Owari Yumeki Golden Day.

After the defeat at Nagara River and Sagiyama, the adopted son fled into the mountains with Tsuda Nobuharu's retreating troops. Because Toyama Tomotada, Anegokōji Yoritsuna, and others were not interested in the area, there was no large-scale search, and he escaped.

When news of the Western Army's victory arrived, Hatakeyama Nobutaka wanted to confront Shichibei to accuse Miyoshi Nobutaka of betraying his comrades. However, Shichibei had already broken camp and set off south with his troops.

They chased for quite a while, all the way to Hamamatsu Castle in Totomi Province, before finally catching up with the main force. Shichibei remembered his contribution.

However, he refused to mention his own contributions and tearfully accused Miyoshi Nobutaka of betraying his teammates, demanding that Shichibei severely punish Miyoshi Nobutaka.

Even if it means giving up my entire country of Nagato, I'm going to fight Miyoshi Nobutaka!

So Shichibei told him that Miyoshi Nobutaka would definitely be punished, and also pointed out that he had deliberately not taken Miyoshi Nobutaka with him into battle. Only then did Hatakeyama Nobutaka feel better.

When asked what kind of reward he wanted, Hatakeyama Nobutaka first composed himself, and then seriously said, "Is there any way to transfer him back to Kawachi? I want to be by the side of the royal family and personally protect Oda Katsuhoshi."

Ok?

Hatakeyama Nobutaka's attitude seems to represent the attitude of Oda Nobukatsu's confidants. Admittedly, Oda Nobukatsu's reign lasted only a few years, very short and abrupt. However, this did not prevent him from using power, favors, and even his character and loyalty to gain the loyalty of a large number of people.

The reason why Oda Katsuhoshi's faction was able to form so quickly was because Nobukatsu's close confidants and the various lords he associated with still remembered him.

It's hard to say how long this remembrance will last. But at least for now, many people are still grateful to Oda Nobuo.

Xinxiong was a man of many faults and shortcomings, yet he still served as the ruler of the land for a few years. As the ruler, he inevitably dealt with both the wrath and the punishments, ensuring that some received favors while others were condemned.

"Hanoi is a territory of Heaven, and it is neither reasonable nor logical for it to be granted to outsiders." Shichibei looked earnestly at Hatakeyama Nobutaka.

"Though it is the territory of the heavens, the world is in great turmoil, and Osaka will inevitably be in turmoil. To be honest, I neither trust Mori nor can I fully trust you. I am willing to serve you to the death and be loyal to you. Only by staying in Kawachi can I serve you with my life." Hatakeyama Nobutaka was already an adult, and he spoke with righteous indignation.

"Hoo..." Wow, Shichibei was at a loss for words to answer Hatakeyama Nobutaka. He was too loyal to Oda Nobuo, truly loyal to the core.

Chapter 664 Osaka: A Tumultuous Scene

Nobuo still has a base of supporters, and their loyalty is quite high. This is evident in the case of Hatakeyama Nobutaka; if Shichibei wanted to do anything outrageous right now, especially overthrow the Oda clan's rule, the resistance would be considerable.

Those people in Osaka were truly blinded by greed and power, and they couldn't wait to band together and eliminate Shichibei, a threat.

In reality, they could have simply shown some deference to Shichibei first, allowing his ambition to be nurtured and ignited. Then, raising the banner of Oda Nobunaga and his son, defeating the rebels would have been a piece of cake.

Of course, this is only one possibility and may not necessarily happen. In hindsight, if we don't fight now, we might not even have the chance to fight in the future.

If you tolerate it for a while, it will only get worse; if you give in a little, it will only get more aggressive.

Watching Hatakeyama Nobutaka silently, Shichibei could roughly understand why Sima Yi waited until the Cao and Xiahou clans were almost extinct, Cao Shuang, the ruler, was as stupid as a pig, and the foundation of Cao Wei was no longer stable. He also saw that his eldest son, Sima Shi, truly had a remarkable presence before he risked raising an army.

The Oda regime is still strong and should not be easily threatened.

What Lady Oichi said earlier was probably just a momentary outburst of anger. She was merely trying to stir up Shichibei's ambitions. As for why she did it, don't ask.

Indeed, in times like these, it's crucial to do thorough research, investigate carefully, and act prudently. Never act rashly out of momentary excitement or anger, lest you needlessly push potentially allied individuals and forces to the opposite side.

"Alright then, you should return to Osaka immediately. Regarding the Kawachi matter, we still need to persuade the other elders." Shichibei felt he had gained a lot from Hatakeyama Nobutaka's explanation.

