The Self-Cultivation of Warring States Warriors

Page 82

“Ah…” Kawakatsu Tsuguji finally understood, and realized: “Takeda Harubu (Nobutoyo) was exiled because he did many absurd things, which made his clan and retainers unable to tolerate him any longer. If it were for the sake of the clan, perhaps following the new lord would be true loyalty, while continuing to support the old lord would only be considered blind loyalty…”

At this point, Shinzaburo hesitated, worried that continuing might seem like he was speaking too intimately with someone he didn't know well.

Although they are related by marriage, Ikeda Katsumasa has a long-standing relationship with him, while Kawakatsu Tsuguchi is relatively unfamiliar with him.

Fortunately, Kawakatsu Tsuguji quickly realized what was happening and stroked his chin thoughtfully, saying, "But a loyal person should have done everything in their power to stop the rebellion at the first opportunity. They remained silent at the beginning, and only now have they stood up... Could it be that they have some ulterior motive?"

Shinzaburo nodded: "Although I have not yet met that Itsumi Suruga-no-kami, I believe that we cannot easily rule out the possibility mentioned earlier."

Kawakatsu sighed and shook his head, saying, "If the person we are about to rescue turns out to be an evil and cunning person who thrives on chaos, that would be quite disheartening."

Shinzaburo's expression remained calm as he said indifferently, "Or perhaps, Itsumi Suruga-no-kami is simply not good at making decisions and hesitated repeatedly before, so he only made a decision now."

"Perhaps." Kawakatsu Tsuguji said with a frown, "If one encounters an immoral lord, should one uphold loyalty and do one's best to advise him, or simply cut the Gordian knot and establish a virtuous person instead... Alas, it is indeed a difficult question."

Shinzaburo glanced at him sideways but didn't say anything.

Kawakatsu Tsuguji quickly shook his head again, adjusted his emotions, and looked ahead, saying, "Whether they are loyal and righteous or treacherous, they are now our allies and need our rescue. There is no doubt about that."

Shinzaburo readily agreed, "Lord Kawakatsu Toyosaki is absolutely right."

Buzen no Kami (Buzen Governor) was the official title used by the Kawakatsu family for generations. Now that Kawakatsu Tsuguji has taken over as head of the family, he naturally also received this title.

"You flatter me!" Kawakatsu Tsuguji chuckled. "My late father said before he passed away that it was a great honor to be able to form a marriage alliance with the Kubo family. He said that if we ever encounter a difficult decision in the future, we must consult Lord Kubo Genban. Only in this way can the Kawakatsu family rest easy."

"How could we possibly accept such a responsibility!"

Shinzaburo said modestly, though he was somewhat surprised.

The tone and manner of the other person's speech did not seem like intentional flattery; it seemed to be the truth.

Did Kawakatsu Hirotsugu really say that before he died?

Kawakatsu Tsuguji, oblivious to the atmosphere, quickly returned his thoughts to the battlefield, pointing ahead and saying, "Now, apart from selecting elite soldiers to cross the river and launch a surprise attack, I really can't think of any other way. What brilliant ideas does Lord Kubo Genban have?"

Shinzaburo glanced at the seaside and said in a low voice, "That depends on whether the guest I've invited is willing to keep the appointment."

153 Righteous Pirates at Sea

Shinzaburo was waiting for a pirate captain.

He had already begun making plans in advance when he sensed that he might need to expand into the northern coastal areas.

Both Tango and Wakasa are coastal cities, and the inland areas of both countries consist mostly of barren mountains of little value; the best resources are concentrated on the narrow beaches. The trade and transportation of Obama Bay are self-evident, and while other areas lack commercial development, at least fishing and salt production can be undertaken. Even at the agricultural level, fertile fields are concentrated in the lower reaches of rivers near their estuaries.

Therefore, any influential force in this area has a large online army.

But Shinzaburo, a native of Tanba, didn't own a single ship or a single sailor.

