Owari Yumeki Golden Day.

Don't be like some bosses in later generations who think, "I'm paying employees 5,000 a month, so why aren't they working for me like the loyal warriors of ancient times?"

In that sense, Takatora Todo and Ryo Watanabe are quite similar; both are capable individuals who are unwilling to remain in obscurity and constantly seek higher salaries.

Only Takatora Todo succeeded; Ryo Watanabe did not.

Alright, we've arrived at Sakamoto Castle now. Shichibei is going to send someone to Yokoyama Castle to inquire. The Yokoyama Castle governor is our good brother-in-law, Hashiba Hidenaga. If Todo died at Kamajima Castle, then all is lost. If he's alive and accepted the Hashiba family's offer of service, then we can only congratulate Hideyoshi.

Shigeaki Mizono remained to guard Sakamoto Castle. Seeing Shichibei arrive, he recognized him as an old acquaintance and happily opened the gates to welcome Kawamura's army. Hayashi Michimasa was also inside the castle, awaiting Hachiya Yoritaka's arrival. Only after the two reunited would they go to support Akechi Mitsuhide.

Lin Tongzheng was an old acquaintance, and he thanked him for his hospitality, saying that they should have a drink together when they returned to Gifu. After settling the soldiers, Shichibei sent someone to Yokoyama Castle to inquire about the Todo clan.

By the way, just a side note, the village next to Tengtang Village is called Nizi Village.

We all started around the same time, but the speed at which we progressed varied.

Yokoyama's reply came very quickly: there was indeed a wealthy family called Todo in Inukami District, who was also the village head. The current head of the family was named Todo Takanobu, who had already submitted to Hideyoshi and become a retainer under him.

History has actually changed considerably here. Historically, the Todo family served as retainers of Azai Nagamasa and fought in the Battle of Anegawa. Therefore, when Todo Takatsunobu died in battle, the headship of the family passed to Todo Takatora.

Due to Azai Nagamasa's radical unification policy, the Todo family did not enter Odani Castle and was therefore not besieged by the Asakura family, remaining in Inukami District to observe the situation. However, Hori Hidemura sent people to recruit them, hoping they would join him in defending Kamajima Castle.

Unsurprisingly, the Toudou family split in two. Toudou Takanobu, the head of the main branch, remained in place to observe, while Taga Sadatora, the head of the branch family and an uncle of Toudou Takanobu, entered Kamajima Castle to defend it.

In the end, Taga Sadayora contracted the plague at Kamajima Castle and died without even leaving a trace. Todo Takashi, on the other hand, was completely unharmed. Now that the Oda clan had completely suppressed Sakata and Inukami districts, his family naturally sided with the new lord, Hashiba Hideyoshi.

Takashi Todo has already gone with Hideyoshi to fight in Higashi-Wakasa. Shichibei asked about this family, is there something wrong?

Of course, we should bring in Takatora Todo as the vanguard!

Upon hearing the news, Shichibei immediately ordered Takenaka Hanbei and Aoji Shigetsuna to go to Yokoyama Castle to find Todo Takatora. Village chiefs like this usually only own one property and are unlikely to prepare anything for their second son. If possible, Shichibei was willing to offer Todo Takatora fifty kan of credit, or even one hundred kan.

Don't be unconvinced, you'll be convinced once you see the person.

Why? Because Takatora Todo is 1.92 meters tall.

Yes, 1.92 meters tall, that's right, that's how tall he is. Incredibly tall, practically a giant. Our little rascal was raised on milk from many different families since he was a baby. Toudou Takatora was also raised on milk from many different families; it's said that at his peak, he needed six different wet nurses a day just to keep him fed and from crying.

As a result, he was much taller than his peers. When he was three or five years old, he would fall down but would not cry or fuss; he would just get up, clap his hands, and continue playing. By the time he was five or six, his appetite was similar to that of an adult; during the Lunar New Year, he could eat more than five pieces of rice cake.

