Yamashiro country, Katsuryuji castle, Ashikaga Yoshiki temporary residence. A piece of information full of text had been placed on Ashikaga Yoshiki's desk, and Ashikaga Yoshiki sat quietly behind the desk, his slightly trembling body telling the people present that he was in a very bad mood.

Akechi Mitsuhide and Hosokawa Fujitaka stood with their hands down, and their mood was even more bumpy. When they just received the information from Wada Yumasa, the two couldn't believe their eyes, but they took it for granted, it should be so, Miki City rebelled.

Yes, of course, the Date Army has always given outsiders an incredible feeling of being powerful, and it would be a joke if it was blocked by the small Miki Castle, but such a fact that the First World War was decided made no one present to celebrate.

Ashikaga Yoshiteru and Hosokawa Fujitaka still had a smile on their faces when they got the exact news, but under the statement of Akechi Mitsuhide, Ashikaga Yoshiki gradually sorted out the context, just like a wolf smelling blood, found the target, found the prey, but at the same time sensed the crisis.

This crisis must not be allowed to develop, whether it is to save oneself or to protect the interests of the Muromachi shogunate, it is necessary to fight a decisive battle with Ishiyama Honganji Temple as soon as possible, and then turn to seize Izumi, Kawachi and other places, and grab as much profit as possible before Date's army goes to Rakuraku.

It is true that the wisdom of Mitsuhide is not covered.

It is rumored that Oda Nobunaga's advisor in history was not Takenaka Hanbei, but this wise Mitsuhide, and it was this wise Mitsuhide who was still related to Oda Nobunaga's main wife and blood relationship that was able to deceive Oda Nobunaga's ears and eyes, and finally fell in love and killed each other.

Miki Castle would not be able to stop the attack of Date Army, and at most Ashikaga Yoshiteru would be given a few more days. Ashikaga Yoshiteru wouldn't believe that Miki Castle would be able to stand in the way of Date's army. That's just some inexperienced speculation.

Ashikaga Yoshiteru looked up and asked, "What should I do now?" ”

Akechi Mitsuhide's face is not very good either. He originally thought that the sword hanging in the air would give them enough time, but he never thought that Date Masaki would intend to end the battle in person, which made his plan a huge deviation, and he had to launch it in advance, and said: "General, the interior of Takatsuki Castle should have been launched in advance, and now we can only let Enryakuji Temple and other forces have to follow us to attack the country of Settsu?" ”

Of course, Ashikaga Yoshiki knew what was going on inside Takatsuki Castle, but he originally wanted to take all of Takatsuki Castle. Now it seems that he has to fight, but with Date Masahiro's actions, he said without hesitation, "It's time to act." ”

Ashikaga Yoshiteru's shogunate army began to move in the direction of Takatsuki Castle, and the defender of Takatsuki Castle, Irie Harutsugu, was not worried about the invasion of the Eastern Army. Takatsuki Castle is close to Katsuryuji Castle, and it is considered the frontier fortress of Honganji, and the various passes near Takatsuki Castle are heavily guarded, and the garrison force has greatly increased.

It's one thing that Takatsuki Castle's defender, Haru Ie, is not worried about the invasion of the Eastern Army. Letting his guard down was another matter, and he did his best to patrol the key points every day. Trained the soldiers, strengthened the armament, and prepared to defend the city to the end.

Wars are often broken from within, and Irie Harutsugu, who was originally the eldest son, surrendered to Miyoshi Chokei after his father died in battle with Akutagawa Katsujuro of Akutagawa Yamajo, and Irie Harutsugu inherited the family business and gave a small piece of territory to his younger brother, who was supposed to be a son-in-law.

This Irie Harumasa's mother is Akutagawa Katsujuro's aunt, Akutagawa Katsujuro died, Irie Harumasa was also deprived of the right to inherit, how could I be willing in my heart, but it was not this Irie Harumasa who launched the rebellion in the end, the reason is very simple, Irie Harumasa is a son-in-law, how will Irie Harutsugu not closely monitor him.

It was an unknown young man who really plunged Takatsuki Castle into turmoil, and some historical events are often initiated and erupted by small people, such as the First World War, which killed tens of millions of people, and was the two shots of a seventeen-year-old Princip.

On the night of June 29 in the second year of Yonglu (1559), Irie Chunji burned incense and bowed for a while, originally he did not believe in the Pure Land Shinzong, but gradually even he himself was a little unclear whether he was a true believer or a false believe, in front of people or behind people, he would burn incense and bow every morning and evening, which can be regarded as pious, which is also the reason why the monks of Honganji Temple also let him serve as the lord of Takatsuki Castle, and the monks of Honganji Temple really made several guys who had enough suffering on the surface and behind the scenes.

