The snow at the beginning of the first year of Hongzhi was heavier than usual, and the thick snow in the city of Heshou indicated a good harvest next year, giving a little psychological comfort to the people who were suffering from the cold, and the only comfort in the cold winter wax moon came from this. However, the snow in and around Tsurushou Castle could not be maintained for long, and soon the manpower of the Public Security Administration Hall was cleared, and there were still large patches of snow on the roofs of the houses in the castle town and the wooden fences on the edges. However, the street leading from Castle Town to the front gate of Tsurushou Castle is no longer covered with snow.

The main castle of Heshou Castle is not large in terms of area, and it cannot be compared with Matsuyama Castle in China, let alone Okayama Castle under construction, and it was originally a temporary main castle that had to be replaced at any time. Historically, after the capture of Matsuyama Castle, its original owner, the Mimura family, also moved from Tsurushou Castle to Matsuyama Castle, and because Matsuyo was in dilapidated condition when he attacked Matsuyama Castle, Masahiro wanted to relocate from Matsuyama Castle to Matsuyama Castle after repairing Matsuyama Castle.

It's just that current events have changed, and after taking Tsurushou Castle from the Mimura family, Tsurushou Castle is still the main city of the Date family so far. Zhengheng originally regarded Tsurushou Castle as a temporary main city, and when he seized Bizen Province, he had no intention of building Tsurushou Castle on a large scale. However, due to the prosperity of the Date family, the castle town has more than doubled or tripled, and the population has increased from 5,000 or 6,000 a few years ago to 50,000 or 60,000 today.

The calendar of this book adopts the Gregorian calendar, that is, the chronological method of the Gregorian calendar, and the Meiji Restoration of the Japanese Kingdom broke away from Asia and entered Europe, and the Gregorian calendar was used instead. The first month of the new year is used to call the first month of the new calendar. As of January 31, it is called the first month. The first month of the lunar calendar is called the old first month.

Circumstances change with the passage of time. The era of political balance has not yet broken away from the concept of Asia and Europe, and the Gregorian calendar has only spread from the mouths of missionaries in the Kyushu area, and it will not become the calendar of the Wa Kingdom until more than 250 years later, and now the Wa Kingdom still adopts the same calendar as the neighboring Ming Dynasty, which is commonly known as the lunar calendar.

The fourth watch has just arrived, the sky is still dark, and the cold wind of the winter night is still biting, but the street in front of Heshou City has been lively. It was January 23, 1555. The first day of the first month of the first month of the Jiayin year, which is commonly known as the New Year.

The New Year is the most important festival of the year in the Wa Kingdom, and as a rule, on the first day of the first lunar month, the retainers of Tsurushou Castle and the lords of the castle who are under the rule of the Date family and the nobles of the vassals gather at Tsurushou Castle to congratulate Date Masaki on the New Year. Then, Zhengheng will reward Tu Su wine to everyone and feast on a cup of Tu Su wine. Thankfully, this isn't just happening in Date territory. Such rituals take place in all parts of the Wa kingdom as it is an important way to show unity.

With the arrival of Tatsukimasa, the New Year's ceremony of the Date family also officially began, and first of all, they lined up to visit the city according to the schedule arranged by the commissioner's office.

At three o'clock, the bell and drum of the ceremony sounded in unison, Zhengheng ascended the main seat, sat facing the south, and accepted the hundred officials to bow down, and then the hundred officials went to the table to congratulate, and there was the New Year's greetings written by Miyahara Zhengzhong. Of course, in fact, the most important and lively thing in the New Year is not these, but the banquet, participating in the banquet presided over by Zhengheng himself, this is the most important activity of the samurai of the Zida family and the envoys from all over the country, and it is also an important task for Zhengheng to let them eat and drink well.

In front sits Date Masahiro, and on his right is Noyama Masato. Their expressions were calm and stern, not like in the first New Year after a victory. On the left is the wrinkled Ise Wakasa, who has become increasingly prominent in the harem of Tsurushou Castle since she punished Lady Miyoshi. Ise Wakasa was able to pass Miyahara Masasigge and Ishikawa Hisataka to sit first on the left, which was enough to tell all the people of the Date family that Tsurumaru, born to Mrs. Sakura, would most likely become the future second generation of the Date family, although Masahiro had not yet spoken publicly.

In the hall, headed by Hosokawa Fujitaka, a congratulatory envoy sent by shogun Ashikaga Yoshiteru, the well-dressed generals were seated in order. They were surrounded by beautiful maids of the Date family, who were proud of them.

Upward and downward effect, every time you occupy a place, there will be a local head snake to offer beautiful women, most of these women will not be favored by Zhengheng for a lifetime, live in Zhengheng's harem for a few years, and then will be rewarded by Zhengheng to young retainers.

Whenever there was a banquet at the Date family, the maids knew it was an opportunity for them. Although everyone dreams of becoming Date Masaki's woman, not all of them have the opportunity, and it is a welcome thing for them to become the main room of a young samurai.

Before the day dawned, the maids got up, combed their hair, put on their makeup, put on their new kimonos, and then shuttled between the generals of the Date family during the feast, dressed in gorgeous clothes and with a courteous attitude. Of course, more often than not, it was among the young samurai.

