Chapter 39 Chapter Thirty-eight

The ground is covered with frost flowers, and the leaves are falling one after another. Only the red citrus leaves are particularly eye-catching in the sun. Abe Daizo was sitting in front of him. He found a straw mat from nowhere, spread it out and sat on it, and then began to bandage the wound on his arm.Sakai, Ishikawa, Uemura, Kanbara and Amano stood on his right side with a serious face while holding spears; while Okubo Shinhachiro Tadatoshi brought his son Goroemon Tadakatsu, his younger brother Jinshiro Tadano and his son Shichiroemon Tadayo Waiting for more than ten tribesmen to stand on the left.Behind them, you can see the arrow tower of Anxiang City, which has fallen into the hands of Imagawa.

"I don't know what Zen Master Xuesai is planning." Hiraiwa Jinpachiro said to Abe Jingoro while eating rice balls, "Why don't you take advantage of the situation and attack Ueno Castle?" "No no." Amano Jinemon shook his head, and took out some fried beans from the dry food bag on his waist to satisfy his hunger. "The Oda Bullet has been quickly withdrawn to Owari. If you continue to chase, you will inevitably fall into the quagmire and cannot extricate yourself. The best policy is to capture Anxiang City and retreat immediately." "Will the Oda clan hand over the young master without hesitation?"

"The former lord was also threatened, but he refused Tanzheng's request without hesitation, and let the Oda family deal with the young master. Oda Danzheng's stamina will never be inferior to the former lord, even if he is afraid that he will not care about his son, Let the Jinchuan family dispose of it." "It makes sense." Okubo Shinhachiro took the miso soup handed over by his son and drank it. "If he doesn't care about his son's life or death, Zen Master Xuezhai will definitely order to flatten Ueno Castle, and then attack that Guye. It is precisely because of the above considerations that he has stagnated in Ueno. Therefore, we must not be careless." After finishing speaking, he will The bamboo bucket containing the miso soup was passed to everyone, "Drink a little first, and you can increase your strength."

"Thank you." Everyone holds long guns, or drinks miso soup, or eats fried rice and fried beans.Their demeanor is indistinguishable from that of ronin samurai.Although the armor is still decent, the clothes inside the armor are already in tatters.But when everyone attacked Anxiang City with their guns, Zen Master Xuezhai was shocked by their bravery, and even Iijiro Naomori and Amano Akishou Keguan from Shunfu were also dumbfounded.Everyone has only one wish: to save Takechiyo! The Ashgaru warriors in Shunfu were all given rice balls made of brown rice, but the soldiers in Okazaki were used to dry food, so they had to prepare their own food.Because of this, these famous generals drastically reduced their entourage and came to fight on foot.

"I never thought miso soup was so delicious." After Uemura Shinrokuro finished speaking, Okubo Shinhachiro grinned. "People who don't have miso soup don't have the trouble of making miso soup. Hahaha!" At this time, a patrolling soldier came over. "Here we come. There are a lot of people." The man shouted loudly, pointing his finger in the direction of the arrow tower. Everyone hurriedly packed up their rice bags and looked over there anxiously.A man on horseback led four low-ranking warriors on foot through the pine forest and ran towards this side.Undoubtedly, Daisuke Masahide, who went to Gudu City to inquire about Oda Nobuhide's intentions, has returned.

"It's really Zhengxiu." "I don't know if it's bad luck or good luck?" Everyone looked at each other and patted the dust off their bodies.They wanted to face Hirate Masahide with dignity. "I'll take care of it today. You'll have to wait and see." Okubo Shinhachiro stomped his feet violently, raised his hand to wipe the miso soup from his mouth, and deliberately stood in the middle of the road. The sky was clear, and the eagle kept circling overhead.Hirate Masahide, wearing a mighty Jinhaori, frowned slightly, and walked over. "Who?" Shinhachiro shouted loudly, straightening his gun and posing.

"Oh, everyone has worked hard. Isn't this Okubo Shinpachi?" "Hmph! I am Okubo Shinhachiro Tadatoshi." Hirate Masahide laughed and said, "Shinpachi is really bold, but you are so forgetful." "That's right. Forgetfulness is in my nature. Name it, or I'll forget you again." "Oh, then I won't announce my name. I'm not here to see you, but to see Master Xuezhai of Linji Temple." "Oh?" Shinhachiro was stunned, "You know that we are stationed here, but you want to pass easily... Interesting! Okay, please go. Just for the sake of caution, I repeat, if you are pierced in the chest, I will not Collect the corpse for you."

