The Self-Cultivation of Warring States Warriors

Page 53

Shinzaburo also started calling him that.

Zen Master Huixin looked around calmly and said in a gentle voice, "This hero who is meeting you for the first time must be Lord Kubo Genban. He is indeed as imposing and extraordinary as the rumors say."

Shinzaburo immediately bowed and humbly said, "I dare not accept such praise."

Zen Master Huixin smiled and said, "When I was studying in Kyoto, I addressed Master Mingzhou as my fellow disciples. Since Lord Kubo Genban is Master Mingzhou's nephew-in-law, you only need to treat me as family, so there is no need to be so polite."

Hosokawa Ujitsuna said with a smile, "Even so, Zen Master Eishin exuded an aura of solemnity that inspired awe. This is probably the result of his Zen practice."

Upon hearing this, Zen Master Huixin shook his head and sighed, "What Lord Hosokawa Ukyo said is precisely where this humble monk falls short. Only when laughter, anger, and scolding do not betray the Zen mind can one truly attain enlightenment."

Hosokawa Ujitsuna was startled, and solemnly clasped his hands together, saying, "I see!"

Following this topic, everyone casually chatted about Zen meditation and enlightenment.

Shinsaburo has limited education, but fortunately, he has been influenced by Master Mingzhou in the past two years and has learned a little bit, so he can barely keep up with a few sentences.

However, after talking for a while, Hosokawa Ujitsuna became interested and requested to hold an informal, simple tea party.

Shinzaburo was completely clueless and could only humbly ask the people present for guidance and learn on the spot.

Fortunately, apart from the "tea master," there wasn't anything particularly troublesome for the other members. It mainly involved a quick freshening up, putting on appropriate clothing, maintaining an elegant and composed demeanor, and patiently waiting. When it was their turn to drink, there were specific rules for holding the teaware and the manner of drinking, expressing gratitude appropriately, and offering tasteful comments.

It's nothing more than putting on a pretentious act with a straight face.

The task of the "tea master," responsible for preparing the tea, is the most demanding. Whether the tea tastes good or not is secondary, since there won't be much difference anyway. The key is that the entire movement and rhythm must possess a Zen-like aesthetic, following the prescribed procedures while expressing a free and unrestrained expression in the details.

Although mastering this technique would earn him great respect in various situations, Shinzaburo didn't have time to study it for the time being, deciding that he only needed to know how to drink it.

Hosokawa Ujitsuna personally demonstrated his skillful technique, while Zen Master Eishin was hailed as a master of the tea ceremony.

In short, after a series of social activities, Shinzaburo, as a retainer of the Hosokawa family, participated in team building for the first time and experienced a little bit of the feeling of integrating into a group.

The messenger team set off on the second day.

Hosokawa Ujitsuna specially bestowed upon Shinzaburo a set of high-class blue kimono to highlight his status as an envoy.

The size is just right; it was made with body shape taken into account, which shows thoughtfulness.

In fact, in addition to their official duties, diplomatic envoys of this era were also responsible for collecting information from other regions. Hosokawa Ujitsuna may not have been too embarrassed to say it directly, but he still mentioned it in a veiled way.

Zen Master Huixin brought ten attendants, Shinzaburo had six bodyguards, and there was also a man named Kimura Shinzaemon, who was a member of the Awaji Navy and was responsible for liaising with sea routes.

That's right, traveling to the Western Regions by land is not a good option.

First, it takes too long; second, it requires passing through the territories of many other forces, which could easily lead to trouble.

After leaving Yodoko Castle, the best route is to follow the Yodo River, take the "Kyodo Road", spend two days to reach the Naniwa area, and then have Kimura Shinzaemon contact the Awaji Navy's ships to depart from Watanabezu, cross the Seto Inland Sea, and land at Tomonoura, which is under the control of the Mori family.

In this way, it only takes three days to drift at sea, saving a lot of time and food and lodging costs.

Moreover, the people he needed to interact with were limited to "friends from the Jianghu" who made a living on the water.

100 Famous Generals from the Western Kingdom

Along the way, they passed through Ishiyama, Awaji, Harimada, Shodoshima, Kibitsu, and other regions, which broadened Shinzaburo's horizons.

Unfortunately, the trip was for business, not tourism, so we couldn't disembark and explore the various locations.

I could only take a quick look and get a fleeting impression.

