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

Chapter 158 The Medical Master
Early the next morning.

Nobuyuki Sanada opened his eyes, and a slender hand rested on his waist.

Turning her head to look, Xiaoxing also suddenly opened her eyes.

"My lord, you're awake?"

"Hmm, are you feeling alright?" Nobuyuki Sanada reached out and stroked Sachi's face, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

A sweet smile appeared on Xiaoxing's face, and then she snuggled closer to Sanada Nobuyuki.

"Ah."

"As long as my lord is happy, I am happy too."

"Silly girl." Sanada Nobuyuki rubbed Sachi's head, then lifted the blanket and climbed up from the tatami.

"You should get some more sleep." Sanada Nobuyuki specifically reminded her before leaving, as things had gotten a little too intense last night, and she needed to get some rest.

After closing the door, Nobuyuki Sanada walked through the Tang Gate in the courtyard to the front hall.

Apart from the maids and servants busy at work, no one else was seen.

"Has Genjiro not returned yet?"

Obata Kumachiyo, who was wiping the floor, quickly said, "Lord Genjiro came by half an hour ago, but since the lord is still resting, Lord Genjiro went back."

This is Sanada Nobuyuki's private residence, where only Sanada Nobuyuki, Ikeda Sen, and Koyuki live.

Looking back, just three years ago, the entire Sanada family was still crammed into the Sanada House outside Toishi Castle.

Inside the main keep of Ueda Castle, Sanada Nobuyuki saw Sanada Nobushige and Kana Saizo talking to a samurai-looking man as soon as he entered.

"Saizo, is this Lord Sasa?" Sanada Nobuyuki's voice preceded his arrival.

The three people inside the house turned around at the same time after hearing the sound.

Ke'er walked over with her head down, looking embarrassed, and said, "My lord, I made a mistake."

"Didn't catch him?"

Sanada Nobushige quickly explained, "Brother, it's not Saizo's fault."

"We had already caught up with them, but then the Tokugawa clan sent reinforcements. They outnumbered us, and we escaped in the chaos of the battle."

"I see." Nobuyuki Sanada nodded and gestured for Ke'er to sit down.

"And who is this?" Sanada Nobuyuki asked, pointing to a samurai with a worried expression.

Kaerzai hurriedly replied, "Although we failed to capture Lord Sasa, we did capture the retainers who accompanied him."

"This is Hanawa Yasutomo, a retainer of Lord Sasa."

The samurai nodded symbolically upon seeing this, then slowly bowed and said, "I am Hachiemon Hanawa, greetings to Lord Sanada Hyogo."

Sanada Nobuyuki walked to his seat and sat down, then asked curiously, "I have a question that I don't understand. Please enlighten me, Lord Hanawa."

“Speak frankly, Lord Sanada,” Hanawa Yasuyu said nonchalantly.

"Where did you get this from?" Sanada Nobuyuki picked up a piece of paper from the table; he had seen it as soon as he sat down.

This decree is a "pass" issued by the Sanada family. Caravans holding this decree can travel without inspection along the way, and this decree is only issued to merchants from Echigo.

Because the Sanada and Uesugi families had an agreement that merchants from Echigo enjoyed tax exemption in Shinano, this decree was created to distinguish them.

"Naturally, it was obtained from the Uesugi family."

Hana Yasuyuki's answer did not surprise Sanada Nobuyuki, and it confirmed his guess.

Since Sasa Narimasa was able to enter Shinano so openly, and he didn't take the Hida route, the only explanation is that he must have gone south from Echigo to enter Shinano.

Without the Uesugi family's help, Sasa Narimasa wouldn't have had such a smooth journey.

"You've made a secret agreement with the Uesugi family?"

When asked by Nobuyuki Sanada, Yasuyu Hanawa nodded and readily admitted, "There's no point in hiding it now, that's true."

"Lord Uesugi is very easy to talk to. When he heard that we were just passing through, he agreed without saying a word."

A hint of unease flashed across Nobuyuki Sanada's face.

Sanada Nobuyuki believed that the Uesugi family was trying to undermine the Sanada family. Or rather, the Uesugi family was displeased by the fact that the people of Nishi-Kōzuke Province had sided with the Sanada family.

Otherwise, Uesugi Kagekatsu would not have let Sassa Narimasa in so easily without informing the Sanada family.

"So you're planning to go to the Tokugawa clan?"

“That’s right.” Hana Yasuyu spoke frankly. “My lord is very dissatisfied with Lord Oda and Lord Tokugawa’s peace negotiations with Hideyoshi and is preparing to go to the Tokugawa and Oda families to persuade them to resume the war against the Hashiba army.”

Naïve Sassa Narimasa.

Hearing this, Nobuyuki Sanada completely lost interest. Another fool who couldn't see the bigger picture.

"Genjiro, have you written it all down?" Sanada Nobuyuki asked, looking at Sanada Nobushige, who was taking notes.

