Chapter 16

Eiroku 2 (1559) Early March, Omi Province, Takashima District, Anegawa Village, Shimizu Castle, Kuki Masatsuna

"Brother"

As I called out, my brother turned to look at me, a smile on his face.

"What are you doing in such a place? It seems you were looking at the lake."

"Yes, I was looking at the lake. It's a view you can't see in Kuki. I never thought the lake could be so beautiful."

"Indeed."

From the castle tower, Lake Biwa could be seen. It was vast, and numerous boats could be seen sailing on its surface. Not just the lake, but the northern and eastern shores were also visible. Such a view was truly unparalleled.

"Every time I see it, I never tire of it. I never imagined I would be able to enjoy this view whenever I wanted..."

My brother was looking at the lake again. It was amusing. My brother, who never understood the beauty of such things, seemed to be in love with the lake.

"Brother, the lord has summoned you."

My brother nodded, "Yes, I know."

"Takashima and Tanaka were taken, but the remaining four families were also eliminated. Takehiko is evil. But if he weren't evil, he couldn't achieve greatness in this chaotic world."

That's true. The head of the Kuki family has always been a man of principle. They were trusted but never grew large, perhaps because they lacked the evil side.

"One day, we will take down the Rokkaku... It's no longer just a dream, Brother."

"No, it's still a dream."

"The lord hasn't even completed his coming-of-age ceremony yet."

"Well, that's true. ...Zoushi, why are you here?"

Finally, the question came.

"The lord called me, saying you would be here and asked me to bring you. He also said to take a look at Lake Biwa."

My brother smiled wryly at my words.

"That's not possible."

"Right now, the lord is with the main lord, talking about Ume-maru."

"Is that so?"

We walked down from the tower and headed towards Takehiko's room.

"Brother, what do you think will happen next?"

"Probably not much for a while. Even though we took the seven heads of Takashima, Kuki only controls two-thirds of the district. In terms of stone revenue, it's about 50,000 koku. We are far from the Rokkaku or even the Asai."

"Is that how it will be?"

I couldn't help but sigh.

"It's a strange thing, but now that we have 50,000 koku, I understand the size of the Rokkaku. There are vassals of the Rokkaku who have territories similar to Kuki's."

"If the Rokkaku decided to, Kuki would be in trouble."

"Yes. Following the Rokkaku would be easy, but Takehiko doesn't seem to want to. He might think it's insufficient."

My brother chuckled.

"What a presumptuous thing to do."

"Indeed."

We both laughed. A 50,000 koku Kuki questioning the capabilities of Rokkaku Sakyo-taifu Yoshinori. It was presumptuous, but Takehiko had never bowed to anyone. That's why, despite being only 50,000 koku, Kuki was becoming a significant force in Omi.

There are other reasons why Kuki can't move. The Asai's territory spans Ika, Asai, and Sakata districts in northern Omi, and even extends to the northeast of Takashima. Between the Asai's territory and Kuki's territory lies the Rokkaku's storage land. It was placed there during the time of Rokkaku Masatoki to prevent conflicts between the seven heads of Takashima and the Asai.

It's about 10,000 koku in stone revenue, but thanks to this storage land, Kuki doesn't directly border the Asai. It's a useful barrier for internal affairs and military preparations. However, it also means that Kuki can't unify Takashima without making the Rokkaku an enemy. And to the south is the territory of the Sanno, making it difficult to advance. Kuki wants to grow but is in a situation where it can't.

"For a while, we'll focus on internal affairs, right?"

"Yes, and then we'll reorganize the army."

Shimizu Castle is much larger than Kuki Castle. It took longer than expected to reach Takehiko's room. Inside, Takehiko and the main lord were drinking tea.

"I'm sorry for the trouble."

"Don't worry, I know where you are. You just need to send someone. ...It seems the old man really likes that place."

Takehiko teased, and my brother laughed, trying to hide his embarrassment. Takehiko called for a servant to bring more tea for the four of us.

"Father, Ume-maru is insisting on his coming-of-age ceremony. He seems very regretful for not being able to participate in the recent battle."

The main lord chuckled.

"Coming-of-age ceremony? I think it's a bit early..."

"The lord also opposes it."

Everyone's gaze turned to Takehiko, who frowned.

"For now, I won't allow his coming-of-age ceremony. From the recent battle, he seems to think that war is easy to win. If I allow it now, nothing good will come of it. He needs to learn more: calculations, military science, agricultural policies, the situation of various countries, and the court in Kyoto. Ume-maru needs to learn more..."

"You're strict."

My brother teased, and Takehiko sighed deeply.

"I don't want Ume-maru to be just a warrior. Even if it's not possible now, in ten or twenty years, he needs to be capable of representing me..."

"Representing the lord, that's a tough task."

The main lord's voice made Takehiko sigh again.

"It's not a joke, main lord. The Kuki family has weak relatives. Among those of my generation, only Ume-maru is available."

This time, no one spoke. Indeed, the Kuki family has weak relatives. My brother's children all serve the shogun's family, and are not directly related to the Kuki family. As for relatives, there are only me, my son, the main lord, and my grandson, Ume-maru. If we were a small vassal lord with 8,000 koku, it might have been fine, but now with 50,000 koku and over 1,500 soldiers, it's not a small force compared to the Asai and Rokkaku. A strong and capable family to support the head is necessary.

