The Kii Province faction, which is closest to Izumi Province, is the famous Iron Cannon Mercenary Group Sagashi, which governs the 80,000 stone land of the five towns, Sagaso, Tonosato, Sheto, Nakato, and Nango, and is known as Saga Gogo or Saga Gogumi. Of the five groups, the Suzuki family has one group of Tonosato, the Sagaso family is the Eiraji Izumi Shibo branch of the Tsuchihashi family, and the shrine village, Nakago and Nango are shrine territories. When the Nobushi Long March attacked Kii, the three groups of the leaders immediately surrendered, and the Tsuchihashi family of Sagaso also behaved very uncalmly, and Suzuki Shigehide had no choice but to kill the head of the Tsuchihashi family, Tsuchihashi Wakata Morishige, and drove the Tsuchihashi family to the family of Chosamune, which completely controlled the dominance of the Saga people.

The Suzuki clan originates from the ancient surname Hozumi, which dates back to the mythological period and was originally an official of Kumano Hongu, but later spread throughout the country and became the second most common surname in modern times. Like the Taira clan, the Suzuki clan also used the Kumano Taisha Shrine as their main guardian shrine, and for a long time served as the pen head of the Kumano Imperial Master, and the original meaning of "Suzugi" is the sacred tree that is enshrined during the festival. However, during the Muromachi period, the Suzuki family somehow believed in the Ichijan sect and became extremely religious, becoming one of the strong supporters of Honganji.

In the conflict between Nobunaga and Ichijomune, the name Saga Sunichi or Saga Sunichi often appears in the relevant materials, but it does not refer to a single person. Sun Ichiro is the common name of the son of the Saga family, referred to as Suzuki Sunichi, if he inherits the family business and becomes the leader of the Saga people, he can be called Saga Sun City or Saga Sun Yi. Suzuki Shigeyi and Suzuki Shigehide father and son were both once known as Saga Sun City, in addition, Suzuki Shigehide's brother Shigekan also used this title for a short time, and later because of physical illness, he gave the name of his sister-in-law to Shigehide, and he built another residence in Hirai Township, also known as Hirai Sunichi; There is also a younger brother, named Suzuki Sunzaburo Shigeto, who also inherited the title of Saga Sun City after Shigehide's death, and the three thousand stone flags of the Mito Tokugawa family continue the family name of the Saga Suzuki family. Later, his descendants simply changed to the Miao character "Saga", and the generations of family heads were also called "Sun Yi" (last year's May Day Kameoka Mitsuhide Festival, the contemporary Saga Sun and his family went to perform iron cannons. Embarrassment).

Now that I'm stationed in Kishiwada Castle, I'm going to have to deal with Saga people from now on. During the historical Kii Expedition, Kishiwada Castle was the bridgehead to enter Kii, and the Nakano Castle of the Suzuki family was stuck right at the entrance.

Thinking of the time when I was in Shangchuan and Xiejiang City, it seems that my "fate" with Yixiangzong is not shallow...... At noon on 16 January, I led my navy across Sagasaki and reached the waters off Kishiwada Castle. The whole trip took thirteen days, which was one day less than the last maiden voyage of Iwamatsu Jingding.

In view of Iwamatsu Jingding's experience of capturing Kishiwada Castle, I handed over the command of this battle to him, and I sorted out the charts with Hidekyo and Konatsu in the cabin.

"My lord! That's not right! Iwamatsu Jingding suddenly broke in, "Kishiwada Castle seems to belong to us!" ”

"How so?" I walked out of the cabin in amazement and looked to the shore with the Nanban mirror. Sure enough, there was no guard arranged at the head of the castle, but there were some people waiting outside Bannan Port, just like outside Shima Toba Port.

"Maybe the main hall sent someone to capture this place by land......" Xiujing guessed.

"No," I shook my head, "the main hall should want me to attack from the sea and completely wipe out the naval forces of Matsuura Hizen. Moreover, since I was asked to serve as the lord of Kishiwada Castle afterwards, it was natural that I should take this castle. ”

"It seems to be the Matsuura Started Flag of the Matsuura family...... Could it be that the main hall accepted the submission of the Matsuura family? Yan Song Jingding shook his head, feeling very puzzled. Matsuura Hizene Mamoru killed Nobunaga's brother-in-law Nobukata Saji, and according to Nobunaga's surname, he would never be spared so easily.

I'm also puzzled by this. Maybe there's something else going on? …… Anyway, let's cheer up first!

"Pass the order down and keep everyone on their guard." I commanded.

However, until we docked and controlled the dock with standing reserves, the group remained unremarkable.

It's very calming! I secretly boasted in my heart, and led Xiujing and the others to the dock.

