Chapter 77

Eiroku 15 (1572) - Late September - Yamashiro Province, Katsurano and Atago District - Muromachi Bakufu - Hosokawa Fujitaka

After leaving the presence of Lord Yoshimasa, my brother followed me and suggested that he had something to discuss. I suspected it was about the earlier conversation with Lord Ise. Though I felt somewhat uneasy, I did not refuse and entered the room assigned to my brother. His expression was dark and somber. I thought something was wrong. As soon as I sat down, my brother asked, "What do you think about what happened earlier?" I felt uneasy; my brother seemed quite anxious.

"The promotion to Jugoi-no-ge (Fourth Rank, Lower Grade) is probably to appease Lord Yoshimasa," I said. My brother nodded in agreement.

"Yes, it seems that Lord Ise, the Dainagon, and Lord Yoshimasa's dissatisfaction are known, and this promotion was arranged to address it. Lord Yoshimasa does not reveal his true feelings to anyone except his trusted retainers, but it seems his dissatisfaction is known. There might be a leak from among his retainers," I continued.

Indeed, the concern about a traitor. Given that we receive stipends from Kuki, there is unease about the retainers' loyalty.

"Perhaps not necessarily. As long as Lord Ise is in the government, Lord Yoshimasa will be excluded from politics. No one would believe he has no grievances. Caution is necessary, but reading too deeply into this promotion might be dangerous," I said.

"Then, the plan to attack Kuki hasn't leaked?" my brother leaned in and whispered.

"Lord Dainagon is cautious, but I don't think he has concrete evidence. Caution is necessary, but we shouldn't become overly suspicious," I replied in a low voice. My brother muttered, "Perhaps not."

"Does Lord Yoshimasa truly intend to attack Kuki?" I asked. My brother nodded.

"Kuki is too powerful. The Hosokawa were powerful, but Kuki is even more so. Lord Yoshimasa considers Kuki a threat to the Ashikaga. I cannot deny it," he said.

"Is it not dangerous to consider Kuki an enemy? Perhaps we should ally with them. The Kuki family has been loyal to the Ashikaga for generations, and Lord Dainagon is no different," I argued. My brother shook his head.

"Kuki is using Lord Ise to monopolize the government. He intends to control the real power while making Lord Yoshimasa a puppet. On the surface, he appears not to be involved in politics, but he is far more cunning than the Hosokawa," he said.

"There are aspects where Lord Ise is using Kuki. Is it not too hasty to attack Kuki for that alone?" I asked.

"I acknowledge that Lord Ise is using Kuki, but it is because Kuki is too powerful," he replied.

"..."

In the end, it comes down to Kuki being too powerful, which Lord Yoshimasa cannot tolerate.

"The court relies more on Kuki than on Lord Yoshimasa. Lord Yoshimasa is like a man who has been humiliated in the presence of the court," my brother sighed.

"You have been outmaneuvered by the Kanpaku," I said.

"Lord Nijo is no longer useful! The court is entirely pro-Kuki, and everyone despises Lord Yoshimasa. You say he has been outmaneuvered by the Kanpaku, but it was Lord Dainagon who provided the troops to the Kanpaku to protect the court. Can you deny it?" he asked.

"..."

Last year's counterattack from Awa, we could barely protect Lord Yoshimasa. The troops that repelled the enemy were Lord Dainagon's, and he entrusted the troops to the Kanpaku to protect the court. This is why the courtiers mock Lord Yoshimasa. Despite aspiring to be the Sei-i Taishogun, he could do nothing but tremble at the enemy's attack. What kind of Sei-i Taishogun is he if he cannot protect the court?

"I also do not like the recent leniency," he said.

"..."

"Lord Dainagon stated that taking away the Shogun position from the Koubu is a poor strategy," he continued.

"That was said by Lord Ise, not Lord Dainagon," I replied.

"But Lord Ise's strong stance is because Lord Dainagon is behind him. What a fox borrowing the tiger's might!" my brother spat out.

