Facing Uesugi Kagekatsu's envoy, the Oda family's attitude was very arrogant - Uesugi Kagekatsu must go out of the city to negotiate in person. The Uesugi army in the city was excited after hearing this, but at this moment they faced huge pressure from the Oda army and Uesugi Ketora.
They had no choice but to agree to this request. The Uesugi Army asked the Oda family to retreat 200 feet from the city, allowing representatives of Uesugi Kagekatsu and the Oda family to each lead one person to negotiate in this open area to ensure the safety of Uesugi Kagekatsu.
After thinking for a while, the Oda family gave an affirmative answer.
On the afternoon of January 3, the sixth year of Tensho (1578), Uesugi Kagekatsu and his attendant Higuchi Kanetsugu came to the tent set up by the Oda family. Representatives of the Oda family had been waiting here for a long time - one of them had already
Proving his identity - Oda Nobutada, the young master of the Oda family. Next to him sat a handsome samurai in his thirties, with sharp features, but a gentle and elegant manner. Uesugi Kagekatsu only glanced at him
, he realized that the man accompanying Oda Nobutada must be unusual. But he didn't know that this samurai was Amakihei who defeated the Uesugi army in the Battle of Kurigara.
"Your Highness Uesugi." Oda Nobutada bowed to Uesugi Kagekatsu, and Yu Qiupei also bowed. Uesugi Kagekatsu and Higuchi Kanekatsu returned the bow and sat down opposite them.
"Your Highness Uesugi, I'm sorry." After receiving Oda Nobutada's nod, Ame Qiupei, who was sitting next to Oda Nobutada, took the lead in speaking to Uesugi Kagekatsu instead of Oda Nobutada, "Time is running out, and I have no intention of being polite.
We understand that your army’s intention is to return to Echigo to fight Uesugi Kagetora, and the Oda army is also willing to let the Uesugi army leave Uozu Castle and return to Echigo, but we have a condition.”
"What kind of conditions?" Uesugi Kagekatsu had just finished, and before he could adjust his nervousness along the way, he was suddenly asked so directly by Yu Qiuping, and he was instantly confused.
"We want Kasugayama Castle." Yu Qiupei deliberately slowed down his speech so that Uesugi Kagekatsu could clearly hear the name of the city without thinking that he heard it wrong - in fact, even so, Uesugi Kagekatsu and Higuchi
Kanetsu still couldn't believe his ears and thought he heard wrongly.
Because everyone understands what Kasugayama Castle means to the Uesugi family.
Kasugayama Castle is located in the middle of Echigo County in the west of Echigo Province. It is the most important castle in the entire Echigo. It is surrounded by mountains to the west and the sea to the north. At the same time, it strangles the two mountain roads from Echichu and Shinano into Echigo.
It is an important pass on the Hokuriku Road. To the southeast of Kasugayama Castle, there are large areas of plains and cultivated land, which provide almost half of the food and grass needs of the Uesugi army. It is also the basis for the survival of the Uesugi family. From the Nagao Okei era
From the beginning, the Uesugi family has been committed to running Kasugayama Castle and built it into the strongest castle in the entire Hokurikudo. A large amount of gold, luggage, and ordnance were also stored in the castle.
To give up Kasugayama Castle would be to give up most of the 140,000-koku territory of Kasugayama Castle, the Uesugi family's most important grain-producing area, and the access to Shinano and Etsuchu. At the same time, the city surrounding Kasugayama Castle——
Iiyama Castle, Matsushiro Castle, Shimazaka Castle, and Kakizaki Castle will all be threatened, and Nechi Castle and Noi Castle, which are sandwiched between Kasugayama Castle and Etchu, will be directly given up to the Oda family.
Saying "Cede Kasugayama Castle to me" to the Uesugi family is as crazy as saying "Please cede Tokyo to me" to the current Japanese government.
"This is absolutely impossible." Even though Uesugi Kagekatsu had not recovered from the shock, he had already given a firm reply, "If the Oda family really has the sincerity to negotiate, don't bring this up.
