Japan's Sengoku Period: The Sanada Clan's Ambition

Chapter 100: Remnants of Takeda, Undermining Tokugawa!

Tokugawa Ieyasu was indeed getting anxious.

The situation in the Kinki region changed too quickly. Although he was prepared, he was still a little flustered when the day actually came.

He no longer even cared about Shinano.

"The gold coin must be in sufficient quantity."

"Dried fish must be strictly selected, and the size must be uniform."

“That southern barbarian item is too plain. Let’s add this one to make a pair.”

"Oh, and this Buddha statue, take it and wipe off the dust again."

"Xuhe, you know better than I do what women like, so you'll be in charge of the gifts for the women."

"What are you standing there for? Hurry up and go!" Tokugawa Ieyasu, with a Buddha statue in his left hand and a famous sword in his right, was sweating profusely and extremely busy.

Acha-no-katsu looked helplessly at the clumsy Tokugawa Ieyasu and quickly went over to help him to his seat.

Her real name was Suwa, daughter of the Iida clan, and a concubine of Tokugawa Ieyasu.

"My lord, these matters can be handled by your servants and me. Why do you need to do them yourself?"

"Look at you, all sweaty. Let me wipe it for you." Acha took out a handkerchief and carefully wiped the sweat off Tokugawa Ieyasu.

Tokugawa Ieyasu took the folding fan from his waist and said while fanning himself, "Who knows what that country bumpkin likes? What if we give him the wrong thing? Wouldn't that be a waste of money?"

“I’ll pick a few of each kind; surely he’ll find one he likes.”

"Didn't you look down on him before? Why are you so concerned about these things now?" Acha-no-katsu massaged Tokugawa Ieyasu's shoulders.

Tokugawa Ieyasu reached out and patted Acha no Tsubone's hand. "Put some effort into it."

"hiss!"

"How can I not take it seriously? A person of humble origins suddenly rises to a high position and wields great power; who knows what he might do?"

"I don't want to be the first unlucky one to get stabbed."

"Alas, he's even harder to serve than Lord Nobunaga!" Tokugawa Ieyasu sighed with a worried expression.

Acha-no-katsu covered his mouth, finding Tokugawa Ieyasu's embarrassed expression quite amusing.

"Be gentle! This Nanban bell is very precious; I usually can't bear to use it." Tokugawa Ieyasu suddenly stopped two pagemen who were carrying gifts, pointing to a Nanban bell in the box and instructing them.

"Ha!" The two young men quickly and carefully moved the box outside.

As Tokugawa Ieyasu watched his treasures being carried out one after another, his heart bled. Damn monkeys.

At that moment, Masanobu Honda walked in from outside.

"My lord, a letter has arrived from Mihachiro."

“Sanada Awa-no-kami was unwilling to come in person, so he decided to send his eldest son, Sanada Genzaburo, to Suruga to pay his respects to the lord.”

Tokugawa Ieyasu was taken aback upon hearing this, as if he were deep in thought.

Soon, a glint flashed in Tokugawa Ieyasu's eyes, "Is it that Sanada Genzaburo?"

"Is this the one who wrote that letter threatening our clan last time?" Tokugawa Ieyasu pressed on.

Masanobu Honda squinted and nodded.

"Good!" Tokugawa Ieyasu slapped his thigh. "I've finally caught this kid."

"So, my lord has agreed to the Sanada family's proposal?" Honda Masanobu asked slowly.

Tokugawa Ieyasu nodded. "Yes, let's settle on that."

"what!"

Jia Fei, the flute blows on the bank of the river.

Several mounted warriors slowly made their way along the riverbank.

Nobuyuki Sanada walked at the front of the group, followed by Michiki Yamagami, Kotaro Suzuki, Sasuke, and others.

"Not far ahead is Mount Yu's Gold Mine. I've heard that when Lord Shingen was alive, the gold produced there was piled up like mountains."

"After the Tokugawa clan occupied Kai, most of the Kinzan followers who originally belonged to the Takeda clan defected to the Tokugawa clan."

"That is the territory of the Anayama clan. After Anayama Baisetsu died, Tokugawa Mikawa no Kami let his son inherit the Takeda family name."

Throughout the journey, Sasuke stayed by Sanada Nobuyuki's side, introducing him to the places they passed and the rumors they heard.

Many of the place names and local customs were new to Nobuyuki Sanada, who found them fascinating.