We need to let the conflicts surface as much as possible—not our own conflicts, but those in the Osaka area. The more conflicts erupt, the less united the opposing forces will be.

The smaller the enemy, the bigger I am.

"Should you grant permission?" Unexpectedly, Nobutaka Hatakeyama had a knack for political maneuvering and immediately grasped the crux of the matter.

"I can grant it!" Shichibei smiled slightly and immediately agreed.

"Words on paper, written in black and white." Nobutaka Hatakeyama probed further.

"Give me a pen."

If Shichibei, the head of the Narita clan, could agree to 250,000 koku in Kitasho, Echizen, why wouldn't Hatakeyama Nobutaka allow it in Kawachi Province? In any case, it's all about spending other people's money, and it will only exacerbate the conflict in Osaka.

"I am extremely grateful." Hatakeyama Nobutaka bowed respectfully to Shichibei.

To be honest, aside from his mother formally bowing to us when he was a child, his relationship with Shichibei was really just a nodding acquaintance as he grew older. Shichibei didn't seem to have any particular conflict with him; it just goes to show that the complexities of human relationships can't be described scientifically, and are more like metaphysics.

Even though Shichibei and Mrs. Hatakeyama had a son, it did not significantly improve their relationship; in fact, it may have further strained it.

"Alright, alright, please give my regards to your father and your mother." Shichibei presented the letter of approval for Hatakeyama Nobutaka's transfer of the fiefdom to Kawachi to Hatakeyama Nobutaka.

Hatakeyama Shintaka raised his head, quickly scanned the document, and after confirming that everything was correct, folded it neatly and put it away.

"I never expected that you, in the Kanto region, would not have visited Kamakura Shrine or Shirahata Shrine." Hatakeyama Nobutaka tucked the letter into his robe, gave Shichibei a meaningful look, and then got up to leave.

Kamakura Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine, needless to say, is considered the ancestral shrine of all samurai families, enshrining Hachiman Daimyojin, the god of the samurai. Uesugi Kenshin even insisted on holding his succession ceremony as Kanto Kanrei in Kamakura, because this place holds special significance for the Japanese samurai.

As for the Shirohata Shrine, it is even more illustrious. This shrine, also known as the Shirohata Shrine, enshrines the Shirohata Daimyojin Minamoto Yoritomo.

Shichibei's supposed lineage from the Kawamura clan can be traced back to the Kawamura clan, a branch of the Minamoto clan, which is a branch of the Shogunate's retainers.

Hatakeyama Nobutaka was indeed somewhat surprised to hear that Shichibei had neither visited Kamakura Shrine, the ancestral shrine of all samurai families, nor Shirahata Shrine, the ancestral shrine of the Minamoto clan.

Normally, at this point, Shichibei would definitely have started trying to win people over in various ways. However, Shichibei didn't do that, which is why he said he didn't completely trust Terumoto Mori's group, but he didn't completely trust Shichibei himself.

It may seem like just a change in word order, but the meanings are completely different.

"Hmph..." Shichibei had nothing to say, because before entering Edo, Shichibei had no intention of usurping the throne, so naturally he wouldn't do anything.

So Hatakeyama Nobutaka rode away from the main camp of Kuroba Castle and hurried back to the central government in Osaka. Compared to fighting and vying for power on the battlefield, it was clearly more suitable for him to be involved in the political arena of fame and fortune.

Looking back at the pacification of Aizu, it only took a month or so in total. The Western Army, like tigers descending from the mountain, wiped out more than 40,000 Aizu guerrillas.

It was truly clean; everyone had their heads shaved. At least forty or fifty thousand men and women were killed, including Suda and Tamura, who were all wiped out. Ashina Moriyuki, who was chosen as the so-called leader of the alliance, had his head stuck on a bamboo pole and passed from Aizu all the way to Edo, then to Kyoto, and finally displayed at the Nihonbashi intersection below Osaka Castle for three years.

When the head was delivered to Shichibei, he felt sorry for him, seeing that the severed head resembled that of a grown child. He was chosen by others to become the head of the Ashina clan.

He didn't enjoy a single day of happiness, but suffered a great deal. Now he's been beheaded and his head is being displayed in Japan. Tsk tsk tsk, may he be reborn into a better family in his next life, and never come to Japan again.

