When later generations first came to see the Warring States Period of the Wa Kingdom, they often re-examined this unprecedentedly cruel and chaotic era from the turmoil of heroes and heroes. The Warring States period was an era of collapse of etiquette and music, and it was also an era of strongmen stirring up the storm. One by one, the separatist forces went to glory with the bloody wind and rain of the strongman, and they also came to an end with the death of the strongman. For those who lived in the Warring States period, it was the instinct of the weak to cling to the strong.

No matter who it is, it can't be erased, and the first person to dominate in the Warring States period was the de facto supreme ruler lurking behind the shogun, Hosokawa Masamoto, known as the "half-general". Hosokawa Masagen inherited the huge Hosokawa family at the age of eight, bringing the Hosokawa Kyozhao family to its heyday and building the greatest power, and he was undoubtedly a strongman.

Success is also Hosokawa, defeat is also Hosokawa. In the fourth year of Eisho, Hosokawa Masamoto was hacked to death by Hosokawa Sumichi's retainers Takeda Sunshichi, Kasai Motocho, and Yakushi Temple Chief Tadashi while bathing. With the death of a generation of strongman Hosokawa Masamoto, the Hosokawa Kyyozhao family is fighting within itself and is coming to an end.

The head of the Kasai clan who killed Hosokawa Masamoto was born from the Kosai clan of Sanshu, and later generations called the Kamixiang clan who settled in the Kamika Nishi clan, and the Kamika Nishi clan was involved in the civil strife of the Hosokawa clan and could not extricate himself, and gradually disappeared from the world. Under the leadership of Yuan Gang and Yuan Ding's father and son, the Xia Xiang Xi clan controlled the salt and water army through guò marriage and other means, and built the heyday of the Xia Xiang Xi clan.

With the successive deaths of Xiangxi Yuangang and Yuanding's father and son, and the succession of Xiangxi Yuehou Shou Yuancheng, the lower Xiangxi clan and the upper Xiangxi clan inevitably went into decline. Uematsu Zimasa commented on his lord: It's just an ordinary person's instrument.

As the head of a family and the head of a city. Xiang Xi Yuancheng also has a certain insight into politics and strategy. And be able to say some truth based on the political strategy. But as a military general, he lacks some essential minds.

Compared with political strategy and strategy, Xiangxi Yuancheng is most enthusiastic about singing and tea parties. How dangerous it is to rule a family and a city in the troubled times of the Warring States with such an ordinary person's strength.

Kasai Motonari obviously did not have this awareness, he could not be as comfortable as his father and ancestors in the civil strife of the Hosokawa Kyozhao family, and he was also involved in the internal strife of the Hosokawa family, and he was tired of this endless chaotic war year after year.

Xiangxi Yuancheng then handed over most of the rights to his son Xiangxi Yuanzai, who was more mediocre than Xiangxi Yuancheng. In the disagreement country, he gradually has to rely on the snort of the ten rivers, which makes Uematsu Zizheng and Xinju Zijiao, who are important ministers of the same clan, angry with him.

That's why I got to where I am today.

Uematsu had originally wanted to ride to Tsurushou Castle, apparently he had a good idea, but he also needed to have horses, and when he saw the horses in the stables behind the palace, which were even worse than mules and horses, he gave up the idea of riding.

Zhengheng heard that Mao Liyuan would die, and his mood was urgent.

Uematsu Zimasa's mood will be relaxed, of course he will not be because of the matter of Maori Moto, it is really because of the aggressiveness of the four brothers of Miyoshi Changqing and the local people of the Yu clan, which made the Xiangxi clan feel an unprecedented sense of urgency.

The endless chaotic battles in Kinai exhausted the strength of the upper and lower Kasai clans. In the country, with the support of the three elder brothers, Shihe Yicun Zài gradually became bigger. Shows an aggressive posture. Under the leadership of the head of the family, the head of the family, Izu Mamoru, the Fujiwara clan, the Ayashi clan, and the Ayaki clan have been working hard, and they have long been dissatisfied with the Shuliu Xiangxi clan, and they have also raised the banner.

