The Self-Cultivation of Warring States Warriors

Page 23

Moreover, he has a large appetite and is a bit picky about food, always talking about wanting tofu.

As for Kubo Shinzaburo himself, after spending some time informing the villages of Noguchi Township of the new rule of "moving stones for rewards," he returned to report to Matsunaga Magoro.

There was no need to cover up for unrelated people. In private, Shinzaburo Kubo told the whole story about how Hachiro Shimizu intentionally sowed discord and how Kozaemon was easily deceived.

After listening, Matsunaga Sonroku fell silent, frowning and remaining silent for a long time, saying that he needed to go back and think about it.

He stayed in the tent for half an hour after he started thinking about it.

Then he said he hadn't thought it through yet, and that he happened to have to go back to Yagi Castle for something, so he would ask his cousin Matsunaga Nagayori.

The construction site was temporarily entrusted to Shinzaburo Kubo.

Actually, there's nothing worth entrusting to anyone on the construction site.

The "banjōya" (traditional workshops) brought in from Amagasaki Town are all professional teams, and with the sharp-eyed and ruthless Shimizu Hachirōzao supervising them, efficiency is not a problem.

All Kubo Shinzaburo needed to do was check that simple daily log.

This might still be quite difficult for illiterate people in this era. But with Shinzaburo Kubo's foundation of scoring 130 on his college entrance exam in his previous life, he handled it with ease.

then……

The next day, Matsunaga Sonroku returned from Yagi Castle, his youthful yet dark face revealing an eagerness to try.

After meeting, he dragged Kubo Shinzaburo to a secluded spot and excitedly said, "Lord Nagayori taught that it is better to use mistakes than merits. Shimizu Hachiro is ambitious but has limited vision, and Takeda Village's Kozaemon is quite resilient but lacks wisdom. These two are not easy to control, but their harm is limited and they will not cause too much trouble. They are just right for me to practice my skills in managing people."

Kubo Shinzaburo was a little taken aback by these words, thinking to himself that his superior was treating him like an outsider. He smiled awkwardly and said, "I am also your subordinate, no different from those two..."

Matsunaga Sonroku disagreed, shaking his head repeatedly and saying, "Lord Nagayori has repeatedly said that you and we are only of the same kind based on your relationship with Kofuku-ji Temple. How can those two be compared to you?"

This was still a difficult question for Shinzaburo Kubo to answer, as he himself found it hard to say what his current relationship with Kofukuji was.

Based on my past life's social experience, even though people may flatter you out of respect for the old monk, you must never become arrogant or take advantage of their position. Otherwise, you might end up looking foolish.

One can only offer a polite smile.

Matsunaga Magoro seemed oblivious to Kubo Shinzaburo's feelings, still absorbed in his own rhythm, and even posed a very troublesome question: "In your opinion, how should we manage Shimizu Hachiroza and Kozaemon?"

This is a really hard question to answer!

Under normal circumstances, Shinzaburo Kubo would just laugh it off.

But now Matsunaga Magoroku's expression is very serious and solemn. If you act like you're just going through the motions, that wouldn't be appropriate.

After much deliberation, Kubo Shinzaburo could only offer a brief assessment: "Shimizu Hachiroza has some skill, but he seems to be all bark and no bite, flattering superiors and bullying subordinates. He must be constantly intimidated. Takeda Village's Kozaemon claims to be upright, but he is actually dull-witted. It is better to persuade him with sincerity."

After listening to this, Matsunaga Sonroku pondered for a moment, then nodded with delight and said, "That's absolutely right! Thank you for your guidance!"

Kubo Shinzaburo feigned apprehension and humbly said, "These are just some humble opinions from a country bumpkin. I would be honored if they were of any help."

Matsunaga Sunroku smiled upon hearing this and said, "I forgot to congratulate you on receiving the title of 'Lord of the Capital' earlier, please forgive me! You see, you have already received the praise of an important person, why continue to call yourself a 'country bumpkin'?"

Shinzaburo Kubo sighed, "You should know that the feeling was all due to luck, not because I actually did anything."

