Owari Yumeki Golden Day.

Maeda Toshiie was taken aback at first, then asked Shichibei, "Hideyoshi is the castle lord of Sunomata. Although Mino has been pacified and Sunomata has become the rear, what would happen if Nobunaga found out that the castle lord had left his post without official business?"

Isn't that the same as abandoning the city and fleeing?

Startled by his words, Shichibei swallowed hard. That was true, but surely Nobunaga wouldn't kill Hideyoshi over something like that.

The moment his eyes met Toshiie's, Toshiie pointed to himself, and Shichibei immediately realized what was happening.

Toshiie was almost killed by Nobunaga back then. Nobunaga kept public and private matters separate; sometimes the line was blurred, and sometimes it was very clear. Do you dare to gamble, or do I?

"Forget it," Shichibei could only say, "You stay here and watch over this place while I go find a doctor or something." Toshiie agreed; he could do it, especially since his wife, Matsu, was helping out inside.

It was at least seven hours, until dark, and Ningning still hadn't been born. She had stopped crying out, because she didn't have the strength to shout anymore.

What should we do?

They came through and said that the baby might be breech, and that the baby hadn't been able to be delivered naturally. If things continued like this, they were afraid...

"Hiss..." Just what I feared most has come to pass. At this moment, Shichibei was no longer thinking about things thirty years from now, but was worried about human lives.

"What should we do? What should we do..." Toshiie is still a young man and does not have the composure and aura of the powerful Maeda Dainagon thirty years later.

Like Shichibei, he was just an ordinary person going around in circles.

"The baby is breech, just pull it out, right?" The waiter standing next to Shichibei muttered under his breath.

"What!" Shichibei and Maeda Toshiie exclaimed in unison.

What does Kawamura-ya do? It's a horse-selling business. It also sells horses and occasionally handles military orders. However, there's one aspect of its business that many people overlook.

Kawamura-ya also keeps horses!

Raising horses requires assisting mares with foal births. Although most of the time a mare can deliver her foal in one swift motion, there are times when a human has to reach out and pull the foal out.

For large livestock like cattle and horses, this kind of thing is not uncommon. Shichibei had done this before, because if you pull too hard, you really can't succeed. You have to do it in one go without hesitation; if they get stuck inside, it's truly a matter of life and death for both the animal and the fetus.

"No, no, no, that's a horse, this is a person." Shichibei quickly waved his hand, the difference between a person and a horse is huge.

A horse can be pulled hard, so can a person?

"..." The waiter didn't dare to continue, but right now...

If the baby is breech, it may be difficult to deliver, potentially leading to the death of both mother and child.

"..." Maeda Toshiie also fell silent, glancing at Shichibei. After all, the two of them were just outsiders. It was one thing to have a good relationship with Hideyoshi, but it was another to make decisions for him.

As for asking Ningning's opinion, Ningning is probably not even conscious right now, and she can't even scream anymore.

Ask her mother.

The two quickly brought out Asahi. Seeing that her daughter couldn't give birth, the mother must be very anxious. Shichibei then mentioned the half-baked solution the shopkeeper had just suggested: if they could get the child out anyway, at least Nene would be out of danger.

Needless to say, Asahi's eyes widened as well. But Shichibei's words seemed to make some sense, so the three of them went to ask the doctor and midwife. They said they could try, but couldn't guarantee anything.

Ah Ci, who had also delivered a baby horse, was still somewhat calm, since she had been able to call for help earlier.

"I've never delivered a human baby, but that horse has delivered several." After saying that, Aci smeared oil all over his hands, examined his fingernails carefully, and without saying a word, stuck them inside.

After touching her face for a while, she used a bit of force and "plop," she actually pulled out a child.

Ningning, who was already half-conscious, let out a violent scream, and the child burst into tears.

Become!

It's unbelievable, truly unbelievable. But then again, in Europe, barbers also double as doctors, using bloodletting to cure all ailments. And now, thinking about how someone who's delivered horses can now deliver a human baby, it doesn't seem so hard to accept.

There was no postpartum hemorrhage. The umbilical cord was cut, the baby's body was cleaned, and Ningning's lower body was wiped clean as well. Everything finally had a relatively satisfactory outcome.

