Volume 1: Stormy Weather in Kawajima Chapter 32: A War of Words

  That night, Li Xiao and his group rested at Hui Lin Temple. Since the temple was very large, the Zen rooms were not only numerous but also spacious, so each of the four of them got a room to themselves.

  At night, with the oil lamp lit in the room, Sanada Masayuki was sitting alone in contemplation. Suddenly, he heard a knock at the door and asked, "Who is it?"

  "It's Li Xiao." came the reply from outside the door.

  After the door opened, Li Xiao walked into the room and sat down in front of Sanada Masayuki with his legs bent. Sanada Masayuki also stood up and sat down properly, sticking his buttocks to his heels.

  "Lord Li Xiao, what brings you to me at such a late hour?"

  "It's simple, I've come to ask you to serve under Takeda Katsuyori." Li Xiao looked straight into Sanada Masayuki's eyes and said straightforwardly.

  "Really?" Masayuki Sanada was slightly surprised, and then said, "Lord Li Xiao, I am honored to hear you say so, but may I ask if this is your decision or Lord Shigeru's decision?"

  "It can be said that it's a personal decision, I was just about to recommend you to Lord Shori, and I think he will agree. But before that, I must ask for your opinion." Here, Li Xiao told a small lie.

  Sanada Masayuki's eyes narrowed slightly as he asked, "Lord Li Xiao, why do you want me to serve under Lord Shingen?"

  Li Xiao said solemnly, "I can see it in your eyes, the ambition and desire for power that flows beneath your gaze. That's why I've been looking for you."

  Sanada Masayuki shook his head and said, "Li Xiao, you're wrong. I'm not an ambitious person. As the non-heir of the Sanada family, my goal is to help my father and brother expand the family business and be loyal to our lord. What's this talk about ambition?"

  "Is that so, Masayuki Sanada? You're content with being subordinate to others and willing to be a vassal of the Sanada family? Is this really your lifelong ambition? If so, I'll pretend I never said anything and leave immediately."

  Sanada Masayuki, still young after all, was suddenly stirred up by Li Xiao and said: "Li Xiao, I am not like that, but rather than following Takeda Katsuyori, I would rather follow our lord or Yoshinobu, after all he is the legitimate son of the Takeda family, isn't it the right path to follow him?"

  Seeing Sanada Masayuki finally speak from the bottom of his heart, Li Xiao burst out laughing and said: "Is that so? I didn't know you had such plans. If I also wanted to serve, who do you think would be more likely to gain the favor of our lord or Lord Yoshinobu, you or me?"

  Sanada Yukimura glanced at Li Xiao and said with a hint of unwillingness: "For now, it's naturally you. You're not only exceptionally brave and can match the strength of three armies, but also have outstanding wisdom, often coming up with incredible strategies. This is something that both Shinbanrao and the Shinbō brothers have mentioned before. Moreover, you've even saved our lord's life. Both Lord Yukimura and Shinbanrao hold you in high esteem."

  Makoto Shinoda paused for a moment, then added: "But that's because I'm still young and haven't made any military achievements yet. One day, I won't be inferior to you."

  Li Xiao burst out laughing and said, "Very good, you indeed have ambition. However, since you acknowledge that I am a clever person, why didn't you ask me: Since both the Lord and Xinfeng Gong hold me in such high esteem, why did I not choose to serve as a direct minister under either of them, but instead ran to this remote and distant city of Xincong to become an accompanying minister?"

  "Could it be because of Shori's sake?"

  Seeing Nagata Masayuki being led step by step into the trap set by his own words, Li Xiao suddenly felt a great sense of accomplishment.

  Li Xiao shook his head and said, "Not entirely."

  "What's the reason?" Masayuki Sanada was hung up by Li Xiao with a very anxious look.

  Li Xiao pretended to be sentimental, let out a long sigh and said: "The reason is simple, because I am not a Kai person, but a Ming countryman. Similarly, you are not from Kai, but from Shinano, so you and I will never gain the true trust and reuse of the Takeda family."

  Li Xiao's words came out, and Sanada Masayuki trembled all over, then lowered his eyes, apparently trying to digest the meaning of Li Xiao's words.

  In terms of the strategy for the territory to be digested, what the Takeda family has always touted as "Kai-Shin Ittai" is a lie. The Takeda family actually still places the focus of its territory in Kai, and Shinano has always been in a state of being ruled, similar to that of a colony.

  After Takeda Shingen conquered Shinano, the strategy he used to govern was to divide some of Shinano's land as fiefs for his direct vassals. This was also a common tactic used by daimyos during the Sengoku period, which served two purposes: one was to reward their retainers and the other was to consolidate control over their territories.

