The Self-Cultivation of Warring States Warriors

Page 42

At this moment, Shinzaburo could only think positively, and said in a feignedly optimistic manner, "Perhaps, seeing how fierce the Akai family is, other people will be forced to seek our help."

"How could that be!" Matsunaga Magoroku chuckled, then said, "It's said that this Akai Naomasa earned the nickname 'Red Demon' after this battle. And he even claimed that he wanted to become a demon capable of vanquishing Zhong Kui!"

Ah this...

Shinzaburo never imagined that after becoming famous, he would become the target of powerful figures in Tanba.

He suddenly began to miss the feeling of having the seventeen surviving samurai of the Shingu faction gathered around him.

Although we have been working hard to improve the combat effectiveness of our soldiers over the past few months, we are afraid that in the short term we will still be unable to compare with the situation during the Battle of Meishan.

If Akai Naomasa really targets me relentlessly in the future, will I be able to withstand it?

Matsunaga Magoro, unaware of Shinzaburo's worries, continued speaking to himself: "In my humble opinion, a demon is ultimately just a demon. I've never heard of any demon capable of confronting Zhong Kui! That Akai Naomasa guy, sooner or later he'll be a victim of Kubo Genban's blade..."

……

Just then, a commotion came from "Takada Castle" ahead.

Some people shouted things like "Enemy attack!" "Return to defend!" "Protect the adults!"

Immediately following were the ear-piercing sounds of metal clashing, the rough shouts and roars, and the agonizing cries of pain, all occurring almost simultaneously.

At the same time, Matsunaga Nagayori's hatamoto samurai charged forward like arrows released from a bow. Several other archers and arquebusiers also advanced under the cover of the bamboo bundles.

The tranquility of the mountains in the early morning was instantly shattered.

Shinzaburo Kubo and Mauroku Matsunaga instinctively peered forward. They hadn't been assigned combat duties and couldn't squeeze into the narrow alley, so they could only watch from behind.

Ahead, the defenders on the two arrow towers were in disarray, unable to advance or retreat. Some put down their bows and arrows, drew their swords and spears, and ran back, only to turn back halfway, discard their weapons, and pick up their bows and arrows again.

A barrage of arrows and stones continued to rain down from above, though the density and frequency were much lower than in the previous three days. Several of Matsunaga Nagayori's hatamoto samurai were also killed or wounded, but many more charged forward despite the pressure.

Soon, fewer and fewer archers had the energy to shoot downwards, and the chaos in Takada Castle grew increasingly intense.

In just a moment, several warriors approached the city gate and threw the "roasted jade" they were holding into it.

After several explosions, smoke and flames appeared, making the scene even more chaotic.

In particular, one very accurate shooter threw a "baked jade" directly onto the right arrow saddle. Although it didn't kill anyone, the scattered dust choked the defenders, making them covered in soot and unable to concentrate on shooting.

After a while, someone finally rushed to the sealed city gate, fiddled with it for a bit, and used his gunpowder to blow up the wooden wall on the side and rushed in.

Soon, a second, a third... will appear.

In a short while, the arrow slings on the left also stopped firing.

Then, not long after, one could hear the defenders shouting, "Surrender! Spare our lives!"

But the Tanba samurai seemed caught up in the killing spree and showed no sign of holding back.

"Takada Castle" has only one entrance and exit, making it difficult for attackers to enter, but also leaving defenders with no way to escape when they want to retreat.

Then another voice was heard: "Spare me! I'll give you two strings of cash instead!"

This seemed to inspire others, and many of the garrison soldiers shouted, "I'm willing to pay in lieu of my life!" "I can also contribute two strings of cash!" "I can contribute three strings of cash!" "My uncle is quite wealthy and can contribute four strings of cash!" and so on.

The so-called "ransom in lieu of payment" is actually a ransom.

In those days, there was no Geneva Convention, and the killing and mistreatment of prisoners of war was very common.

However, prisoners of war who can pay ransom are a different story.

Who can have trouble with money?

The battlefield gradually calmed down.