At first, Takenaka Hanbei was quite surprised that Shichibei specifically requested such an unknown person. But when he saw Todo Takatora, who was almost forty centimeters taller than him, emerge from the village, Takenaka Hanbei subconsciously swallowed hard.

Indeed, whether it's fifty or one hundred kan, it's enough to attract such a tall samurai. Even if he's not particularly brave, just having him by your side is enough to hold the fort.

Todo Takatora, on the other hand, looked completely bewildered. He had never had any dealings with Kawamuraya, so why was Kawamuraya's lord specifically asking him to use 100 kan to recruit him?

This reveals Takatora Todo's personality; he is not a "ferryman" who can serve anyone. His lord chooses him, and he chooses his lord in return.

I don't know. Why don't you come with us to Sakamoto Castle and meet Kawami Shichibei?

"Greetings, Lord Kawamura." Thus, Takatora Todo appeared before Shichibei quite naturally. As the second son in his family, it was not easy for him to have an opportunity to serve in the government.

Despite his doubts, he followed Takenaka Hanbei and Aochi Shigetsuna to Sakamoto Castle. The Todo family had several branches; besides Taga Saotora, who was wiped out at Kamajima Castle, there were also Todo Takatsune and others. After all, they were the village head's family and had the ability to support extra men.

"Truly, he is incredibly tall!" Shichibei exclaimed upon seeing Todo Takatora. This was the only man over 1.9 meters tall he had seen in the ten years since he transmigrated to the Sengoku period of Japan.

Even in later generations, someone of that height would stand out from the crowd.

"I am not just tall!" Tōdō Takatora must have encountered far too many people in life who only complimented his height and size.

Absolutely, everyone who has met him these days will have the immediate impression of him as tall and imposing. Any other impression will pale in comparison to this striking feature.

"I'm sorry, I misspoke." Shichibei apologized instinctively.

Todo Takatora was stunned. He had assumed Shichibei wanted a decorative figure to stand beside him and serve as a figurehead. He never expected Shichibei to have such a different intention, and to be so respectful.

I didn't know; I thought it was 6,200 kan for Takatora Todo and 0 kan for Shichibei.

"Ah no, no no no..." The young man was still young after all, and when he encountered Shichibei who didn't play by the rules, his momentum immediately dissipated.

"How about this? Myoshi-dono is about to launch an attack on the Kitayama Ikki. If you can gain merit, I'll promote you, how about that?" Shichibei thought to himself, "It's just a way out, I'll give it to you."

It gives you the opportunity to prove that you are capable and not just a tall and strong pretty face.

"I will not disappoint you!" Upon hearing Shichibei's request, Todo Takatora felt relieved.

It's just carrying a gun and chopping people down, right? He was confident he had the strength and courage to take heads and earn merit. Then he could accept Shichibei's offer of service and accept the 100 kan salary without feeling guilty.

“Alright, I’ll allocate you 120 foot soldiers.” Shichibei immediately agreed.

Originally, Shichibei was only required to assist in the defense of Sakamoto Castle. Now that Todo Takatora has joined the force, they can send about 500 men to participate in the battle. The remaining men will be more than enough to defend Sakamoto Castle.

“Hehe!” Tōdō Takatora immediately responded.

The Todo force consists of 120 men, plus Watanabe's force of 150. Takenaka Hanbei will lead 200 men as a reserve force. Akechi Mitsuhide and Shichibei have a decent relationship, so they certainly won't use them as cannon fodder. Let's just wait patiently at Sakamoto Castle for news of their victory.

Upon receiving his appointment, Tōdō Takatora immediately led his troops into battle. Unfortunately, he was too tall to ride a horse and had to go to the battlefield on foot.

Chapter 257 Nakagawa as a Hostage Again

Let Todo Takatora deal with the Kitayama uprising alongside Akechi Mitsuhide for now. After Shichibei moved to Sakamoto Castle, Nobunaga received a new order.

