Owari Yumeki Golden Day.

But with Nobunaga accompanying them, everything becomes much easier. After all, with Lord Nobunaga at the forefront, all the spotlight will be on him. Everyone will know that targeting the Ikuno Silver Mine will summon the Sixth Heaven Demon King.

Takeda Castle was completely burned to the ground by Akai Naomasa. The feudal army had surrounded the castle, and it would have been almost impossible not to burn it down. At this moment, the scattered civilians and townspeople had just returned. When they saw Nobunaga's Yongle Tongbao horse emblem, as well as thousands of Mokui-shu cavalry and hundreds of arquebusiers and archers, the civilians might have thought to themselves, "If only Nobunaga's army had come to protect Takeda Castle."

After all, these were two thousand elite retainers that Nobunaga used to make a grand display of power.

With Nobunaga and Yamana Sukeyoshi in charge of the networking, Shichibei led his men to make a trip to the Ikuno Silver Mine. The Ikuno Silver Mine was just a few miles south of Takeda Castle. No wonder the mine was so anxious when they learned that Akai Naomasa was going to attack Takeda.

It's only a few miles, but it takes half a day to walk there.

The mine had already received news of Akai Naomasa's retreat, and the thousands of scattered personnel were now returning. They were initially alarmed upon seeing Shichibei's army, but when the attack on Kawamura's house began, they realized it was their master who had personally come to their rescue. Tsuchiya Nagaya, hiding in a nearby valley, was practically begging Shichibei for sympathy, even though Akai Naomasa hadn't actually attacked.

He was originally at Tada Copper Mine, but upon hearing the alarm, he rushed over to organize the evacuation. He also packed up the smelted silver and took it with him, burying the rest in the mountains.

Those who are diligent and responsible deserve praise.

Don't worry, Shichibei is the kind of person who makes sure the horse runs and eats at night. Everyone gets an extra share of the work allowance, and the money comes from Shichibei's share.

Look at the Ikuno Silver Mine. After all this commotion, production has been halted for more than half a month. Even though our business is large and prosperous, we still lost half a month's worth of mining, and it will take another seven or eight days to recover, which is roughly equivalent to losing a month's worth of income.

Naomasa Akai, you really deserve to die!

Forget it, he's dead anyway, there's no point in cursing him anymore. It's just that the mountains near Ikuno Silver Mine have been hacked to pieces, not for charcoal, but mainly because the mine tunnels need a lot of supporting timber.

Buying trees from outside and transporting them in would be too wasteful, so they simply cut down nearby hills, regardless of the type of tree, and filled the mine pits with them. The Tada Copper Mine area had already been completely cleared of trees long ago, and the Ikuno Silver Mine, although developed later, has seen rapid growth in the last two years, resulting in significant deforestation as well.

To Tsuchiya Nagayoshi and the others, this was perfectly normal. But to Shichibei, there was still a problem. Because all the large trees on the mountain had been cut down, the mountain's water retention capacity would be greatly reduced.

At that time, the mining tunnels in the mountain will seep water, and there is even a risk of large-scale landslides. Therefore, it is necessary to replant saplings on the hillside now, planting trees that can form forests relatively quickly.

For example, pine and poplar trees. Eucalyptus trees, although they grow quickly, are considered "deadly trees" (meaning they will kill off future generations). Besides, these trees are native to Australia, so let's not even mention them. Plant as many trees as possible, quickly replanting forests on the hillsides. This wild silver mine can be mined for many years; we can't close it down just because of a water seepage accident.

Although everyone was puzzled, since it was Shichibei who said it, there was no point in arguing. In feudal society, what were you arguing about with your lord?

It's not a major matter that touches on any personal interests. It's just a small matter that can be handled, even if it's just to please the lord.

Besides, planting pine or poplar trees means that in ten or twenty years, we can cut them down and use them to support the mine tunnels. Growing our own timber for our own use is definitely cheaper than buying support timber from outside.

This wretched mountain valley can be used to transport silver out, by manpower and horses, anything goes. But bringing in large logs? Forget it, that's already too much trouble for people.

In the Edo period, neighboring Izumo region leased tens of thousands of acres of mountains for iron ore mining, developing them in a cyclical manner. They cut down trees and planted trees simultaneously, using the timber for both underground support and charcoal production in iron smelting.

It wasn't until the arrival of American black ships and the large-scale import of industrialized "foreign iron" into Japan that these large Japanese mining and forestry merchants were driven into bankruptcy.

Looking around, Shichibei saw that everything was fine at Ikuno Ginzan and that production could resume once everyone returned. Reassured, he prepared to return to Takeda Castle.

