The Self-Cultivation of Warring States Warriors

Page 99

"Following Lord Jubei's strategy, the Ichijoya troops who will be fighting this time are all loyal retainers who are close to the various district officials." Asakura Yoshikage took over the conversation, and then put down the chess piece in his hand, revealing a satisfied expression: "I am not a wise general who is good at planning. It is entirely thanks to Lord Jubei's teachings that I have been able to see the situation clearly."

“Lord Kingo, your words are inappropriate.” Akechi Mitsuhide bowed slightly, quickly placing his piece in response, and then slowly said, “I am merely an unrelated person, and may speak nonsense at will. Lord Kingo, as the lord of Echizen, your words and actions carry great weight, yet you possess the determination of a hero cutting off his own arm, which is truly admirable.”

"An unrelated person? Is Lord Jubei complaining about not receiving a generous reward?" Asakura Yoshikage said in a teasing tone, but a look of distress flashed in his eyes. He concealed it by looking down at the chessboard, and said in a low voice while holding a chess piece, "The territory of the Echizen Asakura family has been occupied by all the members and hereditary leaders. It would be a great offense to grant rewards to outsiders rashly. I am truly sorry."

"How dare I, how dare I!" Akechi Mitsuhide's expression remained unchanged, revealing not a trace of emotion. "Echizen has its own national circumstances; how can we arbitrarily demand things from them?"

"Alas, I have failed Lord Jubei. The matter of winning over Omi Asai was your doing, and you should have been praised, but..." Asakura Yoshikage suddenly had a bright idea in his eyes, placed a piece, and said happily, "With this move, Lord Jubei will probably lose several pieces and it will be difficult to turn the tide."

“…Indeed.” Mitsuhide Akechi quickly admitted defeat and immediately bowed. “Then this game is beyond my control. I am no match for Lord Kingo.”

"Thank you for your kind offer!" Asakura Yoshikage returned the gesture with a smile.

"Does Lord Kingo have any plans for today? Then I shall take my leave." Akechi Mitsuhide remained prostrate on the ground.

"I won't see you off," Asakura Yoshikage said with a sigh of regret. "I'm so busy with daily affairs, I really envy Lord Jubei! I'll send someone to invite him next time I have some free time."

Mitsuhide Akechi bowed again, rose calmly, and left with leisurely steps.

After leaving the palace, passing through three curved roads, we arrived at the castle town of Ichijodani, entered a small and exquisite temple, and then turned into a narrow guest room on the side.

Then he sighed at the quiet and dignified woman in the room: "Echizen Asakura, nothing special. He lacks the courage to break with tradition and personally lead troops into battle, and can only use defeats as an opportunity to consolidate power. When he proposed this idea, he only wanted to test the man's capacity, but unexpectedly, Lord Kingo accepted it immediately. How can we achieve great things by working with such an incorrigible head of the clan!"

"You've worked hard, sir." The woman smoothed her short hair behind her ear, smiled gently, and ignored the content of the conversation, simply doing her best to help: "Would you like something to eat? Or would you like to wash up first?"

"Alas, I have failed my dear wife." Mitsuhide Akechi looked at his wife's face and was immediately filled with remorse: "Since leaving Mino, I haven't been able to find a good job, and I even had Hiko sell her most treasured hair to supplement the family income..."

“My lord, there’s no need to say such things.” The woman named Xizi reached out and held her husband’s arm tightly, her tone soft yet firm: “As long as we are together, that is the greatest happiness.”

"Hmm... It's decided!" Mitsuhide Akechi took a deep breath and instantly perked up: "From today onwards, I will be employed as a doctor. Although it deviates somewhat from the samurai way, the consultation fees are quite substantial!"

"As long as you're happy." Xi Zi paused for a moment, then quickly smiled again: "I don't know much about your studies in medicine, sir."

“Going to Kyoto to study medicine was a long time ago,” Akechi Mitsuhide sighed. “Back then, there was a fellow student whose name I had only heard of but never met. His surname was Matsunaga, and his given name was Hisahide. He rose to prominence by getting close to influential people through his medical profession. I used to think he was too opportunistic, but now I realize that I was too stuck in conventional thinking!”