"Sasuke, how do you know so much about these things?"

"Are you from Shinano or Kai?" Yamagami Michiki, who was from Ueno Province, asked directly out of curiosity.

Sasuke raised his head and said with a proud look, "I have followed my master to various places for training. I have been to places like Kai and other mountainous areas, so I know them very well."

"Who is your master?"

"I don't even know his name; he never revealed his real name until he died."

"Look, the big river that the Fuefuki River flows into ahead is the Fuji River. If we keep following this river, we'll reach Suruga," Sasuke said excitedly, pointing to a river that suddenly appeared ahead.

Sanada Nobuyuki looked up at the sky and said, "Hurry up, find a village ahead, rest for the night, and set off again tomorrow."

In this desolate wilderness, it would be troublesome if we encountered a hunter who had fallen into the enemy ranks.

The group quickened their pace and soon arrived at a market town located at the foot of Mount Fuji.

After making a few inquiries, I learned that this was the town in front of Daishoku-ji, a Nichiren sect temple.

The Sanada family did not follow the Nichiren sect, and Sanada Nobuyuki was not interested in temples, so he simply found an inn to stay in.

"What day is it today? Why are so many people here all of a sudden?"

"The monks' quarters are full, do you want the thatched hut left?" The innkeeper was busy calculating the bill and didn't pay any attention to Sanada Nobuyuki and the others.

Sanada Nobuyuki remained silent, but Yamagami Michiki spoke up, asking, "Yes! But could you help take care of our horses?"

"50 coins, only Yongle Tongbao coins accepted."

"Don't try to fool me with cheap money, I have sharp eyes!" The hostel owner still didn't look up; his hands were cramping from counting money for the past two days.

"Give."

After paying, a waiter led Nobuyuki Sanada and the others to a thatched hut in a secluded corner.

Pushing open the door, a stench hit me.

"This room used to be used to store horse feed, and no one has lived here for a long time."

"There's a tavern on the left ahead, and a bathhouse behind that tree on your right."

"The horse is tied up at the gate; someone will come to feed it later." The waiter gave a few simple instructions and left, not wanting to linger in this run-down place.

Sanada Nobuyuki covered his nose and crawled into the thatched hut. It was quite spacious inside, but this dilapidated hut cost 50 yen. Bungo was too dark.

"My lord, please go to the bathhouse to bathe first, while we tidy up a bit." Suzuki Kotaro said as he gestured to the two samurai behind him to begin tidying up the room.

Nobuyuki Sanada nodded and called Michiki Yamagami to head towards the bathhouse at the street corner.

As he walked along the mountain path, he kept an eye on the crowds on both sides of the street, his right hand always resting on the hilt of his sword.

"These people are all samurai, and there are quite a few prisoners too. Why are they all gathered here?" Yamagami Michi looked around warily.

Sanada Nobuyuki also looked around curiously. Just as Yamagami Michiki had said, there were at least a dozen samurai and prison guards on the short street.

Considering what the hostel owner said earlier, it seems that quite a few people have been staying here these past few days.

Just as they arrived at the entrance of the bathhouse, a shirtless man stopped Sanada Nobuyuki and his companion.

Are you also going to Suruga?

"How did you know?" Sanada Nobuyuki took two steps back, and Yamagami Michiki quickly stepped forward to block Sanada Nobuyuki's path.

"Don't misunderstand, I mean no harm." The man quickly waved his hand, then said swiftly, "Lord Tokugawa is recruiting Kai samurai within his domain to form a cavalry unit, and the people here are all going to Suruga to try their luck."

"I just noticed that you two have an extraordinary demeanor, so I would like to get to know you. Perhaps we will become colleagues in the future."

"My name is Koyama Sakon, and I was formerly a samurai within the Yamagata family territory," Koyama Sakon introduced himself.

Sanada Nobuyuki then gestured for Yamagami Michiki to step back, and then asked, "So, these are all former retainers and samurai of the Takeda clan?"

"Pretty much, there are also prisoners from other countries," Koyama Sakon explained.

"Are there many people who go to serve the Tokugawa family?" Sanada Nobuyuki asked curiously.

Koyama Sakon nodded. "There are many. Several hundred people have come over the past few months."

"What? Aren't you guys?" Nobuyuki Sanada waved his hand. "We were just passing by and were planning to go in for a soak."

