Chapter 32: Yi An's Persistence

  Inside the tenshukaku of Nishi-jō Castle, Kira Yoshinaka was sitting upright in a hunting costume. Across from him sat a young man whose appearance bore a 30-40% resemblance to his own; their eyebrows and eyes hinted at a shared ancestry. This was the current head of the Lower House of Kira, Kira Yoshiaki, who was Yoshinaka's older half-brother by a different mother.

  According to the virtual age calculation, Kiriyama Yoshian is only just over 14 years old. Compared with Kiriyama Mantsumaru who has just passed his eighth birthday at the beginning of the month, he is much more mature. At least his childish voice has gradually disappeared. As the head of the lower Kiriyama family for nearly ten years, he has learned more things through ear and eye contact. When speaking, he is reasonable and logical.

  "Manmaru, have you really decided to go up to Rakuyo? I think you should reconsider. Kira Yoshinaka advised with sincere words: 'At this time when the Kira family is facing a crisis, we two brothers should unite and watch each other's backs. Let's put off going up to Kyoto for now.'"

  Kiriyama Mantsumaru never expected that his elder brother would turn around and advise him to give up on going to the capital, so he lost his smile and shook his head saying: "Elder brother must still be thinking of opposing the Imagawa family, right?"

  "This is natural, our late brother-in-law and my foster father, Taira no Munemori, both died in the war of resistance against the invasion of the Imagawa family. How can we stand by and do nothing?" Kira Yoshichika seemed confident, directly bringing up the old account of his relatives being defeated to stir him to firmly oppose the Imagawa family. However, he underestimated the will of Kira Mimasaka and overestimated their own strength.

  Although he was very annoyed with his stubborn brother, Yoshitsugu Kiryū still decided to patiently explain to him. The understanding and support of the family were important to him, not to mention that the attitude of the Kiryū family was crucial, and the Kiryū family could no longer withstand another blow of division.

  "What is brother's countermeasure?"

  "You and I join forces, with the remaining Oda family as our backing, unite the people of the country to defend the castle, as long as our will is firm, the Imagawa army will retreat when their food runs out." Kira Yoshichika spoke confidently, "We can also take advantage of the local terrain in Mikawa to harass the Imagawa's supply lines, and if we cut off their supplies, their military strength will collapse without a fight!"

  "Cut, the autumn harvest has just ended, will the Kikkawa family lack food? This military strategy that is not even as good as Zhao Kuo's is also being peddled. Kiryū Manzōmaru really wanted to spit in the face of this strategist, but after thinking about it, he asked: "Is this the plan of Tomioka Bokusho?"

  The Tomiie clan of Settsu Province originated from the Otomo clan and served as the district governor of Hatsuse District during the Heian period. They followed Minamoto no Yoshie in his campaign against Mutsu Province, and later joined Ashikaga Takauji's side in the war against the Southern Court starting from the Kenmu era. At one point, they controlled Settsu Province and half of Bingo Province, but declined due to the rise of the Suganuma and Okabe clans within their ranks, with the main line becoming extinct during the Eisho era.

  The current head of the Tofu family, Tofu Kiyohiro, is the closest blood relative among the many branches of the Tofu family and serves as the lord of Hiroiwa Castle in Shitara District. Tofu Motomitsu of the Muroto-Tofu clan is also a hereditary retainer of the Shimokiri family, with a status equal to that of the head of the main branch of the Tofu family. His older brother, Tofu Sukemori, who was the previous head of the family, followed Kira Udayoshi in his rebellion against the Imagawa and Mikawa families, but later supported Kira Udayoshi's rebellion against the Mikawa family and died with him at Yawata Mountain.

  "It's not what you think, it was our family's own idea!" Kira Yoshinaka's face flashed with an abnormal red color, indignantly saying: "Don't make wild guesses... Fine! Stop staring at me, it was Ban Gorō's idea!"

  "Tomonosuke? Ah! I remember, that small surname who often follows you is it? The legitimate child of Tomomori Taira no Hyōbu Minamoto no Yoshitaka?" Kira no Daisuke seemed to recall such a person.

  "At the beginning of the year, he was already known as Toshimoto Tomi, a promising figure in our household. He will be the great general of the Kira family, with both wisdom and bravery." Speaking of his trusted vassal, Kira Yoshian was overjoyed and boasted to Kira Motsunamaru: "Your chief vassal Sengoku Naotaka is far inferior to him."

  "Brother, let's talk about the main issue first." Kiryū Manzaburō looked at his performance with some regret. He wasn't particularly angry about Kiryū Yoshiasu's boasting either. Without mentioning the strategy of Tominaga Tsunamoto, it was a pity that nearly half of the vassals and countrymen within the Kiryū household were already wavering before the Imagawa clan had even formally deployed their troops. In this situation, how could Kiryū Yoshiasu still talk about defending the castle? The idea of mutual defense was simply a fool's dream. This "wise and brave" Tominaga Tsunamoto was probably also all talk and no action.

