Owari Yumeki Golden Day.

Jōkō-ji Temple later became Bingō Fukuyama Castle, and it is now a large temple with a main town. There were naturally some prior factors in choosing this place to build the castle.

Nobukatsu and Hideyoshi's current plan is for Shichibei's detachment to launch a combined land and sea attack to capture the Ōmichi town. Once they capture Onomichi, Oda's central army will advance to Onomichi, while the Shikoku forces will continue to seize coastal ports.

"Understood!" Shichibei responded loudly, then dismissed the messenger and turned back.

"The three of you may each take one of the three paths." After the man left, Shichibei spoke to Miyoshi Nobutaka, Kagawa Nobusumi, and Chosokabe Nobuchika, who were present.

You guys are better at fighting than I am. Right now, we'll have 10,000 men march by land and 20,000 by water. The land route is to clear the way for our main force, and the water route is to first capture the key locations on either side of the tail section, and then suppress the tail section.

Speaking of which, Onomichi is a rather peculiar place. To its west lies Kuribayashi Village (Kurihara Village), and to its east lies Mount Suribachi. The name is truly a coincidence.

Therefore, the one who travels by land must attack Mount Suribachi, while the one who travels by water...

We need to capture Kuribayashi Village and Mukojima Island, which is opposite Onomichi Port. Once we've captured these key locations, we can take over Onomichi Town.

“I will attack Mount Suribachi,” said Chosokabe Nobuchika, glancing at Nobutaka and Nobusuke.

It's understandable. Nobutaka and Nobusumi were originally considered the main candidates for succession, but before they could show much, Nobunaga suddenly chose Nobukatsu as his successor. They must have had a grudge against Nobukatsu, and they would avoid taking the land route if possible, until finally besieging Yoshida-Koriyama Castle.

Even if we only see each other once, it's still a chance to meet.

"Then the two of you." Shichibei then turned to Nobutaka and Nobusumi.

"Understood." The two had been working together for several years; they would discuss the water route internally themselves.

"Then I will await your good news at Tomonoura. Once Onomichi is captured, please allow my unit to take up a position." Shichibei was called the commander of a detachment, but in reality, he was just a coordinator in name only.

It's hard to say whether these three can convince themselves internally. It would be better to find Shichibei, an honest and kind person, who at least has the approval of all parties.

"Form ranks, form ranks, form ranks!" Chosokabe Nobuchika was the first to get up. He wanted to travel by land and couldn't be too much slower than the other two who were traveling by boat.

The sounds of conch shells and taiko drums rang out one after another. A large number of ships anchored in the harbor of Sayanoura also began to row. The Japanese Maru Dai Atakebune that had been prepared for Nobutada was not used this time, which saved the trouble of capturing slave laborers and oarsmen.

Ordinary shoal ships mainly rely on wind power. Now that the northwest wind is picking up, and the Seto Inland Sea isn't exactly a vast ocean, it's a good time for navigation.

"Should we send someone to Numata River to take a look?" Hara Nagayoshi asked, watching the three generals of Shikoku prepare their troops and set off.

Shichibei only brought fewer than 7,000 men with him, because he needed to arrange for guards to protect the other port towns along the way. Moreover, Shichibei didn't have any particularly strong military combat missions, while the three from Shikoku were eager to prove themselves.

"Sure." As for scouting ahead, it's necessary for us, as one wing of the army, to do so in advance.

"Then I'll go arrange it right away." The Numata River is west of Onomichi.

The key point is Kobayakawa Takakage's main castle, Shin-Takayama Castle, which is located on the banks of the Numata River. We need to see if Takakage has already abandoned the main castle and retreated.

533. I'll just focus on attacking Etajima.

Shin-Takayama Castle later became Mihara Castle, also known as the Floating Castle. This is because during high tide, it would temporarily lose contact with the mainland, appearing as a castle floating on the sea.

It's similar to the Mont Saint-Michel Abbey in France. At high tide, it's a natural island, only connecting to the mainland at low tide. This allowed it to almost completely avoid the ravages of war, preserving it during turbulent times.

But even if you want to preserve it, you still need someone to guard it.

Hara Nagayori dispatched a small boat to the mouth of the Numata River to observe the defenses of Shin-Takayama Castle. He found the castle almost deserted, with few soldiers and the inhabitants having long since fled to avoid being plundered by the Oda clan.