A servant brought tea, and each of us took a sip. A moment of silence fell in the room.

"Old man, should one of the four return?"

"Yes, let's talk to them."

I looked at Takehiko, but he didn't react to our conversation.

"What do you think, lord?"

"...Even if they return, will my uncles follow my orders willingly?"

He tilted his head. He was worried that the young lord might face resistance. I thought he was struggling, even now.

"Don't worry. Whether young or not, you are the head of the Kuki family. What you have accomplished is something no one else could do. You have more than enough achievements as the head. Those who can't understand this, even if they are blood relatives, are not part of the Kuki family. They should be expelled from the Kuki family."

Takehiko nodded at my words.

"Understood. I will write to the uncles, asking them to return and help me. Grandfather, please write as well."

"Agreed."

Ume-maru, to have such a lord and still not learn... I've thought this before. If he had a younger brother, it might be different, but with only a sister... Perhaps I should encourage the main lord to have another child.

"So, why did you call us here today?"

The main lord asked, and Takehiko grunted.

"I will move my residence to Shimizu Mountain. It's inconvenient to govern the new territory from Kuki. I've already told the old man."

Everyone nodded. Kuki is safe but secluded. Shimizu Mountain is more convenient.

"Regarding Kuki Castle, main lord, I want you to take charge."

"Shouldn't it be father?"

The main lord asked, and Takehiko shook his head.

"No, I want my great-uncle to take charge of Funaki Castle. You will be the lord of Nishiyama and the castellan of Kuki Castle."

My son looked at me, confused. I understood why.

"We will be in charge of three castles, lord."

Takehiko sighed.

"It can't be helped. Kuki can't be entrusted to just anyone. It's close to Kyoto and can serve as a refuge in emergencies. It also has everything: firearms, swordsmiths, sulfur, charcoal, and saltpeter. It's an important place for Kuki to grow."

"Saltpeter?"

My brother asked, puzzled. It was time to talk about it. Takehiko straightened up.

"Grandfather, we are producing saltpeter in Nishiyama. I ordered my great-uncle and the main lord to do it. It's been four years, and it should be ready soon. I didn't tell you because of the Iwagami incident. You can't lie, Grandfather. ...I kept it a secret from you. I'm sorry."

Takehiko bowed to my brother. The main lord and I followed suit. I could hear my brother chuckling.

"To keep secrets from me, you are indeed evil, Takehiko. I'm proud of you. ...You don't need to apologize to me. I should apologize to you. I've caused you a lot of trouble."

"Grandfather..."

"Returning the shogun to Kyoto was only possible because of your abilities. I'm grateful."

"...I'm sorry."

Takehiko apologized again, and my brother laughed loudly.

"That's not like you, Takehiko. So, what about Funaki Castle?"

"Yes. Funaki Castle controls the mouth of the Andon River and serves as a forward base to Shimizu Mountain in emergencies. It can't be entrusted to just anyone. That's why I asked my great-uncle to take charge."

"...I see."

Takehiko's words made my brother nod. I felt the weight of his words, lamenting the lack of reliable relatives.

"At Shimizu Mountain and Funaki, we will produce shiitake mushrooms, firearms, swords, and clear sake. We will move some blacksmiths and craftsmen from Kuki. Great-uncle, I also want you to produce saltpeter in Funaki."

"Understood."

"I will continue to buy saltpeter. I don't want it to be known that we are producing it. I will ask the main lord to buy it in small quantities. It's important that Kuki is known to be buying saltpeter. Then, mix the saltpeter produced in Nishiyama to make gunpowder."

"Understood."

The main lord nodded. I see, placing the main lord in Kuki is because of the saltpeter.

"I'm sorry, main lord. You will be given dull tasks."

"What are you saying? Thanks to the lord, Kuki has become the strongest force in Takashima. If I can be of service to the lord, I am willing to take on any task."

"That's right. Lord, don't hesitate to give us tasks."

Takehiko bowed again, saying, "I'm sorry." Perhaps he feels a sense of reparation for expecting so much from us.

"Basically, the new castles of the seven heads of Takashima will be abandoned except for the residence. For the time being, I won't appoint lords or castellans. I'm sorry, but I need the old man and the great-uncle to patrol them."

My brother sighed, "It can't be helped."

Indeed, it can't be helped.

"I will also reorganize the army. I can hire 2,000 or 3,000 soldiers with money, but I don't want to overextend and provoke others. Kuki's military strength is 1,600, and I plan to deploy 1,000 outside."

1,600, I realized how much Kuki had grown.

"Gorouemon will be removed from the firearms unit."

"Hmm, removed?"

"Yes. I will entrust the firearms unit to someone else. I need Gorouemon to be my deputy and teach me how to command the army. I plan to shape it by the end of the year and deploy it next year. I also plan to strengthen the firearms unit to 300."

My brother and the main lord exchanged glances. Takehiko was in a hurry.

"Are you in a hurry? Is there something going on?"

