The Self-Cultivation of Warring States Warriors

Page 121

He chuckled softly, his tone as gentle yet firm as the ocean waves, each word carrying a sense of "it should be this way": "Ever since Isshiki Shikibu (Yoshimichi) defeated Naito Bizen's Tanba army last year, he has become arrogant and domineering, rashly executing samurai and monks in Kumano County. If he is fortunate enough to gain an advantage over Wakasa's army in Kubo Sado this year, will he become even more domineering and brazenly murder Lord Chimatsumaru to establish himself as emperor? It's not that I'm impatient, but I have no choice but to be."

Although it deals with extremely cruel matters, the author speaks eloquently and with a light tone, possessing a unique beauty in its intonation and rhythm. It sounds as if the author is describing events thousands of miles away from a third-person perspective, appearing rational, objective, and neutral.

Heitao Oshima seemed convinced, pursed his lips, and nodded solemnly.

Then, Yano Yasaburo, who was in charge of the general service, spoke up. He stroked his short beard, shook his head, and spoke in a low voice, seemingly with a hidden meaning: "Since a treacherous minister from the same clan has usurped power, it is our duty as loyal ministers to help the young lord escape his predicament! To be honest, due to the recent long-term war, money and food are in short supply, and there are several damaged sections of the walls of Kenbuyama Castle that have not been properly repaired... It is not too difficult for me to take advantage of my position to dig a few small holes."

"Your Excellency is truly a model for all warriors under heaven. This righteous act will surely be praised throughout the sixty-six kingdoms!" Hosokawa Fujitaka's words were somewhat exaggerated, but his demeanor was very sincere, his voice was full of emotion, and his expression was resolute. He seemed to be expressing his praise from the bottom of his heart. After speaking, he did not forget to add a respectful bow. "I entrust this matter to you!"

As a member of a branch of the Hosokawa family, a member of the shogunate's retinue, and a fifth-rank lower-ranking official appointed by the imperial court, it was quite a show of sincerity for him to bow to a warrior from a distant country.

"Oh dear, I cannot accept such a great gift from you!" Yano Yasaburo returned the greeting with trepidation, then added casually, "I believe the shogunate will never mistreat a loyal and righteous person."

"Of course, of course." Hosokawa Fujitaka understood the implied meaning in the song and smiled slightly. His voice was still gentle and elegant, but it carried a sense of conviction. "After escaping with Lord Chimatsumaru, we will naturally have Oshima, Yano, and Koide assist in overthrowing the powerful minister and rebuilding the prestige of the Isshiki family."

“I am of little virtue and talent, and have no interest in fame or fortune, but alas, the situation has come to this.” Yano Yasaburo shook his head and sighed, “The hereditary retainers of the Kenbeyamashiro clan are almost all sitting idly by while treacherous officials seize power; they are truly not trustworthy!”

"Well... the only help I can offer is to set fire to create chaos." Koide Sakyo, the guard of the firewood warehouse, hunched his shoulders, lowered his eyes, and spoke in a barely audible voice, as if afraid of disturbing someone. "I don't know how to strike the right balance. If the fire is too small, it might not be effective, but if it really causes a disaster, that wouldn't be good either. Destroying the castle and burning our colleagues to death—that's a terrible crime..."

Upon hearing this, both men on either side showed displeasure.

Oshima Heitayu glared angrily: "What kind of time is this? Can't you even tell what's important? Burning down Kenbeyama Castle is worth it to rescue Lord Chimatsumaru!"

Yano Yasaburo tried to encourage them: "This is the best opportunity for the three of us to make a name for ourselves and bring glory to our family! Afterwards, you can leave your clan and become elders of the Tango Isshiki family!"

"Please calm down, both of you." Hosokawa Fujitaka maintained his calm smile and waved his hand. "The fact that Lord Koide has such concerns shows that he is a loyal retainer with a strong sense of justice! In this chaotic Warring States period, when morality has collapsed, there are not many loyal retainers left! Besides, after rescuing Lord Chimatsumaru, we will still need Tsukubeyama Castle to restore the Isshiki family in the future."

This statement prevented the atmosphere from escalating.

But Hosokawa Fujikoichi didn't know how to continue the conversation.

At this moment, seeing his friend facing difficulties, Mitsuhide Akechi calmly offered his advice: "We only need to create a fire, not actually burn the city. Find some cloth and straw, wet them slightly, and then pour pine resin and sesame oil on them. Once lit, we can quickly produce billowing smoke. It won't burn down the city, but it will be enough to unsettle people's hearts."

