Chapter 44 Junchen spring breeze

This is the former Inaba Castle and today's Gifu Castle. From the castle high on the mountain, some red and white things quietly floated down on the roofs of the houses below the city. "The Merlin in the main city has also started to wither." Seeing this scene, everyone couldn't help imagining it. Their trust in the city lord is deepening year by year.This trust comes from the stability of life.They know that living here is happier than anywhere else. Although the laws are harsh, the lord here does not talk empty words.The things promised to the people must be done, and everyone has seen the actual benefits.

"If you fight, you will win, so you can rest assured." If the lord said this, he would definitely win, and after winning, he would share the joy with the people.For three consecutive days, drinking, dancing, singing, and playing. This is the song that Nobunaga will sing every time he gets drunk, and even the residents know it.However, although it is the same ballad, the hermit monks of the Muromachi period interpreted it as an impermanent worldview, which is quite different from Nobunaga's state of mind. "Everyone is mortal." Nobunaga likes this passage the most, and every time he sings here, he will sing loudly.Come to think of it, his outlook on life may be reflected here.

The life of the person who has not thought deeply about the meaning of life will not be complete. He knew his fate—that he would die soon.At the age of forty, he felt that his time was running out. In this short period of time, he wants to realize extremely grand ambitions.He has unlimited ideals. In order to realize his ideals, he constantly overcomes difficulties and lives extremely happily every day.However, everyone has a life, and he felt very sorry. "Ranmaru, play the drums!" Today he is also going to dance.After entertaining the envoy of Ise, although the envoy had gone back, Nobunaga still had more to say, drinking wine alone.

Ranmaru retreated to the next door, and then came again holding the drum.He walked up to Nobunaga and said, "Master Tokichiro Kinoshita of Yokoyama Castle has just arrived in the castle." For a while, both Asai and Asakura wanted to take advantage of the situation of the battle of Mikatahara to make some moves, but then Shingen withdrew their troops, and they shrank back in the territory all of a sudden, focusing on protecting the whole country. Seeing that the situation would not go wrong for a while, Fujikichiro quietly left Yokoyama Castle, and started to cruise all the way from Kinai to Kyoto.

All the generals defending the city, no matter whether they are in various chaotic battle situations or not, will not guard the city obediently like a conch.Sometimes it seems to be going out, but it is actually in the city, and sometimes it looks like it is in the city, but it is not there. The way of the military strategist is always false and real.Of course, Fujikichiro's small trip this time is also a private trip in a micro-service.It must be because of this that he suddenly came to Gifu Castle without warning. "Oh, it's Fujikichiro!" Nobunaga let him stay in another room first, then walked in with a smile on his face after a while, and sat on the upper seat.

Fujikichiro was dressed like an ordinary traveler, lying on the ground.He raised his head and said with a smile, "You must be surprised, right?" Nobunaga looked puzzled: "Why?" "Because I asked to see you suddenly." "What nonsense. You stopped being in Hengshan City half a month ago. I still know about this." "However, you must be surprised that I came to see you today, right?" "Hahaha, do you think that I, Nobunaga, is blind? You played with prostitutes in Kyoto in the dark, and after arriving on Omi Road, you called Ayou to a secret meeting with a rich man in Nagahama."

"Ha ha……" "What! I think you should be surprised." "This is really a surprise. As expected of my lord, I know everything." "The mountains here are so high that you can see the whole area. However, there is someone who knows your whereabouts better than I, Nobunaga. Do you know who it is?" "Have you arranged for a spy to follow me?" "This person is your wife." "Are you kidding...you look a little drunk today." "Although she was drunk, she didn't say anything wrong. Although your wife lives in Zhougu and looks far away, she is not."

"Oh, it seems that I came at the wrong time... Please forgive me." "Hahaha, I won't blame you for the matter of Yeyou. It's a very good thing to enjoy the cherry blossoms quietly every once in a while... But since you have time to meet people in Changbin, why don't you invite Ningzi to meet you?" Woolen cloth?" "yes." "You husband and wife haven't seen each other for a long time, right?" "Did the stupid wife write you some boring letter?" "Don't worry, there's no such thing. It's just that I, Nobunaga, care about you. Not only you, but all the generals have their wives at home for a long time when they are fighting. It's hard to be free now. At least let your wife see it first." You look safe and sound."

