Owari Yumeki Golden Day.

Seeing that there were people at the door and behind Nobunaga, Shichibei coughed lightly twice. Nobunaga understood, but he obviously didn't realize that Shichibei had something very important to say, that even his favorite page, Mori Katsuzo (Mori Nagayoshi), couldn't be present.

Since matters of state and military importance were paramount, Nobunaga quickly dismissed his attendants, leaving only a dim lamp in the hall.

"Dr. Kai Takeda seems to be seriously ill!"

A single, simple sentence was enough to shake Nobunaga, who had been looking relaxed. Disregarding all decorum, Nobunaga immediately moved to Shichibei's side, and the two practically whispered to each other.

"How can you tell!" Nobunaga whispered quickly and softly into Shichibei's ear.

"The renowned physician of Kai, Nagata Tokumoto, often attends to him. When I observed the previous gathering, I noticed that Dr. Takeda was trying his best to suppress the pain in his body." Although Shichibei had some foresight, at this moment it was mainly speculation.

"What illness? Do you know?" Nobunaga raised an eyebrow, clearly taking this news very seriously.

"It's hard to say. Judging from his complexion, he's not yet in a state of collapse." Shichibei thought for a moment, unsure how to describe esophageal cancer at this moment.

"Well……"

"Perhaps it was tuberculosis." Later generations also said that Shingen might have had pulmonary tuberculosis, and Shichibei mentioned it as well.

These days, many people get tuberculosis. After all, many people can't afford treatment for minor illnesses, or they just wait for it to heal on its own. As a result, upper respiratory tract infections can develop into pneumonia, and if pneumonia is left untreated, who knows what kind of lung disease it might develop into? Unfortunately, there's no cure these days; getting it is basically a death sentence.

"Consumption!" Upon hearing this disease, Nobunaga swallowed hard.

It's an incurable disease. Even Nobunaga, who didn't have much medical knowledge, knew the risks of this illness. If it were the elderly Ieyasu here, he might very well start asking about the symptoms and making a diagnosis.

"I cannot confirm this either, as it is merely speculation." Shichibei would not speak too definitively.

"Haha, the tiger of Kai, the tiger of Kai is actually sick..." Nobunaga turned away from Shichibei at this moment, muttering to himself.

Shingen is fifty years old this year. According to Nobunaga, that's fifty years of life, like a dream or an illusion. Anyway, if you live past fifty, then your life hasn't been in vain.

Perhaps in Nobunaga's view, it would be best if Shingen died immediately. Then, Takeda Yoshiyori, who succeeded him, would need at least two or three years to stabilize his household and inherit power. This would give the Oda clan some breathing room. Even if peace was restored within the Takeda household, if Takeda Yoshiyori attacked again, Nobunaga would be able to handle the situation with ease.

"My lord, you must be careful. This is not a confirmed incident." Shichibei suddenly put on airs when he saw Nobunaga's appearance.

Nobunaga wasn't like Nagata Tokumoto, who personally examined Takeda Shingen's pulse and knew his physical condition. What's being discussed now is merely speculation. To hope for Shingen's swift death out of fear of his betrayal is certainly wrong.

While Shingen's death would certainly be a great boon for Nobunaga, whether Shingen is dead or not, we must be prepared for him to betray the alliance and attack Oda. We cannot let our guard down just because of this speculation.

"You're right!" Nobunaga, who was muttering to himself, looked at Shichibei and raised his hand to pat Shichibei's arm.

"But at least for now, Takeda won't betray the alliance immediately." Shichibei Kai didn't go there for nothing; he confirmed that Takeda Shingen was not yet ready to fight the Oda army.

Many of the Takeda clan's troops were deployed to the front lines, opposing the Hojo and Uesugi clans. So much so that it wasn't until Princess Matsuhime's marriage, when the entire army was carried out of Tsutsuzaki Castle, that Kosaka Masanobu and Naito Masatoyo, who were guarding the border, returned to Kai.

This shows that even now, the main competitors facing the Takeda army are still the Uesugi and Hojo clans, who have already achieved peace with each other.

Hojo Ujiyasu gave his son to Uesugi Kenshin as a foster son, which was a significant sacrifice. With the two families on good terms, it was entirely possible for them to join forces and launch an attack on the Takeda clan.

"Hoo..." Nobunaga didn't reply, but just let out a long sigh.

But he immediately instructed Shichibei that since they had begun to suspect that Shingen was ill, they should find a way to send someone to Kai to find out the details of the matter.

Now, members of the Oda clan can freely travel in and out of Kai and Shinano provinces by posing as horse brokers at Kawamuraya. It would be perfectly reasonable for them to live even outside Tsutsuzaki Castle.

