manynovel Page 133
Page 133
Even Shinzaburo couldn't help but feel a little arrogant.
Although everyone understands the principle of making a fortune in silence, how many people can truly see through the illusion of fame?
I've grown accustomed to insincere flattery. But today, the guests are clearly genuinely devoted, willingly humbling themselves. This feels completely different.
Throughout history, countless heroes and valiant figures, despite their extraordinary courage and cunning, inevitably find themselves surrounded by admirers and praise once they achieve great success and rise to prominence. Over time, they become desensitized to praise and blind to criticism, their sense of caution fades, and arrogance grows. They gradually come to believe themselves to be omnipotent superhumans.
This is an unchanging aspect of human nature.
Shinzaburo mustered all his strength to calm himself down and shook his head: "Since I am the 'San'in Toratsuki' dispatched by the shogunate, I will certainly do my best to fulfill my duties. But as for launching a large army to punish the 'traitors,' it seems that the conditions are not yet sufficient."
The implication was that since you've come to me for help, I'll offer some assistance if you encounter any trouble in the future. However, Kubo's army won't rashly expand its forces westward anytime soon.
253 Matsunaga Brothers on Kubo
Tamonyama Castle in Yamato Province is located in a strategic location in the northern part of Nara. Although it is called a mountain castle, it is actually situated on a gentle slope only thirty meters above the ground. It is called "Tamonyama Castle" because a magnificent statue of Tamonten is enshrined in the castle.
Some say that Tamonten is the god who governs the north, and Tamonyama Castle is located north of Nara. The name was chosen to express the castle lord's ambition to suppress the Nara region.
This castle controlled the Kizuzaka pass leading to Kyoto to the north, bordered the ruins of Heijo-kyo to the west, connected to Todai-ji Temple to the east, and led to Kofuku-ji Temple to the south, making it a vital strategic location controlling the entire Yamato province. Its construction differed from the fortified strongholds common in the medieval period; instead, it extensively used stone walls and piers, constructing thick earthen walls. The outer walls were uniformly painted white with lime, and then covered with black tile roofs, giving it an elegant and disciplined appearance.
The castle grounds contain many magnificent palaces, each exquisitely decorated. The gardens feature delicate dry landscape gardens, and the houses are adorned with screen paintings by Kano school artists. The palace itself boasts intricate designs such as staggered shelving and a tea room with a skylight, with even the door handles crafted into decorative pieces by artisans.
In its original history, Tamonyama Castle was praised by Portuguese missionary Luís de Almeida, Kyushu warlord Shimazu Iehisa, and court noble Yoshida Kanesuke, who described it in their diaries as "Japan's most luxurious castle," "rarely seen in the world," and "dazzlingly magnificent."
This magnificent castle belongs to a samurai named Matsunaga Hisahide.
As someone from a humble background, he had not only become a top retainer of the Miyoshi family, but also held the official rank of "Junior Assistant Minister of the Fourth Rank" and the duty of "Attendant Minister." His rank and position were so high that they were close to the pinnacle of all military men in the world.
In front of outsiders, she naturally appears elegant, dignified, and imposing.
Only when he's alone with his family does he lazily sprawl on the floor, just like when he was penniless and powerless.
"Don't look so sad, have a drink. It's a specially prepared medicinal wine, good for your health!" Matsunaga Hisahide picked up his cup and gestured to his younger brother. "We've been on a winning streak in Yamato lately, isn't that something to be happy about? Forget about Tanba's troubles for now."
“Alas… Simply changing the surname to Naito has brought endless trouble. It was a miscalculation.” Naito Munekatsu shook his head and sighed. “Now that the Tanba region is difficult to pacify completely, and the land in San’in has little value, we really have no choice but to follow you in dealing with the Yamato warrior monks.”
His real problem wasn't changing his family name, but rather that he had previously adopted an overly arrogant attitude, consistently claiming he had no intention of seizing the position of family head. His sudden change of heart later earned him widespread dislike. Furthermore, his somewhat rough handling of internal issues in the past two years further damaged his public image.
"That's all due to the remnants of the old Kanrei's rebellion; there's no need to worry about it. To have such a lucrative post as conquering Yamato is a testament to the more than twenty years we brothers have served the Miyoshi clan!" Matsunaga Hisahide, unaffected by his brother's actions, remained in high spirits, continuing on his own topic, "A vast and populous land, abundant water and soil, and right next to Kyoto—truly a blessed destiny!"
