Owari Yumeki Golden Day.

However, the question of whether Araki Murashige would starve to death also brought up another matter: Akechi Mitsuhide was very interested in the Araki family retainers who had originally been his and his supporters. He repeatedly sent people to contact Araki Murashige, stating that if Araki himself committed seppuku, the retainers and the lives of all the castle's soldiers could be saved.

Father, your retainers are really bold.

Every sentence seems to be about Guangxiu, but every sentence is a reference to other people.

Oda Nobunaga was a man of great stature; of course he knew his own son's words.

Who was it? As for Akechi Mitsuhide's coveting of Araki Murashige's vassal state, which ruled half of Settsu Province, Nobunaga turned a blind eye.

If Araki Murashige can be persuaded to surrender quickly and commit seppuku in Kyoto, then Mitsuhide can annex the province if he wants, and the Settsu province can be handed over to his good son-in-law, Takayama Shigetomo.

Nobunaga's loathing for the Takeda retainers goes without saying. But when Shichibei gathered the remnants of their forces, Nobunaga only instructed them to send them to Harima and let them serve as cannon fodder for Hideyoshi for a year.

After they paid Nobunaga their blood tax, Nobunaga put the matter behind him. Didn't Ieyasu also send people to win over the remaining retainers of the Takeda clan in history? Didn't Nobunaga know that? He invited Ieyasu to Kyoto for a grand feast and a theatrical performance, as usual.

The key is that they can be used by Nobunaga. Besides, Mitsuhide will be attacking the Hatano brothers at Yagami Castle soon, and he needs a good batch of cannon fodder. This is acceptable and understandable.

While Nobutada was referring to Mitsuhide, he was actually referring to Sakuma Nobumori.

After all, Mitsuhide was still eyeing other people's retainers, while Sakuma Nobumori was already so wealthy that he didn't need to recruit any more retainers. His army of over 20,000 men was basically complete, enough to support Sakuma's army in fighting on all sides.

After hearing Nobutada's words, Nobunaga's feelings were actually quite complex. In the context of a feudal dynasty where the new lord was in a long-standing relationship with his old retainer, such a situation was bound to easily lead to conflict.

Firstly, he was worried that Xinzhong would not be able to control the powerful old ministers. Secondly, the country was not yet completely pacified, and there were already undercurrents in his household. What should he do?

Seeing his father hesitate, Nobutada knew very well the principle of moderation. He immediately continued to report on the Battle of Toyodo, praising Akechi Hidemitsu for his fierce charge on the front lines, and Shichibei for entrusting his troops to him.

Nobunaga remembered Akechi Hidemitsu. Mitsuhide's early life had been very difficult, so he had no children. He was now in his early fifties, and his son was almost ten.

As a son-in-law, Hidemitsu could, if necessary, take over from Mitsuhide and continue to lead the Akechi clan. Therefore, Akechi Hidemitsu's competence and impressive appearance were also a good thing for the Oda clan.

It's similar to how Nobunaga would examine the second generation of his family. After all, the second generation mostly served Nobutada, so Nobutada naturally cared about them as well.

But Shichibei...

Dad, when will you pass this on to me?

Think beautiful!

Nobunaga waved his hand dismissively, telling Nobutada not to even think about it. "You can try to get your hands on this thing after your father dies. I'm using it so well right now, it can't be passed on."

Well, what can Xinzhong do? He can't take it from his father if he doesn't want it. He can only obediently wait for his father to pass it down, considering it a generous inheritance gift.

After the father and son finished their conversation, Nobunaga still needed to hear Murai Sadakatsu's report on the recent situation in Kyoto. In particular, he was concerned about Nobunaga's promotion to Minister of the Right and the Empress's subsequent visit to Azuchi. These matters required Murai Sadakatsu to constantly negotiate with the Imperial Court, urging them to expedite the process.

Nobunaga, who had already been promoted to Minister of the Interior, took these matters very seriously. Nobutada was also a fourth-ranking lieutenant general, and if he served for another two years, he would need to get three councilors; these were all matters he had to treat as important tasks.

So Nobutada sat to Nobunaga's left, listening to Murai Sadakatsu report on the details of Kyoto. Once everything was settled and the reports were mostly complete, the meeting ended.

Just as Nobutada stepped out the door, he saw Nobunaga's attendants rushing out. He didn't need to ask; someone had informed him that it was Nobunaga who had given the order.

Sakuma Nobumori. Continue the work of surrounding Hongan-ji Temple and restore the previously damaged encirclement.

