Owari Yumeki Golden Day.

The key question is whether marrying off a daughter can secure sufficient military and political benefits. Nobunaga gained the arquebuses of Hino-cho by marrying off his daughter, while Tokugawa Hidetada maintained harmony with the Maeda clan by marrying off his daughter.

What would Takeda Shingen gain by marrying off his daughter now?

Once the Kobe and Kobe families reach an agreement, and Ashikaga Yoshiaki puts in a little more effort to achieve an agreement between Kobe and Kobe, then the Takeda clan will have to launch their campaigns on the sea route.

Hesitation, doubt, and wavering.

At this moment, Atobe Katsuyuki returned to the castle from the lodgings outside the castle and immediately reported to Shingen on the "grand scale" of the Oda army. There were five hundred samurai alone equipped with longbows and mounted on horseback. There were also several hundred mounted servants, totaling a thousand horsemen. The archers, long-range halberd users, and arquebusiers in the ranks were all well-equipped and in high spirits.

It's said that Oda's army was soundly defeated in the Kinai region, exhausted and demoralized, but this now appears to be nothing but rumors. The key point is that this force wasn't even Oda Nobunaga's main force; it was a unit composed of Kawamura clan members, including some of his own men.

If the troops of one of the most important retainers in the household are like this, how elite and mighty must Nobunaga's ten thousand-strong main force at Gifu Castle be?

The Takeda clan, relying on the gold mines, also organized a considerable standing army, but in terms of numbers, how could it compare to Oda Nobunaga? Furthermore, if the conscription of civilians for military service dragged on for a long time, the farming within their territory and the annual tribute for the following year would all be abandoned.

Breaking the alliance with the Oda clan so easily would probably not be a good thing.

Upon hearing Atobe Katsuyuki's words, Takeda Shingen's hesitation deepened, but he did not immediately offer any opinion. Instead, he disguised himself and, accompanied only by a few attendants, went to the lodgings where the Oda army was staying.

Outside the castle, thousands of Oda cavalrymen were letting their horses graze and grooming. Their composure was in no way inferior to that of the Takeda clan's Obata Red Guards.

As for the other troops, Shingen certainly considered them elite. At least in terms of encampment and fortification, they all appeared experienced. Kawamura's army had served Nobunaga's main force and logistics for many years, so setting up camps was certainly skillful. Even now, within allied territory, Shichibei had not relaxed his vigilance.

What Shingen saw was a different story.

Chapter 232 Buy One Get One Free

Shichibei still needs to be met, but it's truly astonishing that the small merchant who taught papermaking and wax crafting in Kai has now grown into a force of 3,500 riders.

Takeda Shingen, who considered himself capable of discovering talent even among commoners, suddenly began to doubt his own judgment. He had once said that Nobunaga's offer of only 70 kan for Shichibei was a waste of his talent. Why hadn't he been more decisive then and offered 7,000 kan for Shichibei?

However, this thought was only fleeting. Shichibei was new to the area; how could he possibly place 7,000 kan in a position? If that were the case, the Kai court officials would all be dissatisfied.

Let's meet.

As for the marriage of Takeda Matsuhime? We'll discuss that after we've met with Shichibei.

So Takeda Shingen finally "returned" from Chōzen-ji Temple to Tsutsuzaki Castle. Shichibei and Tōyama Kagetoshi, who had been notified, went up the castle together to await an audience. Shingen was a high-ranking daimyo with a million koku of rice, and Shichibei and Tōyama Kagetoshi waited patiently under the eaves without the slightest complaint or temper; waiting was perfectly normal at a time like this.

After waiting a short while, someone came to report that the magistrate of the castle wanted to relocate some of Oda's troops to Inuyama Yashiki and asked the two lords to help with the matter.

It seemed that Shingen had returned from outside and didn't want the Oda army to get too close to the castle walls, so he wanted to relocate people from the houses on the outer side of the castle. However, he was about to be summoned, and Shichibei couldn't leave, so Toyama Kagetoshi volunteered to take charge of the matter. "Go quickly and come back quickly. If you can make it in time for the audience, then do so. If you can't, then please ask Shichibei to make sure that Shingen marries off his daughter."

"Don't worry, I've got it all under my control," Shichibei nodded quickly, and asked Toyama Kagetoshi to help move the Oda army.

After waiting a while longer, a shout came from inside that the lord had arrived. Shichibei quickly lowered his head and then saw a line of large feet pass by in front of him. After everyone was seated, two servants came to invite Shichibei into the hall. He bowed and looked up again; it was none other than Shingen.

