Yoshigan debuted for eight years, fighting from Kinki to Kanto. Everywhere he went, the samurai families bowed their heads. By this time, no one dared to resist.
Others are respectful and fearful of the power of the Shiba family, but Yiyin himself knows very well how much power he has.
In terms of hard power, not to mention Oda Nobunaga, the strongest man in the world, even the Uesugi, Takeda, Hojo San Francisco of Kanto, and even the Date Overlord of Ou, all have stronger foundations than the Shiba family.
Yi Yin is as good as he is, no matter what the circumstances, he never loses on the battlefield.
Whether it was Miyoshi who was at the height of his power, Takeda who was scheming before he could make a move, Hojo who had accumulated a lot of experience, or Oda who was enterprising and enterprising, these heroes of the powerful vassals of the same era were all defeated by Yoshigan.
Being invincible is so lonely, but being invincible does not mean that Yiyin can afford to lose.
As long as he accidentally loses once and is stripped of his undefeated tiger skin, then the real strength of the Spo family will not be able to effectively support his hegemony, and many things will not be decided by him.
This is also the reason why Yoshigan worked hard to organize the Great Review of the Kanto Shrine, Shiba Oda joined forces, and even wanted to use Shinto to put himself on the altar.
The power of Shiba is not as strong as everyone imagined, and Yoshiyin lacks the confidence to break up with the powerful feudal lords, so he must make more friends and fewer enemies.
Fortunately, he is a man with stunning looks and excellent seeds, so he can unite the vassals through bed politics and achieve great things.
But how many people can really sympathize with the people behind this political operation?
Date Masamune relented and Yamanaka Yukimori was delighted, but Yoshigan could never let go of Uesugi Kenshin's reaction.
Until spring was about to begin, Yoshigan had stayed in Dahu Castle for twenty days, and Uesugi Kenshin from Kasugayama Castle in Echigo Province still didn't respond.
The strong and arrogant Kanto leader seemed to be unable to see Yoshigan who had already circled back, which made Yoshigan feel somewhat uneasy and hesitant in front of the Echigo Mountains so close at hand.
Once they cross the Echigo Mountains, it is a face-to-face frank exchange between the Shiba Uesugi family, which can also be regarded as a political showdown.
Uesugi Kenshin was holding Yoshigan's daughter in his hand, and Yoshigan didn't know what attitude he should adopt.
To be tough, I can't help Uesugi Kenshin, who has been infatuated for many years. After all, it is Yoshigage who has been the green tea for many years. He will not let go or refuse, which is comparable to scum.
To be soft, Uesugi Kenshin is determined to let his daughter inherit everything from Yiyin. If Yiyin compromises at this time, it will not be conducive to the future reintegration of the God Group and maintaining balance.
All in all, Uesugi Kenshin is a difficulty that Yoshiyin has to overcome. Even if he bites the bullet, he will continue to set off.
If the delay continues, the New Year's Kanto Palace Council meeting will be held. If Kenshin Uesugi makes a move at that time, Yoshihiro will be even more passive.
Date Masamune returned to Ou's hometown on his own, and Yoshigan, escorted by Yamanaka Yukimori and Shimakatsu Takeo, continued northward, bypassing Mount Akagi and entering the Numata Basin along the upper reaches of the Tone River.
As soon as Yoshigan's cavalry entered Numata Territory, they were personally welcomed back to Numata Castle by the waiting Chief Kawada, who hosted a banquet that night.
The famous Walnut Castle further away was in the hands of the Sanada people, and Sanada Nobushige also arrived at this time to join in the banquet.
At the banquet, important ministers from Yoshigan's side included Yukimori Yamazaka, Katsumato Shima, Nobushige Sanada, Clan Kamao, etc., who were present to give Ashikawa Nagauchi face.
Although Kawada Nagauchi was a member of Uesugi Kenshin's family, she was not a native Echigo samurai, but a self-recommended samurai who was admitted to the Omi Kingdom when Uesugi Kenshin went to Luo.
The Uesugi retainers of this faction are also an outlier among the Uesugi retainers, and are called the Omi faction.
The Omi faction is alienated from the Echigo group, but its relationship with Yoshigan is quite close.
On the one hand, both sides are Uesugi Kenshin who came to the Kinki samurai family of Echigo Kingdom with Uesugi Kenshin after Kamikawa.
