The Self-Cultivation of Warring States Warriors

Page 14

Moreover, the temple provided him with a simple but clean set of clothes, as well as a katana that was all show and no substance, to make him look presentable.

He even styled his hair into a tight bun, shaved off the excess sideburns, leaving a tuft of inverted triangular goatee, which looked quite convincing.

Shinzaburo had learned horsemanship before, but his skill level was only mediocre. Now, in the dead of winter, he was going to ride a horse on a mountain road, and he couldn't help but feel a little uneasy.

But given the current situation, it's absolutely impossible to tell Master Mingzhou, "I'm not good at riding horses."

If the old monk is not satisfied with what you hear, he might reply, "What kind of warrior are you if you can't even ride a horse? Go home and continue farming!"

Then they couldn't even cry anymore.

Fortunately, there was an acquaintance nearby, none other than the "pig-slaying hero" Shigeie Oi. That guy was clearly very skilled at riding, sitting on his horse with ease, occasionally leaning in to give a few pointers, and even directly reaching out to lend a hand.

On the way, Shinzaburo swayed twice and almost lost his balance, but this friend helped him steady himself both times, and he sincerely thanked him.

In the wind and snow, human voices are drowned out; even if someone is right in front of you, you have to raise your voice a little to be heard.

Shinzaburo carefully held the reins while saying, "I am extremely grateful."

Ooi Shigeie laughed heartily and said cheerfully, "No need, no need! If you really want to thank me, how about giving me some more candied chestnuts?"

Shinzaburo was completely focused on his mount, not even having the chance to glance at it. He could only manage a weak smile and reply, "Definitely next year! This year's chestnuts have already been sent to Master Mingzhou. Why don't you go ask him for some?"

“Then forget it…” Ooi Shigeie’s tone was tinged with regret: “Master Mingzhou doesn’t eat sweets much, but his daughter… cough cough… I mean niece, would definitely love this stuff and would never share it with anyone else.”

When the topic turned to Master Mingzhou's illegitimate daughter, Shinzaburo felt a little embarrassed. But he didn't want anyone to see his embarrassment, so he tried to remain calm and forced a smile, saying, "That's difficult. You can buy ingredients like sugar and salt if you have money, but chestnuts that grow as well as mine are rare in the entire Tanba Province."

Unexpectedly, Ooi Shigeie did not let the topic go, and rode his horse a couple more steps closer, saying, "Shinzaburo, speaking of Master Meishu's daughter... niece, has no one mentioned anything related to her to you recently?"

"No?" Shinzaburo remained calm and composed, without turning around. He smiled and replied, "I don't know what strange rumors you've heard that have caused this misunderstanding. I know nothing about this."

The two chatted idly as they followed Master Mingzhou's palanquin slowly toward the Naito family's Yagi Castle.

Because he was focused on the road ahead and carefully controlling his horse, Shinzaburo was unaware that behind him, the usually carefree Oi Shigeie was concentrating on some kind of observation.

……

The group traveled for about two and a half hours through the wind and snow before arriving at Yagi Castle.

Dozens of warriors were already standing outside the city, each with some white snow on their heads and shoulders, indicating that they had been waiting for quite some time.

Master Mingzhou goes without saying; before he even stepped out of the sedan chair, a group of warriors gathered around him, bowing and offering their greetings.

Even Shinsaburo, whom no one recognized, only saw that he was an old monk's mounted attendant and assumed he was someone of high status. Some low-ranking samurai, who were not qualified to flatter the high monk, actually came to Shinsaburo, respectfully helping him dismount and holding the reins.

As for today's protagonist, Matsunaga Nagayori, who is about to take over the reins of the Naito family, he did not come out to greet us, but waited in the Ninomaru residence.

From Shinzaburo's perspective, it seems he meant that Matsunaga Nagayori's status was slightly higher than Master Meishu's, but not by much. He wondered how accurate his guess was.

When the two bigwigs met, they immediately adopted a distinctly Kyoto accent and used the riddle-solving style of Zen masters to engage in a series of witty exchanges, demonstrating that they were all highly learned intellectuals.

Shinzaburo strained his ears with all his might, only vaguely understanding that they were talking about "foxes in trees and carp in wells," without any idea what they were referring to.

He quietly asked Oi Shigeie next to him, but the latter replied nonchalantly, "I'm just a samurai from the East, I don't need to study this nonsense."

Shinzaburo questioned, "Isn't Lord Matsunaga Nagayori also a samurai? How come he could exchange words with Master Meishu so fluently?"

