Chapter 36: Takeda's Message

  "Hmm! Yamabuchi Chōnagon is also a knowledgeable military commander. I, your humble servant, had the good fortune to meet him once when I was wandering in Shinano Province. He is indeed an extraordinary warrior!" The Yamabuchi Chōnagon that Yamamoto Kansuke spoke of refers to Murakami Yoshikiyo. Yamabuchi Chōnagon is the Tang name for Sakon'e no Shōshō, and as early as 1527, when Murakami Yoshikiyo was 27 years old, he was appointed Sakon'e no Shōshō. In 1532, he was promoted to Jikidai (Fourth Rank) of the Left Division of Inner Palace Guards.

  His mother was the daughter of Suwa Sadayori, the head of the Suwa clan, which was a branch of the Minamoto clan. The Murakami family was descended from the Seiwa Genji and had a high reputation in Shinano Province. In the Kenmu era, they were recognized by Ashikaga Takauji as the shugo (governors) of Shinano Province, and their official rank was higher than that of the Takeda clan, which constantly advertised its own prestige.

  Kira Mansaburoumaru isn't surprised that Takeda Harunobu lost, he still remembers the Battle of Uedahara and it seems like some famous generals of the Takeda clan were defeated, one of the unerasable dark histories of the Takeda clan. He just didn't think he would lose so miserably, even worse than his memories of defeat.

  "Itanaka Nobukata, Kaneko Torayasu, Saigō Kōnojirō, Hatsusawa Den'emon and others were killed in action. Yokota Takamatsu, Tada Mitsuyori, Hara Toratané and others who belonged to the main army of the Takeda clan were wounded. The Murakami army broke through to the main camp of the Takeda clan, and even Takeda Harunobu himself was slashed several times. However, thanks to the desperate defense by Kudō Suketsune and Baba Nobufusa, the Takeda clan's great victory was narrowly achieved at Kawagoe Castle."

  "How many people died in battle?"

  "In this battle, the Takeda army suffered a total of 1,200 casualties. No wonder the Takeda family concealed the news for over a year; they had indeed suffered a crushing blow." Yamamoto Kansuke clicked his tongue and shook his head at the number.

  Takeda Shingen was not undefeated, having lost several times in the past, such as during the internal conflict of the Takeda clan and when the Imagawa army invaded Kai Province. However, he had never suffered a defeat as crushing as this one. Of his 8,000-strong army, over 1,200 men were killed on the spot, more than 1,500 were wounded, and nearly a third of these died within half a month. Half of the surviving wounded lost their ability to fight permanently, and almost everyone was injured - wasn't this a heavy blow?

  "Why did it take almost a year for this news to come out? Is it just an attempt to cover up the painful defeat? I don't think so!" Kirishima Mantarō felt strange, the defeat was already unexpected, how could they hide it for a year before revealing the news. What had the Takeda family been doing in that one year? Judging from history, Takeda Shingen was not someone who would give up easily.

  "It is true that last summer, Takeda Dainagon went to Shinano and fought a battle at Shiojiri Pass, defeating the invading Ogasawara Michiie no suke, and pacified the troubled province of Southern Shinano."

  Since the eleventh year of Tenbun in June, Takeda Harunobu suddenly turned against his brother-in-law, Imagawa Ujizane's vassal, Hikawa Kiyohide, and together they invaded the territory of Imagawa Ujizane's nephew, Imagawa Yoshimoto.

  Then the poor Takeda family head, Ietatsu, along with his wife, Nene, who had been married for only a year, were taken back to Kofu and imprisoned separately. In less than a month, the last head of the Takeda family died in grief and resentment. However, there is a rumor that this was done on the orders of Takeda Harunobu, but many parts of the rumor are not true, so it has not been adopted.

  After the conquest of Inaba Province, his sister and nephew became useless, and Nii no Ama died in confinement two years later. Takeda Harunobu, in order to take over the territory of Inaba Province, specially married a concubine named Suwa no Mikoto, a daughter of Suwa Yorishige, and gave birth to an heir two years ago, allowing him to inherit the Suwa family business. As for the fate of his nephew Suwa Toramaru, nobody knows.

  This retainer was born in 1530 and had no blood relation with Takeda Harunobu. Those who lost their lands in Suwa Province didn't care about this, but to tarnish the reputation of the Takeda family, they deliberately fabricated many ridiculous rumors to defame them, which were all baseless.