If that were the case, it would be fine, since the Oda army had rowed to the Numata River in a fast boat with eight oars. Although the morning mist temporarily concealed their movements, they were quickly discovered by the people inside the castle once the sunlight shone through.

And then what? Then a small boat was dispatched from the city, rushing out like lightning, and said a single sentence to them.

When will you receive it?

This stumped Kawamura's army, as they were merely scouts sent out to gather intelligence and couldn't make any decisions. Oda's vanguard was still in Onomichi, and his main force was even at Jokoji, still dozens of kilometers away.

Upon hearing this, the samurai Kobayakawa who had come to inquire was somewhat disappointed. He immediately stated that he requested Oda's army to come and take over Shin-Takayama Castle as soon as possible, as there were only about a hundred old, weak, and disabled soldiers inside the castle, and the civilians outside had all fled.

Furthermore, this samurai from Kobayakawa also delivered a crucial message: Ōta Motonsuna was rallying the people of Bingo Province to fight to the death. They lived in constant fear within the castle, dreading that Ōta Motonsuna might storm in one night and, taking advantage of the castle's impregnable natural defenses at high tide, resist the imperial army.

Ah!

Upon hearing the news, Inomi quickly retreated to relay the message to Hara Nagayori and Shichibei. This was crucial news; enemy forces were gathering, and not the kind that were openly present.

"What! Ota Motonsuna?" What is this? Shichibei had never heard of Ota Motonsuna before, but Hoida Motochika was currently a guest of Oda Nobuo.

"Let's send someone to Changxing Temple to inquire," Hara Nagayori thought. He figured a round trip on horseback would only take an hour or two, so instead of guessing, he'd better ask Hoida Gen immediately.

Dear.

"Immediately send someone to inform Himeji of the news that Shin-Takayama Castle is empty." Shichibei naturally agreed.

We'll pass on the intelligence we've gathered to Hideyoshi, and then it's up to him to decide. When it comes to warfare, Hideyoshi is undoubtedly a master. Having spent over twenty years mired in endless battles, he's now the foremost general in the Oda clan.

Compared to Nobuo, Shichibei completely trusted Hideyoshi. If our own opinions differed from Hideyoshi's, Shichibei would most likely choose to listen to Hideyoshi's opinion.

"It would be best to send 500 men by fast ship to take Shin-Takayama Castle first," Hara Nagayoshi added.

Regardless of who this Ōta Motonsuna really is, the news that he is calling on the people of Bingo Province to resist is still worth taking seriously. Of course, we can't rule out the possibility that this is a conspiracy, a ruse to lure people into a trap.

Therefore, Nagayori believed that a probe force of 500 men could be sent. If they could quickly take over Shin-Takayama Castle, then everything would be fine. After the tide rises, Shin-Takayama Castle is almost an invincible natural barrier, making it extremely difficult to attack in this day and age.

If it were a trap, it wouldn't have caused such serious damage, five hundred people.

Shichibei can afford to pay the compensation.

"Hiss..." They can definitely afford to pay the compensation, but after all, it's five hundred regular troops.

“I agree with Hikojiro’s statement,” Takenaka Hanbei said, expressing his agreement.

"It's worth a try." Tōdō Takatora nodded, indicating that warfare is a mix of orthodox and unorthodox tactics, and some risks are worth taking.

"In that case, let's send out five hundred men." There are seven thousand Kawamura soldiers in Lezhipu, and Shichibei's men can still manage to clear the way.

The news quickly reached Oda's main camp at Changxing Temple. Oda Nobukatsu was doing alright; after all, he had been fighting for several years. In the last two years, he had also followed his uncle, Oda Nobuhiro, and witnessed the strength of the Uesugi and Hojo armies. He was no longer the coward who would run away at the mere mention of battle; now, at least he would lead his men in a charge.

The same old trick: you guys charge forward, and I'll be rolling in money.

He was able to learn this principle. His father, Nobunaga, was fierce both personally and in terms of money and rewards. He learned half of his father's skills: he was a mediocre person, but he could use his father's money to motivate others to charge forward.

It's a decent way of putting it. When samurai come out to carry guns, they either have money or land. If they're paid generously, people will naturally be willing to fight.

With the help of Nobunaga's inner treasury, Oda Nobukatsu's money was almost...

