Owari Yumeki Golden Day.

If they were preparing for war, they would have brought over 20,000 men to Kyushu. After those 20,000 men entered Hiei, Shichibei wasn't worried at all. These 10,000 or so men in front of him were simply not enough.

"Why don't you ask Lord Takei to accompany you?" Hideyoshi glanced at Ōtomo Yoshitaka and thought it would be most appropriate for the Ōtomo army to go with them.

Ōtomo Yoshihiro ruled over Bungo Province and Buzen-Usa District, with a rice yield of approximately 400,000 koku. Theoretically, 10,000 men should have been mobilized, but now they are allocated to Tokugawa.

Kawakita Ieyasu had 5,000 men, 5,000 left behind, and could still pull 10,000 men to follow Shichibei to Higo.

Anyway, the people of Higo are in turmoil right now, so a major battle is unlikely. Those disgusting mountain towns, after hearing about Ryuzoji Takanobu's crushing defeat at Dazaifu and seeing Shichibei's 20,000 men, might just open their gates and surrender.

For those die-hards, we'll fight them; for those who open the city gates, we'll either pardon them or reduce their fiefdom—it's up to Shichibei to decide.

If a siege is truly necessary, then let Ōtomo Yoshitomo personally lead the attack. After Mōri Terumoto, Yoshikawa Motoharu, and Kobayakawa Takakage surrendered to Oda, they were all among the first to storm the beach as a pledge of allegiance. Ōtomo Yoshitomo, aside from handing over his father as a hostage, has never actually offered a pledge of allegiance.

Not counting the generals of Chikuzen who fought alongside Miyoshi Nobutaka, there were only a few of them. It was only when Ōtomo Yoshitomo personally led a large army, captured Meijo Castle, and killed the enemy general that things became clear.

"Hmm..." When Hideyoshi pointed at him like that, a fleeting hint of mockery crossed Otomo Yoshitomo's expression.

Even though Yoshitomo Otomo's own skill level was utterly terrible, practically the worst of the worst, it didn't stop him from believing he was stronger than Shichibei. He might even have considered himself several levels above Shichibei, a completely different level of opponent.

The reason he didn't laugh out loud was because during the Battle of Akutagawa-yama and Takatsuki, Shichibei dealt a heavy blow to Akechi Mitsuhide, severely damaging the main force of the Akechi army and killing Mitsuhide in battle.

This alone is enough for Shichibei to brag about for a lifetime.

The rear guard at Mikatagahara was actually commanded by Oda Nobuhiro, who lost an eye in the process. The siege of Miki Castle, however, was primarily led by Hideyoshi, which even inspired the folk song about the earthen assault on Miki.

Shichibei had experienced many minor battles and military engagements, but the only decisive major battle he commanded independently was the Battle of Akutagawa-yama-Takatsuki. Even the battle to pacify Izumi-Awaji Province involved some trickery, and he had others assisting him.

The reason why Shichibei is considered a general is simply because his background as a small merchant and his calculating nature are so deeply ingrained in people's minds. Everyone sees Shichibei as a big boss, but no one truly sees him as a general. The fact that no one has publicly objected to sending Shichibei to Higo is already a testament to the lingering effects of the defeat of Akechi Mitsuhide.

Without the conflict with Akechi Mitsuhide, Hideyoshi probably wouldn't have even mentioned sending Shichibei into the treacherous province of Higo. According to Ōtomo Sōrin, Higo had a land area of ​​500,000 koku, which, if fully mobilized, could amount to 25,000 troops. Since they were defending their home base, this number could potentially be increased by 30%.

Ultimately, they might face an army of 35,000, but these troops would be scattered and not fully concentrated in one place.

Unless the new lord of Yanagawa Castle, Ryuzoji Ieharu, who is in charge of the Chikugo-Higo direction, personally comes to summon the national heroes of Ryuzoji's side to fight a decisive battle with Shichibei.

That would be perfect. We could just launch a decisive battle and wipe out the Higo people in one fell swoop. That would be ideal. We wouldn't need to shave their heads one by one, nor would we need to attack those mountain fortresses. We could just advance straight in.

The army mobilized by the powerful clans and noble families consisted half of peasant soldiers. They were capable of fighting in cities, but in open field battles, they were easy prey. Once the core core warriors and standing foot soldiers were defeated, these peasant soldiers would simply scatter and flee.

