Owari Yumeki Golden Day.

Supply distribution? Sakai has large-scale warehouses set up by Shichibei, and Sakai is also a food distribution center. Whether it's military equipment or food...

Shichibei only needs to give an order to resolve the issue. At most, he just needs to stockpile enough salt, miso, and soldier rations beforehand.

Soldier rations were similar to canned food for emergencies in later times, but in this era they were made to save time cooking and allow soldiers to continue fighting for three to five days.

Aki and Bingo were already the foundation of the Mori clan. Other territories might be full of fickle locals and petty tyrants, but in these two countries, they might encounter Mori supporters who would rise up in battle.

There was even a possibility that peasants, organized by local officials or sergeants, might attack Oda's rear guard and supply lines. To ensure the supply of provisions for Oda's army, which was the first to invade both countries, it was essential to prepare rations in advance.

With ration pills and water, the Japanese soldiers were able to make do with what they needed at that time.

This wasn't the first time they'd done this; when Nobunaga attacked Kishu, he'd used Shichibei to transport supplies from Sakai. Now, changing the land route to a waterway adds an extra layer of procedures.

Osaka Bay is calm and still, with no waves, except for the whirlpools that form when the sea meets at the Naruto Strait. However, to reach Aki and Bingo, one must take the Akashi Strait to the north, which is free of the danger of whirlpools. To the north lies the Bessho Nagaharu territory, which is currently under construction, and to the south is the territory of Morimura Haru.

Haru Morimura also built a tall lighthouse along the coast, so that ships could navigate at night without fear of crashing into the shore. Of course, under normal circumstances, ships would try to avoid sailing at night, which is why there are so many ports in the Seto Inland Sea.

Even the calm Seto Inland Sea is fraught with danger, and night navigation is even more perilous. For safety reasons, Shichibei needed to confirm the ports of call along the route, restrain the fleet, and prohibit unauthorized travel.

Incidentally, it is also necessary to secretly send people to Rangnipō in Bingō Province to prepare for the army's future needs for food and military supplies, which will be transported from Rangnipō.

Historically, at this time, Ashikaga Yoshiaki established the Kuranoura Shogunate. Now, Yoshiaki, his cousin Yoshiei, and their two eldest sons are all in Kyoto, under the control of Nobunaga.

Japanese historian Rai San'yo's lament, "The Ashikaga (Muromachi Shogunate) rose to power in Kuruma, and was destroyed in Kuruma!" will likely never be able to utter such a sentiment. Future history will only record Ashikaga Takauji's acquisition of the Insen-no-kyo (official title) of the Muromachi Shogunate in Kuruma-no-ura, and will not mention the Yoshiaki Kuruma Shogunate.

Sakai-cho needs to communicate, and Kishiwada needs to make arrangements. The main problem is the effort of talking to people, and secondly, it requires upfront funding.

That's Shichibei; he's long been used to covering expenses, and he settles accounts with Nobunaga annually. In a sense, Nobunaga's actions now...

The current situation is largely due to Shichibei's long-term financial support. Shichibei has made significant contributions to Nobunaga's conquest of the country.

Even without merit, he wouldn't have been able to receive repeated promotions. Although he was by no means one of the top lords in the Oda clan, he still controlled two provinces and enjoyed their deep trust.

"Kyoto-dono." Nobunaga's eldest son, Harada Nobumasa, ran over to pay his respects to Shichibei.

"What are your orders, my lord?" Considering the time, Nobunaga wouldn't have finished entertaining Tokugawa Ieyasu so quickly, given that he needed to coordinate with the completion of Azuchi Castle and host the guests in Azuchi.

"I have been ordered to lead the way for Lord Gifu." There was no dissatisfaction in Harada Nobumasa's words.

Similar to the relationship between Oda Nobuhiro and Oda Nobunaga, although Nobuhiro was the eldest son of Oda Nobuhide, he was born out of wedlock and of relatively humble origin. Therefore, the Oda family business was ultimately passed on to Oda Nobunaga, who was the legitimate son.