Zhengxiu patted his chest cheerfully. "Okay!" He nodded, "My green gourd has muscles and bones. Regardless of life or death, I will complete the task. Could it be that the Okazaki people are obsessed with ghosts and want to be rude to the envoy who decides the fate of the young master?" "Hmph!" Shinhachiro approached Zhengxiu with a gun, "You do have some backbone. If I had known that you were a servant with backbone, the Okazaki people would have liked you without hesitation. If so, I will let you in, and I think you will too." I can’t run.” He slammed the gun into the ground and shouted, “Go over!”

Hirate Masahide went to the gate seriously. "I don't understand." Shinhachiro turned his head to look at the crowd, "He just didn't tell us what happened." No one answered.Zhengxiu's stern expression made everyone feel uneasy. "If things don't go well, we'll kill him." Knowing that this was not Shinhachiro's sincere words, no one responded.If Zhengxiu did not agree to the hostage exchange, Seolzhai would not just retreat.If this continues, the Okazaki people will be forced to face the main force of Owari.The army has been lost in Anxiang City, if they continue to attack Owari, by the time they get to Gudu or Naguye Castle, there will probably be very few people left with more than 50 people.

"It's important to fill your stomach quickly." Abe Dazang opened the food bag in despair, and everyone sat down and began to chew dry food.If the negotiations failed, no doubt there would be an immediate order to march. The servants lit a fire and began to boil water to make miso soup.This miso soup is used to moisten the throat after eating dry food, and it can also protect against severe cold.After eating, everyone packed up their dry food, tied it around their waists, and began to check their attire.Thinking that the meeting between Zhengxiu and Xuesai will determine the fate of Takechiyo, everyone can't help but feel uneasy and fearful.

"everything's ready." "Okay. Even when we get to Owari and Mino, we have no fear. Let fate." After checking the attire, they spread the armor under the sun, just wanting to have a good sleep.It is very cold at night, and if you fall asleep, it will do great harm.This is what they have learned for many years.And the one who has the most skill in sleeping is the elder Abe Daizo. "The old man slept so comfortably." Okubo Jinshiro's son Tadayo looked enviously at the evenly snoring Abe old man, his white hair glistening in the sun. Not long after, messengers came from the city. "Please Sakai Masaku to help you to discuss matters with Master Xuezhai." "Everyone, there is good news." Ya Lezhu stood up abruptly. "What—good news?" Everyone suddenly opened their eyes. Ya Lezhu nodded with a smile, unable to hide the joy on his face, "Pingzhong's official has not returned yet, so he sent someone to call me, isn't it a proof that they are discussing and exchanging details?" "Yes!" Shinhachiro jumped up. "Not bad." Hirayan Jinba also echoed. Okubo Jinshiro and Amano Jinemon jumped up at the same time, looked at Gagusuke's back, and cheered endlessly. "Quiet, quiet. Be careful that extreme joy begets sorrow." Abe Dazang sat where he was, but his eyes were full of tears. When Yalezhu entered the hall, Zen Master Xuezhai had a smile on his face.Yalezhu seems to have guessed right.He strode up to Xuezhai and bowed to Wu Ping.I thought Hirate Masahide would have a serious face, but unexpectedly he smiled.Yalezhu was very puzzled, and doubts suddenly arose in his heart. "This is Masaku Sakai, the old man of the Okazaki family." Xue Zhai introduced kindly and softly.Zhengxiu's attitude is very frank, which makes Ya Lezhu feel at a loss. "I have admired your name for a long time. Masahide Hirate, Daisuke, has met the elders of the Okazaki family." After greeting him solemnly, he said calmly, "I heard that Amano Ashimori and Iijiro stayed in this city. Therefore, we decided to exchange letters. Mr. Guang." Ya Lezhu couldn't help laughing.In fact, it was because Amano Keiko and Ii Naomori occupied the city that he was forced to come to beg for Nobuhiro's life.But Yalezhu soon stopped laughing, because Zhengxiu's next words beat his head like a whip. "If an accident happened to Takechiyo, the son of the late Okazaki City Lord, it would cause chaos. Therefore, we want to send Takechiyo back to you." Xue Zhai didn't know if he heard Zheng Xiu's words, he squinted his eyes and looked at the plum blossom branches reflected on the window. "Matsudaira and Oda have too many grievances." "As you said." "You may also know that some younger members of the Oda family did not