Volume 2: Thick and Heavy Winds and Clouds Chapter 61: The Black Hat Intimate

  After defeating Nagano's cavalry, Takeda Shingen's rearguard was no longer pursued and spent the night without incident.

  The next day, Obata Toramori's Obata Akbei replaced Takeda Katsuyori in charge of the rear guard, but by then the vanguard of the Nagano forces had arrived and joined with some local daimyos to engage the Obata troops in several fierce battles, with both sides suffering victories and defeats.

  However, on the evening of that day, the Takeda army finally arrived at the mountain pass of Shiraiwa, and they would be able to enter the territory of Shinano by crossing the pass the next day, which made the Takeda soldiers who had been worried about being pursued by the combined forces of Nagano and Uesugi for many days breathe a sigh of relief.

  Takeda Shōryū's army camped by the stream in the mountains, Li Xiao ordered the groom to take the war horses away for feeding, and he himself came to the stream to drink water and wash his face.

  Li Xiao felt invigorated as she cupped her hands to splash the crystal clear icy mountain spring water on her face. Nearby, Kobayashi Yumi and her sister Kobayashi Yoshino were also washing up, soaking their feet in the water and carefully rinsing their hair.

  In this era, Japanese women were very particular about their hair. The beauty of a woman at that time was first judged by her back view, where the amount and straightness of her hair were essential conditions for being considered beautiful. According to the customs of the time, even when facing their husbands, noblewomen had to cover their faces with fans, so everyone could only compete in terms of their backs. When walking, they used their knees to move, striving to be elegant and refined, which was called "knee-walking".

  However, from either an ancient or modern perspective, both Komaba sisters can be considered standard beauties.

  Li Xiao chatted with them, and because of her young age, Kobayashi Yoshiko was more innocent and romantic. She didn't quite understand the ways of the world, and she didn't have a deep-seated resentment towards the tragic events that had befallen her family. As a result, when their conversation turned to amusing topics, she would often burst out laughing with a clear and crisp sound.

  While Kobayashi Yumi, due to their master-servant relationship, responded to Li Xiao in a formal and serious manner, with no smile on her face. Li Xiao was the type of person who could easily make girls happy in college, but when he met the cold and icy Kobayashi Yumi, it was also difficult for him to make her lose her composure and laugh.

  Li Xiao is not in a hurry anyway, everyone is together, there are plenty of opportunities to come slowly, the more challenging it is, the more he likes it.

  Li Xiao often talks about some touching love stories he has seen before, and Kobayashi Yoshino will be moved to tears. At this time, Kobayashi Yumi also shows a very serious listening expression.

  As for the young master of the Obi family, Kōzaburou, whenever Rikiya had some free time, he would carry that iron cannon from his house and entwine himself around Rikiya, asking him to be his samurai.

  However, Li Xiao refused his request on the grounds that he was still young (thirteen years old is not small at all), but to tell the truth, Kōyōmaru's iron cannon was used quite well. Li Xiao had seen him hit targets with an iron cannon, and his accuracy rate was much higher than those of Takeda Shingen's men, who were like a bunch of rice buckets with iron cannons. In the future, he will probably become an expert in using iron cannons.

  So Li Xiao didn't completely give up on his heart, and agreed to let him become his vassal in half a year. At the ceremony of becoming a vassal, he would also be his "Eboshi-oyakata" (a ceremonial role).

  At that time, when a samurai family's son came of age, an older person with a warrior identity would put on his black hat, tie the hat strings, and give him a new name after coming of age. This person often also gave one character from the name to the person who had just come of age. The person performing the ceremony was called "Eboshi-oya".

  At that time, famous martial arts families would find a person of high moral character or power to be their "eboshi-oya". For example, the "eboshi-oya" of Takeda Shingen was the former shogun Ashikaga Yoshiteru. The original name of Takeda Shingen was Harunobu, and the character "Haru" was given by Ashikaga Yoshiteru.

  However, as the shogun of the Muromachi bakufu, Ashikaga Yoshiteru himself would not attend Takeda Shingen's coming-of-age ceremony, and the granting of a character was merely a return to the Takeda family for their support in his rise to power.

  Just like in the Warring States period, where the lower class overthrew the upper class, involving struggles for power and position, father-son relationships and brotherly love could be disregarded. What more can be said about a humble hat? However, some people do not value it, while others regard it as their lifeblood. Just as in this world there are treacherous officials who bring ruin to the country, there must also be loyal officials who die for their duty.

