"It turns out that Inoichiro is from the Anda family, no wonder ......" Matsuoka suddenly realized. By this time, the mission of the Kamakura shogunate had already passed through the camp of the Shikoku Army and reached the outside of the camp. The people who accompanied the mission looked at Yasumori Adachi's grandson, Ichichiro Adachi, the mother of Hojo Sadatoki, the current ruler of the Kamakura shogunate, who was raised by Yasumori. The order to destroy the Anda family was signed by Hojo Sadatoki, which led to the noble son of Adachi Inichiro actually being exiled to the Shikoku Army as an officer.

Matsuoka himself is a person with status, and since he was willing to befriend Adachi Inichiro before, he didn't care about this identity, and at this time he said what he cared about, "Your Excellency Inichiro, the armor and tomahawks of the Four Nations Army were imported from the Great Song Dynasty." ”

"Hmm." Yin Yilang replied briskly: "If you continue to fight, you can still see more weapons imported from the Great Song Dynasty." ”

Matsuoka could only smile bitterly when he heard this threatening truth, Shikoku's weapons were already famous enough, and there was no need for anything new, and Shikoku's 'Myohomuramasa' was already very sought-after among the current upper echelons of the Wa Kingdom. If the family didn't put Myoho Muramasa, they would be embarrassed to tell others that they were high-ranking samurai. Thinking of this, Matsuoka asked, "I remember that His Excellency Eiichiro used to use Myofa Muramasa, why don't you wear it?" ”

"It's still easy to use an axe on the battlefield." Inoichiro has a lot to say to his old friend.

Matsuoka couldn't help but beg Inichiro's tomahawk in his hand, thinking that such a sharp axe should be quite heavy, but it was lighter than Matsuoka imagined. I tried it on a tree next to the road outside the camp, and Matsuoka slashed into the trunk more than an inch deep with an axe. After a dozen slashes in a row, Matsuoka kicked the crumbling trunk of the bowl a few times, and the tree actually fell.

"Awesome!" Matsuoka sighed as he returned the axe to Inoichiro.

Yin Ichiro didn't pay attention to Matsuoka, he explained to the patrol team that ran out when he saw the movement, and when the patrol team returned, Yin Ichiro said to Matsuoka: "Your Excellency Matsuoka, I think you might as well agree to Your Excellency Zhao's request." If the shogunate does not agree, His Excellency Matsuoka will not go to the battlefield to fight against the Shikoku army again. ”

Matsuoka was unhappy in his heart, but he also knew that Inoichiro's words were not all threats, and there was indeed some kindness in them. If you want to deal with the axe soldiers of the Four Nations Army, you must mobilize the elite. At this time, the elite of the Kamakura shogunate were all fighting with the Ashikaga family, and once the elite was mobilized, the Ashikaga family would not stand still at this time. He could only ask, "Your Excellency Nichiro, do you think the Four Nations Army will abide by the agreement?" ”

"Anyway, the Ashikaga family has already sent people to lobby, and they have promised more. His Excellency Zhao didn't want to overthrow the Kamakura shogunate, you look at that flag. As he spoke, Inoichiro pointed to the banner of the Shikoku Army. Matsuoka had long seen that the Shikoku Army was waving the banner of Genji, and the Iyo Naval Army, which had defected to Minamoto Yoshitsune, participated in the fiercest Battle of Tannoura in the Genpei War, and made great contributions. However, Minamoto Yoritomo attacked his younger brother Minamoto Yoshitsune, and the Iyo Navy was reduced to the list of 'Genyoshitsune rebels' before they could be compensated accordingly. This time, the Shikoku Army openly raised the banner of Genji, which was to demand that they be restored to their status as heroes of the opening of the Kamakura shogunate.

