Master Tianhai's heart trembled, but he could no longer stop Akechi Mitsuhide's firm pace.
Oda Nobunaga was bound to die, but her child was a descendant of the gods. The nuns of the samurai family, both inside and outside Kyoto, who were looking forward to Oda Nobunaga's death, did not want the child to be implicated and die an untimely death.
Even if Oda Nobunaga is killed, everyone can still use Akechi Mitsuhide to shirk responsibility, and deal with the saint's wrath by using the law without blaming everyone.
But if the child of a saint dies, a descendant of a living god, who knows what an angry father will do?
You know, when Takeda Shingen forcibly took away the saint's divine seed, the saint was willing to fight Oda Nobunaga for that humiliating bastard.
This time, Oda Nobunaga's child was a gift from a saint. If the child was killed, the child's father would get angry and no one could hold him back.
But from Mitsuhide Akechi's point of view, if the child does not die, it will be a politically uncertain factor and a huge hidden danger.
Oda Nobunaga has reconciled with Nobunaga, and they have no heirs. This child is Oda Nobunaga's only bloodline in the world, and his legal first heir.
The Oda family is the most powerful clan in the world, with a territory of four million koku. This rich inheritance will inevitably attract many covetous people.
Descendant of Shiba, heir to Oda, this child's dual political identity will affect many people and many things, and even affect whether the Shiba family can engulf the Oda family's territory after Oda Nobunaga's death.
Akechi Mitsuhide understands saints very well. He is affectionate and kind, unlike people in troubled times. As long as someone gets a hold of the child, the saint is willing to pay a huge political price for the child.
Akechi Mitsuhide has no reason to leave this political hazard behind. Even if she is the daughter of a saint, she must die today!
Tianhai watched Akechi Mitsuhide leave, thought for a long time, and finally made his decision.
She stood up, walked out of the door, and asked her waiting confidants.
"How many Shan Masters have entered the capital?"
"Thousands of people have already arrived, and most of them are still coming down the mountain. Coupled with the devout believers who have come to protect the Dharma, there will be at least 10,000 or 20,000 people tomorrow."
Tianhai nodded.
During the Lotus Rebellion that year, the Tiantai Sect mobilized the five major temples and gathered more than 60,000 believers from all walks of life. In just a few days, all the Nichiren Sect's temples in Luozhong and Luowai were destroyed.
Don't look at these nuns who are just fighting wars and engaging in massacres to extinguish their faith. They are professionals and their efficiency is quite high.
Tianhai said in a deep voice.
"Assemble Master Shan, I will personally lead the nuns to the Honno Temple to eliminate demons and protect the law."
The confidant was stunned and said hesitantly.
"If we go there rashly like this, will we conflict with Lord Akechi Mitsuhide's army?"
Tianhai said calmly.
"The samurai army was in front to deal with Oda Nobunaga, and the nuns were blocking the Nichiren sect's evil disciples at the back door.
We are helping Akechi Mitsuhide, how can there be a conflict?"
The confidant nodded, followed the instructions from the emperor, and went to dispatch the troops and generals.
Amami glanced in the direction of Honnoji Temple and knew that tonight would definitely be a sleepless night. Even if she risked a fight with Akechi Mitsuhide, she must try to save Oda Nobunaga's child.
Others can use the excuse of not being present to deal with the saint, but Akechi Mitsuhide and Tenkai, who led the troops into Kyoto, are absolutely inseparable from each other.
Tianhai must make a gesture of rescuing the child. Regardless of whether the child can be brought back, this gesture must be there, otherwise she will not be able to shoulder the blame if the saint holds him accountable.
Akechi Mitsuhide is looking for death, and Tianhai doesn't want to be dragged into the water by that madman.
———
Kyoto is located in the northern part of the Kyoto Basin. It has been designated as the capital of the island country since 794 AD for nearly 800 years.
Kyoto was built by the imperial court of the island country in imitation of the two capitals of Chang'an and Luoyang in the Tang Dynasty, with the imperial palace in the north and the outer palace in the south.
Kyoto is surrounded by mountains, with the Kamogawa River in the east and the Katsura River in the west. The interior is designed in a long strip.
Not to mention the imperial city in the north, the Waiguo City in the south is divided into east and west parts, with Suzaku Avenue as the dividing line between east and west. The west side is called Ukyo Chang'an, and the east side is called Zuokyo Luoyang.
Due to the low terrain and swampy terrain of Ukyo Chang'an, it quickly declined. Zuo Jing Luoyang became the core area of Kyoto, which was called Jing Luo in later generations. Therefore, entering the capital was also called Shangluo.
After the third shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu overthrew the emperor's court, the northern imperial palace was completely abandoned, and then Kyoto became a city with the Kamogawa River and the Imperial Palace as its core.
Miyoshi came to Raku to kill Ashikaga Yoshiteru, and the imperial palace was burned. The new general Ashikaga Yoshiaki chose the military castle built by Ashikaga Yoshiteru, Nijo Castle, as his base.
Shijo, where Honnoji Temple is located, is not far from Nijo Castle. Nijo Avenue is close to the abandoned Miyagi Castle in the north. After Ashikaga Yoshiaki left Kyoto, the area around Nijo Castle became a lot deserted.
But this time, there was new hustle and bustle on both sides of the street.
———
In the Honnoji annex, Oda Nobunaga was sitting in his room with an expressionless face.
Not long ago, the sound of men and horses moving and the friction of armor coming from outside the wall alerted Oda Nobunaga, who had experienced many battles, and sent Ranmaru Mori to investigate.
The news that came back from the inquiry shocked Oda Nobunaga even more. Akechi Mitsuhide actually led troops to Beijing and came against him.
By the time she discovered the abnormality, it was already too late. Honnoji Temple had long been surrounded by Akechi Mitsuhide's military.
When he came to Kyoto this time, Oda Nobunaga only brought a hundred followers headed by small surnames. He only had swords and spears with him, and did not carry any cassocks.
With one hundred unarmored followers, the opponent was Hatano's 13,000-strong expeditionary force. The huge disparity made all resistance seem meaningless.
Oda Nobunaga, who had confirmed the enemy situation, smiled coldly and said.
"There is nothing we can do."
Her eyes turned to the magical pill sleeping soundly in her arms, and there was an uncontrollable throbbing in her heart.
"Bring me my bow, arrows and spear!"
She could die here, but she would never allow anyone to harm her child, the child she had with that person.
———
Under Platycodon, Akechi Mitsuhide's usual elegant smile could no longer be maintained. If she hadn't been pregnant with Rokko, she would have kicked over Saito Rizo who was kneeling in front of her.
After a while, Akechi Mitsuhide, whose eyes twitched, squeezed out a sentence through his teeth.
"Trash! My opponent is just an unarmored follower, but you actually have the nerve to tell me that you can't kill me in the yard!"
"Really sorry!"
Saito Toshio kowtowed, not daring to say anything in reply.
Looking at the embarrassed Saito Rizo in front of him, Akechi Mitsuhide knew that the problem was not with her, but with himself.
In these years, Akechi Mitsuhide's brain has been used in the diplomatic field of intrigues. Except for following the saint to fight against Miyoshi, she has not spent any time on military affairs for almost ten years.
Even in the last battle of Shiba Oda, the men and horses under his command were elites prepared by saints.
This time, Mitsuhide Akechi went to the capital to kill Oda Nobunaga. Other members of the samurai sect were willing to facilitate her, but they would never participate in the battle to kill Oda Nobunaga.