Such exaggerated conditions.”
"It's not an exaggeration." However, Yu Qiupei took over the words without blushing and without skipping a beat, regardless of Uesugi Kagekatsu's anger, "To be honest, after taking control of Kaga, Noto, and Echichu, the Oda family
One goal is to reach into Echigo. But the long "I don't know, I don't know" mountains on the border of Echigo and Echigo make any form of attack, food and grass supplies powerless. Even if you are as strong as your father Kenshin Nobuyoshi, you are still controlling the fish.
It was only after the Shiina family of Jincheng surrendered that they were able to pass through the mountains without resistance, otherwise there was nothing they could do."
"If you want to enter Echigo, you must control the west entrance of this mountain range - Uozu Castle and the east entrance - Kasugayama Castle. This is an undisputed fact. Your Highness Uesugi has no objection, right?" Seeing that Uesugi Kagekatsu muffled no answer,
Yu Qiupei continued to speak on his own, "Our Oda family's power is to the west of Echigo. If you want to enter Echigo, the only way is through the 'I don't know it, but you don't know it' mountain range. In other words, if the Uesugi family wants to cede it to
Our other lands are uncontrollable enclaves for us, and we will not accept them. The only land in the entire Echigo that is useful to us is Kasugayama Castle in the eastern section of the mountain range. I wonder if your highness understands what I am saying.
?”
Uesugi Kagekatsu was speechless by Yu Qiupei, and all the bargaining plans prepared in advance were blocked in his mouth. Higuchi Kanetsugu on the side couldn't bear to see his lord in such embarrassment, and couldn't help but said: "We must cede
Land? Can’t you form an alliance with us?”
"This sir is joking." Yuqiu shook his head without changing his expression, "Nowadays, the power of the Oda family will no longer allow the existence of equal alliances, and even the Tokugawa family is increasingly becoming a vassal. If the Uesugi family wants to stay
If we want to live in Kasugayama Castle, the only option is to surrender to the Oda family. I thought that His Highness would never agree to such a condition, so I did not propose it to waste time."
"You..." Uesugi Kagekatsu was so angry at Yu Qiuping's words that he almost didn't say "that's too much!"
"My lord is eloquent, I am really no match for you." Uesugi Kagekatsu sighed, and shook his head helplessly towards Yu Qiuping, but his expression did not waver at all, "But abandoning Kasugayama Castle is a big deal for Uesugi.
The military is nothing less than a disaster, and I will never agree to it."
"If you don't agree, the Oda family will not withdraw from the siege. The forces supporting you in Echigo will be annihilated soon, Kasugayama Castle will be captured by Uesugi Kagetora, and the territories and families of your current soldiers will also fall in Uesugi.
Kagetora is in the hands of Kagetora. At that time, you will have to face the situation of betrayal and separation. Will Uesugi Kagetora save your life?" Oda Nobutada suddenly interjected and described Uesugi Kagekatsu's future in a very solemn tone.
.
"Even so, Kasugayama Castle is still in the hands of Uesugi Kagetora and the Uesugi family. As long as I commit hara-kiri and apologize, the Uesugi family can be reunited, and the Oda family can't even think of crossing the mountain range of 'I don't know my parents, I don't know my children'."
Uesugi Kagekatsu snorted coldly, with a murderous look on his brows, as if a fierce samurai was making his last declaration before committing seppuku: "It is impossible for me to sell out for personal gain, just to win the position of house governor in the civil war.
If we leave Kasugayama Castle, how can we meet our ancestors under the Nine Springs? No one from the Uesugi family will let Kasugayama Castle go..."
"Kagetora Uesugi knows how to do it." Yu Qiupei interrupted Uesugi Kagekatsuyoshi's honest words, causing the latter to turn pale after a moment of surprise.
"It's just a lie. How could Saburo..." Uesugi Kagekatsu swallowed and managed to maintain his strong tone.
