Echigo country, imperial palace.
In the government hall, the main seat is empty, and the lower half of the seat is for the six standing council members, three permanent directors on the left and three non-permanent directors on the right.
The rest of the United Front members sat down in order according to their status.
Normally, big names like Uesugi Kenshin, Hojo Umasa, and Takeda Shingen would not come to such a big review.
The reason is, without it, it would be too low-grade.
Although Shiba Yiyin has been downplaying his own existence, he wants to make the Kanto Palace Council like an autonomous platform for the Kanto samurai family to discuss.
But in fact, everyone knows that the Kanto Palace is indispensable for Shiba Yiyin.
Without the authority of this saint, the status of the big and small masters in Guandong would be very different, and there would be no second person who could make everyone sit together and work together.
Therefore, even if Yiyin himself wants to hide behind the scenes, the position at the top of the Grand Council will always belong to him.
The Kanto Palace Council is the highest authority of the Grand Council and authorizes the Standing Council to handle the daily affairs of the Grand Council when it is not in session. Therefore, the status of the six directors is second only to Shiba Yiyin.
Then the problem arises.
The Standing Council has three permanent directors and three non-permanent directors.
Their strength is far inferior to that of large feudal lords like Uesugi, Hojo, and Takeda, and even inferior to the powerful samurai families in places like Yura and Nagao.
The six directors sit at the top, and Uesugi Kenshin, the Kanto governor, sits at the bottom. Is it appropriate?
The Wu family values strength as well as etiquette.
In order to avoid embarrassment, previous major reviews were attended by Uesugi retainers, and Uesugi Kenshin would not participate in formal meetings.
But this New Year’s review is no small matter.
First of all, with the Hojo clan politics and Takeda Shingen successively joining the Kanto Palace and deciding to attend this major review, the Uesugi retainers could no longer suppress these aggressive later bosses.
If Uesugi Kenshin doesn't come forward, the Uesugi family may suffer a loss in the decision.
In normal times, Takeda Hojo wouldn't like to come to the big review and sit at the bottom. Uesugi Kenshin wants to save face, don't they want to lose face?
But this major review was to decide on specific matters for the conquest of the East, such as how many troops each family would mobilize, how much rations they would provide, and which territory they would obtain after the war.
No matter how important the governor's face is, can it be more important than the actual new territory? Each family is eager to argue over an acre of land. Naturally, they need their own bosses to suppress the battle, so that the subordinates can have the confidence to quarrel.
As a result, almost all the lords of the feudal clans, large and small, who had the status of a united front clan came here this time, and the three powerful clans of Uesugi, Takeda and Hojo were no exception.
Especially the presence of Kenshin Uesugi is of great significance.
The Kanto management leaders of the old Kanto system, together with the United Front members of various families, sit at the head of the Standing Council of the Kanto Palace.
This does not mean that the Uesugi family is not strong enough, but it means that the Uesugi family no longer cares about the dignity of the old Kanto system and has begun to sincerely integrate into the new Kanto shrine system.
Uesugi Kenshin's status and strength are higher than those of the six directors, but he is still willing to sit at the bottom. This is in compliance with the rules of the game of the new Kanto shrine system.
Of course, the three governors of the Uesugi, Takeda and Hojo families were sitting at the bottom, surrounded by a group of united frontmen who were affiliated with them. They looked very powerful, but the six directors sitting at the top were a little on pins and needles.
If Yiyin were sitting here, he might feel happy about this scene.
Politics is the art of compromise, and the essence lies in checks and balances. The classical civil system based on the co-governance of the aristocracy is the most suitable regime for suppressing the common people.
The director's position is low and the weight is low, and the strong vassal is high and power is low. The two check and balance each other. Only in this way can the great review be conducive to coordinating the conflicting interests of the large and small martial arts families.
Regardless of whether the east wind prevails over the west wind or the west wind overpowers the east wind, it is essentially a one-party dominance that destroys the balance and destroys the cornerstone of negotiation.
Both sides have their own weaknesses, which is the basis for sitting down and negotiating. But such a system has advantages and disadvantages.
Just like now, the New Year's Review has been held for several days. Except for the three new non-permanent directors who had been installed in secret and were approved by unanimous votes, there was no success in the review.
Today, everyone sat in vain for a long time. Takeda Shingen straightened his waist and looked at Uesugi Kenshin not far away.
