Chapter 241 15. The Teacher Has a Great Cause

Kinki is experiencing a major political earthquake, while Yamanouchi is experiencing a minor political earthquake.

The current Yamanouchi clan chief family elder, Hosokawa Harumiya, applied for retirement and handed over the Yamanouchi branch of the Hosokawa clan to his legitimate son, Hosokawa Saemon Masamitsumasa.

Then I repeat the important words three times: the family elder cannot inherit! The family elder cannot inherit! The family elder cannot inherit!

Hosokawa Saemon is only the castle lord of Shimosuwa at this moment. Although she belongs to the family elders of the Gofudai, this only means that their family is qualified to serve as a family elder, not necessarily as a family elder.

There was never a good thing of hereditary succession in the Warring States Period. Competition for positions was the mainstream!

So the minds of the retainers who were qualified to replace the Yamanouchi clan chief family elder were active. The most powerful one was naturally the second-in-command family elder Isshiki Miyauchi Shosuke Akiyoshi. Then there were Yamanouchi Shuketou, Kitabatake Daigaku, and Konishihara Saemon.

Isshiki Miyauchi has been the family elder for more than ten years and has been waiting for a replacement for a long time. He has prestige, qualifications, reputation, and military exploits, and basically has no weaknesses. However, as the younger brother of Yamanouchi Yoshiharu, Yamanouchi Shuketou has innate advantages and has also made many meritorious deeds. He is considered to be the right-hand man of Yamanouchi Yoshiharu.

As for Kitabatake Daigaku and Konishihara Saemon, it is better to say that they are waiting to replace the position of the second family elder. It depends on who will take the position in the end.

Yamanouchi Yoshiharu naturally has to consider the opinions of the old retainers. He will not decide the candidate for the head of the retainers based entirely on his own preferences. He will choose a candidate who is relatively recognized and admired by the other retainers to ensure the implementation of family affairs.

So while the retainers from all walks of life are in Yamanouchi Fuchu Castle, everyone will connect. As far as Koheita is concerned, Yamanouchi Shuketou is more familiar and naturally closer. Uncle Tsunayoshi has fought behind Isshiki Miyauchi, so his personal inclination is naturally different.

The uncle and nephew did not comment, because it is still unknown whether everyone's opinions will be sought in the end. The heart of the emperor is hard to predict, especially for the powerful Yamanouchi Yoshiharu who has been the emperor for 20 years and has matured his mind. It is even more difficult to guess.

However, Isshiki Miyano is already in his early 50s. If he takes over, he will most likely move forward and backward with Yamanouchi Yoshiharu, who is ready to hand over the power to Yamanouchi Yoshikatsu. It is just right for him to work with Yamanouchi Yoshiharu to transition this power transfer period.

Then the successor Yamanouchi Yoshikatsu will appoint a new scribe elder, who will show favor to the new ministers and build up the team of Yamanouchi Yoshikatsu himself.

Some shrewd retainers should see this situation clearly. However, due to Yamanouchi's status as the chief accountant, no one has expressed anything directly for the time being. Instead, Hosokawa Harumiya goes to the city every day to accept the consultation of Yamanouchi Yoshiharu.

Other retainers want to express their opinions, but Yamanouchi Yoshiharu has no intention of accepting the opinions of the public. Finally, several retainers were summoned into the city together and the news came out. Isshiki Miyauchi was promoted to the position of the chief family elder as he wished, and Kitabatake Daigaku replaced him as the second chief family elder. As Koyata expected, the two old retainers were selected to start the last term with Yamanouchi Yoshiharu. The rest of the young and strong retainers were to be left to Yamanouchi Yoshikatsu as his assistants after he succeeded.

The aftermath of this incident was that the castle lord of Hachioji was replaced by Yamanouchi Shuketou, which implied the meaning of first suppressing and then promoting. Hosokawa Saime was also able to make a further step because of her father's brave retirement, and was promoted to the general agent of Shimosuwa Kamiina and the lord of Iida Castle. Although the Hosokawa family no longer served as the chief family elder, due to the merger of Chiyuki, Chiyuki with 3,000 kan completely stood at the head of the retainers, and his territory was second only to Imagawa Yoshichika and Asahina Taro, two Imonshu.

