"Nani?" Asahina Taiheng and Sena Ujitoshi were shocked, "Didn't the Governor of the family evacuate Narumi Castle with the Okabe family? How..."
"Reporting to you two adults, no." The messenger was also surprised, "The family governor's palace sent someone to order my Highness to burn the city and retreat, saying that he had left Narumi Castle and went to His Highness Asahina's army to stabilize the situation!
That’s why my Highness burned the food in the castle tower and retreated!"
"His Royal Highness the Governor has never been here!" Asahina Taichao's face was ashen and bloodless.
"But before His Highness left the city, we had already seen dozens of banner warriors from the Family Governor's Hall riding their horses out of the west gate. The Family Governor's Palace must be among them!"
"Where are those dozens of flag books now! Find them quickly!" Sena Ujitoshi said loudly: "Go back immediately, inform His Highness Okabe, and search everywhere for the whereabouts of those dozens of flag books!"
"Where is His Highness Okabe now?" Yu Qiuping endured the severe pain in his chest and said with force.
"His Royal Highness's troops are in Odaka Castle." At the critical moment, the Okabe family did not care about family differences and answered honestly. "Although most of the food was burned by us in the castle tower, there are still some in Odaka Castle.
Plenty of food in store.”
"Okay, then please ask His Highness Okabe to search the area south of Narumi Castle." Asahina Taitomo, as the highest-ranking person here, ordered: "His Royal Highness Sena, His Highness Yuqiu and I will search the area east of Narumi Castle."
, and try to take back Narumi Castle."
"I wonder where the Governor's Hall is?" Sena Shitoshi was worried. "Did he evacuate with the rebels, or left by another way? It would be terrible if he got trapped in Narumi Castle."
"The top priority now is to find His Highness the Governor of the House." After the Okabe family's messengers left, Asahina Taichao ordered in a deep voice: "We will attack Narumi Castle immediately, take back Narumi Castle, and secure the area around Narumi Castle.
Safe. Then start looking around for the whereabouts of His Highness the Governor."
Just when the army arrived not far outside Narumi Castle, bursts of cheers suddenly came from the Oda troops in the city. The Oda troops defending on the city wall also cheered and pushed each other, not knowing what to do.
.
After a while, I saw a few warriors surrounding a flagpole, holding it up to the top of the city and standing behind the wall stacks. On top of the flagpole, there was a black round object, which seemed to be something burnt.
thing.
Yu Qiuping's heart suddenly sank, and suddenly, he seemed to understand something.
His eyes seemed to be sucked, and he could not leave the dark object on the flagpole for a moment. His heartbeat suddenly accelerated, which made his eardrums hurt, and his breathing was so rapid that it was unbearable.
His brain stopped functioning, and all other senses except vision disappeared in an instant. He couldn't hear the sound, couldn't feel the temperature, couldn't feel the sharp pain in his chest, and couldn't feel that he was riding a horse.
Only his eyes kept focusing on the tip of the flagpole. His peripheral vision suddenly became extremely sharp, and every move around him was captured in his eyes.
He saw several birds flying from the southeast of Narumi Castle; he saw the burning flames and thick smoke in the castle tower dancing in strange shapes under the strong wind. He saw Sena Ujitoshi and Asahina in front of him.
Taichao's mouth was wide open and his eyes were horrified. He saw the sharp spear points of the Ashigaru who were facing Hina's preparations in front of him, reflecting the sunlight. He saw the smoke and dust rising on the east official road of Narumi Castle and the green grass beside the official road.
On the south side of the official road, there are piles of corpses and bright red blood beside the woods.
I saw what seemed to be a burnt head on the tip of the spear.
Seeing the top of Narumi Castle, the Oda family's ashigaru opened and closed their mouths excitedly and shouted out a few words.
It was just a moment, but it seemed as long as a century.
A moment later, the shouts of the Oda family's ashigaru reached my ears.
"Imagawa Jibu is appointed as the head!"
After a moment of waking up, the vision and hearing were lost at the same time. Only the touch of the warm liquid at the corner of the mouth and the darkness in front of him were left.
In the darkness, there seemed to be a few blood-red leaves floating in the wind.
"There are some things that I did for the last time without realizing it." Imagawa Yoshimoto shook his head and said, "The six people across from me looked like a temporary team. I will probably never meet those six people at the same time again in this life. Just now.
It was the last game of Cuju between us and them. Human life is short, and everything must have its last time."
"So, cherish it and enjoy it," Imagawa Yoshimoto said with a smile, "every opportunity I get to play Cuju with everyone."
"Your Highness, I wonder if there is anything else?" Yu Qiuping asked with some confusion.
"Two years have passed and Yuqiu has become an amazing young man!" Imagawa Yoshimoto smiled with some relief, "If I entrust my daughter to a responsible person like you, Kaede will definitely be happy."
"Your Highness... why did you suddenly say these things?" Yu Qiuping laughed dumbly.
"It's nothing," Imagawa Yoshimoto also said with a smile, "I'm getting sentimental now. I'd like to remind you again, no matter when, remember to make a choice without regrets!"
This gift of knowing and meeting someone... From the time when I was still a little kid, I have been optimistic about myself and promoted myself; I have given myself opportunities to show my abilities, affirmed my talents and pursuits, and taught me like a mentor; I have understood my ideals and recognized them.
His own value; melting down his beloved heirlooms and forging his own samurai sword; marrying the most beautiful girl in the world to himself...
The cheerful and enthusiastic uncle when we first met; the handsome uncle with superb skills during the game; the uncle who lent him money without hesitation and affirmed himself when no one else understood him; the uncle who personally brought 200 yuan to save himself two years ago.
