Owari Yumeki Golden Day.

How do we fight this battle?

Enraged, Nobunaga directly ordered Takayama Shigetomo and Hosokawa Fujitaka to attack Ikeda Tomomasa and Araki Murashige; ordered Yamashiro Governor Naomasa to lead 8,000 troops to build a palisade around Honganji Temple; ordered Mori Yoshinari to be on guard against Matsunaga Hisahide; and ordered the Negoro clan to launch a swarm attack on the Saiga party.

Apart from the 3,000 followers of Yuza Shinkyo from Iimori Castle and the 3,000 Saiga followers who arrived earlier, there were no other reinforcements. Miyoshi Yoshitsugu had just over 10,000 reinforcements, while Nobunaga had sent a massive 60,000 men. If Eijo Castle were like a small boat in a raging storm, there would be almost no chance of successfully resisting.

The imperial court had just received the huge sum of money from Nobunaga's promotion to Right General of the Imperial Guard, and was now turning a blind eye to the situation. Even though the diplomatic monks sent by Miyoshi Yoshitsugu mobilized all their resources to mediate, no one publicly acknowledged him.

At this point, Miyoshi Yoshitsugu was truly frightened and immediately sent an envoy to pay homage to Oda Nobunaga, offering to present the most famous tea bowl in the land, the "Miyoshi Pink Tea Bowl." This tea bowl originally belonged to his nominal father, Miyoshi Nagayoshi, and had been passed down through generations to the Mitsui zaibatsu, where it was highly renowned in the Japanese tea ceremony world.

To put it bluntly, this thing was used by someone with a big name, like the spittoon of Emperor Yang of Sui mentioned earlier. If it proves to be Emperor Yang of Sui's, then it's 100% a national treasure. Sanhao fans claim it was 100% owned by the previous emperor, Sanhao Changqing, and that owning it gives people a sense of spiritual satisfaction.

Unfortunately, Nobunaga was moved for a moment, but the Miyoshi fans still couldn't vent the anger in Nobunaga's heart.

In fact, Shichibei understood that Nobunaga had been tricked by Ashikaga Yoshiaki, and the loss of face was more important than anything else. Nobunaga had reached the point where he cared about his reputation. For him, temporary success or failure was a small matter, but the face of the newly appointed ruler of the land could not be disregarded.

However, Nobunaga also had some indescribable emotions. He told the envoy of the Miyoshi family that if Miyoshi Yoshitsugu could surrender Miyoshi Honbu and Wakae Castle and transfer them to Kuwana Castle in northern Ise, then peace talks could be discussed. But for a peace agreement to be finalized, there was still one crucial condition.

He killed his wife to prove his enlightenment!

In ancient China, Wu Qi killed his wife, who was from Qi, to prove his loyalty in order to become the Grand General of the State of Lu. As expected, he gained the trust of the ruler of Lu and was appointed General.

Since there is such a story, then please let Miyoshi Yoshitsugu also kill the wife of Ashikaga Yoshiaki's younger sister, who came from the Ashikaga family, to show that he will not betray the Oda family.

As for Miyoshi Yoshitsugu's principal wife, Nobunaga already had a suitable candidate. Saito Tatsuoki's original principal wife, who was also Nobunaga's adopted daughter, was another princess, whom he could be betrothed to Miyoshi Yoshitsugu.

The Oda clan retainers on either side looked at each other in bewilderment.

It's bad luck, really bad luck. Nobunaga definitely didn't really want Miyoshi Yoshitsugu to become his son-in-law by pairing them up like this. That Princess Ichi has already become a nun, a position arranged by Shichibei himself.

Nobunaga felt no gratitude whatsoever towards this woman; he merely used her as a tool for political alliances. He had previously married her to Saito Tatsuoki, and now he was forcing her to return to secular life and marry Miyoshi Yoshitsugu—it was truly…

Anyway, the conditions have already been set. The Oda clan's 60,000-strong army will arrive soon. It's up to Miyoshi Yoshitsugu to decide whether he is willing to completely sever ties with the once-famous Miyoshi clan for the sake of an Ashikaga woman.

