Since it's the so-called pillow wind, it must be that I want to provide support from the standpoint of my in-laws. In other words, the Otomo family does not want to be soft to the Oda family now, and even less willing to submit to the Oda family.

It's just that, in this case, it's entirely up to me to help or not...... Now that the Maori navy is back in the running, I have to keep that momentum down; And on the side of Kojima Kojima, I have to support as soon as possible, and there are still many things to do at home, so how can I have the energy to help the Otomo family? If it were on Nobunaga's orders, I would have had merit and territory, but if I had just asked for help personally, I wouldn't have been guilty of doing such a thankless job. The Shimazu family is not a good stubble, and it is not something that can be dealt with casually.

As an acting official, Xiujing did a good job. Although he did not stop the Maori family at sea, it was when the head of the family went out on the expedition and the main naval army was withdrawn. Not only that, but the new attachment of the Deju Water Army and the Murakami Water Army has a deep relationship with the Maori family, and it is still a question whether they can be fully trusted. Therefore, in the face of the Maori navy, Xiujing completely took a defensive position. He ordered the Tokuju Navy and the Murakami Navy to hold on to Imabari Port, while monitoring the remaining forces of the Iga Group and the headquarters in case of accidents; On the Awaji country's side, it has almost shrunk to the port of the state, relying on the defense of the port, and using the Awaji Maru to cooperate with the sea aid team to garrison it; The other two ironclad ships were placed in the port of Utatsu and handed over to the crippled Mitsunari Futami to defend against a possible attack by the Maori navy. This deployment was also the method that Kobayakawa Takakei had adopted when he had been suppressed before, which not only allowed him to preserve his own strength, but also avoided an unnecessary naval battle that was highly likely to fail.

Although Xiujing blamed himself for not withdrawing the triple backup in advance, I think this is already very rare. I'll do it after I get back to Nobunaga!

……，…… Nobunaga's Azuchi Castle can be described as a miracle of this era. Not to mention anything else, the cost of only 1.1 million guan makes all the other cities beyond the reach of dust. The castle town, where the townspeople live, is also impressive. If Kyoto is known for its longevity and elegance, then Azuchi-cho is a neat, large, and vibrant city. The town is based on several wide arterial roads that cross vertically and horizontally, supplemented by a large number of small and medium-sized streets, forming a transportation network extending in all directions, and on the edge of the street, a large number of houses and various ministries are built, as well as temples, samurai houses and even Nanban Temples. Never mixed together. In the same way, due to the implementation of policies such as Rakuchi and Rakuza, and the proximity of the castle to Kyoto, there are major roads leading to Sakai Town, Kiyoshu Town, Mie Town, etc., and the streets are directly connected to the pier of Lake Biwa, so it is a commercial center in the world with smooth access to both land and water, so it is equally prosperous and prosperous.

The samurai's jinya or yashiki also has its own size and location according to its status and rank. The four largest jinyas, belonging to Kira, Shibata, Sakuma, and Akechi, are guarded by a group of people from each family, and they are guarded in a fan-shaped arch. In addition, there are a number of smaller jinya or yashiki around each of the four jinyas, and they also perform some functions. For example, my Kira Jinya is surrounded by two Shingon temples built at the expense of the main family, as well as the Niwa family, the Hayashi family, the Awa Hosokawa family, and the Sanki Kagawa family's yashiki, etc., and the Azuchi Kanyaya is not far away, so if you are in the area of internal affairs or people from Shikoku, you should prepare or understand before you go to Nobunaga, so you should come here. Correspondingly, near Shibata Jinya were Takigawa Jinya and Nakagawa Jinya, who were responsible for some of the military affairs of the family, Sakuma Jinya and Hatakeyama Jinya were responsible for security and law and order in the city, and Akechi Jinya and Hosokawa Fujitaka Jinya were responsible for the front station for the negotiations between the imperial court and other daimyo families and the main family.

When I walked to the intersection outside the castle town, I was greeted by Shinkei and his party. As Nobunaga's son-in-law, and my agent, he has a very high status in Azuchi Castle. In the first three days of every decade, he entered Azuchi Castle to serve Nobunaga, and this time he received a prior notice from his attendants, and he immediately led the remaining Ishiya Yorichen, Ishiya Nobumasa, Hirano Nagatai and others to go out of the castle town to greet him.

When father and son meet, it is inevitable that there will be a response. It can be seen that although he is young, after some experience, he already has the appearance of some lord heirs, which makes me very happy. And as he walked in the middle of the street, looking at the large number of townspeople on both sides who bowed their heads in salute, he couldn't help but feel a little emotional.

