Owari Yumeki Golden Day.

"Hahahaha..." Shichibei clapped his hands and laughed. This Kamiya Sōzan is really on the same page as us on this point.

"Although the Shigenobu only possesses 41% of the land, it also possesses 21% of the wealth. The Mori, on the other hand, possesses 41% of the land but only 11% of the wealth." Kamiya Sōzan, as expected of a wealthy merchant from Hakata who has seen the world, understood this perfectly.

Jiuchuan Yicongming

The naval forces of the Amago clan were driven out by the Mori clan, and many of Amago's retainers fled with Yamanaka Shikanosuke, so this highly profitable smuggling business could not continue.

The struggle for Hakata Port, which was essentially Ouchi's treasury, ultimately failed.

Success. Although he instigated the lord of Chikuzen, Tsukushi Koremon, to launch a fierce attack on Hakata and set fire to the port, which at one point destroyed the entire Hakata, leaving only 20 households remaining.

However, thanks to the efforts of the sixteen men of Hakata and the reorganization by Usuki Shigetsugu, a senior retainer of the Ōtomo clan, the town recovered to 3500 households in just one year.

It will maintain its position as the largest port in Kyushu.

In addition, due to the persecution and brutality of the former retainers of the Ōuchi clan, the Mōri clan failed to successfully take over the connections and influence the Ōuchi clan had in trade with Ming China.

It can only be said that Mori Motonari was a true "strategist" when it came to warfare. He also made numerous efforts to improve his political standing within the old system from the perspectives of the Emperor's court and the shogunate. However, his achievements in the economic sphere were rather lackluster.

Historical records indicate that Mori Motonari issued two of his most important economic decrees. One was to declare the Iwami Silver Mine as the Emperor's personal fiefdom, thus using the Emperor's authority to maintain control over the mine.

Another aspect is that within the territory of the Mori clan, the dowry of married women, the division of family property for unmarried women, and the inheritance rights of legally married daughters being superior to those of illegitimate sons were all guaranteed.

That's all there is to it. Shichibei doesn't know much about it, but Kamiya Sōzan lives right next to the Mori family and knows everything clearly.

War is all about money!

What kind of money did the Mori clan have? They were far less wealthy than Oda Nobunaga. Oda Nobunaga's wealth was five to ten times that of Mori Terumoto, not simply because Nobunaga had five million koku of land while Mori Terumoto only had two million koku. It was a huge difference in their understanding and utilization of commerce.

You asked why Kamiya Sōzan was so sensitive to money? It's because he worked in the contemporary Japanese banking industry. Merchants in Hakata who traded with various countries and Japan were allowed to engage in a type of unsecured silver lending.

Its main funder was Kamiya Munezan, and the interest rate at its peak reached [amount missing].

110%, normally it would be between 30% and 80%. Relying on the active and profitable ocean trade at this time, Kamiya Munezan accumulated assets worth millions.

His understanding of the matter far surpassed that of the average person. He strongly supported Shichibei's establishment of a nationwide currency exchange guild to gradually unify the national currency. Furthermore, he inferred from this that Oda Nobunaga, who supported Shichibei, already possessed the ability to conquer Japan.

Therefore, he not only had to side with Shichibei, but also with Oda Nobunaga, to become a member of Oda Nobunaga's new order of unifying Japan and seeking greater wealth.

"The owner of Kamiya is a really smart man." Shichibei said this sincerely, without any falsehood.

"Speaking from the heart," Kamiya Munezan said frankly, simply stating that he felt having more money was good, more money was great, and more money meant strength.

Let's go home for the feast. Shichibei, as the host, will certainly have to fulfill his duties. Nobunaga has to clean up the mess at Ishiyama Hongan-ji Temple and adjust his plans for the suddenly changed battle situation. He can't deal with Kamiya Sōzan for the time being; offering Kamiya a promise is already a sign of respect.

Perfect timing! Hakata is a great place for boating too. Shichibei picked up his sake cup and asked Kamiya Sozen if he had any good ship bows to recommend for rebuilding the Boshu navy.

Miyoshi Nobutaka has only sent Morimura Haruka, who hasn't arrived yet; he'll probably be heading to Sakai from the Sanshu camp. The situation in Osaka Bay is quite complicated right now. The Mori navy has left a portion of its forces to control Awaji Island, guarding this strategic location. The Oda clan's ships are facing significant restrictions on movement and have to take risks.

However, there was no problem coming to Sakai under the guise of merchants from other regions. Murakami's navy only acted as bandits this time; normally, they would let the ships pass after paying tolls and even protect them.

