The succession of the general is a very solemn matter...... In other words, it's a lot of trouble. There are ready-made rules for clothing, clothing, clothing, etiquette, calligraphy, and the ranks of the ascension to the palace, and there is a certain order, even the functions of the handlers, the style of various official documents (each with a specified format) and the reading method (must be read, that is, the so-called court language) are all stipulated, which require the coordination of the imperial court and the shogunate until the official shogun takes office and the new shogun goes to the south chamber in the Qingryōden to meet His Majesty. From the beginning of October to the eighteenth day, Hararashi Nijo and Yantsugi Yamashina, who represented the imperial court, and Hosokawa Fujitaka and Akechi Mitsuhide, who represented the shogun and Nobunaga, were busy with this matter. At this time, it is necessary for those of them who are familiar with etiquette to come forward. In addition, the ministers who have their own family businesses have also done things, and these insights related to culture and decoration have been passed down from generation to generation.

Correspondingly, the military operations in Kinai were extinguished, and the forces of Tanba, Settsu, Yamato, and even Omi were dispersed, leaving only the combined forces of Owari, Mino, and Ise that Nobunaga had the ability to compete. In addition to the men and horses stationed in Yamashiro, Settsu, and Hanoi, there were still more than 40,000 people who served as Nobunaga's support, guarding the main roads leading to the outside of Kyoto.

The Ise coalition was in charge of the Kawachi direction, with Kitahata Gutaka Yutaka Castle garrisoning Takaya Castle, the Hatakeyama family's ancestral castle, Nagano Fujitashi garrisoning Miyoshi Castle Iimori Castle, and I leading 10,000 troops to garrison Mt. Kumiyama south of Yodogawa. This is the main road from Kyoto to Hanoi and Yamato, and it is only seven kilometers from Kyoto.

The Yodo River is the only river that flows from Lake Biwa, and has the largest number of tributaries and the largest basin area, with a main stream of 75 kilometers long, passing through Minami-Omi, Yamato, Yamashiro and Settsu Shikoku before flowing north of Ishiyama Honganji Temple into Osaka Bay. When the capital was moved from Nara to Kyoto, it was because of the convenience of water intake and water transportation brought by this river.

Due to the similarity of the name, this river (よどがわ) reminds me of the Niyodo River (によどがわ) in Tosa. Although the name is only one syllable apart, the two rivers are separated by five or six hundred kilometers.

It seems to be a flick of a finger, and ten years have passed, and I have grown from a ronin to a wealthy family with 100,000 stone zhixing, commanding the forces of a country, but the date of returning to Tosa is still undecided.

Mie Gun is a good place with a pleasant climate and beautiful scenery, but in terms of scale, there is no castle in the whole of Tosa that can compare to Mie Castle, and Kira Castle as Kira Castle is not even a branch of Mie Castle. But at this time, I remembered the small town by the Niyodo River and the hut in Konatsu.

"Xiao Xia, come with me for a walk by the river! You don't need to bring any personal guards. I beckoned.

"Yes...... Did Your Highness remember the Niyodo River? Xiao Xia asked.

"How do you know?"

"Because the concubine body also thought of it!" Xiao Natsu smiled and followed me with a thousand hands in her arms.

The two-year-old Senjuhime is not suitable for following the army, and considering that Konatsu is not very good at taking care of children, I originally intended to let her live in Kyoto, and Mrs. Heiko of the Akechi Mitsuhide family will take care of her. Since I had a relationship with Yamato and Jin when I was a general Yoshiteri, after Akechi Mitsuhide became Nobunaga's retainer, he and I had a very close relationship at home, so he would be happy to help.

The reason why Senjuhime was entrusted to the wise family was that Mitsuhide's wife, Heeko, was notoriously virtuous, and she would definitely be able to take care of Senjuhime, who had just lost her mother; Another reason is that there are many daughters of the wise family, and there are already five at present. The eldest daughter, Akechi Kanno, later married the fourth and fifth generations of the Mikawa Sakurai Matsudaira family, Matsudaira Tadamasa, and the Tadanao brothers; The second daughter, Akechi Ryūko, later married Araki Muraji, the son of Araki Village's heavy sister-in-law, and remarried the famous Akechi Hidemitsu after leaving; Both daughters are Mitsu-so's adopted daughters. The third daughter is the eldest daughter of her own life, and later married Mitsuxiu's cousin Akechi Guang'an; The fourth daughter is the second daughter of her own life, Akechi Tamako, who turned five years old this year and later married Tadashi Hosokawa's son Tadashi; There are also five daughters, Akechi Hideko, who happened to be the same age as Senjuhime, and later became Nobunaga's adopted daughter, married to Tsutsui Shunkei's sister-in-law, and set the main room as the main room.

