Owari Yumeki Golden Day.

It would be more reasonable to appoint him as the head of the Oda clan. Afterwards, relinquishing the title of head of the clan would not occupy a civil service position for the Oda clan, a pillar of the samurai family.

Historically, Nobutada was appointed Junior Third Rank and Left Vice-General of the Imperial Guard as the head of the Oda clan and a pillar of the samurai class. If he hadn't died, he would have continued to be appointed Gon-Dainagon (Acting Grand Councilor), then Minister of the Right, and if he had lived long enough to be over fifty, it wouldn't have been entirely impossible for him to become Grand Minister of State.

Actually, this position is similar to that of Kanpaku. Kanpaku was often held by the elder of the Fujiwara clan, essentially the head of the Fujiwara lineage. Many of the noble families of the Five Regent Houses resigned after serving as Kanpaku for a year or two, just to establish a legitimacy and allow others to experience the role.

Anyway, after retiring, he will be the former Regent, and he will still receive the same treatment. There is no need for him to hold onto the position.

Nobunaga is currently using his status as a pillar of the samurai class to first ascend to the position of Gon-Dainagon (a high-ranking military advisor), and then relinquishing the position of pillar of the samurai class, which is tied to the headship of the Oda clan, to Nobutada. There aren't many complicated details; it's just a simple political rule of one position per person.

In addition to congratulating Oda Nobutada on obtaining one million koku of rice in Nobi Province, Shichibei also began to assist Oda Nobutada in organizing five thousand foot soldiers and kojimen who had transferred from Nobutada's side.

This wasn't the first time. After the defeat at the Battle of Mikatagahara, Oda Nobunaga's personal troops, the Foot Soldiers and the Ogami-no-Kami, suffered a major defeat, and it was Shichibei who was in charge of the overall regrouping and reorganization.

This time, Shichibei was in charge of the reorganization. Since Oda Nobutada had no core strength other than a few dozen servants and pageboys, Shichibei was responsible for selecting and replacing the most basic 100 foot soldiers.

By the way, on a side note, after Gamo Fushige came of age, he followed Oda Nobutada's great leap forward and suddenly received a fief of 10,000 koku in Mino.

Following the young lord, his progress is rapid. At this rate, it's highly likely the entire Gamo clan will be given to Oda Nobutada as a retainer. Then Gamo Fukahide will become the head of the Gamo clan, bringing along the entire Gamo retainer group; 50,000 to 100,000 koku of rice will be within his grasp.

Whether you've achieved merit or not is secondary; the important thing is to follow the right person.

This time, Gamo Fuehide was dispatched by Oda Nobutada to assist Shichibei in reorganizing these 5,000 foot soldiers and cavalrymen. The majority of the foot soldiers were archers and long-handled gunners, with only 700-800 arquebusiers. Nobutada specifically assigned the arquebusiers to Gamo Fuehide for command, to be used centrally and not divided.

The archers were then placed under the command of Mori Nagayoshi and Ozato Mitsuaki. Mori Nagayoshi needs no introduction, and Ozato Mitsuaki was the lord of Ozato in Ena District, Mino Province. They were essentially assigned to Nobutada by Nobunaga, and this family had a relatively long history.

During the Tokugawa Shogunate, two hatamoto (chieftains) remained, one of whom was a daimyo hatamoto with a rank of over 3,000 koku. The other was slightly lower, with a rank of 300 koku. However, the main family had a rank of 300 koku, while the branch family had a rank of 3,000 koku. As a result, the main line became the branch family of the Wada clan, while the Osato clan became a sub-branch.

The Long-Armed Soldiers were foot soldiers who wielded three-and-a-half-meter-long spears; they were considered a "technical unit." After all, it was extremely difficult for untrained soldiers to use a spear that was almost six meters long. They probably wouldn't even be able to swing it a few times before they were exhausted. This part was entrusted to the command of Shimizu Kurōbei and the Yuasa Shinroku.