"So what?" Matsunaga Sonroku shook his head and said, "My two uncles, Danjo (Matsunaga Hisahide) and Prince Nagayori, were often said to have been lucky to be promoted. That's just prejudice from those so-called respectable samurai families. Just because we're from the same lineage as Miyoshi Chikuzen (Nagayoshi), does that mean we're forever superior?"

The way they said that... was quite emotional, clearly pointed at something, probably not just a general statement, but a genuine opinion about a specific person.

It may involve some factional struggles within the Miyoshi family.

But Kubo Shinzaburo didn't know who they were talking about and couldn't respond, so he could only continue with his nonsense: "Both Matsunaga sirs are role models for the world. If I could achieve even a tenth of their accomplishments, I would be content!"

Matsunaga Sonroku quickly changed the subject, his smile returning, and said jokingly, "Your story of receiving the certificate must have reached Kofuku-ji Temple by now. I wonder if Master Myoshu is worried about it?"

……

No sooner had the words of Guangfu Temple been mentioned than people from Guangfu Temple arrived.

A monk led a group of monk soldiers to protect the refugees who had been promised to come over, and also gave them more than ten bushels of grain and some tools.

A dozen or so bushels of grain were equivalent to more than half a year's income for Shinzaburo Kubo. One can only say that Master Mingzhou's kindness was too great to ever repay.

As mentioned earlier, these people came to cultivate the land surrounding Kek Lok Si Temple.

As the "Gokurakuji Registrar," Kubo Shinzaburo could completely control the output of the land he cultivated under this title, without having to hand it over in the slightest.

He had already conducted a thorough investigation and discussion with the monk Jingcheng, and also consulted with the elderly farmers of Jiubao Village, and reached a preliminary conclusion.

Taking into account the difficulty of reclamation and factors such as irrigation and soil fertility, Shinzaburo Kubo carefully selected several grassland and shrub areas, planning a total of three fields of Awata, eight fields of Barley and Black Rye, and twelve fields of Umeta.

These few millet and wheat fields were carved out with great difficulty. According to the old farmers, most of the land can only be used to grow barnyard grass, which is probably why the mountains around Jile Temple have never been cultivated by the local people.

Barnyard grass is a crop with poor yield, taste, and nutritional value; its only advantage is its extremely strong survival ability. Even in the 16th century, ordinary farmers were unwilling to grow it.

However, refugees have no choice in what they are.

The refugees sent by Kōfuku-ji Temple this time totaled seven men and six women who could take on work, along with several teenagers who could also help. Kūbo Shinzaburo instructed the monk Jōchō to arrange for them to settle down as soon as possible and get involved in the land reclamation work, hoping to harvest grain next year.

If all the planned farmland is developed smoothly, there should be a slight surplus to feed this group of people.

However, it was quite arduous to fill one's stomach with only millet.

Shinzaburo Kubo specifically instructed the monk Jōjō: If a widow among the refugees is struggling financially, you may help her if you feel sorry for her. But you must never help those with husbands indiscriminately.

Without hesitation, Abbot Jingcheng declared that he never slept with married women. He then made a request, saying that even if the fields near Jile Temple were cultivated, they were far too barren, and he hoped that taxes would be reduced as much as possible in the future.

Shinzaburo Kubo also agreed.

Since the decision has been made to reclaim the land, it is for the sake of the future, not for immediate gains.

……

Before leaving, the monk who had escorted the refugees said that Master Mingzhou had important matters to discuss and hoped to visit Guangfu Temple as soon as possible.

Shinzaburo Kubo naturally had no reason to refuse.

044 There are bad people among the monks.

Shinzaburo Kubo had visited Kofukuji Temple countless times and knew the way like the back of his hand.

However, the monks guarding the gate were more polite than before. They not only greeted the new monks with "Welcome, Lord Shinsaburo," but also bowed very low, almost kneeling down to kowtow.

Kubo Shinzaburo made a few modest remarks, but seeing that the other party was still cautious and timid, he had no choice but to accept it.

Upon entering, they learned that Abbot Mingzhou had gone out again and would not return for another day or two.

Why does this old monk call people over to have a chat, but he himself is not there?

Shinzaburo Kubo harbored some resentment in his heart, but dared not express it.

What can you do when someone has a high status? You can only wait patiently.