Matsunaga Hisahide had long ago criticized Naito Munekatsu's series of mistakes. Back then, he was hot-headed and refused to listen; now, emphasizing it further would be pointless, so he simply ignored it and focused on the pleasant aspects. As for Tanba's troubles, that was due to external forces.
Ultimately, we have to blame ourselves. Look at Shinzaburo Kubo next to us; how come he was able to suppress so many potential problems in their infancy?
“Indeed, Tamonyama Castle is only 350 cho (about 38 kilometers) from Kyoto, a journey that can be completed in a day or two.” After hearing this, Naito Munekatsu finally became interested, picked up the medicinal wine his brother had made, and took a small sip. “The other day, Kubo Sado achieved a great victory in Tajima Province. However, how can Tajima compare to Yamato?”
The Matsunaga brothers recently joined forces to advance into Yamato, defeating Tsutsui and Furuichi, and subjugating Yagyu and Okuda, acquiring considerable new territory. It's no wonder that Naito Munekatsu was unwilling to follow Shinzaburo to develop in San'in.
“That’s not quite right.” Matsunaga Hisahide slowly shook his head. “Yamato is certainly better, but many of the powerful clans there started as monk soldiers, making them difficult to deal with. We can only conquer them city by city, which is time-consuming and laborious. On the other hand, Tajima is just a rabble. Perhaps one victory would be enough to pacify it.”
“Hmm…Brother is right.” Naito Munekatsu still had a smile on his lips, but his face looked a little bitter, perhaps because the medicinal wine tasted too strange. “I heard that after the last Battle of Shikahara, people like Harima Urakami and Mimasaka Emi immediately expressed their willingness to honor Kubo as their leader and advance and retreat together.”
“That’s it.” Matsunaga Hisahide nodded. “The powerful clans in the western mountains are all fickle and opportunistic, so the rise and fall of daimyo is naturally very rapid. In the past, the Amago family, descendants of Sasaki, could easily sweep across a region, and now Kubo also claims to be a descendant of Sasaki, which is quite a coincidence.”
“Speaking of which…” Naito Munekatsu hesitated for a moment before slowly posing a question, “Kubo Sado now holds the title of ‘San'in Toratsuki.’ Could he truly advance triumphantly and conquer several provinces in the San'in region?”
“I think that will most likely be the case, but it will take some time.” Matsunaga Hisahide’s tone was very confident, without the slightest hesitation. “Tanba, Wakasa, Tango, Tajima… Judging from the battle examples from various places, Kubo Sado is indeed a peerless general. Apart from Mori Norimachi, I’m afraid no one in the western provinces is his match.”
“…That is indeed true.” Naito Munekatsu gripped his chin tightly, his brows furrowing even more. “If he truly becomes a hero who controls several countries, wouldn’t we be surpassed by this young upstart?”
"Huh? That's an overreaction." Matsunaga Hisahide chuckled upon hearing this, slowly pouring himself another small cup of medicinal wine. "Even though they dominate San'in, their territories are mostly poor and remote, not enough to replace the Miyoshi family."
"To take their place? What are you talking about, brother?" Naito Munekatsu was greatly surprised and put down his empty sake cup. "Although Kubo Sado is somewhat sharp-tongued, he has always been respectful to the Miyoshi family. How can you see any disloyalty in him?"
"Who can say for sure about such things?" Matsunaga Hisahide raised his eyebrows slightly, a meaningful look on his face. "What I mean is, as long as he doesn't intend to become independent, he must follow the rules of the Miyoshi family. Even if he wins many battles outside, he will ultimately have to obey the orders of Kyoto."
“That’s right!” Naito Munekatsu’s eyes lit up, and he nodded repeatedly, but then a new worry arose. “However, in the last two years, I’ve noticed that the young master seems to be trying to strengthen Kubo Sado’s position in Kyoto. For example, he was granted the rank of Junior Fifth Rank, and he was put in charge of contacting Mino Saito…”
“There’s no need to worry about that.” Matsunaga Hisahide remained relaxed and at ease. “He doesn’t know many influential people in the capital; he only has connections with Zen Buddhism. Moreover, the more he expands his territory in San'in, the further he will be from Kyoto.”
“There is indeed no need to worry…” Naito Munekatsu said thoughtfully, “It seems that the real opponent in the Miyoshi family is still Hyuga no Kami (Miyayoshi Nagayasu) and his group.”
