Chapter 72

Eiroku 15 (1572) Late January Omi Province, Takashima District, Yasui River Village, Shimizu Castle, Kuki Mototsune

Eiroku 15 is almost over, and this might be the last year to use Eiroku. Yoshimasa seems to want to change the era name to assert that the Shogun has changed. The court might be reluctant to appoint a new Shogun, but they might accept the change of era name. However, Yoshisuke will not approve it. The country will be divided into two forces, one using Eiroku and the other using a new era name. It will be clear who supports whom based on which era name they use. Historians in the future will be delighted.

A child was born. Yuki gave birth to a girl first, and Saya gave birth to a boy the next day. I was relieved that they weren't both boys. If they were, there might have been talk of the firstborn being from the main wife and the second being from a concubine. I feel guilty for not being able to attend the births, but I was honestly relieved that they were a girl and a boy. I think it's understandable if they have some complaints, but both of them sincerely congratulated me on receiving the title of lord and being appointed as a guardian. I feel even more guilty. I must take good care of Saya and Yuki.

Saya's son was named Kichimaru, and Yuki's daughter was named Tsuru. Yuki apparently wanted a boy and is determined to have one next time. Saya is the same; since she had three boys in a row, she wishes for a girl next. My father-in-law, Hirai Kaga-no-kami, is overjoyed. Takehiko has two half-brothers now. He seems to think they will become the most reliable relatives in the future. I hope that's the case; I don't want anything like the Rokkaku to happen. The goal is to achieve the three arrows of the Mori. Well, let's go to the calendar room. Kuki and Horiuchi are supposed to visit today. It should be a pleasant conversation.

"You both did a great job with the Saiga issue. Thanks to you, the journey to Kyoto was much easier."

After the New Year's greetings, I praised Kuki and Horiuchi, and they smiled happily. It's a good sign that they are pleased to be praised by me.

"I thought about rewarding you both, but there's no suitable land. So, I prepared money. Each of you will receive one thousand kan. Please accept it later."

They looked at each other.

"What's the matter?"

"No, we made quite a profit by taking the Saiga ships."

"It feels wrong to accept more."

"Did you have a competition or something?"

They both looked a bit embarrassed. It seems I hit the nail on the head.

"It's fine, work should be enjoyable. Of course, too much fun can be a problem."

I laughed, and they laughed too. The laughter echoed in the calendar room. Akiyama Shimosakami smiled wryly. Since it's the New Year, he could have returned to his domain, but he is staying at Shimizu Castle. He seems to think this year will be busy. The signs are already showing.

"The Saiga have come to beg for mercy. I made it clear that they should stop. I warned them that I won't tolerate them siding with the monks or the Saito under the protection of the Hatakeyama."

"Should we guard against them?"

Shinjiro tilted his head.

"I'm not sure, but I gave them a warning. It might slow down their movements a bit."

The three of us nodded. I called the two of them and dismissed the attendants. Only I, Shimosakami, Kuki, and Shinjiro remained in the room. Kuki and Shinjiro's expressions were serious. They seem to understand it's an important matter. Indeed, it is.

"The Rokkaku are on the move."

"..."

"They are secretly preparing their forces and seem to be making a move in Settsu. They probably plan to advance from Settsu to Yamashiro and target Yoshimasa's life."

They nodded.

"They have the Anzai navy and Awaji Province. It's not difficult for them to send troops to Settsu."

They nodded again.

Awaji Province is the problem. It is located in the middle of the Kinai, Shikoku, and Chugoku regions, controlling the eastern Inland Sea. In other words, it controls the Akashi Strait, Naruto Strait, and Kii-Awaji Strait, overlooking the Kii Channel, Osaka Bay, and the Harima Sea. With Awaji under control and the Anzai navy, the Rokkaku can attack Harima, Settsu, Izumi, and Kii at any time. They can mobilize about ten thousand troops from Awa, Sanuki, and Awaji. There are no major forces in Settsu. The Wada clan, the guardian of Settsu, has no base there, making it difficult to resist. The local samurai of Settsu will likely cooperate with the Rokkaku, and their forces will quickly swell.

"Should we place troops in the capital?"

