Chapter 59

Eiroku 13 (1570) Early June, Omi Province, Takashima District, Anegawa Village, Shimizu Castle, Kuki Koyonight

"The lord has returned."

A maid called out. Takehiko Maru, hearing that "Father has returned," became excited. We waited for Daisan Daifu-sama to return, including Ohyakusama, I, Takehiko Maru, Matsujiro, Yuki-no-kimi, Take-hime, Suzu-hime, and Tatsuhime of the Onii family and Shizuhime of the Mihara family. There were many people in Daisan Daifu-sama's room waiting for his return.

Soon, the sound of armor and footsteps could be heard, gradually getting closer. Daisan Daifu-sama entered the room. Everyone said, "Welcome back," and bowed their heads. I could tell Daisan Daifu-sama sat down by the sound.

"Mother, I have just returned. Everyone, I have just returned."

Everyone raised their heads. Daisan Daifu-sama had taken off his helmet and katana and was sitting down. He looked a bit tired?

"It must have been tough. I heard it was a splendid victory this time."

Daisan Daifu-sama gave a slight smile.

"Thank you. Mother, are you well?"

"Yes, as you can see. Tatsuhime, Shizuhime, and Shizuhime are also well."

"Thank you. Koyonight, are you well? Takehiko Maru, Matsujiro, I have returned."

"Welcome back, safe and sound. I, Takehiko Maru, and Matsujiro are all well."

Daisan Daifu-sama nodded happily. When Takehiko Maru and Matsujiro tried to get closer, Daisan Daifu-sama laughed and said his armor was dirty, so they should not come near.

"Yuki-no-kimi, I have returned. Is Take well?"

"Yes, as you can see, I and Take are both well."

Yuki-no-kimi showed Take-hime, whom she was holding, to Daisan Daifu-sama.

"Indeed. Tatsuhime, I met Keishiro. He was worried about you, so write to him."

"Yes."

"Shizuhime, Tatsuhime, you both look well, I am relieved."

"Yes."

Daisan Daifu-sama addressed everyone evenly. Everyone looked happy, and Tatsuhime and Shizuhime regarded Daisan Daifu-sama like an older brother.

"Lord, the bath is ready?"

"That would be helpful, to wash off the dirt of battle."

"Will you rest after that?"

"Yes, Koyonight, prepare it for me."

"Yes."

As Daisan Daifu-sama started to take off his armor, the pages began to assist him. After seeing them finish, I left the room and ordered the maid to prepare for his rest. I would have to check later.

About two hours later, Daisan Daifu-sama appeared in my room. The fatigue from earlier was gone, I thought he must have rested a bit. Watching him play with the children, I thought, it must be tough for the lord, enduring hardships for long periods during battles. And when he returns to the castle, he must also take care of the children... Does he ever truly get to rest?

"Lord, isn't it about time to assign a mentor to Takehiko Maru?"

"A mentor? Now that you mention it, yes. That means he will need his own room."

"Yes, that's right."

A bit sad. But I can't keep him with me forever. As the next head of the Kuki family, he needs to acquire the appropriate knowledge...

"Did you not have a mentor, Lord?"

Daisan Daifu-sama tilted his head.

"I became the head of the family before I had a mentor. Besides, Kuki is a daimyo with 8,000 koku. Did I really need one? Later, I can ask everyone. In my case, my grandfather acted as a mentor. I also learned a lot from my great-uncle, Goroemon, and Shinjiro, though they were not official mentors."

"Will you choose from the hereditary vassals?"

"It doesn't have to be limited to them. As long as they are suitable."

Really? Will the relatives and hereditary vassals agree?

"I want someone who is wise, brave, and honest..."

Daisan Daifu-sama laughed.

"That's quite a demanding request, Koyonight."

"Well, it's not a joke."

Daisan Daifu-sama laughed again.

"Understood, understood. A mentor doesn't have to be just one person. I have some ideas. Give me some time."

"Yes."

Daisan Daifu-sama then placed Matsujiro on his lap and played with him, poking his cheeks. Matsujiro, looking happy, tried to grab Daisan Daifu-sama's fingers. Daisan Daifu-sama raised his hand to avoid being grabbed. If only days like this could continue forever...

"Lord, is there another battle soon?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Because when Ohyakusama congratulated you on the victory, he didn't seem very happy."

Daisan Daifu-sama showed a troubled expression.

"I didn't win."

"Even though you took so many castles?"

"Yes."

Around the end of March, the Ikko-ikki of Ise Nagashima, shouting "Defeat the enemy of the Buddha, Kuki," invaded the Kuki territory. In response, more than twenty local lords from northern Ise, centered in Kuwana, rebelled against Kuki.