Ōi Shigeie replied in a low voice, "If one becomes the lord of a country and a city, one will inevitably have to deal with the cultural figures of Kyoto, and that's why one needs to learn these trivial things."

Shinzaburo shook his head and said, "In chaotic times, a true man should have ambitions. Who knows if you won't become the ruler of a country or a city someday?"

Ooi Shigeie almost burst out laughing, then, holding back his laughter, he chuckled and said, "Then we'll see when you, Lord Shinzaburo, will promote me to be the lord of a country and a city."

Shinzaburo smiled, paused for a moment, and then said softly, "Whether it's the Kyoto accent or Zen koans, they're all knowledge after all. Even if you don't need them right now, isn't it good to learn them when you have the chance?"

Ooi Shigeie didn't answer, but just stared at him silently, looking him up and down, as if he were deep in thought.

This time, Shinzaburo wasn't focused on riding, so he quickly noticed the gaze from his side and rear. He turned around, smiled, and whispered, "Why is Lord Ooi staring at me?"

Ooi Shigeie quickly looked away, gave an awkward laugh, and said in a low voice, "I was just thinking about something and got a little distracted."

Shinzaburo leaned back and joked, "Could it be that Master Meishu of Kofukuji Temple instructed you to observe my words and actions for so long?"

Ooi Shigeie hurriedly shook his head and said, "No, no, how could that be?"

But they forgot to lower their voices.

Even Matsunaga Nagayori and Master Meishu heard it.

Ooi Shigeie immediately shrank his neck, trying to hide in the crowd.

However, he is over 165 centimeters tall, and Shinzaburo is even 170 centimeters tall. When the two of them stand together, compared to a bunch of ordinary people who are only 1.5 meters tall, they are like Mount Everest and K2. How can they be hidden?

Matsunaga Nagayoshi laughed heartily and said loudly, "Master Meishu's entourage is quite spirited! Unlike the samurai of Yagi Castle, who are all too listless. Not bad, not bad! The tallest one, I met him at Kofuku-ji Temple. His name is 'Shinzaburo,' right? Please come to the study later for a chat."

……

So Shinzaburo could only watch as his companions went to rest in the residences of Higashide Maru in Yagi Castle, while he was taken by his page to wait in the palace of the main citadel.

Not long after, the dashing Matsunaga Nagayori strode in.

Shinzaburo immediately bowed and paid his respects.

Matsunaga Nagayori personally helped him up, and then the two sat down together. He then smiled and said, "Master Meishu came from Kyoto and has been serving as the abbot of Kofuku-ji Temple in Tanba for less than three months, yet he has already accomplished quite a bit. I heard that it is all thanks to your help, Shinzaburo."

Shinzaburo quickly bowed again and said cautiously, "My village of Kubo has been deeply helped by the eminent monks of Kofuku-ji Temple for generations, so I have been working hard to help the new abbot. But I have never forgotten that you are the master of Yagi Castle and even the entire province of Tanba."

Upon hearing this, Matsunaga Nagayori laughed heartily and said, "Our entry into Yagi Castle was largely thanks to Master Meishu's assistance. Although we had said beforehand that we didn't need him to worry about it and that we would succeed, Master Meishu is always so enthusiastic. Sometimes he's even overly enthusiastic."

Shinzaburo dared not answer that question.

Both the samurai lord and the monk lord are masters; neither can be offended.

Matsunaga Nagayori didn't need his reply and said to himself, "You probably already know that Master Meishu is the junior disciple of Zen Master Soto, who was the teacher of my lord Miyoshi Chikuzen (Miyoshi Nagakei). Because of this relationship, even if Master Meishu was sometimes too enthusiastic and made a mess of things, no one dared to investigate, although unfortunate servants were often implicated."

These words really struck a chord with Shinzaburo.

That old monk really is always looking for big news; he can't stand not causing trouble. We were busy running around a lot lately, afraid he might pass away alone.

Seeing that it wouldn't be good to not reply immediately, Shinzaburo cautiously said, "Master Mingzhou is kind-hearted and compassionate. Everything he does is for the sake of the people. Even if it is a little urgent, I will never have any complaints."

Hearing this, Matsunaga Nagayoshi cast a sympathetic look at him and sighed, "From what you've said, I know you must have had a very tough time lately."

Shinzaburo quickly replied, "No, no! I don't feel tired at all!"

Matsunaga Nagayori waved his hand and said, "Why hide it from me? More than ten years ago, when my elder brother and I were just two lowly soldiers, we were already in a mess because we got involved with Master Myoshu and a noble lady from a high-ranking family. We know this high monk's abilities better than anyone else."

