On May 20, our side attacked Kondo Keiharu, the lord of the castle who had defected from the Oda family last year; On the twenty-first day, Okabe Motoshin handed over Narumi Castle. At this point, the Imagawa forces completely withdrew from Owari Ichikoku.

On the 22nd, General Nobunaga was bound to stay in Narumi and lead his troops back to Cheongshu. The group walked straight to the assessment room of the North Castle Tower, and the retainers, castle lords, and wealthy families who stayed behind all prostrated on both sides of the assessment room, welcoming Nobunaga to sit down on the main seat. This time, with more than 2,000 people, Nobunaga defeated Imagawa Yoshimoto's 3 [***] forces, known as 40,000, beheaded more than 4,000 in total, and won dozens of generals below Yoshimoto, and his martial arts were famous all over the world. These wealthy families in the country were all greatly shaken. Some of the people who had tried to contact Imagawa were shaking all over their bodies at the moment.

Nobunaga's eyes circled around the assessment room twice, and he pointed at the person who was trembling the most and shouted, "Come on, drag these two out and cut them down!" ”

Immediately, a close attendant stepped forward and dragged the two out of the assessment room.

Since it was a beheading instead of a seppuku, it proves that the territory of these two men will also be confiscated. In the face of Nobunaga's strong attitude, no one dared to put forward any opinions or try to intercede for the two.

Seeing the reaction of these people, Nobunaga was very satisfied: "The victory in this battle, you have also contributed a lot to staying in Qingzhou...... I think you've been working hard these days! ”

"I was serving the Lord!" Everyone bowed their heads in unison.

"Then, Lin Zuodu and Changxiu stay, and the rest of you please go down and rest...... Tonight, I'm going to celebrate my victory with a banquet here, so be sure to be there! Nobunaga waved his hand.

"Yes!" The gang all respectfully obeyed and exited the assessment room.

After they all withdrew, Nobunaga twisted his shoulders and half-lay down with his right hand on the tatami mat. Then he commanded, "All right, now it's our group." Feel free everyone! Come on, serve wine! ”

"Congratulations to the lord Wu Yun and prosperous!" Lin Xiuzhen congratulated first. If it was to say, seeing Nobunaga's appearance, he would definitely admonish him to stop it. But now not only did he not stop it, but instead supported the floor with both hands, crossed his knees in front of Nobunaga, and leaned down deeply: "I am really ashamed to try to prevent the lord from going out of battle when the situation is not in the right place in the past!" ”

"Sado Mamoru is loyal, I know it, I really don't have to act like this. After attacking Mikawa, you have to rely on Sado Mamoru more! Nobunaga said comfortably.

"Your Majesty dares not to do your best!" Lin Xiuzhen bowed her head and responded.

Nobunaga nodded and shouted, "Sakuma Nobumori!"

"Your Majesty is here!" Sakuma Nobumori hurriedly stood up from the back row and came to Nobunaga.

"The Sakuma family suffered huge losses in this battle, and it made a great contribution to the family. And Daxue Yun fought hard and sacrificed his life, which is a model of martial arts...... Shinmori, you will take over the position of head of the family and serve as the head of my Oda family! For the next two years, the Sakuma family will be exempt from all military service. Nobunaga said, pointing to a position in the ranks of the important ministers in front of him, "I also hope to do something solid and help Hayashi Sado stabilize the direction of Mikawa." ”

"Yes!" Sakuma Nobumori received the order.

"Hideshige Tsuda!"

"Your Majesty is here!" Hidehide Tsuda is back in the ranks. He was the son of Oda Genbo Yohidetoshi, and after Nobunaga served as the guardian generation, all the members of the Oda family changed the name of Miao to Tsuda, except for the main branch of the Konmune. His sister-in-law, Hidemasa Tsuda, said that he would marry the youngest daughter of Takigawa Ichiyoshi, and then served Takigawa Kazuki, Oda Nobuo, and Toyotomi Hideyoshi one after another, and finally became the Tokugawa family leader of the 4,000-stone Chiyuki, and died at the age of ninety.

"You will inherit the territory of Nakamura Sango in Aichi County, serve as the lord of Nakamura Castle, and be the general of your family!"

"Yes!" Hideshige Tsuda also entered the ranks of the ministers and sat down.

"Sasa Seimasa!"

"Your Majesty is here!"

