The Self-Cultivation of Warring States Warriors

Page 30

Poor farmers often have very poor cash flow, and in the spring and summer they inevitably borrow money from small shops, usually agreeing to repay it after the autumn harvest. If the debt could be forgiven, it would be of some benefit.

Starting this year, the Naito family, now the guardians of the clan, has established a routine of holding meetings. At the end of August, during the assessment meeting, the acting head of the family, Matsunaga Nagayori, publicly stated that they would implement benevolent policies and that a formal decree would be issued next month.

As a member of the "Noguchi Village Deputy Governor's Co-optation Committee," Kubo Shinzaburo participated in the evaluation meeting and also met Master Meishu, who often showed up at Yagi Castle to make his presence known.

So, in private after the meeting, Shinzaburo sorted out the villagers' demands and said to the old monk, "Although a 'benevolent decree' will be issued, our Guangfu Temple will probably be among those exempted from the 'benevolent decree'. I wonder if the people can afford the debt that we advanced to Duan Qiandong at the beginning of the year."

Master Mingzhou immediately understood the meaning behind the words. He frowned slightly, then smiled nonchalantly and said, "One hundred and fifty kan of silver is not much for the temple. However, Guangfu Temple has always been within the scope of Tanba's 'exemption from tyranny.' If we suddenly lose this privilege, the monks will definitely be dissatisfied."

Shinzaburo leaned forward, closing the distance, and said in a low voice, "That was what I originally thought too. But after careful consideration, I realized that perhaps, if done properly, it could actually enhance the status of Kofukuji Temple."

"Hmm?" Master Mingzhou's eyes lit up immediately, but after a moment, he shook his head and sighed, "If it would damage Lord Matsunaga Nagayori's prestige, it would be unacceptable. This year, our Rinzai sect's Daitoku-ji school is joining forces with the Miyoshi family to challenge the Nichiren sect's main school in Sakai-cho. We must not damage our relationship at this time."

That's it!

Now Shinsaburo understood why, at the beginning of the year, the old monk's senior brother, Zen Master Zongtao, had used such stern language to demand that they stop causing trouble.

What kind of place is Sakai-cho?

The richest place in Japan, the premier trade hub in the world, hailed by missionaries as the "Venice of the Orient," a city coveted by 66 nations.

Compared to the interests there, this small skirmish in Funai County, Tanba Province, is indeed insignificant.

Shinzaburo was a little curious, and considering his close relationship with the old monk, he boldly asked, "Just how wealthy is Sakai-cho?"

Master Mingzhou looked on with longing and slowly said, "Leaving aside the countless small merchants and peddlers, just consider the 114 wealthy merchants I saw in Jienan Village last time. Even the most down-on-his-luck one should have a profit of two or three hundred kan per year. As for the luxurious ones like Notoya and Uoya, it is said that they earn more than five thousand kan. The business of any one of them is enough to rival the entire Monzencho under Kofukuji Temple."

Good guy!

Even at the lowest possible rate, over a hundred merchants combined would amount to more than 20,000 to 30,000 kan annually. The actual figure was certainly far more than 30,000… It seems that when Oda Nobunaga demanded 20,000 kan of “arrow money” from them in history, it wasn’t much more. No wonder the merchants ultimately chose to pay to avoid further trouble.

Master Mingzhou, having apparently gotten into the swing of things, went on to explain in detail the methods Daitokuji sent to Sakai to seize territory.

First, there was the wealthy merchant named Sen Sōe, the owner of a fish shop in Sakai-machi. He was taken in as a lay disciple by Zen Master Sōtō and became a fellow disciple of Miyoshi Chōkei. He was also designated as the Miyoshi family's "official merchant."

Then, Tsuda Munekichi, a wealthy merchant from Ishiyama and owner of Tennoji-ya, had always had some conflicts with the Jodo Shinshu sect, which controlled Ishiyama, due to religious issues. This time, he accepted the invitation of the Rinzai sect and moved his main store to Sakai-cho.

These two moves broke the monopoly of Kenhon-ji Temple, under the Nichiren sect's main lineage, in the religious circles of Sakai-cho, and made Nan-shu-ji Temple, the Daitoku-ji school of the Rinzai sect, one of the regular venues for merchants to gather and hold meetings.

