Chapter 183: This is How the Monkey Came to Be
Yuan Ye didn’t dwell on the failure to recruit a “Master of Horse,” believing there was no shortage of talented individuals, only a lack of stages for them to showcase their abilities. As long as a stage existed, people would eventually emerge to display their talents; he simply needed to wait. Therefore, this was not his loss, but rather Hiyoshi Maru’s.
He quickly put the matter out of his mind and continued to wait for the next suitable candidate. The leisurely day soon passed, and Oda Nobunaga, having been idle all day, stirred up trouble again by sending someone to invite him to a hunt.
Hunting in this era was not a simple pastime. Tracking prey required keen observation and judgment, while the encirclement demanded teamwork, quick decision-making, and flexible adaptation. These skills were all transferable to warfare. Furthermore, it provided leather and meat to meet military needs, making it a very important activity for both social interaction and military training.
Oda Nobunaga’s sudden organization of a hunting event was likely intended to give the waiting local lords something to do, and perhaps to assess their combat capabilities. Alternatively, he might have simply been bored and sought company for amusement.
Yuan Ye was indifferent to the matter and passed it on to A Man. A Man, however, took it very seriously, immediately summoning the inner guards to practice archery, determined not to let the Yuan Ye Family’s reputation suffer during this large-scale “military exercise.”
After several days of preparation, the local lords, along with their family retainers and followers, began arriving at the hunting grounds in groups, and the hunt officially commenced.
Yuan Ye casually followed Oda Nobunaga, going wherever he was directed according to the “military council’s” orders. Whether it was driving prey or surrounding it, he was unconcerned. He didn’t even fire more than a few arrows throughout the entire event. Oda Nobunaga, on the other hand, was thoroughly enjoying himself. Not only did he engage in falconry and hunting with dogs, but he also personally led the charge, personally slaying a massive wild boar with the assistance of his retainers and pages, fully demonstrating his martial prowess and courage.
A Man and the “Yuan Ye Family team” also put in their best effort. However, they were now more accustomed to using matchlock guns, and their archery skills were mediocre. Their results were not significant, with only a few rabbits and pheasants caught after several sorties. Their largest prey consisted of only two deer, which were insignificant compared to what the local lords had brought in.
Indeed, the local lords were more diligent, taking this “military exercise” very seriously. There was even a subtle sense of competition and rivalry, as they feared being looked down upon if they fell behind. They also actively demonstrated their loyalty to the new ruler by continuously offering large prey, and even presenting rare hunting dogs and falcons.
Oda Nobunaga accepted everything without refusal, bestowing gifts or reciprocating with horses, strong bows, and swords, seemingly as a customary practice. He also did not forget Yuan Ye, his brother-in-law and ally, gifting him an excellent hunting dog offered by a local lord – a Shiba Inu. Shiba Inus were primarily produced in Mino, and it was highly probable that Oda Nobunaga, upon seeing the dog, thought of A Man and casually presented it to him.
This hunting event, which involved “military drills” during the day and “socializing” at night, lasted for six days. Only then could Yuan Ye accompany Oda Nobunaga back to Kiyosu Castle.
Overall, he experienced the life of a high-ranking samurai. Samurai were trained this way from a young age, with everything preparing them for war.
As there was a “celebration banquet” to attend that evening, Yuan Ye did not return to his separate residence. Instead, he followed Oda Nobunaga directly to his mansion. Upon arriving at the stables, Hiyoshi Maru, along with his men, came out to greet them personally. While receiving the horses from the family retainers and followers, he also personally removed Oda Nobunaga’s Tsuna-nuki Mo-gutu and replaced them with light and comfortable fine grass sandals. The Tsuna-nuki Mo-gutu were a type of Japanese leather riding boot with a unique design where the thumb was separated from the other four toes, resembling a horse’s hoof. This split-toe design allowed samurai to better control the reins and stirrups while riding, but they were extremely cumbersome and uncomfortable to wear.
In addition, Hiyoshi Maru ordered sour plum soup to be prepared for Oda Nobunaga to quench his thirst and relieve his fatigue, and to wash away the dust and weariness of his journey.
Oda Nobunaga was “greatly pleased,” patting Hiyoshi Maru on the shoulder and exclaiming, “Well done, you fellow. If everyone were like you, I’d have much less to worry about.”
Hiyoshi Maru lowered his head as Oda Nobunaga patted him and said something in a low voice. Oda Nobunaga’s laughter grew even more joyous, and he nodded repeatedly.