From the perspective of a time traveler from the future, the ports and towns of the 16th century would naturally appear dilapidated and unsightly. However, compared to his hometown of Tanba, they seemed quite wealthy and prosperous.

The shipping and fishing industries in this sea area are very developed, with a large number of ships coming and going. The wealthy merchants encountered are all dressed in fine clothes, full of pride, and each one is no less than a samurai with a salary of a thousand koku. Although the sailors and fishermen wear rough short clothes, judging from their physique and appearance, it is clear that they receive ample nutrition and eat much better than the farmers in the inland mountain forest areas.

The saying "To get rich, build roads first" is indeed very true. Without good transportation, economic development is out of the question.

The many things at sea were new and interesting to Shinzaburo.

However, when faced with the "naval forces" who come in their boats to collect tolls, one is forced to return to the harsh reality.

The eastern part of the Seto Inland Sea, from Kojima Bay to the Naruto Strait, is under the jurisdiction of the Awaji Navy. The current head of the Awaji Navy is Ataka Fuyuyasu, the third younger brother of Miyoshi Nagayoshi. Many years ago, he took control of Awaji Province as an adopted son of the Ataka clan, and now his power is consolidated through a combination of benevolence and authority.

Even so, it couldn't stop his men from collecting tolls.

This is also considered to be the source of livelihood for "millions of canal workers," and cannot be controlled by one person alone.

At most, it would be to offer discounts or free tickets to ships belonging to the Miyoshi family.

For example, when Shinzaburo went on a mission to the western country, he was accompanied by a member of the Awaji Navy who traveled on a "yagata-sen" (house-shaped ship) specially designed to accommodate wealthy travelers. In his own territory, he could pass through without hindrance as long as he presented the necessary documents.

However, once past Kojima Bay and into the western part of the Seto Inland Sea, lies the area controlled by the Mishima Navy.

The leaders of the Mishima Navy are three branches of the Murakami family. Because their base is on an island rather than on the mainland, they are currently not controlled by any daimyo and are an independent force. They don't give face to anyone, and even the most powerful figures have to pay them.

The standard price was 100 coins for a large boat and 30 coins for a small boat. Upon payment, a "boat stamp" indicating the date and the person in charge would be given, valid for one month and then expire.

The "yagata-bune" that Shinzaburo was on was helmed by Kimura Shinzaemon of Awaji. This man was very familiar with the Mishima navy, chatting and laughing with the toll collectors, exchanging curses and greetings.

Despite being familiar with the place, they didn't offer a discount; I still had to pay one hundred coins to be allowed to pass.

Continuing westward for just two hours, they arrived at Tomonoura, which was under the control of the Mori clan.

This is a fine port in eastern Bingo Province.

When a ship docks, it needs to pay a fee to the port magistrate based on its size. However, since they did build a dock for you, it's more reasonable than a "naval force" blocking the way and charging tolls.

As previously agreed, the envoy's journey to the western countries was to be arranged by Hosokawa Ujitsuna, essentially leaving it to the Miyoshi family. The return journey, however, was to be handled by the Mori family.

Kimura Shinzaemon of the Awaji Navy did not immediately sail his "yagata-bune" back. Instead, he stayed in Tomonoura to solicit customers and look for wealthy people going to the Kinai region.

His ship was originally a high-class passenger vessel, and it had obtained operating licenses throughout the Seto Inland Sea. It had twenty small cabins, offering a degree of privacy and a relatively comfortable environment.

……

Upon arriving at Tomonoura, Shinzaburo followed Zen Master Keishin ashore and saw a bustling dock scene. Various transport ships were busy unloading and loading cargo, and fishermen carrying loads on shoulder poles were bargaining with merchants.

The port area is small, messy and lacks planning, yet it exudes a vibrant vitality.

After waiting for a while, a handsome young man with refined features, accompanied by many attendants, hurried forward. He first said, "Master Huixin, you must have had a long journey!" Then he bowed deeply to Shinzaburo and respectfully said, "I suppose this is the messenger from above. My name is Kobayakawa Takakage, and I welcome your esteemed presence!"

Good heavens, the third son of the Mori family, Kobayakawa Takakage, personally came to the dock to greet him.

