Owari Yumeki Golden Day.

Shibata Nagakatsu was indeed a pure-blooded Owari fudai (hereditary title for a male heir to the Owari clan). He was originally quite content to sit back and wait for others to come and recruit him. However, he only inherited his father's bravery, lacking in intellectual development. Upon learning that Shichibei had awakened, he immediately decided to ask his brother-in-law about it.

Ikeda Naomasa and Amago Katsuhisa are relatively simple. Neither of them were fudai of Owari Province; they joined the Oda clan by marrying their daughters to Nobukatsu and became daimyo of the western provinces. Now that their patriarchal father-in-law Nobukatsu is dead, they naturally come to find their blood father-in-law Shichibei immediately.

Everyone wants to know what Shichibei should do now. As feudal lords, they can't afford to play the fence-sitting game in this situation. There will be a time when they need to make a statement, and then they won't be allowed to slack off.

Speaking of which, of the seven retainers from Oda Nobunaga's era—Hideyoshi Hashiba, Nagahide Niwa, Mitsuhide Akechi, Kazumasu Takigawa, Nagamasa Azai, Sadakatsu Murai, and Nagayoshi Kawamura—only Nagayoshi Kawamura remains alive.

Shichibei was, in fact, the last veteran of the Nobunaga era. After Shichibei regained his senses, a series of factors, such as political inertia, hometown ties, and historical friendship, would push people from all walks of life to gravitate towards him.

Just like how Owari Fubuyo relied on Maeda Toshiie to fight for central power, it's the same concept. "Without factions, there are all sorts of strange things." The Oda family's regime was a motley crew of Nobunaga, Nobutada, and Nobukatsu who used violence, intrigue, marriage, and other means to create this situation.

The system is still in the process of being perfected. There are many factions within the regime, some clear and some vague, and they have not yet been completely distinguished.

With the original power leader, Nobuo, dead, various factions naturally needed to find a leader to quickly unite and vie for power. Without a referee and a guardian, what's in their hands now is theirs to command.

Oh, right, there's another veteran—Sakuma Nobumori.

However, Sakuma Nobumori had already become a monk, taking the Buddhist name Sōyū, and no longer concerned himself with worldly affairs. His son, Sakuma Nobueaka, was a daimyo with 200,000 koku of rice in Kazusa and Kurume, but Sakuma Nobueaka was at most considered a middle-generation member of the Oda clan and did not have the ability to lead the Owari hereditary successors.

In fact, it would be difficult for Sakuma Nobumori to personally intervene, since he only had 10,000 koku of rice in Owari and Narumi. This decline in strength would also affect the strength of his authority.

Normally, everyone respects Sakuma Nobumori because of their old relationship, and always thinks of him. But when it comes to seizing power, let's see if Maeda Toshiie will give Sakuma Nobumori any face.

Right now, Shichibei could only tell a few people not to rush, not to rush at all, that it wasn't time to roll up their trousers and get involved yet.

Those who initiate such actions will be condemned, while those who rise to prominence will be blessed.

One person after another came, and finally even Maeda Toshiie, who was recuperating at home, came. Ostensibly, they were all there to visit Shichibei in the hospital, but in reality, they were all testing Shichibei's current attitude and stance.

What stance?

There is no stance.

Before anyone could gauge Shichibei's attitude, Mori Komatsu in Kyoto finally went into labor. Everyone was closely watching the situation, completely setting aside all other matters to await news from her.

While it didn't involve childbirth in the public eye, like some European royal families, with dozens or even hundreds of people watching, all the feudal lords who were entitled to send their wives, sisters, or daughters-in-law to the capital did so under the guise of assisting with childbirth.

Even if it's just squatting outside boiling water, it's crucial to find out about the delivery as soon as possible. And it's essential to ensure that the sex of the child born to Gu Manji is not reversed.

A man is a man, and a woman is a woman; they are completely different.

Shichibei wasn't in such a hurry; he simply stayed home, waiting for news from Kyoto to arrive. Lady Takaya, who was in Kyoto, also joined in the "observation," and Hatakeyama Nobutaka, Nobuo's close half-brother, was even more concerned about the matter than Shichibei.

"My lord, my lord, a message has arrived from Kyoto!" Hiratsuka Tamehiro's voice echoed from the corridor into the room.

The gate was opened by a servant, and Shichibei was sitting on the tatami mat, reading a letter of greeting from Tozawa Moriyasu. Tozawa Moriyasu mentioned very clearly that there seemed to be some instability among the feudal lords of Oshu.