Years ago, when he escorted Lady Toyama to marry into the Takeda family, Shichibei had met Takeda Shingen and the Takeda clan's retainers once. However, at that time, he was just a messenger on the road and only saw them from afar, unlike this time when they met face to face.

Looking at Shingen's next move, Atobe Katsuyuki and Yamagata Masakage are positioned side by side. Baba Nobuharu, Naito Masatoyo, and Kosaka Masanobu are likely stationed at their respective strategic locations and not within the castle.

Even Anayama Nobuhito was in Sunpu Castle, which is actually similar to the Oda clan's model. Hideyoshi was in Yokoyama Castle for a long time, Mori Yoshinari was in Usayama Castle, and Mitsuhide was in Kyoto. They all had their own direction and did not usually serve Nobunaga.

Then, Nobunaga's page, attendants, and right-hand scribe gradually gained control of the central power, to the point that even the generals of the outer domains had to curry favor with these minor figures.

There's no way around it; this is the same throughout history and across the world, since the composition and source of power are mostly concentrated in one person.

Shichibei then bowed to Atobe Katsuyuki and Yamagata Masakage, both of whom were old acquaintances. Yamagata Masakage had even given Shichibei a warhorse named "Kai Kuro" or "Iifu Kuro," but Shichibei rarely went to war and eventually sold the horse.

Sometimes I think that Shichibei does have the personality of a small businessman, quite petty, not so bold.

He delivered Nobunaga's letter to Shingen, reiterating Nobunaga's intention to arrange for his eldest son, Oda Kyokumaru, to marry Takeda Matsuhime. He also offered auspicious words such as "May the two families form a united front and live in lasting harmony."

Shingen simply read Nobunaga's letter indifferently, then chatted casually with Shichibei. In fact, Shichibei had correspondence and business dealings with many people in Kai, such as Yonekura Nobutsugu, who even sent samples to Shichibei, so much so that he personally traveled to Owari to thank him.

Therefore, Shichibei's situation was not a secret in Kai. For example, it was well known that he came from the Tsushima clan and was originally just an ordinary stable boy responsible for transporting horses in the Tsushima region of Owari. Even the story of Shichibei helping Hideyoshi build a castle in Sunomata and lending him 2,000 kan was circulated in Kai.

Speaking of which, Hideyoshi is now truly a "famous general".

Two tremendous achievements—the Battle of Sunomata Castle and the Battle of Kanesaki—truly spread Hideyoshi's name far and wide, making all of Japan aware that Nobunaga had a loyal and devoted general under his command.

Shichibei's initial loan of a thousand kan wasn't a bad deal; his name is now part of the story. So, making a name for oneself in history doesn't seem so difficult after all; you just need to follow the right person, and opportunities will come. The powerful can serve a king, rising from humble beginnings. The less powerful can find a cultured person to write a travelogue, and end up among the retinue at the end of that travelogue.

But Takeda Shingen, in broad daylight, instead of discussing marriage, what's with Shichibei, chatting about everyday things?

Actually, it was only just before Takeda Shingen stepped through the door that he suddenly remembered something. What was the "Owari card" that Takeda Shingen currently possessed? It was Inuyama Tessai.

Just in case, this fellow is also known as Inuyama Nobukiyo or Oda Nobukiyo. He is the head of the Inuyama Oda clan in the fourth district of Kamiowara and has considerable influence and connections in Kamiowara.

When Inuyama surrendered his castle, Inuyama Tessai fled to Kai, perhaps waiting for the opportunity to allow the Takeda clan to retake Owari. However, that opportunity has been waiting a long time, and it has yet to be revealed.

Furthermore, with Takeda Shingen and Saito Tatsuoki having also formed an alliance, the Takeda clan could easily acquire the followers of the former Mino guardians, the Saito clan, or rather, the Isshiki clan. Supporting Tatsuoki in their campaign back to Mino, there's no doubt that traitors might jump out and be willing to rejoin Tatsuoki's cause.

From this perspective, Shingen already had the legitimate claim to Mino and Upper Owari; all he needed now was Lower Owari.

Unfortunately, the four districts of Shimo-Owari were deeply entrenched territories managed by Oda Nobuhide and his son Nobunaga over two generations. If, after Oda Nobukatsu's defeat, he did not seek Nobunaga's forgiveness but instead chose to flee to the Takeda clan, then it would be quite reasonable for Takeda Shingen to support Oda Nobukatsu in his campaign back to Shimo-Owari.

Otherwise, the only option would be a direct confrontation. Local lords have no legitimate reason to surrender, so the Takeda army would face a very difficult situation.

Before my eyes...

