The Self-Cultivation of Warring States Warriors

Page 8

Ultimately, whether or not this network of connections is maintained is entirely up to the other party; you are merely the one being chosen.

Just when Jin Bingwei was at his wit's end, he suddenly heard a familiar young man's voice behind him.

"Abbot Mingzhou, please hear what I have to say."

This is Shinzaburo speaking.

His voice, like always, exuded a unique, indescribable confidence that seemed out of step with the times.

“In fact, all the villagers of Kubo Village, under the leadership of my father, are deeply grateful to Kofukuji Temple. Originally, we planned to mobilize hundreds of villagers to participate in the ‘Cooling Festival’, but we were worried that it would cause trouble for the masters, so we brought seven or eight people to check the situation first.”

That's quite clear.

But what's the point of talking about this now?

Jinbingwei was quite puzzled. Although he had always thought that his son, Shinzaburo, was very intelligent, he was now somewhat insecure.

Then something even more perplexing happened.

Suddenly, the old monk Mingzhou opened his eyes wide, strode forward, and forcefully helped up Shinsaburo, who was bowing in reverence. Then, he laughed heartily and said, "How could it be troublesome? Our Linji sect built this temple here precisely so that more people could be touched by the Buddha's light. Let alone hundreds, even thousands of people coming would be fine. This old monk would only be happy; how could I find it troublesome?"

"We are truly grateful! Abbot Mingzhou is a compassionate man!" Shinzaburo exclaimed with delight. "With your permission, my son and I will definitely bring all the villagers to participate in the 'Cooling Festival' so that everyone can know the kindness of Guangfu Temple!"

"Haha..." The old monk Mingzhou looked Shinsaburo up and down and smiled kindly: "He is a handsome man with an elegant demeanor. Although he comes from humble origins, he is like a young master from a noble family. Very good, very good."

"I am deeply honored by your kind words!" Shinzaburo replied with a smile, "Since I have received your praise, it would be hypocritical to pretend to be modest."

The two men chatted and laughed, seemingly getting along very well. Meanwhile, Jin Bingwei's father stood there, lost in thought, seemingly not understanding what was going on.

013 Fortune favors the bold.

Kubomura's group eventually settled into a side room at Kofukuji Temple, instead of having to fight for beds in the guesthouses on the street.

However, it wasn't due to Kinbei's father's connections, but rather because the new abbot, Master Meishu, appreciated Shinzaburo.

Although the father and son share the same honor and disgrace and don't care about it, in the eyes of other villagers, this matter still has a certain flavor.

Of course, Shinzaburo didn't have time to savor this "flavor" right now.

He knew perfectly well that the newly appointed abbot, Master Mingzhou, was aloof and could easily retract his current display of appreciation. He needed to complete his task as soon as possible, bringing several hundred people to the "Cooling Festival" at Guangfu Temple as agreed, in order to solidify this connection.

So after dinner that evening, Shinzaburo immediately pulled Kinbei's father aside to discuss how to proceed.

However, the usually shrewd and decisive old man, Jin Bingwei, shook his head repeatedly and waved his hands, saying, "My mind is a mess right now, I can't think of anything. Why don't you tell me what happened just now? The new abbot was very cold at first, so why did you make him smile so much after just a few words?"

Shinzaburo thought to himself that this made sense; without understanding the whole story, it would be even harder to explain later. So he began to explain, "I said before that the reason why Kofuku-ji Temple protected our Kubo Village and prevented the Naito family, the deputy governor of Tanba, from raising taxes was definitely not just because of their desire for candied chestnuts. Do you remember that?"

“Hmm… I did say that.” Old Man Jin Bingwei stroked his beard and nodded slowly, seemingly lost in thought. “That makes sense. The temple helps us to show off their own power. So two months ago, when someone from Zhutian Village broke the agreement and went to ‘Nishifune Mountain’ to collect herbs, you said it would be best to have the temple judge the matter.”

