Owari Yumeki Golden Day.

"The succession is in order. The Great Ming God passed the throne to Deyuan Temple. Now that Deyuan Temple has passed away, the throne should be passed to his son." Shichibei knew that he had to get an explanation today.

If we're going to choose a side, then so be it. After weighing the pros and cons, Shichibei believes that Oda Katsufumi is the most suitable candidate at the moment.

"Hmph!" Upon hearing this, Mizuno Tadashige stood up and left in a huff.

They showed no respect to Shichibei, since the outcome wasn't what he wanted. Staying at the venue was pointless; it was better to leave immediately.

Shichibei hadn't considered stopping the people or establishing the authority of the Mizuno family. Mori Terumoto was already holding Shichibei's hand, loudly proclaiming the investiture of Oda Katsuhoshi.

In just a short while, the feudal lords left one after another, giving Shichibei no chance to salvage the situation. In the end, even Maeda Toshiie rose and left. Counting the heads, about a third of the people had left.

The two sides have completely broken apart.

Chapter 641 Pressing down the gourd causes the ladle to float up

go?

Want to start a civil war?

No way!

Shichibei first had Mori Terumoto uphold the greater good and support Oda Katsufumi, then turned to find Maeda Toshiie. As for someone like Mizuno Tadashige, his departure was generally harmless, as he had no influence among the Owari hereditary leaders.

To prevent any major incidents from occurring, Shichibei had already sent someone to invite Sakuma Nobumori to Osaka to attend Oda Katsuhoshi's enthronement ceremony.

Of the entire Oda clan, only a handful of individuals held widespread renown among the Owari hereditary leaders. Of the older generation, only Shichibei and Sakuma Nobumori remained, with Ikeda Tsuneoki perhaps being considered half-respective. The middle generation was primarily composed of Maeda Toshiie, Sassa Narimasa, and Shibata Nagakatsu, among others.

Shichibei restrained Sakuma Nobumori, then Maeda Toshiie. Sasa Narimasa was currently engaged in disaster relief work within his territory due to the collapse and destruction of Toyama Castle caused by the massive earthquake. Shibata Nagakatsu is our brother-in-law, which greatly reduces the likelihood of a military conflict.

You're saying that if Oda Nobushige raised his arm and called upon his troops, all the generals and soldiers would flock to him? That's possible, but after he did call upon his troops, who was the first person to jump out and respond?

Without a middle-generation figure like Maeda Toshiie, whose reputation extended to the Owari clan, to support him, most feudal lords would simply stand by and watch.

This was very evident in the Meiji Restoration in Japan. The anti-shogunate faction rallied under the banner of Nishiki no Gohan (the banner of the shogunate), and powerful southwestern domains rose up in rebellion, yet the shogunate was still able to resist. However, once powerful and close domains like the Owari Domain defected, the shogunate collapsed one after another, with surrenders pouring in.

However, when the Nagaoka Domain in Echigo rose in rebellion, the pro-shogunate faction was still able to gather strength and put up a certain degree of resistance. Of the three hundred feudal lords of the shogunate, nine out of ten were opportunists and, in fact, lacked clear independent opinions.

Historically, in the Battle of Sekigahara, apart from a very few key figures from both sides, the vast majority of the feudal lords were fathers and sons or brothers, each participating on one side. They followed their leader, chanting "666" (a Chinese internet slang for "awesome"), and in this massive battle of 200,000 men, only four or five thousand died after a day of fighting.

Unless there are sufficiently influential lords in Owari Province who echo Oda Nobushige's sentiments, the Owari lords, who have been constantly courted by Shichibei, Hashiba Hidekatsu, Kobayakawa Shinpei, and others, will hesitate, waver, and observe.

As they observed and waited, Oda Katsuhoshi secured his position, clearly establishing the relationship between ruler and minister, making his position as stable as Mount Tai.

Mori Terumoto and his ilk were blinded by power and eager to scheme. While Shichibei didn't have a strong sense of the big picture, he at least had some higher-level ideas. Of course, the weaknesses of merchants also existed, but they weren't very obvious.

At least Shichibei managed to win over most people as much as possible, distinguished between primary and secondary matters, and kept Sakuma Nobumori and Maeda Toshiie under control.

Leaving aside Sakuma Nobumori, who was nearly sixty years old at the time, he had almost completely withdrawn from worldly affairs. In any case, Sakuma Nobuyoshi had been granted 200,000 koku of Shimotsuke Sakura, ensuring the Sakuma family's inheritance, so he could simply enjoy his retirement.

When Shichibei invited him to the mansion for Oda Katsuhoshi's enthronement ceremony, he remained indifferent. "I won't ask what your purpose is in inviting me," he thought. "I know nothing anyway. I'll eat and drink as I please, and I'll be at ease."

