Chapter 51: The Taki River Family Story

  "Kiriyama Oyakata-sama has arrived at my humble abode, it's really...it's truly beyond expectation! I'm Takigawa Masashige, and these are my two sons, Keitaro and Keijiro...what are you two still standing there for, hurry up and pay your respects to Oyakata-sama!" Takigawa Masashige was a dark-skinned, lean man who looked like he was under thirty years old, it was truly unexpected that he had two sons who were already half-grown.

  Takigawa's second daughter, Iyori, greets Kiryu Manzoumaru. Although Takigawa Masashige tries his best to cover it up, living in this dilapidated mansion can't be considered a good living condition, no wonder the three of them quarreled over a bit of flour earlier.

  "Taki River's mansion, where did you come from and what is your purpose?" Kiryū Manzaburou showed no awareness of being an uninvited guest, sitting in the seat reserved for the master, with Ise Shirō and Yamagata Zentarō kneeling behind him. The small house was packed to the brim with several attendants standing by with swords drawn.

  "I am from Shima Province, Ise County, Kagata Village, and currently a dependent of the Tsu Island's Horita Dōkai." Takigawa Masashige looked quite disheartened when mentioning his current situation.

  "......Shima Province, Kōka Village? How can there be such a village? Isn't it ōmi Province, Kōka District?"

  "Omi-Kohka?" Takigawa Masashige shook his head in bewilderment, "I've never been to Kohka, I'm a native of Shima Province. The farthest I've ever gone is... well, it was to Kyoto."

  "Huh? Do you understand railgun?"

  "Yes! I'm skilled in the art of cannon fire, hitting 100 out of 100 shots within a range of 10 ken and 9 out of 10 shots within a range of 15 ken. And I'm also skilled in naval warfare, where no one in our village doesn't know how to navigate a boat." Taki Kōshirō smiled sheepishly, rubbing his head, unsure if he had said something inappropriate.

  "Very well! Our house intends to recruit you as the iron cannon head of the Kiryū family, with an annual salary of 50 ryo. What do you think?"

  "What... what?! Lord Takayama wants to hire me?! Really hire me?! That's great!!" The 27-year-old Takigawa Masashige sat there, crying and laughing by turns, spouting out many unintelligible words in the Shimotsuke dialect. His two sons also cheered and jumped for joy, with Takigawa Keijirō excitedly running around the room, grabbing two handfuls of flour and smearing them on his brother's face. The brothers burst into hearty laughter for the first time.

  "Hmph!" The attendants sitting beside him couldn't hold back their laughter, but upon noticing Yamagata Sanjirō's displeased expression, they quickly composed themselves and remained still.

  "Has Lord Takigawa made up his mind?"

  "I am willing to serve Lord Mikawa no Kami!" Just as Takigawa Masashige had finished speaking, a commotion was heard outside the door: "Elder brother, it's done! We can finally enter the service of the Oda clan..."

  A robust and dark-skinned young man burst in from outside, the joyful expression on his face still lingering, standing at the door in a state of confusion.

  The young man hesitated for a moment and asked in a low voice: "Brother, who is this prince..."

  "This is Kiriyama Goryōda, before you came, I had already become a vassal of Lord Goryōda! Tachikawa Masashige was overjoyed and pulled his stunned brother along to introduce him to Kira Yoshinaka: "This is my younger brother from the same clan, Tachikawa Kazumasa. Kazumasa has a sister married to Maeda Toshihisa of Arako Castle, but he's been stubbornly insisting on becoming a vassal of the Oda family. I've advised him several times, but now it's all good that our Tachikawa family can become vassals of Lord Goryōda, truly thanks to the blessings of our ancestors!"

  "Ahem! Lord Takigawa should be referred to as Master of the Manor from now on."

  "Oh! I forgot about him! This brother of mine is also skilled in artillery and naval warfare, I'd like to recommend him as a vassal for the Kiryū family, please, Honorable Master..."

  "Brother! What are you saying?" Takigawa Kazumasa's face turned blue with rage as he suddenly stood up, shouting loudly: "How can you let someone with unknown identity in? Who is this Kira Yoshinaka-sama that I've never heard of? Didn't we come to Owari to serve the Oda clan? I've already contacted Lord Maeda and he's agreed to recommend us to become vassals under Lord Oda, so let's pack up and leave now!"