“In this respect, there is no difference between the former abbot and the current abbot,” Shinzaburo said. “Of course, the former abbot may have liked sweets, while the new abbot may not, but that’s not important…”

"I think I understand a little..." Old Man Jin Bingwei analyzed, "So the new abbot, Master Mingzhou, hopes that more people will participate in this year's 'Cooling Festival' than in previous years, also to show off his power. Is he trying to outdo the old abbot?"

“It’s probably not that simple,” Shinzaburo said. “So many people have been transferred or taken sick leave in such a short time, which is really unusual. There must be some changes within the monks. I guess it’s probably some kind of factional strife.”

"Party strife?" Old Man Jin Bingwei was unfamiliar with this concept and didn't know what to say for a moment.

“It’s just a guess.” Shinzaburo lowered his head and thought for a while, then said, “If it’s a factional struggle, then it’s not just about showing off power, but about using the method of showing off power to fight for power and profit.”

"So that's how it is..." Old Man Jinbingwei looked enlightened. "The new abbot, Master Mingzhou, was initially cold, probably because he considered me to be one of the former abbot's people. But after seeing that you spoke to the point and that you were willing to serve him, he accepted me."

“I think so too.” Shinzaburo thought to himself that Old Deng wasn’t too bad-minded, and felt a little relieved. Then he immediately emphasized, “Therefore, the matter of mobilizing the villagers to participate in the Qingliang Festival must be done as soon as possible.”

“That’s easy.” Old Man Jin Bingwei regained his usual confident expression, stroking his chin and saying with self-assurance, “The 150 men, women, and children in Kubo Village have always held our family in high esteem. Getting them to spend money or risk their lives might require some persuasion. But convincing them to burn incense and pray to Buddha is never difficult.”

“Hmm…” Shinzaburo crossed his arms and pondered, then added, “150 people is still not enough. And there will inevitably be elderly and young people who can’t come, or who will fall ill at the last minute. Look at the neighboring Takeda Village, because of the previous loan agreement and the breach of contract regarding herb gathering, they’ve also established some contact with Kofuku-ji Temple. If we could get them involved…”

“Well… the people in the neighboring village won’t just listen to us, unless we spend some money.” Old Man Jin Bingwei looked troubled.

Shinzaburo immediately advised, "Spending money at such a special time is worthwhile. You'll definitely reap even greater benefits in the future."

"You little brat, what do you know... Well, I've only just discovered these past two days that you actually know quite a bit." Old Man Jinbingwei instinctively wanted to scold him, but quickly swallowed his words. He lowered his head and thought for a moment, then suddenly raised his head and clapped his hands, saying, "Then it's settled! Tell them that if the whole village is willing to participate in the Qingliang Festival with me this time, I'll forgive half of the debt for the sake of Buddha!"

“In that case, they will definitely be willing to come.” Shinzaburo pressed on, “Are there any other villages like this? The more people, the better. If we can bring over a thousand people as we just said, it will definitely be of great benefit to the new abbot, Master Mingzhou. At the same time, in the master’s mind, our family will become ‘powerful people who can persuade thousands of people’.”

“I can’t guarantee a thousand people.” Old Man Jinbingwei shook his head, counted on his fingers for a while, and slowly said, “But your old man does have friends in several villages nearby. If I fulfill all the good deeds I’ve done over the years, it shouldn’t be a problem to invite seven or eight hundred people to support me.”

"In short, the more the better, but eight hundred people is already quite good!" Shinzaburo laughed. "I thought you were so stingy and mean that you would only offend people. I didn't expect you to make so many friends?"

"You scoundrel! How dare you speak to your father like that?" Old Man Jin Bingwei rolled his eyes and cursed angrily, but did not pursue the matter of this unfilial remark.

In the old days, if any son dared to speak like that, he would definitely have been whipped a few times with a stick.

But now...

Firstly, Shinsaburo is tall and strong, so he's unlikely to win.

Secondly, the boy's behavior today was so intelligent and composed that he could no longer be regarded as an "unruly and foolish son".