……

As the Tanba samurai led the prisoners slowly down the rugged path, Shinzaburo was preoccupied with looking up and searching for his men.

After waiting for a long time, Oi Shigeie appeared in sight, carrying Inatomi Shigenobu on his back.

The former was exhausted, and the latter was weak and listless, looking quite disheveled.

However, Oi Shigeie was unharmed, while Inatomi Shigenobu had a bandage on his arm that was bleeding.

However, there should be no danger to his life.

Shinzaburo breathed a sigh of relief.

When asked again, Ooi Shigeie said with a guilty look, "An enemy rushed out of the outhouse. I didn't react in time. Fortunately, Inatomi Danjo risked his life to take a blow..."

Shinzaburo felt a surge of respect and solemnly said, "Then this is a life-saving grace."

Ooi Shigeie solemnly declared, "From now on, he will be my sworn brother!"

Inamori Shigenobu chuckled twice, shaking his head and saying, "Actually, before launching the surprise attack, I thought that if we both survived this battle, I would definitely marry my half-sister to Lord Oi."

Shinzaburo thought about it and realized that this was a good thing in every sense, so he immediately nodded and said, "It's settled then!"

Upon hearing this, Ooi Shigeie opened his mouth as if to say something, but remained silent. Only his eyes twitched slightly.

082 Fierce Struggle

After a brief inventory check, it was discovered that the "Takada Castle" had long been emptied out, with only a small amount of food and weapons remaining.

Clearly, the other family had already prepared for the loss of this place.

Fortunately, several dozen prisoners with some wealth were willing to pay in lieu of their lives, which amounted to a considerable sum.

It adds up to seventy or eighty strings of cash.

Matsunaga Nagayori spared only one enemy leader named "Takada Naizen," ordering him not to release him, while the others were left unrestricted.

He didn't have the patience to wait for the family members to bring the money, so he sent the prisoners to the nearby Tiantai sect's "Dashan Temple" and let the neutral monks act as "ransom brokers," offering them a one-fifth handling fee.

They left behind only a pile of flags, armor, and weapons as spoils of war.

The monks were efficient; they immediately confirmed the identities of the prisoners one by one, compiled a list, and led them away, paying the sixty strings of cash as "payment." They seemed completely unconcerned about the risk of bad debt.

Matsunaga Nagayori then personally contributed another sum of money, distributing over 120 kan as a reward. The majority was split between the raiding party and the samurai who breached the castle, with Oi Shigeie and Inatomi Shigenobu each receiving two kan. Others who participated in the battle also received a "sunshine" reward.

Shinzaburo felt his eyes had been opened; he hadn't realized there was such a way to get rich. It seemed that if he ever had the chance to lead an army to besiege a city, he would definitely try his best to block all the exits and try to earn some "body money."

Then, more than two thousand Tanba soldiers set up camp here.

Then, the next day, something unexpected happened.

Led by Hosokawa Ujitsuna, the "Kanrei" of the Shogunate, and Miyoshi Nagayoshi, the head of the Miyoshi family, a host of important figures arrived at the foot of Takada Castle to inspect this "great victory".

Needless to say, they were surrounded by countless elite guards.

At this time, although Shinzaburo had a certain status, it was not enough for him to have a close conversation. He was only a dozen steps away when Matsunaga Nagayori introduced him with the words, "This is the backup of 'Tanba Zhong Kui' Kubo Genban!" and that was it.

He could only try to appear "energetic" while observing the appearances of the big shots.

The round-faced old man dressed as a monk was Hosokawa Ujitsuna; the square-faced middle-aged man with thick eyebrows, big eyes, and a small mustache was Miyoshi Nagayoshi; the big-nosed, squinting, and very sturdy boy was Miyoshi Yoshioki, the heir apparent of the Miyoshi family; the short, kind-looking, and honest elder was Miyoshi Nagahisa; as for the vigorous and imposing Matsunaga Hisahide, he had already met him once.

It seems that the second generation doesn't look particularly like the head of the family; he probably resembles his mother more than his father.