Irie Chunji is very pious, and now even he thinks that he is a devout believer of the Pure Land True Sect, if he didn't have a little sense, I'm afraid he would have been ordained a monk a long time ago, and this devout believer is not in a very good mood now.

Burning incense and bowing is a routine, even if the mood is no longer good, there is no delay, into the river Chunji can be regarded as the pious No. 1, he went out of the Buddha and Lian Ru Shangren's Buddha Hall, his face became gloomy, to the door of a group of retainers gloomily said: "Baga Ya Road, the eastern army of Shenglong Temple City is becoming more and more presumptuous, frequently harassing the border checkpoints, if it is not for the Dharma King's order not to attack, the pain is dying!" ”

The old man of Irie Harutsu's family said respectfully: "Lord, don't be angry, Katsuryuji Castle is just a small trick by Ashikaga Yoshiteru, he is now suffocating in Kyoto, and provoking us is nothing more than letting me and others take the initiative to attack, so that he can find a chance to go crazy." ”

Irie Haruji snorted coldly, but he didn't continue to be angry, he didn't know Ashikaga Yoshiteru's wishful thinking, although his face was still gloomy, but he was a little calmer, and sighed: "We have to be more prepared for the sudden attack of the Eastern Army, I am worried that he is paralyzing us." ”

The crowd immediately replied, "Hayi! They all agreed with Irie's suggestion.

At night, the retainers left, and Irie Chunji also entered the inner city to hold hands with his stepwife. His wife was born in the Miyoshi family, and although the Miyoshi family also invested in the power of Honganji, but after he joined the power of Honganji, in order to show his attitude, his poor lady Masamuro died of illness in accordance with his wish. He then married a nun from Ishiyama Honganji Temple, a bald nun who believed in the Pure Land Shinshu. but also had a good relationship with him.

When Irie Haruki was about to enter the inner courtyard. A childish voice came from the door: "I'm sorry. Can the villain say something to you? A childish little surname cautiously poked in from the gate of the courtyard, and behind him were two attendants guarding Honmaru.

Irie Haruji's originally stiff face suddenly eased, and he replied, "Koshiro Kato, what's the matter with you?" "The name of the person who came is Kato Koshiro, and he is one of the small surnames that Irie Harutsugu trusts, although Kato Koshiro is only fourteen years old, but he has been loyal to Irie Harutsugu since he was eleven years old, and he is one of the small surnames chosen by Irie Harutsu after entering Takatsuki Castle. Therefore, it is deeply trusted by Haru Irie.

However, Irie Harutsugu's basic vigilance is still there, he didn't let Kato Koshiro come in immediately, the two attendants faintly wanted to wrap Kato Koshiro, and once Kato Koshiro had any misdeeds, they would immediately capture him, which was their duty.

Kato Koshiro didn't come in immediately, he leaned over respectfully and said, "My lord, it's an order you gave me, and if you have some eyebrows, please hold your back." He didn't say his exact news, but his words immediately made Irie Chunji's brows furrow.

Haruki Irie suddenly thought of the task he had given Koshiro Kato. It was his younger brother Harusato Irie, who was spying on him, and now he has some eyebrows. Of course, it is necessary to retreat left and right, and there are still some people in Takatsuki Castle who sympathize with Irie Harumasa, and it is difficult to guarantee that the attendants will not reveal it.

This kind of thing can not be said, Irie Chunji waved his hand to let the attendant retreat, and the two attendants heard Kato Koshiro's words and knew that they had to say some secrets, and they had fun to leave, and the more secrets they knew, the closer they were to death, this is a wise saying.

There were only two people left in the courtyard, Irie Harutsugu and Kato Koshiro, but Irie Harutsugu was a little impatient, he still wanted to go in and hold hands with his beautiful nun, Kato Koshiro moved a few steps to get a little closer, and then said: "Recently, a few people from the original Miyoshi family have been talking secretly with Irie Harusho, the content is unknown, but one of them has indeed defected to the Eastern Army, do you want to arrest them?" ”

Irie Haruji never thought that he would hear such an important secret, and immediately showed enough interest, and when he listened attentively, who would have thought that Kato Koshiro suddenly put his hand into his arms, and Irie Haruji was just stunned, and a shining black dagger was already aimed at him. After a shattering sound, the black dagger stabbed Irie in the chest.