Shinzaburo was filled with envy at such a grand gesture.

Of course, envying others is only temporary; ultimately, you have to return to your own affairs.

Following the old monk's train of thought, Shinzaburo said, "What the abbot means is that 150 kan is not a lot of money, but whether or not we retain the privilege of 'exemption from virtuous rule' involves the status of Kōfuku-ji Temple, which must be taken seriously."

Master Mingzhou nodded and said, “Exactly. Even if I were to abandon my dignity and admit that I embezzled some money, I would at most be scolded by my senior brother Zongtao. But if the power of ‘exemption by virtuous governance’ that Guangfu Temple has enjoyed for hundreds of years is lost in my hands, then I will become a sinner of the Daitokuji sect of the Rinzai school.”

Shinzaburo said, "I understand. Kofukuji Temple can provide relief to the people in other ways, but it will not accept the 'Decree of Benevolent Governance'."

Upon hearing this, Master Mingzhou pondered for a moment and said, "If it would be helpful for one's career, then of course one could use Shinsaburo's name to hold a Buddhist ceremony, during which one could prepare plenty of food and give it to poor farmers in the vicinity."

Shinzaburo feigned fear and bowed, saying, "How dare I! My name is probably not worthy to appear in the Buddhist ceremonies at Kōfuku-ji Temple at present."

Master Mingzhou laughed and said, "Why be so formal among family? Although people in places other than Noguchi Village may not know who Kubo Shinzaburo is... but if we hold a Buddhist ceremony, won't they all know?"

Shinzaburo thought to himself that this was probably forcing things to grow too fast, but he couldn't refuse directly. So he put on a thoughtful look, stroked his chin, and slowly said, "Abbot, you just mentioned that the Daitoku-ji branch of the Rinzai sect is cooperating with the Miyoshi family in Sakai-cho. What we did last year might have been somewhat presumptuous, and it may have slightly damaged our relationship. Zen Master Soto has also spoken... Why don't we take advantage of this minor natural disaster to show some more friendly gestures?"

Master Mingzhou frowned and said doubtfully, "Is it strange to have Lord Matsunaga Nagayori represent the Naito family and make donations to poor farmers together with Kofukuji Temple? Moreover, this alone may not be enough to demonstrate the goodwill between the two sides."

“That alone is certainly not enough.” Shinzaburo chuckled softly and continued, “My idea is to invite Lord Matsunaga Nagayori, in his capacity as the lord of Tanba, to give a grand performance at the prayer hall of Kofuku-ji Temple. Hmm, the time will be chosen to be on the day of the ‘Rei-sai’ (Cooling Festival), so that as many people as possible can witness it in person…”

"Ah, this..." Master Mingzhou, as a native of the 16th century, had obviously never seen the methods used by politicians in later generations to use religion to enhance their popularity, but he quickly understood the reason and nodded, saying, "Lord Matsunaga Nagayori is not from a proper samurai family, nor is he a native of Tanba. It is quite necessary for him to do this kind of pretense. Given his character, he will definitely agree gladly."

After a moment, the old monk shook his head and sighed, "This so-called practice of praying and fulfilling vows is not within the tenets of Zen. Yet, people are ignorant, from the wealthy and powerful to the common people, all are enthusiastic about it! Alas, is this what is meant by the Dharma-ending Age?"

Shinzaburo was a little surprised. He waited quietly for a while before cautiously asking, "So, are we still going to do what we just talked about?"

Master Mingzhou replied without hesitation, “Of course we must do it! The tenets of Zen must be explained. But if we only talk about the tenets, where will the monks get the money for food and clothing? If they are not well-fed and clothed, how can they talk about worshipping the Buddha and attaining enlightenment?”

058 Observations at the Prayer Site

Whether life brings sorrow or joy, time always passes in the blink of an eye.

October has arrived in the blink of an eye, the day when Guangfu Temple holds its annual "Cooling Festival".

The continuous autumn rains have long since ended.

During this period, although the rice harvest was not going well, the best news for Shinzaburo Kubo was that the hamper sake in the Gokurakuji territory was finally brewed.