  Knowing Kira Yoshinaka's thoughts, he had to change his words and continue to persuade: "The elder brother's strategy looks perfect, but the news received by our family is that the eight counties of the country have already defected to Imagawa's side, the eastern Mikawa gate is open, and the people of Suruga and Totomi are successively mobilized. The people of Mikawa also successively joined the army, and Imagawa's 8,000-strong army has expanded to 12,000 people. Suwa and Okabe in Shinano Province are exclusively on Imagawa's side. How much does the elder brother think the chances of winning will be?"

  "Kanetsugu! How can you say such a disheartening thing?! Even if we know we can't win, we must resist to the death!" Kira Yoshinaka's will was firm, stubbornly adhering to his conviction: "The grudge of my father and brother's deaths cannot be left unavenged. How can the noble house of Kira, generation after generation, submit to the Imagawa family? I won't do it! I'd rather die than do it!"

  "How can you elder brother speak lightly of life and death? Doesn't that go against the will of the Imagawa family?"

  "What do you mean?"

  "Now, the Imakawa family is worried that they can't find an opportunity to destroy my Kira clan. The main house has gone up to Kyoto to serve the shogun in order to protect themselves and also to ease the minds of the Imakawas. You and I, as brothers, can only have one person stay behind in Mikawa, while the other will inevitably meet a tragic end by being imprisoned or poisoned. If you and I don't know what's good for us and destroy the main line of the Kira clan, we can still pass on the family business to our sons, can't we? However, if that happens, you and I will become sinners in the eyes of the Kira family and won't be able to face our ancestors."

  Kira's words were simple: whether or not to maintain the family business was up to him, but if they resisted stubbornly, the Kira family would certainly suffer. It was all nonsense to talk about defending the castle, mutual defense, and seeking aid from others; the young master of the house had no prestige, there were no famous generals or strategists in the house to take charge, what could they use to contend with the Imagawa family?

  "It can't just end like this! I absolutely won't accept it!" Although Yoshio Kirishima still insisted on his own views, he had obviously begun to waver, and with a guilty conscience, glanced at him before hanging his head in silence.

  "After all, you're still a young boy, talking about national revenge and family business is still lacking in responsibility." Kira Kosaku directly ignored the fact that he was only nine years old and threw out a sharp question: "I heard that your older brother burned the letter written by Taien Shōshū on the spot. At the beginning of the month, Taien Shōshū entered Okazaki Castle, the internal conflict in the Matsudaira family was settled, the large army of the Imagawa family retreated one after another, and eight people, including Settsu no Jirai, surrendered without a fight. With Taien Shōshū's ability, how much confidence did your older brother have in his vassals and countrymen until the last moment?"

  "This..." Kira Yoshichika hesitated, and within the Kira household, many retainers had already defected to the Imagawa side due to his actions in burning the letter. As he said, the power of Mikawa's two provinces, Nukata and Santō, was largely lost, and the declining Tomioka clan could not support the lower Kira household. The Oda clan's influence only lingered on the western edge of Mikawa, far from the eastern mountains, so where would any reinforcements come from?

  "After the Honke announced its intention to surrender, it gathered senior vassals for a secret meeting and agreed to defect to the Takeda side in early September. They would join Taigen Sōsho in emerging from Anjō Castle. Kira Kōzuke no Suke took advantage of this opportunity to deliver the final blow. This news was both accurate and merciless, leaving Kira Yoshinaka stunned and paralyzed."

  "You... actually made our vassals surrender?" Kira Yoshinaka muttered to himself: "How can you do this! You mustn't do this!"

  "Yes! Surrendered, to put it politely, defected. The letter has been delivered to Taigen Sōshin Zen Master of Okazaki Castle, and the Zen Master, representing the Imagawa family, accepted our house's allegiance, guaranteeing the safety of the western Mikawa territory while also promising to help us recover the territories in Bishū Province taken by the Oda family after retaking Anjō Castle." Yoshida Matsuomaru smiled slightly, poking fun at the stubborn defense of Kira Yoshiyasu.

  "How could you do this!" Kiryū Yoshiana was furious, feeling betrayed by his own brother. The submission of the upper Kiryū family and the resistance of the lower Kiryū family had become an empty castle in the air without the support of Sanzuka. Without it, he dared to talk about resisting the Imagawa army. It can be imagined that as soon as this news spreads, public opinion within the family will immediately reverse. If Kiryū Yoshiana, the head of the house, still doesn't know what's good for him, his fate won't be much better than being confined.

  "So elder brother must surrender and will definitely surrender! Our family has served the Tokugawa clan in Mikawa, and the Yoshida Kira family needs an elder brother to maintain it, so please think thrice before acting!"

  "I'll think about what you said seriously!" Kirishima Yoshian suddenly stood up and left, his face clearly not looking good. Kirishima Mantarou let out a sigh, looked up at the window and gazed blankly at the clear sky stretching far away.

  "I hope he can figure it out!"