"You take over the position of the head of the Sasa family, serve the general of the Oda family for me, and serve as the lord of Hira Castle!"

"Yes!" Zuo Zuo Chengzheng leaned over, "Your Majesty is willing to continue to serve as a mother's cloth, and follow the side of the lord." ”

"Then you have to appoint a city representative for yourself...... In addition, you, as the head of the family, have not yet started a family, which is not good. Let's marry the eldest daughter of Yoshibei as the main room! Nobunaga turned his head to the right, "Yoshibei, do you agree?" ”

"The marriage of the lord is really the supreme honor of the little girl!" Murai Sadakatsu leaned down.

"Aoqi Iiao!" Nobunaga shouted again.

"Your Majesty is here!" Iio Shangqing replied, a little hesitation in his voice. Of the three main generals guarding Washizu, Oda Hidetoshi and his father, Iio Seizune, were both honorably killed, and only he led a few people to evacuate.

But Nobunaga didn't pursue it: "This time guarding Washizu, your father and son did a good job...... You will take over as the head of the Iio family and become the lord of Okuda Castle. ”

"The minister is determined to die!" Iiao is still grateful.

"Alright, let's decide on the reward for this battle now!" Nobunaga clapped his hands, "How about making sure Ichiban first?" What do you think? ”

"Your Majesty recommends Maori Liangsheng." Katsuya Shibata spoke first. He was the elder of his family, and his status was much higher than that of the stables of Maori Ryokatsu, and he had always been arrogant, so he didn't use any honorifics. However, he has always been upright, and he is convinced of Mori Yoshikatsu's great achievement in winning Imagawa Yoshimoto.

"Your Majesty recommends His Highness Hattori Istada," Mori Kecheng bowed slightly to Shibata Katsuya and continued, "If His Highness had not found the escaped Yoshimoto in time and stabbed him in the abdomen, I am afraid that things would not have gone so smoothly." ”

"Your Highness recommends Kira," Ikeda Hengxing put his hands on the ground and bowed to Nobunaga, "His Highness Kira has mastered the art of war, and he has broken the formation of 1,500 men with 700 guns, and his own losses are very small, which is enough for the first battle achievement...... His Majesty was deeply admired and ashamed. ”

“…… It's rare that you have such a surname, and this battle is not in vain," Nobunaga nodded, "I'll leave the Shoushan Castle next to your territory to you!" ”

"Thank you, Lord for the reward!" Ikeda Hengxing responded.

I am deeply touched and ashamed of Ikeda's recommendation. Even though we were our gun-training partners and had been neighbors for so long, I hadn't had much of a deep relationship with him before. On the one hand, as Nobunaga's milk brother and Yoshiri's brother, he is deeply favored by Nobunaga, and I always maintain a little estrangement from a "crony party" like him; Second, in my impression, he doesn't seem to have any merits. The first idea is inevitably biased; The latter idea is really utilitarian.

His words at the moment played a great role. Niwa Nagahide also recommended me, and he has always had a good relationship with me, not to mention that I have made a great contribution to the establishment this time; There were also some people who thought they understood Nobunaga's original intentions, and they also expressed their opinions, and some people even said that I was a famous general who defeated the 5,000 men of the Yoshimoto main camp with 700 men, which made me feel itchy when I heard it.

"Keijiro, what do you think of yourself?" Nobunaga asked me.

"Thank you for your kindness, I am really ashamed to be here." I hurriedly thanked him, "If you want to talk about it, I think it's His Royal Highness Liang Tian Deyu." ”

"Oh? Tell me your reason. Nobunaga looked at me with interest.

"In the art of war of the Ming Kingdom, it is said, 'Know yourself and know your opponent, and you will not be defeated in a hundred battles'. It was the key information sent by His Royal Highness Liang Tian one after another that assisted the lord in formulating a reasonable strategy and successfully intercepting Yoshimoto's main formation. Otherwise, it would be difficult to defeat the Imagawa family's army so smoothly. I bowed down, "This is just a little bit of the minister's opinion, everything is up to the lord's judgment." ”

"Not bad! Keijiro, that's a good point! Nobunaga laughed, "Ryota Masada!" ”

"Your Majesty is here!" Ryota Masatsu came out and came to Nobunaga. By the time he regained the Oda family, he had officially joined the Oda family.

