This will be most likely the last part of my Saisei no jidai series.
Odawara, 1637
Japan was finally unified under the Hōjō banner, the ambitions of Oda Nobunaga, Akechi Mitsuhide, Ashikaga Yoshiaki and Toyotomi Hideyoshi were fullfilled by a clan on the brink of annihilation. During the countless battles and campaigns, leading well into the 1610s, Ujinobu managed to unify and stabilize the country, but all was not done yet.
In 1624, Ujinobu retired and took the position of retired Shōgun, Ōgosho, but he held major power and helped Ujitada learn how to be a good ruler. Around that time Adachi Shigehide and Shichijo Nobushige died, Shigehide's son, Yasushige took over the Adachi clan. At the border to Hizen, around the peninsula of Shimabara the young lord of the area, Matsukura Katsuie persued and killed the christian people there, although being christian was legal, persecution wasn't punished in any way.
Exactly this caused tensions between Shichijo Nobutaka and his brother, who was an anti christian, Nobukatsu. That's why Nobukatsu defected to Adachi Yasushige, also an anti christian. The balance of power was now threatened in western Japan, due to the large population, both clans could raise large armies and take over the arms storages and rebel or act in all out war.
"That damn Yasushige, he won't listen to my orders anymore!" Ujitada cursed at a council held with many Daimyōs and lords of Japan, including Sanada Daisuke, Satake Yoshitaka, the 3rd brother of the abscent Shichijo Nobutaka, Nobunaga and Date Tadamune.
"Son, watch your temper, keep your composure." Ujinobu said.
"Forgive me, father." Ujitada said.
"With the Shichijo on the brink of all out war against the Adachi and Shimabara preparing for rebellion, fathers dream would be crushed." Ujimoto said.
"Do not worry, Nobutaka is no fool, he will most likely assassinate Yasushige." Ujinobu said.
"And with Yasushige dead, Kyūshū would be in chaos and Nobutaka would most likely invade Kyūshū, posing a threat to the central goverment.
"Lord Nobunaga, will you stand with the Hōjō regime?" Ujinobu asked and the guards in the distance cocked their guns.
"Of course, lord Ōgosho. My brothers are fools and I shall stand by the regime." Nobunaga said.
"After everything I've done for Nobutaka, after our countless wars together, he dares to betray me." Ujinobu muttered.
"He is on the brink of that, my lord." Ujitora said.
"Send an envoy to Hiroshima, order Nobutaka to stop all illegal activities, stop the recruiting of men and that he has to come to Odawara at once." Ujinobu commanded.
"Nobutaka, will see that as a threat, he will think that he's to be executed." Nobunaga said.
"Maybe he should feel threatened." Ujitada said.
"Our first priority should be the growing unrest in Shimabara." Daisuke said.
"Yeah, but I think a full blown civil war will ruin everything we've worked for, Daisuke." Yukimura said.
"Yukimura is right, we have to resolve this peacefully, the age of war is over." Ujinobu said.
Sadly, the wish of a peacefull resolution would not come true, both clans have conscripted large amounts of their population and have started to arm their Ashigarus. So the Hōjō goverment had to move their troops to Harima, Bizen and Shikoku.
Bizen province, 1638
Japan is back in chaos, the Shichijo and Adachi now act out in open war and a large scale rebellion in Shimabara erupted, the Sō clan tried to stop it but they were attacked by the Shichijo navy. Now the three brothers: Ujimoto, the new Daimyō of the Tosa-Hōjō clan, Ujinaga, the Daimyō of the Fuku-Hōjō clan and Ujitada, the second Shōgun of the Odawara Shōgunate, have to put down the civil war.
"Damn it, I never thought that I'd have to this." Ujitada said.
"Don't worry, Lord Shōgun. You will bring glory to your name and to our name, even if it's price are the heads of friends." Ujinaga said and put his hand on his brothers shoulder.
"Where is father?" Ujimoto asked.
"He stated: Leave the matter to Ujitada, I am retired." Nobunaga said.
"That's father, he wants to test me." Ujitada chuckled.
"But why, why always you?" Ujinaga asked.
"Because he wants me to be a great leader for our people, a great Shōgun, like he was." Ujitada said.
"So, lord Shōgun, what are your orders?" Nobunaga asked.
"We wait for the response of Nobutaka, send the envoy father ordered." Ujitada said.
"Lord Shōgun, I bring grave news!" Satake Yoshitaka said and handed him a letter.
On the letter was written: Lord Shōgun, I know what I have done but as a Kampaku it's unacceptable that my family holds no power and it's even worse that my christian people will be killed in Kyūshū.
"Damn it! That damn fool!" Ujitada screamed.
"I guess, it's war then." Ujitora said.
"I never knew this side of Nobutaka." Ujinaga said.
"Maybe he was fed up with just being a page to father and that his family has a smaller domain than the Adachi." Ujimoto said.
"Could be, but why does he think he can win? He's in a two-front war." Ujitora asked.
"He has taken over many arms storages and main naval bases and his army is already at 85.000 soldiers." Ujitada said.
"85.000? They will be no match against us." Ujinaga said.
"Yes, but on sea the Shichijo are at an advantage, most of our heavy battleships were docked in Kyūshū and Chūgokū." Ujimoto said.
"Order Kuki Takasue and Kuki Hisataka to bombard Hiroshima with our remaining battleships." Ujitada ordered.
"Understood, lord Shōgun." Nobunaga said and left the tent.
"Now that Nobunaga left, what should we do about him?" Ujinaga asked.
"We test his loyalty to the Shōgunate, if he fails, we kill him, silently." Ujitada ordered.
"Why?" Ujimoto asked.
