Chapter 29: The Dispute Over the Assessment Interval

  The previous head of the Kira family died in battle, and the current head, Kira Yoshinaka, is his older brother. Among the members of the same generation as Kira Yoshichika and Kira Masamune, there are significant differences in their birth and status. The only close relatives of the direct line are Kira Yoshinaka and a few reclusive family members. These people from the Kira family are all eccentric and no one dares to mention this matter openly for fear of trouble.

  "Isn't there still Lord Spō of Owari Province?" A seemingly careless question from a person from Bihoku County, but it brought angry glances from all the daimyos in the hall. It was already common knowledge that the Spō family had fallen to become puppets of the Oda family, and looking for the Spō family was equivalent to looking for the Oda family. Who didn't know what kind of situation the Oda family was in now? Going to find Spō Yoshitaka would be like slapping oneself in the face.

  At the critical moment when the Imagawa clan was about to launch a western Mikawa campaign and the Oda clan's dominance over western Mikawa was coming to an end, someone dared to propose surrendering to the Shiba clan. It's as if they thought the land lacked fertilizer and wanted to bury their heads in the ground to nourish it. This person is either dim-witted or blinded by personal gain, so his proposal was quickly ignored.

  Tachibana Muneshige, who was sitting in the first seat on the left, decided not to remain silent. The will of the clan's leader would not tolerate any dissent, and he also had to firmly support it: "The lord of the mansion going up to Kyoto is the rightful principle of our family, I, Tachibana Muneshige, agree with the decision of the lord of the mansion!"

  The first person on the right, Ichimonjiro Hidetsuna, immediately followed and said: "I, Ichimonjiro Hidetsuna, concur!"

  "I agree with Shangshan's comment on Yuan Zong!"

  "I, Takahashi Kōki, concur with ōu no Sukune's policy!"

  ……

  At this point, the vassals of the Kira family also came to their senses, and one by one they loudly expressed their approval. It seemed a bit unnatural, as if it was too smooth going. Shouldn't someone have opposed it? However, all of the Kira family's retainers were fully supportive, so what more could be said? Before long, more and more people began to join in, even onlookers like Bokuden and Etchu no Kami gradually joined the ranks of supporters.

  "It's a done deal!" Kiryū Mantsumaru nodded in satisfaction, saying a few words of encouragement to the gentlemen, such as "guarding the foundation" and other formalities, before immediately declaring the evaluation meeting closed. The Japanese people left one after another with various expressions on their faces.

  This evaluation meeting will end unexpectedly quickly, but not everyone has left. For example, dozens of vassals in the Kiryu family have voluntarily stayed behind. The succession to the head of the house is not a trivial matter and cannot be settled with a simple announcement like just now. There must also be fewer explanations afterwards, and they are all waiting patiently for the most important thing in today's meeting.

  "Gentlemen, you are all aware that Taiyuan Xuezhai has arrived. However, I have something to say that you may not know. I have received reliable information that the Okazaki Castle's Imagawa clan will be marching west into Mikawa in September, with their first target being the unruly people of western Mikawa. Once the Imagawa army achieves victory, they will then take advantage of their momentum and launch a surprise attack on Anjo Castle."

  "What? How can this be!" Several of the family's servants rudely collapsed to the ground, sweat streaming down their faces, really looking like a drowned dog, and an old and ugly mangy dog at that.

  "The Imakawa family bastards, they really were plotting against our lord's house. But when it actually came to this result, I'm still a bit resentful!" Some of the vassals began to complain with gloomy faces. Many of these vassals from Mikawa Province had connections with the Oda family and their first reaction upon hearing that the Imakawa family was invading Nishi-Mikawa was to fight back, but since Kira Mimasaka had spoken out against it, they couldn't act on it.

  However, there are still some people who do not give up. Immediately, someone jumped out and claimed that Kira and Oda were mutually watching allies, and the Oda family in Anjo Castle would not see death without rescue. As long as they contacted the Oda family and defended the cage city again, they could defeat the Imagawa family again. At this time, people who say such things are just underestimating Shochiku's intelligence. They agreed that the Imagawa family was unstoppable earlier, but now they change their words to say that they want to defeat the Imagawa family. Either they have a hard injury in their IQ or their brain is not awake.

  For those who are not clear-headed, everyone is still fully understanding. Most people start thinking about how to join the Imagawa family and what price they need to pay to join the Imagawa family. Ensuring their own safety is probably the bottom line for them. If they can't get safety, it's better to fight hard. If they can join the Imagawa family and gain more military power and knowledge, that would be even better.

