Japan's Sengoku Period: The Sanada Clan's Ambition

Chapter 44 Hideyoshi Hashiba!
The previous head of the Sanjo family, Sanjo Sanetsugu, held the official rank of Junior Third Rank and was a Gon Chunagon, but he died young at the age of twenty.

Since he had no son, Sanjo Nishi Kokugoku adopted his son, Sanjo Kimihiro, into the Sanjo family.

However, Sanjo Kimihiro is only five years old this year, so the daily life of the Sanjo family is handled by Sanjo Nishi Kokukoku.

Upon finding Sanada Nobuyuki again, Sanjo Nishi no longer had the enthusiasm he had shown earlier. He looked at Sanada Nobuyuki with a frosty expression and said, "I have just checked and found that no woman from the Sanjo family has married into the Sanada family."

"You've come to the wrong place, please leave." Although he was very angry, as a nobleman, he still maintained the proper manners and etiquette.

Nobuyuki Sanada was not surprised by the result; it would be strange if they could even find out.

Before coming, Nobuyuki Sanada specifically asked Masayuki Sanada, but even Masayuki Sanada himself couldn't explain it clearly. He only knew that Yamate-dono was from the Sanjo family, but he didn't know what his identity was.

When asked, Yamate-dono gave vague answers. Finally, after Sanada Nobuyuki pressed him repeatedly, Yamate-dono revealed the truth.

She was a maidservant of Lady Sanjo. When some members of the Sanjo family came to Suruga for refuge, Lady Yamate stayed with the Takeda family in Kai. Later, Lady Yamate was married off by Takeda Shingen to Sanada Masayuki (who was then called Muto Kihei).

"I wonder if Lord Grand Councilor is aware of the matter of Lady Sanjō marrying into Kai?" Sanada Nobuyuki asked calmly.

Sanjo Nishi nods. He knows about this matter; the Sanjo family used to take a lot of advantage of the Takeda family.

"To be honest, my mother is the adopted daughter of Lady Sanjo," Sanada Nobuyuki said without batting an eye.

The Kokuju of Sanjonishi was clearly not easily fooled, and simply shrugged, "Do you have any proof?"

"Naturally there is."

After Sanada Nobuyuki finished speaking, he quickly took out a letter from his pocket.

Sanjo Nishi Kokuichi quickly glanced at the letter. It said that in 1564, Lady Sanjo adopted a woman named Kaoru and married her to a man named Muto Kihei of the Takeda family.

After reading it, Sanjo Nishi-kun held up the letter in his hand and carefully examined the ink.

Then, the Sanjo-nishi principality pointed to several places on the letter and said, "The ink here is not dry, it was clearly written not long ago. Do you really think the Sanjo clan is easy to fool?"

Faced with the questioning, Sanada Nobuyuki replied without hesitation, "I rushed all the way from Shinano, so my letter must be soaked with sweat."

After hearing Sanada Nobuyuki's explanation, Sanjo Nishi Koku was at a loss for words. Wasn't this just making him look like a fool?

But this is too strange.

Out of nowhere, someone came to the door with a letter and said that his mother's family was the Sanjo family.

The key issue is that all these so-called insiders are dead, and the Sanjo family has already had two different heads, neither of whom were from the Sanjo family.

In short, there's no way to verify it.

Waving his folding fan, Sanjo Nishi tentatively asked, "Do you have any other credentials?"

“Yes.” Nobuyuki Sanada got up, walked to the corner, and took a cloth bag from the wooden box that had been delivered.

Amidst the expectant gazes of the Sanjo Nishi Principality, twenty or thirty gold beans rolled onto the floor with a crisp sound.

Twenty-eight gold beans, worth fifty strings of cash.

On the way to the Sanjo residence, Kasuga Mototada learned that Sanjo Nishi-kun, the actual head of the Sanjo family, had recently taken a fancy to a tea utensil, costing exactly fifty kan.

Before entering, Nobuyuki Sanada went in alone, and when he came out, it was Sanjonishi Kokukoku who personally escorted him to the gate.

Before entering, Nobuyuki Sanada carried a box, and when he left, he carried a family tree in his arms.

Yamate-dono Kaoru's name is prominently listed after Mrs. Sanjo. Although it doesn't specify which member of the Sanjo family Yamate-dono is the daughter of, at least there is a source for it, isn't there?

Although such noble births were of little use in the chaotic Warring States period, they could play an unexpected role in certain special circumstances.

Besides this family tree, Sanada Nobuyuki also learned from the Sanjosai Kokugoku about the location where Hashiba Hideyoshi was staying—Daitoku-ji Temple in Kyoto.

