In September, the land inspection of Hizen Province had been preliminarily completed, and the Matsuura family in Matsuura County was also pacified by Nobuyei, and all the 150,000 stone domains in the county, Hirado, and Karatsu were all taken over to the main family.17351) Nobuyai appointed his cousin Ishiya Nobumasa as the Hirado Commissioner, and set up a money-writing house and Tsuya branch in the town, and promulgated the money-writing order, the Ichi-Yi Law, and the Shakukan Law, and fully implemented the family policy modeled on Mie Town. In addition, Shinkei renovated Hirado Castle, which was located on Hirado Island and across the sea from the Kyushu mainland, and expanded it to a certain extent, and used it as the family's base in Hizen, with his brother Hirano Nagatai as the garrison.

He wrote to me to ask for my opinion on the appointment, but I did not express any opinion and left it to make his own decision.

And his appointment of Xuan Zheng and Pingye is also expected by me. Although these two people are not outstanding, they have followed him since childhood, and they have been together in Antu for a good time, and they have experienced the escape trip after the Honnoji Rebellion, and Bai Ran is particularly respected by him.

Perhaps, the younger generation of retainers should be handed over to Xinjing and let him train his own team.

Thinking like this, I sent all the more than a dozen close poems from the retainers of the clan such as Maeno Keitada, Tsubouchi Keita, and Kaneko Keigen to Hizen Province and pulled them under the command of Nobuyi, leaving only Maeda Toshinaga, Katsugano Shunobu, Honda Masasumi and other close attendants from the Oda family and the retainers of the Oda family.

In addition, the lotus pond under Zhou Jing's name was also transferred from Kyushu by me. Together with the Miju at my side, they will escort me to Kyoto for Nobunaga's anniversary festival, and then join the command of Wakayama Castle Shukei to deal with the increasingly chaotic political situation in Kinai.

Many of my retainers have vaguely expressed concern about my trip to Kyoto. When I stopped at Quanzhou Castle on the way, Xiujing suggested that he enter Beijing for me to participate in Nobunaga's anniversary festival.

"Although the head of the family can't be separated, it's too risky to go by the elder brother, so why don't you be replaced by a subordinate? As the head of the family, he should be able to participate in the worship on behalf of his family. ”

I know what he means. Since Oda Nobutaka Shibata Katsuya defeated Tsuda Nobusumi, there has been tension between the former ministers of the Oda family, and even Niwa Nagahide, who has a more neutral position, does not dare to enter Beijing alone like the group of people who entered Beijing alone a year ago, let alone Oda Nobutaka, Shibata Katsuie, Takigawa Kazuki and others.

But I don't have to worry too much

"Don't worry, Kyoto is His Royal Highness Hideyoshi, and he doesn't dare to provoke the Oda family before he unifies the Oda family,... What's more, I have these 3,000 elites, as well as the support of the entire Shangjing District townspeople and a large number of ministers, so I can come and go without hindrance. I reassured him.

"No mercy, after all, there is still a certain risk!" Xiujing continued to persuade, "It's just an anniversary festival, why should my brother care so much? Last year, my brother didn't even have a funeral!" Actually, I only went to this time for a very important matter. "I decided to confess to him." What's the matter?" Xiujing immediately asked. "Engage with the Imperial Court and fight for the position of Elder Genji." I replied.

"Genji elder!" Xiujing exclaimed in surprise, this name is really amazing! With Xiujing's current composure, he is still inevitably shocked.

"Yes, it is the Genji Elder," I nodded, "with the current position of the family, to get this position is equivalent to obtaining the title of pacifying the world from the imperial court, and thus completely breaking away from the Oda family system." In addition, you can also press the two sides of Hideyoshi and Shibata who are currently facing each other, make them feel that time is pressing, and then have a decisive battle as soon as possible. "It's true, but isn't the position of the elder Genji held by the shogun?" Xiujing frowned, "With the current status of this family, it seems that it is not enough!" You are wrong, the Genji elders are not appointed by the shogun's family, but by the descendants of Genji, who have the highest official position," I smiled,

"And at present, I, as the second secretary of the ministry, is the person with the highest official position among the descendants of Genji!"

Many people misunderstand this question. In fact, the earliest Genji elder was Sakuyoshi, the pen head of all Genji's descendants, who was responsible for Genji's rituals, summonings, referees, and clan juzzles, and also served as the head of the Chunwa Academy and the Akakuin Academy, and was responsible for the education of Genji's children. The first elder of the Genji was the seventh son of Emperor Saga and the left minister, Genshin (the first Genji), and was succeeded by the Saga-Genji of his lineage. Later, Saga-Genji declined, and this position passed over Daigo Genji and Uta Genji, and finally fell into the hands of Murakami Genji. Murakami's descendants of the source, there are four families, Kuga, Horikawa, Tsuchigomon (Genji), and the Middle Court, so for a considerable period of time, the elders of the Genji have all been converted between the four families, and the highest official position among the four heads of the families (often the oldest person also leaves) is appointed.

