The menacing Nobunaga army rushed into Kiyoshu Castle at night.

Oda Nobutomo, who was holding a banquet, was beheaded by Ikeda Tsuneko, and the Kiyoshu Oda family, who was the guardian of the four prefectures of Owari, perished.

After defeating Oda Nobutomo, Nobunaga quickly moved his castle to Kiyoshu Castle.

Although it is also located in the plains, Kiyoshu Castle is located as a transportation hub, and business travel is very prosperous, and Nobunaga himself intends to develop it into a new center of Owari.

After the completion of the relocation of Nakono to Cheongju, news also came from Mino.

According to the information of the foot merchants, Saito Yoshiryu led an army to attack Washiyama Castle, where Michizo was located.

Saito Michizo thought that it was only a small group of forces in Mino who followed Yoshiryu to rebel, and he thought that most of the people supported him.

But when the righteous dragon soldiers approached the city, the troops in the hands of Dao San were still very few.

He once won the allegiance of the Mino nobles, thinking that he controlled all of Mino, but the nobles betrayed him in the blink of an eye.

In desperation, Saito Michizo led a few of his cronies to flee to Daisan Castle.

Cheng Zheng thought that Yoshiryu would chase after him and directly lead the army to besiege Daesang Castle, but Yoshiryu's actions were unexpected, and he actually disbanded his army and returned to Inabayama Castle to hibernate.

Regarding the pit viper that hid in Daisan Castle, Saito Yoshiryu showed a nonchalant demeanor, and he seemed to be sure that Saito Michizo would not be able to turn over the big waves at all, so he sat back and relaxed.

Just after the New Year of the following year (1553), an undercurrent began to rise in Cheongju Castle.

Because the first governor Nobuhide had controlled Tsushima for a long time, the Oda family accumulated considerable wealth.

However, many of these riches evaporated out of thin air after Nobunaga's accession to the throne.

Considering the cost of Nobunaga's repeated wars in the year since his accession to the throne, there was still a huge black hole in the Oda family's accounts.

"Where did the money go?"

Unknowingly, Nobunaga, who was suspicious by nature, began to personally go through the financial records of the last three years.

Although this matter was done secretly, it was about "money", so Hotta, the head of Tsushima's merchants, soon learned the news through secret channels.

Hattori Tomosada, a monk from Nagashima in Ise Province, bought the news for 200 gold when he passed through Tsushima and traveled along the Tokaido through the three countries of Owari, Mikawa, and Enoe to Imagawakan in Suruga Province.

The Imagawa Pavilion outside Sunfu Castle is inhabited by Imagawa Jibu Daisuke Yoshimoto, who is known as the "first bow in Tokaido".

Hattori Yusada humbly entered the museum and met Yoshimoto Imagawa and Yukisai Taiyuan.

"Villain Hattori Youzhen, meet His Highness Imagawa."

When his eyes turned to Xue Sai, Hattori Yuzhen smiled slightly:

"Lord Xuezhai, long time no see."

"You're still the same...... Make a lot of money in Tsushima. ”

Taiyuan Xuezhai snorted coldly in displeasure.

"Don't say that, business with the Imagawa family comes first."

Hattori Tomosada's humility could not arouse Yukisai's favor, just as his unsalty compliments could not attract Yoshimoto's attention.

Like the late Oda Nobuhide, Imagawa Yoshimoto was extremely concerned about Nobunaga, and in the dark, Yoshimoto always felt that there would be an inevitable battle between him and Nobunaga.

"I heard ......"

Yoshiwon opened his mouth softly behind the curtain,

"The big fool of the Oda family, who is going in and out of the Hotta family these days?"

Hattori Tomosada only felt two eyes shining through the curtain, enveloping his body up and down, making his body stiff and difficult to move...... It's as uncomfortable as being poked directly at the door of your life.

Youzhen had already heard of Yoshimoto's name, but he never thought that the coercion inadvertently revealed on Yoshimoto's body would suffocate him even more than the head of the Ichisho sect on Nagashima.

"Hai...... The villain got definite news from the Hotta family that Oda Nobunaga was investigating the flow of his father's property......"

Hattori Tomosada clearly saw the half of Imagawa Yoshimoto's face exposed outside the bead curtain, and that half of his face ...... A mocking smile had already been raised.

Xue Zhai sat aside like a dead tree, but he opened his mouth first:

"Actually left Duan Qian Fang and let the head of the family personally take care of the money, thinking about it, it must have hurt the self-esteem of Lord Pingshou."

Hattori Tomosada just smiled slightly, such a result was obviously expected by everyone.

"If ......"

Yiyuan behind the bamboo curtain supported his forehead with his hand and spoke again,

"I'm just saying just in case...... In case after Nobuhide's death, in order to rectify the chaos after the succession, Nobuhide's money will flow through the family, so there must be some money of unknown purpose. ”

"yes...... Yes, presumably. ”

As soon as Yoshimoto spoke, Hattori Tomosada felt that his breathing was a little difficult.

"The new governor who treats everyone around him as an enemy...... What would you think? I'm so sympathetic...... Draw-sama, ah......"

Imagawa Yoshimoto sighed.

I just don't know, is this sigh a pity for the tie Masahide, or a feeling for the helplessness of the troubled times?

Hattori Tomosada completed his mission and immediately retired, but when he left the Imagawa Pavilion, Taiyuan Yukisai caught up:

"Zuojing...... Say hello to Hite-sama on my behalf. ”

Hattori Tomosada didn't know why, so he accepted Yukisai's commission and hurried back to Tsushima.

Since then, rumors have spread in Tsushima and Atsuta in Owari that "Hirate Masahide appropriated Nobuhide's inheritance without authorization and filled his pockets".

On a still cold night, Tsushima's chief merchant Hatari Masatashi meets with Masahide Hirate, the second seat of the Oda family.

"Hirade-sama, did you have an affair with the Imagawa family?"

Hotta Masarayu's question was too sharp, and when he suddenly heard this, Hirata Masahide immediately got up and drew his sword, and his old and frail body exuded an extremely disproportionate dangerous aura:

"Impossible!"

"Wait!"

Hotta Masarashi was already sweating, and hurriedly waved his hand to stop the draw,

"I ...... Just to confirm. ”

Although Masahide swore by it, from that high level of nervousness, Hotta Masoryu still noticed some clues, and after a period of innocuous small talk, Masahide suddenly said:

"Indeed...... When the family governor was in turmoil, I did have to embezzle some of my money. ”

Hearing Masahide's active confession, Hateda Masoryu immediately pricked up his ears.

"But! I didn't take a penny to fill my pocket! Everything I do, it's for the sake of the Oda family! ”

After saying that, Hirate Masahide's tall figure hunched down, and these two sentences seemed to exhaust all his strength.

But...... Hotta Masoryu, who heard Masahide's confession, showed a suspicious and frightened expression.

The expression seemed to say...... Who would believe empty words? Even if I believe it, others don't believe it!

This made Hirate Masahide feel even more angry, and he grabbed Hotta Masarayu's arm, leaned over and asked:

"Why! Why don't you believe me! ”

Hotta Masarashi wanted to speak and stopped, and finally responded to him under Masahide's repeated questioning, but Hotta's answer made Masahide ...... Completely chilling!

"It's because ...... Imagawa Osabe Daisuke, it's exactly the same as what you say, all your justifications...... It was all within his expectations. ”