Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!-Chapter 1821 - 1309: Negotiations! The Shandan People’s Unreasonable Demands

The sunlight traversed a hundred miles in an instant, from the festive and wedded Beiyu Cold Shore Division, to the south under the shadow of Mount Fuji in Ezo, arriving at the fortified camp built by the Japanese. On the camp, the flag of the Kaozaki Family hung limply, like a broken willow branch. The Japanese Samurai retreated southward for a hundred miles, all with dust-covered faces, hanging heads, and dejected spirits; many even lost their weapons and banners.

Yet, more despairing than losing weapons and banners was their loss of their house elder, their Great General, and the Samurai honor, and a deep-seated shame of being "defeated by the Ezo people"! Under this humiliating reputation, everyone's prospects and future seemed precariously insecure, like a lame hound facing an uncertain future.

"Hachiman Mahasattva! Without Kudo Chief Retainer, who will now unite the Samurai and invigorate the spirit of the main family? I fear, besides the legendary Lord Nobuhiro, there is no one else, right? Even his son won't do, right?…"

The retainers of the Kaozaki Family were shrouded in the dark clouds of defeat. Even the most delicious military rations, precious rice balls wrapped with plum, lost their original aroma. More sorrowful still was their main general, Kaozaki Yoshihiro. He did not immediately restore military morale, lacking such prestige, experience, and capability. He merely gazed upwards, staring at the snow-capped peak of Mount Fuji in Ezo, reciting an ancient poem from the Man'yōshū.

"When I come to know the emptiness of the world, over and over again my sorrow deepens…"

"I have truly realized the futility and impermanence of the world, and yet feel increasingly sorrowful…"

Kaozaki Yoshihiro, reciting the poem, couldn't help but burst into tears. At this moment, he thought of the casualties of the Kaozaki warriors, his own political future collapsing in one battle, his heart truly torn apart!

Although the Kaozaki Family's main force remained intact, they lost thirty direct Samurai of the main family, including ten of the finest Ryu-Tetsu Horses. These Ryu-Tetsu Horses were all middle-level Samurai of the main family, the core retainer group. The most grievous loss of this battle was the most senior, army-commanding Kudo Chief Retainer, who also fell on the wilderness of Ezo land!

As for material losses, not to mention the weapons lost by fleeing warriors, the military rations abandoned by the dispersed Uchiura strong men… even the precious Jurchen Deer-Hair Stallion entrusted by Father Nobuhiro was frightened away into the mountain forests of the Ezo people. At this moment, that rare "Jurchen Stallion" in Japan has probably already been caught and slaughtered by the barbaric and cruel Shandan people, roasted and eaten, right?…

Compared to these heart-bleeding losses, the total collapse of Ishikari allies, the unknown casualties of hundreds of tribal warriors, seemed irrelevant. Towards the increasingly powerful factions of Ishikari, the Kaozaki Family originally harbored thoughts of instigating clan disputes, letting them consume each other. Those ten Matsumae warriors forced to cover the rear were actually the same, unreliable peripheral forces—losses were just losses…

"Merciful Buddha! How did the originally smooth Ezo tribute turn into such a defeat? How did those hundred-odd armored Shandan troops suddenly appear, suddenly join the enemy Ezo clans? And why would these ruthless and bold Shandan tribes possess Yuan Invasion's demon firearms, the decisive thunderbolt that won the battle?…"

"Could it be, as Kudo Chief Retainer's last words suggested, that behind this Shandan armored troop is truly a Shandan Great Tribe invading from Kutadai? And this Shandan Great Tribe's origins have some inexplicable connection with the Yuan Invasion from two hundred years ago?…"

Thinking of this messy, inexplicably full-scale defeat, Kaozaki Yoshihiro was severely troubled. He still didn't know where this suddenly appearing "Shandan Great Tribe" came from, what exactly their relationship with the Beiyu Clan was.

But he clearly understood that after this great defeat, the Ishikari Faction will probably no longer dare to act against the Beiyu Division in the short term. And relying on the power of the Kaozaki family alone, it's absolutely impossible to resolve such a powerful Shandan tribe!

Unless, the Shandan people continue their invasion southward, posing a danger to the entire Japanese land's survival. And as the Upper Country Guardian, the Kaozaki Family has to seek assistance from the Anton Family in the South, and from the powerful Nanbu clan! Just like during the Battle of Koshama In forty years ago…

"Request aid from each clan across the Tsugaru Strait, plea for reinforcements from the main family and the Nanbu clan… Buddha, this is what the main family does not desire! Father painstakingly established control over the Twelve Halls, and now he is already old. Once new clan warriors arrive, will the legend of my father in Ezo land, the Kaozaki Family's past replacement of the Family Head and successor… not happen again?"

Kaozaki Yoshihiro silently said nothing. Though not adept in military affairs, under the patient guidance of his father, Takeda Nobuhiro, he became a deft political operative. This sudden defeat has shaken the Kaozaki Family's control over the Twelve Halls to its core. A more severe consequence is the precarious Samurai reputation as a direct responsible party for the defeat, and the dangerous potential loss of succession rights!

"Hachiman Mahasattva! How should I explain this to my ailing father? This supposed fail-safe tribute mission that ended like this… No, I absolutely cannot return in such failure! I must do something, even if it's just staying here, waiting for a turn of events, awaiting the possible attack from the Shandan people! Then, using the sturdy fortress, defeat the Shandan people's invasion… Only by achieving palatable accomplishments, even if just in battles against the so-called 'Shandan allies' and the Ezo Beiyu Clan, can I account to the main family!"