187 Wakasa’s new owner

Just days before Shinzaburo achieved his great victory, the conflicts on the other fronts also came to an end.

Matsunaga Nagayori employed a feint attack, pretending to fight against Tango Isshiki while actually luring the enemy out of their hiding place and launching a surprise attack on the Hatano family of Tanba Province. He ultimately succeeded in crossing the treacherous pass, entering the Shinoyama Basin, capturing Yagami Castle, and sending his nephew Matsunaga Magoroku to garrison it.

This means that all the prime territories of Toki County have been acquired.

The long-time local power, the Hatano family, has finally fallen. The direct descendants have fled to unknown locations, while the branches have surrendered by offering hostages. Akai Naomasa of the Hikami district, who had been eager to make a move, also sent an envoy to declare that he had no intention of resisting and claimed that the rumors from some time ago were untrue, thus symbolically yielding.

In this way, Matsunaga Nagayori formally completed the unification of Tanba.

To avoid local resentment towards his outsider son-in-law, Matsunaga Nagayori used the name "Hōunken" a few years ago to conceal his ambitions as a monk, claiming he was merely assisting his young and weak brother-in-law. Now, however, he has changed his identity, adopting the name "Naitō Munekatsu" and using the official title of the Naitō family, the deputy governor of Tanba, "Bizen no Kami," changing the signature on his documents to "Tanzan no Kami Munekatsu, governor of Tanba," or simply "Bizen no Kami."

This was actually the new head of the Naito family, who claimed to be the protector of the family, quietly taking over the position of his brother-in-law.

Then Hosokawa Ujitsuna cooperated and wrote letters to various places in Tanba, saying: "Regarding the succession of the Naito family, the deputy governor of Tanba, it was previously agreed that Hōunken would assist the young lord Senshūmaru; now, considering the situation, it is appropriate for Hōunken to be the head of the family."

The nature of this matter itself is not particularly egregious; it was just a common occurrence during the Warring States period.

However, the problem is that Matsunaga Nagayori put on too much of a show in the past few years, and now that he's suddenly showing his true colors, the contrast is quite strong. Moreover, this approach is not the slow and methodical style of Miyoshi Nagayoshi or Matsunaga Hisahide.

It is reasonable to suspect that Matsunaga Nagayasu and Hosokawa Ujitsuna insisted on pushing this forward, and Miyoshi Nagayoshi reluctantly agreed.

In addition, many Tanba samurai harbored resentment in private, but did not express it publicly.

For example, Kawakatsu Tsuguji was not very satisfied: "This kind of behavior seems somewhat inconsistent."

Inatomi Shigenobu's emotions were also somewhat complicated: "They keep calling themselves Tanba samurai, but they don't really trust us!"

Even Kumataro Kubo said, "I don't really understand, but if everyone thinks it's inappropriate, then it really is inappropriate."

Hidetoshi Takemura, who came from the west, also believed that "there may be future troubles."

However, people from eastern Japan, such as Oi, Harumi, Nagono, and Ishikawa, felt that the Tanba people were making a mountain out of a molehill and had too little acceptance of outsiders.

In any case, Shinzaburo learned his lesson and realized that he should be more cautious in Wakasa. Even though things seemed to be going smoothly for him now, he should not rashly usurp the position.

Moreover, it's impossible to seize it now; it all depends on the peace negotiations between the Miyoshi and Asakura families.

That's right, the two sides quickly reached a peace agreement.

Some time ago, the Miyoshi clan split into two groups. One group, led by Miyoshi Nagayoshi himself, took his brothers from Shikoku and attacked Kawachi. Under the pretext of welcoming Hatakeyama Takamasa, they defeated Yasami Munefusa, who had a large army. The other group, led by Miyoshi Yoshioki, defended Kyoto with soldiers from the Kinki region and easily repelled the last attempt of the former shogunate's Kanrei, Hosokawa Harumoto.

