The Self-Cultivation of Warring States Warriors

Page 102

“I will not refuse.” Master Mingzhou readily accepted, and then immediately asked, “As I mentioned before, the essence of Wakasa Province lies in Obama Bay. What is the current commercial tax rate for the port town?”

"The Kohama Bay commercial tax?" Shinzaburo recalled for a moment and replied, "Previously, the chief retainer appointed by the Takeda clan as his deputy was only two hundred kan at the lowest point and no more than six hundred kan at the highest. Now, with my old friend Hasegawa Munehito in Kyoto as my magistrate, I get nearly one hundred kan a month."

“There must be more room for maneuver.” Master Mingzhou said with certainty and confidence, “Then I will deal with the merchants and find out where the bottom line is.”

"Thank you very much, Uncle." Shinzaburo then said, "Since you are about to step down and leave Kyoto, you must have disciples and grand-disciples to take your place. Could you provide a list? I have also recruited a few impoverished scions of prestigious families to work in Kyoto. How about we have them cooperate with each other?"

“That’s exactly what I was thinking,” Master Mingzhou said with a smile. “Since we haven’t set off yet, let’s gather them together before we go to Wakasa.”

192. Physician Mitsuhide Akechi

After reaching an agreement, Shinzaburo summoned his subordinates, including Nagono Takatoki, Mansatsu Yoshikiyo, and Katsura Yoshinobu, to meet with several of Master Meishu's disciples.

The two leading monks, one with the Dharma name Ziying and the other with the Dharma name Longma, were influential figures within the Linji sect.

Then Shinzaburo went to Yodo-ko Castle and met Hosokawa Ujitsuna.

This shogunate governor is now in a somewhat awkward position. With Ashikaga Yoshiteru returning to Kyoto as shogun, his role has become less significant.

I was initially worried that it might cause new disputes, but when we met, it turned out that it wasn't like that at all.

Hosokawa Ujitsuna frankly stated that he was nearly fifty years old and had no son; his only obsession was to defeat his cousin, Hosokawa Harumoto, with whom he had fought his entire life. Now that Hosokawa Harumoto was imprisoned, he had few other ambitions and could enjoy his later years in Yodo-ko Castle.

It was only then that Shinzaburo learned that Hosokawa Ujitsuna was only forty-five years old.

Perhaps due to the exhaustion of the first half of his life, coupled with his deliberately solemn and serious attire and makeup, he looked quite old.

Having no son to inherit political resources, he gave up the pursuit of power, which is quite reasonable.

Even those around him suggested that Hosokawa Harumoto's eldest son, Satoshimaru, should inherit the Hosokawa lineage and take over the official rank of Ukyo-daifu and the duties of governor of Settsu, Tanba, and Awa provinces, which Hosokawa Ujitsuna approved.

Clever Maru was quite unlucky. Although he was the son of the shogunate's Kanrei, he was born during a period of weakness in his family. At the age of five, he was sent to the Miyoshi family as a hostage—while Hosokawa Harumoto's second son was sent to the Rokkaku family to be raised.

Then, Hosokawa Harumoto, the biological father, completely disregarded the life or death of his eldest son and continued to relentlessly oppose Miyoshi Nagayoshi.

Thus, Clever Pill's situation remained rather difficult; though he lacked nothing in terms of food and clothing, he was constantly met with hostility. It was said that he was timid and cowardly, and always depressed.

By allowing such a person to inherit the main branch of the Hosokawa family, it is clear that the Hosokawa family is in decline and may not even be qualified to serve as a figurehead in the future.

But Hosokawa Ujitsuna has given up, and Hosokawa Harumoto has been imprisoned, so no one will try to change anything.

Shinzaburo, under the title of "Kanrei Naishū" (a subordinate official), chatted with Hosokawa Ujitsuna for a long time. Seeing that there was nothing more to do, he respectfully bowed and took his leave.

Next, he originally planned to return to Wakasa to start sorting out internal affairs, but when he was resting at Daitoku-ji Shosen-in Temple, he suddenly had a headache, dizziness, backache, and fell ill.

This terrified the attendants, and Master Mingzhou was also filled with trepidation.

