The Self-Cultivation of Warring States Warriors

Page 49

Shinzaburo didn't want to see a bunch of old men in their fifties and sixties kneeling and kowtowing, so he waved them off, indicating that he never minded.

Kumataro, Hashibei, and several other followers from Kubo Village maintained an expression of complete disbelief, confidently telling the miners, "Our Lord Genban is just that amazing!"

Without a hint of objection, the miners happily began preparations for silver mining under the direction of Hasegawa Munehito.

As for the autumn harvest, it was all left to the elderly, women, and children in the family to handle.

If there's silver to dig up, who would want to thresh grain?

Ten days or so later, at the end of August, Master Mingzhou came to visit from Guangfu Temple.

This time, he abandoned his usual pomp and circumstance, only bringing eleven or twelve attendants. The journey had taken its toll, causing him to look somewhat unwell, but he was in high spirits.

The old monk reached out and grabbed my arm as soon as we met, asking, "Did you really find the silver?"

Shinzaburo said, "These past few days have further confirmed that the silver mine should yield more than a thousand kan next year. If the business goes smoothly in four or five years, it may even exceed three thousand kan."

Upon hearing this, the old monk did not laugh. Instead, he calmed down and said seriously, "Is it necessary to find a way out in advance? If I were to simply become the abbot of Guangfu Temple and hand over Zhengxian Temple, I might be able to gain the full support of the Rinzai sect and allow you to serve as the Silver Mountain Attendant for ten years."

The old monk now holds two positions. Kofuku-ji is a well-known temple in the Tanba area, and Shosen-in is a branch temple of Daitoku-ji in Kyoto.

The former may seem to be of a higher level, but its weight is actually less than that of the latter.

Even in terms of commercial interests alone, the annual revenue of Kofukuji Monzencho is not as good as that of Shosen-in.

Imai Munehisa initially approached them to build connections, specifically for the exclusive right to sell deerskin in Sakai-cho. That was just one of the many businesses managed by the Shosen-in Temple.

During this period, some disputes arose within the Linji sect related to this matter, and the situation was not favorable for Master Mingzhou.

“Uncle, there’s no need for that!” Shinzaburo immediately objected: “It would probably be a losing proposition.”

“However—” Master Mingzhou shook his head and sighed, “This old monk is advanced in years, and even if I linger in this position, I do not know how much longer I have. What if…”

“Uncle, please hear me out.” Shinzaburo said with utmost solemnity, “I am now a force to be reckoned with in Kubo Village, and I am also highly respected in Noguchi Township. Moreover, my reputation as ‘Tamba Zhong Kui’ is so great that it can even attract powerful clans from outside Funai County to become my ‘fellowship’. These are the true sources of my power. If I continue to serve in the Silver Mine and distance myself from my roots, no matter how much money I manage, I will only be a ‘magistrate’ who can be replaced at any time.”

"Hmm...that makes sense." Master Mingzhou pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded and said, "So, you intend to use the position held by the Copper Mining Bureau to gain more opportunities to control the 'foundation'..."

“That’s indeed my thought. Of course, it’s not a bad thing to keep the silver for a while.” Shinzaburo nodded and then shook his head: “However, I can’t quite say what exactly constitutes a ‘good opportunity’…”

“Yes, this certainly needs careful consideration,” Master Mingzhou said. “I have two or three days of free time, and I can explain to you in detail the recent internal and external situation so that we can see what to do.”

093 plotting to obtain a position in a prefecture

After settling in, the father-in-law and son-in-law first discussed the reason why Shinsaburo was transferred three months ago.

From the Matsunaga brothers' perspective, they probably just wanted to promote newcomers from their own faction without much consideration.

However, it was a delicate and sensitive period.

At that time, Hosokawa Ujitsuna, who had just been elected as the Kanrei (chief advisor) of the shogunate, established a "new government" in Yodo-ko Castle, on the southern outskirts of Kyoto. Hosokawa Ujitsuna then issued documents to the four regions of Yamashiro, Izumi, Kawachi, and Tanba, demanding, in his capacity as head of the Hosokawa family, that all samurai in these regions obey the command of Miyoshi Nagayoshi.

