different warring states of japan

Chapter 403
Echigo Country is located at the northeast end of the Hokuriku Road, and it is a long strip of land from southwest to northeast.

The northwest is the coast, and the southeast is the Echigo Mountains, which are isolated from the Kanto Plain and the Shinano Mountains.

Echigo is divided into Joetsu, Chugoshi, and Lower Etsu, from west to east, and the westernmost Joetsuda Plain is the foundation of the Fuchu Nagao family.

The Nagao family originated from the Hachihei family in Bando. They were the first royal family members of the Genji Kamakura shogunate, and their status was second only to the blood of Genji.

The two Genpei clans are not incompatible, the ones who are really competing for the position of the pillars of the samurai clan are the Iseheira clan and the Hanoi Genji clan, both of them have the Genpei samurai clan under their command.

The battle of Genpei was a decisive battle between the Iseheira family who controlled the western kingdom and the Kawachi Genji who controlled the Kanto to determine the pillars of the samurai family.

Hanoi Genji won and became the elder of Genji, the pillar of the samurai family, and later established the Kamakura Shogunate.

The Bando Hachihei clan made great contributions to the Hanoi Genji clan and received great rewards from the Kamakura shogunate.

A branch of the Nagao family moved to Echigo, multiplied there, and finally divided into three Nagao families, the Koshi Nagao family, and the Ueda Nagao family.

Among them, three of the Nagao family inherited the Echigo guard generation, and later moved to Mount Kasuga in Joetsu, built Kasuga Castle, and controlled the Takada Plain.

It is called the place in the mansion, and it claims to be the guardian of the mansion, and the mansion means the place where the state's government is located.

Since then, the ambitious Nagao family in Fuchu began to usurp Echigo's right to protect the Uesugi family.

In the generation of Uesugi Terutora's mother, she was full of martial arts virtues. She killed the Echigo guardian of the Uesugi family twice, and suppressed the Echigo country.

When she died, the Echigo Kingdom was in chaos.

Uesugi Terutora's father came from the Koshi Nagao family, and his elder brother married into the Ueda Nagao family.

This was the basis for Uesugi Terutora's mother to unite with the three Nagao clan forces to suppress Echigo.

When Terutora Uesugi succeeded to the throne, the Kozhi Nagao family firmly stood by her side.

With her continuous victories in the southern and northern wars, Ueda Nagao's family gradually moved closer, which stabilized the situation in the Echigo Kingdom.

Now that Terotora Uesugi is not in the country, a fast ship enters Takada Port affiliated to Kasugayama Castle, and the remaining important ministers hold a secret meeting to discuss.

In the castle tower, the main seat is vacant, and three important ministers are sitting, namely Naoe Ketsuna, Usami Sadami, and Kakizaki Keie.

The Nagao family in Fuchu conquered Echigo, and the foundation was unstable.Uesugi Terutora's mother passed away, and she dared not succeed immediately.

After the funeral, he first went to Sanjo Castle, the birthplace of the Fuchu Nagao family as Koshi County Commander, to appease the old department and win the support of the Koshi Nagao family.

Then he won the Tochio Castle of Zhongyue and was also the lord of the city before he dared to announce his succession.

Thanks to being so cautious, he gained a firm foothold in the subsequent rebellion frenzy.

The border between Vietnam, China and Echigo is the Hida Mountains extending to the coastline to divide the two countries, and to the east is Mount Kasuga.

Fuchu Nagao's family built a castle on Mt. Kasuga in Joetsu, overlooking the Takada Plain in the east, and further east is Mt. Yonetsu. After Mt. Yonetsu is Chuetsu.

Tochio Castle is the main route from Chuetsu to Joetsu, and it is also the gateway to Kasugayama Castle.

As long as Terotora Uesugi controls these two cities, the chaos in Echigo will not get out of control.

Among the three important ministers, Naoe Kagetsuna is a veteran minister who has served the Nagao family for three generations, and Naoe's mother-in-law, who was married into the family, is highly regarded by Uesugi Terotora, and sits in Kasugayama Castle on his behalf.

The lord of Biwa Island, Usami Dingman, is known as the number one wise general in Echigo. Biwa Island is located in the Kashiwazaki Plain, at the foot of the Mishan Mountain, and supervises the direction of Zhongyue.

Kakizaki Jingjia is a strong general in the family, commanding Uesugi Terutora's standing army. The territory of Kakizaki is west of Mt. Yone, and it is the last line of defense to protect the Takada Plain.

The three are the defensive retainers left by Uesugi Terutora, and they are all pillars of the family.

The Kakizaki Jing family was the youngest and the most irritable, and said anxiously.

"I lead the army into Yuezhong, and there are cities and towns of my family's stronghold along the way, just rush all the way there."

She was eighteen years old, and she started her fortune when Uesugi Terutoro suppressed the rebellion, and she was her loyal confidant.

Now the lord is in danger in Yuezhong, he is very anxious, and his words are less measured, Usami frowned when he heard it, and then let go.

