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

Chapter 160 Dongguo Musou Nobuyuki Sanada!

Outside Yumoto's house.

Yumoto Saburoemon paced back and forth anxiously, glancing up at the room every now and then.

Ke'er kept staring at him, which made him even more flustered.

Yumoto Saburoemon couldn't understand why Sanada Nobuyuki and Sanada Nobushige would suddenly appear in Kusatsu Village without his prior notice.

Was it for the annual tribute or the revenue from Kusatsu Onsen?

That shouldn't be the case, I sent it to my lord last month.

Could the number be incorrect?
I've already checked it several times, so there shouldn't be any problem.

"Can you please stop moving? You're making my eyes dizzy!" Ke'er Cai Cang, who was standing at the door, said impatiently.

Upon hearing this, Yumoto Saburoemon paused, then quickly jogged over to Ke'er Cai Cang, asking, "How should I address this gentleman?"

"Ke'er is hiding!"

"So it's Lord Saizo. I wonder how long Lord Hyogo and Lord Genjiro plan to stay here?" Yumoto Saburoemon asked nervously.

Ke'er glanced at the other person and replied irritably, "Why ask so many questions? Does the lord need to ask you for instructions?"

"No, no, not at all." Yumoto Saburoemon quickly waved his hand. "If Lord Hyogo intends to stay for an extended period, I can arrange accommodations for you."

"My lord and Lord Genjiro have come here to spend the winter."

call.
Yumoto Saburoemon breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that Sanada Nobuyuki hadn't come to Kusatsu to cause trouble, which put his mind at ease.

"In that case, I will arrange accommodations immediately."

"Mmm," Ke'er replied softly.

Not long after Yumoto Saburoemon left, Sanada Nobuyuki lifted the curtain and came out.

"Cai Zang, why don't you go find a hot spring to soak in?"

"The safety of our lord is of utmost importance," Ke'er Caizang replied immediately.

Sanada Nobuyuki patted the other person on the shoulder, "Don't worry, this is my Sanada family's territory, nothing will happen."

"Besides, isn't Genjiro still there?"

After hearing what Nobuyuki Sanada said, Keiko thought it made sense, so she ran to a bathhouse diagonally opposite.

Leaving a few foot soldiers standing at the entrance, Sanada Nobuyuki returned to the bathhouse.

As soon as I entered, I saw Atong running out with red eyes. Behind her, Sanada Nobushige tried to stop her anxiously, but Atong seemed a little reluctant.

"What's going on here?"

"Weren't you just fine a moment ago?" Nobuyuki Sanada looked at the two of them with curiosity.

Ah Tong shook her head, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopped, and sat down to the side.

Sanada Nobushige then awkwardly said to Sanada Nobuyuki, "Brother, this is my fault."

"I had some drinks with Sakubei a couple of days ago, and I stayed at Sakubei's house that night."

"As a result... as a result, I mistook Sakubei's younger sister, Ome, for Atori." As he spoke, Sanada Nobushige lowered his head somewhat embarrassedly.

Nobuyuki Sanada glared at Nobushige Sanada.

What a liar.

If you're really drunk, the software simply can't harden.

If you can make mistakes, it means you're not drunk at all.

This kind of story can only fool naive young girls; this guy definitely has ulterior motives.

"A-Tong, are you angry about this?"

“That’s not the case,” Atong replied slowly, raising her head.

Sanada Nobuyuki quickly said, "Don't be afraid, just tell me what's wrong, and I'll take care of it for you."

"It's Lord Genjiro, he... he wants Ame to be his legal wife." After saying that, Atong's tears came out again, clearly feeling extremely wronged.

Sanada Nobuyuki immediately understood; it turned out that the brat hadn't treated everyone equally.

"Genjiro, come here!" Sanada Nobuyuki took a few steps back and then beckoned to Sanada Nobushige.

Sanada Nobushige walked over with a lack of confidence, not daring to look Sanada Nobuyuki in the eye.

"Tell me, what are your thoughts?"

"Is that Ame Hotta Sakubei's sister?"

