Just when Otomo Yoshikan was trying to form an encirclement against the Luo family, in the council hall of Samoi Jiin City, there was another voice that was different from the Otomo family.

"Lord, it is not appropriate for this family to conflict with the Luo family in Higo Amakusa County at present, on the contrary, this family should take the same method as it did with the Sagara family, try to stabilize the Luo family, and then the family will concentrate on quickly subduing the wealthy families in central and northern Satsuma, only in this way can the family have the strength to fight with the powerful Luo family." Ijiin Tadaro said earnestly.

"Your suggestion is to form an alliance with the Luo family?" Takahisa Shimazu said.

"Exactly."

"I'm afraid the Luo family may not be willing!" Takahisa Shimazu said suspiciously.

"Your Majesty is willing to personally send an envoy to the Luo family to promote the alliance between the two families." Tadaro Ijiin immediately asked for help.

"No, it must not be. Zhonglang, you are the arm of the governor of the family, in case you are seized by the Luo family, the loss of the family will be very large, and this matter is absolutely impossible. After hearing that Tadaro Ijiin planned to personally envoy the Luo family, Shimazu Takahisa immediately shook his head and refused.

"My lord, compared to the martial arts of my family, what is the life of my subordinates?" Tadaro Ijiin pleaded.

"This matter needs to be discussed in detail." Takahisa Shimazu finally decided......

While the retainers of the Shimazu family were discussing whether to form an alliance with the Luo family, in Higo's Hiyoshi Castle, which was separated from Satsuma by a mountain, Sagara Yoshiji looked at the information in his hand about the Luo family's occupation of Amakusa County.

"I didn't expect that the Otomo family hadn't left yet, and another Luo's family came!" Yoshiji Sagara muttered to himself. He's been upset enough lately. I didn't expect another thing to upset him.

As a successor to the will of their ancestors, they completely consolidated and unified the Sagara clan. Further mastered the three counties of South Fertilizer Ball Mill, Eight Generations, and Weibei. For him, who made the Sagara family gradually move from a wealthy family to a daimyo, it can be said that he is worthy of his ancestors. It's just that he's been really upset lately.

The reason for the upset is that the other person is already old, and the body seems to be getting worse day by day. To add insult to injury, he had no son to inherit the family business. As a result, as he grew older, he gradually sensed that his retainers seemed to be coveting his governorship, consciously or unconsciously.

Recently, he even received a secret report from the detective, and the family's important minister, Sagara Jiyori, seems to be moving in his territory. And the younger brother Uemura Yoriko seems to want his son (that is, the future Sagara Haruhiro) to become his adopted son, so as to inherit the position of family governor.

For the actions of these two. Yoshizu Sagara is not out of the question. As for Sagara Jirai, as long as he tightens surveillance, once there are clues that he is trying to rebel and seize the position of governor, then it is better to kill the mistake and not let it go, and directly quell the rebellion. As for the righteous brother Uemura Yoriko, Sagara Yoshiko decided to continue to vigorously use Uemura Yoriko's younger brother Uemura Nagashige. Sagara Yoshizi was extremely jealous of his younger brother's talents, and now it was time for the two to set the two against each other.

It's just that a bunch of things at home are troublesome enough. But two more hungry wolves came from outside the family. One end is the Otomo family, which gradually controlled the central and northern parts of Higo. For the Otomo family, Sagara Yoshiji is resistant. With the wolf ambition of the Otomo family, after completely controlling the central and northern parts of Higo. It is inevitable to do it to Nanfeihou. Although there has been no conflict between the two at present, it is in order to prevent it from happening. He has secretly allied himself with Kikuchi Yoshitake, who advocates resistance to the Otomo family.

For the new wolf, Sagara Yoshiji had a headache. But he also has absolutely no affection for the Luo family. Because he has already determined that the Sumoto family in Amakusa County has been annexed by the Luo family. Thinking that back then, he also fought against the Amakusa family with the father of the current governor of the Qiben family, but in the blink of an eye, even the family business of the son of his comrade-in-arms could not be saved, and he couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed. The years are not forgiving!

At the same time, at the Yamaguchi Museum in Nagato, there was a person who was also lamenting the ruthlessness of time. This person is none other than the important minister of the Ouchi family, Naito Guardian Prosperity.

Just now, he had just reported the news about the Luo family's occupation of Higo Amakusa County to Yoshitaka Ouchi, but it did not attract Yoshitaka Ouchi's attention. Yoshitaka Ouchi still looks like he has no intention of doing political things.

"No, the matter of the sister-in-law in the family must be resolved as soon as possible!" Eventually, Naito made up his mind. He had to get Yoshitaka Ouchi to cheer up as soon as possible. In his opinion, although the Ouchi family still seems to be a well-deserved overlord at present, the Nizi family, the Otomo family and even the Luo family around the Ouchi family are all tigers that will bite people at any time.

Of course, Zhengliang is very concerned about the situation around Haoqiang. So at this time, in the council hall of Hizen Kishigaku Castle, Masashi was talking secretly with Kiyomasa Duanki, who had returned home secretly.

