Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Nobunaga Bet on Fujikichi

In the second year of Yonglu, the confrontation between the Oda Army and the Imagawa Army continued until the end of the year. Matsudaira Motoyasu successfully transported grain and grass into Dataka Castle in the first battle, and was highly praised by Imagawa Yoshimoto.The old ministers of the Matsudaira Clan, Hirotaka Honda and Aki Ishikawa, took this opportunity to ask Yoshimoto to let Motoyasu Matsudaira return to Okazaki Castle, but they were still resolutely refused.After discovering Yuan Kang's talent, Yi Yuan felt that Yuan Kang would be very helpful for him to go to Beijing, so he left him in Junfu.Now that the Chuan family has successfully entered Beijing, Oda Nobunaga will either perish or surrender. There is absolutely no third way to go.The matter of Yuan Kang's return to Okazaki Castle should be discussed after entering Beijing.If Nobunaga surrenders and Imagawa enters the capital smoothly, Motoyasu can be sent back to Okazaki to contain Nobunaga; if Nobunaga tries to resist, Motoyasu's Okazaki Castle must be used as a shield.

In February of the third year of Yonglu, the situation became more favorable for Yiyuan.Uesugi Kagetora and Takeda Harunobu, who were facing each other in the Kawanaka Island area, were in a stalemate. They were neither willing to make peace, nor could they do anything about each other. From the beginning of March, Yiyuan finally began to step up his armaments, preparing to quickly march towards the capital.The officials in his shilling territory transported the grain and grass accumulated last winter to Owari and Mikawa. "Everyone, gather your troops as much as possible and prepare to go." If Yoshimoto can enter the capital smoothly, then his generals will immediately become rich and enfeoffed daimyos.For the sake of fame and fortune, the generals tried their best to gather their troops.

If Zen Master Xuezhai is alive, it will be a great encouragement to the Imagawa family, but Yoshimoto does not regret it too much.In this Warring States period where even his own flesh and blood could not be easily trusted, Yoshimoto was most troubled by Shizhen who stayed behind in Junfu. The number of troops entering Beijing was initially set at 25,000.The pioneers are Songping people, with 2,500 people.Next is Asahina Taineng, also with 2,500 people.The third team, Yudian Changzhao, has 2,000 people.The fourth team, Miura Beigo, has 3,000 people.The fifth team, Nobuzhen Geshan, has 5,000 people.The sixth team is Yiyuan's main force, five thousand people.There are about 5,000 food and fodder troops.Yoshimoto brought so many soldiers, and also prepared some troops to defend Junfu, Hamamatsu, Yoshida, Okazaki and other cities.

At this time, perhaps only the Imagawa clan in the world can assemble such a huge team.Oda Nobunaga had at most 5,000 people, Uesugi Kenshin had about 8,000, Takeda Shingen had about 12,000, and Hojo Ujiyasu had about 10,000. In May, Yiyuan first called Yuankang into Junfu City. As expected by Hataro Takeuchi of Kuma Village, summer has already entered.Although it is still in the early stage of the rainy season, the heat this year seems to be particularly severe.The light in the afternoon was still strong, and Yoshiwon was sweating profusely on his heavily made-up face.Because the summer came early, there were already mosquitoes.Also because he hates mosquitoes very much, Yiyuan closed the windows in the afternoon.The forty-two-year-old Yi Yuan was even fatter, and he gently welcomed Yuan Kang into the bedroom.

"It's really hot this year. Come on, take a break." Yiyuan asked the boy to fan him, "How's the military equipment?" "It's ready." "How is Ah He feeling? Are the children okay?" Yuan Kang looked relieved. "Ahe and Agui are both in good health. I can leave at any time with confidence." "That's great!" Yoshimoto seemed to suddenly think of something, and said: "By the way, how about marrying Iio Toyomae's Agui?" Yuan Kang couldn't help being shocked.Kira Yoshian's daughter, Agui, was the first woman Yuan Kang dated when he was eleven years old.

