The Self-Cultivation of Warring States Warriors

Page 126

Yoshiki Miyoshi said without hesitation, "I asked Hyuga no Kami himself, and his explanation was that joining forces with my family to attack Omi Rokkaku was undoubtedly the best choice for the Saito family, so he did not believe that the other party would break their promise."

“As expected…” Shinzaburo nodded slightly. “In fact, it was Lord Hyuga who misjudged Isshiki Jibe Daisuke’s mindset.”

The so-called "Isshiki Jibu Daisuke" refers to Saito Yoshitatsu. He is now recognized by the shogunate as a legitimate descendant of the Isshiki family and holds the official title of "Jibu Daisuke," and he always refers to himself as "Isshiki Jibu Daisuke."

Although outsiders still habitually refer to them as the Saito family, the title of Isshiki Jibu Daisuke is now widely accepted.

Miyoshi Yoshiaki frowned. "I don't see where Hyuga-no-kami misjudged the situation. The principle of befriending distant states while attacking nearby ones is the simplest. Mino Province is surrounded by mountains to the north and east, and its expansion direction is nothing more than Omi-Rokkaku to the west and Owari-Oda to the south. Moreover, the Saito and Miyoshi families are not adjacent and have no conflict. In any case, Isshiki Jibu Daisuke should have allied with Miyoshi to attack Rokkaku."

“However…” Shinzaburo deliberately slowed his pace and emphasized his tone, “The strategy of ‘befriending distant states and attacking nearby ones’ is to defeat the enemy at hand with allies and acquire new lands. Therefore, only daimyo who are eager to expand their territory will follow the principle of ‘befriending distant states and attacking nearby ones.’ On the contrary, if one only seeks to defend one’s own territory, then befriending distant states and attacking nearby ones will be of no benefit. It would be better to form marriage alliances and maintain harmony with one’s neighbors.”

"Does Kubo Sado mean that the prestigious Saito family of Mino only seeks to defend its territory and has no intention of expanding its borders?" Miyoshi Yoshioki's face showed an incredulous expression, but he quickly fell into doubt. "Perhaps that's it... After Isshiki Jibu Daisuke murdered his father and seized power, he did not covet other countries. Even his several battles with Oda Nobunaga of Owari were all defensive. No wonder he wasn't interested in our family's proposal to launch a pincer attack on the Rokkaku of Omi..."

“Generally speaking, someone who murders their father to seize power should be an ambitious person. However, there are always exceptions in the world,” Shinzaburo added. “It seems that I need to reconsider the other party’s demands on this mission in order to achieve anything.”

“Hmm…” Miyoshi Yoshioki did not continue to think about it, but changed the subject. “I will ask the shogunate to apply to the imperial court to grant you the rank of ‘Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade’. In this way, you will be spared some inconvenience when facing distant daimyo with official positions in the future.”

"I am both humbled and overjoyed." Shinzaburo quickly adopted a suitable posture. "Although this is a memorial presented by the shogunate and a reward from the imperial court, without the kindness of the Miyoshi family, how could I have dared to hope for such an honor? I will repay it with all my heart, even at the cost of my life."

239 The Wandering Samurai Saito Rizo

Since he was going to deal with Saito from Mino, Shinzaburo's first thought was naturally that the only person from Mino he knew well—namely, Mitsuhide Akechi, who was still active as a doctor.

However, Mitsuhide Akechi's situation is actually quite awkward. During the period when Yoshitatsu Saito murdered his father and established himself as emperor, he belonged to the faction loyal to his former head of the clan. After his defeat, he fled and is now essentially wanted by the authorities. He cannot return to his hometown or openly contact his old friends.

However, it could provide a hidden entry point.

Mitsuhide Akechi had an old friend named Saito Naizōsuke Rizō, a wandering samurai with a very complicated background.

His father was known as "Izu no Kami," a distant branch of the Saito family. His mother came from the Ninagawa family, a retainer of the shogunate (the same family as Ninagawa Shin'emon in "Ikkyu-san"). His father died young, and his mother remarried to Ishiya Mitsumasa, a close retainer of Ashikaga Yoshiteru.

