bookbashuk Page 129
Page 129
The tall and imposing Tomita Nagashige was quite shrewd. He didn't react to these unfriendly words. He maintained his elegant demeanor, bowed to Shinzaburo, and calmly said, "The soldiers under Lord Kubo Sado are quite interesting."
Shinzaburo smiled without saying a word, recalling his memories of the name "Tomita Nagashige" from his previous life, and then carefully considered his options.
A gentle mountain breeze rustled through the trees in the distance. Hundreds of people gathered at the crossroads beside Guoji City, where fame and fortune, loyalty and deceit, were indistinguishable for a moment.
245 Setting up a banquet and casting bait to stir people's hearts
As expected, although Takeda Yoshitomo returned to Koseyama Castle as the governor of Wakasa, he appeared to be addicted to alcohol and had no interest in politics, showing no signs of being capable of seizing power.
That's not surprising.
Takeda Yoshitomo was a mediocre second-generation heir with little talent and ambition. He had never had much resilience or fighting spirit before, and after years of wandering and exile, his spirit had only weakened further. His performance today was quite logical.
Almost everyone present believed that he had been forced to come by the Echizen Asakura family and that his actions were not of his own volition.
Shinzaburo initially thought the same thing.
But when he returned to Kohama Castle that night, he saw Ichimonji Kubo Tobei chatting with others and sighed, "How could a scion of a noble family fall to such a state?"
At that moment, Shinzaburo suddenly had a flash of inspiration and realized that things might not be so simple.
If Takeda Yoshitomo has truly lost all will to fight and refuses to cooperate, what can Echizen Asakura do to him? Can he be tied up in a palanquin and forcibly sent over?
Forcing them to give it away would go against their wishes and only cause resentment, which would not be in the best interests of the Asakura family.
Takeda Yoshitaka returned to Wakasa as arranged by the Asakura family, but he appeared mediocre, foolish, and unfit for support in front of Shinzaburo. Was this his true nature, or was it intentional?
Including the exiled samurai who returned with him, they were all like frightened birds, trembling with fear at the name "Kubo Yoshiaki". They showed neither loyalty nor any sense of homeland. Whether they were really such useless people is hard to say, and the possibility that they were deliberately showing weakness cannot be ruled out.
Of course, this group of rulers and their retainers who had returned were ultimately not very capable and not worth worrying about. Even with their intricate connections to the local area, they still might not be able to shake the Kubo family's rule over Wakasa.
What we really need to be wary of are the spies planted by the Asakura family.
The one in the lead was none other than the burly, strong, witty, and eloquent Tomita Nagashige.
Shinzaburo had anticipated that Echizen Asakura would take the opportunity to infiltrate Wakasa, and had already prepared many contingency plans, including countless physical solutions to the problem.
However, upon discovering that the visitor was none other than Tomita Nagashige, he had a sudden inspiration and decided to try a different approach.
This person doesn't have a strong presence in Koei Tecmo games, but he has caused quite a stir in history.
In the original timeline, Tomita Nagashige, an outsider with no connections, relied on his outstanding talent to obtain the position of shogun in the strict Asakura family. Then, driven by his own ambition, he became a traitor, seizing the opportunity to switch sides to the Oda faction. By betraying his former master, he rose to become a regional governor. Finally, with the help of the Hokuriku Ikko-ikki, he purged his dissenting colleagues and almost took over the territory of Echizen Province.
However, due to his capriciousness and tyranny during the power grab, he lost the support of the lower-ranking warriors and died from a sneak attack by his own side.
This experience is somewhat similar to that of Araki Murashige, only with better battle records and a more aggressive and ruthless approach, so his rise and fall were both extremely sudden and unexpected.
Now that we know the other party's nature in advance, it seems we don't need to insist on eliminating them directly, but can consider making use of them instead.
……
The next day, Shinzaburo hosted a banquet at Obama Castle, where he specially purchased expensive shad, sea bream, lobster, and crab, and served them with Kubo family's specialty candied chestnuts and fine millet wine, to give Takeda Yoshitomo a grand welcome.
This matter actually presents certain problems from a legal and ethical standpoint.
