Barely a week after these exciting events, Yoshinobu's lessons took a turn for the better, at least in his opinion. His teacher Amari Masatada had chosen this day to deviate from the usual: instead of lessons in calligraphy and studying the
gunki, writings of previous
bushi, today he would learn about his uncle Nobushige's victory and, according to Masatada, a surprise.
Masatada began the lesson after some other young children from the samurai families of Kofu arrived. After waiting several minutes so the boys could calm themselves, he began speaking when all but the youngest were still.
"Our general Nobushige won an important victory at Kuwabara. Our province of Kai has been under threat for too long in the north, and when Iwaki Tsunemasta crossed into our lands with 2000 Murakami soldiers, it was too much. Nobushige confronted him with a slight numerical advantage. What does this mean?"
The boys were silent, so Masatada continued: "It meant he could take the offensive and so deny his opponent the initiative. But he only had a few hundred more men. So what did this mean?"
When it became clear that the older man would not continue until one of the boys volunteered an answer, Yoshinobu cleared his throat. "It meant he must be cautious, sensei."
"Good, Taro," said Masatada, using Yoshinobu's childhood name. "But one must always be careful with one's troops, yes? Too many Ashigaru fallen means a more difficult harvest, too many samurai and Kai is greatly weakened, too many horses and what will the horsemen ride? But in a sense, yes you are correct. Now, what was Nobushige's other advantage?" Masatada enquired, with a slight smile. He knew that they would all have an answer for this.
"His cavalry!" chorused the boys, each and every one of them proud of their heritage as the fierce horsemen of Kai.
"Indeed. And having the advantage in horse, how did Nobushige use them?"
"On his flanks!" they all answered.
"Yes, indeed, on his flanks. And as soon as the Murakami horsemen advanced Nobushige's own horsemen and yari ashigaru engaged them, while the rest of the infantry charged Tsunemasta's lines.
But, what of the other horsemen?"
Yoshinobu knew the answer to this question as well. Proudly, he answered his teachers question. "While his enemy was distracted my uncle rode around his flanks using the woods and hills to hide his movements, then struck the Murakami infantry from behind."'
Good, thought Masatada.
These boys, especially Yoshinobu, show great promise as generals of the Takeda and commanders of cavalry. But they must still learn of the infantry, the dance of the yari and the singing of the yumi, but it is a start.
"You are all dismissed," Masatada told the boys some hours later after discussing the tactics and pros and cons of each commander's strategy. "Taro, stay behind."
Curious, Yoshinobu did as he was bidden. When the others had left, Masatada turned back to his lord's eldest son. "Now for your real test."
"My what, sense?" Yoshinobu was surprised.
"You are on track to be the heir of the Takeda and so you must be prepared, Taro. We may be sheltered in Kai by the mountains, but the Takeda have many enemies. Tell me, what is to our south?"
Yoshinobu smiled. This was easy. "The Hojo, headed by Ujiyasu, and their minor branches. West of them in Suruga, the Imagawa, our allies, a clan we hope to come closer to. East, there are small clans fighting over the fertile plains."
"And west?"
"West are the Kiso, my cousin Nene was married to on of their Daimyo's nephews. So we
trade," Yoshinobu said with a slight sneer.
Masataka noticed and immediately rebuked his student. "Remember Taro that while merchants and traders are among the lowest classes we cannot go without them. Not in this time. We need the wares they bring, we need the income, to finance our armies. Now, what else about the Kiso?"
Yoshinobu shut his eyes, trying to remember. "Trade...... will make them more friendly. A buffer to our west, guarding the passes there. That way we can watch the south from Kofu while the Kiso and the Sanada, our vassals to the east, watch there."
"Which leaves..?" prompted Masatada.
"The north and the Murakami!" Yoshinobu said, slamming his fist on the floor.
"Indeed, but do their lands border ours?" Yoshinobu sat back, confused; the Murakami lands were farther north into Shinano province. "Who are our northern neighbors, Taro? What does this tell you about them?"
"They are the Takoto sensei. But does this mean that the Murakami have taken their lands?"
Masatada looked at Yoshinobu. W
ise for one so young, yet still naive. "No Taro, the Takoto have broken our peace and have joined the Murakami in war against us. That is how their army reached our lands so easily. Do not be disheartened, you have done well. We will see to it that you do better, but that was good for now. And now, your surprise: your father Takeda Shingen has marched on the Takoto, having come to this conclusion some time ago, and defeated them in their home province. He is now laying seige to their castle, where their lord Ieyuki fled after the battle."
Yoshinobu was surprised and full of excitement and questions, but Masatada would not answer them, claiming that Yoshinobu needed to learn patience and that he did not know all of the details yet. Instead he moved on to other topics and problems of the Takeda: the Sanada were sullen, Kai was not a wealthy province, there were so many enemies to the north and the south was growing unfriendly...
Soon, vowed Yoshinobu,
soon I will know what happened.