Owari Yumeki Golden Day.

Hatakeyama Nobutaka, the adopted son of Shichibei, also belonged to this group. Because he and his good brother Nobukatsu were like-minded and had a brotherly relationship, he did not want to recommend Oda Nobushige.

However, Nobuo had no sons to recommend, leaving him in a state of great confusion and unsure of what to do. This group was also quite large, but they were not fully united; they simply gathered in small groups to chat based on their usual interactions.

Just then, Terumoto Mori tugged at Shichibei, signaling him and Kiyoyasu Ataka to come to the corner; he had something to say.

What did you say?

She was a maidservant who served Koman-hime and was only responsible for doing odd jobs. By chance, she was favored by Nobuo and gave birth to a son three months ago.

Because this maid was dismissed from Kyoto after Nobuo prepared to move to Osaka, she was initially unaware of this matter. Not long ago, she came to claim kinship with her child, and it was confirmed that she had indeed served Nobuo and Komatsu-hime, and that Nobuo had indeed slept with her.

Therefore, Oda Nobuo still has a male descendant alive. Could he now be placed under the name of Mori Komatsu-hime as the legitimate heir to the throne?

"If the maid has been dismissed and left the manor, how can we confirm that?" Shichibei had actually suspected something three months ago, but now, listening to their explanation, it seemed like a complete lie.

What's wrong with a maidservant? The Taichang Emperor next door, after the Ming Dynasty, was born to a maidservant in the palace. As long as she lived in Xinxiong's inner palace, she can be considered a descendant of Xinxiong. The fact that you sent her away and only brought her back with a child after Xinxiong's death raises many questions.

I don't believe it!

"Rest assured, we have checked repeatedly and there is absolutely no mistake." Hijikata Yuji had been attending to Komatsu-hime's childbirth and handling affairs in Kyoto, and only now had he rushed back to Osaka.

"Hmph, as far as I'm concerned, whether I believe it or not is irrelevant. How can I trust what others say?" What I'm inheriting now is the entire legacy of Japan, not the meager sums of a poor family.

If the origins of an heir are unclear in any way, it will inevitably affect the legitimacy of the entire regime.

Nobukatsu and the maid's son inherits the throne? No problem. Absolutely no problem. Tokugawa Yoshimune was born to his father and the maid. Because he was dark-skinned and ugly, his father disliked him and raised him in the village until his father and brother all died within a few months. Only then was he pushed forward to succeed to the throne and eventually became shogun.

The maid was fired, but she came back with a baby. She was going to have a girl. What do you say?

"Oh dear, why pretend you don't know?" Takikawa Yutoshi was practically bursting the bubble. As a senior retainer of the Oda clan, how could Shichibei not know where this child came from?

"What do I understand?" Shichibei certainly understood, but he would never endorse this inexplicable statement right now.

As the current "chief of the family," Shichibei's choice of sides can influence the entire situation.

"Hmph..." How could these people not know that the child's identity was special? Once his birth mother was revealed, although there would be no problem with blood relations, it would be a huge political scandal.

The group turned their heads, each hinting to the others that they should break the ice.

"This child was born to Narita, a concubine of the former Grand Chancellor, and Tokugen-in (Nobuo)." There was an awkward silence for at least a minute before Kiyoyasu Ataka, pretending not to understand, finally broke the ice.

"Alright, alright, then please tell me, how do I make it public?"

Chapter 635 Undercurrents at the Lunch Party

The fact that they could sit together and fabricate this lie means that Mori Terumoto has decided to have Komatsu acknowledge this "illegitimate child." At that point, Mori Terumoto will still be the maternal grandfather of the Grand Chancellor, and can still wield considerable influence in the central government.

Especially since the child is only three months old, he has plenty of time to wield power. Meanwhile, Hijikata Yuhisa and Takikawa Yutoshi can continue to support Nobuo's biological son, who will inevitably rely more on Nobuo's close associates and confidants as he grows up.

Since you've all discussed this internally, the reason you're dragging me into this mess is simply to get me to take the lead and shoulder this responsibility.

In any case, what Shichibei sought was not central political power, but a monopoly on commercial power. Compared to power, money was trivial; they could easily relinquish it. Just as Nobunaga Nobukatsu had done, so too would Shichibei remain the most powerful figure in the land.

