Warring States Survival Guide

Chapter 228 The Asai Family, A New Ally

After admiring the various proposals put forward by the councilors of Wanjin, Haruno still couldn't find a moment to rest. As the first leader of Wanjin, many people still wanted to see him privately after his return from the expedition.

Endo Chiyo, Maejima Juro, and others reported to him on the domestic situation in Wanjin, indicating that in addition to the thriving industry and commerce, agriculture was also developing well. After this autumn harvest, Wanjin had basically shaken off the effects of the typhoons, floods, and droughts of the previous two years, and was basically self-sufficient in food, with reserves gradually recovering to above the safe level.

Okabe Ichien, the outsourced "chief engineer," also came over. Following the example of Endo, Maejima, and others, he gave a separate report to Haruno, saying that he hadn't been idle during the three months Haruno was away. Because of the abundance of manpower and materials, Wanjin Shipyard had dug five new docks. By the end of this year, it would probably be able to start construction on six to seven ships at once. As long as the shipbuilders' training can keep up, with so many skilled workers, Wanjin's shipbuilding capacity will take a big leap forward.

Incidentally, he also discussed his experience using the "Chita" with Haruno, and mentioned that the second "O-Atake Copper-Skinned Ship" at the Wanjin Shipyard was nearing completion, and the Wanjin Navy would gain another powerful member.

Finally, taking advantage of the fact that Wanjin Shipyard was a key project at present, he asked Yuanye for a group of adult "primary school students" (adult students produced by Wanjin state-owned workshops and primary school literacy classes). He felt that the people of Wanjin who had received basic education seemed to learn carpentry faster and were more obedient, much better than the farmers he recruited.

After Okabe left satisfied, Haruno still couldn't go home to rest. Instead, he went to the military camp to check on the situation of the Wanjin Army and gave a surprise inspection of the new recruits' training.

After Yuanye finished his work, Aqing also met with Aman's subordinates—two groups of people. One group was responsible for monitoring the inside of Wanjin, and the personnel were kept secret, so Aqing needed to secretly convene a secret meeting. The other group was the "Survival Corps," responsible for collecting intelligence from the outside world. In case of emergency, they had already been sent to Yuanye by fast boat, and Aqing brought them over for general matters.

Of course, there is also new information.

Aqing waited quietly for Yuanye to stamp the documents with a series of "clicks" and approve them. Then she took out a small notebook and said softly, "Your Highness, four days ago, Oda Nobunaga sent someone to invite you and Princess Inu to Komaki Castle."

The "sales expedition" launched by Haruno took more than half a year from preparation to successful completion. During this time, Oda Nobunaga was not idle either. While engaging in small-scale battles with Saito Tatsuoki in the Kawanami region, he was also actively preparing to deal with Oda Nobukiyo, the traitor lord of Inuyama Castle. He has now completed the construction of the attack position at Komakiyama Castle and moved his residence there.

Incidentally, Oda Nobunaga also fulfilled his previous dream by moving his "true love" to Komakiyama Castle. Now, the "mistress" of Komakiyama Castle is Ikoma Yoshino, so he no longer has to run dozens of miles away every ten days or so to have an affair.

This matter was also approved by his principal wife, Nohime. However, in exchange, Oda Nobunaga entrusted Nohime with the care of his second son born to Ikoma Yoshino, who would become the future Oda Nobutada. Nohime also registered him as her legitimate son, making him Oda Nobunaga's tacit heir. Nohime, who had never borne children, was very fond of the child and named him "Miraculous Maru" after taking a character from her former name.

As for Oda Nobunaga's eldest son, the son of the sister of his retainer Harada Naomasa, because the word "eldest" in his name was a bit of a hindrance, Oda Nobunaga sent him to the Murai family and entrusted him to another retainer, Murai Sadakatsu, to raise, in order to prevent the child from fighting for the family's inheritance in the future.

Haruno wasn't particularly interested in matters concerning Oda Nobunaga's inner quarters; these were all pieces of information gathered haphazardly by the "survivalists." However, Oda Nobunaga came to see him again...

As he sorted through the documents, he casually asked A-Qing, "Is the Oda clan preparing to attack Inuyama Castle and asking us for help?"

Aqing lowered her eyelids and flipped through her notebook, reciting verbatim, "It should be. According to the report submitted by the local intelligence personnel, Oda Nobunaga probably hopes that we can help defend the Kawanami area so that he can attack Inuyama Castle without any worries. In addition, he probably also wants you to meet with Azai Nagamasa... However, this point cannot be confirmed at the moment, it is just a deduction based on Matsudaira Motoyasu's upcoming visit to Komakiyama Castle."

"Asai Nagamasa?" Harano was very familiar with this person. He was the husband of Princess Ichi, known as the "most beautiful woman in Japan's Sengoku period," and Chacha's father. It seems that Oda Nobunaga later turned his head into a sake cup.
I don't remember exactly, it's also possible that the materials came from the Asakura family...

It's only been two or three years since the Battle of Okehazama, and Oichi is only six or seven years old. Is Oda Nobunaga now going to form an alliance with Azai Nagamasa and marry Oichi off to him?

I vaguely remember it wasn't that early. Maybe they got engaged first to become in-laws, and then got married three or four years later?

