The Self-Cultivation of Warring States Warriors

Page 120

It is none other than the current deputy governor of Wakasa, known as Tanba Zhongke, Kubo Sado no Kami Shinzaburo Yoshiaki.

Because he was an important figure in his own faction and had close ties with the Chan school, he was allowed to enter Guangfu Temple without prior notification.

"Lord Kubo Sado!" Everyone greeted him.

Naito Munekatsu also bowed in acknowledgment, then shook his head and smiled bitterly: "We have failed to govern Tanba well, and we have troubled you to come here. We are truly unworthy of the title of 'Governor of Tanba'!"

Judging from his words, although he said he was ashamed to accept the title, he had no intention of giving up the name at all.

"I heard that Lord Bizen's sworn brother is bedridden. I brought some medicinal herbs from Kyoto, but I don't know if they will be of any use." Shinzaburo returned the greetings one by one, and then said, "There is another matter that I would like to discuss with you all."

Naito Munekatsu bowed and said, "Please enlighten me."

"I dare not accept such praise." Shinzaburo looked around and said calmly, "As far as I know, Lord Naito Chikatsu is just young and weak, and it happened to be a cold winter, so he caught a cold. It has nothing to do with anyone else. However, the rumors in the streets are getting stronger and stronger, and they are actually making people in Tanba waver."

Upon hearing this, Matsunaga Sonroku nodded vigorously in agreement, saying, "That's why we must refute this rumor!"

Fukui, Kobayashi, and Sasabe, the three senior retainers, all wore bitter expressions, looked at each other, and remained silent.

Naito Munekatsu, however, had a complicated expression and offered no explanation.

Shinzaburo observed everyone's reactions and spoke loudly: "In my opinion, the root of the problem lies in the fact that Lord Chikatsu's future has not been decided beforehand. Since Lord Bizen has inherited the Naito family under the 'universal support,' arrangements should be made for Lord Chikatsu, who is about to come of age. Otherwise, even if he recovers from his illness this time, any future setbacks will cause further discussion."

In truth, Naito Munekatsu's appointment as the acting head of the Naito family in Tanba, as his son-in-law, was not exactly a popular choice. Not only was there internal resistance within Tanba, but even Miyoshi Nagayoshi wasn't very supportive. However, given the circumstances, to maintain unity, there was no way to pursue the matter further.

Some things are better left to the general rather than the specific.

From Shinzaburo's perspective, the only thing he could do was stand by and help make amends.

Incidentally, this process also enhances one's prestige.

Everyone was somewhat surprised to hear that arrangements were being made for Naito Chikatsu.

This is not easy to arrange.

Whether they are sent to temples to become monks or kept in Yagi Castle as retainers, there are many hidden dangers.

After all, it was a case of taking away someone else's ancestral business.

The attitudes of Naito Munekatsu and Matsunaga Magoroku are self-evident. As for Fukui, Kobayashi, and Sasabe, since they were promoted in recent years, they must also be loyal to the new master. However, as the Naito family hereditary leaders from Tanba, their situation is rather awkward.

Shinzaburo, however, was confident. Pointing towards Kyoto, he smiled and said, "Lord Kubo was deceived by treacherous ministers and wandered for many years. Now he has finally cleared up the misunderstanding with the Miyoshi family and returned to Kyoto. This is a cause for celebration. However, in the turmoil of these years, the Ashikaga family has suffered considerable losses of loyal retainers. The shogunate is currently not fully staffed and needs to recruit scions of prominent families to rebuild its foundation. I think we can divide the Naito family into two branches, one to remain in Tanba and the other to develop in Kyoto."

Upon hearing this, everyone was initially surprised, but then their faces lit up with joy.

Matsunaga Sonroku immediately exclaimed "Ah!" and slapped his thigh repeatedly: "That would be perfect!"

Fukui, Kobayashi, and Sasabe all nodded, their expressions much more relaxed.

Only Naito Munekatsu remained relatively calm, nodding leisurely and saying, "Then, once my sworn brother Chikatsu recovers, I will recommend him to serve in the shogunate. If he can become a 'go-gong-shu' or 'go-bu-shu,' it will certainly elevate the Naito family's status."

