The name of the great swordsman begins in Okehazama.

"How many are left?" Mitsuji Fuwa appeared behind him without him noticing.

"At most forty koku," Hineno said in a low voice, "but the ledger says one hundred and twenty koku. Where did the difference go?"

The two men looked at each other and both thought of one possibility: someone was withholding food supplies.

Inabayama Castle, in the castle tower.

Nagai Michitoshi knelt before Ryūshō, tears streaming down his face: "My lord, we can no longer hide the truth! The granaries and reservoirs are empty! The entire city's daily rations are now only fifteen shi!"

Long Xing's eyes were sunken. Since the start of the war, he had hardly slept a full night, and his mental state was on the verge of collapse.

"Then... reduce the rations again." His voice was hoarse.

"We've reduced it as much as we can! The commoners only get a mouthful of porridge a day, and the foot soldiers don't even have the strength to stand guard! Today, there was even a grain-grabbing incident in Ninomaru, which Lord Hineno suppressed, but what about next time? And the time after that?" Nagai Michitoshi kowtowed. "My lord, please make a decision! Either we go out of the castle for a desperate battle, or... we try to negotiate with the Oda army!"

"Negotiations?" Long Xing suddenly looked up, a mad glint in his eyes. "You want me to surrender to Oda Nobunaga?! I am the head of the Saito family! The guardian of Mino!"

"But Lord Daosan and Lord Yilong would never be trapped in this isolated city and wait to die!" Nagai Michitoshi exclaimed excitedly. "Lord Daosan would say: either break through and survive, or perish together! But he would never... rot away like this!"

Long Xing was stunned.

Because he was never the grandfather. He was just a fifteen-year-old boy who was put in the position of head of the family, and he only knew that he could do whatever he wanted, and never thought about how to revitalize the family business.

"Reinforcements...I still have reinforcements!"

He started rambling incoherently, and Nagai Michitoshi opened the letters from the Takeda, Rokkaku, Asakura, and Anagokoji families.

Although Asakura looked down on Oda, he also looked down on the Saito family, who had seized control of Mino. Moreover, the two families had a rift decades ago due to their struggle for control of Mino, and Asakura directly refused to provide assistance.

The Rokkaku family and the Kobe family of northern Ise Province both expressed their inability to help.

Only the Takeda clan offered verbal support and encouraged him to continue his steadfast stance.

Yoritsuna of Hida Province was originally a vassal of the Uesugi clan, but later submitted to the Takeda clan. However, after the Takeda clan's failed conquest of Echigo Province, Yoritsuna began to ally with the Oda clan. Yoritsuna and Nobunaga were both sons-in-law of Saito Dosan, and they quickly reached a consensus on the Mino issue.

"No reinforcements! My lord! How long are you going to remain so foolish?!"

"You... step back." Long Xing waved his hand dejectedly. "Let me think about it."

Nagai Michiri hesitated, then sighed deeply and bowed as he withdrew.

……

In late October, the streets of Inabayama Castle were littered with the remains of starving people.

At first, people would collect the bodies, but as the number of deaths increased, the bodies could only be hastily buried or even left to lie in the open.

The shadow of plague began to loom.

Inside the castle tower, Saito Tatsuoki had barely eaten for three days. As the lord of the castle, it wasn't that he lacked food, but rather that he couldn't stomach it.

Every time he picked up his rice bowl, he could smell the stench of corpses from outside the city, which made him gag.

"My lord, you must eat something."

"Take it! Send it...send it to the children in the city."

The servant was stunned: "But..."

He was clearly shocked by his lord's sudden act of mercy.

"Go!" Long Xing roared.

The servant hurriedly packed up and left.

He looked out of the city and saw that the Oda army's camp was well-organized.

The rising smoke from the chimneys even made him imagine the original aroma of the rice, and thinking about it, he suddenly felt hungry.

"Why..." Long Xing murmured, "Why did I end up like this..."

He couldn't understand it, but he knew that with each passing day, more people would die in the city. And in the end, all these deaths would be attributed to him.

Late at night, he had a dream.

