Secret of Otate 1587: Narumiin and Kenshin's Will, Chapter-3

Secret of Otate 1587: Narumiin and Kenshin's Will、Chapter-3

Chapter Three: A Rapidly Changing Situation, Kasugayama Castle

 

 

The New Year of 1578,Tensho 6 had arrived. Lord Kenshin was in high spirits because he had gained the unanimous support of his retainers to embark on his third trip to the capital while his momentum was strong.

However, tragedy struck without warning. On the 9th of March, after a military council meeting, Lord Kenshin suddenly collapsed while heading to the restroom. He fell into a coma and passed away on the 13th.

Kasugayama Castle fell into chaos because there was no will left by Lord Kenshin. Only Kangoro knew the whereabouts of his will. The details of the family conflict are still somewhat hazy in my memory.

Kagekatsu had harbored one-sided resentment towards Lord Kenshin and Kagetora. His self-deprecating nature had suddenly turned into aggression, dominated by feelings of self-loathing. The misunderstanding regarding Lord Kenshin's favoritism toward Kagetora could not be resolved.

Lord Kenshin was a fair ruler who viewed all matters impartially. Kagetora, being adopted from the Hojo family, required special consideration. In deciding the heir, the opinions of third parties were essential. From that perspective, Kagekatsu found himself overshadowed by Kagetora.

 

About ten days after Lord Kenshin's passing, Kagekatsu took it upon himself to write a document of succession and proclaimed its legitimacy to all the daimyo across the country. Kagekatsu and Kanetsugu had learned about the contents of Lord Kenshin's secret will during his lifetime, which led to their fervent efforts to ascertain the existence of the document. If the truth were exposed, Kagekatsu and Kanetsugu would face ruin. This led to the initiation of their surprise attack plan.

Kagetora knew nothing about the secret will. However, the distrust towards Kagekatsu and Kanetsugu escalated day by day.

 

"Kanetsugu, I will handle the preparations for Lord Kenshin's body. First, occupy the main keep, the treasury, and the armory. Warn Kagetora not to intervene in any way. Strengthen the flanks with Ueda troops. Deal with the Agakita-circle faction meticulously..."

 

"I understand, but Kagekatsu, we must obtain Lord Kenshin's secret will first..."

 

"That's right; do it..."

 

"My lord..."

 

"What is it? What's wrong?"

 

"It seems that Lord Kenshin's secret will has disappeared..."

 

"Why? Didn't we sneak a look at it together before?"

 

"What about Kangoro, the page?"

 

"He's currently searching within the castle..."

 

"That scoundrel is hiding somewhere. Kanetsugu, capture him as soon as possible..."

 

"Haha..."

 

"Don't show Lord Kenshin's letter to anyone. Kanetsugu, do you have any good ideas?"

 

"If it comes to this, there's no other choice. Kagekatsu should promptly draft a new document of succession and announce it throughout the land..."

 

"Is that the best option?"

 

"I'm not sure..."

 

"Look here. With a counterfeit seal, it's impossible to prove the legitimacy of the heir. Kagetora did the same..."

 

"Katsuyori and I have a good connection. It might be a way to divide and conquer..."

 

"We can use the gold and silver from Kasugayama Castle for bribery. We can also grant some territory. Katsuyori suffered a terrible defeat in the recent Battle of Nagashino, and his war chest is running dry. We should quickly negotiate with Nagaatsu Shibata..."

 

"Will it work with someone who can be swayed by money? I didn't expect that..."

 

"We won't know until we try..."

 

"What day is it today?"

 

"We're in the middle of March..."

 

"Then I leave it to you. Issue the proclamation as soon as possible, tomorrow if you can. Send it to all the daimyo, including Date, Hojo, Oda, Takeda, Mouri, Shimazu, Chosokabe..."

 

"Very well..."

 

"But Kanetsugu, we must find Lord Kenshin's secret will first. With that document, neither you nor I will face seppuku. Even if we issue the proclamation, the other lords won't turn their heads. I will be seen as a rebel. First, we need to find Kangoro... Capture him quickly... He should still be inside the castle..."

 

"Understood..."

