Owari Yumeki Golden Day

Similarly, Nobunaga provides a platform, pressure, and sufficient rewards, so everyone who can rise will do so. The higher you rise, the more willing Nobunaga is to pull you up. Owari Province is small, and the platform is not large, but Nobunaga is working hard to expand it.

The relationship between the monarch and his subjects is complementary. You pull me and I pull you, and the more everyone does this business, the more prosperous it becomes.

When there's a goal to achieve, not only bosses but even old farmers can unleash their enthusiasm. Oxen and horses will become the most lovable people, so why not risk your life to work hard?

Nobunaga can see that what is going on here is promising, and everyone is eager to show their talents.

Learning from Tokugawa Ieyasu's stinginess is like Xiang Yu, who played with his official seals and rank and was reluctant to give them to his subordinates. In the end, he was deserted by his friends and relatives, and even his own uncle ran away.

If he couldn't understand Nobunaga's actions, then Nobuyasu would never understand why Owari always produced talented people, teams of talents that could rule the whole of Japan.

Let them both wonder in the castle. Once Shichibei had left the castle, he would send someone to inform Takenaka Hanbei. It was already done. Nobunaga had designated Shichibei to randomly select two or three Mino families for the most influential people, and he would definitely choose the Takenaka family first.

As for the other two families, we can take our time to investigate. There's no need to rush. For example, Ke'er's family, with over a thousand koku of Guohao, is quite suitable. However, Ke'er is a macho man, and we don't need a macho man. There's no need to bury his abilities.

Besides, how old is Ke'er Zang now? I remember that during the Battle of Komaki-Nagakute, he was not very old. He was able to compete with Toyotomi Hidetsugu for horses, so he was obviously not an old man.

By the time of the Battle of Sekigahara, he could still chop off a dozen heads. He must have been a very strong middle-aged man. Maybe he's still a little brat now. Forget it, forget it.

After the Seino clan stopped rebelling against Inabayama Ryūsei, things were indeed different. Before that, Shichibei had to sneak around and hide when he went to the Northern Castle. Finally, he met Ando Uemon in a farmhouse in an unknown village.

Now, Takenaka Hanbei had come to Komakiyama Castle with such openness, he made no secret of anything. With the defection of the Seino clan, the window paper had been broken, and both sides were just missing an opening for a fight.

Humph, the organization of the Saito family's retainers is quite makeshift.

Back to Takenaka Hanbei. This time he wasn't alone, but brought a young man who looked very similar to him. He didn't have a son, and even if he did, he wouldn't be this old, so it was most likely his younger brother, Takenaka Shigenori.

After sitting down and chatting for a few minutes, it turned out that he was indeed his biological brother. But why did he bring Takenaka Shigenori here? If Nobunaga wanted hostages, they were from Ando Morinari's family, not the Takenaka family.

Shichibei's confusion only lasted for a moment, and then Takenaka Hanbei began to explain himself.

"My brother is a pig warrior, obviously. He doesn't have much brains. Even if he were assigned to be a helper, I wouldn't be able to provide you with much help..."

The full text was too long, so Shichibei helped to abbreviate it. Mainly because Shichibei didn't listen carefully to the messy clichés and nonsense, and spent most of the time observing Takenaka Hanbei's slightly embarrassed, a little abashed, and a little bit of sophistry.

Human beings are such cunning animals. They think one thing in their hearts but say another.

After all, he was just a small village chief in the countryside, and hadn't yet evolved to his full form, so it was normal for him to show this appearance. After finishing his long paragraph of nonsense, Takenaka Hanbei began to compliment Shichibei again.

"Okay, okay, do you mean that the Takenaka family should be split into two?" Shichibei stretched out his hand to signal Takenaka Hanbei to stop pretending.

If you still don't understand after listening for so long, then Shichibei has lived this long in vain. It's just that Takenaka Hanbei brought those who can write and calculate to join Shichibei, while a muscular, brainless macho like Takenaka Shigenori went to help Ando Mamoru with a knife.

During the Warring States Period, everyone understood that one should not put all their eggs in one basket.

