"Well, actually, I was with Yu Fu last night." I took the initiative to confess. Anyway, there is no need to hide this matter, and it is impossible to hide the past.

"Yu Fu...... It's Mrs. Funazu, right? Xiao Xia was stunned for a moment, her hand froze on the hem of my clothes, and then she restrained her smile and nodded expressionlessly, "After sleeping all night, His Highness finally knows other people's names." ”

I knew that Natsu would definitely be unhappy. Among the several wives and concubines, she is the only one who will be dissatisfied with this, and Janet may be a little repulsed, but the reason is not that I accept women, but that the women who are accepted will be divided into the city where she lives, but she seems to have known the convergence now...... I think I can understand Xiao Xia's mood and friendship with me, so I have always been more restrained, except for Zhihu, basically I haven't taken the initiative to accept any women. Whether it is Janet or Yu Fu, it is just a political marriage, and it is a part of the strategy related to the future of the family.

I think that, with my current situation and status, this is already very generous. Compared with today's Nobunaga, as well as the historical Hideyoshi, Rijia and others, there are not many women in my room, and their main room, the famous three ladies of the Warring States, is not as jealous as Xiao Xia, right?

Perhaps, women can't just spoil ...... Thinking of this, I also took Xiao Xia's hand expressionlessly, turned around and walked towards the entrance of the corridor in the inner ring.

When I was about to turn the hallway, I couldn't help but look back and saw Xiao Xia still standing in front of the door of the guest room, looking a little blank, and the two maids tried to help her go back, but she didn't want to move her steps.

It looks like a real shock! I suddenly relented, sighed, and turned back to her.

"You all go down." I instructed the two maids kneeling in the hallway.

"Yes." They immediately walked away in small pieces.

When their figures disappeared around the corner, I put my arms around Xiao Xia's waist and whispered an apology to her: "Okay, count me wrong, right?" I promise, there will be no more such a thing in the future. ”

Xiao Xia glanced at me and looked away again.

"Look, I'm like this, why am I still not satisfied?" I tightened my hand around her waist, "Really, the whole Shikoku, and you can make me apologize in a low voice...... So don't get angry, okay? ”

"It's not okay to be angry, but I'm a little disappointed," Xiao Xia leaned over and sighed in my arms, "Your Highness's promise turned out to be untrue." ”

"What do you want? I say yes. I said in passing.

His Royal Highness said that he was ready to retire, and then went into seclusion with his concubine...... Also, His Royal Highness used to say that he likes concubines with this surname, and if he can only marry one, he must be concubines......" Xiao Xia sighed again, "These are all concubines, right?" ”

Like Xiao Xia, only marry Xiao Xia? Did I say anything like that?

Seeing my puzzled look, Xiao Xia pursed his lips: "Your Highness really doesn't remember, you really said it casually, right?" …… When he married Sannomaruden, he was in the ashram of Mie Castle. ”

After her reminder, I tried to recall for a while, and finally remembered: "I seem to be saying that you don't know anything except archery, and you are also very stubborn, like to lose your temper, and make trouble from time to time, but if you can only marry one, it is likely to choose you...... That's about what it means, right? ”

"Yes!" Even though I mentioned many of her shortcomings, she smiled.

"It's been almost ten years, right? It's rare that you remember it so clearly," I sighed with emotion, "how time flies! ”

"I will remember Your Highness's words," Xiao Xia raised his head and stared at me with sparkling eyes, "Even if it can't be realized, it will be a lifetime of consolation for the concubine." ”

……，…… This small turmoil caused by the acceptance of blessings subsided in this way. As compensation, I agreed to accompany Natsu on a trip to Tosa to pay respects to her grandfather and parents at Choyoji Temple. Chohoji Temple is a Bodhi temple built by Zhou Jing for the Kamikawa family, located in the east of the Niyodo River, about a kilometer away from Kira Castle, so we temporarily stayed in Kira Castle.

As the ancestral residence of the Tosa Kira family, the significance of Kira Castle is very special, according to the meaning of Zhou Jing, it is unwilling to be given to the retainers, of course, it is impossible to slacken. He overhauled the city, emphasizing the tranquility and elegance of the living environment, and accordingly reducing the requirements for its defense, so that it is now more appropriate to speak of it as a residence rather than a city.

"It's a bit of a YBF style." I read it and commented.

