The name of the great swordsman begins in Okehazama.

When Changqing woke up, it was already evening three days later.

"Where...am I?"

"My lord! You're awake!" Chun'an practically collapsed to the bedside, her eyes red-rimmed. "This is Inuyama Castle. The lord placed you here to recuperate. You've been unconscious for three days."

Inuyama Castle? Wasn't it in the hands of Oda Nobukiyo, who had submitted to the Saito family?

It seems Nobunaga has gained quite a lot this time...

"Three days..." Changqing struggled to sit up, but felt excruciating pain all over his body. His left arm was thickly bandaged, his right leg was also wrapped in bandages, and his chest, shoulders, and almost everywhere else hurt.

"Don't move. The doctor said you lost too much blood and have seven wounds. It's a miracle you survived." Chun'an held him down and then turned around to bring him a bowl of warm rice porridge.

"To hell with Amaterasu, I'm just tough as nails."

"Don't say things like that!"

Changqing swallowed a few mouthfuls with difficulty, then suddenly remembered something: "How many of our people... are left?"

Chun'an paused for a moment.

"Speak." Changqing stared at him.

Chun'an lowered his head. "There are twenty-three survivors, including myself. Among them, three are seriously injured; even if they don't die, they can only go home to recuperate."

Changqing stared at the wood grain on the ceiling without saying a word.

Of the seventy or eighty people he took with him from Qingzhou City, only a dozen or so remain, having died in the city he insisted on defending.

"Their corpses..."

"They were already buried when the battlefield was cleaned up," Chun'an said softly. "Lord Marume and Lord Kinoshita have made proper arrangements for their funerals... Moribe Castle has been destroyed, and Lord Nobunaga will rebuild it later."

Changqing closed his eyes.

"Where's Ando Jun? Where's Hineno Hiroshi?"

"A great victory." Chun'an's tone finally showed some excitement. "After Hironori's forces were defeated by Lord Shibata and Lord Mori, Saito's army lines were thrown into chaos. Lord Nobunaga penetrated deep into Mino territory, and Saito Tatsuoki hastily organized his troops to meet the enemy but was defeated again, retreating to Inabayama Castle. Oda's army then seized the opportunity to recapture Inuyama Castle. I heard that Saito Tatsuoki is also going to pursue the matter of Ando Morinari's decision to retreat without authorization..."

Changqing nodded and then asked, "Where is our lord now?"

"At Inuyama Castle Honmaru. Lord Niwa, Lord Hayashi, Lord Sasa, and others are all there. Lord Nobunaga instructed that you can go see him anytime you wake up."

Help me up.

"Sir, your injury!"

Help me up.

Chun'an stopped trying to dissuade him, and silently helped Changqing up and helped him change his clothes.

……

Oda Nobunaga was discussing matters with his senior retainers in the main hall of Inuyama Castle.

When Changqing, supported by Chun'an, dragged his injured leg in, everyone turned their heads.

"Mori Nagayoshi greets my lord." He released Haruaki's hand and slowly bowed as a gesture.

Nobunaga immediately ordered his page to bring a prayer mat and place it next to Sasa Narimasa.

"Sit down!"

At the start of the battle, he originally planned to come directly to the rescue, but changed his mind after encountering Hirono Hineno.

If it weren't for the flames engulfing Mori Castle, he would never have imagined that the Mori army was still holding out.

Upon learning of this situation, Shibata Katsuie and Mori Yoshinari immediately suggested a fierce attack, abandoning the opportunity to encircle Hineno Hiroshi.

However, to everyone's surprise, this "Saito Rokushuō" was quickly defeated, and the Oda army seized the opportunity to win a great victory.

Ando Morinari's 2,000 men suffered over 600 casualties in this siege, their morale was severely damaged, and they neither turned back to gather the routed troops nor responded to Saito Tatsuoki's call to send troops.

Nobunaga asked Nagayoshi with concern, "How is your injury?"

"Thank you for your concern, my lord. I am much better now." Changqing bowed slightly, his gaze sweeping over the important officials present. Among them were several unfamiliar faces, likely enemy generals who had surrendered in this great battle.