The newly reclaimed millet and barley fields weren't thriving, except for the easily cultivated barnyard grass, which was growing well. After millet grains were milled and washed, and after several trials to confirm the process was feasible, 580 liters of wine were finally brewed.

Five people arrived at Kofukuji Moncho at that time; they were all employees of various taverns, lodgings, and gambling dens, holding the rank of "handler." After tasting the wine, the five people gave a standard price of 18 mon per liter and bought the batch of wine for a total price of 10 kan and 440 mon.

Shinzaburo Kubo showed no intention of bargaining.

Since alcohol is a controlled product, the fact that people are willing to buy from you is entirely due to Master Mingzhou's reputation. To haggle over the specific amount would be ungrateful.

Moreover, with Master Mingzhou around, merchants wouldn't dare to deliberately drive down the price too much.

As agreed, 40% of the wine money, or 4,0176 wen, was distributed as wages to the refugees responsible for planting barnyard grass and brewing wine. Due to the poor harvest in Tanbo this year, grain prices had risen, and this wage was only enough to buy seven shi of rice or ten and a half shi of mixed grains. However, it was still much better than eating barnyard grass directly.

The administrator, Monk Jingcheng, received one-tenth of the money, one string of cash and forty-four coins. He used to run a private gambling den, and he probably earned more than that each month. But today, with the ruler's permission, he received legitimate money, and the feeling was different.

Afterwards, the monk Jingcheng hesitated, wondering whether to use the money to buy some tofu to improve his meals, or to stick to his original intention and help the widows in the neighborhood.

The remaining 5 kan and 220 mon was Kubo Shinzaburo's income.

……

On the fifth day of the tenth month, the baby-faced merchant "Uozumi Hikoshiro" from Sakai arrived on time with his small caravan, once again bringing the ordered sugar and various seasonings.

He expressed his regret over his old friend Kinbei's injury and subsequent drinking, and complimented him, saying, "Kubo Shinzaburo's reputation has soared and is already known throughout Funai County."

After exchanging pleasantries, Hikoshiro Uozumi also announced that he would be resigning from his position at "Hibina" to join the initial team of entrepreneurs in Sakai Town, and would no longer be in charge of the caravan. He advised that anyone wishing to continue routine purchasing should contact their successor.

Based on his memories from later generations, Shinzaburo Kubo had a physical reaction to the word "start a business," feeling it was rather unreliable. However, he had no grounds to dissuade the other party, so he could only offer a toast and wish them "prosperous business."

Next, ten-year-old Shingoro and thirteen-year-old Ari, under the strict guidance of their father Kinbei, completed the making of this year's candied chestnuts.

Shinzaburo Kubo still led his men to Kofukuji Temple.

Master Mingzhou said that of the twenty jars of candied chestnuts, half should be left for the monks in the temple, and the other half should be sent to his "niece," Miss Adou.

Miss Adou now lives in a small nunnery next to Guangfu Temple and doesn't go out much.

Shinzaburo felt a little awkward about going to the nunnery, but the old monk had given the order, so he had no choice but to bite the bullet and go.

Perhaps because the teacher was watching her closely, Miss Adou behaved very well this time, being well-mannered, dignified, and virtuous. She was poised and graceful overall, yet revealed just the right amount of shyness in the details, making her a perfect example of a Japanese Nadeshiko.

She thanked Kubo Shinzaburo for his "gift" very sincerely, and then sent over a large box as a return gift, saying elegantly, "I heard that Lord Kinbei is not feeling well, so please accept this box containing some tonics that are good for your blood and qi. There is also a set of writing brush, ink, and inkstone, which Shingoro can use for writing. He has been appointed by you to handle village affairs, so he will definitely find it useful. In addition, there are some sweets and ornaments that I bought from Sakai Town. Please give them to little sister Aguri."

Such a posture was simply impeccable; even Shinzaburo was stunned and didn't know what to say.

He even stammered a little when saying goodbye.

When I opened the box, I found three bags inside, each containing the gifts I had mentioned earlier, and a "magic charm" that looked handmade, with the four delicate characters "May your martial fortune last forever" drawn on it.

