Owari Yumeki Golden Day.

Chapter 241 Xinzhong has many questions and doubts

Passing by Yokoyama Castle, Shichibei asked Oda Nobutada if he was interested in stopping by to watch Hideyoshi's siege of Kamaji Castle.

Xinzhong was quite interested, as it was a chance to observe the siege of a large mountain fortress up close. Sickle Blade Castle was the premier fortified mountain fortress north of the Yangtze River, and Hori-shu Village had mobilized 5,000 men to defend it, making it a formidable fortress in every respect.

Hideyoshi didn't have 30,000 to 50,000 troops; at most, he could only mobilize 3,500 cavalry. However, this time he wasn't fighting alone. Azai Nagamasa dispatched generals Akao Kiyotsuna and Endo Naotsune, while Nobunaga sent Hanawa Naomasa's army. The three forces joined together, boasting a mighty army of 15,000, to besiege Kamajima Castle.

In fact, after the fortifications of the outer city were completed, the recruited laborers and peasant soldiers who had accompanied the army were all dismissed and sent back. Horishi Village inside the city had launched two raids during the construction phase of the fortifications, but now that the fortifications were fully in place, it was a test of endurance.

Anyway, the city has enough food to last a year, I don't believe that Asakura Yoshikage can't send reinforcements in a year.

Hey, you never know.

There are only about three thousand guard troops outside the city, divided into three battalions surrounding the city. In short, the three generals involved in the siege are not under each other's command; they are only fighting on Nobunaga's orders. Nobunaga is their sole commander, and there is no clear superior-subordinate relationship between them.

Some might ask, aren't you afraid of something going wrong?

I'm not really afraid, because the three generals can mobilize enough troops to fight Hori Hidemura alone.

Nobunaga might have first ordered three men to besiege the castle, then, once he returned from the Kinai region, he would unify his command and launch a full-scale attack on Kamajima Castle. This would allow him to deplete the castle's supplies and demoralize the Hori army. Afterwards, once Nobunaga's Yongle Tongbao daima banner arrived, the castle would surrender with courtesy.

These days, nobody wants to fight brutal siege battles; they prefer open field battles.

Hideyoshi, on the other hand, constantly observed the terrain and defenses of Kamajima Castle. He became Japan's greatest siege master, so much so that he was known for "starving Miki, thirsting Tottori, and flooding Takamatsu without firing a shot," a testament to his continuous efforts and refinement.

Upon hearing that his young lord Oda Nobutada had arrived, Hideyoshi was delighted and readily offered to act as Nobutada's guide, leading the group on a tour of the siege fortifications. The fortifications were much as everyone had imagined: small forts and arrow towers were built in strategic locations, each guarded by about a hundred regular troops. At key transportation points, roads were deliberately dug up and replaced with drawbridges, allowing only friendly forces to pass.

In less important locations, a wooden palisade was first erected, followed by a ditch. Near more important locations, earthen walls were built to strengthen the fort's defenses.

In short, all that's needed is to completely surround the city. Of course, it's also possible that one or two skilled and daring individuals might manage to dig tunnels or sneak out at night.

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Araki Murashige of Arioka Castle escaped through the tunnels at the last moment before the castle fell, which shows he was well-prepared. On the other hand, Bessho Nagaharu of Miki's rebellion was very sudden, and in the end, the entire castle was trapped and died.

The Hori Hidemura family has been operating in Kamaji Castle for over a hundred years; I wonder if they have any secret passages or anything like that.

It was the first time in his life that Oda Nobutada had seen such a large-scale siege fortification. He was in high spirits. Although he was now a high-ranking member of Nobunaga's inner circle, the two generals of Asai and Hanawa Naomasa came to pay their respects after learning of his arrival.

How do we plan to attack the city now?

Then Oda Nobutada asked a rather naive question: "Why attack when the city is already surrounded?" But his status was different, so Hideyoshi stepped forward and said that this was now a contest of endurance and mental exhaustion, and that they would not engage in a formal siege for the time being.

First, besiege the city for three to five months. When the city begins to lack firewood for cooking, or when an epidemic breaks out, then send people into the city to persuade them to surrender. Subduing the enemy without fighting is the best of strategies.

what?

Oda Nobutada was still young and had never witnessed the siege of a mountain fortress. Even in neighboring China, such a mountain fortress would be synonymous with strategic importance and danger. Various "pleasure cities," including Gao Huan's Pleasure City, were all small but sturdy castles built on mountains or plateaus for defense.