One is prosperous, and one is lost. Finding foreign aid has become the most urgent thing for the Xiangxi clan at present, and it is understandable that Uematsu is desperate to go to Heshou Castle, and after his desire to go on horseback is disappointed, he has to take a sedan chair.

Uematsu Zimasa's mood is urgent. How good can Aono Shigeyuki's mood be, he often acts cynical on the outside, which is nothing more than a cover in front of people, otherwise he would not be entrusted with a heavy task at a young age.

The Kagawa clan and the Toyoshi guardian Yasutomi clan coexisted, and the Kagawa family was cut off in the Onin Rebellion, and in the fourth year of Eisho, Kagawa Motokei's father Mitsukei died in the war in Ki, and Kagawa Motokei was able to inherit the Kagawa family. Subsequently, after the assassination of Hosokawa Masamoto, the power of the princes declined, and the Xiangxi clan also declined.

Especially after the Yasutomi clan surrendered to the Ten Rivers Ichiku, Kasai Motokei felt the increasing pressure that was approaching, so he appointed Aono Shigeyuki to come to Kibi Province. When Aono Shigeyuki heard that Uematsu was about to go to Tsurushou Castle, he immediately followed, and the people of the Date family obviously didn't refuse him, so they had to prepare another sedan chair and go towards Tsurushou Castle under the protection of the group.

Zhengheng, who was just returning to Heshou Castle, only to hear Yoshida Masanari's voice coming from behind: "My lord, the envoys of the Kagawa clan and the Xiangxi clan have come, do you want to let them in?" ”

Zhengheng frowned slightly, he invited the envoy of the Xiangxi clan, Zhisong Zizheng, but he didn't expect the envoys from the two families to come, and waved his hand: "Please invite them to see me in the tea pavilion!" "The teahouse is not a main hall, it was built by the Mimura family when the vassal Feng Ya entertained guests from Kyoto, and after staying at Tsurushou Castle, he saw that it was elegant and quiet, so he stayed, and often used it as a place to entertain ordinary guests.

The Mimura family obviously put a lot of thought into the construction of the tea pavilion, and invited the architects of Kyoto to help design and build it, the layout is extremely exquisite, revealing the charm of antiquity, and there are some masterpieces of literati and ink writers hanging on the walls at night, and there is also a painting that is rumored to be circulated by the imperial court.

When Zhengheng came to the teahouse, Uematsu Shimasa and Aono Shigeki were already sitting in the house, and when they saw the arrival of their master, they bowed slightly. Zheng Heng immediately changed his head, and then walked in, sitting on the top seat.

Zheng Heng said with a smile: "Welcome to the two envoys from Zhanzhou today, I don't know what you are doing?" While speaking, the maids had already made tea and presented it, motioned for the maids to stand down, and invited the two to drink tea.

Uematsu Zizheng got up again and saluted, and said with a smile: "Actually, it's not a big deal, the foreign minister has a skill in painting." When the foreign minister heard that Lord Yi Zhengzhong was a rare strong man in the world, he intended to come to see what was going on, and the lord obviously could not stay away from his homeland, so he had to send his ministers to come and draw a portrait of the lord so that he could pass it on to the lord for review. ”

Shigeki Aono didn't speak, just lowered his head and listened to the conversation between the two.

Zhengheng laughed, held his chin and said, "Lord Uematsu, do you know that I hate people who speak hypocritically the most, and I have always liked to go straight. Lord Uematsu must know about my family's situation and my family's shortcomings. ”

As he spoke, Zhengheng picked up the teacup with a smile and took a sip lightly. The room was filled with the fragrance of tea, this light fragrance of tea, rippling on the tip of Zhengheng's nose, he was in a good mood, and he didn't feel embarrassed because he said his shortcomings.

