Who is Takada Yukino? Does Wada Weimasa not know? She knows the ins and outs of how Ashikaga Yoshiteru and Shiba Yoshigan got engaged.
If Ise Sadakyo wants to encourage Ashikaga Yoshiaki to touch Takada Yukino, Yoshigoshi Shiba really knows how to flip the table! If he flips the dining table of the shogunate, what will people like Wada Weimasa eat!
At this point, Wada Yamasa must stand up and stop Ise Sakyo from continuing to fan the flames.
Even if Yoshiaki Ashikaga is dissatisfied and has opinions about himself, Wada Weimasa can't care so much.
Ise Sakyo tried his best to break the pot, but Wada Weimasa didn't want to be buried with him!
She still has a bright future, so why should she be dragged down by this bastard Ise Sadakyo who will sooner or later kill her whole family? If she continues to act like an ostrich, Shiba Yoshigan is forced to lift the table. Can the shogunate beat her?
These people worked hard to support Ashikaga Yoshiaki, and the prosperity and wealth they finally gained were about to be wasted!
Wada Weimasa looked at Ashikaga Yoshiaki solemnly, bowed and said.
"Master Gongfang! You can no longer listen to this villain's slander. The shogunate cannot withstand new turmoil!
Since the beginning of spring, there have been very few donations from samurai families in various places, the ministers are lamenting and unwilling to make offerings, and the castle towns in Kyoto are in a state of depression. The treasury of the government office is empty, and even rats are unwilling to go there.
The shogunate needs to get back on track! Donations from local samurai families cannot be counted on, and the shogunate officials are unwilling to contribute money. The only way out is the castle town tax.
The Tokaido was in turmoil, and the Hokuriku Road trade route had monopolized the trade between Kanto and Kansai. If the Kyoto castle towns wanted to recover, they needed the support of the Odaisho.
The remarriage of Oitaisu has become almost impossible to end. We can no longer intensify the conflict. Do you really want to go to war with Oitaisu?
Please think twice!"
Niki Yoshimasa also couldn't bear it anymore, so he followed him out of the queue and bowed, saying.
"Mr. Kōkata, just after the council meeting, Ogusahime from Ashikaga returned to the generals and came to me and asked me for the arrears of military expenses and salary.
The sisters of the Ma Huizhong are short of food and clothing, and have a lot of grievances. They are constantly talking about remembering their ancestors. If we are in trouble with Da Yutai at this time, I'm afraid..."
Wada Weimasa's words were reasoning and pleading, while Niki Yoshimasa's words were a bit threatening.
Niki Yoshimasa didn't want to express his position like this, but if the military expenses of the Ashikama Huimen are not resolved, no matter how high-sounding he says, it will be nonsense.
Can you make a living by singing high-pitched tunes? Samurai Ji are not kind people, they really know how to defeat their superiors!
If Ashikaga Yoshiaki does not handle the relationship with Shiba Yoshigan, Niki Yoshimasa does not dare to imagine the possible consequences.
Ashikaga Yoshiaki was indeed frightened by her and said dryly.
"Didn't I give priority to the government office to allocate money and food to Ashikama members to survive this period of time?"
Ashikaga Yoshiaki looked at Ise Sadakyo, whose expression froze and he said bravely.
"The treasury is in short supply, and all the shogunate officials are in debt.
Because of the special status of the Ashikaga Hui clan, the political office did give priority to allocating money and food, but the cost of the five hundred warriors was too high, and it was only enough to maintain their daily food and drink expenses for the time being.
As for job and salary... I have to ask everyone to be patient and share the joys and sorrows together."
Wada Weimasa sneered.
"What a great saying about sharing the joys and sorrows!
Mr. Ise, you shogunate ministers have territories abroad and shops in Kyoto. If the shogunate suspends your positions and salaries, you can live comfortably.
But those Hime samurai warriors in the Ashikaga community who licked blood from their swords all relied on their jobs and salaries to make a living.
Do you share the joys and sorrows with them? Why don't you please come out with some money and food to express your feelings."
Ise Sakyo said angrily.
"Okay! Then please Lord Wada, please set an example for me, so that I can follow the rules and learn from your high integrity!"
Wada Weimasa was suffocated, she was not taken advantage of, so why should she help the shogunate raise troops? Following Ashikaga Yoshiaki everywhere, isn't it just for power and wealth? How could she be in a loss-making business!
Ise Sadakyo looked at Niki Yoshimasa again, only to see her silently looking away. The Niki family can serve the general loyally, but money and food are not discussed.
Turning his gaze back to the hesitant Ashikaga Yoshiaki, Ise Sadakya said sincerely.
"Master Gongfang, money and food are trivial matters, and there is always a way to solve them.
The shogunate has a huge business and there are countless commercial houses in the castle town of Kyoto. Are you still afraid that you can't raise the money and food to feed the five hundred warrior princesses?
The most important thing now is to deal with the threat posed to you by the Great Imperial Palace first.