“Yes, they are our lord’s relatives!” At this point, Matsunaga Hisahide finally stopped smiling and became serious. “Therefore, we cannot be careless in either the administration of Kyoto or the strategy for conquering Yamato Province. Only by going all out can we have a chance to gain more power than Hyuga-no-kami.”
"Thank you for your hard work, brother." Naito Munekatsu's eyes flashed with sincere admiration and gratitude. Then he sat up and revealed a heroic spirit. "I can't help with the political affairs in Kyoto, so I can only vent my energy on the people of Yamato!"
As the two were talking, they suddenly heard hurried footsteps in the distance. A familiar servant knelt down and reported in a trembling voice, "Your Highnesses! Lord Togashi Minbu has succumbed to his wounds and passed away the other day!"
The atmosphere in the courtyard suddenly froze, and the relaxed mood that had been floating with the scent of alcohol vanished in an instant.
Naito Munekatsu was taken aback. He stood there stunned for a long time before shaking his head violently and exhaling a breath of stale air: "How could this be? Didn't I just hear that his injuries had greatly improved after rest and treatment?"
On the other side, Matsunaga Hisahide seemed to have expected this. He frowned slightly, shook his head, and sighed, "Alas... I told him long ago that when he is injured, he should take care of his health and avoid anger, but he just wouldn't listen. He still overeats and drinks heavily, and often scolds his servants..."
Naito Munekatsu remained lost in his thoughts, his expression shifting between light and shadow, worry and ambition mingling in his brows. He couldn't help but mutter to himself, "With Lord Sogawa Minbu dead, the Miyoshi family has lost a wing. What will become of the situation?"
Matsunaga Hisahide looked up towards the west towards Iimoriyama Castle, his eyes instantly filled with sorrow, and murmured, "Although my lord likes to put on an air of detachment, he is actually a man of deep feelings. Now that he has lost his younger brother, he must be extremely grieving. He has never been very healthy, I hope he will not fall ill from grief."
The term "Togawa Minbu" refers to Togawa Kazumi, the fourth younger brother of Miyoshi Nagayoshi, who was in charge of the Togawa region in Sanuki and Izumi. He had been recuperating at home after suffering an external injury in battle, but unexpectedly, he still met with misfortune.
The future of the Miyoshi family seems to be shrouded in a faint shadow.
254 Ashikaga Yoshiteru's Melancholy
"Lord Koubu, the gold transported from Nishioka, Kuze, and Yamashina this month has arrived in the courtyard, delivered by the Lord of Yukiyama Castle. After you have inspected it, you may store it in the vault."
Ashikaga Yoshiteru, who was practicing swordsmanship alone in the palace, nodded happily upon hearing this and immediately called out the names of Ninagawa Chikanaga and Ishiya Mitsumasa to go and count the money and goods together.
As the Shogun of the Muromachi Shogunate, he was theoretically the head of all samurai families in the land. Even though his real power had declined, he could not afford to lose his pomp and circumstance. He always had hundreds of people serving him, which consumed a lot of resources every day.
A few years ago, he broke with Miyoshi Nagayoshi and, in a fit of anger, followed Hosokawa Harumoto's advice and left home to live in Omi. He did have some backbone, but he lost his source of income.
Because at that time, the Miyoshi family directly sent troops to seize the shogun's residence near Kyoto, as well as the land of the shogun's retainers!
As for the manor territories outside of Kyoto, needless to say, they were long ago divided up by local tyrants from various countries.
For five years, the entire Ashikaga family, with a thousand mouths to feed, was practically begging for food, relying entirely on the help of "kind-hearted people" in the surrounding area to avoid starving.
Ashikaga Yoshiteru himself could still eat white rice, but his retainers inevitably had to live a life of semi-dry and semi-thin food, a mixture of refined and coarse grains. The lowest-ranking servants and soldiers even often had to catch fish and shrimp and pick wild fruits to fill their stomachs.
At that time, the imperial court suddenly had the idea to adopt a new era name and asked the shogunate to contribute funds for the change of era name, which they really could not afford!
When Ashikaga Yoshiteru went to the palace to pay his respects in the first year of Eiroku (1564), he scraped together five kan (a unit of currency) as a gift, only to be told it was too little. He was then subjected to a sarcastic remark by the then Minister of the Interior, Manorikoji Korefusa. (This event is highly likely true, as it is recorded in historical documents.)
Those difficult and arduous years are now too painful to recall.