 

 

Kangoro had already left Kasugayama Castle. I was hidden in a civilian house in Kasugayama Castle town, carrying Kangoro on my back as he was pursued by Kagekatsu's men. Fortunately, the house belonged to Goro Kurata, a prominent merchant from Echigo Aona.

 

"Lord of the house, we have a guest..."

 

"Who would arrive at this late hour? Shouldn't we ask for their name?"

 

"Uh..."

 

"Who are you?"

 

"I am Kangoro. I appear to be in quite a disheveled state..."

 

"Kangoro... Please let him in."

 

"Kurata-sama..."

 

"Kangoro-dono, what happened to you? Don't just cry; tell us what's wrong... Shinkichi, bring some tea..."

 

"..."

 

"What happened?"

 

"Lord Kenshin..."

 

"What happened to Lord Kenshin?"

 

"He passed away on the 13th in Toranokoku time..."

 

"What?!"

 

"On the 9th, after a military council meeting, he suddenly collapsed in the restroom..."

 

"Oh, how tragic..."

 

"He slept for a few days and then passed away..."

 

"That's truly a great loss. Shinkichi, fetch this..."

 

"Immediately send a messenger to Sakai. Inform Genjiro Tarumi, but he might have changed his name and appearance. Also, inform Hattori..."

 

"Kangoro-dono, did Lord Kenshin leave a will?"

 

"I have it here. Lord Kenshin ordered that no one except Narumiin should see it..."

 

"So, it's a will. This beautifully bound blue scroll, isn't it?"

 

"Yes, it is..."

 

"..."

 

"No one knows its contents..."

 

"Kangoro-dono, now that we know this, wait here until Genjiro-dono from Sakai arrives. Inside Echigo, there should be strict checkpoints everywhere. Disguise yourself as Genjiro-dono when going to Agakita-circle together. Make sure to deliver Lord Kenshin's will safely. Kagekatsu is relentless in his pursuit. Narumiin will also likely be agitated when she learns of Lord Kenshin's passing. You may have a difficult time reaching Agakita-circle-circle..."

 

"Please guide me..."

 

"Don't worry; Genjiro-dono will accompany you..."

 

"Thank you very much..."

 

After Lord Kenshin's passing, on the following day, Kagekatsu occupied the Honmaru, seized the treasury and the armory. He issued a proclamation to the entire country in March, declaring himself the rightful heir. However, it was not an official document with Lord Kagetora's seal but one created without authority. As a result, suspicions arose among the daimyo. Kagetora also created his own proclamation document, which escalated into a family conflict dividing Kagekatsu's faction and Kagetora's faction.

 

In the early days, the Kagetora faction, with the support of the Hojo clan and a secret agreement with Lord Katsuyori, pushed Kagekatsu into a corner. However, with the help of Genta, Kagekatsu's brother, who provided a large amount of gold and silver to Katsuyori, a successful plan of sowing discord against the Kagetora faction was executed, leading to a major turnaround.

 

In April of the seventh year of Tensho, Kagetora, who was in a disadvantageous position, initiated peace negotiations with Kagekatsu through the mediation of Lord Katsuyori. On their way to Kasugayama Castle for the negotiations, Domanmaru and Lord Norimasa Uesugi were killed by Kagekatsu's side. Kagetora's wife, Hana-gozen, committed suicide, and Kagetora himself died by his own hand due to betrayal by Hori Castle.

 

Kagetora's two princesses were escorted by a few retainers to the Hattori family in Kii. They sent a secret letter to their brother, Ujinori Hojo, and it was relayed to Hanzo Hattori, who had covert connections with Lord Ieyasu. The princesses were hidden by ninja families in Iga and Koga. Their fates, whether becoming kunoichi (female ninjas) or marrying elsewhere, remain uncertain.

 

It seemed that the turmoil of the Otate had come to an end, but within the Agakita-circle faction, significant developments were underway. The fact of Domanmaru's death is accepted as public knowledge among the generals. Genta's brother was aligned with Kagekatsu's faction, while Narumiin supported Kagetora's faction. Yasuda of the Agakita-circle faction used manipulation to draw Genta, who originally supported Kagetora, to Kagekatsu's side. Genta and his brother were forced to capture Kaji Castle, and Genta resorted to a false scheme to make it appear as though they had captured the castle.