Another point is that Hosokawa Saime served as a front-line general facing Shinano and Kai, which was also a thoughtful arrangement.

When Yamanouchi Yoshikatsu returned to the country this time, the situation in Kyoto was so good that it was unbelievable. The general did not need the outsiders to come to Kyoto to support his rule. The Yamanouchi family was also happy to temporarily stop sending blood to Kyoto and return to the territory.

This time, Yamanouchi Yoshikatsu served as the guardian of Shinano. The Kiso clan, the last one in Shinano to maintain independence in the cracks, could no longer stand out from the three powers in Shinano. (In fact, there was also Takanari Masahiro, but he had already surrendered to Murakami Yoshikiyo on the surface.)

Even if the natural barrier of Kiso Valley was difficult to attack, the Yamanouchi family would not sit idly by and watch such a small force continue to exist. After Yamanouchi Yoshikatsu was able to serve as the guardian of Shinano, Yamanouchi Yoshiharu sent an envoy to the Kiso clan in the name of the guardian. The attitude was also very clear: he would be a vassal, hand over hostages, and Kiso Yoshimasa would serve the Yamanouchi Fuchu Castle.

At the same time, it was also clear that the territory of the Kiso clan would be guaranteed, and the Kiso clan and the Yamanouchi clan were allowed to attack Murakami Yoshikiyo together. The entire Azumi County could be freely taken by the Kiso clan. This matter was guaranteed by the new Shinano guardian Yamauchi Yoshikatsu and endorsed by the shogunate.

However, after the envoy went to Kiso Fukushima Castle, the Kiso family did not comment. After all, when Kiso Yoshiharu was in power, the Kiso family was also a "romantic governor" family that was famous in Shinano, Mino, and Hida. The power was once as large as more than 10,000 kan, and with timber, gold, and war horses, its income was no less than that of the Yamauchi family in those days. But now the Yamauchi family has grown to such a large extent, and their Kiso family is still wandering around in Kiso Valley.

Perhaps it was a psychological idea that was at work, and in the end the Kiso family rejected the Yamauchi family's request for vassalage.

Well, that's what I'm waiting for!

Although Yamauchi Yoshiharu was silent and did not make a fuss after the envoy came back. He continued to arrange and handle various matters of the Yamauchi family, and put this embarrassing matter behind him.

But in fact, he arranged for Yamauchi Yoshikatsu to return home. Even if there was no such thing as Koyata, Yamauchi Yoshikatsu would definitely come back. Then, according to Yamauchi Yoshikatsu's request, on the one hand, he arranged for Hosokawa Saime, his good brother who had grown up with him, to deploy troops and raise supplies at the frontier near the Kiso territory.

On the other hand, Koyata was also stranded in Yamauchi. Yamauchi Yoshikatsu specifically asked Koyata to act as logistics. If the Kiso clan is attacked this time, the winding terrain in the ravine will make it impossible for logistics to keep up, and then it will be over.

This matter was not known until Yamauchi Yoshikatsu found Koyata. You two father and son kept it a secret, no wonder Koyata was transferred back to the center of Yamauchi.

Koyata had thought of several meanings before, but I didn't expect that Yamauchi Yoshiharu had arranged this step. Paving the way for his son, what a good father.

Now that all matters have been arranged, Yoshikatsu Yamanouchi, as the general director of the reserve fund, is busy with this matter on the surface, but in fact he turned around and ran to the Hosokawa Cainu, preparing to send troops to attack Kiso Valley after the autumn harvest.

On the other hand, Kobayata arranged the affairs of the hatamoto. He also began to hire civilians, prepare the roads a little, and raise cloth and fuel.

According to my memory, all the debts should be paid, or is there that big cutie who remembers how much I still owe?