In the past few days, everyone seems to be arguing in the big committee during the day. In fact, most of the conflicts have been resolved during personal visits in the evening.
But if the core contradiction is not resolved, there will be no way to move forward. The focus is still on the three Takeda-Uesugi and Hojo families, especially the two Takeda-Uesugi families.
To put it simply, Uesugi Kenshin refused to let go and wanted to give Takeda Shingen some color. Don't think that the Takeda family can do whatever they want with the Shiba daughter in hand.
Takeda's territory is in Kai and Shinano, and is about to completely withdraw from Suruga Country.
This concession, coupled with Takeda Shingen's tenderness to soften Shiba Yoshigan, gained the great benefit of the Takeda family's conquest of Hitachi Kingdom and the replacement of the Satake family's protection of Hitachi.
But Yoshihiro Shiba's softness does not mean that Takeda Shingen has achieved his goal.
The Takeda Territory does not border with the Hitachi Kingdom, and is even far apart. If you want to send troops for conquest, you must secure logistical supplies along the way.
The farther the journey went, the greater the pressure on logistics. In order to go out smoothly, Takeda Shingen hoped to get the support of the Kanto Palace, at least to establish military stations along the way to replenish military supplies and supplies.
But this matter was stuck by Kenshin Uesugi. Naturally, Kenshin Uesugi would not slap Yoshihiro Shiba in the face in public.
Shiba Yoshigan promised the Takeda family to conquer the Satake family, and Uesugi Kenshin would not stop him, but Takeda Shingen, you can find a way to fly there by yourself!
Not to mention establishing supply lines for military stations along the way, Uesugi Kenshin did not even allow the Takeda family to use the road to pass through their territory.
You must know that the Uesugi family controls the Ueno Kunashi Bridge Territory, and Musashi Kuni Iwafu Castle Ohta Shimasa is also an affiliated force of the Uesugi family. They want to use the waterway of the middle reaches of the Tone River to transport supplies, and the Uesugi family cannot be bypassed.
The consumption of water transportation is much lower than that of land transportation. If water transportation cannot be used, the military consumption can increase ten times, and the Takeda family will not be able to conquer Hitachi Kingdom at all.
On the other side, Hojo Umasa's face didn't look good either.
Everyone knew that the Hojo family wanted to conquer the Boso Peninsula, but Uesugi Kenshin was opposed to the Hojo family going to the main country to conquer the country.
Because the Shimo-shogunate was nominally under the direct control of the Kanto shogunate, the Hojo family and the Satomi family fought in Taicheng, the national capital, and signed an agreement to withdraw.
Uesugi Kenshin held on to this and did not allow the Hojo family to harass the area directly under the Kanto shogunate. This was an act of righteousness, which made the Hojo clan angrier the more he thought about it.
Although the Hojo family could land directly on the Boso Peninsula through the navy in Sagami Bay and Edo Bay, cross-sea operations are never simple, and the best way is to advance in two directions.
All the way, the army went down from the main country and entered the upper country. All the way, the navy landed in Anfang country, making it difficult for the Satomi family to take care of themselves and their position was in chaos.
If the land route to the Lower Main Kingdom is blocked, the Satomi family can focus all their attention on the cross-sea landing site. The Hojo family is equivalent to a forceful attack. Even if they win in the end, they will suffer great losses.
After several days of deliberation, everyone could see that Uesugi Kenshin was targeting Takeda Shingen and Hojo Ushimasa to forcefully suppress the two families.
But what if you see it?
This is the Echigo Imperial Palace. This government hall is the political symbol of the Echigo duopoly of the Uesugi family. Yoshihiro Shiba and Kenshin Uesugi governed here together.
Uesugi Kenshin had a distinguished status, and when Shiba Yoshigan was away, her voice was the loudest, and although her reasons were a bit confusing, they were barely reasonable and difficult to refute.
The three powerful vassals are making trouble, and other martial arts families, big and small, are also thinking carefully. Who doesn't want to eat more and occupy more, it is best to suppress their local opponents to relieve their hatred.
As soon as the great master Kenshin Uesugi took action, others followed suit and began to find fault.
The ladies of the Standing Council saw this and couldn't say anything, so they had no choice but to follow suit.
The leader is Uesugi Kenshin, and others are just following his example. If Uesugi Kenshin does not act, others will feel dissatisfied after being ordered to do so, and the principle of fairness, fairness and openness of the Grand Council cannot be maintained.
