Tokugawa Ieyasu looked at me, was silent for a long time, and let out a long breath.

“…… In this way, Gifu's righteous brother can no longer allow any equal allies to exist around him. He said gloomily.

"That's pretty much it...... After all, the lord is a person whose goal is to pacify the world, and his strength has reached such a level. I nodded, "It should be a good thing for the Tokugawa family that His Royal Highness Tokugawa was able to realize this early. ”

"Really?" Tokugawa Ieyasu smiled wryly, then turned to look at the sky outside the door with his hands behind his back. I noticed that his hands were clenched into fists, trembling slightly.

"It's been eleven years," his voice was full of sighs, "when the alliance was formed, it was agreed that the Oda family would go west and my Tokugawa family would go east, and it seemed that Lord Kira was also present, right?" After that, the righteous brother waved his troops to Shangluo, and my Tokugawa family once sent troops to help; Kanesaki is in distress, and my Tokugawa family still does not give up; In the first battle of Sister River, he resisted twice as much as his own Asakura family, and lost many loyal and brave retainers...... My Tokugawa family thinks that they have always kept their promises, and there is no place for the Oda family in the slightest, but I didn't expect that these many sacrifices and dedication will be exchanged for such treatment by my righteous brother! ”

These words are roughly very accurate. Although Tokugawa Ieyasu couldn't see it, I nodded behind his back. It's just that the Tokugawa family's behavior in this treatment of the invasion of the Takeda family is really debatable...... "Alas, really, what's the use of talking about this now?" Tokugawa Ieyasu smiled bitterly again, turned around, and his words were not without mockery, "Is there anything that His Highness Kira, who is known for his ability to judge the situation, have anything to teach me about this matter?" ”

"His Royal Highness Tokugawa asked me what I thought," I ignored his taunt and thought for a moment...... Then I'll tell you a story from the past! ”

"Please, I'll listen." Tokugawa Ieyasu seemed to realize his gaffe, walked over to me and sat down, and bowed his head slightly to me.

"That's what happened when the lord went to Luo......" I looked out the door, a look of memory on my face, "The lord ordered me to lead the navy to attack the Azuya house and cut off the passage from Awa Province to Kinai. Considering the strength of the An Zhai family, I decided to attack with the whole army, so as not to affect the lord's Shangluo administration. However, at that time, the Nine Ghost family had a holiday with me, and some of the retainers advised me to at least leave some strength to prevent the Nine Ghost family from taking advantage of the situation to control the trade routes in Ise Bay! ”

"But His Highness Kira still attacked with all his troops." Tokugawa Ieyasu knew about this.

"yes!" I nodded, "I remember saying that to my retainers at the time...... I said, the fate of the Kira family and the main family are closely linked, one is prosperous, and the other is lost, and now is the critical moment for the prosperity of the main family, how can you not do your best? As long as the lord can control Jinai, what if the Nine Ghost family robbed me of the Isewan trade route, there will be the lord to help me get it back, so I insisted on attacking with the whole army...... Now, His Highness Tokugawa has seen the results, right? ”

"The Ataka family is a retainer of the Kira family, and the Nine Ghost family was assigned to His Royal Highness Kira as a force." Tokugawa Ieyasu sighed softly.

"Exactly," I smiled and nodded, "It's the people of these two families who are involved in the Mikawa support operation this time, as well as the sea aid team that controls the Isewan trade route. My own main force is currently controlling the Seto Inland Sea. ”

“…… I understand what His Royal Highness Kira means," Tokugawa Ieyasu solemnly bowed his body and changed his address to Nobunaga, "Please reply to His Highness Danmasa, my Tokugawa family is willing to surrender to the Oda family." ”

After saying this, the expression on his face was a little regretful, but it was obviously much more relaxed.

"Oh, then I'll be able to do my behalf," I said with a soft exhalation and a salute to Tokugawa Ieyasu, "Seriously, I'm in a lot of trouble to be ordered to carry out this task...... If there is any offense, please forgive me! ”

"His Royal Highness Kira is too worried, my Ieyasu is not an unreasonable person, and my Tokugawa family is very grateful for the great kindness of the two rescues," Tokugawa Ieyasu replied, "His Highness Danmasa sent His Highness Kira to carry out this mission, and he has already taken care of my Ieyasu's feelings." ”

"In any case, His Royal Highness Danmasa and His Royal Highness Tokugawa are friends of the horns, so they should treat each other differently!" I said with a smile.

"Are you talking about the marriage between Inuko Saburo and Princess Tokuhime?" Tokugawa Ieyasu also smiled, but he was a person who could let go...... "Then, I heard that His Royal Highness Kira's son-in-law also has a marriage contract with Princess Fuyuhime!" ”

"His Royal Highness Tokugawa," seeing that Tokugawa Ieyasu was so good, I decided to sell him another favor, "said Ling Lang Nobuyasu is really an excellent young man, and I value him very much......