Next, with the cunning Rokkaku Yoshikata acting as intermediary, Ashikaga Yoshiteru finally formally extended an olive branch.

The general conditions were that Miyoshi Nagayoshi would be granted the shogunate position of "Gosho Banshū" and recommended for the position of "Jūshi Rank 4, Lower Grade, Shuri-daibu". His eldest son, Miyoshi Yoshioki, would also receive the same "Gosho Banshū" status and the rank of Jūshi Rank 4, Lower Grade. Then, Miyoshi Yoshikata, Matsunaga Hisahide, and Miyoshi Nagayuki would also receive official positions.

Correspondingly, Ashikaga Yoshiteru returned to Kyoto and began cooperating with Hosokawa Ujitsuna, fulfilling the responsibilities of the Shogun. Meanwhile, the former Kanrei (chief advisor) Hosokawa Harumoto defected to the Rokkaku family and continued his anti-Miyoshi stance.

There was a minor incident during this period. The Ise family held the hereditary position of steward of the shogunate, overseeing daily affairs. Ise Sataka, in this generation, was an old friend of Miyoshi Nagayoshi. In recent years, instead of fleeing with him, he had remained in Kyoto to maintain stability, earning his trust. Now that the shogunate had returned to power, it seemed natural for Ise Sataka to resume his position as steward of the shogunate.

However, Ashikaga Yoshiteru made a clever move, suggesting that Matsunaga Hisahide, a senior retainer of the Miyoshi clan, be appointed as the acting steward of the government office. Miyoshi Nagayoshi, of course, wouldn't refuse, as the trustworthiness of an old friend was not as high as that of an old retainer. As a result, Ise Sataka became the abandoned clown.

This little incident shows that although Ashikaga Yoshiteru may not have many other skills, he was quite adept at maneuvering and strategizing.

The bureaucracy of the shogunate was not very efficient, and the appointment of officials by the imperial court was even more complicated. The above personnel arrangements could not be announced in the short term, but since they were promised, they would be fulfilled.

In truth, Miyoshi Nagayoshi was fully capable of demanding a title from the Imperial Court himself, but he adhered to the tradition that all samurai official positions were recommended by the shogunate. He maintained this stance to the end, thus avoiding controversy like Matsunaga Nagayori.

Meanwhile, Ashikaga Yoshihiro, a member of the Ashikaga clan who had been persuaded to return from Kyushu, found himself in an awkward position. They had promised to support him as shogun, but suddenly reneged, truly a case of starting something and then abandoning it.

However, Yoshikata Miyoshi of Awa kept the man around. Perhaps as a backup plan.

Although Shinzaburo was far away in Wakasa, he was still affected by the situation in the Kinai region.

Ashikaga Yoshiteru not only turned enemies into friends with Miyoshi Nagayoshi, but also acted as a mediator for the Echizen Asakura family, facilitating peace negotiations between the two sides.

The matter of Tsuruga's group approaching Jiangxi Province to escape back to Japan was also explained.

Shinzaburo couldn't get a word in edgewise on this topic; he could only wait for the adults above to decide and hear the outcome.

He eventually received a letter.

It was sent over by Koizumi Hidekiyo, the magistrate of Hosokawa Ujitsuna, and Noma Hisashi, a close associate of Miyoshi Nagayoshi.

Upon opening it, the first thing that was written was: "The Takeda father and son are in harmony. Nobutoyo-dono has returned to the headship of the family. It was agreed that Yoshitoyo-dono would be the heir, and it was vowed that the eldest son would not be deposed and the youngest son would be chosen. The position of guardian will be passed on in one year."

Shinzaburo felt a wave of dizziness. How could they accept such conditions after winning a battle? It was a humiliation and loss of national sovereignty!

Further reading revealed the following text: "Tanba Kubo Genban is appointed as the deputy governor of Wakasa, and all matters concerning the satsu are to be decided."

Oh, I didn't know there was such a trick to it.