After all, Oku was not pacified by Oda Nobukatsu, nor had Nobukatsu ever inspected Oku. If the second generation of the Oda clan were to die, Nobukatsu's "Edict of Peace and Order" would immediately become invalid at the Oku meeting.

The Southern Association and Tsugaru will immediately start fighting, Date also dislikes Soma, the remnants of the Ando family may choose to rise up, and even the Mogami family may experience turmoil.

Tsk, without the suppression of supreme power, the situation at the local level is truly appalling.

"What do you think?" Shichibei ordered someone to bring a brazier and immediately burn the letter, for such matters could not be left as evidence.

"It's Princess!" The news brought by Hiratsuka Tamehiro made Shichibei's heart sink.

If it's a daughter, then officially, Oda Nobuo would have no sons at all, only seven daughters.

The world is bound to change drastically!

"Help me up." Shichibei, who had been resting for more than seventy days, was able to get up and take a slow walk with the help of others.

"What are your orders, my lord?" Hiratsuka Tamehiro quickly came forward to help him up.

"Please, elders and members of the family, discuss this together." The power to convene a meeting is a somewhat ethereal power.

On a grand scale, you can control the meeting's progress and even decide the agenda. But on a smaller scale, you're just a gofer.

With the passing of Hideyoshi Hashiba, the chief retainer of the family, Shichibei had become the highest-ranking elder statesman in the hierarchy. Indeed, Hideyoshi, Nagahide, and Kazumasu, who ranked ahead of Shichibei, had all passed away, making Shichibei the most senior among the elders.

In the past two and a half months, although Terumoto Mori and Toshiie Maeda have been vying for power, they have not actually held a central meeting. Initially, it was about rescuing personnel; later, it was about personnel shortages; and then, it was about creating a vague power vacuum that facilitated a power grab.

Since you've given up the right to convene this meeting, then I'll accept it without hesitation.

When the servants of the Kawamura family summoned everyone to the Osaka-cho Magistrate's Office for a meeting of the family's elders and retainers, Mori Terumoto realized that he had missed a "righteous cause."

However, since Shichibei was the most honest and kind-hearted man in Owari, there was really no need for the others to object when he convened a meeting to discuss national affairs.

Since the matter has already occurred, it needs to be resolved. One person cannot make the decision alone, so only the elders, the younger generation, and the entire family can make a joint decision.

If each party represents the power group behind them and reaches a general consensus, perhaps the world can continue peacefully. If they part ways in discord, then war will inevitably break out again.

Even Nagano Nobukatsu, who was still recuperating, was immediately carried to the city gates in a sedan chair after receiving the notification. Not to mention those who were qualified to attend the meeting, they wished they had two more legs to run there as soon as possible.

"Gentlemen, His Majesty has passed away, and the nation is without an heir. It is only right that a new ruler be chosen to continue the royal legacy."

Chapter 634 Halftime Break Discussion

If we had to be precise, everyone here is actually related. There might be some differences in social status, but in terms of kinship, we're all family. With a little effort, everyone can be linked together.

So when everyone sat down in the still intact front hall of the Osaka Town Magistrate's Office, the seating arrangement became quite interesting. Shichibei, without hesitation, was helped to sit in the first seat below the floor on the tatami mat, which was only slightly above the head seat.

The high tatami seats were for the lord, the eldest son, and the former two chief ministers. The next level was for the senior retainers who held power, and the outer hall and corridors were for the second-ranking feudal lords.

Seeing Shichibei sit down, Maeda Toshiie and Mori Terumoto naturally prepared to sit opposite him. At the last meeting, Nobuo sat on the high tatami mat, while Shichibei and Hashiba Hideyoshi sat opposite each other. The two elder statesmen were, without question, the only ones worthy of the position.

Now that there is only one elder left, the one who could have sat on the lower level naturally stares at the elder's seat that represents the Grand Chancellor and leads the agenda of the Imperial Conference.

Especially at times like these, people fight for a place in the meeting room. Sometimes, the right to speak in a meeting depends on one's momentum. A person with strong momentum can shout even from the third row, while a person with weak momentum will be sitting in the seventh row after the meeting.

By the time Shichibei opened his mouth to choose a new ruler, Maeda Toshiie had already taken a seat opposite Shichibei, taking advantage of the presence of many former Oda and Owari officials.

