The first thousand and sixty-seven chapters dismantle the men and women
Hojo Ujiyasu listened carefully and thought over and over again. The Miyoshi family's treacherous act was seeking death, but it gave the Hojo family a chance to get out of trouble.
This businessman was smart and knew that the news was worth thousands of dollars. She took the risk and rushed back by boat before the heavy snow closed the port.
Although Odawara Castle was besieged by 100,000 troops, the outer border of the giant castle stretched to the coast, and the sea route was not cut off.
The Echigo side did not have a naval force in Sagami Bay. Among the Kanto samurai, the one who could resist the Hojo family's Izu navy was the Satomi family's navy. Her family was in the process of siege and plundering territory on the Boso Peninsula and could not take care of this.
Therefore, the sea passage of the Hojo family was still smooth before the heavy snow closed the port. This allowed Shang Mingxing to go ashore and inform the Hojo clan, the valuable information about the Kyoto Incident.
Hojo Ujiyasu wanted to laugh, but her heart ached, and she did not dare to indulge herself at this time. God pitied the three generations of the Hojo family for their hard work, and finally gave them a glimmer of hope.
Hojo Ujiyasu asked in a deep voice.
"Ujimasa, you rushed over here to tell me the news. Do you have any thoughts?"
Hojo Ushimasa said solemnly.
"Mother, I think this is an opportunity."
Hojo Ujiyasu finally couldn't help but laugh. Even if his heart hurt, he had to laugh heartily first. His daughter, who had gone through ups and downs, finally matured, and there was hope for the successor of the Hojo family.
"Okay, okay, okay."
After saying three good words in a row, Hojo Ujimasa began to sweat profusely on his forehead. He was so frightened that Hojo Umasa was at a loss and thought he had said something wrong.
Hojo Yasushi calmed down his mind, looked at his daughter with bright eyes, and said softly.
"Don't worry, I'm just happy. The Hojo family finally has a chance to survive, and I will never fall down at this time.
Tell me, why do you think this is an opportunity?"
Hojo Umasa saw that her mother's complexion gradually improved and she felt a little calmer. She pondered for a long time and then spoke slowly.
"These days, I have been reflecting on my mistakes. The Echigo army came from afar, and my family had all the right places and people, so why did we suffer such a tragic defeat?
Lord Tsunari Hojo finally tried his best to send the Ashikaga White Flag, and I was able to deceive the Furukawa leader and escape with the remaining army.
We have never been left behind on Echigo's intelligence. Uesugi Terutora appears to be powerful, but in fact he is constrained by his old ministers and the Yangbei people internally, and he has many worries due to the chaos between Echigo and Hokushinano externally.
After thinking about it, I realized that the Echigo army's march south was so overwhelming that there was one person who was planning the strategy for Uesugi Teruhora, and it was the Odaisho who we had been neglecting."
Hojo Ujiyasu's face was full of joy. His daughter was able to see this clearly, and she had really worked hard.
Since inheriting the Fuchu Nagao family, Uesugi Teruhora has been accustomed to using violence to suppress both internal and external affairs.
Although she is extremely talented in the military and is invincible in suppressing rebellions and conquering enemy countries, force is not a panacea and she has many hidden dangers. As long as she applies means, it will be enough to make her run for her life.
However, when the Hojo family actually faced the Echigo army, the situation was completely different.
After seeking the approval of General Ashikaga from Kamiro and returning to Echigo, for a full year and a half, Terutora Uesugi did not take any military action in the Kanto Plain, which was not like her style of life.
It is difficult to change the way a person does things, especially successful people, who will subconsciously develop path dependence.
Which method should you use to succeed? When you make a decision again, you will first choose to use this method to continue. Success is called self-confidence, failure is called arrogance. In fact, it is the excessive self-awareness caused by constant victory.
Terutora Uesugi used force to suppress Echigo. He was arrogant and self-righteous. This person could not play roundabout tricks, nor could he have the patience to communicate and compromise with the weak in his eyes.
Unless she is forced to do so, she will continue her own style of suppressing domestic and foreign dissidents and marching straight to the Kanto Plain in an attempt to win by force.
But in the past year and a half, Uesugi Teruhora's governing style has changed drastically. She actually straightened out Echigo's complicated domestic and international interests, stabilized the external environment, and eased internal conflicts.
Hojo Ushimasa said firmly.
“The strategy of uniting the majority of people and integrating interests to achieve a step-by-step strategy is by no means the style of Uesugi Teruhora. It must be the method of another leader of Echigo’s dual politics.
Uesugi Teru is unstoppable because there is a powerful man standing behind her. If we want to defeat Echigo's army, we must first dismantle Echigo's duopoly."
Hojo Ujiyasu gently patted his palms twice and sighed with a smile.
"My daughter has really grown up and can share my worries."
After receiving praise from Hojo Ujiyasu, Hojo Umasa became more confident and said.
"Odaisho is from Kyoto, and he was sent to Kanto by the shogunate to help Uesugi Teruhora ascend to power.