"What my father said is true," Zhou Jing nodded with a smile, "because I heard that my mother likes Yangyikan very much...... In fact, the castle was originally built for my mother. ”

"What, do you think I usually bother you and Akiko?" Xiao Xia said with a deliberate tiger face.

"Mother laughed, mainly because when you were in Lotus Pond City, you often felt bored, so I thought, it would be better to live here!" Zhou Jing looked at me, of course he knew the reason why Xiao Xia was bored, "You know, I also like this city." In between battles and administration, he moved over with Akiko and enjoyed a period of leisure......"

"I really didn't expect you to have such interest," I looked at Zhou Jing in surprise, "I remember, you're only sixteen years old this year, right?" How do you look like a sixty-year-old man? ”

"When I was by my mother's side at Sannomaruden, I followed her to learn the tea ceremony for a while, and I liked the pleasant atmosphere very much," Zhou Jing showed a nostalgic expression, "The tea room is filled with a faint fragrance, and the sunlight through the paper window is always so soft, because it is quiet, you can hear the wind blowing through the branches and leaves outside, and the sound of boiling water in the tea kettle...... I think it's a good mood. Later, Sannomaruden's mother told me that if you have no desire, you will be quiet, and if you have no desire, you will be at ease, which is the first true meaning of the tea ceremony. ”

"yes!" Hearing him say this, I remembered the first time I saw Naohu, and remembered the calm girl sitting cross-legged and talking under the complicated falling cherry blossoms.

Then, Sannomaru Hall laughed at herself and said that although she knew that this was the case, the world was sometimes very helpless, and in order to revive the family business, she had to give up her interests and work hard to find a way out. Fortunately, I was able to obtain such a transcendent status and maintain a considerable degree of freedom by meeting a bosom friend like my father," Zhou Jing looked at me seriously, "The child understands the meaning of Sannomaru Temple, and he agrees with it very much. Now that the child guards this Tosa country, he has his own father to protect himself from the wind and rain, so he only needs to serve his duties with peace of mind, so he is also happy to be at ease...... But my father, I might as well relax and think too much about it, which is not good for you. Look at your head, gray hairs are coming out. ”

"You're right," I nodded. This attitude is very similar to Xiao Xia's words of persuasion, which is really worthy of being a mother and son. However, it seems that Xiao Xia was influenced by Zhou Jing, presumably she saw Zhou Jing so leisurely, and Mingzi lived in harmony and beauty, and then thought that I had worked hard for the family business all year round, and even she herself was left aside, so she was deeply touched!

As he said, being in the highest position, the pressure is not ordinarily great, so I used to work under Nobunaga with great peace of mind, and I felt at ease to do my part, and he was responsible for the major policies such as raising troops to go to Luo, purging Yiwan, and banishing generals. It's a pity that as the status gets higher and higher, the territory gets bigger and bigger, and Nobunaga becomes more and more rigid and strict, I have to have a few more eyes and have to worry about it.

To give you a very simple example, when I first went to Rakuro, I dared to abandon my own Ise Bay and attack the Miyoshi family's Ataka Naval Army with the whole army, because I knew that even if Ise Bay was occupied, Nobunaga would seek justice for me. When Mori died in battle eight years ago, Nobunaga protected his heir Mori Naga and the Mori family's territory very well, until Mori Naga grew up and became the first military commander under Nobutada. However, the year before last, Naomasa Harada was killed, but the end result was confiscation of the territory and the detention of the whole family; And according to history, Sakuma Nobumori and Lin Xiuzhen will also be exiled by him, although these two things have a reason, they are still too much.

Although he has great faith in me now, I am sure that if I lose my value or make a mistake, Nobunaga's board will definitely not be light. And this realization was not acquired suddenly, I knew this before, and the reason why I worked so hard was that I subconsciously didn't want to make a mistake, and I didn't want to lose Nobunaga's trust.

It wasn't until I met with Ukita Naoya that I realized that there might be other options, such as learning Yellow Sparrow or "Genwu"; However, Zhou Jing's persuasion made me a little shaken. He didn't know what I was thinking, but from the perspective of a retainer, he thought I was too tired, and then, from the standpoint of a child, he wanted me to take a break or take a break, without any special intention, so it also made me feel very real.

"I'm very pleased with your intentions, presumably your mother too," I looked at Zhou Jing and Xiao Xia's mother and son, "I originally came to worship with your mother, but this residence is really good, you might as well stay here for a few more days." ”

"It's a child's honor." Zhou Jing bowed with a smile.