"In this battle, you have made great contributions, and you should be a great merit! I have a word first, the 5,000 stones of the hanging city are yours! I also hope to dedicate myself to the movement of the direction of the three rivers for my family. ”

"The minister is determined to die for his family!" Liang Tian Zhenggang thanked the reward excitedly.

"Hmm......" Nobunaga nodded in satisfaction, and then called my name: "Kira Xuanjing!" ”

"Your Majesty is here!"

"Train the spear array, break through the strong enemy, I have indeed seen your bravery...... Since you were still young when you came out, I won't be able to improve your generality this time. The 3,500 koku of the lower market castle between Kanie Castle and Tsushima, as well as the three villages of Kamikawada, Kitashita, and Shimomarket, will be your knowledge and action! You will be given three months to tidy up your territory, and then you will be appointed! ”

"Thank you, Lord for the reward!" I bowed my head in reply.

"Three times for Hattori Ichiloyal, find Yoshimoto, stab him in the abdomen, and give Zhixing 2,000 stones...... I'll send someone to tell him to recuperate. Nobunaga sighed. Although he has made great contributions, Hattori Kazutada's right leg is estimated to be disabled, and he is given Zhixing, so it is estimated that he has to be used as a place for his retirement.

“…… As for Mori Yoshikatsu, take the head of Imagawa Yoshi, and be the head of Ichiban. Specially given a feeling, appreciating the knowledge of a thousand stones, adding 300 yuan a year, and being promoted to a light general. ”

"Thank you, Lord for the reward!" Mori Ryokatsu stepped forward to receive the sentiment. Although he didn't get the Zhixing of Yigong, he was also very satisfied with the first of the symbols of bravery, and there were also feelings, Zhixing, additions and promotions.

"The second head is Shibata Katsuie, and he asks for Matsui Munenobu, the deputy general of Yoshimoto, and gives him a special impression, and rewards the famous sword Hasebe Kunishige."

"Thank you, Lord for the reward!" Shibata Katsuie happily accepted. His family knows how to do it with more than 20,000 stones, but he doesn't attach too much importance to it. But it was a great honor to get the feeling and Nobunaga's saber.

"The first three times is Kamikawa Konatsu, and he seeks to win the first general, the old Se Nashi of the Imagawa family. The reward has been given beforehand. I won't talk about it here. The rest of the feats and rewards will be announced by Sadakatsu Murai later...... I hope you will continue to be loyal and dedicated to our family! ”

"I am willing to die for the Lord!"

"Then, ladies and gentlemen," Nobunaga said, holding up his squire's full glass, "now drink for victory!" ”

……，……

The three village territories of Kamikawada, Kitashita, and Shimono Market that I have been given are located in the northwest of Tsushima on the banks of the Koko River, halfway between Tsushima and Kanie Castle. Due to its proximity to the river and a thriving commercial town to the north, the economy of the prefecture is not bad.

And Shimo-Market Castle, of which I am the lord of the castle, together with Ono Castle and Maeda Castle, serves as the three branch castles that protect Kanie Castle. Kanie Castle was once a famous castle in Owari Ichikoku and was built 130 years ago by Hojo Tokitoshi and has a triple castle of Honmaru, Ninomaru and Sannomaru. But now, the city has largely fallen into disrepair and has largely been abandoned. As its branch city, the Lower Market City is certainly not very good.

After a field survey, I decided to abandon the renovation and build a new town in Kamikawada Village, on the banks of the Yuko River. And the name of the new city is Shangchuan Castle, which sounds like it was built specifically for Xiao Xia.

Speaking of which, I do have that in mind. After Xiao Xia became a side room, I doted on her very much out of the psychology of compensation, and I was almost inseparable. Although it was almost like this before, but at that time as a master and slave, and now as a couple, there is no need to say much about the intimacy.

Because the Yu family had to take care of Yujin, who was born not long ago, and the family's ministry, they didn't even come to Xincheng, and the matter of sleeping all fell on Xiao Xia. Xiao Xia grew up in the mountains, tall and sturdy, with slender and powerful legs, and is really a very good bed partner. With her, sometimes I feel very special. I really thought of her as a sister at first, because her surname was very similar to my compatriot's sister......

Even now, I am still very gentle, but she is always anti-guest, and even takes the initiative to provoke war...... It's really enthusiastic.