Within the Muromachi Shogunate system, the titles of "Gokōshū" and "Gobōshū" were honorary ranks second only to "Gosōbānshū," and for the Naito family, the deputy governor of Tanba, they were goals that could be achieved with some effort.

Shinzaburo added, "At the same time, we can also request the Imperial Court to grant us the official rank of Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade. If anything happens to Lord Senkatsu, we can select a son from our relatives to continue this title."

At this point in time, official ranks in the imperial court and positions in the shogunate still hold considerable value. Some traditional samurai—such as several descendants of the Wakasa Takeda family—would rather abandon distant territories and move to Kyoto. Naito Munekatsu's usurpation of real power in Tanba Province is a foregone conclusion and cannot be changed, so at least some face-saving compensation should be given to him; things will be much smoother that way.

"Brilliant! Brilliant! Shinzaburo always has a way!" Matsunaga Sunroku exclaimed excitedly, only to realize that he had used an inappropriate title. He quickly coughed twice and apologized solemnly: "I lost my composure for a moment. I hope Lord Kubo Sado will forgive me."

Fukui, Kobayashi, and Sasabe all stepped forward to express their gratitude and admiration.

Actually, Shinzaburo came here today mainly to make a good impression on these people. So he immediately put on a frank attitude and said with a smile, "No need to be so polite. I am also from Tanba, so naturally I care about the stability of my hometown."

Upon hearing this, Naito Munekatsu's eyes flashed with an ambiguous glint, but he quickly lowered his head to hide his thoughts and said casually, "Lord Kubo Sado comes from Tanba but commands the Wakasa samurai. We should feel honored to do so."

Just then, a retainer rushed in to report: "Lord Chikatsu's condition has improved considerably, and he is now able to get out of bed and eat!"

Everyone was immediately invigorated.

Shinzaburo immediately offered his congratulations: "Congratulations! It must be that Lord Naito Bizen's devout prayers moved the gods and Buddhas."

Naito Munekatsu, however, said with great seriousness, "I think it is Lord Kubo Sado who has graced us with his presence and brought the blessing of the Immovable King."

227 The monks and laypeople of Danhou all longed for the royal army.

Perhaps it was Shinzaburo's visit that brought the blessing of Fudo Myo-o, for the Naito family's orphan, Chikatsu, did indeed gradually recover.

Naito Munekatsu immediately gathered his men and raised funds, preparing to travel to Kyoto to demand a title from the Imperial Court and the Shogunate, hoping to settle things with his troublesome brother-in-law as soon as possible. Meanwhile, Sasabe Hakuki-no-kami accompanied him; Matsunaga Magoroku and Fukui Shima-no-kami remained in Tanba to deal with the remnants of Hosokawa Harumoto's faction; and Kobayashi Hyuga-no-kami temporarily took charge of affairs in Tango.

Although they were scattered across several fronts, Tanba's forces were still relatively strong, and they were able to send more than 2,000 men to Tango, mainly composed of local people from Amada and Hero counties.

Previously, Naito Munekatsu had persuaded the Ishigawa clan, who guarded the gateway to Tango, to surrender. Then, he led an army of seven or eight thousand men and fought for several years. At its peak, he occupied half of Kasa County and one-third of Yosa County. After that, the war became a protracted stalemate. Until last year, he suffered a defeat in the field battle and lost some small towns. Now, he only has forty or fifty villages on the border under his control, and his gains have been greatly reduced.

According to Kobayashi Hyuga, since the main force had not gained much advantage in previous expeditions to the southern front, there was even less chance now with just over two thousand men. It would be good enough to just do a good job of defense.

However, the higher-ups demanded a swift resolution, so naturally, they could only rely on the Kubo family's strategy in northern Tango.

Shinzaburo didn't feign modesty; as soon as spring plowing ended, he mobilized his troops in Wakasa and then personally led his army into battle.

There is actually a land route from Wakasa to Tango; you just need to cross the Yoshisaka Pass over Mount Aoba.

Previously, Shinzaburo chose to take the sea route to avoid disputes with Naito Munekatsu over the division of spoils. Now that this issue is temporarily no longer a concern, he still chooses the sea route, detouring northwest of Tango, because there is a strong "popular support" there.