Lord Yoshimasa was displeased. He truly wanted to defeat the Koubu and subjugate the Koubu family to enhance his military prestige. But...

"Brother, realistically, leniency is not an unreasonable idea. We cannot attack Shikoku. If the Koubu family recognizes Lord Yoshimasa as the rightful Shogun, it would be beneficial to accept it. There would be no need to fear attacks from Shikoku," I said. My brother looked at me with a stern gaze.

"Are you siding with Lord Dainagon?" he asked.

"No, I am not. I am saying that we cannot deny everything. Lord Yoshimasa accepted the leniency because he saw a reason in it, didn't he?" I replied. My brother averted his eyes, a habit when he is not convinced.

"You are too lenient. If we forgive them, Lord Yoshimasa's Shogun appointment will proceed without any obstacles. But the one who will gain fame will not be Lord Yoshimasa, but Lord Dainagon. The Bakufu and Lord Yoshimasa will be seen as powerless," he said.

Even if it is a groundless worry, it is not baseless. But...

"Then, why did you not oppose the negotiations? It is cowardly to say this now. It is unfair to blame Lord Dainagon for this matter," I said. My brother's face twisted.

"I did not think it would come to this. I did not expect Awa to respond so easily. I was not the only one; Lord Yoshimasa felt the same. That is why he approved it. But today, I realized that Kuki's power is greater than we thought. We cannot leave it unchecked."

"You are making arbitrary statements. So, you will attack Kuki?" I asked.

"Yes, we must. Kuki has received envoys from the Bessho, Shokan, and Akamatsu in Harima after obtaining Settsu. Kuki is gradually expanding his influence to the west," he said.

"They are not submitting, just sending envoys as a formality," I replied.

"For now, but if left unchecked, they will submit. We cannot let Kuki grow any stronger. It took over twenty years to weaken the Hosokawa. Now it is Kuki's turn," he said slowly, as if convincing himself.

"..."

There is no end to it. My brother must have felt rebuked or mocked, as he clenched his lips.

"To restore the Bakufu's prestige, it is inevitable. Kuki has become too powerful. Even if they are loyal to the Bakufu, we cannot allow it," he said.

"..."

It is not an easy opponent to defeat.

"I understand that. Are you opposed?" he asked, fixing his gaze on me.

"To be honest, I am not enthusiastic. We have been helped by the Kuki family many times. To eliminate them just because they are in the way..."

My brother frowned.

"Don't say that. I am not doing this willingly. I do not lack gratitude. I did not say I would eliminate them, just reduce their power. Omi, Echizen, and Wakasa are sufficient. They were originally a small lord in Kuki Valley. Being the governor of three provinces is enough."

He must feel guilty, as he pounded his knee and spoke forcefully. My brother's argument is selfish. Kuki grew powerful on their own, not because of the Bakufu's support. They grew through sacrifices, including the Asai, Ikko Ikki, Rokkaku, and Kitabatake. I cannot accept it. If the Bakufu's attempt to reduce Kuki to three provinces succeeds, Kuki will openly oppose the Bakufu. We will never be able to rely on Kuki again. The Bakufu will lose a valuable ally this way.

"We also receive stipends from Kuki," I said.

"Yes, but we are Bakufu officials, are we not?"

"..."

Who will fight Kuki?

"Hatakeyama Sakyosho, Miyoshi Sakyo no Daibu, Matsunaga Danjo no Chū, Naito Bizen no Kami, Wada Saemon no Kami, and Isshiki Sakyo no Daibu. Secret letters have already been sent."

Secret letters have already been sent... Is that why my brother feared they had leaked? It might be, as it is not an impossible scenario. Kuki has the Hachimon and Iga under his control, making it difficult to act.

"I did not know," I said.

"If you knew, you would have opposed it, so I did not tell you."

Perhaps I am being suspected. Even in front of my brother, I must be cautious.

"..."

"How is the response?"

"..."