It seems Andō Mamoru was so confident in himself that he actually asked Takenaka Hanbei to act this way. He had promised Shichibei to bring 200 people to support Kawamura-ya, but when the time came, only half of them showed up.

"I'm very sorry." Takenaka Hanbei pressed his brother's head and saluted Shichibei.

"I understand. It's just a common thing." Shichibei was not angry or anything.

If you get angry about something like this, you'll eventually die of anger. In the Okudaira family in Mikawa next door, the grandfather ran off with his grandson to take over Takeda, and the son married Ieyasu's daughter. The entire family was split in two, completely divided.

Ultimately, the investment was successful, and the Takeda clan was completely destroyed, but the Tokugawa clan prospered. The Okudaira clan, within the Tokugawa clan, was not only a hereditary successor, but also a quasi-first-born clan. Eventually, they rose to become a daimyo with a 100,000-koku fortune, making them one of the most powerful hereditary clans.

"You are so magnanimous." Seeing that Shichibei really didn't seem to care, Takenaka Hanbei breathed a sigh of relief.

"Iga no Kami is quite confident." Shichibei waved his hands repeatedly. This was not a big deal. The important thing was that the Seino clan had defected to Oda.

"Hmm..." There must be a reason, and Takenaka Hanbei did not hide it from Shichibei.

After all, he was about to drag the Seino clan to defect to Oda, and they were all on Ando Mori's defection list, so there was no need to pretend to be a loyal retainer of Saito at this moment.

The Takagi clan near Ogaki also echoed Andō Morinari's defection and prepared to join the Oda clan. The Takagi clan was a powerful lord in southwestern Mino, with a total family patronage of more than 4,000 to 5,000 koku.

The same was true for the Marume family. After discovering that the Seino Three did not go to pay homage to Saito Ryūoki, these second-rate powerful families all came to Ando Mamoru to inquire about the situation.

Then everyone was tricked by Ando Mamoru and boarded the Ando family's ship.

Originally, these wealthy families with 3,000 or 5,000 shi of wealth had the tendency to go with the flow. Now that someone has taken the lead, they are all climbing up the ladder very quickly.

A bunch of small powerful families coaxed Ando Mamoru every day and he was happy, and Ando Mamoru became arrogant, thinking that he was really awesome. He really had the opportunity to unify the 100,000 koku of western Mino and become a daimyo, a local lord.

Since he thought he had a better chance of winning, he questioned Takenaka Hanbei's plan to join Shichibei. Ando Mamoru felt that there was no need to join Shichibei. By following him, he would soon be able to carry the banner of the Oda Clan, complete the integration of Nishi Mino, and reach a new peak in his life.

I really feel so adrift...

From this perspective, Ando Mamoru is really not as patient as the two elders, Inaba and Ujiie. No wonder he was finally punished by Nobunaga. If he doesn't punish you, who else can he punish? He is so happy.

"Forget it, let's have a drink." Shichibei didn't want to listen anymore. It was just such a trivial matter.

Think about it, if Takenaka Hanbei hangs out with such a jerk, he really won't make it big. It's better to hang out with Shichibei. As long as he does things for Nobunaga, at least Nobunaga will pay him well.

Expecting to be promoted today and become the city lord tomorrow by working for Shichibei is probably impossible. But making a small fortune and living a comfortable life shouldn't be a problem.

"It would be disrespectful to refuse it, it would be disrespectful to refuse it." After saying all this, Takenaka Hanbei felt that he had completed his task and felt much more relaxed.

Logically, Shichibei should have persuaded Hanbei Takenaka to go home and have a proper talk with his father-in-law. But he popped champagne at halftime, right? There have been countless people throughout history who are this "confident." Most people wouldn't listen. The point is, Ando Morishi's idea might not be impossible to achieve.

As long as he worked hard for Nobunaga, willingly serving as a laborer, working hard, and ultimately willing to be transferred to any distant place, with his current foundation, it would be no problem for him to annex the Nishino clan and eventually earn 200,000 to 300,000 koku.

