Chapter 52

Eiroku 11 (1568) Early November, Omi Province, Ika District, Shiizuhama, Shiizuhama Castle, Kuki Morutsuna

"Is this Matsu noyo?"

"Yes, my lord, this is your second son."

After returning to Shiizuhama from the expedition to Etchu, Noto, and Hida, Koyae had given birth to their second child, a boy. His name was Matsu noyo, and he was sleeping soundly. Two years ago, when Takewakamaru was born, it was also during the transition from autumn to winter. Incidentally, I couldn't be there for his birth either. As a husband and father, I feel like the worst. Koyae says she doesn't mind, but I feel a bit guilty inside. Hey, Takewakamaru. Don't jump on me just because we haven't seen each other in a while. Sit quietly on my lap; I'll play with you later. He's gotten a bit heavier, hasn't he?

"Does your father-in-law often come here?"

"Yes, when he comes, he never leaves the two of us."

Koyae laughed, looking genuinely amused.

"I see. Your father-in-law must have taken care of things while I was away. Please thank him on my behalf and let him know I'm grateful."

"What happened?"

"It's nothing serious. But when the lord is away from his territory for a long time, various things happen. I've caused trouble for your father-in-law, Shintō, and Mekada."

Don't worry, there's no need to look so anxious.

Rokkaku Sakyo no Tayu Takaharu tried to persuade Kōsaka Sakon no Shōgen Takaharu and Nagata Bitchū no Kami Sadahiro to defect. It's not a problem; both have consulted with Shintō and Mekada and have sworn their loyalty to me through your father-in-law. I've sent letters to Kōsaka and Nagata, expressing my satisfaction with the current measures and assuring them that I don't doubt their loyalty. I've also encouraged them to write to me if they have any concerns in the future.

In particular, Kōsaka Sakon no Shōgen has a close relationship with his father, Gotō Tango no Kami. I've learned a lot from him. I was sad when Tango no Kami died. I believe that his son, Gotō Iki no Kami, is loyal and will not betray me. I've added a note to the letter, asking him to convey this to Iki no Kami. I've also written letters to Shintō and Mekada, assuring them that I don't doubt their loyalty and encouraging them to write to me without hesitation.

I wasn't particularly close to Gotō Tango no Kami. I worked for the Kuki family, and he worked for the Rokkaku family. We cooperated because our interests aligned. He was a tough negotiator and a man who was willing to take on the role of the villain. If asked whether I liked or disliked him, I would say I respected him, but we weren't close. If our interests clashed, we would have become enemies without hesitation.

Kōsaka Sakon no Shōgen will likely report to his brother, Gotō Iki no Kami. The Gotō and Kōsaka families have a tradition of being close to Gotō Tango no Kami and Kuki Daisan no Tayu. Perhaps a legend will be born that I shed tears for Gotō Tango no Kami's death. The basis for this legend will be the letters I've written. It's not true, but it's not a problem. What's important is that the Gotō and Kōsaka brothers can serve me with peace of mind. For this, I will write lies. Legends become facts, and facts become history. I believe that history is made in this way.

"Can you take a break?"

"I plan to take a break until the New Year. I need to oversee the affairs of my territory and give my soldiers some rest."

"That's true."

Koyae nodded, looking pleased. Wives in the Sengoku period are pitiful. Husbands are often away for months, and sometimes they die. I should spend more time with her.

"But is it all right? Messengers from Yamato have come several times while you were away."

"Don't worry. If a messenger comes, I'll tell them clearly that I have no plans to move for a while."

I don't like doing unnecessary work. I won't say it outright, but I don't want to. Besides, I need to observe the situation. This summer and fall have been eventful.

In Mino, Nobunaga captured Inabayama Castle. Isshiki Ryūkō was captured and executed. In the historical record, he was released, but in this world, he was executed. Nobunaga is now in conflict with the Ikko-ikki of Nagashima and the Imagawa. He probably thought that if Isshiki Ryūkō were left alive, he would be used by both sides, which would be unacceptable. This shows that Nobunaga is taking a strict view of the surrounding situation. Or perhaps he believed that the local samurai of Mino would not be shaken by his execution...

In the Kinai region, the Hatakeyama and Miyoshi clans fought. The battlefront moved from Kawachi to Kii, and the final battle took place near the Kino River and Kudoyama. The Hatakeyama mobilized 23,000 troops, while the Miyoshi mobilized 40,000. The Hatakeyama suffered a crushing defeat, losing half of their troops. Hatakeyama Takaharu barely escaped. It will take a while for them to recover.