Ever since the Kanto shoguns started their rebellion and the ten kingdoms of Kanto attacked the Ashikaga shogunate, the family of the Ashikaga shoguns in Kyoto became more and more fearful of the Kamakura Ashikaga family.
The Kanto Plain is vast and rich in resources, and it is also the origin of the samurai shogunate. A small area can fight against the world. The Kanto Eight Provinces are the confidant of Ashikaga Shogun, and a dominant family will never be allowed to appear here.
To make an inappropriate analogy, the current Odaisho is the great-grandmother of the time, both of whom were heroic figures sent by Kyoto to break the dream of the big forces to dominate Kanto."
The Hojo family originated from the deacons of the shogunate government, and the descendants of the Ise family. The first generation of the family governor was an Ise woman from Kyoto.
The Imagawa family of Suruga country, as the Ashikaga sect, assisted the Ise women to obtain Izu country and invade Sagami country, and they went to the Ashikaga family of Kamakura.
The water involved is very deep, involving the cooperation between the Ashikaga family, the Ise family, the Imagawa family, and the Hojo family.
Times have changed, and decades later, the fate of each family has been different. No one could have imagined that the Hojo family, the original chess piece, would become the overlord of Kanto.
With the arrival of Yoshigan Shiba, the Ashikaga Shogunate in Kyoto repeated its old tricks. He was the original Ise woman, the Uesugi family was the original Imagawa family, and the Hojo family was the original Kamakura Ashikaga family.
The same recipe, the same routine. The same goal is to prevent the emergence of a single overlord in Kanto, causing the Kanto Plain to fall into continuous war and being unable to fight against the central Ashikaga Shogunate.
The difference between the two sides was that at that time, the Ashikaga Shogunate behind Ise-ome still had the ability to play a balancing act, while Ashikaga Yoshiteru himself, behind Yoshigan Shiba, collapsed first.
After hearing his daughter's lucid analysis, Hojo Ujiyasu asked.
"The Sanhao family committed regicide. What should we do with this news?"
Hojo Ushimasa hesitated for a moment and said.
"The two Lords of Echigo should soon get news of the chaos in Kyoto, but the Kanto samurai under their command have no channels to understand recent events.
Assuming that I was the leader of Echigo, I would definitely block the news and prevent the Kwantung Allied Forces from knowing that something big happened in their own rear. Only in this way can we stabilize the morale of the army, continue to besiege Odawara Castle, and force us to surrender.
Therefore, I want to reveal the news of the Kyoto Incident to disrupt the morale of the Kwantung Allied Forces and make them withdraw from the siege."
Hojo Ujiyasu frowned slightly.
Although Hojo Umasa analyzed the situation well, her final decision was mediocre and ineffective, which made her a little disappointed.
But she still suppressed her dissatisfaction. Her daughter's thought of this step was beyond her expectation. The improper handling was also due to lack of experience. She should cultivate it slowly in the future.
Hojo Ujiyasu stretched out two fingers and said.
"If we want to use this news to sway the Kwantung Allied Forces, we need to solve two problems.
First, how do you make the Kwantung Allied Forces believe the news.
We are trapped in Odawara Castle, and when news is suddenly released to the outside world, or is it shocking news that the Miyoshi family committed regicide, who would believe it?
Secondly, if the two rulers of Echigo could not disagree, the morale of the Echigo army would not be shaken, and the Kwantung Allied Forces would not dare to be shaken.
It was the Echigo army that defeated us, and the Kanto samurai were just speculators who pretended to be powerful.
They didn't care what happened in Kyoto, their eyes were always fixed on the two Echigo Lords who could decide their fate.
As long as Uesugi Teruhora and Odaisho cooperate seamlessly, the Kanto Allied Forces will not waver or retreat."
Hojo Ujimasa's statement was sound and well-founded, leaving Hojo Umasa speechless. She lowered her head in shame and bowed.
"I'm very sorry. I thought of things too simply."
Hojo Ujiyasu consoled him.
"Uzumasa, if you can see the opportunity for my family to turn around from the Kyoto Incident, you are already an excellent family governor. What you lack is just some mature coping strategies.
Go and issue the order. The whole city is mourning the death of Ashikaga Shogun.
Although I, the Hojo family, are foreign ministers, my loyalty to the emperor is no weaker than that of any samurai family. When the Miyoshi family rebelled against the emperor and committed regicide, my heart ached and I cried endlessly.
The Hojo family is going to Luo! They are going to fight to the death with the treacherous regicide! The Miyoshi family and I are incompatible with each other! There is her but not me!"
Hojo Umasa stared blankly at his impassioned mother, and suddenly realized: That's it! It turns out that this can still be done!
If the news is given to the Kanto Allied Forces outside the city, as long as the two masters of Echigo do not express their stance, others will not even dare to believe it and will only regard it as a rumor that the Hojo family is desperate and has a demonic barrier.
But if the whole city of the Hojo family swears an oath for the general, this is an unusual gesture. The pillars of the samurai family have dominated the world for hundreds of years. With the importance of etiquette in samurai society, the behavior of the Hojo family is considered a serious act of death.