"Understood!" Koide Sakyo clenched his fists, no longer hesitating, as if he had already brushed away all the distracting thoughts in his mind.

Seeing that the time was ripe, Hosokawa Fujitaka slowly rose, took out a letter from his pocket, and spread it on the table. It was an edict written by the Shogun Ashikaga Yoshiteru himself. Although it was not stamped with an official seal, it had its own unique handwriting and signature, and thus possessed a certain degree of validity.

He displayed this crucial prop once more, his tone as gentle as a spring breeze, yet with a resolute strength like that of a mountain rock:

"With this secret order in hand, what we are planning today is the very essence of loyalty and righteousness! After it succeeds, you will all be famous throughout the world!"

Oshima Heitayu's eyes were clear and his expression righteous; Yano Yasaburo's eyes were bright and eager; Koide Sakyo's face was ashen and his breathing was heavy. In the end, the three of them bowed their heads together, displaying a resolute posture.

……

Having made the work arrangements and seen off the three "righteous men," Hosokawa Fujitaka breathed a sigh of relief. The heroic aura around him gradually faded, and he returned to his usual elegant and cunning demeanor, a meaningful smile appearing on his lips.

Mitsuhide Akechi frowned and asked in a low voice, "Although Kenbeyama Castle is currently relatively empty and there are no capable people in charge, can these three really accomplish anything?"

"There's about a 50% chance," Hosokawa Fujitaka said calmly. "So I need to have a backup plan."

"What plan?" Mitsuhide Akechi frowned, a bad feeling rising in his heart.

Hosokawa Fujitaka smiled, looked around, and didn't offer any explanation.

Mitsuhide Akechi instantly understood his old friend's intention. While feeling shocked, he nodded in agreement: "As long as there is a suicide soldier willing to give his life to participate in the operation, we can be sure that everything will go smoothly. No matter how things develop, it will be in our best interest."

Hosokawa Fujitaka smiled and said quietly, "Although my family has declined along with the Hosokawa main line, we still have one or two loyal followers."

“However…” Akechi Mitsuhide pondered for a moment, then added, “If it really comes to the point of using suicide soldiers, the subsequent situation will certainly be advantageous to the shogunate, to Lord Kubo, to the Miyoshi family, to Kubo Sado… but whether it will ultimately be advantageous to you is uncertain.”

Upon hearing this, Hosokawa Fujitaka's smile froze for a moment, but he immediately shook his head, adopting an indifferent attitude: "It's alright, it's alright. Since I serve the shogunate, what is beneficial to the shogunate is beneficial to me."

Mitsuhide Akechi lowered his head, remaining silent. After a long silence, he finally spoke, "Let my men go with us! It would be more beneficial for both of us to rescue Isshiki Chimatsumaru alive."

229 The Humble Yet Brave

"Our Kubo clan's army is positioned with its back to Mount Isoji, adjacent to the source of the Kokuwa River, facing south from a high vantage point. My elder brother... the main camp of the supreme commander is located at Ensei-ji Temple; the Awaya and Hongo troops of Wakasa are positioned in front, serving as the vanguard and closest to the enemy. If an attack is needed, they will be the ones to launch it; the two generals, Itsumi and Ichikawa, are positioned on the west side to ensure the connection with the port of Kumihama, and can also advance along the main road at any time to support the vanguard; the troops of Ōyū Castle, the Shima Castle, and the newly recruited Tango are stationed at Takefuji Castle to guard the eastern flank, and can also bypass it via mountain paths if a surprise attack is desired. In total, there are 6,500 men, well-fortified inside and out, and able to advance and retreat freely."

Shingoro's younger brother wasn't yet confident enough to command the troops, but after being ordered to tour the area, he quickly understood the purpose of each arrangement and extracted the key points.

Of course, he now has ten legitimate retainers under his command, many of whom are experienced veterans. The above introduction was probably given under guidance and was done at the last minute.

But that doesn't matter.

The original intention was to give this kid a learning process; rote memorization is the first stage of learning, after all.

Two other young members of the same group, Kubo Iotaro and Kubo Tobei, were also listening nearby. They were also potential trainees.

As for Butarou's father, Kumataro, and Tobei's brother, Hashibei, they are in their thirties or forties and their minds are not working very fast. There is no way to expect them to make any progress. Their best they can do is to be good executors.

