The Self-Cultivation of Warring States Warriors

Page 70

Perhaps he knew of a hidden escape route.

The following morning, the soldiers learned that the head of the Utsu family might have escaped, and they all expressed their regret, feeling that the victory was not perfect.

Especially Kawakatsu Hirotsugu. He's really made a huge grudge against them this time.

However, Shinzaburo appeared very relaxed. He glanced around and calmly smiled, saying, "This man previously had an army and a city under his control, yet he was still easily defeated by us. Now he is fleeing alone, like a stray dog, living in constant fear. Why should we worry about him?"

After he said that, everyone's mood improved a bit.

Then Araki Village chimed in, "Under the claws of a tiger, even chickens and dogs cannot escape, but insects can. It seems that the enemy chief is not even a chicken or dog, but merely an insect."

131 The reinforcements each had their own needs.

Although Utsu Nagashige may have escaped, all of the enemy's fortresses had been captured, and the territory was already in his grasp. In any case, it was a great victory.

Shinzaburo settled into the ruined Utsu Castle and held a series of banquets, keeping the soldiers in the camp to eat and drink to prevent them from idly harming the people. He then dispatched his retainers to post notices at nearby major temples and shrines, issuing regulations in the name of "Kubo Genban-to Yoshiaki" to "prohibit all acts of malfeasance and disorder."

Of course, you don't have to visit every temple or shrine.

Currently, there are no large-scale temples or shrines with three-digit religious followers within the territory—that's a good thing. There are a dozen or so with two-digit numbers, which I need to visit one by one. Those with only one monk can be left alone.

This was a necessary procedure for warriors in the Warring States period to demonstrate their presence after conquering new lands.

The term "unlawful and disorderly conduct" refers to all illegal acts that undermine the authority of the lord, mainly including "arbitrary arrests," "disturbing public opinion," "pawning and buying," and "national and local pledges."

Among them, "乱取人捕" refers to robbery, kidnapping and extortion; "喧哗口论" refers to resolving conflicts privately instead of reporting them to the authorities; "押买押借" refers to buying things without paying or borrowing money without repaying; and "国质乡质" refers to violently collecting debts from the debtor's relatives and friends.

Any lord with a normal IQ would explicitly prohibit all of the above behaviors.

So there's not much to say about the content itself. The real key information lies in the name of the person signing it.

Furthermore, since most remote villages are inaccessible and the attitudes of unfamiliar samurai are unpredictable, it is unlikely that the new lord would post notices in various places, but rather issue a unified announcement at the gates of temples and shrines.

During the Warring States period, most farmers lived a self-sufficient life and rarely went out for other reasons, but regularly visiting gods and Buddhas was essential.

When they arrived at the temple, they learned that the new lord had issued a "prohibition order," and they knew that they had a new master.

Ordinary poor people wouldn't care about this, but wealthy and influential people in the village would.

The Utsu family's faction, along with their trusted retainers, were essentially wiped out. However, a large number of their "underground" members remained.

Moreover, a considerable portion of them may be energetic individuals with strong martial spirit and a rebellious nature, and it remains to be seen whether they are truly loyal to Tanba Zhong Kui and Yoshiaki Kubo.

Shinzaburo doesn't have the energy to take care of them for the time being.

After formally taking control of the Utsu family's lands, the first thing to do was to report to the nominal lord, Hosokawa Ujitsuna, and at the same time inform Miyoshi Nagayoshi and Matsunaga Nagayori.

Such an important matter should naturally be addressed by sending someone on horseback to deliver an urgent message.

We can afford it now.

A reply was received quickly. As expected, Hosokawa Ujitsuna personally wrote the words, "Such a magnificent achievement has been praised endlessly by the court and the public," and said that apart from Yamakuni Estate, which was to be handed over to the imperial court as "forbidden arsenal," the other properties would be under Shinzaburo's full control.

Miyoshi Nagayoshi and Matsunaga Nagayori also offered their congratulations.

After the main keep of Utsu Castle was burned down, the soldiers found some fragments of historical documents in the second keep.

