Chapter 106 Asai's Subjugation

Chapter 106 Asai's Subjugation

The siege lasted for half a month.

The Oda army's mountain fortifications were like iron hoops, tightly binding the mountain city.

News from outside the city was completely cut off, and Changqing would have a group of soldiers shout into the city every day.

Hisamasa believed that Mori was playing tricks and advised Nagamasa not to surrender.

However, Toyotomi Hideyoshi was not idle; he was busy trying to persuade the garrison troops of other castles belonging to the Asai clan to surrender.

The most important of these is Yamamoto Castle, which stands opposite Odani Castle.

This castle is located west of Odani Castle. The castle lord, Abe no Seisada, is a senior retainer of the Asai family and commands nearly a thousand soldiers.

If he were to surrender, it would deal a heavy blow to the die-hard faction of the Asai family.

Less than three days later, news of Yamamoto Yamashiro's surrender reached Odani Castle, causing an uproar throughout the castle.

"That traitor, Abe no Seisada!" Hisamasa cursed loudly in the Buddhist hall. "My Asai family has treated him well, yet he dares to—"

""

He suddenly stopped while he was cursing.

Nagamasa stood at the doorway, half his face hidden in the shadows.

"Father." Changzheng walked into the Buddhist hall and sat down opposite Jiuzheng. "Zhengzhen has already seen through the situation. Can't you see it clearly?"

""

Hisashi's lips twitched: "What are you talking about?"

"Seisada is not one to believe rumors easily. Asakura must have already fallen—it's only a matter of time before Odani Castle falls."

Abe no Sadayoshi was known as a strategist in Omi Province. He once accompanied Isono Kazumasa in attacking Oda's main camp and successfully retreated.

"So what!" Hisamasa suddenly stood up. "At worst, I'll perish with the castle! I, Asai Hisamasa, have lived most of my life, am I afraid of death?"

"But Father, what about the soldiers who followed us?"

Nagamasa's benevolence in caring for his people is still widely known in Japan.

"I can't bear to let them be buried with me." Nagamasa stood up. "Father, I will go out of the city and talk to Mori Nagayoshi."

"Are you crazy! If anyone's going to talk, it should be Mori himself!"

Changqing quickly agreed to Changzheng's request.

There was nothing that could be done; the Asakura clan had already been destroyed, and Nobunaga would soon be returning to Azuchi.

It will be even harder to plead for leniency then.

To ensure Nagayoshi's safety, Nagamasa personally escorted him from the main gate to the main palace.

Inside the hall, Jiuzheng had been waiting for a long time.

He didn't even lift his eyelids when he saw Changqing come in.

"Lord Mori has arrived." Hisamasa's voice was as cold as ice, showing no sign of wanting to surrender.

Changzheng tried to remind him, but Changqing stopped him.

"My recluse, I'm not here to laugh at you. I'm here to save the Asai family."

Hisamasa sneered: "Save us? How? Surrender to Oda, submit to him, is that your way of saving us?"

"Lord Hisamasa, I have a question for you. Why did you decide to ally with Asakura against Oda?"

"For the sake of Asai no Yoshi."

"For the sake of so-called righteousness, you've even abandoned your family and relatives?"

Jiuzheng was speechless for a moment.

"It's not too late to surrender now. Lord Nagamasa has been kind to me, and I will certainly protect him."

Jiuzheng suddenly looked at his son, his lips twitching.

"I'm sorry, Nagamasa, I should have supported you back then. But I can't go against my own conscience."

"No, Father, it was my hesitation that made me hesitate. I should have forced you, even if it made you hate me."

The father and son confessed to each other, tears streaming down their faces.

After a long while, Jiuzheng slowly stood up.

"It was I who forced you to become an enemy of Oda, it was I who forced you onto this path. It was I who pushed the Asai clan into the abyss. Back then, I was powerless to deal with the Rokkaku clan and was forced into seclusion. You did very well—yet I couldn't help but interfere with you, and even joined my retainers in making things difficult for you—"

Changzheng knelt down and embraced his father: "Father, don't say anymore! We can still surrender!"

