Before Niwa Nagahide had time to recover from his sad sympathy for Sakuma Nobumori, Oda Nobunaga had already mentioned the next topic.

"Mi Wuniang, the war in Kaga will not stop for a while, and you must be prepared for military supplies."

Niwa Nagahide was stunned and asked.

"It is said that Shibata Katsuie-sama is making very smooth progress and has captured Kaga half of the country. Kaga has always been unable to resist and was defeated.

Should the military supplies I have delivered be enough to support it, or are there changes in the Kaga war situation?"

Oda Nobunaga shook his head and said.

"You did a good job. Shibata Katsuie has no worries about logistics. We can win Kaga Country within a short time, so I have some new ideas."

Niwa Nagahide saw Oda Nobunaga in high spirits and couldn't help but smile bitterly. Come on, this master will be in trouble again.

Oda Nobunaga didn't care about Niwa Nagahide's inner complaints, he just thought about himself and said excitedly.

"Kaga has always been convinced that its destruction is imminent, and the samurai families of Vietnam and China must be in awe of the military might of our Oda family.

I have already sent envoys to the Noto Hatakeyama family and the Echu Jinbo family, asking them to cooperate with me to completely eliminate the Hakkai clan that harms the Hokurikudo.

Once Shibata Katsuie destroys Kaga's Ichiki, I will let her immediately enter Ezhongchu and take care of Echichu Ichiku."

Niwa Nagahide's eyes widened and he looked at Oda Nobunaga in disbelief, and the remaining sleepiness in his mind disappeared.

"Mainden, do you want to open up the Hokuriku Road and reach out to Kanto?"

Oda Nobunaga chuckled.

"The Nakasen Road is difficult to travel, and the Tokaido Road is blocked, but the Hokuriku Road is a good opportunity. In the name of exterminating the Ichikui, we can invade China. Let us consider it as the bridgehead for the Oda family to enter Kanto."

Niwa Nagahide frowned.

"The countries of Hokurikudo have always served the Sage and His Highness Uesugi respectfully, and since it concerns the Hokuriku trade route, should we be more cautious and inform the Sage first and communicate with him before marching?"

Oda Nobunaga waved his hand.

"Try, try first.

Pretending to wipe out the confusion that has always been suppressed, I intervened first. If I confess to the saint now, if he doesn't allow it, won't I fall into passivity?"

Niwa Nagahide's scalp is numb. According to your wishes, if you reach out without telling the saint, there will be no trouble?

"But...it is said that His Highness Uesugi has a strong temper. If we are so good at making opinions, if there is a backlash, will it put the saint in a dilemma?"

Oda Nobunaga snorted.

"Who is Kenshin Uesugi? She has benefited a lot from the saint's protection over the years. She should be wiser."

When Niwa Nagahide mentioned Uesugi Kenshin, Oda Nobunaga became even more angry.

Because Takeda Shingen's daughter had a bad background, although she was the eldest daughter, it was difficult for her to inherit the Shiba family.

But Uesugi Kenshin was different. He was from the Fuchu Nagao family, but he was born in Shimo Katsukami, but Uesugi Kenshin had inherited the Yamauchi Uesugi family and was in charge of the Kanto family, so his identity was whitewashed.

The Yamauchi Uesugi family was of noble character, and the children born to Uesugi Kenshin and Shiba Yoshigan had great priority in inheriting the saint's career.

Oda Nobunaga has not even conceived a baby until now. She has always been surly and envious of Uesugi Kenshin's childbirth and raising of children in the past two years, but she feels very uncomfortable and threatened.

There was no conflict of interest between the Oda family and the Uesugi family, and Oda Nobunaga wanted to find fault. What's more, now that there was a real conflict of interest, Oda Nobunaga took advantage of the situation and stepped in to show off his power.

Niwa Nagahide may not not understand the reason, but she does feel that Oda Nobunaga is a little too arrogant because of the recent smooth war.

The Hokuriku Road trade route was the economic lifeline of the Shiba family. Shiba Yoshigan insisted on protecting Asakura Keiki. On the one hand, it was indeed because of Asakura Sotechi's kindness, and on the other hand, it was because of Tsuruga Port.

The three main ports of the Hokuriku Road trade route, Tsuruga Port, Nanao Port, and Naoetsu, together with Mikuni Minato, who forced the Bank of Japan to provide benefits to Maeda Toshiie, formed a maritime trade network.

Kaga had always blocked the Hokuriku Expressway. The Shiba family, which was not yet strong at the time, had no choice but to find another way and take the sea route. As a result, the cost of the sea route was lower and a mature maritime logistics network was established.

Oda Nobunaga apparently wanted to move Etchu, but she commanded the Noto Hatakeyama family and the Etchu Jimbo family by name, and did not regard herself as an outsider at all.

In fact, they are grabbing the right to speak and influence, and want to control the trading system of Nanao Port.

During the Echichu campaign that year, Yoshihiro Saba finally defeated all the forces of Kaga, Echichu, and Noto, and then redistributed the interests of the Hokuriku trade route, and finally conquered each of them.

Kaga Echu's Ichikui was able to get a share of the pie and no longer targeted the Hokurikudo trade route.

The Noto Hatakeyama family controls Nanao Port, and the Etsuchu Jimbo family travels south through Nanao Port to various small ports in Fuji Bay on the Etsuchin coast to share quotas.

Everyone sat in a row and ate fruits. Over the past few years, Noden and Kaga, all the forces in the three countries of Vietnam and China have been in peace, and everyone was very satisfied.