In Mori Terumoto and his group's view, relinquishing commercial control would allow them to rule the land from the center of Osaka Castle. Shichibei could still participate in politics and enjoy the wealth—a win-win situation.

This was done to bribe Shichibei, so that Shichibei would endorse Nobuo's illegitimate son and bring him under Komatsu's name.

Although Shichibei was not a notorious tyrant who killed and seized cities, his reputation as the most honest and kind-hearted man in Owari was enough to make a considerable number of Owari hereditary officials switch their allegiance to him, or at least remain neutral.

However, Shichibei did not want to get involved in this mess, because with the price they offered, Shichibei could basically obtain Oda Nobushige's succession.

Does Oda Nobushige not spend money anymore? As long as he wants to spend money, he can't do without Shichibei.

Just as Shichibei had anticipated, after Mori Terumoto and the others held another secret meeting, Maeda Toshiie immediately approached Shichibei. He was unaware that Mori Terumoto held another trump card, so he remained uncertain about the reasons for the back-and-forth regarding the selection of the heir.

At worst, Oda Nobushige can marry Nobukatsu's daughter as his principal wife!

This was quite normal during Japan's Sengoku period. Shimazu Tadatsune married the daughter of his uncle, Shimazu Yoshihisa, and inherited both the Satsuma and Ōsumi kingdoms.

You say this isn't incestuous marriage? Well, that's just the system in Japan. As long as it's not the same father, it's fine. At worst, you can become the adopted son-in-law of Oda Saburo, just like Yoshimune the Eighth Generation adopted the son of Ietsugu the Seventh Generation, who died at the age of seven.

So what exactly are they plotting? What are they discussing? As members of the Owari family, the core of the old Owari, old Oda, and old brothers of the four lower districts, what is there for them to hesitate about?

That's it! Just appoint Oda Nobushige as emperor!

Sigh, we're just afraid that Mori Terumoto and the others will expose it. Once the affair between Kaihime and her son is revealed, Oda Nobukatsu would naturally support the young boy as his successor, since he has a biological son. But Kaihime is Nobukatsu's stepmother, and this revelation would shake the legitimacy of the entire regime.

"Take it easy, Maeda. There are some things that need to be discussed." Shichibei decided to appease Maeda Toshiie first. Since he had called everyone to a meeting, he had to act as a peacemaker.

Shichibei's core demand was to maintain the unity of Japan, create a unified market across Japan, and provide a relaxed business and trade environment.

We will absolutely not allow Japan to fall into division again!

If Japan falls into division again because of this matter, then the blood of hundreds of thousands of soldiers who died in the process of unification will have been shed in vain.

All the achievements will be lost in this renewed division, and all the efforts will be in vain. This is something Shichibei absolutely does not want to see, nor will he allow it to happen.

"Discuss, discuss, discuss! What's there to discuss? Does Tokugen-in-dono still have male descendants?!" Maeda Toshiie was known for his fiery temper when he was young, that much is undeniable.

He got into an argument with Nobunaga's favorite page, Shiami, and ended up killing him before fleeing. He had a fiery temper, but he became less temperamental as he got older. You could say he was constantly growing, a very promising character who developed over time.

After Toyotomi Hideyoshi's death, Maeda Toshiie began to make arrangements to seize power. On the one hand, he held onto Toyotomi Hideyori as his ruler and used him as a servant to command the various warlords. On the other hand, he suppressed Tokugawa Ieyasu, Mori Terumoto, and others.

It's a pity his body couldn't keep up; he died a damn thing. Otherwise, the situation in the world would definitely have developed even more excitingly.

Maeda Toshiie's fiery temper has now subsided considerably, and he has begun to become more tactful. His main problem is that he doesn't understand what's so objectionable about Shichibei, especially since both of them are former retainers of the Owari clan.

"Hmm," Shichibei responded almost inaudibly.

"What!" Maeda Toshiie paused for a moment, thinking that Shichibei had just been shoved by him and that's why he agreed. But considering the context, he suddenly realized that Shichibei's answer contained important political significance.

Fortunately, he was no longer at the age where he would jump up and scream in surprise. He immediately suppressed his voice, looked directly at Shichibei, and demanded an answer.