While slightly moved, Shinzaburo couldn't help but wonder what the old monk would think upon seeing this amulet, which clearly embodies the concept of "the unity of gods and Buddhas," after he had just complained about the distortion of Zen principles.

……

As expected, Matsunaga Nagayori, as the acting head of the Naito family, issued the "Decisive Decree," but as was customary, he also included Kofukuji Temple and its surrounding town in the list of places exempt from the Decisive Decree.

However, when the "Cooling Festival" officially began, many villagers in Noguchi Township still willingly went to Kofukuji Temple to participate in the ceremony.

There was no need for Shinzaburo Kubo to urge them too much.

Everyone knew that even if it wasn't considered a "benevolent act," the abbot's extremely low-interest loan was still a great favor.

In Kubo Village alone, a hundred people went together.

Even though Old Man Jinbingwei was a devout believer, he insisted on going and even abstained from alcohol for a few days. Shinzaburo couldn't dissuade him, so he had someone make a very simple sedan chair out of sturdy wooden sticks and carry Old Man Deng there.

Guangfu Temple was once again surrounded by huge crowds.

Shinsaburo could have given the villagers special treatment, but Kinbei's father said it wasn't appropriate and that they should just wait in line and go in slowly.

Upon arriving at the main courtyard, they were surprised to find a large number of fully armed guards standing watch outside the "prayer hall" on one side.

Everyone was curious, but no one dared to approach rashly.

Only Kubo Shinzaburo swaggered over and loudly asked the guards, "Where do you all hold office? What brings you to Kofuku-ji Temple today?"

Among the guards, some with sharp eyes instantly recognized the person's identity, bowed respectfully, and loudly replied, "It is our Lord Matsunaga Hōunken Chōyō, who wishes to fast and meditate in the prayer hall for three days and three nights, praying for favorable weather and no more natural disasters in Tanba Province next year!"

Shinzaburo suddenly realized and exclaimed, "Lord Nagayori, as the acting head of the Naito family, is busy with countless affairs day and night, yet he still devotes himself to the suffering of the people. He is truly a rare and benevolent general!"

The men, women, and children of Kubo Village all nodded in agreement. Only the old man, Kinbei, who was being carried, exchanged a glance with Shingoro beside him, both of them showing a puzzled expression.

An hour or two passed...

Shimizu Hachiro led the group from Shimizu Village to Kofuku-ji Temple. Upon seeing the guards outside the prayer hall, he approached them and asked, "Where do you all work? What brings you to Kofuku-ji Temple today?"

The guards answered loudly, “It is our Lord Matsunaga Hōunken Chōyō who wishes to fast and meditate in the prayer hall for three days and three nights, praying for favorable weather and no more natural disasters in Tanba Province next year!”

Shimizu Hachiroza suddenly realized and exclaimed, "Lord Nagayori, as the acting head of the Naito family, is extremely busy... well... cough, anyway, he still cares so much about everyone. He's such a kind person!"

The villagers of Qingshui Village echoed in agreement.

059 Reasons for the Resumption of War

After this year's "Cooling Festival" ended, the story of Matsunaga Nagayori, the acting head of the Naito family, fasting and sitting quietly for three days and three nights at the "prayer site" was widely circulated. Samurai, underground people and commoners in Funai District of Tanba Province were all deeply moved, or pretended to be deeply moved.

Moved by this, Abbot Mingzhou of Guangfu Temple issued some orders that would benefit disaster relief and the people's well-being, and had more than a hundred copies of the documents copied and posted everywhere to spread the word.

The document essentially states that our Kofuku-ji Temple bears the heavy responsibility of serving the gods and Buddhas on behalf of the people of Tanba, and has always been listed as an "exemption from virtuous governance" in order to better fulfill our duties. However, seeing Lord Nagayori's actions, the monks were deeply moved, and therefore, all loans for which the temple holds a claim were extended and interest rates reduced…

For the seven villages in Noguchi Township that owed money due to the advance payment made by Duan Qiandong in the spring of last year, the most direct benefit was that they enjoyed an extra year of "interest-free period." This alleviated the villagers' financial situation.

In short, in response to this "autumn harvest rain disaster," the secular regime and religious forces jointly staged a "funeral turned into a celebration."