When Kato Koshiro saw that the dagger had stabbed Irie Harutsugu's chest, a painful look flashed, his face regained calm, with a slight hint of piety, and said: "The kindness of the adults will be repaid in the next life, and now is your time to die." ”

Irie Chunji looked at the other party with a frightened face, held his last breath, and said, "You, why on earth are you doing this?" ”

Koshiro Kato leaned over and whispered in the ear of Haruki Irie: "My lord, I'm sorry, the villain has been a believer in the Tiantai sect for generations, and he has been secretly admonishing adults not to go into the wrong path several times, but the adults are going farther and farther, and the villain has to ......."

Irie Haruji's eyes widened in disdain, Kato Koshiro originally wanted to pull out the short knife and leave, where did he think that things were always such a coincidence, the nun from the Ishiyama Honganji Temple had just put down the Buddhist beads and came out to greet him, and he saw this scene "Ah, murder!" A sharp voice resounded through Takatsuki Castle.

When Kato Koshiro saw the nun shouting loudly, he hurriedly rushed over, wanting to kill her, but what he never expected was that the nun's shouting had attracted the two attendants who had left not long ago, and after they rushed in, they found that their head of the family, Irie Chunji, had fallen to the ground and was dying, and a dagger was inserted into his chest, and the exposed dagger blade was bubbling with a penetrating black light.

The little surname Kato Koshiro, who is trusted by the head of the family next to him, wants to kill the stepwife of the head of the family, and he doesn't need to ask if he already knows what happened, so he immediately stepped forward to capture Kato Koshiro, and made meritorious service for the crime, so as to clear the guilt of the two of them for being unguarded.

Moreover, as long as Kato Koshiro is killed, without proof of death, the two attendants can shirk their responsibility, and they will be killed everywhere, and the knife will be slashed at the vital point, Kato Koshiro will see that he can't escape, and shout: "Buddha bless!" "Death by stabbing.

After the assassination broke out, Takatsuki Castle fell into extreme chaos, but in the end, it was the old man who came out to control the situation, but this old man was obviously a sympathizer of Harusa Irie, and immediately invited Harumasa Irie to enter the city after controlling the situation, so as to inherit the position left by the childless Harutsugu Irie.

Although some people raised objections, these voices quickly disappeared in the approval of the crowd, and the reason was very simple, Irie Harutsugu's stepwife was a nun from Ishiyama Honganji, and if Takatsuki Castle was unable to elect a new castle lord, I am afraid that the people of Ishiyama Honganji would not mind sending a relative of the nun to inherit the family business of the Irie clan.

After all, Irie Harumasa is the half-brother of Irie Harutsugu, and is the heir of the Irie clan, as soon as Irie Harumasa entered the city, he launched a careful investigation to prove his selflessness, because the assassination of Irie Harutsugu's party Kato Koshiro committed suicide, and he is an orphan with no father and mother, so the only clue is on the heads of the two intruding attendants and nuns.

Of course, the two attendants would not say that they were on the spot at the beginning, but they immediately broke into it when they heard the shouts coming from the courtyard, and they also had definite proof of why Kato Koshiro entered the courtyard under their guard, because Kato Koshiro was a close confidant of Haruki Irie, and he often entered the city, of course, there was a way to hide it from everyone's ears and eyes, and the nun obviously couldn't figure out what the thug was thinking, so he couldn't say it, so he had to repeat Kato Koshiro's words before he died.

It was affirmed by the two attendants, blessed by the Buddha, but this blessing of the Buddha is really speechless, and it has not been able to figure out who killed Irie Chunji, but Irie Chunzheng wants to put the murderer on the head of the Pure Land True Sect, obviously no one believes it, you must know that Irie Chunji is a devout believer, and the stepwife he married is also a nun of Ishiyama Honganji, and the people of Ishiyama Honganji will assassinate the pious Irie Haruji only if they are full. Then the only ones left were the heads of the other sects that rebelled against Ishiyama Honganji. This fact made the restless heart, which had already been provoked and harassed, even more angry, and many mid- and lower-ranking samurai drew their swords and wanted to fight to the death against the eastern army of Katryuji Castle.

At the beginning of July of the second year of Eiroku (1559), during the funeral of Irie Harutsugu, the provocation of Katryuji Castle intensified, and a serious conflict finally broke out. Ashikaga Yoshiki was clever but was mistaken by cleverness, and shot himself in the foot. (To be continued.) )