Volume 1: Stormy Weather in Kawahara Island Chapter 31: A Flanking Maneuver

  Arriving at Eirin-ji Temple, all the samurai attendants stayed outside the mountain gate. Li Xiao, Sanada Masayuki and Nobuyuki dismounted their horses and entered the temple.

  Arriving at the temple's main gate, after inquiring with a monk, someone naturally led them to a quiet room at the back of the temple. Standing outside the courtyard, Li Xiao could see Takeda Shingen sitting cross-legged on a cushion, with a Buddhist scripture placed between his legs, and he was silently reciting prayers while holding prayer beads with his eyes closed.

  It had been a month since they last met, and Takeda Nobushige's appearance had changed greatly. His head was now shaved, and he wore black monk's robes, but his demeanor was even more calm and composed than before. In fact, Takeda Nobushige was only thirty-six years old at this time, but because of his steady and cautious approach to things, he had the air of a great general, and both high and low in the Takeda household looked up to him with great respect; his prestige and standing were in no way inferior to those of his elder brother, Takeda Shingen.

  So Li Xiao and many others regarded him as a mature and serious person, ignoring his age. Now Li Xiao and the others did not dare to disturb him, they could only stand quietly outside waiting.

  In fact, monks in Japan at that time lived a very comfortable life. In an era when most people, including samurai, lived in grass-thatched houses or mud-walled houses, the temples of the monks were basically all brick and tile structures. Not only was their living condition good, but monks did not have to engage in production, they had temple-owned Buddhist fields that were specially cultivated for them, and they only needed to collect rent occasionally. Moreover, no one controlled their drinking and eating meat, this is simply the life of a landlord.

  Moreover, the most interesting thing is that monks can marry and have children. For example, Honyo-ji Temple's 11th generation chief priest, Honyo-ji Genyu, married the daughter of Udaijin Sanjo Kimiyori. Also, Takeda Shingen's legal wife, Lady Sanjo, who was the mother of his heir Takeda Katsuyori, was also a daughter of Sanjo Kimiyori. Therefore, it can be calculated that Takeda Shingen and Honyo-ji Genyu were relatives by marriage.

  Takeda Nobushige finally finished reciting the sutra. Li Xiao and the other three took off their shoes in the courtyard and entered the room.

  Everyone chatted and said some comforting words, while Takeda Nobuyuki's brothers talked about their father, saying things like "You've lost weight" and other unflattering comments. Meanwhile, Sanada Yukimura introduced himself with great respect: "Sir, I am Sanada Yukimura, the third son of the Sanada family. I have always admired your honor and regret that we have never had a chance to meet."

  Takeda Nobushige nodded warmly and said, "Fame is a thing of the past. I have entered the path now. You are the son of Tokuan (Sanada Yukimura's Buddhist name), aren't you? It has been a long time since I last saw your father. How is he doing lately?"

  "My father is doing well."

  "Ah, Li Xiao, it's been a long time. Is everything going smoothly in Gao Yuan City? I'm grateful to have left it in your care."

  Li Xiao smiled and said, "It's all right, thank you for your concern. Fortunately, you still have a bit of an impatient temper, but if you refine it carefully, you won't be a bad city master in the future."

  Sanada Masayuki had been in Kōfūjō for many days and was already familiar with Li Xiao's way of speaking. In Kōfūjō, he had a similar relationship with Takeda Shingen as both a teacher and a vassal, so they could speak freely without worrying about formalities. In contrast, Li Xiao was cautious only when dealing with Yamamoto Kansuke, but got along well with everyone else.

  According to Li Xiao's words just now, if it were an ordinary family minister, even if he succeeded the old master of the house, he would not dare comment on the master behind his back like him.

  Takeda Nobushige nodded and said, "My lord, sending you to serve under Shingen-sama is a way of training for you. In another year or two, he will still let you return to the main house as a direct vassal. You should know that my lord has high expectations of you, which is something not many people in the Takeda family can achieve."

  Do you want me to return to Takeda Shingen's side?

  Li Xiao smiled slightly after listening, then glanced at Sanada Masayuki with a sidelong glance. Sure enough, the gaze he looked at himself already had a kind of worship. Not to mention the Takeda family, but in all Japan, how many people can get the appreciation of Takeda Shingen?

  Li Xiaoxin laughed heartily, it seemed that the purpose of bringing Masayuki Sanada to meet Takeda Nobusada had been achieved. Even if he boasted a million times, it was not as useful as letting others praise him one or two sentences, let alone from the mouth of this capable person, Takeda Nobusada.