Now that they have made peace with Miyoshi Nagayoshi and returned to live in the Kyoto Imperial Palace, they can receive one or two thousand kan of cash and three to five thousand koku of rice from the Imperial Household Department every year. Some of the land reserved for the shogunate retainers has also been restored.
Since the people involved were all henchmen of the Miyoshi family, the exact amount cannot be determined. The lion's share was definitely taken, but what was left was enough for the shogunate to barely maintain itself.
No matter what, life is still much better than before.
Ashikaga Yoshiteru and his men counted the money that had been transported, and he was in a fairly good mood.
But soon, the magistrate, Otate Terumi, arrived at the Imperial Palace with a letter, saying: "Regarding the cessation of logging in the mountains of Honzan-ji Temple and Nijō-in Temple, the Nara Tajima-no-kami conveyed the views of Lord Miyoshi Chikuzen; regarding the discussion between the Toji Temple's minor official and the former lord of Nakamura Temple, Lord Matsunaga Danjō has already expressed his opinion. May I ask whether we should issue this letter?"
Upon hearing this, Ashikaga Yoshiteru immediately replied, "Please distribute the petition according to the established procedure."
In reality, he wasn't as carefree as he appeared; his inner turmoil was far greater than it seemed.
Originally, the Muromachi Shogunate's administration was mainly based on the "Onai-shu" (a type of official document) written by the Shogun himself and the "Lian-shu" (a type of official document) issued by the magistrates.
During the Hosokawa family's period of absolute power, the old system was overthrown, and the "Imperial Letter" and "Jointly Signed Letter" no longer had any real effect. Instead, the "Letter of Appointment on Behalf of the Kanrei" was issued by the Kanrei's inner circle.
After Miyoshi Nagayoshi took control of Kyoto, although he supported Hosokawa Ujitsuna, he stopped the operation of the "Kanrei Daihousho" (a system of official appointments for the governor of the region) and instead governed the Kinai region by informal "decrees".
At that time, even temples, shrines, townspeople, and merchants who were not theoretically retainers of the Miyoshi family were managed through documents signed by Nagayoshi. This was tantamount to establishing a new "public order," abandoning existing authority and endorsing itself. Its nature was no different from a change of dynasty, attracting widespread attention.
However, Miyoshi Nagayoshi did not persevere under pressure and returned to his old ways after only five years, making peace with Ashikaga Yoshiteru.
Thus, the "Imperial Letter" and the "Jointly Signed Letter" reappeared, and the shogunate's administrative mechanisms resumed operation.
However, in the current model, people like Miyoshi Yoshioki and Matsunaga Hisahide would intervene as high-ranking officials of the shogunate, express their opinions, and then have the magistrates issue documents.
While maintaining the framework of the shogunate, power was held by outsiders.
Of course, if Ashikaga Yoshiteru is particularly concerned about a certain matter and has his own stance, he can discuss it with Miyoshi Yoshioki and Matsunaga Hisahide. As long as it doesn't directly affect the interests of the Miyoshi family, he will most likely get their support.
Even their private relationship has remained good; they can be described as like-minded friends despite their age difference.
Should we be happy about this or not?
It's really subtle.
……
Ashikaga Yoshiteru pondered his situation, and for several days he was in a daze.
Then he received news of a visit from the envoy of the Western Kingdom, and after meeting him, new worries arose.
The Izumo Amago clan expressed their desire for a truce with the Aki Mori clan and hoped that the shogunate would mediate.
The Amago family has always been a model of respect for the shogunate and is, to some extent, a noble family; the Mori family, on the other hand, are country folk who have only recently begun to get close to the central government. In terms of personal relationships, the former are definitely closer.
However, it was clear to anyone with eyes that with Haruhisa's death, his son Yoshihisa was incapable of supporting the family, and the Amago clan was on the verge of decline. In contrast, the Mori clan was thriving.
Since the general is not capable of sending troops to intervene in various places, he can only respect the established facts and grant the title to whoever is stronger, so as to maintain mutual dignity.
Unless there are two daimyo who are evenly matched and cannot be distinguished from one another, the shogunate's attitude may still have some meaning.
They're evenly matched...
Ashikaga Yoshiteru suddenly thought of Tanba Zhongkui and Kubo Yoshiaki.
That's right, Amago Yoshihisa doesn't look very good, but Kubo Yoshiaki might be able to fight Mori Motonari to a standstill!
Not long ago, it was he who thwarted the pro-Maori reinforcements in Tajima, preventing the situation in the west from quickly turning one-sided.
This person has always been humble and courteous, respectful of authority, and has never diminished his respect for the shogunate.