allow Takechiyo to come back, and they wanted to kill him. This voice became louder with this battle." "E." Ya Lezhu responded, "Some Okazaki people also don't agree to return Mr. Xinguang, and they want to kill him." "Exactly. I think so too." Zhengxiu smiled comfortably, "Then, regarding the exchange location, where do you think is suitable?" "This..." Ya Lezhu deliberately pretended to be thinking, "If you can send Mr. Takechiyo here, and then bring him back to Saburo Goro-sama, nothing will go wrong." Masahide Hirate clapped his hands lightly, and laughed, "Mr. Galesuke, you have to bear half of the risk." "risk?" "My humble opinion is, please send Saburo Goro to Atsuta, where we will return Takechiyo. What does Master Xuezhai think?" Ya Lezhu looked at Xue Zhai, who was still staring at the window intently.Yalezhu and the others only thought about the success or failure of this matter, but did not think deeply about it.At this time, the two sides are at war with each other, and there is actually a huge crisis hidden in the place of exchange. Galesuke never thought of sending Oda Nobuhiro to Atsuta, where he would exchange for Takechiyo.If the Oda family attacked after handing over Nobuhiro, the Okazaki people might be wiped out on the land of Owari.On the contrary, if you bring Takechiyo here to exchange Xinguang, the other party will not accept it.Apparently, Xuezhai couldn't decide the exchange location without authorization, so he called Yalezhu who was familiar with the geography of this area. "What do you think of Dagao between Retian and Anxiang?" Zhengxiu said.He had obviously given the matter a good deal of thought.Ya Lezhu looked sideways and thought about it.This is indeed a compromise, but is it really suitable there? Xuezhai, who had been looking at the window, suddenly said, "That's weird." Yalezhu waited for his next words, but Xuezhai laughed loudly and stopped talking.Da Gao doesn't seem to suit Xue Zhai's wishes.But Yalezhu didn't understand the reason for a while. "So, how about Ueno?" Zhengxiu relented.Zhengxiu suddenly made such a big concession, and Ya Lezhu suddenly realized.Both Dataka and Ueno belong to the territory of Owari.Apparently, Xuezhai believed that it was unreasonable for the defeated Imagawa family to send hostages to the territory of Owari, which had already been defeated.Once he understood, Yalezhu refused firmly: "If it is Ueno, I will find it difficult to accept it." "Why?" "Why?" Ya Lezhu wanted to fight back happily, but finally managed to control his emotions.The opponent was just bargaining to protect the reputation of the lord under the defeat.Anyone with samurai cultivation should not talk about victory or defeat openly at this time. "Because there are many reckless samurai among my Okazaki people." "Oh. I've heard about the bravery of Samurai Matsudaira for a long time, but I don't know what it has to do with the choice of this exchange location?" "The reckless person has reached Owari, if there is a dispute with you, it will definitely bring a lot of trouble." Xue Zhai nodded, but Zheng Xiu looked embarrassed. "It does make sense to think about it this way..." After a long while, Zhengxiu sighed, "Then, please set the location in the Mikawa Territory. But if it is east of the Yahagawa River, forgive us for being unacceptable. In that case, our reckless warriors will easily cause trouble." He resolutely replied . Xue Zhai nodded casually. "Okay. Then it will be near Nishino." He seems to have thought it over. "It's fixed in Nishino, Daisuke Chubu, how about it?" Hirate Masahide subconsciously bit his lip, then smiled heartily. "It's a deal." Zhengxiu and Xuesai are worthy of being the pillars of the Oda Imagawa family, and they are not ordinary people.They see through the opponent's bottom line, and control and suppress them from time to time in critical moments, so as not to give the opponent an opportunity to take advantage of.Facing these two people, Ya Lezhu felt so small and so stupid.The Okazaki people are characterized by loyalty, bravery, and integrity, but when it comes to wrists, they are really lackluster.Watari's Torii Iga Shou Tadakichi still has a little bit of strategy, but Ishikawa Aki and Yarasuke are simply children in this regard.At this time, Zhengxiu and Xuezhai were still having an incomprehensible conversation with Galezhu. "Then, it will be at Kasa Temple in Nishino." As soon as Xue Zhai finished speaking, Zheng Xiu nodded without hesitation. "The Li Temple seems to be a Zen temple of the Caodong sect." "Yes. It's different from my sect, so you won't have any objections, will you?" "Okay. Then, who