The name of the great swordsman begins in Okehazama.

Now that Hideyoshi is gone, Nagayoshi is in a dilemma.

Although the fortress is sturdy, even if I recruit men from the surrounding villages, I can only muster a maximum of two hundred people. If Meinong sends several thousand men, can I hold out for even a day?

No matter how brave I am, I'd probably be riddled with arrows and turned into a hedgehog!

Such a small town could not be used to build a castle town, and could not attract merchants and artisans.

Farming is fine, but if the Saito family were to set fire to the fields during the autumn harvest like Nobunaga, it would be a huge loss.

After thinking for a long time, there was only one way: rob.

If anyone else goes hungry, we can't let ourselves and our brothers go hungry. We can only make things harder for the people of Meinong.

……

Several days later, on the walls of Moribe Castle.

Nagayoshi gazed towards the direction of western Mino. That was the Saito family's territory, and the official road through the mountains was clearly visible.

"My lord, the city's granaries only have enough to last half a month, and we have less than two hundred arrows," Xiu Chang reported, holding the account book. "The soldiers' morale is still quite high, but this can't go on forever."

"What about the military pay?"

"Lord Marume just sent over one hundred kan from the dojo!"

Changqing smiled bitterly. What can one hundred strings of cash do? It's not even enough to pay the monthly wages of one hundred foot soldiers.

During the Warring States period, a system of combining military and agricultural service was generally implemented, with farmers serving as soldiers during wartime and farming during peacetime.

Changqing was left to guard the city, so he naturally implemented the separation of soldiers and farmers. In order to facilitate guerrilla warfare, he specially strengthened archery training and made his soldiers eat three meals a day.

"Hideyoshi, gather all the group leaders."

Half an hour later, the ten minor leaders in the city gathered in the council hall. They were all veterans who had experienced the Battle of Moribu, had received generous rewards, and were extremely loyal to Changqing.

Changqing sighed, "Gentlemen, our lord has entrusted Senbu Castle to us. We are currently short of food and supplies, and our military pay is insufficient. We cannot sit idly by and wait for our demise."

The leaders exchanged bewildered glances, and one of the burly men asked, "Lord Mori, what are your plans?"

Changqing pointed to several villages in Ximeinong on the map, "The main road is less than five li from here; a round trip will only take a day. Sir, I'll take you out for a treat!"

"Robbing merchants?" another leader hesitated. "Wouldn't that provoke a full-scale attack from the Saito family?"

During the Warring States period, commerce gradually flourished, and caravans traveled between the territories of various powerful states. West Minong was rich in timber, lacquerware, and paper, and these goods were transported by merchants to the capital or to the west, generating substantial profits.

Blocking trade routes and plundering merchants are common tactics in warfare.

"We are dedicated to fighting, while they are part-time farmers and part-time soldiers. We lie in ambush at night and attack at dawn, so by the time they organize a pursuit, it's too late. By the time they assemble and leave the city, we have already returned to defend it."

Seeing that everyone still had reservations, Changqing added, "Just plunder the goods, don't hurt anyone. We'll make those merchants pay us protection money. Then everyone will live a life of luxury!"

……

That night, the moonlight was as white as snow, making it the perfect time to walk at night.

Changqing was dressed in simple, rustic samurai attire, his face covered with a black cloth, revealing only a pair of eyes that shone brightly in the darkness.

Behind him were fifty elite soldiers dressed similarly, all lightly armed, carrying only short swords, bows and arrows, ropes, and sacks.

"Remember, we are not soldiers of the Oda clan, we are 'Mori's retainers'! Take only money, salt, and medicine; take only the fine grains, and nothing else, including salt or heavy goods. Do not kill those who surrender, and especially do not touch the women!"

Everyone nodded silently.

The group disappeared into the forest like ghosts. Changqing knew the terrain like the back of his hand; he had chosen a narrow, unavoidable slope as their ambush point, with dense trees on both sides and a bend in the road ahead obscuring their view. The men and horses vanished into the undergrowth, leaving only the sounds of insects and the wind.

Time passed slowly as they waited, and as dawn broke, the sound of wheels rolling over the road finally came from the end of the official road.