"Yes!"

"You like it very much?"

"Yes."

"Nonsense!" Sanada Nobuyuki rebuked coldly, "Given your current status, how can you choose a wife so hastily?"

"You are the eldest son of the Sanada family. It's one thing for the daughter of an ordinary retainer to be a concubine, but you want to marry her as your principal wife?"

Like Takanashi Naiki, Horita Sakubei was an ordinary retainer of the Sanada family, not even a hereditary title holder.

Given the current size of the Sanada family, even if Sanada Nobushige is not the heir, he cannot choose his principal wife so casually.

"Does father know?"

After he finished yelling, Nobuyuki Sanada's tone softened considerably.

Nobushige Sanada shook his head.

“Even my father wouldn’t agree to this.”

"Did you mention this to Sakunosuke?"

Sanada Nobushige quickly replied, "Not yet, but I have this plan."

"Give up that idea as soon as possible. Given your current status, you can't decide whether you're the legal wife or not."

"That Ah Mei, if you really like her, you can just be a concubine like Ah Tong."

"As for the choice of your principal wife, your father and I will select a suitable woman for you in the future," Sanada Nobuyuki said sternly.

Just kidding. Genjiro is such a good tool for political marriages. At the very least, he can help the Sanada family gain a powerful ally in the future.

If not someone like Uesugi, then at least someone like Satake or Satomi, but definitely not someone like Hotta Sakubei. Given the current size of the Sanada clan, they no longer need to rely on marriage alliances to win over retainers, especially since Hotta Sakubei is just a low-ranking samurai who can't even get close to becoming a senior retainer of the Sanada clan.

Sanada Nobushige is sometimes as innocent as a blank sheet of paper, but Sanada Nobuyuki must always be clear-headed.

Sanada Nobushige nodded dejectedly, which was taken as tacit agreement with Sanada Nobuyuki's words.

But judging from Sanada Nobushige's expression, he was clearly very unwilling.

Then Sanada Nobuyuki patiently said, "Genjiro, you should know that choosing a suitable wife can not only bring stability to the family, but also bring you great benefits."

"You currently only have 2000 koku of knowledge and power, but in the future you may become the ruler of a country."

“A qualified legal wife can save you a lot of trouble. Ah Mei may be very good, but with her knowledge and upbringing, she is not capable of doing these jobs.”

Sanada Nobushige listened very attentively, it seems he took it all in.

Nobuyuki Sanada patted Nobushige Sanada on the shoulder, "As sons of the Sanada family, there are some things that are not up to us to decide."

“I understand, brother.” Sanada Nobushige raised his head and answered firmly, “I’ll do anything to help you, brother.”

"Anyway, my older brother wouldn't harm me."

Nobuyuki Sanada smiled with relief. "It's good that you understand."

After saying that, Sanada Nobuyuki led Sanada Nobushige to Atori's side and whispered, "Atori, I have already spoken to Genjiro about this matter, and he will not mention the matter of the principal wife again."

"Really?" Atong stopped crying.

Nobuyuki Sanada nodded, then shoved Nobushige Sanada forward; he had to appease his own woman.

Leaving the two of them alone, Sanada Nobuyuki turned and went into the courtyard. Ikeda Chika and Koyuki were already dressed and kneeling inside, enjoying some snacks.

Xiaoxing held a pastry in each hand, her mouth stuffed full.

Chizuru Ikeda looked at Sachi with a smile. In her eyes, Sachi was a guileless little girl, and it was very relaxing to be around her.

"My lord, would you like some?"

"Sister Qian made it, it's so delicious!" Xiaoxing said, covering her mouth with a satisfied look.

Nobuyuki Sanada smiled and sat down, affectionately patting Sachi's head. "Eat more if you like. You must be exhausted from earlier."

"Sister Qian is the one who's tired."

"But Sister Chi is so amazing, she can hold her breath underwater for so long." Xiaoxing looked at Ikeda Chi with admiration.