When Maeda Toshiie saw Matsu come out, he asked, "Boy or girl?" Matsu didn't have time to pay attention to Maeda Toshiie. In the end, it was Aji who came out to wash his hands who said something.

girl.

91. It seems the rice granary holds a secret.

Immediately send someone to inform Hideyoshi that the mother and daughter are safe.

This was Hideyoshi's first child, after all. Although Hideyoshi had a very strong preference for sons, it was still his own child, and he was quite old when he had it.

Judging from the crying inside, it's quite loud, so it must be a healthy child. Although it's a girl, well, this is Hideyoshi's family matter, why think so much about it now?

Maeda Toshiie was still in the yard, helping Aji pour hot water to wash his hands. When asked how she managed to "pull" the child out, she...

Aci, of course, said it was the same as giving birth to a baby horse—he probed inside a little, felt around, and positioned her correctly. Actually, as long as the position is correct, and the mother pushes, the success rate of a natural birth increases significantly. That's why obstetricians say that the feeling of natural childbirth is partly the same as having a bowel movement.

Of course, in some cases, the mother is young, her bones are not fully developed, and her pelvis is not fully open, so the baby's head is a bit large and gets stuck. In this case, forceps are needed, but in the situation just now, the baby's head hadn't even appeared yet, so forceps wouldn't be effective.

Besides, the baby has been in labor for more than seven hours. If we don't deal with it immediately, danger could occur at any moment. There's no time to get forceps out.

"Shichibei, I never knew your family had this skill." Maeda Toshiie was indeed learning about it for the first time.

"It means it's successful, but if it's not, something terrible will happen." The situation is urgent, so taking this risk means that if anyone else can't have a child in the future, Shichibei will absolutely not let Aji go through the procedure again.

This adventure was a success, but that doesn't guarantee success next time. That place is so big, and a person is only a tiny bit big; if you put your hand in there, it could be fatal.

“That’s true.” Maeda Toshiie nodded slightly and went to find his wife, Matsu.

"You didn't pinch the child's head, did you?" Shichibei asked Aji after making sure no one was around.

"No." Aci replied, puzzled.

That's good, that's good. If you were to mold someone else's child's brain into a shape, Hideyoshi would definitely question it when he got home.

After instructing Aji to take good care of his sister-in-law at home, Shichibei went home. It was almost midnight, but thankfully he had already helped Yonekura Nobutsugu meet her today, so he wouldn't need to get up early tomorrow.

After that chapter, it seems someone was sent to submit an application, and two days later Hideyoshi returned to Komakiyama Castle. He was overjoyed, as it was his first child. Especially since Hideyoshi was turning thirty this year; in this era, having one's first child at thirty was extremely rare.

Some people even become grandfathers at the age of thirty. For example, Toyotomi Hideyori had his first son, Kunimatsumaru, at the age of fourteen. If Kunimatsumaru had followed his father's example and succeeded at fourteen, Hideyori might have achieved three generations living under one roof by the age of twenty-nine. With a bit more luck, six generations living under one roof in his lifetime wouldn't be impossible.

Hideyoshi even paid a special visit to thank Shichibei, saying that it was fortunate Shichibei helped him find a doctor. Nene roughly explained the situation to him; it's normal for a group of girls in the family, the oldest sixteen or seventeen, the youngest twelve or thirteen, to lack their own opinions. But at least two of them should be able to call for help and speak clearly when trouble arises.

As a renowned samurai with vast wealth and influence, it was indeed troublesome not to have two reliable family members. Hideyoshi and Hidenaga were often away fighting and stationed in various places, leaving them with almost no time to care about matters at home.

Pat Hideyoshi on the shoulder, and Hideyoshi will definitely remember this and find someone to exchange it later.

As they chatted, it was time for dinner, and Shichibei suggested they eat at the Kawamura house. There was no banquet anyway, just two dishes and a soup, and besides, no one at Hideyoshi's house cooked for him; they all had to look after Nene and the children.

"This must be Prince Sumeramata Shiroki." Yonekura Nobutsugu walked in just then. This wasn't his first time in Owari, and he recognized a few people.

