Chapter 22: The Pride of the Specter's Lineage

  The Koami clan was a branch of the Ogawauchi clan. In the past, Koami Kogane served as the flag bearer for the Kirishima family in Toyokuni and guarded the territory of Toyokuni for the Kirishima family. Later, he died in battle under the attack of the Imagawa army. Therefore, within the Kirishima family, the Koami clan was viewed differently, and among many generations, it is also considered to be a relatively high-ranking position, and it is also one of the closest relatives of the Ogawauchi family.

  The Mikawa Kōyūshi and the Bungo Kōyūshi have no relation, and their origin is even higher than that of the former. They originated from the Seiwa Genji's Mino clan, specifically from the Urano clan, and resided in Ashisuka-shō, Kamo District, Mikawa Province. They were known as the Ashisuka clan. During the Nanboku-chō period, the Ashisuka clan belonged to the Southern Court under Prince Yoshitaka. The seventh head of the Ashisuka clan, Ashisuka no Jirō Shigekata, died in battle against the Northern Court.

  Later, the son of Suketomo no Tsukasa moved to Kamo County in Mikawa Province and lived in Takahashi Village, Takaoka Township, and was renamed the Takahashi family. Later, the Takahashi family served the Kiryū family and moved to live in Naito, Totomi Province. In 1414 (ōei 21), the fourth grandson of Suketomo no Tsukasa, Takahashi Shirō Takamune, became the lord of Akabane Castle, and for over a hundred years thereafter served as the Kiryū family's hereditary vassals.

  The Ogasawara family of Suo and Aki, the Ogasawara family of Aki, and the Egawa family all originated from the same branch, and were a sub-branch of the Shinano Ogasawara family. The Ogasa-wara family of Totomi was descended from Ogasawara Nagakiyo's son Tomonaga in the early Kamakura period. During the Genko era, Tomonaga's grandson Nagayasu and his son Moritoki died in battle, and the remaining branch moved to the territory of the Ando family in Mikawa Province's Taiyoji-sho. Later, they followed the powerful forces of the Ashikaga and Kira families in Mikawa Province, and eventually settled in the Totomi district within the Kira family's domain.

  This family can be said to have been on the side of the Andō clan, who participated in the Frost Moon Rebellion during the Kamakura period, and belonged to the same camp as the Ashikaga and Kira clans. After the war, they were punished by the Hōjō clan. Later, the Ogasa family served as governors of Wakasa, Mikawa, Owari, and Chita counties, and once served under the Isshiki clan. However, due to the ōnin War, the Shikken family of Mikawa Province clashed with the Isshiki clan, causing a split in the family headship. The Settsu branch and the Aki branch each took control of part of the Ogasa family's territory, forming two separate systems. The Kawahara family also branched off around this time.

  Hosokawa and Isshiki withdrew from Mikawa Province, and the Ogasawara clan was reinstated as a hereditary vassal of the Kira family. However, due to their previous separation from the Kira family, they were suppressed within the Kira family and could only hold a position equivalent to that of the Kira family's long-serving vassals, the Kawahara family.

  In short, the Kiryū family's vassal group was unprecedentedly powerful, with many generations of illustrious families serving them, regardless of their birth or experience. The Kawahara clan, which had followed the Kiryū for over 300 years, didn't need to be mentioned. The Takahashi clan, although having a slightly shorter history, also followed the Kiryū for 150 years. The Ogasawara clan originally served the Kiryū in the late Kamakura period but later switched allegiance to the Ise clan after the Kiryū seemed to decline following their punishment by Ashikaga Takauji.

  However, the winds of fortune shifted once again, and the Ise clan was subsequently struck by Ashikaga Yoshitane. During the Meiō Nankatsu disturbance, they fought against the Higashiyama shoguns' leader, Hosokawa Masamoto, while the Kira clan belonged to the Eastern Army and the Tōjō clan belonged to the Western Army. As a result, after the war, the Ogasawara clan was punished, and the Tōjō-Kira clan temporarily lost its title as the shugo of Mikawa Province.

  The Kira family, however, was favored by the Ashikaga shoguns for its noble status and non-involvement in local political strife. In the Muromachi period, the Kira family produced wives for the Shugo (governors) of the Shiba clan, including the wife of Shiba Yoshishige and the wife of Shiba Yoshikane, as well as serving as the head of the samurai-dokoro (the board of retainers), the chief of the various heads of the shogunate's administrative offices. During the time of Ashikaga Yoshimasa, the family was once again elevated to the position of "honorable family" by the shogun and its status revived as one of the three top families among the Shugo.