"Things are still undecided, things are still undecided." Shichibei left it at that, and I didn't say anything more.

"You, you, you, oh dear." Maeda Toshiie couldn't force Shichibei either. Besides, the news he was about to hear shocked him, and his heart was somewhat turbulent, needing to be calmed down.

If Oda Nobuo had a biological son, it wouldn't matter if he was born to a maid or even a nun. As long as it was confirmed to be Oda Nobuo's son and there were no other sons to choose from, everyone would accept him.

Previously, Maeda Toshiie had been desperately promoting Oda Nobushige, but upon suddenly learning that Nobuo still had male descendants, and even more so from Shichibei, it was tantamount to offending this male descendant first. How could this not greatly shock him? He needed time to adjust.

"Let's discuss this again this afternoon. Let's eat first." Shichibei knew about Mori Terumoto and the others' discussion, and Maeda Toshiie also needed to process it.

Since we invited everyone to the meeting, meals were naturally provided. Not just meals, but a banquet too. With over two hundred thousand people gathered around Osaka Castle, a single command was all it took to provide whatever they desired. We gathered everyone to sit down and have lunch first, to help them calm down.

Oda Nobuo must be buried soon; Azuchi Tencho Shrine is unsuitable. Just like Tokugawa Ieyasu's Toshogu Shrine in history, his descendants were buried at Kan'ei-ji and Zojo-ji temples.

After all, Tokugawa Ieyasu was already the Great Powerful Manifestation of the Tosho clan, and his descendants were still ordinary people, not deified. Establishing Bodhi-ji Temple was also an important task at present, as the Oda clan, as people of the realm, needed a temple gate specifically for guarding their spirits and chanting sutras.

While everyone was eating, and since there were relatively many people present, Shichibei brought up the matter. It was nothing unusual; a monarch's funeral was a matter of state, and even common people would discuss such matters during a funeral feast.

In this discussion, which had little to argue about, everyone's ideas were rather simple: either build a temple for Nobuo in Osaka, the city he had chosen as his home base, or send him to Kyoto, which would serve as Nobuo's winter "palace."

Since Oda Saburo's main castle was in Azuchi, a temple should be built there. The Soken-in Temple, which was previously built to commemorate Nobunaga, would be a good choice. It can serve as Saburo's mausoleum, since Oda Nobunaga has already been elevated to the status of Tencho-no-Myoujin and has his own Tencho Shrine.

A consensus was reached, and the conference produced its first resolution. It was a truly victorious and united conference.

Nobuo was buried in Osaka, Master Saburo was buried in the same soil, and each was in line with his status.

At that moment, Shichibei saw Narita Ujinaga, who was serving as the head of the attendants, bringing out sweets and snacks for the bigwigs present, and winking at Mori Terumoto and the three middle-aged elders.

He had just returned from Kita-cho in Echizen. He was collecting taxes in the village when the earthquake struck, so he was unharmed. Even the local gentry and powerful families from Kita-Musashi whom he had gathered were fine, since they were only halfway there and not in the devastated Kita-cho castle.

Having suffered such a great calamity, Beizhuang City will likely have to be demolished, while Fukui City will probably still appear in the history of this world.

After sorting out the annual tribute rice from the 250,000 koku of land in Echizen and settling the revived Narita clan retainers, Narita Ujigatsu hurriedly returned to participate in the affairs following Nobuo's departure.

Upon learning of the deaths of Nobuo and the monk Saburo, Narita Ujinaga was both saddened and elated. The sadness was palpable—he'd lost the powerful figures he'd finally managed to curry favor with. And the excitement? Well, who couldn't understand his excitement?

Upon hearing that Shichibei had summoned the chief retainers, senior retainers, and the entire clan for a meeting, Narita Ujinaga, who was not eligible to attend, was so anxious that he was scratching his head and sweating profusely outside. Finally, he came in carrying some snacks. The fact that he could hold the plate steadily was quite a testament to his composure.

Speaking of which, Narita Ujigatsu is also an unstable factor. If he is not satisfied with the outcome of today's meeting, he will definitely expose himself.

Since it was his first time chairing a meeting, Shichibei only thought about getting the key figures together, but he failed to eliminate or cover up any unstable factors, which showed his lack of experience.