These men were all from the ranks of loyal retainers or pageboys, and they started by leading several hundred men. However, the lower-ranking foot soldiers—the centurions, platoon leaders, and platoon commanders—were all seasoned veterans. Even if they were to be roughly organized, they could still fight for a year.

The same old method was used: either veterans who had served for more than two and a half years were selected, or strong individuals who were brave and capable of serving. They were impartial and selfless, and were assigned to the lower-ranking military units for loyalty and trustworthiness.

Anyway, Nobutada was very satisfied with it, nodding as he read. His father, on the other hand, was much more carefree; he had already ridden to Kyoto to try and get himself the position of Gon-Dainagon (Grand Councilor).

In Nobunaga's mind, Shichibei was very capable of protecting the house, and he could completely trust him and simply leave him to his own devices.

As a result of his escape, Oda Nobutada was somewhat at a loss when faced with the sudden appearance of the Takeda clan's envoy. Oda Nobutada was the brother-in-law of Takeda Yoshiyori, and the Oda and Takeda families were currently in a truce agreement. It was quite reasonable for the brother-in-law to come and congratulate his brother-in-law on receiving a large fiefdom of one million koku.

Even a fool could see that Nobunaga was filled with apprehension towards the Takeda clan, who were capable of challenging him.

It is unclear whether Yoshiyori Takeda's visit was to ease tensions with the Oda clan or to inquire about the succession of the Oda clan.

What to do? Oda Nobutada's first reaction was to ask his tutor, Kawajiri Hidetaka. Kawajiri Hidetaka's advice was to quickly report to Oda Nobunaga, and that they should be enthusiastic and polite, but pretend they knew nothing.

On the other side, Gamo Fuehide suggested that Shichibei could receive them. Firstly, Shichibei's sister was married to the Yamagata family, so they were at least related. Secondly, Shichibei was Nobunaga's direct retainer, unlike them, who were all loyal retainers, so there was a difference in their status.

Even if there were some obstacles to Nobunaga's direct retainers going, it wouldn't be as easy as these people going to greet him, as they would be more prone to making mistakes.

So Shichibei appeared before Atobe Katsuyuki and Akiyama Nobuyuki, who seemed genuinely there to congratulate Oda Nobutada on his succession to the Great Nation. They seemed quite pleased to see Shichibei and rambled on for a while.

What's the purpose of your visit? It's simply to offer my congratulations.

It's not like you're a novice; why pretend? If you want to offer congratulations, just send someone over with a bag of gold dust and two horses, that'll be enough. Chosokabe Motochika's New Year's gift to Nobunaga was two Tosa horses.

Two senior retainers of the Takeda clan personally came to Gifu Castle just to congratulate Nobutada? It seems like a joke.

After chatting for a while, Atobe Katsuyuki finally revealed his true intentions. It was actually quite predictable; Takeda Yoshiyori wanted to arrange for his eldest son, Takeda Taro, to marry Oda Nobunaga's biological daughter, thus restoring and strengthening their marital alliance.

Chapter 327 Xinxiao and Xincheng's Arrangements

Nobunaga didn't even need to come; Shichibei was certain that a new marital alliance was absolutely impossible. Of course, Shichibei wouldn't say this aloud; he would just smile.

I will certainly pass on your message, or you two can go directly to Kyoto to pay your respects to Nobunaga.

Atobe Katsuyuki quickly stated that the Takeda clan had come with utmost sincerity this time. After all, the Takeda clan had even changed daimyo, and the kind of thing Takeda Shingen did—treating alliance agreements like toilet paper—would never happen again.

"Sigh, what's the use of telling me this?" Shichibei thought to himself, "Even if you're sincere, it won't work. A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime. If the Takeda clan has the power to shake the Oda clan's rule, then they can't possibly survive."

At most, it's a matter of dying a good death or a bad death. A good death means Nobufusa Takeda will inherit the family business. A bad death? Well, that's hard to say. Perhaps the entire family will be wiped out, and no one from top to bottom will survive.

