Owari Yumeki Golden Day.

Yes, it's all arranged. Nobutada said his father went to Kyoto to learn about the Kagawa clan, the deputy governor of Sanuki. The Kagawa clan is still active in the Sanuki Amagiri Castle area, but they are not the only Kagawa clan.

As the head of the Hosokawa family, the Kagawa family also had a branch in Kyoto, known as the Kagawa clan in Sanuki.

The main branch of the Kagawa clan should be the Kagawa clan in Kyoto, and Nobunaga's idea was probably to send Tsuda Nobusumi to inherit this Kagawa clan in Kyoto.

Ashikaga Yoshihide, the former shogun of the Muromachi shogunate, was in Kyoto. Although the Muromachi shogunate was not a Kanrei (shogunate), Hosokawa Akimoto, the current head of the Hosokawa family who came from the Kanrei lineage, was also in Kyoto.

If these two acknowledge it, then Tsuda Nobuzumi can become Kagawa Nobuzumi. At that time, Nobunaga will assign Nobuzumi some troops, and he can be sent to conquer Shikoku as Nobutaka's assistant.

The Togawa clan were the deputy governors of Sanuki, and the Kagawa clan were also deputy governors of Sanuki. Let's see if they clash.

That's a good place. Anyway, the lineage of the Kyoto Kagawa clan has long since ended. Inheriting the line now before the spirit tablet will make it easier to change allegiances later. According to this plan, once Sanuki is pacified, Nobusumi will probably have to change his surname to Kono and find a way to inherit the Kono clan's legacy as the guardian of Iyo Province.

Northern Iyo was given to Nobuzumi, and Southern Iyo was given to Chosokabe Motochika. In this way, the entire Shikoku was divided into three, but the arrangement was clear and well-organized.

Why haven't I seen Xin Cheng?

Nobusumi was taken to Kyoto by Nobunaga and kowtowed to Ashikaga Yoshihide and Hosokawa Akimoto. If he wanted to become the heir to the Kagawa clan in Kyoto, he needed a certificate from these two mascots.

Although it's not anything particularly valuable, entering Sanuki with Kagawa's backing will definitely face less resistance. It'll also be easier for the Sanuki people to surrender, since theoretically they'd support the return of the governor.

Chapter 328 A Decisive Refusal to Arrange Another Marriage

Now that's good. Shichibei is holding Oda Nobutada's hand with his left hand and Miyoshi Nobutaka's hand with his right hand, pushing off with his left foot and preparing to spiral them into the sky.

He was so busy that he didn't even attend the banquet to send Atobe Katsuyuki and Akiyama Nobuyuki off to Kyoto. Anyway, the banquet was theoretically hosted by Takeda Matsuhime, so whether Shichibei went or not was secondary.

It seems that Atobe Katsuyuki went to ask Takeda Matsuhime for help. Takeda Matsuhime did have some ideas, but her ideas didn't count in the Oda family. Even Oda Nobutada had to consult his father, let alone her.

Going to see Nobunaga would be pointless; Shichibei knew exactly what Nobunaga was thinking.

Let's focus on getting supplies for Nobutada and Nobutaka; they both have to go kill people, so we can't let them get away with it. Wait a minute, what about Nobuo?

It's been a long time since I visited Nobukatsu. I wonder how many years he has left in his prison sentence. Nobunaga didn't give a specific end date when he imprisoned him. But given Nobunaga's current plans, he won't be needed for the time being, so it's highly likely that Nobukatsu will have to serve his sentence.

In theory, Nobuo was placed under the supervision of Nobutada. Shichibei suggested that he go and take a look, and for some reason, Nobutada also came along.

Today was Nobuo's day for bathing and shaving. When Shichibei appeared outside the courtyard, he saw several servants carrying hot water and tools, coming and going in and out of Nobuo's secluded courtyard.

We agreed beforehand that Xinxiong would bathe once a month, which would prevent him from smelling bad. He's in jail now, we can't be so fussy.

"Lord Okawa." Shichibei no longer addressed him as "Young Master" or any other title.

Because the position of head of the Oda clan is about to be passed to Oda Nobutada, and Nobukatsu is Nobunaga's son, it's acceptable to call him the young lord. If Nobutada is in charge, then Nobukatsu will be the head of the Kitabatake clan, a retainer daimyo, and from Nobutada's perspective, he certainly cannot be called the young lord.

