Japan's Warring States Period: The Rise of the Wakasa Tiger

Chapter 60 Gentleman’s Agreement
"First, if I return the position of family head to Chang Yasha and I retreat to Haishan Castle, he may settle accounts with me when he grows up. Secondly, let me hand over the Ono tribe to you? With the more than 10,000 people on the front line, as well as the Ashiga tribe and the Makai tribe, you will have nearly 20,000 people in your hands. And I will be alone at that time, and you can control me at will."

After listening to Asakura Kagetaka's explanation, Asakura Sotei was even more furious. He did not expect that at this critical moment related to the future of the Asakura family, the Oono County Magistrate who was once entrusted with an important task would be so selfish.

"Are we going to watch the Asakura family destroyed in your hands?" Asakura Soden asked.

Asakura Kagetaka disagreed: "Master, you are exaggerating. When Sun Jiro was the head of the family, he did a lot of ridiculous things, but you didn't complain and assisted him wholeheartedly. Why do you blame me for becoming the head of the family? It seems that you are not a selfless person."

In the hall of the imperial palace, Asakura Kagetaka and Asakura Soteki were at loggerheads with each other, but neither could convince the other, and they ended up parting on bad terms.

After Asakura Soteki returned to his residence, Maemaya Kagetada suggested to Asakura Kagetaka that they should just go all out and send a ninja to kill him, so as to avoid any further complications.

Although Asakura Kagetaka resented Asakura Munetoshi, he was still clear-headed. This "Echizen War God" possessed unique influence and appeal within the Asakura clan. Now that he had just succeeded as the head of the family, the family was already unstable and many people were still in a wait-and-see stage. If he were to get rid of him at this time, it would probably cause dissatisfaction among the neutral faction, thus breaking the delicate balance and bringing disaster to himself.

At that time, Asakura Munetsuji's heart was actually very complicated. To be fair, Asakura Kagetaka's ability was no less than Asakura Takakage's. If he had obtained the position of head of the family through normal means, he would have been willing to assist him. But he usurped power by launching a civil strife. Not only that, Asakura Takakage also "fell off a cliff and died". How could he trust the future of the Asakura family to such a cruel person?

There is an old saying that goes "When the ruler is young, the country is suspicious", which means that when the ruler is young and has just come to power, people will be suspicious and uneasy.

To be fair, when the matter is settled, it is indeed more reassuring to let Asakura Kagetaka, a veteran and experienced man, serve as the head of the family than a six-year-old child like Asakura Nobukage. Now that the situation on the Wakasa front is unpredictable and the Kaga side is ready to make a move, Asakura Kagetaka, who is both powerful and capable, seems to be the only choice for the Asakura family under the current situation.

However, Asakura Soteki had his own ideals that he had to stick to. "The lower class overthrowing the upper class," a common occurrence during the Warring States Period, was intolerable in his eyes, let alone when it happened to the Asakura clan to which he belonged.

Unwilling to give up, Asakura Munetaka went to the palace again on the 21st, hoping to persuade Asakura Kagetaka, even if he did not agree to all three conditions he proposed, to at least accept the first one, which was to return the position of family head to Asakura Nobaki.

However, Asakura Kagetaka was firm in his attitude and would not give in on the first and second conditions. He only said when talking about the third condition that he could hand over the Ashiwa clan and part of the Umakai clan to Asakura Muneshige, while the Ōno clan had to stay in Ichijodani Castle.

As the price difference between the two parties was too big, the talks were about to end in a bad mood. However, in the evening of that day, three bolts from the blue came one after another, forcing the two people who were ready to go their separate ways back to the negotiating table.

"Tsuruga Gunji was defeated at Iwade Mountain, Yamazaki Shinzaemon-no-tsugu was killed in the battle, and the Gunji himself was captured!"

"Asakura Ueuewei was ambushed at the foot of Mount Asakura and unfortunately died in battle!"

"Asakura Genbansuke fought a field battle with the Takeda army in Kurino, and was eventually defeated and committed suicide!" Upon hearing the three pieces of bad news reported by the envoy, both Asakura Soteki and Asakura Kagetaka were shocked.

The former’s shock is understandable. After all, when he left, he still had nearly 10,000 troops. How could he suffer three defeats in a row and be completely wiped out?

The latter was shocked because he wanted to use the Takeda army to weaken the forces in Asakura Soteki's hands and help himself to secure his position as the head of the family, but he failed unexpectedly and his entire army was wiped out. As a result, he would become the target of public criticism for obstructing reinforcements. Not only would he lose his position as the head of the family, but his life might even be in danger under the anger of the public.

The most urgent task was to send troops to stop the attack of the Takeda army as soon as possible, so as to prevent the war from spreading to the heartland of Echizen and posing a threat to the rule of the Asakura clan.

In the end, the two of them still put the overall situation first and sat down together again. After a short period of tug-of-war, they finally reached a preliminary "gentleman's agreement":
First, Asakura Kagetaka promised that after a hundred years, or after he became a monk and retired, he would pass on the position of family head to Asakura Nobunaga;

Second, Asakura Kagetaka promised to let his legitimate son take over the post of Ono County Magistrate and return to Haishan Castle from now on;

Third, Asakura Kagetaka promised to hand over all the Ashigashi and Umakaishi detained in Kawashima Castle and other places to Asakura Muneshige, but the latter must also promise to disband all of them after the war, and Asakura Kagetaka would re-recruit the Umakaishi to defend Ichijodani Castle (in other words, to purge the remaining forces of Asakura Takakage).

It can be said that for the sake of Echizen's overall situation, both sides made great concessions, but it was also this agreement that laid the groundwork for the Asakura clan's future internal strife.

After the agreement was reached, Asakura Soteki immediately organized his army and prepared for war. The next day, he led 3,000 Ōno-troops south. On the way, he absorbed 1,000 Ashiwa-troops and Umakai-troops who were detained in Kawashima Castle, and released Maenba Kagesada, one of the "Four Bugyo" of Ichijodani, and allowed him to go with the army.

When Asakura Soteki led his army to Nanjo County, he received news that Kanezaki Castle had been captured by the Takeda army. He was shocked and immediately accelerated his march, hoping to capture the Komeitoge fortress group before the Takeda army. However, he ultimately failed to seize the opportunity, allowing the Takeda army, which was also marching at a fast pace.

Asakura Sotei knew clearly that if he could not capture the Kitametoge fortress group, he would not be able to break through the Mokuling natural barrier with the existing forces. Therefore, he could only urge the other groups of Ashiwa and Makai to come and join him while waiting for the opportunity.

In order to find out the strength of the Takeda army and its next intentions, Asakura Soteki sent Maeba Kagesada to Komeitoge Castle in the evening of the day when Nobushige held his post-war evaluation. However, the Kuriya brothers who were guarding the castle said that they could not negotiate with him on behalf of their master, so they sent him to Kanezaki Castle to meet Nobushige.

Kanezaki Castle, once the seat of Tsuruga County, is now covered with the Takeda clan's "Four Ware Rings" and the "Marunouchi Rings" representing Nobushige himself. Inside and outside the castle, a group of Takeda troops patrolled back and forth, full of energy and high morale.

"Perhaps this is the appearance of a winner." Looking at these Takeda soldiers with their heads held high, Maematsugu couldn't help but feel sad.

(End of this chapter)