At this time, Nobunaga was having a banquet with Yamana Hirotaka in Takeda Castle. Although the two sides had reconciled, Tajima was recognized as a territory of the Oda clan. However, in reality, only the parts of Asago County and Izushi County were completely subordinate to the Oda, which was the part that Yamana Hirotaka could actually rule.

In other regions, although they had expressed their willingness to surrender to the Oda clan, they were now basically in a state of obeying orders but not declaring allegiance. Among them, the Takayuki clan openly supported the Amago Restoration Army and had now effectively stood against the Oda clan.

Since the Mori and Oda clans are allies, the Amago Restoration Army must be an enemy force.

In the past, Tajima was on the periphery of the Oda clan's power and did not attract much attention from Nobunaga, but his visit this time seems to have some other intentions.

Previously, at the request of the Mori clan, Nobunaga had ordered the notorious pirate Nagasawa Nihonsuke of the Sea of ​​Japan to refrain from aiding the Amago Restoration Army. Now, he has returned, demanding that Nagasawa Nihonsuke come to Takeda Castle to pay him a visit.

Nasa Nihonsuke controls Oki Island and also controls the shipping and fishing industries along the Sea of ​​Japan coast. He can easily gather three to five thousand people, making him a force to be reckoned with and qualified to meet Nobunaga directly.

When Shichibei returned to Takeda Castle, he heard some news. Yamana Hirotaka said that he had been through a lot at Takeda Castle and simply couldn't afford to continue, so he was preparing to move to Arikoyama Castle in Izushi District. As for the Yamana family's main castle, Konosumi Castle, that was out of the question.

This Takeda Castle before us is dedicated to the Oda family.

Oh dear, upon hearing this news, Shichibei secretly praised Yamana Sukeyoyo for being sensible. Nobunaga had already promised Yamana Sukeyoyo that he would choose an heir to inherit the main branch of the Yamana clan, a family of four high-ranking officials. This heir of the Yamana clan would receive the rank of Junior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade, and could also be appointed as the Right Heibei Commander.

It seems there's another deal going on, but what business is it of Shichibei to deal with the lord's business, as long as Ikuno Ginzan doesn't budge?

"How about the silver mine?" Nobunaga leaned back on the cushion, eating a plum.

After the battle with Akai Naomasa, summer had officially arrived in Japan. Although Takeda Castle was located in the mountains, it wasn't particularly cool, so it's no wonder Nobunaga collapsed. Of course, this was also related to the fact that he was meeting Shichibei, and he didn't need to pay much attention to his image.

"Everything is fine, he will recover in three to five days." Shichibei knelt down in front of Nobunaga.

"Hmm..." After eating the plum in his hand in a few bites, Nobunaga took the paper towel handed to him by Mori Ranmaru and acted very casually.

"I heard that Yamana Kingo ceded Takeda Castle?" Yamana Hirotoyo had already moved away, and Shichibei was asking a question he already knew the answer to.

"Yes."

"I wonder who the castle governor is..." Shichibei definitely hoped that a castle governor who was close to him would be sent over.

With such a large Ikuno silver mine here, it would be best to have someone who can both protect the local peace and be on good terms with Shichibei. There are quite a few such people in the Oda clan, but the area around Takeda Castle probably only has less than 20,000 koku. Those who have been famous for a long time probably won't come; it will be the younger generation who will come.

"Let's not talk about that now, there's something I need to discuss." Nobunaga slowly sat up, looking somewhat serious.

"Ok?"

"How long do you think our alliance with Aki can last?" Then Shichibei heard an unbelievable question.

"No, this, this, this..." Shichibei really didn't know how to answer for a moment.

Since the Mori clan doesn't seem to be hostile to Nobunaga at the moment, the only dispute between them is over the ownership of Harima Province. Perhaps the Ukita clan of Bizen Province could also be included, as they had long expressed goodwill to Nobunaga and even sent Ukita Tadachi's son to serve as his retainer.

At worst, Yu happy can have two families; it'll be a good buffer.

In fact, Nobunaga had just received the news. Just a few days ago, the Mori and Ukita armies captured Tenjinyama Castle and exiled Urakami Munekage.

If that were all, it would be acceptable. But a problem arose: the Mori army, without hesitation, led its troops into Harima Province under the pretext of Urakami Munekage's escape to Harima.

Harima Province was a disputed territory between the two sides, and Nobunaga's original intention was certainly to establish a defensive perimeter around the Kinai region. His order for Mitsuhide to seize Tanba and Tango was part of this strategy. Harima bordered Settsu, and the local warlords were closely connected, making it a territory that Nobunaga had long considered his for the taking.