Now, the big catfish from the Oda family has come to Hokurikudo, and is ready to kill Kaga. After saying this, he continues to put his hand in, trying to muddy the waters of Hokurikudo.

Not to mention whether the saint would agree, Uesugi Kenshin, who has huge interests in Vietnam, China and Noto, would definitely react.

Furthermore, Oda Nobunaga clearly deliberately sought to harm Uesugi Kenshin. Can Uesugi Kenshin be convinced?

Oda Nobunaga had a bad temper, and Uesugi Kenshin didn't have a good temper either.

The Uesugi family is not weak in strength, their family status is much higher than that of the Oda family, and the mother is a god whose daughter is the most important, so why should they be soft on the Oda family?

Your Oda family has three million koku and is the most powerful in the world, but my Uesugi family also has one million koku, and Uesugi Kenshin even claims to be the second most powerful person in Kanto as the leader of Kanto.

If Oda Nobunaga slapped him and didn't fight back, Uesugi Kenshin would be laughed to death by the Kanto samurai.

Uesugi Kenshin's position as number two in the Kanto Palace is already in jeopardy, how can he show weakness at this time? The Uesugi family must give the Oda family a hard blow, and Oda Nobunaga is looking for trouble.

Niwa Nagahide was hesitating whether to persuade her again, when Oda Nobunaga stopped, looked back at her, and said.

"I've said all that needs to be said. It's daylight now. You've had a hard night. Go back and rest early."

Niwa Nagahide felt suffocated.

You bombarded me with one thing and gave me a headache. Now let me go back to sleep. Can I sleep?

But his arms couldn't twist his thighs, so Niwa sighed and had to bow and leave.

Oda Nobunaga watched Niwa Nagahide leave dejectedly, his smile gradually fading.

She was informing Niwa Nagahide, not asking for Niwa Nagahide's opinion.

Oda Nobunaga knew very well that conquering the world and conquering Shiba Yoshigan was what Oda Nobunaga himself longed for, but it was not in line with the actual interests of Oda's retainers.

Oda Nobunaga could only forcefully push the Oda retainers to serve him and go through this thorny road, instead of expecting the Oda retainers to accept it.

The rising sun is rising in the east. Looking at the rising sun, Oda Nobunaga's eyes are firm and full of confidence.

She never doubted that she would succeed, because she had never failed, except... to that man.

———

Settsu Province, Ikeda Castle.

Araki fled westward in embarrassment, seeking asylum from the Maori family.

Tsuneki Ikeda entered Settsu Province with a high profile, and the first thing he did was to kill thirty-six of Araki Murashige's direct retainers on behalf of Oda Nobunaga.

Then, Tsuneki Ikeda occupied Ikeda Castle, and as governor of the Ikeda family, acted as the agent for Settsu state affairs, waiting for Oda Nobunaga to petition the Kyoto shogunate for the guardianship of Settsu.

In the Fushimi Castle system where the Shiba family cooperates with the Oda family, Mitsuhide Akechi, the person in charge of the Shiba family, is now clearly favoring the Oda family, so there is no doubt that Tsuneaki Ikeda will be granted the title of guardian of Settsu.

Ikeda Tsuneaki joined the famous Settsu Ikeda family as a branch of the Mino Ikeda family. Naturally, he was very high-spirited. These days, he was busy interacting with the Settsu samurai family and accepting licks from various local forces.

Outside Ikeda Castle, Hashiba Hideyoshi, who was sent by Oda Nobunaga to assist Ikeda Tsuneaki, also received the latest order from Azuchi Castle.

Inside the tent, Takenaka Shigeharu was coughing heartbreakingly, and outside the tent, Hideyoshi Hideyoshi was panicking.

Hashiba Hideyoshi did not dare to neglect, walked into the tent, and looked at Takenaka Shigeharu who was immersed in papers with a worried look on his face.

"Hime Takenaka, why is your illness getting worse and worse? Stop worrying about these chores for the time being and have a good rest."

Takenaka Shigeharu saluted Hideyoshi Hashiba who entered the room and said.

"Thank you, Lord, for your concern. This is an old problem of mine. I always cough when the weather changes. In spring, everything blooms, so it seems a bit more severe. I have long been used to it, so it doesn't matter."

Hideyoshi Hashiba sat on the horse next to Takenaka Shigeharu, held her hand and said firmly.

"You are used to it, but I am not. You are my military advisor. Your health is related to my career future and is not your own private property.

Take care of yourself, this is my order.

This time we return to Kitaomi, and you must go back to Changbin City to recuperate. Before your health improves, I will not take you around again."

Takenaka Shigeharu asked with a sharp light flashing in his eyes.

"Listen to this, Lord. The latest order from the main hall has arrived?"

Hideyoshi Hashiba nodded.

"As you expected, the order given to me by the main hall is to support Hokurikudo and go to Kaga Country to help the Shibata Katsuie in the war.

Ikeda Tsuneaki is guarding the Settsu Kingdom, clearing out dissidents, and establishing a firm foothold."

Hashiba Hideyoshi's tone was a bit melancholy. She had devoted herself to running Kitaomi in the past few years, and the little family strength she had accumulated was supported by Oda Nobunaga. She had been making wedding dresses for others.

Takenaka Shigeharu nodded and asked.

"What about Shishan?"

Hideyoshi Hashiba said.

"Sakuma Nobumori controls the three half-samurai families of Owari, Mino, Ise, and Minami-Omi. He serves as the general and conquers Ishiyama Honganji Temple. It must be captured before winter."

Takenaka Shigeharu’s eyes narrowed.
To be continued...