Chapter 442 45. The Shinshu Tiger at Sunset

It turns out that there is a huge difference between hearing the news of someone's death and dying in front of you. When Kobayata heard the news of Yamanouchi Yoshikatsu's death in battle, he was also very sad.

But now Yamanouchi Yoshiharu is right in front of him, breathing out more than breathing in, and even the sound of his humming is getting lower and lower.

The scenes from the past appear in his mind like slides. Knowing each other, being favored, and thinking about each other, sharing their hearts, every bit of it comes to mind.

"I dare not fail to exhaust my strength, be loyal and loyal, and die!"

After saying this, Kobayata was already in tears and could no longer organize his words. He could only sob softly.

"Dongdongdongdong, dongdongdongdong, dongdongdongdong..."

There were heavy footsteps outside the house, as if a heavy person was running in big strides.

Kobayata turned his head and saw Hosokawa Saijo running in from outside with Hosokawa Harumiya on his back.

Hosokawa Saijo was barefoot, her feet were frozen purple, and her face was stiff. She was wearing two thick coats, and she didn't put on her long trousers at all. She was still wearing a cotton coat underneath.

Hosokawa Harumiya looked better, at least her clothes were completely on her body, and she was wrapped in a long cloak. She was woken up in the middle of the night, and was carried by Hosokawa Sainori in the cold wind and snow. She looked tired and anxious, and she was shivering.

Kobayata hurriedly stood up and helped Hosokawa Harumiya off Hosokawa Sainori. The old man was over 60 years old and almost lost half his life.

"Ah, is it Harumiya and Sainori?" Yamauchi Yoshiharu was still a little energetic and glanced at the father and son of Hosokawa.

Hosokawa Harumiya swallowed twice, and Kobayata helped him to stroke his back. The old man took a breath and stretched out his rough hand full of wrinkles. He held Yamauchi Yoshiharu's hand, and his old eyes were filled with tears and he couldn't speak.

In fact, the sudden departure of Koheita from Fuchu Castle overnight had already made Hosokawa and his son suspicious. When someone dared to come to Komaba to discuss the affairs of the Eighth Prince overnight, Hosokawa Harumiya immediately felt something was wrong. The Eighth Prince had already been lost, so there was no need to discuss overnight. The fait accompli was difficult to change.

When he saw the lights on in the mansions of important officials under Fuchu Castle, the shrewd Hosokawa Harumiya told Hosokawa Saiyeon about his worries. Hosokawa Saiyeon, who was still leading the horse and holding the lantern, put on her clothes randomly, carried her father on her back and ran away. In snowy weather, it is not certain whether the horse is faster or the legs are faster.

"Is Taro not here yet?" Yamauchi Yoshiharu said this slowly, and there was a noise outside the house again.

Hosokawa Saiyeon jumped up. After all, she was in good health. She stepped to the door in a few steps. The second person to come was the oldest Yamauchi Izumo-no-kami. The old man pushed Hosokawa Saiyeon aside and went into the house to see Yamauchi Yoshiharu first.

Slowly, the important officials came into the house from outside one after another. However, when they arrived at Komaba, everyone felt an unusual atmosphere. When they entered the house, the faint sobbing further confirmed everyone's thoughts.

Only waiting for the most critical person, the sixth generation head of the Shinshu Yamanouchi family, Yamanouchi Taro.

"Koyata, why did His Highness suddenly deteriorate to this point?" Hosokawa Harumiya looked at Koyata with red eyes.

"When Hachioji fell, His Highness was so angry that he had another stroke after hearing the news. There is no cure."

Koyata answered truthfully. Anyone who heard that his family's 20,000 kan territory was gone would be anxious. Not to mention Yamanouchi Yoshiharu, who had suffered a stroke and was in poor health.

"Oh my, oh my..."

Hosokawa Harumiya, who was always calm, was also confused at this time. This man was about to close his eyes, and he could only sigh anxiously.

"I'll go outside the hall and see. Once Prince Taro arrives, he'll come in immediately."

"Here he comes!" Murakami Yoshimitsu was wearing a backpack tied with thick cloth strips, and the backpack was also covered with thick cloth. When the thick cloth was lifted, it was the already delirious Yamauchi Taro.

He also abandoned his horse and ran 11 miles with his two legs. He carried the famous Yamauchi Taro in the East in a bamboo basket.

As if by telepathy, Yamauchi Yoshiharu in the house also began to call softly: "Taro, Taro, come here and let me see."

Yamauchi Taro was still a little dizzy after bumping all the way. When he heard his grandfather calling, he also trotted over.

Yamauchi Yoshiharu was getting weaker and weaker at this moment. He could hardly open his eyes, but he knew that Yamauchi Taro had arrived by listening to his footsteps. He struggled to reach out his hand and wanted to hold Yamauchi Taro in his arms.

Trying to open his eyes wide and look at the child in front of him, Yamauchi Yoshiharu soon rolled down tears.

"Taro, Grandfather is going to meet your father, and he won't be able to watch you grow up."

The child was still young, just four years old, and didn't understand what Yamanouchi Yoshiharu meant for a while. But the "death" emanating from Yamanouchi Yoshiharu still made the child feel uncomfortable.

Looking at the important ministers present, their faces were exactly the same as when he held a funeral for his father, Yamanouchi Yoshikatsu. No matter how young the child was, he probably understood something.

Yamauchi Yoshiharu sighed, let Yamanouchi Shukei serve as Yamanouchi Taro's representative, and announced that the important ministers' collegial system would be implemented before Taro came of age. The Yamanouchi Shukei head family, Yamanouchi Izumo no Mamoru family, Imagawa Surugamori family, Hosokawa Harumiya family (caishe family), Zikoji Zaemon family, Zikoji Dansho family, Isshiki Miyauchi Shosuke family, Konishihara Zaemon family, Kitabatake Daigaku head family and other nine families formed the collegial judges.

At the same time, he ordered all the important officials to hold a grand funeral immediately after his death, the more grand and magnificent the better, and asked the chief accountant Yamauchi to act as his shadow warrior and appear from time to time.

The great reputation of Prime Minister Yamauchi was built with the blood and heads of countless rebels, and no one would dare to question how powerful this old and decadent man was in the past.

He knew that his death could not be concealed. The truth and falsehood mixed together might be more effective than hiding the death. For now, delaying for a moment is victory. For the four-year-old Yamauchi Taro, every day, every month, and every year is precious.

After saying the last instructions intermittently, Yamauchi Yoshiharu closed his eyes.

He went to the battlefield at the age of fifteen, traveled across the eastern country for thirty-three years, fought forty-nine times, and expanded from a humble land of one county with ten thousand kan to five countries, twenty-five counties, and more than 130,000 kan.

"My wish is enough..."

After saying this last sentence, Yamauchi Yoshiharu seemed to have used up all the strength in his body. Finally, he opened his eyes and looked at Yamauchi Taro, and gurgled in his throat.

With his head tilted, the hand that had been holding Yamauchi Taro fell with infinite reluctance.

"Wow............!"

Yamauchi Taro understood, Yamauchi Yoshiharu passed away!

"Father!" "Big Brother!" "Your Highness!"...

Various calls mixed together, and the important officials present rushed forward, standing or kneeling, covering their faces with their hands, and burst into tears.