Yuan Ye pondered for a while and became somewhat interested in Asai Nagamasa, after all, he was a historical figure. However, the Asai family was too far away from him, and the development focus of Wanjin was not in the northwest. He had never really paid much attention to this person before.

If Aman were here, he could ask her directly. Aman would definitely chatter on for more than ten minutes without stopping. But now that Aman has been sent to Ezo Island to find the Ainu people, he can only see for himself. Winter is coming soon. In modern Hokkaido, the snow is often knee-deep in winter. It will probably be even colder in this era. He'll let that bastard freeze to death and see if she dares to be a third wheel again.

Haruno was preoccupied with Aman and instructed Aqing to retrieve intelligence files on the Omi region and the Asai clan, preparing to carefully study this "new ally." Indeed, he, Oda Nobunaga, and Matsudaira Motoyasu were now a small group, all swearing to help each other. It was likely that Oda Nobunaga wanted to add another member to this small group, and Aai Nagamasa would naturally become an ally of Wanjin as well.

The file was delivered quickly, and Yuanye took it and carefully looked through it.

Omi is a major country located east of Kyoto, embracing Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan.

Before the Muromachi Shogunate was established, southern Omi was ruled by the Rokkaku family, the main branch of the Sasaki Genji clan, while northern Omi was managed by the Kyogoku family, a branch of the Sasaki Genji clan.

At the beginning of the Muromachi Shogunate, the Kyogoku family produced a prominent figure, Sasaki Dōyō, who once influenced the shogunate. The Kyogoku family also took the opportunity to expand rapidly, at its peak controlling the five provinces of Izumo, Oki, Hida, Settsu, and Omi. Its power even surpassed that of the main family, the Rokkaku family, and it became one of the "Four Offices" of the shogunate.

However, after the Onin War, the Kyogoku family declined rapidly and lost most of its territories within a few decades, leaving only northern Omi. Subsequently, a power struggle over succession occurred, with the brothers Kyogoku Takahiro and Kyogoku Takayoshi killing each other. Taking advantage of this, the Asai family, the magistrate family of Asai District in northern Omi, rose to power, directly expelling the main family and seizing northern Omi.

After that, it went through two more generations, Asai Ryomasa and Asai Hisamasa, and by the time it reached Asai Nagamasa, he was the third head of the family.

However, Asai Nagamasa is currently having a tough time. During the Asai Ryosuke era, the Asai family was quite powerful, but like father, like son, Asai Hisamasa is a weak and incompetent man. He has been dealt with by the Rokkaku family several times, and his situation has almost fallen to a level similar to that of the Matsudaira family before him—nominally an ally of the Rokkaku family, but in reality just a cannon fodder vassal.

The Rokkaku family went too far in their actions. They not only wanted the Asai family to submit, but also wanted to take back Kita-Omi completely. The Rokkaku family always felt that Kita-Omi should belong to the Kyogoku family. Now that the Kyogoku family was gone, Kita-Omi should rightfully return to the main family. How could it be allowed to be occupied by a small county magistrate family for so long?

Therefore, the Rokkaku family seized the opportunity, forced Asai Hisamasa to form a marriage alliance with Asai Nagamasa, and even forced a wife on Asai Nagamasa, in order to control the power of the Asai family. They also settled powerful samurai from the Rokkaku family in northern Omi and gradually devoured the Asai family.

This behavior finally angered the powerful clans of northern Omi and the retainers of the Asai family. After all, it involved a land dispute, and "one-shoku-kake-sei" meant that the samurai would fight to the death with anyone who dared to touch the samurai's territory.

As a result, the powerful clans of northern Omi and the retainers of the Asai family joined forces and directly exiled the weak and incompetent head of the family, Asai Hisamasa, to Chikubu Island in Lake Biwa, and then appointed Asai Nagamasa as the new head of the family.

That year, the Battle of Okehazama had not yet taken place, and Azai Nagamasa was only fifteen years old.

Around the same time as the Battle of Okehazama, the Battle of Norada broke out in northern Omi. Asai Nagamasa led more than 10,000 men to fight against the 27,000-strong Rokkaku clan who came in anger. He defeated the enemy in one blow, thus cleaning up half of the mess left by his father and getting rid of the Rokkaku clan's vassal status.

However, the Rokkaku family is also a prestigious family that has been operating in Omi for hundreds of years. Losing a battle cannot shake their foundation. The Asai family is still under great pressure and is still worried that they could be wiped out by the Rokkaku family at any time.

After reviewing the general situation of the Asai family, Yuan Ye immediately understood why Oda Nobunaga could get along with Asai Nagamasa. The Rokkaku family was an ally of the Saito family, and the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Oda Nobunaga naturally wanted to drag the Asai family into causing trouble for the Saito family. The Asai family had been entangled with the Rokkaku family for a long time, and the Saito family often helped the Rokkaku family to beat him up. So he naturally hoped that the Saito family would die soon and didn't mind colluding with Oda Nobunaga.

"Let's get ready, we're going to Komakiyama Castle."

After thinking for a while, Yuanye closed the file and prepared to go and meet this new ally, and also to do some research and see what kind of person A-Shi's husband really was.

I just got back and I have to go out again. I can't even rest for a few days. It's a bit of a shame, but I guess that's life in chaotic times. You can never have a moment to relax.

(End of this chapter)