Matsunaga Nagayori, the acting head of the Naito family, gained increased recognition by having his name written on temple documents and posted everywhere. After all, farmers in that era might not care much about announcements issued by daimyo, but they wouldn't ignore announcements from monks related to debts.

Master Myoshu, the abbot of Kofuku-ji Temple, instructed the acting guardian of Tanba Province to fast and meditate for three days in his own prayer hall, fully demonstrating the authority of faith and making believers feel spiritually uplifted.

At the same time, both sides demonstrated a great deal of friendship, which echoed the events in Sakai-cho.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Matsunaga Nagayori inquired whether the subsequent battles would proceed smoothly.

Master Mingzhou pretended to ponder for a moment, then replied, "If we send troops to punish those rebellious people who disrespect the gods and Buddhas, we will surely be victorious."

Matsunaga Nagayori immediately realized what was going on and exclaimed, "In that case, leading everyone to seize the property of these rebellious traitors must be a righteous act!"

……

Although those words were said, but—

Throughout the autumn, neither the Naito family of Funai District, nor the Hatano family of Taki District, nor the Akai family of Hikami District launched any military action. They were probably all trying to digest the effects of the natural disaster.

However, shortly after the Cool Festival, shocking news suddenly arrived.

That is, Hatano Hidechika, the lord of Honmei Castle, a major town in the eastern part of the Hatano family in Taki District, and a member of the Hatano family, suddenly announced that he had changed his allegiance and pledged allegiance to Matsunaga Nagayori!

Kubo Shinzaburo was quite puzzled by this. How could he suddenly persuade the enemy's veteran general to defect before even experiencing a substantial victory on the battlefield?

But Matsunaga Magoroku was not surprised at all, and gave a detailed explanation.

It turns out that the entire plan had been in place for more than half a year.

At the beginning of the year, Matsunaga Nagayori arrived and implemented reform plans, which displeased many of the old retainers of the Naito family, who left in anger to join the Hatano and Akai families. A significant portion of them joined the service of Hatano Hidechika, the lord of Honme Castle.

Next, in March, "Tanba Oni" Hatano Munetaka led several dozen cavalry to raid Noguchi Castle, which was still under construction, but was ambushed, suspecting that the information had been leaked. After returning, he repeatedly emphasized that the newly surrendered people were unreliable, which greatly displeased Hatano Hidechika.

Then, in May and June, Matsunaga Nagayori mobilized a large army to attack the Hatano family and besieged Honme Castle. Although he failed to capture the castle, he implemented the "harvesting the fields" tactic, harvesting the surrounding wheat fields ahead of schedule. These were basically the territory of Hatano Hidechika, the lord of Honme Castle, and his confidants.

According to Matsunaga Magoroku, Hatano Hidechika demanded compensation from Hatano family head Harumichi, but was refused.

In addition, the autumn harvest rains affected the entire Tanba region. Hatano Hidechika of Honme Castle was facing a dire situation, with summer grains stolen and autumn harvests failing. He was struggling to make ends meet and even his soldiers didn't have enough food.

As for the Hatano family, they probably didn't have much spare money themselves and never provided any substantial assistance.

At this time, Matsunaga Nagayori secretly sent someone to make contact and made a promise: if they surrender, he would give them 500 kan of cash and 1,000 koku of rice as a reward!

Hatano Hidechika immediately said something like "I've drifted through half my life without ever meeting a wise ruler," and the next day he openly changed sides.

Honmei Castle is an important town in the eastern part of Taki District. This defection means that part of Taki District will break away from the Hatano family's control and come under the control of the Naito family—in fact, the Miyoshi family.

Therefore, the Hatano family could not accept this egregious incident of "one family betraying the other" from either a face-saving or practical perspective.

Regardless of whether the conditions are suitable, they must respond!

The troops of the Hatano family of Taki County quickly assembled at Yagami Castle.

The Akai family of Hikami District, as an ally, also indicated that they would definitely send troops to assist.

Naturally, Matsunaga Nagayori once again invited reinforcements from Settsu and Yamashiro, and launched a mobilization in Funai County.

This time, Matsunaga Magoroku was dispatched to Honmei Castle to be in charge of liaison with Hatano Hidechika.