Such a background means that he has a lot of connections in Mino and Kyoto.

Saito Toshizo was also a very restless person. He couldn't stand staying at home, so he went to Sakai to study tea ceremony, etiquette, and poetry. He also served as a guest general under Matsuyama Shigeharu, a retainer of the Miyoshi family, for several years, and fought hard battles against the troops of Hosokawa Harumoto and Rokkaku Yoshikata in the suburbs of Kyoto. His life experience was quite rich.

Now that this guy has quit his job and returned to his ronin life, I wonder how he makes a living.

In addition, Saito Toshizo's great-aunt married Akechi Mitsuhide's uncle, so they could be considered relatives as well.

Actually, as soon as Shinzaburo heard the name, he knew that this kid must be a talent.

After all, he's a character who has appeared in various Koei Tecmo games for a long time, and his attributes and special skills are quite good. In the original history, Saito Toshimitsu was praised as a "master of warfare" and was considered a military commander skilled in military affairs.

Besides his abilities, Saito Toshimitsu also possessed an extensive network of connections, extending beyond Mino and Kyoto to include the Chosokabe clan of Tosa. Furthermore, in the original historical account, he had a daughter named Ofuku, who entered the Tokugawa shogunate's inner palace (Ōoku) and became the wet nurse of the third shogun, Iemitsu, earning the title "Kasuga no Tsubone" (Kasuga no Tsubone), making her one of the most influential women in Japanese history.

Such a person is naturally someone we want to bring under our command.

However... based on past experience, wandering samurai with such complex backgrounds often have their own special circumstances, making them not easy to recruit.

Upon meeting and discussing it, it turned out to be true.

The two met at Hase-dera Temple through the mediation of Akechi Mitsuhide.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Shinzaburo tentatively inquired, "You are a man of both literary and martial talents. If you were willing to serve in government, you would surely be a highly sought-after guest of daimyo from various countries. Why are you currently unemployed in Kyoto?"

Upon hearing this, Saito Rizo chuckled, seemingly having anticipated Shinzaburo's question: "Lord Kubo Sado should have heard that I joined the Miyoshi family as a guest general a few years ago and was credited with breaking through enemy lines. If you are willing to receive instruction, you should at least be a middle-aged samurai by now."

Shinzaburo was somewhat puzzled and probed again: "Do you not want to receive the teachings of the Miyoshi family, or do you not want to receive the teachings of anyone?"

Saito Toshimitsu smiled slightly upon hearing this, clearly not having his sore spot touched. His eyes flickered slightly, as if he were reminiscing about his past with relish. After a moment, he spoke leisurely: "It's not that I was unwilling, but at the time I felt there was no need to rush into deciding my future. Being a samurai is certainly good, but wouldn't it be more interesting to try the life of a tea master, painter, or actor while I'm still young? To be honest, last month I joined a theater troupe in Kyoto and performed as Yukiwaka Mai and Sarugaku, haha!"

Goodness, he really is a weirdo.

Other so-called "eccentrics" simply have unique hobbies in their spare time; they don't neglect their serious work. Who would abandon knowledge and practice to focus solely on singing and dancing?

It's not surprising that people are obsessed with waka and Chinese poetry; but in the eyes of mainstream opinion, things like kōwaka dance and suruga are considered unseemly.

This is equivalent to someone in later generations quitting their secure civil service job to go and make a living in Hengdian World Studios—too willful, and too elegant.

Upon hearing Saito Toshizo's words, Shinzaburo was surprised, but also felt a pang of envy.

The masses of people we see every day are either ambitious, drifting with the tide, or dutiful; they are all struggling in the mortal world. How can anyone be so carefree and dashing?

So he nodded subconsciously: "Life is but fifty years, and compared to the sun and moon, it is as fleeting as a white horse galloping past a crack. Wealth and poverty, in the end, all turn to dust. We should live life to the fullest! Unfortunately, I am not as insightful as you, and I am inevitably bound by worldly concerns. In this life, I will probably only be able to look back and forth, and pursue fame and fortune!"