On the other hand, the leaders of the Omi faction, Kawada Nagauchi, Yoshie Shigen, and Hazaka Nagano, all made their fortunes due to their military exploits following Yoshigan when Etchu went into battle.
Even the place of knowledge of the three of them was sealed in Echigo, which was clearly separated from the Echigo samurai family.
It was only in the later Kanto Strategy that Kawada Nagauchi's headquarters had little entanglement with the Echigo samurai, so he was pulled out by Shiba Uesugi to fire the first shot.
The Numata Basin is located at the mouth of the Echigo Mountains and is the outpost where the Echigo Plain protrudes into the Kanto Plain.
The strategic location of this place is extremely important. Kawada Nagauchika quickly resolved the civil strife in the Numata retainers group and fired the first shot of the Kanto strategy.
Her bravery and intelligence were valued by Uesugi Kenshin, and she was stationed in this important town for a long time.
Farther north, at the mountain pass, the defense of Walnut Castle is held by the Sanada clan, which extends from Azuma County, and belongs to the Shiba family's sphere of influence.
This is also a manifestation of the strategic value of the Numata Basin shared by the Shiba Uesugi family. Similar mutual constraints and mutual cooperation are common in the Echigo duopolitics.
Therefore, in this kind of Echigo duopoly political structure, once the two sides break up, both the Shiba and Uesugi families will be hit hard.
Because the territories of both sides are mixed together, it is difficult to sort them out. If you really want to proceed from your own safety, you can only fight out a new boundary.
Kawada Nagauchi is also worried about the current dark and unclear political situation.
The family members headed by Naoe Keizuna, the Naomichi headed by Honjo Minoru, and the Echigo samurai family who were attached to the Uesugi family, these locals were still panicking, let alone the Omi sect with a weak foundation.
Kawada Nagachichi was really afraid. Once the Echigo Group broke up and rejected dissidents, the first batch of unlucky people would definitely be outsiders like them.
If Omi people like Kawada Nagakin, Yoshie Shiken, and Hazaka Nagami could work as officials in their hometown and have a good future, why would they follow Uesugi Kenshin to come to Kanto to develop?
Learn martial arts and buy into the emperor's family. This is the eternal truth.
I finally sacrificed my life and gained merit. Now I have knowledge and practice, and I also have status. Naturally, I hope to pass on this family business safely.
Yoshigan has a close relationship with Uesugi Kenshin, and the outside Omi faction is a crucial bargaining chip for Uesugi Kenshin to check and balance the Echigo native faction.
But if the Echigo duopoly breaks up, then the Uesugi family will inevitably become conservative and no longer trust outsiders, and the Omi faction's position will be embarrassing.
If we say that Naoe Keetsuna and Honjo Minoru are local bosses, their biggest headache is not wanting to lose the political status of the Uesugi family's second-ranking figure in the Kanto Palace and lose their first-mover political advantage.
So for outsiders like Kawada Nagauchi, the stability of the Echigo duopoly was a top priority related to their future and family business.
Comparing the two, it is natural that the Omi faction such as Kawada Nagauchi are more afraid of Yoshigami and Uesugi Kenshin going their separate ways.
Without the dual-headed political structure of Echigo, the local samurai family in Echigo would be heartbroken at best, while the Omi faction had become rootless duckweeds, and disaster was not far away.
At the banquet, Mr. Kawada, Mr. Yoshie, and Mr. Osaka exchanged glances in private, but hesitated to speak.
Yoshigami looked at their small movements below, and suddenly became a little reassured as he was about to face Uesugi Kenshin's anxiety.
In recent years, Yiyin has been throwing away money as hard as possible, and the Uesugi retainers and subordinates have reaped many benefits.
Before Yoshigan came to Echigo Kingdom, Uesugi Kenshin's ruling method could only be described as rough. There is too much force to suppress and not enough gentleness to win over.
After Yiyin came, everyone had money and status. They took advantage of the Hokuriku Road trade route, and also absorbed a lot of the land in the Kanto Raiders.
To put it bluntly, even if they are a bunch of heartless wild dogs, after so many years of feeding them a lot of benefits, they should be cooked by now.
Uesugi Kenshin wants to make trouble with Yoshigan. Is that a headache for Yoshigan alone? Maybe it was the Uesugi retainers who had a bigger headache. Their mouths were really full of food, how could they be willing to break up?