Miyoshi Nagayoshi was nominally only the deputy governor of Settsu, while his three younger brothers, Awa, Awaji, and Sanuki, did not have the official authority to govern the territories of the Kinai region.

Therefore, this document is still quite significant from a legal perspective.

However, Hosokawa Ujitsuna's presence and influence also expanded. He cannot be regarded as a mere puppet.

In this situation, Miyoshi Nagayoshi proposed that Kubo Yoshiaki, known as "Tanba Zhongkui," be appointed as "Tada Copper Mining Office Magistrate" in the capacity of "Hosokawa family retainer." This would essentially give Hosokawa Ujitsuna both industry and talent, which would undoubtedly please the new Kanrei (chief administrator).

Miyoshi Nagayoshi, probably out of consideration for maintaining the overall situation, also gave his approval.

The Matsunaga brothers suffered a silent loss, not only failing to promote their followers but also losing face. They would have to find a way to compensate Shinzaburo in order to keep their faction's underlings in check.

In fact, everyone knows that the position of "Tada Copper Mining Office Manager" is not a good one.

It is estimated that Hosokawa Ujitsuna may have planned to make Shinzaburo suffer for a while before inviting him to Kyoto and giving him a better position, as a way of winning him over.

Shinzaburo originally had a religious background and was not someone who could be manipulated at will.

However, at that time, a scandal suddenly broke out at Daitoku-ji Temple in Kyoto that monks were soliciting men and women from the town to hold sex parties in the monks' quarters. The abbot, Zen Master Soto, was furious and dealt with the matter seriously.

Throughout the sect, everyone began emphasizing adherence to the precepts. Fueled by those with ulterior motives, Master Mingzhou's extravagant wedding for his illegitimate daughter in Tanba Province earlier this year suddenly escalated from a trivial matter of conduct into a serious political stain.

In addition to being the abbot of Guangfu Temple, the old monk also served as the head of Zhengxian Temple, a highly coveted and prestigious position that was coveted by many.

In particular, in the last two years, the Daitokuji school of the Rinzai sect and the Miyoshi family joined forces to wrest some of the power in Sakai Town from the Nichiren sect's main lineage.

Seisen-in plays a significant role in the story.

Given Master Mingzhou's status, if he had remained in Kyoto, he might not have left any loopholes. However, he currently serves as the abbot of Tanba Kofuku-ji Temple, which sometimes makes it difficult for him to manage both affairs effectively.

In short, the complex web of interests involved is unfathomable.

In this situation, it would be quite appropriate to transfer Shinzaburo, the person involved, to the Tada Copper Mining Office, which is now a clean government office, and to handle the matter in a low-key manner.

……

This analysis, while containing some one-sided speculation, is probably pretty close to the truth.

In short, it can be summed up in one sentence:

The water is too deep!

Although Master Mingzhou and his son-in-law Shinsaburo already had a certain reputation and status, they still had little power to fight back when they were caught in the crossfire of the "battle of the gods".

Logically speaking, we should just accept our defeat and endure it, waiting for a chance to retaliate later.

However, within three months of joining the company, Shinzaburo discovered a new silver mine within the jurisdiction of the copper mine.

Moreover, he deliberately let Ikeda Katsumasa, the young master of the Ikeda family, see and hear the matter of "having the opportunity to earn 5,000 kan every year in the future".

Knowing that guy's personality, he's probably bragging to everyone right now!

The situation changed instantly.

Anyone with a brain can understand how great a feat it is to discover a new silver mine.

No matter how many unspoken rules exist behind the scenes, any political entity must always respect the most basic principle of "rewarding merit" on the surface; otherwise, it will lack team cohesion.

Of course, the mining hasn't officially started yet, and the subsequent figures are just estimates, so it won't cause too much of a stir for the time being.

If the returns are truly good next year or the year after, we will face a delicate situation.

Hosokawa Ujitsuna was basically starting from scratch, with no people, no money, and no land. He probably felt it didn't matter who managed the mine, as long as they paid him some money.

Miyoshi Nagayoshi and his confidant Miyoshi Nagayoshi might not be able to accept that a Tanba man with the title of "Kanrei Neishū" (a high-ranking official in charge of internal affairs) could control such a large amount of wealth.

There is a risk of being promoted in name only but demoted in reality.

