Owari Yumeki Golden Day.

Just wait until Nobunaga catches his breath.

496. Urgent news arrives that the two armies are joining forces.

Shichibei was so shocked that he almost trembled all over. His eyelids twitched wildly, and his heart pounded so hard it felt like it was going to burst out of his chest. In an instant, even his ears turned red, and he gasped for breath with his mouth open.

The retainers around him found it unbelievable. Although Shichibei was not usually one to remain calm and collected despite inner turmoil, he would occasionally lose his temper and even speak frankly to Oda Nobunaga. But he was quite composed when it came to trivial matters.

"My lord? Brother-in-law?" Hara Nagayoshi, who was kneeling to one side, came over and tugged at Shichibei.

He was both a high-ranking official with a salary of 30,000 koku and the brother-in-law of Shichibei, making him practically the uncrowned head of the Kawamura family.

"Huh? Ah. Ah..." Shichibei was still processing the information in his hands and had no time to pay attention to Hara Nagayori.

"Please allow me to take a look." Hara no Nagayoshi couldn't understand what could have frightened such a grown man like this.

"Ah!" He had only looked at it for a few seconds when he screamed in terror.

This fearless general, who dared to charge alone into Suwa Castle in Ichijō-dani, and remained undaunted in the face of swords, spears, and cannons, only then did he see the few words in the letter.

He screamed as soon as he heard the word "行".

The assembled retainers were immediately startled and jumped up, wondering what was going on.

The retainers all rushed forward, terrified. Akechi Mitsuhide and Azai Nagamasa had rebelled, captured Azuchi Castle, cut off the east and west roads, and killed Oda Nobunaga and his son Nobutada.

"We should immediately inform Hashiba Chikuzen no Kami!" Todo Takatora reacted quickly, shouting outside to summon two servants.

Takatora Todo carefully folded the secret letter, put it back into the bag, and then sealed it with wax. He ordered his servant to travel day and night to the Kurashiki front to inform Hideyoshi Hashiba of the news.

"The situation is urgent! My lord should immediately inform the people of Shikoku and order our troops to return to Kishiwada!" Awaga Sadanori, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke up. He seemed to have thought of something and felt that the time was right.

“That’s right! Now that Lieutenant General Gifu has perished, the expedition must be halted.” Todo Takatora quickly echoed this sentiment.

"Moreover, the number of troops left behind in Kishiwada is less than a thousand, which is completely insufficient to resist the bandits. The city is piled high with money and military supplies, and if the bandits seize them, it will surely lead to disaster." Hara Nagayoshi also composed himself and spoke to Shichibei.

"The warships and troops are all below the city, moving day and night at breakneck speed; at most two days, they will arrive..."

"We can reach Kishiwada," Kiyoyasu Ataka assured him, who was currently in the camp.

"Let's wait for Hashiba Chikuzen-no-kami to return before we discuss this further." Shichibei was terrified by what they said and could hardly calm down.

How come both Nobunaga and Nobutada were in Kyoto and killed at the same time? Furthermore, how did Akechi Mitsuhide and Azai Nagamasa become allies? Have they joined forces? How many powerful feudal lords are echoing their sentiments?

After our small force returned to Kishiwada, our sudden appearance led to a pincer attack by the two. Shichibei knew his own abilities well; he was certainly no match for the combined forces of Akechi and Asai.

The gap in troop strength was too great, and the gap in command ability was even greater, like heaven and earth.

So what about Hideyoshi? When Hideyoshi received Shichibei's urgent report, he wasn't in much better shape than Shichibei. Compared to Shichibei's relationship with Nobunaga, Hideyoshi's relationship with Nobunaga was like that of a harmonious ruler and his vassal.

If there were no Oda Nobunaga in the world, there would certainly be no Toyotomi Hideyoshi today!

Hideyoshi was promoted from a wealthy peasant family to the lord of 420,000 koku in Harima-Himeji Province, commanding the entire western army and serving as chief retainer and warrior magistrate.

