The situation in the Western Kingdom was changing, and the Maori family did not expect that Hideyoshi Hashiba would secretly send someone to collude, and the two parties reached a tacit agreement.
Under Akechi Mitsuhide's ruthless planning, the undercurrent is rushing towards Nizi Katsuhisa.
The reappearance of the Nizi family in Izumo Country is like the last bright light before the dark night, and what is about to usher in is endless darkness.
At this time, Mitsuhide Akechi, the mastermind behind the scenes, was leisurely on her way to Tosa Country.
She wants to go to Shikoku Island to handle the diplomatic mission entrusted by Oda Nobunaga, stay away from the disputes in the Western Kingdom, and keep herself clean.
When she comes back again, drastic changes have taken place in the Western Kingdom of Kinki, and she will be one step closer to her goal of killing Oda Nobunaga.
———
This spring and summer, there are constant turmoil in Kansai, and things are not peaceful in Kanto either.
Yoshihiro Shiba wanted to put pressure on Takeda Shingen through Kosaka Masanobu, but instead he was trapped by Kosaka Masanobu's family ties and had no choice but to give up.
Without the constraints of the sage, the Takeda and Satake families joined forces to conduct raids on Edo families in the central and southern parts of Hitachi Province, conducting raids on loan interest and tax issues, and organized tax police to supervise and enforce them.
Suppressed by the imperial order of peace in Kanto, the Edo family did not dare to use force to resist. In the end, the family governor chose to set himself on fire to show his innocence.
After the governor committed suicide, the city of Racecourse was opened, and the retainers surrendered.
Takeda Shingen won the battle without a fight, sent his capable retainers to the city, and immediately announced that he would use the city to pay interest, take the Baba Castle as his own, and rename it Mito Castle.
The word "Mito" is taken from the prosperous river canal port of Nakagawa, which means the gateway of water transportation. It is also the beginning of the Takeda family's entry into Hitachi Kingdom.
Mito Castle is located in the middle of Hitachi Kingdom. Water transportation is prosperous, connecting the north and the south, which is conducive to ruling the country. This is the fundamental reason why Takeda Shingen deliberately planned to kill the Edo family and occupied Mito Castle.
The Edo family was destroyed, and the Thirty-three Southern Halls were frightened. They sent people to Mito Castle to present letters of allegiance to express their submission to the Takeda family, and Takeda Shingen smiled and accepted them one by one.
Takeda Shingen didn't want to make the scene too ugly. If it really angered the saint, she wouldn't be able to benefit from it, so she had to stop it in moderation.
With the central and southern foothold, the replacement of the Hitachi guardians of the Takeda family and the Satake family can be regarded as a solid step. Takeda Shingen is already satisfied and does not want to cause trouble for the time being.
But Takeda Shingen burped and wiped his mouth after eating, but others looked at him with greedy eyes and couldn't calm down.
The Takeda family easily took over the Edo family's feudal lords, and forced the Edo family to burn themselves to death without using any weapons. They sat in Mito Castle, leaving the Sugi-Hojo family stunned.
It turns out you can still act like a hooligan like this!
Not to be outdone, the Uesugi and Hojo families began to gather tax police to strictly investigate interest taxes. Unfortunately, the Eastern Shikoku samurai family had not yet waited for the autumn harvest of food, and they ushered in a debt collection group.
As the saying goes, whoever takes something from me, send it back to me. Whoever eats something from me, spit it out to me. Count them one by one, slowly.
Who can still produce food during this lean period? So tragedies happened one after another in the four eastern countries.
If the previous self-purification movement frightened the people of the East, then this debt collection scandal broke the pot for the people of the East.
Whether it was the grass-roots rule of the territory or the organizational centripetal force of the retainers' group, the people of the East were constantly crushed and crushed by the attacks, turning into a ball of scattered sand and no longer able to resist.
Except for a few powerful local samurai families such as the Satake family and the Satomi family, the Eastern Shikoku have become the food of the three powerful feudal lords, Takeda, Uesugi and Hojo.
The three powerful vassals were already strong in strength, and because of the annexation of the four eastern countries, they were even more powerful, leaving behind the other powerful martial arts families in the eight states.
The land of Kanhachishu, with the intentional or unintentional connivance of Shiba Yoshigan, has become the private territory of the three tripartite families of Takeda, Uesugi and Hojo.
Only the Central Samurai Alliance headed by Ryoke, the Kanto Shibarujima Katsuki from the East Musashi Land, and Sanada Nobushige from the West Ueno Land still maintain a certain degree of autonomy.