Seeing Kawada's long-term relationship on pins and needles, Yiyin's mentality is getting better and better.
What he fears most is that Uesugi Kenshin can suppress the Uesugi retainers group and Mikitsuna acts arbitrarily. Looking at Kawada's appearance, Uesugi Kenshin obviously didn't suppress the discussion at home, and many things were easier to handle.
Today, Yoshigami gave Ashikawa Nagauchi face and brought a group of Shiba clan officials to the banquet. He was also testing her to see how the Omi faction would react to the current situation as an emerging force in the Uesugi family.
After three rounds of wine and five dishes, Yiyin asked seemingly casually when the heat was almost done.
"Kawada-hime, how is Your Highness Uesugi doing lately? I haven't received any letters from her for some days. What has she been busy with recently?"
Kawada Nagachi also didn't expect that Yoshigan would actually hit a straight ball. He was stunned for a long time, and the idea went around in his mind three times before he weighed it and said.
"Since the birth of your little Highness, Your Highness has rarely attended the Council of Ministers. Most of the time, the group of retainers reviews and governs the affairs. He did not even participate in the battle of Shiba Oda in person.
It is said that she was injured when she gave birth to the little Highness, and it took her a year to recover.
This winter, His Highness seems to be feeling a little unwell again, and it is very hard to take His Highness hand-in-hand. "
Yoshigan's face stiffened. He tested Kawada Nagauchi to see if he was opposed to the break with Echigo's duopoly, and whether the attitude of the Uesugi retainers against Uesugi Kenshin's nonsense was mainstream.
Unexpectedly, Kawada Nagachi was so naughty. Not only did he avoid the important things, but he also lamented that Kenshin Uesugi had a hard time giving birth to a child and it was not easy to raise a child. How should Yoshigoshi handle this?
The faces of Yamazaka Yukimori and Shima Shengmeng under Yi Ginza became a little unnatural.
Some people give birth to babies, some raise them, and some lick their calves deeply. I have been working for so many years, but I don’t have a single baby. It’s so irritating to see people compare to each other!
Yiyin didn't say anything to find out the inside story. Instead, he smelled the smell of vinegar under his nose and coughed twice, feeling a little embarrassed.
"Your Highness Uesugi... you have suffered."
After all, they are his own women and children. To say that Yiyin doesn't care would be a lie. After two years of separation, the child is over one and a half years old, and Yiyin has never seen him before, so he feels a little emotional at this time.
Kawada Nagauchi is not a fool. As an outsider, she can gain a foothold in the xenophobic Echigo Group, and her speech is naturally impeccable.
Seeing that Yiyin was moved at this time, she struck while the iron was hot and went out to kneel down, with a loyal look on her face.
"The matter between the two gentlemen should not be something that I, my subordinate, should be able to discuss. But today, the saint mentioned my master, and the foreign minister was so bold that I couldn't say anything unhappy. I beg the saint to forgive me."
Yiyin sighed.
"You and I fought side by side back then, so we can be considered old comrades back to back. There are things we can't say clearly, but it doesn't matter. I don't blame you."
Kawada Nagachi gritted his teeth and bowed.
"The saint returned to Kanto this time and rode along the Tokaido. There was a lot of discussion in Echigo, and everyone was worried that the status of the Uesugi family would be difficult to protect.
If the Imagawa family is truly convinced, there is hope for peace in Tokaido, the Takeda family will be able to send troops to Hitachi, and the Hojo family will offer the land of Tomusashi.
There are even rumors that the sage intended to move the Grand Council's government office to Edo Castle, so the Hojo family killed Ota Yasushi. "
Yukimori in the mountains started to take action.
"Bold! Arrogant person! How dare you make such baseless criticisms in front of a saint!"
Yoshigami glanced at Yukimori Yamazaka and sighed.
"Yamanaka-hime, sit down for me. I told Kawada-hime to speak freely. Who allowed you to interrupt her?
It may not be without reason. Kawada-hime is willing to speak frankly and openly, and she is also loyal and passionate. How can she be arrogant? "
Yoshigan knew in his heart that Tokugawa, Takeda, and Hojo San Francisco were not good friends. These rumors were spreading everywhere in Kanto, and the three of them were inseparable.
The spring review is about to be held, and everyone is building momentum for themselves.