Yuan Ye, now of considerable status, naturally also received a bowl of sour plum soup. However, he was always cautious about what he ate and drank outside. Food in this era was often prepared with unsanitary methods, and even when not, the hygiene conditions were appalling. Unless absolutely unavoidable, he disliked eating and drinking out.
He decided to take a bath to relax and left the stables. Maeda Toshiie immediately followed him out and, even as they walked away, turned back with a chuckle, saying, “Hiyoshi is truly sharp. He truly lives up to his nickname, ‘Monkey’.”
Yuan Ye, who was in the process of scrubbing dirt off himself, froze upon hearing this. He turned and stared at Maeda Toshiie, asking, “What did you just call him?”
Maeda Toshiie was startled by his intensity but, after considering that he hadn’t said anything wrong, hesitantly replied, “I didn’t say anything, did I? I just praised Hiyoshi for being sharp…”
“Not that,” Yuan Ye had stopped walking and continued to stare at him, asking, “What’s this about ‘Monkey’?”
“It’s his… nickname. A scoundrel once mocked him, saying he was like a monkey, and it just stuck. Everyone started calling him that.” Maeda Toshiie found it inexplicable, feeling that such things were no big deal. Who among the young didn’t have a nickname? Oda Nobunaga even called him Aken! Besides, he had a good relationship with Hiyoshi Maru; even if he called him “Monkey” to his face, Hiyoshi Maru wouldn’t be angry, he just wouldn’t usually call him that.
Yuan Ye was momentarily stunned. He quickly tried to recall Hiyoshi Maru’s appearance, but no matter how he thought about it, he was just a rather pleasant-looking young man, even handsome enough to be called comely. He had neither arms that reached his knees, nor hair growing on his face, nor ears that flapped in the wind. There was nothing about him that resembled a monkey.
Seeing Yuan Ye’s dazed expression, Maeda Toshiie became even more curious and cautiously asked, “What’s wrong, Sanlang?”
Yuan Ye snapped back to reality, pondered for a moment, and then smiled, “It’s nothing. I just think it’s not good to give people nicknames.”
Maeda Toshiie, though unconvinced, acknowledged that Yuan Ye was several years older than him and a “legendary figure.” He obediently nodded and said, “I was indeed a bit rude.”
“It’s not that serious,” Yuan Ye replied perfunctorily, then immediately asked, “Who gave him that nickname? And why do they call him Monkey?”
“It was a scoundrel named Shu Ami, who is by His Highness’s side. That fellow usually likes to act foolish and mock people,” Maeda Toshiie replied, then paused and hesitated, “As for why they call Hiyoshi Monkey, it’s probably because Hiyoshi shares his name with Hiyoshi Shrine, and the shrine is dedicated to the divine monkey… or rather, it was initially dedicated to the divine monkey, and now it’s just a subordinate deity to the lords of Mount Hiei and Mount Hiei.” Maeda Toshiie didn’t understand why Yuan Ye was so interested in such trivial matters, but he tried to recall, “Also, it seems that in the ‘Beast Scripture’ or some other book, it’s mentioned that keeping a monkey in the stable can prevent horses from getting sick. Hiyoshi works very diligently and practically sleeps in the stable every day, so that scoundrel Shu Ami would mock him, saying he was like a monkey tied up in the stable all day.” （Note 1）
Yuan Ye nodded slowly. With Maeda Toshiie’s reminder, he remembered that in ancient China, it was indeed believed that “monkeys could prevent horses from getting sick,” and there was a tradition of tying monkeys in stables.
For example, the book ‘Qi Min Yao Shu’ mentions, “Always tie a macaque in the horse stable, so that horses are not afraid, ward off evil, and cure all diseases.”
For example, ‘Si Shi Zhuan Yao’ records, “Always tie a macaque in the horse stable to ward off evil and cure all diseases, and prevent horses from getting mange.”
For example, in the ‘Compendium of Materia Medica,’ under the entry for “Macaque,” it quotes from ‘Beast Scripture: Horse Twelve’ saying, “Keep a female monkey in the horse stable to ward off horse plagues,” and also mentions sentences like, “The heavenly fluid flows onto the grass monthly, and horses that eat it will be free from illness.”
Furthermore, books like ‘Hu Qin Jing’ and ‘Yun Lu Man Chao’ also contain relevant records. This even influenced some storybooks from the Yuan and Ming dynasties, such as ‘Journey to the West,’ where Sun Wukong was first appointed as “Bimawen” (Bì mǎ wēn)
upon his first ascent to the Heavenly Palace, which originally meant “to prevent horse plagues.”