"Oh, Shichibei?" Nobuo, who was getting a haircut, was quite moved when he finally heard a familiar voice.

After all, those who served him, bringing him food and emptying his chamber pot, dared not utter a single word to him. Nobunaga's order for him to live in seclusion had not been revoked, and he had never visited him once; who would dare to utter a word?

"Yes." Nobukatsu probably doesn't know that Shichibei has been granted 50,000 koku of Tsuruga, and there's no need to mention it.

"If you're not here to lift the hibernation order, then you can sit for a while and then leave." Nobuo's emotions gradually calmed down. Based on previous experience, Shichibei could only provide him with some help in his daily life, and there was nothing else he could do.

Since there's nothing that can be done, why bother trying? Last time Shichibei said he couldn't plead for mercy, Nobuo just gave up and gave up.

As for your point about whether people who have been cooped up for too long shouldn't desperately want to talk to someone, well, it depends on the person. Nobuo has people bringing him food and emptying his chamber pot every day, which in a sense constitutes social interaction; he can even order food. He's like many Japanese people who live off their parents and don't say a word all year round.

“You seem quite composed.” Shichibei smiled and sat down on the wooden planks of the veranda.

"Was that calmness?" Good heavens, Nobuo directly retorted to Shichibei.

"So, according to you, you still don't realize you've made a mistake?" Xinzhong asked his useless younger brother, his face stern.

Lady Ikoma only had two sons, and in Nobutada's plans for the throne, there was definitely a place for Nobukatsu. It was just a pity that her younger brother was so disappointing; not only was he disappointing, but he was also completely hopeless.

"You? Who?" Nobuo had been facing away from the two of them at first, but when he heard Oda Nobutada's voice, he was first surprised and then confused, and then immediately turned around to look.

“It’s me!” Xinzhong put on the airs of an elder brother and looked sternly at Xinxiong.

"Brother, brother, is Father finally going to release me?" Xin Xiong ran over like the wind when the haircut was only halfway done.

"Hmph, you still have the nerve to call me elder brother?" Xinzhong must have come here for a reason.

Since his father intended to pass on the headship of the Oda clan to him, he was effectively delegating some power to him. This was quite normal in Japan's Sengoku period; it was a way to allow the heir to cultivate a team and hone their practical skills.

For example, regarding the matter of Nobutaka's adoption into the Miyoshi family, Nobunaga clearly entrusted it to Nobutada, and Nobutaka was to serve Nobutada as a pillar of the family in the future. Now, it is necessary for Nobutada to show some favor to Nobutaka.

Nobukatsu is probably the same way; Nobunaga plays the villain, and Nobutada plays the good guy. If Nobutada feels that his younger brother has repented, he will release him.

If you still think Xinxiong is worthless, then keep him locked up and see when he comes to understand the truth.

"You, no, no, for the sake of my mother." Nobuo immediately played the emotional card; his biggest asset was that he was born from Lady Ikoma's womb.

If it weren't for Lady Ikoma's influence, he would have been beheaded, or at the very least, exiled, for abandoning Ōkōchi Castle. Now that he's seen Nobutada, he's definitely playing the Lady Ikoma card again, and it's proving quite effective.

“If Mother saw you like this, she definitely wouldn’t want to see you,” Xinzhong rebuked Xinxiong sternly.

Not only as an elder brother, but also as the future head of the Oda clan. He is the elder brother among brothers, and the lord among lords and subjects. It is only reasonable for Nobutada to now want Nobukatsu dead.

“Brother! Brother…” Nobuo wasn’t completely stupid; at least he knew that Shichibei couldn’t make decisions, but he could trust that Tadashi could.

With snot and tears streaming down his face, he knelt on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly to Xinzhong, hoping that Xinzhong would help his younger brother out of consideration for their shared parents.

"Sigh..." Xinzhong simply waved his hand, instructing his men to drag Xinxiong down to take a bath.

Unfortunately, Nobuo failed to perform well again and missed his chance for parole. Shichibei, who had watched the whole thing, actually had some admiration for Nobutada.

He doesn't let personal feelings cloud his judgment. Even though he initially intended to release Nobuo, upon realizing Nobuo showed no remorse, he immediately hardened his heart and drove him away. While he may not be considered a nascent leader, he's certainly not a fool or a coward.