It was a difficult battle to win. The powerful local samurai of Kii, such as Yūkawa, Saka, Negoro, and Yūasa, had defected to the Miyoshi. These defectors controlled the coastal and plains areas of Kii. Hatakeyama Takaharu could not afford to leave them unchecked. It must have been a desperate battle for him. With this defeat, the western half of Kii fell under Miyoshi control, leaving the eastern half to the Hatakeyama. The mobilized troops must have been reduced to about 10,000.

The Miyoshi will likely not attack the Hatakeyama. The remaining territory is mountainous and difficult to conquer. Any attempt would result in significant losses. The best strategy is to gradually undermine the Hatakeyama through intrigue. The Hatakeyama will gradually be cornered and weakened. Yoshitsugu's messengers are likely coming because he believes that if he acts now, he can become the shogun. But I don't care; I've had enough of the Hatakeyama.

I'm considering proposing to the Miyoshi that they support Yoshitsugu as the shogun. It might not work, but the Miyoshi won't refuse outright. They will likely see Yoshitsugu as a card to play against the Kōshō Kōbō family. There will likely be a period of negotiation between the Miyoshi and the Kōshō Kōbō family. If they use Yoshitsugu as a card, they will likely avoid war with the Kuki.

"In Kyoto, they say you are very selfless."

"Why? I am the lord of Omi, Echizen, Wakasa, and Kaga. I couldn't manage four provinces if I were selfless."

Koyae chuckled.

"That's true. But in Etchu and Noto, you haven't gained anything. In fact, it's said that you declined."

"Perhaps I was just lucky."

Koyae laughed out loud. Why? My women find me amusing for some reason. It's not just Koyae; Yuki also finds me amusing. She even said she came here because it was interesting. Sometimes I lose confidence; do they really love me?

Selfless? It just seems that way. I'm not selfless. Noto became the property of the Kuki. We made an agreement with the Uesugi. When I, Uesugi Terutora, and Naoe Kōshū discussed it over sake, Terutora said, "Noto can't rely on the Hatakeyama. It should belong to the Kuki Daisan no Tayu." Naoe also nodded. This shows that Terutora also distrusts the Hatakeyama and believes they cannot govern Noto. If Noto falls into chaos, it could affect Etchu. For the Uesugi, who want to focus on the Kantō campaign, a chaotic Noto would be a destabilizing factor, just as it would for the Kuki.

In fact, Noto is already in chaos. The first sign of this was the spread of a disease from within the Nanao Castle to the surrounding areas. The disease spread through secondary infections caused by the improper disposal of corpses, feces, and the movement of the sick. It was quite severe, causing residents of Kasima District to flee Noto. The disease subsided as summer ended and the heat dissipated, but the residents who fled have not returned. Most of them are now living in Kaga.

Inukuchi Echizen no Kami allowed them to settle in Kaga, providing them with new land and money. Kaga has a low population due to the suppression of the Ikko-ikki followers. They were looking for unowned farmland. They are even considering buying slaves to give them land. New settlers are exempt from taxes for two years, during which they can establish a livelihood.

The second sign of chaos was the further suffering of Noto, already weakened by the disease. A battle broke out within Noto, resulting in many deaths. The Hatakeyama imposed heavy taxes, despite the need to reduce them. The reasons were to maintain their status as the lords of Noto and to send gifts to Yoshitsugu and his retainers. They probably believe that by pleasing Yoshitsugu and his entourage, they can rely on the Kuki and Uesugi in case of trouble. The death of Yoshitada has also increased the value of Yoshitsugu. However, I will not support a lord who oppresses his people.

The third sign of chaos, which has not yet begun, is the large-scale castle construction that will start when the snow melts next year. The Hatakeyama are not in Nanao Castle but in Anamizu Castle. They dislike Nanao Castle for its bad luck. However, they also dislike Anamizu Castle because it was built by the Nagao. Therefore, they plan to build a new castle, which will mean more taxes and conscription for the people.

It seems that Weni and Miki advised against it, but to no avail. The Hatakeyama believe that the Kuki and Uesugi cannot do anything as long as Yoshitsugu is behind them. I have received letters from both, who have given up on the Hatakeyama and are relying on me. I have sent a letter to the Hatakeyama, advising them to focus on internal affairs since Noto has no external enemies.

They will likely not accept it, but the fact that I gave them a warning will remain. If they ignore the warning and continue to impose harsh policies, leading to chaos, it will provide a pretext for military intervention. Snow will soon fall in Noto, burying everything. But when the snow melts next year, the chaos will likely worsen, and I will have to send troops. Until then, I will focus on internal affairs.