I wrote to Master Mingzhou beforehand to invite him over, hoping to plan ahead and find a suitable place to go.

In this way, the initiative for the future will be in our own hands.

Shinzaburo's first choice was to return to his hometown in Funai District, Tanba Province, to solidify his foundation.

Master Mingzhou brought news that there had been recent changes in Tanbo.

In the first half of the year, Matsunaga Nagayori led 2,400 men to fight for the Miyoshi family in Harima. The allied forces of powerful clans in Amada District, led by Ashida and Adachi, insisted on attacking the Akai family in Hikami District alone, but suffered a crushing defeat.

From then on, "Red Demon" Akai Naomasa became incredibly powerful and arrogant.

Taking this opportunity, Miyoshi Masayasu, who had always opposed Miyoshi Nagayoshi, joined forces with Akai and Hatano on the orders of Hosokawa Harumoto, the exiled shogunate governor, and incited the Utsu family of Kuwata District to launch an attack in early August.

Back then, Shinsaburo was oblivious to everything else and only focused on finding silver mines.

Matsunaga Nagayori responded with remarkable composure, holding the castle for seven days. Then, observing the enemy Utsu clan's lax defenses, he launched a surprise attack at dawn, routing them. Seeing the unfavorable situation, the other enemy forces retreated.

Shinzaburo was far away at the Tada copper mine in Settsu Province and naturally could not attend. However, the Noguchi village garrison, led by Inatomi Shigenobu, seemed to have achieved some success.

An interesting anecdote also arose from this.

That was Miyoshi Masayasu, who had been in exile for many years and had essentially become a ronin without income. This time, in order to raise funds for the army, he auctioned off his family's famous teapot, "Matsushima," in Sakai Town, and only then did he get some cash.

However, the uprising still failed.

This distant relative of Sanhao Changqing seems to have reached a dead end, and it's unclear why he's still persisting.

After winning the defensive battle, Matsunaga Nagayori took advantage of the situation to invade the Utsu family's territory and acquire a considerable amount of land in the southern part of Kuwata District.

Then, taking advantage of his rising prestige, he announced that he would conduct another "land inspection".

Of course, for the people of Funai County, it was "once again".

This is the first time for the eastern part of Taki County and the southern part of Kuwata County.

The powerful figures of this era generally had relatively low administrative capabilities; a single operation was simply insufficient to thoroughly understand the situation. Typically, it required at least five repetitions to truly extract the full benefits from the lower ranks.

In name, apart from the initial one, the subsequent ones are considered "new field surveys," which target newly reclaimed wasteland.

However, in practice, regardless of whether it is new land or old land, as long as it was not previously recorded in the books, it is a target of the census.

Shinzaburo had long given much thought to this issue, and upon hearing Master Mingzhou mention it, he subconsciously said, "I have indeed thought quite a bit about land surveying."

Master Mingzhou pondered for a moment, then shook his head and said, "Regarding matters such as land surveys and military service, Lord Pengyunxuan will probably only follow existing strategies and is unlikely to easily listen to the suggestions of others."

Hōyūken is Matsunaga Nagayori's Buddhist name. Now, people both inside and outside the family are gradually using this name to refer to him.

“Indeed.” Shinzaburo could only admit, “These are the top priorities of the neighboring country, and there will certainly be a comprehensive consideration.”

"However... it seems there is something that is particularly troubling for Lord Pengyunxuan." Master Mingzhou recalled for a moment, and then said, "Funai County, as our base, goes without saying. The eastern territories of Duoji County are also gradually stabilizing and submitting. Only the southern territory of Kuwata County, which was just occupied this month, does not yet have a capable general stationed there, so there is no way to discuss the land survey."

“If we can obtain the position of guardian or acting official of Kuwata County, even if we lose the silver mountain, it is not a pity.” Shinzaburo said, “Although the total tribute revenue of Kuwata County may not be as much as five thousand kan, in my opinion, it is a place where we can better show our skills.”

Master Mingzhou pondered for a while, first frowning and thinking hard, then suddenly he thought of something and said excitedly, "Directly aiming for a prominent position is rather crude. However, there is currently an opportunity to enhance one's reputation, and one can accumulate experience in just one or two months. After that, whether returning to Tanba or continuing to manage the Silver Mine, it will be much easier."