Who is his mother?

She is the younger sister of Tanba Hatano Harumichi. She married into the family fifteen years ago for political reasons, and was divorced five years ago for the same reason.

Then Miyoshi Nagayoshi married the adopted daughter of Yusa Nagayoshi, a warlord in Kawachi, as his second wife.

But three or four years ago, Yuza Chokyo was suddenly assassinated, and the lady from Hanoi disappeared without a trace. It is unknown whether she died young or returned to her parents' home to become a nun.

And I never heard of Miyoshi Nagayoshi having any particularly favored concubines.

It seems this lord doesn't have much interest in women.

For a daimyo, not being fond of women is hardly a virtue.

On the contrary, it is a major drawback.

Uesugi Kenshin is the best example...

Just as Shinzaburo was lost in thought, Hosokawa Ujitsuna and Miyoshi Nagayoshi each said a few words of symbolic encouragement to Tanba Jun.

Later, when explaining the siege process, Matsunaga Nagayori added, "I ordered the recruitment of warriors, and immediately a warrior from Shinano under Kubo Genban volunteered to fight..."

Upon hearing this, Hosokawa Ujitsuna said with great delight, "The people of Shinano have traveled a long way to join us, which shows where righteousness lies and where people's hearts are!"

After that, there was no more discussion about the lower and middle-ranking samurai.

Matsunaga Nagayori ordered the display of the flags, armor, weapons, and the prisoner named "Takada Naizen" captured the previous day, and to extol the special historical role of the "Battle of Takada Castle".

According to him, this victory was of great significance and would surely lead to a further defeat of the rebellious Nizi army, showing the world who is the rightful ruler.

Even though the 30,000 people of the Niko family were still 90 kilometers away at this time.

Hosokawa Ujitsuna agreed, nodding repeatedly and saying, "It's clear that Hosokawa Harumoto has lost his prestige and is no longer suitable for the position of Kanrei (shogunate deputy). Even if he still insists on his position, he'll only make a fool of himself!"

The fact that he addressed Hosokawa Harumoto by his given name without any honorifics is enough to show that their relationship was extremely hostile, to the point of being life-or-death.

However, even at this point, they could only deny Hosokawa Harumoto's position as Kanrei (military regent), but could not deny Ashikaga Yoshiteru's position as Shogun.

Because Miyoshi Nagayoshi has not yet decided how to deal with Yoshiteru.

Originally, Ashikaga Yoshinobu was considered as a backup, but he ran away because Miyoshi Yoshikata killed Hosokawa Mochitaka, the guardian of Awa.

I'm now caught in a state of indecision.

Compared to Hosokawa Ujitsuna's fierce attack, Miyoshi Nagayoshi was much more tactful, simply saying gently, "Lord Harumoto has a long history with my family. Although he has made a grave mistake and caused chaos in the world, if he can pull back from the brink, I will still treat him with courtesy."

"Lord Chikuzen is truly a benevolent and righteous gentleman." Hosokawa Ujitsuna offered a compliment, his expression somewhat unnatural. He quickly turned his gaze to Matsunaga Hisahide and Matsunaga Nagayori, praising, "The Matsunaga family is truly accomplished in both civil and military affairs, and capable of both ruling and ruling. With such wise retainers assisting them, it's no wonder that Lord Miyoshi Chikuzen was able to achieve such great things."

Lord Chikuzen refers to Miyoshi Nagayoshi. His current rank is Junior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade, Chikuzen Governor.

Upon hearing this, Matsunaga Hisahide smiled憨厚ly, bowed his head and said, "Lord Kanrei, you flatter me! As everyone knows, Lord Hyuga is the chief retainer of the Miyoshi clan, and has always been a role model for my younger brother and me."

Lord Hyuga refers to Miyoshi Nagayoshi, who is a legitimate Hyuga-no-kami (governor) recognized by the imperial court, not an official title used arbitrarily. Similarly, Matsunaga Hisahide's title "Danjō Shōchū" (young master of the Danjō clan) is also of this nature.