Shichibei was to disguise himself as a retainer of Nobunaga's envoy, Furuta Shigenari (Furuta Oribe), and accompany Furuta Shigenari on a trip to Sakai to see if there was any chance to win over Nakagawa Kiyohide, a key figure in the Settsu Ikeda clan, to the Oda clan.

The reason for sending Furuta Shigenari was that he was Nakagawa Kiyohide's brother-in-law. Sending Shichibei would have been even simpler; Shichibei's status was high enough to gain Nakagawa Kiyohide's trust. Besides, he was a cash cow; Shichibei could negotiate with Nakagawa Kiyohide on the spot and get the money right away.

The anti-Nobunaga coalition, which had been locked in a stalemate with Oda Nobunaga for three months, began to show signs of retreating after learning of the major defeat of Asakura Yoshikage at Shizugatake and the fact that Awa Shinohara Nagafusa was unable to send troops due to internal strife.

To put it bluntly, Nobunaga was recruiting more and more people, and their power was growing stronger, while their morale was declining and their troops were exhausted.

Sensing this development, Nobunaga immediately prepared to divide the Settsu forces. Settsu was originally ruled by three governors: Ikeda Katsumasa, Wada Koremasa, and Itami Chikaoki. Ikeda Katsumasa was banished to Nobunaga's side, Wada Koremasa died, and Itami Chikaoki, though still alive, had already defected and taken an anti-Oda stance.

Nobunaga has now installed Takayama Shigetomo as his successor, but the Takayama family lacks the power and samurai force to rule the entire Settsu province. Therefore, Nobunaga thought of Nakagawa Kiyohide and secretly promised him that if Nakagawa Kiyohide rebelled and attacked Araki Murashige and Ikeda Tomomasa, he would be appointed as the governor of southern Settsu.

Settsu was divided into three, with Nakagawa Kiyohide and Takayama Shigetomo each receiving 80,000 koku and becoming feudal lords. The remaining 80,000 koku was used to reinstate Ikeda Katsumasa, who had been exiled, to Ikeda Castle, allowing the three governors of Settsu to remain in power.

By the way, doesn't the name "Ishigaka" in Settsu not match up? There's also Ishiyama Osaka Castle, right?

Anyway, he wasn't exactly a good person; he was just a scoundrel who rebelled against his superior during the chaotic Warring States period. Now, this kind of rebellion even has the approval and endorsement of the shogunate's regent. Opportunities to rise from humble beginnings to become a powerful daimyo are rare; this is a chance that won't come again.

Shichibei, upon receiving the mission, was still puzzled. How did this happen in history? He only remembered that Nakagawa Kiyohide died in the Battle of Shizugatake, and that he was already a lord with a fief of 120,000 koku at the time of his death. That meant he didn't follow Araki Murashige to the bitter end, but when did he switch allegiance?

It seems, vaguely, probably, in some anime, I remember it was when Araki Murashige was plotting a rebellion, he was persuaded by Furuta Shigeaki to join the Oda clan.

Forget it, why think so much? Anyway, we're going to Sakaimachi, which is practically Shichibei's home turf, so there's nothing to be afraid of.

Does Nakagawa Kiyohide know us? He was in Ikeda Katsumasa's unit during the Kanesaki retreat, so we might have met briefly. If we do know each other, there's no need for him to pretend to be Furuta Shigenari's attendant.

To be honest, Furuta Shigenari hadn't made a name for himself yet. If he hadn't happened to marry Nakagawa Kiyohide's sister, he probably wouldn't have gotten this job. As one of Nobunaga's envoys, Shichibei had met him before; they knew each other and were fairly familiar.

The two traveled by boat to Sakai, chatting for a while on board. At this time, Furuta Shigenari was in his early twenties, and hadn't yet mastered the art of tea ceremony. He'd probably be around forty before he truly became a renowned tea master. Once a great master like Sen no Rikyu was killed, he would have outlived all the more accomplished samurai tea masters and become the world's foremost tea master.