I wanted Senjuhime to have a few companions. However, since witnessing her mother being killed and then being hugged by Xiao Xia, she has never left Xiao Xia's side, and Xiao Xia can't let go of her, as if she is her own daughter. In view of this rare fate and affection, I had to let them still be with me.

Two people and a child, walking casually by the Yodo River, seem to be an ordinary family.

I enjoyed the rare comfort and didn't say anything more. Xiao Xia couldn't help but ask:

"Your Highness, when can I return to Tosa Province?"

"I had to ask the main hall this question...... Based on my current position, if the main hall is interested in an expedition to Shikoku, I will probably be the commander-in-chief! ”

"Oh, how dare the concubine ask the hall!" Xiao Xia couldn't help but tighten the thousand-armed Ji in her arms.

"Then I don't know."

"But, didn't Lord Iwamatsu capture Kishiwada Castle? It's not far from Shikoku...... We have a water army, and we can fight wherever we want. Xiao Xia is very proud and longing.

"Kishiwada Castle controls 50,000 or 60,000 stone of Minami Izumi, and it is the gateway to Kii Province, monitoring Osaka Bay and Sakai Town, so it is impossible for the lord to give it to me...... When the navy withdraws to Ise, it will definitely be handed over to the lord. I smiled and shook my head. At present, in the Oda family, my strength has grown fast enough, such a key position, and the control of a large territory, I will not have any extravagant expectations.

Xiao Xia has a lot of questions today: "If it is not handed over to His Highness, then who will it be handed over?" ”

Yes, to whom, and to whom? I couldn't help but groan.

Such a critical place cannot be handed over to the outside. Historically, this land was later given to Oda Nobunhari, the lord of Odai Castle and the Oda Fujizaemon family. Oda Nobunhari's brother died in Mino with Nobuhide, so he was deeply favored by Nobunaga, and specially allowed him to use the "Oda" Miao character of the lineage, and gave him favoritism. He married Nobunaga's cousin, and his son Nobunao married Ikeda Tsuneko's half-sister, as well as Nobunaga's nursing sister and Yoshiri's younger sister (who knows the mother?). ）。 Relying on this kind of trust and kinship, Nobuyari was able to obtain the title of Kishi Wada Castle and Izumi Bankoku, and served as the responsibility of Kii Province.

However, Shinhari raised his head after the attack on Asai and the burning of Mt. Hiei, and the sealing of Kishi Wada Castle was not until 1577 when Kii raided. At that time, Nobunaga had completely ruled, so he did not have to worry about attacks from the surrounding area and the sea. And for now, except for me, who has a navy army and two thousand standing reserves, no one in the family can afford to carry this burden.

Historically, when Nobunaga supported Yoshisho Kamiraku, he did not conquer Minamiwazumi, and Kishiwada Castle was headed by Matsuura Hizenmaemo, who was the guardian of Shimowazumi and a former minister from Anzu Fuyasu. Now because of my sailors, the Azuku family has declined ahead of schedule, but I don't know what arrangements Nobunaga will make in this situation?

There was the sound of horses' hooves behind me, and when I looked back, it was Nobunaga's small surname Hidemasa Hori. And when he saw that it was me, he immediately jumped off his horse and walked towards me with a folded envelope.

"Kira-sama! The Lord has a command to convey! He handed me the envelope, "The lord has ordered Yoshira-sama to go to Sakai Town and ask the ten people to surrender to my Oda family!" ”

"Do you want me to march to Sakai Town?" As I asked, I opened the envelope, and then I couldn't help but be stunned: there was only Nobunaga's "Tianxia Bubu" seal and a monogram on it, and there was no content.

"The lord said that no matter what method Kira-sama uses, as long as you can get the ten people of Sakai Town to provide 20,000 yuan for the military and hand over a few famous tea utensils!"

"I see," I nodded, "I've worked so hard for you, so please take a break!" ”

"The kindness of Kira's predecessors is appreciated, but the lord has another task, so I have to ask for advice next time." Hori Hidemasa smiled and owed. Because it was a private exchange, his address became respectful.

"Then, please reply to the lord and say that I will definitely do it for the lord as soon as possible." I am very confident in my commitment to say.

In the current situation, it is easy to accomplish the mission.

"I will tell you the truth." Hori Hidemasa said, quickly getting on his horse and heading in the direction of Yamato.

Seeing off Hidemasa Hori, I smiled at Natsu, "Well, there's another mission." ”

"Does Your Highness want to take the army with you?" Xiao Xia asked.