will send Mr. Saburo Goro Nobuhiro to Li Temple?" "This..." Xuezhai looked back at Ya Lezhu calmly. "It depends on who you send to send Takechiyo here." His real intention of calling Ya Lezhu to come here lies in this. Ya Lezhu felt his whole body tense.Admittedly, this candidate is difficult to decide.If the person sent is killed by the other party, it will definitely fall short.Even if this person is not afraid of being provoked by the Oda family after handing over Shinhiro, if his response attitude is extremely humble, it will not only make Takechiyo lose face, but also make Zen Master Xuesai feel that the Okazaki people have hurt the dignity of the Imagawa family; secondly, If this person is impulsive and reckless, he may anger Oda and cause unnecessary incidents. "It's reasonable..." Ya Lezhu lowered his voice, "I think it's better to consult the Oda family first, and then decide who will go." Masahide Hirate let out a sigh. "Our side is going to send Oda Genbo Yoshinpei and Saemon Shinye to escort Master Takechiyo." Yalezhu looked at Xuezhai.Both of Zhengxiu's candidates are well-known members of the Oda family.Hirate Masahide is relying on the two of them to save some face for the Oda family.Are there any of Okazaki's retainers who are not inferior to them?If the other party makes Okazaki's face red and speechless at that time... "Since we are going to meet Master Takechiyo, I think it's better for the retainers of the Matsudaira Clan to go." Yale said. Xuezhai stared at Yalezhu.Ya Lezhu's back was covered with cold sweat.He felt that the only suitable candidate was Torii Tadakichi, but the old man had been sent back to Okazaki Castle early after the war to collect the annual tax.Ya Lezhu closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Who did Okazaki send?" Zhengxiu urged.After all, Xinguang is the eldest son of Xinxiu, if he sends a little-known junior escort, Zhengxiu will lose face. "I..." Yalezhu hesitated to speak.He suddenly thought of one thing, if the location is set in the guest hall of Li Temple, appearance is also very important.The other party will definitely look dignified.That being the case, wouldn't it be enough to send a person who is better than the opponent in appearance? "Until Mr. Shinhiro arrives at his destination, no bugs can approach him, so I think it's better to send Okubo Shinhachiro Tadatoshi to escort you." "What, Okubo?" As expected, Zhengxiu frowned.Hirate Masahide probably remembered the scene where Shinhachiro held a gun and made things difficult for him just now. "You don't think so?" "No, no, but the Okubo family lost to the Oda family in the second battle of Shodozaka, if he holds a grudge..." "Because of this, I think Shinhachiro is very suitable." Galesuke moved forward excitedly. "If Shinhachiro ignores the past and escorts Mr. Xinguang seriously, it would be great for the reconciliation of the two families, wouldn't it?" Xuezhai breathed out lightly. "That's right." Zhengxiu's brows stretched out, and the gloomy expression disappeared, "If it's Okubo, we can rest assured... Yes, yes." The scene suddenly became relaxed. "Then, let's set a date." Xuezhai said immediately. Without hesitation, Zhengxiu said, "Tomorrow at noon—" "Okay!" Xuezhai responded immediately. "It's so good." Yale gave a salute and stepped back. Okubo Shinhachiro is definitely majestic enough.When Hirochu returned to Okazaki Castle that year, Shinhachiro wrote several letters to Matsudaira Shinsada and others who did not support Hirochu. The letter mentioned: "For the sake of the lord, I, Shinpachi, can deceive the Buddha and the gods." He is a A legendary man who doesn't know any elegance and has no intention of vassalage.Dare to speak and act, and act vigorously...but will he readily agree?Ya Lezhu couldn't help but feel a little worried. After Ya Lezhu told everyone about the hostage exchange, he said to Shin Hachiro: "We have chosen you as the envoy to escort Xinguang. Shin Hachi, please come." Shinpachi immediately shook his head and said, "Shinpachi is hard to obey!" "Why?" "If I can't get over my hatred halfway, I will definitely kill Nobuhiro. If I kill him, the matter will be ruined." Shin Hachiro grinned wildly, laughing maniacally. Gagusuke stared at Shinhachiro for a long time.He is not good at negotiating, but he is quite confident in mobilizing members of the family, saying: "Xinba." "What's wrong?" "How old are you?" "It's a strange question. On the battlefield, I am not inferior to a twenty-year-old young man." "Anyway, it's almost time to know the destiny." "Haha, so you let me escort Xinguang? No way!" "If you are