Volume 8, Changpan Autumn, Looking forward to the Return, Chapter 1062, Brothers and Friends
"Huh?" Maeda Toshiie didn't react at first when he heard this sentence, but after being stunned for a moment, he understood what Imagawa Ujihei was talking about, "Are you talking about the information that the Ming army will not march until the spring of next year?
?”
"Yes, I asked casually just now and found out that several children knew it and said that you told them, big brother." Imagawa Ujihira glanced at Maeda Toshiie with a complaining look, "You and I are close to each other in the first place.
The Amaki family and the Maeda family are also closely related. What if your words fall into the ears of the Toyotomi daimyo and they guess something?"
"What Momiji said... was my negligence. I was thinking about asking them to come to Pyongyang to pick you up. Seeing that they were worried about defense, I said more." Maeda Toshiie shook his head in great annoyance, and even wanted to give Imagawa clan peace.
I apologized, but Imagawa Shihei grabbed me.
"I was also wrong in this matter. I told too many people about the top-secret plan. Counting several big names including you, as well as the president and his subordinates who need to perform key tasks... the three of them are not secret... but it's okay.
Anyway, the plan has been launched." Imagawa Shihei shook his head and said very relaxedly, "At this time... His Highness Tokugawa should have already raised troops in Kanto."
"Are you really sure that Tokichiro will conquer the east as you think?" Maeda Toshiie was not as confident as Imagawa Ujihira, and repeatedly asked about the success and details of the plan.
"I am in Korea, and the main force of the Momiji Army and the Momiji Fleet are still nominally in Nanyang, and the great names of the world are gathered at Nagoya Castle at the mercy of Oda Nobunaga just like they did before he attacked me. The army of the world is in hand,
The biggest threat is not in Japan. With Tokichiro's temperament, how could he let go of such a great opportunity?" Imagawa Ujihira knew Toyotomi Hideyoshi very well and said confidently, "When he sees His Highness Tokugawa launching an army to attack him, he will definitely
An couldn't resist the opportunity to remove this thorn in Kanto's side, and would inevitably cross Kinki to march eastward. But he didn't know that the Momiji Fleet and three brigades of the Momiji Army had long been lurking in Ryukyu, and were now rushing back to Kinki at full speed.
When others have a decisive battle with His Highness Tokugawa in Sekigahara, the Red Leaf Army will raid the empty Kinki, cut the Toyotomi family in two, and then attack His Highness Tokugawa front and back to completely destroy his main force."
"We here just need to wait until the spring of next year..." Maeda Toshiie followed Imagawa Ujihira's words, which is another part of the plan, "Although the Toyotomi clan's daimyo has slightly more troops at court than us, we only need to hold on.
By the spring of next year, when the Ming army's food and main forces are in place and march south to the DPRK, they can be wiped out in one fell swoop. Over in the Ming Dynasty, you have already contacted Hongye, right? Nothing went wrong, right?"
"No, don't worry, we will definitely march before mid-January next year." Imagawa Shihei promised, "Why? Still can't trust me?"
"How is that possible?" Maeda Toshiie laughed when he heard this, "Let's go, I will take care of you in the city, what are you talking about on the street?"
·
After arriving at the inner room of the Pyongyang Palace, the servants of the Maeda family presented meals to the two of them, while Maeda Toshiie asked casually, "Just now, Inuko came to me and said, you invite the younger generation to come with you tonight.
Eating in the camp?”
"Yes, I brought a lot of good things from Nanyang and Japan to give the children a good meal. I have been out fighting for so long, and supplies are not easy. I guess everyone is greedy." Imagawa Ujihira's face showed a smile.
He smiled kindly, then looked at the Tian Li family in front of him, "Brother, why don't we stop eating the food cooked by these Korean cooks here and come to my camp to eat together."
"Forget it, forget it." Maeda Toshiie did hesitate for a while, but finally shook his head and said, "There must be someone in Pyongyang.
Sit down."
"The Ming army arrived very early. Even if they come, they are our friendly forces. Don't worry." Imagawa said half of his words plainly, but he already understood what Maeda Toshiie was implying, "You mean... we should beware of the rise of the Toyotomi clan daimyo.
Getting angry?"
"Tokichiro is not an idle person. Momiji is scheming against him, and he might be scheming against you too. You came to North Korea so openly, so Tokichiro must be wary." Maeda Toshiie nodded, but his expression was uneasy.
He said solemnly, "In the end, it's not certain who will make the first move."
"Haha, brother is right." Imagawa Jihei raised the cup in his hand and found that Maeda Toshiie had specially prepared tea for him - Imagawa Jihei had never liked drinking, so he couldn't help but sigh with emotion, "Back then, we were still at the end of the year.
Zhang Shi, every time I want to drink tea, you guys always say that you are not enough of a brother if you don’t drink. Now you have prepared some tea for me."
"People will grow." Maeda Toshiie replied absentmindedly.
"That's right, my stupid young brother who was fearless in the past has now become a smooth, sophisticated and scheming man." Imagawa Shihei took a sip of cool tea and then laughed, "Unlike Heng
Xing and Liangzhi are both grandfathers, but they are still not stable."
"Sleek, sophisticated, and resourceful are not complimentary words." Maeda Toshiie picked up the wine glass placed in front of him, but found that Imagawa Ujihira's face in front of him looked a little bad, and he subconsciously asked, "Momiji? What's wrong?