The Tokugawa family cannot enter the Grand Council, but since the Imagawa clan is really going to return to the Suruga Kingdom, the Guardian of Suruga will naturally enter the Grand Council of the Kanto Palace and accept the leadership of the Shiba family.
The Tokaido peace plan is making a lot of noise, and it seems to be really building momentum for the Imagawa clan. In fact, it is Tokugawa Ieyasu who is hammering the nails in to avoid recurrence in the future.
Takeda Shingen organized a family carnival in the hot springs, and took advantage of Yoshigami's soft-heartedness to get the righteousness of entering the Hitachi Kingdom. Naturally, he had to quickly tell everyone that I have the support of a saint.
There is a mixture of dragons and snakes in the big review, and the Takeda family is new to the country. Without some favors and favors, how can the bastards like Guan Bazhou be afraid?
The thoughts of the Hojo family are even simpler. Hojo Ushimasa is giving Uesugi Kenshin eye drops.
Over the years of Uesugi-Hojo's confrontation, the Uesugi family, with the support of the Shiba family, has been suppressing the Hojo family.
Now that Hojo Ujimasa has climbed up to the saint's bed, he naturally wants to find a way to tell the Kanhachishu family that the political status of the Hojo family is no longer weaker than that of the Uesugi family.
Echigo Kingdom is remote, but it occupies the main political resources of the Kanto Palace. The Grand Council and the Standing Council are both in Echigo Kingdom. The Uesugi family's second-ranking position in the Kanto Palace is naturally difficult to shake.
Therefore, building momentum for the relocation of the Kanto Shisho Government Office to Edo Castle is to weaken the foundation of the Uesugi family and attack Uesugi Kenshin, the nominal second-in-command.
It is in the interest of the Guan Bazhou warrior family to move the government hall of the Guandong Palace to the Guandong Plain. Everyone likes this rumor, and naturally it becomes more and more evil as it spreads.
In addition, Ota Yasushi, a daughter of a famous family, died like a miserable wild dog. In order to prevent the death of Tomusashi Bushi, the Hojo family also needs a reasonable explanation to make everyone feel at ease.
The land of Higashimusashi was dedicated to the saint. The saint wanted to move the government hall of the Kanto Palace to Edo Castle. The Higashimusashi samurai family would only be excited and excited after hearing this. Who cares about this dead dog Ota Yasushi?
There were calculations inside and out. Yiyin walked all the way forward, and the women behind him followed the calculations all the way. They were really not idle at all.
His own woman counts his own woman, what can Yiyin say? If you pick Coptis chinensis from the coptis tree, you are asking for trouble.
Originally, Uesugi Kenshin disrespected Yoshigashi and acted as if he wanted to engage in confrontation. He was disrespectful to the emperor and disrespectful to the saint. In the samurai society where etiquette was strict, it was a serious transgression and provocation.
But Nagachi Kawada first cried and complained about the difficulties Uesugi Kenshin had before and after giving birth, and the hardships of raising a child for a weak and sick child. Then he concentrated his firepower and accused certain people of being ready to take action, which irritated Uesugi Kenshin.
When it comes to business matters, Uesugi Kenshin naturally feels at fault. But when the emotional card is played, Uesugi Kenshin’s overreaction is understandable.
Kawada Nagachichi was the Hime warrior who followed Uesugi Kenshin back to Echigo and saw with his own eyes the entire process of cooperation between the Shiba and Uesugi families.
She knew Uesugi Kenshin’s unreserved dedication to Yoshigoshi, and she also knew Yoshigan’s love, justice, softness and compassion.
Uesugi Kenshin really loves Yoshigoshi, and Yoshigin is not a heartless person who eats noodles and flips the bottom of the bowl. The two parties really have feelings for each other, and they have children!
Kawada Nagauchi's impassioned speeches were just right, and they immediately brought the situation back for Uesugi Kenshin. Even if these words were passed back to Echigo in the future, Uesugi Kenshin and the Uesugi retainers group would also praise him.
No one would think that Kawada Nagauchi was flattering outsiders behind his master's back. Everyone would just sigh, what is loyalty to the emperor and the country? This is loyalty to the emperor and the country. Kawada Nagauchi is really a loyal minister.
Kawada Changqin's confession was both internal and external, leaving Yoshiyin looking a little embarrassed and speechless for a moment.
(End of chapter)