Nobushige Sanada nodded, then handed the recorded conversation to Nobuyuki Sanada.

Nobuyuki Sanada took the paper and walked up to Yasutomu Hanawa. "Take a look. If there are no errors, please sign and affix your seal, Lord Hanawa."

"What is Lord Sanada doing?" Hanawa Anyu asked, somewhat puzzled.

"Of course, I will inform Lord Hashiba about this."

Hana An-yu sighed, but still obediently signed his name.

Nobuyuki Sanada immediately summoned Kotaro Suzuki and instructed him to send someone to Osaka to deliver the paper.

Sasa Narimasa had no connection with the Sanada family, but to avoid unnecessary trouble, Sanada Nobuyuki felt it necessary to report the whole story to Hashiba Hideyoshi.

In any case, the Sanada family has fulfilled its responsibilities. As for what plans and intentions Tokugawa Ieyasu, Sassa Narimasa, and Oda Nobuo might have, let Hashiba Hideyoshi worry about them.

"I've heard that Hachiemon is a highly skilled physician?"

"I've only read a few medical books, Lord Sanada is too kind." Although he said this, Hanawa Yasuyu's smile was impossible to hide.

Sanada Nobuyuki sat down next to Hanawa Yasuyu and said with a smile, "Hachiemon, there's no need to be modest. Sen has already told me that Musashi no Kami's son, Genban, would have died young thanks to Hachiemon's treatment."

"The son of Musashi no Kami?"

“Xuanfan Hall?” Hana Anyou nodded. “I did indeed treat that child.”

"I heard that Lady Sen is now Lord Sanada's concubine, so it seems the rumors are true."

Sanada Nobuyuki continued, "Ever since Musashi no Kami's death, Genban's health has been poor."

"Since Hachiemon is skilled in this, could you perhaps take a look?"

Hanawa Anyu looked up at Sanada Nobuyuki and asked, "Lord Sanada trusts me that much?"

"I believe Hachiemon also thinks that a doctor should have a benevolent heart."

"Where are people?"

"Please come with me."

Nobuyuki Sanada got up and led Yasuyu Hanawa to his residence.

Sanada Nobushige and Kana Saizo followed behind, worried that Hanawa Anyu might do something dangerous, but it was clear that they were overthinking it.

Sanada Nobuyuki's residence wasn't very large. After entering, there were two small rooms on the left and right that served as the rooms for the maids and pageboys. Behind the central hall was a small courtyard, and passing through the Tang Gate in the courtyard led to the living quarters.

Reaching Ikeda Sen's door, Sanada Nobuyuki called out, "Sen, are you awake?" "Please wait a moment, my lord."

A short while later, Chihiro Ikeda, dressed neatly, pushed open the door and sat down to the side.

Nobuyuki Sanada pointed to An'yu Hanawa behind him, "Sen, look who this is?"

"Ah!" Chika Ikeda immediately covered her mouth and said excitedly, "It's Hanawa-sama, I didn't expect it to really be you."

"Madam, how have you been?" Hana Anyu quickly bowed.

“Xuanfan has been unwell these past few days, so I specially asked Saizo to invite Hachiemon over.” Sanada Nobuyuki sat down, took Ikeda Sen’s hand, and gently patted it.

Chika Ikeda understood what was going on, but she pretended not to know and showed a look of surprise and delight. "My lord is so kind."

After saying that, Chika Ikeda quickly turned to Yasutomu Hanawa and said, "In that case, I'll leave it to you, Lord Hanawa."

A hint of helplessness flashed in Hana Anyou's eyes. He was now a prisoner, and could be said to have no control over his own destiny.

However, Sanada Nobuyuki still gave him face, allowing him to retain the dignity of a samurai, which is why Hanawa Yasuyu agreed to help Genban with his medical treatment.

Ikeda Chiyo led Hanawa Yasutomo to Genban's room, and then left.

"Is this Hachiemon truly a divine physician?" Sanada Nobushige asked curiously from the doorway.

Chika Ikeda nodded. "It is said that Hachiemon has been devoted to medicine since childhood and is quite well-read, especially skilled at treating children."

“Xuanfan used to suffer from relapses frequently, but since Hachiemon examined him and prescribed a remedy, he hasn’t had a relapse for over a year.”

Ke'er Caizang rolled up her sleeves and pointed to a wound on her arm. "When I was serving under Lord Shibata, I was shot by an arrow, and it was Hachiemon who treated the wound."

Upon hearing what Chiwa Ikeda and Saizo Kana had to say, Nobuyuki Sanada became immediately interested in this Yasutomo Hanawa.

These days, the importance of a good doctor is self-evident.

Especially on the battlefield, many deaths are caused by the failure to receive timely and effective treatment for wounds.

A good doctor is undoubtedly a samurai's second life.

As they were talking, Hana An-yu had already come out.

Chiaki Ikeda hurriedly asked, "How is Xuanfan? Is he alright?"

Last night, when Chika Ikeda and Nobuyuki Sanada were making love, Genban suddenly fell ill, which terrified them both.