The Mori army has now entered Harima without informing Nobunaga, which is essentially a skirmish.

Some of the powerful clans of Harima, near Bizen, readily submitted to the Mori clan. This was understandable, given that they were no match for the Mori.

But this displeased Nobunaga, who envisioned establishing a buffer zone between the two daimyo, namely the Ukita families of Bizen.

Fortunately, the mountain ranges of Toyokuni in Inaba and Hirotoyo in Tajima also serve as buffer zones, with buffers in both the north and south, preventing direct borders between the two sides and maintaining peaceful relations.

What's wrong with the Mori family? They have no sense of propriety. Do they think that once something is in their mouths, it becomes a fait accompli?

In front of Nobunaga, if he doesn't approve of something, even if you've accepted it, he can make you spit it out.

"How about we give Takeda Castle to Amago?" Nobunaga asked Shichibei very seriously.

"Huh?" This brief conversation today has revealed several major pieces of news.

In fact, the Amago Restoration Army is still fighting in Inaba, and Yamanaka Yukijin has already captured Inaba Wakasakura Castle. This castle is located in the southeastern mountains of Inaba Province, guarding the land route from Inaba to Harima and Tajima.

Yoshikawa Motoharu is currently leading his troops in a struggle against Yamanaka Yukijin, and has not yet breached Wakasakura Castle. However, it is said that the Mori army has already begun constructing siege fortifications, and if the castle is truly besieged, Yamanaka Yukijin will have no choice but to flee.

It was from Yamana Hirotoyo that Nobunaga learned of this news, which led him to consider giving the Amago Restoration Army a small territory in Tajima Province. He figured he'd just keep them around; whether they were useful or not, it all depended on how things developed.

He also had to send someone to Yoshida-Koriyama Castle to tell Mori Terumoto to fully clarify that Ukita Naoie was a daimyo belonging to two feudal lords.

Then, a historical document was signed with the Mori clan, with Bizen as the boundary, west of Bizen belonging to the Mori and east of Bizen belonging to the Oda.

Nobunaga was about to cross the sea to attack Miyoshi and Nagaji, and he didn't really want to clash with the Mori clan at this time. But if someone else came to snatch the prize that Nobunaga had his eye on, then there was nothing he could do.

"Never mind, let's discuss it later." Nobunaga had only just suggested this, and did not make a decision immediately.

After leaving 500 soldiers behind, Shichibei and Nobunaga withdrew their troops and returned to Kyoto. Kawamura's army was disbanded, and Nobunaga held successive meetings with the commanders of various legions in Kyoto, and invited Konoe Sakihisa to go to the Kyushu region.

Taking advantage of the absence of large-scale warfare, the various legion commanders rushed to Kyoto. After meeting with each of them in person, Nobunaga sent them back to their respective towns. At the same time, he dispatched Shimada Hidemitsu and Matsui Tomokazu to Yoshida-Koriyama Castle to confirm the terms of the two territories of Bizen with the Mori clan.

Furthermore, he directly arranged for Ukita and Jiro to undergo their coming-of-age ceremony, bestowing upon them the name "Naga" and naming them Ukita Nagaie. Instead of sending them back to Bizen, he planned to hire a beautiful wife for them from the Oda clan.

Chapter 344 Fighting on Two Fronts Is Inappropriate

Shichibei didn't stay in Kyoto for long, so the marriage of the Ukita family member was definitely unrelated to him. Although they had many daughters, they were too young. The Ukita family member would most likely need to use them soon, and Nobunaga needed to adopt a daughter immediately for a marriage alliance.

The question remains whether Shichibei will return to Sakai to further develop the project regarding the two-way trade.

I must say, having a woman at home who takes care of the cooking and cooking—not some fairy princess, but a proper housekeeper—makes a real difference. In the past, when Shichibei came to Sakai, he would stay in the villas of wealthy merchants from the Huiju group, or in the branch shops of Kawamura-ya. This time, he had his own large house, complete with hot bath water.

Having already received news of Kawamura's army's great victory in Tanba, Ashikaga Princess not only prepared a banquet for Shichibei, but also sent out invitations in advance to a group of bigwigs.

Although Shichibei had a good relationship with these big bosses, life always needs a little spice, and it was also important for them to reaffirm that Shichibei was a swordsman who traveled as a merchant.

When the big bosses of the Huihezhong saw Shichibei in full armor and surrounded by his entourage, who were all arrogant and triumphant, they naturally had something to say about it.