The prestigious Aizu Ashina clan, which had been renowned for so many years, has now completely collapsed. Due to the large-scale sword hunts and indiscriminate captures, all the commoners even remotely connected to the Ashina family were slaughtered. This was the case for families like Kanegami, Sase, Ishida, and Haruo; they would shake an egg and break the yolk if they found one, and they would split an earthworm upright if they found one.

When they attacked Aizu, Tozawa Moriyasu of Kakunodate even led his troops to join them. As Shichibei's son-in-law, he repeatedly apologized, saying that he was unable to lead his troops to participate in the East-West Battle.

It's nothing. He's residing in a remote corner of Yu Province, yet he's been able to openly support Shichibei; that's already quite commendable. After giving Tosawa Moriyasu 10,000 kan and 20,000 taels of military rations, Shichibei led his troops away from Aizu.

He was to conduct a comprehensive sword hunt and land survey in Aizu, ensuring that there were no weapons on the ground and that the people only had farming tools. Furthermore, he was to remain stationed in Aizu until the new daimyo was transferred there; if there were any shortages of supplies, Shichibei would have them send a letter to him requesting more.

Oshu is remote and cannot affect the overall situation of the country, so it is enough to entrust it to Tozawa Moriyasu. Shichibei even considered transferring Aizu to Tozawa Moriyasu, but before he could even test the waters, Tozawa Moriyasu said that Kakudate, with its more than 200,000 koku, was not easy to manage.

Ultimately, his family started as a small-time landlord with a fortune of 20,000 to 30,000 koku. Through the hard work of two generations of father and son, they built a fortune of 43,000 koku. Taking advantage of Oda Nobunaga's unification of Japan, they successfully won a third of Ushu Province.

Managing the existing territory is indeed already quite a strain, and it will take some time to digest it. Expecting him to immediately grant another 500,000 kilos to Aizu is simply unacceptable.

You said the 500,000 in Aizu was supposed to be given to Niwa Nagashige? Did Niwa Nagashige join the Eastern Army or the Western Army? Because of the Great Earthquake, he was completely put on standby in Kaga and Kanazawa.

The agreement made when Oda Nobuo was still in power promised him 500,000 yen upon his return to Kanazawa. That was a promise made by Oda Nobuo; go and collect it from him.

It's just that Tozawa Moriyasu, a local, is unwilling to come, so Shichibei has put the matter aside. He plans to return to Osaka and have a proper discussion about it.

Given Hatakeyama Nobutaka's previous attitude, Shichibei now has to stir up trouble in Osaka. Since Tozawa Moriyasu refuses to go to Aizu, Aizu will serve as bait. Shichibei plans to have a serious talk with Niwa Nagashige to see if there's any way to use Aizu to bring Niwa's faction to his side.

Is it contradictory? No, it's not contradictory.

Having lived this long, Shichibei, while not exactly a chameleon, certainly has two faces. Among the generations of Owari, he remains the most honest and reliable person in Owari to this day.

With this persona as an advantage, it's actually quite easy to manipulate issues. And it's also easier to gain the trust of the Owari generation in certain aspects.

From the beginning of spring when everyone was gathered as a ceremonial guard for Oda Nobuo's funeral, summer was now almost over. The Western Army soldiers were indeed exhausted from continuous fighting, and it was a good time for them to return home with their looted goods. As for Shichibei himself, he naturally wanted to return to Osaka, where things had already "fermented."

Whether it's Narita Ujinaga, Hatakeyama Nobutaka, Tokugawa Ieyasu, or the re-occupation of Aizu, Osaka must have already been in an uproar.

So what happened to Osaka?

Upon suddenly receiving the letter from Shichibei granting him 250,000 koku of rice in Kitasho, Echizen Province, and the imperial seal granting him the authority to govern 85,000 koku of rice in Wakasa Province, Narita Uchinaga's joy was beyond words.

He never imagined that he, a lord of a castle with a landholding of tens of thousands of koku, and one whose position was changed after a defeat, would miraculously become the de facto daimyo of a province with a landholding of 335,000 koku, by sheer coincidence.

All the feudal lords in the land knew that he was the maternal grandfather of the current ruler, Oda Katsuhoshi. When he suddenly acquired the status of a ruler of a single country, it immediately caused quite a stir in Osaka.

First, is there any opposition?

Yes, there were, and not just one or two. But such matters required a senior minister to publicly oppose and question them, which would expose Mori Terumoto's weakness.

Mori Terumoto was truly a typical example of someone who was cautious about his own safety when it came to great things, but would forget righteousness for petty gains; he was indeed ambitious but incompetent. He vigorously encouraged the three senior members to stand up against Shichibei's plan to appease Narita Ujō, hoping that they would take the lead.

