Volume 1: Stormy Weather in Kawajima Chapter 15: The Takeda Family Business

  The afterglow of sunset falls on the island in the river.

  As night fell, Takeda Shingen rejected the suggestion of several generals to continue pursuing and ordered the retreat by blowing the conch shell.

  As the conch shell sounded, the Takeda army, which had been pursuing with all its might, finally stopped in its tracks. Apparently, as night fell, neither side was in the mood to continue fighting.

  Under the command of Uesugi Kenshin, the retreating troops were not in disarray, and each unit retreated in an orderly manner, with soldiers waiting to provide support at Zenko-ji Temple.

  The Takeda army, which had fought for a day, gradually returned to the main camp at Yawata. The soldiers handed over the heads they had cut off during the battle and were recorded in a special head registration book by the military paymaster.

  After the war, the daimyos would often hold a ceremony to inspect the severed heads. If many heads were taken or if a famous enemy warrior was killed, Takeda Shingen himself would personally summon the officer responsible. After viewing the head, Shingen would praise the man and reward him with gold on the spot according to the value of the head.

  The Takeda family had the support of gold mines and Takeda Shingen was also a generous lord, so rewards were quite generous.

  After reviewing the first-level, it's time to hold a celebration ceremony. Although this battle was a heavy loss for the Takeda army and can hardly be called a victory, generally speaking, not losing is considered winning, and in any case, the military will definitely proclaim their great victory to the outside world after the war.

  As for who won or lost, and the gains and losses in between, both sides knew it well. After a series of celebratory ceremonies, Takeda Shingen thanked his hard-fighting generals and publicly declared that the Takeda clan had emerged victorious from the Battle of Kawanakajima.

  Innumerable warriors below the platform all raised the gun tips in their hands high, cheering in unison.

  "The Takeda family will surely win!"

  "Hehe!"

  "Victory to the Takeda family!"

  "Hehe!"

  Among the cheers of the crowd, Li Xiao, who was in a bad mood due to his heavy injuries from the battle, couldn't help but be infected and raised the long spear in his hand, shouting loudly.

  "Go Takeda!"

  "Hehe!"

  The next day, the Takeda army began to clean up the battlefield, picking up the remaining weapons and burying the bodies to prevent an epidemic in this area. Most of the bodies had already been beheaded, and the Takeda soldiers lined them up one by one along the edge of the fields and buried them. The heads were dug into a large pit, stacked like stones on the bottom of the pit, and finally covered with soil.

  After burying the fallen soldiers, the Takeda family also asked a nearby monk to hold a Buddhist memorial service, which Shingen himself attended to pray for the souls of the deceased.

  The great army returned to Kaijō Castle to rest, and Shingen ordered his subordinates to inform the various daimyos of northern Shinano of the victory at Kawanakajima and explain that the Echigo army had withdrawn from Shinano, and that this land was now under the control of the Takeda clan. If there were any objections, the Takeda would send troops to subdue them.

  Then Shingen immediately issued a letter of appreciation and gratitude.

  Ansho was a guarantee deed issued by the daimyo to his vassals. It recorded the name of the vassal, the amount of rice stipend, and the location of the fief. If the powerful clans in Shinano agreed to accept Takeda's rule and handed over hostages, Takeda Shingen would issue an ansho guaranteeing their current fiefs.

  This was also the way for the daimyos of the Warring States to govern their territories uniformly. There were hundreds of large and small clans in Shinano, and it would be unrealistic to take them all by force one by one. The daimyo could only adopt such a loose method to restrain them.

  Apart from the Ansho, the daimyo would also issue a Gyōji. The difference is that the Gyōji was generally used for military achievements and rewards, where the direct territory was given to the military commander, while the Ansho only guaranteed existing territories. For example, Li Xiao now wishes that Takeda Shingen could give him a Gyōji.

  A letter of appreciation was issued by the daimyō to his vassals, samurai, as proof of their achievements. Li Xiao also received a letter of appreciation for his outstanding performance in this battle.

  The letter reads:

  This month on the 10th, in Shinshu Kawana Island and Uesugi Masatora's battle, Tadakatsu's bravery made me feel very satisfied, fulfilling my long-held wish. His sense of honor, loyalty, and military achievements I, Harunaga, will never forget for the rest of my life, hoping that he can continue to make further efforts and serve with devotion.

  Li Xiao held a thin piece of paper, looking at it horizontally and vertically, and found that the certificate of gratitude only had words of praise that sounded comfortable to hear, but did not mention any fiefdom or actual reward. Moreover, there was no mention of Li Xiao saving Takeda Shingen, which made Li Xiao somewhat puzzled. At this time, Takeda Katsuyori came into his tent.