"I heard that A Gui has no children yet. It's better for women to have children. This is still A Heqiang." Yoshimoto said nonchalantly, "You, Yuankang, will take the lead this time." Having expected this, Yuankang nodded silently. "I don't need to say more, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Matsudaira. Do you understand?" "clear." "The Oda clan is the enemy of your father and grandfather." Yoshimoto suddenly emphasized his tone, "Your grandfather once attacked and defended the mountain castle, but he still failed to defeat the Oda clan. Your father fought against the Oda clan all his life. .If you let other generals be the vanguard to attack your family's old enemy, I'm afraid you will fail your grandfather and father. So I still let you be the vanguard."

Yuan Kang suppressed his excitement, "Thank you, sir..." He quietly lowered his head.His heart was not so much filled with resentment as it was ridiculous. "The Oda family only has four or five thousand people at most, and you are enough to deal with them. They are the old enemies of your Matsudaira family. Not only that, but your retainers have also shed blood for them for generations." "However, Yuan Kang believes that the Oda Clan cannot be defeated by Matsudaira alone." "Are you afraid of the Oda Army?" "I'm not afraid, but to defeat them, you must be fully prepared. I say this because the people, wild warriors, and robbers in that area all support the Oda clan."

"Oh. You often mention this. But once my army is dispatched, they will definitely move for profit. I will post Anmin notices everywhere to let the people know who is more profitable to follow... In short, leave this matter to me. All you need to do is kill Nobunaga and leave nothing behind." Yuan Kang tried his best to conceal his emotions, and replied easily, "Yes." While playing with the fan worriedly. "Is there anything else you can worry about?" Yoshimoto asked with great dissatisfaction. "The people in that area are really..." Yuan Kang said ambiguously. "What is it?"

"There are many strong people lurking in that area. On the way back from Dagao City last year, they were ambushed by them, and the fruits of victory we got were almost destroyed." "A wild samurai again?" "Yes. It must not be underestimated. I hope that adults will pay enough attention." "I know, I know." Yiyuan smiled, he felt that Yuankang didn't seem to have thought it through carefully, and was distracted by such trivial matters. "I see. You have to understand that when they see the 30,000 troops pressing down on the border and the majestic main force led by me, they will not dare to move. You can rest assured and gather your retainers." After finishing speaking, He made an exception and happily ordered the servant boy: "Pour wine for Yuan Kang."

Yuan Kang drank a glass of wine and hurriedly left Yi Yuan's room.When the weather is hot, Yiyuan hates others to see his indecent posture, so he will become irritable after a long time.Yuan Kang knew his temper very well, so he left early. After leaving Yiyuan's bedroom, Yuan Kang couldn't help smiling wryly.For this expedition, he did not plan to return to Junfu at all.Even if he can go to Beijing smoothly with Yoshimoto, even if he has to fight Oda Nobunaga, he will never return to Junfu! He had already calculated it carefully.If Yoshimoto ordered him to attack the Oda army, he said that he was attacked by a group of Kariya samurai and could not advance.In this way, backup troops will come up.At that time, Yuan Kang can act with the backup force.Because relying solely on the Okazaki army to attack Nobunaga's elite troops and fight to the death on the battlefield is really extremely stupid, and it will only bring tragedy to the retainers.If Yoshimoto gets angry because of this, Yuan Kang will avoid Nobunaga, attack the surrounding area, and kill a bloody path in the other direction.Yiyuan didn't realize that in the past year, Yuankang had honed himself to be bolder and braver.