From this, we can learn that in addition to Utsu-sou, where the Utsu family themselves served as the head of the estate, and Yamaguni-sou, which was directly under the imperial court's "forbidden rations," a considerable portion of this area was also owned by Jingoji Temple in Kyoto.

Jingo-ji Temple was a renowned Shingon sect temple on Mount Koya, and it was not to be easily bullied. Unfortunately, during the war in the Kinai region more than ten years ago, the entire temple was accidentally burned to the ground, and all the monks either died or fled. As a result, its territory was readily taken over by the Utsu clan.

Now Shinsaburo can take over smoothly, without fear of ownership disputes.

A total of fifty-eight villages were brought under their control, and even excluding the area of ​​the "forbidden village" of Shan Guozhuang, there were still forty-three villages remaining.

Having achieved such a great result, Shinzaburo's own mood goes without saying, and his retainers can all expect further rewards. Those who helped defeat the three reinforcements from the Utsu clan are even more deserving of a reward.

The first to come to their aid was Nara Nagataka, a close retainer of Miyoshi Yoshioki. He brought five hundred elite Miyoshi clan soldiers, who demonstrated great fighting prowess and played a pivotal role in the battle.

However, he was already a confidant of the young master of the Miyoshi family, and his son, Nobutaka, would likely become a close aide to Miyoshi Yoshioki in the future. Given their status, it was clear that they wouldn't be interested in what Shinzaburo could offer.

After a brief private conversation, Nara Nagataka's only request was: "The Imperial Court will definitely send a special envoy to commend the restoration of 'forbidden lining materials.' At that time, please ask Kubo Genban not to forget to emphasize the Miyoshi family's contributions."

This was only natural, and Shinzaburo agreed without hesitation: "Without the Miyoshi family's full support, how could I possibly defeat the traitors on my own?"

Nara Nagataka further clarified, "The development of the Miyoshi family is inseparable from the lord's planning. However, the young lord has also been quite concerned about it lately..."

Shinzaburo then realized what was going on and immediately nodded: "Besides Lord Miyoshi Chikuzen, we should also mention Lord Yoshioki's name to the imperial envoy."

Nara, having grown taller, happily departed.

Next, Nagamasa Ikeda came to visit.

The Ikeda family sent 750 men to this battle, and they brought their own considerable amount of military rations, so Shinzaburo basically didn't have to spend any money. Their troops were also more capable of fighting than ordinary peasant soldiers.

You could say he's a really good friend.

Upon meeting, Ikeda Nagamasa knelt down without saying a word and solemnly said, "Lord Kubo Genban, if you think there is anything commendable about my Ikeda family, please grant me a request."

Shinzaburo quickly reached out to help the other man up, and said in a sincere manner, "Lord Chikugo-no-kami, why do you have to do this? Please speak freely."

Ikeda Nagamasa stood up, smiled, and asked in a fawning tone, "In that case, I'll be frank! I've heard that Lord Kubo Genban has a younger sister of marriageable age, and my son is also unmarried. I wonder if this marriage would be suitable?"

This was a bit unexpected.

Ah Li's younger sister is fifteen years old this year, which is indeed the age for engagement by the standards of the 16th century.

Shinzaburo did consider some candidates, but he never felt that any of them were particularly suitable.

If it's Katsumasa Ikeda...

That kid is fairly decent in character, and his literary and martial talents are passable. Apart from being a bit reckless and impulsive, he doesn't have any major flaws.

On closer reflection, being a brother-in-law doesn't seem like a bad idea.

Shinzaburo pondered for a moment, but instead of giving a definitive answer, he replied, "Please allow me some time to consider it."

Ikeda Nagamasa bowed again and said, "I'm counting on you!"

Then he said goodbye.

Next, Kawakatsu Hirotsugu, a powerful clan leader from northern Kuwata District who had been "persuaded" by Araki Murashige, came to visit.

Previously, Kawakatsu had cleverly captured two northern strongholds of the Utsu clan and then quickly sent troops to surround Utsu Castle, giving the enemy no time to react and wiping them out in one fell swoop, which can be considered a significant contribution.

Moreover, the Kawakatsu family has always maintained its independence and previously served as the "public servant" of the shogunate, giving them high "united front value."

