When Yoshigan crossed the Hokurikudo, far away in the mountains of Shinano, there was an old man who was approaching the end of his life and his days were numbered.
Shinano Country, Toshin Region, Ueda Castle.
Sanada Yukitaka made great contributions to Takeda Shingen's conquest of East Shin, and was granted the title of Toishi Castle, an important town between East Shin and North Shin, and regained the ancestral land of Sanada Township.
After that, Yukitaka Sanada ordered his daughter Masayuki Sanada to build Ueda Castle in the northern part of the Ueda Basin between Toishi Castle and Sanada Township, at Nifuchi, a tributary of the Shinano River, as the new residence of the Sanada family.
This new city had just been completed and moved in this spring, but Yukitaka Sanada's health was not good.
After dragging it until summer, she vaguely felt something. He wrote a letter to Nishi Ueno, asking his granddaughter Sanada Nobushige to come to Nishi Ueno to see him for the last time.
It's cooler in the mountains in midsummer than outside, but there are too many cicadas chirping on the trees, making it difficult to sleep.
In Yukitaka Sanada's residence, his daughter Masayuki Sanada wanted to let people stick the cicadas away, but Yukitaka Sanada stopped her.
On her deathbed, Yukitaka Sanada actually liked these vitality-filled chirps, which made her feel like she was still alive.
The cicadas lay dormant under the trees for several years, just for the hustle and bustle of this summer to show their worth. When the cicada stops chirping, the summer cicada falls to the ground and dies.
On this day, Masayuki Sanada and his eldest daughter Yukiyuki Sanada served in front of her mother's bed. Suddenly, Yukitaka Sanada sat up and looked at the two of them.
"Nobushige is back."
Sanada Masayuki was stunned and said.
"Mother, Nobuhiro hasn't arrived yet."
Yukitaka Sanada shook his head and said.
"Change my clothes. Nobuhiro will be here soon. I want to get up and talk to her."
Masayuki Sanada was still a little confused, but looking at Yukitaka Sanada's increasingly rosy face, he seemed to understand something. She nodded silently and stepped forward to change her mother's clothes.
On the side, Yukiyuki Sanada looked at his grandmother and mother, his eyes flickered, and he stepped forward to help.
Yukiyuki Sanada, the eldest daughter and legitimate grandson, was supposed to be a talent who could be entrusted with the family business in the eyes of her grandmother and mother. But in the past two years, the second daughter Sanada Nobushige came out of the blue and stole everyone's attention.
The Sanada family is a branch of the Umino family. When the Takeda family conquered Toshin, the Umino family and the Sanada family fled their homes and went into exile in Azuma County.
After Takeda Shingen succeeded to the throne, he failed to win over the Umino family and turned to Yukitaka Sanada.
Sanada Yukitaka considered Zai San, abandoned the Umino family, and joined Takeda Shingen's sect. Only then did he return to Dongxin to perform meritorious service and restore his family business.
Takeda Shingen gave Sanada Yukitaka the position of leader of the Takeda Higashi believers, returned the ancestral land, and rewarded Toshi Castle, and the Sanada family was able to return to the list of ten thousand stone daimyo.
Yukitaka Sanada had many ups and downs in his life, but he finally revived his family business and became a great man of his generation.
But she, a talented person, never expected that the crazy girl Sanada Nobushige who gave her and her daughter Masayuki Sanada a terrible headache back then turned out to be an unparalleled monster.
Sanada Nobushige rescued Yoshihiro Shiba during the Battle of Kawanakajima and insisted on leaving the Takeda family. At that time, Yukitaka Sanada was thinking of riding two boats and expelling Nobushige Sanada from the Sanada family.
From then on, Sanada Nobushige, the great horse of the Sanada family, soared into the sky.
She was rewarded by Shiba Yoshiyin with the Senshi nomoyo land of the Matsudai Domain. She then conquered Azuma County and became famous. She entered the Kanto Palace to serve the public, and she was among the unified warriors and held a high position of authority.
In the spring of this year, Sanada Nobushige unexpectedly swallowed up the elephant in one fell swoop. With the power of tens of thousands of stones from Azuma County, he captured the Minawa Castle Nagano family and occupied the Nishi Ueno land.