His kindness in recognizing and appreciating my talent is unparalleled, even on a global scale.

He was able to sit at the same table as other emperors who selected famous ministers and generals from humble backgrounds.

The bond between the two was extremely deep. Hideyoshi treated Nobunaga almost like a father, and acted as a son to Nobunaga, running errands for him.

Upon hearing this urgent report, Hideyoshi collapsed to the ground, unable to stand, as if all his strength had been drained. His retainers, the Hashiba, were equally alarmed, and Kuroda Kanbei immediately rushed forward.

He said that one should always be wary of others, as there was always a chance someone might rebel, or even collude with Kawamura Nagayoshi to rebel. Now, Hideyoshi's army of over 30,000 men was facing the Mori clan in front and rebel forces behind; they were doomed.

By the way, since Kuroda Kanbei didn't go into Arioka Castle to persuade Araki Murashige, his eldest son, Kuroda Nagamasa, is perfectly fine right now, floating on Lake Biwa with the young admiral and Nene. As for his leg? It's not lame at all; he can certainly leap and pounce.

The retainers of the Hashiba family helped Hideyoshi up and hurriedly asked him what had happened.

Nobunaga and Nobutada deserve to die!

Akechi Asai plots a rebellion!

The single stone stirred up a thousand ripples. Among the ministers of Hashiba, including those from various countries and allies, some were greatly shocked, some were filled with fear and unease, and some collapsed to the ground.

Some were filled with righteous indignation...

"With the death of the Right Minister, the world will once again descend into chaos." Kuroda Kanbei was quick to react this time.

With the world plunged back into chaos, how could the two rebels, Akechi Mitsuhide and Azai Nagamasa, possibly shoulder the heavy responsibility of restoring peace to the land? Moreover, Nobutada was dead, and his sons were too young to rule the country. Of the entire Oda clan, only Hashiba Hideyoshi was capable of taking over.

"You mean..." Hideyoshi was helped back to his seat, and with his intelligence, he knew exactly what Kuroda Kanbei meant.

"Besides..." Kuroda Kanbei didn't dare to say it too clearly.

Those present included, for example, Hashiba Hidenaga, who was Shichibei's brother-in-law. Ikeda Katsumasa, who only managed to secure his 80,000 koku in Inaba Tottori thanks to Shichibei. And Bessho Nagaharu, needless to say, was able to restore his family business entirely with Shichibei's help.

Almost all the powerful and influential figures under Hideyoshi had some connection with Shichibei. Of course, every other commander had at least a few old acquaintances of Shichibei under their command.

Everyone knows that Shichibei is the most honest and kind-hearted man in Owari, and everyone wants to win him over and befriend him. Even Nobutada knows that Shichibei is a good person with no ill intentions and someone you can befriend.

I have friends all over the world.

Moreover, these are good friends. There are countless others who have received favors, money, or assistance from Shichibei.

There are many people around, and quite a few of them have a good relationship with Shichibei. There are some things that Kuroda Kanbei cannot and dare not say.

For example, they could annex Kawamura's army and seize his ships. Akechi Mitsuhide and Azai Nagamasa conspired to rebel, and their military strength was greatly increased; they were probably capable of mobilizing 50,000 to 60,000 men for a major battle.

The Hashiba army numbered less than 40,000, with just over 30,000 at the front and others left behind to garrison various locations, suppress rebellions, and so on. After all, the western provinces were the front line, unlike the Kinai region, which was entirely under the control of the Oda clan. When Shichibei went into battle, he only left about a thousand men at the base.

To gain an advantage on the battlefield against the rebels, Hideyoshi needed to win over, or even annex, the Kawamura army. With 25,000 Hashiba troops and 15,000 Kawamura troops, they would return to the Kinai region and, under the pretext of avenging Nobunaga, recruit Takayama Shigetomo and Ikeda Tsuneoki. Over 40,000 men would quickly assemble, ready for a decisive battle.