"No, Kuki, we won't. If we do, the Rokkaku might stop their advance. I intend to let them attack Kyoto."

They were surprised. They probably thought I was using Yoshimasa as bait. That's right; he's not much use otherwise. I plan to place about three thousand troops in Sakamoto Castle in advance. When the Rokkaku attack, I'll send them as the vanguard to Kyoto. It should buy us some time.

"I want to ask you two. Is it possible to attack Awaji while the Anzai navy is sending troops to Settsu?"

Shinjiro said, "It's..." and fell silent, while Kuki shook his head.

"Is it too difficult?"

"Perhaps it's a bit too challenging. The Anzai are likely to leave some troops to guard. If we take too long, the main Anzai fleet will return from Settsu. If the Saiga block our rear, we'll be attacked from both sides."

Kuki nodded at Shinjiro's words.

"I see. In that case, attacking the Anzai fleet while they are transferring troops will also be difficult."

They both nodded, confirming my words.

"Lord, it seems attacking Awaji is difficult under the current circumstances."

"Yes."

I knew that, Shimosakami. I just wondered if it might be possible.

"Kuki, Shinjiro, what are the prerequisites for attacking Awaji?"

They looked at each other.

"It would be if Settsu, Izumi, and northern Kii are under the Kuki domain. Ideally, Harima as well. The Saiga would then hesitate to move their navy. If we can mobilize troops from the Settsu and Izumi areas and from Kii, we can definitely take Awaji."

"I understand. For now, let's put it on hold. Rest your troops well. You might have to go to Tosa later. Be prepared for that."

"Hai."

In short, it's impossible to attack Awaji without toppling the current Yoshimasa regime. That's right. In reality, Hideyoshi conquered Awaji near the end of Nobunaga's reign. Conquering Awaji made the conquest of Shikoku possible. One reason for the decline of the Rokkaku in Shikoku was the rise of the Chosokabe. But in this world, since I'm supporting the Ikkoku, the Chosokabe won't grow much. This means the Rokkaku's power might not decline. They will likely invade Settsu multiple times. Therefore, Settsu, Kii, and Izumi must be directly controlled. Otherwise, the Kinai region won't stabilize. The question is how to use the next Rokkaku invasion. Well, what should I do...

Eiroku 15 (1572) Mid-February Omi Province, Takashima District, Yasui River Village, Shimizu Castle, Kuki Mototsune

"The view from this tower is indescribable. The snow-covered landscape is divine. It must be a privilege to enjoy this view alone. I envy the Dainagon."

While looking around, Konoe Sakihisa laughed "hohoho." His "hohoho" is much less unpleasant than Yoshimasa's. It's light and not annoying. But, isn't it a bit cold? It snowed yesterday and it's chilly. I want to go back to the room, but Sakihisa is in a good mood, so I'll stay a bit longer.

"From spring to summer, it will be green, and in autumn, it will be golden. The beauty of this place is so rich that it's irreplaceable."

When I replied, Konoe Sakihisa laughed "hohoho" again.

"That sounds wonderful. I would like to see it."

"I would be honored if you did."

The Regent, Konoe Sakihisa, is at Shimizu Castle. Why is this man, the Regent, at Shimizu Castle? He didn't come to visit; he is actually in exile. He fled from Kyoto, having fallen out of favor with Yoshimasa. It's a strange situation. Yoshimasa and Sakihisa are cousins, as their mothers were from the Konoe family. Moreover, Sakihisa's sister was the wife of Yoshimasa's brother, Yoshitaka. So, Sakihisa was one of Yoshimasa's closest relatives. Yet, he was driven out of Kyoto. Why did he fall out of favor?

In short, he was suspected of being close to the Rokkaku. Originally, Sakihisa's name was Harutsugu. The character "Haru" was given to him by Yoshitaka and Yoshimasa's father, Yoshitaka. However, Sakihisa changed his name to Masahisa while Yoshitaka was in exile with the Kuki. By discarding the character "Haru," he was distancing himself from the Ashikaga and improving his relationship with the Rokkaku. This was not necessarily favorable for the Ashikaga.