"If General Yu thinks it's acceptable, I'm willing to give it a try." Since things had been said to this extent, Shichibei had no choice but to agree, otherwise he would really be looked down upon.

"Then let the Minister of the Capital and the Minister of the Imperial Guard join forces and advance on Higo." Oda Nobuo saw that Hideyoshi proposed the plan, Ieyasu did not object, and Shichibei was willing to accept it, so he gave the order.

Furthermore, Nobukatsu considered this and assigned Hachiya Yoritsu's four thousand men to Shichibei, an old acquaintance, making them a good match. Anyway, Oda Nobukatsu already had over twenty thousand men, so a little more wouldn't make a difference.

"Heh heh!" Just accept the order, what else is there to say?

After the banquet at the Funai Pavilion, the Oda army and the Ōtomo army merged. Ōtomo was now a retainer of the Oda clan, so he also joined the Oda army.

The Ōtomo army split into three: the main force of 10,000 men followed Ōtomo Yoshitomo to Higo; 5,000 men followed Ōtomo Sōrin to support Tokugawa Ieyasu and clear the way to Hyuga Province; and the remaining 5,000 men stayed behind to guard the major seaports of Funai Port and Usuki Port. Shichibei, who was originally supposed to stay at the ports, was transferred away, so some men had to be left behind.

Everyone anticipated that the Shimazu army might resort to underhanded tactics, so they deployed their navy to Beppu Bay in advance for surveillance. But what if the Shimazu clan sent two small boats, packed with fifty men, to storm ashore at night and set fire to the land? Therefore, it was still necessary to leave people to guard the harbor and not send all the troops to the front lines.

Tokugawa Ieyasu, Ito Yuhei, and Ōtomo Sōrin led 15,000 cavalry towards the border between Bungo and Hyuga. Their aim was to inform the Shimazu that they were coming, to intimidate them, and ideally, to provoke them into attacking first.

Oda Nobuo, Hashiba Hideyoshi, Hori Hidemasa, Oda Nobuhisa, and other central army commanders were stationed between Mumu Castle and Usuki Castle to maintain contact with Ieyasu and to be able to join the battlefield within two or three hours should anything happen.

Kagawa Nobuyuki, Chosokabe Motochika, and Nagatoshi, who were between Ieyasu and Nobukatsu.

Sogabe Nobuchika deployed his defenses along the Kata River valley, a passageway between Bungo and Kaibu districts leading into and out of Hyuga.

Ieyasu was the outstretched head, the Shikoku people were the neck, and Nobuo and Hideyoshi were the core trunk.

After sending a congratulatory letter to the Miyoshi and Mori armies of Dazaifu in Chikuzen Province, urging them to continue their efforts and launch a fierce attack on Saka Castle, the army set off one after another and went into battle.

Shichibei bid farewell to the others and specifically met with Ōtomo Yoshitomo. Ōtomo Yoshitomo displayed a rather "bold" attitude, clearly implying that he was just there to carry Shichibei to victory while Shichibei watched from the sidelines. Without Shichibei even needing to ask, Ōtomo Yoshitomo declared that he would be the vanguard, the first to storm Higo.

Alright, if he's willing to be the vanguard, then let him be the vanguard. Shichibei is more than happy to have someone scout ahead.

Not only did they not object at all, but they also adopted a humble attitude and kept flattering Yoshitomo Otomo, saying that he was wise and mighty, that he was tall and mighty, and that he was the best.

Get on your way!

Just before Ōtomo Yoshitsugu was about to depart, Shichibei, taking advantage of his radiant face, asked for his trusted confidant, Shiga Chikatsugu.

Come. Shiga Chikaji was the son of Shiga Chikamori and the younger brother of Shiga Chikato. Since Shiga Chikato had no children, the younger brother became the older brother's adopted son.

Because of this relationship, the mother who actually raised him was the adopted daughter of Shiga Chikato's legal wife, Ōtomo Sōrin. This adopted daughter was born to Ōtomo Sōrin's second wife, Lady Nata, and her ex-husband, Hattori Ukyō. At the same time, Lady Nata also had a son, Ōtomo Yoshitaka, with Ōtomo Sōrin.

To put it bluntly, this adopted daughter of Otomo Sorin not only took care of Otomo Yoshitomo as his elder sister, but also raised Shiga Chikaji as his stepmother.

