Owari Yumeki Golden Day.

Shimoma Yorihiro's thinking was straightforward: Nobunaga had already left Tennoji Fortress and was mobilizing all available troops to aid Kaga's Azai Nagamasa. Oda Nobutada of the Kinai region was essentially acting as "regency," and moreover, Nobutada had inherited the position of head of the Oda clan and was the patriarch of the Oda family.

To mobilize and tie down Oda's army in the Kinai region as much as possible,

Since there was no better option than to attack Oda Nobutada than to recall Nobunaga from Kaga, there was no better choice than to attack him.

If you're fighting anyone else, Nobutada won't come to your rescue; at most, he'll say something like, "Hang in there!" He'll only come to your aid once Nobunaga and Azai Nagamasa have defeated Uesugi Kenshin.

If we attack Xinzhong, all the generals will come to his rescue one after another. Xinzhong doesn't need reinforcements; they might all come to his aid.

How about it, Master? Let's try one more time.

Charge! Although Honganji Kennyo's military skills were mediocre, he was a very sharp mind. He was among the first to realize that Nobunaga wasn't there to join the old order, but to overthrow it. Moreover, his connections with the Mori, Ashikaga, and Takeda factions certainly demonstrate that he possessed considerable strategic insight.

Shimoma Yorihiro was appointed commander-in-chief, while Shimoma Yoritatsu remained to guard the city. The Honganji army, almost entirely composed of its own forces, numbering 20,000, crossed the Yodo River and marched straight towards Oda Nobutada and Akechi Mitsuhide, who were besieging Arioka Castle.

Whether Araki Murashige inside the castle can break out and coordinate is no longer a question. Now it's all about going all out and launching a fierce attack on Oda Nobutada.

If Xinzhong's formation falters, this wave will be won.

"What!" Shichibei was chatting with Ashikaga Princess in Sakai Town. Ashikaga Princess had just said she would make Shichibei somen noodles, and the two of them were having a good time.

"Lord Gifu is facing a fierce attack from the Ikko-ikki in Arioka and is currently engaged in a bitter battle." The person who came was Umai Moi, Oda Nobutada's retainer. Shichibei was only vaguely familiar with him, but not really recognized.

"Understood, I'll mobilize the troops immediately." At a time like this, why bother with plain noodles?

"I am extremely grateful." Ma Hui had run himself ragged, but once he confirmed that the news had reached him and that Shichibei was willing to raise an army, he was all set for himself.

"Yobei! Yobei!" Shichibei shouted twice towards the outside, and Goto Mototsugu, who was now the head of Shichibei's entourage, rushed over.

"Order the troops remaining at Kishi and Wada to come to Sakai to assemble within one day and rush to Arioka's aid." That was the only order; there was no mention of mobilization at all.

Those who can come are welcome, those who can't are fine. Shichibei will take those who can gather in Sakai within a day to Arioka.

"Hehe." Goto Mototsugu ran out like the wind.

Sakai and Kishiwada, if you were to ride a swaying little tram in modern Japan...

It takes less than half an hour, covering a total distance of only fifteen kilometers. A marathon takes about two hours, and that's not even a sprint.

"I will help you pack your things." After hearing Shichibei's order, Ashikaga Princess simply got up and started packing Shichibei's belongings.

It's great, really not troublesome at all. Apart from spending a bit too much money, I can't find anything wrong with it. Although she really is a princess, she doesn't have any princess syndrome, just princess-like expenses.

"Hmm." Shichibei simply nodded.

The servants in Sakai Town went to the ruling town to gather the people and prepare at least 30,000 rice balls for Shichibei that night. They were to be salted and pickled with plum, wrapped in reed leaves, five rice balls per serving. Normally, a foot soldier would be lucky to eat two rice balls per meal, but during battles, when they had to charge forward, they needed five per meal.

You need to be well-fed before you can carry a gun.

Also, prepare 30,000 rice balls tomorrow morning as provisions for the soldiers' journey. Once we reach Settsu, we'll eat the food of Oda Nobutada and Akechi Mitsuhide. Reinforcements always eat the rice of the recipient they're rescuing; otherwise, what's the point of providing aid?

At dusk, the more than four thousand men of Kishiwada in the castle were brought before Shichibei. Their arrival was remarkably swift; they were all regular troops, sentries...

It moves as soon as the sound of the bell is heard.

Rice wine and rice balls were provided for the soldiers to eat, and all that was needed was straw. Even in the sweltering summer, there was no problem camping in the wild; they could sleep on straw mats.