Fortunately, we consulted with three reputable doctors, who all said that it was just that I had been overworked and exhausted and lacked rest recently, and that I did not have any difficult or complicated illness.

They didn't even prescribe much medicine; they just rested in place for two days, took good care of the patient, and the symptoms quickly subsided.

This was originally just a trivial little incident.

but……

After Shinzaburo's condition improved, he politely asked the three doctors their names.

The first was a monk from Daitoku-ji Temple, whose Dharma name was Ryuun, and who always served eminent monks; the second came from the famous "Kide-in," who inherited the lineage of the Kyōjin school and was renowned in the Kamigyo region.

Both of them are quite ordinary.

The third one is different.

A samurai from Mino, who studied medicine and literature in Kyoto more than ten years ago, showed exceptional talent, especially in acupuncture, a skill rarely mastered in this era. He also had considerable insight into wounds from swords and spears and childbirth. He was a skilled physician who preferred practical application to abstract theories.

He later returned to be a samurai, and only recently returned to Kyoto, where he quickly gained the recognition of his peers.

This person's name is Akechi Jubei Mitsuhide!

Upon hearing this name, Shinzaburo was stunned for a long time.

Judging from later games, Akechi Mitsuhide did indeed work as a wandering samurai in his early years.

But the doctor?

That's the first time I've ever heard of that.

After asking around and asking others, I understood a little better.

A renowned physician charges a fee of one hundred kan for each house call, and there are extra charges for preparing herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage, and treating wounds. If one is diligent, one can earn seventy or eighty kan a year, making them financially better off than most samurai.

In contrast, a samurai with a salary of 200 koku of rice from the Kubo family only earned about 45 kan in cash and provisions. He also had to pay for military service and provide his own equipment and rations. If he could save 10 kan at the end, that would be considered good.

But Shinzaburo believed that if it were the historical Akechi Mitsuhide, he would have preferred to be a samurai. Because no matter how successful a doctor's career was, it could never make one the ruler of a city or a province.

Therefore, he deliberately called this person over, pretended to chat casually, and inquired about his background.

As expected, the nephew of a minor lord in Mino-Kara District lost his territory due to involvement in the Saito family's internal strife. He went to the territory of the Echizen Asakura family to seek employment, but after two years he still couldn't get a decent salary, so he had to go out and practice medicine to earn extra money.

That's Akechi Mitsuhide from history.

After several attempts to test him, Shinzaburo made up his mind, smiled with feigned modesty, and said frankly, "Not long ago, I had a battle with Echizen Asakura, but fortunately, Lord Jubei was not in the army."

Upon hearing this, Akechi Mitsuhide displayed appropriate humility and calmly replied, "I am not good at running. If I were to fight against Tanba Zhong Kui, I would probably either become a prisoner or lose my life. In that case, I should thank the Asakura family for not giving me an important position."

Look at this reaction! It's clear they're very concerned about the political situation!

Shinzaburo pondered for a moment, then asked, "Lord Jubei, which route did you take from Echizen to Kyoto?"

Mitsuhide Akechi replied respectfully, “We are traveling along the western Omi route, along the western shore of Lake Biwa, through Takashima and Shiga districts of Omi Province, to reach Kyoto.”

Shinzaburo asked again, "I have never been to Takashima or Shiga districts. May I ask what kind of areas they are?"

Mitsuhide Akechi paused for a moment, then replied blankly, "These two districts are mostly mountainous, but the land near Lake Biwa is more fertile. They are also part of the trade route from the Hokuriku region to the Kinki region, so the people are relatively wealthy. Rice, tea, and fish are all worth mentioning, and the scenery between the mountains and lakes is quite beautiful..."

"Actually, that's not what I was asking." A meaningful smile appeared on Shinzaburo's lips. "Lord Jubei, do you know my identity?"

"The name of Kubo Genban is renowned far and wide." A fleeting look of envy crossed Akechi Mitsuhide's eyes as he lowered his head and said, "A famous general of the Kinai region, who doesn't know him, like the new lord of Sagara?"

"Actually, I have now received the title of 'Governor of Sado' bestowed by Lord Kobo..." Shinzaburo stated his intention directly: "If it is too narrow, there is also a land route to Takashima and Shiga districts. So, Lord Jubei, please think again about how to answer the question from before?"