"Dazai-sama recently held a waka party at the Yamaguchikan, which was attended by the ministers who had settled around the Yamaguchikan who had fled the war from Kyoto. Dazai-sama's recent behavior has been quite strange, he has changed his previous way of traveling, he rides in an ox cart, wears the girdle clothes of the minister, and signs the paperwork with the secretary's monogram...... He had recently rewarded large quantities of land to large temples and shrines...... "Kiyomasa Duanki described some of the changes in Yoshitaka Ouchi to Masaro in detail.

Ride on an ox cart? Wearing the tie clothes of the minister? Still signing a princess-like monopoly on the paperwork? Damn, Yoshitaka Ouchi isn't doing retro, is he? After hearing this, Masahiro couldn't help but think in surprise. Could it really be that Yoshitaka Ouchi was tired of the war career of the samurai due to the death of his adopted son Haruchi Ouchi, and longed for the retro and peaceful life of the minister?

Of course, Masaro hopes that Yoshitaka Ouchi will continue to live like this. In particular, the act of rewarding large quantities of land to large temples and shrines will surely gradually arouse the dissatisfaction of the samurai, and also lay the groundwork for the future civil strife of the Ouchi family. For the Luo family, the Ouchi family is still a huge beast, and of course Masahiro hopes that he will collapse as soon as possible as in history, otherwise if the Luo family wants to dominate in Kyushu, it will inevitably fall into a tug-of-war with the Ouchi family.

"Kiyomasa, when you return to the Ouchi family this time, you must present some gifts from the Ming Kingdom prepared by the family to Dazai Daiji-sama. By the way, don't forget to give some to my father-in-law, Takeren Sagara, too. After listening to Duanmu Qingzheng's report, Zhengliang immediately decided. Now that the fire is already burning, Masato doesn't mind adding a little more oil to it.

"Yes, my lord!" Duanmu Qingzheng led the way.

"By the way, in the Ouchi family, except for Lord Dazai, what strange actions did the rest of the retainers have?" After listening to information about Yoshitaka Ouchi, Masarashi continued to ask.

"The Chikuzen-Harada family seems to have fallen out with the Chikuzen guardian Yosugi family because of their heavy losses in the battle with the Otomo family last year. And the Sugi family seems to be fighting the fire everywhere at this time because of the rumors that the Ouchi family will welcome the son of the Otomo family as an adopted son. Duanmu Qingzheng said with a smile.

"Ha Luha, good, the more chaotic the better." Masaki also said with a smile after hearing this.

"In addition, Lord Tao Longfang, the guardian of the Zhou Defense, seems to be very interested in the firearms used by the family in the battle with the Otomo family army a year ago, and hopes that the family can provide them with some." Duanmu Kiyomasa continued to report. Firearms have always been a secret of the Luo family, and now Tao Longfang directly asked for a purchase, and Duanmu Qingzheng estimated that this request would be rejected by Zhengliang.

Who knew that after listening to it, Lu Dao Zhengliang said with a smile: "Oh? Is it? Then let Lord Tao Longfang send someone to discuss with the family's Shenya Shaoce. ”

Since Wang Zhi's last visit, Zhengliang knew that arquebuses had begun to flow into the local area. However, Masara was not at all worried about this, because it was at least a year or two before the arquebus was copied and then transformed into an iron cannon more suitable for local use. And the iron cannon that just appeared, at the beginning, was more of a valuable gift among the wealthy families. It is still three or four years before it truly becomes a weapon equipped on a large scale by the armies of all powerful countries.

And this time happened to be the time when Masahiro promoted the fire system on a large scale. Of course, muskets will not be sold, only firearms. As for whether those heroes want it or not, Zhengliang doesn't care. Anyway, more than a dozen imitation arquebuses have been manufactured in the Luo family's firearms workshop recently, and as the arquebus accounts for an increasing proportion of the Luo family's iron artillery team, the fire system will gradually be eliminated.

Of course, Masato is still not satisfied with the performance of these imitation arquebuses, so recently Masara has issued an order for the firearms workshop to increase the improvement and research and development of arquebuses. At least the ignition performance should be improved, and even better if it is not affected by humidity and rainy weather.

For the improvement of the arquebus, Masashi is very concerned. According to his memory, after the musket was introduced to the local area, it was improved, and in some performance, even surpassed the Western arquebus of the same period. Compared to the various European muskets, this subway gun has a clear standard, and even the bullets snatched from the enemy can be used themselves.

In addition, there is also the "morning box" technique. This "early box" technique is an upgraded version of the "fixed gunpowder" technique that Masato has just ordered. Morning Closure is a tool, also known as a "morning box", which is made of bamboo and wood. Those who are good at firearms will load the bullets and ammunition in the fastest time and press the trigger when the early closing falls. If you follow this step carefully, you will save a lot of time, your shooting rate will increase, and your speed will increase.

In addition, in order to improve the performance of the iron cannon, the barrel of the cannon and the gun box for placing gunpowder have been improved to a certain extent. These were recorded from memory, and they were sent to the firearms workshop to be studied by the craftsmen there.

At present, the iron cannon of the Luo family has also been able to produce on its own, and it is already one step ahead of other Haoqiang, and next, it is necessary to take the route of large-scale production and technical improvement. (To be continued......)