"It's the same old problem, a prescription will do the trick," Hana Anyou quickly assured him, adding that it wasn't a big deal.

Chihiro Ikeda immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

Sanada Nobuyuki then asked another question, "What illness does Genban suffer from?"

Without hesitation, Hana An-yu replied, "Asthma!"

"Asthma?"

“Yes.” Hana Anyou said while writing the prescription. “According to the records in the Golden Chamber and the Ming Dynasty’s Medical Classics, this disease is mostly caused by external pathogens entering the body or improper diet, and it is most obvious when the temperature changes.”

"A roar is expressed through sound, a pant is expressed through breath."

“The symptoms of Genban-dono are indeed asthma.” As he spoke, Hana Yasuyu had already written out the prescription and handed it to Sanada Nobuyuki.

Nobuyuki Sanada picked up the prescription and began to look at it, while Chiya Ikeda turned to look at it as well.

Hana An-yu continued to explain, "The cause of this disease lies in phlegm. Phlegm is hidden in the lungs, and it is exacerbated by the invasion of external pathogens."

"Genban-dono experienced significant emotional fluctuations due to the loss of his father, and the climate in Shinano differs greatly from that in Mino, which led to his illness."

"This disease often begins at night, and when it occurs, there is often rattling in the phlegm, rapid breathing, and an inability to lie flat."

"I have written down the methods for preventing and treating this disease, along with the prescription. If you pay more attention to your health in daily life, you will reduce the frequency of the disease."

Sanada Nobuyuki thoughtfully put down the prescription and handed it to Ikeda Chika.

Isn't this just asthma?
In modern times, this wouldn't be a big problem, but in ancient times it would have been quite troublesome. However, unless it was a particularly severe acute asthma attack leading to suffocation and respiratory failure, it wasn't likely to be fatal.

However, considering the current medical environment and conditions, as well as Genban's age, Sanada Nobuyuki continued, "I wonder if Hachiemon would be willing to stay in Shinano?"

“If Lord Sanada is worried about Genban-dono’s illness, there is no need to be. As long as he follows my prescription, the illness will be fine,” Hanawa Anyu quickly explained.

Sanada Nobuyuki waved his hand and continued, "To be honest, there are many women and children in Ueda Castle, and it is inevitable that some of them will fall ill."

"I admire Hachiemon's profound knowledge of medicine."

"I wonder if Hachiemon would be willing to serve our clan?"

Ancient Japanese medicine was inherited from traditional Chinese medicine. After Jianzhen traveled east to Japan and brought with him medical texts such as the "Huangdi Neijing" and "Shanghan Zabing Lun", Japan gradually developed "Kampo medicine" with its own unique characteristics.

Before Western medicine was introduced to Japan, traditional Chinese medicine was absolutely the pinnacle of ancient medicine.

Having just listened to Hana Yasuyu's insightful analysis of the illness and his considerable knowledge of pathology, Sanada Nobuyuki was truly moved.

These days, everyone has minor or major illnesses, especially with so many families and hostages in Ueda Castle. Having a reliable doctor is indeed very important.

"This," Han Anyou hesitated.

Although he was skilled in medicine, he was essentially a samurai. If he were to switch allegiance to the Sanada family, it would indeed be a disgrace to the family name.

"It's not impossible."

Just as Nobuyuki Sanada was about to continue persuading him, Yasuyu Hanawa agreed without hesitation.

“However, I do not serve the Sanada family as a retainer,” Hanawa Yasuyu suddenly said. “Lord Sanada, you may build a clinic in Ueda Castle, and I will live as a doctor in peace.”

"Compared to the fighting and killing of samurai, I am more enthusiastic about healing the sick and saving lives."

Nobuyuki Sanada immediately smiled.

What he valued most was Hanawa Yasuyu's medical skills; as long as the person could be saved, that was enough. The Sanada family certainly didn't lack samurai.

"Genjiro, go find Naiki and have him send someone to find a place in the castle town to build a clinic."

Nobushige Sanada nodded quickly, "I'll go right away."

Ke'er Saizo, who was standing to the side, also said, "Until the clinic is repaired, Hachiemon, please stay with me."

Kazusa usually lives in Nakano Castle, and only goes with Sanada Nobuyuki when he is in Ueda Castle.

After saying that, Ke'er took Han Anyou and left.

After everyone left, Sanada Nobuyuki smiled and said to Ikeda Sen, "Sen, now you don't have to worry about Genban's illness anymore."

"My lord." Ikeda Chi's gaze towards Sanada Nobuyuki was practically dripping with envy.

broken!

Sanada Nobuyuki panicked and was about to get up when Ikeda Chika pounced on him.

"My lord, Xuanfan and I can no longer live without you."

"Qian, let's talk this out, please."

"hiss"

comfortable.

　Hanawa Yasuyu: He became a pediatrician after the Edo period and is said to have been very skilled in medicine.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)