As Tokugawa Ieyasu's tea master, Tokugawa Hidetada's tea ceremony guide, and the tea ceremony expert for the Edo Shogunate (Yanagi-sama), Furuta Shigenari's reputation in later generations far surpasses that of many other renowned military commanders of his time.

"Oribe school," right? It should be, though he hadn't been appointed Oribe-sama yet.

Presumably because it was a rare opportunity to be sent on an overseas mission, Furuta Shigenari was quite intrigued. Shichibei simply asked him, "How much money does your brother-in-law want before he'll defect?"

That's just the job I do; there's nothing to pretend about.

Speaking of this, even Furuta Shigeaki couldn't be certain. The Nakagawa family claimed to be descendants of the Seiwa Genji, a direct line of the Settsu Genji, and a descendant of Tada Yukitsuna, but in reality, they were just small-time wealthy landowners from Settsu Fukui. Their land holdings amounted to only a few hundred koku, and their early activities were very vague. They were probably just lowly land servants, barely scraping by under the protection of local officials, and not doing very well at that.

By the time of Nakagawa Kiyohide's generation, for some reason, perhaps due to a genetic mutation, he was born exceptionally brave. During the Honkoku-ji Incident, he charged left and right, startling both humans and demons, and was hailed by his contemporaries as "Oni Sebei".

During the battle against the Miyoshi Triumvirate, he offered advice and strategies for a surprise attack, which resulted in a great defeat of the enemy army, with hundreds of heads taken, accumulating merits of several thousand koku. After exiling Ikeda Katsumasa, he seized Katsumasa's directly controlled territory, which was probably around 20,000 koku.

Two thousand strings of cash should be enough to fill your eyes, right?

Two thousand kan? Shichibei thought that price wasn't too expensive. After all, Nakagawa Kiyohide was a "castle lord," even though his castle wasn't a big one.

Previously, Wada Koremasa had invited Ibaraki Shigetomo, a retainer of the shogunate, to join him in battle, but both were killed in a fierce attack by Araki Murashige. The Ibaraki family had once been very powerful, with Ibaraki Nagataka having fought in the Kinai region for many years and earning considerable renown. Now, with Ibaraki Shigetomo's death, the family fortunes instantly declined and faded. Ibaraki Castle then fell to the Nakagawa family and was taken over by Nakagawa Kiyohide.

In a sense, it can be considered a branch castle of Ikeda Castle. Later, there was a branch castle of Araki Murashige Arioka Castle, namely Hira Castle, which later became a public park and parking lot.

Speaking of which, when Nakagawa Kiyohide took over Ibaraki Castle, a battle ensued, resulting in the deaths of three hundred members of the Ibaraki clan. Afterwards, most of the remaining members of the Ibaraki clan surrendered and became Nakagawa retainers. Without this infighting, Nakagawa Kiyohide truly wouldn't have been able to manage a territory of 20,000 koku.

Using people to surrender is so common in Japan, there's nothing to worry about.

When Maeda Toshiie went to Echizen Prefecture with a stipend of 33,000 koku, he immediately recruited more than eighty local samurai. These people were incredibly lucky, truly lucky, because they joined Toshiie early on, and eventually all of them became high-ranking samurai in the Kanazawa Domain, with many seeing their stipends increase from tens of koku to thousands of koku.

The two sides, who were fighting and killing each other in Kanesaki, Anegawa, Tomisaka, and Ichijouya, could never have imagined that they would ultimately benefit each other.

They chatted animatedly all the way and soon arrived in Sakai. Since Nakagawa Kiyohide himself was still at the front lines of Takatsuki, the person who came for the secret meeting was Nakagawa Kiyohide's younger brother, Nakagawa Shigetsugu, the brother-in-law of Furuta Shigenari.

Nakagawa Shigetsugu didn't recognize Shichibei and genuinely thought he was Furuta Shigenari's servant. Since he didn't recognize him, that was for the best; let's hear the Nakagawa family's price first.