"Gentlemen, this is a matter of great importance, and I am unable to make the decision." Shichibei bowed directly, took his leave, and left in a flash.

"Lord Kawamura... Shichibei, if we can resolve this, you will certainly receive a share of the benefits." Atobe Katsuyuki quickly grabbed Shichibei. If reasoning with him didn't work, then he could only appeal to his desire for profit.

"Brother, it's not that I don't want to help, but how can such a matter be something for a subject like me to comment on?"

“You can still speak before the Hall of Regents, but we…”

"That's not it either..." Shichibei waved his hand, "You should find someone else to help with this. I'm really powerless to do anything about it."

It wouldn't be dignified to keep pulling!

Instead of wasting time on this, you should pay a visit to Oda Nobutada's principal wife, Takeda Matsuhime. Oda Nobutada is about to succeed as head of the Oda clan, and Takeda Matsuhime will become the matriarch of the entire Oda clan. Although the real power still rests with Nobunaga, their titles are ultimately different.

Moreover, it must be said that Takeda Matsuhime had already given birth to Oda Nobutada's eldest son, and the two had a very good relationship, which was not affected by the war between Oda and Takeda.

Tokugawa Ieyasu married Imagawa Yoshimoto's adopted daughter and then went to fight Imagawa Ujizane. Takeda Nobutora married Lady Ōi and then still went to Shinano to wreak havoc.

Japan's Sengoku period, you know.

As soon as the meeting was concluded, Shichibei rushed up to the castle to inform Oda Nobutada. Since Nobunaga had already granted Mino and Owari to Nobutada, Gifu Castle, the main castle, was somewhat special.

The residence in Titiya had been handed over to Oda Nobutada and his family, while Nobunaga himself and his family moved to the Sakuma Nobumori residence. In any case, the main members of the Sakuma Nobumori family had moved to Wakae Castle in Kawachi to oversee the Kii Province campaign.

However, the lord of Gifu Castle was still Oda Nobunaga. Nobunaga had not yet decided where to build a new castle. His trip to Kyoto this time, besides seeking the position of Gon-Dainagon (a high-ranking official), probably also included the idea of ​​finding a suitable site for a new castle in the Kinai region.

I wonder if Azuchi will be selected.

Judging from Nobunaga's arrangements, his removal of Azai Nagamasa from the north bank of the river indicates his intention to directly control Omi Province. Moreover, he has deployed Hashiba Hideyoshi and Oda Nobuhiro as protectors in Nagahama and Sawayama, so Azuchi Castle is likely to be taken over.

Oda Nobutada, who could now be addressed as "Master," listened intently to Shichibei's report. He was shocked to learn that the Takeda clan, besides congratulating him on becoming lord, was also attempting a marriage alliance? He almost couldn't laugh on the spot.

Fortunately, he held back. After all, Nobutada was educated according to the standards of a samurai family, with both warriors who taught archery and horsemanship and monks who taught culture and art, taking care of all aspects.

He knew it was impossible, but he still asked Shichibei for his opinion. Shichibei had no objection. Nobutada had become the commander of the Higashiyama Army, and Nobunaga had directly allocated 5,000 experienced foot soldiers and samurai. The local lords and samurai who remained in the area could also be gathered into a force of about 10,000.

Recruit some vanguard soldiers and hire some junior officers to accompany the army. Combine this with Nobutada's own followers or cavalrymen, and the 30,000-strong army will be assembled in no time. With Tokugawa Ieyasu, Takigawa Kazumasu, and Kobe Nobutaka by your side, let's go and kill the Takeda.

Just kidding, what alliance?

However, there was another matter. Oda Nobutada asked Shichibei, "Isn't his younger brother, Kobe Nobutaka, also considered to be part of his large army?"