Shichibei quickly explained that Yonekura Nobutsugu had also cleared out a batch of mountain goods he brought from Kai in Owari, and had just finished. After all, his classes and studies weren't in vain; bringing hundreds of horses to Owari would have been a waste if they were all empty. Bringing some local specialties from Kai to Owari to sell, even a small profit, was still a good trade.

Even if it wasn't earned for Takeda Shingen, earning it for oneself is still quite good. Who would complain about having a few more coins in their pocket?

"Let's eat together." Shichibei casually beckoned the person over; it was an acquaintance.

Yonekura Nobutsugu seemed to enjoy the conversation and asked Hideyoshi many questions about the situation in Shinano. Hideyoshi, who was now in charge of the Oda army's Shinano operations, knew the details like the back of his hand. Since it was all stuff that had already happened, and Yonekura Nobutsugu was an ally's envoy, Hideyoshi wasn't too wary.

Since everyone was living in Shichibei's house, their relationship was very close, and Hideyoshi wouldn't think of anything else.

Yonekura Nobutsugu repeatedly flattered Hideyoshi, saying he greatly admired the feat of building the castle overnight. Hideyoshi, who had just had his first child, was in high spirits, and with Yonekura Nobutsugu praising him, they had a very pleasant conversation.

After seeing Hideyoshi off, Shichibei asked Yonekura Nobutsugu when he would return. He needed to bring back over a thousand kan of horse money to Kai, as Shingen was currently scattering money everywhere in Suruga; the more gold, the better.

The two walked one after the other, and Shichibei naturally didn't notice the shifty look in Yonekura Nobutsugu's eyes as he made an excuse. He said there were still some mountain goods from Kai that hadn't been sold, and they would set off immediately once they were gone.

Okay, I understand.

Shichibei ignored Yonekura Nobutsugu and instead sent people to investigate the construction of post stations and stables at Inabayama Castle and Okazaki Castle. Although Nobunaga had not yet made a decision, Shichibei specifically instructed them to build a house for the post station stables at Inabayama Castle, modeled after the one at Komakiyama Castle, and to build it on a larger scale.

Nominally, it was said that the Inabayama branch would become the central branch of Mino in the future, but in reality, it was in preparation for moving with Nobunaga. Once Nobunaga decided to move to Inabayama, the branch at the foot of Komakiyama could be effectively closed.

To be fair, Komakiyama Castle was certainly a strategic stronghold militarily, but in terms of commercial and transportation advantages, it was actually quite ordinary. If it weren't for the large number of Nobunaga's retainers, such as the Umawari and Ashigaru, who were stationed there, and the fact that the castle town prospered because of the residence of his retainers, Shichibei shouldn't have even set up a branch in Komakiyama; at most, he would have established a relay point for a stable.

As an 80-meter-high hill standing out in the extremely vast plains of northern Owari, its significance is indeed only military.

Historically, when Nobunaga decided to move, Komakiyama Castle was declared abandoned, its materials were mostly dismantled and moved to Inabayama, and Inabayama Castle was expanded. At that time, even the entire castle town would be moved, very directly.

Just as Nobunaga set fire to Inoguchi Town, the townspeople of Komakiyama took their belongings and immediately rebuilt the town, making it even larger than before.

Meanwhile, Yonekura Nobutsugu lingered in Owari for two more days. Firstly, he received a reply from Takeda Shingen, and secondly, Saito Tatsuoki rode his horse back from Kiyosu Castle to Komakiyama to report to Nobunaga.

There must have been a Saito residence outside the castle, which Nobunaga specifically granted to Tatsuoki to live in, and to house his entourage and families. It occupied more than 2,000 tsubo, which would be considered a mansion even by today's standards.

However, Ryūō's gate was deserted, with almost no one passing by. Even those former retainers of Saitō from Mino were now somewhat avoiding him. Who knew what kind of agreement Nobunaga and Ryūō had reached, or what Ryūō's future actions would be? It was all too uncertain.

That's a bombshell!

For Oda's retainers and former retainers of Saito in Mino, the rise of the Oda clan was a major taboo, a topic that could not be touched. But for Yonekura Nobutsugu, it was a completely different story.

