Nine, the blood and tears of Changdao

"How dare you defy my wishes?!" Nobunaga shouted loudly, and then kicked Mitsuhide, sending him crashing to the ground

On one hand, having eliminated the Asakura and the Azai, Nobunaga felt triumphant, believing that he no longer needed to disguise himself. On the other hand, and more importantly, he lamented the futility of emotions, realizing that even merely feigned emotions could inflict fatal wounds upon himself. He relied on Masahide, who abandoned him; he forgave Nobuyuki, who plotted rebellion against him a second time; he trusted Nagamasa, who raised a sword behind his back... Is there truly anyone worthy of trust? Is there anyone who can reciprocate my love and is willing to love me? Nobunaga must have been tormented by such thoughts. At this moment, it seemed that only those generals he had personally promoted, such as Katsusuke, Nagahide, and Hideyoshi, could be trusted. However, Nobunaga clearly understood that these individuals merely tied their own fates to the sword of their lord, and in reality, the relationship between lord and vassal was one of mutual exploitation. Feigned love and respect can sometimes lead to self-hypnosis, blinding both parties, but as soon as the situation changes, the truth will be revealed.

The Siege of Xiaogu City

After the fall of the Ashikaga shogunate, Oda Nobunaga dispatched various generals to systematically quell the forces in the Kinai region that responded to Ashikaga Yoshihide: Watanabe Kōnai Shōsuke and Isogai Shin'emon from Ichijō-ji at the foot of Mount Hiei, the Kido and Tanaka fortresses in Takashima District, Ōsaka Castle's Iwaki Tomotomo, the headman Ōsukesuke, and Suwa Hida no Kami among others. On August 4, Nobunaga left Kyoto and returned to Gifu Castle in Mino Province.

The unfortunate Asakura Yoshikage, this was in fact his second time in battle. Since his first campaign at the age of thirty-two in the seventh year of Eiroku (1564), he had not stepped outside the city of Ichijō Valley for nearly a decade. This time, compelled to make a final effort to rescue Kogane Castle, Yoshikage personally took command of an army of twenty thousand and marched south, only to suffer a disastrous defeat at Tōmiyama. Nobunaga faced various enemies throughout his life, including tenacious warriors, cunning strategists, and also the incompetent; the esteemed lord of Echizen, Asakura Yoshikage, should be considered among the latter.

Shibata Katsuie, Takigawa Kazumasu, and others bowed their heads in fear of Nobunaga's scolding, yet Sakuma Nobumori, with tears in his eyes, defended himself, saying, "You may blame us for our ineptitude, but how can you doubt our loyalty?" Nobunaga, even more enraged, rebuked him, saying, "You, relying on your seniority, dare to arrogantly contradict me!" It is said that from that moment on, he began to harbor an extreme aversion towards this long-serving minister.

For a long period in ancient Japan, the ancient practice of walking marriage remained prevalent. Women lived their entire lives in their parents' homes, while men would come and go, merely sharing a room with their wives, resulting in a lack of a true family life. Consequently, women were much closer to their parents and brothers than to their husbands. However, in samurai families, the dual marriage system of men marrying women was consistently practiced. In this context, when a courtesan chose her elder brother over her husband, it can certainly be regarded as an anomaly.

In the first month of the second year of Tenshō, according to tradition, the various military leaders under the Oda clan and the prominent daimyō gathered at Gifu Castle to present gifts to Nobunaga, congratulating him on the New Year, followed by a grand banquet. As the banquet approached its conclusion, in accordance with custom, the direct vassals and the daimyō known as "fudai" (those with hereditary ties) began to take their leave, while the daimyō referred to as "tozama" (those who had surrendered but retained considerable independence) also departed. Only the direct retainers remained by Nobunaga's side, reflecting on the struggles of the past year and looking forward to a bright future, creating a very joyful and harmonious atmosphere

After deterring the various temples in Nara, in May, the Oda army captured the last stronghold of the Rokkaku remnants, Ishibe Castle. Immediately thereafter, Nobunaga, feeling triumphant, participated in the horse racing event held at Kamo Shrine in honor of the deities. He had his mounted retinue fully armed, riding fine horses equipped with complete sets of high-quality saddlery, easily winning the competition to showcase his military prowess to the gathered populace

The flames of hatred ignited one another, growing ever stronger. Upon learning of this dreadful news, Nobunaga became even more furious, and his methods grew increasingly brutal. After breaching the Nagashima fortress, he led his troops to heavily surround the remaining Nakagawa and Yagashima fortresses, and shockingly set fire to the fort, burning nearly twenty thousand civilians alive! This is the appalling atrocity that feudal rulers inevitably impose on the resisting populace.