As for Maeda Toshiie, he also planned to leave Osaka and retreat to his own territory of Etchu Masuyama and Moriyama, leaving Maeda Toshiyo in Osaka to serve the so-called new master.

Shichibei arrived in the dead of night and subdued the man. "They're all brothers who fought their way out of Owari Ichijo village. Don't leave, or something bad will happen."

As a mere fifteen-year-old youth, Oda Nobushige has no reputation or influence, and his only advantage is his lineage as Oda Nobutada. He cannot gather enough men to support him. It requires the assistance of a senior retainer from Owari Province to keep you in check, otherwise, the land will descend into chaos.

"Shichibei, we've known each other for over twenty years, how could things have come to this?" Maeda Toshiie found it unbelievable; what happened to the promise of fighting without breaking apart?

"It is precisely because we have known each other for many years that I have acted in this way." Better safe than sorry.

If Maeda Toshiie is kept in Osaka and Sassa Narimasa is invited to the ceremony, Oda Nobushige, without any support, will have no choice but to lie low. A year or two later, the country will be roughly at peace, and any further disturbances will be considered a rebellion.

What benefits did they promise you?

"Everything remains the same."

Aside from having Shichibei sign the voyage permit, Mori Terumoto and others promised that everything would remain the same. The monopoly on trade would remain unchanged, the Minister of Trade for the Five Ports would remain in office, the Japanese Grand Secretary would remain in office, and Mori Terumoto even hinted that Shichibei could serve as the chief retainer, while he would only serve as the second chief retainer.

Of course, Shichibei only took this hint to heart. Given how hard Mori Terumoto worked, he was bound to be given real power. Even if Shichibei was temporarily put in charge for a few days, he would eventually have to retire and be replaced.

"You just sold it so easily?" Maeda Toshiie felt that the price wasn't that high.

"Hmph, you're on the left again. You still need to practice." Shichibei just smiled and didn't explain further.

The enthronement of Oda Katsuhoshi was a continuation of Oda Nobukatsu's political system. Nobukatsu's reign was peaceful, inheriting everything from Oda Nobunaga's unified government. Within this unified framework, Japan was forming a stable nationwide market.

Shichibei, being situated in this nationwide market, can handle things with ease, without needing further coercive intervention or intervention to cope with change.

Once Oda Nobushige comes to power, even if the same conditions are promised, a complete reshuffle of the central government is inevitable. From Kawamuraya's perspective, whose core interest is monopolizing commercial power, such a change is unacceptable. For the feudal lords, it's a matter of a new emperor and a new court. For Kawamuraya, it's an even greater upheaval.

When feudal lords changed or were transferred, the entire system of fiefdoms would inevitably be replaced, and the power structure of their families would also be reshuffled. Not only would rebuilding the system of interests require enormous expenditures, but the effort required for this would also be immeasurable.

More importantly, will they support a new commercial property to compete with it?

In this matter, Shichibei couldn't gamble, nor dared he. Gambling wouldn't bring any greater benefit; the so-called "enriching the land by a million koku" was merely a facade, and might even be the root of future trouble. By not gambling, at least the immediate situation would remain under the influence of "political inertia."

"The outcome is far from decided." Maeda Toshiie smiled, not particularly annoyed.

"Oh?" Shichibei couldn't think of any chance that Oda Nobushige's faction could turn the tide.

Of the feudal lords who fled, only a third had left, and many of them were merely observing and hesitating, or acting out of momentary anger. Maeda Toshiie was pinned down in Osaka, while Tokugawa Ieyasu was after the prestige and righteousness of the Kanto region. Where could Oda Nobushige find sufficient support to launch another attack?

"Hmph hmph hmph..." Maeda Toshiie's laughter was quite natural and calm.

"The Heirai army numbers 120,000, but they are under the command of Lord Edo." The only thing that could cause Shichibei any concern was that army of 120,000.

However, the supreme commander was Tokugawa Ieyasu. Regarding Ieyasu, Shichibei had already listened to the opinions of Mori Terumoto and others. It was impossible to bestow upon Ieyasu a clear and substantive title such as Kanto Kanrei or Chinjufu Shogun. But they could tacitly approve Ieyasu's rule over the lords of Kanto.

Similar to placing Ieyasu's seat in the first seat among the Kanto clan, the Tokugawa family had intermarried with the Oda main family for generations, clearly becoming a branch of the Oda clan, and their rank was higher than that of the Morotsuda.

Tacit approval, the usual practice, but not a genuine seal.

They've already reached their limit in making concessions. The only offer Oda Nobushige could make was appointing Tokugawa Ieyasu as Kanto Kanrei, but even that would be an offer from Owari Fumoyo.