"It must be the blessing of the Immovable King that has completely enlightened Shinzaburo," Old Man Kinbei muttered to himself several times.

Shinzaburo, on the other hand, felt that it was good that the old man thought that way.

To avoid being suspected again when doing more things in the future.

……

After a while, the father and son discussed their plans for tomorrow. Suddenly, Old Man Jinbingwei remembered something and asked, "You said that the sudden change of abbot at Guangfu Temple was due to 'factional strife.' If that's true, what are these monks fighting over?"

Shinzaburo shook his head: "How would I know? However, the biggest thing happening here recently is the death of Lord Naito Kunisada, the deputy governor of Tanba, who left behind a five-year-old son who is obviously unable to take over the family business. It is said that there is a dispute in Yagi Castle about who should take charge... I wonder if the changes at Kofuku-ji Temple are related to this matter."

Old Man Jinbingwei's eyes widened immediately, and he said solemnly, "Could it be that the monk is also involved in this matter, wanting to support someone to become the 'Head of the Naito Clan'? If that's the case, wouldn't it be a piece of cake for us to successfully get involved in this matter and obtain a legitimate samurai identity?"

"But if we fail and are purged, those with status might just apologize and be fine, but we might lose our families and be ruined." Shinzaburo's words, spoken unconsciously, startled him.

But Jin Bingwei's father punched his thigh and said resolutely, "Fortune favors the bold! The more dangerous the situation, the more we should do it! In this world, what is truly safe? Your elder brothers were managing the family business peacefully, but they still suffered disasters and lost their lives, didn't they? Why not take a gamble and get involved in something big!"

"What kind of Showa-era staff officer mentality is this..." Shinzaburo muttered under his breath.

But upon closer reflection, what Kim Bing-e's father said actually makes sense.

It could even be said that even if they weren't seeking any "wealth and future," but merely trying to preserve their former status as "Kubomura Otomiya" (i.e., village head), they would still have to desperately curry favor with the new abbot of Kofuku-ji Temple.

014 Isn't this a diplomatic annexation?

Kim Bing-wei's father was not exaggerating.

The next morning, he took out a deposit and borrowed several horses from the stable next to Kofukuji Temple. Then, he and his men rode the horses back to Kubo Village to mobilize people, and then went to several other villages to ask acquaintances for help.

Then on the third day, sure enough, eight or nine hundred people came in batches from various villages to participate in this "Cooling Festival".

Master Mingzhou, the new abbot of Guangfu Temple, was very satisfied. He privately told Shinsaburo, "I have sent people to announce this many times over the past half month, and only managed to attract more than two thousand people, which is even slightly less than in previous years. You and your son were able to mobilize eight hundred people in just a few days. You have done a remarkable job."

But Shinzaburo was very puzzled when he heard this.

Abbot, you said that you "sent people to announce it many times", but how come we in Kubo Village have not received any news at all?

On second thought, it doesn't seem unreasonable.

In those days, there were no newspapers or radio broadcasts, so it was impossible to directly deliver messages to ordinary people. If you wanted to announce something, you had to rely on the "village elders" at the grassroots level.

Clearly, the new abbot is new to the area and doesn't have enough "local worthies" under his command.

Kim Bing-wei's father privately remarked that if they used more money and leveraged all their connections, they might be able to recruit even more people.

Shinzaburo quickly said there was no need. The abbot had only summoned two or three thousand people; eight hundred would be just right. It would be useful enough without being too conspicuous.

If you also gather two thousand people, wouldn't that make the abbot look bad?

In short, on the day the "Cooling Festival" was officially held, a total of about three thousand people came to Guangfu Temple. They sat on the ground in the courtyard, filling it to capacity, and participated in the grand event together.

Meanwhile, the father, Shinsaburo, along with his son Shingoro, were treated as "special guests" and were able to participate in a more complete preparation process in advance, including a total of seven or eight steps such as bathing and changing clothes, burning incense and praying, making vows and offering vegetarian food.

