One day after the Kuroda family occupied Takino Castle, that is, on the 23rd day of January in the third year of Eiroku, the castle was held, and winter had not yet passed, and after a light rain, the weather became colder. Pen | fun | pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

In the courtyard behind the palace, the small temple official is wearing a heavy kapok coat, and is pruning his potted plants wholeheartedly, from time to time he will look at the potted plants, tilt his head, and see that he is not very satisfied, and then use the scissors to gently lean on the place that needs to be pruned, and then quickly cut off the branches, and then slowly take the scissors away, so as not to hurt the remaining branches, and then look left and right, feel satisfied, and smile and nod. Without Kuroda playing chess, he could only pass the time like this.

"Lord, Noriharu Koji and Kuro Fujioka ask to see each other" The little surname saw that the political office of Koji had finished cutting the potted plants, so he told him that someone was visiting, and if it affected him to cut the potted plants, it was possible to be killed.

"Oh! What are the two of them doing here? Okay, tell them to wait in the parlor. ”

"Hey!" The little surname left quickly.

Koji looked at the bonsai again, but at this time, he was disturbed by the small surname, and he completely lost interest when he thought that there were still people waiting for him, so he shook his head and put the scissors next to the potted plant.

"What a disappointment! I just want to cut the bonsai. ”

Kotera Shoji walked into the living room with an unhappy face, Kotera Noriharu and Fujioka Kuro were already sitting there, seeing Kotera Shoji come in, the two quickly glanced at each other, Fujioka Kuro nodded.

"Is there anything you two have come over for today?" The political position of the small temple bowed his head, and his interest was not very high.

"Brother, I'm here to tell you about something that just happened." Noriharu Kodera said with a smile.

"Big deal, what's big deal?" When the Koji official heard that something big had happened, he immediately raised his head, pouted, and looked at Noriharu Kodera.

"Brother, don't worry, just the night before yesterday, Akamatsu Masahide led a large army to attack the Urakami family Murozu Castle, which had just formed an alliance with the family, and there were 300 people in Murozu Castle, including Urakami Masamune, except for the two young masters, none of them survived."

"What? Masahide Akamatsu went too far. ”

"Brother, don't get excited, I'm not done yet! The head of the family, the old Kuroda Jobaka, led an army of 1,400 troops out of the battle of Takino Domain, and captured the two castles of Taniguchi and Sakamoto on the same night, and wiped out the wealthy clans along the city, and captured Takino Castle yesterday morning. ”

"What?" When Kodera Masashi heard the news of the Kuroda family, he immediately stood up. "Damn Kuroda, he didn't tell me about his going out, why is that?"

At this time, Fujioka Kuro, who was next to him, said: "The lord has one more thing, since the day before yesterday, Himeji Castle began to gather peasant soldiers, and then two groups of Kuroda family troops entered the city, Himeji Castle has about 500 troops, I don't know why?" ”

"That's true," Kodera asked, running up to Fujioka Kuro and grabbing him.

"Lord, it's true at this time, and the day before yesterday, the next retainer was doing business in Kuroda Castle, so he was caught as a spy, and he was only released back yesterday, I can pass him over, and the lord asks about it."

"Could it be, is Kuroda really going to rebel?" Kodera sat on the ground.

"Brother can't be wrong, the Kuroda family can send 1,400 troops, which is close to the number of troops sent by the family, and the combat effectiveness of the Kuroda family's army is definitely more than the family, and now the Kuroda family only has 10,000 stone of land, if the Kuroda family is completely digested by the Kuroda family, then there will be 70,000 stone of land, more than the family, and I don't know if I will still listen to the orders of the family at that time." Even if they still listen to orders, what position should the family take to face a retainer who is stronger than themselves? ”

"This ...... Let me think about it, let me think again"

"Brother can't think about it, the Kuroda family is still confronting Akamatsu Masahide, now is the best opportunity, won't his Kuroda family take advantage of the emptiness of others to sneak attack? We used the same tricks against him, and once the Kuroda family defeated Akamatsu Masahide, we wouldn't have a chance. ”

"Yes! Lord, the Kuroda family is no longer the Kuroda family of a few years ago, and now the Kuroda family is strong and strong, and they don't notify the family when they go out of battle, and they have a faint heart of disobedience, and the lord must make a decision as soon as possible! ”

"Brother, Kuroda with 5,000 stones can defeat the Takino Hall with 70,000 stones, if you have 70,000 stones, how strong will the Kuroda family be?"