So in a sense, Yoshitomo Otomo and Chikaji Shiga could be considered "nursing brothers," brothers who were cared for by the same wet nurse. Although they didn't share the same breast milk, they had a good relationship.

After the falling out between the father and son, Shiga Chikamori and Shiga Chikatoshi, Ōtomo Yoshitomo handed over the Shiga family to Shiga Chikatsugu, who then led the Shiga people of Okajo.

Now that Shichibei needed Higo's guide, he brazenly asked Ōtomo Yoshimune for Shiga Chikatsugu. Ōtomo Yoshimune, without a word, sent his wet nurse to Shichibei's tent.

With this guide, Shichibei felt much more at ease.

Seventeen-year-old Shiga Chikaji was extremely excited. He was determined to serve Ōtomo Yoshitaka, after all, they were brothers who had raised each other. Now

Ōtomo Yoshitomo gave up his own father in exchange for hundreds of thousands of reinforcements from the Oda clan. How could he not be overjoyed?

He was especially pleased to hear that not long ago, the Ryūzōji army, which had overthrown the Ōtomo clan, had suffered a crushing defeat at the Dazaifu Palace in Chikuzen, with the entire Mizue family wiped out. As they walked, he explained the geography between Bungo and Higo to Shichibei. He also mentioned that the first formidable pass in Aso District, from Bungo to Higo, was Takamori Castle, whose lord, Takamori Korenao, was a native of both provinces.

As a collateral branch of the Aso Ōmiya clan, the Takamori family, while serving as retainers of the Aso clan, also actively participated in the Ōtomo clan's military service. Without going into too much detail, this is a common situation for powerful families residing on the border.

According to Shiga Chikaji, Ōtomo Yoshitomo will definitely make a show of force at Takamori Castle, informing Takamori Korenao that the Oda clan has a massive force of over 100,000 men and that he should surrender as soon as possible. Continuing to be subservient to Ryūzōji under the Asō clan will only lead to a bad end.

Takamori Korenao will likely surrender, since he's been allied with the Ōtomo clan for some time now. Hopefully, Shichibei will consider appeasing the Takamori clan and set a good example.

Although Nobunaga hasn't issued the pledge yet, it's not a big deal. Shichibei can afford three or five thousand koku. Consider it buying a horse bone to tell the people of Higo Province not to stubbornly resist.

"After passing Mount Aso, we can enter the Higo Plain." Shichibei planned to visit Mount Aso when he had time; it was said to be quite magnificent and had some natural scenery.

Even before a volcano erupts, just looking at it adds to your life experience. You should see vast grasslands, great lakes and oceans, and volcanoes too.

"All the generals of Aso have submitted to Ryuzoji Temple. Although we have entered the plains, it may not be easy." Shiga Chikaji sighed when he talked about this.

The Aso Ōmiya clan was once a prestigious family, producing two high-ranking officials and boasting a history of seven hundred years. Now, however, they are in a truly dire state, declining day by day since the death of Aso Koreyutaka. The current governor, Aso Koreyutaka, is neither a renowned general nor a particularly strong or decisive figure. If it weren't for the exceptional military strategy of their retainer, Kai Muneobu, who swayed the situation, the Aso clan would have been wiped out long ago.

Now, nominally allies of Ryuzoji, they are in reality subservient. Previously, during the standoff at Takase River, Ryuzoji Ieharu and Shimazu Yoshihiro were on the verge of war. If a real fight broke out, the Sagara family to the south and the Aso family to the north would both be wiped out.

After all, Aso and Sagara were the vanguard of Ryuzoji and Shimazu. In a massive battle involving 70,000 to 80,000 people, Aso and Sagara would surely be crushed into flesh and blood, leaving nothing behind.

"The Grand Master of Aso is weak and easy to defeat, but the difficulty lies in Kai Sōyūn." Shichibei remembered that in later Japanese games, if the Aso family existed as an independent force, there was a useless family, but there was an exceptionally outstanding Kai Sōyūn.

Although I don't know the specifics of his deeds, even Shiga Chikaji praised him, so he must have some skill. I heard that Kai Muneyoshi previously killed Sagara Yoshiyo, so we need to take him seriously.

"Gao Sen Kaicheng! Gao Sen Kaicheng! Gao Sen Kaicheng!"