Ikeda Chiyuki rolled her eyes at Sanada Nobuyuki. This rascal, she wondered where he got the idea from, to actually make her...
"Alright, eat up. Get some rest after you finish eating. Lord Uesugi is coming in a couple of days, and you two will have to keep Lord Uesugi's wife company."

During his visit to Kusatsu Onsen, Nobuyuki Sanada also invited Kagekatsu Uesugi from Echigo Province.

We need to have a proper discussion about the situation in Ueno and the relationship between the Uesugi family and Hideyoshi Hashiba.

Sanguo Pass.

Uesugi Kagekatsu and Naoe Kanetsugu, along with their respective wives, were also heading to Kusatsu Onsen.

On the way, Uesugi Kagekatsu seemed to be in a bad mood.

Naoe Kanetsugu knew what Uesugi Kagekatsu was worried about, so he whispered, "My lord, although the Sanada family did not inform our main family about the matter of Ueno beforehand, Ueno is not our main family's territory now."

"It is understandable that these people are willing to pledge their loyalty to Sanada Daizen Daifu."

Uesugi Kagekatsu sighed, "I'm not blaming the Sanada family; I'm lamenting how far the Uesugi family has fallen."

After hearing Uesugi Kagekatsu's words, Naoe Kanetsugu also fell silent.

Yes, since the Otate Incident, the Uesugi family's influence has indeed plummeted.

Just like the Ueno Incident, these former Uesugi vassals preferred to serve the Sanada clan rather than return to the Uesugi clan.

"If our clan remains strong, we can send a large army south when the Hojo clan attacks Kozuke."

"If our main clan had led the defeat of the Hojo clan, Ueno wouldn't be in this situation now." Uesugi Kagekatsu said with a helpless expression. The scenery along the way was not bad, but he didn't even have the heart to stop and appreciate it.

Naoe Kanetsugu continued, "The most urgent task for our clan now is to quell the rebellion of the Shinbada clan as soon as possible and restore our strength."

Uesugi Kagekatsu nodded in agreement and continued, "As long as the Niibata Rebellion continues, our clan will be subject to others in every way."

"Although the Hojo clan has withdrawn its troops this time, they will definitely send troops again next year."

"Our main family has no power to intervene in Ueno. Since the Sanada family is willing to take care of it, then let's leave it to the Sanada family."

For Uesugi Kagekatsu, Ueno was a liability. He had already lost that territory, so there was nothing to regret about giving it up.

What he resented most was that the once mighty Uesugi family had lost all its power in his hands.

Perhaps it's time for a change.

For the rest of the journey, Uesugi Kagekatsu remained silent, and the group continued their journey in silence.

After resting overnight in the famous Walnut City, we arrived at the Rock Cabinet City the next day.

Uesugi Kagekatsu originally intended to meet with Sanada Masayuki, but was informed by Kamara Shigeharu that Sanada Masayuki was at Minowa Castle.

After leaving the prepared gifts, Uesugi Kagekatsu continued his journey to Kusatsu Onsen, and after another day of travel, he finally arrived.

"Lord Uesugi, Lord Naoe, you must be tired from your journey." Nobuyuki Sanada had received a message from Shigeharu Kamahara long ago, so he specially greeted them at the door.

Kazuya led his men to take Uesugi Kagekatsu's entourage to rest, while Sanada Nobuyuki pulled Uesugi Kagekatsu and the others to Yumotoya.

"Lord!"

Upon seeing Uesugi Kagekatsu enter, Sanada Nobushige blurted out.

“Genjiro, you no longer need to call me lord.” Uesugi Kagekatsu looked at Sanada Nobushige with a sigh. “Genjiro also made great contributions in the Battle of Torikawa. I heard about it in Echigo. Well done, Genjiro!”

"Hehe." Sanada Nobushige grinned. "It's all thanks to Lord Uesugi's excellent teaching. I was very grateful for Lord Uesugi's patient guidance in Echigo."

"Both of you brothers are excellent samurai, especially Genzaburo. I was right about you back then!"

"I received a letter from Lord Hashiba just two days ago, in which he praised you highly."