Therefore, Nobunaga entrusted the entire matter to Shichibei. Whether it was bribery or espionage, as long as the truth could be uncovered, Nobunaga would reimburse him in full, along with a reward, no matter the cost.

If manpower is insufficient, they can also hire from Takigawa Kazumasu. Due to the loss of Kita-Ise, many members of the Takigawa faction have gone hungry and are looking for work.

Chapter 235 Encirclement and Reinforcements Fails

okay.

Shichibei can handle this; while working out the process from the answer is difficult for someone completely unfamiliar with the subject, it's much easier for someone with some background knowledge.

In any case, the probability that Takeda Shingen eventually died of illness is at least 80% to 100%. Following this conclusion and reasoning along the steps is definitely easier than searching aimlessly for other information.

More importantly, regardless of whether Takeda Shingen was truly seriously ill, the Takeda clan had at least stabilized itself within the past year or two. Nobunaga, who had been worried about being attacked from both the east and the west, could finally act freely, focusing on dealing with the Miyoshi Triumvirate or Asakura Yoshikage. By defeating either of them, Nobunaga would have freed up his resources.

As for Shichibei's sister...

Nobunaga did not hesitate and solemnly promised Shichibei that swords have no eyes on the battlefield, and if he were killed, that was his fate, and they would not interfere. He also promised that if this so-called Yamagata Genshiro did not die in battle, Nobunaga would guarantee that his entire family would not be killed if he ever marched into Tsutsuzaki Castle. Furthermore, he allowed Shichibei to take the family as his retainers or vassals, serving the Oda clan.

There's no point in talking about compensation right now. He'll add a dowry, which will be around a thousand strings of cash, coming from his personal expenses.

Okay, I've noted that promise.

When we hunt the Takeda clan in the future, we'll have Yamagata Genshiro raise the Kawamura family's banner. Which of the many generals of the Oda clan doesn't know them? They all owe us money. We'll instruct them to discipline their soldiers and not to kill indiscriminately upon seeing the Kawamura banner; these are all family members of Shichibei.

There's no need to sign or seal a document with Nobunaga for this kind of thing. Nobunaga is a man of his word; if he says he'll kill your whole family, he will. Generally speaking, people take their promises very seriously.

By the way, what happened in Gifu or the Kinai region during the time Shichibei was away?

With Nobunaga still in Gifu, it's highly likely that nothing major happened. The biggest event was the marriage agreement between the Asakura Yoshikage and Honganji Kennyo families, which was formally finalized through the mediation of Ashikaga Yoshiaki. This event slightly eased the already bitter rivalry between the Asakura family and the Jodo Shinshu sect.

So, war is about to break out? Even a military novice like Shichibei felt that Asakura Yoshikage was definitely going to pull off a heist, so how could Nobunaga not know?

With Oda Nobutada's coming-of-age ceremony already completed, Nobunaga planned to take advantage of the fact that the Asakura army had not yet fully mobilized, to open up the situation, fight a cheap battle, and give Oda Nobutada a boost.

Attack Hori-hide Village at Kamajima Castle in Sakata County, north of the Yangtze River!

Hori Hidemura and Higuchi Naofabu possessed territories with an official value of 60,000 koku, but their actual value was well over 100,000 koku. They rallied nearly 5,000 men to support Asakura Yoshikage. This not only incited the lords of Kohoku but also severed the direct connection between Nobunaga and Azai Nagamasa, making them utterly despicable.

Of course, the most important thing is to pick the weakest link. When Nobunaga attacked Horihidemura, his supply lines were very short, almost negligible, and he didn't even need small pack animals to accompany his army. Moreover, Horihidemura was Asakura Yoshikage's stronghold north of the river, so the Asakura army would definitely try to come to his aid.

Encircle and attack reinforcements – a sure-fire strategy for military victory.

If Asakura Yoshikage doesn't come to the rescue, then killing Hori Hidemura and gaining 100,000 koku of land would be enough to install a strong and capable samurai general specifically to deal with the Echizen affair.

After hearing Nobunaga's plan, Shichibei agreed. Nobunaga was generally reliable in warfare; as long as he was clear-headed and didn't get carried away, he was quite adept at it. He knew when to be reckless and when to be cautious, winning many battles but also suffering quite a few defeats.

Have you seen that Nobunaga is missing even a single hair?

no.

Winning a battle is impressive, but defeating a enemy with thousands killed and escaping unscathed is equally impressive. Nobunaga was such a person, so let him fight.

Nobunaga didn't really need Shichibei in the current battle, and he had just received the shocking news that Takeda Shingen might be seriously ill. He needed to process the news a little, so he waved for Shichibei to leave.

Shichibei opened the gate, and Mori Katsumi and his page servants knelt on the veranda twenty meters away. Shichibei beckoned to them, and they then rose and came over.

