With that, I turned back to my lodgings and prepared to rest. Tomorrow is the day when Imai Munehisa will submit Nobunaga's order to the Ten for adjudication, and that is the major matter I am concerned about at the moment. I think that after two days of persuasion work by Imai Munehisa, and the fire planned by Hanzo and others tonight, others should know how to choose.

Sakai Town is doomed to lose its autonomous status. From now on, this free city of a hundred years will gradually lose its unique style. The powerful merchants either merged into the new regime of the Oda family, or they just gradually declined; When Hideyoshi built the castle in Osaka, the merchants were forcibly moved into Osaka Castle Town, and the reputation of the Sakai merchants was to be inherited by the Osaka merchants.

Xiao Xia hasn't slept yet, and neither has Senjuhime. Looking at her sparkling eyes, I couldn't help but pinch her face: "Why haven't you slept yet?" I wanted to do something bad! ”

"Your Highness!" Xiao Xia understood what I meant, and looked at me with disgust, "She only fell asleep when she saw you coming this time!" ”

"It's really embarrassing for her, at such a young age, she is so frightened." I sighed.

"And they don't talk much." Natsu stroked her hair.

"I had to do it first. After a while, I think I'll forget about it! ”

So the three of them fell asleep.

What happened very smoothly went well, and the Sakai Town made a ruling and handed over 20,000 kan military expenses as requested by Nobunaga, as well as two tea utensils, Matsushima pot and shoou eggplant. During the whole process, I didn't make any moves, but I was at ease all at once.

While they were having a meeting, I took Konatsu with me to visit Nanshoji Temple in Sakai Town. The temple was built in 1557 by Miyoshi Chokei for his father, Miyoshi Genchocho, who died at nearby Kenbenji Temple, and the founding patriarch presided over the Obayashi Sotsu for the 90th Daitoku-ji Temple in Kyoto. This is the reason why I visited this temple, he is the heir master of Takeno Shaoou, and is the master of Senshoyi, Tsuda Zong, and Imai Munehisa, and the word "Zong" in the name of the three people was given by him, and the offering pagoda of Takeno Shaoou, and later Sensho Yi, Tsuda Zonghe, and even the tomb of Tokugawa Ieyasu, and the inscription was rewritten by Yamaoka Tetsufune at the end of the Edo period (don't tell me I don't know who he is...... In addition, he was also a famous tea man, and his reputation in Sakai Town was extremely high, and Miyoshi Ichigomi and most of the townspeople in Sakai Town were taught by him.

However, when I entered the temple, I found that something was wrong. I grabbed a monk by the hand and asked, "Is something going on?" ”

"Amitabha, it is the master of the sect that has passed away in bliss, and we are arranging the Dharma for the master." The monk replied.

"Deceased?" I was very surprised.

"Yes. The master is already eighty-nine years old......" replied the monk.

"I'm sorry for you." I nodded and let go of the monk.

His death at the age of 89 is not an accident. However, when the fate of Sakai Town is decided today, it seems to herald the end of an era in Sakai Town...... Xiao Xia and I were walking in the courtyard, and suddenly, the thousand-armed Ji in Xiao Xia's arms shouted, "Grandpa! ”

Senjuhime's grandfather? I looked up in surprise to see a middle-aged man in his forties, sweeping the courtyard with a bamboo broom.

"Is this your grandfather?" Natsu put Senjuhime on the ground. Senjuhime took two steps forward, but hesitated to look back at Konatsu.

"Go ahead! I've met my grandfather, and I'm still your mother! Xiao Xia understood that she was worried that Xiao Xia didn't want her anymore.

After listening to Xiao Xia's words, Senju Ji walked towards the middle-aged man with confidence.

"What a poor boy!" The middle-aged man put down the broom and hugged the thousand-armed hime in his arms.

After a long while, he put down the Thousand Hands Hime, then looked at me and said, "Your Highness Kira, can you deign to talk about it?" ”

"Is it about Senjuhime?" I nodded, "Why do you know my name, though?" ”

"Actually," the other party sighed, "I originally came to assassinate His Highness on the orders of Matsunaga Danmasa." ”

When Xiao Xia heard this, he hurriedly pulled out the ribs behind his legs and blocked it in front of me.

"No need," I stopped Natsu's movements, "This Highness won't lay down his weapon if he wants to." ”

"Weapons?" Xiao Xia was stunned.

I pointed to the broom.

"His Royal Highness Kira is really kind and has a good vision!" The other party stepped forward to pick up a broom, reached out and pulled out a bright knife, and stuck it on the ground.

"So, can I ask your name?" I asked with interest. Since after the failure of Matsunaga Xiu, he dared to send him alone to assassinate him, it was definitely not easy to be with him.

