The Self-Cultivation of Warring States Warriors

Page 84

Takeda Nobutoyo stared at it for a while, then said with great seriousness, "There's no mistake! When I was young and ignorant, I also visited the old master of the Kyogoku family with my elders. Hmm, his figure and appearance decades ago are very similar to Kubo Genban today!"

Shinzaburo almost couldn't help but dig his toes into the ground. He secretly bit his lip to compose himself, then shook his head and sighed, "It's a pity that my branch lost its family genealogy due to fleeing from war. I'm truly ashamed of my ancestors!"

Takeda Nobutoyo laughed heartily: "Kubo Genban has now achieved great feats and is famous throughout the land. In my opinion, he is no less than Judge Sasaki."

Shinzaburo quickly shook his head: "How could I possibly deserve such undeserved praise from Takeda Osamu?"

Takeda Nobutoyo frowned, feigning seriousness, and said, "For a descendant of the Kyogoku family, the current position is truly unworthy. How about... I grant the position of Deputy Governor of Wakasa to Kubo Genban?"

Shinzaburo was stunned when he heard this.

With such a small fortune, wouldn't it be asking for trouble to be labeled as unworthy of one's position? What would Hosokawa Ujitsuna, Miyoshi Nagayoshi, and Matsunaga Nagayori think?

If someone were to later slander him, saying, "Kubo Yoshiaki boasted of his great achievements and forcibly demanded the position of deputy governor," then he would be unable to defend himself.

I don't know if Old Deng on the other side has bad intentions or is just really confused.

He quickly and firmly refused: "The position of deputy governor should be held by a member of the Takeda clan or a hereditary retainer. I am but an outsider, how could I possibly be worthy of it!"

Takeda Nobutoyo solemnly said, "However, the entire Takeda clan and its hereditary retainers have already abandoned me."

Shinzaburo, quick-witted, chuckled and said, "The governor of Suidoyama Castle, Itsumi Suruga-no-kami, has already abandoned the darkness and embraced the light. Isn't he a hereditary retainer of the Takeda clan?"

Takeda Nobuyuki looked disgusted and muttered, "This man... well, it's a long story."

Shinzaburo didn't respond to that.

What followed was a period of silence.

Takeda Nobutoyo pondered for a moment, then had a new idea: "I am deeply grateful for your help in restoring my country, how can I not repay you with something? I was fortunate enough to receive guidance from Sanjo Nishi Ufu in the past, and I have gained some insights into the Tale of Genji. Why don't I tell Lord Kubo Genban about it?"

Studying? That's not bad. I don't know exactly who Sanjo Nishi Ufu is, but you can tell from the name that he was a court noble who once served as Minister of the Right.

Since I'm just idling around anyway, there's nothing wrong with learning some knowledge and culture.

only……

Shinzaburo bowed in fear and said, "I am but a rough man, and I am afraid I cannot easily understand Takeda Osamu's teachings."

This isn't an act; it's the truth.

Although he had never actually read it, he had heard Master Mingzhou say that when court nobles and scholars studied "The Tale of Genji," they did not just stay at the level of the story plot and the characters' emotions, but rather conducted research on the "official history."

That is, to study the evolution of etiquette, customs, and institutional systems.

Is that something a peasant could easily understand?

Upon seeing this, Takeda Nobutoyo smiled like a kind elder and said gently, "Is there anyone in the world who is born proficient in etiquette and literature? Everyone learns from scratch through hard work."

Since they've said all that, I have no choice but to learn.

Shinzaburo thought to himself that most of the retainers he had recruited in recent years were rough and uncouth, except for Kono Takatoki, who was skilled in etiquette. So he decided to call him over to be his study companion, so that he could have someone to look after him.

Why are people at level 157 always contacting higher-ups without consulting their superiors?

During the autumn harvest, Adou sent a letter to express his greetings and let everyone know he was safe. He also inquired whether it was necessary to conduct land inspections within the territory as in the previous year.