"Let me finish. Nagamasa, you are a good head of the clan, a hundred times better than me. If we had listened to you earlier, the Asai clan would not be in this state."

Now that things have come to this, someone has to take responsibility. It's too late to surrender now—I can't let you die with me!

Hisamasa looked at Nagayoshi: "Lord Mori, please convey to Lord Nobunaga that the Asai clan's betrayal was solely Hisamasa's fault and had nothing to do with Nagayoshi. I am willing to commit seppuku to atone for my sins, and I only ask that Lord Nobunaga forgive Nagayoshi."

"Father!" Changzheng gripped his father's arm tightly. "No! If we die, we die together!"

Jiuzheng laughed, a laugh that brought tears to his eyes.

"I dragged you into this hellish pit, how can I take you down with me? You have a child—"

Changzheng was startled.

"Live on," Hisamasa said softly. "Live on for me, live on for the Asai family. This is my last request."

After saying that, he stood up and walked towards the Buddhist hall at the back of the palace.

Changzheng tried to chase after him, but Changqing grabbed him.

"I'm sorry, Nagamasa, but your father's approach was the safest for you—Nobunaga's temperament—"

In May, Oda Nobunaga returned his army to Omi Province.

When his main force arrived outside Odani Castle, the castle was already covered with Oda clan flags.

Nobunaga summoned his generals to Odani Castle.

"Chōkyō, I heard you entered the city alone and persuaded Azai Nagamasa to surrender?"

Changqing bowed: "Yes. Asai Hisamasa has already committed seppuku to atone for his sins. Asai Nagamasa is willing to surrender the castle and submit to our lord."

Nobunaga raised an eyebrow. "Hisamasa committed seppuku? That's impressive; he didn't make a mistake until the very end. What about Nagamasa?"

"My lord, I dare to plead for Asai Nagamasa."

The generals all lowered their heads, not daring to even breathe.

Not long ago, when Nobunaga was pursuing Asakura Yoshikage, not a single person could keep up with him. Nobunaga led his main force all the way to Echizen before stopping to wait for them.

During the military council, they were all singled out and given a good scolding.

Sakuma Nobumori was severely reprimanded by Nobunaga for complaining that the heavy rain made it difficult to pursue the enemy.

"Plead for mercy? Changqing, do you know what you're saying?"

"The Asai family betrayed the alliance first, a crime unforgivable. But now Hisamasa is dead, Nagamasa has surrendered, and Odani Castle fell without a fight, leaving all the powerful clans of Omi in awe. I have heard that my lord has entrusted important positions to the powerful clans of Echizen who have surrendered—"

"But I didn't let Asakura Yoshikage off the hook!"

Mori Nagayoshi had not expected Nobunaga to be so quick-witted, and for a moment he was at a loss for words to defend Nagamasa.

Hideyoshi suddenly knelt down: "My lord, Lord Mori went to great lengths to conquer Omi. Please, for the sake of his achievements, forgive the sinner Nagamasa!"

Mitsuhide also knelt down: "Omi has just been pacified; it is better to appease than to kill. Please reconsider, my lord."

Nobunaga stood up, walked to Nagayoshi, and looked down at him.

"You've eliminated the major threat to Ise and Omi, and you're offering your merit in exchange for his life?"

Changqing answered without blinking: "Yes."

Is it worth it?

Changqing's mind drifted to Xueji, who had been sent to Qingzhou City.

"I just don't want to see a loving couple separated by death."

Nobunaga suddenly laughed; he had even forgotten what his adopted daughter looked like.

The thought that the usually quick-witted Changqing was now being forced into rambling nonsense by him made him feel inexplicably happy.

By the way, this was the first time Changqing had ever pleaded for someone.

With this in mind, Nobunaga pardoned Azai Nagamasa.

"The Asai territory is confiscated. You can keep him as a retainer if you wish. Manage the 50,000 koku of Sawayama Castle well. Now go back to Iwamura and keep an eye on Takeda for me!"

In May of the thirteenth year of Yonglu, it was one month later than historically.

That year, the Emperor believed that the Kyoto region had been plagued by frequent wars in recent years and that prayers for peace and good fortune were necessary. Therefore, he changed the era name to Genki.