Come out of the city, the sun has already set.In the evening, the top of Mount Fuji was as red as burning, which made Yuan Yasushi full of ambition. Yuan Kang stopped, and it was convenient for him to rush to the earth wall next to the trench.He remembered the scene of urinating at the New Year's banquet when he first arrived in Junfu, and suddenly couldn't help laughing out loud. The kitchen in Qingzhou City is a wooden building with four beams and eight pillars.A large stove was erected in the middle of the house. "Is the meal ready?" The one who asked loudly was the newly appointed chef supervisor Tokichiro Kinoshita. "It will be fine soon." A servant replied. "Hurry up, I'm hungry." Fujikichiro urged, "It's not that I'm hungry, but the Lord is hungry." A year has passed, and the monkey has changed a lot.He is no longer a subordinate of Fujii Youemon, but the chef supervisor of the Oda clan with a salary of thirty. At the beginning, he was in charge of cleaning the stables, and in a blink of an eye, he went to carry Nobunaga's shoes, and then he led the horses for Nobunaga, and finally he was promoted from ordinary servant to chef supervisor.He has been smooth sailing in the Oda clan, and he has already risen to the top. No one knows why this monkey is so popular with Nobunaga.He even made up a funny story for himself and told the crowd. "As long as a person is still breathing, he must use his brain." He said across the stove, and the servants and maids knew that the man's long-winded speech had started again, and they all giggled. "Sluggish people don't use their minds until they have trouble breathing. It's too late! When a fish in the sea breathes through its mouth, it dies. But there are dumber ones who don't use it until after they're dead Mind. See? Man learns to use his mind while he is alive, while his nostrils can still breathe." A maid named Ah Chang sarcastically said: "So, Master Chef has made a name for himself." "Yes. When I was in charge of cleaning the stables, I was thinking every day how to become a person who can talk to horses. If you can't talk to horses, you can't be a good horse breeder. I thought hard for three days, and finally understand the horse language." "So, when you carried the shoes for the lord, you also learned the language of straw sandals and clogs?" "Nonsense. How can shoes talk? At that time, every morning, I had to be one step ahead of others, warming the straw sandals and clogs with my back. If I warmed it with my stomach, something bad would happen." "Hee hee, then, what did you do when you were on duty in the mountains?" "Nothing. It's just that there is no illegal logging. A person who deceives his boss and takes what belongs to his master as his own will not be able to get ahead if he has this kind of greed and inferiority. You must remember." , but every time I always ask my servants to make two delicacies, one for Nobunaga to enjoy, and one for myself.Therefore, Nobunaga and Tokichiro are probably the only ones enjoying the most delicious food in Qingzhou City. "The meal is ready." "Thank you!" Fujikichiro replied pretentiously, and then picked up the chopsticks contentedly, "Yeah. It tastes good! That's it." The meal was served in a bowl, including miso soup made of chicken, shredded radish, a plate of grilled fish, and There are some seasonings.We usually have three dishes and one soup, but today we added abalone and a catfish with walnut sauce.This special dish was made because the fishermen in Tsushima brought catfish.Fujikichiro unceremoniously sent the catfish into his mouth. After the meal was set out, about three taels of wine were poured.Nobunaga has an amazing capacity for drinking, and if he is in the mood, he will drink until he is drunk by himself. Seeing Fujikichiro gobbling it up, Soku Kokui, the burner, couldn't help but ask, "How does the catfish taste?" "I said it was good." "You said it was good, before tasting it." "It's you again..." Fujikichiro threw a piece of catfish into his mouth, and then ate two more pieces. "I can tell if a fish tastes good or bad when it's alive. Those who don't know if it tastes good or bad can't be a chef." Zong Jiu couldn't argue with him, and turned his head to look elsewhere.In addition to kitchen cabinets, cupboards, and rice cabinets in the kitchen, the rice needed for daily use is piled up in it. "The