At that time, I felt that when it came to Wakasa and Tango, we would inevitably be at a disadvantage.

Without a reliable naval force, it would be difficult to gain a foothold in port areas. Conversely, without ports, how could one possibly build a naval force out of thin air?

Fortunately, in the Warring States period, besides the daimyo's navy, there was another group known as "pirates." They were actually local people living on islands, making a living by collecting tolls and protection fees.

The Seto Inland Sea is currently the most prosperous sea area in Japan, and the pirates there are also the most powerful. In the west is the Murakami family of Mishima, and in the east is the Ataka family of Awaji. Both are forces that the surrounding daimyo dare not underestimate.

The Awaji Anzai family is now headed by Anzai Fuyuyasu, the third brother of Miyoshi Nagayoshi, and has become a member of the daimyo's household. Meanwhile, the Mishima Murakami family can still speak on equal terms with the Mori, Kono, and Urakami families.

Secondly, there are some well-known pirate groups in Kyushu and Tokaido, but they are basically directly or indirectly under the command of the daimyo and have relatively low independence.

The San'in and Hokuriku areas in the Sea of ​​Japan region have relatively poor resources, so there aren't many powerful warlords there.

Shinzaburo had previously sent people to investigate, but they only learned of some not-so-famous names such as "Kanemaru Uemon-no-jo" and "Mitsumi Hyōbu-no-jo," and he wasn't very interested in contacting or winning them over.

Except for one character, "Nisa Yamatosuke".

To be precise, it was Shinzaburo's subjective opinion that this person was extraordinary.

In terms of current fame, Nasa Yamatosuke is no different from Kanemaru Uemon-no-jo or Misumi Hyōbu-no-jo; they all make a living with three to five hundred men, and are insignificant compared to Mishima Murakami or Awaji Ataka.

However, as a gamer and history enthusiast from later generations, Shinzaburo had heard about how this person helped Yamanaka Shikasuke form the Amago Restoration Army.

After that, this guy wavered between Oda Nobunaga's Hideyoshi Hashiba and Mori Motoharu for a while, but ultimately, because he was not tolerated by Nobunaga, he followed Mori to the bitter end.

From the relevant events, it is evident that Nagasawa Yasuke possessed courage and talent surpassing his peers, and also had political ambitions that were lacking in ordinary江湖人 (jianghu people, people from the underworld).

Therefore, Shinzaburo specifically instructed that information about this person be collected.

Based on a compilation and analysis of various rumors, Nasa Yamato's ancestors may have been Tajima samurai under the Yamana family, but their fortunes declined due to involvement in internal strife, and by the time he came of age, he had become a fisherman. However, he was brave and resourceful, generous and fair in his dealings, and rose to become a prominent figure among the fishermen.

Fishermen along the coast had to pay protection money to pirates, which wasn't a big deal in itself. However, the Tajima pirates in the past didn't follow the rules. They often beat and verbally abused fishermen for no reason and repeatedly raised the fees at will.

Nasa Yamato patiently planned and united a group of fearless fishermen. Taking advantage of the pirate leader and his confidants going ashore to soak in hot springs, they seized weapons and launched an attack, slaughtering them all in one fell swoop.

The next step is to replace it.

The dragon-slaying boy did not immediately turn into a dragon. Nasa Yamato continued to make a living by collecting tolls and protection money, but he maintained relative fairness and kindness, always keeping his promises and not bullying the weak, showing the demeanor of a righteous thief.

……

Shinzaburo made inquiries and learned that Sakai-cho merchant Uozumi Hikoshiro and Shingu-party samurai Takemura Hidetoshi had met Nasa Yamatosuke once, so he sought ways to make contact with them.

They received a response just as they were about to send troops to Wakasa.

On a dark and gloomy dawn, Shinzaburo instructed Oi, Inatomi, and others to keep watch over the military camp. He then led a small number of guards and quietly headed west. After a quarter of an hour or two, they arrived at an inconspicuous little temple called Shinno-ji on the coast.

