Owari Yumeki Golden Day

148. Hanging carrots to urge the horse to run

Asai Nagamasa, who was sulking in Odani Castle, drank one cup after another. Oda Nobunaga's reluctance to submit a memorial to Ashikaga Yoshiaki, granting him the post of governor of the north of the Yangtze River, and his meeting with Kyogoku Takakichi, always weighed on his chest like a huge rock, making him angry and dissatisfied.

My sworn brother needs people like us to conquer the world. What’s the point of winning over a waste like Kyogoku Takayoshi?

Before he could even curse, an attendant arrived outside to report that an angel had flown to the shogunate, and requested the lord to meet him immediately. An angel from the shogunate? What kind of angel? Bullshit! They were all Oda Nobunaga's dogs. What kind of message could they possibly be bringing?

At this time, the retainers of the Asai family were not quite aware that there was a disagreement and dispute between Asai Nagamasa and Oda Nobunaga. They were just wondering why Nagamasa had withdrawn his troops back to Odani Castle and Nobunaga's reward had not yet come down.

Therefore, they were still somewhat curious about the Shogun's Angel. Unlike Asai Nagamasa himself, who no longer held out any hope and even felt that there was no need to meet him.

But after picking up and putting down the wine dish, Nagamasa still stood up.

Nobunaga was right. Nagamasa only had a fortune of 300,000 koku, and he was still the leader of the National Alliance. He simply didn't have the strength to compete with Nobunaga, who now ruled the world. So what could he do? If the shogunate sent an envoy, he could only accept it.

When the shogunate's envoy unfolded Yoshiaki's imperial letter and showed it to Asai Nagamasa, Hisamasa, and other elders of the Asai clan for review, and saw the joint signatures of Yoshiaki and Nobunaga on it, everyone was overjoyed.

According to Shichibei's suggestion, the shogunate granted Asai Nagamasa the position of the Muromachi shogunate's servant!

While the title of Gokushu wasn't actually high within the broader framework of the shogunate, the name itself suggests it was a position dedicated to the shogun. In feudal society, both in China and Japan, the greatest honor wasn't necessarily the rank of one's official, but rather how close one was to the center of power.

Even if you are just a small servant, but you serve at the ruler's bed, you enjoy a title far superior to that of ordinary people.

In theory, as the Shogun's attendant on travels, falconry, and Buddhist rituals, Asai Nagamasa was obligated to serve Yoshiaki. In earlier times, only the second son of a prominent family, or the head of a small shugo (small guardian) household, was qualified to lead the Shogun. Now, the title is primarily honorary.

In addition to the title of Gokushu, they were also awarded the privilege of using felt saddle covers and white umbrella bags to show their nobility and status beyond that of ordinary samurai.

In addition, the angel also conveyed Nobunaga's message to Asai Nagamasa, saying that he was recommending Nagamasa for the position of Bizen no Kami, a fifth-rank official. Because the court process would take some time, Nagamasa was asked to wait for a few days.

As for Omi no Kami, Nobunaga was reluctant to give the title to Asai Nagamasa, so he found a compromise. Nagamasa's grandfather, Asai Ryomasa, had served as Bizen no Kami. Regardless of whether this position was self-proclaimed or purchased from the imperial court, at least there is a story behind it.

Now that Nobunaga has recommended Nagamasa for the position of Bizen no Kami, it can be regarded as a continuation of the family tradition. If the Asai family can be passed down from generation to generation, it will become a tradition for each generation to start as the Bizen no Kami of the Junior Fifth rank.

Just like the previous Satsuma Shimazu family, each generation started as a fifth-rank doctor, and had a position within the feudal order system of the court.

How many people spend their entire lives just trying to find a position within the system?

Now that he had achieved his goal, how could he not be happy, how could he not be beautiful? Asai Nagamasa had originally been ready to kowtow and accept the letter of recommendation granted by the shogunate. His father, Asai Hisamasa, finally wanted to eat for a few more years and pulled his son, implying that the other person had not finished speaking.

Sure enough, the angel pulled out another letter. This letter was from Oda Nobunaga himself, and it contained only one message: a request for Asai Nagamasa to lead 5,000 troops and follow Hideyoshi to attack Yamana Yufeng.

The strength of the Asai army is only about ten thousand people. They just sent out five thousand people, and now they want to send out another five thousand people. Isn’t that a bit too much?

