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

Chapter 46 Loyal! Sincerity!
Inside a side hall of Daitoku-ji Temple.

Hideyoshi Hashiba walked to the seat of honor and sat down, casually leaning against the table beside him. "I've heard some things about Shinano. It seems the Sanada family served under Takikawa before?"

"Yes! Lord Nobunaga once regarded our family as a supporter of Lord Takikawa."

"Ikeda and Takikawa mentioned you, Sanada Genzaburo, right?" Hashiba Hideyoshi's eyes darted around, constantly scrutinizing Sanada Nobuyuki.

"Why are you coming to me instead of Takikawa about the Shinano matter?" Hideyoshi asked casually.

That's what they said, but the probing meaning behind it was quite obvious.

Sanada Nobuyuki replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, "After Honnoji, Lord Hashiba quelled the rebellion of Akechi Mitsuhide in Yamazaki, eliminating internal troubles, and then helped establish a young lord in Kiyosu Castle to stabilize the family."

"In the Oda clan today, I really can't think of anyone who can match Lord Hashiba's achievements."

"Now everyone in the world knows that Lord Hashiba is the one whom the Oda family has the most support." After saying this, Sanada Nobuyuki raised his head and looked at Hashiba Hideyoshi.

However, Hideyoshi Hashiba did not react at all.

After waiting for a while, Hideyoshi Hashiba suddenly spoke up, "That's it?"

Nobuyuki Sanada:? ? ?
"Go on, what you just said is exactly what I wanted to hear." Hideyoshi Hashiba said, indicating that he would like to say more, as he wanted to hear it.

Nobuyuki Sanada:.
Unsure of what Hideyoshi Hashiba was really thinking, Nobuyuki Sanada could only continue with his formulaic report: "As a retainer of the Oda clan, our family protected the territory for the Oda clan when the Hojo, Tokugawa, and Uesugi attacked Shinano. Therefore, I have come to report this matter to Lord Hashiba today."

After saying that, Sanada Nobuyuki took out a letter and said, "This contains a detailed record of the situation in Shinano and the battle situation in each castle. Please take a look, Lord Hashiba."

It's clear that Hideyoshi Hashiba is in a really good mood right now.

Originally, Hideyoshi Hashiba was very excited to come to Daitoku-ji Temple today.

The fact that he would be in charge of handling Oda Nobunaga's funeral demonstrates that Toyotomi Hideyoshi has seized control of the Oda clan's power.

Suddenly, the Sanada family appeared and started praising them without saying a word.

How could Hideyoshi Hashiba, who had served Oda Nobunaga diligently for decades, have heard of such things?
Moreover, Sanada Nobuyuki traveled all the way from Shinano to find me and report to me. What does that mean?
This shows that Hideyoshi Hashiba's name had spread to Shinano and even further into the Kanto region.

"Let's put Shinano aside for now. Come on, let's go somewhere."

Under Sanada Nobuyuki's astonished gaze, Hashiba Hideyoshi walked straight out of the side hall.

Completely unaware of the situation, Sanada Nobuyuki could only follow closely behind Hashiba Hideyoshi, turning through several corridors before finally stopping in an empty courtyard.

"I plan to hold my lord's funeral here. What do you think? Isn't the location good?" Hideyoshi Hashiba said with a sly smile, his eyes narrowed.

Sanada Nobuyuki could say anything, so he quickly nodded and said, "Since it is a place carefully selected by Lord Hashiba, it is naturally excellent."

"However, recently, because of the funeral at home, Shibata and others are very dissatisfied with me."

"Gensaburo, what would you do if it were you?" Hideyoshi Hashiba asked.

After speaking, Hideyoshi Hashiba's gaze remained fixed on Nobuyuki Sanada. For some reason, Nobuyuki Sanada was feeling quite uneasy; why was this monkey not playing by the rules?

I was clearly talking about Shinano, so where did you suddenly come from?

However, Sanada Nobuyuki quickly regained his composure and slowly said, "I do not know Lord Shibata, but in my humble opinion, this Lord Shibata is probably jealous of Lord Hashiba."

"Oh?" Hideyoshi Hashiba suddenly became interested. "Continue."

"It is said that Lord Shibata was active on the battlefield as a retainer of the Oda clan from a very early age and was known as the fiercest general of the Oda clan."

"But Lord Shibata, who bears the title of the fiercest warrior, did not personally defeat Akechi Mitsuhide. Instead, it was Lord Hashiba who performed this feat."

"Lord Shibata must feel ashamed about this as well."

