Chapter 45

Eiroku 10 (1567) Mid-September, Omi Ika-gun, Shiotsu-hama, Shiotsu-hama Castle, Kuki Moritsuna

As I entered the great hall, everyone lined up on both sides prostrated themselves. I don’t really like this. It feels strange to me, a modern person. It’s just not something I’m used to. I hurriedly sat down and told them to raise their heads. Maybe I’ll be called impatient. Everyone slowly lifted their faces. The faces of the new local samurai from southern Omi showed some tension. Perhaps serving in northern Omi still feels strange to them. Or maybe it’s because they are about to decide the punishment for Rokkaku Sakyo-taifu...

“Rokkaku Sakyo-taifu has been brought in.”

The attendant, Machida Kojuro, raised his voice. This guy’s voice carries well; he might make a good general. One of the conditions for a good general is that his voice can be heard from a distance. Sakyo-taifu appeared. He was a large, muscular man. He was sixteen or seventeen, still far from twenty, but he didn’t look it. Just looking at his body, he seemed like a middle-aged man who had been hardened by manual labor. He was much more muscular than I am.

He entered the hall with a heavy step and sat down about five meters away from me. His face was long, almost horse-like. He didn’t resemble Jochi Nyudo or Hosokawa Harumoto. He didn’t even resemble his cousin, Uemon-dokoro. Maybe he resembles his grandfather, Rokkaku Takayori. I should ask my father-in-law later? ...No, I won’t. If I ask whether this fool resembles the great lord of the Rokkaku family, not only my father-in-law but also the old retainers of the Rokkaku family would be upset.

The horse-faced man glared around.

“Traitors!”

He spat out. I understand his feelings. He tried to attack Kuki from behind with seven thousand troops but was caught between Shinjiro’s eight thousand in front and Echizen-no-kami’s two thousand in the rear. The moment he realized he couldn’t return to the castle, deserters started to appear. When he was captured by Echizen-no-kami, his forces had dwindled to less than a hundred. Echizen-no-kami said he didn’t expect Sakyo-taifu to be there. He must have been quite surprised.

“Can you even look at my face, you traitors!”

The old retainers of the Rokkaku family looked troubled. They didn’t betray you willingly; they abandoned you because you were a fool. This is my moment to shine, the white horse prince, making a grand entrance. I need to win their hearts and increase their good feelings. I deliberately laughed. First, I need to change the atmosphere.

“You didn’t betray me, you gave up on me, Sakyo-taifu.”

Sakyo-taifu glared at me. He had a nasty look in his eyes, almost sticky. It reminded me of Uemon-dokoro.

“It’s the same thing! Daisan-dokoro!”

Shut up, boy. The reason you are where you are now is because you don’t understand the difference. I will teach you the difference. I will turn you from a boy who doesn’t understand the difference into a man who does. You will grow a little.

“It’s different. Giving up means that you, Sakyo-taifu, lack the qualifications to be the head of the Rokkaku family, and we don’t think you are worthy of being our lord. That’s why we left. Betraying means leaving for your own benefit despite having the qualifications. They are similar but completely different.”

A few people nodded. That’s right, they are similar but different. There’s a difference like that between shit and miso.

“You say I lack the qualifications to be the head of the Rokkaku family, Daisan-dokoro! I am the nephew of Jochi Nyudo and the grandson of Takayori, who served as the deputy shogun!”

Sakyo-taifu shouted again. What a fool. He doesn’t seem to understand that this is the Sengoku period, a time of chaos and upheaval.

“What have you done?”

“What?”

“I’m asking what you have done as the head of the Rokkaku family.”

“...”

His eyes darted around. He doesn’t seem to understand.

“Your grandfather, Rokkaku Takayori, served as the deputy shogun and brought the Rokkaku family to its peak. When the deputy shogun moved, the politics of Kyoto changed. He was that great a man. The next head, Jochi Nyudo, also did a good job as the head of the Rokkaku family and was never underestimated. There are people here who supported the deputy shogun and Jochi Nyudo, followed their orders, and protected and prospered the Rokkaku family. They felt the glory of the Rokkaku family as their own.”

“I have the same blood as those two.”

He sounded proud, but it’s just blood. That’s meaningless... And while I’m talking about the local samurai, all you talk about is the blood in your body.

“Do you think they willingly came to serve Kuki? Do you think they abandoned you?”

“...”

“Now, even though the Rokkaku family is in decline, Kuki is a small lord with less than ten thousand koku. To the Rokkaku family, he was insignificant, not even worth mentioning. They might have looked down on him. He was a direct vassal of the shogun, but in reality, he only led about three hundred soldiers. Do you think the men who supported the glory of the Rokkaku family would willingly bow to such a small lord?”

“...”

“The ones who are most miserable here are not you, but them. If the Rokkaku family were still strong, they wouldn’t have to be in this place. They wouldn’t have to bow to me. They are bowing to me here out of necessity to survive and protect their families. It’s not something they do willingly. Look at them well!”

Sakyo-taifu looked at the Saito clan. They didn’t meet his gaze, some even avoided it openly. They all had blank, mask-like expressions.

“Do you understand? They didn’t betray you; you betrayed them. You betrayed the Rokkaku family and the local samurai who relied on the Rokkaku family. Do you have the right to curse them? You don’t. Know shame! Boy!”

“...”

“I will be a good lord. I will protect them and make them prosper. By doing so, they will be able to convince themselves that they made the right choice in choosing me, and they won’t regret it. Do you understand, boy? The qualifications of a lord are not about blood, but about how much you can work for your people and the local samurai.”

