Volume 7 Jiangnan Green Looking Maple Red Chapter 976 Period
Before Tokugawa Ieyasu arrived in the afternoon, Oda Nobunaga first came to Shokokuji Temple to inspect the work of Akihei Ame and Mitsuhide Akechi.
"How are you preparing for the cooking?" Oda Nobunaga asked to Akihira Ame and Akechi Mitsuhide who were following him as he strutted towards the kitchen.
"Your Majesty, the ingredients have been prepared, and some dishes that require long cooking have been fired. The dishes can be served in order when His Highness Tokugawa arrives." Although Mitsuhide Akechi kept his tone calm and steady, he was secretly a little worried.
Surprised - why did Nobunaga Oda happen to go to inspect the kitchen? Does Amakihei know all this?
"Oh, that's not bad." Oda Nobunaga laughed twice and walked all the way to the kitchen. After opening the kitchen door, he sniffed and his face immediately darkened.
"Why does it smell like fish?" Oda Nobunaga looked at Mitsuhide Akechi with a dissatisfied look and waved his hand in front of his face as if he wanted to dispel the unpleasant smell.
"My lord..." Akechi Mitsuhide was about to speak, when Yu Qiuping beside him suddenly took a step forward and said, "My lord, I originally wanted to use the fish from Lake Biwa to entertain His Highness Tokugawa, but later I found that the fish had a strange smell.
I gave up this idea and threw it away.”
"Are you going to serve guests with something with such a strange smell?" Oda Nobunaga searched around the kitchen, but unfortunately he couldn't find "evidence", so he had to get angry at the smell in the room and said, "What's going on here?"
Such a thing, where do you want me to put my face?"
Yu Qiuping was shocked at this moment, and all kinds of thoughts flashed through his mind. Why would such a conversation happen even after the fish had been removed? Why did the completely different backgrounds between the previous life and this life actually happen?
The same incident and the same conversation? Could it be that Oda Nobunaga just wanted to deliberately find trouble? Or is that damn fate playing a role in the dark, pulling all the characters' behaviors back to the original world line? If it is true
If this is the case, will the Honnoji incident be forcibly pulled back?
"I plead guilty and please be punished by my lord!" After thinking of this, Yu Qiuping made up his mind to resist this scolding for Akechi Mitsuhide. If historical events are opened in such a wrong way, can Akechi Mitsuhide be freed from his fate?
Already?
Sure enough, after smelling the smell of fish, Oda Nobunaga became as manic as in his previous life. He took a folding fan and slapped Yu Qiuping on the face several times. Akechi Mitsuhide on the side looked shocked - why?
Such a thing happened? And why did Hongye seem to have expected it in advance?
So is he taking my words to protect me? So he wants to take my role and get scolded?
·
At the dinner, Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu exchanged cups and chatted happily. However, Yu Qiupei and Akechi Mitsuhide had their own thoughts. Although they maintained basic etiquette, Tokugawa Ieyasu still saw the clues.
But I didn’t hear much about it. After the dinner, Oda Nobunaga, who was drunk, was helped back to Honnoji Temple by the people from Kamou clan. Mitsuhide Akechi stayed to clean up Sokokuji Temple, while Amakihei and his guards escorted Tokugawa Ieyasu back to Germany.
The mansion where the Kawa family stayed in Kyoto.
Yu Qiuping, who has always been fast on his feet, walked very slowly along the way, stopping and chatting from time to time. Although it was very late and the moon was already high in the sky, no one suggested that Yu Qiuping should walk faster.
Some - because everyone knows that this is Honda Tadakatsu's last escort mission as the bodyguard of Ame Qiupei. Honda Tadakatsu's family and Xirou have already arrived at the Tokugawa family's mansion in a carriage this afternoon.
, and after Amakihei sends Tokugawa Ieyasu back, Honda Tadakatsu will officially return to the Tokugawa family there.
The silence in the team was a bit depressing. Even a lively chatterbox like Asahina Taihei was depressed because of the upcoming farewell. Tokugawa Ieyasu saw Amakihei's reluctance, but he didn't know how to comfort him. There were dozens of people in the team.