That was the 100,000-koku territory of Nishi Ueno that Nagano had worked hard to manage for half his life. Unexpectedly, she had just passed away, and the Azuma clan led by Sanada Nobushige swept across Nishi Ueno.
Nagano Yamori, the daughter of Nagano Yasumasa, was rescued by Kamizumi Nobutsuna. The Minawa clan was torn apart, and Sanada Nobunaga became the most popular for a while.
Even Yukitaka Sanada, an outstanding family governor who revived the family business, looked dim in front of the suddenly aggressive Sanada Nobushige, let alone Yukiyuki Sanada, the eldest daughter of his grandchildren.
At this time, Yukiyuki Sanada couldn't help but feel a little hesitant. Seeing that the grandmother had returned to her former glory, she was ready to explain her funeral arrangements.
if. . If she calls Sanada Nobunaga home again, she will probably lose her position as heir.
But on the surface, Yukiyuki Sanada, who was in a wealthy family, was still calmly helping his mother and grandmother to dress, and there was nothing unusual at all.
After Yukitaka Sanada put on his clothes, tightened his belt, and walked out of the room with his head held high. Masayuki Sanada behind him wanted to help, but Yukitaka Sanada waved his hand to stop him.
Yukitaka Sanada walked to the pond in the courtyard, squinted his eyes to watch the frightened deer play up and down in the water, and listened to the cries of summer cicadas in his ears. His back was straight like a thousand-year-old pine that would not fall.
Masayuki Sanada stood on the porch, looking at his mother's back, his eyes a little red.
She said to Yukiyuki Sanada beside her.
"Go out to greet him and see if Xinfan has arrived."
Yukiyuki Sanada nodded slightly, turned around and left.
There is God's will in the dark, and people who are approaching their life expectancy always have some premonition of transcending the world.
Seeing that it was the last moment for Yukitaka Sanada to return to his former glory, Masayuki Sanada also hoped that her intuition was right and allowed the grandmother and granddaughter to see each other for the last time.
I don't know how much time passed, but Yukitaka Sanada was still standing upright in the court, while Masayuki Sanada behind him was anxious.
Was my mother's premonition wrong? Has Nobuhiro arrived yet?
At this moment, Sanada Nobushige's angry shout came from outside the court.
"Grandma, I heard that you are going to die?"
Yukitaka Sanada and Masayuki Sanada looked outside the door together. A heroic warrior Hime appeared there, smiling and nodding to their mother on the porch.
Then, she walked up to Yukitaka Sanada in a few steps, walked around in a serious circle, and said.
"You don't look like you're going to die. Grandma, you called me all the way from Nishi Ueno. Did you mean to play a trick on me?"
Sanada Masayuki did not come over, but just watched silently from a distance, leaving space for the grandfather and grandson.
Yukitaka Sanada shook his head, angry and amused. She didn't answer Sanada Nobushige's question and asked instead.
"What? The newly-promoted Lord of Nishi Ueno has been busy recently? Don't you have time to come back and see me, an old woman?"
Sanada Nobushige curled his lips and said.
"You kicked me out of the house back then. What happened? Seeing that I am now prosperous, do you regret it?"
Yukitaka Sanada laughed and cursed.
"Regret? I regret that I didn't kick you out earlier, a wild monkey.
He is a big shot, but why is he still so shameless? Does it feel good to be a prince? "
Sanada Nobushige sighed.
"It's great, it's so great.
Kamiizumi Nobutsuna desperately escorted Nagano Yamori to Dahu Castle. As soon as he arrived at Shima Shengmu's territory, he ran out of gas and died. I was worried about how to explain to Tsutado-don. "
Sanada Yukitaka shook his head.
"Kamiizumi Swordsman is worthy of being Nishi Ueno's first gun and a worthy friend.
By the way, who is Tsutado-don? "
Sanada Nobushige looked a little unnatural and said.
"The Odaisho helped the shogunate, and after establishing a shogun, he became a monk and practiced Buddhism to pray for the ancestors. His name was Tsutaden."
