I am practicing in the Nianghua Warring States Period

I do not know how long it has been.

Imagawa Ujizane gave a bitter and indifferent laugh.

With one precise sentence, he determined the future of the Imagawa family.

"It's over..."

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Is it over? Yes, it is.

Even though a large number of civilians were conscripted to transport food, this situation squeezed out the last bit of national strength and was defeated without any redundancy. There is no precedent in Chinese history.

Fu Jian, who had sent 900,000 troops to the Battle of Feishui, was in a state of panic. The outcome of this battle was decided, and the entire Former Qin State quickly collapsed.

Wang Mang, who was educated by the great magician with the Cartier meteor shower, was also decided by a single battle. The entire Wang Mang Xin Dynasty regime quickly collapsed and vanished without a trace, and his head was made into a family heirloom.

All the high-ranking members of the Imagawa clan were annihilated by Hokuto Nobuyoshi himself. If only Imagawa Yoshimoto had died, it would have been a blessing in disguise. Unfortunately, it wasn't just Imagawa Yoshimoto who perished, but nearly every prominent figure around him. With the fall of these local forces supporting the Imagawa clan, the already disaffected people lost their suppressors and immediately jumped to the forefront. Furthermore, the Imagawa clan had already squeezed the last ounce of national strength to send troops, and after this incident, not only was everyone in mourning, but the national strength also plummeted significantly.

With the deaths of the prominent figures who supported the Imagawa clan, the families behind them entered a protracted struggle for power. Regions, sectors, and groups instantly engaged in a war of attrition—honestly, the Imagawa clan was far from weak; on the contrary, they were incredibly strong, almost ridiculously so!

Imagawa Yoshimoto left behind such a huge mess, but he actually managed to hold on for several years!

Although he was completely finished, Imagawa Yoshimoto had trained him for so many years, and it was not in vain! His keen political sense and ability as a political leader allowed him to quickly grasp the only life-saving straw:

"Tell Matsudaira Motoyasu! I will raise another army and swear to destroy Oda! Let him serve as the vanguard, gather food and supplies in Mikawa, and prepare to join my army! To avenge my lord!"

Imagawa Ujizane himself knew that he didn't have this ability, and everyone knew that the Imagawa family didn't have this ability - but he had to say it!

Matsudaira Motoyasu took a look.

Instantly decide to betray the alliance!

Chapter 191: Of course, rebellion must be justified!

Dear Mr. Motoyasu Matsudaira, your mental state is very unstable right now.

The reason was simple: there was a formidable enemy to the west, his family's sworn enemy! His father had died in battle against the enemy's father—of course, the main cause of death was that the "Mikawa samurai, renowned for their loyalty" (a concept coined during the Edo Shogunate) had once again assassinated his father.

Incidentally, his grandfather, Matsudaira Kiyoyasu, suffered an even worse fate, being backstabbed by the "loyal Mikawa samurai" during the Owari offensive. Two successive generations of monarchs were stabbed by their own retainers, which made it difficult for Matsudaira Motoyasu, who would later become Tokugawa Ieyasu, to trust any retainers.

Matsudaira Motoyasu is currently trying to gather all sorts of gossip from all sides.

Some people said that Sunpu Castle was in chaos and they couldn't even pay to redeem Imagawa Yoshimoto's head.

Some people say that the Oda family built the terrifying Kyoto Kyoto with 8864 human heads, and all of them were bigwigs from the Imagawa family.

Some say that the Oda clan plans to continue attacking Mikawa.

Some people say that the Imagawa family planned to invite the armies of Jia (Takeda) and Xiang (Hojo) to join forces to attack Oda.

Matsudaira Motoyasu trembled in Okazaki Castle for a whole day, and finally received the exact news from his own vassal Hattori Hanzo after suffering from frequent urination, urgency, incontinence, persistent looseness of the buttocks and incontinence of urination and feces.

This Mr. Hattori Hanzo was the second generation. The first generation, Hattori Yasunaga, served the 12th Shogun—a prestigious title, but in reality, it was a simple employment relationship. However, as a ninja serving the Shogun, he granted himself the official title of Iwami no Kami. The family title of "Hanzo" was passed to Hattori Masashige, who currently serves as the head of the Hattori family and serves the current Matsudaira Motoyasu.

