Azuchi Village is located on the Minami Omi between Kyoto and Gifu Castle. It was the only way for Oda Nobunaga to pass from his hometown to Raku.
Oda Nobunaga took a fancy to this place and built a lot of construction on Megada Mountain next to Azuchi Village, demolished the building materials of Kannonji Castle not far away, and enriched the new Azuchi Castle.
The newly built Azuchi Castle is located on the top of the mountain. The six-story building overlooks the shores of Lake Biwa and guards the water and land passage to Kusatsu, which is the gateway to Kyoto from Omi Province.
When Akechi Mitsuhide was summoned by Oda Nobunaga to Azuchi Castle, Oda Nobunaga was climbing up the castle tower to look into the distance.
After Mitsuhide Akechi finished the ceremony, Oda Nobunaga smiled and waved to her.
"No need to be polite, Guangxiu, come up and take a look.
There are endless boats coming and going on Lake Biwa, which is a prosperous scene. I tried to count them for a long time, but I couldn't see them all. I really can't count them."
Akechi Mitsuhide respectfully stepped forward and joked.
"The east bank of Lake Biwa has always been like this. The lake is rich in aquatic products and water transportation and logistics are constant. Now it is the busy season of spring and summer, so it is even more prosperous."
Oda Nobunaga nodded and said.
"Yes, it's such a huge profit. I wonder if my Oda family will be lucky enough to share some of it."
Akechi Mitsuhide smiled.
"His Majesty Oda is just joking. All the six-cornered shallow wells are a thing of the past. The entire Omi Kingdom belongs to the Oda family, and Lake Biwa is no exception."
Oda Nobunaga smiled.
"What you said is good, but there is still one thing missing. Not only Omi Country, but also Echizen Country is also under my control.
I have not forgotten what you said in Tsuruga County back then. Mitsuhide, do you still remember it?"
Akechi Mitsuhide bowed and said.
"His Majesty Oda has an unparalleled military reputation, and the two Asai and Asakura families are trying to pull the strings, and it will definitely not end well.
Naturally, the foreign ministers dare not forget the promise made to Tsuruga County. As long as you keep an open mind on Asakura Kageki, the Shiba family will be well rewarded, and the Oda family will definitely have a place in the market of the Hokuriku Road trade route."
Oda Nobunaga raised his chin and glanced at Akechi Mitsuhide from the corner of his eye, quite displeased.
Akechi Mitsuhide actually pretended to be confused with her. Could it be that what Oda Nobunaga hinted at was just for the benefit of the Hokuriku Road trade route?
The conditions negotiated by Tsuruga County back then were unexpectedly betrayed by the Asai family, and Oda Nobunaga was attacked from both sides. He had no choice but to retreat from Kanazaki, and he had no shame to continue the negotiation with Akechi Mitsuhide.
Nowadays, Oda Nobunaga controls both Omi and Echizen countries, the Biwa Lake water transportation of the Hokuriku Road trade route, and the shipping of Tsuruga Port. Naturally, there is no way around it. The Shiba family must share the benefits of the Oda family.
Oda Nobunaga is not worried about the distribution of benefits of the Hokuriku Road trade route. What she wants to determine is whether Akechi Mitsuhide's words that there is no room for two tigers in one mountain unless one male and one female can be realized and come true.
Who would have thought that Akechi Mitsuhide would go around in circles at this time? This attitude is boring.
Oda Nobunaga said coldly.
"Is this all you want to say?"
Akechi Mitsuhide looked around with a smile and asked.
"By the way, I heard that Mr. Nong has already moved into Azuchi Castle. I wonder if Your Highness can do it for me and allow me to see my cousin. How is he doing lately?"
Oda Nobunaga's face froze. Even though she had such thoughts about Shiba Yigen, No-kun was her first husband no matter what.
Akechi Mitsuhide greeted her husband as a relative, so how could she talk to Akechi Mitsuhide about pimping?
Oda Nobunaga looked embarrassed and said.