Since that's the case, Shinzaburo naturally had no objections.

The Asakura family managed to save face and, holding onto the card of Takeda Yoshitomo, left themselves with a glimmer of hope for a counterattack.

The only question is, will Takeda Nobutoyo be satisfied?

Although that old fellow has no prestige or popularity, he is still a legitimate guardian of Wakasa. If he refuses to cooperate, it will make the situation very ugly.

Isn't Sanhao Changqing always known for his respectability?

As a result, Shinzaburo tentatively asked the other party, who genuinely agreed with a disheartened expression.

This is because someone was given "ideological work."

Wakasa no Kōshū Takeda Nobutoyo had five sons. His eldest son rebelled, and his second and third sons supported their brother. Only the young fourth and fifth sons followed their father.

However, the fourth and fifth sons, having been persuaded by someone, have expressed their desire to serve in the shogunate in Kyoto after reaching adulthood, to carry on the "traditions of the samurai family" and the etiquette of archery and horsemanship, rather than remain in the countryside of Wakasa as governors.

Under such circumstances, what was the point of Takeda Nobutoyo, who was nearly fifty years old, holding the position of head of the clan? He could only accept his fate with a sense of despair.

He was told that the succession would be arranged a year later, but he didn't have the patience to wait and went directly to the temple to become a monk.

Before leaving, he earnestly instructed Shinzaburo: "The knowledge I imparted to you about The Tale of Genji is a treasure more important than castles and land. I hope you will study it diligently."

And then they never came back.

What's rather subtle is that Takeda Yoshitomo, living in the Asakura family's Ichijōdani Castle, was so content that he had no intention of returning to Wakasa.

This means the new Guardian has taken over all the power.

Matsunaga Nagayori spent five or six years in Tanba to obtain this status, and it also caused a lot of controversy.

In less than two years, Shinzaburo became a recognized governor of a country.

Although there was a significant difference in size between Tanba and Wakasa, their ranks were essentially the same. When traveling, Tanba was entitled to use a ceremonial umbrella bag, felt saddle cover, and tarpaulin, setting him apart from ordinary samurai.

Perhaps it was precisely because Wakasa Province was small in size and sparsely populated that Shinzaburo faced less resistance in becoming the governor.

188. Proclaim yourself king slowly, build high walls.

During the battles against the various units of the Asakura army, the soldiers retrieved the heads of five or six hundred men wearing ceremonial armor. After inspection, one hundred and twenty-six of them were identified as samurai, while the rest were armored soldiers of wealthy peasant origin.

Among the highest-ranking were Asakura Hikoshichiro, a relative of the Ōno district magistrate, and Koyama Ukyo, who had served as a district magistrate.

Therefore, it is estimated that the total number of enemies killed should be between 1,500 and 2,500.

Even though the Echizen Asakura family was large and powerful, such a loss was enough to be considered a serious blow, and they would have to rest and recuperate for a year or two.

However, it was only a minor injury, not a terminal illness.

Miyoshi Nagayoshi did not think now was the right time to conquer Echizen, and Shinzaburo was not capable of doing so on his own.

It is not surprising that peace negotiations are taking place.

They also captured some others, basically releasing them after receiving a ransom from the temples and shrines as intermediaries. Only the unconscious Ōno-gun chief Asakura Kagekage held a special position and was taken back for safekeeping.

He was fine, but after being fed thin porridge for two days, he woke up and immediately attempted suicide, but failed.

Shinzaburo also arranged a meeting, but Asakura Kagekyo looked listless and dejected, showing no desire to talk.

This guy was clearly not a tiger general, and there was no risk of letting him go back to the mountains. So after some consideration, Shinzaburo asked a Zen monk to act as an intermediary and offered an exorbitant price of five hundred kan to see if the other side would be willing to redeem him.

Asakura Yoshikage, the head of the Asakura family's direct line, is most likely unwilling to pay this amount, but perhaps someone from a branch family of the Ōno district would be willing?