Shinzaburo told her: The land survey can be continued, but the intensity doesn't need to be too great; a steady, gradual approach is sufficient. Furthermore, a principle of differentiated treatment should be followed.

How should we differentiate between them?

It's not complicated either.

Unless there are special circumstances, all foot soldiers should be exempted from or subject to minimal inspections. As long as they can provide adequate military service, taxes should be levied leniently.

For poor people with little land, a routine survey of hidden land is conducted every few years. However, this is done in conjunction with pro-people policies such as "new land not included" or "new land exempted," so people only need to be aware of the situation and should not rashly increase taxes.

The real targets are the wealthy households whose wealth is significantly above average but who have not yet become foot soldiers. These people are the least valuable to the lords in terms of winning them over, and the lords should find ways to exploit them as much as possible.

After sending the letter home, several more visitors came.

The six wealthy merchants—Yoshida, Nakajima, and Kanaya from Kyoto; Kamiya and Sekido from Obama; and Imai Munehisa from Sakai—either came in person or sent messengers, all wanting to inquire about the political situation.

They seem to be having some bad luck; they had just made additional investments in Great Bow City and Great Bow Street when they were immediately hit by the War of Wakasa, which severely disrupted their trade routes.

Shinzaburo expressed his regret, stating that he could only obey the arrangements made by his superiors.

But the businessmen all thought it was understandable.

In particular, Imai Munehisa aptly stated: "In times of peace, there are ways to make money; in times of chaos, there are ways to prosper. What is truly frightening is not war itself, but unexpected war."

This can be considered a profound truth.

Their intention was to gather more intelligence in order to estimate the scale and duration of the war.

Shinzaburo is not capable of answering this question. Even if he could, he might not be willing to.

He simply revealed information that didn't need to be hidden, letting the businessmen make their own judgments.

I'm not responsible if my guess is right or wrong.

Besides handling these matters, Shinzaburo stayed with Takeda Nobutoyo, learning etiquette from "The Tale of Genji." He also remained in Wakasa as a representative of the Miyoshi faction.

People from the surrounding area, such as Itsuki Masakatsu, Hongo, Aoi, and Daishio, who had "abandoned darkness for light," also frequently came to visit, and they managed to put together a makeshift organization in Nada-sho Castle.

Everyone showed a spirit of unity and concerted effort, looking forward together to the great cause of restoring the nation.

Even Takeda Nobutoyo was confident about returning to Wakasa as the governor.

Although he currently has no directly controlled territory, he doesn't care much about it, focusing only on titles and ranks.

Some people are happy that someone is worried.

Since Takeda Nobutoyo is so confident, things are probably not so good for Takeda Yoshitomo.

Although nominally, they still control most of Wakasa Province.

After his defeat, Takeda Yoshitomo took no further action. Shinzaburo initially thought the enemy might be preparing a major attack or had some other plan, but an investigation revealed they were simply out of supplies!

So, in July and August, Shinzaburo considered whether he should take his elite samurai and foot soldiers to raid and disrupt the autumn harvest. This tactic, though despicable, would definitely be effective.

However, news came at the time that the young master of the Miyoshi family was about to lead a large army to conquer Wakasa, so it was best not to act rashly and cause any complications.

……

Previously, when the situation was unclear, we sent Tanba samurai to test the waters. Now that we've discovered the enemy is easily defeated, we're sending Miyoshi Yoshiyuki to gain reputation.

The lives of the second generation are simple, unpretentious, and monotonous.

Shinzaburo didn't seem to have any complaints about this.

Let them come. Anyway, it's impossible for Miyoshi Yoshioki to stay in Wakasa and Tango for long, and it's also unlikely that he would send a bunch of trusted retainers to guard the border.

The army will eventually return to the capital region.

For the Tanba warriors, it's a trade: you take the reputation, I take the territory.

Why not?

The final departure date was the end of August.