"On this trip to Kitaomi, Nogo-kun is accompanying Ichi-kun back. My son's home is walking slowly, and everyone is still on the road, not in the city."
Akechi Mitsuhide nodded. She saw that Oda Nobunaga's face was not good-looking, so of course she had to stroke it after knocking it, so as not to really offend this powerful His Highness, and she would not get any good results.
"Your Highness, I understand what you are thinking, but there is no need to rush. If you do something too hastily, it will become unjust and unreasonable, and I am afraid it will be counterproductive."
Oda Nobunaga sneered.
"Oh? Are you thinking about me? Why don't you tell me what is counterproductive?"
Akechi Mitsuhide asked rhetorically.
"I heard that His Highness Oda was born in the Isehei clan, and is a clan elder who is the general leader?"
Oda Nobunaga nodded shamelessly and said.
"good."
Akechi Mitsuhide felt contempt in his heart, what a p.
The Oda family was a member of the Shiba family who was brought to Owari Kingdom from Echizen Country, and later became the guardian of Owari Country.
Although Ise Province and Owari Province are adjacent to each other, the Oda family really has no relationship with the Isehei clan. Instead, they have some connections with Echizen Province.
Especially the lineage of Oda Nobunaga, who was a descendant of the Shimowari Oda family. He may indeed have some blood of the Oda family, but he is definitely not a close branch. How can he have the dignity to claim to be a direct lineage?
The real direct line of Oda was the Kami-Owari Oda clan, the hereditary guardian of Owari, but he was slaughtered by Oda Nobunaga. The Kami-Owari Oda clan, who was a close branch of the family, was also wiped out by Oda Nobunaga.
The lineage of Oda Nobunaga was just a commoner outside the commoner family. He was not close to the Oda family, but was deeply involved with the priestly family of Atsuta Shrine.
The strength of this line comes from the business district around Atsutian, and it relies on business profits to build a big business.
It's hard to say that Oda Nobunaga's ancestors were from a family of priests, similar to the Mikawa Matsudaira family. Her talk about family status is simply nonsense.
The Oda family has nothing to do with the Isehei clan. Oda Nobunaga, a rebel who relied on his subordinates to defeat the superiors and massacred the upper and lower Owari Oda families and usurped the family name to establish his own family, is not qualified to talk about his identity.
But these are troubled times, and any family background can be faked, as long as the knife in your hand is strong enough, it can be real.
From the time Oda Nobunaga revealed that she was a member of the Ise Taira clan, and now that she has become more powerful and shamelessly calls herself an elder of the Taira clan, who dares to question her identity?
Tokugawa Ieyasu's identity as a descendant of Nitta of the Kawachi Genji lineage required Yoshihiro Shiba as a guarantor and an express announcement from the shogunate before she could transform Matsudaira into a Tokugawa and become a famous nobleman recognized by the shogunate.
But what about Oda Nobunaga? All she had to do was hold a knife and shout, "Whoever is dissatisfied should stand up! This person has always liked to be tough, but the more he fights, the stronger he gets. No one can do anything to her."
As for Akechi Mitsuhide, he wanted to use Oda Nobunaga to promote his identity, she said with a smile.
"The elders of the Minamoto clan and the elders of the Taira clan. When the Minamoto clan joined forces with the Taira clan, the Minamoto clan won, and then established the samurai orthodoxy of the shogunate for five hundred years.
To this day, the Minamoto clan is weakening, the Taira clan is rising again, and the laws of nature are cyclical, one after another.
His Highness Oda is thinking of all the people in the world and does not want to see the Genpei war and the war between the same members of the samurai family. This is the most benevolent and righteous thing.
In this case, if we simply join forces with Genpei, it will be a great blessing for the martial arts family in the world. What do you think, Your Highness?"
Oda Nobunaga watched Akechi Mitsuhide talk eloquently, but he couldn't figure out what this naughty man was thinking.