Kubo was merely the deputy governor of Wakasa Province, while Takeda was the governor of Wakasa Province, indicating a difference in their social status. Therefore, the concept of a superior visiting the residence of a subordinate is entirely different from that of a subordinate visiting the residence of a superior.
Koseyama Castle and Obama Castle are less than three kilometers apart, but the former was the ancestral residence of the Takeda family, while the latter was a new stronghold of the Kubo family that was not yet fully established, and their political significance was completely different. If Shinzaburo were to host a banquet at Obama Castle and sit in the host's seat, it would be somewhat of a case of the inferior overthrowing the superior.
However, these days, Takeda Yoshitomo and those around him are clearly not very willing to express their dissatisfaction.
Whether they were feigning weakness or genuine weakness, they would never openly confront Shinzaburo.
Tomita Nagashige, sent by the Echizen Asakura family, looked like a young, impetuous, and reckless warrior, but in reality, he was eloquent, had an extraordinary demeanor, and even possessed a Kyoto air that was rare among samurai families—a kind of shrewdness that was both calculating and capable of concealing one's abilities.
The kind of person he is doesn't easily show his talent, but once he does, it's bound to make headlines.
However, whether or not to show one's strength on someone else's turf is not entirely up to him.
After several rounds of drinks and dishes, Shinsaburo, feigning a slight buzz and beaming with joy, raised his cup and proclaimed, "It's a rare gathering of heroes and valiant men. Wouldn't it be too mundane to merely drink? Among us are brave warriors skilled in swordsmanship, archery, and horsemanship. Why not have a contest? It would not only enhance our refined enjoyment but also boost our prestige!"
Takeda Yoshitomo, still somewhat dazed, paused for a moment, seemingly sobering up considerably. He hurriedly shook his head in alarm, saying, "Swords and spears have no eyes; it would be unfortunate if there were any injuries. How about we change it to Chinese poetry or linked verse?"
Shinzaburo laughed loudly: "What Lord Jibu said is certainly true, but most of my men are rough and uncouth, and very few understand elegance. How about alternating between literary gatherings and martial arts contests?"
Takeda Yoshitomo shrank back and didn't say anything more.
That would be tantamount to admitting it.
Ooi Shigeie immediately stood up and volunteered for the challenge: "I saw the extraordinary bravery of Lord Tomita Nagashige who came from Echizen yesterday, and I have long had the idea of sparring with you. I hope you will grant my request!"
Tomita Nagashige remained calm, raised an eyebrow slightly, smiled gently, bowed, and said softly, "I have long heard of a brave general from Shinshu named Oi in the Kubo army. It is a great pleasure to have the opportunity to learn from him today."
Then both sides stepped forward, made some preparations, and came to the middle of the hall to compete.
This time, they will not fight with real swords and spears, but will instead use bamboo blades to compete.
Ooi Shigeie was more skilled in spear, club, bow, and horsemanship, but his swordsmanship was also quite good. He had the advantage of being tall and strong. Since he volunteered to take the stage, he showed no politeness. With a loud shout, he quickly swung his sword and attacked with the speed of thunder.
The sound of weapons cutting through the air even made the audience in the front row instinctively turn their bodies to avoid them.
Tomita Nagashige remained calm, gliding back lightly while keeping his bamboo sword perfectly positioned in front of his chest—a stance that concealed his advance while retreating, and his offense while defending.
From the very first exchange, it was clear to onlookers that the two had vastly different styles. Ōi Shigeie was fierce, his movements practical, clean, and swift, pressing forward relentlessly; while Tomita Nagashige, on the other hand, held his sword cautiously, steady and agile, blocking and dodging with ease.
After more than ten exchanges, Ooi Shigeie's expression grew increasingly grim. He let out a low growl, used all his strength, and swung his bamboo sword, constantly changing angles in the air, unleashing three consecutive slashes.
Tomita Nagashige seemed to be getting tired of dealing with the situation. He managed to parry two moves, but eventually, as if he was exhausted, he staggered back several steps to avoid the third blow and walked out of the fighting area. Then he sheathed his sword, bowed, and smiled, saying, "Lord Ooi's skills are extraordinary. I am no match for him."
However, upon closer inspection, it was clear that Ooi Shigeie's shoulders were trembling slightly and his forehead was covered in sweat, indicating that he had expended a lot of energy, while Tomita Nagashige remained calm and composed, just as when he first arrived.