The fly in the ointment is that she has been injured several times, and there are many scars on her body that was originally as smooth as jade, but several of them are caused by me...... Whenever I touch the scars on her neck, right shoulder, and right thigh, I don't feel the slightest disgust in my heart, and I often only feel a burst of guilt.

As a small lord who had just come out, the territory was only three thousand five hundred stones, and there were only three months to tidy up, so it was impossible for this city to be too large. It's more appropriate to say it's a yashiki than a castle. Of course, the castle wall is still needed, and it is naturally tighter than the general Yashiki walled courtyard, and some guard facilities are arranged.

Even so, Ishitani Nana, who is the main room, is already very jealous. Although she is the main chamber of the lord of Shangchuan City, she can now be called "Shangchuan Palace", but she is very reluctant to be called by the people, because Shangchuan is the Miao character of Xiaoxia......

Jealousy among women is inevitable in any era.

Other than that, everything else is quite harmonious. Xiao Xia's surname is frank, and after marrying into the door, the original liveliness suddenly returned to him. And Ishitani Nana is very good-hearted, probably because she has seen the displacement in Kyoto, she takes very good care of the poor people in the collar, especially likes children, and often happily takes Yamauchi Yoshisuke, holding the consistent Yongle money among the children as a fortune girl...... In fact, she is only 15 years old, and she has always been treated as a child by me, so she is unrestrained.

After three months, I appointed Hidekyi as the jodai, and I took Konatsu back to Cheongju and lived in Nobunaga's mansion.

During this time, Nobunaga drove Owari Yoshigin, the guardian of the main castle tower, out of Kiyoshu on the grounds that he was familiar with the Imagawa family. After that, he sent people to Beijing to inform Shogun Yoshiki of the war with Imagawa and presented some of the spoils. Yoshiki, who was dissatisfied with Imagawa's unauthorized use of the banner of "Kamiraku" and the self-proclaimed man of the world, was very happy that Nobunaga defeated Imagawa Yoshimoto, greatly praised Nobunaga's loyalty, and officially appointed Nobunaga as the guardian of Owari Province.

As a relative of the Ashikaga clan, the Imagawa family has a noble family second only to Ashikaga and Kira, and also has the right to inherit the name of shogun. Perhaps in the eyes of later generations, in the late Warring States period, Imagawa Yoshimoto was the only daimyo capable of reviving the Muromachi shogunate, but for the current shogun, Ashikaga Yoshiteru, he was a great threat to his position.

When it comes to authority, the closer the relationship, the greater the threat. The biggest reason for the decline of the Muromachi shogunate was the repeated rebellion of the Kamakura duke.

At the beginning, the Ashikaga clan established the shogunate, and appointed the second son, the Ashikaga Kei, as the governor of the Kanto region, and the matrilineal Uesugi family as the deacon, with the intention of assisting the shogunate in maintaining the stability of the eastern country. As a result, the Kanto Governor established himself as the Duke of Kamakura, and repeatedly set off wars, which is really ironic to think about......

The person who came to Owari to deliver the letter of appointment this time was actually my cheap brother Ishiya Yorichen. I was ordered to go to the Lord's castle tower to meet Nobunaga, and he happened to be right next to me.

Due to Nobunaga's prestige, he was also valued by the shogun as a contact party. Compared with the meeting at the beginning of last year, his complexion is much better.

"Come here, Keijiro! I've seen your brother-in-law first! ”

"I've seen Ishitani-sama!" I owe it to me.

"Don't dare to be. His Royal Highness Xuanjing has made great contributions this time, and even the general has heard of the name of bravery. It's really gratifying. He quickly smiled back.

I nodded, and then formally greeted Nobunaga: "The lord is called, I don't know what to command?" ”

"Keijiro, some time ago, you served as a deputy assistant to Changxiu in Cheongju, and you did a good job, I am very satisfied!" Becoming the official guardian of Owari Province, Nobunaga was in a very good mood.

"Don't dare to be a lord."

"Hmm...... In the last war, after His Royal Highness Xuan Fan Yun was loyal to the main family, the position of Tsushima has been vacant. It just so happens that your territory is nearby, so it's up to you to take charge of the new Tsushima commission! ”

This one? I was pleasantly surprised. Tsushima is the place where Nobunaga's family started, and the fact that it became the Tsushima government shows that Nobunaga trusts and values me. If you go down this road, the future will be bright.

"Willing to be loyal and dedicated to our family!" I promised.;