What Does a Super Weak Minor Lord in the Sengoku Era Aim For? - Chapter 5

Eiroku 3rd Year, New Year – Yamanaka Yūzaburō

“I am Yamanaka Yūzaburō, the younger brother of Yamanaka Yūjirō.”

I explained this to Yūjirō’s retainers, Shimizu Jūzō and Kitamura Shinsuke, so that my sudden replacement wouldn’t seem suspicious.
Fortunately, they accepted me as their leader just as they had accepted my older brother, and with that, the biggest challenge of living in this era was cleared. 

I now had a place to belong in this time period.

The next issue was my work. Yūjirō had written that his duty was to train his men in martial arts. This was necessary to repel attacking bandits and to survive on the battlefield.
Other matters, such as the welfare of the villagers, were handled by the kokujin, so I didn’t need to concern myself with them. 

In other words, my only job was to stay informed about the region’s political climate and ensure survival in warfare.

However, there was a serious problem. These men were real warriors, trained to survive in the Warring States era, and yet, I—a modern-day person with no battlefield experience—was supposed to lead them.
I had never fought in a real battle, nor had I even participated in sparring practice. Unlike Yūjirō, who had trained at the Yagyū dojo and was accustomed to combat, I had no such experience.

Would I really be able to fight for my life with a real sword or spear? Would I be able to kill without hesitation? And not just kill—I’d have to cut off my enemy’s head and carry it back. 

Ugh. That seems impossible. That’s practically serial murder stuff…

But there’s no other choice. I’ll just have to get used to it through actual training in the dojo. The only martial art I had trained in during modern times was Iaijutsu, a sword-drawing technique practiced solo. Because of that, I felt extremely uneasy about practicing sparring drills with wooden swords. I needed to urgently request permission from the Yagyū clan to train at their dojo.
Besides, I should visit the Yagyū family for New Year’s greetings as well. The Yagyū were the most influential kokujin in this area, and Yūjirō had been on good terms with them.

I also learned about the villages under my subordinates’ control.
Kitamura Shinsuke governed two villages, Kitamura Village and Nanjō Village, which yielded 180 koku of rice, while Shimizu Jūzō oversaw four villages: Hirashimizu Village, Hōyō Village, Narukawa Village, and Sonoda Village, with a total yield of 130 koku.

Both of them had inherited their positions as heads of their clans, but their fathers were still alive and actively managing the land.

Shinsuke’s domain was mostly farmland, with many peasants and a high population, resulting in more rice production. In contrast, Jūzō’s villages had less farmland, and their residents had diverse occupations aside from farming.
Hirashimizu Village, located along the Yagyū Road, had a thriving commercial district and was home to many traveling merchants. 

Narukawa Village is located on a slope, with little farmland, and is home to many traveling monks and yamabushi. Sonoda Village, on the other hand, is a small village where pottery craftsmen have settled due to the availability of high-quality clay.
In Hōyō Village, aside from farmers, many people work in temple and shrine-related trades—woodworkers, Buddhist sculptors, and mountain workers who transport materials.

Each of these villages seems quite interesting. As expected of the secluded corners of ancient Yamato.

One more surprising fact—I learned that both the Shimizu and Kitamura families are castle holders. 

That caught me off guard…
These two are more impressive than I thought. Heirs of noble families, no less.

Is it really fine for kokujin lords who own castles to serve under someone like me?

The two of them have known each other since childhood and are quite close. It seems I’m very fortunate to have such good subordinates. Shimizu Jūzō, whose villages are filled with people from various professions and attract a wealth of information, acts as an intelligence officer and strategist.
Meanwhile, Kitamura Shinsuke, a swordsman who trained at the Yagyū dojo, seems fit for the role of a military commander.

I also learned about the political landscape of the region. This area, covered with a series of small hills, consists of minor kokujin lords who have become semi-independent from the manors of Kōfukuji due to the shifting times.
They are under the influence of the Tsutsui clan, a powerful force controlling the southwestern part of Nara and extending to Kōriyama.

Apparently, the road in front of my residence is part of the Yamato Road. It serves as a major route from Iga, passing through Kasagi and Sugawa, leading toward Nara.
In my modern-day knowledge, I recall National Route 163 connecting Iga, Kasagi, and Kizu, but it seems that’s not exactly how it was in this era.

I see, it’s called the Yamato Road because it connects to Nanto (Yamato). Even the roads from Kyoto pass through Nanto before heading to Iga.
I had assumed this was just a mountain residence, but it turns out it was built in a strategically crucial location, overseeing a key transportation route.

In the summer of Eiroku 2, Matsunaga invaded from Kawachi. This happened right after Yūjirō had settled here and taken the two retainers under his command.

Yūjirō quickly recognized the situation and persuaded the Yagyū clan to side with Matsunaga, declaring, “We should align with Matsunaga.”

That makes sense—of course he would.
Yūjirō knew history, after all.