Harada Nobumasa's mother was Tsuka Naomasa's younger sister. As Oda Nobunaga's eldest son born out of wedlock, he did not obtain the right of succession and was only "Nobutada's elder brother" in his life.

Having inherited the broken-down Oda Nobutada army, and now that it has been reorganized, it is perfectly normal for him to be sent to lead the vanguard as Oda Nobutada's right-hand man.

"Should we go to Bizhong or Yiyu?" The so-called vanguard must be able to see the geographical situation of the front line so that they can clear the way for Xinzhong's 30,000 troops and build bridges over rivers.

"Yosu." Harada Nobumasa's answer was clear.

Hideyoshi's side launched a naval attack, resulting in a stalemate. It was unlikely a decisive victory would be achieved in the short term, and the situation was unlikely to change drastically. Hideyoshi had previously promised to provide the entire Bichon Province to Shimizu Muneharu, yet he refused to surrender. This demonstrates his resolute will to resist; he feared Hideyoshi would kill his entire family.

On the contrary, the faction led by Miyoshi Nobutaka and Kagawa Nobusumi, having been subdued by Kaneko Mototsuki and become his vanguard, has been advancing rapidly with a guide. They have already besieged Takashi Castle, whose commander, Ishikawa Bitchu-no-kami, has only six hundred men and cannot hold out for long.

After defeating Ichijo Kanesada's revived army, Chosokabe Motochika of Tosa took advantage of the situation and marched into southern Iyo. Due to the crushing defeat at the Battle of Shimantogawa, the generals of southern Iyo suffered heavy losses, and the Watanabe, Tsuchii, Kitanogawa, and Ki clans had effectively lost the ability to fight against the Chosokabe clan.

The Saionji family, relying on the Iyo-Utsunomiya and Ōno families behind them, is now resisting the Chosokabe army's attack. Saionji Kimihiro is already exhausted in resisting the Chosokabe army's attack and is seeking to secure a certain amount of territory by surrendering to the Chosokabe family.

It is said that the vanguard was led by Motochika's eldest son, Nobuchika. Nobuchika, who inherited Oda Nobunaga's name, was the family's recognized heir. He was not only exceptionally brave and skilled in martial arts, but also possessed considerable magnanimity.

With this achievement, the Chōsokabe family believes that their clan is safe and secure, and there are no more difficulties ahead.

As previously agreed, 200,000 koku of rice in Nan-Iyo belonged to the Chosokabe clan. Now, with attacks from both the north and south, and the defection of Kurushima Michifusa, the Kono clan is facing a life-or-death crisis.

The previous head of the family, Kono Michinobu, suffered a stroke and became paralyzed. Although he was not yet dead, he had completely lost power. The current head of the family, Kono Michinao, is the daughter of Kurushima Michiyasu and the daughter of Oto Takaie (born to Motonari's daughter, Goryūhime). Since he is related to the Mori family, he would definitely try his best to shake the Mori clan and beg them to save him.

Mori Terumoto was currently in the Bichu Camp, and had no time to care about Iyo's little brother. But if he didn't rescue him, he feared that the Oda army would seize Iyo and directly threaten Aki.

Ultimately, Yuanxiao was ordered to lead Yuanxiao's troops to support Tangzhu Castle.

Mototaka Shido was the eldest son of the Shido Takashi family. He was willing to send troops to rescue his sister's son.

But he was willing to do nothing. He had just landed in Iyo with the help of the Nojima village and the Hiraoka family when he heard that Takasaki Castle had fallen and Ishikawa Bitchu no Kami had died in battle. He also heard that Saionji Kimihiro had surrendered the castle to the Chosokabe family on the condition that they adopt the second son of Chosokabe Motochika.

This second son was historically adopted into the Kagawa family of Sanuki Province, and now he's not idle either, having been given to Saionji Kimihiro. In terms of family status, the Saionji family is far superior to the Chōsokabe family. Now, with Motochika's army at the gates, this is the only way to survive and preserve the family's reputation.

Mototaka Shigeto, who had just landed, panicked and realized that Iyo's situation was probably beyond repair. He rushed into Yuzuki Castle, took Kono Michinobu and Kono Michinao with him, and notified the villagers of Inojima and Nojima to flee.