"Oh, that's a dog's honor!" Tokugawa Ieyasu seemed very pleased.

I nodded, "So, I have something I want to remind His Highness Tokugawa." ”

"Please advise." Seeing that I was very solemn, Tokugawa Ieyasu also became serious.

"It's about Shinyasu's mother...... Mrs. Tokugawa came from the Imagawa family, which was very conducive to Nobuyasu's future governance of Enoe and even Suruga, but it could not but be said that the relationship between him and the main family would be hindered, although Nobuyasu himself did not care, but it might be used by someone with a heart to threaten Nobuyasu; Considering Nobuyasu himself's sassy surname, as well as the dispute between Lady Tokugawa and Princess Tokuhime, this danger cannot be ignored. ”

When I said that "Nobuyasu governs Suruga", Tokugawa Ieyasu's eyes lit up significantly. However, the next words made his face more and more solemn.

After I finished speaking, Tokugawa Ieyasu deeply owed: "His Royal Highness Xuanjing's words are indeed good words...... My Ieyasu is truly grateful. ”

His Highness Hamamatsu is serious. I'm just saying it casually, it shouldn't have come to this point...... However, I have a great deal of kindness to both Reiro Nobuyasu and Princess Tokuhime," I said, standing up and bowing to Tokugawa Ieyasu slightly, "Then I'll take my leave." ”

"His Highness Xuanjing, slow down!" Tokugawa Ieyasu called.

I turned around, "Your Highness Hamamatsu, is there anything else?" ”

"I've heard that Yahachiro from the Honke family is coming out of the Kira family, is that so?"

Tokugawa Ieyasu really knew about this...... I nodded, "Exactly." His Royal Highness Hamamatsu asked, is there any intention for him to return? ”

"Forget it! When he said that he has always been a pinch, he is enough to contribute! Tokugawa Ieyasu shook his head, "I heard that he was doing well in Sanuki, so so be it!" …… His wife and eldest son, Chiho, are currently at Okubo's house, so please bring them over by the way when His Royal Highness Xuanjing returns. ”

"I see," I nodded, "It's rare that His Highness Mamoru Mikawa has such kindness, Yahachiro must be very grateful!" (Well, Honda is pure) ......,...... The Takeda clan was repulsed, and the Tokugawa clan was turned from an ally to a vassal, and Nobunaga was content to evacuate Mikawa. Hearing this news, Akiyama Torashi, who was worried about Nobunaga's attack, immediately sent Nobunaga's fifth son, Mibo Maru, to the Takeda family's main office, as a bargaining chip to restrain the Oda family. However, Nobunaga was now most concerned about the situation in Minami Omi and Kinai, so he handed over the affairs of Higashi Mino to his sister-in-law Nobutada, and led his army into Minami Omi, and ordered Shibata Katsuie to take the lead in counterattacking Ashikaga Yoshiaki's retainer and Yamaoka Keitomo, the guardian of Yamashiro Bankoku, and surrounded him in Omi Ishiyama Castle.

On February 26, Yamaoka Keiyu accepted the persuasion of Katsuka's Yori and his own brother Yamaoka Keitaka, and Kaejo surrendered to Nobunaga; Soon after, Ashikaga Yoshiaki's first retainer and the guardian of Yamajo Castle, Hosokawa Fujitaka, also sent someone to welcome Nobunaga into Kyoto with a very respectful attitude.

At this time, the only person who was still on Yoshiaki's side was Mibuchi Fujiei, the elder brother of Hosokawa Fujitaka and the lord of Fushimi Castle on the side of Minamiyama Castle. The rest of the countries such as Hanoi, Settsu, and Tango, although they tend to Yoshiaki, are far away from quenching their thirst and cannot help much. Moreover, it was the busy agricultural season in March, and they could not muster too many troops, or even maybe they would be willing to do so.

Seeing that the momentum was not good, Ashikaga Yoshiaki invited Sekihaku Nijo Hararashi out and took the initiative to seek reconciliation with Nobunaga. Considering that he had always maintained friendship with the public family, and that General Yoshiaki still had considerable influence, and that there were still the Ikeda family and the Miyoshi family on Yoshiaki's side in Kinai, but his own army had been fighting for four months in a row, and it was close to the end of the crossbow, and it was impossible to immediately pacify these forces, Nobunaga gave Sekihaku Nijo Hararashi face, and agreed to his request for reconciliation after Yoshiaki handed over his sister-in-law Shrukamaru, who was only four months and ten days old, as a hostage.