It also makes one feel that the victory wasn't decisive enough.
Ooi Shigeie abandoned his underestimation and frowned, saying, "Lord Tomita is too kind; otherwise, the outcome would have been uncertain."
Shinzaburo clapped his hands and laughed: "Both of you have performed superb swordsmanship, very good! Next, it's time for the written test."
Katsura Yoshinobu of the Kubo family received a hint, and after a moment of contemplation, he composed a Chinese poem: "A gathering of noble scholars at a fragrant banquet, a gathering of valiant ministers at a famous place, talents capable of assisting the state, ambitions sufficient to revitalize Luoyang."
The moment the poem was recited, thunderous applause erupted in the hall, and everyone exclaimed, "Gui Da's talent and sentiment are unparalleled!"
After all, to most uneducated people, being able to compose a normal Chinese poem is impressive enough. They might not even understand the meaning, let alone analyze its quality.
Then Katsura Yoshinobu turned to Tomita Nagashige: "Lord Tomita comes from Echizen, a place renowned for its literary tradition. He must be a man of both literary and martial talents. Please do not hesitate to teach him."
Tomita Nagashige pondered for a moment, then slowly recited: "A flock of eagles spread their wings in a noisy clamor, their strength able to pierce the clouds yet they know not the way; if they wish to soar to ten thousand miles in the sky, only the Kunpeng can truly roam freely." He then toasted Shinzaburo with a cup of wine.
This response was quite unique.
Katsura Yoshinobu's poem just now meant that everyone present was a hero and would surely achieve great things in the future; while Tomita Nagashige's words meant that even with a group of talented people, an excellent leader is still needed to achieve the goal.
It's very suitable for the current situation.
Then, following the mood, Shinzaburo arranged for the follow-up program.
Instead of personally taking to the wrestling matches, Tomita Nagashige dispatched two of his retainers. Masui Jin's wife competed in sumo wrestling against Kubo's Harumi Ujitaka, while Toda Yujiro, along with Kubo's Manmatsu Yoshikiyo, accompanied Takeda Yoshitaka in reciting linked verses; all were considered evenly matched.
At this moment, Shinzaburo seemed to be delighted, revealing an expression of eagerness to recruit talent. Taking advantage of his slight drunkenness, he said with great enthusiasm, "Lord Tomita is indeed a rare and excellent general! I will soon be going on another expedition in the name of the shogunate. I wonder if I would have the honor of inviting you to accompany me?"
Tomita Nagashige bowed respectfully and apologized, saying, "I brought Wakasa here to assist Takeda Harubu (Yoshitomo), so I'm afraid I must decline Lord Kubo Sado's kind offer."
Just then, Takeda Yoshitomo, who was sitting nearby, was overcome with drunkenness and collapsed onto the mat with a thud, falling into a deep sleep.
Shinzaburo looked around with great interest, observing the expressions of everyone around him, before slowly shaking his head at Tomita Nagashige and sighing, "That's a real pity! This time, the target of our campaign is San'in, which has fallen into chaos due to the conflict between the Mori and Amago clans. There is a vast expanse of potential there. Anyone who fights loyally and makes outstanding contributions may be granted a county or castle. It is not unimaginable that one could even become a provincial governor."
As soon as he finished speaking, while the others remained calm, a sharp glint immediately flashed in Tomita Nagashige's eyes.
Although he quickly lowered his head to hide his expression, Shinzaburo, with his keen eye for detail, still witnessed the entire process.
246. Shanyin has vast land and great potential.
From a third-party perspective, the Asakura family's decision to send Takeda Yoshitomo back to Wakasa was a brilliant move.
Shinzaburo, constrained by the pressure from the shogunate and the Miyoshi family, could not afford to neglect the legitimate guardians and had to maintain basic courtesy.
Even though Takeda Yoshitomo himself was lazy and idle all day long, and most of his former retainers were also mediocre and incompetent, they could still provide him with official status and connections. Then, the Asakura family sent the shrewd and capable Tomita Nagashige to accompany and assist him, which changed the situation.
Some people are good at empty talk, while others are good at practical work. If a "dual government" were to be established in Wakasa, the Kubo family would naturally have a hard time.
