When Yoshigan crossed the Hokurikudo, far away in the mountains of Shinano, there was an old man who was approaching the end of his life and his days were numbered.
Shinano Country, Toshin Region, Ueda Castle.
Yukitaka Sanada made great contributions to Takeda Shingen's conquest of Toshin, and was granted the title of Toishi Castle, an important town between Toshin and Beishin, and took back the ancestral land of Sanada Township.
Afterwards, Yukitaka Sanada ordered his daughter Masayuki Sanada to build Ueda Castle in the northern part of the Ueda Basin between Toishi Castle and Sanada Township, at Nifuchi, a tributary of the Shinano River, as the new residence of the Sanada family.
This new city was just completed this spring and moved in. Yukitaka Sanada's health was not good.
As summer passed, she vaguely felt something. She wrote a letter to Nishi Ueno, asking her granddaughter Sanada Nobushige to send a letter to see her one last time.
It's cooler in the mountains in midsummer than outside, but there are too many cicadas chirping on the trees, making it difficult for people to sleep well.
In Yukitaka Sanada's residence, his daughter Masayuki Sanada wanted to let people stick the cicadas away, but Yukitaka Sanada stopped her.
On her deathbed, Yukitaka Sanada actually liked these vitality-filled chirps, which made her feel like she was still alive.
The cicadas lay dormant under the trees for several years, just for the hustle and bustle of this summer to show their worth. When the cicadas stop chirping, the summer cicadas fall to the ground and die.
On this day, Masayuki Sanada and his eldest daughter Yukiyuki Sanada were waiting in front of their mother's bed. Suddenly, Yukitaka Sanada sat up and looked at the two of them.
"Nobuhiro is back."
Sanada Masayuki was stunned and said.
"Mother, Xinfan hasn't arrived yet.
"
Sanada Yukitaka shook his head and said.
"Change my clothes. Shinfan will be here soon. I want to get up and talk to her."
Masayuki Sanada was still a little confused, but looking at Yukitaka Sanada's increasingly rosy face, she seemed to understand something. She nodded silently and stepped forward to change her mother's clothes.
On the side, Yukiyuki Sanada looked at his grandmother and mother, his eyes flickered, and he stepped forward to help.
The eldest daughter and legitimate grandson Yukiyuki Sanada was originally supposed to be a talent in the eyes of her grandmother and mother who could take care of the family business. But in the past two years, the second daughter Nobushige Sanada came out of nowhere and stole everyone's attention.
The Sanada family is a branch of the Umino family. When the Takeda family conquered Toshin, the Umino family and the Sanada family fled their homes and went into exile in Azuma County.
After Takeda Shingen succeeded to the throne, he failed to win over the Umino family and turned to Yukitaka Sanada.
Sanada Yukitaka considered Zai San, abandoned the Umino family, and joined the Takeda Shingen sect. Only then did he return to Toshin to perform meritorious service and restore the family business.
Takeda Shingen gave Sanada Yukitaka the position of leader of the Takeda Higashi believers, returned the ancestral land, and rewarded Toishi Castle, and the Sanada family was able to return to the list of ten thousand stone daimyo.
Yukitaka Sanada experienced many ups and downs in his life, but he finally revived his family business and became a great man of his generation.
But she, a talented person, never expected that the crazy girl Sanada Nobushige who gave her and her daughter Masayuki Sanada a terrible headache back then turned out to be an unparalleled monster.
Sanada Nobushige saved Yoshigan Shiba during the Battle of Kawanakajima and insisted on escaping from the Takeda family. At that time, Sanada Yukitaka thought of using two boats to expel Sanada Nobushige from the Sanada family.
From then on, Sanada Nobushige, the great horse of the Sanada family, soared into the sky.
She was rewarded with the gift of Shiba Yoshiyoshi, the land of Senshi nomoki, in the Matsushiro domain. Later, she conquered Azuma County and became famous. She entered the Kantō service and served as a minister. She was among the unified warriors and held a high position of authority.
This spring, Sanada Nobushige unexpectedly swallowed the elephant with a swoop, using the power of tens of thousands of stones from Azuma County to capture the Minawa Castle Nagano family and occupy the Nishi Ueno land.
