Chapter 23

"Let's see, what should I do?"

In the winter of 1563, Oda Nobunaga, who had just annexed Mino, was in a dilemma.

What was troubling him was the matter of Shinti Koki, whom he had whimsically made a samurai.

Koki was involved in numerous businesses, was wealthy, and owned parts of western Owari and the eight districts of Ise.

Nobunaga had taken away the territories of the openly rebellious Hattori Sakkyo and had caused the decline of the forty-eight families in northern Ise and the powerful families in central Ise. Nagashima had lost much of its power due to the heavenly punishment incident.

While humans cannot summon lightning, it was unlikely that Koki was involved, but still, he was a man of incredible fortune.

Already, the Koki family was more powerful than the Kiso family, which owned the remaining five districts of southern Ise. If things continued this way, Ise and Shima would become the property of the Koki family.

Koki had become a powerful vassal.

This was a dangerous sign, and perhaps the correct choice would be to eliminate him.

However, he had brought great benefits to the Oda family.

Many of Nobunaga's vassals also got along well with him.

Firstly, the Koki family had a well-trained standing army and a large stockpile of firearms, cannons, and gunpowder.

If a war were to break out here, the Oda family would likely suffer a defeat, and Ise would become a troublesome enemy.

Moreover, Nobunaga did not dislike Koki, his brother, and his wife.

Koki also recognized Nobunaga as his lord and served him loyally.

Nobunaga, as the head of the Oda family, thought Koki was dangerous, but he did not want to think so.

No, if he did not change his mind, they would not betray him. He could sense this somehow.

"Then, what should I do?"

From now on, he would develop the two countries and increase the power of the Oda family.

The only thing left was to hope that the succession would continue with Kiyomitsu.

The Koki family might be better off as a vassal with Ise and Shima under their control.

The Kiso family, being originally merchants, had no choice but to be destroyed.

Koki had already destroyed or taken territories from many prestigious families.

The Oda family had also expelled the guardian family, the Sassa, and taken over Owari.

Nobunaga's family was merely a branch of a branch of a family that had been a guardian's deputy.

Looking at his father-in-law, Saito Dosan, it was clear that in this world, the weak were destroyed.

That was all there was to it.

"Lord, are you thinking about something?"

While he was pondering, Murai Sadakatsu appeared.

He was a man Nobunaga valued for his administrative skills.

"What do you think?"

"A common solution would be marriage," Sadakatsu said.

Nobunaga was impressed by Sadakatsu's quick thinking.

He had understood Nobunaga's dilemma with just one word.

"But we have an alliance with the Asai family."

The Asai family, based in northern Omi, was allied with the Asakura family, which controlled Echizen.

If both attacked Mino, Echizen would be busy defending against the Ikko-ikki, but there were no absolutes in this world.

It was best to be cautious.

"The Asai family is busy fighting the Rokkaku. They would not want to be invaded in northern Omi. A normal alliance is sufficient," Sadakatsu said.

Nobunaga thought that by forming an alliance here, it would serve as a buffer against the Asakura family of Echizen.

"The Koki family should be incorporated through marriage and treated as a quasi-family member."

"But there is Kiyoko."

Kiyoko, a beautiful and excellent woman, was Koki's proud wife.

Pushing an Oda family daughter into the position of chief wife, even as a lord, seemed inappropriate.

Koki might get upset and betray him.

Moreover, if a wife brought in by the lord were treated as a concubine, it would damage the Oda family's reputation.

This was why marriage was a difficult issue.

"Marrying her to Kiyoshi is also difficult."

This was because Kiyoshi was not the head of the Koki family.

If the Oda family were to plot to make the child of Kiyoshi and Oichi the next head of the Koki family, it could worsen the relationship with the Koki family.

Moreover, it was necessary to make it clear to the world that the Oda family was superior.

The sister of the head of the Oda family should only marry the head or the heir of the Koki family.

"I was also in a dilemma, but how about trying to negotiate?"

"Trying it out..."

"An argument, but both will be chief wives, and the first-born son will be the heir."

"Kiyoko has a son, Taro."

Taro was the son Kiyoko had just given birth to.

If the Oda family recognized him as the heir, it might resolve the Koki family's dissatisfaction.

"From what I have seen of Lord Koki, I think it would be best to consult with him."

Sadakatsu, who was not a military man, did not dislike Koki, whom he resembled, and highly evaluated him.

"Yes, I think so. I'll try to talk to him."

Following Sadakatsu's advice, Nobunaga began to work on a marriage with the Koki family.

"(I'm Shinti Koki. The atmosphere is terrible... at least in some parts...)"

Previously, Koki had been called by Nobunaga and told to marry his sister, Oichi.

Kiyoko, who was present, had a subtle expression, and Nobunaga said that the Oda family would recognize Taro, her son, as the heir.

"In return, I will betroth my daughter, Fuyahime, to Taro."

Nobunaga proposed to betroth his daughter, Fuyahime, born two years ago, to the Koki family's heir, Taro.

Through a double marriage, the Oda family aimed to incorporate the Koki family.

"I can't refuse..."

Kiyoko, who was usually straightforward, did not oppose it.

Thus, Koki would receive a concubine, something he had never had in his previous life.

While rich people often had mistresses, it was still a new experience for him.

Moreover, since the new bride was Nobunaga's sister, he would become her brother-in-law.

When the marriage was decided, preparations began immediately.

The wedding of a samurai family was complicated, but Murai Sadakatsu and Hida Masaharu were in charge, and the preparations proceeded smoothly.

Masaharu, who had just joined the service, was delighted to be given an important task.