"Ah! Congratulations, Lord Kubo Sado! I understand what you mean..." Akechi Mitsuhide paused for a moment, then quickly recovered, his breathing becoming rapid and his voice trembling, but he still clearly expressed his intention: "First, the land route from Wakasa to Takashima and Shiga districts is controlled by the Numata family of Kumagawa Castle. The Numata family is weak, but they have close ties with the shogunate. Now that Ashikaga and Miyoshi have made peace, it is not advisable to directly attack the Numata family. However, the head of the Numata family is not a man of strong will, and he is not difficult to control."

Clearly, he had encountered many setbacks in recent years, so he valued every opportunity and immediately began to fully demonstrate his value without any hesitation.

"That's very true!" Shinzaburo nodded in praise: "Lord Jubei is sharp-witted and observant; he is truly an outstanding person!"

"I dare not accept such praise," Akechi Mitsuhide said modestly, then continued, "There are seven powerful families in Takashima County. They used to be of the same clan and were known as the 'Takashima Seven Heads.' They have had many conflicts with each other. Although they are now subordinate to the Rokkaku, they are actually semi-independent. The old lord of the Rokkaku family in Omi Province, Lord Sakyō (Yoshikata), is a shrewd strategist and not easy to deal with, but he is getting old. His young lord is impetuous and dull-witted, and will surely bring trouble upon himself in the future. When that time comes, we can first incite infighting among the Takashima Seven Heads, and then take advantage of the chaos to make our own profits. That way, we can achieve twice the result with half the effort."

"Brilliant! Brilliant!" Shinzaburo couldn't help but applaud. "No wonder the Asakura clan was defeated by me, that such a wise general was not given a proper position."

"How can the pampered sons of noble families in Echizen be compared to the outstanding talents of Wakasa?" Akechi Mitsuhide flattered, and continued, "As for Shiga District in the southern part of Takashima District, most of its land and towns are controlled by Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei, making it difficult to deal with for the time being. However, although Enryaku-ji Temple has a great reputation, it has long incurred the wrath of many. It claims to have thousands of monk soldiers, but they are nothing but lazy and complacent. So... it is not impossible to eliminate them. In addition, the Katada clan, who roam around Lake Biwa, are based in Shiga. If we can win them over like you did with the pirates in Wakasa, it will be of great benefit."

“Lord Jubei, it’s a real shame you’re not a samurai.” Shinzaburo pondered for a long time, deliberately keeping the other man in suspense, then shook his head and said, “However, given the current situation, it would be better to continue working as a physician for a while longer.”

While he was speaking eloquently, Mitsuhide Akechi's expression was changing rapidly, but he managed to maintain his composure and breathing, so he didn't lose his composure too much.

Just as Shinzaburo said, "It would be better to continue working as a doctor for a while longer," Mitsuhide Akechi swayed and nearly fell to the ground.

But he quickly regained his composure and said in a relatively calm tone, "As you said, those boastful words I just uttered were just empty talk. I can't expect to be given an important position so easily!"

"Lord Jubei, you misunderstand," Shinzaburo said slowly. "What I meant was that you should continue to work as a doctor and try to treat patients in Takashima and Shiga districts as much as possible. I will provide funding and manpower and keep in touch with you."

"You mean..." After such a dramatic rise and fall in such a short time, Mitsuhide Akechi abandoned all pretense of composure and rallied his spirits, "to make ample preparations first, and then launch an attack when the time is right?"

“That’s right.” Shinzaburo nodded calmly and said slowly, “If there really is a good opportunity to take over the Rokkaku family, whether Wakasabei can take over Takashima and Shiga districts in one fell swoop depends on Jubei’s ability. If the final result is satisfactory enough, I will recommend you to the young master of the Miyoshi family. Have you heard of Araki Murashige, who has recently made a name for himself in Izumi? He is the one I introduced to that place.”

"Thank you so much!" Mitsuhide Akechi's voice was hoarse with excitement, his eyes seemed to be spitting fire, and he kowtowed heavily to the ground.

193 It is difficult to be a traitor, but easy to be a loyal minister.

Because he was delayed in recuperating from illness, while Shinzaburo remained in Kyoto, the farmers in Wakasa had already begun their autumn harvest.