Oh no, I just took power and half of Japan was ceded to Tokugawa Ieyasu? What's the point of me taking power then? The Owari Fumoyo were a political group that had just unified Japan and still had some ambition. This point was very difficult to reconcile with them.

It would be quite easy to grant Tokugawa Ieyasu an additional 1.2 million koku of rice, but that might not be too difficult. However, would Ieyasu even care about 1.2 million koku? That would be far removed from his goal of winning over the hearts of the Bando people for his descendants and becoming the leader of the Bando.

"There's no point in saying more." Maeda Toshiie didn't argue with Shichibei. After all, their friendship was what it was, and Shichibei just wanted him to stay for the enthronement ceremony.

It's impossible to kill him outright. If Shichibei were to kill Maeda Toshiie for no reason, his good reputation would be ruined instantly and he would never be able to rebuild it.

Hmm? Did Maeda Toshiie notice something?

Immediately send a letter to Edo, urging Tokugawa Ieyasu to lead a large army to Aizu to quell the local rebellion. With that army engaged in battle, they won't be able to cause trouble for a while, right?

Shichibei mentioned this idea to everyone in the manor, but only Ataka Kiyoyasu suggested sending Oda Nobushige to Osaka. The reason was readily available: to attend the enthronement ceremony. Before Shichibei could answer, Mori Terumoto refused, believing it was best not to cause trouble at this time and simply send Oda Nobushige to Aizu.

After a few rounds of fighting in Aizu for three to five months, followed by suppressing the local forces, conducting a sword hunt and land survey, and finally returning to Shinano, Osaka had already made up its grand plan.

That makes sense; let him stay in Aizu for a year or two. Meanwhile, Mori Terumoto has already made some deals with Tokugawa Ieyasu, such as preparing to have Tokugawa Ieyasu's third son, Tokugawa Nagamaru (Tokugawa Hidetada), succeed Tsuda Nobuhisa, the lord of the 90,000 koku domain at Owari-Ohashi.

This man, who almost became Shichibei's father-in-law, is still alive and well at his age and has no son. So, through the mediation of Hijikata Okuhisa and the matchmaking of Mori Terumoto, they adopted the daughter of Takayama Shigetomo and Nobunaga's daughter Fuyuhime as their adopted daughter and welcomed Tokugawa Nagamaru as their adopted son-in-law.

Through this transaction, Tokugawa Ieyasu essentially handed over one of his sons as a "hostage." Osaka's Oda Katsuhoshi faction also effectively offered a reward of 90,000 koku of rice, thus establishing initial mutual trust between the two sides.

Looking at Edo, the situation in Osaka seemed to have "settled down," but Tokugawa Ieyasu believed that the opportunity was turning in his favor. The factions of Oda Nobushige and Oda Katsuhoshi were still trying to win him over.

If they advanced, it was uncertain how far they could go. If they retreated, they were already certain of becoming the King of Kanto. Ieyasu felt that he had the advantage of timing, location, and popular support, and could try one more gamble.

By this time, Honda Masanobu had also left Osaka and returned to Edo, bringing with him an order from the Osaka central government demanding that Tokugawa Ieyasu lead an army of 120,000. This was an imperial edict from Oda Nobukatsu the previous year, and it could not be disobeyed. Everyone present was a loyal retainer of the late Grand Chancellor Tokugen-in, and for the time being, no one could disobey his order.

Even if they were to go against the rules, they would have to wait until Oda Katsuhoshi ascended to the throne before they could begin to change course.

Should they send troops? Should they send troops or not? Tokugawa Ieyasu could not make a decision immediately, but his strategist Honda Masanobu advised him to send troops.

The army was scattered in Edo, ready to disband and leave at any time. But if they advanced into Aizu, and war broke out, Tokugawa Ieyasu would possess supreme authority, and as the supreme commander, he could even execute without prior approval. In any case, none of the participating lords were senior retainers or important figures of the Oda clan; killing them would be acceptable, and the central government would only posthumously approve it, without pursuing the matter further.

After firmly controlling the 120,000-strong army, what was next? At this point, Tokugawa Ieyasu had no intention of rebelling. He now wanted to completely establish himself as the ruler of Kanto, so that he could lay the foundation for his descendants to conquer the world in the future.

"My lord, once the Victorious Dharma Master is appointed, all power will fall into their hands, and they will inevitably fall into internal strife." Honda Masanobu uttered a devilish statement.

When Oda Nobushige's faction existed, Oda Katsuhoshi's faction would definitely concentrate its efforts on attacking it. Once Katsuhoshi's faction seized power, the people who had united due to various interests would inevitably develop internal conflicts.