"You're right, but..." "Do you have any objections?" "Yes, although nothing has happened in the past few months, my own mood has not slackened in the slightest, and I am still in a wartime state." "You smart-mouthed guy, are you trying to quibble again?" "Then forget it, I will admit defeat." The master and slave laughed loudly.After a while, the two toasted and drank wine.At this time, Nobunaga screened Tong Ranmaru, but the conversation during the banquet became quieter. "By the way, what's the situation in Kyoto recently? I've been asking Murai Minbu to send envoys to visit, but I still want to know what you've seen and heard." Nobunaga asked expectantly.

Fujikichiro also looked like he had something to say. "We are sitting a little far away, my lord, do you want to come over, or should I go forward? I hope we can talk closer." "Let me come over." Nobunaga walked over from the upper seat with a jug and a cup, and he continued: "You can also close the door of the next room." Fujikichiro stood up and was about to close the door when he suddenly saw Ranmaru's fair face. "It's getting late, I brought the candles." After Lan Wan finished speaking, he immediately left. Fujikichiro took the candle into the room, closed the door, and quickly sat down in front of Nobunaga.

"The situation is still the same, but there is no hope for Shingen to enter the capital recently, so the owner of Muromachi seems quite disappointed. The general's family is still adopting the old strategy, and it is becoming more and more explicit. The direction is still to reject Nobunaga." "That's true. Shingen came to Mikatahara with great difficulty, but he went back again. Hearing this news is of course uncomfortable...I can imagine Yoshiaki's face." "However, he is also a very powerful politician. He often gives small favors to the citizens of Luozhong, and secretly makes them fear the Nobunaga regime. The burning of Mount Hiei happened to be used by him as a good material to slander the lord. More and more wantonly inciting the monks in the mountains." "Well...it's hard to clean up." "However, you don't have to worry. The monks and soldiers seemed to be completely terrified when they saw the ending of Mt. Hiei. We did that very well. Based on that, we won't lose." "Did you see Fujitaka when you were in the capital?" "I heard that Hosokawa-sama has been disliked by the general, and now he is living somewhere in the countryside." "Did he be driven away by General Yizhao?" "Master Hosokawa tried his best to make the Shogun's family and the Oda family get married. He believed that the perfect cooperation between the two could preserve the lifeline of the Muromachi Shogun's family, so he advised Yoshiaki-kun several times." "Yizhao can't listen to anyone now...he's a little crazy." "Yeah, he still takes the name of General Muromachi's family seriously. At this juncture of changing times, a big tide is splitting the past and the future in two, and those who are submerged by the tide are almost all Those old and young who are still obsessed with the majesty of the old forces and misunderstood the current situation. Although they only need to climb to a position slightly higher than the tide to understand. The so-called general position, a country, or a small castle, a little financial resources, etc., on the contrary. It is a burden that makes people unable to escape the tide of the times. From this point of view, he is also very pitiful." "In short, is that the case?" "By the way, there is a big event, and I am late in reporting." "Big thing, what is it?" "The thing is like this... The matter has not been spread yet. I said before that my ninja, Watanabe Tenzo, heard an insider message. I think it should be credible." "What news?" "Unfortunately, the superstar of Jiazhou has already fallen." "Huh? You mean Shingen?" "I heard that in February this year, when he set out from the Criminal Department to attack Sanzhou and besieged Noda City, he was shot by a musket at night." Nobunaga opened his eyes wide and stared at Tokichiro's lips for a moment. If the news of Shingen's death is true, the general situation of the world will change immediately.The existence of Shingen is of great significance.Moreover, this has a direct impact on Nobunaga.He was greatly shocked, feeling as if the tiger behind him suddenly disappeared. He hoped it was true, but for a moment it was unbelievable, and even felt a little wrong.When he heard the news, he instantly felt relieved. If there was no Shingen, it would be peaceful.Nobunaga felt an indescribable joy.After a while, he sighed and said, "Really? If this is true, then this rare military general has already passed away. The next era depends on us." Although Fujikichiro reported the news, his expression was not as complicated as that of Nobunaga.It looked like he was sitting at the dinner table and it was his turn to get the job, very calm. "Where did the musket bullet hurt, whether he died immediately, and how the injury was, these things are not well understood. However, it is said that the Takeda army immediately lifted the siege of Noda Castle, and the