Yukitaka Sanada looked at his granddaughter and said.
"I heard that Kamizumi Nobutsuna has a close relationship with Tsutado-don?"
Sanada Nobushige nodded with a grimace.
"That's why I'm worried.
Who knew why Sword Master Kamizumi was so crazy that he blocked my gate for three days in Minawa City and then protected Nagano Yamori to Dahu City.
This old man has such a tough temper that he has put his own life in danger. Tsutado-den is said to be on his way back to Echigo Country. I really don’t know how to explain it.
In the land of 100,000 stone Nishi Ueno, the Hojo family made a comeback and swallowed up Hirai Castle, and Kobata Nobuzada took back Kunimine Castle. I just occupy a small Minulu City, so why are all the trouble coming to me?
Nagano Yamori was being protected by Shima Katsuo. He was waiting for Tsutado-don to come back and cry out that he wanted to sue me for provocation. Kamizumi Sword Master died in this matter again.
It's hard for me to get through this with Jindoden's temper. "
Sanada Yukitaka looked at the frowning Sanada Nobushige and asked.
"Matsushiro, my wife, Minawa, you girl has taken up a lot of territory, you should have fifty thousand koku, right?"
Sanada Nobushige nodded.
"Haruna Mountain is a circle from north to south, and there is no land to be inspected. The exact number is uncertain, but it will not be less than 40,000 shi. If it goes further, it can be regarded as a territory of 50,000 shi.
Even though the place is large, it is full of poor mountains and ravines, and not much food can be grown. "
Yukitaka Sanada smiled.
“No matter how poor you are, it’s still fifty thousand dan.
You are capable and can do it better than me. I have been busy all my life, and I will only have these ten thousand stones in my hand when I die. "
Yukitaka Sanada finally mentioned the word death, and Nobushige Sanada, who had been laughing and laughing, turned stiff and said sarcastically.
"Grandma..."
She was welcomed in by Yukiyuki Sanada from outside. How could she not know Yukitaka Sanada's condition? It's just that I don't want to behave like a child, and shed tears in sadness.
But at this time, Sanada Yukitaka's indifferent attitude towards death made Sanada Nobushige's emotions unbearable.
She recalled how her grandmother had cared for her when she was young, and how she had left home without authorization and asked her grandmother for help several times, and her eyes suddenly felt a little sore.
Yukitaka Sanada saw her eyes turning red and smiled slightly.
"No, keep making trouble, keep having fun.
I'm used to seeing you, a little monkey, look careless, and I'm really not used to seeing such a sad expression all of a sudden. "
Sanada Nobushige took a deep breath and forced a smile.
"I'm so worried. Please help me, Grandma, give me an idea to trick Jinduo Palace into coming here."
Sanada Yukitaka shook his head.
"Jin Duoden is a hero among men who has not been seen for thousands of years. His elegance is unparalleled in the world. Who can fool him?
If you should admit your mistakes, just admit them. From now on, I will still have to work with Jinduo Hall to earn a living. How dare I have the disrespectful thought of deceiving your Majesty? "
Sanada Nobushige scratched his head and said.
"You can't give back the territory you worked so hard to build to Nagano Yamori, right? Then wouldn't my hard work be in vain?"
Yukitaka Sanada laughed.
“Today is a troubled time, with incompetent people occupying strategic locations, just like childish people in the busy city with a lot of money.
If Nagano Yamori is really so unthinkable, then she is seeking death herself. Ueizumi Nobutsuna risked his life to save the Nagano family once. Such fools are rare, and there will be no second time. "
Sanada Nobushige sighed.
"Who cares whether Nagano Ye is seeking death or not? What matters is what Tsutado-den thinks."
Yukitaka Sanada pointed his finger at her and chuckled.
"Children can be taught.
By the way, do you know who is the current representative of Yantian City? "
Sanada Nobushige was stunned, why did his grandmother take the topic so far?
The territory of the Sanada family is located in Sanada Township, Ueda Castle, and Toishi Castle in the northern part of the Ueda Basin in the Toshin region. Yantian City in the southern part of the Shangtian Basin was the core territory of the Murakami family.