His Royal Highness Lao Jiliang asked, "The other party bowed, "in Shimoyanagi Youemon Sect Yan ......"

"What!" I was taken aback.

"It's rare that His Royal Highness Kira actually knows that he is here, it's really an honor!" Yanagi Zongyan smiled.

Of course I know, the disciple of the Sword Saint Kamiizumi Shintsuna! O ancestor of Yanagi's new Yin Stream! Although he is now only a small family of 2,000 stones on the border of Yamato Province, his reputation in later generations is extremely great. Such a man came to assassinate me...... It's scary to think about.

I made up my mind: "I don't seem to have a conflict with the Yanagi family, why would you risk destroying the family and destroying the clan to assassinate me?" ”

"Destroying the family and destroying the family? Ha ha! The family business under the family has been ruined! The reason why I want to assassinate His Royal Highness Kira is to rebuild the family business! Yanagi Zongyan smiled bitterly and simply sat down, "The Yanagi family originally surrendered to the Tsutsui family, but later Matsunaga was so powerful that he could only change the court, and then he fought with the Tsutsui family many times...... Now that the two families have all surrendered to the Oda family, Tsutsui Shunkei swept the two counties and added the next two counties, and Matsunaga Danmasa had no position to stop it, and the family business in the lower one was ruined, and he also fell off his horse and was seriously injured! ”

"Did Matsunaga make a promise?" I've calmed down and my thoughts are clear again.

"Not bad!" Yanagi admitted that "after assassinating His Royal Highness Kira, he destroyed himself to protect the family. And Matsunaga will give new territories as a reward! ”

"So, what made you give up?" I asked.

"Because of this child," Yanagi Sect tightened the Senju Ji in his arms, "I thought that the destruction of the Takino family was due to the instructions of His Highness Kira. However, in the past two days, I found that the two of them had a very deep relationship with Senjuhime, so I hesitated...... This morning, I heard that the two of them came to Nanzong Temple, so I tried here in advance, if I found that the two of them were just using her to block revenge, then I would have to take the lives of the two of them even if they hurt her. ”

"What does Senjuhime have to do with you? Why do you call you grandpa? Xiao Xia asked very unceremoniously. Because of Yanagi's strict words, she is still holding a dagger on guard.

"Senjuhime's mother is the daughter of Zaixia." Yanagi replied.

I was also very surprised by this answer, but when I thought about it, I was relieved. The Yagyu family is located at the northeastern end of Yamato Province, almost bordering Iga Province, and after being hostile to the Tsutsui family in Ringun, it is normal to look to Iga for support, and the Takino family is a strong reinforcement at hand. It is likely that it was with the support of the Takino family that the Yagyu family was able to block the attack of the Tsutsui family.

In addition, in addition to swordsmanship, the Yanagi family also has a considerable level of ninjutsu. During the Battle of Sekigahara, the Yanagi family was responsible for the task of scouting and retrieving the Yamato clan, disrupting the rear of the Western Army, and using this merit to regain the old domain confiscated by Hideyoshi. The son of Yagyu Sogan, Sotoki, later became one of the first daimefu of the Edo shogunate, and was tasked with supervising the daimyō, the Gao family, and the imperial court. Obviously, they had received a considerable degree of ninjutsu instruction from the Iga country.

"I see," I nodded, "Ling Yan...... What a pity! ”

"So, His Royal Highness Kira has seen the last time the little girl has met? Then please describe it below! "Yanagi Zongyan asked me.

"That's right...... "I told him the details of the murder of Senjuhime's mother.

"His Royal Highness Kira is saying that the little girl did not put up any resistance?" Liu Sheng Zongyan was very surprised, "The little girl has learned swordsmanship since she was a child, and she has a lot of true inheritance...... In the original thought, she resisted heroically before being killed! ”

"Probably because I saw that the attacking side was strong and couldn't resist, so I gave up resisting and tried to protect the child from the disaster......" Xiao Xia sighed and put away the dagger in his hand, "It's a pity that ......"

When I heard Xiao Xia's words, I immediately saw the young mother who had been pierced through the left rib by the sword and pierced through the right chest, and her trembling white lips and the difficult request she made to me. This era is too cruel for the weak.

As for who is the weakling, that's too much. In the face of the Miyoshi army, the sword hero general Ashikaga Yoshiteru is the weak; In the face of the wisdom of rebellion, Nobunaga of Honnoji is weak; In front of Hideyoshi, who marched into Shikoku, the overlord of Shikoku, Chomune, was also a weakling.

Didn't even me, a moment ago, face the threat of death?

