The name of the great swordsman begins in Okehazama.

Chapter 87 The Righteousness of Asai (Part 1)

Late at night, Changqing took a bath and changed his clothes, then headed towards the room where Guozi lived.

When the door was opened, Guozi was kneeling by the window, staring blankly at the bright moon.

Hearing the noise, she turned around and saw that it was Changqing. Her eyelashes trembled slightly, but she did not get up to greet him.

"grown ups."

She seemed more shy than she had been on Seventh Avenue.

Changqing sat down beside her and took her hand. Her hand was warmer than when they first met, but her fingertips were still cold.

"You should call me 'husband' now. Are you settling in well?"

"Yes." She nodded. "My husband's retainers and attendants treat me very well—they send food to me every day and ask if I need anything. This house is bigger than anywhere I've ever lived."

"Don't overthink it. Just stay here peacefully—"

Changqing raised his hand and brushed her hair, then stroked her neck along the hair.

After taking a more relaxed approach to life, Kuniko's skin became more elastic.

What happened next is self-evident.

However, as soon as he moved, Guozi suddenly grabbed his sleeve.

"My husband—"

Her voice trembled.

Guozi didn't look up, but just gripped his sleeve, his knuckles turning slightly white.

"I—" She opened her mouth, but it was as if something was stuck in her throat.

Changqing sat up straight and gently pulled her into his arms. Her body immediately went limp, her forehead resting on his shoulder, her whole body trembling slightly.

"What's wrong?"

Guozi's muffled voice came through: "I—I'm pregnant."

Changqing's arm froze.

"Ever since returning from the Seven Avenues—I've felt something was wrong. A few days ago, my wife had a doctor come to see me—"

She is said to be more than two months pregnant.

After she finished speaking, she seemed to have all her strength drained away, and she lay limply in his arms, not daring to look up or look at him.

Changqing couldn't help but touch her belly; it did seem to have grown a little bit.

"Then I won't touch you!"

"My lord—I've been having dreams these past few days—"

"What did you dream about?"

"I dreamt that I had intercourse with a deity—"

"Pfft!" Changqing burst out laughing.

Ok, good, good!

"Then when you go to worship the Ōkuninushi god in the future, you must recite this matter carefully. I also dreamed of being intimate with you last night."

Guozi was stunned.

She looked up at him, her eyes blurred with tears.

Too naive —

"Have the doctor come again tomorrow. Now that you are pregnant, you must take good care of yourself. If you need anything, tell the retainers while I'm not around. Have Yukihime stay with you more—"

In the spring of the eleventh year of Eiroku (1568), Nagayoshi returned to Gifu.

Nobutada has grown taller, and his features are becoming more and more like Nobunaga's.

Upon Changqing's return, he pestered him every day to learn new things.

Nobunaga remained busy.

In March, he once again launched a military campaign against the Miyoshi clan, completely pacifying the capital region.

The Oda clan expanded its territory so rapidly that it almost reached the level of what it would have achieved three years later in history.

In June, Nobunaga built Azuchi Castle on the site of Kannonji Castle and began to govern his territory with full force.

Xinzhong was only twelve years old, but he had already begun to learn how to handle those tedious government affairs.

Nobunaga then assigned him several senior retainers and experienced ministers familiar with Kyoto affairs as tutors.

Changqing was thus much more relaxed and had plenty of time to spend with Ashi and "Hutuwan".

"Hutuwan" can now crawl, and sometimes she will hold onto Changqing's knees and wobble to stand up.

Days passed by like this.

In June, Guozi wrote that the baby was moving a lot and that the child was turning over and over in his belly all day long, so it must be a naughty baby.

In July, Guozi gave birth to a daughter, whom Changqing named "Yuan".

In September, A-Shi became pregnant again.

In October, the Asakura clan repeatedly refused to go to Kyoto, so Nobunaga led his army to attack the Asakura.

The timeline seems to be converging ahead of schedule.

Asai Hisamasa, Nagamasa's father, has lived in Sanno-en, which is connected to Nido-jo, since he went into seclusion.

Ashikaga Yoshiaki's secret envoy and the Asakura family's messenger both arrived here.

The retainers' discussion had long since ended, and almost all of them had taken a stand against Nobunaga.

Now, Nagamasa's only hope lies in his weak and feeble father.

As long as Jiuzheng also supports him, he can use this to suppress dissenting voices.

"Father!" Changzheng revealed a hearty smile. "Now that things have come to this, Father, have you thought it through?"

"Asakura has demanded that we send troops to cut off Nobunaga's retreat. They are confident that they can defeat Nobunaga by fighting in the mountains—"

"and then?"

"Once Nobunaga dies, the Oda clan will collapse completely, and we can seize southern Omi and Mino!"

Hisashi's ambitions were unusually large, like those of a gambler.

"What happens after Nobunaga dies? There's still Takeda and Mori. Are we still going to help Asakura fight against others?" Nagamasa spoke loudly, as if he wanted the envoys and retainers hiding in the shadows to hear him.

"Since someone has to judge the world anyway, why not make things easier for the common people?"

"Nagamasa! You've been keeping silent because you're waiting for me to support you, aren't you?"

"Exactly!"

"Without Asakura, the Asai clan would have perished long ago. But you are now the head of the clan, so I will support whatever you say—"

'

Nagamasa looked delighted and was about to order someone to summon his retainers for a meeting.

"But I have only one request—" Hisamasa's tears fell onto the tatami mats, "Please allow me to lead my old troops to support Asakura!"

Changzheng collapsed to the ground instantly.

"It's not that I can't see the situation clearly, but I'm willing to die for justice," Hisamasa continued.

Nagamasa sat down again, lowered his head and sighed, "I understand. I will send troops tomorrow."

"really?"

Hisamasa did not expect Nagamasa to compromise so quickly.

Changzheng bowed deeply.

"I know what Father is saying. Betraying Oda or Asakura is unjust, but sending you to your death is even more unfilial—"

After saying this, both father and son had tears in their eyes.

October 16th. Tsuruga District, Echizen Province.

The Oda and Tokugawa armies met here, preparing to take straight to the Asakura clan's stronghold, Ichijodani Castle.

Ahead of Tsuruga lies Kanesaki, where Asakura Yoshikage's cousin, the invincible Asakura Kagetsugu, is stationed.

He attempted to block the enemy here, but his army collapsed at the first contact.

The Oda army's spears, arquebuses, and cavalry swept across the land, like wildflowers blooming across the desolate mountains of the northern country.

The army captured Kanesaki in just one day. Shibata Katsuie, Akechi Mitsuhide, and Hashiba Hideyoshi advanced with extraordinary speed, driving the Asakura army up the mountain like sheep.

"Mitsuhide!"

"exist!"

What does it feel like to fight against a former master?

Mitsuhide felt embarrassed and couldn't answer.

He didn't know where Changqing got the courage to stand up to him.

"Bald guy, is that hard to answer?"

Mitsuhide felt even more embarrassed.

"Who do you think should be placed in charge of the area after the capture of Vietnam?"

"I believe it would be more appropriate to entrust this to the vanguard, Lord Shibata!"

"I thought you and Changqing were close and that you would recommend him! You two-faced bastard!"

Just then, Mori Yoshinari, who was supposed to be fighting on the flank, suddenly arrived at the camp.

"My lord, Onoki Tosa, a retainer of the Asai clan, has arrived!"

Nobunaga stood up laughing: "It seems Lord Nagamasa has come to his senses and wants a share of the spoils! Hahaha!"