The term "Kami-no-kami" is an honorific name for the Kinai region. Generally, samurai families from various regions would refer to special envoys of the shogunate as "Kami-no-kami envoys." However, Shinzaburo was actually acting on the orders of Hosokawa Ujitsuna, the so-called "shogunate regent," which doesn't entirely conform to the customary use of titles.

But it's only natural for people to call you that out of respect.

Kobayakawa Takakage is a familiar name to players of later generations. He not only appears in Koei Tecmo games, but also possesses remarkably high stats, especially in diplomacy and naval warfare, where he excels at the highest level.

Shinzaburo had previously met Miyoshi Nagayoshi, Matsunaga Hisahide, and others in the Kinai region, but he always performed the bows on their behalf.

This was the first time he had accepted the obeisance of a "historical general".

They're just borrowing the tiger's power; they shouldn't get arrogant.

Shinzaburo then quickly and earnestly returned the greeting, saying, "I am Yoshiaki Kubo. I have long admired Lord Kobayakawa's reputation, and I am overjoyed to meet you today."

Zen Master Huixin introduced: "Lord Kubo, also known as Genban, is an envoy appointed by Hosokawa Ukyo; Lord Kobayakawa, also known as Nakatsu, is the third son of Mori Noriyuki and the younger brother of Mori Bitchu."

Actually, this level of information was prepared in advance. But it always feels more formal if someone introduces it.

"Mori Densho" refers to Mori Motonari, whose "Right Horse Head" position was a legitimate title obtained from Kyoto with the help of Ōuchi Yoshitaka. Therefore, there's no need to use the phrase "as he was called," he can simply reveal his identity. Similarly, "Mori Bitchu" refers to Mori Takamoto, who was appointed "Bitchu Governor."

The two then greeted each other using their official career paths as a pretext.

In the original history, the Mori family presented a huge sum of more than 2,000 kan to the imperial court in 1560, and as a result, all four members of the Mori family were officially granted official positions. The title of "Junior Assistant Minister of the Central Secretariat" used by the Kobayakawa family for generations was thus officially recognized.

However, for now, it is still just a title for official positions bestowed privately.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the group arrived at Anguo Temple, which is only about one kilometer from the coastline. After a simple prayer, they settled into their rooms.

The Mori family chose this location as the venue for this diplomatic meeting.

Conducting diplomatic activities at temples and shrines is a tradition in Japanese history.

The actual parties involved—the Mimura family and the Sho family from Bichu—have not yet arrived, but they are not far away and will probably need to wait two or three days.

Actually, Shinzaburo wasn't very interested in those two families; he was more interested in learning more about the Mori family.

Kobayakawa Takakage also seemed very willing to interact more with the "Kami-no-kami envoy" who represented the Shogunate Kanrei (regent) in the western provinces. At least that was the surface-level impression.

During the conversation, Shinzaburo took out the letters written by Hosokawa Ujitsuna to Mori Motonari and Mori Takamoto and handed them over.

Kobayakawa Takakage humbly accepted the gift with both hands, while apologetically explaining that his father and older brother were in some trouble and couldn't get away, otherwise they would have come to meet the messenger in person.

Shinzaburo quickly said he wouldn't dare trouble himself.

After chatting casually for a while, Kobayakawa Takakage complimented him, saying, "I just heard about 'Tamba Zhong Kui' slaying two demons in one go last year, and this year I heard that Lord Kubo Genban found a silver mine at the 'Tada Copper Mine.' You are truly talented in both literature and martial arts!"

Look at how much homework they've done; they've clearly gathered information early on in order to build relationships.

He truly is a diplomatic expert.

Fortunately, Shinzaburo was prepared and immediately retorted: "Lord Kobayakawa Nakatsugu, you led your troops to conquer the enemy fortress at the age of fourteen in your first battle, truly a young hero. Now you have also subdued many naval forces along the coast, which is even more admirable."

I specifically inquired about their initial battle recently. I've also heard some rumors about their subjugation of the navy, mainly based on knowledge from my previous life.

Upon hearing this, Kobayakawa Takakage paused for a moment, seemingly quite surprised. After a while, he recovered, blinked sharply, and tears welled up in his eyes. He then wiped them away as he said, "I never imagined that the humble achievements of a lowly country bumpkin like myself would reach the ears of the envoy from above. Such an honor is truly overwhelming... Please forgive my lapse in composure!"

Shinzaburo was a little confused.

Wasn't that just a perfunctory compliment? Even if it came from an "envoy from above," there's no need to get so worked up.

