Chapter 146
Translator: penny
Chapter: 146
Chapter Title: Cleaning House (1)
“Go to the capital.”
“You mean Kyoto.”
Hearing that name, Il-yeong nodded as he recalled the Kyoto from original history.
‘The Sengoku era... the very culprit that kicked off Japan’s Warring States period and the site of the current capital.’
To be precise, it wasn’t Kyoto’s fault but rather the Ashikaga clan, the current shogun family.
The Ōnin War.
‘Ashikaga Yoshimasa, the shogun of the Muromachi bakufu, dithered indecisively, splitting the succession into two claimants. The daimyo backing them divided into the Eastern and Western Armies, warring for over a decade.’
It was the event that toppled the old daimyo houses, birthing the new breed of Sengoku daimyo, and plunged the land into chaos.
Of course, there were various contributing factors if you dug deep enough.
‘But outwardly, no one’s baring their fangs at the shogun yet.’
The Muromachi bakufu of the Ashikaga clan.
The bakufu and shogun’s authority had plummeted to rock bottom, no denying it.
How many daimyo across the islands commanded armies mightier than the shogun’s? More than a couple, no doubt.
‘But might isn’t everything.’
No matter how normalized usurpation and violence had become, you couldn’t hold power through brute force alone forever. That’s why legitimacy mattered.
‘Daimyo don’t risk their lives for the shogun’s court for nothing.’
Crucially, Ashikaga Yoshiteru, the current shogun, wasn’t incompetent.
He possessed the political acumen and resolve to temporarily restore shogunal authority, and his personal martial prowess was nothing to scoff at.
‘Besides, for Owari right now, it’s premature to dream beyond forging ties.’
Mino aside, relations with Matsudaira—Ieyasu, soon to claim the Tokugawa name—weren’t even solidified yet.
In terms of legitimacy or raw power, there was only one reason to head to Kyoto.
“The Clan Lord will pay audience with the shogun.”
“Indeed. We’re overdue as it is.”
Just as the daimyo couldn’t openly defy the shogun, Yoshiteru couldn’t ignore them either. Unless it was about gaining their favor to bolster his own power.
“Before the Clan Lord arrives, shall we renovate the Shiba residence to serve as the Oda clan’s Kyoto base and pay courtesy calls on the influential figures?”
“Hm.”
Hirate Masahide nodded at Il-yeong’s words and took a sip from his teacup.
Silent affirmation.
It was only natural.
If they arrived in Kyoto ahead of Oda Nobunaga, that was their sole task.
Thus, Il-yeong sipped his own lukewarm tea and pondered deeply, gauging what gains this Kyoto trip might yield.
‘This needs some thought.’
Once Mino fell, maybe, but with all the burdens of freely traversing Kyoto, he needed to maximize profits on this single visit...
As if reading Il-yeong’s mind,
“Ahem.”
Hirate Masahide cleared his increasingly itchy throat and spoke.
“You know this, but the shogun faces political pressures and needs various support. Aid him materially and morally, but don’t overstep.”
“Understood.”
Aid materially and morally, but don’t overstep.
Chewing on those words, the two men exchanged leisurely smiles.
To outward eyes, they seemed the epitome of a benevolent father-son duo, but their inner thoughts diverged sharply.
‘Fleeced them for all they’re worth, and give as little as possible.’
‘Of course.’
Sensing perfect alignment in each other’s expressions, they curled their lips in identical smirks. It was no illusion how alike those grins appeared.
“Then I’ll take my leave.”
“Go on.”
As their conversation wrapped and Il-yeong rose, Hirate Masahide saw no need to detain him. They’d covered the essentials, and it was obvious the young man’s schedule would only grow busier.
—Rustle.
He straightened his rumpled robes upon standing.
Then, with a proper bow, he exited the room and strolled down the corridor toward the outside.
‘About thirty minutes of talk.’
Not a long discussion, so the scene outside hadn’t changed much from when he entered.
That’s when it happened.
“My lord. The Clan Lord summons you.”