Unexpectedly, Kawakatsu Hirotsugu said right away, "I have heard that Lord Kubo Genban's sister is virtuous and kind. If she could marry my son, my whole family would be extremely grateful."

Goodness, why are they all eyeing Ah Li's sister?

Shinzaburo wasn't particularly satisfied with Katsumasa Ikeda just now.

But now, it seems that compared to that brat from the Kawakatsu family whom he's never even met, Ikeda Katsumi, who he knows well, is the more suitable choice.

Shinzaburo immediately put on a helpless expression, bowed and apologized: "It's really unfortunate, Lord Chikugo-no-kami of the Settsu-Ikeda family just made the same request..."

"I see..." Kawakatsu Hirotsugu's expression darkened, and he forced a smile: "That's a real shame."

Shinzaburo quickly reassured him: "I have read through the documents and learned that there were four or five villages that originally belonged to the Kawakatsu family, but were occupied by the Utsu family. Now they have all been returned."

"Thank you." Kawakatsu Hirotsugu's expression improved slightly. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Lord Kubo Genban's younger brother seems to be approaching his coming-of-age ceremony. I have a daughter born out of wedlock, who is twelve years old and still presentable... Would it be honorable for us to become related by marriage, Lord Shingoro?"

Shinzaburo was still a little hesitant.

But I already refused once, it would be too embarrassing to refuse again.

So he said, "If Lords Hosokawa Ukyo, Miyoshi Chikuzen, and Matsunaga Hōunken do not object, I will naturally have no objection."

Kawakatsu Hirotsugu breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "That's perfect, thank you."

132 Between in-laws

Shinzaburo never expected that after defeating the Utsu family, the first priority he would face would be arranging his younger brother and sister's marriages.

The war ended in late June, and the autumn harvest was not far off, so there was no time to carry out land surveys. If this matter were to delay things further, there would be even less time to attend to domestic affairs.

The only order was to collect the annual tribute within the territory according to the previous practice.

For political reasons, Shinzaburo eventually gave informal verbal consent to the marriage proposal put forward by the Ikeda and Kawakatsu families.

The main reason is that Sanhao Changqing stepped in.

The Settsu Ikeda family had previously married a daughter of the Miyoshi family, thus having some kinship ties with Miyoshi Nagayoshi. Taking advantage of this connection, Ikeda Nagamasa sent his wife to propose marriage to Tanba Sakaki Kubo Yoshiaki in the inner quarters, which was immediately approved.

Kawakatsuie, who had served as a "Public Servant" in the shogunate many years ago and had close ties with the Ashikaga family, was overjoyed to have his family change allegiance. He chose a daughter from one of the Ashikaga clans to marry her to him. There was no reason to refuse any other minor, reasonable requests.

So the final result was that Miyoshi Nagayoshi wrote a letter and sent it to Shinzaburo.

Perhaps considering that Kubo Yoshiaki was not a retainer of the Miyoshi family but rather a member of the Hosokawa clan in law, the wording in the letter was very tactful, not in a commanding tone but in a consultative one.

But is there any room for saying no?

Shinzaburo had no choice but to agree.

Having been away from home for several months, I decided to pack my bags and return to Noguchi Castle in Funai County.

This can truly be considered a triumphant return home.

The nearby residents had obviously heard the news that "Lord Kubo Genban" had successfully defeated the Utsu family, and they all knelt down by the roadside to congratulate him. Shinzaburo was now generous enough to give a reward of a few coins.

Upon returning to Noguchi Castle, his family members were already out to greet him, each with a joyful expression on their face.

After exchanging greetings, washing up, and having a meal, once settled in, Shinzaburo first brought up the matter of moving.

Now that they have acquired a large tract of land in southern Kuwata County, it is natural to establish a castle to manage it. However, considering that Utsu Castle of the Utsu family was severely damaged by fire and needs repair or reconstruction, this cannot be implemented for the time being.

There is no doubt about that, except that Kim Bing-wei's father has a bit of a sentiment of being reluctant to leave his homeland.

Then, the family members became very interested in the marriages they were arranging for their younger siblings.