  Li Xiao looked at Takeda Shori's poor complexion and asked: "Are you still worried about Nobutada's injury?"

  Takeda Shōryū shook his head and said, "Your uncle's injuries have mostly recovered. Now he just needs to rest quietly and should be fine."

  Li Xiao couldn't help but feel delighted, then said: "This is good." However, seeing Takeda Katsuyori still looking unhappy, he asked: "Is there something else that's worrying you?"

  Takeda Katsuyori raised his head, and the whole person seemed to have been drained of energy, saying: "I heard the news, Father's intention is to let me change my surname to Suwa and inherit the Suwa family business."

  This news is something within Li Xiao's expectations.

  During the Kamakura shogunate, regent Hōjō Tokimune issued a "Law of the Mu", which commanded that only the eldest son could inherit the family estate among the warrior class, and all other sons were not allowed to inherit.

  Like the younger brothers of the eldest son, the second son, third son and so on, they will become vassals of their elder brother's household and serve them. For example, in the Takeda family, Takeda Nobushige and Takeda Katsuchiyo were both serving as vassals to assist their elder brother Takeda Shingen.

  This was well implemented in the Warring States period, and sometimes a large family would arrange for their eldest son to inherit the family business while considering new paths for their other sons, that is, becoming an heir, being adopted by another wealthy family to inherit their business.

  This is because the Japanese concept differs from that of the Chinese, who emphasize blood ties. The Japanese place more importance on the continuation of a family's name and business than on blood relationships. As long as the current head of the house can maintain the family name and ensure its continuity, it does not matter whether he is a direct descendant of the previous head or not, as long as he takes on the family name.

  For example, the famous Mori Ryōkawa system had 'the first wise general of the Warring States' Mōri Motonari, who first adopted his three sons to the Kobayakawa family and changed their name to Kobayakawa Takakage, inheriting the main house of Numata Kobayakawa. Later, he also adopted his second son to the powerful Aki clan Kikkawa-shi, changing his name to Kikkawa Motoharu and inheriting the Kikkawa family.

  However, the process of inheriting his house was also bloody. When Yoshikawa Motoharu inherited the Yoshikawa family, the then lord of the Yoshikawa clan, Yoshikawa Okitsune, was forced to retire and later he himself, as well as his son Chihōshi, were killed by the Mōri clan.

  But the Mōri family, it was under the strong support of the Kobayakawa and Kikkawa families, these two 'Kawas', that the Mōri family rose from a local minor daimyō to become the hegemon of eleven provinces in both San'in and San'yō.

  Of course, if you inherit another family's business and even change your surname, it means that you have lost the qualification to inherit the family head of your own family, and the family business has nothing to do with you.

  Takeda Shōryū looked at Li Xiao and said, "It's Shōryū's incompetence that he can't inherit the Takeda family business. You have a talent that spans heaven and earth, but it's wasted on me. I beg you to leave me."

  Is it retreating in order to advance?

  Li Xiao estimated the motive behind Takeda Shori's words, and then guessed. However, these few flattering sentences that have been carefully crafted make me feel comfortable.

  Li Xiao made up his mind and first said: "Thanks to the young master, can a momentary loss of morale make you disheartened? You are really disappointing Li."

  "But?"

  Without waiting for Takeda Shingen to speak, Li Xiao continued: "Aren't you the one who most admires Liu Bei of the Three Kingdoms? Liu Bei spent his whole life in turmoil and didn't have his own foundation until he was fifty years old. In the end, he became a hegemon. You've just surrendered, but there's still a long way to go, don't give up easily, or else you'll truly lose all opportunities."

  Takeda Shingen's eyes flashed as he spoke: "Does Mr. Li have any way to help me take control of the Takeda family?" As soon as the words were spoken, Takeda Shingen seemed to feel that he had misspoken, but his gaze still looked at Li Xiao with a deep longing.

  Li Xiaoqing smiled calmly, pretending to be confident and composed, saying: "Don't worry, I'm sure that within four or five years, there will be changes within the Takeda family. If you give up on yourself by then, you'll truly have no chance at all."

  Takeda Shingen heard Li Xiao say this and was also half-believing, but he still said in a low voice: "Sir, Shingen will listen to you."

  Li Xiao's confidence naturally comes from his grasp of the history of the Warring States period. Historical records show that in 1565, Takeda Yoshinobu and Iimori Tsuruchan were preparing to rebel against Takeda Shingen, but their plan was exposed, resulting in Iimori Tsuruchan committing seppuku and Takeda Yoshinobu being placed under house arrest until his death. The final succession of the Takeda family unexpectedly fell into the hands of Takeda Katsuyori.