Akechi Mitsuhide approached Il-yeong just as his foot touched the ground and whispered. After mulling her words briefly, he nodded.
“Very well.”
He’d been debating seeking her out first anyway. They had more than one or two things to discuss.
‘Show her the all-nighter report, dispose of that mercury-laced ointment if it’s there, and there’s stuff to ask before Kyoto.’
The second was the most urgent, absurdly enough. Who’d have thought he’d ever deal with mercury-infused salve?
“Let’s go.”
“Yes, my lord.”
As he walked, he glanced for Uemon, but assuming the talk would drag, she’d apparently returned.
‘She’ll be gone a while once I head to Kyoto.’
A flicker of regret crossed his eyes.
Step-sister or not, they weren’t on bad terms, yet they’d had surprisingly few chances to connect.
‘My fault, though.’
Yes, he knew.
But what could he do?
The world wouldn’t leave him be.
‘Still, I’ll make sure to see her face often before Kyoto. There’s still a little time.’
Such were his resolves.
*
“Where’s the Clan Lord?”
“Inside.”
As Il-yeong reached the Tenshū Pavilion, attendants and samurai alike stepped aside without daring to block him, allowing him to ascend to Nobunaga’s chambers unhindered.
Impossible if he were merely Hirate family heir, but as Hirate Hikage, it was feasible.
Thus, Il-yeong reaffirmed his position within the clan.
“Clan Lord, may I ent— ”
“Enter.”
Before the words finished, Nobunaga’s voice replied, drawing an involuntary chuckle from Il-yeong as he slid the door open. Perhaps the faint irritation laced in her tone amplified it.
‘Why the irritation...’
Not so strange, really.
Unlike her bluster, Nobunaga’s libido was surprisingly... ahem, voracious.
‘But things have been hectic lately.’
Prepping against Imagawa had left both Nobunaga and Il-yeong with no respite. Where was the time for intimacy?
‘Must be pent up. For her, and me.’
He himself was nearing his limit.
He longed to see Nobunaga or Yoshinari, yet days had slipped by buried in backlog.
“Yes. Entering.”
Thus, Il-yeong opened the door with a smile tinged by anticipation. Past patterns suggested Nobunaga would have a liquor tray ready, pretending otherwise while awaiting him.
“Huh?”
Yes, it should have been...
“What’re you doing, standing there like an idiot.”
Nobunaga scowled at the frozen Il-yeong, slamming back the tea in her cup like sake. At the same time, Niwa Nagahide, seated beside her, chimed in.
“Oh, good timing. Help with this first?”
Without waiting for reply, she dumped a pile of documents before him. Soon, Il-yeong eyed Nobunaga, who stared back with dying eyes before averting her gaze, and thought:
‘I’ve been had.’
The heap of papers and scrolls piled with battle reports plus long-delayed Owari admin from the chaos.
‘Not surprising at all. Yeah.’
Did the domain succession go smoothly?
Disaster.
Was Owari at peace?
No.
Military mobilized lightly?
As if.
Surplus of competent bureaucrats?
Most were rotten and purged.
In short, Owari was a mess: whirlwind crises, bureaucrat shortages, administrative capacity gutted alongside the rot, forcing even the Clan Lord to swim in paperwork.
He resolved.
‘Gotta bolt.’
He’d harbored no particular feelings toward Niwa Nagahide before, but today her usually gentle features struck him as eerily intimidating.
Instinct screamed.
Get caught here, and it’d be no sex, just work till Kyoto.
Thus, Il-yeong turned to slip out without a word, as naturally as possible.
Naturally...
—Bang!
Then, the chill of a bullet grazing his cheek made him whip around.
“...You bastard husband. Sit.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Only then did Il-yeong recall his wife was the maniac who’d guzzle sake from gold-plated skulls on whims, torch mountains, and cleave descending foes. He sat quietly, thinking:
‘...I might actually die.’
Meanwhile, Niwa Nagahide watched the scene with her signature droopy eyes, a pleased glint.
Like a slaver spotting fresh merchandise.