But is Andō Mamoru willing to shed blood and sweat for Nobunaga? Absolutely not.

Everyone is just thinking about picking up what is ready to eat, and few of them really put in the effort to do the work.

Referencing Honganji's strategy for conquering Ishiyama, Harada Naomasa worked too hard, not only getting himself killed but also shattering his entire samurai group, leaving most of them dead or wounded. As the guardian of half a province of Yamashiro and the entire province of Yamato, such a powerful official was demoted to the point that his son, Hanami Yasutomo, was reduced to a minor position as a pediatrician.

Sakuma Nobumori didn't work that hard, so his gang lived well. But Nobunaga got angry and he also kicked them out, but nothing came of it.

If Harada Naomasa died, but his samurai group wasn't too badly damaged, he'd probably still be in a good situation. It's hard to judge how much bloodshed to let go.

You can’t blame everyone for not wanting to put in the effort and just wanting to pick up what’s ready.

"Are you planning to take action next month?" Since he was already here, Shichibei just asked.

"Yes! But I don't know the exact time." Takenaka Hanbei told the story of his defection next month without any hesitation.

This is how winter wheat is harvested. It is basically harvested by late March or early April of the lunar calendar. If you convert it, you can see people drying winter wheat on May Day in future generations.

It's already February, and the wheat harvest is next month. As soon as the wheat arrives, the Xinong people will definitely take action. The specific date depends on when the wheat is harvested.

"Have you ever..."

"Not very good."

Shichibei was, of course, asking if there were any collusion between the Seino clan and Inabayama Castle. Since ancient times, attacking a castle has always been about conquering the heart, not the fortress. If someone inside opened the gates, or even if they didn't, simply setting fires or spreading rumors inside the castle would be a huge advantage.

Judging from Takenaka Hanbei's response, Saito Ryuoki had been busy for the past two months, undoubtedly dealing with the personnel within Inabayama Castle. Aside from those who were completely loyal to Ryuoki, any samurai from local noble families would likely be viewed with suspicion and distrust.

In an era where even fathers, sons, and brothers lacked complete trust, betrayal was only prevented by groups with completely stable shared interests. In other times, there were countless cases of brothers turning against each other, and fathers turning against sons. Even the Katsuyama clan, a hereditary retainer for five or ten generations, betrayed the Imagawa clan.

"Keep trying, even if you have to bribe him with money." Shichibei would definitely follow Nobunaga to attack Inabayama, even though he might go as a magistrate, it would still be before a battle.

Nobunaga would have rewarded Shichibei with a few merits if he had done something good. It was all up to Nobunaga to create opportunities and find reasons to reward him, so Shichibei was too ignorant.

"Money?" Takenaka Hanbei glanced at Shichibei, meaning that he had no money.

"Don't worry, I'm here." Shichibei still had three to five hundred kan.

Find someone who can open the gate and bribe him with 500 kan. Pay half now. After the gate is successfully opened, pay the other half. For the merit of opening the gate, Nobunaga must reward Shichibei with 300 kan. He was rewarded with half the merit last time, and he still has 120 kan.

If you have three hundred strings of cash, you will not lose out if you know and act accordingly.

"I understand. I'll prepare it immediately after I get back." Of course, it's easier to get things done if you have money. Takenaka Hanbei's self-identity changed quite quickly.

We just made the agreement with Shichibei, so we should accept his order, or rather his request, and start working.

Although formally there was no document Nobunaga appointing the Takenaka family to serve as his power, in practice, the two were now tied together.

The more stable Shichibei's position within the Oda clan becomes, the more complete the protection the Takenaka clan will receive from the Oda clan. It's a win-win situation for both parties.

83. Recklessly rushing towards Inaba Mountain

It's true, Nobunaga's intentions were unpredictable. Takenaka Hanbei and Andō Uemon came to Nobunaga, requesting he send someone to collect five hostages from each family. Nobunaga immediately ordered Murai Sadakatsu and Shimada Hidemitsu to Seino to collect the hostages, and also requested the Seino Three to dispatch 5,500 soldiers.