That afternoon, they sat down with the eminent monks of Guangfu Temple and some other local notables.

After a series of solemn and elaborate ceremonies, Shinzaburo felt completely bewildered and bored. However, seeing that the faces of the well-dressed wealthy and the ragged poor peasants around him were mostly those of satisfaction, honor, and relaxation, he subconsciously felt that he could only pretend to blend in to avoid criticism.

Leaving aside his father, Kinbei, who was always a devout believer, young Shingoro, though he occasionally uttered some disrespectful "blasphemous" words, was trembling with fear and trepidation in this situation, not daring to be the slightest bit impolite.

Especially at the very end, the monks recited the last sentence of the Buddhist scripture in unison, then someone struck a bronze bell several times, and then thousands of people bowed and worshipped the altar where the Buddha statue was enshrined amidst the resounding echoes.

At this moment, Shingoro, who was participating in this kind of event for the first time, couldn't help but shed tears.

Perhaps after this incident, many of the eight hundred villagers who were brought over by Old Man Jinbingwei will genuinely become believers of Kōfuku-ji Temple.

……

At this point, the "Cooling Festival" could have ended.

Unexpectedly, the newly appointed abbot, Master Mingzhou, invited an uninvited guest.

He was a rather imposing samurai, who looked to be about thirty-five or thirty-six years old. He wore a black short-sleeved robe and a white haori, with a tall eboshi hat on his head and an ornately decorated katana at his waist. It was obvious that he was an "important person".

Abbot Mingzhou loudly introduced, "This year, Lord Naito Bizen-no-kami, the Deputy Governor of Tanba, passed away and was reborn in the Pure Land. Therefore, this Qingliang Festival is of extraordinary significance. Hence, I have invited Lord Matsunaga Nagayasu, the son-in-law of Lord Naito Bizen-no-kami, to come and participate in the event."

Shinzaburo thought to himself, "Just as I expected, the personnel changes at Kofukuji Temple stem from the Naito family's succession crisis."

I recall hearing before that after the death of Naito Kunisada, the deputy governor of Tanba, his five-year-old son was clearly unable to handle affairs, so someone was needed to "assist" him. Currently, there are two candidates: one is Naito Kunisada's cousin, and the other is Naito Kunisada's son-in-law.

It now appears that Master Mingzhou, the new abbot of Guangfu Temple, is a member of the "son-in-law faction".

Speaking of which... why does the name "Matsunagane Nagayori" sound somewhat familiar?

Especially the surname "Matsuyaga"...

While Shinzaburo was still pondering, the other person on stage had already begun speaking.

Not only was Matsunaga Nagayoshi physically imposing, but he also had a loud voice and spoke very clearly. He first uttered some nonsense such as, "My adoptive father was wise, brave, virtuous, and highly respected; he was the pillar of Tanba Province. His unfortunate passing is a misfortune for the country and the people." Then he expressed his determination, saying something like, "Although we are old and weak, as long as we have one sword, we will fight to the death to protect the peace of Tanba Province and live up to my adoptive father's spirit in heaven." Finally, he revealed the important information: "I will hold a funeral for my adoptive father at Kofuku-ji Temple here on the sixteenth day of the first month of next year."

These words were not inherently problematic; they were quite befitting of a samurai. However, addressing a group of local gentry and commoners, they were perhaps a bit too euphemistic and detached from reality.

Fortunately, we are living in a chaotic world, and no one is truly a fool who can't understand the atmosphere.

Haven't you ever seen a powerful family fighting for a position? Haven't you ever seen a landlord family scrambling for property? Everyone present could see that this Lord Matsunaga Nagayori, as the son-in-law of the late Shugo-dai (Deputy Governor) Naito Kunisada, was clearly trying to claim himself as the heir!

At this moment, Shinzaburo finally remembered.

Matsunaga Nagayori is the younger brother of "Evil Danjo" Matsunaga Hisahide!

In comparison, Matsunaga Hisahide was known for his skills in domestic affairs and strategy, while Matsunaga Nagayori demonstrated his talents more in the military sphere. However, his overall reputation was not as good as his brother's, and he did not appear frequently in later games.