  Moreover, as Li Xiao and Takeda Nobusada conversed, Sanada Yukimura increasingly sensed that Takeda Nobusada held Li Xiao in high esteem. Furthermore, boys at this age are most prone to hero worship, which is harder to manipulate once they grow older.

  Seeing Chen Changxun step by step into his own trap, Li Xiao secretly felt complacent. Letting him fear himself was the right way to go. This way, even if he became a vassal of Takeda Shingen in the future, after a long time, he wouldn't dare have any ideas about himself, or else it would be nurturing a tiger and leaving a disaster for later.

  While everyone was talking, Kaishō Shōki, the chief priest of Eihei-ji Temple, arrived. He wore a monk's robe and had white whiskers and eyebrows, giving him an air of a wise and venerable Buddhist priest. In fact, at that time in Japan, monks were generally regarded as symbols of great learning and wisdom.

  Many famous families asked monks to be academic monks to solve the educational problems of their next generation. For example, the famous Taiyuan Xuezhai had two disciples who were both very famous, namely Imagawa Ujizane and Tokugawa Ieyasu. These two later became outstanding daimyos in the Sengoku period and successively took the title of "First Archery of the Eastern Sea Road".

  Additionally, Taigen Sōshu served as a military strategist for the Imagawa clan, assisting Yoshimoto Imagawa in politics, military affairs and diplomacy under his identity as a monk.

  In addition, Taiyuan Xuezhai and Kawakawa Shoki are both monks of the Linji school, and they seem to have a good relationship. At that time, it was Taiyuan Xuezhai who facilitated the alliance between the three countries at the Zendō-ji Temple, which led to the formation of the Takeda, Imagawa, and Hōjō tripartite alliance that exists today.

  Li Xiao and others hurriedly paid their respects to Kawakawa Shōki. When it was Li Xiao's turn, Kawakawa Shōki suddenly smiled and said: "A few days ago, when Lord Shin'yū and I were playing chess, he mentioned that you are the Ming warrior who blocked Uesugi Kenshin's sword for him."

  Li Xiao couldn't help but laugh, it seemed that he was now also famous outside of his circle, so he humbly said a few words.

  Then everyone sat together, and as usual, it was a tea party set. After going through a series of tedious etiquette, and finishing the bitter tea, people started chatting.

  Fortunately, Kawasho didn't discuss any Buddhist Zen principles with everyone, but suddenly said: "I heard the news from Kamigata that Nagano Ieyasu, the head of the Nagano family, passed away last month."

  As soon as this remark was made, everyone present was shocked. Nagano Nariyasu was a renowned general of Kōzuke Province, known as the "Kōshū Kōhan". His most brilliant military achievement was that he repelled the Takeda clan's invasion of Kōzuke Province six times. This general, who even made Takeda Shingen helpless, made Shingen face the gate of Minowa Castle and say with a sigh, "With Nariyasu around, Kōshū is not so easy to attack."

  Nagano no Ieyoshi is dead, which means that the Takeda family has a good opportunity to use troops in Kōzuke Province.

  Takeda Nobutaka suddenly asked: "So, does this mean that our Takeda clan will have to take up arms against the province of Shinano again?"

  Kawakawa Shōki smiled faintly and did not directly answer Takeda Nobuyuki's question, but said: "Just over ten days ago, the lord had a midnight meeting with the envoy of Hōjō Ujiyasu."

  Everyone knows that the Houjou family has been plotting against Kozuke Province for a long time. This time, they sent an envoy to contact the Takeda family and must have agreed to jointly send troops to Kozuke Province to drive out the Uesugi family's forces. For the purpose of defeating their sworn enemy Uesugi Kenshin, Takeda Shingen will not refuse in nine out of ten cases.

  Conquering territories not only means the expansion of the Takeda family's territory, but also means that if vassals perform well in battles, they have the opportunity to be granted land and stone height as income for samurai, and if they make great achievements, they even have the chance to become a castle owner.

  Becoming a castle lord also means entering the level of Takeda's house elder, which can exercise all control rights over the territory of this castle, and can independently recruit soldiers, recruit samurai, and have the power to kill, plunder and loot the people under their jurisdiction. This is almost indistinguishable from a local emperor.

  Li Xiao remembered that the Saijo campaign was the largest-scale military operation of the Takeda clan in the next few years, and also an expansion of its territory. It was also his best chance to make a name for himself, whether he could get a share of the spoils and rise from being an ordinary samurai to becoming a castle lord depended on this battle.

  Li Xiao looked over and saw that Masayuki Sanada's eyes also showed a similar longing expression.

  ———————————————————————————————