"Your Majesty," Hattori Masanari (Hanzo), dressed as a farmer, knelt on his knees and reported respectfully, "There's indeed no sign of the Oda clan regrouping their forces. The entirety of Owari is now focused on cleaning up the battlefield! Over the struggle for weapons and supplies, local farmers, lords, and temples have even clashed with the ashigaru who have come to collect them."

"Oh... okay, okay..." Matsudaira Motoyasu let out a sigh.

"Where is His Highness Hokuto Settsu-no-kami?" Sakai Tadatsugu asked a key question directly: "Is he secretly organizing some kind of force to launch a surprise attack on Mikawa?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" The thread that had just loosened up suddenly tightened again! "Where is Lord Settsu no Kami? Is he going to launch another surprise attack?!"

"No, I personally went to see it." Hattori Hanzo raised his head and continued, "He suddenly arrived near Inuyama Castle, apparently observing any unusual movements by the Saito clan. The Saito clan's northwest military strategy was caught off guard. Saito Yoshitatsu originally mobilized 2,000 troops and waited for an opportunity to strike at the border between Owari and Mino. After Hokuto-dono arrived at Inuyama Castle with 200 men, Saito Yoshitatsu urgently dispatched 5,000 troops to besiege various locations."

“…Huh.” Matsudaira Motoyasu wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

Good boy! I'm safe this time.

"Huh." All the elders and important officials present also breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that there was hope in life again.

"That guy, you're not a human being." Sakai Chuji also exhaled, and everyone changed from sitting upright to sitting cross-legged. A Japanese relaxing voice sounded: "Ah~~~ Red bean paste, red bean paste! -Goblindesu!"

"Ah, whoosh! (Yeah, yeah!) I really don't plan on meeting him on the battlefield a second time. What the hell is going on? Is that even human?"

"Is that how war is fought? I've learned that."

"Oh, I'm afraid I won't be able to use what I learned! - Stop hanging out with that kind of guy!"

"Who wants to play with that guy?"

The Matsudaira family now had a kind of embarrassing joy that made them celebrate.

"But..." Matsudaira Motoyasu, the backbone of the group, grinned miserably. "We in Mikawa are still the front line against the Oda clan... I've heard that the Oda clan's samurai are powerful, but I never thought they were this strong! Was it against such people that my grandfather achieved overwhelming victories? Ah, when I think about it, my grandfather was truly amazing."

Even if your grandfather comes, he will die!

"Yes, yes..." The retainers present said a few nice words together, and then they had to get to the main topic: "Lord, what should we do next?"

"...The young master sent me an order, asking me to gather food and attack Owari." Having said that, Matsudaira Motoyasu said lightly.

The word "young master" is well used, not "lord." However, Imagawa Ujizane has already sent an emergency telegram to the entire nation, declaring him the successor of the family lineage.

"My Lord, although the Young Master has given this order, we..."

The retainers were all saying one thing after another, meaning, "Don't be so desperate! Don't send it away! Just stay here!"

"I have a plan..." Matsudaira Motoyasu narrowed his eyes and said softly, "My Matsudaira family is descended from Nitta Yoshishige. Yoshishige is the eighth-generation descendant of Emperor Seiwa. It was the Emperor's grandson, Tsunemoto, who first gave him the surname Minamoto.

"I have been afflicted and held hostage! Every twenty years, Mikawa will be free! But Imagawa has failed me, and I cannot fail Imagawa! — I will raise three hundred soldiers and attack Owari!"

Everyone had only one thought in their mind: Is my boss crazy?

“…Yes!” But Sakai Tadatsugu understood, and several smart bosses beside him also understood.

"My lord, how can we fight?" Honda Tadakatsu didn't understand, perhaps due to his lack of intelligence. But his loyalty was: "My lord, if you really want to avenge Lord Yoshimoto! ... Just send me! Don't lead the troops yourself! I... I am willing to fight the Oda army!"

"Yeah yeah."

"I am willing to go too! My lord, please don't go..."

"...Why don't you understand?" Matsudaira Motoyasu struck a pose, only to discover that half the people present were low-IQ soldiers, their brains pierced with steel, unable to understand the situation at all! Immediately, Matsudaira Motoyasu, also young, began to explain to his early employees on the startup board, "It's already been agreed upon, so I shouldn't break it! - But if the Imagawa clan really tells me to attack, I will! If they don't send reinforcements, and I attack the Oda clan in Owari, and they won't help! He can't even avenge his own family, so why should I be so anxious? He can't even avenge his father's murder, which shows that the Imagawa clan is truly a tyrant! I won't argue with a tyrant. My Mikawa samurai suffered heavy losses in this attack on Owari, and I have to give them an explanation!"