"If I take on any more work, I will die."

The one who recommended him was Hori Masaharu, a man who was always busy.

The wedding day was chosen, and the venue was not Gifu, where the base had been moved, but Kiyosu.

"I have invited the lord of Mikawa, Motoyasu, to the wedding."

Nobunaga had also invited Motoyasu, the head of the Matsudaira family of Mikawa, to the wedding.

The Ikko-ikki rebellion was winding down but had not yet ended.

However, Nobunaga wanted to introduce his new brother-in-law and finalize the betrothal between his daughter, Tokuhime, and Motoyasu's heir, Takechiyo.

"The Matsudaira family..."

Koki did not want to meet Motoyasu because he had hired former Matsudaira family vassals who had left Mikawa due to the Ikko-ikki rebellion.

He thought they might have complaints.

The day of the wedding arrived, and Koki, under the protection of a security team led by four men, including Magozo and Hideno Hiroshige's son, arrived in Kiyosu the day before.

"What kind of bride will she be?"

Kiyoko, who was with him, seemed very interested in Oichi, who would become Koki's wife.

"Will she be a beautiful girl?"

The Oda family had many handsome people, so Koki thought it was unlikely that a stunning beauty would appear out of nowhere.

Nobunaga, who Koki knew was a former delinquent, had a princely appearance.

However, Koki wondered what Oichi thought about suddenly getting married.

Moreover, he thought about what would happen if a stunningly ugly woman came as part of a political marriage, which was a silly thought.

"Being a samurai is tough..."

"Kiyoko is a samurai now."

"Oh, that's right!"

Well, it was for survival.

There was no choice, and both Koki and Kiyoko decided to accept it.

They did not want to end up being executed for having too much power.

"Kiyoko, I know you have many thoughts, but I would appreciate it if you could bear with it."

Before the ceremony, Nobunaga visited Kiyoko with a small entourage and apologized to her.

He seemed genuinely sorry about the marriage.

Although it was unofficial, he was honest in his apology.

"I am looking forward to it. What kind of girl is Oichi?"

"It makes me feel relieved. Please take care of Oichi."

Nobunaga, who usually gave rather unreasonable orders, was surprisingly gentle with his family and women.

After all, he was entrusting his sister to Kiyoko.

Koki secretly thought that a delinquent who took care of a cat might be a good person, but he kept this to himself.

"We both have our reasons, but Oichi has done nothing wrong. I want to get along with her."

"Indeed."

Nobunaga looked relieved.

Kiyoko had called Oichi 'chan,' which meant she would accept her as family.

"Kiyoko, please take care of Oichi."

"Leave it to me."

The wedding ceremony then began.

Wearing unfamiliar wedding attire, Koki went through a long ceremony. When he looked around, he noticed that柴田勝家 (Shibata Katsuie)’s eyes were bloodshot, as if he were about to draw a weapon and go on a rampage.

"(I understand how he feels...)"

Koki, a newcomer, was marrying the sister of his lord, Nobunaga.

It was clear that Katsuie was not pleased.

Other vassals also felt the same way, though not as openly as Katsuie.

"(And, a beautiful girl discovered!)"

Oichi, whom Koki met for the first time, had fair skin and a beautiful face, similar to Nobunaga's.

She was sixteen years old and would be considered a beauty even in Koki's time.

During the ceremony, she was quietly looking down, but Koki was impressed by her beauty.

A samurai wedding was long, lasting about two days before it finally ended, and the first night was about to begin.

It was a crude matter, but both families would be pleased if they became a proper couple and had children.

Since it was a political marriage, there was no room for a "let's get to know each other first" strategy.

"Kiyoko, good luck."

Kiyoko, a mother of two, called out to Koki as he headed to the first night.

"If Kiyoko were a man, she would have been the greatest general of her time..."

Even Nobunaga, who saw Kiyoko, was surprised by her attitude.

"I am Oichi."

"I am Shinti Koki."

Koki had only dated Kiyoko, and she had fallen in love with him first, so he was almost a novice when it came to dealing with women.

His younger brother, Kiyoshi, was still into anime heroines.

In response to Oichi's greeting, Koki instinctively bowed his head in greeting.

"I feel relieved."

"Relieved? I know I'm not very reliable..."

"There are many fierce men like Kurokichi in the household, but I am a bit uncomfortable with them..."

As a samurai, it was inevitable that there were many such men, but her brother, Nobunaga, was not only fierce but also paid attention to his appearance and was usually clean.

Koki, being from the future, was also clean, and Oichi thought he resembled Nobunaga.

If Koki knew this, he would have vehemently denied it, saying he was not a former delinquent.

"We have a somewhat unusual wife and a younger brother, but they are not bad people. Please get along with them."

"I will do my best."

Thus, the first night ended without incident, and Koki became Nobunaga's brother-in-law.

After the ceremony, the vassals who attended returned to their territories or posts.

With Mino annexed, there was plenty of work to strengthen the ruling system and develop the territories.

Before that, Koki met with Ichi Masaharu, Toyokichi, Masaharu, and Nagahide to talk.

"Marriage to Lady Oichi, Lord Shinti, is enviable."

Not only Toyokichi but also the beautiful Oichi was admired by the household.

Toyokichi genuinely envied Koki for marrying his dream princess.

"Lady Kiyoko is also beautiful, so you have two flowers."

Masaharu also agreed with Toyokichi.

However, Kiyoko was beautiful but tall.

Koki, who was taller than Kiyoko, did not mind, but there were few men in this era who wanted a tall wife.

Masaharu, who was almost the same height as Koki, would have been a good match for Kiyoko, but his wife, Matsu