Especially as the fourth year of the Genki era was coming to an end, Ashikaga Yoshihide, the organizer and key figure of the encirclement network, was finally exiled by Nobunaga. Yoshihide had once been a tool in Nobunaga's hands, yet he was unwilling to accept the fate of being merely a tool, exhausting all his efforts to restore the former glory of the shogunate. In the face of the turbulent times and the formidable Oda Nobunaga, the foolish and incompetent Yoshihide flailed about like a clown, but it must be acknowledged that the Muromachi shogunate had already fulfilled its historical mission. In the chaotic Warring States period, even the emergence of an exceptionally capable shogun could ultimately not save it from its doomed fate.

On the 12th, the Oda army captured the Shinozaki fortress again. However, facing the fearless rebels, after a month of intense assaults, our side had already suffered heavy losses. Nobunaga thus decided to adopt a long-term siege strategy against the remaining three fortresses, hoping to wear down and starve the enemy. The siege continued until the end of September, when the rebels at Nagashima fortress ran out of ammunition and food, and more than half of the civilians who had taken refuge inside the fortress perished from starvation. They then once again requested to surrender.

Apart from the water army, the Oda army was also divided into three routes: to the east, led by Oda Kanjuurou Nobutada, commanding Oda Nobukatsu, Tsuda Hidenari (many of the Tsuda clan's generals were relatives of Nobunaga, who later changed their surnames, such as Nobuhide's tenth brother Hidenari, fifth uncle Nobutsugu, and third uncle Nobumitsu's sons Nobunari and Nobumasa), Mori Nagayoshi, Ikeda Tsuneoki, and others, advancing towards Ichikaguchi; to the west, Sakuma Nobumori, Shibata Katsuie, Inaba Ittetsu, Hachiya Yoritaka, and others would cross the Matsunoki River to approach Katori; in the center, Nobunaga himself commanded, with Tsushima as the main camp, supported by generals such as Hashiba Hidenaga (brother of Hideyoshi), Niwa Nagahide, Andou Moritake, Noda Mitsuharu, Sasa Narimasa, Maeda Toshiie, and Kawajiri Hidetaka, advancing from Nakasu to the direction of Saou. The total troop strength was increased by ten thousand compared to the last time, reaching seventy thousand.

Nobunaga has always had a penchant for unique and extraordinary things since childhood. Recently, he has developed an interest in the tea ceremony and Nanban culture, sparing no expense to collect a vast array of tea utensils and Nanban artifacts, a fact well known to all. However, there is one set of dining ware that astonished everyone present—three shallow sake cups placed on a white wooden tray.

On the 27th day of the first month, the Takeda army launched another attack, invading Iwamura Castle and besieging Akechi Castle in Mino Province. After Takeda Shingen passed away last year, he bequeathed the position to his grandson, the young Nobukatsu (also known as Takemaru, born to Nobunaga's adopted daughter), while appointing Nobukatsu's father, Shirou Katsuyori, as regent. This was because Katsuyori had originally been adopted by the Suwa clan of Shinano, and after the position of heir became vacant, he returned to the main line. Shingen feared that others would not respect him enough to command loyalty, so he bypassed Katsuyori and designated Nobukatsu as his successor.

Reflecting on the lessons learned from the failures of the previous two campaigns, Nobunaga this time summoned the newly allied naval forces from Shima (present-day eastern Mie Prefecture) to address the intricate waterways of the Nagashima region. The province of Shima, bordering Ise Bay, boasts developed water transport, and the local noble clan, the Kuki family, has organized a formidable naval force, with their leader, Kuki Umanosuke Yoshitaka, being referred to as the "Pirate Daimyo".

In order to enhance his prestige, Takeda Katsuyori once again mobilized troops to advance eastward. On February 5, Nobunaga, accompanied by his eldest son Nobutada, gathered the forces from the provinces of Nō and Owari to relieve the siege of Meitoku Castle. Since his coming of age, Oda Nobutada had been brought along by Nobunaga in several battles, often remaining in the main camp while Nobunaga personally engaged in combat. This was also intended to elevate Nobutada's standing, ensuring that he could smoothly inherit his father's throne in the future

The Long Island Massacre

The downfall of the Sanjō clan led to the suicide of Sanjō Yoshitsugu, yet the true culprit, Matsunaga Hisahide, felt no shame at all. He repeated his old tricks and sent envoys to Gifu Castle to meet Nobunaga, expressing his willingness to submit and make amends for his crimes. To everyone's surprise, Nobunaga did not show any anger and once again dealt leniently with Hisahide. Thus began the tumultuous year of Ten-shō 2 (1574)

This assessment is correct. Nobunaga led his troops in a fierce pursuit and indeed caught up with the defeated Asakura forces near the summit of Mount Kogane, at a place called Kogamiyama. Subsequently, a fierce and bloody battle ensued, resulting in the deaths of over 3,000 Asakura soldiers, including the renowned generals Asakura Jibu no Shō, Asakura Sōbu no Tasuke, Kawai Aki no Kami Yoshitomo, Aoki Hayato no Suke, and Yamazaki Hizen no Kami, among others, as well as Saitō Ryūki, who had escaped from Inabayama Castle in Mino and had been resisting Nobunaga in various locations. This is the famous Battle of Kogamiyama, after which the main force of the Asakura army was nearly annihilated.