As for other small and medium-sized local martial arts families, they have been gradually marginalized in the repeated changes and impacts, and have become small figures relying on the Kanto shrine system to survive.
The land of Guanbazhou is gradually being controlled by the Shiba family in a very ugly way that Shiba Yiyin himself does not like.
While the three powerful vassals were making small moves to annex the four eastern kingdoms, there was also an undercurrent surging within the land of Guanbazhou.
With the Sanada people's behind-the-scenes planning and the deliberate guidance of Sarutobi Sasuke, Hanzawa Naoyi had figured out the direction of his attack, and went to the Higashi Musashi Land to seek help from Kito Yua in Osato County.
With the support of Kito Yua, Hanzawa Naoyi finally broke a hole from the Wushu Association and reached into the accounts of the Wujia Giri Promotion Association to find out the truth.
———
Dali County, Ojiu Village.
This is the birthplace of the Self-Qing Movement. While Mikami Momo used the Self-Qing Movement to act as a knife for the three strong clans on the Boso Peninsula, Kito Yua was working hard on his own righteous cause.
Ghost head Yuya traveled to every village in Dali County, working down-to-earth, cleaning up the unjust people, and promoting Sibo's new ideas.
However, her hard work was brought down from the altar because of Mikami Momo's political adventure on the Boso Peninsula.
The Shang Dynasty was in chaos, and Yi Yao died tragically. The saint personally issued an imperial order, causing the self-Qing movement to suffer a heavy blow.
No matter how well Osato County does it, it can't take the blame from Mikami Moinai's side. The storm on the Boso Peninsula almost destroyed the justice of the self-clearing movement and plunged it into a low ebb.
But Yuya Kito still persists in his ideals and wants to use the excellent results of Dali County to impress the saints again and rectify the name of the Self-Qing Movement.
On this day, Kito Yua was inspecting Ojiu Village, but unexpected changes occurred. Mikami Momo came in a hurry on horseback, and took Kito Yua into the village house for a secret chat.
In the room, Mikami Momo angrily shook out the document in her hand, gave it to Yuya Kito, and asked.
"Why did you sign the consent form to that Naoyi Hanzawa! What qualifications does she have to inspect the loan flow and account settlement of the Wu Family Giri Promotion Association on behalf of us in blue!"
Yuya Kito took the document and glanced at it. Sure enough, it was the authorization letter signed by himself, so he replied calmly.
"Hansawa Naoyoshi is an inspector sent by the Shiba Center Tongxin Secretariat to inspect the Kanto accounts for the Holy One. What's wrong with me assisting her?"
Mikami Momo's eyes widened.
"What's wrong?
You should make it clear that she is the person in charge of the inquiry side and is responsible for business filing. Even if she has a background in clean government, she is checking the relevant accounts of the Shibachu Fund and the Kanto Shrine Office.
The charity work of the Wu Jili Promotion Association, water conservancy projects, these loan accounts, and transaction details are not within the scope of her inspection, and we have no obligation to cooperate with her ultra vires and nonsense!"
Ghost Head Yuya said coldly.
"Is there really no obligation? Mikami-hime, don't forget the vow we made back then.
We stand here just to change the lifeless status quo of Guandong, let the thoughts of the saints spread throughout the land of Guandong, and let this land usher in new life!
Naoyoshi Hanzawa came to Kanto with a saint's mission, and we have an obligation to cooperate with her work.
A leader, a voice, this is our duty.
I just did what a man in blue should do, why are you so angry and rude, as if you were stepped on?"
Mikami Momo narrowed her eyes.
"What do you mean?"
Ghost Head Yuya said unceremoniously.
"you understand me!
The original intention of the sage to establish the Wushu Association was to supervise the Wujia Yili Promotion Association! But you are colluding with those people!
You know best what you have done! I have told you a long time ago not to associate with those people or get involved with them, but did you listen?
I have warned you over and over again, but you have ignored me and fallen deeper and deeper into trouble!
You have forgotten your original intention! You have forgotten why we formed the Wu Family Renaissance Association! You have forgotten those comrades who died on the battlefield! You have forgotten our ideals!
You actually questioned me and denied my authorization letter because of those dirty things about the Wushu Association. What are you afraid of?
What on earth did you and those people do to make you so fearful and rude?"
Facing the undisguised accusation from Yuya Kito, the corners of Mikami Momo's eyes twitched, and a trace of distortion appeared on her youthful and beautiful face.
After a long silence, Mikami Momo gritted her teeth and said.