Kaozaki Yoshihiro fiercely bit his lip, once again letting political decisions override military considerations.

Soon, he declared to all the Samurais that the Kaozaki Family fell to a treacherous and mighty "Shandan tribe", not from the weak and powerless Ezo people. At the same time, he dispatched an envoy, spreading the news of "Shandan invasion" throughout the Ezo land, and also asked for reinforcements from his father at Victory Mountain Manor!

"Father, my most respected Lord Nobuhiro! Once the 'Shandan people' indeed invade south, even if it delays farming in the Ezo land, sacrifices this year's harvest, all peasant soldiers must be mobilized, armed into hundreds to thousands of Ashigaru!"

After sorting everything out, Kaozaki Yoshihiro once again donned the Doumaru and began personally inspecting the defenses of the mountain camp. The camp's fence had been reinforced, and bamboo stakes were placed in the existing trenches. The samurais took out their Japanese bows, ready to defend the camp and engage in a deadly battle with the "Shandan people."

However, another three days passed, and they neither received news from Victory Mountain Manor in the south nor faced the anticipated massive invasion from the "Shandan Tribes" to the south. Only an envoy resembling a Shandan person, accompanied by two Ezo warriors and a translator, along with a live Kaozaki warrior, arrived at the fortified camp beneath Ezo Fuji.

"What! Kudo Chief Retainer is still alive but captured by you?! And there are thirteen samurais still alive, and you captured them to demand a ransom for fourteen people from us?!..."

"With the blessings of the Great Divine Spirit of the ocean and thunder! The Great Shaman Chief sent me to exchange your tribe's prisoners for your tribe's resources!..."

The Shandan envoy uttered a strange prayer. Then he shook his head, looked at the Kaozaki prisoner beside him who bowed his head in shame, and seriously counted on his fingers.

"No. Great Chief of the Japanese, you counted wrong! We have fourteen prisoners, but this one is given to you as a token of goodwill... So, we only ask for, um... the ransom for thirteen people!"

"There are thirteen samurais from the main family alive, including Kudo Chief Retainer?..."

Kaozaki Yoshihiro widened his eyes and immediately looked at the returning Kaozaki prisoner. The other nodded with difficulty and answered softly.

"Young Master, the Chief Retainer, while committing seppuku, was shot in the hand and dropped his katana... he's still alive. The Shandan people did not mistreat the Chief Retainer. They repeatedly interrogated me about the main family's intelligence, but I gritted my teeth and said nothing!..."

Upon hearing this, Kaozaki Yoshihiro was moved, a surge of joy engulfing his heart. He was happy not for the samurai's loyalty but for the fact that "Kudo Chief Retainer" was still alive, a piece of immensely gratifying news for him!

As long as Kudo Shigeyasu can be ransomed back, then the battle with the Shandan would have only cost the lives of thirty samurais. Although it's still a significant loss, without the loss of a great general, the severity of this defeat, especially its political impact, would be entirely different. There is no doubt that if the Chief Retainer can return, he will shoulder the responsibility of the defeat for him and will become his most crucial supporter! Given the Chief Retainer's weight within the family, the negative impact of this battle on his inheritance rights can also be minimized...

In just a few breaths, Kaozaki Yoshihiro understood the stakes. He should try to ransom back the other samurais; however, Kudo Shigeyasu must be protected! Controlling his inner excitement and trembling, he appeared calm as he inquired.

"Speak then, envoy of the Shandan Tribe! Tell me, what are your conditions? Copper coins? Ironware? Cloth? Or your favorite rice wine?..."

Hearing this, the "Shandan Envoy" representing the kingdom, the Deer Clan Hunter Lu Jiaohu, cunningly blinked. He then pulled out a bark paper filled with script from his bosom and handed it to the Japanese Great Chief in front of him.

"Here it is! The Great Chief's demands are all on this paper! I can't read what's written, but this was written by your Chief Retainer, so you must recognize it!..."

Kaozaki Yoshihiro snatched the bark paper, tensely reading it. He skimmed through the familiar handwriting of Kudo Chief Retainer. The somewhat trembling strokes clearly showed the Chief Retainer's inner turmoil when writing this, unsure of what had happened... Fortunately, although the conditions listed were many, they did not damage the main family's prestige by requesting martial family hostages or demanding martial family women, which are conditions the main family could never agree to. It was simply a demand for wealth and livestock...

"Twenty large baskets of ironware, twenty boxes of rice wine, twenty koku of rice... Twenty mares, ten pairs of donkeys, ten pairs of oxen, ten pairs of sheep, ten pairs of pigs, twenty pairs each of chickens, ducks, and geese?..."

Kaozaki Yoshihiro looked puzzled at these bizarre conditions. He could understand the demands for a lot of ironware, rice wine, and rice. But why demand these horses, donkeys, cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens, ducks, and geese? What could they be for? Could the nomadic Shandan Tribes actually be lacking these livestock and poultry?...

Though full of confusion, Kaozaki Yoshihiro patiently read to the end. However, when the final conditions appeared, his face changed instantly, this time finally showing anger.

"Ten senior blacksmiths, ten senior carpenters, ten senior shipwrights, ten senior tile craftsmen? And one hundred farmers who can cultivate the land?..."

"Buddha! This is impossible; these are terms the main family can't accept! Even if you march south and break Victory Mountain Manor, even if you break all Twelve Halls of the Japanese land, you won't find enough senior 'professionals' and 'craftsmen' like this!..."