  For example, Koshinetsu Hachioji Castle lord Takasaka Masanobu, born as a minor vassal of Takeda Shingen, from Kai Province, Shinano's small castle lord Takeda Nobukatsu (originally Takeda Nobushige), many members of the Takeda family, Shinano's Iida Castle deputy Akishima Nobutomo, hereditary vassals of the Takeda in Kai, Shinano's Makinojima Castle lord Baba Nobufusa, also a hereditary vassal

  The local powerful families in Shinano, such as the Suwa family, the Nishina family and the Mōri family, were respectively succeeded by Takeda Shingen's two sons and nephew to take control. Only the Sanada family and the Matsuo family remained among the local powerful families in Shinano.

  Masayuki Sanada must have known this point long ago.

  Li Xiao continued: "Similarly, if Yixin Gongzi inherits the head of the Takeda family, with a purposeful pattern, he will inevitably continue to reuse the vassals left behind by his father, such as Baba, Takada, and the Hōjō brothers. Although I am not without my own opportunities, wanting to stand out in the Takeda family is as difficult as ascending to heaven."

  Li Xiao saw that Masayuki Sanada was slightly moved, and thought that if he really had political vision, he would not fail to see this point. Now all he needs to do is add fuel to the fire.

  "On the contrary, if Takeda Katsuchiyo inherits the head of the Takeda family, the situation would be different. Lord Shingen is not the eldest son, so the original elders of Kai did not take him seriously, and he was born into the Shinano Suwa family. In the future, the vassals he will use will inevitably not be limited to Kai and Shinano. If Lord Shingen wants to stand firm in the Takeda family in the future, he will inevitably use people from Shinano to balance the situation. If you can join him early, when the time comes, if he doesn't use you, who else can he use?"

  Sanada Masayuki fell silent for a long time, then stared at Li Xiao and said in a low voice: "However, the current heir of the Takeda family is Yoshinobu, not Shingen. Do you want to deceive Shingen and commit treason?"

  Li Xiao laughed and said, "Of course not, but if it's Yixin Gongzi himself who made a mistake and couldn't be tolerated by the master? Or maybe he didn't make a mistake, we can help him make one. In short, I believe that everything is man-made, there's nothing impossible, it just depends on whether you have the determination to gamble with fate together with me."

  "Is it a matter of human effort?" Sanada Yukimura repeated the words Li Xiao had said, and suddenly asked: "Li Xiao, as a Ming national serving in the Takeda family, are you doing so to seek refuge or is there another motive? Or what is your ambition?"

  "What is my ambition?"

  Li Xiao smiled slightly, thinking that how could he tell him about his ambition? At present, he was in the Warring States period of Japan and not a Japanese by birth. Others lacked a sense of identity with him, let alone having soldiers, money, food, or even loyal vassals. How could he talk about his ambition under such circumstances?

  Li Xiaoxin thought that this person was also a ambitious person like himself, if he agreed to serve Takeda Shori, everyone would be vassals of the same family, and if their goals were not consistent, it would be easy to have conflicts. Rather than that, it's better for everyone to clarify their words, and there will be fewer conflicts in the future.

  Li Xiao suddenly said: "My purpose in serving the Takeda family is very simple, two words: borrow power."

  "Borrowing momentum?"

  "Not bad, just like you waving your hand on the mountain, I can see you, not because you are tall, but because you borrowed the momentum of the mountain. At present, the Takeda family is a big mountain for us, we grasp the situation of the world, or want everyone in the world to see ourselves, must borrow the momentum of this mountain, do you understand?" Li Xiao said with a smile, he believed that Sanada Yukimura would definitely understand the meaning behind his words.

  Sanada Masayuki, however, seemed to grasp the meaning behind Li Xiao's words and after a moment, a smile spread across his face as he said: "As for whether or not I can become Lord Shingen's vassal, I'm afraid I cannot answer you just yet. I must first take your words back and discuss them with my father, to hear his thoughts on the matter."

  Li Xiao nodded, this is the way of being mature and steady: "As for your father's side, I will let Mr. Yamamoto go to persuade him, you don't need to worry about that. So I ask you, regardless of whether your father agrees with Mr. Yamamoto or not, what are your own thoughts on the matter?"

  Sanada Masayuki smiled and said: "Since it's what Li Xiao has said, I, Sanada Masayuki, will follow along without any issues."

  Typing until midnight to release a new chapter. A new week has arrived, everyone who sees this chapter, please vote for me, I will continue to work hard typing, thank you very much.

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