That was the 100,000-koku territory of Nishi Ueno that Nagano had worked hard to manage for half his life. Unexpectedly, she had just passed away, and the Azuma clan led by Sanada Nobunshige swept across Nishi Ueno.
The daughter of Nagano Yamasa, Nagano Yamori, was rescued by Kamizumi Nobutsuna. The Minawa clan was torn apart, and Sanada Nobunshige became the most popular for a while.
Even Yukitaka Sanada, an outstanding family governor who revived the family business, looked dim in front of the suddenly aggressive Sanada Nobushige, let alone Yukiyuki Sanada, the eldest daughter of his grandchildren.
At this time, Yukiyuki Sanada couldn't help but feel a little hesitant. Seeing that her grandmother had finally recovered from her illness, she was ready to explain her funeral arrangements.
If... if she calls Sanada Nobunaga home again, she may lose her position as heir.
But on the surface, the wealthy Yukiyuki Sanada was still calmly helping his mother and dressing his grandmother, and nothing seemed strange at all.
After Yukitaka Sanada put on his clothes, tightened his belt, and walked out of the room with his head held high. Masayuki Sanada behind him wanted to give him a hand, but Yukitaka Sanada waved his hand to stop him.
Yukitaka Sanada walked to the pond in the courtyard, squinted his eyes to watch the frightened deer play up and down in the water, and listened to the cries of summer cicadas in his ears. His back was straight like a thousand-year-old pine that has not fallen.
Masayuki Sanada stood on the porch, looking at his mother's back, his eyes a little red.
She said to Yukiyuki Sanada beside her.
"Go out to greet him and see if Xinfan has arrived."
Yukiyuki Sanada nodded slightly, turned around and left.
There is God's will in the dark, and people who are approaching their life expectancy always have some premonition of transcending the world.
Seeing that it was the last moment for Sanada Yukitaka to come back to his senses, Sanada Masayuki also hoped that her intuition was right and allowed the grandmother and granddaughter to see each other for the last time.
I don't know how much time passed, but Yukitaka Sanada was still standing upright in the court, while Masayuki Sanada behind him was anxious.
Was my mother's premonition wrong? Has Nobuhiro not arrived yet?
At this moment, Sanada Nobushige's angry shout came from outside the court.
"Grandma, I heard that you are going to die?"
Yukitaka Sanada and Masayuki Sanada looked outside the door together. A heroic warrior Hime appeared there, smiling and nodding to their mother on the porch.
Then, she walked up to Yukitaka Sanada in a few steps, walked around in a serious circle, and said.
"You don't look like you're going to die. Grandma, you called me all the way from Nishi Ueno. Did you mean to play a trick on me?"
Sanada Masayuki did not come over, but just watched silently from a distance, leaving space for the grandfather and grandson.
Yukitaka Sanada shook his head, feeling angry and funny. She did not answer Nobushige Sanada's question and asked instead.
"What? The newly-promoted Lord of Nishi Ueno has been very busy recently? He has no time to come back and see me, an old woman?"
Sanada Nobushige curled his lips and said.
"You kicked me out of the house back then. What happened? Seeing that I am now prosperous, do you regret it?"
Yukitaka Sanada laughed and cursed.
"Regret? I regret that I didn't kick you out earlier, a wild monkey.
He is a big shot, but why is he still so shameless? Does it feel good to be a prince?"
Sanada Nobushige sighed.
"It's cool, it's really cool.
Kamiizumi Nobutsuna desperately escorted Nagano Yamori to Dahu Castle. As soon as he arrived at Shima Shengmu's territory, he ran out of gas and died. I was worried about how to explain to Tsutama."
Sanada Yukitaka shook his head and said.
"Kamiizumi Swordsman is worthy of being Nishi Ueno's first gun and a worthy friend.
By the way, who is Tsudo-don?”
Sanada Nobushige looked a little unnatural and said.
"The Odaisho helped the shogunate and established a shogun. He became a monk and practiced Buddhism to pray for the ancestors. His name was Tsutaden."
Yukitaka Sanada looked at his granddaughter and said.