"If we ...... Promise to come down. But how can you be sure that you will keep the covenant? ”

"Haha, if it can really be negotiated, Your Excellency Matsuoka might as well ask for an errand and come to us to buy tomahawks and armor." Yin Ichiro smiled: "Wait, at that time, the Shikoku Army was already under the Kamakura Shogunate, so you don't need to buy it, can you pay tribute." ”

Matsuoka's eyes lit up, if the Kamakura shogunate army could be equipped with such a sharp battle axe and put on solid armor, it would be the Ashikaga family who were unlucky. It's a great future indeed.

Back in Kamakura, Matsuoka informed Hojo Sadashi of the meeting with Zhao Boren on this trip. Hearing those three requests, Hojo Sadashi was furious and shouted: "A group of pirate sailors even want to be the heroes of the opening!" It's ridiculous! It's ridiculous! ”

Matsuoka bowed his head and remained silent. He thought he could probably understand Hojo's anger. Because Minamoto Yoritomo was the heir of the dynasty, the shogun asked the relatives of the emperor to serve as the heir, and the real power of the Kamakura shogunate was in the hands of the 'ruling power'. In successive dynasties, the 'ruling power' was held by the Hojo family, which means that the Kamakura Shogunate became the lord of the emperor, and the Hojo family became the lord of the Kamakura shogunate.

Successive generations of the Hojo family wanted to turn the Kamakura Shogunate into the Hojo Shogunate, but they just couldn't. In addition to the lack of strength, the unjustifiable name is a hurdle that the Hojo family has never been able to cross. If the Iyo Naval Army had become the hero of the opening, its status would be no different from that of the Hojo family. It's strange that Hojo Sadashi will agree.

Waiting for Hojo Sadashi to scold for a while, the shogunate minister next to him stepped forward and cautiously said, "My lord, we might as well agree to them to explore the topic of the four countries first, so that the Iyo Navy is our subordinate, and we will carry it through this time first." ”

The Shikoku Army was only three days away from Kamakura, and everyone knew they had to delay. Hojo Sadatoki's face was gloomy, and it took a while before he said, "We can only agree to this." After speaking, he looked at Matsuoka, "Would you like to see Zhao Boren again?" ”

"Lord, if they retreat, what will they do next?" Matsuoka asked.

"Retirement? Hum! Hojo didn't believe that the problem could be solved so smoothly. After snorting coldly, he also felt that this was not solemn enough, and after thinking for a while, Hojo Sadashi continued: "We will never admit the Iyo Water Army, didn't they want this in the first place? If they are willing to withdraw their troops, we will at most promise the ships of the four countries to go to the ports. No more. ”

"Yes." Matsuoka saluted and withdrew.

With the old acquaintance of Adato Inichiro, Matsuoka is a lot bolder. And when I came into contact with the Four Nations Army before, I also found that the Four Nations Army was not a group of pirates as I imagined, and the pirates didn't have the money to buy full-body steel armor and steel axes. Moreover, the military camps of the Four Nations Army are strictly organized, and the military discipline looks good. At least talkatively.

I rushed to the location of the Four Nations Army as fast as I could, and I only walked for more than a day before I encountered the Four Nations Army. It turned out that after Matsuoka left, they did not stop, but continued to march. At this time, it is only a day's journey from Kamakura. Matsuoka was frightened enough and hurriedly went to ask to see him. Zhao Boren still met with Matsuoka, and after listening to the conditions of the shogunate, Zhao Boren immediately shook his head, "Whether or not to recognize the Iyo naval army is very important to us, if we accept the Shikoku inquiry now, we are just a group of new people who have defected to the shogunate." The history of the previous 100 years is gone. It's not okay. ”

Matsuoka knew that it was impossible for the shogunate to accept this, and it was no longer a matter of face, but a recognition of the legitimacy of the Shikoku Army. Although the Hojo family has the problem of being unjustifiable, doesn't the Shikoku Army have it? Is Zhao Boren's father, Zhao Naruto, really a direct descendant of the former Iyo Water Army? As far as the Kamakura shogunate knew, the Hiroshi Zhao seized the position of leader of the Iyo navy by killing the leader of the Iyo navy in the previous generation. It was more problematic than the Kamakura shogunate.