"If he didn't agree
If so, how could we be so considerate in escorting him all the way to the Takeda family? This is a condition of our cooperation." Yu Qiuping showed a helpless smile, as if a parent was telling a child that he would be there no matter what.
The expression on his face when he didn't believe it. Oda Nobutada had to admit that Amekihei's smile at that moment deceived him. If he hadn't been a member of the Oda family, he would have even suspected that Uesugi Kagetora had been with Uesugi Kagetora.
The Oda family reached an agreement to "transfer Kasugayama Castle" - that was obviously a lie.
Yu Qiupei's words instantly destroyed the will of Uesugi Kagekatsu and Higuchi Kanetsugu. The two of them were at war with each other and could not say a word. Unexpectedly, they would rather die to insist on safeguarding the interests of the Uesugi family and safeguarding the interests of the Uesugi family.
Kasugayama Castle was sold by Uesugi Kagetora casually.
The prisoner's dilemma is really useful...as long as the prisoners cannot communicate. Unexpectedly, more than ten years later, I am still playing this trick.
Yu Qiuping looked at the expressions of Uesugi Kagekatsu and Higuchi Kanetsugu and snickered secretly.
"What did they say to His Highness?" Uesugi Kagekatsu was just a kid in his early 20s after all. He soon lost his temper and asked Oda Nobutada, who was sitting opposite him, for confirmation.
"The Oda army escorted them into Shinano. They entered Echigo from the south, and our army was responsible for holding you, His Highness Uesugi. When he pacifies Echigo, he will give us Kasugayama Castle. In exchange, we will execute him.
Your Highness Uesugi and repatriate the remaining Uesugi soldiers." Oda Nobutada also told Uesugi Kagekatsu of Yu Qiupei's plan beforehand without changing his expression.
"This guy..." Upon hearing this, Uesugi Kagekatsu was so angry that veins popped up on his face, and he clenched his hands tightly, almost crushing his palms.
"How do you know that His Highness did not lie to us?" Higuchi Kanetsugi regained his composure earlier than Uesugi Kagetora. Although he is still a teenager, his calmness is far beyond ordinary people. "If Uesugi Kagetora really agrees,
Leave Kasugayama Castle to His Highness. Your Highness is already happy to cooperate with them, so why bother negotiating with us? It must be that Uesugi Kagetora's conditions are not so favorable."
"My lord, you are worrying too much." Yu Qiupei shook his head when he heard this and replied with a smile, "The Oda family has the Oda family's considerations. If Uesugi Kagetora gains power, then he will definitely re-form an alliance with the Takeda family and the Hojo family.
The formed Eastern Kingdom Alliance is very unfavorable to us, and Uesugi Kagetora may also rely on the power of the Takeda family and the Hojo family to immediately counterattack Kasugayama Castle." Yu Qiuping paused, tapped his finger on the ground, and spoke in a subtle tone.
He whispered, "But if His Highness Uesugi is the one who gains the upper hand, then you, who destroyed Uesugi Kagetora, will have a stalemate with the Hojo family. The Takeda family is an ally of the Hojo family, and they probably won't get too close to you. Once we get there,
At that time, in order to suppress the remaining forces of Uesugi Kagetora and resist the invasion of Hojo and Takeda, you had to rely on the power of the Oda family. And that is exactly what we want to see."
The plan drawn up by Yu Qiuping was inspired by Lin Xiuzhen, but it almost reversed the ultimate goal of Lin Xiuzhen's plan, but the effect is still as vicious. This kind of upright conspiracy, no matter which side you choose, you will be trapped.
Jumping is the most lethal.
"That's why we want to cooperate with you, His Highness Uesugi. However, asking for Kasugayama Castle is our only condition. If you don't agree, we can only do the next best thing, attack you and then form an alliance with Uesugi Kagetora, and then
We must find a way to defend the Kasugayama Castle that Uesugi Kagetora transferred."
Yu Qiuping sat up slightly and snapped his fingers in the direction of Uesugi Kagekatsu.
"Make a choice without regrets."
Chapter completed!