Chapter 240 14. Miyoshi Declined and the Shogunate Rose

Japan, Kinki, Settsu Province, Iimori Castle.

The shogunate's companions, Kanreidai, and Kyukoku governor, Miyoshi Shuu-no-no-nagayoshi, is in a rare moment of clarity.

Since Ataka Fuyuyasu was sentenced to death, Miyoshi Nagayoshi's spirit has become increasingly trance, with fewer days of clarity and more days of confusion. In just two months, the whole person has become as thin as an old man in his seventies or eighties, and the exposed skin has completely lost its luster.

Except for the pair of sharp eyes that still see through everything, it is difficult to tell that this is just a strong man who has just passed forty.

Miyoshi Nagayoshi seems to have felt that his time is running out, and he also realized the undercurrents at home. At the same time, the movements of the court and the shogunate are so vague that it took Miyoshi Nagayoshi twenty years to completely control Kyoto, which is now full of spies.

As a powerful Imonshu, Miyoshi Sasuke Yasunaga (Sho Iwa), the Kyoto Soshidai, is now waiting for Miyoshi Nagayoshi's orders.

But this kind and respected old man did not sit in the first row. Instead, the people closest to Miyoshi Nagayoshi were Miyoshi Keicho Nagayasu, who was now the head of the Miyoshi clan, Miyoshi Masayasu, Iwanari Shutomomichi, and Matsunaga Dansho Hisahide.

As for the people in the back row, there were Araki Murashige, the lord of Settsu Araki Castle, Nakagawa Kiyohide, the lord of Settsu Ibaraki Castle, Matsunaga Hisamichi, the lord of Yamato Tamonyama Castle, Takayama Ukon, the lord of Settsu Takatsuki Castle, and Naito Ninayasu, the guardian of Tamba.

Miyoshi Nagayoshi glanced at the many Imons and retainers who lowered their heads and could not see their expressions. In the end, he announced that he would adopt Sogo Yoshitsugu, the legitimate son of his third brother Sogo Sanuki Moriichi, as his own son, and hoped to ease the relationship with the imperial court and the shogunate through Yoshitsugu's maternal grandfather Kujo Uemichi. He guaranteed that after his death, there would be no turmoil in Kyoto in a short time.

However, when his order was passed down, the retainers seemed to have no response, and more people were silent. Only Miyoshi Yasunaga looked at his nephew with tears in his eyes, and promised loudly that he would definitely support Miyoshi Yoshitsugu to ascend the throne.

Miyoshi Nagayoshi looked at the Miyoshi Three who were kneeling in front of him, and his good son-in-law Matsunaga Hisahide, and there seemed to be a kind of anger in his eyes. But his own body had collapsed, and he was no longer able to fight with these powerful retainers.

He clenched and loosened his hands, loosened and clenched again, and finally waved his hands dejectedly to let everyone present leave.

Not long after, he fell into a coma again. The guards outside the door had all been replaced by the men of the Miyoshi Three. Miyoshi Yasunaga, who was worried, wanted to visit, but was blocked outside because the doctor was unwell.

That night, in the sound of some kind of call, Miyoshi Nagayoshi died suddenly at the age of 43.

Once the news of his death was exposed, the Miyoshi Three immediately took control of Akutagawa Castle and Iimori Castle, and sent troops to occupy Yamashiro Kuni Shotenryuji Castle. He tried to control Kyoto's huge commercial income and the huge political advantage of the shogunate.

On the other hand, Matsunaga Hisahide won over a group of allies and quickly seized the half of Izumi and Kawachi, which belonged to the Miyoshi family. He also sent more troops to Tamonyama Castle and tried to get his hands on Kyoto's huge wealth and power.

On the contrary, the serious Kyoto Shoshidai Miyoshi Yasunaga could not stay in the capital, and brought 2,000 to 3,000 people into Kishiwada Castle to welcome the new Miyoshi head Miyoshi Yoshitsugu who came from Sanuki, Shikoku.

Unexpectedly, the Miyoshi Three clearly resisted Miyoshi Yoshitsugu from entering Iimori Castle and refused to let him serve as the shogunate's gosaibanshu and kanreidao, which the Miyoshi head should serve.

