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

Chapter 95 Matsunaga Danjo
Compared to the high morale of the troops in Yamazaki Castle, the atmosphere in Miyoshi Toshinaga's main camp not far away in Akutagawa Castle was extremely tense and depressing.

Miyoshi Toshinaga, who was only seventeen years old, sat at the head of the hall in armor, quietly listening to the hereditary retainer Shinohara Nagafusa reporting on the recent movements of the Hosokawa coalition forces. The retainers of the Miyoshi clan sitting on both sides also had solemn expressions on their faces.

"Are you saying that the head of the Wakasa Takeda family has arrived at Yamazaki Castle with an army of a thousand?" Miyoshi Toshinaga frowned and asked with concern.

Shinohara Nagafusa nodded and answered carefully, "That's right. Yesterday the army arrived at Oyamazaki Town at the foot of the mountain. The leader Takeda Takee Nobushige has already gone to the main camp on the mountain. Kizawa Sakyosuke, Miyoshi Sozo, and Hatano Bizen-no-kami personally went to the city gate to greet them."

"It's really hateful. Why does he, a Wakasa guardian, come and meddle in the affairs between my Miyoshi family and the Hosokawa family?" Shinohara Nagamasa, the head of the Miyoshi family and the father of Shinohara Nagafusa, said very unhappily.

"Don't get excited, Yamato-no-kami. Just listen to what Magoshiro (Shinohara Nagashina) has to say." Miyoshi Yasunaga at the side said softly to comfort him.

"I just received a secret letter from the Rokkaku family, saying that their young master, at the request of Hosokawa Kyojo, led 3,000 troops from Kanonji Castle and will arrive at Yamazaki Castle as early as the day after tomorrow." Shinohara Nagafusa continued to report.

Hearing that the Rokkaku family had also joined in, Miyoshi Toshinaga, who had just been sitting in the palace, could no longer hold back. He stood up suddenly and angrily shouted, "This Rokkaku family is really abominable. First, they sent envoys to show their friendship with the main family, and now they have accepted the invitation of the Hosokawa family to send troops to attack me. This is really not the behavior of a gentleman!"

"My Lord, please calm down. In my opinion, the Rokukaku family's dispatch of troops is very strange."

Miyoshi Toshinaga looked in the direction of the voice and found that it was Matsunaga Hisahide who was sitting behind him and was talking.

"Tanzheng, what do you mean?" Miyoshi Toshinaga asked.

At this time, Matsunaga Hisahide was just a clerk beside Miyoshi Toshinaga, but he had a keen understanding of the current situation:
"Logically speaking, since the Rokkaku family had sent people to show goodwill to the lord in advance, they should not have gone back on their word and sent troops to aid Hosokawa Kyojo. But the reality is that he did send troops. If this can be understood as a breach of trust, then why did he also send someone to deliver a secret letter informing us that the Rokkaku army would arrive at Yamazaki Castle in two days?"

"What do you think is the reason?" asked Miyoshi Toshinaga.

"I think that the Rokkaku clan was unwilling to send out troops, otherwise they would not have written a letter in advance to inform the main clan. The purpose of Rokkaku Danzheng's letter is very clear, which is to hope that the main clan can withdraw its troops before the Rokkaku army arrives to avoid a war between the two sides and cause unnecessary casualties."

"I can understand that he was reluctant," Miyoshi Toshinaga nodded. "If he was determined to go against the family, he wouldn't have sent troops now. I guess he couldn't stand Hosokawa Kyojo's pleading, so he decided to send troops to show his so-called support."

"That should be the case," Matsunaga Hisahide affirmed. "The Rokkaku clan is entrenched in Omi, and there is no real benefit in sending troops to Settsu, but he does not want to fall out with the Hosokawa clan, so he came up with this expedient plan, sending troops while informing the main clan, hoping that the main clan can understand his situation and withdraw the troops back to Shikoku in the next two days."

"Withdraw to Shikoku? I don't agree." Miyoshi Toshinaga said firmly: "Don't go back to Hanoi Shijuukesho, I will never withdraw my troops!"

"My lord, I think that since the Rokkaku clan and the Takeda clan have both joined the battle, this war may really not be able to continue." Miyoshi clan's retainer Miyoshi Hyuga-no-kami Nagayoshi and Miyoshi Yamashiro no Kami Yasunaga both advised Miyoshi Toshinaga to see clearly the strength of each other and not to be blinded by anger.

"My lord, our family has only 2,500 people, and the enemy will reach 9,000 the day after tomorrow. We really need to plan this battle carefully." Shinohara Nagamasa, who has always been mature and prudent, also suggested that Miyoshi Toshinaga withdraw his troops first.