My brother's face twisted. It does not seem good. Naturally, the Miyoshi, Matsunaga, and Naito have received aid from Kuki in battles.

"Next, envoys will be sent to the Mōri, Oda, and Uesugi, and to the Hongan-ji as well."

I sighed involuntarily. The plan is too optimistic. I have heard that the Hongan-ji is in chaos, having accepted nearly 30,000 followers from Ise Nagashima. There is a conflict between the existing followers and the new arrivals. How reliable they will be is uncertain. Moreover, Kuki is strict with the Ikko Ikki. If the Hongan-ji rises, Kuki will not leave it unchecked. Can they fight in a state of internal conflict?

"The Mōri will not move. They are preoccupied with the war against the Ōtomo. Evidence of this is that they are cooperating with Kuki in Iyo and Tosa."

The Westinji of Iyo attacked the Tosa Ichijo and was defeated. The Tosa Ichijo planned to attack Iyo, but Lord Dainagon stopped them. When the Westinji sought aid from the Mōri, they did not move. The war between the Tosa Ichijo and the Westinji is over.

Lord Dainagon views the Chosokabe as a threat to the Tosa Ichijo and believes they do not have the strength to face both the Westinji and the Chosokabe simultaneously. Therefore, he moved the Mōri to suppress the Westinji. The Mōri benefit from the Ōtomo's war, as the Tosa Ichijo will not intervene. Thus, the Mōri suppressed the Westinji. Both families were warned that if they did not comply, aid would be cut off.

"They are cooperating now. But if Kuki expands his influence from Harima to Bizen and Mimasaka, they will eventually clash with the Mōri. Even if they do not move now, they will in the future. Envoys are being sent for that day."

"..."

"The same applies to the Oda and Uesugi. The Hojo are in turmoil due to the succession. If the Uesugi destroy the Hojo, the Imagawa and Takeda will be surrounded by the Oda and Uesugi. The Imagawa and Takeda will be finished. After that, they can be directed against Kuki."

"Can Kuki be surrounded?"

My brother nodded.

Indeed, the Hojo are in turmoil. Hojo Sakyo no Daibu Ujiyasu died in August. He had been bedridden for about half a year. His successor, Ujimasa, has not received good reviews. The Hojo will be further pressed by the Uesugi's offensive. However, it will take years for the Hojo to be destroyed and the Imagawa and Takeda to be eliminated. How will they fight during that time?

Eiroku 15 (1572) - Mid-November - Yamashiro Province, Atago District - Ise Ise-no-Kami's Residence - Ise Sadaharu

"Enter."

I entered my father Ise-no-Kami's private room, where he was sitting formally. I sat in front of him, always feeling tense at this moment. I never get used to it.

"A letter has arrived from Omi."

A letter from Lord Dainagon.

"The Koubu in Awa has agreed to resign from the Shogun position."

"Then?"

"An envoy will soon be sent from Awa to the court. The request to resign from the Shogun position will be submitted and accepted. After that, the Shogun appointment will be given to the Sahyoe. The birth of the 15th Shogun, a joyous occasion."

His voice was flat, as usual. It is hard to gauge his thoughts from this alone.

"Then, I will start the preparations. The funds have already been provided by Lord Dainagon, so the Shogun appointment can proceed immediately."

"The Shogun appointment will be attended by the Koubu, Miyoshi Buzen no Kami, Ando Settsu no Kami, and Miyoshi Hyuga no Kami."

"What?"

"This is to show the world that the dispute over the Shogun position has ended. Other daimyo in the vicinity will also be requested to come to Kyoto."

"Is that so?"

"Is this Lord Dainagon's idea?"

My father nodded.

"Then, the request for the daimyo to come to Kyoto?"

"It will be issued from the government, with a letter from Lord Dainagon attached."

I see, a letter from Lord Dainagon. Is this a declaration that the Bakufu's real power is held by Lord Dainagon and my father, the head of the government?

"Then, it will be difficult to hold the Shogun appointment by the end of the year?"