Coupled with the fact that the Standing Council itself has its own thoughts, things become even more complicated.
Shima Katsuruo and Yamanaka Yukimori, two close confidants, were happy to see the three Uesugi, Takeda and Hojo families biting dogs, so it would be nice not to add fuel to the flames.
Daxiong Chaoxiu also took the opportunity to attack Dazo Chang'an, the Kanto Service Office and the Samurai Principle Promotion Association. They are all economic departments. This time they send troops to conquer the East, they will naturally have to contribute money and effort.
But who will pay more, who will pay less, and how to distribute the plan will be easy to calculate.
Without Sibo Yin taking the lead, the committee was full of petty thoughts. Everyone quarreled during the day and connected at night.
After several days in a row, no one was happy with the commotion, but in the face of interests, no one was willing to give in easily and could only continue to waste away.
Perhaps without the intervention of outside forces, they could continue to quarrel for a long time, and eventually come to a result that no one was satisfied with, but that everyone could reluctantly accept.
After all, time waits for no one, and no one wants to miss the good opportunity this year. They want to go to the territory of the East to grab money, food, land, and men.
Just at this moment, unpredictable and unexpected interference factors appeared.
———
Just when everyone thought that today's big review was another day of waffling, there was a commotion outside.
As a deacon, Yamanaka Yukimori nominally presides over the meeting, but he has long been tired of the selfish thoughts of the people in front of him.
When she heard the commotion outside, she couldn't help but scolded.
"Who is making the noise outside!"
The sliding door of the government hall was opened, and four warriors rushed in, led by Naomasa Ii.
The three of them stood guard at the door. Naomasa Ii walked quickly into the government hall and went straight to the chief seat.
Zhu Ji's eyes followed her figure, and none of them knew what was going on. During the moment of hesitation, no one spoke up to stop her.
It wasn't until Ii Naomasa took the throne that Yamanaka Yukimori asked.
"Iiji, stop! That's the main position!
Didn't you go to Guhe Territory to protect the saint? Why did you come back suddenly? Where is the Holy Master? "
Naomasa Ii glanced at Yukimori Yamanaka, stepped onto the throne in a few steps, turned around and faced the ladies sitting in front of him, and bowed deeply.
"The sage ordered me to come back and bring a message to you all.
A rebellion broke out among the people in the East. The saint was afraid that the chaos would spread to other parts of the world and that people would be in ruins, so he was determined to fight the rebels in the lower country to the end. "
After saying that, Naomasa Ii bowed deeply and walked away without any nonsense.
Dao Sheng looked at her fiercely and suddenly spoke.
"Ii Ji, are you leaving now? Don't you want to tell us the specific situation?"
Naomasa Ii stopped and bowed slightly to Shima Katsuo.
"Master Shima, the sage only asked me to bring a sentence back. He did not ask me to talk too much during the grand review at the Kanto Palace."
Dao Shengmeng narrowed his eyes slightly.
Ii Naomasa has always been upright, but Shima Katsuki never expected that this woman would dare to speak nonsense in the government hall and ridicule the big and small feudal lords in Kanto in front of them.
A glimmer of light flashed in Yamanaka Yukimori's eyes.
"Be careful, the Grand Review is a solemn place, don't talk nonsense."
Naomasa Ii smiled slightly.
"Adults, please continue the discussion, I have to go back in a hurry.
Before leaving the Furukawa Territory, I asked the Saint for a vanguard job. Now I was afraid that I would be too late to go back and miss the opportunity to fight alongside the Saint. "
Naomasa Ii held his chest high and hurried forward, quickly reaching the end of the government hall where the door was open.
She glanced back at everyone present one last time, smiled sarcastically, and bowed politely.
"I'm very sorry to bother you, my lords."
Naomasa Ii walked out of the door, and the three followers who followed her pulled the door open.
The footsteps outside the door disappeared in a hurry, leaving only the united frontmen looking at each other in the government hall, still digesting the sudden military situation.
Are the people in the East in chaos? Are those people crazy? They are hitting an egg with an egg against a stone!
Is the saint refusing to come back? He would rather face the numerous rebels alone than go back to the Grand Council to criticize others. Who is he disappointed in? Still don’t want to see anyone?
(End of chapter)