So, the reason Kinoshita Tōkichirō was called Monkey was not because he looked like one, but because he was in charge of horses and lived in the stables. This is why people gave him such a nickname.
Honestly, Yuan Ye had never thought of this before. He had spent so much time wandering around Oda Nobunaga’s residence, looking for anyone with hair on their face, arms reaching their knees, or a simian appearance. Even after chatting with Hiyoshi Maru, he hadn’t considered him. Hiyoshi Maru seemed capable and ambitious, wanting to become a samurai, but there were plenty of capable people who wanted to become samurai in this era. If Yuan Ye suspected everyone he met, he would have nothing else to do all day but guess wildly.
Of course, now with the nickname “Monkey” as evidence, Hiyoshi Maru was 99.99% likely to be the future Kinoshita Tōkichirō, Hashiba Hideyoshi, and Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
Heaven knows, after years of hardship, and with Oda Nobunaga having unified the eight provinces of Owari, he had finally found the Monkey. Or rather, the Monkey had finally appeared, now serving as a follower to Oda Nobunaga, not yet a samurai.
Once the person was found, it would be easier. Yuan Ye didn’t rush to turn around and sprint back to the stables to stab Hiyoshi Maru. Maintaining a calm expression, he severely criticized the disrespectful Shu Ami and then, following the topic, inquired about Hiyoshi Maru’s background. He genuinely couldn’t recall the Monkey’s origins, only that he came from humble beginnings. However, it didn’t quite add up. A simple commoner would not have attended a temple school, nor would they have served as a “strategist magistrate” in a local lord’s household. Furthermore, it was unlikely they could have smoothly entered Oda Nobunaga’s residence after leaving and quickly risen to the position of Head of the Horse Department.
Maeda Toshiie was quite knowledgeable about these matters. Seeing Yuan Ye’s interest in Hiyoshi Maru, he happily replied, “Hiyoshi Maru’s background? His father was a companion to Lord Nobuhide, known as Tsuku Ami. He was once deeply trusted by Lord Nobuhide, but he has since retired and lives in Nakamura, not far from Hibitsu Village.
Hiyoshi Maru also went out to seek his fortune for a while, but I heard it didn’t go well. Because of his abilities, some people in the Matsushita family became jealous, and he eventually had to leave. After leaving, he stayed in Mino, Omi, and Kyoto for several years before returning last year. Upon his return, his father recommended him to the Lord.”
So that’s how it was?
Yuan Ye felt this explanation made sense and nodded slightly, “So his father was a companion…”
Companions primarily served to entertain and socialize with the Daimyo. In the Daimyo’s daily life, companions would play chess, hanafuda, or engage in kemari with them, helping the Daimyo relax and alleviate the stress of political and military affairs. During important social events or banquets, companions would also participate, livening up the atmosphere and fostering social interaction through performances, jokes, and other talents.
During this period, Yuan Ye had also watched Oda Nobunaga’s companions perform their talents, but he never imagined the Monkey came from an “artistic family.” In a sense, it wasn’t wrong to say the Monkey came from humble beginnings. Many companions were like playthings, not truly respectable, and their social status was far below that of samurai.
Maeda Toshiie felt that Yuan Ye was a bit strange today, but he couldn’t pinpoint why. He could only follow Yuan Ye’s lead and say, “He is indeed a companion. That scoundrel Shu Ami seems to have been mocked by Hiyoshi Maru’s father in the past, which is why he keeps mocking Hiyoshi Maru. However, Hiyoshi Maru has never held it against him.”
Yuan Ye nodded again, then vaguely criticized the petty Shu Ami, and after a few more casual remarks, declared he was tired and wanted to take a bath to relax, directly dismissing Maeda Toshiie.
However, he didn’t actually go to take a bath. He wasn’t in the mood. He called A Man, who was loudly ordering Oda Family maidservants to hurry and bring the bathtub, over. He also sent the Oda Family maidservants away and quietly said to A Man and A Qing, “I plan to kill someone. Help me figure out how to do it.”
He had no experience with murder and needed to consult an expert.
A Man and A Qing were both stunned. Yuan Ye had always been quite gentle, and even on the battlefield, he had never hesitated. But in daily life, for him to say he wanted to “kill someone” was indeed a first.
…
Note 1: This is my own speculation. I have looked at many portraits of Hashiba Hideyoshi. Although they all look wrinkled like pickled radishes, none of them resemble a monkey. I later researched and couldn’t find any definitive explanations, so I made this inference. If there are other interpretations, they should take precedence.
