Owari Yumeki Golden Day.

"Alright! Ten days. Today is the second day. Go and report back to Osaka." Kizuki Tomomasa finally made up his mind.

“Father!” Kizuki Nagamasa and Oda Nobuo had no relationship whatsoever, and he couldn’t understand what his own father was thinking.

With only four or five thousand men, how could Hamamatsu possibly withstand the Eastern Army's more than one hundred thousand troops? Especially those Eastern Army soldiers who were eager to return to their own territory, they were like tigers descending from the mountain.

"My mind is made up!" Mu Zaojuzheng gestured to his son to stop talking.

"May your military fortune endure!" Kosaka Yuzen bowed respectfully, rose, and hurried away to deliver the message to Osaka.

Kizuki Nagamasa still didn't understand what his father was thinking. 500,000 koku of rice in Ise Province was certainly good, but you had to be alive to get it. If you weren't alive to get it, it would just look good.

In truth, Mukozuki Tomomasa wasn't so complicated. He was almost sixty (fifty-seven years old) and really didn't want to go through the trouble of traveling to even more distant places. Although defending the castle was difficult at the moment, Osaka's request was only for ten days, not an impossible task.

Consider this one last struggle before I die. Whether I succeed or not, I only have a few days left in this life.

As for Kizuki Nagamasa, he could stay and defend the castle if he wanted, or flee to Osaka with Kosaka Yuzen if he didn't. The Kizuki family was too influenced by Oda Nobukatsu, making it almost impossible for them to be employed by Oda Nobushige or Tokugawa Ieyasu, and surrendering would also make it difficult to preserve their lives.

Upon hearing this, Kizuki Nagamasa fell silent, sitting to one side of the hall in deep thought. He had only considered surrendering based on the relative strengths of the two sides. But now, after hearing his father's words, he had a new idea.

Let's give it a try!

Let his younger brother, Kizuki Hyosuke, run away to Osaka with Kosaka Yuzen, and the father and son can fight it out in Hamamatsu. Man proposes, God disposes.

On the third day, news of Hamamatsu Castle's refusal to surrender reached the Eastern Army camp outside the castle. It must be said that this was indeed astonishing. More than 100,000 troops gathered outside the castle, and Okazaki Mizuno Tadashige and the former Oda Nobutada's followers in Owari had all responded.

Surrounded by enemy forces, or even caught between land and sea, did Mokuzo Tomomasa choose to hold out to the bitter end simply because his daughter was Oda Nobuo's concubine?

But since they were unwilling to surrender, there was nothing more to say. Tokugawa Ieyasu immediately selected brave and capable men and prepared to launch a general attack on Hamamatsu Castle on the morning of the fourth day after arriving at the castle.

The generals of the Eastern Army, especially the lords whose territories were in Nobi, Ise, and Tenryo, were all eager to fight, fearing that if they were a step too late, their families and cities would be killed or seized.

"Is Lieutenant General Katsuyuki really saying that?" Ieyasu, who was somewhat annoyed by the refusal of Kizuki Tomomasa to surrender, suddenly heard the message from Miyoshi Nobutaka's secret envoy.

Of course, it was just a verbal message. Nobutaka Miyoshi was no fool; he wrote down his ambitions in black and white.

"A ministerial position is sufficient; the 'Three Ministers' position will suffice," the secret envoy said to Oda Nobushige and Tokugawa Ieyasu, conveying Miyoshi Nobutaka's wishes.

"Hmm..." With one disaster still unresolved at home, and this happening now, Oda Nobushige couldn't easily agree to it.

A million koku of rice in Fengfei is easy to agree to, as is being appointed Kanto Kanrei, because ultimately, Kawamura is an outsider, and Tokugawa is also an outsider. Despite holding the title of son-in-law, as long as the male members of the Oda clan are not extinct, the son-in-law has no right to speak.

Regardless of what is promised, the fundamental principles of loyalty and righteousness between ruler and subject will remain firmly in the hands of the direct descendants of the Oda clan. No matter what great deeds Kawamura or Tokugawa commits afterward, the Oda clan can denounce them as traitors and call upon all the feudal lords of the land to join in their condemnation.

But Miyoshi Nobuhyo...

It's fine to talk about Miyoshi alone, but after being adopted by Miyoshi, he became an outsider. Even if he became an outsider and served as the Minister of the Interior, there's not much to say. In the history of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's regime, Oda Nobukatsu and Tokugawa Ieyasu both served as ministers, and Maeda Toshiie also served as a junior second-rank minister.

While it was merely an honor to praise these powerful feudal lords, Oda Nobushige simply couldn't agree to Miyoshi Nobutaka's request for his own clan to be included among the "Three Ministers of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices."

Once Miyoshi Nobutaka and his male descendants become the most powerful and influential members of the Oda clan, any future turmoil will merely be internal strife within the family. The crucial title of lord and subject will no longer belong solely to Oda Nobushige.