really in trouble, I won't look for you either. But your idea is too simple. Of course you escorted Xinguang when you went, but you accompanied the young master when you came back. The reason why I asked the former master to enter Okazaki Castle When you went to meet Takechiyo, you thought of the loyalty and bravery of your Okubo clan." "What..." Shinhachiro whispered. Galesuke waved his hand to stop Shinhachiro, "What do you guys think of my arrangement?" Of course no one objected. Shinhachiro bowed his head and leaned towards Gagakusuke.He hesitated, chiefly out of fear of his own clumsiness and recklessness.He was worried that if he mishandled the provocation, he might embarrass the young master. "Do you all want me to go?" Ya Lezhu nodded. "If I can't help but offend the Oda retainers, don't blame me." "How can you blame me!" Shinhachiro finally breathed a sigh of relief and looked at the crowd. "I am willing to lead the order. If I go to Xiye, I don't need any followers." "Don't follow?" "Yes. In addition to me, you only need to bring Inuko Goroemon Tadakatsu and nephew Shichiroemon Tadayo. What do you think of Jinshiro?" Jinshiro Zhongyuan is the father of Zhongshi and the younger brother of Shinhachiro. "No problem. But only three people went to greet the young master, is it too rash?" "Nonsense!" Shinhachiro scolded, "Mikawa is our territory, and being in the territory is like being in the city. Therefore, even if you walk alone, your prestige will not be reduced at all. Alright, Goroyouwei, Shichiroyouwei, let's go! " Ya Lezhu couldn't help smiling knowingly.As expected, the reckless Shinhachiro Tadatoshi has his own reckless ways, and he seems ready to go in full gear. "Is this the way to go?" asked his son Goroemon, and Shinhachiro reprimanded him sharply: "Nonsense! We are going to exchange the robber's son for what was stolen by the robber. Are you going to dress up? You guys?" If you forget your roots and follow others, I will end you!" After speaking, he rode his horse into the city.Now that he has promised, he must immediately take on the responsibility of protecting Oda Nobuhiro—this is Shinhachiro's temperament. Shinhachiro Tadatoshi did not originally belong to the Okubo family.His surname was Yujin when he was a boy, and later he called himself Owa, so he changed his surname to Okubo.When he was young, he happened to meet Okubo Togoro, an Echizen warrior who was in Okazaki at the time, and admired Okubo. "If someone can make my family name famous forever, that person is undoubtedly Shin Hachiro Tadatoshi." This sentence greatly moved Shin Hachiro. "I will change my surname to Dawa from now on." He changed his surname easily.He seemed as calm as water, but once he made a decision, he would wholeheartedly serve his master as Okubo. Shinhachiro brought his son and nephew to the house where Nobuhiro was imprisoned. "Starting today, Okubo Shinhachiro Tadatoshi has been ordered to protect the safety of Oda Nobuhiro." Hearing this loud voice, the jailer saluted solemnly and went down.Shinhachiro entered the ruined wall, and quietly approached the small closed window, "Boy, listen, we will leave early tomorrow morning, you are ready." He said to the inside.Footsteps were heard from inside, and the window was gently pushed open. It was a maid.Xuezhai specially arranged two maids for Xinguang.Shinhachiro Tadatoshi looked over the woman's shoulder and looked at Nobuhiro inside.Xin Guang sat upright in the middle of the room, his face and lips were as white as paper, his eyes were tired and lifeless. "Are you Tadatoshi Okubo?" he asked, his face twitching.Nobuhiro's face, eyes, and nose resembled Nobunaga's, but were more elegant and smaller than Nobunaga's. "What are you talking about? I can't hear you clearly. Speak up, like a man." Shinhachiro yelled deliberately. "Is it Okubo Tadatoshi?" "yes." "Leaving tomorrow, is it a matter of hostage exchange?" "I have no idea." "You should know the destination. Where are you going?" "I don't know, it will be self-evident." Xinguang tremblingly clenched his fists and lowered his head. "There is no need to prepare carefully, let me say it again: leave early tomorrow morning!" After finishing speaking, Shin Hachiro left. Tadakatsu and Tadashi were extremely surprised by Shinhachiro's arrogance, and looked at each other in blank dismay. "Tadashi, you can borrow four horses from Iijiro. The four of us will ride to Nishino. You can just ask for ordinary horses." "Father." Zhong Sheng couldn't help interjecting, "Let Xin Guang take the sedan chair." "Hmph!" Shinhachiro gritted his teeth, "If you and Zhongshi are willing to