I smiled. This kid is really not calm. Isn't it normal in this day and age to divide and merge? The Akizuki family and the Tsukushi family were not retainers of the Otomo family in the first place, but they were just forced to surrender. Moreover, Akizuki Tane's father, Akizuki Wenzhong, and his brother Akizuki Haru, both died at the hands of Otomo Sorin, and Tsukushi Hiromon's father, Tsukushi Weimen, was also seriously injured during the battle with the Otomo family, and then continued the family name on the condition that he committed suicide. This kind of oppressed reluctance and hatred of killing father and brother can be said to be difficult to let go.

Throughout the Muromachi period, the turmoil in Kyushu was basically concentrated in the north. The cause of the incident was that during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the head of the Shaobi family, Shaobi Laishang, supported Prince Huailiang, the general of the Southern Dynasties. Because of this incident, the shogunate sent Jinsai to investigate the theme of Imagawa Rytoshi to lead Kyushu, and transferred the Toshimae Province of the Shotsu family to Zhou Fang and Nagato to protect Ouchi Morimi, and the Chikuzen Province was brought under the direct leadership of the shogunate, and then Ouchi Morimi served as the guardian generation. So, when Imagawa Toshiichi left (it is said that the Ouchi family did not want to live under Jun, they slandered the shogunate), and the successor Shibukawa family also declined, and the Shoyu family and the Ouchi family immediately fought to the death for Chikuzen Ichikuni, and then the Otomo family to the south also joined the fight.

This struggle has continued to the present day for more than 100 years, during which the Ryuzoji family replaced the Shotsu family, and the Ouchi family was also destroyed by the Mori family, but the dispute has not subsided. Ten years ago, before and after the defeat of the Mori family in the Battle of Tatarahama, the Otomo family was the closest the Otomo family came to victory, and at that time, the Otomo family had already subdued the Chikuzen clan led by Akizuki Bunka and Chikushi Yumon, and crusaded against the rebellious clan Tachibana Tachibana Kanzai and Shigetomi Takahashi Kango, and succeeded the Shigezuki Toji Kanren (Tachibana Kanren Michiyuki) and Yoshihiro Shori (Takahashi Town, Takashi Shinkan Shaoyun) to defend Chikuzen Tachibanayama Castle and Homanjo Castle respectively, and roughly controlled the situation in Chikuzen and Bunzen. It's a pity that in the second year, the Otomo family entered Hizen with 60,000 troops to crusade against the Ryuzoji family, but was forced to make peace by the Ryuzoji family, so it fell short, so that the Ryuzoji family grew rapidly.

After all, the Otomo family does not have the title of ruling Kitakyushu, and the Ryuzoji family is still the official of the Shaoji family. For the Otomo family, being forced to make peace by the Ryuzoji family in Kitakyushu was tantamount to defeat.

Last year, the Otomo family entered southern Kyushu at the invitation of Ito Yoshiyuki, and fought a decisive battle with the Shimazu family in the Kokoku-Er River, and neither the Tachibana family nor the Takahashi family came out, and the former enemy general was the elder brother of Mrs. Otomo Sorinmasa, the elder of the Otomo family and the judge of the family (the elder of the family who was in charge of housekeeping, equivalent to a member of the standing committee of a certain bureau) Tahara Kendo. On the one hand, this is because the two of them do not agree with Otomo Zonglin's decision to go south, and on the other hand, they can't get out. After all, the traditional target of the Otomo family's strategy was Kitakyushu, with Chikuzen as the center, and with the power of the Otomo family at that time, it was not easy to suppress Chikuzen. As a result, the Otomo family suffered a fiasco, not only did they have to face the invasion of the Otomo family on Bungo and Higo, but the wealthy families in the north also fell to Ryuzoji Takanobu, making the situation of the Otomo family even worse.

In today's situation, the situation of the Otomo family in Chikuzen and Bunzen is unsustainable, and the control of Chikugo Province in their own house is not stable, and the Sagara family, which is half-reading in Higo Province, and the Aso family, which is loyal to the Otomo family, are even more precarious, and they are literally on fire everywhere. It's no wonder that the Otomo family let go of their reserve and showed obedience to the Oda family.

The order I received was only to pacify the Shimazu family, which means that I had no responsibility or obligation to take into account the invasion of the Otomo family's territory.

Moreover, Nobunaga also said that if the guardians of these three families were eliminated, the various regions of Kyushu would be leaderless, and it was clear that there seemed to be some intriguing thoughts about the Otomo family. Perhaps, he thinks that the influence of the Otomo family in Kyushu is too great, right?

It's all too normal for him to think like this. Thinking of the previous strength of the Otomo family, even I felt that the Otomo family, which controlled the entire three kingdoms of Chukyushu, was more eye-catching, and it was better to be able to suffer some troubles, or be reduced to the level of dominating a country.

- That's a match for Janet's position in my family.