Nobutada and Nobunaga just reported on the Battle of Toyoshima, in which nearly a thousand Honganji soldiers were killed in battle and almost five thousand were captured alive. The Ishiyama Honganji only had about twenty thousand men capable of fighting, and with six thousand of them suddenly gone, Ishiyama Osaka Castle must be completely empty.

Although the situation on the water was still unclear, the advantage on land had been completely established. Therefore, Nobunaga ordered Nobumori to quickly restore the encirclement of Hongan-ji Temple, in preparation for completely trapping it later.

Shichibei, who was having dinner at home, soon received the news. "We naturally have our own channels," he thought. "It's a common problem in feudal society. Otherwise, how could eunuchs, actors, female officials, and concubines repeatedly 'shine' in countries all over the world?"

Now Nobumori has surrounded Honganji Temple again. Will he ultimately be held responsible for this?

The only ones capable of facing the huge pitfall of Honganji Temple alone are Oda Nobutada and Sakuma Nobumori. Nobutada's siege of Arioka Castle actually saved him from this huge mess.

What attitude should Shichibei take regarding this matter? Should he let it be, like the weather saying "if it's going to rain, it'll rain," or should he personally intervene and try to persuade Sakuma Nobumori to retire gracefully and hand over the family business to him?

Nobueshi Kuma?

If it were handed over to Nobuyoshi, the hundreds of thousands of koku of koku of lordship would definitely have to be redistributed. Just like after Mori Yoshinari's death, although his son Mori Ranmaru inherited his family business, Tsutsui Junkei, who was both a lord and son-in-law, was separated. The whole family was transferred back to Mino Kinzan and Iwamura with 70,000 koku of lordship.

Xinrong can be granted the fief of Hanoi with 200,000 shi (a unit of grain), and start working slowly. After two years of experience and maturity, he will have the opportunity to become a legion commander.

Well……

Getting involved in this kind of thing just feels like it'll get us into trouble. Besides, we've already clearly shown goodwill to Oda Nobutada, and are just waiting for him to inherit our own property and the Kawamura-ya. Isn't interfering in the Sakuma family's affairs a bit too presumptuous?

It's better to talk less. This isn't about being wise and protecting yourself, because some things can be done without any reason, unless you have prior knowledge or foresight.

Sakuma Nobumori was a senior retainer of Nobunaga, a powerful general in the household, and held Nobunaga in high esteem. To outsiders, what was the problem?

As for the Sakuma father and son in Wakae Castle, they didn't seem to care much about the horse with reeds that Nobunaga had bestowed upon them, nor the military order to besiege Honganji Temple again.

What's wrong with that?

Both his son, Sakuma Nobuege, and his son-in-law, Yasami Ukon, believed that Nobunaga still relied heavily on Nobumori. Nobuege, however, took the initiative to advise Sakuma Nobumori. He argued that as the head retainer of the household, Nobumori should continue to accumulate small merits to demonstrate his usefulness, but should not attempt major achievements lest Nobutada become wary.

If he performs another great service, Nobunaga will surely reward him, and it's understandable that Tadashi might be unhappy.

How about we step aside and switch places with Nobutada? We'll do the work of besieging Arigaka Castle, and Nobutada can take the credit for destroying Honganji Temple?

447. The Imperial Palace Rebellion is Now Sprouting

Oda Nobuhiro, who was fighting against generals such as Uesugi Kagenobu and Hojo Kagehiro of the Echigo army at the border of Shinano and Echigo, received a private letter delivered by the Flying Kick Corps in six days.

Why is Shichibei writing a letter to himself?

Upon opening the letter, he found it stated that Uesugi Kenshin had withdrawn his troops from Kaga and returned to Kasugayama. After reading it, Oda Nobuhiro's hand trembled. How had he lost an eye? He'd been blinded by an arrow shot by the Takeda army. And who was Uesugi Kenshin? A powerful figure who had fought the Takeda army for over a decade without a clear victor.

When Yamagata Masamitsu noticed his trembling hands, he came over and asked what was wrong. He handed the letter to Yamagata Masamitsu, who seemed fine, but became suspicious.

We didn't even break through Kashiwamoto-dori-Sekikawa-guchi, so why did Uesugi Kenshin rush back? If we had advanced into Echigo, then it would be understandable for Uesugi Kenshin to rush back, but we didn't manage to get in.

"My lord! The enemy forces at the Sekikawa Pass are being mobilized." Before the two men could resolve their doubts, a messenger ran up to their horse.

"Understood." Oda Nobuhiro nodded first, then immediately turned his horse around to check the situation at the Sekikawa Pass.

As expected, Hojo Kagehiro, who was guarding the Sekikawa Pass, was mobilizing his troops.