carry it, we can take the sedan chair." Zhong Shi smiled and ran out to borrow a horse. At this time, monasteries were one of the few places where disputes could be avoided, and they barely maintained stability in the secular world.Therefore, Kasa Temple was designated as a place for hostage exchange by the Oda and Imagawa families.Entering the mountain gate, you can see that the tents of the two families have been set up, whistling in the cold wind. In front of the mountain gate, warriors from the two families huddled together with curious villagers.Here, the hostages of Oda, the young lord of Okazaki Castle, Matsudaira Takechiyo, and the eldest son of Oda, Anxiang, the lord of Oda, Nobuhiro, are about to exchange. The common people rushed to witness this rare scene. "I heard that Matsudaira Takechiyo is only an eight-year-old child." "How will they appear?" "Oda Nobuhiro is eighteen years old." Once the team enters the mountain gate, the common people cannot see it.Therefore, they hope to see the scene when the two parties arrive and leave. They really want to know what the "suffering" of the daimyo is like, as a consolation for their miserable life.There were more and more people watching, and various speculations emerged one after another. Soon, the time passed. "Get out of the way, be careful of injury." With the yelling, the dust on the east road was flying, and four horses galloped like lightning.People slammed out of the way. The one at the front was wearing golden armor, with flying long hair, extremely brave, panting, and waving a spear high from time to time.The samurai next to him was still very young.He only wears armor and is unarmed.Finally, two young warriors, their cold spears pressed against their bodies. "Pioneer! This is the vanguard of Anxiang City." "The pioneers are so brave—who is that at the front?" People made way and talked a lot. "Stop!" In front of the mountain gate, the man in the lead suddenly reined in his horse.But he didn't get off the horse, but gripped the horse's belly tightly and spun around on the spot.The three horses behind also circled like him. The leader frantically waved his spear and shouted at the mountain gate: "Friends of Imagawa and Oda: retainers of Matsudaira Takechiyo, reckless man Okubo Shinhachiro Tadatoshi of Kamiwada escorted Mr. Oda Saburo Goro Nobuhiro to the gate. this!" The onlookers looked at Shinhiro in surprise, and then at Shinhachiro.Shinhachiro finally dismounted from his horse, his eyes were like lightning, he glanced around, and said to Xinguang, "Go in!" Xinguang was sweating all over his forehead, and got off the horse silently, staggered, almost fell, and finally grabbed the rein in his hand to barely stand still.The onlookers were silent, and no one spoke. "Go in!" Shinhachiro shouted again. Xin Guang held the rein, momentarily at a loss.Seeing this scene, a servant stepped out from the crowd and took the reins from Xin Guang.He is from the Oda family.Shinhachiro stared at him fiercely, but said nothing.The young man led the horse, straightened his chest and followed Xin Guang into the mountain gate. People started whispering again.This situation was beyond their expectation.At this moment, another horse came up on the west road, and a servant held the rein for the rider. "Oh, that man is not wearing armor." "Really. I'm probably here to visit the mountains and rivers." People guessed, but they were not surprised.The servant leading the horse walks steadily and slowly, with a long knife on his waist, while the man on the horse is wearing a Kaga dyed kimono, just like the handsome man in the painting. "Could that person be Mr. Matsudaira Takechiyo?" "How is it possible? Master Takechiyo is just eight years old. He is probably the pioneer of Oda." Everyone was whispering, and the young man on the horse had slowly come over and looked at the people around him coldly.He is so gorgeously dressed, he is definitely not an ordinary person, but no one knows the origin of this person.In fact, he is hiding behind the Oda family—more precisely, the mysterious figure Takeuchi Hataro who hides behind Oda Nobunaga. After getting off his horse in front of the mountain gate, Hataro straightened his clothes. "The person from Retian will be here soon." He casually muttered to himself, and then disappeared into the crowd. "Ah... so he came to see the excitement." "Well. But who is he?" The onlookers were extremely surprised, but when they saw the team escorting Takechiyo, their eyes shifted.First came a line of long spears, followed by knights in wild hakama, followed by two sedan chairs.Behind the sedan chair is a