His eyes were quite clear. Although rumors of an affair between Nobunaga and Shichibei had been circulating among Nobunaga's page families for years, Mori Katsuzo didn't entirely believe them. Nobunaga was also getting older; he was a few years older than Hideyoshi.

Even these simple, strong, and handsome young men are not people you see every day, so how could Nobunaga possibly have any special feelings for Shichibei?

It's definitely just a rumor from outside; Mori Katsuzo certainly doesn't believe it.

But when he opened the barrier and sat down beside Nobunaga again, Mori Katsuzo was greatly alarmed. Nobunaga's face had an unusual flush, the kind of flush that only appears after extreme excitement and pleasure. Just moments ago, Shichibei had instructed Nobunaga to shield everyone around them, so the two of them could quietly remain inside.

Could it be, could it be, could it be...?

I just saw Shichibei walk out with his legs spread wide apart. Good heavens, Shichibei was plotting with Nobunaga. The two of them were whispering in each other's ears, wishing that old man Takeda Shingen would die soon. So he was leaning over, putting all his weight on one leg, which is why he was a little numb and walked with his legs spread apart.

Incredulous, Mori Katsuzo glanced at Shibata Nagakatsu, who was guarding the door, his eyes flashing. Shibata Nagakatsu immediately closed his eyes. "Is this something we can speculate about? You'd better close your eyes already."

Look, Shibata Nagakatsu may not be that old, but he has taken on the responsibility of the Shibata family at such a young age. His awareness is much stronger than that of Mori Katsuzo, who is just a page.

Mori Katsumi, filled with suspicion, glanced at Nobunaga and had no choice but to sit down. Nobunaga, preoccupied with his calculations regarding the Takeda clan's actions, paid no heed to the thoughts of his page servants and simply smiled.

Shichibei, having left the castle, turned and went home. Thankfully, he hadn't lingered in Kai; the young shogun was now over nine months pregnant and could give birth at any moment. Even if Nobunaga went to attack Horihide Village later, Shichibei would only need to stay in Gifu. After all, with Kamaji Castle so far away, a fast horse could make a round trip in a day—what need was there for logistics?

If anything is needed, just tell someone to come back to Gifu and ask for it. It can be delivered to the front line within two days. There is no need to recruit a large number of civilians to accompany the army and consume precious food and supplies.

Furthermore, since Oda Nobutada was going to war for the first time, it was likely that Nobunaga's elder brother, Oda Nobuhiro, would have to stay behind in Gifu to serve as a garrison commander. Shichibei would then be able to assist his father-in-law by guarding the city in Gifu.

Seeing that his wife was alright, Shichibei spoke with his sixth sister, Midori. Midori was still quite surprised that she was to marry the eldest son of the Takeda clan's vassal, the Yamamoto family. But she accepted it nonetheless, though the prospect of marrying far away to Kai left her somewhat forlorn.

The other sisters, though supposedly married off, all ended up staying just across the street from Gifu Castle. She, however, was to be married off far away, but this was the fate of most daughters of samurai families, and there was no way to complain. She had no choice but to accept it helplessly.

Shichibei offered a few words of comfort, but couldn't really say no. Just like when Nobunaga ordered his fifth sister to marry Shibata Nagakatsu, there was absolutely no affection involved, but she still had to marry him.

Pack your things, your brother will definitely give you a grand send-off to the Takeda family. You'll have everything others have. Anything you don't? Shichibei will prepare your dowry like a noblewoman marrying off in Kyoto.

Atobe Katsuyuki and Katsuyama Nobusada attended the wedding banquet in Gifu to congratulate Oda Nobutada and Takeda Matsuhime, the newlyweds, before returning to Kai with Shichibei's sister to report back. Shichibei also selected two honest and hardworking men from two families to accompany his sister as part of her dowry to Kai.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, a temporary stable was also set up below the Tsutsuzaki residence in Kai. Ostensibly, it was established to purchase horses from Kai and Shinano, but its main purpose was actually to gather information about Takeda Shingen's situation.

With everything settled, Nobunaga, along with Oda Nobutada and other generals from Mino, gathered about 30,000 men and went to Sakata District in the north of the river to besiege Kamajima Castle, once again engaging in battle.

However, contrary to Shichibei's prediction, Oda Nobunaga ordered Oda Nobuhiro to lead 5,000 men, along with Hirate Hirohide's 1,000 men, to garrison Kiyosu Castle and deal with the direction of Nagashima Ganshoji Temple.

He then ordered his eldest son, Oda Nobumasa, to serve as the commander-in-chief of the Gifu garrison, with Shichibei as his deputy, to guard Nobunaga's stronghold in Gifu.

Militarily, Nobunaga had his own considerations, and Shichibei had no right to interfere. Since Nobunaga sought stability and sent Oda Nobuhiro to Kiyosu Castle, then so be it.