The Odaisho has become hostile to you, and it is difficult to reconcile the situation. Now that the matter has come to this, we must use the Sakurada Gate murder case to unite all the shogunate families and force the Odaisho to hand over Takada Yukino!
His reputation is too high. If you don't respond this time, will the shogunate still be your shogunate? Every family is afraid of sword murder, and you will be completely ignored by the Odai!
Takada Yukino must be captured and brought to justice in order to maintain the majesty of you and the shogunate! In order to further damage the prestige of the Odaisho!
Lord Gongfang, if you travel a hundred miles, you will only be half a mile, so we cannot fall short of the goal!"
Wada Weimasa saw that Ashikaga Yoshiaki was bewitched by the Ise Sadakagi, his expression changed drastically and he scolded him.
"Alarmist!
Lord Gongfang, the great Otai is kind and will definitely give the shogunate a reasonable explanation. We cannot push people too hard.
He is brave and decisive, and is unparalleled in battle. If I really piss him off, who will stop his military power? Just because of Ise-sama's words?"
Ise Sadakyu said coldly.
"Your Highness Oda has reached a tacit understanding with the general, and she will not let Odai mess around!
How can Shiba with 200,000 dan in recent days be able to defeat His Highness Oda with 2 million dan? As long as we are united, the Odaisho will not dare to use weapons at all!"
Wada Weimasa's face turned pale, and Ise Sakyo was really crazy. Oda Nobunaga was already in a desperate situation, and she wanted to use the Oda family to deal with Shiba Yoshigan.
Yoshigan Shiba is recognized by everyone as an honest man, but is Oda Nobunaga a good man and a believer?
If Oda Nobunaga wanted to be the second in Miyoshi Chokei, who would stop her? It was Yoshihiro Shiba who stopped Miyoshi Chokei back then, and the shogunate wanted to personally dig out his own purple beam? This is unreasonable!
Just when the two were arguing, Yagyu Soyan suddenly said.
"Just now at the scene outside the Sakurada Gate, Hideyoshi Hideyoshi, the Kyoto garrison officer of the Oda family, rejected the request of the shogunate security team and was unwilling to intervene in the case."
Ise Sadakyo's expression changed drastically. She did not expect that Yagyu Soen would get involved and help Wada Weimasa speak.
Yagyu Soen is an eldest son and the eagle dog of Ashikaga Shogun, so she shouldn't express her stance, but she also has her own selfish motives.
Before meeting with his daughter, Yagyu Munenomi had clearly told her that the two parties had broken off their friendship and gone their separate ways.
Although these words are harsh, they are truly golden words to protect the Yagyu family bloodline. The two branches each follow Lisbo. No matter how they fight in the future, one branch will always survive.
Having said that, Yagyu Sogan would not deliberately provoke a confrontation with the Shiba family. Is she willing to fight swords with her daughter and kill each other?
Ise Sadakyo kept saying that the Oda family would help, but Yagyu Sogan really didn't see it, so he came out and said something back.
Hashiba Hideyoshi looked innocent, but Yagyu Sogan had the intuition from many years of experience to feel that she was taking pleasure in others' misfortune.
In fact, everyone in the shogunate understood that Oda Nobunaga was too powerful and would be difficult to deal with in the future, but no one was willing to face this problem.
Whoever raises a problem must find a way to solve it. Except for the honest man Shiba Yoshigan, who is willing to come forward to offend the powerful Oda family?
Ashikaga Yoshiaki was really confused, and his subordinates pretended to be confused. Everyone pretended not to see the threat, hoping that Oda Nobunaga would continue to be obedient and that the shogunate would continue to play music and dance.
There is clearly an elephant in the dilapidated house, but everyone pretends not to see it and is blind. No one considers the possibility that one day the elephant will get mad and overturn the dilapidated house with its trunk.
Wada Weimasa, Hitoshi Yoshimasa, and Yagyu Munegan all opposed the Ise Sadakado, not because they were loyal, but because the Ise Sadakado's actions had seriously damaged their interests.
If they were truly loyal, when the Ise Sadato proposed the idea of remarriage, they should have stood up to stop it, so that the trouble would have gotten so out of hand.
Facts have proved that Ashikaga Yoshiaki also no longer trusts Ise Sadism, she thought for a while and said.
"There is no conclusive evidence pointing to the Shiba family in the murder outside Sakurada Gate.
Since there is no basis for this, we should not attack the Grand Imperial Palace for the time being, so as not to intensify the conflict.
Let this matter go for a while and let Yagyu-hime investigate. Also give Odaisho some time to see if he respects the shogunate and will give an explanation to the shogunate."
After much thought, Ashikaga Yoshiaki still gave up.
Ise Sadakyo's vowed plan to remarry was easily passed by Yoshigan. Ashikaga Yoshiaki's underwear when he wanted to abandon him and go it alone was already exposed, and it was difficult to get along with Yoshigan Shiba after that.
She was so frightened that she was unwilling to take any more risks, so she chose to follow the advice of Wada Weimasa and others and be more cautious.