"Because both of his brothers and his family are enemies of the state." Ujitora said.
"Yeah, but he was the black sheep of the brothers, the late lord Taikō (Shichijo Nobushige) has disinherited him after he fled the battle of Dōmyōji, and he has served us loyally ever since." Ujimoto tried to reason.
"Exactly, he fled after Mōri Katsunaga attacked him for only twenty minutes, he has no valor." Ujinaga said.
"He has taken heavy casulties during those twenty minutes." Ujitora said, trying to back up his cousin, Ujimoto.
Given the civil war, around 350.000 soldiers crossed into Bitchū and Izumo under the leadership of Uesugi Ujitora, Hōjō Ujinaga, Hōjō Ujitada and Date Tadamune and around that time, 200.000 conscripts invaded Bungo and Buzen under the leadership of Hōjō Ujimoto, the pardoned Chōsokabe Moritsugu, Sanada Daisuke with Sanada Yukimura as an advisor and Daidoji Naohide.
Given the great threat and the popularity among the people, Ujinobu decided to travel to Izumo to help with the war.
Gassan Toda castle, late 1638
"My lords, Lord Ōgosho has arrived." A page said as he entered the commanders tent.
The Hōjō have settled in for a siege of Gassan Toda castle, which was one of the largest castles at the time and the garrison was unwilling to surrender easily.
"Hello, sons." Ujinobu said.
Although Ujinobu was already in his 80s, he still came in wearing his full armor, only having a cane to help him stand, he also grew a white beard.
"Father, it's so good to see you." Ujitada said and hugged him.
"Yes, Ujinaga, I see you got the spear I gave you." Ujinobu said.
"Yes, from who is it?" Ujinaga asked, inspecting his new spear.
"From Honda Tadakatsu, I took it from Honda Tadatomo's corpse." Ujinobu said.
"What, really?" Ujinaga asked in disbelief.
"Yes, but enough of that." Ujinobu said.
"Lord Ōgosho, the enemy has the clear advantage, what shall we do?" Nobunaga asked.
"Like at Ōsaka, we use cannons." Ujinobu said.
"And where do we aim? The walls are very durable." Ujitada said.
"That's how a Daimyō from 60 years ago would think, after almost 40 years of relative peace these soldiers don't even know how destructive a cannon is." Ujinobu explained.
"And those walls haven't been besieged since the 1560s and 1550s, they aren't as strongly fortified like Odawara, Azuchi or Ōsaka." Ujinaga said.
"Then ready the cannons." Ujinobu commanded.
"Of course, lord Ōgosho!" A soldier said and stormed out of the tent.
Ujinobu noticed a slightly jealous look on his sons face, maybe it was due to Ujinobu's notoriety and legend status in the country or the undying loyalty of the soldiers. Ujitada was unsure if the soldiers and retainers even noticed him, he was like the little puppet of Ujinobu which held no power, or why else would two of the main clans rebel against his rule.
"Ujitada, are you alright?" Ujinobu asked worried.
"Yes, yes, everything is alright, father." Ujitada answered.
"You are clearly jealous, brother." Ujinaga said.
"Ujitada, you do not need to worry about your status, the soldiers respect you and you hold all the power, I am just here to assist." Ujinobu said.
"Thank you, father, for the reinsurance." Ujitada said, his expression softening.
After an hour, the first cannon balls hit the inner citadel and the walls, the "sturdy" stone walls crumbled under the heavy cannon fire.
"Now! All units advance!" Ujitada said and raised his Gunbai (War fan).
"Understood, lord Shōgun." A soldier said and gave the signal to all generals through a large fire.
"Good luck, brother." Ujitada said.
"No worries, I will lead the men the victory today." Ujinaga said and rode down the the soldiers on his horse.
"Ujitada, you should go down there too." Ujinobu said.
"What, why?" Ujitada asked.
"A Shōgun has to be a good leader and not stay behind in the camp." Ujinobu answered.
"But...what if I die here?" Ujitada asked.
"Don't be a coward, Ujitada. Ujiie has already come of age and he's studying in Kasugayama under Naoe Kanetsugu." Ujinobu said (Naoe Kanetsugu died in 1620 but I decided to extend his life a bit).
"You're right, father, get me my Tanegashima!" Ujitada yelled.
"That's the spirit! I'll keep things under control here." Ujinobu said cheerfully.
Ujitada rode down to the battlefield, wearing a black armor and Jinboari, on which was written: "Honor the ancestors, honor the young" together with that he had a black Eboshi helmet on which a golden Hōjō-Shōgunate sign was.
"Good luck, Ujitada and Ujinaga." Ujinobu said, looking into a spyglass.
"Lord Ujinobu, may I ask you something?" Nobunaga asked.
"Ah, Nobunaga, of course you can." Ujinobu said.
"How did you meet my father?" Nobunaga asked.
"Nobushige, he came to me soon after I came of age, 1571 perhabs. He came to me holding a badly made Katana and Longbow and he wanted to become my retainer. So I accepted, he learned under Kamiizumi Yasutsuna and my uncle, Yoshiie." Ujinobu explained.
"Do you mean that old sword father had hanging in his private chambers in Yoshida-Kōriyama?" Nobunaga asked.
"Yes, that one. I wanted to test him before employing him, so I duelled him." Ujinobu answered.
"Given the state of the blade, you won, my lord." Nobunaga said.
"Well, yes, but he fought very brave and well." Ujinobu said.
"Thank you, lord Ōgosho." Nobunaga said.
Ujinobu saw through the spyglass how his soldiers poured into the castles walls, and after an hour the Hōjō banners could be seen on the citadel.
"Perfect." Ujinobu said proudly.