Unless someone is foolish enough to hang the Oda Papaya Flag on the bow of a ship, Murakami Takeyoshi probably wouldn't care.

When the topic came up, Kamiya Munezan didn't refuse. He said he could agree to it, and that once he returned to Hakata, he would inquire carefully, and if he found a suitable candidate, he would definitely recommend him to Shichibei.

Referral.

Unfortunately, in feudal society, people were hired based on connections outside of established factions or close friends. Although Kamiya Sōzan and Shichibei had only known each other for a few days, they were at least like-minded. They shared a strong consensus, especially on the issue of unifying the three major provinces. He even supported Oda Nobunaga's cause of unifying Japan, which meant they hit it off immediately.

There was a severe shortage of personnel to rebuild the Awa Navy, and Nobunaga was pressing them for an immediate response, so they had no choice but to recruit people from all over the place. Ships and oarsmen were minor issues; the most difficult task was finding people at the bow of the ship.

According to Kamiya Sōzan, the Hizen and Chikuzen areas have a history of foreign exchange spanning hundreds, perhaps even over a thousand years, and are rich in good ship captains. However, there are likely few unemployed captains awaiting appointment who also possess a relatively good understanding of the Seto Inland Sea. Therefore, he could only offer to help inquire and search. If ship captains familiar with the Ming and Fujian regions were needed, he could immediately send two to Shichibei.

Of course, Shichibei could only hire such ship captains who traded between Japan and Ming China if he could afford the price. Even in an era when human life was cheap, people with exceptionally rare or high-value technical skills were highly sought after. Alas, Shichibei hadn't even considered engaging in the Japan-Ming trade. We lack both the technical talent and the necessary connections; rashly investing in it would likely lead to our demise without us even knowing how.

Merchant ships operating on the Sino-Japanese trade routes, though they are called merchant ships, will naturally assess your strength if they see you as an unfamiliar vessel. If you are weak, the merchant will immediately...

They would then transform into pirates.

The ocean is not a place where the law can govern or regulate; otherwise, why would gambling dens be allowed to operate on international waters when cruise ships sail there? If someone is killed at sea, without a ship, it won't even become a cold case because no report will be filed.

people.

The two chatted happily, and Kamiya Munezan said that the trip was well worth it, and he was very pleased. After purchasing some loose goods in Sakaicho, they set off to return to Hakata.

20 comments

Surrounded. Nobunaga hurriedly went to Tennoji Fortress again, undoubtedly because another battle was imminent. He even pulled his own 10,000-strong main force from Kyoto and Azuchi.

Come on, let's reinforce the direction towards Honganji Temple.

To be fair, when the monk Kenju discussed the state of the world with Ashikaga Yoshiaki, he mentioned using Ishiyama Hongan-ji Temple as a pawn to hold off Nobunaga, and this was executed very well.

To besiege and attack Honganji Temple, tens of thousands of Oda clan troops were mobilized for an extended period and were effectively tied down within the siege fortifications. If a powerful feudal lord or army, like Takeda Shingen, had launched attacks on Oda Nobunaga from two or three directions simultaneously, the chances of Nobunaga's sudden death would have greatly increased.

Unfortunately, the encirclement networks in reality were completely different from those in later games. Each of the anti-Nobunaga lords had their own plans, and none of them were truly committed to their duties.

Some people didn't even put in the effort, giving Nobunaga the opportunity to defeat them one by one.

Now that Takeda Yoshiyori's ashes have been scattered, the Mori clan alone cannot shake Nobunaga's rule, even though the Honganji Temple has tied down 40,000 to 50,000 Oda troops.

However, on the Yodogawa side, a strong offensive could be launched, with the main force following Akechi Mitsuhide to Tanba to utterly defeat Araki Murashige, who was under Utsu Yorishige's command. Naito Joan has already been driven away by Mitsuhide; if Mitsuhide were to take down Utsu Yorishige, he could essentially suppress the entire Tanba prefecture.

Oda's army completely surrounded Hongan-ji Temple on land, but conversely, Hongan-ji Temple could also attack any point within this encirclement. By quickly gathering its forces and breaking through one point, it could potentially sweep away the entire temple.

Encirclement and counter-encirclement are quite a complex subject.

So what were the thoughts of Kennyo Shonin and Shimoma Rairen? Awaya, standing before them, presented a plan that was so grand, it could even be said, that it was completely inconceivable to Kennyo Shonin.

