Chapter 259 34. Shinano Has No Rain This Year
As expected, after Yamanouchi Yoshikatsu sent people with flags into the city, news came that the Kiso clan had surrendered.
Although the Yamanouchi family lost more than 300 people in the melee, and 500 to 600 people were injured, especially 400 to 500 people were killed and injured by Kiso Yoshimasa. However, the Kiso family's siege troops were all lost, and Kiso Yoshiyasu had completely lost the confidence to challenge the Yamanouchi army.
Soon, Kiso Yoshiyasu, who cut his braids and shaved his head bald, changed into a pure white plain clothes, and went out of the city barefoot to surrender to Yamanouchi Yoshikatsu, a junior whom he looked down upon.
His son Kamimatsu Yoshitoyo held a wakizashi, and his daughter Iwahime held a bottle of wine and a wine dish. Then a hatamoto samurai who was probably his most loyal, held a katana, and looked like he was going to be an kaishakunin.
Yamanouchi Yoshikatsu watched the wonderful performance of this famous samurai of the same generation as his father, and he was in a state of sacrificing his life for the country and seeing death as home. The Yamanouchi people, including Kobayata, sneered in their hearts, what a "pretentious" person!
However, everyone was a decent person and would not expose Kiso Yoshiyasu's vulgar performance. After comforting him with kind words, Yamanouchi Yoshikatsu immediately had people monitor Kiso Yoshiyasu and his party as they set off for Fuchu Castle. He probably didn't want to see this person again for a moment, so he quickly turned away.
After Kiso Yoshiyasu changed into a water dryer, he was urged to set off. Also accompanying him were his son Kamimatsu Yoshitoyo and his daughter Iwahime, as well as his wife, concubines, and more than 20 attendants. He said he was going to Yamanouchi Shoryakuji Temple to become a monk, but he happily brought his whole family with him, as if he was on vacation.
Then the Yamanouchi army entered Fukushima Castle. This year, Shinano was dry, and the food in Fukushima was the lifeblood of Kiso Yoshimasa, so no one touched it, but all the thousands of kan of property accumulated by the Kiso family for generations were taken away by Yamanouchi Yoshikatsu.
Kiso Yoshimasa, who had succeeded, could only watch with hatred as the Yamauchi army happily seized property in the city. It was the old minister Shigekawa Shigeori who held him back and asked him to restrain himself temporarily. As long as the 4,000 kan of territory was preserved and the food was left, there was a possibility of a comeback.
After the Yamauchi soldiers looted Fukushima Castle, Kiso Yoshimasa left the city and knelt down to pay homage to Yamauchi Yoshikatsu. He received the Kiso local security documents and the seal that listed him as a member of the Yamauchi clan's outer-style national service.
Then the Yamauchi army retreated from the city and returned the captured upper palace to the Kiso family. Then Ogasawara and Shiro Nagamasa were left to guard Tamagaki Castle, and he was appointed as the Kiso garrison supervisor and Tamagaki Castle lord.
There was also an episode in the middle. Shigekawa Shigeori was an unknown samurai who was only described in a few words in history, but in this battle, he used the tactics that were most suitable for the Kiso clan and almost completely defeated the Yamauchi clan's army that was several times larger than his own.
Such a samurai who judged the situation and had a deep strategy was naturally singled out by Yamauchi Yoshikatsu for questioning. Kobayata and others accompanied him, and the conversation between the two made people think that heroes have always emerged from the grass.
This samurai who made plans to defeat the two powerful families, Takeda and Tokugawa (I personally think so) in succession surprised Yamauchi Yoshikatsu. He directly said that he was willing to use twice the knowledge and action to appease him, but was rejected by Shigekawa Shigeyou because a loyal minister does not serve two masters.
There must be a loyal and faithful person in a town of ten households! The ancients did not lie to me!
Everyone has his own ambitions and cannot be forced! Even a small powerful family with 4,000 kan has such a capable samurai loyal to him. The road to conquering the world is long and arduous.
After all the affairs of Kiso were completed, under the watchful eyes of Kiso Yoshimasa, Yamauchi's soldiers withdrew their troops contentedly after a great looting. Although it was bumpy, they finally won the victory.
The weather is getting colder at this moment, but the farm work will not stop.
As we all know, Kobayata is a very careful observer of life. Because there are too many places to spend money, he always tries to find new ways to make money.
Others don't have the same idea as him. When ordinary samurai return home victorious, they think about their wives and children at home, as well as the rewards after their meritorious service.
As a lord, Yamanouchi Yoshikatsu cares more about things. Among the samurai surrounding him, only Kobayata was still farming a few years ago, so he favors Kobayata.
"This year's soybean, taro and buckwheat harvest seems to be very poor?" Yamanouchi Yoshikatsu pointed to a threshing ground in a village on the side of the road.
Kobayata looked over and saw that there were indeed not many soybeans and buckwheat drying on the ground, and there were not many bean and wheat branches piled outside the warehouse for firewood in winter. It can even be said that there were very few, only dozens of bundles of grass piled there.
"That's true. The drought this year has not eased. After returning to the palace, it's best for the Shinshu governor to try to raise some food with the lord to prepare for the spring famine." The crop yields of this era were originally low, and now with the drought, it might be over.
"Cai Nu, find someone to call the village's headman. I have something to ask." Yamauchi Yoshikatsu seemed to be ready to carefully inquire about the village's harvest.
Soon two men were called over by a cavalryman. When they saw Yamauchi Yoshikatsu, they fell to their knees. They kept mumbling, as if they were calling adults or something.
Yamauchi Yoshikatsu saw at a glance that these two were definitely not the headman, so he asked them to stand up and answer, "Why is the headman not here?"
"The headman has gone out to fight and hasn't come back yet." An older farmer replied.
"Then who are you two?" Yamauchi Yoshikatsu didn't really want to talk directly to the farmers, because they were too unorganized and many things didn't make sense.
"I am a family member of a local lord." "I am a conscripted soldier!" Well, the only two people in the village who have seen the world are probably here. If I ask other people, they may not even be able to speak when they see Yamauchi Yoshikatsu.
"How is the harvest this year?" As soon as Yamauchi Yoshikatsu finished speaking, the soldier knelt on the ground again with a plop.
"I have already paid the substitute service fee this year, and I have never owed it!"
"I am not asking you to collect the service fee. Your Highness wants to eat beans. I will buy you two liters of beans. Hurry up." Xiao Pingtai knew at a glance that the farmer had misunderstood and must have thought that he was going to re-estimate the grain harvest and increase the service fee.
"Buy beans? No need to buy, no need to buy. If you want to eat, I will buy two liters of beans right away." When he heard that he was not collecting money, the man's nervousness instantly decreased.
"No need, I will buy it. Your Highness owes you two beans. Is this year's harvest bad? How much is a liter of soybeans?" Xiao Pingtai asked Chen San who was following behind to pay.
"It's too dry this year. The beans are only 30% to 40% of last year, and the buckwheat is only half. Fortunately, there is a canal in the village, so we can irrigate some water. I heard that all the beans in the north have failed. It's a very bad year."
"In previous years, a liter of beans would only be worth two cents, but this year it's worth three cents."
The man kept talking.