Owari Yumeki Golden Day.

He observed in Osaka for a while and found that, apart from the few who were making a big fuss and opposing everything, many people were tired and annoyed by the endless disputes. After all, everyone still hoped that Japan would remain unified and that there would be a peaceful environment where everyone could preserve their wealth.

Matsui Tomokazu then rallied dozens of Ōmi Hatamoto, the minor lords whom Nobunaga had conquered in Mino and Kinai, to prepare for a good show.

Everyone is begging you to come out of seclusion!

Who are you? It's Kawamura Nagayoshi, of course. Who else could it be but Kawamura Nagayoshi? His Highness Kawamura, barely in his forties, is clearly capable and still has the ability to do things. He must step forward to maintain order and set things right.

When Matsui Tomokazu and dozens of others publicly declared that they absolutely needed to invite Prince Kawamura to the manor to oversee all affairs, a huge uproar began to erupt. Whether they had returned to their homeland or remained in the manor, every feudal lord and hereditary nobleman who was eligible to attend the meeting awaited Shichibei's reply.

You're asking me if I'm okay?

I said okay.

You are all too young and naive. Back in the day, I was chatting and laughing with the Great Ming God of Heaven. His level was far superior to mine.

Now that everyone supports me taking the lead, I will certainly support this collective decision. As for why it was so easy to rally dozens of representatives, don't ask. The driving force behind it will inevitably disappear into the annals of history.

Shichibei, who had only rested briefly in Kumamoto, set off again for Osaka. Meanwhile, news of Prince Kawamura Nagayoshi's arrival at the residence to oversee all affairs spread like wildfire, quickly reaching all four islands of Japan.

The first thing he did upon arriving at the manor was neither to suppress the other elders and middle-aged men, nor to hastily issue decrees, but to once again invite everyone to the manor in the autumn to attend the national conference of feudal lords and their descendants.

This immediately put everyone's anxieties to rest. It was clear that Kawamura Nagayoshi still intended to play along with everyone and maintain the general rights of the ruling class.

After about three hundred delegates who were qualified to attend the general assembly arrived at the mansion in the fall, Shichibei finally displayed his thunderous methods.

Expel the corrupt officials Mori Terumoto and Maeda Toshiie!

The two were ordered to immediately relinquish their positions, retire and live in seclusion, and hand over their family businesses to the eldest son, the heir apparent. The representative status of Mōri Mūmatsumaru (Mōri Hidemoto) and Maeda Toshinaga remained unchanged, and they were still eligible to attend the meeting, speak, and vote.

No sooner had Shichibei finished speaking than the entire hall erupted in uproar. Mori Terumoto and Maeda Toshiie immediately prepared to retaliate, but the group, led by Matsui Tomokazu, immediately urged them to proceed to the deliberation and voting stage.

With his unparalleled prestige, Shichibei stood on the main seat and announced that the voting process would proceed. More than two-thirds of the powerful lords present supported the proposal to expel Mori Terumoto and Maeda Toshiie and remove them from their posts.

Shichibei, who had already taken control of the Osaka Sannomaru, immediately ordered Takamori Yuichi to lead his troops inside and bring out Mori Terumoto and Maeda Toshiie. He also sent orders to the Aki-Hiroshima Domain and the Etchū Moriyama Domain, requesting that the crown princes or their representatives come to a meeting.

The two men who were asked to leave the venue were furious, but neither had the courage to immediately raise an army to attack the venue and disband the conference, nor the ability to launch a war and march on Kumamoto. There was no shouting or cursing; Maeda Toshinaga quickly took his father's place and attended the meeting.

The Mori family was a little late, but Ota Motonsuna (Kobayakawa Hidekazu) arrived at the venue soon after. Since they were allowed to attend, they had to come; not coming would be tantamount to giving up entirely.

In just half an hour, the situation in Osaka changed dramatically.

At the council meeting of hereditary lords, Shichibei announced the second proposal. That is, from now on, any change or increase in the territory of lords with a rank of 10,000 koku, and lords with a rank of 5,000 koku or above, as well as the succession of their family names, must be approved by a vote of more than two-thirds of the representatives at the council meeting before it can be implemented.