Finally, Matsudaira Motoyasu, still in his twenties, completed his thought process: "I want to establish my own faction! - Then, form an alliance with the Oda clan! The Oda clan has already made their move; their focus is on Mino! Let's make our move too. I'm going to Kiyosu Castle myself! I'm going to... my sister, Master Ji, and I'm going to kneel down and beg for mercy!"

"Oda Nobuhime? The Oda family and my family have a deep blood feud..." Is there really someone blind here? Is this the time to be politically correct?

"Pfft! What blood feud? What Oda Nobuhime? You're my elder sister, the Mage Ji! — When we can't beat you, it's all a misunderstanding! In the chaotic times of the Warring States, there's nothing we can do about it! Besides, when I was a hostage in Kiyosu Castle, I, a hostage of the Matsudaira family, was not loved by my grandmother or uncle. The same woman, Oda Nobuhime, is also not loved by her grandmother or uncle. No matter how you look at her, her brain is abnormal! I'm also wondering why she's been so fierce recently?"

Matsudaira Motoyasu also didn't quite understand what was going on in this world.

"If you want to surrender, you have to offer a price! - Surrender now, the Oda family will see it all! The Imagawa family will see it all, and everyone in the world will think I'm turning the tables! - I'll give the Oda family a little provocation first! Before the Oda family can react - conclude an alliance!"

look.

Since ancient times, turtles have been born young.

His political wisdom is indeed innate.

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If Matsudaira Motoyasu had become Tokugawa Ieyasu in the future and established the Edo Shogunate, the scene of going to Kiyosu Castle to form an alliance would have been beautified so much that even his mother wouldn't recognize it.

In the future, Tokugawa Ieyasu would "glare at Oda Nobuhime", "denounce Oda Nobuhime for killing my father-in-law", "treat Oda Nobuhime with respect and courtesy" and so on.

When entering Kiyosu Castle, everyone in Kiyosu Castle would "instantly recognize Tokugawa Ieyasu, and then instantly put down all their work and livelihoods, and run to the gate of Kiyosu Castle to point and talk."

At this time, a Honda Tadakatsu with a messed-up timeline would appear. Honda Tadakatsu would recklessly draw his naginata at the defenders of Kiyosu Castle and shout, "My king is here, how dare you be disrespectful!"

All the people in Cheongju City and the defenders would be "so frightened that they could not speak and would kneel on the ground"

Oda Nobuhime would say to Tokugawa Ieyasu, "Oh, you actually dare to come here, you are so strong" and "You are as strong as Liu Bang at the Hongmen Feast, you will conquer the world in the future."

Tokugawa Ieyasu would say to Oda Nobuhime: "Let's talk about sisters. If the Oda family gets the world, then I will be your retainer. If I get the world, you must be my retainer. (So it's normal for Tokugawa to get the world and let the Oda family gg)"

——Of course, this was an outrageous move made by Matsudaira Motoyasu after he really conquered the world and established the Edo Shogunate.

Basically, not even a dog would believe it in the future. Even if the Tokugawa and Matsudaira families brought it up, they themselves would not believe it.

"Greetings to His Highness Hokuto Settsu-no-mori. May His Highness be well."

The truth is that Matsudaira Motoyasu met "Hokuto Nobuyuki" who came to greet him in person.

A hundred meters away, he bumped into the dusty ground in an instant.

Kneeling beside him was Honda Tadakatsu, the most powerful general of the Matsudaira (Tokugawa) clan. There were also numerous retainers of the Matsudaira clan, about 200 in total – historical records show that he only brought a few retainers with him, attending the meeting alone.

"Da da da da..."

Beidou Xinwei arrived in feudal Japan, and the first thing he learned was:

People are divided into different classes; meat is divided into five kinds and three layers.

You don't need to be too polite to such people.

He rode his horse directly to Matsudaira Motoyasu, who was kneeling a hundred meters away, and then dismounted.

"Matsudaira-sama, nice to meet you." As soon as Hokuto Nobuyoshi landed, he felt a distinct earth-shaking sensation. Then, a gentle voice echoed in the hearts of all the retainers of the Mikawa Matsudaira clan.

It seemed completely different from the roar that shook the entire battlefield when they were escaping in the heavy rain.

"My humble name is Beidou Xinwei, greetings to Master Matsudaira and all the others. Come, please stand up quickly——"

Oh……

Everyone looked closely.