"Lord Kumamoto." Shichibei was feeling annoyed when he saw Ieyasu's name, Honda Masanobu, approaching.

"What advice do you have for me?" Honda Masanobu was merely a subject, while Shichibei was a direct minister and prime minister of the Grand Chancellor, so there was no need for him to lower himself to such a high position.

"The fact that the public meeting has not been resolved suggests that there are hidden concerns. If the concern is that the people of the Eastern Kingdom are not stable, my lord can remain in charge of the Eastern Kingdom and will not go to Luoyang."

After this is done, all I want is the Kanto region!

You, you, you little rascal, Tokugawa Ieyasu looks honest and upright, yet he actually tries to bargain at this crucial moment.

What success? It's about the worries of the people of the eastern provinces. However, Tokugawa Ieyasu wouldn't usually be so proactive. Clearly, seeing the sudden setbacks after unifying the country, he wants to seize this rare opportunity to rise to even greater heights.

That's good, it's better to clearly state the price than to resort to underhanded tricks and instigation to get it from others.

Needless to say, Ieyasu's offer was essentially a ploy to have Ieyasu manage the eastern provinces while the young lord was unable to rule the country. It was tantamount to turning as many of the eastern lords as possible into his own, giving him a legitimate reason to rule the eastern provinces.

It's not about gaining more territory; it's about having the title. Just like the stories of the previous Kanto Shogun or Kanto Kanrei.

He was willing to support the candidate recommended by Shichibei as long as Shichibei agreed to this condition.

That's incredibly greedy; this is practically setting the bottom line for the entire Oda regime. Back when Nobunaga and Nobukatsu were in power, their only thought was to establish the three major lords of Tokugawa, Niwa, and Takigawa in the east to stabilize the region. Now, the Niwa clan has collapsed, the Takigawa clan is young and incompetent, and Tokugawa Ieyasu, as the representative of the Oda regime in the east, will inevitably see his power and prestige grow significantly.

What was lacking was the legitimacy and authority of the central government. As long as the central government agreed, Ieyasu would be overjoyed and would certainly lend his support.

Since Shichibei is unlikely to inherit the power of the Oda clan and is not seeking territory in Kanto, why not do him a favor?

"This..." Mori Terumoto and the others hesitated, which made Shichibei feel uncomfortable.

Tokugawa Ieyasu and Honda Masanobu were quite agreeable, stating their terms clearly, leaving Shichibei unable to make a decision. This reveals that Shichibei actually lacked the decisiveness to fully unite people's hearts.

It was fate and destiny that placed Shichibei in this position.

"Your Highness Kumamoto should understand the principle that time waits for no one." Honda Masanobu's words were full of provocation and temptation.

Kawamura Nagayoshi, this might be your only chance in this life to wield power and seize personal gain. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Why not sacrifice a little of the Oda clan's interests to grab a little more for yourself?

Once a new ruler is chosen, he will ascend the throne and assume the position of Grand Chancellor. What role will Kawamura Nagayoshi play then? He'll simply continue managing the Kawamura-ya. The power in this world inevitably changes with each new emperor and his new court.

When it comes to profits, they don't come around often.

"Alright, I know what I'm doing." Shichibei has already received the hint; as for whether he will take the job or not, you shouldn't try to persuade him anymore.

"Please make your decision, Your Highness." Honda Masanobu knew that a certain cause had already been planted in Shichibei's heart, and all that was needed was to wait quietly for the outcome.

Of course, Tokugawa Ieyasu's ambitions went far beyond this. Honda Masanobu operated in Kyoto, while Ieyasu himself operated in the Kanto region, waiting for the opportune moment.

Meanwhile, Mori Terumoto and the three elders had barely managed to reach a conclusion. They had to install Kaihime's son as the successor. As for the issue of his identity? They would bribe Kawamura Nagayoshi to endorse him. Directly introducing him was probably out of the question.

How to bribe him? Naturally, by bribing him in the way that Shichibei desires.

The voyage permits originally issued by Nobunaga or Nobukatsu will henceforth be issued by Shichibei. The 4,000 kan fee for each voyage permit will also be given to Shichibei.

Mori Terumoto believed that the price of sufficient benefits to buy enough power was high enough. Now, only one question remained: who would step forward and reveal the truth?