The plan for handling the hereditary rulers of the feudal lords, which was approved by the council, cannot be changed even by Oda Nobunaga, the Grand Chancellor; it must be implemented.

As for the subsequent enfeoffment of new Da Shenqiben, or the enfeoffment of Da Shenqiben as feudal lords with a salary of 10,000 shi or more, it also requires the approval of a two-thirds majority vote of the delegates at the general assembly.

To put it bluntly, from this day forward, Japan will be ruled by you all. Japan will be the same this year, ten years from now, a hundred years from now. We'll all be of one mind, riding roughshod over the Japanese people.

On the issues of the status of the lords and their families, everyone must advance and retreat together, forming an alliance. Based on the council of lords and hereditary rulers, a new power system will be formed to maintain the feudal order throughout Japan.

With the swift and decisive expulsion of Mori Terumoto and Maeda Toshiie already in place, Shichibei's second proposal received unanimous approval from all the representatives present and was passed unanimously.

The feudal lords and their successors all stood up and cheered loudly in response to Shichibei's proposal. From this point on, the most important power in Japan's feudal samurai monarchy—the power to bestow imperial favors—was transferred to the council of feudal lords and their successors.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Shibata Nagakatsu's proposal to be transferred to Yamato Province was also approved. The more than three million koku of land under the Oda clan's rule began a comprehensive redrawing and adjustment.

Aside from maintaining the Settsu, Yamashiro, and Omi provinces under Oda Nobunaga's rule, all other territories will be affected. The reason for leaving Omi province, with its 800,000 koku of rice, untouched is primarily to ensure the security of the territories of the Ōmi-no-hanō (chieftains).

Chapter 673 The New Creation of the Bakuhan System

However, the power of the hereditary council of feudal lords is not unlimited. This has been fully demonstrated in the previous year. Many hereditary feudal lords have grown weary of the endless debates and do not wish for such a situation to continue.

Therefore, Shichibei proposed that, apart from the issues of imperial favor concerning the Grand Minister's domain and the domains of feudal lords, general matters of public service should still be entrusted to the hereditary hatamoto who have long handled central affairs since the time of Nobunaga and Nobukatsu.

Only matters of great importance, such as abolishing or replacing feudal lords, required a vote at the council of hereditary feudal lords. This council was convened annually in the spring, around the time of the New Year's Day audience with Oda Nobunaga, the Grand Chancellor.

The meeting usually lasts for half a month to a month. If there is something to discuss, a vote is taken; if there is nothing to discuss, the meeting is adjourned.

At this point, someone raised the question: since the official business within the Heavenly Territory has been handed over to the hereditary bannermen for handling, should the reconstruction of Azuchi Castle be undertaken by the Great Xiang Kingdom Heavenly Territory itself, or should all the feudal lords of the world jointly launch a general campaign?

If they bear the consequences themselves, that's Oda's own business and has nothing to do with the feudal lords. If a nationwide petition is to be launched, shouldn't it be discussed and decided upon by the feudal lords and their hereditary leaders through a referendum?

"Good question," Shichibei thought for a moment and expressed his opinion that the decision should be made by vote. The territories of the Heavenly Realm and the territories of the feudal lords are relatively independent. The highest power within the Heavenly Realm belongs to Oda Nobuyuki, so no one can interfere or criticize what he wants to do.

Similarly, the feudal lords themselves had the final say in matters within their own territories, and Oda Nobuyuki could not easily interfere. This was unless there was internal strife within the feudal lord's family, such as a power struggle among the sons or a rebellion by retainers.

But what about the capital city of the Grand Chancellor? Theoretically, this is a public duty to the emperor, but it is indeed very expensive, and many feudal lords do not want to undertake it.

Shichibei believed that responsibility still needed to be taken on, not only to demonstrate the old relationship between the monarch and his subjects, but also as a major manifestation of the balance of power between the central government and local authorities.

The feudal lords remained within the framework of the entire Japanese nation; they were not truly independent.

Therefore, a voting process can be followed, but the general service must still be performed. That is, the feudal lords and hereditary rulers have a duty to serve in the three castles of Osaka, Azuchi, and Nijō Gosho in Kyoto.