When Kawakatsu Tsuguji heard about this, he also wanted to come and see what kind of person Shinzaburo admired.

A group of people were already gathered around a fire in the courtyard, seemingly roasting something, which emitted a faint aroma of oil.

The leader had thick hair and beard, was unkempt, and wore a fur-lined animal skin, resembling a barbarian from beyond the borders. Yet, in his glances, he exuded the aura of a powerful and ruthless leader.

Upon seeing Shinzaburo and the others arrive, the man laughed heartily and proclaimed loudly, "I am Nasa Yamatosuke. I am delighted to meet Tanba Zhong Kui today!"

Shinzaburo strode forward and said frankly, "I've also long wanted to meet the righteous thief that the martial arts world speaks of!"

This man, who looked like a barbarian from beyond the borders, was none other than Nasa Yamatosuke. Hearing Shinzaburo's words, he chuckled again, then enthusiastically pointed in front of him and said, "These seabirds I caught yesterday are just roasted. Please join me if you don't mind!"

Kawakatsu Tsugumi had insisted on coming along, but after seeing Nasa Yamatosuke's attire and words, he was greatly disappointed. Seeing that there were no bowls or chopsticks around, he felt even more disgusted and stood silently at the back without saying a word.

Shinzaburo, however, stepped forward without any hesitation and, like the pirates, tore a wing off the bird meat and put it in his mouth.

Nasa Yamato asked, "How does it taste?"

Shinzaburo shook his head: "It's sour and hard to chew, and it's all thin bones. It's not good except for its aroma. It's just that Japan doesn't have the habit of raising livestock like Tang or Nanman, so they can't eat large chunks of meat. They can only make do with wild birds."

Nasa Yamato laughed again, bending over backwards, and said, "I thought Tanba Zhong Kui, as a famous samurai, would be a law-abiding person, but I didn't expect him to be more like a pirate than me in some ways!"

Shinzaburo replied frankly, "That depends on who I'm talking to. Guess what I'd look like in front of the court nobles of Kyoto?"

Nasa Yamato nodded, casually asking as he ate the grilled bird with his bare hands, "What did Tanba Zhong Kui want with me?"

Shinzaburo said, "We've come to Wakasa to fight, haven't we? We hope to get support by water."

Without looking up, Nasa Yamatosuke said, "This involves a war between daimyo families, which is quite risky. We'll have to pay more, and I'm afraid you can't afford it."

Kawakatsu Tsuguji, who had come with them, looked extremely grim. He stepped forward as if to accuse the other of being dissolute and rude, but Shinzaburo stopped him with a wave of his hand.

Then Shinzaburo said leisurely, "Money is not a problem. But doesn't Lord Nezo want to obtain samurai status and find a way out for his brothers?"

"Ha! Is Tanba Zhong Kui trying to recruit us pirates?" Nasa Yamato suddenly abandoned his crude and uncouth demeanor and said solemnly, "A mere title won't suffice; we need corresponding knowledge and experience!"

Shinzaburo immediately pressed, "What amount do you want?"

Nasa Yamato looked around and said in a serious tone, "I have four hundred brothers under my command, each of whom should have ten shoals of land, sixty ship captains each have thirty shoals, seven ship generals each have one hundred shoals, and I myself have three hundred shoals. Add it up... six thousand eight hundred shoals! And it has to be rice paddies."

“I see.” Shinzaburo was not surprised at all and calmly nodded, saying, “It’s just that we don’t have enough vacant land to use right now. We’ll discuss this matter again when we have the ability to provide 6,800 plots of land.”

His tone suggested he was discussing a very viable business opportunity.

Kawakatsu Tsugumi, who was standing nearby, finally couldn't help but interject: "Lord Kubo Genban, please be careful! Although it is just empty words that are not written down, it may still damage your reputation."

