Higasakikan Joshita Town.

Sanada family mansion.

Sanada sat cross-legged on his knees, holding a rosary, staring at the sandalwood that was pouring in front of him.

Sanada Yutaka has been in the Tao for a long time, when Takeda Shingen shaved his degree, in order to show that he and the lord advance and retreat together, so he also became a monk, and took the name of Yitokusai.

Compared with when he became a monk more than ten years ago, Sanada Yutaka's eyebrows are frost white, and the skin on his face is rough and dry, and he is a short figure, and he looks more rickety.

But in the Takeda family, no one dared to underestimate this unsightly attacker.

Sanada Yutaka's eyes slowly opened, and he saw that his third son, Sanada Masayuki, was already kneeling and waiting.

Sanada Yutaka slowly spoke: "Have you heard about the fact that the lord passed the position of the governor of the family to His Royal Highness Katsuyori, and the matter of the family entering the judgment seat?" Quite a few words"

Sanada Masashi sighed, saying that he had understood that he was not present when Takeda Shingen passed the position of family governor to Katsuyori.

Sanada Yutaka put down the rosary in his hand and said in a loud voice: "My lord, I have been planning what is happening after my death, I heard the news from Shima Hot Springs, my lord's body has been worse than before in recent years, what he said before is that after three years of retirement, he will pass the position of family governor to His Royal Highness Katsuyori, but as far as I can see, I am afraid that with the body of the lord, it will not be able to support it for three years." ”

When Sanada Masayuki heard Sanada Yutaka say this, his body was shocked, and he said: "If the lord's tuberculosis worsens, His Royal Highness will be able to take charge of the family in advance, and then it will be the opportunity for our Sanada family." ”

Sanada Yutaka pressed his hand and said: "Goro, you are too anxious, I have seen the face of the lord, his body has not been a problem to support this year, but it is difficult to say next year and the year after." ”

Sanada Masayuki listened to Sanada Yutaka's words, and said with a sigh: "What my father said is true, but we also have to start arranging it early." ”

Sanada Yutaka sighed and said: "The words are good, if I am healthy, I can still calmly lay out and plan, but now it is no longer possible." ”

"Father?" Sanada Masayuki listened to Sanada Yutaka's words, and his body seemed to be inappropriate.

Facing his son's worried look, Sanada Yutaka nodded and said, "At the end of life, how can it be saved by manpower, and it will be taken as a matter of leisure." I, Sanada Yutaka, am 58 years old this year, and I can see the revival of the Sanada family business in my hands, and the sons have grown up, so what regrets do I have, even if I leave now, I can smile. ”

After a pause, Sanada Yutaka said: "But the matter of your three brothers, I still can't rest assured, your two brothers' military strategy, and the things of the battle formation have to be taught by me, but unfortunately you are not good at flexibility, but your resourcefulness and strategy are all first-class talents of my Takeda family, if it is not for the order of the elders and young, you are more suitable to be the governor of the Sanada family than your two brothers." ”

Hearing Sanada Yutaka's words, Sanada Masayuki hurriedly said, "Father, I don't dare to think about it. ”

Sanada Yutaka smiled: "You don't have to worry, I'm just talking for a while, it's just ** that I can't help the three of you." I also don't want to be self-reliant, and the Sanada family will be peaceful from now on. ”

Sanada Masayuki said: "My father has always said that my Sanada family is a famous family of Shinano and Ueno, and after the famous Shino clan, it was originally a famous family that crossed Shinano and Ueno. If we only condescend to the name of tens of thousands of stones, this is too humiliating to our family character. ”

Sanada Yutaka said: "It's good that you have this ambition, and I will assist your three brothers in the future, but when I can do something, I must have some plans to protect the future of my Sanada family." ”

Sanada Masayuki asked, "Father, do you have any layout?" ”。

Sanada Yutaka nodded and said: "His Royal Highness Katsuyori is confirmed to be his son-in-law, but due to the trust of the lord in him and his own physical discomfort, His Royal Highness's power is better than that of Yoshinobu back then, almost equivalent to the governor of the family, so the situation of the family will be similar to the situation of the Hojo family, the clan Kanggong, and the clan Masagong." ”

"And this time the establishment of the judgment seat is obviously the lord's preparation, in order to let His Royal Highness Katsuyori take over the Takeda family."

Sanada Masayuki listened and thought for a while, nodded and said: "What my father said is good, although Lord Mikan has not given up the family governor, but in fact it is almost the same as retiring, but even among the judges, Yamagu, Baba, Naito, Takasaka, and Akiyama are all genealogies on the hand of the lord, and they are absolutely loyal to Lord Gokan, so Lord Gokan now, even if he does not manage the affairs of his family, as long as these five people are there, it is equivalent to mastering more than half of the military power of his family." ”…,

Sanada Yutaka nodded and said with a smile: "You can see this, it's not easy, although Lord Gokan trusts His Royal Highness Katsuri, but it is impossible for the power to let go, this is also the inevitable means of the superior." However, once the son of heaven and a courtier, once the future lord dies and His Royal Highness Katsuyori becomes the governor of the Takeda family, although they will continue to be loyal to their own family, they may not be convinced by His Royal Highness Katsuyori. These old ministers are used to being arrogant, except for the lord, there is no second person in the world who can be admired, so His Royal Highness Katsuyori must rely on his own strength to take charge of the Takeda family. ”

"And Koyamada, Anayama, and Kiso are all neutral, and their abilities are mediocre, so they can not be mentioned," Sanada Yutaka smiled and said, "So among the Lian Ju Cong, only me and Li Xiao are also His Royal Highness Katsurai's confidants, and they have considerable ability, and in the future, His Royal Highness Katsuyori will inherit the position of family governor. ”

After listening to Sanada Yutaka's analysis, Sanada Masayuki realized that the purpose of Takeda Shingen's establishment of the Lian Juan was precisely for the smooth inheritance of the position of family governor, so such a pattern was arranged.

