The Self-Cultivation of Warring States Warriors

Although it is called Island Castle, it is not on an island, but on a high ground at the confluence of the Yura River and the Tanano River. It is surrounded by water on three sides, and from the side it looks like a solitary peak in an island.

A nation whose territory is only half a prefecture would naturally not have a very large main city. It consists of five consecutive winding paths, each several dozen steps in circumference, stretching from the mountaintop to the foot of the mountain.

However, the city walls were newly built in recent years with a large investment and have not experienced any war. The patterns and decorations on the walls and eaves are intact and remain in a beautiful state.

Surprisingly, there were two sizable guesthouses, several rows of square warehouses, and a spacious open-air market on the nearby riverbank.

It could be described as a small "castle town".

This is likely unique in the remote and impoverished Tamba.

At least protect the Yagi Castle of the Naito family, the Yagami Castle of the Hatano family, and the castle of the Akai family.

However, Araki Murashige was from Settsu.

Nishinomiya and Amagasaki, both within Settsu Province, were thriving trading hubs. Ishiyama, in particular, was the second largest town in the Kinki region, after Sakai.

Even in Ikeda Castle, where Araki Murashige lived, there were a dozen or so shops around the castle.

Naturally, they couldn't empathize with the mountain monkeys of Tanba.

His only feeling was that he was too tired.

Although the journey is not long, the mountain road is winding and twisting, making it difficult for residents of the plains to cope with.

Therefore, after entering the island city, he greeted the head of the Kawakatsu family, Kawakatsu Hirotsugu, delivered the letter written by Kubo Yoshiaki, and planned to rest as soon as possible.

Unexpectedly, Kawakatsu Hirotsugu blurted out, "The envoy from the Utsu family also arrived today. Isn't that a coincidence? It must be fate. It seems that even the gods and Buddhas want the three parties to have a proper talk."

Araki Murashige was startled and forgot all about his exhaustion.

Good heavens, the Kawakatsu family invited people from both the Kubo and Utsu families at the same time, and openly said that the three parties should have a talk together.

The battle is almost decided, and this move is blatant and clearly an attempt to take sides.

Araki Murashige thought to himself that today's task was more troublesome than he had imagined, and it wouldn't be so easy to make a name for himself.

With his shrewdness, he was certainly able to control his words and actions and would not easily lose his composure.

But after a moment's thought, Araki Murashige deliberately abandoned his composure, adopting a surprised and annoyed demeanor, and shouted angrily, "Lord Kawakatsu, your letter only mentioned inviting us to come and discuss matters, but it didn't say that the Utsu family would also be there! Such a unilateral decision is extremely rude. What are your intentions?"

Upon seeing this, Kawakatsu Hirotsugu showed no anger. Instead, he smiled and bowed deeply, saying respectfully, "Why is Lord Araki in such a hurry? Since we are discussing the war, it would be appropriate to call over the representatives of both sides."

Upon hearing this, Araki Murashige's expression shifted repeatedly. He feigned a fierce but incompetent rage, gave a loud "humph," and then turned and left.

……

The next day, as expected, Kawakatsu Hirotsugu sat in the main seat, with Araki Murashige and the Utsu family's envoys seated on either side.

None of the three carried weapons. They entered a small room with tatami mats to hold a meeting. No one else was present. The page and maid waited outside the door.

Interestingly, the messenger from the Utsu family was the younger brother of the head of the family, Utsu Nagashige, named Utsumura Shige.

Of the three people present, two were actually from the village.

But this isn't Koei Tecmo's "Taiko Risshiden," so there's no room for "name-sharing."

Araki Murashige started off with a sour face, taking the initiative and speaking arrogantly: "My Lord Kubo Genban, acting on the orders of the Imperial Court, has been sent to punish the traitors who have seized the 'Forbidden Food,' and victory is in sight. If you are willing to surrender, it is not too late."

Utsumura Shige, sitting opposite him, chuckled awkwardly and remained silent, head bowed.

Kawakatsu Hirotsugu, acting as the middleman, coughed twice and said slowly, "There might be some misunderstanding here. Is there some reason?"

Then, Utsumura Shigeya of the Utsu family immediately chimed in, "That's right, that's right. My family are all honest and loyal samurai. We were just protecting the 'forbidden goods.' It was only because the roads were blocked and we couldn't deliver the tribute on time that the court misunderstood!"

Araki Murashige sneered upon hearing this: "It seems that once our army arrives, the road to tribute suddenly opens up."

“Exactly.” Natsumura Shige nodded solemnly and said, “Lord Kubo Genban is known as Tanba Zhong Kui. He is renowned for his martial prowess. As soon as he arrived, the thieves were so frightened that they dared not show their faces again. My family can finally resume paying tribute to Kyoto.”