In the mountain city of Kogane, the layers are interconnected. The central part descends from the mountain peak and consists of Sanwangmaru, Komar, Kyogokumaru, Nakamaru, and Honmaru. At that time, Asai Nagamasa resided in Honmaru, while his father Hisamasa lived in Komar, separated by two fortifications. Kinoshita Hideyoshi had been outside Kogane Castle for a long time and was very familiar with the local geography. He suggested first capturing Kyogokumaru to sever the connection between the Asai father and son. Nobunaga approved his plan.

After resolving the issues in the Kinki region, the next target was still the troublesome Ise Nagashima. Oda Nobunaga, without pause, led an army of 60,000 to launch another attack on Northern Ise on September 24 of that year. This war lasted a full month; although a final victory was not achieved, nearly all local factions that had supported the Ikkō-ikki, including Kataoka, Tanabe, and Nakajima, were almost completely eradicated. In the end, Nobunaga left Takigawa Kazumasu to guard the newly constructed Yata Castle (present-day Yata Town, Kuwana City) to monitor the movements of the rebellious populace, while he returned to Gifu.

At this time, the Asakura clan had suffered heavy casualties, and the only one still commanding an army was Asakura Shikibu no Daisuke Kagemitsu. Yoshikage urgently requested Kagemitsu to mobilize troops for reinforcement, while he himself anxiously awaited in Kenmatsu-ji, fearing that the reinforcements would not arrive in time and that the Oda army would come first.

Lady Muni demanded that Nobunaga agree to spare the life of Nagamasa's young son, Manpukumaru (born of Nagamasa and his former wife, not Lady Muni's son), before she would descend from the mountain. It appeared that Nobunaga had a very close relationship with this sister—moreover, during the previous retreat at Kanazaki, if it had not been for Lady Muni's prior warning, Nobunaga would likely have met a dire fate. As long as he could ensure his sister's safety, he was willing to accede to all her demands. Thus, Lady Muni and her son descended and joined the forces of Kinoshita Hideyoshi.

Asakura Kagemitsu had long been dissatisfied with Yoshikage's weakness and incompetence. At this moment, seeing that the family's destruction was irreversible, he resolutely decided to take action, leading over two hundred men to surround the Kenmitsu Temple and firing guns at the temple. Fearing the infamous label of regicide, he did not dare to take action himself, urging Yoshikage to end his own life swiftly. At this time, Yoshikage also realized that there was no hope for survival, and with a long sigh, he committed seppuku in the temple at the age of forty-one. His parting words were: "Seven tumbles and eight falls, in forty years, nothing but emptiness, the four elements are fundamentally void."

In March, Nobunaga entered the capital and ordered the extraction of the "Ranshadai" from the Shosoin of Todai-ji. The Shosoin is a treasure repository affiliated with Todai-ji, primarily housing various treasures collected during the lifetime of Emperor Seimu. Among these treasures, the Ranshadai is the largest agarwood in Japan, measuring approximately 1.5 to 1.6 meters in length and nearly 40 centimeters in diameter at its widest point. It was presented to Todai-ji by Empress Komyo in the 8th century and weighed 13 kilograms at that time. Throughout history, emperors or shoguns occasionally extracted the Ranshadai for personal use or to reward their vassals. Nobunaga, who neither aspired to be an emperor nor a shogun, also took action to extract it, clearly intending to demonstrate the greatness of his power to the world.

The battle continued until July 15, when Kōgai Yoshitaka, Takigawa Kazumasu, Itō Mitsunobu, and Mizuno Kanemoto would arrive with a large number of Ataka ships (a type of large warship) for reinforcements. Immediately thereafter, Kitabatake (Oda) Nobukiyo, Shimada Hidemitsu, and Hayashi Hidetada's naval forces also advanced in great numbers. Taking advantage of the situation, the Oda army on land launched an attack, completely surrounding the entire Nagashima area from both land and sea. At this time, the remaining strongholds of the Ikki were only Nagashima, Ōtorii, Yanagashima, Shinozaki, and Nakagawa's five forts.