"Compared to the end of last year, when I came to Azuchi to participate in the New Year's celebration, it is now a lot more lively!"

"It was built just now last year, and it can't catch up with our Mie Town! However, it must be in time for now. Xiujing nodded.

"Of course," I said, looking up at the castle tower standing high on the top of a mountain in the distance, "after all, it's the center of the world!" Mie Town and Mie Castle are naturally incomparable. ”

"That's not necessarily, Mie Castle is much more beautiful than Azuchi Castle, and Grandma, Mother, and Sannomaru Temple's mother are all very elegant people...... Sometimes, I miss the beach near Mie Town and the wisteria that fills the promenade in Mie Castle. ”

"Mie Town will slowly move to Imabari Town in the future, but there are also beaches near Imabari Town." I smiled and changed the subject, "How is the lord feeling lately?" There must be some boredom when there is a fire on all sides! ”

Xinjing thought for a while: "It's not bad...... Anyway, the lord has not personally gone out in the past two years, and if there is a problem with the strategy, it is natural that the following highnesses are not doing their best work, so they are called over and scolded to get angry. More than a month ago, His Royal Highness Sakuma had just been scolded. ”

"So, is there any mention of the family? Or are you Uncle Xiujing? I muttered.

Sakuma's affairs are somewhat similar to the last time Naomasa Harada, I wonder if he will write me down again? Objectively speaking, it was indeed my negligence last time, and I am willing to accept the guilt; This time, I couldn't do it, and the reason was that he sent me to Ryukyu, but if he really wanted to blame me or Xiujing, it was the only way.

"At least I didn't see it," Shinkei shook his head, "I did see that when I received the good news from my father on a clipper ship and the tribute from the Ryukyu Kingdom a few days ago, the lord was in a good mood, and he drank a few glasses of wine and happily played with the half-man-tall Nanban ball. ”

"Really?" When I heard this, I was not very happy. The Nanban Ball is naturally a globe, with a book, a Ryukyus, a North Korea, and a Ming kingdom...... I wonder if Nobunaga has any special thoughts?

Until the next meeting, I still had this worry in my heart.

Nobunaga was in a good mood, and for the first time put the location of Jinmi on the top floor. According to Shinkage, he had not seen anyone received by Nobunaga at the top floor, even if the new Kanhaku Kujo Kantaka and Kinai general Sakuma Nobumori came to meet him, he only met on the sixth floor, and most of the ministers and samurai who had the opportunity to meet were almost the same on the fifth floor, and sometimes they could only be sent by Hasegawa Shuichi and Moriranmaru at the bottom floor.

As for the generous conditions I gave to the Ryukyus, although he revealed some dissatisfaction, for the sake of the fact that King Shoei of the Ryukyus would personally come to meet him within the year, he did not blame, and even mentioned with great interest the future princess who held the priesthood of Sajigasa according to the priesthood of Tsukashi--among the people I sent to inform the news was the attaché who lived in the south hall with Tamai Katsuyu, and if Nobunaga wanted to ask, this kind of thing naturally could not be concealed.

According to his understanding, the king of the Ryukyus was equivalent to the emperor of Samoto, the regent was equivalent to Kanhaku of Samoto, the three priests were equivalent to the shogunate, and the Shinmanjin was equivalent to the emperor's future Nakanomiya, and the imperial family was the inner prince (called Saiwang) who served as a shrine maiden in Ise Jingu. Both of these identities cannot be violated in any way.

"To those Ryukyuan people, you are really daring!" He laughed, and there was no blame in his expression.

"After all, it's been a long time at sea......," I explained. This is indeed one of the main reasons why I accepted the Golden Warm Bed in the first place.

Nobunaga nodded, "Yes, I heard you didn't bring anything closer." ”

Didn't bring the side close? I remembered Moriranmaru, who usually stayed with him, and quickly understood what he meant...... Is! Thankfully, I didn't bring it! Otherwise, I won't be able to wash myself by jumping into the Seto Inland Sea.

Taking advantage of the very harmonious atmosphere, I asked the question that I was puzzled about: "My lord, my lord has something unclear, and I ask my lord for advice." ”

"Say it!" Nobunaga's tone and expression were very casual.

"Yes," I owe it, "Your Majesty has heard that there are some troubles in Hokuriku, Kinai, and Sanyo of my family; In comparison, Ryukyu is just a 200,000-stone territory far away from the ocean...... His Majesty didn't understand why the lord was so happy because of the submission of the Ryukyus instead of worrying about the troubles around him. ”

"Are you wondering about this?" Nobunaga nodded, got up from his seat, and pushed open the sliding door painted with gold and turquoise murals and walked over to the railing outside.