"Alright, I see, call everyone for an impromptu meeting."

On the same day, except for the Kuroda family, there was no notice, and the Kodera family held an extraordinary meeting at Gosho Castle.

"Why didn't Kuroda come?" Kushihashi Iding asked Yoshinao Kogawa next to him.

"I don't know, it seems that the lord didn't notify me." Xiaohe said in a low voice.

"Got it" Kushihashi nodded his head, already having a bad premonition.

"Everyone be quiet, the lord is here." The surname pulled up the curtain, and the political office of the small temple walked in.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I have summoned you here today because I have something to tell you that the Kuroda family has sent troops privately and has captured Takino Castle, and has basically taken Yibao County into their pockets."

"What", "Kuroda-sama", "I haven't heard of it", "Yes! I don't know about this" "Seventy thousand stones" "Isn't that bigger than my family's territory?" "My family is only 40,000 stones!"

Kushihashi Yiding and Xiaohe Yizhi glanced at each other, both of them looked anxious, as the elders of the family, they were the group of people who knew the political position of the small temple best, and they already knew what the political position of the small temple was going to do.

"Quiet, I decided to send troops to attack the Kuroda family." The political official of the small temple shouted loudly, and as soon as these words came out, the important ministers below were in an uproar.

"Kuroda-sama is an old man of the pen family!" "Yes! Kuroda-sama is a loyal servant! "Loyal ministers can't buy 70,000 stone of land" "Yes! With so much land, people will be tempted! "And Kuroda-sama sent troops privately" "Could it be that Kuroda-sama really betrayed his family"

Some people still support Kuroda Zhitaka, but there seems to be more opposition at once, and most people think that the Kuroda family has rebelled, after all, it is 70,000 stones! If you weren't born into a good family, most people would not be able to achieve this goal in their lifetime!

"My lord, forgive me for my courage! I don't think it's clear yet, so I should send someone to Kuroda's house to find out about this matter first! Kushihashi Iding said loudly.

"Kushihashi-sama seems to be Kuroda-sama's in-laws! No wonder you say that! Fujioka Kuro suddenly said lukewarmly among his retainers.

Kushihashi Itada knew what was going on when he saw Fujioka Kuro, seven years ago, Fujioka Jiuro attacked Kuroda because of Goto Kikuni, and seven years later, he finally found an opportunity and jumped out again.

"Fujioka Kuro, I know, it must be you, it must be you behind your back, right?" Kushibashi Icho pointed at Fujioka Kuro and said.

"And me." Koji Noriji also came out at this time, and the old man, who had never played any role before, finally spoke, and as soon as he opened his mouth, he made a big incident.

"Noriji-sama, let's find out what things are! Otherwise, it would be too hasty to convict Kuroda-sama directly, but he is also the head of the family! "As the elder of the family, Xiaohe Yizhi also has a certain right to speak.

"I don't know if the grass is not hasty, I don't care what the pen is old, now his behavior and his position are different from the previous Kuroda-sama, so I think he has threatened the safety of our little temple family." Koji Noriji said loudly, and he didn't look at Kushihashi Yiding and Kogawa Yoshinao, he said it in the face of this small temple's political position.

Kushihashi Yiding originally wanted to speak, but Xiaohe Yizhi grabbed him and shook his head, Kushihashi Yiding frowned.

"Okay, don't make any noise, my family will gather with all our strength and go out to Himeji Castle tomorrow morning."

"Hey!"