Owari Yumeki Golden Day.

No wonder they say that a person's best time is always when they are on the uphill climb.

The nights at the turn of spring and summer are short, and so are the nights in Mino, but for Shichibei, it was probably a long night. After carefully observing Fujikichiro all night, Shichibei still couldn't understand how the spirited and authoritative Fujikichiro of today could become so arrogant, ambitious, and even incompetent in just over a decade.

If you don't know the future, voting for Fujiyoshiro would be a good move.

There's probably no cold stove in the world easier to maintain than this one; the only comparable example is Maeda Toshiie. After all, his family will eventually have 1.05 million koku, and he has several retainers and branch domains with more than 50,000 koku each.

It's quite legendary for someone like Yamauchi Kazutoyo to rise from a ronin to a man with 200,000 koku of rice. But if you followed him, you'd only ever reach 5,000 koku by the time you died, and your descendants would have to pay half of that salary to their master as part of the master's expenses.

As dawn broke, four-fifths of the Moyu City had been completed, with only the final section remaining. Needless to say, everyone was extremely tired, but with completion in sight, they had to use every last bit of energy to fight this battle to the end.

Having run around all night, Fujikichiro's voice was hoarse and he could barely make a sound, but he still moved around. Even a glance, a pat on the shoulder, or simply standing next to someone was enough to rouse the exhausted Hachisuka party members.

The sky was bright!

What appeared before the Saito soldiers who came to investigate was a roughly completed Sunomata Castle.

That’s right, it is a Japanese-style city that is closed on all four sides, very complete and without any gaps.

The incredible Saito soldiers, almost disregarding any danger, scrambled to the north bank of the Nagara River, staring at the castle that had been built overnight, to see if they were hallucinating or if they were still asleep.

He wasn't mistaken, it was the city of Moyu at night.

After confirming, Saito Jun turned and ran towards Inabayama Castle. Saito Tatsuoki had only started mobilizing the regular army yesterday, so he would be slowly conserving his strength to travel today, resting for a night along the way, and would not arrive in Sunomata until tomorrow morning.

By the time they arrive, it will be too late. Forget about stopping the construction of the castle; the Oda army will probably have already reached Sunomata and set up camp there.

The guess was absolutely right. After dawn, Fujikichiro sent a fellow townsman back to Komakiyama Castle to inform Nobunaga that the castle was completed and that they could come to defend it.

The last door panel was erected, and Shichibei, without even a sip of water, curled up with Koichiro next to the haystack and fell into a deep sleep. When they awoke at noon, they saw only the sleeping Hachisuka and Tsubouchi factions scattered all over the ground, except for Kinoshita Tokichiro, who stood on the Himami-yagura, calmly watching the north bank of the Nagara River.

Seeing that Shichibei had woken up, he neither called out to him nor persuaded him. He tossed a musket to Shichibei, then plopped down on the haystack and fell asleep instantly.

What a wonderful person!

"Hey, you gave me a musket but not a match cord? That's a joke." Shichibei looked around and found the match cord wrapped around Hachisuka Koroku's arm.

Hachisuka Koroku was incredibly strong; Shichibei couldn't even pull the matchlock from his arm. Since the guy was sleeping like a log, Shichibei stepped forward and kicked him, making Hachisuka Koroku yell in his sleep, "Where did this mosquito come from?"

As soon as he raised his hand, Shichibei grabbed it and pulled out the matchlock.

Unfortunately, the fuse had long since gone out, probably soaked with dew. No big problem, just cut off the wet part and light the dry end.

Anyway, we haven't seen any Saito soldiers on the other side, so there's no rush to light them now. There are dozens of large bonfires inside and outside the city, and a few of them still have some embers left. They can be easily lit with a quick inspection, so it shouldn't be a problem.

Because Shichibei hadn't done much work, only stayed up all night, he woke up earlier. The Hachisuka party members who were actually doing the work didn't gradually wake up until around two or three in the afternoon.

Kinoshita Koichiro, who had gotten up earlier than them, along with a few employees from Kawamura-ya, set up a pot to boil water and brew hot tea. They sprinkled a handful of matcha powder into the pot of hot water, and that was about it, just for a taste.

As for the rice, the leftover rice from last night is currently piled on the base of a "stilt house." This base is where Fujikichiro plans to use it as a rice storage area, and it must be kept dry. Grain is most susceptible to moisture, which can cause it to sprout. Even if it doesn't sprout, mold growth from moisture is a serious matter, and both must be prevented.

"It actually worked..."