So they settled down in the guest room, the same one they had stayed in before.

There was plenty of white rice, tofu, and charcoal for heating every day. The young monks also did the laundry and swept the floor. These were all old rules, so I won't go into details.

The biggest difference was that the first two times I stayed in the temple, I was extremely bored. When I tried to chat with the monks, they all adopted an aloof, intellectual attitude and didn't really pay attention to me.

This time, things got much better. They had barely settled in and hadn't even warmed their seats when a young monk came to their door in a very polite manner, saying, "I have long admired Lord Shinzaburo's profound knowledge and mastery of Buddhism. Today, I have come to listen to your teachings."

Seeing the sincerity in their eyes and the respectful demeanor, even someone as shameless as Shinzaburo Kubo couldn't help but feel his face burning, and for a moment he didn't know how to respond.

If you want to praise me for being good at planning and skilled in negotiation, that's fine; but if you praise me for being highly skilled in martial arts and having extraordinary strength, although it is not true, it is evidenced by the feelings of "important people".

But to say that he has "profound knowledge and is well-versed in Buddhism" is utter nonsense.

The young monk who came to visit didn't waste any words. He immediately took out a small handwritten notebook and said, "These are my notes from my usual studies. Please give me your guidance, Lord Shinzaburo."

Shinzaburo Kubo took the book with a bewildered look on his face, and then felt that the little notebook was unusually heavy, as if something was stuck between the pages.

I instinctively opened it and was surprised to find a few thin silver coins!

The young monk opposite him gave an awkward yet polite smile and lowered his voice, saying, "Our temple has seen many people come and go this year, with numerous transfers. There are still vacancies at the donation office. My Dharma name is..."

Before the man could finish speaking, Kubo Shinzaburo quickly returned the notebook and the silver, then pushed the young monk, who hadn't even had a chance to say his name, out the door.

Although I have a rough idea of ​​what's going on... even if you're going to be corrupt, you should at least become someone's son-in-law and secure your position before engaging in corruption, right?

Before anything has even been accomplished, bad influences have already started to seep in?

There are bad people among the monks!

And there's more than one bad guy!

Not long after the young monk left, two middle-aged monks came over, insisting on chatting about hometown ties. However, they couldn't figure out what the "ties" were, but instead, several strings of Yongle coins fell out of their sleeves...

Shinzaburo Kubo remained steadfast and refused without hesitation.

Moreover, to prevent himself from being misled by bad people in the crowd, he simply kept the door of his room tightly closed and did not go out except to eat, shower, or use the toilet, minimizing contact with the outside world.

But then an old monk came to visit, saying that he had taught Shinzaburo to read and write before.

This happened a long time before I traveled through time, and to be honest, I don't remember it very well. However, since this saying exists, I couldn't very well refuse to talk to her, so I had to force myself to have a conversation with her.

Fortunately, this time they didn't give any gifts or make any demands; they just wanted to build a relationship.

……

On the afternoon of the second day, Master Mingzhou finally returned to the temple and met with Shinzaburo Kubo.

Unexpectedly, the old monk immediately bowed deeply and said, "Please understand my good intentions."

Surprised, Kubo Shinzaburo quickly bowed even lower in return, saying passionately, "The abbot's kindness to my family is immeasurable! I am filled with gratitude no matter what!"

“Alas…” Master Mingzhou sighed softly, slowly sat up, and continued, “To be honest, I have long intended to betroth my niece to you, but I have been hesitant and have been testing you repeatedly. Perhaps this has made Shinsaburo uneasy?”

Upon hearing this, Shinzaburo Kubo rose and replied frankly, "It is only natural to consider matters concerning one's closest relatives' life repeatedly. If I were to gain the favor of the abbot, I would be overjoyed. But if I fail the test, it is due to my own lack of merit, and I would not dare to have any other thoughts."

"Hehe..." Master Mingzhou laughed, "After all that has happened, I am convinced that even if it is not the Immovable King, there must be other gods or Buddhas secretly protecting you. How could you possibly lack merit?"

Kubo Shinzaburo appeared apprehensive and bowed again, indicating that he dared not speak recklessly about matters concerning gods and Buddhas.