"Wait a moment." Tokugawa Ieyasu noticed Oda Nobushige's hesitation and dismissed the secret envoy.

Ieyasu's goal in raising such a large army was to control the Kanto region and go even further. The organizational form of the new regime was still under consideration: whether Tokugawa Ieyasu would serve as regent while Oda Nobushige sat with his hands clasped behind his back; or whether Oda would rule Kansai and Tokugawa would rule Kanto; or even whether one could replace the other.

One thing is clear: we must capture Kyoto and Osaka Castle, and destroy the existing central government of the Grand Chancellor, inherited from Oda Nobukatsu. Only by overthrowing the current regime can we establish a new order of governance.

So what is there for Oda Nobushige to hesitate about?

At worst, I'll agree to Miyoshi Nobutaka's demands now, and then turn my back on him after I succeed to the throne. Is the world truly at peace? Can Miyoshi Nobutaka really turn the tables?

Historically, figures like Kato Kiyomasa, Fukushima Masanori, Kuroda Nagamasa, and Asano Nagamasa all held powerful domains. Yet, after the pacification of the country, they obediently served as retainers of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Maeda Toshinaga, Date Masamune, and Shimazu Tadatsune merely observed the situation and dared not rebel.

The general trend of the world refers to this "trend".

In this world, Oda Nobunaga and his son Nobukatsu, and in history, Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, both seized the opportunity to unify Japan and swept across the country at an unstoppable pace.

With Japan now unified once again, unification has become a significant trend. Even Tokugawa Ieyasu needed the internal strife within the Oda clan to launch his rebellion. It is impossible for any single individual to resist the overwhelming momentum of Japan's unification.

"A half-hearted response, not a definite answer?" Oda Nobushige understood; it was a vague and ambiguous reply.

Bismarck used vague language to deceive Napoleon III, telling him that if he didn't support Austria in the Austro-Prussian War, he would cede the Rhineland to France. Napoleon III actually believed him and was completely fooled by Bismarck, while the Grand Duchy of Belgium gained independence with the support of the great powers.

"That's right." Tokugawa Ieyasu had already staked everything this time, and in some ways, he was more willing to risk everything than anyone else.

He's been patient long enough, taking each step to get to where he is today. Now he needs to be more open-minded.

Whatever their conditions, just agree to them first and win them over to your side. Once you've pacified the land and seized power, there will be plenty of ways to manage them. All those non-royal kings and meritorious officials of Emperor Gaozu of Han, all the way down to Han Xin, the Marquis of Huaiyin, were all wiped out.

So what if they killed him? Did it hinder the Han Dynasty's four-hundred-year reign? Even during the Sixteen Kingdoms period, there was Liu Yuan who slaughtered Liu Bei's descendants while claiming to be Liu's nephew and naming his state Han.

"I would like to ask Lord Edo to intervene." Although Oda Nobushige agreed, he understood one thing very well.

He had made a promise, a promise made with absolute certainty. To completely erase it, to go back on his word in front of the person involved, would be somewhat inconvenient. But if Tokugawa Ieyasu were to negotiate, and then Miyoshi Nobutaka came to demand benefits afterward, he could simply deny everything and pretend he knew nothing.

Despite the Eastern Army's triumphant advance, the cooperation between Oda Nobushige and Tokugawa Ieyasu was not actually inseparable or intimate.

"It's my duty," Ieyasu replied quickly.

After Nobunaga and his son Nobukatsu, the most determined player in this playoff series is undoubtedly Tokugawa Ieyasu.

Secret talks were taking place in the central army camp, and similar talks were also taking place in other outer camps. The two sides were constantly trying to win over, befriend, and poach each other; at least, Shichibei's attendant was sitting in front of Yamagata Masamitsu.

Without a doubt, Yamagata Masamitsu should immediately withdraw his troops and return to Kofu, or, if necessary, turn against the Western Army and join forces with the troops that have come to punish the rebels.

Yamagata Masamitsu hesitated because he was openly a military commander in Oda Nobushige's faction. As a remnant of the Kai Takeda clan, he had always been unpopular in the Oda Nobunaga-Nobukatsu regime.

When Takeda Katsuyori was beheaded, and the Takeda Imperial Guards were redeemed by Kawamura Nagayoshi, Nobunaga instructed Shichibei to drive all of them to fill ditches and storm castle walls.

The reason Yamagata Masamitsu was promoted to lord of Kai Province was merely because of his status as the brother-in-law of Kawamura Nagayoshi and the prestige of the Yamagata family in Kai. Nobunaga's use of Yamagata Masamitsu was just a temporary measure to quickly stabilize Kai.