Everyone knew, of course, that this was their duty; otherwise, why would the Oda clan grant them fiefdoms? But it would cost a lot of money, and they were reluctant to part with it.

In other words, Shichibei, now enjoying high prestige and influence, spoke frankly and earnestly to everyone, offering much advice. Only then did everyone agree to contribute to the repair of the castle.

In this way, the boundaries between the imperial domains and the domains of feudal lords, and between the Oda clan and the feudal lords, gradually became clear. Ordinary matters, including negotiations with the imperial court and the recommendation of officials, fell within the purview of the Oda clan. However, matters involving the domains of feudal lords required a vote at a council of feudal lords and their successors.

For most matters, a majority vote is sufficient; however, for major issues such as the abolition or replacement of feudal lords, a two-thirds majority is required for a decision.

By oath!

The oath, in which the feudal lords signed their unity and pressed their bloody handprints, was presented to the Ise Grand Shrine and permanently preserved within its walls.

As for it being used in the future to be equated with this declaration or that charter, placed on the same level, that's all in the future. Perhaps Shichibei can even earn the title of the father of Japanese constitutionalism with this thing, but that's another story.

Now, Shichibei wants to join the entire East Asian trade system in the name of Oda Nobuyuki. The title is already in place, and he once again requests that Daiming bestow upon Oda Nobuyuki the title of King of Japan.

With the official investiture granted by the Ming dynasty, all countries, including Korea, Annam, and Ryukyu, could openly and freely enter and trade with each other.

The incident of Ningbo vying for tribute back then is ancient history, dating back to the Jiajing era. Two emperors had already ruled the Ming Dynasty, and Japan had long since undergone a dynastic change, with the kingdom falling to the Ashikaga and then the Oda clan.

Moreover, Shichibei had already chosen a candidate while he was in Kyushu: Xu Yihou, a samurai from the Satsuma Domain who had historically delivered messages to Daimei. As Shimazu Yoshihisa's "personal physician," Xu Yihou had considerable access to information about the upper echelons of Japanese society while in Satsuma.

Otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to convey to Daiming the message that Toyotomi Hideyoshi was planning to attack Ming via Korea. Of course, there's no longer any talk of attacking Korea; the minds of the Japanese feudal lords have now shifted to rapidly solidifying their social class system.

He must firmly secure his position as a feudal lord; everything else must take a backseat. The feudal lords, already stirred up, still acknowledge that the imperial favor was a gift from the Oda clan, but to take it away? Sorry, you'd need everyone's approval first.

It's impossible to attack and kill Oda Nobuyuki now, as the Oda clan has plenty of loyal retainers. However, the long-standing tradition of a figurehead monarchy and the desire to protect their own interests can unite the feudal lords and hereditary rulers on the issue of imperial favor and authority.

Including, in fact, standing on the opposite side of Oda Nobuyuki!

Very good, they're not going to attack Korea anymore, so Xu Yi has nothing left to report to Ming. After being summoned by Shichibei in Kumamoto, he strongly agreed with Shichibei's ideas about restoring tribute, suppressing piracy, and establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries.

There's absolutely no problem with Daiming receiving Japanese silver and Japan receiving Daiming's goods. Given Japan's current silver production, it simply can't absorb it domestically; it's better to use it for foreign trade.

For Japan at that time, or at least for Japan more than a hundred years later, silver was far less useful than it was for buying food and clothing.

Moreover, with the title of King of Japan, not only would he have a respectable name when dealing with the various countries within the East Asian tributary system, but he would also have a completely legitimate title when dealing with colonizers such as Spain, Portugal, England, and the Netherlands.

See that? The seal of the King of Japan.

Historically, the Wanli Emperor originally bestowed a seal of the King of Japan upon Toyotomi Hideyoshi, but it has not survived. The seal that Obi-Oh! gave to Ashikaga Yoshimitsu also disappeared, and it's unknown how it was lost. But strangely, the "Seal of the King of Wa of Han" has been preserved, which seems unusual.

Let's discuss it later; let's first confirm the tribute arrangement with him. The so-called Japanese king is, of course, Oda Nobuyuki. Another former Grand Chancellor of Japan, Taira no Kiyomori, also maintained friendly relations with Song China and, through de facto tribute, facilitated prosperous trade between China and Japan.