Master Mingzhou then pondered quietly for a while, stood up and took two steps, turned around to reveal his back, and said in a low voice, "She is called my niece, but everyone knows that she is my illegitimate daughter."

Shinzaburo Kubo still didn't know what to say, so he remained silent.

Master Mingzhou stood with his hands behind his back and continued, “Eighteen years ago, when I was just thirty, I was discussing scholarship with Lord Kankai Yukoji in Kyoto. Inadvertently…inadvertently, I had a secret affair with a concubine’s daughter from his family who intended to become a nun, and a daughter was born. We met through a poem about red beans, hence the name ‘Adou’ (meaning ‘bean’). Later, amidst the chaos, that concubine’s daughter from the Kankai Yukoji family still went to a nunnery and died young, filled with sorrow. Adou, like her mother, was full of vigor and innocence from a young age, absolutely unsuitable for a life of seclusion and Buddhism. When she grew up, I finally gained some power and decided that I would no longer owe her anything…”

Upon hearing this scandalous story, Shinzaburo Kubo remained speechless.

After a brief pause, Master Mingzhou seemed to be trying to control his emotions. He turned around and continued with a detached expression, "Originally, I was thinking of sacrificing my dignity and forcing the Kankai Yukoji family to recognize Adou as their legitimate daughter. However, the Kankai Yukoji family experienced some turmoil a few years ago and was too busy to take care of themselves. I then tried to find a wealthy merchant's son in the capital region to be my son-in-law, but after two engagements, my fiancé died a violent death... Please forgive me, but when I heard your father mention 'Fudo Myoo entering my dream,' I considered that Shinzaburo must be a blessed and fortunate person, perhaps a good match for my daughter."

Upon hearing this, Shinzaburo Kubo couldn't say he felt completely uneasy.

Ever since I transmigrated, I've found it hard to completely ignore the concept of ghosts and gods. The thought of marrying a woman who has lost two fiancés still weighs heavily on my mind.

however……

He had already considered this; given the current situation, there was no room to refuse the old monk's "goodwill."

Although this "goodwill" may not be so "good".

So Kubo Shinzaburo knelt down without hesitation and said, "It is my honor! If the abbot does not mind, please entrust your daughter to me!"

Master Mingzhou bowed in return, saying, "I am deeply grateful! Then I entrust everything to you!"

The two remained silent for the rest of the time, and the atmosphere became somewhat awkward.

Kubo Shinzaburo casually changed the subject, asking, "Headmaster, that Kanjani Yokoji seems to be a court noble from Kyoto, right?"

Master Mingzhou nodded and said, "The Koji family was originally a family that studied the Yin-Yang calendar for generations, but after the current heir met the Nanban missionaries, he actually turned to believe in 'Kichitan,' which shocked everyone. That's why I said they were 'too busy to take care of themselves.'"

"Kichidan" is the term used by the Japanese people of this era to refer to Catholics.

Shinzaburo Kubo was also surprised when he heard this.

Those who study the Yin-Yang calendar for generations—aren't they what the public calls "Yin-Yang Masters"?

The Onmyoji converted to Catholicism, which has a humorous feel to it, like "Grand Priest Wang Lama, the office of Wudang Mountain in Shaolin Temple".

045 Is this a blind date or picking a gigolo?

After the conversation, Master Mingzhou said that he had brought Miss Adou to Guangfu Temple and that she would stay temporarily at the nunnery under its jurisdiction for a while, and that they would gradually arrange the marriage later.

Then he asked, "Does Shinzaburo want to go see her?"

After hearing this, Shinzaburo Kubo didn't know whether to want to see the good side or not, and finally nodded in accordance with his heart.

So Master Mingzhou personally led the way, through a small path behind the temple, to a guest room in a branch courtyard.

Upon entering, they found a young woman inside, who was clearly the illegitimate daughter of the old monk's so-called niece.

Unsure of what form of greeting to take, Shinzaburo Kubo bowed first.

Master Mingzhou said there was no need for formalities and waved for people to sit closer.

Recalling the story of the "ideal son-in-law," Shinzaburo Kubo adopted a refined and unhurried demeanor, slowly walked over, and then gently sat down.