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

Chapter 150 Hurry up and go to Shinano to invite Sanada Masayuki!
Sato Kentada thought for a moment and said two names: "either Sanada Genjiro or Yamagami Michiki."

“No.” Nobuyuki Sanada refused outright.

Yamagami Michiki was his most important retainer, and during battles he was to lead troops alone as a "General-in-Chief" to share the burden with him, so naturally he had to stay by his side.

Sanada Nobushige, who now commands the Red Guard, is Sanada Nobuyuki's trump card, and Sanada Nobuyuki would not allow Sanada Nobushige to stay.

Just as Sato Kentada was about to ask why, Suzuki Kotaro walked in from outside.

"My lord, Lady Tsumabuki requests an audience."

Sanada Nobuyuki's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly had Suzuki Kotaro bring the person in.

Soon, Tsumagi Yoritada walked in with an excited look on his face.

"Greetings, my lord!" Tsumabuki Yoritada bowed deeply.

Sato Kentada, standing to the side, looked puzzled. He was unaware of the deal between Sanada Nobuyuki and Tsumagi Yoritada, and wondered if Tsumagi Yoritada was a retainer of the Mori family.

"My lord, the matter has been settled."

"The samurai and retainers of the Tsumagi clan are all willing to serve the Sanada family alongside me," Tsumagi Yoritada said with great excitement.

Nobuyuki Sanada smiled and said, "Good job, Gyakura."

When can we set off?

"Tomorrow!" Tsumagi Yoritada quickly replied.

Nobuyuki Sanada nodded in satisfaction, then turned to Taketada Sato and said, "Maragi Masakatsu has decided to leave the Mori family and will become a retainer of the main family from now on."

"The former territories of the Mingzhao Yuanshan family and the Anmu Yuanshan family will henceforth be the territory of the Tsumaki family."

"Once the land inspection is completed, several villages will be separated from the former territory of the Miaomu Yuanshan family and handed over to the Tsumaki family to ensure that the Tsumaki family's income reaches 5000 koku."

Sato Kentada quickly accepted the order, "Ha!"

"Well, Yagakusuke, I haven't broken my promise, have I?" Sanada Nobuyuki looked at Tsumagi Yoritada.

Tsumagi Yoritada grinned, unable to hide the smile on his face.

Although everything had to start from scratch after the transfer of fiefdom, the territories granted to him by Sanada Nobuyuki were the former territories of the declining Meisho Toyama and Yasuki Toyama, which were originally the territories of Toyama Tomotada.

With Toyama Tomotada dead and Toyama Tomomasa gone to Mikawa, these places became "no man's land".

Tsumagi Yoritada also brought his retainers with him, so it will be quick for his subordinates to take over the territory.

"From now on, the Tsumaki family will be a tool in the Lord's hands, at his beck and call!" Tsumaki Yoritada quickly pledged his loyalty.

Sanada Nobuyuki listened to it as a joke. What loyalty could a samurai like Tsumagi Yoritada possibly have? He was just someone who couldn't stay with the Mori family anymore.

Sanada Nobuyuki wanted the retainers of the Tsumaki family to fill the power vacuum left by the departure of the Toyama family. Tsumaki Yoritada, on the other hand, wanted the protection of the Sanada family to ensure the continuation of the Tsumaki clan; it was a mutually beneficial arrangement.

Of course, as time went on, this superior-subordinate relationship became more and more solid, and it was only a matter of time before the Tsumaki family became a full retainer of Sanada Nobuyuki.

The premise is that the Sanada family must maintain its dominance and not "collapse halfway through its endeavors."

Soon, Sanada Nobuyuki wrote the pledge and handed it to Tsumagi Yoritada.

After receiving the certificate of appointment, Tsumagi Yoritada immediately returned to Tsumagi Castle, brought all the retainers and samurai he had gathered to Ena County, and also collected the "autumn tribute" for the second half of the year before leaving.

Three days later, when Lin Weizhong arrived in Qimu City to take over the territory, he was completely dumbfounded.

The entire Tsumaki territory, from Tsumaki Yoritada down to ordinary magistrates and lower-ranking samurai, had fled, leaving only an empty Tsumaki Castle.

Lin Weizhong opened the warehouse of Qi Mucheng with trembling hands, and cursed as soon as he saw the empty warehouse.

Upon further inquiry, Lin Weizhong discovered that Tsumagi Yoritada had also taken the annual tribute for the second half of the year with him. Lin Weizhong felt as if the sky had fallen and the earth had collapsed.

Can we still live like this?

Sanada Nobuyuki was completely unaware of the commotion within the Mori family at that moment; he had already embarked on his journey back to Shinano.

Before leaving, in addition to taking more than 800 young men with him, Sanada Nobuyuki also appointed Tsumagi Yoritada as a magistrate to assist Sato Kentada in handling affairs in Ena County.