Fortunately, he wasn't foolish enough to send Maeda Toshiie and Nagano Nobukatsu into the fray. He knew that these two were only temporarily allied with him to preserve the Oda regime.

The old man from the Third Middle School was a figure who emerged from the tides of history. Even if he wasn't exceptionally intelligent, he shouldn't have been used as a pawn.

Not only that, but besides the three foreigners, Nobuo's servants, attendants, and pageboys were also thoroughly discovered. Mori Terumoto is useless; he's a fighting cock in a gentle arena, a tyrant in a comfortable nest. If something really happens, he's no match for you.

I didn't have a choice before, but now I do.

I'm voting for Narita-cho!

How quickly the hearts of the people can turn! The Nobuo guild, who were initially forced to stand behind Mori Terumoto and cheer him on because they had no other choice, have now mostly jumped ship to support Narita Ujinaga. Narita Ujinaga's rise to power is entirely based on his status as the maternal grandfather of Oda Katsuhoshi, and he will certainly defend Oda Katsuhoshi's regime resolutely.

With this foundation, Nobuyuki's followers faced no psychological barriers in joining him. Even the three elders began to remain neutral, no longer accompanying Mori Terumoto to scout the situation.

As for Maeda Toshiie and Nagano Nobukatsu, they instead went to visit Tokugawa Ieyasu, who had been sent to Osaka as a hostage. After all, they were originally allies of Oda Nobushige, and now that Tokugawa Ieyasu was in trouble and Oda Nobushige was dead, the entire faction had collapsed.

Upon learning that Osaka's opinion was to secure 300,000 koku in Edo, while Shichibei only promised the Tokugawa family 300,000 koku, Tokugawa Ieyasu was extremely resentful. However, he also knew very well that Shichibei was clearly indicating he would not be allowed to remain in Kanto.

The die is cast; Edo has been taken over, and any thought of going back is wishful thinking. Who knows, in a couple of days, Shichibei might just install one of the Western Army generals in Edo.

The key point is that Tokugawa Ieyasu is still in a state of "seclusion". The head of the Tokugawa family has been replaced by Tokugawa Takechiyo, and Ieyasu himself has become a monk and is under house arrest.

Originally, he was supposed to be a recluse who was completely forbidden from seeing strangers, but Maeda Toshiie was able to meet him once because of his status as a senior retainer.

Letting Tokugawa Ieyasu swagger around in Osaka is a decision no one dares to make yet. After all, a ringleader like Tokugawa Ieyasu should definitely be beheaded.

In short, the situation in Osaka is becoming increasingly chaotic. It's no longer a simple matter of Oda Katsuhoshi's faction versus Oda Nobushige's faction; it has taken on a kind of beauty that precedes a major melee.

Especially after Hatakeyama Nobutaka returned to Osaka, he immediately demanded the entire province of Kawachi. He spoke with righteous indignation, after all, he had fought bravely against the Kitano army in the Battle of Kiso River and had given advance warning to the western army of Kagami-sho, which was a great achievement.

And Kawamura Nagayoshi agreed!

Don't believe me? I'll show you the written agreement. It's crystal clear. Shichibei's signature and monogram are both there; there's no way to fake it.

When this matter came to light, some agreed, some disagreed, and so on. Since no one could make a decision, the matter remained unresolved and deadlocked.

Amidst the chaos and turmoil of Osaka, the triumphant Western Army of over 100,000 men returned.

Shichibei, who commanded more than 100,000 troops of the Western Army, immediately became the center of attention in Osaka upon arriving at the residence, with all eyes focused on the Osaka River Village Residence.

Chapter 665 He made a big fuss as soon as he arrived.

Just as everyone was watching with wide eyes to see Shichibei's next move, Shichibei personally went up to the castle to pay his respects to Oda Katsuhoshi and report to him on the suppression of the eastern bandits and the uprising of the Aizu people.

Even though Oda Katsuhoshi was just a child of about one year old, completely unable to understand what Shichibei was saying. Even though he was just a baby being held in his wet nurse's arms, and would even burst into tears halfway through listening. Even though he didn't even recognize Shichibei, and didn't know that he was now the ruler of the land.

But this procedure has to be followed!

Shichibei's righteous cause in suppressing the Eastern Army stemmed from this; commanding troops in the field and reporting back upon returning were both his due duties.

Ogawa Village Chief Yoshino is a senior retainer and important figure in the Oda clan!