Kawamura Nagayoshi convened the meeting, acting as the head of the clan elders, but in reality, he held the position without real power. Mori Terumoto's support for Tsubasa was undoubtedly aimed at securing both real power and authority.

If the old guard of the Third Middle School supports a new leader, the new leader will likely be granted additional titles and privileges, inevitably leading to unequal distribution of benefits. This will likely result in arguments, or even outright infighting.

In addition, with the successive deaths of senior retainers, positions in the central government need to be filled. The Owari no Fudai, who supports the Shōhōshi faction, will undoubtedly be eyeing the position of chief retainer. The western lords, who also support the Shōhōshi faction, will also be eyeing the vacant chief retainer position.

A fierce battle is inevitable, and a split may even occur in a short period of time. This would push the Owari no Fudai, whom they have worked so hard to unite, to Oda Nobushige's side.

To this day, Oda Nobushige's faction still publicly claims that they do not acknowledge the status of the "illegitimate child."

Taking advantage of Oda Nobushige's noble status as the successor of Nobukatsu, you rallied the defeated lords and defeated the departed ones. Lord Ieyasu, your good fortune is yet to come!

hiss……

Ieyasu gasped in shock. Honda Masanobu was absolutely right. A new opportunity lay before them, but their immediate priority was to keep the 120,000-strong army under their control and, as far as possible, win over the hearts and minds of its soldiers.

Furthermore, it would be best to demand another "deployment fee" from the Osaka central government. This is a golden opportunity; even if Osaka has to sell everything it owns, it will find a way to squeeze out some money to appease and reward the Heiwa army.

By then, Tokugawa Ieyasu will have even more control over money, supplies, and resources, and will be able to act with ease if necessary.

Chapter 642 Hideie's Secret Letter Delivered to Edo

Sasa Narimasa sat down and offered his help. Spring planting was about to begin in Etchung, and the people of Etchung, who had suffered greatly during the winter disaster, lost countless livestock, cattle, and horses, as well as seeds and farming tools. The entire Etchung wooden boat city collapsed and slid into the sea due to the earthquake, with the city and its inhabitants completely submerged.

As for who he supported, Sasa Narimasa actually supported Oda Nobushige, but his territory had only been destroyed a few years ago and was severely damaged, so he had no time to care about external affairs.

As a daimyo who was in fact quite cultured, far from being a brute, and even possessed a certain degree of benevolence, Sassa Narimasa chose to prioritize governing his territory.

Of course, this may also be related to the fact that he had no heir. His eldest son died in the wild during the first battle on Long Island, and he subsequently had seven daughters. Now in his fifties, he has little hope of ever having a biological male heir.

So even if you go to Osaka to fight for power, what can you possibly gain? Even if you do, you won't have a son to pass it on to.

Instead, he should take this opportunity to govern the region well in Toyama, Etchu, spreading benevolence and gaining the love and respect of the people. His adopted son, Sakuma Katsuyuki, is currently serving Shibata Nagakatsu in Tanba, and the two have almost no interaction. There was previously talk of arranging an adopted son from the Oda clan for him, but that's not necessary for now.

Borrow! Why not borrow? Borrow immediately.

Previously, in order to win over the people of the western provinces and the descendants of Owari, Shichibei had settled many of their long-standing debts. Since the interest had already covered the principal, these debts could be waived. This alone won over many people and brought them closer to Shichibei.

Besides Sasa Narimasa, several of the feudal lords who had originally left the Osaka Magistrate's Office have returned. The majority are wavering, while those who remain indecisive are the normal ones. Only a handful are able to stubbornly stick to their sides and become core members.

Once Shichibei expressed his opinion, the outcome was almost immediately decided. This was due to both Shichibei's status and the large group of people he represented.

Hmph, upon hearing the report that someone had run back, Shichibei felt a little smug.

After all, Shichibei is a human being, and he has all sorts of emotions and desires. Seeing a major event succeed in his hands, he naturally feels a bit elated.

Nobunaga died the other day, that's the kind of person who could become a god after being struck by an iron fist, and who would become incredibly arrogant once things went his way. That's why a wise ruler always needs a virtuous minister to accompany him, isn't it so that someone can be by his side to advise him at all times?

Fortunately, Shichibei was able to withstand the pressure and had no intention of overthrowing the Oda clan's regime. He only wanted to gain status and benefits and maintain a peaceful world.

"Shichibei, you've finally got the job done." Sasa Narimasa felt much more relaxed after borrowing the money. He and Shichibei were old friends; back in the day, it was the young shogun who got his family out of Azuchi Castle.

"It was nothing more than a small contribution." Shichibei didn't say anything about taking credit or being arrogant.