……

"First they were robbed by Tajima Yamana, and now they are suspected by the Isshiki family. The monks have no peace for a single day. They can only hope that Lord Kubo Sado will come to uphold justice! Master Seijo of Tsuburaya Temple was beheaded at the temple gate. Where is the dignity of Buddhism?"

"The Isshiki family is truly acting against the natural order. More than a dozen members of our Nomura clan were killed simply because we were forced to abandon Aburake Castle last year. How can such cruelty and ruthlessness allow them to remain the lords of Tango? I have already decided to switch allegiance and pledge allegiance to the Kubo family!"

Shinzaburo had just landed at Kumihama and arrived in Kumano County when he received a warm welcome from people from all walks of life, both monks and laypeople.

It was as if he wasn't an intruder who had barged in, but rather a savior who had been invited in.

This was to be expected.

Last year, Shinzaburo first secretly instigated famous families from Tajimayama to extort money from temples and shrines in Tango. After causing turmoil, he stepped forward to persuade them to leave, thus gaining the approval of religious figures. He then used this relationship to persuade Nomura Kenmono, who was stationed at Yuike Castle, to leave. At the same time, he launched a strong attack and captured Takefusa Castle, took Matsukura Shu's defenses, and gained half of Kumano District.

On the other hand, Isshiki Yoshimichi, who held real power in Tango, defeated Naito Munekatsu with the help of the remnants of Hosokawa Harumoto's faction. He became somewhat arrogant and launched a heavy attack on the monks and samurai who had made a "private peace," resulting in a massacre and the home team being treated differently.

Therefore, Masatsune Itsumi and Sadaharu Ichikawa, who remained in Tango-Kumano District, easily gained a foothold without encountering any resistance and instead received some support.

With Shinzaburo's arrival, the level of support increased even further.

The abbots of more than twenty temples and shrines, along with many locals led by Nomura Kenmono, all shouted impassioned lines, eagerly expressing their determination to "await the arrival of the royal army."

However, faced with the warm welcome from the locals, Shinzaburo did not readily accept the topic. Instead, he solemnly emphasized: "The one who committed evil was the powerful Isshiki Shikibu (Yoshimichi), not the kidnapped young lord Senshūmaru. I have come to Tango in the name of the shogunate to punish the powerful ministers, not to punish the Isshiki family."

Even if this might confuse some listeners.

……

After the brief meeting, Shinzaburo abandoned his composure and casually asked those around him, "What are your thoughts on Tango's situation?"

The question was asked casually, but no one dared to answer it easily.

After all, it's never easy to guess what a leader is thinking.

Those present were all relatives and close retainers of the Kubo family. Among them, the earliest "veterans," having always been bathed in the glory of their lord, were basically used to obeying orders and gradually abandoned the process of thinking.

Anyway, most of the solutions we rack our brains to come up with are not as good as the boss's flash of inspiration, so why bother?

Even if newcomers with less experience want to show their abilities, they are often too embarrassed to speak up first due to social etiquette.

Shinsaburo looked around, knowing that the unspoken rules were not easy to break, so he directly called out, "Shingoro, you tell us."

Kubo Shingoro Hiroaki is only sixteen years old. He is young and there is no need to worry about him saying the wrong thing. However, he is the younger brother of the head of the family, making him the most suitable person to throw out a brick to start a fire.

Everyone immediately looked in that direction.

Being called out and surrounded by onlookers, Shingoro, caught off guard, was stunned for a moment, but unable to refuse, he could only bite the bullet and say while thinking, "Hmm... now... now in the northern Kumano and Takeno districts of Tango Province, many monks and local people are inclined to our army, which is certainly good news. However... however, in order to pacify Tango Province, we still have to defeat the army of Isshiki Shikibu (Yoshimichi), right? I heard that the other side is very difficult to deal with. Naito Bizen (Munekatsu) of Tanba has spent two or three years and his progress is also limited."

While his words lacked any unique insights, they did demonstrate some thought and were barely acceptable.

Shinzaburo offered encouragement: "Well said."

Then the others finally started to become active.

Takemura Hidetoshi began, “From what I understand, the Tango army is fierce but lacks discipline, so perhaps we can use a strategy of luring and exhausting them. However, in the battle against the Tanba army last year, the Tango soldiers did not scatter immediately after their defeat, but instead managed to regroup and launch a counterattack. It seems that they have displayed extraordinary abilities in order to protect their homeland.”

