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

Chapter 120 The Vietnam-Shin Alliance! An Unbreakable Alliance!

Inside the assessment room of the mountain town in spring.

When Sanada Nobuyuki asked him for his opinion on Hashiba Hideyoshi, Uesugi Kagekatsu fell into deep thought.

He had never really given this question a serious consideration.

Although he had previously had contact with Hashiba Hideyoshi, it was only through correspondence, and it was not under Uesugi Kagekatsu's direct supervision.

Uesugi Kagekatsu assigned Suda Mitsuchika to be in charge of liaising with Hashiba Hideyoshi.

"Gensaburo, did Hashiba Chikuzen-no-kami send you to ask this question?" Uesugi Kagekatsu slowly raised his head.

Nobuyuki Sanada replied truthfully, "That's true."

"Lord Hashiba intends to make contact with the Uesugi family and has entrusted our family to negotiate on his behalf."

Uesugi Kagekatsu sighed, "Our main family previously fought against the Oda clan and was even nearly wiped out by them."

“When our family was in dire straits, we showed no intention of surrendering. How can we possibly bow down to Oda now?” Uesugi Kagekatsu said with considerable resentment.

He is the successor to Uesugi Kenshin and the head of the Echigo Uesugi family.

Although the Uesugi family is not as powerful as before, Uesugi Kagekatsu still has his own pride.

Last year, Oda's army was almost at the gates of Kasugayama Castle, but Uesugi Kagekatsu gritted his teeth and refused to surrender.

Now, how can Hideyoshi Hashiba force Kagekatsu to come to Kyoto with just a letter?

"Lord Uesugi, times have changed."

“The Oda clan is no longer the Oda clan of yesteryear, and the Uesugi clan has lost its former glory.”

"Leaving aside distant issues, the rebellion of Shigeie Niihata and others has already threatened the Uesugi family's rule over Echigo."

"If the Oda clan launches another major attack next year, does Lord Uesugi really want what happened last year to repeat itself?"

"The foundation that the two wise rulers, Kenshin and Tamekage, painstakingly built was not meant to be destroyed in the hands of Lord Uesugi."

Uesugi Kagekatsu's face was somber, his eyes filled with struggle.

Doesn't Nobuyuki Sanada understand what he's saying?
He simply couldn't bring himself to lower his head, especially towards someone of peasant origin, a "lowly person."

"Lord Uesugi, a moment of patience brings calm, and a step back opens up a vast sky."

"If even the once-powerful Oda clan could suffer a tragedy like the Honnoji Incident, who can say whether Toyotomi Hideyoshi will repeat the same mistake?"

“But you have to survive first before you can have a future,” Nobuyuki Sanada continued to persuade him.

Uesugi Kagekatsu understood the meaning behind Sanada Nobuyuki's words.

Even the arrogant Oda Nobunaga died at Honnoji Temple, and Hideyoshi Hashiba may not necessarily be the one who laughs last.

Let's give in for now and get through this first.

Observe the situation and wait for the right moment to act. This was the advice Sanada Nobuyuki gave to Uesugi Kagekatsu.

Uesugi Kagekatsu understood and took it to heart.

"So the Sanada family also took this path?" Uesugi Kagekatsu looked at Sanada Nobuyuki.

Nobuyuki Sanada nodded and continued, "In this era of great strife, it is still unknown who will prevail."

"Where is the powerful inner palace of the Western Kingdom today?"

Where is the Imagawa family, the first archer of the Tokaido, now?

"And what about the Ni family, the Yin-Yang Prefect?"

"Lord Kenshin's will should not be broken at this time, and Lord Uesugi's path should not lead to destruction."

After taking a deep breath, Uesugi Kagekatsu slumped weakly into a seat. He needed to think things over carefully; making this decision was a rather difficult choice for him.

Sanada Nobuyuki did not urge him, and just quietly watched Uesugi Kagekatsu.

After an unknown amount of time, a gentle breeze blew in from outside, lifting the hem of Uesugi Kagekatsu's robe.

"I have already considered this matter, but I still need to discuss it with my retainers."

"Once a decision is made, the main family will inform the Sanada family immediately."

"The alliance between Uesugi and Sanada will remain unbreakable no matter what happens in the future!" Uesugi Kagekatsu said with a determined expression.

This was Uesugi Kagekatsu assuring Sanada Nobuyuki that even if the Uesugi family did not ultimately choose to side with the Hashiba family like the Sanada family, the Uesugi family would still be an ally of the Sanada family.

Even if the two sides choose different paths, it will not affect the relationship between the two families.

Of course, Uesugi Kagekatsu was also asking the Sanada family for a promise, so that the Sanada family and Hashiba Hideyoshi wouldn't attack Echigo together.

"Lord Uesugi, please rest assured that although the Yuexin Alliance is still in its early stages, it has already withstood numerous tests."

"As long as the Uesugi family continues to recognize Sanada as an ally, the main clan's arquebuses will never fire the first shot!"