471. Although Tangzhu was destroyed, it remained in chaos.

Alright, what do you want, bro? Since your dad and brother sent you here, Shichibei has to lend a hand. Whether you want a ship or men, just say so.

Harada Nobumasa wanted a fast boat capable of carrying him and several trusted retainers around the Seto Inland Sea. The boat needed a captain familiar with the conditions of Osaka Bay and the Seto Inland Sea, and he also requested a nautical chart from Shichibei.

To put it simply, it's a map of the Seto Inland Sea, showing where the islands are, where the bays are, and how many harbors there are along the coast. Secrets like the tides and reefs, which are meant to be passed down through generations, are usually only passed down from father to son.

This is all very simple and can be done. Please ask Harada Nobumasa to rest in the castle for a while. Shichibei will issue an order to recall Morimura Yoshi (Morimura Haru's younger brother), who is familiar with the situation on the eastern coast of Sanuki, to accompany Harada Nobumasa on his tour.

Although he is not the crown prince, he is still "the elder brother of Nobutada." In the future, Harada Nobumasa will surely have a share in this world.

In particular, Harada Nobumasa received the remnants of Hanawa Naomasa's army. Although he was slower than Nobuo, Nobutaka, or even Nobusumi and Nobufusa, he might still receive the reward of being one of the "Three Great Families." At that time, he would be granted the title of Grand Master of the Imperial Household.

It's just a bit far away, nothing more.

The young man was quite easy to talk to, after all, he was an acquaintance from Owari. Shichibei also asked about Hanawa Naomasa, the former chief of the Ishiyama campaign, the guardian of the mountain castle, and a general with 15,000 troops under his command.

After being ordered to retire and become a monk, he faded from the core power structure of the Oda clan. There was virtually no chance of a comeback, as the Hanawa retainers had all been given to Harada Nobumasa. Without a strong and united group of retainers, one was nothing in this era.

Hosokawa Akimoto, Ogasawara Nagatoki, and Rokkaku Yoshikata—aren't they all living off the land in Kyoto right now? Having lost all their territories and most of their retainers, they now rely entirely on Nobunaga's patronage. Nobunaga supports them like entertainers. Though they're called a Taka family, they're all impoverished Taka families.

He's not even as good as Hatakeyama Jiroshiro, because at least he still has some value, and some of Shichibei share a similar background with him, so he receives over 60,000 koku. Even if he doesn't restore the glory of his family to its former glory, at least he has a foundation to strive for again.

However, becoming a monk is better than dying, for death means the end of everything.

Who knows, maybe one day Nobunaga will pardon Hanawa Naomasa, and he might be able to come out and advise Harada Nobumasa. When it comes to warfare, Hanawa Naomasa is quite capable.

It was a fair fight, but he was ambushed by Shimoma Yoriichi and Saiga Magoichi at the time, and it happened after the Saiga clan had made peace with Oda Nobunaga, so it can't be entirely blamed on him.

In that situation, it's hard to say who would have fared. Historically, Oda Nobunaga was seriously wounded, Akechi Mitsuhide was knocked unconscious, and despite reinforcements from all sides, the battle still tended towards collapse. Hanawa Naomasa himself, along with most of his key retainers from the Ichimonji faction, perished in the battle.

It was not a fault of the war effort!

Now, Naomasa Hanawa is doing well; he no longer needs to fight wars, and his becoming a monk is just a sham. He drinks, eats meat, and plays with women—it's all happening right now.

Unless two children were born, Nobunaga would have no time to deal with such matters. Harada Nobumasa was even less likely to care about his own uncle and adoptive father.

Hearing that Hanawa Naomasa was alright, Shichibei didn't ask any further questions. They were old friends, that's true, but Hanawa Naomasa was, after all, living in seclusion. Shichibei's concern for him, occasionally sending him some food and clothing, and helping out the younger generation of his family was already doing his best.

Having made arrangements for Harada Nobumasa, Shichibei prepared to personally visit Shodoshima Island to assess the situation at the front. Alternatively, he could go to Amagiri Castle in Sanuki, as both would be considered part of the front lines. After learning about the situation in Mishima Murakami...