Having said that, it would be unfriendly to continue using empty words, so Shinzaburo thought for a moment and simply replied, "It's all understood without words."

Matsunaga Nagayori laughed heartily: "Well said, everything is understood without words!" He then added: "In any case, you helped us take over Yagi Castle, so we should repay you. I originally planned to send you to the Hatamoto Corps as a flag bearer, but after careful consideration, I still think it is more suitable for you to manage the countryside."

So, the issue of his samurai identity has truly been resolved, right?

As for positions, I'm really not picky now.

Shinzaburo immediately bowed and thanked him.

Matsunaga Nagayori reached out to help him up, his face sincere, and said, "I've been inquiring about you recently, and I feel that such a talented person has been buried in the countryside, which is truly a failure of the Naito family! Now we are merely doing what our late adoptive father should have done long ago. It's just making amends for our mistakes, so there's no need for thanks."

(His adoptive father—that is, his father-in-law—refers to the deceased former Tanba Guardian, Naito Kunisada.)

This gesture moved Shinzaburo to tears.

Look at him, no wonder he's a historically famous figure. His demeanor is truly extraordinary, far superior to that old monk Mingzhou!

It's a pity that the mark of Guangfu Temple has already been placed on me, and it's impossible to remove it anytime soon.

On second thought, perhaps it was precisely because he bore the mark of Kofukuji Temple that Matsunaga Nagayori acted like a good leader; who knows?

In short, it all comes down to this: both sides are powerful, and you can't afford to offend either of them.

026 You all possess extraordinary skills!

The next day, the sun finally came out, and Matsunaga Nagayori held a conference in the plaza in front of the Yagi Castle Honmaru Palace.

However, the weather was still very cold. Even with hundreds of guests from all over Tanba gathered together, they still couldn't generate enough warmth and inevitably shivered from the cold.

People like Master Mingzhou naturally wore thick cloaks, with young monks serving them with small stoves in front and behind.

Shinzaburo could only rely on his willpower to persevere.

Moreover, his towering height makes him particularly conspicuous, and any sign of fear of the cold wind would likely invite ridicule.

One must have a firm, decisive, and composed demeanor to appear as a sufficiently "spirited" warrior.

Fortunately, the outfits provided by Guangfu Temple were quite reliable.

The innermost layer was a close-fitting cotton coat, the middle layer was linen with short sleeves, and the outer layer was a thick overcoat. The three layers together could barely keep out some of the cold wind.

To Shinzaburo's delight, Matsunaga Nagayori did not deliver the long, rambling speech he had expected. Instead, he spoke succinctly and clearly: "Since my adoptive father's unfortunate passing three months ago, Tanba has fallen into chaos. Although a heir has been appointed to the position of deputy governor, he is still too young to manage affairs, so we have temporarily assumed the role of 'rear guard.' I am a retainer of the Miyoshi family, and although I am the son-in-law of the former deputy governor, I originally had no intention of interfering with the Naito family. However, the hundreds of members of the Yagi Castle faction have unanimously recommended me, and there is no reason for me not to accept."

He then opened a document that claimed to be from the shogunate, announcing that the five-year-old child would come of age early, be named "Naito Sasakatsu", and inherit the position of deputy governor of Tanba; before he came of age, his "brother-in-law" Matsunaga Nagayori would govern on his behalf.

The child, still wearing ill-fitting clothes and headdress, wandered around looking bewildered. His little face turned red from the cold, his nose was running, and he was about to cry before being sent back to the palace to rest.

(There is academic debate about whether Naito Sadakatsu was the son of Naito Kunisada or Matsunaga Nagayori; furthermore, although Matsunaga Nagayori changed his name to "Naito Munekatsu," there are still cases where he signed his documents as Matsunaga. The historical materials in this case are not only difficult to find but also contradictory, which is very troublesome, so I have simplified it in my novel.)

At this moment, Master Mingzhou suddenly spoke up: "Since I have been invited to witness this ceremony, there is something unpleasant I must say. Lord Matsunaga Nagayori, once the new head of the Naito family comes of age, will you truly relinquish your power?"

Upon hearing this, Shinzaburo was initially startled, thinking the old monk was up to something again. After a moment's thought, he realized it wasn't about causing trouble, but rather a pre-arranged arrangement for him to play the straight man.

As expected, upon hearing this, Matsunaga Nagayori laughed heartily and said with great emotion, "Although the Naito family holds the title of Deputy Governor of Tanba, they are currently helpless against the treacherous retainers Hatano and Akai families within the territory. Even the death of the previous head of the family was somewhat related to them. If we cannot defeat these two enemies, what face do we have to linger in power? On the contrary, if we successfully defeat these two traitors, our prestige will surely spread throughout the land. Why then should we covet the Naito family's power?"