……，…… Soon after returning to Imabari Castle, when Yoshioka Kaseko and Usuki Sho met with Janet, I asked them to return to Otomo's Funai Castle.

"At present, it is a busy time for farming, and it is inconvenient to send troops, which His Royal Highness Otomo Kingo should understand! Therefore, please go back and tell His Royal Highness Otomo Kingo, I hope that I can continue to work hard for a month or two, and when the agricultural time is over, I will immediately raise four [***] to go all out against the Shimazu family. I instructed the two of them seriously.

This was said very reasonably, and neither Yoshioka nor Usuki had any opinions. When the farm is busy, it is indeed inconvenient to gather troops; And my promise to send troops with all my strength is obviously a very weighty promise, so that the Shimazu family, which is in the limelight, will inevitably be hit in the face, and the crisis of the Otomo family is expected to be lifted.

"Yes, it's all up to His Highness Kingo," Yoshioka said, bowing down, "I'll go back and tell the head of the family now, and I'll wait for His Highness Kingo's Tiger Master." ”

"Rest assured, I will not disappoint the Otomo family." I smiled and nodded.

When the two left, Xiujing, who was the celebrant on the side, asked strangely, "Brother, what do you mean by this?" In the busy farming season, his family may be inconvenient, but his family has a ready-made 8,000 standing elite, and thousands of sailors can also be dispatched, which is a good time to use their strengths and weaknesses. Wasn't that how many times before you got the advantage? Why give up this time? ”

"It can't be regarded as giving up," I said with a smile, "It's natural to send troops, but not in the name of my own family...... This time, I am going to let His Royal Highness Lai Long of Nakayiyo be the main general, and lead the standing and naval forces of my family to go out to the country. ”

"Why is that?" Xiujing is even more strange.

"If I go out of the battle, then it represents the position of the Oda family, and it is necessary to go to the Otomo family first to officially determine the subordinate relationship between the Otomo family and the Oda family. However, as the current Kyushu probe, the Otomo family's status will not be inferior to mine's when they enter the Oda family, and it is likely that they will take the lead by virtue of the landlord's interests," I explained to Hidekage, "and when the time comes, the strategy plan will naturally tilt in favor of the Otomo family, and this is not something I hope." ”

"So my brother asked His Royal Highness Beehouse Lai Long to send troops, first obtain a fulcrum in the country of Xiang, and then lead the army to enter, so that the family of Otomo had to come to the country to accommodate the brother?" Xiujing understood, "It's really a clever trick to be anti-customer...... But where is the Lord? Xiangguo is also not under the jurisdiction of his brother! ”

"If you take it, it will naturally be mine," I smiled, "The main hall has an order, and it will be given to His Highness Lai Long to the country, and obey my command...... Moreover, in the Otomo family, aren't there still Ito Yoshisuke father and son? If they are smart enough to see His Royal Highness Lai Long invade the country of Xiang, they will definitely go to serve, and when they are pacified, they will not be able to serve as the guardian of a country as before, but it is absolutely no problem to take back the leadership of their own family. ”

"So that's what happened," Xiujing understood, "Brother's clever plan!" ”

"Well," I nodded, my brother, you're welcome, "you can go to Nakaiyo Takamatsu Castle now, and order His Highness Lai Long to come and discuss." After that, when you go out into battle and say to the country, you will serve as his commissioner and be responsible for the actual command. After all, His Royal Highness Lai Long may not be able to control the military situation and military system of his family...... After that, Lai Long transferred to the country, and Zhongyi gave 100,000 stones to you. ”

"Yes," Xiujing bowed down solemnly, "Your Majesty will not disappoint your lord!" ”

So, Xiujing's Iyogira family was named in this way. After it is officially enclosed, it will become the most powerful support for the Kira clan like the Tosa Kira family and the Iga Renmu family. The former retainer of the Xiangzong family in Xiangmi County will naturally come to Iyo and become the retainer of the Iyogira family, and the elder of the pen family will be Nakayama Hidemasa, the eldest son of Ah Wei, and I am ready to suggest to Xiujing that he inherit the Xiangzong family as an adopted son. In addition, I will also be in the name of the water army, the water army to the island, and let them accompany the strategy of the show to the country, and the brother-in-law of the show view, Asano Nagamasa, was also transferred by me from Sanki Utatsu Castle to serve as the force of the show view.

At the beginning of late July, Beehouse Yoritaka worked hard to collect 1,500 ashigaru in the territory, and joined forces with Tsushima Bei, Kanie Bei, Miju Bei, Awaji Bei, Ii Chibei, Tokuju Water Army, and Kurijima Water Army led by Hidekei, and together they crossed the sea to attack the country of Yukoku. They landed at the mouth of the Gonose River and the Ose River in Usuki-gun, and invaded westward along the Gonose River, soon reaching the prefecture of the Tsuchiji family (Matsuo Castle).