They compiled and reported this to Oda Nobunaga. Oda Nobutada certainly needed the battle reports from the front lines to prepare for the later execution of Mori Terumoto's entire family.

He then went to inform Morimura Haru and Morimura Yoshi's ship to head towards Sanuki Amagiri Castle. Morimura Yoshi returned with Harada Nobumasa, while Shichibei stayed in the area for two more days to gather information about the front lines.

The Seto Inland Sea truly lives up to its name; the waves are indeed much smaller than those of the open seas, and the sea surface is generally calm. It's no wonder that merchant ships from China, Ryukyu, and Southeast Asia all dock in the Hizen and Chikuzen areas of Kyushu. Then they travel through the Seto Inland Sea to Sakai and Ishiyama for trade.

The whale waves that crossed the Pacific Ocean had already exhausted most of the boatmen and sailors' energy, so the next trade voyage would definitely choose to travel through the calmest Seto Inland Sea.

Because they were traveling by oar-powered boat, they arrived at Amagiri Castle quite quickly. Upon arrival, Shichibei realized that Kagawa Nobuzumi was not even in Amagiri Castle.

No, that description is incorrect; in fact, everyone is mistaken. Everyone assumed that Kagawa Nobusumi was the lord of Amagiri Castle, but after Shichibei arrived, they learned that Amagiri Castle was rarely inhabited and was only used on very rare occasions.

Kagawa Nobusumi usually resided at Tadozu Castle (Hondaiyama Castle) by the port, a place not far from the Marugame Domain's headquarters during the Edo period.

Even in the 21st century, the name remained unchanged; it was called Tadatsu-cho (Kagawa Prefecture).

Being close to the port makes it easier to control the harbor and use it to earn money for ships to stay overnight, as well as income from fishing and salt production.

When war breaks out, we will immediately abandon the Tadatsu Residence at the foot of the mountain and retreat to Mount Tenki, which is 382 meters above sea level, to defend against foreign enemies by relying on the terrain of Mount Tenki.

To put it bluntly, Amagiri Castle and Tadozu-kan are two sides of the same coin, much like Gifu Castle built on a mountain and Totani Residence at the foot of the mountain. When there's war, they go up the mountain; when there's no war, they come down to enjoy life. Someone willing to live long-term on Amagiri Mountain, where the sea breeze blows and water is extremely inconvenient, requiring carrying water by hand, must be a truly remarkable person.

No wonder it's said that after Miyoshi Nobutaka and Kagawa Nobusumi defeated Sogawa Moriyasu, Kagawa no Kage surrendered within days. The castle is extremely strategically located, but water is scarce. There are only a few wells and small reservoirs on the mountain. If it doesn't rain, the castle can only be besieged for two or three months before it has to be surrendered.

In the past, when the intensity of wars was not high, the armies of the feudal lords could not launch large-scale and prolonged sieges, and those were considered mountain cities that were unparalleled in the world. Now, with large armies besieging cities for a year or two at a time, the cities have become meaningless.

There's no water, what's the point of guarding it?

Kagawa Nobusumi's vigorous attack on Iyo was likely aimed at finding a suitable site there to build a new castle. The current Amagiri Castle and Tadatsu Residence were somewhat lacking.

"Torohide, I've put you in charge of attacking the city. How should I proceed?" Shichibei asked casually.

"After a three-month siege, the city collapsed on its own." Todo Takatora picked at his ear, wondering why Shichibei was asking such a question.

It's as obvious as lice on a bald man's head. This city wasn't meant for defense; there's no point in defending it. Either we go out into the open and win, or we surrender and run away.

When Ikoma Chikamasa was granted the fief of Sanuki in 1602, it's no wonder he abandoned the castle. Marugame Castle was built at the mouth of the Doki River to serve as his new residence.

"Haha, you're right." Shichibei clapped his hands, preparing to go find the Kagawa retainers who were staying at the Tadatsu Residence to inquire about the progress of the Iyo campaign.

