Chapter 10: The Military Strategy of Kanetsu

He truly cannot think of a way to deal with the Taiyuan Snow Studio. He cannot simply block the Xishan Sect from allowing him to leave the temple. However, once he takes action, the key ministers at home will waver. At that point, will he fight or surrender? Fighting is absolutely futile against the tens of thousands of troops of the Imagawa clan, and surrendering would not allow him to avenge his brother Kira Yoshiyuki and the deaths of Kira Motohiro from the Tojo clan. Moreover, those established ministers would not easily submit to the Imagawa clan, which is a branch of the Kira family. This is simply a deadlock. Fighting is absolutely futile against the tens of thousands of troops of the Imagawa clan, and surrendering would not allow him to avenge his brother Kira Yoshiyuki and the deaths of Kira Motohiro from the Tojo clan. Moreover, those established ministers would not easily submit to the Imagawa clan, which is a branch of the Kira family. This is simply a deadlock.

This is unsolvable! The Imagawa clan is taking the initiative to attack, while our clan is passively defending. Before the enemy's offensive has even begun, our clan is already in disarray. This is just waiting for our clan to make a mistake! Whatever we do now is futile; the more we do, the more mistakes we will make. Think about the military strategies of Taiyuan Xuezhai. In last year's Battle of Kodama Hill, with an army of 10,000 against 4,000 Oda troops, he still set ambushes and launched surprise attacks from the left flank. How capable is this cunning old fox to achieve victory?

If the abbot Nishiyama Sōen of Jissō Ankokuzan Temple truly acted under the orders of Taiyuan Setsusai within the Kira family, the consequences would indeed be unimaginable. The Myōshin-ji sect holds considerable influence in Nishimikawa, especially as it has consistently been the largest sect within the Kira domain. The hereditary vassals of the Kira family, along with the local gentry, mostly follow the faith of the Myōshin-ji sect in accordance with their lord's beliefs

Nearby Honzen Temple, the local aristocrats and land retainers were drawn in as followers by the temple of the Jodo Shinshu sect. Once the abbot of their own Bodhi Temple defected to persuade the Imagawa clan, the Kira family's meager resistance would soon collapse. Moreover, it is not even worth mentioning that gathering a large army to fortify the city would be futile, as it would be a stroke of luck if the aristocrats did not secretly open the city gates to surrender.

Kira Banshomaru had some understanding, but this realization was truly bitter. He knew that these famous generals were not easily deceived, and that the Imagawa clan often harbored ambitions to annex Mikawa, yet he naively hoped that others would not come to attack him. This was an unforgivable and naive delusion.

This question has lingered in his mind for several years, and only today did he finally come to understand: "This is the bloody jungle law applicable to the powerful! The distorted and harsh demands of the warrior class on the land have evolved into a series of tragedies, leading to father and son turning against each other, brothers harming one another, and the rebellion of the people all stemming from this. If one merely wishes to farm and be a small lord, it is better to forget such aspirations."

The Kira family has inherited the territories of Mikawa Province since the early Kamakura period, with the branch family, the Kira clan, later controlling East Mikawa. Regardless of the appointments of the Hosokawa and Isshiki clans as guardians of Mikawa by the Muromachi shogunate, the formidable influence of the Kira family cannot be overlooked. Even the Nikaido clan, which completed the annexation of Totomi Province, still found themselves powerless regarding the Mikawa region.

In this regard, Taiyuan Xuezhai indeed has a significant connection with the main family; however, as a vassal of the Imagawa clan, it is destined that the conflicts with the main family cannot be reconciled. Taiyuan Xuezhai seems to intend to leverage the influence of Jissō Ankokuzan Temple over the main family to persuade them to surrender. As expected, it is a case of offering courtesy before resorting to arms. If I do not comply, it provides a reason to dispatch troops to Handa County, and when the main family is attacked, no one will blame the Imagawa clan. After all, who can say the main family is unaware of the times? This truly is a well-calculated scheme.

Unwilling to accept defeat, Kira Motohiro took the initiative to establish contact with the Imagawa clan. He assigned his brother Arakawa Yoshihiro to engage with the Imagawa clan, allowing the hungry wolf that had lingered outside the gates to enter Mikawa Province, thereby creating a flaw in the originally solid defensive barrier. From that moment, it was destined that the Kira family's rule over Mikawa would come to an end

"... My lord, I have served this family for several years and have trained eight hundred foot soldiers, which should be beneficial to the great cause of the Kira family!" Yamamoto Kansuke seemed to be comforting him, bringing up the old matter of military training from a few years ago. A few years prior, Yamamoto Kansuke was promoted to the position of chief retainer due to his contributions in the reconstruction of Saijo Castle, after which he volunteered to train a standing army of foot soldiers for the Kira family.

Ten years ago, during the Battle of Hachimen Mountain, the army of the Imagawa clan, along with the 10,000 troops formed by Arakawa Yoshihiro, who was allied with the Imagawa, defeated the hastily organized 6,000 troops of the Kira clan at Hachimen Mountain. The head of the Kira clan, Kira Yoshinaka, the deputy head Kira Mochihiro, and the majority of their clan members were all killed in battle. The Kira clan suffered the loss of 800 men, and their family business was nearly on the verge of collapse

It was also from that time that the Kira family, led by Kira Yoshihiro, suddenly awakened to the reality of their situation. In an effort to turn the tide and atone for their mistakes, Kira Yoshihiro sent his son to the province of Owari, bringing back Kira Yoshiaki from the main family to serve as the heir to the family head. However, by the time he took these actions, it was already too late, as the influence of the Imagawa family had deeply penetrated Mikawa and was unstoppable.

