Inside the castle tower of Ueno Castle, the retainers of the Tsugawa family are discussing each other's proposal around Tsugawa Soji.

Now the Tsugawa family can be said to have no rivals in the North Ou area, and the only ones worthy of the attention of the Tsugawa family are the Date family and the Mogami family in Minami Okuba.

Among them, the Mogami family and the Tsugawa family are allies, and because the territories of the two families did not border before, the two families actually did not have much contact. However, if the Tsugawa family wants to continue to develop, it is bound to gradually intervene in the Hazen area.

The Tsugawa family is located in the northernmost part of Honshu Island, so the only way to get to Rakuro is to go south. And no matter which route the Tsugawa family takes at that time, they can't avoid the Mogami family, the Date family, and Ashina.

Don't look at the Date family is now in civil strife and is too busy to take care of themselves, but it is not easy for the Tsugawa family to take the opportunity to attack Mutsu. Don't look at Date Harumune and Date Minoru father and son are fighting vigorously now, but once the Tsugawa family shows their covetousness for Mutsu, Date Harumune and Date Minoru will definitely shake hands and make peace.

Therefore, if the Tsukawa family wants to intervene in Minami Okuha, they must first have a proper reason, otherwise the Tsukawa family will not be able to attack Minami Okuwa, otherwise they will face a joint confrontation with all the forces of Minami Okuba, which is not what Tsugawa Soji wants to see.

.............

"Lord!" While the other retainers were still hesitating, Hisaharu Mizutani, who was sitting in the first row on the left, suddenly turned to Tsugawa Soji and said, "I wonder when the lord plans to send troops to Minami Okuha?" ”

Hearing Mizutani Hisaharu's question, Tsugawa Soji replied slowly, "If it's fast, after spring plowing next year, if you want stability, you will have to wait until after the autumn harvest next year." ”

After Tsugawa Soji finished speaking, Mizutani Hisaharu then asked, "My lord, do your ministers think that this family is too demanding?" ”

"At the moment, the Northern Okuyu has not been pacified, and the Southern Family, the Langoka Family, etc. have not been eliminated, so if you attack the Southern Okuba, if it doesn't go well, won't it give the Southern a chance to take advantage of?" Kuji Mizutani said with a worried face.

Mizutani Hisaharu's words made many retainers in the palace nod yes.

The new lord of Takamizu Temple Castle, Takahashi Xingjia, also spoke at this time, "My lord, your subordinates also think that Mizutani-sama is reasonable. Compared with the strategy of Nan Oyu, it is better to take advantage of the situation to destroy the already weak southern family, so that the family is more sure. ”

"In the past, due to the obstruction of the Ou Mountains and other reasons, the family had little contact with the forces of Minami Ou. Although I have learned some about the situation in Minami Ou from the mouths of the traveling merchants and the cultivators of the Hakuro Mountains in various places, the family only knows a little bit about it. ”

"If you start to work on Nan Ouyu so recklessly, I'm afraid it's a little dangerous!" After speaking, Takahashi Xingjia frowned and looked at Tsugawa Soji with a solemn face.

After listening to the words of Hisaharu Mizutani and Koke Takahashi, Soharu Tsugawa also fell into deep thought.

The reason why Soji Tsugawa is so anxious to start attacking Nan Okuyu first is because time is running out.

It's going to be the fifteenth year of Astronomy.,The civil strife of the Date family is about to start to end.,And the Mogami family is also going to start gradually integrating the various divisions to start dominating the Hazen region.。 If Soji Tsugawa didn't take advantage of this last "last train" to do something, it might take several times more energy and strength to get what is so easy to obtain in the future.

Roughly in the sixteenth year of Astronomy, Date Harunzong began to gradually gain an advantage in the struggle for power with Date Minoru.

In the early stage of the Astronomical Rebellion, Date Minoru was in absolute control.