"Early next year is fine."

"Is that acceptable? The Sahyoe must be eager for the Shogun appointment."

"The daimyo will gather to celebrate, so there will be no complaints."

A faint smile was in my father's voice, which was unusual. Was it a mocking smile?

"Then, we will choose an auspicious day in the new year for the Shogun appointment."

"Indeed. Fools who aim to harm the Koubu may appear. We will request Lord Dainagon to protect the Koubu."

"Understood."

"And the Shogun appointment will not be held at the Muromachi Bakufu. It will be held at the Honkoku-ji. Arrange it accordingly."

"Understood."

Not at the Muromachi Bakufu, meaning it is dangerous. The "fools" my father mentioned must refer to the Sahyoe and his retainers. Holding it at the Honkoku-ji means the security will be entrusted to Lord Dainagon.

As I was about to leave, my father stopped me.

"Sakyosho, the Sahyoe has shown a bad habit."

"Bad habit, what do you mean?"

My father laughed lightly.

"He has started sending secret letters."

"..."

"Indeed, he has. To attack Kuki. He seems very dissatisfied with being a mere figurehead. A child who knows nothing about politics."

"..."

I was stunned, and my father laughed out loud.

What a situation. The Sahyoe's current position is due to Lord Dainagon's efforts. With the Shogun appointment imminent, why send secret letters? One mistake could ruin everything...

"He is an impatient man. I thought he would wait until the Shogun appointment, but he could not. His surroundings are also not amused, tired of hearing the grievances of a powerless man."

"Father, where did you get this information?"

He looked at me and smiled wryly.

"It was written in a letter from Lord Dainagon. The Sahyoe has sent secret letters to the Oda and Uesugi. The Oda and Uesugi were surprised and inquired with Kuki. What a ridiculous situation."

Ridiculous, referring to the Sahyoe sending secret letters to the Oda and Uesugi, or the Oda and Uesugi being surprised by the secret letters...

"What did Lord Dainagon say about this?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

He nodded in response.

"Lord Dainagon sees the Shogun appointment as the priority."

"But..."

"From the beginning, this was expected. He was surprised that the Sahyoe sent secret letters before the Shogun appointment."

My father laughed again.

"But, is it acceptable? If the Shogun appointment is held, the Koubu, or rather the Bakufu, will clash with Lord Dainagon."

"..."

It will be a serious situation. In the worst case, the Bakufu could collapse. Our current position as the Ise family is due to the existence of the Bakufu, is it not?

"If the Bakufu collapses, it might be fate."

My father looked at me.

"As the head of the government, the Ise family has prospered. We have worked to protect the Bakufu. Unfortunately, after the Onin War, the authority of the Shogun family declined, and the power of the Bakufu weakened. To protect the Bakufu, we had to ally with powerful daimyo and rely on their strength."

My father's voice was sad, which I had never heard before. The Ise family tried to maintain the Bakufu's authority by allying with the Hosokawa, Ouchi, and Miyoshi, but it was not their true intention. It was a necessary means due to the lack of other options.

"But for the Ashikaga, our way of life seems like betrayal. Perhaps it is. We placed more importance on the Bakufu than on the Ashikaga. The Ashikaga cannot tolerate this. If the Sahyoe wins, the Ise family will be destroyed."

"..."

That is true, something I have sensed. If Lord Dainagon wins, what will happen?

My father shook his head.

"I do not know. Until now, everyone has tried to exert power within the Bakufu. Therefore, even if it was difficult, there was a way to deal with it. But Lord Dainagon is different. He does not seek to exert power within the Bakufu. Perhaps he has given up on the Bakufu. The three men sent to Lord Dainagon are also confused. The Sahyoe and his retainers do not fully understand... It is a worrying situation."

"..."

What will happen to us?

"We can survive, but beyond that... I cannot say."

My father is prepared for the collapse of the Bakufu, which would also mean the end of the Ise family's role as the head of the government. He might be feeling a sense of desolation.