Chapter 16: The Persuasion of Imagawa Ujizane

  For the past half month, Yamamoto Kansuke didn't mention inviting him to watch the military training, and Kirishima Manzaburou naturally had no interest in going out on a hot day to watch something like that. Apart from his daily lessons, Yamamoto Kansuke was always busy with this and that, it's unknown how many things he had to attend to, always coming and going without a trace.

  Of course, ōkōchi no Shigenobu was busier than that. In addition to being busy with the autumn harvest of his own domain, he also had to supervise the autumn harvest and annual tribute of the Kiryū domain. This year's harvest was not bad, although it could not be said that the weather was favorable and the five grains were abundant, at least the Yatsuka River did not burst its banks, and the rain was plentiful but not overflowing. According to ōkōchi no Shigenobu's initial estimate, the annual tribute of the Kiryū domain would be approximately 18,800 kanmon coins.

  This is the Nagatake method, and it's not that the Kirishima family can really get this much money. It's roughly equivalent to 18,880 kan of rice, mountain delicacies, and seafood products. For several years, Kirishima Manzaburou has been promoting soybean cultivation and simple fertilizer application. Although he was too young to supervise in person due to his age and was obstructed by the regent, it still had some effect. For example, grain production remained stable with a slight increase. In previous statistics, the total amount of rice was less than 30,000 kan, and the annual stipend fluctuated around 16,000 kan. This year, there was an increase of one-eighth in production.

  The Nishiya Kira family's annual income is 30,000 koku, which is possible due to Japan's harsh tax rates from ancient times. The normal tax rate set by the imperial court is three for the public and two for the people, but if you include affiliated vassals and semi-vassals, it exceeds 70,000 koku. However, there are also many exceptions, such as some areas in Bihai County that have defected to the Oda family, or those in Etchu Province that are under the control of the Matsudaira family, and others that have directly defected to the Imagawa family. In reality, their actual controlling power is less than 50,000 koku.

  Here is the translation:

  Inside, what was truly controlled by the Kira family itself was only 30,000 koku of direct vassalage. Most of the direct vassalage lands were in Hazu County and part of Mikawa County. This was still due to the influence of the decline of the Kira family. More than 30 years ago, when his father Kira Yoshichika first took over the family government, the upper Kira family actually controlled half of Mikawa Province, with direct vassalage exceeding 50,000 koku and holding part of Totomi Province's territory. The income was not much different from that of the wealthy landowner Oda Nobushige.

  The Kira family was roughly equivalent to the Akō clan, except for the Tōjō Castle in the Futamata District, most of their territory was in Ako, Hojo and other areas near Mikawa Bay. These territories were also fertile lands along the Toyokawa River basin, but because the two Kiras had just begun to unify, Matsudaira Motoyasu and his half-brother Kira Yoshinaka hadn't figured out how to deal with each other yet.

  Kira Yoshichika's relationship with his brother is very subtle. Although he was the legitimate second son of the Kira family, he was adopted by his father as the heir to the lower Kira family, and then his father married a princess from the Nakain family in Kyoto and had Yoshichika, who easily took over the Kira family's estate. It is impossible for Kira Yoshiaki not to have any resentment.

  Kirishima Yoshinari was five years older than Manabu Maru, he was a real samurai who had genpuku, from the late Heian period, it was the custom of the warrior family to regard 13-year-old children as adults, such as in the former nine years war of the late Heian period, Minamoto no Yoshinari, the second pillar of the Kawachi Genji, who was then the general of the Chinjufu, had beheaded Abe no Chikadō, who showed bravery on the battlefield at the age of 13.

  The Minamoto clan was even more widespread during the Genpei period, such as Minamoto no Yoshitaka, a famous general of the Kawachi Genji family, who was exiled to Kyushu at the age of 13 by his father Minamoto no Yoshiie during the Hōgen Rebellion. Later, when Minamoto no Yoshihiro died in the Heiji Rebellion, 13-year-old Minamoto no Yoshitaka was captured and taken to Rokuhara in Kyoto, then exiled to Izu Province.

  If Kiryū Mantsumaru wasn't too young, the vassals wouldn't have minded following the old custom and giving him genpuku first. Unfortunately, he was only nine years old as the head of the house, and his age disadvantage couldn't be made up for. As the head of the Kiryū family, he had no power to restrain the lower Kiryū family, and it was even more worrying that someone in the lower Kiryū family would use their bloodline as a pretext, so they could only remain at an impasse.

  ōkōchi Nobusada was busy, but no matter how busy he was, he would take time out every few days to supervise Kira Yoshinaka's studies. Perhaps he was worried that Kira would neglect his studies. Every time there was a test, it became more and more difficult, and it was even more frustrating as it involved knowledge from dozens of books. It was simply more painful than being punished. Kira felt that he couldn't go on like this, and if he continued to be educated by ōkōchi, he would eventually become a bookworm or something similar. But what could he do? Kyoto? Kira shook his head. That place was the holy land of Japanese culture, and with his two brushes, he wasn't worthy of being seen there.

  In late July, the Kira family welcomed a guest who had been expected for some time. The abbot of the Kira family's temple, Ankoku-ji in Mikawa Province, brought with him a letter from ōtani Yoshitsugu, as had been anticipated. In the presence of Yamamoto Kansuke and ōkōchi Hidemoto, Kira Uemonosuke broke the seal on the envelope.