The strength of Matsunaga, a faction of the Miyoshi clan that dominated the Kinai region, was even greater than expected. The Tsutsui clan’s stronghold, Tsutsui Castle, fell in just one day, forcing the Tsutsui forces to flee.
The kokujin who had sided with Tsutsui either switched allegiance to Matsunaga or barricaded themselves within their own territories.

Among the minor kokujin lords in these mountainous areas, aside from myself and the Yagyū, it seems that all of them chose the latter. They were hesitant to side with Matsunaga, fearing that they were too weak to be taken seriously.
There was also the understandable fear of aligning with a new and unpredictable power.

This won’t do. As if that was the case…

Alright, I’ll be the one to unite those scattered people. I’ll bring them together, make them stronger, and live this fleeting life to the fullest.

A person’s life—everything they’ve built over years—can be wiped away in an instant, just because a tire slips. I’ll never forget how abrupt that moment was.

“Jūzō, Shinsuke, we’re going to bring the surrounding kokujin under our banner. Convince them that by becoming my vassals, they could switch sides to Matsunaga.”

“What… Are you serious, boss?!” 

Jūzō let out a ridiculous yelp.

I was dead serious, but well, we were having this conversation over drinks.

“Yes. We were nearly killed just from being surrounded by a mere twenty bandits. We’re too fragile. It’s pathetic—we need to grow stronger.”

“But would the weaker kokujin really want to become our subordinates?” 

Shinsuke made a good point. It wouldn’t be easy.

“If they don’t, they’ll be destroyed. Matsunaga will take control of Nanto soon. Once that happens, it’ll be too late. Tell them that. First, let’s start with Sugawa. Have your father or the village elder handle the negotiations.”

“Understood. I’ll ask my father.”

“Then I’ll talk to my own father and the elders to bring the neighboring villages in,” Jūzō added.

“Good. And Jūzō, I want you to also spread rumors through traveling merchants and traders.”

“Ah, I see. Spread the word—‘If you want to survive, join Yamanaka quickly.’ Leave it to me!”

“Our forces will soon grow to fifty, then a hundred. Once we start moving, a thousand will follow. We’ll need capable people to support them. Gather talented individuals wherever you can.”

“A thousand soldiers… Can such a thing really happen?”

“It will. And when it does, Shinsuke, you’ll be the battalion commander leading them. Jūzō, you’ll be the chief retainer, overseeing many vassals.”

“I’m gonna be a chief retainer?!”

“A battalion commander of a thousand men…!”

The two, who had been dumbfounded at first, slowly started to look fired up.

Now, I just need to train my swordsmanship. I had to sharpen my skills so I wouldn’t fall behind in real combat.

Alright! I’ll give it everything I’ve got!

*Bang. Bang. Bang.*

Just then, the sound of the gatewood being struck echoed again. We all looked at each other.

“I’ll go check,” Kikuzō said, standing up.

“Who could be visiting so early in the new year…” Jūzō muttered, being the first to have come to see me this New Year’s.

In this era, New Year’s Day is spent with family, and the second day is reserved for visiting relatives. If one is from the main family, they receive visits from their kin. On the third day, it is customary to pay respects to one’s superiors—samurai visit their commanders or lords, merchants greet their guild leaders, and farmers visit the village headman.

Today is the second day of the new year, and is meant for visiting relatives. Of course, I have no relatives in this era.

“Sir, it’s the young lord of Yagyū.”

Kikuzō returned, surprisingly, with a child in tow.
The boy, who was called “young lord,” was wrapped in fur against the cold, but his face was pale from the frigid weather. He must have arrived on horseback. Naturally, he was accompanied by sturdy-looking young retainers.

“Oh! Lord Shinjirō, welcome! Please, come warm yourself by the fire,” Shinsuke, a disciple of the Yagyū dojo, stood to greet him.

“No, let me deliver my message first. Lord Yamanaka, this is a message from my father.”

This boy, Shinjirō, would later become Yagyū Toshikatsu. He had a square face and a sharp, intelligent gaze.

“Very well, I’m listening.”

“Before dawn tomorrow, my father will stop by here. He wishes for you to accompany him in presenting New Year’s greetings to Lord Matsunaga.”

“I understand. Please tell him I will be waiting.”

So, the third day of the new year is reserved for paying respects to one’s lord.
Matsunaga himself is currently at Tsutsui Castle.

I’m unfamiliar with this era’s Nanto, and visiting an enemy stronghold for formal greetings was something I intended to discuss with the Yagyū family.
But they reached out first.

If I go with the Yagyū clan—renowned swordsmen—I’ll feel much safer. Plus, I’ll also accomplish my goal of greeting the Yagyū family.
In other words, this is a win-win situation.

“Lord Shinjirō, I appreciate you coming all this way in the cold. Please, warm yourself by the fire.”

“I was just out on a long ride. This is nothing,” he said, trying to sound tough as he took a seat by the hearth and drank the hot water Jinsuke had prepared.

I glanced at Jūzō, who shook his head slightly, indicating that I shouldn’t reveal anything about myself. Shinsuke also nodded in agreement.

(That’s right. Rather than saying things through a child, I should meet his father and speak to him directly…)