"I'm sorry to have made you laugh." Nobutada nodded to Shichibei and began to observe the house where Nobuo was being held.

Seeing that two of the barrier doors were broken, he ordered someone to come and replace them immediately. He also asked the people who had been serving Nobuo how much Nobuo ate per meal. He was relieved to learn that Nobuo ate a normal amount of food at all.

Seeing that everything was alright with Nobuo, Nobutada signaled to Shichibei that they should leave as soon as possible, as staying here would only increase Nobuo's expectations and there was no need for it.

Let's go, let's go. Shichibei and Nobuo have no feelings for each other.

Upon reaching the door, Shichibei instructed the guard to get Nobuo a couple of serious books to read. Although he was in prison, he could use this time to intensify his studies, writing reading notes and reflections after finishing each book.

The samurai guarding the gate peered at Nobutada, who remained silent, clearly acquiescing. The guard then noted the incident down, and the gate to the residence closed again. From inside, Nobuo could be heard shouting everywhere, asking where his brother was.

Xinzhong paused for a moment, but only for a breath before continuing to walk away.

Alright, alright, that saves Shichibei from rambling on. Nobunaga's kids are truly all very different; no wonder they say the dragon has nine sons, each unique.

Speaking of Nobunaga, he really doesn't hold back much. Soon, news came back that Nobunaga had successfully been appointed Junior Third Rank, Gon-Dainagon, and Right General of the Imperial Guard. This completely surpassed Ashikaga Yoshiaki and even placed him above Ōgosho Ashikaga Yoshihide, making him the undisputed number one in the samurai class and the highest-ranking official among all samurai.

Nobunaga was now quite satisfied and presented the imperial court with a considerable amount of repair materials from the palace. However, this was merely a pretext; the imperial court couldn't possibly be repairing its buildings every day.

Furthermore, the matter concerning Tsuda Nobusumi has been largely settled. Both Ashikaga Yoshihide and Hosokawa Akimoto have expressed their willingness to endorse Nobusumi's succession to the Kagawa family in Kyoto, allowing him to ascend the throne before his coffin and be known as Kagawa Nobusumi.

With Nobutaka, who immediately changed his name to Miyoshi Nobutaka, the two now had a legitimate reason to land in Shikoku. Finally, all that remained was negotiation with the father and son, Miyoshi Yasunaga and Miyoshi Yasutoshi. Miyoshi Yasunaga had even revealed his family name; he had to get a good price for it.

The Miyoshi family remained a daimyo and hatamoto (chief retainer) until the Edo period. One of the hatamoto who served close to Tokugawa Ieyasu was named Miyoshi Fusakaichi. This man was a relative and retainer of Miyoshi Yasunaga and had also served under Hideyoshi.

As for the Takeda clan's request? Nobunaga flatly refused, publicly stating that Takeda Shingen had disregarded the two previous marriage alliances between the two sides and brazenly betrayed the Oda clan, making him an utterly faithless, unrighteous, and shameless person.

Forget about forming new marriage alliances; if it weren't for the imperial decree for peace, Nobunaga would be sending a large army to attack Takeda right now.

This statement not only surprised Atobe Katsuyuki, but when it reached Gifu, Shichibei also found it unbelievable.

Does it need to be said so publicly?

Sometimes I really can't understand Nobunaga's thoughts. Now that he has made such a statement to the Takeda clan, Takeda Yoshiyori has immediately begun to be on high alert to defend against the Oda clan's attack.

However, upon further reflection, it became clear that Takeda Yoshiyori sent someone to congratulate Nobutada on his appointment as governor of Nobi Province, hoping to reconcile with the Oda army, precisely because he knew that Nobunaga had already set his sights on the Takeda clan.

Perhaps if we told Takeda Yoshiyori right now that we were coming to attack, he would be preoccupied with preparing for the Oda clan's attack every day, and wouldn't be able to focus his full efforts on other fronts. Uesugi Kenshin and Hojo Ujimasa, who were also formidable opponents in other areas, would be completely helpless. In other words, Takeda Yoshiyori would be left anxiously running around in circles, utterly unable to find a solution.

and many more!

Shichibei suddenly grasped something; if Takeda Yoshiyori, unwilling to accept defeat, were to launch a preemptive attack on the Oda clan, he could bring the Takeda army to attack Oda...