Shinzaburo asked curiously, "Could the Shingu faction have done this back then?"

Hidetoshi Takemura shook his head: "Unless they have the homeland of Izumo Province behind them, it is unlikely that even the Shingu Party back then would have survived the defeat."

"Even more powerful than the Shingu Party?" Ooi Shigeie, who was usually fearless, widened his eyes. "The higher-ups are demanding that the Tango matter be resolved as soon as possible. It's simply impossible to do that."

The fat-headed, big-eared Gokurakuji Jōchō rubbed his bald head and asked in confusion, "Just now, Lord Takemura said that Tango's soldiers displayed extraordinary abilities in order to protect their homeland... But from what we've seen, the locals don't seem to have such a strong will."

“That’s because of the different strategies,” Kubo Inotaro interjected. “I heard that Naito Bizen, the governor of Dan Province, immediately sent people to occupy the land after conquering a city. Apart from initially turning the Ishigawa family against him to lead the way, he didn’t consider recruiting them. So the samurai of Tango were especially motivated when facing them.”

“The Kubo family is different,” Kubo Tobei chimed in. “Our Kubo family employs a two-pronged strategy in northern Tango: eliminating some while simultaneously winning over others. This is how we maintain a position of invincibility, where we can advance or retreat at will!”

The two younger members of the family spoke frankly, their tone filled with pride for "our Kubo family." It was also clear that they were quick to embrace new things and had greatly improved their knowledge by following Shinzaburo.

“I see.” Gokurakuji Jōjō had been on another mission and hadn’t been paying attention to the battle recently, but he wasn’t stupid. He understood immediately. “Perhaps the governor of Dan Province, Naito Bizen, wanted to acquire more territory as a ‘new favor’ to bestow upon the people of Amada and Kōro counties, with the intention of stabilizing the internal situation. However, he was met with fierce resistance from the samurai of Tangō and did not achieve his goal.”

“Naito Bizen’s strategy might not be suitable for Tango.” Shingoro pondered for a moment before speaking his thoughts. “As my elder brother just said, we are leading our army to Tango in the name of the shogunate to subdue powerful vassals, not to subdue the Isshiki clan. So even if we win, we will still have to honor the young lord of the Isshiki clan, Chimatsu-maru, as our governor. In that case, why be so concerned about the gains and losses of a single castle or territory?”

Upon hearing this, Shinzaburo immediately affirmed, "That's exactly right! What I hope for is to pacify Tango at the lowest possible cost, while ensuring my own influence. As for the castles and lands, those will come in due time."

"Hehe..." Shingoro was a little excited to receive the praise, but then he pretended to be mature and frowned to show his concern: "However, the Tango soldiers seem to be difficult to deal with."

The Kubo family members fell into deep thought again.

Just then, news arrived that Isshiki Yoshimichi had raised several thousand troops at Kenbeyama Castle and was attacking our army. It was estimated that they would arrive within two days.

At this point, even in front of his entire clan and close retainers, Shinzaburo would not say to them, "This matter has already been arranged."

We still need to be mindful of confidentiality.

After all, it involves the lives of important figures on our side.

228 Hosokawa Fujitaka's Suicide Squad Plan

Kenbeyama Castle, located in the eastern part of Tango Province, has no particularly special terrain or environment. However, as the traditional residence of the Isshiki family, it has been repeatedly expanded over the years and is now quite large. Seven branch castles have been built within a 500-meter radius around it, making it completely enclosed.

However, in Akechi Mitsuhide's view, there was a feeling that beneath every brick and tile, there might be hidden sentries planted by the powerful minister Isshiki Yoshimichi, who were monitoring the movements of the young lord, Senshūmaru.

Every route out must pass through at least two branch cities, plus the main city, making at least three checkpoints. Without using some special methods, it's impossible to escape this place with a child under ten years old.

That is why Akechi Mitsuhisa made his appearance.

He had already established connections in Takashima and Shiga districts in western Okinawa, as requested by Yoshiaki Kubo. However, it was far too early to take action, so he could only continue to bide his time and consolidate his gains.