Normally, if the weather is nice, the windows should be opened. In this way, the continuous flow of the Nariba River in early spring will add a beautiful scenery to the banquet. Of course, there was obviously no such good weather today, and the cold wind was still blowing outside.

According to Zhengheng's instructions, the generals took turns drinking. When they took the glass, they saluted respectfully, but when they met the woman's fiery gaze, their faces immediately turned red. Since Zhengheng was a young man, most of his men were young samurai, and there were only a handful of old people, and the banquet was quite pleasant.

Halfway through the banquet, Miyahara Masashige, who was a little dazed from drinking, suddenly received a message from the servant of the Imperial Palace, his face changed several times in a row, he swayed up, came to Zhengheng's side, and whispered: "My lord, the small temple of the Imperial Castle Kaga Guardian sent the envoy Kushibashi Zuo Jingliang to come to Jin. ”

Zhengheng's eyes froze, he looked up at Inoue Yushi and Kuroda Kanbei who were sitting in the distance, and then said: "Well, I know, let them come to the banquet together, and arrange it next to Inoue Yushi's seat." ”

Zhengheng only said this, he has always been a person who is not easy to expose his feelings, but Miyahara Masashiro saw a playful light in his eyes, and hurriedly retreated. Yeshan Yichao, who was sitting on the right, frowned and said, "My lord, the two of them are going to make some unpleasant things when they sit together, I'm afraid it will disrupt the banquet." ”

Zheng Heng laughed and said, "What do you think the government of the small temple sent his important ministers to do?" ”

Noyama Masashi was stunned, he raised his head, and replied, "My lord, you mean that the Koji government has already known the movements of Himeji Castle, and this is his preparation before he starts. It should be true, it must be like this, first send important ministers as envoys, and then calmly deal with Himeji Castle, after all, he has a righteous reputation, and he also has some advantages in terms of troops. ”

Zhengheng's face suddenly paused, and he said in a deep voice: "I want to see how Himeji Castle will react after knowing the movement of the Imperial Castle, well, let Tozawa Baiyunsai send someone to Himeji Castle for a trip, I'm afraid that Himeji Castle and Imperial Castle will decide the winner today." ”

Noyama Masashi thought of something as well, and said, "Are you saying that the people of Himeji Castle will go to Ojo Castle today to celebrate the New Year?" ”

Is it really that stupid?

When Masahiro and Noyama Masasao talked about whether Koji Castle's Koji Castle would go to Gojo Castle to congratulate the New Year, Kotera Ichitaka ignored everyone's opposition and treated Kotera Norishi and Masayo as fools, and led more than 100 people to Ojo Castle with wine and meat to celebrate the New Year.

You treat others as fools, and others see you as stupid. When the father and son of Koji Norishi and Politics learned that Koji Zhilong had come to congratulate the New Year, they looked at each other, and if they did not seize such a God-given opportunity, they would not tolerate it, and immediately decided to start a clear rebellion on the first day of the New Year.

Before dawn, Koji Zhilong arrived at the Imperial Castle and lived in his own mansion, and before he could sit down and drink a sip of water, the Koji and government officials sent troops to conquest. Koji Zhitaka immediately knew that the news had leaked and knew that retribution had arrived.

Looking at the dense enemy troops outside the mansion, there were thousands of people.

Originally, the Imperial Castle couldn't avoid the eyes of Koji Zhitaka to gather so many soldiers and horses, but he robbed the Date family's tribute rice a month ago, and after he came back, he was afraid that the Date family would retaliate, so he was not dismissed, and he used it today. Koji Zhitaka knew that today was in trouble.

"It's all death anyway, it's better to find a few courtiers from a small temple as companions!"

The people of Himeji Castle shouted and fought desperately. Koderama's army was unexpectedly counterattacked, and the number of casualties gradually increased. However, they were outnumbered, and there were only 100 soldiers on the side of Koji Zhitaka, and there were thousands on the side of Koji Sho.

As time passed, the soldiers of Kotera Itaka in Himeji Castle were wiped out one by one. When noon came, the battle had basically ended, and only more than ten relatives guarding the small temple were surrounded by the small temple army when they broke through to the ancient tomb of Mandala Mountain.

Exhausted, Kotera sat on top of the ancient tomb, blowing the cold wind of hunting, looking in the direction of Himeji Castle, and sighed: "The cold wind blows the heart and the heart is cold, and Himeji is looking at the blood is not cold." After saying that, he thought of the Kuroda Kanbei who was going to Tsurushou Castle, and with a smile on his face, he committed suicide by seppuku. The remaining dozen or so people also entered the enemy formation, and all of them died heroically.

When night fell, the war was over. All 100 of Koderama's men were killed, but the attacking side suffered more losses.

During the banquet in Heshou City, when Kuroda Kanbei saw Kushibashi Zuo Jingliang and his party, his heart suddenly hurt, as if he had lost something important, and his face became extremely ugly, but he had to look at Kushibashi Zuo Jingliang coldly. (To be continued......)