Uesugi Kagekatsu nodded in satisfaction, then, as if exhausted, slumped his head and remained silent.

Nobuyuki Sanada wisely got up to take his leave.

Having achieved both of his objectives in coming to Echigo, there was no point in staying any longer.

As soon as Sanada Nobuyuki stepped out of the judging room, Uesugi Kagekatsu raised his head and whispered to the screen behind him, "Yamashiro-no-kami, you can come out now."

As soon as he finished speaking, Naoe Kanetsugu walked out from behind the screen with a solemn expression.

Clearly, Naoe Kanetsugu was not outside the castle as Uesugi Kagekatsu claimed.

"The thought of deceiving Genzaburo over such a trivial matter just now made me feel terrible," Uesugi Kagekatsu said with a regretful expression.

Naoe Kanetsugu quickly apologized, saying, "It was my fault for making my lord go against his wishes. Please do not blame yourself."

"I would also like to hear what the Sanada family will say to our lord!"

Naoe Kanetsugu always harbored suspicion towards the Sanada family.

In less than two years, Naoe Kanetsugu watched as the Sanada family rose from a vassal state of Shinano to a daimyo who controlled the entire province.

The methods used still terrify Naoe Kanetsugu when he thinks back on them.

This is the Sanada family, who are so unscrupulous and have no bottom line, yet they are seen as honest and kind in the eyes of Uesugi Kagekatsu, which is something that Naoe Kanetsugu can't understand at all.

If the Sanada family is considered honest and kind, then the Shinbada Shigeie, who launched the rebellion, must be a saint, right?
"After listening to what Genzaburo said, did you notice anything amiss?"

Naoe Kanetsugu shook his head, then buried his head in the ground again. "This time, every word they said was indeed for the sake of our family."

"Although some of the Sanada family's previous actions were indeed incomprehensible, what Lord Sanada said this time was truly insightful and thought-provoking."

"I never expected that a cunning man like Sanada Awa-no-kami could have such a loyal son as Hyogo-no-kami."

In Naoe Kanetsugu's view, both the Sanada brothers, Nobuyuki and Nobushige, were honest men. The Sanada family's previous fickleness must have been the work of that old fox, Masayuki Sanada.

"Now, our clan is surrounded by enemies on all sides: the Oda clan to the west, the Hojo and Tokugawa clans to the south, and the Date and Ashina clans to the east."

"The Sanada family of Shinano is indeed an indispensable ally of our main family."

"As for Hyogo-no-kami's suggestion to side with Hideyoshi, I think it might be worth a try," Naoe Kanetsugu continued.

Uesugi Kagekatsu stood up and looked at the "Bishamonten" hanging scroll behind him, clenching his fist and refusing to let go for a long time.

After a while, Uesugi Kagekatsu sighed, "Isn't Lord Ishida of the Hashiba family frequently writing to us? I'll leave this matter to you." "Let's make contact first. As for how to make a decision, I need to consider it carefully."

"what!"

The fifteenth day of the eighth month in the eleventh year of the Tianzheng era.

Nobuyuki Sanada returned to his residence, Nakano Castle, after concluding his trip to Kasugayama Castle.

On the same day, Hojo Ujinao, the head of the Hojo clan, the powerful ruler of Kanto, formally married Tokugawa Ieyasu's daughter, Tokuhime, thus formally establishing a marriage alliance between the Tokugawa and Hojo families.

Suddenly, the Kanto region was in an uproar.

The daimyo of Kanto jointly submitted a petition to Toyotomi Hideyoshi in Kyoto, accusing the Tokugawa lords of establishing a marriage alliance with the Hojo clan, which they believed would have a devastating impact on the Kanto region.

However, these things were not a big deal for the Sanada family, since the Hojo clan hadn't attacked yet.

With Satake and others holding the line, Hojo won't be able to reach Ueno anytime soon.

"My lord, you have returned just in time."

"The arquebuses from Sakai Port have arrived."

Nobuyuki Sanada had just entered the city when Yoshitada Kasuga excitedly ran over.

Upon hearing that a musket had arrived, Sanada Nobuyuki forgot all about going back inside to bother Sachi. Although they were both guns, it wouldn't matter if he didn't use that gun for a while.

This gun from Sakai Port is my means of survival.

"Go and have a look."

Soon, led by Kasuga no Mototada, Sanada Nobuyuki arrived at a warehouse outside the castle.

Hatsushika Shoji had already surrounded the area with his men, and the security measures were quite good.

Upon entering the warehouse, dozens of long wooden crates were neatly arranged inside, and several men who looked like merchants were sitting together chatting.

Upon seeing someone enter, one of them quickly came forward to greet them.

"I, Hirai Magoshiro, have been entrusted to deliver the goods safely. Please inspect them, Sanada family."

"After confirming that everything is correct, please submit the receipt along with the final payment."

Nobuyuki Sanada eagerly opened a box, inside which were neatly stacked brand-new arquebuses.

I randomly picked one out, weighed it in my hand, and then examined the gun more closely.