"Hmm, not bad." Shinzaburo nodded slightly, expressionless, then pointed forward. "How much do you know about Isshiki Shikibu's (Yoshido's) movements on the other side?"

"The enemy is to the south, facing our army across the Sato Valley River." Whether he understood it himself or not, Shingoro's younger brother did indeed answer fluently. "The Sato Valley River is only twenty or thirty paces wide at its widest point, not difficult to cross, but attacking across the river is still inconvenient. Right in the middle, there is a bend where the current is narrow and slow, and a section juts out to the north, where the Takeno District's Takaya Suruga-no-kami is stationed, which seems to be the easiest place to attack. But it could also be a deliberate bait. The flags we can identify next include those of Ōe, Kitasō, Iwata, Kaneki, etc., all linked together... The enemy general's main force is protected in the rear. The total number of people is estimated to be no less than five thousand."

While speaking, Butaro and Higashibei squatted on the ground and built an extremely rudimentary sand table diagram with mounds of earth and small stones, giving a very intuitive but completely inaccurate demonstration of the situation.

After listening, Shinzaburo immediately asked, "What are your thoughts?"

Shingoro's younger brother hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Both sides have deployed their forces according to the terrain, forming a tight formation. While our Kubo clan is undoubtedly a victorious army, the Tango clan defeated Naito Bizen last year and is also riding high on morale. It seems that those who launch an attack rashly will run into trouble. However, our army has the advantage in terms of funds and supplies, and we can also ask the local militia of Tanba Amada and Hero districts to send troops to disrupt their summer harvest. In that case, we might be able to force the enemy to fight."

"Hmm..." Shinzaburo nodded slightly, then looked at the other two relatives, "What do you think?"

“Actually, I don’t think the Isshiki army is that tightly packed and secure.” Pigtaro seemed a bit impatient, and he pointed to the diagram impatiently and said, “They are lined up in a straight line on the south bank of the Sato River, with only their main camp behind them. So if we break through any point, wouldn’t we be able to directly attack the enemy’s commander-in-chief?”

"But what if a direct assault fails? The Tango soldiers aren't a motley crew that crumbles at the sight of their main force being attacked. Besides, the elite and skilled remnants of the former Kanrei might still be hiding in their ranks." Tobei seemed rather pessimistic, or rather, rational. "Perhaps the Isshikibu on the other side have arranged their men in a single line to facilitate a counterattack. If our army suffers a setback, they will flank us from the left and right, launching a pincer attack."

It seems that the two young students have made some progress in their military studies, at least possessing battlefield common sense that exceeds the average level of their time.

"If only there were a way to win without fighting," Shingoro muttered with a frown. "I think the essence of military strategy is to only launch a full-scale attack when you have more men than women."

Shinzaburo smiled and shook his head, saying, "There are ways to win without fighting. But if we always rely on tricks, even if we keep winning, we won't achieve enough results."

"Ah, this..." Shingoro's younger brother looked puzzled, seemingly not understanding the meaning of the words.

Both Ibaraki-Douji and Higashibei were completely baffled.

"Think carefully, what was the most crucial outcome of the battle?" Shinzaburo posed the question, then immediately moved on to the next topic without giving anyone time to think. "Call everyone over, I have something to announce."

……

A moment later, the generals assembled.

Shinzaburo, dressed in imposing armor and holding a round fan, sat calmly in the main seat, surveying his surroundings, and said, "I plan to send a small group of soldiers to launch a surprise attack on the flanks to probe the enemy's strength. Who is willing to go?"

When two armies are facing off in battle, one should not launch a hasty and reckless attack. Instead, a brave general with light troops should advance first, with the aim not of winning, but of observing the enemy's reaction. This is the correct understanding of military strategy.

Having traveled through so many years and experienced numerous battles, large and small, and having read through all the military books available in this era, Shinzaburo has finally gained some understanding of military affairs.

However, the level of awareness among his retainers varied.

No sooner had the words left his mouth than Ōi Shigeie immediately volunteered, "I am willing to go!"

He was tall and skilled in martial arts, and had always been the most imposing general in the Kubo family. He immediately stepped forward, seemingly determined to win.

But Shinzaburo then asked, "Who should accompany you?"

Upon hearing this, Ooi Shigeie was taken aback. After a moment, he hastily composed a response, saying as he thought, "Besides my own troops, plus the forces of Lords Inatomi and Takemura, it's probably... well, that's about right?"