Before me stands a powerful local tyrant, a man of great influence and influence in Owari, who has been entrenched there for many years. I've heard that Shichibei not only effectively controls Tsushima, but also Atsuta, and even served as the governor of Kaito District.

"Shichibei, I heard you have several younger sisters?" Atobe Katsuyuki asked, taking the initiative to ask.

"Yes, the eldest sister married Inase Takeichiro, the younger brother of the lord's servants; the second sister married Kinoshita Koichiro, the younger brother of Kinoshita-dono, the lord of Yokoyama Castle; another sister married Shibata Gonroku Nagakatsu, the new head of the Shibata clan of the Shibata clan; and two others are not yet betrothed."

“Not bad, not bad, really not bad…” Atobe Katsuyuki nodded repeatedly, seemingly unsure of what was so good about it.

Of course, it's because Hideyoshi's Yokoyama Castle served as both a key to prevent the forces from Koho and Echizen from entering the south, and a good outpost for Mino to break into Koshu.

Perhaps by leveraging this connection, we can also bring Yokoyama Castle under the control of the Takeda clan.

"Genshiro is not married, is he?" Takeda Shingen actually mentioned Yamagata Masakage's son, Yamagata Masamitsu.

"Never." Yamagata Masakage actually has quite a few children.

Of those, seven or eight survived to adulthood. Moreover, after the fall of the Takeda clan, someone risked their life to escape to Echigo and seek refuge with Uesugi Kagekatsu, the son-in-law of the Takeda family. Not only was the family name preserved, but even the clan's treasured books were preserved. Later, various places in Japan held retro-style parades, and this particular Takeda family parade was organized by a descendant of the Yamagata family, who served as the head of the former Takeda family's association.

"Would Shichibei be willing to form an alliance with the Yamagata family?" Takeda Shingen seemed to be asking Shichibei's opinion, but his tone was actually a bit forceful.

"This matter must be reported to my lord." Shichibei truly hadn't expected things to develop to this point so suddenly.

She only has two younger sisters, both daughters of core samurai groups from the old Owari, Oda, and Shimotsu districts, making them important marriage partners. She definitely needs Oda Nobunaga's approval to find a husband.

But what does Shingen mean by this? If he doesn't agree, surely Shingen wouldn't just reject the marriage between Takeda Matsuhime and Oda Kyokumaru? That would be ridiculous, a classic case of buy one, get one free.

"Hmm?" Shingen remained silent, only smiling as he stared at Shichibei, his eyes asking, "Are you sure?"

"This...this..." I had considered that Shingen wouldn't allow it, and I had considered that Shingen would ask for an exorbitant amount, but the only thing I hadn't expected was that Shingen would insist on a buy-one-get-one-free deal.

When others give away a free gift, it's always willingly. But when it comes to me, it's like I'm being forced to give away a free gift.

"Alright, I have received your lord's letter. Please allow me to think it over before giving a reply." Shingen waved his hand, saying that he needed to think it over, but actually he was giving Shichibei time to think it over.

Takeda Shingen first turned his back and left through the side porch. Then Yamagata Masakage and Atobe Katsuyuki walked up to Shichibei and gestured for him to leave the palace with them.

Atobe Katsuyuki congratulated Shichibei on the upcoming marriage alliance with the Yamagata family. By the standards of that era, the Yamagata family was a prestigious clan with a stipend of over 100,000 koku, while Shichibei's family, the Kawamura family, only had a maximum of 6,200 koku. To be able to marry his daughter into the Yamagata family was truly a stroke of good fortune.

Climbing the social ladder? Climb your ass! Who knows if, in a couple of years, during the Battle of Nagashino, this Yamagata Genshiro will turn into a sieve along with his father?

If we all become sieves, then my sister will be living a life of widowhood after marrying into the family. More importantly, after the Takeda clan is destroyed, as a member of the Takeda clan's ancestral lineage, the entire Yamagata family will definitely be among those hunted down.

First, she lived like a widow, then her whole family was killed. Did I owe you something? Why would you push your own sister into such a hellhole?

"Enough said, there's nothing more to say," Shichibei said, leaving the castle without a word. "Why does this have to involve the Kawamura family?"

Meanwhile, Toyama Kagetoshi had already prepared his camp below the castle and was waiting for Shichibei's return. Upon learning that Takeda Shingen had actually taken the initiative to arrange a marriage between Shichibei and Yamagata Masakage at the palace, he offered his congratulations.

That's true, Toyama Kageto didn't know that the Takeda clan would fight the Oda clan.

In his mind, with Takeda Shingen and Hojo Ujiyasu locked in a fierce battle, it was highly likely that the future would see the Takeda clan moving east and the Oda clan moving west, eventually dividing Japan between the two families.