His status as an elder of the Taira clan was the political foundation for Oda Nobunaga's preparation to establish Oda Gonggi. Although he was bragging, there was always a process to follow in the fight.
The change of Genpei is indeed a good reason.
According to Ake Mitsuhide's wishes, Shiba Yigen can marry himself as an elder of the Taira clan as an elder of the Genji clan, making the transition of power smoother and smoother. This is of course a good thing.
But Akechi Mitsuhide also didn't make up the preface and follow-up, and was going around in circles before, and now he wants to act as a matchmaker and a loyal minister, leaving Oda Nobunaga unsure of whose side she is on.
Oda Nobunaga thought for a while and said.
"For the sake of all the people in the world, I feel duty-bound, but this matter is not easy to handle. After these words, is there the word "but"?"
Akechi Mitsuhide nodded.
"His Majesty Oda is wise, Genpei joins forces, and the world returns to peace, it is naturally a great thing.
However, this good thing is not easy to handle. The Ashikaga Shogun of Nijo Castle will not see this good thing."
After all, Akechi Mitsuhide was out of ideas. She had been feuding with Oda Nobunaga all these years just to use the Oda family to overthrow the Ashikaga Shogunate.
Shiba Yoshigan is a saint of the samurai family, and his hands must not be stained with the injustice that harmed the Ashikaga Shogun.
No matter how Shiba Yiyin wants to build a new world in the future, the destruction of the old world must not have the slightest connection with him.
Only Oda Nobunaga, who has a universal mind and is not afraid of storms, can help this evil man.
Regardless of whether Oda Nobunaga wanted to kill the shogun or banish the shogun, the family of the Ashikaga shogun, which had long been on the verge of collapse with only one archway left, was considered dead, and would no longer be known as the common master of the world.
Akechi Mitsuhide wanted to sugar-coat the blame for bringing down the shogunate and leave it to Oda Nobunaga to lick.
As for after overthrowing the Ashikaga Shogunate, well, that's when Yoshigan Shiba comes on the scene, Akechi Mitsuhide will not continue to have an affair with Oda Nobunaga and play tricks with the same ambition.
The Oda family is already in dire straits. If Yoshihiro Shiba does not step forward and allows Oda Nobunaga to continue to develop for a few years, he will truly be invincible.
In Mitsuhide Akechi's mind, rejecting the Oda externally, harming the retainers internally, using the strategy of occupying the magpie's nest, and having an heir with an important member of the retainer group, thus enriching the foundation of the Suba family, is the best choice for Yoshihide Shiba.
As for a powerful foreign vassal like Oda Nobunaga, she must not be allowed to acquire the blood of Shiba Yoshigan, which would in turn affect the purity of the Shiba family.
Just imagine, if all the heirs of a strong vassal have the blood of the Sibo family, who will belong to the Sibo family in the future? Wouldn't the strategy of occupying the magpie's nest help other vassals to swallow up the Sibo family?
Akechi Mitsuhide understands this very well.
A weak foreign vassal like Hosokawa Fujitaka would try every means to devour her. A powerful foreign vassal like Oda Nobunaga could only be used and then discarded, and could never be involved in the dove-occupying magpie's nest plan.
Although Mitsuhide Akechi had a deep mind, his plan for many years finally saw the light of day, and he inadvertently showed something strange, which was noticed by Oda Nobunaga.
Oda Nobunaga looked at Mitsuhide Akechi, who was pretending to be calm, and was silent in thought.
The idea of a Genpei merger proposed by Akechi Mitsuhide really moved Oda Nobunaga's heart. However, Oda Nobunaga was not sure whether Akechi Mitsuhide was reliable.
This loach was so slippery that I really couldn't understand her thoughts, so I had to give it another try.
Oda Nobunaga had some concerns in his mind and spoke.
"Ashikaga Yoshiaki has already caused me too much trouble. Keeping her in Nijo Castle will only add new troubles.