"I don't know what you are talking about, but you have to understand that I am the chief of the blue-clad people. Without my signature, this authorization letter is invalid!"
Ghost head Yuya sneered.
"Yeah, you're still the chief now, but you won't be anymore soon.
I have drafted an official document requesting a major internal review of the Blue Clothes. I will announce what you have done at the meeting and request a public vote to remove you from the position of chief."
Mikami Momo stared at Yuya Kito coldly and said fiercely.
"My position as chief was given by a saint. You have no right to convene a review to depose me."
Ghost Head Yuya retorted coldly.
"Your position as chief was obtained by hundreds of colleagues from the Wu Family Revival Association who spent their blood and lives on the battlefield in Hanoi! You have abandoned our ideals! Why can't we depose you!
Think about the things you do!
How much black money did you receive from the people of the Wu Family Giri Promotion Association and the Wushu Association? In order to climb up the ladder and please the three powerful feudal lords, you brought the self-purification movement to the brink of destruction!
Tell me, why do people like you represent the Wu Family Revival Association, why do they represent us, and why do they lead us towards rejuvenation!
Mikami peach vegetables! Are you worthy?"
The roar of Kito Yua silenced Mikami Momo, and after a while, Mikami Momona spoke in a low voice.
"Guitou Ji, many things are not what you think, and I have no choice but to do so.
Sitting in my position, I must be exposed to some dirty water. Otherwise, the people in blue will not be recognized by the Wushu Association, and we will not be able to gain a foothold in the Wushu Association.
I am not collaborating with them, I am just for the better development of the people in blue.
I hope you can be calmer and more mature, and don't make the matter a big deal, as doing so is not good for anyone."
A cold light flashed in the eyes of Ghost Head Yuya.
"Benefits? At this point, are you still talking about benefits with me?
Do we shed our lives and blood for profit? Those comrades who sacrificed their lives on the battlefield, did they sacrifice their lives for profit?
We are here to change this ugly old Kanto and build a better new Kanto.
You are the one who likes to compromise with those in the Wushu Association and join in the same trap with them, not us. We are different from you.
People in blue don't need to enter their circle, get their approval, or become old bureaucrats like them.
We are the righteous new youth, we are the vanguard of Spo's new ideas. If even we are contaminated by them, then Kanto will really be hopeless.
You are still quibbling and trying to apply your dirty thoughts to me. You have disappointed me so much, Mikami-hime.
You are no longer our comrade, and you are no longer qualified to represent us.
I will definitely convene a council, and I will definitely demand that you be deposed. I believe everyone will support me. They should be the same as me and different from you.
Having said this, I have nothing to say to you, but as a former comrade-in-arms, I would like to give you one last piece of advice.
Mikami-hime, turn around, surrender, confess all your mistakes to the saint, seek forgiveness from the saint, change your mind, and then you will have a chance to start over.
Please wake up soon! Mikami Hime!"
After saying that, Yuya Kito bowed deeply, strode out of the village house, and never looked back.
Yuya Kito didn't bother to look back at his former best friend, but he also failed to notice that the murderous intent in Mikami Momo's eyes behind him could no longer be concealed and surged out.
Mikami Momo came from a humble background. With the help of study abroad assistance from the Wu Family Giri Promotion Association, she went to Spurling to broaden her horizons, show her talents, and become a leader of international students.
She prides herself on being talented, but because of her poor background, she has never had the chance to climb up the ladder.
The platform of being an international student gave her the opportunity to perform. The saint's favor allowed her to soar to a high position that she could not reach in a lifetime of hard work.
Mikami Momo was afraid of losing her position of power and turning back into the dispensable and humble daughter of a small samurai family.
Under the wooing of the Wushu Association and the coercion and inducement of the three powerful vassals, she gradually lost herself, forgot her former ideals and vows, and became a prisoner of money and a slave of power.
She wants to keep her hard-won power at all costs, and she can't let Yuya Kito destroy her.
Kill Yua Kito! This thought that had lingered before echoed clearly in my mind again.
Mikami Momo, who was surrendered by money and power, had forgotten that the two had fought side by side and the friendship of pursuing their ideals together. There was only one sentence that kept recurring in her heart.
Kill her, kill her, kill her...
The naive Yuya Kito did not know that his former best friend had been alienated by money and power. Instead of waking him up, his shouting strengthened his murderous intention.
Just as the two predicted in their dialogue in front of the graves of their comrades on the battlefield in Hanoi, after their ideals are shattered, Yuya Kito will die and Momo Mikami will sink into the sea.