Regarding the surrender of Kaneko Motoya, Nobutaka and Nobusumi had already been sent to Kyoto by fast ship and horse. Oda Nobunaga valued Nobutaka and Nobusumi highly, considering them to be Nobutada's brothers and protectors of the royal family.

"You're really making fun of me." Todo Takatora thought to himself, did he even need to answer this question? Anyone who had witnessed the entire city's layout could answer it.

"Walk around..."

Go and pay a visit to Nobusumi's wife and children who are staying at his residence. Nobusumi's wife is Akechi Mitsuhide's daughter, which is understandable. Shichibei's wife is Oda Nobuhiro's adopted daughter. Nobunaga is arranging marriages among his retainers everywhere, creating a situation where everyone is intertwined with each other, thus uniting them to fight under the Oda banner.

"Our lord has conquered Tangzhu!" The two had just stepped outside the corridor and were about to enter the palace to pay their respects when they saw an envoy with a joyful expression reporting inside.

The daughter of Shichibei Mitsuhide, who was originally sitting inside the hall waiting for Shichibei, and the old retainer appointed by Nobusumi, all came out, needless to say, they were also very happy.

The destruction of the Kono clan's main castle would mean the collapse and surrender of Kita Iyo. Now, their lord, Kagawa Nobuzumi, is a proper daimyo with 250,000 kimonos, the kind of daimyo who, in the Edo period, would have had his coming-of-age ceremony for the crown prince presided over by the shogun himself, and would be given an eboshi hat.

"Congratulations, congratulations!" Shichibei quickly stepped forward and bowed to the two of them.

The one ordered to remain behind was the governor of Wada Bizen, Nobusumi's mother's elder brother, making him Nobusumi's uncle. He looked to be over fifty years old at this point, with graying temples. At that age, he was indeed no longer able to fight on the front lines.

"The Imperial Palace." Upon seeing Shichibei, the two quickly returned the greeting.

"What are the specific details?" This is good news, a joyous occasion, and should be shared.

That's the situation. Kaneko Mototsuka led the way, and after Takashige Castle fell, Shishido Mototaka fled with Kono Michinobu and Kono Michinao. Kurushima Michiso and Tokui Michiyuki watched the Kono father and sons escape, neither providing support nor attacking. Having lost the Kono family as the nominal guardian of Iyo, some of the Hiraoka, Ōno, and Murakami families followed Shishido Mototaka in their escape, while others chose to remain in their respective areas.

The Murakami clan, led by Takeyoshi and Yoshimitsu, fled. Their ships and generals were almost entirely wiped out; staying put meant certain death. It was better to escape with their remaining core members, leaving room for a chance to rise again. The Mori clan could still muster 50,000 to 60,000 men to clash with Hideyoshi; their strength remained.

Shouts rang out: Hideyoshi had 30,000 cavalry, Mori had 50,000 cavalry, and the two sides faced off.

If Mori truly had any ambition, he should have taken a roundabout route to launch an attack on Hideyoshi. That way, even if he couldn't break Hideyoshi's siege of Takamatsu Castle, he would at least...

This would inform those inside the city that reinforcements were arriving and that rescue efforts were underway.

But Mori Terumoto, that guy, is a true otaku. Sitting in Sarugake Castle, he just sits there, sighing and refusing to risk his life to lead the big guns into battle and inspire the troops. Even now, he's still thinking about letting the local gentry from San'in and San'yo provinces go first.

Returning to Iyo, Ōno Naomasa, who is recorded in the "Kono Bungenroku" as "one of the thirty-two generals of the Goichimon and the head of the Goichimon family", wanted to retreat with Kono Michinao. However, Shigeto Mototaka did not inform him at all, nor did he intend to take him along, and simply left him in Ukina District.

His younger brother, Ohno Naoyuki, did not hesitate to send someone to contact Kagawa Nobusumi, preparing to defect to the new lord. In any case, the four Ohno brothers would split up; some would remain loyal, while others would choose to rebel.

On the other side, Hiraoka Naofusa of Ebara Castle raised the banner of Kono Michinao, continuing to uphold his loyalty to the Kono clan and preparing to fight to the death in the region.