raw abalone slices are not very good, but the miso soup tastes very authentic. Okay, bring the rice." Fujikichiro cleaned up a large bowl full of rice in a short while.When the second bowl of rice was served, Ah Chang, who was in charge of guarding the rice cabinet, suddenly changed his expression.At this time, a thunderstorm sounded behind Fujikichiro: "Monkey!" It was Nobunaga's anger. "Yes!" The same loud answer. "Am I your lord?" Nobunaga asked angrily, glancing at the dining table and the rice grains at the corner of Tokichiro's mouth. "Yes!" Fujikichiro had already sat upright, without any timidity on his face, "What is your lord doing here?" "Come up to the hall." "Yes, I'll be there right away. You guys pack up the tableware immediately." Fujikichiro was unusually calm, followed Nobunaga, and went out. In the hall, Nobunaga suddenly laughed.Fujikichiro was taken aback.Nobunaga is not scary when he is angry, but as long as he hears him laughing, Fujikichiro feels terrified. "Do you know why I called you?" "Is it because I'm gluttonous? I don't know." "I want to praise you. You are loyal, and you taste food for me every time to prevent others from poisoning you." Nobunaga suppressed his anger and sarcastically said, "I've troubled you especially today. In addition to chicken sauce soup, there are Catfish, small fish and raw abalone." Fujikichiro saluted solemnly and cautiously, "I am a little elated to receive such praise from the adults. The monkey is a low-class person who is used to simple food. When he sees such a rich meal today, he will feel dizzy. But I still have to control my appetite Tasting for adults, this painstaking effort..." "You are very good at talking. From now on, you are only allowed to try a bowl." "Obey!" "Also, the miso soup is too spicy." "My lord's words really surprised me. In addition to my lord, the servants on duty in the city also enjoy this miso soup. In short, all laborers need to eat spicy food. If you eat sweet food, your body will deteriorate." "Little clever! Salt is necessary for the body. If there is a war and there is not enough salt, can we continue to fight? Our current salt reserves are constantly decreasing." Fujikichiro glanced at Nobunaga, secretly admiring him for being a thoughtful and careful person. "Have you seen the sky?" "My lord is joking again." "Imakawa Yoshimoto seems to be leaving from Junfu. Tell me, how many days will he be able to reach Okazaki?" "It's hard to say. It's useless to say." "Hmph!" Nobunaga looked around and lowered his voice, "It's useless?" "I think that Imagawa-sama will definitely lead the largest army after the Onin Rebellion. When they arrive in Hamamatsu and how many days they will stay in Yoshida and Okazaki, it has nothing to do with us. Are you going to lead Owari? How about a weak soldier to conquer an enemy as majestic as clouds?" Hearing this, Nobunaga suddenly shouted loudly: "Asshole! I'm asking you a question." "I may be digressing. But if I were Fujikichiro, I would only consider when the Imagawa Army will reach Owari. Other than that, it's useless to think about it." "You're talking nonsense again. I like to play tricks." Nobunaga lowered his voice, "You once said that Maeda Matazuo would come back and apologize to me." "Yes. He killed the lord's favorite Aichi Juami, and escaped. It is really hateful. I hope you will forgive me." "Impossible! Listen, and I'll say it again: If he comes, I'll kill him. Tell him so." Fujikichiro didn't answer, but just stared at Nobunaga's face. Was Nobunaga really angry, or did Mataemon Toshiie try to come back when Imagawa was fighting Oda?Fujikichiro didn't dare to judge lightly, because when Nobunaga spoke like this, he must not make an early judgment. "If you tell your lord the exact words of Youzuo-kun, the loyal Youzuo may have to commit seppuku." Fujikichiro tentatively said. Nobunaga has already casually changed the topic: "The soup is cold. You have tried it, why don't you serve the food, you are really stupid!" When Fujikichiro stood up, Nobunaga stopped him with sarcasm: "Okay. You don't need to get up, let the servants do it. Also, bring your meal here, let's eat together." Nobunaga He clapped his hands and called the bodyguard, with a smile on his face, and asked the servants to bring Fujikichiro's meals here. Fujikichiro was suddenly very embarrassed.As a rule, there