Upon learning that Ryūō had been placed in Kiyosu Castle in Owari by Nobunaga with 15,000 kan, Yonekura Nobutsugu immediately dispatched men day and night to Kai to inform Takeda Shingen. Now, Shingen's reply had arrived in Owari, conveying only one message: for the time being, refrain from any major actions.

Shingen had no idea when he might turn against Nobunaga; he still had the Imagawa clan of Suruga to deal with. Moreover, whether his next target would be Hojo Ujiyasu, Tokugawa Ieyasu, or even raise an army against Oda Nobunaga, was all unknown.

Haven't you noticed that he hasn't played the Inuyama Tessai card yet?

Therefore, Shingen's core idea was simply to make contact first and see if Ryūgen still harbored any resentment towards Nobunaga, or if he had been defeated by Nobunaga, his spirit broken, and had completely submitted, married Oda's daughter, and begun to give up.

If Lung Hsing still has a fighting spirit, then there will be opportunities to leverage Lung Hsing's influence in the future. After all, Lung Hsing is only twenty years old, and it can certainly thrive for another ten or twenty years. If Lung Hsing collapses, then let bygones be bygones, just pretend you didn't know anything, and maintain a friendship.

Friendships always come at a price, it just depends on when.

So, a Takeda samurai, while selling riding shoes on the street, coincidentally encountered a retainer of the Saito family. Riding shoes were handicrafts made of woven straw, used to replace horseshoes for Japanese horses. The profit margin was very low, and there were no specialized vendors; they were all woven by villagers and sold in Yokkaichi or Rokkaichi markets.

Some samurai were quite poor, even cutting grass themselves and having their wives and children weave riding shoes. They were purely consumables; after all, horses have four legs.

Selling this stuff is inconspicuous, yet it allows you to get closer to people you want to get close to.

Having lost Inabayama Castle, Tatsuoki was only allowed by Nobunaga to return to retrieve some of his personal belongings and the ancestral tablets of his father, Yoshitatsu, and others. Nobunaga had already seized all the castle's granaries, gold reserves, and armories, making it impossible for him to return them to Tatsuoki.

Therefore, Ryūshō lacked everything, and even asked Shichibei to buy him several horses for transportation. Anyway, once he arrived in his territory, he would have money, and once he had power in his hands, he would issue orders. First, he collected this year's land tax from various local chieftains to settle Saitō samurai.

Even if this sparked an uprising, Nobunaga would help suppress it, because he coveted the relatively intact Saito samurai group from Ryūkō.

Before fully assimilating this samurai group, Nobunaga would certainly show some leniency towards Tatsuoki. Of course, it's not impossible that Tatsuoki choked to death on water after Oda Nobunaga gave birth to a son, as Nagai Michitoshi suspected. But this is contingent on the birth of a male infant; during those two or three years, Tatsuoki would be quite safe.

Saito, a samurai who ordered a hundred pairs of riding shoes at once, would naturally need a shoe seller to transport the shoes to his residence. What followed was perfectly logical; even those secretly watching would only assume he was buying riding shoes.

After all, Longxing had to buy pots and pans these past few days; without them, he couldn't even start a fire to cook, sleep, or take a bath. Seven or eight delivery vendors would come a day, but questioning them all wasn't practical.

So Ryūō and Yonekura Nobutsugu met briefly. They quickly exchanged their opinions and attitudes. Needless to say, Ryūō wished he could immediately raise an army and kill Nobunaga. However, he did not have enough strength to start a rebellion at the moment, so he could only lie low.

Okay, Nobutsugu Yonekura isn't going to make any promises. He just wants to know that Ryūshō has this idea.

The next day, several more horses arrived, carrying hay for the horses that Ryūhō had just bought. Tucked among the hay were gold worth three hundred strings of cash, a token of Shingen's appreciation for Ryūhō's friendship.

Let's build a good relationship first, so that when we need your help in the future, you can let me know.

Having accomplished his task, Yonekura Nobutsugu believed he had acted very discreetly and mounted his horse to return to Kai. Shichibei, being an old friend, should at least see him off at the crossroads.