The main hall of the family governor who puts himself in danger; the main hall of the family governor who personally welcomes him at the top of Okazaki Castle, bestows the horse seal on himself, and gives him unparalleled favor and honor; the main hall of the family governor who follows the guidance and teaches him to grow continuously and responds to his requests; allows himself to
Dating with Kaede Imagawa, regardless of the difference in status, he married his daughter to his Highness the Governor of the House; melted down the treasured incense burner from the family, made the Chidori, and gave it to His Highness the Governor of the House. He understood his ambitions and recognized his ideals
, His Highness, the family governor, who is sure of his abilities.
I swear to be loyal to my lord for life.
No more.
Scenes of the past scenes of getting along appeared in his mind like a revolving lantern. When he woke up again, Yu Qiuping had already burst into tears unknowingly.
And the entire Narumi City was filled with grief-stricken cries.
Naoe Tadayei, who was accompanying him, told him that they were staying at a samurai house in Narumi Castle.
After Imagawa Yoshimoto's head was picked out just now, Amakihei vomited blood again outside the city and fainted. When he fell off his horse, he was saved by Honda Tadakatsu beside him. Sena Ujitoshi and Asahina Taitomo
Although they were filled with grief and anger, they still stabilized their emotions. They asked several people to help Yu Qiuping lie down, and also called military doctors to treat Yu Qiuping. The two themselves immediately sent people to stabilize the morale of the soldiers.
It seemed that the Oda family simply had no energy left due to a hard day's fighting. They did not go out of the city to meet the attack, but left from the north gate of Narumi Castle and abandoned the city. They were probably afraid of being surrounded in the city.
After the Oda family left, the Imagawa army immediately entered the city and began to put out the fire in the castle tower. Because there were a large amount of flammable materials such as grain and grass stored in the entire castle tower, the fire spread very quickly. What is even more surprising is that the four gates of the castle tower
They were all locked, and only one door showed signs of entry and exit. The door on the stairs leading from the first floor to the second floor of the castle tower was also tightly locked.
Inside the gate, the search team found several corpses. The corpses had been burned beyond recognition, their bodies were black, and their hands and feet were curled up into a ball. Based on their positions, the search personnel believed that they might be trapped in the burning castle tower.
, before his death, he was trying to open the locked door of the castle tower, but he was smoked alive and burned to death. Later, the Oda family members destroyed the door and entered the scene of the fire.
Among these corpses, the identities of the four complete corpses can be identified - they all have the nickname of Imagawa Yoshimoto. As for the headless corpse, although the clothes it was wearing have been burnt to a blur, but the waist
But the sword is vaguely identifiable - it is the sword of Imagawa Yoshimoto, Sosan Zumon.
It was by chance that the Oda family demolished the almost burned-out gate and discovered the body of Imagawa Yoshimoto. They cut off his head and carried it to the top of the city.
Sena Ujitoshi and Asahina Taitomo, who went to search, lay down on the corpse and cried bitterly, almost fainting from crying. All the Imagawa Army Ashigaru in the city burst into tears, falling into chaos and sadness.
After listening to Naoe Tadayei's narration, Yu Qiuping looked at the ceiling and was speechless for a long time.
Just when everyone around him was immersed in sadness and distracted for a moment. Yu Qiuping suddenly turned over and sat up, took out a handful of ribs beside him, and was about to wipe his neck. Naoe Tadayei, who had quick eyes and quick hands, suddenly stretched out his hand to block it.
He grabbed Yu Qiupei's hand. Honda Tadakatsu reacted and clamped Yu Qiupei's arms behind his back, holding him tightly to prevent him from committing suicide. Sanada Masayuki and Amano Keitoku who were around him also hurriedly stepped forward.
In a few steps, he snatched the ribs from Yu Qiuping's hands.
"Let me go." Yu Qiuping's voice was lifeless, without the excitement and anger of someone who wanted to commit suicide. There was a sadness and regret in his tone that could not be melted like solid ice.
"This plan was made by me. Our army suffered a disastrous defeat, His Royal Highness the Governor died unexpectedly, and so many soldiers and equipment were lost. How should I deal with myself?" Yu Qiuping shook his head and said without any doubt: "
Everything is my responsibility, and I can only commit suicide to thank His Highness the Family Governor for his kindness."
"Your Highness, please don't do this!" Sanada Masayuki anxiously advised: "Your Highness has a bright future..."
"What's the use? I've killed so many people, why would I have the nerve to return to Suruga?" Yu Qiuping shook his head.
"Your Highness, please think twice." Amano Keide said solemnly: "This must not be the case!"
"Your Highness...if the family governor's palace had not asked you to retreat, nothing would have happened." Honda Tadakatsu also replied in a low voice: "It is not entirely His Highness's responsibility."
"Don't try to persuade me." Yu Qiuping still shook his head unmoved.
"Hasn't Your Highness thought about the Princess? Haven't you thought about the child in Her Highness's belly?" Naoe Tadahira said anxiously. When thinking of Imagawa Kaede, Yu Qiuping was slightly moved. However, after a moment, he sighed again.
.
"The person I am most shameless to see...is Feng'er..." Yu Qiuping sobbed: "I...killed his father! I promised that she would return safely with His Highness the Family Governor! I..."
How should I face her tears...
"Your Highness, didn't you say that every person born in this world has an extremely precious life? You only have one life, you can't repeat it, and you have nothing when you die?" Naoe Tadayei also had tears in his eyes,
"How could you commit suicide like this!"
"But..." Yu Qiuping's Adam's apple squirmed violently, "I made such a big mistake..."
Suddenly, the door was opened at once. Sena Ujitoshi, Asahina Yasutomo, and Asahina Yasuogi strode in. All three of them had tears on their faces and their faces were ashen.
"Hongye, don't blame yourself." Sena Shitoshi shook his head, "There is something fishy about this matter!"