However, when Yoshitaka returned to Kyoto, Sakihisa improved his relationship by marrying his sister to Yoshitaka. This was probably due to the mediation of Yoshitaka's mother, but Yoshitaka himself must have considered Sakihisa's cooperation as a court noble essential. However, Yoshimasa saw him as untrustworthy.

The decisive factor was Yoshitaka's death. Yoshimasa seems to doubt whether Sakihisa truly advised Yoshitaka to flee. Considering that Yoshitaka once tried to flee but returned to his residence, Yoshimasa suspects that Sakihisa didn't sincerely persuade him or didn't accurately convey the danger. Additionally, during Yoshimasa's return to secular life, it was Sakihisa's political rival, Nijo Harunaga, who provided support, not Sakihisa. Yoshimasa must think that Sakihisa abandoned him and the Ashikaga.

In contrast, Yoshimasa's relationship with Harunaga is good. The character "Haru" in Harunaga's name was given by Yoshitaka. Compared to Sakihisa, who changed his name, Yoshimasa's favor naturally goes to Harunaga. If Yoshimasa's mother were still alive, she might have mediated, but she committed suicide when Yoshitaka was killed. There is no one to mediate, and the Regent is likely to be dismissed, with Nijo Harunaga becoming the next Regent. In short, Sakihisa lost the political struggle with Harunaga. The Konoe family is being treated as vacant, and Sakihisa, feeling his life in danger, fled to the Kuki with his son, Akamaru.

However, despite fleeing, he doesn't seem to have fallen from grace. He is enjoying life in the Kuki domain naturally. His son, Akamaru, is a year older than Takehiko. They quickly became friends and play together every day, playing the abacus and fishing in the Anzu River. What will the son of the Konoe family do by learning the abacus? Sometimes Sakihisa goes fishing with them. He boasts about catching a big one. Yoshimasa would be furious if he knew.

I can understand Yoshimasa's feelings to some extent. But the court nobles are weak because they lack military power. This needs to be considered... I won't stop the dismissal of the Regent, but keeping Sakihisa close has its value. He can be a card against Nijo Harunaga. If I make it clear that I can dismiss the Regent and reinstate Sakihisa at any time, it will make it easier to control Harunaga... I have informed Yoshimasa that I am keeping Sakihisa in the Kuki domain. If he goes to the Rokkaku or the Mori, it will be troublesome. The question is how much of this Yoshimasa understands.

"Once it gets a bit warmer, I want to go falcon hunting. Are there good prey here?"

"There are, but the problem is the falcons. Whether there are falcons that meet Your Highness's standards."

"That's true. Can you show me the falcons later?"

"Hai."

Sakihisa's love for falcon hunting is well-known. He and Nobunaga were kindred spirits. I also practice falcon hunting, but my main purpose is to inspect my domain. I think the results are good. This year, I discovered Fujido Uemon Takatiger, Tanaka Kyubei Masaharu, and Kato Magoju. I think Tanaka Kyubei Masaharu is probably Tanaka Yoshimasa, and Kato Magoju is Kato Kageaki. By the way, Magoju is not yet ten. He is still in the pre-coming-of-age stage but is serving as a page. He is hardworking and cute, and is well-liked by those around him.

"Kyoto is in chaos, it seems."

"That's what I've heard."

"Everyone says it was better during Yoshisuke's time. What do you think, Dainagon?"

"..."

What am I supposed to say? Should I say it seems he's happy? I remained silent, and Sakihisa laughed "hohoho" again. Indeed, he seems happy, Your Highness.

It's true that Kyoto is in chaos. Yoshimasa's close associates have started seizing the estates of court nobles and temples. The shogunate cannot handle the complaints and lawsuits that arise. The problems caused by excluding the Ise clan from the political office are becoming apparent. The appointment of Yoshimasa as Shogun is still uncertain due to a lack of funds. I thought he might ask me for financial assistance, but it seems he doesn't want to rely on the Kuki any further. He apparently tells those around him that he doesn't want the Kuki to grow any larger. That's a good thing.

Yoshimasa is trying to gather funds, but it's not going well. The court nobles are also turning away from Yoshimasa. The court has requested that Yoshimasa repair the imperial palace. The court is being deliberately difficult by making this request to Yoshimasa, not to me. It's impossible for the penniless Yoshimasa to comply. Even if Yoshimasa can provide the funds for his appointment as Shogun, the court will likely refuse to appoint a man who cannot repair the imperial palace. Among the court nobles, support for Yoshisuke over Yoshimasa is growing. As Sakihisa said, this sentiment is reaching the Rokkaku in Shikoku.