On the contrary, the extremely large cities of Chang'an, Luoyang, Kaifeng, Yanjing, and Nanjing all have records of being conquered by force, and often not just once, but repeatedly.

"Although attacking the city is an option, leaving Kamajiri Castle intact will allow the governor of Echizen, Asakura, to send troops to its rescue," Shichibei explained when he saw the generals looking at each other in confusion.

"Ichijōdani is a famous city in the sea. If it is defended by 30,000 troops, even if our lord leads an army of 100,000 to attack it, it will be difficult to fall quickly. It would be better to keep Scythe City and let it call for reinforcements from time to time to wear down the troops of Governor Asakura."

Why is this the explanation? Oda Nobutada was still young, and he was born to be a daimyo, so his background had nothing to do with the retainers present.

In his mind, if I give you imperial favors such as knowledge and salary, you have to work hard to serve me and overcome difficulties.

But in reality? With a salary of eight kan a year, can you expect that long-handled foot soldier to carry a sword and climb the hillside of the Sickle-Blade Castle in front of you and launch a fierce attack on the castle walls?

That's impossible.

Everyone's just trying to make a living; a token gesture is enough. Nobunaga knew this and understood it, but Nobutada, who was just starting out, might not have known it. If he had known, he wouldn't have asked the question above.

I reckon he was thinking of rewarding the first to charge with a spear with a hundred strings of cash and granting him a hundred koku of koku of grain, and then having the foot soldiers below shout "Eeeeeee!" three times and then howling as they went to carry out a human assault on the city.

Who would spend money they could earn but not live to spend?

“Exactly, exactly. If we can lure the governor of Asakura to our aid and defeat his army, that would be the most important thing.” Hideyoshi agreed immediately when he heard that Shichibei’s explanation was reasonable.

"I see. Echizen is indeed a formidable enemy." Upon hearing that they had surrounded the enemy with sickles to lure out Echizen's reinforcements, Oda Nobutada understood.

Having just witnessed his father's resounding victory, where he annihilated 6,000 Echizen soldiers, Nobutada must have felt immense admiration for his father's field warfare prowess. If he could fight in the field, he certainly would; attrition of the enemy in open terrain was undoubtedly easier than siege warfare.

"A mere sickle is nothing to worry about," Shichibei added.

"Absolutely, absolutely!" the generals echoed, ready to turn the page.

"What if we didn't have Asakura no Kami's troops and instead focused on attacking sickles?" To my surprise, Oda Nobutada had a strong thirst for knowledge and actually asked that question.

"If our lord had an army of 100,000, the city would surrender as soon as it reached the gates." Hideyoshi was starting to feel a bit jealous; Oda Nobutada was young after all, and had the competitive spirit of youth.

How to put it? He felt that war was a sonata of swords and cannons, an extremely romantic song of warriors. As the commander-in-chief, he commanded thousands of soldiers to bravely advance into battle, and the enemy army vanished and collapsed on the spot under his offensive.

Well, it's a bit like a teenager who, after playing a few rounds of Total War or turn-based strategy games, starts to dream about what it would be like to command thousands of troops.

"That's so boring..." Sure enough, Oda Nobutada looked disappointed.

"..." All the generals in the tent fell silent, but since this was their young master, they couldn't say anything.

"Huh?" Seeing that everyone was silent, Oda Nobutada finally realized that he might have said something inappropriate.

"Let's eat first," Shichibei said, getting up to invite everyone to eat.

Upon exiting the tent, he grabbed Kawajiri Hidetaka, who was guarding the gate. There were some things that these retainers would say to Oda Nobutada in a frank manner, which would offend Nobutada's reputation, but Kawajiri Hidetaka, as Nobutada's tutor, had the duty to teach him.

If it's him speaking, then it's nothing in private.

Kawajiri Hidetaka earned his reputation through the vanguard, so how could he not know what the battlefield was like? He immediately understood after hearing Shichibei's account. He said he'd take care of it, since Nobutada was just starting out and his military training was only just beginning.

As the two were chatting, Shichibei saw Gamo Fuehide carrying a tray into the tent. Nobutada had come of age, and Gamo Fuehide, as Nobutada's head page, naturally shaved his head and came of age as well, becoming the head of Nobutada's attendant group.