box full of Takechiyo's toys and daily necessities.After that, a servant leads a horse.This chestnut horse with a pure white forehead was a gift from Nobunaga to Takechiyo.At the end of the team, an imposing warrior rode on a horse and was in charge of breaking the rear.The difference between this team and the team escorting Xin Guang was so great that the onlookers couldn't help feeling confused. When the team arrived at the mountain gate, the samurai on horseback shouted: "Master Matsudaira Takechiyo is here!" As soon as the voice fell, a person ran out in big strides.The crowd couldn't help but "ah".That person was Okubo Shinhachiro Tadatoshi who had just escorted Oda Nobuhiro and drank Nobuhiro into the mountain gate.He rushed to the side of the sedan chair and knelt respectfully to greet him. As soon as he knelt down, he shouted loudly: "Master Takechiyo! Young master!" The sedan chair stopped. "My lord, Okubo Shinhachiro Tadatoshi, met the young master!" People watched this scene with wide eyes.At this time, the car curtain was gently opened from the inside, revealing a round face as calm as water.His attire seemed to be a gift from Nobunaga too, the white kimono was printed with sunflower patterns. "It's you." His small lips moved slightly. "Yes... yes... exactly!" Shinhachiro stared closely at Takechiyo who hadn't seen him for a long time. "Young master, we have won. During the days when you left Okazaki Castle, Matsudaira's retainers worked together and did not lose to...no one!" At this point, his face twitched violently, tears streaming down his face Crossflow. Takechiyo seemed to have sensed something, and those piercing eyes stared fiercely at Shin Hachiro.Abe Tokuchiyo, who was sitting with him, stood upright like a statue. "The young master has grown up... grown up... this is Matsudaira's blessing..." "It's the Matsudaira family's blessing." "Little Lord!" "Wipe away the tears." "Yes Yes." "It's okay, don't cry." "Yes Yes Yes." "I borrowed a horse from Mr. Nobunaga, you bring it here." "Master Nobunaga?" Takechiyo nodded quietly, and lowered the sedan chair curtain.The two warriors on horseback had come down.The sedan chair was lifted up again and headed towards the mountain gate. "This horse has a lot of background." The junior samurai who was leading Takechiyo's mount handed the reins to Shinhachiro who looked dazed.Shinhachiro grabbed the rein, looked around bitterly, and disappeared into the mountain gate together with the horse.The onlookers breathed a sigh of relief, and began to speculate again. "Indeed...it should be so." "Why? What should it be?" "Do you still have to ask? Isn't it obvious? The war ended with the defeat of the Oda clan." "what!" "They were defeated, and Mr. Xinguang was treated so disrespectfully. There is nothing we can do about it." "It makes sense. Winners and losers..." Hataro Takeuchi in the crowd listened quietly to people's conversations. In the guest hall of Kasa Temple, the hostage exchange seems to be over.Genbo Yoshihiro, who came to meet Oda Nobuhiro, and Kanjie Yuzaemon Nobuyoshi, sat there silently like a puppet, only Okubo Shinhachiro was very active from beginning to end. During the chatter, Xinping lamented Takechiyo's rapid growth, Shinhachiro turned his face away and did not reply.But when everything was over and the two parties were about to leave Li Temple, things suddenly changed.The Oda party let Nobhiro sit in the sedan chair that sent Takechiyo, and the team looked decent, but Matsuhera only had one horse that Nobunaga gave Takechiyo as a gift. Takechiyo and his party set off first.Shinpachiro's nephew Tadashi leads Takechiyo's horse, and his son Tadakashi takes the lead. After Shinpachiro dies, the group leaves the temple.They are too shabby.People started pointing fingers.At this time, the Oda side proposed to send seven or eight servants as guards.Takeuchi Hataro, who was among the crowd, smiled quietly. Of course, Oda Fang's proposal to give away the guards is just a cover, their real purpose is Shin Hachiro Tadatoshi.How will Shin Hachiro deal with it? "Thank you very much. Respect is worse than obedience." He nodded lightly, but Xinye, who had already spoken, became embarrassed. "This is the territory of Sanhe. There is no danger ahead. Please take charge of the rear." "Okubo seems to have figured it out..." Hataro guessed.The samurai of the Oda clan looked at each other and silently followed Shinhachiro.Tadakatsu was at the front, followed by Takechiyo.Amano Sannosuke rode Tadise's horse, while Abe Tokuchiyo walked on foot.Shinhachiro and the eight samurai of the Oda clan followed in the