“...What do you intend to do with me? Kill me?”

His voice was strained. There was a hint of “I don’t want to die” in it.

“Kill you? Why would I kill someone who has nothing but his family name? I won’t take your life, so you can go wherever you want. However, you are not allowed to stay in Kuki’s territory or enter it in the future.”

“...You will regret this.”

What a noisy guy. Stop grinding your teeth.

“If you can do that, the deputy shogun and Jochi Nyudo will be happy in their graves. Work hard. Machida Kojuro, take Sakyo-taifu away. Arrange for him to be sent to Otsu by boat. After sending him to Otsu, let him go free.”

“Hai.”

Kojuro and a few other attendants surrounded Sakyo-taifu and left the great hall. Sakyo-taifu looked back at me several times, glaring and saying things like “I’ll make you regret this.” His eyes were nasty, and I thought they resembled Uemon-dokoro’s again.

“Tell those who have newly come to serve the Kuki family. My seal is ‘Kunshin Ho-raku,’ which means that from the lord to the common people, everyone should enjoy a prosperous life. I can’t achieve this alone. I need your help.”

Saito Yamashiro-no-kami, Mekada Jirozaemon, and Gamou Saemon-no-dokoro, among others, the old retainers of the Rokkaku family, lightly bowed their heads. There was a sense of relief on their faces. It was the right decision not to kill him. These people might abandon Sakyo-taifu, but they don’t want him to be killed. He was saved because he’s a fool. I can tell everyone that he’s a fool and not worth killing.

“The Kuki family’s land tax is four parts to the lord and six parts to the people. We do not allow the establishment of checkpoints within the territory. We also do not allow the conscription of farmers as soldiers. We will raise an army with money. I will give you the method to make soap and cotton seeds. Soap is needed not only in Japan but also in Ming. Cotton thread can be used for various purposes and sells quickly. It’s not difficult to make money.”

Everyone nodded.

“For the next year, the local samurai of southern Omi will be exempt from military service. This includes Otsu, Komai, and Higai. Focus on governing the territory for a year. And recruit soldiers without rushing. If you can have half the current number of soldiers after a year, that’s fine.”

The local samurai of southern Omi were surprised, but those of northern Omi were not. The northern Omi group didn’t use them at first either.

“The governance of the Kuki territory will use the Kuki Kana Mokuroku. Read it well. Is there anything you don’t understand?”

Everyone looked at each other but didn’t speak up. Do they have no questions, or are they being polite...?

“I appoint Saito Yamashiro-no-kami and Mekada Jirozaemon to the council. Participate in the council from now on.”

“Hai.”

Saito Yamashiro-no-kami and Mekada Jirozaemon were taken aback. “All of a sudden!” That’s how they felt. But this way, the local samurai will feel reassured that they can talk to Yamashiro-no-kami and Jirozaemon, and their concerns will reach me. They will also understand that they won’t be discriminated against as newcomers.

“Gamou Saemon-no-dokoro.”

“Hai.”

“Is Shigenori doing well?”

“Hai.”

He looked confused. My father, Shigenori, and I were enemies. He must be wondering if he will be punished for that.

“It’s too early for him to retire. Have him serve me.”

“Huh?”

Don’t be so surprised. Huh? It’s not just Saemon-no-dokoro; everyone is surprised. Why?

“I will make you my advisor. I won’t make you work for free; I will give you a stipend of ten thousand koku.”

“H, hai. I will do my best.”

Saemon-no-dokoro hurriedly prostrated himself.

A guy like Shigenori, if forced to retire, might plot something. It’s safer to use him openly, and I can keep an eye on him. He will be happy, and the people around me will feel that I am generous. I will use him until he is worn out for my sake and for the sake of Kuki. That’s my revenge. He will die with the happy misunderstanding that he is being trusted. Just you wait.

Eiroku 10 (1567) Mid-September, Omi Ika-gun, Shiotsu-hama, Shiotsu-hama Castle, Saito Kenmori

After the meeting in the great hall, an order was given to hold a grand council in the council room. I didn’t know what the council room was, and I was confused, but Mekada Jirozaemon and I were guided by Miyagawa Shinjiro, who said, “This way, follow me.” The council room was a spacious room, but not as large as the great hall. It was a simple room with nothing special. A few people were already seated, but the atmosphere was relaxed.

“Of course, the lord will sit in the upper section. We, the councilors, will sit on the left lower section, and the administrators on the right lower section. In the next room, the subordinates of the administrators will wait. This is a regular council.”

“I heard this is a grand council today?”

When Jirozaemon asked, Shinjiro nodded.

“In a grand council, the military strategists, the supply officers, and the deputy general, Sanada Danjo, will join. They will sit in front of the lord, between the councilors and the administrators.”

Jirozaemon and I looked at each other. The military strategists and supply officers sound like military advisors and logistics officers. So, the grand council will be like a military conference? I wanted to confirm, but people started entering. Among them was Daisan-dokoro. I hurriedly sat down with Jirozaemon. Daisan-dokoro sat in the upper section and looked around. He frowned, as if something was missing. Then, a man entered the council room in a hurry. Daisan-dokoro nodded, indicating that everyone was present. The man who entered later sat in the administrator’s section.

“It seems everyone is here. Yamashiro-no-kami and Jirozaemon, this is your first time. Everyone, state your names and positions. Start with the councilors.”

One by one, they stated their names and bowed. I learned that the administrators were hereditary vassals of the Kuki family, but the others were varied. The councilors included relatives, hereditary vassals, and former retainers of the Asai family.