Inside, only slightly scattered footsteps could be heard.
Yu Qiuping was walking side by side next to Tokugawa Ieyasu at this moment, but his attention was not on Tokugawa Ieyasu at all, but felt the sense of security brought by the familiar figure behind him. Fast forward 24 years, Honda Tadakatsu's bodyguard accompanied him
Throughout Yu Qiuping's military career, from when he was just a young general, he watched Yu Qiuping grow step by step into the world's number one general and the most important minister of the Oda family, allowing Yu Qiuping to save lives on the line between life and death countless times. And Yu
Qiupei's support also accompanied Honda Tadakatsu's entire samurai career since the Yuan server. He took him in when he was still a half-year-old boy, and watched Honda Tadakatsu grow up step by step to become the unparalleled one he is today.
Sheng was able to show his bravery in front of the world. Who accomplished whom? No one can tell clearly. Without Yu Qiupei, perhaps Honda Tadakatsu would have become a ronin living on the streets 24 years ago, and finally became a ronin.
The wild samurai died in an unknown battle. If it hadn't been for Honda Tadakatsu, Yu Qiupei, who was neither good at horsemanship nor martial arts, might have been killed in the battle formation.
But what this pair of masters and slaves of 24 years are thinking about right now is...
It's not that, they just simply don't want to let each other go. After 24 years, Yu Qiuping has become accustomed to the taciturn captain of the guard behind him, and Honda Tadakatsu has also become accustomed to the energetic Hongye Highness in front of him. They are familiar with every move in each other's life.
With one movement, the other person's schedule, the other person's expression, and even the rhythm and sound of the other person's footsteps are revealed.
When he first had to stay temporarily at Yuqiu's house, Honda Tadakatsu thought every day about how to go back to the Matsudaira family, fulfill his father's last wish, and serve the Matsudaira family from generation to generation. However, Yu Qiuping was later exiled to a foreign country.
Honda Tadakatsu, who has always valued righteousness, did not want to leave when his benefactor was in trouble, so he followed Yu Qiupei to the Oda family, thinking that he would return after Yu Qiupei settled down. But then Mikawa showed up and the Honda family also got involved.
, Honda Tadakatsu's position also became awkward, and the matter was delayed again. When Honda Masanobu returned and the Honda family once again became close partners of the Tokugawa family, there would be no obstacles for Honda Tadakatsu to return to the Tokugawa family.
- But at this time, Honda Tadakatsu discovered that he could no longer let go of His Highness, who had been following him for 10 years, that good man who was sunny, just, kind and trustworthy. Unknowingly, Honda Tadakatsu began to resist returning to the Tokugawa family, and even
He didn't even notice it himself. He began to find all kinds of excuses, for no other reason than to stay with Yu Qiuping for a while. Before he knew it, more than ten years had passed. What happened?
In which year, month, day and moment did he no longer want to return to the Tokugawa family but wanted to stay with Yu Qiuping? When did the balance tilt to the other side?
It's been so long that Honda Tadakatsu can no longer remember it clearly.
Now that the world has been peaceful, there is no longer an excuse to refuse to return. It is said that many members of the Honda family have already celebrated the return of Honda Tadakatsu in advance, and his wife is also eager to return to her hometown. Yes, return
Hometown, return to the homeland, return to the familiar Mikawa warriors, return to the land where my father once fought, inherit his father's mantle, implement his father's will, and serve the Tokugawa family from generation to generation... My father has a spirit in heaven, see
His grown-up son has become Japan’s number one samurai. He will definitely be happy to see his life return to the Tokugawa family...
Honda Tadakatsu has been waiting for this day for 24 years. But when this day finally arrived, he found that there was no joy or longing in his heart, only endless bitterness and reluctance. If his father knew what he was feeling at this moment
In my mood, I will definitely accuse myself of being a scoundrel who has forgotten the rules of his ancestors.