Then the big bell in Komakiyama Castle rang violently, and Nobunaga's horsemen, small-named people and foot soldiers only put on armor and took up weapons and immediately mobilized to go into battle.

The scheduling took only an hour at most, and there was not even time for lunch.

However, Shichibei received an order to take 200 horses and immediately transport a series of supplies including food, weapons, ammunition, tents, etc. to chase Nobunaga's main force.

Similar to Shichibei, all of Owari's important officials and county governors received orders to dispatch troops at the same moment. They were to meet at Inokuchi-cho, below Inabayama Castle, and they were to arrive as quickly as possible.

ha?

"Oda Nobunaga, oh Oda Nobunaga, what are you doing?" Shichibei was stunned. "I have 200 horses, but it's so sudden. If I were to take a big dump, would I have to cut off the horse and catch up immediately?"

Really...

There was no other way, Nobunaga had given the order, so the generals had no choice but to follow and charge. It seemed that Nobunaga had been so wild, and it wasn't the first or second time, so they had to get used to it.

Before setting off, Sakuma Nobumori actually came and took away thirty horses. He and his close retainers and samurai each had a horse, but they were afraid that they could not catch up with Nobunaga, so they got spare horses from Shichibei and galloped all the way to catch up with Nobunaga's group.

After a frantic effort, he hauled three hundred koku of rations and various other supplies, and finally set out before dusk. Normally, he couldn't leave the house until dark, but there was a post station within Owari Territory, and it only took four kilometers to reach the destination, meaning it could be reached in a day. The sooner he left, the sooner he arrived. So, he hurried on.

The streets were filled with Oda warriors galloping forward, some on horseback, some on foot, followed by retainers and foot soldiers, munching on rice balls as they ran. They were all quite self-disciplined, having been "trained" by Nobunaga, and no one thought Nobunaga's actions were reckless.

Or even if it is reckless, no one will say anything, as long as you don’t lose, speed is of the essence.

When we arrived at the post station, we heard that Nobunaga had taken away most of the military rations and horse fodder that were temporarily stored at the post station. Yes, it was Nobunaga who asked Shichibei to store the military rations and horse fodder at the post stations along the way.

Even if Nobunaga left Komaki Castle empty-handed, as long as he was still within the Owari Territory, he would definitely not go hungry. Shichibei had even built bunk beds for 500 people. Now that summer was approaching, the nights weren't too cold; they could just light a fire and sleep.

They set up camp around the post station, and Shichibei built a fire and cooked, providing food and rest for the Oda soldiers who had arrived from Mount Komaki. He also spotted Sakai Masanari, leading over two hundred soldiers, frantically rushing over. Finally, he met someone he knew. From his horse, he asked Shichibei for some rice balls and where Nobunaga had gone.

How do I know?

I was also interrupted in the middle and then led the team to catch up.

Masanari Sakai seemed to be in a hurry. He confirmed that there was still a post station a day later. After the soldiers received their rice balls, he asked everyone to walk a little further to catch up with Nobunaga.

Soldiers continued to arrive until midnight, running in groups of three or five, their movements unruly. At daybreak, Ieyasu's uncle, Mizuno Tadashi, came running, his helmet and armor askew, asking if a fight had already begun up ahead, or why Nobunaga had rushed forward so hastily the previous day.

Don't ask, big brother. I'm just a hauler. If you ask me, I might as well run another four kilometers and chase after those generals and county officials.

Mizuno Tadashige thought about it and agreed. Shichibei was just a horse breeder. By the time the military order reached him, Nobunaga might have already run away.

Nobunaga was indeed running very fast, having reached the Nobi border by yesterday evening. At this time, the Mino side was still completely unaware of the situation and had no idea that Nobunaga's two or three thousand men had reached the border.

He used the military rations along the way to cook and feed the horses, and rested for a night at the post station. After he was fully rested, Nobunaga got up early and headed straight for Inokuchi Town.

What?

Take randomly.

To put it bluntly, it was burning, killing, and looting. Although the main purpose was probably to intimidate Saito Ryūoki in Inabayama Castle and to intimidate the surrounding small lords and local leaders to not enter the city to help Ryūoki defend it, but if they could grab some property, Nobunaga would definitely not refuse.