Matsunaga Hisahide also expressed an ambiguous attitude towards this matter, and Miyoshi Yoshitsugu could no longer move forward after reaching Wakae Castle. But it seems that God still favors the Miyoshi family. Miyoshi Masakatsu, who has a blood feud with Miyoshi Nagayoshi, actually brought 2,000 soldiers to support Miyoshi Yoshitsugu. 【Note 1】

This was not the end. The imperial court took the lead in recognizing Miyoshi Yoshitsugu's status, indicating that his father Juhe Izumura's position as the fifth rank of Sanuki-no-kami could be inherited by him. After he succeeded the Miyoshi family head, he would be promoted to Shuri-no-fu or Kyōjo-no-fu.

In addition, Miyoshi Nagayoshi's will had been made public, and many people from Kawachi and Izumi came to pay homage to Miyoshi Yoshitsugu. Miyoshi Yoshitsugu's family elder, Kaneyama Suruga-no-kami, also came from Shikoku with 500 soldiers to support him.

Now the Miyoshi Three and Matsunaga Hisahide had no choice but to "escort" Miyoshi Yoshitsugu to the capital. Ashikaga Yoshiteru personally met the young Miyoshi family head and showed a different interest in the 5,000 troops he brought to the capital. Not only did he appease him with kind words, but he also officially confirmed his position as the shogunate's shogunate.

As for the Kanreidai, I'm sorry that Hosokawa Harumoto died in Fumonji Temple and Hosokawa Ujiyasu died in Yodo, so Hatakeyama Takamasa did not enter the capital to take over. There was no governor in the world, so naturally, Miyoshi Yoshitsugu was not going to do this job anymore.

After leaving Kyoto, Miyoshi Yoshitsugu could not go to Iimori, so he had to enter Kawachi Takaya Castle and Wakae Castle under the compromise of Miyoshi Three and Matsunaga Hisahide, and he could be regarded as a place to stay. He was also recognized by the shogunate and the court, and officially became the leader of Miyoshi.

So far, the Miyoshi clan, which once had the power to dominate the world, was divided into four groups: Miyoshi Three, Matsunaga Hisahide, Miyoshi Yoshitsugu, and several Imonshu in Shikoku. Fierce internal strife began, and Miyoshi was completely thrown into hell.

However, this was good news for the generals in Kyoto and the Yamanouchi family. Sukezaemon and uncle Tsunayoshi successively brought news from Kinai. Everyone in the Yamanouchi family applauded, the great traitor Miyoshi Nagayoshi died, and the Miyoshi family quickly split apart.

Ashikaga Yoshiteru took this opportunity to call Rokkaku Yoshitaka and Kitabatake Harutomo to the capital. The 30,000 Rokkaku and Kitabatake allied forces quickly helped the shogun seize the territories of Yamashina, Daigo, Sakamoto and other places that were invaded by the Miyoshi clan.

At the same time, the control of Kyoto also fell into the hands of Ashikaga Yoshiteru, and the strength of the Yamashiro Fugong was greatly strengthened.

Ashikaga Yoshiteru also returned the favor and negotiated with the court to help Kitabatake Harutomo be promoted to the position of Junior Third Rank, Middle Councilor, and Rokkaku Sadanori be promoted to the position of Senior Fourth Rank, Upper Kyosho Daifu.

The Muromachi shogunate, which was in turmoil and hiding a few years ago, suddenly revived and grew stronger, and was unrivaled at the time. Although the Miyoshi Three still had some troops eyeing Kyoto, they could no longer threaten Ashikaga Yoshiteru's superficial domination of the Yamashiro country.

This situation made Kobayata ask, what's going on? Why is Ashikaga Yoshiteru getting better and better? Shouldn't he live longer and go back to the past?

My memory cannot be wrong. Our Lord is definitely going to die. But the situation is so good now. With thousands of soldiers under his command and the support of many big men, he doesn't look like he is about to die!

[Note 1]: Miyoshi Nagayoshi killed Miyoshi Masanaga, and his son Miyoshi Masakatsu and Miyoshi Nagayoshi are sworn enemies.