"Then I advise you not to go in for now." Koyama Sakon seemed very afraid of going inside, and as he spoke, he quickly waved his hand to indicate that you should not approach the bathhouse.

Sanada Nobuyuki asked, puzzled, "What's going on inside?"

“There’s trouble inside. Listen, they’re still arguing.”

"I know that person. He is Hatsukano Den'emon-no-jo. He has a very bad temper."

"Be careful not to go in and get into trouble; that person is not someone to mess with," Koyama Sakon said with lingering fear.

Hatsukano?
Nobuyuki Sanada felt like he had heard the character "苗" (myō) somewhere before, but he just couldn't remember where.

However, the more Koyama Sakon said that, the more he wanted to go in and take a look.

"Daoji, come on, let's go inside and take a look." Sanada Nobuyuki called to Yamagami Teruhisa and they walked inside.

Koyama Sakon shrugged. Well, another one who's not afraid of death.

After Sanada Nobuyuki and his companion entered, Koyama Sakon immediately peered inside from the doorway, seemingly ready to watch the drama unfold.

When Nobuyuki Sanada entered, he found seven or eight people lying on the ground. A tall, middle-aged man was holding one person tightly, cursing incessantly.

"They dare to steal my money; they're courting death."

"Back in the Battle of Changxiao, I could come and go freely with tens of thousands of enemy troops, let alone a few good-for-nothings like you," the man shouted in a loud voice.

"Hand over the stolen money, or you're dead!"

The man, who was being held by the woman, shakily pulled a money bag from his pocket and then quickly ran outside while the man was taking the money.

Nobuyuki Sanada looked thoughtfully at the middle-aged man in front of him, seemingly trying to recognize him, but he really didn't have any recollection of him.

"What are you looking at?"

"Do you want to get beaten up too?" The other person noticed that Sanada Nobuyuki was staring at him and threatened him with his fist raised.

Shan Shangdao, no longer satisfied, immediately rebuked, "Stop being so rude! This is..."

“I know!” Sanada Nobuyuki stopped Yamagami Teruhisa from introducing himself, saying that it was best to keep a low profile when traveling.

"Your skill is impressive."

"Would you mind sharing a drink?"

Men, when they first meet, usually start by exchanging pleasantries, and after a couple of drinks, they're practically brothers. Nobuyuki Sanada is very familiar with this routine.

It's just that there's no business right now, otherwise if I had two more companions and pushed them into my arms, I could probably make him call me daddy.

"drink wine?"

"I have no interest in cheap stuff!" The man hung the money bag around his waist, then plunged into the hot spring.

The conflict ended, and some of the bathhouse waiters who had been hiding slowly came out.

"Do you have any wine?" Nobuyuki Sanada called over a waiter.

The waiter nodded quickly, "Yes."

"The best, two pots, please."

After giving his orders, Sanada Nobuyuki unfastened his sword and handed it, along with his wakizashi, to Yamagami Michiki. Then he took off his clothes and jumped into the water.

Soon, the waiter came over with two jugs of wine.

Yamaue Michiki paid Sanada Nobuyuki a fair amount, but he estimated it wasn't cheap.

"Sir, I wonder if this wine is to your liking?"

Upon hearing Sanada Nobuyuki's greeting, the man slowly approached, opened the sake bottle, smelled it, and then nodded in satisfaction.

"not bad."

"You're quite the smooth talker," Hatsushika no Shoji said, clearly pleased with Sanada Nobuyuki's attitude.

"I am Hatsukano Den'emon-no-jue. Which family do you belong to?"

Sanada Nobuyuki hesitated for a moment, then said softly, "Shinano, the Sanada family."

"Sanada?" The person opposite suddenly became interested, forgetting to drink their wine, and moved closer to sit next to Sanada Nobuyuki.

"Do you recognize Sanada Oki-no-kami?"

A name suddenly flashed through Sanada Nobuyuki's mind; he finally remembered where he had seen the surname "Hatsushikano" before.

"It is indeed my uncle!"

"So you're the son of Awa no Kami?" The other party directly revealed Sanada Nobuyuki's identity.

Sanada Nobuyuki was now even more certain, "Are you a samurai from the Hatsukano clan of Tsuru District, Kai Province?"

"Indeed, I am Hatsukano Den'emon-no-jō, the head of the Hatsukano clan. So you don't recognize me after all this time?"