"In the Battle of Nagakute, you single-handedly retrieved Mori Musashi-no-kami's body from tens of thousands of enemy soldiers, and this story has spread throughout Echigo!"

"As expected of the most loyal and righteous man in Shinshu, in my opinion, being the most loyal in Shinshu is not enough, he should at least be the most outstanding in the East!" Uesugi Kagekatsu immediately bestowed the title of "most outstanding in the East" upon Sanada Nobuyuki.

Nobuyuki Sanada was also very happy; these days, the benefits of being famous are obvious.

"Thank you, Lord Uesugi. I am truly unworthy of the title of 'Peerless in the East'."

"Alright, let's not stand on ceremony."

"This is A-Fune, whom you've met before, and this is my wife, A-Kiku," Uesugi Kagekatsu then introduced, pointing to the two women behind him.

Sanada Nobuyuki quickly stepped forward to greet him.

As Kikuhime walked past Nobuyuki Sanada, she slowly asked, "How is Matsu doing now?"

Sanada Nobuyuki was stunned for a moment, but quickly realized that Kikuhime was referring to Nobumatsu, the two of them being sisters.

"Lady Matsuhime is doing well and is very happy living in Ueda Castle."

"That's good. I hope the Sanada family will take good care of us from now on. There aren't many of the Takeda family members left who have survived." Kikuhime seemed to be feeling sentimental, and her words were tinged with sadness.

Seeing this, Sanada Nobuyuki quickly instructed Ikeda Chika and Koyuki behind him to take Kikuhime and Atsune inside to rest.

The two understood that the men had serious business to discuss, so they tactfully left.

After everyone left, Nobuyuki Sanada and the others sat down in an empty house.

"Lord Uesugi, regarding Ueno..."

Before Sanada Nobuyuki could finish speaking, Uesugi Kagekatsu interrupted him, saying, "There's no need to mention Ueno anymore. I'm not the kind of person who holds grudges."

"Kōshū is no longer under the control of the Uesugi clan. The Hōjō clan can occupy it, and so can the Sanada clan."

Sanada Nobuyuki immediately said gratefully, "It's wonderful that you think that way, Lord Uesugi. I also don't want this matter to affect the relationship between the Uesugi family and the main family."

"If it weren't for the Sanada family, the Hojo family would have already conquered Ueno. In fact, our main family should be more grateful to the Sanada family."

Uesugi Kagekatsu wasn't just making things up.

After the Honnoji Incident, the Hojo clan launched two attacks on Ueno, but both were unsuccessful due to the Sanada clan's influence.

If it weren't for the Sanada family, Hojo Takahiro would have been driven back to Echigo long ago.

“Ever since Genzaburo left, I have been considering his previous suggestion.”

“Just two days ago, I finally made up my mind.” Uesugi Kagekatsu looked directly into Sanada Nobuyuki’s eyes and said with a resolute expression.

Sanada Nobuyuki quickly asked, "What does Uesugi-sama mean?"

"The matter of seeking refuge with Hashiba."

"The Uesugi family can't afford to waste any more time." Uesugi Kagekatsu finally came to terms with reality.

What he had previously insisted on, his most prized possession, the "Uesugi family name," is now utterly worthless in the current situation.

The Sanada clan of Shinano rose to become a powerful force, controlling the entire Shinano province and half of the Ueno province, in just over two years, thanks to their alliance with Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

In contrast, the Uesugi family remained in a state of semi-death, unable to even deal with a small-time family like the Shigeie family of Shinbata.

In particular, when Uesugi Kagekatsu saw how easily Hashiba Hideyoshi had dealt with the formidable "Hideyoshi encirclement," he became even more uneasy.

If we don't do something soon, once Hideyoshi Hashiba is completely free, what will come to Echigo next will not be Ishida Mitsunari's letter, but Hideyoshi Hashiba's army.

"I have decided to go to Kyoto, but I need you, Genzaburo, to accompany me."

When do we set off?

"Next spring, after the snow melts in the Northland."

(End of this chapter)