The key point is that if we want to quickly return to the Kinai region and land at Anshiwada and Sakai, we can only rely on Kawamura's navy.

Running back to the capital region on two legs? We're in Beizhong now. If we really tried to run back on two legs, it would take us seven days and seven nights to get back. Besides, such a strenuous run back would leave the soldiers in a terrible state.

To maintain physical strength, morale, and all equipment for the return to the capital region, the only option is to rely on the navy. With the navy, they can reach the capital region in two days at most and begin preparations for the decisive battle.

Hideyoshi threw the urgent report into the campfire and burned it, then waved for his generals to immediately reorganize the army. The generals, without suspicion, readily accepted the order. Apart from taking over Amago's army at Sarugake Castle and leaving Hanafusa Masashige to guard Takamatsu Castle in Bitchu, Hideyoshi could immediately take away more than 20,000 troops.

If they hadn't captured Sarugake Castle earlier, the Mori army could have immediately stormed Bichu. Now that Sarugake Castle has been opened to the elements, the Amago army has occupied it.

With only 3,000 cavalry from the Amago clan, even a force of 20,000 to 30,000 Mori troops would be helpless against a mountain fortress like Sarugake Castle. If Mori Terumoto were to commit all his forces and bring 50,000 men to attack, holding out for ten or twenty days would not be difficult. By then, Hideyoshi would have won the decisive battle in the Kinai region and could withdraw to reinforce Sarugake Castle.

At worst, we can send another two thousand men into the city. Back then, Zhuang Weizi relied on Yuan Gua City to compete with the three village families of He Shou City for control of China.

It should be noted that Sarugake Castle was sandwiched between Tsurugami Castle and Bingo Province, essentially in a situation of being directly surrounded by enemy forces. Sho Watanabe even used this as an excuse to compete with Mimura Iechika for decades, but of course, he eventually lost out, and even the Sho family's business was inherited by Mimura Gensuke.

"Things have come to this point, there's no time to hesitate." Kuroda Kanbei wasn't afraid of offending Shichibei, since he and Shichibei had only met twice.

"Although Shichibei lacks military strategy, he is a man of great talent, and it is not easy to take away his army." Hideyoshi was well aware of the flaws in this proposal.

Seizing troops and ships is good, but how? If we kill people directly, Kawamura's army will inevitably collapse and fall into chaos, and then we won't be able to seize the people and ships at all. Moreover, the Hashiba clan will also experience large-scale instability, and the generals will be fearful, and may even desert.

"Promise a hefty reward!" Kuroda Kanbei believed it was simply a matter of price.

Shichibei's status in the Oda clan should be the same as his status in the Hashiba clan. Konishi Ryōsō and Hihiya Ryōke can be promised commercial rights in western Japan. After all, the condition for their initial sponsorship was commercial rights in western Japan.

As for territory, at worst, we can grant Hanoi the entire country. Such conditions should be enough to make Kawamura Nagayoshi bow his head.

Once the order of precedence is established today, then even if Hideyoshi seizes power in the future, Kawamura Nagayoshi will merely be a minister. The relationship between ruler and subject is determined at such times, based on who comes first and who comes last.

"Give it a try." Hideyoshi's emotions were still fluctuating. Things had happened too suddenly, and he couldn't immediately sort out his thoughts.

We need to retreat to Okayama first and confirm that all the boats in Kojima Bay are there before we can proceed. Without boats, it's all for nothing, and we'll have to run back on foot.

go!

There's no need for any fanfare. Just convey the military order to Amago and Hanafusa Masanari to defend the city. Don't say anything else; the more you say, the more mistakes you'll make.

The army retreated swiftly from Bichu to Bizen, and by nightfall some disorganized groups had reached the walls of Okayama Castle. At most sixteen kilometers, it wasn't enough to kill the Hashiba soldiers.

Hideyoshi and Shichibei finally met. The two armies stood side by side, their lights blazing, and the air was filled with the clamor of voices. Kawamura's army had also mobilized, ready to march at any moment.