At the beginning of the Muromachi period, due to the turmoil of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the two families of Horikawa and Tsuchiomon (Genji) were severed, and the Nakain family declined, so the head of the Kuga family, the Minister of the Interior, Kuga Tsuki, was active in the imperial court, and the Kitatomi family from the Chugain family and the Rokujo family from the Kuga family were excluded, and the Kuga family monopolized the position of the elder of the Genji."

It's just that the good times didn't last long. In 1383 (Hirowa 3/Eitoroku 3), Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, who had already been promoted to the rank of Left Minister, took advantage of the death of the then elder of the Genji clan and the head of the Kuga family, Kuga Tongsang, and took over the position of elder of the Genji clan from his son, the great power of Nagon Kuga Gutsu, and thus created a precedent for the samurai Kiyowa Genji to serve as the elder of the Genji. This is not only because of his own power, but also because of the tradition that the elders of Genji are held by the highest official position. After that, the position of the elder of the Genji clan was held by the Kiyokawa Genji Ashikaga family and the Murakami Genji Kuga family in accordance with this tradition. Among them, the Ashikaga family served Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, Ashikaga Yoshimori, Ashikaga Yoshikyo, Ashikaga Yoshisho (doubtful), and Ashikaga Yoshinoki, and the rest of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, Ashikaga Yoshikatsu, Ashikaga Yoshimasa, Ashikaga Yoshiharu, Ashikaga Yoshiki, Ashikaga Yoshiei, and Ashikaga Yoshiaki were not able to serve as Genji elders because of insufficient official positions.

The one that best embodies this tradition is Ashikaga Yoshiki. Although he was ousted from the position of shogun by Ashikaga Yoshisumi, because he served as the chief of the two powers, the official position was higher than that of Ashikaga Yoshisumi and the Kuga Bangtong, who was the third of the three Nakadai at the time, and he still served as the elder of the Genji family. When Ashikaga Yoshikie died, Ashikaga Yoshisumi and the subsequent generals did not have high official positions during their lifetimes, so the elder Genji fell into the Kuga family again, and was successively appointed by the adopted son of Kuga Bangtsu, from the three powers, Kuga Harumi (from the Konoe family), and the son of Kuga Harumi, the son of the two Shoji Tsuken.

In the eleventh year of Eiro, Nobunaga supported Ashikaga Yoshiaki Kamira, and Kuga Toriken was dismissed and exiled by the imperial court together with Sekihaku Konoe because of his support for Ashikaga Yoshiei, and died in Kaimachi four years ago!. From then to now, the position of elder Genji has been vacant. The closest to this position was the son of Kuga Tongjian, who was fifteen years old, and had been promoted to the position of minister by three ranks, but had not yet held any official position.

Since the head of the Kuga family of the public family Genji is only an unofficial minister from the three ministers, and among the samurai family Genji, my subordinate two ministers are the highest, then I can completely invoke the precedent and apply to the imperial court to be the elder of the Genji... After listening to my explanation, Xiujing also showed an expression of relief and excitement. He could understand how much shock it would be to the world's samurai families if I were to become the elder of the Genji, and what kind of prestige my Kira family would reach. Faced with such a temptation, he couldn't help but start to suffer from gains and losses: "Is my brother sure about this matter?" Will the imperial court agree? Will His Highness Hideyoshi agree?"

"On the side of the imperial court, there should be no problem, many ministers, including Guan Bai Yiyi Neiji, will speak for me. Last year, if I hadn't opened the temple to accept and protect them, and made a relationship with the Hino family, I don't know how many people would have been held accountable by His Royal Highness Hideyoshi and Nobutaka!" I smiled slightly, "As for His Royal Highness Hideyoshi, he is not from Genji, what position does he have to interfere with the appointment of the elder Genji?" If his eyes are red, he will first go and worship his stepfather who was born in Genji. "In that case, there is no problem!" Xiujing bowed excitedly, "Congratulations brother!"

Soon after, I led Mijubei, Hoike Bei, and Shukei Sai to pick up my Awaji Bei and set out from Quanzhou Castle to Kyoto. When I was passing by Fushimi Castle, I heard that it was Hidecho Yura who was guarding the castle and presiding over the follow-up campaign, so I stopped and sent Asano Nagamasamae, who was in charge of Awaji Bei, to pay a frenzy. Yura Hidecho was a reasonable person, and he had the face of Ningning's younger brother Asano Nagamasa, so he soon led the young sect out of the city and came to the army to meet him in person. "His Royal Highness Hideyoshi, my brother, has he entered Beijing, right?" I asked.

"Report to His Highness Taichang, my brother went to Beijing on the third day," Hara Hidecho replied respectfully. He addressed me as an official, with a faint sense of alienation in his politeness: "In addition, the accompanying sons and daughters such as His Royal Highness Setzu Ikeda, Bichu Ukita Tadashi, and His Highness Toyama Minami Hanoi are all going to pay homage to Taisei."