More importantly, this Kubo Yoshiaki was not a member of the Miyoshi family, nor was he a hereditary member of the Miyoshi family, nor was he even a samurai born in Awa Province.
There may be an opportunity to take advantage of this.
If he were only active in Wakasa, he would at best be a relatively active younger brother in the Miyoshi family. But now that he's making a name for himself in Tango and Tajima, it seems his reputation should be elevated.
Ashikaga Yoshiteru pondered this alone for a long time before summoning Ueno Nobutaka and Jinshi Harusaka, who were most trustworthy on this issue, and asked, "How can we win over Kubo Sado without causing hostility from the Miyoshi family?"
The reason they are the most trustworthy is that these two belong to the die-hard anti-good faction.
At present, Ashikaga Yoshiteru is generally satisfied with the Miyoshi family, but he is also mentally prepared for another break at any time.
Upon hearing this, Ueno Nobutaka, whose hair and beard were both white, was surprised and quite excited: "Does Lord Kobo intend to launch another campaign against the Miyoshi family?"
The middle-aged Jinshi, Qingshe, turned pale and shook his head repeatedly: "Now is definitely not a good time; it is best to be more patient."
"No need to worry," Ashikaga Yoshiteru smiled calmly. "This is just taking precautions."
Ueno Nobutaka and Jinshi Haruya exchanged glances, each lost in their own thoughts.
Ashikaga Yoshiteru further explained: "Today, within the palace, countless people are loyal to the Miyoshi clan, willing to serve as their eyes and ears. I'm afraid only you two are truly loyal to the shogunate."
Upon hearing this, the two naturally had to feign deep emotion and a willingness to serve to the death.
After a moment, Ueno Nobutaka calmed down and pondered for a moment, saying, "If you want to befriend Kubo Sado, the most important thing is to keep your distance from him. He has always been low-key, and if he senses that the shogunate is trying to win him over, he will be wary."
Jinshi Qingshe nodded in agreement: "There's no need to publicly bestow any title, otherwise it will be difficult to maintain appearances in front of the Sanhao family. We can offer more practical assistance, such as supporting his conquest of the Western Kingdom, and then secretly sending people to make contact."
“You two are quite right.” Ashikaga Yoshiteru frowned in thought, then slowly nodded. “Perhaps this is the first step in a long journey to restore the authority of the shogunate…”
At this moment, there was a rush of footsteps outside the door.
Then a waiter shouted: "Lord Kobo, we have just received news that Togawa Minbu of the Miyoshi family has unfortunately passed away!"
Upon hearing this, everyone was stunned and speechless.
After a long silence, Ueno Nobutaka said in a very soft voice, "So, for the journey of a thousand miles to restore the authority of the shogunate, is this the second step bestowed by heaven?"
The scholar Qingshe also tried his best to lower his voice, but his face was full of excitement: "This is the blessing of all the gods and Buddhas..."
"Please be careful with your words." Before the scholar Qingshe could finish speaking, Ashikaga Yoshiteru interrupted him, "As of now, the Miyoshi family remains the backbone of the shogunate and the pillar of the nation. Let's not repeat those sensational remarks for now."
Ueno Nobutaka and Jinshi Harusaka immediately bowed and accepted the order.
Ashikaga Yoshiteru stood tall and straight, staring silently at the distant view outside the window.
255 The Triumph Day Lawsuit
In Wakasa Province, outside Kohama Bay, the sky was clear and cloudless. Looking up, the sky was crystal clear; glancing to the side, the water shimmered. Where the sea met the sky, the reflections of many ships were faintly visible, like a world of emerald and crystal.
A gentle breeze, carrying the salty smell of fish, swept across the harbor and touched the faces of every sailor, merchant, and craftsman. Accompanied by the crisp sound of the tide washing over the rocks and the deep murmur of the river flowing into the sea, it formed the main melody of the port town.
On such a beautiful day, Tanba Zhongkui Kubo Yoshiaki once again led his army in triumph.
The return of several thousand troops, while not exactly a sight to behold, was certainly a bustling and orderly procession. The soldiers were all proud and self-satisfied, and although their discipline was somewhat lax, they still possessed a formidable military might.
The local people and townspeople, accustomed to the Kubo family's invincibility, showed a sense of pride as they watched. Even the ragged farmers and laborers, weathered by wind and rain, couldn't help but puff out their chests and exclaim, "Our Lord Kubo Sado is truly amazing!"