Nasa Yamato was also stunned. He stared at Shinzaburo for a long time, looking him up and down, and said in confusion, "If... Tanba Zhong Kui was joking, he should have started laughing by now."

"Was your tone joking just now?" Shinzaburo turned around first and replied to Kawakatsu Tsuguji: "Please rest assured, I always think things through before I act."

Then, with a leisurely air and a swaying head, Nagasawa Yamato said, "If I were to actually prepare 6,800 anti-knowledgeable lands in the future, but Lord Nagasawa refuses to accept them, then I would be letting down my reputation in the martial world."

"As expected of Tanba Zhong Kui." Nasa Yamatosuke subconsciously sat cross-legged, straightened his body, put down the roasted bird in his hand, and his eyes revealed admiration: "If anyone else had made such a boast, I would have just taken it as nonsense. However, Lord Kubo Genban has risen from a mere underworld figure to the lord of half a county in only three or four years. Who knows if he will not one day dominate one or two countries?"

“I hope so.” Shinzaburo went along with it. “At that time, Lord Nasa, as the naval commander of the Kubo family, would be ranked among the senior retainers. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?”

"How rare! How rare!" Nasa Yamatosuke laughed loudly again, reverting to his carefree demeanor. He continued to gnaw on the yakitori, muttering indistinctly, "Other samurai, even if they're just lowly envoys, are arrogant when they ask for my help. But thanks to Tanba Zhongkui for thinking so highly of me, I'm only charging half price this time!"

154. Takeda Yoshitomo's Melancholy

"On my birthday, I don't even feel like writing a poem."

In the morning, Takeda Yoshitomo, who had just turned thirty, sat alone in his military tent, staring blankly at the dark clouds in the sky. After a long while, he suddenly shook his head and sighed.

He drove away Hu Zuofei, his father, and seized the position of guardian of Wakasa.

Why does this happen when two happy things are combined?

The coup d'état did indeed have its consequences, first attracting the intervention of the Miyoshi forces, and then the rebellion of Itsumi Masatsune, the lord of Sotoyama Castle.

Fortunately, Matsunaga Nagayori's several thousand troops went to Tango first, but the detachment led by Tanba Shokuhi and Kubo Yoshiaki should not be underestimated.

Takeda Yoshitomo was well aware that he had not achieved much in the past and his prestige was not high. The reason he was able to successfully expel his father was not because he was deeply supported by his retainers, but simply because the old scoundrel had acted too outrageously.

If we fail to severely punish Itsuki Masatsune for his open betrayal, a chain reaction may ensue.

The siege of Suidaoshan City is imperative.

However, military campaigns were neither what Takeda Yoshitomo was good at nor fond of.

Despite coming from a respectable samurai family, his true interests lay in renga (linked verse) and Chinese poetry. This was a result of being deeply influenced by Kyoto culture.

Previously, his father had always held onto power tightly, giving him, the legitimate young master, very few opportunities to develop. However, Takeda Yoshitomo didn't mind much. On the contrary, he felt quite comfortable not having to worry about official duties and having more time to compose poetry and paint.

There are no signs of any surrounding powers invading Wakasa Province. The vassals within the country are at most outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant, yet they have no ability to rebel. Why take it so seriously?

It wasn't until recently, when his retainers could no longer tolerate it and collectively came to his door to demand his abdication, that he was forced to step forward and express their opinions on behalf of everyone. As a result, his father became furious upon hearing this and declared that he would depose the eldest son and establish a younger one in his place.

At this point, Takeda Yoshitomo was forced to act as a dutiful son.

He roared, and dozens of his retainers unanimously agreed to drive Old Deng away!

Then, just a few days ago, Yoshitomo Takeda had some thoughts of striving for improvement, but soon he felt physically and mentally exhausted.

At the same time, he also had many doubts and grievances in his heart.