Eiroku 11 (1568) Late November, Yamato Province, Higashimuro District, Tachii Village, Shingisan Castle, Hosokawa Fujitaka

"You're back?"

"Yes, I just returned."

When I answered, my brother, Mibuchi Yamashiro no Kami Fujihide, smiled and said, "You must have worked hard."

"Have you reported to Yoshitsugu-sama?"

"Not yet."

"Then tell me first. Yoshitsugu-sama might have questions."

"Understood."

I felt a bit relieved. It's not a good report, and I wanted to delay it as much as possible.

My brother led me to a nearby small room. When we sat down, he leaned in and whispered, "How did it go?"

"It's no good. He said he can't send troops to Kyoto for a while."

My brother sighed.

"Is Kuki not moving?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because there are concerns about Noto."

"..."

"He said that once the war with the Miyoshi starts, it's uncertain when it will end. If Noto falls into chaos and the chaos spreads to Kaga and Echizen, it will be a problem."

My brother looked puzzled.

"You mean the Hatakeyama Sazemon no Kami and Shūri no Kami cannot maintain order? But didn't they execute the rebels Yusa and Nagahiro?"

"I said that, but..."

It was difficult to say.

"What happened?"

"He laughed and said I don't understand. Despite the many deaths in the war, the Hatakeyama imposed heavy taxes on the people."

"..."

My brother looked shocked.

"One reason is to maintain their status as the lords of Noto. The other is to send gifts to Yoshitsugu-sama and his retainers."

"Really?"

My brother shook his head and exhaled deeply. I envied him; he could shake his head. I felt my face burning with shame. I couldn't look Kuki Daisan no Tayu in the eye. The heavy taxes were partly my fault...

"He also said that they plan to build a new castle next year, which will be a significant burden on the people. Daisan no Tayu believes that Noto will fall into chaos."

"Was it a mistake to return the Hatakeyama to Noto? Yoshitsugu-sama was concerned that Kuki would move further north and wanted to prevent it..."

"..."

Omi, Wakasa, Echizen, and Kaga. Kuki's territory extends northward. Yoshitsugu-sama wanted Kuki to focus on the west, not the north. Returning the Hatakeyama to Noto was a request to stop moving north and to focus on the west.

"Do you think it was a mistake?"

My brother looked at me closely. I hesitated but nodded.

"Perhaps it would have been better to leave Noto to Kuki from the beginning."

My voice grew softer. With the Uesugi controlling Etchu and Hida, Kuki will not move further north. Kuki and the Uesugi have an unusually good relationship in this turbulent era. They are unlikely to fight over the Hokuriku region. With Etchu as the border, the natural division is the Uesugi in the east and Kuki in the west. This naturally directs Kuki's attention to the Kinai region.

"However, if left unchecked, the Hokuriku region would be at the mercy of the Uesugi and Kuki. Both are powerful, and they could ignore the Ashikaga's wishes if they wanted to. Returning the Hatakeyama to Noto was also a way to place a force that respects the Ashikaga's wishes in the Hokuriku region."

"I understand, but if Noto falls into chaos, it will affect Kaga and Etchu, which the Uesugi and Kuki cannot allow."

My brother exhaled deeply.

"Perhaps we did something unnecessary..."

"That's right. The return of the Hatakeyama to Noto is not pleasing to the Uesugi or Kuki. Kuki's reluctance to go to Kyoto is partly due to this."

There is another reason, which we don't say aloud. The Ashikaga do not like the existence of powerful daimyo. The shoguns have always tried to suppress the power of the daimyo.

Especially in the Kinai region, the Ashikaga could not tolerate the presence of a powerful force. The most notable example is the Miyoshi. After defeating the Miyoshi, there was no guarantee that Kuki would not become a similar force. Kuki has its own connections to the court, making it even more dangerous than the Miyoshi. Kuki Daisan no Tayu's reluctance to go to Kyoto is likely due to his awareness of this. He doesn't want to be used and then discarded as a nuisance.

"Brother, how about Oda? Has the messenger returned?"

My brother shook his head.

"Oda said it's impossible to send troops to Kyoto with the Imagawa and the Ikko-ikki of Nagashima."

"I see."

I was disappointed, but I had expected as much. Kuki has a good relationship with Oda. If Oda were willing to go to Kyoto, Kuki might have moved as well.

"What does Yoshitsugu-sama think?"

"He is considering whether he can mediate between the Imagawa and Oda."

"That's... difficult."

"I agree. But Yoshitsugu-sama is not giving up."

It won't work