Last year, the Mori family was already in contact with many local powerful clans within the Oda domain.

It was agreed. At that time, Nobunaga also harbored thoughts of attacking Mori, and Mori clearly realized that Nobunaga would not agree to his territorial demands. Both sides only exercised restraint because neither was fully prepared.

Why didn't Nobunaga send someone to deal with the Mori clan? Nobunaga went...

Kobayakawa Takakage, who was most enthusiastic about this matter, mobilized various forces and sent out many people to coordinate. Leaving aside the other directions for now, there is one direction that has begun to waver because of the Mori clan's previous brilliant victory at Kizugawa-guchi, and they have promised to take action soon.

where?

Yori Zhao, the lord of Sanxi Castle, a branch city of Iisei Castle in Hanoi.

This man's father was a close associate of Toyama Masahiro, and was granted Mika Castle for his meritorious service. Where is Mika Castle? It's northeast of Wakae Castle and southwest of Iimori Castle, no more than four kilometers from either castle. Specifically, it's located on a small island west of Kawachi Fukano Pond.

The lake, which was eight kilometers from north to south and four to five kilometers from east to west, was filled in in the first year of the Baoyong era (1704).

At that time, the Sange region was a rich territory with 42 villages and an internal yield of about 30,000 shi (a unit of dry measure). Its gorgon fruit (芡实) was once a tribute item.

As a native of Kawachi province, Mika Yorimitsu naturally became a close ally of Sakuma Nobumori. He spent long periods accompanying Sakuma's army, leaving both men and horses exhausted. However, this was not a reason for his wavering, because Sakuma...

The only problem was that after the rebellion of Miyoshi Yoshitsugu, the governor of half of Kawachi, was quelled, Nobunaga granted the entire province of Kawachi to Sakuma Nobumori. At that time, Nobunaga ordered the execution of all three of Miyoshi Yoshitsugu's retainers, Wakae, and his men, and stripped them of their territories. This created a problem: the status of the Miyoshi clan's territories was in disarray.

The newly arrived Sakuma Nobumori did not set up a land survey, but instead pointed out a land survey area. Therefore, Mika Yoriteru claimed a piece of land near the territory of the former retainer, Tarao Tsuna.

The fields were his territory.

Because the territory lies on a tributary of the Yamato River, the conditions of Japan's rivers are well-known; during summer typhoons, it's normal for runoff to increase tenfold or twentyfold in a short period. The riverbeds of the small streams often shift and are difficult to define.

That paddy field most likely originally belonged to Mikayoshi Teru, but a torrential rain...

The several hundred shi of paddy fields reached the other side of the stream and became the territory of Tarao Tsuna.

Upon entering the province, Sakuma Nobumori did not act decisively. Instead, he confiscated all the territories of the rebels and distributed them among his retainers. After all, Nobunaga's military service was urgent and allowed no delays. Sakuma Nobumori had no choice but to distribute the remaining samurai.

However, the Oda clan had a strong and well-equipped army, so even though Mika Yorimitsu had a high rank of 30,000 koku, he didn't dare to utter a word and could only follow along and fight the war.

As a result, a secret envoy from the Mori clan found him, hoping that he would raise an army within his domain, promising to grant him 30,000 koku of rice around Wakae afterward. Of course, such empty promises were ineffective, and the Mori clan also sent back Yusa Kawachi Nyudo, who was originally Yusa Shinkyo, the lord of Iimori Castle.

With the support of the Mori clan, Yusa Kawachi Nyudo gathered a thousand men. Returning to his former territory in Kawachi and making a show of himself, he could gather another thousand. Then he would join forces with Mikayoshi Teruaki.

With their combined strength, the two of them could easily gather three or four thousand people to cause trouble in North Hanoi.

Once things get going, it's as if we're completely connected with Ishiyama Honganji Temple, able to advance and retreat freely, supporting each other from all sides, and echoing each other from afar.

At this point, Mikayoshi still hadn't decided to rebel. After all, rebellion never ends well, especially when it's under Nobunaga's command. Nobunaga could easily scatter his ashes and send his entire family to their doom.

Therefore, the Mori clan's secret envoy further indicated that Nobuyuki would follow.

Roll into Nanji Nei.

Matsunaga Hisahide's discontent had been brewing for a long time, but it had recently come to a head. After Mori Yoshinari's death, Tamonyama Castle was without a ruler. Matsunaga Hisahide had secretly hoped that the castle would be returned to him, but Nobunaga instead bestowed it upon Sakuma Nobumori.