They were the only two retainers of the Miyoshi family to receive official high-ranking positions, and they have always been hailed as the "Twin Jewels".

However, when Matsunaga Hisahide said this, a hint of embarrassment appeared on Miyoshi Nagahisa's kind and gentle old face.

Then Miyoshi Nagayoshi bowed deeply, expressing his apology: "My son, Nagatora, was ordered to attack Tsuno Castle, but after several days, he has yet to achieve anything. Compared to Lord Pengyunxuan, he is worlds apart. I apologize for making you all laugh!"

Hōyūken is the Buddhist name of Matsunaga Nagayori.

Seeing this, Hosokawa Ujitsuna immediately took a half step back, pretending to look around at the scenery.

Miyoshi Nagayoshi shook his head and smiled without saying a word.

Only the young, big-nosed boy, Miyoshi Yoshiki, stepped forward. He immediately helped Miyoshi Nagayoshi up and comforted him, saying, "Lord Hyuga has fought for my family for decades and made countless contributions. He is truly a pillar of strength and a pillar of the state. Even if he suffers a slight setback today, it is only human nature. If anyone dares to mock him, I will not let them off lightly!"

"Young Master!" Miho Nagayoshi burst into tears and cried out, "With your word, Young Master, I will gladly give my life for the Miho family!"

Matsunaga Hisahide, now displaying an air of selflessness, declared passionately, "Lord Hyuga's achievements are outstanding, and his reputation needs no further proof. The task of sacrificing himself should be undertaken by us, the younger generation of new recruits!"

Then Miyoshi Yoshiaki immediately took over the conversation, nodding and smiling, "Lord Danjo is right."

Upon hearing this, Miyoshi Nagayoshi's expression turned serious, and he said boldly, "Thank you for your understanding, young master and Lord Tanjō. Although I am old and can no longer ride a horse and wield a sword for my lord, I still have my sons and grandsons! The younger generation may lack wisdom and skill for the time being, but they are all loyal and fearless of death!"

At this moment, Miyoshi Nagayoshi leisurely spoke slowly: "What merit do I have to have a long-standing retainer like Lord Hyuga, and talented people like the Matsunaga brothers come to serve me? I am truly honored."

Hosokawa Ujitsuna quickly added, "This is the Miyoshi Twin Jewels!"

……

After the performance ended, Shinzaburo was still savoring the show he had just witnessed when he saw Oi Shigeie and Inatomi Shigenobu whispering to each other, "I had heard that Miyoshi Hinata and Matsunaga Danjo were at odds, but today they seem to get along quite well, so the rumors are untrue."

Shinzaburo couldn't help but roll his eyes.

With such a fierce struggle, which of you saw that they "have a good relationship"? You must have a problem with your perception.

It is obvious that the "original" faction and the "new" faction of the Miyoshi family do not get along.

Miyoshi Nagatoshi was a collateral relative of the Miyoshi family and had been serving the main family for a long time. The Matsunaga brothers, on the other hand, only joined Miyoshi Nagayoshi's service in this generation, and their service was less than twenty years in total.

Matsunaga Nagayori's eagerness to capture Takada Castle a few days ago was probably also due to the involvement of factional struggles.

What's intriguing is that Yoshioki Miyoshi, the young lord, seems to favor the "newcomer" faction.

This may be because the "Yuan Cong" faction has become too powerful and needs to be appropriately suppressed.

As we just saw, Yoshioki Miyoshi slightly sided with the "newcomers" faction, and then Nagayoshi Miyoshi stepped in to mediate, acting as a "master of impartiality."

Interesting, interesting...

It's a pity that Shinzaburo is already too deeply involved with the Matsunaga family. He probably can't exploit the internal divisions within the Miyoshi family for his own benefit and can only focus on being a "newcomer." He shouldn't expect to be a master strategist or a smooth operator.

083 The Fire Arrow Beneath Tamho Castle

After conquering the small castle of Takada, the army continued its advance northwest and soon arrived at Awaga Castle, a major town in the eastern border of the Bessho family.