Not too much!

If that were excessive, why would Nobunaga have written such a letter? In his letter, Nobunaga clearly pointed out that the Asai army had started from a low position, unlike Nobunaga, who had already conquered Kinai and possessed a strong army. To achieve a higher position, they needed to conquer, establish a reputation, and accumulate military achievements. Only after achieving sufficient military success could they receive rewards from the shogunate and Nobunaga himself.

Now that the country had just begun to settle, and people's hearts were still in disarray, Nobunaga had to be clear about rewards and punishments. Since Nagamasa had accompanied Yoshiaki on his journey to Kyoto, he was given the position of shogun and recommended for the appointment of Bizen no Kami.

If you want to go further, you have to fight hard. The better you fight, the more chances you have. For example, you can first serve as the guardian of Jiangbei.

Jiangbei Guardian Generation!

Seeing this, Asai Nagamasa's heart was stirred. "Why didn't you just tell me earlier? You're playing this game with me, your brother." Asai Nagamasa, himself a ruler and a vassal, immediately imagined it. "So my sworn brother is playing hard to get with me, dangling a carrot in front of me, urging me to work harder."

Isn't it just that Nobunaga is willing to give him an official position only if the Asai family sends more troops to fight for him?

After this, the angel finally said he had nothing more to say. Nagamasa immediately asked everyone to go down and rest for a while. There would be a banquet later, and there would be gifts. He asked the angel to enjoy himself.

As soon as the angel left, Nagamasa quickly unfolded the two letters and read them carefully. Hisamasa and the others gathered around, some sighing, some puzzled, some stunned...

"The Kanrei-dono is really good at controlling us..." Asai Hisamasa's words sounded a bit sour, but the attitude he expressed was not bad.

The Asai family had been vassal states for centuries, and the leader of the national alliance had only been there for a few decades, so they hadn't fully adjusted from being vassal states. They didn't have a complete resistance to being ordered around by their superiors.

From what Hisamasa meant, he simply meant that his own powerful people would be ordered around by the Kanrei Shogun again. But the word "will" indicated that he thought being ordered around was okay. At least Nobunaga offered him a sweet treat and dangled a carrot in front of Nagamasa's donkey - the position of Jiangbei Shugodai.

If you want to be the guardian of Jiangbei, send me troops.

"I originally thought that my brother was generous, but now it seems that he is also a frugal person." Nagamasa nodded.

When Aichi married into the family, her cash dowry alone was no less than 2,000 kan. That's why Nagamasa was willing to marry the daughter of the Oda family, a family he had no social connections with. Now looking at Nobunaga's appearance, why does he seem a bit "stingy"?

Well, Nagamasa had quickly transformed Nobunaga's arrogance and contempt into stinginess. He now believed that Nobunaga's refusal to grant him the Jiangbei Shugo was simply stinginess. He wanted Nagamasa to work several times harder in exchange for another Shugo.

Although a stingy lord is difficult to serve, as long as he is willing to give you some money, you can just do it.

At least there's still some imperial grace, so let's do our duty. At worst, during the war, the Asai army can just sit back and do nothing, quietly slacking off. Anyway, in wars these days, everyone slacks off, everyone secretly plays dirty. If they were truly that brave, they could have driven Japan's Warring States population ever higher.

"They have always been like this!" Jiu Zheng had abdicated anyway, so it didn't matter if he said whatever he wanted. He didn't consider himself a ruler.

"Then send out troops?" Changzheng looked at the elders on his left and right again.

“…” The elders were silent for a moment.

Nagamasa's reason for vying for the position of Kohoku guardian was to transform himself from a leader of the Kokuminari into a true leader of Kohoku. Now that Nagamasa has been appointed Gokushu, he's assumed the position of Bizen no Kami, and the Kanrei has promised to immediately grant Nagamasa the title of guardian deputation. From this day forward, they truly are inferior to Nagamasa.

The result was what Nagamasa wanted, but not what they wanted.

Nagamasa, who had been sulking and drinking, suddenly felt that he had gained power for no reason. He no longer questioned the elders and instead ordered the servants outside to immediately make him a felt saddle cover and a white umbrella bag.

They were after this pretentious energy, this empty feudal hierarchy. They had finally gotten this pretentious capital from the shogunate, but if they didn't use it, wouldn't it have been all in vain?