The two sides have reached a stalemate, so why mobilize troops now? Oda Nobuhiro has even planned that once Takigawa Kazumasu kills Hojo Takahiro in Ueno, they can march straight to Echigo via Numata Castle. At that point, the Uesugi clan will be caught in a dilemma, making the battle much easier.

"Summon all the generals for a discussion." Since Oda Nobuhiro couldn't figure it out, he stopped thinking about it and gathered everyone over.

Soon, Kiso Yoshimasa, Mori Hideyori, Ashida Nobukami and his son Yoda Nobuhachi, as well as Sanada Masayuki (who returned to the main family as the name of his nephew Sanada Nobuoki), and other generals arrived one after another.

Everyone was baffled by the sudden troop movement, which even seemed like a retreat towards Kasugayama by the Uesugi army. Nobuhiro didn't show the private message to everyone, but simply relayed the information Shichibei had given him.

“Something must have happened at Kasugayama!” Sanada Masayuki was very certain, because Uesugi Kenshin’s campaign in Kaga was going very well and he had a huge advantage.

Kenshin would never have retreated if Kasugayama hadn't been in trouble.

"Could it be that the Regent has fallen ill and retired?" Kiso Yoshimasa wasn't stupid; he just blurted it out.

When Takeda Shingen and Oda Nobunaga concluded the peace treaty, one of them was Okazaki.

First, the castle's defensive fortifications are too strong, and second, Takeda Shingen is barely clinging to life. Now, Uesugi Kenshin has suddenly returned from the Kaga front; could he also be ill?

"Yes!" Everyone present said in unison.

If Uesugi Kenshin were seriously ill at this time and disbanded his large army in Echigo and Noto, returning to Kasugayama to guard the area, it would be perfectly reasonable to recall some of the Echigo troops back to the castle to prevent any unrest.

After all, everyone knows that Uesugi Kenshin had several adopted sons, and it was never clear which one was his heir. Uesugi Kagekatsu was the son of Kenshin's sister, and Uesugi Kagetora was no different, because Kagetora's wife was the daughter of Sentoin, meaning Kagetora was Kenshin's nephew-in-law.

Yoshiharu Toyama was born into a noble family. As a descendant of a family that was one of the three Kanrei of the shogunate, this was considered a plus in the eyes of Kenshin, who valued the old-fashioned social hierarchy and righteousness.

Just like Ōuchi Yoshitaka of the western country, who, unable to produce a son, enthroned Ōuchi Harumochi, the son of the Tosa Ichijō clan. Ōuchi Yoshitaka doted on this son immensely, believing him to be "a perfect likeness of himself." Upon hearing of his death, he was so grief-stricken that he directly petitioned the shogunate to bestow the character "Yoshi" upon him, adding to Ōuchi Harumochi's posthumous honor.

Only Murakami Kunikiyo was somewhat lacking, but Oku Shinano and the Vietnamese...

People from later generations intermarried frequently, forming close relationships. It's not necessarily true that they would have a real competition.

“That makes sense!” Sanada Masayuki didn’t really care whether he looked down on Kiso Yoshimasa or not. Now everyone was working for Oda Nobuhiro and serving in the same court, so he had to be fair.

"We should launch an offensive against Sekikawa-guchi immediately." Mori Hideyori was a follower of Nobunaga's Umawari clan, and he didn't want to be just a lord of Ina district with a salary of 50,000 koku.

“That’s right.” Yamagata Masamitsu also expressed his support for the attack.

He knew very well that his ability to preserve, and even temporarily control, most of Kai's territory was largely due to his good brother-in-law. But no matter how capable his brother-in-law was, he still had to prove himself. Whether Nobunaga wanted to attack Echigo or Kanto, he had to risk his life and fight bravely to achieve merit.

"Blow the conch shell, Yamagata team goes first!" Oda Nobuhiro didn't hesitate, taking the plunge even if there was no chance.

If Echigo truly falls into chaos, then he can seize the opportunity to invade. If Echigo doesn't fall into chaos, then it's normal that Uesugi Kenshin returned and Oda Nobuhiro failed to invade.

If it doesn't work this year, we can try again next year. Since we've already fallen out, and...

The Uesugi clan's territory is surrounded on two sides by the Oda clan's territory, giving Kenshin plenty of time to play around.

Looking back at Echigo, Uesugi Kagenobu strongly supported Uesugi Kagetora's succession and stated that it should be done according to Uesugi Norimasa's wishes, as soon as possible.

In order to support Uesugi Kagetora's succession, Uesugi Kagenobu quickly sent Hojo Kagehiro with two thousand men to Kasugayama to help Uesugi Kagetora stabilize the situation there and hold a succession ceremony.

