Chapter 707 19. The Shocking Zhongtian Zheng Changed the Era

On July 28, the fourth year of Genki, the imperial court sent a message to the world, changing the era name to Tensho.

The next month was called the eighth month of the first year of Tensho!

As for why the era name was changed so quickly, the reason was very simple. Echizen governor Asakura Uemon-do Yoshikage beat drums and rang bells in Ichijodani to call on the nobles of Echizen and the Ichimonshu to come to help defend.

No civil officials came! No military generals came!

Asakura Yoshikage was only escorted by a hundred or so attendants, and he took his family to seek refuge with Asakura Kagekage. Asakura Kagekage closed the door and refused to let him in, saying that the city walls were thin and small, and it was impossible to resist Oda Nobunaga's army here, so he asked Asakura Yoshikage to go to Heiizumi Temple, where he was close, to seek the protection of local monks and believers.

As a result, when Asakura Yoshikage arrived at Heiizumi Temple, only thirteen or fourteen of the more than a hundred people were left, and most of the rest fled and left him. And because Heiizumi Temple was afraid of Oda Nobunaga's power, it openly sent more than six hundred people to prevent Asakura Yoshikage from entering the temple territory. Then he sent some wine and rice balls, and asked Asakura Yoshikage to take shelter somewhere else temporarily.

At this time, Asakura Yoshikage really prayed to heaven and earth but nothing worked. After drinking with the concubines. There was news from Sakon that Asakura Kageaki surrendered to Oda Nobunaga and would send troops to attack.

Then Asakura Yoshikage put on his clothes, changed into a white robe, and wrote "I will never surrender even if I am defeated again. I will live my life without me or others. The four great things are empty!"

He swung his sword and died at the age of 41!

Soon his head was sent to Nobunaga's army. Asakura Kageken, who was still resisting, saw this and knew that the situation was over. He could only sigh and surrender. Nobunaga conquered Echizen, and the future troubles were greatly eliminated!

Maeha Yoshi succeeded Nobunaga and changed his name to Katsura Nagatsune. He was named the lord of Ichijodani Castle, served as the guardian of Echizen, and became Nobunaga's retainer. Tomita Nagashino was named the lord of Echizen Fuchū Castle, and the rest of the surrenderers were rewarded.

When the news reached Luoyang, the whole country was shocked. The imperial court was still hesitating whether to change the era name immediately. Seeing that Asakura Yoshikage was defeated and died, the imperial court did not dare to say anything and immediately agreed to Oda Nobunaga's request to change the era name.

The aftermath of this incident has not stopped yet. The lord of Jiangbei Sawayama Castle, Isono Umamasa, originally resisted quite fiercely, and Hashiba Hideyoshi really had no way to deal with him for a while.

As a result, when he saw Asakura Yoshikage's head, he knew that the situation was over and surrendered to Oda Nobunaga on the condition of adopting Nobunaga's son. His surrender overturned the first domino, and the lord of Yamamotoyama Castle, Abe Sadamasa, surrendered immediately, followed by Hori Hidemura, Miyabe Tsujun, Ogawa Yutada, Ishii Nobutada and others who fell to Hashiba Hideyoshi one after another.

At this point, Asai Nagamasa only had the territory of Odani Sakon left. The former governor of Jiangbei became an abandoned child trapped in an isolated city!

Not to mention organizing a large army to compete with Oda Nobunaga, now he can't even beat Hashiba Hideyoshi who was left in Jiangbei Yokoyama by Oda Nobunaga, and he lost land one after another.

When all these news reached Yamanouchi Fuchu Castle, it was already August. Isshiki Miyauchi in Luoyang and Yamanouchi Shukei in Makishima finally returned to the palace one after another.

Ashikaga Yoshiaki finally realized that the small fish could not beat Oda Nobunaga to death, and the disappearance of the resistance forces in Jiangbei, Jiangnan Echizen and other countries meant that Ashikaga Yoshiaki in Makishima Castle was deeply surrounded by Oda Nobunaga.

Hosokawa Fujitaka also came to the palace, he came alone, and he didn't even bring Ashikaga Yoshiaki's aunt and his wife, and he only had a letter of instruction written on white silk.