However, no matter what Matsuoka said, Zhao Boren did not agree. After that, Matsuoka wanted to see Inoichiro, but Inoichiro didn't see him. In the end, Matsuoka had no choice but to leave. At this time, the Great Song Dynasty had already received Zhao Boren's report, and Luo Yiren was very happy to see that the operation of the Four Nations Army directly approaching Kamakura was so smooth. Foreign Minister Lu Baifeng was not so happy, and he questioned: "What if the Shikoku Army takes Kamakura?" ”

Luo Yiren said with a smile: "The Four Nations Army doesn't want to take down Kamakura, and where does the Kamakura Shogunate have that kind of backbone." As soon as Kamakura is broken, the Hojo family is finished. How could the Ashikaga family let go of such a good opportunity. ”

"But the Kamakura shogunate is only afraid that they don't know that the Shikoku army doesn't want their lives. What if they are scared and the dog jumps over the wall? Lu Baifeng did not agree with Luo Yiren's opinion. Misunderstanding is the norm, and it is rare in this world to be able to clearly understand who you are provoking. That's why the Ministry of Governors has only conquered cities and territories over the years, and sometimes they don't want to fight until the enemy destroys the country, but they have to fight because of the enemy's stupid fear.

Luo Yiren said in his chest: "Don't be afraid." I have already told Zhao Boren what to do. There will be no misunderstanding this time. After all, what good will it do us to destroy the Japanese state. The silver trade has just resumed a bit, and I've really messed up the situation, and the Minister of Finance has not yet been able to find me desperately. ”

Lu Baifeng was still not at ease, he continued to ask: "Zhao Boren is so obedient?" ”

"Hmm. I have ordered the grain ships not to go to Shikoku for the time being, and if he dares to disobey, he will go hungry. I don't believe that the people in Shikoku can stand it. Even if the ordinary people of the four countries can stand starvation, Zhao Boren's subordinates are afraid that they can't stand it. ”

Lu Baifeng knew that Luo Yiren often looked at him/hee-ha, but in fact, his methods were ruthless. Otherwise, it would be impossible for the Great Song Dynasty to progress so smoothly in Tianzhu. However, he was still worried that the Shikoku army was strong enough, and intelligence showed that there were now about 5,000 to 8,000 samurai in the entire Wa Kingdom. These guys are people who can prepare good gear. In the past two years, probably because the Ashikaga family imported a lot of things from the Great Song Dynasty, the number of samurai has increased. The Kamakura shogunate and the Ashikaga family combined could not exceed 10,000 samurai.

The four kingdoms gave up all their struggles over the years and fully joined the economic system of the Great Song Dynasty. Relying on cultured pearls to help the Great Song Dynasty sell goods, they really have 10,000 armor in their hands. The entry of such an army into war is enough to turn any situation around. The role of 10,000 elites on the battlefield is much more powerful than the mixed army composed of 5,000 elites and 15,000 ordinary strong men. Will the Zhao Bo people really retreat after attacking Kamakura Castle? That's a big temptation.

"Minister Lu, don't think too much. Where do these people know this? In the news of the Yuan State that he had just arrived, Jiang Guang was devoted to being a lieutenant, a veteran minister of the Yuan Kingdom, holding heavy troops and having a lot of wings. As soon as he died, the henchmen immediately dispersed. Without forming its own economic system, everything is in the air. I heard that it was still the concubine of King Yuan, Bao Xiweak, who killed Jiang Guangtou in public, and Bao Xiweak was still unscathed. If the name of righteousness is just lip service, how can it be passed down for thousands of years. Zhao Boren is fierce, he doesn't have his own economy, he doesn't have a righteous name, he just doesn't dare to do too much. ”