This arrangement made Matsunaga Hisahide, who was originally the ruler of Yamato Province and had some territory in Kawachi and Yamashiro, feel dissatisfied with his powerful and prestigious position.

Similarly, discontent is one thing, rebellion is another. If the Mori clan hadn't intervened, Matsunaga Hisahide wouldn't have rebelled. But the Mori clan intervened, and not only did they intervene, they won a great victory, turning Ishiyama Hongan-ji Temple from an i into a karaoke bar.

The Ikko-ikki monks were greatly encouraged, possessing the strength and morale to fight again. Matsunaga Hisahide and Mikayoshi were mutually necessary and sufficient conditions for each other. Matsunaga was willing to rebel because someone in Kawachi had defected, which would link Shigiyama Castle and Ishiyama Hongan-ji Temple in a line. Mikayoshi was also willing to rebel because he knew that Yamato had also rebelled and felt that the chances of winning were huge.

Upon learning that both groups were preparing to rebel, it was clear that the superior man...

Let's get started!

Without further ado, this time the Ikko-ikki did not break out from Kizu Fortress, nor did they launch an attack on the Yodogawa defense line. Instead, they went straight for Tennoji Fortress, where Sakuma Nobumori and Oda Nobunaga were located. They attacked where the enemy would surely defend; if fighting broke out at Tennoji Fortress, the Oda generals on both sides would fight desperately to its rescue.

Even if Nobunaga didn't need to be rescued, his generals had to come to his aid. This wasn't a military issue; it was a political stance. Even Shichibei in Sakaimachi had to bring his two hundred men to the rescue.

The chants of "Namo Amitabha Buddha" gathered together, and the Ikko-ikki followers, holding high their banners bearing the Buddha's name, poured out from various Buddhist temples and pagodas with three thousand cannons leading the way, and launched a fierce attack on Tennoji Fortress.

At this point, Nobunaga and Nobumori didn't see anything wrong with it. So be it, it's just a few dozen thousand Ko-ikki followers; they'll gather them by ringing the bell, and then it'll be over.

First, gather those ragtag local lords and send them to be hit by the lead bullets from the Hongan-ji Temple. The Hongan-ji's lead bullets cost money, but the local lords' troops were recruited through a feudal obligation. Sending the local lords to the front lines of battle—even Nobunaga didn't find it strange.

There are numerous historical records of this. The rearguard action was usually carried out by local lords, such as Ikeda Katsumasa during the retreat from Kanesaki. Attrition of these local lords was a consistent and persistent strategy of the Sengoku period daimyo.

As the bell rang, the troops sprang into action, and Mikasa Yorimitsu led his army away.

The people of Hanoi were terrified at the sight; these three men were courting death.

Well, Oda Nobunaga himself is right here. If you lead your troops away first, you will not only be beheaded, but you will also be replaced.

As for why it was so obvious that Mika Yorimitsu fled with only about a thousand men on a battlefield with nearly 100,000 troops on both sides, it's because the vast majority of Mika Yorimitsu and his retainers were Christians, and the kind of Christians who would die for their faith.

Historically, when Hideyoshi issued the order to banish the Banten clan, figures like Kuroda Yoshitaka and Kuroda Nagamasa almost immediately abandoned their faith. Only Takayama Shigetomo was truly devoted to his faith, even at the cost of giving up his 70,000 koku of land.

Like Mika Yorimitsu, he was willing to give up his 30,000 koku of land to keep his faith, and father and son fled together to Shodoshima Island. He later died on the island.

Therefore, the army of Mika Yorimitsu carried a brightly colored golden cross on horseback, which was very conspicuous. You could tell at a glance that it was this kid who had run away.

Seeing this, Nobunaga glanced at Nobumori. Someone deserting before battle was a clear dereliction of duty by the commander. Nobumori wouldn't admit to such an obvious mistake; he would simply bow his head and apologize, and the consequences after the battle would depend on the circumstances.

They continued to deploy their troops, preparing to meet the Honganji Temple's large army.

As a result, with Mikasa Yorimitsu's escape, Matsunaga Hisahide and his son Matsunaga Hisamitsu, who had only been transferred to participate in the siege of Ishiyama Honganji earlier this year, also fled. This father and son had brought over four thousand men, accounting for one-ninth of the entire army; their escape left the entire army severely weakened.

move.

The army, which had initially been eager to fight, suddenly began to waver. This was definitely not a matter of dereliction of duty; these people had been swayed before the battle even began.

At this point, the entire army was mobilized, and if they continued to fight, it would be difficult to win.