Aside from the fact that Kagetora's elder brother, Hojo Ujimasa, had not yet replied, Kagetora had essentially secured the support of the Echigo lords who remained in Echigo. The only family openly opposed to him was the Ueda Nagao family of Sakado Castle. Of course, many of the northern lords were merely observing, neither opposing nor supporting him, waiting to see how the situation would develop.

That was enough. Uesugi Kagetora immediately announced the death of Uesugi Kenshin and declared that he would inherit the title of head of the Uesugi family, as well as the hereditary titles of Kanto Kanrei and Danjo Shōsuke. He also took out the Heavenly Cup and the sword that Uesugi Kenshin had been bestowed upon him as embellishments.

At least half of the powerful officials from Echigo Province attended the ceremony at Kasugayama, which was seen as a public declaration of support for Kagetora's succession. Kagetora, still uneasy, set up a mourning hall at Kasugayama and held a grand funeral for Uesugi Kenshin. He also wanted to reaffirm his role as Kenshin's dutiful son and the chief mourner.

So what about Kagekatsu? Kagekatsu fought a fierce battle with Shiina Kagenao in Echigo. Shiina Kagenao was defeated and retreated to Uozu Castle and Koide Castle. Then, Yamamotoji Sadanaga, the lord of Fudoyama Castle in Kakei District who supported Uesugi Kagetora, sent troops from Echigo to rescue Shiina Kagenao.

Once Uesugi Kagetora has secured his position at Kasugayama, the Echigo forces, especially those who support Kagetora, will send troops to reinforce Uozu Castle. Kagekatsu is still alive because there's still a possibility of retaking Kasugayama Castle. If he fails to defeat Echigo, he will face certain death.

In their struggle for the position, both sides have become somewhat reckless.

At that very moment, Hojo Ujimasa of Odawara Castle also received a letter from Uesugi Kagetora, and he jumped for joy. Just as Uesugi Kagetora had predicted, Hojo Ujimasa was very pleased that his younger brother would inherit the title of Kanrei (regent) of the Uesugi clan.

The other brothers, Hojo Ujiteru, Hojo Ujikuni, and Hojo Ujiki, all expressed their support. What more could be said? Hojo Ujimasa immediately ordered his brothers to gather 30,000 men and rush to the aid of Kozuke. First, they would assist Hojo Takahiro in defeating Takikawa Kazumasu in Kozuke, and then proceed to Echigo to solidify Uesugi Kagetora's position.

Furthermore, Hojo Ujimasa knew that the Oda army had marched north to conquer Echigo, so he left behind two armies, led by Takeda Nobufusa and Tokugawa Ieyasu, as a flank force to protect the rear. Therefore, Ujimasa still had 20,000 to 30,000 troops at his disposal to block the enemy's advance.

The two passageways are Hachioji Exit of the Koshu Street and Izuyama Castle.

If these two points are blocked, then Takeda Nobufusa and Tokugawa Ieyasu will not be able to invade Kanto.

As for those annoying scalpers in Kanto? Nonsense. The Hojo family has been dealing with these scalpers for four generations; they're experienced and in no hurry. It's just a matter of who can outmaneuver whom; it's just a messy battle.

Thus began the Etchu War, the Shinano War, the Echigo War, and the Ueno War. The aftermath of Uesugi Kenshin's death was so immense that it involved almost the entire eastern province.

Even prominent figures from the Oshu shogunate, such as Date Terumune, Ashina Moriuji, and Daihoji Yoshiuji, all sided with Uesugi Kagetora. It must be said, Uesugi Kagetora possessed considerable personal charisma, and his status as the younger brother of Hojo Ujimasa greatly boosted his popularity in the eastern provinces.

Unfortunately, many of the bigwigs in the Echigo faction also have strong supporters, so it would be strange if they didn't cause trouble.

Nobunaga, who had already returned to Kyoto, and Shichibei, who was in charge of official business in Sakai, received news almost simultaneously of the "Otate Rebellion" in Echigo, the death of Uesugi Kenshin, and the farcical power struggle between Uesugi Kagekatsu and Uesugi Kagetora.

What should we do?

Of course, we should prepare to step in and mediate!

A complete split within the Uesugi clan, with internal strife and infighting, would be the outcome most suited to the Oda clan's needs. At this point, not only should the Oda clan not be attacked, lest they unite in a shared hatred of the enemy, but the army should also be withdrawn, allowing them to fight it out and bleed the blood of Echigo dry.

Or they could simply sit back and watch the two sides fight, helping whichever side is weaker, and then use that favor to their advantage to gain control of Echigo. Who knows, the once-powerful Uesugi clan, now just a vassal state of the Oda clan, might just become a vassal daimyo in this way.