The Wu family values family fortune most, and for the continuation of the family fortune, life and death can be ignored.
It’s easy to say this, but fear of death is human instinct. Who doesn’t want to live if he can’t die?
However, the family business is the dining table where all Ji warriors under the entire family name eat. Compared to the importance of the continuation of the family business, the family governor is just a penny.
Sometimes it’s not possible to die even if you don’t want to, and if you don’t want to be dignified, there are people who can help you look decent.
Before Wada Taimasa went to Kyoto and complained to General Ashikaga about Mibuchi Fujihide's evil deeds, Oda Nobunaga had already slapped her hard on the face, telling her to sober up.
The Wada family ended up in today's situation because Wada Weimasa and Ashikaga Yoshiaki got too close, which affected their own family business.
Wada Weimasa instinctively stopped and did not dare to go to Beijing to ask for help. When she stopped halfway, she took two sips of sake in frustration, and there were already strange movements outside the house.
Her face was calm and she said calmly.
"come in."
His daughter He Tian Weichang opened the door, bowed respectfully and said.
"I'm disturbing my mother's rest."
After she entered, she closed the door, blocking the arc light reflected in the moonlight from the tip of the knife outside the door.
She knew that there would be an end tonight, but Wada Weimasa didn't expect that the person who set off the undercurrent behind her was actually her own daughter Wada Weichan.
But by this time, she didn't care anymore, she just drank sake casually and asked.
"Why?"
"If I had not agreed to serve the Oda family, Wada Village would have been bulldozed by Niwa Nagahide-sama long ago."
Wada Weimasa threw the wine glass in his hand to the ground with such force that it almost broke into pieces.
The sliding door was opened, and a group of Ji warriors armed with sharp blades rushed in. Wada Wenaga turned around and said sternly.
"My mother and I are talking. Anyone who allows you to come in and disturb me should get out!"
A group of Ji warriors bowed and apologized, exited the room, and did not forget to close the door.
Wada Weizheng laughed at himself and asked.
"Aren't you going to let them chop me?"
Wada Weichang said in a low voice.
"Mother has devoted her whole life to the Hotan family business, and the warriors in the family respect you very much.
It’s just that the shogunate is in decline and the general is unkind. Why don’t you abandon the dark side and turn to the bright side? Your Majesty Oda actually values you very much.”
Wada Weizheng nodded and said.
"I see, Oda Nobunaga doesn't want me to die. She wants me to live and beg for mercy from her, so that I can further humiliate the shogunate and undermine the shogun's prestige."
Wada Nobunaga couldn't help but frowned when his mother called Oda Nobunaga by his first name.
"Mother, please be careful what you say."
Wada Weizheng said pleasantly.
"In troubled times, it is not a wrong thing for mothers, daughters and sisters to take sides separately to consider the continuation of the family business.
Weichang, I don't blame you for taking refuge with His Highness Oda. But you must also understand that if I take refuge with you now, I will completely offend the shogunate, and it will also be detrimental to the Wada family."
Wada Weichang hesitated for a moment and said.
"Mother, His Highness Oda will not let you die."
Wada Weimasa said with a sad smile.
"Yes, I just figured it out when I saw you. Your Highness Oda is so cruel. She wants to make General Ashikaga feel ashamed.
I won’t go to Luo and Beijing again, and I don’t care what happens in Setjin Kingdom.”
Wada Weimasa took out the ribs, which made Wada Weichang a little nervous, fearing that his mother would commit seppuku.
Wada Weimasa glanced at her and smiled.
"If I want to commit seppuku, I will naturally ask you to prepare a sword and introduce the wrong person. It will be uncomfortable to use the ribs."
While joking, she grabbed her hair with her left hand, chopped off a lot of her hair with her ribs, and then handed it to Wada Weinaga.
"Find someone to help me shave my head, and please send this hair to the case of His Highness Oda in Gifu City.
Tian Weimasa and I plead guilty to the issue of Minami Omi and Tamura, but we will never succumb to the Oda family. If His Highness Oda is not satisfied, please send someone to Watamura to grant me permission to commit seppuku."