Nobunaga collected treasures not to satisfy his own greed or out of any collecting obsession; all his actions were politically motivated. In fact, compared to those renowned items from the Eastern Mountains and the luxurious Ranshadai, Nobunaga perhaps preferred obscure yet novel items like globes. It is said that shortly thereafter, he gave away all the Ranshadai he had at a tea gathering to merchants in Sakai, keeping none for himself

On the 17th, the Oda army crossed the Kime Pass and entered Echizen. The next day, they captured the main castle of the Asakura clan, Ichijōdani, and set it ablaze. The great fire burned for three full days, and this prosperous city of Hokuriku, which had flourished for nearly a century, was reduced to ashes, marking the fall of the Asakura clan's local authority. Asakura Yoshikage had escaped back to Ichijōdani Castle on the 15th. Realizing the situation was hopeless, he attempted to commit suicide but was dissuaded by his close aides. He then abandoned the castle and fled to Rokubō Kenshō-ji Temple in Yamada, Ōno District (now within Ōno City). Nobunaga ordered Shibata Katsuie, Inaba Ittetsu, Ujiie Naotō, Andō Morinari, and others to pursue him, issuing strict orders to capture Yoshikage's head.

In November of this year, the Sanho clan of Wakae finally met its demise. Previously, Ashikaga Yoshihide brazenly raised the banner of rebellion, and figures such as Sanho Yoshitsugu and Matsunaga Hisahide echoed his call from afar. The three elder statesmen of the Sanho clan, Torao Sako, Ikeda Tango no Kami, and Noma Sakichi, offered their counsel in vain, secretly contacting the Oda faction, opening the gates of Wakae Castle, and allowing Sakuma Nobumori to lead his troops into the city. Sanho Yoshitsugu was played with at the mercy of Matsunaga Hisahide throughout his life, always looking to Hisahide for direction, alternating between rebellion and submission, repeating this charade so often that he likely grew weary of it himself. Contemporary accounts suggest that at this time, Yoshitsugu, overwhelmed by anger, fear, and heavy psychological pressure, had completely lost his sanity. Consequently, he personally killed his wife and children, and then committed seppuku in the form of the ten-character cut. [The ten-character cut is one of the most painful forms of seppuku, characterized by a horizontal cut across the abdomen followed by a vertical incision, resembling the shape of a '十'.]

Oda Nobunaga finally tasted the bitter fruit of breaking his promises and brutally suppressing the people. His half-brother Oda Nobuhira, his tenth brother Tsuda Hidenari, his uncle Tsuda Nobutsugu, and the three sons of his uncle Nobumitsu (Nobunaga's cousins) — Tsuda Nobunari, Nobumasa, and Senchiyo — were all killed by the enraged people of Nagashima in this campaign

After completing these superficial measures to stabilize people's minds and demonstrate authority, the most suitable season for battle, autumn, arrived. On July 13, Oda Nobunaga personally led his army for the third time to launch the final decisive battle against the Ise Nagashima Ikki.

Nobunaga is both a revolutionary and a tyrant. Although he may have been compelled to employ drastic measures in a time of chaos, there is no justification for his large-scale slaughter of defenseless commoners. Of course, those like Honnō-ji, who incited the people to oppose Nobunaga for their own selfish desires, cannot escape the fate of being nailed to the pillar of historical shame.

Nobunaga personally led his troops to pursue the Asakura army. Based on intelligence analysis, the Asakura forces were divided into two routes: one retreating from Nakano Kōri and the other from Tōnenyama, chaotically withdrawing towards Echizen Province. After a conference among the generals, it was unanimously determined that: "The main force of the enemy is likely to rely on the supporting castles in the Tsuruga area, constructed to protect the main castle, to retreat into the interior, thus they must take the line through Tōnenyama, leading to Hikida."

The enormous "surrounding net of Nobunaga" cast by the last shogun of the Muromachi shogunate, Ashikaga Yoshiteru, included the Asakura and Azai clans to the north, the Kōnan uprising, Hieizan Enryaku-ji, and the Ikko-ikki of Nagashima to the south, the Ishiyama Hongan-ji and the Saika faction to the west, and Takeda Shingen to the east. This net once acted like a heavy shackles binding Oda Nobunaga. Although Nobunaga entered the capital in the twelfth year of Eiroku (1569), it took him a full four years to finally glimpse the dawn of unification of the realm.

The fourth year of the Yuan Gui era in history (1573) was not a complete year, as it ended in less than eight months, giving way to the equally incomplete first year of the Tian Zheng era

On the following day, namely August 28, Nobunaga personally commanded a fierce assault on the main keep of Koguchi Castle. After a valiant resistance, Asai Nagamasa, along with his renowned general Akai Miyasaka, committed suicide. According to popular legend, Nagamasa was a handsome and formidable man, yet his childhood name was "Yashamaru," suggesting he was not particularly attractive. The portraits of Nagamasa that have been passed down depict him as a round-faced, broad-chinned fat man. Although in certain periods and regions of ancient Japan, a round face was indeed considered beautiful, it is noteworthy that Nobunaga, who was praised as a handsome man with a slender face, was also from the same era, indicating that aesthetic standards should not have varied so greatly.

