Owari Yumeki Golden Day.

As the main castle of the Anshō Matsudaira clan, Okazaki Castle had a short history. It was only after Ieyasu's grandfather, Kiyoyasu, accepted gold and rice from a foreign power and secretly rebelled against his former lord, the Kira clan, that he accumulated the capital to build Okazaki Castle.

And you know what? Okazaki Castle has a very auspicious meaning. At that time, Okazaki was a flat mountain castle. The castle tower was located on Mount Ryutsumi—look at that name, how resounding! The other buildings were built around the Ryutsumi keep. After three generations of expansion, there are even areas in Okazaki now encased in stone walls.

However, after the Meiji Restoration, the Japanese government ordered the abolition of castles. In other places, castles were only partially demolished, with the keep and watchtowers removed, and many stone walls and moats left untouched.

Unlike other castles, Okazaki Castle, as the ancestral home of the Tokugawa clan and the former residence of the shogun, received extremely special care. All traces of Okazaki Castle were erased, leaving not a single remnant. In the end, it was only because of the construction of Okazaki Park that a section of the moat was converted into a park pond, barely preserving a remnant.

As we mentioned before, during the era of the castle abolition order, many castle gates were demolished to serve as temple gates, and residences and halls were demolished and rebuilt into shrines. Okazaki Castle was different; it was imperative that every brick, tile, blade of grass, and tree be completely razed to the ground, and even a piece of wood had to be burned to ashes and scattered.

Tsk.

Princess Tokuhime, as Nobunaga's daughter, naturally had certain customs surrounding her marriage, much like Oichi was sent to the Otani-Asai family before. She would also have to stay overnight at the Mizuno family's residence outside the castle, where she would receive a brief explanation of the castle's layout and the rules and etiquette to observe.

Of course, the most important thing is to avoid meeting Tsukiyama-dono, Ieyasu's principal wife, for the time being. Tsukiyama-dono is Imagawa Yoshimoto's adopted daughter, and Tokuhime's father is Tsukiyama-dono's father's killer, so it would be strange if they had a good relationship.

There's no need for Shichibei to learn etiquette. After all, the chief envoy is Sakuma Nobumori, the marriage broker is Mizuno Nobumoto, and we're just here to escort the bride. We might as well take this opportunity to stroll around Okazaki Castle and see what the castle is like.

My first impression was that it was shabby; it was shabby in every way I could see.

The vast majority of roofs are thatched. It's not that there's anything wrong with thatching; thatched houses in the countryside all have thatched roofs, and some can last for a hundred years if properly maintained. But if you even thatch the roofs of city gate towers and arrow spurs, that's a bit ridiculous.

What if the enemy uses fire to attack the city? The gates and turrets are on fire, and the soldiers below don't even know what to do or how to panic.

Furthermore, the stone walls were not fully constructed; they were only temporarily placed near the city gates, while other areas consisted of simple water-filled moats. The depth of these moats is unknown, but it is likely only a little over two meters. As it is currently winter, some of the moats have even dried up, leaving only a few dark puddles.

The book "Aoi: Three Generations of Tokugawa" states that Toyotomi Hideyoshi was the best siege strategist in the world, employing a variety of methods including water attacks, earth attacks, and supply raids, making him arguably the best siege strategist of the Sengoku period. However, the best in open field battles was Tokugawa Ieyasu.

After all, by 1600, there were very few who could fight Tokugawa Ieyasu in open field battles. Perhaps Ieyasu himself preferred open field battles, and therefore didn't pay much attention to the defense of castles.

The historical account of Mikatagahara, claiming that Ieyasu left the castle in anger because Takeda Shingen looked down on him and humiliated him by abandoning Hamamatsu, is likely untenable. A more plausible explanation is probably that Ieyasu feared that if Shingen's main force reached Mikawa, the Okazaki forces would surrender without a fight.

Regardless of the situation, the forces were 8,000 to 25,000, giving Tokugawa the advantage, so Ieyasu advanced.

Speaking specifically of this instance, Ieyasu clearly had some confidence in his ability to fight in open battle. Otherwise, he wouldn't have dared to leave the castle and engage in fierce combat despite Oda's reinforcements numbering only three thousand.

But even if you enjoy field battles, you still have to build cities.

That seems to make sense; Takeda Shingen famously said that people are the castle, people are the walls. Although Shingen had a small castle in the strategically important mountain town, Tsutsuzaki Castle was indeed poorly defended.