Grabbing a handful is indeed an important means to boost one's own morale before a battle.

Seeing the fire in Inoguchi Town, Ryuoki in Inabayama Castle realized that Nobunaga had actually led his troops to invade and marched all the way to the gates of Inabayama Castle.

Ryusei jumped to his feet in shock, ringing bells and beating drums, demanding that Saito's retainers and peasants enter the city to defend it. However, the civilians, seeing the Oda army approach with such impressive force, were terrified. Some had already been on Andō Morinari's list, waiting for Nobunaga to take over Mino.

Almost no one responded to Longxing's call. After all, Tono and Nakano had long been named Oda, and Nishino also changed its name to Oda yesterday. It can be said that Longxing only had the isolated city of Inabayama left.

The fire in Inoguchi Town was reflected on Long Xing's face, which was extremely terrifying.

By the afternoon, Shichibei had finally reached Inoguchi-cho, but the entire town had been reduced to ablaze. Nobunaga was nowhere to be seen. According to Sasa Narimasa, who stayed behind, Nobunaga had gone to capture Zuiryuji Mountain himself.

That is, they would seize the high ground near Inabayama Castle and build a military camp there to avoid night raids. At the same time, they could use the terrain to observe the situation inside Inabayama Castle. It would be even better if they could clearly see the troop deployments inside the castle.

The camp outside the town was in a mess. If Long Xing had enough troops at this moment, not many, maybe two thousand, he could have completely destroyed the camp.

Unfortunately, Long Xing was too frightened, and Inabayama Castle was attacked so suddenly that there were not enough troops to defend the city, let alone to challenge the enemy and drive them away.

Although Nobunaga was not seen, things still needed to be done. Fortunately, there were more than 30 samurai and family members under Shichibei's command. Together with their servants and families, they were enough to count the troops and distribute food and fodder to the soldiers and horses.

After they were assembled and incorporated into Nobunaga's main force, the samurai from each of the various divisions came to see Shichibei to register their numbers and request weapons and fodder. If Shichibei didn't have enough, he would have to send people back to Komakiyama to continue the journey to Inoguchi.

We left in such a hurry the day before yesterday. Although we had been prepared for battle for a long time, we were only given two hours to pack up before the battle, which was not enough in any case.

The next day, more troops were rushing towards Inoguchi. Tokugawa Ieyasu sent Ishikawa Ienari, commanding 2,000 men, who finally arrived. The first thing they did was ask where the battle was going and whether they needed the Mikawa troops to attack the city gates.

It's all well and good to be proactive, but Nobunaga hasn't launched a general offensive yet. He's waiting for the Nakano and Nishino troops to join him. Don't worry, how many people have arrived? How much rice do you need?

"Hey, who are you?" Nobunaga suddenly rode back to the main camp and saw Ishikawa Ienari pulling Shichibei to question him.

"I am Ishikawa Hinata no Kami Ienari, the captain of the Western Mikawa Banner." Ishikawa Ienari had certainly met Oda Nobunaga, but Oda Nobunaga did not remember all the samurai of the Tokugawa family.

"Where is Mikawa-no-kami?" Nobunaga just nodded slightly, and Shichibei quickly opened the stool for Nobunaga to sit down.

"My lord, please rush to Yoshida and mobilize the people from Higashi-Mikawa." Ishikawa Ienari told the truth.

The soldiers he brought with him were the defenders of Okazaki Castle and other western Mikawa areas, as well as Ieyasu's foot soldiers. Otherwise, they would not have been able to reach Inoguchi so quickly to respond to Nobunaga's military service.

Not everyone had the wealth Nobunaga possessed to support a large standing army. Ieyasu had only just begun to consolidate the Mikawa region, initially employing three main forces: the Western Mikawa group, the Eastern Mikawa group, and the Hatamoto Soushou. Of these three groups, the Hatamoto Soushou were half-farmers, half-soldiers, and mobilizing them quickly would take time.