"Really? I never expected such words to come from Lord Kubo Sado!" Saito Toshizo seemed quite surprised, with a hint of delight in his eyes. "Among my friends and family, I've always been a playboy who wastes his time on frivolous pursuits and doesn't do anything productive. I don't often receive praise."

“Actually, my flattery could be considered to have ulterior motives.” Shinzaburo maintained a frank and composed demeanor. “Since we find ourselves in such a compatible relationship, then… after you have experienced the pleasures of being a tea master, painter, and actor, if you still intend to become a samurai again, would you consider coming to my Kubo family first?”

“That is a rather unique suggestion.” Saito Toshizo paused for a moment, then shook his head and chuckled. “Over the years, I have received countless offers, but the rest have all advised me to set aside distractions and follow the right path. What you have said today, Lord Kubo Sado, is the first time I have heard it.”

“In this day and age, it is not only the ruler who chooses his ministers, but also the ministers who choose their rulers.” Shinzaburo said calmly and sincerely, “If our ambitions are not aligned, what is the point of trying to persuade you? If one day you decide to take up an official post, the Kubo family will certainly welcome you with open arms. Conversely, if you ultimately choose to travel the world, you will still be a refined gentleman whom I respect.”

Saito Rizo's eyes were bright as he stared straight at him. After looking at him carefully for a while, he finally nodded slightly, his face showing a tranquility and gentleness that he had not shown today. Then he bowed and said, "Lord Kubo Sado is indeed a man of great character. If I ever have the idea of ​​becoming a samurai again in the future, I will definitely pay you a visit."

“Then it’s settled.” Shinzaburo slowly rose to return the greeting. “You are currently residing in Kyoto. If there are any inconveniences, please do not hesitate to let me know, so that I may have an opportunity to show my sincerity.”

“Alright!” Saito Toshizo nodded decisively, without any hesitation, and simply smiled easily, “We have met today and become fast friends, so there’s no need for formalities. However, there is one thing I need to ask of Lord Kubo Sado.”

"Please speak!" Shinzaburo said, waving his sleeve.

“In recent years, I have been studying the classics on my own, and there are often parts that I cannot understand.” Saito Toshimitsu’s eyes revealed a thirst for knowledge. “I heard from Lord Akechi that you have inherited the scholarship of Sanjou Shrine Minister and the Karasuma family in interpreting The Tale of Genji…”

"Thanks to the guidance of my excellent teachers and friends, I have only a superficial understanding, but I dare not say that I have inherited the profound meaning of the sages." Shinzaburo said modestly at first, and then nodded without hesitation, "If you think highly of me, I am willing to study with you."

After drinking some tea and eating some snacks, the two rested for a while. Then, in a guest room at the temple, they took out a copy of "The Tale of Genji" and began to discuss it in detail.

……

An hour or two later, Saito Toshimitsu looked up and observed several times before finally unable to hold back and asked, "Lord Kubo Sado, you came here today to contact the Saito family of Mino, didn't you?"

“Indeed.” Shinzaburo nodded casually, saying nonchalantly, “However, matters of strategy and diplomacy always take two or three months to yield results, so why rush it?”

"Lord Kubo Sado is truly a remarkable man," Saito Toshizo said with a smile. "Then, why don't you first study 'The Tale of Genji' once, and then I will introduce you to some influential people in Mino."

“No problem. It’s arranged like this.” Shinzaburo’s expression remained unchanged.

This is not an act.

In his heart, he truly felt that winning over Saito Toshizo was more meaningful than befriending Mino Saito Yoshitatsu.

240 The Saito Family's Predicament

Next, Shinzaburo indeed spent more than ten days studying the Tale of Genji with Saito Toshizo.

In other organizations, this might be considered slacking off. But in the atmosphere of the Miyoshi family, it was perfectly natural. After all, Miyoshi Nagayoshi had openly said, "I fear not a thousand troops, but only a shout from Zongtao," showing that his pursuit of scholarship and elegance was ingrained in his very being.