The next morning, rice balls were delivered to the army camp again. The guild members from Sakai also sent over knife-cut noodles; the custom of eating cold noodles with broth in the summer is the same as in many places on the neighboring mainland. Whether it's mixed, dipped, or drizzled with sauce, it's all pretty much the same thing.

That's thoughtful. After the four thousand-plus riders finished their noodles, they set off immediately. The thirty thousand rice balls will serve as today's rations. They can reach Arioka Castle in a day anyway, so there's no need for any logistical preparations.

After dismissing his family members who had come to see him off, Shichibei immediately went to aid Oda Nobutada. Similar scenes unfolded at other castles in the Kinai region that still had mobilization forces, including Sakuma Nobumori, who was besieging Iimori Castle.

Rushing to dusk, Shichibei arrived at Minoo, where he encountered Mizono Shigetomo, who was guarding the rear of Oda Nobutada and Akechi Mitsuhide. Recognizing an acquaintance, Shichibei disregarded all formalities and immediately inquired about the battle situation.

Mizono Shigeaki calmly stated that the first wave of attacks had been repelled by his lord, Akechi Mitsuhide. The hasty summoning of the large army earlier was mainly due to the unexpected attack, which caused some disruption to the army.

shake.

In truth, Mizono Shigetomo was somewhat being discreet in his dealings with his superior, because Nobunaga had sent 5,000 cavalrymen from Kita-Tomi no Nobuo in exchange for Kawajiri Hidetaka, Gamo Fuehide, and Ikeda Tsuneoki. Although the total number of troops remained the same, the difference in command levels was significant.

Fortunately, Kitafumi Nobuo had learned his lesson and knew he couldn't run away so easily. If he ran away again at the last minute, his father would definitely strip him of all his power and make him a monk.

It just so happens that no one in the Oda family has become a monk in this generation, so in order to ensure the continuation of the family bloodline, someone needs to be sent to become a senior monk.

Nobunaga's other sons all had bright futures: Harada Nobumasa inherited the remnants of the Hanawa army, Nobutaka inherited Awa, Ujimaru succeeded Hashiba, and Nobufusa inherited Suruga. Only Nobukatsu showed no progress whatsoever, even falling short of Kagawa Nobusumi, who was currently leading his troops in a fierce attack on western Sanuki.

So Kita Tomioka Nobuo drove his samurai to hold the line while he mounted his horse and went to shake hands with his good brother, Oda Nobutada.

Nobutada, fearing his useless younger brother would desert, rushed to his rescue. News then spread that Oda Nobutada had been attacked by the Ikko-ikki. Nobutada arrived quickly, but with only two or three thousand men. The situation was indeed critical, so Akechi Mitsuhide was also mobilized.

Mitsuhide was also afraid that Nobutada would be killed in battle.

If Nobutada's two or three thousand men were overwhelmed by the Ikko-ikki, then Mitsuhide could only wait to commit seppuku, and even that might not quell Nobunaga's rage.

The final result was that large armies from all around, including those led by Takayama Shigetomo, Nakagawa Kiyohide, and Hosokawa Fujitaka, risked their lives to rush to Oda Nobutada's rescue. With so many people fighting desperately, even a god like Shimoma Yorihiro couldn't possibly wipe out Nobutada's forces in one fell swoop.

Although Nobuo's troops suffered heavy casualties, he was still considered to have made a contribution because he did not run away but instead drove his men to fill in the trenches.

With all the units assembled, the battle was considered to have stabilized. Araki Murashige, inside Arioka Castle, was unable to break out of the castle, as the Ikko-ikki (Muslim Rebels) failed to breach Kita-tomi Nobuo's siege forces and reach the castle's fortifications.

Now that Shichibei has arrived, it's just icing on the cake; the battle situation isn't in any great danger.

"Ow..."

Nothing's wrong? That's for the best. Shichibei would be more than happy if nothing happened to him. If something were to happen to Oda Nobutada, who knows what kind of trouble would arise within the vast Oda clan.

Alright, let's take the troops to pay our respects to Oda Nobutada. Our young master is brave and diligent, having withstood the Honganji's fierce attack; his skills are still quite impressive.

Seeing that Shichibei had arrived quite quickly, Nobutada nodded slightly. Loyalty is most easily demonstrated through actions, not words.

Sakuma Nobumori and Shichibei arrived one after the other. After entering, seeing that everything was stable, he plopped down next to Oda Nobutada, completely unconcerned.