Yu Qiuping in front of him suddenly stopped. Honda Tadakatsu, who was distracted, did not see it. But he was so familiar with Yu Qiuping's footsteps that he subconsciously stopped when he heard the footsteps stopped. He raised his feet.
At first, he realized that he had arrived at the door of the Tokugawa family's mansion.
Yes, no matter how long this journey is, it has an end.
"It's been 24 years, time flies so fast." Yu Qiuping turned to Honda Tadakatsu and smiled. His mood at the moment was so complicated that it was difficult to describe, and he had to use an exaggerated smile to cover up his emotional fluctuations.
Fortunately, no one could see his red eyes clearly in the dark night.
Yu Qiuping still remembers that when he first took in the exiled Honda Tadakatsu from the Matsudaira family, he had always thought of sending Honda Tadakatsu, who had been thinking about the Matsudaira family a lot earlier, back so that he could settle his
Obsession, inherit his father's mantle. However, as time goes by, and every little bit of getting along day and night makes Yu Qiuping more and more reluctant to let go of Honda Tadakatsu, reluctant to let go of his taciturn but loyal and reliable subordinate, and reluctant to let him go back. In his heart
Secretly hoping that Honda Tadakatsu could be his captain of the bodyguard and stay by his side for the rest of his life - but every time this thought came to his mind, he would feel extremely guilty. Honda Tadakatsu could risk his own life to protect Yu Qiuping,
Going through life and death, risking the regret of dying in battle before returning to the Tokugawa family, he risked his life for Yu Qiuping; but Yu Qiuping wanted to keep Honda Tadakatsu because of his own selfish thoughts, so that he would never be able to fulfill his dream and his father's dream.
Last wish - the moral gap between the two really makes Yu Qiuping feel ashamed.
Yu Qiupei is not a simple samurai like Honda Tadakatsu who doesn't know how to read people's emotions. He can actually see the changes in Honda Tadakatsu's mood - I don't know since when, Honda Tadakatsu talks less and less about returning to Tokugawa.
Whenever Yu Qiuping talked about it with him, he would find reasons to shirk it. Yu Qiuping understood that Honda Tadakatsu also wanted to stay with him. But the more Honda Tadakatsu thought this way,
Yu Qiuping felt even more uncomfortable - he always felt that it was his bond with him that prevented Honda Tadakatsu from fulfilling his father's last wish. He felt that he had an obligation to send Honda Tadakatsu back. Even if he couldn't do it, he
At least it must be shown that he has no intention of forcing Honda Tadakatsu to stay, so as not to bring a burden to Honda Tadakatsu when he wants to go back.
As a result, this wonderful pair of masters and slaves have always had wonderful conversations over the years. Yu Qiuping, who was obviously reluctant to let Honda Tadakatsu go back, repeatedly offered to let him go back in order to let Honda Tadakatsu not have to worry about himself and go back with peace of mind.
Returning to the Tokugawa family; Honda Tadakatsu, who clearly didn’t want to leave, was too embarrassed to reveal that it was because he couldn’t bear to leave.
Qiu Ping didn't want to return to the affair, so he awkwardly found other excuses to stay.
But such a conversation must come to an end...
Yu Qiuping ended his silence, patted Honda Tadakatsu's strong shoulder, and murmured, "The skinny kid who knelt at the door of the Songping family's mansion has now grown into a good man. Your martial name,
It is enough to comfort your majesty’s spirit in heaven.”
Honda Tadakatsu didn't speak, he just stared at Yu Qiuping's familiar silhouette in the dark night. He never liked or was good at talking, let alone deal with conversations in such bad situations.
"Let's go back to the Tokugawa family, inherit your father's family business, and carry forward the Honda family." Yu Qiuping continued to smile forcefully, walked to Honda Tadakatsu and pushed him in the direction of Tokugawa Ieyasu.
He said, "From now on, you will be responsible for the contact between our Yuqiu family and the Tokugawa family. You will inevitably have the opportunity to send letters to the Yuqiu family and run errands. Don't worry too much, we will still meet often. Go to Tokugawa quickly.
Your Highness, please go there."