Yet?"
"It's okay..." Imagawa Shihei smiled bitterly and shook his head, a hint of loneliness flashed across his expression, "I drank too much, I feel a little uncomfortable."
"How much do you drink when you drink tea?" Maeda Toshiie showed a somewhat puzzled expression.
"This conversation had exactly the same words more than thirty years ago. When I first came to Owari, I drank with some of you good brothers." Imagawa Ujihira raised his head, with a touch of sadness in his eyes, "I was drinking at that time.
, just drunk from drinking tea.”
"I don't know what you are talking about. Are you really drunk?" Maeda Toshiya was puzzled by Yu Qiupei. He laughed twice and then shouted outside the house, "Why hasn't the steamed fish been served yet?"
"Please forgive me, Your Highness, I will go to the kitchen to urge you!" The guard outside the door immediately turned and ran after hearing the news.
Maeda Toshiie, who was in the room, suddenly drew his sword in his hand and put his samurai sword on Imagawa Ujihira's neck.
Imagawa Shihei let out a long sigh and slowly placed the teacup in his hand on the table.
"Take out the short iron cannon in your arms and throw it away. Don't make any unnecessary moves." Maeda Toshiie still maintained a gentle voice, but there was no room for words in his words. Imagawa Jihei lowered his head and looked at the frame.
With the sharp knife around his neck, he honestly took out the flintlock pistol and threw it on the ground aside.
"When did you betray me? And when did you join Tokichiro's side?" Imagawa Ujihira's tone did not indicate panic, but Maeda Toshiie was not surprised by the change, and instead whispered,
"It's okay, Hongye. Tonight, I will tell you the truth whatever you want to ask. It is worthy of our friendship of more than thirty years."
"Because, brother, you will kill me right away? So it doesn't matter what I know?" Imagawa Ujihira sighed.
"Yes, you are too dangerous. This is the conclusion reached by all of us after discussion. If I keep you, no matter how great the advantage is, you may overturn it." Maeda Toshiie whispered without any doubt, holding the white blade in his hand.
Still holding it coldly on Imagawa Ujihira's neck
On the neck, "Then let's start asking, Hongye. The first question is, when did I betray you?"
"Yes." Imagawa Ujihira nodded, and his neck was scratched with a sharp sword. "Tell me the reason by the way."
"It started seven years ago, when you started to implement the Yuqiu family's system in the territories of the Akechi family and the Mori family." Maeda Toshiie talked about this somewhat heavy topic, and his tone became low, "
I don’t understand, is that system that important to you? Why should you cling to it? Even if you face so much resistance, you won’t stop.”
"I told you, brother, that is the only way to end the cycle of chaos." Mr. Imagawa said in a low voice without changing his expression, and did not relent even in this situation.
"You also told me at the time that you would promote this system to the whole country at all costs. No samurai will have private fiefdoms and armies anymore. All land will be nationalized, and even the noble status of samurai will be revoked.
Deprived, reduced to the level of the common people... You also said that, like the late lord, you will kill everyone who stands in your way." Maeda Toshiie has rarely used the honorific title to address Oda Nobunaga for many years.
Concerned about Imagawa Ujihira's feelings, he always called him by his first name, "But you also understand, there are very few samurai in the world who will stand on your side. If you do this, you are tantamount to fighting against the entire samurai family.
enemy."
"I have already made up my mind." Imagawa Ujihei looked at Toshiie Tian in front of him again and the katana in his hand.
"I can't accept that kind of future. I can't accept that the status and land that our Maeda family has worked hard for for countless generations have been wiped out. What's the use of the money you compensated the samurai? Just meet any descendant of a prodigal family,
All the money is gone, and the family has declined. With that money, how can you feel safe with things like land and soldiers that are firmly in your hands?" As Maeda Toshiie spoke, he actually got excited before Imagawa Ujihei.
Get up, "How do you want me to support you? Let the Maeda family support Hongye to unify the world, and then change the Maeda family? How could I do that? How could the Maeda family do that?"
"I know, so I'm not surprised at all that you chose to betray me, brother." Imagawa Ujihei pressed his hands down, signaling Maeda Toshiie not to be angry.
"But don't you understand how difficult it is for me? You have been my friend for so many years, how could I want to betray you? But the path you chose is to push our Wu family to death! How could I follow you?
What? I don’t know what Hengxing and Tohachi are thinking, but they really want to follow you...Why on earth do you insist on such a path?" Maeda Toshiie gritted his teeth, and the hand holding the knife trembled.
, also transmits the vibration to the tip of the knife.
"I said, in order to end the cycle of chaos." Imagawa Jihei tilted his neck slightly to prevent the trembling tip of the knife from scratching him, "Well...since you betrayed me, that means that my overall plan has also
Have you told everything, Tokichiro?"
"Yes. I'm sorry for betraying Hongye's trust, but I have no choice." Maeda Toshiie took a deep breath and adjusted his emotions. It was obvious that the guilt of betrayal made him a little breathless, "To be precise,
The day you started making plans, Tokichiro knew everything. He also knew what allies you had and what preparations you had. Tokugawa Ieyasu was luring the enemy, he knew. You could return to Kinki at any time.
He knows about the Red Leaf Army overseas. He also knows about the Ming Army that will invade North Korea in the spring next year."