That was a very skillful way of speaking, somewhat reminiscent of Zhuge Liang's "I would accept ten lives." Shinzaburo secretly gave it a thumbs up.

Master Mingzhou nodded in acceptance.

Then Matsunaga Nagayori spoke up, saying, "However, the two villains, Hatano and Akai, have been rampant for many years, and we dare not easily claim victory. To subdue them, we must unite the entire Tanba region. Today, you are all powerful figures from various parts of Tanba. May I ask, would you lend us your strength?"

Shinzaburo initially thought this was just a polite remark.

Logically speaking, local powerful families, regardless of whether they actually obeyed the Naito family as their guardian deity, should at least make a show of submission in public, right?

Unexpectedly, the subsequent reaction was far beyond his expectations.

As soon as Matsunaga Nagayori finished speaking, a low murmur of commotion arose in the crowd.

Then, a person whose face was not clearly seen stood up from a distance and said, "Reporting to Lord Matsunaga Nagayori, I am an envoy from the Utsu family of Kuwata District. My family has always been responsible for the military service of sixty men guarding the Muromachi Palace. Many years ago, the previous generation of the shogun instructed that if manpower and resources are limited, we should first obey the shogunate and then consider the orders of the governor and the governor's deputy."

(The term "Kubo" in the Muromachi period refers to the Shogun.)

Immediately, another person stood up and said, "Lord Matsunaga Nagayori, I am an envoy from the Shiga family of Helu County. My family also has fifteen mounted attendants serving Lord Kubo day and night. Although the number is small, they are always on duty outside, which costs a lot of money. I'm afraid we are no longer able to respond to your call."

Matsunaga Nagayori, upon hearing their words, was not angry. He smiled slightly and said, "Prioritizing the needs of the shogunate is the responsibility of all samurai! Very well, the Utsu and Shiga families need not take our words to heart."

Well, what he said made things even more interesting.

Some people say, "My family has always been under the name of the noble family Takatsukasa, guarding several manors. Although we also obey the name of the governor, we have to pay the annual tribute of the manors in full, so we probably don't have the spare capacity to provide any assistance."

Another person said, "My family was once designated to provide funds and laborers for the maintenance of Todai-ji Temple in Kyoto every year, and it was explicitly stated at the time that this obligation took precedence over the orders of the guardian and the deputy guardian."

Some people also said: "For five hundred years, my family has been responsible for the general worship and protection of the Millennium Shrine and the Sozama Shrine. We have long been grateful to the Naito family for exempting us from all duties and taxes."

There are so many different things.

In short, they can all find reasons not to respond to the guardian's commands.

Moreover, they were either related to court nobles, the shogun, or powerful temples and shrines.

They all possess extraordinary skills!

Shinzaburo could tell at a glance that what they had just said was definitely just an excuse, not the real reason.

This line of thinking is actually similar to Kubomura's use of Kofukuji Temple as a shield to prevent the Naito family from raising taxes.

It just goes to show that there's nothing new under the sun, and even at higher levels, the logic remains the same.

If Shinzaburo can figure it out, then there's no reason why Matsunaga Nagayori shouldn't.

But understanding something is one thing, being able to solve it is another.

Faced with the absurd claims of these powerful local clans, Matsunaga Nagayori showed no disappointment or anger, but simply nodded calmly, acknowledging their right to disobey orders.

However, he added at the end: "We will invite Miyoshi Chikuzen (Miyoshi Nagayoshi) to assist in verifying each of the above claims. If they are true, we will certainly not treat you unfairly."

In other words, while I may not be able to handle matters involving court nobles, shoguns, and powerful temples and shrines, the powerful figures behind me might be able to handle them, so don't be too arrogant.

Shinzaburo recalled the history he had learned in his previous life, but couldn't quite remember how the Miyoshi family had handled this matter.

But one thing is certain: the new generation of "Sengoku daimyo" led by Nobunaga took decisive action and swept all this mess into the dustbin of history.

027 Matsunaga Nagayori's Reform Plan

Shinzaburo felt somewhat stifled by the conference.

We just said we should unite as one to punish the "traitors" Hatano and Akai, but a large number of people have stood up and have reasons to disobey orders. This is really demoralizing!

But Matsunaga Nagayori's expression remained perfectly calm. With a wave of his hand, he said, "It seems that many families in the three northern districts have their own unavoidable circumstances. You need not listen to the rest of this; please return to your residence in Higashide Maru to rest!"