Facing extinction due to the collapse of the Moriyama clan, Matsudaira Hirotada, the head of the Matsudaira family, who had received the favor of Kira Motohiro, soon turned to the new lord, the Imagawa clan. Imagawa Yoshimoto seized the opportunity presented by Matsudaira Hirotada's defection to compel both branches of the Kira family to acknowledge the complete independence of the Matsudaira clan from the Kira family.

At that time, it was still his father, Kira Yoshiyasu, who was in charge of the family. In order to save the precarious family business, he agreed to this proposal, treating a dead horse as if it were alive. Before his father's health deteriorated, he had visited several times, each time stating that the training was not yet complete and that further practice was needed. As for when the troops would be fully trained, Yamamoto Kansuke kept it a secret.

His shortsighted behavior quickly bore consequences. Matsudaira Kiyoyasu gradually ceased to obey Kira Motohiro's orders, and his intention to become independent could no longer be suppressed. Although the unexpected collapse of Moriyama caused his conspiracy to fail, once the idea of independence takes root, it becomes unstoppable. Similar to how the Oda clan in Owari quietly executed a coup with the support of their extensive network across various domains, the Matsudaira clan also had numerous branch families spread throughout half of Mikawa. They possessed both the ambition and capability to emulate the Oda in seizing control of Mikawa and worked diligently to put this into practice. However, once the idea of independence takes root, it becomes unstoppable. Similar to how the Oda clan in Owari quietly executed a coup with the support of their extensive network across various domains, the Matsudaira clan also had numerous branch families spread throughout half of Mikawa. They possessed both the ambition and capability to emulate the Oda in seizing control of Mikawa and worked diligently to put this into practice.

Kira Bansho Maru felt very wronged. His father, Kira Yoshiyasu, had opposed the Imagawa for a lifetime but ultimately achieved nothing. His elder brother, Kira Yoshiyoshi, lost his life due to opposing the Imagawa. He understood that the Imagawa clan was so powerful that he could not withstand it with his limited strength. However, the will of his retainers was beyond his control. The retainers of the Kira family, one after another, seemed to be invigorated like they had been injected with adrenaline, shouting at the mere mention of the Imagawa. What could he do? He understood that the Imagawa clan was so powerful that he could not withstand it with his limited strength. However, the will of his retainers was beyond his control. The retainers of the Kira family, one after another, seemed to be invigorated like they had been injected with adrenaline, shouting at the mere mention of the Imagawa. What could he do?

The revitalized Ankokuzan Zen Temple is more magnificent than ever before. In addition to serving as the Bodhi Temple for the Kira family's ancestral spirits, it is also a renowned Kannon pilgrimage site along the Tōkaidō. The temple enshrines the Kannon of the Wish-Fulfilling Wheel, which is quite famous in the regions of Owari, Tōtōmi, and Suruga along the Tōkaidō. Furthermore, the Myoshinji sect is the most influential branch within the Rinzai school, with the Kira family being devout followers for generations. Prominent samurai families such as the Imagawa and Takeda clans are also adherents of the Myoshinji sect, making it well-known in the regions of Owari, Tōtōmi, and Suruga along the Tōkaidō.

Since Kira Matsumaru came to power over a year ago, Yamamoto Kansuke has rarely mentioned this matter. As time passed, it was almost forgotten. However, upon his mention, it reminded me that a significant portion of the Kira family's annual budget is allocated to Yamamoto Kansuke for training new soldiers. This training lasts for more than five years, which is quite a long time. What kind of soldiers require more than five years of training? Are they planning to train eight hundred warriors?

"Are the training sessions complete? How is the standard of these foot soldiers?" Upon hearing about the military drills, he immediately became spirited. In this era, having soldiers and provisions is fundamental; without these, even if you are of noble birth, it is of little use. Do you not see that the Emperor in the capital has to sell paintings to make a living, and the court nobles have to go out to sell vegetables to survive? All the court officials are no different, relying on distant lands for sustenance, treating it as a delicacy or a rare commodity. No matter how prestigious your family name is, if you cannot eat, it is of no use.

All of this changed with the decision of the previous head of the Kira family, Kira Motohiro. Since the beginning of the Kira family's involvement with Tojo Castle, there had always been ambitions to annex the宗 family. By the time of his generation, an opportunity quickly arose. He discovered that Matsudaira Kiyoyasu, who had served under his father Kira Motokiyo and had received a name with a character borrowed from the Kira family, was a rare talent in military affairs. With the support of Kira Motohiro, Matsudaira Kiyoyasu advanced vigorously, defeating numerous retainers and locals close to the宗 family, escalating the conflict between the two Kira factions to a more intense level.

These eight hundred elite troops, mostly composed of our own people, are the essence selected through multiple layers of screening. I dare say that more than half of the elite of the Western Sanhe region is concentrated among these eight hundred individuals! It seems that they are indeed quite impressive, capable of satisfying the exacting Yamamoto Kansuke.

Fortunately, heaven has granted the Kira family another opportunity. The invasion of the Oda family into Nishimikawa has temporarily alleviated the crisis of extermination facing the Kira family. Even so, the two Kira members are merely surviving by a thread. The original structure of Mikawa has been eroded to the point of being riddled with holes, and the majority of the people in East Mikawa have turned to the Imagawa family. The two Kira members are like elderly individuals suffering from a terminal illness, at risk of passing away at any moment.

Unfortunate events soon transpired, as the cunning Taiyuan Xuezhai continuously maneuvered the people of Sanhe, allowing the influence of the Imagawa clan to gradually permeate the Eastern Sanhe region. The originally divided people of the two Kira factions began to waver, and instances of defection among the populace were observed in the eight counties of Eastern Sanhe and in the Shitara district. Some individuals even directly became vassal troops of the Imagawa clan in their invasion of Sanhe.