Chapter 86

In the second year of Genki (1574), early January, in Hachiman-cho, Kusatsu-gun, Omi Province, at Hachiman Castle, Kuki Motonao.

In the calendar room of Hachiman Castle, in a room cleared of others, I, Kurono Shizoo, and Kusatsu Shimosakami were present. We avoided any eavesdropping. It was early in the new year, just after the first three days of January, yet we were huddled together, plotting. It was truly a cozy scene, really cozy.

"So?"

"Akai family vassal, Ashida Jirotaemon Noriie, has come to offer his defection to us."

"Are you sure, Shizoo?"

"There is no mistake."

He had a confident expression. Ashida Jirotaemon was a powerful vassal of the Akai family; Akechi Jubei would be pleased. Shimosakami also looked satisfied, like a cat that had eaten a full meal.

"So, what about the Hatano?"

"Kawabe Castle's Eta Hyogu no Kami Yukinori, Tano Castle's Onoki Seijiro Shigemasa, and Suki Castle's Suki Shusui Kiyomitsu have come over to our side."

"They defected?"

"Yes."

I couldn't help but laugh. Eta, Onoki, and Suki were all well-known figures in the Hatano family. The powerful vassals had started to abandon the Hatano. It was over.

"Be cautious."

Shizoo had a stern expression. Shimosakami nodded beside him.

"According to Eta and Onoki, the Hatano's ninja are targeting the lord."

"Is that certain?"

Shizoo nodded. It was cold, and my neck felt cold.

"Surely you understand the danger, my lord."

"Yes, I nearly died."

At that time, I truly thought I was dead. Shizoo felt responsible and wanted to retire. Of course, I wouldn't allow it. I refused, saying it was too early to take care of his grandson. Shizoo and I had been troublemakers since we were young; to me, he was like a relative, just like Goroemon and Shinjiro. I wouldn't let him go.

"Those men will probably target you here in Omi as well. You must not be careless. No matter how vigilant the guards are, if you yourself are careless, it will be meaningless. You could lose your life in an instant."

Shizoo's words made Shimosakami nod.

"You are right, Shizoo. My lord, you are not one to be careless, but you need to be even more cautious from now on."

"Shimosakami, has something similar happened to the Rokkaku?"

Shimosakami nodded vigorously, as if it were a given.

"Of course. To my knowledge, the Kanrei-dai, Jochi Nyudo, has been targeted several times. The trust placed in the Koga-shu is partly due to their role in preventing such attempts."

"I see. Understood, I will be careful."

Shizoo and Shimosakami nodded sternly. Speaking of which, the Rokkaku never targeted my life. It was probably because I married Saya early on. But Jochi Nyudo might have liked me not just for my usefulness, but also because he genuinely appreciated me. Well, I didn't dislike that man either. Compared to his son, Emon-kami, he was much more pleasant to talk to. ...But the comparison is too low.

"Is there any movement in Kyoto?"

"As usual, envoys are being sent to the Uesugi, Oda, Imagawa, Hōjō, and Takeda, but recently, envoys are being sent frequently to the Mōri. Also to the Ootomo, Ryūzōji, and Shimazu."

"The Ootomo, Ryūzōji, and Shimazu?"

"Yes."

I see. In the east, the bond between Kuki, Oda, and Uesugi is strong. It seems they are maintaining contact for now.

"My lord, what is the shogun's aim?"

"To move the Mōri, I think, Shizoo. I believe he is considering a peace agreement between the Mōri and Ootomo. Once the Mōri are free from concerns, they will be set against Kuki. But if that fails, he will likely incite the Ryūzōji and Shimazu against the Ootomo."

Both of them looked a bit puzzled. The Shimazu were in the middle of a war with the Ito in Hyuga. They did not share a border with the Ootomo. However, the Shimazu were gaining the upper hand in their war with the Ito. If the Shimazu defeat the Ito, they will share a border with the Ootomo.

The Ryūzōji, while nominally under the Ootomo, were practically independent. They were gradually encroaching on the Ootomo's sphere of influence. The Ootomo, who would later be forced to seek help from the central Oda and Toyotomi, were besieged by the Mōri, Shimazu, and Ryūzōji. Behind this was the presence of Yoshimasa, who wanted to use the Mōri in the campaign to Kyoto.

"Is there any other movement?"

When I asked, Shizoo nodded.

"In the Tōkaidō, the Oda are advancing. The Imagawa are being pushed back, and the Imagawa forces in Mikawa are gradually changing their allegiance to the Oda."

"I see."

"My lord, once the tide turns, it will move quickly."

Shimosakami saw a dramatic change in the Tōkaidō situation. I agreed. The Oda were sending troops to western Mikawa in small increments. The advantage of hiring soldiers with money is that they are not affected by the farming season, and their quick mobilization is another benefit. The Imagawa could not keep up with this. The Imagawa forces in western Mikawa, which were being pushed back, were gradually starting to abandon the Imagawa. Once this movement started, it would accelerate, as Shimosakami said. But the Imagawa would not overlook this. How would they defend against it?