“Hmm…so…” Kawakatsu Hirotsugu’s face twitched a couple of times, as if he was embarrassed by the shameless line, but after a moment of hesitation, he forced himself to say, “The two sides can completely cease hostilities and make peace.”

"Nonsense!" Araki Murashige's eyes widened as he roared, "We mobilized a large force and spent countless resources; how can we be dismissed with a mere 'misunderstanding'? It's utterly laughable!"

“Indeed, indeed…” Utsumura Shige said with a fawning smile, bowing low and respectfully, “My family is willing to offer sufficient compensation to express our sincerity!”

"Is that so?" Araki rolled his eyes and said dismissively, "We will soon take Yueshan Castle, and then we will be unstoppable. I wonder how much sincerity it will take to persuade Lord Kubo Genban to stop his advance?"

“Of course, of course…” Utsumura Shige said cautiously, “Lord Kubo Genban is both wise and brave, and my family is no match for him. But these are chaotic times, and things are unpredictable. If another force were to join the war at this moment… the outcome might still be uncertain.”

Araki Murashige's expression immediately turned extremely serious. Ignoring Utsumura Shige, he turned to look at Kawakatsu Hirotsugu and asked, word by word, "Lord Kawakatsu, do you mean to become our enemy?"

"How could I possibly have such a bold and reckless idea?" Kawakatsu Hirotsugu's eyes darted around, and after hesitating for a moment, he said with feigned composure, "Since it is a chaotic world, it is not entirely impossible for others to get involved. Lord Utsu may not necessarily be referring to our Kawakatsu family."

Then, Kawakatsu Hirotsugu and Utsumura Shige briefly exchanged glances before quickly looking away from each other.

Although it was only for a moment, Araki Murashige keenly noticed that Kawakatsu Hirotsugu seemed quite helpless, with a hint of disdain in his eyes. Utsumura Shige, on the other hand, rolled his eyes upwards, looking pleading, as if to say, "Please help me out for that person's sake."

Upon seeing this, Araki Murashige suddenly had a flash of inspiration, and his expression changed repeatedly, reverting to the state of bluster, cowardice, and rage he had displayed the previous night. After a moment of silence, he reluctantly said, "I wonder what kind of sincerity the Utsu family can show?"

Utsumura Shigemoto immediately knelt down and said in a loud voice, "My family is willing to offer a hostage to show our submission. In the future, in addition to resuming tribute to the imperial court, we will also obey the orders of Hosokawa Kanrei and offer money and grain every year!"

Araki Murashige hesitated for a moment, then shook his head and said, "This doesn't seem to be good for Lord Kubo Genban. He won't withdraw his troops because of this."

Utsumura didn't even lift his head, remaining prostrate on the ground, and continued, "All the tribute my family will pay to the Imperial Court every year, as well as the money and grain offered to Hosokawa Kanrei, will first be transported to Hosono Castle and handed over by Lord Kubo Genban."

“That’s more like it.” Araki Murashige nodded slowly and added, “In other words, no matter how much the final number is off, it must be because of your poor transportation that it was lost, and it has nothing to do with Lord Kubo Genban, right?”

“Of course!” Utsumura Shige then slowly stood up, his face full of flattery, and said with a grin, “Lord Kubo Genban is renowned throughout the world, how could he possibly tamper with ‘transport money’?”

"Hmm... Let me think about it." Araki Murashige rubbed his hands together without warning, glancing around as if looking at something, and slowly said, "This condition might persuade Lord Kubo Genban, or it might not..."

"Furthermore..." Utsumura Shigeyuki gritted his teeth and continued, "If the troops can be withdrawn, there will be four hundred kan of silver, which can be given to Lord Kubo Genban immediately. Then there will be one hundred and fifty kan of cash as a token of appreciation for Lord Araki's hard work. I hope you will accept it!"

"Oh dear, oh dear, why are you being so polite?" A genuine smile instantly bloomed on Araki Murashige's face as he cheerfully said, "Although it may not be successful, I will do my best to persuade Lord Kubo Genban!"

"Thank you so much!" Utsumura Shigeko bowed down again.

Seeing this, Kawakatsu Hirotsugu finally breathed a sigh of relief, clapped his hands and laughed, "It's wonderful that we can turn enemies into friends. Let's have a drink together to celebrate."

He immediately ordered the servants outside the door to bring wine and water.

Utsumura Shige immediately adopted a fawning attitude, offering toasts in a humble and obsequious manner.

Kawakatsu Hirotsugu also raised his glass.

Araki Murashige frowned immediately and shook his head, saying, "I am not used to drinking from such small dishes. Please change to a larger cup!"

