Chapter 143
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 143
Chapter Title: Fake Madness
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Mikawa Province was truly going through a transitional period right now. The pro-Imagawa factions who had exploited the common folk were being ousted or rapidly losing their power bases, and those vacancies were being filled by turncoats and the few who had remained steadfastly loyal to the Matsudaira Clan.
Of course, there weren't many such people, so Mikawa as a whole was inevitably plunged into a period of chaos.
"Ptooey! Those damn bastards!"
"Feels like a hole's been punched right through my chest! Now we can finally live a bit better!"
In times of chaos, the masses always rebel. Yet the commoners felt more relief than resentment, thanks to the tyranny inflicted on them by those who had professed loyalty to the Imagawa.
"Hmph!"
"What good are they as nobles? They were about to strip us of even the rice we needed for tomorrow!"
No matter how turbulent the era, those men had cared nothing for Mikawa's people and focused solely on plundering them. That was why there was no reason to view the Matsudaira Clan harshly for punishing those arrogant lords, whatever the justification.
"Mikawa belonged to the Matsudaira from the start! Now things are finally running right!"
"You bet!"
Besides, as far as they remembered, Mikawa had originally been the Matsudaira Clan's land. While not a few doubted whether the previous generation had ruled with benevolence, it still gave more reason to follow them than the Imagawa Clan.
"This is the state of public sentiment, my lord."
As Hattori Hanzo finished summarizing the mood of the people, Torii Tadashiyo, seated beside him, nodded and added,
"It's proceeding more smoothly than expected. It seems even the heavens couldn't bear to watch their rampage. Heh heh."
"I see."
Matsudaira Motoyasu nodded upon hearing them. A faint smile of satisfaction played on her lips, of course.
How could she not be satisfied?
For her, who had endured and endured over long years, this event was more than just reclaiming her clan—it was gaining hope for a fresh start.
'Though the joy will be fleeting.'
She lightly brought the tea in her cup to her lips, sipping it while swallowing those words beneath her faint smile.
Much lay ahead.
And in all of it, she vowed to put the clan first.
For that was the path to her own benefit as well.
"However..."
It was then.
Torii Tadashiyo, who had been sitting quietly in front of her, watching her smile, hesitated for a split second—wondering if he should speak—before finally unable to hold back and opening his mouth.
"What are your intentions regarding the Oda Clan?"
"The Oda Clan, you say."
—Tak.
She gently set down her teacup.
Then, she gazed at Torii Tadashiyo for a moment, pondering.
Present were the same two as before: Hattori Hanzo and Torii Tadashiyo. The retainers pledging loyalty to her were growing in number, and soon she would have to select the capable ones among them to rebuild the clan.
'But that's for later.'
For now, these two were the only ones she could trust.
In other words, revealing the current picture to them would prove advantageous down the line.
Her resolve hardened.
—Slosh.
Matsudaira Motoyasu refilled her half-drunk, cooled teacup and asked them,
"What do you think the future holds for the Oda Clan?"
"The future..."
"The direction the Oda Clan will take. Or the general assessment of them. Or simply your impressions... Any of those will do. Speak freely."
Torii Tadashiyo rolled his eyes.
He wasn't a fool; he knew this young—but fox-like, inscrutable—clan lord had a specific answer in mind. Yet he couldn't fathom what it was.
'In such cases, delaying the response only makes one seem more foolish.'
If he had to give an obvious answer anyway, better to spit it out quickly to preserve some value.
Thus, Torii Tadashiyo spoke.
"The Oda Clan's position in Owari offers clear geographical advantages. They have a port, they're close to Kyoto, and they themselves form a crossroads linking east and west. Under a lord skilled in governance, it could challenge the capital itself... but."
Torii Tadashiyo took a breath.
There was no exaggeration in his words.
It wasn't for nothing that Oda Nobuhide had been checked by neighboring clans.
But...
"Oda Nobuhide is dead, and his successor is the young blood, Oda Nobunaga. Yet no matter how you look at her, she falls short of her predecessor."
It was a cold assessment, but one that aligned with the common view.
"Her impulsive actions fractured the clan, and though she mended it, Owari faced crises multiple times in the process. No wonder so many say heavenly fortune has favored Owari until now. But heavenly fortune can't last forever."