Wada Weinaga respectfully took his mother's hair with both hands and asked.
"Mother is going back to Hotan Village?"
Wada Weimasa said with a bitter smile.
"The general is incompetent, and the Hota family has no choice but to save itself. I can't really let the family fortune fall into my hands. I can't go to Kyoto, so I can only go back to Hota Village and wait.
The Oda family does not allow the Wada Village to erect a city wall, so I will go back and take charge of the territory myself. I believe that my fellow villagers and fellow villagers of the Koga clan will give me some respect and will no longer be instigated to embarrass the Wada family.
But what happens in the future depends on whether His Highness Oda is willing to let me go. But with you here, there should be no major problems in the Wada family. It is just my personal fate."
Wada Weichang was silent for a long time and asked bitterly.
"Mother really doesn't blame me?"
Wada Weimasa sighed.
"In more than a hundred years of troubled times, nothing strange has happened. I have served Rokkaku and Ashikaga for many years, and I am used to being deceived by others.
You are a good boy. Although you hid this matter from me, you did nothing wrong. The Oda family is becoming more and more powerful. The Wada family has its foundation in Minami Omi and cannot be an enemy.
I was unwise, obsessed with the shogunate, and mistakenly believed in Ashikaga Yoshiaki, an incompetent and unrighteous Ashikaga general.
It’s just that now that things have come to this, I can’t bow my head before the general, I must stick to my loyalty, and this is also for the sake of the reputation and future of the Hotan family.”
Wada Wei let out a long sigh, kowtowed to the ground and said.
"Thank you for your hard work, mother."
Wada Weizheng said with a sarcastic look on his face.
"It won't last long. I believe the general will give in soon. At that time, I can naturally bow my head."
———
Just as Wada Weimasa judged, Ashikaga Yoshiaki was an incompetent and unrighteous general. She was not considerate of Wada Weimasa's move to return to Minami Omi Wada Village halfway, but became furious.
But Wada Weimasa insisted on his principles after all, did not bow to Oda Nobunaga, and shaved his head to show his unyielding.
The shogun is mentally retarded, but the arrogance of the Ashikaga shogunate is still there, and it has not been completely swept into the garbage heap. Wada Weimasa must not surrender to the foreign vassals as a subject of the Ashikaga shogun.
The Ashikaga family cannot afford to lose this person, and the shogunate cannot afford to lose this person. The most important thing is, will the elder of the Genji family, Yoshigan Shiba, come forward to kill the Wada family?
The Wada family can't afford to offend Oda Nobunaga, so how can they offend Kawachi Genji? This brand isn't completely rotten yet, and there are still people who can handle it.
Oda Nobunaga admired Wada Nobunaga's persistence. She also saw that Wada Nobunaga was working for the Oda family and no longer cared about Wada Nobunaga's disrespect for her.
After all, Wada Wenaga's defection to the Oda family could no longer be concealed.
She even cheated her own mother. If Oda Nobunaga continues to persecute, the recent samurai families who have taken refuge in the Oda family will inevitably suffer the death of rabbits and foxes. For the Oda family, this move is not worth the gain.
After sparing the disgraced Wada Taimasa, Oda Nobunaga raised his troops to go to Luka again in the name of paying homage to Ashikaga General.
At the turn of spring and summer, Oda's army besieged Sakamoto Castle, an important town in the Yamashiro Kingdom from Minami Omi. Niki Yoshimasa was unable to resist and was forced to surrender, and Sakamoto Castle fell into the hands of the Oda family.
Having been taken back by Ashikaga Yoshiaki to command the Ashikaga Hui clan, and having lost Sakamoto Castle, Hitoshi Yoshimasa did not dare to return to Kyoto immediately and hid in his family's territory on the border between Iga Country and Yamashiro Country.
This territory was the one that Yoshigan Shiba ordered to protect several villages in recent times in order to thank her for giving up the position of guardian of Iga. Outsiders did not dare to covet it.