As the two were talking, an envoy rushed across the roadside with good news. As expected, Ōtomo Yoshitomo still had some influence and persuaded Takamori Korenao to open the castle. Then the Aso Mountains wouldn't be in trouble anymore; even if there were some small mountain towns along the way, Takamori Korenao could come forward to persuade them to surrender.

The next main challenge is dealing with Aso Koremasa and Kai Muneun. They cannot be persuaded to surrender, because if they were, they would have to give up almost 70,000 koku of land in counties like Higo, Aso, and Toma.

If we can't contain it, we have to kill.

While he was anxiously assessing the situation at Yatsushiro Castle, Shimazu Yoshihiro and Shimazu Toshihisa were incredulous to hear that the Oda army's commander was none other than the small-time merchant Kawamura Nagayoshi. At the same time, they felt that a golden opportunity had arrived.

Even at this point, the Shimazu clan hadn't decided whether to send all their troops to Hyuga to confront the Oda army. Hyuga's plains were all located along the coast and were severely fragmented, making them quite defensive.

A city crammed with two or three thousand people can hold off an army of tens of thousands for ten to fifteen days. The Shimazu clan has never been afraid of death; losing two or three thousand men to hold off the Oda army and keep track of their movements is a worthwhile trade.

Shimazu Yoshihisa was stationed in Satsuma to conduct a general mobilization, while Shimazu Iehisa was stationed in Hyuga to carry out defensive operations. Shimazu Yoshihiro was assigned to Yatsushiro Castle in Kuma District, Higo Province, to monitor the situation in Higo.

To Shimazu Yoshihiro's utter surprise, the Oda army's first general was none other than the utterly useless Ōtomo Yoshitomo. It wasn't that the Shimazu clan looked down on Ōtomo Yoshitomo; it was simply that Ōtomo Yoshitomo was truly incompetent.

The Oda army before him was truly laughable. Although reports indicated they numbered between 25,000 and 30,000 cavalry, their vanguard was the incompetent Ōtomo Yoshitomo, and their commander was the petty merchant Kawamura Nagayoshi. This kind of force didn't even require a massive army of 20,000 or 30,000 to meet them. With just a few thousand men, Shimazu Yoshihiro was prepared to give it a try: a fierce assault might be enough to achieve a great victory and utterly crush them.

563. Hirohiko was calm and undisturbed.

They rode to Takamori Castle, and sure enough, it was a mountain castle. How annoying! The Japanese built this kind of castle just to annoy people. They learned that there were pools and wells inside, and a couple thousand people inside. With Shichibei's force of over twenty thousand men, attacking it would be virtually impossible.

Unless the siege lasts for more than a year, the defending troops inside the city will starve to death.

Not only was Shichibei muttering to himself, but even Hachiya Yoritaka was smacking his lips. Luckily, they had Ōtomo Yoshitomo on their side, which gave Higo some face. If they were to attack a castle, they wouldn't even be able to take Takamori Castle by the New Year this year.

The generals of Kawamura's army, needless to say, relied on their martial skills to serve Shichibei. They swallowed their saliva and left the camp; what more is there to say? Takamori Castle was too small to accommodate so many of Kawamura's troops. They could only temporarily camp outside the castle and in the surrounding temples and shrines.

Let's rest for a day or two and see what Ōtomo Yoshitomo has to say about his continued advance. Shichibei will definitely be retained at Aso Taisha. As for temples and shrines with considerable local influence, they generally won't be made too difficult, unless explicitly embroiled in conflict. Of course, their shrine territories will certainly be confiscated and then relocated.

In Shichibei's opinion, 1,000 koku of rice was sufficient for Aso Taisha Shrine.

There's more than enough to eat and wear. Besides, there are offerings from all over the country, as well as donations from local shrines in Higo Province. Add to that the spending and donations from the pilgrims, and life won't be difficult.

If the Aso family is willing to surrender en masse without resistance, retaining only the title of Grand Master of Aso but no longer referring to themselves as daimyo, then the Aso Grand Shrine can receive an additional 3,000 koku. This would be a win-win situation for everyone; both Nobunaga and Nobukatsu would be happy to see Hirai and Higo subjugated sooner.

However, the territories of Asu, Yicheng, and Tuoma should be forfeited; surrendering without bloodshed will save your lives. If you stubbornly resist to the end, it will inevitably result in total destruction, with no one spared, men or women.