Who will go and say this to Miyoshi Yoshitsugu?

Although it is said that envoys should not be killed in times of war, there is always a "but." While Nobunaga's reasoning was not uncommon in the history of Japan's Sengoku period, it was certainly asking the impossible.

Shichibei quickly shrank back, but fortunately Nobunaga had an excellent candidate by his side at that moment—Asahiyama no Makoto.

In *Nobunaga's Ambition: The Way of Heaven*, this old monk is frequently seen selling a tattered book. In reality, it certainly had more uses than just that. As a high-ranking Nichiren monk, Asahi Sanjō further spread his faith through contact with the newly enthroned ruler, Oda Nobunaga. However, he was hostile to Christianity, ultimately leading to some ideological disagreement with Nobunaga.

Miyoshi Yoshitsugu had a diplomatic monk, and Oda Nobunaga also had a diplomatic monk, so they all interacted as diplomatic monks.

That's good. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when they heard that Asahiyama had gone there. Nobunaga immediately rode away from Kyoto. Peace talks were one thing, war was another. Oda's vanguard, Sakuma Nobumori, led his troops to break through the branch castle of Wakae Castle, Kaizuka Castle, killing five or six hundred enemy soldiers. The castle's commander, Miyoshi Nagaharu, committed seppuku.

Nobunaga then led his troops to occupy Beizuka Castle. Although furious, Nobunaga may have been too enraged to remain calm. The Saiga party members who fought alongside Miyoshi Yoshitsugu were very skilled at ambushes and surprise attacks, and were also quite adept at using arquebuses.

Accidents are easy to happen in the wild, but in the city, with tens of thousands of troops protecting it, there is absolutely no chance of a car overturning.

Seeing that the Oda army had entered the castle, Miyoshi Yoshitsugu finally became anxious. Asahiyama no Makoto soon led Miyoshi Yoshitsugu's close aide, Nasukuemon, to pay his respects.

Nasukuemon cleverly presented the Miyoshi powder to Oda Nobunaga. Upon hearing of its renowned quality, Oda Nobunaga paused for a moment, then took it and asked Nasukuemon, "Is Miyoshi-no-daifu about to be promoted?"

Yes, but there's a condition.

Miyoshi Yoshitsugu's principal wife was the daughter of the late Shogun Ashikaga Yoshiharu, a noblewoman from a samurai family, and therefore could not be beheaded. In Japan, beheading was a method of execution and should not be used on an innocent person.

A perfectly reasonable excuse, so Miyoshi Yoshitsugu changed his demand to sending Ashikaga Princess and his own son, Senchiyo, to Nobunaga's main camp as hostages. Nobunaga could kill or torture them as he pleased; he only needed the Oda army to retreat five miles and allow the other reinforcements in Wakae Castle to withdraw safely, and he would surrender the castle.

"My lord?" Sakuma Nobumori, who was sitting next to Nobunaga as usual and serving as the military commissioner, noticed that Nobunaga had been sitting quietly in thought for ten minutes and spoke up to remind him.

At this moment, the envoy from the Miyoshi family and the diplomatic monk had all left, leaving only the senior retainers of the Oda army inside. It didn't matter what they said; they were all from Owari, or at the very least, sons-in-law of Owari—they were all true allies.

"Hmm? What do you think?" Nobunaga was interrupted from his thoughts, but he wasn't angry or anything. Instead, he asked Sakuma Nobumori.

"If we can subdue the enemy without fighting, that would be ideal." Sakuma Nobumori, having already captured Kaizuka Castle and achieved merit in this battle, naturally sought stability.

"What should be done with the daughter of the Duke?" Oda Nobutada asked immediately from the side.

As for the young lord, it's only natural for him to ask. Nobunaga brought him along so that he could learn comprehensively on the battlefield, and understand deployment and command.

"Hmm..." Sakuma Nobumori found it difficult to answer this question.

“It would be unjust to kill him.” Shichibei noticed the others glancing at him and had no choice but to speak up.

"Then how do you suggest we respond?" Nobunaga seemed to have been waiting for Shichibei to speak, and immediately turned to stare at him.