Since there's a precedent, everything will be easy. We already have Xu Yi as a candidate, so let's ask Daitoku-ji Temple in Kyoto to select a diplomatic monk, and finally appoint a feudal lord of relatively high status as the chief envoy.

Looking around, Shichibei spotted Ōta Sukemasa's eldest son, Ōta Suketake. Ōta Suketake was quite lucky; his father had spent his life fighting the Hojō, but his two older brothers had successively joined the Hojō, and in the end, the family fortune of 10,000 koku fell into the hands of him, the third son.

Furthermore, because he became a retainer of the Oda clan three months before Oda Nobunaga's death, he was even granted the status of a hereditary retainer.

Aside from being relatively flexible, Ōta Suketake didn't have any particular special skills. But what was needed at that moment was a lord who was flexible, so wasn't he the most suitable candidate?

Let's go. Here are two hundred broadswords and ten thousand catties of sulfur; consider that tribute. These two things are quite sought-after in Daiming. Japanese swords are popular in Jiangnan, and sulfur is an important insect repellent in the damp and low-lying areas of Jiangnan. Take them all to Daiming. As for the others, that guy who's being smuggled in, you can handle that yourself.

Two ships were dispatched to take Ota Suketake and Xu Yihou to Daimei, and Shichibei began to reorganize the Oda clan's central leadership. After expelling Mori Terumoto and Maeda Toshiie, the main opposition faction with both power and prestige was gone.

The position of Prime Minister Shichibei in the central government will continue. Apart from the matter of imperial favor, which can be entrusted to "public opinion" as a base for the struggle between the power of the emperor and the power of the ministers, other matters such as the handling of lawsuits between samurai families, the affairs of temples and shrines, and the affairs of Kyoto and the court need to be entrusted to other specialists.

In other words, the positions of chief retainer and middle-aged elder previously established by Nobunaga Nobukatsu still need to continue to function. Under this circumstance, the appointed officials must also be re-identified and put to use.

Shichibei chose to merge the positions of Reincarnator and Chūrō into a single title called Rōchū, with the Ōrō above them. However, the Ōrō position was not permanent, and due to the special circumstances at the time, Shichibei held the position concurrently, though Shichibei himself remained only a Rōchū.

The senior councilors, who served as prime ministers to assist Oda Nobuyuki, were appointed by Oda Nobuyuki. However, due to Nobuyuki's young age, the selection was effectively made by the current senior council.

The senior council members were divided into two branches: civil and military. The civil branch consisted of the previously mentioned officials, which will not be elaborated upon further. The military branch was simpler, dividing the 30,000-plus troops directly under the Oda clan into five divisions.

Osaka Castle Guard, Azuchi Castle Guard, Nijo Castle Guard, Inner Guard, and Outer Guard. The first three were the garrison troops stationed separately in the three castles. The Inner Guard was the unit that served as Oda Nobuyuki's close attendants and pagemen, and was considered an inner guard force.

The Oda clan's outer guards were field armies, normally stationed around Osaka Castle, responsible for maintaining order, fire prevention, and security in the castle town. In case of war, a whistle would sound, and Oda Nobuyuki, leading the inner guards, would be dispatched to a location.

Each unit was headed by a senior officer (大番頭), who ranked below the senior officers (老中) and above the various commissioners (诸謞行). After becoming a senior officer, one could either advance further to become a senior officer (老中) or retire to Azuchi to become a so-called Azuchi senior officer (安土老中).

Theoretically, the Azuchi no Rōjū (謝土老中) is a minister assisting the heir apparent, but in the absence of a heir, this position remains as the final post for the magistrate and the Ōbanjō (大番姎). Of course, only those with considerable prestige and merit can be promoted; ordinary people cannot be promoted.

Oda Nobunaga was already the head of all the samurai families in the land, and even the head of the court nobles, but he had been temporarily stripped of a considerable portion of his "arbitrary" power.

The original plan to supplement the direct army of "80,000 cavalry" was completely shelved and never reinstated. After Shibata Nagakatsu was granted the province of Yamato, Shichibei passed a resolution granting Ii Naokichi the former territory of Kawamura and 140,000 koku of Izumigishi Wada.