  So from the form, there is this layer of 'Wu Maozi Qin' relationship. Li Xiao will have the responsibility to protect Rouyuan in the future, and Rouyuan also needs to dedicate himself to Li Xiao, which can be regarded as establishing the master-slave relationship between the two people.

  Since having Li Xiao's promise, Ruo Yu Wan entered the identity ahead of time and devoted himself to Li Xiao as his master, usually actively helping Li Xiao clean up weapons, military accounts, etc., doing some things within his power.

  The Kobayakawa sisters' view of Li Xiao was also different, after all, two out of the three siblings were under Li Xiao's command. In order to revive the Kobayakawa family and bring honor to their ancestors, everything depended on Li Xiao's abilities. Moreover, the greater Li Xiao's achievements, the closer they would be to their hopes.

  Compared with Daosheng Meng, Shigeyuki Ichinose and Obata siblings, although they entered Li Xiao's field of vision for a short time, they have a strong momentum to surpass them later.

  After returning to the military account, Li Xiao's tent suddenly had a rare guest visit, and he was actually the son of Takeda's family history, Atsushi Takeda's son, Katsutoshi Takeda.

  Li Xiaoxin muttered to herself, what is this person coming to her place for?

  Takeda Shingen boasted about Li Xiao's achievements in the Battle of Chongqing Island, his performance in the conquest of Guofeng City, and his victory over North Korea's Gangwon Province, which restored the honor of the Takeda family. Recently, he also personally led his troops to repel the attack of the Ueno cavalry.

  Atsushi Katsuragi paved the way first, picking out what Li Xiaoyu wanted to hear, and then slowly spoke his mind. It turned out that Atsushi Katsuragi was helping Takeeda Yoshinobu win over Li Xiaoyu.

  "His Highness greatly admires your bravery, Lord Li Xiao. If you are willing to pledge loyalty to His Highness, he promises to promote you to the rank of General-in-Chief in the near future."

  Samurai Taisho? Li Xiao still felt excited after hearing it, being loyal to Takeda Yoshinobu would allow him to obtain the rank of Samurai Taisho, what a great future prospect. However......, Li Xiao secretly sneered in his heart.

  "Lord Tsuba, what are you talking about? I was originally serving the Takeda family, and isn't that also serving Your Highness?" Li Xiao gave a vague answer to the other party, but didn't take it too far.

  The two of them chatted for a while longer.

  Li Xiao's words are clear, I have no interest in serving your lordship, but I won't interfere with your big plans either, don't come looking for trouble from me.

  "Lord Li Xiao, you also know that in the future, His Highness will undoubtedly be the only suitable candidate for the position of head of the Takeda family. If you have any other ideas, it's best to put them away. If you don't pledge your allegiance to His Highness today, then you are His Highness' enemy. Think carefully about this path."

  This is completely a tone from top to bottom, and Li Xiao was treated as a family minister.

  As soon as this was said, Chi Bu Shi immediately walked out of Li Xiao's tent with a gloomy face, his face full of resentment.

  Watching Tsuba Katsu's departure, Li Xiao shook his head repeatedly, thinking that Takeeda Yoshinobu was indeed incompetent, sending such a person to persuade him. Didn't he know that in politics, most people take a neutral stance, and by forcing someone to make a decision, he would only push more people to the opposing side?

  As he thought of this, Li Xiao suddenly saw a figure flashing outside the tent. Li Xiao chased after him and recognized the silhouette as one of Takeda Shingen's close attendants. It seemed that Takeda Shingen had sent someone to pay a sudden visit to himself, and even Takeda Shingen was curious about it. However, in this case, Li Xiao was not afraid at all. He firmly believed that after this incident, Takeda Shingen's trust in him would increase once again.

  Anyway, he and Takeda Yoshinobu were not on the same wavelength to begin with, and there was a gap between them. Thinking this way, Li Xiao felt more at ease and went back to his tent to sleep.

  The next day, before dawn, Li Xiao was suddenly awakened by a light infantry soldier.

  Only to see Zu Qing's face pale with a look of panic, he hastily said: "My lord, it's not good! The allied forces of Uesugi and Nagano are attacking our army!"