Chapter 589 51. Everything Is Granted by Xueshan

Is Anayama Baixue a fool?

Obviously not!

Then what does he rely on when he proposes such a condition that is totally out of his reach?

He relies on the fact that the Yamanouchi family must rely on him!

The Yamanouchi family's huge family business that now spans five countries is actually the result of the efforts of three generations of Yamanouchi Yoshiharu in the past twenty years. Thirty years ago, in the era of Yamanouchi Yoshiaki, the father of Yamanouchi Yoshiharu, the Yamanouchi family was just a local tyrant with less than 10,000 kan in a small county.

From the founder of the previous generation, Yamanouchi Yoshiaki, to Yamanouchi Yoshikatsu, there were only six generations, and the accumulated samurai group did not exceed 800 people. It is completely a fantasy to want to rule the territories of the five countries with 800 people.

So in the era of Yamanouchi Yoshiharu and Yamanouchi Yoshikatsu, all the slightly outstanding and capable military servants in the entire Yamanouchi Township of Uchida County have now been promoted to samurai.

It took Koyata only a dozen years to reach the position of regent. In addition to his own ability, the most important point is that Koyata is a military serviceman of Yamanouchi Township, a Yamanouchi native, and a hereditary vassal who has been subject to the rule of the Yamanouchi family for six generations.

In the past ten years, just look at the samurai under Koyata's command. Aji is already the general of the 13th flag of the Yamanouchi flag, Heiroku is already the governor of Totomi Shikichi, Tatsuzo has also served as the governor of Nagawa Castle, and Nanaki is also the general of Koyata's camp. These samurai with different backgrounds, and even humble ones, have grown rapidly in a short period of time and become senior samurai.

The fundamental reason is that the Yamanouchi family lacks samurai!

This problem began to be exposed very early, and it was relatively easy to deal with at the beginning. After all, there are still hundreds of public servants in Yamanouchi Township, Uchida County, which is the foundation of the Yamanouchi family. Although these people are not samurai, they have also followed the Yamanouchi family to fight for generations. It is not only reasonable and appropriate to quickly promote them to the status of samurai.

But gradually, the Totomi Province was pacified, the northern Shinano surrendered, and the eastern Mikawa annexed, and the shortage of samurai began to become increasingly huge. Therefore, not only were the public servants of Yamanouchi Township generally promoted to samurai, but the public servants of the entire Uchida County were transformed into samurai.

Still not enough!

By last year, Shinano was almost pacified, and the shortage of samurai in the Yamanouchi family had almost reached a critical point. The most direct manifestation was that Uncle Tsunayoshi took away more than 20 men from the entire riverside village and promoted them to become samurai and public servants to restrain the increasingly large territory and army.

And Koyata was even worse. Almost all of his foot soldiers and foot soldiers were promoted to foot soldiers who had followed him to fight since ten years ago.

It was impossible to transform from foot soldiers into samurai in the early Warring States period. It was 100% impossible. How could the status of samurai be given to lowly soldiers?

But it is the norm in the Yamanouchi family today!

Why did Hosokawa Saijo fight so bravely and win every battle in the past? When their family had a salary of 500 kan, they only had 200 soldiers, and they could drive a dozen samurai to serve the country, with the proportion of officers as high as 10%, making them as easy to use as one's arm.

In just ten years, the territory expanded tenfold. In a territory of more than 5,000 kan, the number of soldiers expanded to 2,000 to 3,000. What about the samurai? Still the same number!

The organization of the army has dropped significantly, and morale and loyalty have all declined. It can't stand a long war at all. The more troops there are, the more the reputation of Hosokawa Saijo has been ruined.

Now in Kai, the Takeda family and most of the old ministers have been killed or captured, so what does the Yamanouchi family rely on to rule Kai? Rely on the keyboard? Rely on mouth cannons?

This is the biggest reliance of Anayama Meiyu!