Since the young man can't become the son-in-law of the Warring States period, how about we act as matchmakers for him? Find a girl from Owari and set them up?

His uncle, Aochi Shigetsuna, happened to be there too, so Shichibei subtly asked, "Is your nephew engaged?" "No." "Very good."

When we get back to Gifu, I'll mention it to Lady Nohime. Nobunaga is too busy right now; Lady Nohime usually brings these things up with him, and then he helps with the arrangements.

Once inside the tent, Oda Nobutada's meals with everyone became much more normal, and he was no longer such a curious child. That night, Kawajiri Hidetaka would have a proper talk with him, and the awkwardness of today wouldn't recur the next morning.

As they were drinking, a messenger entered to report to Hideyoshi on the events that had occurred in Kyoto. Shichibei, sitting to one side, had a sudden thought; Hideyoshi was indeed a clever man, knowing to gather information from Kyoto and Gifu.

The news is normal; Nobunaga granted Shiga District to Mitsuhide, right? Therefore, Usayama Castle, located in the Minami-Shiga region, effectively became Mitsuhide's territory.

Mori Yoshinari, who had become the lord of Usayama Castle, led his troops into Kyoto. Usayama Castle was initially given to Mitsuhide, and once Mitsuhide built Sakamoto Castle, Usayama Castle was abandoned. Originally, Usayama was a temporary castle built for military purposes, and now that the Asakura family had been defeated and Sakamoto Castle had been acquired, Usayama's mission was essentially over.

Furthermore, following the established practices of the Japanese in castle construction, materials from Usayama Castle were dismantled and used to build Sakamoto Castle. This indirectly saved on the construction costs of Sakamoto Castle, allowing Mitsuhide to save a few cents.

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What about Sen Kecheng?

Not only was Shichibei curious, but Oda Nobutada was also very curious. Although it was his father's decision, his father obviously hadn't told him about it beforehand.

Don't rush, we're still continuing the story. Earlier, Matsunaga Hisahide suffered a devastating defeat at Tatsushi Castle; over 500 of his troops were killed, and another 500 went missing. The Asakura army suffered 6,000 casualties and was severely weakened, while the Matsunaga army also suffered 1,000 casualties and was severely weakened as well.

They are different in size.

Having demonstrated his value in the political arena, Tsutsui Junkei, through the mediation of Akechi Mitsuhide, traveled to Kyoto to meet Ashikaga Yoshiaki and Oda Nobunaga. Because of his proven military prowess, the shogunate ultimately recognized Tsutsui Junkei's status, placing him on par with Matsunaga Hisahide, rather than as the Yamato Guardian.

Matsunaga Hisahide, who had suffered heavy losses and lost all face, was terrified when he discovered that both Ashikaga Yoshiaki and Oda Nobunaga had given up on him.

In reality, Nobunaga still needed his support in the battle of Kawachi; he didn't actually intend to kill Matsunaga Hisahide outright. However, Hisahide himself became afraid and reported to Nobunaga that he was simply incapable of defending the entire Yamato province.

Duowen Mountain City yields!

Yes, Matsunaga Hisahide abandoned the Tamonyama Castle, which he had personally built, and handed it over to Nobunaga so that Nobunaga could directly intervene in the situation in Yamato Province.

Therefore, Nobunaga assigned Mori Yoshinari to Tamonyama Castle. Tamonyama Castle was located next to the mausoleum of Emperor Shomu in later years. It was the most important castle in northern Yamato Province, directly serving Kofuku-ji Temple and Todai-ji Temple, and also connected with Kizu Castle in Yamashiro Province to the north. Kizu Castle was originally the territory of Miyoshi Masayasu, but now it belonged to Iwanari Tomomichi.

"Perhaps our lord is using this as an excuse to intervene in the situation in Yamato and Kawachi." After the envoy left and the meal was finished, Shichibei and Hideyoshi chatted idly while gazing at the imposing Sickle Castle in the distance.

"Perhaps this is still a good opportunity." Hideyoshi clearly thought so too.

Now, even Miyoshi Yoshitsugu of Kawachi has defected, leaving only Hatakeyama Akitaka of Takaya Castle struggling to hold on in Kawachi. As for Matsunaga Hisahide of Yamato, his very backbone has been broken by Tsutsui Junkei, and he has lost most of his capital.

If Nobunaga does not intervene, Hanoi and Yamato will no longer belong to him.