When superiors have certain preferences, those below will follow suit to an extreme. Nowadays, who among those who have made a name for themselves in this region doesn't consider themselves a scholar or literary figure?

If word gets out, and outsiders say that Yoshiaki Kubo has found a kindred spirit and forgotten his serious business, indulging only in poetry and romance, it won't be a scandal, but rather a beautiful story.

Of course, Shinzaburo wasn't truly immersed in the world of art.

After chatting for a good ten days, Saito Toshizo felt he had gained a lot and readily offered his help, volunteering to personally act as a messenger to contact Inaba Yoshimichi, the lord of Sone Castle in Mino Province.

This Inaba Yoshimichi controlled over 20,000 kan of land in Nishi-Mino. Although it's unclear how his kan-gao system was calculated, the numbers alone show he was quite powerful.

According to the standards of the Later Hojo clan in the Kanto region during the same period, roughly every four to seven kan of land could correspond to one soldier, and 20,000 kan could correspond to three to five thousand soldiers. This seems a bit off. Considering that the Later Hojo clan's land surveys were quite thorough, one kan was equivalent to more than three koku in Edo terms, while the corresponding data for the Saito clan of Mino Province is clearly much lower. It's just unclear just how much lower.

Even if converted to 20,000 shi (a unit of dry measure) at a 1:1 ratio, it would still be a very large enterprise.

Furthermore, Inaba Yoshimichi became a monk at the Myoshin-ji branch of the Rinzai sect in his youth, studied under the famous monk Kaikawa Shōki, and learned the skills of tea ceremony and literature. He also had connections in Kyoto and married the daughter of a court noble.

At the same time, he was also close friends and relatives with several other influential figures in Mino, including Ando Morinari, Ujiie Naomo, and Endo Morikazu.

In conclusion, Inaba Yoshimichi was absolutely qualified to participate in the upper-level decision-making of the Mino Saito family.

Saito Toshimitsu and Inaba Yoshimichi had a very close relationship. In the original history, after ending his wanderings, Saito Toshimitsu served in the government of Inaba Yoshimichi, and after being widowed, he married the third daughter of the Inaba family as his second wife. Saito Toshimitsu's daughter, Ofuku—also known as Kasuga no Tsubone—married Inaba Yoshimichi's grandson, Inaba Masanari.

With such a deep friendship, getting some information shouldn't be a problem, right?

So Shinzaburo wrote a personal letter and prepared some exquisite gifts, entrusting Saito Toshizo to deliver them.

Traveling from Kyoto to the western part of Mino Province is quite convenient. Because it falls within the territory of the horse merchants of the Honai region, the roads are maintained, the security is ensured, and there are post stations along the way that cater to the public. Anyone who can afford the deposit can easily rent horses and vehicles.

The Rokkaku family made a fortune from this business, and Oda Nobunaga immediately brought the horse-riding business under his wing after conquering southern Omi.

The distance from Kyoto to Minosone Castle is 100 kilometers, and Saito Toshimitsu completed the round trip and stay in just seven days. Upon his return, he declared: "Isshiki Shikibu (Saito Yoshitatsu) is not opposed to befriending the powerful Miyoshi clan, but feels that the Miyoshi clan's army is too far away to resolve the current crisis."

Upon hearing this, Shinzaburo knew he had made the right decision.

Outsiders thought that Saito Yoshitatsu, possessing the entire Mino province, with its abundant land, large population, and numerous soldiers, should adopt a strategy of befriending distant states while attacking nearby ones, actively seeking expansion. In reality, however, he was constantly worried about the loss of his kingdom.

As for why there is such concern?

Saito Toshimitsu hesitated at first, but after thinking for a moment, he said, "I have become friends with Lord Kubo Sado at first sight, and I firmly believe that you are a person of high moral character, so I will not hide anything from you. I hope that after you hear this, you will be able to lend a helping hand to the people of Mino."