His tone suddenly became low and slow, his confidence waned, and his momentum vanished instantly.

The atmosphere inside the tent immediately became awkward.

After a while, Awaya Ukyo Ryōki Katsuhisa of the 6th Division of Wakasa, having considered the matter carefully, said, "I, along with Kumagai and Matsumiya, will each select fifty warriors from our soldiers. I am confident that we will live up to your expectations."

Meanwhile, Nobumura Oyamada of the Fourth Division said, "I am willing to help Lord Sado, but I am afraid that the manpower of our headquarters is not enough. I hope that you will allocate your personal guards to support us, so that we can truly test the enemy's strength."

Although three military commanders responded, none of them seemed very reliable.

While Ooi Shigeie is undoubtedly brave, he seems to have overlooked whether his men share his courage. Awaya Katsuhisa is more thorough in his considerations, but lacks any sharp edge, making him clearly unsuitable as a commando leader. As for Oyamada Nobumura's argument, while reasonable, it's not advisable; who sends personal guards to probe from the outset? A mishap leading to significant losses would be a complete loss.

But no one else volunteered. If all else fails, we can compromise on their plans and make some adjustments...

As Shinzaburo was pondering, suddenly three lower-ranking retainers at the very bottom of the table stood up as if they had planned it in advance, walked to the front, and bowed.

Upon closer inspection, they were none other than Hasegawa Naoki, Kokufu Raito, and Iwamatsu Shigenobu, who had successfully produced saltpeter.

The speaker was Naoki Hasegawa, known for his eloquence. His tone was unhurried, with a slight Ou accent, and he didn't deliberately raise his voice to project an air of authority, yet his enunciation naturally exuded a firm and resolute force.

"Lord Sado, please allow us to select capable soldiers from among the 'Mikura no Toshihiro' to launch a surprise attack on the enemy's flank!"

To seize the masses from the imperial collection?

In other words, those retainers hired from among the ronin, who received wages and allowances without being granted a fiefdom.

That's an interesting choice.

Then came Iwamatsu Shigenobu's booming baritone voice: "Back then, we all joined the Kubo family as 'Missile Corps'. So we know that among the 'Missile Corps' there are definitely many ambitious people eager to make a name for themselves!"

The older Kokufu Raito calmly said, "If we're talking about a direct assault, 'taking the enemy out of their camp' might not be the right approach. But for probing the enemy's strengths and weaknesses, we should trust these experienced ronin."

Upon hearing this, Shinzaburo finally smiled.

According to the principles of military strategy, those who undertake the task of lightly armed attacks and probing the enemy's situation should ideally be "humble yet courageous." That is to say, people of low social status who are not afraid of death.

The Kubo family's "Mikuri-juku" now numbers around four hundred. They absolutely meet the criteria of "baseness," and at least a small portion of them should also possess the characteristic of "courage."

230 The advance and retreat of the surprise attack team

In the days before military binoculars were available, commanders could only observe the battle situation on the front lines with the naked eye, which was no easy task.

Even from a high vantage point with a wide field of vision, eyesight is still limited. From more than a kilometer away, all you can see is a blurry, churning outline; you can't possibly distinguish any ranks or formations.

Therefore, flags and indicators were indispensable tools for soldiers, their importance even rivaling that of weapons. In the "Military Service Regulations" issued by established Sengoku daimyo, the quantity of flags and indicators was generally strictly regulated.

Generally speaking, warriors would carry flags that wouldn't hinder their movement, whenever possible. Furthermore, small groups of ten or so men needed a small flag, and squads of around a hundred men needed a large flag. Reserve units of several hundred or a couple of thousand men would have a directly commanded flag group, specifically a group of tall men to carry various flags. This way, the soldiers could clearly see their surroundings and avoid becoming confused.

On this day, the clouds were thin and the sky was mostly white. There was neither rain nor excessive heat, making it the perfect weather for outdoor activities.

The Kubo family's main camp was built against the mountain and beside the water, on a gentle slope a hundred feet above the ground, about one kilometer from the front line.

After instructing his envoys to issue the orders, he immediately heard the sound of drums and conch shells. A short while later, Shinzaburo saw three of his reserve units slowly advancing towards the north bank of the Sato River.

They then stopped temporarily on the riverbank and, as instructed, fired arrows and cannons as a greeting to the enemy.

Shinzaburo, standing at the rear, naturally couldn't see the soldiers' specific actions. He could only judge from the sounds and smoke that the firearms had been activated.

