In November of the 4th year of Eiroku (1561 AD), a group of men and horses were walking slowly through the snow in the distant Ezo region of Hokkaido, while the various forces of Tokaido were fighting each other and the wealthy clans of the Kanto region were constantly fighting.

The soft snow creaked under your feet, and it seemed like a thick carpet when you stepped on it. By this time, the snow had stopped, the sky was white, and although the north wind was still biting, it was only slowly blowing and no longer howling. The sun still doesn't show its face out of the clouds, so people can't get rid of a feeling of dampness (although this also has the advantage of saving strong reflections that can cause "snow blindness" on the snowy fields).

The group of more than a dozen men was now walking on the mountain road leading further north, and they had obviously been fully prepared beforehand, not only did each of them wear thick cotton clothes, but even the shoes on their feet were added with a pair of large boots made of straw. These northern shoes for snow walking are designed to have wide soles, so you don't have to worry about your feet getting stuck in the deep snow and ice while walking!

"Whew!"

At this moment, one of the people walking suddenly stood in place, and then took a deep breath, and when he looked up, he saw that the surrounding snowy scenery of the northern country was indeed pleasing to the eye.

This person was none other than the Luo family's one-eyed dragon, and after the separation of the Luo family's second expedition team in Tokaido, the Luo family's third expedition team to which the Luo family belonged was divided into several groups, and then came from all directions towards the Ezo area.

In the past half a year, Masamune of the Roche clan, who was in a group with Honda Tadakatsu, set out from Enoe Province in Tokaido and passed through Kai, Kanto, Mutsu and other places. Finally, two months ago, I arrived at the Yatsukawa Port in Michinotsu Tsugaru. Rendezvous here with some members of the Third Expedition who arrived earlier than them. After waiting for another two months, and after gathering some more people, the time was really a little late, and if it was delayed, I was afraid that it would affect the plan that the lord Masahiro had set for them before they set off from Kyushu, so after leaving some people in Yaukawa Port to continue waiting for the others who had not arrived at this time, they officially headed for the Ezo area.

In the past few years, with the strong support of the Luo family's Intelligence Pavilion and the Internal Affairs Cabinet. In many places in the Kanto region and Mutsu, Rocheya has established a number of trading houses and other bases under various names, and these bases are engaged in normal trade on the one hand, and secretly collect information on the other. And this time, it was thanks to the support of these bases along the way that they were able to finally reach the port of Yaucheon.

On the way to the trip, Luo Masamune and others also carefully recorded some situations along the way and even drew some maps according to the previous plan. Of course, even with the help of a lot of strongholds, it is too far away from the main family of the Luo family in Kyushu, and the distribution of strongholds in the local area is relatively sparse. Therefore, the information they record often has to wait a long time before it can be sent out once, and at the same time, it takes a long time for them to get a message from the outside world. For example, in the case of the Second Expedition in Tokaido, they only knew at this time that Imagawa Fuling had taken advantage of the death of Imagawa Yoshimoto to raise troops and began to seize the position of the Imagawa family's governor, and as for the situation after that, they did not know anything for the time being.

Regardless, most of them eventually met at the port of Yaucheon, and now they have finally disguised themselves as merchants and set foot on the final leg of this long journey.

"Haha, how can you continue to walk in such weather?" After taking a deep breath, Masamune Roche couldn't help but say happily.

In the previous journey, Luo Masamune and others have been sitting in the car, although it is a little worse than the palace car they usually take, but it has also saved a lot of foot power! But now, it can't be done, and all the cars are left in a temporary base of the Roche Family Intelligence Pavilion in a small town in the former Oysaki family's territory. No matter how wealthy a merchant is, he can't travel on horseback for a long time. Therefore, in order to avoid being suspected, Luo Masamune and others had no choice but to walk according to the customs!

But after walking for a while, I originally thought that I would be very tired, but Luo Masamune and others actually felt that it was okay. After the initial fatigue was accepted, everyone gradually became attracted to the surrounding scenery and began to talk and laugh about light-hearted topics.