Shinzaburo asked doubtfully, "Such a good opportunity is probably not easy to get."

Master Mingzhou said confidently, "The opportunity is good, but there aren't many suitable candidates. Besides, I will try to mediate."

Shinzaburo nodded, then considered the next question: "Three months ago, I received an appointment from Hosokawa Ukyo, and it seems my status has suddenly changed to that of a retainer of the Kanrei (chief regent). If I were to return to Tanba to serve as the district governor in the future, would that cause some trouble?"

Master Mingzhou smiled and said, "If handled improperly, it will cause trouble. If handled properly, it will be beneficial."

After hearing this, Shinzaburo thought about it for a moment and immediately felt that it made a lot of sense.

094 Thank you for your trust, Lord Supervisor.

Speaking of which, my former superior, Matsunaga Magoroku, was appointed "Taki-gun Toshinori" at the end of last year for his achievements in the "Battle of Honmeyama". In fact, that operation could be described as a tailor-made "perfect" job, which, although risky, did not require much thought.

As for Shinzaburo, although he has already performed better than that guy, he still needs to work harder to increase his reputation in order to catch up.

But there's nothing to complain about.

His uncle is Matsunaga Hisahide.

Moreover, if it weren't for Master Mingzhou's connections, Shinzaburo might not even have become a township-level official by now.

So what exactly is the method for farming reputation?

Shinzaburo looked at him expectantly.

Master Mingzhou smiled calmly and said, "Have you heard of the Mitsumura family of Bichu?"

In the past two years, the old monk has often used this kind of question to start new topics.

Generally speaking, whether it's about the Otomo, Mori, and Amago in the west, or the Oda, Imagawa, and Hojo in the east, Shinzaburo can always answer with a few words.

However, despite appearing frequently in Koei Tecmo games, this Mimura from Bitchu has always lacked distinct characteristics.

Aside from the fact that their family would later be wiped out by the notorious tyrant Naoie Ukita, I don't seem to have any other impressions.

Shinzaburo could only honestly say, "I only know that the Mimura family is a powerful clan in Bichukuo, and the current head of the family seems to be named 'Iechika'. I don't know much else about them."

Master Mingzhou still praised him, saying, "Such power is limited to the powerful clans of one country. It is already very rare to know their names."

Shinzaburo quickly and modestly replied, "If I have the opportunity in the future, I will definitely work harder to pay attention to the situation of various countries."

Master Mingzhou smiled and continued, "The Mimura family was originally just a village official. It was only because of the Mimura family's ability to fight and win that they occupied half of the territory of Bitchu Province and gained the support of the Mori family of Aki Province, thus consolidating their family business."

That does sound impressive; no wonder he's featured in Koei Tecmo's games.

We can't yet discern the old monk's intention in speaking; we can only continue listening.

After a pause, Master Mingzhou continued, "The reason we can only occupy half the country is because the Sho family, the deputy governor of Bitchu, has been struggling to survive with the help of the Izumo Amago family. But now the Sho family has finally reached its limit and is planning to accept the Mori family's offer of concessions."

This matter is not surprising to hear.

Motonari Mori was indeed very capable. Although Haruhisa Amago was also a relatively outstanding daimyo, he still paled in comparison.

However, it still has nothing to do with me.

At this moment, Shinzaburo knew, of course, that the best approach for a Zen monk was to adopt a patient and unhurried demeanor.

Master Mingzhou nodded in appreciation. Then he finally got to the point: "But the Zhuang family considered themselves to be descendants of high-ranking retainers of the Hosokawa family, and were unwilling to bow down to a commoner, so they could not make up their minds. Therefore, Zen Master Eishin of the Mori family came from afar to ask Hosokawa Ukyo to persuade them."

Shinzaburo immediately understood: "I imagine Hosokawa Ukyo would readily agree. Does my uncle mean for me to go to the western provinces as Hosokawa Ukyo's messenger to assist the Mori clan?"

Master Mingzhou said, "Exactly! Hosokawa Ukyo's position as Kanrei has not yet been supported by the various states. At this moment, it would be easy to obtain permission for anyone who comes to him to request it."