I will make some arrangements and find a temple far away from Kyoto for her to rest. Huh, if it weren’t for the sake of the Ashikaga Shogun’s family’s blessings on the world for two hundred years, I, huh.”
Akechi Mitsuhide couldn't help but show a hint of excitement in his eyes. The full-fledged Oda Nobunaga finally decided to attack Ashikaga Yoshiaki. He didn't even bother to use honorifics in his mouth. He was really going to break his heart and attack.
But she didn't expect that there was another sentence after Oda Nobunaga.
"Mitsuhide, I know how loyal you are to me. For the sake of my union with Tsutado-don, you can't even take care of your cousin Noun-kun."
Akechi Mitsuhide lowered his head and said.
"Nobu-kun and I have a brother-sister relationship, but the world needs Oda-dono and Tsuta-dono to get married in order to return to peace.
Foreign ministers dare not care about personal interests and forget about righteousness, so they can only try their best to persuade Lord Nong to put the common interests of the world first."
Akechi Mitsuhide thought that Oda Nobunaga wanted her to persuade Nobun-kun to agree to the divorce and give up her position as the main wife so that she could marry Shiba Yoshigan.
In fact, Oda Nobunaga didn't care about this little thing. She had a better way to test Akechi Mitsuhide's sincerity.
Oda Nobunaga sighed.
"Yes, the world is in the public interest, and the private affairs of one family and one family cannot ruin the overall situation of the world.
Mitsuhide, you are right, but many people don't see this clearly, and they get me into trouble.
I got information that Takeda Shingen failed to go to Luo, so I came up with a new idea and made the abandoned baby she adopted as a young master and sent it to Yamato.
Counting the days, we should be almost at Duowenshan City by now.
Mitsuhide, you and I both know that Tsutama is a benevolent and kindhearted person, but his kind-hearted nature can easily be taken advantage of.
The Takeda family belongs to the Kawachi Genji lineage, and Tsutado-den is the elder of the Genji clan. Takeda Shingen asked a relative from the isolated clan, and Tsutado-den would definitely agree if he couldn't lose face.
I can understand the principle of hiding from each other.
However, for the great benefit of the world, I resolutely expel the unjust general. Is Tsutado-don also willing to reject the Takeda family's dependence and instigation and stand with me for the great benefit of the world?"
Oda Nobunaga looked at Akechi Mitsuhide, and Akechi Mitsuhide understood in his heart that this was another test by Oda Nobunaga.
The Oda family can expel Ashikaga Yoshiaki and overthrow the decadent Ashikaga shogunate. But the Shiba family must stand together with the Oda family to achieve mutual success. This is in line with the political win-win concept of the Genpei merger.
Akechi Mitsuhide had been bragging in front of Oda Nobunaga for a long time, but whether she could convince Yoshigan Shiba to give up the Takeda family would be another measure for Oda Nobunaga to determine Akechi Mitsuhide's value.
Mitsuhide Akechi is very confident about this matter.
Yoshigan Shiba has kept a low profile until today and has given up too much. All it took was Oda Nobunaga to take action to expel Ashikaga Yoshiaki!
Akechi Mitsuhide believed that Yoshigoshi Shiba had endured it for so long, and it was not a matter of Takeda's hostage.
They endured the sewage of Ashikaga Yoshiaki and withdrew from Kyoto, endured Oda Nobunaga's expansion in all directions, and made the whole of Japan a mess. Even the heads of old comrades like Asai Nagamasa were made into golden cups.
Yoshigan Shiba held his nose and tolerated so many disgusting things. Could he still fall out with Oda Nobunaga over a baby girl that Takeda Shingen picked up as an abandoned child?
Oda Nobunaga decided to take action against the Ashikaga Shogunate, and Yoshigan Shiba was finally able to kick away the troublesome Ashikaga Yoshiaki and remove the shackles of justice from his body.
Akechi Mitsuhide couldn't think of any reason for Shiba Yoshigan not to agree to Oda Nobunaga, just to pity the Takeda family's baby girl of unknown origin?