"Imabari has fallen."
When he received this news, Daimyo Takamoto was standing upon a hill from which vantage he could easily observe the fiery glow in the northern sky in the direction of Imabari Castle.
"There are no reports of survivors. However, Mori Takakage made them pay heavily. The Chosokabe army is said to have suffered high casualties," said the metsuke. "The Chosokabe army was commanded by the Daimyo Tamehisa who is now in Imabari. Considering the weakened state of the Chosokabe, if you attack him at Imabari, you have a good chance of destroying him. But before you decide to do so, you should read this..."
The metsuke handed him a thin scroll. "Its a report from a metsuke in Bungo province, Shishido Michizane.
The Daimyo read the scroll and immediately dropped it in shock.
"What is it, my Lord?" his retainers asked. "Read it yourself!" said the Daimyo.
The message read:
I have long suspected that an Ouchi ninja network is operating in Bungo province, but unfortunately the authorities here do not believe me. Today, of my own initiative, I entrapped a ninja who, under torture, confirmed that he was working for the Ouchi. He has also revealed something even more startling ... that the Ouchi intend to take advantage of our war with the Chosokabe and will soon declare war upon us!
"Who is this Michizane?" asked the retainer.
"A junior metsuke recently recruited in Bungo," said the metsuke.
"He is nothing but an upstart looking for attention," said the retainer dismissively. "We have a marriage alliance with the Ouchi, who have been our allies for years. Our diplomats have spent much time and money cultivating this friendship. This report is unreliable."
"You could also say that the Ouchi have spent much time and money cultivating our friendship, hm?" said the Daimyo pensively.
"You are taking this seriously? You believe this?" asked the retainer, disbelieving.
"I do." the Daimyo answered tersely. "I believe it, because if I were the Ouchi I would do exactly the same!" exclaimed the Daimyo slamming his fist on the table. "They have never forgotten what we did to them in Kyushu."
"But they would be breaking a marriage alliance! Their reputation throughout Japan would be in tatters!" the retainer protested.
"Which only shows how resolute our enemies are," the Daimyo said. "Send word to all the provinces in Kyushu to levy the ashigeru and prepare the towns and castles for defense."
"What about Chosokabe?" his generals asked.
The Daimyo thought for a long time then said,"Send word to Imabari that I wish to speak with Daimyo Tamehisa under a flag of truce."
~ ~ ~
The two mortals foes regarded each other silently. Eventually, Daimyo Tamehisa spoke.
"So the Tiger of Kyushu begs for peace. Is he afraid that he will meet the same fate as his brother and his dogs?"
Daimyo Takamoto glanced around at Tamehisa's men, some of whom were wounded and bandaged.
"By now you know how fiercely Mori dogs bite. I have asked for a truce not because I am afraid and not because I am merciful. I would like to cut off your head as much as any of my samurai. But it would appear that now I have other foes to deal with, so I do not have time for you!" said Takamoto.
"Why should that concern me!" Tamehisa said angrily.
"The Chosokabe lost many sons at the battle of Takamatsu including the former Daimyo. You have not been Daimyo for very long. Now, if you make me, I have the force to destroy you! But what will become of the Chosokabe dynasty if they lost yet another Daimyo? So it should concern you that you now have an opportunity to live."
There was a small chest at the feet of Takamoto. He pushed this chest with his foot toward Tamehisa.
"Take this," he said. "It is 5000 koku of gold from the mines of Iwami. Use it to rebuild your clan. Become strong again so that we can fight another day. Don't think too hard Tamehisa. There is only one answer and you already know it."
Tamehisa opened the chest, then slammed it shut. He glared at Takamoto and said,"Very well, we will fight another day. But do not imagine that this truce means that old wounds are forgotten. The Chosokabe and Mori will always be enemies!"
Thus, in the winter of 1563, the Mori made peace with the Chosokabe and brought the first Chosokabe Wars to an end. The Mori almost conquered Sanuki, but were turned back. They briefly held Iyo, but lost it again. What can we say? But that all the issues of life are determined by the kami and it is the divine will of the kami that the Mori are not allowed to have Shikkoku at this time.
Ouchi Treachery
The official declaration of war by the Ouchi arrived even as Daimyo Takamoto was about to board the heavy bune which would take him back to Aki.
He read it placidly, then said,"Send Shishido Michizane a reward of silver and tell him that from now on he reports directly to me."
~ ~ ~
On the voyage home, as Daimyo Takamoto looked out over the waves from the top deck of the heavy bune, he heard his son, Mori Sanemune, cursing the Ouchi under his breath.
"The damned Ouchi! Those snakes! Those vipers! Damn them to hell!"
"Don't judge them too harshly, my son." said the Daimyo. "The Ouchi are only doing to us what we have done to them, and the Shoni, and the Chosokabe. If they are snakes, then so are we. We are all of the same brood."
The minds of all were concentrated on the coming conflict with the Ouchi, but Takamoto found his thoughts constantly returning to his late brother Takakage.
Daimyo Tamehisa said before they parted,"Your brother...my men tell me he fought well. Like a true samurai ...to the very end."
"I know. He's a Mori." Takamoto had replied.
It was not because he was particularly fond of Takakage. It was the realization that he never really knew his brother all these years growing up together. But in that council meeting when Takakage proposed the invasion of Iyo, it seemed as if, suddently, he saw his brother for the first time. The man that he really was. A man possessed of an ambition and a courage equal to his own. And then he was gone. And now he will never return. These thoughts filled Takamoto with an overwhelming sense of pathos.
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