"Come and have a look!" He beckoned.

I obediently walked over and stood half a way behind him, and then I couldn't help but widen my eyes. Standing here, the view is extremely wide, far beyond my Mie, Shumoto, and Imabari Castle, and the scenery is very different from the Mijo Castle by the sea. The entire Azuchi Castle, the entire town of Azuchi, and the large farmland outside the town of Azuchi can be seen at a glance, and as far as the eye can see, there are mountains that stretch across Koga County and Iga Province.

Nobunaga and I looked down from the top of the castle as if we were gods in the sky. Of course, he is the main god and the lord of the land.

"You've seen Azuchi, right?" Nobunaga asked.

"Yes. But I can't see it clearly here. I replied.

"That's," Nobunaga smiled, "how does it feel?" Is there a difference from half a year ago? ”

"It's very stable and more prosperous." I said from the bottom of my heart.

"In that case, what am I worried about?" Nobunaga said leisurely, "If the general situation is set today, even the dull townspeople know that my Oda family is unshakable. Therefore, those troubles can't shake the family at all, but are an opportunity for those restless rats to take the initiative to jump out and then eliminate them all! ”

"Yes. The lord is wise. I nodded. With Nobunaga's surname, it is not surprising to think so.

"You know what? Two months ago, his predecessor, Haruyo Shimono, resigned. That's what I meant," Nobunaga suddenly changed the subject, "The new Kaneko Sekihaku came to Azuchi Castle to pay his respects on the first day he took office. And the fifth prince (Prince Bangqing), who was born last year by Prince Seihito, has also recognized me as his adoptive father. ”

"This is all because of the majesty and benevolence of the lord." I had no choice but to say.

"Then next, how will the imperial court arrange for me?" Nobunaga laughed, "The right general the year before last, the big admiral last year, and the minister of the interior this year...... In two years, the imperial court will give me the Imperial Minister, right? And then what should they do? ”

"This ......" I thought about it, and it was indeed a problem. With Nobunaga's strength, the imperial court naturally flattered in every possible way. However, what else can this empty and vain court do in addition to adding officials every year? What should I do if the official position is added to the top?

"If it was before the conquest of the Ryukyus, I might have been a little hesitant. However, there is no need to hesitate any more now," Nobunaga looked in the direction of Kyoto, "The Kojiki says that the gods created the eight continents of Honshu, Kyushu, Shikoku, Awaji, Iki, Tsushima, Kushiki, and Sado, and then the Tensun came and calmed the strife in various places, and ruled the continents on behalf of the gods, for Emperor Jimmu...... Now that I have conquered the Ryukyus and unified the eight continents, I have already surpassed the achievements of the Heavenly Sun, right? ”

"The lord wants to ......!" I understood what Nobunaga meant. He wanted to take the place of the emperor.

The Tengo family is a descendant of Amaterasu, and has ruled over the country and Shinto for generations, which is a deep-rooted tradition and common sense of all people. Even the likes of Fujiwara Michicho, Taira Kiyomori, and Minamoto Yoritomo never tried to challenge this tradition. As a samurai, no matter how strong he was, he could only establish a shogunate and take charge of state affairs on behalf of the emperor in the name of the shogun. In the past, it was said that the Ping Jiangmen was in flames in the eastern part of the country, but once he became the emperor, he was immediately beaten into a rebellion that could not be tolerated by the world, and he could not turn over for one or two thousand years. Some people try to exonerate him, but they can only say that he was born to the dragon god, so it is understandable to call the new emperor of Kanto, and they cannot question the emperor's qualifications to rule over the book for generations.

However, Nobunaga is now going to directly defeat the Imperial Family...... If I were the real person, I am afraid that at this time, I would not only be inexplicably surprised like this, but also inexplicably frightened!

"Yes," Nobunaga admitted calmly, "you know, I haven't met anyone on the seventh floor except you...... I guess you should be able to understand my thoughts, right? All your dwellings are built by the sea, and the castle tower is toward the sea. There is also the Nanban ball, which was also given by a missionary teacher who is familiar with you...... You must know that outside of the eight continents, there are still large territories, right? ”

"What does the lord mean...... Is it to continue expanding overseas? I hesitated, but asked the question anyway.

"Yes! After the conquest of Kyushu, the next step will be Korea," Nobunaga smiled, "The distance between Korea and Hizen Province and Tsushima Island is much closer than Ryukyu, and you have the experience of conquering Ryukyu, so this is naturally a sea route...... When the time comes, it will naturally be up to you to go into battle, and then you will be in charge of North Korea. ”

(To be continued)