Later statistics showed that Wakasa Province had over 50,000 han of paddy fields and over 20,000 han of dry fields, with a yield of 85,000 koku. It is clear that the yield per unit area was much higher than that of Tanba.

This is mainly because many small and medium-sized rivers originate in the inland mountains and flow into the sea at Wakasa, creating numerous fertile alluvial plains. Rice grown on these alluvial plains can yield more than one and a half shi (a unit of dry measure) per dan (a unit of dry measure).

In particular, the seventeen villages surrounding Koseyama Castle are located on relatively flat terrain and are covered by the main streams and tributaries of four rivers. They are the most precious part of the country, and in the past, they paid an annual tribute of about three thousand koku at the lowest point, and in some years, they could even reach more than five thousand koku.

The reason for such large fluctuations is that the Wakasa Guardian Takeda clan's rule was very weak. They always entrusted the management of their directly owned lands to a single retainer or senior retainer, never personally collecting taxes, let alone investigating the land or establishing accounts.

Therefore, how much one can actually earn depends entirely on their individual abilities.

Of course, if the exploitation is too harsh and cruel, and it triggers a rebellion, those responsible will be held accountable. How to maximize plunder without inciting public anger is a skill in itself.

Now that the lord of Suidao Mountain City, Itsuki Masakatsu, has been appointed as the magistrate in charge of collecting the annual tribute, he should be able to make a small fortune.

The agreed-upon reward was one-third of the annual tribute. This percentage was even higher than usual.

One-third means that even without doing anything extra, if the villagers continue to pay on their own as before and collect 3,000 shi of autumn grain step by step, they can easily get 1,000 shi, which is equivalent to four or five hundred guan.

If you have the ability to work harder and extract more money and grain, your own income will also increase accordingly.

Not to mention, they could take the opportunity to do some underhanded things, manipulate things, and make a quick buck.

Everyone thought it was a very lucrative job.

When Masataka Itsuki received the mission last year, he thought the same thing.

At the time, he felt that while Kubo Yoshiaki's position was secure due to his military reputation and the support of the young master of the Miyoshi family, he, as a local, could secure the second position with the backing of Matsunaga Nagayori.

Since he's in the second position, it's perfectly justifiable for him to fight for his own interests.

But this year, Masataka Itsuki no longer dares to think that way.

The Asakura clan first tested the waters with their elite Tsuruga troops, then sent over 12,000 men into Wakasa, a move that severely shattered his old worldview. Then, Kubo Yoshiaki, with the help of 2,500 Settsu soldiers, defeated the Echizen army, a truly earth-shattering and awe-inspiring feat.

Just like a wolfhound that reigns supreme among pheasants and rabbits, suddenly witnessing a lion and tiger fighting, it loses its composure for a moment.

Now, Yi Jianchangjing is filled with nothing but fear.

The Itsumi family, as a branch of the Takeda clan, had previously served as the deputy governor of Wakasa. But now, how could they dare to compete?

……

"What are you thinking, brother? Did you hear what I said?"

Itsuki Masatsugu stood on the bank of the Nanchuan River, gazing at the flat and vast fields before him, and fell into silence until he was called out to by the people beside him.

The speaker was short in stature, with a thin, beardless face, and exuded a capable air about him; he was his younger brother, Jingjiu.

Compared to his elder brother, Yi Jian was not outstanding in either literary or martial arts, but he was loyal and meticulous, so he was assigned to logistics tasks.

"Ah...it's nothing, I was just thinking about the annual tribute collection on behalf of others." Itsumi Masatsune shook his head, feigning ease. "Jiro (Itsumi Tsunehisa), what were you talking about just now?"

“Perfect timing, I was just talking about the annual tribute collection.” Yi Jianjing, with his good temper, repeated himself without complaint: “From the end of last year until now, I have led people to visit all seventeen villages one by one. We have tried all the methods you taught me, and now most of the minor officials and wealthy households are willing to give in. I estimate that this year’s autumn grain harvest will be around 4,200 to 4,300 shi! I’ve seen some officials who used to be able to get 5,000 shi of annual tribute. I really don’t know how they did it.”

