Emperor's Armed Forces in the Warring States

Interlude - Contact Between the Shimazu and Konoe Families

In this interlude chapter, I will write about the behind-the-scenes contact between the Shimazu clan and the Konoe family.

As for the conversation between the shinobi and the Konoe family, I am sure there will be a storm of criticism that it is absolutely impossible for the two to talk to each other due to the dialect or the language of daily conversation. Please do not use your brain's complement such as "the special skills of a shinobi allow you to ignore dialects."

(Or perhaps, if you don't think so, the shinobi themselves will be easily recognized by their dialect, and it will be impossible for them to be active.)

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The day after the meeting between Takahisa Shimazu and Lieutenant General Renya Mutaguchi, one of the shinobi sent by the Shimazu clan was departing for Kyoto. He was to urgently inform the Konoe family, the main line of the Shimazu clan, of the existence and intentions of the Imperial forces, and also to inform the Imperial Court and the Ashikaga Shogunate about them. This was a part of the Shimazu clan's intransigence toward the Imperial forces.

As a side note, one of the Shimazu clan's messengers also rushed to Kyoto to coincide with this event. But since a priest is not as fast as a shinobi, when they reached the Suma area, the Imperial forces' landing operation on Osaka Bay began first, which was a kind of very stupid situation. Therefore, the envoy carrying the Shimazu clan's letter did not reach the Konoe family until after the Imperial forces had occupied Kyoto, after a painstaking effort. The head of the Konoe family at that time, Taneie Konoe, scolded the priest for not being fast enough.

Regardless of that, the shinobi reached the Konoe family on January 30, 1542, according to the calendar used by the Imperial forces, or on Day 5 of the 1st Month on the 10th Year of Tenbun according to the lunar calendar of that era. In other words, for the Konoe family, it was early in the new year. Although it might be understood to call them "shinobi," they were after all mere postmen in terms of the relationship between the Shimazu clan and the Konoe family.

And through the servants, the shinobi vaguely thought that they would pass a letter from the Shimazu clan to the Konoe family, and if there was a reply, they would bring it back to the Shimazu clan. The contents of the letter caused an effect that the shinobi had not contemplated.

"So you are the one who brought the letter. Please come this way."

Without waiting too long, the shinobi was raised to the tatami room by overly polite words. While the shinobi's eyes were half-closed, a man who was clearly a noble entered the room and said, "Forgive me for not responding directly. I would like to inquire about the contents of this letter," much to the shinobi's blank expression.

(A little additional explanation, at that period, it was impossible for a nobleman to talk directly with a rank-less commoner because of his status. Therefore, it was really unexpected that a nobleman would directly talk with an unranked shinobi. In addition, things are different with messenger monks. Because they were priests, they were considered to be outside the framework of the status system. So this was quite an anomaly.)

The shinobi stood tall and awestruck as the conversation went on.

"Is there any doubt that an entity called the Imperial forces has appeared in Satsuma?"

"Yes."

"And that their weapons were of exceptional quality, and furthermore, that the Imperial forces were calling for the defeat of the Shogunate, and asked for the Shimazu clan's cooperation?"

"Yes."

"Hence, I inform the Konoe family. Furthermore, I have also heard of the existence of an Imperial Guards (Konoe) Division, but the letter also asked if the Konoe family had anything to do with it."

"No, I have not heard anything about it."

This was a consideration on the Shimazu clan's part. For the sake of confidentiality, the shinobi were merely postmen, and the priests intended to convey the details of the contents of the letter to them.

The nobleman in front of the shinobi, Taneie Konoe, let out a sigh and said halfheartedly to the shinobi.

"My Konoe family is related to the Ashikaga Shogun's family. I should be happy that the Imperial forces are burning with the desire for the Emperor, but the current Ashikaga Shogun, Yoshiharu Ashikaga, is my brother-in-law, and from my point of view, I also have a nephew born to him. What should I do?"

The shinobi could not answer. The difference in status was one thing, but even more than that, he could see the anguish of the nobleman in front of him.

"We have no choice but to do the best we can. It's a very heavy subject."

Taneie Konoe could not help but feel discouraged by the reality that he had no choice but to hold his head in his hands.