That would be perfect. The Takeda army, relying on the terrain and strategic passes of Kai and Shinano, could hold off five or ten Oda soldiers single-handedly. But what if he lost that one man?

Are you just dragging them all out to their deaths?

Even the most treacherous mountains and rivers need an army to defend them. Without an army, they're all useless. Jianmen Pass isn't exactly impregnable; it's impossible to breach it from the front. Yet, some people still abandon Jianmen Pass and flee.

Unfortunately, everyone was at their respective posts at the moment. Neither Oda Nobuhiro nor Sakuma Nobumori were in Gifu. Although Hideyoshi was nearby, it would still take more than a day to ride a horse from Gifu to Nagahama and back.

As for talking to Oda Nobutada? That's different. Oda Nobutada will be the lord in the future, so it's not appropriate to make any wild guesses.

Shichibei, feeling pent-up, returned home to find Todo Takatora and his retainers eating in front of the house. They were all bachelors, not cooking for themselves, but paying their share of food like the laborers at the Kawamura-ya restaurant. Upon seeing Shichibei, they quickly put down their bowls and bowed.

"You eat, you eat." Shichibei plopped down next to Todo Takatora.

"What questions does the lord have?" Tōdō Takatora and Shichibei had been working together for two years, and they could barely be considered to be working together day and night, so he could see some things about them.

"Huh?" Shichibei hadn't intended to ask Todo Takatora.

To be honest, as a big merchant, Shichibei didn't deliberately recruit any talented individuals. Although Takenaka Hanbei was a close associate of the Kawamura family, it was mainly because the two were quite familiar with each other at the time, and the Takenaka family needed an old friend from Owari who could speak on their behalf within the Oda family.

Therefore, Takenaka Hanbei and his younger brother Takenaka Shigenori split in two: one half served as Shichibei's assistant, and the other half followed Ando Mamoru.

As for Todo Takatora, Shichibei recruited him mainly because he was 1.92 meters tall, skilled in combat, and exceptionally brave. But upon closer inspection, Todo Takatora is actually quite clever.

"You sat down next to me, didn't you have something to tell me?" Todo Takatora realized that Shichibei meant it that way.

“Oh, that’s true…” Shichibei thought about it and agreed. Discussing it with Todo Takatora wouldn’t be a bad idea.

So, taking advantage of the moment when the young admiral brought over dinner, Shichibei revealed Nobunaga's public refusal of another marriage alliance with Takeda, as well as his own speculations.

"It's not impossible."

"Do you think Takeda Shinano-no-kami will send troops to fight?" Shichibei immediately retorted.

"It's always good to have the initiative." Tōdō Takatora believed that the Takeda clan could still mobilize 50,000 to 60,000 troops and had the strength to launch an offensive.

Although Nobunaga has now broken through the encirclement and is no longer trapped everywhere, and even Ishiyama Hongan-ji Temple is temporarily at peace, as long as Nobunaga continues on his path to unifying the country, the surrounding forces will try to launch a counterattack.

The fact that things are calm now does not mean that they will be calm in the future.

"Then what's the main direction of attack?" Shichibei could guess that the Takeda army would move, but he wasn't sure where they would move.

"Around Jinshan City," Todo Takatora pointed eastward.

"Kinzan?" Shichibei was about to say Okumikawa, but Todo Takatora gave a completely different answer.

But upon closer examination, this is indeed a possibility. Firstly, Nobunaga had withdrawn a large number of samurai from Noo, leaving Noo currently "empty." Although Oda Nobutada was in charge, Nobutada's troops had only just begun to be reorganized and were not yet considered to have much combat power.

Secondly, the Takeda clan had a forward base in Mino. Although the route was difficult, it wouldn't be hard to send 20,000 to 30,000 men. With 30,000 men, they would be more than enough to wage a full-scale war.

Chapter 329 He relinquished his family's command to oversee the construction of Azuchi.

Nobutada sent Kawajiri Hidetaka to Kawachi Takaya Castle to acknowledge Nobutaka as his new father, while Nobutada himself went to Mori Nagayoshi's house in Kaneyama Castle to inspect and gather information. Clearly, some of Nobutada's entourage had also considered this possibility, especially since Saito Tatsuoki had previously attempted to use this route to infiltrate Mino with over 7,000 Takeda troops.

In fact, Longxing has outlived its historical counterpart.