"You did a great job," Nobunaga said slowly. "With a force of a hundred or so soldiers, you delayed Ando's two thousand elite troops for a whole day, buying time for our army. The greatest credit for this battle belongs to you, Mori Nagayoshi."

Changqing lowered his head: "This is the merit of my soldiers who risked their lives; I dare not take all the credit."

"How many people died?" Nobunaga suddenly asked.

Changqing's Adam's apple bobbed: "Including the conscripted people, there were a total of 285 people, of whom 21 survived."

Everyone except for Narimasa Sasa stared wide-eyed in disbelief.

Such a high casualty ratio, yet the unit did not collapse, is almost unimaginable in this era...

Nobunaga cleared his throat. "Regarding your achievements, it has already been discussed with everyone beforehand. You are hereby granted the position of head scribe of the Red-robed Army, and your rank and conduct are increased to 2,400 koku. You are also granted 10 taels of gold and 300 kan of cash."

This means that Changqing could have a standing army of about seventy people, and with the income from the dojo, the standing army could be expanded to more than one hundred people.

Especially those unfamiliar faces cast envious glances at Changqing.

The title "Red Mother Robe, Head of the Guards" signifies not only entry into the core guard of the Oda clan, but also the absolute trust of one's lord.

The knowledge and conduct of a person with a salary of 2,400 koku is truly enviable!

Enviable, isn't it? Those are all veterans who've been with you for a year...

"Thank you, my lord..."

"That's all you have to say?" Nobunaga raised an eyebrow.

"That's all..."

"Well..." Nobunaga glanced at Nagayoshi's expression and gave up on teasing him. "Next, let's continue discussing the next strategic move... You can listen in..."

……

"The Saito army has just suffered a defeat and its morale is low, but Inabayama Castle is fortified and difficult to attack by force. Eastern Mino is the heartland of the Saito family and will not easily side with us. We should first divide the powerful clans of western Mino."

The speaker was Kinoshita Hideyoshi, who participated in the pursuit and defeat of Saito Tatsuoki's main camp, and was awarded 500 koku of rice.

Seeing that Hideyoshi had already given his answer, Nagayoshi listened quietly.

"Oh?" Nobunaga asked with interest. "Tell me more details!"

"With the defeat and death of Nagai Eiyasu and Hibino Kiyomizu, and the loss of prestige of Ando Morinari and Hineno Hiroyuki, western Mino is in disarray. I am willing to go to western Mino to divide the powerful clans. If the three Mino families—Ando, ​​Ujiie, and Inaba—side with Oda, Saito will surely perish!"

Hideyoshi volunteered, and Nobunaga readily agreed.

"Then I'll give you 100 taels of gold and 1000 strings of cash to contact the minor gentry... As long as they side with my Oda clan, I can give them the territories of the Nagai and Hibino clans."

After Nagai and Hibino died, most of their family territories were divided up by other powerful clans, and Saito Tatsuoki didn't bother to care.

Changqing couldn't help but think to himself: He pretends to be poor to his retainers every day, but when it comes to big things, he can come up with money.

He followed Nobunaga not only for a quick rise to power, but also because Nobunaga was the only man among the "people of the land" who could possibly depose the emperor.

"Changqing, what do you think?"

"Lord Kinoshita is right. Your younger brother, Hidenaga, has been with me for two years. He is good at managing finances, has also learned some military strategy, and is good at dealing with people. Please take him along as well, Lord Kinoshita!"

"Since everyone agrees, it's decided then. Monkey, if you don't have enough money, just tell me. But if you can't get this done, I'll take your life! Changqing, you should rest well these next few days."

After the meeting.

Hideyoshi personally helped Nagayoshi out the door, his face full of flattery.

"I knew you were a man of honor; you actually returned Koichiro to me!"

"I can give it back to you, but do you remember the terms we agreed on?"

"Exchange retainers? I wonder who you've taken a fancy to, sir? Koroku (Hachisuka Masakatsu)?" He lowered his head as he spoke, clearly unwilling.

"I need to borrow your soldiers and equipment; you don't need them for the time being!"

When Hideyoshi served as the general of the foot soldiers, he could command more than a hundred men in battle, but he also had to perform military service for about thirty men.

This deal was definitely a good one for him.

"become!"