distance. Without Takechiyo, Sannosuke, and Tokuchiyo, the three of Okubo's family are enough to deal with the eight samurai of Oda's family.But because there are three children, once a fight occurs, it is difficult to determine the outcome. "Everyone, thank you for your hard work." Shinhachiro, who was arrogant in the guest hall, deliberately slowed down his pace and sneered.The samurai of the Oda family ignored him. The sky was gray, and the crowd of onlookers could no longer be seen.In the hazel grove not far from the road, a flock of crows made ominous calls.The team headed towards the road leading to Okazaki Castle.Although Zen master Xuezhai is still in Anxiang, he wants to welcome Takechiyo into Okazaki.The Yahagawa River loomed ahead.After passing there, we arrived at Okazaki Castle.Shinhachiro dismounted slowly, and looked back at the Oda family samurai. Seeing Shinhachiro dismount, the samurai naturally stopped.As if it had been agreed beforehand, Shinhachiro's nephew and son continued to walk along the river bank regardless of him.They didn't seem to intend to go across the bridge, but to find a ferry. Shinhachiro stared at the river with a fierce expression, and withdrew his urine. "Everyone, you have worked hard. You can go back." The warriors looked at each other.Instead of retreating, he quickly surrounded him.Shin Hachiro smiled, he was surrounded.He's glad they didn't go after Takechiyo.Their resentment is entirely borne by him, Shin Hachiro. "Do you think you can't explain it when you go back?" "Exactly." A man took a step forward and raised his spear, "We don't need to announce your name. You have done a great job." "Hahaha..." Shinhachiro laughed.Although he was laughing, he wanted to cry.Now, Okazaki has been snatched by the Imagawa family. I don't know what will happen in the future. He, Shinhachiro, is the retainer of such an orphan.In order not to make the eight-year-old young master suffer, the retainer purposely swaggered in front of Oda. "The task has been accomplished very well..." This sentence has already made his pure heart feel a little relieved. "Haha... I understand. If you go back like this, everyone will lose face. Now, I will let you deal with it." The spears stood up together, and they took a step back, and the encirclement became larger. "In this kind of place," Shinhachiro also put the spear horizontally in front of his chest, "I will fight the enemy with all my strength, which is also my respect for you." "Hmph! Little abacus!" "Small abacus? Who? Come out, I'll fight you first!" "It's me!" A samurai stepped forward, shaking the gun in his hand.It was a thin young soldier who looked smaller than Zhong Shi and Zhong Sheng. "Brave boy." Shinhachiro shook his shoulders, "You think you can beat me?" "Shut up! Victory or defeat is determined by God." "Oh. Are there still people in the world who don't care about winning or losing?" "Yes, that's why we shot. We can't walk away from this shame. You're welcome, come on!" "Oh? So you really are not afraid of failure. Well, look at the gun!" Shinhachiro's sonorous voice pierced the winter silence, and the man suddenly closed his eyes.Shinhachiro has experienced countless battles, but he has never seen anything like this. The other party closed his eyes tightly, his face was proud and sad, and that indescribable feeling made Shinhachiro hesitate.If he made a decisive move, one move would kill the opponent; besides, he would have plenty of time to deal with others.But for some reason, Shin Hachiro couldn't do it.The young man opened his eyes, shaking the gun in his hand, with an expression of disbelief. "I won't fight anymore." Shinhachiro said, "That's all for me." "Coward. It's all about you, how can we make a move?" "My famous Okubo Shinhachiro, no matter what!" Shinhachiro threw the gun out suddenly and squatted. "Human life is so sad. I understand all the meaning of life, but you feel that you are being teased. Well, come, take my head away!" People looked at each other, took a step back, and hesitated. "But please understand that I, Shin Hachiro, have no hatred for you. My life is meaningless except to be loyal to the lord. You just let the young lord go back safely. I am satisfied. I am free. Come on ,bring it on." "Okay." Only one person answered. Shinhachiro closed his eyes. “受死吧。”那人喊道，叫声划破长空。枪刺中了新八郎右侧的石头。新八郎惊讶地睁开眼，对面站着一个年轻男子，面目如画。 "Who are you?" 那人微笑了。他并没有看新八郎，而是转向八个武士，静静说道：“今日之事尽在那古野少主意料之中。如果在这里杀了他，反而显得我们缺了器量。赶快回去吧，这是信长公子的命令。” 那八个武士顺从地收起了枪。让新八郎感到不可思议。 "Who are you?" “我不想告诉你。”竹之内波太郎一边说，一边解下榛树上的马缰。“机会难得，好好向竹千代公子尽忠吧。不要作无谓的牺牲，顾全大局，才是你真正的使命。” 说完，他翻身上马，扬长而去。大久保新八郎呆呆地坐在原地，大口喘起气来。 乌鸦扑棱棱飞回榛树梢头。