However, Shinzaburo was a cunning and shrewd man who was good at bewitching people. As soon as they met, he kept talking about things like "San'in is a vast land with great potential", "Being granted a county or a city is easy", and "There is a chance to eliminate a country", which made the young Tomita Nagashige passionate and excited, and he had no interest in doing anything in Wakasa.
Of course, simply drawing up empty promises won't easily have any effect.
Not long after Shinzaburo made his boast, he actually obtained the position of "San'in no Tsuji," which is why his promise seemed truly powerful.
This was probably a change that the Echizen Asakura family had not anticipated.
At first, everyone thought that the so-called "San'in invasion" was just an excuse for the Miyoshi regime to expand its power. But soon, the San'in region really did fall into widespread chaos, and someone really needed to send troops to restore order.
The reason was that Amago Haruhisa, who held the position of governor of eight provinces in the Kansai region, died of a stroke at the age of forty-eight.
Throughout the more than twenty years that Amago Haruhisa held power, although his actions were somewhat harsh and impatient, he ultimately won more wars than he lost, reaping considerable gains. He single-handedly expanded his influence to the extent of Suo in the west and Harima in the east, undoubtedly creating the largest territory in the family's history.
Even in his later years, when he was somewhat overwhelmed by Mori Motonari's numerous tactics, he still effectively controlled a large territory of 600,000 to 700,000 koku, as well as the silver mines of Iwami and trade with the Sea of Japan, maintaining a mobilization capacity of no less than 30,000 people.
Ashikaga Yoshiteru had regarded the Amago clan as the pillar of western Japan even during his exile. After the Battle of Itsukushima, the relationship between the Miyoshi and Mori clans deteriorated rapidly, and the Miyoshi clan gradually adopted a policy of rapprochement with the Amago clan.
However, the situation took a sharp turn for the worse when Amago Haruhisa died suddenly and was succeeded by the young Amago Yoshihisa.
Upon receiving the news, Mori Motonari disregarded the need to create a pretext for war and immediately dispatched troops to attack Iwami Province, attempting to seize the largest silver mine in Japan.
After receiving the garrison's plea for help, Amago Yoshihisa hesitated to take action, neither personally leading troops to provide support nor dispatching his retainers to attack. Instead, he wrote to Kyoto requesting the shogunate to mediate.
I don't know if this kid is afraid of Mori Motonari's reputation or if he finds military life too tough.
In the Warring States period, when social order was in disarray, personally leading troops on the front lines certainly carried the risk of death, but staying out of battle often meant an even quicker demise. A daimyo who stayed away from the battlefield rarely earned the respect and admiration of his soldiers.
Amago Yoshihisa was unwilling to lead his army to fight against the Aki Mori clan, and was immediately regarded by samurai from all over the country as a weak and incompetent person.
As a result, apart from Iwami Province being attacked by Mori Motonari, other regions also broke out, and many local tyrants who had been defeated by Amago Haruhisa in the past began to plan a counterattack.
Nanjo Munekatsu of Hōki had begun guerrilla warfare two years ago, and now, with his morale soaring, he turned to direct resistance. The Emi and Miura clans of Mimasaka, who had already been taught a lesson and dared not disobey, now harbored rebellious intentions and cut off their tribute. Takeda Takanobu of Inaba had long suppressed the pro-Amago forces and was now riding high, planning to press his advantage. Urakami Masamune, the only one in Harima loyal to the Amago clan, had no grounds to stand and simply surrendered to his younger brother, Urakami Munekage.
Moreover, Mori Motonari's shadow looms behind all these changes.
The once-powerful foundation of the "Prefect of the Eleven Kingdoms of Yin and Yang" was on the verge of collapse. This upheaval also reached the territory of the Meike family of Tajima Mountain.
However, with its decentralized power and lack of unity, Malaysia has historically been easily affected by external circumstances.
Faced with the dramatic changes in western Japan, a large majority of the local population, led by the Shiroganeya family, believed that with the Amago clan declining and the Mori clan rising, it would be better to follow the trend and be close to the Mori family to avoid conflicts with their neighbors. However, a small minority of the local population, led by Tadashi Yoshiyoshi, felt that the Mori family had not yet gained the approval of the shogunate and was not on good terms with the powerful Miyoshi family. In the long run, they might not be a reliable ally, and it would be more prudent to follow the central government.