"How can my lord consult me ​​on matters of war?" Shichibei thought to himself that it was best to stay out of this matter.

"You can say whatever you want, whether I listen or not is up to me." Nobunaga clapped his hands and laughed, and everyone laughed along with him.

Of course, it was Shichibei who said it. Nobunaga himself had a unique understanding of military affairs, so it was his business to listen.

"Miyoshi Kyōjō has requested that our army retreat five li to allow the Saiga faction and others to withdraw from the city. Perhaps this is a trap." Shichibei was armed and immediately went for the high-intensity attack.

You guys made me say it, so it's not my fault.

It's just making things up; anyone can make things up. Five ri in the daytime can be roughly considered twenty kilometers. This distance is certainly sufficient to allow the Saiga party to escape at top speed, which aligns with the facts.

If we look at it positively—that Miyoshi Yoshitsugu was genuinely preparing to surrender—then there's no problem with this explanation. But what if we look at it negatively? What if Miyoshi Yoshitsugu had malicious intentions?

It should be noted that the total number of Oda's army was as high as 60,000. Apart from Hanawa Naomasa, who was deployed on the side of Ishiyama Honganji Temple, and Mori Yoshinari, who was deployed on the side of Yamato Tamonyama, there were also about 40,000 troops deployed around Wakae Castle.

What does it mean for 40,000 people to retreat at the same time?

Rumors and rumors about morale are a matter for later, and we won't discuss them here. Just the sheer chaos that a sudden order to retreat would cause is something that all of you veterans here should understand better than Shichibei.

If Miyoshi Yoshitsugu in Jiangcheng had about four thousand men, and the Saiga party had three thousand, one was fighting for survival and the other was specializing in chaotic battles and raids.

The scene of 40,000 troops in the chaos of withdrawal encountering 7,000 who launched a surprise attack was so wonderful, do I need to describe it?

Originally, Shichibei was just spouting nonsense, making up stories about the wind howling and seeing enemies everywhere—things that came naturally to him. "Since you want to hear my jokes, I'll tell you," he said. But as he continued, all the Oda army generals present, including Oda Nobunaga himself, fell silent and became serious.

No, what's wrong with you guys?

“My lord, Shichibei’s words make sense.” Sakuma Nobumori immediately stepped forward to express his agreement, as if he had taken it seriously.

"Not bad!" Nobunaga pointed at Shichibei with his folding fan, agreeing as well.

Miyoshi Yoshitsugu originally supported the entire political alliance of Nobunaga and Yoshiaki, but because he was the son-in-law of the Ashikaga family, he ultimately chose to stand against the Oda family. The key point is that he was the head of the Miyoshi clan's main branch, a family that had once ruled the land. Could he really swallow this insult and become a minor daimyo with only 30,000 to 50,000 koku?

They're probably really up to something, and they've come here specifically to wait for Oda Nobunaga.

"Tell Miyoshi Kyojo to immediately send his wife and son to the camp, and our army will retreat five li." Nobunaga's attendant Mori Nagayoshi went out to relay the message to Nasuku Uemon.

Let's see if Miyoshi Yoshitsugu's surrender is genuine or feigned. If it's genuine, then everything is fine. If it's feigned? Hmph, just wait until his whole family gets blown to bits.

Shichibei, on the other hand, was still a little confused.

In the time it took for this exchange, the other princess, Princess Ichi, was also sent from Mino to Kawachi. If Yoshitsugu Miyoshi was willing to surrender and be transferred, he would have to marry Princess Ichi and become Oda Nobunaga's son-in-law.

As for Princess Ashikaga and her son, well, they'll find a good place to live. But there's absolutely no chance of him inheriting the Miyoshi clan's main branch.

Upon seeing this person, Shichibei quickly went forward to greet her. Her daughter, Atsushi, was still being raised by Shichibei's family. Upon seeing Shichibei, this "nun" princess finally showed her expression and inquired about her daughter's situation.

He's doing great, eating and sleeping well, and he's already running all over the yard. He's even getting into a physical fight with Shichibei's son, all of them wrestling around in a chaotic mess.