Seeing this, Shinohara Nagafusa, who was kneeling in the palace, also decided to add fuel to the fire. He quoted the words of his second brother Shinohara Sakichibei and said:

"My lord, a few days ago, Sakichibei met Takeda Takee and his Takeda army on the streets of Kyoto. In his words, they were well-equipped and highly motivated, and were by no means comparable to ordinary armies. I have also heard that these armies were the ones who followed Takee to quell civil strife, and defeated Asakura in the east and the west. Their combat power must be quite good. I'm afraid we will suffer a lot if we face such an army."

"I have also heard of the reputation of Takeda Takee." Miyoshi Toshinaga responded solemnly, "He is only one year older than me, but he is already the guardian of two countries. He is definitely capable... However, he fled without fighting before the battle. I am afraid that it will affect the prestige of my Miyoshi family. Besides, the Seventeen Prefectures of Kawachi are my father's old territory. I will not be able to let it go until I get it back."

"My lord, to be honest, with our family's current strength, we have not yet reached the level to openly challenge the Hosokawa family. It would be better for us to retreat to Shikoku first, accumulate strength and advance slowly." Miyoshi Nagayoshi advised.

"Yes, the 17 Kawachisho will not run away anyway, they will belong to the lord sooner or later." Shinohara Nagamasa also advised. "Do we really have to withdraw our troops..." Miyoshi Toshinaga slowly sat back in his seat, closed his eyes and thought: "Once I withdraw my troops this time, I don't know when I can come back next time to take back everything that belongs to me."

"Report!" Just when Miyoshi Toshinaga was in a dilemma, the arrival of the envoy broke his thoughts.

"My lord, I have come down from the mountain to report that Hosokawa Kyojo has arrived at Yamazaki Castle!"

"Hosokawa Kyōjo is here?!" Everyone was surprised when they heard this: "He is actually here to command in person!"

"Yamato-no-kami, Hyuga-no-kami," Miyoshi Toshinaga said coldly with a livid face, "Of course what you said makes sense, but now that Hosokawa Kyōjo has arrived at Mt. Tenno, I cannot withdraw my troops no matter what."

"Lord!"

"Stop talking," Miyoshi Toshinaga was obviously stimulated by the arrival of Hosokawa Kyojo, and he said in a firm tone:
"When Hosokawa Kyojo arrived, I, Miyoshi Toshinaga, withdrew my troops. How would those outsiders see me? Do they really think I am afraid of him like a tiger? I still insist on my request. Either return the 17 Kawachi keiza to me, or we will have a fight here on Tianwang Mountain. If I lose, I will have nothing to say and will retreat to Shikoku. If I win, not only will I have to return the 17 Kawachi keiza to me, but his subordinates, Kisawa Sakyosuke and Miyoshi Sozo, will also personally lead the horses for me and welcome me to Kyoto!"

"My lord, please think twice!" All the Sanhao retainers bowed down and advised earnestly.

"I've told you, stop trying to persuade us, just go down and prepare to fight!" Sanhao Lishang said firmly.

"My lord, a letter has been sent over there, asking you to read it in person!"

Just when the atmosphere in the hall was extremely solemn and tense, Shinohara Sakichibei ran in hurriedly with a letter.

"A letter for me?" Miyoshi Toshinaga walked quickly into the hall, took the letter from Shinohara Sakichibei, and read it hurriedly. As he read on, his expression became more and more solemn.

"My lord, who wrote the letter?" Miyoshi Yasunaga and others came forward and asked curiously.

"It's Takeda Takee." Miyoshi Toshinaga put down the letter and said suspiciously, "He wants to come to Akutagawa Castle to meet me tomorrow."

"What is he doing here? Our family has never had any dealings with the Wakasa Takeda clan." Everyone was confused.

"My lord, are you ready to see him?" Matsunaga Hisahide asked with concern.

"What do you think?" Sanhao Lichang asked back.

"I think it would be okay to meet one side at a time," replied Matsunaga Hisahide.

Miyoshi Toshinaga nodded and said, "That's exactly what I meant. Please write a reply letter for me, welcoming Takeda Takee to visit Akutagawa Castle."

Thanks to Lingfeng Aoxue, Luanwu Loli, Xiaosha Da'e 2024, Xianmupu, Luedi Gongcheng, Feixiong Daochang and other friends for their rewards and monthly tickets; Thanks to Guo Guo, Gui Yihu, Minghuang LC, Mi Lu De Yuyi, Dashan Mengle Youmeng, Xingji Bricklayer and other friends for their recommendations and wonderful comments!

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(End of this chapter)