Murakami Yoshikiyo was defeated by Takeda Shingen, and was driven all the way to Hokushin, where he joined Uesugi Terutora.
During the Battle of Kawanakajima, both the Uesugi and Takeda families were stunned. The opponent's strength was beyond imagination, and his own losses were too tragic.
It was because both sides were injured in the Kawanakajima battle that Yoshigan Shiba's mediation for the Uesugi-Takeda family was so smooth. Only evenly matched opponents know how to respect each other.
Murakami Yoshikiyo was placed in Hokushin New Territory by Uesugi Teruhora, acting as a buffer zone between the Uesugi Takeda families.
The old samurai family in Yantian City was uprooted by Takeda Shingen, and Sanada Nobushige didn't know who was in charge there now.
Seeing her confused look, Sanada Yukitaka continued.
"After His Highness Takeda and His Highness Uesugi reached an agreement, they turned around and went south to attack Suruga Kingdom.
As for the Eastern Believers, she is not at ease in leaving everything to me. There is a supervisor assigned by the Takeda family in Yantian City named Anji Aneshan.
She is the niece of Nobu-kun Anayama, and she is considered a trusted member of the Takeda family. "
Sanada Nobushige nodded, she knew Anayama Nobun-kun. The Takeda family is a powerful family, and the Anayayama family has considerable influence in Kai Country.
But she didn't understand why her grandmother would mention Anji Anji, a man named Anayama.
Yukitaka Sanada looked at Nobushige Sanada and said slowly.
"I have received news that His Highness Uesugi and His Highness Hojo have reached an agreement to form an alliance."
Sanada Nobushige was shocked.
"Is this happening? Why didn't I know?"
Sanada Yukitaka shook his head.
“You will know when you go back that this matter has become a big deal.
After the Zenkoji Temple in Hokushin was restored, the cheap supplies imported from Echigo Kingdom stopped, as did the free salt promised by Tsutadoden. "
Sanada Nobushige narrowed her eyes. She had already realized the seriousness of the situation. Who should the Uesugi family and the Hojo family join forces to deal with? The Takeda family?
By doing this, Uesugi Terutora went against the Kanto strategy plan set by Tsuta-don, who was on his way to Echigo Kingdom.
Sanada Nobushige looked at Yukitaka Sanada solemnly and asked.
"Grandma, what you mean is that I can take advantage of this matter and use Anzhi Anzan?"
Yukitaka Sanada said quietly.
“After the Uesugi and Takeda families stopped fighting and had a truce, Shinano Country was at peace for several years.
For us old people, peace is a great thing. But for young people with ambitions, this is a dead place where their youth is buried.
Anji Anji stayed in Yantian City for several years without making any achievements. He watched eagerly as the Kai people attacked the city and plundered the territory of Suruga Kingdom, and received generous rewards.
Do you think she would be happy if there was new tension between the Takeda-Uesugi family? "
Sanada Nobushige understood a little bit.
"Grandma wants me to support the bandits and enrich myself?"
Yukitaka Sanada raised his eyebrows and said.
"You kid! Why are you speaking so harshly? You are sharing your worries and guarding the border.
There is the important town of Usui Pass between Minawa Castle and Kunimine Castle in Nishi Ueno, connecting the land of Toshin.
If the Takeda family and the Uesugi family were at odds with each other and tried to get involved in the eight lands of Kanshu, the first target would be Usui Pass, that is, Nishi Ueno.
Nagano Yamori is a tiger bitch, far less powerful than her mother. If she can't even fight you, how can she withstand the pressure from the Takeda family?
If Jinduodian learns that something has happened on Dongxin's side, Uibing Pass will be in danger. The Takeda family is ready to make a move and may leave the border at any time to attack Nishi Ueno.
You say, will he still let you vomit out the territory and return it to Nagano Yamori?
Does Tsuta-dono believe that you, a strong general under his command, can defend Nishi Ueno, or does he believe in Nagano Yamori, who has been disgraced by you?
In troubled times, incompetence is a sin, and there is no reason to explain it. "
Sanada Nobushige was overjoyed, gave a thumbs up and said to his grandmother.
"High, really high!"
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