Upon receiving the news, Daisan Daifu-sama immediately marched to northern Ise, suppressing the rebels in Iwami, Mie, and Asakura, and heading towards Kuwana. He successfully pushed the Ikko-ikki forces back to Nagashima, capturing most of the local lords who had joined the rebellion. Only those with castles near Nagashima survived. The chaos in northern Ise was resolved in just two months. In the end, Kuki's control over northern Ise became stronger than before. Ohyakusama knew this, which is why he congratulated Daisan Daifu-sama on the victory...

"The local lords who lost their castles fled to Nagashima. Rather than weakening the Ikko-ikki, it strengthened them. I can't be happy about it."

"Is it difficult to capture Nagashima?"

"Very difficult. If we attack now, we will lose."

"Even with the 15,000 troops in Sakamoto?"

"Even then, we will lose."

Lose? Daisan Daifu-sama? It's hard to believe. Daisan Daifu-sama must have sensed my thoughts, as he showed a troubled expression again. He then started talking while playing with Takehiko Maru and Matsujiro.

"Nagashima is where the Kiso, Ibi, and Nagara rivers meet and flow into the sea. It consists of several sandbanks. Originally, it was called the Seven Islands, but it later became known as Nagashima. The Ikko-ikki have built castles on these sandbanks."

"Yes."

"To attack Nagashima, we have to cross the rivers. Not just one, but several. The rivers are wide and have a lot of water, especially near the mouth where they meet the sea. Wearing heavy armor and carrying guns and spears, can you move easily?"

"No."

I answered, and Daisan Daifu-sama nodded.

"Exactly, it's impossible. Crossing the rivers will be difficult. There's no place to hide, and if we are attacked while crossing, we will suffer heavy losses."

"That's true."

"Besides, it's a swampy area. Horses can't be used, and there's no space for a large army. It's not suitable for battle. The enemy knows the land, and we don't have accurate maps. We will definitely lose."

"I see."

I exhaled, and Daisan Daifu-sama did the same.

"What will you do?"

"Nothing special. We will prepare until we can win. First, we will attack Shima."

"Shima?"

"Take the long way around."

I almost sighed but managed to hold it back. It must be tough for the lord, it's beyond me...

Eiroku 13 (1570) Early June, Omi Province, Takashima District, Anegawa Village, Shimizu Castle, Kuki Mototsuna

"Is it done, Chuzo?"

"Yes."

I, Kurono Chuzo, along with the military strategists Akechi Jubei, Takenaka Hanbei, Numata Ueno no Suke, and Naito Shuri no Suke, were looking at a map of Nagashima. This map, created by Chuzo and the other seven gates over the past half year, was made by infiltrating enemy territory. It was not an easy task.

"Many sacrifices were made, I assume."

Chuzo lowered his gaze. The other strategists also had solemn expressions.

"But now we can discuss how to fight. I am grateful, Chuzo."

"Hai."

I looked at the map. It showed the border between Ise and Owari, centered on the river mouth of Kuwana. Seven islands were marked in the center.

"Is this the part of Nagashima?"

I circled it with my finger, and Chuzo nodded. The seven islands were clustered together: Ganjo-ji, Matsu no Ki, Nagashima, Oshima, Oshitsu, Denmei, and Oda no Sakai, all of which were strongholds of the Ikko-ikki. On the western coast of Ise were the castles of Katori, Otorii, Yashima, Nakae, and Kuwana. To the east of Nagashima were several islands, including Shizuhama, Karado, Gomei, Ebi-cho, and Maegashima, which also had strongholds. Further east was Owari territory. Among these, Kuki only had a stronghold in Kuwana. The rest were under the control of the Ikko-ikki.

"Chuzo, how many troops does the Ikko-ikki have?"

"More than 30,000."

Hanbei and Chuzo's conversation made Ueno no Suke sigh. 30,000, that sounds about right. In historical records, it is said that nearly 100,000 troops were in Nagashima, but I doubt it. It is said that Nobunaga killed 20,000. If there were 100,000, where did the remaining 80,000 go? The Oda army had surrounded the area by land and sea, so there was no place to escape. 100,000 is a lie. 30,000 is a reasonable number.

"30,000 on an island surrounded by rivers and the sea, it's not easy."

Jubei, don't sound so heavy. I feel heavy too, no, I already do.

"Heavy weapons like spears and guns will be a hindrance. They might get in the way when crossing the rivers."

"But Hanbei, the Ikko-ikki have spears. If we are attacked by spears when we land, we will be at a disadvantage. We can't go without them."

"Will the guns be useful? Gunpowder becomes useless when wet, so carrying them would be pointless."

Without firepower, Kuki's strength is lost. This might be one reason why Nobunaga struggled.

"The gunners will be on boats to attack the Ikko-ikki from the water, supporting the foot soldiers crossing the rivers."

"But how many boats can we gather..."

Everyone looked at me.