From this perspective, it is indeed true that Yoshizane possesses a tenacious charm that refuses to bow to fate. The trouble he brings to the powerful daimyōs of the Warring States period, particularly those like Nobunaga who control the Kinai region, is something that his father Yoshiharu and elder brother Yoshihide were unable to achieve.

However, just as he returned to his hometown and had not yet settled in, he received the news that the noble family of Jiangbei, led by A Bi Dan Lu Shou Zhen, had secretly pledged allegiance. Such a great opportunity could not be missed. Nobunaga immediately left Gifu on August 8, convening the generals of the Kinai region, preparing to eliminate the two fierce dogs, Asai and Asakura, who were barking incessantly beside his couch.

Nobunaga's insistence on seizing the land of Ranshadai stems from two main ideas: first, to proclaim to the world that he would rise to replace the Ashikaga shogunate, becoming the leader of the samurai class, and that even the imperial court would have to bow to his authority, not daring to defy his will; second, to intimidate the monks of the various temples in Nara. Nara, the former capital of Japan, is home to renowned temples such as Hōryū-ji and Enryaku-ji, both traditionally regarded as sacred sites that protect Japan, collectively known as "Nanto Hokurei." Nobunaga aimed to strike at the old Buddhist powers, employing extermination against Enryaku-ji and intimidation against Nara, with the underlying intention being the same.

After the city lord and her son left the main castle of Koguchi, Nobunaga sent envoys several times, demanding that Nagamasa abandon resistance and surrender the castle. All these requests were firmly rejected by Nagamasa without any room for negotiation. Nobunaga, left with no choice, ordered his troops to launch a fierce attack. Among them, Kinoshita Hideyoshi quickly captured Komaru, while Asai Hisamasa was executed by his retainer, Tsurumatsu, who served as the kaishakunin (the person responsible for decapitating the seppuku participant to alleviate unnecessary suffering; the head must be severed in one stroke, while the neck should still have skin connecting it to prevent the head from rolling away, which requires a high level of skill, thus it is often performed by masters of swordsmanship).

Lan She Dai

Although Takeda Shingen has died, the strength of the Takeda army remains intact. The Oda army engaged in battle with them, but not only did they fail to achieve victory, but also, due to the betrayal of Iwahara Uemon, Mino Castle fell. Consequently, Nobunaga reinforced the nearby Koya Castle, assigning Hidetaka Kawajiri to its defense, and constructed Osato Castle, appointing Tsuneoki Ikeda to guard it, in order to prevent the Takeda army from advancing further, before withdrawing his troops back to Gifu

Having learned from the previous attack on the large bird stronghold, Nobunaga readily agreed to the request this time. On September 28, the rebels and their families opened the stronghold gates and boarded small boats to surrender to the Oda army. However, when they reached the center of the river, they were suddenly met with a barrage of gunfire from the enemy, followed by the collision of large boats and the close combat of the Oda naval forces. The unfortunate commoners fell in droves like straw, their blood staining the river red

On August 24, the remaining generals of the Asakura clan, including Asakura Kageakira, arrived at the Longmen Temple in the capital to submit to Oda Nobunaga, presenting the severed head of their former lord, Asakura Yoshikage. The Oda army also captured Yoshikage's biological mother and legitimate son, and Nobunaga ordered Niwa Nagahide to execute them all in public. After appointing the former Harima no Kami Yoshitsugu, who had voluntarily surrendered last year, as the deputy guardian of Echizen, Oda Nobunaga led his victorious army back to the Kōhoku area at Mount Tora.

The reality is that Hideyoshi, having risen from a mere salaried samurai to a daimyō with his own territory, was required by Japanese custom to sever ties with his old family and establish a new household, thereby necessitating the creation of a new "family name" to distinguish it from the original clan. Such changes in surname due to significant shifts in status and differences in residence were common in ancient Japan, not solely the case for Hideyoshi.

Just as everyone was at the height of their excitement, Nobunaga clapped his hands, and an array of exquisite dishes, the likes of which no one had ever seen or even heard of, was brought forth. The vessels containing these delicacies were also adorned in lacquer and gold, showcasing the utmost luxury.