The first two greeted him. One of them, about thirty years old, bowed to me: "This must be His Royal Highness Xuankei, the commander of Kira Saemon." In the Lower Song Permanent Pass, I have always admired His Royal Highness's martial name, and now I can see it, fortunately! ”

"Your Highness is Matsunaga-dori?" My eyelids couldn't help but jump. Isn't this Matsunaga Shu's son-in-law? How did it end up here?

"Exactly, my father is a young man, and His Royal Highness Kira has probably heard of it!" Matsunaga smiled brightly. Then he turned to the side slightly and introduced the person next to me, "This is His Royal Highness Matsuura Yasufu Zongqing...... His Royal Highness Sokiyo is the adopted son of the Matsuura family, and this time, under the advice of his father, he and his brother His Royal Highness Terada Mataem's protégé killed his relatives together, and exterminated Matsuura Hizen, who disobeyed His Royal Highness Gifu, and won the appreciation of His Royal Highness Gifu, and has been appointed as the castle representative of the city. ”

"It turned out to be His Royal Highness Matsuura Sokiyo." I said it painlessly, and I was very depressed.

Obviously, I was put on the side by Matsunaga Hide, and he took the credit for recovering Kishiwada Castle.

This matter is not difficult for him, as the ruling power of the Miyoshi family and the overlord of Kinai for a period of time, Matsunaga Hide has had friendships with most of the high-ranking wealthy families in this area, and he still maintains considerable influence to this day. Now that he is guilty of Nobunaga, he will naturally try his best to help Nobunaga stabilize Kinai in order to obtain Nobunaga's forgiveness.

It's just that he was the one who united the Miyoshi family to invade Kyoto and capture Kishiwada Castle ten days ago, and now he is the one who has recovered this city, and he has done everything for the good guys and bad guys, it's really ironic to think about it. However, his ability to turn his hands into clouds and his hands into rain should not be underestimated.

Seeing that my face was not good, Matsunaga owed a debt: "This time, I heard that His Royal Highness Kira was ordered to attack Kishiwada Castle, and he shouldn't have overstepped his bounds. However, the two of Kishi and Ta Castle had long admired His Royal Highness Kira, and there was really no need to meet each other, so my father took the initiative to do it for him...... Please forgive me for any offense! ”

"Exactly. I have seen His Royal Highness the Captain Saemon. Matsuura Munekiyo, who was not yet twenty years old, looked a little nervous. According to Nobunaga's current arrangement, he is probably going to take care of the work under me, so he cares a lot about my attitude.

“…… If you are slow to treat yourself, please forgive His Highness the Captain Saemon! He bowed.

"His Highness Matsuura is too worried." I nodded, and my tone was a little better. Historically, it was also this person who killed Matsuura Hizen Mamoru and his brother Terada Ichiya to garrison Kishiwada Castle. However, in general, the person is not bad, although he started from the next Keshang, but he only acted on the orders of people, and later joined the Oda family, and showed great loyalty, and was a cadre in the Oda Nobutaka Nanmido Army. Later, he followed Ishida Mitsunari, and it was also a road to the black, until he changed after the defeat in the Battle of Sekigahara.

"Yes. How about Your Highness please go into the city to rest? Matsuura said respectfully.

"Yes, His Highness Kira has come from afar, and it must have been very hard. Ha ha! Matsunaga laughed again, looking very enthusiastic.

However, when I think of Matsunaga Hide's character and the two assassinations in Sakai Town, I feel that the laughter is very harsh, and I feel a little angry.

"Fortunately, the sea is still calm," I said sarcastically, "but it can't compare to His Highness Matsunaga." I came from Yamato Province and braved the sea breeze to greet me on the pier...... After that, I'm sure I'll have to go to Kyoto to wait for my crimes! ”

“…… In the next place, it is indeed on the order of His Royal Highness Gifu and his father, and he will enter Beijing with His Royal Highness Kira," Matsunaga's face changed slightly, and he owed himself again, "His Royal Highness Kira has a great demeanor, and all his subordinates are elite, and he has really seen it in the next, and he will definitely convey it to his father truthfully." ”

Are you here to observe my military situation and see my own attitude towards the Matsunaga family? It doesn't matter, hostility is hostility, and I really don't have a good impression of the Matsunaga family and Matsunaga Shu, and I'm too lazy to be wronged. I can't learn his ability to watch the wind and steer the rudder and move towards Qin and Dusk.

"Since His Highness Matsuura said it, let's go into the city together!" I said to Matsuura Munekiyo.

……，…… The next day, I left Xiujing as a military representative and led my guards to Kyoto.

Matsunaga Shu moves with us. His entry into Beijing this time is tantamount to being a hostage given to the Oda family, and now I will use it first, and I will make the best use of it.

With him as a talisman, the journey was very peaceful, and in the evening, we arrived in Kyoto, and then we went together to meet Nobunaga.