By driving away his father and seizing the headship of the clan, wasn't that supposed to stop Wakasa from attacking Tanba? Why is Matsunaga Nagayori of Tanba completely ungrateful and instead wants to help the old bastard regain his position?

Is there no moral principle left to speak of?

……

In the past, on his birthday, he would have been in the elegant annex of a temple on the shore of Obama, enjoying the dry landscape garden while holding a renga or tea ceremony. On the left were courtiers and cultural figures from Kyoto, and on the right were local Zen monks. There were learned scholars among the guests, and no commoners among the visitors.

But today, I can only wake up in a dirty and simple military tent, surrounded by all sorts of strange smells, and endure the damp and stuffy rags and endless mosquitoes.

It was already 10 a.m., but Takeda Yoshitomo felt that he had not gotten enough rest in such a terrible environment and had been woken up by the noise from the surroundings.

But I'm too lazy to catch up on sleep.

He patted his face, trying his best to adopt the posture of a famous general, and walked slowly out of the military tent. He took a warm rice ball from the servant on night duty as breakfast, and at the same time asked the waiting messengers to announce the start of a meeting.

A few moments later, all the relevant personnel arrived.

Takeda Yoshitomo first asked the question he was most concerned about: "Is there any movement from Kubo's forces in Tanba?"

The short, stout samurai with a dark face, sitting second on the left, replied: "Until yesterday evening, we were still blocked on the west bank of the Aoba River, only firing in vain, without any sign of a forced crossing."

"That's good." Takeda Yoshitomo breathed a sigh of relief, but still felt uneasy, and asked again, "There's no problem on the west side, but the enemy is known as Tanba Zhong Kui, so we can't be careless. What if they secretly take a detour and enter our backyard from the south?"

The short, stout samurai with a dark face, still sitting in the second seat on the left, replied: "The two strongholds, Kurose Castle and Kawakami Castle, have been reporting daily, and we haven't seen any enemy troops. Those are all mountain paths, making movement difficult, so there's no need to worry too much."

"Indeed, thank you for your hard work, Lord Uemon!" Takeda Yoshitomo nodded, then turned to the other side, beginning to inquire about the second question: "How much military rations have been collected in the past two days?"

"I have failed you." The white-haired elder at the head of the table on the right knelt down and said in a trembling voice, "The former head of the family squandered the savings accumulated over the years and ruined his reputation by embezzling the money from Lai and his mother. I have tried my best to borrow four hundred shi of grain from the merchants in Xiaobang. It seems that there will be no chance of a turnaround before this year's autumn harvest."

"Four hundred koku is not enough to fill the gap." Takeda Yoshitaka shook his head with a wry smile and said helplessly, "I'm sorry to trouble you, Lord Shimotsuke. Please continue to think of ways to borrow at least another four hundred koku."

"...Yes." The white-haired elder remained silent for a long time before uttering a single word with difficulty.

Generally speaking, it's not difficult for a local lord to borrow money or supplies when he's short of funds.

But what could be done when the previous head of the Wakasa Takeda clan was so outrageous? He rallied a group of powerful temples and shrines within his domain to raise funds, swallowing up the principal within two years, and then denying everything when questioned. Although the perpetrator has been driven away, his infamy won't disappear anytime soon.

Nowadays, it's like a relative of a notorious fraudster shamelessly asking for a loan—would they expect a pleasant response?

Takeda Yoshitomo had no time to comfort the unfortunate fellow and quickly moved on to the next question: "Lord Ukyo, how is the siege of Sadoyama Castle progressing? Is there any chance of obtaining the head of the traitor Itsumi Masatsune?"

As a refined and cultured person, it is quite abhorrent to directly refer to Itsumi Masatsune by his given name while ignoring the official title of Suruga no Kami.

The middle-aged man at the head of the left shook his head bitterly and said in a muffled voice, "We have launched several attacks so far, but we haven't gained much. We can only slowly wear down the defending troops. Judging from the current trend, we might have a chance to take Waimau in another month."