This family used to be the guardian of the Shimazu family, but later the Shimazu family was attacked by Imagawa Ryitō, and together with the Ito family, they turned away from the Shimazu family and competed with each other for the position of guardian. As a result, this dispute lasted for hundreds of years, until it was completely suppressed by the Ito family and lost its reading position. After inheriting the family business, the contemporary head of the family, Domochi took the initiative to surrender to the Otomo family of Bungo in the north, and married the sister of Saeki Yukyo, a major minister of the Otomo family, before gradually coming out of the Ito family. At the time of the Battle of Otagawa, the Tsuchimochi family, as a vassal, also went into battle with the Otomo family and the Ito family (slightly different from history), but when the Otomo family was defeated, Tsuchichi kinsei was busy throwing himself into the original old lord Shimazu family, thus retaining his position and defending the northern part of the country for the Shimazu family.

Under the attack of nearly 10,000 elite troops on our side, the Tu Zhijia did not last long. Only four days later, before the Shimazu family could react, Matsuo Castle had already been declared to have fallen. Then, while repairing the castle defenses, the bee house Yoritaka issued an order to the surrounding wealthy clans in the name of the Oda family's protection of the country.

When I received this news, I immediately began to recruit troops in batches in the four countries, and sent the first batch of more than 10,000 troops to the country in early August. Their general, Gamo Nobuhide of Minami Iyo, had two tasks, one was to assist Beeya Yoritaka in garrisoning Matsuo Castle and deter the Sho Hao clan, and the other was to build a castle and port at the confluence of the Gonose River and the Ose River to facilitate the landing of the army in Kyushu and garrison the Sho Direction.

At the end of August, I led the main army of 30,000 from Shikoku to Kyushu in accordance with the agreement I had made with the Otomo family, accompanied by Awa to protect Hosokawa Shinyuki, Sanki to protect Ikoma's parents, and Toshiya and Yoshinoku, who were scheduled to divide and rule Satsuma. Since the future of each of them was at stake, they all cooperated extremely well and showed the greatest determination and strength, and the whole army was full of strength and morale.

I landed at Nobeoka Port, which was beginning to take shape, and after some exploration, I decided to stay in the west of Nobeoka Castle, which was under construction, and wait for the Otomo family to come and join us. Hidekei, Beeya Yoryu, and Gamo Nobuhide soon came from Matsuo Castle to meet me as the commander-in-chief.

"Is there any movement in the Shimazu family? How did the nearby tycoons react? I asked Beehouse Rylon.

"According to the information of His Royal Highness Xiujing, the Shimazu family has also made the greatest mobilization in the territory, and it has not ended until now. Shimazu Iehisa, the famous general of the Shimazu family at Sadohara Castle in Koyu-gun, to the south, had gathered 5,000 troops and advanced to the Takashiro area between the Tanaseto River and the Takajo River (the main battlefield of the Battle of Ogawa), and was faintly monitoring Usuki-gun. Seeing this posture, there were basically no wealthy clans in the county who surrendered, either recruiting forces to prepare to respond to the Shimazu family, or strengthening the city to stay on the sidelines. And because we were waiting for the main force of His Highness Xuanjing, as well as the friendly forces of the Otomo family, we did not rush deep into the enemy territory to attack. ”

"Stay on the sidelines?" I groaned and continued to ask him, "Didn't anyone come from the Ito family?" ”

Bee House Yoryon shook his head: "Ito Yoshisuke and Ito Yubing, father and son did not come. ”

"How so?" I wondered. The head of the Ito family, Ito Youbing, is the master of the Ito family, how can he be blind? Even if he is still young, there is still an Ito Yoshisuke above, who once controlled a country, worshiped Ashikaga Yoshiharu, and served as the judge of the shogunate. And the reason why he lost his family business was not because he was incompetent, but because the Shimazu family had a famous advantage and was too strong.

This time it was Xiujing who answered: "I heard that it was controlled by the Otomo family." ”

"Really?" I nodded. It seems that the Otomo family is not stupid, and they probably have an idea and are ready to fight with me for the dominance of the Kyushu conquest. Controlling Ito Yoshisuke shows that they are at least not dead to the country of Yukoku, and they want to win over the wealthy family of Yukoku through Ito Yoshisuke - they don't know that Nobunaga has already divided up Minami Kyushu.

"In that case, let's wait! In any case, the Otomo family will not let go of this opportunity to conquer Shimazu, and will definitely take the initiative to come to the convergence," after thinking about it, I made a decision, "Until then, continue to win over the wealthy families in the county and give them a chance for ten days." The wealthy who subdue within ten days can keep their family property; After this period, even if they are destroyed, there is nothing to say about grievances, right? ”

"And what about the two small wealthy clans that have already subdued?" Beehouse Riton asked.

"If you want, you might as well give them some reward," I thought for a moment, "and my suggestion is that you take them as direct retainers and double your territory." In the newly added territories, they can designate one or two disputed wealthy clans around them as the target of our attack. ”

(To be continued)