"I heard that Kamizumi Nobutsuna has a close relationship with Tsutado-don?"
Sanada Nobushige nodded with a grimace.
"That's why I'm worried.
How could I know why Sword Master Kamiizumi was so crazy that he blocked my gate for three days in Minawa City, and then protected Nagano Yamori to Dahu City.
This old man has such a stubborn temper that he has risked his own life. It is said that Tsutado-don is already on his way back to Echigo Kingdom. I really don’t know how to explain it.
In the land of 100,000 koshi Nishi Ueno, the Hojo family made a comeback and annexed Hirai Castle, and Obata Nobuzada took back Kunimine Castle. I only occupied a small Minawa Castle, so why are all the trouble coming to me?
Nagano Yamori was being protected by Shimakatsu Toge. He was waiting for Tsutado-don to come back and cried out that he wanted to sue me for provocation. The Sword Master Kamizumi died in this matter again.
It’s hard for me to get through this with Tsudoden’s temper.”
Sanada Yukitaka looked at the frowning Sanada Nobushige and asked.
"Matsushiro, Azuma, Minawa, you girl has taken up a lot of territory, you should have fifty thousand koku, right?"
Sanada Nobushige nodded.
"Haruna Mountain is a circle from north to south. There is no land to be inspected. The exact number is uncertain, but it will be no less than 40,000 shi. If it goes further, it can be considered as a territory of 50,000 shi.
Even though the place is huge, it is full of poor mountains and ravines, and not much food can be grown."
Yukitaka Sanada smiled.
"No matter how poor you are, it's still fifty thousand dan.
You are capable and can do it better than me. I have been busy all my life, and when I die, I will only have these ten thousand stones in my hand."
Yukitaka Sanada finally mentioned the word death, and Nobushige Sanada, who had been laughing all the time, turned stiff and said sarcastically.
"Grandma..."
She was welcomed in by Yukiyuki Sanada from the outside. How could she not know Yukitaka Sanada's condition? She just didn't want to act like a child and shed tears of sadness.
But at this time, Sanada Yukitaka's indifferent attitude towards death made Sanada Nobushige's emotions unbearable.
She recalled how her grandmother had cared for her when she was young, and how she had left home without authorization and asked her grandmother for help several times, and her eyes suddenly felt a little sore.
Yukitaka Sanada saw her eyes turning red and smiled slightly.
"No, keep making trouble, keep having fun.
I'm used to seeing you, a little monkey, careless, and suddenly showing such a sad expression, I'm really not used to it."
Sanada Nobushige took a deep breath and forced a smile.
"I'm so worried. Please help me, Grandma, give me an idea to trick Jinduo Temple into going there."
Sanada Yukitaka shook his head and said.
"Jin Duoden is a hero among men who has not been seen in a thousand years. His magnificence is unparalleled in the world. Who can fool him?
If you should admit your mistake, just admit it. From now on, you will have to work with Jinduo Hall to earn a living, how dare you have such disrespectful thoughts as deceiving your Majesty?"
Sanada Nobunaga scratched his head and said.
"You can't give back the territory you worked so hard to build to Nagano Yamori, right? Then wouldn't my hard work be in vain?"
Yukitaka Sanada laughed.
“Today is a troubled time, with incompetent people occupying strategic locations, and even childish people with a lot of money in the busy city.
If Nagano Yamori is really so stubborn, she is seeking death herself. Ueizumi Nobutsuna risked his life to save the Nagano family once. Such fools are rare and will never happen again."
Sanada Nobushige sighed.
"Who cares about whether Nagano Ye is doing well or not? What matters is what Tsutado-den thinks."
Yukitaka Sanada tapped her with his finger and chuckled.
"Children can be taught.
By the way, do you know who is the current representative of Yantian City?"
Sanada Nobushige was stunned, why did his grandmother take the topic so far?
The territory of the Sanada family is located in Sanada Township, Ueda Castle, and Toishi Castle in the northern part of the Ueda Basin in the Toshin region. Yantian Castle in the southern part of the Ueda Basin was the core territory of the Murakami family at that time.