After two days and nights of fierce battles, the renowned city of Xiaogucheng in Jiangbei finally fell. The heads of Qianjing and his son were sent to Kyoto for public display. Nobunaga, fearing future repercussions, ultimately betrayed the promise he made to his sister, Ichihime, and had his ten-year-old legitimate son, Manfukumar, executed by crucifixion at Mino Sekigahara. The so-called "crucifixion" in Japan is not the same as the Chinese "thousand cuts"; rather, it involves binding the criminal to a stake and piercing them to death with long spears. That poor, innocent boy, who did not yet understand the world, thus followed his father and grandfather to the realm of bliss.

After fierce battles, Da Yue and Da Zhu Cheng, as well as Ding Ye Shan and Ding Ye Cheng, were successively subdued. At this point, the Asakura faction had completely lost contact with Ko谷城. The morale of the Asakura army was low, and they were forced to retreat towards Echizen. On the night of the 13th, Nobunaga ordered his vanguard, including Sakuma Nobumori, Shibata Katsuie, Takigawa Kazumasu, Hachiya Yoshitaka, Niwa Nagahide, Kinoshita Hideyoshi, and Inaba Ittetsu, to swiftly pursue the remaining enemies and ensure that not a single one escaped. However, the generals acted sluggishly, nearly missing the opportunity for battle. Nobunaga was furious and scolded, "Such negligence must have hidden motives. Do you harbor ulterior intentions?"

The weak and indecisive Kyuuzou bears the greatest responsibility for the downfall of the Asai clan. Even when the high-ranking officials opposed Nagamasa's alliance with Nobunaga, if Kyuuzou had been able to support Nagamasa, or at least not be manipulated by the officials to restrain him, the Asai clan likely would not have reached this point. In the end, those officials who had once fervently clamored for an alliance with the Asakura clan to attack Nobunaga quickly changed their stance and surrendered to the Oda clan to save their own lives. Meanwhile, Kyuuzou and his son had to become scapegoats for these shameless individuals.

Upon hearing these words, all the generals gasped in shock, their stomachs churning, and none dared to step forward to drink. However, Nobunaga, known for his rough temperament and tendency to go wild after drinking, would not let anyone off the hook and insisted that all the generals drink a full cup before they could leave. Among them, he particularly singled out Akechi Mitsuhide, handing him the golden cup made from the skull of Asakura Yoshikage. When Mitsuhide was hiding with Ashikaga Yoshiaki in Ichijōdani, Yoshikage had, like the later Nobunaga, greatly admired Mitsuhide's elegant demeanor and extensive knowledge, suggesting to Yoshiaki that he recruit Mitsuhide into his ranks. Therefore, in a certain sense, both Yoshikage and Yoshiaki were Mitsuhide's former lords. Faced with the remains of his former lord, Mitsuhide was overwhelmed with emotions, nearly brought to tears, his hands trembling as he hesitated to accept the golden cup.

Thus, perhaps from this moment on, Oda Nobunaga has finally shed the disguise that others dared not remove, starkly revealing the cruelty, jealousy, and tyranny that a warlord of a chaotic era should possess. In terms of "truth," Nobunaga is undoubtedly much more endearing than other warlords. Perhaps he truly went mad, but not at the moment he raised the skull chalice, rather at the moment of his first battle. Moreover, in the warring states period, every samurai is a madman; how could it be that only Nobunaga is so?

Although the Kinki region has temporarily stabilized, Oda Nobunaga remains surrounded by formidable enemies. Shortly after the New Year celebrations, various clans in Echizen Province rebelled, besieging and killing the guardian, Maebori Yoshitsugu. The entire Echizen Province was almost entirely under the control of a peasant uprising. Consequently, Nobunaga dispatched Kinoshita Hideyoshi, Niwa Nagahide, Noda Mitsuharu, and Marumo Nagatomo to Fukui and Tsuruga in Echizen to build fortifications and maintain defense.

At this time, the Asai clan in Koguchi Castle had become like a bird in a cage, a turtle in a jar. Although Nobunaga had left with confidence, the overall commander at Tora no Goten was his son Nobutada. However, Nobutada lacked battlefield experience and merely sat there as a figurehead, while the actual task of monitoring Koguchi Castle had always been entrusted to Hideyoshi Kinoshita. On August 26, Nobunaga returned to Tora no Goten and ordered Hideyoshi to immediately launch the final attack

The Oda army first captured Tsukise Castle, then while monitoring the movements of Koganei Castle, took a detour to Yamada Mountain north of Otake, intending to sever the connection between the Asai and Asakura forces. As a result, Asakura Yoshikage, who hurriedly came from Echizen with nearly 20,000 troops, was unable to approach Koganei Castle and had to deploy his forces at locations such as Yugo, Kinoshita, and Tanabesaka along the border. On the night of August 12, amidst heavy wind and rain, Nobunaga ordered his eldest son, Oda Nobutada, to remain at the main camp on Toramiko Mountain to continue the siege of Koganei Castle, while he personally led the cavalry to launch an assault on Otake, braving the torrential downpour.