As for sending troops to Tajima, the old rules still apply. Nobunaga can provide food and money, but the troops and horses must be provided by Nagamasa, and the city must also be attacked by Nagamasa. Only by fighting well and defeating Yamana Yufeng can one have a chance to become the guardian of Jiangbei.

It's done!

Then, while Shichibei was arranging the street maintenance at Kannonji Temple, he saw several Asai clan soldiers and horses, followed by the shogunate's angels, rushing back to Kyoto. It was unclear whether they were going to Kyoto to show their loyalty to Nobunaga or to start a quarrel with him.

Never mind him, Shichibei had to keep his tail between his legs now. Provoking Nobunaga was definitely not a good thing, so he had to keep a low profile so that he could live a long and stable life.

Aochi Shigetsuna transported part of the money collected from Minami-Omi to Takenaka Hanbei, who was repairing the fortress at Shogunyama Castle. Upon his return, he informed Shichibei that the Grand Lord had granted Odani-dono the title of Gokōshū, and that Odani-dono was about to send 5,000 troops on an expedition to Tajima.

ha?

Nobunaga is really good at business!

Shichibei was surprised to hear this news. When he gave Nobunaga his advice, he had mentioned rewards. But now Nobunaga was talking about an exchange.

Nagamasa was also a money-loser, being played around by Nobunaga. A single imperial attendant made him so happy that he actually led 5,000 soldiers on an expedition to Tajima.

"There is one more thing. The palace is ready to withdraw from Kyoto." Aochi Shigetsuna sat down to drink water and reported all the news from Kyoto.

"Have they retreated?" Shichibei nodded slightly upon hearing the news.

Indeed, Nobunaga had been lingering around Kyoto for two months with over 60,000 men. The situation in Kyoto was now largely stable, and the forces of the Miyoshi Three had been driven out of the Five Kinai.

Yoshiaki was proclaimed Shogun, completing the many steps required to succeed him. The lords and daimyo of the four directions sent envoys to Kyoto to offer their congratulations. Living in Kyoto, sitting in the palace, granting titles and positions to the lords, mediating disputes between the samurai, and having everyone listen to you, then you are a true Shogun.

In this case, Nobunaga, who had spent a huge amount of wealth, could pack up and return to his home base in Gifu. At this point, there was no force that could challenge the power of Oda Nobunaga.

According to the way the kanrei used to work, they would spend about half a year in Gifu and half a year in Kyoto. Not to mention the time in Gifu, when they were in Kyoto, they would bring thousands of people with them to support the shogun and handle the official business of the military families throughout the country.

For example, the current dispute between the Otomo clan and the Mori clan, regarding the struggle for control of Kitakyushu, was actually mediated by the previous shogun, Ashikaga Yoshiteru. However, the mediation was not smooth, and Mori Motonari, with the support of Amago Haruhisa, withheld his breath and retreated to Aki.

Meanwhile, Otomo was restless and supported Ouchi Teruhiro to raise an army in Hocho. The fierce fighting between the two sides actually provided ample time for the development of Hizen Ryuzoji and Satsuma Shimazu.

Ōtomo Yoshitsugu was also a powerful ruler. If he had not been fighting with the Mori clan for over a decade, he might have been able to unify Kyushu. This was similar to the battle between Takeda and Uesugi over Kawanakajima that lasted for over a decade.

Of course, Nobunaga and Mino fought for over a decade, evenly matched opponents battling it out for their entire lives. In the end, it was Nobunaga who finally broke the deadlock. Sometimes success isn't just a matter of chance, it's also about strength.

If Otomo had killed Mori, or Takeda had killed Uesugi and swallowed up their territories, who would have ruled the world?

Chosokabe Motochika, who started fighting for the world in the same year as Nobunaga, also controlled Murotohama, a central point on the Kuroshio Current route. Well, he has not yet unified Tosa.

Doesn't it make sense when you look at it this way? Besides luck, Nobunaga also worked hard for more than ten years.

"But I heard that Akechi Jubei is still serving as the Kyoto Magistrate and staying in Kyoto." Aochi Shigetsuna is now under his roof and is very concerned about the news of the Oda family and Kyoto.