He dreamt that his grandfather, Saito Dosan, stood before him, looking at him with those hawk-like eyes.

"I told you those belong to my son-in-law!"

Long Xing awoke with a start, his clothes soaked in cold sweat.

As dawn approached, Nagai Michitoshi requested an audience again. This time, he brought even worse news.

"My lord... Lord Hironori Hironori secretly met with several of his former subordinates last night." The old retainer's voice trembled. "They were discussing... discussing surrendering the castle."

Longxing was struck dumb.

"Hineno...he dares!"

"It's not just Lord Hineno." Nagai Michitoshi closed his eyes briefly. "Lord Fuwa, and other retainers, have also shown signs of unrest. My lord, the morale of the army... has collapsed."

Long Xing slumped onto his mat, and after a long while, he asked in a hoarse voice, "How many people are still loyal to me?"

Nagai Michitoshi remained silent for a long time before slowly kneeling down: "This old minister... swears to follow my lord to the death."

Are you the only one?

Just then, Hiroshi Hineno and Mitsuji Fuwa rushed in.

"Nagai Michiri is withholding military rations!"

They unanimously accused Nagai Michitoshi of being a traitor, and soon both sides were considering taking action.

"Stop! Things have come to this point; there's no need to investigate the traitor!"

Long Xing lowered his head, looking at his trembling hands.

"Michiri. Send someone... to Oda's camp. Tell Shibata Katsuie that I am willing to surrender."

……

Three days later, at 9:00 AM.

The gates of Inabayama Castle slowly opened.

Saito Tatsuoki was dressed in formal attire and wore an eboshi hat. Behind him followed a few old retainers, including Nagai Michitoshi, all with solemn expressions.

Following them were Hironari Hineno, Mitsuharu Fuwa, and the other samurai who were still able to stand. They marched out of the castle gates and laid down their weapons one by one in the open space outside the castle.

The Oda army was arrayed in a strict formation. Shibata Katsuie, mounted on horseback, stood at the front of the formation. To his left and right were the three men of Nishi-Mino, as well as Ikeda Tsuneoki and Mori Nagayoshi.

Shengjia spurred his horse forward and stopped in front of Longxing.

Long Xing bowed awkwardly and presented the official seal and sword with both hands.

"The sinner Saito Tatsuoki is willing to surrender the castle. The soldiers and civilians in the castle have all been disarmed and are awaiting their fate. I implore Lord Shibata, in consideration of Heaven's benevolence towards life, to forgive them."

Katsuie dismounted, took the seal and sword, and said in a gruff voice, "Lord Nobunaga has decreed: Saito Tatsuoki, who surrenders the castle, will be spared death. He will be sent to Kiyosu for resettlement, with an annual stipend of 300 koku, and will be guaranteed to live out his days in peace. The samurai, soldiers, and civilians in the castle will be forgiven for their past transgressions. The merits of the generals will be rewarded after Lord Nobunaga personally arrives at Inabayama Castle."

Ryūō bowed deeply once more: "Thank you for your kindness, Lord Nobunaga; thank you, Lord Shibata."

Katsuie nodded and turned to the three from Mino: "Inaba, Ujiie, and Ando, ​​you will take over the castle defenses."

To put it bluntly, it's about giving them benefits so they can loot the city.

"We obey!" the three replied happily.

One day later, Nobunaga arrived at Inabayama Castle.

Oda Nobunaga sat in the main hall, listening to Shibata Katsuie's battle report. When he heard that Inabayama Castle had surrendered without a fight, he burst into laughter.

"Excellent! Excellent! The siege lasted less than three months, and you've captured the fortified city! Shengjia, well done!"

Katsuie bowed: "It is all thanks to the virtuous rule of our lord, and the six-month embargo that had been in place beforehand. In addition, Mori Nagayoshi's strategy was invaluable, and the siege arrangements were all his doing."

"Understood..." Nobunaga tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest.

"With Mino secured, it's time to deal with the south... Chokei!"

"exist!"

"Go to Nijo Castle and present a salute to the general on my behalf..."