is no meal for Fujikichiro.Because he had to try food in advance, Fujikichiro often took the opportunity to eat more.Now that Nobunaga orders Fujikichiro to serve the food, the cooks will definitely look at each other.Don't know what they will make. Nobunaga certainly knew it well.If the same meal is served, how eloquent is the monkey? "Let's make a bet." "What bet?" "Food matters." Nobunaga smiled happily, "You should teach your subordinates your experience and precautions." "certainly." "But your face is very pale. Are catfish poisonous?" "My lord!" Fujikichiro wiped his face seriously, and said, "It's probably only your mouth that is poisonous." "Then let's make a bet, monkey." "Okay. If I, Fujikichi, fulfill my duty, please send a team of troops under my command when I fight Imagawa." Although Fujikichiro was very uneasy, he never forgot to seize the opportunity to make contributions and become famous.The same is true of Nobunaga's character. "What if you were negligent?" "Then leave it to the adults." Nobunaga laughed, and looked at Fujikichiro who was trying to hide his embarrassment with interest. This monkey has a seamless ability to change, which Hayashi Sado, Shibata and Sakuma don't have.He can talk live while speculating on the other party.It can penetrate people's minds without feeling too frivolous. According to his former boss, Mataemon Fujii, Fujii was good at wooing women. "I thought that with his appearance, there would be no chance for women. I never thought that the wives and daughters of low-level samurai would often give him things secretly. It's really puzzling. So please be careful with him." Nobunaga hesitated. He should be given another errand.To survive in this troubled world, several conditions are required.The first is ability and wrist.Fujikichiro is considered qualified at this point.Then, there is something other than hard work, which is commonly known as luck. Is this guy born with martial luck?Nobunaga wanted to test Fujikichiro's martial arts at this moment. After Nobunaga's meal was served, Fujikichiro checked it carefully like a supervisor.As for his own meal coming up from the back end, Fujikichiro deliberately didn't glance at it. Then, he looked very calm, quietly watching his portion of the meal.Nobunaga also watched sharply.There are only shredded radish, seasoning and miso soup on the plate. Fujikichiro finally felt relieved, and knelt down facing Nobunaga: "I'm sorry. Fujikichiro lost. Please dispose of it as you please." A wry smile appeared on Nobunaga's face.Fujikichiro won and knelt down to apologize instead.Although Nobunaga called him a jerk in his heart, he couldn't help but want to hear how he could justify himself. "Do you think it's over?" "I'm sorry. I will definitely tell them well and promise not to make mistakes next time." "I'd like to hear, what exactly are you going to tell them?" "Yes. I have always asked them to be frugal first, which led to today's mistakes. In fact, adults should eat what our servants usually eat. I have repeatedly told them that they should eat the same meals as us. , to temper his will." Nobunaga couldn't help smacking his lips, "Monkey!" But he gritted his teeth and didn't continue.This monkey is very good at martial arts, and his smoothness and cleverness are even a little too much. "Okay, let's eat." Nobunaga picked up the Koryo jug, filled himself with wine, and drank alone. The master and servant finished eating in silence. "monkey." "Yes. I'm full." "I didn't ask this. I want to sleep until the Jinchuan army arrives at Qingzhou City." "If you want to defend the city, you must sleep like this." "As you said just now, whether Daisuke Jibu goes to Hamamatsu, Yoshida or Okazaki, I will never be able to take the initiative to attack the enemy's territory. I want to sleep. But when they arrive in Owari, I should still open my eyes and see Bar." "yes." "So, when the enemy enters the territory of Mizuno Shimono, you are responsible for reporting the detailed military situation to me." "Has Fujikichiro been allowed to participate in this battle?" "Bastard, since it is defending the city, women and children must also participate." "Thank you, my lord!" "I'm going to rest today. If it's time to open your eyes, wake me up immediately. Remember?" While drinking the miso soup with relish, Fujikichiro nodded in agreement, "Yes."