It's been a long time since we've mentioned Nobutaka, but we should. In the second year of Genki, Nobutaka officially inherited the position of head of the Kobe family and sent his adoptive father, Kobe Tomomori, to Hino Castle in Omi Province to be looked after by Gamo Kensuke.

This incident caused considerable turmoil within the Kobe clan, but thanks to the retainers and troops bestowed upon him by Nobunaga, Nobutaka decisively executed Yamaji Danjo, a senior retainer of the Kobe clan and lord of Takaoka Castle.

He quickly eliminated the opposition within the Kobe household and established his prestige. Subsequently, the vast majority of the original Kobe retainers chose to serve Nobutaka, totaling 480 people, who were known as the Kobe 480.

Now, Nobutaka effectively received a 50,000 koku of land in Kawaki and Suzuka districts, as well as the support of Mine, Shikabushi, and Kokufu. Furthermore, he conducted land surveys in the two districts, mobilized laborers to renovate the streets, and built stables for horse grooms, making Kobe Castle Town an important post station on the route to Ise Grand Shrine.

To put it bluntly, the Kobe family has been completely dealt with by Nobutaka, and has been swallowed up and assimilated. The label of "Kobe" can now be removed.

Furthermore, Nobutaka's approach to his adoptive father's family differed greatly from Nobuo's historical methods. Nobutaka chose to bring in the grandson of his uncle, Takashima Masamitsu, from Kobe's Tomori family, formally initiating his marriage and renaming him Kobe Masafusa, making him a younger brother within his own family. This way, even if Nobutaka changed his name and moved to another household, the Kobe family line would not end, as it could be continued by this adopted brother.

It simply meant that Masafusa Kobe would become Nobutaka's retainer; there was no real difference. With this safeguard in place, the former Kobe retainers remained calm and were more likely to accept Nobutaka's change of allegiance.

So what's the point of saying all this?

It's about Nobutada asking Shichibei on behalf of his father and younger brother whether it's feasible to make Nobutaka the adopted son of Miyoshi Yasunaga and to land in Awa and Sanuki right now.

Although Niwa Nagahide was in charge of this area, he was currently investigating the situation in Awa and Sanuki. Even the handover with the Ichijo clan was handled by Akechi Mitsuhide, and he wasn't in Gifu either. Just then, Shichibei's retainer returned from Tosa, so Nobutada inquired about the matter.

This was probably one of the tasks Nobunaga assigned him, to get him involved in the overall operations of the Oda clan. Furthermore, Shichibei came from the core samurai group of Shimoo-Owari and was a representative figure; it was also necessary to understand Shichibei's opinions and give them full consideration.

It's not impossible...

After a moment's thought, Shichibei felt the deployment was reasonable. Firstly, Nobutaka himself had a force of two to three thousand men; adding Niwa Nagahide, Ataka Nobuyasu, and some of Izumi's troops, it wouldn't be difficult to gather fifteen thousand men to land in Shikoku. This would provide both land and naval forces.

If he could conquer Awa and Sanuki, that would be a blessing for him. Nobunaga was quite willing to support his older sons. It's highly likely that the lands Nobutaka conquered would be given to him.

When Todo Takatora confidently told Nobunaga that Awa was in chaos, Nobunaga remained outwardly calm, but inwardly he was still somewhat moved.

We should prepare two options: on one hand, send Chosokabe Motochika to kill Miyoshi Nagaharu, and on the other hand, send our son Kobe Nobutaka to kill Miyoshi Nagaharu. Either way, we can eliminate the threat from Shikoku.

As for why he became Miyoshi Yasunaga's adopted son, there are two reasons. First, Miyoshi Yasunaga is currently the only legitimate member of the Miyoshi clan who has subdued Nobunaga, and the Miyoshi clan has a lot of influence in Hōshū Province, so this can be considered a legitimate and just cause.

Secondly, Miyoshi Yasunaga's son, Miyoshi Yasutoshi, remained in his hometown of Hōshū, continuing to serve Miyoshi Nagaharu. If they were to have a good relationship with Miyoshi Yasunaga and he promised Nobutaka that after he was transferred to Shikoku, the 50,000 koku of the Kawatake and Suzuka districts in northern Ise would also be granted to the father and son.