  Presented to Lord Kira: In this chaotic world, where everything is withering away, the Mikawa and Tōkai regions are being protected by the brave efforts of the Imagawa clan. However, recently, Oda Nobushige of Owari has invaded Mikawa, causing harm to our territory. Our Imagawa family wishes to support the great cause of the Shogunate and bring peace to the troubled region of Mikawa. After the autumn harvest, we plan to march on Anjō Castle and request that Lord Kira join us in suppressing the bandits of Owari. At that time, the Imagawa clan will surely welcome you with open arms...

  After finishing the letter, the room fell into a brief silence. Nishiyama Munechika grasped his rosary and meditated, while ōgaki Hidenao seemed to be still trying to process it, his face alternating between red and white as he held the letter, seemingly lost in thought. After a while, he asked: "This letter... did the Lower Temple also receive it? What does the Lower Temple say?"

  "Shimo-yoshida was furious, and on the spot tore up his brother's letter, declaring that he would not coexist with the Imagawa family. What a pity!" West Mountain Mune-nobu had a compassionate look on his face. He wasn't a professional diplomatic monk, so it didn't matter if he spoke some harsh truths.

  ōkawa Nobumatsu let out a sigh of relief, rubbed his stiff cheeks and said: "I see, in that case, it seems our main house should also..."

  "The Honke should reconsider carefully! But before that, Mōri Terumoto will send Sōen to return first. This matter still needs to be seriously discussed at the evaluation meeting." Kiryū Manzaburou directly interrupted his words, this topic shouldn't be concluded now, otherwise the evaluation meeting would lose its meaning. ōkōchi Nobusada also immediately remembered this and silently scolded himself for being foolish, hurriedly getting up to send Sōen, the Zen master of Nishiyama, away.

  After the meeting, Shinbei returned to the Tengoku Pavilion and picked up the letter again, repeating it several times. He sighed: "Now that the Kawachi government is going to take action against the Honke, I wonder what the founder of the Kawachi family, Kuni no Shinsuke, would think if he knew about this."

  "It's probably going to be a joyful and exciting thing! The fact that the lowly House of Kira defeated the noble House of Honjo is a great honor, and soon my family, the Kira, will become vassals under the House of Imagawa. Perhaps even our main house will have to surrender under the leadership of Imagawa Ujizane! I wonder if he'll take away the character that's been passed down through generations in our family?" Yoshida Mitsunari's face turned pale and his whole body trembled as Kira Mansaburou Maru slightly opened his fan and fanned himself, looking at him with a smirk.

  "This is a rebellion! This is a betrayal of the samurai tradition! My Kira family has been a powerful branch of the Ashikaga family since the Kamakura period, and the Suruga Imagawa clan is just a subordinate family that rose to prominence only after following the Ashikaga Takauji. I will not let them tarnish my family's honor! Absolutely not!" The face of ōkubo Hikozaemon was terrifying, his expression twisted in rage, his voice hoarse from shouting, completely different from the refined and severe elder he normally appeared to be, making Kira Yoshinaka worry about his mental state.

  "In that case, there is only one way to go to war!" Yamamoto Kanbei hesitated for a moment and analyzed: "The Benkei can recruit about 2,500 soldiers, plus the 800 ashigaru trained by his vassals, and the 200 gokenin of the Kira family. In total, there are 3,500 people. With 3,500 people against the 20,000-strong army of the Imagawa family, adopting a defensive stance to resist, according to common sense, it should be possible to hold on until next spring, and if luck is good, maybe even summer. However, Taigen Sōsho is not an ordinary general, and if he uses tactics, it's unpredictable."

  To put it bluntly, the people of our domain will definitely waver! Once the Imagawa army points its spear at Saigō Castle, more than half of the people in Ata County will inevitably scatter and defect... No! As long as the Imagawa family issues a military order to attack Saigō Castle, Ata County cannot be kept. With Arakawa Yoshifuku, the traitor, in Hachimen Mountain in the northern part of Totomi, it is equivalent to opening the door for the Imagawa family to enter. After passing Hachimen Mountain, what can our domain use to resist the Imagawa family? Even if we defend the castle, how long can we hold on? Maybe ten days or even shorter.

  "The Honke may be able to withstand the siege, but if the castle of Tokugawa in Mikawa falls, it will be difficult. Tayasu no Snow must have divided his army to attack the lower Yoshida family. Given the current situation, many people from Owari Province have already openly defected to the side of Imagawa, and many others are secretly communicating with the Imagawa family. The Imagawa army is gathering in front of Tokugawa Castle, it's not necessary to say how the people of the province will choose. If the lower Yoshida family is destroyed, what's the point of the Honke defending the castle?"

  This kind of deduction was done with Yamamoto Kansuke long ago, and since the Battle of Mikatagahara, similar troop deductions have been numerous, each time ending in a complete victory for the Imagawa family, the gap between the two sides is too great, no matter how hypothetical it is, it will eventually face a dead end.

  "This... But how can the honor of the Kiryū family allow the Imagawa family to defile it?! Is the master going to become a puppet bound by Imagawa Ujizane in Suruga?! Nakagawa Shinbei struggled unwillingly, as if trying to remind him with cruel reality that the hereditary vassals and he, the head of the house, were like ants on the same string. If the Kiryū family fell, their positions would not be secure either. Who would want to give up being a respectable hereditary elder and run to the Imagawa family to become an outsider under surveillance and oppression?"

  "Yes! How can our family let the reputation of three hundred years be ruined by my own hands, this unworthy descendant's name cannot bear it, so I must consider carefully!" Kiryū Manzōmaru muttered to himself.