Unexpectedly, after the news was released, it wasn't the Echizen Asakura family who came knocking, but rather a court noble from Kyoto.

The visitor was Hirohashi Kunimitsu, one of the three junior councilors.

Shinsaburo was always extremely loyal to the imperial court, so naturally, he prepared an oxcart and a grand banquet to entertain him with great hospitality.

When Hirohashi Kunimitsu arrived, he immediately began to shower the country with compliments for two hours, citing classical texts and using various methods to praise the restoration of the tribute system for the Forbidden Country Manor, and saying that Shinzaburo was a benevolent and righteous man rarely seen throughout history.

The rhythmic and melodious Kyoto dialect is quite pleasant to listen to.

He then revealed the true purpose of his trip—to request a reduction in Asakura Kagekyo's salary.

Why is it the high-ranking officials who are speaking?

Because Asakura Kagekage's maternal grandfather was Karasuma Fuyumitsu, who once served as a junior councilor; and Hirohashi Kunimitsu's wife was Karasuma Fuyumitsu's granddaughter; they were cousins ​​and cousin-in-law.

The Karasuma family, whose ancestral tradition was poetry and calligraphy, had traveled to Ichijodani in Echizen Province many times to teach and also maintained close ties with the Muromachi Shogunate. Given the backdrop of the peace treaty between the Miyoshi and Ashikaga clans, they could not afford to be complacent.

Shinzaburo wasn't really greedy; he was just asking for an exorbitant price. Since a powerful person had intervened, he offered a significant discount, reducing the price from 500 kan to 50 kan.

Hirohashi Kunimitsu was very pleased and presented the gift entrusted by the Karasuma family: a thin handwritten copy containing an analysis of some original waka poems in "The Tale of Genji".

The items are quite valuable.

Whether it's handwritten or not doesn't matter; the key is to include explanations.

These days, appreciating poetry is like reading comprehension in a language exam; there are standard answers, and you can't just say whatever you want. And these standard answers are set by "ancient sages" and circulate only among "insiders."

This includes many questions such as "What emotion does the blue dress express?", and even details such as "Which bridge did the author mention?", which cannot be understood on one's own and can only be memorized.

The most prestigious interpretation of the Kokin Wakashū by Nijō-ryū poets of the Heian period is known as the "Kokin Transmission," a secret transmission not to be shared with outsiders. Anyone fortunate enough to learn it would be regarded as a national treasure.

The analysis of the waka poems in "The Tale of Genji" that Shinzaburo obtained was certainly far less valuable than the "transmission of ancient and modern knowledge," but since it came from the Karasuma family, which was known for its poetry, it must have a certain degree of authority. If one could read it thoroughly, it would be enough to be regarded as one of their own by the court nobles and high-ranking monks in Kyoto.

In addition, given the knowledge he had learned from Takeda Nobutoyo about the "official history" of "The Tale of Genji," he could no longer be called a "countryside samurai."

……

Despite achieving such great results, Shinzaburo remained cautious in his actions in Wakasa due to the criticisms leveled against Matsunaga Nagayori by the Tanba people.

Disheartened, Takeda Nobutoyo went to a temple to become a monk, while Takeda Yoshitomo stayed in Echizen and refused to return to Wakasa, leaving the main castle of Koseyama Castle empty.

However, Shinzaburo preferred to leave it empty and wasteful rather than move in himself. Instead, he solemnly announced that a "Sasaki Residence" would be built in the winding hillside as the residence and office of the new governor.

This is similar to how Matsunaga Nagayoshi used "Hōunken" as his pen name back then; it was a means of winning people's hearts.

The difference is that Shinzaburo genuinely wasn't very interested in Wakasa's position as the warlord.

He knew that, according to the general trend of history, the old order of the Muromachi Shogunate would gradually collapse in the future. In eight or ten years, as long as he had the strength, obtaining a title higher than that of Wakasa Shugo would not be difficult.

Why rush?

However, this advice cannot be used to admonish Matsunaga Nagayori.

Some people might feel very frustrated, but Shinzaburo doesn't care at all.