He is the local snake of Kai! As long as he shows up, he can barely maintain the stability of Kai. As long as the Yamanouchi family uses him, Kai can make a smooth transition. Until ten years later, when the Yamanouchi samurai group expands, or when the Yamanouchi expansion fails, he will take advantage of the situation.

His identity is too perfect! Perfect beyond words!

The brothers and nephews of the Takeda family will definitely not survive and will be executed, otherwise someone will take the opportunity to cause trouble. The only ones left who can have influence in Kai are some of Takeda's sons-in-law, and the Anayama family happens to be from the Takeda family and is the third generation son-in-law of the Takeda family.

They are related to Takeda, but not the same branch of Takeda.

In a short period of time, the entire Kai cannot find a more perfect agent than the Anayama family!

Unless the tens of thousands of troops of the Yamauchi family do not leave Kai for a whole year and stay in Fuchu Castle. In that case, no one in Kai will jump out to cause trouble, and they will definitely be very obedient.

But is this possible?

The Yamauchi family's army must leave, and they will not stay for long. The moment of withdrawal is the moment when compromise must be made!

At this time, in order to pacify Kai and fight for Suruga, the seemingly huge 33,000 Yamauchi Takanari coalition forces. All the way to Iwadonoyama Castle to eliminate the Oyamada clan, whose attitude is unclear. Given the disgusting nature of Iwadonoyama Castle, the Oyamada clan has 2,000 people defending the city. If hundreds or thousands of Hojo reinforcements are added, the Yamanouchi clan will not be able to break the city without tens of thousands of people.

No matter how bad the Shoukenni of Suruga is, there are still 2,000 to 3,000 people in the city. Once they join forces with Imagawa Ujiki, there will be 6,000 to 7,000 troops in the city, and the powerful Suruga navy will communicate with the outside world. Given the grandeur of Sunpu Castle, the Yamanouchi clan will need at least 30,000 people to break the city in a short time.

Can the Yamanouchi clan afford it? Do they have so many people?

They can neither afford it nor have so many people!

The easiest way to solve all these dilemmas is for Anayama Baixue to come forward and let Anayama Shinji inherit the Takeda clan. Express submission to the Yamanouchi clan, gather and appease the old ministers of the Takeda clan. Ensure the stability of Kai until the Yamanouchi clan has the strength to directly distribute samurai and rule Kai.

The Yamauchi Army, without having to station a large army in Kai for a long time, could immediately eliminate the chaos between the Oyamada clan and Suruga, and all difficulties would be solved.

The price was only to tolerate Anayama Baixue, Takeda's son-in-law, and recognize the inheritance rights of Anayama Shinji, Takeda's nephew.

It really only took a word!

Too easy!

And leaving Imagawa Hikogoro alive, there were too many benefits for Anayama Baixue, and there was no need to say more. Not only was the bloodline of the Takeda family preserved, but there was also an excuse to interfere in Suruga Province, and the Anayama family became a great loyal vassal to protect Takeda.

Word of mouth and future opportunities are both taken care of, a hundred thousand profits!

That's why Anayama Baixue still boldly proposed such a seemingly impossible surrender condition when Takeda was almost destroyed and the Takeda clan was hunted down and exterminated!

"Promise Anayama Baisetsai that his skills in going down to the mountain castle will be protected, but Imagawa Hikogoro will go to Shoryakuji Temple in Fuchu Castle to become a monk, and Anayama Hikorokuro, who inherited the Takeda clan, is not allowed to stay in Kai and must go to Fuchu to serve as the hatamoto of His Highness! As for himself, he must rush to Kofu immediately to serve as the Kai shogunate hatamoto!"

Kobayata announced this decision in front of the renbans. Everyone looked a little heavy and doubtful, and even Yamauchi Yoshiyasu opened his mouth, but in the end no one spoke out against it.

"University! Immediately organize the inspection of the countryside, and the army will stay for a maximum of five days. Suruga cannot be missed!"