retreating soldiers seem to be demoralized." "That's right. No matter how brave the Koshu soldiers are, they can't do without Shingen." "During the trip, I heard Watanabe Tenzo's secret report, so I sent him to the territory of Koshu again, intending to ask him to dig out some specific details." "The other countries don't know about it, do they?" "It seems to be unaware. Even if Shingen has passed away, I am afraid that the Kofu clan is still prepared to keep this matter a secret, and keep Shingen still alive for a period of time. Therefore, if there is something that seems to be artificial in Koshu Territory. policy, or the movement to praise Shingen, then in all likelihood, Shingen is dead, or it can be considered that he is dying.” "Well, well..." Nobunaga nodded twice.He looked like he was trying to force himself to believe it all. Holding a cold wine glass in his hand, he suddenly thought of the ballad "Fifty years of life, compared to the world and the earth", but he was not in the mood to dance. Compared with his own death, his heart was more easily touched when he saw the death of others, and his mood became complicated. "When will the Tianzang you sent come back?" "I'll be back in three days." "Are you going to Hengshan City?" "No, I let him come here." "Then you stay here too." "That's exactly what I want... If possible, I hope to live in the city and wait for your summons at any time." "Why?" "There is no reason." "So how about you live in the city? We haven't seen each other for a long time." "I don't think it's been that long." "Boring guy, do you feel pressure to stay by my Nobunaga's side?" "No, actually..." "Actually what?" "This... the person traveling with me is waiting for me in the hotel under the city. I am worried about his loneliness, so I made an appointment to go back tonight." "The person traveling with me must be a woman." Nobunaga said with some surprise.Hearing the news of Shingen's death, he fell into sentimentality, but what Fujikichiro was worried about was far from him. "You must be tired. Go back to the hotel tonight. Tomorrow, bring your companions and come to the city together." When Fujikichiro was about to go back, Nobunaga said to him. "My lord is ringing the alarm for me." On the way back, Fujikichiro felt that he had been criticized, but he felt that Nobunaga was still a very sophisticated lord.The bell sounded casually, full of artistic sense. Fujikichiro brought Ayu to visit Nobunaga in the city the next day, and he no longer felt nervous. Unlike yesterday, Nobunaga chose the academy as the place to meet.He didn't drink alcohol today, he sat in the upper seat, looking at Fujikichiro and Ayu. "I heard that you are Hanbei Takenaka's younger sister, is that right?" Nobunaga asked kindly. It was the first time for Ayu to meet Nobunaga, and she was with Fujikichiro again. She lowered her head, not daring to breathe. "...Yes, thank you for remembering. My brother Shigeharu has always been loved by your lord. I am his younger sister Ayou." Her voice was weak, but it sounded more beautiful and moving. Nobunaga was fascinated by it, and he admired it very much.He wanted to ridicule Fujikichiro, but he felt that he was not very kind, so he said seriously: "Is Hanbei still in good health afterward?" "I haven't seen my brother for a long time. The battle is busy...but sometimes we exchange letters." "Where do you live now?" "I live with an acquaintance in Changtingxuan City, which is not broken." Nobunaga said with a smile: "Is that so, that's the case, Tongkou Saburobei is still there now." Fujikichiro said with some embarrassment: "By the way, why hasn't Watanabe Tenzo come back yet?" He wanted to change the subject on purpose.He is really cunning, but Nobunaga doesn't like this. "What are you talking about? Are you panicking? Tianzang didn't come back until about three days ago. Didn't you say that yourself last night?" "Really." Fujikichiro said, his face flushed.Seeing this scene, Nobunaga was finally satisfied.He wanted to see Fujikichiro shy from just now. "Ayu, just play slowly..." Nobunaga said. Nobunaga treats women well.Fujikichiro is sometimes happy and sometimes worried.The day passed in this complex state of mind. In the evening, Nobunaga said: "You haven't seen me dance, have you, Tokichiro has seen it several times." He also called Ayu to the evening reception.The maids in the inner room and the family members, old and young, all attended the scene together, and they all seemed to be full of spring. Nobunaga said to Ayou: "You can stay in the city at night." But Ayou still asked to go back.Nobunaga didn't force it, and said coldly: "Then Tokichiro, you should go back too!" The two left the city amidst the laughter of the crowd.However, not long after, Fujikichiro came back alone in a panic. "Where is the lord?" He came to the room next to the reception and asked the servant boy. "My lord has just returned to the bedroom." So Fujikichiro hurried to the outside of the bedroom again, and asked the guard to send a message to Nobunaga. "I have something important to do, and I want to see you again tonight anyway."