Do the Mori family really lack the approval of important figures?

101 Kobayakawa, the master of human relations

Tomonoura is located in the eastern part of Bingo Province, not far from Bitchu Province.

Shinzaburo waited at Ankokuji Temple for two days. Then, the real targets of this mission, the Mimura and Sho families of Bingo Chugoku, sent representatives to arrive one after another.

To be precise, the description of "sending a representative to arrive" is not quite accurate.

The head of the Mimura family, Mimura Ichika, personally led the group there.

This man was tall and strong, with a powerful voice, and seemed like a fierce general who didn't care about trivial matters. He fit the stereotype quite well. He spoke loudly and didn't care much about interpersonal relationships.

Zhuang, the head of the Zhuang family, also arrived at the scene.

This guy looked like he'd been severely worn down by life; his back was hunched, he walked with a limp, and his face was full of wrinkles. He looked to be in his sixties or seventies.

Each of them brought only a handful of guards, which shows that they were quite confident in the Mori family's diplomatic credibility.

The contrast in the mental outlook displayed on both sides is striking.

This is certainly reasonable.

Mimura Iechika, a mere village official, rose to prominence through force, conquering half of Bitchu Province and establishing the largest empire in his family's history, truly a local hero. While nominally affiliated with the Mori clan, he maintains a high degree of independence; even Kobayakawa Takakage greets him with utmost respect.

Zhuang Weizi, as the hereditary governor, was said to have been quite capable in his youth, but recently he has been suffering repeated defeats and can only barely keep his family afloat thanks to the reinforcements from the Amago clan. His visit today, ostensibly for "mediation" or "peace talks," is in reality tantamount to surrender and submission; how could he possibly be in a good mood?

The attitudes displayed by the two sides are also very different.

Even when bowing to the "envoy from above," the Mimura family maintained a nonchalant demeanor, clearly indicating that they did not genuinely respect him.

As for Zhuang Weizi, upon seeing Shinzaburo, he burst into tears, sighing deeply, "I don't know how many years have passed, but I have finally seen the envoy of the Kanrei again! Recalling the days when my father and grandfather served in the Hosokawa army, it seems like only yesterday!"

The posture was a bit comical, but not incomprehensible.

What can a nobleman's son, reduced to poverty and forced to sell his property, do besides reminisce about his former glory?

Speaking of which, the Bichū Shoji family had long been "Kanryō Neishū" (a subordinate unit of the Hosokawa clan).

Unlike Shinzaburo, who was simply added to the list after his value was depreciated, he was genuinely qualified to enter Kyoto, participate in central political discussions, and speak out on various important issues back then.

But today, all that's left is to cry and plead in front of the "envoys above".

The saying "fortune changes every thirty years" perfectly describes this situation.

Mori Motoya had already arranged the specific tasks for today.

Shinzaburo, representing Hosokawa Ujitsuna, sent a letter to both the Mimura and Sho families, demanding that they cease their hostility. He then had the eldest son of the Mimura family, a concubine, become Sho's adopted son, receive the "Mori" character from Mori Motonari, change his name to Sho Gensuke, and establish him as the heir to the Sho family, to inherit the family business in the future.

As a result, the entire country of Bichu fell into the hands of the Mimura family.

It can also be considered that it was indirectly controlled by Motonari Mori.

The Amago family has undoubtedly suffered a major setback. Although Amago Haruhisa will not lose his directly controlled territory, his prestige in the Sanyo region will be severely damaged.

At the beginning of the year, Amago Yoshihisa, the young lord of the Amago clan, responded to Ashikaga Yoshiteru's call and led 30,000 men to attack Nishi-Harima, only to return empty-handed, which was already quite humiliating. Now, with the changes occurring in Bitchu, it's like adding insult to injury.

Currently, apart from Izumo's stronghold, many local people in Mimasaka, Hōki, Bizen, and Iwami still venerate Amago as their lord. However, some may waver after today.

In the original history, Amago Haruhisa, during his decades as head of the clan, actually lost very few direct battles. However, he inexplicably gained the upper hand in many details, which gradually made him somewhat exhausted and showed a sense of being stretched thin. When his son, Amago Yoshihisa, took over, the clan completely collapsed within five years.

It's only been about ten years.

Even when Shinzaburo was lost in thought, he didn't neglect his duties.