Feeling somewhat anxious, Akechi Mitsuhide, after learning about Tango's situation, volunteered to come and take on a temporary task. He also brought along a good friend he had met years ago while studying in Kyoto, named Hosokawa Fujitaka, a high-ranking official of the current shogunate, an outstanding writer, and a samurai with ambition and drive.

This matter was naturally secretly approved by Ashikaga Yoshiteru, and Hosokawa Fujitaka even carried an informal letter from the shogun with him as a backup.

Mitsuhide Akechi arrives in Tango as a physician, tasked with providing cover. The mission is primarily carried out by Fujitaka Hosokawa, so the latter's identity needs to be concealed. He usually disguises himself as the physician's assistant, cautiously revealing his true identity only to a very few people.

For example, there's Oshima Heita, who takes care of the Isshiki family's ancestral temple in Ninomaru.

Coincidentally, this person fell ill last month and was cured by Mitsuhide Akechi.

After careful observation and examination, Oshima Heitayu, as a hereditary retainer, only recognized the direct line of the Isshiki family and had no affection for Isshiki Yoshimichi, who was currently in power.

Whether it was out of loyalty to the emperor or because they were not valued by powerful ministers—that is irrelevant.

After a brief probing, he revealed Hosokawa Fujitaka's true identity. He then, in the name of the Shogun, requested Fujitaka's assistance in removing the young lord, Senshūmaru, from the control of the powerful retainer, Isshiki Yoshimichi.

After pondering for a long time, Oshima Heitao finally nodded, and also introduced Yano Yasaburo, who was in charge of general service, and Koide Sakyo, who was in charge of the firewood warehouse. They were both people who often had the opportunity to enter the citadel.

Although Isshiki Yoshimichi controls the real power of Tango Province by force, he has always been brutal and ruthless and is not good at uniting his subordinates. Even though he achieved the victory of defeating Naito Munekatsu, the governor of Tan Province, last year, it was still not enough to subdue everyone. There are still many potential opponents of his.

Oshima, Yano, and Koide all believed that Hosokawa Fujitaka was indeed a secret envoy sent by the shogunate and had the ability to bring the Isshiki family back on the right track.

The so-called "correct path" means, on the one hand, getting rid of the situation where the righteous path uses force to seize power, and on the other hand, greatly improving the knowledge, conduct, and status of the "righteous men".

Although none of the three held particularly prominent positions, they each had certain authority, and together they were enough to get things done.

This year, Naito Munekatsu, the governor of Tan Province, was unable to come due to trouble, but Kubo Yoshiaki still led his troops to land in northern Tango Province as usual. Soon, Isshiki Yoshimichi mustered his troops and went out to meet the enemy, leaving Takebeyama Castle suddenly vulnerable.

Mitsuhide Akechi and Fujitaka Hosokawa immediately agreed to take action as soon as possible to avoid any unforeseen complications.

……

Soon, the relevant people gathered at Changshan Temple on the east side of Jianbu Mountain City.

In Tango Province, where both land and water transportation are not very developed, this place is considered a hub with relatively large passenger flow, and the occasional appearance of unfamiliar faces would not attract much attention.

The monks of Changshan Temple often rent out houses and warehouses to earn extra money, so they naturally adhere to the professional ethics of businessmen and never inquire about things they shouldn't.

Five people sat around in a secluded room, their voices low and their expressions solemn, creating a tense atmosphere.

Oshima Heita, who was tending to the Isshiki family ancestral temple in Kenbuyama Castle, clutched his stomach, looking somewhat exhausted, and spoke with a weak breath: "My stomach pain has not yet subsided, so I can use this excuse to send a few people to Ninomaru to deliver medicine. Lord Chimatsumaru comes to the ancestral temple in Ninomaru to pay his respects three days a month, and tomorrow will be one of those days... However, is it a bit too hasty? I feel that the preparations are not yet complete."

To this, Akechi Mitsuhide simply smiled gently and did not reply. Since arriving here, he had always used silence as a shield, not readily expressing his opinions, and dutifully fulfilling his role as a liaison, leaving the stage to Hosokawa Fujitaka, a senior retainer of the shogunate.

Hosokawa Fujitaka, however, exuded a completely different aura. To conceal his identity, he wore only simple gray clothes and a straw hat when out. But whenever his face was revealed, his words and actions still couldn't hide his innate air of elegance and nobility.