But Uematsu Zizheng felt a little embarrassed, he also figured out the situation of the Date family before he came, the situation of the Date family is the opposite of the Xiangxi family, this is the reason why he came, if the Date family is also strong, the Xiangxi family is still afraid that the Date family will annex the salt and water army?

Uematsu Zizheng took out a document from his bosom, bowed his head and said, "The foreign minister has been ordered by the sovereign to come and submit the document, and I also ask the lord to read it." Saying solemnly, his hands were handed out, his expression was quite solemn, and he looked even more solemn.

Tsuda Sukegoro took the document from Uematsu Shimasa's hand and handed it to Zhengheng, who opened the document and looked at the content of the document, the light in his eyes flashed, and said, "Why does your lord want to be subordinate to me?" ”

Aono Shigeki obviously didn't expect that Kasai Motonari had such great courage to sell himself to the Date family, so he suddenly raised his head and glared at Uematsu Shimasa.

Uematsu Zi said solemnly: "Don't dare to deceive the adults, the Xiangxi clan seems to be huge, Katsuga Castle is strong, and the salt-saturated water army is strong, in fact, in recent years, with the rise of the Miyoshi Changqing brothers, it has gradually come to an end, and Anzhai Dongkang has completed the hegemony of Danzhou, controlled the sea area of Osaka Bay, and occupied a large number of spheres of influence that originally belonged to the salt-saturated water army. Ten rivers and one cun, Zài Sanzhou gradually became stronger, and powerful forces such as Anfu surrendered to the front of the army, and the next one to fall was probably the Xiangxi clan. ”

Zhengheng groaned, didn't interject, just looked at Uematsu Zizheng with a strange smile, and said leisurely: "Xiangxi Echizen Shou's abacus is quite loud, but I know that it was calculated, but I am also willing to be calculated by Echizen Shou." ”

Uematsu Zizheng smiled awkwardly, he obviously knew that this kind of subordinate treaty signed with a document was as heavy as Mount Tai when it was useful, and it was like waste paper when it was not used, and it could be torn at any time. But as Zhengheng said, each takes what he takes.

The Date family needs a salt-saturated water army to protect the waterway, and the Xiangxi family needs this name, once the ten rivers invade, they can ask the Date family for help, and the Date family has to send troops to rescue. Of course, if the Xiangxi family took the initiative to provoke the dispute, it would be another matter.

Uematsu was happy to let Aono Shigeki be present, so that there was a testimony to prove that the Kasai family was really subordinate to the Date family, and obviously did not care about Aono Shigeki's embarrassment at this moment. Shimasa Uematsu submitted a subordinate petition, and Shigeki Aono had come with him, apparently giving the impression that they had the same purpose.

Zhengheng saw Aono Shigeki's expression, and knew that Aono Shigemi was calculated by Uematsu Zimasa, but he didn't stimulate him anymore, but said to Uematsu Shimasa: "I heard that Echizen Mamoru has a son Kasai and Goro Motoki, who is eighteen years old this year, I don't know if I have a marriage?" ”

Uematsu Zizheng didn't wait for an answer, and Zhengheng said to himself: "You also know that my family was a declining local tyrant, and there are very few people in the same clan, only this niece has always been regarded as a daughter, if Echizen Mamoru agrees, I will marry her to Matsugoro, if she doesn't agree, it's okay, and it won't hurt the harmony of the two families." ”

In fact, Zhengheng's brother did not leave any heirs, and his so-called niece was a girl who was taken in when he attacked Dezhong Temple. The original name was Sagara Shizuko, and the current name is Date Shizuko. As for whether it is really a niece, Zhengheng said yes, said yes, said no, yes and no.

Even if Xiangxi Yuanqing has a wife, it doesn't matter, what the political balance wants is a name, a name to contact the relationship between the two parties, Zhi Songzi thought about it for a while, and then said: "The young master has not yet married, but he has a wife, if the adult agrees, the minister is willing to be a matchmaker." (To be continued......)