Thinking there was no one else around, Nakagawa Shigetsugu, representing Nakagawa Kiyohide, put forward several requests. In addition to the "new three guardians of Settsu" promised by Nobunaga, he also requested that the Nakagawa family sponsor the construction of a new castle.

Just as Nobunaga had previously sponsored the construction of the Wada clan's new castle, Takatsuki Castle was essentially paid for entirely by Nobunaga. Even if the Nakagawa clan was in dire straits, Nobunaga would still have to make the initial payment. As for the specific location of the castle, that was a matter for later; Nobunaga would have to promise to provide the funds.

In addition, Araki Murashige's son, Araki Murashige, was held hostage in Ibaraki Castle. To put it bluntly, he was sent to Nakagawa Kiyohide in order to gain people's trust after they rebelled against Ikeda Katsumasa.

We can assure you that he is genuinely rebelling, not just posing as a scapegoat, and that he will absolutely not betray anyone involved in subjugation.

This hostage must be protected; he must not be killed, nor handed over to Nobunaga, nor sent to Gifu Castle.

Wow, upon hearing this condition, Shichibei couldn't help but exclaim inwardly. This "Onisebei" wasn't just exceptionally brave; he was definitely not stupid either, in fact, he was quite intelligent.

Leaving Araki Muratsugu alive served two purposes: firstly, it preserved a semblance of decency in his "friendship" with Araki Murashige. This final act of courtesy might, if necessary, allow him to easily escape Oda Nobunaga's ship and move on to another location.

On the other hand, it also appeases the retainers in the household who are pro-Araki, so that the whole household won't be thrown into turmoil just because they hear that Nakagawa Kiyohide has defected.

It's quite simple. We all joined forces to rebel against Ikeda Katsumasa, and then together we rose up to attack Oda Nobunaga. Now, Nakagawa Kiyohide has joined Oda, and Araki Muramasa has rebelled against Oda again. Suddenly, we all have to go our separate ways and find our own bright futures.

Regardless of who ultimately falls, the retainers and their faction will always have somewhere to turn to.

In other families, the father, sons, and brothers each side with one side; in their case, they rebelled together but each side switched sides. It might not look good on their reputation, but this was the best way to protect their family.

As long as people are alive, even if they are defeated temporarily, there is still a possibility for the Yu family to rise again.

"Just these two? Nothing else?" Furuta Shigeaki asked his brother-in-law. Nakagawa Shigetsugu didn't pretend and said directly that it was already quite good. He needed to understand his own position; only by being upright could he fetch a good price.

Besides, if we sell now, we might still be able to get a good deal. If Nobunaga recovers and becomes even more powerful later, then all that's left is a desperate surrender, or even the complete annihilation of our family and clan.

That's really clever.

Nobunaga's message before his arrival was very clear: if Nakagawa Kiyohide could be persuaded to side with Oda, he would agree to offer either money or land. The key was to get Nakagawa Kiyohide to defect and shake the entire anti-Nobunaga coalition.

The Nakagawa family's current demands are within a relatively acceptable range.

Historically, Ashikaga Yoshiaki was exiled by Nobunaga. Later, when both sides sought reconciliation, Nobunaga asked Yoshiaki what his demands were. Yoshiaki immediately requested the return of his territory, the reconstruction of Nijō Palace, and the release of all the hostages he had handed over to Nobunaga.

The first two points are normal, but the last one clearly means that after returning to the country, he will rebel again. It would be strange if Nobunaga could agree to that.

Yes!

After asking Nakagawa Shigetsugu, Furuta Shigenari turned to look at Shichibei. Nakagawa Shigetsugu was curious as to why his brother-in-law was looking at a servant. Then he learned from Furuta that this was Nooki Okakata Shichibei Nagayoshi, a senior retainer of the Oda clan, who could now fully represent Lord Nobunaga in granting his request.

When will we publicly announce our switch of allegiance to Lord Nobunaga?