"But..." Shichibei had a feeling he couldn't quite put his finger on.

"Are you worried that Matsunaga Danjō is plotting a rebellion?" Hideyoshi said without the slightest hesitation.

"Does he still have the strength to rebel?" Shichibei was not sure, because the Matsunaga family had suffered a great loss of power.

“Then take a look at Kodani…” Hideyoshi looked towards Kodani Castle to the north.

It is said that even after Nobunaga suffered a brutal attack from both the north and south, he managed to extricate himself and found that the Asai clan's strength had been greatly weakened and its retainers had deserted him. So what happened? He immediately began to put pressure on Asai Nagamasa, effectively turning Asai Nagamasa from an allied lord into a vassal daimyo.

How many retainers do the Asai and Oda families still lack? Nobunaga could summon them at a moment's notice. Mikawa's younger brother even took several thousand kan back to Hamamatsu Castle, while Azai Nagamasa not only didn't get any money, but also had to send troops to participate in the siege of Kamajima Castle.

Matsunaga Hisahide's recent defeat might actually make Nobunaga a little happy. Although he didn't kill Tsutsui Junkei, Matsunaga Hisahide's retainers, who maintained his independence as a daimyo, suffered a major blow.

The next step is for Nobunaga to begin pressuring the Matsunaga family, aiming to force them into becoming his retainers. If Hisahide backs down, then the plan will succeed. If Hisahide refuses, he will most likely defect to the Miyoshi faction.

Chapter 242 Kusoo's Rebellion Continues

With war raging and danger looming, Hori Hidemura and Higuchi Naofabu within the castle were always on the verge of a desperate fight, breaking out of the siege. Furthermore, the generals didn't want the clueless Oda Nobutada to continue idly wandering around, pointing fingers and giving orders—they were all his subjects, and it wasn't appropriate for them to point out Nobutada's mistakes.

So please come back as soon as possible.

Yes, Kawajiri Hidetaka also meant that they should hurry up and take Oda Nobutada back. Although he was good at fighting, he couldn't resist Oda Nobutada's sharp tongue. They should study for another two years to avoid embarrassing themselves later.

Nobutada must have already spoken with Kawajiri Hidetaka and realized he had asked a silly question, so he didn't resist. He said he wanted to stay and watch the siege and then left with the main force.

Upon returning to Gifu, both Lady Nohime and Lady Matsuhime came to inquire about Nobunaga's situation. Lady Nohime asked about the battles in the Kinai region, while Lady Matsuhime came to see her young husband.

Another major event occurred earlier when the Ikko-ikki uprising at the Nagashima Ganshoji Temple erupted. Nobunaga ordered all Oda clan generals who were followers of Jodo Shinshu to convert immediately. Those who refused to convert were immediately stripped of their official rank or salary and exiled.

Now that Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei has been burned down, does that mean that all retainers who believe in the Tendai sect must convert and that a religious ban on the Tendai sect will be issued?

No, Nobunaga did not actually issue a ban.

This is probably related to the fact that the Tendai sect focused on the upper echelons of society, while the Jodo Shinshu sect aimed to mobilize ordinary people from the lower classes. In any case, Nobunaga did not issue this order, and Shichibei did not see such a notice when he was in Kyoto.

Upon hearing that there was no need to go through the trouble of issuing a decree at the castle, Lady Nohime felt much more at ease. She then asked some casual questions, but as long as Nobunaga was alright, everything else was trivial.

With the foundation of Noobi's million koku, Nobunaga could quickly recover even if he lost.

Before leaving, Lady Nohime asked Shichibei why the young general hadn't brought his child into the city for a visit. She also wanted to see Shichibei's fine son. Logically, since the young general was Oda Nobuhiro's adopted daughter, Nohime was his aunt, and they were all relatives, so they should visit each other.

The child is still young; once he gets a little older, we'll probably take him everywhere.

Speaking of this, Shichibei quickly took his leave to go home and see the mother and child. Everything was fine at home, nothing could be wrong. The only possible difficulty was that the little admiral didn't have much breast milk, after all, she's so small.

But Gifu Castle is so vast, and Shichibei is so popular. Could he possibly be short of something? He's fed by many families during the day, and only eats his own mother's milk at night.

This little guy is really lucky; he's not even a hundred days old yet, and he's already drinking a hundred kinds of milk.