"Please rest assured, sir, these are all brand new iron cannons that have just been cast."

“If you are not at ease, you can test it out,” Hirai Sonshiro said with a smile.

Nobuyuki Sanada winked at Masaji Hatsushino, who was standing to the side, and said, "Summon Uemon-no-jue, take one from each box, and have all the samurai who can wield arquebuses gather outside."

"what!"

"These boxes contain lead blocks and saltpeter; 2000 jin of lead blocks and 500 jin of saltpeter are all here."

Nobuyuki Sanada stepped forward, opened the box, and checked it to make sure it hadn't been flooded.

Kasuga no Yoshitada quickly stepped forward, saying, "I weighed them when they were put into storage, and the weight is sufficient. They are all top-quality goods."

After hearing Kasugamoto's report, Sanada Nobuyuki was completely relieved.

Although Konishi Yukinaga wouldn't dare to lie to him, this was, after all, his first time dealing with a merchant from Sakai Port, so it was better to be cautious.

Soon, Hatsushika Nobuji arrived outside the warehouse with thirty men.

The lead blocks needed to be remelted, but there wasn't enough time, so they just used the ones that were already in Nakano Castle.

As a series of rapid gunshots rang out, although many targets were missed, it at least proved that these guns were all in good working order.

Just as Nobuyuki Sanada was happily preparing to receive the goods, he noticed a middle-aged man at the warehouse entrance looking at him with disdain.

Sanada Nobuyuki pointed at the person and asked, "Who is that?"

“Oh.” Hirai Sonshiro quickly explained, “That man’s name is Yashiro. I heard he was originally a samurai, but recently he became a prisoner. He has nothing to do right now, and we met him on the way and asked him to help with the escort.”

"If Lord Sanada finds this an eyesore, I will make him leave."

"No rush." ​​Sanada Nobuyuki waved his hand, then slowly walked towards the warehouse door, looking at the man in front of him with a hint of curiosity. "Just now I noticed that you were quite disdainful of our samurai's test firing of the arquebus. I wonder if you could enlighten me on a few things?"

"I wouldn't presume to offer guidance." The other person gently raised his head, then looked at Sanada Nobuyuki. "Are you the lord of this castle?"

"That's right, I am the lord of Nakano Castle, and the head of Sanada Hyogo!" Thanks to Hideyoshi's help in obtaining the official position, Sanada Nobuyuki's voice was now much louder when introducing himself.

You know what, this kind of official identity certified by the imperial court is actually quite useful among samurai.

"The samurai under Lord Sanada are completely out of their depth when it comes to using arquebuses."

"The loading technique, the aiming posture, the timing of firing—all were wrong!" The man's voice was loud, as if he was deliberately saying it to everyone present.

Upon hearing this, the Sanada samurai standing nearby immediately became indignant, their expressions changing drastically.

Sanada Nobuyuki subtly made a gesture behind his back, then looked at the other party with a smile, "Since you believe that my retainer has made a mistake, would you be willing to show everyone your skills?"

The man called Yashiro showed no fear and immediately stepped forward to snatch the arquebus from a samurai.

After bypassing Sanada Nobuyuki, he strolled to a spot about fifty paces from the wooden target, and then, to everyone's bewilderment, tore off a strip of cloth from his clothes and blindfolded himself.

Damn, this guy's a bit pretentious.

Sanada Nobuyuki leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, wanting to see just how awesome this guy really was.

boom!
Before Sanada Nobuyuki could prepare, the man casually fired a shot that hit the wooden target in front of him squarely.

The scene fell silent.

At this moment, the man slowly turned around, tore off the strip of cloth, and said with an arrogant expression, "I've made a fool of myself, everyone."

"Clap! Clap! Clap!"

Sanada Nobuyuki walked over, clapping his hands as he said, "Your skill is impressive. Your technique with the arquebus is so refined. You must not have been an ordinary samurai before."

A samurai who could hit the bullseye with a single shot from this distance while blindfolded was extremely rare; at least, the Sanada family certainly couldn't find a second one like him.

"It's just a little bit of fleeting fame, better not to mention it."

Just as the man finished speaking, and Sanada Nobuyuki was about to say something more, the man suddenly turned around and swiftly snatched an ammunition pouch from a samurai, loading it with ammunition and powder in the blink of an eye.

boom!
The man suddenly fired a shot into the fork of a tree in the distance, and a dark object rolled to the ground.

A samurai ran over quickly and then returned carrying a dead bird.

If those present were merely stunned just moments before, after this move, everyone's gaze towards the man changed.

Especially Sanada Nobuyuki, this guy isn't some kind of arquebus expert, he's clearly a sniper.

"May I ask your name?" Sanada Nobuyuki swallowed hard.

The man, carrying a cannon, looked into the distance and casually uttered a name, "Danhou Yimengzhai!"

　It's the beginning of the month, please hand over your monthly votes! I'll do anything for you. *crying emoji*

　　
　
(End of this chapter)