Forget it, Shichibei isn't betting on the Tokugawa clan anymore anyway. Besides, even if he did, he wouldn't get anything. Until the Battle of Komaki-Nagakute, when Ieyasu took all of Sugon-Tokyo and the majority of Kai-Shin-no-katsu, his power far surpassed that of Takeda Shingen and Imagawa Yoshimoto at their peak. Yet, Ishikawa Kazumasa, one of the two great bannermen of Mikawa, didn't even get 50,000 koku.

Look at how generous Takeda Shingen and Imagawa Yoshimoto were, and then look at Ieyasu, and you'll know how stingy he was.

If even long-serving officials are like this, what about the newcomers who join halfway through the process? They'll probably only get scraps and a sip of soup.

As I was pondering this, perhaps because it was getting dark, I saw a samurai loosen his trousers and urinate into the puddles. This wasn't unusual; even in the Edo period, toilets and sewers were still quite rare. Shoguns would dig a special pit inside the castle to relieve themselves, and when a new shogun was replaced, that pit would be filled in and a new one dug in a different location.

Someone was urinating, so we definitely couldn't go any further; it would be so impolite. Just as Shichibei turned around, perhaps because the sound of his turn was too loud, the guy urinating actually called out to ask.

Well, let's say hello then.

Do you want me to help you up?

The man finished his business and hurried over. Shichibei was somewhat surprised when he saw the man's appearance, because the man was Matsudaira Nobuyasu, or as he is now called Matsudaira Takechiyo. He was getting married tomorrow and would be coming of age at the same time. At nine years old, he would be considered an adult, and he would take the character "Nobu" from Oda Nobunaga's name to officially become Matsudaira Nobuyasu.

"It's you!" Matsudaira Nobuyasu was also quite surprised. It was already evening, and Shichibei was still wandering around the castle.

"Lord Okazaki." Shichibei bowed his head in greeting.

In any case, they are all Nobunaga's sons-in-law. Nobunaga is our lord, so Tokugawa Nobuyasu is also considered half a lord. He can be addressed as a colleague with Ieyasu, but with Nobuyasu, it's a different story.

"You're here to pee too?" To everyone's surprise, Xin Kang blurted out such a question.

"Oh, no, no, no, it's just that I rarely come to Okazaki, so I'm looking around." Since the two families are allies, Shichibei had nothing to hide.

"There's nothing to see here, it's far inferior to Junfu Mansion." Nobuyasu was also quick to speak his mind, immediately belittling his own family as worthless.

However, it seems that his father followed his example. His father also felt that Okazaki Castle was shabby and dilapidated. When he had the opportunity to run away, he went directly to Sunpu Castle, which he had always longed for, and retired there.

Is there something wrong with what you said?

Who could blame them? Sunpu Imagawa-kan is a prime location offering a direct view of the sunrise over Mount Fuji, and it also boasts excellent access to the sea route. If a savvy businessman had been there, it could have been the foundation for a powerful empire.

"Imagawa-kan is a place that even the princes of Luoyang speak highly of." Shichibei wasn't particularly interested in coaxing the child; he'd just go through the motions.

"Those people have all run away. Since the death of Jibu Daisuke, Sunpukan has fallen into decline." Nobuyasu was still quite talkative, I don't know why.

"I recall that Your Highness only stayed at the Imagawa residence for three or four years."

"Yes, later my father took two brothers from the Pelican family and exchanged them for my mother and me."

"What a tortuous experience."

"It was just a normal family matter for the samurai, but the governor of Suruga did not kill my son and me, which shows some magnanimity," Nobuyasu remarked.

Yes, that might be the reason why, when Ieyasu besieged Kakegawa Castle, he promised to spare Imagawa Ujizane's life and even gave him 500 koku of rice for his old age. Ieyasu's rebellious intentions were obvious, and he attacked Higashi-Mikawa Udono Nagateru, yet Ujizane still spared the lives of Nobuyasu and his mother. He was truly a magnanimous ruler.

If it were anyone else, betrayed like this by a former subordinate, they would have killed them all long ago.

"Doesn't Your Highness need to go up the castle?" Shichibei asked bluntly. "You're getting married tomorrow. You should be discussing important alliance matters with Sakuma Nobumori and Mizuno Nobumoto today. Why are you out strolling around?"

"I'm really impatient." Xin Kang's answer was truly refreshing and unconventional; he was impatient with the national affairs of an allied nation.

Could it be that the child's puberty or rebellious phase has come early? But it's only the beginning of the new year, and he's only nine years old. Can a nine-year-old really go into a rebellious phase?

"Oh, this."