That gave Oda's army a beachhead base in Awa, preventing them from being left with nowhere to land.

With the support of Ataka Nobuyasu's naval forces and the land base in Awa Province, the Oda clan, given its strength, can certainly make a rapid breakthrough in Shikoku if it is willing to invest its resources.

So you're really going to give it a try?

Nobutada provided an answer: Ashikaga Yoshiaki had fled to Kii Province. The surrounding provinces of Izumi, Kawachi, and Ise were already completely controlled by the Oda clan, leaving only the sea route as an escape route. If Nobutaka could land in Shikoku, it would effectively block the sea route.

After all, Japanese ships these days are still considered "coastal vessels," and they will try to stay as close to the shore as possible. They will also choose to stop at various points along the coast and try to avoid sailing at night.

The numerous ports in the Seto Inland Sea were quite prosperous, both because of the fishing industry and because they served as overnight lodgings for shipping vessels.

He could neither gain the forgiveness of the Oda clan nor the acceptance of the Mori clan, and with his escape route by water blocked, Yoshiaki would be doomed once Kōkoku-ji Temple in Kishu fell.

Ow...

Nobunaga's ability to coordinate the national war situation is indeed impressive; he can consider all aspects. Coupled with his hardworking subordinates and a large group of powerful figures, he can go all over the world to put out fires and definitely manage to handle things.

Since we've already thought this far ahead, let's just do it. Turning Kobe Nobutaka into Miyoshi Nobutaka isn't a big deal.

This is a major event, a cross-sea expedition, do you understand?

"A little bit of military supplies to allocate, young master, just send a servant over to let me know." Shichibei thought to himself, why didn't you just say so earlier? It's not like we're missing out on your share.

"Hahahaha..." Seeing that Shichibei was so easy to talk to, Oda Nobutada was immediately relieved and quickly told Gamo Fushihide to go to the door and invite Kobe Nobutaka.

Oh dear, your dad pulled this stunt the other day, and now you're doing the same thing again?

As expected, Kobe Nobutaka was indeed kneeling at the door. Gamo Fuehide beckoned him, and he came in. Upon entering, he bowed and kowtowed to Shichibei, as if it were yesterday.

"Kobe Palace".

"Jingzhao Hall".

The two exchanged greetings. Nobutaka had not yet been appointed to an official position, as Nobutada had only recently been appointed as well. Furthermore, Nobutaka did not have the merits of other Oda generals; he was the kind of person who would have to wait until the second or third batch to be appointed.

Historically, he could not be officially appointed to the position of attendant until November of the fourth year of Tensho (1565), after participating in the Saiga campaign. After that, he was always kept below Nobutada's rank.

"Everything is in my hands. If Kobe-dono has any needs, just report them, and I will have everything I need." Although Shichibei's reserves were mostly taken by Nobutada in one fell swoop, it is still easy to meet Nobutaka's needs.

"It's all thanks to the Kyoto-dono." Kobe Nobutaka's attitude was also very proper, and he bowed respectfully to Shichibei.

"No problem, no problem."

Because of this incident, Oda Nobutada immediately instructed that Shichibei be entertained at the inn that evening. But since we've brought up Nobutaka's matter, what about Nobusumi? Tsuda Nobusumi was Oda Nobukatsu's eldest son.

In this world, he had no chance to be Isono Kazumasa's good eldest son. Isono Kazumasa followed Azai Nagamasa to Echizen, where he was said to receive a stipend of 50,000 koku, accounting for one-ninth of the Azai family's governor's salary, making him a high-ranking retainer among high-ranking retainers. There was definitely no chance of him adopting Nobusumi as his son again.

So, who is Tsuda Nobuzumi planning to give his son to? There must be some explanation; it's impossible to just leave a teenage boy unused.