Sanada Masayuki thought for a while and said, "If this is the case, once Lord Gokan passes away, His Royal Highness will ascend to the throne, Father, how will the relationship between my Sanada family and Li Xiao get along?" ”

Sanada Yutaka said: "What I'm worried about is exactly this, if the relationship with Li Xiaozhi, if you three brothers don't handle it properly, my Sanada family may suffer disaster, and this matter is related to the future fate of the Sanada family." ”

Sanada Masashi saw that his father said so seriously, and he didn't expect it to be so serious for a while.

Sanada Masayuki asked, "Father, is Li Xiao so terrible that we can't provoke it at all?" ”。

Sanada Yutaka smiled and said, "You don't understand what I mean, it's not how Li Xiao provokes, but how to get along." I have made it very clear just now, my Sanada family and Li Xiao are both the pillars of His Royal Highness, after the death of the lord in the future. His Royal Highness Katsuyori will inevitably rely on us and establish his own team, gradually diluting the status of Yamayama, Baba and others in my Takeda family. ”

"So if we don't get along with Li Xiao, then we won't be able to unite in the future to fight against Shan County, Racecourse, and be on an equal footing with them in the Takeda family."

Sanada Masayuki thought of this and said with a smile: "I understand, father, this is why you have been planning to let Genzaburo marry Li Xiao's daughter, the two families have made a marriage contract, and the relationship can be one step closer." ”

Sanada Yutaka smiled: "The matter of the marriage contract is indeed my sincerity, but it is not so simple. The relationship between my Sanada family and Li Xiaozhi is not so simple. At present, Li Xiao is rising in Yuezhong, ranking first among the retainers of his own family. In the future, the adults of Shan County will retire, and Li Xiao will definitely become the head of the family. ”

"In contrast, the power of my Sanada family is far inferior to Li Xiao. How can I, Sanada Yutaka, be willing to look up to the snort of others, I must not let Li Xiao stand on our heads like this. So if necessary, we must suppress Li Xiao to prevent him from continuing to grow. ”

Sanada Masayuki nodded and said: "Yes, after the victory of His Royal Highness, my Sanada family and the Li family are equally important, if the disparity between the two families is too great, then it cannot be equal." An alliance is only effective if it is equal in power, and the Imagawa family is the best example, as soon as the Imagawa family's power declines and the strength of the family is unbalanced, the natural alliance cannot continue. ”

Sanada Yutaka nodded and said, "You're right, it's just to learn from this, I've already considered a way to suppress Li Xiao." I am going to make a proposal to the lord and ask him to transfer Takenaka Shigeji to Viet China as the supervisor of the Hida Etsuchu Legion and monitor Li Xiao. ”

"Shigeharu Takenaka?" Sanada Masayuki raised his eyebrows and said, "Takenaka's talent is indeed something I admire, even more than Yamamoto Kansuke back then, His Royal Highness Katsuri has benefited a lot from his guidance in recent years, and now he has been promoted to the general of the family." ”

After a pause, Sanada Masayuki said: "Father, as we all know, Li Xiao wanted to recruit Takenaka in every possible way, so the two did not get along with each other. And with the talent of Takenaka, it is just right to restrain Li Xiao together with Maba Changfang. Under such restrictions that Li Xiao is so restricted, he must not be able to let go in Vietnam. Just ......"

"Just what?" …,

Sanada Masayuki hesitated for a moment and said, "It's just that we are suppressing Li Xiao in front of Lord Yuguan like this, what will he think of my Sanada family, I'm afraid it will have a bad impact." ”

Sanada Yutaka laughed when he heard this, and said: "You don't have to worry about this, I just want the lord to see my intentions, I guess that Li Xiao is so rising, it is impossible for the lord not to be wary of Li Xiao." My words are exactly what he meant. If we are of the same mind as Li Xiao, I am afraid this is what the lord is more worried about. ”

Sanada Masayuki listened for a moment, and then laughed with his father.

Sanada Masayuki put on a monk's robe for Sanada Yutaka, and then said: "Then father, Li Xiao's return this time is an opportunity for us to make friends with him, and I can take this opportunity to propose marriage to his daughter on behalf of Gengoro." ”

Sanada Kotaka put away his smile, nodded, and said: "Very good, it seems that you have understood what I mean, our Sanada family wants to be friendly with Li Xiao on the surface, and secretly suppress him, and prevent him from continuing to grow." That's the balance. ”

"Oh." Sanada Masayuki bowed down and agreed.

When the sliding paper door was opened, the fresh snow was already falling, covering the courtyard in a shallow way.

Sanada Yutaka said to Sanada Masayuki: "I heard that Gengoro himself likes Li Xiao's daughter very much, and he goes to visit her at Huilin Temple all day long, right?" ”。

Sanada Masayuki smiled: "Five or six-year-old children, they can talk about what they like, but the two of them are good playmates." ”

Sanada Yutaka nodded, his face showing a hint of longing, and the cunning and calculating look of his former side in front of him all receded, just like an ordinary elder who missed his grandson.

Sanada Yutaka looked at Feixue and said leisurely: "If the two families can really form this relationship, then I really have no regrets." ”……，