  In the "Genealogy of Various Houses" written by Tōzan-dono, the Kira family ranked second among the military families in Japan, next only to the Ashikaga shoguns. Their prestige surpassed that of their old enemies, the Shibata clan, who had been a thorn in their side since the Kamakura period. It was precisely because of this illustrious background that the Kira family's branch house, the Imagawa, repeatedly achieved military successes, and the eastern provinces spread the nursery rhyme "The Tokugawas have no children, the Kiras inherit; the Kiras have no children, the Imagawas inherit". This was, of course, a small trick used by the Imagawas to deceive the people of the eastern provinces with their fabricated reputation.

  A samurai family without a heir will only be a tragedy, because the vassals will betray you without any psychological burden when your family business declines. Having too many heirs is also a tragedy, a group of heirs sitting in front of you, chattering and complaining all day long, saying this won't do, that won't do, the head of the house should do this, do that, and so on.

  Kira Yoshinaka is now facing this situation, a group of old and prestigious families are nagging non-stop, the reason being how to rebuild after the great earthquake, because Taigen Suisho's handwritten message has been spread, some families think it's not appropriate to mobilize the general public at this time, while others are entangled in personnel appointments and who should take charge of the repair costs.

  A group of people came and went, arguing with each other in high spirits, seemingly not putting the master of the house in their eyes at all. Kiryu Mansaburou sat dryly for half a day and found that they had no intention of stopping, so he lightly coughed and said: "Everyone, take a break and listen to what I have to say."

  "Please instruct us, honorable master!" The disciples all bowed their heads and kowtowed.

  "The townspeople are suffering and have nowhere to turn, this matter will shake the prestige of our house if it is not resolved. Therefore, the task of universal solicitation should be expedited immediately. Our house has appointed Yamamoto Kan no Suke as the person in charge of universal solicitation, and the cost of repairs will be borne by our house!" Yoshida Mantarō declared with a decisive tone.

  "No way!" Several voices chimed in with "no way", making Kijirō Manzōmaru very displeased.

  Only the Shugo didn't consider the face of the small household, Takahashi Izumo no kami Masanobu, Ogasawara Settsu no kami Yasumoto, and Ogasawara Aki no kami Hiroshige all shouted "No!" in unison, with a look of pain and distress as if to say "How can this household be so wasteful? Not knowing the value of firewood and rice."

  ōkawa no Makoto said, "Let's exempt the town from paying the land tax this year and have them bear the cost of repairing the temple themselves. It is our duty as retainers to reduce expenses for the main house, so you don't need to worry, Master."

  "Alright, it's settled then!" Kiryu Mantsurumaru nodded calmly and sat back down to listen carefully to the details of the vassals' plans for the upcoming campaign. He eventually got up to leave, somewhat impatiently, during which time none of the vassals showed any unusual behavior or paid attention to his attitude, which only added to his displeasure.

  "Even if I see it, I won't care too much!"

  Yamaoka Sentarō, who was called out from the main circle, knelt down on the corridor and shouted at Yagira Manzaburou, who led his attendants to gallop out of the western castle, running north along the Yahagi River for several miles before stopping. The attendants behind him were exhausted and struggling to keep up, causing Sentarō to cry out in distress: "Master! Please don't ride so fast! It's too dangerous!"

  Kiriyama Manzaburou flipped over and sat down on the riverbank, asking: "Zentaro, tell me, what is the meaning of 'Shitai' in our family's lineage?"

  "Shiroday is a loyal retainer who serves his lord for generations!" Yamagaki Zentaro replied loudly.

  "Ah, well, it's not entirely accurate, but I suppose you're right." Kiriu Mansaburou shook his head. The full name of the Genji family's traditional retainers was "Genke no Shōkaden no Miya-bito", an old-fashioned term that only someone like Kiriu Mansaburou, who spent all day reading "Imagawa Uta-awase", would remember. Warriors like Yamagata Zentarou had long since forgotten the origins of their family's traditional retainers, and most of the Kiriu family's hereditary vassals didn't have a clear understanding of the historical facts.

  "The gokenin united with the Hojo family to persecute the Kawachi Minamoto clan, and later joined forces to overthrow the dictator of Kamakura shogunate, Hojo Tokiyori. The gosho is also a remnant of the gokenin system, and they can also overthrow the head of the house, didn't Takeda Shingen get exiled by the combined efforts of Ichimon and Sokuden? Kiryu Manzamaru let out a cold snort, not thinking about it anymore."