  Takeda Harunobu's methods were somewhat excessive, even with a detached and ruthless coldness beyond reason, but thinking about his personality doesn't make it seem that strange. In order to expand territory, he would often lure allied forces into traps, and Koide Katsuhisa, who had conspired with Takeda Harunobu, ultimately met an unhappy end. Koide Castle became the residence of Ina Province's governor, Akamatsu Norifusa.

  His natural disdain for alliances and his ability to grasp the hearts of men made him invincible in the wars that followed, but he had not yet fully grown into the great hero of Kai, and he encountered obstacles in the face of Murakami Yoshikiyo and Echigo no Tatsu, after which he turned against the Imagawa family and tore up the alliance with the Oda family to attack Mikawa, etc., all of which served as the best annotation for his character.

  "Takeda Kyōchō was also an extraordinary person, and I, a humble vassal, had once seen Shingen-dono in Kofu and Shinano. The Takeda clan's warriors were truly brave and skilled in battle under his leadership, but I wonder what they will be like today under the command of this Takeda Daishō. " Yamamoto Kanbei's words left Kira Mimasaka somewhat surprised.

  In his memory of the description of later generations, Yamamoto Kanetsugu should have some feud with Takeda Nobutora, but looking at his current appearance, he doesn't seem to have such thoughts. Calling Takeda Nobutora "Saisho Taifu" (a Tang Dynasty title) is clearly out of respect and admiration for his military strategy, which shows that Yamamoto Kanetsugu understands this as a sign of great esteem.

  Having followed Yamamoto Kansuke for several years, he also knew about his teaching methods. If there was a problem, he would ask directly: "However, it seems that the reason why Nobutora was exiled was because of his cruelty and fondness for killing, as well as his preference for his second son to replace his eldest son."

  "This is a conspiracy." Yamamoto Kansuke sneered, explaining: "At the time of this incident, I was under the service of Lord Tōyama in Suruga Province and had heard some rumors from him. In May 1570, when Shingen Takeda marched into Mikawa Province, an envoy from the Takeda clan had already arrived in Suruga Province to discuss with the Imagawa clan about the aftermath of expelling Shingen Takeda. The actions of Shingen Takeda, who continued to purge the people of his country, thoroughly enraged the people of Kai Province, and they wanted to exile him and replace him with a new family head."

  "This was a conspiracy after all!" Kiryū Mantsumaru didn't feel particularly surprised upon hearing the explanation, and with a slight curl of his lip said: "Takeda Kyōgoku-dono slaughtered many independent vassals to strengthen his rule, causing resentment and fear among both high and low, so he joined forces with his heir Takeda Daishōjō Tsunenobu to drive him out? This seems just like the sixth shogun Ashikaga Yoshitane's experience!"

  "It's indeed identical! The master's idioms are used extremely well! Daikokuya Daisuke is very diligent in teaching you!" Yamamoto Kansuke praised, but in fact the two were not similar at all. However, how could the clever Yamamoto Kansuke possibly retort?

  Yamamoto Kansuke looked unimpressed with the Takeda's actions and continued, "Those who are inferior will always be inferior, no matter how much they try to beautify their actions. The fact remains that Takeda Harunobu drove out his father, and Takeda Kunitsune drove out his lord - a group of rebels whose guilt cannot be washed away."

  "That is to say, if they can exile once, they can exile again. Doesn't Takeda Harunobu worry that he will be exiled if he loses? For example, the rumor has it that Takeda Kyogoku-den has always been partial to Takeda Noritsune-den." Kiryu Manzaburou's malicious conjecture.

  Takeda Nobushige's daimyo, he had also heard that Takeda Nobutora was said to have favored this young child and thus had the intention of disposing of his eldest son, which led to him being driven out by his vassals. This theory is not entirely unfounded, and he did not believe that Takeda Harunobu did not have such thoughts.

  "It's possible, but in that case, they would also have to bear greater pressure! I think Takeda Harunobu will not cooperate with these guilty ministers. After all, being exiled once is already a 'rebellious minister', and exiling another family head, no matter how you explain it, is useless. The people of Kai Province will lose the honor of being the Takeda clan, and a Takeda clan that loses its honor can only perish."

  Yamamoto Kan no Suketook a distant view of the vast green mountains and a few strands of sunlight falling down, saying in a calm tone.