Before the Siege

Masanari knelt on the ground in front of the young lord. "Masanari, you've returned again. What news do you have?" He placed the map on the ground in front of him facing the young lord. "Here's something that you'll find interesting." He looked up at the young lord, as they looked over the map with a smile.

"Very interesting indeed. I'm most impressed Masanari. What of my other request?" Smiling he nodded at the young lord. "Their location has been confirmed, and a plan is in place to get them out of there. During the chaos, I'm sure we'll be able to get some benefit as well."

"What do you mean?"

"We can return the favor to what they did with your family, and collect a few hostages of our own. It will give us a chance to breathe, and move to room if we have some Imagawa hostages."

"Hahaha. I like your mind Masanari. I'm glad you want to serve me, and not follow your father." He shook his head. "There're plans in place. I'm here to serve you, young lord."

"Than you must join me in my tent and eat with me." He shook his head. "I must return to Kaminogo. My unit and I must be ready to move once, you follow the map and circle the city. Leave the rest to us." He stood up bowing at the young lord. "Pity. You're young, yet you act like one of my father's old advisors. Then go, you have your mission to complete. After this, we shall eat and drink together. We'll be at the castle in two days. Get your men ready to move in the night of the second day." He nodded as he bowed at the young lord and left the small camp hidden amongst the trees.

"I hope the young lord uses that map. He'll miss most of the sentries, and surprise them." Shaking his head, he dusted his clothing and walked back through the forest path, stopping to see the afternoon sun hitting the walls of the castle. "Soon, we'll be in there. Only a few more days, and you'll be out of the castle."

He climbed, sitting on a tree branch watching the light reflect off the castle walls. "This is the second time I saw you staring at the castle walls. This time you're looking at them from a tree branch." He looked down from the branch he was sitting on and saw the merchant with his guard walking behind him.

He jumped down and looked at the small group in front of him. "The view from the path down here isn't that good, however from up there, I'm able to have a better view of the setting sun on the castle walls." He saw the merchant smile at him. "Did you end up going to join with the other soldiers for the coming battle?" He shook his head. "I haven't had a chance yet, I've been busy selling my herbs, but today was the last trip, so I'll be able to go there tomorrow."

"That's good to hear. I think we'll need all the warriors we can get to keep those beautiful walls safe." He looked at the merchant in thought. "What do you mean? We seem to be safe here at the moment?" He looked around in the forest. "I don't see any enemies around, nor feel any malice."

"Hahahaha. That's a merchant for you, but to be a successful merchant, you need to be able to predict what happens next." He looked at the smiling merchant. "What do you think is going to happen next?"

"Me?" He nodded. "Walk with us, and I'll share my idea of what will happen next. It's better to be safe behind the walls of the city in the night, as bandits are known to be around these forests." He nodded, bowing towards them. "Thank you for your worry. I'll be happy to walk with you back. I'll feel more comfortable behind those walls, and drinking tea with my friends at the medicinal herb garden."

He walked with the group listening to the merchant. "Yes, I've seen you at that place a few times. Did you managed to find a buyer there?" He nodded with a smile. "Indeed, the price they gave, wasn't what I was hoping, but they were able to take almost all of my stock. I just had to contact the farms and let them know, so they can start shipping them here." He looked behind him. "I'm surprised that I was able to make it back here before night hit." He looked back at the merchant. "So what do you see happening in the future master merchant?"

"Hahaha. I wouldn't call myself a master merchant, but I do see things happening around us on the horizon. For example, I heard from others that the Matsudaira clan are heading towards Imagawa, and they plan to come through this area" He looked at the merchant with a bored smile. "Matsudaira are allied to the Imagawa. This doesn't sound like news to me."

"Yes. They're currently allied to the Imagawa against the Oda. I'm sure you've seen maps of Honshu, and how they're the small piece between two large hungry wolves." He nodded. "Yes. That's why they allied with the Imagawa, so they can fight against the Oda house, and their young upstart." He smiled at the merchant. "At least you're aware of past events, what about current events?"

He looked at the merchant in silent thought. "Is there something that I'm missing?"

"Yes, I'm sorry. I don't know your name by the way. What shall I call you instead of merchant?" He smiled. "You can call me merchant Sainen."

"Sainen. That's an interesting name. Your family must have hoped you'd be a monk or something like that." He nodded. "That sounds like my family. They sent me off to live with monks for a very long time, but it seems I'm better with making money, instead of living a life as a monk."

"Hahaha. You're a true merchant after all. Well, Sainen, even though they are our allies at the moment, it doesn't mean they'll always be our allies." He looked at the merchant in thought. "What do you mean? Didn't the young Matsudaira lord marry someone from the Imagawa family?"