Given this premise, Shichibei's marriage alliance with the Yamagata family, one of the Four Heavenly Kings of Takeda, would be an excellent choice that would broaden his horizons considerably.

Is there a problem?

no problem.

At present, only Oda Nobunaga and Shichibei of the Oda clan are absolutely certain that Takeda Shingen has already decided to send troops to fight Oda. This preemptive assessment of the enemy's intentions is making Shichibei extremely uneasy.

Shichibei suggested that Nobunaga should be informed of this matter, since he was a retainer and it was only right that his lord be informed of the sudden marriage alliance with a retainer of another daimyo. However, Toyama Kagetoshi argued that traveling to and from Gifu would be too slow, taking at least ten days. He warned that delays could lead to complications, and it would be better to seize this opportunity to quickly bring Princess Matsuhime to Gifu.

As long as Princess Matsuri successfully marries into the Oda clan, solidifying the marriage alliance between the Oda and Takeda families, it wouldn't be a problem to bring in another princess from the Oda clan, let alone a daughter from the samurai family.

A small price to pay—no, that's not even a price to pay.

After hearing Toyama Kageto's words, Shichibei did indeed hesitate. Nobunaga desperately needed to maintain the alliance with the Takeda clan; the situation in the Kinai region was not optimistic, and Asakura Yoshikage was about to become in-laws with Honganji Kennyo. At that time, the Echizen army could then charge into Omi and Yamashiro without any worries about their rear.

Besieged on all sides, Nobunaga wished he could be used in two separate ways, so he wouldn't care about the Kawamura family's daughter.

hiss……

Chapter 233 Observing Shingen Endure His Illness

Row!

You can't catch a wolf without risking your cub; this is a critical moment. If Yamagata Genshiro turns out to be a sieve, Shichibei will send men to snatch his sister back, even if it means doing it in the middle of the night.

In those days, it was common for widows to remarry. Even Princess Oichi married Azai Nagamasa first, and then Shibata Katsuie. As for Hideyoshi's sister, she married three times, and finally married into the Tokugawa family at the age of forty.

Because there were records of women giving birth at the age of forty, Tokugawa Ieyasu actually made a very serious agreement with Hideyoshi that even if his sister gave birth to a son later, he would not change the status of the eldest son of the Tokugawa family.

Of course, if Yamagata Genshiro doesn't turn into a sieve and lives to see the Kai conquest, Shichibei will risk everything to save his family.

If Nobunaga doesn't even give him this much face, then he really doesn't care about any of his hard work.

Having made up his mind, Shichibei immediately sent a message to Yonekura Nobutsugu, an old acquaintance who had come to entertain the Oda delegation, expressing that he had accepted the kindness of the previous Daizen-daifu-dono.

It's just that my sister is marrying into the Takeda family. You can send anyone with me to Gifu Castle. Shichibei will prepare a dowry of at least 2,000 kan and give my sister a grand and glorious marriage to Kai.

Yonekura Nobutsugu was naturally aware of Shingen's earlier proposal to arrange a marriage between Shichibei and Yamagata Masakage. However, someone of his status was clearly unaware that Takeda Shingen had already set his sights on westward expansion. Like Toyama Kageto, he considered this a momentous occasion, a truly auspicious union.

In the future, with the Takeda and Oda clans sharing power, marriage alliances between their retainers will certainly become more frequent.

If it weren't for his low social standing, Yonekura Nobutsugu would have surely asked Shichibei to marry his sister to his brother. In any case, Yonekura Nobutsugu was overjoyed upon hearing the reply and rushed back to his residence to report the matter to Takeda Shingen.

"Shichibei, hmph, you and I might be working together in the future." Inuyama Tessai, who had been watching for a while, suddenly spoke to Shichibei.

"What?" Shichibei looked around and saw that it was just himself and Inuyama Tessai.

"It's nothing, it's nothing." Inuyama Tessai just smiled, patted Shichibei on the shoulder, and continued to stroll in the large courtyard of the residence.

Since being defeated by Nobunaga at Inuyama Castle and forced to flee to Kai, Inuyama Tessai had spent nearly ten years living as a guest shogun. What was he waiting for? Of course, it was for Takeda Shingen to lead him, in the name of his Inuyama Oda clan, to retake Owari.

Others might not see anything, or even think of it in any particular way, but Inuyama Tessai saw it clearly.

During this period in particular, many people, including Takeda Shingen, consulted him about various aspects of Owari, wanting to understand its mountains, geography, customs, and culture. What did this mean? Inuyama Tessai, single-mindedly focused on retaking Inuyama Castle, certainly understood, and he already had a guess in his mind.