"Four thousand two or three koku? That's quite good." Itsuki Masatsune stroked his chin, frowning as he pondered, and said slowly, "If we go too far and cause any unrest, it will be difficult to explain to Kubo Genban."

“Mhm.” Yi Jianjing nodded. “That’s what I think too.”

Neither of them spoke after that, and they both fell into deep thought.

After a moment of silence, Itsuki Masakatsu let out a long sigh and murmured, "Let's say it's 4,200 koku. One-third of that is 1,400 koku. That's a considerable windfall. We shouldn't be greedy anymore."

"Huh?" Itsuki Tsunehisa was somewhat surprised. "Didn't you say before that as long as we manipulated the ledgers a little, we could generate a lot of extra income?"

“Alas, things are different this year.” Itsuki Masatsune sighed, “Jiro, what kind of person do you think Tanba Zhong Kui is?”

"Huh? Why are you suddenly bringing this up?" Itsuki blinked and thought for a while before saying somewhat uncertainly, "Kubo Genban was able to defeat the Asakura clan's army and is a renowned general of his time. Furthermore, everyone in Wakasa says he is very benevolent, but it is said that he was not so benevolent in Tanba."

"Can the manipulation of the accounts really be hidden from the famous generals of our time?" Itsuki Masatsugu lowered his head and said in a muffled voice, "Once we are caught with solid evidence, it will be very bad."

“My elder brother once said that he had a close relationship with Hōun-ken of Tanba, so he was not afraid that Kubo Genban would turn against him…” Itsuki Tsunehisa looked south, “Ah, he is now called the Governor of Tanshu, Naito Bizen-no-kami.”

"We've only met by chance. Our so-called friendship is nothing more than mutual exploitation." Itsuki Masatsune said with a wry smile, "Besides, Kubo Genban has just defeated Echizen Asakura and is currently riding high. We may not need to make too many concessions to the governor of Dan Province."

"So..." Itsuki Tsunehisa was quick to draw inferences: "Does that mean we don't need to consider inciting the people to stage a coup when the time is right?"

“Of course not. Even Awaya Ukyo-suke surrendered and defected, so how could we possibly launch a local uprising? It was just wishful thinking back then.” Itsuki Masatsune sighed, “Besides, even if we could launch one, could we win on the battlefield?”

“Since you say so, brother, we won’t consider opposing Kubo Genban anymore.” Itsuki Tsunehisa seemed to lack any principles and quickly accepted the new idea, then brought the topic back: “What about the annual tribute? We’ll have to send people to collect it in a couple of days!”

"Try to write the accounts clearly, and then report truthfully!" Itsuki Masakatsu said these words with effort, as if an invisible burden had been lifted from his back. His expression finally relaxed, but there was still a hint of sadness between his brows. Then he looked up at his younger brother, shook his head with a wry smile, and said, "Actually, thinking back, perhaps letting me manage the annual tribute of these seventeen villages was originally a test..."

"Ah!" Itsuki Tsunehisa was taken aback upon hearing this, then turned pale with shock. "Kubo Genban already had suspicions last year?"

“As a renowned general, he will always be vigilant about everything around him when he is sober. There’s nothing wrong with that.” Itsumi Masatsune looked at his younger brother and added, “Even in the Itsumi family, I don’t completely trust Sawamura and Yanagida.”

“Alright…” Itsuki Tsunehisa was still in shock. After a moment, he slowly nodded, then pondered for a while before slowly saying, “Back when the Takeda clan was the governor, the reward for collecting the annual tribute was only one-fifth. Kubo Genban offering one-third might indeed be a test. Should we decline the extra reward to show our sincerity?”

"No, no, no! On the contrary, if you want to express your deference, you should accept it without hesitation!" Itsuki Masatsune said solemnly, "We are not that close to the Kubo family yet, it would be suspicious to deliberately refuse money and provisions."

"I see..." Itsuki Tsunehime said with some disappointment, "Then how can we become intimate as soon as possible?"

“Alas! There is a way.” Itsuki Masatsune let out a long sigh, looked up at the sky, and said in a low voice, “It is difficult to be a traitor, but it is easy to be a loyal minister. Those who rebel against their superiors are not those who do not know how to be loyal ministers, but those who are unwilling to be loyal ministers.”

194 Who would be willing to transfer the title of Empress Dan?