Mori Terumoto could only sit in the second row opposite Nagano Nobukazu. His original prestige as Nobuo's father-in-law was greatly diminished by the death of Nobuo Saburo, the master and son of the monk.

"Is there anything else to discuss?" Maeda Toshiie spoke first, directly overshadowing Mori Terumoto.

"Oh?" Shichibei was surprised that Maeda Toshiie had already taken sides.

"Matsushiro Lieutenant General is the eldest son of the former Prime Minister of Gifu. He was originally appointed as a minister by the former Grand Chancellor. Now that there is no heir in the main line, he should inherit the position."

Oda Nobushige, is it? That's not surprising. Maeda Toshiie was originally supposed to be tied to Oda Nobutada. Maeda Toshinaga was also slated to be Oda Nobutada's page and attendant, but the situation changed drastically, and it never came to pass.

“It is only right.” The person representing Oda Nobushige, who was away on campaign, was his chief retainer, Tadamasa.

"What is the attitude of Major General Edo?" Shichibei then turned to Ishikawa Kazumasa, who had come on behalf of Tokugawa Ieyasu to attend Oda Nobuo's funeral.

After all, Tokugawa Ieyasu is now the supreme commander of the Taira-Aizu army, leading 120,000 troops. Once the snow melts, he will have to lead his troops to kill the Aizu people.

"Matsushiro Lieutenant General is indeed the most suitable candidate." Ishikawa Kazumasa expressed his opinion on behalf of Ieyasu, and also supported Oda Nobushige.

Shichibei estimated that none of them knew about that secret matter, so in reality, the only viable heirs were Oda Nobushige and Oda Nobuhisa. Relatively speaking, Nobushige, Nobutada's eldest son, was undoubtedly the most popular and the closest in blood.

Shichibei then turned to look at Mori Terumoto, who was sitting below him. He knew perfectly well that Nobuo had a concubine named Narita Kaihime, and most likely also knew that Kaihime had given birth to a male heir for Nobuo. So he had to see what Mori's attitude meant.

"..." But Terumoto Mori hesitated and did not immediately express his opinion.

It's understandable, completely understandable; the boy's identity is truly awkward. Even if it's confirmed that he's Oda Nobuo's biological son, it would probably be difficult to convince the public.

"What are the opinions of the three elders?" Shichibei didn't press the matter, but still wanted to ask the three elders for their opinions.

The three elder statesmen were, in effect, the governors of the Oda clan's domains, though each of them possessed only 70,000 to 80,000 koku of land, hardly considered powerful or influential domains, and lacked substantial strength. However, their opinions represented those of Nobukatsu's close associates.

Moreover, the three elders also know about Kaihime's affair. If they are not convinced and eventually a scandal breaks out, it will be a hidden danger.

“This is a very important matter…” Takikawa Yutoshi, who had rushed back from Ueno, had a somewhat unspeakable feeling.

Since Takikawa Ichiji was only thirteen years old and could not participate strongly in the current political situation, as Takikawa Ichiji's brother-in-law, the two quickly joined forces, and he spoke on behalf of the 468,000 koku of the Ueno-Masahashi Domain.

According to Takikawa Yutoshi, such an important matter should not be addressed by convening a meeting of dozens of people, including senior retainers, key figures, and members of the main family. Holding such a meeting would likely result in a lack of consensus and would probably only lead to disputes.

Shichibei's goal was to achieve the greatest common denominator and ensure the stability of the country. After all, a unified and stable nationwide market in Japan was what Shichibei had always longed for.

Takikawa Otoshi's idea was for the elders and young men to discuss it amongst themselves, make a decision in a closed chamber, and then everyone would carry it out. Having served under Nobunaga and Nobukatsu, the Oda clan's central leadership still maintained considerable authority.

If you say the world will always be at peace, then the world will always be at peace. This is something the Oda family guarantees with their strong military force, and their authority is effective.

Now, Takikawa Yuriko says this is a very important matter, meaning he only wants to hear opinions, not make a decision, and kicks out all the "unnecessary people," leaving just the seven of us to discuss it behind closed doors.

“Indeed, Takikawa Hyōbu’s words are correct.” Mori Terumoto finally spoke up; someone was ready to fight for him.

"What correct argument? What did they say?" Maeda Toshiie immediately retorted. Of course, he understood as well, but holding a large meeting would be beneficial to him.