In other words, Tajima split into the "Mori faction" and the "Miyoshi faction".
As for Yamana Yutaka, the legitimate guardian, he did not express his opinion explicitly, but secretly supported the "Miyoshi faction" in the hope of striking down the power of the guardian Shirogakiya family.
Such internal disagreements were common during the Warring States period and would not normally lead to turmoil.
however--
Last year, a meticulous and ambitious ronin named Muto Shunsuke volunteered to go to Tajima to do "underground work" in front of Shinzaburo.
With the Kubo family's recommendation letter and his own talent, he quickly established himself and became a trusted advisor to Yamana Yutaka.
The year-long preparation came in handy at this time.
Under the instigation and instigation of Muto Shunshu, the internal strife within the Yamana family intensified.
First, it was Yoshinobu Tadashi, a member of the Miyoshi faction, who launched the first attack with the tacit approval of Yamana Sukeyoyoshi. He attacked the Kagaya family's Tsurumine Castle without declaring war, killed the Shugodai (Governor-General) Kagaya Tsuneshige, and then openly demanded the title of Shugodai from Yamana Sukeyoyoshi. He also wrote a letter to Wakasa-Ohama Castle, claiming that he hoped to obtain the support of the shogunate and the Miyoshi family.
But before he could gain the approval of the central government, he was first met with collective hatred from his colleagues because of his rude behavior.
Moreover, they only killed the guardian Daigakiya Shigenari, failing to eliminate the threat completely. At this point, they thought victory was in sight, which was undoubtedly like popping champagne at the halfway point.
Soon, Kakiya Mitsunari, the grandson of Kakiya Tsuneshige, gathered more than 500 troops and joined forces with some smaller forces such as Yagi and Tajiki, making a total of 1,200 men. They stormed over with great momentum, determined to seek justice.
Previously, Yamana Yutaka had tacitly approved of Tadashi Yoshiyoshi's attack on Kakiya Tsuneshige, but now he denies it, saying to the outside world that Tadashi Yoshiyoshi acted on his own initiative.
As a result, public opinion in Malaysia naturally turned against him.
Yoshiyuki Tadashi was suddenly accused of murdering the governor without authorization. He hastily assembled a force of three or four hundred men, but was unable to fight in the open and had to defend the castle. However, his two generals, Ebina Iga and Shinogawa Sakyo, saw the situation was not good and decisively defected, opening the castle gates and turning their guns on him.
Then, Mitsunari Kakiya led his troops in and slaughtered all the men of the Yoshikazu clan at Tayusho. He then led his troops to the Yamana family's Konsumi Castle, where he coerced Yamana Sukeyo into accepting his grandfather's position as the deputy governor of Tajima.
At this point, how could Yamana Yuutoyo refuse? He had no choice but to do as the other party asked.
Only then did Mitsunari Kakiya withdraw his troops.
Thanks to this victory, his authority as the new governor of Tajima has been initially established.
Then, Mitsunari Kakiya sent an envoy to the Mori clan in Aki Province, expressing his willingness to cooperate in attacking the remnants of the Amago clan in Inaba, Harima, and Mimasaka. Mori Motonari was very pleased and instructed Takeda Takanobu and others in Inaba to cooperate.
It is conceivable that if they were to achieve some success and then use the new territory to buy off the lower-ranking samurai of Tajima, the situation would change further.
Seeing this, Yamana Yutaka was filled with remorse and looked around, saying, "I originally planned to incite the Kakiya and Tayusho families to fight each other, and then profit from the conflict. Who would have thought that the Tayusho family would be so easily defeated, and now the Kakiya family has become stronger? What should we do?"
Without hesitation, Muto Shunshu advised, "Lord Kubo Sado has been appointed 'San'in Toritsuki' by the shogunate, and is responsible for maintaining peace in Tajima Province. Only by seeking his help can we turn the tide!"
Yamana Yutaka was somewhat tempted, but still harbored doubts, so he consulted with the only two senior retainers who had not yet aligned themselves with the Daigaki-ya family, the governors. These were Shioji Kagoshi of Fukata District and Otagaki Terunobu of Asagi District.