"Hey, anyway, you're not from Mikawa, so I'm not afraid you'll know. (Ishikawa) Hōki-no-kami is always nagging about this and that. It's not nearly as enjoyable as riding a horse or flying a falcon. You should use that time to practice your martial arts so you can go into battle and help your father."

"..." How am I supposed to answer that?

However, one of the main reasons Ishikawa Kazumasa, a retainer of Tokugawa Nobuyasu, fled to Osaka was that his investment in Nobuyasu had failed. He instantly lost some of his leverage within the Tokugawa military group, and since Ieyasu had no other adult sons to invest in, he made a difficult decision: he would find another employer.

"Speechless now? Oh dear, you're not exactly a talkative person either." Nobuyasu pursed his lips, thinking Shichibei was a fool.

"As the eldest son of the Mikawa governor, Your Highness doesn't actually need any martial arts skills. Learning the principles of governing a country is enough. As long as you have a salary and know how to conduct yourself, you can always attract outstanding warriors." Shichibei had no choice but to reply.

"Tch, just like the old magistrate's argument. You officials are all in cahoots." Nobuyasu clapped his hands, not bothering with any talk of washing his hands or not, and disappeared in a flash.

They came in mysteriously and left in a bizarre way.

But how should I describe him? Look at Nobuyasu in front of me, he seems like a brute with strong limbs and a simple head. He hasn't inherited any of his father's cunning, old fox spirit, and he's not even remotely a little fox.

Judging from his words, Ishikawa Kazumasa also advised him to read more books and understand principles, and to learn the so-called "art of the emperor." As for martial arts and such, forget about it.

The Tokugawa clan is now practically the lord of most of Mikawa Province, barely qualifying as a Sengoku daimyo. They no longer need daimyo and their young lords to lead the charge. Command and leadership are sufficient.

Tasks like road construction, castle building, and new farmland development could all be delegated to subordinates. Did Nobunaga know how to handle these administrative matters? Probably not, but he entrusted them to retainers like Shichibei.

A few words to explain, pay up, and you're all set.

As for martial arts, it's good that the daimyo is highly skilled, but...

Look at Ashikaga Yoshiteru, known as the Sword Master Kubo, who mastered the secret techniques of the First Sword. In terms of close-quarters combat with spears and swords, he was among the top in Japan. But what good is skill if you can't even fight well? He was still attacked and killed.

That Tokugawa Nobuyasu just now seemed to have a rather "stubborn" personality; I don't know if he was faking it or if it was really true.

If it's an act, then someone who can act like this at nine years old has an absolutely limitless future. If it's not an act, then Shichibei is hard to describe.

It's possible he's been tricked by someone into colluding with the Takeda clan, planning to lead the people of Mikawa Province and the Okazaki clan to flee with the Takeda. Then they could join forces to attack his elderly father in Hamamatsu.

"What a 'straight man'." It was completely dark, and Shichibei had no lights, so he could only hurry back to the Mizuno family's residence in the dark.

The women in the household were still explaining the details of tomorrow's wedding to Princess Tokuhime. Meanwhile, Sakuma Nobumori had gone up to the castle; he likely had some secret matters to discuss with Tokugawa Ieyasu.

Since Shichibei had nothing to do, he secretly observed Princess Tokuhime's instruction for a couple of moments before running back to his room. He began to savor his conversation with Tokugawa Nobuyasu, the young waiter. To be fair, at least the waiter didn't mince words.

77. How did Nobunaga select talented individuals?

As the representative of the Oda clan, Shichibei attended Tokugawa Nobuyasu's coming-of-age ceremony and his wedding to Princess Tokuhime. Everything was done according to normal samurai customs. Nobuyasu, who had been holding in his urine the night before, was now fully prim and proper, going through the motions in front of Tokugawa Ieyasu and the guests with perfect decorum.

The man who combed his hair was Hiraiwa Chikakichi, a former page of Ieyasu, who was said to have Ieyasu's utmost trust.

However, it was all for naught. As the most trusted and most trusted member of the Tokugawa family, the Hiraiwa clan, a powerful and influential family, had just lost its lineage. In his early years, Hiraiwa Chikayoshi had an adopted son, Senchiyo, who died at a young age, leaving no replacement. When Hiraiwa Chikayoshi passed away and the country was abolished, he didn't even think about finding a decent successor for such an old retainer.

As for the reasons? There are many theories, but it's definitely related to Nobuyasu's early death. Of Nobuyasu's two successors, one fled and the other lost his kingdom, and neither ended up well.