It is said that during this period, Miyoshi Nagayoshi employed diplomatic means, temporarily easing tensions in Izumi, Kawachi, and Kii through meetings with families such as Hatakeyama, Yusa, and Yukawa. However, he still hadn't decided how to deal with the shogunate; it was unclear whether he would ultimately reconcile with Ashikaga Yoshiteru or forcibly install Ashikaga Yoshihiro in power.

The main issue is indecisiveness.

Miyoshi Yoshioki used Akutagawa Castle as his base, gathered 15,000 men, first went to Kyoto to show off his power, invited some low-ranking nobles to accompany him, and then traveled for several days before reaching Wakasa via Tanba.

The army consisted of retainers directly under the Miyoshi family and local gentry from Settsu and Yamashiro. Matsunaga Hisahide served as the vice-commander.

When the army arrived at Nishioka, Matsunaga Nagayori and the Tanba people went up to greet them.

Only Shinzaburo was waiting at Nada-sho Castle on the front lines.

Meanwhile, Takeda Yoshitomo likely finally obtained military provisions after the autumn harvest and also deployed a small army to garrison at Koseyama Castle. This time, they should have learned from their experience and not allowed their families to live in undefended inns outside the castle again.

It appears that there is a significant gap in strength between the two sides, making a siege seem like the only option.

However, Yoshioki Miyoshi did not rush to attack.

Upon arriving at the front lines, he met with a large number of people.

First, there was Wakasa, who was expelled from the house, and this was the proper etiquette.

Next up is Tanba Zhongke Kubo Yoshiaki.

As soon as Shinzaburo entered the military tent that day, he saw that Yoshioki Miyoshi's already small eyes had turned into two lines when he smiled, and his sturdy face showed a bit of a comedic effect.

Upon meeting, the other party exclaimed, "Xuan Fan's forces are unstoppable in this narrow place; he truly lives up to the name of Zhong Kui!"

Shinzaburo, unaware of the current situation, quickly expressed his humility: "How dare I? It's all thanks to Lord Pengyunxuan's skillful command. I only made a small contribution."

Hōyūken is the Buddhist name of Matsunaga Nagayori, the acting head of the Naito family and the guardian deity of Tanba, after he entered the Buddhist order.

Miyoshi Yoshiaki blinked and said meaningfully, "Lord Hōunken is certainly important, but Kubo Genban is also indispensable. I heard that Takeda Harubu wanted to appoint Wakasa as the deputy governor, but you declined?"

Upon hearing this, Shinzaburo was greatly surprised. He forced a smile, bowed, and said, "I am ashamed that such an absurd remark has reached your ears."

“Don’t worry, it was Takeda Osamu (Nobutoyo) who wrote to me to tell me.” Miyoshi Yoshioki first explained how he learned about the news, then stared intently at me and said slowly, “Is this proposal really absurd?”

Shinzaburo was taken aback, unsure how to respond.

Without waiting for a response, Miyoshi Yoshiaki continued, "Lord Hosokawa Ukyo thinks it's too early, my father is noncommittal, and Lord Matsunaga Hōunken probably also has doubts. But I believe that this is an era of meritocracy, and we should not be bound by family background, seniority, or age!"

Shinzaburo finally understood what the other party meant. After hesitating for a moment, he feigned sudden realization and calmly said, "What the young master says is absolutely right. Is it the way of a samurai to be so hesitant and indecisive?"

"Eh?" Miyoshi Yoshiaki feigned surprise: "Kubo Genban was entrusted by Lord Hosokawa Ukyo to serve under Lord Matsunaga Hōunken. Why do you address me in that way?"

“Ah, right, right…” Shinzaburo said, embarrassed. “Sometimes I get confused and mistakenly think I’m a member of the Miyoshi family.”

"Hahahaha..." Yoshiaki Miyoshi clapped his hands and laughed, "Kubo Genban is usually shrewd enough, so it's not a bad thing for him to be a little confused sometimes."

"After your guidance, I believe..." Shinzaburo pondered for a while before adding, "The duty of a samurai is simply to uphold justice for the world. One should neither be greedy for fame and position nor deliberately avoid it."