My brother asked, and Takehiko replied, "Yes."

"Hokuriku is unstable. And what will the shogun and the Miyoshi think...? I don't know what will happen when Kuki can deploy 1,000 soldiers. I have to prepare quickly."

Sigh. The bigger you get, the more worries you have. It seems the situation surrounding Kuki is not getting any brighter...

Eiroku 2 (1559) Mid-June, Omi Province, Takashima District, Anegawa Village, Shimizu Castle, Takehiko

The rice planting is done, and the view from Shimizu Castle is now dominated by Lake Biwa and the green rice fields. In the fields, cotton plants are sprouting and growing. When I moved from Kuki to Shimizu Castle, the first thing I did was distribute cotton seeds to the farmers. If this area becomes a cotton cultivation area, the boats on Lake Biwa will use sails made from Kuki cotton. And the boats from Hokuriku will use Kuki-made sails.

I issued an edict to abolish the checkpoints within the territory and set the tax rate to 40% for the government and 60% for the people. The people are happy, but the effects won't be felt until the autumn. Until then, I need to govern with great care. I also need to deregulate and eliminate vested interests, such as the free market and free guilds. Without this, the economy within the territory won't be revitalized. To hire soldiers, strengthening the economy is essential.

Oda Nobunaga went to Kyoto in February. Nobunaga apparently wanted to visit Kuki, but we were at war. I judged that getting involved would not be a good strategy, so he returned to Owari through southern Omi. It's a shame; I would have liked to meet him. The shogun, Ashikaga Yoshiaki, wrote a letter expressing his joy about Nobunaga. He seems to think that the shogun's authority is being restored.

Well, it's not surprising. February was when the northern expedition of Nagao Kagetora of Echigo was finalized. And in April, Kagetora went to Kyoto. He received permission to become the Kanto Kanrei and was appointed as a Junior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade, and a Commander of the Left Guard. Both the shogun and the court seem to have high hopes for Kagetora. But, on the way back, go straight to Echigo. Why does he want to visit me? He said he would return to Echigo in the summer and would like to meet then. I want to stop that. He has a bad drinking habit. In Kyoto, he drank with Yoshiaki and the former head of the Konoe family, and they got very drunk. Don't shout things like "I will defeat the Miyoshi" or "I will bring Kuki into the fold" in a loud voice. It's a nuisance to the neighbors.

But now I know it's the year 1559. Next year will be 1560, and it will be busy. The Battle of Okehazama will take place, and in Omi, the Battle of Nara will occur. It's unclear what will happen to Kuki. For now, I need to unify the territory and strengthen the military. That's all I can do in the current situation.

From Kyoto, two of my uncles, Fujitsuna and Naritsuna, returned to Kuki. They returned partly because of Yoshiaki's intention. He wanted to strengthen the relationship with Kuki by sending two of his close aides. It feels like I've been given a landmine. I don't know how much I can trust them. For now, I've entrusted 300 firearms to Fujitsuna and 100 cavalry to Naritsuna. I've also given 300 spearmen to Zaimon and 300 archers to Matasuke, forming the Kuki army for external expeditions.

In Kyoto, the Battle of Kukidani seems to have gained a lot of attention. According to the rumors, when I learned that Takashima Echizen and others were attacking with four times the number of soldiers, I boasted that a rabble like them was laughable and that I would crush them. Then, I recited a poem and shouted that it was ridiculous to wear armor against such a weak enemy, and went out with just a sword and a sidearm. It's said that the four of them, including Nagata, fled the castle in fear of me. It seems to have originated from a letter that Ayama wrote to Asukai, but who embellished it? It's giving me a headache.

Thanks to this, Kuki's soldiers are said to be invincible, capable of defeating four times their number. It's just a irresponsible rumor, but I wish I could think that. Yoshiaki seems to be seriously considering using Kuki's soldiers. The distrust of the Rokkaku, who were behind the recent incident, has increased, and the expectations for Kuki have grown. That's how it seems, but please spare me. I'm not stupid enough to go to war with the Miyoshi.

Absolutely nothing good is happening. Recently, the Hachimon have reported that people suspected to be Koga spies are wandering around Kuki's territory. It seems the Rokkaku are trying to find the Hachimon. They might also be looking for the survival and location of Takashima Echizen. Both are possible.

The Hachimon assured me that there's no need to worry, as they are not inexperienced enough to be caught by Koga spies. The Koga and Iga, who have been in the spotlight, seem to have a strong rivalry with the Kukin. I just need to be careful...

The happiest person right now might be Echizen. He is secretly being protected by the Hachimon in Sunpu. Although he is the avenger of his parents, he is also a living witness, so I can't kill him. He asked the Hachimon for protection, but they deemed the Kansai area too dangerous and moved him to Sunpu. He is now involved in the Hachimon's business, trading rice. He seems to be good at it, as he is a money-loving man. He is extorting money from the Takeda, Hojo, and Imagawa. Next year, the Battle of Okehazama and the Kanto expedition of Kagetora will take place. The following year, the Fourth Battle of Kawanakajima will occur. He must be laughing non-stop. I'm starting to think about going down that path...