Chapter 61 Nobunaga enters Honnoji Temple

Once he made up his mind, Mitsuhide once again became a person who was highly appreciated by Nobunaga and possessed unlimited talents. The depth of his intentions can be described as rare in the world.Moreover, not only does he know how to boost morale, but he is also quite clever in combat methods.The plan to betray Nobunaga this time was kept in the dark until Akechi ended his rest and was ready to go. The soldiers and their families were still kept in the dark. After Nobunaga and his party entered the capital, they were warmly welcomed by the ministers along the way from Yamashita, and finally arrived at the Honnoji Temple located in the east of the Liujiaotongyou Xiaolu Road in Xiajing.

This Honnoji Temple is not the Honnoji Temple built in Teramachi today. Since Nobunaga will stay here temporarily during his stay in Beijing, he specially ordered people to dig a deep trench around the temple and build a strong city wall and a fortified gate. Honnoji Temple covers an area of ​​about 10,000 square meters. The surrounding moats are dotted with bright red water lilies, and the temple is covered with towering ancient trees, like a forest. In such a vast space, it is absolutely not a problem to accommodate one or two thousand soldiers.What's more, the small guards and personal guards that Nobunaga brought from Azuchi, including the Mori Ranmaru brothers, were only fifty in total.

Therefore, the important ministers thought that Nobunaga was too careless, so they dispatched 250 people from the Suosi Representative Office to strengthen the guards.However, even with the addition of these many people, it is still insignificant for this vast monastery. "It's all due to the shortage of manpower!" In Nobunaga's room, Soshidai Murai Nagato Mori Harunaga, who came to Yamashina in person, said apologetically.However, Nobunaga just shook his head, and said indifferently: "That's all right! Anyway, I will only stay here for two or three days, and I will leave for Beizhong soon."

At this time, when he saw Nong Ji who came to Honno Temple with her maid first, he immediately resumed his usual half-joking and half-serious tone and said: "A Nong, who is the minister who will visit tomorrow? Those bugs?" "Hahaha..." Nonghime glanced at Nagato Shou, and then replied: "Your Excellency has always hated being paid respects by ministers." Then he said with a smile: "Your mouth is really bad, you actually called them bedbugs! If people heard it, what do you think they would think?" "It's better to be heard by them, and I can save a lot of red tape. You see, they are all dressed in silk and say the same polite words, don't they look like a group of bedbugs queuing up? The weather It's so hot, and they are actually wearing a lot of clothes, which makes people feel annoying! Tell me, who are going to come?"

"Obey! Those who go to Shanshina to meet you today will come tomorrow." "What? The people who came to meet me today... oh, who made this rule?" Nonghime smiled but did not answer.After Nobunaga changed into her unlined clothes, she immediately walked to the bookshelf, picked up the list of visitors who would come to visit tomorrow, and read it aloud one by one. "There are Konoe-san and Goeisho, Kujo-san, Ichijo-san, Nijo-san, Segoin, Takaji, Kikutei, Tokudaiji, Asukai, Niwada, Tatsuji, Kanroji, and Saienji." "Is there anything else? Ah Nong?" "Yes! Everyone thinks that you, my lord, are responsible for making the capital so prosperous, so they all hope to come and visit you!"

"Don't lie to me! No matter who comes, they always respect me on the surface, but they still despise me in their hearts, thinking that I'm just a country bumpkin. Hmph, I've seen too many people like this." "Hahaha... Since you hate them so much, why don't you just act impatient?" "Ah Nong!" "What's up?" "I don't think you're in the right mind. If I'm impatient or keep silent, then they'll think I'm in a bad mood, and it'll be worse? Then they're bound to be worse than they are now." Doubly trouble me!"

"Haha... this is what a high-ranking person in the world must endure! Keep reading! After Saiyuanji Asho, there are Sanjo Nishi, Kyuga, Takakura, Minase, Jimeiin... and Niwada The Yellow Gate of Kanshuji, the Yellow Gate of Kanshuji Temple, Masakimachi, Zhongshan, Karasuma, Hirohashi, Bojo Castle, Gotsuji, Takeuchi, Hanayama-in, Wanli Xiaolu, Zhongshan’s Lieutenant General, Lengquan, Nishitoin, Yinyangtou..." "ok, ok, I got it." Nobunaga interrupted Nohime impatiently, then shook his head vigorously and sat down on the chair. "By the way, Nagatoshi! You'd better warn those bugs in Beijing in advance and tell them not to approach me as much as possible."

"Okay, I see. Also, I would like to ask my lord, should we serve tea when receiving guests tomorrow? Or food and drink..." Nagato Shou smiled and asked Nobunaga. "No wine! Just have tea." Nobunaga replied bluntly, and then looked up at the sky. Nagato thought that Nobunaga must be thinking about Ieyasu's itinerary, which is why he seemed so irritable. On the other hand, the three lieutenant generals Nobutada had already moved to Nijo Castle, and Moer Gensaburo, who was playing for the first time, had also arrived at Miaojue Temple, where he was waiting for his father to join him.Of course, they also heard the news that Hideyoshi, who was besieging Takamatsu Castle, was now in a dilemma.

At such a critical juncture, those ministers who don't care about the war can only talk about romance, no wonder it makes people feel boring. "Nagato, I think so! You can think of a way to let me see all the ministers in one day, okay?" "Obey!" After saying that, Nagatoshi exited Nobunaga's room, and returned to his home in Horikawa that night, and then came to Honnoji Temple the next day. However, it is simply impossible to end the visits of all the ministers in one day.Because there were too many ministers seeking to see him, until the next day, that is, June 1, the visit activities were still unstoppable.

This is also because Nobunaga has not been to Kyoto for a long time, so almost all the ministers, the bugs he called, all came to see him with gifts. According to the customs at that time, the gifts brought by the ministers were only to show off their wealth to people; when the visit was over, the gifts were still brought back intact.As a result, a lot of people couldn't talk to Nobunaga at all on the first day, so they just said, "—I'll come back tomorrow and have a good chat with you!" Most of the visitors left after making appointments for tomorrow. After the day's reception work was over, Nobunaga was finally able to have dinner with the eldest male Lieutenant General Nobutada and Moer Gensaburo with ease.

Throughout the day, Nobunaga dealt with the many visitors with great patience, and he didn't put away his already stiff smile until after the last visitor was sent away at dusk. Since Mitsuhide had already returned to Tamba for the battle, Matsui Yukan and Hasegawa Take, who were supposed to be by his side, had to be temporarily sent to receive Ieyasu. In this kind of hot summer, the ministers were holding refreshments and babbling and refusing to leave, and the topic could not be separated from palace ceremonies and anecdotes; this made the long gate guard who stood by very worried. (What should I do if an adult loses his temper suddenly?...) Unexpectedly, Nobunaga tried his best to tolerate it, so that everyone could return home happily. "Nagato, you really worked hard today, come have dinner with us later!" At this time, Nagato Shou felt that he seemed to understand Nobunaga a little bit. The reason Nobunaga longed to drink with his children in the evening was because he could no longer bear the visits of boring people. (After all, he is also the father of a child!  …) "Thank you! It will be the best memory in my life to be able to participate in the parent-child banquet of adults and young masters." "The best memory in my life? This sentence is well said, hahaha! Nagato, I didn't expect that you are also a person who abides by righteous law! Isn't it? Ah Nong!" It was already seven o'clock in the evening when they came to the guest room where the banquet had been set up.