Takamori Koreyuki and his son, Koreyuki, accompanied Ōtomo Yoshitomo to persuade the main family's Aso Koreyuki to open the gates. His wife and daughter remained inside the castle. Some things don't need to be stated too explicitly. If Shichibei loves married women, then he has married women. If Shichibei loves virgins, then he has virgins. Either way, he has them, and their husbands aren't home.

Who knows, I might end up working under Shichibei. If Shichibei and Takamori Korenao's wife have a son, that son will definitely inherit the Takamori family and become the head of the family.

Upon entering the city and receiving hospitality, Shichibei understood the implications perfectly, but unfortunately, he was fond of his sister-in-law, the kind of sister-in-law whose husband had died.

I'm truly sorry for Takamori Koreyuki's painstaking hospitality; I'll wait for the Takamori family...

Mimori Hyogo, a servant of Shichibei, asked Sanae Morinaka and Sanada Masaki, the two servants of Shichibei, "Who has His Highness taken a fancy to?" The two quickly waved their hands and shook their heads, "Our lord prefers widowed women around thirty years old, with graceful figures."

ha?

Mimori Hyogo Suke was stunned by those words. A beautiful woman in her thirties was already hard to find; these days, most women by thirty had probably already given birth to five children. Add to that the daily grind, and most couldn't possibly be beautiful. And a widow at that? That was quite a peculiar preference!

It is a bit strange, being specially trained by Oda Nobunaga, but since you don't have a sister-in-law like that, you can't exactly make Takamori Tadana commit suicide on the spot, can you? So just save your breath, wash up and go to sleep, and all will be well.

Anyway, Shichibei can afford to spend a fortune on a horse's bones, and the Takamori family can easily earn three thousand koku.

Shichibei, however, glanced at Lady Takamori's appearance and then at her daughter, and even offered to serve him a bath. Nonsense, that's pointless. Shichibei has witnessed the spectacle of Princess Ashikaga bathing with six maids; this is too small a scene. Besides, I'm always in armor on the battlefield; I'll bathe after I've pacified Hiroshima.

It is said that Attila the Hun was assassinated while taking a bath. What does that tell us? It means that taking a bath outside of one's home is risky.

“Even if a country girl isn’t as noble as a lady from Kyoto, taking a bath is nothing to worry about.” Hachiya Yoritaka sat down with Shichibei and joked around.

He was already the legitimate lord of Wakae Castle in Hanoi, a territory worth 100,000 koku. Although he wasn't a daimyo of the state, he still held considerable status and power. Given his long-standing acquaintance with Shichibei, it was quite normal for him to speak with a hint of sarcasm.

"Tsk, why don't you give it a try?" Shichibei actually encouraged Hachiya Yoryu to give it a try. He's almost forty and doesn't even have a son. What's the point of doing this if he's just wasting his time?

"I am the rear guard general, and I must guard the camp for you, the supreme commander," said Hachiya Yoritaka with righteous indignation, which made all the Kawamura soldiers burst into laughter.

"Hey, stop talking nonsense." Shichibei waved his hand, signaling everyone to hold a military meeting.

After Takamori Castle was captured, we seized the core of Aso Valley. Following the valley river downstream leads to Kumamoto Castle, and soon to Kumamoto Castle. The castle lords are Shirochikata and his son, Fuyuki. Shirochikata's father, Fuyuki, betrayed Kikuchi Yoshitake and seized the family fortune. Three generations of this family are all rather fickle in their loyalty and righteousness.

Sigh, there's really no point in discussing loyalty and righteousness with a powerful figure; all he wants is to survive. He'll side with whoever is strongest, as preserving his family's reputation is paramount.

Anyway, following the Tsuboi River and Shirakawa River provides access to Higo's core agricultural area, and where the rivers flow into the sea lies the renowned Shimabara Bay. This route is relatively easier, but the situation is complex. The earlier-developed agricultural areas have higher land incomes, larger populations, and therefore more powerful forces.

Alternatively, you can head south from Takamori Castle, crossing Mt. Memaru, to enter the upper reaches of the Midorikawa River, which also has a valley. Following the valley downstream leads to Iwao Castle and the Kenshida Castle of the Kenshida Aso branch family. The Midorikawa River eventually flows into Shimabara Bay, only about ten kilometers from the mouth of the Tsuboi River.