“It seems that even someone as detached as Lord Risō cannot help but miss his homeland.” Shinsaburo smiled, then straightened his expression and adopted a solemn posture. “I dare not claim to be a man of integrity, but… in the current situation, helping Mino will restrain Rokkaku, which is beneficial to the Miyoshi family and also to me.”

The implication is that we currently share common interests, so there's no need to dwell on feelings.

"The fact that you can speak so frankly about profit proves that Lord Kubo Sado is indeed a man of high moral character!" Saito Toshizo's tone was very firm, but his eyes also showed a hint of regret, as if he had been hurt in this regard. "Although I am not yet thirty, I have already seen too many two-faced and treacherous people. The more someone talks about loyalty, integrity, and righteousness, the less trustworthy they are!"

That's true, and Shinzaburo couldn't refute it.

Next, Saito Toshizo introduced the embarrassing situation of the Mino Saito family that was unknown to outsiders.

First, there is the issue of justification and legitimacy.

The position of governor of Mino Province originally belonged to the prestigious Toki family. Saito Yoshitatsu's father, Saito Dosan, had driven out Toki Yoriyoshi and seized power only ten years ago, and the influence of the former master had not yet been completely eliminated.

Moreover, the former guardian, Toki Yoriyoshi, is in good health. Although he is almost sixty years old, he is still lively and energetic under the protection of the Omi Rokkaku family. He creates new ink paintings every year, and his brushwork seems to be as strong as ever.

From this perspective, Rokkaku Yoshikata's previous severe reprimand of his son Yoshiharu and his resolute refusal to negotiate peace with the Saito family were probably motivated by his intention to take the Toki family as his banner and retake Mino!

Then Toki Yoriyoshi had a younger brother named Mitsuchika, who was a guest at the Asakura family's Ichijodani Castle. Therefore, the Asakura family also had a reason to send troops to intervene.

Needless to say, Oda Nobunaga of Owari was also involved. Saito Yoshitatsu killed his own father, Saito Dosan, and Saito Dosan left a will before his death asking his son-in-law, Oda Nobunaga, to avenge him. This was a legitimate claim to the position.

To the north and east of Mino are mountainous terrains that are difficult to traverse, while to the west and south are mainly these three relatively powerful neighbors. All three neighbors have pretexts to attack Mino, so the diplomatic situation is indeed not good.

Of course, external enemies alone are not so scary, but their internal situation is also quite unstable.

Their foundations were already weak, and the fact that they had engaged in fratricide further undermined their authority, making it difficult to ascertain their true extent of power. To secure the support of his retainers, Saito Yoshitatsu hesitated to implement a unified system. Consequently, the conflict between the Endo and Higashi families in North Mino two years prior, and the conflict between the Takenaka and Fuwa families in West Mino a year earlier, both ended in mediation and compromise. None of the parties who resorted to violence were punished.

It's incredibly frustrating to hear about a vassal initiating a fight in private, where the lord can only mediate and has no power to punish the vassals!

According to Saito Toshimitsu, although the entire Mino province could indeed mobilize more than 20,000 troops, only about 30% of them would be able to unconditionally obey Saito Yoshitatsu's orders; about 60% were in a state of "obeying orders but not proclamations"; and the remaining 10% had already secretly defected to other daimyo, but had not openly betrayed them.

Including Inaba Yoshimichi, mentioned above, who considered himself a loyal retainer. But if the lord is too weak to protect the interests of his retainers, they wouldn't bring their own food to work.

Therefore, Saito Yoshitatsu lacked sufficient confidence to contend with any of the Oda, Rokkaku, or Asakura factions. His focus on diplomacy and strategy over the years, and his complete avoidance of military expansion, stemmed not from a lack of desire to fight, but from a fear of conflict.

If we don't fight, outsiders won't be able to see through the situation. But if we do fight, the truth might be exposed.

Shinzaburo was utterly shocked by this.

Whether in this life or the past, in my memory, Saito Yoshitatsu always seemed to be a very powerful character.

Saito Rizo shook his head and smiled wryly, "If I were speaking to someone I don't know well, I really wouldn't want to say such a thing... Perhaps the greatest achievement of Lord Isshiki Shikibu (Saito Yoshitatsu) is that he has maintained a powerful facade!"