"It's difficult at the moment. Both Oshika and Kitabatake ignore my requests. The embargo is not going well. Isn't that right, Chuzo?"

Chuzo nodded.

When the war with Nagashima began, I ordered an embargo on supplies to Nagashima within the Kuki territory. I also ordered Oshika to gather boats for the attack on Nagashima and asked Kitabatake to persuade Oshika and Kuki to cooperate.

"We haven't touched Nagashima in this battle. Kuki is struggling to attack Nagashima. Not just Oshika, but Yonago, Matsusaka, Yamada, and Uji are all ignoring my orders. Only Anotsu is following my commands because Kuki is there. They fear Kuki, not me."

Everyone had grim expressions.

"By autumn, Kuki will be ready to attack Shima. We will assist Kuki in this battle."

"Attack Shima?"

"Yes, officially."

I answered Hanbei, and Hanbei said, "Officially?"

"Before attacking Shima, we will suppress Yonago, Matsusaka, Oshika, Yamada, and Uji. Especially Matsusaka, Oshika, Yamada, and Uji, we will take away their autonomy and directly govern them under Kuki."

Everyone nodded. If that happens, the embargo and the gathering of boats will go smoothly. Chuzo is currently collecting evidence of their disobedience to my orders. It's exciting.

"After that, we will attack Shima. Kuki will attack from the land, and Kuki will attack from the sea, capturing Shima in one go."

Shuri no Suke nodded. He is a former pirate and a military strategist, so he is very interested.

"Then, what about the attack on Nagashima?"

"After capturing Shima, we will have Kuki blockade Nagashima. The war will likely start next year. By then, the effects of the blockade and the embargo will be evident, and we should have gathered enough boats."

Everyone nodded.

"By next year, a siege will be difficult."

Jubei tilted his head.

"It will be difficult. But, Jubei, the river water increases from spring to summer. The water level is lower in winter, making it easier to cross. However, the water might be cold..."

The last part was weak. Everyone had mixed expressions. The river water in January and February is cold.

"First, we will capture Katori, Otorii, Yashima, and Nakae, and use large cannons to attack Ganjo-ji and Matsu no Ki from Otorii. If we can do that, landing on the island will be much easier."

I pointed to the island where Ganjo-ji and Matsu no Ki are located.

"Indeed, I think it's a good plan."

Hanbei praised me. It's a lesson from World War II. Bombard the enemy before landing. This time, it might not completely suppress the enemy, but it should provide support. Large cannons have a longer range and larger shells, making them a threat to the enemy. They will constantly be on guard. We currently have about fifty large cannons, and we will increase that number by next year.

"Then, we will eliminate the enemy on this island, transport the large cannons, and capture Nagashima, Oda no Sakai, Oshitsu, Denmei, and Oshima. Kuki will attack from the sea. We will destroy them one by one."

"Will we request assistance from Oda?"

"After capturing Shima, we will request it. We will ask Oda to secure the border with Owari."

"Lord, what about Kitabatake?"

Jubei looked at me, and not just Jubei, everyone was looking.

"Kitabatake definitely has hostility towards me. They are also plotting independence and have allied with Nagashima. Kitabatake has a branch family, but most of them act in unison with the main family."

Everyone nodded.

"We will deal with Kitabatake after crushing Nagashima. If we deal with them before, the former vassals of Kitabatake might join Nagashima. Or they might start a rebellion in southern Ise during the attack on Nagashima."

"I see, one by one. Oshika, the towns, Shima, Nagashima, Kitabatake."

"Yes, one by one. For Kitabatake, we will leave the main family but eliminate the branch families and vassals. We will claim that the main family of Kitabatake plotted a rebellion against me, and use that as a pretext to eliminate those who oppose me. Without their support, the main family of Kitabatake will be subdued. If they still oppose me, we will eliminate the main family as well."

Everyone nodded in satisfaction. The people here have no good feelings towards Kitabatake. They see them only as enemies who use Ashikaga to hinder Kuki.

Kitabatake made a foolish mistake. If they had come to Omi obediently, their survival would have been easier. Now that they have angered these people, it will end badly. Eliminating the main family will likely take five to ten years. By then, the people of southern Ise will have accepted Kuki's rule. The influence of the wife of Kitabatake Mototeru, who is the daughter of Rokkaku Takayori, will be gone...

"Then, what about Yamato?"

"Wave no Hata of Tanba has joined the side of Yoshizaki. The Miyoshi must also deal with this. Hanbei, take a break, that's about it. They won't bother us much."

Hanbei shook his head. What, is it different?

"That's why it's dangerous. What does Yoshizaki think?"

"..."

"Besides, it's suspicious that Wave no Hata joined their side. What did they offer in return? Don't you find it strange, Lord?"

"..."

"I doubt it