"Perhaps...... Not really! I thought for a moment, and then replied, but it was more like talking to myself, "The lord has replaced the Miyoshi family, and the navy has taken control of Osaka Bay and the surrounding area of Sakai Town, and the surrender of the ten people is a matter of course." With the military momentum, it seems too stingy. ”

"Really...... But, 20,000! ”

"For Sakai Town, how much is 20,000 kans?" I couldn't help but laugh. At the beginning, in Uji Yamada Town, which is also a self-governing city, I was able to knock out 5,000 kan, let alone Sakai Town, which is far more prosperous than Uji Yamada Town.

In contrast, handing over the famous tea ware can be said to be more uncomfortable for the ten people.

Sakai Town is the origin of the tea ceremony, and although the style of drinking tea has been transmitted from the Heian period to the Tang Dynasty, the tea ceremony that formed a system was completed by Takeno Shoou and Senshoyi. Both of them were wealthy businessmen in Sakai Town. Takeno Shao Ou, formerly known as Takeda Shinshiro, dealt in weapons and leather in Sakai Town, and after dipping silver in the tea ceremony, he changed "Tian" to "Ye", named Shao Ou, and called Yi Xianzhai, in order to show his own meaning of tea ceremony. Senshoyi's original name was Tanaka Yoshiro, and his father was one of the ten people in Sakai Town, Tanaka Yohei, who ran a warehouse business, and he had been dead for many years, and the family's business name, Uoya, was naturally inherited by him. In addition, the other two disciples of Takeno Shaoou, and the "three great masters of the world", Imai Munehisa and Tsuda Soyo, who are known as the "three great masters in the world" along with Qian Zongyi, are also among the ten wealthy merchants.

Thinking of this, I suddenly had an idea: "Xiao Xia, you can go to Sakai Town with me!" ”

"Of course, the concubine is the general of His Royal Highness's personal guard!"

"That's different...... I mean, as a couple, you don't need to bring any guards," I glanced at Senjuhime, who was hugging her neck, "and bring the child with you." ”

"This!" Xiao Xia was stunned for a moment, "What about Your Highness's safety?" ”

"Don't worry, the whole of is now the territory of the Oda family, and Kishiwada Castle is in my hands, no one in Sakai Town dares to do anything to me," I hurriedly comforted her, "And showing such a bearing, I will definitely be able to better communicate with the ten people, and also to complete the task more smoothly!" ”

Hearing me say that it was for the mission, Xiao Xia bit her lip and stopped talking.

"That's it," I told her with great interest, thinking that I was about to see the most prosperous and free city of our time, as well as the most outstanding tea man, "and remember to change into a kimono when you set off." ”

……，…… The next day, I prepared an ox cart and set off for Sakai Town with Natsu and Senjuhime, accompanied only by Yamauchi Moritoyo and Fujido Takatora, one on the left and one on the right. Both of them were dressed as guards and wore knives for self-defense. Among them, Fujido Gaohu, as my little surname, wears my Haiyue, which is much more reliable than ordinary Taidao in times of crisis. In addition, although I told Xiao Xia that it was absolutely safe, I secretly made some preparations in order to deal with the unexpected situation.

After more than a day of leisurely travel, our group arrived in Sakai Town. Xiao Xia was a little worried at first, but then she gradually became cheerful and enjoyed this rare trip very much. And the closer you get to Sakai Town, the more pedestrians there are on the road, and it gradually has a bustling appearance.

Sakai Town, located at the junction of the three kingdoms of Tsu Province, Kawachi Province, and Izumi, is named after the Heian period, and was founded as the backing industrial city of Kyoto and Nara, but it really developed after the Hosokawa family designated it as a trading port for Kanai, and since then it has developed rapidly, and eventually it has become the premier city of the city with autonomy and autonomy. I took Xiao Natsu and the others to walk around the town, casually browsing the houses and markets on both sides, compared to Mie Town and Kyoto, it is very different, but it is more prosperous, there seems to be an exotic aroma rippling around, and occasionally you can see red-haired, bearded, and European-style Nanban people passing by. But the most special thing is the demeanor of the townspeople and merchants, who show an unusual calmness compared to outsiders, let alone compared with the respectful and observant lords. This is the self-confidence accumulated over the centuries of a free city, which is hard to see elsewhere, and compared to the people of Mie, the townspeople of Mie do not have such an atmosphere, and the people of Kyoto seem reserved and even panicked.

"This is Sakai Town! That's amazing! Takatora Fujido, who was only thirteen years old and was going out for the first time, felt that his eyes were not enough, "I thought that Mie Town was prosperous enough......

"Of course, it's hundreds of years of accumulation. Naturally, Mie Town can't be compared...... Okay, Kangfeng, you can also feel free, it's normal to bump and bump here, and you don't need to put on a pretentious look. ”

"Yes." Although Yasutoyo Yamauchi agreed, his expression did not relax.

“…… Well, help me ask where the Imai family's house is. Be kind, the samurai set is not very popular here. ”

(To be continued)