different warring states of japan

Chapter 1952 Unraveling Akechi Mitsuhide’s death

"this.."

Mibuchi Haru was speechless when asked by Hosokawa Fujitaka, and subconsciously looked at Hosokawa Motonsune. Of the two sisters, Hosokawa Motonsune was always the wiser and took the final decision.

And the words of Hosokawa Fujitaka were not only meant for Haru Mibuchi, but also for Hosokawa Motonune.

Following Mibuchi Haru's gaze, Hosokawa Fujitaka turned to Hosokawa Motonsune and said sincerely.

"Mothers, please listen to me.

Nowadays, Maeda Toshiie, Maeda Benefit, and Niko Yukimori are all expecting to give birth, and their childbirth is imminent. The Kinki Shiba Territory is in an embarrassing state without a leader and no one to make the decision.

The families in Kyoto were short-sighted and watched Akechi Mitsuhide fall into despair, while Matsunaga Hisahide was fickle and betrayed his friends.

Only the Izumi-Hosokawa family and I are unswervingly loyal. As the most loyal allies of the Shiba family, we are willing to take the initiative to share the saint's worries and worry about the saint's urgent needs.

Regardless of whether Akechi Mitsuhide is right or wrong, I must send troops to protect her and then wait for the saint to take action.

No one can overstep the sanction of the mother of the gods and take away the Sibo gods. Only saints have this power!

I also ask the two mothers to understand my difficulties and take care of Ayu for me for a few days. I want to personally lead the troops to Yamazaki. I must not let Hashiba Hideyoshi's political ambitions succeed! "

The Izumi-Hosokawa family had been wallowing in the political quagmire of the shogunate for two hundred years, and Hosokawa Fujitaka could see through Hashiba Hideyoshi's little thoughts at a glance.

On the surface, they were avenging Oda Nobunaga, but in reality, they were competing for political capital and gaining enough chips for the legacy of the post-Oda era.

If Hashiba Hideyoshi was allowed to kill Akechi Mitsuhide in the Battle of Yamazaki and take away Oda's orphan, where would the saint's face be?

In order to get the child back, the man who valued love and justice might have made many political compromises, and the Izumi-Hosokawa family, which was firmly in the Shiba camp, would also suffer losses.

Rather than letting the situation deteriorate to that point, it is better to send troops to rescue now and seize the initiative in our own hands.

The Izumi Hosokawa family has been running Katsuryuji Castle for many years, and it is not a problem to withstand Hashiba Hideyoshi's revenge army.

As long as Mitsuhide Akechi and the orphan Oda are brought back alive, Fujitaka Hosokawa will have the confidence to carry the saint back.

By that time, no matter what happens to Akechi Mitsuhide, the Izumi-Hosokawa family has set an example of loyalty that stands out from the crowd, and Hosokawa Fujitaka will definitely be grateful to the saint.

Hosokawa Fujitaka can calculate this huge favor, and the old fox Hosokawa Motonsune who can teach Hosokawa Fujitaka will naturally calculate it as well.

Hosokawa Motonsune's pupils shrank, his light flashed, and he said decisively.

“Your body has just regained some strength, I shouldn’t have let you work so hard.

But you are right. The saint's love for the Izumi-Hosokawa family is profound and God's grace is great. We must not sit idly by and ignore it!

You can safely leave Ayu to me and your mother Sanyuan to take care of her, and do what you should do.

We two old women have long ignored world affairs. You are already the governor of the Izumi Hosokawa family. You can decide the family affairs without asking us anymore. "

Hosokawa Fujitaka was in an excited mood. Hosokawa Motonsune's words meant that he had completely put aside his grudges and no longer held a grudge against Hosokawa Fujitaka's seizure of power back then. He expressed that he would fully support Hosokawa Fujitaka in his work.

With Hosokawa Motonsune's attitude, Hosokawa Fujitaka could finally put aside the constraints and fully mobilize the retainers.

The Hosokawa Mibuchi family owned Izumi Province and North Kawachi, and had extensive influence in the Kyoto shogunate.

Once the Izumi Hosokawa family mobilizes with all their strength, it will not only affect their own mobilization power of 200,000 koku, but also affect the judgment of other shogunate samurai families on the situation.