“Hmm…” Miyoshi Yoshihiro pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, “However, Takeda Harubu is a bit… well, not cautious enough. Once the situation in Wakasa truly stabilizes, we will definitely need a reliable deputy governor.”

……

After chatting cautiously for a while, Shinzaburo finally breathed a sigh of relief after leaving the house.

However, seeing the newly arrived members of Wakasa still queuing up to be received by Miyoshi Yoshioki, he felt he couldn't relax.

It feels even more tiring than fighting a war!

In such a delicate situation, accepting the olive branch extended to us is neither an option nor an option.

On the way back, I was filled with worries, but then I ran into someone I knew.

Ooi Shigeie was playing with a brand-new wakizashi, looking radiant as he walked and laughed.

Shinzaburo casually asked, "So, did you go to a famous craftsman and buy a masterpiece?"

Ōi Shigeie looked up and immediately bowed, saying, "Greetings, my lord! I just happened to run into Lord Matsunaga Hōunken. He was very kind and offered me some words of encouragement. He even gave me his own wakizashi, saying he hoped I would work harder to achieve great things. This sword is indeed very fine..."

Shinzaburo was first stunned, then burst into laughter.

Think about it carefully, isn't that what politics is all about? Winning people over doesn't mean forcing them to take sides, and it certainly doesn't necessarily lead to infighting. There's no need to worry too much.

158. The Siege Tactic of Using Powerful Bricks

Miyoshi Yoshioki personally led a large army to Wakasa, his purpose being not only to recruit loyal followers but also to establish his reputation and prestige.

He brought 15,000 men, plus the troops from Tanba Province, totaling more than 20,000, which was several times more than the total mobilization capacity of Takeda Yoshitomo on the other side. Therefore, the enemy was unlikely to engage in battle in the open field and would only be able to defend the city to the death.

Thanks to Yoshiaki Kubo's planning, a quarter of the land in western Sahara has already changed hands, eliminating the need to slowly chip away at the border outposts one by one.

However, the road leading to Takeda Home Furnishings City at Koseyama Castle is still not fully open.

There are two directions to go: one is along the coast, and the other is over the mountains.

The coastal route was blocked by the Muto family's Kato Castle; the mountain route was intercepted by the Terai family's Taniya Castle.

The sea route is definitely unobstructed; there just isn't enough ships.

The Miyoshi family has a powerful navy in the Seto Inland Sea, but it's inconvenient to mobilize it to the Sea of ​​Japan. As for Nasa Yamatosuke, whom Shinzaburo just connected with, they only have about sixty ships in total, most of which are so-called "small boats," capable of carrying at most a thousand people at a time.

Yoshiki Miyoshi was also quite interested in Nagasawa Yamatosuke's situation and indicated that he could consider recruiting him. However, after Shinzaburo mentioned the man's asking price of 6,800 for the rice paddies, nothing came of it.

Therefore, we still have to take the land route.

The coastal city of Gadou, garrisoned by more than 300 members of the Mutō family, is located on a small slope on the shore. The terrain is not complicated, but the outer perimeter is surrounded by dozens of crisscrossing moats that are difficult to climb, and the interior is also fortified with relatively sturdy arrow towers.

Taniya Castle, which controls the mountain road, is garrisoned by 150 men from the Terai family. It is built on a thin and steep mountain wall, with the highest point more than 800 feet above the ground. There is only one road leading up and down the mountain, which is extremely narrow and rugged, making it impossible for troops to deploy.

The Muto and Terai families have significant territorial disputes with the previously defected forces such as Itsumi, Hongo, Aoi, and Ōshio. Unless promised substantial compensation, they will not easily surrender.

The Wakasa Takeda family is quite absurd. They have been the hereditary governor for over a hundred years, yet they still haven't figured out the boundaries of their retainers' estates.

He even fantasized about joining forces with Ashikaga, Amago, and Honganji to invade Aki Province, 450 kilometers away, and to subdue Mori Motonari.