Who knows, once the country is at peace, they might find some excuse to change the Yamagata family's status. This sentiment intensified after Nobuo succeeded to the throne, central power gradually shifted to the newcomer, and Kawamura Nagayoshi lost his position as a trusted confidant.

By pledging allegiance to Oda Nobushige, he would secure his core base, guaranteeing not only Kai province but potentially even greater gains. As Nobushige's hereditary chief retainer, I dare not even dream of such a thing, but I might consider it if I were to take a chance.

Yamagata Masamitsu was hesitant, indecisive, and even somewhat dissatisfied with Shichibei's persuasion.

There's no turning back now that the arrow has been released; Yamagata Masamitsu is already at odds with Oda Katsuhoshi's faction. This is a life-or-death situation, not something that Shichibei can change with a few words.

At least name your price, right?

So many brothers have come out to risk their lives, and they haven't gotten any reward at all?

Indeed, no. Shichibei believed that his relationship with Yamagata Masamitsu was very close, a genuine marriage alliance. However, he also genuinely didn't have enough money to win people over. As for the territory you mentioned, aside from the 500,000 koku in Ise that Kizuki Tomomasa had forcibly granted, Yamagata Masamitsu couldn't really promise anything extra.

Let Yamagata Masamitsu make his request first, and then see if Osaka can agree to it. For example, transferring 450,000 koku of rice to Shinano Province might be something they can agree to.

"Please tell my sworn brother that after the battle, you must do your utmost." Although Yamagata Masamitsu said this, he did not make any absolute statements and still called Shichibei his sworn brother.

"Lord Kofu!" The attendant tried to approach, but was immediately stopped by the Kai samurai on either side.

"Alright, go and report back quickly. We still have to attack Hamamatsu Castle tomorrow." Yamagata Masamitsu simply waved his hand, showing no sign of wavering.

The roar of cannons and the sound of fire arrows ceased, and tens of thousands of Eastern troops surrounded Hamamatsu from three sides, beginning a brutal siege.

Chapter 647 The city was finally opened after eight days of bitter waiting.

Upon receiving Yamagata Masamitsu's reply, Shichibei sighed deeply. He was still pulling this large ship forward, but damn it, the Osaka group hadn't quite built up their sense of urgency.

Hijikata Okahisa and Takigawa Otoshi, having lost their Sagami territory to Tokugawa Ieyasu, not only cursed Ieyasu but also began to work around the issue, trying every possible way to raise funds for their army.

Shichibei had a good relationship with the merchants. Because they managed the imperial territory, they also had connections with the imperial court and temples, and maintained good relations with them. According to the two, they couldn't possibly earn more, but they could easily obtain thirty to fifty thousand kan.

Including the portion of the principal that Shichibei borrowed from the Ryotsuya in Kyoto and Sakai, they raised 100,000 kan to rouse the army to set off. Once they were on the road, they could figure out what to do next.

Ataka Kiyoyasu wasn't idle either, helping Shichibei urgently deal with the collections in Oda Nobuo's treasury. They were selling items worth a thousand for eight hundred or five hundred, and those worth five hundred for two hundred and fifty. At this point, they were selling them cheaply; they couldn't afford to be stingy anymore.

Maeda Toshiie simply remained at home, while Nagano Nobukazu was still not fully recovered and was too weak to manage affairs for long. As for Mori Terumoto? Aside from mobilizing his family's 20,000 troops, this kid, seeing that Shichibei had effectively taken over all power in Osaka, actually hid in his residence outside the castle and pretended to be dead, refusing to show his face.

So who will co-sign with me now? Is a document I sign alone valid?

Hijikata and Takikawa, who had borrowed money from Manji Shrine, were not there, nor was Ataka, who had been dealing in Nobuo's treasures in Sakai. The vast Osaka was now empty, with only the six-month-old lord, Oda Katsuhoshi, sitting there. It seemed as if only Shichibei, the sole heir apparent, was managing the vast land of Japan.

I won't talk about others, but you, Mori Terumoto, are someone who is afraid of death even when you are about to do great things. You will not have a good death sooner or later.

Since you don't care, then Shichibei started offering official titles and making promises, and immediately asked Oda Nobuo's "Seal of Power Across the Seas" where it was.

If you don't sign with me, I'll go find Oda Nobuo!

Upon inquiring around, they learned it was in the possession of Mori Komatsu. Without further ado, Shichibei demanded it directly from her. Komatsu, however, claimed her father had taken it home (for safekeeping). How could that be? The seal of Oda Nobunaga, the Grand Chancellor, be allowed to be taken home by a minister without permission?

Shichibei then went to ask Mori Terumoto for it, but Mori Terumoto wouldn't say it wasn't with him. He even asked if it had been lost in the previous earthquake. If it was lost, that would be a pity.

Okay, okay, you're going to play along with me, huh?

