Chapter 676 22. The Key to the Door Is Not in Hand

To contact the daimyo and temples and shrines, the Yamanouchi clan members need to know and agree to this, but strengthening the defense of their own territory is not so much nonsense, and only needs the Kanjo Bugyo Kobayata to give orders.

If they were on good terms with Oda Nobunaga before, there would be nothing wrong. But as it is now, undercurrents are surging, and there is an inevitable gap between them and Oda Nobunaga, and the Yamanouchi clan seems a little embarrassed.

Why?

The first line of defense of Nakasendo is Kiso Yoshimasa of Kiso Fukushima Castle!

The first line of defense of Tokaido is Udono Nagateru of Yoshida Castle!

They are all Chinese!

Although there are historical reasons, it is still very worrying now. Kiso Yoshiyasu and Kiso Yoshimasa were beaten into submission by Yamanouchi Yoshikatsu, and they are definitely not loyal and loyal to the hereditary retainers. Kiso Kotaro is the child of Yamanouchi Yoshikatsu and Mrs. Kiso, and it has been clear that he will inherit the Kiso clan, but he is still young and it will take at least ten years before he can inherit.

The Udono clan is even better. After Imagawa Yoshimoto died in Okehazama, the pro-Imagawa people in East Mikawa united to form a self-preservation alliance. Then there was no war, and they were won over by Yamanouchi Yoshiharu with both kindness and force.

They were convinced by Yamanouchi Yoshiharu's personal charm and the threat of the military force of the unification of Mikawa by Matsudaira Ieyasu in West Mikawa with the support of the Oda clan. This is considered to be working hard for the Yamanouchi family and becoming a vassal of the Yamanouchi family.

In the future, once the Oda clan and the Yamanouchi clan go to war, for the survival of the family, who knows what the two families will choose!

In history, Kiso Yoshimasa surrendered, but Udono Nagateru swore to resist Matsudaira Ieyasu's attack and died on the battlefield!

But this thing can't be copied and believed in! Since Kobayata came here, he has witnessed too many incredible things. Everyone is so complicated, not as simple as the history that has been whitewashed.

So let's not talk about anything else. Kobayata first sent a letter to Kiso Fukushima Castle and Yoshida Castle, asking them to launch certain corvée labor in winter, summon the people in the territory, and repair their respective castles.

During the Edo Shogunate, repairing the castle was one of the ways for the shogunate to control the daimyo. Fukushima Masanori repaired the castle first and then reported it, resulting in the direct change of Hiroshima's 490,000-koku family business.

Although the Yamanouchi family could not have such a strong control over the repair of the castle by the subordinates, there was a little supervision in it. None of the country's powerful families dared to build their own castles in peacetime, for fear of attracting questioning from the Yamanouchi family!

Now Kobayata has publicly sent a letter to allow them to build the castle, which is what they want!

After Kobayata's administrative order was issued, even the judges did not object at all. It is not wrong to prepare for a rainy day. Even if it is to build a castle for the people, it is necessary.

However, Yamauchi Shukei found Koyata, and there was some discussion and consideration in it.

"Koyata, do you think it is feasible to transfer the Kiso clan from Kiso to Kai?"

"Transfer?" Koyata certainly thought about it.

At first, it was just surrendered, and it could not be transferred immediately. Later, Kiso Kotaro was born, and it felt that blood ties could be relied on. Later, Yamauchi Yoshikatsu and Yamauchi Yoshiharu died one after another, and the situation was precarious, so they did not dare to transfer the title.

Logically speaking, Yamauchi Taro is still young now, and his prestige in the territory may be inferior to that of his grandfather and father. In normal times, transferring the Kiso clan or the Udono clan to a big country is a very risky move.

At this moment, it is even more risky!

However, Kiso Fukushima Castle and Yoshida Castle are indeed the first-line towns related to the safety of the Yamanouchi clan, but they are all controlled by the Chinese people with the characteristics of the Warring States period, which makes it difficult to feel at ease.

"If you transfer Kaikoma County to 17,000 kan, do you think Kiso will agree?" The price offered by Yamanouchi Shuke is extremely high.

The territory reported by Kiso is more than 7,000 kan, and there must be a lot of concealment and tricks in it. But Yamanouchi Shuke directly opened a new territory more than twice, which can completely compensate for the losses of Kiso.

However, it is still hard to say whether Kiso will agree. They are deeply rooted in the local area, and they respond to a call. In addition to the concealed territory, the total can be more than 10,000 kan. It is not a good deal for Kiso to transfer a territory that has no foundation and is even quite hostile to the Yamanouchi clan.

"I'm afraid it's not easy!" Xiao Pingtai was quite doubtful.

"Kiso Fukushima Castle is indeed dangerous with mountains and rivers, and it is a key pass on the Nakasendo Road. Once something happens, it will be too late to deal with it!"

"I'm afraid that if it is not handled properly, it will directly anger the Kiso clan."

It is possible that Kiso Yoshimasa was forced into a corner and immediately defected to Oda Nobunaga. Although the possibility is not too great, after all, Yamanouchi and Oda have not fallen out, but who can say for sure?

The strategic location of Kiso is the best place to resist the invasion of the enemy army on the Nakasendo Road. Outside Kiso, Shinano is all river valley terrain, with no strategic location to defend, and the enemy army has the opportunity to march straight in.

This is probably also a way to avoid the rat!

"I also know that if I act improperly, there may be changes. But for now, we must try to change..."

As the current head of the Yamanouchi clan, the Yamanouchi chief accountant actually represents the opinions of the Yamanouchi clan. Since he said that he could use Kai Koma 17,000 kan to transfer Kiso Yoshiyasu, the Yamanouchi clan agreed to this plan. If Kobayata nods again, it means that the Yamanouchi family has reached a consensus.

But Xiao Pingtai really didn’t dare to agree to this proposal easily, she was so cowardly! I am afraid that at this critical moment, if civil strife breaks out in the territory, it will be really doomed!

"It's not that I don't want to, it's really..." Xiaopingtai paced around, fiercely calculating the feasibility of this matter in his mind.

"My old bones haven't moved for a long time. How about I go to Fukushima Castle first?" In fact, Chief Yamauchi was not very confident and did not dare to make a rash decision.

"The chief planner will go there in person?"

"I'll go there myself!"

"That's fine! Then I'll take the trouble!"

In the past, Kiso Yoshimasa was serving the government in Fuzhong City, but now it is good to be able to spend half of the year in Fuzhong City. In a season like this when the mountains are blocked by heavy snow, he can't cause any trouble, so he can just go back to his hometown. Got it.

Now only his father Kiso Yoshiyasu and his younger brother Uematsu Yoshitoyo are at the gate of Fuchu. Kiso Yoshiyasu is a monk and a hostage, while Uematsu Yoshitoyo is in the Flagamoto 1st Division, serving the public and serving as a hostage.

If Chief Yamauchi can test Kiso Yoshiyasu's thoughts clearly and persuade him to really accept the transfer of titles from the Yamauchi clan, it will be of great benefit to the Yamauchi clan in establishing a complete line of defense!