Oda Nobunaga and his son moved their main camp to the southern shrine of Nagashima (in present-day Tado Town, Mie Prefecture) and commanded their generals to launch a fierce attack on the five forts mentioned above. On August 2, the Oda army used large cannons to breach the walls of the Otorii fort. The rebel forces stationed within the fort submitted a request for surrender, but Nobunaga flatly rejected it. "Evil-doers must be exterminated to atone for the crimes of rebellion and destruction they have committed over the years!" he scolded. That night, taking advantage of the wind and rain, the rebels in Otorii fled in droves with their families. The Oda army pursued them relentlessly, and regardless of gender, age, or whether they were combatants, a brutal massacre ensued. Over a thousand of the rebellious populace were mercilessly killed!

Such acts of cruelty can be said to be unprecedented throughout history. Some say that from this moment, Nobunaga had already gone mad, the revolutionary spirit vanished, and the tyrant was born before this golden chalice of a skull. However, to view a warlord of a chaotic era in such a simplistic manner is rather reductive. Indeed, there flows a tyrannical blood within Nobunaga's veins, but how many generals born in the Warring States period are truly gentle and sincere, devoid of tyrannical qualities? The important thing is that love and hate are both double-edged swords; excessive kindness can swiftly lead to one's demise, while excessive cruelty can turn all friends into enemies. Thus, everyone wraps their true nature in completely opposite façades, striving to suppress their jealousy and cruelty from being discovered. Relatively speaking, the past Nobunaga was merely slightly more liberated, a bit more indulgent, and somewhat dismissive of worldly judgments. However, ultimately, the pressures from both sides compelled him to boldly strip away his disguise, revealing the truly terrifying essence of a Warring States general before history.

On one hand, in order to ensure the safety of Nobunaga's sister, Ichihime, who was close to Nagamasa, as well as the three daughters (Nobunaga's nieces) that Ichihime bore for Nagamasa, Nobunaga harbored certain illusions about Nagamasa—"It is all that old man Hisamasa's fault for forcing my brother-in-law to fight against me," Nobunaga likely thought. Thus, after severing the connection between father and son, Nobunaga ordered the various armies to halt their attacks and sent envoys to persuade Nagamasa to surrender. When Nagamasa asked the envoy, "What of my father?" the envoy fabricated a lie, saying, "He has surrendered." Nagamasa laughed heartily, saying, "I know my father's temperament best; he is either still fighting or has already perished, and he would never surrender." He then instructed his wife and children to follow the Oda army's envoy down the mountain, intending to resist to the end.

However, due to a momentary lapse, the Oda army retreated into the densely wooded and winding terrain of Mount Tani, where the Ikko-ikki pursued them from behind. Cannonballs and arrows once again fell upon the Oda troops like rain, and the renowned archer Hayashi Shinjiro (son of Hayashi Hidetada) was killed while covering the rear. At dusk, a torrential rain fell, rendering the enemy's firearms inoperable, allowing the Oda army to escape the battlefield in a disheveled state. However, many soldiers succumbed to frostbite and exposure while marching through the rain overnight.

The Fall of the Asakura Clan

Miyoshi Hideyoshi subsequently changed his name to Hashiba Hideyoshi (some say he changed it shortly after Nobunaga entered the capital). According to popular legend, Hideyoshi disliked his old surname as it sounded too rustic, easily identifying him as a farmer. Therefore, he took one character each from the names of two prominent retainers of the Oda clan—Niwa Nagahide and Shibata Katsuie—to create his new surname "Hashiba." However, in reality, the surname Kinoshita was not unique to Hideyoshi; there were many individuals and samurai in Owari with the name Kinoshita. Moreover, this surname could not be associated with farmers, as prior to modern times, Japanese farmers did not possess surnames or family names.

More pitiable is Saito Ryuuou; had he known today, why would he have acted as he did in the past? If he had displayed the courage and diligence to wander and align himself with various local powers to oppose Nobunaga a few years earlier, and had he managed to protect the Mino Province left by his ancestors, how could he have ended up dying far from home? Is it only after losing everything that some people truly awaken to reality?

The next night, Hideyoshi dispatched his main forces to launch a fierce attack on Komaru to restrain the Asai army, while he himself, guided by the local figure Horie Shigesuke Yoshiharu, led a small contingent of troops along a hidden path on the mountainside to launch a surprise attack on Kyogoku Maru, quickly capturing it.

Although these wine goblets are lavishly coated in gold paint, the seasoned generals, who have long been accustomed to the sight of dead skeletons from countless battles, immediately recognize that they are unmistakably human skulls. Nobunaga laughed heartily, saying, "This is a testament to last year's bloody struggle; come, everyone, let us drink a toast with these golden goblets!" He then explained that these three skulls belonged to his three most despised enemies—Asakura Yoshikage, Asai Hisamasa, and Asai Nagamasa.