If Shichibei is in Osaka, then everything is fine, and Shichibei will preside over important affairs in Osaka. If Shichibei returns to his domain to govern, then Ii Naokichi will need to keep a close watch on Osaka from Kishiwada Castle, ensuring that any disturbance is reported to Kumamoto immediately.

The Kishu territory that originally belonged to the Heavenly Territory was granted to Aochi Shigetsuna, Ogawa Yutada, Akaza Yoshiie, Kuchiki Mototsuna, and others who had been waiting in Tsushima and had not participated in the war. The original 150,000 koku of Harima Himeji territory, Ikeda Tsuneoki and his son Motosuke, were transferred to it with 20,000 koku.

Under fierce attack from Bessho Nagaharu, the Ikeda father and son chose to surrender at the last moment, thus preserving their family name. As long-time comrades from Owari, many pleaded for their lives, so they were first granted a change of residence and then settled with 20,000 koku of rice.

Others, such as Kawajiri Hidenaga, Inaba Sadamichi, and Dan Tadamasa, were all hereditary loyal retainers of the Oda clan. Although they were sentenced to be exiled, they were eventually pardoned and given a fief of 10,000 koku in Ki Province, thus restoring their status as feudal lords.

The promise of unity among the majority was made, but whether it was Oda Katsuhoshi's faction or Oda Nobushige's faction, they were all essentially retainers of the Oda clan. When conflicts erupted, a major battle resolved them, and then everyone was able to sit down and talk things over.

With the chief culprit, Oda Nobushige, dead, his younger brother, Oda Nobu, inherited the Oda Nobutada family name and was also granted a fief of 10,000 koku in Kii Province. Thus, no one felt any sense of shared fate. Their family name was preserved, and they remained feudal lords—what more could be said?

In the end, only Ashikaga Nobuyoshi and Sakakibara Yasumasa were confirmed to have been beheaded after the war.

Ashikaga Nobuyoshi truly had no one to plead for him; Sakakibara Yasumasa was used as a warning to others, to sow discord among the Tokugawa family. Hashiba Hideie, on the other hand, ultimately only received a sentence of exile to Hachijojima.

At this point, the Oda clan's territory consisted of only three provinces: Omi, Yamashiro, and Settsu. In addition, Shichibei, still operating under the Oda clan's name, controlled the major gold and silver mines of the land, as well as important trading ports such as Sakai, Kyoto, Anotsu, Hakata, and Tsuruga.

Shichibei did not embezzle the revenue from the mines and ports; instead, he shared it with the Oda family as before. After all, Oda Nobuyuki still needed to serve as the head of both the court and the military, so donating to major temples throughout the country, responding to the court's needs, and maintaining the operation of the entire central government all required a great deal of money.

They also need to wear the tiger skin of the Oda clan to continue their legal possession. Perhaps one day these properties will become so-called state-owned assets, but by then Shichibei will be rotten to ashes, and there's nothing to predict.

Oda Nobuyuki, still naive and inexperienced, could only watch as Shichibei and the feudal lords and hereditary leaders eroded his power. When he came of age, he was bound to feel resentment.

But it was too late for his discontent. More than a decade later, he came of age and was old enough to participate in politics. The power of the realm had long since been divided up and had been operating in this manner for over a decade, becoming a established practice.

He can only test the waters little by little within the established political framework, perhaps attempting to further centralize power. But whether he truly possesses such formidable political ability remains to be seen.

In any case, under Shichibei's coercion, Mori Komatsuhime and Narita Kaihime were forced to become nuns when Oda Nobuyuki was four years old (by Chinese reckoning), and Oda Nobuyuki was handed over to a foreign retainer.

Although among the older generation was Narita Uchinaga, Oda Nobuyuki's maternal grandfather, Narita Uchinaga, who had tasted many benefits under the new system, was somewhat biased in Oda Nobuyuki's education.

Chapter 674 Owari Dream of a Golden Day

Maintaining unity between the central government and local areas wasn't solely achieved through the feudal lords' contributions to constructing the three castles of Azuchi, Osaka, and Nijo. Shichibei also oversaw a nationwide renovation of streets and bridges. It was crucial to make everyone clearly aware that Japan was unified and that they all lived under a single, unified government.