 

Genta already knew Domanmaru's true identity, which was why he resorted to this deception. Narumiin suspected that Genta had fallen into Yasuda's cunning trap and orchestrated a counter-scheme to deceive his own brother. There had been ongoing discord between Genta and his brother.

 

Nevertheless, Narumiin remained strong-willed. He showed Genta the official will of Lord Kenshin, and Genta tearfully apologized to Hidetsuna and Narumiin. Domanmaru had been entrusted to Kaji Castle until he reached adulthood.

 

In the eighth year of Tensho, Genta succeeded to the leadership of his family due to his brother's death, who was the lord of Shibata Castle. Genta changed his name from Harunaga Ijimino to Shigeie Shibata. The castle that Genta had previously ruled, Ijimino Castle, was given to Kangoro and renamed Nobumune Ijimino.

 

From this point onwards, with Domanmaru as their emblem, the Agakita-circle faction rallied around Shigeie as they prepared for a decisive battle against the armies of Kagekatsu and Kanetsugu.

 

 

In one corner of the Kaji Castle under repair, Lord Genta visited Narumiin.

 

"Genta, no, Lord Shigeie, we find ourselves in the midst of a great family turmoil, and you have been through much trouble this time..."

 

"My name shall remain Genta from now on. I must apologize to you, Narumiin, for the inconvenience I have caused..."

 

"I understand... Nakagawa, Asakura, come here..."

 

"What can we do for you..."

 

The attendants respectfully presented a scroll of azure silk.

 

"This is the last will and testament of the Lord of the Castle..."

 

"A... a will?"

 

"In his lifetime, you must have visited Kasugayama Castle together. At that time, my brother entrusted this to you secretly..."

 

"Lord Domanmaru was with us then... But, I never imagined things would turn out like this..."

 

"You shall have the honor of reading my brother's last will with your own eyes..."

 

"Haha, it is a great honor indeed..."

 

"You need not be so formal. You were close to my brother..."

 

"...Very well, I shall read it..."

 

Lord Genta's hands trembled as he unrolled the scroll.

 

"This... how incredibly beautiful it is..."

 

Narumiin showed the testament for the first time, two years after Lord Kenshin's passing. I, too, could finally see the light of day. The main text and the added text were written in immaculate calligraphy. It bore the seals of the Lion General, the Land Deity Myo, the Victorious Army Jizo, the Heavenly Emperor, and the Myozen Bodhisattva – all unique and solemn testaments, truly befitting of Lord Kenshin's last will and testament.

 

 

"Last Will and Testament. After my death, ensure the following:

 

Main Text:

 

1.The Lord of Echigo shall be Domanmaru. Combine the names and call him Gojitsujo.

2.Gotyuujo shall be Kagekatsu and serve as Domanmaru's guardian until he reaches adulthood.

3.Kanto-kanrei shall be Kagetora, who shall assist Domanmaru alongside Kagekatsu.

 

Added Text:

 

1.Establish a new shogunate at Kasugayama Castle.

2.Accumulate enough wealth from Narumi's gold mines and other sources and use it to benefit the government and the subjects.

3.Expand trade and seek interactions with the Ming Empire.

4.Bring an end to the era of chaos with TENKA-FUGI. Uphold Yoshiteru-sama's intentions.

5.Reward all commanders fairly.

6.Keep the tax burden on the subjects to a minimum and ensure their stable livelihood.

7.The Agakita-circle group shall defend Kasugayama Castle and assist the new Lord.

8.Maintain peace with both domestic and foreign provinces and issue shogunate proclamations in Kyoto.

9.Establish kinship ties with the Takeda and Hojo families and prosper together.

10.Upon Domanmaru's adulthood, unite all the commanders in the country.

 

August, Tensho Year 5, Uesugi Kenshin..."

 

 

Genta was choked up with tears. "The seal and letter of the late Lord Kenshin... There's no mistake..."

 

"It's true that Lord Yasuda, who deceived you, took his own life in remorse because he was caught between Kagekatsu and himself."

 

"I've heard about that..."

 

"He was troubled for a long time..."

 

"Yes, indeed. I had a close relationship with Lord Yasuda, who became my benefactor, and I wanted to support him. But in the end, I sided with Kagekatsu, as my late brother had always admired him. My own shallowness of judgment is truly regrettable..."