Although Tsumagi Yoritada had only recently joined the family, everything the Tsumagi family had in Ena County was provided by the Sanada family, so naturally they would cling tightly to the Sanada family's coattails.

Leaving Tsumagi Yoritada behind can also serve as the eyes of Sanada Nobuyuki.

After Hideyoshi Hashiba withdrew his troops from Ise, the fighting along the Mino-Owari line came to a standstill, and Nobuyuki Sanada asked Hideyoshi Hashiba for permission to return to Shinano.

Hideyoshi Hashiba quickly agreed to Nobuyuki Sanada's request, as the Kanto region was indeed in turmoil recently.

July 15th, the twelfth year of Tianzheng.

With the help of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the Hojo clan suddenly turned Minagawa Hiroshi, a member of the "Anti-Hojo Coalition," against them.

Previously, the Kwantung Army and the Hojo clan's army had been locked in a stalemate in the Numajiri region for more than three months (the Battle of Numajiri). Although small-scale battles had been taking place on both sides, neither side had developed a decisive fighting spirit that could affect the outcome of the war.

The battle remained deadlocked, with neither side able to gain the upper hand.

However, Hiroaki Minagawa suddenly betrayed them and captured Iwafune Castle, which was located behind the Kanto Allied Forces.

Iwafune Castle was located behind the Satake coalition's positions. By controlling Mount Nobefune, Hiroaki Minagawa effectively cut off the Satake coalition's retreat route.

This made Yoshishige Satake and the others restless.

The Kanto War broke out because Satake Yoshishige persuaded Yokose Kunishige and Nagao Akinaga, members of the Ueno garrison, to send troops to attack Tomioka Hidetaka of Koizumi Castle.

The Hojo clan sent troops to rescue Koizumi Castle, and the Satake coalition followed suit, escalating the war into a chaotic conflict throughout the Kanto region.

The Kwantung Army had a diverse group of participants, and the fighting had made no progress, making the internal situation unstable.

Now that their escape route has been cut off, they naturally don't want to continue fighting.

The Hojo clan did not want to continue to fight the Kanto Alliance, so Hojo Ujimasa had to go to rescue his younger brother, Tomioka Hidetaka.

So the two sides quickly reached an agreement and went back to their respective homes.

Now it was Yokose Kunishige's and Nagao Akeno's turn to be dumbfounded.

They were persuaded by Yoshishige Satake to decide to oppose the Hojo clan. Previously, during the Ueno Kokujin uprising, they were among the few Kokujin who sided with the Hojo clan.

But now that Yoshishige Satake has betrayed them, things have gotten much worse.

Without the intervention of the Satake coalition, the Hojo clan's army began a large-scale advance towards Ueno. Yokose Kunishige and Nagao Akinaga suddenly remembered that they were also Ueno garrisonmen.

Since the Satake coalition is unreliable, they might as well go to Hojo Takahiro.

Hojo Takahiro is also dumbfounded. You didn't come when we asked you to "start a business" together, but now you're coming to join us?

Not only are you late, but you also brought the Hojo clan's army with you. Isn't this just setting us up for failure?
Inside the city of Stable Bridge.

Hojo Takahiro looked at Yokose Kunishige and Nagao Akina in front of him, his hand trembling as he reached out, but he couldn't utter a single word for a long time.

"Lord Mori, we are also samurai from Koshu. You must not stand by and watch us die this time." Hojo Takahiro and Aki's Mori family are from the Oe clan, and Hojo Takahiro is a direct descendant of the Oe clan, making his bloodline purer than that of the Aki Mori.

"Remember me now?"

"Why didn't you come sooner?" Hojo Takahiro gritted his teeth in anger. "Back then, I rallied the samurai of Koshu to drive out the Hojo, but only the two of you didn't come."

"Don't you think it's too late to ask me for help now?"

Yokose Kunishige said with tears in his eyes, "Now that we have also betrayed the Hojo, please, Lord Mori, lend us a helping hand, out of consideration for our shared status as samurai of Koshu."

"Yes, Lord Mori, you are the supreme commander of Kozuki and have the support of the Uesugi clan. If you can step forward, you will definitely be able to stop the Hojo clan's attack." Nagao Akinaga, who was standing to the side, also began to flatter Hojo Takahiro.

"You two are really good at causing trouble!" Hojo Takahiro glared at the two men, then turned to his son-in-law, Naba Akimune, who was standing to the side. "There's no other way now."

"The Hojo clan will not let go of the opportunity to retake Ueno, so we have no choice but to fight them."

Naba Kensune said somewhat flusteredly, "But the Uesugi clan's reinforcements only number a few thousand, while the Hojo clan on the other side has an army of seventy thousand."