"Has His Highness Changshan also gone?" I asked with some surprise. The Ukita Tadashi family is fine, but Masanomasao Masayama is the one who later defected to Hideyoshi, not outside the Oda family, so it stands to reason that they should not go to worship together.

"Yes," Hidecho Hara should have guessed what I was thinking, "As far as I know, Lord Shoyama Shojo also came to Kyoto with His Royal Highness Shibata.

"I see." I nodded. Just as Masasho Masayama was not an outsider of the Oda family, Takayama Shojo was also a retainer later recruited by the Shibata Katsu family.

He is the head of the Toyama Oshu family, and when the Changshan of the Oshu family threw himself into Nobunaga's successor to the Masayama Jingo family, he once threw himself into the door of the Masayama Takamasa (the brother of Masayama Masasho and Masayama Shotaka), and now he has taken refuge in Shibata, apparently wanting to use his power to fight with Masayama Masasho from the Oshu family to fight for the Namkawachi half of the country under the name of Masasho.

It's really an all-round confrontation... And it wasn't until I said goodbye to Hidecho Hara and led my army into Kyoto that I realized how fierce the confrontation was. Throughout Kyoto, a few hands became a large barracks. The two sides of Hideyoshi Yura and Katsuiei Shibata each had more than 10,000 troops, and occupied a large area of Shimokyo and Nakakyo Wards with Kyochu and Shijo Omiya as the boundary, as if it were the situation before the Onin War. Hideyoshi's main camp was based in Nijo Castle in Nakakyo Ward: Shibata Katsuie's main camp was located in Tofukuji Temple east of Kamogawa in Shimogyo Ward; Niwa Nagahide led the five front Yu Ashigaru under his command and occupied the border zone between Shimokyo District and Nakakyo District to prevent any conflicts between the two families. However, none of them entered the Kamikyo district that I rebuilt, and apparently left it to me with a tacit understanding, only Ikoma's parents led 3,000 people to be stationed to guard the general temple in Shino, Kamikyo District.

Compared with them, my 3,000 men seem very low-key, at least very incommensurate with my other position, of course, in terms of combat power, I believe that even if I fight to the death with either of them, these two reserves will not be inferior, at least there is no problem in escorting me out of Kyoto. So, I was very comfortable entering Kyoto and marching along the corridor controlled by Niwa Nagahide to Kamikyo Ward.

As soon as I entered this area, Niwa Nagahide immediately stepped forward in person and welcomed me into the Shisei Garden, where he was temporarily stationed. Originally built by Minamoto Rong, the 12th prince of Emperor Saga and the minister of Kawahara (the aforementioned brother of Genshin and the prototype of The Tale of Genji), this famous garden was originally the garden of Rokujo Kawara-in where he lived. At this time, it was originally the time when the most prestigious citrus aurantium in the garden hung fruit (hence the citrus aurantium mansion), but unfortunately due to the large number of citrus aurantium in the ashigaru garden, it had already been ruined, leaving only some stumps and dead leaves, whining and wailing in the autumn wind. Seeing this scattered tragic situation, I couldn't help but sigh: "It's a pity."

"yes, it's a pity." Niwa Nagahide also sighed.

I knew that he was not referring to the scenery of the garden, but to the tense situation in which the former retainers of the Oda family were now fighting each other.

Over the past year, in order to maintain the apparent peace, he has done a lot of work and spent a lot of effort, whether it is the white head on his head or the exhausted expression on his face, it has profoundly revealed his efforts and dedication. It's a pity that even the apparent peace was destroyed by the unauthorized actions of Oda Nobutaka and Shibata Katsuie, so that the situation at home took a turn for the worse and was out of control.

"Your Royal Highness Changxiu, rest assured, at the anniversary festival of Taizheng Gong, no one should dare to risk the disapproval of the world." I reassured him. "But what's the use of that? After all, I can't go to fight," Niwa Nagahide sighed, "I can't help it anyway." Even Nobutaka, now he has a relationship with me, and when he heard about my persuasion, he felt that I had betrayed the Oda family and the Taimasa. Last time, I met with His Royal Highness Katsuya to destroy Shinsumi Tsuda, and one of them was a protest against me. "Really?" I fell silent.

"Do you still want to stay on the sidelines?" Niwa Nagahide turned around, "Now that you have pacified Kyushu and forced the Maori family to obey, you should be able to end this situation by entering Kinai with prestige." The reason why they haven't broken up yet is largely because of you...... If you are interested, I can fully support you in inheriting the position of Taizheng Gong, and I believe that you will be able to get the response of most of the genealogies and appearances, and treat the young master of Yoshihoshi, His Royal Highness Nobutaka, and His Highness Nobuo, and control His Royal Highness Hideyoshi and His Royal Highness Katsuie. ”