"I only saw the name 'Hatsushino' in the letters left by my uncle," Sanada Nobuyuki replied with a smile.

Hatsushika no Masaji poured himself a glass of wine and drank it all in one gulp. Then he laughed loudly, "Hahaha, that's right. Oki no Kami's wife and my wife are from the same mother. He should call me brother-in-law."

Sanada Nobuyoshi and Hatsukano Masaji both married the daughters of Baba Nobuharu; they were brothers-in-law.

"You are the son of Awa no Kami, could you be Lord Sanada Genzaburo?" Hatsushino Shoji seemed to have thought of something.

"It is indeed me," Sanada Nobuyuki readily admitted.

"That is truly rude of me." Hatsushika no Masaji bowed to Sanada Nobuyuki. "If Lord Genzaburo had introduced himself earlier, I would not have spoken so disrespectfully. I hope Lord Genzaburo will not take offense."

"Lord Hatsushino, you flatter me."

"But why are you here? Are you also going to Suruga to serve the Tokugawa family?" Sanada Nobuyuki asked as he poured sake for Hatsushikano Masaji.

Hatsushika Masaji nodded. "After the Tokugawa clan occupied Kai last year, most of the Kai samurai surrendered to the Tokugawa clan."

"Several members of the Hatsushika clan have already joined the Tokugawa, but I have been waiting until now because my wife gave birth."

Sanada Nobuyuki continued, "I wonder why Lord Hatsukano chose to join the Tokugawa family, since the Tokugawa and Takeda are enemies."

"Of course, it's because the Tokugawa family pays a higher salary! We may have grudges against the Tokugawa, but we have no grudge against money."

"Especially for us former retainers of Takeda, those who originally held positions of authority within the Takeda clan were all recognized by the Tokugawa clan."

"Lord Tokugawa is a kind and honest man." After saying that, Hatsushikano Masaji took another big gulp.

Sanada Nobuyuki was secretly startled; Tokugawa Ieyasu was truly willing to invest heavily.

They offered far too much to recruit these Takeda samurai.

"Since Lord Hatsukano has such a relationship with my uncle, why not consider my Sanada family?" Sanada Nobuyuki suddenly asked.

Hatsushika Masaji glanced at Sanada Nobuyuki with surprise, and seeing that the other didn't seem to be joking, he replied with a serious expression, "Sanada?"

"Who knew about the Sanada clan before the Battle of Uehara Castle? In our eyes, wasn't the Sanada clan originally a retainer of the Takeda clan?"

"Although the Takeda clan preserved its territory after its demise, it was still far inferior to the Tokugawa clan."

After saying that, seemingly realizing that his words had been hurtful, Hatsushika Nobuji added, "Of course, no one will underestimate the Sanada family now. The Battle of Uehara Castle was indeed fought beautifully."

"As for myself, firstly, it's been a long time since I've been in contact with Oki no Kami. I heard he joined the Uesugi family?"

“Echigo is too far away, and besides, the salary of the Oki-no-kami is not high. There are so many people in the Hatsushikano clan, we can’t all go to Echigo to starve, can we?” Hatsushikano Masaji said slowly as he poured wine.

"Besides, the former territory of the Hatsukano clan is in Kai. After joining the Tokugawa, the former territory was settled. Such a condition is really hard to refuse."

Nobuyuki Sanada had to admit that what Shoji Hatsukano said was indeed from the bottom of his heart.

Compared to the Tokugawa family, the Sanada family was unattractive in every way.

It's no wonder that almost a year has passed, and the Sanada clan hasn't absorbed many former retainers of the Takeda clan, only the Hoshina clan. And that's only because the Hoshina clan's former territory is in Shinano, and because Hoshina Masamitsu is Sanada Masayuki's son-in-law.

But the thought that so many samurai had all gone to the Tokugawa family made Sanada Nobuyuki feel resentful.

So Sanada Nobuyuki couldn't help but ask, "It is fate that we meet today. I wonder if Lord Hatsukano would be willing to serve my Sanada family?"

"Don't worry about the salary; it will be more than Tokugawa's."

"Lord Genzaburo isn't joking, is he?" Hatsushino Masaji asked nervously, staring into Sanada Nobuyuki's eyes.

Nobuyuki Sanada nodded firmly, “A gentleman keeps his word.”

"grass!"

"Done!"

Hatsushika Shoji couldn't help but swear.

(End of this chapter)