Chapter 93

In the twelfth year of Tenshō, the Korean expeditionary force led by Oda Nobutaka, the supreme commander, was unexpectedly forced into a difficult battle.

Initially, they had swept through the capital of Hanyang and Pyongyang, but they were then left to demand food from the remaining residents, and their supply lines were cut off, preventing further advances.

The regions south of Pyongyang appeared to be obedient to the Japanese forces, but their supply routes were attacked by the remaining Korean army units and rebel forces, causing the supply lines to stagnate.

North of Pyongyang, the presence of a large Korean army, including volunteer militia, was confirmed, and a request for assistance from Ming was also made. The situation was becoming increasingly unpredictable.

Some of the forces attempted to begin governing the southern regions of Korea, but the language barrier proved to be a significant obstacle. Many civilians had their homes burned and food taken by retreating Korean forces, and there was a growing concern that they might rise up in rebellion if their food supply was not secured.

While the Oda forces were victorious in battles, the inability to secure local supplies and the deployment of 180,000 troops to Korea had left Kyushu in a state of chaos due to the supply duties.

The Oda forces were gradually becoming mired in the endless quagmire of Korea.

"What do you mean by a rebellion in this situation!"

While struggling with the supply lines for the Korean expeditionary force, some of the Shimazu army's retainers, including Ume Kitakuni, Tajiri Tamba, and Tōgō Shinemon, suddenly defected and occupied Sasa Fuki Castle, which was governed by Sassa Narimasa.

This sudden rebellion caught Narimasa, who was deployed in Korea, off guard, but his remaining retainers managed to suppress it.

This incident enraged Nobunaga, and upon investigation, the involvement of Shimazu Toshihisa was revealed. Toshihisa, the current lord, reluctantly ordered Toshihisa to commit seppuku.

The Shimazu family, whose reinforcements were delayed due to the rebellion, coincidentally faced the arrival of a large Ming army in Korea.

In the battle north of Pyongyang, the Shimazu army decapitated nearly 5,000 enemies and performed admirably, but it did not lead to a decisive victory for the Oda forces. The battle turned into a protracted conflict, and the war in Korea dragged on longer than expected.

The situation in Korea was that the Oda forces were attempting to govern the regions south of Pyongyang while receiving supplies from Kyushu, and skirmishes with the Ming-Korean allied forces continued. The occupied residents appeared to be obedient, but they could become a threat to the supply lines if left unchecked.

No matter how many were defeated, the number of rebels seemed to be increasing.

As the season turned to winter, the cold became more severe than expected, and the number of soldiers dying from the cold increased.

The land of Korea was in a state of terrible devastation, and the sense of dissatisfaction among the daimyo governing the occupied territories began to grow. They started to think, "What good is this land even if we receive it?"

The Oda family often confiscated the lands of their vassals and increased their holdings as a reward for their achievements. The vassals realized that even if they were given Korean land, it would be problematic if they lost their domestic lands.

Naturally, the daimyo became cautious about achieving too much, and the stalemate in the war continued.

In the midst of this, a significant event occurred.

"Ungoro is ill!"

Dan羽 Nagahide, who was leading the army in Korea, fell ill and had to return to Japan urgently.

"Ungoro, let Todoko examine you."

Nobunaga visited Nagahide, who had returned to his fief in Sanuki, and worriedly asked Todoko to examine him.

"Stomach cancer, and it has progressed quite a bit."

Nagahide's illness was stomach cancer, and Todoko explained that it had progressed significantly.

"Am I going to die?"

"The stomach will be removed through surgery. Consider it a 50-50 chance."

"Haha, compared to the Battle of桶狭間, the odds are better."

The experienced general Nagahide was completely unfazed by the surgery. He entrusted the governance of his domain to his eldest son Nagashige and his retainers and moved to Edo by ship.

"You will wake up after the surgery is complete."

"That sounds easy. I heard that being cut open while alive would be very painful."

"There will be no pain with anesthesia."

"That is a relief."

Todoko, who is usually very busy, only performs surgeries for special connections with the Tsuda family, but she agreed to operate on Nagahide because he was a high-ranking vassal and Nobunaga had pleaded with her.

Todoko, along with her disciples, administered anesthesia to Nagahide and performed the surgery in a sterile operating room to remove the cancerous stomach. Fortunately, there was no metastasis, but his condition needed to be monitored for some time.

"The entire stomach has been removed."

"I wonder if I can still eat rice without a stomach?"

True to his bold nature, Nagahide, upon waking up, asked Todoko if he could still eat rice without a stomach.

"Other digestive organs can compensate, but there will be restrictions. You will need to eat smaller meals more frequently. I will explain the details later."

"Indeed, the human body is well-designed."