Another back scrub!

On the battlefield, it was the attendants who helped Shichibei put on his armor. But at home, it was Princess Ashikaga and her five maids who helped him remove his armor. Since it wasn't after a fierce battle, there was no elaborate armor removal ceremony; he simply relaxed for a while, took a bath, and dried his back.

Princess Ashikaga had arranged everything perfectly for the night. As a daughter of the Ashikaga family, these procedures were practically etched into her mind. After all, her family had been pillars of the samurai class for so many years, and she knew that the more they declined, the more they valued these strict and elaborate rituals.

After changing into her new clothes, Ashikaga Princess led Shichibei to the next room, pointing out and introducing each gift that congratulated him on his victory. She explained who sent this and who sent that, and even gave a simple estimate of their value. Although Shichibei might not reciprocate, she still made sure to remember who hadn't sent a gift.

tsk...

You're better at making a name for yourself than I am.

Because there were so many gifts, after introducing dozens of items, Shichibei waved his hand, indicating that it was fine to leave it at that. Those that could be used immediately could be used, those that were decorations could be displayed as they pleased, and those that weren't needed at home could be given to other colleagues later.

Take incense burners, for example. Six of them were sent at once. These things are so durable that even if Shichibei dies, they won't break. Why do we need so many? We can keep two that Ashikaga Hime likes and prepare the rest to give away for the New Year.

Clearly, Shichibei's response was exactly what Ashikaga Princess had predicted, and she immediately kept two of the finest pieces. One of them was a Longquan celadon tripod incense burner, which, without a doubt, was from the Southern Song Dynasty. Since we're still in the Ming Dynasty, this Song piece was guaranteed authentic.

The overall design is devoid of any intricate patterns or elaborate decorations. Its solid color, simplicity, and elegance perfectly align with the tranquil beauty required by the Japanese tea ceremony at this time.

It is estimated that this was during a period of very frequent trade between the Song and Japan, when the celadon of the Southern Song Dynasty was exported to Japan in very large quantities, as evidenced by the discovery of many pieces in archaeological shipwrecks.

The other item is a bronze incense burner depicting a lion playing with a colorful ball. Judging from its appearance, if incense is lit inside, the fragrance will slowly emanate from the lion's mouth.

There's definitely an artistic touch to it. Shichibei might not be an expert, but judging from Ashikaga Princess's expression, he knew these two things were nice. So let's keep them, collect them carefully. In the 21st century, just selling one of them would be enough for an average person to live on for three generations.

There wasn't much to say about the banquet; it was all flattery, especially with the addition of Takeno Munekazu. He praised her relentlessly, whether there was anything to say or not, and was extremely supportive.

However, there's something Shichibei could like to ask. The Mori and Ukita armies are currently moving in and out of Harima, pursuing Urakami Munekage, who has fled there. Nobunaga's information is already quite outdated, and Shichibei wants to know the latest developments. These bigwigs in front of him should know at least some of the details, right?

They must know something, and everyone quickly chimed in, sharing whatever information they knew.

First of all, Ukita Naoie is not "independent" to this day. He still nominally supports Urakami Masamune's grandson, Urakami Seimune's son, Urakami Hisamatsumaru, as the leader, and attacks Urakami Munekage in Urakami Hisamatsumaru's name.

Because of this fig leaf, Urakami Munekage's retainers largely deserted during the Battle of Tenjinzan, almost all choosing to join Ukita Naoie.

After all, with the two Urakami clans fighting each other, it wouldn't be considered treason for them, as Urakami retainers, to side with either of them. They could openly declare that they had defected or were supporting a wise ruler.

Anyway, the meat will end up in the Urakami family's pot, so there's not much of a psychological burden.

Of course, given the notorious character of Ukita Naoie, who has already seized Bizen Province, Urakami Hisamatsumaru probably doesn't have many days left to live. He'll either choke to death while drinking water, fall off his horse, or even just trip and die while walking.

Urakami Munekage, who fled from Tenjinsan Castle, did not give up completely. With the support of his retainers, including the Tsuboi and Baba clans, on the Harima side, he found temporary refuge. Urakami Hidemune of the same clan also supported Urakami Munekage and was gathering his remaining troops, calling on the people of Bizen Province to resist the Mori clan's invasion.

It is said that the governor of the eight districts of Higashi-Harima, Nagaharu, seems to intend to assist Urakami Munekage, but the truth remains unknown. After all, Harima is currently embroiled in war, and the area is in complete chaos.

Where is Urakami Munekage now?

It is located at the border between Harima and Bizen (the exact location is unknown).