Hosokawa Fujitaka did not let Akechi Mitsuhide die, and other people who abandoned Akechi Mitsuhide had to consider how they would explain their position if Akechi Mitsuhide did not die and saw the saint alive.

The dead cannot speak, but what the living will say is hard to guess. In the incident at Honnoji Temple, the saint lost a woman and a child. If Mitsuhide Akechi pulls someone else's back and the saint gets angry, no one can withstand it.

Therefore, as long as Akechi Mitsuhide cannot die, everyone will have to consider how to continue to deal with her in the future, and they must express their opinions.

As the saying goes, a single move affects the whole body.

As soon as the Izumi Hosokawa family moved, other shogunate samurai families had to follow suit, and Akechi Mitsuhide's dead end was resolved.

---

Hideyoshi Hideyoshi's Great Revival of the West reached the border of Yamashiro Province in ten days. Matsu Nagahide's door was wide open, leading Hideyoshi's army to invade from the Yodogawa water transport and quickly outflank Akechi Mitsuhide's rear.

Just when the scale of war quickly tipped towards Hashiba Hideyoshi, Hosokawa Fujitaka of Katsuryuji Castle suddenly exerted her strength. Regardless of her postpartum weakness, she personally led the troops to rescue Akechi Mitsuhide.

Looking at the earth from the sky, the Yushiba Army in the southwest Yodogawa is constantly spreading east and north, faintly cutting off the retreat of Yamazaki's Akechi Army.

In the northeast, the Hosokawa Army quickly occupied the Katsura River and established defenses along the Katsura River, blocking the Akechi Army's last chance of survival.

At the same time, a large number of envoys sent by Hosokawa Fujitaka were working hard to deliver the message.

The Yodogawa is the geographical dividing line between Settsu Province, Izumi Province, and North Kawauchi. When the Izumi Province in the south and the Hosokawa family territory in North Kawauchi were fully mobilized, Settsu Province in the north immediately felt the pressure.

Tsuneki Ikeda, who originally had little control over Settsu Country, was unable to stop the Hosokawa Army Front who was ready to move in the face of Yodogawa, which was full of loopholes.

Ikeda Hengxing had to write to the front line to inform Hashiba Hideyoshi of his difficulties, hoping that Hashiba Hideyoshi could quickly open up the situation.

---

Outside Yodo Castle, on the banks of the Yodogawa River, Hashiba Hideyoshi's main formation was stationed here, directing his legions to continuously penetrate into the northern front and outflank the rear of Yamazaki where Akechi Mitsuhide was located.

When Hashiba Hideyoshi received the letter from Ikeda Tsuneaki, he was chatting and joking with Matsunaga's daughter, Matsunaga.

At that time, Matsunaga was bewitched by Honda Masanobu, surrounded and attacked the imperial palace, almost causing the Matsunaga family to be destroyed.

Afterwards, Matsunaga Hide turned the tide and plotted with Miyoshi and three others to invade Nijo Castle, kill Ashikaga Yoshiteru, and take the blame for killing the general.

Honda Masanobu ran away and fled to be protected by Akechi Mitsuhide, which also gave Akechi Mitsuhide a trump card to threaten Matsu Nagasaki at all times.

Because of this, Matsunagamichi remained silent for many years, and this time he was sent by his mother Matsunagahide to contact Hashiba Hideyoshi.

As long as Mitsuhide Akechi dies in Yamazaki, the Matsunaga family will no longer be threatened by him, and all the hardships will finally be over.

At this moment, Hashiba Hideyoshi and Matsunaga were chatting happily, and sitting with her was her new military advisor Kuroda Takataka.

And Hatamoto, who was guarding outside the formation, crossed the white cloth and handed a letter to Hideyoshi Hashiba.

Hashiba Hideyoshi scanned the letter with a single glance, his brows furrowed slightly, causing Matsunaga's heart to skip a beat, and he asked cautiously.

"Master Yushiba, what happened?"

Hashiba Hideyoshi relaxed his eyebrows and smiled.

"It's okay. I'm not afraid of your jokes. It's just that I've been away from home for a long time, and my wife misses me and asks how I'm doing."