“…… So that's the case, I understand it below," Yanagi Zongyan showed a sad look on his face, and touched the head of the Thousand Hands Hime, "Since the lady can understand the feelings of the little girl, she must be kind to the Thousand Hands Hime." In the future, I will ask Mrs. for her future. ”

"Rest assured, my husband and wife will take good care of her...... But His Royal Highness Yanagi, why not watch her grow up together? "I extended an invitation to him to come out.

"I'm getting old and I don't want to change the door; And he was injured in his right fist before, but now he is even more seriously injured, and he can't swing a few swords with a crippled life...... His Royal Highness Kira's invitation is really unable to accept it. Yanagi Zong Yan shook his head, got up and let go of the Thousand Hands Hime, and staggered towards the courtyard gate, without even bringing the sword that was stuck in the ground.

I knew he was going into seclusion. Originally, this was supposed to be after his eldest son was killed by Tsutsui Fang with an iron cannon, but now it was brought forward by three years due to the death of his eldest daughter. In addition, although he is now seriously injured, he has recovered from his injuries and has lived for nearly forty years, and he has gained a lot of enlightenment in kendo. But everyone has their own ambitions, and I'm not going to force him, if I do that, there will definitely be one less "no sword" (empty-handed white blade) stunt in the new Yin Stream of Yanagi.

Instead of forcing him to become a leader, it is better for him to teach his son in seclusion. I believe that he will hand over the task of reviving the family business to his son, and with such a relationship, when Zongzhang and Zongju become adults, they will definitely not go to other families.

Looking at the back of Yanagi Zongyan, Senjuhime shook and took two steps forward, as if he wanted to catch up. Xiao Xia picked her up, she struggled slightly, and then obediently lay on Xiao Xia's chest.

"Let's go back too." I pulled out Yagyu Zongyan's sword and beckoned to Xiao Xia.

……，…… Due to the unexpected death of Obayashi Sotsu, Imai Sokusa postponed his trip by one day. It was not until October 16 that our party left Sakai Town and marched to Kyoto with 20,000 yuan of military expenses. When I arrived in Kyoto, I was just in time for the ceremony of Ashikaga Yoshiaki's inauguration as a shogun. General Yoshiaki was extremely pleased with the surrender and dedication of Sakai Town, and soon applied for the high position of the Great Treasure Seal for Imai Munehisa, and even I was promoted by borrowing light, and by virtue of the merit of entering, I was given an official position from the six Shimosaemon captains. Shibata Katsuie, who captured Katsuryuji Castle, drove the Miyoshi clan forces out of Yamashiro Ichikoku, and restored the shogunate's imperial food land for generations, was also given an official position.

Of course, this money was not Yoshiaki's share, and all of it was sent to Nobunaga's Tofukuji Temple...... Nobunaga also rewarded Imai Munehisa for cooperating with my actions, granting him a land of 2,200 koku in Sumiyoshi-gun, Settsu Province. Then they met me alone.

"Haha! Xuanjing, you did a good job this time! Nobunaga looked very happy, "I actually came up with the idea of pretending to be assassinated, and then taking advantage of the situation to enter Hyosakai Town, and I really deserve to be the wise general of my family!" ”

“…… Lord! The assassination thing is real! "I felt like a cold sweat was hanging on my forehead. Who told Nobunaga that I was pretending to be assassinated? Is assassination fun?

"What?" Nobunda roared loudly, "Who is it! How dare you assassinate the important minister of my family, the messenger sent by my Nobunaga! ”

I know that Nobunaga is more concerned about his safety than about my safety, and this incident has swept his face. At this moment, he calmed down Jinnei, and there were still people who assassinated him, which was simply pulling the beard from the mouth of the eating tiger...... However, I still showed an appropriate degree of emotion: "Returning to the lord, it is Yamato's Matsunaga show!" ”

"Are you sure?" Nobunaga asked with a deep groan.

"It has been confirmed by Munehisa Imai." I replied.

"That's right...... Nobunaga was silent for a moment, "have all the people who are directly involved already dealt with?" ”

"Yes." I nodded, and decided to hide the matter of Yanagi Zongyan, but I felt a little pity in my heart. Now that Nobunaga has shifted his focus, I guess I won't be able to hurt the old fox this time.

In the original history, Nobunaga showed great tolerance for Matsunaga Shu and repeatedly tolerated his rebellion. Of course, this is due to the fact that Matsunaga himself is deeply useful, and it cannot be ruled out that Nobunaga appreciates Matsunaga Hide...... In short, as a retainer of the Oda family, fighting against the Matsunaga fox is a long-term process, and although the future is bright, the road is destined to be tortuous.

"Then put this matter aside for a while," Nobunaga said indeed, his tone unusually kind, "Now that Yoshiaki-sama is the new general, the situation in must not change too much, otherwise the prestige of my Oda family will be greatly damaged...... You should be able to see this and understand it. ”

(To be continued)