The Birth of the Demon King

In response to such shameless acts of breaking promises, the populace was enraged, with six or seven hundred individuals, though unarmored and unarmed, still charging into the midst of the Oda army amidst a hail of bullets, attacking the enemy with their fists and teeth. Faced with these desperate citizens, who knew no fear whatsoever, the soldiers of the Oda army turned pale and began to flee in disarray.

The envoy was unable to enter Todai-ji and had to return to Kyoto to report to Nobunaga. Nobunaga sneered, "You want the Emperor's edict, do you? Very well, then go and obtain one." The imperial court was firmly in his grasp; a mere piece of edict was nothing he could not procure. Thus, on the 28th of March, during the hour of the dragon (between 7 and 9 in the morning), the envoy returned to Todai-ji, holding the Emperor's edict, to transport the Lan Sha to the storage of the Shōsōin and move it into the castle of Tōmon. Immediately, under the silent observation of the assembled generals, Oda Nobunaga, following tradition, cut a piece of incense measuring one shaku and eight sun.

The envoy arrived at Todai-ji but was stopped by the monk soldiers: "Ranshatai is a royal treasure; without the edict of His Majesty the Emperor, no one is allowed to touch it." They also mocked the envoy: "Since Minamoto no Yoritomo established the shogunate, only His Highness of the Eastern Mountain has ever taken Ranshatai among all the shoguns. Nobunaga is not a shogun; what qualifications does he have to covet what is not rightfully his?"

The downfall of the Asai clan marked the complete cessation of the long-standing conflicts in the northern region of the river. Due to the significant contributions of Kinoshita Hideyoshi in this campaign, Nobunaga granted him the former territories of the Asai clan, establishing the castle in present-day Hama, which was later renamed Nagahama

On September 4, Nobunaga returned triumphantly to Sawayama Castle, dispatching Shibata Katsuie to launch a fierce attack on the besieged and isolated Nara Castle. Hōkō Yoshiharu surrendered, thus bringing complete peace to the southern region.

By the way, let me share an interesting anecdote. At that time, China's understanding of Japanese society was still quite superficial. Even in the "Ming History," it was taken for granted that the Japanese regent, Oda Nobunaga (who, in fact, never held the title of regent in his lifetime), one day went hunting and saw a man lying under a tree. He scolded him for his rudeness. Because the man was eloquent and claimed to be Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Nobunaga then turned his anger into joy and ordered him to tend to horses, giving him the name "Kinoshita" and so on.

During the campaign against the Ikko-Ikki on Chōjō Island, in response to the call from Hongan-ji urging the followers of the Ikko sect to resist the tyrannical rule of the Oda clan, Nobunaga issued a counter edict stating: "Monks should devote themselves to diligent practice and the pursuit of knowledge. Yet, the monks of Hongan-ji indulge in worldly pleasures, extravagance, and debauchery, further involving themselves in secular disputes, violating national laws, and building fortifications to resist their lord. Such wicked deeds shall be met with severe punishment by me, as the legitimate lord."

After much anticipation, on the 20th, in the early hours of the morning, Yi Jing suddenly heard the sound of gunfire outside the temple. He was greatly alarmed and asked his close attendants, "Has Nobunaga arrived?" One of the attendants went out to check and returned with a terrified expression, saying, "It is not the Oda army; it is Shikibu (that is, Asakura Kagekyo) leading troops to surround the temple!"

The term "Lord of Dongshan" refers to Ashikaga Yoshimasa, the eighth shogun of the Muromachi shogunate. He can be regarded as the last shogun of the Muromachi period who wielded actual power. During the latter part of his reign, the "Onin and Bunmei Wars" broke out, marking the beginning of the Warring States period in history. Although Yoshimasa's governance was poor, he constructed a series of buildings in the Higashiyama district of Kyoto, including the "Ginkaku-ji" (Silver Pavilion), and amassed a large collection of swords, tea utensils, and paintings, thus initiating a culture rich in samurai characteristics known as "Higashiyama Culture." After Nobunaga entered the capital, he sought to gather the scattered "Higashiyama treasures" (i.e., Yoshimasa's collections) in an effort to revive samurai culture and establish a new era of governance. This is why he whimsically decided to also cut a piece of the "Ranshatai" that Yoshimasa had once cut.

The rebel forces in Komikawa Village established a tight defense. Just as Nobunaga's main army was approaching, they gathered nearby boats to cross the river and launched a fierce attack on the Oda troops stationed on the embankment. However, they were repelled by generals such as Hashiba Hideyoshi and Niwa Nagahide, suffering heavy losses