"What about the Imagawa's movements? They can't just sit idly by."

"They are sending envoys frequently to the Takeda and Hōjō, requesting reinforcements for the war against the Oda."

"I see. But the Takeda and Hōjō also have their own enemies. The reinforcements will be limited."

Shizoo and Shimosakami nodded at my words. The reinforcements would have to be small. How much they could resist the Oda was uncertain.

"But what about the Tokugawa?"

"The Tokugawa?"

"They are quite dissatisfied."

"Dissatisfied?"

Shizoo nodded. Shimosakami and I exchanged glances. Shimosakami looked surprised.

"The Tokugawa are in great distress due to having to support the Oda's military campaigns."

"I see, I understand."

The Oda controlled commercial areas, but the Tokugawa's Mikawa was a rural area. It was difficult to hire soldiers with money, so they were burdening the peasant soldiers, leading to their exhaustion, just like the enemy. Does Nobunaga realize the Tokugawa's dissatisfaction in Mikawa? If he does, he would likely consider fighting without the Mikawa troops. But is it possible to fight without the Mikawa troops? In terms of numbers, it might not be a problem, but in terms of quality, it is. The Mikawa troops, though few, were elite. When Imagawa Yoshimoto was alive, the Mikawa troops often served as the vanguard, not just because they were at the front lines, but because they were valued for their strength.

"Do you think the Tokugawa in Mikawa will defect to the Imagawa?"

"No, Shimosakami, I don't think so. After all, the Tokugawa have once severed ties with the Imagawa. They can't defect now. Even if they did, the Imagawa might use them for the war against the Oda, but what happens after that...?"

I shook my head, and Shimosakami nodded, saying, "That's right." Shizoo also nodded. The Tokugawa cannot defect, which is why the Oda might be forcing them. I instructed Shizoo to keep an eye on the Tōkaidō. What will happen...

A commotion could be heard from a distance. A man's voice saying "That won't do" and a woman's voice saying "Move" could be heard. Is the woman Saya? Shizoo and Shimosakami looked troubled. That's right, you can't yell at your lord's wife. This needs to be handled strictly... Saya entered the room.

"My lord!"

"Saya, we are in the middle of a discussion. Wait outside, ...?"

I was about to say I would come later, but I saw Saya shaking her head vigorously. What's going on?

"This is not the time for that. The Kyoto's Gi-dō Sansi is..."

"!"

"Yagorō!"

"Mother!"

Aya-mama entered. Shizoo and Shimosakami hurriedly bowed. When Saya entered, they looked annoyed, but are they fans of Aya-mama too?

"It seems the Kyoto's grandfather is critically ill. I just received a letter from my brother."

"Understood. We will go to Otsu by boat and then to Kyoto by land. Prepare immediately."

"Understood."

"Saya, I will leave the castle to you. Takechiwamaru is the heir, so I will take him with me. Prepare for that."

As I was about to say "Please," Shizoo interjected, "My lord."

"What is it, Shizoo?"

"Kyoto is not necessarily safe. It would be better to leave Takechiwamaru behind."

"I agree with Shizoo."

"...You're right. I must go, but Takechiwamaru is still young. We can come up with a reason. I will leave him here. Thank you for noticing."

I praised them, and they bowed.

You're right. Takechiwamaru is still young, and those younger than him are even younger. If the two of us go to Kyoto and are killed, it would be disastrous. It could turn into a version of the Honnō-ji Incident. We need to be very cautious.

"Send a messenger to Otsu Hachizaemon and Miyagawa Shinjiro to be ready to mobilize troops at any time. I will lead a thousand troops to Kyoto."

Shizoo and Shimosakami nodded.

"My lord, it is the Ningen no Setsu festival."

Saya looked troubled. The Ningen no Setsu festival? Right.

"The Noh performance is canceled. Apologize to the Minmanji-Za on my behalf."

"Understood."

"Since it is due to our circumstances, pay them. And please take care of the Tanabata festival. I am looking forward to it."

Saya nodded, saying, "Understood."

The old man from Asukai is finally reaching his end. He was quite weak, and I thought he wouldn't make it through the year, but he managed to hold on, or perhaps he would continue in this state... But the old man became a Jun-dai, and though he couldn't make his grandson an emperor, he made him a hereditary prince. Perhaps an emperor will be born from the Takada-no-miya line. He can rest in peace. ...No, he's not dead yet...

In the second year of Genki (1574), early January, in Hachiman-cho, Kusatsu-gun, Omi Province, at Ryūno Masahito.

"It's not going well."

When I sighed, Ishikawa Sanzaemon and Saka Gorobei nodded.

"Is the Asukai grandfather critically ill? I never thought it would come to this..."

"Sometimes, no matter how much you plan, things don't go as expected. It seems the Shosho-sama is a lucky person. He slipped through our plans."

Sanzaemon and Gorobei sighed. Lucky, indeed, considering what happened in Tamba.

"He's like a loach or an eel. He slips away smoothly."

At my words, the two of them laughed.

"We should be cautious about eavesdroppers. From now on, let's call the Shosho-sama 'eel.'"