With everyone else out of the picture, just Shichibei and Hideyoshi, what should they do in this situation?

Both of them were in a state of utter confusion, but there was no other way; things had come to this point, and they had to make some decisions. Staying in the West would be tantamount to waiting for death. Taking a gamble would mean winning all of Japan.

Currently, heavy snow is falling throughout the eastern provinces, making it impossible for either the Kaga Triumvirate of the Hokuriku region or Oda Nobuhiro and Takigawa Kazumasu of the Konobu-no-Shinobi forces to raise an army. The only potential source of conflict is Tokugawa Ieyasu, who controls Mikawa and Tōtōmi provinces. However, he only has 18,000 to 20,000 men, unless he dares to "swallow up" Noobi.

In a way, he also had a legitimate claim to the throne. Matsudaira Nobuyasu was Nobunaga's son-in-law, and if the Oda clan were to die, he, as their son-in-law, would be a strong contender for the succession.

It's not entirely impossible, but the possibility is extremely small.

So, to put it bluntly, only Hideyoshi and Shichibei currently have the capability to enter the Kinai region and participate in the war. While the Shikoku faction isn't fighting, they lack a large-scale naval fleet capable of crossing the sea to land. They may have a small navy, but it's insufficient to transport their tens of thousands of troops.

As for Niwa Nagahide, who was in Inaba preparing logistics for the San'in campaign, Mitsuhide had already dispatched Takeda Motoaki, the former governor of Wakasa, to attack. Takeda Motoaki certainly hoped to restore the former territory of the Wakasa Takeda clan.

This threw the entire Wakasa area into chaos.

Changxiu can't come back by land or by water right now.

Besides, his return would be useless, since his total force is only about 10,000 men. The 100,000 koku of rice in Echizen Prefecture was only recently granted to him, and he hasn't been able to integrate it into an effective fighting force yet.

"Now that things have come to this, it is only right that we join forces to avenge our lord." Hideyoshi's tone was very frank.

"Of course I know, but the enemy forces are too strong and the situation is unclear." Shichibei knew Hideyoshi's thoughts when he saw Hideyoshi quickly retreating.

It's simply a matter of charging back together to avenge Nobunaga first. The only problem is who will lead and who will follow; neither of them individually has the strength to defeat the rebel army.

"Give me a hand, and I'll share the territory with you!" Hideyoshi was incredibly bold, offering to divide it equally.

"This..." Shichibei didn't dare to answer, and really didn't know how to answer.

"Your Highness! Urgent report from Kishiwada!" Before the silence between the two could settle, a loud shout came from outside the gate.

Kishiwada's urgent report must be crucial intelligence from the Kinai region; the two men would certainly receive such a report. They immediately ordered the gate to be opened and the urgent report delivered.

Come before me.

The urgent message arrived in their hands, but before they could open it, another person, also looking anxious, suddenly ran up to them.

"What is it?" Where did all this bad news come from? Shichibei's heart can't take it.

"The lord of Okayama Castle, Ukita Bizen, has passed away due to illness!"

497. The death of a member of the Nao family caused internal turmoil.

Compared to the shock of the killing of Oda Nobunaga and his son Nobutada, the death of Ukita Naoie, the lord of Bizen and Mimasaka provinces, did not cause as much of a stir. At least Hideyoshi and Shichibei were able to remain calm and not collapse in despair.

Alright, let's go check on Naoki Ukita's family first.

It was sudden, but somewhat expected. I noticed a few days ago that Naoie Ukita was unwell and had become bedridden. Now he has suddenly passed away; his time had come.

It's a good deal; this has secured three to four hundred thousand kilos of territory for the Ukita family across two countries. As a member of the Oda camp, and part of the Oda order, their family fortune can be preserved for the time being. They won't suddenly die due to a young lord and a state instability.

"No rush!" Hideyoshi immediately pinned Shichibei down. Since Ukita Naoie was dead, he was dead. Dead men can't cause any more trouble.

The urgent report from Kishiwada is the most important.