"That they did, but did you know that the Imagawa has been holding his family hostage so that he'll do what the Imagawa ask him to do?" He shook his head in surprise. "Why would they do that?"

"Well think about it. The new young lord of Oda has been one with a silver tongue, and has been able to convince many of his grand plans to unify Honshu and the other islands, under an Oda shogunate." He nodded. "He's too young, I don't think he'll be able to do that."

"Agree. He doesn't have the age or experience to be able to do that, but he does have a tongue that seems to cause people to listen to him. So the Imagawa have the Matsudaira's family, so he continues to ignore the tongue of Oda." He nodded in thought, looking up at the city gates, as they walked back into the town of Kaminogo. "Is this why they are coming this way? To join in the war against the Oda?"

"No. He'll come to fight and show he's on the side of Imagawa, but the reason why he's coming here, is because of the Imagawa's plan for unification under them." He stopped walking and stared at the merchant. "You mean the Imagawa, also want to unify Japan?"

"Correct. The head of Imagawa is older and wiser than the fool in Oda, and there are many strong lords who follow his call. This will cause a large war between the two houses. For merchants like ourselves, we'll be able to make a lot of coins here. As long as you choose the right people to trade with." He nodded at the merchant, bowing at them. "Thank you for your lesson. You've opened my eyes to the world."

"That's good. Don't forget that Imagawa are the winning side to this. You should go see their forces tomorrow since you don't have to worry about your wares anymore." He nodded, watching the small group leave him near the gate. He smiled, changed direction, and walked towards the medicinal market.

"Hello again sir. Welcome this evening, do you wish to try some of our energizing tea? I have been told that the women feel satisfied after men drink this tea." He shook his head at the servant. "Not this evening, however, I do wish to finish my discussion with your master. My farms are about to start sending my product here in the next few days."

"I'll get him for you. He's in the back mixing some herbs." He nodded, standing staring at the walls of herbs, with their strong medicinal smell coming off them. "You're back master merchant." He turned and bowed at the owner of the hall. "I've returned from the farm, and I bring you good news. The product will be here in about two days. The evening should be busy for you and your staff counting and adding it all to your inventory."

"That's great news for us indeed. I'll prepare my staff for that. Will you be returning them to oversee the delivery?" He shook his head, as he looked at the walls. "I don't think I'll be needed here, as it seems your staff seem trustworthy and suitable for the task."

"That's very kind of you. Then, once everything has been counted, I'll invite you to some tea instead." He bowed at the owner, turned, and walked out of the hall waving his hand behind him. "I'll be looking forward to the tea. Ever since being here, I've really liked the tea from this part of Japan. I hope we can enjoy many cups together in the future."

"That we will sir. Thank you for your service. If you have any more products to sell, let me know, and I'll purchase them all for a good price." He nodded as he walked back to the inn he was staying in, and closed the door behind him staring at the walls and the open window. "I've been waiting for you young Hattori." He looked at the kneeling figure in front of him and knelt across from him.

"I've got some interesting news from the disguised Udono Nagateru, it seems the Imagawa also wants to unify Honshu and the rest of Japan under their flag."

"Was this part of your plan with the smiling monk?" He nodded in thought as he sipped on the tea that was prepared for him by the masked shinobi. "We both thought of that as much. What is annoying me at the moment, is that there's a spy around the young lord." He watched the masked shinobi look at him with surprise in his eyes. "How do you know there is?"

"Because when I was talking to our disguised general, he seems to have knowledge about the movements of the young lord. He even told me that the Imagawa are holding his family, so he'd stay on the Imagawa side, and be similar to his father."

"Will this change our plans here?" He shook his head, letting the masked shinobi pour more tea in the cup. "We can use this to our advantage. We'll find who that spy is, and use him for our advantage."

"You mean you want to use the Iga to start a network across Honshu?" He shook his head. "Not just Honshu, all of Japan. If we're going to help the young lord get what he wants, so that we can get what I want, then we'll need the best spy network, the strongest, and ones who'll be able to take out parties that will cause trouble to our plan."

"How do you plan to start this network?" He smiled at the masked shinobi. "I'll start with you, and all the Iga men that have been given to me. To win a war, we need to know all." He watched the shinobi bow at him, bowing in return. "Tell the men to be ready, in two nights we fight. The medicinal market hall has the items that we need. Start getting the men running the route at night."

He watched the masked shinobi stand up, climbing out the window. "As the young Hattori requests. So shall it be."

He nodded as he looked at the empty cup. "All of this work for a spear." He smiled. "It's worth it in the end."