It turns out that this person was the son-in-law of the late Guardian Naito Kunisada.

and many more……

Weren't the Matsunaga brothers retainers who rose through the ranks from the bottom? They weren't members of the Naito family, were they?

If Matsunaga Nagayoshi were to inherit the political legacy of Tanba Governor Naito Kunisada as his son-in-law, it would almost mean that the Naito family had gone from being an ally of the Miyoshi family to a vassal of the Miyoshi family.

That's tantamount to "diplomatic annexation"!

This is no longer a typical succession crisis.

Kofuku-ji Temple... no, not just Kofuku-ji Temple, but the Rinzai sect to which it belongs, probably allied with the Miyoshi family, so they put their efforts into pushing Matsunaga Nagayori to the throne.

The former abbot, along with several other managing monks, were not willing to cooperate with the matter for some other reason, and were quickly transferred away by the higher-ups of the Linji sect.

And so, a series of recent events came together.

Shinzaburo, having gathered his thoughts, came to his senses and saw that his father, Kinbei, was staring at them, his eyes revealing surprise, relief, and a complex mix of emotions he couldn't quite put into words. He murmured to himself, "You're really something, kid. You guessed it all right! Your insight is definitely far superior to mine. You must have been enlightened by Fudo Myoo. You'll surely bring glory to our family in the future!"

Unsure what expression to make, Shinzaburo could only smile.

015 It seems there's some misunderstanding.

After the Qingliang Festival ceremony ended, the group from Kubo Village remained at Kofukuji Temple.

That evening, the newly appointed abbot, Master Myoshu, summoned Kinbei and his son Shinzaburo and asked, "How did your Kubo Village and the Naito family, the guardian deities, get along in the past?"

Startled by the question, Old Man Jinbei cautiously and rambled on, "We always obey the orders of our samurai lords and dare not have any disloyal thoughts. Of course, with the help of the high monks of Kōfuku-ji Temple, the masters of the Naito family have been quite polite to us..."

Master Mingzhou frowned, seemingly dissatisfied, and didn't ask any further questions, instead looking directly at Shinzaburo.

Seeing this, Shinzaburo said, "Kubo Village has always been grateful for the protection of the Naito family, but Kofukuji Temple is even more like our second parents. It is only natural for commoners to serve their lord, but how can the power of a lord compare to the majesty of Buddha?"

Master Mingzhou chuckled upon hearing this and said, "Kinbei looks tired, so he should go and rest. Shinzaburo is a young man, so he can chat with this old monk a little longer."

Upon hearing this, Old Man Jinbingwei showed no surprise and readily bowed and took his leave.

Master Mingzhou watched him leave, then said to Shinsaburo, "I heard that you studied with the monks in my temple for several years. Did you learn the saying, 'Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it'?"

Shinzaburo quickly replied, "These are words from the 'Essentials of Governance in the Zhenguan Era,' which I have read before..."

"The saying comes from Xunzi's 'Wang Zhi' chapter, which states: 'The ruler is the boat; the common people are the water. Water can carry the boat, but it can also capsize it.' Emperor Taizong of Tang often used this to admonish his officials, so it is also quoted in 'Zhenguan Zhengyao'." Master Mingzhou, who seemed to be well-versed in Sinology, quickly corrected him: "However, the book 'Xunzi' is rarely circulated in Japan, while 'Zhenguan Zhengyao' is widely known, so people often get the source wrong."

"It was my ignorance that led me to this conclusion. Thank you for your guidance, Master!" This time, Shinzaburo's expression contained a rare hint of sincerity. After all, the other person had genuinely taught him something.

“There’s no need to blame yourself.” Master Mingzhou shook his head and said, “Although our Linji school is known for its scholarship, monks often get confused about this. How much more so for you, a farmer who has only briefly studied writing? What does it matter if you can’t remember the source? What’s important is to understand the original intention of the sages.”