The Rising Sun
Takeshi Kurita hurried up to get to his masters chambers. In front of the old cherrywooden door stood two guards. A quite unusual thing and it meant to him that something went wrong in Kyoto or that his Master was no more save in his own castle.
„I heard the master is already back from Kyoto, isn't he?.“ Takeshi asked.
The guard nodded. „Yes Kurita-Shacho, the daimyo arrived some minutes ago. He's awaiting you.“ The guard opened the door and Takeshi entered. As he entered Masamoto Hosokawa arose from his cushion, a gesture of great respect for his advisor who served the familiy since the youth of his father Katsumoto Hosokawa. Takeshi bowed down befor his daimyo. „Hosokawa-Tono welcome back at home. May I ask what the cause of your exepected early return is?“
„Immediacy is none of the virtues you taught me back then and it is inpropiate for members of our rank. But your behaviour is not baseless. The council of daimyos is disjointed about the future of Nipon. Now as they are their own masters and the ashikaga shogun is just one of them only separated by his title they are all looking to for oppurtunities to gain more power. Right in front of the shogun were plots hatched and lose alliances made. And the struggle for power and control of Nipon has just begun.“ Katsumoto paused and looked expectantly to his advisor.
„It will not be long till daimyos will send assassins to kill each other. merchants will be robbed by their neigbours. And then it is only a matter of time until it comes to fullscale warfare. It seems like the sun stopped shining for us and that we are facing a long and dark night. But Hosokawa-Tono why did you retrun so early? Was there not a chance to spare our people and Nipon this dark future?“
„No Kurita-San, even you would'nt had a chance to convince the gathered lords of a central authority to reorganize Nipon. I returned early because everything has already been said in Kyoto and instead of a central authority we from now on have dozens of feudal daimyos controlling their little parts of Nipon. Sooner or later they will savage themselves like a pack of hungry wolves. I returned today so we can use the time the other lords waist in Kyoto to prepare ourselves for the upcoming challenges.“ Explained Masamoto .
„So shall I order to strengthen our fortifications my Lord?“ Takeshi asked.
„No Kurita-San, I have other plans. In these days will be decided who belongs to the hunters and who to the prey. I am certainly not eager to be prey. Rather the opposite is correct, I shall be known as the hungriest and strongest of all the wolves.“
„As your diplomatic advisor and councellor for internal affairs it is my duty to warn you. Our peoply are weary of war. They have a long and hard civil war behind them. They won't be lucky to go to war right away. And think of the distrust you will arose by all the other daimyos when you declare war without a cause against one of your neighbours.“ Takeshi tried to convince his master.
„There is no easy way for our people to choose. There is only a hard and short way to unity and stability for Nipon or an even much longer and harder one. I prefer the first one.“ Masamoto replied.
„And you think you are the one who brings unity and stability to our people while you rise to be shogun yourself?“ Takeshi asked.
„Isn't it the birthright of my family to aspire the shogunate? My claims go back to the ancestor of my family who was the son of the first Ashikaga-Shogun. My father ever tried to consolidate and to protect the shogunat against all illoyal separatists. Know it is no longer possible do protect the Ashikaga-Shoguns, it is time to replace the current one with somebody who wields real power. It will probably not granted to me to end the Ashikaga era and to become new shogun. But my son or one of my descendants should.“ Masamoto ended his speech.
„So Hosokawa-Tono, I see you made your decision. Just tell me how I can be most useful to you?“
„First we have to conscribe more regiments, and thus immediately. And I want you to hire all of these shady and dishonourable warriors who fight for those who will gain them the most money. I am not lucky that we have to hire them, but without their help we won't have a chance. Tell my brother he should gather my troops and make them ready for battle. Further we should assure that the Myoshi Daimyo supports us.“
„I will send a messenger to the Myoshi Daimyo and offer him advantages for his merchants when he supports us with troops and supplies. But please allow me the question who will be our first target? Will we attack Oda to finally settle this old feud?“ Takeshi asked.
„No our troops will move to the west!“ Masamoto answered.
A map depicting Nipon in 1477. It will be a long and winding road to unification...