"So, among the Oda, Rokkaku, and Asakura families, the Saito family must be on good terms with at least one." Shinzaburo continued his reasoning, only to discover another blind spot: "But it doesn't necessarily have to be Rokkaku, does it? Why not try Asakura or Oda?"

“Uh… it’s not that we’re unwilling, but that we can’t…” Saito Toshimitsu’s expression became even more awkward at this point. “The Saito family has a Lord Takenaka Totomi-no-kami, whose territory is on the border of Mino and Omi. This lord is good at making friends and can speak with important retainers of the Rokkaku family. As for the Asakura and Oda families, we currently cannot find a mediator of sufficient influence…”

“I see. But this isn’t difficult for the Miyoshi family, who are loyal to the shogunate, to take hostage… cough, I mean.” Shinzaburo gradually calmed down, feeling that the problem could be solved with proper communication. “When the Saito family communicated with Miyoshi Hyuga-no-kami (Miyoshi Nagayatsu) before, they should have expressed their demands!”

“I don’t know how the negotiations went back then.” Saito Rizo smiled wryly. “Perhaps it was Miyoshi Hyuga-no-kami’s excessive respect for the Mino Saito family that made Isshiki Shikibu (Saito Yoshitatsu) find it difficult to deal with.”

“I’m not very familiar with the Echizen-Asakura area, so I’ll have to ask someone else to try.” Shinzaburo stroked his chin, deep in thought. “But Lord Oda Kazusa of Owari has some connections with me. He just killed Imagawa Harubu last month. If we can make peace with the Mino Saito clan now, we can take advantage of the situation to invade Mikawa, Totomi, and even take Suruga directly. Wouldn’t that be wonderful? In that case, the Saito clan wouldn’t need to pursue harmony with the Omi Rokkaku clan. Actually, given the Rokkaku clan’s current situation, they might not be suitable as allies…”

Upon hearing this, Saito Toshimitsu remained silent for a moment, then adopted an unprecedentedly serious demeanor, saying each word clearly, "I will immediately convey Lord Kubo Sado's wishes back to Mino. As for contacting Oda in Owari, I entrust this matter to you!"

“Alright!” Shinzaburo nodded without hesitation, looking confident, but said, “I can’t guarantee success, but I will do my best.”

“Also…” Saito Toshizo lowered his voice unconsciously, “If it’s appropriate, could you spare some time to meet with Isshiki Shikibu (Saito Yoshitatsu)?”

"Hmm?" Shinzaburo immediately became alert.

Judging from this statement, Saito Toshizo probably met more than just Inaba Yoshimichi during his trip back to Mino! He likely also had some exchanges with Saito Yoshitatsu.

241 Shinzaburo, whose ambition lies in San'in

Shinzaburo immediately drafted a plan and sent it to Yoshioki Miyoshi.

The specific plan was to invoke the authority of the shogunate and persuade Saito of Mino to negotiate peace with Oda of Owari. In this way, Saito Yoshitatsu would be willing to maintain a hostile stance with Rokkaku of Omi and Asakura of Echizen, and the diplomatic situation of the Miyoshi clan would improve.

If Oda Nobunaga is unwilling, he could try using the position of Owari governor as bait.

Now that Imagawa Yoshimoto has been defeated and killed, Ashikaga Yoshiteru shouldn't still look down on Oda Nobunaga, right?

After reading it, Yoshioki Miyoshi thought this diplomatic approach was good, so he quickly consulted with his father. He then sent an envoy to Owari to make contact, and had Hisahide Matsunaga visit Yoshiteru Ashikaga to try to persuade the shogunate to intervene.

Shinzaburo himself also asked a monk to deliver a letter to Oda Nobunaga, but he didn't say anything else, only congratulating him on defeating the powerful enemy Imagawa Yoshimoto.

Unfortunately, good plans can't keep up with changes.

Because at roughly the same time, the diplomatic monks of the Suruga Imagawa family also arrived in Kyoto.