Daitoku-ji Temple was founded in 1325 (the second year of the Shōchū era) and is located in northern Kyoto. It is the head temple (headquarters) of the Daitoku-ji branch of the Rinzai sect. It was destroyed by fire in 1453 (the second year of the Kyotoku era) and was later restored by the Zen master Ikkyū Sōjun. This Ikkyū Sōjun is the famous "Ikkyū-monk".

Hideyoshi Hashiba came for Oda Nobunaga's funeral. He chose this location because Oda Nobunaga himself was a follower of the Rinzai sect. The core doctrines of the Rinzai sect are derived from the Lotus Sutra, hence it is also known as the Lotus School.

"The ceremony must be grand, don't be afraid to spend money, this is my lord, Hideyoshi."

"Here is ten thousand strings of cash. Take it first, and come back to me if it's not enough!"

Inside the main hall of Daitoku-ji Temple, a short but ornately dressed samurai was loudly giving orders to several monks.

The smile on his face showed no trace of grief over his lord's passing; instead, it conveyed a sense of relief.

This person was none other than Hideyoshi Hashiba, a senior retainer of the Oda clan.

"My lord?"

"Lord!"

While Hideyoshi Hashiba and the monks were discussing the details of Oda Nobunaga's funeral, a samurai entered from outside and interrupted Hideyoshi's speech.

"Ichimatsu, you are now a samurai with a fief of 500 koku. You must always be mindful of your status. Do not make any noise in the temple," Hideyoshi said, feigning anger, but there was no blame in his eyes.

After saying this, Hideyoshi Hashiba hurriedly bowed to the monks in front of him and apologized, doing so in a very proper manner.

Fukushima Masanori ignored him and continued to speak loudly, "My lord, there is a guy outside named Sanada something who requests an audience."

Fukushima Masanori's mother was Hashiba Hideyoshi's aunt, so the two were cousins.

“Sanada? That name sounds familiar.” Hideyoshi Hashiba paused for a moment, then, as if remembering something, quickly asked, “Are you from Shinano?”

"Yes." Fukushima Masanori nodded. "If my lord does not wish to see him, I will send him away."

"Wait, let him wait in the side hall."

"what!"

Hideyoshi Hashiba turned to the monks and gave them a few more instructions before turning and leaving the main hall to walk towards the side hall.

Upon entering the side hall, the first thing Hideyoshi saw was a tall samurai kneeling inside.

Upon reaching the other person's side, Hideyoshi realized that even standing, he was only slightly taller than the other person, and a look of envy immediately appeared in his eyes.

These days, samurai of such height are a rare sight. In Hideyoshi's memory, it seemed that only Todo Takatora, under his younger brother Hidenaga, was that tall.

"I am Hashiba Chikuzen no Kami. State your purpose." Hashiba Hideyoshi had no connection with the Sanada family, so he adopted a businesslike demeanor.

During this period, as his status in the household continued to rise, Hideyoshi Hashiba's mentality also underwent a significant change, and he gradually developed the confidence of someone in a superior position when he spoke.

Sanada Nobuyuki had taken a special look at Toyotomi Hideyoshi when he entered the room. The famous Toyotomi Hideyoshi was indeed as he had imagined, short in stature and unremarkable in appearance.

With such a figure, it would be a great loss to the art world if she didn't play a pervert on a train.

"Genzaburo Sanada, the son of Mamoru Sanada Azuma, the head of the Sanada family in Shinano, has met Mr. Hashiba."

"I have come to see Lord Hashiba for the sake of Shinano."

　Historically, there are many conflicting accounts of the origins of Yamate-dono, the wife of Sanada Masayuki, including claims that she was the daughter of Kikutei Haruki, the adopted daughter of Takeda Shingen, or the daughter of Uda Yoritada (who was related to Ishida Mitsunari by marriage), but none of these can be verified.

　　Kira chose what he considered the most likely explanation: that it was the maidservant of Lady Sanjo.

　　In the "Sanada Family Granter's Register of Residences" and the "Ogaki County Register of Residences", Yamate-dono is recorded as "the Lady of Kyoto" (a lady from Kyoto), indicating that even if Lady Sanjo was not the daughter of a court noble, she was from Kyoto.

　　Considering that Sanada Masayuki's identity at the time was still Muto Kihei, and he was not even the head of the Sanada family, a noble family, it was impossible for him to marry the daughter of a court noble.

　　Therefore, Kira concluded that the possibility of her being a maid was extremely high. This book adopts this interpretation (I did not choose the option of her being Ishida Mitsunari's brother-in-law, as it might affect the subsequent plot).
　　
　
(End of this chapter)