  Since the decline of the Kira family more than 30 years ago, this situation has gradually emerged, and the tendency for vassals to become independent has become stronger. Except for those who can still guarantee their loyalty to the Kira family through hereditary succession, ordinary vassals have long been thinking about their own interests. In recent decades, the vassals of Sanjuro River have successively submitted to Imagawa Ujizane, Matsudaira Hirotada and Oda Nobuhide, and continuing to submit is in line with the way of the chaotic world.

  "Is the Imagawa family going to use courtesy before resorting to force? I understand, my lord! Your trip to Kyoto is a matter of necessity! Leave the affairs of the Kira family to me to protect! Before you return, I will defend Nishi-jō Castle with my life and not let it fall into anyone else's hands!" As the chief retainer of the Kira family, ōishi Yoshio had already come to this realization, so he cooperated fully in playing out this scene. Under his lead, all the retainers of the Kira family prostrated themselves on the ground.

  "This house is not to coexist with the Saigō Castle!" The bat-shaped fan was gently folded, and he whispered while pinching the ivory fan bone: "This time when our house goes up to Luoyang, it's unknown what year we can return to Sanhe, or maybe we'll receive a new domain from the Imperial Palace, so in the future, I'd like to ask you all to continue maintaining the Yoshiie family business!"

  "Lord of the mansion!" All the retainers were shocked by Yoshida Kōsuke no suke's statement and begged on the ground, saying: "We will die for the Yoshida family and never let our family name be tarnished. Please, Lord of the mansion, take back your order!"

  Going to the capital is one thing, but not coming back is another. Although the Kira family has served in the capital for generations, it's not as if they never returned to their rural home in Mikawa. The way Kira Yoshinaka spoke made it seem like he would never return, which must have terrified the retainers of the lord. Without the great banner of the Kira house to protect them, they are just paper tigers; with just one word from Kira Yoshinaka, they would be forced to flee to Tōjō Castle and surrender. This is a treatment that changes them from inner vassals to outer vassals in an instant.

  "Gentlemen, there is no need for this!" He swept his gaze across the many retainers in the hall. Some were genuinely trying to persuade him to stay, while others had begun to look away, seemingly turning over thoughts in their minds, perhaps coveting the land and fiefs of the Kira clan, but they would inevitably end up with nothing.

  Since childhood, I've been used to speaking in Kyoto dialect, and it's still a bit uncomfortable to hear the loud voices of Mikawa dialect. Clearing my throat: "From now on, only the lower Yoshida family will remain in Mikawa, while the main house of upper Yoshida will move to Kyoto. As lords of western Mikawa, you should contribute to the peace and prosperity of our household. My elder brother, Yoshida Yoshiyasu, who shares the same ancestry as us, will also take care of you. The lower Yoshida family has its own way of persuading, so I guarantee that none of you will suffer any losses. You don't need to worry!"

  The landowners, regardless of whether they are vassals, ordinary vassals or the general public, are most concerned about their own territory not being invaded, their family business not being interfered with, and the people may have a few more ideas, such as continuing to maintain an uninhibited and free life.

  "Master of the house! How can such a major decision as moving the main house to Kyoto be made so lightly?! Please, Master of the house, reconsider your orders!" The hereditary retainers led by ōkōchi no Nobusada persisted stubbornly. For them, going up to the capital might have been an inevitable choice, but relocating the ancestral temple to Kyoto was a bit too much.

  After all, the ancestral spirit tablet of the Kira family has been enshrined in Shokoku-ji Temple for over 300 years, including the Ichimon and Yamagata families who also enshrine their ancestors' spirit tablets there. By moving it, he is taking away the foundation of some people, and as the head of the house, he doesn't allow them to go up to Kyoto, isn't this putting them in a difficult position?

  Some vassals wanted to speak out in support of Yoshirō's decision, but were intimidated by the senior retainers and did not dare to open their mouths. However, they didn't persist for long, some people started to murmur in discontent, thinking that the head of the house's decision should be supported. Of course, those who said so were quickly rebuked and couldn't lift their heads.

  The winning side began to triumphantly and recklessly fire off map cannons, with many family members getting caught in the crossfire and joining this meaningless debate, gradually escalating into a full-blown verbal war across all ages, whether it was white-haired old men or newly-minted young fools, all shouting at the top of their lungs.

  Kiriyama Mantsumaru, seated in the main seat, could clearly see everyone's expression. Some people were flushed with anger, some were stern and serious, while others had a cold smile on their faces and spoke ill words. If it weren't for the fact that the head of the household was sitting in the main seat, these long-time colleagues might have even drawn swords against each other.