Upon hearing this, Kawakatsu Hirotsugu chuckled and immediately gave orders to the page outside the door.

A short while later, a thick, large bronze vessel, capable of holding more than half a liter of wine, was brought in.

Araki Murashige's eyes lit up. He picked up the bronze vessel and, without waiting for the servant to come and serve him, poured a full bowl himself. He then brought it to his lips with both hands, took two sips, and then drank it all in one gulp.

Then he took a deep breath: "Good wine!"

Both Kawakatsu Hirotsugu and Utsumura Shigeaki beamed with joy, praising the sheer quantity.

But I never thought——

In an instant, Araki Murashige grabbed the bronze goblet with his right hand, leaped up from the floor, concentrated all his strength into a single point, and swung it in a graceful arc.

Then, he struck Utsumura Shige hard on the temple.

Before Utsumura Shige could react, with the smile still on his face, he collapsed to the ground unconscious.

"Lord Araki, you..."

Before Kawakatsu Hirotsugu could finish speaking, Araki Murashige unleashed another backhand strike, combining his waist and stance into a full rotation, and slammed it violently into Utsumura Shige's chest.

A deep, crisp cracking sound rang out, and a large dent was visibly visible in Utsumura Shige's chest.

128 Katsuie Kawakita volunteered to help.

In the blink of an eye, Utsumura Shige twitched unconsciously a few times, blood flowed from his mouth, and he quickly stopped breathing.

The envoy of the Utsu family, the younger brother of the head of the family, Utsu Nagashige, died just like that!

They didn't even have time to cry for help.

Kawakatsu Hirotsugu was both shocked and frightened. He immediately stood up and took a few steps back, shouting loudly, "Help! Help! Where are my men?"

As soon as he finished speaking, several servants rushed in, followed by a few guards, quickly filling the small room to capacity.

Upon seeing the fresh corpse, everyone was horrified and at a loss for what to do. They all looked to their head of household, awaiting orders.

Some guards drew their swords and aimed them at Araki Murashige, but without receiving any instructions, they were unsure whether to strike.

However, Kawakatsu Hirotsugu was also flustered. He leaned against the wall, panting for a long time, his face turning red, and he couldn't utter a single word.

Only Araki Murashige, after killing the man, leisurely sat back down, poured himself another cup of wine, and calmly sipped it.

After a long while, Kawakatsu Hirotsugu finally came to his senses, pointed at Araki Murashige, and shouted angrily, "You've done something like this, so it seems you're prepared to die. Then go with Utsumura Shigehiro!"

Upon hearing this, several guards raised their swords to strike.

Araki glanced at him, but didn't take it seriously. He neither answered nor moved, and continued to drink slowly.

At this moment, it was Kawakatsu Hirotsugu who became nervous and quickly raised his hand, saying, "Wait, don't kill this person in a hurry!"

The guards stared in disbelief, looking at each other, completely baffled, but they could only obey orders and stop wielding their swords.

At this moment, Arakimura Shigeaki slowly spoke up: "The younger brother of the head of the Utsu family died in the castle of the Kawakatsu family. I'm afraid this matter is hard to explain. Not only is the Utsu family determined to take revenge, but Lord Hosokawa of Kuchikiya in Omi Province will probably not let it go easily either."

Kawakatsu Hirotsugu was furious and gritted his teeth, saying, "You're the murderer! Reveal the truth, and you'll have no trouble explaining yourself!"

Araki Murashige chuckled a few times, shook his head, and said, "I didn't expect Lord Kawakatsu to be so naive! Your two families aren't long-standing allies; on the contrary, you've had quite a few disagreements in the past. Even in recent years, there have been conflicts, and it's always the Kawakatsu family that has made concessions. Outsiders would only think that you've been holding a grudge for a long time!"

Kawakatsu Hiroshi was speechless, his eyes glaring fiercely at him, yet he was powerless to do anything.

Araki Murashige took a couple of sips of sake and sincerely praised, "Indeed, fine sake!" Then he said slowly, "Lord Kawakatsu, you may certainly take my life. But that would not only offend the Imperial Court, but also damage the reputation of Lord Miyoshi Chikuzen. Having already offended one side, must we offend the other as well?"

Upon hearing this, Kawakatsu Hirotsugu sighed deeply, his strength completely drained, and he slumped against the wall, sitting cross-legged on the floor, shaking his head repeatedly: "Living in this remote and desolate place for so long, I gradually came to think that I was someone important, actually daring to think that I could please everyone. I was truly extremely arrogant!"

Araki Murashige smiled without saying a word.

After a while, Kawakatsu Hiroki finally calmed down.

His gaze toward Araki Murashige still carried a hint of anger, but his words were remarkably rational and ruthless: "Given the current situation, the Utsu family is best off ceasing all further existence!"