Looking at the Hachisuka and Tsubouchi party members, now revitalized beneath the turret, Shichibei sighed, realizing that Sunomata's castle construction might truly have succeeded. "So, I too can personally experience and participate in such a historical turning point."

Before I could even utter a sound, I saw several mounted samurai galloping out one after another from the north bank of the Nagara River. Following them were scattered foot soldiers and junior soldiers. They came rushing forward in a chaotic manner, without even carrying any banners.

Enemy situation!

Shichibei immediately lit the fuse, then loaded the gunpowder and fired a shot at a Saito samurai on horseback on the north bank. He missed; the lead bullet, aimed at the chest, flew slightly above the man's head.

Awakened by the sound of gunfire, some climbed onto the wooden oars, while others climbed onto the Inubashiri [Note 1], all looking towards the north bank of the Nagara River.

[Note 1]: This refers to the wooden steps behind the ramparts. Some Japanese foot soldiers were quite short, and the firing ports couldn't be set up at varying heights. So, a step was placed behind the ramparts to ensure that even short soldiers could fire at the enemy from multiple angles behind the firing ports.

51. Owari no Kami Nobunaga arrived

Saito Tatsuoki truly couldn't comprehend how a fortified city could be built overnight. No matter how he imagined it, he couldn't accept such a reality. Yet, Sunomata Castle appeared clearly and unequivocally before his eyes, leaving him no choice but to believe it.

Actually, it didn't happen overnight. From the moment the last door panel was erected and the cannon turret was straightened, it took about thirty hours.

Not only Saito Tatsuoki couldn't accept it, but his generals couldn't either. Nagai Michitoshi thought to himself that he had fought countless mediocre battles over the past thirty years, from the Ashikaga shogunate to the Toki governor. He had fought his way in and out of the Kiso River seven times, killing countless enemy generals, but he had never seen anything like this.

Hiroshi Hineno, like Hibino Shimono, was panting heavily as he surveyed the towering Sunomata Castle.

How about we try a water attack again?

That would take two days, wouldn't it? By then, Oda Nobunaga would have already reached Sunomata. Besides, whether the artificially blocked water could even destroy the already built Sunomata Castle is still uncertain.

A cannon shot rang out, interrupting the Saito family's thoughts. There were still cannon-wielding foot soldiers inside Sunomata Castle—what were they going to do? Even if there were only a hundred or two hundred men defending the castle, armed with cannons and longbows, it would be very difficult to take it today.

Let's do the math. It's already 3:30 PM, and the sun sets at 5:30 PM. They need to reorganize the army, regroup the ranks, and then cut down bamboo—or perhaps not even cut the bamboo, but simply sever the shafts of the spears to make long ladders. Carrying bundles of bamboo or shields, they'll advance in ranks. It'll be quite an achievement if the battle can start at 5 PM.

Ladies and gentlemen, how about a quick pass through Sunomata in half an hour?

Should you go first, or should I go first?

Regardless, we have to go now, whether we want to or not. The Oda army only arrived yesterday morning to build the castle, and they've been working tirelessly all night; they must be exhausted. We must seize Sunomata Castle while the Oda army is still establishing its foothold. Once Oda Nobunaga leads the Owari standing army into the castle, the whole affair will be over.

To be fair, Saito Tatsuoki was quite decisive. He immediately pointed at the brothers Hirono and Morishige and ordered them to organize men to remove the horse barricades outside the city before attacking, thus clearing the way for the attack later.

It's just a single layer of barricades anyway; you can move it or burn it down, it doesn't matter. It's not a siege, and it doesn't require much ability; a little courage is all you need.

Hiroshi Hine didn't hesitate and immediately agreed, but his troops hadn't all arrived yet. He needed to gather at least three to five hundred men, some armed with bows and cannons to fight back against the city walls, and others to destroy the cavalry barricades surrounding the city.

After waiting a while and catching his breath, Hiroshi Hine led his troops to attack Sunomata.

At the same time, Saito Tatsuoki immediately ordered his attendants to relay a message to the three leaders of Mino: "The moment of life and death has arrived; quickly mobilize three thousand men to Sunomata!"

Only by defeating Sunomata can they continue to rule and dominate western Mino. If they fail to defeat Sunomata, they can expect to be thrashed by Oda Nobunaga.

This autumn, Oda Nobunaga will have the funds and provisions, and he will definitely attack Mino, attempting to capture Inabayama Castle. At that time, the first to be hit will be Ōgaki Castle in Mino, which belongs to your Ujiie family.