"The Ministry of War is now in the palace, and he has taken on a huge responsibility!" Xiao Pingtai just greeted.

"Life in the world is like a small boat floating on the sea. How can it be easy for a day?" Hosokawa Fujitaka smiled.

No one exposed that he left his son Kumachiyo, who became Oda Nobunaga's son-in-law after Oda Nobunaga adopted Akechi Tamako, in Luoyang.

Although it was time to stand in line, he didn't put all the chips on the Yamanouchi family. The father stood on the Yamanouchi side, and the son naturally stood on the Nobunaga side because of his status.

"Please come forward and sit." Everyone made way.

Hosokawa Fujitaka was an envoy of the shogunate, the former head of the imperial tribute, and the eldest son-in-law of Yamanouchi Yoshiharu. He was a standard Yamanouchi family. No matter what, his ranking in the Yamanouchi family was high enough.

Now that he has brought Ashikaga Yoshiaki's imperial teachings, he naturally has to sit at the top of the crowd!

After Mori Terumoto's military rations entered Makishima Castle, Ashikaga Yoshiaki was completely determined to defend Makishima Castle to the death. He gathered his trusted retainers and public servants, built more castles, and sent Ashikaga Yoshiaki a righteous cause.

Ashikaga Yoshiaki clearly issued a general order to attack the samurai in the world to Oda Nobunaga!

Miyoshi Yoshitsugu and Matsunaga Hisahide responded immediately, and then Settsu Araki Murashige took advantage of the situation and immediately launched an army to attack and kill Wada Koremasa, the guardian agent placed by Oda Nobunaga in Settsu, and almost seized half of Settsu.

After that, almost all the forces in Kinai responded to Ashikaga Yoshiaki, and Rokkaku Yoshiharu gathered the old party and entered the Jiangnan Catfish River Castle, trying to revive the Rokkaku clan in Jiangnan.

Nobunaga entered Luoyang and sat in Nijo, commanding the suppression of opponents in various places, and asked Masanobuchi to issue an order to negotiate with Ashikaga Yoshiaki. He also expressed his willingness to offer Ashikaga Yoshiaki the imperial ryo of one country in Yamashiro and half of the country in Settsu.

Ashikaga Yoshiaki, who had always been "tactful", finally stood up and sternly rejected Oda Nobunaga's request, saying that Oda Nobunaga's repeated violations of gods and Buddhas and his crimes against the shogunate were unforgivable.

The biggest obstacle to the war between Yamauchi and Oda disappeared from then on!

Ashikaga Yoshiaki got the righteous cause to fight against the "traitor" Oda Nobunaga!

Of course, this was not unconditional. After a round of bargaining between Yamanouchi Shukei and Ashikaga Yoshiaki, Ashikaga Yoshiaki promised the world by issuing a letter of instruction. Once Ashikaga Yoshiaki led his army to Kyoto, he would hold a ceremony at Shirakawa Taisha Shrine after entering Luoyang and pass on the throne to Ashikaga Yoshiaki.

Ashikaga Yoshiaki guided Ashikaga Yoshiaki in handling the shogunate government as the Grand Imperial Palace until Ashikaga Yoshiaki was 18 years old. After that, he retired to Higashiyama or Nanto to rest and no longer interfere in the shogunate government.

Ashikaga Yoshiaki's current son was sent to the Echigo Uesugi clan and became the adopted son of Kanto Kanrei Uesugi Kenshin, and was engaged to the daughter of the former Kanrei Uesugi Kenshin.

Everything was to urge Ashikaga Yoshiaki to raise his army to Kyoto as soon as possible!

The miscellaneous fish in Kinai saw that although the momentum was great, it was clear that they were being defeated one by one by Oda Nobunaga. Even a giant like Asakura Yoshikage died, no one had 100% confidence that he could defeat Oda Nobunaga.

"Your Highness, please come to Kyoto as soon as possible!" Hosokawa Fujitaka bowed his head, saluted Ashikaga Yoshiaki respectfully, and handed the imperial teaching to Ashikaga Yoshiaki.

This day has finally come! Murakami Yoshimitsu took the imperial teaching from Hosokawa Fujitaka and solemnly handed it to Ashikaga Yoshiaki.

"Please rest assured, father, I will hunt with Gifu Dansho in Kyoto!"