Catching a big fish on the very first strike? Changqing rubbed his eyes, afraid that what he was seeing was an illusion.

The caravan consisted of about twenty oxcarts, escorted by only a dozen or so ronin samurai, most of them drowsy-eyed, walking along the sides of the group. They clearly didn't think anything serious would happen in the heart of the Saito family's territory.

Changqing raised his hand and suddenly swung it downwards.

There were no shouts, only the vibration of the bowstring and the short, sharp sound of it cutting through the air.

Several guards fell to the ground, and at the same time, dozens of dark figures pounced out from the woods on both sides, moving as swiftly as leopards.

"The Sen tribe is here! Leave your toll, or we will spare your lives!" Changqing shouted in a deliberately altered hoarse voice.

The caravan was thrown into chaos.

The coachman cried out in alarm, and the guard drew his sword, but was instantly subdued by masked men who outnumbered him several times over.

Changqing's men strictly followed orders, quickly cutting open the cargo packages, rummaging through the money boxes, and stuffing strings of Yongle coins and small gold coins into sacks.

If they encounter rough pottery, they simply ignore it, and one person with extra strength carries half a bag of salt or medicinal herbs.

Changqing walked up to a middle-aged merchant who was so frightened that he collapsed to the ground and planted a small flag with a black mountain peak pattern in the soil in front of him.

"Listen, this is a greeting gift. From now on, every caravan traveling this route should display one of these flags on each vehicle and send someone to deliver fifty strings of cash to the ancient pine tree at the mountain pass ahead at the beginning of each month. That will ensure your safety. If you don't display the flag, or if you don't offer enough tribute... you know what to do!"

The merchant was deathly pale and trembling all over; he could only nod frantically.

This caravan was heading to Kai, where salt was currently scarce. This shipment would yield at least a thousand kan in profit. He could easily afford to buy peace with a mere fifty kan.

"Withdraw!" Changqing gave the order, and his men quickly gathered, carrying bulging sacks on their backs, and swiftly disappeared into the forest they had come from, vanishing without a trace.

The entire process, from launching the attack to withdrawing, took less than 15 minutes.

Only shaken merchants remained on the official road.

Back at Moribe Castle, they tallied their spoils. There were over two hundred strings of Yongle coins, twenty taels of gold, and various valuable goods valued at nearly one hundred strings.

For a small town, this is a windfall.

Changqing immediately distributed some of the money to the soldiers who participated in the operation, and allocated some more to replenish the granaries and armories.

By the time the Saito family's outposts along the route received the news and dispatched troops, it was already noon.

The caravan lamented that they had been robbed by a group of samurai calling themselves "Mori-bushu". The Saito family's general stationed in western Mino initially thought they were ordinary mountain bandits, so they sent troops to search the nearby mountains and forests, but naturally found nothing.

Strengthen patrols along trade routes? The long official roads and limited military force rendered such patrols virtually ineffective.

Xiu Chang is diligent and loyal, skilled in internal affairs and logistics, and capable of defending the city, but lacks experience in battle.

If you want to expand and strengthen the robbery business, you need a clever buddy who can work with you.

Nagayoshi thought of someone, who had now changed his name to Hattori Haruyasu and was still serving as Nobunaga's horse-riding sergeant.

A few days later, a heartfelt letter was delivered from Moribe Castle to Oda Nobunaga in Kiyosu Castle.

Nagayoshi made no mention of the looting. He only said: "Moribe Castle is located on the front lines, isolated in enemy territory. Although I have tried my best to manage it, my manpower is limited, especially my lack of a loyal and reliable deputy. The soldiers in the castle are brave and fierce, but they lack fine command. Hattori Haruyasu is quick-witted and familiar with military affairs. I request that you, my lord, send him to be my deputy."

"That Mori Nagayoshi..." Nobunaga shook the letter, making a rustling sound, "How dare a mere castle lord ask me for people!"

He then smirked and hatched another wicked plan, summoning Hattori Haruyasu.

"Spring peace, from today onwards, you will serve Mori Nagayoshi!"

"yes!"