Ashikaga Yoshiaki's rejection seemed to have instantly drained the spirit of Ise Sakyo.
After looking at the feeble and incompetent Ashikaga Yoshiaki, and then at Wada Weimasa and other Ashikaga ministers who were hostile to him, Ise Sadakya gave a wry smile, showing his old age.
Ashikaga Yoshiaki saw that she suddenly seemed to have aged more than ten years, and he couldn't bear it and said.
"Mr. Ise, you are also tired today. Go back and rest early."
There was a hint of sadness on Ise Sadako's face as she bowed and said goodbye. She walked out of the room tremblingly and almost tripped on the porch.
Ignoring the false voice of concern behind her, Ise Sadakyo staggered out. She walked outside Nijo Imperial Palace step by step, feeling increasingly cold in her heart.
The Ise family is hopeless, really hopeless.
After all, Ashikaga Yoshiaki is a general, and Shiba Yoshigan has the overall situation in mind, so he may not embarrass her. But Ise Sakyo must be hated by Shiba Yoshigan, and the Ise family will definitely not end well!
Ise Sadakyo felt that her heart was beating faster and faster, as if it would jump out of her throat at the next moment. She covered her heart with her hands, and her teeth pressed against her lower lip, bleeding.
No, we can’t sit still and wait for death!
Yukino Takada... Yukino Takada must die! Yukino Takada must be killed, and Yoshigan Shiba will go crazy and break with Yoshiaki Ashikaga!
Ise Sadaoka's eyes became brighter and brighter, filled with murderous intent.
She can't do it herself, and the Ise family must stay out of it, so who should she find to be the scapegoat?
Matsuda is dead. Those shogunate warriors who followed Matsuda to create rumors. The most arrogant ones should be... Ueno... Odate... they must be scared to death now.
Scared to death!
Ise Sadakyo raised his head, closed his eyes and took a deep breath, his forehead twitching.
Takada Yukino, go to hell! For the survival of the Ise family, please die as soon as possible!
———
In the next few days, Kyoto took on a strange atmosphere.
Ashikaga Yoshiaki pretended to be deaf and mute and ordered the Yagyu clan to investigate the murder outside Sakurada Gate.
Yoshigan Shiba dispatched the Secrecy Team and the Yagyu Team to search for traces of the Mibu Wolf all over Kyoto.
Both sides are easing the situation and are unwilling to intensify the conflict and completely break up.
The various families in the shogunate maintained a strange calm. It seemed that the murder outside Sakurada Gate did not attract any attention or cause any waves.
Oda Nobunaga of Tofukuji Temple was also silent, and Hashiba Hideyoshi who was guarding Kyoto seemed to have forgotten the existence of this matter.
After the murder outside Sakurada Gate, Takada Yukino and Miburou disappeared. Looking for a few people in the huge Kyoto is like looking for a needle in a haystack.
During the day, Shiba's forces searched all over Kyoto. At night, Miburou took advantage of the darkness to kill the lone Samurai Hime from the shogunate's security team.
Every day, a few unlucky people died on the streets. Most of the Hime warriors from the shogunate's security team also hid without a trace.
The rumors in Kyoto's castle towns finally stopped, and the townspeople lost their voices in fear. The town seemed to be devouring life at night, and few people dared to walk at night.
A game of cat and mouse, the Mibu wolf is chasing the shogunate security team, the confidentiality team and the Yagyu team are looking for the Mibu wolf, and Yagyu Sogan pretends to investigate the case.
Everyone obviously knew what happened, but they all chose to pretend not to know.
But as time goes by, the waves under the undercurrent will brew and take shape sooner or later, and a new storm will eventually come.
———
The moon is high in the middle of the night, and the towns of Kyoto are particularly deserted.
A Ji warrior ran wildly on the street, looking back from time to time, as if a ghost was pursuing her life.
When she looked back again, she saw that there was no one on the street behind her, and felt a little relieved. When she turned her eyes forward, she suddenly found a person standing dozens of steps ahead.
She forced herself to remain still and staggered to a stop.
Under the moonlight, a beautiful girl wearing red clothes and carrying a knife at her waist looked at her coldly, as if she was identifying prey, with the moonlight reflecting on her pretty face.
"Are you Kiyori?"
Qingli's teeth couldn't help but chatter. She wanted to turn around and run away, but as soon as she turned around, she suddenly froze her body.
On the deserted street just now, three swordsmen wearing mountain-shaped haori appeared, blocking her way back.
Qingli's eyes were filled with despair as she murmured to herself.
"Ren...Ren Shenglang..."
She gritted her teeth and turned around, facing the swordsman in red in front of her, and shouted.
"Why! Why must we be forced to death! We already know we were wrong! We are willing to apologize! We are willing to compensate! We are willing to take responsibility!
Why don’t you let me go! Bastard! Takada Battosai, you bastard!”
Takada Yukino had a cold face and walked towards Kiyori step by step. Kiyori trembled and held the handle of her sword tightly with her right hand.
"If an apology is useful, what's the use of a sword? Pull out your sword and die."