"It's my duty." Nobunaga himself had to leave, and the main force of the Oda army also had to withdraw, but Kyoto could not be left unattended.

Akechi Mitsuhide was granted a salary of 4,000 kan by Nobunaga, so it was not difficult for him to recruit dozens of retainers and 300 foot soldiers. With such a large force left in Kyoto, Ashikaga Yoshiaki still had several hundred men of his own, which together would have amounted to a thousand cavalry.

An army of a thousand men certainly couldn't defend Kyoto, but it would help him rebuild Shogunyama Castle. If anything went wrong, Mitsuhide could just carry Yoshiaki on his back and run to Shogunyama Castle.

"By the way, I heard that the Grand Palace sent a letter to Ichijodani-dono, asking him to go to Kyoto to congratulate the Lord, but Ichijodani-dono didn't respond at all."

"..." Shichibei didn't answer. Asakura Yoshikage was probably cursing at the moment.

He should have been the one to take charge of the position, but it ended up being Nobunaga's fault.

149. Mission to the Kitabatake Clan

Furthermore, Nobunaga likely had other motives behind his decision to send Asakura Yoshikage to Kyoto. Nobunaga was already struggling to take over the old structure and order of the Muromachi shogunate, with even figures like Miyoshi Yoshitsugu and Hatakeyama Takamasa joining his forces. He likely saw an opportunity to convert Asakura Yoshikage into his own vassal.

Just like he had adjusted his attitude towards Asai Nagamasa before, Nobunaga might have been ready to treat Nagamasa as a retainer and to serve as the general of his own front army.

If Asai Nagamasa, with a salary of 300,000 koku, could be used, then Asakura Yoshikage, with a salary of 700,000 koku, could also be used?

In terms of family background, the Hatakeyama family is so powerful, but they still kneel down. In terms of family wealth, Nobunaga now has more than 2.2 million, no more, no less. I am not ashamed of you kneeling down with 700,000.

Furthermore, in terms of righteousness, Nobunaga was the Kanrei, and even now the imperial court and many lords still call Nobunaga the Kanrei. They all think that Nobunaga is just playing the trick of refusing and declining the title three times to boost his own status.

Originally, the old guards saw that Nobunaga was still playing within the framework system, and they all thought that Nobunaga was quite friendly. After all, at this time, any old guard could speak to Nobunaga for a few words, and even Kyogoku Takayoshi, who was already worthless, had a seat. Doesn't it mean that Nobunaga was a good person?

To be honest, Nobunaga's acting skills are at least good at this moment.

In other words, he did not come after being summoned once, and he did not come after being summoned again. Nobunaga confirmed that Asakura Yoshikage was really unwilling to submit and obey, so he decided to attack and defeat Asakura Yoshikage.

Of course, this was definitely related to Nobunaga's plan to seize control of the Hokugawa trade node. After all, Wakasa Obama and Echizen Tsuruga were both starting points for the Hokugawa trade, and controlling such a place could bring huge profits.

"Is there any other news in Kyoto?" Shichibei suddenly felt that a stable should be set up in Kyoto.

The horse-carrying houses north and south of the Omi River were being reorganized and rebuilt. In Kyoto, due to the complex mix of forces and the need for the shogunate's approval, Shichibei had remained evasive. Now imagine that Kyoto will be a central flashpoint for conflict in Japan for the next few years. Without forewarning and forewarning, many things will be realized only after a delay.

The current situation, while not completely separated from the main storyline of the other plane, has changed a lot. For example, Saito Ryūoki is currently serving as the lord of Kiyosu Castle and even leads his troops to Nobunaga's side, fighting for him.

Originally, Ashikaga Yoshiei, who should have been poisoned to death at this point, was lying on the couch, though not alive and kicking. He would soon be taken back to Gifu Castle by Nobunaga, becoming a spare man.

I have to ask, where will Ashikaga Yoshiei be placed next?

Mino Rissho-ji Temple is quite good. It was where Ashikaga Yoshiaki lived before. Nobunaga had renovated the temple well. After all, Ashikaga Yoshiaki only had a few dozen attendants and there was no need to set up a palace. A few dozen people were enough to serve him when he started the shogunate.

"It's nothing serious. The palace has already bid farewell to the Forbidden City." Qingdi Shigetsuna put down the ladle and finished drinking the water.

"Row."