In late March, Nobunaga returned to Gifu with his army, and then disbanded the army.

I didn't have the task assigned by Nobunaga, so I was idle for a while.

After visiting a few colleagues, I left Gifu and returned to my hometown of Mie Castle. After staying here for a few days and arranging some things, I couldn't wait to rush to Awaji Province.

Calculating the time, this time I stayed in Mikawa Province for a full three months, plus the previous siege of Nagashima, the dispatch of troops to Omi, and the administration of Kyoto, it has been more than a whole year since I left Sumoto Castle. Even when Xiao Xia gave birth to a boy for me in October last year, I only sent someone to send a gift and the name of "Jing Liulang", and I have not seen the child with my own eyes since; and Janet of the Otomo family, although it is said that she is married, she has been separated from each other, and it seems that she is too cold...... However, there is no way around it. Although I am currently active in the Seto Inland Sea and Shikoku, Nana and Keijiro, and even Hoshin-in, I must stay in Mie Castle. Not only because of the important position of Mie Castle and Mie Town, but also because of the approximate hostage that reassures Nobunaga. This is the tacit understanding that Nobunaga and I maintained, and it will also become the rule after the Oda family's general goes on the expedition.

Historically, the monkeys went out of the town of Harima and attacked Sanyo Road, and their mother Achu, Masamuro Nene and adopted son Hidekatsu all stayed in Kita-Omi Nagahama Castle, and it was not easy to escape and escape to Himeji after the change of Honnoji Temple.

Only in this way could Nobunaga, in addition to his prestige and prestige, be able to restrain his ministers in an effective way. In other words, if someone tried to rebel, Nobunaga could directly order him to retire and replace him with his son-in-law, so that the rebel would not only bear the notoriety of disloyalty, but also lose the title of commander of his subordinates, and the result would naturally be unknown...... The fleet arrived in Awaji Province and entered the port under Sumoto Castle as usual. Although I really wanted to go to Yangyikan to see Natsu and her children immediately, I couldn't pass through the house without entering. Moreover, Iwamatsu Jingding was with me, and Xiujing had already taken Nakayama Tian and others to greet me at the port, and I myself was already very tired.

"It's really hard!" I smiled and nodded to Xiujing, "Really, I didn't expect it to be more than a year after I left...... During this period of time, the situation in the country is okay? ”

"The situation is generally good, satisfactory in all aspects," Xiujing also smiled, "but my brother has done a lot of great things in Kyoto, Nagashima and Mikawa!" ”

"Needless to say! The errand given by the main hall is simply exhausting! "I couldn't help but complain, anyway, this is my territory, and I am surrounded by the closest people, so I don't have any scruples," How about the details later? The rush at sea is so hurried, I just want to lie down for a while. ”

"This ...... Brother, how about going to my Ninomaru to rest first? Xiujing invited.

I looked at him in amazement: "Why is that?" …… Didn't you dismantle my honmaru? ”

"Not really, but it's changed a lot. My brother has just arrived, and I am probably very unaccustomed to it, and I am afraid that I will not be able to sleep steadily," Xiujing's face was a little strange, "Moreover, this is not what I did, it is the new sister-in-law that my brother married last year." ”

"You're talking about...... Janet Otomo? I was stunned for a moment before I realized who he was talking about, "Did she do anything?" ”

"Well, a lot of things have been added, and there have been a lot of changes in the room, and I can't talk about it much...... The specific situation, after my brother rests, let's go back and see for myself! Anyway, Xiao Xia came back once last August, saying that she wanted to give birth to her brother's child in Zhou Honcheng, but after entering the castle tower, she quarreled with Mrs. Janet, and then went back to the Yangyi Pavilion in a huff. ”

"Is there such a thing? Natsu and Janet quarrel? I asked quickly, feeling a headache at the same time.

"Yes...... Natsu said that Janet had made a mess of the main castle tower, and even the ashram on the fourth floor of her brother had been converted into the prayer room. She asked Janet to restore the castle tower to its original state, but Lady Janet ignored it," Xiujing smiled bitterly, "Because it's the princess of the Kyushu Exploration Otomo family, I can't get rid of Mrs. Janet's meaning, so I'll wait for my brother to decide!" ”

This style of acting is clearly the western version of Princess Deji! Moreover, although it is also a political marriage, Tokuji is the main room of the concubine of the famous family, and the identity of the dignified and young imperial platform; Janet is just a side room for a retainer, so it's normal to be unwilling.

What's more, I just married her, and I immediately threw her away for more than a year, and that resentment is definitely not ordinarily strong.

I felt more headaches.

But no matter what, it's always going to be faced.

"Let's go check it out first!" I sighed.

(To be continued)