Yu Qiupei's words made Honda Tadakatsu's stiff steel-like body tremble slightly. He habitually obeyed Yu Qiupei's orders and walked towards Tokugawa Ieyasu. After taking the first step, he suddenly realized,
This was the last order Yu Qiuping gave him.
Realizing this, Honda Tadakatsu walked with full strides and walked these few steps in the most upright and standard posture. Then he bowed to Tokugawa Ieyasu and said in a deep voice: "I pay my respects to my lord."
"Welcome back, son of a hero. Momiji, Nanosuke has asked you to take care of him all these years, and I am sorry to trouble you." Tokugawa Ieyasu trembled with great emotion, and the guards behind him also all took credit for Honda Tadakatsu.
salute.
"Nagako Mori, I leave the duty of captain of the guard to you." Tadakatsu Honda struggled to speak, and said his second sentence of the day. His voice was as stiff and sharp as usual, "His Highness's safety is also left to you.
.”
"Yes, captain!" Mori Nagako stood at attention and gave Honda Tadakatsu a straight military salute. "Please leave it to me."
Honda Tadakatsu then looked at Yu Qiuping in the dark night, but he couldn't say a word with mixed emotions. He wanted to tell Yu Qiuping many, many things - don't just walk to the high ground casually on the battlefield.
In dangerous places, you must stand among the guards. Do not receive envoys casually. Do not lead cavalry attacks personally in the future. There is no need to stay in the first row. When encountering dangerous assassins and attacks, run away and knock them down.
The horse seals were about to be withdrawn... However, when it was time to say goodbye, all these words were choked in the throat and I couldn't say a word - Honda Tadakatsu was not good at words either.
In the end, he couldn't even say "please pay attention to your safety", but gave Yuqiu a final salute with the military salute of the Yuqiu family.
"Ah, by the way, this is for you." Yu Qiuping was about to return the gift, but suddenly seemed to remember something. He took a step forward, groped in his arms, and then found a piece of paper and stuffed it into Honda Tadakatsu's hand.
Honda Tadakatsu used the torch in the hand of the Tokugawa family guard to look at it and found that it was a faded and seriously wrinkled paper red leaf.
"I originally wanted to give it to you when I was in Zhili City, but you have always refused to take it with me." Yu Qiuping smiled and looked at the paper red leaves on the heads of each guard in his team, and then looked at the empty book on the helmet.
Duo Zhongsheng said, "I'll keep it for you. Now that I'm leaving, Your Highness can't afford anything good to give you, so I'll give you this as a parting gift."
"Wish you good luck in martial arts."
·
After the separation, Honda Tadakatsu returned to the Tokugawa family's mansion, declined the welcome dinner prepared for him by Tokugawa Ieyasu, and returned to the house to sit down alone. He lit an oil lamp, lowered his head, and stared blankly.
I was holding the paper red leaf. After a long time, suddenly a drop of water fell on the red leaf.
Honda Tadakatsu raised his hand and touched the corners of his eyes, and there was indeed liquid gushing out. He had not cried for many, many years, so much so that he had forgotten what it felt like to shed tears.
He tried hard to retrieve the memory of the last time he cried heartily, but he couldn't remember it. After thinking about it for a long time, he realized that it had happened 24 years ago. At that time, he was kneeling in front of the door of the Huixi family's mansion, facing the door.
The gate cried bitterly.
The last time I shed tears was before I met His Highness. This time I shed tears after I left His Highness. In the 24 years that I have been with His Highness day and night, I have never shed tears like this, and I probably won’t shed tears again in the future.
Honda Tadakatsu suddenly realized that when he said goodbye to Yu Qiuping, he actually couldn't say a word to Yu Qiuping. He didn't say goodbye, thank you, worry, or complain. He didn't say a word.
out.
When he thought of this, Honda Tadakatsu secretly laughed at his hypocrisy. What does it mean for a dignified Mikawa samurai to act like a little girl like this? It is simply a shame for the samurai family. It is not the last meeting, nor is it a separation of life and death, just like Yu Qiuping
As I said, there will be more occasions to meet each other in the future, so why worry about these little things?