The endless stream of gold for mounting horses and silver for dismounting warriors on either side inspired the generals to charge forward bravely.

He was cultivating relationships with various generals and commanders, such as Ukita Nagaie, Yamana Toyokuni, Ikeda Katsumasa, and Bessho Nagaharu, all of whom were powerful and influential figures under Hideyoshi, and each of them came with their own followers. Before Nobukatsu arrived, his father had made it clear to him that he had already gathered more than twenty adopted daughters for him, and he needed to start secretly vetting them.

Having just finished speaking with Ukita Nagaie and Ukita Tadai, Oda Nobukatsu received a report from a messenger that Kawamura Kyōjō-dono of Kuranoura had sent an urgent message. He rushed back to his headquarters and found that Hideyoshi had already opened Shichibei's urgent message and was reading it. Oda Nobukatsu was somewhat displeased, but he didn't show it, simply sitting obediently on the shogun's stool.

He is the commander-in-chief. Even if the decision wasn't made by him, it only has to come out of his mouth to be effective.

It has nothing to do with him personally, because behind him stands the man at the very top of all of Japan—Oda Nobunaga. Nobunaga's face commands respect throughout Japan, and anyone who dares to challenge him is utterly humiliated by him.

"Who is this Ota Toushirou Motonaga?" Oda Nobuo took the urgent report from Hideyoshi and turned to ask Hoida Motochika.

"Yes, it's my younger brother..." Hoida Motochika never expected that his own younger brother, who shared the same parents, would retreat into the mountains to fight as a guerrilla.

"Ah!" Although the gasps were all soft and quiet, a group of people whispering together could make a loud noise.

No, bro, you've already surrendered, so what's your brother doing?

"Send someone to order him to surrender to the military governor." Hideyoshi hadn't expected that the one causing trouble in Bingo was actually Hoida Motochika's younger brother. He had just been wondering who this Ota Motonsuna was; he hadn't heard of him during his previous investigations.

I've definitely never heard of him. He was only fourteen years old when he was adopted into the Ōta family, and later became the head of the clan in Bichi. When Hideyoshi did his investigation last year, there was no such person.

"Yes, sir." What could Hoida Motochika do but obey?

“If he refuses, promise him 35,000 koku as a reward.” Oda Nobuo suddenly spoke up, and the room fell silent for a moment.

Hoida Motochika first glanced at Hideyoshi, only to find that Hideyoshi was actually looking at Nobukatsu with his head turned to the side. Although Nobunaga had instructed everyone to rely mainly on Hideyoshi in military and political matters, it was clear that Nobunaga had granted Nobukatsu special privileges in certain areas.

At this point, the Mori family was like meat on a chopping board, a large dish. But the knife that actually disposed of them rested in the hands of Oda Nobunaga.

It was in Chang's hands. Now it seems it may have been handed to Nobuo.

Before the war began, Hideyoshi and Shichibei already knew that Nobunaga intended to integrate the Western Provinces into Oda Nobukatsu's base of support, and even went so far as to transfer thirty noblewomen from Oda's ranks to Nobukatsu as his adopted daughters.

Now, to sum it up, it's absolutely true.

"Hmm." Hideyoshi gave a soft "hmm," his voice low, but the response was considerable.

First, Hoida Motochika confirmed that the power to bestow rewards in this great war in western Japan was actually in the hands of Oda Nobukatsu. Second, Nobukatsu seemed to still have some magnanimity; at least for now, he was able to tolerate others and give appropriate rewards, so he might not be a bad ruler who could maintain the status quo.

In the end, Nobukatsu would likely be in charge of the western provinces from now on, and Hideyoshi would really have to go to Kyushu.

So where is Ōta Motonsuna? Of course, at his estate, Ōta Estate. This place is home to the premier granary in the entire Bingo province; this tiny place produces several thousand kan (a unit of currency). Now, after autumn, the grain supply is even more plentiful.

This place was originally the territory of Kongōbō-ji Temple on Mount Kōya, but it was seized by the Mōri family without any hesitation. A hundred years ago, the rice from Ōta-sō had to be transported south to Onomichi and then shipped to Mount Kōya by sea.

In the future, it will become part of the Ginzan district of Iwami Ginzan. This place was always rich, but its wealth waned during the industrial era. Because it was located in a mountain valley, it lost its development opportunities and was eventually incorporated into Sera Town, Sera District.