"Is it alright, Dainagon? If this continues, Yoshimasa's reputation will only decline."

Please stop looking at me with that testing gaze.

"Isn't the one who supported Yoshimasa's appointment also troubled?"

At first, I thought so. A fool who doesn't do anything right. Eventually, criticism will come to the Kuki.

But now, I think differently. The worse Yoshimasa's reputation, the higher the expectations for the Rokkaku. The Rokkaku will surely attack Kyoto, seeing this as an opportunity. I will use Yoshimasa as a decoy. I don't intend to let him die, but if he does, it would be convenient. I can avenge his death by defeating the Rokkaku. This way, I can avoid conflicts with the Rokkaku's Magoju and the Matsunaga brothers. It might seem a bit cunning, though.

"Is Tosa more of a concern for you, Dainagon, than Kyoto?"

"There is no such thing."

"Or is there not?"

"The Kudai Gon Dainagon must be troubled. Tosa is important to the Ikkoku family, and it would be painful to lose it to the Chosokabe."

Konoe Sakihisa laughed "hohoho."

That's right. The Tosa Ikkoku family is helping the Kyoto Ikkoku family in various ways. They provide timber from Tosa and rare items from overseas trade. It's quite delicious. In return, the Tosa Ikkoku family is favored with official positions. The Kyoto Ikkoku family also helps the Tosa Ikkoku family by ensuring that the local samurai in Tosa receive official positions. In other words, an order was established in Tosa with the Kyoto Ikkoku family and the Tosa Ikkoku family at the top. The actions of the Chosokabe are a disruption of this order. The Kudai Gon Dainagon's visit to Tosa is not just out of concern for a branch family.

However, the current head of the Tosa Ikkoku family, Kanetane, is hesitant to come to Ise. He says he wants to discuss future matters through Tsuchi Sosan, but the Kuki seems to think that just providing support is enough. Kanetane's pride won't allow him to go to Ise at the Kuki's request. I have consulted with the Kudai Gon Dainagon, and he will also come to Ise. We will discuss future matters as a trio.

"Your plan is to support the Tosa Ikkoku family, unify Tosa, and have them invade Awa. But does the Kudai Gon Dainagon have that much ambition? Wouldn't he be satisfied with maintaining the current Tosa Ikkoku family?"

That's quite perceptive. You might be right. I have been thinking about this too. Even if the Tosa Ikkoku family can't be used to check Awa, they can be used as a relay point for trade with Ryukyu. That alone should be valuable enough. It's not necessary to be greedy. The key is to suppress the Chosokabe and firmly grasp the Ikkoku family.

"Dainagon, what are you thinking?"

"What do you mean, what am I thinking...?"

"The world?"

"Huh?"

The world? Sakihisa is looking at me with an interesting expression. The world? I've never thought about wanting something like that. My thoughts have always been about survival and making my domain prosperous. The world?

"Have you not realized? You are the one closest to the world today. To the east, you have friendly relations with the Oda and the Uesugi. You can focus on the west."

"But the Kuki are known as loyal vassals of the Ashikaga?"

Sakihisa laughed "hohoho." There was a hint of mockery in his laugh. It felt like he was saying, "What are you talking about?"

"I don't see it that way. You destroyed the Hatakeyama of Noto and the Kitabatake of Ise. Are you truly a loyal vassal of the Ashikaga?"

"..."

No, that's not it. No one has ever said that to my face. The Oda and Uesugi are sympathetic to the Kuki, who are tired of the Ashikaga, but it's unknown how they would react if we became enemies. If the Oda and Uesugi became enemies, I would be the closest to the other world, not the closest to the world. Yoshimasa would be overjoyed to create a包围圈 against the Kuki.

However, the Oda cannot move now. This New Year, the Oda fought alongside the Tokugawa against the Imagawa-Takeda alliance in the area around the Yanagawa in eastern Mikawa. They faced off for about ten days. The Oda had 20,000 troops, the Tokug