Hirata Masahide is dead. At first, Nozawa didn’t pay much attention to it—after all, the man hadn’t left behind any particularly remarkable achievents. His fa was mostly due to being the teacher of "the Sixth Celestial Demon King," "number one man of Japan’s Warring States"—Oda Nobunaga.
But in reality, the influence of Hirata Masahide’s death far exceeded Nozawa’s imagination. News of his suicide spread throughout Owari Province in no ti, and mourners from all eight districts ca in an endless stream. In sheer numbers, the attendees didn’t lose out to the funeral of "Tiger of Owari," Oda Nobuhide.
Nozawa hadn’t really had much interaction with Hirata Masahide before. Looking at the endless flow of condolers in front of him, he realized his own negligence. He hurriedly asked Ah Man for so information and finally understood the Hirate Family’s standing in Owari Province—The Hirate Family was an old, powerful clan that had migrated from Echizen Province together with the Oda Family years ago. The Oda ancestors served as Guardian, with the Hirate ancestors as their deputies. The two were quite literally colleagues. It was only later, after the split in the Oda Family and increasing chaos in the world, that the Oda Danjo Chonosuke branch rose in power, and the Hirate Family beca household retainers of the Oda Danjo Chonosuke branch.
So, purely in terms of legitimacy, na, and law, the Hoshina Family is the number-one clan in Owari, the Oda Family cos second, which would make the Hirate Family the third most prominent in Owari Province.
This family has extrely deep foundations; on top of that, Hirata Masahide was sixty sui this year. Since entering service at thirteen, he was known for his cultivated, upright manner, his careful and gentle approach to things, and his broad learning—he was talented in everything from poetry to Sinology. Most families in the eight districts of Owari had, to so extent, received his care and assistance. Many family heads had benefited from his guidance. Over the decades, he accumulated imnse prestige. No one ever spoke ill of him; even Ah Man, that loose-mouthed wild kid, had no dirt to spill and spoke of him with a certain degree of respect.
So looking at it this way, Hirata Masahide’s suicide cost Oda Nobunaga far more dearly than people might expect—it isn’t just the loss of a supporting family elder.
"That’s exactly right. Back in the day, if the old man Hirata Masahide hadn’t staked everything to protect him—and personally gone to persuade Saito Dosan to marry off his daughter—Oda Nobunaga would never have held onto his position as heir to the Danjo Chonosuke branch. He probably would have been dismissed by now!" Ah Man strongly agreed, sighing repeatedly. "And if this old man hadn’t kept the retainers under control and constantly cleaned up his sses, Nobunaga’s retainers would have long since hung him up and beaten the crap out of their dumbass lord. So yeah—Oda Nobunaga is really in trouble this ti."
Nozawa nodded quietly, but didn’t dwell on it. Ever since he’d transmigrated here, he’d never seen Oda Nobunaga have a smooth ti. The guy’s always neck-deep in trouble—a real shit show.
He was already getting used to it. He couldn’t muster any more sighs, so he started toward Hirata Masahide’s morial hall. "I’ll go burn so incense too!"
He was just going with the flow—after all, all the samurai in Takeshige Manor had co of their own accord. Even the ones who were just clerks in the Danjo Chonosuke household, who had never t a grand figure like Hirata Masahide, had co in groups to pay respects and casually invited him along. He didn’t want to stand out as strange, so he just joined them.
He had no connection to the Hirate Family—this was just a straightforward condolence call. He offered incense, the family mbers bowed to him, he returned the gesture, and that was that. On his way out, he hesitated slightly—since he was already here, he might as well stop by the Asano Family, have so tea, and deepen his "relationship" with Asano Nagasuke. Might as well make the most of the trip.
So he took Ah Man and Ah Qing, mounted their horses, and headed to the Asano household. But just as they neared the Asano residence, suddenly a mber of the Lang Faction called out from the roadside, "Lord Nozawa?!"
Nozawa looked carefully and, after so thought, recognized him as Mura Hachiro, one of Maeda Toshie’s Lang Faction. Then, right after, Maeda Toshie himself poked his head out of a nearby izakaya and greeted him, "Lord Nozawa! What a coincidence—co in and have a seat!"
Nozawa had nothing going on today. He also wanted to ask about the Oda Danjo Chonosuke family’s current situation, so he went in.
Inside the izakaya, Maeda Toshie had booked a small private room. Also present was his younger brother, Sawaki Ryoji.
The three of them knew each other well. Maeda Toshie wasn’t strict about formalities, and Nozawa sat right down without much fuss. Maeda Toshie, rembering that Nozawa didn’t drink, ordered him a pot of hot tea, and told Mura Hachiro to take care of Ah Man and Ah Qing—let them eat and drink as they pleased.
Nozawa paid it no mind, took a couple sips of tea, and casually asked, "Did you guys go pay your respects to Lord Hirata Naka-no-Kami?"
Maeda Toshie filled his cup and said bluntly, "Of course we went. After that, we had nothing to do, so we ca here for a drink."
"Nothing to do?" Nozawa was a little surprised. By rights, these two young retainers ought to be sticking close to Oda Nobunaga at all tis. "Why do you have nothing to do? Where’s the Lord of Upper General?"
Maeda Toshie trusted Nozawa and didn’t mind revealing Nobunaga’s whereabouts. He sighed, "His Lordship is building a morial temple for old Hirata—Shigeo Temple—and putting up a monunt to his rit. He personally took the master craftsman to pick a site. Also, he’s in a bad mood and doesn’t want chaos around him, so he gave most of us ti off."
"Shigeo Temple?"
"Yep—it’ll probably be built in the Komugi Village area of Kasugai District. That’s where old Hirata was born."
"I see..." Nozawa nodded lightly. No wonder he hadn’t heard anything of Oda Nobunaga lately—he had been busy with these affairs. It seed Nobunaga was truly saddened by Hirata Masahide’s death and was taking his morial arrangents very seriously, even planning to build a temple for him.
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