On June 11, Yu Qiupei was about to lead his army to leave. Before leaving, Akechi Mitsuhide personally sent Yu Qiupei away from the Tamba border.
"I have always been grateful for your care." Mitsuhide Akechi, dressed in men's clothing, bowed to Yu Qiuping on his horse, but the words he used were a bit like a woman's rhetoric.
"You're welcome." Yu Qiuping also bowed to Mitsuhide Akechi, "If you have any difficulties, just tell me."
"Yes." Akechi Mitsuhide nodded. The pain of separation made her feel a little depressed today. After getting along for more than half a year, she finally had to leave. After all, he was someone else's husband and someone else's father. She could get along with him day and night, but it was just a matter of time.
A coincidence of fate - I'm afraid there will never be another opportunity like this again.
"Then let me go!" Yu Qiuping smiled, took the reins of the horse, and waved vigorously towards Akechi Mitsuhide on the horse.
Akechi Mitsuhide pretended not to look at Yu Qiuping and deliberately turned his horse around and left. Yu Qiuping was confused by Akechi Mitsuhide's sudden rudeness and thought she didn't hear him. After he rode away, Akechi Mitsuhide calmed down.
Turn around slowly and watch his back leave until he disappears at the end of the mountain road.
After Akechi Mitsuhide returned to Longshan Castle, he was called into the inner room by his mother. The old lady looked quite haggard after this incident. There were a few wrinkles on her forehead, and the luster on her face was completely gone.
"Mother." Mitsuhide Akechi bowed respectfully to his mother even in private.
"My son." The old lady half leaned on the bed and sighed slowly, "I know in my heart that I am afraid my life will not last long."
"Why did mother say this? In a few days, mother's body will recover as before." Akechi Mitsuhide said anxiously when he saw this, he raised his head and looked at his mother.
"My own body, I still have feelings." The old lady shook her head. Seeing that Akechi Mitsuhide wanted to say more, she glared and whispered, "No need to say anymore. If you are really filial to me, you can do it in my body."
Before you die, let me fulfill one of my old wishes."
"Please tell me, mother, a child can do it even through fire and water." Akechi Mitsuhide leaned down deeply.
"Let's find good heirs for the Mingzhi family. We can't let the incense of the Mingzhi family be cut off here. If there are no successors, what's the use of conquering more territories?" The old lady coughed twice, and then spoke earnestly.
He advised, "I finally understand what happened this time... Life and death are all in an instant. That Yuqiu Hongye was such a hero, he was almost assassinated last year. As a samurai, you should do the same
So enlightened.”
"Now you are the only male in Akechi's family. If something happens to you, Akechi's family will be over." The old lady did not notice Akechi Mitsuhide's slightly trembling body, but continued, "Go and find one."
If a suitable young talent with blood relatives is adopted into the Mingzhi family, it can be regarded as allowing the family to continue."
"But..." Akechi Mitsuhide still lowered his head and did not look at his mother. He whispered with some embarrassment, "The Akechi family is now close to extinct and can't find a suitable heir."
The old lady was silent for a long time after hearing this. After a while, she finally said with some difficulty:
"If you really can't find one, you can also use an outsider's heir, as long as it can pass on the Mingzhi family."
After the old lady finished saying this, Akechi Mitsuhide suddenly lost his voice. After a while, Akechi Mitsuhide slowly raised his head, glanced at his mother quietly, then looked away, and whispered:
"Mom, can you give your child some time?"
"Of course you can't be careless when choosing a successor. You won't be asked to make a hasty decision. It's just that you have to keep this matter in mind." The old lady didn't doubt anything and just gave a few words of advice.
After Mitsuhide Akechi lowered his head, he suddenly found that his cheeks were red and hot. She had always had a premonition, an unrealistic premonition, a premonition that could not be explained to anyone in the world.
A secret that belongs only to herself.
·
After returning to the territory, Yu Qiuping was immediately "taught" severely by Amano Jingde because of Meng Lang's action of entering the city to persuade him to surrender.
"As a family member, I am naturally responsible for the safety of His Highness. His Highness was assassinated last year, and I already regret it. If something unexpected happens again, how can I explain it?" Amano Jingde gave Yu Qiuping a deep look, and said with incomparable expressions
He whispered in a firm tone: "I have already made up my mind. If your Highness is unfortunate, I will commit seppuku and apologize. I hope Your Highness will take this seriously."
"I understand." Yu Qiuping felt a little guilty when Amano Jingde saw it, so he had to sincerely admit his mistake.
"Now that Miyoshi Yoshihide is dead, there are very few people in the world who can hurt His Highness - as long as Your Highness himself does not go to dangerous places." Amano Keide said in a deep voice, "Your Highness, good luck will not always be with you.
"
"But..." Yu Qiuping curled his lips, and finally decided to confess to Amano Jingtoku, "As you know, I am a very conservative and timid person. But sometimes I am bold enough to take risks that make me feel uncomfortable.
I’m surprised, I don’t even know how I made such a decision. It feels... as if the late Governor has possessed me, and I seem to be making decisions according to the way he made decisions.”