The words were harsh, but they were all true. In the past, no matter how much infighting there was in Mino, at least the meat rotted in the pots of the Mino nobles themselves. Now that Oda Nobunaga has invaded, if everyone is defeated, they will only be fish on Oda's chopping board.

Two orders were issued, and a third followed immediately.

Regardless of whether it's useful or not, we still have to send people to build a dam upstream of the Nagara River; we won't give up until we've made a breakthrough.

After the three orders were issued, the Saito army, which had been scattered and had come all the way from Inabayama Castle, finally took shape. Those mobilized were now the Saito family's regular troops and the main supporters of Ryūshō; deserters were practically nonexistent. It was simply a matter of speed; sooner or later, they would all arrive.

With almost everyone present, Hirohiro Hineno finished his preparations. He decided not to send any archers; those archers were trembling from running, and expecting them to draw their bows and fire arrows was asking too much. This is where the arquebusiers came in handy. Although carrying a heavy fire stick weighing several pounds was tiring, it was still better than drawing a bow.

Loading ammunition is effortless; just fire it.

Dozens of arquebusiers, concealed by shields and bamboo bundles, moved to the north bank of the Nagara River and began firing at Sunomata Castle. Their aim was to suppress the castle's firepower, thus facilitating the movement of Saito's troops below and the destruction of the horse barricades.

How dare you!

Hachisuka Koroku, who had already woken up, rubbed his aching lower back and asked where his arquebus was. After seeing the arquebus in Shichibei's hand, he quickly climbed onto the turret, loaded the gunpowder, and fired in one smooth motion.

The lead bullet struck a Saito soldier carrying a horse-drawn palisades, and the soldier fell to the ground screaming in agony. Since it hadn't hit his head, only his arm, he wouldn't die immediately; he might even be able to go back, dig the bullet out, and live for several more days.

However, the lead bullets of that era were made by the women of samurai families themselves through melting and dripping, unlike the sturdy bullets of later generations. When fired into a person, they would often shatter. The broken lead fragments would then likely remain in the body due to improper handling, leading to lead poisoning and ultimately, sudden death.

Of course, this is the worst-case scenario; the accuracy of arquebuses is only so-so. If Saito's soldiers weren't just outside the castle walls, a dozen or twenty meters away, Hachisuka Koroku might not have been able to hit them.

The sound of arquebuses also disturbed Fujikichiro. More than ten arquebusiers from the Hachisuka and Tsubouchi factions stepped out from the crowd, either climbing onto the pylons or standing directly on the inu-maru (dog-mounted platform), and began firing at Saito's soldiers who were carrying horse barricades outside the castle.

Shichibei wasn't idle either. Only three people could stand on the oar: Shichibei on the right, Hachisuka Koroku in the middle, and Fujikichiro on the left. The two held shields, firmly protecting Hachisuka Koroku as he was being loaded.

The Saito army below the castle were no fools either. Seeing a "sharpshooter" on the turret, they immediately dispatched five or six arquebuses and began firing wildly at the turret. When the lead bullets hit the shield, Shichibei felt a violent jolt in his arm, and his body involuntarily tried to fall backward.

It was Fujikichiro who shouted to calm Shichibei down, bringing him back to his senses. If Shichibei loosened his grip or created an opening, Hachisuka Koroku, who was loading the gun, would face the enemy's arquebuses head-on with his own flesh and blood.

His shout seemed to clear Shichibei's mind considerably. Although it wasn't his first time on the battlefield, this was Shichibei's first time facing combat directly. Another cannon shot whizzed past his ear, making the fine hairs on Shichibei's ears stand on end.

Hachisuka Koroku snorted softly, turned his head, and smiled at Shichibei. With five or six lead bullets in his mouth, he could only hum. But his eyes were resolute, a resolute determination to face battle head-on. This was a veteran; a veteran who had seen life and death on the battlefield could face it all with equanimity.

As soon as he finished, Shichibei and Fujikichiro turned around at the same time, causing the shield to move to the side and rear. Hachisuka Koroku reacted quickly and fired a shot at a Saito samurai wearing a helmet.

As soon as the gunshot rang out, the two turned around and placed the shields in front of Xiao Liu. The shields slammed together, causing Shichibei's arm to ache slightly. But at this moment, Shichibei and Fujikichiro paid no attention to it, continuing to concentrate on watching Xiao Liu load the gun.

Many members of the Hachisuka and Tsubouchi factions inside the castle had slept for six or seven hours, which was about enough. Seeing that the castle had little firepower, they picked up their Maruki bows, stood on the inu-maru platform, and fired at the Saito soldiers outside the castle.