It's a pity that on the third day, things came back to me.

This time it's Keimasa of Iga Ueno Castle. After he finished his mission to support Hatakeyama Yoshishu, he basically settled down because the nationalization of Arita Prefecture was completed, so he returned to Iga Ueno Castle, which had just been completed, on my orders, and married Shiorihime of the Fukuchi family, and the husband and wife were 14 years old and 15 years old. Four months ago, I was surprised but very happy when I heard that Shiorihime was pregnant, after all, this is the first grandchild in the family. However, now the news suddenly came: Jing Zheng is clamoring to break up with Shiori Ji!

This is not a simple matter, if it is not handled properly, it is likely to cause strong dissatisfaction among the Fukuchi family, and even cause unrest in the whole of Iga, and at that point, Nobunaga will definitely intervene and maybe confiscate the Iga country.

The people who came to report the news were Hattori Masasa, who was sent by Keimasa, and Yamaoka Keimune, who was sent by Shigeharu Takenaka. Hattori is Hattori Masanari's son-in-law, and he was sent by me to Jing Zheng together with Zhezhi Kiyohiro.

"Why didn't Qingguang come?" I first asked Hattori Masa. According to reason, such a major matter should be led by Zhezhi Qingguang, who is the elder of the family, to report.

"Back to the main hall, Lord Zhezhi and the Fudi family are of the same clan, so you need to avoid suspicion so as not to be inclined." Hattori said respectfully.

"Oh," I nodded, "So, tell me what's going on, and why did Kyung-jeong make this decision?" ”

"Because Mrs. Fudi is not pregnant with the lord's child!" Hattori's tone was very indignant, "When Mrs. Fukuchi didn't get married, she had a personal affair with Honma Kusanosuke, a retainer of the Fukuchi family! And His Royal Highness Fukuchi Sotaka not only did not stop him, but when Mrs. Fukuchi got married, he sent this person to his family as a courtier and served as the lord's guard in the castle tower, so as to continue to collude with Mrs. Fukuchi! ”

Seeing his attitude, I couldn't help but shake my head. Just now he said that Zhezhi Qingguang avoided suspicion, so as not to be inclined, doesn't he need to avoid suspicion? And this tone is completely towards the lord of his own family.

"Such groundless speculation alone is not enough to explain anything." I spoke.

"Please be kind to the main hall, Your Majesty still has a report on the situation," Hattori bowed down deeply, "More than half a month ago, the lord came back from hunting, and found that Honma Kusanosuke actually took supplements privately and went to the inner room to visit Mrs. Fukuchi...... Then the lord realized that the child was not his own, so he immediately beheaded Honma Kusanosuke and sent Mrs. Fukuchi back to Fukuchi's house along with Honma's body. However, His Royal Highness Fukuchi Sotaka did not reflect on himself, and repeatedly asked the lord to explain the cause of Honma's death and the reason for sending his wife back, and the lord was so angry that he made this humiliating fact public and formally requested the cancellation of the marriage between the two families. ”

"Is there such a thing?" I couldn't help but show a hint of surprise.

"Yes," Hattori said as he fell to the floor, "I beg the Lord of the Hall to do justice!" ”

Is it fair...... I sat down on the Lord's seat and pondered.

Emotionally, I naturally tend to trust my children. Moreover, according to my understanding, it seems very rare to conceive a woman at the age of fourteen, such as Gamo Nobuhide, who also married Mitsu at the age of thirteen or fourteen, but it was not until seven or eight years later that Mitsu gave birth to Tsuru Chiyo; There is also Zhou Jing, who is two years older than Jing Zheng, and he is also very affectionate with Mingzi, but he also has no movement; Then, with Jing Zheng's age and his somewhat reluctant attitude when he married Shiorihime, it is indeed impossible to get her pregnant so quickly.

However, after all, this is Hattori's righteous words, and looking at his appearance, it seems difficult to say that there is no inclination. As for the facts, I'm afraid it's hard to investigate in detail, after all, this is a matter within the boudoir of a country, and the only person who can be interrogated has been killed.

"Jingzong, what do you know about the situation of your Jiahezhong?" I decided to hear from another messenger.

"Your Majesty went to Iga on the orders of Lord Takenaka to investigate, and the situation is roughly the same as what Lord Masashi said," Yamaoka Keizune owed, "However, Koga and Iga are really not close to each other, so His Majesty can't investigate more deeply, and there may be some omissions." ”

(To be continued)