The coldness in his tone startled the servants and guards around him.

Araki Murashige nodded slightly, revealing his appreciation.

Next, Kawakatsu Hirotsugu had the site cleared and Unomura Shigeshige's body placed inside. He then summoned a retainer who appeared to be of high rank and ordered, "Call Hikotaro over."

"Huh? Are you talking about the young master?" The retainer was taken aback and asked in confusion, "Didn't the lord say three days ago that he was to stay at home for ten days to reflect on his mistakes and not leave his residence even a step..."

"The lockdown is over now, can't you even see that?" Kawakatsu Hirotsugu frowned and cursed, then sighed helplessly and said, "Tell him to come and meet the Miyoshi family. He'll know what's going on."

After a while, a young samurai rushed in.

Kawakatsu Hirotsugu introduced them expressionlessly: "This is my son, named Tsugu. And that is Araki Murashige, the head of the Miyoshi family, who has come on the orders of Kubo Genban."

Araki Murashige immediately beamed and bowed, saying, "Lord Tsuguji is truly a man of exceptional appearance."

Kawakatsu Tsugushi immediately returned the greeting, saying, "I am delighted to have the honor of meeting such distinguished guests from the Miyoshi family, even though I live in the remote and humble Tanba Kuwata."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Kawakatsu Hirotsugu, his face ashen, said, "We should not be obsessed with the empty title of the shogunate serving the public. I have decided that the Kawakatsu family will follow in the footsteps of Miyoshi Chikuzen and Matsunaga Hōunken, and jointly serve the new Kanrei of Yodoko Castle!"

"Father, have you finally come to your senses?" Kawakatsu Tsuguji was overjoyed and nodded repeatedly: "The Miyoshi family is invincible wherever they go, so why should my family go against the tide?"

Araki Murashige stroked his beard and smiled, "That's perfect. Now I can finally report back to Kubo Genban."

"Lord Araki, there's no need to rush back." Kawakatsu Hirotsugu glanced at his son and said decisively, "The Utsu family also sent an envoy, but to show our resolve, I've already killed that envoy!"

"Huh? This..." Kawakatsu Tsuguji was stunned upon hearing this, and immediately became incoherent: "But there's no need... Father, how could this... This is... a bit too much..."

"Things have come to this, there's no time for regret!" Kawakatsu Hirotsugu slammed his fist on the floor and said solemnly, "We've become mortal enemies. The only way to eliminate the Utsu family in one fell swoop is to seize this opportunity and join forces with Lord Kubo Genban!"

“…Indeed.” Kawakatsu Tsuguji quickly calmed down and nodded helplessly: “The Utsu clan has already lost a lot of troops to Kubo Genban’s ingenious strategy, and nearly four hundred people are trapped in Yueshan Castle without water and food and unable to move. Now that our territory is empty, our clan should immediately advance and win a great victory!”

“It’s not that simple.” Kawakatsu Hirotsugu lowered his head and spoke in a dry voice: “After all, it takes a long and arduous journey to enter the Utsu family’s main city. If the enemy defends their stronghold, even if we outnumber them, it won’t be easy to win.”

Kawakatsu asked, puzzled, "What does Father mean?"

Kawakatsu Hirotsugu glanced at Araki Murashige and said quietly, "The news of the Utsu family envoy's death won't get back for a while. But it's summer now, so if we want to make use of the corpse, we have to hurry."

"Does Father mean... to pretend to offer support, enter the enemy's castle, and then turn against them?" Kawakatsu Tsuguji was shocked again. He glanced at the composed Araki Murashige to the side and whispered, "Isn't that going too far? I think clearly refusing the Utsu family's request for help is enough. Killing the envoy was already inappropriate, and to do something like this is really..."

"Nonsense!" Kawakatsu Hirotsugu glared at his son and scolded, "In these chaotic times, how can we tolerate womanly compassion! I'm leaving for war tomorrow, so you'd better guard the house!"

Kawakatsu Tsuguji lowered his head and remained silent, his face extremely distressed.

Then Kawakatsu Hirotsugu paused for a moment, gave Araki Murashige a dry laugh, bowed and said, "Please, Lord Araki, accompany my army on this expedition, so that you may witness the determination of the Kawakatsu family!"

Upon hearing this, Araki Murashige slowly bowed in return and said elegantly, "Then I entrust everything to you! Lord Kubo Genban would be overjoyed to learn that Kawakatsu has abandoned the darkness and is willing to help us!"

Kawakatsu Hirotsugu's facial muscles twitched a few times, revealing a stiff smile: "Yes, yes, that's right, our Kawakatsu family volunteered to help..."