She is middle-aged, and she is an old minister of Uesugi's guardian. At that time, Nagao's family was powerful and killed the guardian twice.

She represents the subjugated faction in the family. These people are senior ministers who protect the shirts and are subdued by the Nagao family's military force, so they cannot be said to be loyal.

Terutora Uesugi gave Usami Ding full of respect, just to win over the old guards in the Sino-Vietnamese area, which is a strategy to control barbarians with barbarians.

This time she went to Luo, the power of housekeeping was in the hands of Naoe Keitsuna, and the standing army was led by the Kakizaki Keijia.

Usami Dingman has the name of assisting the government, but the power is only to monitor the old ministers of Zhongyue and the people of Bei Yue.

If you offend too many people, sooner or later you will die.

For her, if Uesugi Terutora succeeds in Shangluo and changes from Nagao to Uesugi Family Governor, they, the former officials of the Uesugi Family, will recognize it.

But now, let's wait until Terutora Uesugi comes back alive.

Usami decided not to speak, but Naoe Ketsuna glanced at her and said.

"In the name of spring plowing, the Shiina family sealed off the country's borders and strictly prohibited the transfer of military power to affect farming.

If the standing army crosses the border, the logistics may take some days to prepare, and it is necessary to communicate with the Shiina family about the entry. "

Naoe Kagetsuna is a three-generation veteran of the Nagao family in the prefecture, who focuses on internal affairs and is Uesugi Terutora's helper in internal affairs.

She is different from the Kakizaki Jing family of the family governor's cronies faction, and also different from the Usami Sadami of the subjugation faction. She is a member of the genealogical retainer group.

Uesugi Terutora took in Uesugi Constitutional Affairs, intending to change Nagao into Kaesan and occupy the post of Kanto governor. There were also differences within the retainer group.

However, the Nagao vassals are still loyal to the family governor, and she is willing to support the Kakizaki Kei family's request to send troops, but it is difficult to send troops quickly.

Kakizaki Jing's family became anxious when they heard this, and shouted.

"If the family governor is trapped in Yuezhong for a day, he will be in danger for a day, how can he wait.

Didn't Yuezhong Xinchuan County cede the cities along the way to my family, why can't they send troops immediately?
Since the city already belongs to my family, do we still need Shiina's approval? "

Naoe Ketsuna explained helplessly.

"It's okay to send troops, but the family governor only negotiated to take over the city at the end of last year, so it's still an isolated city for the time being.

If there is no Shiina support, where are the farmers and soldiers for logistics transportation?
Now is the spring plowing season, the mobilization of grain and grass near Chunri Mountain City, and the transportation of farmers and soldiers have to squeeze the manpower to appease the emotions of the lower classes, not to mention the Vietnam side. "

The problem of sending troops is not the standing army, but when the supply lines can be arranged.

The Uesugi family had just controlled some cities in Yuezhong Xinchuan County, and had not yet accepted the allegiance of the local village samurai landowners and servants.

Even if they are forced, they cannot accept it, because everyone is plowing in the spring at this time, and manpower is tight.

Spring plowing is the Wu family's top priority, and no one will compromise on this matter.

Unless the Shiina family came forward to coordinate and mobilize some full-time ashigaru, the city over there would be blind and deaf, just leaving some defenders in a daze.

Usami Dingman who was on the side suddenly spoke and said.

"Recently, Zhongyue has become more and more unstable, and I don't know where the news that the governor of the family, Shang Luo, is not in the country has been leaked.

The Xiayue Yangbei Congregation and some of the Chinese and Vietnamese subjugated warriors have changed, and they are temporarily suppressed by the important spring plowing.

I worry that after the spring plowing they will mobilize and set off a rebellion. "

The atmosphere was chilled by her few words, and Echigo's country is not optimistic. If the governor does not come back, the situation may be difficult to deal with.

Kakizaki Keijia cheered.

"The governor will not sit still and wait for death, he will definitely try his best to break through and return.

Also please Nao-sama hurry up to prepare supplies and communicate with Shiina, so that I can start to meet them as soon as possible.

I heard that the shogunate sent the Shiba family governor to read the imperial edict to help the family governor stabilize Echigo.

At that time, my family will have a righteous name, and as the family superintendent Wu Yong, these Xiao Xiaoxiao will definitely give in and dare not change their minds again. "

Naoe Ketsuna and Usami Sadaman didn't disagree with her words, and neither of them took it seriously.

The Shiba family has fallen, and the current governor is actually a man, which is simply unheard of.

Kanto is far away, so the news is not smooth.Even if they heard about Shiba Kenshin, they would laugh it off and not take it seriously.

The shogunate cannot solve the problem of Echigo, because it is not only the status, but also Uesugi Terutora's superb military talent and inferior political means.

The two important ministers once stood in the position of Fuchu Nagao's family and advised Uesugi Terutoro on domestic policy, but the effect was very bad.

The house governor is too superstitious about his own force. Under strong pressure, he can stabilize for a while, but he can't solve the fundamental problem.

But it's not appropriate to talk about these things at this time, let's wait until the governor returns.

(End of this chapter)