After the surgery, Todoko explained to Nagahide, who was receiving nutrients through an IV, about his new dietary restrictions.

"I have never seen such medical techniques. Even someone like Kusunose Genzaku would be fascinated."

The surgery was successful, but Nagahide needed to rest for some time. He entrusted the governance of his domain to Nagashige and the command of the Korean expeditionary force to his retainers, but the morale of the expeditionary force suffered due to his long absence.

Nobunaga could not find a way to dramatically improve the situation.

"Lord Akechi also fell ill, but it is not life-threatening."

Many other generals and soldiers fell ill due to the unfamiliar climate and conditions in Korea. Akechi Longzheng, for example, had to return to Japan temporarily to recover and entrusted the command of his forces to his eldest son.

Kudō Gakurō, Yamaguchi Kageyoshi, Shimazu Yoshihisa, Hachisuka Masakatsu, and Kudō Masahiro died from illness.

While they could win battles and advance, the reality that Korea could not be secured was beginning to discourage the generals.

"Lord, perhaps it would be better to retreat and regroup."

"The time for patience has come."

As Nagahide's health improved, he was resting in Ishiyama and serving as a companion to Nobunaga. He suggested a retreat, but Nobunaga did not accept it.

The expeditionary force had to spend the winter in Korea, leading to many more deaths from the cold and a further decline in morale. Nobunaga's trials were just beginning.

"Lord Akechi also fell ill, but it is not life-threatening."

Many other generals and soldiers fell ill due to the unfamiliar climate and conditions in Korea. Akechi Longzheng, for example, had to return to Japan temporarily to recover and entrusted the command of his forces to his eldest son.

Kudō Gakurō, Yamaguchi Kageyoshi, Shimazu Yoshihisa, Hachisuka Masakatsu, and Kudō Masahiro died from illness.

While they could win battles and advance, the reality that Korea could not be secured was beginning to discourage the generals.

"Lord, perhaps it would be better to retreat and regroup."

"The time for patience has come."

As Nagahide's health improved, he was resting in Ishiyama and serving as a companion to Nobunaga. He suggested a retreat, but Nobunaga did not accept it.

The expeditionary force had to spend the winter in Korea, leading to many more deaths from the cold and a further decline in morale. Nobunaga's trials were just beginning.

"Brother, Ezo is cold. By the way, congratulations on inheriting the Tsuda family headship."

"Shinshu, would you like to take over?"

"No, no, I am busy as the governor of Ezo and Kita."

"I will take over."

"I decline. If I took over, the retainers would not be satisfied. Congratulations on being the eldest son."

"..."

In the fourteenth year of Tenshō, the Korean Peninsula was still not under the control of the Oda family. While most of the land was occupied and governance had begun, the resistance from the remaining regular army, militia, and rebels continued.

Suppressing this resistance was a significant challenge, and the Korean side had moved the capital to Ming territory to continue the resistance. Despite winning six large-scale battles with Ming reinforcements, the resistance in Korea did not subside.

Nobunaga prepared for a long war and ordered the expeditionary force headquarters to establish a sustainable system. Initially, Nobutaka was the supreme commander, but he was replaced by the fourth son, Nobuyoshi, as it was not feasible for him to be away from the country for over a year.

The other soldiers were also on a rotation system. Shibata Katsuie and Sassa Narimasa returned to Japan, and many rōnin, who had lost their lands during the Oda family's unification of Japan, joined the expedition.

Nobunaga offered them Korean land in exchange for their service, and even former vassals who had returned to farming joined the expedition. They were determined to reclaim their status as lords, even in foreign lands.

The Tsuda brothers, Nobuteru and Shinshu, watched this development with a cold eye, understanding Nobunaga's intentions.

"The exile and legal disposal of troublemakers, right?"

"Even some have already been given land?"

"Technically, they are only appointed as stewards. They will be given land if they govern well."

While the Oda forces had almost conquered the Korean Peninsula, it was not a complete control. They were sent as stewards with the task of maintaining order and integrating the land into Japan.

Nobunaga foresaw that what happened in Korea would also happen in Ming and began to prepare accordingly. He wanted to acquire the methods for ruling a different ethnicity.

"Is it going well, brother?"

"Some areas are going well."

The brothers spoke informally, but their faces were not smiling. They shared a common understanding that the situation in Korea was not easy.

"The original Joseon dynasty was harsh on its people. Many are happy to be liberated."

However, not everyone felt this way. Many resisted as militia and rebels against the invaders.

"Some stewards have already been killed, and if the militia and rebels are killed indiscriminately, innocent civilians are also killed, leading to further chaos in some areas."

The brothers agreed that Nobunaga's invasion of Korea was a failure. Of course, they and their father, Kōki, did not say anything.