No matter the notion of heaven's will, history is made by human hands. In short, without the capacity and ability to wield power, even heavenly fortune wouldn't prevent her imminent collapse.
"In other words, Lord Torii believes the Oda Clan will crumble soon."
"Yes, my lord."
Matsudaira Motoyasu closed her eyes, nodding softly as she echoed his words. Though her inscrutable demeanor made Torii Tadashiyo worry if he'd erred, her actual response was concise.
"That's the common assessment. Exactly."
She neither praised Torii Tadashiyo nor chided him for foolishness, merely mulling over the evaluation he had recited.
—Slurp.
How much time passed with only the occasional sound of her sipping tea breaking the silence?
—Tak.
She set down her now-empty teacup and, as if having organized her thoughts, opened her mouth.
"Bring the map."
"Yes, my lord."
Responding to her was not Torii Tadashiyo, but Hattori Hanzo. He promptly fetched the map from the corner of the room and unrolled it. Matsudaira Motoyasu gazed down at it quietly and spoke.
—Tak.
Her finger touched Owari.
"Oda Nobunaga."
Then, the line extended to Mino.
"Saito Yoshitatsu."
The line lingered in Mino for a moment before retracing its path through Owari toward Mikawa.
"Matsudaira Motoyasu."
And finally...
Her lips curled into a smirk. At the same time, she gazed toward Suruga, the Imagawa Clan's stronghold, and murmured,
"Even Imagawa Ujizane."
"Mm..."
"Hm."
At her murmur, Hanzo and Torii Tadashiyo stared at the map's terrain and let out low groans.
The regions she had named were four in total.
Mino.
Owari.
Mikawa.
Suruga.
All were clans with the potential to dominate this chaotic region, yet also ones that could tangle disastrously and self-destruct at the slightest movement from one side.
Of course, some might question this.
Even if the Imagawa Clan had suffered a defeat, their authority as regional overlords hadn't crumbled entirely—
"If Imagawa Yoshimoto were still alive."
"...Indeed."
Torii Tadashiyo nodded.
At the same time, they recalled Imagawa Ujizane, virtually chosen as Yoshimoto's successor, and murmured,
"A man who should never have been born into these turbulent times."
"Agreed."
They knew Imagawa Ujizane.
He could never command the vassals who had followed the domineering Imagawa Yoshimoto.
Torii Tadashiyo stared intently at the map for a long while, silently trying to grasp her intentions. Soon, he found his answer and spoke.
"So this is what you meant, my lord, when you said the Oda Clan couldn't abandon us."
His words carried awe and astonishment.
Only then did he realize the grand design she had envisioned and why she hadn't shared it with them sooner.
"Takeda and Hojo won't miss the chance to exploit the Imagawa Clan's weakness, so Ujizane won't have time to bother with us for a while. In that interval, we swiftly stabilize our internals and prepare countermeasures, while..."
"The Oda Clan has already sorted Owari, so they'll catch their breath and turn toward Mino. They have debts to settle there too, after all."
Matsudaira Motoyasu nodded at Torii Tadashiyo's words and added her own, at which he nodded as if his eyes had been opened.
"Indeed. So that's it."
Spelled out plainly, it sounded complex, but it was a profoundly concise strategy. Exploit the Imagawa Clan's predicament to secure the Oda Clan's rear, gaining a sturdy ally against the Imagawa in turn. With their rear guarded, Owari could advance on Mino without worry.
It was the most ideal path in the current reality. That is, if it worked out this way.
"...However."
One lingering concern still gripped Torii Tadashiyo. He looked at his lord with slightly awkward eyes and said,
"Oda Nobunaga is hot-tempered and foolish. If she catches on to what we've done, she might just flip the board entirely, no?"
At that moment, Hattori Hanzo also glanced at Matsudaira Motoyasu, inwardly curious. He was prepared to die at her command, yet he too felt Torii Tadashiyo's point was valid.
"Oda Nobunaga isn't foolish."
But then.
"Nor is she hot-tempered."
Matsudaira Motoyasu picked up her now-empty teacup with a hint of regret before setting it down again, and said,
"I know, because I saw it when we were young. She's just..."
She smiled brightly and added,
"Putting on an act. Fake madness."
It was a single phrase laced with emotion.