Hitoshi Yoshimasa, who fled back to the village, recalled all the experiences he had experienced in the past few years. After the ups and downs, he was particularly grateful for Yoshigan Shiba's kindness and kindness.
Thinking of her villainous behavior of standing by and watching Shiba Yoshiyin being embarrassed in Kyoto, she felt quite regretful.
At this point, Ashikaga Yoshiaki's two most trusted subordinates, Wada Weimasa and Hitaki Yoshimasa, were temporarily forced to leave the scene sadly, and others did not dare to stop the menacing Oda Nobunaga.
Ashikaga Yoshiaki of Kyoto watched in horror as the Oda army approached Kyoto, while the samurai in and outside Kyoto silently watched her embarrassment.
Oda Nobunaga wrote to Mibuchi Fujihide, denounced her crime of provoking provocations and illegally occupying Takaki Castle, and asked her to withdraw from Fushimi Castle immediately, otherwise she would bear the consequences.
Mibuchi Fujihide had a lot of trouble with the shogunate because of her occupation of Takatsuki Castle, and was harshly criticized within the Hosokawa Mibuchi family. She simply did not dare to resist the Oda army, so she had no choice but to abandon Fushimi Castle.
By suppressing Ise and disrupting Settsu's pressure, Oda Nobunaga took advantage of the situation and captured Sakamoto Castle and Fushimi Castle, two important towns guarding the gateway to Kyoto, and once again successfully entered Luo and entered the capital.
Ashikaga Yoshiaki had no choice but to pretend and allow Oda Nobunaga to attend. So far, the story of Ashikaga Yoshiaki's one-year restoration of the shogunate has completely become a big joke in the streets.
———
Kyoto, Nijo Castle.
In the meeting hall, Ashikaga Yoshiaki was furious.
"Asshole! This bastard!"
Everyone sitting in the hall was silent. Kerji stood like a stake at the door, gazing at the scene inside.
She was brought by Ashikaga Yoshiaki from Kofukuji Temple, and he accompanied and protected her all the way to Luo, so she was deeply trusted and is now the leader of the Konoe.
In front of Ashikaga Yoshiaki, Yagyu Sogan fell to the ground. After Ashikaga Yoshiaki succeeded to the throne, she returned to the position of Ometsubo of the shogunate and realized her ambition.
This time, she also brought back Oda Nobunaga's request.
After Oda Nobunaga came to Luo, he did not come to Nijo Castle to see her immediately. Instead, he hoped that Ashikaga Yoshiaki could go to Tofukuji Temple to see her.
As a general, Ashikaga Yoshiaki's face was stepped on and rubbed by Oda Nobunaga. She was so angry that she wanted to refuse, but she did not dare to refuse in the face of strong military pressure.
Although Oda Nobunaga did not bring many people to the capital, Oda's army was stationed in Fushimi Castle in the south, and he was eyeing the north.
Ninagawa, who was sent by the shogunate, hid back to Tanba Kingdom, and Hatakeyama Takamasa also ran back to Minamigouchi to watch. Everyone was watching what she, the Ashikaga General, would do.
The only thing Ashikaga Yoshiaki could rely on was the Hokōkō and the Ashikaga Huizhong who were loyal to the Ashikaga family.
But during Miburou's Tenchu operation, Iio Akiren and Matsuda Fujihiro, who were the most prestigious among the shogunate, and Ueno Kiyonobu and Odate Harutada who firmly supported the general among the shogunate judges.
These four people were either dead or disabled.
At first, everything went smoothly, and Ashikaga Yoshiaki didn't feel anything was wrong. But when trouble came, she suddenly found that she couldn't find a few loyal and brave men under her command who dared to fight and kill.
People like Wada Weimasa, Hitoshi Yoshimasa, and Yagyu Sogan were all the opportunists who supported her in going to Luo, but now they are running away, they are stupid.
The dignified Ashikaga Shogun could not find a few people in the shogunate who were willing to bleed and die for her. Doesn't this make outsiders look down on her even more?
Ashikaga Yoshiaki was so humiliated that he was venting his anger, but the other concubines in front of him couldn't offer any useful advice other than to calm down, die, and be guilty.