If you spread rumors out of the city, you can deny it later. But the whole city screams for revenge for the king, how can you argue afterwards? Curse the king, everyone will kill him.
Hojo Ujiyasu was using his own reputation to testify about Miyoshi's treason and regicide, thereby increasing the authenticity of this information.
Secondly, Hojo Ujiyasu clamored to go to Luo to avenge Ashikaga Yoshiteru, but she is now trapped in Odawara Castle, and the person trapping her outside the city is Ashikaga Yoshiteru's fiancé.
Hojo Ujiyasu's struggle for hegemony in Kanto has been reduced to a secondary conflict. The Miyoshi family's treasonous act of regicide is the main conflict that shakes the world of the samurai family.
The Hojo family stated that the internal conflicts within the samurai family can be put aside for the time being, and the Miyoshi family, a major treason that shakes the order of the samurai family, should be killed first. Should the Echigo family take over?
The ball was kicked to Yiyin Shiba's feet, what should he do?
Yoshigan Shiba was sent to Kanto by the shogunate. He held the sword and reopened the Kanto Palace. His righteousness and majesty came from the authorization of Ashikaga Yoshiteru.
Now that Ashikaga Yoshiteru died tragically in Kyoto, Yoshigan Yu privately is her man, and Yu Gong is her minister. What can be more important than avenging Ashikaga Yoshiteru? Why are you blocking Odawara Castle at this time?
Terutora Uesugi is even more embarrassed. Although she is the leader of Kanto, her title was obtained from Ashikaga Yoshiki in Kamilokyo.
If she shamelessly pretends not to have heard and continues to besiege Odawara Castle, what will the Kanto samurai think of her?
Is this kind of selfish villain with no king or mother worthy of being the second-in-command of the Kanto Warrior Family and the leader of the Kanto Warrior Family? The Kanto Warrior Family cannot afford to lose this person!
Under the Hojo family, the overlord of Kanto, there are many lesser tyrants in Kanto. Uesugi Teruhu is disgraced. How can the Satomi family, Satake family, Utsunomiya family, etc., be willing to obey in the future?
Hojo Ujiyasu's move was to put Yoshigan Shiba and Teru Uesugi on the fire. As long as one of them wavered, the Kwantung Allied Forces would not be able to calm down.
This is the trouble with dual-headed politics. The orders come from two schools, and it doesn't matter if they have the same mind. Once the two masters disagree, the conflict will become more intense as they go down, and the most clear-cut between black and white at the grassroots level.
Hojo Umasa looked at his mother solemnly, knowing that he did still have many shortcomings and needed to learn from his mother.
Hojo Ujiyasu asked his daughter to go do something quickly, and he fell into deep thought again. Miyoshi's great rebellion was only used to relieve the siege of Odawara Castle, which was really a waste.
She needs to think things through, and it would be best to use this to tear apart the alliance between Yoshigan Shiba and Terutora Uesugi.
There was a problem with Echigo's dual politics, and Echigo's army could no longer take care of the Hojo family. In order to fight against foreign aggression, one must first settle the internal affairs, and Echigo himself would have to shed blood first.
Hojo Ujiyasu squinted his eyes, a dangerous light flashing in his eyes.
Strong fortresses are often destroyed from within, but how strong can this fortress of Echigo be?
Yoshigan Shiba, Terutora Uesugi, can the bond between you be closer and more indestructible than the united Hojo family?
Hojo Ujiyasu chuckled softly, and the haze of despair was swept away.
A new storm has emerged, how can we stand still? The Hojo family will not give in, a miracle will definitely happen.
———
Outside Odawara Castle, a group of people returned to the coalition formation to discuss matters.
As soon as he sat down, Yoshigan withdrew his banners, leaving only Teru Uesugi, Mitsunari Ishida, and Kanetsugu Naoe to continue the topic they had just interrupted.
Snowflakes turned into water, and waves of chill ran through his body. Yoshigami managed to pull himself together and asked Ishida Mitsunari.
"What's the situation in Kyoto now?"
Ishida Mitsunari shook his head and said.
"I don't know. The Hokuriku Road trade route is closed due to winter snow, so we can't get the latest news.
All we know is that after Miyoshi and his three men committed regicide, Miyoshi took control of Kyoto and took control of Kyoto. The forces of the Shiba family have all withdrawn from the Yamashiro Kingdom and have retreated to the nearby Shiba territory.
All the adults in the family hope that you will return to Jinji quickly to bring order to the chaos and preside over the overall situation for the shogunate."
Ishida Mitsunari glanced at Naoe Kanetsugu next to him, and knew that there was news that he couldn't hide from Uesugi Teruhora. Even if he didn't tell it, others would mention it, so he simply told it first.
"Before the general died in the battle, he gave the Seal of the King of Japan to Yukino Takada, hoping to pass it on to you to avenge her."
After listening to Ishida Mitsunari's words, everyone present's eyes flickered, each with their own thoughts.