After carefully inquiring about the other party's family background, Old Man Jinbingwei was overjoyed and exclaimed, "The Ikeda family is related to the Miyoshi family, and the Kawakatsu family is a retainer of the shogunate. They are both remarkable and prestigious families! Indeed, indeed!"

Adou first echoed, "It is indeed a fortunate event," and then immediately asked, half-jokingly and half-seriously, "I wonder what kind of people the young master of the Ikeda family and the princess of the Kawakatsu family are? Aguri and Shingoro must be quite worried!"

Indeed, the younger siblings reacted quite strongly.

Strictly speaking, only Ah Li was truly nervous. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes darted around nervously, her breathing became rapid, and she clenched her nails tightly with her hands.

Shingoro was also restless, trying to appear calm, his face contorted with anxiety. But seeing his eyes slightly brightening and blinking incessantly, he seemed to be harboring some expectation.

Shinzaburo could only answer half of Adou's question.

He knows Katsumasa Ikeda quite well.

That kid is good-looking, quick-witted, and has all the necessary skills. He's an excellent warrior, but he's too straightforward and lacks patience and attention to detail.

After saying these words, Shinzaburo added in a serious tone: "After Ari marries into the family, you must help her pay attention to interpersonal relationships and try your best to make up for the differences between superiors and subordinates in the family. Only in this way can she live in peace."

Upon hearing this, Little Sister A-Li subconsciously clenched her little fist, nodded solemnly, and remembered it in her heart, momentarily forgetting her nervousness.

However, there's not much to say about Shingoro's younger brother.

Shinzaburo could only sincerely apologize: "I have never met the daughter of the Kawakatsu family. However, now that Miyoshi Chikuzen has spoken, I am forced by circumstances to agree to the marriage. Please forgive me!"

Although young, Shingoro was quite sensible and immediately waved his hand, saying, "You can't blame your elder brother! How many men from samurai families know what their wives look like before they get married?"

Seeing this, Kinbei's father asserted, "The Kawakatsu family used to be qualified to serve as 'public servants' of the shogunate. Their teachings and example are undoubtedly exemplary, and their daughter must also be a virtuous young lady."

Shinzaburo thought to himself that it was uncertain, but he didn't say anything.

Unexpectedly, Shingoro grinned and shook his head, saying, "It doesn't matter, we can always have concubines anyway."

Old Man Jinbingwei rolled his eyes, and A Li covered his mouth and lowered his head in embarrassment. Shinzaburo patted his younger brother's shoulder, both amused and exasperated.

Only Adou smiled slightly and said in a solemn tone, "This time, I am marrying a wife because I am following my brother's arrangement and cannot choose freely. But in the future, I will be able to make my own decision about which wife to take as my concubine. Shouldn't I consider this even more carefully?"

Shingoro immediately shrank back and replied meekly, "What my sworn sister says is very true."

……

Coincidentally, the day after Shinzaburo returned to Noguchi Castle, Ikeda Nagamasa and Ikeda Katsumasa came to visit, saying they wanted to discuss the procedures related to betrothal and auspicious date selection.

Of course, we should host a proper banquet to entertain them.

He was accompanied by his father and son, Kinbei, Shinzaburo, and Shingoro, who were greeting the Ikeda family.

In fact, the groom doesn't need to be personally involved in the wedding process beforehand.

Ikeda Nagamasa brought Ikeda Katsumasa here today not so that he could meet with Agari—of course, since they were already here, it wouldn't hurt to meet him.

Their main purpose was to point at Shinzaburo at the dinner table and say to Ikeda Katsumasa, "From now on, Lord Kubo Genban will be your sworn brother. You must respect and love him as if he were your own brother! If you can borrow even a little of his wisdom, you will surely be able to keep the Ikeda family safe."

Ikeda Katsumasa nodded repeatedly, saying, "I've always regarded Lord Kubo Genban as my own brother!" Then, a question arose in his mind: "What did Father mean by what he just said? Is there some hidden danger in the Ikeda family?"

Nagamasa Ikeda shook his head and sighed.

Shinzaburo laughed and said, "There is indeed a hidden danger, but it is not difficult to solve."