The Sato River is no more than thirty-four paces at its widest point and less than twenty paces at its narrowest; a kilometer away, it's just a thin ribbon. Moreover, it's far from the peak flood season, and the water is negligible. If they can suppress the enemy with ranged attacks, the soldiers have a chance to cross it in one fell swoop.

The initial order was for the three teams led by Hongo, Ichikawa, and Kawakatsu to launch a feint attack. However, a feint attack must at least have a chance of success in order to attract the enemy's attention and have any tactical significance.

From a distance, Shinzaburo could not understand the situation in real time. He could only see that the enemy's army was also moving. The two sides faced each other across a narrow river and kept making "whale waves" roars.

A short while later, several young samurai serving as "military officers" returned from the front, led by Ichimon Shukubo Itoro. He briefly introduced the status of the three reserve units and then gave his summary: "There are too few arquebuses on both sides, and the arrows are not powerful enough. If we shoot at each other across the Sato Tanigawa River, I'm afraid we might not even lose ten men in an hour."

"Is that so?" Shinzaburo glanced ahead subconsciously and smiled, "But the soldiers' battle cries are quite imposing."

"They love these battles that are all talk and no action!" Kubo Itoro's eyes flashed with disdain, then he tentatively suggested, "Why don't we deploy all our arquebuses and fire them all at the narrowest point in the river? That should surely drive the enemy back. Then we can have our best spearmen quickly cross the river and form a battle formation on the other side..."

In fact, although his idea was somewhat naive, it was highly feasible.

Within Kubo's army, the first force consisted of nearly a hundred arquebusiers directly under Shinzaburo's command, followed by forty or fifty arquebusiers from Nasa Yamato's pirate crew. If the rest were gathered together, the total should be around two hundred arquebuses. In those days, the simultaneous firing of two hundred arquebuses carried considerable weight, especially in the remote and impoverished province of Tango.

However, a more suitable battle plan has already been devised based on the characteristics of both sides, so it is not intended to be adopted.

But instead of directly denying it, Shinzaburo asked his younger brother Shingoro, "What do you think of Butaro's suggestion?"

Shingoro has been frequently called upon to answer questions lately, so he was quite prepared. After a moment's thought, he immediately said, "The saying goes, 'Consider defeat before victory.' If we rashly concentrate our most elite soldiers for an attack, wouldn't the losses be enormous if something goes wrong?"

Hearing this, Pig Taro dared not refute, but simply lowered his head and frowned.

Shinzaburo patted the boy on the shoulder: "Focus on doing your job well first. You can think about the gains and losses of the battle later."

Pig Taro immediately blushed and apologized, then led the others and hurriedly turned and headed for the front line.

Being a relative's child, he wasn't scolded even when he was distracted in front of the boss during work hours.

Then Shinsaburo said to Shingoro, "You, along with Oi, Inatomi, and Takemura, lead the gunners, the Oyuki Castle troops, and the 7th Division of Wakasa to the east to provide support as planned."

……

Later that evening, another member of the Ichimonji clan, Kubo Tobei, who served as a military supervisor with a rank similar to that of a magistrate, quietly arrived at the eastern side of the battlefield along with Hasegawa Naoki, Kokufu Raito, Iwamatsu Shigenobu, and others.

Their soldiers were two hundred men selected from the "Military Expedition," plus three local guides. They were all equipped with short weapons and carried no flags. Using the terrain and vegetation as cover, they circled around for two or three kilometers, preparing for a surprise attack.

Kubo Tobei diligently fulfilled his duty, and whispered a final emphasis: "Gentlemen, remember that our mission is to probe and lure. Lord Kubo Sado has instructed that if the surprise attack fails, we should immediately retreat along the same route and not be persistent in fighting."

Everyone naturally agreed to obey the order.

Then they had to cross the river.

The local guide confidently stated that the water was very shallow and the riverbed was solid, so even wearing armor, one could easily cross it.

But the leader of the Nationalist government, Raito, was still cautious. He carefully tested the water by inserting the half-gun in his hand backwards before finally throwing himself into the water.

The people behind followed one by one, and they crossed the small river in an instant.

A row of farmhouses nestled against a grove of trees came into view. The inhabitants had long since fled, and there was unlikely to be any valuables left behind. The raiding party paused briefly on the flat ground in front of the farmhouses to regroup, determine their direction, and then set off again.