It doesn't matter whether you can hit the target or not; the key is the density of firepower.

Even some of the Hachisuka clan's women were just as capable as the men, either carrying arrows or handing them to the soldiers, all standing behind the wall. In those days, people struggled against heaven and earth, constantly fighting for their lives.

In fact, they are more likely to choose suicide than ordinary people in the 21st century.

Maeno Nagayasu and Kinoshita Koichiro were not idle either. They loudly summoned their warriors, who, armed with long and short spears, opened the city gates and gathered in a group of dozens. Shouting and yelling, they charged forward with all their might, as if they were about to charge towards Saito's arquebusiers on the opposite bank.

The Saito arquebusiers were immediately thrown into chaos. Coupled with the fact that they had been fighting for a long time without success and had already lost several men, the Saito army finally "retreat" under the command of Hironori Hineno.

Taking advantage of their retreat, Maeno Nagayasu called for more people to leave the city, put back the horse guardrails that had been pushed down and moved away, and brought in new horse guardrails from the city to fill the gaps that had been damaged.

As long as the intensity of the battle does not increase, the city will have the capacity to continuously repair the damaged fortifications, ensuring that the enemy cannot directly attack the city walls.

The chaotic Saito army retreated, while Saito Tatsuoki remained on his horse, waving his whip in the air.

"Shichibei, how are you feeling?" Fujikichiro spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva, yet still managed to smile at Shichibei.

"You've been shot?" Shichibei threw down the shield and looked around at Fujikichiro.

Only then did they notice a bloodstain on his right arm, likely grazed by a lead bullet that hadn't penetrated Fujikichiro's body. As long as it hadn't gone in, it wasn't a big problem.

“It’s no big deal.” Fujikichiro also dropped the shield and lowered the yurt with one hand.

He found an arrow, placed the arrowhead over the fire and repeatedly heated it until both sides were red-hot, then used it to singe his injured arm. Shichibei, watching from the side, broke out in a cold sweat. How painful that must be! If it happened to him, he would probably die from the agony.

Looking at Fujikichiro's forehead, it was covered in sweat, and his jaw was clenched, clearly indicating that it wasn't so easy for him.

"Have a drink, have a drink quickly." Shichibei hurriedly held up a bottle of wine. There weren't many painkillers available these days, so this was the only option he could think of.

"Hmm..." Fujikichiro mumbled a random "hmm," threw the arrow on the ground, and started chugging wine.

Before the two could exchange any further words, Saito's army on the opposite bank launched a second attack. This time was different; Saito's soldiers cut off the shafts of their spears and tied them together to form ladders, clearly preparing to attack the city.

The city wall was only two and a half meters high, and there was only one section. If Shichibei were Saito Tatsuoki, he would definitely have given it a try. How could he give up without trying at least once?

On the north bank, Saito's army brought out a taiko drum, and Saito Tatsuoki personally beat the drum to encourage the troops to fight bravely and not to tarnish their family's reputation that had dominated Mino for decades.

Clearly, those carrying long ladders to attack the city were all bannermen and foot soldiers who had been raised and nurtured by the Yongxing father and son, fed with Yongle coins. The army let out a shout in unison and charged fiercely towards Sunomata Castle from the north bank. Behind them, the drums of the Yongxing army thundered like the earth, fierce and stirring, so much so that even the Seven Guards inside the castle felt the ground shake.

Unaware of the immense reward promised by Longxing, dozens of sword-wielding foot soldiers, disregarding the arrows and cannon fire from the city walls, roared incessantly as they smashed through the barricades and scaled the walls.

The generals of the Hachisuka and Tsubouchi factions, wielding long spears, mounted their mounts and swept left and right, engaging Saito's soldiers in fierce combat. Saito's army, possessing considerable momentum, was indeed a regular force, and in battle, they were superior to Kawakami's. When it came to truly bloodshed and piercing flesh, their patience was a notch higher than Kawakami's.

"It was I, Nishimura Kanja, who was the first to scale the city walls!"

A Saito samurai, wielding a katana, swatted aside the spears on either side, and, stepping over planks and ladders, was the first to storm into Sunomata Castle. As soon as the breach opened, four or five Saito foot soldiers charged in.

Saito's army was greatly encouraged. The drums on the north bank continued to beat, and the second wave of infantrymen quickly formed ranks, preparing to storm Sunomata Castle.

Seeing someone rushing in, Fujikichiro picked up a spear, beckoned his servants and family to come over, shouted, and without giving his name, thrust the spear forward.