Upon hearing that her daughter was doing well, Ichihime regained her composure and asked Miyoshi Yoshitsugu what kind of person he was.

What kind of person was he? I only met him once, so it's hard to say. Anyway, he wasn't bad-looking, and he was good at riding and archery. As for his character? I can't say.

It's quite pitiful, really. First, Nobunaga betrothed her to Saito Tatsuoki, and now she's going to be betrothed to Miyoshi Yoshitsugu. Both husbands are of this caliber, so she's destined to be unhappy in this life.

As the two were talking, Nobunaga ordered Shichibei to prepare a dowry for Princess Ichi so that she could dress up and get ready for her wedding.

tsk...

There was nothing he could do; it was his master's order. Shichibei could only ask Princess Ichi what she wanted. Princess Ichi didn't stand on ceremony with Oda Nobunaga and listed quite a few items. Then, she took off her headscarf—whoa, she hadn't shaved her head!

Her hair was still in good condition. Of course, her ex-husband, Saito Tatsuoki, was alive and well, currently in Meichi Castle in Higashimino, continuing his efforts to restore Mino's former glory. If her ex-husband wasn't dead, who should she pray for in the afterlife? Her son? While that made sense, it wasn't quite appropriate.

At this moment, inside Wakae Castle, Miyoshi Yoshitsugu solemnly instructed his wife Ashikaga Princess and his eldest son Senchiyo that their journey to the Oda army camp was fraught with peril, and they should be prepared to die.

After entering the camp, Nobunaga certainly wouldn't kill them immediately. After all, they still had Ashikaga's backing. Although Ashikaga's tiger skin had long since collapsed, it still had some feathers left. Nobunaga hadn't fully utilized Ashikaga's value yet.

As soon as the Oda army begins to retreat, Miyoshi Yoshitsugu, together with Saiga Magoichi, will launch a fierce attack on the Oda clan. The target will be Oda Nobunaga's main force. Even if they cannot kill Oda Nobunaga, it will be enough to defeat him and cause the entire Oda army to collapse.

As for the idea of ​​Nobunaga returning next year? We'll discuss next year's matters next year; we might not even be able to get through this year.

What decision-making power did Ashikaga Princess and Senchiyo have? She was a woman, even if she was Ashikaga Yoshiharu's daughter, she was still a woman. She was just a child, inexperienced and inexperienced. The two of them could only obey Miyoshi Yoshitsugu's request and, under the protection of more than ten servants and maids, followed Asahi Yamazaki to the Oda army's camp.

But Miyoshi Yoshitsugu had a nice way of saying that once the great battle started, Oda Nobunaga would be routed and would definitely abandon the mother and son.

If you leave, you can just return to Ruojiang City. It's just a bit of a fright; the danger is minimal. The two of you should be careful, avoid crowded places, and stay hidden as much as possible. He will come looking for you immediately after the battle is over.

Chapter 314 Yoshitsugu Trapped in a Deadly Situation

Ashikaga Princess and Senchiyo were escorted to Nobunaga's main camp at Kaizuka Castle by Nasukuemon. After confirming that everything was in order, Nobunaga promised to lead his troops to retreat five miles away, allowing the reinforcements in Wakae Castle to leave safely.

Peace agreement reached!

As expected, the Oda army, having received the order, broke camp and retreated under the command of their respective generals. For an army of over 40,000 men to retreat five miles was a major undertaking in those days.

The first two flanks were attacked, followed by the main force, and the troops turned their horses around one after another. Nasukuemon saw it all, and even glanced at the other camps outside Beizuka Castle several times. Presumably because peace had been made and Miyoshi Yoshitsugu was about to be transferred to Kuwana in northern Ise, the Oda army packed up their camps and took them away.

After all, if the reinforcements from Jiangcheng retreated, Miyoshi Yoshitsugu would have to lead his retainers to surrender, and the battle would theoretically be over. Many battles in the Sengoku period ended with the surrender of castles, so ordinary foot soldiers wouldn't have any doubts.