It's just that they don't want to take responsibility at this time, and they're afraid that Shichibei will seize power after this matter is over. So they're not cooperating, not opposing, not signing their names, and not participating. Fine, fine.

The "威加海内" seal is gone, but the "天下布武" seal is still there. Shichibei took the Great Seal of Unifying the World from Nobunaga's private treasury and immediately began to make arrangements.

Regarding the father and son, Mokuzoku Munemasa and Nagamasa, who were willing to defend Hamamatsu Castle for ten days, Shichibei, on the one hand, properly settled his eldest son, Mokuzoku Hyosuke, and on the other hand, issued a red seal to secure the entire Ise province after the mission was accomplished.

Then it was sent to Yamagata Masamitsu, who said that if he could make great contributions during the battle between the two armies, he could secure 450,000 koku of Shinano Province.

Shichibei couldn't give Miyoshi Nobutaka the ministerial position he wanted, but he was now giving away the territories that could be confiscated and altered after the victory in great quantities.

Seeing that Shichibei was actually using the Tenka Fubu Seal to issue official documents, Miyoshi Nobutaka eagerly came up to Shichibei again. He wanted to ask Shichibei what he was thinking and if he could give him an answer.

Shichibei, who still hoped to maintain the Oda regime, ultimately agreed to Miyoshi Nobutaka's request, which stipulated that he would serve as a second-ranking Grand Councilor until the time of Oda Katsuhoshi's coming-of-age ceremony. Miyoshi Nobutaka could then perform some of the religious rituals on Oda Katsuhoshi's behalf.

In addition, he was not the only one promised; Kagawa Nobusumi, the lord of Nakatsu Castle in Buzen, was also invited and will also receive the rank of Second Rank Grand Councilor.

If I only granted your request, it would be me, Kawamura Nagayoshi, ruining the foundation of Oda Nobunaga's legacy. But now that you two brothers have been promoted, that's simply normal support for an important family. In the future, if anything happens, you two brothers can discuss and handle it with the main family.

Miyoshi Nobutaka frowned at this. He knew his own ulterior motives, and Shichibei's proposed solution, considering the bigger picture, was not in Miyoshi Nobutaka's best interest.

This proposal greatly pleased Kagawa Nobusumi, who had already been a Lieutenant General of the Left Imperial Guard during Nobunaga's era. However, when Nobukatsu succeeded to the throne, he did not promote his brothers to the rank of Junior Third Rank Councilor.

This actually deviates from Oda Nobunaga's political vision. Nobunaga hoped for a complete integration of the court and samurai families, organically combining official court positions with the de facto rule of the samurai. This would allow the Oda regime to integrate with the ancient Shinto religious system, the Yamato court system, and the existing aristocratic groups.

Both the Kō and Bō families could rise to the position of minister, or even better, the Oda clan's chief minister would be in charge of the court, with the Oda clan's eldest son and the Fuji clan's elder sitting on either side as ministers.

A harmonious coexistence was the ideal scenario Nobunaga envisioned. However, Oda Nobukatsu lacked his father's charisma. Despite being a legitimate heir with military merit, he was reluctant to establish numerous fiefdoms and to honor his brothers.

In this respect alone, Nobuo is far inferior to Nobunaga.

Nobunaga even promoted his elder brother Nobuhiro, who had betrayed him, to the rank of Junior Third Rank Councilor. If Nobuhiro were still alive, he might very well have been appointed Junior Second Rank Minister of the Interior or Acting Grand Councilor.

However, Miyoshi Nobutaka did not show any particular emotion, but simply raised the issue of the "Three Lords of the Palace." Oda Nobushige has now raised an army, and if the Western Army wins, he will certainly be replaced, or even ordered to commit seppuku. Then one of the "Three Lords of the Palace" established by Nobunaga will be vacant, and Miyoshi Nobutaka can easily fill the vacancy.

In this respect, Shichibei differed greatly from Oda Nobushige. Oda Nobushige worried that agreeing to this would make his new regime inherently unstable. Shichibei, on the other hand, didn't care; he intended to establish the Three Ministers of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices anyway.

As long as the political system inherited is that of Oda Nobunaga and Nobukatsu, and the succession and rule are carried out legally within the established order, it is unlikely to affect Shichibei's interests.

It could even be said that establishing the Three Ministers was a crucial step in stabilizing Oda's regime, ensuring its successor was secure and preventing further trouble.

So the result was laid before Miyoshi Nobutaka. Shichibei made a very clear promise, even going so far as to write a red seal document, to elevate his family to one of the "Three Lords of the Palace".

The three chief ministers then became Oda Nobuhisa, Miyoshi Nobutaka, and the second son of Oda Katsuhoshi, who was not the legitimate heir apparent. The third position might remain vacant for twenty or thirty years? That's not a big deal; the fact that the position has been vacant for so long means Oda Katsuhoshi is alive and well.