"I don't understand." Amano Keide shook his head. Yes, who can understand such strange words.
"Miyoshi Yixian is simply dead." Yu Qiuping thought of the departure of his powerful enemy. Even after half a year, the relaxation and comfort in his heart were still uncontrollable.
"Yes, but your highness should not underestimate the enemy." Amano Kyoude still looked at Yu Qiuping with his gloomy eyes, just like the eyes of the crow on his shoulder, "There are always countless enemies lurking in the dark.
There are many people in the open who are trying their best to take His Highness’s life. Your Highness is like walking on a thread and cannot be careless for a moment.”
·
At the same time, several other people in the castle tower of Shengrui Castle in Awa Kingdom also mentioned Miyoshi Yixian.
"Second brother is too crazy."
Miyoshi Changqing didn't know how today's topic came to Miyoshi Yoshihide - Miyoshi Yixian's death had become a taboo among the three brothers, and every time it was mentioned it always made people extremely sad.
And when this topic occasionally comes up, Shihe Yicun always has only one sentence: "Second brother is too crazy."
Oni Shiga, who was the most mischievous and always rampant on the battlefield, also felt that Miyoshi Yixian was misbehaving.
Yes, why did you make such a decision without telling the three of us brothers? And why did you trade your own life for Yu Qiuping's?
"I'm not saying this because Yuqiu Hongye is still alive."
Shihe Yicun saw that his two brothers did not speak to each other, so he added dullly again.
Yu Qiuping's fate was beyond everyone's imagination. After Miyoshi Yixian's death, his bodyguards immediately handed over the tips left by Miyoshi Yixian to Miyoshi Changqing, Anzhai Dongkang and Shihe Yicun
After seeing Miyoshi Yixian's vicious plan to exchange one life for another, although the three of them were in grief, they all had a consensus in their hearts - Yu Qiuping was dead. Miyoshi Yixian spent his life to complete the assassination.
The plan is impeccable.
However, Yu Qiupei miraculously survived. I don’t know which master remembered the body of Ashikaga Yoshie who was buried in Okazaki Shrine. If Miyoshi Yoshihide did not send ninjas to destroy the body, even Miyoshi Nagakei and Anzai
Toyasu and Tokawa Ichibun have forgotten the pseudo-shogun who was poisoned. Moreover, even Miyoshi Nagakei himself does not know that the poison Miyoshi Yoshihide used to assassinate Yu Qiupei and the poison that killed Ashikaga Yoshie were the same poison.
——Then who thought of this?
"Even if the second brother killed Yu Qiuping, I still can't understand it." Shihe Yicun shook his head and stopped trying to talk to the two brothers, but whispered to himself, "Then how can Yuqiu Hongye be worthy of the second brother?
Do this..."
"Don't underestimate him." An Zhai Dongkang suddenly turned around and whispered to his younger brother, "He is the life and death enemy of the Sanhao family and even the martial arts family in the world. I didn't realize it before, until the second brother came
I tried to kill him in exchange for another life, but it wasn’t until I found out that my second brother cared so much about him that I figured out the connection.”
"Even Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin are not as scary as him. Because no matter how strong they are, they are still strong within the scope of our cognition. As for Yuqiu Hongye, he is strong because he can always do things that we can't even imagine.
, or something I haven't thought about." Anzhai Dongkang thought of Yu Qiuping's terrifying fleet, and couldn't help but take a breath, "He doesn't look like a person of this era..."
"Your second brother did the right thing, don't blame him anymore." Seeing that Shihe Yicun still had a gloomy face, Anzhai Dongkang smiled bitterly and patted his wrist with his hand - there was a deep cut there.
Scar, "If it were me, if I had the chance to kill him for one life, I would not hesitate."
"He's not worth it." Shihe Yicun pursed his lips and repeated his point of view in a low voice.
Miyoshi Changqing glanced at Shihe Yicun. Although the stubborn younger brother didn't say it clearly, as an older brother, how could he not understand what his younger brother was thinking. It wasn't that he looked down on Yuqiu Hongye, it wasn't that he thought Yuqiu Hongye was not good.
He just felt that no one was worth the time the four brothers spent walking side by side together.
"I will kill him with my own hands to avenge my second brother." Shihe Yicun took a deep breath and tried his best to whisper in a calm tone - but Miyoshi Changqing heard from his words the deepest thoughts hidden in his heart.
anger and determination.
"It's all my fault that I didn't kill him last time in Tosa..." When Shihecun mentioned that pursuit in the forest, he almost bit his steel teeth with regret and clenched his right hand tightly, almost crushing his palm.
, "If I had killed him at that time...the second brother would not have died. It was such a good opportunity...how could I..."
"Don't go to the battlefield with this kind of mentality." Anzhai Dongkang raised his hand and pressed it on Shihe Yicun's fist. At the same time, he looked at his younger brother with a stern look, "This kind of mentality will kill you.
...Never go to the battlefield with emotions, it will go to your head. Remember, your second brother doesn’t want you to do this either.”