 

"Genta, I know you well, and you should forget about that..."

 

"Thank you..."

 

"Genta, as per our late brother's last wishes, we must put an end to this era of chaos. We will establish the Shogunate in Kasugayama Castle. But to do that, we must eliminate Kagekatsu and Kanetsugu. We also need the cooperation of various lords, both inside and outside."

 

"Yes, you're right..."

 

"Genta, once we've come this far, we must share our late brother's wishes with the lords across the country. There are rumors that Kanetsugu is plotting against us behind Kagekatsu's back. We must be cautious..."

 

"In any case, from now on, under the banner of Domanmaru, we must gather our forces in Agakita-circle, retake Kasugayama Castle, and protect Echigo. With Seoa and Narumi Gold, Echigo will be safe..."

 

"You are as restless as ever. Don't forget about your trading and gratitude to others. Your ability to unite people is remarkable. There's a reason why our late Lord Kenshin wanted you as the lord of the land..."

 

"You jest... I cannot become such a person. I know my role is to support Domanmaru..."

 

"I understand. I understand, but our late Lady Kenshin appreciated that side of you..."

 

"When the new year comes, Kagekatsu and Kanetsugu will surely attack Agakita-circle with this army. Until Kaji Castle is repaired, please come to Shibata Castle with Domanmaru and Lord Hidetsuna..."

 

"You don't need to worry about that. The repair of the castle may be a scheme..."

 

"It will also serve as an excuse for us to go there..."

 

"Domanmaru will need some time to reach adulthood, but Genta, I want him to learn martial arts from you. It might be of help to you in the future. What do you think?"

 

"Your words are too kind... I will do my best, even if it becomes a bit rough..."

 

"No need to worry. There's no need to hold back... Ah, yes, Genta, someone is waiting to meet you..."

 

"Who might that be?"

 

"You'll find out when you meet them. Please wait in the inner room..."

 

"Genta...?"

 

"Genjiro...?"

 

"..."

 

"Well, well, Tarumi. It's been a while since the Battle of Kawanajima..."

 

"Genta, you've certainly risen in the world. Are you in good health?"

 

"Yes..."

 

"I now lead the Aoso-za group under the command of the late Oyakata's orders. I'm also tasked with gathering intelligence on the Imperial Court and various daimyos. The Blue Hemp and Narumi Gold were precious to our late Oyakata for their value in supporting TENKA-FUGI. We'll need a significant amount of funds for the third march to the capital. While we have enough to cover that, understanding the situation of the daimyos is even more critical. Thus, our Oyakata sent me to Sakai after the Battle of Kawanakajima. Additionally, I was known as a shadow double for Kagekatsu, so I couldn't stay in Echigo."

 

"I see..."

 

"In the future, I want to assist the one who will carry on the will of the late Yoshiteru-sama and Oyakata in ending this era of turmoil. Understanding the conditions in various provinces is crucial for that. However, I wonder when this era of chaos will end... After the passing of our Oyakata, the future is uncertain. Knowing the movements of the daimyos is essential for realizing good governance."

 

"Indeed. It seems we can only do our best given the current circumstances. Domanmaru, it's a tough situation, but we must remain resolute."

 

"I humbly accept your guidance, Genjiro. I am ready to follow the will of our late Oyakata. I hope to continue to receive your support for the sake of peace."

 

"Thank you, Domanmaru. I entrust you with this responsibility."

 

"By the way, Genjiro, what's the situation in Kyoto?"

 

"With the shogunate gone, Nobunaga-dono has arrived in Kyoto, and it feels like the city is being held hostage by various daimyos. They proclaim TENKA-FUBU and seek to place other daimyos under their control, but there are rumors of rebellion among their vassals. It may not be long before something happens, and the people of Sakai are aware of this. Ieyasu-dono is said to have formed an alliance with Nobunaga-dono, but in reality, he is like one of Nobunaga-dono's loyal retainers. He probably wants to return to Mikawa as soon as possible, as Ujinori-dono has also expressed. The bond between Tokugawa-dono and Ujinori-dono runs deep, having endured captivity in the Imagawa clan. I heard this from Hattori-dono."