The Ganshoji Temple on Nagashima Island did indeed possess some fighting power, given that it had absorbed a large number of people from northern Ise Province. More importantly, it leveraged the religious core of Ganshoji Temple and the shared will to resist the Oda army's invasion, effectively uniting them.

Furthermore, most of the traitors within the faction had already sided with Oda during the previous campaign against Oda's northern Ise region. At this point, the faction is unprecedentedly united and harmonious, making it unlikely for any traitors to emerge.

Such a formidable enemy deserves our serious attention.

As for Oda Nobumasa, as we've discussed before, he was essentially a backup before Oda Nobutada's coming-of-age ceremony. Now that Oda Nobutada has passed away, the Oda clan's succession is secure, so Nobumasa has to start looking for a successor.

Historically, Nobumasa's next husband was our adoptive father-in-law, Oda Nobuhiro. Nobuhiro wasn't infertile; he simply had daughters with every child. When he died at the Battle of Nagashima, he hadn't lost a single son. So, naturally, Nobunaga gave his eldest son, Nobumasa, to his brother as his heir.

Oda Nobuhiro is currently alive and well, and is still one of the top legion commanders in the Oda clan. So the issue of succession may not be so simple. Who knows?

Let's wait and see what Nobunaga decides later; it has nothing to do with Shichibei anyway. Although Nobunaga arranges for the child to be given to his subordinates and local people, he does so only after careful consideration.

By the way, according to records, Oda Nobumasa's lineage was known as the legendary long-lived kings. Nobumasa himself lived to the age of 92, his son Nobuhira to 90, and his grandson Nobunao to 90. By the time Oda Nobunao passed away, the shogunate was about to pass on to its sixth shogun.

If the opportunity arises, I'll see if I can arrange a marriage with Oda Nobumasa and maybe inherit some of his genes. Living so long in this chaotic Warring States period is pointless, but once the Edo period arrives and the world is at peace, there will be plenty of days to enjoy wealth and luxury.

That's all for now, let's prepare to defend the city.

Oda Nobumasa was only three years older than Oda Nobutada, quite young, and lacked combat experience. His first battle was the attack on Mino in 1665, which was not particularly difficult, and he was subsequently granted the title of Lord of Koto Castle. Koto Castle was the residence of Oda Nobuhide when he fought for control of the four lower districts of Owari Province, and was an important stronghold for suppressing Atsuta Shrine.

However, the ancient ferry crossing is now an abandoned city, just a fortified village, which you could think of as a landlord's compound. Anyway, it had a wall and an arrow tower, so it could be considered a stronghold.

Oda Nobumasa was quite excited to be appointed as the commander-in-chief of the garrison, and bowed to Shichibei as soon as he saw him. He was a man of good manners and etiquette, but unfortunately, he came from a humble background.

If his maternal uncle, Hanawa Naomasa, had lived until after the Honnoji Incident, Oda Nobumasa would likely have achieved great things. However, Hanawa Naomasa died, and Oda Nobunaga also died, making his position quite awkward. He wasn't included in the Kiyosu Conference.

Finally, at the age of thirty-two, he announced his ordination as a monk, shaved his head, and founded Kensho-ji Temple. Hideyoshi, seeing his sensible nature, bestowed upon him temple lands. After the Tokugawa clan seized power, they also recognized these temple lands.

Unfortunately, his son, Oda Nobuhira, wanted to try one last time with Toyotomi Hidetsugu. Hidetsugu was defeated, and their branch of the family was utterly defeated as well. Nobuhira then became a monk.

I always felt that of the Oda clan's fortune, Nobunaga squandered most of it, Nobukatsu picked up the scraps, and the others were left with nothing.

Although ostensibly responsible for defending the castle, Shichibei didn't actually have many duties. His main responsibility was receiving letters from Nobunaga at the front lines and preparing the supplies Nobunaga needed. After Nobunaga besieged Kamajima Castle, the siege began.

It seems difficult to be certain, but Nobunaga appears to be somewhat inept at siege warfare.

Fortunately, he didn't really plan a full-scale attack; his main strategy was to encircle the castle. He also deliberately left a gap in the castle, allowing Hori Hidemura and Higuchi Naofabu to call for reinforcements from Asakura Yoshikage.

Nobunaga was well-suited for open field battles, possessing a natural talent for seizing opportunities and keenly understanding the ever-changing battlefield. This trait wasn't as apparent when winning battles, but it proved invaluable when losing; recognizing unfavorable wind directions and needing to act decisively to escape also required foresight.

Nobunaga's calculations for this battle were also very accurate. After learning that Oda Nobunaga was besieging Kamajima Castle, Asakura Yoshikage immediately mobilized a large army and rushed to the north bank of the river to join the battle without any worries about the rear.