What a peerless, beautiful young man! — Was he the one who had murdered people and caused blood to flow everywhere?

Chapter 192: Cheongju Alliance

Beidou Xinwei slapped Matsudaira Motoyasu in front of him and finally saw clearly what the other person was.

He was a cheerful-looking fellow, about 1.55 meters tall, a little white guy, probably in his twenties, with a small mustache on his upper lip. Especially those small, round eyes...

Oh, it does feel a bit like a raccoon cat.

"I am truly flattered that Your Highness, Hokuto, has personally come to greet me." Matsudaira Motoyasu offered his best words, and then, somewhat hastily, released a political signal: "I offer this humble tribute to congratulate Your Highness on your unprecedented achievement! Throughout the world, no one can surpass you."

Beidou Xinwei was looking at the future Tokugawa Ieyasu.

Having endured this for a lifetime, he was deemed "Mikawa's brother worthy of trust" by the ultimate demon king, Oda Nobuhime; and regarded as a "gentleman" by the naturally suspicious Monkey. However, upon Oda Nobuhime's death, he sold the remaining bloodline of the demon king for a good price to surrender to the Monkey. After the Monkey's death, he returned to Edo to raise an army, later wiping out the Monkey's family and even digging up the Monkey's grave.

He was treacherous and cunning, yet decisive and vicious in his actions. The Mino viper was a venomous snake you could see, while the future Tokugawa Ieyasu was a chronic virus you couldn't see, yet when it erupted, it was deadly.

"Matsudaira-sama, you are too kind." Beidou Xinwei smiled faintly, as a response to diplomatic etiquette. "It is touching that Matsudaira-sama has returned to the right path after his mistakes and has not abandoned the legacy of his ancestors. I will not make things difficult for you during your visit to Oda Owari this time."

"Thank you, Your Highness, Hokuto Settsu-no-kami. I hope you will rely on your majesty for coming this time. Oh, yes—" Matsudaira Motoyasu took a small package from a servant and handed it to Hokuto Nobuyuki with a smile, saying, "Your Highness, I am a country boy and have little experience. It is a great honor for me to see your elegance today. I offer this small gift as a token of my respect."

Beidou Xinwei looked at the other party's small box, thinking it was a gift of some kind. He immediately waved his hand, and one of his retainers stepped out and took the box.

If you don't accept gifts, the other party may feel even more uneasy.

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Along the way, the people of the Matsudaira family were very well-behaved and were not angry at all because of the expressions of other people in the Oda family.

After arriving at the palace in Kiyosu Castle, the other retainers present were unbridled in their criticism of the Matsudaira clan. The reason was simple—the hatred between the two sides was deep-rooted. Not only had both sides lost lives, but the Oda clan was currently in control of the country, having just achieved a great victory, and everyone in the Oda clan was arrogant.

As a result, he naturally couldn't stand these defeated generals he had just met, and the Matsudaira family's sphere of influence was now near Okazaki Castle. The Matsudaira family, the lord of a city, and the Oda family, the lord of a country, were incomparable.

"Weren't these cowards from Sanhe jumping around so much a few days ago? They even led their troops to attack the border?"

"Let them go crazy! Now they are all following His Highness Beidou like chickens."

"I heard...we're going to form an alliance with the cowards of Mikawa?"

"Huh? Form an alliance with them? They're willing to stab even their own lord in the back. Wouldn't forming an alliance with them be like forming an alliance with an ungrateful wretch?"

There were many scattered voices, and some even came from important officials.

The Matsudaira family was very well-behaved, although some of the young warriors looked like they could no longer suppress their desire to kill someone. However, looking at Beidou Xinwei beside him, he seemed to lose his temper instantly.

"Everyone, today is a good feast, not a Hongmen Feast." Seeing that Oda Nobuhime had arrived late, Hokuto Nobuyoshi stopped the other retainers from talking. Those of the Faction of Military Honor, especially those like Shibata Katsuie, seemed relatively obedient to his orders.

"Dong!" A knocking sound was heard, followed by the voice of a female warrior: "My Lord!"

"Oh! Brother Mikawa!"

Oda Nobuhime ignored the greetings of the female warriors beside her, nor did she go to the main seat as usual.

She is an actress now.

He trotted all the way to Matsudaira Motoyasu, who had been kneeling in the middle of the palace hall for at least ten minutes, and sat down directly in front of him.