Based on this assumption, the veteran retainers from the Mikawa period were divided into the Western Mikawa faction, the Eastern Mikawa faction, and the Hatamoto (Hand Bannermen) First Rank Envoys. Those who fared best were mainly concentrated in the Hatamoto First Rank Envoys. In short, these were the ones who had consistently served Ieyasu; those who remained in Mikawa were at a lower level.

If Honda Tadakatsu and Sakakibara Yasumasa had not been assigned to the first-strike position of the Hatamoto, their future treatment might not have been much better.

Indeed, society is ruled by men everywhere. Leaders can't even promote all the cadres in front of them, so how could they possibly think about those cadres outside who work diligently and don't run around or offer bribes?

The ceremony is complete.

Tokugawa Nobuyasu and Princess Tokuhime drank together, and with everyone's blessings and approval, they officially completed their wedding. But now they are living in harmony; have they ever considered that they might one day be locked in a bloody battle?

When the banquet began, Nobuyasu, who had been "stuck like a statue," finally had a chance to raise his cup to Shichibei from afar. "Wow, little brother is toasting me!" Shichibei quickly raised his cup as well, offering a toast to Nobuyasu in return.

Yesterday you said my chatting was boring, but today you're being so polite.

Sakuma Nobumori, who was standing nearby, saw this but assumed it was Nobuyasu casually offering a toast and didn't take it seriously, continuing to drink with Tokugawa Ieyasu. Oh, right, I should mention the secret meeting between those two old men.

As is well known, Tokugawa Ieyasu rarely appeared during the major period of Owari unification, namely Nobunaga's accession to the throne, the Battle of Okehazama, and the defeat of Inuyama Oda. Simply put, he never sent reinforcements or provided any other form of support to Nobunaga.

But things are different now. In addition to the basic alliance between the two countries, Nobuyasu has also become Nobunaga's son-in-law.

Becoming a son-in-law comes at a price, and a considerable one at that. Princess Tokuhime's dowry was, in a sense, a "reward" or "bribe" to the Tokugawa family.

After the Saino clan defected, Nobunaga would immediately launch a general offensive against Inabayama Castle. At that time, Tokugawa Ieyasu would have to send troops, not just three or five hundred, but at least two or three thousand.

Ideally, we should be able to recruit 5,000 people.

Since Ieyasu had essentially suppressed the non-Nobunaga territories within Mikawa Province and killed the Imagawa clan's leader in Mikawa, Udono Nagateru, Ieyasu, as the lord of the province, had an obligation to demonstrate his loyalty to Nobunaga.

Don't exaggerate the "brotherhood alliance"; Nobunaga was notoriously ruthless in his treatment of his "brothers."

A major reason why Azai Nagamasa rebelled against Nobunaga was that Nobunaga constantly demanded Nagamasa's military assistance to deal with the ongoing wars in the Kinai region. After Nobunaga took control of Kyoto, installed a shogun, and began to set his sights on unifying the country, even the best outcome for Azai Nagamasa, who was based in northern Kyoto, would be to be enfeoffed in Kyushu or Oshu as a daimyo with a million koku of rice.

Nobunaga consistently pursued a policy of constantly depleting and suppressing the power of these vassals and subjects, ultimately turning them into his own retainers.

In fact, by the end of Nobunaga's reign, Ieyasu had become the de facto commander of Nobunaga's army. Even the security of his territory required Nobunaga's approval.

By that time, Tokugawa Ieyasu had already been transformed into the shape of Oda under Nobunaga's continuous "training".

This is just the beginning of the entire "training" process. As for when it will end? Shichibei didn't see it in his previous life, but he can try to find out in this one.

No wonder Nobunaga escorted his daughter all the way to Kariya Castle, specifically to sleep in the same bed as Tokugawa Ieyasu. That previous night was probably spent struggling and vying with Ieyasu.

That night, Ieyasu must have succumbed to Nobunaga's insistence. This led to the detailed discussion between Sakuma Nobumori and Tokugawa Ieyasu regarding the details of the military campaign and its composition.

As we mentioned earlier, Ota Ujisuke was required by Hojo Ujiyasu to have a thousand mounted soldiers in battle. Nobunaga could also have demanded a certain number of arquebuses and archers from Ieyasu.

It is said that during the Battle of Kanesaki, Ieyasu gifted all of his arquebuses to Hideyoshi, giving Hideyoshi a significant firepower advantage.

This shows that Nobunaga had certain requirements for the composition of the army when he summoned the Tokugawa forces. He wouldn't have allowed Tokugawa Ieyasu to arbitrarily gather old, weak, sick, and disabled soldiers to fill the ranks.