  "Yi! What are you talking about? What's this about serving as the rear guard for the Oda clan? How much more time do you plan to waste in Arako Castle?! Every time, it's good news that ends up being nothing. Toda Toshihisa is just a timid and incompetent fool. My daughter marrying him was a pearl thrown into the darkness! Don't say another word! I've already decided to serve as a vassal of the Honjo clan, so don't mention serving the Oda clan again!"

  "Brother! This time is different! Lord Maeda wants to adopt your son as the heir of the Maeda family! So, our Takigawa family can really serve the Oda family now! Brother, let's go to the Oda family together!" Takigawa Kazumasa didn't look at Kira Manshimaru from start to finish, seeming to despise him.

  "Are we supposed to be like swindlers? If we compare, our appearance is many times better than this dark fellow! Why are you so rude to us!" Kiryu Manzoumaru was very patient, if he wasn't, the attendants beside him would have already drawn their swords and started fighting. Even so, Yamagata Zentaro's eyes were bloodshot as he knelt there gritting his teeth.

  "That's enough! If you're going to go, then go! I don't want to hear any more of that nonsense about Toshiie Maeda! I, Takigawa Kōshirō, am now a vassal of the Kiryū family and have nothing to do with the Oda clan. If you are still my brother, then stop mentioning him!"

  "Brother..." Takigawa Kazumasa didn't expect his normally taciturn brother to have such a big reaction today, it seemed that all of this was caused by these uninvited guests. Takigawa Kazumasa turned his head to look at Kira Yoshinaka, only then did he notice that although the child's clothing style was common, but the luxurious fabric with a subtle sheen was not something that a low-ranking samurai could wear.

  Takigawa Kazumasa asked cautiously: "May I ask who this Kiriyama Okuya is..."

  "This is the main house of Mikawa Kira, and Lord Takigawa should have heard of our name." Yoshida Mitsumaru smiled at him, but thought to himself: "You've finally taken the bait. I didn't think you were invincible with a sword, if it weren't for your being a famous general of the Oda house, how could our house have endured this for so long?"

  "Mikawa Kira family...? So brother didn't deceive me, no! How can you prove your identity!"

  "What's wrong with you?! Have you gone mad?! We've been in Kyoto for a while now, and you still can't recognize the Tokugawa crest? Even Tarō and Jirō have seen it! What have you been doing these past few days? Did you see something unclean? Later, I'll take you to the Ushijima Shrine to pray for good fortune." In response to Takigawa Kōshirō's scolding, he finally noticed that everyone in the Kira household was wearing clothes with a faint Tokugawa crest, and the design was different from the ordinary Tokugawa family crest, except for the color being different, the style was exactly the same.

  "Brother! Do you still remember the vow we made when we left our hometown? I said that once we leave, we must make a name for ourselves! We really did it, but it seems that the two of us are destined to take different paths!" Takigawa Kazumasa took two steps back, sat down at the entrance, and stammered: "Before returning, I had already paid my respects to Oda Nobukatsu, and he agreed to accept our family as his vassals. He also accepted the request for the Takigawa family to adopt a son from the Maeda family... I have no way out now!"

  "What?! You... how dare you! Bastard!" Takigawa Masashige sat down on the ground like a deflated balloon, and the two brothers of the Takigawa family, Taro and Jiro, were stunned, hugging each other with their big white faces, not knowing what had happened.

  "If the Honke says so, it can't be said that dividing into two houses is not a means to an end!" Kiryū Manzaburou shook his head secretly. Takigawa Kazumasa seemed to have no chance now, and in order to preserve the fruit of victory, he said: "Kazumasa serves the ōtomo house, Masashige serves the Honke, and the Tarō of the Masashige house will continue as the adopted son of the Maeda house. This way, neither the ōtomo nor the Maeda houses can be bothered with Masashige's refusal to serve the ōtomo house!"

  “…That’s all there is to it!” Takigawa Masashige turned his back, scowling, and said to the cowering Takigawa Keitaro: “Follow your uncle to Arako Castle! Work hard to become a worthy successor under Maeda Toshihisa. If you’re driven out by the Maeda family, I won’t acknowledge you either! You’re on your own!”

  Takigawa Masashige turned around and looked at his younger brother, who silently walked over to pull up Takigawa Keitaro and leave. As they departed, he couldn't help but look back longingly at his older brother, unfortunately, Takigawa Masashige didn't turn around.

  "Take care!"

  Note: In fact, Takigawa and Iga ninja have no relation at all. The claim that his family was an Iga ninja is a forced connection from the Momoyama period.

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