years to return to Tosa, and you have endured it for so long," I looked at the happy crowd and felt very relieved, "If you like children, why don't you go to Imabari Castle?" Haijin, Mingjin, Senjuhime, and Jing Liuyan are all over there, and sometimes, they are also saying that they miss you. ”

"Imasbari Castle won't go," Hoshinin shook his head, "It's all an old bone, what are you doing in the past?" If it's Tosa, it's a return to your homeland, but you and your children aren't there. It's better to stay here, at least there is your own Bodhi Temple, as well as Caicai, Ah Hu and Xinjing's family. ”

Speaking of this, she turned to Dong Ji, who had never spoken like this: "Dong Ji, can you say something too...... It is said that you are the princess of the main family, and we should have some respect, but after all, it is a family! Xinjing, this kid is not here, you must be a little lonely, you might as well come and sit more and talk more, it's better than being bored in the city...... You ask your mother, she always thinks so. ”

"With your words, it is natural." Nana smiled and nodded.

"The two of you have always taken good care of me, and I am very grateful, but I haven't been very talkative since I was a child, and I haven't been able to change it," Fuyuhime leaned over slightly, "Compared to the previous Sister Gotoku in Gifu and in Okazaki, it's already very good here, it's a home." ”

"What, are you also in touch with Princess Deji?" I asked curiously. It stands to reason that the two of them should not know each other very well, although they are half-sisters, Tokuki married Okazaki at the age of eight, and Fuyuhime was not yet six years old at that time.

"Yes. Because I'm lonely in Okazaki, I often feel a little depressed, and I don't even have someone to talk to. In the past two years, because I have been married to Mie, sometimes I send letters to talk, but I am very close," Fuyuhime smiled, "Sister Gotoku still remembers her father!" He said that he was very grateful to his father for the gift. Those golden judgments, she has always kept in her hands now. ”

"Yes," I remembered when I saw her before, "Princess Deki, how is she now?" ”

"It's not too happy," Fuyuhime shook her head, "mainly because she doesn't have a good relationship with Tsukiyamaden, and His Highness Okazaki sometimes makes her angry. When I gave birth to Noborihime last year, I heard that Tsukiyamaden had been cursing her sister and asking her not to give birth to a boy; This year, her sister was pregnant, and while she continued to curse, she also took the opportunity to stuff a beautiful side room for His Royal Highness Okazaki, and His Royal Highness Okazaki happily accepted it, making her sister so angry that she quarreled with His Royal Highness Okazaki. ”

"This ......" I felt a little embarrassed. I'm really not good at commenting on this question, Caicai and Zhihu are all around me now.

Fuyuhime also seemed to notice this, and quickly apologized to us: "I'm really sorry! Say these things in front of my father and the two of you. ”

"It's okay," Nana glanced at me, but smiled, and there was a hint of sourness in her words, "The affairs of our family are different from those of His Royal Highness Okazaki...... Moreover, I can't compare to the identity of Princess Deji! ”

"When you say that, you're blaming me." I smiled wryly.

"How can a concubine be a concubine, it's just a joke." Nana smiled and looked at Naotoko.

"What's the matter, it's just idle talk anyway!" Naohu also chimed in.

"If you want me to say, His Highness Okazaki also has a problem," I turned to Fuyuhime, "I've been with him for a while, and he's a very nice guy. Perhaps, he is worried about the conflict between Tsukiyamaden and Princess Tokuki, and hopes to mediate the relationship between the main room and the side room...... You might as well suggest that Princess Tokuki and His Royal Highness Okazaki be open and honest and understand each other's positions, so that it may be better to talk about it...... You see, just like we are now. ”

"Yes." Fuyuhime nodded in agreement.

"By the way, if it's convenient, sometimes you can also use your name to give Princess Deji some gifts...... Okazaki is not as prosperous as Mie, there is everything, presumably Princess Tokuki is not used to it! The last time I gave her some delicate silk and whale meat, I was as happy as if I was something. I sighed slightly.

"My father cares about my sister!" Dong Ji said a little sensitively.

"To put it mildly, in the eyes of us old ministers, you and your sisters, including the faithful young master, have all grown up with us, maybe equivalent to our own sons and nephews," I smiled and gestured, "When I first dined with my lord's family, Princess Deji had just been born, and a small person was wrapped in swaddling clothes and held by Mrs. Ikoma...... Now that time flies, they are already mothers. ”

(To be continued)