440. Xinzhong also came to seize our army.

Seeing that Shichibei was still standing there, Sakuma Nobumori beckoned for him to come and sit down. From Nobunaga's perspective, everyone could indeed sit in a row. But Nobutada was still here; why was he inviting me to sit?

Shichibei returned the bow, then looked at Oda Nobutada again. Almost simultaneously, the two shifted their gaze away from Sakuma Nobumori, and though it was only for a moment, Shichibei seemed to see disdain and disgust in Nobutada's eyes.

Nobutada concealed his true feelings very quickly. When he finally looked at Shichibei properly, he smiled and invited Shichibei to sit down. Shichibei was the large inheritance that his father, Nobunaga, was bound to leave him, so naturally he had to be treated with courtesy.

It all happened in just a few seconds, but Shichibei felt a jolt in his heart. Luckily, we're small business owners, good at saying one thing to one person and another to someone else, and we can change our tune very quickly, so we didn't show anything.

He then greeted Akechi Mitsuhide, Hosokawa Fujitaka, Takayama Shigetomo, and others before discussing the battle situation.

Oh, and there's Kita-Tomi Nobuo. This time, at least Kita-Tomi Nobuo didn't retreat over a hundred miles and hastily abandon his army. He stayed put, waiting for his good brother Oda Nobutada to come to his rescue. So, nothing bad happened.

They could sit openly and honestly in the shogunate and discuss military matters with everyone.

Upon hearing this news, Shichibei couldn't help but glance at Nobukatsu a few more times. The young man had finally grown up a bit, knowing he shouldn't run away in trouble. Although it wasn't a huge improvement, it was still a significant step forward for him. He hadn't disgraced his father, Oda Nobunaga, in this situation.

It's true what they say, like father, like son. Oda Nobunaga, in his youth, was a fearless warrior who always led his page men and cavalry on the front lines, undaunted by death. How could he have fathered such a cowardly son? It's truly bizarre.

Forget it, you can't be sure about genetics. Let's ask where the Honganji army retreated to. They crossed the Yodo River and attacked Arioka, but failed in one strike. Did they just leave empty-handed?

Shimoma Yorihiro's attack failed, and he has already led his troops to retreat to the Toshima region in the south. Since the Oda clan's navy has been disintegrated, he is not afraid that the Yodo River passage will be blocked, preventing him from returning to Ishiyama Hongan-ji Temple.

It's a pity. If our navy had been fully formed by now, we could have come and taken him down. We could have cornered Shimoma Railei on the west bank of the Yodo River and wiped out his 20,000 men.

Fortunately, during the military council, Sakuma Nobumori did not do anything to usurp the leadership; he simply listened to Akechi Mitsuhide's assessment of the current situation.

The explanation.

Because it was a siege, and the siege fortifications were already fully completed, neither Mitsuhide nor Nobutada had many troops on their side. Their numbers were roughly one-to-one with those inside the castle, especially since most of Nobutada's men were his younger brother Nobukatsu's troops, not elite soldiers.

Saito Toshimitsu, a senior retainer under Mitsuhide, was not at the Settsu front at the moment, but remained at Yagi Castle in Tanba to guard the route for Mitsuhide's advance into Tanba. Nobutada's troops had been drawn by Nobunaga to rescue Azai Nagamasa and were not in battle.

However, with the main force of Honganji Temple out of the castle for field battles, Ishiyama Gobo will inevitably be left vulnerable. The 10,000 cavalry that Nobunaga left at Tennoji Fortress might be able to play a role.

Currently, the forces in Settsu Arioka are: Kita Tomio Nobuo 4,000, Nobutada 4,000, Mitsuhide and Hosokawa Fujitaka 4,000, Takayama Shigetomo and Nakagawa Kiyohide 2,000, Kawamura Nagayoshi 4,000, and Sakuma Nobumori 4,000.

With 22,000 men, the numbers were basically the same as those of Shimoma Yorimitsu, and their military strength was evenly matched.

The only advantage they had was that these 22,000 men were all regular troops in Oda's army, the kind of men who could be mobilized at the sound of a whistle. They were all veterans with many years of service, and although many of them were seasoned old hands, their combat effectiveness was above average.

In contrast, the Honganji Temple's forces had suffered considerable losses in the previous continuous battles with Oda's army. The reason they were able to maintain this number was mainly due to Mori joining the anti-Nobunaga group, allowing a large number of Jodo Shinshu followers from the western provinces to enter the Ishiyama Honganji Temple. This not only replenished the losses of Ishiyama's forces but also increased their numbers.