"Then what are you still standing there for?"

"Quickly go to Shinano and summon Dr. Sanada Daizen!"

While requesting reinforcements from the Uesugi clan, Hojo Takahiro also sent Naba Akimune to Shinano to find Sanada Masayuki.

Although the meeting at Minowa Castle ended badly, everyone was united on the issue of opposing the Hojo clan.

Now that the Hojo clan's army is pressing in, they have no choice but to reunite.

With 70,000 troops of the Hojo clan gathering in Ueno, Sanada Masayuki, upon receiving the news, dared not be careless and hurriedly appealed to Sanada Nobuyuki in Mino for help.

Ueno is in grave danger, return immediately!

Upon receiving Sanada Masayuki's plea for help, Sanada Nobuyuki naturally rushed to Shinano without delay.

By the time they arrived at Ueda Castle, it was already July 23rd.

At this time, the Hojo clan had successively captured Kanayama Castle of Yokose Province and Tatebayashi Castle of Nagao Akinaga, and began to advance towards Masahashi Castle, Minowa Castle and other places.

An army of 7 has already besieged the city, and the situation is extremely critical.

"Xiaoxing, this is Aqian, the daughter of Ikeda Kii-no-kami of the Mino Ikeda family."

"This is my concubine, Xiaoxing."

Inside Ueda Castle, Sanada Nobuyuki brought Ikeda Chika to Sachika's presence.

Contrary to expectations, Koyuki did not show any dissatisfaction or jealousy towards Ikeda Chi's arrival. On the contrary, she thanked Ikeda Chi for taking care of Sanada Nobuyuki during this time.

Looking at the sensible Xiaoxing, Sanada Nobuyuki also looked gratified.

"Sister Qian, you will live in this room from now on."

"Ueda Castle was just built recently, everything is brand new." After Ueda Castle was built, Koyuki also moved from Nakano Castle to live in Ueda Castle.

"Thank you, Sachi. I thought you wouldn't give me a friendly look." Seeing Sachi's enthusiasm, Chiya Ikeda felt relieved and let down her guard.

Xiao Xing smiled sweetly, "How could that be?"

"I've been hoping for a long time that someone could help me share the burden."

"Sister Qian should have already experienced it, right?" Xiaoxing said, her face flushing red.

Chika Ikeda understood what Sachiko was referring to and immediately agreed.

"My lord is indeed very capable." As she said this, Ikeda Chihiro's mind immediately flashed back to the scene of her splashing water everywhere, and her face turned red.

Once the two women brought up the topic, they suddenly seemed to have opened a floodgate of conversation, and they sat facing each other and began to discuss their experiences.

Sanada Nobuyuki had no time to deal with these matters. Three orders from Sanada Masayuki to urge the army to advance arrived in one day, indicating that the situation in Ueno was indeed precarious.

After resting for two days, just as Sanada Nobuyuki was about to set off for Ueno, the ninja under Izuura Morikiyo's command brought him bad news.

The Tokugawa army is gathering in the Kai and Suruga areas, and there seem to be signs that they are about to attack Shinano.

"broken!"

Sanada Nobuyuki's forehead began to bead with sweat. If the Tokugawa clan attacked Shinano at this time, the Sanada clan would be in danger.

"Where is Sasuke? Bring Sasuke to see me!"

Soon, Sasuke appeared in front of Sanada Nobuyuki at lightning speed.

"Sasuke, you must immediately head to Suruga to find your uncle and make sure you find out the Tokugawa family's true intentions."

"Understood!" Sasuke didn't say much and simply accepted the order.

As Sanada Nobuyuki watched Sasuke leave Ueda Castle, he began to feel anxious.

Was the Tokugawa clan bluffing or not?
At this point, they could only rely on Sanada Nobuyoshi, who served the Tokugawa clan.

　Impact of the Battle of Numajiri: Although the battle ended in a draw, the post-war situation in the Kanto region was extremely favorable to the Hojo clan.

　　Many opportunists began to break away from the anti-Hojo coalition and join the Hojo family, which improved the Hojo family's external environment.

　　The local lord of Hitachi, Makabe Ujiki, was extremely dissatisfied with this matter and sent a sharply worded letter of condemnation directly to Satake Yoshishige, accusing Satake Yoshishige of allowing the Hojo clan to grow powerful. He criticized Satake Yoshishige for "an unprecedented act of appeasement and concession."

　　However, another impact was that after this battle, the daimyo in the Kanto region who were not convinced by the Hojo clan no longer sought to resist the Hojo clan through their own abilities, but instead placed their hopes on relying on Hideyoshi Hashiba.

　　In other words, the fact that the Hojo clan later became the target of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's campaign was also related to the constant requests from daimyo such as Satake and Utsunomiya.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)