Of course, while it was called a retreat, Nobunaga was always on guard against Miyoshi Yoshitsugu. He not only protected his most elite troops, including the archers and arquebusiers, but also ordered his generals to retreat in shifts.

First, feign a retreat. Once you've withdrawn a certain distance, proceed with the previous arrangements to guard and defend key points. If the Miyoshi army doesn't launch a surprise attack, return to Ruojiang tomorrow to prepare for takeover. If the Miyoshi army does attack, just wait, hmph, the entire Baojiao army that left the city will be annihilated.

Shichibei didn't mobilize many men, because 500 men and Hara Nagayori were stationed in Tsuruga-cho to prevent the riots and conflicts from Echizen from spreading into Tsuruga District. In addition, it was close to Kyoto and Sakai, two major supply points, so not much preparation was needed.

Wakae Castle's location was excellent, situated north of the Yamato River. Military supplies from Sakai could be directly transported to Kawachi via the Yamato River, and Wakae Castle was actually built on a high point on a levee along the Yamato River. As the intersection of the 13th Road (named after the 13th Pass, which is the route from Osaka to Nara) and the north-south passage of Kawachi, Wakae Castle was very easy to supply.

The Kawamura contingent of over two thousand men escorted Princess Ichi as she slowly retreated north. Princess Ichi was unaware whether Miyoshi Yoshitsugu within the castle would rebel, and simply moved calmly with the contingent. She was probably well aware of her fate as a tool for political marriage, and at this moment, she simply "faced it with a smile."

Upon learning that the Oda army was retreating, Miyoshi Yoshitsugu climbed the high platform inside the castle and, after confirming the retreat, realized that his only chance to win had arrived.

As agreed by both sides, the Saiga clan would leave the castle and return to Osaka. So Saiga Magoichi made a grand departure and headed towards Ishiyama Hongan-ji Temple, which is slightly to the west and north.

To make the performance more convincing, several Oda soldiers dressed in their mother's clothes were left outside the castle. Seeing the Saiga troops retreating westward, they rode back to inform Nobunaga.

After confirming that there were no more Oda scouts in the vicinity, Miyoshi Yoshitsugu selected a thousand elite soldiers to accompany him out of the castle to launch a surprise attack on the Oda army. The Saiga troops went west first, preparing to encircle and attack from both sides. Another reinforcement, Yusa Nobuyoshi, went east, also attempting to encircle and attack the Oda army from both sides.

The outcome of the battle hinges on this one move.

As Miyoshi Yoshitsugu rode out of the castle, he loudly encouraged his soldiers, telling them that if they could kill Oda Nobunaga in battle, the Miyoshi family would regain their status as rulers of the country. Whoever took Nobunaga's head would be made lord of a province and a castle.

Those who were able to follow Miyoshi Yoshitsugu out of the castle for a surprise attack at this time were naturally mostly the core and die-hard members of the Miyoshi army. Upon hearing this, they surged forward, cheering loudly, vowing to kill Oda Nobunaga and seize the world.

Seeing that the morale of his troops was high, Miyoshi Yoshitsugu spurred his horse and rode off, with his cavalrymen following closely behind. The spearmen and archers were all greatly encouraged. In addition, Saiga Magoichi also provided Miyoshi Yoshitsugu with two hundred arquebusiers, so that Miyoshi Yoshitsugu could, if necessary, break through the rear guard of the Oda army.

By this time, the Saiga faction in Kishu had already forged what were known as large iron cannons, or "big barrels," and there are even records of these cannons being able to breach castle walls. Considering that many so-called castles in Japan used wooden plank walls, these records should be fairly reliable. However, even lime-walled castles, whose interiors were made of wood planks, straw, and loess, could still be breached.

Who was the first group to block Yoshitsugu Miyoshi's path? It was Tomoyuki Iwanari.

The owner of Yamashiro Yamashina Seven Manors, the lord of Kizu Castle, also brought more than a thousand people to participate in the battle. Such a person would naturally be at the forefront of the charge and at the rear of the retreat; if anything happened, he would be the first to take the fall.