Ōta Motonsuna is currently actively seeking the support of Yamauchi Takamichi, whose castle, Kōyama Castle, is one of the most important branch castles in Bingo and the main castle of the Yamauchi clan in Bingo.

Furthermore, the untimely death of Yamauchi Takamichi's eldest son, Yamauchi Motomichi, last year provides an excellent angle for discussion. The tragedy of a parent outliving their child is a powerful emotional trigger.

What Yamauchi Takamichi hoped for at this moment was to return to his roots, to not leave his old territory in northern Bingo, and to die in his hometown of Koyama Castle.

Based on this, Ōta Motonsuna strongly urged Yamauchi Takamichi to fight to the death in Bingo. Moreover, his words were quite sincere: so many members of the Oda clan were going to be placed in western provinces, and small local lords like us either had to get out or voluntarily give up more than two-thirds of our territory and become the dogs of the new lord.

That's very realistic, because Yamauchi Takamichi wasn't talking about three or five hundred kan; he was a daimyo from a powerful country with over five thousand kan. And although he didn't have the title of deputy governor of Bingo Province, he received permission to wear a felt saddlecloth and a white umbrella during the time of the previous shogun, Ashikaga Yoshiteru.

To put it bluntly, he was the deputy governor of Bingo Province, with a territory of 2,200 kan in Izumo. With such a large family, the Oda clan wouldn't have an easy time if they came.

It's very simple. Nobunaga would give him a lord with a fief of 30,000 or 50,000 koku, and Yamanouchi Takamichi would have a fief of several thousand kan. That would amount to 30,000 to 50,000 koku.

So this place is all mountainous and interconnected, how are the new lords supposed to deal with it?

Either kill Yamauchi Takamichi's entire family, or Yamauchi Takamichi must surrender most of his territory, possibly even retaining only one-tenth. Don't let things escalate to the point where you end up as a dog and get nothing in return.

Think back to a few months ago, Tango's governor, Isshiki Yoshisada, became the son-in-law of the new lord sent by the Oda clan, giving up half of his territory. And what happened? The result was that his entire clan and all his followers were slaughtered.

Why don't we set up a fortress among these mountains? You defend the castle to the death, and I'll wage guerrilla warfare outside. The Oda army's attention is all on Yoshida-Koriyama Castle in Aki Province; they won't linger in this wretched place for long.

After ten days to half a month of fighting, we can make peace. Leaving aside everything else, we'll both be safe and sound, and everyone will be happy. My brother, you can return to your roots and continue living in your old home in Jiashan City. I, your younger brother, can keep my large estate and live a carefree life as a small lord.

These words swayed Yamauchi Takamichi, who had just lost his son, because all of the above were true. Moreover, Kozan was indeed a disgusting mountain fortress, and it was impossible for Oda's army of 120,000 to besiege it, because there was only one road up the mountain, and the battle area was limited. Even 20,000 men could hardly deploy at the foot of the mountain.

Surely the Oda army wouldn't refrain from eliminating the Mori clan just because of this tiny outpost.

So it was indeed possible to hold a city for ten days to half a month, and then surrender by offering the city the peace and security it offered. This was a very common method during Japan's Sengoku period, and the number of people who succeeded is unknown.

So Yamauchi Takamichi and Ota Motonsuna exchanged oaths, swearing to heaven and the gods that they would fight together against the Oda army.

Ōta Motonsuna then left Kōyama Castle to organize and mobilize the Bingō provincial troops. Yamauchi Takamichi decided to mobilize about two thousand cavalry to defend Kōyama Castle to the death. Ōta Motonsuna had already mobilized three thousand cavalry and discovered that Shin-Takayama Castle was undefended, and that the Kobayakawa army had already abandoned the castle.

Of course, he knew very well that his three thousand men were no match for Shin-Takayama Castle. To an ordinary army, Shin-Takayama Castle, which became a floating island at high tide, was an impregnable natural barrier.

Before Oda's army of 120,000 men, Shin-Takayama Castle was nothing.

They could simply fill the Kawamura family's ships with sandbags and sink them at sea. At most a hundred or so ships would scuttle. After they sank, they could mobilize ten thousand men to move mountains and fill the sea. In just two or three days, they could completely fill in the floating island of Shin-Takayama Castle and create a main road.