She suddenly regretted it. If Yoshigan Shiba was still in Kyoto, would Oda Nobunaga dare to be so unbridled and domineering?
———
At this time at Tofukuji Temple, Oda Nobunaga also welcomed a guest.
In the quiet room, Akechi Mitsuhide smiled and saluted Oda Nobunaga and said.
"I haven't seen His Majesty Oda for a few days. Your grace is indeed better than before."
Oda Nobunaga tilted his head and looked at Akechi Mitsuhide and said.
"What? Do you want to complain for Ashikaga Yoshiaki, or are you the lobbyist she hired?"
Akechi Mitsuhide shook his head and said.
"You have forgotten that I am also a garrison in Kyoto. With so many sergeants coming to the capital, I always have to go through the motions and not be in my position.
By the way, No-kun wrote to me, saying that she had arrived at Minami-Omi, and asked me to take Ryuuki Saito to see him when I have time.
May I ask, Your Majesty Oda, if I can occasionally take my children to Minamiomi to meet Nou-kun?"
Oda Nobunaga glanced at Mitsuhide Akechi, who had a gentle face, smiled and said.
"They are all my relatives. Since we live not far away, we will move around more in the future. Mr. Nong misses you very much."
Akechi Mitsuhide bowed happily.
"That's really troublesome for you, thank you very much."
When Oda Nobunaga saw her messing around with her, he felt a little uneasy.
"These are the only things you have to say to me?"
Akechi Mitsuhide pretended to be stunned.
"What else do you want me to say, Your Majesty Oda?
When Tsudoden left, Qian warned and urged the nearby Sibo leaders to be careful in their words and deeds and not to get involved in the shogunate's dispute.
Although I was appointed by the general to guard Kyoto, you know that I am staying in Kyoto to conduct diplomatic affairs on behalf of the Shiba family, so it is not convenient for me to talk nonsense."
Oda Nobunaga smiled.
"So, even if I destroy this annoying Ashikaga General, you will watch silently?"
Akechi Mitsuhide shook his head and said.
"No, it's not like that. I've only heard of using the emperor to control the princes, but I've never heard of deposing the emperor to control the princes.
His Majesty Oda is so talented and ambitious, how can he let himself fall into unfavorable public opinion?"
Oda Nobunaga looked at Mitsuhide Akechi for a while, and the more he looked at it, the more he liked it, so he extended the invitation again and said.
"I like you very much. Do you want to seriously consider coming to Oda's house to work for me?"
Akechi Mitsuhide bowed his thanks and refused again.
"Your Highness is very affectionate, but foreign ministers are frightened.
I am very close to Nobo-kun, but it is not appropriate to leave the Shiba family, as it will also cause Tsudado-dono to dislike you. On the contrary, staying in the Shiba family will make more contributions to the friendship between the two families.
Besides, in this chaotic world, order must be restored after all. If His Majesty Oda can really bring unity to the world, wouldn’t he serve under whose sect he serves, wouldn’t he serve under your sect?”
Oda Nobunaga laughed loudly, clapped his hands and said.
"You are very good at talking. I really don't want to touch Ashikaga Yoshiaki, but she is really ignorant and makes me very embarrassed."
Akechi Mitsuhide said calmly.
"Since His Highness dares to go to Luo, he is naturally confident and well prepared."
Oda Nobunaga nodded, pointed at the floor, and said.
"So, I want you to help me invite Ashikaga Yoshiaki here. I will take care of the rest by myself."
Akechi Mitsuhide smiled.
"Although it would be embarrassing for her to ask the general to come over and talk to her, the situation is so compelling that she would not refuse and make the situation worse.
But you also know the general’s temperament, can you give me the confidence to persuade him?”
Oda sneered.
"Isn't she just afraid of death? I promise not to kill her or cripple her, and let her come here with peace of mind.
You also said that it would not be good for me to hold the emperor hostage to order the princes, and killing her would not do me any good."
Akechi Mitsuhide bowed.
"In this case, I can go out shamelessly and share some of His Highness Oda's worries."