Nobunaga still lives at Tofukuji Temple, and he has been staying in Beijing for nearly half a month since he entered Beijing on the third day of the first lunar month. In addition to co-opting or punishing the wealthy clans, he is now preparing to rebuild the old Nijo Castle in Karasuma Chugomondai. This attack made Nobunaga realize that Kinai was not stable, and the wealthy families were not reliable. Therefore, in order to prevent Yoshiaki from suffering the fate of his elder brother Yoshiki, he must strengthen the defense around Yoshiaki. To this end, in addition to rebuilding Nijo Castle, he also handed over the mountain castle Kunikatsu Ryuji Castle to Hosokawa Fujitaka and transferred Wada Yumasa of Akutagawa Yamajo Castle to Takatsuki Castle. These two people are Yoshiaki's cronies, and they must do their best to protect Yoshiaki, and in this way, the only trustworthy person around Yoshiaki is Akechi Mitsuhide, and he is also Nobunaga's retainer, which can make it easier for Nobunaga to grasp the situation in Kyoto.

Today, it is said that the person on duty has been replaced, and it is Niwa Nagahide's future son-in-law, Otsu Nagaji. Hidemasa Hori, who was originally on duty, is said to have followed Murai Sadakatsu and Kinoshita Hideyoshi to be in charge of the restoration of the Karasuma Naka Imperial Gate. I politely asked him to report it, and he soon brought Nobunaga's order to meet him with Matsunaga.

After the salute, Nobunaga did not let Matsunaga get up, so even I had to continue to lie flat on the ground.

Then Nobunaga spoke, and his voice sounded angry: "Are you here?" Matsunaga Show! ”

"His Royal Highness, my father is assisting His Royal Highness Miyoshi Zuokyo Yoshiji to stabilize Hanoi, and he has no time to clone for a while, so ...... Before coming, my father repeatedly confessed in fear that he must show his feelings in front of His Highness in order to seek His Highness's forgiveness! ”

"Why is Hanoi unstable? Isn't it your father and son who made it? Nobunaga smiled angrily, "Forgiveness? Ha ha! But say, "Why should I forgive you?" Just by virtue of you taking Kishiwada Castle? ”

"My father has his own explanation for this," Matsunaga touched his head on the ground, "My father said, His Highness Danzheng has risen too fast, just like the hastily built embankment, and it is not very strong. In the event of a major flood, it can easily be washed away. In this case, in order to ensure the safety of the embankment, it is necessary to drain part of the water flow first, so as to reduce the pressure when the flood comes. ”

"So Matsunaga Shu took the initiative to dig up the embankment?" Nobunaga followed up with his parable.

"Yes. My father believed that the greatest flood would come from the north. Therefore, the father of the family chose to say that the Miyoshi family would start an incident in January and took the initiative to attack the princess. As a result, the floods in the northern country are not only blocked by snow and ice, but also inconvenient to participate in...... It's really disrespectful to Lord Gongfang like this, but in order to correct His Highness's great cause, my father can't care about it. ”

"Is that so?" Nobunaga replied simply.

I have to say that there is some truth in Matsunaga's words. Since the Wakasa Province was handed over to Ashikaga Yoshishu, the Asakura family was very dissatisfied with Nobunaga, and according to this trend, it was estimated that sooner or later there would be a war. Before that, it was necessary for Nobunaga to bring the unstable elements in Kinai to the surface and then eliminate them. His timing and manner were also suitable, and in January, the Asakura family in the northern kingdom was unable to send troops; And attacking the general is something that the Asakura family does not dare to participate in no matter what.

As for the offense against Ashikaga Yoshiaki, and the face of the Ashikaga shogun's family. Nobunaga didn't care. Otherwise, he wouldn't have taken in Matsunaga Hide, the mastermind behind the murder of Yoshiki, last time.

"Exactly...... My father's thoughts, please play His Royal Highness Mingjian! ”

"Haha! If the Miyoshi family gets their wish this time, Matsunaga Shu will definitely have another explanation! Nobunaga laughed loudly, but in his words, he distinguished Matsunaga Shu from the Miyoshi family.

"My father said that if His Royal Highness's hegemony is so fragile, then my father will definitely be disappointed."

"Is that what Jiuxiu said? Hehe! Nobunaga continued to laugh, "Well, I'll let you go back...... If your father is sincere, come and congratulate me personally! ”

"Yes!" Matsunaga seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, and then raised his head, "My father has explained, if I can get the understanding of His Highness Danzheng, I am willing to give out the famous tea vessel ninety-nine rounds of eggplant, and make a modest contribution to His Highness's tea party." ”

"yes, then I'll wait," Nobunaga nodded, "I heard that Hisahide is also a master of the tea ceremony, but I have some expectations!" ”

"It's an honor to be able to get His Highness Danzheng's expectations, even if it's in the next place, on behalf of my father," Matsunaga smiled, "Please rest assured that Your Highness Danzheng, my father will not disappoint His Highness." ”

(To be continued)