In terms of combat strength, they were definitely slightly inferior. In the end, they were just young and strong believers sent by the Mori clan to Ishiyama Osaka Castle. Equipped with arquebuses and trained in spearmanship, they were still not as powerful as the Oda clan's standing army.

Going straight to the gong and the drum in front of you is definitely not going to work. The siege of Arioka Castle must continue. Araki Murashige has gathered tens of thousands of people to rebel. Even though he lost some in the Battle of Amagasaki-Arioka, there must be several thousand men in the castle now.

If the Oda army recklessly marches to kill Shimoma Yorihiro, Araki Murashige is no dead man; he will definitely try to break through the siege and escape the city.

"Ishiyama is a major threat to our lord. If we can annihilate this army, our lord will have no worries in the capital region," Akechi Mitsuhide concluded after explaining the situation.

“We can’t just ignore Arioka Castle…” Nobutada knew he shouldn’t say discouraging things, but the mission he had received from his father was to kill Arakimura Shige’s entire family.

If you exceed Nobunaga's expectations in completing his tasks, he will reward you handsomely.

A reward, a great praise. But if you fail to complete the task, the beatings will hurt terribly.

"Should we leave Lord Ōkō-no-Tō to guard Arioka?" Shichibei thought to himself, since no one had any ideas, he might as well throw out a suggestion.

"..." As a result, everyone looked at each other, but no one responded.

Kitabatake Nobuo wanted to speak, but when he noticed that no one was saying anything, he quickly looked at his older brother, Nobutada. Nobutada gestured to him with his eyes, and he immediately shut up.

This is ridiculous! This is such a disrespect to Lord Nobunaga's eldest son!

Shichibei, having been rebuffed, had no choice but to shut up, hoping that the generals present could offer some convincing explanation to defeat Shimoma Yorihiro.

"Are there still military provisions in Arioka Castle?" Sakuma Nobumori asked Akechi Mitsuhide.

Because Akechi Mitsuhide had previously sent someone into the castle to persuade Araki Murashige to commit seppuku in front of Oda Nobunaga in exchange for the lives of the castle's soldiers. Just like the Saiga Suzuki faction next door, by cutting off the head of the family and the eldest sons from the family register, Nobunaga could vent his anger, and the coerced followers were basically not a big deal.

If we could talk before, we should still have channels to talk now, and perhaps we can learn some details about the city.

"There are about six months' worth of military rations left." Mitsuhide did indeed send people to persuade him to surrender, and Araki Murashige told him that the military rations in the castle were enough to last a year.

They've been fighting for six months now, and those who didn't die in battle are still considered survivors. The city's food supply should last another six months. Trying to starve them to death might be a bit difficult.

"In that case, I will join Lord Ōkawa in attacking the castle here, while you all go and fight the army of Honganji." Takayama Shigetomo, as Nobunaga's good son-in-law, was infinitely devoted to Nobunaga's cause.

No one was at ease leaving Kita-tomi Nobuo alone, but it was a different story with Takayama Shigetomo by his side. In fact, if Nobunaga hadn't been determined to completely besiege Hongan-ji Temple and hadn't decided to pacify Araki Murashige, Araki Murashige might have been worn down to death by Takayama Shigetomo. Now, it was simply a matter of him leading Kita-tomi Nobuo's troops to launch an offensive against Arioka Castle.

The battle will last for three to five days. Whether it succeeds or not is secondary. The main thing is to prevent Araki's troops from leaving Arioka Castle.

As long as Araki Murashige doesn't leave the castle, Oda's army of over 10,000 men has a good chance of winning against Shimoma Yoriichi's 20,000 men. After all, the Oda clan consists entirely of standing troops, and Honganji Temple, besides its monks, also has a considerable number of supporters who have fighting power, but they are certainly not as strong as the Saiga troops.

For example, the 450 men from Ishiyama who came to support Harima Eiga Gobō were probably at the level of the Saiga troop, while those who came from Bitchu and Bingo were probably a bit less capable.

"Hey!" As soon as he said that, everyone turned to look at Takayama Shigetomo.

"Six thousand cavalry will stay behind to attack the city, and sixteen thousand cavalry will go out to battle..." Oda Nobutada counted on his fingers and thought it was feasible.

“We can still order 10,000 troops from Tennoji Fortress to attack Ishiyama Gobo, in order to weaken Honganji.” Sakuma Nobumori finally spoke, and what he said was a valid point.

"Yes!" One is one, two is two; Xinzhong approves of reasonable tactics.