Hideyoshi Hashiba looked at Nobuyuki Sanada again, his scrutinizing gaze sweeping over Nobuyuki Sanada's entire body.

Most people might not have believed this explanation, but coming from a stranger from Shinano province, Hideyoshi believed it.

I imagine the other person must admire and respect me a lot, right?
Hideyoshi Hashiba couldn't help but feel secretly pleased.

"You said you came all the way from Shinano, so why did you come empty-handed?" Hideyoshi suddenly changed the subject. A whole host of daimyo and samurai had sent him gifts recently, even daimyo of Tokugawa Ieyasu and Mori Takamoto's stature, but the Sanada family hadn't given him anything at all.

When questioned by Hideyoshi Hashiba, Nobuyuki Sanada immediately prostrated himself on the ground and said in an extremely sincere tone, "I have come here to present Lord Hashiba with the most precious thing in Shinano."

"Oh?"

"What is it?" Hideyoshi Hashiba looked down at Nobuyuki Sanada.

"The Sanada family's loyalty!"

After Sanada Nobuyuki finished speaking, he raised his head and looked directly at Hashiba Hideyoshi.

A glint of insight flashed in Hideyoshi Hashiba's eyes. "The Sanada family's loyalty?"

"As far as I know, the Sanada family only governs the small prefecture of Shinano and the two counties of Kano."

"The Sanada family's loyalty doesn't seem to be very interesting," Hideyoshi Hashiba said, looking at Nobuyuki Sanada with a half-smile.

Sanada Nobuyuki quickly replied, "After months of fighting, my Sanada family has reached an agreement with the local lords of Shinano. Now, under the leadership of our family, Shinano has returned to the rule of the Oda family."

"As long as Lord Hashiba acknowledges the main family's control over Shinano, then Lord Hashiba will gain the loyalty of the entire Shinano."

"Hahaha, the Sanada family's plan is quite clever." Hideyoshi Hashiba couldn't help but laugh.

However, Hideyoshi Hashiba also knew that no one would bow down to you for no reason unless you could provide them with what they wanted.

If the Sanada clan wants Shinano, then it depends on whether Hideyoshi Hashiba needs the Sanada clan's loyalty.

"This matter cannot be decided by me alone; I must consult with Qingzhou."

"But don't worry, as long as I, Hideyoshi, ask, they won't dare refuse." When he said this, Hideyoshi exuded unparalleled confidence.

Upon hearing this, Nobuyuki Sanada finally relaxed.

From Hideyoshi Hashiba's words, we can infer that he accepted the Sanada family's overtures.

Hideyoshi Hashiba is currently at a crucial moment in seizing power within his own household, so he naturally wouldn't refuse the offer from the Sanada family, who have come to him willingly.

Besides, what kind of place is Shinano?
That was Takigawa Kazumasu's territory, and it had already broken away from the Oda clan's control.

According to the Kiyosu assessment, if the Tokugawa clan defeated the Hojo clan, then Shinano would belong to the Tokugawa clan.

In any case, Shinano was never meant for Hideyoshi Hashiba.

Now that there's an opportunity to gain the Sanada family's loyalty with just a blank check, Hideyoshi Hashiba naturally wouldn't let it pass; this risk-free deal couldn't be more profitable.

Whether the Sanada family could hold onto Shinano after acquiring it was not his concern.

Having successfully defended the area, the Sanada clan had overcome the obstacle. From then on, they caught the eye of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and it wouldn't be a bad idea to include the Sanada clan in his plans.

Even if he couldn't hold out, Hideyoshi Hashiba wouldn't suffer any losses.

Most importantly, what if we really push the Sanada family and the people of Shinano province to the brink, and they defect to the Hojo or Uesugi?
With this in mind, Hideyoshi Hashiba made a decision.

"Walk."

When Sanada Nobuyuki heard Hideyoshi's call, Hideyoshi had already run far away when he looked up again.

"Lord Hashiba, where are we going now?"

"Owari, Kiyosu Castle!"

　Regarding the internal situation of the Oda clan after Honnoji: At the Kiyosu Conference, although Sanboshi was confirmed as the head of the clan, due to his young age, he was jointly assisted by Oda Nobutaka and Oda Nobukatsu, with Hori Hidemasa serving as his tutor. Hashiba Hideyoshi, Niwa Nagahide, Shibata Katsuie, and others participated in the decision-making.

　　In other words, the Oda clan had at this time become a system similar to a "co-deliberation system among senior retainers".

　　Internal matters were decided by senior retainers, each with their own cliques. This period can be seen as a chaotic time within the Oda clan.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)