"Matsuzaburo." Masamune Roche turned his head to a young man who was following him and asked, "Shall I wait for the news of my imminent departure to pass?" "This young man named Matsuzaburo is a local leader of the shrimp family, and he secretly became a member of the Luo family's local intelligence cabinet a few years ago, and this time he is used as a guide to lead Luo Masamune and others to the destination this time.

"As soon as the adults arrived, the news spread, but I haven't heard back from the other party...... Matsuzaburo replied immediately, "And, my lord, although we have always had a close trade relationship with them, we haven't fully understood their situation there!" Actually, you should still let people go in and stand forward, and my lord, you just went over so directly, isn't it a little too risky? ”

"It doesn't matter!" Luo Masamune shook his head and said, "I guess the notice we waited for was a little hasty, and they didn't have time to react!" We don't know them, and they don't understand us, so it's understandable that they're a little cautious. As far as I know, once these people grasp their minds, it is not difficult to grasp them, after all, there are still many simple-minded people among them! "After all, these people who are about to meet are still very dependent on their own side of trade, so Luo Shi Masamune is not worried about the safety of this trip at all.

Subsequently, Masamune Roche also changed the topic and talked to Matsuzaburo about the situation of shrimp. After all, the member of the Intelligence Pavilion in front of him was born and raised in the local area, and he was very clear about the "stakes" between various local forces.

So, just like that, unconsciously until noon, the sky did not clear, but became more gloomy, and the north wind brought a whistle of "woo woo" on the treetops.

Although it didn't snow again, the ice slag on the ground was rolled up and hit in the face. It's still a little painful! Luo Masamune and the others are now starting to panic a little in their hearts. I can only rely on the experience of Matsuzaburo, a local mouthful, that "it will be sunny for more than ten days after the early snow ends"!

"That's not right!" But walk and walk. Honda Tadakatsu and Manmanmaru (that is, Sagara Yoshiyo) and others in the back still caught up and said to Luo Masamune.

"Front...... How far is it going? Luo Masamune also stopped at this time, turned around and asked Matsuzaburo behind him. At this time, a cold wind carried the icy cool air into the nasal cavity of Luo's Masamune, and the tingling sensation brought by it instantly approached his eyes, causing Luo's Masamune to unconsciously shed a few tears.

"Beyond this slope is a forest, you can take shelter there first!" Matsuzaburo said.

"Alright! Walk a few steps there for lunch, and wait for the wind to light up before hitting the road! Luo Masamune nodded, and then immediately decided.

So, lunch and rest in the woods made Luo Zhengzong and others recover a certain body. But the wish to wait for the wind to be small did not come true! In the afternoon, Masamune Roche and the others had to continue in the more violent north wind, because if they waited any longer, they would not be able to reach their destination before dark.

"My lord......" Matsuzaburo said with a guilty face, and at the same time kept inhaling the cool air, "This time the matter is like this, it is all the fault of the subordinates who are not well prepared!" Let you suffer such hardship......"

"Don't say that, after all, I'm going to have to go on the road at this time!" Although he was wrapped in a heavy fox fur jacket, Masamune of the Luo clan still shivered.

Although he was really suffering at this time, Luo Masamune still had to comfort everyone, which was also to boost morale. Second, the responsibility is indeed on Luo Zhengzong and others.

"It's just a little bit of a bit of a frost, that's for us. It's really not a big deal, and it's still on the road, at least I'm not in danger of getting lost now! Speaking of this, in order to liven up the atmosphere, Masamune Roche immediately casually made a joke, "Fortunately, I didn't encounter wolves in such weather......"

According to Matsuzaburo, there are quite a few wild wolves here (Hokkaido wolves endemic to the area, but they have become extinct in later generations).

"Wow~Wow!" However, just before Luo Masamune could finish speaking, a long and terrible howl came from behind Luo Masamune and the others.

After that, there was a constant sound of this voice, which was full of creepy greed. Everyone's faces changed at this time, and their eyes were full of shock.

"Wolf...... Cry wolf! Matsuzaburo said in a trembling voice, although he often walked this way, he had never encountered such a thrill.