First of all, the retainers of the Date family were roughly divided into two factions, which sided with Date Harumune and Date Minoru respectively, and the strength of the two sides was roughly equal. But there is one thing that Date Minoru does not have, and that is the support of the people of the Southern Onichi Kingdom!

Kasai Harushige, Osaki Yoshinobu, Soma Hidein, Tamura Takaaki, Ashina Mori, Mogami Yoshimari, Kunitin Somasa, etc., were basically the sons-in-law or adopted sons of Date Minoru, and all of them supported Date Minoru. On the side of Date Harune, there are only Osaki Yoshinao (Osaki Yoshinao and Osaki Yoshinobu compete for sovereignty in the family) and Date Harune's father-in-law, Iwasaki Shigetaka, and others.

In particular, the movements of Yoshinobu Osaki and Haruhitge Kasai made Date Minoru's advantage in the northern part of Michinoku even more obvious. Date Harumune's side is only left behind to fight alone. Therefore, in the fifteenth year of Astronomical (1546 AD), Date Harumune was forced to abandon Nishiyama Castle and retreat to Shiraishi Castle in Karita County. Don't dare to compete with Date Minoru.

However, at this critical moment, the balance of victory suddenly tilted in favor of Date Harumune.

The first was the Osaki family, who lost the battle for power with Osaki Yoshinao, who eventually took power in the family, leaving Date Minoru's side without support in northern Michinoku.

Immediately afterwards, the Ashina family, a strong supporter of the Date Minoru sect, suddenly had a dispute with the Nikaido family and the Tamura family. Date Harumune took the opportunity to woo the Ashina family, and the Ashina family, who was "insulted" on the side of Date Minoru, threw himself into the arms of Date Harune in a fit of anger. As a result, Date Harumun, who was originally tending to be inferior, instantly fought back with blood, and turned the tables on the ground!

And then the shogunate intervened to mediate the civil strife in the Date family!

So, in general, the time left for the Tsugawa family is actually just over a year. If they can't do something for more than a year, it will be difficult for the Tsugawa family to have such a good opportunity to intervene in the dispute over Michinoku at that time.

But these are just things that Soharu Tsugawa knows as a traverser, and who else but Soji Tsukawa knows this?

But putting these aside, Soji Tsugawa also feels that what Kuji Mizutani and Koke Takahashi said still has some truth!

Minami Okuwa can take his time behind, and Tsugawa Soji is also confident that he can defeat the Date family and the Mogami family, after all, both families are now giants with broken arms, and they are far from being as powerful as they were in their prime. At most, the Tsugawa family will pay some more price.

But if the southern family is allowed to regain their strength during this period, and then when the Tsugawa family invades Minami Okuba, the Tsukawa family's chrysanthemum will be sour to death.

Thinking of this, Soji Tsugawa was also a little in a dilemma.

At this time, outside the castle tower of Ueno Castle, a herald was running towards the castle tower in great strides.

"Report!"

"Rush to the city!"

The discordant voice of the herald suddenly sounded in the castle tower, drawing the attention of everyone in the temple.

Looking at the herald envoy with three flags on his back, Tsugawa Soji couldn't sit still, and hurriedly asked, "What did Minato Castle report?" It's coming! ”

"Hah!"

The envoy hurriedly said, "This morning, Togo-sama and others, who were sent by the family to Ezo, returned to Minato Castle by boat. At the same time, an update on the situation in the Mutsu area was also brought. ”

"According to Togo-sama, the civil strife in the southern part of Sanhe County, the defeat of the southern Harimasa in the south, and the siege of Hachinohe Castle, and the nine households Nobunaka have completely suppressed the southern Harumasa! In the Tsugaru region, the power of the southern family was cleared, and the Oura family rose strongly, defeated the Nanoka family in a battle, and occupied the entire territory of Tsugaru County! ”

"The Hiyama Andong family is also not defeated by the Oura family's attack, and has fled to Ezo!" After finishing speaking, he closed his mouth.

And after the envoy finished speaking, the hall was fried!