Murakami Yoshikiyo was defeated by Takeda Shingen, and was driven all the way to Hokushin, where he joined Uesugi Teruhora.
In the Battle of Kawanakajima, both the Uesugi and Takeda families were stunned. Their opponents were stronger than they imagined, and their own losses were too tragic.
It was because both sides were injured in the Kawanakajima battle that Yoshigan Shiba's mediation for the Uesugi-Takeda family was so smooth. Only evenly matched opponents know how to respect each other.
Murakami Yoshikiyo was placed in Hokushin New Territory by Uesugi Teruhora, acting as a buffer zone between the Uesugi Takeda families.
The old samurai family in Yantian City was uprooted by Takeda Shingen, and Sanada Nobushige didn't know who was in charge there now.
Seeing her confused look, Sanada Yukitaka continued.
"After His Highness Takeda and His Highness Uesugi reached an agreement, they turned around and went south to attack Suruga Kingdom.
As for the Eastern Believers, she is not worried about leaving everything to me. There is a supervisor assigned by the Takeda family in Yantian City named Anji Yayama.
She is the niece of Nobu-kun Anayama, and she is considered a trusted member of the Takeda family."
Sanada Nobushige nodded, she knew about Anaya Nobu-kun. The Takeda family is a powerful sect, and the Anayayama family has considerable influence in Kai Country.
But she didn't understand why her grandmother would mention Anji Anji, the person she was talking about.
Yukitaka Sanada looked at Nobushige Sanada and said slowly.
"I have received news that His Highness Uesugi and His Highness Hojo have reached an agreement to form an alliance."
Sanada Nobushige was shocked.
"Is this happening? Why didn't I know?"
Sanada Yukitaka shook his head and said.
"You will know when you go back that this matter has become a big deal.
The Zenkoji Temple in Hokushin, the cheap supplies imported from Echigo Kingdom have stopped, and the free salt that Tsutadoden promised back then has also stopped."
Sanada Nobushige narrowed her eyes. She had already realized the seriousness of the situation. Who are the Uesugi family and the Hojo family going to join forces to deal with? The Takeda family?
By doing this, Terutora Uesugi went against the Kanto strategy plan set by Tsuta-don, who was on his way to Echigo Kingdom.
Sanada Nobushige looked at Yukitaka Sanada solemnly and asked.
"Grandma, what you mean is that I can take advantage of this matter and use Anzhi Anzan?"
Yukitaka Sanada said quietly.
"After the Uesugi and Takeda families stopped fighting and had a truce, the Shinano Kingdom was at peace for several years.
For us old people, peace is a great thing. But for young people with ambitions, this is a place where youth is buried.
Anji Anji stayed in Yantian City for several years without making any achievements. He watched eagerly as the Kai people attacked the city and plundered the territory of Suruga Kingdom, and received generous rewards.
Do you think she would be happy if there was new tension between the Takeda-Uesugi family?"
Sanada Nobushige understood a little bit.
"Grandma wants me to support the bandits and make myself fat?"
Yukitaka Sanada raised his eyebrows and said.
"You kid! Why do you speak so harshly? You are sharing your worries and guarding the border.
There is the important town of Usui Pass between Minawa Castle and Kunimine Castle in Nishi Ueno, connecting the land of Toshin.
If the Takeda family and the Uesugi family were at odds with each other and tried to encroach on the eight lands of Kanshu, the first target would be Usui Pass and Nishi Ueno.
Nagano Yashimai is a tiger bitch, far less powerful than her mother. She can't even fight you, so how can she withstand the pressure of the Takeda family?
If Tsudoden learns that something has happened to Dongxin, uukanshuwww.uukanshu.com碓
The Ice Pass is in danger. The Takeda family is ready to make a move and may leave the border at any time to attack Nishi Ueno.
You said, will he still let you vomit out the territory and return it to Nagano Yamori?
Does Tsutaden believe that you, a strong general under his command, can defend the land of Nishi Ueno, or does he believe in Nagano Yamori, who has been disgraced by you?
In troubled times, incompetence is a sin, and there is no reason to explain it."
Sanada Nobushige was overjoyed, gave a thumbs up and said to his grandmother.