Eh, did Nobunaga recommend official positions for Oda's generals during this period in history? It seems not. For example, Mitsuhide's Koreto and Hanawa Naomasa's Harada were granted official positions several years later. As for Hideyoshi's Chikuzen no Kami and Mitsuhide's Hyuga no Kami, it was even later.

Judging by the location of this official position, it's in Kyushu. At the time, Nobunaga's relationship with the Mori clan was still good, with the Mori clan not yet joining the encirclement. Miyoshi Yasunaga and Sogo Noriyasu of Shikoku also surrendered to Nobunaga. Chosokabe Motochika's son even received the character "Nobu" from Nobunaga, becoming Chosokabe Nobuchika upon his coming-of-age ceremony.

In order to open up trade with the Nanman and Ming, Nobunaga turned his attention to Kyushu. This likely meant that Mitsuhide would be transferred to southern Kyushu, and Hideyoshi would be transferred to northern Kyushu, becoming the two major cities in Nobunaga's control of Kyushu.

If Mitsuhide had not rebelled, the minimum amount of southern Kyushu would have been 700,000 koku. He would have likely obtained a red seal certificate for trade with the southern barbarians and gained enormous wealth.

I wonder what kind of official position Shichibei will get? Maybe he'll become the junior assistant governor of Ishida Mitsunari.

Oh, then everyone will call me "Chibu-sho" from now on. It's an unlucky name. If Nobunaga has this idea, he should just reject it and change it to something like Junior Assistant Minister of War or Junior Assistant Minister of Otani.

A few days later, instead of the army of Asai Nagamasa, Nobunaga's main force of over 10,000 men arrived, along with tens of thousands of troops who had retreated to Owari. Asai Nagamasa apparently took the sea route directly to Takashima County, where he would reunite with Hideyoshi north of Kyoto and together they would march towards Tajima.

It’s better not to pass through it. There’s no need to trample on the road, and Shichibei can save some effort in building the road.

As for Nobunaga passing by Kannon Temple and resting at the foot of Kannon Temple Castle, that was his own business. Nobunaga was aware of the army trampling on the streets and would not blame them.

When the lord passes by, I must go and pay my respects to him.

"I got what you wanted. Are you happy?" After the other magistrates had left the residence and only Shichibei was left, Nobunaga looked at Shichibei with deep eyes.

"I wouldn't dare." Even if Qibingwei was given the courage to do so, he wouldn't say anything more.

"Hmph, I think you are very brave." Nobunaga said whatever he wanted. He even wanted to subdue Asakura Yoshikage, let alone the little Shichibei in front of him.

"I have spoken carelessly and made irresponsible remarks on important matters." These words are from the heart.

Titles and nobility are bestowed upon subjects by the ruler. I can give them, but you cannot demand them. Openly demanding them, whether for yourself or for others, is objectively an offense to the ruler.

The saying "no title or nobility should not be granted indiscriminately" requires the ruler to be cautious in such matters. He should not be influenced by personal likes and dislikes, but should only evaluate the merits of his subjects and reward them accordingly.

"Hmph, that's you..." Nobunaga's tone finally softened.

"I am terrified, I am terrified." Shichibei breathed a sigh of relief.

The skin of the old Owari, old Oda, and old Shimo counties is indeed useful. During the period when Shichibei is still serving his country diligently and without making any mistakes, having this skin is equivalent to having an extra life.

If Nobunaga really got angry, the samurai from the old Owari would definitely come forward to help plead for mercy. Nobunaga's family business was growing bigger and bigger, so many messed-up people joined his command, even some like Akechi Mitsuhide who immediately reached a high position. The old Owari samurai group would involuntarily stick together.

"How many days will it take to complete the street preparation?" After a few words, Nobunaga still had to ask about official business.

He could tolerate his subordinates' mistakes, but the subordinates must be able to do their job. As long as they were willing to work hard, Nobunaga would be very tolerant.

"Fifteen days at the most. Preparations can be completed within fifteen days."

"Hmm..." Nobunaga thought about it briefly.

Mitsuhide Akechi, acting in the name of the shogunate, recruited civilians to build the roads within Yamashiro Castle. The roads between Kyoto and Akutagawa Castle were managed by the new lord, Koremasa Wada. Later, the roads within Settsu Castle were also managed by the surrendered Settsu residents.