 

"Is it true that Hideyoshi-dono and Katsuie-dono are at odds?"

 

"It's noisy even among their retainers..."

 

"And what about Akechi-dono's Lady Tama?"

 

"Regarding that..."

 

"Well, she resembles the beloved of my late brother. It just crossed my mind..."

 

"That lady is indeed Lady Rin, isn't she? She was considered the most beautiful woman in Japan."

 

"It's too late to dwell on it now. She admired my late brother and passed away while yearning for him. Let it be..."

 

"Haha..."

 

"By the way, Genjiro, my brother passed away not long after returning from Kasugayama Castle. Do you know what happened to Kurata-dono? I heard some rumors from Kangoro, but I'm still worried..."

 

"Narumiin-sama, I have been in Sakai on the orders of our late Oyakata, gathering intelligence on various provinces. I have accumulated quite a bit of information..."

 

"Would you like to have some tea in the back?"

 

"I appreciate your kindness..."

 

Genjiro began to recount the events to Narumiin-sama.

 

"Genjiro-dono did indeed resemble my brother. Domanmaru and Yashamaru were twins, and they had a similar appearance. There were continuous rumors about them even in Takeda territory during the Battle of Kawanakajima."

 

"There's no need for despair..."

 

"Well, that's true, but my brother..."

 

"He had been suffering from a mild stroke for some time, and the doctors had advised him to take it easy. However, he ignored their advice and continued with his daily routines, which included battles. It seems he couldn't restrain himself due to the constant warfare fatigue..."

 

"So, he wasn't in good health during that time..."

 

"Kurata-dono also mentioned that. To be honest, it was a precarious situation if he didn't take care of himself..."

 

"I see. It makes sense that my brother entrusted me with his last wishes. I never thought the family conflict would escalate this much..."

 

"Kagekatsu-dono suddenly launched an attack on Honmaru and seized the treasury and armory. Without waiting, he declared himself the head of the family, and this proclamation was sent throughout the country. I'm surprised as well. Kakizaki-dono, who initially supported Kagetora-dono, was killed by those who supported Kagekatsu-dono. Kagekatsu-dono launched an attack on Sanno-maru, and Kagetora-dono established his residence in Masanori-dono's Otate..."

 

"He moved his residence..."

 

"Yes, that's correct. Unlike our late Oyakata, Kagekatsu-dono issued orders to the retainers with a haughty attitude, and many of them resisted. The Uesugi family was divided into two major factions, Kagekatsu-dono's and Kagetora-dono's, and they engaged in a year-long back-and-forth struggle. During this time, Katsuyori-dono initially had a secret agreement with Kagetora-dono, but due to Kagekatsu-dono's diplomacy, Katsuyori-dono changed sides and placed Kagetora-dono in a difficult situation..."

 

"What kind of diplomacy did Kagekatsu use?"

 

"Well, it wasn't anything significant. He likely dangled the gold and silver from Kasugayama Castle and offered some land, I presume..."

 

"Katsuyori-dono must have been running low on funds after multiple battles. However, even from a woman's perspective, toying with two sides is a disgrace for a samurai. It's not something a leader should do..."

 

"Narumiin-sama, you're absolutely right. Takeda's family may come to an end with Katsuyori-dono's generation. Katsuyori-dono initially sided with Kagekatsu-dono but played a neutral role. They tried negotiations several times, but neither side could agree..."

 

"Who managed to persuade Katsuyori-dono?"

 

"A man named Nagaatsu Shibata..."

 

"Isn't he Genta's brother?"

 

"Genta-dono couldn't go against his brother's orders, so he fought on Kagekatsu's side..."

 

"It's hard to blame Genta for his loyalty..."

 

"Genta-dono also wept at Kagetora-dono's passing..."

 

"It's not as simple as Genta rebelling for rewards from Kagekatsu..."

 

"Kagetora-dono's death signaled to everyone that Kagekatsu-dono lacked the qualities of a leader..."

 

"Genjiro-dono, I appreciate your detailed account, but it seems like the family conflict will be long and difficult from here on..."

 

"We'll have to endure until Domamaru-sama comes of age..."

 

"He wrote that in his will..."

 

Genjiro and Narumiin were lost in their memories as they continued their conversation