In this feudal society, they could not use this as a reason to remove Nobunaga from power. Kōki was governing Ezo and Kita more successfully by increasing the territory of Japan and gradually integrating the Ainu through a policy of assimilation.

He provided the Ainu with practical skills for living in the harsh cold, such as clothing, food, and housing, and encouraged them to engage in trade. Those who learned the Japanese language and writing and wished to do so could serve in the government in various regions.

The Tsuda family also taught the Ainu salmon and trout farming, kelp and seafood processing, and purchased their products, selling them in Japan for profit.

In agriculture, they taught the cultivation of cold-resistant crops such as sugar beets, potatoes, wheat, soybeans, azuki beans, buckwheat, onions, carrots, cabbage, radishes, pumpkins, and asparagus, and were working hard to increase the amount of arable land.

They were also expanding pastures and preparing for livestock farming with horses, cattle, and sheep.

In exchange, large amounts of money were paid, allowing the Ainu to freely purchase products from Japan, and a monetary culture was taking root among them. Mining operations were also underway, and a large-scale ironworks was being built in Muroran.

Roads were being improved to allow free movement, and ports were being developed.

The Ainu naturally began to follow the Tsuda family, who provided them with a prosperous life. While occasional troubles occurred, Kōki concluded that time would resolve them.

The Tsuda navy was also conducting surveys of Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, New Guinea, and the Philippines using the navy. Former Iga samurai were infiltrating these areas to gather information and conduct pacification operations.

Thanks to this, Kuki Sukenaga, who led the Tsuda navy, was extremely busy. Senior officers like Kudō Gakurō, Idan Yasunao, and Kajiwara Kageyuki, as well as new members like Fujita Takatiger and Wakisaka Yasuji, were also very busy.

With the expansion of the territory, the army was also being expanded to handle trade with various regions, protect trade routes, commission new ships, and conduct regular pirate hunts to gain combat experience. Training facilities for the navy were built in Edo and Hakodate.

In Ezo, these facilities were also created to train young Ainu who were interested in the sea as sailors.

"Is the Tsuda navy this busy? I want to hand it over to my uncle."

"Unfortunately, Karyū is also as busy as the lord."

"The Murakami navy was reduced too much, wasn't it?"

When the fact was pointed out by a vassal, Sukenaga was at a loss. The Oda navy, led by Karyū, had dealt a severe blow to the Murakami navy during the battles against Ishiyama and the Mōri, and was busy rebuilding the Seto Inland Sea shipping routes, supplying the Korean expeditionary force, and dealing with the Korean navy.

Yuan Gun, who led the Korean navy, had been killed in the initial battle, and his successor, Yi Sun-sin, was attempting to cut off the supply lines with a small fleet, requiring the diversion of forces for protection.

"The training of new sailors and captains is going well, so this is the busiest time."

"The lord and the lord are increasing the number of people. It should calm down soon..."

However, the demand for the navy was increasing, and while the ships were being built, the supply of personnel was not keeping up. Sukenaga's wish would only be fulfilled after he retired.

"Although it is costly, the development of the Tsuda family's territory is paying off. The development of Izu Oshima and the Ogasawara Islands is also progressing, and they will likely become good bases for the navy."

While still in a semi-retirement state, Nobuteru had officially become the head of the Tsuda family with Nobunaga's approval. Kōki was still active, and this was to inform the vassals of Nobuteru's succession.

Shinshu, as the governor of Ezo and Kita, was often traveling between Ezo and Kita. He occasionally had to appear in Edo and was given a prototype steamship, the "Ezo Maru," by Kōki to speed up his travel.

Six of these new steamships were already in service, with one each for Nobuteru and Kōki, and the rest being integrated into the navy. The Tsuda family's control of Ezo was also to secure coal for the steamships.

While they were also purchasing coal from within the domain and from northern Kyushu, Kōki planned to use the excess coal for iron production.

"By the way, are my cousins doing well?"

"They are doing well."

The two sons of Seiki, who managed the inner chambers of the Tsuda family, had the same qualifications as Nobuteru and Shinshu to enter Kanagawa. They usually worked on various research and the practical application of new technologies in the inner chambers of Edo Castle, like their father.

"Are they planning to stay secluded like their uncle?"

"It's a division of roles. They say they inherited their father's blood..."

The brothers, Nobusei and Nobuyuki, had already arranged marriages with the Higeno and Horio families and only handled internal affairs.

"Is staying secluded a matter of blood?"

"I met them before, and it seems that external affairs are my and my brother's responsibility."

"What a similar father and sons..."

Nobuteru was exasperated by his cousins' tendency to stay secluded, but this bloodline destiny would continue for a long time.