Because among the feudal lords present, with only two candidates, Oda Nobushige and Oda Nobuhisa, most tended to support Oda Nobushige, which meant supporting Maeda Toshiie.

A general meeting will be held to make a decision, a joint decision by the major lords and the hereditary leaders of Owari. At that time, Maeda Toshiie will be able to stand in the limelight and become a senior retainer and meritorious official of Oda Nobushige, the new ruler of the land.

"These are all important retainers of the Oda clan. What is there that cannot be said?" Shichibei naturally had some bias, but he mainly favored the unified market that would result from the unification of the country.

Whoever can bring stability will gain Shichibei's support. Political stances are often tied to economic interests, and Shichibei, after all, came from a humble background as a small-time merchant.

"Cough cough cough cough..." Kiyoyasu Ataka suddenly coughed, stopping everyone's anger from rising.

Those present, especially those in the know, surely no one wants to reveal the affair between Kaihime and her son.

If you don't want things to come to light, then don't rush to make a decision right now. If you force a resolution to be passed immediately, someone in the audience will definitely choose to explode.

Ataka Kiyoyasu, Hijikata Osamu, and Takikawa Otoshi all relied on Oda Nobuo himself and his descendants. Since none of the three were from the Owari family, they could not possibly support Oda Nobushige if they wanted to continue to hold power.

Upon hearing Kiyoyasu's cough, Shichibei immediately realized what was happening. Yes, everyone's interests were conflicting; forcing things to pass on the spot could really cause an explosion.

After all, with Oda Nobushige coming to power, a large number of people would inevitably lose power. It's not impossible that they would lead the Oda regime to its own destruction before losing power.

The problem right now is that the identities of Narita Kaihime and her child cannot be made public. All the feudal lords know that Mori Komatsuhime gave birth to a daughter; dozens of women have witnessed it clearly. The child was born without a penis. It can't be easily changed.

"It's still chilly in early spring, and my legs really can't take it anymore. Could you please bring some braziers inside?" It was Kiyoyasu Ataka who took the initiative to speak again.

He had just coughed, implying he was cold, so his request for a brazier was perfectly reasonable. As one of the three senior officials of the Oda clan and the de facto manager of a fief of over three million koku, no one dared to disregard his request.

"Quickly, quickly, bring the brazier." The servants outside hurriedly entered, and Shichibei also struggled to stand up to inquire about Anzai's well-being.

Shichibei, who was chairing the meeting, stood up, naturally pausing the meeting. Everyone stood up and moved around, as the braziers couldn't be brought in immediately. Besides, the hall was so large; it would take at least twenty or thirty to bring in, and lighting so much charcoal would take several minutes.

The meeting was paused, and unsurprisingly, apart from Shichibei and Ataka Kiyoyasuki whispering to each other, the attendees subtly formed three groups, though some remained alone.

The first group consisted of the Owari hereditary officials who openly supported Oda Nobushige, the first in line to the throne, and were led by Maeda Toshiie. Most of them did not enter the core circle of Oda Nobukatsu's regime; after all, a new emperor brings a new court.

The second group consists of Nobuo's close associates and confidants, who hoped the meeting would be suspended and that no decisions would be made immediately. This group did not have a single core, but it exerted its influence by relying on figures such as Terumoto Mori, Yutoshi Takikawa, and Osamu Hijikata, who actually held power.

Among them, Terumoto Mori was the adoptive father of Komatsu Mori, and with the majority of the power in Aki and Bingo provinces, his influence was extremely strong. Since he was the only senior retainer in the entire government who hadn't fallen from grace, he had effectively garnered a considerable following.

The third group is similar to Shichibei, or people who aren't closely aligned with either side. For example, Amago Katsuhisa, who visited Shichibei earlier, has a blood feud with the Mori Terumoto family; it's already a favor that they didn't kill each other on the spot. Naturally, he couldn't integrate into Mori Terumoto's group.

At the same time, he was not from the Owari hereditary lord group. In terms of his official status as a feudal lord within the Oda regime, he was a hereditary lord, but not a pure-blooded Owari hereditary lord. He had absolutely no affection for Oda Nobushige.

Thus, Amago Katsuhisa was typically caught between two sides, and since Shichibei did not have a clear stance, he remained silent and simply observed.

However, he was actually a member of the Oda clan. As the son-in-law of Oda Nobukatsu, he had to step forward and defend the regime during a time of turmoil in Oda's government.