In fact, he didn't need to say it, everyone knew what kind of animal they were across.

"There are about a hundred voices to listen to, and they should have followed the footsteps of us and waited......" At this time, Sagara Yoshiyo, who was among the crowd, listened to it a little and roughly judged the situation, and then, he grabbed Matsuzaburo's arm and asked anxiously, "If you go this way, it won't take long to be overtaken, is there a closer way to them?" ”

"Yes...... There is another one...... because Sagara Yoshiyo grabbed Matsuzaburo's arm in extreme excitement, and Matsuzaburo was now pale from being clutched, "There is also a hillside to the left of Guò, so you can save half the distance!" It's just that because it's not regular, very few people go, and now it's snowing all over the place, except for their people...... Usually no one will get through guò there! Matsuzaburo finally finished speaking, but there were many beads of sweat on his face in the cold air.

"In that case!" Sagara Yoshiyo finally let go of his hand, turned to everyone and said, "Masamune, Tadakatsu, you wait to go first from the shortcut, I'll take some people to lure the wolves away, and I'll wait to meet them when we're done!" Then, Sagara Yoshiyo casually pointed to a few people and prepared to stay.

"I don't see the need to do that!" Honda Tadashi said very disdainfully at this time, and slammed the spear in his hand into the air, and then continued, "It's just a hundred and ten wild wolves, and the next person can completely deal with them, since they are so desperate to keep up, then let them be fulfilled in the next place!" Among the crowd at this moment, only his face was still excited.

"Say no more, let's go down that shortcut road together." At this time, Luo Masamune finally spoke.

"Let's go, then!" After the decision was made, everyone stopped talking, and then all the members began to speed up their pace and go to the shortcut.

"This is it." After a while, Luo Masamune and the others finally came to a large slope, and Matsuzaburo pointed there and said, "Walk through here and go down, this is the place where I will go today, and some of their clansmen live there!" It's just that the ground here is not very smooth, and now it is covered by snow, and it is not very clear to see, and there is already a thick layer of snow on the rocks at the top of the slope, which may cause an avalanche if you are not careful! ”

"You lead me and wait ahead to clear the way!" Honda Tadakatsu waved at the two guards, and then said to Luo Masamune and the others, "You walk on the footprints in front of you, and follow at a distance of twenty paces!" ”

"Be careful!" Luo Zhengzong and others immediately admonished.

From the surface of the snow, it looks like a flat patch, but when you actually walk, you realize that there are actually many stones of different sizes on the ground, and it is really a bit awkward to walk on them. Honda Tadakatsu and the two guards followed Matsuzaburo in front, poking the ground with their weapons from time to time. On the one hand, Luo Masamune and the others were nervously watching the surrounding Yiqiē to avoid the wild wolves behind them from suddenly appearing and attacking them, and on the other hand, they were cautiously following the footprints left by Honda Tadakatsu and the others in front.

"Squeak!" Suddenly, an unnatural crisp sound came from the front, and half of Matsuzaburo's body suddenly sank below the ground, and one of the guards hurriedly reached out to pull him, and the others also grabbed their weapons after being startled.

"Be careful!" At this moment, someone behind him exclaimed. But it seems to be a little late.

"Ahh At this moment, Luo Shi Masamune and the others felt that their feet were soft, and their bodies immediately tilted to the side.

"Your Excellency!" With the exclamations of some people behind him, the snow swept down from the top of the slope like a tide, and Luo Shi Masamune only felt a rumbling sound around him, and then every qiē in front of him seemed to be white, and his entire body was also swept into this world......

(Thanks to "Shenluan, Why Bother, Capcom, leely" 100 points for their tipping support;

The new book "Lord of the Giant Tree" has been released, the ISBN is 3452023, and there is a hyperlink on the front page of the book to direct the book. Since the number of clicks, favorites, and recommended votes during the new book period will affect the position of the new book in the rankings, I would like to ask everyone to go there and give a valuable collection and a valuable recommendation vote, thank you very much. (To be continued......)