Sanzaemon suggested with a laugh. Not bad, I agreed, and Gorobei also said, "That's a good idea."

Everyone was laughing, but Sanzaemon and Gorobei's expressions showed disappointment. I probably felt the same, a sense of deflation. We managed to infiltrate the Minmanji-Za with our men. The next step was to enter the castle and take the Shosho-sama's life, but...

"It was a failure. We should have killed the Asukai Jun-dai ourselves. We could have infiltrated the Asukai family, poisoned them, and no one would have suspected a natural death due to old age. The eel would have surely gone to the Asukai family, and we could have easily taken his life. We missed our chance. While planning to use the birth of the young lord to our advantage, why didn't we think of the Asukai Jun-dai...?"

I clenched my lips. We missed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

"You're right. Instead of just targeting him, we should have lured him out and then targeted him. We might have missed that point."

Sanzaemon's words made Gorobei nod. That's right, why didn't I realize that...? There's no point in lamenting; we need to think of the next move.

"What will we do? Target the Ise trip or the March festival? If we target the Ise trip, the security for the March festival will be tightened, and it will likely fail. It's a choice between the two."

When I asked, their faces tightened.

"The festival would be easier to target."

"Only if the eel is sure to attend."

That's the problem. The three of us exchanged glances.

"Sanemon, Gorobei, let's target the Ise trip. The eel will definitely be there. If the eel isn't there, it's like fishing without bait."

"You're right."

"I agree."

The three of us nodded.

The question is which route to take, the Hachifū or the Chikusa. Shosho-sama will likely go to Ōwase. The meeting place will be Ōwase. The Chikusa route is closer to Ōwase, but it involves crossing the Sugitoge and the Nekohira Toge, which would be avoided. The Hachifū route is a detour, but it involves crossing the Hachifū Toge and then going to Kuwana by sea.

The Hachifū route might be safer, but taking the Chikusa route as a surprise is also possible. We need to be prepared for both, and we need to hurry...

In the second year of Genki (1574), early February, in Hachiman-cho, Kusatsu-gun, Omi Province, at Kurono Kagechika.

At the Kurono family's residence in the castle town, my father, Kurono Shizoo Kagehisa, was waiting.

"Father, I just returned."

"Ah, good work. How did it go?"

"Not bad. The Hongan-ji followers are still in conflict. The higher-ups are trying to bridge the gap, but it won't be easy. The survivors from Nagashima are suspicious and fear they will be given the toughest tasks in the war against Kuki. We are steering them in that direction."

Father nodded.

"So, why did you call me?"

"The lord is going to Ise."

I nodded. The head of the Tosa-based Ichijo family is coming. They will meet in Ōwase to discuss future plans. The lord is serious about targeting the western provinces. The Ichijo and the Chosokabe in Shikoku are important allies in the western campaign. The Ichijo is also a key trading partner with Ryukyu. They cannot be treated lightly.

"Probably, the Hatano's ninja will target the lord."

"..."

The Murakumo, troublesome men. They gained strength amidst the conflicts among the Tamba kokujin. They targeted the lord's life during the Tamba campaign last year. It was a close call, and it remains a painful memory for my father.

"Last year, someone was searching the kitchen inside the castle. We tried to capture them, but they were too strong, and we had to kill them. They were likely trying to poison the lord."

"The Hatano, I assume. They probably have accomplices."

Father nodded.

"What a missed opportunity. If we had captured them, we could have forced them to reveal their accomplices and eliminate them all."

Father laughed low.

"Not necessarily. If you want to kill the lord, the opportunities are limited. I thought they would target the Noh performance during the Ningen no Setsu festival... but it was canceled."

"Right, what a missed opportunity. We knew someone had infiltrated the Minmanji-Za. If we had captured them on the day of the performance, we could have eliminated them all..."

Father clenched his lips.

"Who infiltrated the Minmanji-Za?"

Father smiled.

"They are still there. Capturing them would be easy, but it would make them cautious, and that wouldn't be fun."

"With the Noh performance canceled, the next target is the Ise trip, as you said."

"Right."

"What will we do? The odds are not in our favor."

If we know where they will strike, it won't be hard to defend. We could even replace the lord with a double for the Noh performance. But for the Ise trip, the lord must go himself. The route from Hachiman Castle to Ōwase can be targeted on either the way there or back. Fortunately, the lord is cautious, but the security is not easy...

"Divide the enemy."

"Will we use both the Hachifū and Chikusa routes?"

"Yes, I will take the Chikusa route. You take the Hachifū route."

So the Hachifū route is a decoy.

"The lord will go with you on the Hachifū route."

"Father!"

I was surprised, and Father nodded.

"Are you serious?"

"Serious. If you complete this mission successfully, I will pass the leadership to you. You have the ability."

"Me, the leadership? But..."

"The other leaders have agreed."

"...So, completing this mission successfully is the condition for the leaders' agreement?"

My voice wavered. Father said, "Yes, do your best," and laughed low. It felt like a heavy weight was placed on my shoulder.